Ginger with her third son, 5-day old James.

The Mothering Issue: Resources for Moms New (and the rest of us too)

Everyone knows that the journey to and through motherhood is the most heart swelling and transforming experience of a woman’s life. And mothers know that better than anyone else.

What is not often talked about are the difficulties and risks mothers can experience – the World Health Organization attributes part of the high maternal (and infant) death rate to a lack of social support and public policy (aka no maternal leave policy), and to the lack of low-tech health care workers who provide prenatal and birth support. In other words, if moms are to fare better (and survive birth!) in the US today, we need more support, better laws that give us the opportunity to take care of our children (not going back to work after mere weeks before breastfeeding is even well established), and less unnecessary interference from hospitals and doctors (which increases the risk of complications, ironically).

But don’t take my word for it, here are the words straight from the WHO and Save the Children’s State of the World’s Mothers 2013 Report:

Solutions for decreasing maternal and infant mortality:

•Reduce barriers to health services

•Invest in low-tech, low-cost solutions

•Invest in health workers

•Address underlying causes of mortality, especially gender equality

•Close gaps in postpartum maternal health in the US (Cheng et al 2006)

WHO recommendations for decreasing maternal and infant morality:

•Home visits

•“Holistic, family-centered, multi-disciplinary, individualized, de-medicalized, culturally appropriate care”

•Provision of parental leave

But until these recommendations are heeded, the US will continue to have the highest maternal and infant mortality rates, and highest first-day death rate of all industrialized nations (State of the Worlds Mothers 2013, OECD 2010). Yes, you heard it right, if you are an American woman you are more likely to die giving birth than in any other developed country in the world.

What American Mothers Need

What is needed is a ground swell of American women who say, “I deserve better (prenatal and postpartum) care than this.” What is needed is a grassroots movement of mothers who question their health care providers directives and are not led blindly along the path of motherhood, thinking they have no rights or options to better care.

What American women need is a Mothers Bill of Rights, a post that I wrote earlier this year that received the support of the National Association of Mothers’ Centers and American Mothers, Inc, two very visible maternal activist not-for-profit organizations. To that end, here are some resources for moms new (and the rest of us too). Resources you can use if you are expecting or would like to be expecting, or you are a veteran mother feeling overstretched, under-appreciated, and undervalued.

Expectant or Want-t0-be Expectant Moms (Prenatal)

Giving Birth

Comfort in Labor
THE Labor and Delivery go to book – The Birth Partner – A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions
Breech: Is an External Cephalic Version effective in turning your baby? What Research Says
Ginger’s Book Excerpt, Fit & Fearless Birth© – Peak performance and fitness during pregnancy and childbirth through gentle combinations of physical therapy, yoga, and other holistic wellness methods. A prenatal and postpartum book for the entire season of young motherhood.
- FREE BOOK EXCERPT: Prenatal Headache Management
- FREE BOOK EXCERPT: Your Labor & Delivery Management, Three Yoga Postures

Postpartum

Timeline of a Breastfed Baby – This is a FABULOUS resource for moms new to breastfeeding. It’s all the stuff that no one tells you – and lots of more great tips to set your mind at ease about nursing your baby.
Four Reasons Why Every New Mom Needs Physical Therapy
Aches and Pains after Childbirth – What is Normal and What is Not
Diastasis Recti – Do you have one? How to tell and what to do.
What to Do About Urinary Leakage
Birth Trauma Help
- What to do about Pelvic Pain & C-Section Massage
- What to do about Pelvic Pain & Perineal Tears
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- One Third of Childbirth Repair Surgery Fails: Why?
Hidden Dangers of Stroller Pushing
Do you have Postpartum Depression? Take This Quiz

I update this resource list on a regular (and frequent) basis, so to stay up to the date you may want to subscribe to my newsletter, subscribe to my blog, or visit the Mothering Resources page. I never, ever share your information and only send newsletters about once/quarter.

References

State of the World’s Mothers 2013 (Save The Children)
World Health Organization (WHO). Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2008 estimates developed by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank, World Health Organization 2010, Annex 1. 2010.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development . OECD health data 2010 — frequently requested data 2010.
Cheng et al 2006. Postpartum Health Care in the US: A Critical Review.
Healthy People 2010/US Dept. Health & Human Services 2000
Caring Economics Campaign 2012