Amnesty International Report on Maternal Mortality in US Amnesty International released its  report on maternal mortality in the US on March 12, 2010. This very extensive report documents the extremely high rate of maternal mortality in the US. Citing causes such as C Sections and the high rate of medical interventions, Amnesty International states, along with CDC, that the actual numbers are much higher then the documented ones due to the fact that not all maternal deaths are recorded as maternal deaths.                         Amnesty Report	No Need For Moms to Fast During Labor by John Gever, Senior Editor Medpage Today Jan. 2010 This article points out what midwives, doulas and many health care people have been saying for years. That it is not necessary to avoid food and drink when a mom is in labor.  The energy and strength that she will get from eating far outweighs the possibility of having to go into surgery for an emergency C Section. Moms need their energy, babies need their energy. Eating during labor is a good thing.                                  No Need to Fast
Birth Drugs Impair Breastfeeding Natural News Jan. 24, 2010 This article points out that the drugs which the mom is given during the birth can significantly effect how the baby  latches onto the breast and how vigorously, or not, the baby sucks at the breast.  If the mom is given drugs for pain, those drugs enter her bloodstream and thus the production of milk.. and are also getting to baby when they nurse, and even while still in utero.                       Impaired Feeding	The Transparency Project is a project which CIMS ( Coalition for Improving Maternity Services) has created so that women will be able to not only tell their birth stories to other women, but everyone will be able to look at the particular statistics of an individual hospital. This information is a good foundation for knowing what you chances are of having a C section, or which type of medical interventions are used and how often in which hospitals. Right now the stats are only involving NY  hospitals , but the more women who fill out the survery, the more accurate information we will all have. Help support this effort by clicking on the following link.                         Birth Survey
Take Action:   Write your Congressperson The Amnesty International Report on Maternal Mortality was released March 12, 2010. Please send an email to your congressperson asking them to look into the high rate of maternal deaths in the US, so that we can reduce the maternal mortality rate. Only when we have a clear picture of WHAT the causes are, can we take actions to eliminate them. Letting birth progress naturally is one way to reduce medical interventions, many of which are the root cause of either the maternal or infant deaths , or both, in childbirth.  Ask them to support the MOMS bill which is on the floor now, supported by over 26 legislators....The MOMS bill speaks to Global Maternal Health.... that includes the US. Please support this very important legislation.                                   MOM's Bill	Gulf Oil Spill Information for Pregnant Women   CDC Emergency Press Release July 2010   The following article notes the possible dangers of toxins from the Gulf Oil Spill in the Louisiana Gulf. Noting that the effects of the chemicals on pregnant moms and their unborn babies depends on many things,  it is well worth your time  to read the warnings.  People can be exposed to the toxic effects just by breathing the exposed air.                            Gulf Oil Spill