Inspiring Websites	Description
www.greatexpectationsmaternity.com	Adirondack Council for Birthing Women fully supports this new maternity store in Glens Falls NY as a mother-child friendly establishment. It's the only store of it's kind in this area and we are sure you will LOVE it!
www.dona.org	Home of DONA International. Information on doulas and other childbirth information.
www.maternitywise.org	Info about various childbirth choices, making informed decisions and evidence-based care.
www.ican-online.org	The International Cesarean Awareness Network Inc. Provides information and support regarding cesarean birth.
www.vbac.com	Provides access to research based information, resources, and support for VBAC.
www.cfmidwifery.org	Citizens for Midwifery. Information regarding midwives including the "Midwifery Model of Care".
www.motherfriendly.org	Home of the CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services). An organization helping to change hospitals, birthcenters, and birth practitioners into "mother-friendly" practices through education and activism. Gives info about the "Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative" and "10 Questions to Ask"
www.childbirth.org	provides a wide range of information on various childbirth topics.
www.midwiferytoday.com	Periodical and source of information on various childbirth topics.
www.birthsource.com	Provides a wealth of information on various topics for professionals as well as consumers.
www.mothering.com	Periodical and source of information on natural parenting.
www.blueribbonbaby.org	Personal web site of Dr Tom Brewer. Well known for his research on PIH and toxemia. These conditions plague pregnant women today and medical doctors have no answers for these conditions. Dr Brewer does. So why hasn't the medical community used his findings? Well, that's for you to decide. What do you think?
www.postpartum.net	Resources and information on Postpartum Depression (PPD). Locate a local support group.
www.depressionafterdelivery.com	Resources and information on Postpartum Depression (PPD). Very informative.
www.lalecheleague.org	Wealth of information about breast feeding. Find a local LLL group.
www.breastfeedingcafe.com	Fun and informative website pertaining to new book of the same name.
www.breastfeeding.com	Gives information and support about breast feeding.
www.granolathreads.com	Wonderful site! They have T-shirts, onesies, bibs, gifts, and more. Check them out!
www.greenmountaindiapers.com	For all your cloth diapering needs. Great service. Mary knows, she uses them.
www.lamaze.org/institute	Valuable resource for information on normal birth including the "Six Care Practices to Support Normal Birth".
Other info	Description
Google Link	Marsden Wagner, MD: No personal website but if you Google his name it will give you plenty of info.
www.inamay.com	Ina May Gaskin, CPM
www.hencigoer.com	Henci Goer
www.waterbirth.org	Barbara Harper, RN

The World Health Organization (WHO) has the following recommendations regarding birth**: The whole community should be informed about the various procedures in birth care, to enable each woman to choose the type of birth care she prefers. There is no justification in any specific geographic region to have more than 10-15% cesarean births (the current US rate is around 23%) There is no evidence that a cesarean section is required after a previous transverse low segment cesarean section birth. Vaginal deliveries after a cesarean should normally be encouraged wherever emergency surgical capacity is available. There is no evidence that routine electronic fetal monitoring during labor has a positive effect on the outcome of pregnancy. Pregnant women should not be put in a lithotomy (flat on the back) position during labor or delivery. They should be encouraged to walk during labor and each woman must freely decide which position to adopt during delivery. The systematic use of episiotomy (incision to enlarge the vaginal opening) is not justified. Birth should not be induced (started artificially) for convenience and the induction of labor should be reserved for specific medical indications. No geographic region should have rates of induced labor over 10% During delivery, the routine administration of analgesic drugs, that are not specifically required to correct or prevent a complication in delivery, should be avoided. Artificial early rupture of the membranes, as a routine process, is not scientifically justified. **Not all the recommendations were listed. Only those that corresponded to the US birth stats were listed. Please visit WHO's website for complete list. Want more information? www.birthingthefuture.com www.choicesinchildbirth.org Tell us what you think. How do you feel about your birth experience(s). Let your voice be heard. Give your comments on the contact us page.

Consider these facts on birth. In the United States... 27.6% of women have cesareans* 44% of mothers get induced 63% of mothers have epidurals 93% of mothers have electronic fetal heart monitoring 53% of mothers are given synthetic oxytocin to augment (stimulate) labor. 52% of mothers are given a bladder catheter 85% of mothers are connected to an IV line during labor 58% of mothers have a gloved hand inserted into their uterus after birth 35% of mothers have an episiotomy 74% of mothers who give birth vaginally are on their backs while giving birth. Even though research shows this is the worst position for a woman to be in! 58% of mothers with a previous cesarean were denied a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) 12% of mothers were permitted to eat during labor *source: Centers for Disease Control, 2003 The figures above (except for cesareans) are taken from the Maternity Center Association's 2002 "Listening to Mothers" survey in collaboration with Harris Interactive (the Harris Poll group). This is the first national U.S. survey of women's childbearing experiences. Information was gathered from 1,583 women having babies between 2000 and 2002. This is not what we call 'normal birth' even though these procedures are becoming the 'norm'. The US spends the most money on maternal and infant care in the world but has yet to improve its outcomes. Many of the procedures listed above were implemented to do just that but they haven't improved anything. According to the World Health Organization** there are on average 21 other countries in the world whose infant and maternal mortality rates are better than ours. If we would implement the WHO's recommendations we could dramatically cut insurance premiums and the cost of health care! That would amount to between 10 to 15 BILLION dollars saved each year! ** Refer to the WHO's website.