The Birth of Matthew Adam

Once I found out that I was pregnant with my second child, I instantly decided that I wanted to go back in time and not be pregnant anymore. Being that was not possible, I had to decide where to begin with my prenatal visits. With my daughter, I had gone to the local clinic and I knew that I did not want to go through that again. Every visit, a new face and a stranger to deliver my baby. My sister, Jan, had been pregnant herself and had introduced me to the midwives. I had actually accompanied her to one of her prenatal visits and liked how easy and laid back everything was. I knew that I would like to use their services for my pregnancy. I usually saw Gretchen at each appointment and became quite comfortable with her. Even though, I felt like some of my questions I asked were crazy, she never seemed to feel that way. At least she did not let on she did. As I approached my due date, my fears and concerns always disappeared after a visit to the midwives. Gretchen showed so much faith in me that I could do this. I constantly doubted myself, but she said I could do it. I had a full epidural with my daughter, Taylor, and really wanted to do things differently this time. My goal was to go natural, but I was not against having something to take the edge off. A week after my due date, and many contractions later, Monday, October 20, 2003 rolled around. My niece, Clare (Jan's baby) was a year old this day, and my mother was hoping that her next grandchild would also be born on the 20th. (Makes remembering dates a lot easier). I was convinced the child was not coming out. But at about 7 PM, I starting getting severe back pain. I told my husband I was not going to get my hopes up because that it had been happening quite a bit. But something deep down inside me told me labor was really starting this time. I called the hospital and they paged Gretchen for me. She called back a few minutes later and said to come on in. At around 8:30 PM, we dropped off Taylor at Jan's house and continued on to the hospital. After that, time blurred together, but I am guessing we were settled in our birth suite by 9:30 PM. Gretchen was walking in about the same time. She gave me a birthing ball to deal with the contractions. That really seemed to be the only thing that helped me. I really had that ball bouncing for a while. Finally, it got to the point where nothing seemed to help and then it went really fast. Gretchen asked if I wanted her to help the baby along and I said "whatever it takes" Gretchen broke my water and a lot of pushing later, our son was born. And it was still October 20th. I did it!! After concerns about his arm not moving he checked out okay and I got to see him right away. Secretly, I am extremely proud of myself. I gave birth to an 8 lb 7 oz baby boy in 5 hours without any drugs whatsoever. Completely on my own. I do need to thank Gretchen for constantly telling me I could do it and for not showing any anger when I pushed even when I was not supposed to. Thanks to the nurse on staff that night. She kept me focused and got me through the roughest parts. Also, my husband, Don, who kept encouraging me and who helps me every day raise those beautiful babies we have. I can not forget Clarebear, who is so hilarious. I love that she shares a birthday with my baby. I love that my sister and I have one more special thing we can share together. Thank you, Taylor, for being the best big sister there ever was. You are so awesome!!! And last, but not least, our newest member, Matthew Adam Rhoades. You have been given the names of 2 very special people because you are very special to me. Thanks to the entire midwife staff for making my second pregnancy something to look forward to.

Amy Rhoades, Derry, Pa

Natural Family Planning Workshop

Mary Ann Newhouse from Catholic Charities will be visiting our office on Wednesday, April 28th and on June 23rd to present an introduction to the Natural Family Planning Method. This is a very
informative session for those interested in learning more about this method. Please call our office by noon of the date you wish to attend.

Our Latest Additions

Ashley Elizabeth Cramer was born to Benjamin and Jennifer Cramer. She was born on February 26, 2004 and weighed 6 lbs 10 ozs and is their first child.
Herminie

Kevin and Brooke Wilhoit are happy to announce that Leah Joelle Wilhoit was born on December 29th, 2003 (her daddy's birthday). We are thankful to the Lord for this blessing.
Indiana

Eric and Melissa Royer joyfully announce the birth of their daughter, Leah Ashley. She was born on Monday, March 01, 2004 at 12:13 PM in Mercy Jeannette Hospital. She weighed 7 lbs 3 ozs and was 19 1/2 inches long. Leah joins her big sister, Heather, 2 1/2.

Jeannette Phoebe Ann Ankrom was welcomed into the loving arms of Garry and Wendy on Friday, March 19th at 5:03 AM. Thank you to Sandy and Gretchen who both helped to make this experience a special and memorable birth.

Uniontown La Leche League of Irwin

Live in the Irwin area and are interested in breast feeding? Then consider attending the monthly meetings of Irwin's LaLeche League. La Leche League provides mother to mother support, telephone help from experienced leaders, lending library and books for sale and the latest breast feeding information. La Leche League of Irwin meets every second Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the Norwin Christian Church on Barnes Lake Road in North Huntingdon. Topics include the benefits of breast feeding, avoiding difficulties and nutrition and weaning. Pregnant women, mothers and babies are all welcome. For more information call 724-863-8852 or 724-864-4543. For groups in other areas, call 1-800-LA-LECHE.

The Benefits of Breast Feeding

1. Women who breastfeed have a lower chance of getting breast cancer. Recent findings have found that the longer a woman breastfeeds and the more children she has, the less likely she is to develop breast cancer. This new study shows women can cut their risk of breast tumors by more than 4 percent for every year of nursing. Even more protective, are women having six or more children

2. Breastfed babies stay slimmer. Not only is there evidence that breastfed babies are smarter than their bottle fed counterpart, but they may also grow up thinner. Studies have found that breast-fed babies could have a 30 percent reduced risk of developing childhood obesity. Those exclusively breastfed, had a moderately lower risk of being obese. This risk remained low for breastfed babies even after adjusting for socioeconomic status, birth weight and gender.

3. Breastfeeding can help control food allergies. Studies have shown that breastfeeding will delay or prevent certain allergies. Nursing mothers with a family history of allergies could prevent or delay food allergies in their babies by avoiding certain foods. Peanuts, eggs and cows milk are among the foods that should be avoided during nursing. About six percent of children develop a food allergy by age 2 and studies indicate that infants with a strong family history of allergies are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop an allergy. Exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first 6-12 months of life is often recommended to prevent the development of milk or soy allergies.

4. Breastfeeding may reduce SIDS. A Swedish research found that babies who were breastfed exclusively for fewer than 8 weeks had a 3-5 times risk of dying of SIDS than babies who were breastfed exclusively for four months or more.

5. Breastfed babies are tied to higher IQ in adulthood. Breastfeeding strengthens the infant immune system and forges strong emotional ties between mother and the baby, but this practice could also mean more points on intelligence tests. Researchers have found that babies who nurse longer tend to score higher on IQ exams as adults. The effect is strongest on those who breastfeed for between 7 and 9 months.

For more information on breastfeeding, log onto GotMom.org which was created by the American College of Nurse Midwives to provide breastfeeding information and resources for mothers and
families.

Infant / Child CPR for Family and Friends

This CPR course is for family members, new parents, grandparents and baby sitters. The class provides training in basic CPR skills and foreign body maneuvers for infants and children. It has been developed in accordance with the standards of the American Heart Association and is taught by certified CPR instructors. Upon completion of the class, you will be able to perform infant and child CPR, resuscitation of the unconscious and conscious and focus on prevention and safety. A participation card is awarded upon completion of the class. Class sizes are limited so preregistration is necessary. To register, call SmartHealth Norwin Hills Outpatient Center at 724-527-8023. Class fee is 15.00 per person. The next class dates are: May 13 and July 08, from 6-8 PM

Appointment Scheduling

Our office tries very hard to accommodate patients who need to reschedule their visits or who are running late, but at times, this can be very difficult for us to do. Our visits are scheduled in definite
increments and our schedule on a routine day is full, so if you need to change your appointment time for any reason, please call as soon as possible, so we can try to make adjustments to accommodate you. When you originally schedule your appointment, time was set aside just for you to meet with the midwife. Our office policy is not to double book. When you request to be seen at a different time, we usually have to schedule in between patients therefore we can not guarantee you the same amount of time that was originally set aside for you. Also, when you do not come in at your scheduled time, an empty time slot is there which could have been made available to another patient. Please call our office as soon as you know that you can not keep your scheduled time, so we can make it available to someone else. For our practice to continue to provide personalized care with ample time to meet with each patient, it is really important that you arrive at your scheduled time. We want to give you the time you deserve, but need your help to keep the office running smoothly. Thank you.

Partner Massage - A Must For a Happier Easier Pregnancy

Bringing a new life into the world is an exciting and challenging experience for both expectant partners. A father-to-be may feel that he does not fit in. He may be unsure for what his rule is and how he can help his partner. He may wonder how the new baby will alter his relationship with his partner. A mother-to-be may want support from her partner. She will be coping with fatigue, physical discomforts, and hormonal changes. She may be stressed about the birth, motherhood and her health. Massage is the perfect way to reduce stress and relieve tension for both partners. It will show your support and love for your partner. This can only make you relationship stronger. The benefits are numerous. Massage relieves many discomforts during pregnancy. Backaches, a stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches, edema, swollen ankles, and feet are just some of the discomforts. Massage can help relieve depression caused by hormonal changes, helps carry away cellular waste products that build up and cause muscle fatigue. By aiding circulation, massage keeps blood pressure in check and brings more oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Not only is this good for the mother, but also for the baby. Massage stabilizes hormone levels and helps soothe and relax nervous tension, which helps the mother sleep better. A relaxed mother will have a happier, healthier pregnancy. Massage is wonderful during the birth as it makes it more easier and relaxing After the birth, it helps her regain her strength and eases postpartum stress. For those breastfeeding, it aids the milk in coming in and makes feeding time more relaxing. Lisa Cook, is a Certified Massage Therapist with 9 years experience and will offering a Prenatal Massage Class at our office on Saturday, May 22nd from 3-5 PM. This will be a hands on class so you will need to bring a blanket or mat and two pillows. Register by calling our office.

Orientation Night

For those interesting in learning more about midwifery, our office will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, May 20th at 6PM. For those unable to attend, informational packets can be mailed upon request.

Rainy Day Activities

In as much as the summer days bring an abundance of sunshine, long days with soaking days often occur. This brings a new set of problems. What are the children going to do to keep their minds and hands busy? Here a few suggestions of activities and quick recipes. If you would like to contribute a rainy day activity to our next newsletter, please forward them to our office.

PlayDough
Add 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil and food coloring to 1-2 cups of boiling water. Combine 2 cups flour, 4 teaspoons cream of tarter and one cup of salt and mix well. As you then knead it, the dough will be smoother. Store in an airtight container.

Finger Paint
Mix 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 cups water and food coloring in a saucepan. Boil until mixture thickens. Allow to cool, then pour into jar. Best used on glossy paper, such as butcher paper or shelf paper

Soft Pretzels
Thaw 2 16 oz loaves of frozen bread dough and then separate into 24 one and a half inch balls. Roll each ball into a rope about 14 inches long. Have children plan and design pretzel shapes. Put pretzels one inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Let stand for 20 minutes and brush with a combination of egg whites and water. Sprinkle with course salt. Place a shallow pan of boiling water on bottle rack of oven. Bake the pretzels at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or golden brown.

Rice Krispies Bars
Melt 3 tablespoons of margarine into a non-stick pan and add 1 bag of white marshmallows. Stir over medium heat until completely melted. Add 6 cups Rice Krispies and mix well. Pour into greased 9 by 13 pan. Use a baggie that has been greased to spread and flatten the mixture. Cool and cut into squares

ICEA Contact Hours Earned

Sue Klosky, Office Manager and editor, has recently earned 7 ICEA contact hours by attending the Fourth Annual Family Centered Maternity Care Mini-Conference hosted by Hearts and Hands Doula Service on March 27th. Sue had the opportunity to listen to many informative presentations and to meet with various midwives, birth doulas and childbirth educators in the area, to share ideas and resources. While at the conference, she purchased a book entitled "Health Secrets Revealed" by Dr. CJ Mertz and other leading wellness experts. This book is currently available in our patient library.

Homeschoolers Wanted to Share Resources

Our office will be adding a new section to our web page www.JDMH-midwives for Homeschooling Resources. We would like to post recommended curriculums, reading materials, numbers for groups and contact people. Hints, advise and tips can also be included. Please e-mail information to Sue at susanklosky@hotmail.com

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of our Newsletter "Woman to Woman" Our next edition will be in the Fall of 2004. If you would like to contribute a birth announcement, story or article of interest,
please contact our office by fax 724-527-9409, e mail at susanklosky@yahoo.com or by mail at 520 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 506, Jeannette. Penna. 15644. We wish all of our patients and their families a safe and fun filled Summer .

Gretchen Cohen CNM
Sandy Mauro CNM
Sue Klosky, Office Manager and Editor