From the WBWC Blog:

Month: January 2017

The Birth of Sebastian Fox

By Chelsea Harmon Throughout my pregnancy, I practiced hypnobirthing.  I was skeptical at first, but I decided to buy a few tracks on Amazon and listened to them during naps and going to sleep at night.  I didn’t feel like I prepared myself like I should have with my daughter, so I wanted to make sure I did this time around using any possible method. As soon as I felt my first contraction (they started Friday before my 41 week Monday appointment), I started practicing my breathing and stayed in tune with my body to stay relaxed. They weren’t very intense like I remembered with my daughter, but gradually increased tightening little by little as the weekend passed. I woke up the morning of my 41 week appointment feeling defeated that I didn’t already have a tiny squishy nursling in my arms. I was mentally prepared to go overdue, but never expected to make it to this appointment. We only have one car, so I had to drop my husband off at work before I could make my way to Chapel Hill. It was an hour drive to the center and wasn’t one I wanted to make again until I was having this baby. I decided to pack our things, just in case a miracle happened like going into labor on the way to my appointment, but I already knew we were absolutely not having a baby that day. I got to the hospital early for my ultrasound so I could grab a cup of coffee.  As I’m checking in for my ultrasound, the front desk lady asks if I am alone or if I had someone to watch my daughter.  I was alone, 41.1 weeks pregnant, and now being told I was probably not going to be allowed to have my ultrasound.  I wanted to go hide in a dark corner and cry.  Finally, they decide they would try as long as my daughter would sit still. As far as I knew, everything looked healthy except the fact that I had slightly elevated fluid.  He didn’t go into detail about what that meant exactly, so I was pretty clueless.  I texted my mom and husband and told them how it went.  My mom texts back “don’t be surprised if they want to induce you.” Wait, what? After my ultrasound, I headed straight to the midwife’s office to talk about … Read More

Birth Announcements

Welcome, Sweet Babies! *Angus Bram McCorkle – November 22 – 7 lbs., 9 oz. Georgia Greer Nall – December 1 – 8 lbs., 4 oz. Rhea Lynn Duncan – December 3 – 7 lbs., 2.5 oz. Hatuey Henderson Little – December 3 – 8 lbs., 7 oz. Micah Nathaniel Henderson – December 4 – 9 lbs., 15 oz. Riley Adeline Johnson – December 5 – 7 lbs., 15 oz. Eyram Sky Semawu – December 5 – 7 lbs., 10 oz. Caroline Rodwell Payton – December 6 – 9 lbs., 4 oz. Adelaide Fielhauer – December 7 – 7 lbs., 13.5 oz. *Ember Rees McCullough – December 9 – 8 lbs. Julian Hill – December 10 – 6 lbs., 10 oz. Evangeline Jolee Brown – December 11 – 10 lbs., 3 oz. *Victoria Violet Grether – December 11 – 8 lbs., 2 oz. *Oliver Reen Jaworski – December 13 – 8 lbs. 5 oz. *Riley Aurelia Jones – December 13 – 7 lbs., 4 oz. Adley Elyse Towle – December 14 – 8 lbs., 13.5 oz. Calvin Paul Mayfield – December 15 – 8 lbs., 3 oz. Wesley David Stalbroten – December 17 – 8 lbs., 10 oz. *Gemma Weil Hambley – December 19 – 8 lbs., 13.5 oz. Kyleigh Alijah Hemphill-Carr – December 19 – 5 lbs., 8 oz. *Simon Blake Fairman-Stokes – December 19 – 6 lbs.,15 oz. Opeyemi Zendaya Shoderu – December 20 – 7 lbs., 6 oz. Arlo Seth Fonseca – December 22- 7 lbs., 10 oz. *Clara Lucia Nieves-Pavuk – December 25 – 7 lbs., 15 oz. Haven Wilder Wheeler – December 27 – 7 lbs., 11 oz. Brooks Otis Phillips – December 28 – 8 lbs., 3 oz. Jack Rōnin Brown – December 29 – 8 lbs., 9 oz. Wesley David Ingram – December 31 – 9 lbs., 8 oz. December Stats: Total babies born: 46 Biggest baby: 10 lbs., 4 oz. Smallest baby: 5 lbs., 4 oz. To be included in this celebratory list, please email Missy at missy@ncbirthcenter.org  with your baby’s birth announcement information that includes  their name, date of birth, and birth weight as well as a photo, if available. If you would like to send us your birth story along with photos, we are happy to include that in a future newsletter!

Coping With Motherhood Group

Have pregnancy and motherhood turned your world upside down?      Coping with Motherhood is a peer support group for pregnant and postpartum women who are struggling with mood changes during the childbearing years. Facilitated by Nancy Albrecht, RN, MA, IBCLC, the group provides a safe place to share concerns, strengths, and ways to prevent, cope with, and recover from perinatal depression and anxiety.      During a Coping with Motherhood meeting, moms are welcomed to a positive and private space where they can share feelings and support each other in the process of recovery. There are tears, but also laughter; talk about anxieties and fears, but also baby and breastfeeding advice; a chance to admit the pain, but also see the way to better days. Since the group began, almost two years ago, over 50 women have gotten support from the meetings and each other.     Nancy shares the philosophy of the group, “We believe that while all mothers desire to be the perfect mother, we all fall short. You are a good mom as you seek help, take care of yourself, and do the best you can every day!”   The group meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon at WBWC, in the Living Room (Suite 304). Call Nancy at 919-933-3301, ext. 207 for more information. No need to RSVP, and the group is open to all women, not just WBWC clients.You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be well.Postpartum Support International

WBWC Represented at the Women’s March on Raleigh

WBWC women and their babies showed up in force to join the Women’s March on Raleigh on January 21.  The group took a bus from the Birth Center to downtown Raleigh to march in support of women’s right, health care, reproductive rights,  LGBTQIA issues, gender and racial equality, and economic justice. There was an excellent turnout, and it was a great opportunity for peacefully empowering women and talking about important issues!

Babywearing Dance Class

Fridays  9:15-10:15am Starting January 27 Looking for something fun to do with baby? Come join this new dance class and wear your baby while you get your groove on! We’ll do some easy stretches and learn some simple, fun dance routines. It’s a great way to get fit and meet new moms. No dance experience necessary!!  Bring your favorite carrier and wear clothes you can move and groove in. Toddlers are welcome, as well as those who want to join in without a baby. The class will be held in the meeting room on the third floor. $10/adult or $40 for 5 classes. Cash or check only. ***This class is now ongoing and will meet every Friday!***

MILC Moment: The Truth About Pumping & Dumping

By Rebecca Costello, IBCLC Pumping and dumping: not being able to nurse, and pouring your milk down the drain, is NOT a fun experience! Mothers are often told to stop breastfeeding and/or “pump and dump” because they are on medications, or needed to have a scan or test (like an MRI). This seems to be widespread – we hear about this advice being given by everyone from dentists to urgent care doctors to pediatricians. And yet so often, when we look up the medication or test, it is perfectly safe for breastfeeding to continue. You poured your milk down the drain for nothing! Moms may pump and dump for hours or days before finding out they could have breastfed all along. Why does this happen? Which book or website your health care provider uses to look up medication or test safety can make a big difference. One study used a list of 14 drugs that were commonly prescribed to breastfeeding mothers, and looked how many were considered safe in frequently consulted resources. Several resources said NONE of the medications were safe. Others said about 50% were. It turns out, 85% were fine! Many health care providers don’t get any education about which resources are most accurate. So where should you turn for advice about medication safety and breastfeeding? One option, of course, is WBWC! We often take calls with questions like “I had a CT scan today – they told me I couldn’t breastfeed for 24 hours, is that true?” or “I’m having a dental procedure next week – which pain meds are safe?” Our most frequently used accurate resource is the book Medications & Mother’s Milk, one of the “bibles” of breastfeeding and medication safety. It’s on the shelf in almost every office! An even more accessible reference we sometimes use – and that you can use from anywhere with an internet connection – is Lactmed, a free website from the National Library of Medicine. They provide information on thousands of medications, herbal supplements, contrast used for scans (try typing “CT contrast” into the search box), and even specific procedures (try “MRI” or “X-ray”). Often the information makes it very clear that it’s safe to keep breastfeeding. If you have questions or concerns about what you read, please give us a call; we are happy to help you sort through it. We want you to continue nursing or pumping … Read More

Mindful Birth Workshop

February 12th 1:30-4:30pm WBWC, Suite 304 Cultivating Mindfulness Techniques for Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting  Mindfulness is about being fully awake, in the present moment. When we practice mindfulness we can become more focused, relaxed and calm. Life slows down and we begin to experience the vividness of each moment. Learn and cultivate the Mindfulness Techniques as developed by Jon Kabat Zinn at the Center for Mindfulness, University of Mass. Not only will these techniques assist you in pregnancy and birth but will offer you a set of skills to use as a parent and throughout all areas of your life. This introductory workshop will include techniques for taming the stress response, mindful breathing, body scan (mind/body connection), and introduction to seated meditation. All of which will be useful tools for the labor process. A short mindful movement (yoga) session will also be incorporated into this time. You will learn simple yoga postures that will help ease pregnancy and be useful as labor positions. *pre-registration recommended, class size will be limited $60.00  Early Bird by Jan 22nd is $50.00 Register with info@carolinawellnessintitute.com Led by Paula Huffman BS,RN,ERYT, Mindfulness Instructor Paula is a perinatal educator and has been working with pregnant women and couples in the area for 25 years in both a medical and educational capacity. She is holds specialty certifications in prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, childbirth education. Paula also provides Doula services on a limited basis. She studied through the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Mass, and teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Pain Management Classes at the UNC School of Medicine’s Program on Integrative Medicine. All of these services are offered by Paula through both group and private sessions. (919) 260-0255

We Value Our Volunteers!

By Latasha  Jordan WBWC is grateful to all the wonderful volunteers who share their time and talents with us! Volunteers are vital to keeping the clinic running smoothly and efficiently. They serve as clerical assistants for Women’s Birth and Wellness Center (WBWC). We have recently created a volunteer title called The Front Desk Helper. The Front Desk Helper serves as a valued team member who participates in completing daily tasks that help WBWC provide a positive, professional, yet personal experience for the client throughout their visit to the center. Each volunteer works with the Front Desk Manager to complete and perform daily administrative task that include  faxing documents, pulling charts, filing, making reminder phone calls, scanning charts, and taking messages.  Length of Appointment: The Front Desk Helper is assigned to one day per week for a period of three months. After three months, the Front Desk Helper may be reappointed for another three months at the discretion of the supervisor. Time Commitment: One day per week (Monday – Friday) for three hours (9 AM-12 PM or 1 PM- 4 PM.), for a minimum of three months. Qualifications: Basic knowledge of computer and data entry. Pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, dependability. Support: On the job training for this position will be provided. In addition, the Front Desk Manager will be available for questions and assistance. Dress Code: Business Casual If you are interested in volunteering with the center please contact Latasha Jordan at Latasha@ncbirthcenter.org.

Upcoming Events – February 2017

Coping with Motherhood – Thursday, February 2 & 16, 10:30 am-12pm, FREE Babywearing Class – Saturday, February 4, 10am-12pm, FREE Babywearing Dance Class – Every Friday 9:15-10:15am, $10/adult or $40 for 5 classes Breastfeeding Basics – Tuesday, February 7 & 21, 6:30-8:30pm, $30/couple La Leche League Meeting – Wednesday, February 8, 7-8:30pm, FREE  Young Moms Meetup – Thursday, February 9, 4:30-6pm, FREE Breastfeeding Cafe – Friday, February 10 & 24, 10:30am-12pm, FREE Weekend Breastfeeding Cafe – Saturday, February 11, 10:30-12pm, FREE Meet the Doula – Wednesday, February 15, 7-9pm, FREE Cloth Diapering Class – Saturday, February 18, 10-11:30 am, FREE Pass the Puree? Introducing Solids Class – Saturday, February 18, 10:30am-12:30pm, $30/couple Craniosacral Therapy Clinic – Saturday, February 25, 2-4pm, FREE Express Yourself, Pumping and Breastfeeding Class – Tuesday, February 28, 6:30-8:30pm