The recent tragic death of Baby Everett, who was accidentally left in the car at the Bart Station is another reminder of the overwhelm that so many parents experience after the birth of a child. This is not new-babies have always created sleep deprivation and new stressors for parents; what has changed is the intense pace and demands to perform at a level that can lead to utter distraction…or forgetting that your baby is asleep in the back seat of the car.

For further information and safety guidelines, visit www.kidsincars.org and www.kidsandcars.org for more information about children in and near cars. May this heartbreaking tragedy serve as a wake-up call for all expectant and new parents.

Believing this is actually you who addressed us here on the blog, we contacted your publicist Thea at Fifteen Minutes agency today. We have interest from several major media outlets in hosting a debate with you, to tell the other side of the story about childbirth in America. Your publicist said that you would not be interested in this kind of media coverage - after approximately 30 seconds on the phone, she flatly said no. While we applaud the “party line” that you are just raising awareness and encouraging women to learn more, we would argue that the national perception you’ve created is “home birth = good and hospital = bad.” The is the watered down version of your story that America is hearing. And since you are famous, your voice is heard loud and clear. She said you had already “told your story” and “done your media” when the book came out last month. If you really want to engage American women in understanding how we can collectively improve healthcare for moms and babies, you should join me in telling the WHOLE story, not just your part.

I now know first hand that routine mammography can be a life-saver. Due to subtle changes from my last screening, I recently had a breast biopsy and am relieved (to say the least) that it was benign.
Nearly all cancers can be treated successfully if found early. The most effective ways to detect breast cancer at an early, treatable stage are to have a yearly screening mammogram starting at age 40. For more detailed information, including prevention visit: www.cancer.org and www.komen.org
Scheduling your mammogram and/or yearly physical the week of your birthday is a great way be sure it gets done.

You need to STOP! As an actress and talk show host you did an admirable job and I think your viewers appreciated your candid style. As a ‘self appointed birthing spokesperson’ you are misleading people left and right. What you are NOT is a health care professional. To your credit, the world liked you and grew to trust you when you were a TV personality; but to use this trust to lead people down a dangerous path is truly irresponsible. Your narrow and jaded view of birth is very likely to cause more harm than good.
In my view as a healthcare professional for more than twenty years, we have come a long way from the days when a home birth was the only option. The hospital environment of the 21st Century allows most women in our society to have a safe and healthy labor and delivery. Your assertion that hospitals and doctors do not have the best interest of moms and babies in mind is just flat out wrong. I know that there is nothing more empowering than knowledge for expectant parents – I have made a career out of helping to educate them as they prepare for the biggest event of their lives. I also know that plans go awry, things change, pain can be greater than expected, and complications happen. Being in a hospital with trained medical professionals can mean the difference between life and death.

And yes, you are right, the hospital lights are often too bright and hallways too hectic, and IV drips and fetal monitors can be cumbersome during labor. But that’s far less important to me than achieving the ultimate goal that these institutions support: healthy moms and healthy babies.

The recent media attention being paid to the Gosselin parents, whose marriage is under fire and possibly failing, is very sad. Raising children, one at a time-on a good day, is not easy or effortless. Add twins and sextuplets, a camera crew essentially living in your home, while the world waits to judge your every move…now the stress-o-meter is off the
charts! Undoubtedly good for the TLC network ratings, not very happy or healthy for the Gosselin family.

Yesterday I had a long phone conversation with a brand new mom whose baby was born via cesarean. She was fairly consumed with “shoulda, coulda, woulda,” racking her brain for what she might have done differently to avoid a cesarean. After hearing the detailed account of her labor, I was able to assure her that she and her partner had done a great job with attempting a vaginal delivery…the fact is that after 10+ hours with essentially no cervical progress, it was time to go with Plan B.

Unfortunately, our society continues to judge how the baby is born, how the baby is fed and how the parents choose to raise their child…distinctly not helpful…by and large, parents do the very best they can and need to be supported along the way.

In honor of Mother’s, Grandmother’s daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunties, nieces, cousins, girl friends and extended family!

The world wouldn’t be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.

Tune in tomorrow to channel 7 at 3:00 PM for the “how to engage partners in preparing for birth” interview. Producer of the show, Janel A. is a recent graduate of McMoyler Method; her husband Tarik was pretty inspire with what he learned in class, so she invited me to appear on the show.

I’m excited to spread the word about The Best Birth DVD and book, so that expectant parents who live outside the SF area can also take the childbirth class.

We are all being inundated with updates about the swine flu; fact is we need to act preventatively ALL the time! This includes:
• Hand washing. After every diaper change. After shaking hands (a greeting that I suspect will become a thing of the past) After returning home from being out in the world. After gardening. And after using the bathroom…believe it or not, there are people in the world who don’t…yuck!
• Coughing and sneezing into our sleeve or the crook of your elbow. No longer considered OK to use your hands to cover your nose and mouth…kindergartners have been using this new approach for sometime-time for the adults to jump on board.
• Hard plastics are not dishwasher safe due to the breakdown and release of BPA-which most of you know by now. A new warning about leaving plastic water bottles in cars has just been released. It seems that dioxins are released from the plastic from the heat in the car…we end up drinking that. The trend towards metal/canteen type containers is no longer a fad-it is the safest way to hydrate.
• Shoes off inside our homes is another approach to decrease tracking the rest of the world into our cozy little nests. Particularly with infants and children spending so much time playing and exploring on the floor…it makes sense that we park the shoes at the door.
• Symptoms: Ask friends and family to NOT visit if they feel the least bit under the weather. We are the most contagious when the cold or flu is brewing in our bodies. By the time the illness is in full swing, we are actually less contagious. Follow the 3 day rule: asymptomatic and in the pink of health for 3 full days before coming to visit.

This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to preventing illness. Raising awareness and doing your best every day makes a big difference-try not to become neurotic about it!

How was running the Paris Marathon like giving birth? Maintain flexibility, prepare for the unexpected and stay focused on crossing the finish line!
I fell flat on my face, not once but twice…way too much contact with Parisian asphalt! Wind knocked out of me; medics almost pulled me off the course-concerned that I had a heart attack…the good news is that I did not break any bones and DID finish the race in pretty good time-falls and all.
On the high side: the weather was glorious, the streets were lined with supporters cheering 37,000 of us as bands played exuberantly on every street corner.
Like birth- a day I will look back on full of accomplishment and a huge sense of pride!