After completing the Chicago Marathon, a 27-year-old woman went onto deliver a healthy seven-pound baby. “Running the marathon was easier than giving birth,” she said from her hospital bed the next day.

Medically speaking, Dr. Nancy Snyderman from the Today Show gave it a thumbs up, prefacing her opinion with: the woman’s doctor had approved her decision, that she had run many previous marathons and was attuned to her body, and that her approach was run two miles/ walk two miles.

It is important to note that pregnant women should always seek guidance from their OB/Midwife before embarking on any form of new exercise. Walking, swimming, yoga and low impact exercise are generally approved.

New York magazine recently took a fascinating look at the growing phenomenon - oops, I forgot to have a baby, in their September 25, 2011 cover story: Parents of a Certain Age - Is there anything wrong with being 53 and pregnant?

To read the entire article:
http://nymag.com/news/features/mothers-over-50-2011-10/

Sarah McMoyler RN

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has known the restorative value contained within the placenta for centuries. As with acupuncture (which I have benefitted from for years) I cannot begin to explain how it works. I can say unequivocally that it does have an overall wellness effect. So, why not in this case? What is inherently wrong with replacing nutrients; the same nutrients responsible for producing and nourishing a human being  why not assist the new mothers healing process?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has known the restorative value contained within the placenta for centuries. As with acupuncture (which I have benefitted from for years) I cannot begin to explain how it works. I can say unequivocally that it does have an overall “wellness” effect. So, why not in this case? What is inherently wrong with replacing nutrients; the same nutrients responsible for producing and nourishing a human being – why not assist the new mother’s healing process?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has known the restorative value contained within the placenta for centuries. As with acupuncture (which I have benefitted from for years) I cannot begin to explain how it works. I can say unequivocally that it does have an overall “wellness” effect. So, why not in this case? What is inherently wrong with replacing nutrients; the same nutrients responsible for producing and nourishing a human being – why not assist the new mother’s healing process?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has known the restorative value contained within the placenta for centuries. As with acupuncture (which I have benefitted from for years) I cannot begin to explain how it works. I can say unequivocally that it does have an overall “wellness” effect. So, why not in this case? What is inherently wrong with replacing nutrients; the same nutrients responsible for producing and nourishing a human being – why not assist the new mother’s healing process?

As a health care professional, I am conducting ongoing research to learn more about “placentophagy: act of eating the placenta. A bizarre, barbaric practice or a smart decision? After all, the placenta provided the necessary nutrition to grow a human baby…why not replace a new mother with the nutrients contained within the vitamin rich placenta?

What do you think? Placenta stew, pop a placenta capsule, or toss it as medical waste at the hospital? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7QQMyMEI1I

One in ten new mom’s will be diagnosed with some degree of post-partum depression (PPD), and are often too ashamed or embarrassed to seek help. The fact is that new mother’s going through this guaranteed time of transition not only need to accept help- they need to ask for it! Something that is foreign to most women these days.

My research points towards unrealistic expectations…babies are wonderful AND they change your life forever!

Partner- needs to continue providing reassurance and encouragement, sips of water, and reminding to release and let go completely in between pushes

Position- assuming a pelvic tilt type position, wrapping yourself around your own body, pulling the legs in will help move the baby downward

Pelvis- opening the legs as wide as possible, allows the inner groin tendons to stretch, assisting the pelvis to further expand

Poop- when the baby gets low in the birth canal, pressure is put on the rectum- poop happens! The most common instruction given while pushing is: “push like you are constipated.” This is the effort that moves babies downward

Perineum-prevent tearing or the need for an episiotomy by asking your nurses to apply warm compresses and/or to massage the perineum; both will increase the blood flow, hence increasing elasticity of the tissues surrounding the outside of the vagina

What if you are tired of taking another oversized pill to get all the Omegas, minerals and DHA that your growing body needs? There are many options, but one that is highly recommended is Belly Bars from a company here in California, www.bellybar.com McMoyler Method has recommended these for years because they contain nutrition specific to pregnant and nursing mothers.

Sarah McMoyler, RN