Breech Birth

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Breech Birth

Rixa Freeze has a PhD in American Studies from the University of Iowa. Her doctoral studies focused on the history of health care and medicine with specialization in pregnancy, childbirth, and maternity care. Her dissertation examined why women in North America choose unassisted home births. She worked as a visiting assistant professor for nine years at Wabash College. Her current research interests include human rights in childbirth, autonomy and informed consent, and vaginal breech birth.

She has published two articles about home birth: “Staying Home to Give Birth: Why Women in the United States Choose Home Birth” (JMWH 2009) and “Attitudes Towards Home Birth in the USA” (Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2010). She recently published the article “Breech birth at home: Outcomes of 60 breech and 109 cephalic planned home and birth center births” with BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth. In 2019 she published an article about outcomes of breech at home, birth centers, and hospitals (Midwifery Today) and a book chapter “Freebirth in the United States” in the 2020 book Birthing Outside the System: The Canary In the Coal Mine.

Dr. Freeze is the founder and president of Breech Without Borders, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to breech training, education, and advocacy.

David Hayes, MD, pursued training in vaginal breech birth during both medical school and his residency in obstetrics and gynecology, at a time when instruction in vaginal breech birth was no longer routinely included in the training of obstetricians in the United States. He has performed an estimated 140 vaginal breech births using traditional obstetric maneuvers in dorsal lithotomy positions. In 2016 he hosted a training session on physiologic vaginal breech birth taught by Shawn Walker, PhD. Since that time he has been fortunate to attend many vaginal breech births, including breech-breech twins and primiparous mothers, with a 100% successful vaginal breech birth rate and no significant complications or instrument interventions.

In 2018, Dr. Hayes arranged to host a workshop presented by breech researcher and proponent, Dr. Rixa Freeze, and was asked to teach the “hands-on” portion of the workshop. As of August 2019 and in conjunction with Dr. Freeze and her organization Breech Without Borders, he has committed full time to training and reestablishment of physiologic vaginal breech birth.

“Expecting Miracles” by Ashley Musil, and Birth Stories

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“Expecting Miracles” by Ashley Musil, and Birth Stories

Ashley Musil, CPM, is a midwife, co-owner and clinical director at Wellspring Midwifery Care & Birth Center. She is also the president of the Greater Houston Midwives’ Alliance. She has six children and is married to a sheriff’s deputy. She offers both birth center and home births. Ashley has taught continuing education classes to birth professionals, presented at multiple conferences, been interviewed on radio shows, and has had articles printed in Midwifery Today and Natural Awakenings. She has a passion for continuing education as well as interprofessional education as a means to bring professionals from various areas of the maternity care system together. She is also an instructor for the Association of Texas Midwives. She is a devout Christian and recently published a couple’s Bible study for pregnancy called “Expecting Miracles,” which is available on Amazon.

Katie Skero is a Christ follower, wife, and mom to five image bearers of the Most High King – in that order. Homeschooling takes up most of her brain space these days, but she has a neglected blog called NourishingLittleSouls.com that keeps her love for writing warm in the wings while she navigates this demanding season of raising little ones. She has given birth in most of the ways you can give birth – c-section, hospital VBAC, birthing center water birth, home water birth, and another (different!) birthing center water birth just two months ago. Thus, birth is one of her favorite topics of conversation.

Athea Boswell lives in Baytown, Texas, with her husband, Winter, and their three children, all who are under the age of 4, as well as three very annoying cats. She and Winter both work at a local church as office staff, children’s pastor, and media director. Athea was initially introduced to Ashley at Wellspring Birth Center when she was pregnant with her first child in 2017. While finances prevented them from the birth they wanted that year, it started them on a journey to a better birth experience in the future. Three children later, two of whom were born at Wellspring, Athea is determined to always use a midwife for her births.

Sydney Large
Sydney Large is a 28-year-old stay-at-home mom to 3 – Piper, Penelope, and Philip, all born at home with the help of midwives. Married to her high school sweetheart, they live in the North Houston area. When she’s not chasing toddlers around she can be found baking, reading, or spending time with their two new puppies.

Cammia Preston is a newlywed and a new mommy of one and a half babies (the half is still in the oven). She takes a lot of pride in being a stay-at-home mom; a lot of that came from her first birth and the amount of comfortability she experienced! She is very excited for this interview to share her experience, a lot of which plays in this new amazing chapter in her life!

COVID and Pregnancy

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COVID and Pregnancy

Several guests share their experiences with COVID-19 and pregnancy plus some current research.

Jackie Griggs, RN, CNM, has been a Nurse Midwife in the Houston area for the past 30 years. She is a mom of five sons, three born at home with the help of midwives. She currently helps with babies at home and birth center. She owns two birth centers, one in the Houston Heights and one in Beaumont. She previously owned and ran Bay Area Birth Center in Pasadena for 15 years. She is also on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Birth Centers.

Patricia “Trish” Perkins RN, CNM, is a Certified Nurse Midwife who began her career as a labor and delivery nurse at Jefferson Davis Hospital. She is the mother of four children all brought into this world into the hands of midwives. The first two were born in the hospital and the last two at home with Pat Jones! After raising her own family, she realized her lifelong dream of studying midwifery. She has worked as a midwife at a free-standing birth center and for Baylor College of Medicine at The Center for Children and Women. Her experiences also include working as a lactation consultant at St. Joseph’s Hospital, helping them achieve Texas Ten Step status. She is now the owner of a beautiful freestanding birth center just north of The Woodlands, Bliss Birth Center. Trish is passionate about providing quality, woman-centered, compassionate care and has the unique knowledge, skills, and experience to provide comprehensive, evidence-based midwifery care that women deserve.

Mary Love APRN, CNM, NP-C, has worked in maternal and child health for 20 years. She received a bachelor’s degree in nursing science from Tennessee State University and her master’s in nursing from Vanderbilt University. As a Certified Nurse Midwife she has experience attending birth both in and out of the hospital setting. She is the owner and co-founder of Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness Center. In addition to midwifery, she is a Family Nurse Practitioner with experience in pediatric primary, urgent, and emergency care. She is married, shares four wonderful children with her husband, and bakes a mean apple pie!

Kristin Malaer is a clinical social worker in the Texas Medical Center working with LVAD and heart transplant patients. She is a proud momma to her healthy 5-month-old daughter Emmie and her two fur babies. In her spare time, she volunteers at a local Houston organization providing support for women with unplanned pregnancies.

Abby Henson is a mom of two, Henry (3 years old) and Adair (6 months old). Adair was born on the cold morning of February 15 this year with Jackie’s assistance. Abby chose to get the vaccine when it was available to pregnant women this past January. She is currently a financial consultant for a risk-based national consulting firm.

Jennifer Merritt, mother of five, is pregnant now. She has a 10-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who has a cardiac defect. Jennifer worked in health care administration previously and chose to get vaccinated to protect her vulnerable child.

Postpartum

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Postpartum

Courtney Flack Salesman is 41 years old and serves as an attorney-advisor/writer for the federal government. An Oklahoma native, Courtney currently lives in the north Houston area with her husband and their two kids. On the weekends, Courtney is reading, writing, or shuttling her kids to baseball and dance.

Chelsea Kasper is a former early childhood educator, turned stay-at-home mom. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her husband of seven and a half years, and their five children (all under the age of 7!). In her free time she enjoys encouraging other moms, creating home decor on a budget, and hiking in the mountains. You can find her on Instagram @chelsea.kasper

Jessica Morgan is a CPA and mom to two girls (ages 7 and 4). She lives in Houston with her girls and her husband, Eric. When she’s not working or spending time with her family, Jessica enjoys helping moms reconnect with and take better care of themselves. You can find her on Instagram @jessica.g.morgan

 

Addiction Series: Santa Maria Hostel

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Addiction Series: Santa Maria Hostel

Drug overdose deaths increased by 30% in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded. More than 93,000 people died from overdose last year. That is more than 250 people dying every day, more than 10 every hour! That number doesn’t include people who do not die from an overdose, but still are lost to their addiction. Addiction is not a respecter of academic achievement or socioeconomic status or nice neighborhoods or gender or race or how much a family loves a person suffering from substance abuse. It is killing real people, beloved people. It threatens others who are doing the hard work to save themselves. It threatens their loved ones and others so bound by the disease that they are too paralyzed to seek help. It is a cunning and baffling disease and so, so many people are suffering.

Whole Mother wishes to inspire discussion of this important issue and we are proud to present our series on addiction. When The Addiction Series began, it was dedicated to three young people Debbie’s family knew who were lost and to their mothers. We are sad to have added another much loved young man to the list. Judah recently lost his battle with addiction. Each show in our series remembers with love Garrett, Sarah, Sean, and Judah – may you rest in peace; and Kim, Pam, Lori, and Lesli – may you find peace and comfort as we remember your children.

The Addiction Series continues this week when we are pleased to welcome staff from Santa Maria Hostel, a unique local resource supporting women in recovery.

Sherry Duson, Postpartum Health

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Sherry Duson, Postpartum Health

Sherry Duson, MA, LPC-S, PMH-C, founder of the Center for Postpartum Family Health, is a mental health professional who has worked with new mothers and their families since 1999. Her own experience as a mother led to her interest in addressing the unique needs of women and parents during this important phase of family life. For over 10 years she led a weekly support group for pregnancy and postpartum depression and anxiety at Houston area maternity hospitals. A committed advocate and educator on the subject of maternal mental health, Sherry served for two years as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Yates Children Memorial Fund at Mental Health America of Greater Houston, helping develop resources and training that addressed mental health needs of new mothers. She is a member of Postpartum Support International and served as a co-coordinator for the State of Texas. She co-chaired their 2008 conference where she helped teach the assessment and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She is a past president of the Houston Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. A Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, Sherry is also a State of Texas board-certified clinical supervisor for both licenses.

Megan Robinson and Ashly Kowalski, Yellow Rose Midwifery

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Megan Robinson and Ashly Kowalski, Yellow Rose Midwifery

Megan Robinson, BSN, ADN, LVN, attended Angelina College and Stephen F. Austin State University where she obtained her nursing certificate and degrees (LVN – 2008, ADN – 2009, BSN – 2010). She fell in love with her college sweetheart and married him in 2011. They have five beautiful biracial babies. It was after having baby #3 at home with a midwife that she felt called to become a midwife herself! Her nursing background includes eight years in an acute care hospital setting, three years in the Med Surge/Telemetry/Pediatric Departments and five years in the NICU/Nursery. While in the NICU/Nursery, she attended hundreds of births where she helped transition the smallest 24-weekers to the largest full-term babies. She obtained her midwifery education through the Association of Texas Midwives Midwifery Training Program and apprenticed with three amazing and super smart midwives. During her training, she attended many deliveries including VBACs and twins. She maintains certifications as a Certified Professional Midwife, Texas Licensed Midwife,  and Registered Nurse. She is also an active member of the Association of Texas Midwives as well as Greater Houston Midwives Alliance.

Ashly Kowalski, CPM, LM, is a mother of five, and having two VBAC births of her own, she has come to revere pregnancy, birth, and the growth of a family as one of the most beautiful things about humanity. As a recent Association of Texas Midwives program graduate and licensed midwife, and member of the Greater Houston Midwives Alliance, she feels privileged to help women and their partners make these experiences as positive and healthy as possible.

Yellow Rose is a midwifery group formed between herself and her partner, Megan Robinson, in a way that creates ultimate support for women and families across the Houston area.

Holly Milkowski, Breastfeeding

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Holly Milkowski, Breastfeeding

Holly Milkowski has volunteered as Director of Intact Houston since 2014, sharing research-based education and resources with expecting families and individuals affected by circumcision. She is a local birth worker, and owner of Your Labor Neighbor – through which she offers doula support, Birth Boot Camp classes, and placenta preparations. She authored a breastfeeding blog called Mama’s Milk, No Chaser for over six years and is working to complete an upcoming book about full-term breastfeeding. Holly is a proud mother of two unschooled boys ages 4 and 8, caretaker of four big dogs, and vegan for the past seven years. When she has spare time and energy, she enjoys writing, art, fitness, and exploring new things. You can find Holly in several places on Facebook at Intact Houston, Your Labor Neighbor, and Mama’s Milk, No Chaser. YourLaborNeighbor.com lists her birth services and contact information.

Circumcision

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Circumcision

Holly Milkowski has volunteered as director of Intact Houston since 2014, sharing research-based education and resources with expecting families and individuals affected by circumcision. She is a local birth worker and owner of Your Labor Neighbor, through which she offers doula support, Birth Boot Camp classes, and placenta preparations. Holly authors a breastfeeding blog called Mama’s Milk, No Chaser as well as a work-in-progress book about full-term breastfeeding. You can find her as a speaker for the upcoming Breastfeeding Beyond Babyhood summit. Holly spends most of her time caring for her two boys, ages 8 and 5, but also enjoys drawing, dancing, and cooking vegan food.

Amber Clark worked with Intact Houston from 2016 until she moved to the UK in 2019. She has a bachelor’s degree in education and in nursing and enjoys spending time with her husband and four young children. She is a licensed childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and former nurse for Jackie Griggs, CNM, at Midwife in the Heights. Amber is extremely passionate about all things birth-related and has dedicated her career in nursing to educating all parents on making informed decisions in the care of their sons and daughters.

Eric Smith is here today to weigh in as a man who was circumcised just after birth, and hopes to raise awareness of the long-term harms. Eric became involved with the intact advocacy movement soon after his first child was born. He has two boys and loves being a father. He was previously the NORM coordinator for the Houston chapter of the National Organization of Restoring Men. Eric currently writes software out of Katy, Texas, and is working on earning a master’s degree in computer information systems.