Terri Coates is an experienced midwife who advises the production team for the BBC TV show. She also draws on her relationships with retired midwives and doctors who worked during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, when the show is set. The birth scenes are simulated, but they’re so well done that many viewers assume…
Author: vickielson
Skin-to-skin for all births, cesareans included!
“This feels so good – is it even legal?” I routinely embarrass my adult children by talking about the life-changingly blissful experience of having them placed on my naked chest at the moment of birth. After the intensely hard work of each labor, a warm, wet, wiggly, complete human being came out of my body…
Building A Resilient Brain: How Early Parenting Makes A Lifelong Difference
As a baby’s brain develops, neural connections strengthen – or shrivel up – depending on interactions with adults. These early connections form the foundation for all future learning, affecting intelligence, behavior, social skills, and health. When adults make eye contact and engage with babies, reflecting and responding playfully to babbling, facial expressions, and gestures, neural…
Amazon messed me up!
Amazon messed me up! So I haven’t been able to sell my film for 4 months. It’s a long story (which I will describe below in case any other filmmakers are having the same problem) but meanwhile…if you tried to rent, download, or purchase the film and it didn’t work, try again by clicking “order…
East Bay Community Birth Support Project Indiegogo Campaign
I just contributed to the official launch of the East Bay Community Birth Support Project Indiegogo campaign. It’s a beautiful program training doulas of color to support moms in ALL communities. Doula trainings can be expensive, and this program removes one barrier! This program in California could be replicated anywhere. May it be the start…
Childbirth Education Essentials workshops in November
“Childbirth Education Essentials,” a one-day workshop for experienced childbirth professionals and enthusiastic newcomers, will be offered twice next month: in Northampton, MA on Sunday, November 2, and in Jamaica Plain, MA on Sunday, November 16. The workshop runs from 9am to 6 pm. It’s a practical and inspiring introduction to teaching about birth in any…
Healthy Birth Practices vs. Reality
Experts agree on what “healthy birth” requires. But what’s really happening? This article by Sharon Muza from Science and Sensibility compares the well-respected Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices with the realities reported in Childbirth Connection’s 2013 Listening To Mothers III Report, a survey of 2400 U.S. mothers. My notes below are just to pique your interest….
“Orange is the New Black” : Predictions for New Season
Filming is complete, but there’s still no release date for Season 2 of the acclaimed Netflix series “Orange is the New Black.” It looks like we’ll have to wait till mid-2014. What are your predictions? I have zero insider information, but here are mine anyway! 1. The show will continue to make jail look much…
These CRANKY KID suggestions are great, but:
A. They left out PROTEIN, which in my experience is #1. Hypoglycemic kids (and adults) are no fun and can’t think straight. My daughter’s first sentence was “Amy protein now!” Desperate? Float a wooden bowl of cottage cheese and applesauce in the bathtub. Name it “Fun.” Shovel it in to their little mouths while asking,…
The Three Parts of Pain
The Three Parts of Pain Long after my last baby was born, I learned that childbirth is not the worst pain a person can have. After a surgical mishap, I had two weeks of relentless pain. I used heavy medicines, which helped a little but made me so stupid I almost forgot to keep breathing….