Guerrilla Midwife

As some of you remember,  I wrote a post on the review of "Memoirs of a Singing Birth", a book by Elena Skoko. In the book, Elena talks about her birth as attended by Ibu Robin Lim.

Ibu Robin Lim is now featured in the movie "Guerrilla Midwife", a documentary about her journey to midwifery and the challenges she faces in the country of Bali.

Guerrilla Midwife  follows Ibu Robin Lim into the trenches of her work. From Bali, where hemorrhage after hcildbirth is a leading cause of death, into the Tsunami disaster zone in Aceh, where her battle is fought with only one weapon, love. In this culturally mesmerizing, heart-wrenching documentary, you will discover why we must reinvent our protocols for pregnancy and childbirth in order to preserve our Planet's Humanity.

Please see below to view a few excerpts from the film:


Guerrilla Midwife, Sample from Amber Bansak on Vimeo.

And, if you are lucky enough to live in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, MI, you can go to a screening of the film at the Wealthy Street Theater. Check this invitation out for more information, to help spread the word, or to RSVP for the event.

Reducing Infant Mortality

A great, short, video on the necessity to improve our maternal/fetal healthcare system.

Reducing Infant Mortality from Debby Takikawa on Vimeo.

I like that they talk about the necessity of cesareans in some situations, but address the overuse of the procedure, and what leads up to a higher rate of cesareans. They also address such concerns as the need for every single week of pregnancy to reduce the incidence of other newborn risks that are associated with prematurity.

They are well balanced in their view - talking about the preventative medicine that we are doing right, and the defensive/doctor-friendly medicine that we are doing wrong. Hearing doctors talk about this makes it even more valid to the public eye, so I encourage you to spread the news about this video.

Fighting The Good Fight - one woman's story

This is somewhat off topic, but so very important to us, that I felt the need to reach out to those readers who I may never have met in person, but may have a heart for the same as we do.

My husband was friends with Melanie back in grade school and middle school and he recently found her again. She is fighting breast cancer, and, although this is a reproductive health blog mostly about pregnancy and birth, Melanie's plight is close enough to our heart, and as much as a women's health issue, that I felt the need to share.

Please read her story and help us to help this family of 6 who are faced with extraordinary difficulty.

MELANIE BANNISTER is a 34 yr. old mother of 4. She recently graduated from Empire school of cosmetology in hopes of getting a good career started to help support their family. 5 days later she was diagnosed with STAGE 2/3 INVASIVE LOBULAR CARCINOMA. She is battling this cancer with all she has. She has completed 8 weeks of Chemo, with 16 left before she can undergo a hysterectomy and double mastectomy. Afterward she must also face 5 weeks of radiation with 5 treatments per week.

The chemo is leaving her too weak and sick to care for her children at times because she loses days at a time with no recollection of the time past. During these times HER HUSBAND CHRIS must take unpaid family medical leave from his job at Comcast to stay home and care for his wife and children.

MELANIE'S 16 YR.OLD DAUGHTER LEXI was born with CYTOMEGALA VIRUS, which has led to many hospitalizations & surgeries & left her in coma for a month at one point. Lexi has CEREBRAL PALSY and is unable to walk and deperately in need of a new electric wheelchair.

10 YR.OLD KYLEIGH was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, ACUTE INTERMITTENT PORPHYRIA, which CHRIS also has.

8 YR.OLD SON NOAH was born with OCULAR ALBINISM. He is legally blind.

Then there is 2 YR.OLD CALEB. CALEB is healthy, but way too young to understand what mommy is going through.

OUR MISSION IS TO RAISE FUNDS TO HELP THIS FAMILY PAY OFF MEDICAL BILLS, PROVIDE AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR FOR LEXI, GET THEIR BILLS PAID UP, AND KEEP THEM PAID UP WHILE DADDY STRUGGLES THROUGH LOSS OF INCOME TO CARE FOR HIS FAMILY, AND WHILE MOMMY STRUGGLES UP THIS HILL OF ADVERSITY. OUR PRAYER IS THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING HELP US OUT.

We are seeking donations of goods, services, gift cards, and/or money. We will be having a benefit at EASTERN AVENUE HALL located at 506 EASTERN AVE. NE, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 49503 on SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27TH from 2-7 PM. If you are in Grand Rapids or surrounding areas, you can attend and RSVP here.

If you have items to be dropped off for the auction or raffles these can be mailed or brought to:

C/O Melanie Bannister
94 4 Mile Rd.
Comstock Park, MI 49321
Attention - Breast Cancer Benefit

If you would like to help by making a monetary donation you can send them to any :

Fifth Third Bank
Chris Bannister C/O Benefit for Melannie Bannister
Account number 9165183287.

We will have 50/50 raffles, $1.00 raffles and $5.00 raffles, along with an auction, some games for children, face painting, T-Shirt sales, spaghetti and meatball dinner, and other activities. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING THIS FAMILY IN THEIR TIME OF NEED. And thank you so much in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

Hellena Post - Birthing Twins

I happened upon an amazingly beautiful birthing story of one mama and her two little bairns. The beautiful thing about her story is that it tells of so much that is little talked about: the ability to birth twins days or even weeks apart, when left alone and babies are healthy and fine, a mama working through her physical and emotional self in order to birth, and the fortitude that a long birth requires.

She is raw and honest. So, please take a short moment (around 13 minutes read time) and read the first and second part of this birth story, complete with beautiful birthing pictures!