The 2012 REACHE Conference

The (Really Big) Business of Being Born

• History of modern US system and its foundational relevance to the structure and functioning (really, dys-functioning) of US health care system.

• History and dynamics of third party payment system, its impact on functioning of US health care system, and its impact on maternity care system.
• History and dynamics of medical malpractice in US health care system and its impact on maternity care segment.
• Overview of current research on impact on cultural factors in architecture of US health care system and impact of these factors on maternity care segment.

Birth: Age-Old New Perspectives

Brief Description:

Birth seen from different points of view significantly affects the birth experience. Participants and providers at births may have different expectations, and this may or may not support the normal birth process. We will talk about how to recognize and support normal birth, and how to recognize unexpected obstructions that may get in the way. Tools for increasing the probability of having a normal, physiologic birth will be explored.

Presentation Objectives:

1. Understand the different perspectives of birth held by the participants and how these perspectives affect the birth.
2. Recognize at least three common & accepted influences that may obstruct normal birth.
3. Identify 5 tools to help a normal birth remain normal.

Vaginal Birth:  What's In It For The Baby?

• I will define gut microbiota and discuss the co-evolution of the bacteria that populate the human bowel and their human host, and the role normally played by those bacteria.
• I will describe the development of the immune system (in audience-appropriate terms) and how cesarean birth can disrupt that development, with long-term consequences. Included will be a discussion of the impact of place of delivery (hospital vs home) on this process.
• I will discuss the role of natural birth promotion in decreasing first time cesareans, and the role of VBACs in reducing subsequent cesareans.

The Mother, The Baby & The Breast:  The Human Expression Of The Mammalian Feeding Sequence

A. History & examples:  Odent, Widstrom, Righard/Alade, Colson etc

B. Amiel-Tison & Grenier’s liberated neck

C. Permissive conditions

1.  Physical & emotional security

2.  Hunger/thirst

3.  Proximity/neurosensory cues

4.  Reflexes & instincts

5.  Interactions & responsive behaviors

The Brain And What You Didn’t Know You Already Know:  Right Brain To Right Brain Connections

A.  Left & right brains

B.  Allan Schore’s affective synchrony

C.  Oxytocin: Uvnas Moberg and Odent

The MotherBaby  And The Brain:  Right Brained Learning
A. The motherbaby
B. Eidelman’s studies: The Maternal Cognitive Deficit and Skilled Recognition by Touch
C. Ways of learning
D. Implications for health care providers