Normal birth at home? Key experts say "Yes!"

I attended a lecture at University Technology Sydney (UTSpeaks) a couple of weeks ago. Professor Caroline Homer, Director of the UTS Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, leads research in innovative models of midwifery care, midwifery practice and education. Her topic was “Home or Hospital - is there a best birthing option.” She was speaking almost entirely to the converted, to those consumers, midwives and other health professionals who feel very strongly that women in Australian society are currently disadvantaged when they express a desire to birth normally at home. So it was gratifying to hear that Professor Homer actually sees a future for more enlightened birthing practices in this country. She believes that strong consumer desire, the cost of birth in hospitals and more to the point, studies of large cohorts of women showing no difference in safety or outcomes, will drive the changes. She also questions whether medical professionals, regulators, politicians and journalists have a right to narrow the choices available to women. I came aware feeling a lot more optimistic about the future of women’s birthing choices in this country where currently only 0.3% of women give birth in the comfort of their own home. Maybe you could feel confident to swell those numbers after watching her lecture! Also good to see Associate Professor Michael Nicholl, obstetrician and gynaecologist and Director of Women’s and Children’s Health at Northern Sydney Local Health District give her such a resounding welcome and endorsement!

The good guys that grow in your gut

I’m hopping on the “healthy gut” soap box again! The research, expanding at a phenomenal rate, confirms the importance of the gut microbiota. Quite apart from preventing a host of directly, gut-related, health issues, the good gut bacteria go a long way towards establishing and maintaining normal weight, hormone balance and emotional stability!

And relevant to my work, Yale and Harvard researchers have identified a brief window of opportunity postnatally when optimal gut health can be established. Take advantage of that window and you bestow a lifetime of better health on the child. WOW - what an opportunity we have, or conversely, what an opportunity we miss. Caesarean-section means a baby born into a sterile environment, failing to acquire his mother’s bacteria as he passes down the birth canal. Formula feeding presents a similar story, delivering an equally unfortunate impact on the infant's gut health. Those US researchers make a direct link to the extremely high C-sec and formula feeding rates to the epidemics of obesity and depression! 

But no matter how deplorable the statistics, the good news is that probiotics can act as a surrogate with probiotic-containing products of potential benefit to the whole family. But there’s madness in the air! As of December 14 2012 in the EU, the word “probiotic” can no longer be used on product labels since it infers a “health claim.” EU consumers will have to look for the names of specific strains to find what they want - a move that defies logic and will no doubt deter the less well-informed. When will restoring optimal (normal?) status of naturally occurring bacteria, trace elements, vitamins or whatever be the RIGHT OF and made EASY for the health-conscious consumer? Before the madness reaches Australian shores,  get a product with multiple strains and get those good guys growing in your gut!

Message to all Mums and Dads - spend more time with your kids!

A UK study of 2,000 parents reveals their 20 major regrets and yes, lack of time spent with their children is a recurring and predominant theme! And I can understand why this would be so - even now, when my boys are gorgeous young men of 22 and 27 I can look at them and wish their childhood over again - and I was a full time, 24/7 Mum from day #1. Not that I would do it differently, just that I would like to enjoy it all one more time. Mikey, my 22 year old is seeing the reality and the likelihood of regrets at first hand. Now studying to be a Primary Teacher he is also working at Vacation Care - on a daily basis throughout school holidays he and seven others take 45 kids on outings and excursions, to movies, concerts and more. But in his words he and his colleagues are having all the fun and the parents are missing out! Sure, he’s exhausted at the end of the day - who wouldn’t be, but it won’t be the tiredness he looks back on. Rather it will be the wonder of seeing the world through young eyes, being part of kids’ conversations and their voyages of learning and discovery. When you get to that famous last review of your life - will you wish you had spent more time in the office? More on this theme in my latest book Healthy Parents, Healthy Toddler. Click here to read a sample chapter.