Local Mamas – Methodist Hospital has a new policy re: releasing placentas

When we had Wally at Mercy Hospital, one of the things that was important to our family was to bring his placenta home with us. This amazing organ that kept him nourished and safe for all those months was NOT going to be incinerated like a piece of garbage. We ended up planting a pear tree with it (which, um, yeah, subsequently died). The process at Mercy was easy, they had to do some testing on it to make sure it wasn’t diseased and then they just handed it over to my husband in a big ziplock bag.

At Methodist Hospital, the process has been similar for a number of years. I have heard rumors of some people having difficulty getting their placentas released recently, and this was posted at the Holistic Families of Des Moines Facebook group this morning, written by local doula and placenta encapsulator Sabbath Jackson:

 

Hey there everyone!After a phone call tonight with a local doula – I am at my wit’s end. I am writing a note out to all of the local birthworkers to try and find some support and some help with what’s going on over at Methodist Hospital regarding the release of patient’s placenta’s.

It started off kind of quietly, but it is in full swing now – Methodist Hospital will not release any placenta’s to their patients to take home. They advise patients that the placenta has to be transported to a funeral home (HA!) and must be rendered non-pathogenic (i.e. no longer suitable for encapsulation, placed into a formalin solution). They are claiming that it is based on a brand new law. I contacted the Iowa Department of Public Health and asked why Methodist would be under the impression that there was a new law, as Mercy Hospital gives us not a bit of trouble with patient’s who want their placenta. Iowa Department of Public Health wrote back:

IDPH and the Department of Inspections and Appeals are not aware of any rules or regulations. I would ask the healthcare facility for their reference for their requirement. It seems an odd restriction to be placed when such a small number of patients would be requesting this.

I am sort of at my wit’s end. As doulas in the community, and as other people who work with childbearing women, I am looking for some support with this. I am currently trying to set up a meeting with Methodist Hospital Administration, but I am having no luck. My next move will be simply to show up and request to speak to someone.

I would love to hear about anyone who has had an experience with trying to get their placenta home, for whatever reason. I am aware that other people in the community are also preparing placenta’s and I am hoping that the efforts I put forth here will serve to benefit us all, so please don’t be afraid to talk to me about issues that go beyond just Beth and myself. I need to get some good patient stories to come at the hospital with, but please make sure that you discuss anything that you might talk to me about with your clients first, or better yet, simply give them the option to contact me directly.

If you are able, please feel free to also contact Methodist Hospital. I hate to be awful, but honestly, if this is their new policy, I will advise clients to seek care at another facility. I am hoping that if they start to see some community support for allowing placenta’s to be released, they will reconsider their policy. That could mean also having your clients, current and otherwise, also write in a letter as a consumer asking for them to change their policy. You can direct your clients here to submit their note.

http://www.iowahealth.org/renovation-question-form.aspx

Also, if anyone is more skilled at perusing Iowa state code, please feel free to locate any new legislation for 2011 regarding this. I looked for a long time and was not able to find anything new.

I know we are all busy, but this is seriously starting to have a major impact on childbearing families citywide. I think I am up to 8 families that haven’t been able to bring home their placenta, or have had it ‘accidentally destroyed’ (once is an accident…three times isn’t).

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sabbath ended her note with her contact information, but I’m not comfortable publishing her phone number and email here (just, you know, I still have people who read this blog because they’re angry about the cloth wipes), but please visit her website
http://www.ganesabirth.com/
for her contact information. Thanks!

Great Cloth Diaper Change, coming to a city near you. (especially if you live near Des Moines)

Join us to set a world record!
Saturday, April 23 – 11:00 AM – Val Air Ballroom
Cloth diapers have come a long way in past 10 years, and it’s time to stand up and be noticed. Celebrate by joining the International cloth diaper community to set the world record for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously. Our event here is Des Moines is shaping up to be pretty fun! We’ll have a photographer present, who will not only be documenting the event for Guinness, but who will be able to take pictures of your adorable cloth diapered baby! We’ll have goody bags and door prizes, too!
Do I need to RSVP? Yes! Well, sort of! RSVP is not required, but highly encouraged so we have enough witnesses to fulfull Guinness requirements. RSVP through Facebook, or by emailing me at sarah@wallypop.net what will happen at the event? Please arrive around 11 am. There will be some paperwork to fill out, and we will be distributing ticket stubs to those participating in the event. By 11:30, all participants need to be inside the “diaper change” area. At 11:30, we’ll make some sort of sound and everyone will commence the change. After the diapers are changed, everyone is free to socialize or take advantage of the photographer! who can participate? Babies must be 39 inches or shorter. They must be changed into a cloth diaper. The adult caregiver must be 18 or older. what about my other kids, spouse, etc? Though non-diapered kids, spouses, parents, etc., are welcome to attend, only the baby being changed and one adult caregiver are allowed inside the diaper change area. If you need help watching your older kids during the actual change, please let us know. what diapers “count”? Unfortunately, Guinness will not allow the use of diapers that are not commercially available. If you use homemade diapers that are not available for sale anywhere, you may borrow one of the loaner diapers we’ll have available at the event. Return it before you leave, and you won’t even have to wash it! Additionally, training pants are also not allowed. what about babies who usually wear disposables? Absolutely! Babies do not need to be in cloth when they arrive, and they don’t need to be in cloth when they leave. They just need to be changed into a cloth diaper at 11:30. If you have questions, please don’t hestiate to contact me!! Also, if you would like to volunteer at the event, or if your spouse, mother, best friend, uncle’s roommate would like to volunteer, please let me know. Jobs are super easy, but important!! Sarah Reid – 274-4676 – sarah@wallypop.net

Our Utility Pole and Why This Keeps Happening

We lost our internet (but kept our power) again over the weekend because, again, someone ran into the utility pole.

It was a teenage girl driving with two teenage girl friends at about 1 am. Randy woke up, certain that the Bang BANG he just heard was someone kicking in our door and the door banging against the wall, so he woke me up telling me to get the gun (yes, I have one, locked safely away) while he’s getting dressed, looking for the phone, and physically barring the door to our bedroom (yay for awesome husbands). I’m considering which window I want to open and jump out of with the kids. Then we hear hysterical crying outside and sneak a peek to see the above scene.

Yeah, they actually broke the pole. I was impressed last time because the woman splintered it and pushed it a foot or so. These girls just outright broke it.

You might think our pole is just unlucky, but it’s actually poor city planning. Gasp! Say it ain’t so! Do you actually mean to say that the City of Des Moines might, just might, have not done a completely awesome job with the entire Putting In A Stoplight fiasco project? Why, yes, that is exactly what I am saying.

Now, this doesn’t excuse the drivers. Obviously, you have to be distracted to NOT notice a utility pole. The (adult) woman who ran into it last month admitted she wasn’t looking. I have no idea what these girls said, but they all went home with their parents.

But let’s look at something. This is the street BEFORE the city widened it.

And here it is afterwards:

Gosh golly gee I have NO IDEA why running into the pole might be an issue, do you?

Truth be told, the after picture is not quite accurate – the street in front of our house (so, to the bottom left of the drawing) does angle somewhat, but MOST of the angling happens in our driveways, where the angling is not obvious, because there is no curb.

We were amazed that the pole lasted all winter without a snowplow taking it out, to be honest. I expect this sort of thing to keep happening, though.

Patapum Carriers

I’ve decided to stop carrying Patapum carriers. I love the Patapum over any other soft structured carrier I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot of them!), and I particularly love the high quality for low price. It has excellent features, and its range of fit cannot be beat.

However, I originally brought the Patapum into my product line-up because I wanted to offer my local customers a more affordable alternative to the Ergo, which was the only other SSC available locally at the time. Many local parents can’t easily afford an Ergo.

Yet, I do not believe I have sold a single Patapum locally. I’ve mailed plenty, to people who absolutely love them. But I had wanted the Patapums for local families.

I have probably not done a good enough job spreading the word about Patapum’s awesomeness, and Patapum also just isn’t as popular of a brand. (They do not spend much on advertising in the US, so they don’t have the same brand recognition.)

So, when I sell out of the Patapums I have remaining in stock, that’ll be it.

And, in a last-ditch effort to achieve my goal of Patapum use in Des Moines, I’m offering 20% off the remaining Patapums. I have one each: Infant black, Infant Khaki, Infant Navy, Toddler Khaki. The Infant Navy and Toddler Khaki have been opened. Please email if you’d like to take advantage of this offer!

Pregnant in America

Last week, our local ICAN group hosted a showing of the film Pregnant in America, followed up by a panel discussion featuring local doulas, midwives, and mamas. We didn’t stay for the panel, but the film presentation was nice. I’d already seen the movie, but it was good to see it again. It’s no Business of Being Born, but I think I cringed less the second time through than I did the first time through. Also, it’s interesting to note, the things that annoyed me about the film (such as the filmmaker’s use of the word “bogus,” didn’t bother my husband at all!

First annual Des Moines Green Gifts Fair

The first annual Des Moines Green Gifts Fair will be held November 15, and we are currently accepting vendor applications. You can find out more over at Natural Living Des Moines.

Upcoming Free Classes

May 7:
6:00 pm: Cloth Diapering
7:00 pm: Babywearing
Franklin Public Library

May 16:
9:00 am: Cloth Diapering
10:00 am Babywearing
Urbandale Public Library

These classes are sponsored by Des Moines Babywearing and Des Moines Cloth Diapering and are NOT sponsored by Wallypop or any other business.

The Cloth Diapering classes will go over the basics of cloth diapering, the types of diapers and covers available, pros and cons of the types of diapers, laundering, etc. We’ll have lots of samples to look at!

The Babywearing classes will provide a demo of several different carrying positions in at least four types of carriers, with plenty of time for participants to try them on if desired. We’ll also talk about babywearing in general.

Bring your questions, concerns, or doubtful family members!!

Cloth Diapering/Natural Living in Des Moines – when did it start?

It seems lately, I’ve been hearing lots of scuttlebut about how long cloth diapering has existed in Des Moines. When did it start?

It’s kind of a silly question, in a way. Cloth diapering never went away, of course!

Obviously, many years ago, families in the area used cloth. I was cloth diapered, despite widespread availability of disposables in the late 70s. Twenty years later, when my nephew was born in the mid 90s, my sister in law used a diaper service here in Des Moines.

That service closed several years later, but at least at the time he was born, there were enough families in Des Moines using cloth to warrant a service. Experience shows that, generally speaking, far more people home launder than use a service, so if there were enough families using cloth to warrant a service, there were probably a fair number of families home laundering – quite the community.

When I started diapering Wally five years ago, I was the only one I knew who used cloth. A few months later, another cloth diaperer moved to town (Sara J), and I talked a friend into giving it a try (Louisa) and the three of us discovered another CDer with an older child (Laurie) who was friends with yet another CDer with a child about the same age as her own (Tanya).

I am not under any sort of delusion that we were the only ones in town using cloth, trying to live naturally, and practicing attachment parenting. We were just the only ones we knew.

What’s different now than 13 or 14 years ago when my nephew was born? Community. I decided that the area cloth diaperers needed some sort of community, some sort of organized something, so we didn’t feel so alone, so we could turn to each other for support, so we didn’t have to continually re-invent the wheel. OK, originally, we just wanted to show off our diapers to each other, lol!

I still run into babywearers or cloth diaperers who have no idea that there are others in Des Moines, and they think they’re the only ones!

Oh, Baby at Methodist Hospital here in Des Moines

Hey, come on out to Oh Baby on Saturday! Wallypop will be there, and so will many other baby-products vendors. Best of all, register to win some fantastic door prizes, and also get a free tote bag.

Help us work to get Midwives licensed in Iowa

Iowans: this is for you.

There is a bill in the House right now to license CPMs in Iowa. This is important for Iowa’s birthing women. Let’s get it passed!! (more below the break.)