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babies Birth Breech Baby Placenta Encapsulation Pregnancy

Turning Transverse or Breech Babies

Turning Transverse or Breech Babies

Tara Carpenter, CPES.

Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.

transverse

Many pregnant moms become distressed when they find out baby is transverse or breech; often only weeks left before estimated due date (EDD). This puts a spin on things because if baby doesn’t turn ‘in time’ a care provider often recommends a cesarean birth.

Categories
Birth Pregnancy

Seeding a “C-Section Born” Baby

c-section-photoThis photo was taken after a client of mine gave birth via c-section. Before surgery, this mom requested that her doctor insert a piece of gauze into her vagina. This same gauze was used seconds after she gave

Categories
Infection Pregnancy

GBS+ During Pregnancy

 

The mom in this photo tested positive with group B strep* infection (GBS+) in her final trimester and received I.V. antibiotics during labor. Group b strep are a pathogenic bacterium that sporadically live in the rectum, intestines, urinary tract, and genital area of all pregnant and non-pregnant healthy people.

These bacteria don’t typically cause problems when kept in check by good flora (a.k.a. probiotics) that naturally live in your body, but when allowed to overpopulate they can cause a mild to serious infection. Especially during pregnancy when more than 25% of women are diagnosed with this infection. This is a concern as a GBS infection can be harmful to both mom and her baby.

Categories
Miscarriage Pregnancy

Now You Are Still …. Losing My Baby Girl

“Now You Are Still”: Losing My Baby Girl

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES

I wrote the poem below in 2006 while in the hospital recovering from a sepsis infection I got moments after losing my baby girl. You can read more in detail about that loss here, please know there are photos that may be disturbing to some in that post.

In the palm of my hand, you are at peace, you are still.

Moments prior you were stretching, kicking.

Now, I explore you who spent 15 weeks inside me, warm and safe.

Now you are still.

Categories
Pregnancy The Body Ecology Diet

Eating to Prevent GBS Infection in Pregnancy

One way to decrease the chance of group B strep infection (GBS+) during pregnancy is to build up your birth canal with good bacteria that naturally discourage excess GBS overgrowth. The best way to do this is to eat foods that do not ‘feed’ the bacteria and naturally prevent them from growing too large in numbers.

Categories
morning sickness Pregnancy

I Had Hyperemesis Gravidarum: 3 times

I Had Hyperemesis Gravidarum: 3 times

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES.

 

I had severe morning sickness, a.k.a. hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), with all three of my pregnancies and each was worse than the one before …. 12 weeks with my first son, 15 weeks with my daughter that I miscarried, and the full 40 weeks with my second son.

Labor was easy compared to the weeks and months living in a nauseas torturous state where I was unable to lift my head, read a book, or drink more than a teaspoon of water. I’d give birth any day if it meant avoiding the nausea and suffering, I felt during pregnancy.

Categories
hyperemesis gravidarum Pregnancy

Miscarriage: A Mother’s Love Never Dies

Miscarriage: A Mother’s Love Never Dies

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES.

This post contains photos that may be disturbing, view at own discretion.

On July 27th 2006, I lost a baby girl so tiny she fit in my palm with her legs dangling over. She was 15 weeks with delicate features complete in formation; simply needed time to plump up. She had the beginnings of eyelashes, fingernails, a cleft in her chin.

She fluttered inside me the first time the day before I miscarried. The severe morning sickness I experienced throughout pregnancy had lifted a week prior. I was on the up and up, looking pregnant and feeling a bit more normal, ready to welcome the next phase of pregnancy.

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