Talking to Kids about Haiti, and where to donate

Ideas about what to say and do

~ Listen to what they have to say - what have they heard & seen so far? The aim is not to worry them with the devastating details, but to protect them from misinformation

~ Give them simple, clear answers. If you don't know the answer, say that and look for the answer together

~ Help them to feel safe, don't brush away their fears - help to dispel them

~ Give them creative outlets: draw pictures, pound on pots & pans, move their bodies like an earthquake

~ Show them where Haiti is on a world map

~ The earthquake in Haiti is an opportunity to for children to gain a sense of empathy for children from different parts of the world and cultures different from their own

~ It's important for children to understand that not all countries of the world are like America. Some people don't have sturdy homes or food or fresh water or clean clothes or toys. They've never see a TV or the internet

~ Children develop a sense of awareness, sensitivity and charity by knowing these things

~ Don't let them watch TV news coverage alone, sit with them, monitor their response and answer questions. Ask them how what they're seeing makes them feel.

~ Open, yet non-frightening discussions about how fragile life is, the responsibility of privelege, and charity are appropriate for older children

~ Do something concrete - gather a box of unused clothes and toys and take them to a donation center, collect change from family and friends and send to UNICEF, etc., participate in a local relief effort

~ Encourage a sense of humanity, awareness and empathy

Please consider donating to one of these organizations:

~ Red Cross = Text “HAITI” to “90999″ to donate $10

~ Doctors Without Borders = www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/

~ Donate to Partners in Health = www.donate.pih.org

~ Architecture for Humanity = www.architectureforhumanity.org/donate

~ charity:water = www.charitywater.org/donate

~ World Vision = you can pick exactly where you want your donation used http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10820

"The Business of Being Born"

The Business of Being Born grew out of director Abbie Epstein's connection to The Vagina Monologues actress Ricki Lake. Shocked at the results of her own research into the birth industry, Lake asked Epstein to make a film about childbirth.

The movie reveals how the medical profession excessively and detrimentally intervenes in women's pregnancy and labor. It addresses how many hospital births are motivated more by the hospitals' financial and legal considerations than patients' wishes, or even best interests. The film makes a compelling case for a return to traditional (and often safer) midwife-assisted births.

The film's website states: "Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business. Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies.

The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal.

Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?"

The New York Times called the film "a passionate ground-level examination of home childbirth," and while "not overtly political, ( its) feminism is palpable but unspoken."

One of the issues the movie addresses is the common practice of having the birthing in the “lithotomy” position. This requires the mom to be lying on her back as she is encouraged to “push.” Anatomically, this shifts the pelvis into a narrowe postition, one that increases the chance of a forceps or a vacuum extraction delivery. Historically and anatomically, squatting is much less stressful for the mother although it makes it more difficult for the doctor to catch the baby.

The United States' infant-mortality rate is the second-highest in industrialized countries. “The Business of Being Born” suggests that this is one of the high costs of our blind trust in hospital technology.

"The Business of Being Born" is available from Amazon for under $10

photo: http://filmmakermagazine.com/directorinterviews/uploaded_images/The_Business_of_Being_Born_01-750478.jpg

Video Winners from Birth Matters/Virginia

Birth Matters/Virginia is a group of parents and professionals who support women and families in making informed choices about birth. BM/V works to empower women in discovering their inherent feminine strengths during the transformational experience of childbearing and birth.

Recently BM/V sponsored an international video contest about maternity and delivery care. The United States ranks 41st world-wide in maternal mortality, and the U.S. cesarean rate is over 30%! Now, more than ever, it is important for women to educate themselves about their birth options.

The video topics included personal birth stories, the role of doulas, midwifery care, cesarean sections, birthing in an Amish community and birth in Ireland. Each video carried a message about how changes are needed in the way our culture/s relate to pregnancy and birth. Nearly 40 videos were received, and they have had nearly 1 million views on YouTube.

The judges were all mothers, from various backgrounds, some working in the birth field professionally - all united by the vision of change. Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein from The Business of Being Born and Dr. Sarah Buckley (gentle choice adovocate and family physician) joined the judging.

Here are the winners, and links to their videos. (YouTube requires that viewers be at least 18 yrs. old.)

First prize went to Ragan Cohen of California for her piece "Prevent Ceasarean Surgery." Dr. Buckley called it "myth-busting."

http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?&next_url=/watch%3Fv%3DEZy0JPtubiQ

Laura Alvarez's "The Nature of Natural Birth." Her second place winner is a combination of valuable information and gorgeous photos of home births. Alvarez is from Wisconsin.

http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?&next_url=/watch%3Fv%3DOrIPtVEjVnc

"Misconception" by Becky Carey of Virginia won the Honorable Mention. The judges noted its conversational tone, original music and authentic women's wisdom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxRmVciXy-g


For more info, visit BirthMatters/Virginia here:

www.birthmattersva.org

photo: http://api.ning.com/files/WWr3SEnP8RZTimEbYIRBp5TMmLy4VZx2c9EOj023XbB85-HT9rcnoKjGFXn0209r46gqCozyfnfhWfHU4tHsK7kSp4S4YSQ5/pregnancy.jpg