Written by: Pamela Perschnick & Nabira Safiullah Oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone," plays a crucial role in childbirth. It's responsible for contractions that help open the cervix, and it's also involved in lactation and bonding between mother and baby. But what happens when synthetic oxytocin, also known as Pitocin or Syntocinon, is introduced into the bloodstream? The Risks of Pitocin While Pitocin can be useful in certain situations, its overuse has been linked to several complications, including: Hyperstimulation of the uterus, leading to painful contractions and increased risk of cesarean section Interference with the body's natural ability [...]

Written By: Fatima Kamran Natural birth, one of the most transformative events in a mother’s life, has been known to always been tainted with unwelcomed routine interventions in most hospital settings. A number of these interventions have become such common practice that they are no longer questioned by pregnant mothers or even regarded as interventions by them. Some of these are discussed below: Vaginal Examinations A deep-rooted fear exists among mothers from these checks, who have experienced several of them during their labors. They are unnecessarily performed on laboring mothers repeatedly, leaving them feeling hurt, humiliated and emotionally distressed. They [...]

Written By: Nabira Safiullah As a doula, I've seen the positive impact of collaboration between doulas and medical professionals on birth outcomes. In this post, I'll explore the role of a doula, the benefits of doula support, and why collaboration is essential. What is a Doula? A doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing individuals and their families. We're like the steady calm in the birthing room—a reassuring presence focused on the mother's emotional well-being. The Benefits of Doula Support Research shows that having a doula on the birth team leads to better outcomes, including: Lower C-section rates [...]

Written By: Maryam Shaikh Every second a woman in her lifetime goes through all the interventions or procedures at the time of pregnancy, labor and birth. These interventions are so commonly and routinely done that they have become a norm and are accepted by mothers as a part of pregnancy, labor and birth. Let’s explore the most common intervention done, day in and day out. Pitocin or Synthetic Oxytocin: This widely used medication during the first stage and third stage of labor is called Pitocin or Synthetic Oxytocin. This medication is similar to the natural oxytocin that is released in [...]

Written By: Hajar Can we liken a vaginal exam to obstetric rape? Although the two pictures are completely different, what if the examination was accompanied by a deep humiliation that affected the mother, a sense of violation of her body, great pain and distress? But before digging deep into this issue, what is a vaginal examination (PV) in the first place? A vaginal examination is an examination that is performed by a health care provider during labor. It measures the progression of the mother's birth and is done by inserting two fingers into the vagina to measure the extent of [...]