Glam Benefit for New Space for Women's Health

      Keri Russell                                            Barbara Sellars                          Virginia Reath, RPA

"The New Space for Women's Health should be a reality in 2 years. Not only will we once again have the option of an out-of-hospital birth center in Manhattan (Elizabeth Seton Birth Center closed in 2003!), there will be, under one roof:

*Prenatal, birth and postpartum care by midwives

*Childbirth education

*Breastfeeding support

*Gynecological services

*Social work and psychological care

Plans for a "green" health care space are being formulated for an 8,000 sq. ft. donated location in midtown, scheduled to open in 2010. The Center will be inclusive, serving privately-insured and Medicaid clients of all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

To raise money for this exciting alternative to "traditional" women's health care in NYC, The Friends of the Birth Center held a benefit showing of the film "The Business of Being Born" on January 9th. Barbara was able to attend (thank you, Elizabeth, for taking call!) and had a wonderful evening at the screening of Ricki Lake's movie and the party afterwards.

This is a very pro-midwifery documentary which will reinforce your own reasons for choosing midwifery care, and demonstrate to your family and friends what's wrong with the "medical" approach to childbirth in America. We were proud to see our most estimable back-up doc, Jacques Moritz, and fellow Roosevelt midwives among the "good guys." Please check out "The Business of Being Born" (available from Amazon).

And please go to www.newspacenyc.org for more info about the New Space for Women's Health. We need support and we need money if this place is really going to open its doors on schedule. If you or your partner have any connections to companies or foundations that might help this concept become a reality, be a "midwife" yourself so that this can happen!"

One of our patients (thank you, Juliet!) turned us on to www.thebirthsurvey.com. At this site you can find NYC area hospitals' intervention rates for fetal monitoring, inductions of labor, episiotomies, epidurals, Cesarean births, VBACs, and number of midwife-attended births. You can also input data about your own birth by taking their survey. By spring, 2008 (that's soon!) you'll be able to view the survey results (they are being compiled now). Check it out!

BRAZEN NETWORKING REQUEST

Barbara’s daughter Amy, mother of Kendall and Kieran, recently finished her first semester at Rutgers Law School with an A- average after embarking on a second career. She is now looking for summer work in the legal field. She lives in Princeton so something near there would be ideal, but she is flexible. If anyone has any leads or suggestions, please e-mail Barbara at nyccnms@att.net

Molto Grazie!

CBS midwives' enthusiasm for staying up all night and coaxing stubborn babies to come out can only be maintained if we get away and recharge our batteries every once in a while. Here's the latest travel reports.

Barbara's R&R

My week in Rome 2/15 - 2/22 was the most relaxing vacation I have ever had. My traveling companion was once again Kendall, my granddaughter who is now 11. She's old enough to appreciate the best cappuccino in the world at the little place on the north end of Via Giulia, as well as the gelato at San Crispino and Bucianti. Without her, I would never have climbed to the cupola of St. Peter's (all 323 steps AFTER you get off the elevator) - what a view! We saw the sights of the Eternal City and took a day trip to Florence as well. Our little apartment just off the Campo di' Fiori was charming, comfortable, and quiet. Several mornings we bought amazing fresh produce at the market in the Campo, and cooked it for dinner in our tiny kitchen. The weather was lovely - only a few sprinkles the last day, and temperatures in the 50's by the afternoons.

Now Kendall's little brother Kieran wants to know "When is my turn, grandma?" I'm thinking more along the lines of rain forest/zip lines/exotic birds/ interesting animals for this very active little boy. If any of you have had a great vacation like that with kids, please e-mail me with your recommendations. Thanks - Barbara

Elizabeth's R&R

 Merhaba! That's hello in Turkish. Its been 5 months since my trip but I can still close my eyes and see the Blue Mosque lit up as I walk along the ancient Hippodrome at sundown. Everyone is out, breaking their Ramadan fast. The stalls are filled with food and of the delicious smells wafting in my direction I focus on the warm sweetness coming from a stall where the owners are cutting pieces of some sort of pie and sprinkling something greenish on top. It's all local women in line, no tourists but me. I wait my turn and am given my piece, pay and move along. On irst bite the opposing sensations of crunch and gooeyness, sweet and savory meet and mingle on my palate. It's called ‘kunefe’ and consists of melted cheese encased in a sweet fried wheat mesh, embellished with chopped pistachios. This was my first meal upon arrival in Istanbul. From there it just got better and better. The above photo is from my visit to Cappadocia, the "Badlands" of
Turkey---beautiful!
My next travels will be at the end of March. I'm heading to the Bahamas for one week at a yoga center. The fact that there is blue sky, sand, ocean, and hammocks makes the 4 hours of yoga a day very doable.As I don't have any yoga shots I'll have to show you a photo of my latest dance outing--Madison square park a few chilly weeks ago. Yes, I'm still into tango! Hard to believe its almost 3 years since I started--I miss running at times, but dance is much ineeasier on the legs, and the social life. That’s all my news—hope this finds you all well and enjoying your Spring! - Elizabeth

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