Welcome baby Ziarre

Congratulations to Perla and Bobbi who welcomed their 6th daughter this morning. Baby Ziarre was born in water at the birth center at 5:55 am and weighed 7′15″. She looks like her big sister Starla and is adorable!

Welcome baby Penny

Congratulations to Jennifer and Oscar on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Penny Mae. Penny was born in water at the birth center on Sunday, February 7th at 11:54 pm. She weighed 7′9″ (if my tired memory serves me right) and is absolutely beautiful!!

It’s such a pleasure to serve families like this – families who give their lives in service to the Lord themselves and who make a difference in what they do. May you be continuously blessed Jennifer and Oscar!

January visitors

Had so many wonderful visitors in January – sweet friends and lots of little ones. Love the little ones!!!

Welcome Baby Beatrice

Congratulations to my friends Courtney and Brian on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Beatrice. Beatrice was born at home this morning and weighed 8′12″. Her big sisters welcomed her with tenderness and joy. Congratulations!

Welcome Surrey and Callan

Congratulations to a special family who welcomed their daughters Surrey Anne and Callan Richelle. Callan was born at 5;01 am and weighed 4′6″. Surrey was born at 5:02 am and weighed 5′11″. They are the most beautiful of miracles. Welcome to the world!!

Meet the girls…..

Ancient Paths Midwifery is owned and operated by Lori Luyten. Lori is a licensed California midwife (LM) and certified professional midwife (CPM) with over 10 years in private practice. Lori has extensive training and experience in waterbirth. In September 2009 she attended her 400th water birth! Lori’s background in nursing meshed with years working as a birth doula and Bradley Childbirth Educator give her balanced perspective to caring for women. She practices what she calls “physiological midwifery”- understanding and working to preserve the physiological and hormonal balances of labor, birth and postpartum. Combining traditional and alternative approaches, you won’t have to sacrifice the special moments to have a safe birth!

In addition to private practice, Lori is a preceptor for the National College of Midwifery, Midwifery College of Utah and the Aviva Institute of Midwifery. She is on the advisory board of Christian Midwives International and is a founding member of the International Coalition of Christian Childbirth Professionals

Tanya Sissoyev, LMT
Tanya is a licensed massage therapist with advanced certification in pregnancy and postpartum massage as well as providing massage labor support. With well over 1000 hours of training in various massage modalities, she is a member of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) and a professional member of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). She is also a member of the California Massage Doula Network as well as being a certified Prenatal Massage Therapist & Massage Doula Intern.

When you step into Tanya’s space, you’ll be transported into a tranquil spa atmosphere infused with essential oils and soft music. Tanya provides massage therapy for the entire family and specializes in caring for women during their childbearing year. Tanya will concentrate on your individual needs while providing nurturing, supportive massage to restore health and vitality. She’s committed to excellence and gifted in providing quality massage not found at chain spas!

With a rich background in women’s ministries, Tanya often volunteers as a massage therapist for local marathons and run/walk events. Married for 21 years, she and her husband have 3 sons. Her youngest is a Bradley Method® baby! Tanya considers it an honor and privilege to attend births at the birth center with Lori and never ceases to be amazed at the beauty of birth.

Student Midwives
Lorell Bentley, Becky Gerson and Esther Berg are our wonderful student midwives. These ladies are sweet, caring, positive and eager to learn and serve. Lorell has many years working as a birth doula and is owner of Whole People Living. She stocks our boutique in cloth diapers, baby carriers and is the expert on grain milling and essential oils. Lorell is in her final year at National College of Midwifery. Recently married, Becky comes to us from the LA area and is a seasoned birth and postpartum doula. Becky is enrolled in the Midwifery College of Utah. Esther is our newest student midwife. She is an APM client (baby Evangeline was born in January 2009 and she is expecting in Summer 2010) and missionary from Taiwan. Esther completed medical school in the Ukraine before becoming a missionary and is learning midwifery to be able to serve women and families in third world countries. Each of these ladies have special gifts and talents but they all have in common their beautiful smiles, kind words and hearts to serve.

Esther, Lorell and Becky

Website & Birth Center

We are in the process of giving our websites a make-over and are hoping it will be completed soon. In the meantime, Ancient Paths Midwifery is located at 5849 Schaefer Ave in Chino. Our phone number is (909) 464-0974. Below are a few pictures of our beautiful birth center.

Baby Food possible contamination – Warning!

WASHINGTON — The FDA is warning consumers about two brands of baby food recalled because of leaking and swollen packaging that may indicate bacterial contamination.

Nurture recalled plastic pouches of its 3.5 oz HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2 and 4.22 oz HAPPYTOT Stage 4 baby food products because of the defects. Consuming the product could cause illness if the baby food is contaminated.

Although no cases have been reported so far, the FDA asked the company to test its manufacturing processes after receiving complaints of and testing for swollen or leaking food pouches.

Included in the recall are the following products, with expiration dates from October 2010 to January 2011:

* HAPPYTOT Green bean, pear & peas, UPC 8 52697 00127 9
* HAPPYTOT Sweet potato, carrot, apple & cinnamon, UPC 8 52697 00128 6
* HAPPYTOT Spinach, mango & pear, UPC 8 52697 00129 3
* HAPPYTOT Butternut squash & apple, UPC 8 52697 00130 9
* HAPPYTOT Banana, peach, coconut & prunes, UPC 8 52697 00131 6
* HAPPYTOT Banana, peach & mango, UPC 8 52697 00132 3
* HAPPYBABY Mango, UPC 8 52697 00134 7
* HAPPYBABY Apricot sweet potato, UPC 8 52697 00136 1

Any poorly-packaged, swollen, or leaking pouches of HAPPYBABY Stage 1 or Stage 2 or HAPPYTOT Stage 4 should be discarded immediately in a way that will prevent people and pets from acquiring them, the FDA recommended.

Parents of affected children or other consumers who have eaten the product and become ill should contact a healthcare professional immediately and report the incident to the FDA district office and the company, the agency said.

Welcome Baby Eleanor

We welcomed the first baby of 2010 last night – a beautiful little girl named Eleanor Jane. She was born at home, in water, weighed 7′15″ and is so pretty! Congratulations to her sweet parents, brother and sisters, grandparents and auntie. It was a joy to be part of your birth!

Eleanor Jane

Happy Birthday Daniel

Thirteen years ago I was in San Antonio Hospital preparing to give birth to my third baby. It had been a long journey since I had my first two sons. Their births left me horrified, scarred and scared but at the same time yearning to do it again, to do it different; to do it right! Six years of being unable to conceive and the early pregnancy bleeding made this pregnancy so very special to us. The anticipation was incredible! We took Bradley childbirth classes, changed OB’s three times and had a 4 page birth plan – YES, I had been traumatized nice OB man, thank you for understanding!

Our baby was due December 31st and we were hoping for a New Years Eve birth. Unfortunately, I experienced a lot of stress at work during the fall and my blood pressure crept up to high-risk status. Quitting my job helped but the blood pressure issues continued. I saw my OB on a Friday before Christmas and the bp levels were so high that I was scheduled for an induction on Monday. I had been planning things so differently. Induction was the one thing I really did not want to have to experience again! We took Bradley classes – TWICE – and I was determined to do it without drugs. Over the weekend I felt worse and with the horrible pounding headache I knew my body had to get this baby out. We showed up for our induction, feeling a little feisty but excited to meet our long-awaited baby.

When we arrived we were told that our wonderful OB who had been so kind and understanding and supportive, had gone out of town for Christmas and didn’t tell us. His partner, who although very nice, was also very patronizing and not a fan of ‘those Bradley people.’ The nurses were nice enough. No, of course the strawberry juice wasn’t for me, I wouldn’t eat or drink anything during an induction, I promise! What you want to keep me in the tiny little triage room near the OR, just in case? Dr. R had promised that I could be in a regular LDR room and yes, we understand that Dr. R is in No Cal with his family and Dr. E wants me here in this cramped, icky room. I loved Mark’s response; looking at me he said, “so, do you want to go home and wait until Dr. R is back and we can have the other room? Let’s go home!” The nurses blubbered something not quite so nice and went to call Dr. E who conceded to let me into a regular room with the admonishment that if I stroke out it’s a long way to the OR from the room they’re putting me in. Nice!

The Pitocin was started and I was wheeled down to my nice room, strawberry juice in Mark’s hand. We handed out our birth plan to the new nurse who looked it over and sighed. Oh, one of those women! Contractions started with a bang and I was so thankful to finally have tools to help me cope. Lamaze didn’t do anything my first 2 births! Mark gave verbal coaching while my Mom massaged me endlessly. Resolved that this was the way it was going to be, my blood pressure remained stable but borderline high. The nurse asked repeatedly if I wanted medication in spite of our admonitions (and birth plan) to the contrary. The nurse even called the anesthesiologist, sure I would want the epidural if he came to my room. She said in 20 something years of working L&D, she’d never seen a woman do a pit induction without something for pain. Whether that was true or not, it only made me more resolved to do this without drugs! I remember the nurse checking me and telling me I had a ways to go yet and probably would have a baby by nightfall – that’s what I was expecting so it wasn’t a surprise. I got out of bed and did some rocking and swaying followed by a trip to the potty with that ‘gotta go’ feeling. A few minutes later I remember howling to my mom that the baby was coming! She rang the nurse who ran in and the first thing she said was, “but I just checked you and were only a 4 so you couldn’t be having the baby now.” Next contraction came that howling grunting and she knew I meant business. Off the toilet, quick into bed, the OB called, nurses rushing around and me smiling ear-to-ear that I did it! Sure enough I was 10 centimeters!

Nurse Wratchit came at me with a basin and a razor to which I reminded her that I was wouldn’t be needing that. “But Dr. E likes all his women to have a little shave” she replies, just in case an episiotomy is needed. I again remind her that I’m not one of Dr. E’s little women and Dr. R said he’d use warm oil and do peri massage and support and not do an epis. Another big sigh and a wasted bin of hot, soapy water. Dr. E walked in and I’ll never forget her snotty tort to him “she’s all ready to go but she’s not prepped, she says she doesn’t WANT an episiotomy.” I hollered across the room, “And I don’t want fries with my shake either!” OB laughs and reassures the nurse it’s ok.

There I lay, semi-reclined, feet in stirrups and my body starts doing this amazing thing – with each contraction my body arches on its own accords and I involuntarily push. It’s a weird thing but awesome too! Just 20 minutes after the potty incident, I’m feeling the baby descend. Each push I see the OB sitting on his little stool, arms crossed, just staring at my bottom. I ask him if he’s going to do something (meaning the nice warm oil Dr. R said he’d use) and he said, “What do you want me to do? You won’t let me cut you!” “Oil” is all I can grunt to which he grunts back. The head is on my perineum now and the doctor picks up scissors or forceps or something and tells me that he has to break my water. I tell him NO – you will NOT touch me with those things! He sets them down but looks worried. Out slips my precious baby, born in the Caul – ha! The OB removes the membranes and immediately clamps the cord. I immediately slap the doctor. I didn’t even think about it, I just did it. He looks at me stunned and I tell him, “YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!” Confused he says that I only asked not to immediately cut the cord – he thought clamping was ok. Right!

For the first time in 3 births, my baby is placed on my chest and I get to experience those first moments of his life. Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! I forget about Dr. Idiot and by the time he’s ready to leave we’re so happy and in-love that we take photos with him and thank him for the experience, lol. Just 6 hours after beginning the Pitocin, our precious, long awaited for, and beautiful baby boy is with us, healthy and safe. We name him Daniel which means God is my judge.

The rest of the hospital stay was ok – we had to fight to get his bath in our room rather than taking him down to the nursery. It was a huge inconvenience – they were awfully busy you know. The next morning he was taken to the nursery for his pediatrician visit and given the Hep B vaccine even though I had it in writing on my birth plan that we didn’t want it and a signed refusal on my hospital admission papers. I didn’t get much sleep and was thrilled when the nurse put him in a cute stocking and had me hold the best Christmas gift I’d ever received as we were wheeled out to our car to go home.

As traumatizing as my first 2 births were, Daniel’s birth was just as healing. I now knew birth works, even in not-ideal circumstances. I trusted my body again and was sold on Bradley! In just a few short months I took the Bradley teacher training with my infant in my lap and just a few months after that was teaching my first couple – Tanya and her husband J whose birth I was privileged to attend as my first doula birth. Note: Tanya ended up working with me 12 years later as a massage therapist and massage doula. Fate I tell you!
Daniel is a blessing to us! He is an amazing young man, talented, funny, loving and smart. He brings us joy each day and we tell him regularly that he was worth the wait! I learned a lot about myself and my faith during those years of waiting and through the birth experience. I am thankful that it was Daniel’s birth that began my journey into midwifery. Happy Birthday son.