There are so few who have the depth, experience, point of view and intellectual rigor as Noam Chomsky.

In the final analysis the overarching theme of Joseph Chilton Pearce’s life work is the anti-intelligence, anti-development force that ‘culture’ exerts on nature’s billion year agenda for human growth and our transcendent development. Transcend means ‘overcoming limitation and constraint.’ Joe argues, and has for 50 years, that the greatest force to overcome is the ultra-conservative, fundamentalist nature of ‘obey or pay’ culture.

While political this four minute clip Noam Chomsky distinguishes between real ‘citizen patriotism’ and ‘flag waving patriotism.’ One form challenges this force called culture while the other is a powerful vehicle for culture. As parents, in the microcosm of our own lives and the lives of our children, we must make similar distinctions and this often means making choices that are not normal, realizing that ‘normal isn’t healthy.’ It takes great courage to be a parent, to stand up for what we know is best for our children, from mandatory vaccinations, standardized testing, and GMOs to addictive-narcissistic social media. Every time we do is heroic and our children need heroes, beginning at birth. A hero in this context is someone who risks the wrath of culture to uplift and renew culture. Parenting today is a hereos journey.

Michael Mendizza

Plus

I was honored to attend Birth Keepers Summit this last weekend at Berkeley City College. I was reminded that the US is still around 50th in the world in infant mortality. Our hospitals, where 95% of women give birth are not all Mother friendly and are still separating baby from mother after birth and interrupting the bonding process with tests, weight, baths, and interventions. Our surgical birth rate is nearing 40% in some areas. Sadly our culture is putting more pressure on mothers to return to active life, work, and separation of baby to sleep alone in the first few weeks of New life. We have lost the sacred touch, breast, nest, and community support mothers and infants need to feel safe to fall in love with new baby with ease and security. Mothers’ wombs need 40-60 days of rest and care to recover and heal after birth. Peace begins with birth and having a Midwife means better care in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. More midwives are needed to serve in communities at risk and to care for the women in need of this relationship in a sacred time of birthing. Peace begins with birth!

Donna Chamberlain

And the good news...

Birth certificates show a rise in home births within the United States.

In the new study from Weill Cornell Medical College, researchers utilized birth certificates from the database of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2007-2012, more than 24 million births occurred within the United States. Out of those 24 million, 141,000 were born in the home. Thirty percent of those home births were unsupervised. The researchers defined unsupervised home birth as those not attended by physician, midwife, or other doctor. The study found that the increase in unsupervised home births was higher in women who had already had the childbirth experience. Britain now recommends women utilize home birth midwives or birth centers for low risk pregnancies.