Economics and Investing:

Kevin K. forwarded this piece by Jim Willie: CME/COMEX Grant JPM Temporary Waiver for Reporting Positions Exceeding Speculative Limits

Another nail in the coffin: Yen-Yuan Trade Plan to Cut Dollar Dependence of China, Japan. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)

Callie sent this: MF’s Lagarde warns global economy threatened

Also from Callie: Yuan hits all-time high

Items from The Economatrix:

Worse Than 2008

Mark Faber:  “I Am Convinced The Whole Derivatives Market Will Cease To Exist And Will Go To Zero

Gold The Protector As Democracies Move Towards Totalitarianism

Investors Lose Faith In Stocks As Billions Pour Out Of Funds

Odds ‘n Sods:

Tamara suggested the latest WorldNetDaily piece penned by Patrice Lewis: Peace on Earth, now buy a gun. (OBTW, be sure to also check out her blog, Rural Revolution, which is very strong on family preparedness.)

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Glenn Greenwald: Three myths about the detention bill.

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The inevitable rush, now that Iowa’s CCW permits are no longer at the whim of county sheriffs: ‘Unbelievable’ rise in weapons permits. (Thanks to SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson for the link.)

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R.B.S. suggested this: How SOPA Will Destroy The Internet.And some related news: Visualizing SOPA, the internet blacklist bill. Here at SurvivalBlog, we are taking some proactive measures. Please take a minute to bookmark SurvivalBlog’s dotted quad address (http://64.92.111.122), just in case. I further recommend that you do the same for your other favorite web sites. You can find their dotted quad addresses at IP-Lookup.com.

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Reader T.E. wrote to mention: ” I found a company that sells bundles of 1,000 green polypropylene sandbags, for about $275 — a very good deal.  The company is NYP Corporation.”

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 38 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 38 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

How to Make Homemade Dog Food, by D.M.D.

How do we feed our pets when there is no dog food at the grocery or pet stores? Do we give up our pets or panic? Neither, we go back in the days before Iams or Purina and do what our grandparents did to feed their dogs. Now we can fed our pets in a balanced and considered way from what is now known about pet nutrition.

So what did people fed their dogs? People fed mostly table scraps or their developed their own recipes. There weren’t the hundreds of dog food varieties as there are now.

After World War II, Gaines and Kennel Ration began the pet food trend with canned horse meat. Mostly as a way of getting rid of surplus horses and using up cans made for the war effort. It wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s when dog food really come into its own.

The ironic trend is now going back to natural dog food. After the poisoned grain episode from China and the increasing cost of dog food. My dog, Adam, who I adopted came with multiple bags of very expensive sensitive stomach dog food (that he upchucked anyway). I decided I’d try my friend’s homemade dog food recipe she used.

With a degree in Animal Science, I decided to put my education to a practical use. So after several versions of the following recipe, here is the most balanced one. My German Shepherd dogs love it. My pup Adam went from 56 to 104 pounds and his liver functions have improved 100 points. This recipe is simple and versatile and far less expensive than canned or dry food.

I call it the “Third Recipe”, because all the portions are in roughly thirds; Rice, Vegetables and Meat. Once you get into the routine, it is very easy and you’ll know what amounts you are regularly using.

Important point to remember is dogs are omnivores, not carnivores, which mean they eat all sorts of stuff, not just meat. A meat protein diet will make a dog hyper and overly aggressive plus damage their kidneys. Feeding dogs is being sold as an “exact” science now. The basics of good nutrition are covered in this formula and inexpensive to feed.

The “Third Recipe” for Dogs

  • White rice boiled with an optional chicken bullion cube – carbohydrates for energy, easy digestion and bullion cube for favor. You can substitute potatoes occasionally. No pasta, will ruin a dog’s teeth.
  • Vegetables – frozen or canned or fresh – green beans or peas/carrots or mixed vegetables – I prefer frozen over canned – and green beans are best. Easily digested and have fiber.
  • Meat – chicken, turkey, tuna or beef or wild game or eggs
  • Two half meals – morning and evening- and the cup portions depend on the size of your dog(s).  All ingredients are roughly in thirds, but if you have an active dog, use more rice.

Rice
The most inexpensive way is to buy 25 to 50 pounds of rice is from Costco or similar retail outlet. Those little bags in the grocery store are quite pricey. I store rice in “Vittle Vaults” porthole screw top lid hard plastic dog food containers. Buy on these storage units on Amazon.com–the least expensive and free shipping and you use these for all sorts of bulk food storage.

You’ll need to make more rice every third day as it gets watery and becomes a great bacteria medium. You can use a rice cooker, which I don’t like to clean. Or make it from scratch in a stock pot. White rice recipe is usually 2 cups of water for every cup of rice.

If you are not used making rice, it takes a little effort at first.  So for two big German shepherds, I make four cups of rice at a time – eight plus cups of water, bring to a boil with a bullion cube and then add 4 cups of rice. I have on designated big stock pot Brown rice is harder to digest, tastes like cardboard and the point of the white rice is carbs for energy and easy digestion.

Vegetables
Green beans are the best all around vegetable. Green beans are fibrous, full of nutrients and pulls particles through the digestive tract. Mixed vegetables, peas and carrots are fine also. Vegetables, like corn and lima beans, aren’t broken down in the digestive tract and a waste of money. Shop around for the lowest frozen vegetables or seal-a-meal or can your own. Broccoli is fine if you are willing to perish from dog gas attacks.

Meat
You can use a variety of meats in this food. It depends what your dog will tolerate. Be careful not to rotate types of meat until you have a feel for what your dog can tolerate. I always cook the meat. There is too much contamination to take a chance on causing a hemorrhagic intestinal bug from raw meat. When adding to food, cut or pull the meat into smaller portions for better digestion.

Eggs
Eggs are a very cheap and inexpensive protein. I hard boil the eggs and add one or two to the meal. You can fry or scramble if you want to spoil your pooches. Eggs and rice are the ingredients of expensive ID (intestinal diet) dog food from the veterinarian.

Chicken – is great, it is easy to digest and inexpensive. I crock pot or broil a $5 pallet of 10 chicken thighs from Wal-Mart. Chicken thighs have lots of meat and only one bone to remove. I add one chicken thigh per meal serving for my German Shepherds. When traveling I bring cheaper canned chicken breast to open and add. Chicken with bones removed is the perfect meat.

Turkey is inexpensive. Cook a turkey up when they are on sale, then package the meat into portions, freeze and take out as needed.

Tuna – I give this for only one meal a week. It is inexpensive if you buy the store brand and the oil/water is good for their coats. Too much processed ocean fish has mercury. So limit the amount.  Fish oil capsules from what fish? Goldfish? Natural fish is best.

Beef – Beef is hard for dogs to digest. Crock pot up beef stew meat until tender and broken down. So if you insist on feeding beef, crock pot for tenderizing and easier digestion. Hamburger is fine in limited amounts, but can be it is a little greasy and pricey to feed regularly.

Wild Game– Feeding your dog, venison or other game is okay. Just make sure it is thoroughly cooked. You don’t want your pet to get sick from some weird intestinal bacteria or parasite. Some wild game is very rich and less is more with pets. Just make sure your pet can tolerate this meat to avoid diarrhea and other intestinal episodes.

Vitamins
You can supplement your dog’s nutrition with a daily over the pet counter vitamin. A money saving tip is to buy the senior dog vitamins. They contain twice as much vitamin per pill. So, buy the senior dog vitamins, break them in half and you get two vitamins for the price of one.

Tips
As in all things in life, balance is the key. Dogs don’t mind eating the same thing daily. Do not give your dog gravy or lots of fatty food, as this can cause pancreatitis and could kill your pet.

This food can be put it into zip lock bags and frozen. Don’t blend this food into a paste that is bad for the dog’s teeth and causes the food to lose all the nutritional value.

Dry Dog Food
I do have some dry crunchy kibble dog food out. I prefer Purina, mostly because they are an all American ingredient dog food and never had recalls from overseas tainting like Iams or other brands. Purina One chicken and rice is a good all around dry dog food. Old Roy is a suspect dog food made in China. Science Diet is mostly corn based and not as digestible. Friend with kennels call Science Diet the poop making food, since it all gets eliminated. Eukanuba is a very fatty dog food and should only be fed to active bird dogs or dog with similar energy burn levels.

For three days with two meals a day, it costs me about 75 cents a day per dog on average. This is for the rice, green beans and chicken, even less with eggs or more with beef. Once you get into the routine, making your own dog food it is a very healthy and economical solution and better for your pet’s health.

Three Letters Re: Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store

Hello James:
I thought that the post on barter micro stores was superb.

I think additional consideration should be given to “dispense-from-bulk” strategies.  1 pound of petroleum jelly in single use (0.5g) pouches costs $48 from Sam’s Club.  35 pounds (5 gallon bucket) of petroleum jelly costs $90 from an on-line candle supply company.  Similar cost spreads run between single serving bottles of vodka and one gallon bottles and salt in bulk and single serving packets.

It is pretty obvious that you will need a secondary container to carry the bulk materials if you are going to put the micro-store on wheels.  There are some very large syringe bodies available from farm supply stores that make dandy grease and petroleum jelly dispensers.  They are also graduated with markings on the side to add some credibility to the amount dispensed.  Virtually any kind of bottle can be used to dispense other liquids.

And while I love Tabasco sauce as much as the other man;  there are some significant logistical advantages to dried pepper flakes.  They are easier to measure out of bulk and I think they are easier to store.  Any Ziploc type bag will do.  Another advantage is that the seeds are usually viable.

Best regards and may the blessings of the season shower upon you. – Joe H.

 

JWR:
I enjoyed the article last week on stocking a barter store. Back in 2006, I read where you suggested that ammunition in the most commonplace calibers would be a good thing to sock way as a barter item. That was truly sage advice. Ammo is great because it is durable, divisible and desirable. Like you say, you can’t shoot a burglar with a Krugerrand. I took your advice in big way, and now have a handsome stack of ammo cans that covers one whole wall of my basement.

My modus operandi for my ammo investing is to never pay retail! I buy ammo only when I can find it is deeply discounted in retail stores. I also constantly watch for ammo at garage sales, guns shows, CraigsList ads, and even stores that are going out of business.

I followed your advice on calibers [like 5.56mm NATO, 7.62mm NATO, 12 Gauge, 7.62×39, 9mm, .45 ACP, and 22 LR], but I went more heavily toward the Russian calibers like 7.62 [x39mm] for the AK, the long 7.62[x54r] Russian for the Mosins, and 5.45 [x39mm] for the AK-74s.

While about 90% of what I’ve put away is in commonplace calibers, there were some bargains that I abso-tively couldn’t pass up. This included: Seven boxes of .250-3000 Savage that I got for $4.50 per box at a garage sale, five boxes (250 rounds) of .455 Webley [revolver ammunition] that I got from a guy advertising on Craigslist, some .243 [Winchester], some .40 S&W, and 200 rounds of uncorrosive FN-made 7mm Mauser that I picked up in trade for some old webbing and canteens at a gun show. That deal worked out the same as if I’d paid just $3 for each box of 20.

About one-third of the ammo that I’ve put away is .22 rimfire–most of it’s .22 Long Rifle, but also some .22 Magnum, and a bit of the scarce .22 W.R.F. and .22 Auto stuff. I can predict that .22 shells will be be traded like cigarettes were, in the [World War II] POW camps, and behind the Iron Curtain.

I should also make mention of the fact that I store all of my ammo in GI ammo cans. Every investment should be well cared for. Ammo will last a hundred years (or more) if you store it in cans with good seals, and you throw a silica gel packet in each can. I also have quite a few ammo cans that I’ve filled with magazines and stripper clips. Most of the magazines I’ve accumulated are M14, M16, M1911, M9 (Beretta 92), HK 91/G3, FN [FAL], Glock (the most common ones), [M1] Garand clips, Mini-14, M1 Carbine (30 round bananas) and various kinds of AK mags. Those too, will be like gold, someday.

My wall of ammo is the perfect barter item. I am certain that it will trump just about anything [in barter], when times are hard. I’ll just parcel it our real slowly — never letting on to anyone just how much I have. I’ll be a secret millionaire, in a Mad Max world.

Thanks again for all the great info that you put out in SurvivalBlog. All of the other prepping blogs are just a pale imitation. I gave SurvivalBlog 5 Stars in the Reader’s Choice Awards. – Clement in North Dakota

 

JWR:
This was a great article, I’d already acquired some extra of most everything listed, here’s a couple of thoughts…

Hopefully, things will calm down eventually to have a secure mini-store selling to strangers, but I had stocked up extra initially and primarily just to help my closest neighbors. Some I’ll gift preps to, some I’ll trade, but with all it will be done with an eye towards also maximizing and enhancing our own security here.

I want to convert those close by, best I can, from future potential roaming threats into, as much as possible, useful cooperative allies. I want to be surrounded by a buffer of ever more self-reliant and self-supporting helpful neighbors for mutual aid & protection.

I’d also much rather get a heads-up of any threats detected well before they get to our immediate Area of Operations (AO) and hopefully then already thinned out some, too, if need be.

With that in mind, regarding the list…

Ammunition; extra would go first to trusted capable neighbors who could then enhance our own local security, especially those who are open to working together in a coordinated way. I also have some extra  weapons, beyond our groups needs, for this purpose. Also, extra ammo in some calibers that I don’t even have weapons for that are locally popular.

I’ve also put back an additional half dozen cheap FRS radios with rechargeable batteries, to be deployed only to those neighbors who are capable and willing to participate in establishing a com net for mutual aid and defense.

Taking excess paper wealth, after one’s personal family preps are largely squared away, to get some extra preps for barter, sale or charity is good, but then always looking first to deploy them where they’ll best serve to enhance your own family security, too, is  even better. – C.S.

Economics and Investing:

Mark Faber: “I Am Convinced the Whole Derivatives Market Will Cease to Exist And Will Go to Zero”

Alan D. sent this: Fitch Again Warns US Debt Burden Threatens AAA Rating.

K.A.F. flagged this: To Survive, Some Biofuels Companies Give Up on Biofuels

Items from The Economatrix:

MF Global Customer Money Traced To JPMorgan

The Shocking Truth About The Pending EU Collapse

Ann Barnhardt: Call for General Market Strike

Comex:  The March to Irrelevance

Odds ‘n Sods:

Doug Casey on Getting Out of Dodge. This echoes what I wrote in my piece last week about “Taking The Gap.” (Thanks to John R. for the link.)

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Kevin S. suggested a thought-provoking piece at the My Adventures in Self Reliance blog for anyone that is planning to “double up” with another family (or multiple families) for mutual security in the event of a disaster: Using #OWS as a learning tool of what happens in a collapse. Time-proven military sanitation standards should be your baseline.

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Reader M.J. sent a link to a forum post: The Last Homestead in America is For Sale. (15 miles outside Alaska’s Denali National Park.) There might be a SurvivalBlog reader with the gumption to buy it.

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Kimberly mentioned an excellent blog about growing in a cold climate (Northern Idaho), called Subsistence Pattern. Kimberly summarizes: “They eat fresh veggies 365 days a year from their garden. There is lots of useful info in his blog’s sidebars. He is an inspiration to me.”

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SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this: Hong Kong culls thousands of chickens after bird flu discovered

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt….I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple." – Thomas Jefferson

Notes from JWR:

Avalanche Lily and I wish all SurvivalBlog readers a Merry Christmas! May the love of Christ our Savior surround you and yours, in the year to come! Trust in the Lord.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 38 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 38 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging

Childbirth at Home, by Kelli S.

The Department of Health is creating local groups to design an emergency disaster preparedness plan for pandemic flu and other emergencies that would impact pregnant women and newborns, since they are a vulnerable group and need to be treated differently.  In our county, it has been decided that healthy pregnant women will deliver outside the hospital in some emergency situations, pandemic flu being one of them. Are we prepared to assist these women and their newborns?

Childbirth is a natural, physiological event. It is not, by definition, a medical emergency that needs to be “managed”, nor is it an illness that needs to be “treated”. Women’s bodies are created and designed to give birth, and the majority of births are normal. (This article only deals with normal childbirth. Please see Challenges in Childbirth for situations outside of normal.) If you suspect that you may be called upon to assist at a birth, prepare and educate yourself as best as possible. Please see the list at the end of this article for my favorite references.

Be Prepared to Assist
Before you go to the mother’s home, gather the following items to take with you:

Clean bath towels–as many as you can spare, and then some (you will get them back)
Clean hand towels–as many as you can spare, and then some  (you will get them back)
Clean face cloths–six or so
Clean set of large, flat bed sheets
Plastic sheet or clean shower curtain
Plastic garbage bags–both small and large.
Sterilized scissors–fabric scissors work the best, but other scissors or a razor blade is also OK.
Clean shoelaces, new if possible. If not, boil them for 20 minutes to sterilize.
Sterile surgical gloves–at least three pairs, six is better
Anti-bacterial soap
Clock or watch, preferably with a second hand
Notebook and pen
Flashlight
Thermometer
Non aspirin pain killers–Ibuprofen is good

Other items that are very nice to have during a birth and postpartum are: Chux brand disposable absorbent mattress pads (about 20), adult diapers (about 10), sanitary napkins (overnight style), bulb or ear syringe (boiled for 45 minutes to sterilize), receiving blankets for baby, knit beanie-style hat for baby, scale (fish scale is fine), pliable tape measure.

You should be freshly showered, hair washed and tied back, and have on clean clothes before you go over. Have trimmed finger nails and do not wear any rings. Bring a trusted friend (two are better), someone you would trust at your own birth.

Preparing the Birth Bed

The laboring mother needs a clean, private place to have her baby.  If a bed or a mattress is available, and if you have enough time, prepare it for childbirth as follows:

Take the sheets off the bed and put clean sheets on, preferably her sheets.
Lay the plastic sheet (or a shower curtain) over the clean sheets.
Put another set of clean sheets on the bed, over the shower curtain.
Put blankets, comforters and/or the bedspread on the bed.
Remove the pillow cases and put clean pillow cases on the pillows.
Put a plastic garbage bag on the pillows, over the pillow case.
Put another pillow case on the pillows, over the garbage bag.

If no bed or mattress is available, then lay plenty of blankets on the floor for comfort, then the first set of sheets, the shower curtain, the second set of flat sheets and finally the comforter/bedspread. If there is no time to make the birth bed, put several clean bath towels under her.

The room should be clear of clutter (at least on the floor around the bed), darkened (not black, think ‘romantically dim’) and warm. Line a small or medium size garbage can with a plastic garbage bag and keep it close by. Put on a pot of water to boil, let it boil for 20 minutes, keep it covered and let it cool.

Early Signs of Labor
As her body prepares for labor, the mother will notice several changes. She may pass a “mucous plug” when she goes to the toilet. This generally looks like a large blob of snot and will sometimes have a bloody streak.  This is no sign of trouble, just a sign that her body is getting ready.

Her water may also “break”, or just “spring a leak”. The amniotic fluid (water) is usually clear and odorless, which is a good way to know the difference between that and urine. Green amniotic fluid can mean the baby needs to be born quickly. Record in your notebook the date and time her water broke and what color it was.

She may also feel “crampy”, grouchy and just ‘out of sorts’.  All of these are good signs that labor is close.

LABOR (the first stage)

Labor is divided into three stages, with each stage having several phases. Stage 1 is where the cervix is thinning and dilating to about 10 centimeters to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal.  Labor can start and stop several times as phase 1 of stage 1 gets started. This start-and-stop phase (the latent phase) can last several hours, several days or a week or more, especially if this is the mother’s first baby. Encourage the mother to continue her normal daily activities as much as possible during the early stages of labor. As long as she can walk and talk through a contraction (labor pain), she is still in the latent stage. (Many women go to the hospital at this stage in labor, only to be examined and sent back home.) When she can no longer walk and talk through a contraction, she is in active labor. Most women want someone with them at this point and this is when you will go to her home. Once you are there, scrub your hands with anti-bacterial soap for at least 10 minutes. Scrub extra well under and around your finger nails. If you don’t have any sterile gloves, scrub vigorously with a brush up to your elbows for 20 minutes. Make a note in your notebook of the date and time she went into active labor.

During active labor, you take on a supportive and protective role. If her husband or significant other is available, include him in this circle of support. Grandmothers, sisters and friends can be a wonderful source of support, also. Be aware of any negative energy around her–if someone is negative, non-supportive or critical, you may need to dismiss them to another room. (You can ask them to make a big pot of stew, run to the store, take care of the older children, go get something, etc.)

Labor is called “labor” for a reason–it’s work. Give the mom-to-be a lot of support and comforting words like, “You’re doing a good job”, “You can do this”, and “We’re right here”.  Even just counting the seconds of the contractions can be enough. Some women want it quiet during a contraction, others need to hear voices. Some women will labor quietly, others will moan, hum, sing, grunt or even cry. Let her do what she needs to do, and honor her need for quiet or vocalization. She should be encouraged to drink water and use the toilet regularly, and eat snacks to keep her energy up. She should also walk if she wants to, or change positions. Many women like to labor on their side with a pillow between their legs, on all fours, or while squatting next to the bed. Laying flat on her back is the worst position to labor in, both for mom and baby, and should be discouraged. Some women will vomit, pass gas or have a bowel movement during labor.  All this is normal–reassure her, and clean up any messes promptly.

If the mother is not prepared for an un-medicated, out-of-hospital birth, then your job may be a little more intense. The mother may scream, hit, bite or thrash. She will mostly like curse and swear and say things to her husband she will regret. She may demand drugs or even a C-Section. (Even those who plan a home birth will sometimes do this.) It is extremely important that you remain calm at all times! Do not take offense, do not reprimand or scold, protect yourself and those around you from physical harm, and protect the mother also. You (or her husband) may need to get right in her face to help her refocus. 

Keep the birth bed as clean as possible, changing the towels or Chux pads regularly when they get soiled.  Place all dirty linens in a plastic garbage bag to be washed later, put all disposable garbage in a separate garbage bag.

Labor can be long and sometimes the mother will fall asleep in between contractions. Be very quiet and let her sleep. The next contraction will wake her up (if she is having difficulties dealing with the contractions, wake her up about 10 seconds before the next one starts). The last 2 centimeters of dilation are called “transition” and are the most intense. Many women will have a difficult time during transition and will need your undivided attention and lots of support.  When the cervix is fully dilated, transition is complete and the baby is ready to move down into the birth canal.  The body knows the real work of labor is about to begin and often times contractions will stop for 10 or 15 minutes.  This is normal and the mother should be allowed to rest or (preferably) sleep. No one in the room should talk or even move during this time. Some women don’t have this break and immediately feel the urge to push. Make note in your notebook of the date and time she felt the urge to push.

DELIVERY (the second stage of labor)

Most women will have an urge to push when the time is right. She should follow that urge and push until it feels good. Labor is work, but pushing is rewarding–she can actually do something about those contractions.  There is no need to push until she is blue in the face; she needs to continue breathing and just following her body’s rhythm.  The urge to push is also your cue to have someone put all the towels in the dryer or next to the fireplace/heater to warm them up. Put on a fresh pair of sterile gloves (or wash your hands again) and  put a fresh towel or Chux pad under her. Encourage her to “open up”. Open her mouth and open her legs to let her baby through. If the area needs to be cleaned, use your boiled and cooled water and a clean washcloth to wash the vaginal opening and surrounding area.

As the baby moves down, remember that it’s ‘two steps forward, one step back’. It’s normal for the baby to move back up a little after a contraction. Check periodically to see if you can see the head. When you do, be sure to announce it to the mom so she will know there is progress. When you can see the head, it’s time to get her on the bed and ready for the delivery (if she’s not already there).  Unless you–or the mother–are experienced in other birthing positions, I recommend she semi-sit on the bed with someone sitting cross-legged behind her for support (the support person should be sitting against the headboard or a wall).  You need to be at her bottom, others can be on either side of her. If the bed is long and you are having trouble being where you need to be, have her lay sideways on the bed. Have your towel person ready to bring you three warm bath towels and have them ready and waiting when the baby is born. If it is dark, have someone hold the flashlight for you so you can see baby as he is being born.

As the baby moves down, the skin and muscle tissue around the vaginal opening will stretch and stretch. Support the perineum by applying gentle pressure with a gloved hand on the perineum as the head comes down.  This will help prevent tearing. It is important that the baby’s head be born gently and slowly. Do not blast the baby out or you will have a very torn mother (with possibly no one to suture her). Some babies are naturally slow in emerging, other times the mother will need to blow through a few contractions to ease that baby’s head through. Do not rush this part, as exciting as it may be.  After the head is born, check around his neck with your gloved finder for the umbilical cord.  If you find the cord around his neck, unwrap it before the next contraction and before he is born. If there was any green when the water broke, suction the baby’s mouth and nose now to prevent him from inhaling any meconium (the green stuff, which is actually the baby’s poop). (Squeeze the bulb syringe away from baby, then insert syringe into baby’s mouth and nose and release your grip to suction. You never want to squeeze the syringe while in baby’s mouth or nose. Take the syringe out of baby’s mouth and squeeze again into a towel to get the gunk out before doing it again.)  After the head is born and before the body is born, some babies will open their eyes and look around. This is normal and there is no need to rush. Most of the time, the shoulders and body will be born the next contraction with a satisfying push. Make a mental note of the time baby was born (or have someone watch the clock) so you can record it in your notebook.

Immediately after the birth

Once the baby is born, immediately put him on his mother’s belly, face down, skin to skin and cover both of them with a warm towels just out of the drier.  Do not cut the cord! (Babies get 30% of their blood supply after they are born through the umbilical cord.  The umbilical cord also supplies oxygen.) Pay very close attention to him to make sure he takes his first breath. If baby is unresponsive after a few seconds, use a dry towel and rub his back briskly. Make sure his mouth and nose are clear. If he is “juicy” use a bulb syringe to suction out some of the mucous. Position him on mom’s belly so that his head is lower than his bottom so that gravity will drain fluids. More than 90% of newborn babies take their first breath spontaneously or with minimal stimulation.

Gently born babies seldom scream and some do not even cry. Keep rubbing his back, then his chest  until he has taken several good breaths. Once he is breathing well, mom can bring him up to her chest (skin to skin to keep baby warm) and get a good look at him. Cover both mom and baby with warm towels and blankets. Encourage her to touch her baby and talk to him–do not disturb this initial bonding time if at all possible. Babies are usually born a purplish color and their heads can be an odd shape due to the molding that happens during birth.  As mom and dad bond with their new baby, watch and listen to baby. (Have someone else monitor mom’s blood flow.) He should be pinking up and his lungs should be clearing up.  If you hear a rattle or gurgle, use the bulb syringe again. Keep stimulating if necessary. If you have a knitted baby hat, put it on him. The baby may be have white, sticky stuff on his body. This is called vernex and should not be washed or wiped off. Let it soak in or rub it in, even.  It is Mother Nature’s best body lotion and prevents peeling later on (older midwives will often take some for themselves).

Once you have baby stabilized, turn your attention to the umbilical cord and the placenta (afterbirth).  Grab the cord with your thumb and two fingers to feel for a pulse. Once the umbilical cord has stopped pulsating, it is safe to cut. Use clean shoelaces and tie one lace a good inch or two away from baby’s navel. (This can be done while baby rests in his mother’s arms.) Use the other lace and tie it further away from baby, about an inch away from the first tie. Tie the laces as tight as you can! Take your sterilized scissors or razor blade and cut between the two shoelaces (or have the new dad do this).  There are no nerves in the umbilical cord, so you will not hurt the baby. The cord is tough, though, and you might be surprised at the bit of work required to cut it. Some cultures put gauze and tape over the freshly cut cord. Unless you have Goldenseal or other drying agent, this is not recommended and can result in a rotting cord stump. Baby is now ready to be put to the breast, if he hasn’t already done so.

Breast feeding

The mother may start to shake a few minutes after the baby is born, this is a normal reaction to childbirth. Cover her with more warm towels or blankets to keep her warm, and monitor her blood flow. Encourage the mother to start breast feeding her baby as soon as possible. This will not only comfort baby, but breast feeding releases a hormone that will help the uterus contract. An experienced mother will need little assistance, but a new mother may be unsure of herself.  The general rule is “belly to belly, mouth to breast”. Have mom sit up and position baby in the crook of her arm, with his belly right next to hers (he should not have to turn his head to get to the breast). Help baby get a full mouthful, not just the end of the nipple. Teasing the top of his mouth with the nipple will usually get his attention. Let him nurse until he is satisfied, but don’t pull the breast out of his mouth (that’s painful for mom!).  Have mom put a finger in her baby’s mouth to break the seal, and then take her breast away. Give him the other breast if he wants it. She will usually feel contractions while breastfeeding and this is a good thing. 

Massaging the fundus

Continue to monitor her blood flow and check her fundus (the part of her belly above the pubic bone, where her uterus is).  You want to feel a firm lump there, like a grapefruit, to know that the uterus is clamping down and getting ready to expel the placenta. If the bleeding is more than a trickle after a few minutes, massage the fundus. Push down and around (a little like kneading bread) until the uterus contracts and you feel that firm lump. You may need to do this every few minutes if the uterus is “soggy”.

EXPULSION OF THE PLACENTA (the third stage of labor)

Even though the baby has been delivered, the mother will still have mild contractions. Ideally, the placenta should be delivered within 30 minutes of the baby, and most of them are. Have a pan, mixing bowl or plastic garbage bag ready to receive the placenta. Hold the cord tautly (do not pull) and ask the mother to “give a little push”. If the placenta is ready, it will slip right out and into the bowl. If it doesn’t come out, wait 10 minutes and try again.   Take the placenta into another room, it can be buried later. It is the expulsion of the placenta (more than the birth of the baby) that can cause a hemorrhage. Be very aware of blood loss immediately after the placenta has been expelled.  A small gush of blood (a cup or so) and some trickling of blood is normal. A large gush or a continuous flow of blood is not.

Newborn exam

After baby has nursed and before he is dressed, you will need to weigh and measure him.  This can be done on the bed with parents and friends present. Use a bathroom scale (have someone hold him), or wrap him in a lightweight receiving blanket and hang the blanket on a fish scale. Record his weight in your notebook. Then take the tape measure and measure from the crown of his head to his heal. You will need to stretch him out straight to do this, and most babies don’t like this. Be sure to explain to him what you are doing so he does not feel fear. A full-term baby will be between 18-21 inches long. Record this in your notebook.  Measure around his chest, across his little breasts, and around his head just above the eyebrows. Record these measurements also. Visually inspect him, count fingers and toes and look him over for anything unusual.  Dress him, put his hat back on and wrap him in receiving blankets.

 

Postpartum (the unofficial fourth stage of labor and delivery)

The baby has been born, the placenta has been delivered, baby has been fed and mother and baby are stabilized.  It’s time to clean up. Have mom sit at the edge of the bed, and put her feet on the floor.  She may feel dizzy doing this, have her take a minute to acclimate before standing up. Help her stand up, or have her husband help her. Have her stand there for a moment before starting to walk. Walk right with her to the shower. Have someone follow behind her, ready to catch her should she fall or feel like fainting. Stay near her while she showers. She should try to urinate.  After she is out of the shower, help her dry off, put a clean adult diaper or two sanitary pads and a clean nightgown or pajamas (with buttons down the front for easy nursing). Comb her hair and tie it back for her. She needs to feel pretty.

While the mother showers, have someone glove up and strip the top sheet of bed sheets and shower curtain and the top pillow cases and garbage bags, leaving the second clean set of sheets.  (If there was not time to make the birth bed, strip the sheets and put on clean sheets and pillow cases.) Put all linens and soiled towels in the washing machine, add detergent and bleach, and start the machine. (If there is no electricity, put them in the bathtub when it is available.) Put all Chux pads, used gloves and any other disposable supplies in a plastic garbage bag and tie it shut.

If the mother has lost a lot of blood, it may not be a good idea to have her get up and walk. See if she can pee into a clean pad or towel. Clean her with your boiled and cooled water and a clean wash cloth, washing her face and neck first.  Change the water, get a new washcloth, then wash the vaginal opening next, then her bottom, thighs, belly and legs.  Put on a clean adult diaper or two sanitary pads and help her into a clean nightgown or pajamas. Have her roll to one side of the bed while you strip the other side, rolling it up next to her. Roll her over to the clean side of the bed while you finish stripping the other side. Comb her hair and tie it back for her.

Stay with her for three or four hours after the birth. If the after pains are uncomfortable, she can take Ibuprofen. Let her and her family sleep, but check her sanitary pads every hour. She should be bleeding like a normal heavy period.  Use this time to record more details of the birth in your notebook, do laundry and finish cleaning up. Double bag the used supplies (chux pads, gloves, etc) and tie it tight.  Check mom and baby one more time before you leave. Baby’s hands and feet should be warm, and she should be pink. Her color should be good, too, and she should be able to urinate.  After four hours, the dangers of hemorrhage are mostly passed and you can go home and get some much deserved rest.

About The Author: Kelli is a Midwife’s daughter, birth assistant, mother of home-birthed children and business owner.  She has worked with over 500 midwives across the USA.

 

RESOURCES:

Spiritual Midwifery, Fourth Edition by Ina May Gaskin. It’s a ‘hippy book’ with lots of natural birth stories as well as good solid information regarding out-of-hospital childbirth.

Gentle Birth Choices, by Barbara Harper and Suzanne Arms. Includes a DVD of six live gentle births.

Newborn Breath — Web site of Karen Strange–she teaches newborn resuscitation classes all over the USA and abroad. These classes are for out-of-hospital birth, anyone can attend.

The web site of the Midwives Alliance of North America.

Independent Midwives UK — A site for locating a midwife in the UK.

CanadianMidwives.org–to locate a midwife in Canada.

Citizens for Midwifery–to locate home birth midwives in the USA.

MidwivesAustralia.com.au–to locate a midwife in Australia.

Dona.org–Locate a doula in your country, or take a class yourself. Doulas are great birth assistants.

MEACSchools.org–to locate an accredited midwifery school in the USA. They often offer classes or courses that non-matriculated students can take. It is also a good resource to find student midwives in your area.

LaLache League — a great resource for helping mothers to breastfeed.

Economics and Investing:

Some End-of-Year Advice from JWR: The wise old saying is: “Buy low, and sell high.” I recommend that any SurvivalBlog readers that are still invested too heavily in equities take advantage of the current market rally, and sell most of your stocks and any remaining municipal bonds. Take the proceeds and buy into current dip in silver. Take physical delivery, and keep your investment silver well-hidden, at home. (Preferably in a concealed vault.) Later, as the bull market in precious metals reaches its peak, and as the real estate market bottoms, take your profits from silver and parlay them into additional productive farmland in a lightly-populated region. (The latter two investments would of course be separate from your primary retreat property and your core (barter) holding in silver coins. Neither of those should sold or bartered unless you are desperate.)

Poof! U.S. Retirement Assets Declined by $1.4 Trillion

John B. liked this instructive video segment by conservative commentator Bill Whittle: The Tax The Rich Mentality.

Joe K. sent an article that should be of interest: Mint Needs to Beg, Borrow or ‘Steel’. I hope you are getting your nickels together, because that window of opportunity may soon close.

Items from The Economatrix:

2012 Economic Outlook:  Countdown To The End

Beware The Big-Bad Home Sales Revisions

Positive Thoughts About The Economy?  Really?

US Stocks Lifted By Economic Data

Gold Ends Lower As Upbeat Data Lifts US Stocks

Odds ‘n Sods:

10 Days and Two Candy Bars: Stranded student survives 10 days in her Toyota Corolla. This underscores the profound need to carry survival gear and water when traveling. (Thanks to Ian in Virginia for the link.)

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Congratulations to Mac Slavo of the SHTF Plan blog, now listed as #1 in popularity by the Survival Top 50 survey site! Congratulations are also due to The Survival Podcast, the top-ranked site in Survival Top 50’s ongoing Reader’s Choice Awards. (Note: You have to scroll way down to the bottom of the Reader’s Choice web page to see The Survival Podcast and SurvivalBlog, in the rankings. Listing the top-ranked sites at the bottom of a deep page seems counterintuitive.)

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Emergency Essentials (one of our loyal advertisers and a a prize donor for our bi-monthly writing contest) is running a Mountain House sale until the 28th, with 20-to-25% off all cans!

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Yet another reason to live in the boonies: Sniper Detectors Coming to America’s Heartland.

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Up in Montana, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Fanning has selected Pastor Chuck Baldwin as his running mate. I predict that the deciding factor in the upcoming primary elections in all of the American Redoubt states may hinge upon which candidates align themselves with presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is no name so sweet on earth, no name so sweet in heaven, The name, before His wondrous birth, to Christ the Savior given." – George W. Bethune

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 38 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 38 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.