Summer is coming to a close and many people are gearing up for school and a new fall season. Me - I'm gearing up for a new baby late this month! I can't wait to meet the little guy and see what new adventures we'll go on together as a family.

My children seem to like to come into the world just as I'm launching a new project - many of you got to meet my daughter Elorathea while we were releasing "The Bleep." Our latest family addition is no exception. Yep - I've got my hand in on a new film project which I'll introduce by telling a little story here.

I was in my local grocery store the other day and the checker (a man) looked at me and said, "Oh, you're due any day. What hospital are you going to?" At first I thought this was a bit presumptuous, and I responded to him with, "Actually I would prefer not to go to a hospital at all." To which he replied in an ominous tone, "Ohhh, a hommmme birth." I said, "I wish. Unfortunately the medical system in this country seems to think that since I had a c-section the first time I'm incapable of having a natural birth and is all but forcing me into surgery. So to exercise some choice, I'm going to Canada!"

Now there are a few other reasons I'm doing that. My husband is Canadian after all. But the main reason is that my insurance company has decided that the birth process of my child is basically a "pre existing condition" (Explain that!) and refuses to cover hospital costs. In America this can add up to $15,00 for a regular delivery and $40,000 for a c-section delivery.

The grocery clerk was further offended at my lack of patriotism and informed me that his wife had been a labor and delivery nurse for 15 years and that modern medicine has saved the lives of more babies and helped women have easier births. Of course he failed to mention that the U.S. has a 30% c-section rate (the World Health Organization recommends a nation to have no higher than a 15% c-section rate). He also seemed unaware that the U.S. has the second highest infant mortality rate of any industrialized nation in the world.

I'm not knocking the western medical system - it can and does save lives. But more often than not it seems to interfere with the natural process of birth, attempting to "save" mothers and babies from themselves! Which brings me around to my new project. I am thrilled to announce I have been invited to participate in an important film for everyone who is pregnant, or who plans to become pregnant. Actually, this is a vital film for anyone who even knows someone who might be planning on having a baby in this country.

Pregnant in America examines the betrayal of humanity's greatest gift - birth - by the greed of U.S. corporations. The film examines how hospitals, insurance companies and other members of the healthcare industry have all pushed aside optimal care of our infants and mothers to play the power game of raking in huge profits.

Inspired by the pregnancy of his wife, first-time filmmaker Steve Buonaugurio has created a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth industry and hopefully help end its neglectful exploitation. To sum it up, Pregnant in America is the controversial story of life's greatest miracle in the hands of a nation's most powerful interests.

There will be a special test screening of the film this month in Portland, OR. Sign up at www.pregnantinamerica.com. The screening will take place at the Gentle Birth World Congress and Free Baby Expo which is being held at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland, September 27 - 30th. The Congress brings together maternal care experts in a wide range of disciplines from around the world to explore how additional birth options can be integrated into the western mainstream health-care system.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, D.C., will help set the informational tone of the Congress for the doctors, midwives, nurses, lawyers, hospital executives, alternative care providers, parents and others who will be in attendance with his talk, "Impacting the Biology of the Infant Mind." Additional international experts at the Congress will address such topics as: The connection between vaccinations and autism; the financial, physical and legal needs of health care providers; optimizing the physical, psychological, and emotional outcomes from the birth process for mother and baby; reducing health care costs, liability risk, and high turn-over; medical intervention in birth from a lawyer's perspective; and collaboration between health care and allied health care providers.

There will also be a three-day Free Baby Expo open to the public at no cost that will feature a variety of exhibitors, speakers, demonstrations, film viewings, and audio/visual presentations, with a focus on healthy, organic, eco-friendly and natural pregnancies and birth processes. Please visit The BLEEPstore booth and meet Steve and his family at the Pregnant in America booth and pick up VIP tickets for the screening of Pregnant in America at the Expo. Congress info can be found at www.gentlebirthworld.com; Baby Expo info: www.freebabyexpo.com.

One of the guest speakers at the conference, Marcy Axness, has a featured article in this month's Herald. Please enjoy the excerpt from her book Raising Generation PAX: The Science of Peace & Parenting. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the event as I will be having my own "Gentle Birth." But I'll keep you posted on the arrival of my son!

Other exciting news: Many of you have visited the new and improved BLEEPSTORE.com and noticed we have created some great partnerships. One is with a magazine that has been a staple in my house ever since I found it a couple of years ago. That magazine is What Is Enlightenment.

As a subscriber to The Bleeping Herald, you know those of us at BLEEP have a passion for bringing meaningful and conscious media into the world. We're pleased to be able to offer the profoundly positive and inspiring What Is Enlightenment to subscribers of the Herald at a special rate of $19.95 - over 33% off the cover price. For less than the price of dinner (for one!) you'll be able to get some of the most cutting-edge and inspiring content on the planet delivered to your door.

So enjoy the season, and settle in for some good reading!

Warm regards,
Betsy