This is the holiday season, and there seems to be food, cookies, candies and fudge everywhere! I find that I can resist most of that kind of food throughout the year. But once Thanksgiving hits, I find it difficult to say ‘no’ to such goodies. This article comes from ‘The Bump’ and is a great reminder for moms to be during this time of year. Please read it and then think about your precious baby and the benefits you will reap from following these tips.
Episiotomy vs. Tearing….
I commonly hear women say that they are fearful of tearing during childbirth. However, the thought of a doctor cutting ‘down there’ is also something that makes us women raise our eyebrows and slightly whince.
This is an anaswer written by Angela Bolivar, C.N.M., A.R.N.P. I found this on the website http://www.parentsconnect.com/questions/birth_episiotomy_tear.jhtml
“I don’t want to get an episiotomy, but is it safe to wait and possibly tear while giving birth?”
“An episiotomy is when the doctor slices the vaginal muscle tissue to help avert any tearing during delivery. It’s often only a small cut—usually about and inch and a half long—but several studies suggest that they can sometimes do more harm than good, including making you tear more deeply. Deeper tears go through muscle, are more painful, take longer to heal and may lead to incontinence.
So in recent years doctors have become more conservative about using episiotomies. Today’s medical guidelines state that the surgery should only be performed if the baby’s heartbeat is decreasing or is in immediate danger and needs to be delivered immediately.”
Answered by Angela Bolivar, C.N.M., A.R.N.P.
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Why do families hire doulas?
I am often asked why do families hire doulas when they have their husband or partner to be with them during the birth of their child. I find that many new parents find themselves in a situation where they are distant from extended family support systems during labor, childbirth, and the postpartum period. When this built in support network is not available, many parents are at a loss for accurate information and loving support. Every statisic that I read says that when a woman in labor feels safe and supported they have a more positive birth experience. We also know that when families lack the adequate support they desperately need during this time, they experience added strain both during the birth and afterwards. As mothers heal and parents adjust to life with a new baby at home, it can be difficult for everyone. Today’s doula can provide this missing link for many new and growing families.
Mucus Plug…what is it?
Many times during your pregnancy you will hear things that you’ve never heard before. There are so many new words to learn that it can get confusing trying to stay on top of everything. Today’s word is: “Mucus Plug”. What is it and how does it affect my pregnancy and birth.
“Definition: The plug of mucus that fills the cervix to protect against disease and infection. This may start leaking out as the cervix slowly starts opening before labor, or may come out in one big chunk. It can be pink or tinged with blood. It is also known as bloody show.”
When you begin to loose your mucus plug, it is a sign that your cervix is getting ready. This can be a long, slow process or a very quick one. Some women don’t loose their mucus plug until they are in active labor. It is something that is normal and everyone who is pregnat will have one.
The Birth Tourist…
Have you ever heard the word, ‘Birth Tourist’? In the births that I have attended, I have run into several of them. This person may be a friend, a mother, a mother in law, a sister, cousin or whoever. This could be someone who simply appears and wants to ‘watch the show’. They typically are not present to help you or support you, and they probably aren’t looking for ways to enhance your birthing experience. But they come for their own gratification. And sometimes unfortuntaely, they can also come in the form of a medical professional, or medical students who are wanting to learn all about birth.
Beware on anyone who may try to lay a guilt trip on you by their request to be present at the birth of your child. As a birthing woman, you have the right to say ” No spectators!, No lookie lu-lu’s! ” Birth is your private time, to be shared with your husband. It is a time that needs to be respected and guarded. This is a time where your wishes are to be supported unconditionally, no matter what.
As a birth doula, I feel very privileged for every birth that I am invited to. I am a guest and I have been invited to attend and invited to support, respect and guard you and your desires. My desire is to be helpful and invisible at the same time. I remind myself during a birth that this is, YOUR birth, YOUR body and YOUR baby and my goal is to help you achieve the birth that YOU want!
My labour Pledge
Birthwares.com has some amazing posters and childbirth teaching aids. I found these 2 posters and just love them!!
Go to birthwares.com and find more
Bathing better than pethidine as pain relief during labor: Survey
A great article on the benefits of taking a warm bath or shower during labor!!!
Bathing better than pethidine as pain relief during labor: Survey
5 Reasons to Avoid Inductions…The Risk of Inducing Labor
Great article By Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE, About.com Guide
The induction of labor can be done for many reasons, including many valid medical reasons. However, the rise in the rate of social inductions, or elective inductions is on the rise. As the induction rate rises there are more babies and mothers placed at risk for certain complications. Here are five risks of induction that you may not know about:
1.Increased risk of abnormal fetal heart rate, shoulder dystocia and other problems with the baby in labor.
Labor induction is done by intervening in the body’s natural process, typically with powerful drugs to bring on contractions or devices that are used to break the water before labor starts. Both of these types of induction can cause the baby to react in a manner that is called fetal distress as seen by fetal monitoring.
The nature of induction like contractions may also be more forceful than natural labor. This can cause your baby to assume or stay in an unfavorable position for labor making labor longer and more painful for the mother. It can also increase the need for other interventions as well.
2.Increased risk of your baby being admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Babies who are born via induction have not yet sent signals to the mother to start labor. This means that they simply aren’t yet ready to be born. This risk is worth it if the baby or mother’s lives are in danger, but simply to take this risk for elective reasons may not be well advised.
When a baby is in the intensive care unit there is less ability for you to be with your baby or to hold your baby. Breastfeeding usually gets off to a rocky start as well. This can usually be avoided by giving birth when your body and baby say it is time.
3.Increased risk of forceps or vacuum extraction used for birth.
When labor is induced babies tend to stay in unfavorable positions, the use of epidural anesthesia is increased and therefore the need to assist the baby’s birth via the use of forceps and vacuum extraction is also increased.
4.Increased risk of cesarean section.
Sometimes labor inductions don’t take, but it’s too late to send you home, the baby must be born. The most common cause of this is that the bags of waters has been broken, either naturally or via an amniotomy. Since the risk of infection is greater, your baby will need to be born via c-section.
A cesarean in an induced labor is also more likely for reasons of malpresentation (posterior, etc.) as well as fetal distress.
5.Increased risks to the baby of prematurity and jaundice.
Induction can be done before your baby is ready to be born, because your due date is off or because your baby simply needed more time in the womb to grow and mature their lungs. Your baby may also be more likely to suffer from jaundice at or near birth because of the induction. This can lead to other medical treatments as well as stays in the hospital for your baby.
Being born even a week or two early can result in your baby being a near term or late preterm infant. This means that your baby is likely to have more trouble breathing, eating and maintaining temperature.
Source:
*March of Dimes. (2006). If you’re pregnant: Induction by request. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21239_20203.asp
*March of Dimes. (2006). Late preterm birth: Every week matters. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://www.marchofdimes.com/files/MP_Late_Preterm_Birth-Every_Week_Matters_3-24-06.pdf American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG]. (2004). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 55: Management of postterm pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 104(3), 639-646.
*Ben-Haroush, A., Yogev, Y., Bar, J., Glickman, J., Kaplan, H., & Hod, M. (2004). Indicated labor induction with vaginal prostaglandin E2 increases the risk of cesarean section even in multiparous women with no previous cesarean section. Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 32(1), 31-36.
*Condon, J. C., Jeyasuria, P., Faust, J. M., & Mendelson, C. R. (2004). Surfactant protein secreted by the maturing mouse fetal lung acts as a hormone that signals the initiation of parturition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101(14), 4978-4983.
*Cunningham, F. G., Leveno, K. J., Bloom, S. L., Hauth, J. C., Gilstrap, L. C., & Wenstrom, K. D. (2005). Williams obstetrics. (22nd ed.). New York : McGraw-Hill.
*Glantz, J. C. (2005). Elective induction vs. spontaneous labor associations and outcomes. Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 50(4), 235-240.
*Goer, H., Leslie, M. S., & Romano, A. M. (2007). The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services: Evidence basis for the ten steps of mother-friendly care. Step 6: Does not routinely employ practices, procedures unsupported by scientific evidence. Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(Suppl. 1), 32S-64S.
*Kramer, M. S., Demissie, K., Yang, H., Platt, R. W., Sauve, R., & Liston, R. (2000). The contribution of mild and moderate preterm birth to infant mortality. Journal of the American Medical Association, 284(7), 843-849.
*Tanner, L., & Associated Press. (2000, August 16). Death risk higher for preemies: Study reassesses danger for those born just a few weeks early. Dallas Morning News.
*Vahratian, A., Zhang, J., Troendle, J. F., Sciscione, A. C., & Hoffman, M. K. (2005). Labor progression and risk of cesarean delivery in electively induced nulliparas. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 105(4), 698-704.
*Wang, M. L., Dorer, D. J., Fleming, M. P., & Catlin, E. A. (2004). Clinical outcomes of near-term infants. Pediatrics, 114(2), 372-376.
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Boy or Girl??
I love all of the old wives tale tests that are suppose to determine the sex of your baby during pregnancy! Some people swear by them as being accurate while others roll their eyes. Here is ‘The Ring Test’.
“To conduct the this old wives tale you simply take your wedding ring and tie a thread about 12 inches long to it. Sit or lie down and hold the thread over your pregnant belly. The ring will either go in circles or side to side (back and forth).
If the ring goes in circles, you’re expecting a baby boy. If the ring goes side to side you are expecting a girl according to this old wives tale.”
What tests have you done and have they been right?
