First off, my store of preference to purchase such things from is Herbs & More. Arnie, the owner, is a wonderful resource. That being said, you can get these items in many locations, including Circle Me.
Chlorophyll has become a hot topic of conversation in my world this week. I have recommended it to a couple moms and am thinking of trying it for myself, I'm natorious for having low iron.
Lavendar Oil was recommended for a mom I know when she had a c-section.
Peppermint Oil is recommended for helping a mom be able to fully empty her bladder after birth.
Olive Oil (no need for a specialty store here) is great for keep maconium from sticking to baby's butt. Also, can be used to help stretch the perineum before labor.
Which Hazel is good for hemorrhoids.
Breast Milk is good for in grown toe nails, clogged tear ducts, pink eye, etc.
ALJ from Nature's Sunshine is wonderful for allergies.
The Diva Cup is great for when your period returns.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Life in the Uterus
Genetics
"...every body cell--with two exceptions--there are 46 chromosomes, making 23 pairs. The two exceptions are the egg cell and the sperm cell, which have 23 chromosomes each, instead of 46." (p.71)
Boy or Girl?
"...statistically it appears that as women grow older, and also as they bear more children, then chance of having a girl is slightly increased." (p. 71)
Early Development
"...second week of the fertilized egg's life, the cells become differentiated. One set becomes the amniotic sac...the yolk sac...the placenta...cells that will form the baby...third week until there is a head and a tail..." (p. 74)
Six Weeks--"...embryo...neck and a head with rudimentary eyes and ears, a brain, and a heart that is already beating...bloodstream and a digestive system, kidneys, and a liver, and tiny buds that will become arms and legs." (p. 74)
Seven Weeks--"...nostrils, lips, and a tongue, and even the buds of its first teeth. Four chambers have developed in the heart." (p. 75)
Eight Weeks--"...heart has started the vigorous pumping...Even now the baby is trying out some gentle kicking..." (p. 75)
"The genitals have developed..." (p. 76)
The Placenta
"The flow of blood through the placenta in the fourth month of pregnancy is about 7.5 gallons (27.5 liters) a day, and by the end of pregnancy 87 gallons (330 liters) of blood are passing through the placenta each day." (p. 77)
"...when the placenta reduces its output of progesterone, estrogen takes over, initiates labor and ensures that the uterus begins to contract strongly." (p. 77)
The Growing Baby
16 weeks--lanugo-fine down covering baby (p. 79)
24 weeks--"If it is born, it must be registered as a birth. If the baby dies, it is now a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage." (p. 79)
28 weeks--"60 to 70 percent chance of survival" (p. 79)
36 weeks--"The baby is three times as heavy at birth as at 28 weeks." (p. 80)
Quickening
"For centuries pregnancy had little social acknowledgment before quickening occurred. Only after quickening was the baby considered to be a 'life.'" (p. 80)
"By the 24th week, the baby is starting to listen to and learn the sounds of language." (p. 81)
"...every body cell--with two exceptions--there are 46 chromosomes, making 23 pairs. The two exceptions are the egg cell and the sperm cell, which have 23 chromosomes each, instead of 46." (p.71)
Boy or Girl?
"...statistically it appears that as women grow older, and also as they bear more children, then chance of having a girl is slightly increased." (p. 71)
Early Development
"...second week of the fertilized egg's life, the cells become differentiated. One set becomes the amniotic sac...the yolk sac...the placenta...cells that will form the baby...third week until there is a head and a tail..." (p. 74)
Six Weeks--"...embryo...neck and a head with rudimentary eyes and ears, a brain, and a heart that is already beating...bloodstream and a digestive system, kidneys, and a liver, and tiny buds that will become arms and legs." (p. 74)
Seven Weeks--"...nostrils, lips, and a tongue, and even the buds of its first teeth. Four chambers have developed in the heart." (p. 75)
Eight Weeks--"...heart has started the vigorous pumping...Even now the baby is trying out some gentle kicking..." (p. 75)
"The genitals have developed..." (p. 76)
The Placenta
"The flow of blood through the placenta in the fourth month of pregnancy is about 7.5 gallons (27.5 liters) a day, and by the end of pregnancy 87 gallons (330 liters) of blood are passing through the placenta each day." (p. 77)
"...when the placenta reduces its output of progesterone, estrogen takes over, initiates labor and ensures that the uterus begins to contract strongly." (p. 77)
The Growing Baby
16 weeks--lanugo-fine down covering baby (p. 79)
24 weeks--"If it is born, it must be registered as a birth. If the baby dies, it is now a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage." (p. 79)
28 weeks--"60 to 70 percent chance of survival" (p. 79)
36 weeks--"The baby is three times as heavy at birth as at 28 weeks." (p. 80)
Quickening
"For centuries pregnancy had little social acknowledgment before quickening occurred. Only after quickening was the baby considered to be a 'life.'" (p. 80)
"By the 24th week, the baby is starting to listen to and learn the sounds of language." (p. 81)
Planning and Preparation
The Birth Room
"Women who can remain upright in the first stage of labor have less pain, so need fewer pain-relieving drugs, and dilate faster than those women who are lying down. Their babies' heart rates are also more likely to fall within the normal range.*
In the second stage, being upright also results in less pain, fewer drugs, easier pushing, fewer tears, more normal vaginal births, and a more positive birth experience.*" (p. 41)
"...sitting on a rigid chair or stool for a long time...develop swelling around your vulva, and the circulation of blood may be impeded...*" (p. 41 and 45)
A Birth Center
"A study of the experiences of 12,000 women who gave birth in 84 birth centers in the U.S. revealed that they had fewer obstetric interventions of all kinds than women in a hospital, while birth was equally safe.* In one English birth center, women have a 3 percent reduced risk of an emergency Cesarean compared with women giving birth in hospitals in the same area and are four times less likely to have an episiotomy.*" (p. 45)
"...care given by a midwife at home is safer than care from midwives in the hospital, and home birth with a midwife is safest of all.*" (p. 46)
Prenatal Care
Routine Tests--Anemia..."A pregnant woman has about 40 percent more blood flowing in her body...women whose hemoglobin concentration does fall are more likely to go to full term and to have babies of good birth weight. If hemoglobin concentration fails to fall, there is a marked increase in the incidence of low birth weight and preterm birth*...better able to absorb iron from food. If you drink orange juice instead of tea or coffee (both of which inhibit absorption of iron), your body will make good use of the iron that is naturally present in the food you eat.*" (p. 51)
Talking to Doctors
"...you may have to develop new social skills to create a satisfactory dialogue with those who care for you...The lack of continuity in care is one of the main criticisms that women make about childbirth in hospitals.*" (p. 53)
Preparing Your Questions
"There is no need to be apologetic about wanting further information or asking for help to achieve the kind of birth you would like." (p. 54)
"When a woman is feeling nervous, she tends to pitch her voice too high...You may also smile nervously without realizing it...giving the impression that you are content when you are not." (p. 54-55)
"It is a good idea to include requests that are not top priority, so that there is a possibility of compromise on some matters...Be assertive in a pleasant way." (p. 55)
"Make it clear that you are listening closely by 'playing back' the important statements: 'Do you mean...?' 'So you are saying that...?' and rephrase whatever has been said as accurately as you can." (p. 55)
"There is always a price to pay for being submissive. A woman avoids conflict, but afterward she is likely to feel that birth was something done to her, not something she did herself. Women who have suffered a sense of complete powerlessness in birth may go on feeling this long after the baby is born. It often leads to their feeling incompetent with the baby, too." (p. 56)
Choices
"Choice is eradicated when there is no continuity of care. Women speak and no one hears them...what they say gets passed on but is distorted...nurses are rushed off their feet trying to care for three or four patients in labor simultaneously...their [pregnant women] self-confidence is destroyed." (p.56)
What to Include in Your Birth Plan
"There is ample research now to show that a woman is most comfortable afterward when she has been helped to give birth gently without a cut or tear." (p. 59)
"Women who can remain upright in the first stage of labor have less pain, so need fewer pain-relieving drugs, and dilate faster than those women who are lying down. Their babies' heart rates are also more likely to fall within the normal range.*
In the second stage, being upright also results in less pain, fewer drugs, easier pushing, fewer tears, more normal vaginal births, and a more positive birth experience.*" (p. 41)
"...sitting on a rigid chair or stool for a long time...develop swelling around your vulva, and the circulation of blood may be impeded...*" (p. 41 and 45)
A Birth Center
"A study of the experiences of 12,000 women who gave birth in 84 birth centers in the U.S. revealed that they had fewer obstetric interventions of all kinds than women in a hospital, while birth was equally safe.* In one English birth center, women have a 3 percent reduced risk of an emergency Cesarean compared with women giving birth in hospitals in the same area and are four times less likely to have an episiotomy.*" (p. 45)
"...care given by a midwife at home is safer than care from midwives in the hospital, and home birth with a midwife is safest of all.*" (p. 46)
Prenatal Care
Routine Tests--Anemia..."A pregnant woman has about 40 percent more blood flowing in her body...women whose hemoglobin concentration does fall are more likely to go to full term and to have babies of good birth weight. If hemoglobin concentration fails to fall, there is a marked increase in the incidence of low birth weight and preterm birth*...better able to absorb iron from food. If you drink orange juice instead of tea or coffee (both of which inhibit absorption of iron), your body will make good use of the iron that is naturally present in the food you eat.*" (p. 51)
Talking to Doctors
"...you may have to develop new social skills to create a satisfactory dialogue with those who care for you...The lack of continuity in care is one of the main criticisms that women make about childbirth in hospitals.*" (p. 53)
Preparing Your Questions
"There is no need to be apologetic about wanting further information or asking for help to achieve the kind of birth you would like." (p. 54)
"When a woman is feeling nervous, she tends to pitch her voice too high...You may also smile nervously without realizing it...giving the impression that you are content when you are not." (p. 54-55)
"It is a good idea to include requests that are not top priority, so that there is a possibility of compromise on some matters...Be assertive in a pleasant way." (p. 55)
"Make it clear that you are listening closely by 'playing back' the important statements: 'Do you mean...?' 'So you are saying that...?' and rephrase whatever has been said as accurately as you can." (p. 55)
"There is always a price to pay for being submissive. A woman avoids conflict, but afterward she is likely to feel that birth was something done to her, not something she did herself. Women who have suffered a sense of complete powerlessness in birth may go on feeling this long after the baby is born. It often leads to their feeling incompetent with the baby, too." (p. 56)
Choices
"Choice is eradicated when there is no continuity of care. Women speak and no one hears them...what they say gets passed on but is distorted...nurses are rushed off their feet trying to care for three or four patients in labor simultaneously...their [pregnant women] self-confidence is destroyed." (p.56)
What to Include in Your Birth Plan
"There is ample research now to show that a woman is most comfortable afterward when she has been helped to give birth gently without a cut or tear." (p. 59)
Finding Out You Are Pregnant
Finding Out You Are Pregnant
How To Diagnose
"the embryo releases a hormone called the human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)...present in your urine approximately six days after conception...peak about 60 days after conception..." (p. 22-23)
"After perhaps one conception in every ten, the fertilized egg does not manage to embed itself in the lining of the uterus. In this case, a pregnancy test will give a positive result, but a second test a few days later will be negative. For this reason, some packs carry the recommendation that you always wait three to five days and then retest, and two tests are included in each pack so you can do this." (p. 23)
"If it is more than six weeks since the first day of your last period, they can feel the already softening lower part of the uterus, which is also slightly enlarged. The neck of the uterus, or cervix, which protrudes into the vagina, is felt as firmer than the lower part of the uterus, and it is about the same consistency as the tip of your nose...this internal change is known as 'Hegar's sign.'" (p. 23-24)
Dating Your Pregnancy
"The length of the average pregnancy is some 266 days from conception." (p. 24)
Conceiving While Using Contraception
"If you conceive with an IUD (intrauterine device or coil) still inside you, your chances of miscarrying are increased...Sometimes doctors advise termination. This is certainly not necessary...many women deliver the IUD with the placenta after an uneventful pregnancy and birth." (p. 25-26)
"If you conceive but continue to take the pill for several months while pregnant, there is a slightly increased risk to the baby of congenital abnormalities, though the vast majority of women who have taken the pill while pregnant give birth to babies who are healthy and normal." (p. 26)
Pregnancy and HIV Infection
"85 percent of babies of HIV-positive mothers are born healthy" (p. 26)
"testing a baby after 6 to 18 months will more accurately tell if a baby has become infected." (p. 26)
"The safety measures usually proposed to help avoid transmission include not breast-feeding; having a Cesarean section, because babies often pick up the infection as they come down the birth canal; and being treated with antiviral medications during the last six months of pregnancy. With these precautions, the transmission rate can be reduced to 2 percent." (p. 26)
Early Signs of Pregnancy
Nausea--"Women who experience pregnancy nausea are less likely than others to have miscarriages." (p. 27)
How To Diagnose
"the embryo releases a hormone called the human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)...present in your urine approximately six days after conception...peak about 60 days after conception..." (p. 22-23)
"After perhaps one conception in every ten, the fertilized egg does not manage to embed itself in the lining of the uterus. In this case, a pregnancy test will give a positive result, but a second test a few days later will be negative. For this reason, some packs carry the recommendation that you always wait three to five days and then retest, and two tests are included in each pack so you can do this." (p. 23)
"If it is more than six weeks since the first day of your last period, they can feel the already softening lower part of the uterus, which is also slightly enlarged. The neck of the uterus, or cervix, which protrudes into the vagina, is felt as firmer than the lower part of the uterus, and it is about the same consistency as the tip of your nose...this internal change is known as 'Hegar's sign.'" (p. 23-24)
Dating Your Pregnancy
"The length of the average pregnancy is some 266 days from conception." (p. 24)
Conceiving While Using Contraception
"If you conceive with an IUD (intrauterine device or coil) still inside you, your chances of miscarrying are increased...Sometimes doctors advise termination. This is certainly not necessary...many women deliver the IUD with the placenta after an uneventful pregnancy and birth." (p. 25-26)
"If you conceive but continue to take the pill for several months while pregnant, there is a slightly increased risk to the baby of congenital abnormalities, though the vast majority of women who have taken the pill while pregnant give birth to babies who are healthy and normal." (p. 26)
Pregnancy and HIV Infection
"85 percent of babies of HIV-positive mothers are born healthy" (p. 26)
"testing a baby after 6 to 18 months will more accurately tell if a baby has become infected." (p. 26)
"The safety measures usually proposed to help avoid transmission include not breast-feeding; having a Cesarean section, because babies often pick up the infection as they come down the birth canal; and being treated with antiviral medications during the last six months of pregnancy. With these precautions, the transmission rate can be reduced to 2 percent." (p. 26)
Early Signs of Pregnancy
Nausea--"Women who experience pregnancy nausea are less likely than others to have miscarriages." (p. 27)
Pregnancy Week By Week
This is the first post from the book The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger. Fourth edition published in 2008.
Week 11--"The amount of blood circulating through your body has started to increase, and will go on increasing until about the 30th week." (p. 12)
Week 15-- "Your enlarged heart has increased its output by 20 percent." (p. 13)
Week 17-- "Baby weighs more than its placenta." (p. 13)
Week 11--"The amount of blood circulating through your body has started to increase, and will go on increasing until about the 30th week." (p. 12)
Week 15-- "Your enlarged heart has increased its output by 20 percent." (p. 13)
Week 17-- "Baby weighs more than its placenta." (p. 13)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Get Ready Now: What Really Happens Postpartum
"You have to function as a responsible adult; there's no going back." (p. 218)
"...according to La Leche League, feeding a newborn takes forty hours a week or more. You'll change multiple diapers a day, wash several loads of laundry, and you will handle these new responsibilities in a sleep-deprived state." (p. 219)
Postpartum Plan
"The things that help most are fairly low tech and designed to get your basic needs met: sleeping, eating, connecting with your baby, and making sure that your emotional support system is strong." (p. 220)
"Usually it takes at least three to five months (but sometimes longer) to establish a pattern...first long nighttime sleep (five to six hours)." (p. 220)
"...sleep when your baby sleeps." (p. 222)
"If you are serious about sleep and can budget for it, night nurses, overnight nannies, and nighttime postpartum doulas are available to lovingly handle your baby through much of the night. They also help teach you about healthy sleep routines, scheduling options, swaddling, and other skills. Consider hiring a service for even one night a week through several weeks or asking a friend or relative to do an overnight." (p. 224)
"...stay in bed until (you) amassed the correct amount of (sleep) hours..." (p. 225)
"SLEEP, DEPRESSION, AND WELL-BEING
Up to 85 percent of all new mothers in the U.S. experience postpartum 'blues' during the first ten days or so after birth...during the first twelve months, between 10 and 20 percent of new mothers, as many as 850,000 women in the U.S., experience diagnosable postpartum depression. Sleep Disorders in Women: A Guide to Practical Management (Current Clinical Neurology), 'Increased sleep, which can be improved with daytime activities such as light exposure and exercise, may be more therapeutic in treating the depressed state than counseling, psychotherapy or antidepressant medication.'...being in labor during the night, coupled with sleep disruption at the end of pregnancy, might result in a higher incidence of postpartum blues. ...survey 2007 called 'Sleep in America,' National Sleep Foundation...'Poor sleep is associated with poor mood.' Among postpartum women in the study, 42 percent report that they rarely or never get a good night's sleep...what awakens them most during the nigt, 90 percent of postpartum women say giving care to a child. Nearly one-half of postpartum women say that they have no one helping them with child care at night. Sleep also helps strengthen your emerging role as a primary caretaker. ...2007...Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing...four overlapping stages...'committing, attaching and preparing for the infant during pregnancy; becoming acquainted and attached with the infant, including learning how to car for the infant and restoring maternal health; moving toward a 'new normal'; and achieving a maternal identity.'" (p. 226-227)
"You need protein, carbohydrates, fresh fruits, vegetables, and calcium in the form of tasty, healthy snacks...this is not the time to diet. You need energy! ...before you have the baby, prepare some simple dishes that can be doubled--lasagna, burritos, soups, potpies--and freeze the extra portions. Stock up on simple, nutritious foods: yogurt, baby carrots, fruits, nuts, hard-boiled eggs." (p. 227-228)
CHORES
"Decide in advance who is planning to come 'visit' and who is planning to come 'help.' The visitors can wait a few weeks until you've gotten to know your new baby..." (p. 228)
"...you are not a hostess right now." (p. 229)
STAY CONNECTED (Personally, I like BSF. It is a wonderful way for moms to get and stay connected with other women.)
YOUR RELATIONSHIP
"...2000...Journal of Family Psychology...two-thirds of couples experience a significant decline in marriage satisfaction--including less-frequent or less-satisfying sex, more conflict, and more emotional distance--after the first baby arrives." (p. 230)
"...most studies suggest men want sex--and more of it--shortly after birth while women need more time." (p. 231)
"When your body has recovered, sex--even quick, less-than-fabulous sex--can help give both of you a viseral memory of the romance of life before kids. When you're ready, start thinking about regular date nights." (p. 232)
CALL IN THE EXPERTS
"If harmonizing your sleep, meals, chores, and key relationships still seems too overwhelming, look into hiring a postpartum doula." (p. 232)
"Postpartum doulas charge around $25 to $40 an hour in big U.S. cities." (p. 232)
WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS
"One in three women in the U.S. now gives birth by cesarean section, major surgery that significantly lengthens postpartum recovery time. These mothers won't be able to drive for about a month and lifting will be difficult for some time. In this situation it is even more important to have backup help. Doulas will give you ideas on how to get this support, for instance a father might be eligible for a longer family medical leave from work if the mother underwent surgery." (p. 234)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Birth Plans and Birth Essays
"...inquire with your provider about the rates of various procedures the use, including rates of natural birth, epidurals, VBACs, and cesareans..." (p. 200)
Interview providers to find one whose approach matches your own. (p. 200)
"To search for information about your provider or hospital, or to share your experince, visit" here. (p. 201)
"Have your doula make sure that each doctor, midwife, and nurse who is caring for you takes a look at your plan." (p. 202)
"...fetal scalp blood sampling to determine fetal distress before doing a cesarean." (p. 207)
ACOG, "3 percent of all births consist of multiple babies." (p. 211)
"ACOG has stated: 'there are retrospective case series that validate vaginal delivery as a potential mode of delivery, especially for triplet gestation.'" (p. 212)
"ACOG and the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologists of Canada, most of these protocols are not suppored by scientific research, but have nonetheless come to be accepted as the standard of care... Routinely inducing labor before thirty-seen weeks... Routinely inducing labor at thirty-seven weeks... Requiring and epidural... Requiring the mother to be constantly attached to a monitor for the babies' heartbeats, rather than listening at regular intervals... Routinely scheduling a cesarean even when the first baby is head down... For a vaginal delivery, having the mother push in the operating room rather than a normal labor room, because of a slightly increased need for cesearean sectins. Routinely using interventions to speed up pushing of the second twin... You have the right to decline their routine use after discussing the benefits, risks, and alternatives with your provider." (p. 212-213)
"Parents of twins may want to consider having two doulas (for) additional emotional support may help diffuse some of the extra tension that can be present." (p. 214)
For support with a multiple pregnancy, especially twins, visit here.
THE BIRTH ESSAY
A birth essay allows/encourages a mom-to-be to write all of her feelings about her pregnancy and upcoming labor down and then share them with those who are/will be caring for her throughout this time. Questions to get you writing... "What do you imagine it will be like going into labor, giving birth, and being with your new baby right after birth? What will giving birth mean to you, your baby, and your family? What are your dreams for your birth? What are your fears giving birth?" Moms should be encouraged to fill more than a "page or two." "Many providers are not familiar with the idea of a birth essay. However, it is fine to let your caregiver know that you have emotional concerns you would like to discuss, which may arise from writing your essay. You might want to read the essay aloud, or tell your provider what you wrote about, without presenting the actual pages to her." (p. 215-216)
When Epidurals and Cesareans Are Unplanned
"...cesarean is scheduled in advance for medical reasons, studies show her chances are also good for feeling positive after her birth." (p. 175)
"...natural childbirth...at home, where 90 percent do so..." (p. 178)
"Approximately 80 percent of mothers birthing in hospitals have epidurals." (p. 178)
"...whether a mother sees her birth as positive, negative, or traumatic. The most important factors are:
1 Whether a woman's expectations of birth match the reality of what happens
2 Whether a woman feels involved in decisions about her care, even if her expectations cannot be met" (p. 178)
"In fact, a potential risk of any surgery is depression..." (p. 181)
From Dr. Gayle Peterson...
Acknowledge fear can deepen our reserves and help us discover fresh meaning and commitment in our lives. Do not judge your fear or anxiety. Confront and befriend the fear, and it will yield an inner treasure.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Imagine that an epidural is necessary during your birth. What feelings do you think would arise for you?
2. If an epidural is needed, what would help make this the best possible scenario for you?
3. Now imagine that a cesarean is necessary. What emotions do you think would arise?
4. If a cesarean is needed, what would help make this the best possible situation for you?
5. What fears or anxieties do you have about these situations? (Be sure to give them a voice before your actual birth.)
6. How have you (and your partner) responded to unexpected stress at other times in life?
7. What would you want your doula, and your doctor or midwife, to remember about your needs in case of unplanned events during birth?" (p. 182-183)
"...90 percent of U.S. mothers are instructed to lie on their back or recline during pushing. Only 4 percent push on their sides; yet side-lying may result in more successful pushing, according to New Zealand midwifery expert Jean Sutton." (p. 184)
"...remember to continue incorporating labor support techniques after an epidural, especially massage." (p. 184)
Take time, if it is not an emergency, to, "process the decision...provider to take additional time to explain the need for the procedure, its benefits and risks, and details about how it will be performed...want extra reassurance that the baby is still healthy, and a pep talk to help you keep going in good spirits." (p. 185)
Some mothers may feel "empowered moving forward quickly." (p. 185)
"A mother who has general anesthesia can ask for her medical records later." (p. 186-187)
"As for a cesarean section, whether it is needed due to a medical problem or because today's intervention rates are unavoidably high, it is never the mother's fault when it occurs." (p. 188)
"To underscore this point, in 2008 the journal Midwifery Today hosted a seminar with doula leader Penny Simkin titled 'There's More to Birth Than Coming Out Alive.' A woman's feelings of dignity, emotional security, and her need to experience birth as the celebration of a major life passage are also important. When these aspects of birthing are compromised, her confidence about functioning as a new mother can be weakened." (p. 188-189)
"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a difficult birth is getting attention as a condition that affects as many as 7 to 18 percent of new mothers..." (p. 189)
"Ways to assist with healing include the following:
1. Speak to a counselor or therapist...
2. Contact organizations that offer support... (iCAN)
3. Write your birth story...
4. Share your story with other moms...
5. Talk with your doula, your midwife, or doctor..." (p. 191-192)
Epidurals and Cesareans affects on nursing...
"Milk can be delayed from coming in, and babies' behavior can be more disorganized for several weeks." (p. 193)
"When it comes to unplanned interventions, open communication is one of your greatest tools..." (p.194)
(Note to self: Check out the self-evaluation scale in appendix. Possible tool to give at reunions?)
"...natural childbirth...at home, where 90 percent do so..." (p. 178)
"Approximately 80 percent of mothers birthing in hospitals have epidurals." (p. 178)
"...whether a mother sees her birth as positive, negative, or traumatic. The most important factors are:
1 Whether a woman's expectations of birth match the reality of what happens
2 Whether a woman feels involved in decisions about her care, even if her expectations cannot be met" (p. 178)
"In fact, a potential risk of any surgery is depression..." (p. 181)
From Dr. Gayle Peterson...
Acknowledge fear can deepen our reserves and help us discover fresh meaning and commitment in our lives. Do not judge your fear or anxiety. Confront and befriend the fear, and it will yield an inner treasure.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Imagine that an epidural is necessary during your birth. What feelings do you think would arise for you?
2. If an epidural is needed, what would help make this the best possible scenario for you?
3. Now imagine that a cesarean is necessary. What emotions do you think would arise?
4. If a cesarean is needed, what would help make this the best possible situation for you?
5. What fears or anxieties do you have about these situations? (Be sure to give them a voice before your actual birth.)
6. How have you (and your partner) responded to unexpected stress at other times in life?
7. What would you want your doula, and your doctor or midwife, to remember about your needs in case of unplanned events during birth?" (p. 182-183)
"...90 percent of U.S. mothers are instructed to lie on their back or recline during pushing. Only 4 percent push on their sides; yet side-lying may result in more successful pushing, according to New Zealand midwifery expert Jean Sutton." (p. 184)
"...remember to continue incorporating labor support techniques after an epidural, especially massage." (p. 184)
Take time, if it is not an emergency, to, "process the decision...provider to take additional time to explain the need for the procedure, its benefits and risks, and details about how it will be performed...want extra reassurance that the baby is still healthy, and a pep talk to help you keep going in good spirits." (p. 185)
Some mothers may feel "empowered moving forward quickly." (p. 185)
"A mother who has general anesthesia can ask for her medical records later." (p. 186-187)
"As for a cesarean section, whether it is needed due to a medical problem or because today's intervention rates are unavoidably high, it is never the mother's fault when it occurs." (p. 188)
"To underscore this point, in 2008 the journal Midwifery Today hosted a seminar with doula leader Penny Simkin titled 'There's More to Birth Than Coming Out Alive.' A woman's feelings of dignity, emotional security, and her need to experience birth as the celebration of a major life passage are also important. When these aspects of birthing are compromised, her confidence about functioning as a new mother can be weakened." (p. 188-189)
"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a difficult birth is getting attention as a condition that affects as many as 7 to 18 percent of new mothers..." (p. 189)
"Ways to assist with healing include the following:
1. Speak to a counselor or therapist...
2. Contact organizations that offer support... (iCAN)
3. Write your birth story...
4. Share your story with other moms...
5. Talk with your doula, your midwife, or doctor..." (p. 191-192)
Epidurals and Cesareans affects on nursing...
"Milk can be delayed from coming in, and babies' behavior can be more disorganized for several weeks." (p. 193)
"When it comes to unplanned interventions, open communication is one of your greatest tools..." (p.194)
(Note to self: Check out the self-evaluation scale in appendix. Possible tool to give at reunions?)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Labor Techniques Anyone Can Use
"Studies show that nurses need to spend 90 percent of their time on medical procedures and note-taking, with little left over for labor support." (p. 157)
"The most basic technique...get out of bed. Yet over 75 percent of U.S. women report that after they are admitted to the hospital, they never leave their beds." (p. 157)
Childbirth Connection survey found, "women who walk in labor report fewer cesareans." (p. 158)
"The positions and movement options available are many, including standing, walking, climbing stairs, swaying, lunging, sitting, crouching or squatting, leaning forward, being on hands and knees, kneeling, and side-lying." (p. 159)
Only 10 percent of American mothers ever try a warm shower, bath, or jacuzzi for pain relief...For the most pain relief...stay in for up to ninety minutes at a time. (p. 165)
Only 20 percent of women try touch and massage...although, by "Mothers who use touch and massage rate it the second-most effective natural birth relief method." (p. 166)
"Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami show that women receiving massage in labor report less pain, less anxiety, and have shorter births." (p. 167)
*Note to self try page 161
"The most basic technique...get out of bed. Yet over 75 percent of U.S. women report that after they are admitted to the hospital, they never leave their beds." (p. 157)
Childbirth Connection survey found, "women who walk in labor report fewer cesareans." (p. 158)
"The positions and movement options available are many, including standing, walking, climbing stairs, swaying, lunging, sitting, crouching or squatting, leaning forward, being on hands and knees, kneeling, and side-lying." (p. 159)
Only 10 percent of American mothers ever try a warm shower, bath, or jacuzzi for pain relief...For the most pain relief...stay in for up to ninety minutes at a time. (p. 165)
Only 20 percent of women try touch and massage...although, by "Mothers who use touch and massage rate it the second-most effective natural birth relief method." (p. 166)
"Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami show that women receiving massage in labor report less pain, less anxiety, and have shorter births." (p. 167)
*Note to self try page 161
Labor Is Not About Dilation
2003 study in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, "doctors are incorrect about determining the baby's head position almost 70 percent of the time." (p. 126)
Caput - in labor, the skin on a baby's head undergoes some normal swelling (p. 127)
"Studies show that women who are admitted to the hospital early are subject to more interventions, including more cesareans." (p. 128)
"Cesarean rates are at an all-time high of over 31 percent in the United States, and over 23 percent in nations including Australia, Canada, and the U.K. The U.S. has one of the highest cesarean rates in the world--with these surgeries mostly being performed on healthy mothers and healthy babies--yet ranks nearly last in preventing infant mortaliy among developed nations. Hence the controversy about how commonly they are being used." (p. 129-130)
2005 ACOG "estimated that 60 percent of cesareans are based on a diagnosis of failure to progress." (p. 131)
"In natural labors, contractions and dilation normally speed up, slow down, plateau, stop, and speed up again. And while it may seem that the use of Pitocin would result in shorter births than natural labor, studies have shown that the presence of a doula, or preserving the mother's freedom to sit up and walk around, may result in shorter labors than those with Pitocin." (p. 132)
"Researchers estimate 30 to 50 percent of slow labors may be due to a cervix that is more firm or rigid, not due to 'inadequate contractions' that need Pitocin." (p. 132)
Reasons for a firmer cervix:
birth control pills
scarring on the cervix resulting from
"1. Removal of tissue after a miscarriage (D&C)
2. Previous births in which the cervix sustained tiny tears during pushing
3. Abortion
4. Insertion of an IUD
5. Treatments for abnormal pap smears or genital warts, such as cryosurgery (freezing)
6. Taking a biopsy from the cervix or inside the uterus
7. Removal of polyps
*Not all women with scars will necessarily have longer labors, though." (p. 132-133)
April 2004...journal Obstetrics & Gynecology...University of Liverpool.."Sometimes a buildup of lactic acid in the body can happen during birth...this can temporarily slow labor...woman's body needs to rest. Once lactic acid clears from the system, labor will usually naturally resume." (p. 134)
Contractions rated in units called millimeters of mercury or mm Hg. Getting mom upright can increase contractions by 35 mm Hg. (p. 135)
2004 Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing..."women pushed safely for up to eight hours." (p. 137)
" a healthy second stage can take much longer, lasting as many as ten to twenty hours." (p. 137)
Signs of progress
1. Changes in Contractions
2. The Height of the Belly
3. Bloody Show
4. "The Bottom Lin"
5. Descent of the Baby
6. The Baby's Heartbeat (For a fun way to see progress, a pen can be used to mark the belly with an X each time the heartbeat moves lower.)
7. Bag of Waters Breaking
8. Ultrasound
9. Rectal Pressure
10. Involuntarily Having a Bowel Movement
11. "Opening the Back"
12. Seeing the Head (p. 138-140)
"With three vaginal exams, the risk of infection doubled; with nine exams, the risk of infection soared five times higher. Scientists also conclude that risk of infection increases based on hours between the first vaginal exam and delivery (not between water breaking and delivery)." (p. 142)
"However, even the presence of GBS is a much lower risk factor than having multiple vaginal exams in labor!" (p.143)
World Health Organization says, "infection might be caused by vaginal exams not only in labor but during prenatal appointments with your midwife or doctor; if you are GBS positive, you may want to avoid exams during pregnancy or inserting anything else into your vagina (e.g., use lovemaking options that don't involve penetration). (p. 143)
Bag of Waters
pH strip to test fluid if thinking water has broken. (p. 143)
feel and see periodic gushes of clear fluid (p. 144)
check for baby's umbilical cord did not slip out when water broke, "listening to the baby's heartbeat can reveal the condition of the cord instead." (p. 144)
signs of infection: fever in the mother, rapid heartbeat of mother or baby, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, tenderness in the belly (p. 144)
"Cochrane Collaboration, 70 percent of women have contractions within twenty-four hours, 90 percent by forty-eight hours, and it can be safe for women who take longer if they're watched by their providers." (p. 144)
Epidural fevers "not caused by an infection." (p. 146)
"During pushing...posterior or misaligned...technique is known as digital or manual rotation...By using this technique, in a pilot study in the March 2007 European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, the cesarean rate for malpositioned babies was reduced from 23 percent to zero." (p. 148)
"Cochrane Collaboration, 70 to 90 percent of the time when brain damage occurs in newborns it is not caused by events in labor and cannot be stopped by the birth provider. And while cesareans for fetal distress have increased, the rate of cerebral palsy has not changed, as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (p. 150)
fetal scalp blood sampling should be used to check for fetal distress. This is a test that allows baby's pH to be checked for acidity (p. 150)
Cochrane Collaboration..."the increase in cesarean section rate is much greater when scalp pH estimates are not available." (p. 150)
"A full-term baby's normal baseline rate is 110-160 beats per minute...a change of more than five beats per minute is normal variability, while variability of less than five beats is cause for concern...provider looks for accelerations and decelerations...Williams Obstetrics states, '...epidurals and Pitocin cause the most decels...'...It is considered acceptable for the baby's heartbeat to go as low as seventy beats per minute before it is seen as worrisome, as long as this does not happen repeatedly or for long periods of time." (p. 150-151)
Obstetrics & Gynecology journal, "women who had sexual intercourse an average of four times in the ninth month of pregnancy gave birth sooner and were half as likely to be induced as women who did not have sex." (p. 152)
"The Cochrane Collaboration reports that breast stimulation is as successful as Pitocin for starting labor within three days." (p. 153)
Pitocin tips:
"Request a low dose of Pitocin that is increased more slowly (a.k.a. a "whiff" of Pitocin). (p. 153)
"Ask for a portable wireless monitor" (p. 154)
"Once contractions are two to three minutes apart ask to have Pitocin turned off (p. 154)
"Watch for extremely long contractions that go on for more than ninety second each, or contractions that seem to have only a tiny break of a few seconds between them. Pitocin needs to be turned down or off in these situations for safety, and although providers should be checking on this, studies and doulas report that they don't always notice." (p. 154)
"British Medical Journal..women with 'stalled' labors got into a tub for up to four hours, one in three mothers who would have gotten Pitocin didn't have to." (p. 155)
Pitocin time to work..."According to scholar and doula Henci Goer, research shows that women who are given only two hours on Pitocin to achieve increased dilation receive three times as many cesareans, compared to women allowed to continue laboring for four hours or longer with Pitocin.
Caput - in labor, the skin on a baby's head undergoes some normal swelling (p. 127)
"Studies show that women who are admitted to the hospital early are subject to more interventions, including more cesareans." (p. 128)
"Cesarean rates are at an all-time high of over 31 percent in the United States, and over 23 percent in nations including Australia, Canada, and the U.K. The U.S. has one of the highest cesarean rates in the world--with these surgeries mostly being performed on healthy mothers and healthy babies--yet ranks nearly last in preventing infant mortaliy among developed nations. Hence the controversy about how commonly they are being used." (p. 129-130)
2005 ACOG "estimated that 60 percent of cesareans are based on a diagnosis of failure to progress." (p. 131)
"In natural labors, contractions and dilation normally speed up, slow down, plateau, stop, and speed up again. And while it may seem that the use of Pitocin would result in shorter births than natural labor, studies have shown that the presence of a doula, or preserving the mother's freedom to sit up and walk around, may result in shorter labors than those with Pitocin." (p. 132)
"Researchers estimate 30 to 50 percent of slow labors may be due to a cervix that is more firm or rigid, not due to 'inadequate contractions' that need Pitocin." (p. 132)
Reasons for a firmer cervix:
birth control pills
scarring on the cervix resulting from
"1. Removal of tissue after a miscarriage (D&C)
2. Previous births in which the cervix sustained tiny tears during pushing
3. Abortion
4. Insertion of an IUD
5. Treatments for abnormal pap smears or genital warts, such as cryosurgery (freezing)
6. Taking a biopsy from the cervix or inside the uterus
7. Removal of polyps
*Not all women with scars will necessarily have longer labors, though." (p. 132-133)
April 2004...journal Obstetrics & Gynecology...University of Liverpool.."Sometimes a buildup of lactic acid in the body can happen during birth...this can temporarily slow labor...woman's body needs to rest. Once lactic acid clears from the system, labor will usually naturally resume." (p. 134)
Contractions rated in units called millimeters of mercury or mm Hg. Getting mom upright can increase contractions by 35 mm Hg. (p. 135)
2004 Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing..."women pushed safely for up to eight hours." (p. 137)
" a healthy second stage can take much longer, lasting as many as ten to twenty hours." (p. 137)
Signs of progress
1. Changes in Contractions
2. The Height of the Belly
3. Bloody Show
4. "The Bottom Lin"
5. Descent of the Baby
6. The Baby's Heartbeat (For a fun way to see progress, a pen can be used to mark the belly with an X each time the heartbeat moves lower.)
7. Bag of Waters Breaking
8. Ultrasound
9. Rectal Pressure
10. Involuntarily Having a Bowel Movement
11. "Opening the Back"
12. Seeing the Head (p. 138-140)
"With three vaginal exams, the risk of infection doubled; with nine exams, the risk of infection soared five times higher. Scientists also conclude that risk of infection increases based on hours between the first vaginal exam and delivery (not between water breaking and delivery)." (p. 142)
"However, even the presence of GBS is a much lower risk factor than having multiple vaginal exams in labor!" (p.143)
World Health Organization says, "infection might be caused by vaginal exams not only in labor but during prenatal appointments with your midwife or doctor; if you are GBS positive, you may want to avoid exams during pregnancy or inserting anything else into your vagina (e.g., use lovemaking options that don't involve penetration). (p. 143)
Bag of Waters
pH strip to test fluid if thinking water has broken. (p. 143)
feel and see periodic gushes of clear fluid (p. 144)
check for baby's umbilical cord did not slip out when water broke, "listening to the baby's heartbeat can reveal the condition of the cord instead." (p. 144)
signs of infection: fever in the mother, rapid heartbeat of mother or baby, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, tenderness in the belly (p. 144)
"Cochrane Collaboration, 70 percent of women have contractions within twenty-four hours, 90 percent by forty-eight hours, and it can be safe for women who take longer if they're watched by their providers." (p. 144)
Epidural fevers "not caused by an infection." (p. 146)
"During pushing...posterior or misaligned...technique is known as digital or manual rotation...By using this technique, in a pilot study in the March 2007 European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, the cesarean rate for malpositioned babies was reduced from 23 percent to zero." (p. 148)
"Cochrane Collaboration, 70 to 90 percent of the time when brain damage occurs in newborns it is not caused by events in labor and cannot be stopped by the birth provider. And while cesareans for fetal distress have increased, the rate of cerebral palsy has not changed, as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (p. 150)
fetal scalp blood sampling should be used to check for fetal distress. This is a test that allows baby's pH to be checked for acidity (p. 150)
Cochrane Collaboration..."the increase in cesarean section rate is much greater when scalp pH estimates are not available." (p. 150)
"A full-term baby's normal baseline rate is 110-160 beats per minute...a change of more than five beats per minute is normal variability, while variability of less than five beats is cause for concern...provider looks for accelerations and decelerations...Williams Obstetrics states, '...epidurals and Pitocin cause the most decels...'...It is considered acceptable for the baby's heartbeat to go as low as seventy beats per minute before it is seen as worrisome, as long as this does not happen repeatedly or for long periods of time." (p. 150-151)
Obstetrics & Gynecology journal, "women who had sexual intercourse an average of four times in the ninth month of pregnancy gave birth sooner and were half as likely to be induced as women who did not have sex." (p. 152)
"The Cochrane Collaboration reports that breast stimulation is as successful as Pitocin for starting labor within three days." (p. 153)
Pitocin tips:
"Request a low dose of Pitocin that is increased more slowly (a.k.a. a "whiff" of Pitocin). (p. 153)
"Ask for a portable wireless monitor" (p. 154)
"Once contractions are two to three minutes apart ask to have Pitocin turned off (p. 154)
"Watch for extremely long contractions that go on for more than ninety second each, or contractions that seem to have only a tiny break of a few seconds between them. Pitocin needs to be turned down or off in these situations for safety, and although providers should be checking on this, studies and doulas report that they don't always notice." (p. 154)
"British Medical Journal..women with 'stalled' labors got into a tub for up to four hours, one in three mothers who would have gotten Pitocin didn't have to." (p. 155)
Pitocin time to work..."According to scholar and doula Henci Goer, research shows that women who are given only two hours on Pitocin to achieve increased dilation receive three times as many cesareans, compared to women allowed to continue laboring for four hours or longer with Pitocin.
When Should You Really Go to the Hospital in Labor?
"In Review: When To Go To The Hospital In Labor
3-1-1
5-1-1
3 or 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, and have been that way for 1 hour.
For mothers having their second or subsequent baby, when contractions are five to sever minutes apart.
When you can no longer talk between contractions, not just during contractions.
If you feel the urge to push.
If you have heavy bleeding, pain between contractions, if green or brown fluid is leaking from your vagina, if the baby is not moving, or the baby's umbilical cord slips out of your vagina.
If you intuition tells you to go, regardless of other signs.
When if doubt, or if you are high risk, consult with your medical provider." (p. 124)
More debate coming in chapter 8.
3-1-1
5-1-1
3 or 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, and have been that way for 1 hour.
For mothers having their second or subsequent baby, when contractions are five to sever minutes apart.
When you can no longer talk between contractions, not just during contractions.
If you feel the urge to push.
If you have heavy bleeding, pain between contractions, if green or brown fluid is leaking from your vagina, if the baby is not moving, or the baby's umbilical cord slips out of your vagina.
If you intuition tells you to go, regardless of other signs.
When if doubt, or if you are high risk, consult with your medical provider." (p. 124)
More debate coming in chapter 8.
Doulas and Medical Providers
"As one doula put it, 'I am there to slow down time so you have time to make your own decisions...I want mothers to be active decision-makers in their births.'" (p. 106)
"Ask your provider specifically how she feels about doulas. How many births has she been to with a doula present? Does she have any questions or concerns about doulas?" (p. 106)
When looking for a doula ask specific questions. Like "how she might handle a situation in which she and the doctor or midwife have differing opinions...her experience supporting women who opted for pain medications or who had C-sections." (p. 106)
Once you have picked a doula, ask:
Has she ever attended a birth with your doctor?
What was that like?
Has she been welcomed at your hospital? Or ignored? (p. 107)
"Dr. William Camann...Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston...invited doulas to remain with the laboring mother in the operating room during a C-section, and to stay by the mother's side during the insertian of the needle for an epidural. 'I think it's totally compatible for a woman to get pain medication and have a doula.'" (p. 108)
"Ask your provider specifically how she feels about doulas. How many births has she been to with a doula present? Does she have any questions or concerns about doulas?" (p. 106)
When looking for a doula ask specific questions. Like "how she might handle a situation in which she and the doctor or midwife have differing opinions...her experience supporting women who opted for pain medications or who had C-sections." (p. 106)
Once you have picked a doula, ask:
Has she ever attended a birth with your doctor?
What was that like?
Has she been welcomed at your hospital? Or ignored? (p. 107)
"Dr. William Camann...Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston...invited doulas to remain with the laboring mother in the operating room during a C-section, and to stay by the mother's side during the insertian of the needle for an epidural. 'I think it's totally compatible for a woman to get pain medication and have a doula.'" (p. 108)
Find Your Doula! Ch 5 Lowe & Zimmerman
Dr. Marshall Klaus, "touching and stroking of your arm or thigh, the looking into your eyes, what we have seen is that this reduces most of the problems and difficulties with labor--reduces the need for cesareans, the need for drugs and a host of other things." (p.85)
Page 80, 81,89 have lists of ways to find a doula. One for me, for some day, Christian Midwives International (U.S.A.) Referrals to Christian midwives and doulas.
Adoptive parent "breastfeeding expert Lenore Goldfarb." (p. 92)
Support services for birth families. (p 94)
"For more information about doulas and surrogacy or adoption, contact the Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association, at 888-MY-CAPPA" or click here cappa. (p. 94)
Questions doulas ask,
"Have you been learning about birth, or do you need basic information? Have you taken birth classes or read books about birth?"
Who will be with you at your birth? What kind of support would they like to offer, and what kind of support will they need?
If you have given birth before, what was your experience like?
How do you wish to handle the potential pain of labor?
Do you have health concerns or emotional concerns you would like to share? If you have an unusual health condition, can you supply your doula with information about it?" (p.98)
Doula fees, "Typical fees for a newly trained doula in North America are in the range of $300. Fees for an experienced doula start at approximately $600 in smaller towns, and can reach about $2,000 in cities with the highest cost of living, such as San Francisco or New York City." (p. 97)
Couples can ask for a doula as a gift registry item. For cash gifts, some websites to check-out are:
www.felicite.com
www.gogift.com
www.myregistry.com
Page 80, 81,89 have lists of ways to find a doula. One for me, for some day, Christian Midwives International (U.S.A.) Referrals to Christian midwives and doulas.
Adoptive parent "breastfeeding expert Lenore Goldfarb." (p. 92)
Support services for birth families. (p 94)
"For more information about doulas and surrogacy or adoption, contact the Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association, at 888-MY-CAPPA" or click here cappa. (p. 94)
Questions doulas ask,
"Have you been learning about birth, or do you need basic information? Have you taken birth classes or read books about birth?"
Who will be with you at your birth? What kind of support would they like to offer, and what kind of support will they need?
If you have given birth before, what was your experience like?
How do you wish to handle the potential pain of labor?
Do you have health concerns or emotional concerns you would like to share? If you have an unusual health condition, can you supply your doula with information about it?" (p.98)
Doula fees, "Typical fees for a newly trained doula in North America are in the range of $300. Fees for an experienced doula start at approximately $600 in smaller towns, and can reach about $2,000 in cities with the highest cost of living, such as San Francisco or New York City." (p. 97)
Couples can ask for a doula as a gift registry item. For cash gifts, some websites to check-out are:
www.felicite.com
www.gogift.com
www.myregistry.com
Drugs, Lamaze, and Beyond Ch.4 Lowe & Zimmerman
Drugs, Lamaze, and Beyond
Lying flat on your back in labor produces more painful contractions that are "less effective at opening the cervix." (p 61)
Contact you doctor or midwife immediately if you experience "stabbing pain in the abdomen that does not disappear between contractions...bleeding heavier than a menstrual period." (p. 61)
"High stress and excess adrenaline in labor may cause the lower portion of the uterus to close rather than open." (p. 61-62)
"If a birthing woman feels very fearful of the pain of labor, if she feels unsafe, or if support and guidance are not available to her, it is logical that the body tension and doubts will increase, and the pain may indeed become unmanageable." (p. 62)
"...2006 study from the University Hospital Nice, France, published in the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, mothers who received a very low-dose epidural were able to walk safely without falling or stumbling. (The medication used was 0.0625 percent bupivacaine, a lower amount of the standard drug used in nearly all epidurals." (p. 65)
If you want an epidural and the ability to change positions in labor, begin conversations with your care provider at your prenatal appointments. When at the hospital ask nursing staff to help you switch positions and encourage you to do so. (p. 66)
If an epidural seems to be not working, try changing positions before upping the dose. Give the new position 15-30 minutes to work. (p. 66)
"...approximately 95 percent of birth classes are affiliated with hospitals or clinics; these are sometimes thought of by childbirth advocates as 'obedience classes,' because they may teach you to be more of a passive patient than an active informed consumer." (p. 68-69)
"...Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, if you are able to go to a massage therapist a half-dozen times while pregnant, the relaxation effects can carry over to help you have an easier labor." (p. 70)
Lying flat on your back in labor produces more painful contractions that are "less effective at opening the cervix." (p 61)
Contact you doctor or midwife immediately if you experience "stabbing pain in the abdomen that does not disappear between contractions...bleeding heavier than a menstrual period." (p. 61)
"High stress and excess adrenaline in labor may cause the lower portion of the uterus to close rather than open." (p. 61-62)
"If a birthing woman feels very fearful of the pain of labor, if she feels unsafe, or if support and guidance are not available to her, it is logical that the body tension and doubts will increase, and the pain may indeed become unmanageable." (p. 62)
"...2006 study from the University Hospital Nice, France, published in the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, mothers who received a very low-dose epidural were able to walk safely without falling or stumbling. (The medication used was 0.0625 percent bupivacaine, a lower amount of the standard drug used in nearly all epidurals." (p. 65)
If you want an epidural and the ability to change positions in labor, begin conversations with your care provider at your prenatal appointments. When at the hospital ask nursing staff to help you switch positions and encourage you to do so. (p. 66)
If an epidural seems to be not working, try changing positions before upping the dose. Give the new position 15-30 minutes to work. (p. 66)
"...approximately 95 percent of birth classes are affiliated with hospitals or clinics; these are sometimes thought of by childbirth advocates as 'obedience classes,' because they may teach you to be more of a passive patient than an active informed consumer." (p. 68-69)
"...Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, if you are able to go to a massage therapist a half-dozen times while pregnant, the relaxation effects can carry over to help you have an easier labor." (p. 70)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Blogs for Brio Classes
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Soy & Dairy Intolerance
Website for helping with calcium intake.
http://www.iloveindia.com/nutrition/calcium/sources-of-calcium.html
Blog for family going without dairy and soy.
http://www.thrivingwithout.blogspot.com/
Also, Milkworks http://www.milkworks.org/ has a food intolerance list to help go without.
http://www.iloveindia.com/nutrition/calcium/sources-of-calcium.html
Blog for family going without dairy and soy.
http://www.thrivingwithout.blogspot.com/
Also, Milkworks http://www.milkworks.org/ has a food intolerance list to help go without.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Labor, the Hardest Work You'll Ever Love?
Labor and lovemaking hormones are the same (oxytocin and prostaglandins). Increasing the release of these hormones during labor can help speed your labor.
The increase can be accomplished through kissing, "making out," breast or nipple stimulation, stimulating the clitoris or having an orgasm, just "simply lying naked in skin contact with your partner will help increase oxytocin." (Intercourse is okay as long as your bag of waters is intact.)
Physical closeness can, also, relieve pain. (p 43-44)
"Once active labor is reached, labor is more similar from woman to woman, and the baby will probably be born within the next five to ten hours." (p 45)
"...in response to the effort and pain of labor, women's bodies produce extremely high levels of endorphins (natural painkillers and mood-boosters)." (p 47-48)
"While practicing on the toilet, if you feel you must strain or you will not be able to have a bowel movement, take a break and wait until later in the day when the urge to push feels stronger. Because pregnancy can be a time of increased constipation, you may have the perfect opportunity to try this out!" (p 50)
"These sensations will build up until the baby begins to pass the pubic bone, at which point the urge to push will become an overwhelming force." (p 52)
"Let your early bearing-down urges simply be there, while neither resisting them nor adding extra force to them." (p 52)
What Every Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section booklet.
Three reasons to have a doula if having a VBAC:
1 Having "a doula lowers the rate of cesarean,"
2 "doulas lower the use of epidurals and medications to stimulate labor,"
3 "giving birth after a cesarean involves restoring your confidence that you can do it." (p 57)
"A Canadian study of thirteen hundred women showed that mothers with higher motivation for a VBAC were much more likely to achieve one." (p 58)
The increase can be accomplished through kissing, "making out," breast or nipple stimulation, stimulating the clitoris or having an orgasm, just "simply lying naked in skin contact with your partner will help increase oxytocin." (Intercourse is okay as long as your bag of waters is intact.)
Physical closeness can, also, relieve pain. (p 43-44)
"Once active labor is reached, labor is more similar from woman to woman, and the baby will probably be born within the next five to ten hours." (p 45)
"...in response to the effort and pain of labor, women's bodies produce extremely high levels of endorphins (natural painkillers and mood-boosters)." (p 47-48)
"While practicing on the toilet, if you feel you must strain or you will not be able to have a bowel movement, take a break and wait until later in the day when the urge to push feels stronger. Because pregnancy can be a time of increased constipation, you may have the perfect opportunity to try this out!" (p 50)
"These sensations will build up until the baby begins to pass the pubic bone, at which point the urge to push will become an overwhelming force." (p 52)
"Let your early bearing-down urges simply be there, while neither resisting them nor adding extra force to them." (p 52)
What Every Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section booklet.
Three reasons to have a doula if having a VBAC:
1 Having "a doula lowers the rate of cesarean,"
2 "doulas lower the use of epidurals and medications to stimulate labor,"
3 "giving birth after a cesarean involves restoring your confidence that you can do it." (p 57)
"A Canadian study of thirteen hundred women showed that mothers with higher motivation for a VBAC were much more likely to achieve one." (p 58)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Doulas Are Great Pain Relief; For Fathers, Partners, and Other Loved Ones; Labor, the Hardest Work You'll Ever Love?
Before I get started...
If you are reading this blog, considering a doula, and live in Nebraska, please, visit http://www.doulasource.org/
Okay...
"epidurals lower the blood pressure of one in three mothers, and therefore lower blood flow and oxygen to the baby. This can create changes in the baby's heart rate which may be seen as "fetal distress," a cause of further interventions and cesareans." (p 7)
"mothers with doulas are more likely to give birth without needing epidurals, yet they still report less pain." (p 7)
Want a good way to speed up labor without Pitocin?
"Current estimates of the use of Pitocin are as high as 50 to 60 percent of births in the United States...With a doula, the use of Pitocin has been shown to be reduced by 40 percent...the use of a doula results in labors that are 25 percent shorter." (p 9)
"Without a doula, epidurals are used in the U.S. by approximately 85 percent or more of first-time mothers." (p 13)
"Studies show fathers participate more when a doula is present." (p 28)
"one result of childbirth is that athletes who've gone through it become faster at their sport." (p 40)
REFERENCES
The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy & Birth by Stephanie Brill
Attending Your Grandchild's Birth: A Guide for Grandparents by Carolynn Bauer Zorn
If you are reading this blog, considering a doula, and live in Nebraska, please, visit http://www.doulasource.org/
Okay...
"epidurals lower the blood pressure of one in three mothers, and therefore lower blood flow and oxygen to the baby. This can create changes in the baby's heart rate which may be seen as "fetal distress," a cause of further interventions and cesareans." (p 7)
"mothers with doulas are more likely to give birth without needing epidurals, yet they still report less pain." (p 7)
Want a good way to speed up labor without Pitocin?
"Current estimates of the use of Pitocin are as high as 50 to 60 percent of births in the United States...With a doula, the use of Pitocin has been shown to be reduced by 40 percent...the use of a doula results in labors that are 25 percent shorter." (p 9)
"Without a doula, epidurals are used in the U.S. by approximately 85 percent or more of first-time mothers." (p 13)
"Studies show fathers participate more when a doula is present." (p 28)
"one result of childbirth is that athletes who've gone through it become faster at their sport." (p 40)
REFERENCES
The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy & Birth by Stephanie Brill
Attending Your Grandchild's Birth: A Guide for Grandparents by Carolynn Bauer Zorn
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynocolgists (ACOG)in July of last year helped women desiring to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in the hospital by posting less restrictive guidelines for doing so.
However, in the state of Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha is the one place I know of where a woman stands a chance of having a VBAC in hospital. One of the couples I work with told me that the midwives at UNMC said women desiring a VBAC need to go completely unmedicated in labor to prevent uterin rupture. As of the time the couple had met with the UNMC midwives, the women who were able to go unmedicated had all taken Bradley childbirth classes.
However, in the state of Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha is the one place I know of where a woman stands a chance of having a VBAC in hospital. One of the couples I work with told me that the midwives at UNMC said women desiring a VBAC need to go completely unmedicated in labor to prevent uterin rupture. As of the time the couple had met with the UNMC midwives, the women who were able to go unmedicated had all taken Bradley childbirth classes.
Sad Stats
When at the toLabor training, we watched a video where a woman was talking about her first birth which ended in a cesarean (c-section). It wasn't until after her birth that a nurse pointed out that she had just had, "major abdominal surgery." It was sad to me then, and still is, that there was a failure to mention that a c-section is, "MAJOR abdominal surgery."
The World Health Organization notes, "The best outcomes for mothers and babies appear to occur with cesarean rates of 5% to 10%." As of 2007 the United States had a c-section rate of 31.8%. That is about one in three women having, "major abdominal surgery," to birth their children.
Dr. Bradley had a 3% c-section rate and took high risk moms. AAHCC boasts a 87% "completely natural birth rate." Nebraska has a 28.6-31.9% c-section rate.
"Completely natural birth rate," needs to be explained. It is no longer okay just to ask if you had a, "natural birth." Many people associate, "natural birth," with vaginal delivery, not unmedicated.
The support of a doula lowers c-section and epidural rates.
The World Health Organization notes, "The best outcomes for mothers and babies appear to occur with cesarean rates of 5% to 10%." As of 2007 the United States had a c-section rate of 31.8%. That is about one in three women having, "major abdominal surgery," to birth their children.
Dr. Bradley had a 3% c-section rate and took high risk moms. AAHCC boasts a 87% "completely natural birth rate." Nebraska has a 28.6-31.9% c-section rate.
"Completely natural birth rate," needs to be explained. It is no longer okay just to ask if you had a, "natural birth." Many people associate, "natural birth," with vaginal delivery, not unmedicated.
The support of a doula lowers c-section and epidural rates.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
My Experience
The journey to this point has been long.
Growing up, I wanted one more child than my aunt. By the time I graduated high school, she had nine.
Reality set in and my wish for one more than her shrunk to 5, maybe. Then, to four. Currently, it stands at three. I don't know what God's plan is for the future of our family. I would still like, "one more." However, my husband, as seems to be the case with most husbands of doulas, has caught on to the, "one more," idea and with that has come the skepticism if just, "one more," would be the end of it.
My husband and I took Bradley classes when expecting our first child. I had put a lot of meds in my body to get pregnant, as is the case with people who have fertility problems, and wasn't willing to put in more to get him out of me.
I had an amazing labor and birth experience. One of my first comments after his birth was, "Can we do it again in 9-months?"
Eighteen months later, we did it again. And again, it was AMAZING!
Then, again, 21-months later.
Between the birth of our second and our third, I started teaching classes.
I couldn't keep my mouth shut about how wonderful un-medicated childbirth was and would willingly share with anyone who would listen. Which, often looked like an expectant mom. I quickly discovered, it was the expectant dad that needed to be listening and the easiest way to do that was to teach a class.
Our Bradley instructor was glad to welcome me to the world of childbirth instructor. I owe many thank yous to our instructor who first helped me to see what was possible.
Growing up, I wanted one more child than my aunt. By the time I graduated high school, she had nine.
Reality set in and my wish for one more than her shrunk to 5, maybe. Then, to four. Currently, it stands at three. I don't know what God's plan is for the future of our family. I would still like, "one more." However, my husband, as seems to be the case with most husbands of doulas, has caught on to the, "one more," idea and with that has come the skepticism if just, "one more," would be the end of it.
My husband and I took Bradley classes when expecting our first child. I had put a lot of meds in my body to get pregnant, as is the case with people who have fertility problems, and wasn't willing to put in more to get him out of me.
I had an amazing labor and birth experience. One of my first comments after his birth was, "Can we do it again in 9-months?"
Eighteen months later, we did it again. And again, it was AMAZING!
Then, again, 21-months later.
Between the birth of our second and our third, I started teaching classes.
I couldn't keep my mouth shut about how wonderful un-medicated childbirth was and would willingly share with anyone who would listen. Which, often looked like an expectant mom. I quickly discovered, it was the expectant dad that needed to be listening and the easiest way to do that was to teach a class.
Our Bradley instructor was glad to welcome me to the world of childbirth instructor. I owe many thank yous to our instructor who first helped me to see what was possible.
Birth of a Doula
My name is Jessica. I have been teaching Bradley (Husband Coached Childbirth) for two years. During the last two years, I have been teaching through the American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth (AAHCC).
In the 2010 year, I assisted three women in the births of their children. Two for friends. One for one of my Bradley couples.
Last summer I attended a toLabor (ALACE) training.
I started reading the toLabor manual right after training, but, got discouraged with one of the articles that was a little to vivid for me. Plus, overwhelmed with facts and needing a place to put them so I don't overwhelm everyone in my life with pregnancy, labor, birth, and after birth facts.
As it stands right now...
I am honored to be invited to two births this year. One in May for a friend. And another in August for one of my Bradley couples.
I have switched from the Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth to Brio. Brio is based on Dr. Bradley's principles.
I have ordered some of the reading list for the toLabor training...
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
The Doula Guide to Birth
The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth
The Birth Partner
Wise Woman Herbal is a book I am glad I ordered. I can't imagine sitting down and reading it cover-to-cover. However, like The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy (that I have owned for years), I imagine I will keep it near at hand for reference to specific situations. The pages will be dog-eared shortly.
The Doula Guide to Birth is proving to be a good starting place for me. In the first few pages, the one thing I want to remember is to recommend olive oil as an oil to use to help stretch mom to avoid an episiotomy or tearing. I know to use oil to massage the perineum, but, often I don't think of olive oil. I think of almond. It is good to remember something that everyone, probably, already has in their kitchen can be used.
In the 2010 year, I assisted three women in the births of their children. Two for friends. One for one of my Bradley couples.
Last summer I attended a toLabor (ALACE) training.
I started reading the toLabor manual right after training, but, got discouraged with one of the articles that was a little to vivid for me. Plus, overwhelmed with facts and needing a place to put them so I don't overwhelm everyone in my life with pregnancy, labor, birth, and after birth facts.
As it stands right now...
I am honored to be invited to two births this year. One in May for a friend. And another in August for one of my Bradley couples.
I have switched from the Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth to Brio. Brio is based on Dr. Bradley's principles.
I have ordered some of the reading list for the toLabor training...
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
The Doula Guide to Birth
The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth
The Birth Partner
Wise Woman Herbal is a book I am glad I ordered. I can't imagine sitting down and reading it cover-to-cover. However, like The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy (that I have owned for years), I imagine I will keep it near at hand for reference to specific situations. The pages will be dog-eared shortly.
The Doula Guide to Birth is proving to be a good starting place for me. In the first few pages, the one thing I want to remember is to recommend olive oil as an oil to use to help stretch mom to avoid an episiotomy or tearing. I know to use oil to massage the perineum, but, often I don't think of olive oil. I think of almond. It is good to remember something that everyone, probably, already has in their kitchen can be used.
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