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Preparing for Life Beyond Birth

February 28, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

 

Last week we discussed remembering to take care of yourself after baby arrives. Today, Meagan Church–mom of two, blogger at Unexpectant and author–talks about thinking beyond pregnancy and birth to prepare for taking care of baby outside the womb. 

By Meagan Church

When our firstborn decided to arrive 10 days past his due date, I enjoyed having some extra time to prepare for his arrival. Honestly, I hoped he’d stay in utero for a long time. Why? Because I knew how to care for him there. I didn’t have to worry about changing diapers, getting the hang of breastfeeding or soothing his cries. He was compact, portable and quiet. When he did arrive, I was happy to meet him, but I was still anxious about what to do with him. His doctor asked us in the hospital, “Do you have any questions?” I said, “Yeah. Are we really supposed to take him home with us?” Everyone laughed, but on the inside, I meant it.  What did I know about babies? I’d only ever held a few in my entire life and I had never changed a diaper.

The realization that I had no clue set in the morning after my son was born when my husband left the hospital to tend to our animals at home. There I was, alone with a tiny stranger who was looking to me for survival. Of course he chose that moment to fill his diaper. There I was, less than 24 hours post-partum, tenderly negotiating my way out of bed, while holding a screaming newborn. I placed him in the bassinet and attempted to change his diaper for the first time. During the process, he stuck his sock in the mess. I began to search for a clean one, as he continued to wail. I came up empty-handed. Then my midwife walked in. “How’s it going?” she began to ask. I turned and said through tears, “I need a sock!” She hurried away and came back moments later with a handful of socks. She helped me get him dressed, swaddled and situated. And then she hugged me.

While pregnant, I did plenty of research on pregnancy, labor and delivery. I knew what to eat and what to avoid, while growing a little person. I developed my birth philosophy and knew how I felt about different forms of pain management during labor. But thankfully I didn’t stop there. Too often women view babies as such a natural event that surely they can wing it and figure things out. A friend of mine once said, “I was obsessed with labor and delivery, but I never thought about bringing the baby home. Oh, my gosh! What do you do with this baby? She cries all the time!”

The reality of life with baby hits many moms harder than expected. While having a baby is a natural event, many in our culture are removed from the process until we experience it for ourselves, making the learning curve quite sharp. Since I had yet to change a diaper before that stressful hospital scene, I knew the transition would not be easy for me. To lesson that curve, I read not just about labor, but also about breastfeeding and baby care, and I took classes on both topics at my local hospital. Sure I still found myself standing in the hospital room crying over a sock, but imagine how much more lost I would’ve been without even doing that much. So here are a few tips for parents-to-be when it comes to preparing for life when the labor pains stop:

Observe. Watch friends, family and even complete strangers who have babies. I learned a lot by watching others and how they cared for their children. I made plenty of mental notes on things that surprised, encouraged or completely scared me.

Read & listen. Books, magazines, websites and podcasts on this topic abound. It’s not necessary to take an obsessive approach and read every parenting manual out there. Explore different authors and different perspectives so you can understand what you do and what you don’t like. Also check to see if your local hospital, birthing center or area doulas offer informational classes.

Practice. I rarely babysat as a teen or an adult. No wonder I had no clue! Get involved with the kids you know. Their parents will be grateful for your help. If you’re not certain about going it alone, offer to lend a helping hand, while the parent is still in the house. Even offering to tackle a diaper change is a blessing to a tired parent.

Volunteer. Get hands-on practice by giving your time to a local church, homeless shelter, women’s center or the like. They can always use the help and you will receive great rewards in return. Plus, once your little one arrives, free time will become a thing of the past, so enjoy these opportunities while you can.

Breathe. In all you see and learn, remember to stay flexible. It is easy to develop a parenting philosophy before your house is filled with an inconsolable newborn. Years before having kids, I rolled my eyes at my sister-in-law who co-slept with her child. Then I had a baby who decided he’d rather not sleep for the first year of his life. Let’s just say rules are easily changed in the wee hours of the night. But at least by witnessing her example, I had a solution to turn to in those wee hours.

So don’t spend those nine months preparing for just one day. Also consider the lifetime to come and how you’ll make it through those early days, weeks and months. And be sure to pack extra socks.

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Meagan Church is a writer, a reader, a black coffee drinker; a runner, a golfer and a lover of nature; a wife, a mother and a wanna be world changer. Her blog, www.DefiningMotherhood.com, explores her role as a mother of two toddlers, outside of clichés and inside the reality of it all. She is currently working on a project that explores the realities of birth, babies and beyond. Visit www.Unexpectant.com or @unexpectant on Twitter for more information or to join in the conversation. She is also the author of the children’s book Unique as Pete: How Autism Does Not Mean Different, along with various freelance articles on parenting, midwives, water birth and more that can be found at www.MeaganChurch.com.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Newborn, Parenting Tagged With newborn care

Great Expectations: Liz (& Isadora) @ 3 Weeks Postpartum

February 25, 2011 By Liz Abbene Leave a Comment

My darling Isadora is three weeks old!  She is a fabulous baby, nursing well and sleeping for long stretches at night (don’t hate me–I have three others to chase after and need the rest), and even starting to smile! She definitely loves her mama, wanting to be held more than her siblings did, but I don’t mind one bit.  I gladly snuggle with her as much as possible and am very thankful for the fact that she loves hanging out in the sling (READ: get a good baby carrier and/or sling.) It’s odd to me how she’s so new, yet I feel like I’ve known her forever. It probably doesn’t hurt that she looks so much like my other three that it kind of freaks me out from time to time. Her siblings love her to pieces, showering her with kisses (that sometimes involve a transmission of chocolate milk mustaches and bread crumbs to her forehead) and affection.  My oldest two proudly brought a picture of her to school the day after she was born, and my son requested to bring a different one the following day, this time of her nursing.  As much as I promote breastfeeding, I decided that it was probably not something that he should share with his first-grade classmates.

My fabulous birth high was met quickly with heartache. The day after Isadora was born, I learned that my other two daughters also have mytonic dystrophy, though not quite as severe as my son. Last week, the results came back for Isadora, and she, too, is affected.  We are thankful that it is not so severe to have impacted her at birth, but it is making for an exceptionally emotional postpartum time.  I have, once again, found myself heeding more of my own advice for the postpartum time. I have been asking others for help (namely my husband and mother, but I know there will be many others added to my “village” in the coming months), had a friend set up a meal delivery schedule for me (check out www.foodtidings.com or www.mealbaby.com to do the same), and have been trying to take it easy, as much as a mother of four can.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Great Expectations, Newborn, Parenting, Postpartum

Taking Care of Yourself after Baby Is Born

February 23, 2011 By FitPregnancy 2 Comments

By Hillari Dowdle

Pregnancy was the healthiest time in my life. With baby on board, I finally found the motivation I needed to eat right, get enough rest and exercise. But the minute I delivered my son, my focus shifted entirely to him. I wanted the best for him, 24/7, and put myself entirely at his service. What new mom wouldn’t?

Somewhere around the six-month mark, however, I realized I might have gone a little overboard on making it all about him. He was thriving, yes, but I wasn’t sleeping. I wasn’t bathing. I wasn’t getting out of the house. I was flabby and exhausted, and—worst of all—bursting into tears four times a day. I was, in short, a mess.

With 20/20 hindsight, I can see that I’d have been a better mother in those early months if I’d taken a little time out to attend to my own needs. Experts agree. Here’s their advice for staying happy and healthy.

Put Yourself on a Feeding Schedule
The most important thing you can do to maintain your energy is to eat well, says Eileen Behan, R.D., author of Eat Well, Lose Weight While Breastfeeding (Ballantine Books). “You need to remember to feed yourself; if you don’t, you’ll run out of energy and make poor food choices that you regret later,” she says. To get what you need, aim to make 90 percent of your food choices nutritious ones. “Put yourself on a feeding schedule that’s not too different from the one you’ll want to move your child to—three meals a day, plus a couple of snacks,” Behan says.

Share the Sleep Burden
New moms should take care to schedule sleep for themselves at night. “A few uninterrupted hours of sleep at night will help keep the brain chemistry steady and the biorhythms on track,” says Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D., author of Postpartum Depression for Dummies (For Dummies). Sleep with the baby close to you, or in a bedside bassinet, so you can nurse in bed. Or, pump in advance and let your partner handle late-night bottle feedings so you can sleep in shifts.

Beat the Baby Blues
Postpartum depression will strike 1 in 7 new mothers, says Bennett. And, it can happen later than you think, sometimes up to one year after delivery. Ask a friend or your partner to help you watch for the signs. “If you’re angry all the time, if you don’t have an appetite, if you feel hopeless or anxious, or if you’re taking it personally that the baby’s not eating well, these are signs that you may be depressed,” she says. “Normal baby blues should be gone within two weeks of the birth.” Antidepressants can be a safe option, but they’re not the only answer. “Many moms are afraid to come forward because they don’t want to take medication,” Bennett says. “Sometimes support, education and good nutrition are all that’s needed.”

Sneak in Exercise
It takes stamina to care for a baby—and the demands only grow once your child is on the move. “You can get energy and relieve emotional and physical stress with exercise,” says LaReine Chabut, author of Lose That Baby Fat!(M. Evans & Co.). “But it’s unrealistic to plan workouts every day of the week; you’ll set yourself up for failure that way. Instead, do it on the fly—fit in 10 minutes twice a day if you can.” The best way? Join other moms on stroller walks with your baby (see “Rock and Stroll” as well as a post-baby abdominal workout below).

Join a New Moms Group—or Not!
It sounds a little selfish, but in the early days of motherhood you should do whatever makes you feel best. Join a new moms group, take a bubble bath, make a date with daddy—these are all good ideas, but only if they make you feel better and not like one more addition to your to-do list. Because when it comes to really feeling good, it’s all about you.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Exercise, Newborn, Parenting, Postpartum

How to Communicate with Your OB

February 21, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

By Ami Burns, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE

Childbirth classes are the ideal place to learn about your options for labor and birth. But even if your class is awesome – and I hope it will be – all the education in the world won’t matter if you don’t communicate your wishes with your OB.

In some cases, learning is the easy part, but communicating? Not so much.

Ideally, you have a positive relationship with your doctor from the start. Maybe she’s been your GYN since before you were pregnant, or perhaps you were able to interview her before selecting her for maternity care.  Even if you have a new provider, or are limited by your health insurance company, mutual respect and trust is important.

Building a positive, trusting relationship with your OB sets the stage for open communication. I believe it’s key to having a positive birth experience – even if things don’t go exactly as you may hope.

Here are some communication tips:

1. Don’t hesitate to ask questions

If your OB asks “Any questions?” at your next appointment, your answer should be “yes!” Some OBs take a lot of time with patients, others may not. Be sure to ask questions – even if you have to speak up to say you have some!

Chances are you may learn via childbirth classes about options in birth you didn’t know about. Depending on what your ideal labor looks like, you may want to ask the following questions:

-          What is your experience with normal, natural (free of pain medication) birth?

-          What is your induction rate?

-          What is your epidural rate?

-          What is your c-section rate (primary or VBAC)?

-          What is your protocol if my water breaks before labor starts? How soon do I have to come to the hospital?

2. Remind yourself to ask questions

Set a reminder on you smart phone to go off during your next OB appointment. As questions come up during the month or week before you meet, type them into the calendar – they’ll pop up during your next appointment. This is perfect for “pregnant brains!” If you’re not tech-savvy, keep a small notebook in your bag and jot down questions or information you want to talk about.

3. Don’t wait until labor

Express your wishes for labor and birth with your OB before you’re in labor. Take childbirth classes. Tour your hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Read good books about birth. Talk to other moms about their experiences. Start figuring out what you want your labor to be like – and talk it over with your doctor. Labor is not the time to suddenly find out whether or not you and your OB are on the same page.

4. Keep communicating throughout the process

While labor isn’t the time to start communicating, it also isn’t the time to stop. If your primary OB isn’t on call, share your wishes with the OB who attends your labor and delivery. Even if you write down your wishes for birth, verbal communication is still really important.

5. Remember, you’ll only have this experience once

Even if you go on to have more babies, you only get one shot at this labor and birth. I teach many second-time moms who say “I wish I spoke up about my wishes the first time around.”

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Childbirth education, Choosing a care provider, Pregnancy

An Unexpected Treat If You’re Expecting

February 18, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

By Nadia Mohamedi, OTIS Teratogen Information Specialist

With the passing of Valentine’s Day this week and the upcoming Easter holiday, chocolate season is in full swing! Pregnant women, on the other hand, are sometimes told that chocolate is yet another treat they should not eat in pregnancy. Although a low amount, chocolate does contain caffeine. Many studies have been conducted on the effect of caffeine on a pregnancy and the developing baby, however, some pregnant women hear varied and unclear advice about caffeine consumption. Do pregnant women really have to spend the holidays watching their kids enjoy fancy chocolate treats?

Caffeine has been studied extensively in pregnancy and to date no studies have suggested that caffeine intake in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for birth defects.  However, there have been conflicting results regarding the contribution of caffeine intake to an increased risk for miscarriage and preterm birth (delivering before 37 weeks).

In 2008, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) reviewed the literature to date on the effect of caffeine intake on pregnancy outcome. To determine if caffeine increases one’s risk for a miscarriage, they reviewed two large studies of more than 3,000 pregnant women. They concluded that this data showed caffeine intake of less than 200mg per day, or “moderate” caffeine intake, was not associated with an increased risk for miscarriage.  Similarly, they reviewed two large studies of about 2,000 babies and found that moderate caffeine intake did not contribute to preterm birth. Thus, ACOG concluded that moderate caffeine intake, no more than 200mg of caffeine per day, during pregnancy does not seem to be a factor in increasing a women’s risk for having a miscarriage or a preterm delivery.

So, a pregnant woman can have some chocolate. But wait, how much is 200 mg of caffeine? Here is a list of some common caffeinated treats with their average milligrams of caffeine defined by the US Department of Agriculture:

Dark Chocolate 1.45 oz = 30mg
Milk Chocolate 1.55 oz = 11mg
Coffee 8oz = 137mg
Tea 8oz = 48mg
Soda 12oz= 37mg
Hot Cocoa 12oz= 8-12mg

Given these recommendations, pregnant women should feel reassured that they can share a latte with their valentine or indulge in a few pieces of dark chocolate this Valentine’s Day without the worry of adversely affecting their developing baby. Sweet!

* Committee Opinion #462, “Moderate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy,” published in the August 2010 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Nadia Mohamedi is a teratogen information specialist and also serves as a research assistant/interviewer for OTIS studies in San Diego, CA. She holds a BA in neurobiology and a minor in psychology from Harvard College. In addition to her work with OTIS, Nadia has worked for the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Program at McLean Hospital as well as served as a teacher’s assistant at a school for children with disabilities in Lima, Peru.

OTIS is a North American non-profit dedicated to providing accurate evidence-based information about exposures during pregnancy and lactation. Questions or concerns about alcohol during pregnancy or breastfeeding can be directed to OTIS counselors at (866) 626-OTIS (6847) or online at OTISPregnancy.org.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Health and well-being, Pregnancy

Blossom in the Desert: Postpartum Progress, an Interview with Katherine Stone

February 16, 2011 By Walker Karraa, MFA, MA, CD(DONA) 9 Comments

At a recent mental health conference, I sat in a ballroom filled with the leading experts in the field of perinatal and postpartum depression and anxiety.  A heated topic emerged.  A tall woman with vibrant red hair stood in line and waited her turn at the comment microphone.  With utter clarity and striking confidence, she spoke truth to power for all women experiencing depression or anxiety around the time of childbirth. She stood amidst every expert and spoke for all of us.  That woman was Katherine Stone, the author of Postpartum Progress, the most widely-read blog on postpartum depression and other maternal mental health issues. 

I nabbed her in the hallway at the break and asked if she would do an interview for Giving Birth With Confidence. She said yes, and handed me her business card….a photo of the desert with one brilliant flower blossoming in the middle. That photo captures Katherine–her steadfast commitment to represent potential, and to encourage women to stay bright and bold in the middle of dry times.

It is my pleasure to offer the first of a two-part interview with Katherine. In part one Katherine reflects on pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period sharing her own journey through postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and her recovery.  In Part II we will learn about Katherine’s advocacy, and tireless effort to help all women give birth with confidence.

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Tell us a little about your work and blog.  

I am a full-time advocate for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and the mother of two children, ages 4 and 9. 

I started my blog Postpartum Progress in 2004 so that women wouldn’t feel as alone, ashamed and uninformed as I did when I had postpartum OCD with the birth of my first child in 2001.  It has since become the most widely-read blog on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  I am extremely proud of it, and the community that has been created through it. 

What were your births like?

My first birth was a bit of a nightmare. My water broke first thing in the morning and off we went to the hospital.  I then spent hours and hours and hours in labor, and actually pushed for 4 hours. Four hours! I was completely emotionally and physically spent, beyond spent, by the time my son was finally delivered via forceps.  I already felt like a failure for not having been able to “properly” birth my own child.  Afterwards, he had jaundice, and unbeknownst to me the nurses in the nursery were giving him a bottle to prevent dehydration so after the first or second day he started refusing the breast. Oh, and the day we went home from the hospital was September 11.   All around, not the best experience.

How, if at all, did your births affect your OCD?

I do think it had an influence, although truth be told I can see now that I was already headed toward postpartum OCD anyway.  Still, perhaps it wouldn’t have been so severe.

What would you like to share about your personal experience of Postpartum OCD?

It was a nightmare. I’ve never been so scared in all my life.  I was sure my life was over and that I’d never be the same again. I felt completely disconnected to my baby and was convinced he would never love me.  I had intrusive thoughts, like “what if I drown him in the bathtub?”  (I didn’t know at the time of course, that they were intrusive thoughts.  I just thought I had become a monster.) I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I was filled with anxiety and dread all the time.  Postpartum OCD is just an awful illness. 

It’s hard to put into words how terrifying it is and how it can become so easy to be convinced that you are such a horrible and worthless person.

How did you get through it?

After several weeks of complete terror, I reached out for help.  I figured my life was over anyway so I might as well tell someone and get help.  I couldn’t stand the pain anymore.  I was sure when I told the first therapist I saw what my thoughts were that she’d call the police.  Thankfully she knew what was wrong with me, and explained it to me in the calmest and most supportive terms.  She told me I would be okay.  That was the first step in my recovery.  I took medication and went to therapy as my treatment.

What did you learn?

I learned a lot about the human mind and how we don’t have as much control over it as we think.  I learned to have great empathy for anyone suffering a mental illness.  I also learned that I’m a survivor and a strong and loving mother.  It was a hard path to take to learn all of that, but I’m grateful for it now.

How did you make meaning out of the experience?

I suppose the way I made meaning was to commit myself to helping all of the women who come after me.  Hundreds of thousands of people have gotten help from my blog Postpartum Progress, and I’ve recently started a nonprofit to try to do even more good.  It’s given me my life’s work, so I don’t regret having had postpartum OCD.

Did you have a birth or postpartum doula?

We did hire a baby nurse to help us after my son was born, but I sent her home after a couple of days.  I was so riddled with anxiety that I couldn’t stand to have her around.  She did nothing wrong, of course.  I just felt at the time that it should be me taking care of the baby, and that I shouldn’t need to have a nurse.  I already felt like I had failed the birth, and failed breastfeeding, and so I didn’t want to feel like a needed a nurse to help me do what I thought were basic mothering things like diapering and bathing. 

What did you learn in your childbirth education class about postpartum mental health?

PPD was glossed over.  In fact, I clearly recall the teacher of the class saying that none of her students ever got PPD so we shouldn’t worry about it.  What a travesty that was.

What did you know about your risk factors for depression before you had your baby?

I didn’t know anything about risk factors for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders before having my son.  I was never asked a single question.  I was never screened.  Had I known, I think I would at least have been prepared for the possibility that it would happen.

How does your experience influence your parenting? 

I’m not sure it influences my parenting any longer, but I think for the first couple of years I had a lot of guilt about it and I worked extra hard to make sure my son and I had a good bond.

Last year, I launched a new non-profit organization, called Postpartum Progress Inc., which is focused on improving the kinds of services and support that women receive.  I want to see more professionals who specialize in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  I want to give women help who don’t have access to it based on where they live or their resources.  I want to see improved public awareness.  I want more specialized treatment programs.  There is SO much work to be done, and I’m excited about contributing to it.

I’ve also recently launched a new service called Daily Hope, which is a first-of-its-kind project to help women who are currently suffering.  They can opt in to receive a daily email of encouragement on getting through these illnesses.  The messages of hope are written by me, as well as the nation’s top experts and authors on maternal mental illness, as well as survivors.  Because most women do not have access to PPD support groups and specialists where they live, we are bringing the experts and support to them.  This is one of the first projects of my non-profit, so it’s very exciting.  A lot of work, but very exciting.  Women who’d like to sign up can click here:  http://postpartumprogress.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=49e8e6d424badbb0285da7485&id=6f51f854b1

If you would like more information regarding postpartum progress, or postpartum depression and anxiety, visit www.postpartumprogress.com for links to excellent information, resources and support.

Katherine Stone is the author of Postpartum Progress (http://www.postpartumprogress.com), the most widely-read blog on postpartum depression and other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth.  Postpartum Progress has been named among the top 10 depression sites on the web by PsychCentral, won a 2010 Fit Pregnancy Best of the Web Award, and is a Parenting magazine Must-Read Mom Runner-Up.  Katherine is also the founder and executive director of Postpartum Progress Inc., a non-profit dedicated to vastly improving the support and services available to women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  Additionally, she writes the weekly column “If Mama Ain’t Happy” on ParentDish, and is a guest contributor for the topic of PPD at BlogHer.  She was the winner of the 2010 Bloganthropy Award, given for using social media to make a difference, and was named a WebMD Health Hero in 2008.  Follow her on Twitter at @postpartumprogr.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Health and well-being, Parenting, Post-partum depression, Postpartum, Pregnancy Tagged With postpartum depression, postpartum disorders

Why Choosing “Free Range” Labor May Make Birth Easier

February 14, 2011 By Cara Terreri 1 Comment

[A Lamaze news release]

Close your eyes and imagine a woman in labor.  If you picture the scene as it occurs regularly in movies, on television and in hospitals everywhere, you probably see her lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV and wearing belts around her belly to continuously monitor the baby’s heartbeat and the contractions.  Her “range” is limited to a few square feet. 

What’s wrong with this picture?  A lot, according to research. 

“The best way to keep your baby moving down and out is to keep your own body in motion.”  said Marilyn Curl, CNM, MSN, LCCE, FACCE and president of Lamaze International.  “Being confined to bed, tethered to monitors and IVs, interferes with the body’s ability to move the baby through the pelvic bones and down the birth canal.” 

Many hospitals have routine protocols like continuous fetal monitoring that limit movement and the use of epidurals commonly requires confinement in bed. 

Researchers have examined published studies that compared policies that encouraged movement during labor with policies that restricted movement. The conclusions show that the policies which encourage women to walk, move around, or change positions during labor may help women experience:

  • less severe pain
  • less need for pain medications, such as epidurals and narcotics
  • shorter labors
  • less continuous monitoring
  • fewer cesarean surgeries
  • lower likelihood for an episiotomy and use of vacuum extraction or forceps

Why does movement during labor have these effects?  Staying upright during labor means that gravity can aid the body’s natural efforts, which let the pelvic bones open as much as possible.  Women who are laying on their backs confined in bed lose this advantage, which increases the likelihood that the baby will be unable to navigate through the pelvic bones.
 
“It’s frustrating to see women routinely put on their backs and confined to bed and then be told that they ‘failed to progress’ or that the baby ‘didn’t fit’ through their pelvis when a simple move into an upright position could easily resolve both situations,” said Marylou Carrico Tietz, LCCE, FACCE, a Lamaze childbirth educator from Bethesda, Md. and president of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Lamaze International.  “Women need to be encouraged to listen to their bodies in labor and question routine hospital policies that may slow their progress.”  

Lamaze educators find that many women also report that movement during labor is an effective pain management tool, reducing pressure on the lower back, increasing space within the pelvis and allowing for an easier descent.  Tietz continued, “The mother’s movement throughout labor can help ease the baby through tight spots in their journey to being born.  The easier it is on the baby, the easier it tends to be for the mother as well.”

The best ways to avoid unnecessary confinement to bed include:

  • Choose a care provider who supports “mobile moms” – If they express support, put their answer to the test and ask what percentage of their patients end up staying up and mobile during labor.
  • Know the facts on fetal monitoring – In low-risk mothers, research shows that occasional checks of the baby’s heart rate are just as safe as constant monitoring.
  • Know the facts about epidurals – The benefits are well known, but also consider the possible drawbacks.  Switching positions can help get babies “un-stuck” but an epidural will render you mostly immobile.
  • Choose the right support – A doula or labor support person who will help you stay moving and can “negotiate” with your care provider or nurses, as needed.  They can also help you manage each and every contraction.
  • Use a birthing ball when you need a rest – Remember that you may need to bring your own, since many hospitals still don’t support women laboring in upright positions.
  • Stay upright during the pushing phase too – Many care providers will “let” mothers walk or sit up during the dilation phase, but will put them on their back or bottoms during the pushing phase.  These positions shrink the pelvis and make it harder to push the baby out.
  • Don’t be afraid to insist – It is difficult to go against hospital routine, but remember that many hospital routines are in place for the comfort and convenience of staff, not the health and safety of you and your baby.  The easier the birth is for you and your baby, the better the chances of a safe and healthy outcome for both of you.

Avoiding unnecessary medical intervention is part of Lamaze’s Six Healthy Birth Practices.  Based on recommendations by the World Health Organization and backed by extensive research that supports a woman’s natural ability to give birth, these practices are:

  • Let labor begin on its own
  • Walk, move around and change positions throughout labor
  • Bring a loved one, friend or doula for continuous support
  • Avoid interventions that are not medically necessary
  • Avoid giving birth on your back and follow your body’s urges to push
  • Keep mother and baby together; it’s best for mother, baby and breastfeeding

To learn more about the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices, please enroll in a Lamaze childbirth education class and visit www.lamaze.org/healthybirthpractices.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Coping with pain, Healthy Birth Practice, Labor

New Pregnancy, Different Outlook

February 11, 2011 By Cara Terreri Leave a Comment

After thinking I was done with pregnancy and babies after having my two boys, here I am writing to you 13 weeks pregnant. Somewhere between my youngest son’s 2nd birthday and last fall, I began to feel that my family wasn’t complete; that I wasn’t done with the process of creating new life. And so I began conversations to convince my husband that I wanted — that we needed — another child in our family. Mind you, this is after I had sold and given away nearly all of my baby and maternity clothes and baby gear. Whoops!  After some initial hesitation, my husband climbed on the baby-making wagon, and the rest, well, I’m sure you can figure it out.

With this being my third pregnancy, you might think it’s “old hat.” But this pregnancy is so different. Not that it physically feels different — I have had the same first trimester exhaustion, the same intense hunger and similar mild nausea. The difference is that I feel as though I’ve been given a gift. A third child wasn’t something that we had originally planned for in our family, but when we changed course, I wanted it so badly. I had also never expected to be able to share a pregnancy with my children when they were at an age to comprehend. Now, I get to talk to both boys about “the new baby.” My oldest is excited; he wants a little girl. My youngest is just worried about the baby sleeping in his bed. And lastly, with all that I have learned and embraced in the last six years of working with Lamaze, it’s so wonderful to be going through the very stage in life for which I spend so much time advocating.

As my pregnancy progresses, I’ll keep you updated. I also plan to share some of my thoughts and plans for birth, and why it will look different than my last two births. For now I don’t yet have a belly shot, by I do have a 12 week ultrasound pic to share. I normally just have one ultrasound at 20 weeks, but my OB had a hard time hearing fetal tones at my last appointment. She sent me in for ultrasound to make sure everything was ok. The first thing we saw on the monitor was a cute little baby bouncing up and down in my uterus! It was a relief for sure, and such a joy to see this new life growing inside of me.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Pregnancy

Early Induction: Why all the Hype?

February 9, 2011 By Cara Terreri 5 Comments

The term “early induction” has been tossed around the Internet a lot lately– it has even shown up on mainstream media outlets like Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek. What are they saying and what does it mean for pregnant women? Below are some basic points with links to more in-depth information from credible resources.

How early is an early induction?

An “early induction” is any induction that is performed before 39 weeks of pregnancy. Experts from several recognized organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Childbirth Connection and March of Dimes, state that a baby needs at least 39 completed weeks in order to fully develop their brain and other vital organs.

What are the risks of early induction?

Induction in and of itself carries risks to mom and baby. Because induction is an artificial process for starting labor, your body may not be ready to follow its cues. As a result, inductions can cause a cascade of additional medical processes (interventions) to keep labor going, which can ultimately lead to an increased risk for cesarean surgery. Unless there is clear medical indication (see below), letting labor begin on its own is the safest decision.

Induction before 39 weeks brings an additional risk of prematurity. Babies born even a little too early can experience complications like problems with breathing, feeding, maintaining body temperature and jaundice. In most cases, babies know best when it comes to being born.

What if I need to be induced?

There are solid medical reasons for induction before 39 weeks. Being done with being pregnant, isn’t one of them. ;) There are also several reasons given for induction that are not true medical reasons. It’s important to know the difference. Click through and read up on the two links provided above on the new induction resource page on Childbirth Connection, a not-for-profit organization founded that works to improve the quality of maternity care.

If you’re pregnant and faced with the decision to induce — and even if you’re not — read up! Inform yourself. Learn all that you can, from sources in addition to your care provider and other than well-meaning family and friends. Start here:

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Choosing a care provider, Complications and high risk pregnancies, Healthy Birth Practice, Induction, Pregnancy Tagged With early induction, labor induction

Focus on Fathers: Should Cars Have Four Wheels?

February 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

By Patrick Houser

When Lamaze asked me to write some blog posts about dads, for moms, I knew I needed to both grab your attention as well as provide real support for expectant families. I have been speaking, educating and writing about fathers and the family for many years now and I enjoy finding new ways to provoke conversation and emphasize the various topics important for early family life.

You might be puzzled by the question, Should cars have four wheels?, and perhaps find it misplaced on a blog that mainly discusses birthing options for mothers, how to deal with pain, morning sickness and other important topics pertinent to expectant parents.

The question about cars and wheels occurred to me when contemplating another question that is occasionally raised today: “Should fathers be at the birth of their child?” Well, most cars do have four wheels and most fathers (over 90 % in the West) are present at the birth of their child, so both questions are rather meaningless. Since we both can agree that most fathers are at the birth of their child, let’s move on to a more important discussion: understanding the father’s experience during pregnancy and birth, and how to support the new family relationship. [Sidenote: I do not profess that all fathers should, or should be required to, be at birth; however I do think it is a missed opportunity if not. Secondly, the role of primary support for a mother is not necessarily gender specific and many of our discussions could be useful for women supporting mothers whether romantic partners or others.]

I used to build houses and one thing I learned is the importance of foundations. A well planned, strong and stable foundation is what a house—and a family—needs, and the earlier the planning, the better the outcome.

Since fathers are participating like never before in the groundwork of the family, they certainly also must be at the heart of most discussions about early family life. I have noticed that for the majority of mothers, a significant factor in the success of her pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding is care provided by the father. Rarely does an expectant mother’s best friend, doula, midwife, doctor, mother, etc. have as much influence over her or the developing baby as the father. At the same time, the father is having an experience of his own that needs support.

Since the vast majority of conceptions are a surprise announcement (“Dear, I’m pregnant!”) rather than planned event (“Dear, let’s make a baby.”), the father may likely be the most surprised. Just like the mother, this new awareness and phase of life takes some time to get used to. While a mother experiences biological and physical changes in her body that act as a constant reminder of pregnancy, fathers do not.

Moms, be patient. Fathers need to process the information in their own way and at their own rate. It will be different for everyone.

So how is it for you and your guy? Can you feel the changes? How is communication between you? It is really, really important that you each take the opportunity from the very beginning to speak about the changes. However, it also is important to avoid delivering a barrage of questions, which could seem like an inquisition. Work your way in through “thinking” questions in order for him to reveal his feelings. For example, “What do you think about…” rather than “How do you feel about…” Men tend to have a less developed emotional vocabulary than women due to their upbringing. Stay close to each other, keep the intimacy alive, and spend time not speaking about the pregnancy and baby as well.

The sooner a dad is engaged in the pregnancy and with his developing family, the better. Since over 80% of the information dads receive during this time tends to come through moms, trustfully you will aim a few dads in the direction of this blog too and your whole family will benefit.

Patrick Houser is author of the, Fathers-To-Be Handbook, a roadmap for the transition to fatherhood, a parent and childbirth professional workshop leader, freelance writer and speaker at conferences world-wide. Learn more at  www.FathersToBe.org.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Dads Tagged With Focus on Fathers
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