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To VBAC or Not… Deciding My Birth Route

October 8, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 2 Comments

Since I haven’t been around much on Giving Birth with Confidence in the last couple weeks, I feel like I should take a couple moments to explain and share some news. We learned about a month ago that we are expecting our third child. This was a very big shock for our family, but apparently it is the curse of the Lamaze Passion for Birth workshops. Teri Shilling shared with our class, at least one of us would get pregnant in the next calendar year, despite plans not to.

Well I guess I was the lucky one because I am the first one to announce a pregnancy from our class (unless any others are hiding)! Almost instantly after learning the news, the constant exhaustion and then the morning sickness, which is really all day sickness, set in, making me prisoner to my to-do-list and my couch my best friend. I am 9 weeks along now, and started to slightly feel better while trying to tackle everything on my list of important things to get done. At the top of which was a post for this lovely blog!

The dilemma we are facing now is the decision of care, and our essential plan for the birth of our third child. At first I was set on trying for a second VBAC attempt, after having two previous cesarean surgeries. If you don’t already know, you can read about the births of my boys and my work in the cesarean recovery field. After learning more about adhesions, damage that was found during my second cesarean delivery, and speculation about my pelvis, I started to lean toward the option of having a family centered cesarean.

The problem is, we do not have a crystal ball. Depending on who you ask or what study you read, either having a VBA2C or repeat cesarean could be viewed as the safest option for not only my health and well being, but the safety and well being of our child. This fact is making this one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. Thankfully, I have months before I need to ultimately come to a final choice on what is best for us.

I am looking forward to sharing my journey with all of the readers here, as well as sharing my research, studies, and other information I come across when looking into the safest of birthing a child after two prior cesarean sections.

Filed Under A Woman's Guide to VBAC, All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Choosing a care provider, Pregnancy, Preparing for VBAC Tagged With cesarean, VBA2C, VBAC

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth: Keep Mother and Baby Together After Birth

September 10, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 2 Comments

In the first hours after your baby is born, skin-to-skin contact and staying with your baby at all times is something hospitals and parents should be practicing everywhere. Unfortunately it is not as common as it should be.

I have been using the Lamaze and Mothers Advocate videos a lot lately, and so I’ll share another on this Healthy Birth Practice to describe the importance of keeping mothers and babies together after birth.

Why is it so important that we keep our babies with us and have skin-to-skin contact with our newborns in the first hours after birth? In the first hours and moments after a baby is born, they go through an amazing transition into a whole new world. Imagine if you will, going from the safety and space of the womb to a big, new world with bright lights, noises, and new people.

Your baby is learning how to breathe air, suck, swallow, and regulate their own temperature outside of the womb all for the very first time! With skin-to-skin contact, babies benefit from more than just bonding:

  • Cry less
  • Have more stable temperatures
  • Have more stable blood sugars (the lack of skin to skin contact with my second son, because of my cesarean, caused a change in his blood sugar which resulted in a 30-hour NICU stay)
  • Breastfeed sooner, longer, and much more easily
  • Are exposed to normal bacterias on the mother, which can protect them from getting sick from unhealthy, or other types of bacteria, especially if birthing in a hospital
  • Have lower levels of stress hormones

These are all big advantages for mothers too!

You might be thinking, “But what about my sleep? Why can’t I just send the baby to the nursery for the night and rest up till I get home, then I can do this whole skin-to-skin thing?”

Studies show that mothers who give birth in a hospital and have their babies room in, get just as much sleep as those mothers who are sending their babies off to the nursery for the night.  These same studies have shown that babies who go to the nursery often have more issues with breastfeeding, making the the challenge of initiating and continuing breastfeeding that more difficult.

But what if my hospital doesn’t allow uninterrupted, skin-to-skin contact?

Be sure to discuss your preference for skin-to-skin contact with your care provider in advance of your birth, and again with your care provider and nursing staff upon being admitted to the hospital. If your hospital will not accommodate your desire for uninterrupted and immediate skin-to-skin contact (barring any medical emergency for you or your baby after birth), consider seeking a different hospital that employs more mother-baby friendly practices. It is almost never too late to change your birth venue or care provider.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Breastfeeding, Choosing a care provider, Healthy Birth Practice, Pregnancy Tagged With breastfeeding, Healthy Birth Practices, skin to skin contact

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth – Get Upright & Follow Your Urge to Push

August 27, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 1 Comment

“Ok, ready to push? Bear down, hold your breath: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten!”

We’ve seen this a million times in movies and on TV. A woman lies on her back in a hospital L&D ward in the pushing stage of labor and is bearing down, chin-to-chest and being directed to push for 10 seconds while her partner or care provider (or both) coach her through the process. Well, I’m hear to tell you that it doesn’t — and SHOULDN’T — be that way!

Throughout pregnancy, most women are told not to lie on their backs, but yet, that is the first thing most hospitals do when a woman shows up in labor! On the back is one of the worst positions for labor and birth. The position drastically decreases the size and opening of the pelvis and causes women to work against gravity.

Want to understand more about healthy practices for the pushing stage? See here:

Great video isn’t it?  When you are laying down on your back and pushing, it is like you are pushing up hill. It makes pushing and birth harder, and in many cases longer for mothers. Getting up and allowing gravity to assist in the pushing phase is a huge benefit to mothers. Not only is it more comfortable, but it utilizes

gravity to help during this phase. Babies are also more likely to show signs of distress if you are laboring on your back, which is one of the reasons health professionals encourage you to stay off of your back during pregnancy!

Some of the benefits to upright pushing include :

  • Lessened pain
  • Shorter second stage of labor
  • Less damage to the vagina and perineum
  • Reduction in use of or need for a vacuum assisted delivery
  • Lower number of episiotomies

The second piece to this healthy birth practice is following your urge to push, also known as spontaneous pushing. Pushing when your body tells you that you need to push and following that urge to push is what your body needs to do to birth your baby! By following commands from others on when, how, and how long to push, you will be more likely to tire out faster, as this practice puts undue stress on you and your body.

Some of the benefits associated with spontaneous pushing include :

  • Less abnormal fetal heart rate changes
  • Less damage to the perineum
  • Stronger pelvic floor muscles in the months following birth

For the experienced moms out there, what positions worked best for you? What was least effective during the pushing stage?

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Healthy Birth Practice

Lamaze Blogger Attends BlogHer 2010

August 19, 2010 By Danielle Elwood Leave a Comment

Me with Gina from The Feminist Breeder

Thanks to the help of a few gracious sponsors, I was fortunate enough to attend BlogHer 2010. While the event encompassed a variety of experiences related to blogging, there were a couple of great moments that really focused on healthy birth. As a blogger ambassador for Lamaze, I provided a couple of pregnant bloggers with Lamaze Mom-to-Be Skin Care sets and talked about why I work with Lamaze, which was especially exciting after my Passion for Birth training the weekend before!

I also rubbed elbows and exchanged thoughts with some other amazing healthy birth and pregancy bloggers out there, including Gina from The Feminist Breeder and Jenn from Baby Makin(g) Machine.

The one experience I had that really focused on birth was my lunch chat on Saturday, day two of the event. I sat down at a table speaking with two women, neither of whom have children, and the movie Crisis in the Crib came up in the conversation. In overhearing our conversation, another woman who is currently 5 months pregnant sat down and proclaimed, “I don’t know crap about pregnancy, can you help me?” I was floored and excited at the same time! It was a great feeling to know that women looked to me as a resource on healthy birth! The more we spoke, the more I knew that she actually did have a clue as she had already enlisted a midwife for care and was considering a birth doula. She was on the right track! I would have loved to connect with more women on a deeper level — especially those who seemed to be uncomfortable talking about pregnancy or birth. But there’s only so much time!

Overall, BlogHer 2010 was an awesome experience, and I am eternally grateful to Lamaze to providing me with a great foundation for educating women.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Pregnancy Tagged With BlogHer10, Momotics

Life Changes, Decisions and the Passion For Birth Workshop

July 30, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 1 Comment

Most know that I really got involved with Lamaze when I decided I wanted to become a childbirth educator. I started getting involved with the childbirth community when I was young – 19 to be exact – and I was trained as a postpartum doula for a local agency. I loved what I did, and ended up working towards becoming a birth doula.  When my children came along, the unpredictable schedule of a doula made it far more difficult to really take on clients, and I ached for a new birth related field that I could charge into while being able to schedule childcare for my boys.

The more I read and learned, the more I knew I needed to become a childbirth educator. There is such a need for it, especially in my shoreline area of Connecticut. But then came the newest journey… which organization did I want to go through?  Which path did I want to take, and what kind of training did I want to commit to?

There are so many – I never realized! ICEA, Lamaze, CAPPA, Bradley, ALACE… my head started spinning until one of my mentors, and now good friend, came to my rescue.  Robin Elise Weiss, famous childbirth educator, writer, and Renaissance woman in the birth field suggested taking a Passion for Birth workshop to become Lamaze educated and possibly certified.

My ears and interest perked up then. And the best part was, my mentor was going to travel across the country and teach the weekend workshop for me!  This all took place in February. I scheduled my workshop for late July knowing I wouldn’t have anything else going on. (HAHA!) Life happened, and this weekend, the weekend of my Passion for Birth workshop, just happened to fall inbetween two giant events I never thought I would go through with. One being having my wisdom teeth out (last weekend) and next weekend I manned up to go to the BlogHer conference.

Friday I will start the training that very well may change my life altogether, and change the lives of women locally some day.

To learn more about becoming a Lamaze Childbirth Educator, check out some of this information :

Passion For Birth Workshops
Get Certified with Lamaze

Lamaze Childbirth Educator Training

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Childbirth education, Pregnancy Tagged With childbirth educator, lamaze, passion for birth, training

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth: Avoid Common Interventions

July 16, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 4 Comments

Today, childbirth is viewed as and transpires as more of a medical procedure than a natural bodily function. Women who seek to have a natural birth often look for resources and information on how to achieve a more natural experience instead of one that is over-medicalized.

Truthfully, if you want to avoid all common hospital interventions, the best place to give birth (for low-risk women) is either at home or in a birth center. In my own experience, confronting hospital staff to avoid simple things like an IV line can bring added stress that just isn’t part of an enjoyable birth experience. That being said, birth should take place where you feel most comfortable, and if that is in a hospital, the best thing to do is educate yourself about the choices and risks and related to common medical interventions.

 

Common Medical Birth Interventions

  • IV for fluids
  • Epidural anesthesia
  • Continous electronic fetal monitoring
  • Pitocin
  • Artificially breaking the bag of water
  • Episiotomy

Most of these interventions are medically unnecessary, but are used in many hospitals today in the United States. An IV, for example, is used to administer fluids and medication, if necessary. However, when women are allowed to eat and drink during labor, an IV for fluids is not necessary. Recent studies show that there is no need to prevent a woman from eating and drinking while she is in labor. 

Continuous electronic fetal monitoring is also over-used in low-risk women. In recent years, The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has shown that in the 40 years that electronic fetal monitoring has been the norm, there have been no improved outcomes in mothers or babies. Of course, like anything, there are some situations when it is necessary, but mostly in high-risk cases. 

Epidurals for those who choose to use them for labor can be the right fit, but they are not risk free. Epidurals can slow labor and pose other risks to mothers and babies. There are other, more natural and effective ways to help relieve the pain of labor. 

Pitocin can cause contractions, but it can also cause contractions that are too strong and result in fetal distress and bring on a cascade of interventions. 

Episiotomy has been shown in recent years to be medically unnecessary in the majority of cases. 

Skipping Common Interventions

There are several ways to avoid routine hospital interventions.

  • Hire a birth doula to help be your advocate and employ natural pain relieving strategies
  • Write a birth plan and provide copies to your provider and hospital staff on call during your stay
  • Talk to your provider about your expectations and practices and procedures you are concerned about
  • Take a tour of your hospital
  • Research your chosen hospital’s cesarean and intervention statistics prior to giving birth

These simple steps can help you avoid common medical interventions and increase your chance of having a safe and healthy birth experience.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Childbirth education, Choosing a care provider, Coping with pain, Health and well-being, Healthy Birth Practice, Labor, Pregnancy, Working with a doula Tagged With epidural, Healthy Birth Practices, hospital birth, interventions, natural birth

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth: Continuous Labor Support

July 8, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 4 Comments

There was a drastic difference in the labor experiences I had for both of my children. Besides labor induction in one case and not the other, I had a labor doula who provided continuous support for me while I was making the journey to have my second son. Looking back and reflecting on the number of benefits I had through Karen (my doula) I wish I had opted for one with my first child also. The differences in my labors and experiences are partially contributed to my doula. This brings me to third practice that promotes healthy birth: Continuous Labor Support!

Support from my incredible doula Karen Kilson, who passed away last October.

Not everyone must have a doula to experience continuous labor support; a partner, husband, friend, or other support person can make up an effective labor support team.

Continuous labor support means :

  • Physical support – Help moving into more comfortable positions, massage, back rubs, feet rubs, and helping the mother in whatever needs, from laboring in the shower to getting in and out of the bath tub.
  • Informational Support – Someone to help provide mom with unbiased support regarding decisions she would have to make in labor, from interventions to critical surgical choices. Also, the support person can assist in relaying a mother’s birth plan or discuss any issues she is having to staff members.
  • Emotional Support – This can come in many forms. From the showering of love and encouragement, to helping her to relieve stress. High levels of stress in a laboring mother can cause problems and increase her pain levels.

While continuous support can come from anyone, hiring a doula for labor can help alleviate the worry from your partner, who may at times feel stressed or helpless during labor and birth. According to DONA International, a well-respected Doula certifying association, a birth doula:

  • Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
  • Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
  • Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
  • Stays with the woman throughout labor
  • Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions
  • Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner, and her clinical care providers
  • Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience
  • Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

So who should be part of this team supporting you through your labor?

  • Choose people who you know will be helpful, instead of those who you think may distract you from being focused during labor.
  • Choose people who you are familiar with, or who are willing to learn about the birth process and what you would like to achieve in your experience in labor and birth.
  • Pick people you know will learn your birth preferences and who will be an advocate for you.
  • Ask your support person(s) to attend your birthing classes with you.
  • Before labor, practice relaxation techniques and other techniques you want to try during labor.

To understand more about continuous labor support, view the Mother’s Advocate & Lamaze video for Better Birth on labor support:

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

  • Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
  • Reduces negative feelings about the mother’s childbirth experience
  • Reduces the need for pitocin, forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
  • Reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows that parents who receive support:

  • Feel more secure and cared for
  • Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
  • Experience greater success with breastfeeding
  • Have greater self-confidence
  • Are less likely to have postpartum depression

Support during labor, whether it is from a doula, another form of hired labor support, or a friend or family member, is your key to having a healthy and positive birth experience.

 

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Coping with pain, Dads, Health and well-being, Healthy Birth Practice, Labor, Pregnancy, Working with a doula Tagged With Coping with pain, doula, labor support, natural birth

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth Series: Moving During Labor

July 2, 2010 By Danielle Elwood Leave a Comment

Walking, moving, changing positions is something we do not often hear women doing during labor anymore. The new standard of care is typically a laboring mother on her back in bed. Which brings me to the second practice that helps promote healthy birth: Moving around during labor. If you ask women who have given birth naturally–without any type of pain medication–they will tell you the number one thing that helped was staying mobile during labor.

To get a better understanding of movement during labor, check out the Mother’s Advocate & Lamaze video for Better Birth on moving around :

There is no right or wrong way to move during labor, or any specific movements that may help more or less than another. It is all up to the mother to determine while she is laboring what works best for her. It is the act of moving itself and having the freedom to move which is key in the situation.

Position changing and moving during labor helps to make labor easier by:

  • Walking around and moving helps your uterus work more effectively.
  • Actively responding to labor and “embracing” your contractions helps to make you more confident about your experience and the outcome you will have.
  • Staying active helps to move your pelvic bones and guide your baby through the pelvis in the most effective way.
  • Laying on your side, leaning forward, or being upright helps to encourage the blood flow to you and your baby to help descrease the chance of your baby going into distress.
  • Upright positions help to assist the baby to come down into the birth canal with gravity.

Me, moving during labor

Maintaining mobility certainly is key. A 2005 survey of women who birthed in hospitals found that only 1 in 4 women were free and able to walk freely while in labor, so it is important to talk to your health care provider about your mobility options during your birth experience.

During my second birth I was able to move around, walk, dance, sit on my birth ball, shower, and freely move. I found a drastic difference in my labors and the amount of pain I was in with contractions. Moving around helped me with pain relief greatly. I find most other mothers I talk to had the same experience with moving during labor.

Some different moving options during labor include:

  • Walking
  • Soaking in a bath tub or birth tub
  • Squatting
  • Sitting on a birth ball, which can also be used in a squatting position
  • Different comfortable furniture, such as rocking chairs, couches, or chairs
  • Use a CD player with some music that may help you to move or groove to a rhythm

Some things that may hinder movement during your labor experience are IVs and continuous electronic fetal monitoring. Some hospitals may require an IV during labor. If that is the case, speak to your provider about having a hep lock in the place of an IV if possible. A hep lock opens a line in your hand or arm that can quickly be attached to an IV if necessary. As for continuous electronic fetal monitoring, ask your provider to be monitored intermittently or for a portable fetal monitor if available. These things will make it so you are not continuously attached to anything allowing for more freedom to move around and remain active during labor.

 

 

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Choosing a care provider, Coping with pain, Healthy Birth Practice, Labor, Pregnancy, Water Birth, Working with a doula Tagged With active, Healthy Birth Practices, Labor, lamaze, moving during labor

Practices that Promote Healthy Birth Series: Let Labor Begin on its Own

June 22, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 4 Comments

I cherish the opportunity to be able to write here on Giving Birth with Confidence, so I put a lot of thought into what I want to write about, or what I think women will get the most out of.  I originally thought of the idea to write a single post about the six Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices. When Cara suggested making it a six post series, I couldn’t thank her enough for the idea!

We’ll start at the top with “Let labor begin on its own.” With nearly half of all women being induced today, avoiding labor induction it not as easy as some may think.

Lets face it, the last couple weeks of pregnancy are miserable, uncomfortable, and downright painful for some women. One thing women do not always take into consideration at the end of pregnancy are the risks of labor induction and the benefits of allowing labor to start on its own without medical intervention to jump start. There is little information being given to pregnant women about labor induction and the risks associated with the procedure.

Why should women let labor start on its own?

There are a variety of different reasons :

  • Pitocin contractions are much stronger than contractions of a normal labor. I can attest to this as I have had pitocin with one labor, and a natural labor with my second child. Pitocin causes much stronger contractions which can have an impact on mom and baby.
  • Induction normally requires an IV line, which can make getting comfortable, changing positions, or moving around much more difficult.
  • Because induction drugs like pitocin cause longer and stronger contractions, this can can cause the baby to go into fetal distress, which is typically exhibited by heart rate issues.
  • When your labor starts on its own, in most cases, you know that your baby is physically ready to be born.

A 2007 research study showed an increased risk for complications in induced labor which included :

  • Increased use of vacuum extraction, or forcep-assisted delivery.
  • Cesarean section (40% of all inductions will end in a cesarean delivery)
  • Increased use or need for an epidural, or medication based pain relief methods.
  • Babies born with low birth weight.
  • An increase in late pre-term deliveries.  (33-36 weeks gestation)
  • Longer hospital stays.
  • Increased NICU stays for the newborns.

How do you know if labor induction is necessary?

In some cases and conditions during pregnancy, a labor induction may be medically necessary, and it is important you speak with a trusted provider about the risks and benefits to weigh out your own situation.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) formally known as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has set guidelines for necessary labor induction.  The six situations that ACOG has identified and recommended induction for are:

  • Ruptured membranes for longer than 12-24 hours. Meaning, if your water has broken, and your labor has not started within 12-24 hours, augmenting of labor may be medically necessary. This does not mean, however, that the baby must be delivered within 12-24 hours of the water breaking. It means that your labor may need to be induced to speed up the process toward birth.
  • You have an increase in your blood pressure caused by pregnancy or a condition called preeclampsia.
  • Your pregnancy is post term, or overdue. The definition of “overdue” is over 42 weeks gestation. 
  • You have other health issues such as diabetes or gestational diabetes that could have an impact on the health of your baby.
  • Your baby is growing too slowly, or may be suffering from a form of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
  • An infection in the uterus.

When is induction not necessary?

In many cases taking place today, induction is not medically necessary. Some of these reasons include:

  • A suspected “big baby.”  If you and your baby are healthy, an  induction for suspected fetal macrosomia (a baby bigger than 8 pounds 12 ounces) is not a reason for an induction. Plus, doctors cannot accurately predict the size of your baby — even with an ultrasound.
  • You are uncomfortable.
  • Your amniotic fluid is low, but you and your baby are otherwise healthy.

Nearly every single woman I know (myself included!) is uncomfortable toward the end pregnancy!  There is a bowling ball sitting on our bladder and grinding into our pelvic bone, for crying out loud! Consider it preparation for the many uncomfortable situations motherhood will bring your way, ha!

What questions should you ask your provider if induction is suggested?

Being a critical thinker, investigator, and overall research into your care is almost always a smart idea, and will help you in the long run. I learned this through my first pregnancy, and it made my second pregnancy and birth much more pleasant.  Some sample questions for your provider include:

  • Why are you recommending labor induction?
  • What are the risks to me and my baby if I wait for labor to begin naturally?
  • Can we try more natural methods of induction before using drugs?
  • What natural methods of induction do you recommend?
  • Are there any research studies for my situation that show how not having an induction can increase the likelihood of an unhealthy outcome?
  • Is my induction likely to be successful?
  • What is my Bishop Score and how does that impact my success rate?
  • Is my cervix ripe? (Your provider can tell you if your cervix is ripe. Women who are induced before their cervix is ripe are much more likely to have cesareans, even if cervical ripening drugs are used.)

One important thing to remember: A due date is not a deadline!  Studies have shown that estimated due dates, in many cases, are up to two full weeks incorrect in either direction. Even with advances in ultrasound technology, and other methods for dating a pregnancy, there is still room for error.

Want to know more about letting labor begin on its own? View this short, informational video from Lamaze.

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Health and well-being, Healthy Birth Practice, Labor, Pregnancy Tagged With Birth, healthy birth, Labor, labor induction, lamaze, let labor start on its own, practices

Natural Birth at a Hospital: Making it Work for You

June 14, 2010 By Danielle Elwood 7 Comments

Last weekend, when discussing childbirth among women at my husband’s firehouse, mostly girlfriends and wives, I was shocked when most of the women discussed wanting a natural birth. It was a pleasant change—one that I have been working so hard toward!

I started doing some research after my discussion and came across a quote on natural childbirth in The Official Lamaze Guide that really struck a chord:

“In spite of evidence, U.S. maternity care continues to sabotage normal birth rather than support it. In 2002, the Listening to Mothers survey learned that among nearly 1,600 new mothers across the U.S., 44% had labor induced, 71% did not move freely during labor, 93% had electronic fetal monitoring, 86% had intravenous lines, 74% gave birth on their backs, and almost 50% of their babies spent the first hours after birth with hospital staff. Only 1% of the women experienced all six care practices that promote normal birth, and none of these women gave birth in a hospital.”

Lots of alarming statistics in there. This first-ever national survey of U.S. women’s childbearing experiences gives us a look into the way women are giving birth today in spite of evidence showing that these practices are outdated, unfounded, or harmful rather than helpful. Let’s take a closer look into each of the statistics listed and learn ways you can try to avoid becoming “one of the statistics” when birthing in a hospital:

44% of women had their labor induced. (!!)
That is a huge number for labor induction, especially since labor should only be induced for necessary medical reasons. Letting labor begin on its own is key for a healthy birth experience for women. It is also the way our bodies are meant to work in the natural stages of pregnancy. Labor induction is not a procedure that is risk free—it can increase the risk of premature birth, cesarean section, abnormal fetal heart rate, fetal distress, shoulder dystocia, and increase the risk of your baby needing to be admitted to the NICU. 

To reduce the incidence of unnecessary induction, find a provider with a low labor induction rate, and research the policies of the facility where you plan to give birth. This may be tricky, as many hospitals do not publicly advertise their rate of induction, cesarean surgery or other interventions. You might be lucky enough to find it on your hospital’s Web site. Or perhaps your hospital’s rating and feedback is listed on The Birth Survey. If not, take a hospital tour and be sure to ask LOTS of questions. Knowing information ahead of time gives you the opportunity to change your place of birth if you’re uncomfortable with their practices.

71% of women did not move freely during labor.
Being confined to a bed while laboring is not ideal by any means. Not only does it decrease the size of your pelvis, but it also can cause lowered blood pressure and fetal distress.  Better positions to give birth in and labor in include:

  • Standing
  • Hands and Knees
  • Side Lying
  • Knees to Chest
  • Squatting
  • The Sitting Position

93% had continuous electronic fetal monitoring.
This is a high number despite the fact that several studies have shown no improved outcome to mothers and babies with continuous electronic fetal monitoring. Also, recently, there has been a number of controversial articles about fetal monitoring and how medical professionals are reading the fetal heart tones.  Many think that the over-analyzing of small decelerations in fetal heart tones is leading to a higher rate of unnecessary cesarean births.  There are situations where monitoring may be a beneficial procedure, but in most birth situations, intermittent monitoring is safe. 

86% had IV Lines.
 Having an IV line in place in a laboring mother means that hospital staff has easier access to administering fluid and medications if needed. However, being attached to an IV line also restricts a laboring mother’s movement, interfering with her ability to change positions. Something that may help is requesting a “hep lock” in place of an IV line. A hep lock is a device that is inserted into a mother’s hand or arm so it is ready in case an IV line needs to be hooked up. Also, drinking and eating during labor will help to eliminate the risk of needing any kind of IV fluids during labor.

74% gave birth on their backs.
Laboring and giving birth on your back is pretty much the worst position. I recently wrote about this in two posts, Positions You Should Be Giving Birth In Part 1 and Part 2. Decreased pelvis size, blood pressure complications, lack of gravity to help with the birth itself are all huge factors in the supine (back-lying) position.

50% of babies spent the first hours of life with hospital staff. (!!)
Many mothers are not familiar with the benefits of skin-to-skin contact with your baby after they are born.  The first few hours are critical for mother-infant bonding. Unless your baby is experiencing complications or needs NICU care, babies should be kept with their mother in the first few hours — baths, weighing and measuring, etc. can all wait. Babies who have skin-to-skin contact after birth:

  • Cry less
  • Have more stable temperatures
  • Have more stable blood sugars (with the lack of skin-to-skin contact with my second son, because of my cesarean, made a change in his blood sugar which resulted in a 30-hour NICU stay)
  • Breastfeed sooner, longer, and more easily
  • Are exposed to normal bacteria on the mother, which can protect them from getting sick from unhealthy, or other types of bacteria, especially if birthing in a hospital
  • Have lower levels of stress hormones

Only 1% of these women experiences all 6 Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices.
Having a birth plan, and being an advocate for yourself and what you want for your birth experience in a hospital is key here. Communicate with your care provider and create a written birth plan to share with your care provider as well as the hospital staff when you arrive for baby’s birth. Make sure your partner knows about your birth preferences so he/she is comfortable talking with and reiterating to your provider and hospital staff on the big day.

When it comes to birthing in a hospital, being an empowered patient is critical to having a healthy and happy birth experience. Read, do research, take a Lamaze class, interview care providers and hospital settings — learn all that you can to be informed and make the best choices for you and your baby.

Photo from Inexplicable Ways. 

Filed Under All Recent Articles, Birth, Birth plans, Choosing a care provider, Coping with pain, Health and well-being, Labor, Pregnancy Tagged With Birth, birth plan, care provider, changing positions, childbirth class, Coping with pain, Healthy Birth Practices, hospital birth, interventions, Labor, natural birth, skin-to-skin
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