Need a Doula in San Antonio?

State of American Childbirth

Pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy processes for the majority of women and babies.

SCOPE AND SCALE OF MATERNITY CARE — EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES:

1. Over 4 million Births
2. 99% in Hospitals
3. Over 90% Attended by Surgeons
4. Second Most Common Reason for Hospitalization
5. Most Common Reason for the Hospitalization of Women
6. Care for Mothers and Babies combined Rank 4th in Hospital Expenses
7. Over 6.8 million Obstetric Procedures Performed – 2nd Most Common Category of Surgical Procedures
8. Three of the Four Most Common Surgical Procedures Performed in the United States are Obstetric

Nearly all women giving birth in hospitals are subjected to some level of technological or medical intervention.
THE MOST COMMON INTERVENTIONS ARE:

1. Over 31% (1.3 million) Cesarean Surgeries – Has risen over 50% since 1996, HIGHEST EVER
2. Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC) rate has fallen over 50% since 1996, ACCESS DISAPPEARING
3. 34% (1.4 million) of Labors Medically Induced
4. 41% (1.66 million) Need Vaginal Stitching (episiotomy, tears, vacuum extraction, forceps)
5. 47% (1.88 million) of Labors Artificially Stimulated
6. 60% (2.4 million) of Women Denied Fluids
7. 76% (3.04 million) of Women Restrained In Bed
8. 85% (3.4 million) of Women Denied Food
9. 86% (3.44 million) Given Drugs For Pain Relief
10. Over 90% (3.68 million) of Women Attached To Electronic Fetal Monitors

What do we have to show for all this intervention?

OUTCOMES IN THE UNITED STATES:

1. High Infant Mortality Rate – Stayed Flat over the last 6 years, 29th in the world – Twice as High for African American Babies
2. Maternal Mortality Rate – Not Improved in 20 years, 25th in the world – Four times as High for African American Mothers
3. 12.8% (over 546,000) of Babies Born Preterm – has Risen 21% since 1990
4. Over 8.3% (over 354,000) of Babies Born Low Birth Weight – has Risen 19% since 1990
5. 44% (1.76 million) of Mothers have Emotional Or Physical Impairment after Birth Interfering with Ability to Care for their Babies
6. Over 25% (1 million) of Mothers have New Health Problems after Birth
7. 63% (2.52 million) of Mothers have some symptoms of Postpartum Depression
8. 18% (720,000) of Mothers show symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress with 9% showing all signs of PTSD.

With all the money we spend, why aren’t our outcomes better? Countries with lower costs and better outcomes for mothers and babies rely on midwives to attend most births – and many support out-of-hospital births.

The Midwives Model of Care & The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative
www.cfmidwifery.org/mmoc www.motherfriendly.org
Promote Wellness, Education, and Individualized, Motherbaby-Centered Care.
Midwives are Key to Effective, Affordable Mother-Friendly Childbirth

Reprinted with Permission from Citizens for Midwifery

Click here for this article along with references.

Some women think that pregnancy is difficult and that life can’t be any harder then that…boy are they in for a surprise. Having kids is one of the most amazing things you will ever experience but it is also one of the hardest.

After the child is born you still have many issues to deal with like the following:

• Hormonal changes while your body tries to get back into sync with regular womanhood
• You are exhausted from your baby waking at night wanting to eat or cuddle
• If you breastfeed the demand is all on you and your nipples and breasts are sore
• You now just feel fat because you have extra weight but no baby inside of you as your excuse as to why you just chowed down on two quarter-pounders with cheese
• You have a low sex drive because you feel fat, are exhausted and terrified of another nine months right away

Well the good news is that you are not the only one that feels like that after having kids. Every new mother has some concerns, self esteem issues, etc. We are human…mothers are sometimes Super Human but every woman who has a baby goes through the same thing.

Here are some tips to help you deal with the main after childbirth issues.

Lack of Sleep

When you have a baby you need to be on your A-Game so mommies please sleep when your baby sleeps. I know you think there is laundry to fold, food to cook, dishes to clean etc but just sleep! Your husband would much rather have a rested wife than a clean house. People hate to ask for help when they need it but if you are too exhausted to function ask a friend, relative or babysitter to come over for a few hours so you can get the much needed sleep that you need.

Loosing the Excess Pregnancy Weight

The best way to loose your pregnancy weight is with a healthy diet and exercise routine. Don’t push yourself the day you get from the hospital. Understand that your body just went through an amazing yet exhausting experience and needs time to heal. Remember it took you nine months to gain the weight so it may take that long to loose it. Crash diets will not work so eat right and exercise by taking your baby on walks.

Getting and Feeling Sexy Again for Your Man

This is a scary thing for women because they don’t feel sexy. Mommies believe it or not your husbands actually think you are sexier now than they did before you gave birth to their child. They are actually in total awe and jealous of what your body has just done…men think they can do everything but they can not give birth to a human being!

To keep the spark alive or to reignite it you will both have to work at it. Let your partner know your concerns so he can help you feel better about them by complimenting your new curves, etc. Before you know it you will feel sexy again.

Taking Care of Yourself

My husband said that the second our son was born the mommy switch inside clicked on and has never turned off. I, like most mothers, have a tendency to always make sure that my husband and my son have everything they need before I do. That is a noble thing but you can’t neglect yourself or you will gain resentment that is unhealthy. Doing something small to take care of yourself like a manicure, hair cut, eyebrow wax etc is not selfish it is healthy.

Finding Some Alone Time

Every mom needs some alone time for relaxation to get away from baby spit up, dirty diapers, crying and more. Take some time for yourself every day and enjoy a hot bath, two chapters of a good book, your favorite dessert. Make sure to do something that will make you happy and relaxed so you can hit the next day and the next task with full force and a big smile.

Author: Jessica Chamberlain

Visit http://www.onestopshopforkids.com for everything you need for motherhood, babies and kids!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Chamberlain

There is an expectation in the United States that childbirth is the worst pain you could ever feel. Because of this, women approach childbirth with overwhelming fear of the pain and attempting to remove it all in search of a good birth experience. How painful is childbirth really? What does it take to handle the pain? Can you have a good birth experience if you feel pain?

How painful is childbirth, really?

Ronald Melzack researches experiences of pain, and studied the pain of labor. Through his research he found that overall childbirth can be called severely painful, but the intensity of the pain is variable. About 25% of first time mothers and only 11% of experienced mothers rated labor as horrible or excruciating. In fact 9% of first time mothers and 24% of experienced mothers said they had low levels of pain. With 17% of women having low levels of pain, the ‘easy’ labor can’t possibly be as rare as we think it is.

For many women labor is the first experience with any real physical pain. Women who have experienced other physical pains tend to rate childbirth lower on the scale than things like kidney or gall stones, Lyme disease, chronic back problems, some broken bones, double ear infections, toothaches in need of root canal and recovering from cesarean surgery. Some women even claim the pain of labor is easier to handle than the pain of a broken heart. The point is, how painful childbirth feels is somewhat relative. Without another pain to compare it too, calling childbirth the most painful experience is prejudiced.

If only 18% of mothers rate labor as excruciating, how likely are you to be included in that group?

Research by Lederman found that overall, you are likely to experience more intense pain if you:

• Are a first time mother
• Have less education
• Are younger
• Experience menstrual problems
• Have a history of miscarriage
• Have difficulty accepting this pregnancy
• Feel conflict about becoming a mother
• Are anxious about labor
• Fear being helpless, in pain, losing control or losing self-esteem
• Have a previous psychological issue requiring counseling
• Have unstable emotional feelings
• Have unrealistic expectations of the pain
• Have a partner who is negative or indifferent toward this pregnancy

What does it take to handle the pain?

One of the most startling truths about the pain of labor is its relation to the mother’s confidence in her ability to cope. In general, the more confident you are you will be able to cope, the less pain you will feel. Another important factor is the people you have with you at labor, because your ability to cope with the pain of labor will be influenced by the interactions you have with those attending you (midwife, doctor, nurse). This paints a far different picture of what you will need to get through labor than the old ‘high pain tolerance’ theory. In fact, you can be a wimp about pain and still cope well with labor pain.

In A Wise Birth, authors Penny Armstrong and Sheryl Feldman explain that women who are treated well by birth attendants, have their needs considered and bodies respected and whose mothering responsibilities are honored will give birth more easily. In contrast, women who are challenged by their birth attendants, restrained, distrusted and treated indifferently will have more trouble with labor. They conclude, ‘drugs and technology in birth, as in life, have proved to be poor substitutes for true, human attention.’

Studies on doulas continue to prove their statement correct. A doula is a professional childbirth assistant. She does not offer medical help, instead her job is to simply be with the mother and serve any needs she may have. You may find a doula rubbing a back, suggesting positions, teaching a partner how to give a massage or just talking to the mother. What effect does this attention have? Women with doulas need less medical intervention to give birth, are less likely to need medication for pain, and are more satisfied with the childbirth experience. Again we see a high pain tolerance is not what it takes to cope well with labor.

Can you have a good birth experience if you feel pain?

Not only can you cope well if you are a wimp about pain, but you can have a great labor and be satisfied with the experience even if you feel pain. In fact, in one study, the mothers who refused anesthesia felt more pain, but they had higher scores of satisfaction with labor both immediately after the birth and one year later. Another study found no difference in satisfaction immediately after birth, but within two days mothers who had chosen to use epidurals had less positive feelings about childbirth. All of this tells us that removing the pain is not related to having a good childbirth experience.

Where does all this leave you? There are several things you can do now to give yourself the best chances for a low pain labor and positive birth experience. First, educate yourself about the process so you are less likely to be anxious and fearful of what to expect. Second, learn different techniques for working with your body and managing the pain you feel in labor. Third, make sure your caregivers will be supportive of you during labor – if they won’t or can’t, hire someone else. Finally, hire a doula to be with you during labor. These four things will give you the best odds for a manageable labor, regardless of how painful it is or is not.

Resources:

Melzack K, Taenzer P, Feldman P, Kinch R, (1981). Labor is Still Painful After Prepared Childbirth Training. Canadian medical Association Journal, 125:357-363.

Lederman R, Lederman E, Work B, McCann D. (1979) Relationship of Psychological Factors in Pregnancy to Progress in Labor. Nursing Research, 28(2):94-97.

Lowe, N.K. (1993). Maternal confidence for labor: Development of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory. Research in Nursing and Health, 16(2) 141-149.

Standley K, Nicholson J (1980). Observing the childbirth environment: A research model. Birth and the Family
1ff8
Journal, 7, 15.

Armstrong P, Feldman S. A Wise Birth. London:Pinter & Martin, 2007.

Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, (2003). Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003 Issue 3.

Morgan B, Bulpitt CJ, Clifton P, Lewis PJ, (1982). Analgesia and satisfaction in childbirth (The Queen Charlotte 1000-mother survey). Lancet, 1, 808.

Author: Jennifer Vanderlaan

For more information about the pain of labor, and to learn effective ways to cope with the pain, Jennifer invites you to visit http://www.birthingnaturally.net Jennifer Vanderlaan is a childbirth educator and doula who helps families discover what they need to be successful at childbirth.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Vanderlaan

Breech Presentation Fact Sheet

What Do Labor Contraction And Labor Pains Feel Like?

Labor pains are part of giving birth to a baby. Mostly these are bearable and there are a lot that can be done to prevent suffering. By understanding where the pains in labor come from and what can be done about it, you are most likely to have a satisfying childbirth experience and wonderful birth memories.

Labor and birth of the baby is the effect of dilatation of the cervix, and contractions of the uterus and abdominal muscles. Dilation is the first stage of labor. In the second stage, strong expulsive efforts cause the advance and birth of the baby.

During your pregnancy, changes happen in your body to prepare for these events. The ligaments of your pelvis loosen to permit your pelvis to relax and allow your baby to come out. Other changes occur to adapt your body to accommodate childbirth. Despite these changes and modern medicine, it is unrealistic to aim for a childbirth without any discomforts.

Labor is said to begin when your uterus starts to contract regularly. In the days before the onset of labor, you may experience minor contractions that feel like tightening, and cause discomfort rather than pain. These contractions are important in aligning and positioning the baby for birth.

The first labor pains are grinding, scattered and irregular. Many women describe it as bad menstrual pains. The first labor pains are usually felt in the front site of the pelvis and groin. Pain is mainly caused by pressure on the abdominal and pelvic area due to powerful uterine contractions and stretching of the cervix, vagina and perineum. During labor, contractions increase in frequency and intensity and can become painful.

As labor proceeds, the pains start to appear in the abdomen. The cervix has to stretch to allow your baby to eventually pass through your birth canal. When the opening to the cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor – during which your baby is born – starts. As the baby’s head advances further, pains are commonly felt at the back, hip and groin area. When the baby’s birth is near, stretching of the perineum causes burning sensations. At this stage many women feel like they are going to burst. Majority of them, however, suffer only minor tears, if any, especially if good laboring positions and movement have been used to help the baby to rotate and find the easiest way out.

The baby passes through your birth canal and is born by a combination of the continuing contractions of your uterus, and your conscious effort to push your baby out by using the abdominal muscles. The physical and mental relief after vigorous laboring, and the ecstasy of getting your baby in your arms, are such a victory and pleasure that the last stage of labor – which is the birth of the placenta – is often unnoticed by the mother. As the placenta is much smaller than the baby is, and the birth canal is open, the uterine contractions push the placenta out easily.

We are so conditioned to expect pains in labor that its significance as part of the birth process is discounted. There is no need to automatically opt for epidural or — on the other hand — to give birth in severe pains without any labor pain relief. Unmanageable pain during labor and delivery is not normal or needed. Labor pains, when they are correctly managed, have an important part in assisting and guiding your body to give birth to a baby.

By: Lena Leino

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Lena Leino, author of Easier, Shorter and Safer Birth, created an At-Home Labor Contraction Follow-up Chart so that you could easily document and see the progress of your labor. Now you can get this useful tool at MaternityAcupressure.com/labor-contraction-chart.html

Adventures In Childbirth Inspire My New Birth Plan

This is not your run-of-the-mill birth plan. It was inspired from a repetition of events in my life, namely the births of my children. Here is a summary of those events:

Birth One was a relatively uneventful first labor lasting only six hours and requiring only about six pushes. It would have been perfect if only the doctor had not had the time to do the episiotomy.

Birth Two was an induced labor that took only three hours from first contraction to last. The last five minutes the nurses were shouting ‘don’t push, don’t push ‘as they were wheeling me down the hall to the delivery room. The doctor gloved his hands without washing them first. Baby delivered in one push.

Birth Three was another induced labor where I was a bit slow getting moved to the delivery room because the nurse did not believe me when I told her I was feeling inclined to push during contractions. I overheard one nurse say to another, ‘tell the doctor not to scrub,’ but it was too late. A nurse caught the baby.

Birth Four I had my baby in my first LDR (labor-delivery-recovery) room so there was no moving before the big show. The doctor was slipping on his gown and turned around just in time to catch the baby in his sleeve, since he had neither washed nor gloved. It is a wonder I never got an infection.

On Birth Five either I was lucky or I finally got a doctor that listened to me. He sat on the edge of my bed for the last forty-five minutes of my labor watching a championship football game on TV with my husband. Fortuitously, the baby arrived ten minutes after the game ended. Vikings 28, Bears 27.

Birth Six was fourteen years after the Birth Five so it was supposed to be like having a first baby again. I hear the midwife bantering with the nurse about needing change for the drink machine. Although I am preoccupied I manage to say I have a whole roll of quarters in my bag. I am thinking, ‘Just get your can of soda quick and get back here in time!’ She cuts it close, but she does get back in time. Baby delivered in two pushes.

Birth Seven is another induced labor and this time I try to prepare the midwife with a written birth plan. The major gist of my birth plan is ‘midwife to be present for the birth.’ The attending nurse makes a poor judgment call, and no one is aware they need to catch my baby’s head while he is being born under the sheet. I wish I could have seen her face when she pulled the sheet down, but I was trying to catch my first glimpse of my baby.

It is time for a new birth plan. I need to take a page from births Five and Six and provide incentives for people to be there. Here is my new birth plan: ‘Patient will play midwife’s favorite movie in the VCR and provide unlimited quantities of popcorn, soda and candy.’
Then again, maybe I should hold a raffle for all the doctors and midwives in the hospital. ‘The winning number will be drawn when the cord is cut.’

By: Matia Bryson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Matia Bryson writes for her website "Baby Loves Your Milk," independent breast pump comparison information that covers all major brands and types. She also maintains an RSS news feed: Breastfeeding Daily Tip and News.