Dear little Baby
Whose life I now hold
More precious by far
Than all the earth’s gold

Eagerly awaited by
A chosen two
Who will help you and guide you
In all that you do

Be patient sweet Babe
Your time draws near
Our arms are wide open
To welcome you here.

Author unknown

This is an area of great personal interest to me right now, since I am 8 weeks pregnant and have been eating a raw diet for 5 months now. I still have so much to learn, and don’t know if this pregnancy will be all raw or not, but I do know that I am much healthier and feel much better for the changes I have made. Here are a few resources for anyone interested in reading more about this option. Feel free to e-mail or call me if you have any questions – we can learn about this topic together!

http://www.thegardendiet.com/ This woman has had more than one raw pregnancy and sells an e-book about her experiences.

When you’re pregnant, it’s important to set time aside to make sure you’re staying healthy and fit. It’s not easy. Your body is going through a constant workout each day from carrying your child. By the time evening comes around, getting motivated to move your limbs and flex your muscles may seem like a lesson in defeat.

That said, there are many reasons to exercise during your pregnancy. To motivate you to get started and inspire you to action, here are four great reasons to work out.

#1 – You’ll Feel Energized

Being pregnant can take an enormous toll on your energy level. By exercising in the morning, you can gain the energy boost you need to carry you throughout the day. Not only will the exercise release endorphins which give you an immediate energized feeling, but you’ll also be working out your cardio system. That increases your stamina allowing you to get through each day more easily.

#2 – You’ll Sleep Better

Believe it or not, while your body may feel exhausted at the end of the day, there’s actually plenty of pent-up energy inside. The problem is that it can prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. During your pregnancy, you’ll lie in bed, tired from the afternoon, but unable to get to sleep.

Exercising expends that energy. By the time you’re in bed, your mind and your body will drift easily to slumber.

#3 – You’ll Prepare Your Body For Giving Birth

Childbirth will be a strain on your body. Not only can labor last for several hours, but the entire experience will require the use of many muscles. When you exercise, you put those muscles to use. Whether you’re working out your pelvic muscles, abdominals, or thighs and hips, doing so can make childbirth easier. Many women have reported that labor lasted for a shorter time and progressed more smoothly after having exercised during their pregnancy.

#4 – You’ll Reclaim Your Figure More Quickly

Have you ever observed new mothers who have recently given birth and wondered how they managed to get their pre-pregnancy bodies back so quickly? Chances are, they were exercising while they were pregnant. When you exercise daily, your muscles grow accustomed to the activity. After you give birth, those muscles can bounce back quickly because they’re already efficient. Before long, other pregnant women will be looking at your figure wondering how you managed to do it.

There are plenty of reasons to work out during your pregnancy. Besides staying fit, you’ll enjoy more energy, better sleep, an easier childbirth experience, and a fast return to your previous figure. Speak with your obstetrician to make sure your exercise routine is safe. Then, get to work and start enjoying the benefits.

Exercise in Pregnancy

Preparing for birth should be much like preparing for an athletic event because labour and birth are indeed physical events we can prepare our bodies for. A healthy and fit mother will not only feel better during pregnancy, she will have the strength and flexibility to move during labour easily and comfortably.

After the first trimester, activities that involve lying flat on her back for long periods of time should be avoided. That’s because the weight of a developing baby may press down on and compress blood vessels that play an important role in blood circulation to the uterus, pelvis and legs.

As fatigue tends to be most common in the first and third trimesters, she may find herself less able to exercise during these periods.

Contact sports or extreme sports (for example, skiing, scuba diving, and sky diving) should be avoided because they have the potential to do harm to mother and baby.

Discuss with primary caregiver any unusual symptoms experienced during or after exercise, such as discomfort in her chest, neck, jaw, or arms; nausea, dizziness, fainting, or excessive shortness of breath; or short-term changes in vision.

Consider exercising in a medically supervised program, at least initially, if there are any peripheral vascular disease or kidney problems. Those with peripheral neuropathy should not run, jog, or walk long distances without the approval of their doctors, and those with retinopathy should check with their eye doctors before initiating an exercise program.

Preparation

A woman’s exercise level during pregnancy depends largely upon her level of fitness before she became pregnant. In other words, the more physically fit before, the more activity she can do safely during pregnancy. It is important to realize that during pregnancy is not the time to strive for exercise milestones or try to lose weight. It is a good idea to monitor heart rate, a good way to monitor optimal exercise intensity without overexertion.

Strengthening and toning torso, back, pelvis, thighs and stomach will help with the labour process. Exercise performed safely during pregnancy can lessen your fatigue, improve your self-confidence and mood, reduce backaches and bad posture, and strengthen your endurance during a prolonged labor.

Muscular Control of the Vagina and Perineum (”Kegel”)

This exercise is very important. Sitting, standing or lying down; contract and tighten the muscles of the pelvic floor (those used to stop the flow of urine flow). Think of pulling the opening of the vagina all the way up to the cervix. Hold for a count of five and slowly release. After releasing, relax and bulge your perineum down. Putting a hand over the perineum as it tightens and then bulge it out can identify this. Do four to six sets of twenty-five, spread over the course of the day. This is commonly known as the “Kegel” exercise, after Doctor Arnold Kegel, who identified the importance of this exercise.

Tailor Sitting

Sit on the floor with soles of feet together. Lean upper torso forward until a gentle pull is felt in inner thighs. Hold the stretch for twenty to thirty seconds, building the length of stretch time gradually. Repeat three to four times.  Sit in this way whenever possible; choose to sit on the floor at least three times daily.

Pelvic Rock

Kneeling on all fours (or leaning on chair seat if mother has carpal tunnel syndrome), tighten the abdominal muscles, especially the lower muscles, while tightening and tucking in bottom. This may be done frequently throughout the day to ease back discomfort and strengthen abdominal muscles. Repeat twenty to thirty times.

This is an excellent exercise to move a posterior (baby’s back is to mother’s back) baby into an anterior position (optimal position, baby’s back to mother’s front, usually with the back on mother’s left front). It is important that if baby is posterior, mothers should avoid reclining (on couch, in recliner, bucket seats in vehicles) and assume upright, forward leaning or side lying to help baby turn.

Squatting

Stand with feet and heels flat on floor, about a shoulder width apart. Face a chair or other stable object for support. Feet should point outward, not forward. Hold onto the support, and bend knees out while lowering bottom to no lower than knees, keeping feet flat on floor. Slowly build time until this position can be held comfortably for a minute or longer.

There is some concern about assuming this position during pregnancy as it is felt that it may commit a baby who is in a posterior position which is known to prolong pregnancy (non-progressing prodomal labour as baby attempts to turn prior to active labour), prolong labour and increase labour pain. However, most posterior babies do not engage (move into the pelvis) prior to labour. If baby is believed to be posterior, focus on pelvic rocking (above).

Beach Ball Hold

Sit on floor, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Holding lower abdominal muscles in tightly, tuck chin to chest, cross arms across chest, and lean back slowly while keeping feet flat on floor until upper torso leans back at approximately forty-five degree angle. Hold this position for a count of ten seconds. Return to original position by using hands on knees to support lower back. Repeat ten times and build slowly until you can repeat twenty to thirty times.

Practicing Good Posture

Stand against a door and try to touch it with the small of your back. Place hands under ribs on each side of the chest. Now pretend to lift the rib cage up. There will be an automatically straightening of the shoulders, tuck hips under, and raise chin. Hold head high and be proud to be pregnant!

Walking

Walk daily, starting slowly and building slowly until walking one to two miles in thirty to forty-five minutes is comfortable. Wear supportive and comfortable shoes, and stretch thighs and calves before and after walking to avoid muscle damage. Walk with abdominal muscles pulled in, bottom tucked tight, back straight, and head looking forward. Swing arms to increase aerobic exercise.

A “side-hitch” indicates inadequate oxygen intake; breathe slowly and deeply, slowing pace if necessary.

Important Points to Remember:

• Pay special attention to proper footwear.
• Drink lots of water and stay well hydrated before, during, and after activity.
• Warm up before a workout, and cool down afterwards.
• Skip exercising any time you have a fever.
• Exercise to the point of mild fatigue and never to the point of exhaustion.
• Mothers should avoid exercising in hot, humid climates and not get overheated (more than 100.4 deg F core body temperature).

Alert Caregiver when:

• Vaginal bleeding or spotting, abdominal cramping, absence of fetal movement, or prolonged contractions after stopping exercise.
• Light-headedness or dizziness, serious headache, shortness of breath, palpitations, fast resting heart rate (more than 100 beats per minute), and chest pain that continue past a short rest period.

This may be copied and distributed with retained copyright.
© International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ICAN Website

What would you do if you were told that scientific studies have uncovered a way to have a shorter labor with less pain — and that method is completely natural? Would you get excited? Many women hope for a shorter, natural birth. And studies have proven there is a way for women to have this. This amazing way to help laboring women is called the doula.

A doula is another woman who stays with a mother throughout labor and birth. The word “doula” comes from a Greek word that means “servant” or “women’s servant.” A doula is a traditional role that women have been filling for centuries. Careful scientific studies in this century have proven what birthing women have always known — doulas help women to have better birth outcomes.

Proven Around the World

International studies have shown the benefit of doulas to birthing women. Women who have continuous doula support during labor have a lower cesarean section rate and a lower rate of assisted vaginal delivery (forceps and vacuum extraction). These results are consistent no matter what country the woman is giving birth in.

One to one care has been shown to shorten labor by two hours or more. A hospital in Dublin, Ireland gives all birthing women one-to-one, continuous support. At this hospital almost all mothers have labors of twelve hours or less. Studies in the United States have also shown that women who use doula support have shorter labors.

Doulas even help women choosing epidural pain relief to have better birth outcomes. A woman who chooses and epidural and doula support is less likely to have a cesarean section and is more likely to have an unassisted vaginal delivery.

Minimizing Interventions

A birthing woman who chooses to have a doula support her throughout labor is less likely to need synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin). Synthetic oxytocin results in stronger, harder contractions that many women have a hard time dealing with. The doula is full of wisdom to help a woman progress through labor, which lessens the likelihood of needing a synthetic hormone boost.

If a woman is induced or has synthetic oxytocin given to her during labor, her doula is able to help her cope with the strong contractions. Doulas are able to assist birthing women in a multitude of ways.

Helping Fathers Too

Even fathers find that doulas benefit them. Births where a father and doula are present usually result in happy parents. The fathers feel like they were given the support that they needed. A doula is able to help the father help the mother as much as possible. Doulas are also able to give continous care to each mother, allowing the father to take a break or freeing him to be there emotionally for the mother.

A True Asset

Doulas help mothers of all ages. Studies have shown that when young mothers are given doula support they have better birth outcomes and a higher breastfeeding rate. Older mothers are also assisted by a confident doula who has many ideas to help the mother through labor.

A doula is truly an asset to any birthing team. If you are looking for a shorter labor with less pain, find a doula in your community. Your doula is in infinite source of wisdom and support — no matter where you give birth, how you give birth, or who else you want with you. Allow yourself the luxury of someone focused completely on your success — have a doula on your team.

Author: Kristen Burgess

Kristen Burgess is the owner of http://www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com She is passionate and committed to helping women have healthy pregnancies and happy, natural births. Learn more about doulas, pregnancy, and natural birth at http://www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com

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

Want to know how to bring on labor naturally? If you want to get things started or you have seen your due date come and go, then you may be looking for ways to get it all over with. More than likely you really don’t want to go with the drugs available to start labor, since many of them come with side effects that can be pretty nasty.

You’ll find that various methods of bringing on labor in a natural manner are available. They won’t harm your child and you don’t have to take any drugs. The following are some great methods that can help you get labor started so you can meet your need little one.

Believe it or not, relaxation is one way that labor can be brought on naturally. When you are uptight, you may not be able to get things started. A nice massage, a great bath, or just spending some time relaxing can help. Aromatherapy can help you relax and can get things started. Try adding the visual of being in labor to your relaxation as well.

You may have heard that having sex is how to bring on labor. Well, it’s actually true. Having sex is one way that you can naturally get labor going. The hormones that end up being released have a whole lot to do with it. So, if you are feeling up to it, this may be one method that you may want to try.

Find a swing and start swinging. This can get labor started too. How does it help? Well, when you swing, it can enable the baby to get in a position that is better for birthing. When the baby is in a good position, it can start the labor for you. Bumping is another option that basically does the same thing – helping get the baby in place for the birth. Get out there on a bump road and bump your way to labor.

Taking a nice, slow walk is an excellent way to help bring on labor naturally. Often the movement of the walking can bring on contractions. When you are upright, pressure is put on your cervix. This can help it to start dilating. However, if you do this, make sure that you don’t go overboard. Drink plenty of water while walking, don’t get overheated, and if you get fatigued, you need to stop.

Acupressure is often used today as a natural way to bring on labor. It is natural and safe, and new studies have shown that this is an effective way to get labor going for many women. It’s very simple, and you can either go to a professional or even get your partner to learn the right methods so he can apply the acupressure for you. Since it’s so easy, it can b done right at home to help start labor for you.

So, you don’t have to rely on drugs to get labor going. With these natural methods of inducing labor, you won’t have to worry. They are natural and safe, and soon you’ll get to meet that little person you’ve been carrying around with you for so long.

If you know you are planning to use an epidural to help you manage pain during childbirth, you may not be thinking about natural childbirth techniques. In contrast with an epidural which almost always provides good pain relief with no effort from the mother, natural childbirth techniques take time to learn, time to practice and you don’t know which ones will help you most until your labor begins. But as is so often true in life, there is great value in the things you have to work harder for.

1. Your labor may move faster than you expect – the typical labor may start slow, and slowly build to active labor, but not all do. About 2% of women experience a precipitate labor, one in which the early stages pass so easily they are unnoticed and the mother suddenly finds herself dealing with a fast active labor. If your labor starts fast, the natural childbirth techniques you learn will not only keep you comfortable, but also help you stay calm and as relaxed as possible until you get to your birth place.
2. It can take 20 minutes to an hour or more from the time you request an epidural to the time you get pain relief. Instead of being a specific medication, epidural and spinal are advanced anesthetic techniques. This means you need an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist to administer one. Unlike simpler, less effective pain relief methods which your midwife, doctor or nurse could administer, when you choose an epidural you need to wait for the anesthesiologist to be available.You could have pain relief in as fast as 20 minutes if everything was already set up and the staff ready, or you could be waiting for another woman to have an epidural administered first, or waiting for an anesthesiologist to finish assisting a cesarean surgery or come to the hospital. In some smaller hospitals, epidurals are not available ‘after hours,’ the staff relying instead on simpler methods of pain relief which are not as effective. Natural childbirth techniques will be your only choice for pain management until things are ready for an epidural to be administered, and can be helpful if you receive a less effective pain medication.
3. Holding off on an epidural allows you to use positioning to move the labor along as quickly as possible. Once you receive an epidural your mobility is greatly reduced, if your baby is not in a good birth position at that point, it becomes harder to get him to move. Epidurals inhibit fetal rotation for a posterior baby (commonly known as back labor). Henci Goer reports in The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth that one study found a 450% increase in persistent posterior (the baby never turned) with epidural use.Ms. Goer also reports that first time mothers with an epidural are more likely to have a cesarean surgery for failure to progress. One study showed women with a slow labor who had an epidural were five times more likely to have a cesarean surgery than women with a slow labor who did not have an epidural. Delaying an epidural gives you the best chances of getting your baby into a good position and labor progressing normally.
4. The longer you can wait to receive pain medications, the less medication you and your baby will receive. This means you lower the potential risks during and after childbirth. Even with lower dose epidurals to reduce the side effects, there are still some. Minimizing the time you have an epidural minimizes some of these side effects, such as risk of maternal fever. Minimizing the time you have an epidural also minimizes the amount of medication you and your baby are exposed to, further reducing risks of side effects.Using natural childbirth techniques can give you the ability to manage pain and discomfort well into active labor. You may find you labor so well with them, you do not need to add the risks of medications. This can mean a faster recovery from the birth, since your body does not have to spend time removing the medication.
5. Natural Childbirth Techniques are helpful for all stages of life, not just giving birth. Comfort skills such as massage and relaxation, can help you relieve tension or stress on a day to day basis. Good positions for childbirth can be helpful for relieving backaches and other discomforts during pregnancy. Women who practice relaxation techniques use them to sleep better before and after their baby is born. The good nutrition and exercise habits learned through most natural childbirth programs can help keep your whole family healthier.Many women find the coping mechanisms they develop using natural childbirth techniques in labor increase their self confidence which helps them manage other parts of their lives. Other women express that even though labor hurt, they were glad they did it because it challenged them in new ways and showed just how strong they were. There is no link to satisfaction with labor and the use of pain medication, which means you are no more likely to look back at labor favorably whether you use medications or not.

Natural childbirth techniques are useful in unexpected labor situations, when you can’t get what you want and when things are not going quite the way you planned. Knowing the medications have risks, and there are benefits to using natural childbirth techniques beyond labor, it can make a lot of sense to try for a natural childbirth with the understanding an epidural is available if you decide you want it.

Author: Jennifer Vanderlaan

Aromatherapy In Labor And Delivery

The time has come. After nine months of anticipation you are standing at the door, suitcase at the ready, stopwatch in hand. You’ve timed the contractions at every two to five minutes on the dot, and as the drama of birth opens its curtains before your very eyes, you wonder if all your preparations will have been enough.

Childbirth is definitely one of, if not the most difficult labors a woman faces in her lifetime. Today, much is written about gentle, natural birthing options, which are healthier for mother and child. By providing a proper state of mind and natural analgesic, aromatherapy can be used to create a memorable, magical birthing atmosphere. This article will explain some of the best ways to prepare for childbirth using essential oils.

One of women’s greatest fears when approaching childbirth is that of damaging the delicate perineal tissue. Doctors and midwives ask whether you would prefer to have an episiotomy or risk a tear. Why not prepare the perineum beforehand with soothing massage? Studies have shown that women who perform daily perineal massages in preparation for childbirth are 30% more likely to deliver over an intact perineum. Besides making the tissue soft and supple, the massage can mentally prepare the woman to relax these muscles and open outward in response to pressure, a skill that will no doubt come in handy when the baby is making his way into the world.

Ideally, you should begin daily 5-10 minute massages at six to eight weeks prior to term. First, empty your bladder. Soaking for 5-15 minutes in warm water and lavender oil can relax the vaginal wall, making the perineal massage more comfortable. If you are doing the massage yourself, place one foot on the seat of a chair or the side of the bathtub; otherwise, a partner can perform the massage while you sit back comfortably with your back resting against pillows.

Mix 1 ounce wheat germ oil with 3 drops lavender and 1 drop geranium. (Sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and cold-pressed olive oil are good substitutes for wheat germ oil. You can also use a blend of the oils.) After dipping into the massage oil, insert your thumb or middle fingers into the vagina just enough to stretch the perineal tissue, approximately two to three inches. Press the vaginal wall back toward the rectum, massaging in a U-shaped motion. Gently stretch the vagina open for 20-60 seconds, or until you feel a tingling or slight burning sensation. Stretch both the inner portions as well as the outer rim of the perineum. Make sure to wash hands thoroughly before and after perineal massage, and discard any unused oil.

Wherever you are planning to give birth, aromatherapy can be utilized. For use during labor and delivery, add to your suitcase your favorite essential oils and oil blends, an aromatic diffuser (electric models are the best for use in birthing centers and hospitals), flannels and bowls for compresses, and a plastic tub for sitz baths. Make sure to practice with your partner so that he or she is ready to serve you in your hour of need. Discussing your wishes with your health care provider is also a good idea, so that you don’t end up in a battle of wills just at the time you planned to create your ideal birth environment.

The following essential oils are ideal for labor and delivery. Due to the heightened sensitivity to smell during labor, it is best to use only a couple oils at a time.

Neroli, bergamot, rose, or frankincense help relieve fear and anxiety, and promote relaxation between contractions. These are good oils to use in your diffuser.

Lavender is good for aches, and helps in balancing and calming the laboring woman. After your cervix has dilated to at least 2 cm, you may consider taking a 30 minute lavender bath. Studies show that this can improve progress in labor and significantly reduces the need for drugs.

Between contractions, a foot or lower back massage can soothe and stimulate pain relief. Add 20 drops lavender and 8 drops clary sage in 4 ounces of olive oil.

Jasmine, lavender, or clary sage compresses can stimulate or strengthen contractions, and cool compresses to the forehead keep you feeling refreshed. To prepare a compress simply add 3-4 drops essential oil to a bowl of warm or cool water. Drape a flannel over the surface of the water to absorb the film of the oil. Ring out cloth and apply to area.

1 drop peppermint oil offered on a handkerchief can ward off nausea, or can be used as a pick-me-up during the transitional phase, when fatigue may settle in.

If tension is preventing you from opening the cervix during contractions, an abdominal massage or a compress of 8 drops Spikenard, 7 drops Jasmine, and 3 drops lemon verbena in 4 ounces olive oil can help. Evening primrose oil massaged directly on the cervix can also assist in relaxing the tissues.

Whatever turn your birthing takes, allow the effects of aromatherapy to penetrate your mind and relax your body.

By: Francesca Black

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

Francesca Black works in marketing at Organic Items www.organic-items.com and Aromatherapy Blends www.aromatherapy-blends.net leading portals for organic products and essential oils.