December 9, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 9:23 am
New guidelines have been issued by maternity services in the UK and women are now entitled to choose a caesarean section. They are able to choose this method of birth even if they have no medical need for it and they are also to be offered counselling about the risks associated with the procedure.
The Royal College of Midwives have recently stated that this is something that already happens and the new guidelines are merely a formalisation of a process that already was happening.
The guidelines have been produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and it is said that the guidelines will probably mean that the number of women having a caesarean will actually decrease because of increased awareness about the procedure. The guidelines that have come from Nice have highlighted the risks that both caesarean and vaginal birth.
Currently about one in four women in the United Kingdom have a caesarean section and in most cases these are planned ahead so that the health so the mother is assured. The risks that are highlighted in the guidelines are for women who are choosing to have a caesarean section ahead of time, if you have one during pregnancy because of complications the risks are very different and sometimes a mother may need to be transferred to an intensive care unit.
Mothers who have a caesarean section are also more prone to postnatal depression and are more likely to have trouble breastfeeding their baby. The guidelines also highlight the risks of giving birth through the vagina which include, injury to the vagina, shock from loss of blood, heavy bleeding and pain. The risks associated with a caesarean section include admission to the ICU, a longer hospital stay, bleeding, the potential need for a hysterectomy, and heart attack.
The guidelines also confirmed that having a Caesarean section is significantly less painful than giving birth through the vagina. However, they also state that three days after giving birth the pain is equal to that of someone who had a vaginal birth. It also found that the vagina might be damaged during a traditional birth but highlights that there are significant benefits of it over a caesarean section.
The more major risks of a caesarean section, such as heart attack and the need for a hysterectomy are incredibly low with the figures being 0.2% and 0.03% respectively. The guidelines also give information about the chance of death during birth although they state that information is conflicting.
One study showed that a caesarean section was less likely to cause death but then another study showed there was a higher risk for those having a caesarean. The data on which is safer is quite conflicting but all studies agree that the chances of something happening are incredibly low.
The chance of complications occurring were found to be less than 1% no matter what method of delivery you chose. However, considering the health of the baby is important and babies who are born vaginally at significantly less likely to need admission to an intensive care unit.
October 1, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 10:29 pm
All women should be supported during labour and delivery. The support provided by a partner, or another person chosen by the woman, supplements that which is provided by professionals. All women should be able to choose the person who will provide social support during childbirth, such as the spouse, another family member, or friend. We must respect the wishes of women and provide physical and emotional support.
Continuous support for women during childbirth has been shown to have benefits such as less use of pharmacological analgesia and a lower number of instrumental vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections. Also, women are more satisfied with their childbirth experience. During maternal education programs, tools and strategies to deal with the pain and stress in labour should be offered to pregnant women.
Pain relief during labour helps increase the physical and emotional well-being of pregnant women and should be a priority of care. Information should be provided to women during pregnancy and childbirth on pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods available.
Epidural anesthesia involves the administration of various analgesic drugs through a catheter placed into the epidural space of the spinal cord. Some of the additional non-pharmacological techniques used for pain relief in childbirth are:
Ambulation and position changes during labor and delivery.
The ability to move freely during the birthing process helps women cope with the painful sensations. The available evidence suggests that if the woman is upright in the first stage of labor there is less pain, less need for epidural analgesia, less alterations to the FHR pattern, and it shortens the time of the first stage of labour. In addition, the verticality and movement encourage the baby to have as much space as possible in the pelvis.
Continuous support during pregnancy.
The effects of continuous support for women during childbirth was the subject of a Cochrane review, which has concluded that women who relied on continued support for their deliveries had less need for analgesics and were more satisfied with the experience.
Water use as a painkiller.
Hot water may be used during labor to induce relaxation, reduce anxiety by stimulating the production of endorphins, improve uterine perfusion and shorten the period of expansion, and increase the feeling of pain control and satisfaction. The statistical results of the Cochrane review show that using hot water significantly reduces the use of epidural analgesia during the first stage of labor without adverse effects on the duration of labor. The rate of surgical births is lowered and neonatal well-being increased.
Injections of sterile water.
This form of analgesia is the administration of sterile water by intradermal injection (0.1-0.5 ml), creating water papules that stimulate pressure receptors. The transmission of these stimuli to the brain interrupts the transmission of painful stimuli through the spinal nerves. Injections should be made on both sides of the base of the spine within the area encompassed by the rhombus of Michaelis. There are several studies with good methodological quality in which such injections are shown to be an effective analgesic.
TENS, acupuncture, relaxation techniques and massage.
These are other methods of non-pharmacological pain relief in labour for which there is no proven scientific evidence, although some clinical trials recommend their use.
September 22, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 11:19 am
NEW mums are turning to the internet instead of their midwife with simple baby care questions. Recent research undertaken by Google shows that in their first week of becoming a parent, women’s internet searches double, with some of the most searched for questions being:
• How to change a nappy
• How to bath a baby
• How to put a baby to bed and help them sleep through the night
The results compiled by search engine Google, show that many first time mums are more comfortable turning to the Internet than their friends or midwife thanks to the convenience and embarrassment factor.
However, family favourite nappy rash cream, Sudocrem seek to help by teaming up with baby expert and midwife, Nikki Kahn to launch a series of mini-movies answering some of the top 11 most Googled baby related questions. These include: What to Pack for a hospital birth, How much weight a new-born baby gains,
How to make sure a dad bonds with baby from the outset, How to swaddle a baby, How to change a nappy, What is nappy rash and how to avoid it, What to pack in your changing bag, How to put a baby to bed and help them to sleep through the night, How do I know how much sleep my child needs at different ages, What is tummy time, What is Hypnobirthing.
Nikki said of the movies:
“All first time mums have questions and no query is ever too small, with many mums being in the same position of not knowing who to ask.
She continued: “These movies should alleviate those concerns and help you feel more confident with your new baby.”
From Mid September, the brand will be releasing a series of 11 movies on the Sudocrem YouTube channel and Sudocrem Facebook page.
June 8, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 2:43 pm
A survey carried out by a UK independent baby product review website has revealed that over a third of women in the UK are choosing not to have any more children due to the side effects they suffered during pregnancy. British women are having few children now than in recent years, so the survey was held to ask them how they felt about being pregnant and having more children.
www.BabyChild.org.uk surveyed 1,847 women in the UK who were 18 or over and had at least one child. Those who responded were initially asked if they would like to have more children, to which 49% said no. Those who answered no where then asked the reasons behind this decision, and 36% said it was because of the side effects of pregnancy. 29% responded that their decision was used to financial reasons.
A further 24% said they were content with the number of children they already had and just over a tenth, 11%, thought they were too old to have any more children.
The respondents who cited ‘pregnancy side effects’ as a reason for not wanting any more children were then asked to choose, from a multiple list of possible answers, what bothered them the most. The top 5 answers were as follows:
1) Morning sickness – 34%
2) Weight gain – 28%
3) Stretch marks – 16%
4) Pain – 13%
5) Other - 9%
Jill Tovey, co-founder of BabyChild.org.uk, commented on the study’s findings:
“We all know the side effects of pregnancy, but the intensity of some of these are sometimes underestimated. No two pregnancies are likely to be the same, but the side effects can be emotionally and physically challenging. What could be an amazing part of pregnancy for one expectant mother could be very uncomfortable for some other women.”
She continued:
“With the current economic climate, women are apparently having fewer children, but it is also now quite common to see women having children later on in life. They often prioritise their career and lifestyle first and tend to have children when they are well and truly ready, which is no bad thing!”
May 13, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 3:45 pm
Everyone knows about the current crisis in the British maternity system, and the increasing shortage of trained midwives. This has lead to increased anxiety amongst pregnant women about giving birth, but a new support CD has been launched to help women through the trauma of labour.
The Labour Companion CD has been produced by Natal Hypnotherapy, and has been developed with support and help of midwives. It is intended to be a tool that will provide comfort and guidance to those women in the difficult and advanced stages of labour. The intention is to help to keep them calm and focused so they can manage their contractions better.
The calming voice of the British hypnotherapist Maggie Howell will reassure women in labour and they will be talked through relaxation, breathing and visualisation techniques appropriate to the stage of labour they are in at the time. The CD can be listened to from the very onset of labour so that the listener is calm and relaxed from the off.
This CD is obviously in no way intended to take the place of a midwife, testers have reported that the calm voice in the background has helped both the mum-to-be and their partners in those times when they are alone. One tester, Kirsty Clifford, has nothing but praise for the CD, saying that although she could hear both her husband and midwife, Maggie’s voice in the background brought about an feeling of peace and tranquility.
She says she was able to relax and just let her body do it’s job, and she is positive that listening to the CD made the whole birthing experience a lot easier and quicker than if she hadn’t been listening to it.
There are three tracks on the Labour Companion CD which have been designed to reflect the different emotional stages a woman is likely to go through(1). As Laura Nickell said about using the CD for the recent birth of her baby “The excitement phase track helped remind me of all my preparation and get me in a positive mindset. The Serious stage helped me stay focused when became intense and the Adrenaline track helped me relax when scared”
The CD was developed in response to feedback from some of the 100,000+ women who have already benefitted from the award winning Natal Hypnotherapy. Research from 1251 of these women was recently presented at the 1st World Congress of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology WCOGA demonstrating that listening to the CDs led to a decrease in intervention and c-section rates(2). Women loved the preparation CDs but felt that they needed “the voice” during the labour to help them stay calm and focused. As Kirsty Clifford wrote about her experience using the Labour Companion CD – “When the voice matched the soothing voice on the birth preparation CD, my body automatically responded by relaxing and I found I was breathing more deeply”.
To get the maximum benefit from the Labour Companion CD, women should ideally learn and practice the techniques from the Natal Hypnotherapy Birth Preparation CDs and Effective Birth preparation book during the last trimester of your pregnancy.Labour Companion CD can then be used to reinforce the techniques during the birth as Bella Jordan explains “The Labour companion CD really helped me re-focus on what I had tuned into when listening to the Birth preparation CD. The 2nd track was really helpful just to hear the voice and the reminders to relax. The 3rd track was very helpful – I had it on regularly to bring me down off the ceiling.”
Once again Natal Hypnotherapy is providing a powerful yet safe and easy to use resource for women who want to get rid of fear and anxiety and approach birth with confidence and joy.
The CD retails at just £11.99 and can be bought directly from Natal Hypnotherapy or from any major retailer including Amazon, the NCT, Foyles and Waterstones.
May 6, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 2:09 am
Hypnobirthing will be coming to three north Essex area hospitals and is a technique where mums can have an easy and drug free birth while under hypnosis. The Colchester Hospital Trust is only the second in all of the UK to offer classes in the relatively new practice.
The Colchester Hospital, later this spring and the Harwich and Clacton hospitals will have the classes given by midwives that are already trained practitioners in hypnobirthing.
The thought is that hypnobirthing will make a big difference in the labour experience for the women with whatever form of birth they decide to have. Marathons have to be prepared for both mentally and physically and hypnobirthing is a way to prepare mentally and physically for childbirth.
The courses are not covered by NHS since they are over and above the normal costs, therefore there will be a charge for the course of £250 per couple and there is homework that all participants will be expected to complete. The course is good for women that are at least 16 weeks pregnant and of course their partners as well. The technique was first used in the United States and is now practiced in more than 15 countries
March 2, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 9:21 am
Retired welder Richard Roden and has wife Lisa, 26, of Brownhills said he would not change his life for anything after welcoming new baby Madison into the world, even though he still would like to have more children, they have decided to sterilize Mrs. Roden since the cost of living for having four young children is so high.
Mr. Roden turns 73 on Wednesday and in 2009 made the record books as the oldest father in country and he commented that his new baby Madison is beautiful as are all his girls even though it is hard work, he loves it and has not place for those that criticize saying he will be in his 80s when they are in secondary school.
He just wants to be a good dad to them now, stating that people die at all ages and his dad dies when he was only two. He has 10 other children and six of them do not speak to him since his relationship began with his wife Lisa.
Lisa feels the same as when they met six years ago, while studying at an adult education college and says they are still madly in love and have no time for those that make comments about his age.
February 5, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 6:11 am
You may be considering adding another child to your family or starting out from scratch. So you might want to know the secret to increasing your odds at producing a baby boy. Certainly you have heard the rumours of old-fashioned gimmicks to do it right and you think of them as old wives’ tales. Some of them have reason behind them though and should be revisited.
Of course, even though your chances might be increased, there is no way to be 100% certain of its success. Yet, if you can push those odds up to your favour, then why not?
A small thing, such as the position of copulation while having an orgasm can be a straight forward way and there are good reasons to believe this.
There is evidence that the sperm carrying the Y gene that determines the production of a baby boy has a shorter life span, while that carrying the X gene lives longer. To provide the best possibility of that Y gene making it to the egg is the trick of increasing the odds of having a baby boy.
You can do exactly this with a sexual position named the Reverse Cow Girl. In this position the woman can best keep control of how deep the penetration goes. This one factor in itself provides a closer shot for the Y gene to get to its target before dying.
January 15, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 9:54 pm
Giving birth and having a newborn is an experience that just about every women would like to have. Having a newborn can be very challenging for some new mums a new study states. Many women do not feel like themselves until at least 18 months after the birth. A fashion website for new mums carried out the study. There are so many pressures and responsibilities for a new mum that they feel very overwhelmed.
One of the pressures that women face includes getting back to their old weight. Many feel they should lose it a lot faster than they do because of celebrities and other mums. Other women also do not feel that they would excel at their job again or did not feel that they could leave their newborns. When they do return to work they do not feel like part of the crowd anymore for almost a year.
With the new responsibilities that a new mum has some will let themselves go. They do not realize all of the new responsibilities that they would have and cannot complete everything in a day. They understand the sleepless nights are what comes with having a newborn. New mums take the priorities of their child first and foremost and everything else is secondary. They come to terms with their new life and embrace it. A lack of routine is very common in the early months, which does not help them make it through the day. Their self-assurance due to hormone-driven emotions disappears.
New mums love the new life that they have. They do need to understand the new routine will take a while to fall into place.
November 2, 2010
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 2:15 am
To prepare for the birth pregnant women can cooperate by attending along with a partner, a childbirth class that is offered as a regular weekly appointment or as a weekend course by midwives, clinics, birth centres and hospitals.
The content of these courses include setting up a birth plan (choice of place of birth, birth positions), natural pain processing, artificial painkillers and anaesthesia techniques, pelvic floor muscle training, relaxation exercises, psychological and social aspects of family formation, breastfeeding and infant care.
Home births have been steadily declining, and today 97% of children are born in hospitals, particularly in high-risk pregnancies. In addition, there are alternatives to a standard birth
From about the 18th Week of pregnancy movements of the developing foetus are felt by the pregnant woman. The earliest point is from the 23rd Week that one can hear the heartbeat with a stethoscope. Thanks to modern medical methods (e.g. ultra-zoography) the foetus can be shown in the womb and has a highly developed sense of its external environment (mother’s voice, music, movement).
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New guidelines have been issued by maternity services in the UK and women are now entitled to choose a caesarean section. They are able to choose this method of birth even if they have no medical need for it and they are also to be offered counselling about the risks associated with the procedure.
