Preparing For Birth

Visit http://www.birthingtouch.com/ for upcoming childbirth classes serving the Colorado Springs area and for CAPPA childbirth educator trainings in Colorado, Missouri, and Utah.

• Proper support is important for childbirth – builds confidence in mom, builds safety in mom, lowers complications, interventions, medications and cesareans.
• Induction is only for medical reasons – big baby, past “due date”, tired of being pregnant, care provider preference, upcoming holidays… all put mom and baby at risk for complications, interventions and cesarean.
• Cesarean only for medical reasons – cord prolapse, placenta previa, pre-eclampsia or HELLP syndrome where induction fails, true fetal distress, some breech positions, placental abruption, uterine rupture (there are other less common reasons as well – notice previous cesarean, non-medical reason, large baby, gestational diabetes, obesity, convenience are not on the list)
• Unrestricted movement in labor –
• Pushing in gravity prone positions – only use reclined or lithotomy of mom desires it.
• No separation of mom and baby unless there is a complication.
• Drinking and eating in labor – the uterus is a muscle it needs to be watered and fed.
• Intermittent monitoring of mom and baby – only high risk moms and babies need continuous monitoring.
• No routine medications or interventions – pain management should not be pushed on a mother, episiotomies should not be routine, augmentation of labor should only be done AFTER non-medical methods are tried and patience is used, naturally occurring rupture of membranes, etc.
• Unrestricted breastfeeding access.
• Informed consent and refusal need to be utilized.

Check out http://www.cappa.net/, http://www.independentchildbirth.com/, http://www.lamaze.org/ for resources outside of Colorado Springs, CO (classes, doulas, other related professionals).