epidural
Rethinking the nature of intervention in childbirth
There is much awareness and conversation of what the routine interventions are that can occur during the labor and birth process within the hospital environment. These interventions can include induction, augmentation with Pitocin, epidural, or cesarean. In all my professional and personal roles, I am privy to a great amount of pregnancy and birth stories.…
Read MoreACOG refines guidelines for fetal monitoring in labor
ACOG recently updated guidelines for fetal monitoring in labor. They call it a refinement. Very interesting. Directly from the press release “Since 1980, the use of EFM has grown dramatically, from being used on 45% of pregnant women in labor to 85% in 2002,” says George A. Macones, MD, who headed the development of the…
Read MoreChildbirth in the hospital – Navigational Tips
There are many reasons why a woman chooses to birth in the hospital. Women have the right to choose where and with whom she will birth regardless of what another would choose. Women need the tools to navigate the hospital setting. She and her baby ARE unique. They are human beings. Laboring women are often…
Read MoreChildbirth Education – Think outside the big box location
So let’s chat about childbirth education. Of the reported 30% of expecting parents who attend childbirth classes the majority go to the hospital where the birth is planned instead of seeking out independent options. I want to challenge you to think about how strange that is. Does it make sense that the information presented will…
Read MoreIndividual fit: Who and where you choose during pregnancy and childbirth matter.
Picture this: An expectant mother is preparing for the birth of her baby. She chooses the care provider her friend, co-worker or family member recommended, she is reading the most popular books on pregnancy and birth (she doesn’t know there are any others to choose from – everyone is reading these), she cannot help herself…
Read MoreCesarean Avoidance – Tips For Every Woman
Yes you DO want to avoid a cesarean whenever possible. Cesarean is MAJOR surgery. It is not just another way to give birth. Both women and babies are well designed to give birth often never needing intervention of any type. Cesarean can be a life-saving technique and used well for some serious medical conditions, including…
Read MoreLanguage, birth practices and political correctness.
These days political correctness seems to rule the world (at least the United States). We have become so easily offended that we often miss the truth and follow parcels of truth weighted down by vast untruth for someone else to gain from in some way, not for the health and safety of our bodies or…
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