10 Things You Need To Know About Pregnancy, Labor, and Birth

 

1.     Your growing baby gets every nutrient needed for growth—from nerves to muscles to bone to brain—from your bloodstream, and nowhere else. The baby is fed by placental circulation, which gets nutrients only from the mother’s bloodstream, and the only way nutrients get into the mother’s bloodstream is through what she eats. Eat 80-100 grams of high quality protein every day. Protein forms the foundation of every cell of your baby’s body. These can be lean meats or vegetarian combinations. Take in at least 2,400 calories every day, to prevent your body from burning the protein you eat for energy. http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/6keys.asp

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   1. Medication is not the only choice for pain control. Women can successfully rely on relaxation techniques, deep abdominal breathing, massage, getting in the bath or shower, and having a supportive, knowledgeable coach or doula. Visit www.birthingnaturally.net
   2. Pain medications do have an impact on your labor, you, and your baby. There are times when an epidural is a very helpful addition to labor, but, as with any medication, there are risks and benefits. Some side effects of an epidural are: contractions slow down or stop, hypotension, respiratory distress for mom and baby, maternal fever, uneven, incomplete, or nonexistent pain relief. For baby: drowsiness at birth, poor sucking reflex, both of which interfere with bonding and breastfeeding. www.lamaze.org, www.motherfriendly.org
   3. First time mothers who are induced are 50% more likely to end up with a cesarean section as compared to first time mothers who wait for the natural onset of labor. www.ican-online.org
   4. Only 11% of women will have their bag of water break before labor begins ( also known as PROM-premature rupture of membranes). Most women will begin labor on their own within 24-48 hours. The cesarean rate is 30-50% for women who are induced to deliver within 24 hours of PROM. Because most women will spontaneously go into labor within this time frame, the patient and wise birth attendant will wait. http://www.midwiferytoday.com/enews/enews0512.asp#main; www.ican-online.org
   5. Having a doula during labor shortens labor by 25%, reduces the cesarean rate by 50%, reduces requests for epidurals by 60%..www.dona.org, www.alace.org, www.sandiegoborn.org
   6. Nearly 90% of students of the Bradley Method who give birth vaginally, do so without medication. www.bradleybirth.com
   7. Women need to be taught how to give birth naturally. The Bradley Method^® teaches couples ways to stay low risk. While occasionally there are risk factors out of your control, staying healthy and low risk can help to avoid complications. Low risk mothers have more choices. www.bradleybirth.com
   8. The Bradley Method^® teaches natural childbirth and views birth as a natural process. It is our belief that most women with proper education, preparation, and the help of a loving and supportive coach can be taught to give birth naturally
   9. Practicing yoga while pregnant can help increase flexibility, decrease swelling and anxiety, and divert the pain of labor. Many women find that regular yoga practice helps to reduce swelling, back and leg pain, and insomnia. The ability to be present and breathe into the sensations of stretching or of holding a strenuous pose allows for a kind of softening and letting go that directly applies to the experience of labor. Women discover that much of their pain is resistance, trying to get away from or tightening against the sensations that come with contractions. www.wholebirth.com, www.yogajanda.com

www.bradleybirth.com, www.yogajanda.com  or contact <!–[if supportFields]> CONTACT _Con-415974281 \c \s \l <![endif]–>Liza Janda<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> liza@yogajanda.com (760)-716-6386

Tags: baby, bradleybirth, labor, lamaze, Liza Janda, medication in labor, midwiferytoday, natural birth, nutrition in pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, prenatal yoga, yoga for pregnancy, Yoga Janda