Home Birth Planning

Having a baby is a joyous occasion for the expectant parents. While many families choose to experience the moment in a hospital setting, more and more people are choosing to opt for a home birth. One reason for making the choice to give birth at home is to avoid any unnecessary medical interventions that have become common in many hospital births. The act of giving birth is a natural occurrence and unless problems arise there is not usually a reason for medical intervention. Others feel that hospital births take away from the joy of the experience, as soon after the birth, the child is taken away from his or her mother for long periods of time.

The Role of the Midwife

While a return to home births has increasingly become the choice of many expectant parents in the United States, in many countries all over the world, hospital births have never been commonplace. In many countries midwives are primarily responsible for delivering babies. A midwife often develops a special connection with the expectant mother, and in addition to her professional expertise, the midwife may offer spiritual support during the process. A well planned home birth with a registered midwife can be a safe option for a low-risk pregnancy.

Giving birth at home isn't for everyone!

A mother must be a good candidate for home birth before she should consider it as an option. High-risk mothers are not idea candidates for home births. Some factors that would place an expectant mother in a high-risk category include:

Mothers with preexisting conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes
Pre or post mature births
Older Mothers
Pre-Detected breech births
No hospital within a reasonably close distance
Women in any of these categories should not opt for a home birth. Therefore good a candidates for a home birth is a low-risk mother who lives in a reasonably short distance from a hospital, in case of complications.

Maria is a writer and womens activist. Her organization Saving Angel helps women detect early signs of pregnancy and assists with the transition into motherhood.
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Back Pain in Pregnancy

Normal and short-term phenomenon

Early pregnancy back pain is a normal phenomenon in this most beautiful period of a woman's life. Most of the expectant mothers witness some degree of back pain during the early phase of pregnancy and this pain generally subsides after about 20 weeks. Backache or spasm, which is reflected by stretching of muscles or burning pain in the left or the right side of the quadrant, is normally the result of the softening of the supporting ligaments and disks due to an increase in the progesterone hormone during the early stage. In some cases, urinary infection during pregnancy can also result in pain in the back amongst pregnant women. The extra weight of a pregnant women's body and the change in her centre of gravity also result in backaches and pain.

Remedies For Pregnancy Back Pain

The most important and safe remedy for the treatment of early pregnancy back pain is exercising. This is mainly because certain medications for back related pain is contraindicated during early pregnancy. Walking, pelvic rocking, bridging (done by lying down on the floor, bending your knees and lifting your buttocks into air), mini-crunches (done by lying down on the floor), bending your knees and lifting your head on exhalation, are good exercises for relief from pack pain during early pregnancy. Pregnant women do these exercises on their own to relieve back pain.

The right body posture and good body mechanics also play an important role in keeping one free of early pregnancy back pain. The right posture for prevention of back pain is standing straight and tall. However, the importance for correct postures is as essential in early pregnancy as before that. However, in late pregnancy, as the uterus becomes big, one tends to pull back her shoulders to offset the additional weight, which results in a back strain. You can reduce this pain during later stages in such a position by frequently changing your sitting position and avoiding standing for long periods.

Adequate rest and sleep are also essential for avoiding or eliminating early pregnancy back pain. You should take proper rest and avoid strenuous activities to avoid it during your pregnancy. You can also do normal yoga exercises to eliminate minor pain. However, if it persists you should consult your doctor and take proper medication for relief from back pain. In some cases of pain in the back, doctors may prescribe physiotherapy for relief. Massages and use of special mattresses are also effective for back pain relief during pregnancy.
Signs of pregnancy are signal of joy for a couple. Back pain during pregnancy is a most common pregnancy symptom.For more on early symptoms of pregnancy and other pregnancy problems information, visit, Pregnancy Back Pain

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Pregnacy Related Nausea

Below are some technical highlights Dr. Michel Brown summarized from the New England Journal of Medicine:

Ginger and Vitamin B6 are the most effective, first line remedy for pregnancy related nausea.Randomized, placebo controlled trials have shown effectiveness of vitamin B6 (10–25 mg every 8 hours) in the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Oral Vitamin B6 has been studied in more than 6,000 patients and controls with no evidence of teratogenicity. In these randomized trials, Vitamin B6 has been associated with 70% reduction in nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

Randomized, double-blind trials have provided support for the benefit of Ginger in the management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

In four randomized trials with a total of 675 participants, Ginger in capsules (tasteless) was superior to placebo and in two trials, the efficacy of Ginger was similar to that of vitamin B6.
Furthermore, Ginger was not associated with other clinically significant side effects or with any increased risk of an adverse pregnancy outcome. Ginger is considered to be a food supplement and NOT a drug.

Conclusion:A pregnant woman should use Ginger and Vitamin B6 combined in an odorless, tasteless gel capsule as a first-line remedy for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. If this fails to relieve the symptoms, prescription medications can be considered.

You can read the entire article at http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMcp1003896 you can also order Dr. Brown's supplement's from Beute de Maman.

Preparing to Breastfeed

I love this article. It's a great way to prepare for nursing. It really drives home the point that it only takes 24 hours to go from a little sore to a lot sore. Make sure you're accomplishing a proper latch before you try to be tough.

Check it Out:

http://www.bestforbabes.org/prepare-the-learning-curve-of-breastfeeding/

My Baby has Thrush

Although much of the new nursing routine is instinctive for your infant nursing is much like learning to dance with a new partner. In the early days mom's nipples may become very tender and sore. Often this is due the baby's mouth being poorly position at the breast. However, occasionally it may be the result of a condition known as thrush.

What is thrush? It is a parasitic fungal disease or yeast infection characterized by whitish spots and ulcers on the membranes of the mouth, tongue, and throat. It can be easily mistaken for milk. Sometimes it appears as cottage cheese. It is important not to touch or wipe these patches away. They may become sore and swollen.

Sometimes babies with thrush will cry when they nurse. They may refuse to eat altogether. A baby with thrush can spread the yeast overgrowth to their mother's breast which can increase nipple soreness. Dr. Sears provides some great tips on how to heal thrush http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083100.asp

SIX WAYS TO TREAT THRUSH
Acidophilus – this is a powder form of the normal bacteria that live in our mouth and intestines. Click on it to learn how to apply it in baby's mouth.
Nystatin – this is a prescription antifungal liquid that you either squirt or paint with a Q-tip in baby's mouth four times a day. Continue this for five days after the thrush has cleared since it can be quite stubborn. It is common for thrush to recur, and more than one course of nystatin is often needed. One good aspect of nystatin is that it is not absorbed from baby's intestines into the bloodstream. Rather, it goes right through baby and out in the stool.
Sterilize bottle nipples or pacifiers – boil them for 20 minutes each day to kill the yeast that may be residing on them.
Wash toys that baby frequently chews on in hot, soapy water every day.
Don't forget to treat mom if breastfeeding – see below.
If the candida is resistant to the standard treatments described above, in consultation with your healthcare provider, try a 0.25 - 0.5 percent solution of gentian violet applied to your nipples twice a day for three days. Gentian violet is effective, but messy. Also, apply a small amount once a day to baby's mouth, but be aware that overuse of gentian violet may irritate the sensitive oral mucus membranes of baby's mouth. Apply Vaseline to baby's lips before using the gentian violet to avoid purple stains.Warning - gentian violet has been used for many years to treat thrush. A recent study done in Australia has linked gentian violet to cancer of the mouth. However, many other professionals around the world believe that it is safe, and continue to recommend it. For this reason, we suggest you use this remedy sparingly, and for as little time as possible.

Labor Pain

One of the most common mistakes made by childbirth educators is the tendency to understate the pain. Many couples gain a false confidence as they draw near to labor only to find they were poorly prepared for the intensity of the pain. I certainly felt that way in my first labor.

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." -M. Kathleen Casey

One should never understate pain, rather plan, prepare, and work with it. If you want to achieve an unmedicated birth you must exercise regularly, practice relaxation and breathing techniques, define roles of your birth attendants, and create a strategy with your coach. If you're not willing to commit to regular practice, you'll want to consider the epidural as an alternative coping tool.

Non-Alcoholic Strawberry Dacquari

3/4 Cup Fresh Strawberries
1/2 tsp liquid stevia
1/2 cup Strawberry Daiquiri Mixer
2 Cups Ice
1 Cup Water

Blend until smooth. Absolutely Delicious.