Yesterday, I connected with some amazing ladies (if there were gentlemen, forgive me, but you didn’t speak up during the discussion portion) during my first conference call.
We talked about what it means to “Birth Smart”, what individualized maternity care is and:
- How to support women in creating, recognizing, and making their own individualized choices during pregnancy and birth (including a 5 step tool for decision making)
- The 6 traits of optimal maternity care based on research reviews by the cochrane collaboration
- Ideas for communicating effectively in order to achieve the best possible birth outcomes
If you weren’t able to be on the call, we missed you! But you don’t have to miss out because you can listen to a recording of the call here.
This event was a warm up for three pregnancy coaching calls I will be holding next week. If you’d like to join us for one of these, you can register here. The format is a 45 minute presentation, followed by a question/answer discussion period. The cost is $4.95 per class. Would love to have you join me for any/all of these that meet your needs/interests!
Natural Childbirth: Pain Optional? ~ Monday, May 23rd at 2:00pm Central
Did you know that some childbirth preparation methods teach that birth doesn’t have to be a painful experience? Some women report pain-free and low-pain births. It may be a matter of semantics, but it is clear that some women are much better at coping with labor than others. Whether or not you can buy into the idea of a pain-free birth, there are specific strategies and techniques you can use to help manage your discomfort during your birth experience. You will learn:
- About the physiological processes that go on during labor
- How preparing your mind prior to birth can be a powerful tool during labor
- Ideas for comfort measures and reducing stress in your birth space
Epidural Anesthesia: Making an informed choice ~ Tuesday, May 24th at 2:00pm Central
The Epidural is the most common form of pain relief used by women in labor (in the US) today. We all know women who have gotten them . . . many love them, some hate them, but how can you decide whether this option is right for you?
We will discuss:
- How an epidural works and what it can do for you
- Benefits and risks of the epidural
- Ideas for minimizing potential epidural complications
Breastfeeding: Getting started right ~ Wednesday, May 25th at 2:00pm Central
Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience for both mother and baby, but it can also have some challenges. Please join us for this call to help prepare yourself to avoid common pitfalls and set yourself up for success. We will have a special guest on this call: Carole Pulaski, former L&D Nurse (15 years experience) and Certified Lactation Consultant.
You will learn:
- Tips for establishing successful breastfeeding during your baby’s first hours and days
- Answers to common breastfeeding questions
- Resources for breastfeeding help and support
The link to register for one of these calls is here.
I just finished listening to the conference call. Thanks for making that available! I’ve got a couple questions:
First, you mentioned a study from Amnesty International, and I tried to look it up. Do you have to become a member to see their studies? I don’t really know anything about this organization–could you give a little background?
Second, you talked about one of your clients (I think) whose water had broken and the doctor wanted to check her every hour. My understanding is the same as yours, in that vaginal exams should be avoided in that case. I think this would be a really great topic for some blog posts *hint hint*.
I have a friend who ended up being induced with her second because her water broke and she didn’t go into labor as soon as the doctor thought she should. Do you know of any studies that talk about the safety of waiting for spontaneous labor after water breaking? Any related information (such as amniotic fluid regeneration) would also be helpful. 
Thanks again!
Mary – Thanks for the comment/question. As far as I understand, the Amnesty International report was not a study, but a report ranking countries by maternal mortality rates. Here’s a link to a post where you can access the report. http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/demand-dignity/maternal-health-is-a-human-right/maternal-health-in-the-us. It is quite sobering and highlights specific stories of women who died due to complications from their birth experiences
Here’s a post from last year related to the topic. http://birth-smart.com/2010/03/26/birth-in-the-u-s-becoming-more-dangerous-for-women-and-babies/ I really like the video I link to in the post. He explains some of the arguments people make who question the statistics, so you can get an idea of some opposing views as well.
As for the vaginal exams, it is an interesting subject. I don’t know of any specific studies right off . . . I’ll have to to a little research before I can write on that. I have read of midwives who are comfortable allowing a woman to wait for spontaneous labor even several days after water has broken with a “nothing in the vagina” policy. More medically-based providers are so reliant on the vaginal exams that they are not comfortable waiting and feel it’s best to put the mom on the clock before they develop an infection (more likely in a hospital setting and with frequent vaginal exams). This varies quite a bit. I had an OB with my first who suggested that I come in for induction after 24 hours if I hadn’t started spontaneous labor. I know others want labor completed within 24 hours. Below is a link from the UK and they cite some guidelines allowing 96 hours and nothing in the vaginal after water breaks. I have just run across this wide range of policies, but don’t know which (if any) are based on actual evidence.
Another great related question is the difference between an actual rupture of membranes and a hindwater leak. Some providers offer no distinction, but there is a difference. http://forums.naturalparenting.com.au/birth-information-questions/12666-hindwater-leak-rupture-membranes.html another post waiting for me to write!