Unnecessary Medical Interventions in Labor and How to Avoid Them
Studies show birth is most common Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Is this just coincidence or is it a contrived effort by providers to control personal schedules?
Pregnant women are often encouraged to welcome the chance to have their baby on a scheduled date for the convenience of their provider. But often theyre not told the risks and side effects involved. They dont realize that some interventionssuch as pain medications, epidurals, C-sections, or birthing the baby with forceps or vacuum extractionmay not only be unnecessary, but also dangerous.
Moms-to-be may blindly trust providers, thinking everything suggested is goodbut this isnt always true, says registered nurse and midwife Breck Hawk, author of Hey! Whos Having This Baby Anyway? (Metropolis Ink, $19.95, www.HeyAnyway.com). Unless its anatomically necessary, women deserve and need to be told they probably will birth babies vaginally and naturally. Hawk has over 27 years experience as a midwife, doula, prenatal instructor, and registered nurse specializing in maternity and neonatal intensive care. She has helped hundreds of women give birth. Here she reveals how to avoid common interventions and have a successful birth.
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Hire a doula or professional labor support person.
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Exercise during pregnancy. This strengthens muscles and prepares your body for the long stress of labor.
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Consider a birth center or having a homebirth with a midwife.
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Attend childbirth classes that teach non-pharmacological methods of pain relief such as yoga, HypnoBirthing, Lamaze and others.
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In the hospital, ask to be assigned to the nurse who is the strongest supporter of natural childbirth.
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Before taking pain medication, ask for a vaginal exam. See how far your cervical dilation has progressed. You may be further along than you thought and decide to forego the medication.
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No matter whats on your providers personal agenda, remember its your body and your baby and its your right to have the last word regarding your babys birth!
How birth-savvy are you? Take the 12 Question Quiz for Moms-to-Be or purchase your copy of Hey! Whos Having This Baby Anyway? at www.HeyAnyway.com