A USB pregnancy test? Funny April Fools

I know we are not in April but I thought this article was so funny. 

"The cleverly named p-Teq USB Pregnancy Test Kit requires users to pee on a stick, just like all the other home pregnancy tests on the market. But that’s where the similarity ends. Uncap the other end of the wand to expose a USB connector to insert into your computer.

“According to ThinkGeek, the p-Teq’s mass spectrometry software analyzes hormones including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which rises in pregnancy; hyperglycosylated hCG (hCG-H), which aids in detecting pregnancy before a missed period; and luteinizing hormone (LH), which helps predict ovulation. P-Teq’s technology is more sensitive than existing pregnancy tests and indicates precise hormone concentrations in a woman’s urine"

http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/01/high-tech-pregnancy-test-april-fools/

Laughing your way through labour

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and that is certainly true.  This dad made a rap song when his wife was in labour.

"Expectant dads out there may even want to go the all-out comedian route. Advises Midwifery Today: “Even a forced smile releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain medicine that is similar to morphine. When we are with a birthing woman who is in pain, it may help to tell some good jokes — or even some not so good ones, especially in early labor. Carry a joke book in your birth bag!”

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/25/dad-raps-about-wifes-labor-contractions-can-humor-ease-the-pain-of-delivery/#ixzz27RaHPqMC

Past your dates?

Lots of women ask what they can do to get labour going when their expected date of delivery goes past.  Some women try sex, hot curry, sex and a hot curry :-), a long walk, nipple stimulation.  We do not recommend the taking of castor oil to try and get your labour started, it can cause nasty stomach cramps, diarrhoea and you still end up not going into labour.  

This interesting article discusses the folklore.

"“There are all kinds of obstetrical folklore and old-wives tales out there,” says Jonathan Schaffir, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University and lead author of the study, published in the June issue of the journal Birth. “If it’s not something perceived as being harmful, patients think there’s no downside. Even if it doesn’t work, it’s something to pass the time.”

http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/22/sex-spicy-food-etc-half-of-pregnant-women-try-obstetrical-folklore-to-induce-labor/

Fantastic news for our sister midwives in the United States

"This is fantastic news to hear that more babies were birthed by midwives in the United States.  

“If this trend continues, it will bring us more in line with the rest of the world in giving midwives a central role in prenatal care and birth,” says study author Eugene Declercq, professor of community-health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health. “Given that other countries have lower costs and better outcomes, it would be a positive thing for this country.”

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/25/midwife-mania-more-u-s-babies-than-ever-are-delivered-by-midwives/#ixzz27A4TAGTL

A special Waterbirth

I wonder if the lady in the pool is her midwife?  Beautiful birth of a baby dolphin.

Why Oxytocin is the most amazing molecule in the world

Found this very interesting article online.  


"Oxytocin helps women get through labour by stimulating uterine contractions, which is why it's sometimes administered (as Pitocin) during labor. It's been known to promote delivery and speed up contractions. After birth, mothers can establish intimacy and trust with their baby through gentle touches and even a loving gaze. In addition, mothers can pass on oxytocin to their babies through breast milk. And it's worth noting that fathers can reap the benefits of oxytocin as well; new dads who are given a whiff of oxytocin nasal spray are more likely to encourage their children to explore during playtime and are less likely to be hostile."

http://io9.com/5925206/10-reasons-why-oxytocin-is-the-most-amazing-molecule-in-the-world

Interesting article

Here is an interesting article I came across.

"Women who fear childbirth just got something else to worry about: a recent Norwegian study found that women who were scared of giving birth ended up spending more time in labor, about 8 hours versus 6.5 for women who weren’t afraid."


We know that women who are more tense do experience more pain.  


Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/29/why-women-who-fear-childbirth-end-up-spending-more-time-in-labor/?iid=hl-main-lede