How a woman's body adapts to birth

Fascinating article that shows how wonderful a woman's body is as it adapts to childbirth. If you have any questions please phone me or your midwife.

"It is the most natural thing in the world - a mother giving birth to her child.  Millions of women across the world deliver their babies into the world each year, soon forgetting the agonising pain as soon as their tiny bundle of joy is placed in their arms.

Babies can enter the world one of two ways, via a vaginal birth or Caesarean section. In the case of a vaginal birth, a woman's body adapts stretching and expanding where necessary to allow the baby to arrive safely into the world.

Now, a video animation reveals exactly how a woman's body adjusts during childbirth. 

Regular contractions signal the start of the process, occurring as the cervix dilates to accommodate birth."

Link

Scientists discover a protein that triggers labour

Interesting article :

"Australian scientists appear to have solved one of the great mysteries of human biology - exactly what triggers labour after about 40 weeks of pregnancy.

They cannot explain how the timing works or predict a child's birthday with greater accuracy.

But they know that, when it's time, the body produces a protein, which releases a safety switch that allows the uterus to contract in a way that any stretched muscle should."

Link

Waterbirth

Waterbirth is the art of labouring and giving birth to your baby in water.  The bouyency and warmth of the water is said to help women move around more easily, help with pain relief, and the progress of her labour may be faster.  The evidence suggests that the warm water environment (preferably with low lights and quiet) allow the mother to be in complete control where she can rely on her own instincts, and release her own body's endorphins.


Endorphins are a natural morphinelike substances produced by the body in reaction to stress and pain.  It is a very powerful form of pain relief that alters the woman's conciousness and helps her to cope with her labour.  It is this same substance that causes her to become suddenly 'alert,' awake and fully aware when her baby is born.  For anyone who is lucky enough to have witnessed this phenomena  can see that the labouring woman will go into "her own space" or level of consciousness as she connects with her baby and copes with the pain of labour.  She may not be aware of time or even people in the room - she does not mean any offence to the ones she loves :-) it is her body's wonderful endorphins helping her through this intense experience.

The benefits of water: Actually that goes for anyone who has pain in their body, we all the know the effect water has on us for pain :-)

• It supports your uterus and your back.  It reduces anxiety and helps relax you.
• It is said to reduce the risk of perineal tears
• Reduce the need for pain relief
• The baby adapts gently to life outside the womb
• Better for baby if mum has less pharmacological pain relief

For the women considering a waterbirth as one of their options, there is a certain criteria.

• Low risk. In other words, there have been no concerns regarding you or baby during the pregnancy, you must be more than 36 weeks pregnant and your baby is positioned in the womb with his/her head down in the pelvis (not breech).  Although some midwives do carry out breech waterbirths.
• You are in established labour.  Established labour is where your neck of the womb or cervix is at  least 4cms dilated. Getting in the water too early in labour, may slow it down, hence why we do not like you getting in too early.
• If your waters have broken, the fluid must be clear.  Any colour other than clear, means your baby has opened his/her bowels in your womb, this means we need to monitor your baby more closely.
• You have not already had pain relief that makes you sleepy eg. pethidine.

 It is one of the wonderful ways to give birth and an option you may choose.  Speak to your midwife about waterbirths.  Some links here may help :-)

http://www.homebirth.org.nz/stories/stories.html
http://www.waterbirthinfo.com/menu.html