How To Write A Birth Plan

After giving birth to my second child, I was quite the talk of the maternity ward. It wasn’t because I arrived at the hospital 9.5 cm dilated or that labor progressed so quickly that my midwife barely made it in time (both of which are true). It was because of my birth plan. Before my first child was born, I developed a birth plan that I used for both deliveries. It wasn’t anything too unusual or bizarre, at least not in my opinion. It included things like I wanted the option to eat during labor, keep my contact lenses in, have access to a birthing tub, have my partner by my side at all times, be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits, and do it all without the aid of drugs and other interventions.

So why was my plan the talk of the ward? Because according to the nursing student who spoke at length to me about it, she had never seen one before. She was so amazed by the whole idea that other classmates joined her in my room to discuss how I developed it and what had gone into the process. In that moment, I realized how important the plan was to me, not because I felt it was directions for the hospital to follow, but because it helped me understand what my goal was and kept me focused on achieving it. How did I develop the plan?

• Research. I did a lot of research beginning the moment I found out I was pregnant. I read books like “The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth” by Henci Goer, attended birthing classes and listened to moms tell about their experiences. Gathering all that information helped me better understand the birth process and my personal preferences.
• Write. With a general framework of preferences in mind, I went online to the Baby Center’s website and used a program to create my personalized plan. I simply clicked a few boxes, typed in a few descriptions and printed out my own plan.
• Discuss. I didn’t wait for the labor pains to begin and then surprise the hospital staff with my hopes and desires. I presented my plan to my midwife during a prenatal visit. She looked it over and we discussed it. She let me know if anything was unusual or against hospital protocol so we could have that discussion up front and before the heat of labor. The talk helped me to further confirm that she was the correct care provider for me. I also made sure my birth advocate, my husband, was informed and that he could speak for me if need be.

By the time I entered the hospital, I knew what was realistic and what was not. I gave the labor and delivery nurse a copy and was comforted by the fact that my husband and midwife were by my side with the knowledge of my preferences already in mind.

Because I did the work up front to understand labor and my own personal philosophy, I knew what my preferences were. During the throes of labor, that knowledge kept me focused and moving forward, and made me feel as though my midwife and medical staff were working alongside of me as a team. The births of my two little ones were something I was involved in and not medical conditions that were happening to me. As a result, I had two good birth experiences and two healthy babies.

Did my births go 100 percent according to plan? Not exactly. But the point of developing the plan wasn’t to create a step-by-step outline of what labor and delivery would be like. Each birth is different and we can’t totally prepare for each twist and turn of the journey ahead. But what my plan did was put me and those around me in the right mindset so if a twist did occur, we had an idea of how to handle it. It empowered me to make well-informed decisions concerning both my baby and me.

As the nursing students continued to ask questions, I wondered how women could do labor without a plan or at least some amount of forethought. Perhaps it doesn’t have to be as formalized as the one I created, but to do the research and have the discussions up front with your care provider will certainly help prepare you for the journey to childbirth. Keep in mind that even the best-laid plan can be sidetracked. But knowing your preferences ahead of time will help keep you more focused when the pain sets in or a twist or turn comes along.


What about you? Did you create a birth plan? If so, did you find it helpful?

The post How To Write A Birth Plan first appeared on Unexpectant.com 

Chiropractic care for pregnancy, postpartum and newborns

(by guest writer, By Dr. Mark Lindholm, Natural Health Family Chiropractic)

Several years ago I was invited to speak to a group of area Birth Professionals. I asked them prior to the presentation what they most wanted to know about Chiropractic. These are the questions they asked and my answers.

1. How is chiropractic care beneficial during pregnancy, postpartum and for the newborn?

There is probably no other time when Chiropractic care is more appropriate and important than during pregnancy, postpartum and for the newborn. First though it is important to explain what chiropractic care is and is not.

Chiropractic is based on a Vitalistic Paradigm, that the human body has an innate ability to heal (homeostasis or homeodynamics), and the biological fact that every dimension of the human experience is processed by the nervous system. In application the Chiropractor removes interference to the nervous system by adjusting vertebral subluxations in the spine and endeavors to empower his or her patients to adopt a wellness lifestyle focusing on how they eat (nutrition), how they move (exercise), and how they think (positive mental attitude and stress reduction). It is also important to note that Chiropractic is not merely a treatment for back pain or a modality applied for the treatment of disease, but has much further reaching benefits.

2. What is Optimal Fetal Positioning Technique or the Webster Technique?

Optimal Fetal Positioning Technique and the Webster Technique are protocols which I have used very successfully in my practice to correct breech and posterior presentations. These are not an external version or any form of a physical turning of the baby.

It is gentle protocol based on removing subluxations and ligamentous tension to reduce uterine constraint and thereby allow the baby to move into an optimal presentation over a series of adjustments. The protocol also utilizes at home exercises, positioning education and in some cases self or partner massage in addition to the in office adjustments and treatments. It is important to note that with this type of treatment we sometimes see results from just one adjustment and treatment session but that it often takes multiple adjustments and the closer to full term the mother is the more difficult it is for the baby to turn.

3. We all want to know: Can you or should you really adjust a newborn? Why?

Yes you can, Chiropractic adjustments of a newborn usually require only gentle fingertip type of pressure. All chiropractors are trained in pediatrics and the care of newborns though some chiropractors may be more skilled and/or experienced in this area.

Yes you should, right after birth is a critical time to check for and correct any interference in the nervous system of this precious little baby. The upper cervical spine is commonly stressed or injured during even an ideal labor and delivery, not to mention the stress that can be put on a babies’ spine and nervous system during a traumatic labor and delivery. The neurology of the upper cervical spine affects the brain stem which controls all basic life sustaining functions, breathing, heart rate, and appetite. This area also acts as a conduit for the passage of almost all the nerves to communicate with the entire body.

Why? In addition to what we have already discussed there is a window of opportunity in the newborn during which the nervous system is developing and adapting. If interference is uncorrected during this critical time it can cause permanent consequences in the babies’ development and health for the rest of its life.

4. Are there “Red Flag” conditions that would be a sign that a baby should see a Chiropractor?

Yes, forceps, vacuum extraction, and C-sections all greatly increase the risk of injury to the baby. It is very unlikely that a baby will be born using these interventions and not be subluxated. Newborns that under go these types of traumatic births need to be checked by a chiropractor as soon as possible. Obviously forceps, vacuum extraction, and C-section should be used only in emergencies. Chiropractic prenatal care can and usually does result in a healthier pregnancy and a better labor and delivery, decreasing the odds that dangerous interventions will be necessary.

Very fast and also very long labors, posterior presentations, breech births, etc. all also increase the risks of birth trauma. Babies with low Apgar scores, failure to thrive diagnoses, problems latching and nursing well, infantile colic and recurrent ear infections are also red flag signs of potential subluxations.

For more information regarding the Webster Technique and Optimal Fetal Positioning :
This video is a demonstration using the Webster Technique on a patient.
This video is from a workshop we held at my clinic on “good baby positioning”

www.NHFChiropractic.com

6 Easy Ways to be a Great Guest When Visiting a New Mom

So a friend has just had a baby and you’ve been invited over for your first visit. Yay, a sweet, squishy newborn to love on! Who doesn’t love that feeling of a tiny baby falling asleep in your arms? My own daughter is 2.5 years old now and often running away, rather than towards my arms so believe me that when I get the chance, I want to HOLD ALL THE BABIES! But the truth is that a new mom doesn’t really need you to hold the baby. Not all the time, at least. There is so much more that you can do that will make you the best visitor that new mom has had yet.

1. Bring food. A meal, a side dish, a gift card for local delivery – pretty much any of these items would be welcomed warmly by a new mom. Cooking is often the last thing on the list when baby is brand new. Freezer meals, soups, even fresh produce are all fantastic ways to help support a new family.
2. Ask after the mom, not just baby. So much cooing tends to happen over baby that a new mom can feel like she’s standing in the shadows. That lady just gave birth! Give her a high five and ask her, honestly, how she’s doing. Let her talk. She’ll probably just talk about the baby, but at least you gave her the opening to do so.
3. Help around the house. Every ounce of mom’s focus in those first few weeks, especially for a first time mom, is on baby and surviving the life altering changes that come with a newborn. Household chores can pile up and cause a lot of stress. Doing something as simple as unloading the dishwasher or tossing in a load of laundry can mean the world. Don’t offer, just do. If you ask, she’ll tell you not to bother. She’s being polite, but secretly she’d love you to wash a few dishes.
4. Let her shower. If you know her well, offer to watch the baby so that she can have a few blessed moments alone in the shower. New mom truth: days go by before you realize you haven’t showered. Giving her the chance to do so is both great for her and a sneaky way to hog all of that delicious newborn baby smell.
5. Limit your visit. Aim for a 30 minute visit the first time around. Mom’s bound to be tired, baby may or may not need to eat/sleep/poop (or all of the above!), and there have probably been many other visitors coming around to see the new arrival. As a new mom struggling to breastfeed, I hated the awkward moment when I had to slip away into the nursery while guests remained just on the other side of the wall in my living room. Keeping your visit short and sweet, at least at first, is a great way to keep mom relaxed.
6. Don’t show up unannounced. Just don’t do it. It’s rude at any time, whether dropping in on a new mom, your best friend, or your parents. Plus, frankly, a new nursing mom is likely to be mostly, if not entirely, undressed from the waist up. You’ve been warned.

There you have it! Easy steps that will make you the best guest a new mom sees. I promise, you’ll still get baby snuggles and you’ll probably be invited back sooner than anyone else!

What would be your tips, looking back, on ways to be a good guest to a new mom?



Kate is a mainly stay-at-home mom in the Pacific NW who seriously wants to Hold ALL the Babies! 

The post 6 Easy Ways to be a Great Guest When Visiting a New Mom appeared first on Breastfeed.Babywear.ClothDiaper.Naturally!.