July 7, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
This blog post was gifted to us byt the author of “Hands Off My Belly! The Pregnant Woman’s Guide to Surviving Myths, Mothers, and Moods.” Please enjoy this account of the history and validity of calculating a woman’s due date 
June 28, 2010
Shawn A. Tassone, M.D.
Mom’s Choice Gold Recipient and Arizona Book Publisher’s Glyph Award Winner.
So much mysticism and mythology surrounds the pregnancy due date. Much of the mysticism is held by physicians who hold on to the old ways of determining when a pregnant woman will deliver. Believe me; most physicians would love a way to determine the due date so we could plan our lives around the deliveries of our patients, but the truth is only 1-2% of women will actually deliver on their due date. So what determines a due date, and what is the difference between EDC (estimated date of confinement) and EDD (estimated date of delivery) and what the heck is Naegele’s Rule. This post will help show the origins of the due date and how we are currently using a system that is about 250 years old.
www.neginsairafiphotography.com
Franz Karl Naegele (1778-1851) was the German obstetrician who initially came up with the rule to determine a woman’s due date based on her last menstrual period (LMP). There are many ways to calculate Naegele’s Rule. I use the system where you take the LMP, add 7 days, and subtract three months. So if your LMP was April 1, 2009 then your due date would be January 8, 2010. You can impress your friends at parties with this maneuver. There are problems with Naegele’s Rule and many people have pointed out that this 250 year old method is no longer appropriate for our advanced age. What are some of the potential errors with calculating the EDC in this method?
It assumes that you are having a regular period and that you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle. I am a gynecologist and there are many women out there that have irregular cycles that ovulate on day 20, 25, 12, 15….you get my point. This obviously would add potential error to the EDC determination and could change things by days to weeks.
There is another assumption that the routine pregnancy is 280 days long and that is based on our current calendar system. The problem with this is that there are many months that contain 30 days or 31 days and what happens in a leap year, or if you are not pregnant over the shorter month of February. The point is that there is a movement out there that is trying to say that the number should be 288 days and that we are inducing women that have premature babies. A study done in 1990 stated that the proper method for determining a due date was to take the LMP, count back three months and add fifteen days for a primiparous (first pregnancy) woman or 10 days for a multiparous (subsequent births) woman. This was published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
There are many that argue this method of calculating the EDC is as archaic as the term EDC itself. Lending to the agrarian societies from whence it came, the EDC literally came from the fact that a woman was confined to her bed for the last part of her pregnancy to prevent preterm labor. While we still prescribe bed rest today as a possible therapy for preterm labor it does seem odd that the medical establishment uses terminology from the 1700’s.
The due date is as individual as the pregnant mother. While the EDC is currently calculated by Naegele’s Rule this does seem a bit archaic and inefficient; especially if we are using this dating method to determine inductions and postdatism. There have been other methods with increased accuracy but they require a woman to measure body temperatures and be move involved in her own self-care. Many reading this article are very involved with birth and feel as though self-care is very important, but there are many women out there that simply choose not to be observant of their own cycle. So, what do we “do” with the “due”. Unfortunately, I think we will keep going with the current system and back it up with ultrasounds which are accurate within 5 days if done in the first trimester.
Approximately 3% of so-called term births (occuring after 37 weeks) are completed with fetal lung immaturity and this could be because the baby may have been between 35-37 weeks and not term.
Are we too involved in the birthing process? Are there better ways to determine the pregnant due date or should we not worry about it and just let man/woman be born in his own time. The latin word natura gives rise to the word natural and means “to be born”. Maybe we should just leave well enough alone.
http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com
Hands Off My Belly! The Pregnant Woman’s Survival Guide to Myths, Mothers, and Moods is for sale on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and at most brick and mortar stores.
June 29, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
Many of us have experienced the theraputic effect of essential oils whether it was through massage, scented candles or heat packs containing herbs. Doesn’t it make sense then that the same oils would help us to relax and feel centred during labour?
I’ve heard many a great thing about the effects of Clary Sage during labour and recently interviewed aromatherapist, shiastu therapist and former midwife Guiomar Campbell about its positive effects for birth. Below is our conversation.
A: What is Clary Sage exactly and where does it come from?
G: Clary Sage or Salvia sclarea is a plant native to Italy, Syria and Southern France and grows in dry soil. The essential oil is distilled from the flowers and flowering tips.
A: I’ve heard that Clary Sage is pretty impactful in helping women relax in labour. Have you found this to be true?
G: Yes, one of the numerous health benefits of clary sage essential oil is to promote relaxation and pain relief during labor. It is specially useful where muscular tension arises from mental or emotional stress.
What I realized is that unprocessed emotions can block the process of labour. Women in labor experience a lot of fear which in results affect the Kidney and Bladder energy flow. The energy gets stagnated in the colon
making it difficult for the cervix to ripen.
The scent of Clary sage oil along with acupressure treatment can help a woman feel more connected with the intense emotions. Specially when it is applied during last stage of labor, as it may calm and enhance the dream
state, helping to bring about a feeling of euphoria.
A: Yes, that ‘dream state’ you referred to is what we call ‘labour trance’ or ‘labour land’ as doulas. It’s when women’s awareness drops into their bodies and they really begin going with the flows of their body. It’s so important to let this transition happen to allow labour to unfold.
G: Oh yes! So important! In fact a study at Oxford explored the effects that essential oils can have on helping a mother mentally cope with labour and more effectively relax into that trance state. During the eight-year study involving 8,000 mothers, they found that Aromatherapy was effective in managing labour pains. The study was conducted by Oxford Brookes University during 1990-98 and they found that using essential oils lessened maternal anxiety and fear while inducing a sense of well-being. Fear and anxiety are two things which can slow labour and make the mother to be unable to cope with the pain of labour. The study showed a drop in the use of opiate pain relief by those mothers who used aromatherapy during labour. The normal uptake of opiate pain relief would have been expected to be 30% in the Oxford study this dropped to 0.4%.
The oils that were used included, Lavender, Clary sage. Frankincense, Rose, Jasmine, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lemon, Mandarin and the methods of delivery used were massage, added to baths and foot baths and then as drops on the forehead and palms of the hand
A: Some midwives have told me that Clary Sage can help to bring contractions on. Have you found the same to be true?
G: Certinaly, Clary sage can be used during labor to help contractions become more effective, or to induce labor during the later part of the third trimester. It may induce contractions and stimulates the release of oxytocin on pregnant women. Therefore it is highly recommended during labor.
A: Is there a particular way of using Clary sage in labour?
G: You can dilute in gentle carrier oil and rub it into the skin over the reproductive organs, acupressure points in the legs and feet. Either during or between contractions. More specifically between contractions it can be best to apply one to three drops of the essential in the palm of your hands and inhale deeply three times. In my experience women generally can fit two deep inhalation before next contraction.
The other choice is to use Clary sage is to place a few drops of undiluted oil in a cotton balls, once the oil is absorbed, the mother can place the cotton balls under her pillow or somewhere nearby while she is
giving birth.
During contractions you’d apply 1-3 drops of Clary sage essential oil blend to the acupressure points
SP6, Ki1, Bl 28 and massage with finger. Important to hold the pressure for 1-2 breaths. Than stroke along the meridian line. i.e. Sp meridian continue massaging the lower legs towards the inner side of the foot towards the big toe.
A: What about if contractions have slowed down and we’re trying to help them to become more effective? Is the application different for this purpose?
G: Inhalation is the best remedy. The pungent fragrance helps quicken the labor process by intensifying the muscle contractions. You can also rub diluted (see recipe below) Clary sage essential oil on her belly while in
labor. It releases muscle tension and provides the necessary calm and comfort to the mother.
It also helps in muscle dilation, required for the baby to come out.
A: You’ve mentioned that combing the use of Clary sage with acupressure points can be particularly helpful for labour. What acupressure points would you use?
G: The KI 1 point, located in the bottom of foot. Hold that point while appling deep pressure. It helps to ground and bring the energy down to the legs.
A: It sounds like Clary Sage really does have quite a lot of effect on the woman’s body. What safety precautions should parents take when using the oil?
G: Of course, parents should consult their midwife or doctor before using an herb or oil that has an impact on their body’s systems. Herbs and essential oils have been used for hundreds of years for medicinal and theraputic purposed but that doesn’t mean someone should self-medicate.
I’ve provided a recipe for Clary sage dilution that is safe for parents to use for their labour. Parents can bring this to their health care provider to consult them on it’s use. If they experience a headache or a feeling of euphoria, they should take a break from using it.
A: Thank you Guiomar! This has been amazing to learn that Clary sage is a great option that parents can make use of as pain coping support AND contraction stimulation for their birth! Is there anything else you’d like to add for the parents who’ll be reading this?
G:If parents would like to buy a ready-made version of the Clary Sage oil for labour, they can contact me at www.lotusartswellness.com or for their own aromatherapy or shiatsu session they can find me at www.lifecycleswellness.com
*Recipe from Guia’s Lotus Blends.*
I put this formula together for my second pregnancy and and loved it! I added fennel for nausea and Ylang ylang to increase pleasure and feeling of sensuality. It also balances yin energy male and female energy in the body
**
*Labor oil*
10 drops of Clary Sage oil
10 drops of lavender
4 drops of fennel
4 drops of Ylang Ylang
50 ml of either Grape seed oil, Coconut oil, Sweet Almond oil or Jojoba oil
This blend can be massaged on the palm and the feet of the woman in labor.
It releases muscle tension and thereby provides the necessary calm and comfort to the mother. It also helps in muscle dilation, required for the baby to come out.
*Bibliography*
Burns, E., Zobbi, V., Panzeri, D., Oskrochi, R., Regalia, A. Aromatherapy in childbirth: a pilot randomised controlled trial. School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. Jul;114(7):838-44. Epub 2007.
Burns, E., Blamey, C., Ersser, SJ., Lloyd, AJ., Barnetson, L. The use of aromatherapy in intrapartum midwifery practice an observational study. Oxford centre for health research & development, Oxford Brooks University,
U.K. 2000 Feb;6(1):33-4.
Essential Oils Reference Desk by Gary Young- Compiled by Essential Science Publishing-Third edition-Clary Sage- pg 44.
Aromatherapy an A-Z by Patricia Davis published United Kingdom 1988. pg 76.
Healing with Aromatherapy by Marlene Ericksen- pg 155
May 19, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been really happy to see that the impact of postpartum depression on fathers and partners has been getting more attention in the media recently. Partners’ experiences in pregnancy, labour and postpartum is often ignored in the resources provided for parents and it is very much to the detriment of the entire family that this happens.
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/05/18/postpartum-depression-dads.html?ref=rss
Since the 80’s we’ve come a long way in terms of allowing partners to be a part of the birth preparation and the labour itself. Now, many partners are welcomed into the birth room and are excited to provide support for their ladies. However, effective preparation for partners with regard to what they might expect in birth and postpartum is severely lacking and we’re starting to see this more and more as partners express feelings of helplessness in birth and blues or depression in postpartum.
Partners have a unique experience of birth and postpartum that differs from that of the mother’s. It is not enough to assume that a partner will be able to draw on the resources of the mother should they need help. A common misconception is that since the partner didn’t give birth, that their job is ‘easy’ and that they should ’suck it up,’ ignore their feelings and help mom.
This mentality often leads to partners feeling quite distant from their families in the weeks to months after the baby is born. Many partners already know that once the baby is here, most of the baby’s need will be taken care of by the mother who gave birth, especially if she’s breastfeeding. Partners may know that they’ll be busier with things like house work, errands and cooking but the weight of what this means to them may not be realized until the baby actually arrives.
Most partners do not experience depression, but many of them feel disconnected from their family in some way once the baby is born. Partners may not feel like a parent right away. Since the decisions for baby’s health are often associated with the birthing mother’s body (how often and how to breastfeed, what a breastfeeding mother should eat, who baby is most comforted by, etc) partners may not feel that they have a lot of say about how their family is taken care of. As a result some partners feel that they are not really a part of the family, but identify more with the role of nurse maid or housekeeper.
If this feeling of distance is not addressed appropriately, it can influence the relationship between the parents and create an even bigger obstacle in their ability to remain connected and loving to one another especially during difficult moments.
This feeling of distance is common in postpartum but it is not something to ignore. Knowing that this may be an experience for you or your partner in postpartum think about how you would best handle it in your family.
Partners:
What would you need to feel supported should you feel this way?
If your partner was not able to reach out and connect with you because she feels exhausted by her tasks with baby, who else could you go to? What else could you do for yourself?
What kind of community of support could you draw on for yourself in postpartum that wouldn’t necessarily take you out of the house?
Mothers:
How might you check in with your partner in postpartum to see how they’re feeling?
How could you create more opportunities for your partner to do “parent” things in amongst household things?
Partners experiencing the blues or feelings of disconnect or loss in the weeks immediately following the birth is not uncommon. However, it is reason to find a different support network for the family. As you prepare for the birth of you baby, please consider how you might be best supported after you birth and take steps now to put that support network in place.
Visit: http://www.postpartummen.com/ for resources for men experiencing postpartum depression.
May 9, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
Over the years, Mother’s Day has evolved from being a day primarily dedicated to expressing gratitude for one’s own mother, to a day that reminds us of global Mother’s issues that impact women every day.
Today, I send thanks and acknowledgement to a Mother’s Journey from the excitement/shock/happiness/surprise of conception to the profound trust/power/powerlessness/challenge of childbirth and the never-ending learnings offered to us by our children.
A special acknowledgement goes out to women who became Mother’s over 40, my own Mother included, who may share unique feelings of excitement, worry, fear and gratitude in becoming a Mother in mid-life.
Please Enjoy this tribute to Mid-Life Mother’s by Flower Power Mom:
http://www.flowerpowermom.com/publicfiles/FPM_Album_2010.pdf
To the Mother’s who are not able to offer their children homes. Even here in Toronto, the issue of homeless Mother’s is evident and an important part of the community to acknowledge on Mother’s Day. Homeless mothers are 10 times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than those of us with homes.
On this Mother’s Day, please join The Nesting Place in making a financial or clothing donation to the Homeless At-Risk Prenatal Program, or HARP to help care for Mother’s who are in need of shelter, support and understanding in our own community:
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/778670
And to women who become Mother’s by force instead of choice. As the G8 and the Harper Government decide whether or not legal and safe abortion in developing countries is a topic worth discussing, 100% of women in a Congo jail were raped during a prison escape attempt (See article in Globe and Mail May 7th 2010). Most of the women were jailed for aborting pregnancies that were often the result of previous rape, or for manslaughter involving the killing of their abusive spouses or attackers.
These women are in need of voices to stand up for their safety. Please contact your MP and express your thoughts on the importance of Canada including maternal issues of safe abortion and support for Mother’s worldwide:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/05/07/abortion-maternal-health-lancet-g8.html
On this Mother’s Day, I feel profound respect and admiration for Mother’s everywhere and invite you to consider how you might support the rights of Local and/or Global Mother’s in your own way.
Blessings,
Amanda Spakowski
The Nesting Place
www.TheNestingPlace.ca
amanda@thenestingplace.ca
416-722-3814
May 3, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
I was recently watching a movie called “Antonia’s Line” (loved it!) and one of the characters said the following:
“Yeah, nothing beats being pregnant. Believe me, this is my second and it’s not the copulating or the kids that come out of it, but the carrying and the birthin’ that makes it all worth it!” – Quote from Antonia’s Line (movie)
For the first-time pregnant moms out there…how do you feel reading this quote? For those of you who have given birth, do you relate to this perception of pregnancy and labour? If not, what was your experience?
-What surprised you in birth?
-Was there something you did in birth that you were proud of?
How have others talked about birth with you during your pregnancy? How did you feel about what they were saying or the way they were saying it? From your experience of hearing these stories, how will you choose to share your story with other pregnant women…or will you choose to share it at all?
For those of you who have given birth what response did you get from others when you shared your story? What are the qualities of a good Birth Story Listener?
March 24, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 3 Comments
Have any of you noticed that it’s difficult to describe what a doula does in practical terms? The role seems pretty abstract and often parents don’t really get a feel for how a doula makes a difference in birth until they’re actually in labour with their doula!
Very generally, a doula offers non-medical emotional support and advocacy to parents during labour and birth. A doula is the only person on your support team that stays with you from early labour to hours after the baby is born, and is the only person on your team whose sole role is your (and your partner’s) emotional support.
To better clarify the role of a doula, sometimes the best place to start is in the description of what we’re not. Here are five myths commonly associated with doulas and the truth behind them!
Myth #5: Doulas aren’t well received in hospitals
Doulas have been practicing within Toronto hospitals for decades and have significantly developed their relationship with hospital personelle. Although there is more to be done in terms of creating awareness about doulas amongst individual hospital staff, we are generally welcome support people at hospital births. Hospitals now recognized doulas as health care workers. This means that the “only two support people per room” rule includes two support people in addtion to your doula not including your doula.
Despite these developments, there can be times when tension exists within the labour room as a result of mis-matched personalities. Whether you have a doula or not, with the number of people and shift changes you experience at a hospital, it is realistic to assume that you’ll meet at least one person that you really get along with and one…..not so much.
Myth #4: I don’t need a doula if I’m having an epidural
It is a common misconception that there is no support left to be done when I woman uses an epidural for pain relief. Whether you are planning to have an epidural or discover that you would feel supported by one during labour, mothers often go through a period of labour without the epidural in their early stages. Your doula can be a great support during this time and can help you maintain a coping mindset until you’re ready to receive your epidural.
The administration of an epidural can be stressful and mother’s sometimes need support to cope with anxieties around the procedure or to hold still during contractions while the epidural is being administered. After the anesthesia is is place, the body continues to labour just as hard as it was, and more as labour progresses. This means that although a mother is no longer feeling the sensations of labour, she can be VERY exhausted because her body is still working so hard. Your doula can help you to relax enough to sleep, use acupressure to help labour continue to progress and encourage baby to stay in an ideal position. She may also help you get into positions that make use of gravity but are appropriate for the limited mobility a mother experiences during an epidural.
Pushing can also feel different with the numbed sensation of an epidural and your doula works with your hosptial team to help you to learn to push effectively.
And finally, whenever medical support is more consistently involved in a birth, parents have more consults and conversations with their doctors. Your doula can help you to ask questions and gather information when you need to make decisions about your birth progress.
Myth #3: I don’t need a doula if I’m having a cesarean birth
Cesarean birth is a pretty big unknown and many parents don’t receive information about what to expect from their health care team, what the health care team will be expecting of them or what options they have within a cesarean birth to make it more their own experience even though it looks different than what they planned.
A doula can go over this with parents prenatally or in the moment during birth so this big unknown is a little more familiar to parents should it unfold for their birth experience. Doulas are sometimes permitted to come into the operating room during a cesarean birth and can continue to provide emotional support to both parents during the procedure. She can help the health care team remember or learn the parents’ preferences and help the mother feel connection with this birth experience.
If she’s not able to come in the room and/or after the birth she can set up the recovery room, continue to provide physical (massage, acupressure) and emotional support to parents while their bodies adjust to the work of this birth. Although no pain is felt during a cesarean birth there can be a lot of sensations of pressure and/or shaking that can be a challenge to cope with.
If the mother is having trouble sitting up, the doula can help her to find other positions to breastfeed in should that be her preferred method of feeding. A doula may also offer extended postpartum support to ease the adjustment home given the addition limitation of mobility mothers sometimes feel following a cesarean birth.
Myth #2: Doulas interfere with the partner’s involvment
A good doula will help partners to be involved to the degree they are comfortable and fill in where they are not. In your prenatal visits your doula may go over some labour support practices to help partner’s build confidece in their ability to offer support during the birth.
Once you’re in labour, your doula provides support for your partner as well. Since partner’s often haven’t seen birth before (let alone their lover birthing!) they may not have an idea of what is normal, what is not normal, when the best time to go to the hospital or call the midwife is or how to advocate and gather information with your health care team. Your doula offers the perspective of someone experienced in labour and can take some of the pressure regarding these tasks off of partners.
If partners are comfortable in the main support role (verbally guiding mom, massaging her, etc) he/she may not be able to leave her side to get food or make phone calls. This is where your doula can leave to get food for everyone, get things from the car or update the family in the waiting room. Of course, should partner’s need a break, mothers are never left alone because their doula is available to remain by their side until partner’s return; and partner’s you’ll want to take a break! I can go home and sleep it off but you’ll be staying up with your baby that night too!!
During the more difficult stages of labour, it can be very difficult to know what the ‘right’ way of supporting is. Partner’s sometimes feel caught of guard or scared of what they see mother’s doing and have moments of panic or ‘freeze up.’ A doula is essential in these moments because she can continue to help the birthing mother cope while reassuring the partner that what she is doing is ok and if they needs to take a moment to themselves, they can.
And finally….
Myth #1: I don’t need a doula if I have a midwife
Doulas and midwives have very different roles and offer different kinds of care during birth. Your midwife is a clinical health care professional who is there primarily to take care of your physical needs within the holistic approach of the midwifery model. As your primary healthcare provider, your midwife has many clinical responsibilities in addition to offering you labour support which that means that, at times, she may not be always be able to be at your side. Other tasks your midwife may need to attend to include monitoring mom and baby, charting, setting up equipment and communicating with other health care providers on your team. Your doula’s only role is your emotional care. Her responsbilites in birth primarily include helping you to maintain a coping mindset, giving your physical support and helping your partner to feel supported and involved.
Doulas often come to you in early labour before your midwife arrives. Early labour can take some time and many first time parents don’t realize how much time they spend by themselves before it’s time to see their midwife. Your doula is available for you in this time so you aren’t labouring alone and can help you to interpret when it’s time to call the midwife or go to the hospital, what your midwife might want to know when you speak with her and offer breaks and support to partners.
Midwives and doulas often draw on one another’s experience during birth and in this sense, work very much in collaboration with each other. Because doulas’ and midwives’ trainings differ from one another, they often exchange ‘tricks of the trade’ that expand awareness of how to effectively support parents in varying birth scenarios.
As a nice side note, if you’re birthing at home, your doula will often clean up any mess made during the birth and will sometimes start dinner if you’re ready to eat.
Hopefully this dispells some of the myths floating around out there about doulas. At the end of the day, you’ll know if a doula is right for you; but PLEASE know that you that a doula always an option no matter what your birth plans may be
March 5, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 2 Comments
If you are pregnant or have children, you probably feel (or have felt) the pressure of growing expenses and depleting finances. Of the many baby and pregnancy ‘must-haves’ that get wedged in there, good, healthy food is one of the more important things to spend your money on. Eating well during pregnancy encourages healthy growth of your baby and keeps your body strong and nourished for the challenges of labour and postpartum. A healthy diet and good sleep in postpartum encourages good milk supply and can decrease the effects of postpartum blues or depression.
However, eating healthy food (especially if it’s organic) can be one of your biggest expenses. Here is a helpful chart for those of you who are not able to fill your carts entirely with organic food. The Environmental Working Group stationed in Washington, DC waded through mounds of data from almost 87, 000 USDA and FDA tests that identified the type and number of pesticides on common grocery store foods. They published their findings in a chart to guide shoppers who cannot afford to buy entirely organic. With the chart, you’ll see what foods are more contaminated with pesticides (and you’ll definitely want organic) and which are less polluted (and can be washed or peeled to reduce the presence of pesticides).
Find the full guide at http://www.foodnews.org/EWG-shoppers-guide-download-final.pdf or visit their website for more information http://www.foodnews.org.
February 26, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
The Toronto Star recently published an article about medical studies indicating that the cause Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may have less to do with the position of a sleeping baby and the contents of its crib and may instead be due to low levels of serotonin. As a result of this finding SIDS may be reclassified as a disease or syndrome and studies to develop a screening test and therapy for altered levels of serotonin may be better funded.
Although the article offers little in the way of prevention or detection of your baby’s serotonin levels, it certainly outlines the physiological condition of SIDS quite well. Any updates about the development and availability of serotonin tests for babies could likely be relayed to you by your doctor, midwife or pediatratician.
Photo by www.nsairafiphotography.com
To view it visit: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/759467–crib-deaths-due-to-chemical-imbalance-study-says
February 9, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
Ok, so I don’t know about you, but it’s taken me a LONG TIME to find information about the H1N1 vaccine that reflects the many, many questions I have about its relavance, safety and necessity for pregnant women.
Recently I came across an article called The H1N1 Primer for Pregnant Women by Maryl Smith, a midwife from Portland, Oregon that touched on a number of those questions in thoughtful, informational yet non-fearful language.
Some of the key points she touches on are:
-How do you know if you have H1N1 if you get sick?
-What you should do if you get sick
-Safety of antiviral drugs in pregnancy
-Natural treatments to preventing H1N1
-Adjuvants: What they are and their role in the vaccine
-Choosing between both or either the H1N1 and seasonal flu shot
-Immunization and effects on baby (is baby immunized if you are, if your immunized during breastfeeding does it impact baby?)
-and (of course) more…
Click here to view article
Of course, any single article on H1N1 shouldn’t been taken as the last say on whether or not it’s right for you. It is important to gather information from a few reliable resources and make a decision for yourself. I hope you’ll find this as helpful as I have!
February 3, 2010 - Posted by amanda - 0 Comments
What is the difference between pain and suffering?
This is a question I usually lead with when we begin pain coping practices in my prenatal classes. The answer sheds some light on what some of the real challenges of labour are. Pain, in itself is a sensation. Albeit an uncomfortable one, but very simply it’s a sensation. Suffering comes into play with the inner narration that dictates how we feel about this sensation, anticipates how the sensation might change and (this is the important one) what we feel it means about ourselves that we are feeling this sensation.
So pain and suffering are different. They often accompany each other but they are not one in the same and don’t have to come together.
www.neginsairafiphotography.com
How does suffering influence our experience of an uncomfortable sensation?
Well, let’s think of an example. If you’re stuck in rush hour traffic, you are likely uncomfortable already. It’s not an ideal situation is it? But it’s manageable. Then the suffering narrator is activated and you start thinking things like “Come on, let’s go already! *beep* *beep* If only I left work 10 min earlier……if this guy would just move up one foot I could turn and get off this street! Ugh!! I just want to get home!” And suddenly, this uncomfortable, but manageable situation becomes much more intense, your heart races, you feel stressed and you just want it to end.
How is this similar to labour?
When we talk about pain coping in Birthing From Within, we’re not talking about making the sensation or pain of labour go away. Pain is a very real experience for a lot of women in labour and is there because your body is opening very quickly with muscles its never used before. Instead, our pain coping practices have to do with appeasing that suffering narrator so the sensation feels more manageable for you.
In labour, that suffering narrator might say “This is not what I thought it would be like. If it gets much worse than this I won’t do it. I’m scared. Is this normal??” Just like the rush-hour traffic example, this self-talk can intensify the sensation or situation such that it feels more difficult than it might actually be.
Our pain coping practices are meant to help change the habit of indulging the suffering narrator when physically challenged and strengthen your habit of accessing coping tools when physically challenged.
What does coping mean?
Now this is an interesting question! A lot of us have very particular ideas about what coping would mean for us. Some feel that coping is being calm and quiet. Others feel that it’s making sounds and rocking, or some associate coping with the feeling of being comfortable. However, coping can take on many different faces and you might find yourself doing exactly the opposite thing you thought you would do to cope in labour, or you might cycle through all of the possibilities of coping listed here.
Coping, in it’s basic definition is working through difficulty. As we’ve already mentioned, sometimes the most difficult thing to overcome in birth is the negative self-talk we have around how well we’re doing. So whatever it is you need to do to let go of that suffering narrator is coping!
In class one of the concepts we explore in our pain coping practices is the idea of accepting the sensation. Upon doing something you’ve never done before, it makes sense that there would be moments of fear and resistance, however practicing an acceptance to an unknown or intense sensation can influence how we experience it and can likely make it feel more manageable.
I recently came across an article that outlined this concept in greater detail. They summarize the findings of a study where one group was instructed to put their hand in a bucket of ice. The other group was instructed to put their hand in a bucket of and were guided to accept the sensation as it is and let go of resistance. What they found was that the second group reported feeling much more capable of tolerating the ice and did not feel as overwhelmed with the experience.
From www.howtocopewithpain.org
The author of the article offers some helpful ideas for your personal practice in developing a pain coping mindset that includes developing an acceptance of the sensation and the situation. The key is practice.
I read somewhere that ‘we are in labour the way we are in daily life.’ In order to be more accepting of our sensations in labour, we need to practice acceptance in our daily life. Practicing acceptance during an uncomfortable sensation (such as holding ice) can help to develop acceptance for those more physcially challenging moments (like labour).
Take a look at this article and see if you resonate with it. Either way, I invite you to give the practice of acceptance a try.
Experient: Pick two times this week where it would be realistic for you to sit down with some ice and do this pain coping practice.
-Hold one piece of ice in one hand for one minute (set a timer so you don’t have to watch the time)
-As you hold it immediately soften your breath around the sensation.
-With your exhale picture yourself letting go of any resistance you’re holding in your body
-Invite the sensation to come into your body and explore (move around) while it’s there
-Be curious about where it wants to go
-What did you notice during this practice?
-Remember, this practice isn’t about making the sensation of ice go away. Even though you might have still felt the ice, what worked when you practiced acceptance of it?
-If you were to add/change something you did to make this practice work better for you what would it be?
-Try this practice again with that change.
http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/1635/values-and-acceptance-to-cope-with-pain/
