An Art of Parenting

Archive for the ‘Methods Of Childbirth’ Category

This method is resorted to when all other efforts to affect a normal delivery get exhausted. Moreover, it is necessary to facilitate delivery, save the child from suffocation and the mother from labor pain and other complications.

Pregnancy Process & Progress: Suspension of monthly period is an initial sign of conception when a lady does not menstruate. The situation should be watched for some days; and if no bleeding occurs, it is sure sign of conception. It may be pointed out the glandular secretions play a major role in fertilization of eggs, regulation of menstrual periods, and quantity of blood passed and general health of the lady. Pregnancy period is a trying period for the lady who has conceived. During pregnancy response does not remain intense and frequent-rather she starts to take care of the child. Her attention is focused on her offspring and not her husband.

Development of foetus in the uterus is a gradual development process which occurs in a phased manner as is explained below. During the first 8 weeks of pregnancy a child is called Embryo, after which it is called a child.

Due to malnutrition and neglect of the mother, the child may be born earlier or even later but if the child-birth does not take place even upto 41^st week, doctor’s advice and help must be availed of. Normally a new born child’s average body length should be 50 cms and weight 3.2 kgs but either of the parameters, there is a cause for concern and medical help must be sought. Ladies, whose children weight more than pounds and who are diabetic also, their children may be exposed to danger of diabetes due to genetic risk factor involved.

Labor last approximately eight to sixteen hours in a first pregnancy and four to eight in subsequent ones. When to go to the hospital depend on how far away you live. When you go to the hospital or to a doctor’s clinic, the doctor will ask you the frequency of your labor pains and their duration. He/she will check your blood pressure and examine you to find out the position of the baby and listen to his heart. The examination will also include a vaginal examination. An enema is then given to empty the rectum of stool. This is important otherwise with each labor pain, some stool is also passed and the delivery table becomes contaminated. If the pains are not very strong and the labor not advanced, the doctor may prescribe a sleeping dose so that you do not get exhausted. Gradually the pains become stronger and more frequent, and the bag of water breaks, followed by a rush of water from the vagina.

The contractions now occur every one or two minutes and are stronger. There is an increasing feeling of fullness and pressure in the rectum similar to the feeling of the passing stool, and the desire to push is very strong. Gradually, the baby pulses itself out – first the head, then nose and face and lastly, the mouth and the chin. Baby’s eyes are wiped, and during the next contraction the baby comes out and you hear a loud cry. Many obstetricians are going back to the old custom of delivering a woman in a squatting or sitting position or positions are better than lying on her side. There is increasing evidence that these positions are better than lying on the back, which really seem to be more for the convenience of the obstetrician!

The description of the events of normal labor has been given in a coldly scientific manner, since it is only through an understanding of what normally happens in the process of birth that natural childbirth can be conducted and practiced. Some may wonder why the word labor is used, but it is an appropriate one in view of the real physical work required before the baby can be born. In fact, a mother in the second stage has been heard to comment: “Now I know why it is called labor!” It will be noted, however, that the word pain has not so far been used, and it is now time to consider the question of pain in relation to childbirth.

Childbirth has been associated with pain and sufferings from the earliest times: the well-known words of the Bible, “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children”, express this view, and similar quotations can be found in the literature of all ages. It has been known for centuries, however, the labor is by no means always painful and that many women have babies easily and with no pain. Observations among primitive communities have led to the conclusion that painful labor is mainly found in women living in conditions of civilization. This has led some to state that natural childbirth is not a painful process any more than is any other natural function.

It has been shown, that when pain does occur in labor it arises mainly from the stretching of the cervix before the baby has been born. This pain is caused by impulses which are carried mainly along the sympathetic nerves.