Posts Tagged ‘midwifery’

Waterbirth for delivering your child

Friday, November 6th, 2009

One of the options most women aren’t familiar with is having a waterbirth. That is where during delivery a woman is placed in a bath or tub.And then that is where she will deliver the baby. There are a lot of benefits that one can get from this method.  And although not as commonly known, more women are doing it.  In this article we are going to examine the benefits of it.

First of all having a baby in water is very beneficial to the woman and the baby. As a San Diego midwife I have seen it firsthand.The benefits for the mother is that it will soothe the labor pains.  It allows the muscles to relax more.This will lead to having babies in a faster time and less hardship for the mother during the delivery.

Another benefit that people will get fro this method is that there is no drugs used because it already soothes the muscles of the mother and it also eases the pain of delivery.Most of the time, waterbirthing gives the mother the chance to deliver the baby naturally. I have seen it a lot of times while having a waterbirth in San Diego.Women who usually need drugs to be administered to them during delivery do not necessarily have to use drugs in this method of birthing.  The water and soothing aspect allows them to withstand the pain. This is good for women who really don’t want any drugs during delivery.This is because they have the fear that drugs used during the delivery will be harmful to the baby’s health.

Now in regards to the benefits to the baby it is simple. For nine months, the baby has lived in an environmnet filled with water.By delivering babies through water birth reduces the shock that they experience when they are being delivered.The baby will experience less shock since it will also be going straight into water.  Going through delivery is stressful enough to the baby.Reducing that shock a little bit will go a long way.  And these waterbirths can be performed by most midwives San Diego.  They have the experience of performing these types of deliveries.And as shown it brings a lot of benefits for the mother and the baby as well.

Boon of having a baby by water birthing

Monday, September 28th, 2009

One uncommon way to give birth is water birthing but it is already gaining some popularity.  It isn’t the usual way of having a baby on a medical bed.  But it is a safe method of having baby. 

So what we are going to do is take a look at this particular process of giving birth and looking at its advantages. These are going to come from experience that I have gained as a San Diego midwife.First of all, water birth is the way of delivering a baby while the patient isin a tub filled with warm water.It is usually done in a tub filled with warm water.It is said to be good for the baby because the baby also lived in a similar environment for almost 9 months.It is one way for the babies to get adjusted because they also have been in water for almost 9 months.

Also studies have shown that it is an effective form of pain management.  For women that is a big relief to here. A lot of times it allows the use of no medicine.  I have performed many without medicine as well as many other midwives San Diego I have spoken with.

Is water birth method safe for babies and the mother?It is safe for the babies and mothers most of the time as we can learn from the studies on this process.  There are a few instances when it isn’t advisable due to certain medical conditions. I have had that happen in my water birth San Diego service. Consulting a doctor first is the best thing to do.

Reduced skin tears is another benefit that pregnant mothers get from having a water birth.This can be very painful when giving birth.But if you choose this kind of delivery then that possiblity will be lessened.Because it relieves the skin.

This kind of delivery can be the right choice for you if you just follow these steps.It has a lot of benefits for both the baby and the mother.Consult your doctor first to know if it is okay for you.

Advantages and disadvantages of homebirth

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

How they deliver their babies is one of the choices that women can make during their pregnancy. What I meant with how they deliver is whether they deliver a baby in the hospital or at their own homes. Most women don’t know that they have a choice on how to deliver their babies because they think that giving birth at their own homes is dangerous.But of course there will be skeptics who don’t believe in this method.  But with careful research they can see there is a lot of evidence to show that it is.

There are definitely critics who do not believe in the safety of a homebirth.  From my observations from my practice as a San Diego midwife I have found it to be absolutely safe. From the 300 homebirths I have assisted in the dangers are just the same as if you were to deliver in a hospital.The risks is not minimized whether you give birth at a hospital or at your homes.On the ohter hand, the risks also would not increase because of this.

So what would be the main threat of undergoing a procedure like this?  Well for one people worry if some complications occur.They presume that the people who administer homebirths are not nurses and they are not medically inclined.  Well as a homebirth midwife in San Diego we do know medical procedures.We have all the required medical equipment for all the common complications that appear when giving birth.  Naturally any serious complications would have to be addressed by a doctor.But that is still similar to what happens in a hospital. 

Women who have low risk pregnancies are the only women recommended for homebirths.If it is known that a woman has possible complications while giving birth then the midwife would not recommend this method if she is good.  This is standard procedure for all San Diego licensed midwife.The reason as to why is because midwives have a limited medical practice and they cannot do all the things that a doctor can do.That the reason why they make sure that all high risk pregnancies be delivered in a hospital.

It will be very hard to convince those people who are not keen on undergoing this method.  But for those women who see this as an alternative they should understand it is safe.

How to be safe when hiring a midwife

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Pregnancy, what a wonderful time for a woman.  Well, I guess aside from the sickness.But beyond that, the thought of a new baby arriving is exciting.

Usually, for most women, how to have the baby isn’t a big question.Because for most women they will choose the standard procedure which is the medical procedure which means hospitals, doctors, and drugs.

But for some women, an alternative is available.That alternative is finding a midwife to help you have a baby the natural way.  And it is that alternative I am going to share from my experience as a San Diego midwife.

For those that don’t know, midwives are women who perform natural, no drugs, deliveries.This usually means no doctors.

Often times midwives in San Diego perform these services at homes.Although, maybe unusualy for most people, this alternative way to deliver a baby is safe and regulated.

The women, or midwives who practice this service are fully regulated.They can come in two forms which are a certified midwife or a licensed midwife, both of which are regulated and overseen by a board. 

Sometimes they can be a nurse, but it is not a requirement. 

This form of delivery is an option a lot of women choose and includes waterbirth in San Diego. Mostly the choice is made by women because they do not want any drugs during delivery and to prevent any drugs entering the new baby.Also it is going to be for some women who don’t want invasive procedures.

Well when you are making decisions as big as how you are going to deliver, you obviously want them to be the right choices.With anything, you want to be sure you choose the right person.

Like I mentioned before, this is a highly regulated industry. With that being the case, finding a good midwife who is licensed or certified is easy. 

All you are going to need to do is get the contact information for your state regulatory board that oversees midwifery and you can easily find out if there have been any complaints or issues with your prospective midwife.

With that simple step, you are able to determine if this is a quality midwife you can trust.Of course when you do see that there are no complaints or bad reports about your midwife, you still want to check references. 

You are going to want to find a midwife whose clients speak highly of them.  With something as intimate and important as a delivery following these few steps will help you find the right midwife for your delivery.

Alternative methods of pregnancy and delivery

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Pregnancy and the act of labor and delivery, although joyful, also a source of pain.Obviously there is joy because of the newborn baby, but any woman will tell you, it was a source of unspeakable pain.

Well because of the pain that woman go through, there are two different schools of thought on how labor and delivery should happen.  I am going to offer some perspective on one particular school of thought that I have gained first hand experience with by being a homebirth midwife San Diego.

There is the medical model for delivery which is associated with drugs to kill the pain, and sometimes cesarean to complete the delivery.

While there is another model, which though not widely accepted, for those who believe in it and have experience it consider it much safer and natural for the woman.

That model is the midwifery model as it is called.That model is the exact opposite of the medical model which is usually used.  Where the medical model relies heavily on medicine, hence “medical”, midwifery relies on the natural.Midwifery philosphy believes that pregnancy, labor, and delivery should happen as naturally as possible because it is a natural process.

This model is performed by a group called midwives. Midwives San Diego are generally woman, who attend the birth, often times at the mother’s home.This midwife would help with some techniques that help the woman go through labor as naturally as possible without drugs.

Contrary to most people’s opinion, when medicine is not used during labor, it allows the labor to proceed much faster without the use of drugs to slow the labor down.

The midwife is a profession that has a regulatory board that oversees, certifies, and licenses the individual. 

Although usually not a nurse or doctor, a midwife can be a nurse as well.

Even though they are not formal doctors or nurses, they will have some medical equipment for emergencies like resuscitation devices and equipment for suturing.

So this is what a midwife is and what midwifery is in regards to pregnancy and delivery.

Their goals are to allow the birth and delivery to happen as naturally as possible.  This reduces the likelihood of a c-section.  Doesn’t allow you to be subject to invasive hospital procedures such as episiotomys.Less medical intrusion will be used such as drugs to speed up or slow the pregnancy or the breaking of the water.And the part woman love the most, usually labor and delivery happen much faster naturally.

Hopefully this article sheds some light on the benefits of midwifery and having a midwife for your pregnancy.At the very minimum, maybe it gives you some other options to think about and look into.  Remember this is first hand knowledge from a San Diego midwife.

How to have a natural delivery

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

One of the sadder consequences of our modern day of medicine is the fact that birth and delivery are for all intents and purposes a medical procedure.

That might seem unusual to some because right off the bat people associate delivery with a medical event.  But that is the problem.  It is not a medical event.It is an occassion that can be kept as private and as natural as possible through alternate methods.  Women
should be notified to the fact there are alternate ways.

I would like to present one of those main alternatives from the perspective of a San Diego midwife.

That main alternate way is by having a homebirth midwife assisty you during your labor and delivery.  This practice is known as midwifery and there are plenty of midwives San Diego.

As cesareans and induction rates soar in hospitals, it has turned the joyous event of a delivery into an negative experience.

That is one of the main reasons for the push for more natural births through a licensed midwife or certified midwife.

Birth and the delivery shouldn’t necessarily include drugs, invasive procedures, private areas constantly being probled, etc.   It can be done safely and effectively in a home environment through that homebirth method or even a waterbirth San Diego method.

It’s definitely an industry that is regulated highly.  You are able to know of the skill and experience of any midwife you may consider hiring.

But getting over that stigma of not having a baby in a hospital takes education.But most women can see if they looked and through experience that statistics prove that a good amount of times having a baby in a hospital can negatively effect the process.From the drugs they use to slow down pregnancy, or use to speed the pregnancy.  To having to go through a c-section.Hopefully women can see the comparisons and the contrast and see the success of using a midwife.

So for women who seek to keep a birth and delivery a happy occasion, midwifery might be something to look into.

With the day and age of the internet, finding information about the natural process is as easy as doing a search on the internet.

There they should be able to find helpful information of the process to help them fully understand.They can view any safety concerns and how it is handled.  And most of all they can see how they can truly keep child birth a momentous occasion that can happily and privately as possible.