My Road from OB to Unassisted Childbirth

My first pregnancy began as most do, in search of an OB. I found one that came highly recommended. After several visits I learned that the doctor I was seeing would probably not be the one that would deliver my baby, unless he was on-call that night. I began to feel detached from my pregnancy, trusting only on the doctor’s say that things were fine. I started to research my childbirth options. I knew that I didn’t want to use any drugs. At 32 weeks I mentioned this decision to my doctor and he said, “Oh honey, you’ll see”. Well, that didn’t sit well with me so I went out and found a wonderful CNM. She was much more supportive of my choices. My son was born in a hospital without any complications or drugs. As far as hospital births go it was about as good as it gets. However, it still didn’t feel right to me. In the hospital there is such a state of panic at every turn of labor. I knew that what was happening was the natural progression but it was very difficult to stay focused with all of the hysteria I was surrounded by. The nurses treated my son as thought he were hospital property. When I voiced my insistence to go home they told me that I could leave but the baby would have to stay. We were both healthy but were forced to stay.

When we were planning our second pregnancy I knew that I wanted a homebirth so I found a local midwife that I liked. I wanted her to be as hands off as possible so I began to educate myself with every bit of childbirth knowledge I could find. A good friend of mine told me about Laura Shanley’s site unassistedchildbirth.com and immediately I knew that this is what felt right to me. It took me a couple of months to bring it up to my husband. I was afraid that he would think it was crazy but he was surprisingly supportive as was our midwife. I studied midwifery textbooks and became comfortable with all of the possible complications. I was in charge and responsible for this pregnancy and it was wonderful. I did all of my own prenatal assessments and took very good care of myself. When I had a concern or fear I studied it until I was completely comfortable and prepared. I had the appropriate herbs on hand for managing complications as well as a cheat sheet for my husband. Unlike my previous pregnancy, I was not blindly taking someone else’s word that everything was alright. I was not stressed; my mind was at ease because I knew that my body was made to do this.

My labor started gradually with several weeks of pre-labor. Feeling over due I decided we needed to do something to speed things up so we went for a good long walk. The contractions continued but without a pattern all day. I rested as much as possible. At about 10:30pm I realized that they were actually strengthening and seemed to have some pattern. I ran a bath, dimmed the lights and turned on some music. I was able to just breathe deep through most of it. I knew it would bee soon so I called my husband in. I remember thinking, wow I made it through transition and it really wasn’t that bad. I kneeled in the tub and had a really strong contraction when the water broke. My body completely took over. Two involuntary pushes and her head was out, two more and I was pulling her out of the water. It was about 3 hours of active labor and 5-10 minutes from the time my water broke until she was born. She was breathing right away. She didn’t cry for several hours but her color was good and she was alert. When my husband came in with our son he said, “Well, what is it?” I hadn’t even thought to check. We were all so excited to have a happy healthy little girl. She nursed immediately. The placenta came less than five minutes later. We left it attached for about two hours before daddy cut the cord. Our experience with unassisted childbirth has brought my family together with an intimate bond that I never could have imagined. I don’t know why something so natural as childbirth has become so feared that our society must manage it in the way that it does. What I do know is that as women we were designed to do this. Fear is the greatest enemy of the laboring woman. Belief in ourselves and trust in our bodies is the key to a successful birth wherever it takes place.

Thank You Katie! for a lifetime of loving friendship and for your gentile guidance.

(Please note any information provided is NOT to be construed as professional medical advice. This is my personal story provided for informational purposes only.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Emergency Situations - How We Prepared

Bleeding During Labor

This sort of bleeding can be due to separation of the placenta from the uterine wall (placenta abruption), or a placenta that is too close to the cervix or covering it (placenta previa).

1. Witch Hazel Bark Tincture (10-20 drops) repeatedly under the tongue can assist in controlling the bleeding until the placenta is birthed.

2. Repeated doses of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, reassurance and visualizing positive results can help the mother to remain calm.

Placentas can handle a loss of function and still be able to support their babies through birth but if you feel assistance is warranted, do not hesitate to seek it out.

Anterior Lip:

If there is a great urge to push before full dilatation a lip or cervical swelling can occur.

1. Homeopathic Arnica 200C (3-5 pellets). Dosing again after baby is born. Continued use of 30C for several days postpartum for soreness.

Shock

If the mother is in shock, Keep the mother warm, awake, talking and in a position where her legs are kept elevated.

1. Homeopathic Arnica 30x (3-4 pellets) every 5 minutes can stabilize and reverse shock.

2. Gatorade or , 1 teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) dissolved in 4 cups warm water can be given.

Fainting Postpartum:

1. Place mother in shock position.

2. Place burnt hair, piece of placenta or Rescue Remedy under tongue.

Bleeding after Birth / Hemorrhage

Hemorrhage is defined as more than 2 cups of blood (500ml) lost either by a slow seeping or a sudden gush. The slower hemorrhage is the most dangerous one as it is easy to overlook where the sudden massive hemorrhage is more obvious.

- More than 2 cups (500ml) of blood lost

- Fainting or passing out

- Dizziness or nausea

- Shortness of breath

- The fundus (abdomen) may seem to be expanding (a sign of hidden bleeding)

For bleeding before the placenta is out

DO NOT PULL ON THE CORD OR PRESS ON THE UTERUS UNTIL YOU ARE POSITIVE THE PLACENTA HAS DETATCHED FROM THE UTERINE WALL FULLY.

1. Breastfeeding, kneeling, squatting, standing up, having a pee, and walking around can encourage the placenta out.

2. Witch Hazel Bark Tincture (10-20 drops) repeatedly under the tongue can assist in controlling the bleeding until the placenta is birthed.

3. Angelicia Tincture (30-50 drops) single dose under the tongue can work within 5 minutes to encourage contractions and to bring the placenta out. If contractions do not resume in 15 minutes, repeat the dose once.

For bleeding after the placenta is out

Check the placenta. If pieces appear to be missing, try taking steps to aid expulsion of the placenta (pieces) as well as the following steps for hemorrhage.

1. Breastfeeding for oxytocin release.

2. Witch Hazel Bark Tincture (10-20 drops) repeatedly under the tongue can assist in controlling the bleeding until the placenta is birthed.

3. Uterine massage after the placenta is out is beneficial to helping the uterus clamp down and shrink.

4. Eat your placenta. Slice a pieces off the maternal side (side without cord) of the placenta with a sharp knife.

5. Shepherd’s Purse Tincture (20-40 drops) under the tongue. This can stop a post-partum hemorrhage in 5 seconds flat. The longest a midwife has reported this tincture taking is 30 seconds. Repeat as needed or every couple minutes. Take as last Resort! Can cause clots.

Shoulders Stuck


1. Gaskin maneuver. Change position.

2. With both hands pull down on mother’s abdomen during a contraction.

3. Hook a finger under the arm of the baby that is toward the mother’s back. Rotate the hooked shoulder toward the baby’s face.

Cord Around Neck


1. Continue birthing instinctively.

If the cord seems to be too short to allow the baby to descend, and the mother senses a real problem, it may be necessary to clamp and cut the cord for her to be able to birth the baby.

2. Clamp in two places and cut between them. Once the baby is out take off the maternal clamp allowing blood to flow freely.


Cord Prolapse

This is when the cord or part of it comes out by itself or with a hand or foot.

1. In some cases, it is possible to push the cord back in quickly. If this is not possible, wrap the cord in a warm, wet and clean towel to avoid air exposure triggering the cord vessels from constricting.

2. If birth is imminent and the woman is feeling strong desires to bear down & birth, she should be allowed to do so (except in the case of a hand presenting) as time is of the utmost importance.

3. If there is no urge to push and birth is too far off, get the mother’s head, chest and shoulders flat down on the ground with her butt up in the air until medical assistance can be provided to her.

Baby Not Breathing

It is normal for babies to take time to begin breathing after they are born, particularly with water births. If the baby is purple, red, pink, holding arms and legs stiff, making faces, or just has pale blue/white arms/legs, just wait. He/she will breathe.

1. Keeping the baby warm, skin to skin, talking to the baby, rubbing the baby’s back, laying the baby face down over your thigh with their bum higher than their head.

2. Flick at the soles of the baby’s feet with your fingertips to encourage a gasp reflex.

3. Rub Bach Flower Rescue Remedy on the newborn’s wrists, temples and lips.

4. Dilute one drop Cayenne tincture in a tablespoon of warm water. Put a few drops on baby’s lips and tongue.

5. Homeopathic Carbo Veg. (Crush one tablet and put a pinch under tongue).

However if a baby is:

- pale blue or white

- limp

- looks almost dead

1. Start mucus clearing and resuscitation efforts while an ambulance is called. To clear mucus, suck it out of their mouth and nose gently, and/or have them laying on their belly, upside down on your leg while you rub their back talking to them.

2. Hold the baby’s body in two hands with palms up. One hand under hips and one under the shoulders holding the head at the middle position (parallel to body). Gently raise and bend hands bending hips toward shoulders, like a hinge. Lower hands. Repeat every 5 seconds.

3. When a pulse is detected: Start artificial breathing (only after airways are clear). Support the infant's head. Cover infants mouth and nose with your mouth and give 2 gentle puffs of air from your cheeks, only sufficient to make the infants chest rise. After the initial 2 puffs, check the pulse. If there is a pulse but no breathing, continue to inflate the lungs at a rate of 20 times per minute (every 3 seconds). Check the pulse about every minute. Note: Infants pulse can be found on the inner upper arm (brachial pulse).

4. When no pulse is detected: Use 2 fingers (index and middle) over lower half of sternum (one fingers breadth below the inter-nipple line) to give chest compressions. Compress chest approx 1/3 depth of chest. Give 5 chest compressions in 3 seconds followed by 1 breath.

Don’t give up.

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