Pregnancy Care
Inspite of going to good doctor and taking good treatment, having information about pregnancy and delivery, most of the expecting mothers are worried, anxious and apprehensive.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge with understanding and application yields good results.
We deal with
- “Talk to baby” to keep mother happy and confident during pregnancy, to mould the personality of baby in the womb itself.
- Tips for normal delivery.
- Diet and Exercises
In the past when our grannies could deliver easily at homes with least medical facility,why doctors are not waiting to do normal deliveries with such an improvement in science and technology.This is a million dollar question lingering in our minds.
Let us open up this pandora’s box and know certain facts about pregnancy and the factors that led to normal delivery in the past and the factors preventing normal delivery in the present.
Pregnancy and delivery are natural functions of the body that are controlled by hormones that are triggered by emotions.
Delivery though a natural function, can at times become life threatening to mother/or and baby, because of some complications which can occur during pregnancy or during delivery. So regular antenatal care is necessary to monitor pregnancy, detect any abnormalities, and take action to avoid mishap and ensure healthy mom and baby.
REQUIREMENTS OF NORMAL DELIVERY:
- AVERAGE BABY WEIGHT
- HEAD DESCENT (HALF WAY)
- FAVORABLE CERVIX
- State of cervix(opening part of uterus) reflects state of mind. It is said “tense mind- tense cervix”. Anxiety, worry and negative beliefs make cervix unfavorable .
- Positive mindset ensures favorable cervix (opening part of uterus).
In the past normal delivery was possible because of
a) AVERAGE BABY WEIGHT: Due to intake of natural food (junk food not available) and doing manual household work (exercise).
b) HEAD DESCENT (HALF WAY): Doing household work made head descend .
c) FAVORABLE CERVIX.
- In the past elders mentally prepared the expecting mothers, by making them to accept labour pain and instilling confidence.
- Accepting to endure labour pain. In the past pain relieving medicines were not available. So elders started preparing them mentally since childhood. When girl child had minor injury, elders would tell, “If you can’t bear this pain, how will you bear labour pains when you grow up? Girls should bear pains”. It was like giving vaccine. Such repeated telling, conditioned the women to accept pain.
- Instilling confidence. Elders instilled- confidence by telling, “If you do all household work and you will deliver easily“, Because excellent rapport prevailed between elders and youngsters, they accepted and believed it.
SOLUTION:
Knowledge, motivation about labour pain,acceptance of c-section and co-operation at home and hospital.
- Knowledge
- Labour pain is not harmful; It is natural function and not due to disease. It is bearable.
- Only the FEAR of labour pain is harmful, making it unbearable by making cervix unfavourable.
- Our medicines are only–pain killers and not fear killers.
Motivation Why to bear the pain?
- Its a pain with reward. Enduring labour pains and breast feeding are only the true gifts mother gives to the baby.
- Acceptance of C-section when necessary, is not wanting c-section. we need to understand that under going ‘c-section’ is not failure. When health of mother or baby is affected only, it is failure. C-section is a boon, at times of need. If c-section was available, many of our grannies would not have been lost during delivery.
- REASSURANCE at home and hospital.
Requirements of Normal Delivery:
- Average baby weight
- Head descent (half way)
- Favorable cervix
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PRESENT
- When delivery had shifted from home to hospital, mothers started believing, they canot deliver by themselves. Its the doctor who has to do the delivery ,who is not patient enough these days.Mothers have to endure the pains which is unbearable; (as shown in movies). This fear of labour pain is implanted deeply in the minds of expecting mothers and this is not addressed and allayed. On the other hand elders often tell, My daughter cant bear pains. Such remarks undermine the confidence of the pregnant mother... In some of them, there is non acceptance of c-section, which leads to anxiety and worry that she ll land into c-section.
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SOLUTION
- Knowledge, motivation about labour pain,acceptance of c-section and co-operation at home and hospital.
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LABOUR PAIN
- The intensity of labour pains and duration of labour is entirely dependant on the state of cervix. When the expected mother is relaxed and confident and happy the cervix is short and soft. Also when mother had done exercises cervix is favorable and stretch like a rubber band, which opens up easily there is less pressure and therefore less pain.
- When mother is tense and apprehensive or has strong negative belief and had not done exercises cervix is unfavorable, long and firm like bottle neck.
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THE BASICS OF SPHINCTER LAW
- Sphincter functions most comfortably and smoothly in an atmosphere that is relaxed and free from discordant emotions.
- For people from civilized societies and modern upbringing, despite strong urge, only when they have some measure of privacy or familiarity, sphincter muscles relax and allow elimination. Another interesting feature is, sphincters close very easily and can be very resistant to opening in unfamiliar, uncomfortable and insecure atmosphere . Most of us can recollect instances ,where we have easily controlled urine or motion in an uncongenial or unfamiliar atmosphere ,for however hard we may have tried we could not relieve it .They function(open) best in an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy and familiarity– for example, our own home or a bathroom with a locking door or , where interruption is unlikely or impossible. The sphincter (the cervix)is like a lock and emotions are the key. Positive beliefs and emotions like hope, trust, faith, security, and confidence open it easily while negative beliefs and emotions like doubt; anxiety and fear close or lock it.
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Sphincters are circular muscle groups that usually remain contracted and closed during normal conditions and when required, expand, so that it can open comfortably and wide enough to allow (urine, motion or baby) whatever has to pass through it. The urinary and anal sphincters enable the bladder and rectum to function as reservoirs capable of holding their contents so that elimination takes place at appropriate and convenient intervals rather than continuously.
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Factors that close sphincters
- 1)`These sphincters cannot be opened at will.
- 2)They do not respond well to commands (such as push! or Relax! ).
- 3) Even while opening, sphincter may suddenly close down when the person becomes upset, frightened, humiliated or self-conscious. Even a rough and uncompassionate pelvic examination can reverse a mothers cervical dilatation. The presence of a stranger in the delivery room, especially if that person is a male and not an intimate companion of the labouring woman, frequently (although not always) slows or stops
- 4) Fear and inhibition are known to make cervix opening difficult.
- High levels of adrenaline in the bloodstream may prevent opening of the sphincters (sometimes, they actually seem to close the cervix).
- Factors that help the Sphincters open during Labour :- Developing an understanding of sphincter Law is an important part of learning about the mind-body connection.
- OPEN THE SPHINCTERS
- They open up only in atmospheres of familiarity, privacy, comfort ,intimacy or security.
- A smile is good. A chuckle is better. A good belly laugh is one of the most effective forms of anesthesia.
- Joking, storytelling, conversation, puzzle and arm wrestling are some of the ways to divert the mother from focusing on pain .
- Women experience similar relaxation of the cervical sphincter with positive and loving words spoken during the most intense phase of labour. Because trust (secure feeling) is such a valuable and powerful feeling. It is important for pregnant women to be cared by people whom they trust. Love is another very powerful healing and easing emotion. Trust and love make relaxation possible.--INAMAY
- Singing will maximize the ability of the bodys sphincters to open.
- Slow, Deep Breathing aids the opening of Sphincters.
- Immersion in warm water can also be very calming to a labouring mother. Holding our muscles stiff and rigid is very difficult while we are immersed in water.
- How exercises, walking and household work help in normal delivery?
- Walking, moving about and other household works makes all muscles stretched and relaxed.
- Civilized citizens dont share their fears, doubts with others (however close they may be) as its against social norms. Its a kind of belittling act. Elders also are not aware of the stress of the mother beneath the cool mask she is wearing. Art of reassuring, relieving stress is totally unknown to them.
- Acceptance of health problem for baby and mother is not these days as everyone is busy with one work. They should know that good of delivery is health of mother and baby and not made of delivery (normal delivery of c-section). Here normal delivery itself becomes the goal and acceptance of c-section is not there, mother becomes anxious and invariably lands up in c-section.
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Acceptance of C-section
- It is not wanting a c-section we need to understand c-section is not failure. Health of the baby is affected, then it is failure. C-section is a boon, at times of need. If c-section was available, many of our grannies would not have been lost during delivery.
- Non-Acceptance of C-section:
- People do not accept for 1) social 2) Health reasons.
- Health issues like weight gain and back pain occurring after c-section is not true always. If the mother is active and keeps on watch a bit on her diet, she will not gain weight. If she takes calcium supplementation and keeps herself active, back pain is also not common.
- When the mother does not mentally accept c-sectors most of the time she lands up in c-section and later also some complaints keep cropping up.
- When a mother accepts c-section she is relaxed, cervix becomes favorable and normal delivery chances are more; even if she lands up in c-section, problems are less afterwards.
- SOLUTION:
- We need to understand, once our mothers are mentally + physically prepared well, with medical aid can give very good results.
- We need to overcome fear of labour pain by knowledge + motivation.
- Its different from other pains which are due to injury or illness.
- It is a natural function, Hence harmless to both mother and mom. Labour pain is harmless and bearable. It is the fear of labour pain that is harmful and makes it unbearable.
- Our medicines are only painkillers and not fear killers. So mere pain relief alone is not able to ensure normal delivery. (it is the fear, doubt and negative belief that result in cervical dystocia (Cervix not open), failure of descent or fetal distress resulting in c-section)
- Elders are of the opinion, our mothers can not endure pain at all.
- We need to understand that when we are aware of the reward we are willingly bear pain these days. Example Athletes doing hard practice; women having tattoos, wearing high heels, tight cloths, having eyebrows trimmed. Also we observe, the uterine contraction (which we call pain) is just a muscle action. Its like exercise of uterus. It does not act continuously; it contracts and relaxes; so it is not harmful to us or to the baby.
- If the mother is well prepared to face labour (our medicines are available to shorten labour, to decrease the intensity of pain)
- ELDERS REASSURING:
- Getting her doubts cleared from the Doctor. Friendly hospital employees make the mother at ease and feel secure.
- Accepting c-section when necessary, remembering sometimes emergency Section becomes necessary for baby. (Heart beat variation or baby passing motion Meconium staining in the womb). Mother must realize, accepting is not wanting it; she need not fear about it, rather welcome it as a boon. Any unnecessary remarks or strangers presence during labour make mother anxious or worried leading to cervical dystocia (Cervix not opening) Uterus not opening. Constant presence of an understanding birth companion, to reassure, and predict the progress will go a long way in ensuring easy normal delivery. During labour, upright position of the mother, standing or sitting position makes the contraction more effective, that is less pain felt and labour time is shortened, another important benefit is less incidence of fetal distress.
- So a mother with proper physical and mental preparation with good rapport with the medical team can have easy and safe normal delivery.
- It is not wanting c-section we need to understand c-section is not failure. Health of baby is affected, then it is failure. C-section is a boon, at times of need. If c-section was available, many of our grannies would not have been lost during delivery.
- Non-Acceptance of C-section:
- People do not accept for 1) social 2) Health reasons.
- Health issues like weight gain and back pain occurring after c-section is not true always. If the mother is active and keeps on watch a bit on her diet, she will not gain weight. If she takes calcium supplementation and keeps herself active back pain is also not common.
- When the mother does not mentally accept c-sectors most of the time she lands up in c-section and later also some complaints keep cropping up.
- When mother accepts c-section she is relaxed, cervix becomes favorable and normal delivery chances are more; even if she lands up in c-section, problems are less afterwards.
- SOLUTION:
- We need to understand, once our mothers are mentally + physically prepared well, with medical aid can give very good results.
- We need to overcome fear of labour pain by knowledge + motivation.
- Its different from other pains which are due to injury or illness.
- It is a natural function, Hence harmless to both mother and mom. Labour pain is harmless and bearable. Its the fear of labour pain that is harmful and makes it unbearable.
- Our medicines are only pain killers and not fear killers. So mere pain relief alone not able to ensure normal delivery. (its the fear, doubt and negative belief that result in cervical dystocia (Cervix not open), failure of descent or fetal distress resulting in c-section)
- Elders are of the opinion, our mothers canot endure pain at all.
- We need to understand that when we are aware of the reward we are willingly bear pain these days. Example Athletes doing hard practice; women having tattoos, wearing high heels, tight cloths, having eyebrows trimmed. Also we observe, the uterine contraction (which we call pain) is just a muscle action. Its like exercise of uterus. It does not act continuously; it contracts and relaxes; so it is not harmful to us or to the baby.
- If the mother is well prepared to face labour (our medicines are available to shorten labour, to decrease the intensity of pain)
- ELDERSÂ REASSURING:
- Getting her doubts cleared from the Doctor. Friendly hospital employees make the mother at ease and feel secure.
- Accepting c-section when necessary, remembering sometimes emergency C Section becomes necessary for baby. (Heart beat variation or baby passing motion “ Meconium staining in the womb). Mother must realize, accepting is not wanting it; she need not fear about it, rather welcome it as a boon. Any unnecessary remarks or strangers presence during labour make mother anxious or worried leading to cervical dystocia (Cervix not opening) Uterus not opening. Constant presence of an understanding birth companion, to reassure, and predict the progress will go a long way in ensuring easy normal delivery. During labour, upright position of mother, standing or sitting position makes the contraction more effective, that is less pain felt and labour time in shortened, another important benefit is less incidence of fetal distress.
- So mother with proper physical and mental preparation with good rapport with medical team can have easy and safe normal delivery.
