Posts Tagged ‘pregnancy’

Giving birth using a midwife: Common criticisms

Sunday, January 10th, 2010
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People normally think of doctors and hospitals when they think of having a baby delivered.But a growing movement among women who are wanting to go more natural is spreading fast.  There are some women who are foregoing the medication during delivery to have a more natural delivery. Part of that movement of going natural is using a midwife to deliver a baby.There are definitely a lot of various advantages to this that in this article we are going to discuss.

First of all some people think using a midwife isn’t safe.They think that the safest practice is having a baby with a doctor, since they have all the medical equipment needed.But definitely this is not true because most midwife deliveries are only done with safe pregnancies.If there is any history of complications, in other words, it will definitely not be performed with a midwife.  Other then that as a San Diego midwife I know first hand midwives know what to do in medical emergencies.

Another criticism is that, normally, midwives will not be using any medication that women definitely need.Because women do not actually need to have drugs for delivery that is why the premise is false.The major reason why most pregnancies take so long, as a matter of fact, are drugs.  The drugs cause the birth to stop because it is disrupting the natural delivery. I have seen first hand as a homebirth midwife San Diego how much faster natural deliveries are.So there is absolutely no need for medication and besides, it can just probably hinder the delivery.

Midwives are not doctors: that is another criticism.While that is true but it does not necessarily mean that they don’t know what to do medically. All midwives absolutely need to go through a hard and legal licensing and certification process.This simple process definitely teaches them all things especially on what medical procedures may need to be performed in specific situations.  As a certified midwives San Diego practicioner I know first hand that midwives are prepared for emergencies.

As you can see, having a baby with a midwife definitely has more benefits than with those people would have you to believe.  It is safer and helps you have a faster delivery then with medications.


How safe is it to use a midwife

Sunday, December 6th, 2009
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One of the most notoriously misunderstood professions in the world is midwifery.They are not as popular nowadays but there are still some people who practice it.  If you don’t know a midwife is one who assists a woman during delivery.  Usually not a nurse or a doctor it has been asked whether or not it is safe to use a midwife.Because most midwives perform birthing at the homes of the mothers.In this article we are going to look at some things to determine if midwifery is safe to undergo or not.

Midiwives usually help mothers go through birthing without the use of drugs.  At least that is my experience running a San Diego midwife service.And the birthing are done usually at the house of the mother.That would be the reasons why most people are sceptical about its safety.What they perceive as a safe way of delivering a baby is through the use of drugs.But that is not true all the time. 

In fact what most people don’t realize is that the drugs they take actually slow down the pregnancy and can cause complications.Midwives do not use the aid of drugs while helping the mothers give birth that is why the delivery would be faster and recovery of the mother would be faster also.  That has been the case so many times in my homebirth midwife San Diego service.  So many women experience quicker recoveries going natural.

Finally what people don’t realize is that most natural home births are recommended only for healthy women.This means that if the woman has a high risk pregnancy or has a history of medical problems which can complicate the pregnancy then I will not accept them.  Generally the women I do assist in my certified midwives San Diego practice are women who have had no history of complications.  The moment I realize there is a danger to their delivery I recommend a hospital.

Hopefully people would realize that there are many precautions before a mother can be allowed to undergo home birthing assissted by midwives.That is why homebirthing always result to a wonderful and healthy family.


Home birthing safety issues

Friday, November 6th, 2009
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One way of giving birth to a baby is by hiring a midwife. Usually the midwife is a licensed professional although not a nurse or a doctor.They usually assist in the delivery of babies the natural way.  Many times the delivery is done at home.Since the deliveries are mostly done at homes and there are no doctors or nurses to assist the delivery a lot of people doubt the safety of this method.  This article will look and see if it is safe to use a midwife.

First of all as a San Diego midwife this allows me to answer these questions with knowledge.  The main thing people are concerned about is safety.Well you might be surprised but midwives are also trained to handle emergencies during the delivery of the babies.  Generally the things that may occur during delivery a midwife is equipped to handle.

The fact that this method is usually done at homes is another concern for most people.What they are worrying about is that they assume that there is no sufficient tools for emergencies and there are no doctors.  But in general in my homebirth midwife San Diego service I only take women who are healthy.It means that if there are serious concerns about the pregnancy then I would recommend them to deliver the baby in the hospital. Or if there has been a history of issues with delivery I will suggest they deliver in a hospital.

That being said contrary to popular opinion a midwife does have the necessary medical equipment in case of emergency.But since the birth of method is naturally done then less complications would be experienced. That is the general experience of my certified midwives San Diego service. Usually the complications in a hospital are due to the drugs they use.And these complications would be lessened if the delivery is done the natural way.

So hopefully you see that a midwife and a home birth are safe alternatives to delivering a baby.So if you want to go natural you must research more about it.You will be surprised at how beneficial it can be to the baby and the mother.You will learn that this method can give more benefits than risks.


Advantages of having a midwife during modern times

Sunday, November 1st, 2009
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Having a midwife is one way of delivering a baby.It may not be as common as delivering in a hospital but it is already gaining popularity among mothers.  The reason why it isn’t as widely done is the common misconception that it is unsophisticated.What I meant was that not a lot of technological advances are being used in this method.And since there is no use or less use of technology involved people think that it is not safe.So in this article we will be talking about the technological advances that midwifery incorporates in their practice.

Well as a San Diego midwife I know first hand that midwives are starting to use more technology.Although natural way of delivering a baby should be the main goal of midwifery.  You still can use some modern technologies.An ultrasound is one technology that midwives also use.  So finding the sex of the baby can be done with a midwife.

Another advancement that is being done in my homebirth midwife San Diego service is that we do have emergency equipment at birth.  Things like equipment to resuscitate.And many more emergency tools and equipments that may be needed at times.These technological advances in midwifery make it more safer than ever.

Another advance being done with my waterbirth in San Diego service is the waterbirth kits being used.Waterbirth is a method of giving birth to a baby by putting the mother in a tub of water. Well the kits allow for ease of delivery.  They also are in place to help the mother as well as the baby stay safe.

As you can realize midwifery has also advanced in its methods and it is safer. The thoughts of doing procedures as if in the stone age is not reality.This would mean that it is safer now to have midwives deliver your baby.The tools that midwives now use make delivering babies at home as safe as delivering babies in the hospital.So if you plan on undergoing a homebirth do not think that it is not safe.


Role of midwives in a pregnancy

Monday, October 12th, 2009
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One of the methods of delivering a baby is using a midwife.This is usually done at the homes of the mothers.And also, this method is usually done naturally.Natural means that there are no drugs administered to a mother during her delivery.  There are many women who have chosen this method for many benefits.  Some of the benefits include no drugs and a more relaxed environment at home. So we  shall look at the role of a midwife in delivery.

So let us define what a midwife is.A midwife is a person who assists pregnant mothers in the delivery of their babies.They are usually not doctors.  But as a San Diego midwife there is many other things that I know a midwife does.  Of course, they are not doctors but they do have many roles that help.

Most of the time, their jobs concentrate on assisting in the delivery of the babies.But they also give advices and assist during the whole 9 months of pregnancy.And also, they are still giving advice and some help even after the delivery of the babies.  So most women who are midwives San Diego have a huge job when it comes to pregnancy and delivery.A lot of pregnant women seek their help and advice.Although most of them are not nurses or doctors, the women still trust their advice.

But the biggest contribution of a midwife is done during the delivery itself. This is especially true in a homebirth setting.Of course, midwives can help in the hospitals.  But when they are there for a home delivery they truly are given a large responsibility. As I mentioned earlier as a San Diego midwife although not usually a doctor or nurse they do have training medically.This training will help them in case an emergency happens.

So those are a few of the jobs of a midwife.  As you can see they have a lot of responsibility.But a lot of midwives have done a great job.They have helped a lot of women during the many years they have been midwives.And they will continue to do so as midwifery becomes more popular to mothers in the years to come.


Using waterbirth to deliver babies

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
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One of the options most women aren’t familiar with is having a waterbirth. This is the delivery where an expectant mother is placed in a tub filled with water.  From there she delivers the baby. There are a lot of benefits that one can get from this method.More women are now considering this method even if it is not a commonly known and popular method of delivering babies.  In this article we are going to examine the benefits of it.

What’s good about this method is that it has a lot of benefits in store for the babies and also the expectant mothers. As a San Diego midwife I have seen it firsthand.For the mother, it soothes the labor pains.It loosens the muscles resulting to an easier delivery.This will lead to having babies in a faster time and less hardship for the mother during the delivery.

And since it soothes the muscles and eases the pain of the mother during delivery, another benefit mothers and babies would get from this is that no drugs will be used to relieve pain.Waterbirthing lets mothers have their babies naturally most of the time. 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 relaxation of the muscles and the quick delivery that it results to allows them to withstand the pain. This is good for the expectant mothers who do not like drugs to be administered to her during the delivery of her baby.This is because they have the fear that drugs used during the delivery will be harmful to the baby’s health.

And these are the benefits for the babies. For nine months the baby is in water.  By having the baby deliver into water reduces the shock they have.Since the baby will be delivered straight into the water then the baby will experience less stress.It is stressful enough for the baby to undergo a delivery.  By reducing it a little bit it helps.  And these waterbirths can be performed by most midwives San Diego.They know how to perform this type of delivery.  And as you see it has a lot of benefits to the mom and new baby.


Can midwives really help pregnancies

Sunday, September 6th, 2009
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A lot of important choices need to be made if a woman is pregnant. She needs to go choose a doctor that suits her needs and wants.  More than likely they need to choose a hospital.And other important things as well.What pregnant women do not realize is that they have a choice aside from the usual way of delivery and this is called natural delivery. That is when they try not to use drugs for delivery. As a lot more people become health-conscious this method is gaining popularity.Midwifery is the one profession that can hep in this kind of situation.

What is the definiton of midwifery?  It is the practice of assisting women to give birth naturally. Of course there a lot more defintions. But this is the simplest definition.  As a San Diego midwife that is the job which is to help a woman attempt to deliver naturally.There can be a lot of benefits from this.The use of no drugs is, of course, the main benefit. Plus without using drugs it actually helps the delivery proceed faster.Because drugs administered to the mother can actually slow down the delivery itself. 

Women now not just choose to give birth naturally but also opt to give birth at their own homes.They are opting to stay in their houses to give birth to their babies.This different from what people are usually doing.  But it offers a lot of benefits.  As a homebirth midwife San Diego I have been able to see these benefits firsthand.One benefit that can be gained is the privacy of the place that will be used as the delivery room.  Also less intrusive medical procedures are needed because of the way the delivery is done.

Now of course there are some objections.  Some say there are safety concerns.But if the pregnancy is a low-risk one then this method is very safe.But if the pregnancy is a high risk one then it would not definitely be recommended.  In my midwife San Diego practice I always advise my clients to go with the normal delivery in a hospital if it is high risk.So that if anything happens it can be immediately attended to by a doctor.


Assurance of safely giving birth at home

Friday, August 21st, 2009
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How they deliver their babies is one of the choices that women can make during their pregnancy. When I say how they will deliver I am referring to a hospital delivery or a homebirth. 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 that safety has been questioned.But by researching they can learn that this method is safe, if not, as safe as a hospital delivery.

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.  But it also doesn’t raise those risks either.

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.A doctor is obviously needed whenever any serious complications arise from gving birth at home.But that is not far from what happens in a hospital. 

Homebirths are only recommended for women who have pregnancies that are low in risk.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 women who are not afraid to try this method and have low pregnancy risk then they should know that homebirth is a safe method to give birth.


Benefits of water birthing

Friday, August 14th, 2009
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Water birth is a method of delivering a baby that is still not common but is now gaining popularity among mothers.  It isn’t the usual way of having a baby on a medical bed.But it is safe to use in giving birth to a baby. 

So what we are going to do is look at the process and determine what benefits and advantages the babies and mothers will get from this process. 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.  Usually in a tub of warm water.  The reason it is said to be good for the baby is because the baby enters into a similar environment.  They have been in water for 9 months and it helps the baby get adjusted.

It is also shown in studies that it helps in 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 a safe way to deliver?It is safe for the babies and mothers most of the time as we can learn from the studies on this process.Due to certain medical conditions,in some cases, it isn’t advisable to use. I have had that happen in my water birth San Diego service. Consulting a doctor first is the best thing to do.

Another benefit of having a water birth is it reduces the risk of skin tears.  This can be a painful occurence during delivery.But if you choose this kind of delivery then that possiblity will be lessened.Because it calms the skin.

This kind of delivery can be the right choice for you if you just follow these steps.Both the mother and the baby will get a lot of beneits from this.  As always consult your doctor first to see if it right for you.


Losing Weight After Pregnancy…

Monday, August 10th, 2009
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Many women gain quite a bit of weight during a pregnancy, some women more than others due to their metabolism and any health problems. It is normal for a woman to gain approximately 25 to 35 pounds and loose 12 to 14 pounds during the birth. Leaving the new mother with approximately 12 to 21 pounds of extra weight after the pregnancy and birth.

Many women ask if it is possible to lose weigth they gained during the pregnancy and therefore regain the figure they had before. The answer to this question is normally yes, in exception to rare cases. In most cases the new mother is capable of regaining their previous figure in a space of 8 to 12 months.

The most important thing to do to loose the extra weight gained is not to rush into any ‘miracle diets’ to try to loose the weight quickly, especially if you are breast feeding. The best thing to do is concentrate on eating a complete and healthy diet and to do some daily exercise. Most new mothers make their own exercise plans that do not interfere with the new baby. Doing exercises of approximately 10 minutes a couple of times a day will help you to regain your figure.

It is very important to maintain a healthy diet as your body has been put under a lot of pressure and has used up a lot of your stored energy. Maintaining a healthy diet will not affect you if you are breastfeeding as the quality of your milk does not falter. If you are breastfeeding you will find that it is a lot easier to loose excess weight during the first couple of months after the birth.

There is a program called ‘rebuild your vision‘. It is an eye exercise program aimed at improving vision. While it has little to do with weight loss, taking care of your eyes is important.

Before starting any diets and if you are breastfeeding, it is recommended to speak to your doctor. Many women can create a low anemia after the birth and therefore may need more iron in their diet. Speak to your doctor and find out what is best for you in this new situation to be able to stay healthy and energetic but also to be able to loose the weight you want without damaging yourself.