Mamas on Bedrest: How Are You Planning for Your Delivery?
April 18th, 2012Something about spring makes me think of preparation. Spring is definitely a time of new beginnings and for mamas getting ready to give birth, they are most certainly preparing for a new beginning-into a whole new stage of their lives!
Preparing for the pending birth of a baby can be a bit different for a mama on bed rest, but most certainly no less important. While mamas having uncomplicated pregnancies may be doing last minute shopping, finishing up tasks at work and handing off assignments to co-workers before going on maternity leave, preparing the nursery, attending hospital tours and childbirth classes, mamas on bed rest are often restricted in their abilities to prepare for the addition to their families. Those with family and friends close by may in fact have a baby shower and have help preparing their nurseries. Because of their bed rest status, work is often a long gone event-one they hope to get back to after the baby is born. But its the individual preparation, the childbirth education that I find most mamas on bed rest lack.
In this age of the internet, mamas on bed rest need not go without the vital childbirthing information that they need. There are literally hundreds of programs available, locally and online, that can prepare mamas for their childbirth experience. We share just a smattering of them here.
Doulas and Birth Attendants. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I really wish that I had had a doula at my first birth. While I don’t believe that she would have prevented anything that happened with me or my baby, I think that having a skilled attendant to help my husband and I while things were coming completely unhinged would have been great.
Doulas are often that impartial third party that can help mamas maintain their focus and confidence, help calm spouses and partners so that they can provide support to a laboring mama and they can act as a bridge between the health care providers and mama when she cannot necessarily speak up for herself. There are lots of doula resources but two of the most widely known are Doulas of North America (DONA) and The Childbirth and Post Partum Professional Association (CAPPA). While they both offer training and educational resources they also list their members and mamas can find a doula in their area to assist them. The International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) is another great doula resource especially for mamas of color.
Lamaze International. Lamaze promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to childbirth and early parenting. They offer childbirth education classes and support for families as well as education and training for health care professionals. Lamaze education and practices are based on the best, most current medical evidence available. They can help reduce the use of unnecessary interventions and improve overall outcomes for mothers and babies. The Lamaze Safe Birth Practices were adapted from the World Health Organization and promote, protect and support natural, safe and healthy birth. The 6 healthy birth practices are:
- Let Labor Begin on Its Own
- Walk, Move Around, and Change Positions Throughout Labor
- Bring a Loved One, Friend, or Doula for Continuous Support
- Avoid Interventions That Are Not Medically Necessary
- Avoid Giving Birth on Your Back, and Follow Your Body’s Urges to Push
- Keep Mother and Baby Together – It’s Best for Mother, Baby, and Breastfeeding
The Bradley Method. The Bradley Method “stresses the importance of Healthy Baby, Healthy Mother and Healthy Families”. By taking classes in The Bradley Method® of natural childbirth, mamas and papas will learn about:
- Prenatal nutrition & exercise
- Relaxation for an easier birth
- Husbands as coaches
- Birth plans and more!
Hypnobirthing.The Mongan Method used is a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by self-hypnosis techniques.
Mamas, pain, fear and lots of sterile instruments don’t have to be your memories of your child’s birth. Find out your options for labor and delivery. Find out who can be with you, who can assist with the birth and what you can do in advance to be prepared and as calm and in control of your body as possible. The above childbirth methods (and so many more!!) are available to help you have a stress free and reasonably pain free labor and delivery. Many of the above organizations and services offer online courses and some educators even make house calls! Find out your options and educate yourself today!
If you know of another effective method of childbirth, please share it with us at info@mamasonbedrest.com so that we may share it with other mamas. Check out our resources page for other resources on pregnancy, health and maternal and infant well being.
Mamas on Bedrest (To Be?):8 Tips for Preparing for A High Risk Pregnancy
April 16th, 2012“I purchased your Bedrest Fitness DVD. I am newly pregnant and am anticipating that I may have some complications based on my history. I’m gathering all the resources I can now.”
First and foremost, I am always thrilled to get e-mails from mamas telling me that they have purchased Bedrest Fitness and how it has helped or how they intend to use it. But this e-mail especially caught my attention because this is a very new mama who knows that she has a “complicated medical history” and is taking measures to be prepared for her pregnancy.
Some would say that planning for complications is “calling them into existence”. Personally, as a mama who had a complicated reproductive history prior to becoming pregnant, I have to disagree. I wish that I had had the information that I now provide to mamas. There are several simple things that mamas who have known complications in their reproductive history can do to enhance their chances of becoming pregnant and lessening complications during their pregnancy.
Start taking high potency prenatal vitamins. When you are pregnant, your body will have an increased demand for nutrients so as to not only sustain your health and well being, but to also grow and develop your baby. A good prenatal vitamin should not only contain the US RDA for nutrients, but also nutrients in adequate proportions to sustain mama and her developing baby. Read more about prenatal vitamins and we do offer individual consultations about on prenatal vitamins and supplements. Schedule a consultation by e-mailing info@mamasonbedrest.com.
Quit Smoking. Smoking has no benefits to health. Smoking is especially detrimental to a mama and her baby. If you are contemplating getting pregnant or are newly pregnant and smoke, you must quit. Speak with your health care provider TODAY to discuss smoking cessation options.
Address and stabilize chronic health conditions. Pregnancy is a major stresser to a woman’s body and will alter the function of all of her major organ systems. If a woman has a pre-existing condition such as diabetes, depression, rheumatoid arthritis or any one of a wide variety of medical disorders, it is critical that these conditions be as stable and tightly controlled as possible entering into and throughout the pregnancy.
For example, if a woman is diabetic, she should get her blood sugars in tight control (if possible) prior to becoming pregnant. She and her OB will need to work closely with an endocrinologist and diabetician to ensure that the mama maintains blood sugar control throughout her pregnancy and minimizes complications and/or damage to her liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart and most especially her baby.
Lose Weight/attain Ideal Body Weight. If at all possible, mama should be at or near ideal body weight prior to becoming pregnant. Additional body weight increases a mama’s chance of having complications during her pregnancy such as gestational diabetes and pregnancy induced hypertension. If a woman is overweight and is contemplating pregnancy, especially if the weight is due to a prior pregnancy, she will significantly lower her risk of complications if she loses weight prior to becoming pregnancy.
Eat Well. Many women use pregnancy as a time to indulge in whatever they want to eat. “I’m eating for 2?” they say. The truth is that a pregnant women needs only to increase her daily caloric intake by about 500 calories in order to adequately nourish herself and her developing baby. What is more important is what she eats. Mamas should limit high fat, sugar laden processed foods and opt instead for whole grains, lean cuts of meat and fresh fruits and vegetables. Sodas should be eliminated and caffeine limited to not more than one 8-12 oz caffeinated beverage daily. Mamas should try to drink 6-8 eight oz glasses of water daily (minimum).
Alcohol. Alcohol is a sticky topic. While many health care providers will allow a woman to have an occasional drink, I am of the opinion that women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not drink. Some call my stance hard core or overly dramatic. However, a developing fetus has no need whatsoever for alcohol! If anything, depending on the stage of development, alcohol is detrimental. If you are anticipating getting pregnant I would suggest that you avoid alcohol. However, the decision is yours and you should discuss this issue further with your obsetrician if you have questions.
Sleep. In America especially, we don’t get enough sleep. Sleep is often substituted for getting more work done, watching TV, cleaning the house (especially if you are a mama!) or caring for children. If you are pregnant or contemplating getting pregnant (and even if you are not!!), getting 7-9 hours of sleep daily is critical to establish and maintain normal circadian rhythms, for hormone production and output, for restoration of bodily functions and for maintainence and repair. As many mamas note, early on in pregnancy all you can do is sleep. This is nature’s way of making sure your body’s energy is conserved and utilized to grow and develop your baby. If you are planning for or in the midst of pregnancy allow yourself 7-9 hours of sleep daily and take naps as necessary.
Exercise. Exercise is a critical component to good health in every individual. What is often overlooked is the benefit of exercise during pregnancy. Even today, in 2012, there are obstetricians who advise their patients against exercising during pregnancy stating (false) evidence that exercise will somehow harm the baby. Now this is not to say that there aren’t activities that pregnant mamas should avoid such as skiing, rollerskating, contact sports, scuba diving and anything that wil cause mama to significantly overheat, put her at risk for direct trauma to her abdomen or compromises her metabolic function (such as scuba diving which puts her oxygen consumption at risk). Exercise during pregnancy helps mamas maintain healthy weight gain, maintain adequate muscle mass, maintain strength, ease soft tissue (tendons & ligaments) discomfort, help with posture, aid in sleep, aid in insulin uptake and function (helping to avoid insulin resistance and gestational diabetes) and overall help mamas feel good.
Exercise is possible for mamas on bed rest. These mamas, who are at increased risk of muscle loss, bone loss, metabolic distubances, acid/base disturbances and numerous aches and pains from being in bed, benefit greatly from daily movement. Bedrest Fitness was designed with mamas on bed rest in mind! It is a set of modified prenatal execises that mamas can do daily from the comfort of their own beds. Most mamas who have done them have reported that they were able to maintain muscle tone, strength and move more easily and freely after their bed rest experiences.
So if you are planning to get pregnant or a newly pregnant mama and are thinking you may have problem or just want to be prepared as best possible for your pregnancy, labor and delivery, these 8 tips will set you well on your way to a healthy and happy pregnancy and hopefully to a beautiful healthy and happy baby!
Mamas on Bedrest: The Truth About Chemical Ingredients During Pregnancy
April 13th, 2012
I love it when other bloggers create well written blogs about really pertinent information. So it is with The Truth about Chemical Ingredients During Pregnancy. Aremisa May-Hailey, a doula, peer breastfeeding counselor and herbalist. In her post on Examiner.com, Aremisa gives great information about the effects certain chemicals found in cosmetics can have on your unborn baby. Citing information regarding Kourteny Kardashian having her hair dyed while pregnant, Aremisa provides the following information about potentially harmful chemicals for unborn babies.
Parabens
Parabens which are commonly used as a preservative in skin care products, have been linked to having adverse affects on the reproductive systems of baby boys. Although this research is fairly new, parabens should be avoided.
Phythalates
Phythalates, also listed as DBP (diputyl phathalates), is an ingredient used in nail polish. Absorption in the mother’s blood stream has been linked to genital changes in baby boys.
Toulenes
Toulenes is another ingredient used in nail polish. The constant inhalation of these fumes is believed to cause developmental damage to the fetus.
Lead
In 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 popular brands of lipstick. Out of those tested, 61% of them contained unsafe levels of lead. The issue here is that lead exposure can crosses the placenta very easily and can interfere with fetal development.
Retonoids
Retonoids is a form of Vitamin A commonly used in acne treatments and wrinkle creams. High doses of Vitamin A are known to be harmful to the fetus.
Hair Dyes
The Organization for Teratology Information Specialist (OTIS) reports that low levels of hair dye can be absorbed through the skin after application. It is also known that the dye is excreted through the urine. Therefore, there is no significant danger that has been proven as of yet.
Aremisa’s post contained many of the same chemicals we mentioned in our post where we relayed the recommendations and warnings from the American Academy of Pediatrics on chemicals and their effects of pregnant women, unborn babies, infants and children. Many chemicals, though not ingested orally are in fact absorbed through the skin, our largest organ. Once in a mama’s system, the chemicals have access to the unborn baby via the placenta. While the placenta acts as a filter for many substances such as nutrients, blood, oxygen and fluids, many other particles (chemicals) are able to penetrate the protective barrier. For some chemicals, such as those found in cosmetics and personal products, the amount of the chemicals in the products may be small, but because the products are used repeatedly (sometimes 2 and 3 times daily) the effective exposure can become significant. So as Aremisa, the American Academy of pediatrics and others have pointed out, mamas need to be aware of the ingredients in their personal products, avoid those products that have the harmful chemicals listed and use care when using products so as not to produce a cumulative effect.
For more information on pregnancy and chemicals visit otispregnancy.org and or safecosmetics.org
Aremisa May-Hailey, Dallas Pregnancy Health Examiner
Aremisa May-Hailey is a full circle doula (ICTC), breastfeeding peer counselor, and acting state rep for International Center for Traditional Childbearing. She also owns and operates Indigenous Doula Services as well as Indigenous Remedies, which is a resource for herbal and holistic sciences….
