#birthing class

Key takeaways from our 4th session:

There are 6 ways to progress in labor:

Cervix ripens/softens

Cervix moves from posterior to anterior position

Cervix thins or effaces from 0-100%

Cervix opens or dilates from 0-10cm

The baby’s head must rotate and mold to fit the pelvis

The baby’s head descends down the pelvis called stations -- from -5 cm to +5 cm

Modified Valsalva Pushing. Do two cleansing breaths at the start of the contraction, then hold your breath while pushing. Followed by two more cleansing breaths after the contraction. 

Gentle Exhale. Do two cleansing breaths at the start of the contraction, and instead of holding the breath while pushing, the mom may exhale. Followed by two more cleansing breaths after the contraction. 

Once the baby is born, the doctor checks the APGAR Score:

Appearance (color)

Pulse (130-160 beats per minute)

Grimace (cry) 

Activity

Respiration (breathing) 

After birth, the mother will experience bleeding called Lochia, sort of like when she has her period. Dark red blood should only last for 3-4 days, if bleeding still occurs after that, the health provider should be notified. 

Check the temperature everyday for the first few days. Fever could be a sign of infection. 

Different ways to care for your Episiotomy: 

Boil guava leaves and use the water to wash the genitals

Do kegel exercises

This specific bottle from Pigeon - SofTouch Peristaltic PLUS - mimics the breasts of the mother. 

When pumping, it is important to stimulate the breasts first instead of pumping immediately. Once there’s a “let down,” the mom can start pumping. 

Today’s key takeaways: 

1. Hospital bills. Hospitals usually adjust the price of everything depending on your choice of room. Like, charges for the equipment, doctor’s fee, medications, and all the other things you’ll be paying for in the hospital will be increased if you get a bigger room or if you choose to stay in a birthing suite. Reason is that they assume that just because you get a bigger room, you can afford to pay more.  

2. A lot of people will be interviewing you while you’re in labor. So it’s best to prepare the answers beforehand, write it in a sheet of paper, make photocopies of it, and give it to whoever is interviewing you. The usual questions that they will be asking are: 

Your name, age, blood type and RH factor

Your husband’s name, age, blood type and RH factor

Last menstrual period (LMP) and expected date of delivery (EDD)

Age of gestation (AOG)

Number of pregnancies (G / “Gravida”), live births (P / “Para”), term births (T), premature births (P), abortions/miscarriages (A), and living children (L)

Your menstrual cycle -- Age of first menstrual period, regularity/irregularity in cycles, days of menstruation, and number of pads used on a heavy day

Name of OB-GYN and Pediatrician

Medical insurance

Medical history -- pregnancy, allergies to food/drugs, diseases

Pregnancy tests done -- CBC, FBS, urinalysis, ultrasound, congenital scan, bio-physical test, non-stress test, etc and results 

History of smoking and alcohol consumption

Supplementary vitamins taken

3. Enema. Unlike the usual pre-op enema which uses 1-2 litres of PNSS, they will only use this small bottle of Fleet Enema once, and you’re done! Definitely not as uncomfortable as the other kind of enema. 

4. Newborns could only see in black and white, so it’s best to use black and white clothing, toys, and mobiles during the first few months. They could also see better at close range, about 8 inches away from them at birth and 12 inches at six weeks.

5. Exercise balls are very useful. It takes pressure off the back and hips which can help you manage labor pains, and could also help hasten the cervical dilation. That’s why it’s recommended to be used in labor in the United States. Also, once the baby is born, this could be used to rock the baby to sleep by bouncing up and down! 

6. One of the roles of the husband during labor is not just to provide emotional support, but also remind the wife of the breathing exercises and pain management techniques while she is in labor. There’s a tendency that she’ll forget what to do because of the pain. But of course, the husband has to be firm while coaching the wife.

7. Breathing exercises when you have the urge to push but you’re not yet allowed to push -- instead of deep breathing, do light breathing instead like “hee-hee-hoo” and “choo choo,” then hold the bottom of the belly up using your hands to take the pressure off the cervix. However, this could increase the oxygen levels in your body which could make you a little dizzy, so if this ever happens, you could cup your hands over your mouth and nose, then breathe to balance the oxygen and carbon dioxide. 

8. Safety First came to demonstrate some of their outdoor and indoor products. Their strollers and playpens are surprisingly durable, and can carry the weight of an adult! They are also lightweight and can easily be stored. 

9. Ogalala taught us the importance of using toys for the development of children’s motor skills, hand and eye coordination, grip, and even creativity. And also, children learn through play. There are different toys for different ages and milestones. They are not just toys, but they’re educational, too! 

Key takeaways from this week’s session: 

1. There are 4 Stages of Labor: Cervical Effacement & Dilation, Delivery of the Baby, Delivery of the Placenta, and Recovery. Effacement refers to the thinning or ripening of the cervix, and dilation is the opening of the cervix to 10cm. During the first stage of labor, the contractions gradually increase in intensity and becomes more frequent. This stage lasts for hours aaaand contractions are usually accompanied by pain. 

2. When the bag of water ruptures, we have to note the COAT:

Color -- it should be white or clear. Greenish amniotic fluid signifies the presence of meconium. Pinkish color or the presence of blood is normal because of the bloody show. 

Odor -- it should be odorless. 

Amount -- it could be a sudden gush, or like a faucet with water slowly coming out. But the amount will definitely be a lot, and you’ll be soaking wet. 

Time -- note the time the bag ruptures. 

3. Use of a tennis ball to relieve pain -- apply pressure to the lower back while doing it in a circular motion. The mom can sit facing the back of a chair, or on her knees while leaning forward. She can also do it on her own while she’s against a wall, with the ball in between the wall and her back. 

4. Slow dancing to relieve pain. Haha I’m not really sure what it’s called, but the dad could assist the mom in this position while both of them (or just the mom) sway from side to side. 

5. Using a chair to relieve pain -- mom could put one leg up the chair (of course with the dads sitting down to prevent accidents!) and then slowly bend forward. She could face the chair or face sideways. 

 6. Breathing exercises to relieve pain -- do one cleansing breath (slow, deep breath) at the start of a contraction, then breathe slowly or normally while focusing on one focal point and massaging the uterus. Followed by another cleansing breath at the end of the contraction. The cleansing breath can help the husbands monitor or know the beginning and end of every contraction.

7. Labor pains can differ from one person to another. It doesn’t mean that women who have high tolerance with pain won’t experience really strong labor pains anymore. It also doesn’t mean that people who have bad dysmenorrhea will experience bad labor pains. 

6. Practice, practice, practice! We were told to practice all the relaxation and pain management techniques so we won’t forget when the real pain comes. It’s also better to practice the breathing exercises while the dads inflict pain/pressure on your shoulder muscles... because labor pains will be 50x more painful! 

Key takeaways from today’s session: 

1. Deliveries are bloody because of episiotomy (a surgical cut in the perineum just before the baby comes out to enlarge the opening and prevent tearing). That’s why husbands stay beside the wife and not beside the doctor because they might faint if they see all the blood. Haha.

2. Watch your diet to make sure the baby doesn’t get too big inside the womb. It is better to let the baby gain weight after birth, and not before birth.

3. The head of the baby is bigger than the rest of his body. If his head is able to fit through the pelvic cavity, then hooray! No need for a caesarean section.

 4. These Crave Healthy chips tastes like Tomy, and are good for moms-to-be because it’s enriched with folic acid, calcium and iron. Not to mention it’s low in sodium. It retails at P25 and you could get it online or in selected MedExpress branches. 

5. There are a couple of ways to relieve back and hip discomforts:

Hip circles -- feet apart with your knees bent, then slowly rotate your hips. You can also move the hips from font to back, or side to side.

When lying on your side, place a pillow between your legs.

When lying on your back, place a pillow underneath your knees.

Do not put all your weight in one leg.

Lie on your back and let your husband swing both your legs from left to right. 

6. It’s not bad to get up on your own or pick up things on the floor. Don’t always rely on your husband to help you with those things. :) Bending down (with your back straight and knees bent) is actually a good exercise. 

7. Nipple care -- there is no need to soap your nipples because soap and water can dry up its natural oils. Rub it (using your thumb) only once a month to clean the areola, because nipple stimulation can cause contractions. Also, there is no need to clean the nipples after breastfeeding because the milk can help heal sore nipples. 

8. Mustela products are all natural and are safe to use for babies and pregnant mommies, and they’ve been in business for 67 years. Haha. 

9. It’s always fun to meet new friends, especially those who are going through the same things as you. Who would’ve thought my cousin, Kaia, and I would be in the same birthing class? :)

Things still felt bittersweet because I kept thinking of our friends. I ordered her a memorial necklace from Etsy today. I have a feeling that happy things will just feel bittersweet for awhile. I still just cannot imagine what they are going through.