Childbirth Pain Relief

A woman's environment, body, and mind all contribute to her perception of pain and decisions about labor pain medication in childbirth. There are several ways to expand your options in childbirth. We have put together a list of labor pain relieving actions. Try a new suggestion from each category in your practice sessions. It's advised to check it before discussing about childbirth pain relief options with your birth attendant. Share the list with your coach and doctor or midwife and ask for support in trying all the options available.

Click here to get the list of non-medical childbirth pain relief options.

The Most Important Very Early Signs of Pregnancy – at 3 Weeks Pregnant

The initial symptoms of pregnancy are so widely known that in most instances you, as the prospective mother, make the diagnosis yourself shortly after conception has taken place.
Some pregnancy signs and symptoms appear when you are only 3 weeks pregnant. On the other hand, you might suspect that you are pregnant when you are not, because these symptoms could be associated with other conditions as well. Likewise, you can be pregnant without experiencing any of these symptoms.

The signs of pregnancy may be classified according to their reliability - presumptive, probable, and positive. The very early pregnancy signs and symptoms are presumptive signs, and doubtful evidence regarding your pregnancy. The last, which is positive signs of pregnancy, are infallible proof that you are pregnant. Therefore, you should not be surprised when your pregnancy signs become positive, after your suspicions were first aroused.

Read about the very earyl signs of pregnancy at http://www.maternityacupressure.com/very-early-pregnancy-signs-and-symptoms.html

Can I Self Induce Labor?

If you feel as big as a house and have serious difficulties in sleeping, swollen feet that feel like a ton of bricks, cramps, pain in your back, bulging varicose veins, painful hemorrhoids, and difficulty in breathing and in moving around and constantly need to use the restroom -- it’s quite understandable that you are looking for natural ways to self induce labor.

The fact is that a typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Sometimes, the pregnant mother may think that inducing labor is a good idea, though the baby may feel otherwise. Inducing labor naturally is usually a safe procedure. However, as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends, you shouldn’t try to induce labor before your pregnancy has reached 40 weeks. In addition, you should never attempt self inducing labor without the full knowledge of your healthcare provider.

So, what can you do to help your body to start labor naturally? There are quite a few natural labor inducing remedies. Some are more effective and safer than others. Visit http://www.maternityacupressure.com/can-i-self-induce-labor.html to find out natural labor inducing remedies.

How To Use Castor Oil To Induce Labor Naturally?

As much as we would like to use natural labor inducing remedies to start labor as soon as 38 pregnancy weeks are full, it is good to remember that babies have their own calendar. Some babies will come at 38 weeks, and other times will need 42 weeks before they are ready. Thus, you are not overdue, or "postdates" as used by medical standards, until 42 weeks.

Nowadays, it is more common to hear that you are "overdue" even if your due date was only yesterday! Your due date is only a very rough target date, that is why it is referred to as EDD - estimated due date.

However, if you are truly overdue and threatened by medical induction, Castor Oil is one of the natural labor inducing remedies that have been used for quite a long time. Many women, who gave birth twenty or thirty years ago and whose labor was induced with Castor Oil, are now passing the knowledge about this natural remedy to their daughters.

There are very few studies about using Castor Oil for inducing labor naturally. One study published in Alternative Therapies (January 2000) reported that 58% of the mothers who were given Castor Oil began labor in the specified period.

The theory behind this mechanism, in which Castor Oil induces labor, is that the remedy causes diarrhea cramps by irritating the smooth muscles of the intestine. This irritation is passed to the uterus, which is a smooth muscle, as well. Irritation of the uterus increases the prostaglandin level, resulting in contractions and labor.

Castor Oil starts the diarrhea two to six hours after drinking the oil. The contractions should begin shortly after that. Some midwives and mothers swear on this method and have repeatedly used this to conclude an overdue pregnancy. Others feel it is not worth the discomfort.

After taking Castor Oil, the diarrhea is inevitable but it is usually over by the time you go into labor. One of the very possible side effects is that the severe diarrhea and cramping caused by Castor Oil could dehydrate you. This could be a serious problem, especially if you are delivering in a hospital where mothers are not allowed to drink fluids during labor. The mother’s dehydration may be associated with a higher risk of the baby passing meconium – his or her first stool - into the amniotic fluid. If the baby inhales meconium-stained fluid before or during the birth, it can cause severe illness for the baby.

Moreover, dehydration makes you tired and less able to endure physical activity. If you are suffering from dehydration, this means that your uterus is dehydrated as well. Dehydration aggravates the uterus, which in turn causes more pain for the mother. This might make you less able to handle natural childbirth, and puts you at increased risk for medical interventions.

Thus, if you induce labor with Castor Oil, you must remember the importance of keeping your body hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

So, how to use Castor Oil to induce labor naturally? Visit http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com/using-castor-oil-to-induce-labor.html to see the tested Castor Oil mixtures and doses.

Did You Know This About Blue Cohosh and Labor?

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum) is one of the medicinal herbs of North America. The plant is a perennial woodland herb native to the eastern part of North America. Blue Cohosh is an oxytocic herb, meaning it mimics the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contractions. This herb is also a uterine tonic; it strengthens the uterine muscle like red raspberry.

Blue Cohosh was traditionally used by Native American women to ease their labor, because it is useful in helping the process of childbirth. The herb is often indicated if labor is progressing slowly, if the cervix is undilated and rigid, with feeble contractions, if the contractions are irregular or if there's weakness of the uterus during labor.

Some homeopathic doctors recommend regular consumption of Blue Cohosh daily during the last two or three weeks of pregnancy as a way to strengthen and prepare the woman for childbirth. Some other homeopaths feel that one should never routinely consume Blue Cohosh, but that each woman must be individually treated.

Blue Cohosh is among the medicinal herbs most frequently used by nurse-midwives to induce labor and is taken orally either as a liquid or capsule. Drawbacks include false labor, uncomfortable toning contractions, and a drop in blood pressure. Because Blue Cohosh could induce labor, it should never be taken in early pregnancy in any case because of the possibility that it might induce a miscarriage.

While almost no scientific study of Blue Cohosh has been conducted, side effects reported by midwives include excessively strong tetanic contractions or hyperstimulation of the uterus, which could lead to Cesarean section. Additionally, it has been reported twice in medical literature that use of Blue Cohosh was linked to heart problems in a newborn.

Like many potent herbs, Blue Cohosh is a potential poison. Thus, instead of self-care with potentially toxic herbs, seek the guidance of an experienced herbalist. Some herbalists are specialized in pregnancy care, while other medical practitioners could take an even harder line, saying that pregnant women should only use food herbs, not medicinal herbs. Recommending herbs for medicinal usage during pregnancy should be left to qualified herbalists and midwives.

Visit http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com/blue-cohosh-and-labor.html for some qualifications to look for in an herbal practitioner.

Acupressure For Labor

Acupressure is a holistic system that builds on what the body is already doing right. In this way, the use of acupressure can be remarkably beneficial during labor.

Acupressure can be very helpful in descending your baby, dilating your cervix, and making the contractions more frequent and successful. Acupressure shortens the delivery time by helping your body to use its remarkable underlying capabilities better, thus reducing the risk that your baby gets distressed or suffers, in any other way, from a prolonged labor.

Additionally, acupressure can be used to induce labor of a full-time pregnancy. Encouraging your labor to start is a very tempting option when you have reached your 42nd pregnancy week. Studies show that acupressure and the Japanese technique of “shiatsu” induce labor quite effectively. Actually, acupressure is one of the natural labor inducing remedies that has scientifically been shown to work effectively. This is why acupressure is a favorite technique among pregnant women to induce labor.

Acupressure is easy to master without previous experience. Most importantly, it has no side effects. Thus, acupressure is strongly recommendable than medical induction, or the many other “at-home” remedies, which could be dominated with side effects.

Read the whole Acupressure For Labor story here.

Read this before you give any cough or cold medicine for your baby!

Just read this article about how dangerous cough and cold medication could be for babies. Quite shocking!

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 11 - After investigating the deaths of three infants between 1 and 6 months of age linked to cough and cold medication use, officials with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are emphasizing that these drugs should be used only after talking with a physician.

Dr. A. Srinivasan and colleagues at the CDC note in the January 12th issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that during 2004 and 2005, approximately 1500 children less than 2 years old were treated in US emergency departments for adverse events associated with cough and cold medications.

For each of the three dead infants, a medical examiner or coroner determined that the cough and cold medications were the underlying causes of death.

Blood levels of the decongestant pseudoephedrine at autopsy ranged from 4700 to 7100 ng/mL; that compares to plasma concentrations of 180-500 ng/mL expected after therapeutic dosing in children ages 2 to 12 years old.

"Because of the risks for toxicity, absence of dosing recommendations, and limited published evidence of effectiveness of these medications in children aged < 2 years, parents and other caregivers should not administer cough and cold medications to children in this age group without first consulting a health-care provider and should follow the provider's instructions precisely," the authors advise.

In an editorial note, the CDC says controlled trials indicate that cough and cold medications are no more effective than placebo in children younger than 2 years of age.

Furthermore, the American College of Chest Physicians in 2006 released clinical practice guidelines for management of cough, advising clinicians to refrain from recommending cough suppressants.

Safer and probably more effective treatments for young patients' symptoms include softening nasal secretions with saline nose drops or a cool-mist humidifier, then clearing nasal congestion with a rubber suction bulb.