LilSugar

Live C-Section Broadcast This Morning on The Today Show

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:00:34 -0800

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Though some families consider their birth of a child a private affair that only a select few should witness, others are happy to share the photos and videos with everyone they know. One Boston family decided to share the experience with an entire nation this morning as their son's scheduled c-section birth was broadcast live on The Today Show. The moving segment – which brought many viewers to tears – provided many viewers with their first glimpse of an actual c-section birth.

Did any aspects of the c-section birth surprise you?

Should Dads Stay Out of the Delivery Room?

babysugar — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:00:34 -0800

My, how times have changed. Ages ago, men were expected to sit in the waiting room at the hospital. Cigar in hand, pacing the floors, they were retrieved when their wives finally gave birth to their little bundles of joy. Fast forward a few decades and the fathers are the biggest cheerleader in the room yelling, "Push honey! You can do it. You're doing great!" Just when it seems entering parenthood as a team is the norm, a French doctor claims it should be done by the woman in a solo environment. Obstetrician Michel Odent believes a male presence can complicate the labor. He said:

Having been involved for more than 50 years in childbirths in homes and hospitals in France, England and Africa, the best environment I know for an easy birth is when there is nobody around the woman in labor apart from a silent, low-profile and experienced midwife... Oxytocin is the love drug which helps the woman give birth and bond with her baby. But it is also a shy hormone and it does not come out when she is surrounded by people and technology. This is what we need to start understanding.

So what do you say - bring papa in or take him out?

It Will Be a Freebirth For Baby Number Three!

LilSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Generations of my family members have been born in hospitals so when I got pregnant with my first two children, I felt conventional medicine was my only option though I briefly entertained the idea of a water birth with my daughter. But, now with baby number three set to arrive in late September, I want to make my last delivery an experience to remember so I've decided to freebirth my baby at home.

My husband was shocked when I first ran the plan by him as I've long been an advocate of babies making their debut in the close proximity of a NICU - especially after a second scare with my son not breathing when he arrived. I gasped when I initially heard about the controversial concept of freebirthing - which is when mothers choose to have their babies at home, in most cases unassisted by doctors or doulas and sometimes even spouses or family members, but had a change of heart after watching an incredibly moving documentary about the process. To see what influenced my decision, read more.

Happy April Fools'! While I understand that some women believe in freebirth, as a cautious mama - I'm not willing to take any chances with my delivery. My third baby will make his or her debut at the same leading medical center that my other two did.

Source

Mommy Dearest: Do Full Moons Bring on Labor?

LilSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:00:27 -0800

Mommy Dearest,

My baby is due this month, just a few days after the full moon. But I've heard that the full moon could cause me to go into labor. Should I tell my mom to fly in a little early?

- Pregnant "Luna"tic

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Pregnant "Luna"tic,

Some folks say that a full moon may mean increased birth rates, but I couldn't find much data to back the theory up.

The book The Lunar Effect, brought the "biological tides theory" to the forefront and the author, Arnold L. Lieber, argued that the moon affects the human body in much the same way as it does the world's oceans. This means that if a woman is close to her due date during a full moon, the pressure caused by the moon's effect on the water inside the amniotic sac could cause it to burst. And even though a recent study has said that birth rates are definitely not affected by the moon's cycle, some women still swear by it.

My expectant friend's OBGYN told her not to get her hopes up about it so maybe you shouldn't either. Let's see if any lilsugar readers were born or gave birth on a full moon.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.
Source

Birth Stories: Long Labor, Short Delivery

Lil Community — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:00:45 -0800

This post was submitted by princessya in the Birth Stories group.

I had gone into pre-term contractions at 33 weeks, but was able to stop the progression of the pre-term labor for 6 weeks. Suffering, the mild contractions every couple minutes to half hour, I had a pre-natal checkup on June 9 (week 39) at around 1:30 p.m. and was then scheduled to return two days later for a Non-Stress Test to ensure that the contractions that I had been feeling were not causing my baby any harm. On the same day, I went into active labor @ 5:00 p.m. Was admitted to the Kaiser Redwood City @ 7:00 p.m., and due to insufficient progress, I requested to be sent home to continue laboring, as oppose to choose some sort of medical procedure to induce labor.

I was laboring, but not efficiently up until June 11 @ 2:45 p.m. when I arrived for my follow-up Non-Stress Test. My water then broke on the examination table where they were going to check my water levels. Of course, the doctors wanted to still do the stress test, and so the doctor didn't see me until about 3:45 p.m. after the nurses had completed their exam and tests. The doctor came in and then said, as he was stepping into a puddle of amnio, "I think it's safe to say that your water broke." Of course, he's saying this with my back on the examination table, my legs in the air, and a metal dealie and a light shining into my vagina! I was like, "Uh... I know." They called the ambulance and I was wheeled to Kaiser San Francisco, at which I arrived there at almost 5:00 p.m. and placed into triage. Com'on! I'm OBVIOUSLY laboring here. To see what happened, read more.

As soon as I got there, the contractions started to get more annoying/intense as I labored mostly on the toilet until the doctors checked me to confirm I was still 4 cm dilated from two days before. I begged to go into a tub to labor, at which point I still had to wait almost 2 hours before I could do so. It's about 7:30 when I was moved into a labor and delivery room and at this point I had progressed (quite rapidly) to 7 cm. I nearly ran into the tub once I was given the go ahead and labored in there for awhile. At one point, I felt that it was almost time, so I mustered up the strength to run back to my room, naked through the corridors (haha!) with wires and tubes dangling from me and three people in tow (husband and doula/aunt telling me to slow down and a nurse grabbing and wheeling all of the equipment. Back at my bed, it's about 8:30 they checked to see that I've now dilated to 9 cm and oooh boy is the pain getting pretty intense. At this point, I'm really ready for her to come out, and at times have to verbally tell myself not to push. I'm here, on my side, naked and saying to myself, aloud so everyone can hear, "I don't want to push," or "She's not ready to come down yet." I know, I'm weird. And then something takes over and I'm like, "I NEED to PUUUSH!!!" but of course I'm holding off until the nurse comes to check me again, "Okay! I'm going to call the doctor to come," and of course no one is moving fast enough. I'm sure though that the doctor came barreling in, as it seemed like every available doctor and nurse came into my room to set up the baby heater, change my bed for delivery, and set up the room lights for the right mood (dimming and one spot light onto the 'main stage').

I start pushing at 8:40 p.m. and at 8:45 p.m. out pops my BIG beautiful baby girl. I DID tear, though only a first degree tear, and had to receive three stitches. And within the first 30 minutes, I was breastfeeding my baby and she was eating like a champ.

A person's story starts before he or she is born. There's an amazing tale to be told of how each baby enters the world. Share your child's story in our Birth Stories group over in the LilSugar Community.

Have You Ever Tried Home Delivery Meals?

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:30:50 -0800

When I sampled a gourmet meal kit from local company Cook! San Francisco, I wondered how many of you have experimented with similar home delivery meals. Have you?

The Lowdown on Drugs Offered During Labor

LilSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:00:46 -0700

While some expectant mamas go the natural route opting for drug-free births, others enter labor and delivery with the intention to ease pain as early as possible. In either case, it is best to know your pain relief options before entering the hospital, as even the best laid plans can fall by the wayside as labor progresses and the situations change.

There are several different forms of pain relief used by doctors depending on your situation. No one form is best for all deliveries, so to take a look at the difference between the methods, read more.

Epidural Block: Epidurals are the most frequently used pain relief during labor, with more than half of all labors using them. The method involves the use of local anesthetics such as bupivacaine, chloroprocaine, or lidocaine combined with epinephrine, fentanyl, morphine, or clonidine to prolong its effect. According to A.D.A.M., "An "epidural block" numbs or causes a loss of feeling in the lower half of your body. A specialist physician or anesthesiologist injects the block into the lower back. The injection is made into a small space outside the spinal cord, and a small soft tube (catheter) is inserted into your back. The needle is withdrawn, and the numbing medicine can be given continuously or in small doses through the tube for as long as desired. This lessens the pain of the uterine contractions and the delivery of the baby through the vagina." Women using epidurals may still feel back or rectal pressure throughout their labor. While epidurals help laboring women to relax and remain alert during their delivery, there are some risks associated with the method, including sudden drops in blood pressure, severe headaches post-delivery and possible prolonged labor.
Spinal Block: Most frequently used during complex deliveries and c-section, spinals use fetanyl, bupivacaine or lidocaine to numb the body from the chest down. According to A.D.A.M., "A spinal block is similar to an epidural and also provides good relief. The difference is that the medicine is only given one time in your back and it lasts only 1-2 hours." Spinals tend to have the same benefits and side effects of the epidural, with the biggest difference being the length of time the medication lasts.
Walking Epidural: Similar to a traditional epidural, a walking one involves an anesthesiologist pulling the needle back into the epidural space, threading a catheter through the needle, withdrawing the needle and leaving the catheter in place. According to A.D.A.M., "This type of epidural is designed to decrease pain sensation while allowing the mother to move her legs. Most women aren’t actually able to walk around with this type of epidural in place, but they do have more ability to move their legs."
Local Anesthesia: Local Anesthesia, or a Pudendal Block, involves the injection of lidocaine or chloroprocaine directly into the delivery area. According to A.D.A.M., "Local anesthesia is a numbing medicine injected in the vaginal and rectal areas by your obstetrician at the time of delivery. This is usually done to lessen the pain as the baby is being delivered and numb the area for an episiotomy, if necessary." Like the other pain relief options, the medications used during a Pudendal Block enter the blood stream and cross the placenta.

Photo courtesy of Source

Do You Think the Method of Delivery Affects One's Sex Life?

babysugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

People who enjoy doing the horizontal mambo without protection often find themselves entering parenthood. So it goes without saying that those same couples like to return the activity once baby arrives. Expectant mothers who fear the demise of their sex lives due to a vaginal delivery are choosing to have c-sections with the hopes that damages and pain are kept to a minimum. However, there are conflicting reports on whether the method of delivery actually affects one's sex life. Dutch researcher H.J. Brummen, M.D. found:

The study should reassure women who give birth vaginally that except in rare cases, physical factors following childbirth shouldn't affect sexual functioning.

Another study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine stated just the opposite:

Since the turn of the last century, investigators have hypothesized that pregnancy and delivery of an infant can result in anatomical and functional derangement in pelvic floor and intrapelvic organs... Many issues that were not previously incorporated into the planning mode of delivery may now be considered to be of great importance. Among these is sexual function.... We think the results of this study are quite convincing in demonstrating an association between mode of delivery and sexual function.

Do you think your method of delivery affected your sex life?

How Often Do You Get Delivery?

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:30:46 -0700

The other day, my guy and I were seeking something to eat late-night, and I suggested Thai or Italian delivery. He immediately turned it down, saying he's not a fan of dialing out for delivery, because it's easier to pick up takeout. How do you feel about it?

Source: Flickr user rick

Mommy Dearest: Don't Want to Be in Delivery Room With Sister

LilSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:00:20 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

My younger sister recently asked if I would like to attend her first baby's delivery next month. While I appreciate the invitation and can't wait to meet my nephew, I don't think I can actually stomach watching him be born because I'm squeamish around blood. I do not have any kids of my own, but plan to have some someday. How do I explain this to her without seeming ungrateful or hurting her feelings?

- Don't Want to Attend Delivery

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Don't Want to Attend Delivery,

Honesty is your best bet. Tell her that you appreciate the offer and would love to be at the hospital when she goes into labor, but don't think you can handle watching everything that occurs during the birth. She will understand - if not now, when the actual process is underway. I have had two children and couldn't bear to look in the mirror that nurses offered. I think many women sympathize with your feelings.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Source