This is a small handout by Gloria Lemay (thanks Gloria) I give to clients
about self checking.
jo
Self-Checking of Dilation and Descent
From: "Childbirth Quotes from Gloria Lemay"
<http://www.birthlove.com/pages/gloria/quotes.html>
How to Check Your Own Cervix- "it's not rocket science"
"I think it's a good and empowering thing for a woman to check her own
cervix for dilation. This is not rocket science, and you hardly need a
medical degree or years of training to do it. Your vagina is a lot like
your
nose- other people may do harm if they put fingers or instruments up there
but you have a greater sensitivity and will not do yourself any harm.
"The best way to do it when hugely pregnant is to sit on the toilet with
one foot on the floor and one up on the seat of the toilet. Put two
fingers
in and go back towards your bum. The cervix in a pregnant woman feels like
your lips puckered up into a kiss. On a non-pregnant woman it feels like
the
end of your nose. When it is dilating, one finger slips into the middle of
the cervix easily (just like you could slide your finger into your mouth
easily if you are puckered up for a kiss). As the dilation progresses the
inside of that hole becomes more like a taught elastic band and by 5 cms
dilated (5 fingerwidths) it is a perfect rubbery circle like one of those
Mason jar rings that you use for canning, and about that thick.
"What's in the centre of that opening space is the membranes (bag of
waters) that are covering the baby's head and feel like a latex balloon
filled with water. If you push on them a bit you'll feel the baby's head
like a hard ball (as in baseball). If the waters have released you'll feel
the babe's head directly.
"It is time for women to take back ownership of their bodies."
-Gloria Lemay, Vancouver, BC <http://www.glorialemay.com>
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Julie Clarke
Sent: Tuesday, 4 April 2006 7:22 AM
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] managed versus physiological 3rd stage, was:
after birth pains
A bright lovely good morning to you all,
In all of my groups, after fully explaining informed choice, I explain
that
there are three options for the women when choosing the way she would like
to birth her placenta:
1. medically managed with an injection given into the thigh which will
induce an artificially strong contraction to hasten the expulsion of the
placenta and reduce excessive blood loss and this would be very
appropriate
for someone who is high risk for example; a smoker, a woman who drank
alcohol very regularly throughout the later part of pregnancy, an anemic
woman, those who have already had medical intervention such as an
epidural,
induction, etc.
2. to decline the injection
3. to take the wait and see approach... explaining to the midwife at the
time (and write in the birth plan so partner understands... "I would
prefer
to avoid the injection as a routine injection, preferring instead to hold
my
baby at my breast, to naturally stimulate oxytocin to expel my placenta,
but
am prepared to receive the injection if it is medically necessary for a
big
bleed"
I also explain the normal blood loss is 300 to 500 mls of blood and an
excessive blood loss would be 600mls+ which would require an injection.
There are three injections which are available for a pph or big bleed and
they are Syntocinon, syntometrine and ergometrine, each one increasing in
intensity and side effects such as nausea.
I then simply explain that most women describe a normal physiological
third
stage as mild period pain, however usually this pain will increase with
each
subsequent baby and/or with medical intervention.
As for after pains over the next 24-48 hours I am always careful to point
out that this is "normal" and women are less likely to be overly concerned
about it when they are very familiar with the very positive fact that it
is
the uterus returning back down to it's normal size... and that this is a
very good thing and it is what a woman wants.
It seems to me that with good strong positive reinforcement women
recognise
the benefits of normality - and keeping birth as normal as possible.
I feel completely comfortable in emphasizing "normality as the best,
safest,
and worth striving towards" compared to routine or encouraged by friends
(epidural), medical intervention.
Warm hug to all,
Julie
Julie Clarke
Independent Childbirth and Parenting Educator
HypnoBirthing (R) Practitioner
ACE Grad Dip Supervisor
NACE Advanced Educator and Trainer
NACE National Journal Editor
Transition into Parenthood Sessions
9 Withybrook Place
Sylvania NSW 2224
Telephone 9544 6441
Mobile: 0401 2655 30
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
visit Julie's website: www.transitionintoparenthood.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike & Lindsay
Kennedy
Sent: Monday, 3 April 2006 6:15 PM
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] managed versus physiological 3rd stage, was:
after birth pains
Just a couple of thoughts.
1 Despite a 30min limit they cannot give you treatment without your
consent. So as long as you arn't bleeding out you can take longer to
deliver your placenta. Logic dictates you arn't going to refuse
treatment if this becomes essential and you can always change to
active managment if this really become necessary.
2 Early breastfeeding is good for you and for your baby and will
probably help deliver your placenta sooner.
On 4/3/06, Mary Murphy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Physiological 3rd stage is usual in homebirths and I observe that pain is
often when the placenta is separated and sitting in the cervix. The
uterus
is signaling, "get it out". It is a sign for the woman to make efforts to
expel it. This may be squat over a bucket, sit on the toilet or simply
bear
down. The pain goes when the placenta is expelled. Afterbirth pains
then
take over and this has already been discussed. Cheers, MM
________________________________
--
My photos online @ http://community.webshots.com/user/mike1962nz
My Group online @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PSP_for_Photographers
New Photo site@
Mike - http://mikelinz.dotphoto.com
Lindsay - Http://likeminz.dotphoto.com
"Life is a sexually transmitted condition with 100% mortality and birth is
as safe as it gets." Unknown
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