Melinda, Shawn, Zachary, Benjamin and their midwife,
30 minutes after Ben was born!
4 Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy and Natural Birth
By Melinda Delisle-Clark, AAHCC,
(as published in World Health News)
(print version)
In the United States, about 1 out of every 4 pregnant women will have a cesarean section. Nearly all women in this country will be drugged while giving birth. Recent studies show the US has a higher infant mortality rate than at least 20 other nations. Are these sad statistics “just the way things are?” Following the four actions in this article will help you avoid being just another number.
Just how well do these steps work? Dr. Robert A. Bradley, a prominent west-coast obstetrician, used these methods. Fewer than 7% of his patients used medication during labor or birth and over the course of his career not a single mother died while under his care. Dr. Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia, member of the World Health Organization, reduced the incidence of medicated deliveries at his high-risk clinic in Uruguay from 100% down to 10%.
The four components to having a healthy birth and baby are Relaxation, Options, Activity, and Diet; the “ROAD” to a healthy birth. Though we don’t have space to cover all the signs and possible detours, we will at least map out a course here.
The R in the R.O.A.D. is for Relaxation. Relaxation is a key part of good general health, as well as essential to having a natural birth. The ability completely relax mentally, emotionally, and physically interrupts the fear-tension-pain cycle that causes the need for drugs during labor. The ability to relax at will is also a handy skill to have when raising children!
Deep relaxation is a skill that must be learned and practiced to be truly effective. Women who already practice daily meditation or prenatal yoga have a great head start. Even these women, however, will benefit from learning new techniques and practicing them daily, preferably with the help of their husband or someone else who will be able to act as “coach” during labor. A great exercise for learning to relax deeply is the tense-relax technique.
Find a comfortable position, such as lying on your side with your top leg supported by pillows or sitting as if in a contour chair supported by pillows (a recliner also works, if you have one). Close your eyes. Have your coach start by touching one foot and telling you to tense those muscles as much as possible. After a few seconds, have your coach tell you to really “let go” and relax those same muscles (If you are not working with a coach, you can mentally talk yourself through the exercise). Do the same thing with the ankle and lower leg, upper leg, and so on, having your coach prompt tension and relaxation of each part of the body. When finished, take some deep breaths and relax your entire body before getting up.
The O in the R.O.A.D. stands for Options. This involves both knowing what your options are, and staying healthy and low risk which makes more options available. Researching options helps couples feel confident that they are making the right choices and helps avoid fear and surprise if complications do occur.
To keep your options open,
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Learn Relaxation, stay Active, and eat a good Diet to stay healthy and low-risk.
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Research pregnancy and birth through independent sources, such as books, newspapers, and the Internet. Some recommended books are The Birth Book by Dr. William and Martha Sears, Husband-Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert Bradley, and Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon.
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Attend childbirth classes, preferably those offered independently.
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Make a birth plan and discuss it with your doctor or midwife before labor. Also have a few written copies with you during labor.
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Be flexible when health professionals recommend procedures- remember that there is a good reason treatments are suggested, even if you disagree with them.
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Practice informed consent. If complications occur, knowing what a proposed procedure involves will help you and your coach weigh the benefits and risks and make a good decision.
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Ask questions whenever you don’t understand a procedure or its explanation. Be sure you comprehend what is happening to your baby.
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Feel comfortable asking for a second opinion when it is not an emergency.
The A along the R.O.A.D. stands for Activity. Labor is, as its name implies, hard work. A mother going through labor and birth uses about as much energy as a marathon runner or a mountain climber. If you knew that you would have to run a marathon or climb a mountain 6 to 9 months from now, would you train for it? Of course! Expectant mothers (and their labor coaches!) need to be in good physical shape when the event arrives. It makes labor easier, helps make pregnancy more comfortable, and also gets lots of oxygen to mom and baby.
· Continue any prior exercise routine that is safe (i.e., is low-impact and avoids possible trauma to the abdomen). Most moms can keep up their pre-pregnancy workouts with only a few changes.
· Inactive pregnant women should begin easy, and work up to a moderate level of aerobic exercise. Even 10 minutes a day of walking, swimming, low-impact aerobics or stationary bicycling is a great start!
· Coaches and moms can exercise together, or Coach should at least remind mom to exercise.
· Do stretches designed to make birth easier and pregnancy more comfortable. Contact a childbirth educator, join a prenatal exercise class, or read Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, The Birth Book, or Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year.
· Strengthen your pelvic floor. This exercise, also called a Kegel exercise, involves consciously tensing and relaxing the muscles that support the uterus, bladder and other internal organs. The easiest way to become aware of this muscle is by starting and stopping the flow of urine while urinating.
· Avoid lying on your back for longer than 2 or 3 minutes after the fourth month of pregnancy.
· Remember to speak with your health care provider before beginning any new exercise routine.
The D of the R.O.A.D. is Diet. This is not “going on a diet,” but eating a good, nutritious diet. The March of Dimes has done a wonderful job publicizing one reason to eat well: preventing spina bifida by having enough folic acid. However, many women are unaware of just how much effect what they eat has on their baby. According to Thomas Brewer, MD in his book Metabolic Toxemia of Late Pregnancy, bad eating habits during pregnancy can cause anemia, premature separation of the placenta, severe infection, miscarriage, and metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy (sometimes called pre-eclampsia) in mothers. He also states that poor prenatal nutrition can cause or contribute to prematurity, low birth weight, brain damage, hyperactivity, and stillborn babies.
What constitutes a “good pregnancy diet?” The Society for Protection of the Unborn through Nutrition (SPUN) recommends 80 to 100 grams of protein each day from all sources. Along with protein, eat 1 vitamin C source daily, 2-3 fruits, 2 servings of green vegetables, and 1 other vegetable. It is also a good idea to replace all refined grains with whole grains, eat as many fresh foods as possible, and take a prenatal supplement for “insurance.” To prevent excess swelling, salt your food to taste and drink water until your thirst is quenched. And don’t forget your “diet” of oxygen- take at least 3 breaks a day to do some deep breathing. Have your husband-coach join you in your healthy diet and making sure you eat well. Many husbands also enjoy getting their turn to “nag” a little!
Remember that pregnant women are supposed to gain weight! Eating healthy foods, staying moderately fit and breastfeeding help most women to return to their pre-pregnancy weight within a year after giving birth. While pregnant, don’t worry about how much you gain, just gain it in a healthy way.
Lastly, keep in mind that diet means not only what goes into your body, but also what doesn’t. Avoid refined foods, excess sugar, food additives, excess caffeine, and drugs of any kind unless prescribed by a doctor who is aware you are pregnant. This includes being cautious with herbs- some are potentially harmful during pregnancy. And, of course, don’t drink, smoke, or take illegal drugs while pregnant or caring for a young child.
All pregnancies are different, but the goal is always the same: a healthy mother and a healthy baby. The suggestions in this article have helped many couples navigate the R.O.A.D. of pregnancy successfully to that goal. Becoming a master of Relaxation, learning your Options and keeping them open, staying Active, and consuming a good Diet will help your baby have the best start you can give him or her.
Melinda Delisle-Clark, AAHCC and her husband Shawn are certified natural childbirth educators. They teach Bradley Methodâ classes in Marietta, Georgia. Their two children were both born naturally at home following vegan pregnancies. For a complete list of Bradleyâ Instructors, please contact: National Headquarters, Box 5224, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-5224 (800) 4-A-BIRTH, www.bradleybirth.com. If you have any questions about natural pregnancy or natural childbirth, visit Melinda and Shawn's website at www.birthofafamily.com If you live in the Atlanta Area and would like a free healthy birth information kit, please call Melinda or Shawn at 770-794-6861.
©2001 Melinda
Delisle-Clark
This article may be distributed only if kept in its entirety with contact
information intact. Permission preferred.
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