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No Push Childbirth New Study Taking the Labor Out of Labor
Dec. 31 — A new study says that taking a break from pushing
during childbirth can take some of the "labor" out of labor, and is
perfectly safe for both mom and baby. |
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The
study, published in next month's issue of the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists' journal Obstetrics and Gynecology,
examined the labor of 252 women, all of whom were given an epidural to ease
the pain. Some women were told to rest while others followed the more
traditional method of pushing throughout their labor. Laborious
Labor
Pushing
usually comes during what is known as the second stage of labor — the cervix
is completely dilated, and the mom begins to have the natural urge to push her
baby down the birth canal and, eventually, out. Women who are not given an
epidural experience a natural and very strong urge to push as the baby's head
descends into the vagina. Doctors have
traditionally encouraged women to push even if they have been given an
epidural and don't feel the urge to push. There have not been any studies
proving the need for pushing throughout labor. "There is
nothing written in stone that says once a woman is completely dilated she
needs to start pushing or the baby's in trouble," explains Dr. John
Gianopoulos, professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Loyola
University Medical Center in Chicago. "Unencumbered by data, people
said, 'Well, there's a natural urge to push so we should have them start pushing.'
It has always been dogma to have them push right away." Sit
Back, Relax However,
according to the new data, if the mom sits back and rests during this stage,
the baby will naturally descend the birth canal closer to the vagina's
opening. Starting to push when the baby is already to close to the vagina's
opening means less work and exhaustion. The method has
been used for years in expectant moms with medical conditions, but now it has
been expanded to include healthy moms, too. "There are certain patients
who you do not tell to push in the second stage of labor — people with
cardiac disease, people with neurological disease — you don't want them to
bear down because there is a concern that it would make the disease process
worse," says Gianopoulos. Don't
Want to Wait The more laid
back approach has one drawback for the mom eager to hold her newborn: the
average labor is increased from roughly one-half to 1 1/2 hours up to nearly
five hours. "A lot of
women look forward to having the baby and thinking it is going to take
another three hours would not be very appealing, at least to many of my
patients," says Dr. W. Benson Harer Jr., former president of the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and chief of staff at
Riverside County Regional Medical Center. "When given the option of
having the baby sooner, I'm sure most women would prefer to do that." |
