Birthing Options For Moms-To-Be

Anyone who has ever birthed a baby will tell you childbirth is not a walk in the park. The reward comes when you hold your baby for the first time and realize all the hard work was worth it. Luckily labor, birth, and postpartum options have evolved. These options can ease the discomfort following labor, encourage mother-baby bonding, and provide families with the tools needed to customize their birthing plan for one of life's most precious experiences.

Labor Pain Management

Franciscan Health Indianapolis Childbirth Education Coordinator Ann Clute, RN, says she has seen an increase in women requesting births with minimal medical interventions.

"Women are coming to childbirth classes with more knowledge and in-depth questions regarding their labors and births. They want to understand all of their options in order to make informed decisions for themselves and their babies."

While epidurals and other types of pain medication can be helpful in relieving pain throughout labor, other comfort measures are available to help women manage pain, promote relaxation and encourage optimal baby and pelvic positioning to better navigate their birth experience.

Birthing Balls

Joan Culver, RN, director of patient care services at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, said that birthing balls can help reduce pain and provide support. Traditional birthing balls can be used by women who can get out of bed; while women with an epidural can use peanut-shaped balls.

"Both are great for helping mom be in a better position to encourage the baby and to help open the pelvis," said Culver.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is another tool to help moms relax and is the use of essentials oils from plants to improve the mind, body, and spirit.

Aromatherapy is used in several ways:

• Indirect inhalation: The patient breathes in an essential oil by using a room diffuser, which spreads the essential oil through the air, or by placing drops on a tissue or piece of cotton nearby.
• Direct inhalation: The patient breathes in an essential oil by using an individual inhaler made by floating essential oil drops on top of hot water.
• Massage: In aromatherapy massage, one or more essential oils is diluted into a carrier oil and massaged into the skin.

Doula And Birth Coaching

"A lot of people aren't familiar with the word doula or what is a doula," said Louise Albrecht-Mallinger, CD-BDT, doula program coordinator at Franciscan Health. "A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous, physical, emotional and informational support to birthing families before, during and just after childbirth."

Countless scientific trials examining doula care demonstrate remarkably improved physical and psychological outcomes for both mother and baby. Doulas have a positive impact on the well-being of the entire family.

"A doula doesn't replace your partner or doctor," Albrecht-Mallinger said. "It's part of the birthing team to give that continuous support through the entire process as an additional coach, someone who can explain what's happening. Doulas make a significant difference in outcomes and a greater satisfaction with the overall birth experience."

Family Centered C-Section Births

Did you meet your baby for the first time in an operating room? One out of three women delivers her baby via Cesarean section, or C-section. For some, the procedure along with C-section recovery leaves them feeling disappointed that their birth focused more on a procedure than on bonding with their new baby.

But family-centered C-sections aim to bring a tailored birth experience to the operating room - one that focuses on making the birth both safe and special for families.

If your C-section is planned, rather than an emergency, you may opt for a family-centered Cesarean ,with your doctors' permission. A family-centered Cesarean aims to provide women with some of the same options they would have with a vaginal birth with the goal of trying to keep mom and baby together whenever possible.

A C-section is surgery, and the safety of mom and baby always comes first. However, as long as everyone is stable, it may be possible to have some or all of the following in a family-centered cesarean:

• Music playing and lights dimmer than usual
• Delayed cord clamping, at least 30 to 60 seconds after birth
• Skin-to-skin contact, shortly after birth
• Taking pictures as soon as your baby is born

It's important to talk to your OBGYN about C-sections, even if you're planning on a vaginal delivery, as part of your birth plan.

• If you're having a scheduled C-section, create a birth plan and discuss it with your obstetrician. Together, you can determine what's possible for your birth.
• If you're planning on a vaginal birth, it's still a good idea to include what you would like in case you end up having a C-section. It's best to think about the options ahead of time because making decisions while you're in the throes of labor is difficult.

After Birth

The Golden Hour

Franciscan Health's maternity staff values the importance of the "Golden Hour." The Golden Hour is the first hour after a baby is born. It is a critical time for both mother and her newborn. Initiating skin-to-skin contact and avoiding any unnecessary procedures or separation between mom and babe are the hallmarks of this magical time.

There are huge benefits to having immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby after birth, said Christine Hunkele, BSN, RN, RNC-OB, a labor and delivery nurse specialist at Franciscan Health Indianapolis. Even though your baby is no longer in your womb, the two of you are still responding to one another:

• Being near your body helps regulate your baby's heart rate, breathing and body temperature.
• If your baby is chilled, your body temperature will rise to warm your newborn.
• Skin-to-skin contact encourages early bonding and breastfeeding.

Visitors

Part of Clute's responsibility is to educate not only the parents, but also the grandparents and other visitors about the importance of parents and their new baby spending precious alone time together before including visitors.

"Everyone surrounding the new family needs to understand the importance of the bonding process," Clute said.

Support And Education For New Parents

Clute encourages all expectant parents to take advantage of the numerous in-person and virtual resources offered by Franciscan Health. There are prenatal classes to prepare them for labor, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and parenting.

Lactation consultants are onsite and ongoing support groups help encourage long-term breastfeeding.

Hospital birthing center staff also spend time with family members on safe sleep instruction, SIDS prevention and car seat safety. After discharge, postpartum support groups give moms an outlet to talk with other moms and professionals about their day to day struggles.

Culver stresses while every woman labors and gives birth in different ways, the most important part is sending home a healthy mom and a healthy baby.

"This is one of those rare times where it's really about the destination and not the journey," she said.