The transition from Fetal to Neonatal life represents one of the most dynamic & potentially hazardas events in the human life cycle. The initial postnatal period is characterized by high levels of stress, as exemplified by levels of catecholamines & cortisol secretion & comparatively labile neurobehavioral regulation. Therefore methods that enhance stabilization of neural, behavioral, & state regulation & facilitate the adaption of the infant to the outside worldmight be clinically useful. The current study was designed to test the effect of a behavioral method known as skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care), used as post delivery facilitation of the neurobehavioral self-regulatory responses of the term infant.
The term "self regulation" is widely used to identify infant adaption to various internal & external stimuli & to unstable situations. The development of infant self regulation involves the regulation of physiologic systems, information processes, & the formation of attachment bonds & ultimately determines hoe the infant responds cognitively & social-effectively to the environment. Self regulation develops in the newborn within the womb & throughout the birth process, & it is especially challenged during the 1st hours & days after delivery.
Skin-to-skin contact, the normal mammalian postnatal condition, has been found to improve infant state organization, thermal regulation, respiration, & oxygen saturation, reduce apnea, bradycardia, increase milk production, accelerate weight gain, & quicken hospital discharge.
For more informatin please visit: www.pediatrics.org The effect of skin-to-skin contact
(kangaroo care).
***Traditional hospital care of premature & small newborns:
In many western cultures, the birth process has become a medical procedure. Once a baby is delivered, he or she is tended to by healthcare professionals who provide medical care for the baby apart from the mother & for the mother apart from her baby.
Often, infants are removed from the motherto be washed, weighed, measured, & sometimes given artificial nourishment (Londan, Ladewig, Ball & Bindler, 2006). This is physiologically & emotionally disruptive to a baby who has been securely positioned for months in the womb, in constant contact with the mother & her familiar rhythms.
When the newborn is premature or small in size, there are additional concerns & stressors. Neonatal intensive care nurseries (NICU) have developed to provide specialized, direct care in an environment that is noisy, & bright, & totally unfamiiliar. Incubators with thermostats are used to keep the baby warm & visible. The people around the infant have foreign voices. the pace of the environment is remarkably different from that of the uterus & physiologically the newborn exhibits increased responses to the dramatic change that has taken place.
The Neonatal attachment has been essentially interrupted. Artificial temperature regulation, feeding, & lack of physical contact can have significant deleterious effects on even normal, term newborns. For the premature infant, the effects are compounded!
Kangaroo Care seeks to provide restored closeness of the newborn with mother &/or father by placing the infant in direct skin-to-skin contact with one of them. This ensures Physiological & Psychological warmth & bonding. The kangaroo care position provides ready access to nourishment. The mother's body responds to the needs of the infant directly, helping regulate temperature more smoothely than an incubator, her milk adjusts to the nutritional & imunological needs of her fragile infant, & the baby sleeps more soundly.
Benefits for Preterm & low birth weight infants:
*Normal temp, heart rate, respiratory rate
*Breast milk readily available & strengthens infants immune system
*The maternal contact causes a calming effect with decreased stress & rapid quiescence
*Reduce physiological & behavioral pain responses
*Increased weight gain
*Enahnced mother-infant bonding (positive effects on infant's cognitive development)
*Less nosocomial infection severe illness, lower respiratory tract disease
*Restful sleep
*Earlier discharge
*possible reduced risk of sudden infant death
*Normalized infant growth of premature infants
*May be good intervention for colic
*Possible positive effects in motor development
Benefits for Mom:
*Enhanced attachment & bonding
*Increased milk volume, doubled rates of succesful breastfeeding & increased duration of breastfeeding
*Resilience & feelings of confidence, competence & satisfaction regarding baby care
More information on Kangaroo Care is available at the March of Dimes website: www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/5430_6074.asp
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Childbirth
Women have the right to seek care that not only is medically safe for themselves and their baby, but that fits their lifestyle and recognizes and respects their individual, social, spiritual and economic needs.
Because the family is the cornerstone of our social structure, maternity care must support and promote unity within the family. Separation of family members, including siblings is to be avoided.
Childbirth is a peak life experience with long-term effects on the development of both mother and baby.
Childbirth is viewed as a natural health process. Confidence in the physiologic function of the body to cope with childbirth is promoted in all aspects of care.
Education of the client is an essential, integral part of midwifery care. With knowledge freely imparted from their health care giver, women are able to assume responsibility for health maintenance and effective utilization of medical care.
Our philosophy is one of family centered care. Pregnancy and birth are important life events not medical conditions.
A woman is a partner in the decisions made during her pregnancy. She shares responsibility with her care provider.
Because the family is the cornerstone of our social structure, maternity care must support and promote unity within the family. Separation of family members, including siblings is to be avoided.
Childbirth is a peak life experience with long-term effects on the development of both mother and baby.
Childbirth is viewed as a natural health process. Confidence in the physiologic function of the body to cope with childbirth is promoted in all aspects of care.
Education of the client is an essential, integral part of midwifery care. With knowledge freely imparted from their health care giver, women are able to assume responsibility for health maintenance and effective utilization of medical care.
Our philosophy is one of family centered care. Pregnancy and birth are important life events not medical conditions.
A woman is a partner in the decisions made during her pregnancy. She shares responsibility with her care provider.
Home Births 'As safe as Hospital'
Home births 'as safe as hospital'
There have been few comprehensive studies into home births
The largest study of its kind has found that for low-risk women, giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife.
Research from the Netherlands - which has a high rate of home births - found no difference in death rates of either mothers or babies in 530,000 births.
Home births have long been debated amid concerns about their safety.
UK obstetricians welcomed the study - published in the journal BJOG - but said it may not apply universally.
The number of mothers giving birth at home in the UK has been rising since it dipped to a low in 1988. Of all births in England and Wales in 2006, 2.7% took place at home, the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics showed.
The research was carried out in the Netherlands after figures showed the country had one of the highest rates in Europe of babies dying during or just after birth.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME
It was suggested that home births could be a factor, as Dutch women are able and encouraged to choose this option. One third do so.
But a comparison of "low-risk" women who planned to give birth at home with those who planned to give birth in hospital with a midwife found no difference in death or serious illness among either baby or mother.
"We found that for low-risk mothers at the start of their labour it is just as safe to deliver at home with a midwife as it is in hospital with a midwife," said Professor Simone Buitendijk of the TNO Institute for Applied Scientific Research.
"These results should strengthen policies that encourage low-risk women at the onset of labour to choose their own place of birth."
Hospital transfer
Low-risk women in the study were those who had no known complications - such as a baby in breech or one with a congenital abnormality, or a previous caesarean section.
Nearly a third of women who planned and started their labours at home ended up being transferred as complications arose - including for instance an abnormal fetal heart rate, or if the mother required more effective pain relief in the form of an epidural.
The NHS is simply not set up to meet the potential demand for home births
Louise Silverton Royal College of Midwives
But even when she needed to be transferred to the care of a doctor in a hospital, the risk to her or her baby was no higher than if she had started out her labour under the care of a midwife in hospital.
The researchers noted the importance of both highly-trained midwives who knew when to refer a home birth to hospital as well as rapid transportation.
While stressing the study was the most comprehensive yet into the safety of home births, they also acknowledged some caveats.
The group who chose to give birth in hospital rather than at home were more likely to be first-time mothers or of an ethnic minority background - the risk of complications is higher in both these groups.
The study did not compare the relative safety of home births against low-risk women who opted for doctor rather than midwife-led care. This is to be the subject of a future investigation.
Home option
But Professor Buitendijk said the study did have relevance for other countries like the UK with a highly developed health infrastructure and well-trained midwives.
Women need to be counselled on the unexpected emergencies which can arise during labour and can only be managed in a maternity hospital
RCOG
In the UK, the government has pledged to give all women the option of a home birth by the end of this year. At present just 2.7% of births in England and Wales take place at home, but there are considerable regional variations.
Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said, the study was "a major step forward in showing that home is as safe as hospital, for low risk women giving birth when support services are in place.
"However, to begin providing more home births there has to be a seismic shift in the way maternity services are organised. The NHS is simply not set up to meet the potential demand for home births, because we are still in a culture where the vast majority of births are in hospital.
"There also has to be a major increase in the number of midwives because they are the people who will be in the homes delivering the babies."
Mary Newburn, of the National Childbirth Trust, said: "This makes a significant contribution to the growing body of reassuring evidence that suggests offering women a choice of place of birth is entirely appropriate."
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said it supported home births "in cases of low-risk pregnancies provided the appropriate infrastructures and resources are present to support such a system.
But it added: "Women need to be counselled on the unexpected emergencies - such as cord prolapse, fetal heart rate abnormalities, undiagnosed breech, prolonged labour and postpartum haemorrhage - which can arise during labour and can only be managed in a maternity hospital.
"Such emergencies would always require the transfer of women by ambulance to the hospital as extra medical support is only present in hospital settings and would not be available to them when they deliver at home."
The Department of Health said that giving more mothers-to-be the opportunity to choose to give birth at home was one of its priority targets for 2009/10.
A spokesman said: "All Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) have set out plans for implementing Maternity Matters to provide high-quality, safe maternity care for women and their babies."
There have been few comprehensive studies into home births
The largest study of its kind has found that for low-risk women, giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife.
Research from the Netherlands - which has a high rate of home births - found no difference in death rates of either mothers or babies in 530,000 births.
Home births have long been debated amid concerns about their safety.
UK obstetricians welcomed the study - published in the journal BJOG - but said it may not apply universally.
The number of mothers giving birth at home in the UK has been rising since it dipped to a low in 1988. Of all births in England and Wales in 2006, 2.7% took place at home, the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics showed.
The research was carried out in the Netherlands after figures showed the country had one of the highest rates in Europe of babies dying during or just after birth.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME
It was suggested that home births could be a factor, as Dutch women are able and encouraged to choose this option. One third do so.
But a comparison of "low-risk" women who planned to give birth at home with those who planned to give birth in hospital with a midwife found no difference in death or serious illness among either baby or mother.
"We found that for low-risk mothers at the start of their labour it is just as safe to deliver at home with a midwife as it is in hospital with a midwife," said Professor Simone Buitendijk of the TNO Institute for Applied Scientific Research.
"These results should strengthen policies that encourage low-risk women at the onset of labour to choose their own place of birth."
Hospital transfer
Low-risk women in the study were those who had no known complications - such as a baby in breech or one with a congenital abnormality, or a previous caesarean section.
Nearly a third of women who planned and started their labours at home ended up being transferred as complications arose - including for instance an abnormal fetal heart rate, or if the mother required more effective pain relief in the form of an epidural.
The NHS is simply not set up to meet the potential demand for home births
Louise Silverton Royal College of Midwives
But even when she needed to be transferred to the care of a doctor in a hospital, the risk to her or her baby was no higher than if she had started out her labour under the care of a midwife in hospital.
The researchers noted the importance of both highly-trained midwives who knew when to refer a home birth to hospital as well as rapid transportation.
While stressing the study was the most comprehensive yet into the safety of home births, they also acknowledged some caveats.
The group who chose to give birth in hospital rather than at home were more likely to be first-time mothers or of an ethnic minority background - the risk of complications is higher in both these groups.
The study did not compare the relative safety of home births against low-risk women who opted for doctor rather than midwife-led care. This is to be the subject of a future investigation.
Home option
But Professor Buitendijk said the study did have relevance for other countries like the UK with a highly developed health infrastructure and well-trained midwives.
Women need to be counselled on the unexpected emergencies which can arise during labour and can only be managed in a maternity hospital
RCOG
In the UK, the government has pledged to give all women the option of a home birth by the end of this year. At present just 2.7% of births in England and Wales take place at home, but there are considerable regional variations.
Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said, the study was "a major step forward in showing that home is as safe as hospital, for low risk women giving birth when support services are in place.
"However, to begin providing more home births there has to be a seismic shift in the way maternity services are organised. The NHS is simply not set up to meet the potential demand for home births, because we are still in a culture where the vast majority of births are in hospital.
"There also has to be a major increase in the number of midwives because they are the people who will be in the homes delivering the babies."
Mary Newburn, of the National Childbirth Trust, said: "This makes a significant contribution to the growing body of reassuring evidence that suggests offering women a choice of place of birth is entirely appropriate."
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said it supported home births "in cases of low-risk pregnancies provided the appropriate infrastructures and resources are present to support such a system.
But it added: "Women need to be counselled on the unexpected emergencies - such as cord prolapse, fetal heart rate abnormalities, undiagnosed breech, prolonged labour and postpartum haemorrhage - which can arise during labour and can only be managed in a maternity hospital.
"Such emergencies would always require the transfer of women by ambulance to the hospital as extra medical support is only present in hospital settings and would not be available to them when they deliver at home."
The Department of Health said that giving more mothers-to-be the opportunity to choose to give birth at home was one of its priority targets for 2009/10.
A spokesman said: "All Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) have set out plans for implementing Maternity Matters to provide high-quality, safe maternity care for women and their babies."
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Let's Celebrate "Licensed Midwives Week"
PRESS RELEASE: Florida Licensed Midwives Week Governor Charlie Crist has signed a proclamation observing October 5 through the 9 as Licensed Midwives Week in the State of Florida, upholding midwives for being “dedicated to the care of pregnancy and childbirth and treat[ing] each woman’s pregnancy according to her unique physical and personal needs.” Governor Crist’s proclamation also recognized midwives for their role in the need to “improve birth outcomes in the State of Florida and ensure that women are given proper care and treatment in all phases of childbirth.”In honor of this week, Florida Friends of Midwives (FFOM), a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the practice of midwifery in Florida, will be hosting various community events throughout the state this month to celebrate the more than 110 Licensed Midwives in the Sunshine State.Florida Licensed Midwives Week coincides with National Midwifery Week, a time to recognize the contributions of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), Certified Midwives (CMs) and Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) nationwide. The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) publicly announced the week with an introduction to midwifery. “The heart of midwifery care for women and newborns lies more in the nature of that care than in its specific components. Midwifery practice has a firm foundation in the critical thought process and is focused on the prevention of disease and the promotion of health, taking the best from the disciplines of midwifery, nursing, public health and medicine to provide safe, holistic care.”Midwives have a long and valued history in Florida. The state first passed legislation to license direct-entry midwives in 1931. In the 77 years since, Florida’s licensed midwives have continued to tirelessly serve the families of Florida and to ensure the continued availability of safe, evidence-based birthing options for Florida’s families. In 1992, Governor Lawton Chiles declared the first-ever Licensed Midwives Week. More women than ever before are seeking out licensed midwives for maternity care. According to the latest data from the Florida Council of Licensed Midwifery, births managed by Licensed Midwives in the state grew by about 5.5% from 2005 to 2006.“We are honored every day to serve Florida’s mothers, babies, and families,” says Sarasota Licensed Midwife Alina Vogelhut, LM. “It means so much for our profession to be honored by Governor Charlie Crist and the State of Florida.”Midwifery in FloridaIn Florida, two types of midwives are allowed to practice: Certified Nurse-Midwives and Licensed Midwives (a Florida state licensure), also known as direct-entry midwives. Throughout the state, about 11.2 percent of births are estimated to be managed by midwives, rather than by OB-GYNs. Many birth centers and midwives have reported a significant increase in business in the past year. This increase is believed to be a result of various factors, primarily a greater number of women seeking alternative birthing choices due to an unhealthy increase in caesarean sections and other unnecessary interventions that frequently occur in hospital settings. In a 2006 report on Florida Licensed Midwives, midwives had a caesarean section rate of 6.3 percent compared to a 36.64 percent statewide average in hospitals the same year.About Florida Friends of MidwivesFlorida Friends of Midwives is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting the Midwives Model of Care and supporting the practice of midwifery in Florida. Florida Friends of Midwives was formed to support midwives who offer safe, cost-effective, evidence based care to Florida's families. For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/l/03ac2;www.flmidwifery.org.--------------------
Monday, October 5, 2009
"HEADS UP on Infant Mortality" Campaign
"Heads Up on Infant Mortality" Campaign
September is Infant Mortality month. Did you know that 1,687 babies died before age one in 2007 in the state of Florida alone? The 2009 Campaign for Helathier Babies is drawing attention to infant mortality by knitting one baby hat for every baby who didn't reach their first birthday.
"Too many babies are being born TOO SOON, TOO SMALL, or TOO SICK to survive." - Jennie Joseph, Executive Director
Please join us in our endeavor to promote early prenatal care and save the lives of our children!
How you can help:
knit or crochet one or more baby hats
teach someone how to knit or crochet a baby hat
donate to the campaign
encourage all pregnant women to start prenatal care right away - we can help, no one is turned away
The hats will be displayed at a rally in September (date & time TBA). You can help by knitting or crocheting one or more infant hats and bringing or mailing your hat(s) by September 22, 2009 to:
The Birth Place1130 E. Plant StreetWinter Garden, FL 34787
Call: (407) 656-6938Email: Elena@TheBirthPlace.org
On Facebook, search “commonsense childbirth, inc.”
Be Alert for Signs of Preterm Labor
Contractions of the uterus - that are less than 10 minutes apart (6 or more contractions in an hour), that may be painless or may feel like the baby is "balling up".
Cramps like those with your period - that come and go, or that don’t go away.
Cramps in the abdomen or stomach - with or without diarrhea.
Increase or change in vaginal discharge - watery or with mucus or blood.
Low, dull backache - that comes and goes, or that doesn’t go away.
Pressure - that feels like the baby is pushing down; comes and goes.
You May or May Not Feel Pain with Preterm Labor
read more
Contents
The JJ Way™
History
Outcomes
Media Coverage
Research Studies
Campaign
How You Can Help
"Heads Up" Hats
Events
Baby! Film Festival
Sponsorship Info.
Contact Us
Campaign
Read more about Jennie's Campaign for Healthier Babies or click the button below to donate.
Progress
$0.00 of $60000
Our Goal
Our vision is that all women have a healthy baby!
Jennie Joseph's amazing photo journal depicts the impact of her maternal child healthcare system, The JJ Way™, on positive pregnancy outcomes. A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book goes to support Jennie's non-profit agency Commonsense Childbirth. Order your copy today!
Order from jenniejoseph.com
Please visit our other websites!
log in
© 2007-2009 Commonsense Childbirth Inc.
site by leafish.co.uk
1130 E.Plant Street, Winter Garden, Florida 34787 ♥ Tel: 407 656 6938 ♥ Fax: 407 656 9161
September is Infant Mortality month. Did you know that 1,687 babies died before age one in 2007 in the state of Florida alone? The 2009 Campaign for Helathier Babies is drawing attention to infant mortality by knitting one baby hat for every baby who didn't reach their first birthday.
"Too many babies are being born TOO SOON, TOO SMALL, or TOO SICK to survive." - Jennie Joseph, Executive Director
Please join us in our endeavor to promote early prenatal care and save the lives of our children!
How you can help:
knit or crochet one or more baby hats
teach someone how to knit or crochet a baby hat
donate to the campaign
encourage all pregnant women to start prenatal care right away - we can help, no one is turned away
The hats will be displayed at a rally in September (date & time TBA). You can help by knitting or crocheting one or more infant hats and bringing or mailing your hat(s) by September 22, 2009 to:
The Birth Place1130 E. Plant StreetWinter Garden, FL 34787
Call: (407) 656-6938Email: Elena@TheBirthPlace.org
On Facebook, search “commonsense childbirth, inc.”
Be Alert for Signs of Preterm Labor
Contractions of the uterus - that are less than 10 minutes apart (6 or more contractions in an hour), that may be painless or may feel like the baby is "balling up".
Cramps like those with your period - that come and go, or that don’t go away.
Cramps in the abdomen or stomach - with or without diarrhea.
Increase or change in vaginal discharge - watery or with mucus or blood.
Low, dull backache - that comes and goes, or that doesn’t go away.
Pressure - that feels like the baby is pushing down; comes and goes.
You May or May Not Feel Pain with Preterm Labor
read more
Contents
The JJ Way™
History
Outcomes
Media Coverage
Research Studies
Campaign
How You Can Help
"Heads Up" Hats
Events
Baby! Film Festival
Sponsorship Info.
Contact Us
Campaign
Read more about Jennie's Campaign for Healthier Babies or click the button below to donate.
Progress
$0.00 of $60000
Our Goal
Our vision is that all women have a healthy baby!
Jennie Joseph's amazing photo journal depicts the impact of her maternal child healthcare system, The JJ Way™, on positive pregnancy outcomes. A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book goes to support Jennie's non-profit agency Commonsense Childbirth. Order your copy today!
Order from jenniejoseph.com
Please visit our other websites!
log in
© 2007-2009 Commonsense Childbirth Inc.
site by leafish.co.uk
1130 E.Plant Street, Winter Garden, Florida 34787 ♥ Tel: 407 656 6938 ♥ Fax: 407 656 9161
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
2011 Classes please call 321-972-8676
Our vision is to help Empower Women through Education, Support and Love. To provide the Essential tools needed for women and their families from Pregnancy through Birth & Beyond.