Years ago when our mothers or grandmothers were in labor, pain relief was not an option. Every woman who delivered a baby, unless they did it by c-section, would do it “naturally” without any pain relief. Women of child-bearing age today are lucky because they do not HAVE to go through labor and delivery feeling the amount of pain that their mothers felt, or in many cases, any pain at all.

Some women still choose to opt for a natural childbirth, and refuse pain medication upon entering the hospital to deliver their baby. For those that prefer to use pain relief, there are many choices available today. Some involve medicine administered through an IV; others involve medicine that is administered through a needle in the back. Here are some of the choices.

Narcotics
The most popular narcotics available for labor and delivery include Demerol and Stadol. The narcotics do not take away the pain completely, but can help dull it for as long as the shot is effective. The shots go in through your IV and must be given in small doses because they can enter the blood stream, and get to your baby through the placenta. One of these shots normally provides relief for 30 minutes to 3 hours. Some women love using these narcotics, while others have complained about them making them feel loopy or sick. There is normally no way to know how narcotics will affect you until you take them. The good thing is that narcotics do not last a long time, and the effects will wear off quicklyl.

Spinal Block/Epidural
The spinal block and epidural are both administered by an anesthesiologist and enter your spinal column through a needle in your back. The pain relief from both of these is normally immediate and can last a while. However, after opting for a spinal block/epidural, most of the time, a woman can no longer move or walk around, so she is restricted to bed and given a catheter to empty her bladder.

With the epidural a woman may still be able to feel the contractions, although she should not feel any pain. In some instances, however, depending on the dose of epidural given, a woman is unable to feel the contractions at all, and may find that it is difficult to push her baby out. Often the doctor will have to reduce or end the flow of medicine being given to the woman via the epidural line when it comes time to push, in order to get the baby to move down properly. If a woman is going to have a c-section, she will be given either a spinal block or an epidural rather than a narcotic

General Anesthesia
This form of pain relief is rarely used, and only generally in case of emergency, or if the baby has to be delivered in a hurry via c-section and there is not time to put in an epidural or spinal block. When a woman is given general anesthesia, the mood is generally hurried as the doctors try to get the baby out quickly. The problem with general anesthesia, and the reason it is not used more often, is that the drug can easily get into the baby’s lungs and affect his ability to breathe, or make him too sleepy to respond properly at birth. The mother also misses witnessing the birth of her baby when she is given this type of pain relief.

There are many choices for pain relief when you go to deliver your baby. Make sure you research all ahead of time and know your options so when the big day comes you are able to make the best choice available for you and your unborn child.

by Christine Ramos

Not much else changes your life in so many ways as having a child does. Pregnancy and childbirth are life altering events for women and their involved partners. Many women enter their birthing facility as a private and reserved individual only to succumb later to the throes of labor and literally let it all hang out.

Having a baby can tell a woman a lot about herself that she previously did not know. Like the strength of her endurance, the magnificence of her body, and yes, the fact that there exists an occasion where she will not give a hoot who sees her in the most private of body positions. I strongly encourage pregnant women to embrace this truly magical time, a time when their own soul allows the entrance of another into this world. The following is a list of the five things I advise every expectant couple to know.

1. Understand what is happening.
Pregnancy is a time when you should be educating herself on the many wondrous changes your body and that of your unborn baby undergoes. You and your partner should learn about the course of childbirth, what birthing choices are available to you, and what to expect in both a normal delivery and one that requires medical intervention. Know what can be expected for your particular prenatal health status and draw up a birthing plan based on your educated wishes. But please remember, a birth plan is a list of wishes for your birthing experience. Changes in your, or your baby’s, health status may necessitate having an entirely different birth than what you initially wanted, and being prepared will put you in a position to better cope. Sign up for childbirth preparation courses and tour the birthing facility before the big day approaches.

2. Learn various options available for pain management.
Epidurals, though very common, are not without risks. Low blood pressure, slowing of your baby’s heart rate, back pain, severe headache, and seizures are all associated with administration of epidural anesthesia. The inability to recognize the natural urge to push your baby out is also a side effect of it. Water birthing is a marvelous birthing option which has been shown to be as effective as an epidural for pain control. Acupuncture, Reiki, and even hypnosis can also assist in obtaining effective pain management. Research these wonderful options, you owe it to yourself and your baby.

3. Avoid becoming submissive.
I strongly urge expectant parents to take an active role in their birth experience while discouraging submissiveness. So many times I have seen couples surrender their experience to the authority of their well-meaning, but very occupied, physician. What you need to know is that you must work to make the birthing experience your own.

No matter how caring the physician is she has a ton of other responsibilities she must be mindful of while attending to your birth. Many of the procedures she orders are routine and quite possibly can be negotiated in terms of your vision for your individual birthing experience. Say for example, you prefer to not have intravenous fluids during birth because you desire to walk about unencumbered by an I.V. pole.

Intravenous fluids are often routinely ordered, not so much because the birthing woman is at risk for dehydration, but to ensure easy access for medication administration via I.V. route should the need arise. Your physician may agree to only having intravenous access by the use of a saline-lock, an I.V. catheter inserted and taped to your arm but not hooked up to the tubing and bags. If the course of the pregnancy has been uncomplicated there is no reason why laboring couples cannot experience the birth of their child without medical intrusion.

4. Consider a Midwife.
Certified midwives are skilled and competent clinicians who advocate non-intervention in the normal processes of pregnancy and childbirth. These caring practitioners encourage active participation of their patients and their families as well as providing education, emotional, and social support throughout the childbearing experience. Always working with a physician as a back up measure in the event of an obstetrical emergency, the certified midwife is a safe, highly satisfying alternative to an M.D. for normal pregnancies.

5. Consider expert support during labor.
Doulas and labor support specialists, like myself, are also a very nice option for the birthing woman. We are certified professionals who work to improve the normal progress of your labor. We provide emotional support and use various comfort measures such as positioning, massage, and effective relaxation techniques during this momentous time. Having this type of assistance for pregnant women has been proven to reduce the need of medical intervention. Ask anyone who’s had a doula during their birthing experience and more than likely you’ll hear raves.

About The Author
Christine Ramos is a Registered Nurse and Certified Childbirth Educator, with experience in High-Risk Antepartum and Maternal/Child Health. In addition to writing articles Christine offers private maternity services. Her first book, entitled ‘A Journey Into Being. A Guide to Knowing Our Children as Spirit and How to Nurture Their Inner Being’ will be due out in June 2006. She is the mother of 2 boys ages 15 and 12, and a girl age 4. Visit Christine at www.IntuitiveNurturing.com for more information.

Birth plans have become the next “big thing” for pregnant women who decide that they want to maintain some control in the labor and delivery of their unborn child, as well as in the post-partum care both she and her baby receive in the hospital. Some people do not know how to create a birth plan, or why creating a birth plan is an important aspect of their pregnancy.

When a laboring woman arrives at the hospital, there can be limited time to get her feelings regarding how she wants her labor to progress across to the nurses on duty. Birth plans are generally written by the pregnant woman, sometimes with the assistance of her labor partner several weeks prior to delivery. It should then be taken to your doctor or midwife at one of your prenatal appointments to go over your wishes and make sure that your provider is aware of any concerns you might have.

Flexibility
One thing to keep in mind when creating your birth plan is to maintain flexible. Even if you have the textbook perfect labor and delivery, chances are that something in your birth plan will not be able to be accomplished or achieved. It might be because of your hospital, or it might be as simple as you originally saying that you do not want pain medication, just to change your mind half way through labor. If you remain flexible regarding what you wrote in your birth plan, the day of delivery will go much smoother.

Creating your Birth Plan
So how do you create a birth plan? You can use our customized birth plan creator, or you can create one from scratch. If you create one from scratch, be sure to remember to include everything that you deem important.

Pain Medication
When doing your birth plan be sure to mention your wishes on pain medication. Do you want pain medication or not? If you do want pain medication, how much and what kind do you want? If you want medication, do you want to have just a shot through your IV of something to just dull the pain a bit, or do you want an epidural which will go in your back and pretty much get rid of all pain and contractions that you feel? Do you want the doctor or midwife to suggest to you medication, or not mention it at all?

Episiotomy or Tearing
Also, when creating your birth plan, be sure to let everyone know what you will prefer when it comes to having an episiotomy. An episiotomy is when the doctor or midwife cuts the perineal area that goes from your vagina to your rectum an inch or two before the babies head comes out in order to help the head come out easier. Some women prefer to be cut; other women prefer to tear naturally. Many women’s activist groups these days are promoting tearing vs. no episiotomy because some women won’t tear at all, or only tear a tiny bit, making the healing time less painful than it would have been with an episiotomy.

Visitors
Let the nurses know in your birth plan who you want to be allowed in the room and when. Some women are fine with having everyone in at once, and others prefer to only have their birth partner, or have other visitors come in one at a time. You might want the interaction and distraction during the early stages of labor, but not want a bunch of people in the room towards the end. There are also times when you may not want your parent or an in-law in the room at all, but you do not want to be the bad guy. Buy writing these wishes down in your birth plan, it enables your nurse to tell people who can and can not go in and when, and also makes the nurse be the “bad guy” so you don’t have to concentrate on those issues when you should be concentrating on pushing your baby out.

Immediately After Birth
Assuming you have a vaginal birth, you should include in your birth plan your wishes for the baby immediately after birth. Some women will choose to bank their babies cord blood and will have that set up ahead of time. Others want to make sure the cord stops pulsating before it is cut, letting the baby get the remaining nutrients that are important for their health. If you are breastfeeding, you may want to be allowed to nurse immediately, vs. having to wait several minutes for your baby to get cleaned up a bit and get eye drops. Your baby is most alert in the 30 minutes or so right after birth so it is an important time for you to be able to nurse and bond.

Just incase a c-section becomes a necessity, you should list your wishes for the baby while they are finishing up your surgery, in your birth plan. Put down whether or not you want your baby accompanied at all times by your birth partner. Let them know ahead of time your wishes on them giving your baby a bottle of sugar water or formula while you are in recovery. Make it clear if you want your baby brought to you in recovery or if you want to wait till you get back to your room.

Postpartum Care
Part of your birth plan includes your post-partum care. Most hospitals support and encourage your baby staying in your room with you at all times, vs. going to the nursery at night or while you sleep. You can make it clear in your birth plan what your preference is. Whether or not you want to room-in, or if you just want your baby brought to you for feedings letting you rest as much as possible. You can also list whether or not you want your birth partner to be allowed to stay the night.

Feeding
In your birth plan you will list your intentions on feeding your baby. You can state whether or not you plan on breastfeeding, and if you do breastfeed how often and when you want to do it. That is important in the instance that you choose not to have your baby rooming in with you, but instead in the nursery. You should make it clear if you want to feed the baby on demand, when the baby is hungry, or if you prefer to feed the baby on your schedule, allowing the nurses in the nursery to give the baby formula when he gets hungry.

Miscellaneous
There are always other things you might think of when it comes to your hopes and wishes for a happy and healthy labor and birth. Things like taking pictures, video taping, having music playing, moving around, being allowed to take a bath or shower during labor, etc. If any of these things are important to you, or you can think of others, be sure to list them in your birth plan for the nurses and your doctor or midwife. Happy birthing!

During pregnancy a woman experiences many aches and pains. During the first trimester she often has fatigue and nausea. There is normally also some cramping as the uterus starts to expand and grow. There is also the constant urge to go to the bathroom as the uterus puts extra pressure on the bladder that the bladder.

During the second trimester, most of the first trimester pregnancy symptoms go away, although a new one tends to pop up. It is generally referred to as round ligament pain. But what is round ligament pain exactly?

The round ligaments are the ligaments at the bottom of your belly, which are positioned under the uterus, and expand and grow to help support your uterus as it gets bigger. As these ligaments stretch some women find it painful and are concerned. Most doctors and midwives will reassure you that these pains are a normal part of pregnancy.

During the third trimester this pain can increase as your uterus grows even bigger and the ligaments have to stretch more to support the weight of the baby, amniotic fluid, placenta and extra blood that your body is carrying in your belly. If the pain becomes unbearable, ask your provider what pain medication is safe to take while pregnant.

Some women are concerned because they don’t have round ligament pain, or they don’t seem to suffer from it as much as other women. Not every woman will experience a large amount of pain. Generally, in a first pregnancy, the pain won’t start as early or be as severe as it is in a woman’s second, third and subsequent pregnancies. This is normal and to be expected.

After you deliver the baby, remember that your body has “memory” so after your pregnancy is over, and as your belly shrinks and your body returns to normal, these round ligaments will return to their former, pre-pregnancy shape and size. This shrinking may also cause some pain, but it shouldn’t be as severe as when the ligaments originally stretched to make room for your baby.

An early sign of pregnancy, during the first trimester, are swollen or sore breasts. This can begin as early as a week after conception, often before a woman ever misses her period. The breasts might become larger, tender, and ache when they are touched. But what causes this tenderness?

A woman’s breasts are made up of fat, tissue, blood, and milk glands and their sole purpose is for breastfeeding. It is just a coincidence that the men seem to like women’s breasts as much as the babies do.

When a woman gets pregnant her breasts immediately start preparing to feed that baby nine months down the road. Extra blood begins to run through them and the milk glands grow, causing the swelling and pain that a woman might feel. A woman’s breasts will continue to grow throughout pregnancy, although the tenderness should fade after the first trimester. It is normal for a woman’s breasts to be 2-3 cup sizes bigger by the time her baby comes and she begins nursing.

Swollen and sore breasts do not necessarily mean that a woman is pregnant. Many women experience some swelling and tenderness in their breasts every month right before their period comes, or even at ovulation. Sore breasts can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance or starting, stopping, or changing birth control pills midway through a cycle. When in doubt, be sure to call your doctor.

By Ellen M. DuBoisTo the woman who has miscarried, the world may seem a very dreary place. One in which she feels no one understands her pain, grief, sadness. The baby she lost was as real as her tears, yet, because there was never a baby seen, her loss often is quickly dismissed or not validated for what it is: a loss like any other.

The woman who has miscarried is just like me. I miscarried in 1991 and my days were spent weeping over my empty womb and arms for months on end. There were no Internet support groups; no books that spoke to my pain; and although people were concerned, their focus was more on me than on the baby lost.

“The fetus is no longer viable”. Those were the words I heard one terrible day in May. I was four-and-a-half months pregnant and noticed some spotting. My sister accompanied me to the hospital, and in a very tiny room, lit only by the image of my dead baby on the ultrasound screen, the doctor told me my baby had ‘expired’.

When my baby died, all the hopes, wishes and dreams I had for my child died, too. It felt like the rug was ripped from under my feet and I had no solid ground to stand upon. No matter where I looked for support, I found none- other than from well meaning family and friends. Still, I felt alone. Where was the person, book or group that could tell me I wasn’t nuts for grieving over a baby nobody ever knew? Why couldn’t somebody tell me I had every right to mourn the loss of the baby I never held?

That’s what prompted me, ten years after my miscarriage, to write a small e-book called I Never Held You. Women from around the world downloaded the booklet which described the stages I went through after my miscarriage- from grief and self-blame to letting go and moving on. Five years later, I teamed up with a Psychologist and Grief Counselor, expanded my book into paperback and included sound advice on grief and more from Dr. Linda Backman, who lived the experience some thirty-years ago.

My mission has become one of reaching women who’ve suffered a miscarriage and feel like I once did: alone, isolated, and full of tears.

Validating a woman’s grief after miscarriage won’t take away her pain, but it will make her feel less crazy and far more understood. Through connection comes awareness. Through awareness comes a stronger voice. Through a stronger voice come the masses saying: Miscarriage is a very real loss and needs to be treated as such. We, the women who have miscarried need your help, support, understanding and validation of our pain.

It’s happening. Books are available and the Internet has opened countless doors to support once invisible. The over one million women in the US alone who suffer a miscarriage are finally being heard, as are those worldwide. I am honored to be a part of bringing about the realization that miscarriage is a monumental loss, but there is help, hope and most importantly, healing after miscarriage. You are not alone, I promise.

About the Author
Ellen M DuBois is the author of Jackie’s Heart, and I Never Held You, a book about miscarriage, healing and recovery gently guides a women who has miscarried through the processes of grief and the emotional roller coaster ride following with the help of Psychologist and Grief Counselor Dr. Linda Backman, who also wrote the foreword. Ellen DuBois is also a contributing author in: More God Allows U-Turns, Conquering Panic and Anxiety Disorders, Sisters by Blue Mountain Arts, Soul Matters for Teens, and Romancing the Soul.

By CD Mohatta

Jesus died on the cross. Jesus was nailed on the cross. Yes, He was nailed. How many of you have taken injection shots? Do you remember the feeling of pain that comes with a very thin needle? That also is taken away within few seconds. Now imagine getting hit with a nail and the nail crossing your palm, a thick nail and you are left to bleed. Now imagine the pain.

Pain, intense pain, yes, death by intense pain and Jesus died with that. By laws of science, I don’t know how much of His weight was taken by His palms, but even if the weight taken was a fraction of his body weight, the pain would been much more. And Jesus died on the cross, bearing his own weight with his palms, bleeding. Left to bleed in the afternoon sun.

Good Friday was the day He died. I read somewhere that earlier it was called God Friday. And He resurrected on Easter Sunday. If one goes through the work and the teachings of Jesus, one finds nothing but selfless giving and miraculous cures. Jesus could cure miraculously because He was Son of God. But did He enjoy any material comforts? Any pleasures? His life is nothing but a chronicle of a man who suffered, but took away sufferings of others. Even His death was a very painful death.

What does Jesus’ life teach us? It teaches us not to give suffering to others but take it ourselves. It teaches us to comfort others. It teaches us selfless giving. It teaches us to forgive even if extreme pain is inflicted upon us. It teaches us to love all and hate none.

Let us celebrate Easter Sunday. Let us remember the teachings of Jesus Christ. Let us spread peace in the world. Let us start giving selflessly. Let us live selflessly. Let us all spread goodness, happiness and cheer in the world. Let us all work to remove hatred and vice from this world.

About the Author:
C.D.Mohatta writes on spirituality, motivation, management etc. You can send Easter ecards with messages written by him. Also download beautiful Easter screensavers with meaningful text messages. The third site, the author writes for is Cupid Ecards.

by Roni MacLean

It can sometimes be difficult for a parent to understand whether the baby has colic or reflux (and even GERD) since some of the symptoms (eg. poor sleep, constant crying) can be similiar. It’s also extremely important to rule out reflux as a cause of this crying, as it’s becoming widely acknowledged that many cases of colic are actually undiagnosed and untreated cases of reflux. In these cases, simply treating the reflux may eliminate the colicky behavior.

The easiest way to determine whether a baby has colic or reflux is to look at the definitions and symptoms of each. Then compare them to your child’s symptoms.

Colic
Colic can be defined as uncontrollable, extended crying in babies who are otherwise healthy and well-fed. All babies cry, but when they cry for more than three hours a day, three to four days a week, they are said to have colic.

Symptoms of Colic
The main symptom is continuous crying for long periods of time. This crying can occur at any time of day but it usually gets worse at night. It’s not believed that colic is caused by pain although a colicky baby may look uncomfortable or appear to be in pain. They may lift their head, draw their legs up to their abdomen, pass gas and become red-faced. Poor sleep habits is also common.

Reflux
The term reflux is a shorter way of referring to GER (Gastro Esophageal Reflux) and is simply defined as the backward flow of stomach contents up the esophagus. GER is a physiological process that happens to everyone—young and old—from time to time, particularly after meals and many times we are not even aware it is happening. In babies it generally occurs from immaturity of the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) which is the muscle between the stomach and esophagus.

Some common symptoms of uncomplicated reflux can include:

by Kathleen Carr

The good news for all colic sufferers is that it is only temporary but the bad news, just how long is temporary.

I am not sure what kind of pain comes with dying but if ever there was a feeling of the end nearing it was in the temporary moment of my own experience where the excruciating agony was to leave me fearing for my life.

Approx 15% of children suffer from colic and the alarming thing about it is our medical world is baffled by what exactly triggers the condition. Doctors can not agree on most theories that have been raised therefore making matters more difficult when suggesting and prescribing treatment and medicines.

One of those theories to give reason why this sort of cramp flares up is said to be that a child’s intestines are working overtime (hard) another theory raised by the medical profession for colic has us to believe it can be caused by laid back bowel movements (slow) thus allowing air into the bowel causing the intestine to swell giving cause for pain.

Within 2/4 weeks after giving birth this stomach upset can start and can run for a 3 month spell.

If baby is a sufferer then he/she may cry for up to 3-4 hours very loudly. No dummy or mothers TLC can take the pain away but it will certainly help in comforting them. Spasms usually kick in about the same time twice daily, this can vary.

Bowel pains can give cause for baby to scrunch the body pulling the feet up to the chest with clenched fists. Stomach rumbles burping or passing wind can be evident also.

As a parent you know your child better than anyone so if you notice any change in your infants health giving you reason for concern, colic related or not please consult a doctor. Symptoms can be identified to other ailments so it is best to make sure.

Babies are a lot stronger than you could imagine and will outgrow spasms of colic. Any doubts you may have where it interferes with baby’s development then I suggest you put them thoughts to the back of your head.

Colic in babies can prove to be an ordeal for parents who have tried every thing possible to comfort the infant. Lack of sleep is the main cause behind the enormous amount of stress laid upon the parents at this trying time. Mum and dads have been known to lose control of their temper and intend to bawl and shout, thus frightening the baby. (Unintentional in most cases) What we have to remember, baby is also tired and is the one in pain.

PS

If ever I thought the last rights was in order was the night I suffered a bout of colic. The doctor’s theory was down to the consumption of a citrus fruit or drink on an empty stomach, and how right he was.

Granny Smith in the form of a juicy green apple was the culprit behind this vicious assault that was to leave me living in fear of the forbidden fruit. I was lucky to find the answer for my suffering but where do the answers lie for the newborn whose only connection with a granny is one who will love them till there dying day.

No dummy or mothers TLC can take the pain away but it will certainly help in comforting them. For help and advice go to www.benidormbeaches.com where you will find more information.

By Lucy Curran

Colic hurts. Any parent who has an affected child will know that there is almost no pain like it – the physical and vocal response to the problem can be highly tiring and its very difficult to stand by and cope as a parent. It’s often tough to ask – what the hell is going on inside my baby?! When the problem arises, as it’s so common many health visitors expect parents to be aware of the nature of the affliction and how to deal with it.

The fact is: no one knows what colic is, although it was thought for a time to be a intestinal problem, and related to trapped wind. However, the only thing that even the medical profession knows about the cause of such pain is that it causes up to three hours of crying a day, for more than three or four days a week. Your baby isn’t alone either: 20% of children, males and females, suffer colic as infants; usually when they are but a few months old. Apart from the application of gripe-water (a, shall we say, interestingly flavoured product) there was, for many, many years, no cure for this elusive problem. Until now.

Many parents instinctively rub their children when they are in pain. We all know that, just as we need to massage our limbs when we get cramp, they need physical stimulation so that blood flow and wind movements can be righted. Baby massage allows for intense and structured contact with colic-afflicted babies – and massage has been credited with ending problem completely.

Flowing from the head to the toes, this specialist form of massage sees babies have full, much needed skin to skin contact with their caregiver; a soothing prospect for those suffering pain. A particularly encouraged technique for parents of colicky babies is the stomach massage, which sees the masseuse rub the baby’s belly in a gentle, circular motion beneath the rib cage, an action that encourages the correct movement of digested food through the body.

Classes teaching baby massage techniques are available worldwide, and many families have now begun to reap the benefits of the special, quiet times massage allows them to spend with their children. The BBC recently ran an article on the enriching quality of the massage for mothers who have suffered from post-natal depression and their babies, noting that the bonding process can be strengthened by the intimacy of massage. It has also been suggested that the strong bond developed naturally by the massage can prevent behavioural disorders later in life, and that the muscle stimulation involved can see children sitting, and even walking much sooner.

Available at a number of Sure Start centres in the UK, baby massage provides at last a positive solution for parents suffering the effects of a colicky child. Correcting sleep patterns and ending infant anxiety, it is perfectly simple, and the perfect solution to a huge number of childhood ailments.

About the Author:
This article written by Lucy Curran. For further details on Baby Massage teachers in the UK visit www.busylittleones.co.uk