by Mark
Lamendola If you're considering having a baby,
considering having an abortion, or are well into your pregnancy,
these thoughts on baby birth provide valuable insight. -
Having a baby is hard work. That's why they call it labor. Breathing
methods (especially deep breathing), relaxation techniques, focusing, etc.
really do help with labor. Read, talk to people, take classes, and
engage in other activities that help you reflect and relax.
-
Is she faking it? Hint: Braxton Hicks labor pains are sort of a
pre-trial.
It feels like labor but it gets you nowhere.
Real labor. Hint: Consistent, longer episodes and shorter time
between each
episode. You can pretty much set a stopwatch by them.
-
Strange things happen in the birthing room. It's not unusual for
women to vomit or even to defecate while in labor. Here's the scoop. Don't be
embarrassed, because the doctors and nurses in labor and delivery have seen
it all before.
-
Shiver me timbers. After giving birth, a rapid change in hormones
causes the
new mother's body to shiver almost uncontrollably. If not offered,
then ask
for warm blankets to help this problem.
-
Hurt? It hurts when you begin nursing a baby. You can prepare for
this in
various ways. Rubbing the nipple/areola with a washcloth throughout
pregnancy can help. If you really want to toughen them up, perhaps
you've seen how a
calf nurses from its mother. Do that. Get a grip. Suck it up.
-
Oh pooh. Baby's pooh doesn't smell foul until s/he ingests formula
or food. If changing diapers grosses you out, then go with breast
feeding. Why does this make any difference? Well, you may have
noticed your baby and a cow's baby don't look like identical
twins. Nor do you and the cow have the same diet--when was the
last time you were out grazing in a pasture? Your milk and cow's
milk are very different, and we're talking here about properly
cared for dairy cows. With the factory milking cows, the milk is
even more "off" when it comes to human consumption (in fact, those
cows have mastitis and their milk contains copious amounts of pus).
-
Cleaner than clean. No need to sterilize
your nipples when you breast
feed
your baby. If you insist on cleaning your nipples before feeding the
baby, do
NOT boil them.
-
Want to be the hot babe you were a year ago? Breast feeding your
baby causes
your uterus to contract, thereby helping you to achieve that goal
much more
quickly.
-
Having a baby hurts, but it's bearable. And
mothers soon forget the pain after labor.
-
Have a gas. A combination of ever-increasing leg cramps
and gas pain reaches a crescendo, ebbs always, and flows again;
but the
ebbing and flowing become less and less frequent. The whole thing ends with what can
only be
described as a miracle. Don't be afraid, it's a gift.
Remember that each of us was a baby once. While parenting may seem like a
huge challenge, someone did it for you. |