How Hormones Work Their Magic During Pregnancy and Labour
Discover the incredible role hormones play in pregnancy and labor! From nurturing your baby's growth to preparing your body for birth, these natural chemical messengers are the ultimate support team. Learn how hormones like oxytocin, relaxin, and endorphins help you through the journey of labour, easing discomfort and guiding your body’s amazing abilities. Find out more…..
Get UPRIGHT !!!
Birth moved from home into hospital during the 1900s. The medical model of maternity care became entrenched in society, along with the expectation that women would labour on a bed. Flat on their back, and sometimes with their legs in stirrups. There is a complete lack of evidence to support this physiologically dysfunctional birthing position, which simply came down to doctor preference, and subsequently, how they were then trained (bugger!)
What do labour contractions feel like?
A contraction is a tightening of your uterus. The uterine muscle can contract at any time from mid-pregnancy on, and those contractions might feel like nothing at all, or they might be completely overwhelming.
Your uterus is a large muscle, and just like any other muscle in your body, it will flex when it’s stimulated, Hormonal changes can start contractions—but how you experience contractions depends on your pain threshold and what type of contraction you're actually having (yep, there’s more than one kind). In the first stage of labour, your contractions gradually open your cervix. In the second stage of labour, they ease your baby down through your vagina and out. In the third stage of labour, they dislodge your placenta and seal off blood vessels, as your uterus contracts down.
How painful is BIRTH?
Is this really that bad? How painful will it be, and can I handle it? While birth is different for everyone, birth is painful. But the great news, it’s manageable. In fact, nearly half of first-time mums (46 percent) said the pain they experienced with their first was better than they expected,
Double the Love - expecting twins.
Every year in New Zealand around 1000 couples find themselves expecting twins, triplets or occasionally even more babies. Multiple births are more common than they were years ago, due to the advancing average age of mothers and the associated rise in assisted reproductive techniques, in particular the use of fertility drugs.
Caesarean Sections - everything you need to know.
Most people hope for a short labour and delivery with no complications — manageable contractions, some pushing, then a beautiful baby. But it doesn't always work out that way. Some babies need to be delivered via caesarean section (C-section). Whether you are having an elective or an emergency C-section, the surgical operation is generally the same.
Stages of Labour.
There comes a time in every pregnancy after the books have been read, the nursery decorated, the car seat installed and antenatal classes attended and now all that's left to do is wait and oh my goodness, the wait, unfortunately, can feel like such a long time. But even though most women go into labour between 37 and 42 weeks, there's no way to pinpoint exactly when labour will begin, and it's often this not knowing that makes some people very anxious.
Let’s have a look at how labour works.
Natural Pain Relief.
The topic of pain in labour and birth is a hotly debated subject around the coffee table and while pain in labour can't be entirely avoided (for most people), the fear of pain can be addressed and reduced. Taking good birth education classes, working with a trusted and supportive midwife, and having good continuous support from a partner, friend, or family member all can help greatly reduce your fear of pain in birth. It also helps to know a few things about labour pain.
The Bloody Show
You might’ve heard the term ‘bloody show’ but not actually know what it means. It’s the term used for bleeding at the end of pregnancy.
You might’ve heard the terms ‘bloody show’ and ‘mucus plug’ as though they’re the same thing – but they’re not.
Let’s have a look at what the bloody show is.
