Breastfeeding - how your partner can support you.
For many women, their partner is their main source of support with breastfeeding. Many breastfeeding women give up sooner than they want to. You can be integral in keeping breastfeeding going. The more supportive you are, the longer your partner is likely to breastfeed and the more confident she’ll feel.
While breastfeeding is a natural process, it is also a learned skill. Breastfeeding isn’t always easy at first and can take a few weeks for both mum and baby to get used to. Some breastfeeding mums go through a rough patch, but good support and encouragement from you can help them get through it.
What’s it like for partners during birth?
As the birth support for a woman in labour, your biggest role is to provide support and encouragement during the entire childbirth process. The best way to do that is to know what to expect, so before it's 'go time', make sure you understand the different stages of labour, you know how to time contractions and when to head to the hospital (and how to get there!), and you've discussed the birth plan or wishes with your partner. In the delivery room, you're her advocate and her main source of comfort. Stay calm, confident, and supportive.
Newborns and their day-night cycle.
All babies are different, and their sleep patterns can vary a lot. For these first few weeks, it’s a good idea just to let them nap when they’re tired, and to feed on demand when they’re hungry. Newborns sleep a lot - around 16 out of every 24 hours – and they need eight to 12 feeds a day so they get enough food for growth and development. This means when they’re awake, they’re usually feeding, and after feeding, they’ll probably want to go back to sleep. This seemingly never-ending feed-sleep cycle starts to change after three to four weeks, when your baby starts to take in their surroundings and be a little more interactive with you. But still, at this age, there isn’t much time for play.
The Soothing Benefits of Baby and Infant Foot Massage.
Your gentle touch and stroke has the power to instantly alleviate your baby’s crying, crankiness, gas, tummy pains and general discomfort. Often when babies experience discomfort, they will cry as this is the only way they know how to express themselves.
Yes or No? Informed Consent.
Informed consent gives us control and responsibility for ourselves and our children. Informed consent is particularly relevant to maternity care because pregnancy, labour and birth etc are normal physical functions, not illnesses, so healthy people could, in theory, manage without any treatment at all. Most, however, appreciate the monitoring, support and advice that they receive from their LMC's and/or specialists and some need the treatments/procedures that are available.
What is Vernix Caseosa?
During your pregnancy, vernix plays an essential role, acting as a waterproof barrier to protect your baby’s skin against the amniotic fluid that surrounds them until they are born. Vernix begins to form on your baby at about 20 weeks gestation, partially to prevent your baby’s skin from getting too waterlogged
What’s it like for Dad’s during birth?
Labour is a huge experience for mums of course, but the role of the birth partner – whether that’s the dad, partner, close friend or relative – is often downplayed.
Dads go through their own huge physiological and psychological changes in the birth room, so don’t underestimate the emotional and physical impact of being a birth partner. It is a massive emotional rollercoaster where your feelings can change from excitement to fear, exhaustion to elation in a few seconds.
OK, so mums are obviously doing a lot of work but the role of dads or other birth partners is essential. Supporting a woman in labour is an incredibly exciting and important role. (Plus, research shows that women who have support during childbirth are more likely to have positive outcomes, including shorter labour times and decreased medical intervention). So dads and other birth partners really matter! Yay!
Shave, Trim or Natural?
There are lots of things women need to do to prepare physically and emotionally for giving birth.
From eating healthily, gaining knowledge about your options, to learning how to look after your tiny human when they're born - there are all kinds of considerations and what to do, if anything about your pubic hair, may be one of them.
10 Christmas traditions you can start today.
10 Christmas traditions you can start today for your family.
Signs of Labour?
Having your baby on their due date is rare: only about 1 in 20 people manage this. Usually, labour starts somewhere between 1 week before your due date and 2 weeks after it. If this is your first baby, the start of labour is normally gradual. It can last hours and stop and start over multiple days.
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.
Water Births.
There are some advantages to a water birth. Women labouring in water report feeling more in control, with less painful contractions. They are less likely to need epidurals for pain management or drugs to speed up their labour. It also seems that the first stage of labour might go more quickly.
