Comments for Hands Off My Belly http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog Myths and Superstitions of Pregnancy Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:01:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on Natural childbirth – A myth? by PegHead http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-231 PegHead Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:01:32 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=112#comment-231 I appreciate OB-GYN's like you. I was fortunate to have one like you for my 3rd birth (2nd VBAC). She let me push baby out on my hands and knees on the bed. This section kind of annoys me though: "Can you intimidate them or convince them to have an epidural? Again, I doubt in most cases that there is any kind of intimidation and that most of these women are desirous to have the epidural but might be afraid because they would feel like a failure to this group of birth acitivists." My 2nd birth (first VBAC) I WAS forced into an epidural and pitocin, because I was a VBAC, with broken water for 15 hours and nothing happening. I was told "Take pitocin or go home" by the doctor, and hubby wouldn't let me leave. I got up to walk out, hubby wouldn't drive me away, and doula did nothing to help. So I wound up with pitocin, and eventually gave in to the epidural. Baby was born just fine 36 hours after water broke. For my 3rd birth, I was ready to be combative. I had hubby prepped to fight for me. We wound up getting the best birth possible thanks to a pre-approved birth plan and an on-call doc who wasn't scared of catching baby in an odd position. Since you are a doc, but not all docs are like you, and some are really I think more worried about themselves than the patients, I'd love to get your feedback on this particular blog post: http://craftycrofts.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-achieve-your-vbac.html I hope doctors as well as patients heed your "teamwork not fear" advice! I appreciate OB-GYN’s like you. I was fortunate to have one like you for my 3rd birth (2nd VBAC). She let me push baby out on my hands and knees on the bed.

This section kind of annoys me though:

“Can you intimidate them or convince them to have an epidural? Again, I doubt in most cases that there is any kind of intimidation and that most of these women are desirous to have the epidural but might be afraid because they would feel like a failure to this group of birth acitivists.”

My 2nd birth (first VBAC) I WAS forced into an epidural and pitocin, because I was a VBAC, with broken water for 15 hours and nothing happening. I was told “Take pitocin or go home” by the doctor, and hubby wouldn’t let me leave. I got up to walk out, hubby wouldn’t drive me away, and doula did nothing to help. So I wound up with pitocin, and eventually gave in to the epidural. Baby was born just fine 36 hours after water broke.

For my 3rd birth, I was ready to be combative. I had hubby prepped to fight for me. We wound up getting the best birth possible thanks to a pre-approved birth plan and an on-call doc who wasn’t scared of catching baby in an odd position.

Since you are a doc, but not all docs are like you, and some are really I think more worried about themselves than the patients, I’d love to get your feedback on this particular blog post:

http://craftycrofts.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-achieve-your-vbac.html

I hope doctors as well as patients heed your “teamwork not fear” advice!

]]> Comment on Anthropology of the Due Date by Local Guest Post ~ Anthropology of the Due Date » AZ Pest:: Arizona Pest & Termite Control http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=93&cpage=1#comment-230 Local Guest Post ~ Anthropology of the Due Date » AZ Pest:: Arizona Pest & Termite Control Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:44:22 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=93#comment-230 [...] Anthropology of the Due Date [...] [...] Anthropology of the Due Date [...]

]]> Comment on Epidurals – Is Pain a Good Thing? by Sarah http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-223 Sarah Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:44:05 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65#comment-223 Not that I'm a strong advocate of natural childbirth, but an epidural does cause blood pressures to go out of the norm. They always give an IV to help stabilize this. No one would ever get an epidural and no IV. I could be wrong, but that is general OB policy. Also, I've never seen anyone move with an epidural! Having had one, it would be a dangerous thing to move around. Women would most likely fall and hurt themselves. This may not be the case in instances of differential nerve susceptibility, where it only takes on one side or so, but in most cases there will be no movement that someone should encourage. Agreed with the bonding! There are chemicals involved that a C-section can hinder, but Mommies can totally overcome that! Not that I’m a strong advocate of natural childbirth, but an epidural does cause blood pressures to go out of the norm. They always give an IV to help stabilize this. No one would ever get an epidural and no IV. I could be wrong, but that is general OB policy.

Also, I’ve never seen anyone move with an epidural! Having had one, it would be a dangerous thing to move around. Women would most likely fall and hurt themselves. This may not be the case in instances of differential nerve susceptibility, where it only takes on one side or so, but in most cases there will be no movement that someone should encourage.

Agreed with the bonding! There are chemicals involved that a C-section can hinder, but Mommies can totally overcome that!

]]> Comment on Interviews, Articles, and Media Appearances by Ana Raquel http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?page_id=9&cpage=1#comment-219 Ana Raquel Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:28:52 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?page_id=9#comment-219 Hello!! Can we buy this book in Portugal?? Where??? I'm pregnant, 2 months and the book seems lovely!! =) Hope to hear from you soon!!! Best regards, Ana Serejo =) Hello!!
Can we buy this book in Portugal??
Where???
I’m pregnant, 2 months and the book seems lovely!! =)

Hope to hear from you soon!!!
Best regards,
Ana Serejo =)

]]> Comment on Epidurals – Is Pain a Good Thing? by Laura-Maternity Bliss http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-212 Laura-Maternity Bliss Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:53:17 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65#comment-212 I like to actively promote natural childbirth, that said I think women do have a right to choose whether they opt for an epidural or not. If a woman is feeling distressed and is struggling with the pain, it is far worse to push her through a process that may leave her with post traumatic stress disorder or PPD. I like to actively promote natural childbirth, that said I think women do have a right to choose whether they opt for an epidural or not. If a woman is feeling distressed and is struggling with the pain, it is far worse to push her through a process that may leave her with post traumatic stress disorder or PPD.

]]> Comment on Sex and Pregnancy – Not Tonight I have a……… by Cascia@Healthy Moms http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=104&cpage=1#comment-211 Cascia@Healthy Moms Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:43:02 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=104#comment-211 Great tips! I know a lot of women are scared to have sex during pregnancy but you are absolutely correct it is safe as long as your doctor gives you the go ahead. Have a wonderful weekend! Great tips! I know a lot of women are scared to have sex during pregnancy but you are absolutely correct it is safe as long as your doctor gives you the go ahead. Have a wonderful weekend!

]]> Comment on Epidurals – Is Pain a Good Thing? by Melanie Kissell http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-210 Melanie Kissell Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:45:28 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65#comment-210 I'm a perinatal educator (25+ years) and feel that epidurals definitely have a place in the labor room. If a mom-to-be is really struggling along through a difficult, prolonged labor, the epidural can be her ticket to allowing her body to relax and allowing her to get some much needed rest. NO invasive procedure comes without risk. In my experience, in 85% of the cases, epidurals work 100% beautifully and effectively and result in moms having a straightforward vaginal delivery. As a childbirth educator, I always hope and pray that my moms can labor and birth their babies with as little intervention as possible. I’m a perinatal educator (25+ years) and feel that epidurals definitely have a place in the labor room. If a mom-to-be is really struggling along through a difficult, prolonged labor, the epidural can be her ticket to allowing her body to relax and allowing her to get some much needed rest.

NO invasive procedure comes without risk. In my experience, in 85% of the cases, epidurals work 100% beautifully and effectively and result in moms having a straightforward vaginal delivery.

As a childbirth educator, I always hope and pray that my moms can labor and birth their babies with as little intervention as possible.

]]> Comment on The Cesarean Section Debate by Tine http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=42&cpage=1#comment-204 Tine Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:11:45 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=42#comment-204 Shanta, I couldn't agree with you more. The lack of real childbirth education in our society leaves expectant parents unable to make good decisions about their health care and that of their unborn baby. Most pregnant women I know rely SOLELY on their obstetrician to guide them in decisions about their pregnancies and births -- personal responsibility and involvement in childbirth on the part of parents seems to be at an all-time low. C-sections save lives, but they shouldn't be the norm. I think that if more women knew the real risks/benefits of cesareans, and were educated and supported by someone other than a surgeon, the c-section rate in our country would drop drastically. Shanta, I couldn’t agree with you more. The lack of real childbirth education in our society leaves expectant parents unable to make good decisions about their health care and that of their unborn baby. Most pregnant women I know rely SOLELY on their obstetrician to guide them in decisions about their pregnancies and births — personal responsibility and involvement in childbirth on the part of parents seems to be at an all-time low.

C-sections save lives, but they shouldn’t be the norm. I think that if more women knew the real risks/benefits of cesareans, and were educated and supported by someone other than a surgeon, the c-section rate in our country would drop drastically.

]]> Comment on Epidurals – Is Pain a Good Thing? by Tine http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-203 Tine Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:51:49 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?p=65#comment-203 The sad truth about hospital birth in the U.S. is that, without hiring a doula or other trained birth assistant, women do not receive enough physical and emotional support from hospital staff to deal with labor pain in a natural way. Doctors and nurses spend very little time with a laboring women and often aren't trained in the various methods of natural pain relief...so they aren't even mentioned as an option. The epidural is usually the ONLY option in a hospital. The real myth is women in our culture believing that their bodies aren't able to birth naturally. We need education about natural childbirth and constant support through labor and birth -- without those things women are most definitely NOT equipped to deal with pain and it's not surprising that the epidural rate is so high. The sad truth about hospital birth in the U.S. is that, without hiring a doula or other trained birth assistant, women do not receive enough physical and emotional support from hospital staff to deal with labor pain in a natural way. Doctors and nurses spend very little time with a laboring women and often aren’t trained in the various methods of natural pain relief…so they aren’t even mentioned as an option. The epidural is usually the ONLY option in a hospital.

The real myth is women in our culture believing that their bodies aren’t able to birth naturally. We need education about natural childbirth and constant support through labor and birth — without those things women are most definitely NOT equipped to deal with pain and it’s not surprising that the epidural rate is so high.

]]> Comment on Interviews, Articles, and Media Appearances by Shawn Tassone MD http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?page_id=9&cpage=1#comment-44 Shawn Tassone MD Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:48:54 +0000 http://www.handsoffmybellyguide.com/blog/?page_id=9#comment-44 At this point we are on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble or Borders online and you would need to see if you could have it shipped to you. You can also got the website for <a href="http://www.prometheusbooks.com" rel="nofollow">Prometheus Books</a> and buy it through them At this point we are on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble or Borders online and you would need to see if you could have it shipped to you. You can also got the website for Prometheus Books and buy it through them

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