Intervention Domino Effect

I’m pulling this directly from section 3 of my hypnobabies workbook. Thought I’d share it with you

“The cascade of interventions:

• Continuous fetal monitoring leads to restriction of movement or position which can lead to…
• Slower descent of the baby, and more discomfort for the mother, since the hypno-mom is not able to use positions that are more comfortable and relaxing to her, which can lead to…
• Pain medications, which can cause…
• The birthing time to stall, because NARCOTIC drugs are muscle relaxers, and the uterus is a big bag of muscles (besides which, the baby could experience fetal distress from drugs) which can lead to…
• Pitocin (and the IV that goes with it) to stimulate more birthing waves, because the uterus is now not contracting well enough, which can lead to…
• More fetal distress, as the baby is deprived of oxygen for longer periods of time, which can lead to…
• Cesarean Section surgery.
• And… IVs can cause the body’s natural oxytocin to be diluted, necessitating the use of Pitocin, and can cause blood sugar problems in the newborn.
• In addition, artificially breaking the bag of waters can cause excess pressure on the baby’s head and more discomfort for the mother, and could cause the cord to prolapse, causing the need for immediate Cesarean surgery also.”

A little more info on IV use… there was so much I could have put in this, but this really interested me:

“IV used to maintain fluid levels: When going to the hospital to give birth, a woman is often told not to eat or drink, and is then given an IV to keep her from dehydrating. It’s easier for the doctor or nurse to administer additional drugs through the IV if something should happen. Sadly, it is not unusual for the medical staff to administer drugs without consulting with the mother first.

Benefits: If a woman has become dehydrated due to nausea or not drinking enough during her Birthing Time, she may well benefit by having an IV.

Risks: Obviously not all women experiencing birthing waves need an IV. Sometimes dextrose is given instead of glucose, and it causes the blood sugar to rise rapidly. The pancreas in return produces insulin, which results in a rapid drop in blood sugar. The woman then feels exhausted, and has no energy to go on. This usually results in more discomfort, with pressure waves that are less efficient. If this happens, the baby will likely suffer hypoglycemia after the birth.

But the main problem with an IV is fluid overload, which can lead to fluid in the mother’s and baby’s lungs. Fluid overload also thins out the blood, decreasing the amount of red blood cells and diluting the natural oxytocin. This means less oxygen to the baby and uterus and weaker pressure waves. Low blood count also predisposes the mother for bleeding. In addition, the resulting edema affects breastfeeding by causing the mother’s areolas to be excessively engorged so that the baby has trouble latching on. This is a very painful, frustrating and avoidable problem.

Aside from these things, an IV is uncomfortable. With a wire attached to her, the mother is less mobile.”

I hope this info helps other moms-to-be to think about everything before they just “go with the flow” in a hospital. This hypnobabies workbook is LOADED with information like this. I think I’ll have Dave read it too

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