Skullcap:

The scientific name of this herb is Scutelleria lateriflora; it is also sometimes referred to as American skullcap. Since the ancient times, skullcap has been used for treating anxiety; it acts as a relaxant relieving people from stress and nervousness. According to many midwives, applying a paste of the herb around the pelvic region of the expecting mother can help in reducing the labor pain up to a great extent.

Cramp bark:

Scientifically, cramp bark is referred to as Viburnum opulus is another herb frequently used for managing pain during childbirth. Cramp bark works by reducing muscle cramps and uterine cramping. This herb is also known for its use for reducing contractions after childbirth. An experienced herbalist or your midwife is the best person to guide you about the appropriate use of cramp bark for managing labor pain.

Catnip:

Catnip is a natural muscle relaxant and thus can be useful in reducing pain during childbirth. This herb is also known for its calming effects. If not used in the right way catnip might induce uterine bleeding, which can be complicate the process of childbirth. So, this herb must be used only under supervision of a physician.

Chamomile:

Chamomile or Matricaria recutita helps in reducing labor pain by controlling tension in the pregnant woman’s body. It can be taken orally in form of tea or can be applied topically on the pelvic region of the pregnant woman in form of oil. According to some herbalists, this herb can also help in inducing labor. Consult you midwife or physician, to know the right way of using chamomile during labor.

Remedy 1:

Drinking a tea prepared using raspberry leaves all through the pregnancy period will induce labor at the right time and will also prevent miscarriage. This remedy is also known to get rid of morning sickness.

Remedy 2:

When you are around the 37th week of pregnancy, make the tincture prepared using black cohosh a part of daily diet. This remedy works by ripening the cervix area and as a result the woman experience labor at the right time. Add 5 drops of the tincture to a cup full of water or tea and drink it two times every day from the 37th week of pregnancy. After using this remedy for a week, if you find that there’s no change in the cervix, you can increase the dosage to ten drops for every cup of water or tea. Any woman, who experiences nausea, dizziness or headache after using this remedy, must discontinue the procedure.

Remedy 3:

When you are approaching the due date of delivery, consume 2 tablespoons castor oil for promoting intestinal contractions. Take the oil by blending it with either water or juice. Intestinal contraction will result in contraction of the uterus and the woman will experience easy labor. One of the side effects of this remedy is diarrhea.

Remedy 4:

Women who have not given birth on the due date of delivery should start taking blue cohosh either in form of tincture or as capsule from the very next day. The doctor will guide you about the proper dosage considering your body weight, tolerance levels etc. This remedy will induce labor soon through uterine contractions.

What is the role of a Birth Doula?

Doulas don the part of mothering the mothers at the time of labor and childbirth. They are skilled advocates who are there for carrying out a pregnant woman’s birthing plan and it is her duty to aid in communicating the mom’s wishes to care-providers thus ascertaining that the pregnant woman’s requirements are fulfilled and her desires valued. A birth doula would mostly use massaging, hypno-birthing, aromatherapy and several unwinding methods to assist a mother in better coping with labor-related pains. The objective of doulas are achieving the most favourable birthing experience doable and creating a content recollection of the delivery day.

Birth Doulas – What they do not do?

Birth doulas are not replacements for doctors, mid-wife or nurses. Birth doula do not have medical training and hence are not adept at performing many medical intercessions inclusive of vaginal exams, blood collection, temperature measurement or monitor fetal heart rate.

Improvement in Labor and Birthing Stats in the Presence of Birth Doulas

Several scientific research findings have shown that the presence of doulas for supporting and assisting the mom during her infant’s delivery had the below mentioned favourable outcomes as a consequence.

• Briefer labor and lesser associated complications.
• Lesser downbeat feelings regarding the delivery experience.
• Lowers the requirement of labor-causing medication like pitocin, forcep or vacuum evacuation.
• Lowers the demands for pain-allaying drugs and epidural shots alongside the occurrence of c-section deliveries.

As per information provided by the American Pregnancy Association, several studies have found that the presence of birth doulas as cog of the birthing group lowers the general c-section rates by half, the span of labor by twenty-five percent, oxytocin usage by forty percent and the need for epidurals by sixty percent.

Infants additionally benefited when their mothers had the support of birth doulas. An observation also noted was that infants who delivered in the presence of birth doulas had a tendency of having briefer hospitalization and lesser admission to NICU (neo natal intensive care unit), nursed with ease and had more loving moms in the post-delivery phase.

The Expenses incurred to hire Birth Doulas

Many expectant mothers would choose hiring birth doulas in case finances were not a matter to be concerned about. However the costs incurred to hire a birth doula could make it an unreasonable choice for a number of females. An authorized birth doula could classically be charging in-between seven hundred to eleven hundred dollars to avail her services. In cities like LA, the rates could shoot up to 1,500 to two thousand dollars. Also usually several insurance service providers do not provide cover for doulas or reimburse her policies.

Some women confess to have found some of the folklore and old wife’s tales do seem to work for them. All those women intent on tipping the scales towards having a female baby, trying a few ideas mentioned herewith might just do the trick.

• The best pointer on attempting to conceive girl baby is being aware of when one starts ovulating (midst of menstrual cycle in case menses are regular). In case one could zero in on the precise date, it would greatly improve one’s odds of having a girl innately. Bearing in mind that the male sperm cells have a quicker pace at reaching the egg, hence one would want to halt any sexual contact close to 3 days before one’s ovulation phase thus ensuring that solely sperm cells facilitating creation of a girl would be the ones present during that time.
• Increasing consumption of milk, cheeses, yoghurts, fish, particular vegetables, salt-free food items, rice, pastas and mineral water. Limiting quantity of intake of items like meats, potato, however avoiding salted or salt in foods, wines, tomato, mushroom, chocolates, caffeine.
• Man reaching orgasm prior to the woman.
• Having sex often that would lessen the man’s sperm count and hence enhancing prospects of the female sperm being the foremost one to be able to reach the egg.
• When the partner does not penetrate deep during the act.
• When the women is the one initiating the love making process.
• Making love during noon times.
• Love making during even days in the month.
• Placing a wooden spoon underneath the bedding where one unwinds and a pink-coloured ribbon placed underneath the cushion.
• Lovemaking process culminating in missionary pose.

Scientifically, following ways could be useful to improve probability to conceive girl baby.

• Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

  This method entails IVF or in-vitro fertilization wherein embryo creation is done outside a woman’s body and then examined for sex and heritable conditions. The major downside is the price being almost twenty thousand dollars for one attempt. Additionally there is likelihood of multiple conceptions.

• MicroSort, Ericsson Method

  These processes comprise of arranging out the male-creating sperm from the female-creating sperm, after which implantation of the looked-for sperm is done inside the uterus via artificial insemination method. Lesser efficacy as compared to PGD, however lesser on the cost too.

• Shettles Method

  Though simpler has comparatively lesser efficacy in comparison to the other processes and is all about timing intercourse on particular days of one’s menstrual cycle. It employs mapping cervical mucus and basal body temperatures and using ovulation forecasting kit. This conjecture advises having sexual contact in 2 -3 days prior to a woman ovulating to conceive girl baby, as nearer a woman is to her ovulating date, more is the likelihood of conceiving a male. Shettles proposes that a woman should ideally avoid reaching orgasm during sexual contact in case one is attempting for conceiving a girl as the matter released post-orgasm are believed to make surroundings in the vagina less favourable for a girl sperm.

Michael Odent avers that presence of the hubby or partner in the birthing area raises the chances of a Caesarean section, consequent split in the marriage and also mental ailments. He also considers that it could even prolong and make the process of labour more agonizing as the woman is faced with distraction due to the father nervousness. He asserts that the child delivery would be more hassle-free when women were by themselves under the care of a silent, low-profile and qualified midwife.

Michael Odent who has been involved in child deliveries since five decades in houses and hospitals located in France, England and Africa maintains that child delivery is simpler in the absence of any other individuals around – particularly so any male figures like the partner or a male doctor.

Studies have revealed that there are more than ninety percent child deliveries in the United Kingdom wherein the male partner is present.

However, Dr. Odent asserts that male presence during delivery makes the mother overwrought leading to her producing adrenaline.

This slackens the production of the oxytocin hormone that is crucial for childbirth, thus leading to protracted labour.

The French doctor who successfully operates the Primal Health Research childbirth charity in London states that as the mother fails to produce oxytocin, she cannot have effectual contractions due to the hormonal unbalance arising from the uncongenial environment due to the man being present.

He further avers that the sexual spark also tends to dwindle following birth and could lead to divorce. Few men also start ailing from a common unidentified male correspondent of the postnatal depression.

He would be outlining his debatable outlook at the annual conference of the Royal College of Midwives to be held in Manchester the following month.

However, critics state that his claims have inadequate proof to back them. Critics also point out that there are many men who are not anxious and there would be many women who would have even further nervousness in the absence of their mates. Women want their partners to be present as it is not home.

However, the most crucial aspect is that women need to feel secure, protected and supported through the birthing process and if she desires to have a woman’s presence, then that is fine.

Though, earlier deemed as the norm during child delivery, there is immense disagreement regarding whether episiotomy is helpful  or not – few experts prefer to opt for a perineal slit rather than a cut, and studies do indicate that tears have swifter recuperation rates and have less chances of complications.

Though episiotomies are no more considered an unavoidable practice, one might require to get one – for instance if one is having a large-sized or breech baby, an forceps-aided delivery, a vacuum extraction or the baby might have got trapped in the birth canal.

How are episiotomies carried out?

In case one has not be administered an epidural injection, the perineal part would be de-sensitized by injecting a local anesthesia. The incision might either be done as a midline slit – that is straight down towards and close to the rectum; or a mediolateral slit – that is done in an angle to one of the sides that is away from the rectum. Despite the midline slit being easier to fix and leads to lesser discomfort and pain, doctors still prefer to do the mediolateral slit as it is less prone to causing any kind of damage to the area near the rectum.

Dissolvable stitches are normally used, that do not need one to re-visit the hospital for their removal. The healing time for the stitches is close to a month’s time following child birth. One needs to discuss with the healthcare provider regarding which activities need to be steered clear from during the recuperative phase.

How discomforting or painful can Episiotomy be?

An episiotomy is normally done in the concluding stages of labor and not as painful as the contractions one experiences. The area would be de-sensitized when the procedure is conducted and hence such women don’t seem to sense any pain – factually, some women consider it an immense respite as it facilitates the baby to be born with ease and instantaneously.

Post –procedure Care

A certain level of pain is sensed as soon as the slit has been sutured. There are several ways to allay the pain, namely:

• Kegel Time: Kegel exercises are known to raise blood circulation in the sore spot and aid in speeding up the recovery process.
• Cold Compression: Holding an iced pack against the sutures to reduce the swelling, even a swathed pack of frozen peas would be a good option.
• Sitz Bath: A herbal sitz bath (obtainable at the hospital or medical stores), lavender and even a salt water bath could prove be beneficial soothers. One needs to carefully dry the sutured area by gently patting it with a towel instead of rubbing it. Even a hairdryer set on cool setting could prove effective in drying the stitches.
• Diluting the wee: A great way would be dribbling a cupful of warm water over oneself while peeing and ensuring that one wipes carefully starting from the front side to the back side.
• Taking frequent walks: Walking as much as one can possibly manage to, would help in speeding up the recovery process.
• Ventilating the sutured area: Letting the sutured part to get air – going ‘commando’ for lengthy periods of time would definitely help.
• Investing in an inflatable rubber ring: If being seated on cushions is causing immense discomfort, then one could opt for sitting on a rubber ring that could be inflated.

One could lower the likelihood of requiring an episiotomy by attempting to stand or squat that would assist one in laboring in an upright stance. A tepid compress application to the perineal part would also be helpful.