World Breastfeeding Week 2015

That moment when you hold your newborn skin-to-skin, they nuzzle and breastfeed - bliss!

World Breastfeeding Week 2015

Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world but it doesn't always come easily (or without pain) but it is absolutely worth it! There is lots of support out there when you know where to look.

Australian Breastfeeding Association is a fantastic volunteer group. Speak to a phone Councellor on 1800 MUM 2 MUM.

Speak to a Lactation Consultant - available privately or sometimes through your local Public Hospital.

Seek out other like-minded Parents - a Mum who has breastfed her children can be a wealth of information.

Go online to breastfeeding websites - Australian Breastfeeding Association  and BellyBelly are good starts. Beware the Google search. The advertised sites and ones up top are all sponsored by formula companies and are full of booby traps! 

Bear in mind most GP's, Obstetricians, Pharmacists and even some Child and Family Health Nurses have limited education and experience in breastfeeding. Some new Grandparents, Aunty's, Uncle's will have little knowledge or experience in breastfeeding.

Most importantly, relax and let your baby take the lead. If somethings not right ask for help (and keep asking until you get it).

You made this baby, you grew this baby, you got this!

~Bec

Mother's Day

Mother's Day ... a day to celebrate mother's but also a day to celebrate strong women. Imagine what we would achieve is we supported, trusted and believed in each other.

So today, I wish a very Happy Mother's Day to every Mum, Grandmother, Aunty, carer and friend that love's and supports unconditionally.

A Happy Mother's Day to all pregnant woman, or women who are wishing they are.

For those Mother's who couldn't hold their butterfly babies or who's children were taken far too soon - I hope this day reminds you what a special Mum you are, and the absence of their arms round your neck doesn't leave a hole in your heart.

Happy Mother's Day strong women - I hope you have an amazing day.

~Bec

Midwives Day

Today is International Midwives Day. I wanted to write something memorable. Something that struck a chord with someone who would understand exactly what this profession means to me. I realised, there are no words to describe Midwifery.

Midwifery is beautiful, messy, amazing and heart wrenching all at the same time. I can’t even begin to describe what this amazing profession means to me.

As a midwife, I read midwifery journals for fun, find myself in all sorts of social situations discussing all things birth or baby related, yell at birth scenes in movies and my Facebook NewsFeed resembles a birthing unit’s notice board – all babies, bellies and breasts.

As a woman I was privileged to have continuity of care from a very special Privately Practicing Midwife. Birth is a transformative process and she was there every step of the way. Experiencing things from ‘the other side’ has increased my passion (not that I thought that was possible) and has (hopefully) made me a better Midwife.

So today, I want every women I’ve cared for to know they are amazing and I am forever grateful to them for including me in their experience. I want my Midwife to know she made a difference. I want my colleagues to know that their sacrifices are valued. When they cry in the hallway, drag their tired bodies out of bed to attend a woman or miss family events – they are appreciated, treasured and we thankyou.

~Bec

World Breastfeeding Week 2013

It’s World Breastfeeding Week! A time to celebrate the wonderful thing that is breastfeeding.

http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/index.shtml

Breastfeeding is a natural, beautiful thing. At first, it can be hard work. Many women suffer from sore nipples, poor attachment, leaking breasts and a baby that feeds frequently. At times, I can understand Daddy giving a bottle if formula may seem very appealing. But it does get better. After 2 weeks, things are starting to settle and become easier. After 6 weeks, your supply has matched your baby’s appetite and they have learned the best way to latch. Your breasts don’t feel as full and uncomfortable before a feed and your baby can almost attach themselves. By 3 months, your baby can completely attach themselves, your breasts feel ‘normal’ again and breastfeeding is second nature. It is at this point most breastfeeding Mum’s feel sorry for Mum’s that have to wake up, get out of bed, go to the kitchen, turn on the light, make up a bottle, warm it, test it, feed it to their baby and then try to get themselves and their babies back to sleep. Snuggling your baby to your breast and dosing off again seems far easier and everyone gets more sleep. Breastfeeding may take more effort at the beginning, but in the long term is far easier.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Breastfeeding-Week-2012/293327800702827

So apart from the convenience of pre-prepared, pre-packaged, pre-warmed, portable and perfect food for your baby, why else would parents choose to breastfeed?

For Baby -

▪Breastfed babies are less likely to get sick, need trips to the Doctor’s, antibiotics and admissions to hospital.

▪Provides individual nutrients and antibodies (that change each feed depending on the needs of your baby) to give baby the best possible start to life.

▪Can decrease incidence of asthma and allergies developing later in life.

▪Increases IQ.

▪Decreases incidence of obesity later in life.

▪Decreases risk of SIDS

For Mum -

▪Assists with returning your body to your pre-pregnancy state (helps to contact your uterus, minimise blood loss and decrease weight).

▪Decreases risk of Osteoporosis, Type 2 Diabetes, Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer later in life.

For Dad -

▪Healthy and happy Baby and Mum.

▪Cheaper – no buying formula, sterilisers or bottles.

▪Means you get more time to bond with Baby with skin-to-skin time, bathing Baby, showering together and cuddles.

▪Healthy baby/child means less sick days off work and less pharmacy bills.

▪Trips out are easier as breastfeeding comes in a very convenient package.

The current Australian recommendations for feeding babies are:

▪Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age.

▪Introduction of solids at a minimum of 6 months of age with continuation of breastfeeding for at least 1-2 years (depending on which guideline you look at).

Statistics from the 2010 Australian National Infant Feeding Survey show us that 96% of babies have their first feed after birth as breastmilk but this rapidly decreases and baby gets older. About 39% of babies were exclusively breastfed at 3 months of age, with 69% receiving some breastmilk. Only 15% were exclusively breastfed to 6 months of age, with 21% receiving ‘predominantly’ breastmilk and 60% receiving some breastmilk. In the 24 hours before the survey, 40% of 1 month olds and 55% of 6 month olds received infant formula (or non-human milk).

Remember that every drop of breastmilk is beneficial and any amount of breastfeeding should be encouraged. If breastfeeding is not an option, the next best option is the mothers expressed breastmilk, then donated breastmilk and then artificial infant formula.

I need to say that I am a passionate breastfeeding advocate, but I am also a passionate advocate for women’s choices. If parents are aware of the risks and choose to formula feed then I will do everything in my power to help them. Where I think we fall short as a community, is with lack of education and support for parents. New parents are bombarded with conflicting advice from every angle: health care professionals, family, friends, the media, books and the internet. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the information being shared was accurate and parents were nurtured and supported, regardless of their choices?

Do your research and make a choice that is right for you, your baby and your family.

~Bec

References -

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/nics/material_resources/promotings_supporting_breast_feeding.pdf

http://www.health.gov.au/breastfeeding

http://www.aihw.gov.au/media-release-detail/?id=10737420970

https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/your-baby-arrives/breastfeeding-faqs

https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/general-breastfeeding-information/breastfeeding-rates-australia

http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737420927&tab=2

Cord Clamping

There have been a lot of articles out there recently discussing the benefits of delayed cord clamping versus early cord clamping. What exactly is the difference?  In most research papers, early cord clamping is the clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord within 60 seconds of birth. While delayed clamping, involves waiting at least 60 seconds or until pulsation ceases before clamping the cord.

After birth, the placenta continues to function, providing oxygen to baby and filtering off waste until the baby has transitioned to extrauterine life. As this transition occurs, the cord ceases to pulsate. Eventually, the hormones of the mother’s body kick in again, and the placenta detaches from the uterine wall and comes out the vagina. This natural process ensures the baby is assisted as much a possible into their transition into extrauterine life. It also ensures that baby received their entire required blood volume, and thus their iron stores. This also means that the placenta is less bulky so therefore easier for the uterus to contract and expel.

The intervention of clamping and cutting the cord before these processes happen has become mainstream (particularly in the Western World). It is part of most hospital policies for ‘active management of the third stage’ and ‘getting accurate cord blood gasses’ is not a good enough reason in my mind. In my experience, it is done with more haste and urgency when a baby has been compromised during the birthing process (for example the use of forceps or a non-reassuring foetal heart rate). To me, this is completely illogical. In these cases, it seems even more urgent to leave the cord intact so the mother’s body can assist in restoring acid-base balance and ease the transition into extrauterine life. Most resuscitation measures can be performed on the mothers abdomen (or at the very least in-between her legs at the foot of a bed) and it seems logical for health care professionals to work with the life support system nature made rather than against it.

There are stories of midwives in isolated areas leaving pulsating cords of very premature babies intact until help arrives some hours later. There are also stories of Doctors hanging the connected placenta above babies like an IV bag following a haemorrhage. So the physiology obviously makes sense to some.

The research tells us that babies who have ‘delayed cord clamping’ have higher haemoglobin levels between one and two days after birth and were less likely to be iron-deficient three to six months after birth.  There is a slight increase in hyperbilirubinemia (also known as jaundice) however some studies show this increase is not associated with an increase in treatment, while others show a slight increase. These babies also had a statically higher birth weight. These babies’ mothers did not show any difference in postpartum blood loss or haemoglobin levels.

So, the research backs up what nature and physiology have been telling us – not intervening and leaving the cord to cease pulsating naturally gives the best possible outcomes for babies.

If you are choosing to have active management of your third stage of labour, you are completely able to decline early cord clamping and cutting in favour of evidence-based delayed cord clamping. You are of course able to decline cord blood gasses also.

It’s your baby, your body and your birth.

Shows how much blood transfers to baby over time if the cord is left intact. This took about 15 minutes! 
Thanks to Birth Dance for the image.

~Bec

The most recent study (2013) has been published by the Cochrane Collaboration.

McDonald SJ, Middleton P, Dowswell T, Morris PS. Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping of term infants on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD004074. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004074.pub3.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004074.pub3/full

Why do parents choose to have a Homebirth?

As a home birthing Mum myself and a midwife, I often find myself asked the question “why do women choose to have a homebirth?” There is no one or simple answer to this question. Birth in itself is a complex issue and chosen place of birth is an individual as the birthing woman herself.

Firstly, it’s probably a good idea to define exactly what I mean by the term ‘homebirth’. I mean the planned choice to labour and birth at home accompanied by a Registered Midwife. This includes women who transfer out of the home before, during or after labour.  For women who choose to birth at home unattended, the usual term is ‘freebirth’. For women who planned to birth in a hospital or birth centre and got caught short, the usual term is ‘unplanned-homebirth’ or ‘unplanned-freebirth’.

So, what are some of the most common reasons parents give for choosing to plan a homebirth?

▪ It’s safer. When a woman’s pregnancy is considered to be low-risk, it is statically safer to birth at home with an experienced Registered Midwife.

▪ Less likely to have interventions like an induction, caesarean section, epidural, forceps or episiotomy and my baby is less likely to need admission to the Special Care Nursery or have problems with breastfeeding.

▪ It feels more comfortable at home and I’m free to labour and birth my way.

▪ My husband, children, mother, sister, doula and birth photographer can be there to assist me during the labour and birth.

▪ Not tempted to use medical forms of pain relief.

▪ I can have a waterbirth if I want. I can have candles. I can use aromatherapy. I don’t have to conform to hospital policies.

▪ Traumatic previous birth (or hospital) experience that makes me fearful to return.

▪ Previous birth didn’t happen the way it should have (e.g. Induction as Obstetrician going on holidays, leading to a cascade of intervention, ending with an emergency caesarean section) and I want something different for this birth.

▪ I had my last baby in the car on the way to the hospital – it seems safer to stay at home and have the Midwife come to me.

▪ My private Midwife knows me, my husband, my children and my history. She spends an hour with me at each appointment and knows my pregnancy. She will be there for me and only me while I am labouring (and not have another labouring woman to care for and countless women to assess). I trust her.

▪ My husband won’t have to fight for me in the hospital; he can labour with me and trust our Midwife to tell us if we need to be concerned.

▪ I am not separated from my baby or my husband and other children. We add to our family in private, in our own home and life continues as normal.

▪ Pregnancy, labour and birth are normal. Our baby was created in private at home, and will be born in privacy at home. We believe in a woman’s ability to birth her babies.

▪ Birth is normal – if we need help, our Midwife is highly trained and experienced and comes with oxygen, syntocinon and other things needed to help us in an emergency.

There are many other reasons - feel free to leave a comment here or on my Facebook Page with yours.

For me, the most compelling reason is safety. The research is compelling and wouldn’t want the best possible chance for the safest birthing experience and the healthiest baby? Having said that, the woman MUST FEEL SAFE in her chosen place of birth.

Do your research. Look at http://www.mybirth.com.au/ for the statistics of your local hospital. Your first appointment with a care provider is for you to get to know them and ask them questions. If you don’t feel comfortable, keep interviewing until you find someone who fits.

Knowledge is power. It is your body, your birth and your baby. Trust in your body and trust yourself. Women are amazing J

~Bec

References

http://homebirthaustralia.org/is-homebirth-safe

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/study-delivers-good-news-for-home-births-20130616-2ocgd.html

https://theconversation.com/study-of-low-risk-women-reveals-good-news-on-the-home-birth-front-15236

http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f3263

http://www.theage.com.au/national/study-delivers-good-news-for-home-births-20130616-2ocgd.html#ixzz2YMSp0VPH

International Homebirth Day - 6th June 2013

http://www.squidoo.com/the-international-homebirth-day

So today 6^th June, is International Homebirth Day. I think we (midwives, women, and the community) all need reminding sometimes that birth is fundamentally a safe, natural process best left alone and quietly supported. The safest place to birth is often where the women feels safest and supported, and for a number of women this is at home.
Some women you may know that have birthed at home (or planned to) include:

▪The Queen - had 4 babies at home, aka Buckingham Palace
▪Ricki Lake – check out her documentary The Business of Being Born, which includes footage of her homebirth
▪Danni Minogue – transferred

▪Alyson Hannigan
▪Alanis Morrisette
▪Gisele Bündchen 

▪Demi Moore

▪Julianne Moore

▪Pamela Anderson

▪Meryl Streep

▪Joely Fisher

▪Jennifer Connelly

▪Cindy Crawford

▪Nelly Furtado
▪Felicity Huffman
▪Pink – transferred
▪Davina McCall
▪Charlotte Church

Just to name a few. Depending on your age and where your family is from, you may find your Mum, Grandmum or Great-Grandmum was born at home. 

It is our responsibility to ensure that all women have access to choose safe, homebirth care provided by an expert Midwife.

~Bec