The Chemical Bonds Between a Mother and Baby

You just gave birth to your beautiful new child!  There is nothing more important than bond between a mother and child, and luckily both partners are fully equipped with the hormones to give and receive reciprocally between the two. The moment a mother gives birth, she is encouraged to hold her child to her bare chest. Skin to skin contact releases oxytocin, feelings of euphoria and instant bonding occurs. It is especially important in the formation of good breastfeeding habits as well.

The API describes bonding as such; “As long as contact with the infant remains, oxytocin causes mother to be more caring, to be more eager to please others, to become more sensitive to other’s feelings, and to recognize nonverbal cues more readily. Continued nursing also enhances this effect. With high oxytocin, mother’s priorities become altered and her brain no longer signals her to groom and adorn herself in order to obtain a mate, and thus a pregnancy. Now that the child has already been created, mom’s grooming habits are directed toward baby.”

The Attachment Parenting International is an educational website that offers extremely detailed information with all sources cited properly.

Palmer, Linda F., DC. “The Chemistry of Attachment.” Welcome to Attachment Parenting International. API, 2002. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://archive.attachmentparenting.org/support/articles/artchemistry.php&gt;.

Stages of Labor and Delivery

So you first notice you are going into labor and call your care provider. Your doctor or midwife tells you it is finally time to come to he hospital. You grab you bag and head to the hospital. Your contractions get worse and more unbearable. At this point you are in Stage 1 of labor.

Stage 1 is active but latent labor. Your body begins the process of attempting to expel the baby from the womb. Contractions become worse, last 60-90 seconds and occur every 3-4 minutes. Your cervix begins to dilate and will continue to dilate to 10 cm.

Stage 2 is the actual birth. Your cervix is completely open, the doctor will give the okay to push and as the baby begins its journey out of the birth canal, the soft spots will allow the head to squeeze out. When the baby crowns, the widest part of the skull has passed out of the body. The deliverer will suction fluids out of the eyes and air passageways and the rest of the body follows much easier. The father or other birthing partner will them clamp and cut the umbilical cord. Congratulations!

Stage 3 is known as afterbirth. The placenta and remaining umbilical cord must be expelled from the uterus. This whole process typically happens for 12-14 hours.

WedMD does a great job of giving brief, accurate details about the stages of labor. The only downfall to the site is a lack of citations. The website is widely known as reputable and actively claims they do not treat or diagnose. The website does however offer a section to introduce their experts.

“What to Expect During Labor and Childbirth.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/normal-labor-and-delivery-process?page=2&gt;.

WARNING: This educational video is narrated by the doctor assisting with the delivery. This is a real life vaginal childbirth with supplemental diagrams and pictures. Please to not click play if you do not want to view the video.

Preparing for the Big Day

So your pregnancy is nearing the final destination. As your due date draws closer and closer it is very important to have a birth plan set up. Going into labor is a whirlwind event that can be very hard to make on the spot decisions. The Cleveland Clinic gives a detailed list of everything an expecting mother should consider. The list includes;

This website article is sponsored by a well respected clinic and also cites its source from which it has gathered information.

“Creating a Birth Plan.” Diseases & Conditions. Cleveland Clinic, 19 July 2012. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Am_I_Pregnant/hic_Labor_and_Delivery/hic_Creating_a_Birth_Plan&gt;.

Braxton Hicks Contractions vs True Labor

Around weeks 20-32 a Nurse Midwife can expect many calls from the women they are treating, who are worried about early labor. The woman will begin to experience contractions within her belly and womb. The contractions will feel like a slight tightening and will come in infrequent sporadic bursts. These should not cause pain, but rather feel like menstrual cramps. Theses are called Braxton Hicks Contraction. Braxton Hicks are not an indication of early or preterm labor, they are merely your body beginning to prepare and practice for labor. These contraction do not increase in intensity and the contractions do not get closer together as time pass.

True labor contractions will start feeling like Braxton Hicks, however in a short amount of time the contractions will begin to occur in closer time intervals and they will be increasingly more intense. The woman will also begin to feel other labor symptoms like the water breaking and changes in vaginal discharge. True labor contractions will begin to feel downright unbearable and should be a cause to call the care provider.

Parents.com is a very useful online source that encompasses many topics new and veteran parents may find helpful. It supplements the information in text with a flash video where Dr. Ching-Lynn Chen, M.D. FACOG describes the signs of labor and the contraction. Not only is she a board certified OB/GYN  but the FACOG is an extra certification showing higher education beyond what the board certifies for. Her knowledge can be trusted to be accurate and up to date.

http://http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/signs-of-labor/braxton-hicks-contractions/

Milbrand, Lisa. “How to Tell Braxton Hicks Contractions from Labor Contractions.” Parents Magazine. Meredith Corporation, 2014. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/signs-of-labor/braxton-hicks-contractions/&gt;.

Child Birth Classes

As your pregnancy continues and you draw closer to your due date it is important to begin to prepare for the delivery of your new child. As an expecting mothering it may be a great idea to enroll in some child birth classes. These classes help you prepare physically and mentally for labor. A popular website Lamaze.Org offers numerous techniques to help childbirth come safely and easier. Techniques include breathing, yoga, meditation, and focusing your inner thoughts on the safe delivery of your baby. Lamaze.org provides a myriad of videos demonstrating said techniques, as well as local classes, online classes, birthing plans and everything else an expecting mother will encounter.

“Blogs : Healthy Birth Practices.” Lamaze for Parents. Lamaze International, 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 May 2015. <http://www.lamaze.org/AboutHealthyBirthPractices&gt;.

Quickening: Your Baby’s Movements in Utero

Perhaps one of the most incredible moments as pregnant woman, is feeling your baby move for the first time. The sensation begins as a slight tickling, the butterflies in your stomach feeling. This sensation is known as quickening and generally occurs around your 5th month of pregnancy. As your baby grows and matures within the womb it begins to move and kick much harder and more frequently.

The first video is from a YouTube channel called Doctor’s Circle. Within this video, Dr. Shefali Tyagi, a gynecologist, depicts what to expect in your 5th month of pregnancy. She describes what quickening is and what it feels like. Unfortunately nothing is cited and her credentials are not certified within the video. The viewer can only assume the video is reputable.

Tyagi, Shefali, OB/GYN. “5th Month.” YouTube. Doctor’s Circle, 26 Mar. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015. <https%253A%252F%252Fyoutu.be%252FTzcOA4n0IHo>.

The second video is posted of a real life mother who posted her home video of her baby moving within her womb. it is very hard to fake this depiction. http://https://youtu.be/3xhO8a7aI3k

When and When Not to Perform an Amniocentesis

Abnormal results on a triple screen test will prompt a care provider to order an amniocentesis. An amniocentesis is performed when a needle is guided by an ultrasound into the amniotic sac to extract amniotic fluid. this fluid contains cells sloughed off the fetus and the DNA can be tested. It most commonly tests for Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), genetic disorders, Spina Bifida, and paternal testing. Occasionally an amniocentesis can be performed in the third trimester to see if the lungs are capable of breathing.  It is generally performed between weeks 16 and 20 but can be utilized as early as week 11.

Although an amniocentesis is considered safe, it is an invasive procedure and can cause some injury to the mother in the form of early water breaks, infection or possibly a miscarriage. About 1 in 400 will suffer a miscarriage.

The American Pregnancy Association again offers detailed information regarding the second part of testing. They explain their knowledge in an easy to read and understand manner. The website also cites its sources;

Williams Obstetrics Twenty-Second Ed. Cunningham, F. Gary, et al, Ch. 13.

Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Babys First Year. Johnson, Robert V., M.D., et al, Ch. 6.

“Amniocentesis.” American Pregnancy Association. APA, 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 May 2015. <http://americanpregnancy.org/prenatal-testing/amniocentesis/&gt;.

Triple Screen Test

Around the same time of your first big ultrasound to determine gender, your health care provider will also draw blood for the Triple Screen Test. Also known as the Triple Test, Multiple Marker Screening or AFP Plus. This blood test checks for three levels;

AFP: alpha-fetoprotein is a protein that is produced by the fetus.

hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone produced within the placenta

Estriol: estriol is an estrogen produced by both the fetus and the placenta

It is important to note this test only checks levels and cannot diagnose any issues, it merely signifies if further testing needs to be performed. If abnormal levels are detected the mother is then encouraged to have an amniocentesis performed.

The American Pregnancy Association provides a highly accurate article and lists the two resources for the information they have gathered from.

1. Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy and Babys First Year Johnson, Robert V., et al, Ch. 6

2. American Family Physician, American Academy of Family Physicians, http://www.aafp.org/

This website offers easy to understand information in an accurate manner as well as listing charts and advice for new mothers.

“Triple Screen Test.” American Pregnancy Association. APA, 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 May 2015. <http://americanpregnancy.org/prenatal-testing/triple-screen-test/&gt;.

Determining Gender

Perhaps one of the most exciting times between finding out you are pregnant and actually giving birth, is the great gender reveal. A boy or girl? should paint the nursery pink or blue? Will you reveal the gender? Do you even want to know the gender or keep it a surprise?

During the second trimester, around 18-22 weeks, your care provider will be able to determine your child’s gender. By using the the images produced by a sonogram or ultrasound, technicians can fairly accurately tell the gender. Many different factors can affect the accuracy however. The age of the fetus, the experience of the technician and the position of the fetus all affect the accuracy of gender determination. The older the fetus, the more pronounced the sexual structures and organs become. A female fetus will show no erect penis, and most often a 3 small lines (the labia) in the genital region. A male fetus will show a penis and scrotum very clearly in the genital region.

Female

 

Male 

Audrey Mendenhall RT, RDMS, RDCS, RVT accurately determines a fetus’s gender from her schooling and experience. The titles at the end of her name demonstrate her credentials and education. The website accurately describes how to determine gender as well well as provides pictures to demonstrate the information given. Audrey works for the Sound Health Imaging institute that specializes in diagnostic medical ultrasonography.

Mendenhall, Audrey, RT, RDMS, RDCS, RVT. “Boy or Girl?” Sound Health Imaging in Helena and Butte Montana. Sound Health Imaging, n.d. Web. 11 May 2015. <http://helenaultrasound.com/Boy_or_Girl.php&gt;.