Childbirth: Unpredicted place of birth, breech birth and emergencies
Generally childbirth isn’t an emergency for a healthy women, it is a natural physiological function. Yet the propensity for people to regurgitate inaccurate information has contributed to birth being considered a dangerous event, thus instilling various levels of fear in the average person, which is far from helpful. In fact, it is the interference and mismanagement of birth for a healthy mother and her baby that come with risks, and too often lead to the ‘cascade of intervention’. It is sensible to become educated and understand natural physiological birth, especially in uncertain times with worldwide lockdowns and disruptive societal situations.
Unfortunately, life doesn’t come without risks and dangers, so it is sensible to know of the few life threatening events that can thankfully be dealt with by the Maternity Health Care System.
Spontaneous Birth.
When a spontaneous birth occurs, which is unplanned for and outside the predicted place of birth, it is essential to make sure the mother and baby are protected, warm, are in as quiet and peaceful environment as possible, and to make sure they have nothing to concern themselves with other than each other. When these elements are taken care of, the placenta will detach from inside the uterine wall, and birth itself, within an hour or so after the baby. The cord will dry shut and clamp on its own*, giving the essential full amount of oxygenated stem cell rich blood to its owner, the baby. In this way the attached cord and placenta act as an external heart and lung for a short while after the birth, until the cord self-clamps. If the cord and placenta are left alone completely, the cord will detach from the baby after a few days, though detachment can be completed earlier once the placenta has fully has self-clamped and dried.
Breech Birth.
If it is noticed that the feet are being born first, it is important not to panic or try and pull at the babys head. If waiting for the head to be birthed, it may be needed to bring the babys body toward the mothers body, although the mother may do this instinctively herself. (Be mindful of the cleanliness and temperature of your hands if you need to do this, do not cause the mother or baby a shock with cold hands, also let her know your intentions.) Again the mother and baby are to be kept warm with as little distraction as possible. The placenta should be left alone as stated above. A fast birth is usually easy, as is also an unexpected and undiagnosed breech birth.
THE LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES: Cord Prolapse, Placenta Abrupto, Placenta Pravia & Pre-eclampsia.
If the following occur, anticipate an emergency caesarean section being necessary. Use the medical names when describing suspected diagnosis with the symptoms, to medical staff, so they can make preparations for that.
Cord Prolapse is where after a quick breaking of the waters, the umbilical cord is visible or palpable from the vaginal opening. This can occur before and during labour. It is essential to get to the hospital as quick as possible. The labouring mother should adopt the all fours position keeping her head as low as possible, this will minimise the squashing of the umbilical cord by the baby’s head as it descends the birth canal, as this will restrict and hinder blood flow and oxygen to the baby. She may do this instinctively. She may have felt the cord via the vaginal opening herself.
Placenta Abrupto is where the placenta starts detaching from the womb lining before the baby is born. This also can occur before or during labour. If there is an sudden and awful pain in the mothers abdomen without it dispersing, and the mother is in shock, the ambulance and midwife need to be called immediatley. Any bleeding may not be noticed.
Real Placenta Pravia is where the placenta is obstructing the vaginal opening. It is accompanied by sudden bleeding and pain. Heavy bleeding may occur at any time. An ultrasound will confirm or deny the outcome.
Pre-eclampsia symptoms include; new onset of high blood pressure, large amounts of protein in the urine and oedema, water retention, and pre-empt seizures, eclampsia. When a woman is in her first pregnancy (with the same partner), has a painful band around the stomach level and doesn’t feel well, she should be assessed for the possibility for pre-eclampsia, even when no protein is found in the urine at the last antenatal visit. Do not put it down to bad digestion.
*Natural Cord Clamping: No need for physical clamps, it happens on its own.
‘…another thing very injurous to the child is the tying and cutting of the naval string, which should be left til the child has not only repeatedly breathed but till all pulsation in the cord ceases. As otherwise the child is much weaker than it ought to be, a part of the blood being left in the placenta which ought to be in the child.’ Dr Erasmus Darwin, a physician and grandfather to Charles Darwin, author of Zoonomia; Or the laws of organic life, 1796.
The cord will dry shut and clamp on its own, giving the essential full amount of uniquely designed, oxygenated stem cell rich blood to its owner, the baby.
The first of these photo’s was taken, straight after birth & then every 2-5 minutes until the last which was about 15-20 minutes after the birth, by Elfanie of Nurturing Birth Services.
Photo with permission from http://www.nurturingheartsbirthservices.com/blog/?p=1542 [Accessed 07/02/2012]
The above text is adapted and expanded from notes taken from the
Paramana Doula course in 2012 with
Dr Michel Odent and Liliana Lammers.
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