To eat or not to eat…That was the question for families planning a hospital birth.  When you are laboring at home or a birth center, you have the freedom to eat as your appetite dictates.  If you choose to have a hospital birth, you are at the mercy of your doctor’s orders and the nurse’s interpretation of the hospital protocol.  

"Most healthy women can skip the fasting and, in fact, would benefit from eating a light meal during labor, suggests research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2015 annual meeting. Improvements in anesthesia care have made pain control during labor safer, reducing risks related to eating, researchers note."

ASA Press Release, "Most healthy women would benefit from light meal during labor", October 24, 2015

For other reading,  HERE is some research I had found before this 2015 press release to make the case for eating and drinking in labor (in case you want to do more poking around the subject).

Science and the ASA catch up to Dr. Bradley:

"The research suggests that the energy and caloric demands of laboring women are similar to those of marathon runners, Harty said. Without adequate nutrition, women’s bodies will begin to use fat as an energy source, increasing acidity of the blood in the mother and infant, potentially reducing uterine contractions and leading to longer labor and lower health scores in newborns. Additionally, the studies suggest that fasting can cause emotional stress, potentially moving blood away from the uterus and placenta, lengthening labor and contributing to distress of the fetus."  

From the press release:

"Researchers said aspiration today is almost nonexistent, especially in healthy patients. In the United States, there was only one case of aspiration associated with labor and delivery between 2005 and 2013, involving a complicated case of a woman who was obese and had pre-eclampsia (a precursor to eclampsia, or high blood pressure that can lead to seizures), according to the American Society of Anesthesiology’s Closed Claims Project database. Researchers also noted that no cases of death due to aspiration were reported in the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2005, compared to 1.5 cases per 1,000 during the 1940s. They say this is likely due to advances in anesthesia care, including increased use of epidurals and spinal blocks in place of providing anesthesia through a mask over the nose and mouth. Before these improvements, women were more likely to need a tube placed in the windpipe for breathing, which potentially increased the risk of aspiration." 

What the ASA recommends:

"A light meal could include fruit, light soups, toast, light sandwiches (no large slices of meat), juice and water. Most women lose their appetites during very active labor, but can continue to drink fluids such as water and clear juices, researchers said." 

- Honey sticks.  According to honey.com, “Honey is also a rich source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams per tablespoon, which makes it ideal for your working muscles since carbohydrates are the primary fuel the body uses for energy. Carbohydrates are necessary in the diet to help maintain muscle glycogen, also known as stored carbohydrates, which are the most important fuel source for athletes to help them keep going.” [2]

- Trail mix.  You get the nice variety of nuts, dried fruits and if you want, candy, in one bag.  I found myself picking out my favorite nuts and fruits and snacking on them – literally one or two at a time – as we got into the active phase of first stage labor.

- Protein bars or chews.  Look for bars that are low in carbs and added sugars –the key is to provide an energy boost without an energy crash afterwards. We have had students that use the “PowerBar” brand Energy Bites, as well as Gel Blasts that are bite size energy foods.

- Popsicles.  While working hard in labor, a popsicle can be refreshing.  To prevent an energy crash, look for a brand that uses natural fruit as a sweetener instead of added sugars.  Added bonus: you can also push it against the top of your palate to stimulate oxytocin production.

- Applesauce cups.  Provide potassium along with a little protein.  The nice thing about applesauce is that while some people prefer them cold, they don’t need to be refrigerated.  Again, look for naturally rather than artificially sweetened sauces.

- Soup or clear broth.  Campbell’s came out with the “Soup at Hand Cups” that are single serve, portable and microwaveable.  They were a God-send during our third birth.  The nurse didn’t want me to eat “just in case”, but she was okay with me drinking – hence, I could drink my meal and stay nourished through our 34 hours at the hospital.

The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.

Memorial service for those lost through miscarriage, still birth or neonatal complications.

The Bereavement Support Teams at Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert medical centers, invite you to a service in memory of those little ones lost through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal complications. Join us in love, support and comfort, as we mourn and remember these babies.

The memorial service will occur on Friday Oct. 18 at 5:00 PM.  Mercy Gilbert Medical Center’s Healing Garden, 3555 S. Val Vista Drive.

To learn more, visit MercyGilbert.org 

“Doctors have unveiled a new test for determining which embryos have the best chance of survival.

The amount of mitochondria found in the cells of an embryo appeared to be a marker of its health, doctors reported Monday at the International Federation of Fertility Societies and American Society for Reproductive Medicine annual meeting in Boston. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Higher levels of mitochondria -- the "powerhouses" of cells -- seemed to indicate an embryo was under stress and less likely to successfully implant in a woman's uterus, said study co-author Dr. Dagan Wells, a scientific leadership fellow at Oxford University in England.”

“Between 2000 and 2010 in the United States the number of donor eggs used for in vitro fertilization increased, and outcomes for births from those donor eggs improved, according to a study published by JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the International Federation of Fertility Societies joint annual meeting.”

“A new study presented Oct. 14 at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's (ASRM) annual meeting in Boston found women with the highest levels of BPA, or bisphenol A, in their blood were significantly more likely to miscarry than women with the lowest levels of the ubiquitous chemical.

"Many studies on environmental contaminants' impact on reproductive capacity have been focused on infertility patients and it is clear that high levels of exposure affect them negatively," Dr. Linda Giudice, president of ASRM, said in a statement. "These studies extend our observations to the general population and show that these chemicals are a cause for concern to all of us."

“Pregnant women who live in neighbourhoods with lots of air pollution may be slightly more likely to develop high blood pressure, a new study says.”

Caveat:

“Abbott, who was not involved in the research, said it had some key limitations. For example, some factors that affect a woman's risk of getting high blood pressure, such as her weight, were not taken into account. In addition, the study did not look at whether any women moved to a different neighbourhood while pregnant or spent most of their time away from home, where pollution was measured.

For those reasons, Abbott told Reuters Health, more research is needed to determine whether there are any blood pressure-related benefits to moving to an area with less pollution, or to staying indoors on high-pollution days while pregnant. "I would not make any recommendations to my patients based on this research," she said. The author is a student at the Boston University School of Medicine, and Abbott is a former professor of hers.”

"Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is a medical condition that occurs when a baby has been exposed during pregnancy to opiates," Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Carla Saunders explained.

In Jason's case, his mother took a specific prescription medicine for chronic migraine headaches, one she was told was safe for her unborn child.”

“Women at high risk of early preeclampsia who show signs of abnormal hemodynamic function earlier in pregnancy may be more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes, new data suggest.”

“Even though the majority of pregnancies result in healthy live births, pregnant women still have to take some measures to prevent complications from arising. For some women, taking prenatal corticosteroids is necessary to curb preterm births, which increase the infant's and mother's risks of having potentially life threatening problems during and post birth. Women who are at high risk of giving birth prematurely are usually recommended to receive one dosage of this type of therapy. According to a new study, receiving multiple courses of prenatal corticosteroids does not appear to increase or decrease the risk of death or disability for children.”

"Our results clearly demonstrate that birth has active roles in brain formation and maturation," says senior study author Hiroshi Kawasaki of Kanazawa University in Japan. "We found that birth regulates neuronal circuit formation not only in the somatosensory system but also in the visual system. Therefore, it seems reasonable to speculate that birth actually plays a wider role in various brain regions."

“A lot of things happen during birth. Chemical processes change in the brain as children travel through the birth canal. Now, scientists have discovered that the actual act of birth in mice causes a reduction in a brain chemical called serotonin. This triggers sensory maps to form, which prepares the mice to sense the world and prepares mice for survival outside the womb.”

"Surprisingly, even though we use these drugs in easily 250 million patients every year across the world, and have been using them since about 1850, we don't know how they work," said Roderic Eckenhoff, a professor of anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania.

"There is concern right now, for example, that these drugs could have a durable cognitive effect, in other words, they might not leave the brain entirely unchanged," he explained."

"A dysfunctional oxytocin system may underpin the long-term harmful effects of maternal depression on child development, suggesting a potential for oxytocin-based interventions, researchers say.

"Infants of depressed mothers have long-lasting difficulties both in general and specifically in social and emotional outcomes, such as social engagement with others, the capacity for empathy, which underpin the capacity for intimacy," Ruth Feldman, PhD, psychology professor at Ban-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel, who worked on the study, told Medscape Medical News." 

“A physician and researcher at Seattle Children’s Hospital made another breakthrough in his research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a mysterious disease that leaves grieving parents looking for answers that science has yet to provide.

The latest finding supports his earlier work, which indicates that SIDS babies don’t necessarily have a problem with their brain. Instead, Dr. Daniel Rubens’ research has indicated that problems with hearing and the inner ear may be linked to SIDS.”

“Today every state tests babies at birth for PKU — but not just that. There are now more than 50 disorders that can be picked up through screening, 31 of which comprise the "core conditions" of the government's Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. Other conditions are likely to be added to the panel. All but two of them — hearing loss and critical congenital heart disease — can be detected by automated analysis of a few drops of dried blood from a heel stick done within a few days of birth." 

“Turner started taking pictures of nursing moms around five years ago. Her shots were posed and “idealized,” she told HuffPost Parents over e-mail. But she wasn't interested in the improbable scenes of women on mountaintops in flowy clothing with happy and cooperative babies one sometimes sees: she wanted to represent real moms’ experiences. Gradually, she started to take her camera out into the world, where babies actually eat. “Most women I know are breastfeeding one child while sitting on a bench in the park or the mall and trying to fish crackers out of a diaper bag for another kid all while wearing an old t-shirt with a spit up stain on it,” Turner said.”

Source: HuffPost OnLine http://huff.to/GX1ZQA

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

We have had a couple of students have had textbook “NAPS” in the last two classes…and since we still have several couples waiting for their babies, I thought this might be a reminder and an inspiration to them for their labors.  NAP – no, they didn’t take epic naps in labor (although I am a big advocate for sleeping in labor)…what it means is that they were very patient in their labors.   

• It is important to remember that the graph is AN AVERAGE representation of labor.  It indicates that a mom should dilate 1 cm per hour, and push an average of 3 hours – for an average length of labor that is between 12-14 hours long.    
• Math class reminder:  The average number is the number you get when you add all of the data in a set of information, and then divide that total number by the number of units that provided the data.  Applied to laboring mothers: That means that there will be some people that have labors much shorter than 14 hours, and other people that have labors much longer than 14 hours, more will be around that number…and then a few will be right on with the average.  

•  Did you change locations where Mom is laboring? 
•  Is Baby posterior? (Click here for ideas to move baby)
•  Is Baby trying to figure out how to line up in the birth canal? 
•  Is there an emotional component that hasn’t been dealt with? 
•  Is Mom tired and does she need a nap? 
•  Is Mom making more hormones for labor? 
•  Is Mom's pelvis still stretching (and using the extra hormones) for baby to fit?
•  Is the Baby's head still molding for the passage through the birth canal?
•  Is Mom making more colostrum for baby? 
•  Has Mom surrendered to the birth? 
•  Has Baby accepted the birth process?  

•  Try a new labor position. 
•  Go for a walk to clear your heads. 
•  Take a nap to conserve your energy (It’s hard for a care provider to argue with a dad or doula who is protective of a sleeping mom.)  
•  "Talk" to your baby and encourage them that you are ready to meet him/her.