Head Down Isn’t Everything. Find Your Baby’s Position Today!

Were you excited when you found out your baby was head down and not breech? You most certainly had a reason to be happy now that you know you will less likely need a c-section.
     Unfortunately, most care providers do not inform you about ALL that is going on with your baby’s positioning, and too many women end up with an excruciatingly painful and long labor. Most women believe the myth, “my baby loves to hang out in this position,” and that is simply not true. It isn’t the baby in most cases, it’s you!
     Today, more babies are found in less optimal positions such as posterior position. A posterior baby is a baby whose back is against the mother’s back. This is very painful and difficult for the baby to spiral down during labor and birth. Mother’s often need pain medication and increase their chances of a c-section if their baby does not get into a more favorable position.
     Take a moment to take your hands and hold your cheeks and squish your face together. Silly or what? Well, I am getting you to feel how squishy, moveable and soft this part of your head is. Now take your fingers and touch the back of your head right above your neck. Pretty hard bones don’t you think?
     Would you rather have those hard bones or the squishy and moveable tissue up against your sacrum in late pregnancy and during labor? When women have those horrible back labor stories, unless they have some serious preexisting back injury or condition, the baby is usually in this position.
http://youtu.be/-Zgs_VEqx7Q
WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
• Desk jobs, recliners, lounging around – when you lounge, your baby lounges. Your baby’s back will most likely lean in the direction you lean.
• Lack of exercise and imbalance in the body- your baby needs space so your muscles need to release tension on both sides of the body. If once side is stronger from lack of exercise (dominant side) you become tight and tense and your baby hangs out where there is room.
• Poor posture, alignment – go see a CHIROPRACTOR early on. Don’t wait too long.
• Loosen up- get a prenatal massage, take yoga classes and do your cat/cows and half dogs every day.
• Staying on all fours will help the baby get back into the correct position in most cases.
Signs of a posterior baby
• Back discomfort during labor
• Irregular labor patterns
• During pregnancy, can you locate your baby’s back with your hands?
• Dip in your belly when you lie on your back instead of a nice round belly.

For more information on fetal positioning and finding your baby, go to www.spinningbabies.com and learn more about Gail Tulley’s book Belly Mapping.

You can also join our midwives at our monthly events to learn more and get hands on help with finding your baby’s position and correcting it. Midwives specialize in assisting parents to be a partner in their care and learn about the baby and the process as a whole.

We will have on hand specialists providing demonstrations and educating families on optimal positioning/correcting positions during pregnancy and labor.

Learn unique tips on how to avoid back labor even after labor begins. Often when you arrive at the hospital, there are a series of routine events that often create this problem without parents or the nurses even recognizing the cause.

For more information, go to www.atlantamidwifery.com/meetup and join us at our next educational event.

Author:
Corrinna Edwards
Family Liaison
info@atlantamidwifery.com 404-805-2059

The OR of the future might actually be your doctor’s office!

As the new face of health care continues to evolve, several medical institutes and hospitals have begun to notice a significant shift in where many patients are electing to have their medical procedures performed. It is reported that the number of office-based procedures has grown from 5 to 10 million over the last 10 years. The main reasons are simple; cost and convenience.

Choosing to have a minimally invasive procedure completed in a licensed medical office affords a patient more flexible scheduling. They also benefit from:
• No hospital deductible
• No general anesthesia (in most cases)
• No incision or burning
• Lower cost to patient with in-office based co-pays
• Very little recovery time; often times they are back to normal activities in the same day

There are several specialties that are appropriate for office-based procedures. Gynecology, being one of the most popular, offers patients a variety of alternatives to common problems. For instance, women who suffer from heavy menstruation cycles, abnormal pap smears, or are seeking permanent birth control can now choose to receive treatment in-office versus checking into the local hospital.

As the recognition of in-office procedures has grown, more and more doctors are offering the service to their patients. As you begin to consider a procedure, there are several items you should research including but not limited to:
• Is this procedure of the type that is routinely performed in an office setting?
• How many procedures of this type has the physician performed?
• What is the physician’s specialty training for this exact procedure?
• What are the post procedure signs and symptoms that should be expected?

While there are multiple factors to consider before deciding to have any procedure, the cost and convenience benefits of minimally invasive surgery completed in-office far outweigh any hypothetical risk. Before signing up for a day at the hospital explore other options with a physician.

Dr. Hughan Frederick, Medical Director of ISIS OB/GYN, has performed numerous in-office gynecological procedures. With practices in Alpharetta and Johns Creek, feel free to contact him if you have questions or need additional information. He can be reached at dr.frederick@isisobgyn.com or 770.521.2229.

I Changed My Opinion On The HPV Vaccine

As parents of pre-teen children are preparing to get their kids off to school, they are not thinking about another vaccine. As it turns out, however, this is the exact time that we should look at one more – the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Now prepare yourself, this is a touchy subject…

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. The HPV vaccine is a shot recommended for 11-12 year old children to help prevent the spread of the virus.

I know, our kids aren’t sexually active at this age and the word “vaccine” is sort of a dirty word. At first I was skeptical about yet another one to give our kids but consider the facts from the CDC:
· Approx. 6 million Americans are infected with HPV each year
· If left untreated, certain types of HPV will later become cervical cancer
· Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women

As I have been seeing patients for well over a decade, I have unfortunately had that difficult conversation about cervical cancer. Whether it is advanced or caught early, it is a devastating blow to a family.

The vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer in females plus prevent genital warts in both males and females. The trick is, however, that the vaccine has to be given BEFORE they are exposed to HPV. That means they need the shot before their first sexual encounter which is why the CDC’s Advisory Committee recommends a 3-dose vaccination of girls aged 9 -26 years old, preferably those aged 11-12.

Now, we have an opportunity to all but eliminate that cancer conversation. The hardest part is giving our young children another shot in advance their future sexual encounters. That is uncomfortable for any of us to consider.

As an ob/gyn I read the studies but as a father and a husband, I changed my opinion. The vaccine is considered safe by the FDA and CDC and has been used in the U.S. and around the world for several years.

As with anything, we should assess how our children react to different vaccines. But as they head off to school this year we should also keep their future health in mind and protect them the best we can.

Yes, We do VBAC’s!

The new guidelines released by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have resulted in our office getting quite a few calls from women asking if we do VBAC’s. I am happy to say, “Yes, we offer VBAC’s.”

It’s been a part of my personal philosophy for many years; a woman who can avoid having a repeat c-section, should. Obviously, there are cases where it can’t be avoided. Depending on the type and circumstance of the first c-section, it may be too risky to VBAC. For most women, however, a VBAC is an option.
It is important to talk to your practitioner early to make sure you are a good candidate. Keep in mind that the overall goal is to have a healthy baby and a healthy mom.

For your convenience, I will repost the revised ACOG guidelines. Talk to you soon!

PREPARING FOR YOUR BABY’S BEST BIRTH

For some, pregnancy can be one of the most exciting nine months of their lives. For others, it can be confusing and anxiety ridden as they try to work out every little detail of their baby’s future. After calming the fears of so many soon-to-be mothers, I realized those who think through these basic points tend to be more relaxed and thus have better births. Interested?

Pick the doctor that best fits your personality. Most offices offer “Meet and Greets” with the practitioners. Interview them and find out if their medical philosophy fits your ultimate goal. In the end, however, make sure you like them as a person. After all, you’re going to see their smiling face quite a bit over the next year.

Work with them to create a pre-determined birth plan. Do your research. Take the hospital tours and decide which one best suits your expectations. It is also important to discuss your child birthing options. You will deliver vaginally or via c-section but depending on your history, some doctors allow for a vaginal birth after c-section. There are also alternative ways of facilitating your vaginal delivery; water birth, hydrotherapy, Lamaze, hypnobirthing, with or without epidural, etc…

Be flexible and remain calm. Your baby will ultimately decide when/how they will enter the world. You and the medical staff are simply the baby’s guides. While the majority of deliveries go as intended, in some cases the baby may have other plans. It is up to you and the hospital staff to proceed prudently depending on the medical situation. The health of your baby depends on your remaining calm and being flexible.