October 26, 2022 | by: Mindy Cockeram, LCCE, CLEC, Author
Contractions during labor and the let-down that happens when bodyfeeding a baby are both influenced by the hormone oxytocin (‘the Big O’). This activity is used to discuss the impact of oxytocin (versus adrenaline) in labor and how the labor team can make the birth environment ‘oxytocin-friendly.’ Because support people often feel unprepared for labor, this activity assures them that they have more skills than they realize. They just don’t know what they know! In the reviews I receive from class, the “Room of Romance” is often cited as one of the activities ‘I/we enjoyed most.’
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April 23, 2021 | by: Mindy Cockeram, LCCE
Tuesday, in Connecting The Dots, in Part I of The Impact of Common Labor Interventions on Newborn Weight Loss and Breast/Chestfeeding Cessation, we examined how the use of analgesics for pain relief, Pitocin for induction and a large IV fluid load delivered throughout labor, can lead to breast/chestfeeding challenges for new parents in the first few hours and days of life.
Today, in Part II, we examine the appropriate timing of a newborn’s baseline weight assessment. When, after birth, should a newborn’s baseline weight be established? Using a weight that may have been impacted by labor interventions can hinder maternal breastfeeding confidence and skew pediatric goals for normal newborn weight gain. We also look at an evidence based tool for determining if weight loss really falls into the supplementation zone.
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April 20, 2021 | by: Mindy Cockeram, LCCE
How many parents have you met that experienced the following birth scenario: Labor began with an induced labor using Pitocin (UK-Syntocinon), an epidural for pain relief and a long pushing stage or even an unplanned cesarean? The parents felt overwhelmed with joy when the baby was born and relief that the labor was over. As the new emotions settled in, the next stage of parenting began - breast/chestfeeding a baby on cue around the clock. Discharged home, the sleepy baby suddenly became more wakeful and eager to cluster feed. Day three became a challenge: jaundice set in and the pediatrician recommended supplementation due to excessive weight loss. The scenario ends with an emotionally drained parent worrying about their milk supply, supplementing with bottles of formula daily and potentially giving up on breast/chestfeeding before the mature milk even has a chance to arrive! Did their body really let them down? Did they really not have enough milk?
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May 26, 2020 | by: Mindy Cockeram, LCCE
It’s not easy to deal with the stress of pregnancy, labor and the postnatal period during the best of times but for most, Covid-19 has severely compounded the struggle. The cancellation of many in-person prenatal visits and childbirth and breast/chestfeeding classes and the lack of firm knowledge of how COVID-19 could affect parents and babies have stressed many people to the breaking point.
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January 30, 2020 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Birthing people internally rotating their femurs in order to open the pelvic outlet during second stage is becoming more common and discussed. Perinatal professionals are using this technique to help babies navigate the pelvis once they are below zero station and progress to birth. This month’s exciting Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea is a quick and easy activity helps families understand how and why the knees together pushing position is a great technique to add to their toolbox.
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