May 17, 2023 | by: Cara Terreri
Adapted from Giving Birth with Confidence, 3rd Edition.
Many doctors and nurses discourage laboring people from pushing until their cervix is completely dilated and/or encourage them to hold their breath and push as hard as they can without a natural urge once their cervix is fully dilated (called "directed pushing"). There's no research to support these practices. Breath holding without the natural urge to do so is exhausting and deprives a baby of much-needed oxygen.
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March 24, 2023 | by: Cara Terreri
Adapted from Giving Birth with Confidence, 3rd Edition.
Humans, unlike other mammals, don't naturally labor alone. Why? Because our upright posture makes it more difficult for a baby to move through the pelvis. The position changes that help our babies rotate and descend often require physical help. And in childbirth, as in many aspects of life, we humans do better when we're surrounded by those we trust, people who tell us we're doing well and encourage us forward.
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March 16, 2023 | by: Cara Terreri, LCCE, CD(DONA)
Adapted from The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence. Letting your body go into labor spontaneously is almost always the best way to know that your baby is ready to be born and that your body is ready for labor.
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October 05, 2022 | by: Cara Terreri, LCCE, CD(DONA)
When you know what good health care during childbirth looks like, you are better able to seek, advocate for, and get good it. With countless sources of information about what to do or not to do in pregnancy and birth, it's hard to separate fact from fiction, truth from myth. Lamaze International has made it simpler to understand what good, evidence-based care in birth looks like with six healthy birth practices. These practices make it easier for you to understand and choose the safest care, learn about your options, and avoid practices or interventions that may not be the best for you and your baby.
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