Test Your Pregnancy And Birth Prowess! Quiz

A due date is just an estimate of when your baby will arrive. Since normal gestation is anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks, a baby is not truly “post-dates” or post-mature until after 42 completed weeks. Although the risk of meconium in the amniotic fluid goes up after 41 weeks, the vast majority of babies born between 41 and 42 weeks are healthy. In fact, the average length of pregnancy for first-time moms is 41.2 weeks!

Since up to 30% of the baby’s blood can be in the cord and placenta at the time of birth, clamping and cutting the cord immediately can mean that the baby does not get his or her full supply of blood back. A recent study found that delaying cord clamping by 2 minutes allows the baby’s blood to return to him or her. Delaying cord clamping can also benefit babies who are slow to take their first breath; they are still receiving oxygen from the cord. Only in some cases, such as when the cord is wrapped tightly around the baby’s neck, does the cord need to be cut sooner rather than later.

Several studies have found that birthing at home under the care of a trained attendant (midwife or doctor) is safe for healthy women carrying normal pregnancies. One of the largest of these studies was carried out in the Netherlands, where 1 out of every 3 babies is born at home! Modern home birth is safe - midwives attending women at home carry oxygen, drugs to stop excessive bleeding and IV equipment, and monitor the health of the mother and baby carefully. The proven safety of home birth allows women to choose their ideal birth place- at the hospital or in their own home.

Rarely does a woman grow a baby that is too big to “fit”! A much more important factor in having a vaginal birth is the position of the baby. If the baby’s back is towards mom’s back, or if baby’s head is tilted, delivery can be impacted. Even small babies can be misaligned! Another important consideration is the position of the mother. Labouring women who are active during labour, and assume upright, varied positions, often find labour goes more quickly. Trying different positions and avoiding artificial breaking of the waters allows baby to move more easily and get into an optimal position for birth.

Although obstetrical care is most popular for pregnant women in North America, worldwide most babies are born into the hands of midwives. In most other developed countries, midwives care for all low-risk pregnancies, and only those women requiring a specialist for specific problems see an obstetrician. Research also shows that the countries in which midwives provide most of the care for pregnant women have lower infant and maternal mortality rates than the U.S., where most babies are born under obstetrical care.

Your uterus is a large muscle, and labour is very hard work; it is important to feed that muscle! Many women do not feel like eating once in active labour, but eating when hungry during early labour can be very beneficial. Liquids like Gatorade or juice can also give a boost of energy at any point during labour. The risks associated with having a full stomach should a c-section become necessary are very small, and most hospitals now allow women to eat and drink at will.

Studies have shown that continuously monitoring the fetal heart rate during labour does not improve outcomes for the baby or mother, and may lead to unnecessary c-sections. Intermittent monitoring with a hand-held Doppler is sufficient to keep tabs on baby, and allows women much more mobility during labour.

Colostrum, the “liquid gold” that is produced in the breasts during pregnancy, meets all of baby’s nutritional needs until a mother’s milk comes in (usually 2-5 days after her baby is born). Although colostrum is not as abundant as breastmilk, it packs a huge nutritional punch; thick and extremely high in antibodies, it coats the baby’s vulnerable digestive tract, warding off infection and helping clear out meconium (baby’s first poop). The frequent nursings a baby requires in the first few days help to stimulate milk production and keep baby satisfied: very few babies require any formula, water or glucose during this time.

Forget the movies. Many women don’t have a big gush before they go into labor. Some just have a trickle. Or a doctor breaks their water at the hospital.
If yours breaks, head to the hospital and call your doctor. Tell her when it happened, how much there was, and what it looked like. It may mean labor is about to begin, but not always.