A mother who just gave birth needs some time to recover. Often, she will find it difficult to take care of her own and the baby’s needs, let alone attend to a busy family. In these instances, having a postpartum doula can be very beneficial.

A postpartum doula serves as a “coach” and personal assistant to the mother as she recovers from childbirth and begins adapting to a new routine. Some specific areas that a postpartum doula can help are:

• Providing information on postpartum depression and well as managing physical recovery
• Providing invaluable assistance with breastfeeding. Many doulas have taken specialized training that allows them to act as a lactation counsellor. Providing not only information but also hands on assistance with getting a better latch, plugged milk ducts or recognizing mastitis.
• Assistance with basic newborn care such as diapering, bathing, feeding, and comforting your new baby can also be taught or assisted with by a postpartum doula
• Providing advice such as how to develop a routine or when to consider starting sleep training

Even if a mother does not feel like she requires assistance in the form of knowledge, having help from a postpartum doula for just a few hours a day to catch up on sleep or get household chores done can be very beneficial.

Apart from a postpartum doula’s responsibility to assist the mother, she is also committed to helping the family understand what the mother is going through, especially if the mother is experiencing any postpartum depression. The CDC has stated that up to 80% of women experience “baby blues” some time between day 3 and 2 weeks following birth. Of those, approximately 20% may develop more serious, longer lasting depression. The period immediately following birth is when a mother needs all the support and encouragement that she could get from her family members. According to clinical research, families that enlisted the help of a postpartum doula were more successful in the transition period that follows after introducing a new baby into the family.

Some postpartum doulas are also able to provide assistance when it comes to light house chores such as sweeping, doing the laundry and cooking. She can help the mother in caring for the siblings of the newborn so they will not feel neglected. Should the mother or anybody in the family need to run some errands, they can rely to the postpartum doula to assist them in getting it done.

Getting a postpartum doula is a sensible choice that every expecting family should consider. Beyond the support that a postpartum doula can give to the family, she also provides essential support to new mothers in the form of both physical and emotional support.

Will raspberry leaf tea induce labor?

There is a common misconception that raspberry leaf tea will induce labour. However, this is not entirely true. Drinking the tea is not actually believed to cause your body to do anything it was not ready to do on its own. If you drink the tea and subsequently go into labour, it is more likely that your body was preparing to begin the process anyways. That does not necessarily mean that drinking the tea is a waste of time. There are many pregnancy and labor related benefits that are worth looking at in greater depth.

Benefits of raspberry leaf tea for expecting moms

The raspberry leaf tea is believed by herbalists and homeopaths to aid in the prevention of pregnancy-related complications and is believed to make delivery easier through strengthening, toning and relaxing of the uterine and pelvic muscles. These same benefits of raspberry leaf tea make it popular for women who are trying to conceive. In general, consumption of raspberry leaf tea is recommended from the third trimester of the pregnancy to help strengthen the pelvic and uterus’ muscles, which can be beneficial during labour.

Other common uses of the red raspberry leaf tea

The red raspberry leaf contains a particularly high content of vitamins and minerals i.e. vitamins A, B, C, E, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Aside from the medicinal health benefits for pregnant or conceiving women, the raspberry leaf tea can also relieve constipation, diarrhea, and help to soothe intestine inflammation. Additionally, raspberry leaf tea is used by women with irregular menstrual cycles in order to reduce the pain and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. The leaves, with their astringent properties, are used to treat skin allergies and irritation and help to improve the elasticity and firmness of the skin. Like other teas, the red raspberry leaf can be mixed with honey to treat sore throat and other gum and mouth diseases. The potassium-rich leaves help regulate the blood sugar of people with diabetes. It also prevents dehydration, vomiting, flu, nausea, rubella, and fever.

Recommended amount for pregnant women

Raspberry tea is easy and simple to prepare. 1 to 2 teaspoon of dried leaf, poured in a cup of boiling water, and steeped for 10 minutes is the usual preparation. Consuming two to three cups of raspberry tea is the usual consumption of most pregnant women. The tea can also be prepared with alfalfa, peppermint leaf, nettle leaf, and dandelion for a variety of concoctions.

Raspberry leaf has high magnesium content that can slightly lower the body’s blood pressure. Before you take any alternative or herbal medicines, it is always highly recommended to consult with a midwife, physician, or your health care professional to ensure the safety of both you and your baby.

Sight

What you see can have a tremendous impact on your emotions. That’s why so many people have little pictures of their family and their favorite vacation spots in their work environment. Those little pictures stir up all kinds of positive emotions. Some people also use visual images for motivation such as in the gym or on the bathroom mirror. If you were given a choice, think about what your preferred environment would be for labour or giving birth. Would you prefer the drab grey walls in a sterile hospital environment? Does staring at medical equipment bring about images of a self-empowered birth? For most of us, the answer is probably not. Now imagine an environment where you are surrounded by things that are familiar to you, maybe some pictures of family, a tropical island, maybe your favorite couch or chair (if you are having a home birth). Maybe it’s the view of nearby mountains that you find relaxing. These are the types of images and objects that you should try to surround yourself with. The subconscious relaxation effect can not be overstated and your labour and birth will feel more serene and peaceful when you are surrounded with positive images!

Hearing

Music is a very commonly used form of labour relaxation. Many of the mothers I have worked with have used music for both home and hospital births. There is no perfect choice when it comes to music selection. I recommend selecting different music for different stages:

• Easy going, fun songs are great for early labour. A song from the past that makes you get up and dance and sway is great to open the hips and pelvis.
• As labour progresses and contractions become more intense, perhaps choosing white noise or having some mellow, instrumental or hypnotic music may help you focus during the late stages.
• Intimate music is great to connect with your partner if your labour stalls or slows down.

Basically you need to pick something that will help you to relax and focus. Its all about connecting with the music. Many of the mothers I have worked with actually forget what is playing and only notice that something has changed when an innocent nurse turns off the tunes! You should also consider having both an iPod available as well as a stand alone player. Quite frequently, when women are in active labour they become very touch sensitive and just the act of wearing headphones may become annoying. It is also a good idea to practice labour relaxation techniques while listening to your music.

Touch

There are a wide variety of touch options available and deciding which one works best for you is a personal choice that must be discovered through experimentation. If you have decided to use a doula, in all likelihood, she will have a wide variety of techniques available. Lets look briefly at some of the options:

• Effleurage – Is essentially a continual gliding motion that is applied in the same direction as venous blood flow. A heavier touch is used when moving your hands in the direction of blood flow and a lighter touch is used when moving in the opposite direction. Light touch massage, another similar option is helpful in maintaining a relaxed state and when done with a partner, it can help to release natural endorphins.
• Acupressure – In most cases acupressure is most effective when it is started early in labour and maintained. Quite often some experimentation is helpful to determine which pressure points are the most effective.
• Massage – If you have chosen to use a doula, she will likely have a variety of massage techniques available. Some of these might include massage with a foam roller, scalp massage, sacral counter pressure or hip squeeze. If you live in the Vancouver area you could also visit Bloom Family Wellness for a pregnancy massage.
• Hydrotherapy – It goes without saying that remaining hydrated is very important. Early in labour, drinking small amounts of water consistently and as you progress you may prefer to switch to ice chips. Hydrotherapy can also include the use of a bath or birth tub. Water provides a weightless effect which helps to decrease pain and tension.

Smell

Depending on your likes and dislikes, you should also consider the use of some aromatherapy. It is worth consulting with someone familiar to essential oils in addition to your midwife or doctor as there are definitely some oils you will want to avoid while pregnant (basil, cedar wood, juniper and rosemary to name a few). Some essential oils are ok to use during labour and others are ok to use depending upon what term you are in.

Taste

Carbohydrate loading is a common practice prior to active labour although not as much of a relaxation technique. I have included it here because it is important that you remember to eat as much healthy food as possible prior to active labour beginning . Since it difficult to pinpoint exactly when your labour will begin, I usually recommend that my clients begin increasing their intake of healthy, carbohydrate rich foods the due date approaches. Consider labour to be similar to any other athletic event that requires significant endurance. The more healthy calories to have eaten and stored before active labour begins, the better!

Additional information of labour relaxation techniques:

Labour Relaxation Techniques

To make the statement that it is important to breathe during labour is…well…obvious. Breathing in itself is part of the autonomic nervous system however breathing is unique in that it is also consciously controllable. To a large extent, you can regulate the speed and depth of your breathing. Depending upon how you choose to regulate your breathing, the other systems in your body often follow suit. If you are breathing rapidly in short, shallow bursts, you can expect that your heart rate and muscle tension will increase. In contrast, if you are taking slow, deep breaths you are more likely to experience a lower heart rate and decreased muscle tension. By integrating a variety of different breathing techniques into your birth plan, you will be able to take advantage of the many positive effects such as reduced pain, increased mental focus during contractions and a general feeling of being more in control. Let’s take a look at five popular breathing techniques that can play an integral role in your labour and birth:

Slow Breathing

Quite often, slow breathing is the most common form of breathing used by women during labour. It can help improve concentration, relaxation and pain management. By taking slow, deep breaths between and during each contraction you will be giving your body what it needs to progress naturally through the labour process. Each contraction brings you closer to the pushing stage and you can use this type of breathing to help your contractions work as effectively as possible. Each breath should begin and end in your belly. As you breathe in, imagine the oxygen moving directly to the source of pain and infusing the area with oxygen. As you breathe out, visualize your breath carrying away the pain as your contraction reaches a peak and a rest phase begins.

Pattern Breathing

Pattern breathing is similar to toning in that you are really just finding a way to get you breathing under control and then maximize its effectiveness. The act of pattern breathing requires you to concentrate and can, at the same time provide a distraction. Pattern breathing can be a great technique to use during the transition stage as the intensity of your contractions really begins to increase. A common method of pattern breathing, which your doula will be able to help with, involves a deep breath followed by 2-3 small exhales and then slowly exhaling the remainder of your breath.

Deep Breathing

Effective deep breathing begins and ends in the belly. Many people who are consciously trying to breathe deeply actually suck in their belly, tense their shoulders and force as much air into their lungs as possible. This results in shallow breathing, increased tension and will, in the end, make each and every contraction more difficult to deal with. When you take a deep breath at the beginning of each contraction, focus on making sure your upper body is relaxed. Allow yourself to feel your chest, belly, back, shoulders and neck relax as you inhale deeply; letting you entire chest fill with air. As you exhale, allow each breath to carry away pain and discomfort. Using the deep breathing technique during labour is a great way to begin and end each contraction.

Shallow Breathing

As contractions become more intense and you find yourself having more difficulty breathing through them, it can help to try some shallow breathing during the peak of each contraction. As the intensity of each contraction increases, make your breathing shallower and more rapid, similar to after you complete intense physical activity. As the intensity of your contraction begins to fade you can slowly transition back to another preferred breathing technique that involves slower, deeper breathing.

Vocal Toning

Of all the breathing techniques during labour vocal toning is probably the most under utilized. Sometimes it helps to have either you partner or doula match your toning or at least remind and help you to get started. How you use your voice during labour can have an effect on how “in control” and relaxed your body feels. Vocal toning is best described as exhaling in conjunction with a deep, low resonating tone. Similar to what Tibetan Monks do while meditating. What you want to stay away from are high pitched tones which are more often associated with tension and stress.

Practice, Practice, Practice

In order to be successful with the above breathing techniques during labour, you will need to spend some time practicing before labour actually begins. The more you practice, the more effectively you will be able to use each technique. It does not take a lot of time to see rapid improvement. In fact, if you can spend 10-15 minutes per day starting in your third trimester, you will be amazed at the level of breathing control you can develop in a short period of time! If you have decided to use a birth doula, you will also be able to get some help integrating these and other labor relaxation techniques into your birth plan.

1. Sometimes there is a medical reason that may prevent you from breastfeeding on a regular basis or there may be an extended period of time where you are not able to breastfeed. Pumping will allow you to make sure that your body continues to produce milk until you can resume breastfeeding.
2. With many mothers having to return to work after only 6 months or less of maternity leave, they are forced to make a decision as the whether or not they want to continue to breastfeed. One option is for women to pump and store breast milk while at work. Depending upon you employer and where you live, this may or may not be feasible. For example, here in British Columbia, employer must not only provide a clean, private area in which to breastfeed, the must also provide the time to do so. Check with your local legislation to find out what, if any laws are in place to assist you with pumping breast milk while at work.
3. The third and probably the most common reason that many women choose to pump is to supplement their milk supply. Keeping a bottle or two of breast milk in the fridge can allow you to top up a late night feed. Even better, it can allow dad to bottle feed while mom takes a much needed break.

There are really two types of breast pumps; Manual (hand pumps) and electric (which can be either battery operated or plug-in)

Manual Breast Pumps

Manual Breast pumps are designed to used anywhere and are simply operated by hand. My personal experience with manual pumps has been that while they can be very convenient to use, they are both more difficult and less efficient than their electric counterparts.  If you have any type of hand or forearm problems (such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome) think seriously before deciding to rely on manual pump. The good news is that they are relatively inexpensive to purchase so when you are choosing a breast pump, they can make a great backup in the even that you are not able to use your electric pump. If you decide on a manual pump, the more popular manufactures include, Ameda, Medela, Phillips Avent and Lansinoh.

Electric Breast Pumps

If you have decided to purchase an electric breast pump, you have quite a few options to consider but that can quickly be narrowed down to the top models. In the electric category, Ameda and Medela are again two of the biggest manufacturers.

Electric breast pumps provide more consistent suction; In addition, they are much more efficient. There are two options that I personally recommend. First, when choosing a breast pump, select one that includes a carrying case. Second, make sure you also purchase a few extra storage bottles and lots of freezer bags. Electric breast pumps are available for rental however it has been my experience that with monthly rental costs between $30-$50, you are often better purchasing the pump and then reselling it when you are finished breastfeeding.

My Recommendation when choosing a breast pump

When it comes to choosing an electric breast pump, my first choice would be the Ameda Purely Yours. I have used this model for both of my young children and each time I purchased one I used it for 2 years with no problems. I am in the process of selling my current pump and expect to recover at least 40% of the cost which makes it far cheaper than it would have been to rent. Both Ameda and Medela are highly rated and I have had clients who have been happy with both manufacturers.

In childbirth circles there exists a theory called “the cascade of interventions.” It says that many common interventions, especially those related to the induction of labour, can have unforeseen and sometimes unintended consequences. Quite often a simple intervention such as the medical induction of labour can initiate an unforeseen series of events. How to induce labour naturally is a question many expecting mothers are faced with as they approach full term.

Quite often when a mother reaches full term, she is physically ready to give birth but more importantly, she is psychologically ready as well. By 39 weeks and usually sooner, mothers have had enough of being pregnant as they become increasingly uncomfortable. The question I am almost always asked at this stage is “how can I induce labour naturally?” There is no perfect answer but lets take a look at some of the techniques that have worked well for my clients:

• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – Raspberry tea does not actually help to induce labor. During your final six weeks of pregnancy it is worth considering drinking red raspberry leaf tea or pregnancy tea because the potential benefits include strengthening uterine muscles, as well helping to relax uterine muscles between contractions once labor starts. You can discuss an appropriate amount with you midwife of doctor but a common guideline is 1 cup per day for the last 6 weeks of pregnancy.

• Acupressure – Many of my clients have had success inducing labor naturally with both massage and acupressure(link). Acupressure does require some basic knowledge as there are different types of pressure points. Some can be used to relieve physical discomfort during the second and third trimester, some should only be used when you are ready to induce labor and some are effective as pain relief once labor has actually started. The overall feedback from women using acupressure for natural pain relief has been very positive. Here is an excellent guide on how to induce labor naturally with acupressure.(LINK)

• Intercourse – Semen contains prostaglandins which help to naturally efface and dilate the cervix. Note that intercourse will not cause pre-term labour; the prostaglandins will only help the cervix to dilate if labor has started or is immanent.

• Movement – As difficult as it is during the final few weeks, try to get up and move around as much as possible. Help your baby to wiggle down as low as possible and engage in your pelvis.

• Spicy Foods – For some women, spicy food can stimulate motility in the intestines causing the body to release horomones that are similar to when you go into labour. One of the early signs of labor are frequent, soft, bowel movements as the body rids the intestines of waste and digested food so it can focus on labor.

If you are beyond 40 weeks and both you and baby are healthy, you should not feel pressured to “get things moving”. Don’t hesitate to ask for a second or third opinion if you are comfortable being patient and waiting for things to progress naturally. There is no perfect solution when trying to decide how to induce labor naturally. I recommend trying a variety of approaches. Move around as much as possible, try intercourse, drink your red raspberry leaf tea and use acupressure on a regular basis.

The Cascade of Interventions

How could the “cascade of interventions look”? Imagine:

• You are 40 weeks, overdue and tired of being pregnant.
• Your physician has told you that if labor does not start naturally within the next 3-5 days that they want to induce at the hospital.
• When you go into the hospital, you are given pitocin and are sent home
• You experience hours of prodromal labour and return to the hospital
• You are given a bed so the staff can set up an external fetal monitor
• Your are told you are dehydrated and an IV is started
• Then it is decided that an internal fetal monitor would be a better option
• An amniotomy is performed to speed the labor process
• Now that contractions are stronger you are given some pain medications
• Labor continues to progress quickly and the next option for pain is an epidural
• Finally you have pain relief but now your contractions have slowed
• You are given a pitocin drip
• A permanent blood pressure cuff is put on
• Your bladder is full and you can’t stand up so a urinary catheter is inserted

The above process continues until baby is born, either vaginally, with the use of vacuum extractors or forceps, with an episiotomy or via c-section.

Does the above series of events accurately depict what you have outlined in your birth plan? It is more than likely that there are considerable differences.