What you need to know about the NICU

Most parents' expectations of what life will be like after a baby is born is filled with joy, visitors, pictures, and a quick stay at the hospital. But for those facing the challenges of a baby in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), life is very different. Usually NICU babies are very sick or premature and life seems to hang in the balance. Although it can be a very sad and hard time, there are things that you can do make life in the NICU a little more bearable.

In the webinar, Different Beginnings: An Inside View of the NICU, nurse, Mary Coughlin, describes what the NICU is like, what nurses can do to make the stay better, and what parents can do to help their infant thrive.

There were two main points that stood out:
1. Parental involvement is key to infant success in the NICU. There are countless studies that show that infants have better outcomes if parents are involved in their daily care. In addition to parental care, skin-to-skin (also known as kangaroo care) is vital to infants health in the NICU. It is so important to be there for your baby when they are sick. Nothing effects their outcome more than the parents.

2. Feeding your infant breastmilk is crucial to an infants ability to thrive in the NICU. Breastmilk is so important to an infant in the NICU that it is sometimes referred to as medication. Breastmilk is nutritionally perfect for infants, and especially beneficial to the sick or premature NICU infant. Breastmilk helps infants grow faster and healthier!!

If you are a parent facing the chance of NICU stay, please listen to the webinar and get support from other parents who have had infants in the NICU.

A Christmas Birth Story

As a doula, when you take a client around the holidays, you know there is a slight chance that a baby will come on the actual holiday and that is exactly what happened to me. My December client was a couple of days over due when I heard my phone chirp on Christmas Eve morning. It was the text that I was hoping to avoid until after Christmas morning, since this year I was hosting my parents and sister. My client was in early labor and so at this point my main goal was to finish cooking Christmas Eve dinner before I had to leave. We finished dinner just in time for me to leave. When I met my client, she was still in early labor so I knew for sure we had a Christmas baby on our hands. After some tough night labor, she had her baby.

I rushed home to open gifts, but my kids were already done opening them. My hubby graciously video-ed them opening each thing. The adults had waited until I got home to open presents, but the only thing I wanted was to eat and go to sleep. I mustered the strength to open and appear thankful (which I was) for all the awesome gifts. Then I crashed.

Later, when I was reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, I thought about Mary giving birth alone (no doula or midwife), with just Joseph by her side. How scared and confused she must have been, not knowing what to expect from labor. I thought how thankful I am to help women through that unknown and difficult time. I also felt blessed to witness the birth of a child on Christmas day--what an awesome gift! So as it turned out that the best gift I received this Christmas was not all wrapped up in fancy paper and bows, but instead came swaddled up in a pink and blue hospital blanket!

Fistula Foundation Donation

It's that time of year to get your final donations into your favorite non-profit organization. One of mine is the Fistula Foundation. Part of my blog is actually dedicated to helping these women. Click on the "Shop" tab and check it out.

About two weeks ago my husband posted the "shop" part of my blog on facebook and within 3 days, I was able to raise $100 for this awesome cause. My goal is $450, which is the cost of one fistula surgery in developing nations. I am over half way there, raising $295. Wow! That is so awesome.

If you want to help, you can go to the http://www.fistulafoundation.org/ and donate there or purchase some great baby/mama gear on my blog and 100% of the profits go to these women.

If you need a little inspiration, check out this video!

Preeclampsia Update

Preeclampsia, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the US and around the world, has been updated in terms of diagnosis. There no longer has to be a detection of protein in urine for a pregnant mother to be diagnosed with preeclampsia. A report has recently been released by ACOG determining that a mother with other signs of preeclampsia, such as high blood pressure, can now be diagnosed with the condition even if there has been no detection of protein in her urine. Just be aware that if you have elevated blood pressure and other risk factors, you could be diagnosed with preeclampsia. One way to avoid high blood pressure is with a proper diet. Check out the Brewers Diet to see what you can do to possibly avoid preeclampsia.

Placenta Encapsulation

Women all over the world choose to take their placentas home from the hospital and have it encapsulated. Many believe that the consuming the placenta helps increase iron lost during childbirth, it encourages milk production, reduces fatigue, helps lessen postpartum bleeding, help the uterus return to normal, and improves mood and energy. If you are considering placenta encapsulation for yourself, you need to know some information about how it should be handled to keep you safe.

How to Choose an Encapsulation Specialist:
1. Make sure they are a Certified Encapsulation Specialist.
2. Do not allow the Encapsulation Specialist to remove the placenta from your home. The procedure should be done in your home.
3. Look for an Encapsulation Specialist with experience.

How the Placenta Encapsulation Process Normally Works:
(information provided by Lauren Agro, CD(DONA), CPES(PBi)

Step 1: Save your Placenta! Request in the hospital that you would like to take your placenta home and have it refrigerated/frozen as soon as possible after the birth. It needs to be placed in a refrigerator or kept cool on ice. Then, call to schedule placenta encapsulation services. Typically, an encapsulation specialist will arrive at your home within 24-72 hours after the birth to begin the process.

Step 2: Day 1, The Encapsulation Specialist arrives at the client's home and the placenta is cleaned and prepared for dehydration using Traditional Chinese Medicine methods.

Step 3: Day 2, The Encapsulation Specialist powders and encapsulate the placenta and gives detailed instructions on how to take their capsules. When the Encapsulation Specialist leaves, the kitchen should be cleaned and sanitized.

Here is some more information about placenta encapsulation: 

Placenta for Healing: http://placentabenefits.info/medicinal.asp
Scientific Research: http://placentabenefits.info/research.asp

Please contact me if you would like a recommendation for an Encapsulation Specialist in the Baltimore area.

Seeing Double: Webinar on Twins

In recent years, the incidence of twins (or higher order multiples) has increased in the United States due to many factors some of which include: increased use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as IVF and ovulation enhancers like, Clomid. Also, women are choosing to start families later in life. This increased maternal age increases the incidence of multi-ovulation cycles, in turn increasing the incidence of twins.

I wanted to gain some more knowledge about twinning and capture a few take-home points for my readers, so I found a webinar that gave some helpful information about twins, that I wanted to pass along.

Women who are pregnant with twins need to eat 300 more kcal than women pregnant with singletons. That means increasing your normal diet by 600 kcal. More important than calories alone, is the vitamins and minerals that you take. Doctors recommend getting 1mg of folate and 60mg of iron after the first trimester. Also, many care providers suggest increasing the amount of protein that you eat, which has been shown in to possibly decrease the incidence of pre-eclampsia. Click here to read more about diet and pre-eclampsia.

How do you know what type of twin you are having?

Most twins are dizygous, meaning they were formed from two eggs and two sperms. They typically have two placentas (dichorionic) and two amniotic sacs (diamniotic). These twins are called "fraternal".

"Identical" twins or monozygous twins are formed with one egg and one sperm that later split into two. Although identical twins can have one or two placentas, one or two amniotic sacs or be conjoined, the most common situation is one placenta (monochorionic) and two amnotic sacs (diamniotic).

                                  (most common)

So what does all this mean in practical terms?

ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) has set some standards on when these type of twins should be born. If you are having babies that have two placentas (dichorionic), they should be born between 38-39 weeks. However, if you are having twins with one placenta (monochorionic), ACOG recommend delivery between 34-38 weeks. 

What is the likelihood that you will deliver vaginally?

As long as there are no other twin-type complications, 43% of twins present both head down, which would allow for a vaginal birth. The second most common presentation is 1st baby head down and 2nd baby "other" (breech or transverse). This presentation also usually allows for a vaginal delivery.

After all that information are you seeing double? I know I am! I hope this information was helpful. For more in-depth knowledge, check out the webinar linked above.

Informed Birth Choices and Babies R Us

Babies R Us and Informed Birth Choices have patterned to bring FREE one-hour seminars to the Catonsville (6501A BALTIMORE NATL PIKE BALTIMORE MD 21228 P: (410)744-0820) area. These classes are totally free and will cover topics like breastfeeding, pregnancy, and comfort during labor. If you live in the area and are interested in getting some great FREE prenatal and postpartum information, stop by the Catonsville Babies R Us on the following dates (No registration required):

Free one-hour seminars given by IBC at BRU @ 7pm
Informed Pregnancy- 01/16
Informed Breastfeeding- 01/30
Comfort for Labor- 02/20
Informed Breastfeeding- 02/27