DE CHILDBIRTH
The birthday of your child is very special and extraordinary and quite a lot of work. Every childbirth progresses differently and we are there to guide the delivery as good as possible. A healthy child and a health mother are the most important.
1. Preparation
A proper course of childbirth can be supported by a good preparation. A good start is having faith in yourself, the pregnancy and the people that support you during childbirth. By preparing yourself consciously and by expressing any uncertainties you have you can prevent fear and unawareness.
Between 32-36 weeks we take extra time during the consultation hour to discuss your delivery, possibly you will want to make use of a birth plan. A birth plan is a document in which you describe your expectations and wishes around the childbirth.
With us you can compose your personal birth plan online. After composing the birth plan will be sent to your email directly and we will receive a copy of your birth plan so we are up to date.
With us you can compose your personal birth plan online. After composing the birth plan will be sent to your email directly and we will receive a copy of your birth plan so we are up to date.
You are also invited for our information evening that is being given in collaboration with the gynaecologists of the Spaarne Gasthuis.You can apply for this information night on the Rondom website.
2. Location
Delivery always starts at home. The birth of the child has to present itself first through labor contractions or via the loss of amniotic fluid.
The location where you will eventually give birth is decided by you if that is medically justifiable. It has to be a place where you feel safe. For one woman this is at home and for the other that place may be the hospital. If there are no medical grounds, we will guide your delivery at home or in the hospital.
If complication arise, we will carefully transfer you to the gynaecologist or paediatrician. As long as the pregnancy progresses without complications and labor starts after 37 and before 42 weeks you can decide for yourselves where you want to deliver.
3. Contact
Starting from the 37th week of pregnancy you can – at your own request or in the hospital – deliver your baby. That is no longer too early. Blood and mucous loss, amniotic fluid loss and labor contractions (frequent contractions of your cervix that are very painful) are signals that indicate that labor has started or is about to start. Not all cases where these symptoms arise are a reason to call us. Contractions can disappear in the first stadium of delivery; when minor blood and mucous loss occurs, the actual delivery might still be a week away.
4. When should you call us?
Before week 37
- If you are having contractions before week 37 or if you are losing blood and mucous or amniotic fluid.
After week 37
- • When losing blood that is bright red of color and does not contain any mucous and it covers more than a sanitary pad. A tiny bit of blood loss whether brown of red is normal and is causes by weakening the cervical head.
- • When losing amniotic fluid (save a sample in a jar and save it).
- • Call immediately when you notice a green or brown substance.
- • When the head of the child is not yet engaged. We will mention this during the consultation hour.
- • When noticing clear (white/colourless or somewhat reddish) amniotic fluid during the night, call in the morning. If your waters break during the day you can call us immediately.
When having contractions
- • If you are going into labor for the first time you can call us if you are having frequent contractions that persist three minutes or longer for over an hour.
- • If you delivered before you can call us when you believe the contractions are intensifying and you need someone.
- NB: Bathing is prohibited if your waters are broken while you are not having any contractions. Showering is no problem.
TIPS
You need good contractions to deliver as good and easily as possible and you have to feel safe in the process. So call us if you are uncertain. Especially if you are giving birth for the first time the delivery can take a long time. The contractions will – after a period of uncertainty whether this is it or not – become more frequent and more painful. When the frequency stabilises, one contraction that sustains for about 60 seconds every 4-5 minutes the dilation with probably start by itself.
This dilation process will – after the contractions start to follow up faster and become more painful – end in a periode practically without any pauses after which the urge to push will start. In this last phase you will certainly need us and you should call. But you should also call us when things don’t go as expected, for example if there is no development in the contractions but you are getting tired. Especially the intensity of the contraction tells something about the duration of the dilation; the more painful, the faster it can go. Try doing something else when the contractions are not really painful and frequent yet. So when you can still sleep at night, do so.
1. Find a quiet environment.
2. Make sure to breathe calmly (in through the nose and slowly out through the mouth) and breath in the direction of your stomach.
3. Make sure it’s nice and warm (maybe some socks and a heating pad).|
4. Take a warm shower or bath (only take a bath when your waters have not broken yet, otherwise consult us first).
5. Take a warm shower or bath (only take a bath when your waters have not broken yet, otherwise consult us first).
6.Try to look at the pain as something functional: the contractions are necessary to open the cervical head, make sure the child can get out!
7. Have faith in your own abilities!
Rondom collaboration
Rondom is the collaboration project of the Spaarne Gasthuis and the midwifery practice in Haarlem. Together we organise an information evening themed: giving birth and the childbed.