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can prayer truly change a persons heart?

Am looking to put together a list of 'do's and don'ts in the delivery room' to provide for first time dads! I am due May 5th with my third but my partner is having his first and I would love to be able to show him a list of things from real mamas about what he SHOULD or SHOULD NOT do when I'm in labour, the stuff I'm finding on the net is limited and I think it would be great for any dad to see what some of you fantastic ladies have to say about your experiences, your hopes, fears, and even expectations for your partner while in labour... Please leave as many tips as you can think of!!

Serious tips only please! I think they all know it's a bad idea to comment on the cute nurses at the hospital ;)

Can't wait to read your ideas!!

Coping with Labour - One Contraction at a Time

How you approach labour can effect how you feel about your birth experience later on (is your glass half full or half empty!!) It's surprising to most women to learn that labour isn't a continuous discomfort but comes and goes and gives you time to recharge your batteries in between contractions. When you break it down as in the following article it might give you a bit of extra confidence to keep going.

Once you are in established labour, you will experience contractions that come with regularity. From the time a contraction begins until the time the next contraction begins will determine "how far apart" the contractions are.

Lets look at this more carefully.

Contractions are coming every 3 minutes and lasting for about 1 minute. This means that in 1 hour, you will experience contractions for 20 minutes, and will be resting for 40 minutes.

A contraction has a "up" when it begins; a tightening. Then it has a "peak" where you feel it's intensity, and then it goes "down" which is relaxing. About half of the contraction is "up" and about the other half is "down" with only a second or two at the peak. Only half (the first half) of your contraction will involve the "pain". The other half is relaxing.

Since you can estimate 20 minutes of the hour is spent on contracting, only half of that time is spent on going "up". In other words, 10 minutes out of every hour.

Declare your motto "I can do anything for 1 minute". The "up" of a contraction will almost always be less than 1 minute except maybe the final minutes before birth.

By taking your contractions one at a time- and spending the remaining part of your labor relaxing, you will find that labour can be managed easily! Relaxaing between contractions is key...some women even sleep between contractions. Let your entire body go loose and limp...this way you are conserving your energy.

Some general guidelines to help assess and manage your contractions:

Early labour
Contractions coming 15 minutes apart lasting 25 seconds (12 seconds "up") 59 minutes of rest, discomfort felt for 1 minute per hour

Contractions coming 10 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds (15 seconds "up") 57 ½ minutes of rest, discomfort felt for 1 ½ minute per hour


Active labour
Contractions coming 5 minutes apart lasting 45 seconds (23 seconds "up") 55 ½ minutes of rest, pain felt for 4 ½ minutes per hour

Contractions coming 3 minutes apart lasting 60 seconds (30 seconds "up") 50 minutes of rest, pain felt for 10 minutes per hour


Transition
Contractions coming 2 minutes apart lasting 90 seconds (45 seconds "up") 37 ½ minutes of rest, pain felt for 22 ½ minutes per hour

You're on the home stretch now :)

Sorry its long, hope it made you feel a bit more confident. I def needed to read something like this!

Feeling like their babies are becoming more and more active? My little guy doesn't stop!

a friend loaned me a fantastic book and I wanted to share it with you all. it is "natural hospital birth: the best of both worlds" by cynthia gabriel. it has great descriptions of natural labor and the stages of emotions you go through. not just the hippie version of the emotions but real, raw emotions. it also has great tips for working with hospital staff and suggestions for your birth partner to step in for you during your labor. i expected the book to be the same typical information ive found elsewhere but its so much better. i read it like a novel in one night it was so good and helpful and now insisting that my husband read it and take notes too! if you plan to deliver in a hospital and want an unmedicated birth i highly recommend this book!

Anyone plan on going natural??

For my glucose test? My doctor never said anything about it. How about water?

I'm doing my 3 hour test right now cause I failed my first one. I was talking with the tech drawing my blood and she asked if I ate before I did my last one and I said yes (my doc told me I could). the tech said that almost everyone who eats before fails! she asked what doctor I use and I told her. she just nodded and said most ladies from my office fail cause of this! WTH. I'm telling my doc this on my next visit. so word of advice, don't eat!!!!

over the last week I've noticed my finger nails are a slight yellow color. I don't wear nail polish (nor have I in years). its weird. any ideas as to what this might be? 27 weeks

over the last week I've noticed my finger nails are a slight yellow color. I don't wear nail polish (nor have I in years). its weird. any ideas as to what this might be? 27 weeks