Ep 99: Birth Terms to be Familiar with (Part 2/4)

In part 2 of our perinatal vocabulary series, we’re focusing on terms you might hear as you get closer to birth.  And although these might be birth terms, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with them during your pregnancy as well.  This just helps you be better prepared and to communicate effectively with your birth team.  Definitely listen to part 1 which gives some great organ and organ system definitions, and we’ll build on those definitions as we discuss things like:

Rupture of membranes

Prodromal labor

Braxton-Hicks contractions 

Episiotomy

Oxytocin

Failure to progress 

And more!

Resources mentioned in the show:

Failure to Progress from Evidence Based Birth 

Episode 92 - all about epidurals

Episode 65 - how to have a gentle induction 

Episode 55 - tips for optimal fetal positioning

Transcript

Unknown Speaker  0:03  

Hi there, align verse. You are listening to the aligned birth podcast and understanding doula Rachael is here. Again today and today is part two of a series that we really didn't know was going to be a two part series until we started recording. And then we just got to talking. So today is birth terms last time was our pregnancy terms. So things that will come about during pregnancy, new words, new vocabulary terms that you may not be familiar with. So it's important to be familiar with those words. So that you can better advocate for yourself and have your empowered birth experience. So next up, and what we're talking about today is some birth terms that will come up related to the prenatal terms as well too. So there's going to be you know, slightly overlap, but that's what we're going to be chatting about today. And I know we're super excited to chat about that and to also bring up some of the new things we have that we want to do with the podcast, how we want to grow, how we want to reach more people how we want to keep putting out this necessary information. That's the feedback that we hear. We love that feedback how much people love the show, how they've learned from the show, and that's the whole goal has been to help them have that empowered pregnancy and birth experience and postpartum and transition into parenthood and all of that and so with that we are asking for slight monetary sponsorship donations, whatever you feel like giving we have the option we've got linked in our show notes so you can easily follow it there. We've got it on our Buzzsprout website as well too and easy ways to just help us continue doing what we're doing and spreading the knowledge because yeah, this takes a lot of work. I mean, Rachel and I are right now sitting down we sit down to write now we're at a three hour chunk of time, so we sit down, but that the time that it went into the outlines, and then the outcast and then the social sharing of the pack. It's a lot of things. So I think it's a label and we love it, and we would just love to have support as well too. So in that same mindset, we'd love to have you be part of the live birth community. And so we want to share some things in your email inbox about upcoming episodes, ways to support the show. Feedback from the show, like all these good things that we have coming out, we want to be able to share that with you as well too. So you can stay up to date we in the future. We've got all kinds of big plans, and we want to be able to share those with you so we'll have the option to kind of opt in on the show notes as well, so you can receive some information so again, today, I'm happy to chat about part two of our terminology episodes. Hello. Hello, Rachel.

Unknown Speaker  2:49  

Hi, Dr. Shannon. To continue this conversation. We were like rolling and all of a sudden realize how long we had gone so I'm happy to break it up because there's just so much to share. And I'm excited for part two. And just to add on to what you were just saying, for signing up for our community. You know, our goal is to just email you when the episodes coming out. And on occasion as we're rolling out new stuff, we will not be bombarding you every day or or with with with a lot of annoying stuff in your inbox. So, you know, give it a shot. You can always then subscribe but we'd love to have you there so that we can you know, stay in touch and share you know, you kind of wanna be the first to know when new things are happening and, and so we hope you will sign up and all of this as a reminder are in the ER is in the show notes. So wherever you're listening, go find the show notes. Click on the link of how what you want to do next whether it be for the show, sign up on our email list,

Unknown Speaker  3:55  

or leave us a review, leave a rating and review I'm gonna say

Unknown Speaker  4:00  

right like that's another non monetary way to support us and we'd greatly appreciate your words and your time. So those are some Those are three kind of easy ish ways to show us some love. We know you're busy, we know you're probably if you're listening, if you're like me, you're on the go. Stopping and doing one of these things might feel like you don't have time but if you can just pause what you're doing and help us out we would greatly appreciate it and we hope you enjoy today's episode.

Unknown Speaker  4:27  

Yes. Okay, so like we said continuation of last time last time was a lot of anatomy terms related to pregnancy. But then also just regular vocabulary words related to pregnancy as well too. But now we want to switch into Okay, now we're in birth. Now we're at that labor and birth aspect of things. And so again to even with the last one, I'm like maybe we should have done this in some sort of order like alphabetical. There is no order to this. This is just like how our brains like we're like, these are words that people may not know about birth. And it was kind of like the things that came to mind and saying there's

Unknown Speaker  5:13  

not a logical order to the list.

Unknown Speaker  5:15  

There's no logical I don't know, I don't maybe there is I challenge you to put

Unknown Speaker  5:19  

this in order. Exactly.

Unknown Speaker  5:21  

That's the thing. It's like I don't know word vomit. Here you go. So what do we have first we have position. Well, we're positioning we're talking it's got the rupture of membranes. Okay, so that's what I have is that what you have

Unknown Speaker  5:47  

start with rupture of membrane break.

Unknown Speaker  5:49  

So we in the last episode we talked about you got this the wound this beautiful amniotic sac, where maybe is loading and hanging out. And sometimes you'll hear we've had these visions, I ran through both of my pregnancies, and I had visions of me running on the treadmill at the gym and my water breaking, and like it being some sort of like comedy scene. I don't know, because that's what you see in the movies. And so that's where we're going out with this is that breaking of the waters like if you've heard those terms before, so yes, it can happen on its own. Sometimes you may not actually have it happen. There's lots of variations there as well. I know with mine too, at broke and then maybe dropped down and so I never had that big gush, you know that you also tend to potentially see in movies if that's where we're getting the right information from. But there's also this rupture of membranes. So that's another way to say am I correct in that like remember, I

Unknown Speaker  6:53  

mean, waters would be like, having your water break, like, Oh, my water break, I wonder, has it broken? You know, and I think dispelling the, whatever the perception that people have, from what they've probably been informed by media is that it is a big poppin and Gushan happens and then you rushed to the hospital and it's like very evident that your water broke and then that means you immediately have to go to the hospital have a baby. So with the water breaking, I tell you, there's no clear like your water will break before Labor begins or your water will break and then pop into gush or your water will break at this point in labor. All are true. For some people, the water will break before Labor even begins and that is called premature rupture of membranes. So that means you're not in labor. But your water breaks. And for most people, labor will pick up within like 12 hours. And then the next chunk of people 24 hours,

Unknown Speaker  7:59  

because there's a timetable that that puts you on

Unknown Speaker  8:03  

a little bit but then right most current evidence actually, it really does give a lot of time and understanding that giving a full 24 hours before doing anything is the vast majority of people are going to have labor going on their own without meaning intervention. So then after that point, if Labour hasn't started betting you might want to meet just to get things going. Because yes, once the water breaks, you do need a new baby born within a certain time but it's not hard and fast. It's not 18 hours. It's not babies be born in 24 hours, like same labor, like going by 24 hours would be the biggest goal. And knowing that for most people that will happen on its own. So trusting in that process. Obviously you want to let your provider know once your water breaks just to give them and update and then you know doing your own research on this and incompetent labor hasn't started. I mean, you're gonna have to do because if you're giving birth in a hospital and your water breaks are going to come in sooner rather than later. Once your water is broken, there is no action. But that can be monitored and you can be given things to watch out for periodic checks to the hospital if needed. The best thing to do is stay at home comfort of your home, where you feel safe. Have all of your with your water in the shower in your comfort. Yeah. Because I'm interfered with

Unknown Speaker  9:45  

and it doesn't mean that as soon as it breaks, like those contractions hit right there, you know, and it's like, oh, it's not always like that. Like I said, it can be that gradual slow process, designing.

Unknown Speaker  9:56  

Oh, yeah, I can totally get you if I sign that baby's gonna be here sooner rather than later. Yeah, for sure. But it's a variation of normal, and then some people can have their water break. Contracts start. Some people, the water doesn't break on its own until well into labor. Well, the numbers show that most water breaks at like seven eight centimeters. Really towards the end of labor. All right, and for some, the water never breaks and baby is born in Fall we actually had an Intel baby.

Unknown Speaker  10:39  

That's so cool. The pictures on that I would highly recommend looking at that because that is really freaking cool. You think gives you that insight glimpse of what was going on these days? They were actually they were hanging out. Yeah. Why that happens like in some cases. Yeah. You know.

Unknown Speaker  10:59  

Typically over the course like when you have more prostaglandins while it's softening and getting the cervix it also does tends to be like quiet lectures and labor. all degrees of normal and so people kind of visualize like Waterbury hospital. They are going, Oh, these are degrees of normal. And then I had another thought that I was going to share about the water breaking. It's Oh, I was going to give the example too. That's not always a pop and a big gush. right times. It's a slow cat that and that can be more confusing. The poppin guy she was very like, Oh, my water broke. It's very evident, but sometimes the trickle which can happen it's confusing. I did I did. I just,

Unknown Speaker  11:54  

I lived here myself. Yeah, yeah.

Unknown Speaker  11:57  

And so there are ways to kind of determine that we encourage people to like go to the bathroom and impede their bladder. And then do some like Side to Side Lunges. And if it keeps coming out after you know you've emptied your bladder, that's a good sign that it's probably your amniotic, we the water has broken. Or the other thing that is you can lie down for like 20 minutes, and then obviously empty your bladder lie down for 20 minutes and then when you get up, if it like comes out uncontrollably, then even if it's a leak, then that's a good sign. It's your because the amniotic fluid in your water has broken that one confuses more people. Yeah, the top and gosh, and that's understandable. I would think it was confusing to you can always go to your provider and they have little swap things that they can swap that area and test to see if it's amniotic fluid or not to confirm if it is if you're really not sure and it's important that you know, some home birth midwives will send you with a few to keep at home or you can order them on Amazon. Like just to have on hand if you're like I really want to know I don't think necessary. But if you want then you could and then so knowing it can be a slow trickle or popping a gush and then you keep producing amniotic fluid and that's really good for your baby. So knowing that once it once it breaks, whether it be a pop, or a leak, it keeps coming. So like you do it on like a pad or go fully nekkid but just know you're gonna keep having fluid come out especially during contraction that can trip. I understand the water breaking is not straightforward. It's fine. There's so many degrees of normal and most of them are perfectly fine but just understand that and then there's the artificial rupture of the membranes. So that's when the water is broken with intention. So usually a provider document midwife. In some settings, it's routine. I get hit five centimeters in labor garden, hey, let's break your water and you're like, Well wait a second. I have options here. And then in some instances, it might be offered once you've gotten to a certain point in life where maybe there's a bulging bag of water coming out or you're not having a hard time kind of progressing regressor they're that big bag of water still there, and you're in good active labor. Maybe helping that along could be a benefit again, you got to ask your questions and figure out what you're comfortable with. And it should be your choice not as a routine intervention, but that is considered the artificial rupture and membrane and done. It looks like a crochet hook. Yeah. And like a hard plastic crochet hook with a stark little thing on the end that they nick the sack with. Some people wonder if like a vaginal check can cause it. I think the finger straight up finger isn't going to cause it but sometimes the check in general can make release more prostaglandins and it can stretch a little bit further might lead

Unknown Speaker  15:08  

to a can facilitate it maybe yeah, not necessarily. Yeah, I

Unknown Speaker  15:12  

want to just like pop it usually with a gloved finger. Right but you know, you can always ask your provider about that but that's just helpful information about the water and labor and all those terms. They something might be wrong as a ROM and then when it breaks on your own. It's just referred to as spontaneous rupture of membranes. I've

Unknown Speaker  15:33  

never been like oh my Yeah, no. I've never heard that's true. Yeah, but if you were on a ROM and then like knowing too, that that's the same thing as Oh, this sounds having your water broken, your water breaks, you know, like those. All of those terms are kind of interchangeable.

Unknown Speaker  15:51  

Yeah. Yes. Yeah. And I think, again, with your provider beforehand, what's your take on artificial washer membrane or what's your take on breaking my waters is something y'all routinely do? Like, having a heads up on that is huge, because once you're in labor, and they come in, like, let's break your water, let's get to stay here. It's gonna be hard to say no, and I'm not saying you should say no. But you don't want to be put in a position where you feel like it's happening to

Unknown Speaker  16:16  

you. And you don't need to be you don't want to be in that position where you're like just now having those conversation right and trying to navigate it while you're also dealing with the fact that you are in labor, right. So right because

Unknown Speaker  16:29  

there are some risks to that artificial extra membrane. So learning about this is important.

Unknown Speaker  16:36  

Something else that comes in a lot. And it's also hard to tell as far as like when the uterus starts contracting. So in the last episode, we talked about switches amazing. organ made of smooth muscle and it will contract and that will help expel baby and birth baby. So that is, you know, that is how that happens. All the other things happened to but the body starts to prepare beforehand with some of those uterine contractions. And so they're called Braxton Hicks. And so you'll probably hear that and providers might even be asking, you know, have you felt any contractions or you might a lot of times, I think there's variations into how to describe how it feels to because I have so many moms that will say different things like well, you know, they, there's the common aspect of like, it should be tightening. It should start from the top and go to the bottom, but that doesn't always when I'm talking to moms, it's not how they always describe it. It's more than sometimes it'll be like, Ellie just got really, really hard on it. Sometimes I've had moms who were like, and it stayed like that for an extended period of time. So there are variations to it. And

Unknown Speaker  17:54  

yeah, the Braxton Hicks are can happen from early on in pregnancy, they tend to pick up more towards the end of pregnancy. Some people never experienced them. Braxton Hicks Are these like intermittent uterine contractions? They do not form a pattern. Right? They typically don't last very long. Like I was saying, on average, they should be like 2030 seconds. There are the instance where people say they just went on and on and on. But there might be like one that doesn't like that and then not again, but it is it's like it's like to bounce a penny off of it like your belly, the whole belly tightens. It's like might take your breath away, might feel like a really tight hug. It might wrap around hard to say like what direction I would come from. It's just an overall tightening of the belly. I think that's the most like common descriptor and in terms are like inconsistent. very inconsistent. Yeah, sir. After they're not laughing for very long, they're bouncing around. You might have a few they might come on and off for a while and then they stop. So with Braxton Hicks, it's a degree of normal you might just be more. That's just might be how your body does it. We tend to say it's a signal to the body that you might need to rest and hydrate. It's a signal like overactivity and dehydration, and a lot of times we'll hear from our clients and then they'll tell us what they're experiencing think of minus detractors and then they'll tell us about their day. Like I had a long day at work. I was on my feet all day I haven't drinking enough water. I went to

Unknown Speaker  19:31  

the zoo with my other kids we want

Unknown Speaker  19:33  

Yeah, yeah. Our I've been under a lot of stress. And so we try and extract some information here. So it's usually a signal, take it as a signal not like oh, I'm in labor. Take it as like a it is time to prioritize your care right now. So rest, Epsom salt baths, and hydration and water.

Unknown Speaker  19:54  

What should happen is you can kind of tell Okay, do I need to know if these are progressing like if you're having kind of not consistent contractions, but if they're happening more frequent, you can those things. If it is truly Braxton Hicks, it should stop those contractions. If it's actual labor moving on, then it should keep going. And so

Unknown Speaker  20:20  

yeah, that's a good point of like between Braxton Hicks and actual labor as then they keep going and they they start to form a pattern. And then yeah, if you do these things, and they keep going, and somebody will get excited, like, well, I want to work with it. I don't want to slow things down. I'm like, Well, if it's labor, it's not going to stop. So if you rest and do all these things, and it keeps going, okay, then you're ready. And if you keep overdoing it, you're gonna wear yourself out and we're like, treat it like a marathon, not a sprint. And I can relate with that analogy, like, and then hit it every sprint, great, but if not, we're gonna prepare and more times than not doing those things calms. things down. We tend to see them happen more in like subsequent like mold tips, like after you've already had a child like for your second, third, and so on, like tend to see an increased rate of Braxton Hicks. It doesn't typically cause change to the cervix. So like, the uterus is a muscle and we talked about this in our last episode, that is a muscle at the base of the uterus is the cervix. And every time the uterus contracts, those muscles like pull up on the cervix, and the power of that surge helps the cervix to thin and dilate, into having good long strong contractions is what helps your cervix do what it needs to do for your baby to come down and out. But But Braxton Hicks aren't doing that motion on the cervix. They're just it's like a spasm. It's like a muscle. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker  21:49  

Mike, I'm

Unknown Speaker  21:51  

actually working on the cervix. So it's not typically not.

Unknown Speaker  21:57  

It's not leading to the changes. Yeah. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  22:03  

And then it kind of feels like it shifts into like more of a can like they can kind of learn together more times than not Brexit. It's just like practice. Repeated. Practice contraction. Okay, that's exactly.

Unknown Speaker  22:17  

So chat about labor because now I want to hear Daddy What is our what's the difference between Braxton Hicks and then that's that's false labor. That's kind of a comment. That prodromal.

Unknown Speaker  22:47  

Laborers are conversation here on the script. We like to call it a treasure trove slash crash. I'm really I'm experiencing contractions. Oh oh, our profit. Anytime you. Come along as we found out what Tyler's when you say it. What does that really like us? They're deep. 50 years old. They feel to my heart wise. When I have a rule labor contractions. I'm working on the cervix and the uterus contracting and Paul was diagnosed with that it's gonna city all talk about where to go or not to get your sounds out of the way in a contract stuff. Where you start drama labor. Oh, thanks for sharing that just aren't right. When you go to work out and you kind of warm up and then you don't go live again.

Unknown Speaker  24:10  

You're I'm tired of warming up so when you've got a client that is on the phone with you, and we've now figured it's like pretty similar, but what do you usually recommend at that point, like do you recommend the same kind of like rest water bath to see if that slows them down or lets them continue or what does that look like?

Unknown Speaker  24:34  

Yeah, I try and help them I mean, prodromal everyone the hardest and Braxton Hicks tend to not not get in people's heads too much for drama, labor. You know, it's happening later, in really towards the end of pregnancy. It can be one of the hardest thing to navigate. Because every time you're starting to feel the contractions and they go on for an hour or two like are they going to stop or are they going to keep going? And so you're constantly feeling like it's this it? Is this it? And so it's a lot of wash and repeat with staying grounded staying present? Definitely. I mean, I'm always gonna say warm Epsom salt bath. Take a rest during a big thing of water. You know, take care of yourself. You know, connect with your partner, try and stay distracted, and really until it doesn't stop until they get stronger, longer closer together, and ignore it and carry on with your life. As best you can. And that it's easier said than done. But I just needed that reminder. And it's usually like we're talking every couple of days, especially if it's going on and on. And people tend to form a pattern like they might get more prodromal labor like in the middle of the night or as they're going to bed. So we're really trying to help them get rest at some point in the day when they're not having contractions. Because of hasn't the contractions died down. They're feeling discouraged. They not sure what to do next. Well now you need to rest because contractions have stopped and maybe you were up all night with them. So if you're able to prioritize rest give your body a break, take the break and trust the process and it is a incremental thing. It's really really hard. Some people have it for weeks. Some people don't have it at all and some people have it and then it quickly bleeds into our you know goes into labor, right like you might have a day off and on and then labor starts the next day like where it's more more consistent, more, more, like stronger contractions are coming and they're doing that longer, stronger closer together. So I think it's one of the hardest things to navigate at the end of pregnancy if you end up with family, and there's no real reason. Sometimes it could be mouth positioning.

Unknown Speaker  26:46  

I was just about to say that because I know we've chatted about that before too because in my head I also like oh maybe go get adjusted as well too because maybe there is positioning issues, you know, stress to the nervous system. Yeah, no definitely we're allergy in Yeah, pelvis.

Unknown Speaker  27:02  

type of going to the chiropractor and getting a prenatal massage. We're gonna definitely recommend those things to calm the nervous system 100% And if it is positional, you're balancing the pelvis over and over and I think it'd be independent you need to be doing that regularly if not the one and done as you know. So yeah, we're definitely going to interesting a car brands are gonna go recommend the chiropractor, maybe prenatal massage. And the other thing that I see like anecdotally is, if it is positional, that prodromal labor is helping get baby into a good position. On the can often on contractions are helping massage baby like. Yeah, like when you have a contraction, it works on the baby. And then also what we see a lot are when they're when they're prodromal labor contractions. Those are more like real contractions. So we tend to see it actually creating some change to the cervix. So my anecdotal experience if you have long prodromal labor tend to have a shorter once it gets going. It's like things go. Like your cervix is usually good and soft, thinning out maybe some dilation has occurred. So like, that's the silver lining that I might offer. Yeah, for Jama labor. I

Unknown Speaker  28:17  

think I had like, I don't think I would say that I had like traditional like prodromal labor. I just remember being at work and trying to have conversations with my supervisor at the holiday luncheon. And I was like gripping the table because I was like, this is kind of intense. And I was like, I don't want to talk to this guy anymore. Yeah, guy has no clue what's going on. He

Unknown Speaker  28:40  

was like you're in false labor.

Unknown Speaker  28:43  

I would have been like I'm gonna put you in the face. Again, yeah, my baby came shortly after that, because that was 12 and he was born the 13th so I wouldn't call it prodromal but that would have been like early labor and I was probably at my early labor. So yeah, that was uh, that feeling

Unknown Speaker  28:58  

is Mr. That the contractions that when they describe prodromal labor. it different than Braxton Hicks. It sounds more like the real thing and that's why we're counting. Okay, this is labor it'll keep going. It doesn't Yeah, actual like labor doesn't stop once you're kind of in that in that. But yeah, we're

Unknown Speaker  29:17  

in it definitely felt and a lot of times to you're like oh, once you if you do have Braxton Hicks, and then you do feel the contractions, you're like, Oh, yeah. Okay, that was totally Brexit. It's kind of like not really going into that too. Like after the fact or even like, yeah, like baby movement when you feel you know those things you're likely to get indigestion and now you know, oh, yeah, no, that was definitely that was definitely baby.

Unknown Speaker  29:39  

Yeah, yeah, no for drama. Labor wants people when they're having it. And we're gonna know when it's shifting into labor, labor, and we're like, you'll know. And then once it does that, oh, yeah, okay,

Unknown Speaker  29:52  

you were right. Yeah, you'll know. Okay, so we've done an episode before, how to have a gentle induction, but that's another birth term to know, induction being induced in to labor. And so this is kind of artificially starting labor. There are lots of ways to do it. Lots of things. We had a wonderful episode about it, where Rachel really went through lots of ways to advocate for yourself with it, too. So it doesn't have to be so. It seems to be a hot button term to like, Well, some people are just like they threaten you they feel threatened with an induction maybe I don't know. Yeah, you know, with providers. So it doesn't have to be

Unknown Speaker  0:00  

that mean, and so not being scared of the induction. Now, that induction what I mean, like you said that artificial starting of labor, and that's because it's been determined that it's safer for baby to be born and stay pregnant. Right? So understanding that and then so there's lots of different ways there's phonological and non chronological ways to to get labor going or to try to get labor going or what prepare the cervix for labor. And so we don't have fear induction. A lot of people they start from the gate they're gonna just know I don't want to be induced because they've heard a lot of horror stories. Maybe about long inductions or unnecessary inductions,

Unknown Speaker  0:37  

the cascade of events and then the nothing. Yeah, sometimes.

Unknown Speaker  0:42  

Yeah. And so, you know, I think the thing to know here is that sometimes induction isn't necessary. Currently, I feel like a lot of times it's done unnecessarily but why is it being done? Is it medically necessary? Am I okay with it? Or do I have a personal preference on being induced because that's what I want for myself like, that's also an option for your you have that right to write to consult with your doctor about choosing an induction you know, what isn't not a volunteer and elective induction. You know, there are options within there. And then the approach you take and aiming for a gentle induction, but it doesn't have to be a nasty word necessarily.

Unknown Speaker  1:25  

Exactly. And so I yeah, like Rachel said, I highly recommend listening to that. So we're not going to go through all the ins and outs today. Yeah, that was interesting time. We know how we are. When we get Yes, okay, good. Today, yeah, Episode 65. Okay, next up another word.

Unknown Speaker  1:46  

Epidural. And we literally did an episode more recently about this one. This is episode 92 that we did it was all about epidurals, which I think had I had some good people from that episode, where people really liked it because and here's the picture that we wanted to paint with it and I'm so glad it came across this way is that you are still like frickin badass and a rockstar at giving birth. If you have an epidural, if you have a cesarean birth. So the epidural conversation was not one of bashing it. No, it's kind of like the same thing. When we talk about breastfeeding, everything in nursing. It's like wanting to have the information so that you can make that informed, educated decision and that you can feel good about it but knowing too there are there's room for it. Right? There's you know, and understanding it a little bit more and knowing the ins and outs of what to expect with epidural because sometimes do I think there's a lot people think I can move it all. I've just recently had a conversation about that in the office. So maybe some of those, you know misconceptions with that as well too. So that's why we wanted to talk about it just to present the information.

Unknown Speaker  3:05  

It's common, right? Like 66% of people give birth with an epidural. It can be used routinely. So a lot of people go through the process and assume that that was the way it was done. That's because that's how it was presented to them. That's what we're talking about here and, and it is the it's an effective pain management tool for giving birth while being pregnant, so it's going to help really remove the pain from your belly button down but yet you're still completely like coherent and with it but you're not feeling the intensity of the labor if that's not what you want. Or or maybe you have a long labor and you're exhausted and shifting into suffering maybe then it becomes a good option.

Unknown Speaker  3:50  

But um, one of my favorite things Sorry to interrupt. That's one of my favorite things you said in the episode is that are we shifting into suffering? Like that was huge to really check in like okay, and I think doulas can really come in and be so helpful to to navigate those things too. I love spouses. I have a partner that I told someone else in the office you know, they My husband's a horrible doula, you know, I love to eat. But it's it's navigating that and knowing are we shifting into that and can what are some things that we can use these amazing, you know, medical interventions as well, and knowing the risks and benefits associated

Unknown Speaker  4:28  

with it knowing how they were knowing how they were knowing the downsides and the pros and the cons and risks, benefits all of that. As much as you want to know again, some people might say I want an epidural. I don't want to know anything about it. Okay, fine. Like we get it like there are there's a whole spectrum but it isn't an it comes up. It is something that can be offered routinely. I don't think it should be offered routinely. I mean, it should be you know, a chance to learn about your options and have a choice in it. And understand like even when to get it in labor. Like you know you want it okay. Did you know it's it's more effective and beneficial to get at it five or six centimeters versus two or three centimeters? If you have an option and you're able to do that. So it's a nuanced topic for sure. We're definitely not hard and fast on it. We did a whole episode on it. It's a 92 but it is a term you'll you'll hear it is a pain management. option. And getting an epidural does not define your birth, you can still have a wonderfully wonderful and parents assigned birth with an epidural. And if you choose to go all in on not having an epidural. Yes, you want to learn comfort techniques, breathing techniques, like alternatives for pain management, like aqua therapy waterbird like what else? childbirth education classes, I gotta do that I need to kind of have some tools in your toolbox because it's painful. Yeah, it has

Unknown Speaker  5:57  

made me it's yeah, that's stressful.

Unknown Speaker  6:01  

Yeah. So being equipped isn't saying I'm gonna go and like, I'm just gonna wing it. Like I don't want an epidural but I'm gonna I'm gonna try it. I have an epidural, but I'm not like going to do anything else to sort of prepare myself for it. I think it's like saying I'm gonna go climb Mount Everest, but not do the training. Or maybe, maybe I want to go run a half marathon. But yeah, but no training and stuff, but I'm not going to train for it. Can you do it? Yes. Are you going to suffer through it? Maybe you're going to cause more harm and injury. Maybe so like, you know, it'd

Unknown Speaker  6:36  

be a satisfying experience. Maybe? Yeah, maybe? Maybe not. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  6:40  

So you got to preparation is key, knowing your options and choosing what's right for you. So I love the conversation. For sure. So check that one out and let us know what you think.

Unknown Speaker  6:51  

If it gets Okay, let's see next on our list. We had narcotics.

Unknown Speaker  6:56  

So we didn't talk about we just did epidurals in that one episode did.

Unknown Speaker  7:03  

So it might have come up because sometimes the epidurals or the epidural, but again, we mentioned it here because I often hear people not even know that that's an option. Like they're like oh, there's a there's a knob, like besides an epidural there's another farm farm illogical way I can get pain relief, or like, you know, so or they're like, oh my gosh, I would never take narcotics during labor and I get that, but it's like oh, well, it is there are some options here. They typically use opioids. They are typically given through an ID. They're fast acting and have a shorter lifespan versus when you get an epidural. You know, it's pretty quick acting but it's going to take to take full effect you know, 3045 minutes, narcotics about 15 minutes, but then an epidural, you keep the epidural like you once you commit to an epidural that stays. So whereas narcotics can be like a temporary option to help maybe take the edge off. I think it's a mixed bag on how people respond to narcotics. I do not think it is a broad stroke. Like yes for everybody by any means. But again, knowing that it's there and an option and it might come up and then my Dad Hey, yeah, we can give you some fentanyl and people might be like what and so knowing that that could come up and what's your preference on it and if you are going to do it, do you have a preference on the type or, or drug if that is a menu choose? childbirth education can also help provide some insight on as a whole again, like many of these things, I can kind of keep going on it. But the biggest thing that I was they are like they they narcotics affect the whole body. So let's talk about the epidural whereas like abdomen down and you're very coherent with your mind and like body. And then narcotics is like an effect. It's like a if you drink too margaritas through a straw really fast or if you you know, it makes you feel sort of out of it sort of loopy is going to affect that you're like yeah, and some people have like really crazy experiences on it and you have to wait till it wears off until you feel better. And then some people like sleep for a couple hours and they wake up feeling great. And they're like, that's all I need. And let's go. So, if you have a history with those drugs, and you're like no way that's important to know. Or if you have negative side effects to certain narcotics and knowing that and saying, you know, no, I can't have this but I can't have this. You know, so all of

Unknown Speaker  9:39  

you have been to know beforehand too. So definitely something with childbirth education. Another thing that you might hear talked about is fetal monitoring, and there's lots of different I guess there's lots of different aspects to this too, as far as whether they

Unknown Speaker  9:59  

you could do

Unknown Speaker  10:00  

with it can be like internal phenol fetal monitoring, as you've got the Doppler aspect that could do either

Unknown Speaker  10:06  

continuous it can be intermittent. And this is all again, this is fetal monitoring. So this is monitoring fetus of baby and it's typically heart rate aspects Correct. Of that monitoring.

Unknown Speaker  10:22  

For the most part during labor though they want to look at contractions and fetal heart tones together because they kind of want to see how baby is responding responds to the contraction during a contraction and then immediately after, so they combine those two so if you're having like the belly bands, and switches em hospitals a lot you have in second elastic, or velcro bands wraps around and measures the contraction and then another separate band that wraps around and they place it near the way the baby's heart is and they're simultaneously measuring that that to commentary that, that communicating to a monitor that puts a readout on a screen so we can see like that pattern and and nurses and your hospital at the like outside of the room at nurse's station. They can monitor multiple people at one time like how they're doing so the monitoring I just described being continuous belly band, that's not technically considered evidence based. It is done routinely a lot. So understanding the practice how it does increase. Other interventions it does increase Starion birth because we will date when you see every little thing that's happening on the monitor people tend to react and then want to do whereas in you know healthy, low risk normal physiological bursts. That is not necessary to keep

Unknown Speaker  11:58  

a track on progress. Yeah, to track that.

Unknown Speaker  12:01  

So doing like a Doppler, like what they do and then when you do your prenatal visits like a quick listen to the heart tones with the Doppler is great because it's just a wand. They put it on your belly and listen, and they can do that before contraction during an after like if they need to kind of get a full picture of how your baby's doing. And that's that would be what would be recommended for a normal physiological birth. In our in the hospitals around our spot, they say they do intermittent monitoring, but they that means they're putting you on the belly bands every hour for 15 minutes. Okay, so dietitian have their intimate there and monitoring which is better than having you strapped up on the way but advocating for use of the Doppler is also something you can do. They also if you do need continuous monitoring of it is determined. Like if you're getting any kind of medication and duction a medicine, epidural Pitocin anything like that, or there's, you know, like I know they do it for vaginal birth after cesarean. So for VBACs continue if you do determine you do need continuous monitoring, stuff like that wireless monitors. So it's a like a transmitters put on your belly and I've got like four probes on it, that also measure the contraction and the baby's heart tones and then transmitted via Bluetooth to your computer. So that's nice. The ones that we work with and the muscles we work with. They're waterproof. They allow free, total freedom of movement. They're not as like reliable in like how they work all the time. So they're not always an option but still good to ask about and then like you said, there is an option for internal fetal monitoring. So that's where they actually put like a little bit of a probe into the baby's scalp. And that's going to be a very accurate reading of heart tones. And then they can also do an undo trait uterine pressure catheter so again, if they're really trying to do they really need to know how strong the contractions are, and they need to make a decision about what comes next. Like what feels like the uterus is not contracting hard enough, strong enough. They can put them inside the uterus to measure actually how strong they are. So those are internal. Those are obviously way more invasive. Those are typically not done routinely. It shouldn't be done before consent. Before all of it should be done but Right. But definitely, yeah, yeah,

Unknown Speaker  14:34  

man. So there's options there and that's again, good to know what they're looking for what the options are with all of those. Here's another fun one. And we've talked about this with the words that we use have power, I guess that's again, to reiterate why we're talking about this and hearing the aspect of like failure to progress and what that actually means I know

Unknown Speaker  15:08  

and

Unknown Speaker  15:09  

why, you know, like what's going on and causing that labor to not progress there can be you know, a couple of different things there as well. But um,

Unknown Speaker  15:25  

well more times than not, Labor's are just taking a break. Like, honestly, this failure to progress is usually failure to weight and more times than not, I like the term labor dystocia. That's true, like labor has stalled in as then at a certain point and has not moved beyond that point. And there's been no other progress meaning station of the baby or dilation or a face now, there's been no change for like 14 or more hours. And that's after six centimeters. So anything before six centimeters is early labor, and that can take there's should be no timeframe on that. So knowing that your body should be allowed to have as long as it needs to get to six centimeters and then after that 14 or more hours without no change. So and I'll I mean station baby hasn't moved further down dilation, there's been no dilation and thinning or effacement when there's been no X like there's been no change, right? So if you're having incremental progress, that's still progress, and that is sign that you can keep going. And when you're pushing and there's been no change that timeframe is three hours. If you're having incremental change, you can push indefinitely, so long as baby and mom are fine. And obviously not indefinitely, but like there's really constraints on it. So understanding the true definition, labor dystocia and that we shouldn't be saying failure to progress unless these criteria have been met.

Unknown Speaker  17:11  

Yeah, because it's almost like it's a failure to progress per what the doctor or if it was an OB and you tend to hear this more, you know, in that hospital OB aspect of things, but it tends to be it seems to be more of what they would term as well. Okay, this isn't moving on my terms, you know, or how I would like it to progress or

Unknown Speaker  17:32  

whatever constraints, the hospital setting, right? They have protocols, they have whatever they have, that's fine. You can talk to them about that beforehand and even in the moment about asking for more time, so long as baby and mom are doing well. And that should be the standard of care. It's not always but again learning about this and knowing that if you hear anything, like failure to progress, you have not failed, right? And there is I mean if there is labor dystocia If this has happened, there is usually something amiss, but that's rare, and you've given it the true adequate timeframe to prove that it is true labor dystocia and that there is something they need, causing riot to be that way and then at that point intervention should be discussed. But I had

Unknown Speaker  18:21  

one month to she was like my bad my babies just like to give me a rest in the middle. Like she said most of her labor that she did a little bit of Curb walking and she birth Atlanta Birth Center. She just encouraged walking in them that kind of got some things going again, but she said like all her babies just kind of, you know, like to give her that where as typically you'd probably be seen as Oh, well this is failing to progress right now.

Unknown Speaker  18:44  

You know, when you're monitoring it with a fine tooth comb. Yeah. And that's why you know, considering those other options like a birth center or home birth or laboring at home as long as you can, or if you do have to be in a hospital setting talking about this with your providers. That is some bought some birthing people take risks. And we also go points in the labor it's not always like so 100%

Unknown Speaker  19:08  

Yeah, it's not this like slow climb like it is but and be

Unknown Speaker  19:12  

and be. You can have a little

Unknown Speaker  19:13  

like some little plateaus. I know. Yeah. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  19:17  

100% Yeah, I think that's one of the most empowering things and we can just all remove failure to progress and if someone says failure to progress, even if they don't you mean failure to wait? I like that. Rachel Getting sappy.

Unknown Speaker  19:33  

Okay, next up, we have a Peasy automate. So you might have heard this term as well. This is something to know. Well, I mean, all of these are probably things to know before. We get to birth. But you, you might hear of ripping or tearing you know, during the birth process as far as especially in that perineal area where there is lots of change happening and there has to be lots of just be lots of dilation has to be lots of expansion in that area stretching

Unknown Speaker  20:06  

the tissues or have to stretch their makes a stretch because shoes are made to tear

Unknown Speaker  20:11  

and so you've got the aspect you naturally ripping or tearing I hear those those terms when I'm on score and easy on me is more of an incision that is done by a provider. I was double checked in. It's like almost like that

Unknown Speaker  20:31  

artificial rupture of memory. It's like,

Unknown Speaker  20:33  

you know, like someone else is doing using surgical surgical tool to

Unknown Speaker  20:41  

cut the perineum to make way for first make more room for the baby because now I'm feeling a bit this was routinely done for a while as well how do I change you're better than air can I come in writing actually lighting they are severe tearing because I want you to start at the competition which tore more so like they would do like a small cut and that will become

Unknown Speaker  21:10  

a fourth degree tear. Measured in like the degrees as well to power

Unknown Speaker  21:19  

versus second degrees are would be considered within the range of normal and almost to be expected a lot of people birth and don't tear. So normal I think some of the tearing and understand how your body heals and it's like the that area heals similar to the inside of your mouth. So you've ever gotten a cut or an ulcer on the inside of your mouth, how quickly it hills, wherever you're going to cut on your arm. It takes a while much longer. So the vagina and area heals much, much faster. And so knowing that and knowing that there's a degree of normal there, and then learning about ways to labor that can reduce tearing and need for a PC automate. So a PC army I think I was saying was done routinely for a while now we know should not be done routinely. And but that in some instances like really, really low numbers and a PCR would be would be determined truly necessary to quickly get the baby out in order to say baby, or mom. So understand that but again, talk to your provider. How often do you perform a PCR and what situations do you feel like it would be necessary? Please know that you would love to get my permission before you copy if it is determined necessary. So you know it's a hard conversation but to assume it's not going to happen. Don't be naive. Right? And understand that some people are more like a PC on me happy if you have an older provider would definitely talk to them, because that was part of their normal practice. Yeah, so the you can even get like a PCIe rate. Just like you can see section rates and induction rates and feedback rates you can learn about physiognomy rates and being explicitly clear about how you feel about consent for a Pz Artemi. Making sure that they ask for consent because I learned recently that you know, consent to a PCIe is in the general consent form that you signed when you give birth in a hospital which means they don't actually have to ask for permission specifically asked that. Yeah. So you've crossed that out and make sure that they verbalize if they're going to cut you and give you the opportunity and it can you know, so some options there.

Unknown Speaker  23:37  

And also two ways to prep during pregnancy. The perineal area of course, so that's where I would go to and highly recommend with perineal massage is I always have my mom I tell them like I'm kidding. Reach out to your doula. I want your doula to explain to you and go over. What are these things you can do your OB your midwife or something? ways or your pelvic floor PT like all of those things to really fell for you it'd be like an area

Unknown Speaker  24:03  

public for PT we recommend that to prep. There's the app perineal massage is helpful. But it's all about like kind of like allowing your body time to stretch so in labor you know laboring in the water being an upright gravity from the positions, changing positions regularly. All of that's going to help help that area.

Unknown Speaker  24:27  

We have a hormone on here next oxytocin was the love hormone Yes, so excreted hormone secreted by the pituitary gland

Unknown Speaker  24:42  

around your brain. Oxytocin comes from your brain. I know.

Unknown Speaker  24:50  

And

Unknown Speaker  24:53  

there's so many connections are bad sorry, my brain was gonna go. Great. But it aids in your contractions but also with milk production, too. It's a wonderful hormone. Even Rachel, I think had said in the last episode that we just talked about the years you've got all these receptors on the uterus for oxytocin, but it's also so it's released doesn't only happen during labor and birth now. So it is the love hormone so is going to be released at other times in your life. So even you know, moments of joy, happiness, like joy and happiness like seeing your kids. I mean, it's not something we're like, staring into your kid's eyes, like, you know, like having sex orgasms releases oxytocin, so it's it's there's other parts of your life where it happens as well too. But birth just happens to be a real a real big one because it plays a big role in in that but definitely continues into that breastfeeding in that bonding aspect with baby as well.

Unknown Speaker  26:07  

If you have any breastfeed it stimulates oxytocin, which helps with your milk let down also helps with continuing uterine contractions postpartum to help your uterus stay nice and firm and help stop stop until you're bleeding and help your uterus shrink back down to size. So kissing your baby eye contact with your baby breastfeeding, smelling your baby, all can release oxytocin and sesame really encouraged after the birth for the reasons I just said about your uterus and just like mood, right? So it's a mood booster. And it can it like oxytocin and cortisol can't flow at the same time. So if you have more oxytocin and cortisol, and cortisol is our stress hormone cortisol is a stress hormone so that if stress is really high that diminished oxytocin, so you know, no,

Unknown Speaker  26:57  

yeah, I'm sorry. Go for it. No, you're good. Now

Unknown Speaker  26:59  

just understanding like how that works. And so setting yourself up and doing things to help oxytocin flow, so that labor can flow and that you can have benefits and

Unknown Speaker  27:09  

that's where some of those like it's the breathing exercise, the increasing vagal tone and then how many times have I said you can't run for bear and heal your body? It's the same thing and same thing it's like it's really going to be hard to feel comfortable and normal and have a baby if we've got here for us all and yeah, there's a there's an aspect of adrenaline and excitement, you know, and stress. There's a little bit of that, but

Unknown Speaker  27:34  

also those adrenaline, excitement, stress, beginning of labor, slow labor down so that feels like in my state, and I have my baby here. Whereas, so that would maybe slow labor down but then later in labor, something just really intense. You're gonna lose and adrenaline and cortisol, that's gonna help actually get your baby out.

Unknown Speaker  27:56  

It's like that balance and

Unknown Speaker  27:59  

that's like, okay, babies coming in. I really can't stop it at this point. So let's hurry up and get the baby out. In the woods, how many people choose to do it like a mammal, I can literally start labor. You know, they're feeling danger threat, you know, that kind of flavor, but then at a certain point, we didn't get any out so that I can get to safety. So serves a role in both places. So maybe we aren't we could probably go down a little bit of a rabbit hole here. But there are there's a whole orchestration of hormones during labor. Oxytocin just seems to be as a heavy hitter. Yeah. And then understanding how it works, and I had multifaceted and then also knowing that it didn't hear the word Tosun which I wasn't not gonna go super in depth because we have a whole episode on how to have a gentle induction episode 65 When we talked about Pitocin that is synthetic oxytocin. So some people are like, Wait, it's Pitocin the hormone is oxytocin is a drug, because it says like when you get a bag of the dose and it says oxytocin on it, right, but it's a synthetic. It's mimicking. Mimicking,

Unknown Speaker  29:07  

the body will recognize it, you know, with the receptors. But

Unknown Speaker  29:12  

yeah, in the US, it's called Pitocin. Actually, in other countries, I think it has different names, but our brand that's most commonly known and used to induce or augment labor Pitocin can also show up from proactively or you're necessary after the birth to help control later on, so definitely recommend.

Unknown Speaker  29:37  

We did an episode episode 55 tips for optimal fetal positioning because sometimes what will come up and I hear a lot is How is Baby position?

Unknown Speaker  29:49  

So your breach which is

Unknown Speaker  29:51  

usually beat her down, there's lots of variations that we won't go through all that because we have like I said, Episode 55 about that, but really, do you want baby head down and you want baby kind of like facing mom's like back so you're wanting to come out? Don't necessarily like that's like that sunny side. steer your presentation.

Unknown Speaker  0:00  

options can feel a little bit more different or those types of names but, and then again to reach with the feet, you can have Frank reach, they cross their legs, they can be sideways transfers like there's all these variations we go like I said, we go into that other episodes but it's it's good to know what those terms mean and how your baby is sitting. We talked about a lot of ways to in that episode, obviously, tips to encourage that optimal fetal positioning. So I highly recommend listening to that because of that. Lots of good info and show notes in there

Unknown Speaker  0:33  

as well too. Why do you think it's so cool leaning in to learning about where your baby that in your belly and I mean, too scared of that, like they, there's, you can learn about belly mapping kind of not to like obsess about the position that babies in but like just be connected with your baby that this is the but I feel the head down here. They're kicking me here, they're punching me here, and Oh, nope, they're on my right side today. No, they're on my left side. When you're paying attention to that kind of feeling around and knowing what to look for. It can be a really cool way to connect. So learning about these positions and what they mean optimal fetal positioning, of course, the defied like ways to improve that but then also just trying to connect and not wonder like, look down and be like, I don't know what's happening down there.

Unknown Speaker  1:20  

Um, let's see we've got nuchal cord on here. So last episode we talked all about the umbilical cord, and how amazing that is. The versions of it. And with this, there's variations too, as baby is in utero with the cord as well, and so in it, and I know we talked to like it's not like a hose and a kink in you know, nothing flows. If it's if it's contracted, it has Wharton's jelly it has flexibility to it because it you know, baby is sitting in that amniotic fluid floating around so it needs to be flexible and move as well. But nuchal cord is what is used to term for when the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck of the baby. So that of course, sounds very scary.

Unknown Speaker  2:18  

Right? It's a degree of normal, but yes, just normalizing that the court can be wrapped around the baby's head and things be just fine. So an understanding of your cord the cord is designed to have it has protective mechanisms in it. So that it keeps keeps working, and definitely listened to part one of this episode where we've talked more in depth about the cord and these things. While we're on the court, I did want to touch on like some a term for the cord that we didn't cover in the first one that would be delayed cord clamping.

Unknown Speaker  3:09  

They they will regulate the blood flow from bathing from the placenta to the baby. And that takes time and that's via the umbilical cord and so the goal will be to wait for White. Wait for that core to go from being purple and supple and pulsating. In the pulsations yeah to not pulsing. Why? Placid, gray Cola, it just is noticeably less alive. And that's a good time that you could clamp and cut the cord and this will be called delay. So many people focus on a certain time of delayed cord clamping so really talking with your provider about how they support waiting for white because there's no like exact time that is best and waiting for why it's actually advantageous for everybody. And so, we want to just mention that here as a term that you can talk with your provider about and aim for. And I love the phrase white for white because it's so simple. And it allows for the baby and Lucinda to do what it needs to do.

Unknown Speaker  4:11  

Yeah and it's not it's not an it's super extended period of time you know that you're waiting for that like it doesn't it doesn't there's no other intervention whether there's really no reason to not know you know, unless it's extreme distress and maybe there's others all you know if things progressed, really normally I think it's a really

Unknown Speaker  4:31  

cool thing to consider and to remember Yeah, should be normal. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker  4:36  

um, there are some things that can be used in delivery, or in birth. I know I always go back to that book of like babies are born pizzas are delivered or whatever it is. I always try to say like birth to delivery, but an instrument assisted birth. And so some of those common things you might have heard of as far as forceps or a vacuum. We talked about this recently. I feel

Unknown Speaker  5:08  

like I probably missed that. And I don't even remember back I yeah,

Unknown Speaker  5:13  

I don't. But it was something recent. I don't know I'd have to look back to because I remember when you were talking about how many attempts that we have with the vacuum vacuum and it loses that suction. Was I walking looking at something

Unknown Speaker  5:29  

I can't even remember. But it's fascinating. I remember that instrumental delivery is when they use the vacuum or the forceps and again, some people you're just hearing this or like what are you talking about vacuum forceps. These are modes of delivery that most people do not need in order to have their baby. But in some instances if it's determined the baby needs to come out quicker and they're having a hard time getting pushed out. They can use a vacuum which is a suction that's placed on top of the baby's head and applies a certain degree of pressure. And then the provider will pull the sections on top of the baby's head. They're calling and then you're pushing and to help get the baby 100 the pubic bone almost always and then at that point, the burger can finish pushing the baby out. And sometimes they're necessary. I've seen them used and worked and I definitely try to avoid them unnecessarily I don't see them like routinely like

Unknown Speaker  6:23  

offered and I don't think they Yeah, I don't think they should be routinely used as well. And I know we talked about it hasn't come out yet but an infant feeding episode. That's the one that we talked about it in because as far as birth traumas and impacting into feeding but you know it can present a degree of

Unknown Speaker  6:40  

trauma to Yeah, because it puts a lot of pressure on the baby's head and neck. But it can be necessary can help knowing what it is asking your provider if they use it, what instances they use it and so that comes out you're not like what's happening. Another option the forceps best way but not beautiful way to describe is salad tongs basically is what they look like like silver salad tongs, slide up, go around the baby's head and help hold baby no pubic bone out. Neither are great, neither are pleasant, avoiding them would look like trying to have an upright active birth and labor, a physiological birth with minimal intervention, not pushing on your back. You know that those kinds of things are going to improve your chance of not needing that. That doesn't mean you won't need them. But that doesn't prove your risk. of avoiding them or needing them.

Unknown Speaker  7:33  

And again, a whole other episode we could do on the interventions. I know one other last little thing we had on here and we've talked about the placenta, talked about it last episode, what it is how it is attached to yours how it has to be birthed as well after the baby is born. Um, there are some things you can do with the placenta if you want there's such thing as placenta encapsulation. So this is gonna be very brief. You know, overview of it. There's certain people that have services there's certain certifications you can get with it and looking for people that are certified with it, but it would be something to you'd want to think about it beforehand because you would need to bring like a cooler with you and have it on ice if you are birthing in a hospital. So Humbert there's really not you just put in the fridge. Yeah, of course, you would want to have that with you. But, um, a lot of moms will use it for that potential capsulation So turning it into capsules that you can then take in the postpartum time period to potentially assist with the mental health effects of postpartum. So and just the hormone regulation tends to be a big one that I hear about. So it's something to think about beforehand because you kind of have to prep a little bit with it. You've got to have a facility picked out and you have to know who are with you and those type of things. So

Unknown Speaker  9:04  

if you want to keep it the goal of this event springing up here is to just research your options and then bring a cooler if you want to keep it because that's the only way you're gonna be able to take it out of the hospital. We were on to the bag I recall or someone to do this for you. But you can turn you can get a tincture you can represent I made it to the texture. You can eat up raw, you can store it in the freezer and keep it forever and ever and ever do anything with it. You can plant it underneath a tree in your backyard.

Unknown Speaker  9:30  

You can listen to art, you know who's supposed to do that you can get smoothie cubes,

Unknown Speaker  9:35  

and donate it to search and rescue. Search and rescue will use plus centers for dogs to search for humans. Which is super cool. And a good way of like I don't really want to consume my placenta but I really don't want to just like throw it away. I want to do something good with it. So yeah, and there we could probably again, do a whole conversation about it. But I do encourage just doing your research on within decapsulation I think it's beneficial. I think there are some benefits to it. I think a lot of anecdotal. We have yet to have an evidence based research study come out that actually points to the benefits. And knowing that it's a wide people speak really, really wonderfully of it. And I have my own personal positive experience with it. And we have down the load down the line we plan on having a hopefully a placenta encapsulator on the podcast to really kind of go deep in that conversation of the of the known benefits you know, I don't I think there probably are no real downsides to it. I think for some people it works for some people it doesn't and if you have negative side effects you typically just you know right away and just stop taking up and then that guy

Unknown Speaker  10:43  

and there's certain criteria they look for like it has you know no medications could have been used, like certain things like that. So there's lots of I remember with Meeting Center, people Yeah. Last learned and just kind of get that information beforehand instead of waiting, instead of waiting. Yeah, and so until we're in at the moment, which is tough. So yeah, those are our Bercy terms to two of our free to hit search.

Unknown Speaker  11:15  

I find there's a lot there. I feel like I could go on and on. And I know people are saying Wait, you didn't

Unknown Speaker  11:20  

talk about it. I know there's a lot that we didn't talk about. But

Unknown Speaker  11:23  

hopefully you found this helpful. And hopefully you'd like to see. I think without overwhelming people planting seeds is our goal. It's like sparking some interest in wanting to learn more about your options, learning more about what's happening during the birthing process. So we hope you enjoyed this show. reminder, if you want to support the show monetarily we have a link in our show notes to Buzzsprout where we have a community support going where you can make your choice monetary donation, it can be as little or as much as you want helps us to keep doing what we love helps us you know cover our editing and our the time we spend researching for these episodes and the times when recording them pre and post. So you know we've been doing this for about a year and a half and we love it and we want to keep doing it. We're excited to see it grow. We have lots coming for you. And so if you see value in that and you want to support us, we welcome it. Again the link is in the show notes. And if you want to be on our list to learn about new episodes coming out and be in the know about what we're working on. You can sign up for our email list. Also that will be linked in our show notes. Thank you so much for listening and also, if you don't want to throw some money our way and you want to leave us a review that's free, doesn't cost anything and that also helps our show reach more people and helps us keep doing much of what we're doing. So if you want to leave a few words for review, we greatly appreciate it. Thank you.