26 Feb
by Belinda Lassen, CNM, ARNP
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| Certified nurse midwife Belinda Lassen holds baby Lidia during a checkup at Promise Community Health Center. |
According to ImprovingBirth.org, evidence-based maternity care are practices that have been shown by the highest quality, most current medical evidence to be most beneficial to mothers and babies with care tailored to the individual.
Did you know that in the United States the majority of women in labor are attached to an electronic fetal monitor? This will often limit the mother’s ability to move about, walk and, in turn, limit her ability to manage her pain. Research has shown us over and over that routine and continuous monitoring can increase the need for pain medication and C-sections, without making birth safer for mom or baby.
The lower-cost, scientifically proven, better option is to offer intermittent auscultation. Using this option allows the mom to be out of bed and mobile. Evidence-based maternity care has shown that listening to the baby’s heartbeat with the Doppler intermittently has the best outcomes.
So, moms, ask for intermittent auscultation! Some labors will require continuous monitoring, such as an induction using the drug Pitocin or other conditions where there are more risk factors. If your pregnancy has been healthy, and your labor is normal, we would highly recommend that you get out of bed and walk, rock, soak, bounce or dance through your labor!
For more great evidence-based information, click on to these websites: www.evidencebasedbirth.com and www.improvingbirth.org.