Jane Ramsey. A Mother's View.

Jane Ramsey was one of the first people I thought of after I created this blog. During my last pregnancy, both Jane and her co-worker Anne, gave me much valued support and very many helpful tips for a physiological birth. I met these wonderful women through the Fleet and Family Support Center on the Ingleside Navy Base. Both are professional childbirth educators and both provide fabulous resources for the mommys of the South Texas Area.

Jane is a mother herself and a grandmother! She had the special opportunity to attend her daughter-in-law's home birth. She shares with us a physiological birth story from her point of view as a mother and grandmother. I found this story to be very inspiring and I hope you do to.
Thank you Jane for sharing!
-Carrie


My name is Jane Ramsey. I am a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 7. I have worked with families and babies for almost 30 years. In the last two years I became a childbirth educator and provide education for families in a wonderful program of the Navy’s.

I was asked by my daughter-in-law to be present at her home birth. I was very excited about this opportunity and to be honest a little nervous. Being a grandmother, I have seen lots of births through the years and I know what can go wrong. I also had two births naturally but in a hospital setting and to be honest not by choice. I just did not know how this would work as far as emergencies or anything else.

I arrived at my son’s and daughter-in-law’s house the week the baby was due and since this was her second, we thought she may go at her due date but of course she didn’t!

We would go see the midwife once a week in an office, just like any other office but more child friendly, warm and inviting. One hour was devoted to my daughter-in-law for exams and questions with this mid-wife. Great! I was already impressed. There had also been sonograms and a doctor on call for emergencies. At first the baby was breach and the mid-wife would not deliver the baby at home if he didn’t turn but he did so everything was good to go!

After her due date, we tried every natural method we could think of to bring on the labor. I was going to have to leave and I did NOT want to miss the birth. We walked for miles throughout the days and no baby yet. (I lost 5 pounds though!) Anyway, finally the day before I was going to leave she went into labor and I thought here we go!!

The midwife, doula, and an assistant came immediately. They were wonderful! I was so impressed by their professionalism. Their attention to details, their knowledge of childbirth was amazing. They were so attentive to her and her needs. No hospital has ever given the care and attention as she was given that day. They brought sterile sheets and equipment to assist if needed in the birth. My daughter-in-law was allowed to stay where she felt the most comfortable and with the people she loved the most were there for her.

When the actually birth occurred, my grandson shoulders became lodged and they had to do a little maneuvering to get him out. The team really went to work then and I don’t think any one could have done a better job. The baby was born and he was perfect! He was gently placed on her stomach while the placenta was delivered. The team was quick to remain professional cleaning everything as the couple enjoyed their new baby. The baby was put to the breast and initially had an issue with the latch but again the Duala was right there to assist and soon everything was great.

As I am writing this story, tears are coming to my eyes as I remember what a wonderful and joyous experience this was for me and I one I will never forget.

Swimming with a belly!

Flipping through a Good Housekeeping magazine, I read something in a colored blurb that advertised one more way to help prepare my body for a physiological birth: Wateraerobics!

I'm a bit skeptical of colored blurbs, so I did some research to check the stats.

Brought to us by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil AND the Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil,
we have this research article to help us know the facts:
Water aerobics in pregnancy: cardiovascular response, labor and neonatal outcomes

I do realize that the experimental and control groups were made up of what I might consider to be small sample sizes (34 and 37 pregnant women, respectively).
However, look at the results: Between the two groups, there was NO DIFFERENCE in the type of delivery or duration of labor. And yet, among the wateraerobic-going-pregno-moms, only 27% requested anaglasia during labor vs 65% of those who did not particpate in the gentle water sport.

According to the study "the regular practice of moderate water aerobics by sedentary and low risk pregnant women was not detrimental to the health of the mother or the child." Please take note that the participants in the study had low risk pregnancies.

So my next thought is, "Wow! Moderate exercise really will make my natural birth easier."
And then, "I have a friend who looks really great in a maternity swimsuit. Maybe this article is for her... haha!"


And another article that commetns on the study: http://www.alternativehealthjournal.com/blog/1/study__water_aerobics_is_safe_for_pregnant_women/149/month:02/year:2009