Homeopathy World - Homoeopathy in Childbirth general advice

Here is a partial list of what you can treat with your Birth 18 Kit:
Before labor:
ANXIETY, anticipatory BREAST, injury to deep tissue BREECH presentation (36th week) BRUISING, caused by baby kicking, DREAMS, anxious EXHAUSTION FAINTING ,with air, hunger FALL, with shock/on coccyx, FEAR of childbirth FLU just before due date INSOMNIA,with fear /waking 3am INDUCTION alternative to (see also LATE LABOUR) KICK from babycausing soreness/bruising sudden, sharp, upsetting	MALPOSITION of baby (at 36th week)breech/ transverse NERVE PAIN, sudden, abdomen, groin, leg PANIC about birthafter previous bad birth experience, PARALYSIS, due to fear PREMATURE LABOUR, after fall /fright RESTLESSNESS, with anxiety SCIATICA, caused by position of baby TRANSVERSE lie (at 36th week) UTERUS feels sore, ligaments over-stretched WIND, trapped with excruciating pain
During labor:
ABUSIVE AFFECTION, absence of any ANGRY ANXIETY APATHY BACK pain during labour BLADDER, labour pains arount BLEEDING /bright red, hot, profuse, constant/with nausea or gasping for breath/alternates with contractions/dark / dark and fluid/as a preventative against, in long labours CERVIX /fails to dilate/half open or hard/rigid/ remains tightly closed/ wide open, but contractions stop CHATTERING nervously CHOKING feeling in throat after contraction CHILLINESS with shivering/with shuddering, better warm covers CONTRACTIONS / atonic (flabby) weak/slow or stop/alternate with bleeding/extend to back, buttocks/extend to thighs/move up the back/move from side to side/finish at the throat with choking sensation/push the baby upwards/ prolonged tonic contractions/ lack expulsive power (esp. second stage) /fine, needle-like up from cervix/"hour glass" contractions/ cease and bleeding starts/painless/ strength weakened by fruitless efforts, CONVULSIONS or threat of DENIAL DEPRESSION DESPAIR DILATION see Cervix EXHAUSTION /with no other symptoms/during long or difficult labours/causes contractions to stop/with backache labour/with unbearable pains/with weepiness/with long contractions/ better for moving around FACE, flushed FAILURE TO DILATE see Cervix	FAINTNESS FEAR of death/and terrible sense of foreboding, FEET FORCEPS delivery GLOOM GROIN, labour pains around HEADACHE HEART pains/ beats too hard HEAT,feverish / flushes HYSTERIA IMPATIENCE IRRITABILITY JERKING movements or gestures LABOUR slow/slow,longpainful/too fast or violent LARGE BABY LATE LABOUR due to fear/due to anticipatory anxiety NAUSEA constant /better fresh air OXYGEN STARVATION, mother or baby POSITION of baby abnormal POSTERIOR PRESENTATION PULSE slow and full RESTLESSNESS SCREAMING SHIVERING SHOULDER of baby gets stuck SPEECH, thick and drunken STILLBORN BABY, give mother, STUPIFIED expression STRAINING excessively (!) SYMPATHY helps/ irritates THIGHS labour pains in THIRST absent/between contraction TREMBLING /if contractions stop UNCONCIOUS UTERUS see CONTRACTIONS VAGINA, hot, dry, tender, won't dilate VIOLENT (fast) Labour
After labor:
AFTER PAINS/after many children/groin area, intense/long-lasting /extending to hips, buttocks, legs, /worse if baby feeds/with sore, bruised feeling, /with weepiness/with disappointment/ resentment about the birth, /unbearable, ANGER (often supressed) about the birth ANXIETY BACK pain, / after epidural, BREASTS, painful/radiating pain from nipple, /red, hot,throbbing,/ pale, hot, worse moving BRUISING CAESARIAN, after effects of CATHETER, after effects of CRACKED NIPPLES DRUGS, after effects of;/Morphine or Pethidine, disturbed sleep, irritable / Syntometrine (asap)/General anaesthetic (esp. if vomiting)/ detoxification EPIDURAL,after effects of EPISIOTOMY FORCEPS delivery, after effects of, HAEMMORHAGE seeBLEEDING (DURINGLABOUR)	HUMILIATION, feelings of INSOMNIA with anxiety , see also DRUGS INFLAMMATION of penis, in newborn, IRRITABILITY MILK, too much/ too little PLACENTA retained/with bearing down sensation/after long exhausting Labour/ contractions weak or non-existant, /with bleeding/ with shaking, RESENTMENT, feelings of SHOCK of mother and baby after fast labour /of baby being an unexpected sex/ofserious birth defect, give mother SORENESS of perineum/of uterus, STITCHES SUBINVOLUTION (Uterus fails to contract down) SYNTOMETRINE antidote URINE retention, mother / baby WEAKNESS WEEPINESS WOUNDS
The Birth 18 Remedy Kit includes the following remedies in 200c:
Aconite Arnica Bellis Per Calendula Carbo veg Caulophyllum Chamomilla Cimicifuga Gelsemium	Hypericum Ipecacuanha Kali Carb Kali Phos Phytolacca Pulsatilla Secale Sepia Staphisagria

A Specific Guide to Homoeopathy in Childbirth.
18 Remedies for use before, during and after labour

General Advice
Before the birth: Practice: breathing: relaxation; visualisation:
talking to the baby: birth positions: stretching: pelvic floor exercises. Attend a yoga class which puts emphasis on birth or buy. The Active Birth Book by Janet Balaskas. Attend ante-natal classes together with your birth assistant. In late pregnancy (but not before the sixth month) try drinking raspberry leaf tea, which reputedly tones up the uterine muscles.

Two / three weeks before your due date: Ask yourself each evening "Would I be well-prepared for labour if it came tonight?" Here is a check-lint: Are you well-rested? Many women experience a surge of energy shortly before labour, but getting too carried away with nesting can tire you out. Have you eaten light, nutritious easily-digestible food, preferably early in the evening? If you are having a home birth have you prepared the room and got everything you need. Burning lavender oil or putting it in your bath is very soothing during pre-labour and labour. Pick Out some favourite pieces of music. If you are going to hospital is your bag packed? Is your driver familiar with the quickest route?

Pre-labour: Signs include diarrhoea: extra energy: backache: a "show" (streaked mucus from vagina): breaking or leaking of waters. Particularly in first labours, which tend to be slower, use this time to sleep or rest as much as possible. Encourage your birth assistant to do the same. If you can’t sleep, rest ins semi-upright position encouraging the baby to move down. Follow your own instincts: eat light nourishing snacks if you are hungry: go for a walk: have a bath (or shower if waters have broken); have a hot drink: relax and BREATHE. BREATHE, BREATHE. Many women say, after birth, that focusing on their own breath was the mont effective pain relief of all. Put twenty drops of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy in a glass of water and sip whenever you feel the need - attendants too.

First stage: Characterised by low adrenalin. A time of waiting whilst the body does the work of opening up. Offer minimum resistance. Don’t make predictions about how dilated you are or how long it will take. Shut Out your rational mind, Breathe in as the contraction comes and out during. Ask your birth assistant to remind you if they notice you are forgetting to breathe or holding your breath becaise of the pain, It may help if they breathe with you. Use a clock with a second hand to time the average length of particularly painful contractions:just knowing how long they will last helps you to pace yourself and to remember that they won’t last forever! Stay upright whenever possible. Keep moving. Minimum distractions and interruptions. Maximum comfort, support, encouragement and reassurance. Sip watered down fruit juice between contractions to keep energy and blood sugar levels up. Remember Rescue Remedy.

Transition: Point where your cervix is fully dilated and nature of contractions begin to change to those which will push baby out. Potentially the most difficult time because of these conflicting messages. Many feel the need for pain relief at this time. Attendants should reassure: suggest a visit to the toilet (for a change of scene):
help with breathing: encourage mother to visualise baby and talk to it. Remember Rescue Remedy.

Second stage: Characterised by high adrenalin as mother takes a more active role. The pushing will just happen. If for any reason labour seems too fast, get down on all fours with bottom high as possible, head low: panting also helps slow things down. If contractions have many peaks divide your outbreath: as if blowing out separate candles.

Third stage: Particularly in hospital. Syntometrine is routinely injected into the mother to speed up the delivery of the placenta and Vitamin K is given to the baby. If you decide against either or both it is easiest to put it into a written birth plan. It is not unusual for contractions to stop for a while before pushing the placenta out naturally.

Medical Interventions: Before the birth become as well-informed as possible about the pros and cons. For your own peace of mind, if for any reason intervention is suggested, rather than requested by you, ask for:
- a clear explanation of the problem- information about any possible alternatives
- a time limit on your decision that will not endanger either the baby or you.