Blog & Updates on Vancouver Prenatal Classes
Giving Birth in Vancouver BC
While birth itself could be described as universal, standard practices around birth are very local. What we can expect varies significantly from place to place. Which means that much of the information we get on the internet, or in books, might not reflect common practices in regionally. This can cause confusion around what to expect in our own area. So let’s focus on this location: Vancouver BC and the surrounding lower mainland.
The So-Called Due Date
If there is one date that your baby is unlikely to arrive, it is on your so-called due date. Approximately 96% of people do not give birth on that date. Odds are, neither will you.
So when do people typically give birth? Where does the putative “due date” come from, and why do we even call it that?
BACK OFF: Why Lying Flat On The Back Is Bad For Birth
I thought the days of being told to lie down while birthing a baby were long over, but just recently…..
Location, Location, Location: Choosing Baby’s Place of Birth
“Have you considered having a home birth?” My midwife had asked me in one of our first appointments. I promptly responded no, but the question spurred a few thoughts: “I’m a nurse. How could I even consider that?” “That can’t be safe.”
Drinking in Labour
Why is hydration so beneficial during childbirth? Read our latest blog post to find our why.
Ask Childbearing: Why would someone choose to give birth at home?
Why would someone choose to give birth at home? I understand that homebirth is as safe as hospital birth, but are there any specific benefits?
Editorial: The High Caesarean Rate
The World Health Organization states that the Caesarean rate should ideally hover around 10%. Anything lower means parents and babies who might benefit from Caesarean births are not getting enough access, and anything higher means too many surgeries are being performed without any improvement in maternal or newborn outcomes.
Q: How do I know if I really need a medical procedure?
Q: How do I know if I really need a medical procedure? I’m worried about being subjected to unnecessary procedures, but also worried about refusing something I might actually need. How do we make these decisions?
Ecstatic Belly Birth!
In keeping with the Ecstatic Birth approach, Caesarean birth has the potential to be positive, empowering and ecstatic! How is this possible, you may ask? Having an Ecstatic Birth isn’t based on a particular set of circumstances, a specific outcome, or about birthing in a certain way. Ecstatic Birth is an invitation to turn our relationship to birth upside down and inside out to provide a pathway to feeling empowered, joyful and connected.
Childbirth-Related Trauma and PTSD
Being traumatized during childbirth is much more common than most people think. Unfortunately, trauma is one of the hidden costs of childbirth, a cost that women often bear in silence and without recognition or support.