mushy1981
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You could bleed to death in minutes!
This is one of the scare tactics that many doctors use in order to persuade pregnant women into believing that the hospital is the safest place to give birth. When I first heard a doctor say this on a homebirth documentary, I decided to look into this claim in more detail to check the validity of this concern
There are a few women who, for whatever reason, will experience postpartum hemorrhage without any known reason or cause, but this is rarely the case (and even when it is, they would most likely experience days of unmistakable symptoms before death would occur). There is a common practice in our hospital deliveries for doctors to cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth and to assist in the delivery of the placenta. Both of these practices (which are so common that often women dont even know that there is another way) are dangerous for mom and baby and put them at a higher risk for complications.
There is a natural way that the progression of this third stage of labor will occur. Once the baby is born and breathing, the body will recognize this and begin to cut off the blood flow entering into the placenta. After a while (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) the placenta will naturally detach itself from the uterine wall and deliver on its own, without the help of outside intervention. Soon, the cord will stop pulsing blood to the baby and will turn white and limp. After the placenta has been delivered and the cord has stopped pulsing, it is now safe to cut the cord (although not necessary, as the cord will detach on its own in usually a week or less ~ this is called a lotus birth). So, looking at the layout of the natural course of events that take place after birth the birth of a baby, it is easy to see how any outside interference with that natural progression could be dangerous.
In the hospital, it is outrageously common for the doctor to clamp and cut the umbilical cord immediately after the baby has been born. This is so common, in fact, that most women that Ive talked to about delayed cord cutting had never even known that not cutting the cord immediately after birth was even possible. It seems that the general conclusion that our doctor-dependent society has come to, is that the doctor cuts the cord right away so that the baby can take its first breath. Its hard for these women to fathom that the doctors only continue this unnecessary practice for their own convenience! Cutting the cord prematurely not only interferes with your bodys natural process (which can lead to hemorrhaging), but it also deprives the baby of 25-40% of their blood supply! Its no wonder that so many of our babys are vitamin deficient at birth
Another common practice (not practiced by all doctors, but certainly many, as well as many midwives) is the assisted birth of the placenta. Basically what this means is that the doctor will push on the uterus (many times causing the mother pain) and/or pull on the umbilical cord in order to force the placenta to detach and deliver sooner. Of course, this is in the best interest of the doctor, as he/she can leave sooner and be on to their next patient or go home for the day. This practice is absolutely not in the best interest of the mother, as the premature or forced delivery of the placenta interferes with your bodys natural process and can cause it not to contract properly in order to shut off the blood flow into the placenta. So, blood is still flowing freely to a placenta that is no longer there, and the uterus fails to contract properly and restrict blood flow, causing the woman to hemorrhage. Also, tugging on the cord or forcing the placenta to deliver can tear the placenta, leaving remainders of the placenta in the uterus, which can also cause hemorrhaging.
So, with a natural birth, the chances of postpartum hemorrhage, especially the type that causes women to bleed to death in minutes, is not something that is prevalent in home birth. It is actually extremely rare and the only reason that doctors see postpartum hemorrhaging more often (which they usually treat with pitocin or other medications) is most often because of the damage that they have caused with their own hands.
I do want to mention also that are things that we, as birthing women, can do in order to help our bodies in their natural progression of this third stage of labor. When the baby is born, the surest way to help with bleeding and to signal to your body that the baby has been born is to breastfeed. If the baby is not ready to nurse, merely skin to skin contact with your baby will also signal to the body that the baby has been born. Drinking red rasberry leaf tea during pregnancy and labor can also help your uterus to function at its best, as it tones the uterus to prepare it for birth. Pitocin and pain medications during labor actually have the opposite affect by interfering with the normal, natural function of the uterus, which will likely cause excessive bleeding after the baby has been born. In the cases where there is excessive bleeding, a gentle massage of the uterus will often encourage it to contract, which will help stop the bleeding. If all else fails, Shepherds Purse tincture taken under the tongue will slow bleeding in just seconds. This herb not only slows bleeding, but also promotes uterine contractions, which makes it ideal for women who are experiencing postpartum hemorrhage. It is important, though, that the tincture is made from a fresh plant, rather than a dried plant, as the plant significantly loses potency after it has been dried.
You could bleed to death in minutes!
This is one of the scare tactics that many doctors use in order to persuade pregnant women into believing that the hospital is the safest place to give birth. When I first heard a doctor say this on a homebirth documentary, I decided to look into this claim in more detail to check the validity of this concern
There are a few women who, for whatever reason, will experience postpartum hemorrhage without any known reason or cause, but this is rarely the case (and even when it is, they would most likely experience days of unmistakable symptoms before death would occur). There is a common practice in our hospital deliveries for doctors to cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth and to assist in the delivery of the placenta. Both of these practices (which are so common that often women dont even know that there is another way) are dangerous for mom and baby and put them at a higher risk for complications.
There is a natural way that the progression of this third stage of labor will occur. Once the baby is born and breathing, the body will recognize this and begin to cut off the blood flow entering into the placenta. After a while (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) the placenta will naturally detach itself from the uterine wall and deliver on its own, without the help of outside intervention. Soon, the cord will stop pulsing blood to the baby and will turn white and limp. After the placenta has been delivered and the cord has stopped pulsing, it is now safe to cut the cord (although not necessary, as the cord will detach on its own in usually a week or less ~ this is called a lotus birth). So, looking at the layout of the natural course of events that take place after birth the birth of a baby, it is easy to see how any outside interference with that natural progression could be dangerous.
In the hospital, it is outrageously common for the doctor to clamp and cut the umbilical cord immediately after the baby has been born. This is so common, in fact, that most women that Ive talked to about delayed cord cutting had never even known that not cutting the cord immediately after birth was even possible. It seems that the general conclusion that our doctor-dependent society has come to, is that the doctor cuts the cord right away so that the baby can take its first breath. Its hard for these women to fathom that the doctors only continue this unnecessary practice for their own convenience! Cutting the cord prematurely not only interferes with your bodys natural process (which can lead to hemorrhaging), but it also deprives the baby of 25-40% of their blood supply! Its no wonder that so many of our babys are vitamin deficient at birth
Another common practice (not practiced by all doctors, but certainly many, as well as many midwives) is the assisted birth of the placenta. Basically what this means is that the doctor will push on the uterus (many times causing the mother pain) and/or pull on the umbilical cord in order to force the placenta to detach and deliver sooner. Of course, this is in the best interest of the doctor, as he/she can leave sooner and be on to their next patient or go home for the day. This practice is absolutely not in the best interest of the mother, as the premature or forced delivery of the placenta interferes with your bodys natural process and can cause it not to contract properly in order to shut off the blood flow into the placenta. So, blood is still flowing freely to a placenta that is no longer there, and the uterus fails to contract properly and restrict blood flow, causing the woman to hemorrhage. Also, tugging on the cord or forcing the placenta to deliver can tear the placenta, leaving remainders of the placenta in the uterus, which can also cause hemorrhaging.
So, with a natural birth, the chances of postpartum hemorrhage, especially the type that causes women to bleed to death in minutes, is not something that is prevalent in home birth. It is actually extremely rare and the only reason that doctors see postpartum hemorrhaging more often (which they usually treat with pitocin or other medications) is most often because of the damage that they have caused with their own hands.
I do want to mention also that are things that we, as birthing women, can do in order to help our bodies in their natural progression of this third stage of labor. When the baby is born, the surest way to help with bleeding and to signal to your body that the baby has been born is to breastfeed. If the baby is not ready to nurse, merely skin to skin contact with your baby will also signal to the body that the baby has been born. Drinking red rasberry leaf tea during pregnancy and labor can also help your uterus to function at its best, as it tones the uterus to prepare it for birth. Pitocin and pain medications during labor actually have the opposite affect by interfering with the normal, natural function of the uterus, which will likely cause excessive bleeding after the baby has been born. In the cases where there is excessive bleeding, a gentle massage of the uterus will often encourage it to contract, which will help stop the bleeding. If all else fails, Shepherds Purse tincture taken under the tongue will slow bleeding in just seconds. This herb not only slows bleeding, but also promotes uterine contractions, which makes it ideal for women who are experiencing postpartum hemorrhage. It is important, though, that the tincture is made from a fresh plant, rather than a dried plant, as the plant significantly loses potency after it has been dried.
