Participants: Patti Barnes
Series Code: DIV
Program Code: DIV000008A
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00:01 The contents of the following program
00:03 are not intended to substitute 00:05 for the advice of your healthcare provider, 00:07 and the producers of this series assume no liability 00:10 for the use or misuse of the material presented. 00:20 Creation or evolution, design or random chance, 00:27 they say it all began with a big bang, 00:31 but when we look at the amazing human body, 00:34 the answer is obvious. 00:36 The complexity of the design 00:37 exceeds anything man has ever made. 00:41 The body, it only have been designed 00:43 by the Master Designer we read about in the Bible. 00:49 Divine Design. 01:04 Hi, I'm Patti Barnes, 01:05 director of the Midwifery Program at Hartland College. 01:09 Today, we want to talk about labor and delivery, 01:12 the entering of the baby into the world. 01:15 There's a reason why the Bible 01:17 often uses the analogy of a woman in labor or travail, 01:21 nothing seems to come closer 01:23 to explaining the pain and struggle 01:25 that takes place before a tremendous blessing 01:29 is experience. 01:30 The scripture speak of the church in travail 01:33 and the world itself in pain to be delivered. 01:37 Jesus used this illustration to explain to His disciples 01:42 that the sorrow they were about to experience 01:44 at His death would be followed by great joy. 01:49 In John 16:21, we read... 01:52 "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, 01:55 because her hour is come: 01:58 but as soon as she is delivered of the child, 02:01 she remembereth no more the anguish, 02:04 for joy that a man is born into the world." 02:08 Almost every woman 02:09 who has given birth can agree with that, 02:12 the joy of holding that newborn baby 02:15 completely overshadows the travail or labor. 02:19 Let's look now at this process of labor and delivery, 02:23 and perhaps along the way 02:25 we will see some spiritual applications 02:27 for the church in these last days. 02:30 The first thing I want to discuss 02:32 is how to determine true labor from false labor. 02:36 In an earlier session, we talked about Braxton Hicks, 02:40 the name given to light, painless contractions 02:43 that serve the purpose of preparing the uterus 02:46 for the real thing. 02:48 Braxton Hicks usually begins long before the delivery, 02:51 therefore contractions in themselves 02:53 are not a sign of true labor. 02:56 Before we go on, 02:57 let's explain what term contractions are? 03:00 They are like a tightening sensation 03:02 that begins in the lower back 03:04 and spreads around to the front. 03:07 Cramping will also be felt. 03:10 Downward pressure is being applied on the uterus 03:12 pushing the baby downward into the birth canal. 03:16 A natural hormone called, Oxytocin 03:19 is released from the pituitary gland 03:21 which triggers these contractions. 03:24 A Synthetic Oxytocin called, Pitocin 03:27 has been developed 03:29 in order to augment this process, 03:31 but God is the designer and creator of the real thing. 03:35 To determine the true labor from the false, 03:38 we need to observe the timing, 03:40 frequency and then intensity of the contractions. 03:44 Now, true labor contractions come at regular intervals. 03:49 False labor will be your regular intervals. 03:53 True labor contractions intensify 03:56 and grow closer together. 03:58 False labor, they will not. 04:01 True labors felt in the back and lower front 04:04 where false labor often felt in the front and high. 04:08 True labor will not cease 04:10 with position change or activity. 04:14 False labor will cease. 04:17 True labor, warm baths or sleep will not stop them, 04:21 but false labor, warm baths and sleep will stop them. 04:25 True labor loses the mucus plug which has been for nine months 04:30 served as a barrier against bacteria. 04:32 But false labor does not lose the mucus plug. 04:37 In true labor the cervix softens, 04:38 shortens and dilates with effacement and dilation. 04:42 False labor minimal cervical change. 04:45 The descent of the baby or dropping into the pelvis 04:48 is called Lightening 04:49 and usually begins two to four weeks 04:51 before labor begins. 04:53 However, with multis, 04:55 those who have had several babies, 04:57 lightening can happen right at the beginning of labor. 05:00 When lightening occurs, 05:02 it will bring some relief to the mother's breathing, 05:04 but will once again increase pressure 05:06 on the bladder. 05:07 Don't be alarmed 05:09 if the baby's movements slow down now at this point, 05:13 but you still need to be feeling that baby. 05:16 About this time, the mother gets a burst of energy 05:20 or what is called the Nesting Instinct. 05:23 This is probably caused by the decrease 05:25 in the progesterone level 05:27 and an increase in norepinephrine, 05:30 but no one really knows for sure 05:32 why that mother suddenly gets an urge 05:35 to clean the entire house and cook up a storm. 05:39 The drop in progesterone level 05:40 will also encourage loose stools 05:44 which is just another sign 05:46 that true labor is about to begin. 05:48 True labor has three stages. 05:51 The first stage of labor has three phases. 05:54 These are called the latent or early phase, 05:57 the active phase and the transition phase. 06:01 The second stage is the birth 06:03 and the third stage 06:04 is the delivery of the placenta. 06:06 Let's look at the latent phase of the first stage. 06:09 This is the longest phase of labor 06:11 but fortunately the easiest. 06:14 The contractions are generally mild 06:16 and establishing a regular pattern. 06:18 The cervix begins to effaced 06:20 then out and dilate around two to three centimeters. 06:25 At this point the mother's emotions begin to be vary, 06:29 ranging from excitement to apprehension. 06:32 Contractions are not so intense 06:34 so she said would communicate freely. 06:37 During this time she should be encouraged to walk, 06:40 eat and rest in preparation for the next phase 06:44 which will be more intense. 06:46 Here is when we find great value 06:49 in having a doula or birthing assistant. 06:52 As reported in the journal of Perinatal Education, 06:55 different studies comparing 06:56 outcomes of two groups of mothers, 06:59 one with a doula assistant and one without. 07:02 They found that those with doulas 07:04 had significantly better birth outcomes. 07:07 They had fewer C-sections, shorter labor 07:10 and were more likely 07:12 to breastfeed their babies successfully. 07:15 It was a continuous support 07:17 and encouragement that made the difference. 07:21 Next we come to the active phase, 07:23 the contractions become more intense 07:25 and closer together. 07:27 The cervix dilates to around four to seven centimeters, 07:30 and at this point she's going to meet continuous support. 07:35 Slowed controlled breathing should be encouraged 07:39 along with massage to the lower back for relief. 07:43 Hydrotherapy can also be benefit easing the discomfort 07:47 by relaxing the muscles. 07:49 And at this point, 07:50 she will probably not want to eat 07:52 but should be encouraged to stay well hydrated. 07:56 This will help her circulation and energy level during labor. 08:00 There had been several studies on the benefits of walking 08:03 and maintaining an upright position 08:05 throughout the first stage of labor. 08:07 They have concluded based on their findings 08:09 that women of low risk 08:11 tend to have less need for interventions, 08:14 shorter labor, and less C-sections. 08:17 This is simple matter of allowing gravity 08:20 to work in the woman's favor. 08:23 In addition, it decreases the pain in the back 08:26 but it's only increased in a supine or flat position. 08:30 We now move into the final phase 08:33 of the first stage called the transition phase. 08:36 The contractions are very intense now, 08:39 and the dilation is usually from seven to ten centimeters, 08:42 which is considered completely dilated 08:45 allowing the baby's head to fit through the cervix. 08:48 This is the hardest but shortest phase. 08:52 Here is where the mother might feel 08:53 like she just can't do it anymore. 08:57 Now she needs encouragement letting her know 09:00 that it's almost over. 09:03 She can do it in addition to the dilation and intensity, 09:07 the mother may also experience nausea and vomiting, 09:11 alternating between sweats and chills 09:13 and the impulse to push 09:16 as a baby presses against the sacrum. 09:19 This now leads to the second stage of labor, 09:22 the birth. 09:24 This is when the mother begins pushing hard 09:26 and the baby begins moving into the delivery position. 09:30 As a baby is moving down into the pelvis, 09:33 there are eight movements the baby makes 09:35 as it naturally navigate through the birth canal. 09:38 These are called cardinal movements. 09:41 The first one is engagement. 09:43 When the head or the presenting part enters the pelvis. 09:46 Then descent, 09:48 when the baby descents through the pelvic inlet. 09:51 Flexion, when the head meets resistance, 09:54 it flexes so that the chin touches the chest. 09:58 Internal rotation, this is when the occiput 10:01 or the back of the head rotates to face down. 10:05 Extension, this is when the top of the head is delivered 10:08 and the face and chin extends. 10:11 Restitution, here the head rotates 45 degrees. 10:16 An external rotation, 10:18 this occurs as a shoulders rotate to align with the head 10:21 and the anterior shoulder is delivered. 10:25 Expulsion, the posterior shoulder is delivered 10:29 followed by the remainder of the body. 10:32 By the way, these movements are not made by the doctor 10:35 or midwife, they are ordained of God, 10:38 a part of His miraculous plan. 10:41 There are various positions also for pushing, 10:44 but the upright position is superior 10:47 as it allows gravity to work. 10:49 Squatting can be effective in increasing the opening 10:52 of the birth canal by as much as 20 to 30 percent. 10:57 In addition, the pain is somewhat less 10:59 and the contractions are more effective. 11:02 This can shorten the duration of the pushing. 11:05 Now, that the baby has been delivered, 11:07 we enter into the third stage of labor 11:10 which is the delivery of the placenta. 11:13 This can take anywhere from five to thirty minutes. 11:16 Once the cord stops pulsating, we clamp and cut it. 11:20 We dry the baby and wrap him in a blanket 11:22 and give him to the mom, to nurse. 11:25 What takes place now is amazing as a mom begins to nurse, 11:29 there's a natural Oxytocin release 11:31 that causes uterine contractions again, 11:33 which aids in expelling the placenta 11:36 and reducing the uterus down 11:37 to about the size of a large grapefruit. 11:41 Through a process called involution, 11:43 it would take about two weeks or so 11:45 for the uterus to return to its near normal size. 11:49 I say near normal, 11:51 for the uterus has stretched some 11:52 and will remain a little larger than its pre-pregnancy size. 11:56 It would take about six weeks for the placenta site to heal. 12:00 Now, let's look at some spiritual applications 12:04 we can draw from this amazing process of childbirth. 12:07 In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-5 we read... 12:13 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord 12:16 so cometh as a thief in the night. 12:19 For when they shall say, Peace and safety, 12:22 then sudden destruction cometh upon them, 12:25 as travail upon a woman with child: 12:28 and they shall not escape. 12:30 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, 12:33 that that day should overtake you as a thief. 12:35 Ye are the children of light, and the children of the day: 12:39 we are not of the night, nor of darkness." 12:42 The Apostle Paul uses the example of a woman in labor 12:46 to give us an idea of what it will be like 12:49 when the return of Jesus is near. 12:51 A pregnant woman knows when she is about to give birth 12:55 and there are obvious signs and severe pains 12:57 that make it ever so clear 12:59 that a child is soon to be born. 13:01 Paul goes on in verse 6 to say... 13:05 "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, 13:09 but let us watch and be sober." 13:11 Just like transition 13:13 is the hardest part of the birth 13:15 but the shortest, 13:17 the time of trouble and the seven last plagues 13:20 will be like transition for us, 13:22 the hardest but the shortest before the coming of the Lord. 13:29 In Galatians 4:19, Paul wrote... 13:33 "My little children, 13:34 of whom I travail in birth again 13:36 until Christ be formed in you." 13:39 With this in mind, we should also labor 13:42 and travail to bring others into the truth. 13:46 Join us next time for more of the Divine Design. |
Revised 2016-10-17