The choice of whether to give birth in a health facility, whether public or private, or to give birth at home is a decision for the parents.
It is good for future parents to know that there are "Baby Friendly Hospitals".
The UNICEF and WHO’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative aims to ensure that hospitals apply proven procedures and organisational models that support, promote and protect breastfeeding.
To obtain and maintain "Baby Friendly Hospital" recognition, hospitals must apply the 10 Steps and comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (for more details visit: https://www.unicef.org/documents/baby-friendly-hospital-initiative).
The 10 Steps of the Baby Friendly Hospital: Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding in Maternity Services:
- establish a corporate policy and written protocols for breastfeeding and make it known to all health care staff;
- train all healthcare staff to fully implement his protocol;
- inform all pregnant women of the benefits and methods of implementing breastfeeding;
- put newborns in skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth for at least one hour and encourage mothers to understand when the infant is ready to take milk, offering help if needed;
- show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain milk secretion even if they are separated from their infants;
- not give infants food or liquids other than breastmilk unless specifically prescribed by a doctor;
- placing the infant in the same room as the mother (rooming-in), so that they spend twenty-four hours together during the hospital stay;
- encourage breastfeeding on demand whenever the newborn requires nourishment;
- not giving artificial teats or dummies to infants during the hospital stay;
- promote collaboration between facility staff, the community, support groups and the local community to create support networks to which mothers can be referred on discharge from hospital.
Different approaches to childbirth
Some hospitals or birth centres give mothers the option of choosing, for example, water birth [learn more about water birth] or other types of pathways. Not all facilities are equipped, however, so it is a good idea for the mother to find out about this in good time.
Remember that there are also other ways of coping with childbirth, including going through different positions. During pregnancy try to get used to it, seeing which position makes you feel comfortable and at ease. Of course, it is likely that on the day of delivery you will want to change, but it can be considered a starting point to get familiar with it. Whatever position or type of birth you choose, stick with it! It is essential that you feel as comfortable and at ease as possible!
Finally, remember to practise your breathing (and if you wish, Hypnobirthing), not forgetting useful perineum and pelvic floor massages (ask your midwife for more information and help based on your specific situation).
Epidural or not?
Each woman may choose to use the epidural and your midwife may propose this anaesthetic modality to ease an overly demanding labour, since in addition to being an effective pain control tool, pharmacological analgesia is a formidable obstetrical tool.
Access to this technology and the advice of experts in the field (anaesthetist doctors) is a woman's right, and the availability of this procedure at the point of birth is indispensable. So, mothers-to-be, find out in good time whether the facility where you would like to give birth is planning to use this procedure and how you can make use of it.
It is certainly possible to try to facilitate labour by resorting to non-invasive and non-pharmacological techniques: today one can talk to excellent anaesthetists about natural pain relief techniques, and midwives have learnt to identify those situations in which appropriate analgesia can make a difference to a good outcome. Some non-pharmacological techniques are:
- the use of correct functional breathing for childbirth;
- gas (a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas. Gas and air will not remove all the pain, but it can help reduce it and make it more bearable. It's easy to use and you control it yourself);
- targeted massages in the lumbar-sacral area (which the partner could practise);
- keep moving to help the baby to come out;
- the use of water, even only during labour, to relax the mother's body.
The choice of whether or not to undergo anaesthesia is up to the mother ... do not hesitate to ask your doctor or the person who has followed you throughout your pregnancy for advice.