Unassisted Pregnancy: Naturally Managing Complications

Natural Alternatives to Medications and Procedures

This goes along with the question of "What if something goes wrong?" As I've already said in other articles, the simple answer is that the mother will handle it. Many freebirthers prefer to think of complications as 'variations of normal' that happen during pregnancy, labor, and birth.
 While the majority of pregnancies are low-risk and very safe, not all are completely uneventful. If they become too severe, the mother should of course see a doctor or midwife. However, many of these issues can be managed at home by a well-informed mother. There is no reason to panic!

Preeclampsia is pregnancy-induced hypertension or, in other words, high blood pressure. It is also called toxemia. It is common in first time mothers, teenage or multiple pregnancies, and women over 40. Smoking, drinking, and other unhealthy lifestyle practices can increase the risk of preeclampsia. There may also be a genetic factor. It occurs once the pregnancy has reached 20 week gestation. It happens in only 5-8% of pregnancies, and those with healthy lifestyles are very unlikely to be affected by it. Preeclampsia can cause low birth weight babies by depriving the placenta of blood. It can develop into eclampsia, which will cause seizures, but this is very rare--especially for those who recognize the condition and treat it.

Mild preeclampsia will cause high blood pressure, water retention, and protein in the urine; you may swell more than usual and notice your pee is cloudy. Severe preeclampsia causes headaches, blurred vision, light sensitivity, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and shortness of brush. When a mother suspects preeclampsia, she should take it easy and get lots of rest. There are many things she can do to help lower her blood pressure. These include limiting salt intake, drinking more water, and avoiding unhealthy foods and substances like fried foods, alcohol, and caffeine. Exercising 30 minutes a day will also help. Preeclampsia is rare in those who do this regularly, so these methods are great for both prevention and treatment of this complication.

Related information
  • A healthy lifestyle can prevent many complications.
  • A healthier diet, lots of water, and exercise are great treatment.
  • Complications are more like variations of normal.
 
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Excellent article as usual, Heather :) Unassisted birthers are almost always highly educated about birth complications. Everyone always assumed that I was ignorant of how to take care of any possible problems when I gave birth, I suppose because they were ignorant of how to handle it and so assumed that I couldn't possibly know, either. I'd always have to point out to them that I had been studying birth for eight years - the same amount of time that it takes to become a doctor!

Posted on 08/22/2008 at 11:08:48 PM

They induce you and section you within 24 hours here at our base hospital; just happened to a friend of mine a few weeks ago. :(

Posted on 06/16/2008 at 3:06:40 PM

To clarify-I should add that the women in labour within 24 hours refers to the number of women who will enter spontaneous labour within 24 hours of ROM; it does not include women who've had their labours induced with pitocin.

Posted on 06/03/2008 at 6:06:47 PM

See, again, I am shocked. It's my understanding that once the membranes are ruptured, I think you have about 72 hours in which the baby has to be born. But still, that's 3 days. Given the fact that 90% of women with ROM at term will be in labour within 24 hours, it seems unlikely that you would have to wait that long. I have seen many cases in which the membranes were ruptured for more than 24 hours; in these cases, you just start antibiotics. We actually have an antepartum and intrapartum risk assessment sheet to fill out. "Rupture of membranes >24 hours" is a risk score of 1 on the intrapartum risk section. Actually, the only complication in that part that has a risk factor of more than one is labour at I think it's before 34 weeks or something, and that's just a score of 2.

Posted on 06/03/2008 at 6:06:57 PM

As usual I agree Angela. But unfortunately in America it is common for women in the second trimester to be sent home with ruptured waters, while women who are near term are told they must deliver within 24 hours--which is quite hypocritical.

Posted on 06/03/2008 at 6:06:21 PM

Heather, I should also add that if the membranes are truly ruptured in the second trimester, I would be shocked to see a doctor let a mother go home. It is true that the earlier in pregnancy the membranes rupture, the longer the latent period will be (this is the interval between rupture of membranes and start of labour). Still, I think a more appropriate plan would be to admit the mother, maybe start her on steroids (to increase fetal lung maturity; this can only be done if she's less than 34 weeks and does not have certain problems) and antibiotics, and place her on intermittent fetal surveillance, such as running a non-stress test (fetal monitoring strip) twice a day or something. If it's just a leak, though, they could certainly send her home because the leak will probably seal itself off. And there are ways you can check for ROM without using your hands-sterile speculum exams are recommended if you suspect ROM and the mom's not in labour.

Posted on 06/02/2008 at 8:06:56 PM

Bondega, I'm surprised that they would tell you not to go beyond 24 hours for leaking. If the membranes are just leaking (not actually ruptured) the leak will usually seal itself off-I have seen this happen before. Leaking is not a reason to think about inducing labour. I have personally seen mother go around with ruptured membranes for more than 24 hours and still have vaginal births. It just means that internal exams should be strictly limited and the mother should be started on IV antibiotics after 24 hours. Also, if it's getting close to 24 hours and the mother isn't showing signs of labour (and this is rare; labour starts within 24 hours of ROM in 90% of women) the use of pitocin should be discussed with the mother. Pitocin is the only safe way of inducing labour after membranes have ruptured.

Posted on 06/02/2008 at 8:06:18 PM

I would just like to point out, Heather, that I would not recommend a mother attempt ECV by herself. Reason being that you want to be careful that you didn't somehow tear the cord or something. From policies I've seen, my understanding is that the mother has to be monitored prior to and after the ECV, just to make sure that everything's okay. I should also point out that ECV may not even be necessary. Only about 4% of term pregnancies are breech babies, and most babies will flip before 36 weeks. If the baby is breech, though, the mother will want to look for signs of placenta previa (such as painless vaginal bleeding) because this is more common with a breech. If she has any signs of this condition, she needs to go to the hospital. Placenta previa will probably necessitate a c/s. (I should also qualify this by saying that in many cases, the placenta is low-lying early in pregnancy but this usually sorts itself out; the incidence of PP is 0.3-0.4%).

Posted on 06/02/2008 at 8:06:06 PM

Doctors are too quick to save us from ourselves. My amniotic fluid was leaking, and i was told i to not let it go beyond 24 hours for risk of infection. thanks for your advice, of course mama nature knows what she's doing. I'm happy in my third world unassisted-ness , our "lack of medical resources"...

Posted on 03/10/2008 at 11:03:31 PM

Another great article, Heather. One thing I should mention though-I would not recommend doing a twin pregnancy unassisted. In the rural hospital where I work, if a mom presents in labour and she's known to be having twins, she's sent to a city hospital unless she's too close to giving birth. Twins are by definition a high-risk pregnancy and an obstetrician should at least be consulted, if not managing the mother's care. However, twins CAN be born vaginally and your care provider should discuss this option with you. Twins also carry a higher risk of post-partum haemorrhage for the mother, due to distention of the uterus.

Posted on 11/25/2007 at 7:11:00 PM

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