A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology looked at the differences in outcomes between elective induction of labor at 41 weeks and expectant management until 42 weeks. The conclusion of this study was:
In a large randomized clinical trial among low risk women, we found no statistically significant differences between elective induction of labor at 41 weeks and expectant management until 42 weeks. The observed rates can be used in a process of shared decision making.
Both primary and secondary outcomes were reviewed. Read the summary here and the entire study here.
Almost from the minute you announce a pregnancy, well-meaning friends and family will start to ask questions and give you their input. Strangers feel free to comment on the size of your bump, will tell you stories and share their opinions with you freely. When you have chosen an out-of-hospital setting, it can be difficult to decide whether to expose this decision to world for comment! Sabrina Jo Stevens shares a great discussion of this topic in a recent Romper piece:
Most of the time, people who ask this question expect you to answer with the name of a local hospital, so if you say “Such-And-Such Birth Center” or “Home,” it can start a conversation one or both of you weren’t necessarily planning on having at that particular moment. “Do I really feel like having a conversation that will almost certainly end with me ranting about America’s maternity care system on the subway right now?”
Can you relate?! How many times have you been asked, “but is that safe?! Is it frustrating to you that families who plan to have their babies in the hospital aren’t asked the same questions?
All of us at Babymoon Inn can certainly relate to her conclusion:
If you want to actually choose your own birth adventure, you sometimes have to pay for it with extra time or money, even though covering these options fully for any family that wants it would save our entire healthcare system tons of money.
And that’s how I end up ranting about our maternity care system on the subway.
Have you wondered what those crazy pregnancy dreams mean? I had several vivid dreams during my pregnancy with my second son (sorry, Robert!) and would have loved to use this article to decipher what I was sorting out in dreamland.
Julie Revelant FoxNews.com shares a fascinating list of the most common pregnancy dreams and their respective interpretations. Water, forgetting the baby, small animals and insects, and labor and giving birth are on the list.
Why do you dream these crazy things in pregnancy? Well, there is some good news. According to Ms. Revelant’s article:
The good news is that dreams aren’t premonitions and pregnant women who have nightmares may actually have shorter labors, according to a study in the journal Psychiatry Research.
Was this true for you? Did you have nightmares and shorter labors? What dreams did you experience?
Unless your entire social circle decides to become parents all at the same time, becoming a new parent can be an isolating experience. Emily Barth Isler shares “10 Rules For Picking Up New Mom Friends at the Playground” – tips and encouragement to help you find your community. Be sure to read her complete list! Our favorites are:
3. Overshare
Once you get a good conversation going with a fellow new mom, you can feel free to share your birth story if it comes up. Complain about sleep deprivation. Compare breast pump techniques. Coo about how adorable both of your babies are. You know, say the things you’re not going to say back at the office to Randy from marketing.
4. Ask awkward questions
Not just any awkward questions, of course, but don’t be afraid to talk about things you might usually not broach with strangers. For example, with a regular stranger at a work function, you might not bring up her boobs. With a new mom who you’ve seen nursing her baby at mommy-and-me yoga, feel free to ask how breastfeeding is going. In this case, it’s actually polite. Even if you feel weird, she might be glad you’re giving her a chance to talk about something she’s dealing with or something she’s proud of.
5. Don’t be afraid of rejection
If the new mom you approach at your baby’s music class doesn’t seem into you, give her another chance in a week or two. This is not some weird “don’t take no for an answer” thing; I’m just saying that at this exceptionally overwhelming, emotional, crazy stage in life that we call “new parenthood,” we all have those days where we’re not in the mood to talk or think or be out in the world. So go easy on the seemingly unfriendly mom at the playground and try again another day if she seems more open.
At Babymoon Inn, we have created a safe space to come try these tips out. Join us weekly at the Nest at Babymoon Inn for a wide variety of activities and the opportunity to come make new mom friends! See our calendar for upcoming events.
About Babymoon Inn
Babymoon Inn is a full-scope midwifery practice and wellness center with locations in Phoenix and Tucson. Our team is committed to improving maternal outcomes and providing personalized, evidence-based care to all people.
Babymoon Inn is a full-scope midwifery practice and wellness center with locations in Phoenix and Tucson. Our team is committed to improving maternal outcomes and providing personalized, evidence-based care to all people.