{"product_id":"easy-labor-isbn-9780345476630","title":"Easy Labor","description":"THE FIRST COMPLETE, COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO PAIN RELIEF DURING LABOR AND DELIVERY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFar too many expectant mothers find themselves unprepared when labor begins and natural techniques don’t effectively manage the pain. This indispensable guide provides reassuring, proven approaches to combining medical and natural techniques to ensure the most comfortable pain-free labor possible. In Easy Labor, you’ll discover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• what to expect during labor, and key factors that affect your comfort\u003cbr\u003e• the facts on epidurals, safety concerns, and how effectively they reduce pain\u003cbr\u003e• the pros and cons of pain-relief medications\u003cbr\u003e• complementary and alternative methods, including water immersion, acupuncture, hypnosis, massage, and birth balls\u003cbr\u003e• how your choice of hospital or birth center affects your pain-management options\u003cbr\u003e• techniques to calm and eliminate the specific fears and stresses associated with childbirth \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo relax and enjoy your pregnancy, with this important book by your side!A superb book that gives anyone who is pregnant a great understanding of the choices and rationale for those options that make birth easier.\u003cbr\u003e    ~Dr Michael Roizen, MD, co-author of New York Times #1 bestseller, YOU: The Owner’s Manual\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGives pregnant women a comprehensive overview of all their options for making labor more comfortable.\u003cbr\u003e      ~ Newsweek\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Down-to-earth prose provides compelling descriptions of labor from moms, doctors, and midwives. A “Great Read”.\"\u003cbr\u003e     –FitPregnancy Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Provides a road map through the thorny thicket of labor — no matter what path you choose.\"\u003cbr\u003e       –ePregnancy Magazine editor’s book pick\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Best Bet” for labor literature!\"\u003cbr\u003e    –Pregnancy Magazine  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A thoughtful and thorough look at epidurals, narcotics, hypnosis, acupuncture, and other traditional and nontraditional methods of pain relief, so your choices can be well informed. The authors believe that knowledge is power — in this case, the power to choose pain-relief methods that reflect one’s own values, priorities, and preferences. They deliver the facts and options in a meaningful and easy-to-understand way, while acknowledging feelings and providing reassurance.\"\u003cbr\u003e   –National Parenting Publications Gold Medal Award\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A common sense, down-to-earth approach to discussing pain-relief options during childbirth . . . a must for women wanting the straight scoop on what to expect during delivery!”\u003cbr\u003e–Joy Hawkins, M.D., director of Obstetric Anesthesia and professor of anesthesiology, at the University of Colorado\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Reassuring and informative . . . a detailed and readable presentation of maternal stress, fear, and pain during childbirth.”\u003cbr\u003e–Penny Simkin, co-founder of Doulas of North America International, and author of The Birth Partner\u003cb\u003eWilliam Camann, MD\u003c\/b\u003e, the co-author of \u003ci\u003eEasy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth, \u003c\/i\u003eis the director of Obstetric Anesthesia at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, one of the most respected healthcare institutions in the world. Dr. Camann is also an associate professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and president of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. Dr. Camann is an internationally recognized authority on obstetric anesthesia and pain control during childbirth and has appeared on various local and national news programs including \u003ci\u003eToday, ABC World News Tonight, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Good Morning America\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKathryn Alexander, MA,\u003c\/b\u003e the co-author of \u003ci\u003eEasy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth, \u003c\/i\u003eis a former child and family therapist who has worked in the healthcare field for more than 15 years. As a freelance writer, she has been published in many national parenting publications and on women's health websites. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.One  Choosing the   Best Birth   Environment   for You\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Your choice of birth environment is the first decision you make that  determines your pain-relief options. If you know you want to use modern  medical pain-relief methods, you will need to select a birth environment  that can accommodate these preferences. If you are leaning more toward a  natural childbirth, but would like to keep your options open, you may want  to be in   a birth environment that offers not only nonmedical forms of pain relief  but also allows accessibility to medical pain relief, should you change  your mind during labor. If you are committed to using no medical  pain-relief options and do not want to be in an environment where they are  frequently used, you will need to choose a birth environment that has both  the physical amenities and supportive caregivers you will need to  successfully give birth free of any medications, using complementary and  alternative pain-management techniques.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    The staff of caregivers available to you during labor and birth can also  directly impact your pain-relief options. For instance, if you think you  prefer to use an epidural but are in a hospital where the only  anesthesiologist is on another unit at the time when you are in need of  pain relief, this can significantly impact your birth experience.  Conversely, if you prefer to delay or avoid the use of medications, a busy  hospital with a high percentage of epidural usage may not be the ideal  environment for you to achieve this goal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Pharmacologic methods (medications) should never replace personal  attention and tender loving care of the woman in labor.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Your birth environment and the people caring for you during your labor and  delivery can dramatically impact how you will perceive your childbirth  experience. By choosing the type of birth environment best for you, you  are more likely to feel relaxed and comfortable when you arrive and  throughout the rest of your labor and birth. If you are giving birth in  the setting you desire, surrounded by people who are able to meet your  needs, including your pain-management needs, you are more likely to have a  satisfying “birth day.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    In this chapter we:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •List the most common birth environments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Describe what each has to offer with regard to pain-relief options.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Provide a description of the various professionals who may (or may not)  be with you during labor and birth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Provide an at-a-glance comparison between hospitals and birth centers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Hospitals\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Most women in the United States (approximately 98 percent) give birth in a  hospital. But all hospitals are not alike, and maternity units vary  greatly from hospital to hospital. In addition, the size of the hospital  and its maternity unit can impact the type of birth experience you have.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Reasons You May Want to Have   Your Baby in a Hospital\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You want to be in a place where all or most medical pain-relief options  will be available to you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You want to give birth in a setting that has equipment and staff ready  to deal with an unlikely emergency.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You feel more confident in a birth environment surrounded by a variety  of medical professionals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You want a two- to four-day recovery period before returning home with  your new baby.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Larger hospitals typically offer more medical pain-management options than  are found in smaller (community) hospitals. Larger hospitals are more  likely to have an in-house, around-the-clock anesthesiology staff readily  available if you are in need of an epidural. Often, these larger hospitals  have anesthesiologists who are assigned specifically to the maternity  unit. This reduces the likelihood of delays for women in need of pain  relief that must be given by the anesthesiologist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Smaller hospitals may not have as many medical pain-relief options and may  not offer epidurals twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If they  have a limited anesthesia staff, some smaller hospitals may not offer  epidurals at all. On the other hand, many of these small hospitals, as a  result of not having   as much “high-tech” pain relief to offer, often have staff and equipment  that can successfully support the mom who prefers to use fewer or no  medications throughout labor and birth. So, depending upon your own  preferences, either of these settings may be right for you. But, clearly,  if you desire the full-throttle pain relief of an epidural, you are more  likely to find this type of pain management taking place in larger  hospitals with busier maternity units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Size of Hospital Maternity Unit and Their Epidural and Combined  Spinal-Epidural Rates:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •In hospitals that deliver fifteen hundred or more babies per year, 69%  of women use an epidural or a combined spinal-epidural.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •In hospitals that deliver five hundred to fifteen hundred babies per  year, 50% of women use an epidural or a combined spinal-epidural.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •In hospitals that deliver less than five hundred babies per year, 40% of  women use an epidural or combined spinal-epidral.2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Hospitals of all sizes are increasingly responding to women’s requests for  more pain-management options, including baths, showers, the use of birth  balls, and the promotion of movement and positioning during labor and  birth. More hospitals are encouraging, or at the very least accepting,  women’s choice to use doulas (described in this chapter) as their primary  support people during their labor and birth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Many hospitals throughout the country have made their birthing rooms more  appealing and homelike, with the goal of helping women feel relaxed and  comfortable in the unfamiliar and sometimes intimidating surroundings of a  clinical setting. Even with these changes, the hospital stay (which, for  most women, is their very first hospital stay) can make you feel like,  well, like you’re in a hospital! Many caregivers recommend you bring your  own homelike objects of comfort that will promote a sense of familiarity  and relaxation in an otherwise unfamiliar setting. You may want to bring  your favorite pillow, fragrance, photos, and a radio or CD player to  listen to your favorite music. If you feel more comfy in your own  clothing, let the hospital staff know you would like to wear your own  threads instead of their hospital gown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Two more factors may also determine where you ultimately give birth: your  insurance coverage, which may or may not cover your care at your preferred  hospital, and your obstetrician’s hospital affiliation. The hospital in  which your obste-  trician or midwife works will be the hospital where you will have your  baby. If you like your obstetrician or midwife, but do not like the  hospital with which he or she is affiliated, you may find you will need to  switch to a doctor or midwife who works in the hospital where you want to  have your baby.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Are Women Who Have Their   Babies in Hospitals Satisfied   with Their Experience?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    According to a survey of sixteen hundred women across the country:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Ninety-six percent said they were satisfied with the health care they  received.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Ninety-four percent felt they were treated with kindness and understanding.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Eighty-seven percent said they were free to make their own decisions.3\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    The Birth Center\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Birth centers grew popular in the 1970s as an alternative to the hospital  birth experience. Birth centers may also be called alternative birth  centers (ABCs) or childbearing centers. According to the National  Association of Childbearing Centers, “birth centers are guided by  principles of prevention, sensitivity, safety, appropriate medical  intervention, and cost effectiveness.”4 Birth centers, unlike hospitals,  do not exist in many communities across the country and, depending on  where you live, may not be an option available to you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Reasons You May Want to Have Your   Baby in a Birth Center\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You are committed to giving birth without pain-relief medications.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You do not feel relaxed in a medical setting and prefer a nonmedical  type of atmosphere.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You feel more confident in a birth setting surrounded by your family and  being cared for by staff (and equipment) that is geared toward supporting  a labor experience using coping strategies instead of medical pain-relief  strategies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •You may want to return home as soon as possible after giving birth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Birth centers are often operated by midwives, or midwives and physicians  together. The prospect of giving birth in a birth center is usually most  appealing to women who want a birth environment where there will be as few  medical interventions (including pain-relief interventions) as possible  during labor and birth. The birth center is a good option for women who do  not want to have their baby in a hospital but also do not want to give  birth at home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    There are some in-hospital birth centers that provide a homey  family-centered birth environment; they are attached to the hospital or  are located on their campus. The in-hospital birth center is a distinct  facility, separate from the hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Typically,  epidurals are not offered in these centers. Depending on your preferences,  this type of environment may also be a perfectly suitable option for you.  A birth center within a hospital, however, may not operate in the same way  an out-of-hospital birth center does, and its care practices and staffing  may be more like hospital care than birth center care.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    If you choose to have your baby in a birth center, a certified  nurse-midwife (CNM) will most likely be your primary caregiver. Although  in birth centers midwives and obstetricians work together, it is the  midwife who will likely attend to the birth of your baby, unless the  obstetrician is needed due to a complication. Your health care provider  must determine that you are healthy a woman with a low-risk pregnancy in  order for you to give birth to your baby in a birth center. Birth centers  provide care to women throughout their pregnancy, labor and birth, and  postpartum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe birth center itself is characterized by a homelike atmosphere that is less high tech in appearance than a typical hospital maternity unit. If you are laboring in a birth center and at some point need emergency medical intervention, you will be transferred to a hospital.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAround 15 percent of women who begin their labor in a birth center need to transfer to a hospital. Of these women, only 2 percent transfer due to an emergency. The remainder are transported to the hospital primarily due to slow progress or because\u003cbr\u003ethe mom requests anesthesia. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBirth centers promote a relaxed, privte, nonclinical environment in which a variety of nonmedical pain-mainagement approached can be accommodated. Birth centers do not offer epidurals, and they ususally (although not always) do not offer narcoticinjections. Birth centers are ot equipped to perform cesarean section deliveries. In fact, the cesarian section rate for women who began their labor in birth centers is around 4 percent.","brand":"Ballantine Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301787554021,"sku":"NP9780345476630","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780345476630.jpg?v=1767725818","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/easy-labor-isbn-9780345476630","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}