Should Fathers be Present at the Birth of Their Children?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

60 years ago it was almost unheard of for a father to be present at the birth of his child. Today the opposite is true and fathers are expected to play an active and supportive role during labour. But just because it’s become the norm – should fathers to be present at the birth of their children?

 

Yes – Naomi
I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that fathers shouldn’t be involved in the labour and birth of their children. After all they played an active part in conception so they should be there to support their partner through everything that follows.

A father can be a great support – both physically and emotionally to a woman who is in labour. He can ensure she stays calm, provide massage to help ease discomfort and just be there to provide emotional support. Midwives are often too busy to give all the support that a woman needs during labour and so the father of the child should be available to provide all the help he can. And although a woman could take her mother, sister or friend into the labour ward, usually it is her partner who she loves and trusts the most and wants him to be with her.

Being at the birth is also a great way for a father to bond with his new baby. Seeing a child come into the world is one of the greatest experiences in life and not something that fathers should miss out on. By taking an active part in the birth, fathers will find the bonding process much easier than if they are waiting outside. And in future years, they will be able to tell their son or daughter about the magical moment when they saw them being born.

 

 

No – David
It has become accepted that a man will be by his partner’s side as she gives birth but there really is no good reason for him to be there. Men simply aren’t experts at giving birth and can’t provide the support that a woman needs during labour. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the presence of a man in the delivery suite could actually be harmful to a woman giving birth. If he’s stressed and anxious, his behaviour will be picked up by the woman who will in turn become stressed, making the birthing process more difficult.

It’s natural for a man to want the best for his partner so it can be distressing to watch her going through labour. He may therefore suggest medication or intervention that the woman doesn’t necessarily need just because he thinks it will help. This can interfere with the natural process of birth and slow things down considerably. A man’s natural instinct is to try and help when quite often all a labouring woman needs is to be left alone in peace to get on with things.

I think it’s far better for a woman to be supported through birth by another woman – someone who has gone through it herself and knows the right type of support to give. This is much better than a man, who hasn’t really got a clue, trying to do his best but ultimately making things more difficult for everyone.

Categories: birth, children nbsp, fathers, giving birth, labour, Support, woman

Be More in the Mood for Sex with These Lifestyle Changes

 

When your wellbeing is affected by a low libido, you can feel like you’re the only one, or that something is wrong with you. However, according to sexual health and wellness expert Celia Shatzman, ‘If you’ve lost that frisky feeling, you’re not alone. Research shows that nearly a third of women and 15% of men lack the desire to have sex regularly. But there are things you can do to put the sizzle back into your sex life.’ So, which lifestyle changes can give your sex drive a boost?

 

1. Plan More Date Nights: ‘If a fun Saturday night with your hubby means watching Showtime in sweatpants, it could be killing your sex drive,’ warns Shatzman. ‘Rekindle your romance by getting out of the house for an old-fashioned date. Your dates don’t need to be grand romantic evenings; just going to the movies or out to dinner can reignite the spark you felt when you first met.’ Leah Millheiser, MD, director of the Female Sexual Medicine Programme at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, suggests, ‘If it’s too expensive to hire a nanny, ask your friends with kids to watch yours for the night and offer to return the favour.’

 

2. Choose a Different Birth Control Pill: ‘Hormonal changes take a big toll on your sex drive,’ Shatzman notes. ‘Birth control pills can be one of the biggest perpetrators: they can reduce your body’s production of testosterone, and in turn, your desire to get down. Certain varieties may even cause pain during sex. And even if you’re not on birth control, being aware of your hormonal status can help you dial in your libido. Prolactin, the nursing hormone, decreases estrogen and testosterone in breastfeeding women, which can wreak hormonal havoc. Additionally…menopause can bring a decrease in testosterone and estradiol, a type of oestrogen.’

 

3. Check Your Other Meds, Too: Shatzman instructs, ‘Take a look at your medicine cabinet—your prescriptions could be behind your lower libido. Aside from birth control pills, common offenders include drugs for high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), anxiety, and depression.’ Dr. Millheiser advises, ‘If a medication is the most likely culprit, discuss your concern with the prescribing doctor. It’s possible that another treatment may be used with fewer side effects.’

 

4. Divide Household Chores Equally: Dr. Millheiser points out, ‘After the kids go to bed, there’s often cleanup followed by work that you’ve brought home. As a result, intimacy gets pushed to the background.’ Shatzman comments, ‘If you and your partner are both working full-time, keeping the division of household labour equal and ensuring one partner doesn’t shoulder the whole burden will make both of you happier in the bedroom and out.’

 

5. Set Your Room Up for Romance: ‘It’s easy to get in the habit of letting your kids crawl into bed with you after they’ve had a bad dream, or sharing cuddle time with your cat or dog,’ allows Shatzman. ‘These are major mood killers. [Keep] the kiddos and pets out by simply locking the bedroom door at night. It may take some time to break these habits, but making the bed sexy again will make you more relaxed and ready for romance.’

 

6. Add Sex to Your To-Do List: Shatzman asks, ‘We schedule doctor’s appointments, work meetings, and drinks with friends—so why not sex? It’s not the most romantic approach, but setting aside a specific time with your significant other means you’re making a commitment to having an active sex life. This way, you’ll feel compelled to keep the appointment and be less likely to make excuses.’

Categories: birth, Birth Control, birth control pill, chores, control pills, dr millheiser, low libido, nbsp, Sex Drive, sex life, shatzman, time

Women in the US Dismiss the IUD – But Are They Right?

Choosing your method of birth control is not just an issue of sexual health, but of your overall wellbeing. There are various options to consider when choosing birth control, which you need to go through with your partner to ensure you make the right choice for you. One option up for consideration is the IUD, but, although it’s more convenient that a lot of methods, it appears to be less popular than the Pill – especially across the pond. Does the IUD have an unfairly negative reputation, or does the US know something we don’t?

 

Sexual wellness writer Heather Quinlan details, ‘The intrauterine device, or IUD, is a T-shaped device that is inserted into a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy. It can be implanted in a doctor’s office, has an amazing success rate of nearly 100%, and is the most popular form of reversible contraception in the world, with over 85 million users.’ Still, while women worldwide have accepted the IUD, only 1.3% of women in the US use the device as birth control. But why is that?

 

‘Many believe that the IUD is a victim of bad PR in the US, due in large part to the Dalkon Shield, a similar-looking device that was promoted as a revolutionary form of contraception in the 1970s,’ Quinlan explains. ‘Unfortunately, the Shield’s makers did not thoroughly research its potential design faults, and the infamous multifilament string (as opposed to a safer monofilament one) caused users to fall victim to pelvic infections, internal scarring and even infertility. Class action lawsuits brought against Dalkon’s A.H. Robins Company totaled over $1 billion and forced it into bankruptcy.’ So it’s not hard to see why American women are wary of the IUD, but this unjust tentativeness has led to an array of misconceptions.

 

However, Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at YaleUniversity, asserts that the IUD can be greatly beneficial to women. ‘It’s a good idea to revisit what you’re using contraceptively, says Dr. Minkin. ‘Someone with good fertility is [often] better off with an IUD.’ Moreover, if you’re a smoker, having an IUD is safer than using birth control pills. ‘There’s no doctor that would advocate smoking,’ Dr. Minkin admits. ‘But if you’re a smoker over 35, the pill greatly increases you chance of cardiac disease.’

 

Let’s get the skinny from some real women who have tried, and loved, the IUD. When Francesca’s, 30, marriage fell apart following the birth of her daughter in 2001, she needed a birth control method she could trust. ‘I couldn’t imagine having a child as a single mother,’ she recalls. But I didn’t want to go the drastic route of having my tubes tied. So I tried the IUD, and it worked like a charm. I didn’t have to remember to take a pill, fill a prescription every month, and one of the best things was, I didn’t get my period.’ When Francesca remarried in 2005 she decided to have the IUD removed. She details, ‘The doctors told me I could potentially get pregnant soon after it was taken out, and they were right—11 months later I had another beautiful baby girl!’

 

Another IUD fan is Jordan 24, who is happily using the device after an unexpected pregnancy caused her to rethink her birth control. She comments, ‘I had heard all these crazy things about the IUD, but I could never remember to take my pill on time, or I’d lose it. This led to me getting pregnant when I was 19. So I knew I needed something that could just do the job without much work from me. It’s now been three years and I’m still very happy with it—I can’t believe more women don’t use it, though I’m glad I do.’

Categories: Benefits, birth, Birth Control, control, Device, dr minkin, IUD, nbsp, Women

Sneaky Side Effects: Is the Pill Ruining Your Sex Life?

When it first came on the market, the birth control pill gave women more control over their sexual health than ever before. Birth control pills helped you to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting your ovaries from releasing a mature egg into the fallopian tubes during monthly ovulation – just in case you weren’t aware! However, recent studies are starting to show that eliminating ovulation may also affect your wellbeing in more subtle ways. By tricking your body into thinking it’s pregnant, your oral contraceptive may be discretely altering your attraction to men and vice versa. Though you may not realise it, there are subtle but important ways in which a single, tiny egg can make a monthly difference.

 

1. The Eyes (Don’t) Have it: You may have heard that your eyes dilate when looking at something or someone attractive, but the Pill interferes with this physiological response. Cristen Conger, wellness writer and co-host of the popular Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast, details, ‘Psychologists at the University of Trom in Norway tracked women’s pupil dilation, a physiological response to attraction, at multiple intervals during their menstrual cycles. Viewing a series of sexually stimulating photographs each time, participants’ pupil dilation was most pronounced during the women’s ovulatory phase – unless they were taking oral birth control. Women on the pill demonstrated no such additional stimulation, even in response to a photo of their current sexual partner.’

 

2. Sending Signals: According to Conger, ‘A lingering question about human evolution is what happened to female oestrus. In other mammals, oestrus is more commonly referred to as being “in heat,” the brief window when females can be impregnated. Women, on the other hand, can get pregnant at any point during their menstrual cycles, and – unlike some other animals, like baboons, which may experience temporarily engorged vulvas – ovulation comes with no outright physical signs of fertility.’ To test this out, researchers at the University of New Mexico investigated a group of 60 strippers, who were asked to log their daily tips from customers as well as the progress of their menstrual cycle. The results of the study revealed that during ovulation, strippers took home $335 per shift, compared to $185 per shift during their low-fertility periods. However, if the strippers were on hormonal birth control, they took home roughly the same amount each day, averaging $80 less than their naturally cycling cohorts. The researchers surmised this was because the male customers instinctively found the naturally cycling, and more immediately fertile, dancers more sexually appealing.

 

3. Lowered libido: Ironically, a lowered libido is an often cited side effect of hormonal contraceptives. Conger explains, ‘Birth control can work too well, in a sense, not only diminishing pregnancy risk but also dampening the desire for sexual intercourse. Anecdotal evidence has long supported this unadvertised side effect, and a growing number of studies have confirmed the rumours…Sexual dysfunction, such as low sex drive, poor lubrication or difficulty achieving orgasms, isn’t uncommon for women regardless of birth control.’ While researchers are still trying to work out whether the hormones in birth control could be to blame, repeated analysis has implicated oral hormonal contraception as a common culprit among women reporting limp libidos.

 

4. Choosing Mr. Wrong: Not only might your birth control make you less appealing to men and less in the mood for sex, it may also steer you towards a genetically unsuitable mate. ‘By successfully tricking the body into thinking its pregnant, underlying sexual behaviours follow suit, diverting single women toward more genetically similar men,’ Conger notes. ‘Although humans tend to practice assortative mating, in which people with similar backgrounds and sociodemographics couple up; genetically, however, opposites attract.’ As the Pill tricks your body into thinking it’s pregnant, it feels compelled to build a social support system among family and friends rather than seeking out a sexual suitor.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, control, decreased libido, lowered libido, menstrual cycles, naturally cycling, physiological response, pupil dilation, Research, The pill, Women

Is A Male Birth Control Pill On The Horizon?

The birth control pill celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010, a contraceptive that completely changed and revolutionised the world of female orientated contraception. By 1978, birth control was freely prescribed to both married and single women, and since then women have gained waves of independence in being able to have sex free of the worry of unwanted pregnancy.  Today, the pill is the most popular form of birth control for women under 30 and with good reason. The birth control family certainly has seen many additions over the years, from IUDs to patches and implants, but the majority of these are female-focused. But that looks set to change in the coming years. The male birth control pill has still not graced the contraceptive market, but it seems that pharmaceutical companies are looking into a form of long-term, reversible contraception that’s designed for men. So far, they’ve all fallen short. Men aren’t at a loss when it comes to contraception, with five non-medical options to choose from. These include abstinence, condoms, outercourse, vasectomy and the withdrawal method. But some men complain that none of these options allow them to fully enjoy sex, with condoms affecting the sensation in the penis and vasectomies requiring additional surgery if they want to reverse the procedure.

It wouldn’t eliminate the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, much as the female birth control pill doesn’t, but the male birth control pill could be an attractive contraception alternative for a number of reasons. To begin with, it would enable men and women to share the responsibility of contraception a little more fairly. It would also help alleviate the fear of the long term impact on fertility for women. As female birth control also affects the female libido, a male birth control option could be a more stimulating form of contraception for both partners. But how does this medication work in stopping 120 million sperm from being released during the ejaculation process? The female pill works with hormones to stop the ovaries from producing an egg each month, stopping the risk of fertilisation. But pharmaceutical companies have largely given up on this process for men, as testosterone differs from oestrogen or progesterone. The resulting birth control method would require men to combine testosterone implants with the pill, and most men wouldn’t go to such lengths for contraception.

 

One of the first non-hormonal methods to have a breakthrough is the way of disabling sperm instead of shutting down the production. When sperm are formed in the testes they are immobile, but when they pass through the epididymis they are then able to swim. Researchers believe that blocking the Cs protein, which ‘turns on’ the tails, could immobilise the sperm entirely. There is still much work to be done in forming a pill that men can use. There are risks attached, such as whether men will take the pill and whether women will trust men to take it, but at this stage in the decade-long pursuit for a reversible form of contraception, more research is vital. Recent research suggests that interest in the pill even hitting the market has dwindled considerably. Although people see contraception as a joint responsibility, it seems that not as many men are excited by the concept of the male birth control pill. Only time will tell whether researchers are able to formulate a contraceptive that appeals to both men and women.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, contraception, control, control pill, female birth, Long term, male birth, men, pharmaceutical companies, Pill, sexual health

How to Enjoy Great Sex After the Birth of Your Baby

For many women, the mental and emotional impact of going through childbirth can have a negative effect on their sexual wellness and wellbeing. They may be in pain, or fear that intercourse will cause them pain. They are also often stressed (due to having a very small baby) and don’t feel much of a desire to have sex. Gynaecologists often advice that new mothers to not have sex for six weeks after the birth, in order to give their genital tissues time to heal. After that time, however, it is perfectly normal to want to recover some kind of intimacy with your partner.

 

The first time you have sex after the birth of a baby, take it very slowly. Men need to understand that women’s bodies have changed, and that their genitals may be still recovering from the immense task that they have performed. Men should be supportive of their partners, and be willing to be gentle and tender with them.

 

Women should also remember that they are their husband or partner’s chosen sexual partner. It is too easy to feel unattractive or undesirable after going through childbirth, but they should be aware (and men should make them aware) that they are still completely desired by their partner.

 

Some women may (understandably) fear getting pregnant again too soon. In order to remove this as a possibility, look into suitable methods of contraception well ahead of any sexual encounter. There are various methods available to men and women, but mini pills are generally advised as being the safest method for women who are breastfeeding.

 

When women are breastfeeding, they should also be aware that not only does the hormone prolactin suppress sexual desire, but it also causes vaginal dryness. Some kind of artificial lubrication may, therefore, be useful in order to make the experience as straightforward and comfortable as possible.

Categories: Baby, birth, nbsp, partner, partner nbsp, Sex, sexual, time, Women

Having Sex after Pregnancy: Are You Prepared?

Now you’ve got a new little person’s wellbeing to watch out for, sex after pregnancy might be the last thing on your mind. However, at some point you will start to think about your sexual health again, and you need to understand what to expect and how to renew intimacy with your partner.

 

When can you start? Unfortunately, sex after pregnancy can be a little harmful to your wellness in the early stages, thanks to vaginal soreness and sheer exhaustion. Whether you have had a c-section or given birth vaginally, your body will need time to heal and so jumping back in bed is perhaps not the best idea. Most wellness experts will agree that you need to wait for four to six weeks before having sex again, as this will give your body time for your cervix to close, postpartum bleeding to stop, and any tears or repaired lacerations to heal. However, there’s another important timeline to consider; your own. While some women are jumping at the bit to have sex again, others need a few months or even longer to move past the fatigue, stress and fear of pain that all take a toll on your sex drive.

 

Will it hurt? You go through a lot of hormonal changes after pregnancy – especially if you’re breast-feeding – which means your vagina will most likely be dry and tender. This means you need to take things slow to help ease any discomfort during sex. Start with some cuddling, kissing or massage before you gradually move on to a greater intensity of stimulation. Lubricants and gels can help with vaginal dryness, as can trying different positions to take pressure off any sore areas and control penetration. As is always the case with sex, communication is crucial, so you need to tell your partner what feels good — and what doesn’t. If sex continues to be painful, consult your health care provider about possible treatment options.

 

Will it feel different? If you delivered vaginally, the muscle tone in your vagina will have decreased, meaning that the pleasurable friction you normally experience during sex may be missing. This can have an influence on your arousal and enjoyment of sex, albeit temporarily. Kegel exercises can help you to tone your pelvic floor muscles more quickly, and, as a result, get back to that amazing arousal you used to experience. To locate the right muscles, stop your flow while peeing. The muscles that you use to do this are the ones you need to contract, exhaling as you do so and inhaling when you release. Try it for five seconds at a time, four or five times in a row, and then work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions. Eventually, you should be aiming to do at least three sets of 10 Kegel exercises a day.

 

What birth control do you need? Even if you’re breast-feeding, sex after pregnancy requires a reliable method of birth control – unless you’re eager to go through childbirth again! Barrier methods such as condoms and spermicides are available over-the-counter and are safe to use at any time. Birth control methods that contain only the hormone progestin, such as the minipill or Mirena, a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD), are also OK to use immediately after childbirth, but any method that contains oestrogen – such as combined birth control pills or the vaginal ring – may increase your risk of blood clots. If you want to return to combined birth control pills or other types of combined hormonal birth control, it is recommended that you wait until six weeks after childbirth.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, Breast Feeding, combined birth, control, control pills, Kegel Exercises, Pain, pregnancy, sex after pregnancy, time

Taking Control of Birth Control: The Deal with Spermicides

You may have heard that spermicides can help protect your sexual health and wellness, but what exactly are they? You get spermicides in all different forms, from creams, gels and foams to films and suppositories. Spermicides protect your wellbeing against unwanted pregnancy, but they are far more effective when used in conjunction with another method of birth control, such as a condom or diaphragm.

 

Most spermicides contain nonoxynol-9, a chemical that immobilises and kills sperm before they are able to swim into the uterus. In order to ensure you use the spermicide effectively, you need to place it deep in your vagina, close to your cervix. If the type of spermicide you’re using is a cream, gel or foam, you squirt the solution into your vagina using an applicator. You can also use vaginal suppositories, or a vaginal contraceptive film (VCF). This is a thin sheet placed in the back of your vagina by hand. You place the spermicide in your vagina before intercourse, according to the instructions. Some forms of spermicides offer protection right away, while the vast majority will take at least 15 minutes to dissolve and spread. Once you’ve inserted your spermicide, it will only be effective for one hour. Therefore, you need to reapply the spermicide if more than one hour goes by before having sex, or if you have sex again. When using spermicides, you should not douche for at least six hours after having sex.

 

Using spermicides for birth control is fairly effective, with a success rate of 71%. Over the course of a year, about 29 out of 100 typical couples who rely on spermicide alone to prevent pregnancy will have an accidental pregnancy. However, this is just an average, which doesn’t mean a whole lot to you as an individual. The efficacy of your spermicide use will entirely depend on whether or not you do it correctly, and if you remember to use spermicides every time you have sex. The key thing to remember is that spermicides are most effective when used in combination with another form of birth control. Spermicides alone cannot protect you against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), only a male or female condom, or abstaining from sex altogether, provides STD protection. Plus, if you use spermicide frequently, it can cause irritation that may increase your risk of getting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

 

When it comes to the pros and cons of using spermicide, there are points to consider on both sides of the coin. While spermicides are not as effective on their own as other forms of birth control, they are convenient, inexpensive, and easy to use. These are important factors in birth control, as you need a method that you’ll remember to use and do so correctly each time. However, the efficacy of spermicides will somewhat depend on any health conditions you may have, or any medications you’re taking that might interfere with their use. Plus, as spermicides have been known to irritate the vagina and surrounding skin, it may make it easier to be infected with STDs like HIV. Another possible side effect is recurrent urinary tract infections because the spermicide can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in your body.

 

Still, spermicides can provide extra protection against pregnancy when used in conjunction with condoms or other barrier methods of birth control. They’re available without a prescription and are found in chemists and some supermarkets, often found the condoms and feminine hygiene products. Just make sure you’re careful when choosing a spermicide; the packages may look like those of some feminine hygiene products, such as douches or washes, which don’t provide any birth control protection at all.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, Condoms, control, effective, feminine hygiene, hygiene products, sexually transmitted, spermicide, spermicides

The Birth Control Injection: How it Works and Side Effects

It’s important to take control of your sexual health and wellness, but the more obvious choices, such as the Pill, don’t always appeal to some women. If you have trouble swallowing pills or you won’t remember to take the Pill at the same time every day, you might like to consider protecting your wellbeing against unwanted pregnancies by using the birth control injection. While medical or other conditions – including blood clots, certain types of cancers, certain types of migraine headaches, unexplained vaginal bleeding and suspected pregnancy – make the use of the injection less effective or more risky, the birth control injection can be a great option for those unable to follow a birth control routine, and it’s even safe for breastfeeding mothers.

 

However, before you rush out for your prescription, you need to know a little bit more about the birth control injection. The injection works as a long-acting form of progesterone, a hormone that is naturally manufactured in your ovaries. Once every three months, you will be given the injection in your arm or buttocks, and this prevents you from becoming pregnant. The progesterone works to prevent the ovulation process, or the release of your egg during your monthly cycle. If you don’t ovulate, you cannot get pregnant because there is no egg to be fertilised.

 

As birth control methods go, the birth control injection is very effective – with a success rate of about 97%. Over the course of a year, fewer than three out of 100 typical couples who use the birth control injection every the months will have an accidental pregnancy. In general, how well each type of birth control method works depends on a lot of things, including your individual health concerns and on how accurately you use the contraceptive. When it comes to the birth control method specifically, your risk of getting pregnant increases if you wait longer than three months to receive your next injection.

 

Unfortunately, the birth control injection will not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – only condoms or complete abstinence are able to offer this kind of protection. In fact, research has shown that the birth control injection may possibly increase your risk of getting certain STIs, although as to why this is, scientists aren’t entirely sure. Nonetheless, if you choose the birth control injection as your method of contraception, you will also need to use condoms to protect against STIs. If you’re in a committed relationship and you want to stop using condoms, you and your partner should both get tested for STIs and get the all-clear from a doctor.

 

There are some possible side effects to the birth control injection, albeit some more common than others. Many young women will find that their periods change when they start having birth control injections. The other, less common side effects include irregular or no menstrual periods, depression, weight gain, headaches, and breast tenderness. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is potentially unsafe to use the long-acting progesterone injection, as studies have linked it to a loss of bone density in women, although your bone density may recover when you stop getting the injection. However, doctors aren’t sure as to how this happens, so if you are considering the injection as a method of birth control, consult your doctor and make sure you get enough calcium in your diet to prevent any bone loss. You may find a decrease in fertility for up to a year after you stop getting the birth control injection. However, this fertility decrease is not permanent and most women can get pregnant once they stop getting the injection.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, bone density, control, control injection, control method, Injection, long acting, Side Effects, STIs, The Injection

Not a Fan of Pill Popping? Try Using the Birth Control Ring

You want to take control of your sexual health and wellness, but you know you’re going to forget to take the Pill at the same time every day, or you have trouble swallowing pills. If this sounds like you, and you’re comfortable enough with your body to insert a device into your vagina, the vagina ring may be a good choice for you. Not all women should use a vaginal ring, especially if your wellbeing is affected by blood clots, severe high blood pressure, certain types of cancers, certain types of migraine headaches, or diabetes with certain complications. However, if that’s not the case, and you’d like to know more about this form of birth control, read on!

 

The birth control ring is a soft, flexible and doughnut-shaped, with a diameter of about two inches. You insert it into your vagina, and the ring slowly releases hormones though the vaginal wall and into your blood stream. Generally speaking, hormones are chemicals the body makes to control organ function, and the ones released by the ring – oestrogen and progesterone – affect your ovaries and uterus in order to prevent pregnancy. The combination of hormones stops the ovulation process, or the release of an egg from your ovaries during your monthly cycle. The ring also thickens the mucus around your cervix, making it difficult for the sperm to enter your uterus. Plus, the ring can sometime affect the lining in your uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall and enable a baby to develop.

 

Much in the same way that you would use the birth control pill or the patch, you insert the ring based on your monthly cycle. Just like inserting a tampon, you place the ring inside your vagina on the first day of your cycle, or before day five of your cycle. You leave it there for three weeks and, on the same day of the week as you inserted the ring and at about the same time of day, you remove it. Your period should start a few days later and, at the end of the fourth week, you insert a new ring and restart the process. Again, you should insert the new ring on the same day, and roughly at the same time, as you have done previously. Moreover, you should place the new ring on that day even if you’re still on your period.

 

The hormones in the ring don’t kick in straightaway, which means you should use another form of birth control, such as a condom, for the first seven days. After this, you won’t need to use the ring to prevent pregnancy, but continuing to use condoms will protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Because the ring is not a barrier method of birth control, it’s not critical that you place the ring in the exact right position, as long as you can wear it comfortably. If the ring does not feel comfortable, you can push it further back or remove it and try inserting it again. Once it is in place, most girls do not feel the ring. You can leave it there during exercise, swimming, bathing and intercourse, and it’s unlikely that it will fall out. However, if it does, you can simply rinse it under cold water and reinsert it, as long as you do so within three hours. If you reinsert the ring outside of this timeframe, you’ll need to use an additional method of birth control until the ring has been in for another seven days.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, control, control ring, hormones, insert, monthly cycle, prevent pregnancy, ring, vagina, vaginal ring

Are Teens Becoming Confused by Birth Control Options?

The worries of birth control side effects concern many young people, but there are so many options that are safe, effective and reliable. Contraception offers a number of options to suit you, whether you want something daily, monthly or even every decade. Yet nearly half of pregnancies are unintended, and its because of confusion and uncertainty according to experts. According to research, we now have an entire generation of young adults who are sexually active for the most part, but completely in the dark about what contraceptive to use. They don’t know enough about what’s out there to make a reliable and informed decision, so many either don’t use it at all or don’t use it correctly. The result is unplanned pregnancies and a higher abortion rate. In a recent study in America, 42 per cent of unmarried 18 to 29 year olds said they didn’t know very much about birth control pills, and two-thirds said they knew even less about effective long-lasting contraceptives. Around a third said that they believed there is a good contraceptive for their needs, but that they didn’t know what it was.

It’s not just teens and young adults who don’t know the answers to questions like how long contraceptives last, and which one is most suited to them. If you consider that half of all girls are sexually active by the time they reach 17 years of age, and that menopause hits around 50 for most women, that’s several decades of contraceptive use to avoid unplanned pregnancy. The right choice at 20 might not stay the right choice when you’re in your 40s. Surprisingly, the most popular form of birth control in the U.S is a vasectomy for men and tube tying for women. When it comes to the most popular reversible contraceptive, the pill is number one for many women. However, this is only reliable when it’s taken properly – sickness or missing a dose can lower the chance of it being effective. There are other benefits too, such as long-term users having a lower risk of ovarian cancer, less chance of menstrual cramps and less chance of acne.

When it comes to reliability, the two long-lasting products that are the most effective are also the two that most women haven’t heard of. These are the IUD and the implant. The former is a T-shaped device that sits in the uterus to block sperm. The implant is a matchstick-sized rod that emits hormones to prevent pregnancy, and this sits in the arm. The implant can sit happily in the arm for three years, and the IUD can last either five or ten years depending on the brand. Each is ideal for women who aren’t ready to think about pregnancy just yet, but also don’t want to be thinking about contraception on a daily basis. And if you change your mind, you can just have it removed sooner. While some women may experience a little pain, the newer brands on the market offer less side effects and is more appealing to women. Only a fraction of women in the U.S use these forms of contraception, despite them being effective and hassle-free – just 5.6 per cent according to the latest data. They seem to be more common in Europe though. There are so many varieties of contraception that finding one to suit you perfectly is easy. It’s simply a case of speaking to your GP and talking through your options.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, contraception, contraceptive, effective, long lasting, sexual health, sexually active, teens, Women, young adults

Popping the Pill: Is it a Good Birth Control Option for You?

Although condoms are the only birth control method that protects your wellbeing from STIs, they are not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy – and, in the heat of the moment, they can be forgotten altogether. Therefore, it’s a wise idea to take your sexual health into your own hands, and use a second method of birth control. As many women turn to the Pill to guard their wellness against unwanted pregnancies, let’s take a closer look at what the Pill is, what it does, and whether or not it’s a good option for you.

 

The birth control pill is a pill you need to take every day, to give your body the hormones it needs to prevent pregnancy. The hormones in the Pill control your ovaries and uterus, providing your body with oestrogen and progesterone hormones that stop your ovaries from ovulating. Ovulation is the process in which your ovaries release an egg during your monthly cycle, and so no egg means no baby. The Pill also thickens the mucus around your cervix, making it difficult for the sperm to enter your uterus. Plus, the Pill can sometime affect the lining in your uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall and enable a baby to develop.

 

If you buy the Pill, you’ll find it comes either in a 21-day pack or a 28-day pack. If you have the former, you take a pill every day at about the same time, and then stop taking pills for seven days. If you have the 28-day pack, you will continue to take pills, but the last seven do not contain hormones. This may be a good option for you if you need to stay in your pill-taking mindset, otherwise you might stop for seven days and get out of your routine. When you stop taking the pill for seven days, or use the 28-day pack, you will have your period.

 

You can also get a variation of combination pill that decreases the frequency of your periods by supplying a hormone pill for 12 weeks and then inactive pills for 7 days. As you can probably work out, this means you’ve have a period every 3 months instead of every month. Then you have what’s known as the mini-pill, which changes the number of periods you have but may be slightly less effective at preventing pregnancy. The mini-pill only contains a low dose of progesterone, rather than a combination of oestrogen and progesterone, and its main job is to change your cervical mucus and uterus lining, but it may sometimes also affect ovulation. You take the mini-pill every day without a break, and it may take away all your periods or still enable some, irregular periods.

 

For the mini-pill to work, it must be taken at the same time every day, without missing any doses. However, this is really the case for any type of birth control pill, although it becomes more important for progesterone-only pills. On the first seven days of taking the pill, you will also need an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, to prevent pregnancy. After this, the Pill should work on it’s own for birth control, but condoms will still be necessary for stopping the spread of STIs. If you forget to take your Pill one day, you won’t be protected against pregnancy and will need to use a backup form of birth control, or stop having sex for a while. If you find your Pill comes with side effects – such as irregular menstrual bleeding, mood changes, blood clots, nausea, headaches, dizziness, and breast tenderness – speak to your doctor, who may prescribe a different brand of the Pill.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, control, control pill, day pack, mini pill, Pill, prevent pregnancy, preventing pregnancy, Side Effects, The pill

Everything You Need to Know about The Birth Control Patch

Taking care of your sexual health and wellness means using protection whenever you have sex. While a lot of women turn to the Pill to prevent pregnancy, some find that this adversely affects their wellbeing, while others simply forget to take the Pill on a daily basis, meaning it won’t do its job. If this applies to you, it may be time to consider the birth control patch.

 

The Patch is small, square and beige, so it’s not totally obvious. It sticks to your skin and releases hormones into your bloodstream that prevent you from becoming pregnant. Through a combination of the hormones progesterone and oestrogen, the Patch stops you from ovulating, or releasing an egg from your ovaries during your monthly cycle. As you are already aware, a sperm needs to meet an egg in order to create a baby and so, if your partner’s swimmers get up there and there’s no egg waiting, they’ll have nothing to fertilise. Another way the Patch protects you from unwanted pregnancies is by thickening the mucus that your cervix produces. This makes it tricky for sperm to enter and reach any eggs that may have been released. Plus, the hormones can also affect the lining of your uterus, meaning that even if the egg is released AND fertilised, it will still have difficulty attaching to the wall of the uterus.

 

You use the Patch as you would other birth control methods that use hormones, such as the birth control pill or ring; based on your mothly menstrual cycle. On the first day of your cycle, or the first Sunday after your cycle begins, you put on the patch and change it once a week for three weeks in the row. You should apply the patch to one of four areas. You either put it on your abdomen, bum, upper arm or somewhere on your upper torso as long as you don’t put it on your breasts. On week four, you don’t wear the patch at all, and this allows you to have your period. To ensure that it keeps working effectively, it’s absolutely vital that you apply a new patch on the same day every week. If you apply your first patch on a Monday, for example, you should always apply your patches on a Monday.

 

When it comes to changing your patches, make sure you always pull the old one off first before you apply the new one. You should place the new patch on a different area from the old patch, still remembering to place it on one of the four recommended areas listed above. This is to avoid irritating your skin and, for the same reason, you shouldn’t apply the patch to skin that is red, irritated, or cut. Moreover, during the first week of wearing the patch, it is strongly recommended that you also use another form of contraception to prevent pregnancy. If, at any time, your patch becomes loose and falls off, or you forget to put it on at the right time, you should read the instructions that come in the package or call your doctor. You may need to use a different method of birth control – such as condoms – or stop having sex for a while to protect against pregnancy.

 

If, for any reason, you decide to stop using the patch, you will need to begin using another method of birth control, usually after 24 hours of removing your last patch. You don’t need to take off your patch when participating in regular activities like swimming and exercise, and you can also get it wet in the shower or bath. In fact, you shouldn’t take off your patch until the week is over. You may be tempted to re-position or move your patch, but this may cause it to lose some of its stickiness and make it fall off more easily. You should apply a replacement patch if the patch does not stick well, apply a replacement patch.

Categories: apply, birth, Birth Control, control, control patch, hormones, patch, prevent pregnancy, replacement patch, The Patch, week

Women Come Clean About Their Weird and Wonderful Orgasms

The female orgasm is a part of sexual health and wellness that some people struggle with. However, while some women find that the ole stand-bys—penises, vaginas, fingers, and vibrators— struggle to help them get off, others have found themselves orgasming in their sleep, on the loo or even just by sneezing! Thanks to internet hive mind Reddit, which asked the candid forum “Ladies, what was the source of your most unconventional orgasm?”, we have the weird and wonderful answers as to anything and everything that can bring the vagina-bearing masses to orgasm. So, which of these oddities might do it for your sexual wellbeing?

 

1. Sleeping: Reddit user lemon_SQUISH detailed, ‘I was sleeping, and had a dream about riding a bike. In the dream, I was going over a bumpy part on the road, and had an orgasm that woke me up! It was really confusing.’ GoodToSeaYou added that her pillow was the surprising source of her first orgasm. She recalled, ‘I used to sleep with a pillow between my legs and I shifted…it felt good. So I kept grinding and had my first real orgasm when I was 12-13.’

 

2. Ab Crunches: According to thekeyboardhero, her abs weren’t the only thing that got a bit of exercise when doing crunches at the gym. ‘I was doing my crunches as usual and then all of a sudden BOOM,’ she explained. ‘I was 15, it was amazing.’

 

3. Toilet Attachment: notmyusername85 commented, ‘In much of India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, they have this mini-shower head like attachment to the toilet to clean yourself after. (I believe it is called a shataf) It is a much smaller and more concentrated stream of water than a normal shower head. Well, I was on my period and thought this was a good way to clean things up if you know what I mean…I used it on my clit and had and extremely fast and powerful orgasm.’

 

4. Restless Foot: For Ishityounotman, a caffeine buzz while sitting with her foot underneath her was all it took: ‘I had just drunk some coffee so I had lots of energy and therefore, my other foot started shaking. The movement jostled my foot tucked under me and, a few minutes later, voila! I should note that this took place in my math class in high school.’

 

5. Sneezing: ‘I sneezed four times and I came,’ said take_three. ‘I’ve heard that a sneeze is like an eighth of an orgasm, but I guess for me it’s a quarter.’

 

6. Jeans: _squirts_ asserted, ‘I feel like every girl has a pair of jean shorts that just rubs them the right way. That one pair of jorts you wear when you know you’re going to have a really bumpy ride. I’ve lost it going over rail road tracks before. It’s a surprise every time.’

 

7. Peeing: ‘When I get a UTI I have one every time pee,’ noted Libida. ‘The good kind too. The doctor had no idea what to make of it. She just told me I should feel lucky. I am probably the only person who doesn’t hate UTIs. But it is very bizarre.’

 

8. Giving birth: MtIggy clarified, ‘I wasn’t expecting it, but it happened while giving birth to my first. I had a home birth with no meds. It was different than a regular orgasm (ie. during sex or masturbation), but was undeniably an orgasm.’

 

9. Wedgies: nonamesleft1 detailed, ‘I gave a friend a wedgie once (in front of a few other friends), I was pulling that underwear so hard, I was pretty determined to actually get it to go over her head…..anyway, I must have pulled at least 10 times before she said she couldn’t take it anymore…..a few years later, she told me that actually came with the last tug.’

Categories: birth, crunches, female orgasm, foot, giving birth, nbsp, orgasm, orgasm nbsp, shower head, Sleeping, sneezing

How Birth Control Pills Affect Your Health?

Over 150 million women around the world use birth control pills, yet while they are convenient there are also health risks attached to them. These side effects can be fluctuating weight, breast cancer, irregular periods and mood swings. What’s more, the longer you use the pills, the higher this risk is. Knowing about the risks is important so that you’re prepared and can be better equipped to make a decision about whether birth control pills are right for you.

 

Cancer issues

Studies suggest that birth control pills could lead to serious conditions such as cancer. It’s thought that this form of contraceptive could lead to breast, cervical or liver cancer. If you have a family history of cancer, this can increase the risk even higher. This is because women who have a history of the disease could carry an 11 percent higher risk of breast cancer – you should check with your GP before taking these pills if this is the case.

 

Disturbed mensuration

Regular menstruation is important, but birth control pills can affect this – some face disturbed periods and others suffer with no periods at all, or spotting for months. It can take around tow to six months for your periods to resume normality when you stop taking this form of contraception. You should consult your gynaecologist if your menstruation hasn’t started returning as normal after two months. They may be able to suggest a way to solve this issue.

 

Mood swings

Based on your hormones, its no surprise that these pills can cause mood swings – this means irritability, anxiety, sleepless nights, excessive sweating and restlessness. These side effects can even lead to depression in some women. It’s vital that you speak to your GP about this before you take these pills, particularly if you already suffer with these problems.

 

Heart at risk

Your risk of pregnancy may be lowered, but these pills also affect your heart. If you use birth control pills for a long time, you may face a higher risk of heart related diseases, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure. This is because these pills form a type of plaque in the arteries, which hardens and makes it more difficult for blood to travel through. To avoid this happening, you should use safe alternatives to these contraceptives such as condoms, so that you don’t need to use the pills all the time.

 

Loss of interest in sex  

Birth control pills have another way of avoiding unwanted pregnancies, by making you less interested in sex. The hormones present in the pills can lead to you losing interest in the act itself, as it can bar the exposure to the male hormone testosterone, prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs and thickens your cervical mucus to stop sperm entering the vagina. The longer you use them, the less sexually active you feel.

Weighty issues

As with many hormonal treatments, weight gain or loss is a risk of these contraceptives. It may be the case that you lose your appetite because of them, or that you become very restless. The alteration in your weight is most likely when you stop taking the pills, as your body tries to adjust to a normal routine. If your weight doesn’t return to normal, speak to your GP who may be able to advise of a way to resolve this. Other side effects that women complain of include a swelling or heaviness in the breasts, headaches in the morning, change in the hair structure such as it becoming more brittle, vomiting or dizziness, vaginal infections and acne.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, breast cancer, control, control pills, higher risk, Mood Swings, Pills, risk, Women

Are You Anxious About Your Vagina During Childbirth?

When women are pregnant and approaching the time of childbirth, one of the main concerns that they may have for their wellness and wellbeing is that they do damage to their sexual organs. The idea of something as large as a baby exiting via the small opening of a vagina can seem very daunting. Women worry a lot about either tearing or having to have an episiotomy (a cut made between the vagina and anus). Thus a term called ‘vagina anxiety’ was coined.

 

Vagina anxiety is the fear of the effects that childbirth could have on the birth canal and the delicate tissue and skin around the area. Women having preoccupying thoughts about this area of childbirth are thought to have this particular form of anxiety.

 

Health experts are not totally sure how many women do tear during childbirth, because many small tears are not ever recorded, but a UK study discovered that around seven out of ten women require stitches after childbirth, to sew up a cut or tear that has occurred during the birth. Bad tears are known as third of fourth degree tears, and tend to go from the vagina all the way to the anal opening, and these are far less common. A Canadian study found that only 7 in 100 women had a third or fourth degree tear during birth.

 

Episiotomy occurs when the healthcare provider makes the decision to make a small cut to the vagina, to ease the baby’s exit into the world. This can happen for various reasons, such as the baby being in distress, the baby being in an awkward position for birth, or the risk of tearing is very high. If an instrumental delivery is going to occur (such as when a doctor is going to use forceps) an episiotomy is often used to enable this to take place.

Categories: Baby, birth, childbirth, episiotomy, fourth degree, vagina, vagina anxiety, Women

How to Keep Your Sex Life Healthy After Having Children

Many people think that having children is the end of your sex life. Of course, this is the case for many couples, who find that they are tired out by the extremely strenuous process of caring for children (especially when they are small) and fall out of the way of being intimate with their partner. Women also may find that after having children, they feel differently about their bodies (which will undoubtedly have changed due to the pregnancy). Hormones can play a strong role here too, and often it is many weeks or even months after a birth before women feel like having sex and are physically ‘turned on’ in the same way.

 

Another problem that many couples have is the physical presence of a baby in their bed. It is becoming more and more commonplace for a baby to sleep in bed with the mother, and there are mixed thoughts on whether or not this is a safe practice for infants. Sometimes this is done for the sheer enjoyment and pleasure of having a small person next to you in the bed – this is a natural feeling for mothers, who often savour having their infant by their side. Sometimes it is done in order to simply get a good night’s sleep, as babies can latch and De-latch with the breast during the night and therefore take care of their own nocturnal needs without causing too much disturbance.

 

It does represent a physical and practical barrier between husband and wife in the bed however and can reduce intimacy.

 

Having got into the routine of having baby in the bed, it can also be hard to put baby into their own bed, as they suffer from separation anxiety, or simply feel less comfortable there.

 

Whilst going through this time when you have a baby in your bed (or bedroom), one alternative is to use your spare room as a sort of ‘hotel room’. The change in location will make things feel sexier, and the lack of a baby being present will help to set the mood. You can always go back to your own bed for a proper sleep afterwards.

Categories: Baby, birth, Children, feel, nbsp, Parents, Sex, sex life, sleep

What Are the Options for Alternative Childbirth?

The recent royal arrival has sparked a new wave of women looking into alternative childbirth methods, after it was reported that the Duchess of Cambridge wanted to try for a natural birth – she even looked into hypnobirthing as a way of reducing the labour pains, instead of using conventional pain relief. Most women give birth in the NHS maternity units around the country, and just two percent of mothers give birth at home in England, but these are quite different from the clinical environments of decades before. A lot of hospitals have no removed the traditional hospital beds in favour of more relaxing and calming spaces where they can be surrounded by their personal possessions.

 

There is now an increasing trend for alternative births where the mother uses a doula – this is a non-medical birthing companion who is there to support the labour and help the mother deliver her baby, as well as being present for a short while afterwards. Her role is to literally be there as another mother who can offer guidance and support. An agency is available which offers a choice of over 500 qualified doulas, all but one of which are female. In the past, this role was one which was taken on by the pregnant woman’s mother or sister, but as nuclear families are no longer the norm, and geographical distances become more common, this isn’t always possible. Doulas can help to provide support in an understanding way, helping to offer an insight into the pregnancy as you go through it which can be reassuring if this is your first birth.

 

Aromatherapy is an option with childbirth, and there are a number of essential oils which are safe in pregnancy. These include lavender, rose, peppermint, lemon, chamomile and eucalyptus, all of which can reduce stress and anxiety, decrease pain levels and lift the spirits. This therapy isn’t for everyone and can cause irritation in some women, but it can be an option for some – it’s advised that you seek medical advice from your GP before using this form of therapy. You should steer clear of them entirely if you have a history of miscarriage, have diabetes, heart problems, epilepsy or have suffered with vaginal bleeding during the pregnancy.

 

Hypnobirthing, such as the form that Kate Middleton was tempted to use, is a technique which many women opt for. It can help to calm the mother and relieve anxiety, as well as calming the body and mind. During the pregnancy itself there will be a number of stages, including your after breaking and the initial contractions – this can be a daunting time, especially if you’re new to mothering and are unsure what to expect. Many women find that having someone with them to go through the process with and express their anxieties too helpful, which is why so many are now seeking the advice of a doula. The more common forms of pain relief include epidurals, gas and air, or morphine. However, for women who don’t want to bring their baby into the world in a drug-infused environment, these are less than desirable.

 

The desire for organic and natural remedies in everyday life are now seeping into more medical procedures, including pregnancy. The same can be said of the afterbirth, where you may need treatment for tears in the vagina or perineum – alternative therapies may be useful here too. Your GP will be able to offer advice on what your options are during your pregnancy so that you can prepare accordingly when you give birth.

Categories: alternative childbirth, birth, complementary, mother, Pain Relief, pregnancy, Women

New Mums Are Not The Only Ones Who Are Too Tired For Sex

After a couple has a baby, their sexual health often suffers. Many women report that they experience a significant shift in their sex drive, and that they often do not feel like making love for a period of weeks, if not months, after the birth of a baby.

 

Now, research has shown that the well-being and wellness of men may also be affected after the birth of a baby, with many new dads reporting that their sex drive also takes a hit. Experts claim that many new dads feel sidelined after the birth of a baby, and this shift in family politics can lead to them feeling anxious about renewing their sex life with their partner.

 

The study looked into the sexual behaviour and enjoyment in 114 couples who had new babies, looking particularly at the first few months following on from the childbirth.

 

Researchers have claimed that around one in every five new dads do not go back to making love with their partner for over three months following the birth of the baby, whereas one in three go straight back to making love within six weeks, and another one in three go back to having sex between seven and twelve weeks after the birth.

 

When asked about their reasons for the delay, some men said that they were concerned that their partners had been physically strained by the process of childbirth, and that they did not want to hurt them and were worried that lovemaking would be painful for them.

 

Lack of time was also cited as a reason for many new fathers not making a move on their wife in the early months, as many men claimed to be suffering from fatigue and exhaustion in the early days after the birth of a baby.

Categories: Baby, birth, dads, months, nbsp, Sex, Sex Drive

Could Giving Birth at Home be Safer than Hospital?

Home births are on the rise in the UK, and now account for around 2.5% of all births. This is, however, still much lower than in the Netherlands, where family wellness statistics show that around 20% of babies are born at home.

 

Supporters of home birth claim that, as long as the home birth is planned and attended by medical professionals, giving birth at home is actually less risky than giving birth in hospital, especially for those who are giving birth for the second time.

 

A large study was conducted in Holland, which found that severe complications (where the wellness and wellbeing of mother and baby was dangerously compromised) occurred in around one in 1,000 home births and 2.3 per 1,000 hospital births. This is thought to be strong evidence that giving birth at home is actually safer than giving birth in the hospital.

 

Leading doctors in the UK, however, warn that the system for giving birth in the Netherlands is entirely different to what is in place in the UK, and that these statistics do not directly translate for UK home births.

 

They also warn that the statistics may be fatally skewed by the fact that only women who are low risk in the first place are allowed to give birth at home, meaning that cases of complications in hospital births are inevitably going to be higher, as that is where women who are higher risk give birth. They also warn that although the complications are less frequent for home births, the repercussions of such complications (such as haemorrhage) are more severe in home birth cases, as immediate medical attention is not available without an ambulance ride.

 

Although statistics from the Netherlands look encouraging for those who are pro home birth, even the researchers themselves warn that having good home birth figures relies strongly on having a very good selection system in place, to make sure that high risk women do not birth at home, have good transport in place for cases of emergency, and to have plenty of well qualified and highly trained midwives, something that the UK fails to deliver.

Categories: birth, Home, hospital