How to Catch a Baby
Was looking online today and thought this was interesting so I thought of sharing it with everyone as it is very important just in case someone ever runs into this situation.
Some babies don't need much help getting into the world. Giving birth to our second child showed my husband and me just how quickly birth can happen but also that, if necessary, a couple can manage on their own. It's rare, but the possibility exists that a baby may be born on route to the hospital or before the birth team has assembled at home.
There are a few things I wish I'd known then that I know now, and lots my husband would like to have known. But in those intense moments, my husband was present for every contraction and caught our daughter with admirable calm. In the throes of birth there really was no time for either of us to panic.
Worried that you might find yourself in this unexpected situation? Here are ten steps for the father, sister or neighbour who is recruited to help a mother through a rapid birth.
Believe her if she says the baby is coming.
If you are in the car, pull over. If you are at home, stay home. She may feel the baby coming out, you may see his head at the opening of the vagina or she may be pushing forcibly. Be calm. Reassure her that you will stay with her and that everything will be okay. Remind her that a rapid birth is a sign that her body is working very efficiently.
Get help.
Call 911. Call the labour floor of your hospital for advice. If you have a midwife, call her, as she may be able to reach you quickly. Get assistance from family or neighbours if they are nearby. Be sure to unlock the door for whoever is coming to assist. If you are in the car, put your flashers on.
Try to change the mother's position to slow the descent of the baby.
Encourage the mother to sit back or lie down, rather than stand, squat or sit on the toilet. Labouring women can be very stubborn. You may not succeed in moving her.
Encourage the woman to resist the urge to push.
Demonstrate taking short, quick breaths (panting) through contractions rather than the long forceful breaths typical of pushing. Help her by panting with her. This breathing will slow the emergence of the baby and reduce her chance of a perineal tear.
Gather clean towels or receiving blankets to dry and warm the baby afterwards.
Put them under your shirt to warm them. Use your own clothes to keep the baby warm if you have nothing else. If available, put towels or something absorbent under the mother's buttocks to absorb amniotic fluid and blood after the birth.
Stay with the labouring woman as much as possible.
Leave her alone only between contractions and not for more than a minute. Leave only for essentials like making a phone call or gathering blankets. The baby may arrive at any moment and the mother needs you with her when he is born.
Prepare to catch the baby.
Wash your hands if possible. Remember that the baby will be wet and slippery. Ensure that the baby has a clean, soft place to land (a pillow, mattress, clothing) as he may come very quickly - head, shoulders and body all at once - and be difficult to catch. Or he may arrive more slowly, the head coming with one contraction and the shoulders and body coming with the next contraction. If there is a loop of umbilical cord around the neck or body, gently unwrap it. If there is a membrane over the baby's face, lift it off. Once the shoulders are born, the mother can reach down to receive her baby, lifting him under the armpits.
Place the baby on the mother's abdomen for warmth.
The baby will maintain his body heat best if his skin is directly on the mother's skin. Cover the baby with a blanket or towel and rub him gently to dry him and stimulate him to breathe. Gently wipe any mucous from his mouth or nose with a soft cloth. You'll know that the baby is breathing when you see his chest rise or hear a cry. The baby's body will change from blue-grey to pink as he takes in oxygen. Remove the wet towel and cover the baby (including his head but not his face) with a dry one.
Don't cut the umbilical cord.
Blood will continue to flow in the cord for about two minutes, still supplying the baby with oxygen. By the time the cord stops pulsing, the baby will be breathing on his own. The placenta will come when it is ready - usually not for at least another 20 minutes. Put it in a bowl for examination by medical staff later. It will still be attached to the baby by the umbilical cord. A professional can clamp the cord and someone can cut it when help arrives.
Congratulate the mother - and yourself!
Admire your baby. Is it a boy or girl? Assistance, either paramedics or your midwife, should arrive soon to appreciate your work, reassure you of your baby's health, and offer further help. If you are in the car and have been unable to make a phone call, you can now drive to a phone or to a nearby hospital.
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