Where Will You Give Birth To Your Baby?

Where To Give Birth..

You have a choice where to have your baby. As long as there were no complications with your pregnancy, you can give birth at home, at a birth centre, or in hospital. You also have the choice of pain relief, no pain relief, a water birth, an active birth, and you may be able to opt for a planned caesarean.

HospitalUnless you request otherwise, your doctor will book you into a hospital for your birth. You'll be in for between 7 hours and 4 days depending on how you recover from the birth, and if there were any complications.

Whilst there you will have access to a team of expert medical staff and the full range of pain relief. You may be able to opt for a water birth or an active birth.

Some women who give birth in hospital feel the atmosphere is too impersonal and that they are part of a production line.

HomeIf you choose to give birth at home you will have two midwives in attendance.

You should feel more relaxed in your own surroundings - which helps the birth process. Gas and air will be available and maybe pethidine (check first with the midwife), but you won't be able to have an epidural. You can hire a birth pool if that is your chosen method.

You'll need to live within a fairly short distance from a hospital in case of emergency - 10-30 miles depending on local traffic conditions. This option will only be available if you have had a trouble-free pregnancy.

Birth CentreStaffed solely by midwives, a birth centre will offer the same facilities as a home birth: air and gas for pain relief, maybe pethidine.

The atmosphere is home-from-home and less impersonal than a hospital - although some birth centres are actually based in a hospital. A more relaxed surroundings which often leads to a more relaxed birth.

Not available if you've had complications during pregnancy.

Active BirthThe idea is to stay active, move around, and give birth naturally in an upright position.

Advocates of this method claim that being upright helps the baby to travel down the birth canal and your labour will be shorter.

You will need to be fit and experience no complications.

Water BirthYou spend your advanced labour and give birth in a birthing pool full of warm water.

The water encourages your body to release pain relieving hormones and it allows you to move more freely. You are less likely to need pain relief and less likely to tear.

And no, baby won't drown in the water.

If you find you do need pethidine or an epidural, you will have to come out of the pool.

Many hospitals do not have birthing pools, and those that do usually have only one - which someone else may be using when you need it. You can hire a birth pool to use at home or in hospital.

Planned CaesareanThese are usually available only if there are medical reasons, such as a low placenta or if you have pre-eclampsia - unless, of course, you are willing to pay for the operation.

You will avoid the pain of labour, but will have a longer stay in hospital (about 5 days) and once you are back home you will still be feeling the effects of major surgery.

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Author: Katy and Tony Luck who run a site with advice on giving birth.

Babysitter Checklist - Don't Leave Home Without One

When you leave your kids with a babysitter do you genuinely enjoy your time away?
Maybe I should rephrase that question. When was the last time you actually took some time for your partner and yourself by utilizing the services of a paid babysitter whom you trusted and the kids loved?

Or...are you simply scared to leave your kids with a sitter? (That's okay. It IS scary the first time.)

You already know that regular, quality time away from the responsibilities of parenting can help you be a better parent. But honestly, you'll need peace of mind about your children's care if you are going to truly refresh yourself while you're away.

This is simpler than you think. You can use readily available tools to accomplish this with ease. The first tool you'll want to take advantage of is a babysitter checklist.

A babysitter checklist can ensure peace of mind by helping you keep track of what's most important. For example...

-- Do you worry that your children won't be properly cared for while you're out for the evening? Then use your babysitter checklist to detail what activities, what foods and what schedule you want for your children during that time period. A bonus of this approach is that both babysitter and children will be kept busy while you're away.

-- Do you worry about safety issues while you're gone for a few hours? Put those important numbers such as fire, emergency help, and poison control directly on your babysitter checklist. Always leave a phone number where you can personally be reached. If you have specific safety routines in your home, detail all such information on your checklist and go over it with your babysitter before leaving for the evening.

-- Keep any requests on your checklist specific to avoid misinterpretation. Don't say that movies are okay for the kids to watch...write down exactly which movies are acceptable to you. The same goes for TV programs and music choices, too. (If you need a simple and no-cost babysitter checklist for your own use, please see the author's resource box at the end of this article.)

You will still need to find a babysitter you can trust. I have always found that a personal recommendation is best when it comes to finding a new sitter. Once you've located a new sitter, have a 'test sit' so everyone can get acquainted. You might want to consider hiring your new babysitter to care for your children while you are in another area of your home. Again, use your babysitter checklist to give as detailed instructions as you like, so that your new babysitter knows EXACTLY what is expected of him or her.

One more thing...pay your babysitter well. You are asking someone to care for your most precious treasures and, let's face it, quality costs. If money is an issue for you then be creative with your time away and reduce your costs on that end as opposed to trying to cut your babysitter's salary.

Coordinating and organizing your time away from your children can make such events very valuable for both you and your family. Take the time to find the right sitter and use a simple babysitter checklist to make everyone feel comfortable and secure.

by: Colleen Langenfeld

How To Finding The Perfect Baby Care Center

There are some guidelines and criteria that you can follow to ensure that the baby care center you choose will offer the best care to meet your child’s needs.
One of the hardest decisions that a new mother must make is which baby care center to use for her child when it is time for her to return to work. The good news is that you can do much to alleviate the stress of this decision for you and your baby by taking the time to do some research before selecting the best baby care center for you and your child.

The first thing that you can look for is whether the day care is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This is probably the highest accreditation that can be given to a day care, so if there is one that you are considering with this mark to its name you can rest assured that it is a quality center. However, there are only about 6000 such centers around the country, so it is possible that you will need to move to other types of criteria in selecting the right center for you.

Reputation

A good reputation is paramount in a baby care center that you should consider. You can find out what a center’s reputation is by talking to other moms and teachers in the area, or asking the center for references from its current client list. Some things to look for include the friendliness of the staff, and a nurturing environment for the children. It is also important that the baby care center has a good record when it comes to safety, so that you can rest assured that your little one will not come to harm while in the care of this staff.

Staff

Finally, you want your baby care center to provide a gentle, nurturing staff for the children with the proper adult to child ratio. For babies, this means one caregiver for every three or four children, and for toddlers this number goes up to one caregiver for every three to five kids. Ratios are extremely important in ensuring that your child will get the quality of care and attention that he requires.
Curriculum

Even while your child is very young, you want your baby care center to provide a stimulating environment that will allow your child to explore and learn. There should be a healthy combination of physical activity, quiet time with reading and free play opportunities. Time for meals and snacks should be a part of the schedule as well, and a safe outdoor play area is a good indication that your child will receive the benefits of fresh air and exercise. It is also good for a baby care center to offer time for group activities as well as individual time, such as nap time for the very young children.


Finding a quality baby care center can be a stressful challenge for some new mothers.