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Poop Happens  - what nobody tells you about when having a baby!

9/20/2017

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Hospital bathroom

You've read every pregnancy book you can get your hands on and feel so well prepared for giving birth.  Then your best friend drops this bombshell, "Ugh, it was so embarrassing when I started pushing and then pooped right there on the bed!"
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Wait, wait, say what?!?!
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As if your pregnancy dreams hadn't been weird enough, suddenly you find your self having nightmares about lying on the delivery bed, feet in stirrups, madly pushing out a poop while your doctor, nurses, doula and partner point and laugh.  Of course while they pinch their noses shut.
Pooping while pushing

​Relax!
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​This won't actually happen - all of us in the birth field have seen it many times.  As for your partner, show them this blog post so they have the heads up too and demand that they act cool when it happens.
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​Give Me the straight poop
​

If you take a look at the anatomy of a pregnant person, it's easy to see why poop happens.  As the baby's head descends into the vagina, it tightly squeezes it's neighbour, the rectum.  It's inevitable that any contents would squeeze out and that's a good thing because the sooner you can release your bowels, the more room the baby gets to pass through.  Sometimes the poop will continuously creep out with each contraction.  Don't worry, your nurse will discreetly wipe it away without a word.

pregnancy anatomy


​Pee or Get Off the Pot
​

Nobody has ever made it through months of pregnancy without PLENTY of trips to go pee... and labour is no different.  Sometimes it's hard to notice the urge to pee with the intensity of contractions, but it's important to keep trying regardless.  Full bladders can impede labour because of how close to the cervix and vagina they are.  A good rule of thumb is to empty your bladder every hour.  The toilet is also a wonderful place to labour because your pelvis actually opens wider in this position, once again making more room for baby.  It's also a great place to start pushing (particularly if you're having difficulty relaxing your pelvic floor), since our mind is so programmed to let go when seated on the toilet.  Don't worry, it usually takes many, many pushes until the baby arrives and the nurses/midwives/doctors will get you to move before you give birth on the toilet!
If you have difficulty urinating, it may become necessary to have your bladder drained via catheter.  It's usually quick, easy and painless.  The nurse or midwife would insert a soft, small tube into your urethra and the urine simply drains into a basin.  

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water breaking pregnant


Even More Ick!
​

​Let's face it: lots of stuff is going to come out of your vagina before the baby does.  It starts at the very beginning of your body preparing for labour when you pass the mucous plug.  That's the clear, slippery, thicker goop that usually comes out when you're using the washroom.  Often it has a minor blood tinge to it (either pink or brown).  This is often one of the first indicators that labour is starting soon.
As the cervix dilates, blood usually makes an appearance - not in period like quantities (if this happens, it's an emergency so seek medical treatment immediately), but probably enough to warrant putting a pad on.  
At some point, your water will break (the amniotic sac).  It can slowly trickle out, or burst in a huge splash!  Labour usually intensifies shortly after with the baby's head pushing directly on the cervix .  If you haven't had any contractions yet, sometimes it takes awhile after the water breaks and if it takes too long, you may be encouraged to have an induction.  The fluid should be clear and odorless - any funky smells or colours should be checked out immediately by your care provider.

Another icky thing to deal with comes the other way: vomiting.  Some people experience it at the beginning, some all the way through and many do especially at transition.  This is when the big hormone shift happens, you start feeling hot and cold, trembling, shivering and often nauseous.  Don't be surprised if your doula, nurses, midwife or doctor gets excited when you announce the need to throw up - it often means you're nearing the end!
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Picture


Are you thinking that all of this sounds just awful and embarrassing?  Don't dwell on it, honestly once labour kicks in full force, you are in such a zone that most of these things don't even phase you.  Your doctor, midwife, nurse and doula have seen this many times (if not every time!) and will carry on as usual.  Don't alter your drinking or eating habits to try avoid this happening - it's so important to stay well hydrated and to have plenty of energy to sustain the marathon of labour.  

If you are looking for comprehensive prenatal classes in Calgary (where we teach all of this nitty, gritty stuff), please get in touch with us to book private prenatal classes or to find out when and where our next group prenatal classes are.

And as always, if you would like a professional doula who will offer you nothing but the best support throughout pregnancy and birth, click here to book an interview.

maternal instincts doula
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Choosing Where to Have Your Baby in Calgary

11/19/2016

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Our last blog post talked about the options for maternity caregivers in Calgary and expressed the importance of making an early decision. Choosing how and where you want to birth goes hand in hand with the type of caregiver you have. As stated in that post, if you wish to have a water birth, home birth or have your baby at the birth centre, you will require a midwife to achieve this. If none of those things are on your wish list, your options are to either chose a midwife or a doctor and birth at one of the area hospitals. If you want to birth at a certain hospital, you will need to look for a clinic that takes self-referrals or make sure your family doctor sends you in the right direction. Catch up on the details on our last blog ​here.

***Updated Oct 12/2021***
Covid restrictions may make limit support people or some services. Check with your doctor, midwife or with the location directly for confirmation.


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Foothills Medical Centre
(informally known as Foothills Hospital)

Foothills Hospital - calgary doula
By User:Thivierr (Digital camera photo taken by uploader) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

​Located near 16 Ave & 29 St NW, the Foothills is Calgary's oldest hospital (of those with a maternity unit). They have the busiest labour and delivery department and also handle the city's highest risk patients, possessing the highest level NICU unit. The maternity ward is on the 5th floor of the main building, overlooking downtown. There are lots of places to meander on the hospital grounds while trying to get labour into full swing.

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​Features:
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  • most of the labour rooms are very large
  • most have comfy recliners for your support people to relax or nap in
  • one room with a tub (although usually reserved for the midwives)
  • 2 large operating rooms very close by in case of emergency
  • doulas or other support people can view cesareans through a window if they choose
  • doulas are sometimes allowed in recovery after a cesarean
  • 2 cafeterias for refueling
  • long term care NICU
Things to consider:

  • only 1 support person allowed in triage at a time, which unfortunately means that sometimes you are separated from your doula for awhile
  • only 2 support people allowed in labour and delivery (if Covid restrictions allow)
  • this hospital is a teaching hospital so there are often requests for trainees to observe. It is always your prerogative to decline
  • postpartum unit is mostly shared rooms

View a virtual tour of the Foothills maternity unit here

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Peter Lougheed Centre

Peter Lougheed Calgary doula
By User:Thivierr - Digital camera photo taken by uploader, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1612673
Located near the corner of 36 St & 26 Ave NE, the Peter Lougheed was our "newest" hospital before the opening of South Health. It also has a very busy maternity department, only slightly behind the Foothills. Labour and delivery is located on the 3rd floor of the hospital which, unfortunately, does not have scenic views, nor great areas to walk around outside since it is surrounded by many retailers. However, that means there is plenty of good shopping close by in case something was forgotten!

Features:
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  • ample parking in an open parkade on the west end of the hospital​
  • 2 cafes, plus a Second Cup
  • recently updated labour and delivery department
  • large rooms with comfortable seating for support people (even window beds!)
  • large, open bathrooms with showers
  • 3 support people allowed (only when Covid restrictions allow)
  • an all new NICU including space for parents to sleep over
​Things to consider:
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  • only 1 support person in triage meaning you could be separated from your doula for some time
  • very few supplies offered, including snacks
  • few private postpartum rooms

​View a virtual tour of the Peter Lougheed maternity unit here

Rockyview General Hospital

Rockyview General Hospital
CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1774636
Located on 14 St SW between Glenmore and Heritage, the Rockyview has the third most births in the city per year.  The birthplace is located on the 6th floor with most of the rooms having views of the Glenmore Resevoir (and sometimes the Queen Mary - the paddle-wheel boat from Heritage Park). Walking outside is definitely scenic and relaxing here.
Features:

  • large parkade that rarely fills up
  • private triage rooms where doulas or additional support people can join you
  • support is not limited to 2 people (depending on Covid restrictions)
  • most rooms are quite large
  • comfortable recliners for your support people to rest or nap in
  • one room with a tub (often reserved for midwives)
  • 2 operating rooms on floor
  • coffee shop & cafe, plus the main cafeteria remains open most of the time
​Things to consider:
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  • some of the rooms are very small
  • the tub room has no windows
  • few private postpartum rooms​




View a virtual tour of the Rockyview maternity unit here

South Health Campus

South Health Calgary doula
By JMacPherson - Flickr: South_Calgary_Hospital, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19226597
Calgary's newest hospital is located in the deep SE near Deerfoot and Stoney Trail. Currently there is only capacity to handle half the amount of births annually as the other 3 hospitals. There are scenic views from the 7th floor maternity unit. The hospital was built using all the latest technology and with a strong emphasis on wellness. Being in a new area there is lots of undeveloped land and new construction surrounding the hospital.


​Features:
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  • ample parking in underground parkade and even free street parking (in short supply and only available for 2 hours)
  • private triage rooms with support people allowed
  • support people are not limited (if Covid restrictions allow)
  • labour, delivery and postpartum stay are in one room
  • large bathrooms with open showers
  • portable birth tubs are allowed
  • TV's in each room
  • partners can spend the night with each room featuring a window seat bed
  • doctors who specialize in vaginal breech birth
  • 2 cafeterias with food around the clock plus a Good Earth
  • room service menu
Things to consider:
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  • with a cap on births, it is very difficult to get accepted for care
  • the hospital utilizes a very time consuming record keeping method
  • basic chairs for support people instead of recliners
  • surgical suites are on a separate floor
  • some of the street design in the area impedes access to the hospital, so make sure to know where to park and how to get there ahead of time


​View a virtual tour of the South Health maternity unit here

High River Hospital

High River hospital calgary doula
Image courtesy of zirconicusso at FreeDigitalImages.net
Located in a quiet residential area in the SW quadrant of High River, maternity care is fairly new to this hospital (within the last 10 or so years).  Averaging about a birth per day, there is definitely a more relaxed feeling here.  The maternity unit on the main floor has a very low intervention approach to birth and offers woman centred care.  There are lots of quiet streets to wander and the hospital borders along a school field.

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Features:
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  • free parking - lot and street
  • ​support people not limited (if Covid restrictions allow)
  • emergency cesareans available​
  • longer postpartum stay
  • newly renovated maternity unit
  • labour, deliver and postpartum stay in one room
  • doctor's who assist in water births
  • tubs in each room
  • room for partners to stay overnight

​
Things to consider:
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  • only low risk patients accepted
  • care sometimes transferred to Calgary
  • no NICU
  • 25 minute drive from Calgary's south limits

View a virtual tour of High River's  maternity unit here

Arbour Birth Center

Arbour birth center calgary doula
Photo by Julie DeWolfe for Maternal Instincts Childbirth Services


​Calgary's one and only birth centre is a remodeled house in the community of West Hillhurst (near 16 Ave & 19 St NW).  It has 3 private birth suites with full ensuites and large tubs, a kitchen and a living room area.  It doesn't seem like a particularly quiet area being right on 16th Ave, but you can walk south into an old, quiet residential area.


Features:

  • parking is easily available
  • as many support people as desired including service practitioners (mobile massage?  chiropractor?)
  • each suite has a double or queen size bed
  • tubs are large and can easily give birth in them
  • comfortable shared common room space for family, etc. including toys for kids
  • can store & prepare your own food in kitchen
  • medical equipment is on-site, but kept out of sight

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Things to consider:
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  • only midwives will attend births there and they are in high demand
  • cost is out of pocket unless your private insurance will cover
  • obviously not a full on hospital if problems arise, however midwives are highly trained & transfer before it becomes too serious (Foothills hospital is less than 5 minutes away).
  • can be a pain to get into coming from the east

​View the Arbour Birth Center here

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No matter where you choose to give birth and with which doctor or midwife, you can be sure that you will receive nothing but professional, unbiased support from Maternal Instincts Doulas.  Looking for the best doula in Calgary?  Then contact us today to find out how we can enrich your birth experience.
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Midwives & Doctors & OBs, Oh My!  Choosing a medical professional for your birth in Calgary

10/20/2016

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Positive pregnancy test Calgary

Finding out you’re pregnant can be one of the most exciting, yet nerve wracking times of your life.  There are so many things to consider!  What colour will we paint the baby’s room?  What is the safest car seat?  We need to research the best stroller, crib, video monitor and diaper pail!  Arrrgghhhh – how will we ever choose the perfect name?!?

Unfortunately, in those early days, many families do not think about how and where they want to birth until much later on.  In the Calgary area, that delay can result in taking many options off the table.

To better understand, let’s take a look at the three types of caregivers available to us, along with the philosophies and type of care you can expect from each:

Midwife Calgary
                                           Midwives

Newsflash!  Today’s midwives are not voodoo witch doctors delivering babies of hippies!  To become a midwife in Canada involves taking a 4 year university program specializing in low risk pregnancy and birth.  If complications develop at any stage of your care, you would need to be transferred to a doctor and while they are careful to transfer care before an emergency arises, they do carry all kinds of medical equipment for resuscitation, etc. should that become necessary. Their care is very woman centred, with you being the one in charge of the decisions.  Prenatal appointments are often long enough to answer all of your questions without feeling rushed (you could expect your appointment to last between 30 min to an hour).

They do tend to have a more natural style, so would not be right for someone who desires a more medical approach.  They are the ONLY care providers to attend births outside of a hospital (as in at home or a birth centre) and also the only ones who support waterbirth.  They have hospital privileges at all four Calgary hospitals if that’s where you prefer to be.  Depending on the practice, most midwives work in tandem or teams of 4, sharing call time.  During labour, one midwife will oversee most of your care with an additional midwife called in for the actual birth so that one can attend to the mother and the other to the baby.

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                 Family practice/maternity physicians

​Unfortunately, many family doctors are no longer attending births.  It used to be that your regular doctor who treated your coughs and colds would also deliver your baby.  However, life on call while trying to run an office practice is difficult.  More often in Calgary, we see these family doctors deciding to either specialize in maternity care or leave birth alone all together.  Those who specialize often join with about 7 other doctors in maternity clinics and they share patients and on call time.  They also only take on low risk patients and would need to consult with an obstetrician for high risk situations or hand over care if an assisted birth was necessary (forceps, vacuum, c-section).  Clinic visits are typically only allotted 15 minutes.  Family practice doctors tend to have a low intervention rate during birth.
Calgary pregnancy doctor

                                        Obstetricians

These doctors have the highest level of training and can handle high risk pregnancies and all types of assisted deliveries (think vacuum, forceps and cesarean births).  Some also take care of many other women's health issues (infertility, reproductive system problems, cancer, etc.).  If your health is complex or if you develop pregnancy complications, you will require an obstetrician, but they also see low risk patients as well.  They too work in group clinics, sharing patients and call time. Clinic visits are also short - roughly 15 minutes.  Usually during labour, care is provided by the hospital residents with an obstetrician always circulating the hospital floor.  Some tend to have less lenient protocols/procedures (for example, continuous fetal monitoring is mandatory with some obstetricians).  Statistically speaking, they have a higher intervention rate, however keep in mind they are also seeing the highest risk patients. 

So as you can see, your care and birth can look quite different dependent on which caregiver you choose. If your dream was to birth your baby in one of the fancy tubs at the birth centre, you would need a midwife.  They book up extremely fast!  My joke is that after peeing on the pregnancy test stick and seeing a positive result, you should call and book the midwife before telling your partner, parents or BFF!

Pro tip: Ask to be put on a waiting list if the midwives are full as spots sometimes open up even in late pregnancy

Alternatively, if you would feel the most secure utilizing using a more medical approach, you will want to get on board with the best maternity clinics or obstetricians early as they are swamped too.  While your family doctor might look after you in early pregnancy, they will often transfer your care some time in the second trimester.  They usually have a certain group they refer to and most if not all doctors have privileges at only one hospital.

Pro tip:  Some clinics take self referrals.  If you have a preference to birth at a certain hospital, make sure you are in the right stream to land up there.  For example, if you wish to birth at Foothills, but your doctor is in SW Calgary, chances are you will be referred to a clinic with privileges at Rockyview.


Whichever way you decide to birth, consider adding a doula to the mix.  Having someone there to support you through birth, always ready to comfort and encourage you on can be one of the best things you do for yourself.  Your partner will thank you too!  Contact us for the best doulas in Calgary!

Please know that just as in ANY profession, there are wonderful and not-so-wonderful caregivers in each category.  I don’t believe all midwives are nothing but unicorns and rainbows, nor am I anti-doctor.  These are silly myths that for some reason exist in our profession.  I have enjoyed the privilege of supporting my clients under the care of each of them!  And you can bet your bottom dollar that no matter who you choose, I will diligently and harmoniously work alongside them to provide you with the best birth experience.

You may wonder why so much fuss about how you give birth?  All that matters in the end is that you have a healthy mom and healthy baby, right?  True.  But you must acknowledge that a healthy mom includes her emotional well-being.  As quoted from birthtalk.org, “The aim of ‘healthy mother, healthy baby’ must include the mother’s emotional health.  Why?  Because our emotional health affects how we parent.  How we relate to our partner.  How we feel about ourselves.  It can affect everything.  Emotional health in childbirth matters.”

Stay tuned for part 2 where locations to give birth in Calgary will be discussed!
​
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    Tracy Hudson

    Tracy is a mother, birth doula, postpartum doula and childbirth educator.  She lives in the Calgary, AB area with her husband, three kids and her lazy cat.

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​We provide services for prenatal classes, birth or postpartum doulas  in Calgary, Alberta and surrounding areas including, but not limited to: Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane, High River, Langdon, Okotoks & Strathmore.  Please ask if your location is not listed.

Attending births at: Foothills Hospital, Peter Lougheed Hospital, Rockyview Hospital, South Health Campus, High River Hospital, Arbour Birth Center, and home births.

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