Pregnancy is a time for changes and choices
Pregnancy is a sacred experience. From the moment the test turns positive, even though the embryo is too tiny to see, there are dramatic changes happening in a woman’s body. She may feel tired, develop sensitivity to certain smells and tastes, and experience nausea to name a few. Emotionally at that moment she is becoming a mother and her heart is opening in a new way.
The common term “nesting” describes the burst of motivation for getting ready to nur-ture a baby. This includes getting her body ready with better lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods, exercising and taking vitamins.
Her emotions are changing rapidly and she may feel like she is on a roller coaster ride. Making time for quiet reflection is important to develop a bond with her baby and can deepen her spirituality.
Having a supportive relationship with the baby’s father, family and friends is important. Exces-sive stress such as an abusive relationship, financial problems and a poor diet can contribute to complications in pregnancy. The natural changes in a woman’s body are often met with a lot of anxiety and fear. Approaching labor in this turmoil can contribute to a more difficult birth.
A woman will need to make many difficult choices. Should I have testing for a possible genetic problem with my baby? Should I find out the sex of my baby? Should I circumcise my son? Should I breastfeed? How would I prefer my childbirth experience? A well thoughtout birth plan is a powerful affirmation and a tool to help manifest that desired experience. This takes a lot of thought and preparation and can help a woman develop the trust that her body innately knows what to do.
But despite the best laid plans, Mother Nature often makes her own choice. A birth cannot be planned like a wedding. You can absolutely plan on it being unpredictable. This is difficult to accept considering our modern culture of instant results and perfection. Af-ter attending thousands of births I can acknowledge how unique each and every birth is.
The choices continue throughout pregnancy, birth, and once our baby is in our arms. We have to weigh the risks versus benefits daily. We learn about vaccines. We fasten seat belts. We put on bike helmets. What chances are you willing to take with your child? We all have to make those personal decisions.
In a healthy mother, most births are thankfully uncomplicated. We would not have sur-vived as a species if we required medical interventions to survive childbirth. Unfortunately a complicated birth is usually not predictable and there is often not a lot of time to react. In a small percentage of cases these complications can lead to terrible conse-quences for a baby or mother.
As a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, my goal is to provide a safe environment to support a mother in her birth experience yet be able to intervene if necessary to prevent a tragedy. Observing a woman in labor is an amazing and awe inspir-ing experience and I am honored to be part of this sacred experience. We respect Mother Nature and enjoy her creations but at times we will battle her storms to survive.
Dr. Santarpio is an obstetrics/gynecology physician, 420 N. 2nd Street, Sandpoint, 263-2173.