Re: [ozmidwifery] dive reflex

[brendamanning]

Emily,   I don't know the answer to your query but it just doesn't happen that babies inhale the pool water unless they are stimulated to do so by: over-handling, water temp unsuitable, cord no longer pulsating, intrauterine hypoxia (flat baby but will often gasp first)fetal distress, shoulder dystocia or others I can't recall just now. The science escapes me, I too have read all the research & articles but my anecdotal evidence is good enough for me. After 20 years of attending waterbirths, I've seen 3 babies get an aspiration pneumonia which was attributed (doubtfully) to being born through water, unproven & lots of ???? I've seen asp pneumonia attributed to babies inhaling liquor at birth too, go figure ! I guess some people just always have to have a reason for everything (and someone/thing to blame).   The book you mentioned is a great & easy to read reference (albeit American so not always applicable here in OZ) & getting old now or this an updated version? I too used it alot when I was in the early days of my IP, it was reassuring, if a bit esoteric in places. I too loved it.   With kind regards Brenda Manning www.themidwife.com.au ----- Original Message ----- From: Emily To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 4:22 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] dive reflex hi everyone i have a question about water births. ive read many times that the baby wont inhale underwater because of the dive relflex, preventing it inhaling whilst submerged in water but why doesnt this reflex occur in utero? i was under the impression the fetal lungs were full of fluid from 'practicing' breathing in utero? so if thats true then the dive reflex isnt working then.. So does this reflex only occur under certain pressure conditions or only after birth or something? thanks for your help. i read an awful article on water birth yesterday that called it a bad joke with no benefits for babies and very risky and against evidence based practice hahahaha ! so i guess im just trying to answer all the questions thative had lurking love emily ps today i have just bought 'heart and hands a midwifes guide to pregnancy and birth' and it is so great ive been absorbed all day. do others use this as a reference? Kylie Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi all I'm a Mid student (who has finally finished all her birth requirements...yay!) and this issue has only just come up for me over the last week or two. For the first time in two years, a midwife I was working with pointed out the importance of flushing through the synto if you have given it IV, if there was no drip running to flush it through. This obviously makes sense, because if you don't flush it, the synto will just sit in the J loop or IV line. However, I had never actually seen a midwife do this before. Over the next few days I asked a few midwives what they do, and the responses I got ranged from "Why on earth would you need to do that?" to "Yes, of course you need to flush it!" Any thoughts on this topic? Kylie _________________________________________________________________ New year, new job – there's more than 100,00 jobs at SEEK http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=""> -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit to subscribe or unsubscribe. Yahoo! Photos Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP.