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For any new mother who wants to breastfeed her baby and is having trouble getting started, a lactation consultant is very often a saving grace. But how do lactation consultants get started? What does the lactation consultant training involve?
The truth is that there are three different paths that someone can choose from if they want to become a lactation consultant.
- The most common pathway requires the person who is becoming the consultant to have some job experience in the healthcare field working with children or moms, or someone who works with support group for breastfeeding moms that has certain criteria that they have to meet. This first path requires the applicant to complete a training program for lactation consultant that’s geared toward breastfeeding education management, ethics, and any other requirements for continuing education.
- The next pathway requires the candidate to have completed and graduated from a properly accredited program in breastfeeding and human lactation. The program has to have been a yearlong and must also have included clinical assignments as well as the clinical portion that was required.
- The final pathway has the requirement that candidates have to complete a plan for lactation education and will be supervised by a minimum of one consultant that has been recertified. The plan is required to be approved by the consultant before the candidate starts the clinical component.
Although all three pathways aren’t approved around the world, all three are approved in the countries of North America. Lactation consultants are instrumental in helping new mothers with nursing their babies and giving them advice.
When people hear the word ultrasound, they usually think of pregnant women seeing their baby for the first time. But the truth is that ultrasound is something that is widely used in all medical fields, not just obstetrics, and it’s a much sought after skill.
If you are thinking of pursuing this career, here are the steps to take on how to become an ultrasound technician.
• Start in High School – The first step starts before you even get to college. You want to study things like math, English, and life and physical sciences in high school. It’s also a good idea to become familiar with medical terms.
• Continuing Education – The second step involves going to either a community college or a vocational school to get a 2 year degree in ultrasound technology. Make sure that the program that you are taking is accredited by what is known as the Joint Review Committee on Educational Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
• Register – The third step is to become registered as an Ultrasound Technologist with the association for American Radiological and Diagnostic Medical Sonographer after you have graduated.
• Job Hunt – Finally, you want to go job hunting to see what positions are open for ultrasound technicians. You can look in both doctor’s offices and in hospitals. The Internet is a great place to start.
Although ultrasound is used a lot during pregnancy, it’s also an essential diagnostic test to help doctors determine what is wrong with a patient. That is why ultrasound technicians are needed all over the country.
Pregnancy can make any summer even more hot and unbearable, but playing an expectant Jackie O in the History Channel miniseries “The Kennedys,” has Katie Holmes glowing. During Production in Canada, she’s been spotted on set rubbing her prosthetic belly fondly, spending time with daughter Suri as she runs around the set, and cooing over the other kids around her. Katie Holme’s first major on-screen role as a mom couldn’t be coming at a more opprotune time. Katie has made no secret of the fact that she and husband Tom Cruise hope to give Suri a younger sibling, Katie is reportedly loving every second of being a mother. “It’s just fabulous,” she added, “I’m very very lucky.” Tom Cruise is 48 and Katie is 31. Tom has said he would love to have 10 children. “I love Kids!” Tom is quoted saying recently. While Katie was in tip-top shape when she ran a marathon in 2007, she’s been looking rounder lately, which is a clue that she’s getting her body ready for a baby. What other signs are there that Katie might be expecing? On July 19th the actress appeared to be camouflaging a little belly underneath a striped Celine sheath. On the site of her miniseries Katie has insisted on fake cigarettes on the set….. (although Jackie Kennedy smoked during pregnancy), Katie refuses to puff for real for the role of the late first lady. Lately, Katie has taken to wearing oversize T-shirts that hide her figure. Once filming ends on The Kennedy’s, Katie will have plenty of time to devote to a pregnancy. Other than promotional duties for the flicks “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” and “The Son of No One,” Katie has zero film projects lined up. She insists, “When I go to work, it’ll be the right thing, worth my time.” Katie said. Meanwhile, Tom is springing back into action which will help him support his growing family. The actor has 12 movies in development or preproduction.
In Vitro Fertilization is the most widely used treatment and involves a seven step process which is ideal for most problems including blocked tubes.
What does IVF involve? In Vitro Fertilization involves the surgical removal of an egg, which is then mixed with sperm in a laboratory dish to fertilize and produce an embryo outside the womb. IVF treatment occurs in cycles since there are various stages which must be completed for it to be successful. Initially a drug is used in the form of a nasal spray or injection to switch off the woman’s natural cycle of egg production in the ovaries, known as “down regulation”. Fertility drugs are then given to stimulate the ovaries to produce more then one egg (ovulation induction). Mature eggs are collected from the ovaries using a fine needle guided by ultrasound. The procedure is usually uncomfortable rather than painful. On the same day, the partner’s sperm is collected, and then the eggs and sperm are mixed in a dish. Within a few days, multiple embryos are transferred into the womb. If an embryo successfully attaches to the inside of the womb and continues to grow, a pregnancy results. Tomorrow we will go into much more detail about IVF and what a hopeful mother can expect when preparing herself emotionally and physically for this process. There are many steps, so it can be time consuming and patience is key. We will also be touching on other forms of alternative conception coming up. In addition to IVF we will learn about ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) and Artificial insemination.
Conditions preventing conception:
There are a range of reasons why a couple may have difficulty in conceiving. Investigations and test may uncover specific conditions, which may be treatable, or may be offered to help conceive.
What can affect a man’s fertility? A semen analysis may reveal various reasons why sperm have difficulty in fertilizing an egg. The sperm count may be low (less then 20 million sperm per ml): the motility of the sperm (how they move) may be poor; and there may be high percentage of abnormally formed sperm. Some men experience a failure to ejaculate an orgasm. There may also be damage to the tubes that connect the testicles to the seminal vesicles where sperm are produced, and this may have been present from birth or caused by a later infection.
What can affect a woman’s infertility? Conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (a hormonal imbalance that causes ovarian cysts and endometriosis can disrupt fertility. Other hormonal imbalances, such as low levels of FSH and LH can affect ovulation or levels of progesterone may be too low to sustain a fertilized egg. Damaged fallopian tubes caused by an ectopic pregnancy, surgery, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease which may be caused by Chlamydia, can prevent conception. Damage to the ovaries can occur from scarring as a result of a surgery, or infection, or the supply of eggs may be low. Some women have an abnormally shaped uterus, or have uterine scarring that can prevent the successful implantation of an egg.
You can exercise as soon as you want after your baby’s birth. The amount you do and how strenuous the exercise will be depend on the type of birth you and how much exercise you did before your baby was born. Other considerations are whether you are breast-feeding and the amount of discomfort you feel. Always listen to your body since you will become uncomfortable if you do too much. Your body has just undergone an enormous change throughout the course of pregnancy and childbirth particularly if you had a cesarean section. There are also high levels of hormones still in your body, which can make you more supple and prone to injury. If you are breast-feeding you may just want to do gentle exercising until feeding is established. It’s a good idea to wear a supportive bra while exercising, and exercise following a feeding rather then before one, which may make it more comfortable for you. Always warm up, wear correct footwear, and drink plenty of fluids while you are exercising. Stop and seek medical advice if you feel unwell or experience any severe pain or your bleeding increases. Although getting back to your pre-pregnancy shape is important for your well-being, be patient with yourself and take your time.
Floor exercises are a good place to start. Also lying on your back and doing twisting can be very relaxing. The exercises you should avoid are full impact (like running) and resistance exercising should only be done after six weeks of postpartum to prevent any strain on the pelvic wall area.
Most fathers anticipate with warmth and excitement the birth of their first child. But they frequently struggle with what role they should play at their baby’s birth (and as a father.) After all the twentieth century saw dramatic swings in what being a father means in our culture. Historically, fathers have been peripheral to women giving birth. Most of our grandfathers were not invited into the birth room, nor did most want to be there. Birth was considered a woman’s business. After the midwife or doctor arrived at the home (often the doctor was brought by the father), fathers puttered about in the shed, fixed household items, or protected the birth place by ensuring privacy for his laboring wife. Our father recalled how his grandmother who had eight children on an Iowa farm, always labored with only the help of a woman relative. After the first birth his grandfather knew it was his job to to take the older children to town so his wife could labor in peace and quiet. When the birthplace shifted from home to hospital, the custom of excluding fathers and visitors continued. This changed when hospitals began to recognize the profoundly positive influence a caring woman friend, a relative, a mother, or a father were present at the bedside. For the first time in the 1970’s, fathers were given the responsibility of helping mothers through birth. The term “labor coach” became part of the English language. Fathers began being present as a helper and supporter during child birth.
As a sonography technician, you will most likely (in this day and age) to be working with husband and wife, or father and mother. This was not always the case.
Who you are in labor and as a mother is merely an extension of who your are in the rest of your life. So if you want to be present and strong in birth, you need to practice that way of being in your everyday life. the patterns of your life are all cut from the same cloth. Eating is something you do everyday, so practicing eating in awareness can prepare you for birthing in awareness. The way you are able to be present in ordinary day to day activities sets the stage for how you will be present while giving birth. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist teacher and poet. A friend once asked him why he wasted his time growing lettuce when anyone could grow lettuce, but so few could write poetry the way he could. Thich Nhat, Hanh’s response to this compliment was if I do not grow lettuce mindfully, I cannot write poems. You may wonder how this teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching applies to your prenatal diet. His view of life has helped so many women realize the difference between eating mindfully and eating anxiously to meet daily nutritional requirements. As eating mindfully becomes an integral part of your life, meeting your baby’s nutritional needs will happen more naturally and pleasurably. Rules can offer a sense of security while pregnant. If nutritional rules help you to feel more comfortable, why not make some that will work to your advantage. For example, rather than create rules to restrict your diet, why not make rules restricting your rule making? Flexibility, not rigidity, characterizes a safe natural healthy birth.
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Sonography Degree: Labor and Birthing Companions
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Couples accustomed to joint decision making may need to change their style in active labor; it is sometimes a good idea to have a plan before entering the labor room. In “laborland” a woman’s logical and verbal abilities are significantly impaired. Even if she has a question or understands what’s being said or asked, she can’t always speak up. You have the right to recieve balanced information before making any decisions about your health care. Take responsibility: learn all the facts and alternatives. Then your “yes” or “no” will be a genuine informed decision, and can also be discussed pre-labor….and your birthing partner and medical team will be informed about your preferences. In modern medicalized labor, even during normal labor, couples often are bombarded with directives and decisions. One of the most difficult tasks is to diferentiate between what is routine, optional, and/or necessary. To a large extent, extracting key information in a given situation falls to the father or birthing companion. This is for a number of reasons. First there is the trance like nature of labor itself. Then there is a woman’s socialization to be polite and cooperative with authorities. Finally, the psychological vulnerability and dependency accompanying the role of hospital patient can block even the most assertive and educated woman from taking charge. Some fathers or birthing companions may need to be more assertive than they usually would be. She’s depending on you, so if questioning or standing up to medical personel will be too uncomfortable for, be honest, and arrange someone to be there who can. If you can’t do it, have someone at the birth who can.
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How to become an Ultrasound Tech: The 18-22 Week Scan
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Also known as the fetal screening sacan, this detailed scan is offered to all women between the 18th and 22nd week of pregnancy. At this stage of gestation, your baby has well developed limbs and facial features, and all its major organs and body systems are in place and ready to be assessed. The scan involves transimitting high-frequency sound waves through your uterus that bounces off the baby, and the returning sounds are converted into an image. The biggest echoes are from hard tissues, such as bones, which will appear white on the image of the screen, while the soft tissues will appear grey-flecked. Fluid filled spaces such as the stomach, bladder, blood vessels, and amniotic fluid surrounding the baby will not return sound waves so these are the black spaces in the picture. It is the difference between echoes and colors that enamble the ultrasonographer to interpret the images. The Ultrasound starts by checking the fetal heartbeat and then counts the babies-in the case of twins. Usually it takes about 20 weeks to identify twins. The head will be measured by circumfrence and diameter. The abdominal circumfrence and femur are measured as well to make sure the baby is developing in a healthy way. Any abnormalities of the brain, face, lips, spine abdomen, heart, stomach, kidneys, bladder, and hands and feet will be checked for. Lastly, the umbilical cord and amniotic fluids will be examined. You may be able to find out the sex of your baby at this 18-22 week scan, or you can keep it a surprise! The 18-22 week screening scan can provide a expecting mother with so much information on the progress of her developing fetus.
