Emergency Childbirth, Gregory White

YAY! One of my FAVORITE books that I think every couple should read is now available in PDF. This is huge because it's out of print, and hard to find.

It's short and sweet, and HERE it is, in all it's glory!

And while we're on this note, here are some guidelines from the Department of Defense should you ever find yourself having a baby in an unplanned fashion without the help of a medical provider.

Emergency Childbirth: A Reference Guide for Students Medical Self-Help Training U.S. Department of Defense
EMERGENCY CHILDBIRTH

What To Do

1. Let nature be your best helper. Childbirth is a very natural act.
2. At first signs of labor assign the best qualified person to remain with mother.
3. Be calm; reassure mother.
4. Place mother and attendant in the most protected place in the shelter.
5. Keep children and others away.
6. Have hands as clean as possible.
7. Keep hands away from birth canal.
8. See that baby breathes well.
9. Place baby face down across mother's abdomen.
10. Keep baby warm.
11. Wrap afterbirth with baby.
12. Keep baby with mother constantly.
13. Make mother as comfortable as possible.
14. Identify baby.

What Not To Do

1. DO NOT hurry.
2. DO NOT pull on baby, let baby be born naturally.
3. DO NOT pull on cord, let the placenta (afterbirth) come naturally.
4. DO NOT cut and tie the cord until baby _AND_ afterbirth have been delivered.
5. DO NOT give medication.
DO NOT HURRY--LET NATURE TAKE HER COURSE.

2 comments:

Dou-la-la said...
January 7, 2010 at 10:33 PM

OMG. Send THESE. EXACT. GUIDELINES. to doctors across the country!!!

I mean, this is amazing. "Let nature be your best helper. Childbirth is a very natural act." "Keep hands away from birth canal." "Keep baby with mother constantly." "DO NOT pull on baby, let baby be born naturally." The Department of Defense is now defending childbirth, with principles IDENTICAL to the ones birth advocates have been talking themselves blue in the face about. Who knew?

My favorite: "DO NOT hurry." NEWSFLASH TO HOSPITALS EVERYWHERE!

Anonymous said...
August 26, 2011 at 5:21 PM

Here's a working link http://www.rixafreeze.com/pdf/gregorywhite.pdf

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