EXPECTANT

MOTHER’S GUIDE

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EXPECTANT

FATHER’S GUIDE

Available to Read Online

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Childbirth Trends in the Private Sector in South Africa

  • Only 10% of pregnant mother’s/couples researched their options about birth
  • 67% had a caesarean section (the acceptable rate should be 18%)
  • 3,4% of births were accompanied by a doula
  • 19% were induced
  • 30% had liquid to drink during labour although most of those only sucked ice
  • 14% ate during labour although mostly just sucked sweets
  • Epidural is the preferred method for pain relief although midwives patients still opted for self-help techniques and pethidine
  • 33% had vaginal births
  • 28% delivered intact, 42% had a tear and 30% had an episiotomy. Research shows that hands should be off the perineum and let a mother deliver intact or with a tear
  • Most women birthed in a semi-reclined back-lying position and pushed as instructed by the caregiver and not pushed as their body told them to
  • 51% had skin-to-skin contact with their babies at birth
  • 44% breastfed their babies in the first hour
  • 68% had their babies rooming-in with them in the ward after birth