First Aid And Childbirth

Pregnant women are told to prepare for their big day as they are nearing their time by having an 'over night bag' ready so that they can just pick it up and go to the hospital when the baby begins to arrive.

This is naturally good advice, nobody wants to be running about at the last moment looking for the other red bed sock.

However, the baby is ignorant of these plans and sometimes it ruins them by arriving early. Hence the number of babies born on buses and in taxis. This is not actually such a big difficulty if you live in a city or a stone's throw from a hospital, but what about if you live on a remote farm or just miles from anywhere?

This is where it is wise to have had a different form of First Aid training - one on First Aid and childbirth.

It is useful to know what to do in the case of a childbirth, because you never know when it could be only the two of you - you and the pregnant baby and a third due any moment.

Most men would panic, most women would not. I think that that is fairly obvious, so why don't more individuals take a class in how to help?

A course in First Aid and childbirth would be practical for expectant fathers, that much is clear, but it would also be useful for taxi drivers, bus drivers and anyone who may find him or herself alone with arbitrary members of the public in a professional capacity..

This first thing to do is keep calm, but this usually depends on having some information or training to fall back on. Endeavour to keep in mind that billions of individuals have been born throughout history in precisely the same way and that mother and baby will do what comes naturally, although this is not to say that you ought to not get to the hospital if you can.

Once the deadline has passed and you know that you are not going to get to the hospital in time, call the emergency services. That is a big burden off both your minds, because you both know that assistance is on its way.

Next, make the mother comfortable and then wash your hands if you can, soak them in alcohol from your First Aid kit or wipe them with any antiseptic wipe.

You will need something uncontaminated to wrap the baby in, because they are normally fairly slippery, so have something on hand for this job. A bowl of tepid or lukewarm water is helpful for Mum to wash herself a bit with and a cool, damp handkerchief to dab her forehead with are both useful.

There is a great deal more to know if you would like to be able to help if there are difficulties, but you would be far better off learning that from a midwife or a nurse than from me in this short article.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is at present involved with cheap First Aid kits. If you have an interest in First Aid as well come over to our website now at First Aid Courses Online.