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Episode 92 Content and Overview
It is extremely important to stay hydrated during your labor and birth, and if you are dehydrated it will affect your labor. You can become lethargic and have a lack of energy, and your uterus is going to have a hard time contracting efficiently, which can slow down or stall your labor. There are three ways you can stay hydrated during your labor, by drinking fluids, receiving fluids from an IV, or a combination of the two. IV is short for intravenous, and IV fluids are delivered via a needle directly into a vein. In U.S. hospitals it is common practice to routinely use IV fluids during labor, especially if you receive other interventions like an epidural or Pitocin. The benefit of being given IV fluids is that you stay hydrated during labor. This intervention also comes along with risks that can impact you, your baby, and even breastfeeding. Whether or not you plan to receive IV fluids during your birth, it is still a good idea to drink fluids during your labor. There are some tips and guidelines on what fluids are best to drink during labor and how you can ensure you stay hydrated. This episode covers the benefits of staying hydrated during your labor, how you can stay hydrated by drinking fluids, and the benefits and risks of IV fluids during labor.
Included in This Episode
- ACOG Committee Opinion: Oral Intake During Labor
- ACOG Committee Opinion: Hydration and Oral Intake During Labor
- Different types of IV fluids during labor
- Intravenous fluids for reducing the duration of labour in low risk nulliparous women
- Intravenous fluid rate for reduction of cesarean delivery rate in nulliparous women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Risks of IV fluids
- Restrict your mobility
- Edema
- IV fluids, your baby, and breastfeeding
- An observational study of associations among maternal fluids during parturition, neonatal output, and breastfed newborn weight loss
- Hep-lock or saline lock
- Talking to your doctor or midwife
- Recommended fluids during labor
- Isotonic drinks
- An Evaluation of Isotonic Sport Drinks During Labor
- Tips to stay hydrated during labor
- Catheters
- Urinating during labor
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