Lets give a little background of what the Heimlich Maneuver is, just to lay a foundation.

Definition:

Heimlich maneuver – An emergency first-aid treatment, consisting of a series of under-the-diaphragm abdominal thrusts, used on a person choking on food or a foreign object.

(http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_nontrauma/glossary.cfm#H)

In any case, the Heimlich maneuver was created to help expel or dislodge an obstruction of the airways.

As most of us have seen or had happen to us when a baby is born, is the baby is often suctioned with a Bulb Syringe (it looks like this). This is done to help clear the airways of a newborn baby. A newborn has fluid in its lungs from birth. While in-utero a baby “breaths” in & out amniotic fluid. This is how a baby’s lungs begin to develop and practice for breathing oxygen once they are born. Obviously, there will still be amniotic fluid remaining in their lungs and airways at birth. However, a natural phenomenon occurs at birth when the perineum (the tissue between your vagina and rectum) is intact, and its called the Fetal Heimlich Maneuver.

Now there are all sorts of heimlich maneuvers out there. There’s a method for adults and a more specialized method for young children and an even more specialized one for infants. Nature provides its own version of the heimlich maneuver for babies during birth.

Let me see if I can explain that a little further. When a mother is in 2nd stage labor (the pushing stage) and the baby begins to crown, a mother can take her time. She can push more slowly and deliberately & she will have a less likely chance of tearing. After the baby’s head has crowned and the shoulders pass through, the perineum tissue clinches down around the baby on the babies diaphragm (the same location in which the regular heimlich maneuver is performed) and causes the baby to release fluid in their airways.

In The Bradley Method our students get to see first hand this natural miracle take place. We show a video to our students where this rarely seen act of nature was caught on camera clearly. It’s great to know that our body does what it needs to for both the benefit of mom and baby, but it’s even more great to SEE it happen on top of knowing that it’s supposed to. :)

There are benefits to the Fetal Heimlich Maneuver happening on its own. A) *Natural* usually does a pretty good job of doing what it was created to do, without being intervened upon. B) The Bulb Syringes that are used on the baby have risks worth knowing (ask to see the package).  Many times these syringes can leave bruising or “scuffs” on the baby’s mouth and/or nose, causing discomfort to the baby just after birth. Anything negative that interferes with a baby within those first few moments of life, sets the baby up for a rude welcome. Some studies show a link between irritants or minor pain in a newborn to a generally more fussy baby overall. Another risk of the bulb syringe is the fact that it simply can not do as superb of a job of getting the fluid out the baby’s airways as a thrust to the diaphragm can.

Lastly, the bulb syringe can be toxic to our children.  I tend to not take these things too seriously, so please take this as you want.  However, on the label of the bulb syringe (you can buy one at any medical supply store) there is a warning about the coating in which this product is coated in.  It is carcinogenic and has been linked to cause cancer. Even though this is only in a baby for a brief period of time, it is worth knowing that if it was important enough to put on a warning label it probably is important enough to know about when deciding what you want or don’t want done to your new baby at birth. :) I had the opportunity to see the warning on a package with my own eyes about 2 years ago. So unless they have changed with the making of the bulb syringe or the labeling in the last couple years, this was a true fact as of 2 years ago. :)

So how can you ensure that your baby gets this natural fetal heimlich maneuver & can avoid the bulb syringe??

Well… 1st of all- TRUST birth and how your body was meant to work! Second, make sure you have an intact (or mostly intact- a small tear is okay) perineum during birth. That means, NO episiotomy (they aren’t necessary and can have life long effects). It also means slow down, have paced pushing. No holding your breath until you cant hold it any longer, no counting to 10, no rush rush rush, no forceps, no vacuum extraction, none of that! Make sure and have mother initiated, slow pushing that allows baby to massage the mothers premium as he/she makes his/her debut into the world! :)

If you would like to see (& learn more about) this miraculous phenomenon for yourself, look into attending a Bradley Method Class with your next baby!

Thanks for taking the time to read! Please leave a comment if you liked this, have any questions or concerns, or would like to talk to me about, well, ANYTHING! :)

Julie