Conceiving and giving birth is one of the greatest joys of every mother. During conception, the experience of each expecting mother differs. Cravings, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, and the like are common experiences. These might occur in the first trimester, and others in the second or third trimester.
These signs or symptoms have nothing to do with the size or position of the child or children. At the appointed time of delivery, a mother expects to go home with the child in a healthy state. When things go as expected, the birthing process is such an amazing one.
What Can Lead to Injuries at Birth?
Although some mothers find the birthing of a child a wonderful experience, others fear the risks and complications that may accompany it. Not all births lead to injuries and not all injuries put the child or mother in danger. But when the injury threatens the life of the mother and child then it calls for close attention. There are so many things that can lead to birth injuries. Let us discuss a few:
1. Prolonged Birth
During labor, it is expected that after the water breaks, in a few hours, the child should be out. Due to our different body configurations, the labor period differs from woman to woman. Click here to read about the different stages of labor. But when labor is prolonged or delayed it can increase pressure in the baby’s brain. High blood pressure may occur which could lead to cardiovascular issues or stroke.
2. Deprivation of Oxygen
When an infant is being deprived of oxygen, it can cause lots of injuries to them. The most common type is brain injury. Some of these brain injuries can be treated while some can last for a lifetime.
3. Medical Malpractice
This occurs when a doctor or nurse who is trained professionally fails to understand the birthing process. This negligence can be a result of misread data or impatience. This, in turn, can put the baby’s life in danger. Medical practitioners are expected to be aware that they could experience some challenges.
Injuries that can be Caused by the Negligence of the Doctor
There are a number of injuries that can be directly traced to negligence by the supervising physician. When any of these occur, the patient is encouraged to consult qualified attorneys like Shuman Legal to help them get justice. A few of these include:
- Fracture in the baby’s skull.
- injuries in the spinal cord.
- Stillbirth.
- Damage in the brain of the child.
- Too low or high blood pressure in the mother.
- Bladder, Bowel or Uterus damage.
- Mental issues.
- Vaginal tears, etc.
How to Prevent Birth Injuries as a Mother
Mistakes occur during childbirth and might be a result of delays in cesarean section, lack of postnatal care, etc. These mistakes can be avoided during pregnancy. How can a mother avoid such mistakes? Here are some things an expectant mother can do:
- Avoiding several drugs and alcohol. Drugs that contain tobacco or nicotine should not be used.
- Eating healthy meals regularly. It is not a good idea for a mother to eat food that does not contain the right amount of nutrients. Let alone skipping meals. These could affect her and also the growth of the baby.
- Registering for prenatal care on time and finding an obstetrician you can trust is also essential. Visit https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/ to find out more about what an obstetrician does. Once this is done, ensure you keep all appointments and stick to all medical advice.
- Having enough rest and sleep is very necessary. This will prepare the baby and the mother for the day of delivery.
- Ensure that the routine drugs given are taken appropriately. Avoid any form of self-medication as every child’s conception comes with its peculiarity. These are nutrients needed by the baby during its development in the womb.
Ensure that you follow all these guidelines. Doing so will prevent any form of complications and reduce any risk that may arise or occur.
Note: When birth injury happens as a result of negligence from the medical professionals, the mother can file for a lawsuit. This could be an injury that happens to either the mother or child.
In cases like these, compensation that will be awarded will depend on the severity of the injury. To increase your chances of getting a fair compensation, you should consult attorneys experienced in Birth injury cases. Such lawyers can assist in the following ways:
- Give professional advice for free. You explain your case and once you’re entitled to damages, they will proceed with working on the case.
- Carry out further research into the cause of the birth injury.
- Determine the best strategy for ensuring that a fair compensation is awarded. The attorneys put in a lot of work to ensure that justice is served.
Conclusion
Even though it is a thing of joy for every mother to conceive and give birth with ease, one has to consider certain things to avoid complications and regrets after childbirth. The mother and baby need to be healthy throughout conception to avoid any form of trauma. When all precautions are strictly adhered to, safe delivery is guaranteed.