Cradling Hands Midwifery Services - Rene du Preez

19/01/2022

As an Independent Midwife, it was my privilege and honor to help bring this precious life into this world. This superhero couple handled the pregnancy and home birth like champions, and I am humbled by their bravery.
Since our special journey, we have remained close friends, as we share a very deep bond together.
When the gut wrenching news came that Jenna-Mae was diagnosed with Diabetes Type I, my heart broke for Cherise and Johan. It makes me extremely proud to have these two Warriors in my life. They are incredibly strong and always remain positive.
Jenna-Mae urgently needs a Diabetic Alert Dog to improve her and her family's quality of life. Please follow the link to find out more. Any donation, big or small, will be greatly appreciated.
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/jenna-mae-van-der-vyver

11/03/2019

Antenatal Classes
Antenatal classes can help you and your partner to prepare for labour, birth and early parenthood.
We cover pregnancy, labour and birth, and on what life with a newborn baby may be like.
We also answer any questions that you may have.
The main goal is to give you as much information as possible, so that you can feel comfortable in knowing what is to come, and how to deal with the events when they do come up.

Our Antenatal classes are scheduled over 1 day, to make it easier for couples to plan around it.

Book your place as soon as possible, as we only have limited spaces available. Give us a call or Whatsapp on 064 904 0809, or book online at:
www.cradlinghands.co.za

05/03/2019

Natural Birth and Modern Society

We can see almost on a daily basis how technology is advancing, changing the way we do things, and how things become easier and more accessible.

These advancements are also very visible in the medical field, where it has enabled us to fight various diseases, and improve peoples lives with a number of innovative solutions. However, with the advancement of technology and medical innovation, we have become part of a society where everything we experience has to be treated in a hospital, with massive machines and lights, and doctors with white overcoats, nurses and other medical staff members. We have become so reliant on doctors and hospitals, that it has started to affect not only our instincts, but also our choices.
Over the past 100 years, giving birth has not changed all that much but the way we see it, has changed a lot.
We are no longer part of a society that thinks of natural birth before thinking about going to birth in a hospital, and for most first time moms, they probably assume that this is the only way to give birth.
The Ancient Roman cesarean section was first performed to remove a baby from the womb of a mother who died during childbirth.
We have become so disconnected from our natural capabilities and trust in our own bodies and respect for our babies development, that is is now rather the norm to choose a cesarean section rather than natural birth. These days we quite often come across the term"selective cesarean sections", and I believe this is an indicator of how far we have become disconnected as a human race from the natural way of doing things.
A Cesarean Section it is a very invasive abdominal surgery that requires a long recovery period, and doesn't allow your baby to get all the benefits of natural hormone release during a natural birth, and in my opinion, should only be carried out in case of emergency, to ensure a healthy mom and baby, if there are complications during pregnancy, or during birth.
As a woman you are perfectly designed to give birth, naturally.
I love witnessing this miracle of life and standing side by side with a woman as she connects with her inner strength and births her beautiful baby the way she was made to. The natural way.
Helping women bring new life into the world is a passion set deep in my bones.
Pregnancy and birth is not an illness, it is a manifestation of the power of the women.
Find your power and autonomy, choose natural birth.
www.cradlinghands.co.za

25/01/2019

Why should you consider a home birth?

When it comes to what’s best for you and your baby, you can consider a midwife-assisted home birth as safe an option as birthing in a hospital or free-standing birth center.

At a home birth, your privacy will be respected and you can enjoy birthing in an intimate, family atmosphere. By birthing at home, you’ll be treated like a woman going through a natural process.
Too often in hospitals, birthing women are made to feel more like patients with a dangerous condition.

There are several reasons why midwife-attended home births are safer than hospital births for most women. The first is that birth is a natural bodily process that works best without interference.
A home birth with a midwife attending assures you that risky medical intervention will be kept to a minimum. Most problems that arise at home can be corrected with position changes or by providing the mother with food or better hydration— safe and helpful tools which are, ironically, often forbidden in many hospitals.
The second reason that home birth is safer is that the infection rate at home births is less than half that of hospital births. There are several reasons for this. First, the baby is born with the mother’s antibodies, passed through the placenta. These include immunity to the family’s household germs. Hospitals are notoriously germ-infested, and a mother isn’t able to offer herself or her baby the same degree of immunity from that environment.
Second, homebirth midwives know not to wash off the protective, antibacterial vernix covering the baby’s skin.
Third, because mothers and babies are never separated, the baby’s immature immune system is able to function optimally, without the stress and disruption of the baby being taken from its mother.
Furthermore, the continuous mother-baby interaction fosters successful breastfeeding, which is the baby’s best protection against infection from the moment of birth.
Midwives provide continuity of care and comprehensive mother/baby care at a level impossible in the assembly-line nature of hospitals.

In short, a Home Birth allows you to do whatever you feel comfortable with. You have the freedom to do in your home whatever you feel comfortable with, wear what you want, move how you want, eat when you want, and be surrounded by loved ones. Your space, means your rules, and your comfort.

As a midwife I am a great supporter of home births, as the benefits are great for both mom and baby.
As with any birth, there are risks, but with the right precautions, monitoring and planning, the majority of these can be mitigated.

If you are considering a Home Birth, please come speak to me. I will be there to guide you through this beautiful process of bringing your baby into the world, the natural way.

www.cradlinghands.co.za
064 904 0809

24/01/2019

What is Pregnancy Brain, and is it a real thing?

Are you constantly losing your keys, or doing strange and silly things like leaving your phone in the fridge? You may have pregnancy brain.

A new Australian study has found that pregnancy brain is really a thing. Researchers at Deakin University found overall cognitive functioning was poorer in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that general cognitive functioning, memory and executive functioning were significantly reduced during the third trimester of pregnancy, but not during the first two trimesters.
“The declines start to happen between the first and the second trimester, and then look like they stabilize, but are most obvious in the third trimester,” senior author Associate Professor Linda Byrne said.

Possible causes for pregnancy brain

Gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Mmaselemo Tsuari says that many physiological changes take place during pregnancy, which could explain why moms-to-be are sometimes so forgetful. “While a clear cause for the changes in thinking and memory during pregnancy haven’t been found yet, most medical professionals think that pregnancy brain is caused by the surge in hormones women experience during pregnancy.”

In the first trimester, for instance, many pregnant women are distracted by thoughts about their impending motherhood or about their baby’s health. On top of that, when women are newly pregnant, they’re exhausted and physically sick from the hormonal changes taking place in their bodies.

During the third trimester, a significant number of pregnant women may feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the prospect of becoming a mother and how it will permanently change their lives. Many women struggle to get a good night’s sleep at this time, especially if their tummy is uncomfortably large or their bladder is waking them several times a night.

Sleep deprivation can make you more anxious or depressed, and a lack of sleep also affects memory. So it’s possible that a variety of factors contribute to memory loss in the third trimester. In fact, the Wayne State University study also found levels of anxiety and depression peaked during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Another possible cause of changes in memory is a deficiency of iron in the body – it’s known that one of the common effects of iron deficiency or anaemia is forgetfulness. From around the twelfth week of pregnancy a baby consumes a great deal of Mom’s iron reserves.

What can you do about pregnancy brain?

Learn to laugh at yourself.
Get your partner to see the lighter side of pregnancy too.
Take your pregnancy vitamins, especially omega-3 oils, and iron supplements.
Make lists and stick post-its wherever you need them or use your smart phone diary or laptop to remind you about the things you need to do.
Simplify your life and delegate as much as you can. This way, you’ll have fewer things to remember or worry about.
Try to remember things you’ve learnt recently or teach yourself something new.
Use mnemonics, or methods of memory association, as a way to remember things. It may be easier to remember your tasks for the week, for example, if you associate them with things such as a short poem, a special word or picture, or an acronym that’s easy to remember.
www.cradlinghands.co.za

18/01/2019

Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC) - What it's all about?

Delayed cord clamping is a birth practice where the umbilical cord is not clamped or cut until after pulsations have ceased.

The timing of clamping the umbilical cord, and practices have a sizeable impact on the outcomes for mother and baby. Research has shown that when we delay cord clamping the neonate will receive up to 30% more of the fetal-placental blood volume than it would have with immediate cord clamping.

When your baby is born, the cord and placenta system will contain about one third of your baby’s blood, whilst the remaining two thirds is in the baby.

Benefits
The benefits of delayed cord clamping for the baby include a normal, healthy blood volume for the transition to life outside the womb; and a full count of red blood cells, stem cells and immune cells. For the mother, delayed clamping keeps the mother-baby unit intact and can prevent complications with delivering the placenta.

In summary
Delayed cord clamping leaves the cord alone after birth and avoids disrupting the normal birth process. While the cord is pulsating, placental transfusion is supplying the baby with oxygen, nutrients and an increased blood volume to support the transition to life outside the womb.
Delayed cord clamping confers many benefits to the newborn baby including higher number of red blood cells, stem cells and immune cells at birth. In premature or compromised babies, delayed cord clamping may provide essential life support, restore blood volume and protect against organ damage, brain injury and death.
www.cradlinghands.co.za

12/12/2018

Being a midwife and doing what I love, takes my breath away! I am constantly in awe of the magnificent creatures called women. The power over body and mind which they possess is inspiring.

I love witnessing this miracle of life and standing side by side with a woman as she connects with her inner strength and births her beautiful baby the way she was made to. The natural way. Helping women bring new life into the world is a passion set deep in my bones.

www.cradlinghands.co.za

24/10/2018

Natural Birth - As a woman your body is designed for natural birth. Somehow society has convinced women that giving birth in a hospital is the only way, and by having a c-section, you can plan the birth of your baby to fit into your schedule.
Have we as a society become so detached to the event of birth, that we see it as an appointment in a calendar, rather than a moment, a process, a miracle?
As a midwife, I have experienced the absolute fulfillment and empowerment that natural birth brings to a mother, and the benefits associated with natural birth.
www.cradlinghands.co.za

16/10/2018

Midwifery Services - Ferndale
www.cradlinghands.co.za

I love witnessing this miracle of life and standing side by side with a woman as she connects with her inner strength and births her beautiful baby the way she was made to. The natural way. Helping women bring new life into the world is a passion set deep in my bones.

04/10/2018

Designed for Natural Birth
www.cradlinghands.co.za

23/09/2018

18/09/2018

Empower yourself through pregnancy, labour and birth