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Intravenous fentanyl for pain relief during labour

FAM, pregnancy By Jill Amery February 26, 2011 Tags: intravenous fentanyl, labour, labour pain, pain relievers in labour, painkiller No Comments

What is Intravenous Fentanyl?

It is a drug that is a powerful pain reliever (narcotic). It may be offered to you to help you cope better with the pain of labour. Some women say it takes the edge off the pain and helps them to cope better. It will take the most of the pain away but not all of it. We’ve gathered some Information about intravenous fentanyl so that you can make your labour decisions.

Doses that would take away all your labour pain would make you very sleepy and would decrease your ability to breathe. This could be dangerous for you.

How is Fentanyl given?

It is given to you in a way so it is safe for you and your baby.

First your nurse puts a tube in your hand or arm called an intravenous or IV.
Your nurse, doctor, or midwife gives you the drug through this tube or you can give yourself this drug through the IV by using a pump that you control. It is called a patient-controlled pump. If you are using a pump you cannot give yourself too much of the drug because the pump is set to only allow safe doses.

Side effects of Fentanyl

You may become sleepy
Your breathing may slow down. Some women need to be given some oxygen and be watched closely if this happens.
You may feel sick to your stomach. This happens less often with Fentanyl than with other narcotics.
Fentanyl crosses the placenta and goes to your baby. As a result, your baby may be sleepy and not breathe well at birth. If this happens your baby may be given a drug that helps called Naloxone. Naloxone is given to your baby by an injection into the muscle of her or his leg. Sometimes, if you have needed a large dose of fentanyl, your baby’s breathing may have to be watched closely for several hours.
Your baby may have some trouble starting breastfeeding because she/he is sleepy and you may need more help to get your baby to breastfeed. Your nurse and/or lactation consultant will be able to help you get breastfeeding started.

What does is it not do?

Fentanyl will not take all your pain away.
Fentanyl does not give pain relief so your doctor/midwife can help your baby be born by the use of forceps or vacuum.
If your labour is very long it may not be as helpful later on as you may need a different form of pain relief.

BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre
September 2006, BCW#766

Nita Lake Lodge

Canada, ROAM By Jill Amery February 22, 2011 Tags: boutique hotels, canada, hotles, nita lake, nita lodge, whistler 1 Comment

They had me at the Land Rover shuttle. Or was it the lobby? Geothermal heating? Or the live music during apres-ski? Any of the above. Nita Lake Lodge is among my favourite boutique hotels in the world. And it’s only 68 minutes from Vancouver (not that I’m speeding). Gourmet dining, windows galore and 72 environmentally-friendly suites with streamlined decor and beautiful views.

CHI Kids

FAM, health By Jill Amery February 14, 2011 Tags: anxiety kids, bc mental health, chi, chi kids, michele kambolis, stress kids 4 Comments

Clammy hands. Racing heart. Clenched stomach. If I could give my children one gift for their lifetime, it would be to manage stress. I wish they could learn techniques so that they could be confident and grounded in any situation. In our society, parents are continually bombarded with the current health buzz. We are so careful about not eating unpasturized cheese while pregnant. We ditch the carpet lest our kids are affected by off-gassing, and we work incessantly to make sure there are no parabens in our shampoo, nitrites in our meat and dust in our pillows. Doing the right things for our children can not only be time-consuming but stressful as well. And we’ve also heard the buzz about the long-term health consequences of stress. What better gift could we bestow on any human being than the gift of a healthy coping mechanism? Child and youth clinical counsellor Michele Kambolis is the Vice Chair of the BC Mental Health Foundation, and saw the need for a program for children to learn the coping skills for stressful situations thoughout their lives. Enter CHI Kids. It needs more than a drumroll.

The Tiny Light Foundation

charity, FAM By Jill Amery February 14, 2011 Tags: childhood illness, children photography, children's charity, Childrens foundation, Mom run charities, Mommies that give, photography, sick kids 2 Comments

The Tiny Light Foundation pairs photographers with families of children faced with life altering diagnoses, and gives them the opportunity to capture their joy, strength and courage in photos. These photo sessions may otherwise be out of mind for families faced with expensive medical costs or overwhelming obstacles above the call of an average parent.

Easy Ideas for Year-Round Romance

FAM, self By Jill Amery February 14, 2011 Tags: inexpensive date ideas, love, parents, relationships, romance, romance after baby, valentines, valentines day No Comments

I never get flowers on Valentine’s Day. I made the decision long ago that I’d rather a bouquet every month for no reason than an overpriced bunch of roses on February 14th that won’t last long. Really, what do men and women need? To feel loved and cared about. Flowers, chocolate and all of the commercial trappings pushed on society once a year don’t always translate into a feeling of being loved. Why not try some of these ideas that will cost next to nothing but make your partner feel truly cared about? Here are some Easy Ideas for Year-Round Romance. Feel free to add your own.

Boiron for Cold and Flu

FAM, health By Jill Amery February 11, 2011 Tags: boiron, children flu, cold, cough, homeopathic, medicine, natural medicine, natural remedy, over the counter medications, playtime, sick, stodal No Comments

AAAH-CHOO! I hab a cold in my node. And I just raided the kid’s medicine cabinet to fix it! I always used Boiron’s Camilia for the teething pain, so was thrilled to hear that they’ve developed natural medicines for children’s cough, cold and flu. Boiron’s Stodal for coughs is specifically formulated for children 1 year and older, tastes like honey, is toxin-, dextromethorphan- and guaifenesin-free and boasts no alcohol, no artificial colorings or flavorings. MMMM. www.boiron.ca

Alcove Shampoo and Conditioner

beauty, GEAR By Jill Amery February 9, 2011 Tags: alcove, kids shampoo, paraben-free shampoo, playtime 1 Comment

Paraben-free, salt-free, and sulfate free. ‘Nuf said? Nope. This stuff leaves your hair silky, shiny and soft. Please excuse us if we sound like a crazy shampoo commercial, but we really like it. Alcove doesn’t feel soapy and filmy on the hands, and it smells good. The official ‘science’ is that micro-encapsulation encloses ingredients in microscopic capsules. This allows your hair to receive exactly the nutrients it needs to prosper. Lovely. www.oligoprofessionel.com

Outside Toys in a Public Playzone?

LIVE, play By Jill Amery February 8, 2011 Tags: coffee, communal, grab, judgement, kid-friendly, kids-1, lovey, mothers, parents, play area, playdates, sharing, sisterhood, tantrums, toys 1 Comment

Recently I took my youngest son, who is nearly two, to a cafe known for it’s “kid-friendly” play area and colourful cupcakes (his big brother was at preschool). I met a friend there for coffee, and a few kids were already making use of the place’s toys and activities. Before we left the vehicle, I made a point of asking him to leave his truck in the car. “We don’t want another little boy or girl to take it home by mistake.” I said. He understood this because it is our habit – when going to a public play area we don’t take “outside toys” in with us. Why risk a problem when we can avoid one?

Waldorf Schooling for your Child

grow, LIVE By Jill Amery January 31, 2011 Tags: Education, schooling for children, steiner-waldorf education, waldorf education 4 Comments

Waldorf schooling for your child emphasizes the role of the imagination in learning, developing thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic component. Studies of the education describe its overarching goal as providing young people the basis on which to develop into free, moral and integrated individuals, and to help every child fulfill his or her unique destiny

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