From the nickie training doll to the birthing simulator model, the study of prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care is hugely important not only in the United States, but in all places around the world where women are having babies and entering into motherhood. A nickie training doll is only one method of training, and training in such fields of prenatal, neonatal, and postpartum care should be extremely thorough (as thorough as is humanly possible) as the process of giving birth can be far from a simple one, though it is at the same time natural and normal. With as many as just less than four million new babies born into the United States alone every single year, having professionals like a gynecologist or OB-GYN readily at hand is hugely important.
A healthy baby starts with good prenatal care, often involving ultrasounds and regular doctors visits to check and chart the growth of your baby, often compared against a weekly fetal development chart. The rate of growth is incredibly rapid during pregnancy, not only involving the baby, but for the gestating mother as well. We can see this clearly in the weekly enlargement and stretching of the uterus, where the baby (or fetus, as it were) is housed for the duration of the pregnancy. In the first trimester of the pregnancy, or the first twelve weeks, the uterus grows to about the size of an orange. But by the time a woman reaches the end of her third trimester and approaches her due date, her uterus will typically be enlarged to the size of a fully grown watermelon, housing an at term baby that is nearly ready to be born. To better visual this full term pregnancy, a nickie training doll can be used, as can fetal models and, again, a fetal progress chart (which will often be shown as a vivisection of the mother’s body, allowing a clear view to what is happening on the inside both to mother and baby alike).
The process of birth is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of pregnancy – and one of the most painful. A laboring woman is likely to experience significant levels of pain and discomfort, and will need a supportive environment in which to labor in and, ultimately, give birth in. On top of this, the medical aspects of giving birth must not be discounted or pushed to the side, and so the nurses and obgyn must be vigilant for any signs of trouble for the mother and the baby alike. The use of a nickie training doll can be helpful in preparing medical professionals for this environment, as a nickie training doll can help to familiarize them with the medical process, the use of a nickie training doll making it all become second nature with enough time and, of course, enough practice of these newly acquired skills.
The science behind birth is a fascinating one, involving many hormones released throughout the process. For instance, adrenaline is secreted copiously during and after the birthing process, as this is what helps the laboring mother to gain enough energy to push her baby out and into the world. It also provides the right chemical for stimulating contractions, a hugely important part of any successful natural birth. However, adrenaline is also known as the fight or flight reaction in the human body, and a woman who feels threatened or unsafe during the process of labor is all too likely to produce too much of it, which can actually have the opposite effect of just enough adrenaline, slowing down or even stopping the labor and requiring medical intervention instead of progressing naturally as it would with normal levels of the chemical present. Because of this, it is important for a woman in labor to feel safe, protected, and supported throughout the process – and the ability to help her remain calm is often in the hands of a partner, loved one, or medical professional and team member in the room.
From a nickie training doll to a labor dilation chart, there are ways that medical professionals can train themselves to be equipped for prenatal care, the birthing process, and postpartum care.