To add a bit of trivia to Marie S.'s discussion of birth and walking.  Laboring
mothers at our hospital walk around as a matter of routine.  One of our walking
mothers demonstrated just how effective walking can be!!!

She was walking around the maternity center halls with her husband and two other
children.  She, like others, would hold on to and lean into the hand rail on the
wall during a rough contraction.  During one such contraction, she said that the
baby was coming.  The father gently took the other 2 children aside, nurses
helped her down on the floor, cloths and chucks were placed about as best as
possible, a screen was wheeled over and the mother gave birth there in the hall!
 A midwife and later a doc happened by and assisted, but most of the birth was
done by mother and a nurse.  All went well!  She got up and continued her walk
back to her room!!!!

Pardee Hinson    [log in to unmask]
Charlotte, NC