Creation or Evolution,
Design or Random Chance.
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They say it all
began with a Big Bang.
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But when we look at
the amazing human body
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the answer is obvious.
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The complexity of the design
exceeds anything man has made.
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The body, it have only been
designed by the Master Designer
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we read about in the Bible.
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Hi, I'm Patti Barnes, Director
of the Midwifery Program
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at Harland College. We
have been engaged in a series of
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talks of God's
divine design in childbirth.
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Today, I'm going to talk
about the eight laws of prenatal
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health, that can lead to a
better outcome for both mother
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and baby. I like acronyms
to help me to remember things
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and maybe this one
will help you a little.
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This acronym Birthing:
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Let's start with the first one,
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Endorphins are hormones that
act as a natural pain reliever,
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women who are physically
fit, have a greater release
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of these hormones. This
could be a real blessing
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in times of discomfort
and especially during labor.
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Other benefits
of exercise include:
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And several other benefits.
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Remember, those who are
not accustomed to exercise
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should build their
endurance gradually.
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In the first chapter of Exodus,
Pharaoh ordered the midwives
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to kill the male Hebrew babies.
When they failed to do as
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Pharaoh commanded, he
demanded and explanation.
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Their answer is
found in Exodus 1:19
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The Hebrew women were
slaves, laboring in the field
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and open air, while the
Egyptian women were delicate
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and confined
indoors most of the time.
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The Hebrew word for
lively can be translated as:
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So it appears, they had
faster and easier deliveries.
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So what is safe exercise?
You can see the best exercise
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is working outside in
the fresh air and sunshine.
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One excellent form of
exercise is gardening.
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Not only does it strengthen
the legs, back and arms,
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but squatting helps
prepare the pelvic floor muscles
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for the birth. Walking is
another good form of exercise,
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but not just walking
around shopping malls.
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A nice walk in the country,
with fresh air and sunshine
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is great for the
mother's well being.
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Just like an athlete prepares
for a race, safe exercise
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helps prepare the
mother for childbirth,
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and remember, it increases
those pain relieving endorphins.
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The next one is:
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As mentioned before, the
best exercise is outdoors,
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this is because you want
to get plenty of fresh air.
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Let's look at a few
things pure air can do for you.
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In the book Ministry of
Healing, page 272 we read:
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Since we are talking abut
breathing, I would like to
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mention controlled breathing
during labor and delivery.
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We call it controlled breathing
as opposed to panic breathing
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which often happens during
labor and contributes to stress.
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Practice breathing
deeply from your diaphragm,
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in through your nose
and out through your mouth
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very slowly. This will actually
help you relax and give you
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more endurance because
you are expending less energy,
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this will also help your
labor to progress easier.
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Ok, now let's
look at the next one:
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When you are pregnant,
you need to train yourself
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to rest at will. In other words,
you need to be able to stop
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what you are
doing and take a nap.
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This is especially
important when you get close to
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going into labor. You want
to be as rested as possible
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for one of the most
physically demanding experiences
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of your life. Now here
are some benefits of rest:
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Did you know that by keeping
regular hours for bedtime
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and napping, you are
helping to train your baby
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before he or she is born.
For example, if you are a person
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who is in the habit of
staying up late into the night,
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your baby would probably
develop the same routine,
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and don't forget the old saying:
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Now let's look at the
importance of temperance:
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Of course,
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including those
things that are good.
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For example,
exercise, don't overdo it, rest.
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Don't be slothful, and
when eating, don't over indulge.
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Temperance is also abstinence
from harmful things like:
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I'd like to also mention
controlling your emotions,
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especially when pregnant.
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In Ministry of
Healing, page 373 we read:
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Anger, strife,
anxiety, bitterness, all affect
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your baby's
emotional development.
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We must learn to cultivate
soft tones and a pleasant
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disposition.
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Our next topic is:
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Or the beneficial use of water.
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Most people are familiar
with the general rule of
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eight glasses of water
per day, others suggest a half
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of your weight in
ounces. For example,
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if you weigh 120
pounds, you need about 60 ounces
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of water, or about
a half of a gallon.
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Of course depending on
the level of your activity,
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and the weather,
this will vary somewhat.
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Now let's take a look at
what water can do for you:
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Let's see what the Ministry
of Healing say on page 237.
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The external use of
water is beneficial,
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especially when it
comes to labor and delivery.
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We all know that warm
water can be both soothing and
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relaxing, it can also
provide a natural pain reliever
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and for this reason,
many women have chosen
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to spend a part of
their labor in warm water.
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Another method is to
apply hot towels, not too hot,
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to the lower back,
which helps relieve the pain.
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Always remember to keep the
brain cool by placing a cold
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washcloth at
the top of the head.
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Next in our birthing acronym:
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We tend to underestimate
the positive nature of sunshine,
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but our Heavenly Father
did more than just put a light
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in the sky for us.
Consider the statement from the
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pen of inspiration.
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The benefits of
sunshine are not as appreciated,
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as they should be.
Here are just a few.
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Let's talk about
that last point a minute.
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Jaundice is a yellowing
of the skin and the whites
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of the eyes that often appears
in newborns shortly after birth,
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this is a result of a build up
Bilirubin in the blood stream.
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Bilirubin is a by-product of the
break down of red blood cells
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which are fragile in newborns.
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The body produces
certain enzymes designed to deal
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with the Bilirubin so
that it doesn't build up in the
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body, but babies need a little
time to produce these enzymes
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and for their liver to mature
to where it can break down
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the Bilirubin. For this
reason and estimated 60%
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of full term babies,
and 80% of premature babies
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will show some sign of jaundice,
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fortunately only about 5%
need some sort of treatment.
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Not only has God provided
the enzyme to break down
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the Bilirubin, but
He has provided sunshine
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to help in this process.
Always remember to do this
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under the supervision of
your health care provider,
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you don't want to over
expose your baby to the sun.
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Nutrition is our
next on the list:
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First of all, don't
trust your cravings.
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In the book Councils on
Diet and Food, page 220 is says:
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If you are eating healthy,
then you are getting all the
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nutrients that the
baby needs. For example:
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Calcium for fetal bone
development as well as teeth.
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Folic Acid for blood production.
Iodine for thyroid function
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and hormone production,
and Iron for healthy blood and
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liver, for baby and mom. There
are many other nutrients like:
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that they need for
healthy development.
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Last and certainly not least is:
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It is not just the physical
aspect that we should be
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concerned about when
it comes to pregnancy,
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although it is very important,
it is even more important
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to start each
day with God's word.
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Spending time ready your Bible
will provide spiritual strength
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and guidance and places
your baby under the influence
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of the Holy Spirit.
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Proverbs 4:20- 22 says:
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During
pregnancy, you and your baby
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will greatly benefit from
all of these eight laws of
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prenatal health,
and you know what?
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All of these benefits are free,
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a gift from our loving
Heavenly Father, to you.
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Join me next time for
more about our Devine Design.
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