Madeline Franklin

Jane Blakelock
English 2100-30
February 9, 2016
Annotated Bibliography
Campbell, Denis. "Hospitals Warned to Delay Cutting Umbilical Cords
after Birth." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 10 July
2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
This article expresses the importance of waiting to clamp a
childs umbilical cord. It gives data to reflect the benefits of waiting,
which include decreased breathing problems for the child and a higher
intake of iron from the mother. It also discusses the concerns of
hospitals rushing mothers and not allowing them to wait to have the
cord clamped. The Guardian published this article with hopes of
gaining hospitals attention and by making them aware of the harm
they could be causing. This article will benefit my research by allowing
me to give examples of how hospitals use medical intervention
compared to home births.
"Using Epidural Anesthesia During Labor: Benefits and Risks."
American Pregnancy Association. N.p., 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 31 Jan.
2016.
This article discusses the common usage of epidurals during
labor. It describes some of the health benefits but also the harms
women experience. It depicts that epidurals are very common among
women and that almost 50% or more use them while giving birth. The
benefits are receiving an epidural are described as benefitting the
mother only. She will have less pain during her contraction due to her
lower half of her body being numb.
The main points conveyed were the risks of this popular
procedure. Many women are uneducated about the side effects of
receiving an epidural during labor. Complications include losing muscle
strength and balance, which inhibit the ability of the mother to push.
Other complications also include lose of blood flow to the baby, poor
positioning of the baby, and an increased chance of a caesarian or
episiotomy.
This article will help to display the concerns and risks of hospital
deliveries. It will also help to provide readers the education they need
on this unfamiliar topic.

Hess, Amanda, and Jeremy Hess. Woman Designed by God. Boise, ID:
Elevate Faith, 2014. Print.
This book discusses the common misperception women have
about their bodies. Amanda and Jeremy Hess are chiropractors that
promote womens health and natural birthing. They briefly discuss how
women are overmedicated during labor and they give reasons as to
why home birthing and natural birthing should be taken seriously. They
provide examples through their own personal journey, which allows the
audience to see labor and delivery from the hospital and from the
home birthing aspect. Since Amanda had given birth in both settings, it
gives a close look to the way she was treated through her pregnancies
and how her overall health was affected.
This source will help to show the common hospital routines that
pressure moms into receiving medication during their delivery. It will
also give me a source that has personally experienced both the
hospital and home birth settings, which will allow me to compare both
of them in my research.
Weeks, Andrew. Umbilical cord clamping after birth. BMJ
335.7615:312. Abstract. Print.
This is a second article I have to support the idea of waiting to
clamp the umbilical cord after birth. It provides information on the
benefits and harms of clamping in generally but it involves the
perspective of the only the mother but also the baby. Weeks goes into
detail describing that hospitals clamp because they dont want the
mother to hemorrhage out, but he takes the babys side and discusses
all of the benefits they would receive if clamping was delayed. The
main benefits include more oxygenated blood and the baby would
absorb more nutrients such as iron.
This source will help to defend the idea that home births allow
the mothers to be in control of their delivery and that they would be
able to delay if they chose to.
Kresser, Chris. "Natural Childbirth V: Epidural Side Effects and Risks."
Chris Kresser. N.p., 5 Aug. 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2016.
This article discusses the reasoning behind a natural birth versus
a birth with an epidural. Chris Kresser conveys the importance of the
education women must have prior to giving birth and he informs us the
side effects of epidurals. They not only affect the womans body and
hormones but they can also affect the health of the child during labor.
Kressers information will help me to inform readers of why natural

birthing is safer for expecting mothers and why epidurals should be

limited to certain cases.
Jennifer, Smith, MD, PhD, and David Merrill, MD, PhD. "Oxytocin for
Induction of Labor." Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. Wolters Klewer,
Sept. 2006. Web. 7 Mar. 2016.
This journal gives readers an incite to other potentially harmful
drugs that are commonly used during labor. It explains the effect on
mothers and babies and why it is used so often. Dr. Smith and Dr.
Merrill give incite to the protocols used when oxytocin is requested and
it gives insight to why doctors ask for it in high demand. This journal
will benefit my paper because it will allow me to contrast the natural
process of home birth with the complexity of hospital births.