Alternatives to ultrasound technology

Many who choose home birth do so to avoid the heavy use of medical technology. Often times this means that ultrasound technolgy is not used to check the unborn baby for problems with the internal organs. However, this does not mean that there are absolutely no clues about the condition of the baby to the mother. In fact, simple movements inside the womb indicate a great deal about the health of the baby that is soon to come.

First of all, when a kick is first felt inside the womb it is indicative that the baby does indeed have arms and or legs. Unfortunately, it is hard to know if all appendages are in tact but this doesn't mean that God loves the child the way it was created.

Secondly a very vital indicator of the health and condition of the baby soon to arrive is the simple hiccup movement ;) When a repetitious jolt is felt intermittently within the womb, there is a very high indication that the internal organs within the baby are working well.

According to the following information one can see that many organs are needed to produce a simple hiccup or two:

"In mammals, breathing in, or inhaling, is usually an active movement, with the contraction of the diaphragm

Diaphragm

Diaphragm may refer to any of the following:Anatomy* Thoracic diaphragm, a tissue of muscle separating the thorax and abdomen of mammals...
muscle. This is known as negative pressure breathing. Normally, the diaphragm's relaxed position recoiled (decreasing the thoracic volume) whereas in the contracted position it is pulled downwards (increasing the thoracic volume). This process works in conjunction with the intercostal muscles connected to the rib cage. Contraction of these muscles lifts the rib cage, thus aiding in increasing the thoracic volume. Relaxation of the diaphragm compresses the lungs, effectively decreasing their volume while increasing the pressure inside them. The intercostal muscles simultaneously relax, further decreasing the volume of the lungs. With a pathway to the mouth or nose clear, this increased pressure forces air out of the lungs. Conversely, contraction of the diagraphm increases the volume of the (partially empty) lungs, decreasing the pressure inside, which creates a partial vacuum. Environmental air then follows its pressure gradient

Pressure gradient

In atmospheric sciences , the pressure gradient is a physical quantity that describes in which direction and at what rate the pressure changes the most rapidly around a particular location....
down to fill the lungs.

In amphibians, the process used is positive pressure breathing. Muscles lower the floor of the oral cavity, enlarging it and drawing in air through the nostrils (which uses the same mechanics - pressure, volume, and diffusion - as a mammalian lung). With the nostrils and mouth closed, the floor of the oral cavity is forced up, which forces air down the trachea into the lungs.

At rest, breathing out, or exhaling, is a combination of passive and active processes powered by the elastic recoil of the alveoli, similar to a deflating balloon, and the contraction of the muscular body wall. The following organs are used in respiration: the mouth

Mouth

The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up the solid food particles into smaller pieces and mixing them with saliva....
; the nose

Nose

Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for Respiration in conjunction with the mouth....
and nostrils; the pharynx

Pharynx

FunctionsThe pharynx is part of the digestive system and respiratory system of many organisms.Because both food and Earth's atmosphere pass through the pharynx, a flap of connective tissue called the epiglottis closes over the trachea when food is swallowed to prevent choking or Pulmonary aspiration....
; the larynx

Larynx

The larynx , colloquially known as the voicebox, is an organ in the neck of mammals involved in protection of the vertebrate trachea and sound production....
; the trachea

Vertebrate trachea

The traceartes, or windpipe, is a tube that has an inner diameter of about 20-25 mm and a length of about 10-16 cm in humans. It commences at the larynx and bifurcates into the primary bronchus in mammals, and from the pharynx to the syrinx in birds, allowing the passage of air to the lungs....
; the bronchi and bronchioles; the lungs; the diaphragm

Diaphragm

Diaphragm may refer to any of the following:Anatomy* Thoracic diaphragm, a tissue of muscle separating the thorax and abdomen of mammals...
; and the terminal branches of the respiratory tree

Respiratory tree

The respiratory tree describes the branching structure of the vertebrate lung. Beginning with the top of the respiratory system, the Vertebrate trachea, the order of branchings is as follows:...
, such as the alveoli." "

Of course at the unborn stage in development, the baby is not able to breath air, however it is obvious that those muscles are preparing themselves to meet the outside world. So one can see that a simple hiccup, indicates a great deal about the health of an unborn child ;) God is the perfect creator.

Of course if physical indicators are not used, basic intuition, prayer and meditation can also reveal a great deal about the health of an unborn child. A little wisdom from above can go a long way....