Take it easy Mumma!

I love this article by Gloria Lemay!  It’s something that every Mumma needs to take notice of.  Every person really!

http://www.glorialemay.com/blog/?p=171

 

The Undervalued Therapeutic Power of Rest

Posted on August 20, 2009 by gloria

I developed very sore nipples when my youngest daughter (now 28 years old) was about 8 months old. I was working as a midwife at the time and I was completely perplexed and dismayed to be having sore nipples for, what I thought was, no reason at all. I called the La Leche League to see if they had any ideas about cause or cure and the first response on the other end of the phone was “Have you been getting your rest?” Oh, how I hated those words. . . I wanted a much fancier diagnosis than “you’re tired, dear”.

 

Heading Down the Road to C Section?

This article is written by an OB who has been practicing for 14 years. http://www.friscowomenshealth.com/?option=com_wordpress&Itemid=205&lang=en&p=89
I hope you enjoy.

Top Ten Signs Your Doctor Is Planning To Perform An Unnecessary Cesarean Section On You

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Jonathan Weinstein

I have been a practicing OB/GYN for fourteen years. I live in Frisco, Texas, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, and I truly enjoy living and working here.  It is a great place for my family and, for the first time, my office is attached to the actual hospital I practice in.  This is the third and final place I will practice medicine.  I trained with some of the most respected academic OB/GYN’s in the country.  These physicians have contributed to books on Obstetrics, created practice guidelines for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and taught me to practice medicine based on scientific evidence.

I follow a few simple rules: do no harm, give your patients options, and provide information so they can make informed decisions.  So, last night I was sitting in my office looking at the fourth Cesarean Section (C/S) operative report of the day for yet another patient who wants to have a vaginal delivery following a previous C/S. I am frustrated and feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

When did Cesarean Sections (C/S) and elect

 

Dr Seuss Tribute Birthing Poem

Just found this absolute gem on Facebook.  The author is Marie Hix, and she first posted this on My OB Said What?!? It was posted as a reply to this:

“You can’t labor here without an IV.” –  L&D Nurse to mother who wanted to drink water for hydration instead of having an IV. . (April 13 2012)

Can I labor over there?
Can I labor on the chair?
No! No labor over there!
Don’t labor on the chair!

Sit there, sit there, you will see,
You must labor with this IV!
I do not like this sharp IV!
I need to move, to dance, to pee!
Doctor, Doctor, let me be;Say, get your pesky hands off me!
No! You can’t move, or dance, or pee!
You must labor with this IV!
Not over there, not on the chair,
Not with the ball, you’ll have a fall!
Can I labor with a doula?
Can I use some calendula?
Can I labor on hands and knees?
Can I birth just how I please?No! Not with a doula!
No –what’s calendula?
Lay back, lay back, count to ten,
Breathe –he he hoo –push again!

No thank you, doctors, nurse, and crew,
I’ll go and labor without you.
I’ll labor here, I’ll labor there!
In the shower –everywhere!
I’ll labor standing, squatting, sitting
I’ll labor on my couch while knitting!
I’ll have a doula –I’ll have three!
They’ll let me eat and bring me tea.
Try them! Try them! You will see!
You can go shove that darn IV.

 

Overdue homebirth update

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven’t written ANYTHING lately – things have been totally crazy!

Back in January I had my beautiful water birth at home, and received a little girl blessing!  So I now have 2 boys and a girl (haven’t stopped yet though!) – and the oldest is now just 3 1/2.  Combine that with my hubby having surgery that’s taken a long time to heal, and I haven’t had a chance to finish writing up her birth story!  I must make it a priority to do so before she is 6 months old – eek, that’s only a few weeks away! Crikey!

She was born at 41 weeks 5 days, 8lb 5oz with absolutely no signs of post-maturity.  Totally happy smiley baby that the whole family is in love with.  I’ll update more soon 🙂

 

Postdates: Separating Fact from Fiction

So I am now 41 weeks pregnant, and the most common question I am getting is ‘so when are you being induced?’  On facebook, I answered that question ten times over a period of 3 days, so ended up making a new status message that consisted of this:

 

Thankyou for all your questions, thoughts and concerns regarding induction. I am comfortable, and bub is comfortable. I still have 1 more week before I am officially post-term. I will not be getting induced naturally or medically at any stage unless medically indicated. Now no more talk of induction! 😀

But I know that the people who were asking, were only asking and suggesting things because they care about me.  So I looked around and found this fantastic article that has some great research and simple facts that you can share with others.  This link was my status update this morning. This is how I introduced it:

 

Here’s some interesting research regarding ‘late babies’:
“Facts:
• A pregnancy is NOT “Postdates” until after 42 weeks.
• The risk of stillbirth is nearly a flat line between 38 weeks and 43.
• Amniotic fluid is dependent on maternal hydration, in the absence of congenital abnormalities.
• A baby’s weight virtually plateaus after 40 weeks.”
Good to know hey! 🙂

 

Why I won’t leave my births up to chance

This is a great article by The Feminist Breeder.  She totally explains how I feel about why you have to prepare for a natural birth, and what you can do to get the birth you want.  I didn’t do the courses she recommends, but I read sooooo many good quality birth books while pregnant, which of course has an impact on your mental preparation.  Birth is probably the most vulnerable time in a woman’s life, and I don’t think you can be too prepared.

 

[edit] I’ve had to take down most of this article, as apparently having more than 100 words on here would actually violate her copyright and impact on her income.  And I don’t want to do that!  So to read her fantastic article go to her blog!

 

http://thefeministbreeder.com/why-i-wont-leave-my-births-up-to-chance/
May 29th 2010

The Feminist Breeder came across a Mumma’s website where she was asking people if they thought she was crazy for wanting a natural birth…

“There were around a dozen interviews with different mothers, and every single one of the moms supported her decision to have a natural birth. In fact, every single one of the moms said they had planned to go natural as well.  However, out of all the moms, only ONE mentioned taking a 12-week intensive natural birth class … only that mom actually reported getting the birth she wanted.

Coincidence? I think not.

What happens during a woman’s birth is not all up to chance. Maybe some of it, but certainly not all of it.”

To read the rest of this article go to The Feminist Breeder’s website: http://thefeministbreeder.com/why-i-wont-leave-my-births-up-to-chance/

 

Induction risks

interesting article on how similar a mum getting an induction with synto (pit) has similar risks to a VBAC – and no-one really talks about the dangers of induction, but recommend against VBACs!!

http://networkedblogs.com/r4rIV

Not Just Another Induction Post

You might remember me posting on my Banned From Baby Showers Facebook page about a mom who had been declared “high risk” due to “maternal age.”  She is 35 years old.  Her OB had also told her that her amniotic fluids levels were low.  At about 37 or 38 weeks, she recommended induction.

 

Delayed cord clamping pictures

An amazing article, with some amazing pics of how an umbilical cord changes after birth.  Absolutely astounding!

http://www.nurturingheartsbirthservices.com/blog/?p=1542

Magic Umbilical Cords

I am amazed by just about everything having to do with birth….mothers, the creation of babies from a sperm and egg, the childbirth process, the placenta, the umbilical cord…

Aaahhhh….that umbilical cord. That magical connection that grows life. It filters, it provides, it knows when to start and it knows when baby no longer needs it.

I’ve often tried to explain to people the incredible changes that happen at birth – including to the umbilical cord – but I’ve had a hard time finding images to demonstrate what I’m trying to explain.

Until now! I recently attended a birth and asked the mother permission to take photographs of her baby’s umbilical cord to document the changes it goes through after the birth – and she said yes!

 

Incontinence, Prolapse & Pelvic Floor Health

Pelvic Floor Health.

This is my very first ‘proper’ blog!  I hope you enjoy.

Have you ever heard the rumour that if you sneeze 6 times in a row, you orgasm?  Well guess what, I’ve managed to sneeze 6 times in a row, and man I wish that were true.  The actual results of my sneezing attack were devastating, and have impacted on my quality of life ever since.  Here is my story and what I have learned about pelvic floor health since that day.

FYI: I think all women should read what I’ve written in this article, because 77% of women will have a pelvic organ prolapse at some stage in their lives – and most of them will have incontinence.  The medical world believe that surgery is the only way to deal with prolapse, but once a woman has had surgery (including a hysterectomy) she has a 500% greater chance than the rest of the population to go on and develop a further prolapse.  Prolapses and stress incontinence are largely preventable with the tips I have shared below.

 

Mums Matter

Wow. What a powerful, powerful testimony.  Yes, we do matter, and how insensitive of us to say ‘it doesn’t matter, at least you’ve got a healthy baby’.  No wonder we have doctors believing this too, if we believe it ourselves.

http://andnobodytoldme.com/2011/09/that-the-birth-matters-and-so-do-i/

…that the birth matters…and so do I.

by C Lo on September 2, 2011

There is a mantra that we have culturally adopted regarding birth.

“Nothing else matters as long as there is a healthy baby”

And, I don’t know why I’m not used to it after 12 years, but it still shakes me up every time I see it.

Because…I matter. My feelings matter. My health matters. I have to live with the choices. I carried that child for the better part of a year and I have to raise that child…I matter.

While I had all my children naturally, my last birth was very devestating for me. I had two children previously….one in a birth center, one in a tub in my tiny little 2nd floor bedroom. That second birth was really the best birth I could have asked for. I had high expectations for number three to be even better.

But you know what  they say about the best laid plans. I ended up in the hospital (while my birth tub was filling and subsequently flooding my bedroom). No, there were no problems and within an hour of arriving, I delivered my 11lb baby boy in about two pushes. And he was healthy and perfect.

Sounds good right? All that matters is a healthy baby, right?

While I stood laboring next the the triage table, I had nurses conversing around me as if I didn’t exist. I was repeatedly told “no” I couldn’t do things. I was instructed to lay on the table and do as I was told and when I didn’t, everyone stood around and stared at me as if I was crazy. No one helped me. At all.

I laid on the bed because my legs were about to give out and I quickly realized that the baby was NOT coming out in that position. I begged for someone to help me turn over onto all fours and the doctor said “NO!” and the nurses all just looked at me and shrugged their shoulders. When the doctor left the room, I scrambled awkwardly off the table, landed on the floor, got on all fours and pushed with all my might. I pushed out of fear that this stranger who didn’t know anything about me would come in and somehow wrangle me back into that God awful position.  I knew I had to get that baby out ASAP.  I did. A couple of pushes and some 3rd degree tearing and my son was born. I then had stitches that no one told me much of anything about. And the doctor walked out without saying a word to me. My husband looked on from a corner as I spoke my first words to my son…”I’m sorry….I’m sorry“.