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Sadie's Water HomeBirth

Tuesday, May 09 2006 @ 04:36 PM CDT
Written by: naturalmomradio
Views: 3,490

It's hard to tell when my labor actually started. We had a difficult time figuring that out for the birth paperwork afterwards because for two days I had some strong contractions that felt like "something"...I could tell they weren't Braxton Hicks because they kept me awake at night but were not very painful, just "sit up and pay attention" contractions. I had also started to have bloody show and loose stools. (Hey, you've read this far so hopefully this stuff doesn't gross you out!)

Two nights before my "labor day" dh and I slipped out to Home Depot. Kids were at home with my Mom and we needed to buy a vanity for the kids bathroom we are remodeling. (How's that for waiting until the last minute LOL! Dh was worried that the midwives wouldn't have a place to wash their hands in there!)

As I walked around Home Depot I had some pretty intense contractions but I was happy with that...it felt good to be out of the house and I figured I was probably dilating some. At one point I had to sit down on one of those big flat buggies because I was feeling so much downward pressure in my back.

We went home and I thought that night would definitely be the night...

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Herbal Teas for Pregnancy

Sunday, April 09 2006 @ 11:42 AM CDT
Written by: Urbanherbalist
Views: 3,363

Herbal Teas for Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an extraordinary time for a woman to learn about her body. As another human being is growing inside of her, a woman�s body is changing rapidly to support and nurture not one life but two!

Herbal teas provide a gentle mechanism to support a woman�s journey through pregnancy by: decreasing symptoms that may cause discomfort such as nausea, tonify her uterus as she prepares to give birth, and support the postpartum period by encouraging relaxation and additional nourishment.

The following are a few examples of herbal teas that are safe and easy to prepare during pregnancy.

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Teaching Our Sons and Daughters About Normal Birth

Sunday, April 02 2006 @ 11:32 PM CDT
Written by: Eileen
Views: 2,741

HELPING OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO LEARN NORMAL BIRTH:

Recently, USA Today (http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/csections/news-risingcsectionrate.htm) ran an article that showed how American women's C-section rates have climbed from 25%-27% in just the past few years. More and more, the women in America are not just having the surgery for emergency situations at the time of labor and birth, but now it is becoming more and more popular to ELECT a Caesarean and bypass the whole labor altogether.

Of course, the doctors LOVE this (at least the greedy ones) because it's more expensive to cut a baby out of it's mother's womb.There is more down-time in the hospital, so the hospital makes out. You need anesthesia, so the anesthesiologist makes out. It's convenient for mom...she gets to pick when the baby will emerge.....and so everyone is just so happy! Or are they?

Let's look at the specific drawbacks about having an elective Caesarean Section:

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Problems reaching NaturalCaring.org?

Tuesday, March 28 2006 @ 10:06 AM CST
Written by: Admin
Views: 1,443

I know some of you have had problems reaching this site and sending email to me over the last several days. This was due to a DDoS on the nameservers we use and it was outside of our direct control. We were one of several hundred thousand sites that were affected.

The good news is that I believe the problem has been resolved. (I hope so, anyway!)

Thanks for your patience!

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That was a Bad Ad. Sorry!

Monday, March 20 2006 @ 04:29 PM CST
Written by: Admin
Views: 2,441

A couple of days ago, I placed an ad for Old Schoolhouse Magazine in the advertisements on the left side of the page. Today, a woman by the name of Kath informed me by email that the magazine supports harsh discipline practices that are not at all in line with attachment parenting concepts.

So I removed the ad.

This would be a good time to talk about the ads here. If you are interested in why we have them, how they are picked, and how you can help please read this whole article.

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Our little baby boy

Sunday, March 19 2006 @ 07:30 PM CST
Written by: BrandyL
Views: 1,318

Our baby boy was born on Nov. 18, 2004 @ 11:49 pm in Colorado. He weighed 8 lbs 13 oz and was 21 � inches long.

Our first surge began around 8 am on Tues. morning, Nov. 18th. The surges simply felt like mild, achy menstrual cramps low in my abdomen. We were unsure if this was the �real� thing so my husband decided to go to work about 1 hour away.

I continued to do menial things around the house and ended up calling my husband around 12:30 or 1:00 pm to have him come home so we could start some relaxation together. He got home around 2:00 or 2:30 pm and I climbed into bed where my husband played the Rainbow Relaxation tape and read me some additional scripts.

I called my CNM around 4:30 pm to let her know that we were laboring and she told me to call her when I decided I didn�t want to labor at home any longer. We continued to do some relaxation with some other music and continued on with our scripts. Around 6:00 pm we called our CNM and told her that I wanted to come in. She said �well, we�ll see if they will admit you, but I�m not sure if they will.� She didn�t think I sounded like I was �really� laboring to the extent that the hospital would admit me and keep me. (The only reason I felt like going to the hospital was because I wanted to know if I was making any progress. I wasn�t sure if my surges were making a lot of headway or not and my preoccupation with that thought was causing me to lose focus.)

We ended up checking into the hospital at 6:30 pm and our midwife was surprised to announce that I had already opened 6 cm. She thought for sure that I would only be at 3 cm or so. The L&D nurse was surprised that I was so calm and so collected especially since I was already opened to a 6. We climbed into bed where I continued on with my relaxation and I labored on my side in bed until I was opened to 9.5 cm. At that point, we determined that I had a little cervical lip left and it was preventing me from opening to the full 10 cm. I labored at 9.5 for about an hour and was becoming frustrated that I wouldn�t open the last .5 cm. My midwife ended up pushing the lip the rest of the way so that I could finish opening.

After that she persuaded me to get on the birthing stool�it was heaven! Once I got onto the stool I had the urge to push our son out. I actively pushed for about 45 min. He was born at 11:49 pm.
He nursed well from the get go, was very alert, aware and calm and in the end we had our midwife, L&D nurse and even nurses that were coming on shift say that they wanted to stay in our room to just sit and relax! They said it was one of the most relaxing births that they had ever attended or witnessed and said that they could see the benefits of it in our son.

I loved pregnancy and even loved our birth. The next day I told my nurses that I could do that again and that I couldn�t wait to have our next baby. They said they hardly ever hear those words out of the mouth of a new mom!

I never wanted medication, never swore or yelled at my husband. It was an extremely loving, tender moment that bound my husband and I tightly together and bound the three of us in love for forever!

We are very excited to have another wonderful experience with the birth of our newest baby in May '06 but this time it will be in the comfort of our home! :)

Warmly,
Brandy L. and Family

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Practical Tips to Ease the Postpartum Adjustment

Saturday, March 18 2006 @ 08:52 PM CST
Written by: RebeccaPlum
Views: 1,275

Practical Tips to Ease the Postpartum Adjustment
By Rebecca Plum, CD

Before the Baby is Born:

Use Your Resources

Visit http://www.printablecalendar.ca/ and print out a blank calendar for the month following your due date. If you have a baby shower bring your calendar, and share it with your friends and family when they ask when they can visit and what they can do to help. Have folks sign up for days when they can come see you and the baby, and let them know that signing up for time means they are not going to stay long, they will be folding laundry or loading the dishwasher while they�re there, and they will be bringing you a meal, preferably with enough leftovers for your lunch the next day. People always want a chance to come see you after the birth; Inviting them to sign up gives that visit some structure and boundaries, and ensures that you won�t be using precious energy playing hostess.

Create a Functional Environment

Have a friend or family member that has had a baby within the last few years, or a postpartum doula, come over to help you set up the baby�s area. It is essential to make the diaper-changing, feeding, and sleeping spaces user-friendly so you�re ready to focus on parenting once the baby has been born. Many new parents, recognizing that they don�t yet know what they�ll actually need, throw everything into drawers for later washing, organization and comprehension. If you can meet with someone who�s recently made these discoveries, they can help you recognize what will be useful and what is extra, and together you can create a workable environment that will nurture you as you nurture your baby. For example: Place the clothing you are most likely to use (t-shirts that snap across the front, gowns, footed outfits) in the top drawers of the dresser below the changing pad, so you can easily access what you�ll need most frequently with one hand. If there is no space available below or the drawer is too heavy to open one-handed, hang open sweater shelves nearby, so you can easily reach in for clothing, extra diapers, etc.

Seek Rejuvenation Every Day

Identify what you can do for yourself that leaves you feeling replenished and relaxed. Make a commitment with your partner that each of you will get twenty minutes every day in which to do that activity. Some examples might be a cup of tea and a novel, a phone call to a friend, or even a hot bath! It may not seem like much now, but when you�re exhausted and have been parenting day and night with little time for yourself, a twenty-minute break can make all the difference in the world.

After the Baby is Born:

Sleep When They Sleep

Follow this simple rule: Each day, the baby will actually sleep 16-20 hours. When he or she does this, you may sleep with them, have a meal, or do one �should�. A �should� is anything that you feel you �should� be able to do � write a thank you card, return a phone call, clean the kitchen, etc. If you tell yourself you should be able to keep up with it all, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. If, however, you recognize the intense immersion in parenthood that you are currently experiencing, and give yourself total permission to need lots of nourishment, rest, and emotional support, then you�ll do great!

Accept Support & Tell the Truth About When You Need It

Know that it is perfectly normal and appropriate for you to feel overwhelmed or anxious in the first week or two after the birth, and this will ease as you adjust to your new identity and get to know this new person in your arms. If you are at all concerned that your mood is not improving, if you�re having a hard time sleeping, or if you are feeling scared or uncertain that what you�re experiencing is �normal�, do not hesitate to call someone for a consultation. There are wonderful professionals in your area, and many resources on the internet. Visit www.postpartum.org or www.postpartum.net for support, guidance to local resources, and a community that understands what you�re feeling and is able to help. Do call your medical care provider as well; They know your history and are likely to have resources and insights that others will not. CPMC offers an excellent Postpartum Depression Support Group, as do many other hospitals and resource centers in the Bay Area; Allow yourself to check them out, and give yourself the support you need. If you need help in getting there, ask your partner or a friend, and trust that they will be proud and pleased that you are taking such good care of yourself and your new baby.

Make Nourishment Accessible

When you cook, or if a friend can come cook for you, be sure to freeze leftovers in single-serving containers for easy nourishment later on. Remember, food can also get delivered, and freezing servings of fresh take-out is just as effective!

Let Yourself Know in Your Heart Before You Know in Your Head

Be kind to yourself! Know that everyone is going to have an opinion on how things should be done, and it is virtually impossible to do it right in all of their eyes. What is very possible, and wonderfully empowering and satisfying, is to discover parenting from the inside out. Listen to your instincts, and do what feels right in your gut. Allow yourself to know what your baby is communicating with you even if it doesn�t make sense in your head. Trust that you are the very best fit for this child, and that even if you don�t know everything you wish you did, you�re going to be just fine and they are delighted to be with you!!

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The Emotional Side to Drugs in Labor: The Beginning of Learning to Parent

Friday, March 17 2006 @ 09:34 PM CST
Written by: avhaas
Views: 2,809

As seen in issue #7 of Midwifery Today's Having A Baby Today

By Amy V. Haas, BCCE
www.healthybirth.net

The debate over natural vs. drugged labors rages daily. Professionals argue both sides, while parents wait to hear what the healthiest choice should be. Research emerges frequently that supports one side or the other. Issues of women's right to choose an anesthetized birth over the struggle for a natural birth pervade the birth industry, in spite of evidence that shows the harmful side effects of drugs during labor. Proven or not, birth professionals have to be very careful what they encourage (or fail to discourage) in pregnant and laboring women. When birthing moms consider the pros and cons of drugs in labor it is important to remember that in addition to the physical aspects there are emotional ones as well. Parents, as well as birth professionals, need to take this into consideration. We need to stop and think that while there may be many reasons for desiring drugs (fear, ignorance, and history of abuse) other than true medical need, it is still our responsibility to educate ourselves about the reality and risks of our choices.

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The Surprise Unassisted Birth of Kate

Friday, March 17 2006 @ 09:04 AM CST
Written by: Autumn_Breeze
Views: 4,604

In the days leading up to my daughters birth, I had encountered a small, but annoying intestinal bug. It left me feeling slightly constpiated, but it wasn't true. So all week I was in touch with my midwife about all the happenings going on. This is where the story begins...

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The Birth Story of T�a Shannon

Thursday, March 16 2006 @ 05:49 PM CST
Written by: birthfriend
Views: 5,444

First let me start by saying that my husband, Mike, and I prepared for T�a's birth by taking Bradley Method� classes starting in about my fourth month of pregnancy. We also read tons of books, one of my favorites being The Birth Book by Dr. and Martha Sears. We knew just how we wanted this birth to go and had the birth plan to prove it! We got almost exactly the birth we wanted�

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NaturalCaring.org is a community of parents, expectant parents, birth assistance professionals, childcare workers, educators, and others interested in aware parenting topics like natural childbirth, attachment parenting, and homeschooling. We offer forums for discussions as well as articles written on a variety of parenting subjects.

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