Leading up to the birth of our baby girl my motto has been to train for the birth like I would train for an athletic event. Including nutrition, physical, and emotional readiness. Here is how I addressed all three.
I'm starting this post as I'm 38 weeks pregnant (pregnancy is 40ish weeks long) and feeling mostly good all the time and have finished it during the 39th week. Sometimes I feel great... sometimes not so great. The not so great includes being super tired and muscular low back pain from being on my feet with a cute little bowling ball in my uterus. Carrol our Doula gave us a wonderful gift of a huge knee high gym sock filled with rice. You put the rice sock in the microwave for 3 min and viola a glorious muscular pain reliever that is moldable to many areas. I also take a warm bath/shower almost everyday to relieve muscle/postural strain. The best is to let the warm water run right on the low back.... ahhhhhhh relaxing!
Our Labor Team:
- Midwife/OB (Triangle OB/GYN) practice that is about 20 min away. (Triangle OB/GYN) It is worth it to me to travel to a practice I feel respects my birth wishes and treats a population that has a similar birth plan as mine. Meaning natural child birth. I have a favorite CNM I would love to be at our birth! I will leave it up to Lady Luck to have her be the one on call when the day comes. I enjoyed each midwife but I connected with one and I just feel she is pretty much the bees knees.
- Doula (Carol Horrocks) we've had weekly classes to prepare. Best part of the classes was the other soon-to-be moms I met. We had a good time learning/preparing together. In the classes we also got to meet with a lactation consultant and a massage therapist who gave us birthing day postures and relaxation techniques.
Other Practitioners I have included in our care:
- Chiropractic Care (Atlas Chiropractic) every 2-4 weeks depending on how much growing the baby was doing and how active I was. Helped with pubic bone pain, low back discomfort, upper back discomfort, rib discomfort, sleep, sense of well-being.
- Pre-natal massage therapy (Gina Stevens: Relax2Recharge) probably 4-5 sessions. It has been more frequent in the last trimester.
- Reflexology (Phaedra Neely: Soul Journey) foot and facial once a month until last trimester then only foot because I couldn't recline in the chair anymore.
- Acupuncture (Askeland Chiropractic) 4 sessions. The article I read said acupuncture is best done starting the 36th week of pregnancy and 3-5 sessions.
Exercise:
- Walking (sometimes just walking around target up and down the aisles)
- Swimming 1-3 times per week (I feel the best in the water)
- On all fours pelvic tilts 20-60 per day
- Squatting for 5 plus min/day and most every time I need to pick up something low to the ground
- sitting criss-cross-applesauce as much as possible
- Stretching, stretching, stretching.
Nutrition:
I take an Enzyme Therapy whole foods pre-natal concoction of protein, fats, calcium, flavonoids, antioxidants a digestive formula specific for me... oh and adrenal support. This helps me not only get the building blocks I need for our baby and me but ensures I am breaking them down and getting them where they need to go and getting the byproducts out of my body. During the pregnancy I had bouts where i needed more protein digestion (nausea), kidney support (swelling), to up my protein (caused sugar cravings when I didn't have enough), more alkaline minerals because of the sugar cravings and indulgences I was loosing my alkaline balance and ended up not sleeping well from shifting into a sympathetic fight or flight pattern. This sugar binge also effected my flora balance in my gut and the lining of my urinary tract so I took care of those with specific formulas too. Of course, my hips hurt more when my diet has been bad... too many carbs/sugar/sweets (pro-inflammatory).
Emotion:
Listening to relaxation tracks and pregnancy specific affirmations developed by the hypnobabies company has provided many hours of breathing and focus for me. Having a chill husband who (for moments when I doubt my ability to keep a child alive let alone.... parent) looks me lovingly in my soul and says... "honey, we'll figure it out." Having a support system of other women who I can talk to about my concerns/thoughts. Meditating on nature has provided comfort... knowing that my body knows what to do and I just have to trust it and the team I have put together. Keeping close that a seed doesn't know it will become a tree, doesn't have the "plans", and grows accordingly just as my body has changed throughout the pregnancy without me controlling it... so too the birth will come and go.
A big one here at the end of pregnancy has been a filter and humor for all the "stories" others have shared with me about their pregnancies. Please... if I have something I don't enjoy about this birth/pregnancy do not let me pass that misery on to an innocent expecting mom. Since I've been swimming at the Y it seems the locker room is trolling grounds for these women. They see me teeter tottering to get into and out of my swimming gear and they pounce. They ask me a couple questions then let me have it with their to-dos, don't do's, and birth stories... or myths they've heard. What we should do is as the womanly race shower expectant moms with praise, love, adoration, encouragement, support... not tell them our battle scars. Let us mother each other.
My favorite story is from a 90+ woman in the locker room who told me in a very serious manner not to raise my hands over my head or it would slip the umbilical cord around the babies neck. IT TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD not to slowly raise my arms to shoulder height and tease her with bringing them up and down a couple of inches before I threw them toward the sky with jazz hands. Haha! I think I'm funny. (Someone has to.)
Other comfort measures:
- Get-maternal tea (whole foods) delicious (purple canister)
- Yogi pregnancy tea (love the sayings)
- Chamomile tea
- Decaf coffee (I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee and didn't want to give it up. My doc said I can have "two hits" a day of caffeine but... I try for decaf or a small cup of half coffee half milk. I added cows milk back into my diet during the pregnancy. Started craving it so... I started drinking it. Must need the fats.?. Good job hypothalamus identifying the foods I need to get the right nutrients!
- Lavender oil- for the scent and skin nourishment.
- Kinesiotape on my belly. I gave myself an umbilical hernia from lifting something I shouldn't have. (oops!)
- Support of family and friends. Should have made this one number one! Love you all.
- Sitting on a physioball at the office instead of a chair or stool.
- Letting my pre pregnancy diet have more slack in it as far as indulgences are concerned. My thought... I'm just replacing the alcohol I drank (not excessive) that turned to sugar in my body with a different form of sugar. Ehhh. Whatever you tell yourself to justify... right? We'll see if she comes out with a little cupcake for a heiny.
- The rice sock mentioned earlier providing moist heat that feels oh-so-good!
Book list
- Birthing from within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
- Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn Penny Simkin Janet Whalley Ann Kepler
- The Baby Book William Sears, Martha Sears
- What to expect when you're expecting Heidi Murkoff
- Husband Coached Childbirth (yup I read it... gave him the highlights)
- Secrets of the baby whisperer Tracy Hogg
- there was one one breast feeding.... can't remember
- a couple books and research on vaccinations
- a couple books and other sources on breastfeeding
- a couple books and other sources on attachment parenting
(you can see why I need that adrenal support... very Type A personality ;-))
Do I think reading these helped... yes and no. Yes because I'm a physician and see patients and now have a better knowledge base. No I don't think I needed to read all of them and maybe/probably won't do me any good. The best is to follow my body and support my needs as the pregnancy progresses. Listen to what I need. Not what some book or the internet tells me what to do. But... my style is to go down the rabbit hole and then pull back and assess where I'd like to be knowing all the information.
DVD's
- several childbirth videos during our baby class with our Doula. One was a cesarean video that I woke up in a sweat over! I'm glad I'm not a surgeon. I know there is a need for them but.... wow.
- The Business of Being Born
- Comfort Measures Penny Simkin
- Brazilian squatting women (wide eyed... watching! These women are my birthing heroines!) Seriously! They squat, a baby comes out, then they're up and on their way. SUPER WOMEN!!!!! None of this pity party whoa is me crap... they get it done.
Below is our birth plan. We all know that you can plan plan plan and its all a crap shoot anyway. I think the planning has helped focus my mind. However, I must remain flexible to what actually happens. I know I've done everything I can to prepare. I also reserve the right to change my mind if I want pain medication.
My hope... a smooth healthy no/to low intervention birth where I feel pain but am able to manage it.
Our Birth Plan
Birth Plan Triangle OB/GYN
Heidi and Jesse Kline Wake Med Cary
Birth team
- We request that the minimum number of staff necessary for an optimal outcome be included on the birth team, no residents or students.
- We would like Jesse and our Doula, Carol Horrocks, to be present throughout labor and birth.
- No matter what situation arises during labor, birth or postpartum, Jesse and I expect to be an important part of the decision-making team. We expect to take part in any discussion of, and to give permission for, any type of medical intervention being considered.
Pain Relief
· We would like a drug free birth. Do not offer pain medication. I will request it if the need arises.
· The freedom to use the following pain management techniques: partner support, massage, changes in position, relaxation and breathing, bath or shower, use of hot and cold packs.
During Labor
· Limited vaginal exams.
· Freedom to change positions, walk, use the bathtub, and the restroom as needed during my labor.
· Intermittent external monitoring of the fetal heart rate.
· To drink as desired.
· If an IV is needed, I prefer a Heparin style lock.
· The room as calm and quiet as possible with dimmed lights.
· To try for intact perineum with massage, oil, support, hot compresses, controlled pushing, and positions to promote perineal stretching. I would rather have a tear than an episiotomy.
· As long as the baby is tolerating labor well, to labor at my own pace without time constraints.
After Birth
· The baby to be placed skin-to-skin on my chest immediately, with a blanket for warmth.
'To breastfeed the baby immediately to aid the natural delivery of the placenta.
· Husband to cut the cord only after it has stopped pulsating.
· Husband and I should be present for all newborn procedures.
· The administration of eye ointment, immunizations, and vitamin K to be postponed for at least an hour and/or until the baby has had the opportunity to nurse and our family time to bond.
· Breast-feeding on demand - no artificial nipples, pacifiers, sugar water or formula please.
· 24 hour rooming in.
· Please provide ice packs for pain and swelling relief immediately after birth.
· No procedures or tests are to be done on the baby without the consent of Heidi and/or Jesse.
Thank you so much for being a part of this wonderful and beautiful event in our lives.
(end of birth plan)
I gave our birth plan to our OB this week. Her response: No problem we won't offer you any drugs. My response... OH SHIT! We're really in this like we planned... great. (sheepish grin) So I gritted my teeth and smiled and said... Thank you. I'm scared of the unexpected. I also know I'm stronger than I give myself credit for and not knowing when and how it is going down is the hardest part. My Little 5 coach told my husband he should be ready for me to swear at him as I did in the pit each year during our races or during training. I also let our doula know. She said whatever works! I'll let you know.
Next blog entry will be... how it all came together!
