So, I finally got to watch episode 1 today. I must say, I was sorely disappointed, but not really all that surprised. I was extremely saddened by the second woman who ended up with a cesarean. When she said she had lots of pressure. The nurse said it was because baby was coming and she was almost fully dilated (she was at a 9 1/2). Then, when she hit transition (you could tell), they called emergency c-section for "failure to progress". I was like WTH!!!! She's at a 9 1/2! Baby is pushing it's way down! I was so ticked!!! DH thought it was complete crap!
**Here is the link to the video.
http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/one-born-every-minute/video/full-episodes/episode-1-to-medicate-or-not
Fast forward to 27:45. She says that there is a lot of pressure. The nurse says "That is the baby. You are almost fully dilated." Then at 28:07 they call "Failure to Progress" for the reason of the cesarean! NOTHING about baby having ANY problems.**
I've also been hearing all about how the "crunchy" family was so rude and obnoxious. How the nurse (Pam) was also rude and obnoxious. How they should have had a birth in a birthing center if they wanted to go natural. So on, and so on.
I think that the nurse, was a bit rude with her overall attitude about their labour and birth wishes. She needed to step back, and let them labour. Really, just leave them alone. They didn't want all the interventions. After hours of hard labour, I can tell you that I am much meaner than they were. DH is also very protective of my wishes. Neither on of us would have been so nice, and probably would have just asked for a different nurse. The couple most likely would have LOVED to go to a birthing center, but they couldn't. Why? Here is what the mother had to say:
"First of all, there are no birth centers in Columbus, and several homebirth midwives, but only one homebirth midwife practice that has a physician ‘back-up’ (which just felt responsible to me). But, NO insurance locally covers homebirthing, so at first, it was an economical decision. Later in my pregnancy, after we began taking NCB classes, we decided that our next baby would be at home, but there was also a measure of comfort in doing the first at the hospital, since I had no idea what to expect."
I was disappointed when they finally pressured her into Pitocin. :( At 21 hours of labour (which is normal), she was tired and (IMO) they took advantage of that.
Overall, I really think that the show put the hospital and staff in a negative light. The nurses spent a lot of time rolling their eyes when the woman was moaning through her labour pains. They always had snide little looks on their faces. They were always pushing interventions. Which I understand. It is there job to sell the drugs and procedures. The more they sell, the more the hospital makes.
It was actually really sad to watch. However, on the plus side. This show did remind me why I enjoyed birthing my last 3 babies at home so much. It was a little more painful, but so much easier, happier, more comfortable, and much less stressful.
I think that the first episode is all I care to watch. I think I'll throw it in the "A Baby Story" trash bin. It's too bad, because the previews really made it look like it was going to be interesting.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, February 22, 2010
I Did It! It's Encapsulated! -- Had To Tell Someone! -- Pictures
I am so excited! I finally got the placenta encapsulated! Our little one is a week and a half old, but I am so happy that I got it done. I froze it the day of her birth, and decided to go ahead and dehydrate it and make it yesterday, since I had thawed it out the day before.
I took pictures of the process. I am just so happy, since this is another of my firsts in this pregnancy and birth. :) I don't know if anyone else has posted this, but I thought it might be of interest. Here is how I did it.
Placenta after sack and umbilical cord trimmed, and being sliced thin.
Sliced and on rack.
In oven (very low temp so it drys and doesn't cook).
Hours later... it is finished drying.
Chopping it up.
All ground up with RRL, fenugreek and kelp.
Encapsulating the powder.
Finished... I got 150 capsules! :)
I took pictures of the process. I am just so happy, since this is another of my firsts in this pregnancy and birth. :) I don't know if anyone else has posted this, but I thought it might be of interest. Here is how I did it.
Placenta after sack and umbilical cord trimmed, and being sliced thin.
Sliced and on rack.
In oven (very low temp so it drys and doesn't cook).
Hours later... it is finished drying.
Chopping it up.
All ground up with RRL, fenugreek and kelp.
Encapsulating the powder.
Finished... I got 150 capsules! :)
Our First Unassisted Birth!
Feb 11, 2010
She's Here! I can't believe it finally happened. Due on Jan 30, our little Rebekah arrived February 10, 2010. Weighing 9 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long.
I had been having contractions starting at 4:30am the previous morning, lasting about 10 minutes apart. They were strong, but not uncomfortable. I was beginning to get excited until around 4:30 pm, when they stopped. It was such a let down, since she was over a week late and I was really looking forward to meeting my new little one. I was also excited, because, although she was our 6th baby and 3rd home birth, she was our first completely unassisted pregnancy and birth. It was like doing it for the first time all over again.
This being our 6th baby, I thought I knew what the labor would be like. LOL! Like they say, each labor is different. I went to bed around 9pm that night, and was a little down since my contractions had stopped a few hours earlier. Brent came in and I asked if he could rub my back, since it had been hurting some. He began rubbing my lower back, just above my butt, and it felt so good, but gave me one long contraction the entire time he rubbed it. It happened to be hurting in the pressure point to help with labor. :)
After that, my contractions started up again slightly. Around 10:30pm the contractions were back to 10 minutes apart and were waking me up. I was able to sleep between them until 11:30, when I decided to get up and listen to my MP3 and rock in the recliner in our room. I spent some time listening to Ashokan Farewell (civil war song) and Scottland the Brave (bagpipes), but ended up listening to Oh Holy Night by Josh Groban for an hour or more. It brought me some peace, thinking of how all of mankind had been going through this, even the mother of Christ.
I started timing the contractions around 1:30am and they were still 10 minutes apart. By 2:30am they had gone to 3-5 minutes apart. My water hadn't broken on it's own (like it did with 3 of my others), but I decided to wake up Brent just in case, since my last labor only lasted 4 hours.
He was so wonderful for me. He got me what I needed when I asked. I moved around a lot, and always forgot my robe in a different part of the room. He would bring it to me, get me drinks, hold me, comfort me when needed. He was great.
Brigham, our 3 year old, woke up around 5am and came into our room. He watched me as I labored, and added a little humor to it. He began moaning with me during my contractions, as they were getting stronger and I was beginning to make noise at this point. LOL!
At about 7am he woke the rest of the kids up (their normal wake up time) and told them baby was coming today. They were so excited! They all came into the room, one at a time and gave me a big hug. Throughout my labor Brigham was in the living room, just on the other side of the wall, but continued to make noises like me. What a funny little guy!
Things were really not going how I had thought they would. Each child I had, the labor was shorter, so I was more or less expecting a quick labor and birth. This labor was getting stronger, but felt like it was taking forever. My water hadn't broken, so I wasn't sure how far along things were moving. Brent asked if I wanted him to check me. He did, and said he could feel the head and I was about a 7 or 8. I must say that after 10 hours of laboring, I didn't want to hear that her head wasn't through the cervix yet. He then asked how it was that he could feel the head if the water hadn't broken yet. I said something to the effect of it being like a water balloon and you could still feel the head through it.
I must say that through this, it was such a bonding experience for us. It was great to work together and learn the actual birthing process, as just the two of us.
I don't know what time it was, but maybe and hour and a half or so before Rebekah was born, Brent called in Sadie (our oldest - 11 years old) to help be the nurse. She was to bring Brent what he needed so he wouldn't have to leave me. She was also advised how to give me the mistletoe tincture after the head was born, but before the body, to help prevent hemorrhage. She was so excited to get to help out and experience the birth of her new little sister (or brother since we didn't know at the time what we were having).
Labor was really getting hard for me. I was so tired that I was almost falling off the birthing chair asleep between contractions, which were about 3 minutes apart and very strong (to the point of me yelling at times). I moved to where I was kneeling on the floor and laying on the birthing stool. I asked Brent to check me again, and he said she was still not through the cervix (how disappointing), but he asked if I wanted him to break my water. He was so sweet to not do anything without asking my permission first. I said yes.
He pinched the bag of waters under the baby's head. He said for a moment he didn't think he had done anything. Then the water shot out and covered him. LOL! He got it in the face and all over his clothes! Sadie said she got a little on her hand, as she was standing off to the side holding a flashlight for dad, but he got covered. I felt it come out, and I heard him react. I slowly turned around to sit on the birthing stool and told him that I know wish we had been video taping the birth so I could have seen that. LOL!
I was hurting pretty bad, but the water breaking helped a lot. Things began to really move at that point. I began pushing a little during contractions. She was slowly moving her way down the birth canal. I asked Brent where the head was, if it was coming out yet (as if I didn't know). He said she was almost there and he and Sadie could see her hair. I reached and felt her head, but she was still about 3 inches in. I told Brent later that it may as well have been a mile at that point. :) A few contractions later, pushing during them, she was crowning.
WOW! I've been through natural birth 2 times before. I never seem to remember how big a baby's head is. I kept pushing, and it took about 3 contractions before I got her out. The entire time as she kept coming and coming and coming, I could just picture myself tearing. The only thing keeping me going at that point was knowing that once the head was out, it was basically over. As her head was coming, I began yelling for Sadie to get the tincture for me. Brent kept saying the head was not out yet, but I knew that she needed to get it, because I wasn't going to wait around to long to deliver her body.
Finally, her head was out (and I didn't tear). Brent said that there was a beautiful head of hair. So sweet and wonderful, he teared up and began to choke up when talking. He was so overcome with emotion. Oh, how I love him.
My little Sadie, big sister to all our children, gave me the mistletoe tincture and on the next contraction I pushed our little girl into the world. I thought as soon as she was out, I should have warned Brent that I was pushing, but I think he knew what I was going to do. He caught our little Rebekah, and she was perfect. Sadie quickly fetched a towel to put her in and clean her up with. As soon as she was in the towel I asked for the time. 11:15am. Brent held our new little baby for a minute, looking at her and absorbing her into his memory, and then quickly passed her to me.
I sat on the birthing stool for a moment, then asked Sadie to get a chux pad to put on the recliner. Brent went to take our baby, when he found she had pooped on me. :) We cleaned us both up. I then moved over to the recliner and held the baby, while helping Brent tie off the cord after it had stopped pulsating. We cut it, and I got a little blood spatter on my shoulder. :) Then he got some thick cloth diapers wet, and one with a ginger tea compress, to clean me off with and to hold onto myself for helping to heal.
I sat in the chair for about an hour, trying to feed her, but she wasn't interested. She was just angry. :) Then I began cramping pretty hard and having a little blood pass. I took the umbilical cord and gently put pressure on it (not pulling, but making it taunt) and pushed a little. The cord began to go slack. I asked Sadie to get me the bowl I had reserved, and I slowly pushed the placenta out and put it into the bowl, reserving it for later, to encapsulate it.
We were preparing to weigh her, but found she had pooped on me, again. LOL! My little stinker! We both cleaned off, again, and then I helped Brent put her in the baby sling with a digital scale attached (after zeroing it out of course). 9 lbs 1 oz! No wonder! She beat out my biggest baby by an ounce! LOL! She loved the sling, and we let her stay in it for about 15 minutes while we got things cleaned up. Sadie went and got some clothes for Rebekah, and when I went to get her out of the sling, I found, yet again, she had pooped in the sling! :) I must say that through the night she proved that her bowels worked great. LOL!
She is perfect, though. Her big, little head with great big squishy cheeks. I love her more than I can say! The kids can't get enough of her. The boys love her and want to hold her all the time. Even though Moses can't talk, he still tells me he wants to hold her. He sits next to me and reaches for her. Oh, how he and Brigham love to share their new little baby! :) What good big brothers they are. The big sisters are all so great with her and were so excited to hold and love on her finally. ;)
She's Here! I can't believe it finally happened. Due on Jan 30, our little Rebekah arrived February 10, 2010. Weighing 9 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long.
I had been having contractions starting at 4:30am the previous morning, lasting about 10 minutes apart. They were strong, but not uncomfortable. I was beginning to get excited until around 4:30 pm, when they stopped. It was such a let down, since she was over a week late and I was really looking forward to meeting my new little one. I was also excited, because, although she was our 6th baby and 3rd home birth, she was our first completely unassisted pregnancy and birth. It was like doing it for the first time all over again.
This being our 6th baby, I thought I knew what the labor would be like. LOL! Like they say, each labor is different. I went to bed around 9pm that night, and was a little down since my contractions had stopped a few hours earlier. Brent came in and I asked if he could rub my back, since it had been hurting some. He began rubbing my lower back, just above my butt, and it felt so good, but gave me one long contraction the entire time he rubbed it. It happened to be hurting in the pressure point to help with labor. :)
After that, my contractions started up again slightly. Around 10:30pm the contractions were back to 10 minutes apart and were waking me up. I was able to sleep between them until 11:30, when I decided to get up and listen to my MP3 and rock in the recliner in our room. I spent some time listening to Ashokan Farewell (civil war song) and Scottland the Brave (bagpipes), but ended up listening to Oh Holy Night by Josh Groban for an hour or more. It brought me some peace, thinking of how all of mankind had been going through this, even the mother of Christ.
I started timing the contractions around 1:30am and they were still 10 minutes apart. By 2:30am they had gone to 3-5 minutes apart. My water hadn't broken on it's own (like it did with 3 of my others), but I decided to wake up Brent just in case, since my last labor only lasted 4 hours.
He was so wonderful for me. He got me what I needed when I asked. I moved around a lot, and always forgot my robe in a different part of the room. He would bring it to me, get me drinks, hold me, comfort me when needed. He was great.
Brigham, our 3 year old, woke up around 5am and came into our room. He watched me as I labored, and added a little humor to it. He began moaning with me during my contractions, as they were getting stronger and I was beginning to make noise at this point. LOL!
At about 7am he woke the rest of the kids up (their normal wake up time) and told them baby was coming today. They were so excited! They all came into the room, one at a time and gave me a big hug. Throughout my labor Brigham was in the living room, just on the other side of the wall, but continued to make noises like me. What a funny little guy!
Things were really not going how I had thought they would. Each child I had, the labor was shorter, so I was more or less expecting a quick labor and birth. This labor was getting stronger, but felt like it was taking forever. My water hadn't broken, so I wasn't sure how far along things were moving. Brent asked if I wanted him to check me. He did, and said he could feel the head and I was about a 7 or 8. I must say that after 10 hours of laboring, I didn't want to hear that her head wasn't through the cervix yet. He then asked how it was that he could feel the head if the water hadn't broken yet. I said something to the effect of it being like a water balloon and you could still feel the head through it.
I must say that through this, it was such a bonding experience for us. It was great to work together and learn the actual birthing process, as just the two of us.
I don't know what time it was, but maybe and hour and a half or so before Rebekah was born, Brent called in Sadie (our oldest - 11 years old) to help be the nurse. She was to bring Brent what he needed so he wouldn't have to leave me. She was also advised how to give me the mistletoe tincture after the head was born, but before the body, to help prevent hemorrhage. She was so excited to get to help out and experience the birth of her new little sister (or brother since we didn't know at the time what we were having).
Labor was really getting hard for me. I was so tired that I was almost falling off the birthing chair asleep between contractions, which were about 3 minutes apart and very strong (to the point of me yelling at times). I moved to where I was kneeling on the floor and laying on the birthing stool. I asked Brent to check me again, and he said she was still not through the cervix (how disappointing), but he asked if I wanted him to break my water. He was so sweet to not do anything without asking my permission first. I said yes.
He pinched the bag of waters under the baby's head. He said for a moment he didn't think he had done anything. Then the water shot out and covered him. LOL! He got it in the face and all over his clothes! Sadie said she got a little on her hand, as she was standing off to the side holding a flashlight for dad, but he got covered. I felt it come out, and I heard him react. I slowly turned around to sit on the birthing stool and told him that I know wish we had been video taping the birth so I could have seen that. LOL!
I was hurting pretty bad, but the water breaking helped a lot. Things began to really move at that point. I began pushing a little during contractions. She was slowly moving her way down the birth canal. I asked Brent where the head was, if it was coming out yet (as if I didn't know). He said she was almost there and he and Sadie could see her hair. I reached and felt her head, but she was still about 3 inches in. I told Brent later that it may as well have been a mile at that point. :) A few contractions later, pushing during them, she was crowning.
WOW! I've been through natural birth 2 times before. I never seem to remember how big a baby's head is. I kept pushing, and it took about 3 contractions before I got her out. The entire time as she kept coming and coming and coming, I could just picture myself tearing. The only thing keeping me going at that point was knowing that once the head was out, it was basically over. As her head was coming, I began yelling for Sadie to get the tincture for me. Brent kept saying the head was not out yet, but I knew that she needed to get it, because I wasn't going to wait around to long to deliver her body.
Finally, her head was out (and I didn't tear). Brent said that there was a beautiful head of hair. So sweet and wonderful, he teared up and began to choke up when talking. He was so overcome with emotion. Oh, how I love him.
My little Sadie, big sister to all our children, gave me the mistletoe tincture and on the next contraction I pushed our little girl into the world. I thought as soon as she was out, I should have warned Brent that I was pushing, but I think he knew what I was going to do. He caught our little Rebekah, and she was perfect. Sadie quickly fetched a towel to put her in and clean her up with. As soon as she was in the towel I asked for the time. 11:15am. Brent held our new little baby for a minute, looking at her and absorbing her into his memory, and then quickly passed her to me.
I sat on the birthing stool for a moment, then asked Sadie to get a chux pad to put on the recliner. Brent went to take our baby, when he found she had pooped on me. :) We cleaned us both up. I then moved over to the recliner and held the baby, while helping Brent tie off the cord after it had stopped pulsating. We cut it, and I got a little blood spatter on my shoulder. :) Then he got some thick cloth diapers wet, and one with a ginger tea compress, to clean me off with and to hold onto myself for helping to heal.
I sat in the chair for about an hour, trying to feed her, but she wasn't interested. She was just angry. :) Then I began cramping pretty hard and having a little blood pass. I took the umbilical cord and gently put pressure on it (not pulling, but making it taunt) and pushed a little. The cord began to go slack. I asked Sadie to get me the bowl I had reserved, and I slowly pushed the placenta out and put it into the bowl, reserving it for later, to encapsulate it.
We were preparing to weigh her, but found she had pooped on me, again. LOL! My little stinker! We both cleaned off, again, and then I helped Brent put her in the baby sling with a digital scale attached (after zeroing it out of course). 9 lbs 1 oz! No wonder! She beat out my biggest baby by an ounce! LOL! She loved the sling, and we let her stay in it for about 15 minutes while we got things cleaned up. Sadie went and got some clothes for Rebekah, and when I went to get her out of the sling, I found, yet again, she had pooped in the sling! :) I must say that through the night she proved that her bowels worked great. LOL!
She is perfect, though. Her big, little head with great big squishy cheeks. I love her more than I can say! The kids can't get enough of her. The boys love her and want to hold her all the time. Even though Moses can't talk, he still tells me he wants to hold her. He sits next to me and reaches for her. Oh, how he and Brigham love to share their new little baby! :) What good big brothers they are. The big sisters are all so great with her and were so excited to hold and love on her finally. ;)
40+ Weeks and counting
This was from Feb 4, 2010...
Wow! I can't believe it's February already. I was due Jan 30, and as of now, still no baby! LOL! In some ways I'm disappointed. In others, I'm relieved. We are planning another home birth this time around, but we are still finishing up on the cabin we are living in. I keep arranging the bedroom to where I can move about comfortably and prepare to labor in. Then, the next day, DH has to move it into a big mess to put in plumbing (or for other reasons). SIGH....
Sometimes it is so frustrating. I feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever, but I'm not ready for the baby because of the cabin situation. I hate conflicting emotions. It's really made me a basket case. I feel so bad for my DH and kids. Sometimes I'm fine. Others I'm yelling and crying. My poor family has to put up with my emotional instability. LOL!
Other than that, I am feeling pretty good. Baby is doing well. I'm really surprised with this baby. He/she doesn't move as much as my other 5. I am used to getting a good kick in the ribs or bladder at least once a day. I can only think of one time each this baby has done so to me. Baby moves about, but is very gentle with me. I just get an occasional elbow and knee across the stomach. :)
Anyway, I am so looking forward to meeting our new little one. I have been having dreams for the past week of giving birth and seeing my new little angel. I've seen her (girl in the dreams but we don't know if we are having a boy or girl) face in the dreams. I've gotten to hold her. I wake up longing to snuggle with my baby in my bed. To nurse my baby and love on him/her on the outside.
I hope you are all doing well in your pregnancies. I'll keep you all posted as to when we have our little one. Any day now! :)
Wow! I can't believe it's February already. I was due Jan 30, and as of now, still no baby! LOL! In some ways I'm disappointed. In others, I'm relieved. We are planning another home birth this time around, but we are still finishing up on the cabin we are living in. I keep arranging the bedroom to where I can move about comfortably and prepare to labor in. Then, the next day, DH has to move it into a big mess to put in plumbing (or for other reasons). SIGH....
Sometimes it is so frustrating. I feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever, but I'm not ready for the baby because of the cabin situation. I hate conflicting emotions. It's really made me a basket case. I feel so bad for my DH and kids. Sometimes I'm fine. Others I'm yelling and crying. My poor family has to put up with my emotional instability. LOL!
Other than that, I am feeling pretty good. Baby is doing well. I'm really surprised with this baby. He/she doesn't move as much as my other 5. I am used to getting a good kick in the ribs or bladder at least once a day. I can only think of one time each this baby has done so to me. Baby moves about, but is very gentle with me. I just get an occasional elbow and knee across the stomach. :)
Anyway, I am so looking forward to meeting our new little one. I have been having dreams for the past week of giving birth and seeing my new little angel. I've seen her (girl in the dreams but we don't know if we are having a boy or girl) face in the dreams. I've gotten to hold her. I wake up longing to snuggle with my baby in my bed. To nurse my baby and love on him/her on the outside.
I hope you are all doing well in your pregnancies. I'll keep you all posted as to when we have our little one. Any day now! :)
39 Weeks and Waiting - Rambling Thoughts - Catching Up On Old Posts
This was written Jan 24, 2010... I just never got it posted.
I can't believe I am at 39 weeks. It has all gone so fast. These last few weeks have gone by really fast and really slow. LOL! If that makes any sense. My stomach is always cramping and tired, and I have had horrible heartburn, but I am not quite ready for baby yet. I am kind of hoping for Feb 6 (was my Grandmother's birthday). We have been working like crazy, and have almost gotten our cabin finished. We just have the upstairs left to put flooring and trim down on for the girls, which should be done this week. Until then, I have their dressers in my room taking up space that I will need when laboring and birthing.
I am still in shock that we have decided to home birth this baby by ourselves. I am so excited, and yet I am just recently warming up to the new baby. I haven't really felt much through this pregnancy other than the need to prepare. I just the other night had a dream that I met my new little one (a girl in my dream) and got to see her. I woke up, and all I wanted was to snuggle with my baby in the bed. I think that one good thing about all of this is that I am not at all nervous about the labor and birth. I am completely at peace about all of it, and I am more focused on helping myself relax through my more uncomfortable contractions I've been having the past few days.
The pregnancy has been really normal. No complications. No complaints (other than the normal aches and pains associated with the end of pregnancy). Baby has finally dropped. I am measuring right on track. I have gotten my weight to where it should be. Before we moved, I was eating unhealthy foods and had gained way too much weight. In the last almost 2 months, I have not gained any weight at all. This is not bad, but good, because I have lost a lot of mommy fat, and have gained, in return, baby weight. I have now gained a good, healthy 35 lbs for this pregnancy. There has been no dieting, but just eating healthy foods like fresh ground whole wheat, honey (instead of white sugar), water, raw milk, brown rice (instead of white) and cutting out all the refined flours and sugars, soda and candy.
This has really made me feel better about the labor and birth as well. I know that I am in a much better state to go through what my body is going to have to do. I am much healthier, and so is my baby. I hope to get to meet my little one soon. Until then, I have been keeping myself busy with the kids and going over birth information with DH. When the time has come I'll share the birth story and some pictures of baby. I pray all of you are doing well.
I can't believe I am at 39 weeks. It has all gone so fast. These last few weeks have gone by really fast and really slow. LOL! If that makes any sense. My stomach is always cramping and tired, and I have had horrible heartburn, but I am not quite ready for baby yet. I am kind of hoping for Feb 6 (was my Grandmother's birthday). We have been working like crazy, and have almost gotten our cabin finished. We just have the upstairs left to put flooring and trim down on for the girls, which should be done this week. Until then, I have their dressers in my room taking up space that I will need when laboring and birthing.
I am still in shock that we have decided to home birth this baby by ourselves. I am so excited, and yet I am just recently warming up to the new baby. I haven't really felt much through this pregnancy other than the need to prepare. I just the other night had a dream that I met my new little one (a girl in my dream) and got to see her. I woke up, and all I wanted was to snuggle with my baby in the bed. I think that one good thing about all of this is that I am not at all nervous about the labor and birth. I am completely at peace about all of it, and I am more focused on helping myself relax through my more uncomfortable contractions I've been having the past few days.
The pregnancy has been really normal. No complications. No complaints (other than the normal aches and pains associated with the end of pregnancy). Baby has finally dropped. I am measuring right on track. I have gotten my weight to where it should be. Before we moved, I was eating unhealthy foods and had gained way too much weight. In the last almost 2 months, I have not gained any weight at all. This is not bad, but good, because I have lost a lot of mommy fat, and have gained, in return, baby weight. I have now gained a good, healthy 35 lbs for this pregnancy. There has been no dieting, but just eating healthy foods like fresh ground whole wheat, honey (instead of white sugar), water, raw milk, brown rice (instead of white) and cutting out all the refined flours and sugars, soda and candy.
This has really made me feel better about the labor and birth as well. I know that I am in a much better state to go through what my body is going to have to do. I am much healthier, and so is my baby. I hope to get to meet my little one soon. Until then, I have been keeping myself busy with the kids and going over birth information with DH. When the time has come I'll share the birth story and some pictures of baby. I pray all of you are doing well.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I'm done!
Last week I finished up my birth kit. I am so excited it's done, but funny enough, I'm now stressed out that I have no birth kit to work on. LOL! I guess I need to unwind a little. ;) I do still have plenty of packing to do.
I am feeling great. I do have some back pain, but that is pretty normal for me. My back pain has never really gone away since my hospital epidurals years ago. It just bothers me more when I'm pregnant. I haven't been exercising as much as I would like, but I have been eating better. Last night was the first night I had soda in I don't know how long. I was feeling queazy, so I had some ginger ale. BTW - don't drink ginger ale and eat a cookie just before bed. Expecially if you have pregnancy heartburn all the time.
I am looking forward to the big move. We will be moving to the farm soon, and can start preparing for the arrival of our little one. I just can't believe I'm all set for it. I am such a procrastinator. It seems strange to have it all done months ahead of time.
I thought it might come in handy for next time, so here's the birth kit list.
Poise Pads (postpartum bleeding)
Adult Diapers (for labor if water breaks and postpartum bleeding)
Chux Pads
Peri-bottle
Cold Pack
Massage Oil
Olive Oil (perennial massage)
Molasses (up iron and help with constipation)
Witch Hazel (16 oz)
Epsom Salt
Baby Powder
2 Night Gowns
Bulb Syringe
Digital Thermometer (for baby)
Q-Tips
Stethoscope
Evening Primrose Capsules (cervix ripening starting at 36 weeks)
Mistletoe and Shepherd's Purse Tincture (hemorrhage preventive)
After Ease Tincture (ease after birth pains)
After Birth Herbal Sitz Bath
Stiz Bath (that sits on toilet)
Dr Christopher's 6 Week Formula (prep for birth)
Birth Ball
Birth Pool - kiddie pool (with portable water heater)
Fish net (to scoop poop in pool) - LOL! I had to repeat myself as to why I need
this 3 times to DH today in Sears (they didn't have one - need to go to Walmart)
Printed Keepsake Birth Certificate
Ink Pad (for foot prints on Birth Certificate)
Cranberry and Crangrape Juice (64 oz each)
Prune Juice (for after birth to help with constipation)
Digital Hanging Fish Scale (to weigh baby)
Sling (to put baby in to weigh with hanging scale)
Umbilical Cord Tape
Sterile Gloves
Exacto Knive to cut umblilical cord
Towels and Wash Cloths
Baby Clothes
Robe
Birth Information for DH (always nice to have for reference)
I am feeling great. I do have some back pain, but that is pretty normal for me. My back pain has never really gone away since my hospital epidurals years ago. It just bothers me more when I'm pregnant. I haven't been exercising as much as I would like, but I have been eating better. Last night was the first night I had soda in I don't know how long. I was feeling queazy, so I had some ginger ale. BTW - don't drink ginger ale and eat a cookie just before bed. Expecially if you have pregnancy heartburn all the time.
I am looking forward to the big move. We will be moving to the farm soon, and can start preparing for the arrival of our little one. I just can't believe I'm all set for it. I am such a procrastinator. It seems strange to have it all done months ahead of time.
I thought it might come in handy for next time, so here's the birth kit list.
Poise Pads (postpartum bleeding)
Adult Diapers (for labor if water breaks and postpartum bleeding)
Chux Pads
Peri-bottle
Cold Pack
Massage Oil
Olive Oil (perennial massage)
Molasses (up iron and help with constipation)
Witch Hazel (16 oz)
Epsom Salt
Baby Powder
2 Night Gowns
Bulb Syringe
Digital Thermometer (for baby)
Q-Tips
Stethoscope
Evening Primrose Capsules (cervix ripening starting at 36 weeks)
Mistletoe and Shepherd's Purse Tincture (hemorrhage preventive)
After Ease Tincture (ease after birth pains)
After Birth Herbal Sitz Bath
Stiz Bath (that sits on toilet)
Dr Christopher's 6 Week Formula (prep for birth)
Birth Ball
Birth Pool - kiddie pool (with portable water heater)
Fish net (to scoop poop in pool) - LOL! I had to repeat myself as to why I need
this 3 times to DH today in Sears (they didn't have one - need to go to Walmart)
Printed Keepsake Birth Certificate
Ink Pad (for foot prints on Birth Certificate)
Cranberry and Crangrape Juice (64 oz each)
Prune Juice (for after birth to help with constipation)
Digital Hanging Fish Scale (to weigh baby)
Sling (to put baby in to weigh with hanging scale)
Umbilical Cord Tape
Sterile Gloves
Exacto Knive to cut umblilical cord
Towels and Wash Cloths
Baby Clothes
Robe
Birth Information for DH (always nice to have for reference)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
27 weeks 1 day
Wow! I have really slacked off on keep up with this.
Things are going well with this pregnancy. I have been working hard on getting my birthing kit together, and am almost done. I got my mistletoe and shepherd's purse tinctures, Dr Christopher's 6 week formula, and my hypnobirthing book in the last few weeks. I am going to Joyce's today, and am going to go through my kit to see what I have and what I still need. I'll post it on here later.
The baby is doing great. Baby moves all the time, especially at meal times. LOL! Baby loves to eat. ;) I, however, am having a harder time with eating. I have had a loss of appetite for the last week or so, and have had to force myself to eat. I know I need to eat, but the though of food seems so unappetizing. It's obviously not effecting my weight gain, since I've gained about 25 lbs so far. I have been working out a little, but not enough. I was able to walk 3 miles on Friday, with almost no soreness the following day.
I did manage to get a picture of myself. It's not the greatest, but the best I could do on my own. :) It's today's photo at 27 weeks 1 day.
Things are going well with this pregnancy. I have been working hard on getting my birthing kit together, and am almost done. I got my mistletoe and shepherd's purse tinctures, Dr Christopher's 6 week formula, and my hypnobirthing book in the last few weeks. I am going to Joyce's today, and am going to go through my kit to see what I have and what I still need. I'll post it on here later.
The baby is doing great. Baby moves all the time, especially at meal times. LOL! Baby loves to eat. ;) I, however, am having a harder time with eating. I have had a loss of appetite for the last week or so, and have had to force myself to eat. I know I need to eat, but the though of food seems so unappetizing. It's obviously not effecting my weight gain, since I've gained about 25 lbs so far. I have been working out a little, but not enough. I was able to walk 3 miles on Friday, with almost no soreness the following day.
I did manage to get a picture of myself. It's not the greatest, but the best I could do on my own. :) It's today's photo at 27 weeks 1 day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)