UC'ing This December

[Doula Dani]

I wasn't going to post for the sake of discretion, but I know I could use the knowledge from women who have gone before me

I am having a UCa2C this winter. I have a midwife caring for my pregnancy who is aware of our intentions, so I am lucky to have a confidant to speak with about questions that may arise. I've been a doula for quite some time, so I feel comfortable with what to expect. I've found the link here for getting the birth certificate, I'm reading up on herbs etc, and I feel pretty darn ready actually.

Just some quick background info- with my last labor I got to about 9cm and became incredibly stressed out (stress happened with my first labor as well), due to the large amount of people present. I'm not talking friends and family, I mean just the midwife and students etc. I labor just fine with dh and kept asking them to let us be alone, but they had to keep coming in to check fht. I feel with the two of us alone we are going to bypass the stress of too many people and get through this. I am confident, but at the same time if I feel I need to transfer I am completely at peace with that. I of course can't fully blame the outcome of my births to the people involved (though I do hold a certain grudge- wont go into that now), the truth is I have LONG labors. They span multiple days (this is counting prodromal though, active labor being around 32 hours with my last). With both of my last labors, once I became stressed out, my cervix swelled up and got smaller.

Anywho, getting to it- here are the things I would like to learn more about:

The best ways to stop hemorrhaging. I am aware of eating the placenta which I am prepared to do, but I know there is an herb also that can assist in stopping bleeding (something purse?). I'm curious if it would be worthwhile to just immediately take that at the end of labor just in case, or if there are possible reasons I wouldn't want to....

Secondly, I plan on buying a fetal doppler. My budget isn't huge, and I am wondering who else has purchased one, what they paid, and if they felt it was a good doppler (I want to hear about the crappy ones too so I don't buy them!)

I'm looking up homeopathic meds for that feeling at the end of labor that you can't continue, and if you have suggestions I would appreciate it (I was in transition with my last child for HOURS and I want to be prepared to deal with that because it got a bit hairy).

And I'm sure there's more but I can't think of anything else now If you have something you feel every UC'ing mama should know, tell me

[Doula Dani]

Oh! I wanted to mention I did use arnica throughout my last labor (forgot towards the end I imagine), and I feel it did wonders and I will be using it again.

[MeesterMama]

Shepherds Purse, but shouldnt take it till after the placenta is delivered. Or like you said the Placenta works great too, I put it in my lip afterwards and it helped.

I did the same thing with my daughter, it was even a planned homebirth but too many people were at my house and I ended up transfering to hospital.

Our UC was also a UBA2C, this time I only had myself, DH and a doula(friend). (I even debated whether I wanted her to come, but in the end SO thankful she came) She was able to be an extra set of hands for my DH and applied AMAZING pressure to my back when my DH was taking care of kids and getting them off to school, and also helped with the afterwards with me and cleanup while DH had baby which was awesome.

http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/m...C%20documents/

That is a list of problems that could arise and solutions, I just put it in my favorites for my DH and we also read Emergency Childbirth.

[rajahkat]

I keep Yunnan Paiyao on hand for bleeding. You could also check out various midwifery supply companies online for hemhalt tincture.

Rescue Remedy is a homeopathic treatment that may help with that panicky sensation at the end of labor. Though do keep in mind that it is a normal and possibly beneficial part of the process to feel that way.

And I can't comment on the dopplers.

Good luck!
Kat

[Doula Dani]

I've used rescue remedy for other things- but I suppose for me it's not so much of a panicky feeling, as it is a defeated feeling? Looking at it from my normal brain perspective I know labor will eventually end in birth , but when I'm in labor for hours and hours I get to that place in my head where I feel defeated. I will also mention that my midwife in the past was not a patient woman and her presence almost certainly amplified that feeling (so hopefully it's bypassed altogether), but I want to be prepared since I was there for a bit of time. I was ok in transition for a couple hours, it was when it wasn't seeming to come to an end that I got down. I need something that is going to keep my spirits high I suppose...

[LilMamiBella]

I highly recommend doing visualization throughout your pregnancy. I wanted a fast birth at night with kids either awake or not and that's exactly what I got. It was a fast 2 hour birth, early am, my son woke up from the noise but luckily the 2 yr old at the time didn't wake up till morning. It was my first time doing visualization in a pregnancy and it worked great. I pictured in my head what I wanted maybe twice a week.

[Pirogi]

Originally Posted by rajahkat

I keep Yunnan Paiyao on hand for bleeding. You could also check out various midwifery supply companies online for hemhalt tincture.

Rescue Remedy is a homeopathic treatment that may help with that panicky sensation at the end of labor. Though do keep in mind that it is a normal and possibly beneficial part of the process to feel that way.

And I can't comment on the dopplers.

Good luck!
Kat

Where do you get yunnan paiyao?

[amyjeans]

I think visualization is awesome. Be as real as possible in your mind and actually talk to your baby about how it will go, not how it might go. I visualized exactly how I wanted each birth, and got what I wanted, too.
I hemmoraged during my 1st UC, and ate some placenta, and nursed vigorously to shrink my uterus. I did discover that I was anemic, and might be why I bled so much.
I really think that laboring without any audience is life changing. No one waiting for something to go wrong...holding the car keys...pushing you out the door to the hospital. No one to say you're doing it right or wrong, or taking too long, or not in the right position, etc. The only person who knows how you should birth is you. Know what I mean? I even warn my dh to keep his mouth shut and stay out of my way. He just waits patiently in the borner of the room, until he hears me pushing, then he sneeks up to catch the baby.
I am only an expert with my body, but found that when I got to the "defeated" feeling, after baby #2, that it was a sure sign the end was near.
We didn't do any doppler- as long as the baby moved a few times each day, I was fine. I was more concerned with my health, bloodpressure, swelling, etc that I monitored my self more closely than the baby.
I have been listening to "Calm Birth" and it can be found on amazon. I especially like the statement "your body will create the exact amount of contractions to birth your baby, not one more, not one less" I keep that in mind during labor, knowing that as each contraction, or flex goes by, that's one less than before and I am that much closer to birth.
Also, when my body has flexed to the point I think I can't take it any more, I know that it will not get any worse. there is a plateau to the intensity of labor...it doesn't get worse and worse to the point of passing out from the discomfort, at least for me, so that helps me get through it.
I wish you a peaceful birth!
all my best~
amyjean

[sweetpatayta]

I am UC'ing & UP'ing in Jan. & new here as well. I had a hard time finding a doppler to rent w/o a Dr's OK stating I was under prenatal care. I ended up buying one off ebay for around $50. It works great! Its made by Contec the Sonolne B model.
Good luck!

[Doula Dani]

I do like the visualization- what's funny is I always ask my clients how their birth would go if it went perfectly, but I haven't sat down and really considered it myself. I just "assume" it's going to take forever because each of the others did. I did sit in a bath tub last night and visualized my perfect birth for about an hour- put a lot of thought into it and really got serious about it. I feel very good about this.

I think for every person the situation is going to be different. Obviously I am a doula and I see a lot of value in doulas (as well as in *good* midwives), and that's what a lot of people need. I know from my previous experiences that dh and I work beautifully together (I know this isn't true of everyone's partner) and I kept feeling pestered by an audience. This really leads me to the conclusion that we are going to thrive in this sort of atmosphere and I am very much looking forward to it.

I visualized a few things that aren't necessary, but seemed magical I'm due mid December and I really hope it's snowing, so if you all want to send some good energy towards that I'd love ya Doesn't a snowy walk during labor sound lovely?

[Doula Dani]

Originally Posted by LilMamiBella

I highly recommend doing visualization throughout your pregnancy. I wanted a fast birth at night with kids either awake or not and that's exactly what I got. It was a fast 2 hour birth, early am, my son woke up from the noise but luckily the 2 yr old at the time didn't wake up till morning. It was my first time doing visualization in a pregnancy and it worked great. I pictured in my head what I wanted maybe twice a week.

Oh I wanted to ask you- for the births that you visualized a fast birth, and the prior births where you didn't, what was the difference in labor time?

Labor is such a hard thing to time to, because if you ask a professional they'll say that it doesn't count until you're four cm of course. Well I'll tell you what, back labor with my first child started far before four cm (I think I'm a bit ballsier than I was then, but still...)