UC Support Thread #5, June - Page 8

[cottonwood]

Donna, Congratulations!!! It sounds like it was a wonderful birth, and I look forward to hearing more from you both about that and the discussions on this thread.

[cottonwood]

Here's what Susun Weed recommends for hemorrhage, from Wise Woman Herbal from the Childbearing Year (which goes into much more detail than I'm putting here.) I highly recommend the book, though as with allopathic medical advice, don't take her word as gospel!

Herbs for hemorrhage prevention:

-Nettle of Alfalfa Leaf infusion or tea through pregnancy and labor increase available vitamin K and hemoglobin.

--Motherwort tincture after birth -- 10 drops. Calming, uterine tonic.

-Shepherd's Purse -- not during labor, seems to encourage clots.

Herbs for postpartum hemorrhage:

-Witch Hazel bark tincture, 20 drops under tongue controls bleeding before placenta is delivered. Does not help expel placenta.

-Lady's Mantle (alchemilla vulgaris) -- blood coagulant, 20-30 drops

-Blue Cohosh, Cotton root bark, Cannabis (10 drops) in combination with Witch Hazel or Lady's Mantle (20 drops,) can slow a hemorrhage caused by uterine atony.

-Cayenne -- slows down hemorrhage, but also stimulates circulation. Considered dangerous for that reason (hemorrhage can start again.) Does not contract uterus.

-Shepherd's Purse -- blood coagulant, vasocontrictor. Stops bleeding, promotes uterine contractions. Fresh plant tincture, 20-30 drops, under tongue. Midwife favorite.

[majazama]

I have that book too, blueviolet. It's a great reference. I've been taking alfalfa powder all during the pregnancy, it's good to know that it has other good properties.

I don't actually think I will bleed too much after the baby is born. I didn't last time I gave birth, but I did bleed for a longggggg time about 7-8 weeks post-pardum. I think that if I do the placenta preparation as I plan to, that will stop the excessive bleeding. And if I do hemorage after the birth, I can always take a peice of my placenta, that's supposed to stop the bleeding because of the oxytocin in it.

[ChildoftheMoon]

Congrats Donna!!!!!!! Sounds like a lovely birth, can't wait to hear your birth story.
Brandi

[juju]

hi all,

i post awhile back about maybe doing an uc. i thought my midwife was going to back out of coming, but she says she still will. the thought of uc has been growing on me. i might still do an uc, but not tell her maybe call her after the birth. i am not sure i think i will just wait and see how i feel during the labor and birth.

i was really surprised she has never heard of a lotus birth. i asked her about it on our appointment this saturday. she doesn't believe it would have any benefits. i need to research it more. i think i will also see how we feel about it afterwards. i would like to keep it attached for awhile not sure how long at this point. after speaking with her this weekend, she seems to usually cut it quickly.

she also tried to tell me by not wearing a bra it could cause cancer. i told her i have heard just the opposite. we are very different in our thinking. i really miss my midwife from california.

i am having a hard time trusting her judgement. at my last appointment a couple of weeks ago, she said the baby was kind of small. this time she said the baby felt like it was 8 lbs or so. i am only about 32 weeks. i don't believe the baby is that big yet. my other two were almost 11 lbs at birth. i don't think this one will be 15 or more.


has anyone seen the clear road to birth video? it is about unassisted births. it is pretty neat. we have been watching our birth videos lately. the midwife assisted ones just don't appeal to me as much as the unassisted ones do.

anyways i just wanted post an update.

[cottonwood]

Boy, I don't know juju, that midwife is saying some whacky things.

I've seen the Clear Road to Birth video. Not real impressed with production, but it is a good thing to get those stories out there! Laura Shanley has some other videos on her website too.

[Aura_Kitten]

juju, your midwife sounds crazy. :LOL

i'd find a different care provider if i were you, or just stop seeing her. i wouldn't trust someone that sounds that ignorant to assist if things go wrong, which is the only reason (IMO) that midwives ~ or any trained attendants ~ should be at a birth at all.

[Hathor]

congratulations Donna! I was wondering when we would get some more birth stories...
Perhaps mine will be next, but I did want to say that I am living a really good example why you shouldn't go in for ANY prenatal care (I saw a midwife 3 times, until my 27th week) My midwife assigned me a EDD and although I know that logically it makes no sense, rationally the baby will come when it's ready, and that both of my other babies were 2 weeks late...I am going crazy waiting for this little one! I had to take castor oil both times before (or submit to the hospital for testing) and I won't do that again. I really, really want a spontaneous "Oh gosh! I think I'm in labor!" feeling. But it's soooooo hard to wait when every day seems like you are slipping into 'high risk land' Ya know? Anyway, 15 days post due and counting...(by my midwifes calculator) couple of BH contractions here and there, other than that just biding my time! Please send good birthing vibes!
Heather


ps. part of my stress is that my MIL is flying in on the 26th! I TOLD her to come the second week of July if she wanted to be sure the baby was here, and she just laughed and booked her flight! AAAARGH! : (she thinks we are having a midwife asssisted birth, won't she be surpised!)hee hee.

[LavenderMae]

Heather, sending you many birthing vibes ~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~.

[juju]

hathor, i will be sending you some birthing vibes also. you still have some time before your mil arrives to birth your baby. wow, how do you feel about her arriving before the baby? would she be ok with an uc birth?

have of thought about taking any herbals to help? my first was almost 3 weeks overdue. i took some black and blue cohosh (sp) and maybe some other stuff to get it going. my midwife gave it to me.

klothos, there is pretty much no hope in chosing another midwife who will attend a homebirth in this state. the only other one is about 3 hours away. i think i will keep on seeing her, but might just call her afterwards. i know of a friend of a friend who had a homebirth with her a couple of years ago. i am hoping to watch the video from that birth to see how she acts during labor and birth.

[nikirj]

Congrats Donna!

I am now semi-planning a UC birth. As I am certain my MIL and mom would call CPS if I told them I planned a UC birth, I hope to simply make sure the midwife "comes too late." I'm hoping to find a midwife that understands why I would want such a thing. I don't know how practical this is, but I feel it would be very unfair of me to mislead a midwife (by not letting her know my plans and intentionally calling too late) and I also know that if I try to UC and tell my MIL and mom later, all hell will break loose. Any advice?

BTW - I have very much enjoyed reading through everyone's comments on this thread.

[Hathor]

[QUOTE=juju] would she be ok with an uc birth?

i took some black and blue cohosh (sp) and maybe some other stuff to get it going. [quote]

Hi Juju, I don't think mil will be okay with a uc, but the good news is that she is staying at a hotel! My dh says if she is in town she will want to be at the birth, but I have matter of factly explained to him that she isn't invited! Plus we live in a 750 square foot apartment, where would she hang out? a closet? I just have to hope the wee one arrives before her, or comes at night while she's sleeping at her hotel...

black and blue cohosh, huh? We've been trying some good foot massages which don't work but feel so yummy I pretend like they do

And haven't tried sex in a while...I read a great article about pregnant sex in a Funny Times magazine, the mama was told by her ob to have sex to soften her cervix and replied "Well then I'm going to need something to soften-up my husband's eyesight, like some very illegal drugs in mass quantities. And a serious blow to the head, preferably the frontal lobe, so he won't actually rememeber the whole travesty when it's over." :LOL

Yep, I laughed til I cried!
Heather

[Aura_Kitten]

And haven't tried sex in a while...

i'm so sorry. you have my deepest condolences.

[ChildoftheMoon]

Sending you gentle joyful birthing vibes Heather! You are so close!
Brandi

[Hathor]

Originally Posted by klothos

i'm so sorry. you have my deepest condolences.

Hee hee hee hee hee....Thanks for the sympathy! :

[wildthing]

I thought I would let everyone onthis thread know that I finally finished my birth story....The birth of our 8th baby

Pictures are at the end of the story, or in my sig line.

Nikirj, I was in a similar situation. I didn't hide my desires from my midwife, and I am glad. When I first spoke to her, I told her I wanted a UC. I have her version of my birth story, and I will ask her if I can share it. Because I was completely open with her, I was not afraid to turn to her when I needed it. She still respected every one of my desires. She knew the main reason we were seeing her was because of my dh. It is hard to explain it all, it was quite complex. Let me see if I can share her story...I know she has been criticized (judged) for how things went at my birth.

Anyway, thanks for the congrats from everyone. I really appreciate it!

And I am totally up for discussing my midwife and the whole topic that has been going on, I am just not real adept at nak'ing......especially in tandem! :LOL

[cottonwood]

Donna, what exactly have the criticisms been?

[indigolilybear]

Woohoo! Congrats Donna. He's beautiful...what a great job! Were all your kids there for it? Can't wait to hear hte birth story.

Mamajaza--I too used motherwort, per SUsun Weed's instructions. I bleed heavily and used it w/both my UC's. IT didn't do that much for me but I kept taking it as a preventative. I also used skullcap for pain...and insomnia, headaches, etc.
Nope, I'm not the one who posted about Peter Gabriel, though I *do* like him. We burned a CD to use and played it softly....I didn't really focus it on it too much but liked the idea of having music on that we picked while readying to meet Soleil. She was born to Dar Williams "Calling the Moon".
I also listened to it while preparing to labor (had a bloody show early in the day and my parents had taken my older two for the day...I had chosen music that touched me...and I remember crying while listening to it that day...it was cathartic. But during the birth itself,I only consciously know what was playing from watching the video!)
SOmeone else (sorry forgot who...and now that we're in CO the internet connext. is so darn slow...) asked about the hypno tape. I don't remember the name but I did the whole at-home course and used the birth tape. It was primarily affirmations though.

And for those that are interested, I got to see Jeannine Parvati Baker at these hot springs w/her family. It was really fun and I had DH take a pix. I will see if I can post it later. We forgot to bring our camera wire to download pix! She's so wonderful and I enjoyed showing off our new babe....and our 3 yr old. Last time I saw her, he was in utero. I got my new Hygieia lesson and am starting it. Anyway, as I've said before, not many out there would understand my excitement so I share it here!

gotta run. Enjoy your preg's and babymoons!

[wildthing]

Originally Posted by blueviolet

Donna, what exactly have the criticisms been?

Linda,
Mostly, she has been criticized for not doing things considered to be standard of care. She never checled FHTs for example, because I didn't want her too.

She has given me permission to share her version of my birth story. However, she requests that t be shared in it's entirety, including her name and url....and I believe it is against MDC guidlines to re-post or to copy and paste e-mails. If anyone would like to read it, please PM me and send me your e-mail addy.

Thanks Elaine! Most of my kids were in the room when he was born, but I know my 14yo ds wasn't. He said "We have done this so many times, it's no big deal." : I kind of hope he keeps that attitude when/if he is ever having kids. Gunnar was, in fact this is the first time the youngest one has been with us. In the past, my MIL or my mother were always with the toddler out in another room.

I took a few doses of the motherwort, I did it more as a preventative, although there was a pretty big gush of blood when I got out of the pool. I used After-ease for the afterpains.

[Ame]

H i !

After a couple of visits with the hospital midwife...I am sure that I will have a UC for this birth (no doubt about it - LOL). This will be my second UC. My first was with Lucy who is now 20 months old...her birth was everything I could have hoped for.

Baby is due the first half of December....anyone else due around then ?

I look forward to getting to know you all.