UC Support Thread #5, June - Page 3

[ChildoftheMoon]

For those of you who are measuring your fundal height: anyone have any experience with measuring small? With both of my girls I gained a lot and they were big babies and I always measured right on or a little big. With this babe, I have gained less (still it is 40 pounds at 34w4d) and am only measuring 29 weeks. Midwife is not worried, but I am still wondering about it. Baby is very low and I did measure at 31 weeks the next day, so I know baby is squirming and changing the height. Mostly just need to share with you mamas as to not allow this thought and measured fact to turn into a worry, when my gut feeling is that everything is ok. Thanks!
Brandi

[lovemygirl]

Welcome grnbn76 ! Good luck with your birth! You can do it! Keep us updated!

[lovemygirl]

Congratulations Molly! I am glad you have a beautiful baby in your arms. I am sorry abotu what the midwives did...but don't beat yourself up about it. Over time you will heal and be sure and write down your feelings in a journal... that helped me get through the painof my assisted birth.

{{{hugs}}

[mom2threenurslings]

Originally Posted by bookwormmama

hey mamas,

send me some easy labor vibes ok??!!

I'll be 42 weeks tomorrow, and i just started having some really good surges.

this rocks, i am so psyched!!

hopefully you'll read a birth story soon.

Yay, Sue...I was just sittin here at my computer thinking...Sue's having her baby!!! Hmmmmm...I wonder if it's a boy....

[Aura_Kitten]

ChildoftheMoon ~ i have no idea how i measured with my first, although he was a little guy (6 lbs 13.4 oz at birth).

this one *seems* just as pointy as he did (making me think she'll be a small one also), and i've gained less weight (only about 10 lbs, although i eat constantly). i'm measuring a couple of weeks behind now, but not enough to worry. my dr said she's probably just a scrawny baby.

[juju]

hi all,

i may be joining the unassisted birthers. i am pregnant with my third due in mid-august. my first two were born at home with a great midwife while living in california. i am currently seeing a midwife, but she has been dropping hints that she is not comfortable attending a birth in my state. i live in alabama and she lives in tennessee. she has asked if i would think about coming to her home for the birth.

i am pretty much set on staying put for this birth at home with or without a midwife. my husband is very supportive on staying home. we are just starting prenatals every 2 weeks. at our next visit we are going to just come out and ask her what her plans our, so we can prepare ours. i have a couple of mama friends who plan to be here to help out. plus, i know two other moms who are working towards being a doula. i may have them here to help, too. i just don't want too many people here, though.

my second one was a waterbirth. i plan on having another one this time around. does anyone have any recommedations on getting a tub for the birth?

plus, what about any emergency supplies? with my first two my midwife thought i bled in the higher range of normal while waiting for the placenta. she gave me something to help with expelling it. is there any herbs or natural remedies any of you try to have on hand just in case?

the labor and birth doesn't worry me doing alone, actually i rather not be brothered. it is just the placenta. maybe i shouldn't worry be i just would like to be prepared for anything.

[pamamidwife]

I have some suggestions on my site about birth tubs: http://www.midwifemama.com/waterbirth_hints.html

Also, in regards to the placenta/bleeding issue, making sure your iron levels are normal during pregnancy will help, as will getting the baby close to the breast after birth. Some women use cinnamon tincture, too. Works nicely - you could even take it right after the baby comes and after the placenta is born.

[StacyL]

Juju,

My husband and I just got a great inflatable pool from Toys R Us for only 19.99! Brand is The Wet Set and it says Ocean Reef Swim Center Pool on the box. It's great because it is only 76" x 71" so it is small enough to put in your living room, and it is 25" deep and has really wide sides (about 10-12") so you can lean up or over the sides. I also recommend getting a waterbed fill & drain kit from Ace Hardware online for about $6. This will attach to any sink in your house, then you attach your garden hose, and can fill the pool with hot water from your sink! You can also then reverse the flow when it's time, and it will drain the pool through the hose right into your sink - no mess!

Stacy

[StacyL]

P.S. Juju...

Juju,

I just looked at that website that Pamamidwife linked about pools, and the exact pool I am talking about is listed third on the page as "Another Quality Inflatables Pool" http://www.qualityinflatables.com/56493.html. So, that shows you what it looks like, and Toys R Us carries it if you want to avoid shipping costs.

I read the stuff about keeping the water warm, and that is the good thing about having the waterbed drain & fill kit - you can empty a little water with ease as it cools down, and add more hot when you need it. Here is the link: drain & fill kit

Stacy

[juju]

thanks stacyl for the tub info. i checked out walmart a couple of days ago and didn't really see anything. i was playing to check out toys r us soon. it sounds like i will get what you have. we used the washing machine hook-ups to fill the tub. i believe the water is hotter coming out of there instead of the sink.

pamamidwife, i looked at your site a few days ago while searching on the net. my mine iron levels were fine in my other two pregnancies. i am currently taking cholrophyll (sp). plus, drink RRL tea and nettles and of course, eat a variety of food.

with my second she was breastfeeding within minutes after the birth. i tried to get my older one to join to help with the placenta but he was not interested. i will try to have the newborn on the breast as soon as possible, plus see if my toddler will join.

i do have susan weed's book there are some herbs mentioned in there. i was wondering if i should have them on hand just in case.

here's another question to those ucer's, what are some things you think are important to know before you attempt an unassisted birth?

[2much2luv]

Hi ladies. Congrats to all the pregnant and new mamas.
(I had my baby uc in January, btw, for anyone who doesn't remember me)
My SIL just had her baby UC this morning. I am so proud of her. They were planning a midwife assisted home birth but the midwife wouldn't come because they hadn't payed her in full yet. But its a good thing because they ended up having a wonderful easy little water birth.

For our birth we bought one of those pools from quality inflatables. We filled it with a hose from our kitchen sink faucet and kept a peice of plastic, like a paint tarp, over it to keep in the warmth. That worked pretty well. We did add some more hot water a few times. Over all it worked pretty well. If we do it again I will get some sort of system that drains the tub because it was awfully hard work to bucket it out.

here's another question to those ucer's, what are some things you think are important to know before you attempt an unassisted birth?

You need to know that you and your baby are healthy and "normal". How you find that out is up to you. If you need a midwife or a doctor or an ultrasound to tell you then that is what you should do. I personally think that the best way to know is to look within yourself daily and tell yourself that you are good to go. It really is essential, I think, to push all the fears out of the way before the birth so that you can not be distracted and focus on doing what you need to do. YK? Not that I did that last time. I had plenty of fear and worry. That led to, I think, a longer and more painful than necessary labor and birth.

Anyway, glad to see all the uc mamas here.

[Aura_Kitten]

. They were planning a midwife assisted home birth but the midwife wouldn't come because they hadn't payed her in full yet.

how awful!

i personally wouldn't want someone that uptight at a birth anyway.

i can't imagine a midwife doing that! i thought most midwives were in it for the midwifery anyway, not the money. GEEZ if you want money become a doctor.

that really makes me mad.

i'm glad it went well for your sister but that's still a really awful situation.

i hope she gets the part of it that she *did* pay back in full.

[majazama]

Childofthemoon~~I have always measured small with both my pregnancies, and my DD was 8lbs.7oz., not really that small. I'm under the cm/per week thing by about 3-5 cm right now (I checked last night). But I feel like this baby is going to be bigger than my DD was, I just carry my babies in a different way, I think. Maybe this one of yours is smaller, which will make him/her easier to get out, to look on the bright side of things.

[mollyeilis]

Hi all!

I wanted to mention something odd that happened with our tub water during my labor, so that perhaps someone might be able to avoid it happening to them.

As far as Robert figures, our hot water heater had never been drained before, which we managed to do during labor. When it drained, all sorts of sediment came through the hose. It was sneaky sediment, and wasn't all that obvious at first. We noticed it in the regular tub, and we assumed it came with me from the labor tub into the tub-tub (while we were re-filling) on my bathing suit (yes, I wore a bikini). So Robert was being careful about it.

If this kind of thing happens, make sure you have someone watching. The midwife that was *supposed* to be watching didn't understand the importance and left her post, allowing the pool to be filled with sediment-water, which meant they had to empty (with buckets) and completely re-fill the tub, but the water heater was kaput, so it had to be done with cool water and water boiled on the stove, and it took over an hour (all with me, pacing like a tiger in labor in my bedroom, getting angrier and angrier every contraction that came and went "on land").

You don't want that, honestly. :


Hope that helps someone!

[laurata]

Juju! I am so glad to see you here!

You probably don't remember me, but I was one of the mamas when you were here in Fremont having tea during a MNO your last visit. I am also expecting my third babe, due sometime in December.

I just wanted to say "hi!" and good luck on your decision making process.

[bookwormmama]

Silas Zoel is here!

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to post a quick note and let everyone know that our lovely new babe, Silas Zoel, arrived Tuesday night! He was born into his mamas arms, with his papa looking on. Miraculously big sister and brother stayed asleep while mama roared him out! I'll post his birth story soon. He is a big one, 9 lbs 12 oz and 23 inches long.

I'm now going to hobble back to bed. LOL.

[juju]

hi laura,

yes, i remember you. well, my decision will be made after my next midwife appointment in a little over a week. if she is not comfortable coming to my home, then we will do it without her. wow, 3 for you too. what do you plan to do this time around?

has anyone had a lotus birth? dh thinks it will be too messy and stinky, but i am somewhat interested.

[ChildoftheMoon]

Yeah Sue! Congrats and happy baby moon

Thanks *Mamajaza*. I think I am more concerned because it is so different than my previous two pregnancies. If I had carried them small, then I would not have an ounce of worry. It is just weird to think that I could have a smaller baby after a 9 lb 5 oz and a 10 lb 2 oz, and they filled my belly up! Both were born very easily and fast. This one may just come shooting out! This babe is just so mellow, not a kicker at all, just a slow mover and hiccuper. With everything so different I can't help think this is a boy (except that last night baby came to me in a dream and revealed that she is a girl). I will find out soon enough. I just hope my belly grows a bit more, I will feel better. I am tall (somewhat-5'8") and have not gained like I did with the girls so hopefully that all it is with measuring so short. Can you tell that I am good at stressing out? I will work through it and it will no longer be a worry. Thanks!
Brandi

[cottonwood]

YAYYYYY! Congratulations Sue! I love the name. Can't wait to hear the story!

[majazama]

Sue and Silas Nice to see you had your sweet babe. I bet he is the cutest, with all those rolls. Can you tell I can't wait to have *my* little one in my arms too. I love the name too. I have a second cousin named Quinn Silas Leo, great name.