UC Thread #8, August '04 - Page 2

[sprinkle pocket]

here,here! i'm with you on doing your own thing and letting them take responsibility for their own thoughts! (and keeping it to themselves : )

[Aura_Kitten]

on keeping plans from family ~ we did that and it ended up being a good thing: my dad said that had he known what we were planning, he would have done everything in his power to stop us.

oddly enough, my SO's mom ~ who works as an OB nurse ~ was way more accepting of our choice and even said that she thinks we did an awesome job of preparing ourselves.

my own mom told me that she had the feeling that's what we had been planning but she wasn't sure until we told her.

you never know how people will react. i think if there are any doubts about someone interfering, it's best to keep quiet.

[violet]

UC mamas - Just checking in. I've been mostly lurking as I don't have much time online to keep up. I'm due in about 2 weeks now. I'm wondering:

What do you/did you have on hand for possible tears?

With my first UC, I think we had superglue and some vague idea that we could use that, but I did not tear (intuition kicked in and I held back during crowning and no tear! Love that inner wisdom). I don't think I will tear this time, but I'd like to have something or some clue. Any ideas? I already fired my OB (I really just used him for a proof of pregnancy) and I don't have any midwife connections or anything for possible sutures after. Does that have to happen right away or can I wait until morning or whatever?

I also have a list of homeopathics for acute situations if anybody is interested. My SIL is studying to be a homeopothist. My DH is happy to have something for blood loss. I'm of the opinion that if I have it, I won't need it.

Happy baby thoughts,
Violet

[cottonwood]

Sorry, no help here, I'm not preparing for it because I just don't believe it will happen, given that this birth will be spontaneous and instinctive and my body will be totally ready when that baby comes through!

I have heard people rave about superglue, though.

[Aura_Kitten]

violet ~ i didn't have anything on hand for tears, because i don't really believe anything was necessary... i also believe that if you are fully ready, relaxed, you are able to listen fully to what your body needs, and you feel safe, no tears will happen.

[juju]

violet,

i tore with my first it was a homebirth with a midwife. it was a small tear and healed on it's one without anything special other than herbal sitz bath. the second time i didn't tear, it was a waterbirth which i think helped alot. plus, no one did any interal examing of my yoni but me. i was feeling to see if the baby's head was getting close and i pop the bag of waters.

both of them were almost 11 lbs. i think #2 was actually larger than the first based on how she looked and those shoulders. with the first i let the midwife check me and what not and started pushing at 10cm before i truly felt the urge.
this is why i wanted a totally hands off birth the second time. i wanted to let my body do what it needed to do when it was ready.

back to tearing, i think it would probably depend on how bad it is, but if you are letting your body do it without direction from others, i doubt you will have any tearing.

i would be interested in seeing your list for list homeopathics.

[oshunmama]

I've never torn, so I just don't even worry about it anymore. Watch, I'll tear this time. Wouldn't that be just GREAT! {sigh} I am quite swollen afterwards,though--well, I was last time with my 9 pound rocket ball that flew out so fast. I'm thinking this baby is smaller, though.

[StacyL]

Any of us Aug/Sep due date mamas feel like sharing belly photos? I still have another 4-6 weeks to go, but I cannot wait till this baby is on the outside of my body. I am so big and slow! And I keep having such strong BH - sometimes it feels like I am made of cement from my sternum to my pubic bone! I measured my belly last night just for fun and it was 41"!! : As opposed to my normal 25-26".

Here's my latest:
belly

[Chandar]

On the tearing note: I tore with Lilah this time, I also tore with Cyana. Cyana was an unmedicated hospital birth, and Lilah was a couple's UC in the water. I tend to push really hard and fast. With Lilah after her head came I did take a break maybe 20-30 seconds, then pushed the rest out. When I pushed her head out, there was no stopping myself. My body just did it. I haven't done anything to the tear other than Aloe.

Oh and as for the feeling "open" issue, it seems that when I do too much I feel worse listen to your body Chandra. So I am not so concerned. No more weird passage of pieces of sac or anything either.

[cottonwood]

Stacy, what a pretty belly you have! I'll share too --

http://home.earthlink.net/~eaglefalc...illow7-4_2.jpg

Going by my LMP, I'm betting that I have about seven more weeks to go. Right now the baby seems to be transverse. : Oh well, there's still plenty of time enough to turn!

[plantmommy]

Linda, what a beautiful mommy you are!

I need to have dh take belly pix of me.

[sprinkle pocket]

linda and stacy~ you're both so beautiful!! thanks for sharing the pics with us.

[StacyL]

blueviolet

Linda,

Thank you for the compliment - you look very happy and your dd is a cutie! I have a question: I'm 99% sure my baby is head down, and has been for a while, but how would you know if a baby was transverse?

[majazama]

Nice belly pics!

My PP flow is still coming (or going).... hope it will stop soon. It's not BAD, but still an annoyance.

[cottonwood]

Stacy, I'm hearing the heartbeat off to the left of my belly button, and a very hard mass, which has to be the butt, on the other side. So it's pretty obvious!

[Mama2Lennon]

I knew as soon as I was pregnant that I wanted an unassited/sovereign birth this time. It sure is easier to make that decision once you've already had one baby. I know that I didn't need any "medical" help and that my body can birth a baby. I feel "safer" (from child protective services) seeing midwives for prenatal care and having them only as a back-up. I knew that MDC is where I would come to ask all of my questions about UC. How do I get signed up to the UC list?
Anyone have any book recomendations for a newbie? I wonder about what to be aware of during labour, what to look out for and what I should have on hand. I know I still have quite a while to prepare but I am thinking about it lovingly all the time!

[Aura_Kitten]

Anyone have any book recomendations for a newbie? I wonder about what to be aware of during labour, what to look out for and what I should have on hand. I know I still have quite a while to prepare but I am thinking about it lovingly all the time!

childbirth without fear
ina may gaskin's guide to childbirth (although very interventive, contains lots of great, detailed, info on what the midwives to, which can help you prepare for your own labor + birth...)

as for what to look out for, i'll post specifics when i'm not nursing... (one-handed typing is so slow + tedious!)

[sprinkle pocket]

mama2lennon~~ welcome to the uc thread!! there seems to be a few main books that people like:
~unassisted homebirth
~unassisted childbirth
~emergency childbirth, by dr white(seems to quell the papa's worries mostly)

also, i've heard folks mentioning:
~childbirth wisdom:from the world's oldest societies
~primal mothering in a modern world (mine hasn't arrived yet, so i don't know)

the 1st 2 i really liked, alot of women seem to favor one over the other. if you were to only get one, i'd say get the one by laura shanley (the titles are so similar, i can never remember who wrote which! it's the really plain blue one). the other one has papa's versions of the birth story which my dh appreciated--hearing it from a man's point of view in a man's wording is really different. also, since there's not a papa's uc thread, it's likely the only place the papas will be able to connect with male freebirth supporters.

i got the dr white bk for dh, but i'm not reading it and don't want to see it and fill my head with intellectual info...i want to birth intuitively and not do anything to increase my chances of getting in my head or questioning my abilities, both of which i've been known to do! :LOL so dh is in charge of that and learning the birthing homeopathics, etc. the left brain stuff.

this uc thread is great!! i'm looking forward to getting to know you...i'm due in late spring too!

[sprinkle pocket]

klothos~ i'm glad you're still around!
if any of you other already uc-ers are still lurking, pipe up! we benefit from your knowledge!!

[ComaWhite]

Re: Tears
I filled a water bottle with 2/3 water, 1/3 witch hazel and added GSE, TTO, and lavender oil. I used this to rinse myself each time I went to the bathroom or changed a pad. Felt really nice!

Re: Swelling
ARNICA!!!!!! get some homeopathic arnica! I didnt swell AT ALL....
What also felt nice was sitting on those gel cooler-bag thingys!