UC thread #9...Sept. '04 - Page 6

[majazama]

Homeopathy worked for me too! Here's my birth story... http://www.mothering.com/discussions...09#post1725609

[cottonwood]

Originally Posted by mamamaya

About the cord - I'm just confused as to where to cut it? Do I clamp it then cut it? Do I clamp it on my side and the baby's side and then cut in between?

Wait until the cord is white and clammy and no longer pulsing, then you can cut it at any time. If the placenta is still inside you and you need to cut it for some reason, clamp or tie tightly about 1" and 3" from the baby (it doesn't matter where you tie first,) then cut in between. If the placenta is already out, you don't need to worry about tieing it off on the maternal side.

[majazama]

I wonder where jessemommy is?

[Evergreen]

That is who I came to check up on!!! I got a PM from her saying no baby yet, and she is doing well, but that was close to 2 weeks ago.

I bet she had a glorious free birth!!!!

[Aura_Kitten]

SONYA ~ if i may ask, WHAT went wrong with your friend's child? what were the complications that arose?

there are many things that can go wrong in ANY birth, NOT just unassisted birth, and i *personally* hope that women will grow to realize that almost all of the problems that go wrong with UC ALSO HAPPEN IN HOSPITAL BIRTH OR WHILE ATTENDED BY MIDWIVES.

i'm curious as to what happened w/ your friend's child because i have a feeling it either is something that could have been prevented or something that would have happened no matter where they were, NOT something that was because of their unassisted homebirth.

[StacyL]

Originally Posted by klothos

SONYA ~ if i may ask, WHAT went wrong with your friend's child?
i'm curious as to what happened w/ your friend's child because i have a feeling it either is something that could have been prevented or something that would have happened no matter where they were, NOT something that was because of their unassisted homebirth.

I was wondering the same thing...

[lovemygirl]

I'm BACK!!! And I have a BABY!!!

Hey ladies!! I had my baby!! Avery Stephen King was born last Thursday, September 9, 2004 at 1:23pm. My first UC!! Daddy caught him. He was 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2" long. I had only 4 hours or so of labor.

I tried to catch up a few weeks ago on this thread but then got distracted and had a baby!! We are all doing great. I am working on my birth story and will post in a day or so.
here are pictures of my boy!

Avery

[3_opihi]

OMG!!!! He is adorable!!!!! and so is your little girl! Congratulations and enjoy this wonderful time with your family

[Aura_Kitten]

happy birthday avery!


** still waiting to hear from Sonya **

[MamaT]

I'm going to try and answer for Sonya....

Hi Sonya Glad to "see" you here. And congrats on thinking about a UC!
I'm responding to you here. "I think part of my fear is because I have a close friend who had an UC and her baby developed problems and died about a week later. I just see the sorrow they endure and I think, that could have been anyone. And if it were me, would I have seen the problems, and if I did see them, what would I do. So there again is the back and forth in my head."

The friend that Sonya is referring to, lost a child NOT related to the birth. He died when he was seven days old. It was extremely tragic for anyone that knew the family. I had just had a UC four months earlier, and I was COMPLETELY shaken by watching a friend lose a child. BUT it wasn't because of his birth. He showed subtle signs of illness shortly before his death (he died in a hospital, btw), but nothing that screamed emergency. And believe me, I have replayed it in my mind a MILLION times. His mother called the day before he was admitted to the hospital, to say he didn't seem to be eating much, and asked me to listen to his breathing. I LAUGHED. Honestly. He sounded like any other baby...they aren't always quiet breathers. But his Mom sensed something that I couldn't see. And sure enough, when she took him to be examined we realized he was sick. Sonya is right..it was heartbreaking. But so is the loss of any child. On a positive note, this same friend went on to have another UC, and a healthy baby.

I think Sonya's question wasn't regarding the birth, but at what point do you recognize the standard newborn irregularities, versus the "I have a sick newborn" signs. It can be difficult to tell. I just had my first baby since our friend's lost, and I have a heightened sense of "is that normal???" everytime she sneezes or coughs. I didn't have that the last time, because I just assumed nothing would ever happen. Now, I know that the one in a million can be you.....anyway...

I think that having someone you can trust to check your baby, can be invaluable. I agree with Sonya, that I don't know enough to do it myself. Our UC baby two years ago, I took to a dr. at four days, and didn't have any problems (said it was planned mw attended....noone asked questions). This baby (born August 25) I had checked by a MW, and then took to the dr. at two weeks. And it was exactly what my family needed, this time. And again, I didn't have any problems. Anyhoo.....sorry to answer for Sonya, but when I saw Klothos ask again, thought I would reply for now! LOL! Have a blessed day! Tiff

[majazama]

Jennifer~ What a big, beautiful, boy!!!! look at those cheeks!

Welcome to the club. Can't wait to read your birth story!


MamaT~~ So it was something internal that was wrong? Could it have been avoided somehow? What was it???

[laurata]

Maybe I ought to start my thread, but I am feeling really vulnerable.

So I wont. I'm just into my third trimester, due sometime in December. I woke up this morning feeling- emotionally- really awful. I had been thinking of driving to Big Sur for an MDC mamas picnic, and decided at the last minute that I'm just not up to it. But anyway. So I filled my big lovely bathtub and just laid there. For close to two hours. And I realized... I am really, really terrified of giving birth again. TERRIFIED. I keep hoping and praying that this baby will come a few weeks early, I keep wishing I were term and in labor already so I wouldn't have to keep waited and stressing about it. I'm so afraid to give birth. I am afraid of pain and intensity, that I'm have to transport, that I'll have another dystocia, only worse, that this baby will be 10, 11, 12 pounds and I just wont be able to do it. That something will go wrong and I wont know when to say enough, I need help.

I'm just not enjoying this pregnancy and I'm not looking forward to this birth. I just wish it were over already.

I think I'm going to start taking motherwort regularly to see if it will help with my anxiety, and I started back on my flax seed capsules yesterday too, in the hopes it would help. I try to journal, but it feels like I write the same shit over and over again without making any progress.

Hitting post before I chicken out.

[majazama]

Laura~ I had a lot of fear before I had my UC, because my first birth was *very* painful. I was absolutely astonished when I was in labour during the UC, and I barely felt any pain, unless I was in a strange position. So there's hope!!! You have already had two babies, so I don't think you will have any problems getting that baby out

Suggestion: stock up on homeopathy... ARNICA (for the pain*), chamomilla (which could help right now to calm you down), rescue remedy (another calming one)....

[cottonwood]

Jennifer, Avery is darling! Congratulations and thanks for keeping us updated!

Laura, I went through an intense period of fear about the pain this pregnancy. All of my labors have been extremely painful, and looking at a picture from one of them triggered a flashback. I talked it out a little bit with friends, they lit some candles for me and did some nurturing things, and I just made a MAJOR effort in my day-to-day life to be positive and enjoy myself. Although I know that doesn't guarantee a less painful labor, it's helped me at least get to the point where the fear isn't infecting me before something even happens, which was doing me absolutely no good obviously. I'm sorry I can't offer more help than that. I'll be thinking of you, though, and please don't feel bad about talking about it here.

[3_opihi]

Laura, I know what you mean. In my second pregnancy I definitely approached the labor with a sense of dread. My first one had been very long and painful. This pregnancy has been the hardest of my three and I feel myself not wanting to be pregnant anymore sometimes, but not really wanting to give birth either, lol.

I think its good to talk about your feelings, get em out there, put em in the universe you know? I soemtimes feel like I'm not supposed to say I'm scared or uncomfortable because I'm such a natural birth junkie and we're supposed to be all happy and in love with birth and labor and woman-ness (which I am most of the time) But dammit, sometimes I want to be able to take a poo without it taking half an hour, or not have to pee every five minutes, or not have to think about another head coming out of my hooha! Most of us porbably feel this way at one time or another - I think its totally normal, especially once you start getting into third and fourth pregnancies.

Ok, now I'm totally rambling and you probably all think I'm a freak....Just wanted to let you know I'm right there with you from time to time. Please keep talking about your feelings, I think you'll find it really helps. I also take herb farm's "feel good" tincture when I'm feeling really down, low energy, as well as flax, chlorophyll and some other stuff. It really helps. Take care

[Asheville Mama]

Ok, I made it back, sorry I didn't respond sooner to your questions. Hurricane Ivan knocked out our power for a few days. And thanks, Tiff, for answering the question. The cause of our friend's baby's death was not birth related, but Tiff's right on about what my concern is. I know how my dh and I are and we are inclined to err on the side of "my kid is fine" rather than "what could be wrong." Which is great unless there is something wrong that you just don't see.

My friend that we're talking about here made a really good suggestion...that I take a class or two on neonatal health/distress signs. There is a midwifery practice that offers things like that to the lay midwives in our community so I could probably just jump into one of those classes. Then I might feel more at ease with the immediate evaluation and can wait to have the baby checked later if we want.

[sprinkle pocket]

sonya~hopefully the electricity was the worst of it for you...and glad to hear you have that back!

[Kundalini-Mama]

Jennifer!! Much congratulations on the birth of your son Avery

Enjoy your babymoon

Amy

[Evergreen]

Jessemomme, where are you??!?!?!??!!

[mellie-bellie]

Anxiously awaiting labor to start

Oh boy, I'm big and pregnant and just ready to have this baby. According to due dates (I'm pretty sure of when I conceived), I am 6 days "late". I just thought I'd have my baby by now and sometimes it's a tad bit disheartening. Obviously I will have a baby eventually, so there's not reason to be upset about it, but I'm just getting so darn anxious over here. I guess it's a big lesson in giving up control....I certainly can't control when this labor will start (not that I'd even want to), so I just need to keep on keepin' on as usual and just let it happen when it happens. Ds was 6 days late, and dd was 1 day early...they all have their own time of readiness. I guess my biggest thing is knowing that the longer this baby stays in, the bigger he/she will be....ds was 9lbs and dd was a nice 7'10...do I really want to be pushing a 10 lb'er out??? Alrighty, enough whining from me.....Anyone want to send out some labor vibes this way??