UC Thread #11 - November 2004 - Page 3

[laurata]

Amy, my birth kit is very similar, minus a few things, but adding in flexible straws, a thermometer, and clary sage EO. The clary sage is mostly because I really feel a boost in my mood when I smell it - I feel positively euphoric when I smell it! I used lavendar my last birth and it made me nauseous! I can't stand the smell now. Oh, and gloves for my dh to wear when he cleans up any blood or mec. He's pretty funny about needing to keep his hands clean. And of course, some high carb yummy snacks and drinks.

[Asheville Mama]

Good for you, Kate! It sounds like you have really made your peace with this and that you can feel confident with your choices. We'll all be pulling for you that dh will adopt your same comfort zone and can really back you 100%.

I have to vent to you guys...I went to my LLL meeting this week and this woman who I know but am not "friends" with starts asking me about what I've decided about my birth. I've been really open about my plans and the evolving thought process that has gotten me here. The last meeting she butted in to a conversation I was having with a friend about my thoughts on UC to tell me about what a bad idea she thought it was. Then I was able to just turn around and ignore her. This week she actually sought me out!

She came up asking about my plans. Told me what a bad idea she thinks it is and how grateful she was to have her midwife in attendance at her last birth. She started telling me her birth story, which I reminded her she had already told me! But she continued telling me about how the midwife just plopped the baby on her chest "like a piece of meat," and he was gray. Thank goodness they were there with the O2. She actually said this to me!!!!!

I just kept saying, I feel really peaceful about my decision. But I couldn't believe this woman, who barely knows me, would sit with me with furrowed brow telling me about her birth trauma. I'm 32 weeks...as a mother I would think she would have better sense than to talk to me this way.

It almost makes me not want to discuss my plans with people, but then I think, you know, I'm doing this because it's what is right for me. I am confident in my decision and am not ashamed. I shouldn't have to feel like I have to temper my response to people who are afraid when I'm not! :

SO, I'll only have to see this woman one more time before I give birth so if she says anything next time, I'll just have to tell her that I don't need to hear her negativity.
OK, enough about that...thanks mamas!

[indigolilybear]

hey all. thought I'd drop a note. I still lurk here but am so braindead by the time I can actually write an email! :LOL

Kate--congrats on your process.

AmyD--I second the addition of some good energy drink like Powerade or some RRL or nettle tea w/honey ready to brew the day of. I LOVED drinking my infusion during labor. Also I had shepherd's purse...for PP hem. I bleed a lot though. Skullcap tincture too, did you say you had that one? LOTS of towels if you're planning a water birth (it seems you're having water, right?) Also any music you might want. I liked having a CD we burned for the occassion and my birth affirmation tape playing at the birth. What about filiming? If so, a tripod, etc.
I actually didn't have a lot of what you mentioned but my two UC's were really quick, so I didn't use that much stuff. If I had longer labors I might have so more useful ideas.

Asheville Mama--sorry to hear about your experience. That's too bad. Unfortunately sounds like you triggered this mama's fear buttons...Sending wishes for a strong and protective bubble that will insulate you in your own strength, wisdom and peace for these last few weeks.

[Lula's Mom]

Niki- don't you dare go anywhere! How silly.

Kate- that's great! I can hear in your post how much better you're feeling.

Sonya- what a PITA. But she probably thinks she's doing the right thing, sharing information you might not know. If she approaches you again, perhaps you could just say kindly that her concern is duly noted, but you've done your research. Buh-bye.

OK, everyone, I need your opinions and suggestions. I'm doing my own prenatal care. I'm 35 weeks, 2 days now. DP and I are pretty good at knowing the baby's position, and here's what we can tell:

It's head down, but its head is in my lower right quadrant, not directly over the cervix at all. It's lying on its side, so its back then lies along my right side and ends in that little round hip/butt above my belly button in my upper right quadrant. Then the legs go down diagonally and end with the feet in my lower left quadrant. It's basically lying there like a jack-knifed tractor-trailer.

If we bother the baby we can get it to roll around and move some, but it settles right back into that comfy place. It's VERY active with kicking, and I feel those pleasant little punches in my cervix a few times a day. But it likes where it is.

I'm more encouraged by this position than I was a couple of weeks ago, when it was transverse all the time ... but I'm starting to get a little concerned by how much it likes to lie this way. I know some others in the December due date club have posted that their babies have dropped, and obviously in this position, mine hasn't dropped at all.

On one hand, I trust in the baby to do what's necessary when labor begins, but what if it's being constrained and isn't comfortable going the way it should? Is this something that can maybe be fixed with a visit to a chiropractor? I know there's great success with the Webster Technique for breech babies; though that's not exactly my problem, I wonder if it isn't being caused by some intra-uterine constraint that could be fixed by an alignment.

Help! Any suggestions or ideas welcome, even if it's not to worry at this point(?)! I'm cross-posting on my due date club.

[JanetF]

I'm very tired and can't quite visualise although your description is really good. I've got some great links to help with transverse, if you'd like them
J

[Lula's Mom]

Thanks, Janet, that may be useful!

I know it's kind of hard to picture... maybe another way of describing it is to say the baby is making a triangle, with its butt at the top point, and head and feet making the bottom two points.

[Ame]

hmm my birth kit consists of :

baby clothes (hat and socks too)
old clean towels
candles
sewing scissors
hemp cord tie
and that's it LOL

That's all I had with Lucy (and all I needed) and all I am planning on having for this baby.

Lula's Mom IMO the best way to prepare your baby for birth ( and getting in position) is visualisation, affirmations,a nd "talking" to baby. I think if there is a reason for him to be in that position you can likely fix it with the power of your mind/body more safely and easily than any other external method.

[tryinghardmomma]

I have had 2 UCs-- 8/01 and 12/03


MY BIRTH KIT

*Arnica pellets and cream/lotion
*Rescue Remedy
*Carbo vegetablis
Homeopathics: arnica, carbo veg, rescue remedy >>Used only the arnica and RR, gladly never needed the carbo. However, I did end up getting the morning labor started, and using: caullophyllum and cimicifuga
*Embrodery floss braids for the cord which I braided weeks in advance, and made bracelets to match
*Sharp scissors Sewing Scissors: just washed them in hot soapy water about an hour after birth when we realized we needed to cut the cord
*Rubbing alcohol Never used any at all
*Ziploc bags What are these for? I never used any.
*Eldon cards Never have used any
*Mesh underwear Nope, never used. Just spent the first day laying on top of towels on top of a shower curtain. Then the 2nd day when I was ready to get out of bed, I put on regular old undies with cloth pads.
*Cloth postpartum pads I have these, love them. First time I had old cloth diapers, 2nd time I actually had nice boughten pads. I had some from Birthlove which appear to never be available anymore. Now I'm adding to my stash with the Liz Cloth Pads in my Natural Family Boutique catalog-- so much softer, they're hemp fleece!
*Bowl for placenta Just grabbed a bowl from the kitchen at the last minute.
*2 heating pads to keep baby blanket and baby hat warm Never done this before. We never heated any blankets, just kept baby skin to skin with mom. We did turn the heat up in the house for our Dec birth though, to 78 probably.
*Baby blankets and baby hat I do use a boatload of baby blankets!
*A couple of peri bottles I do love my peri bottles. A drop of lavender oil and a drop or two of St. Johnswort Oil are great for healing the perineum
*Lavender EO and Tea Tree Oil Of course these are staples in the medicine cabinet anyway
*Motherwort tincture (for afterpains) the only birth I've used this was one in which I hemmoraged badly at 4 weeks postpartum. I've shied away from it since.
*Bulk herbs of black haw or crampbark and blue cohosh (also for afterpains) I prefer to stick to homeopathics. the herbs are really too powerful for amateur use IMO.
*Flannel lined plastic tablecloth for under the pool we just used a tarp... tablecloth seemed too small, so we got a tarp from the camping department
*Plastic sheets shower curtain worked really well
*Extra sheets for bed What we did to cut down on the work at the time of birth was to put fresh sheets on the bed, then put a plastic shower curtain on top, and then another set of sheets. This way if my water broke in bed we were covered. We didn't end up getting the bed dirty before the birth, but it was great for the 2nd day when DH wanted to give me clean sheets, all he had to do was pull the dirty sheet off one side of the bed, have me roll over onto the already in place clean sheet, then the dirty sheet came off the other side. I didn't have to get out of bed to get clean sheets! (I was just tired enough that first day that I didn't get out of bed except to pee.)
*Chux pads I don't use these... they slide around under you, they feel hot and sweaty, and frankly they remind me too much of the hospital. I just use towels. Wash your towels the same day they get dirty with a cold water cycle and then a hot water cycle after the blood stains are washed away.
*Sump pump or waterbed fill and drain kit We didn't have this and did just fine with our pool. DH screwed a water hose directly onto the bottom drain spigot of the hot water heater and ran it to the pool.... then we added buckets of cold water from the sink. Then he used buckets to empty it to the last inch or two, then just picked it up and poured the last bit out
*Air pump for pool Lucky DH has an air compressor. the pool was inflated in 5 minutes. (4 minutes for the air compressor to get ready, 1 min to fill LOL)
*2 new drinking safe hoses We prefer these for outside anyway since our kids like to drink from the hoses in the summer.
*Adaptations for hose to washing machine outlet if necessary DO figure out what you need to make your birth pool work ahead of time!!! We actually had the kids to go Grandmother's house the last week of October last year (she offered, hey!) and while they were gone we did a "dress rehearsal" for the pool... we cleaned out the garage where we wanted to set it up (DH wanted to do it there so as to make it easiest to clean up afterwards) and set up the pool and timed how long it took to fill it... then we played hot tub for the rest of the evening ... but we knew exactly how to set it up and how long it would take to fill it long before the baby came. It helped immensely! Plus, a night in a hot tub with DH is JUST what the non-doctor ordered in the end of pregnancy! LOL

Did NOT use: bulb syringe, pitocin, IV fluids, cord clamps, hepatitis vaccine, eye ointment, or vit K shot.

Also had: liquid chlorophyll for excess bleeding (I did, and it helped), red grape juice for excess bleeding and fluid loss (per my ER nurse mother, it did help also), And Emergen-C drink for electrolyte and vit C for infection prevention

Also-- my first UC I never made provisions for a keepsake birth certificate or getting footprints. I eventually did his footprints at about 4 mos, but I was sort of sad that I didn't get them at birth, so for my 2nd UC dh got an ink pad (just one from an office supply store) so we could get her feetprints recorded. So precious to see those little feet!

Do you have plans to weigh the baby? I have heard moms say they went to the post office!!! I had a loaner scale from a lactation consultant. It was $15 to rent for a week, $30 for a month. I was glad to have it to weigh the baby at birth, when my milk came in, at 1 week, 2 weeks, and a month....

[bionicsquirrel]

Out of curiosity, are any of you UC moms plus size? I am a bigger mama and some people have expressed concerns to me about there being more complications because of my size. I don't think this is true and I am very strong also, so I am not really worried, but it would be nice to hear examples from big mamas who have had UCs, if just for the moral support.

[cottonwood]

Originally Posted by KateSt.

She said it's MY birth, I call the shots, and she'd just be in the next room. She said the most she'd want to do is make me a smoothie, clean up after, and give me love -- she said dh can catch the baby, cut the cord, etc. She said if I just want her there as a friend, then that's what she'd do.

If you wanted to have a midwife there, it sounds like she'd be ideal! The midwife who attended my second birth was very flexible too, she basically did nothing but sit in a corner and observe. She was wonderful!

She said if anything she thinks I'm underestimating the amount of support she can give me.

Unfortunately, the implication there is that (she thinks) you are underestimating the amount of support that you will need, right?

But then I wonder if I'm being too inflexible and hard-headed (and how is that sort of attitude going to lend itself to parenting?).

The flip side of that is conviction and the honoring of your instincts and feelings. Which is it that you're really feeling about yourself?

But I still can't help but think I'd have a "resucer" there and perhaps subconsciously I'd rely on her rather than on myself (and I conveyed this to her). I also told her, just the very fact that she'd be in my house would make me take the focus off me and my baby and my intuition --

I agree, it's extremely important to take this into consideration.

and she says that in the moments of labor, most women 'forget' themselves and don't notice who's in the room.

This disturbs me, because by saying this she's basically trying to minimize your above concerns, as if they aren't valid. Besides that, maybe she's just wrong. There's a theory that the reason women go into laborland, where they're not aware of what's going on around them, is the body's defensive response to aspects of the birth environment that are hindering the body's normal function. It makes a lot of sense, when you consider that labor is hindered when the neocortex is stimulated. So to avoid that happening, the woman's body shuts off part of her awareness. But in the absence of that inhibiting outside influence, there would be no reason for that defensive mechanism to come into play. Which is why many women who give birth unassisted find that they never do go into "laborland" -- that they are quite aware and alert throughout the whole thing.

I promised myself I wouldn't let her make me second-guess myself-- and if she'd been a b*tch, I wouldn't be! But as a first time mama, maybe my confidence in my intuition is a bit arrogant?

Don't even go there! Your confidence in your intuition is exactly what will lead you to the right decision for you, whether that be UC or a midwife-attended birth.

[cottonwood]

Originally Posted by Asheville Mama

She started telling me her birth story, which I reminded her she had already told me! But she continued telling me about how the midwife just plopped the baby on her chest "like a piece of meat," and he was gray. Thank goodness they were there with the O2.

Obviously we cannot guarantee a good outcome (no matter what choices we make.) That needs to be acknowledged, yes. But it also needs to be acknowledged that sometimes complications are not natural, but created, even by something as seemingly innocuous as the simple presence of another person. This woman cannot say with certainty that the same thing would have happened had the midwife not been there. There is a great assumption among most hospital birthers and homebirthers that anytime anything bad happens, it is a natural complication (that is, inherent to this body's birth process,) and that it could not possibly resolve on its own or without the help of "experts." And this is just not necessarily so.

[cottonwood]

What I gathered for the birth:

sterilized white shoelace and scissors
lots of clean towels
big bowl to catch and store placenta in
something warm to wrap baby in
camera and film
frozen meals
baby clothes, diapers, receiving blankets
music
candles and lighter
water filter
cloth mama pads

Lula's Mom, here's the position my baby was in the last weeks: head nestled distinctly into the right side of my pelvis, back curving around to the left side, and butt above bellybutton. I think she just had a lot of room in there. In any case, she scooted into position for the birth (LOA, with head centered above pelvis) just fine. She did some flip-flopping right to left to right for a while, but I can't remember when that stopped.

bionicsquirrel, I think that there is a lot of fat phobia in maternity care that is not justified. It's not your size in itself that is the issue, it's how your body functions at your size. Yes, some women with excess weight have weight-related health problems, and that can carry over into pregnancy. But some fat people are perfectly healthy, and it's ridiculous to treat them as if they are not. FWIW, I am 5'6" and 200 lbs. when not pregnant (considered clinically obese ) and I have had four very healthy pregnancies, four complication-free homebirths, and two UCs.

[Chandar]

bionicsquirrel....I am 5'8, and was 238 prepregnancy. I had no weght related problems during either pgs or births. What bv said is true. If you are unhealthy, big or not, you are unhealthy. My biggest issue was maternity clothes that were cute and fit. I think if you feel you are a healthy capable woman, then you are.

[Kundalini-Mama]

Thanks mamas!! I wish I knew how to quote different posts, but I am not knowledgeable enough, so I will just go back and forth.

Oh and before I forget, Asheville Mama, I'm sorry that she felt the need to unload that on you.

And who has the baby in that position w/the head to the right? B/C that is exactly how this one is laying, head at 1 o'clock (if I'm looking down), and bum above my belly button. Linda, how big was your little one when she was born? I was thinking this baby must be a lot smaller than my first (when I was on the high dairy diet), so I'm just curious.

Laura, I already have some clary sage EO, but forgot to put it on my list. I also already have thermometers---for me I presume in case of PROM? What is w/the flexible straws?

Indigo, let's see I have tons of towels already, so I didn't put them on the list, and I already have some sheppard's purse which I forgot about and cinnamon tincture. What did you use the skullcap for? I always have nettles and RRL on hand, so my plan is to just brew some in early labor, or brew it like I do everyday anyway. I have no idea what I want to do for music. The 80s music I usually listen to doesn't really seem to cut it. :LOL

Ame, did your sewing scissors become useless for sewing after the cord was cut? I'm assuming yes, but just curious. I'm also thinking of putting up some shelves in the room I'm planning on birthing in to put up some votives and such, as the light is really harsh.

tryinghardmama, thanks for your extensive post Tell me, what do you recommend homeopathically speaking for afterpains? I am not scared of birth or labor, but freakin' terrified of the afterpains. I really want to be prepared for them. I got oneafter the birth of my son, and I thought I was going to die :LOL And I drink chlorophyl every day, so that is already on hand. My downstairs tenant is manager at the co-op, so I just planned on bringing baby there to weigh--but a very good question.

Linda, thank you for your post on Kate's post. Did that make sense? There were some things that her mw said that did bother me, but in not reading it again before I posted I forgot some things I was thinking. I really felt a, "eeh" feeling about how Kate might be underestimating how much she might need the mw, which I found a little condescending and unintentionally (or intentionally) would make Kate 2nd guess herself. The funny thing is (the more I think of it), your mw Kate sounds exactly like my mw before I got pregnant and during the 1st interview. If you have followed my bitching about her, you will notice that she changed, subtlely, throughout the pregnancy. Not saying yours will, but just my experience w/my ex-MW.

THANKS!! I'm starting to feel prepared.
Amy

[Chiromom]

Hi all,

I've been absent from this thread for a while..super crazy busy opening a new practice.

My birthkit was similar to Linda's: blankets, towels, scissors and a clean shoelace for tying off the cord.

I must say, I don't see why the scissors would lose future usefulness following cutting the cord. The tissue of the cord doesn't "dull" the blade, nor would "cord germs" cause any potential dangers. Those germs are already present in your household anyway. Maybe you are just considering keeping the scissors as a keepsake?

I personally choose NOT to put a cap on a newborn infant's head for the first 48 hours. I practice cranial sacral work as well as chiropractic and the cap can constrict the skull during the critical period of early "molding" (or really re-molding) following the baby's passage thru the bith canal. Having no hat, insures no interference (via pressure and impingement) to this critical stage of readjustment of the cranial bones to life outside the womb. The baby will regulate its temperature just fine without a hat as long as it is dressed appropriately or else skin on skin with mom (or dad).

Mar

[cottonwood]

Originally Posted by AmyD

And who has the baby in that position w/the head to the right? B/C that is exactly how this one is laying, head at 1 o'clock (if I'm looking down), and bum above my belly button. Linda, how big was your little one when she was born?

She was a little thing, 7 lbs.

[Kundalini-Mama]

Originally Posted by Chiromom

I must say, I don't see why the scissors would lose future usefulness following cutting the cord. The tissue of the cord doesn't "dull" the blade, nor would "cord germs" cause any potential dangers. Those germs are already present in your household anyway. Maybe you are just considering keeping the scissors as a keepsake?

I know that paper can dull sewing scissors, and despite my strict instructions to my husband NOT to use my sewing scissors, they have become increasingly difficult to use on fabric, the freakin' bastard. I mean, I only told him 600x, so I see why it hasn't sunk in yet (please see my numerous posts on parents as partners for an in depth look at my hubby's inablity to return from his home in outer space) Germs don't concern me. I just want to save my scissors :LOL

Amy

[Kundalini-Mama]

Originally Posted by blueviolet

She was a little thing, 7 lbs.

That's what I'm thinking this one will be. A petite 7lbs too. Interesting.

[Asheville Mama]

Thanks for the comforting words mamas!

Lula's Mom, as for the position and seeing a chiro, my dh is one so I have some insight. Chiromom might be able to help shed some light as well. Basically, there could definitely be a structural issue that torques your pelvis. This is what the Webster tech does, it is a pelvic adjustment to allow for optimal function of your body so that the baby has the optimum environment in which to get into position. personally, I can't imagine going through my pregnancy without being adjusted so I would recommend anyone to do the same.

I also agree with Ame's comments about communication with the baby. I think talking to the baby about everything including position is a great idea.

ChiroMom, thanks for the input about the hat. I didn't think too much about it with my dd, the midwife just jumped in and put one on her. DD did have some cranial sacral work done later. Now that you mention it I'll be sure to skip the hat this time.

[willowsmom]

Hey everyone...I'm also not currently pregnant...but I am currently TTC. My daughter Willow was born via "emergency" c-sec..and I'm doubting the necessity of that now that I'm trying for #2. I want to have a homebirth...but due to finances, I really can't afford a midwife. How do I persuade dh to my view? I know he'll have some issues with having a UC due to my first experience. Any ideas?

TIA