What are you doing differently this time?

[~Megan~]

If this is your second or more pregnancy I'm guessing like me you have a learned something (or a lot like me) since the last time.
What do you hope or plan to do differently?

I will eat better. I didn't know about organics before and we ate out a lot.
I am taking better prenatals not the ones my OB prescribed like last time.
I am using a HBMW, not an OB
I will hopefully not have sciatic pain, which last time was my first indicator of pregnancy.
I want to go longer this time, with dd she was take at 36.5 weeks.
She was breech and the OB did a c-section. So no section this time.
I'm also hoping to be more educated about pregnancy and labor than I was last time.

[Little Cluck]

I am taking more supplements besides my Rainbow Light prenatals.
I am using the Brewer's diet as a guideline to try to avoid high blood pressure.
I am wanting to read the Bradley book and may use the method for laboring.
I am hoping to keep a more positive attitude and enjoy the last months of pregnancy more.
I am hoping to exercise more (daily walk!)

amarasmom, have you read Ina May Gaskin's A Guide to Childbirth? I think that is the title! My sis has mine right now. Awesome book for every woman who wants to be more educated about pregnancy and labor.

I also want to get my hands on Shonda Parker's Naturally Healthy Pregnancy. Really want to avoid high bp this time and swelling and just be in a great position to have our 3rd homebirth!

[Calysto]

Hmm.... I guess I am actually taking a more laid back attitude with this pregnancy. With my first I was very uptight and ate only good for me stuff, completely ignoring my body's cravings and things. With my second, my cravings took over me!! I think I was eating a gallon of ice cream every couple of days!!! (Yet I only gained 2 pounds!! How cool is that??) I am hoping this time to be able to balance the healthy food with the cravings. So far all I want is salad, so hopefully it will be easy.

[rainbowmoon]

great thread!

I will be doing quite a few things differently. including following my intuition for this pg. anyway here's the list I've got started so far!

- provide my own prenatal care (unless otherwise indicated)
- not sitting on *bad* furniture & bucket seats of my car (I did this last pg and ended w/ a c/s due to positioning)
- be a little more aware of my umm weight gain..I gained 60 lb with ds
- take resting seriously during the final weeks
- not let other people scare me into doing things I don't want to do
- absolutley NO vaginal exams near birth or during labor (I'm planning to UC so it likely won't be an issue)
- read & memorize Optimal Feotal Positioning & Active Birth, I also am reading every back issue of MT as well.
- chiropractic care for the last 2-3 months
- monthly massage until 3rd trimester then weekly massage for the last weeks
- hiring a doula for CBE w/ DH and labor if I can find someone to come for a UC that is. *** and a PP one as well!
- study and use hypnobirthing!
-prenatal yoga
-affirmations and meditation daily

[Little Cluck]

Rainbowmoon,
Just wanted to say we've had 2 UCs and I think we're going for a 3rd!!

[darsmama]

Amarasmom, I just wanted to say CONGRATS on the new baby! How cool!!!!!!
:
(oh & Loreena Mck. rocks. We use to dance to her in our bellydance class, & my nephews name is Greyson )

Sorry if this is a book, but I've learned so much since my last pregnancy! 1 year and 2 days ago I was single and not pregnant. Fast forward to today and I'm married, with a 4 month old, and one on the way. It's amazing how fast things change.


Things I will (Am) do different this time:

1: Quit smoking. Everyday is a struggle, but everyday it seems more & more worth it.
2: Accept the pregnancy. I think I was in a depression last time & didn't do so well.
3: Drink more tea & try to make caffeine a treat -rare.
4: Try harder at breastfeeding
5: Forego my pride and use Depends for the first few days PP
6: Bellydance more
7: Hopefully get more mama friends to help PP & vice versa
8: Surround myself with supportive people
9: Keep investigating organic food
10: Go sugarfree and as dairy free as possibly in the last 6 weeks.

And as a prev. poster said OFP all the way!

[K's Mom!]

My second dc due in August!

hello fellow expectant mothers!
Congratulations to all of you! This is a Fantastic thread. I know that more than anything the one thing that changed with this preg. vs. the last is my mental attitude. Anyone else? I know that with the last one I was all about the pitty- potty, especially near the end. Now I am so exhilarated to be preg. again. we tried for 4 mos. before we found out 1 week ago. I have read the Continuum concept by Jean Liedloff and I am going to read The Natural Child by Jan Hunt. These books have really adjusted my POV. But there are several other things that I am changing, they are:
1.) Eat healthier- ( I don't have a license to pig out just because of the baby! )
2.) Continue to do yoga to help my body accept preg. and labor.
3.) allow loved ones to help me with my housework, once I am farther along. Keep telling myself that I am not superwoman!
4.) Quit drinking caffeine.
These are my main ones, but there are many. Are any of you preparing your toddlers for the new baby? I have been trying to explain preg. to my 2 yr. old dd, but she saw pics. of an embryo and didn't really believe that it was a baby or that one of those was inside mommy!! Maybe as My Uterus grows and my abdomen gets much larger, she will begin to understand! Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated? Any really good books out there on this topic??

Happy Pregnancy to you all,

Andrya edd: 08/2005!!! :yawning: loving wife to my best friend, Alex and attached sahm mama to Kaianna 2(1/20/2003) and serrogant mama to sadie kitty

[~Megan~]

Andrya,
I ordered 3 books off amazon for her. We got "What Baby Needs", "Welcome With Love", and "We Have a Baby!"
We will read these often and I think it will help her.

[nancy926]

Not sure what I will do differently this time....I really tried to listen to my body w/my pregnancy w/DD...ate what I craved, drank a lot of water, etc. I was definitely a bit uptight about it all though....so maybe

Not worry about weight gain or lack thereof

Go to our chiro, and get some massage therapy

Get a doula (I'll probably be giving birth in a hospital birth center this time -- DD was born vaginally and drug-free in a freestanding bc)

Go to the birth center later on in labor

Somehow be less stressed out during labor...early labor was great, but as soon as I got to the bc I got stressed out and things slowed down. I was happy to have a natural birth with no complications but I am hoping for something more mellow this time (I had people shouting at me to push.).


I've already given up coffee....I thought it would be difficult but I just am not interested in it anymore. Proof that pregnancy messes with your head, lol.....

Nancy

[Kerrie]

This is my 4th PG and I'm really going to try to make it different from my first 2 (3rd ended in m/c). I'm going to be more aware and educated this time about EVERYTHING. I'm not going to birth this baby in a hospital on some doctor's timeframe or get pitocin because my water had been broken for 13 hours and it was unlikely that I would have the baby before the magical 24 hour mark. I'm going to a birthcenter. While I am going to give into my cravings I'm not going to go nuts. I'm really going to try to enjoy this PG as it will be my last. There are so many things....

[umbrella]

I can't really think of anything I'm doing differently during this pregnancy.

Oh wait, if I get hyperemesis again, I'll likely see an acupuncturist.

[Kaitnbugsmom]

*Listen to my instincts. I knew something was wrong with DD#1, but I trusted the medical community. Obviously not a good move on my part...

*Relax. I was so tense the last time, I gave myself hives and all sorts of fun things...

*Not be afraid to state my needs or my opinions, or to refuse ridiculous demands or requests from the establishment.

*take my prenatal every day, and the extra folic acid, and eat three real meals. It's hard for me to do these things, since I hate taking meds and I rarely eat regularly, but this baby deserves nothing less...

[fiddledebi]

I'm going to try to focus a bit more on the baby inside and less on the physical issues affecting my body...hard to explain, really, but I just want to spend some time thinking about the baby, giving him/her love and sending welcome vibes before s/he arrives. I was so sick with PUPPPs and HBP last time that I felt like the end of my pregnancy was just about getting the baby out -- not bringing my blessed child into the world. Does that make sense?

Physically, I know I did a good job last time and will do the same this time. I'm looking forward to feeling better so that I can exercise again...I did it last time but wasn't this nauseous last time.

Here's to listening to our bodies AND our babies!

[heldt123]

This time I am doing quite a few things differently.

1. Planning a homebirth either unassisted or with a midwife - water labor or waterbirth or both.
2. Eating better - last time I was too sick to keep much down and could only eat a few things for the first 4-1/2 months.
3. Don't plan to circumcise if it is a boy.
4. If I do deliver in the hospital I will have rooming-in with the baby. Last time they talked me into having him in the nursery. Gave him a pacifier and kept him all night. I had to ask three different people to bring him to me in the morning and didn't get to see him until 8:30 in the morning! And they wondered why he had trouble latching on!!!
5. I use all natural cleaners and organic produce when I can.
6. Under a lot less stress as I am at home most of the time and have a low-stress job two days a week.
7. If I do have to deliver in the hospital, I won't be afraid to speak up for what I want: like if I want the bed up higher I'll be danged if the nurse is going to keep moving it back down! No internal fetal monitor--they can check from the outside. And no contraction monitor-I don't want anyone telling me when to push!
8. Either no vaccinations or selective delayed vaccinations for this baby.

[Anguschick1]

Switched from medwives (associated w/VERY interventative obs) to a new midwife practice.

I'm looking into the Brewer Diet to help avoid the high blood pressure last time.

Start a prenatal aqua class at month 4 rather than waiting until the end.

Take a nap when I need it and ds allows.

Eat healthier (easier as I know what organics are and I'm not afraid to use 'em)

NOT eat 2 pb& J sandwiches for lunch and Papa John's cheese sticksfor dinner every day for the last 4 weeks.

Love my pregnant belly and show it off if I want to this summer. (Gotta love those tiger stripes!)

Look into hypnobirthing to help w/labor.

Read Birthing From Within to help heal from ds's birth.

If I need something whether it's emotional or physical, I'm going to ask for it. Emotional needs don't count less because they're emotional.

Take belly shots every month starting at 3 and every week for the last month.

The BIG difference - I'm going to continue nursing ds as long as we're able to (hopefully up to and through early labor and after delivery)

Labor in the water, maybe deliver there too?

NO vaccinations at birth - looking into eye drops.

Delayed cord cutting - until stopped pulsing or placenta delivered.

Eating small pieces of placenta to help w/pp hormones.

Make decisions because they are what's right for me and my family, not some silly protocol.

[JohnnysGirl]

Mainly I just want to get to term. 37 weeks or more would be great (with DS he came at 34 weeks and 4 days). Having a baby who isn't ready to breathe outside of you yet and has to spend the first days in the NICU just sucks royally.

Also, I really want to nurse DS throughout this pregnancy and tandem nurse afterwards.




BTW, The Natural Child by Jan Hunt is an awesome awesome book!!!!!!!

[ChiroWife]

I am going to do most everything the same. I was very happy with my pregnancy and the birth of DD.

A couple of things:
I might stay home longer while in labor, but that will just depend on my mood of the moment.
I might try a squatting position when pushing the baby out. Again, that just depends on how things have gone and what I feel like in the moment. I will try to wrap my head aroudn that one so I am prepared when the time comes.

[mags]

Originally Posted by amarasmom

I am taking better prenatals not the ones my OB prescribed like last time.

Which prenatal do you recommend? My ob gave me a bunch of samples and I'm not all the impressed with any of them so far.

As for what I will do differently this time...

1. I will try to relax this time and enjoy my pregnancy.

2. Hopefully, I will be able to eat something this time (baaaaad m/s and vomiting from wk 8 all the way to the end last time, I only gained 13 lbs, and ate mostly popsicles, citrus fruit and sometimes mcdonalds, everything else made me sick).

Otherwise, I think I did the best that I could my last pregnancy. It will be more difficult this time around, b/c I have to take care of my 11 mo old.

[~Megan~]

Which prenatal do you recommend?

I'm taking Maternal Symmetry this time. They are capsules so I can't taste much which is nice.

[ktmama]

Congrats to all of us who are taking a personal responsibility for the quality of our pregnancies and births! I'm so proud of us!

My plan is to relax more, use my resources and information more (including mothering.com) and be more assertive at the birth. Even though I had a hb last time, I layed on my back a lot, didn't eat or drink because of a BAD case of hiccups and ended up with 36 hours of labor. What I've learned is that this time, I need a MW who isn't afraid to kick my a$$ if I need it!