[momma2be]

This is my first babe and I've been trying to research as much as possible on things like natural birth, prenatal testing, shots given after birth, basically anything I can get my hands on! I have no one here to help me, my mom and mil are both 2,000 miles away and are firm believers in technology, drugs, etc. I can't really go to them for advice/help.
Anyway, I guess what I'm asking for are any suggestions for websites to visit, books to read (hubby says my limit is 2!), any specific thing I should be researching? I want to be armed and ready with facts if the doctor tries to do something unnecessary.
Since this is my first, I'm going to the hospital to give birth, I don't want to risk a hb. Plus we are 1 1/2 hours away, so if we had an emergency, we might not make it!
Any and all help is appreciated, I know nada!

 

[tannersmommy]

If I could only suggest 2 books (you're going to have to talk to your husband on that one...that's not fair!

) they would be The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer, and hmmmmm, maybe Immaculate Deception II by Suzanne Arms. Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth by Ina Mae Gaskin is full of wonderful birth stories that might really change your mind about homebirth (it's actually very safe - not a "risk," but I understand if you're not ready to make the jump).

If you don't already, you should get a subscription to Mothering Magazine or check out back issues at the library.

I'll add other suggestions as I think of more. Good luck in your research, and good for you for researching one of the most important events of your life (if not THE most important!).

P.S. Stay away from the "What to Expect.." books. If you are looking for natural, they aren't what you're looking for.

 

[MacKinnon]

Are you only able to get two books total? Like for pregnancy and birth? If you are looking for a good basic life-after-baby book, I really like The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. It has lots of good developmental info, care, breastfeeding, benifits of natural birth... Not very in-depth on the pregnancy/birth but he has others that cover those topics.

I would second The Thinking Women's Guide to a Better Birth and if you don't have breastfeeding support, definitly a good breastfeeding book. I can't remember any titles off hand, have to check my shelf at home... I have Nursing Mother, Working Mother but that is specific to those who are working. Kellymom.com is a fabulous breastfeeding support site.

A lot of the forums here on MDC have stickies at the top with links to sites and books that support their topic ie breastfeeding, gentle discipline, the case against vaccination, etc.

Buy used on the Trading Post (once you have enough posts), Amazon and eBay. Maybe instead of setting a limit on books, you can have a price limit? Like $50, which would be the cost of two good quality new books at Borders.

 

[Shenandoah]

http://www.spinningbabies.com

Optimum Fetal Positioning is very important. I cannot tell you the number of women I know who have had c-sections with their first pregnancies because the baby was posterior. Posterior means facing your belly button during labor when s/he should be anterior, or facing your back.

Two very important things I wish I had known are that a face down knees-to-chest position (on the floor, yoga position known as child's position) will make a posterior baby flip (before labor). During labor if things are taking a long time (6-8+ hours) you should try getting on the floor on your hands and knees and rocking. A long labor or back pain during labor is a sign of a posterior baby and rocking like that will give the baby room to flip.

Also DO NOT BE INDUCED.

 

[janerose]

Well, I read a book on the Bradley method of birthing, and while I didn't really do the Bradley method the info the book gave about how your body/mind work during labor & delivery was fantastic. Also, great info about "standard" medical procedures and the true risks involved. I also read _Birthing From Within_. Parts were a little crunchy for me, but she gives lots of great pain management techniques & also many insightful views into what to expect during labor & delivery. Is it possible to see if your library can get some of the books through inter-library loan if they're not in stock?

As far as info on things like the Vitamin K shot, eye goo, vax, testing, etc. I just did a search here at MDC. Read through what pops up and follow the links. Seriously, the search function at MDC is by far my preferred way to start researching any particular subject regarding NFL!

FWIW, we skipped all the newborn procedures except the heal prick & the hearing test. It does depend on what state you're in though. We were in VT at that point, but now we're in NY. In NY you can sign a form waiving the Vit K & eye goo, but it's CPS reportable.

: We are still thinking we're going to waive them, but are still debating before we make a final decision.

Good luck!

Holly

 

[PortraitPixie]

just going to second the great advice here so far....

Congrats and Welcome!!

 

[janerose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shenandoah http://www.spinningbabies.com Optimum Fetal Positioning is very important. I cannot tell you the number of women I know who have had c-sections with their first pregnancies because the baby was posterior. Posterior means facing your belly button during labor when s/he should be anterior, or facing your back. Two very important things I wish I had known are that a face down knees-to-chest position (on the floor, yoga position known as child's position) will make a posterior baby flip (before labor). During labor if things are taking a long time (6-8+ hours) you should try getting on the floor on your hands and knees and rocking. A long labor or back pain during labor is a sign of a posterior baby and rocking like that will give the baby room to flip. Also DO NOT BE INDUCED.

Thank you for this link!

I didn't end up with a c/s thanks to a super supportive midwife, but I'm almost positive DD wasn't facing correctly at the start of labor. I had primarily back labor & was in labor 14 hours, including an hour of pushing. Also, once I did the hand & knees thing I was able to lay on my back again & quickly went into transition and pushing.

Holly

 

[mzfern]

I second PortraitPixie's welcome

Are you due in January? There's a number of us here that are expecting our firsts. It's an exciting time! You're in a great place for learning about a whole other way of thinking about pregnancy, child-raising, and life in general!

 

[Jess_n'_the_bean]

Birthing From Within...
it is a bit crunchy but also inspirational and has some really good 'exercises' to get you and partner psychologically, spiritually and emotionally prepared.

 

[momma2be]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice - keep it comin!
Yep, we're due in Jan, thought it was Feb, shows how much we know

I'm pretty much addicted to this site, so maybe some of the good stuff will rub off
Thanks again!

 

[Ahappymel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tannersmommy Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth by Ina Mae Gaskin is full of wonderful birth stories that might really change your mind about homebirth (it's actually very safe - not a "risk," but I understand if you're not ready to make the jump).

I second this book. It's great. Wonderful statistical data from their midwifery community (gathered over 30 years!) listed at the end which frankly, made me really gain a whole lot of faith in homebirth.
Even if you are only considering doing a hospital birth, I think her book gives you a lot of powerful information so that you can really be in the know about interventions/treatments that might be offered to you that could jeopardize your/your baby's safety.

 

[tannersmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shenandoah Also DO NOT BE INDUCED.

Here, here! This is excellent advice for all of our first time moms. In fact, I'll say it again. DO NOT BE INDUCED.

 

[Ahappymel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tannersmommy Here, here! This is excellent advice for all of our first time moms. In fact, I'll say it again. DO NOT BE INDUCED.

Okay, I say it third

I am not a midwife or other kind of birth professional...however I've watched many birth videos and have my own personal experience and those of friends to vouch for what I am saying.
Induced labors make your labor much more intense, contractions close together and put you at a risk for uterine rupture.
Induced labor is often followed by epidural because of this intensity/frequency of contractions.
Those with epidural are then at higher risk for c-section...
It just seems like a very slippery slope.
In own experience I remember that natural labor was MUCH more manageable than pitocin labor.
Natural labor was tolerable....pitocin labor felt intolerable to me.

Good luck to all you 1st time Mamas! You're gonna do great!

 

[eli janine]

Ideally, I would have liked a pitocin-free labor, but there are times when you just don't have that option. My water broke at 10:00 pm, and at 10:00 am the following morning I was still not contracting at all, only dilated to 2 cm (which I had been for three weeks). Especially because I was GBS+ with DS, they needed to get me rolling. The hospital where I labored allowed me to wait that long with only occasional checks, ad then once they started the pitocin, they started at a very low dose and stopped it as soon as my body responded. Only once did they "turn it back on" when my contractions started to ebb. Labor was very tolerable, and I didn't need any pain meds. I think if your hospital is actually willing to be sensitive to your desires and is not overly ready to throw you into an epidural and/or C-section, it can go fine. So just to throw in my two cents that it's still possible to have a beautiful and natural-feeling birth (even in a hospital) while being induced!

 

[Ahappymel]

eli janine,
I want to say that I wasn't trying to disparage any mom who had less than an "ideal" experience due to any combination of factors (my first wasn't ideal either....and similar to your experience, I was on the hospital's timeclock of how I should be progressing according to their schedule...thus the interventions).
I am glad that is possible "to have a beautiful and natural-feeling birth (even in a hospital) while being induced"...although frankly (again based on my own reading, experience, witness of others personally/birth video), I think the probability of having that while induced is outweighed by the probability of the negative effects.
I also want to say to the OP, if you can hire a doula if you're having a hospital birth, that will also improve your odds of having the birth you desire there.

 

[tannersmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eli janine Ideally, I would have liked a pitocin-free labor, but there are times when you just don't have that option. My water broke at 10:00 pm, and at 10:00 am the following morning I was still not contracting at all, only dilated to 2 cm (which I had been for three weeks). Especially because I was GBS+ with DS, they needed to get me rolling. The hospital where I labored allowed me to wait that long with only occasional checks, ad then once they started the pitocin, they started at a very low dose and stopped it as soon as my body responded. Only once did they "turn it back on" when my contractions started to ebb. Labor was very tolerable, and I didn't need any pain meds. I think if your hospital is actually willing to be sensitive to your desires and is not overly ready to throw you into an epidural and/or C-section, it can go fine. So just to throw in my two cents that it's still possible to have a beautiful and natural-feeling birth (even in a hospital) while being induced!

eli janine, I'm so glad that you were able to have a natural-feeling birth at the hospital! Not to quibble over semantics, but I think in the case of your birth the pitocin you received would be considered "augmenting" labor, rather than truly inducing. When I think of induction I think of circumstances where someone is not in labor and their doctor has said "Baby is measuring big," or "I'm going on vacation," or "You're 38 weeks and you're complaining that you're uncomfortable? Sure, we can go ahead and induce." So they do some kind of cervical ripening, then pit, then end up with a c-section at 5 p.m. because they didn't progress fast enough and the doctor wants to go home for dinner....

I think it is so easy for a first timer to get to the end of pregnancy and get talked into induction - you're hot, you're aching (or actually hurting), you have heartburn, you're ankles are swelling, and doggone it you just want to hold your baby in your arms. Sure there are inductions that go well, but there are also tons that end in unnecessary c-sections. Warning against induction might help a first timer think twice when it is offered by her OB toward the end of her pregnancy.

 

[Ahappymel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tannersmommy eli janine, I'm so glad that you were able to have a natural-feeling birth at the hospital! Not to quibble over semantics, but I think in the case of your birth the pitocin you received would be considered "augmenting" labor, rather than truly inducing.

Tannersmommy, this is an important point and I also want to add that the personal experience I was speaking from was from being "augmented" opposed to being induced (no labor at all).

A great documentary for a first-time mom to watch is "Born in the USA"...

http://www.itvs.org/bornintheusa/film.html

 

[mom2wed]

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is a wonderful book. I also like Dr. Sears Birth Book (we used it as our "text book" in natural childbirth classes).

Try to find a nurse midwife to deliver the baby. Most will try to help you have a natural childbirth - even in a hospital setting.

Find a pediatrician that encourages breastfeeding and has a lactation consultant on staff. Find other people in the community that you can call on for breastfeeding support - La Leche League leaders, lactation consultants, veteran nursing mamas.

Congratulations and best wishes!

 

[sunshinesmommy]

I think one of the best books to read is Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley. You don't have to be planning a UC to need this book. It will give you the confidence in your own body and the birth process.(also if there is a chance you may not make it to the hosp. in time you wouldn't worry after reading this. It also tells you the negative side of many routine hosp procedures.
2nd choice is Ina Mae Gaskin's guide to childbirth

Welcome to the group and good luck

 

[eli janine]

First, I agree that in my case the pitocin probably was more of augmentation rather than induction of labor. My doctor was actually planning on inducing me the following week if no natural action because I had a horrible PUPPP rash that was causing a lot of problems, as well as sky-high bp and edema.

It's hard to get tone across in these messages, and I want to be very clear that I didn't find any messages offensive or disparaging...and I hope you didn't get that feeling from mine. I only worry that new mothers sometimes have expectations of what their birth has to be in order for it to fit into their idea of a natural childbirth, and then if that goes awry (as it can, for various reasons), they can feel very scared, (like "*dang* I know this pitocin is going to be terrible and I'm probably going to end up with an epi and a c/s!") and even ashamed at how their birth experience progressed.

And I agree that if you don't feel that your ob is supportive of your wishes for natural birth ("yeah, let's get this over with by dinner time"), and you feel that the hospital staff may not support and honor the choices you make, you should definitely have an advocate with you to speak when you may be too exhausted, too pained, or too scared to figure out your own will. This could be a doula, your partner, or a trusted friend.

I just want to reassure new mamas that even if things don't go exactly according to the birth plan, it can still be a joyful, empowering, and manageable thing to labor and give birth to the newest love of your life!

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