40 weeks tomorrow

This morning I visited my midwife for my 40 week check-up. After a lovely chat and making some last minute arrangements, she taught me her special nipple stimulation technique so I can try to encourage things along and not end up needing to go down the route of monitoring in the hospital after 42 weeks.

It was quite funny actually as my friend (and student midwife) Mel was there and Joy suggested she try it on her own nipples so she could feel her body respond and understand what the mother may feel (sort of- without feeling her uterus contract around a giant baby). So we were all sitting there stroking our nipples together and having a good old giggle. We were very pleased to see that my uterus responded very quickly with a nice strong contraction and I had three more before I left. All seems well. My blood pressure is 110/70 as usual. FHT= 140. Position feels good and the head is down nice and low now.

John and Molly went op-shopping while I was there (Molly bought a birthday present for the baby... very sweet) and when they picked me up we headed back across town toward home. We decided to make a quick detour via the Abbostford Convent bakery to get a delicious pie for lunch. I really didn't feel like getting out of the car so John ran in and we ate our lunch in the car before heading home. On the drive I felt all spacey and glazed and really couldn't wait to get home into my nest.

There has been the nicest feeling in the house since we got home. John and I sat down to have a cup of tea and enjoyed sharing a piece of lemon slice and a florentine cookie. I decided to try the nipple thing and it started working immediately. John left me to it while he helped Molly tidy her room.

For the rest of the afternoon I have only needed to stimulate about one in five contractions. They are starting to become more pronounced but still not painful. I just had the most wonderfully hot shower (finally, it's cool enough weather to enjoy one!) while John took Molly for a scoot down to the park and I have just really enjoyed the alone time, sitting on my bed all warm from the shower with some beautiful candles burning, feeling my body prepare itself for the work ahead. I have decided to have a break from trying to make them happen while I have dinner and see if my body decides it wants to keep them happening.

I am really excited to meet our baby. Will it be a little boy or a little girl?? We have names ready finally!

Not getting my hopes up as I have had a lot of prelabour and I know that it could all stop before the night is through. Right now I am just enjoying the stretching, pulling, crampy sensations that signal that our baby may not be far away from meeting us.

We shall see...

39 week belly

39 week update

Okay, so I have been a bit MIA recently.. To be honest, I can't be bothered blogging but have forced myself to come and record what's going on in week 39!

In dot points:

• 39 weeks today

• Have had 25 hours of pre-labour that ended yesterday afternoon. It was hurty and regular enough that I called midwife and support people to let them know that I thought things might be starting. It was a really nice family day going for walks and hanging out. The contractions felt like they were doing something so hopefully my active labour will be a little shorter. I have had quite a few hurty contractions since (having one now actually) but not regular. I'm thinking baby is trying to find a good position and then s/he will hit the go button.

• We set up the birth pool last week and have checked that all the hoses etc connect. Good to go!

• Washed and folded all the cloth nappies and everything has a place.

• The bed is prepared with a waterproof liner.

• I've lost a kilo in the last 2 days... worth noting but not important.

• Had my mother blessing- it was a gorgeous time with my women friends and family. I now have some beautiful prayer flags, a birth necklace made of beads contributed by the guests and an amazing henna owl belly.

• I am a bit of a hermit right now but am feeling frustrated because I'm not getting out of the house much.. I'm full of contradictions. 

That will do for now.. Back to being bored and frustrated.. lol

;P

38 week belly

Phil's first podcast!

Skinny Latte Srikes Back- Podcast: Health and happiness

Check it out!!

My goodness!!

That pregnancy ticker over there says I'm going to have a baby real soon!!

Yikes!

:-D

Keep it Simple

For Shella-Michel Odent - 3 of 3 on birth

For Shella-Michel Odent - 2 of 3 on gentle birth

For Shella- Michel Odent - 1 of 3 on gentle birth

Yay for Home!: Never far

Shae has shared about PTSD from the births of her children. I relate to this in a big way..

Yay for Home!: Never far: "Harper rolls in on her ankles pretty badly when she walks, bad enough that she has kind of knock knees and trips over a bit. What does this ..."

Private vs public vs independent midwifery...

Here is an email I sent today to a friend who asked me my advice about models of prenatal care.. I thought I'd post my response here as I feel it could help others who are considering threr options.

Hi there!

I would be happy to give you advice based on my research and experience.

I chose public hospital midwifery care for Molly's birth. This meant everything was covered including all tests. The reason I chose public care was less due to cost though and more due to the MUCH lower rates of intervention and cesarean section. Midwifery care is recommended by the World Health Organisation as the gold standard of care. Obstetricians are very good at working with high risk mothers however (with the exception of a few) they treat all pregnancies as if they are high risk- that's what they are trained to do. Pregnancy is not a medical emergency and midwifery care is a much better option for a healthy mother and baby. Private hospitals have much higher cesarian rates than public hospitals. *** 

This time I am choosing to pay an independent midwife and give birth at home. I felt that being in the hospital system caused much of the drama that happened with Molly's birth. I was pregnant until 42 weeks and because of hospital policy (no clinical evidence to say either of us were not ok) I was induced and ended up with a very traumatic birth experience. No cesarean luckily but forceps and a big episiotomy and then breastfeeding dramas due to Molly being (in my opinion) unnecessarily put in the special care unit. 

So now I have a midwife (Joy) who has been working since 1973 to be with me when I give birth. She is caring and nurturing but highly experienced and I feel completely confident in her care. I have a hospital backup if I need it and Joy is trained to pick up any signs early which may indicate I need to transfer. We don't have a lot of spare money but I feel this is an expense I would go into debt for as it is so important to me to avoid the same kind of thing that happened with Molly.

Birth environment is exceptionally important when it comes to having a calm and physiological birth without the need for interventions. It is another process of elimination (like pooing! lol) and requires the same kind of safety and privacy to prevent getting "stage fright". Imagine having to do a poo in a room full of strangers with a bright light shining on your butt?? Or imagine having sex and trying to climax in this same kind of environment??!! It's the same hormones that got the baby in that will get the baby out and they can be easily disturbed. That's why there are so many more interventions in hospitals. It just doesn't always feel that safe and secure (but it CAN of course). The body knows what to do, however you can increase your chances of a really good birth by choosing your birth environment carefully. (SEE Dr. Michel Odent's work and Dr. Sarah Buckley)

There is some extremely good evidence based information here: http://www.birthready.com.au/articles/choosing-your-caregiver/ 

Hope this helps.. I am definitely biased but have done my research.

xo

Ash

** I have removed a sentence about obs making money from performing procedures as I realise I need some stats to back this up. While I am pretty confident in this statement, I am choosing to remove it as I don't have the data at this moment.

37 week belly