Preparing for Homebirth

I have chosen to birth my 3 children at home, and I am currently getting ready to birth my fourth at home as well! Preparing for a homebirth is not an entirely typical experience as a relatively small number of women give birth at home in the US. Although that number is on the rise! Here is an article about the 20% rise in recent years.
Choosing the place of birth and type of caregiver is one of the most important decisions you make. For more information on choosing your birth location or caregiver visit Childbirth Connection.
For more information on the safety of homebirth read my blogpost Homebirth is Safe.
I have monthly prenatals with my homebirth midwife. A homebirth midwife is a skilled attendant that has been trained and has experience with birth. She is highly skilled in dealing with most obstetrical emergencies except those requiring surgery or medication. Many homebirth midwives have clients who have had previous cesareans. They also attend breech and twin births as well in some cases. Midwives as a whole in this country are more educated and have more experience in dealing with breech births then OBs. Many are well trained in how to deal with shoulder dystocia and other complications of pregnancy and birth.
Our prenatals with our midwife are longer and more thorough then the average OB appointment. I love this video that gives a quick summary of some of the differences. Read my blogpost about why I love my midwife.
The difference I appreciate the most is that my midwife treats me like a person, and takes care of me as a whole. Her concern extends beyond my weight, urine output,blood pressure and fundal measurement. She often spends time to inquire about my mental and emotional health as well. She makes sure all of my questions are answered and encourages me to ask more. She helps my husband and I to educate and arm ourselves with information about the changes going on in my body, and what will happen during birth and after. We typically spend an hour in her office ( with no wait time!)
Even as a young parent pregnant for my first child at 20 years old, this information and genuine care my midwife provided filled me with confidence and trust in my body and the process of birth and the safety of homebirth. I went into labor without fear. Pain is easier to deal with in the absence of fear.
Emotionally I prepare for this birth by being aware that there is already a whole being, a person in my womb that is already having her own experience. Everything I am going through and experiencing this baby is experiencing as well. I try to make taking care of myself a priority. Taking care of my family is easier to do if I have taken care of myself. I do this by paying attention to my diet, staying active, forgiving myself when I’m not ;). I take the time to spend time doing things I enjoy, getting alone time and spending time with God. These things are just as important as my physical health.
We prepare our children by including them in our prenatals, telling them about the changes to baby and moma as they happen. We have been discussing keeping the children close for this birth, so we have already started talking to them about birth, what happens, what it might be like and answer any questions they have along the way.
Today I shopped online for a birth pool and my homebirth kit. We have a list of supplies that my midwife would like to have on hand for the birth, usually we provide things of a disposable nature. Such as gloves, pads, gauze and the like. With my first three we simply went to the store with a list. But this time I look forward to buying a kit and having everything together and sent to the house. I am most looking forward to the organic birth tea from Radiant Belly. You pour the tea onto your pads and freeze them for those afterbirth discomforts. It’s a simple blend that you could easily make yourself at your local health food store.
I have given birth to 2 of my children in the water and I highly recommend it! It helps with pain management and baby’s transistion into this world is calmer and less traumatic. I bought a pool for the first but its time for a new one as that was 9 years ago!
For more information on waterbirth, visit these links:
Waterbirth International
Waterbirth Solutions
I make a postpartum plan as opposed to a birth plan. A birth plan has not been as neccesary in our homebirth situation because my midwife provides a continuity of care. She has spent time getting to know me and my birth preferences and she will be my care provider ( unless theres a dire emergency or a simultaneous birth!) I do not get whoever is on call. So my birth preferences are known and do not neccesarily have to be put on paper for a provider that does not know me, or nurses that have never met me before.
A postpartum plan allows me to prepare for my rooming in the week following birth and make sure meals and chores and the other children will be cared for. I often get statements like” Well, I don’t to clean up the mess,” or “ I like pushing a button for water and ordering food!” Family and friends surround us as a family after birth and attend to our every need. So I can stay in bed with baby. Here is an example of a postpartum plan from Doulas of North America.
I also get questions about having a warmer, this makes me giggle. Mom and Dad’s bare chest is better then any high tech warmer out there. Mothers actually have the capability to read the baby’s body temperature and adjust their bodies heat with a fatty pad in the sternum area. Fathers bodies also respond in a similar fashion, although mothers can heat and cool baby, and Daddy is just a terrific heater.

I can't wait for this baby's birth-day to get here! I look forward to having my fourth homebirth and I encourage all women to read more about it and consider it as an option! To follow my pregnancy and homebirth journey read my blog: Bellabirthing

Henna

henna is done during pregnancy to bless the mama
historically it wasnt done on the belly but more commonly the feet or hands but many modern women use this tradition to decorate their bellies
both to be blessed and to appreciate their growing form
whenever i henna a belly the baby most certainly enjoys it as well and always moves all around as I do it
for some reason it took me a while to realize I can decorate my own belly as much as i want while im preggo! I can do it over and over! Weeeee

i love being Pregnant

forgive me if this upsets those of you who may be miserable the whole time
becuase the potential is there, even with a normal healthy, relatively comfortable pregnancy. he potential is most certainly there to be absolutely miserable the entire time. I have often told women, its a pregnant womans perogative to be whiny, moody or to change her mind often. It goes with the territory.
BUT i love it anyway in all its awful, hemoroid, varicose vein, swollen, hot crabby glory. Every minute is a miracle, albeit an uncomforable one.
and I love it
i love every little bump and roll as his baby girl shifts and moves in my belly
i love watching my other childrens eyes light up as they feel the baby's movements as well
i love talking baby names ( apologies to those who have gotten locked into never-ending baby name discussions with me ;) especially my husby)
i love swinging this big belly around, and watching in awe ( and horror) as my veins grow and swell working hard to provide oxygen and nutrients to the rest of my enormously pregnant body.
I love thinking about my birth and what it will be like this time
i love thinking about what she might look like, and if I'll actually get a brunette this time, who's genes are strong enough to overturn my own aryan german heritage of flaxen haired blue eyed beauties
what she might be like ( passionate like her eldest sister? patient and observant like her older brother, or smiley and sneaky like her elder sister? or her very own blend of our family?)
most of all I love that time really does fly when you're having fun and I am having fun so this pregnancy is flying by and I'll get to meet my baby girl before I know it!

Wordless Wednesday: Bump Watch 21wks

Belly Armor!

I have a very sexy new undergarment
Oh yeah......

I love it though, seriously.

quick anatomy lesson: The function of the round ligament is maintenance of the anteversion of the uterus (a position where the fundus of the uterus leans ventrally) during pregnancy. Normally, the cardinal ligament is what supports the uterine angle (angle of anteversion). When the uterus grows during pregnancy, the round ligaments can stretch causing pain.

My ligaments are not exactly functioning as mentioned above after a zillion preganancies so I am helping them along with my belly armor.It helps take the stree off my back and hips, and helps me avoid those excruciating pangs when your round ligament has been stretched a bit too far.

so yay for sexy new undergarments.

8 yo DS felt the baby move today!

he's been waiting forever. ;)
that is all.

20 weeks

oy vey
although i can admit my ignorance about the actual definition of oy vey, that phrase seems the best description for what i'm feeling.
there's a certain ring to it that denotes exhaustion, whether its a physical exhaustion, or one that comes from an exhaustion of mental or emotional resources. I am feeling all three
don't get me wrong, the joy that comes with pregnancy rarely falters, i have yet to have a single moment where i am lamenting the fact that i am pregnant, but its hard work! ( duh)
As i start my 20th week i have decided this blog post is about as productive as i am going to get today
we worked hard emptying and tidying the basement this memorial day weekend getting ready for (yet another) basement border my mom lives with us and my brother is coming home too,(should be interesting come homebirth time)
and my pops dragged us to the zoo( where i swear we saw no less then 2 dozen preggos, maybe i missed a pregnant flash mob of some sort)
so my body is begging me not to do anything today
its my second trimester, the time when you just LOVE being pregnant, your energy comes back, you stop puking, you're finally showing instead of just looking like you ate a few too many doughnuts
but the multips i've talked to warned me, when you get past 3 the pregnancies get increasingly harder so i didnt hold particularly high hopes of having a glorious second trimester
but eek! i feel like i should be about to pop, except i'm only half way there
my hips
my back
my round ligaments
and whatever that ache is at the top of my pubis
i'll say it again
oy vey