"Thirsty? Then your body is on its way to becoming dehydrated. For the average adult, water accounts for 60 percent of body weight. That water plays a critical role in nearly every bodily process. And being a quart or two low can affect how you feel. Water is key in body temperature regulation." (URMC)
It's all too easy to let the day go by without drinking enough water until your thirsty. As a pregnant mom, or if you're breast feeding staying hydrated is so important! You are your baby's source of hydration.
During pregnancy dehydration can worsen morning sickness, cause preterm contractions, swelling and more. Hydration contributes to fetal blood circulation,cell development and amniotic fluid. In "Raising Baby Green," Alan Greene, M.D., asks pregnant women to remember that their placenta is “providing approximately one cup of water each hour” just to replenish amniotic fluid in the womb.
Drinking water can be a tough habit to start, especially if you're accustomed to drinking sugary juice, sodas or coffee throughout your day. Cutting back on these beverages is the first step.
You can make staying hydrated more enjoyable by dressing up your water. Iced herbal teas are a yummy alternative, my favorite is peppermint!
Add fresh herbs and fruit to your water for a change of pace, here's a terrific recipe for Homemade Vitamin Water.
Doulas and midwives often make, or suggest making "laborade" a homemade hydrating Gatorade type drink. All natural and delicious, you can also use this during pregnancy and after birth while nursing to stay hydrated.
Simply stir together the following ingredients in a quart jar:
Water! ;)
1/3 cup of honey
1/3 cup of lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
If you're pregnant during the hottest summer months, it's worth it to find a maternity swimsuit or a suit that works for you. Swimming is great for your hardworking pregnant body, and a terrific way to cool down. It seems obvious, but remember to keep drinking while swimming, cooling down can make us forget we're thirsty!
Have you found some delicious and fun ways to stay hydrated and cool during the summer?
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Beautiful Birth Plan
Bella means beautiful and birth is exactly that.
What makes a birth beautiful?
You.
No matter if it’s a natural quick birth, or an extended tough labor, or a cesarean section, your birth can be beautiful. An experience to treasure, a story to tell. Women who have good support are empowered to make informed decisions, feel in control and have beautiful birth..
Use the links on my website to your advantage, an educated mother is an empowered mother.
Whether this is your first baby or your family is growing, visualize what your Bellabirth would be. Take a few minutes to ask yourself the following questions and maybe discuss them with your partner.
For me the ideal place to give birth would be……..
My top three priorities for this birth are……
I want the following people to be there to support me…….
And I want to be sure the following things are there…..
For me, I would like the following clinical/medical personnel there ……
For me, the best approach to pain management would be…..
What else is very important to you?
Use these questions as a jumping off point to creating a
BIRTH PLAN.
As a doula Inhelp many couple write their birth plan. Informational support is definitely a priority in my practice. I want to help childbearing families get the info they need to make truly informed decisions.
It is true that we cannot plan birth! There are so many variations of normal that you cannot pin point exactly how it will go. However a birth plan is a terrific outline for discussion. Discussion between you and your support people, care providers and spouse. Having your desires known can help streamline any conversations and decisions you are faced with during labor. I like to help my clients explore and have conversations that might. One up during birth, before labor ever begins. This can also help dispel fears, and labor is usually easier to cope with in the absence of fear.
Check out my website for some great links to help you write your own birth plan!
Friday, June 15, 2012
What do you wish you knew?
What do you wish someone had told you before you had your baby?before you got pregnant? Before you had. Csection? I like to do a series on just these types of questions.
Many of us read the books, go to the classes, here stories from relatives and friends when we're pregnant. But many women are still surprised by what they actually encounter.
I'd love to hear your story. If you'd like to guest post, or tell me your story so I can post about it let me know!
Many of us read the books, go to the classes, here stories from relatives and friends when we're pregnant. But many women are still surprised by what they actually encounter.
I'd love to hear your story. If you'd like to guest post, or tell me your story so I can post about it let me know!
Friday, November 4, 2011
The Birth of Charlotte-Anne
Maternity, birth and newborn picture slideshow. Story to follow soon!
We decided to share it publically so everyone could see what birth means to our family. Its an extrordinary event in the midst of our ordinary lives. A seemless continuation of our love.
We decided to share it publically so everyone could see what birth means to our family. Its an extrordinary event in the midst of our ordinary lives. A seemless continuation of our love.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
5 things your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores
My husband is a wonderfully hardworing helpful guy. In most cases, he is the guy to go to when you want to "Git 'er done!"
But there are somethings that I think he misses, that don't hit his radar so to speak, which I think is pretty common.
So to help out all you fellas out there that might be in this same catagory,I've jotted down a few tips that will make you a hero in your pregnant wifes eyes. Read on.....
#1 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Don't wait until she asks.
If you notice that something isn't getting done that maybe she got around to more often before she got pregnant, there's no need to even ask if she needs help, or to wait for her to ask you. When she notices that it was done without her even having to think about it, the relief she will feel and the resulting good feelings toward you will be worth the extra time and effort it took to do whatever it is.Bingo! You're superman already!
#2 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
All molehills are mountains, especially in the begining.
1st trimester exhaustion and nausea can make the simplest smallest chores horrendous or impossible. Taking out the trash, cleaning the toilet,picking up stinky stocks, cutting up raw chicken. All of these can trigger that super-mom-nose and launch a gastrointestinal attack she might not recover from the rest of the day. Keeping up on chores that have extra ick factor will make you her knight in shining armor. Some care providers advise womento avoid heavy lifting in the first months when baby is tiny and fragile, make sure she isn't taking on more then she can handle. This can include carrying heavy loads of laundry up and down stairs.The exhaustion pregnant women feel in the begining cannot be matched or compared to anything else, her body is rerouting every possible spark of energy towards growing that baby.Anything a pregnant women does should be considered bonus! or extra on top of the full time job of being pregnant, refrain from mentioning the lack of housework getting done, and instead suggest she take a nap.
#3 Thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
She can't bend over easily, and might not be able to see her feet.
As your wifes pregnant belly grows, it becomes quite the beautiful obstacle. Picking up shoes, picking up anything really requires grace, balance, and cleverness to acheive.Not to mention flexibility. Be careful not to leave behind anything that she will need to pick up from the floor.Not only are these things nearly impossible to pick up, but if she cant see her feet, she's not going to see things lying on the floor and might trip on them!
#4 Thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Cleaning the bathroom is misson impossible.
We already mentioned that chores with ick factor can be a morning sickness trigger.That beautiful belly I mentioned also makes it nearly impossible to get around that toilet to clean the bottom edge or the walls around it.I can promise you that as a man you see the inside of the toilet and the wall behind it more often then she does. So if your standing there and notice it could use a scrub, get to it! You've just scored yourself more hero points in a simple trip to the john.You may not use as much TP as your wife and kids do, but make sure to keep it stocked. Imagine being a mom with a brand new baby, you have all of 15 seconds to run to the bathroom in betwen breaking up fights, doing lessons, cooking something, changing a diaper, nursing, quieting a crying baby. Imagine the simple relief of always having TP there when you need it, without having to think about it or ask (#1!) Small things like this can make or break a mama on a bad day.
I am imagining that if your wife is exhausted she doesnt shower as often as she used to, this is something that will be true when baby comes as well. When you take a shower, give it a wipedown before you get out. I cant reach the far side of our tub and the corners unless I crawl in and do a flat footed squat. ( and then HOW? do I get back out again?!) When you get out of the shower, wipe down the counters and mirrors while everything is still steamy. These things will take you all of 5 minutes added to your morning get ready routine and the way it will make your pregnant wife feel is priceless.
#5 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Unless shes Martha Stewart, kitchen chores are more like a scene from Little Shop of Horrors then Leave it to Beaver.
Smells and tastes that your wife may have enjoyed once upon a time may now be compared to sewage, trash or worse.Not only that but her appetite may have dissapeared completely. Feeding herself,your kids or you may test every fiber of her being. If you ever find yourself able to help with a meal here and there, she will kiss your feet ( or not, because your socks may be stinky, but you get the point)Help her to make sure your family is getting plenty of veggies and protein, using easy "cheater' meals may be okay once in a while, but rememeber pregnancy lasts nearly a year! You dont want to sacrifice nutrition for that long.
Bellying up to the sink to do dishes is also a feat that requires reaching and twisting in ways that are not exactly favorable, safe or comfortable. I literally have to do the dishes from the hip. With my belly turned completely sideways away from the sink. Its a hilarious shot I must admit but not something I feel like doing that often.So don't wait until she's wishing for go go gadet arms, just take her place at the sink. ( and dont stop when the baby comes, is even more impossible to do dishes while holding a baby....)
There you go gentlemen, you're on your way to becoming a hero to your wife,and all of these things are easy, fast and won't change the pace of your day hardly at all. But it will make a HUGE difference in her life! You're welcome!
Men--if you have something else you did for your wife while she was pregnant that you know she appreciated, please share in the comments with your fellow man. And women, please add to what I have here!
But there are somethings that I think he misses, that don't hit his radar so to speak, which I think is pretty common.
So to help out all you fellas out there that might be in this same catagory,I've jotted down a few tips that will make you a hero in your pregnant wifes eyes. Read on.....
#1 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Don't wait until she asks.
If you notice that something isn't getting done that maybe she got around to more often before she got pregnant, there's no need to even ask if she needs help, or to wait for her to ask you. When she notices that it was done without her even having to think about it, the relief she will feel and the resulting good feelings toward you will be worth the extra time and effort it took to do whatever it is.Bingo! You're superman already!
#2 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
All molehills are mountains, especially in the begining.
1st trimester exhaustion and nausea can make the simplest smallest chores horrendous or impossible. Taking out the trash, cleaning the toilet,picking up stinky stocks, cutting up raw chicken. All of these can trigger that super-mom-nose and launch a gastrointestinal attack she might not recover from the rest of the day. Keeping up on chores that have extra ick factor will make you her knight in shining armor. Some care providers advise womento avoid heavy lifting in the first months when baby is tiny and fragile, make sure she isn't taking on more then she can handle. This can include carrying heavy loads of laundry up and down stairs.The exhaustion pregnant women feel in the begining cannot be matched or compared to anything else, her body is rerouting every possible spark of energy towards growing that baby.Anything a pregnant women does should be considered bonus! or extra on top of the full time job of being pregnant, refrain from mentioning the lack of housework getting done, and instead suggest she take a nap.
#3 Thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
She can't bend over easily, and might not be able to see her feet.
As your wifes pregnant belly grows, it becomes quite the beautiful obstacle. Picking up shoes, picking up anything really requires grace, balance, and cleverness to acheive.Not to mention flexibility. Be careful not to leave behind anything that she will need to pick up from the floor.Not only are these things nearly impossible to pick up, but if she cant see her feet, she's not going to see things lying on the floor and might trip on them!
#4 Thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Cleaning the bathroom is misson impossible.
We already mentioned that chores with ick factor can be a morning sickness trigger.That beautiful belly I mentioned also makes it nearly impossible to get around that toilet to clean the bottom edge or the walls around it.I can promise you that as a man you see the inside of the toilet and the wall behind it more often then she does. So if your standing there and notice it could use a scrub, get to it! You've just scored yourself more hero points in a simple trip to the john.You may not use as much TP as your wife and kids do, but make sure to keep it stocked. Imagine being a mom with a brand new baby, you have all of 15 seconds to run to the bathroom in betwen breaking up fights, doing lessons, cooking something, changing a diaper, nursing, quieting a crying baby. Imagine the simple relief of always having TP there when you need it, without having to think about it or ask (#1!) Small things like this can make or break a mama on a bad day.
I am imagining that if your wife is exhausted she doesnt shower as often as she used to, this is something that will be true when baby comes as well. When you take a shower, give it a wipedown before you get out. I cant reach the far side of our tub and the corners unless I crawl in and do a flat footed squat. ( and then HOW? do I get back out again?!) When you get out of the shower, wipe down the counters and mirrors while everything is still steamy. These things will take you all of 5 minutes added to your morning get ready routine and the way it will make your pregnant wife feel is priceless.
#5 thing your pregnant wife wishes you knew about household chores:
Unless shes Martha Stewart, kitchen chores are more like a scene from Little Shop of Horrors then Leave it to Beaver.
Smells and tastes that your wife may have enjoyed once upon a time may now be compared to sewage, trash or worse.Not only that but her appetite may have dissapeared completely. Feeding herself,your kids or you may test every fiber of her being. If you ever find yourself able to help with a meal here and there, she will kiss your feet ( or not, because your socks may be stinky, but you get the point)Help her to make sure your family is getting plenty of veggies and protein, using easy "cheater' meals may be okay once in a while, but rememeber pregnancy lasts nearly a year! You dont want to sacrifice nutrition for that long.
Bellying up to the sink to do dishes is also a feat that requires reaching and twisting in ways that are not exactly favorable, safe or comfortable. I literally have to do the dishes from the hip. With my belly turned completely sideways away from the sink. Its a hilarious shot I must admit but not something I feel like doing that often.So don't wait until she's wishing for go go gadet arms, just take her place at the sink. ( and dont stop when the baby comes, is even more impossible to do dishes while holding a baby....)
There you go gentlemen, you're on your way to becoming a hero to your wife,and all of these things are easy, fast and won't change the pace of your day hardly at all. But it will make a HUGE difference in her life! You're welcome!
Men--if you have something else you did for your wife while she was pregnant that you know she appreciated, please share in the comments with your fellow man. And women, please add to what I have here!
Monday, August 8, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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
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