Empowering Birth Blog

My Thoughts on Water Birth

I chose not to use an aquadoula with this baby.  My midwife commented, you loved the water last time (I did) and my friend who is a doula and was offering the use of her aquadoula for free queried, "are you sure?"  I did have a beautiful and empowering water VBAC but I decided not to have a water birth this time for several reasons.  I thought I would share them here.
Water Temperature:
The maximum water temperature suggested for waterbirth is usually 37.5 degrees Celsius or 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit.  Some studies recommend 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degree Fahrenheit).  Now if you are not a hot water fan then water birth might be the choice for you.  As for myself, I am happiest in HOT water, preferably 105 (40.6 C) but I could make do with 102 (38.9).  Yet 102 degrees is too hot for a water birth.
Second Stage (pushing):
I am the the overly exuberant type.  As soon as I discovered Fen, my last baby, was crowning, I wanted him out and pushed him out with all the strength my rather muscular body could manage.  You guessed it, I tore.  Recovery was much more difficult then expected and I stayed in bed for a good two weeks instead of a week (today is the end of my week confinement).  In addition to tearing, I had a reaction to the suture material, Vicryl, which left a rather ugly scar.  Now gobs of arnica oil (Weleda makes some great stuff) massaged regularly into the scar on a daily basis a good two weeks or so before the birth did wonders for the scar but I wanted my perineum carefully guarded during second stage so that my midwife could instruct me to put on the brakes at the appropriate time.  I ended up breathing (rather than pushing) Nettie out with only a slight skid marking the passage of her head.  Recovery has been a breeze and as a result I have a lot more pictures of Nettie as a newborn then Fen.  Sadly I was too sore to move much with Fenimore the first week or two and I am the picture taker in the family.  Thankfully I hold his newborn pictures in my heart.
Catching Baby:
Have you ever watched "Birth in the Squatting position?"  That is sort of what I pictured for this birth.  I wanted to be squatting and fully aware as I caught Nettie slowly emerging from my body, then gently pull her to my body.  I had trouble catching Fenimore in the water.  I pushed him out so quickly that he slipped from my hands and I had to fumble a bit before pulling him up.  The water was deep and I am small so I couldn't very well slowly catch him and comfortably bring him up to my chest or he would be under water.  I had to stand up immediately after the birth.  And once I stood up, I was freezing, shaky from the combination of birth hormones and the abrupt change in temperature.  It just seemed that it would be simpler for me to catch a baby and then sit back to relax for a few breaths (as in the afore mentioned film) if I was on land.
The Cons:
Labor pains were ineed more intense out of the water but with the fear of giving birth out of the way I was able to embrace the pain and open without the help of the water.  I found other ways to cope with the pain (stay tuned for my next blog post!) .  In my opinion, I think water birth can be a great choice for VBAC or first-time moms when staying on top of labor pain might be harder but for a second vaginal birth, it can be fun to explore other options.

Antoinette's Birth Day!

Labor has no clock and it is impossible to know when you are going to have a baby.  Liz had called me earlier in the evening to ask if she should go out dancing or if I was going to have a baby (since I had proclaimed it was coming Wednesday night).   I thought by morning, but....  And later I had no idea when to call Karen.  When Karen asked me to call her back once contractions were under 8 minutes a part, I had no idea if that would be in 10 minutes, an hour, more?  I don't like to call too early because I like to labor by myself as long as possible.  I ended up being surprised by how quickly labor rolled along and pulled me into its vortex. By midnight, less then thirty minutes after calling Karen, contractions were regularly 4-5 minutes apart and sometimes less.  I waited a good 30 minutes to confirm I had reached the point of no return and then called Karen the second time.  I love Karen's voice.  It is calm, and confident and full of trust in birth.  I am on my way!  I called Liz and Corbin to report Karen was on her way and then called my sister who had the shortest distance to travel.  As the phone was ringing, I passed it to Matt.  There would be no more talking on the phone for me, I had a baby that was ready to be born.  I continued to labor standing up, feeling more comfortable upright, even between contractions.
My mom lay on the futon in our office/guest bed room as I labored, not asleep, she labored with my in the middle of the night as well.
Labor land.  The doorbell rang, and rang again, and there were knocks and footsteps.  Someone was in the hall, where was my sister?  Matt said Liz or Luz (I wasn't sure whose name he spoke) was here and wanted to come in, of course.  I was very restless but was in transition and shaky on my feet so decided I should move to a squatting position to conserve energy.
I glimpsed Corbin setting up camera equipment outside and felt Luz and later Liz and Karen enter the room. By 1:30am, everyone who had been called was at the birth.  Karen asked if I wanted to be checked and I said yes though I needed some time to negotiate putting my body in a position that would make a vaginal exam possible.  I decided upon a semi side-lying position and Karen speedily checked me so that I could return to a more comfortable position.  I was nine centimeters at 1:55am with a bulging bag of water.  I wasn't surprised by the bulging bag, I sensed something was in the way and had an overwhelming desire for my water to break.
I labored on, all fours, supporting my upper body by draping it over Matt's shoulder.  Matt reminded me that I had been in a similar position, on our first night out together (the perfect thing to say at the time).  He had given me a piggyback ride home, my head buried in his hair. 
Shortly after 2am I felt pushy but wasn't sure what position I needed to be in to really start pushing.  I had a few contractions where I was just hanging out, hoping my body would be inspired to find a new position sooner rather then later, I felt a lull.
I looked around as if someone in the room might offer a solution and for one brief moment thought "won't someone break my water?," before remembering this was my job.  Maybe it was because there were so many people in the room (while I sensed their loving energy and support, I never fully noticed they were there until the lull before pushing) but all of the sudden I said to myself, I'm going to go to the bathroom, announced that I had to pee and walked out of the room.  Karen later remarked that at births with many attendants, the mom usually heads off to the bathroom to have her baby.
Ah, the bathroom, I couldn't have made a better choice!  When we first bought this house I dreamed of having a baby in the claw foot tub that we would restore.  I was a bit off, I didn't have the baby in the tub, but the tub and sink provided the perfect squatting bar, with the toilet for back-up if my legs gave out.  I dangled my self, supported by tub on the left and sink on the right, and let my pelvis open, making full use of gravity.  In this self-supported upright squat, I found the strength to give a huge push and my waters blissfully released (2:25am).   As soon as my bag broke, I felt Nettie's head move down to my perineum and I eagerly began pushing.  I would have forcefully pushed Nettie out, impatient to have my baby in my arms, but Karen and I had talked about my need to have someone slow me down while pushing and she gently encouraged me to stop pushing and just breath her out.  Since I didn't have to focus on pushing, I had a heightened awareness of Nettie's descent from my body, it was wild!  At some point I stopped dangling, supported my weight with my legs, and reached over to hold onto her as she reaching the end of her journey into this world.  I pulled her up to my body (2:30am) and collapsed exhausted onto the toilet seat, letting the waves of exquisite birthing hormones roll over and through our bodies.
I felt for a moment that I was about to push the placenta out into the toilet and someone asked if I wanted to move back to my bed and slowly we made our way back down the long hallway to our bedroom.  Nettie latched on immediately, a nursing pro minutes after birth, and I caught my breath as I waited to birth the placenta.
So that is our story.  I promise to add pictures soon.  As with all spiritual, awesome events, words try to capture the essence of the story, but slip.  Perhaps when I am better rested and have a thesaurus at hand, I will rewrite.  Many thanks to my amazing midwife and her two beautiful assistants who were at the birth (I feel blessed to have discovered midwifery in this corner of the world, with so many strong and loving women on the journey and with such a dedicated guide), to my mom and sister, the closest women in my life, to Corbin who took beautiful photos and to my strongly loving and supporting other half, Matt.
Oh, I forgot to mention that my "BIG" week and 1/2 "late" baby was a mere 7 pounds and 3 ounces.  Smaller than her brother who was born two days "early."

Wednesday, Last Prenatal Visit and Labor Begins

I woke up excited on Wednesday morning.  I was heading to my last prenatal.  I knew I was going to have Karen check me and I knew that I was already dilating.  I was proud of my very curious self (I am the type who still shakes the Christmas presents under the tree a tad too vigorously) for waiting 41 weeks and two days to have the first vaginal exam of my pregnancy.  Of course I tried to check myself but I have short arms and even shorter fingers and so, despite the fact that I can position myself into a very deep squat (thanks to the yoga) I could not reach my cervix.
As I reported in an earlier post, the vaginal exam confirmed head was anterior and all looked good.  As I walked out the door I called to my midwife, "I will see you tonight." I received a phone call from my friend Corbin who would be the photographer at the birth while shopping for a few last minute items and said I thought baby was coming that night.
Everyone took a nap, which was a good thing, because I would not sleep again until the next day.  After nap I went on my daily brisk walk and stopped to buy chicken broth to cook the lentils in for dinner and a shower curtain for the basement bathroom.  Our basement rental unit had been vacated the night before and the rental unit's bathroom would be a welcome addition in a house full of visitors (we have only one bathroom). 
I met my mom in the park and noted that my contractions were noticeably achier.  We left the park so that I could cook what I announced was the last meal I would cook for awhile, curried red lentils.  I had a beer with dinner and headed upstairs after dinner for a relaxing bath with lavender oil.  I tucked the kids in (who wouldn't fall asleep until around 10pm) and headed downstairs to keep my mom company in the kitchen.  I felt like I was waiting for the kids to go to sleep before starting labor.
At 10 pm I laid down to try and get some rest but quickly realized I would not be sleeping.  Matt joined me shortly before 11 and by 11 I gave up trying to rest.  Contractions were about 10-12 minutes a part but they were not the kind you sleep through and I was very restless.  I felt most comfortable standing, even between contractions.  At 11:30pm contractions were coming every 8-11 minutes and I called Liz to give her a heads up.  I asked Liz when I should call my midwife and she said, now.  I called Karen and she asked me to call her back when contractions were under 8 minutes apart.  I called Corbin to confirm I was in labor and would call her soon and left a message for my in-laws that I should have news of a baby by morning.

Acupuncture on Tuesday

With baby feeling ready and in a good position, I decided it was time to get any tension or energy blockage that I might have out of the way and went to an acupuncture session that I had scheduled on Monday.  Though a bit nervous about having less help once baby was out (because since my mom had already spent over a week at our house, she wouldn't be able to spend a full week with us after the birth) I was certainly enjoying the freedom to take long walks every day by myself and schedule an acupuncture session without having to worry about childcare.  And as it turns out, the birth went so smoothly and I am feeling so great, that I will be fine with less help (and of course Matt is here).  Things have a way of working out!
I had a significant release from the shoulder points and left the session feeling that baby would come soon and that I didn't need to do anymore work in order to encourage her arrival.  I had done my part, now it was my turn to patiently wait.
And what might I have felt the need to release?  There had been anxiousness over the upcoming move and at times I was trying much too hard to control the process.  It wasn't until Monday that I emailed our realtor and rescheduled the Open House that we had set for June 1.  At parts of my pregnancy I had trouble letting go of the idea that once again I would not be staying in the house in which I would soon be giving birth, a house that I love and into which so much of my sweat had been poured.  I learned to look at the birth and the love surrounding it as a gift to the future owners, but it wasn't always an easy process.  And there were a lot of anxieties about adjusting to three kids.  Matt had always wanted a third. After my VBAC I was definitely open to three, but I never really sat down and wrapped my head around the idea of what having three kids meant until I was pregnant.  I had to really practice what I preach with this pregnancy, that all will be well.  And as soon as baby came out, all lingering fears about having three kids had been erased.  I couldn't imagine a more perfect family.

Rebozo Time, Take Two!

There is so much to write about.  Let's see, I think I will start my story on Monday night.  No pictures for now.  I had a small tear so instead of suturing I agreed to spend a lot of time lying on my side with my legs together.  Not a great position for downloading photos etc.  I can add the pictures in later, for now you will have to use your imagination... 
I was a week past my due date on Monday.  Now maybe baby was not ready to come out but at 40 weeks my midwife noted that baby's position might be holding things up.  After a week of trying everything (including a brief Rebozo session) and with baby still not in a good position, I called my friend Sonija, who is very skilled in the use of a rebozo, and asked if she would pay me a visit. Sonija called as I was finishing a small dinner and asked if I had any beer in the house.  I said no beer but I did have some wine!  She asked me to drink a glass so that baby would be nice and relaxed.
A generous glass of wine, the mix of gospel music I made for labor, I am relaxed!  Sonija begins the session with a firm but gentle belly rub.  She talked to baby, gently coaxing her back to come around towards the front and her head, still floating but very low, to move out of the transverse position.  The belly rub was followed by hip/pelvis shaking with both hands and rebozo and numerous positions; all fours, puppy pose, and a supported squat. While baby's back moved to a more anterior position, Sonija had no luck moving that head!  "Well, I am going to have to put you over my back," exclaimed Sonija.  This entailed me lying on the floor, neck on a pillow, and Sonija lifting my legs and torso up so that my legs draped over her back (her head was between my knees) and then shaking my pelvis until, what do you know, my baby's head moved into an anterior position.  I felt different, I was carrying baby better (my belly shape changed) and I felt very relaxed and supported by Sonija's loving touch.
In the process, I think I might have completely embarrassed a neighbor, oops!  During the baby shaking session, I had forgotten that I had instructed a neighbor to drop by and pick up a storage bin which I was supposed to have placed in our front yard. The door bell rings and there is my neighbor (whom I do not know) looking into our living room at me lying on the couch wrapped up in a cloth and being shaken by Sonija.  I jumped up and ran to the door, neglecting to remember that she might be a bit put off by my lack of pants, and said, don't worry, I am not having a baby, we are just trying to move the baby into a better position.  Matt adds that I was still circling my hips as I talked.
The poor woman hurried downstairs and waited with her back to our house while Matt walked the bin around.  Sometimes I forget that I am much less into "privacy" then the rest of the members of our neighborhood.  
I slept very well Monday night.

Baby Arrived!

So much to write but not on such little sleep.  Antoinette, "Nettie," was born at home this morning around 2:30a.m.  Time for bed!

Baby should come soon

I will add more on these events later but I thought I would do a quick post.  Monday night a friend treated me to a fantastic rebozo session (I have some great pictures!).  Baby's head was transverse in the pelvis and she moved him to an anterior position, confirmed by my midwife today.  Tuesday I visited an acupuncturist and today at 41 weeks and two days, I had the first vaginal exam of my pregnancy.  I admit, I was curious.  So I am about 3 centimeters dilated and very little neck to my cervix.  My acupuncturist called tonight and asked if I would like another tweak but I feel it is up to my body now so I declined.  My contractions are definitely stronger and I am heading to bed.  Hope to blog news of a baby soon!

If Baby is "Late," Stay Busy!

A watched pot doesn't boil and there is no use sitting around and waiting for baby.  It is Sunday and we are off to church.  I sing in our church's gospel choir most Sundays but today the youth choir sings and I must admit will not mind having the freedom to sit during mass.  After church we are going to look at a new house that came on market, visit a park with the kids and head home to cook dinner.

Tomorrow I am taking my midwife to lunch for her birthday, along with two of her apprentices. I will probably begin the morning with another hike in the arboretum.  On Tuesday I might schedule an acupuncture or acupressure session and on Wednesday I have another prenatal with my midwife.

Interestingly enough, even the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not consider a pregnancy post-term until the 42 week mark has been hit.  Here is a good article on why waiting is good for baby.

Well I have a busy week ahead of me so I don't expect to blog again until I am in labor or have had the baby.   Be well!

Forty Weeks and Four days (but who is counting)

At the park the other day a nanny looked me up and down and remarked, "soon, baby will come very soon."  I replied, "I hope so, my due date was Monday."  Nonplussed, she remarked "oh that is normal, very normal, baby come early, baby come late, all normal."  And once again I found myself wishing I could transport myself to another country where birth is considered a normal event for the remainder of my gestation.  I don't mind being late, which is a big statement given the fact that patience is NOT my strength.  I told this baby it could come when it wanted to.  I do mind the oh, you are still pregnant, vibes I sense from people on the street.  I much preferred the calm certainty of the nanny in the park who knew that eventually, the baby would come out, and that all was good.
I think I willed Khady, my first, to come early.  A good month away from my due date, I had already planned the closing of our Chicago house which we were selling AND the closing date of our new DC house that awaited us just a short 13 hour drive or so away (a drive that would be lengthened by stops for frequent nursings and walks around the car to improve circulation in my newly postpartum body).  And of course the baptism was scheduled as well.  There was no margin for error and I am sure this was what encouraged me to ask my midwife to vigorously strip my membranes the day before I went into labor.
With Fenimore, my VBAC baby, I spent most of my time calm and sure of my ability to birth but VBAC anxieties gripped me from time to time and of course I hoped baby would come sooner then later.
With this baby, despite the house rehabbing and selling and the house hunting, I have remained committed to the belief that all will work out and baby will come when he/she needs to.  Of COURSE I am overly excited to meet this baby and I do sing "baby come out" songs but I do not feel she/he absolutely must come out now.
I am also feeling a lot of empathy for moms with caregivers who talk induction after 40 weeks.  It is hard enough to push away the culturally ingrained feeling that baby should come out around 40 weeks.  To remain calm and committed to the belief that baby will come when he/she needs to while your caregiver is ordering any number of tests and setting your induction date must be very stressful indeed.
Once I am attending births again, I will over-emphasize that my clients should not etch a due date into their heads.

Rebozo Time

I am off to my friend's this afternoon for a good rebozo, a technique for helping baby swing from a posterior to anterior position.  Also great for relaxing uterine ligaments!  I spent a delicious morning at the aboretum with the kids.  After feeding the koi, I left the kids with Mom and husband and vigorously hiked the azalea trail up to the top of the mountain.  I didn't meet a single soul along the way which allowed me to feel completely free to sing songs to baby.  My body felt loose and ready to open among the wet and soft spring earth and I had plenty of achy contractions.  Ah but life is good!