Home Birth Supplies

So as I am getting closer to my due date I am making my preparations for my home birth. I have started to accumulate things, starting with the most crucial. I still have a few holes to fill in but here is the list I have accumulated.

1. The Medical Birth Kit - This has all kind of stuff like sterile gloves, pads, chux, etc. This is put together by my Midwife and ordered from a local birth supplies company called "In His Hands". (BTW, this company is run by a sweet little family and does a wonderful job at getting your birth kit to you in a hurry).

2. Birth Pool (Optional) - I did not have a pool last time and enjoyed the water in my garden tub. My midwife has one for her homebirths so I am taking advantage of it. You will need a hose to hook up to your hot water (from water heater or laundry room) and a liner (for sanitary purposes).

3. High gauge plastic drop cloths for carpeted areas and for under the pool.

4. Plastic sheets and pillow cases - I got the ones with zippers that slip over the whole mattress.

5. Back massages - I have a manual one and an electronic one

6. Fetal Doppler (optional as your midwife will have her own) - I bought this at the beginning of my pregnancy and used it a lot from 10 weeks to about 20 weeks. After that you can feel the baby move so you don't need it as much. I like to have this available in early labor before the midwife comes so you can always check fetal heart tones yourself. Note: Renting is a waste of money. Buy this one, it works perfect.

7. Extra bed sheets - flat, fitted, and pillow cases. Some for the birth and some for afterwards. Ones you don't mind getting messed up.

8. Lots of towels (both bath towels and hand towels) - I got some bright pink ones at wal-mart during the back to school time for college students. They are really cheap sets. You could also go to goodwill. Do not use good towels.

9. Scented candles - a scent that is associated with relaxation and good memories.

10. Floor fan in case you get hot

11. Floor heater in case you get cold

12. Heating pad for labor and perineal support

13. Cooling pack for labor and perineal comfort at the birth

14. Big bowl for placenta

15. Bowl or trash can for nausea

16. Camera (of course) - Make sure to have enough space (extra SD cards) and extra batteries

17. Baby supplies (of course) - Cloths, diapers, hats, socks

18. 6 to 8 receiving blankets

19. Chap stick

20. Snack and juice - Nothing too heavy or too acidic. I have some Emergen-C which is helpful during a long labor.

21. Hydrogen Peroxide to remove blood stains
22. Trash bags

Some midwives will want you to sterilize all your sheets and towels but I find this unnecessary as your home is not a sterile environment and as long as your stuff in newly washed, I can't see the harm.

This is not an exhastive list and somethings may still be needed and others not used at all but it is a good starting point.

35 Weeks 5 Days

Chiropractic Benefits During Pregnancy

So after my first attempt to push out my son I heard a loud pop and my midwife said I had de-fused my tailbone. This ended up being more painful postpartum than my c-section scar. I took months of regular chiropractic care to even be about to sit down without pain.

This time I am being proactive. I just started seeing a new chiropractor to start regular adjustment leading up to my delivery. He has said that my tailbone is a little out of alignment and he will work at getting it into an optimal position for birth during the next few week.

My insurance pays for most of my care but it is still costly to see someone 6 to 10 times over only a few weeks. With at said, it is something I would recommend to every mom to be (regardless of how many kids you have had). The less issues you have after you push out that baby, the better.

Here is a little basic information I got from another website about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy:

Chiropractic care during pregnancy maintains, and can even improve, balance and alignment in your spine and pelvis. This can help your baby assume his/her optimal birthing position and reduce the risk of having a breech baby. Regular chiropractic care can also provide a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery for both mother and baby. It stimulates the nervous system to enable proper functioning of your reproductive organs, thus supporting the needs of your baby throughout pregnancy and during delivery.

The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic adjustment for pregnant mothers. It reduces interference to the nervous system and helps balance the pelvis, muscles and ligaments. The Webster Technique is successful in relieving intrauterine constraint and allows the fetus to move freely. It can prevent, and even convert, breech birthing positions. The Webster Technique should be started as soon as you find out your baby is in the breech position. Baby’s can flip as late as 39 weeks, but anytime after 35 weeks the chances for success are reduced due to limited mobility in the womb.

My new chiropractor came recommended by my midwife and he and his wife work a lot with pregnant woman. Their website is below:

http://www.drsgoodwinchiro.com/

New Doula - Yay!

I hired a new doula today. Her name is Ruth Phy and she is super sweet and very considerate. She is touchy-feely and seems very well grounded in her faith. She is a mother of two and knows all too well the trauma of birth and c-section. I know she will be a great support for me during the rest of my pregnancy and birth and I am super excited to be adding her to my now complete team.

You can check out her website at http://www.doularuth.com/index.html

to learn more about her. She also teaches potty training which I will be inters in having her come out for once life has settled into a routine after baby Aaron comes. And she makes/sells these really cute slings/wraps.

We talked for hours and she is a really good listener. I think having her as a voice for me will ensure that whatever happens in labor that my wishes will be heard.

Looking for a new doula

So I am almost 34 weeks and I am now on the search for a new doula. While I loved my first choice in Emily, she had to step down for personal reasons. I know that God is good and in control so I truly believe this is happening for a reason. I am going to interview a new doula that seems like she would be a great fit for me (recommended by my previous doula) sometime this week. I am excited about the prospect and look forward to getting this taken care of. I have a home visit with my midwife on May 8th so I hope to have someone lined up by then so they can attend this visit.

With that, I am very excited to have my midwife visit my home. This did not happen last time and I did not even know that it was common. I love showing off where I live (even if it is an apartment) and having people see all the work I put into making my families abode a home. I am also excited for her to see and hear my plans for my birth and where things will be happening.

I was talking to my sister recently about my last visit with my midwife and my birth plan (which I posted a few post back) and she admitted to me that she felt like my first attempt at a home birth was way to familiar to her births at the hospital (she has had 4 hospital births). She said there was too much intervention, too many exams, not very much personal attention, and not what she expected. She too has watched "The Business of Being Born" and other natural home birth videos and felt like it was supposed to be this peaceful, supportive, touchy-feely atmosphere (me too, BTW). We were both greatly disappointed. I pray that this time both of us will see more of what we expect a home birth to look like. I feel like going forward with hiring a new doula is a good way to help this prayer be answered.

35 Weeks

Birth Plan

Now that I am getting a little further in my pregnancy I decided I wanted to write down some things that I would like to have as part of my birth plan. I know that birth cannot be "planned" but I also know from experience that not having a plan doesn't always work out either.

These are in no particular order:

• Leave my husband sleeping or undisturbed for as long as I can help it (this is because I think that once you have attention on you, you are more likely to "perform")
• Call my midwife and doula once I start having active contractions but advise them not to hurry unless I feel I need them sooner. (this is because once my midwife arrived last time I felt pressure and less at ease)
• Call my sister early so she has plenty of time to prepare for childcare
• Refuse having my water broken unless medically necessary
• Avoid exams unless medically necessary (obviously for lower risk of infection in the case of my water being broken, but also so I do not focus on how far I have come or have to go)
• Stay active as long as possible throughout early labor unless at night
• Take regular outside moment (as this allows your mind to remember that life still goes one as normal for the rest of the world. I do this when I watch tense movies like "I AM Legend", as well. LOL)
• Take moment to focus on my unborn baby as this process is not just happening to me but to him as well.
• When the pain gets to much to handle, turn all my focus on Jesus and what he endured for me on the cross.
• I do NOT consent to erythromycin or other medication in baby’s eyes
• I will decide after birth whether to administer vitamin K
• The umbilical cord should remain unclamped and uncut until pulsing stops or is medically necessary.

I might add more as time goes by.