With my due date only a few days away, I've been trying to find ways to speed things along. In Germany it is very common for pregnant women to drink raspberry leaf tea starting at the 32 week as it conditions and tones the uterus. After 36 weeks you're supposed to up your tea drinking to two cups. I've actually noticed on days where I've remembered to drink both cups that I have more contractions and that the baby seems to push down - i.e. tries to settle it's head into my pelvis.
Another thing that is supposed to help is sex. Semen contains a hormone called prostaglandin which softens the cervix and orgasm releases oxytocin which relaxes your tissues, releases love endorphins and is the natural labor inducing chemical in our bodies. Here is an article about prostaglandin from WebMD .
I've been thinking about breech birth a lot lately, as you can probably tell from my last post... And in this clip you will see a few acupressure points demonstrated which are supposed to induce labor, but also the points on the little toes that I mentioned in the breech blog entry which is supposed to motivate a baby to turn and get into an optimal birthing position. Acupressure Points for Labor Induction
Here is a neat list of Natural Induction Methods .
Here's a great acupressure site with wonderful video howtos and point descriptions for your partner to use on you during labor to help with pain management. Debra Betts
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Breech Birth - A Normal Birth
My baby was breech until the 36th week. My midwife was very panicky about this and scared the living daylights out of me... So I just wanted to say a few words about breech and share the things that worked for me.
If you read information provided by a hospital, breech is treated like a terminal emergency illness. They either want to C-section or drug you, give you a colossal episiotomy and use forceps to yank the baby's head out.
All of the midwife resources I've read and "viewed" in terms of videos all stress the importance of being hands off. Even footling breech (where it's not the buns that come out first but one foot at a time) do not seem to pose a big issue for properly trained midwives. All of the info I've read has suggested that being in an all 4 position is the best as it opens up more space in your pelvis.
Concerns about breech birth:
1. One concern is that the baby's feet do not put as much pressure on your cervix to open it as widely for the birth of the head. Therefore there is the fear that when the feet come first that the baby's head might get stuck as it's the biggest part of the baby's body, while you wait for the opening to expand. This is where doctors will attempt to rip the baby out of you, potentially causing a plethora damage and injuries to the baby - and then blame you for your "risky" birth choice.
2. Another concern is that the umbilical chord might get squished during the delivery, cutting off oxygen and blood supply to the baby.
How to do it right:
According to all of the midwife resources I've read, it is important to be hands off so as not to startle the baby. The baby and mama are in the middle of concentrating really hard and listening to their bodies and the last thing the baby needs is someone else in the mix that they have no attachment to yanking them around, stressing them out, etc. There are some resources that suggest the supporting the baby as it's coming out has a comforting effect - but all the videos I've seen do not have the midwife involved at all. So, no touching.
Do not panic or be afraid of the head getting stuck. There are a few techniques the midwife can use as an intervention to help get the baby's head in the right position. Ina May Gaskin's book Spiritual Midwifery has got a good section on how they would tilt the head. Also, here's a video of a footling breech birth that is hands off but the text gives you a description of one of the techniques. Homebirth: A Midwife Mutiny And another footling breech birth page: Footling Breech Birth
Do not allow yourself to be drugged! It is very important that you are sober and able to feel your baby moving with you and that you are connected to you body as well. Any drugs you take go directly into baby's system which clouds the baby's consciousness and self awareness in the birthing process.
Water birth for breech is supposed to be especially good because the baby goes from a supported weightless environment in the mama to a supported, weightless environment in the birthing pool. View breech home water birth - The background music is extremely annoying, so turn your volume way down...
If you would like to have a hospital breech birth, I think this link is from the hospital perspective in Britain...Notice all of the restrictions they put on you: Hospital Breech Birth
Turning Baby:
Spinning Babies was a great resource for me when I was trying to get my baby to turn. I personally do not believe in being uncomfortable so some of the options that I considered and things that I did are:
* I'd spend as much time as was comfortable on all 4s. It makes more space in your belly and hips for the baby to move around. I'd also sway my hips back and forth and try to make little circles.
* I love taking baths, so I'd also get on all 4s in the tub and sway my hips back and forth. In water the baby is weightless which makes rotating easier.
* My baby had it's back on my left the whole time - because I slept exclusively on my left because it's supposed to be better for the baby as your heart's on your left - anyway, I started sleeping more on my right and then making it a point to change sides regularly during the night.
* I'd gently rub my belly in the direction that I wanted the baby to turn while talking to it and drinking juice - sugar is supposed to wake baby up :)
* For the past 7 weeks, I've been going to a mineral bath - which is like a public pool here. The water isn't very deep and I'd float stomach down and have my husband rub my lower back as I rock back and forth.
* I'd also heard about acupuncture points on the outsides of your little toes as being points that motivate the baby to turn, but I never got to that point.
Obviously, not all of the positions on Spinning Babies are uncomfortable. If you feel like experimenting with flash lights or head phones or people talking to your lower belly, go for it!
Like I said, my baby turned at 36 weeks, which was a great relief with what I listed up there.
There are also techniques the midwife can try to externally rotate your baby but it was explained to me that I would need to go to the hospital and have it done in the emergency room in case their yanking and pulling on my baby caused the placenta - the oxygen and blood supplier to the baby - to separate from my body (womb). Hmm. That doesn't sound nice. There's also a diagram of this procedure - which looks just like someone rubbing your belly but actually groping the baby's legs and head and shoving them along... - in Gaskin's book (see above).
My suggestion as a mother who was looking at natural delivery options is to not let yourself get bullied by doctors who have been trained to see everything as a problem with an interventionist i.e. surgical/drug solution. Stand up for yourself and your baby. Keep in mind that no one cares about the health and safety of your baby more than you and that you have to be the one to protect it. Be informed and choose qualified staff that you trust and give them your requests in writing - get them to sign your copy and take multiple copies of your birth plan with you to the hospital, if that's where you choose to go, so they cannot conveniently have lost it and go one with their own agenda.
If you read information provided by a hospital, breech is treated like a terminal emergency illness. They either want to C-section or drug you, give you a colossal episiotomy and use forceps to yank the baby's head out.
All of the midwife resources I've read and "viewed" in terms of videos all stress the importance of being hands off. Even footling breech (where it's not the buns that come out first but one foot at a time) do not seem to pose a big issue for properly trained midwives. All of the info I've read has suggested that being in an all 4 position is the best as it opens up more space in your pelvis.
Concerns about breech birth:
1. One concern is that the baby's feet do not put as much pressure on your cervix to open it as widely for the birth of the head. Therefore there is the fear that when the feet come first that the baby's head might get stuck as it's the biggest part of the baby's body, while you wait for the opening to expand. This is where doctors will attempt to rip the baby out of you, potentially causing a plethora damage and injuries to the baby - and then blame you for your "risky" birth choice.
2. Another concern is that the umbilical chord might get squished during the delivery, cutting off oxygen and blood supply to the baby.
How to do it right:
According to all of the midwife resources I've read, it is important to be hands off so as not to startle the baby. The baby and mama are in the middle of concentrating really hard and listening to their bodies and the last thing the baby needs is someone else in the mix that they have no attachment to yanking them around, stressing them out, etc. There are some resources that suggest the supporting the baby as it's coming out has a comforting effect - but all the videos I've seen do not have the midwife involved at all. So, no touching.
Do not panic or be afraid of the head getting stuck. There are a few techniques the midwife can use as an intervention to help get the baby's head in the right position. Ina May Gaskin's book Spiritual Midwifery has got a good section on how they would tilt the head. Also, here's a video of a footling breech birth that is hands off but the text gives you a description of one of the techniques. Homebirth: A Midwife Mutiny And another footling breech birth page: Footling Breech Birth
Do not allow yourself to be drugged! It is very important that you are sober and able to feel your baby moving with you and that you are connected to you body as well. Any drugs you take go directly into baby's system which clouds the baby's consciousness and self awareness in the birthing process.
Water birth for breech is supposed to be especially good because the baby goes from a supported weightless environment in the mama to a supported, weightless environment in the birthing pool. View breech home water birth - The background music is extremely annoying, so turn your volume way down...
If you would like to have a hospital breech birth, I think this link is from the hospital perspective in Britain...Notice all of the restrictions they put on you: Hospital Breech Birth
Turning Baby:
Spinning Babies was a great resource for me when I was trying to get my baby to turn. I personally do not believe in being uncomfortable so some of the options that I considered and things that I did are:
* I'd spend as much time as was comfortable on all 4s. It makes more space in your belly and hips for the baby to move around. I'd also sway my hips back and forth and try to make little circles.
* I love taking baths, so I'd also get on all 4s in the tub and sway my hips back and forth. In water the baby is weightless which makes rotating easier.
* My baby had it's back on my left the whole time - because I slept exclusively on my left because it's supposed to be better for the baby as your heart's on your left - anyway, I started sleeping more on my right and then making it a point to change sides regularly during the night.
* I'd gently rub my belly in the direction that I wanted the baby to turn while talking to it and drinking juice - sugar is supposed to wake baby up :)
* For the past 7 weeks, I've been going to a mineral bath - which is like a public pool here. The water isn't very deep and I'd float stomach down and have my husband rub my lower back as I rock back and forth.
* I'd also heard about acupuncture points on the outsides of your little toes as being points that motivate the baby to turn, but I never got to that point.
Obviously, not all of the positions on Spinning Babies are uncomfortable. If you feel like experimenting with flash lights or head phones or people talking to your lower belly, go for it!
Like I said, my baby turned at 36 weeks, which was a great relief with what I listed up there.
There are also techniques the midwife can try to externally rotate your baby but it was explained to me that I would need to go to the hospital and have it done in the emergency room in case their yanking and pulling on my baby caused the placenta - the oxygen and blood supplier to the baby - to separate from my body (womb). Hmm. That doesn't sound nice. There's also a diagram of this procedure - which looks just like someone rubbing your belly but actually groping the baby's legs and head and shoving them along... - in Gaskin's book (see above).
My suggestion as a mother who was looking at natural delivery options is to not let yourself get bullied by doctors who have been trained to see everything as a problem with an interventionist i.e. surgical/drug solution. Stand up for yourself and your baby. Keep in mind that no one cares about the health and safety of your baby more than you and that you have to be the one to protect it. Be informed and choose qualified staff that you trust and give them your requests in writing - get them to sign your copy and take multiple copies of your birth plan with you to the hospital, if that's where you choose to go, so they cannot conveniently have lost it and go one with their own agenda.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Starting out with EC
Elimination Communication is an idea that I've taken to a lot lately. I just finished Christine Gross-Loh's Diaper Free Baby and feel like I have a basic understanding of the technique and will try to EC my newborn from the beginning.
Just to explain a little about what EC is, it is basically tuning in to your child's elimination needs just as you have a basic awareness of when baby is sleepy or hungry. You keep a mental note of when baby needs to go to the bathroom and enable your baby to go to the bathroom in a place other than a diaper stuck on her butt (no one wants to marinate in a seepage of irritating bacterial waste).
One of the main thoughts behind EC is that babies have to concentrate and are aware of when they are going to the bathroom. This awareness generally disappears after years of wearing diapers and being trained to ignore their bodies. Potty training toddlers is all about getting them to reconnect with the muscles and feelings involved with going to the bathroom. The idea with Elimination Communication is that you try to keep your baby aware of his/her muscles by using a cue when he (let's go with the literary "he") is going or about to go. You aren't training your baby do anything. You aren't forcing or trying to bribe your baby into holding it to go at "the right time." In a nutshell, all you are really doing is communicating with your baby - and that can be the full extent of what you do. Full stop. Most parents who practice EC go a step farther and take their babies to the bathroom where they go in the toilet, sink, shower - whatever works, or in potty chairs, bowls or whatever else they have handy and works for them.
EC-ing Your Newborn
1. The first step is to get to know your baby's habits. Most babies go more often during the morning and less during the afternoon. A common time is also after a nap and during/after a feeding. At this young, it takes your baby a lot of concentration to activate the right muscles and they may cry, go quiet, go on and off the breast if feeding... because they need to go and are trying to figure it out "again."
2. The second part is cuing. If you notice that your baby is going, give the baby a soft vocal cue. The most common for peeing is a "sssssssss," "shhhhhh" or "psssssssss" sound. You don't actually need two different sounds but a lot of parents have them ("puhpuhpuh," for pooh for example).
3. If you want to give your baby alternatives to going in the diaper, please visit this link for positions with pictures on Earth Babies . You can hold your baby over really anything or have them go outside if you like.
So, that's what I've learned and what I'll be trying with Mini when he/she gets here. :o)
Happy Parenting!
Susan
Just to explain a little about what EC is, it is basically tuning in to your child's elimination needs just as you have a basic awareness of when baby is sleepy or hungry. You keep a mental note of when baby needs to go to the bathroom and enable your baby to go to the bathroom in a place other than a diaper stuck on her butt (no one wants to marinate in a seepage of irritating bacterial waste).
One of the main thoughts behind EC is that babies have to concentrate and are aware of when they are going to the bathroom. This awareness generally disappears after years of wearing diapers and being trained to ignore their bodies. Potty training toddlers is all about getting them to reconnect with the muscles and feelings involved with going to the bathroom. The idea with Elimination Communication is that you try to keep your baby aware of his/her muscles by using a cue when he (let's go with the literary "he") is going or about to go. You aren't training your baby do anything. You aren't forcing or trying to bribe your baby into holding it to go at "the right time." In a nutshell, all you are really doing is communicating with your baby - and that can be the full extent of what you do. Full stop. Most parents who practice EC go a step farther and take their babies to the bathroom where they go in the toilet, sink, shower - whatever works, or in potty chairs, bowls or whatever else they have handy and works for them.
EC-ing Your Newborn
1. The first step is to get to know your baby's habits. Most babies go more often during the morning and less during the afternoon. A common time is also after a nap and during/after a feeding. At this young, it takes your baby a lot of concentration to activate the right muscles and they may cry, go quiet, go on and off the breast if feeding... because they need to go and are trying to figure it out "again."
2. The second part is cuing. If you notice that your baby is going, give the baby a soft vocal cue. The most common for peeing is a "sssssssss," "shhhhhh" or "psssssssss" sound. You don't actually need two different sounds but a lot of parents have them ("puhpuhpuh," for pooh for example).
3. If you want to give your baby alternatives to going in the diaper, please visit this link for positions with pictures on Earth Babies . You can hold your baby over really anything or have them go outside if you like.
So, that's what I've learned and what I'll be trying with Mini when he/she gets here. :o)
Happy Parenting!
Susan
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Toxins, Europe and USA
A minute ago I was reading an article on how to make shampoo from vinegar and baking soda when at the end of the paragraph, the author mentioned that her interest in this science project of a grooming ritual actually came from a cancer survivor who introduced her to the Environmental Health Group's Cosmetic Safety Database . This database gives you a rating of companies and their products on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the most toxic.
I mentioned this link to my husband along with the least toxic baby products manufacturer ( California Baby ) and he mentioned that it's a known fact that products contain toxins - fair enough - and that it is commonly known that products in the US contain more toxins because the EU has stricter standards when it comes to which ingredients can be put in consumer products. Wha? It sounded crazy to think that products bought and sold in America could be more dangerous for myself, my baby...just everyone, really.
My husband sent me this link which kind of explains why things can be more toxic in the States:
"In place of government oversight and ingredients regulations, the industry instead relies on its own self-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, which is theoretically responsible for assuring that the ingredients found in cosmetic and similar products are safe for consumer use.
In it’s almost 30 years of existence, however, that panel has reviewed just 11% of the 10,500 cosmetic ingredients listed by the FDA. According to the Environmental Working Group, the remaining unassessed 89% of ingredients are used in over 99% of all products on the market."
So basically, instead of a neutral group of scientists testing the ingredients, people hired by the cosmetic industry are the ones conducting the tests... Hmmm.
As Europe has higher standards for what is deemed safe, some companies opt to sell different versions of their products where the less toxic versions are sold in Europe and the cheaper, more dangerous variants are sold in America.
If you are in an activist kind of mood, you can visit The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website and find out more about what steps you can take to pressure better regulation of toxic substances... Ultimately your dollar does the voting, so please have a look at the Cosmetic Safety Database and don't buy poisonous products - regardless if they are on sale!! I'll keep you posted on natural options for skin and body care and hopefully natural medicinal care as I learn more about it.
I mentioned this link to my husband along with the least toxic baby products manufacturer ( California Baby ) and he mentioned that it's a known fact that products contain toxins - fair enough - and that it is commonly known that products in the US contain more toxins because the EU has stricter standards when it comes to which ingredients can be put in consumer products. Wha? It sounded crazy to think that products bought and sold in America could be more dangerous for myself, my baby...just everyone, really.
My husband sent me this link which kind of explains why things can be more toxic in the States:
"In place of government oversight and ingredients regulations, the industry instead relies on its own self-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, which is theoretically responsible for assuring that the ingredients found in cosmetic and similar products are safe for consumer use.
In it’s almost 30 years of existence, however, that panel has reviewed just 11% of the 10,500 cosmetic ingredients listed by the FDA. According to the Environmental Working Group, the remaining unassessed 89% of ingredients are used in over 99% of all products on the market."
So basically, instead of a neutral group of scientists testing the ingredients, people hired by the cosmetic industry are the ones conducting the tests... Hmmm.
As Europe has higher standards for what is deemed safe, some companies opt to sell different versions of their products where the less toxic versions are sold in Europe and the cheaper, more dangerous variants are sold in America.
If you are in an activist kind of mood, you can visit The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website and find out more about what steps you can take to pressure better regulation of toxic substances... Ultimately your dollar does the voting, so please have a look at the Cosmetic Safety Database and don't buy poisonous products - regardless if they are on sale!! I'll keep you posted on natural options for skin and body care and hopefully natural medicinal care as I learn more about it.
Calendula - Marigold
I've been baby supply shopping these past few days and I've been somewhat overwhelmed by the number of products which boast about having calendula in them. I've been looking some things up about it and it's mainly referenced as a skin soother although the reference I found on Herbalpedia.com also mentions it being used for fungal infections like atheletes foot and ringworm. Additionally, it is supposed to be good for female complaints like pain during periods, cystitis and yeast infections.
Here is a recipe for a preparation to treat yeast infections copied from the Herbalpedia reference above:
Marigold Douche: 2 ¾ oz rosewater, 1 tsp
marigold tincture, 1 tsp comfrey tincture. Mix
all the ingredients and shake well. Dose: 1 tsp
in 1 cup of warm water as a douche for thrush,
cystitis, etc.
There are some technical terms that I still haven't learned like the difference between tincture, oil and water...but hopefully that will come soon.
The reference is really useful in that it describes cultural history and myths about the plant but also goes into detail about how it is used by many forms of complementary medicines like homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, aromatherapy, emotional and veterinary uses... Also, so many recipes! Teas, food, salves, etc.
It looks like you need to purchase access to this reference but this article is available for free.
There is a correspondence school that I'm looking into for personal interest on HerbMentor.com which is also where I found out about Herbalpedia.
I've signed up for a phytotherapy course (healing with plants) here in Germany that should be starting up soon. In general, I'm really looking forward to having a better grasp on treating common illnesses...straight from our (balcony) garden. :)
Here is a recipe for a preparation to treat yeast infections copied from the Herbalpedia reference above:
Marigold Douche: 2 ¾ oz rosewater, 1 tsp
marigold tincture, 1 tsp comfrey tincture. Mix
all the ingredients and shake well. Dose: 1 tsp
in 1 cup of warm water as a douche for thrush,
cystitis, etc.
There are some technical terms that I still haven't learned like the difference between tincture, oil and water...but hopefully that will come soon.
The reference is really useful in that it describes cultural history and myths about the plant but also goes into detail about how it is used by many forms of complementary medicines like homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, aromatherapy, emotional and veterinary uses... Also, so many recipes! Teas, food, salves, etc.
It looks like you need to purchase access to this reference but this article is available for free.
There is a correspondence school that I'm looking into for personal interest on HerbMentor.com which is also where I found out about Herbalpedia.
I've signed up for a phytotherapy course (healing with plants) here in Germany that should be starting up soon. In general, I'm really looking forward to having a better grasp on treating common illnesses...straight from our (balcony) garden. :)
Friday, April 8, 2011
Medicine Monopoly
Here is a really great link I found on treating yeast infections with natural remedies. It's actually a site on STDs but the info is really helpful.
I was getting frustrated with all the information on the web about symptoms and transmission but there's practically nothing out there on treatment. Maybe everyone is just afraid of being sued or something but I think it's ridiculous that the only treatment advice most websites have is to contact your doctor as if you were too stupid to treat yourself or as if the only remedies out there need a prescription.
Doctors seem to have a monopoly on information.... I want(ed) to go to medical school but the tuition alone is $160k, that means the only way I would have access to medicinal information and counsel would be to make an appointment, wait the standard 40 minutes in the waiting room, tell the doctor what I have, pay him to listen, pay the lab tech to confirm what I already know and then get a prescription for some chemicals.... There's got to be a better way.
There has got to be more health and body awareness and a way to learn about treating yourself and your family that doesn't involve needing to contact a doctor, especially if you already know what it is ailing you.
As I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy, I've been thinking about what I would like my child to know off the bat about non-chemical remedies.
Humans have survived for thousands of years without chemical medicine - and I'm talking about the small annoying illnesses like yeast infections, Athlete's Foot, etc. - so there's also got to be a huge heritage of medicines which are readily available to the common man, we just need to turn back to a natural approach to life and taking a bigger interest in our own well-being instead of pushing that responsibility onto someone that doesn't know us and is making a living off of our being sick.
I was getting frustrated with all the information on the web about symptoms and transmission but there's practically nothing out there on treatment. Maybe everyone is just afraid of being sued or something but I think it's ridiculous that the only treatment advice most websites have is to contact your doctor as if you were too stupid to treat yourself or as if the only remedies out there need a prescription.
Doctors seem to have a monopoly on information.... I want(ed) to go to medical school but the tuition alone is $160k, that means the only way I would have access to medicinal information and counsel would be to make an appointment, wait the standard 40 minutes in the waiting room, tell the doctor what I have, pay him to listen, pay the lab tech to confirm what I already know and then get a prescription for some chemicals.... There's got to be a better way.
There has got to be more health and body awareness and a way to learn about treating yourself and your family that doesn't involve needing to contact a doctor, especially if you already know what it is ailing you.
As I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy, I've been thinking about what I would like my child to know off the bat about non-chemical remedies.
Humans have survived for thousands of years without chemical medicine - and I'm talking about the small annoying illnesses like yeast infections, Athlete's Foot, etc. - so there's also got to be a huge heritage of medicines which are readily available to the common man, we just need to turn back to a natural approach to life and taking a bigger interest in our own well-being instead of pushing that responsibility onto someone that doesn't know us and is making a living off of our being sick.
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