Homebirth General Discussion #14

[Jennifer13]

I am ready to do pg yoga now and I start prenatal aqua next week too. I think that kind of exercise is beneficial however far you are in your pg.

The fitball I started once in active labour! Rofl

[Cricket]

When do you reckon is a good time to start stuff like pregnancy yoga, rolling on my fitball, etc? I don't want to start too early and have it get boring, but I don't want to start too late and get no benefit... I keep wishing this pregnancy away and wishing it was later on I don't like waiting for things

I'm doing a prenatal exercise DVD that has some cardio, some pilates and some yoga. I started it as soon as my morning sickness was done - around 10 weeks or so. I do exercise daily anyways though, and I really didn't want to lose the habit! It also helps my energy level substantially, eases the aches and pains, and makes me sleep better, along with getting my body ready for birth. I know the DVD back and forth, and in that sense you could say it's boring, but if you find someone you like, it shouldn't be a big problem. I had another prenatal DVD that I hated. The girl was really annoying and I just never liked doing that DVD. She did the same things over and over with stupid banter between her and her instructor, and it was boring from the start. The one I have is Erin O'Brien's Prenatal Fitness Fix. She changes things up every minute or two, and is very low-key - not peppy or super-smiley, while still being encouraging, and challenging.
She has a post-natal one too, and you can get them as a set. The post-natal one is very gentle, and great for stretching out your sore back and shoulders (after nursing!) and recovering your tummy muscles. It's done in three levels, which you move through at your own pace, and when you're done the third level, you should be ready for a regular exercise routine.

[Cassius2]

teni: start as soon as you want!

[TeniBear]

Started last night (at 1am No time to myself these days!) and it was lovely until I got too tired to continue But why did no-one tell me how much yoga moves... um... gas down and out? I'm glad I'm doing it in my own house and not in a class

[Jennifer13]

I love my prenatal yoga DVD, although not for the gas-y reasons! easier to grab 20 mins at home than go out. The postnatal one on the same DVD was less regularly done.

Booked into aqua starting next week - yay!

First m/w appt on Thurs (at 16 wks... kinda in less of a hurry this time). My birth pool from DD2 is available (borrowing it again), but I do have to patch an air leak in the top section. For one use, I think it should be okay. Right?

[Eenee]

Yep Jen, both times my birth pool has had holes patched and been fine.

[HotI]

we had to patch our pool too, had it blown up in the shed for a few days to make sure it was good. - actually we left it in the shed blown up until labour started.

really struggling with midwife choice this time. argh, not even sure why.

[Mum2twoBoys]

I'm happy to give you feedback afterwards hoti, but you might want to know before then?

[HotI]

for those whose midwives are medicare eligible, do you think this affected your relationship at all?

how much did you get back from medicare for appointments?

would you go with a midwife who wasn't comfortable with breech homebirth? are there any conditions that would be a deal breaker for you?

[Arcadia]

My midwife and I have a relationship that predates Medicare, so it hasn't affected us. I don't remember how much you get back, but it's just for pre and postnatal not for birth. I will let you know when I get to Medicare in the next few days!

I think I would be uncomfortable with breech at home, so yes I'd want a care provider that matches my values. I think having a good relationship means you trust them implicitly and if they said go to hospital you wouldn't question it for a second- that's how I feel about my midwife.

I am a pretty conservative homebirther though. I think acting before 42 weeks is important, twins and breech need extra care and other risk factors need to be looked at carefully.

I might change my tune if this baby is breech.

[HotI]

Yeah, DH and i were just saying that we probably wouldn't be comfortable with breech, however last time when DS was so mobile, and was transverse at 37+ weeks, breech at 40 weeks - he moved before labour started, it was nice to have a midwife who would support us if he was breech and we wanted to stay home.

I recently investigated breech hospital policies, and it was really scary. If you actually found a hcp to support you, then you often had to 'agree' to all sorts of interventions. in some ways, you had more options if you went for the c section.

i'm not planning a breech baby, but i am a realist and know that my tummy muscles are shot, and if an almost 11lber could do somersaults are full term, i don't have a lot of faith that this bub will be cephalic and in position early.

I'm not a renegade, but i do want to be the person making decisions for me and my baby. I do want my midwife to share her expertise, and opinion but i wouldn't want her to say "it's time to go to hospital", or do x, y, z. even though i most probably would follow her opinion ITMS?

[Eenee]

Hoti: I had DD with MW before she had Medicare, since she's had Medicare it hasn't changed the relationship at all. Although she now has a clinic locally so most appointments are attended there, which I kind of prefer when they were in my home. She also has more clients now and it makes it feel different (lol struggling to think of the word I want to describe it lol).

As for breech birth I would be happy to be at home. As for a MW that didn't feel comfortable it would depend on why, if because of the current legal issues surrounding homebirth then yes ok can accept that. But if due to experience type feeling comfortable then that would probably be a deal breaker. Where I live I don't have choice of another midwife so haven't really thought much about what would be deal breakers. I find my midwife to be quite confident though and she's pretty upfront so know if she had issues with anything I'd kind of know about them.

[PumpkinZulu]

My m/w was Medicare eligible. I found it fine. She even did all the extra appointments I needed after the birth when I was in the depths of PND at the rebate rate only I'd feel comfortable with breech at home, depending on my m/w's confidence, experience etc. If they weren't comfortable, that would probably make me uncomfortable itms?

[Arimeh]

I'm happy with my midwives not doing breech home birth because its obviously something they aren't comfortable with. And as much as I want to avoid a hospital birth or csection - I'm not prepared to make them feel less than confident about my labour when I'm in labour - itms.

[Cricket]

I wouldn't homebirth a breech baby, I don't think. But for me, it's totally beside the point - there aren't even doctors around here who will deliver a breech baby naturally.
I've heard that wearing a pregnancy support belt can help get your baby into a better position for birth. It kind of makes sense, if your stomach muscles are shot and your baby has too much room to move, then the support belt takes over for the muscles and puts the baby back where it should be. Could be worth a try anyways. I've worn a blanqi pregnancy support tank for the past 20 weeks or so, and it has helped my back out substantially, and it's comfortable - no straps or velcro, more like a sports bra for your belly. They're kind of expensive, but I do love it. This baby has been head-down from the time they started checking, but I don't know if that's because of the support, necessarily. All my babies go head-down pretty early. I'm just hoping for a LOA baby, not a posterior one!

[meow]

One of the key criteria I based my MW choice on was that she was experienced in breech birth. I was determined to stay home for as many reasons as possible and I was happy to have a breech homebirth with an experienced caregiver. I think especially given that I had had a large baby already I knew my pelvis was 'big enough' you know? Breech (and twin) homebirth is illegal where we are now and that really bothers me. I would want to homebirth twins too (given the right conditions). That said, my MWs official line was that she does not support breech homebirth (as she would risk losing her registration if she supported a planned breech homebirth) so it really just that we had her skills if we ended up with an unexpected breech birth and felt it was safer to stay at home than transfer.

I think it's natural to consider a MW change for a new pregnancy. Cassius and I discussed that too... I'm not 100% sure I would choose the same MWs again. My reasons for choosing them related to that pregnancy and the feelings I had going into a first homebirth. My feelings are different now and perhaps I'd want someone I could develop a different relationship with?

[HotI]

I guess there are a number of midwives who may not officially support breech homebirth. in current political climate, I understand them not wanting to or being able to talk freely. even here I choose my words carefully when discussing midwives and the practises. I don't think I discussed DS ever changing positions so close to birth until after. my 2 births havebeen at 41 weeks, I am not expecting to go early this time, and I loved not feeling rushed last time because my midwife was ok that he was still working it out. if I think of the birth, I want one midwife. if I think of the pregnancy, I want another. and I want to invite my student, who wasthere last time, but will have graduated by then. is that weird? maybe I just haven't moved on?

[HotI]

has anyone had a look at rhea dhempsey's new book yet? wondering how relevant it is if you have already made the decision to homebirth?

Birth With Confidence: Savvy choices for normal birth

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Publisher: Boathouse Press
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By Rhea Dempsey
Australia’s birth intervention rates are well above those recommended by the World Health Organisation and climbing. In Birth with Confidence, one of Australia’s foremost thinkers on the subject of childbirth explains why normal birth is almost impossible in our current birth culture—and what women can do to beat the odds.
In this accessible, straightforward book, Rhea Dempsey draws on over thirty years’ experience to show how a woman’s choice of caregivers, support team and birthplace, as well as her life experience and personal attitudes to pain, will affect her birth outcomes. Featuring real-life stories, the latest Australian statistics and opportunities for guided personal reflection, Birth with Confidence provides the knowledge and practical advice that women need for the best chance of normal birth in today’s birth culture.
Birth With Confidence will:
Outline the benefits for mothers and babies of a normal physiological birth
Help you understand how our current birth culture can undermine your attempts at normal birth and the steps you can take to make sure it doesn’t
Explain how the various ‘circles of influence’ around you — from your friends and family to the wider culture — can support or sabotage your birthing potential
Help you identify your own attitude to pain — your ‘pain type’ — and what it will mean for your birth
Provide practical and emotional steps you can take to raise your pain threshold
Give you a framework for deciding on the best caregivers and support people to help you work through any ‘crisis of confidence’ during labour