Homebirth General Discussion #17

Arimeh: :hug: that's a lot to process

So I had growth scan on Tuesday and Bub seems to be all good, and actually measuring ahead of dates. HC is measuring 37 weeks! And I'm only 34weeks. So turns out I can starve myself and breastfeed two kids and still have a big baby! MW did say not to use that as a reason to believe it ok not to eat as I'm the one losing out in all this. Anyway plan is just to stay on track for rest of pregnancy. Hoping I don't get to 42weeks like with DS, not sure I can hold it together that long!

Arimeh: :hug: that's a lot to process

So I had growth scan on Tuesday and Bub seems to be all good, and actually measuring ahead of dates. HC is measuring 37 weeks! And I'm only 34weeks. So turns out I can starve myself and breastfeed two kids and still have a big baby! MW did say not to use that as a reason to believe it ok not to eat as I'm the one losing out in all this. Anyway plan is just to stay on track for rest of pregnancy. Hoping I don't get to 42weeks like with DS, not sure I can hold it together that long!

Hugs to you Arimeh. You're in my thoughts lots.

Eenee I'm glad bub is growing well. Your midwife is right though, your body will suffer before your babies. They will take the calcium from your bones if its needed. I hope you're taking some good supplements.

Sorry for the short reply. I'm on my phone and my brain is like a sieve.

Hi to everyone else. I'm Travelling well and enjoying the sunshine today. This is the best stage of pg so I'm trying to enjoy it.

I'm feeling stuck about blessingway ideas though. I want to get my belly hennaed, but I think I want to get that done in private this time and maybe have more of a 'mother way' with mothers of all ages rather than my friends who are pretty much all childless. I don't really have many older women in my life though. It's a sad realization.

I would love to get my belly hennaed or painted, but wouldn't be comfortable to have it done in front of people. Will you do yours yourself, or get a mate or professional to do it?

i had a small babyshower with #1, nothing with #2, but am thinking to have a gathering this time, maybe a bbq at home. I would like to make some bunting or something and get people and kids to come and decorate a flag (paint, glue, sew, draw, write, whatever) and then i could string them all up and have them in my birth space. Fairly casual, and that's the main thing that i would like to do. Or maybe jewellery making or something.

Arcadia, have one with mums, if that is your stronger inclination, and you will not regret it :)
I helped with a Blessingway two years ago and it was lovely for everyone to contribute to the henna design, bit by bit. It was so effective, and it was only a small group, so it didn't feel like being in a Myer window for the mama!
I think I'd like one this time. I had a baby shower/party at my fire station the first time, and that was nice because it wasn't just women. I had nothing for my second (I did a belly cast, though!), and being that I'd prefer if this were the last child (having a disabled parking permit has its perks, but I'd rather not need one ever again!), I wouldn't mind having a gathering of mamas, but I'm not sure my old crew would want to travel from Melb, and I'm sure as hell not travelling to have my blessingway.
Arimeh, whilst what you feel now is very normal for what you've been through, it would still be enormously beneficial to have a counselling session or two, just to keep you on track, or get you a little more firmly on track. The hospital psychologist would be a good place to start, or else just tee up a mental health plan with your GP. Clearly, it's playing on your mind and giving it air will be helpful. My mum had two near-death experiences, with two ectopic pregnancies and she barely talked about it. I think that's played a huge part in why she goes troppo weird when I am pregnant. Not to say you'll lose the plot, just to illustrate how important it is to validate your experience, give it words, put it in its place. xxx

HotI, my girlfriends just did a High Tea at Home for me, it was amazing!!
A gift I receieved was a hand painted canvas of the Tree of Life with two Owls (one pink, one blue) sat in the centre. At the tip of each branch was a friends name and their fingerprint. It is very personal and sits above baby's moses basket in our bedroom.

Only three of the invitees to my mother blessing are childless - one is my 18-year-old cousin who is a complete baby person, another is my brother's girlfriend who works in child care. The third, I'll admit I have no idea of her stance on kids, but she's been a close friend for ages and will enjoy the "hippy stuff" :p So I don't think it's a big deal if you only invite those who are mothers :) The whole point is to be around people you feel comfortable with and actually *want* there! If I invited everyone I was "meant to" I would have a miserable time - I learnt that lesson with my baby shower last time :(

I'm planning on hiring a henna artist too, I want her to do my belly while the guests are decorating my birth flags, then smaller designs on their hands/feet so we all have that sort of connection. Hopefully I can find someone who fits our budget AND my grandiose plans :lol:

Yeah last time I had my belly done with guests there and they got ankles/hands done. It was very cool, but it does take time. This time I want more readings/talking and a bit more 'ceremony'. So even more hippy haha. Both times I have asked guests to bring a bead to make a birth necklace. They are my most treasured birthing things. This time I want to get fabric too to make a quilt. I did the patchwork for a friends mother way quilt and it was stunning. So I thought I should do it for me!!

I need to get some good readings/poems to help me work out the right tone. Any suggestions??

Can I ask maybe the silliest question ever asked on a homebirth thread?

What do you like to wear when you're pregnant? I've put on more weight earlier this time, so my regular clothes are all too small or uncomfortable.
Maybe I am not looking in the right places, but actual maternity clothes are not appealing to me much. I have resorted to black leggings and baggy tops a lot. Not very dressy, but comfy.

I wore some maxi skirts with stretch waists that were really comfortable and still looked nice. You can get maternity ones, but most of mine were non maternity, and I can still wear them now. :) Put a tank top with it, and maybe a jacket, or a short-sleeved blouse or a cardigan, left open or with a belt above the belly.... - it works pretty well for a wide range of weather and can be dressy enough for a special outing, or casual enough to wear around the house doing laundry, depending on what you put with it. A pretty scarf or nice necklace and bracelet can dress it up quite nicely. Also, if you get one long enough, you don't have to wear uncomfortable dressy shoes - no one can see your feet, so you can wear whatever feels best. :)

I wear dresses and leggins or maternity jeans and tshirts. I love the brand metallicus and mesop because they stretch but are not maternity, so you can wear them afterwards. I get so sick of my maternity gear by the end. I try to buy nice shoes when pg to get me through.

I like maternity pants, I got a few from a Pumpkin Patch outlet store quite cheaply. Actually, I don't mind the PP maternity stuff in general, but not at full retail price. Mostly, I borrowed or was given my maternity gear. I have a 'set' that's mostly tops, dresses and a couple of pants and shorts that my sisters and I have all shared and added to. I've mostly got secondhand from friends and even a bag full from Freecycle once. I like the Target bfing camis too - they're the only ones that grow with my belly and I can wear them with or without something over them, depending on the weather. They're also quite handy after bub. I also got a few tops from op shops, just baggier/bigger sizes, but not too big ITMS.

M/w visit on Thurs and I'm quite looking forward to it. Chiro visit on Wed that I think I'm looking forward to even more! :/

I scoured the op shops early and I've been back regularly...but I think I cleaned them out of their maternity gear ;)
I have some jeans from last time, but only like one pair this time. My belt is making things difficult and I've been loving leggings and longer tops. I got some very cheap PP stuff from Brands Exclusive - floaty summer tops that can go over leggings or shorts.
I have a Mesop dress I plan to wear for Christmas and spesh occasions - maxi style. Otherwise, I love Vigorella clothes - not so much metallicus because of cost. I love Vigorella's new bamboo range!
I'm on the lookout for a sturdy pair of nice slip on summer shoes. I'm going to look up Birkenstock's seconds very shortly. The shoe situation is driving me nuts at the moment. I need good support for my pelvis and I need a slip on to minimise my bending down.
In other news, I saw a social worker lady today from UnitingCare and I have a plan to get in home help (again, pelvis!). I'll get a med cert from my GP about the pelvis and stating my case for the care and the council should pay attention to that. It won't pay for all of the service, but it will be most of it. I'll see how I go. Also, she is a homebirth supporter and knows of the sympathetic doctors of natural birth, but they can't attend homebirths either. She conceded that in the country birth choices are unfairly limited - medical politics is allowed to run rife out here, where in the cities they get too much pressure to resist completely.
Next week will be my first MW visit at my home.
I have my disabled parking permit and I'm so relieved to have that at last!

I scoured the op shops early and I've been back regularly...but I think I cleaned them out of their maternity gear ;)
I have some jeans from last time, but only like one pair this time. My belt is making things difficult and I've been loving leggings and longer tops. I got some very cheap PP stuff from Brands Exclusive - floaty summer tops that can go over leggings or shorts.
I have a Mesop dress I plan to wear for Christmas and spesh occasions - maxi style. Otherwise, I love Vigorella clothes - not so much metallicus because of cost. I love Vigorella's new bamboo range!
I'm on the lookout for a sturdy pair of nice slip on summer shoes. I'm going to look up Birkenstock's seconds very shortly. The shoe situation is driving me nuts at the moment. I need good support for my pelvis and I need a slip on to minimise my bending down.
In other news, I saw a social worker lady today from UnitingCare and I have a plan to get in home help (again, pelvis!). I'll get a med cert from my GP about the pelvis and stating my case for the care and the council should pay attention to that. It won't pay for all of the service, but it will be most of it. I'll see how I go. Also, she is a homebirth supporter and knows of the sympathetic doctors of natural birth, but they can't attend homebirths either. She conceded that in the country birth choices are unfairly limited - medical politics is allowed to run rife out here, where in the cities they get too much pressure to resist completely.
Next week will be my first MW visit at my home.
I have my disabled parking permit and I'm so relieved to have that at last!

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me to source some jic syntocinon. my birth support not able to source it this time.

is there anybody who may be birthing jan ish and may have it left over (if they don't use it). feel free to pm me.


i may delete this post later so pls don't quote me

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me to source some jic syntocinon. my birth support not able to source it this time.

is there anybody who may be birthing jan ish and may have it left over (if they don't use it). feel free to pm me.


i may delete this post later so pls don't quote me

Shop around for a GP? There is a sympathetic GP in Burwood/Bennettswood who I'm sure would sign a script for it. I'm in a similar situation and have some avenues to follow...

Oh that's crappy. I will get a script no problems. But Sunshine Coast is a bit of a ways to come.....