homebirth general discussion #9

[HotI]

Think about what you want from a midwife before you meet/chat with them.

[Cassius2]

i second what HotI said. and dont feel shy about being upfront and interviewing more than one!

(oh, and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!)

i love my wee group midwives naturally, but not sure on their payment plans etc. also i just LOVE Jan Ireland.

[Cricket]

Wow - look at that 2012 homebirth list fill up! Welcome and congrats PZ!

Things are going pretty well here. Saw the chiropractor last week, which has helped my back out quite a bit. (Hurray!) However, I seem to have mild SPD and other pelvic issues that are still giving me trouble. Really looking to having this little one out of my belly and in my arms. Saw the midwife on Thursday. We have a group practice here, and I have a primary midwife, along with a second and a third as back up. This visit was with my third. She was my primary for my last baby, and she drove me crazy. Still does. She's very friendly and nice, but terribly indecisive, and a bad listener. Tried to explain the pelvic pain to her, and she assumed I was talking about something else, and told me what to do for that, which was completely useless. Babies heart rate was a little unusual, and we weren't sure if that was due to a poor "connection" with the doppler, or if there was a truly irregular heart beat. When she started listening, I was on my back, and baby's heart rate was steady and strong, but slow - only about 110. So she sat me up to semi-reclined and listened again, and the heart rate picked right up, but seemed to be skipping every 4th beat. But, it was hard to get a good read on it, since I was now partly sitting, and baby was directly posterior. So she laid me down again, and the heart rate stayed good, and seemed regular again. She put a note on my chart to have it carefully checked again at my next visit. She also reminded me about DS's birth (very easy labour, very difficult pushing, due to his positioning) and talked about how this baby was in the same position. I know it's early, and this baby still has lots of time to move around, but she is pretty steadily in a posterior position. Her feet are almost always kicking right dead center of the top of my belly. Ugh. I don't want to have to push out another one like DS! I think his birth might be part of the reason why I'm sore now. Anyways, my next visit is with my second midwife, whom I don't love, and then I'll see my primary again, whom I really do love, and I'll make sure to talk some of this over with her.

Em - how are things with you? It's getting so close now!

[lady_neon]

Hi ladies can I join?

Planned home waterbirth

[Tegam]

Hi ladies can I join?

Planned home waterbirth

Yippy! Congratulations on your pregnancy and choice of birth

Cricket: Its plenty early enough for baby to move around. Remember us multis have heaps of room in their, so that can lead to bubs being in lazy positions but its means we have one well trained uterus to know what to do when labour starts! Ive had two posterior births and the 2nd was no where near the same as the first I dont like the sound of the 3rd MW.

Congratulations PZ!!!! I look forward to hearing about your journey picking a MW

[Cricket]

Cricket: Its plenty early enough for baby to move around. Remember us multis have heaps of room in their, so that can lead to bubs being in lazy positions but its means we have one well trained uterus to know what to do when labour starts! Ive had two posterior births and the 2nd was no where near the same as the first I dont like the sound of the 3rd MW.

Thanks Tegam. I *know* that's true, but it still has me a little worried. I'll just have to keep reminding myself not to worry, and have a peek at the Spinning Babies site to see if I can encourage this little one over to the "good side".

Welcome lady-neon! Congratulations! Water birth is a WONDERFUL way to have a baby.

[Tegam]

Cricket have I ever told you how totally and utterly green with loving envy I am that you are having another baby hmmm any tips on getting my DH to give me another baby?

[Jennifer13]

Yes, I'm not pregnant either, Bella. I was concerned when I had a few iffy symptoms over the long weekend and tested yesterday. So phew, my cycle has not yet returned. DD2 is bfing through the night still at this stage, so I'm tempted to wait another month and then tell DP we can dispense with birth control until AF returns. Feels like we're using the damn things for no reason, but there's no way I would want an oopsie before DD2 turns 1.

If I had chosen a different path I'd have half a dozen children. As it is, I'm very happy with the two I've got and I'd be over the moon if I managed to convince DP to go one more time.

Bella - do you think the wonderful birth you've had this time and the transition to no 2 has made it easier for your DH to think about more? I know it's certainly shifted DP's perspective ever so slightly. DD2 has come into our family so seamlessly that his concerns about more children are practical and financial (for the future). Plus, he's aware of his own age and the things he wants to do after we've raised our family. But what's a few more years of doing that, really?

[meow]

Lady neon- a birth plan isn't about writing done how the birth is going to go, it's about writing down your preferences for whatever may happen. Such as whether you want baby to have vitamin K or hep B shots. Whether you want an episiotomy or if you would prefer to tear. I didn't write my preferences down for my HB, I wrote a list of instructions though such as contact numbers, what music I would want if I asked for music etc and I wrote a birth plan in case of transfer that outlined what I did and didn't want including baby care in NICU such as no formula and a request that my milk be expressed even if I was unconscious.

[Cassius2]

Hello girls!

Cricket: in my case i love EVEN MORE the smell of my essential oils as it brings me back to that wonderful time (but i had one of those disgustingly fun births where there was only one painful contraction....and of course i immediately wished for a C/S...but thankfully after it passed we were back on track ).

Ladyneon: i used music in early labour (what i thought was pre-labour). it really helped to ground me and connect to the baby rather than the niggles and tightenings, so i found it useful. this time i want to to use it during labour as well....just gotta remember to get the ipod in the right room this time!

Jennifer: we were done at 2 kids...until i had that wonderful waterbirth at home! for both of us, it changed immediately and we couldnt imagine life without another. we also thought a few years down the track too

Bella: i had the same strategy when moving! a box a day!

as for warmth, we live in melbourne when DD2 was born in early sept and it was still pretty cold. we cranked the heating up and the pool keeps warm for like 4 hours on its own. we bought thick blankets for lying underneath the pool and for on top in case i wanted to get out and pace around.