On Nesting and Midwifery
So I think I'm in the beginning stages of "nesting". I have spent time here and there cleaning, rearranging, planning and preparing. Sadly most days I don't have the energy or pain tolerance to get too much accomplished, but I'm doing my best.
I've been quite sore lately, my hips, lower back and pelvic region in general aches after being on my feet for more than a hour at a time, which is making life both at work and at home quite annoying. It's not that I can't deal with it or get through it, but it sure makes me want to just sit on my butt and do nothing at all.
I push through the pain at work instead of calling in or putting in my two weeks notice just yet. Primarily so I can make some sort of wage to make the going to bed at 6 pm and getting up at 2 in the morning worthwhile for a little longer. But I have a feeling that I won't tolerate it much longer.
I was actually afraid my midwife would put me on rest or ask me to stop working during my check-up yesterday after the night I had Sunday. I was having a LOT of Braxton Hicks contractions that night, which after a few hours of having them every 15 minutes or so, turned somewhat painful and then spread to menstrual type cramping in my lower abdomen.
I didn't go to the hospital while it was happening because I knew that so long as I wasn't bleeding or anything crazy like that, it was more than likely just something my body wanted to do and I would just be wasting time and money going to get checked. Plus I knew I had my regular check-up appointment the following morning so I could tackle it there with my midwife.
She told me that since it sounded like it was just an "episode" and didn't last more than a few hours total that it was probably completely benign. After doing a quick exam to make sure I hadn't effaced or dilated, she reassured me by telling me that a uterus that contracts early and often is just a sign that the body is going to be well prepared for laboring. I wasn't really "worried" but I was a little concerned and as usual, the midwife eased my mind.
By the way, I am quite glad I'm using a midwife service rather than a OBGYN. The midwives seem to be more in tune with my needs and concerns as a pregnant woman and they also seem to care a great deal more than a doctor would. They take time to listen to me and give me encouragement, support and advice that I don't suspect most medical doctors would even bother with.
I also like that instead of just one woman to rely on I have a team of women, each of which have their own way of doing things and explaining things. There are four midwives at the practice I'm going to, and I've now seen each of them throughout my various appointments. So now I know that when my time comes to deliver, no matter who is on call or available that day, I will be in good hands. I trust each of them to help me, listen to me, and advocate for me if I come to a point of butting heads with the hospital staff if that's where I end up giving birth.
I also have come to realize the importance of a well written and clearly stated birth plan to take with me to the hospital. I watched a documentary about midwife vs. obstetric births last night which was eye opening. I remember vaguely the types of things my sister went through at her obstetric hospital birth, many of them quite positive, but some rather negative. I saw those things referenced in the documentary last night and explained in lay terms. And I am quite certain that while my sister delivered a healthy baby girl and came through the birthing of my niece quite fine, it could have been a little better/different than it was.
I am most opposed to the domino effect that medicinal interventions create at a typical hospital birth. Let's say you're a first time mom-to-be. You arrive at the hospital after your water breaks and you're having contractions that aren't really that far apart and you're only dilated to 3-4 cm. A lot of hospitals see that as an opportunity to give you the drug Pitocin to advance your labor and get you dilated more quickly. You're in a birthing bed, taking up precious space and services, so the faster they can get you to deliver the better.
Once you're on the Pitocin, your pain level increases and you are then presented with the option of the epidural to relieve the pain caused by the stronger more frequent contractions caused by the Pitocin. So of course, you're in pain and you say okay to the Epidural. Once you've gotten the Epidural you're nurse will come and increase your Pitocin to really push your labor along. Before you know it you're being told to push, push, push and if you're lucky, your baby is born without further intervention.
But if you're not so lucky, you might be given an episiotomy to widen your vaginal opening, or a vacuum assist could be introduced, or maybe even forceps. If those things won't or don't help, well they prep you quickly and wheel you to an operating room and deliver your baby via the major surgical procedure called a cesarean section.
This is all fine and dandy, but is it really necessary? Not always. There are exceptions, of course, medically necessary reasons for all types of birthing interventions, but most women could give birth assist-free.
I have thought all along that I wanted to have a natural drug-free birth, with the option of saying "drugs please" should I find I can't handle the pain of it all. But after talking to my midwife yesterday, doing some soul searching, watching that documentary and then doing some reading of real mothers' natural birth stories I think I don't even want to go in with the attitude that medical interventions (save for life/death necessity) are even on the table.
I know some will think I'm crazy. I fully expect to be told so by some of those closest to me. But honestly, I don't care. It's my body, my baby, and I'm gonna do it the way I want to do it. I had a long discussion about this with hubby last night and he is completely and totally supportive. For which I am incredibly grateful.
I am even considering moving my birthing day plans from the local hospital to the optional off site birth center. I have to discuss that with the midwives and with the billing department to see if my insurance will cover it first, but I think it's a great option to get to consider. I am not into doing a home birth because I don't feel like my home is in any condition for hosting a live birth (being perpetual construction zone and all). But if it were, I'd be all about it. Just to make life easier and avoid unnecessary medical interventions and stress.
So who knows what will happen when the time comes, I have a wee little bit of time to consider and decide. Either way, my baby girl will be born and both she and I will make it through if the Universe deems it so.
I've been quite sore lately, my hips, lower back and pelvic region in general aches after being on my feet for more than a hour at a time, which is making life both at work and at home quite annoying. It's not that I can't deal with it or get through it, but it sure makes me want to just sit on my butt and do nothing at all.
I push through the pain at work instead of calling in or putting in my two weeks notice just yet. Primarily so I can make some sort of wage to make the going to bed at 6 pm and getting up at 2 in the morning worthwhile for a little longer. But I have a feeling that I won't tolerate it much longer.
I was actually afraid my midwife would put me on rest or ask me to stop working during my check-up yesterday after the night I had Sunday. I was having a LOT of Braxton Hicks contractions that night, which after a few hours of having them every 15 minutes or so, turned somewhat painful and then spread to menstrual type cramping in my lower abdomen.
I didn't go to the hospital while it was happening because I knew that so long as I wasn't bleeding or anything crazy like that, it was more than likely just something my body wanted to do and I would just be wasting time and money going to get checked. Plus I knew I had my regular check-up appointment the following morning so I could tackle it there with my midwife.
She told me that since it sounded like it was just an "episode" and didn't last more than a few hours total that it was probably completely benign. After doing a quick exam to make sure I hadn't effaced or dilated, she reassured me by telling me that a uterus that contracts early and often is just a sign that the body is going to be well prepared for laboring. I wasn't really "worried" but I was a little concerned and as usual, the midwife eased my mind.
By the way, I am quite glad I'm using a midwife service rather than a OBGYN. The midwives seem to be more in tune with my needs and concerns as a pregnant woman and they also seem to care a great deal more than a doctor would. They take time to listen to me and give me encouragement, support and advice that I don't suspect most medical doctors would even bother with.
I also like that instead of just one woman to rely on I have a team of women, each of which have their own way of doing things and explaining things. There are four midwives at the practice I'm going to, and I've now seen each of them throughout my various appointments. So now I know that when my time comes to deliver, no matter who is on call or available that day, I will be in good hands. I trust each of them to help me, listen to me, and advocate for me if I come to a point of butting heads with the hospital staff if that's where I end up giving birth.
I also have come to realize the importance of a well written and clearly stated birth plan to take with me to the hospital. I watched a documentary about midwife vs. obstetric births last night which was eye opening. I remember vaguely the types of things my sister went through at her obstetric hospital birth, many of them quite positive, but some rather negative. I saw those things referenced in the documentary last night and explained in lay terms. And I am quite certain that while my sister delivered a healthy baby girl and came through the birthing of my niece quite fine, it could have been a little better/different than it was.
I am most opposed to the domino effect that medicinal interventions create at a typical hospital birth. Let's say you're a first time mom-to-be. You arrive at the hospital after your water breaks and you're having contractions that aren't really that far apart and you're only dilated to 3-4 cm. A lot of hospitals see that as an opportunity to give you the drug Pitocin to advance your labor and get you dilated more quickly. You're in a birthing bed, taking up precious space and services, so the faster they can get you to deliver the better.
Once you're on the Pitocin, your pain level increases and you are then presented with the option of the epidural to relieve the pain caused by the stronger more frequent contractions caused by the Pitocin. So of course, you're in pain and you say okay to the Epidural. Once you've gotten the Epidural you're nurse will come and increase your Pitocin to really push your labor along. Before you know it you're being told to push, push, push and if you're lucky, your baby is born without further intervention.
But if you're not so lucky, you might be given an episiotomy to widen your vaginal opening, or a vacuum assist could be introduced, or maybe even forceps. If those things won't or don't help, well they prep you quickly and wheel you to an operating room and deliver your baby via the major surgical procedure called a cesarean section.
This is all fine and dandy, but is it really necessary? Not always. There are exceptions, of course, medically necessary reasons for all types of birthing interventions, but most women could give birth assist-free.
I have thought all along that I wanted to have a natural drug-free birth, with the option of saying "drugs please" should I find I can't handle the pain of it all. But after talking to my midwife yesterday, doing some soul searching, watching that documentary and then doing some reading of real mothers' natural birth stories I think I don't even want to go in with the attitude that medical interventions (save for life/death necessity) are even on the table.
I know some will think I'm crazy. I fully expect to be told so by some of those closest to me. But honestly, I don't care. It's my body, my baby, and I'm gonna do it the way I want to do it. I had a long discussion about this with hubby last night and he is completely and totally supportive. For which I am incredibly grateful.
I am even considering moving my birthing day plans from the local hospital to the optional off site birth center. I have to discuss that with the midwives and with the billing department to see if my insurance will cover it first, but I think it's a great option to get to consider. I am not into doing a home birth because I don't feel like my home is in any condition for hosting a live birth (being perpetual construction zone and all). But if it were, I'd be all about it. Just to make life easier and avoid unnecessary medical interventions and stress.
So who knows what will happen when the time comes, I have a wee little bit of time to consider and decide. Either way, my baby girl will be born and both she and I will make it through if the Universe deems it so.
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