Going Natural

Preparing for Natural Childbirth

Almost every single woman in the world is equipped to have a natural childbirth.  However, in modern America, with easy access to pain relieving medication, sometimes it can be difficult to choose a different option during childbirth.  If natural childbirth is something you may consider, here are a few tips to prepare.

1. Preparation: While you can never actually prepare for what to expect in childbirth, just like a runner can't know what to expect running her first marathon, preparation is key to success. 
2. Read:  Read about labor and birth. Read about what happens to the body as a woman progresses  through pregnancy and into labor as well as what happens to the body during labor.  Read inspiring birth stories such as those found in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Embracing Birth, and Journey to Motherhood are great ways to emotionally and mentally prepare for childbirth.
3. Get your provider's support: Talk with your provider about your desires and ask how they will be able to support your decision to not use pharmacological pain medication.
4. Assemble a birth team:  While a labor coach or doula isn't for every woman, labor companions/coaches have been known to be very effective in reducing the use of pain medication during labor. Getting your partner involved is also helpful.  Dr. Bradley wrote the book a Husband-Coached Childbirth, which is applicable for any birth partner, relative, sister, friend to read to prepare for childbirth.
5. Exercise: Prep the body for the marathon of labor. Labor is physically demanding and being in good shape will help you feel prepared both mentally and physically. Exercise on a weekly basis
6. Learn how to relax: Choose a relaxation method and practice it before the delivery. Relaxation is key to handling the discomforts of labor. Many techniques are effective such as: meditation, guided imagery, hypnobirthing/hypnosis, deep breathing or focuses breathing, or listening to music or affirmations. Try some methods out before the labor and choose one that works for you.
7. Know your options and restrictions: Talk with your provider about changing positions, using a birthing ball, or hydrotherapy during labor.  Discuss with your provider the use of fetal monitoring during labor or IV therapy that may limit your mobility.
8. Consider hydrotherapy: Water can be extermely soothing for a laboring woman and some settings may require notification ahead of time or you may have to rent a tub.
9. Take a tour: Be familiar with the setting where you will give birth. This will help you to visualize your labor before it takes place. 
10. Plan ahead: Have a bag packed, any insurance paperwork, ID cards, and documents you may need for the labor in one place ready to go.  Have child care options ready for your other children.
11. Enjoy your labor experience and welcoming your new babe into the world.

Always consult with your health care provider before beginning any exercise, class, or meditation program.

Green Pregnancy Juice

Baby Juice

This is one of my favorite green juices to make in pregnancy.

I bunch of Kale
I bunch of Chard
I bunch of Collard
2 sticks of Celery
1/2 to 1 Cucumber
Green apples or pears to taste

Juice and enjoy. Freeze for later. Yum!

Breastfeeding- Planning to Breastfeed

Getting off to the Right Start

Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to bond with your baby.  It has great health benefits for the mother and the baby and is something that is as age old as delivery itself.  Many women are intimidated by breastfeeding. Some women have been given inacurate advice from previous providers that they cannot produce enough milk or are unable to breastfeed. Except for a very few rare cases, most women should be able to produce enough milk for their infants and breastfeed successfully.

Planning to breastfeed is a great way to ensure success. Some women are natural breastfeeders and other women can have difficulties in the beginning.  Even though, it's hard not to compare ourselves to others, (especially sisters and mothers) each woman is unique. The majority of women who stick with breastfeeding find they are very successful after just after two or three days with their babe.

Some great ways to ensure successful breastfeeding:

• Get the baby to the breast as soon as possible after delivery. Once a baby is born, he will be alert and responsive for the first 60-90 minutes.  This is a great time to get the baby to the breast in a very relaxed way. Because a full-term infant is born with brown fat that they metabolize in the first few hours of life, there is no rush to feed them immediately.  Also, their stomachs are small (like a marble) and they cannot take in a lot of milk in the first few days as it is. This time can be used to get to know your babe and get to know your babe at the breast.
• Skin to skin:  Keeping your baby's skin on your skin as much as possible is a great way to encourage breastfeeding. This helps to decrease stress in the newborn and has been shown to increase breastfeeding success.
• Try, try, again.  Don't be intimidated. Even when unsure, the best thing to do simply get the baby to the breast. Attempt breastfeeding.  It is a very natural thing for both the mother and the baby.  You might be surprised how easily a baby will naturally latch on the breast
• Utilize the resources at your birthing facility. Many hospitals and birthing centers will have lactation specialists that can come and evaluate breastfeeding. Having someone telling you, you are doing it right is one of the biggest confidence boosters. Have someone watch you breastfeed and evaluate your latch before you leave the birthing facility.
• Try to avoid a bottle or pacifier in the first 48 hours.  This will help to avoid nipple confusion and also signal to the body to produce milk.
• Learn how to use a breast pump early on.  A pump is a great ally when milk supply is down.  Production is a supply and demand operation. The more demand there is (stimulation on the nipple) for milk, the more milk the body will make.
• Eat. The first 6 weeks are not a great time for dieting in order to establish a great milk supply. Also excessive exercising during this time may decrease milk production.
• Drink. Water is an essential component to milk production and a decrease in water intake will decrease your milk supply.
• If difficulty still persists after 2-3 days, consider having a lactation consultation or your midwife come to your home to assist with latch.
• Have confidence in yourself and your ability to breastfeed. It's all natural.

VBAC After 3 Sections

A Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, actually . . . after 3 Cesareans

It's true. It happened, I was there and I witnessed it. This lovely, powerful woman had not one but three previous cesarean sections.  She found a competent and skilled provider and safely gave birth vaginally to her fourth child.  I write this to encourage anyone who may be contemplating a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).  Align yourself with a provider you trust, putting yourself in very capable hands, trust your gut and your intuition and be open to the outcome.

Insomnia in Pregnancy

Unfortunately, insomnia is common in pregnancy and many teas and medications used to treat it can be contraindicated. Here are some tips to avoid insomnia in pregnancy.

• As much as possible, try to maintain a regular schedule of waking and going to bed
• Avoid caffeine after 3 pm
• Exercsie in the before the afternoon for at least 20 minutes
• Stop taking naps
• Try acupuncture
• Reduce stress by exercsing, massage, taking a warm bath, reading, going for a walk, etc
• Avoid night time stimulus: turn the TV off a least 1 hour before bed, keep lights low
• Use pillows or supports to sleep for comfort
• Don't eat too close to bedtime
• Meditate or pray
• Cherry juice concentrate has natural melatonin and may help induce sleep
• Drinking warm milk at bedtime

 

Preparing for Labor

Preparing for labor can begin as early as the 1st trimester or as late as the week of delivery. Before following any of the steps mentioned here, be sure to review these with your practioner, as they may not be appropriate for every woman.

First Trimester

Exercise: Moderate exercise (150 minutes a week) is very important in preparing for labor. It helps prevent carrying too far overdue and some studies say can even shorten labor. It also is good for keeping the weight of the baby within a normal range as it promotes blood flow and circulation.  It also is benefitical in keeping weight gain within the normal limits.  Exercising after meals is a good time

Prenatal Yoga and Stretching:  Keeping limber can also help in labor as it increases flexibility and can decrease discomfort from back pain, sciatica pain, and other musculoskeletal ailments.  This will help to reduce discomfort in labor.

Kegels: Kegels help to strengthen the pelvic floor and can actually reducing the amount of time a woman is in the second stage of labor (also known as pushing).

Eat right: Eating right is important eary in the pregancy and prevent excessive weight gain

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea:  This tea is a uterotonic, meaning it strengthens the uterus. It can be consumed at any stage of pregnancy.

Second Trimester

Take a birthing class:  This is a good time think about the type of labor you want and seek out and sign up for a birthing class.  There are many different options (click here for previous post about class options).

Take a tour of your hosptial setting or schedule a tour: If planning on birthing outside of the home, it can be helpful to familarize  yourself with the setting you have chosen.  It is helpful to get to know the policies and procedures at the hosptial, so you can plan on what to expect when you arrive.

Keep exercising, stetching, kegeling & eating right.

Third trimester

Reduce anxiety:  Great ways to reduce anxiety and tension related to labor include reading or listening to inspiring birth stories.  Practice relaxed breathing or meditation techniques.

Stretching: talor sitting, pelvic rocking and squatting are great stretches that prepare the pelvic area for labor. Sit talor style or squat while watching TV, talking on the phone or having a snack.

Talk to your Provider: At one of your prenatal visits, go over with your provider your expectantaions about the birth and your preferences.

Pre-register at the Birth Setting: Mail in any necessary paperwork and insurance information.

Read up on breastfeeding:  If you plan on breastfeeding, it may help to read a book, take a class or speak with a consultant or expert about breastfeeding basics.

Get plenty of rest: Getting more than 6 hours a night can actually reduce the length of a labor. Rest is very important for the body to rejuvenate and heal.

Preping the birth team:  It's a good time to think about who you would like to be at your birth, husband, friend, sister, or birth coach. Make sure everyone is on board and have all phone numbers handy.

Set up the nursery or baby area.

Keep exercising, stretching, kegeling & eating right.

After 36 weeks

Have a hospital bag packed and plans care for your other children.

Nest: Nesting (cleaning and organizing) helps prepare the woman for labor mentally.  It can reduce anxiety and tenstion and is something that makes many women feel more mentally prepared.

Take 500-1000 mg of Evening Primrose Oil orally to aid ripening the cervix.

Be intmate with your partner and go on dates: This is a good time to connect with your partner before the baby comes. Sexual intercourse can be helpful in ripening the cervix before labor.

Drink large quaniteis of red raspberry leaf tea (can be infused with nettle) 2-3 cups a day.

Continue to practice relaxed breathing and medication technqiues.

Keep exercising, stretching, kegeling and eating right - walking, hiking, yoga, and swimming a great exercise for this time.

Not all of these steps may be appropriate for every woman or pregnancy. Please consult with your obstetrical practitioner before implemeting any of these ideas.

Essential Lifestyle Changes to Enchance Fertility

There are a lot of simple lifestyle modifications women, AND men can do to enhance their natural fertility, whether they've been trying for 1 month or 1 year.  A few good ones a reviewed below.

SMOKING - stop smoking
Seems like common sense, but some may not have an exact understanding of how smoking effects fertilty. Smoking can causes changes in the health of a woman's fallopian tubes (which is the place where natural fertilization takes place).  It can also be harmful to cervical mucous, which is what enhances a sperm's ability to reach the egg during ovulation. In addition, smoking is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.  Smoking is also thought to prematurely age the ovaries by up to 4 years and can decrease the quality of sperm.


WEIGHT - maintain a health weight
Another way to enchance fertility is by maintaining a healthy weight.  Women who fall into weight extremes underweight or overweight are less likely to conceive naturally. Fat stores estrogen and estrogen is what is in birth control pills, so too much estrogen (stored in fat) can be like taking a birth control pill.  Birth control pills are 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.  Another concern with weight is an increased insulin level in the blood. Insulin is the hormone that the pancreas produces to absorb glucose (or sugar) into the blood stream. A high level of insulin in the blood can effect other sex hormones decreasing overall fertility.

ALCOHOL

Women are attempting pregnancy should avoid drinking. Women who drink 4 or more drinks a week tend to take longer to achieve a pregnancy and are at higher risk of undergoing an infertility evaluation. Investigators have used the concept of a "standardized alcoholic drink" in most studies of ethanol and infertility. A standardized drink is typically defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits, which is the equivalent of 12 grams of ethanol.

CAFFEINE

It is unclear whether high caffeine consumption affects female fertility, but the thought is that it does. Especially caffeine from coffee.  I usually recommend to switch a morning cup of joe with green or white tea. Green tea has polyphenols and is very high in antioxidants and green tea has been thought to increase fertility by as much as 50%. Great.