I am a mommy!

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. I'm a parent! I am a mommy! I am... exhausted!

All in all we've had a great two weeks. Addison learned to latch well quickly so breastfeeding has been a decent learning experience for both of us... my milk came in when she was 2 1/2 days old and she's been quickly gaining weight. I had some excitement with a plugged duct around 10 days, which is thankfully when her 2-week growth spurt started early. At 16 days, Addison got to attend her first La Leche League meeting, and we've successfully breastfed in public (at Target, of course!). We are getting good at this! I still haven't found a comfortable spot to nurse in bed at night, but we're getting there. My friend Pam told me that I'd love my rocker/ottoman and I have quickly learned that this is a key place for nighttime nursing. Addison nurses well here and falls to sleep quickly. Ahh, sleep. Easier said than done...
We started out with an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper and in the first week bought an in-bed cosleeper because Addison seems to only want to sleep on one of us at night. The therapist in me assessed that clearly the cosleeper beside the bed was too far from us and if she were in the middle of John and I, we'd all sleep... HA! My daughter is smarter than that! Next to is not nearly as cozy as on top of. Nice try, mom. Addison naps during the day in her swing, in her pack and play, I've even set her down in her crib... nighttime? No thanks. So for now, we snuggle.

John was initiated into the projectile poo hall of fame on Day 4 when we were of course, at Target. It just wouldn't stop... it was a mustardy nightmare! We have since braved 2 bath-worthy explosive poos, one of which went almost all the way up her back- where does it all come from!?

Our other notable milestone the past two weeks also occurred on Day 4. We had our first after-hours urgent call to the pediatrician! Addison did not have much tolerance for diaper changes at this point and worked diligently to notify the neighbors (and neighboring towns) of the terror which she was experiencing. She tensed up and would scream until she turned purple (at which point she'd keep screaming, while purple). I noticed that in her flailing squirms she was knocking her little umbilical cord stump with the top of the diaper, [regardless of how far down we tried to roll it] and was bleeding a little bit... I called our doula who said to watch it and call the doc if we were concerned, and called my mother who said it was too early for it to fall off, and ended up calling the doctor anyway. The doctor on call took only a few minutes to call us back and assured me that it was just irritated and it was way too early for it to fall off. She told me that it was still attached to blood vessels and she's only seen one come off this early in her career and it could result in hemorrhage but that's very unlikely. Note to all pediatricians- do NOT use the word hemorrhage with an emotional, exhausted, type A hypochondriac mother! Just don't! She told us to make sure the area stayed dry and keep an eye on it, but it wasn't coming off at 4 days old.  I did what I was doing every 20-30 minutes on day 4 and put Addison to breast... I hoped nursing would calm us both down and she would go to sleep [for 6 or 8 minutes]. I had her snuggled across my chest, nursing and not even 2 minutes later I literally lost my breath and my heart stopped... her umbilical cord stump fell off between us! It was just there, on my belly next to her belly! I barely choked out John's name and my eyes welled up with tears of sheer terror. CLEARLY my baby was going to hemorrhage tonight. CLEARLY. I stared at her belly button which was a tiny bit oozy but not at all hemorrhagic... I still couldn't breathe- I just stared. I'd love to say that after a minute or two I realized she was fine and we went to sleep, but that's just silly. I stared at her ALL NIGHT. She had an 8:30am pediatrician appointment the next day and I stared at her belly, offered to check her diaper on the half-hour so I had an excuse to open her onesie and stare at her stump-less belly button. She was annoyed, I was paranoid... and we all somehow made it to the morning. When the doctor checked her Monday morning she apologized for the on-call doctor's horror-inducing warning and said her navel looked fine, and looked as though she were several days ahead of herself- overachiever. This little non-incident made me thankful that she had her vitamin K shot, who knows if it impacted her healing or not but I'm glad she had it nonetheless.

Ok, I've been pooped on, I've cried to the pediatrician in the middle of the night, I've stayed awake staring at my newborn... I am a mommy.

A Pretty Crunchy Birth Story

Our precious little girl has arrived!!! I have never had a baby so I have never written a birth story... but I'm going to write our tale! :-)

Monday, July 25, we had our 38 week appointment where we met the Birth Center's newest midwife, Katie. She was a student midwife early in our pregnancy but our paths had never crossed as I wasn't going frequently at that point. I found Katie to be friendly, kind, and patient... She spent a solid 40-minutes with John and I, and when we left the appointment I thought to myself, "Yeah, she could attend our birth and I'd be comfortable. At this point I was a big fan of 3 of the 4 midwives, and quietly prayed that my "4th favorite" as I called her wouldn't be on-call whenever BG McD decided to make her grand entrance.

 I had been having braxton-hicks contractions since 34 weeks when I spent a day in the hospital for too many contractions too early. I spent weeks 34-37 out of work and ate all my accrued time and taking some unpaid time to avoid eating my FMLA. My HR director was kind enough to let me delay my short-term disability so I could keep my 16 weeks for after her arrival-on the condition I was able to return to work.

I only returned to work 6 [exhausting!] days before 3:27am on Tuesday, July 26th, when I was awakened by a contraction bigger than I have ever felt--it wasn't painful, but definitely caught my attention. I went to the bathroom, refilled my water bottle and just lay down and relaxed... I didn't want to wake my husband if nothing exciting was going to happen, but after an hour and a half of these new contractions almost perfectly 8 minutes apart, I poked him awake. John was scheduled for a field training and wouldn't be available by phone during the day-much to his supervisor's dismay, he wasn't going to be able to attend the training (ironically, he was making up for the day I was in the hospital and he missed the training!). I contemplated going to work for at least a half-day, however by the time I would need to get ready, I was having contractions 6 minutes apart... probably not a great idea to drive 15 miles to work.

I started my labor to-do list... eat protein and carbs, breathe, move a little. I listened to my HypnoBirthing relaxation CD, and quickly figured out I was most comfortable on my big exercise ball. After eating an omelette made by my husband with love, away I bounced [and bounced and bounced]. My contractions slowed a bit, so we went for a walk around the neighborhood. We chatted briefly with our doula, Deby, and she suggested I get some rest... Around mid-morning, my mother and sister arrived at our house. My mom made me pasta and after a small lunch, my body obliged my need for a break and I was able to nap around lunchtime with another 30-minute relaxation exercise.

I woke around 1:30 and felt unsure for a short time if my contractions would resume, they had quieted down so much for me to sleep! Within an hour they were again at 6 minutes apart, then 5 minutes apart, then 6 minutes apart. The afternoon went on this way and John filled our [seemingly small] bathtub with warm water. I brought my iPod player in there and John and my mother took turns sitting with me through contractions as I kept breathing through each wave.

For those of you who don't know, the week prior to this excitement, our smallest/youngest dog, Molly, was hospitalized and almost died from a crazy allergic reaction to a sting of some sort (we think wasp)... SHE had a follow-up vet appointment scheduled for 5:30pm. If this baby was coming tonight, we weren't going to want to reschedule for later in the week, and she really needed to see the veterinarian. My contractions were maintaining their 6-minute distance and I urged John to take Molly to her appointment. The vet is less than 2-miles away and they don't usually keep us waiting too long. He couldn't have been at the end of the driveway when all of the sudden my contractions were 4 minutes apart... my mother was sitting with me and after a few strong ones I interrupted her conversation to say, "Hey... time these, will you?!" In the 90 minutes that John and Molly were out, my mom had to call the doula, update the midwives, and the doula arrived. She sat with me and encouraged my mom to get our cooler ready. Deby was amazing, she kept me breathing through each contraction as they got bigger and stronger, observing where I was holding tension and easing my anxiety. I felt as though I was making progress with her encouragement. When John returned home, Deby calmly and quietly prompted him to pack the car, (quickly!) and give the midwife a call. To my excitement, Katie and Cathy P were on call!  In less than 2 hours I went from 6 to 4 to 3 minutes apart and we had an hour-long drive! Our doula helped me get dressed and John called our friend and birth photographer, Christine. A few minutes later, we were on our way! I felt nauseous and could not focus on anything but the strength of the contractions- there was no doubt in my mind, this baby was coming... soon! John reclined the passenger seat for me and held my hand as he drove (in torrential rain, mind you) to Danbury.

When we arrived at the birth center, my contractions were so strong they were literally stopping me in my tracks, as John rang the doorbell I had to sit on the stair to breathe through a contraction. One birth center contraction down! We went inside and I had to breathe through another one before Katie could check me... 5-6 cm, almost fully effaced... I was far enough along to admit and excited that I was at least halfway dilated! I begged Katie to fill the jacuzzi tub and breathed through contractions while the bath was drawn. John climbed in and helped me in, I felt a sense of relief as I was able to lean against him under the warm water. Submerging my belly in the warmth of the tub made the contractions much less uncomfortable, and I felt a sense of calm as John held my hands and had his arms around me... this is crazy, this is intense, but I'm not alone. Our doula went to get an iPod player as our photographer arrived. Christine did an amazing job of quietly capturing our experience without being noticeable. I saw her a few times but for the most part had no idea where she was in the room. Katie set up a stool next to the tub and Deby had a chair near John's head... every so often Katie checked BG McD's heartrate on the doppler, and through each contraction Deby encouraged me to exhale lower and deeper in my sighs and eventually moans.

I had heard of "breathing the baby down" and "sounding through labor," I had even wondered what my birth sounds might be like... the answer is simple: LOUD. The bigger they got, the louder I got. By nature I do not have a higher-pitched voice, sounding my labor in low tones was a conscious challenge. In each contraction Deby talked me through bringing my moan or grunt lower and I felt my body relax and the discomfort (and some pain!) go down a notch. I thought many times during our three hours in the tub of Ina May's sayings... one that stood out for me during my time in the tub was "the contraction can never be bigger than you, because it is you." I hadn't been induced, there were no drugs in my body- these sensations I was feeling were all created by my body and my baby so she could make her way into the world- they were certainly unlike anything I have ever felt before, but they couldn't possibly be bigger than me! I also turned to my HypnoBirthing imagery, imagining my cervix opening wider with each contraction, my baby pushing down and out and on each exhale I envisioned her inching closer to us.

About 2 1/2 hours into our time in the tub, Katie suggested I move around a bit, try to change positions-I had been laying on John for a while now. As I sat up and attempted to lean forward, I quickly realized that my body was *busy!* and I had interrupted. I suddenly felt as though I would be ill and as quickly as I attempted to warn my birth team, it wasn't quick enough. I threw up on John, on a towel, in a garbage can, in another towel, and flopped back on John all in a matter of seconds! I had managed to change to a sideways position but not before my poor husband got more than he bargained for.

I spent another hour-ish on my side, moaning louder with each contraction and relaxing deeper during each break... Katie suggested I get out of the tub and try another position, I had NO desire to get out of the water but was getting fairly tired at this point and could be coaxed into trying anything. I wrapped a towel around my bottom and made my way to the birthing ball. I was still having intense sensations in my back with each contraction and my doula provided counter pressure as John held my hands.

We spent a short time in this position... Katie had spent almost the entire time with us and had been watching my progress as well as monitoring the baby's consistently strong heartrate. She said she wanted to check me, we had been at the birth center about 4 hours at this point... I was fully dilated! Katie told me I could get comfortable wherever and push when I felt the urge. I had a few urges to push in the tub, but hadn't been sure what the sensation was at the time and was breathing through them... now, it was game time!

I was exhausted and wondering about that restful period I had heard about that many women experience between 10 cm and pushing time... evidently my body skipped that because within moments of laying on the bed I felt as though my uterus was in charge- I was pushing whether I thought I was ready or not! My contractions were very close together and my body was giving me just enough downtime between them to get in 2-3 deep breaths, which I religiously took... remembering my hypnobirth counts... in 4-out 8. in 4-out 8, breathing the 8 count from my chest down through my toes.

This is the point where I truly experienced sounding my labor. I nearly lost my voice I was grunting and moaning so loudly, and John recalls (I insist not) that I almost bit his arm at one point, attempting to stifle my carnal, womanly sounds. I kept hearing Deby remind me to keep my voice low and was amazed at how much my tone affected the tension in my body. At this point, my water finally broke! I felt a sense of accomplishment and relaxation for a quick moment... I was also thankful because I have read that contractions are more intense once your waters break, and intact waters help keep the baby comfortable through labor... we made it pretty far!

 I focused on keeping my groans as low as possible and each one passed... not going to lie, birth was definitely painful at this place. I was having a quick HypnoBirth but I was not having a painless one. Another Ina May favorite of mine... she reminds us that Natural birth is honest pain. once it's over, it's over.  I just had to power through this pain and it would be over. If I went across the street to the hospital and got medications or interventions now, I'd probably be in pain tomorrow, or even longer... my baby could experience pain or other ill effects of interventions- this was the safest and least painful place for us to be. I didn't truly want to go across the street to the hospital per se, I just wanted to run away from the overwhelmingly intense sensations of the moment... then my thoughts went to our HypnoBirth instructor- she told us that at the point where you think you might want medication or that you can't do it anymore or that you're ready to give in, that's your body telling you it's about to happen... you're about to have a baby, right then. Sure enough, seconds later the midwives both exclaimed, "Look at all that hair!" BG McD was crowning! I had been on my side as these pictures show, and  wanted to move to shimmy her down a little bit if I could. My thighs were exhausted, my back was exhausted, but somehow I managed to get on my elbows and knees... bottom in the air. For what felt like an eternity (and John said was about 6 minutes) I felt our little girl inch down and slide back up with each crazy ridiculous  intense contraction. I pushed with each big wave and attempted to suck in a quick breath and give it an extra Oomph at the end of each one, I kept hearing my midwives and doula telling me she was getting closer... the RN on-call was waiting with a warm blanket. Warm blankets mean we're almost done, right? :-)

At 12:34am, Addison Grace McDonald made her Earthside entrance. 

Katie helped ease her out and the midwives and nurse finagled some ninja moves to flip me over onto my back while simultaneously changing the chux pads under my bum and swinging my leg around the cord. As you may have read in our birth plan, we wanted to leave the umbilical cord pulsing as long as it decided to, ideally until the delivery of the placenta.  The midwives happily obliged, although I had to rest Addison on my belly for a few minutes as the cord was somewhat short... I couldn't pull her all the way up right away. She was here! She was close enough to stare at in amazement, and a few minutes later the cord had stopped pulsing so Cathy clamped and John cut the cord (which he described as snot-covered rope, yum.). I brought Addison a bit closer to my chest and we just lay there... John, Addison, and I were all under warm blankets in the bed where I just birthed her... THIS is what natural birth is about, people! This is where it's at!

 Our alert, healthy little baby stared up at us, studying our faces and recognizing our voices. She let out a few cries and snuggled against my chest.

As we requested, there were no newborn tasks done before her first feed (aside from taking her temperature, while she was on my chest). The three of us snuggled for a bit, and by the time Addison was half an hour old, she latched onto me for her first meal!

Once Addison was resting comfortably, John took her to the foot of the bed where she was weighed and measured. Everything at the Birth Center was done in our room, she was never separated from us... I think that's the way it should be with all births! John helped measure Addison and placed her on the scale, and he snuggled her as she received her Vitamin K shot--she didn't make a peep! 

One look at him and you knew... he was already in love, and I was in love with both of them. After Addison's few little check-ins, the nurse brought us more pillows and checked my belly, helped me to get dressed into some pajamas, and we pulled up the covers. Addison slept between John and I in the bed where she was born. We were welcome to sleep in as late as we wanted, neither John nor I got much sleep after such an eventful and exciting night, but Addison slept well, in between her mommy & daddy... safe, warm, and secure. In the morning, we each took a long hot shower, made breakfast in the kitchen and enjoyed some relaxation time in the family room. Jessica, the admin assistant, and Cathy G, another midwife came upstairs from the medical office to visit us before we went home around lunchtime on Addison's birthday.

I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. I was tired and sore, but just hours after giving birth, I showered myself, dressed my baby, prepared breakfast, and went home to my own house, in my own clothes. My daughter wasn't subject to any tests or treatments we did not want, and had the most peaceful, gentle birth we could give her. She never once saw cold, metal instruments, heard loud voices, or was taken to a strange place without her parents. The first bright lights she saw were those of the sun rising in our room, and the first thing she smelled when she woke up on her birthday were her parents-while she can't speak yet, I think a baby couldn't ask for more! I couldn't have asked for a more loving and supportive husband, a better birth team, or a better place to welcome our baby into the world. I am so very thankful for our midwives, our doula, our birth photographer, and my little Addison for all her hard work, too! 

*The photos in this blog are some preview-quality photos from our birth photographer, Christine Paluf, she's AMAZING! Please visit her site, here's the link: Christine Paluf Photography

*This is a great blog I came across yesterday about Sounding Your Labor... it made me feel a little less silly about how loud I was :-)   Sounding Your Labor: Are You In or Out of Control?

Thank You...

There are a few people who I must thank for making this amazing natural birth possible! 

My husband, for trusting me, trusting my body, trusting our baby. For not hesitating once when I said I wanted a natural hypnobirth, when I said I wasn't going near a hospital, when I said we were going to drive an hour for all our prenatal care and that he would drive me in active labor (in the pouring rain at rush hour of course!), for his strong arms holding me in the tub, for not batting an eye when I threw up all over him, and for loving our daughter with all he has :)

My mother for not judging or criticizing my decisions, regardless of how unconventional they were compared to when she birthed. Thank you for your open mind, your support, and love.

My natural birth cheerleaders, near and far! Jen, Kelly, Becky, Kate, Jennifer, thank you all for filtering horror stories, blocking those who wanted to tell me I couldn't or wouldn't achieve this birth, thank you!

Our hypnobirth instructor, Kate, and our doula, Deby- Thank you for helping me breathe! 

Last but not least, some VIB's! Very Important Bloggers! Birth Without Fear, Birth Faith, and The NonConformist Mom... you inspired me to pursue the best possible welcoming for my baby. You helped me establish faith in my own body and faith in my baby and that made a world of difference. You touch so many lives and I can't thank you enough. 

What's in a Name?

Before BG McD was a B[aby], John and I decided that we wouldn't name our babies until they were born, until they were Earthside if you will. There are a few layers to this decision we have adamantly stood by. I later discovered that my longstanding fear of naming an unborn baby being bad luck is actually an Irish superstition... it's not just me, it's the entire history of Ireland that feels this way! It completely freaks me out when someone refers to their belly by a name... since I'm growing us a little girl minion, I also acknowledge that tiny chance that the ultrasound could be wrong. Doctors and technicians can confirm boy parts but will only "guess," at a girl gender. While I believe she's a little she, you can't guarantee. Before our ultrasound we both kind of sort of thought boy a little more than we thought girl... we were both *pleasantly* surprised. 

Before our anatomy scan, we had discussed potential names... we had two definite boy names we loved, one girl name I was in love with [and always have been], and we had selected middle names. We had many exclusionary criteria and scoured websites and books for ideas... we vetoed countless names the other suggested, and still weren't sure. My ideal plan was to have three names selected and when we meet the baby on her birthing day, we would choose the most fitting for her. Welllll maybe that plan will work with B McD #2 because after the ultrasound my kind, sweet, thoughtful husband and I went to Babies R Us and he bought me a large wooden letter for BG McD's door... the letter of the name I have always loved. Never have I known a more loving man. Yes, the letter is a secret, too. You can't know the letter. 

So we have the superstition factor... neither John nor I have even once called my bump by the name she will receive on her birthing day. She's Hiccup or BG McD. No one knows her name, so no one else can refer to my belly by name, in or out of my presence.

The other big reason we haven't shared BG McD's name... is two cents. EVERYONE has an opinion on names, and everyone has something to say about a name. Unless you name your child some random noun like a celebrity (think, Apple or Bronx Mowgli), then someone knows someone who made fun of them in the third grade or stole that promotion they deserved or stole their ice cream cone that summer back in childhood... or the heartthrob that got away, and your name selection is immediately unfitting, silly, terrible, or undesirable. By keeping our name unknown, we not only get to share in a secret between just the two of us, but we also haven't had to hear any reactions, positive or negative. Once she's here, the name has a personality, a face, it's hers, so once it's on the birth certificate, everyone can find out, and do nothing about it!

I thought a few people would be curious, but had no idea how nutty some would be about our decision. My mother regularly attempts to slip an inquiry into conversation. So I bought the baby a blanket today and there was this adorable little onesie at Kohl's and what's her name? ... Nice try, Grandma! My mother asked if she could. submit a list of names she doesn't like... I politely informed her that she can do whatever she wants, her name will be her name.  Grandma aside, I have had a few people make guesses (no one has guessed correctly, yet, but I wouldn't reveal either way!) and a few people ask if we've shared (nope!)... but this past week I experienced the pinnacle of name debates, at Target. in the checkout. This is how my conversation with the cashier went... 

Cashier: Aww do you know what you're having?

Me: A girl, in a few weeks.

Cashier: Do you have a name yet?

Me: Yep, it's a secret.We haven't told anyone.

Cashier: What is it?!

Me: A secret.

Cashier: I know but what is it? You can tell me, I don't even know you, I'll probably never see you again. 

Me: My mother doesn't even know, I'm not going to share it at my local Target. She'll get her name when she's born.

Cashier: C'mon, I'll never see your mom, or meet your baby!

Me: Then you don't need to know. *cue the awkward silence*

Craaaaazy people. I have also had awkward conversations about not sharing at Starbucks, at a counseling conference (you'd think counselors would be more respectful!), and in random elevators. Why is it that when you're doing something as divine as growing a child, everyone thinks it's their business?! People want to know where I'm delivering (are you going to show up in the waiting room?!), my exact due date (I have a due month, it's going on right now, thank you.), what her name will be, how much leave I'm taking, where will she go to daycare, you name it. Would you like to know where she'll apply to college, too? It's like that invasive airplane conversation where people put their guard down and share their life stories, pretending the person going to the same destination that you are is suddenly your new BFF. 

At the end of the day, BG McD will be here eventually (within the next five weeks!), and then she'll have a name... you can call her that name from then until... forever. But, it's hers. She gets to hear it first, on her birthing day, and John and I created her...so we'll get to call her by her name first. All the rest of y'all can wait. :-)

Dear BG McD

Dear Little Hiccup,
Tomorrow we'll have made it to 37 weeks, congratulations to us!! Before you arrive and we're both busy getting to know each other on the outside, I want to write you a little letter... there are some things you should know and I don't want to forget them because I'm sure I'll be just speechless when we finally meet!

First of all, know you are loved, wanted, and very much longed for. Your Daddy and I dreamed of you before we got married, we prayed for you and have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. We decided it was time to add a baby to our family two years ago this August and I am confident that all that waiting and wishing and hoping was meant to be so that you would be our first baby. We went to doctors and hospitals and had all sorts of tests to make sure we were healthy and my body was ready to provide you everything you have needed the past 9 months. When we saw your little egg on November 9th, I prayed that you would become a little human McDonald and just a few weeks later, there was the positive test we'd been waiting for (on November 23rd). When my progesterone tests were low, I desperately prayed to the Lord that you would make it, that you'd be strong enough to hang in there, and I started medicine right away.  We had to wait until December 15th to find out if you were doing okay and seeing your tiny fluttering heartbeat was the best Christmas present anyone could ask for. The next few months were tough, I'm not going to lie! I was very sick all day everyday, it was no fun being sick but I tried my hardest to eat as healthy as possible for you and made sure to get all my vitamins everyday. Daddy and I discussed what you might be like, who you'll look like, how we want to decorate your nursery, and have just been excited to meet you for so long.

On March 8th we found out that you are a little girl, and our dreams became more specific and you seemed that much more real. You were quite funny and kept hiding from the ultrasound and turning away so the technician couldn't take all the pictures she wanted. You seemed to be more poky with your left hand and I wonder if you'll be a lefty like me. Your daddy was definitely excited but a little intimidated that you are a girl... he is already worrying about protecting you from the world- he'll continue to do that, as long as he lives, no matter how strong and fiesty I know you already are. We had several boy names we liked, Daddy wasn't so sure about girl's names, but I had one I just absolutely loved... after our ultrasound we went to start our baby registry at Babies R Us and your Daddy put a big white letter in the cart to go on your door.... it was the letter of the name I really wanted for you-- he's amazingly kind and loving that way. We have kept your name a secret from everyone and it's driving people nutty. Once you come Earthside, we will proudly announce you to the world... so soon!

We have done many things to prepare for you to have the healthiest 9 months in my belly and to prepare for your arrival. We found the best group of midwives in the state who I knew would give you and I the best care possible and support our desire for you to have a natural, peaceful, gentle birth. I have seen our chiropractor regularly to make sure my body is operating at it's best to support you, we took hypnobirthing classes with a fantastic instructor so I can relax well for you to do your thing on our birthing day. I've read tons of books and articles on how to stay as healthy as possible for you, to learn about what you're doing in my belly, and how I can help your first days and weeks be wonderful :-)   In March, I joined La Leche League so I could meet other mommies who breastfeed and we could start learning about how to get that off to a great start. Daddy completely re-did your room, transforming it from an ugly blue bedroom into the best nursery I have ever seen. We have wonderful friends who were very generous and your Grandma has completely spoiled all of us, so here at 37 weeks, we have everything we need to welcome you home.

This journey has not been without bumps... it took us a lot of work to get to the point where you were in my belly, and twice we have had scary moments where we were worried about your health. On April 16th, I spotted early in the morning while out running errands. Daddy rushed home faster than he ever has before and we went to UCONN hospital. I was scared and cried while waiting for him to get home and while waiting to find out if you were ok. You were just fine and my body was giving me a hard time- you actually kicked the ultrasound machine and kept turning away and hiding your pretty little face- again... so fiesty!  Our second scary day was June 20,. This time I waited a few hours until the morning to call our midwives because I really didn't like going to see strangers at the hospital. I was having contractions and again, you were fine. We had to go to the hospital across the street from the birth center and I had to get some tests done to make sure you weren't coming early (it was 34 weeks). Again, you were more bothered by the monitors than anything, I apologize for the headache they probably gave you!

I have been on bedrest since the end of that week... it's been tough to sit still but I have been resting for you to make sure you're as comfy as possible (and stay inside my belly!)... now we have reached 37 weeks and are ready to welcome you to our home, to our family, and introduce you to the world! We can't wait to teach you about being crunchy, being crafty, being tough... we can't wait to read to you and fall asleep with you in our arms. We can't wait to teach you about the environment and the wonderful world of New England. We can't wait to show you our favorite places to visit, like Boston and Washington, DC. We have some pretty great friends and family who are eager to meet you, too. I cannot forget to mention, we have three dogs in our family, and they all know you're in my belly but aren't sure how you'll get out- Jack, Smokey, and Molly are all going to love and protect you as soon as they meet you in person!

Whenever you're ready, we are ready for you. We love you so much and cannot wait to see who you look like, to hold you in our arms and give you hugs and kisses. We will do everything in our power to make sure your birthing day is as gentle as possible, it's a big day for all of us! I trust you and my body, I know you'll know what to do, and soon we'll be snuggling all together in our home. We love you, little Baby McDonald. We'll see you soon!

Love Always,
Your Crunchy Mommy

Our Birth Preferences... and why.

I debated posting this but want to share, partly because it's great to have ideas for your own birth plan. and partly because some people look at me like I'm nuts because we're having a natural birth in a birth center (probably a water birth)... feel free to ask questions, feel free to add a link to yours, enjoy!
*My commentary is in blue italic font*

Our Family Birth Preferences

Support Team for Catharine 

Father- John   

Doula- Deby 

Mother’s mother- Debra 

Birth Photographer- Christine 

Hypnobirth Instructor- Kate 

John is my primary support person. He will be at my side at all times unless the baby and I must be separated in a medical emergency. In this case, my mother, Debra will stay by my side while John accompanies the baby.

We are planning a natural hypnobirth. We anticipate laboring at home prior to admitting to the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center. We understand that unexpected complications may arise and will rely on our midwives’ medical opinions and informed consent for any unplanned interventions. In the event that our situation requires a transfer to the hospital, we have educated ourselves about potential interventions and request the following be respected if deemed safe by our providers;

Labor & Delivery

·         We strongly prefer as little medical intervention as possible one often leads to another... many procedures are done "routinely' in hospitals and aren't medically necessary for every woman

·         No artificial rupture of membranes without specific informed consent and medical reason When the baby's lungs are fully matured and she is ready to be born, she'll excrete a chemical that breaks down the waters, when membranes are ruptured before this occurs, the baby isn't ready to come out

·         Regardless of our location, we will be practicing hypnobirthing techniques and request dim lighting and quiet voices in the birthing room. She's been in the dark in water for her entire life, no need to add light and noise to the shock of this big day and the temperature change. I also read once that the first voices a baby hears should be her parents, and I like that.

       We respectfully decline any offers for pain medication, including narcotic drugs and epidurals. Some hospitals repeatedly offer pain medication, this isn't an issue at the birth center but we are preparing for any scenario. Hospitals need an anesthesiologist on staff 24/7 for true emergencies- they are VERY well paid doctors. On hospital maternity floors where less than 80% of women get an epidural, the hospital is losing money having them on duty... sick, isn't it?!

·         Our preference is intermittent Doppler monitoring, Should constant monitoring become necessary, we request external monitoring. We will need to discuss internal fetal monitoring with our midwife prior to the monitor. External fetal monitoring is inaccurate and has more false positives (panic when there isn't reason) than accurate positives ( a real emergency)... they also limit a woman's ability to move as her body wants her to to shimmy the baby down into place. Regular intermittent doppler readings by someone trained to use a doppler (a nurse, midwife, or doc) are more accurate. Internal fetal monitoring involves screwing a needle into the baby's skull and still shows little benefit... there needs to be a VERY good reason for this to occur.

·         We only consent to vaginal exams by Women’s Health Associates. We request minimal internal examinations. Internal exams are a welcome way to introduce infection- your vagina doesn't just GET an infection in labor, they aren't comfortable, either. Each cervix dilates (and can UN-dilate) at it's own pace, there is no purpose in these examinations, so stay out, thank you.

·         We prefer that an instrumental birth is a last resort to avoid a cesarean section and will attempt to assist the baby by changing positions and moving around the room/wing  A laboring woman's body is very smart if unmedicated- it will give her urges to move and bend and flex as the baby bends and flexes- further, the lithotomy position (laying on your back, legs up) is the SMALLEST, TIGHTEST position for your pelvis- not really helpful when trying to allow a small human to pass through. When upright, gravity is on your side, the pelvis is open and loose (it's multiple bones, not one circle, you know!) and baby has an easier time out. Additionally- forceps carry the risk of crushing the baby's skull and vacuum extraction is much more harsh than many doctors let on. A vacuum extractor exerts 50lbs of force (on the head of a 6-10lb newborn)... at 75lbs of force, the extractor can decapitate- sounds barbaric, doesn't it?

·         We do not plan to push on command or have counted pushing. Please do not instruct me to push unless a medical urgency arises Holding breath and counting to ten while pushing (like you see on A Baby Story) cuts off oxygen to mom AND baby (and can put baby in "distress"). Often doctors want a woman to push as soon as she hits 10 cm... when labor is left to it's own, there is most often a period of rest for mom and baby, up to 30 minutes even, where contractions slow- your body wants you to take a break before the home stretch! There's a phenomenon called the "fetus ejection reflex"... when a woman lets her body and the baby do the work, the uterus will slowly contract in downward waves and slowly push the baby out on its own... kind of like a tube of toothpaste! Letting this happen GREATLY reduces risk of tearing.

·         We prefer to avoid the use of routine IV’s, I plan to drink clear fluids during labor to maintain hydration. IV or hep-loc will be for medical necessity only and will be discussed prior to administration  Filling a woman with saline messes with the baby's hydration as well as mom's, messes with blood pressure, and leaves the woman swollen after the birth- I have also read it can mess with mom's milk coming in.

·         I prefer to wear my own clothing for the labor and delivery I'm not sick, I don't need a hospital gown! I think it contributes to the vulnerable patient image and further separates mom from the rest of the people in the room.

·         I prefer natural methods of promoting dilation, we wish to labor as long as necessary provided the baby does not exhibit signs of distress Most hospitals label a woman "failing to progress," if she dilates less than 1cm/hr... the rate of dilation varies dramatically between women and is directly affected by how safe/comfortable/relaxed a woman is. Natural stimulation methods include kissing the partner, nipple or sexual stimulation, and even intercourse (early in labor, if water hasn't broken yet!!)

·         We plan to be physically active in labor, it is important to me that I be supported in moving as my body needs to and utilizing water for pain relief—unless there is a serious medical contraindication, I do not wish to lie in bed As I mentioned above, the pelvis is made up of multiple bones/joints, the hormone Relaxin has been getting these joints ready to move for months now, the worst thing that can be done is laying on your back!! Women in labor get urges to bend over, sway their hips, lean in certain directions, squat, or submerge in water- the body knows what to do!!

·         We prefer to use perineal massage to an episiotomy if at all possible. Episiotomy incisions permanently damage muscle, if massage doesn't work (which can be very effective!), natural tears are natural injuries, less scar tissue is create and nerve endings are less likely to be severed... quicker recovery time and less permanent damage.

Newborn care

·         We plan to delay cord clamping at least until it stops pulsating and preferably until the placenta is delivered Mom's blood isn't pumping through the placenta like a hose, what's in the placenta is the baby's blood and has great benefits if she can receive it, lower likelihood of jaundice and anemia, important infection-fighting/immunity-boosting blood cells.

·         Unless there is an urgent medical concern, we wish to allow the placenta to deliver naturally Allowing the placenta to break away on it's own continues the ideal labor cocktail of hormones for decreasing risk of hemorrhage and encouraging mom's breastmilk to come in.

·         John plans to cut the umbilical cord  Typical dad thing, worth mentioning though!

·         We wish for the baby to be placed immediately upon my chest. As long as she is breathing on her own, we would like her to be able to crawl to breast on her time  The best way to regulate a newborn's temperature (more effective than a newborn incubator box!) is skin-to-skin contact with mom. This also helps regulate baby's heartrate and breathing quite effectively

·         Please do not roughly towel the baby, we wish to leave the vernix intact We will wait to bathe the baby at home The vernix, the cheesy coating a baby is born with, has antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties... it also has vitamin K in it, which is helpful in clotting. This is especially important in a hospital where many staff may handle the baby and she would be exposed to strangers' germs.

·         Please wait to weight and measure baby and  administer Vitamin K until after breastfeeding has occurred The first breastfeeding and how uninterrupted it is can set the stage for great breastfeeding or breastfeeding difficulties, if you google "breast crawl," you will see videos of babies left to find the breast on their own- in the first hour or so of life, a baby on mom's chest has the ability to crawl to the breast, unmedicated babies will find the breast and latch on instinctively... interrupting this and the first moments of bonding for weight and length measurements seems trivial! She won't grow in an hour.

·         We respectfully decline/waive Erythromycin eye ointment administration. We will sign any necessary waivers  This antibiotic eye ointment is given routinely to all babies in CT, I'm unsure about other states, but many women aren't told WHY it's given, so I'll tell you- if a woman has gonorrhea or chlamydia at the time of delivery, the baby can get those bacteria in his/her eyes in the birth canal- they can lead to blindness/infection. If you don't have either of those, the baby doesn't need antibiotics in their eyes at birth. Additionally, c-section babies don't need it either- as they never came into contact with the birth canal! Gooping up baby's eyes interferes with his/her ability to see mom and dad clearly, can create anxiety because they can't see clearly, and can be irritating (the baby is moments old, we don't know if they're allergic!)

·         We respectfully decline the hepatitis B vaccine at this time, our daughter will receive this under the care of her pediatrician at a later date Unless mom or dad are IV drug users that could have bloodborne contact with the baby and open wounds, it isn't urgent to give this vaccine... again- why are we exposing baby to man-made chemicals in the first moments after birth!? We discussed vaccines (that's another blog) and she won't step on any IV needles between birth and coming home... once she's mobile and could in some crazy universe step on a needle at a park or playground, then we'll give her the Hep B series... babies were meant to have colostrum and skin to skin contact in their first day of life, not shots and antibiotics.

Surgical Birth

It is my strong wish that I give birth vaginally. In the event that my midwife and consulting obstetrician feel a cesarean section is absolutely necessary for the safety of my life and that of our baby, we request the following to make the surgery as family-friendly and natural as possible:

·         My husband will accompany me and my doula or mother will be available as a backup support person should John need to leave my side to follow the baby I don't know that my mom want to be in my OR, my doula has attended c-sections...one of them would be with me.

·         ALL IV medications are to be discussed with us prior to administration. Informed consent isn't too much to ask for, right? Sometimes women are given sedatives or other drugs in their anesthesia and not told, not ok.

·         I do not consent to insertion of a urinary catheter until after anesthesia is in place Ouch. A simple courtesy I believe...

·         I would like to request one arm be left free so that after the birth I may hold my baby with assistance  You can still have skin to skin contact in a surgical birth, I feel if I had to have a cesarean it would be that much more important!

·         If the baby is breathing on her own, I would like her placed on my chest immediately with my husband supporting her while my incision is being closed. same idea as the last bullet point

·         If a cesarean section is necessary, I request a surgeon able to complete a double-layer stitch as I plan to have subsequent deliveries vaginally.  Please ensure someone proficient in a double-layer suture is part of our medical team. The uterus is made up of multiple layers of muscle... some contract vertically and others horizontally, it makes sense to sew them up separately so they can work in harmony next pregnancy. Additionally, this double-layer reduces the risk of uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies

·         I do not consent to the administration of sedatives after delivery. Some women are given a sedative after surgery, I would want to be awake and alert to feed baby as soon as possible.

·         We prefer all routine procedures be delayed until after I have been taken to recovery. Again, no urgent need to weigh or measure the baby, especially if we both went through major surgery.

·         I do not consent to baby being removed from our presence at any time. Taking the baby away for routine testing is not okay with us- one of us will be with her at all times to ensure our wishes are respected and she's appropriately cared for.

·         I would like the IV and catheter removed as soon as possible so I may get out of bed and move around

·         I wish to eat as soon as possible after delivery

Soooooo that's our birth plan thus far!! Anything I forgot? 

My Pregnancy, Birth, & Parenting Must-Haves

A bit of an unconventional post, but at the risk of sounding cheesy... These are a few of my favorite things...




Books

• Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth & Modern Maternity Care
• Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives
• Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method: A natural approach to a safe, easier, more comfortable birthing
• The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Natural Childbirth
• Creating Your Birth Plan: The Definitive Guide to a Safe and Empowering Birth
• The Baby Book; Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two
• The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child
• The Attachment Parenting Book: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby
• The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth
• The Breastfeeding Book: Everything You Need to Know About Nursing Your Child from Birth Through Weaning
• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (La Leche League)
• Birth: The Surprising History of How We are Born
• Attached at the Heart: 8 Proven Parenting Principles for Raising Connected and Compassionate Children

Videos

The Business of Being Born *Hands down, BEST documentary/informative video you can watch!

Nutrition & Supplements

Bio Oil - to prevent stretch marks- I'm 35 weeks now and it's worked wonders so far- I don't use it twice a day as the label says, probably 3-4 times a week, awesome stuff!

Garlic (oral) supplements- I use whole foods brand, this daily pill-form supplement has antibacterial properties  and discourages growth of bad bacteria, such as Group B Strep

Cranberry Extract Concentrate- also in pill form, promotes healthy urinary tract, as pregnant women are predisposed to more UTI's- yuck! I take this daily.

Emergen-C - normally I take Airborne supplement through the winter to avoid cold/flus- there are herbs in Airborne that aren't proven safe for pregnancy so regular Emergen-C is just a super dose of Vitamin C, it has been a nice stand-in, 2-3x a week during cold/flu season helped me stay healthy!

Rainbow Light Prenatal Vitamins - BEST prenatals ever. I took Target store brand prenatals while trying to conceive, they were ok, the prescription vitamins that the fertility center put me on (Vitafol OB) had me constipated and nauseous in no time... they were awful! When we toured the birth center the midwife recommended Rainbow Light, which are all made from plants, not pharmaceutical lab chemical compounds, what a difference!!

Lifeway Kefir - I learned about Kefir while pregnant, had honestly never considered trying it until I truly understood the potential benefits for your digestive tract and gut. This liquidy yogurt-cousin does a fantastic job of building good bacterial colonies in your gut, which in turn eat the bad bacteria in the gut- hence lowering risk of Group B Strep (and requiring antibiotics via IV in labor). I mix mine in the blender with frozen fruit for awesome smoothies :-)

Vitamin D - this link is to a news article discussing the protective benefits of getting extra vitamin D in pregnancy for the newborn with regard to RSV, a respiratory virus. If mom takes in plenty during pregnancy, baby has a reduced risk of this respiratory infection in her first year of life, I take an extra 500 IU daily.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea- My midwives sell this by the ounce, you can also buy teabags by Traditional Medicinals at many grocers... it prepares the uterus for birth, it stimulates the uterine muscles but does not cause contractions. Some women drink 4 or more cups daily, good hot or cold, I enjoy it with honey.

Other Great Ideas! 

Join a local La Leche League! Join Early!- I went to my first meeting about 4 months pregnant so I would have time to find the perfect group if the first (or second) didn't work out. I knew that I wanted to get to know some LLL moms and especially a leader. Did you know... any breastfeeding mom can call a LLL Leader anytime for breastfeeding help...for free.  Any time! Any question! Talk about support!!  I lucked out and the first meeting I attended was fantastic and I've made some awesome friends in LLL already. BG McD will have some great baby friends as soon as she arrives. Fabulous! 

Go to a chiropractor! Before and during pregnancy! My hips are slightly misaligned and I am confident that my regular adjustments helped with fertility. As baby and uterus grow, mom's center of gravity changes. Getting regular chiropractic adjustments through pregnancy not only decreases back pain/discomfort but also encourages the uterus to be in a position such that the baby wants to be vertex... If the back is misaligned the uterus can be at a slightly awkward angle and make it difficult for the baby to turn head down. My chiropractor explained that once the uterus gets to a certain size, a properly aligned spine will make vertex position most comfortable for baby, so he/she will naturally gravitate to the head down position. A friend who is a chiropractor swears by it for pregnant women and said his friends who have had babies report shorter, less painful labors. I've had a few times where I've felt a tight belly and discomfort which dissipates after an adjustment, and baby was head down quite early on :)

What are your must-haves? I want to hear from you, blog readers! What's been helpful for you?

Why Gentle, Natural Birth is so darn important to me

We recently sat down with our doula to work on our Birth Plan (or Birth Preferences, call it what you will). Deby, our doula is a very important part of our birth team... we have an entire team of people who support natural birth and have confidence in both my body and our baby, and as I discuss our upcoming birth in more detail with our team, I think of the Nigerian proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." I believe it takes a village to naturally birth a child!

We will certainly have our own little village at the birth center on BG McD's birthing day... John will be the most involved person supporting me, he took hypnobirthing classes with me and will be in the tub and/or wandering around the birth center. Our doula will come to the house when I am in my early labor and will travel with us to the birth center. She'll be there to support both John and I for the entirety of labor and make sure we get breastfeeding off to a great start. Our midwife and an RN will be at the birth center quietly monitoring my progress, mostly from a distance. Unlike a hospital, there is a 1:1 nurse to patient ratio at the birth center. Our friend, Christine, will be part of our birth team, photographing our birth experience (PG-13 of course!). Our hypnobirth instructor, Kate, may be able to join us as well. This would be pretty neat because listening to a live coach is going to be better than a CD, and we've gotten to know Kate over the past couple months-she's been such a great source of support and encouragement in this pregnancy.  Last but not least, my mom will be coming to the birth center, patiently waiting outside our crunchy birth mud hut [ok, so she'll be in the family room of the birth center-- it's air conditioned, but most people envision me squatting in the mud when I tell them I want an out-of-hospital natural birth]. So here we are, we have our village. The birth center looks like it belongs in a village... or in the countryside. You'd never guess it's across the street from a major hospital.

Hypnobirth. Midwife. Doula. Birth Center. Why all the fuss? Why not just stay with the OB I've been seeing for almost a decade? I live less than 1 mile from a hospital with a maternity ward, why drive an hour away in labor? 

Because I have come to understand just how broken modern American maternity care is. It is broken and needs to be fixed. I will advocate and educate and do what I can as a supporter of better maternity care, but I will not put my baby or myself at unnecessary risk in the process. There are two types of risks here... mortality/morbidity risks, such as medical decisions that impact our well-being, and there is also the risk of both of our experiences in birth. I'm not willing to jeopardize either. The medical risks are the priority so I'll run through a few of those first...

1. Maternal mortality. The US has an EMBARRASSING maternal death rate. PATHETIC. We rank below 38 other industrialized nations. This Guardian article was written to discuss the decline in UK healthcare, which is much better than our poorly managed American situation.

Maternal Mortality: How many women die in childbirth in your country?

Since the advent of obstetricians in the 1800s, OB's have never surpassed midwives in outcomes (both for mother and baby). Obstetricians often trained in medical school without ever seeing a live birth, and few if any performed a live pelvic examination. The books PUSHED and BIRTH: THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF HOW WE ARE BORN are great resources [with statistics and academic references] displaying the ridiculous lack of education preceding the great authority OB's had in the early 1900s.

 

After reading these books and the evolution of medicalized childbirth, the abysmal mortality rates in the US made much more sense... it also made perfect sense to me that I needed a midwife. I must say, there is a time and a place for an obstetrician. There are instances in which surgical birth saves the mom and/or the baby, and there are OB's who are appreciative of a woman's ability to birth. Finding these OB's is easier said than done, and many just don't know otherwise. I will forever remember sitting with my OB/GYN in her office, several weeks before I switched to a midwife. This woman has had four children herself, she's been on maternity leave every other year I've needed to schedule my annual physical. She looked at me like I was nuts  when I said I didn't want to be tethered to a bed to labor. She had no good explanation as to why my local hospital's c-section rate is more than double that of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s 10-15% guidelines. She even went on to tell me that in medical school, she was taught that patient request is an indication for cesarean. All a woman has to do is ask for major surgery! Can you imagine walking into your primary care physician's and asking for an appendectomy!? You'd be committed to a psychiatric facility if you legitimately asked for an unnecessary gallbladder removal or arbitrary tonsillectomy. Women opt for avoidable cesareans daily. Having certain interventions put women at higher risk for c-section, and unfortunately medical complications, some of which can leave a woman infertile.  It seems as though maternity care is the only healthcare specialty in which practitioners often have a carte blanche with regard to their own agendas, where few women are TRULY informed and it's the exception, not the norm to provide patients with the benefits AND risks of each procedure or intervention (hellooooo, informed consent!). Here are a few other facts that many doctors may leave out of their prenatal and maternity care conversations:

• Having an elective c-section increases risk of maternal death three-fold compared to vaginal delivery
• There is an increased risk of hemorrhage and/or sepsis in c-section, the doctor can knowingly or unknowingly knick an artery, organ, or tissue, which can leave a woman open to internal bleeding and/or serious infection
• In 2-6% of c-sections, the doctor cuts the baby with the scalpel
• 20% of women who have c-sections experience hospital or doctor-caused infection, with antibiotic-resistant bacteria increasing at all US hospitals, this can be particularly dangerous
• Even if the c-section occurs without incident, subsequent pregnancies have risks- embryos will not attach to scar tissue so there is an increased risk for out-of-uterine pregnancy (ectopic or otherwise), the placenta will not attach effectively to scar tissue so placenta previa risk increases (as does the risk of the placenta detaching), the uterus is at higher risk of rupturing in a subsequent birth, this risk multiplies with each c-section, further weakening the uterine muscles--having induction drugs after c-section further increases THIS risk, as your body is not nearly as likely to push the uterus beyond it's capabilities as inducing drugs (cervidil, prepidil, pitocin, etc) would be.
• Having an epidural significantly increases likelihood of instrumental vaginal delivery and c-section

Epidural anesthesia carries notable risks as well:

• 1 in 4 women receiving an epidural will experience some sort of complication
• low blood pressure, fever, nausea, vomiting, heaedaches, shivering, and prolonged labor are common
• Babies can experience significant, dangerous side effects- low blood pressure, toxicity, oxygen deprivation, malposition/inability to maneuver down the birth canal
• Paralysis (1 in 500 temporary, 1 in 500,000 permanent)
• 4 times greater risk of forceps or vacuum assisted delivery
• 30-40% of women experience back pain after birth, 20% still have the pain 1 year later
• Urinary retention is experienced by 15-35% of women who receive an epidural
• 15-20% increased risk of fever during labor which means baby and mom both get antibiotics, baby will likely require a spinal tap in the first day of life
• 10% of epidurals fail to work, so the woman has the risks listed above with no pain relief

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-surgery, there is a great value in c-sections when used with discretion. The problem is, 5-10% of labors result in urgent medical need for c-section... in CT the lowest rate at a hospital (as of 2007) is 28%. There are some hospitals in CT with nearly 50% c-section rate, and 2% or less VBAC rate. The WHO states that anything over 10% for healthy populations and 15% for high-risk populations increases risk of injury or death to mom and baby. A few examples of necessary cesareans might include:

- fetal distress (with second opinion), not just assessment of one strip of monitor tape

-placenta previa (placenta is completely covering the cervix)

-abrupted placenta (placenta detaches before baby is born)

-transverse lie (baby is positioned horizontally instead of vertically and cannot be turned)

-prolapsed cord (the cord is compressed between baby and birth canal and cannot be freed)

-hyperstimulated uterus (caused by inducing drugs, contractions that are too intense and cannot be medically managed can cut off oxygen to baby and put mom at risk for hemorrhage)

-uterine rupture *true emergency!*

-preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy, second opinion should be obtained before c-section)

-active herpes outbreak (can be passed to baby)

-HIV positive status (surgical birth can reduce baby's likelihood of contracting HIV)

2. So those are my primary medical concerns for hospital birth... but what about the quality of our birthing day? What about our birth experience? If a woman and baby get to go home safely from a hospital, the family is expanded by one (or multiple) people, isn't that a success? Well, not really. Research in birth trauma for both mom and baby is increasing in popularity in the fields of psychology and public health. As we learn more about babies' awareness in utero and during/after birth, we must consider THEIR experience as well. There's an exceptional blog post I read a while back that takes us on a journey through the baby's experience in birth: 

What Natural Birth Means to Your Baby  

This blog brought up several points I hadn't considered- I though dim lighting was part of natural birth because it's calming to us, must be calming to babies, right? Well it didn't occur to silly me that the baby has never been exposed to light beyond potentially seeing a small difference in dark vs. really dark in the womb. We often have multiple overhead flourescent lights, if a doctor has a woman spread-eagle on a table there are huge bright exam lights as well... this has to be unpleasant and uncomfortable for baby. Similarly, people are excited, they yell, "PUSH!" and encourage the mother loudly, "One more! You're almost there!" or "Here he/she comes!" ... this baby's ear canals have been fluid-filled until a few minutes ago, and even then baby was inside their mother- what a sensory overload! Remember, the baby has only existed in liquid up to this point- commonly they are roughly toweled off, handled by multiple gloved strangers, and handled gruffly by these strangers who are all to accustomed to quickly maneuvering tiny infants- what an unpleasant way to meet Mr. Gravity.

For these reasons we will have a doula in our "birth village," we have educated ourselves about what kind of birth we hope for, we have selected medical professionals who judiciously use intervention in the least invasive way possible only when medically necessary, those who value and honor baby's experience, acknowledging her as a tiny, vulnerable person. You only get to be born into this world once, you only meet your parents for the first time once, shouldn't it be a safe, comforting, loving experience?