Birth Boot Camp: Class 5

Class 5 is all about the stages of birth.

Deployment: transitive verb – to place in formation or appropriate positions, to arrange for a deliberate purpose, to move. Baby has decided to move out! Knowing what to expect takes the fear out of labor – for moms and their partners! Learn about the different phases of labor and what you can most likely expect to physically take place.

We learned that there are three stages of labor and delivery.

1st Stage: Pre-labor 

1st Stage: Early Labor

1st Stage: Active Labor

1st Stage: Transition

2nd Stage: Pushing Phase

3rd Stage: Delivery of the Placenta

Notes from our insturctor:

"The First Stage of Labor is the time when the uterus is contracting in order to open the cervix and let the baby descend. The basic mechanics of birth are virtually the same for all women. How everything plays out, in terms of duration, sensation, pain, time of onset of labor and virtually everything else varies greatly.

For this reason, part of class five is reading birth stories. You can find a link with over 100 birth stories here. Though the majority are positive, notice how very differently the women labor. Also notice the different choices they make from birth place to birth attendant, to natural birth or narcotic pain relief.

No matter how much we try to map and explain and predict labor, it simply can’t be done. Enjoy the beauty in the individual labor that you and your baby are given. Try to read a few birth stories a day to help prepare your mind for what happens in labor.

This link has a video showing what happens internally when the mother and baby labor together.

Relaxation Exercise: Flower Visualization

In “Deployment: Baby on the Move,” you learned about the process of labor. The image of a flower opening is very effective for a laboring woman. Focus on your breathing as you practice relaxation. The breath should come from deep in your abdomen. Women tend to be shallow, or chest, breathers. Breathing from your abdomen will influence how easily and effectively you are able to relax. Become aware of your breath this week, even in your daily activities.

Recipes that incorporate leafy green vegetables:

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ingredient/green_vegetables/

Breathing and relaxation exercises/Mindfulness Exercises:

http://www.giftedguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Every-Mindfulness-Exercise-I-Know.pdf"

32 Weeks Pregnant and Midwife Appointment!

I was 32 weeks pregnant on June 1st.

According to thebump.com, the Traffic cone is size of a squash.

The Baby

She is getting ready for her arrival and is likely head-down. 

She is probably feeling cramped, (I know she is, I can't believe we have 8 more weeks.) 

She is around 16.7 in long and weighs around 3.8 lbs. She moves a ton, but has mellowed out from last week which is a nice break for me as she is long and strong. 

The Mama

As for me I am exhausted 99% of the time. This week is the last week of school and I cannot wait to be able to sleep in next week. Field day was on June 3rd and that was exhausting, and took me several days to recover from, even though it was a blast.  

The chiropractor visits have been helping a lot, so now the only pain I have is soreness from my tailbone injury in April of 2014. I am noticing round ligament stretching, but it isn't to painful yet. 

I have shortness of breath very easily, just doing household chores have me breathing hard. I can't wait for her to drop so I can breath again. When I sleep or I am at home I have to support her somehow as she is just so big. At night, when I roll over I can feel her fall to that side. 

I still don't get heartburn all that often, but I do get headaches more often. 

My goals for next week since we will be out of school are to get the office organized and get a dresser for the nursery so I can start to get that in some type of order. 

I'm still checking my blood pressure.

6/2           113/82          AM - Normal
6/3           129/80          AM - Normal
6/3           118/80          AM - Normal
6/4           120/76          AM - Normal

We found out on the 4th that Bobby's company is going to be switching from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Cigna, fortunately his company is great and everything we have paid towards our deductible will be transferred over. Also, luckily, Cigna will still cover the midwives and birth center along with my chiropractor. 

The Midwife Appointment

I went into this appointment worried about my blood pressure, which of course made it elevated. I then sat there for 45 minutes after my appointment time before I went back which made me very frustrated and elevated it even more. Needless to say it was really high when she took it. Luckily, I had my sheet from the last few weeks of me tracking it and the midwife was not worried. She said we would take the blood pressure again at the end of the appointment. 

So we continued with the appointment, the babies heart rate was good and in the 150s and she is head down. I had am measuring right at 32 weeks. She did all this while I was laying down so she decided to take my blood pressure while I was laying down as well. It was 108/76 compared to the beginning when it was 145/95, which is really high, although I was very frustrated at that point. 

31 Weeks Pregnant

I was 31 weeks pregnant on May 25th. 

According to thebump.com, the Traffic Cone is the size of a pineapple. 

The Baby

She is between 15.2 and 16.7 in long and around 2.5 - 3.8 lbs. 

She is still going through some major brain and nerve development. 

Her eyes are now reactive to light and all five of her senses are working, except she doesn't use the sense of smell yet, since she has no air. 

She moves all the time, especially if I lay on my right side. She has gotten very strong, sometimes her movements actually cause me some pain. Besides laying on my right side, and music, she also enjoys sugar. I don't eat a lot of sugar, but last night we had chocolate chip cookies and ice cream and she went crazy. 

The Mama

As far as my pregnancy symptoms go, it does not take much to get me out of breath, and I have to go to the bathroom at least every hour if not several times an hour which can get pretty annoying.

My back still aches pretty constantly but the chiropractor has really helped with that. I am going twice a week for the next few weeks as my pelvis is so mis-aligned it could really mess with a vaginal delivery. 

I do have trouble sleeping, but not from pain anymore, just from the constant need to get up in the middle of the night and use the bathroom and then I can't go back to sleep. 

As I mentioned above, she moves all the time, I love it! Although, it is painful sometimes it is really cool to feel. Bobby loves to feel her a well and talks to her all the time. I've noticed that she has gotten a lot stronger in just the past couple of days. It does tend to keep me up at night, and my ribs and parts of my abdomen are pretty sore. I've noticed once I get into a position it is really hard to move to another.

Our doula had a labor class this past weekend that we attended and while most of it was a good review of our Birth Boot Camp Class, I learned that in the 3rd trimester you are not supposed to sit in a reclined position because it can cause the baby's head to line up the wrong way and make delivery harder. So, our lovely new recliner couches that we have had about week I can't recline in them until after she gets here, that is kind of downer, but hey if it makes delivery easier I will forgo the reclining.

I think I have what is called "diastasis recti," it is where the ab muscles split. 1 in 3 women get it while pregnant, but most of the time it goes un-diagnosed. It is pretty painful, but there are exercises you can to do help it, which I have been doing but I'm not sure if they are helping yet, time will tell.

I have been taking my blood pressure twice a day and it has been pretty normal except for one time so far. I've notice it is higher the more tired I am. While I know, no one cares what my BP is twice a day, I want to keep it some where for a record:

Date                                    BP                                    Time
5/24                                   111/76                                 PM - Normal
5/25                                   114/70                                 AM - Normal
5/25                                   122/78                                 PM - Normal
5/26                                   121/73                                AM - Normal
5/26                                   118/80                                PM - Normal
5/27                                   120/82                                AM - Normal
5/27                                   109/71                                PM - Normal
5/28                                   117/84                                AM - Normal
5/29                                   118/87                                AM - High - diastolic
5/29                                   128/83                                PM - Normal
5/30                                   118/84                                AM - Normal                            
5/31                                   117/76                                PM - Normal

So, all in in all my BP as been fine, except for that one time on the 29th.

Birth Boot Camp: Class 4

We had our 4th class of Birth Boot Camp last week.

It was about the final prep for birth.

D-Day: noun – the day on which an important operation is to begin or a change to take effect. The last few weeks of pregnancy can be overwhelming – physically and emotionally. Know and understand various testing and procedures often done in the final weeks of pregnancy. Also included in the Countdown is planning your postpartum period, including breastfeeding support and finding a pediatrician. Understanding your options, you will be able to face the last few weeks of pregnancy with confidence and excitement.

The notes from our instructor really cover everything we talked about, but I do have to say that my favorite part was Bobby learning how to give a prenatal message! It was glorious! He has yet to give me another one though.

In order to prepare I have been trying to get my exercises done and our Doula said I should take a bath 3 times a week with music and try to focus on each muscle and relaxing it. The baby loves music and does not stop moving when it plays, so I'm not sure if we will be able to play music while I'm in labor, but the dark really helps relax.

Notes from our instructor:

"Final preparations! This is an exciting time but also a time often filled with many tests and sometimes results we may not be prepared for. Learning what these tests tell you and your options depending on the results is best to do now rather than later.

The GBS (also called Group B Strep or Beta Strep) test is a swab that tests for bacteria that is commonly present in the body. Treatment approaches vary and may range from IV antibiotics in labor to doing nothing at all and everything in between.

Sarah Buckley’s book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering has lots of good information, including some pertinent information regarding GBS and ultrasound. She is a doctor but very natural oriented and also points out how differently GBS is treated in different countries.

This article has some information about ultrasound and some of the benefits of keeping it to a minimum, including possible emotional benefits of avoiding it. (i.e. avoiding big baby scares, induction dates based on that, etc.) 

Vaginal exams in pregnancy are often NOT done in other countries. This post shares two stories of women and their emotional experience with the pregnancy vaginal exam.

Induction and induction agents are very common today in many hospitals, not just for women NOT in labor, but also for women who are already in labor to speed the process. This article by a midwife discusses the common happenings in a typical induction. You should know what will likely happen if you choose to go the induction route.

Discussed here are some of the risks and benefits of inducing labor. Keep in mind that there are always risks and benefits to every choice. Make choices that you feel most comfortable with and that you will feel best about in the future.

What is Pitocin? It is commonly used in labor and delivery both to begin or speed labor.

Here you can find the package insert for Cytotec, another common induction agent. (Note that it is approved for uses that DO NOT include induction).

ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) points out that a pregnancy isn’t considered overdue until after 42 weeks.

“What is post-term pregnancy? A post-term pregnancy is one that lasts 42 weeks or longer. Women who are having a baby for the first time or who have had post-term pregnancies before may give birth later than expected. 

However, the most common cause of postterm pregnancy is an error in calculating the due date. When a post-term pregnancy truly exists, the cause usually is unknown.”  Source found here.

Relaxation Exercise: Progressive Relaxation

Dads, you have learned a few massage techniques from Birth Boot Camp Massage Therapist Hannah Reasoner this week. Try using them as you read through this exercise. As you mention the various parts of the body, gently massage the tension away in those areas.

Here is the link to that article I mentioned that explains how the baby is the one who initiates labor:

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/news-releases/year-2004/fetal-lungs-provide-a-signal-initiating-labor-ut-southwestern-researchers-find.html

This is the link to the article with more information about the Biophysical Profile and Non-stress test:

http://www.webmd.com/baby/biophysical-profile-bpp 

And finally, here is a long, detailed article about GBS:

http://evidencebasedbirth.com/groupbstrep/"

*Disclaimer: This post in no way replaces the Birth Boot Camp class. All things in this post either came from the Birth Boot Camp website, are my insights or my instructors insights from class which have been appropriately cited. I am writing this post in order to help with future pregnancies, labors and deliveries. 

30 Weeks Pregnant and Midwife Appointment!

I was 30 weeks pregnant on May 18th.

According to thebump.com, the Traffic Cone is the size/length of a cucumber.

The Baby

Her skin is getting smoother and her brain is getting wrinklier to make way for brain tissue. 

She is now strong enough to grasp a finger!

She is around 16 in long and 3 lbs. I think she is probably longer than this though. 

She moves a lot, and really loves music although Bobby's music is her favorite. 

The Mama

I have had a little bit of heartburn, but nothing major. My feet have been swollen for about two weeks now, but no pain which is good. It is getting hard to roll over in bed, I can't imagine how much harder it will be in a few weeks. 

When I do my exercises or just walk down the long hall at school, I lose my breath very easily. I am not sleeping well at all, the early morning hours are the worst. It makes for exhausting days. 

Midwife Appointment

I had my midwife appointment on May 19th. 

Some of the things we talked about:

When can I get the Tdap vaccine?
Between 28 and 36 weeks, so Bobby and I are going to go when school gets out. 

Anemia/Glucose test results?
I am not anemic and my glucose test came back at an 88, and anything below 130 is good.

My blood pressure has been high my past two appointments, so I have to start monitoring it at home. I'm pretty convinced that it is because of school and just being exhausted all the time, so I'm hoping once school is out in a couple of weeks it will go down. I am hoping it doesn't lead to preclampsia because that would lead to induction and a birth experience we just do not want. There was also trace protein in my urine and my feet/fingers are swollen which are all symptoms of preclampsia. Prayers please in that department.

I have been monitoring my blood pressure at home and it has been fine, way lower than what it was at the birth center and in the normal range. My appointments are always within 30 minutes of school being out so I really think that has something to do with it.

I forgot to take a picture this week, but I don't think she has grown all that much compared to last week. 

29 Weeks Pregnant!

I was 29 weeks pregnant on May 11th.

According to thebump.com, the Traffic Cone is the size of an Acorn Squash.

The Baby

She is around 16 in long and weighs around 3 lbs

She is growing really fast and could be getting cramped at this point. 

She is growing fat deposits under her skin, which is giving her a lot of energy.

I am pretty sure she has moved up, because movement is higher and not as strong now. I also, don't have to go to the bathroom as much, even though my water intake is the same. 

The Mama

I had my chiropractor appointment this week. It was a different doctor's office this time since I was in town when I went. I always feel so much better after these appointments and I sleep so much better as well. But in this case, my left hip now hurts. I have decided not to go back to this one and I have an appointment with a doctor who is certified in treating pregnant women on the 18th.

Last weekend I cleaned the whole house and I have been able to keep it that way the past week so I'm really hoping this is nesting. I would love for the house to stay as clean as it is. Last night I reminded Bobby to throw away some trash before he went to bed, which I have no idea why I reminded him of this, since he always throws it away, but it convinced him that I have hit the nesting stage, which I'm sure he is super happy about.

My energy level have been all over the place this week. Used to I would be in bed by 8:30 and have all of my energy in the morning. Early this week, I had most of my energy at night and haven't been going to bed until 10ish, but my mornings are dragging. The second half of the week it was the other way around.

Monday night Bobby and I were lying on the couch watching Criminal Minds and she kicked me so hard on my left side that I actually said "ow!" It was still sore several minutes later. That was the most active that she has been in a while. She continued to move on that side and Bobby put his cheek on that side and she pushed on his face for a while. It was a very cool feeling. She has been pretty quiet since then, just small movements, except for in the evening she has a lot of strong movements.

My stomach is sore around my belly button, it feels like it is bruised except it isn't. I wonder if it is because she will pushes on that spot a lot?

We got our new couches finally and I love them. One is a reclining sofa and I had an awesome 4 hour nap on it on Saturday! I also had my first baby shower on Saturday and it was so awesome to see all the people from our old church!