Topic Archive: Christiane

March 3, 2012

Water: The Magic Labor Weapon!

When I was pregnant with my first child, one of my worries was how I would be able to tell whether it was real contractions or just the uterus practicing. My midwife gave me a very simple solution: take a bath! If the contractions stop, because you relax, it’s not labor – if the contractions increase, because you relax, it’s the real thing!

I was 4 days overdue, when I tried this method for the third time and finally contractions increased instead of decreased. However, even though this meant I should get ready for the hospital, I did not want to leave the tub… it felt sooooo good!

Since I was fully dilated and ready to push when I got to the hospital (with baby #1 and 2), I never had the chance to really take full advantages of the benefits of water in labor. So this time, I am planning a water birth from the get-go. The more I read about what water can do for you in labor, the more convinced I am that’s what I want to try!

Whether you get a back massage with a hot water jet in the shower or sit in one of those Jacuzzi-sized labor tubs, whether you do it at home or in the hospital, as an early relaxation technique or to actually give birth in the water – any of these applications can only benefit you and your birth experience!  (more…)

March 2, 2012

Preparing My Body For Labor

In the back of the pregnancy journal I kept for my first child is a check list for all the things I did daily to prepare my body for labor! Every day for the last 4 weeks I did: a 45 min walk, 200 Kegels, 240 pelvic rocks, 20 min tailor sitting, 30 min relaxation and a perineal massage!

Wow. That seems like a lot in retrospect, but I was also rewarded with a quick 7 hour labor, no tears and a smooth recovery! For the second pregnancy, I tampered it down a bit and now – this is No 3 – I simply don’t have time to do it all… However, I still want to prepare my body for laboring (after an 8 year gap) the best I can, so here is an overview of all the things that will hopefully help me achieve a natural birth with a smooth recovery again! (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, this is entirely my opinion formed by research and taking into account experiences of myself and friends).

Physical Preparation:

Other than general fitness (achieved by daily walks), there are specific things you can do to strengthen you pelvic floor, which will help during labor as well as with recovery and avoiding incontinence after birth. Kegel exercises (simple pulses, longer holds and three-staged “elevator” holds), pelvic rocks / tilts (cat stretches on all fours, pulsing and holding) as well as squatting (increasingly longer periods if possible) and tailor sitting (bottom of feet together, stretching not bouncing, with a straight back) are all very beneficial and can be done while watching TV! In order for me not to forget the Kegels, I try to do some at every red light while driving and during my sons’ daily violin practice! A prenatal Yoga class often incorporates may of these beneficial moves as well as relaxation techniques.

I am convinced that the main reason I never tore giving birth was the diligence with which I prepared my perineum by stretching and massaging. This is not everybody’s cup of tea, but if you can muster the courage, use some non-scented organic oil (I always used Evening Primrose Oil for reasons stated below) and try to massage and stretch the vaginal opening every evening. If you can’t reach, you could ask your partner to do that, though that’s a whole new level of intimacy! My husband was willing to do it because he was convinced of the benefits, but it was still a bit awkward… But the increased elasticity of the pelvic floor tissue after just a week was proof of the effectiveness of this treatment! (more…)

February 28, 2012

Home Birth Preparations

This is my third child and I am planning a home birth. Most people shake their heads about it and call me brave, but as a matter of fact I am just the opposite – I am scared! Scared that I will have the baby in the car! With No2 I was in the hospital for 17 minutes, already pushing in the elevator, before he shot out. If this one is just as fast or faster, there is no way I will make it to the hospital in time! Total labor from first contraction to birth was under 2 hours, so if that happens again, there is not much time for husband to commute home AND drive to the hospital… So I decided to get everything ready for a home birth just in case – and if it takes longer and/or there are complications, I will transfer to the hospital!

While the last time, all I had to prepare was a hospital bag and make sure I had a friend on speed dial to watch my son, preparing for a home birth is much more involved (and even costly)!

First I had to decide on a location in the house, where I wanted to labor and deliver. We considered the family room (too small for the pool), the living room (too valuable furniture and rug) and finally decided on the nursery, which was still half-empty and has wood floors. Now of course the room is full, since in addition to the changing table and crib we have added a birthing pool and a comfy chair. (more…)

February 16, 2012

Trying To Conceive: Oh, The Things We Do….

After listening to the recent PregTASTIC episode on Hypnofertility, I was reminded of the time when we were actively trying to conceive. What had started out as an exciting project over the months became a chore, a science project and finally a desperate “I’ll do anything” approach…

If you go to any internet forum about pregnancy, you are bound to found a section on “TTC” (Trying To Conceive), often sub grouped into categories like “Not trying, not preventing”, “Assisted Conception”, “Trying for our first”, “Older moms TTC” and sadly also “Trying after a loss”, “Secondary Infertility” and “Long Term TTC”. You never imagine that you will go beyond the generic “TTC” and end up in one of the more desperate subgroups… After all, most of us have spent our twenties trying NOT to get pregnant. Surely it would happen rather quickly as our mothers warned us once we stopped using contraception.

Alas, that’s often not the case – and as the months pass by without that positive pregnancy test, you start reading (and wondering) about the many things you can do to get pregnant, encouraged by the success stories that are posted on forums or the promises made on websites! (more…)

February 6, 2012

Internet Pregnancy Lingo: Are You Fluent?

“So my CBFM finally showed a + last night and we DTD twice. FXd for the 2WW and that AF stays away – can’t wait to POAS and see that BFP after 6 months of TTC!”

Did you understand what I just posted?

I basically said that I had a positive ovulation sign, had sex and now hope for a positive pregnancy test in 2 weeks!

(Literally: So my Clear Blue Fertility Monitor finally showed a + last night and we Did The Dance twice. Fingers Crossed for the 2 Weeks Wait and that Aunt Flow (period) stays away – can’t wait to Pee On A Stick and see that Big Fat Positive after 6 months of Trying To Conceive!)

In the last years with the increase of texting, Twitter, Facebook and a gazillion internet forums about pretty much any topic, a lot of abbreviations have become acceptable and are used routinely by people in those posts. However, if you are new to the topic, it sometimes feels like people are speaking a different language and statements leave you puzzled… (more…)

January 25, 2012

This Pregnancy’s Bad and Ugly

I am usually not a complainer. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain (e.g. two drug-free labors) and reasonable endurance (finished the Chicago marathon in 5 hours while not really being a runner). But this third pregnancy is starting to really test my physical limits!

I am 39 and I have wanted this third child for so long! Since I spent years to convince my husband and finally gotten pregnant, I feel like this should be a very happy and content time of my life. After all, a dream is coming true! But while I try not to show it too much to my husband and friends, I feel like my body is falling apart.

Women are always told that pregnancy is a wonderful time in their lives that they need to relish and enjoy, but that often leaves us puzzled when things are more severe than expected. Husbands have no clue how it is to carry a watermelon under your shirt that compresses your lungs and shares your blood supply! Doctors will tell you that nausea, hemorrhoids, shortness of breath and fatigue are normal! And even other mothers have often conveniently forgotten how horrible you can feel while pregnant. (Especially mothers-in-law seem to have never had a bad day in their entire pregnancies or while raising their perfect children!) (more…)

January 18, 2012

Gender Conception: Boys Vs. Girls

Now that I am more and more visibly pregnant, people are starting to comment on it. And the one topic that ALWAYS come up – right after “When are you due? / How far along are you?” – is “So are you hoping for a girl this time?”. Because people either see or know that I already have two boys and assume that I am hoping for the other gender!

Now I will admit that I would be thrilled to have a little girl and finally being able to wander over into the pink section and immerse myself in tutus, princesses and dolls! But as a mother of a disabled child I have to say that “healthy baby” is on top of the list, no matter what gender!

Nevertheless, while we were trying to conceive I did some research to see whether there is any definitive information out there on how to influence the gender at conception. I was amazed by the massive amount of tips, tricks and devices that promise to result in the gender of the reader’s choice! Put “How to conceive a boy” into Google and you get about 10,000,000 hits! Some methods are free and some are pricey, but – with the exception gender selected embryo IVF – no method is guaranteed, despite all the glowing testimonials! (more…)

January 10, 2012

Easing Engorgement: A Praise of the Common Cabbage

Today I want to share with you a smelly little secret! It’s a natural cure for engorgement pains that also stops mastitis in its tracks and can help you when you need to wean suddenly while your milk supply is still plenty! It’s white CABBAGE!

I know this sounds weird, but read on and it might help you, too when you need it!

My history with cabbage:

I had given birth to my first baby about 2 days ago, when I fell asleep on the bed. I woke up an hour later and something crazy had happened: somebody had pumped up my breasts to basketball size! They were hard, they were steaming hot and they were HURTING! Engorgement had arrived! I was in agony, just the bra or a T-shirt touching my breasts was uncomfortable and in an ironic twist I now bumped into things with my super-boobs rather than my belly. I thought they sure were going to burst. And while my husband was quite enticed by the X-rated size of them there was NO way he was going to get to touch them! (more…)