About time, finally birth story!

My birth story is nice and direct: I planned to birth unassisted (without any birth attendant) I was inspired from ucbirth and birthlove websites, and the yahoo group for it. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/c-birth) As I did it already with my second baby I was very relaxed in my third pregnancy. It was thankfully uneventful pregnancy. I just grew very big. People thought I had twins. LOL!! Some people knew I am planing to go all alone they got nervous and thought its a crazy thing to do. Guess the common belief its deatlhly dangerous. Also I had no prenatal care, besides going to a like minded midwife who supported my choice to do it alone. We agreed I can call her if I feel like. Why one needs prenatal care. Mostly it just prenatal Scare imposing too much worries and problems that could complicate pregnancies. what is it good for? I took good care of myself: took prenatal vitamins, supplemented with vitamin C ascorbate, ate well, walked, went to chiropractor.. All these things rise the chance that the baby will be well. Prenatal checkups do nothing and if something is wrong doctors can't do much for it.

I had alot of braxton hicks since 5 months. My due date came and went. I was soo tired. I had to jam 8 pillows around me so I can sleep. my tummy pulled at me and I was soooo uncomfortable!! People instand messaged me asking me if I had the baby yet. They made me crazy with their worries. what if next week they will ask me when will I be induced? LOLOL

On July 31 12:20 am, 6 days after my due date I prepared to go to bed and chatted with my husband. I climbed on the matress in our bedroom. I like matress for sleep. we live in 1 bedroom apt so no room for jamming 4 beds for 4 people! we have 2 twins matresses full matress together, so we can co-sleep with our 2 children together.
Anyway all of the sudden I felt a warm gush of water coming and wetting my pajama pants! I told my husband hey, my water broke!! gosh! I don't like the water to break, becaue I could wet everywhere and I will have to put on diaper or labor confined in bathtub (I don't want to wet the carpet or the sofa) I waddled to the bathroom with my legs shut to prevent more gushes. I pulled my pants down and sat on the toilet with my legs spread open. more water dripped down the toilet. my husband followed me. he asked me, are you sure your waters broke? I said yes. I asked him to be with me a little. He brought me water to drink so I can drink through the labor. Right away the contractions started. They were powerful and painful every 3 minutes.
I got short pants and stuffed them with 2 diapers from Tzippy. then went to the computer to type to my friends that my water broke! As the contractions got stronger and stronger it was almost impossible to type. my husbnad was busy preparing his bills. He wanted to put the video camra to tape my birth but I thought it will take all night so It looked stupid if it will video me 8 hours or so.. I said no need. When I will be close you can start to turn it on.
Anyway my husband went to sleep. I had to labor myself. I was soo tired. I needed to sleep. but the contractions kept coming every 3 minutes. Each contraction was 2 minutes. it was 1:00 am already. then every contraction was pushy. my back hurt me so bad and every contraction jolted electrity to my hips. I couldn't sit or stand anymore. I tossed off all of my clothes as they bothered me. I kneeled in in the bathtub. I left it empty. It felt more comfortable without water. every contraction I had to lean forward on fours and lifting my knees off the floor, and i balanced myself on my hands and my toes. I had to shake my pelvis to ease the pain, to get the pressure of my back. That back labor hurt like hell! All of the baby's moves were on my front, so I guess the baby was posterior. I couldn't even kneel as the electrity jolt to my hips was so painful if I had to put my weight on my knees.
The pushy contractions got stronger and stronger. I was dozing off between the contractions. The pain was so bad. finally I filled up the bathtub. The water took some of the weight off me. The pain was dulled a little so I could bear it better. My hands and toes got tired from holding my weight for so long. Every contraction I had to hold myself in the air balanciing only on my toes and hands, keeping the knees off the ground.
I needed to go to bathroom. I went to bathroom and wondered how will I know if I need to go or push out the baby. I didn't want to push the baby into the toilet because it was too painful and impossible to lift my self high enough over the toilet to prevent the baby falling into it. As I was trying to figure out how to catch the baby in this situation, reflexly without even thinking I got up and ran back to the bathtub. The prssure was sooo hard! I touched inside my vagina. the head descended. Every contraction the head got closer and closer. My body pushed. I was on my knees. All sudden I had to get on fours. I grunted and grunted. Wow it hurt to bad. Then I pushed hard and pushed 2 or 3 times once every 3 minutes. I was on my knees again, then the head came out. I covered it with my hands to protect from hitting the bathtub floor. That head was so huge!. I pushed more. The body didn't budge. I felt the ears outline. The baby was okay, as the head kept moving and squirming. I didn't feel the face as my hand was underneath feeling only the head back. (the head was face up posterior) I grunted more. I changed my position to on fours. I made sure the head stays in water. I didnt' want the air to stimulate the baby to breath before being fully born. (so if I descend back to water the baby will not breath water) I had to lean forward deeply and sprawl the legs as much as possible and supported myself forward with one hand. I poked around the head looking if the shoulders are stuck. I pushed hard once again one loooong push. finally the shoulders popped out and the body slipped out and the legs popped out. I supported the baby with 1 hand and I could sit and lean backwards. I rised the baby slowly letting the head come out of the water. The watch I had by the bathtub showed: 5:06 am
The baby was calm and sleepy. I let the baby to lie on my stomach. My contractions continued a little than stopped. All of my muscles in my body hurt like after a marathon. I rubbed the baby's body to stimulate the baby to move. The baby moved and I saw he was allright. I looked between the legs and I saw it's a boy! I rested with the baby. 5 minutes after birth my husband woke up and entered the bathroom. He was delighted to see the baby was born already. He thought it will take much longer. I couldn't rise myself as I was still in pain. I leaned back holding the baby. My husband claimed the baby was so huge. we chatted a little. As the water started to go down, exposing the baby to the cold air, the baby started crying. I added more warm water and splashed on the baby's back to keep the baby warm.
The placenta didn't come out. I tried to pull at the cord gently to see if it connected inside. it didn't budge so I knew the placenta was still attached inside. I asked my husband to stay with me in case I will start to bleed because the placenta didn't come out. I swallowed some piece of the amniotic membranes, as they have hormones with oxytocin that prevent hemmohreage, and induce the placenta come out. (the hospital use syntetic pitocin shot) The baby nursed a little, just some nibbles. It caused my stomach to contract more.
He sat on the toilet and fell asleep. he then lied down on the floor and fell asleep again. So sweet of him to stay with me to make sure i am allright! I was so tired, and I started dozing off. It was not so safe as I was afraid my hands will slip down letting the baby to slip back to water. leaving the baby on my stomach was not safe either because it could cause the wet naked baby to get cold. covering with a towel was not a good idea because a wet towel is cold and sticky. I wanted to plan lotus birth but I realized it can't work for me in my situation. Forget it, I will cut it that's it!. After 3 hours I decided to cut the cord and figure out what to do about the placenta. I shaked my husband to wake up. I asked him to boil the scissors and boil the dental floss. He brought them ready. I tied the baby's cord. I checked if it causes the baby pain to touch the cord. I pressed on the cord, every time I touched the cord the baby grimaced a little. I wasn't sure if it was for real or my imagination. After few times the baby didn't grimace anymore. Then I tied and cut the cord without much reaction from the baby. A little blood gushed out of the cord that hanged out of my vagina. I realized the cord wasn't completely dead.
Shalom, my oldest son age 4 and half woke up and walked into the bathroom. When he saw the new baby my husband held, he ran and called his sister, Tzippy age 2 and 5 months. The kids were excited about the new baby. My husband held the baby wrapped in the towel. I took picture of him with the kids peeking at the baby :-)

My husband took the baby, dressed and diapered him and put him in bed. I let the bloody water to drain, and opened the fountain for clean water. I bathed myself. Then I rised out of the bath. It was dificult to walk with the placenta still inside and with the painful contractions I still had. I lied myself next to the baby. I was so cold and shaking. Even it was in July 31 an so hot I was cold. I asked my son to bring me the blanket and a pillow. He brought them to me from the closet. That was so sweet of him.
My husband offered me to make for me a hot chocolate drink. I didn't want as it was too heavy. I wanted just water.
My son being excited from having the new baby, didn't want to go to camp. I asked my husband to let him to stay home. My daughter wanted to go to camp and there she went when the carpool lady came!
I fell asleep with the baby. I woke up at 10:00 am. I needed to go to bathroom. I crawled slowly. I still had painful contractions. I couldn't walk upright. I pulled myself to sit on the toilet. I had to pee. Then i felt a big pushy contraction and finally the placenta just felt out! The contractions stopped and I felt much better. It was at 10:18 am.

I weighed the bby 2 days later on tuesday night in the pathmark supermarket. The baby was 8lb and 12 oz. Someone told me that babies lose around 1 lb in 2 days after birth especially if milk didn't come in. My milk didn't come in yet and my baby passed alot of mucus and meconium. So I assume the baby could be very well be 9lb and 12 oz! Who knows!! What ya think?


p.s: Later I learned that hospoitals would do D&C for retained placentas, with all of the risks of scarring that could risk problems in next pregnancies like placenta previa or placenta accreta or infection. I was happy I let my body to resolve it itself.

Anyone who did read my first birth story would find out my midwife's remark that I would need a c-section in case my baby was 10 pounds. LOLOLOL

PREGNANT meeeeeee!

I am great as usual.. I got a belly so big and heavy, like never before. (measuring 46 inches and over 140 lbs..) Nothing fits me to wear... (but all my body is lean as usual. imagine watermellon stuck in the middle of me. heehee)

I am having annoying braxton hicks on and off. I am tired and needing more sleep than ever. I had some mucus plug coming out (or it isn't, as it was snow white no tinge of blood) I can't wait to have this baby out now! I am sooooo tired and fed up being pregnant. It feels like being in jail in my own body. I am approaching 41 weeks (39 weeks since conception)
Same like with my first baby 4.5 years ago, which was 41+ weeks, I guess this what will happen now.
Everyone are making me crazy. All are emailing and calling me: Had you had your baby yet? How are you feeling? and them making that face expressioned with that worried expression.. I am sure next week they all are gonna to start asking me: when are you going to be induced.. . Like they think that asking me these questions all over again and again will make me pop out this baby in an instant!

Well, just watch me, I will carry this baby until BARMITZBAH!

Cheers,

Sara

scented Candle Rescue

we went to whole food market. I was so nausesous. the store stank, mixture of rotten foods and bad breath .. parrrhhhagghhh! I almost threw up, but then all sudden I smelled something that made all better. My sense of smell became almost normal, and my nausea turned off instantly. I followed the trail of the smell until I reached a shelf with scented candles. I found the correct candle by sniffing. I grabbed onto it and bought it. now the candle and me are inseperable.. lol.
This candle is cinnamon scent. what is good about it, its unperishable. I just sniff it every time I feel a little nauseous. But I hope it will help me through all first trimester.

Update: Few days later I couldn't bear that scent anymore! It nauseated me so I tried other scent: Egyptian musk.. Its good enough but I am still so nauseous. I found another remedy that seems to help: Taking fiber to get going! All that stuck traffic in my tummy is moving, so I am less nauseaous. I just have to avoid offensive smells. So far I am at 8 weeks since concetption and didn't throw up! YAY that is a change from my first and second pregnancies, which I vomited.. ugh!

One thing I learned my painful lesson: I should have been done liver cleanse. If I had been doing it before, I would be not nauseous. My friend did liver cleanse just before she got pregnant and wow she isn't nauseous. Only tired. Boy, I am so jealous of her!

I can't wait until after birth to be able to do it. The nausea from pregnancy is mere symptom of clogged liver and gallbladder. It full of fatty stones and the body has higher need to clean out the toxins to protect the fetus in the first 12 weeks... And the modern life and environment makes it clogged.. uggghh. That's why so many women are nauseous all pregnancy and not 'just' the first trimester. They have it worse. In next posting I am gonna to post how to do liver cleanse.

My family, AAAARGGH!!

My family still don't know I am pregnant but they had this arguement with me. Same old story. sigh.. My grandpa told me: don't do this

again the birthing alone thing! My grandma said: get a midwife to be in the same house as backup to watch, and in the other room you birth alone. (thank you for your compromising! I can't help but being scarcastic!)
My mom says: I have only one daughter, and you are risking your lives as well as the baby's! (Her practicing her expertise in guilt trips)
I said its not a issue for discussion!
My mom says: at least call a midwife who will be just there in case!
I said: you just don't get it. what if the baby is breech, she will be not allowed to 'let' me birth at home in that case! Then my granma says: we all are afraid over you!

I dread the day my tummy will bulge! and I can't hide from them forever! I visit them now as much as possible when i don't show so when I'll have to hide I will be able to push off as much as possible, but they will find one day.. they will never leave me alone! They will try to impose their fears on me!

Why I chose unassisted homebirth

I view birth as private as conception When birth is done alone and peacefully it goes smoothly and not erractic with problems showing up all sudden like the hospital births and even some of the homebirths. True, homebirth with midwife is more peaceful thatn in hospital and safer, but when it done without intruders at all it goes even more smoothly. When one listens to her intuition she can tell if anything is not right so she can seek medical help. It doesnt' go all sudden emergency that is too late in these cases.
by the way, nothing is 100% guaranteed. Babies DO die in hospitals. Actually the USA statistics are bad compared to the other countries. Many industrialized countries statistics are much better than here. Interestingly these countries have more homebirths that here.
Technology is great, but I don't appreciate how they abuse it in normal births.
All of the 'what ifs' are in my humble opinion (or not so humble opinion)
Overdue?
Breech?
Toxemia?
There are some practices that are harmful to the mother and baby:
Early cord clamping
All birth rituals in the hospitals
Do you want to learn 'do yourself homebirth? Look at Online birth class
There is a hospital birth story which is my first baby's birth story.
And finally, if you want to join our group to meet like minded unassisted homebirthers mothers its in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/c-birth
See ya there!
and finally: here is my second baby's birth story

I am pregnant and misearble!

I feel just like whining. I am fed up being nauseous (not bad that I have to vomit NOW but its a nagging nausea, everything I eat tastes nasty and all smells are nasty also I am so tired and lazy. no energy to do anything. I find myself doing nothing, absulotely nothing. My husband is sad I didn't make dinner on time, and I feel bad for being such a lazy ass. but I am soo tired I am so nauseous, I feel so yucky awww what can I do? and I just feel like whining nonstop! WAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAA!

who didn't see our kids refuse to eat? There are so many times we beg our children to take a spoon from whatever we put infront of them. We end up wondering how our kids can be running there, seemingly living on breathing air alone!
Our kids have natural hunger and satifcation system which didn't ruin yet by conditioning from parents pressure. Our kids know when to eat and when to stop to eat. We can relax and let them eat when they are hungry. If we will be relaxed our kids will have their sense of hunger and satisfaction working well into adulthood, thus, preventing many of overweight problems.The way to go is to put nutritious snacks on the table, like cut veggies, cut fruits, cut american cheese. let them to choose to pick it. If they don't eat the food offered in the meals, we can take the plates away with no guilt. If later they change their minds we will not need to get out of our comfort and re-prepare that fancy meal again. They can eat the snacks that are there.

Now to our issue: how can we restore our ruined hunger satisfaction sense?when we are truely hungry, most foods taste great. We have to chew throughfully, and taking our time eating the foods. Never swallow if the food isn't chewed properly. If we do it, our stomachs will be unable to digest it unproperly. It can be stored undigested in our stomachs and in our colon. It can acclumate preventing us absorbing nutrients. Therefore rendering us nutrient deprived, and hungry on full stomachs!
The other times we have to avoid eating are times of great emotional stress, excitment, or great upset. In these times our bodies are flooded with adrenaline, which gets blood to our feet to prepare us to times of danger. But our stomachs don't have the blood, and the digestive juices are not extracted.. which can cause the food to be undigested. Undigested food rot inside of us causing us alot of health problems.
When you eat, the food has to taste great. Imagine yourself soo thirsty. water tastes soooo good! It has to be like this. hunger is a great spice, and taste enhancher.When that great taste is changing slightly and the taste isn't so great, it means you finished eating what you need. Now its the time to STOP eating.

You don't need to eat until you are choke full of food. Eat until that sense of great taste is stopping.your hunger satisfaction sense will improve in time. And its one of the main factors in losing weight!
good luck!

Environmental Health Threats to Children

A Look at the Facts

KNOW YOUR A.B.C'sby Dr. Joyce M. Woods

Begin by thinking of your home as a toxic waste dump. The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals - more than a chemistry lab at the turn of the century. More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since WW II. Less than 2% of synthetic chemicals have been tested for toxicity, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, or birth defects. The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects.

Chemicals in Many Cosmetics Detrimental to Your Unborn Son

Researchers may have uncovered one reason why some males have problems with infertility: For the first time, a study has discovered the more a pregnant woman is exposed to high, but common, levels of a widely used chemical, known as phthalate, found in:
Cosmetics
Nail Polish
Perfumes
Hair Sprays
Fragrances
Plastics
Paints
... the greater the risk her son will have smaller genitals and incomplete testicular descent, leading to impaired reproductive development. In fact, such alterations were present based on phthalate levels found in one-quarter of U.S. women.
Phthalate Findings
Researchers tested levels of four kinds of phthalates in the urine of pregnant women; they examined 134 of the baby boys, ages 2-30 months, born to those women.
While none of the boys showed clear malformation or disease, in the 25 percent of mothers with the greatest exposure to phthalate:
The odds were 10 times higher that their sons would have a shorter-than-expected distance between the anus and the base of the penis. (This measurement is an indictor of impacts on their reproductive system.)
In defense of the findings, the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association claims the use of phthalates in cosmetics and personal care products is backed by an extensive body of scientific research and data that verifies safety.
However, phthalate exposure has never been studied in infant boys until now.
Environmental Health Perspectives May 27, 2005 (Free Full-Text Article)
USA Today May 26, 2005

Formaldehyde!

Formaldehyde - a known carcinogen (causes cancer). Causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes).
Formaldehyde - A colorless gaseous compound, HCHO, the simplest formaldehyde, used for manufacturing melamine and phonetic resin, fertilizers, dyes, and embalming fluid and in aqueous solutions (dissolved in water) as a preservative and disinfectant.

Autism & Mercury

Autism could be a mercury poisoning symptoms. Here is a very useful information about it and frequently asked questions. Also some advice how to deal with it.
There is a yahoo group of Autism-Mercury!

Also take a look at the Amish mystery.

Back to Karate, yay!

I love sports like marital arts. So whenever possible I go to Karate in New York city. I love Seido Karate Honbu! Its hard work, but it worth it. I got brown belt, and hope to continue to practice towards black belt. The only reason I am not a black belt yet is because living a little far from karate plus having small babies makes it impossible. First you are pregnant that can't handle karate beating up, then you have to deal with a baby that needs you 24/7 days a week. My baby is finally around 1 year old, so she doesn't mind that much when I am going away a little. My dear husband is watching the kids, so thanks to him finally I can go to shape up, heh!