Earth Babies Blog

Though a relatively easy and uneventful pregnancy after 2 years of infertility investigation and treatment, it was found that I was pregnant with a breech baby. From about 30 weeks of pregnancy, we did everything we could do to turn the baby to ensure a natural water birth – something that I have been dreaming about for a very long time. We tried homoeopathy, chiropractics, acupuncture, moxibustion, various hand-stand excercises and eventually a very painful ECV procedure performed between 36 and 37 weeks. All unsuccessful.

I had decided even before I fell pregnant that if I could not have a completely natural birth then I would opt for a planned caesarian section, I would much rather that than a medicated vaginal birth or emergency caesar (which obviously is something I would hope wouldn’t happen if I had a normal pregnancy).
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This is always a concern for parents 2nd time around – how will the older child take to the new baby. Are they going to feel jealous, neglected, like you no longer love them? Are you going to be able to love more than one child?

To the last question – YES you are, there is no deep explanation other than love has no limits there is always enough to go around … now time is another matter

Preparing for a new baby:
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Birth Story – names changed.
Natasha Rieder, birthing Jade

19th January 2009
Sleep last night was poor due to overactive /negative mind getting angry, sad, frustrated, disappointed, and more, about the fact that nothing has happened – no birth – and that the time pressure factor was going to kick into play. I couldn’t see how I could possibly land back in the situation of having another c-section. Surely the Universe, you (Little Jade) and my body could give me the one thing I want to experience – natural childbirth – considering how much I invest in parenting consciously and with awareness?

23rd January
As you can see Monday the 19th was an emotional day – I was tired from lack of sleep, feeling pressure due to time and generally very ‘the hell in’ and not interested in doing anything to induce labour anymore as it clearly wasn’t doing much. I wasn’t yet ready to give in to a c-section and have one booked, but I was tired of trying too hard and pushing too much. I almost even cancelled my ante-natal visit with Gladys cos I felt even that was too much involvement. But I went – I’m still a responsible mother & wanted to check Little Jade was still good & fine.
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Tomorrow is our first visit to the dentist … I know this is a first that should have happened long ago but well it didn’t.
I have been talking about it for over a week now to get the kids (mainly Kara) positive about going. Rafe was keen – he actually asked if we could go as it seems he has a molar bugging him. His plan is to ask the dentist to pull it out so he can get money .

I now have 2 children who cannot wait to visit the dentist – I am embarassed (maybe not) to admit that with Kara is took bribery of the worst kind … “if you dont go to the dentist it means you cannot have sweets anymore, but if you go to the dentist and we look after your teeth nicely you can have sweets” …. she was practically in the car and ready to go last week with this reasoning. Sugar is this childs crack *sigh*.
She will also be getting a Dora the Explorer lucky packet after the visit if there are no tears and fighting – holding thumbs it works, doctor visits in the past have been very traumatic, mostly for the doctor and myself.
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Do you encourage independence in your children? Do you judge a mother (me ) waiting in a car while her child runs in to a shop as lazy? Do you teach distrust of all strangers? Do you try push or persuade them to do things they do not want to, speak to strangers etc?

My approach with my kids is a bit of a mix of very protective and giving them lots of space.

For me independence is a form of self confidence and trust in ones own judgement and instincts and I try to nurture and grow this in my kids but sometimes feel like I am getting it all wrong.
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Today for the first time EVER (because she refused and not because we could not), my daughter is wearing a ponytail. It is a very scruffy thin little bundle on her head but I am in ponytail-love heaven.

One of the reasons I love her hair up is then I get to see the back of her little ears and the little dent at the back of her neck – these make my heart mushy. With my son it is the sweep of his lashes on his cheekbones, the dimple on his right cheek when he smiles, the double dents (dimples) just above his bum. With both of them I love that they still have dimples instead of knuckles and their kissy lips ♥swoon♥.

dimple

little ears

Share – what is it for you??

This is probably the biggest fear factor when it comes to birth – just how sore is it going to be??
Once that little baby is in there this thought consumes you – I think every mother has that moment of realisation and blind panic that now that baby is in – it has to come out – “turn back the clocks!”.
It is probably for this reason that pregnancy becomes so uncomfortable towards the end, so that you can reach that space where you no longer care whether birth is painful or not – you just want baby out.

Here is a clip from 60secDoulas discussing this topic – Read the rest of this entry »

Posted this the evening of 11 July, 2009, several hours after Nienke was born:

Nienke was born at 18:00,weighed 3.45kg,10 hours of labour. Wanted epidural at 10am,long story-Didn’t get one.Wont lie-it was HELL. I think l begged DH at one stage to kill me.She suckles like a champ, latched immediately! Sleeping now with me in bed, am just staring at her. Will post later!

The birth story, fresh from the press the following day:

I had cramps throughout Friday evening, but thought it was the lovely potjie we ate the evening.

The cramps were mild and about 15 minutes apart. After 7am, I felt something leaking and saw I had my show. About 15-20 minutes after that my water broke. It was STREAMING down my legs.

Didn’t know what to do-were walking around with a pad in one had, my doctor on the line in the other hand, asking my hubby if I can first have a shower.

Took a shower, went to hospital. The contractions were already about 4 minutes apart, but felt like period pains. At hospital they weighed me-I gained a whopping 21 kg’s! (Lost 7kg during birth.)
I was put on an antibiotic drip, because apparently if your water break then you can become infected, they also monitored baby and then I was free to “walk” and do everything the way I wanted. O yes, had an internal exam by nurse and was not dilated yet! But the contractions were becoming stronger and longer. Still about 3 min. apart but felt like SERIOUS period pains.

Was walking on the grass outside with my drip in the one hand, hubby timing my contractions, me saying “it’s not that bad” and sitting in the sun in-between.
Got REALLY bad, so at about 10am I considered an epidural. Told nurse and she said I must first dilate 4cm’s. They did internal and I was only 1cm dilated! Thought I was going to die. Went for walk again outside but couldn’t keep it up. Was taken to delivery room (o yes, somewhere in between I received a nice enema as well) and had a catheter inserted. Here it is all a bit fussy. Was VERY strong contractions, little did I know it was nothing compared to what was to come.
Another nice internal-only 3cm’s-had to wait one cm more. Then the dr who gave the epidurals first had to do a c-section. I had some pethadine, which did NOTHING to relieve the pain, only made me go into a trance during rest-periods between contractions.

By this stage I was screaming like a crazy person and breathing like crazy and nobody was allowed to touch me, only held hubby’s hand.

While telling the nurse I was dying (I really did lose all dignity and did not care about ANYTHING apart from getting relieve from the pain) she did another internal and I was 8cm’s! THEN the dr who did epidurals strolled in. I wasn’t myself by this stage. So the nurse asked me do I still want one and I remember yelling at her “hy het mos nou gesê dit is te LAAT!”

I then shouted some more and told her to let my dr. come because this baby is coming. It irritated me that she kept on asking me questions a normal person would be able to answer, but I was not a normal person at that stage.

She would ask me “hoe voel dit” or “ons moet dr bel as jy 10cm ontsluit is”. I mean, HELLO! The baby was coming!!!

I could feel her pressing down with her feet at the top of my abdomen. It was the most amazing feeling and so empowering to feel how my baby was working with me.

I shouted at nurse to GET MY DOCTOR.

When my dr. arrived, I was 10cm and he was fantastic. By this stage I was completely out of control and he kept me grounded. He would tell me calmly what to do and to push when he says etc.

The one nurse held my one leg and helped me push by pushing my chin on my chest. The pushing was quite hard, dr. said it was a “tight squeeze” and that she came out sideways. She hadn’t even crowned yet when I told him they must “suck her out”. I just felt I wouldn’t be able to do it.

He then used the vacuum thingy.

I didn’t really feel that extreme urge to push everyone seems to have. I actually didn’t WANT to push, because I felt she was too big. So I did it sort of half-heartedly.

Anyway, she came out beautifully and I only got one stitch. Did not feel a thing when dr. cut me, though I heard it. She was very blue when she came out but then she starting crying and all was well. My hubby went with her to have her weighed etc but I told them to bring her right back, because I wanted to breastfeed straight away and do kangaroo care.
She was born at 18:00.

So I was cleaned up, taken to my room, they brought her to me, all naked and not yet bathed. She latched immediately and was happy doing just that. My DH and I both kangaroo cared and I dressed her at about 21:00 for first time. She slept with me, I did not sleep a wink, cant sleep in hospitals, the nurses kept waking us up and checking her blood pressure etc.

Anyway, I am glad in the end I did not get epidural, because I had the birth I wanted. I just did not know it would be that HARD and sore. The great thing is, the memory faded the next day and my cute baby was the only thing that mattered.

Would DEF. go prepared to be in the right state of mind to handle the pain better.

Change the nappy often!

Nappy rash is for the most part as a result of long periods between changing.
When skin is left wet for extended periods, it becomes sensitive and easily irritated or broken from constant friction. A nappy is a warm, moist and isolated environment which is ideal for the formation of micro-organisms (bacteria), if the skin becomes damaged these microbes move in and cause infection.
Abrasion of fabric and wet skin are the most common arguments for using disposables over cloth, however there are support products for cloth nappies to prevent these perceived problems – nappy 1-way liners function in the same manner as a disposable, drawing the urine away from the skin and keeping baby dry.
A basic rule of thumb is to check your babies nappy once an hour – most parents do this naturally without conscious effort – only change when necessary though (this is generally at longer intervals than one hour, but as it is not a controlled routine the gap between changes would differ and checking increases awareness).
Nappies have a saturation point if nappy is not absorbent enough you can add a booster – this should be done to increase absorbency but not to stretch the time between changes.
Nappies containing faeces should be changed immediately.

cover free time

Be conservative when applying barrier cream.
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This is the newest baby to join the ranks of the Earth Babies family is my number 3, all of 11weeks and 6 days old this is the first camera apperance.

These poor kids get to be the test guinea pigs to all our new products and ideas. I wonder what I will try out this time? I know we have a few new nappies to try and I am looking forward to a new kikio sling or wrap.

For the birth I am thinking of doing a hypnobirthing course, the idea of a more calm and less painful birth appeals to me. I know my 2nd was better than the first, you know what to expect but still think I could be more relaxed and centered. Oh well a few weeks/months to plan that yet.