Placenta Encapsulation

I’ve had a couple people ask me about placenta encapsulation since I mentioned I had mine done. (I’ve also had a couple people imply I’m crazy -- but honestly it doesn’t hurt my feelings or make me think poorly of them -- I know it’s a strange thing to do.) So I figured I’d blog the little I know about it in case more people are curious but don’t want to ask.

I, personally, chose to do it this time for a few reasons.
One, because I’d heard of it a while ago and have had enough time to get over the gross factor and get really, really curious about it. (I almost did it after baby number two, but just couldn’t quite make the leap yet.)
Two, a good friend of mine did it first. She made me brave.
Three, I felt so horrendous during my pregnancy I was ready to do anything to regain health.
Four, it was really easy for me, as my midwife took it from me and brought it back to me as pills in two days. I felt like it would be silly to skip it at this point. (Part of what held me back after baby number two was the fact that I didn’t know an encapsulation source ahead of time. And I was not ready to attempt doing it myself.)

I didn’t know a whole lot about it when I did it. I just kinda did a blind faith move because it seemed like it made sense to me. ha. (I’m a total hippie, right? All these crazy things I never thought I’d do, all make perfect sense to me for no good reason.)

But here is a good site that will explain some of the benefits there are based on scientific research. I’d really recommend you take a peak at that -- it’s very informative. And that sight has a helpful Q&A page as well. And some testimonials.

For me I definitely saw it’s benefits in:

Increased milk production. I actually had to reduce how much I was taking due to how significantly it increased my milk production. There was a direct correlation between when I took the pills to how full my breasts became. So I know that it was working on that front.
(I have extras I haven’t taken, so if I ever have a dip in production, or my baby goes through a growth spurt where I feel I’m not keeping up, I know I can just pop a pill or two and see an increase.)

The other effects are a bit more subjective and hard to be certain, but I feel I can attribute them to the pills.

Postpartum blood loss. That was much different for me this time around than my other two times. This could be attributed to other factors as well. My first was a c-section. My second, I passed a lot of blood at birth. But during my third pregnancy I took iron supplements, which I had never done before. And my third delivery was my easiest and least physically traumatic. So that could all weigh into things.
But after my first two deliveries I bled (had “lochia” -- the medical word for ir) for eight weeks. That’s extra long, but I was deemed fine by my health care providers. (I have 42 week pregnancies, it seems my body just likes to drag things out. #blessed …haha.) My loss wasn’t heavy as in scary for my health, but it was a decent amount through most of those weeks.
After my third, while taking my encapsulated placenta pills, my lochia was much, much lighter than I was used to. And by five or six weeks it was verging on gone, although I wore light day pads for seven weeks because I would have occasional spotting.
So compared to my previous experiences that aspect was much improved and felt a lot less cumbersome.

The Emotional Aspect. Ok, I will not be a standard take on this point. This pregnancy (much different than my first two)  felt physically horrendous to me (42 weeks of unceasing nausea and more aches and pains than I’d ever felt.) So I was going into my birth and postpartum period with a very dark and depressed mindset. So it’s hard to compare this part to my other two experiences. But I do think my encapsulated placenta pills aided on this front.
After this birth I still had a dark and depressed mindset. But I knew I would. I don’t see how that would have instantly lifted, especially since it took about a week for my nausea to clear up and my aches and pains remained for a bit longer. It was hard not to question, during that remaining nausea, if I would return to health, and that was emotionally straining.
But that said, while taking my encapsulated placenta pills I did not have the stereotypical postpartum emotions that I had the first two times. I clearly remember after having my first two experiencing an overwhelming sensation of being alone and feeling skittish and paranoid. After those births I could rationally tell myself those emotions were hormonally derived, but I couldn’t shake them. I didn’t have those emotions this time while taking my placenta pills. I really don’t feel that I had "baby blues", as I had previously with my other two. The emotions I experienced after this birth did not feel hormonally derived, they just felt like the consequence of me emotionally processing a extremely trying pregnancy. Those emotions did feel stronger on the days where my hormones shifted as my milk came in, but I didn’t get the additional emotions of aloneness, or panic, or the emotional-trembling sort of sensations I had with my first two.
I will say I’m very glad to not have added that extra “baby blues” stress onto the level of emotions I was already dealing with. I do think the placenta was a true help to me and a very good idea.
But like I said, this experience is hard to share in any sort of scientific measurement, it’s just me feeling things about my experience.

Pain Reduction. Once again, I don’t feel standard on this one. I went into this situation in pain and my pregnancy pains stuck around a while postpartum. And then you add in delivery pain. But once again, I feel like I experienced my post delivery pains in a less dramatic way than I had with at least my second birth (which was a VBAC, I can’t really compare a c-section to this.) It’s not entirely fair to compare the the VBACs either as I had an epsiotomy with my first VBAC and I had natural small tears with my second VBAC. But I do feel the placenta aided with pain reduction on the pain I had this time.

Energy Level.  After this delivery my midwife really pressed me to stay in bed and recover. (This is advice to all moms, not just me.) And I obeyed this time because I wanted to rest after that pregnancy. So I’m not gonna tell you I was up and running around or anything. But I do know I felt different than after my second VBAC. I remember after that one feeling winded from walking across the room. But this time I had no sensations like that. I was definetly feeling worn out, but once again 42 weeks of being sick wears you out. I think the placenta helped me not get even more worn out postpartum.

Baby Bonding. This is one of those things that can be affected by tons and tons of things. And I don’t want to write you a novel here covering all those things for each pregnancy of mine. But I was worried I wouldn’t bond well with this baby after that pregnancy. And, like I said, lots of things play into this, but I bonded very, very intensely this time, very quickly. I certainly don’t think the placenta pills hurt, they may have helped this along, but  I can’t truly say on this point.


So….
I’m not your best source of information on this. Nor am I a normal testimony on the use.
I’d suggest you look around for more input on the matter.
But personally, I’m saying I’m glad I did this.
IF (really really big IF) I ever have another pregnancy I would definitely do the encapsulation again.

I actually really wish I had done this after my prior pregnancies. Especially after my c-section, as it took me 10 days to get any milk in afterwards. I think this might have really helped me in that case. Actually it kind of makes me sad that there was something so simple, natural, and so easily accessible to me, and I miss out on it because I didn’t know about it.
And after my second, I think it would have been great to get all the iron back in me after the extra blood loss. I think it would have helped with the afterpains I had that time (those ones were far worse than I had be prepared for.)  And perhaps it would have helped me to bond faster with my baby that time.


I don’t have any concrete place to point you to on this, but I have heard of women saving some of their pills (in the freezer) for menopause. It is supposed to help regulate hormones then, to help with hot flashes, night sweats and emotional swings. (I still have quite a few I haven’t taken, so I may just save them for this!)
In the same way, you can use the pills any time you need to help regulate your hormones and get a boost. Perhaps for PMS. Or just rough days.



So maybe you are now wondering: How can you have yours encapsulated?

Well, it’s going to vary, how you get this worked out.

While you are pregnant look around for people who encapsulate. I’d start with googling. If you can’t find any that way, get in touch with someone “birthy” in your area. Either a doula, or midwife, or a “hippie” like me :) . They will probably know someone. I belong to a Facebook group dedicated to birth in my area. That group of ladies always can point to great birthy-type resources. You might find you have such an online group near to you.

If you can’t find someone who can encapsulate it for you. You could take the great leap and do it yourself. (I know it’s a LEAP. I wasn’t ready for it. But it’s possible.) If you want to do this, google is able to point your way.

No matter who encapsulates it, if you want to do this, you need to inform people ahead of time. 
     You should get in touch with the person who encapsulates ahead of time, and get all the details from them. (How much it costs. Do they pick up the placenta or will you need to drop it off? Any special things you should know.)

     You should tell your birth support person (husband/partner, doula, etc) so they can help ensure it happens.
     You should tell your provider ahead of time. If they don’t know, there is a chance they will treat the placenta in a way that will make it unfit for consumption. (This is why your support person should know, so that they can help remind your provider. They can be in charge of ensuring you pack it up and get it to where it needs to go)
     It’s particularly important if you have a c-section to make sure your provider knows this ahead of time as you won’t know when the placenta is delivered to say anything about it in the moment. It wouldn’t hurt to have your support person on the look out to remind them.
     You should tell your nurses as well, they can also help remind your provider of your wishes. And perhaps help you handle it.

If you are having a birth center, or hospital birth you should bring a cooler with you so you can keep your placenta on ice. If you are having a home birth, put in your refrigerator.



So there you have it. My not too knowledgable, but sort of knowledgable post on Placenta Encapsulation. Do with it what you will. (You won’t hurt my feelings if you never want to do it. :) )

Sea Band V. PsiBands

**Ok, this post is just my own personal experience with these two products -- this is in no way claiming some sort of "clinical trial level" of accuracy on these products. What works for me, may not work for everyone. I just thought I would share what I’ve experienced in case it is helpful.**

I am currently 19 weeks pregnant with my third. And for some reason this pregnancy has been an entirely more nauseous experience than my first two. For my first two I had the general morning-sickness-queasiness, that wasn’t fun but never made me throw up, and it went away right around the second trimester. This pregnancy has been epically-queasy (like need to lay down to help with the pain, it’s hard to think straight, it’s very hard to pick the right foods to eat, kinda of queasy), with actual throwing up, and is still hanging around good and strong at 19 weeks. 

So that said….

I’ve tried both of these natural remedies as an attempt to function.

They both work on the premise that they apply pressure on the Nei Kuan acupressure point of each  wrist, and that is supposed to help with nausea. 

And in my opinion one product is clearly superior.

Let’s take a closer look.

Here is the inside of each bracelet. The grey knitted one on the left is the sea band. The black plastic one on the right is the PsiBand.

The Sea Band’s plastic stud is much more round and protruding. It is smooth and hard.
The PsiBand has a generally larger surface area of plastic that feels like its coated in something kinda rubbery. Then it has an indent where the pressure-pusher part goes. This part is adjustable, when you twist the white top part it comes out a tiny smidgen. (It never forms the same kind if mound as the sea band.)

The PsiBands biggest attraction is that it comes in different designs and looks more like a bracelet or watch band. And that’s actually what sold me on getting that kind first. (My Vanity won out.  However, this black version wasn’t really my first choice -- it was just what was available short notice.)
Well that and they are waterproof.

So I started wearing the PsiBands and I honestly never noticed any difference in my level of nausea. Very soon I found these bracelets frustrating. The holes made for bracelet tightness are made in such a spacing, that for my wrist they felt either too loose (so that no pressure was applied) or uncomfortably tight.

I would err on the side of tight to try and make the nausea go away. But I honestly can not wear these longer than an hour without my wrists hurting too much for me to bother keeping them on.
The indent starts to feel like it’s cutting into my skin and I just can’t stand it anymore.

After one hour of wear.

That pink-white ring on my wrist is actually raised up like braille. 

It’s not like the worst pain in the world or anything. But it does have a grate on your nerves, “yeah this is pretty horribly uncomfortable” kind of pain that I just don’t feel is worth it in any way.

But in contrast the sea band is elastic, so there is no need to try and figure out how tight it needs to be. You just slide it on the right spot and it feels like a perfect amount of pressure on my wrist. The plastic stud is nearly imperceptible. And I do actually get some nausea relief from this.

Now I’m not saying my nausea goes away. But the level of it is brought down a noticeable amount. It usually can take me from "can’t function" to "functioning just enough." 

And It doesn’t hurt me one bit.

I usually put them on first thing in the morning and take them off before bed -- just to give my skin a break. After a long day my wrist has creasing. And I do look forward to giving my skin a break. But not in a “oh my gosh, get these off of me!” kind of way. 

Personally it’s not been a big deal that I can’t wear them in the shower or bath.

After an entire waking- day’s worth of wear.

So for me the very clear winner is Sea Band!

They do come in a couple colors. So maybe black would be a bit more classy looking? It’s your call.

Personally I don’t mind that it looks like I’m wearing sweat bands all day if it helps me function.

And well, lucky for me, I’m pretty much always in long sleeves (for winter) right now -- so they usually aren’t even seen. But if I am still nauseous this summer I’ll be sporting these with pride. Vanity be dammed -- you get me into too much trouble anyway. 

So I’d recommend them to a friend. I wouldn’t be selling it as a cure-all. But a nice, sort of helps, don’t hurt, kinda thing.

Side Note: With this pregnancy, the actual biggest help I have had with nausea has been to take half a unisom at night. I wasn’t really thrilled to veer off the natural remedy path, but this pregnancy has been too difficult to forgo using some of the bigger guns. So all this acupressure bracelet talk, in my case, has been in conjunction with unisom use. The two things combined have seemed to get me through the days. If I skip one of these helpers (particularly the unisom) I usually feel awful, and it can result in a very tear-filled day. But these sea bands are actual aids in helping with what the unisom hasn’t been able to take away for me.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional of any sort. Always consult with your provider before taking medical advice.

How To Care For A Mother Who's Had A C-Section

Thank you for taking the time to look this over!  I feel it is a very important issue which receives little attention.
This is a hard subject to cover in one post.  There is a lot to say.  And there are many ways for women to feel about it.  
But it is near and dear to my heart, so I want to try.  

This post is intended to be for people who know and care for a woman (or women) who've had a c-section; and that women is experiencing any negative feelings about the c-section.  

Please Note: I do not wish to imply anyone should feel negatively about having a c-section. I do not believe that at all. I believe that every birth, and every entry into motherhood, is sacred and not to be looked down on. I believe that every mother is amazing and strong, and that she gave gloriously of herself to become a mother. 
And therefore, I write this post because I know that some women (not all) (but more than I had originally realized) do feel some form of negative feelings after a c-section. And it is my deep hope to be able to give some peace and healing for those in that scenario.
If you do not feel any negative feelings about your c-section I am so very glad, I wish that for every mother. But if that is the case you may find this post less applicable or helpful.

If you, yourself, have had a c-section and want to check this post out, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments!  ALSO, I'd just like to give you a heads up that if you are in an emotional state over your c-section while reading this, it could potentially be a difficult read.  Please take that into account and give yourself a chance to read it at a good time.



My name is Lydia and I had a c-section in 2010 delivering my first.  
It was shockingly difficult for me, emotionally.  I wasn't expecting that.
Then in 2012 I was blessed to be able to have a wonderful VBAC (Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean) delivery with my second.  
Despite having that experience, I still had many emotions to work through regarding my c-section.  

In the interim, I started blogging my heart on the matter.  Through that and everyday life, I've met many women who've opened up to me about how hard a c-section was on their heart.  
Not every woman struggles with their c-section---I personally know a few women who were just fine with theirs, even quite happy with it.  But I've met many more who've wrestled deeply with disappointment, a sense of loss or lack of resolution, an impression of failure, or lack of strength.  This notion seems to ring particularly true in the case of first-time-moms who haven't experienced any other births to weigh their experience against.  
Because of these things, in this post I'm going to lay out ideas about how to support women who are grieved by having a c-section.  

If you are taking the time to read this, then I know you already care deeply for a woman in your life who's had a c-section.  
I can't pretend to speak for her specifically.  We are each very unique.  But I do hope to shed some light  that may help your relationship during her recovery.  

Please feel free to share this with anyone you think may benefit from it.

Original photo source: Here, which got it from Here?

The first thing you should know is, if she is feeling anything negative about her c-section, it is valid.  She should be allowed to feel those feelings.  Having negative feelings doesn't mean she can't simultaneously be thrilled that she has a healthy baby because of the c-section (in best case scenarios).  One can be fully grateful and utterly disappointed at the same time.  And it's okay if she is.  
If you can allow her the space to have both feelings that will be HUGE in her emotional recovery.  It can be very difficult to work through without that leeway.  

There are things that she has lost and she should be allowed to grieve them.  
These things may not seem like something to everyone.  But if they mean something to her, you will not be able to convince her that they don't mean something.  The only way through a loss is grieving it.  

One of the hardest parts of this particular dynamic of grief is that it is very hard to relate to without experiencing it yourself.  These emotions are hard to convey, but in attempt to help you relate I will share a couple of ways in which I have heard them described.  Of course they are not universally accurate, but merely attempts to convey the emotion.  

One source said it is like planning a wedding that doesn't happen.  They said this because they are both a special day you plan and wait for with a certain outcome anticipated.  If you've planned a wedding and have your heart set on it, yet it doesn't come to fruition, if you've been stood up at the alter, that is certainly something to grieve.  A c-section can be slightly similar: a date with much anticipation and much disappointment instead.  *This, of course, cannot account for the happiness of having a baby, so it doesn't fully depict the scenario.  

Instead, I think this is the best comparison I've heard:  Another source described it as if your house caught fire and burned to the ground, but you and your family got out alive.  Of course you are thrilled to be alive and have your loved ones---you will likely be filled with a sense of awe, love, gratefulness, and perhaps a renewed sense of self.  But there is still so much loss---your home, all your personal belongings, especially the irreplaceable things like family photos and heirlooms.  If you knew someone who lost those things in a fire, you may try to remind them what they still have... but you would admit it a loss.  You can never get back your grandmother's wedding dress.  Additionally, it would not be at all surprising if the fire survivors struggled with post traumatic stress syndrome.  A traumatic birth is actually quite comparable to this scenario -- an experience full of blessing and gratitude but mixed with sorrow; and perhaps accompanied by distressing memories which can be hard to overcome. (Here is a link to a women’s account of living through an actual house fire which happened in the middle of the night and thankfully her family got out alive. It’s heart wrenching, and while I have never lived through a house fire, I do relate to her range of emotions she experiences soon after it, as they correlate to many things I felt after my c-section.) 

You may be wondering what has she really lost by having a c-section?  
It may not seem like much, if anything.  But she has actually lost some sizable things.  Each woman will register the deficiency differently,  but a general summary of some of the losses are: 

• The physical fulfillment of pregnancy---giving birth out of your own self.  This includes the hormonal shift naturally intended for mothers. Women experiencing vaginal birth have a different hormonal experience than c-section mothers. And in some cases it can result in challenging effects, both physical and emotional, for the mother.  
• A sense of true womanhood/accomplishment/inner-strength.  
• Sadly, she will have lost the respect of some people in regards to how she has birthed. Whether or not she believes their opinions to be true or false, or of any value at all, their opinions will at times be placed upon her without her permission. That can be very hard to live with.
• In most scenarios, a mother who births via cesarean loses the chance to experience the first hour or two of her baby's life, as most hospitals take the baby to the nursery and the mother to a recovery room for at least an hour, possibly longer.  It can feel like a profound loss.  
• In the same vein: a c-section is more difficult to recover from than a vaginal birth and it requires a longer amount of time to do so.  Many c-section-mothers feel they have lost the ability to really enjoy the first weeks (or longer) of their baby's life while they are dealing with the effects of major surgery.  Many feel they had an inability to take care of their baby they way they had hoped---simple things like getting out of bed to reach a crying baby can feel next to impossible, which may also adversely affect her ability to bond well with her baby.  
• She has lost an unscarred uterus.  

• With her uterus now scarred, she has lost the ability to simply see the doctor or midwife of her choice for any subsequent births.  She may not even get to go to the hospital of her preference for future births.  Many midwives will not see women who've had a prior c-section.  And many hospitals and providers will not allow a woman to have a vaginal birth after cesarean under their care.  In that case, regardless of her opinion, if this mother would like to be seen by that provider she will need to have a repeat cesarean.  Depending on where she lives her options for birth could now be severely limited.  

• She has lost the chance to be spoken to in a non-threatening way regarding future births.  During any future pregnancies lots of stipulations will be placed on her.  And many more fear-filled scenarios will held over her head.  

• Most women who've had a c-section have lost the ability to not fear birth.  She may struggle deeply with the idea of having more children even if she had previously wanted many.  

• Additionally, many providers will now suggest she only have repeat cesareans, and therefore limit for her how many children she should have, since they do not recommend having many repeat cesareans.  Depending on her hopes for future family members, it could be devastating.   

These are just a few things she may be mourning.  And she needs space to work through that.  

Here are some tips I have for caring for this woman you know, based on how well you know her.  

You may want to just read the section that applies to you.  But you certainly may read it all to gain further insight.  
*IF after reading this post, you find that you would like to learn more about grieving a cesarean this has been the most in depth article I've ever come across on the subject.  

Questions To Ask A Provider When Hoping To VBAC

Hi there,
If we are just meeting for the first time, my name is Lydia and I had a c-section delivering my first in 2010.
I desperately wanted to VBAC after that and I was able to have a really wonderful one in 2012.
I am not a professional of any kind, just a momma who did a lot of research.

A friend of mine was recently asking me what she should be asking when going into the office to talk about potentially VBACing in the future.
After I wrote her back she told me I should put it on my blog, and I thought, "You know what, she's very right!"

I explained in my letter a bit more than just what I would ask in that specific office visit --- I started out explaining what I did initially to learn out more about my c-section, and then how I located VBAC-supportive providers.  Then I gave her some questions I would ask in the office.

Please note that this list of questions can be used by any mom who is hoping to avoid having a c-section.  Asking these types of questions (tweaked for yourself) the first time could potentially save you from ever having one.  In some cases, delivering by c-section may have much less to do with you and your labor, than the provider who oversees it.  

So here ya go, all the goods:
If you haven't had a c-section the first paragraph will not apply, but don't skip too far ahead because the rest is still a great idea, for even first time mommas!  



I spent any time in the office after my c-section (like my 6 week check, my annual, the times I ended up in there for thrush) asking what happened with stuff.
I couldn't get enough info on my baby's position (which was what wound us up in a c-section).  (I actually learned the most about that from this website.)
And I asked anything about anything I thought might help me VBAC.  (My first baby was nine pounds so I asked how I could have a smaller baby.  See here for information on how.  I went past my due date to 42 weeks, I asked all sorts of stuff about that --- which I didn't get many good answers on initially, but did eventually.  See here for more on that.)
And I spent countless hours reading online anything I could about my situation as well as trying a few books.
After doing that for a while, and then learning I would be moving to a new area, I looked up which hospitals allowed VBACs where I would be living.  (See this link for ICAN's list.)

Then I found a doula who has focused on helping women VBAC for more than 15 years.  (I used this website to get a list of doulas and then did my own sort of screening via their personal websites.)
 I emailed her months before I moved (I was pregnant at the time), explained my situation and asked her what my options where and which provider had what kind of stance.  I just needed to know who would be on my side.  I knew I couldn't just walk up to every doctor and ask them --- so asking someone who's watched them all working for years and years was exactly what I needed.  She called me up and she talked me through it all.  I could tell she was being diplomatic but very honest.  (By the way, she told me everything long before I hired her --- so it was free information.)
I found this to be the best gauge of what I needed to know.

I also started to attend ICAN meetings, which I found to be incredibly emotionally healing, being around other women who understood what I was feeling --- which was a brand new thing for me.  But it was also a wonderful place to learn about which doctors behave in what ways.  (They get the horror stories and know who's to blame for them.)

**I can't recommend doing something like that yourself enough.  Experienced Doulas and ICAN are  great places to get the dirt on who does what.**

Side note, I learned something amazing amidst all of this researching:
Strangely enough, around here, one of the hospitals that is technically a "VBAC-banned" hospital, is actually one of the best places to VBAC.
Why?
When the hospital is termed "VBAC-allowed" it basically just means they have an anesthesiologist on staff 24/7.  It doesn't always mean they like doing VBACs.  The "banned" title is based on the anesthesiologist not being there all the time.  But there is a hospital near to me that is "banned" but is super supportive of VBACs.  So in order to make VBACs safe there, once a women who's had a c-section shows up in labor and says she'd like to VBAC they call in the anesthesiologist to be there on hand if you need them.
The crappy thing about all this is that if you've had a c-section then you can't get your prenatal care there because of the ban.  BUT you can just show up in labor there and be cared for well.  Silly rules.
All that to say, it's worth it to talk to people who know things, because I would have never learned ANYTHING like that without my doula and midwife and ICAN.
I'm not saying that will be the case everywhere --- I am saying learn what you need to learn about the hospitals and staffing in your area!  You might be amazed!  

Having said all that, once you are ready to speak to a provider you can flat out ask what his/her c-section rate is.  How they address you after that can speak volumes.  

     Keep in mind that midwives see low risk women so they have lower rates, whereas some doctors specifically see high risk women so they will have high c-section rates in comparison.  But perhaps they are still are very pro-VBAC.  But they can (and likely will) explain that to you, if they believe in VBACs.  
And keep in mind too that not all midwives are created equal, the term midwife does not guarantee they will have a natural approach.  You NEED to investigate to find out what each provider believes and adheres to.  

You can ask them their philosophy on VBACs.  That should be very telling.

{In my Opinion} The Best Way To Prepare For Labor

Its taken me longer after having Baby #2 to get back into regular workouts than it did after Baby #1 -- that is a post of its own -- but recently I decided to get my butt in gear and do this.  
Blake and I have been doing the "30 Day Shred".  
That baby is TOUGH!  
Day 1 -- afterwards I literally felt like I had the flu the rest of the night.  
But next day was much better (and no "flu".)  
And every day after that has gotten better and easier.  
We've been at it about a week and half now.  
Fingers crossed that I'll get to finish this time.  (Last time -- after baby #1-- I hurt my knee and had to do some other less-impacting work outs.)  

But anyway, my point of this post is: 

What I keep thinking every single time we turn the DVD on is

how much working out is like labor (baby-having-labor.)  

After having Baby #1 (which was a 12 hour induction [for post dates], including 2 hours of crazy-hard-nearly-passing-out-pushing, all ending in a c-section [due to baby malposition]) {Birth Story Here}, I was pretty disillusioned about all the stuff people told me about how to prepare for labor.  Nothing actually helped me cope.  And I didn't like hearing any new ideas on how to prepare for labor because I was SURE none of it would have helped me.  I was adamant that there was no way to actually prepare.  

When it came time to get ready to have Baby #2 however, I changed my tune and was out to read EVERYTHING about labor preparation.  I wanted to be able to get through it this time.  

I read a lot of stuff.  And a lot of it was wise and good.  But almost everything I read was specific coping techniques.  
What I did really not read in any having-baby-stuff-books was the concept that to prepare for labor you should work out.  I did find articles online about it --- when I specifically searched for that sort of idea  --- but most stuff out there just glazes over the idea that to do the suggested coping techniques (over and over for hours and hours) you need to be in good shape.  

(Please note: I'm just sharing my thoughts here, based on my own experiences.  I do acknowledge that many a non-working-out-women has made it through labor and delivery naturally.  And I also realize some women are placed on bed rest so that they can't work out --- this isn't a guilt trip.  This is just me talking about what I've gone through.  And hoping it might help someone else in their journey --- I know everyone has a unique one.)  

I blogged about it before, but during my first pregnancy I purposefully chose to be sedentary.  I thought this was my special time -- and lounging was how I was going to spend it.  
So then when I was in labor, and my body was telling me to do this squatty-bouncy-thing every time my contraction started, my muscles were so out of shape it was nearly impossible to make it through my whole contraction before my legs were on fire with muscle fatigue.  
And then when I was pushing (with every ounce of my being), I clearly had these two thoughts: "Why wasn't I preparing for this every single day --- like I would if I was doing a marathon --- this is more than a marathon!  Why did no one tell me?  Someone should have MADE me work out for this." and "I will never complain during a workout again.  If this is work --- I've never worked before."  

So, 
because of those two thoughts I knew that if I ever went into labor again, I would be ready.  I wasn't going to lounge the next time.  I was gonna train for the marathon of labor.  

So --- I got in shape between babies, and with my next pregnancy I ate healthily and stayed active (I mainly swam laps --- usually 5 days a week.)  (At the end of my pregnancy, I quit swimming and walked about 4 miles a day trying to get that baby out!!  My babies think they should be able to attend college from the womb!)  

And can I tell you?  All that effort --- My labor benefitted immensely!  {Birth Story Here}  

Me and Ruby right after she was born.  

My body wanted me to do a similar squatty-bouncy-thing with my contractions this time too --- but this time my legs didn't burn at all.  I could have kept going like that for a long time (physical-exersion-wise... I ended up switching to other positions because that's what my body told me to do.)  

But I just had so much more endurance overall.  

It's amazing to me the ways in which exercise gives you endurance beyond just getting better at each particular workout.  It's like a whole person kind of benefit --- body, soul, and mind.

Postpartum Hip Binding

I am just now, FINALLY getting around to doing that post I promised (oh like what, 7 months ago?!?) on postpartum hip binding. (Sorry...it just fell off the radar.)


Here it is!!


I got myself one of those "HipSimmers."
Yep. I did.

Honestly, it wasn't because I cared about my hips. (I've always been curvey, with hips, so I don't have much riding on adding a couple more inches.) It was because I was on a roll researching all things pregnancy, and I just couldn't stop!

I just had to see what this was all about.

So I am not being paid to do this review. These are just my observances and opinions. (The company did discount my Hipslimmer a bit, but that was strictly because it got lost in the mail and took longer than expected to arrive. Which speaks well of their customer service.)


So what is this thing?

Well, when pregnant your body makes this hormone called Relaxin that relaxes your joints, and their connective tissues, to allow your hips the ability to grow and stretch to let your baby out.
(Which is a very good thing! You want this to happen!)
So after pregnancy your hips have been widened.
(And sometimes your feet are bigger too! But thats another story.)

Your body keeps making relaxin even postpartum. So this hip corset is taking advantage of that, by using your joints mailability in the early postpartum weeks to guide the joints back to their old position. And therefore hopefully get you back in your pre-pregnant pants.



So when looking into these types of things I decided that only this brand looked worth my while.

I only saw two brands selling this type of postpartum hip thing.
The other brand was not as tall (meaning it only covered a small strip of your hips) and it used velcro. The reviews I read said it would roll down and shift around.

This one looked like it would stay put, and stay tight. So that's how I made my call on getting the HipSlimmer.

When it arrived I was really surprised at how sturdy this thing is.
I had pondered trying to sew myself something of this nature (I'm a die hard DIYer) but there is no way I would have been able to make this thing.

The fabric is quality, and very unique. (Read I don't know where I'd buy anything like it.)

The front and sides have this thick, stiff-but-padded insert inside. (You can kind of see the shadow from it on the right side in this photo.

Then on the inside are these strips of grippy lines that hold it in place.
And you can see the part behind the lacing (on the right) and how it has a soft, almost fleecy fabric.

These things are really well made.

The Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

Disclaimer: This list of recipes is not endorsed by Dr. Brewer Pregnancy Diet. I am not affiliated with the diet or its creators. I am not a professional of any kind. I'm just a momma who used and benefited tremendously from the diet, and wanted to give other momma's a jumping off point for food ideas!

The Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

So I've blogged about my two drastically different eating styles during my two pregnancies before.

During my first pregnancy I indulged in way too much sugar, way too many carbs, and did not attempt to have any real healthfulness what so ever.
By the end I was feeling terribly sluggish, had gained 41 pounds, and gave birth to a {beautiful!} 9 pound baby girl.
Losing the weight came with extreme effort and determination. (And I actually went on to lose 15 additional pounds to reach a healthy BMI. Which was a lot of work!)

So for my second pregnancy I wanted to follow a much healthier diet.
After a lot of research I learned that the main way to control not only the mother's weight gain during pregnancy, but also the baby's is by watching your carb intake. And of course since sugar is the most worthless carb there is, you really want to limit your sugar intake.

I went on to follow the Brewer Pregnancy Diet.
This is a diet that focuses on protein, vegetables and fruit. And allows at limited amount of whole grains.
You can see my post on it here for more details on what it entails.

I didn't follow it to the letter.
(*And that's what I'd recommend to you. That you just pay attention to your body and its needs.)
Its actually a LOT of food prescribed per day, and I literally could not eat it all. (And I'm someone who likes to eat.) I just ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. I used the brewer diet as a general guideline for what types of food to aim for. I was very careful to not go over my daily grain intake. And I was VERY careful with refined sugars, having almost none for 9 months.

So by doing that, as well as staying active (regularly swimming laps or walking), I was able to gain only 32 pounds during my second pregnancy. I felt great -- not sluggish at all. And I gave birth to a {beautiful} 8 pound 4 ounce baby girl.
*Both pregnancies lasted 42 weeks. My oven likes to really bake those baby-buns.

That's nine pounds less of expecting momma standing on the scale, and nearly a pound less of baby when she came out, this time.  
Nine pounds feels like a lot, I can tell ya.
And the postpartum weight came off with much less effort!

Me, First time with lots of sugar. Me, second time with lots of health.

(From this pregnancy post)

For those of you worried about the first trimester, I want you to know that I did not follow this diet during my first trimester. Basically the only food I could stomach was plain Cheerios in milk. So that's what I ate. But I made sure to only eat what I needed.
During my first pregnancy I was so overwhelmed by the nauseous feeling (I never threw up, during either pregnancy, I just felt constantly queazy) that I basically ate nonstop trying to quell the discomfort. I also at anything I thought sounded ok (which was mostly chocolate covered granola bars.) So I was eating chocolate covered granola bars on the hour. This was a bad idea because it did not fix the nausea for me (I just kept hoping it would) and I ended up gaining something like 8 to 10 pounds during my first trimester.
I didn't want to repeat that the second time around, so I did eat only what I could stomach, but I went for the healthiest version I could find of it. (Plain cheerios have much less sugar than honey-nut cheerios.) And I tried to eat only when I was actually hungry, and only as much as I needed. And so doing that I kept my first trimester weight gain to about 4 or 5 pounds. That made a big difference in the total pounds I put on!


Anyway....
That's just backstory, so you know where I'm coming from.

Recently I've started to want to incorporate this style of eating back into my normal routine.
(I think its a good idea while breastfeeding (which I currently am) to eat these types of healthy foods. And we are talking about having more kids, so I may as well get back in the habit now, so its easier next time.)
(Actually this style of eating, which is focused on nutritious non processed foods, is great to do any time of life! You can just alter the amounts to suit your needs. If you are not pregnant yet, but plan to be at some point, getting on board this train now would be an excellent idea. It takes some time to adjust your tastes and cooking style.)


During my second pregnancy, I had a hard time figuring out how to get all these foods into my menu.
So to help me out going back into this again, I've started to track down recipes centered around the foods on the list.

I've created some Pinterest boards where I'm saving up healthy recipes that work with the Brewer Diet.

I figured other women might like to see these boards too.

I've made a couple different ones.
There is one main one, where I am mostly putting recipes that are like a main meal which have quite a few of the different food types involved.
And then I created a few other boards that are more focused on one of the food types, and those recipes are often more suited for a snack or tiny extra meal, which can help you get all your vitamin groups in.

So without further ado here are the boards:

Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Vitamin-C Foods

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Vitamin-A Foods

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Fresh, Dark Green Vegetables


I hope you let these pinned recipes inspire you, so that you feel free to alter them to suit your tastes and lifestyle, or even create something new that comes to mind after seeing these. There really are a lot of healthy possibilities!!

**Feel free to follow these boards. But just so you know they are a work in progress, so as I fill them up, your Pinterest feed may get inundated. :) But maybe thats a good thing, if you are needing some inspiration. :)
Or you can always just pin this post and come back to look stuff up on occasion.

*** Let me know in the comments below if you have a Brewer Diet Pinterest Board going yourself! Or let me (us) in on any awesome recipes of your own!

All the best to you and your growing family!!

Sincerely,
Lydia




*Click here for more of my healthy Pregnancy Tips.
(C-section and VBAC included)

Postpartum Belly Binding

I was really curious about Postpartum Binding this time.

I don't really know why I was so curious... I was way less concerned about postpartum appearances this time.  I think it was just because I was really curious about all things pregnancy.

{More} Business of Being Born

I am on a viewing high.

Just finished watching "More Business of Being Born" (Yay Netflix for picking it up so fast!!)

And wow.

I feel like my heart is opened up fresh.

I tend to do a lot of back tracking and egg shell walking when talking birth, my births, because it's so delicate. Its such a big deal. It's so controversial. It can be everything. And I hate to think of adding into anyone's hard time, if they had a hard time. Because I know I had a hard time hearing any birth stories after my first experience. And both my giving-birth experiences are so different that they each can alienate different people. So its hard to share anything at all sometimes.

But today I give myself permission to just share my thoughts from these movies.
I would like to start by saying, I love you. And my heart is to never hurt you.
If you are nervous this post could hurt your feelings, read it only when, or if, you're ready. And please know that I would never ever tell you that you were wrong in the way you gave birth. Anyone who've ever given birth, in any way, (natural, medicated, cesarean, adoption, fostering) has my utmost respect.

Emotional Recovery From A Cesarean

So, I've decided that I did/do indeed have some real actual post traumatic stress from my c-section. I know I mentioned the thought before, but I never really looked into what post traumatic stress is.
I decided to look it up last night, and was surprised to see how much of it fit me.

So then I tried to look up some stuff that might help me, since surprisingly {to me} a VBAC did very little in the way of removing the first birth trauma. (And I think its coming out in weird new ways lately.)

I was really hoping to find some sort of Christian perspective on the whole issue* -- no luck there -- maybe someday {when I figure some more out} I can have some sort of impact in that area for other women.
*If you know of any such resource please let me know! 

But during my search I did come across the most comprehensive thing I've ever seen on Emotional Recovery From A Cesarean.
I cried through a lot of it.
Its VERY insightful.
And its the most helpful thing I've found to date.
{However it doesn't event hint at the stage I'm in...post VBAC, still struggling.}

If you have anything you want to work through in regards to a c-section (yours or a loved one's)
this page is amazing. (It's super duper long --  because like I said its the most comprehensive thing I've ever seen on Emotional Recovery From A Cesarean.)

Check it out Here.

What I Think Helped Make This Labor a Good Experience

*I know there is no guarantees when giving birth. So I don't want this to come across wrong. I just have been thinking through Baby A's birth experience.

I think now that I'm past the two-weeks-post-birth-window my hormones are chilling out, and the realization of my VBAC is just starting to sink in.
I've started to float back to my labor (like before I take a nap, or go to bed) and I can not believe how amazing it was.
I am more and more grateful to have been allowed to experience something like that.
Like I said before, it wasn't pain free, but it was much, much, much more comfortable than I had been anticipating. And I think back on it with utter amazement, to the extent that I nearly remember it as painless.
I've been thinking through the different positive things that went into helping it be such a great experience.

My Take on Hypnobabies

*I would like to start by saying, I am not being reimbursed in anyway, nor am I endorsed by Hypnobabies for this post. This is just my honest personal assessment of the program that I would like to share with others in hopes that it may benefit someone.*  


My first experience giving birth was not at all what I hoped.  I was thinking I would get through it naturally.  But when I didn't go into labor on my own by 42 weeks, I was induced and ultimately had a c-section --- this was the opposite end of the spectrum from what I was thinking would happen.  
I really struggled with disappointment over this, as well as a lot of fear towards any future birth experiences.  


So when I thought about having more children, I knew I would need some sort of way to work through  these fears --- some way to cope with the entire pregnancy (full of nervous anxiety) as well as the delivery.  

I looked into a lot of stuff, and incorporated a lot of it.
But one of the biggest helps to me was Hypnobabies.

Do I really need an electric breast pump?

{So I'm getting bored waiting for little #2 to show. (Come on out, little girl!!) And with all my spare time, I started thinking about some questions I had before little #1 showed up. One of the biggest bafflements I had was over breast pumps. So just in case anyone has a similar train of thought as I did back two years ago, I thought I'd share my experience. (And at least waste some time on something productive while I wait.)}


What confused me about breast pumps?
Mainly, wondering endlessly whether I needed one or not.

I was entering the world of stay-at-home-mom, so I just didn't see when exactly I would ever use a pump.

The only thing I could think of was if my husband and I wanted to go out on date, I might need to pump. But I couldn't think of a single other reason that I might actually need to. And honestly, I didn't see date night being a regular event in our new-parent lives, what with our limited supply of baby-sitters, money, and time.

So I had been leaning towards only getting a manual pump.

The Benefits of Birth Balls

Birth Balls aren't really a new idea anymore. But just incase you were wanting to know a bit more on their benefits I thought I would blog this up for ya. 
They are really a great investment. They are perfect for the entire pregnancy, labor and beyond!




What is a Birth Ball?

A Birth Ball is just a physical therapy/ excersie ball, but when used during pregnancy we like to call it a birth ball. It actually has a lot of great uses:

• It can be used in prenatal and postpartum fitness programs.
• When used in late pregnancy can help encourage the baby to engage in the OA position (the ideal position for labor)
• It can be used for comfortable positioning during childbirth 
• As well as for comforting the baby after birth.

How does sitting on a birth ball in pregnancy benefit you?
Sitting upright on the Birth Ball you have to assume proper posture. It is the perfect position to be in as much as possible during late pregnancy. It is highly recommended that during the last 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy women sit on the birth ball as much as possible while watching TV, relaxing or at the computer. (But the sooner the better in regards to sitting on the ball!)

Spinning Babies

My first daughter was born via Cesarean Section. After two hours of pushing, and the baby not tolerating labor the greatest at that point, they told me her head was titled so she couldn't fit past my pelvic bone.
I, being someone who just likes to understand things, had a hard time with this explanation. It made no sense to me. (I mean I knew I was doing everything I could, and that she wasn't budging. But I didn't understand why.) So at every appointment I had afterwards I asked questions about it, trying to figure it out.

I learned her postion was called asynclitic. And that she had her head tipped to the side, like her ear was aimed towards her shoulder. And she also had her chin extended outward.

So me being the person I am, I continued to dwell on this for basically ever. And one day while googling the infamous word I was fixated on, I came across this website.

It was the first time I understood the word asynclitic for real. And the first time I realized, that while its very possible my daughter would have needed to be born via c-section no matter what, that there actually are some techniques out there that can help asynclitic babies come out vaginally.

Since then I have been enthralled with the website.
Its a really cool resource both during pregnancy and during labor. So I just wanted to mention it on the blog so other ladies might also get to use it.



Probably the most practical part, is the section where she covers a few basic stretches and activities to do regularly in pregnancy to hopefully help baby be in a good fetal position for birth.
Those can be found here.

For when you are in labor, here are her helpful suggestions for that.

If you are trying to figure out how your baby is positioned inside during pregnancy, here is her tutorial for that.
(Scroll down, past the booklet there is a free tutorial available below)

If your baby is breech, here are her suggestions for that.

So lots of good stuff!

And I find myself sucked into the entire site all the time. But maybe that's just me! :)

Hope you find it helpful!



*Click here for more of my healthy pregnancy tips.


(Update 7/18/12: After using many of the stretches and daily activities --- and employing other helpful tips (from my healthy pregnancy tips) , I did go on to have a safe and healthy VBAC. You can read my birth story here.)

Hormone Free Birth Control, Which Alternately (When Desired) Can Aid in Achieving Pregnancy

Warning: If you are close family or friend this post could be awkward to read.  I tried not to get too detailed, but you have been warned.  :P

Everyone has a stance on birth control.  And I'm not here to talk anyone out of anything at all.

I just thought, "Hey, while I'm on a roll with pregnancy stuff posts, I should throw this out there..."

Personally, I hated being on birth control.  It made me feel awful.
The first one I tried was the Nuvaring, and that thing was bad news from the moment I put it in.  I had an immediate emotional shift.  I thought I just needed to get used to it but I never did.  My husband and I now refer to it "affectionally" as "The Devil".  I was no fun to be around during its stay, and I was trying my hardest.  It was just too much for me.
Then I tried Yaz, and that was an incredible improvement over The Devil.  But I just wanted to not have any more hormones that weren't my own coursing through my body.  I still didn't feel like me.

So I looked into This Book called: Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler upon a friend's suggestion.

I, like most people, was pretty unsure about the whole idea.  

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea During Pregnancy (And for Women in General)

For centuries herbs have been used as medicine and the results are often very beneficial. Herbal remedies can be used to treat illness, maintain and promote good health and prepare the body for changes such as those during pregnancy. Much of our allopathic medicine used today came from herbs. Not all herbal remedies are recommended during pregnancy so it's important to research them and talk to your health care provider before beginning something new.

Red Raspberry leaves are safe and helpful during childbearing years and during pregnancy.  It is nutrient rich and contains many of the vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy pregnancy including vitamins A, C, E and B, magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium.

Workout, Shmerkout --- Why You Really Should Exercise During Pregnancy

The idea of working out during my pregnancy did cross my mind during my 1st pregnancy.  I knew it was recommended.  

But in general I didn't work out much at all before I got pregnant.  And I think I used that as a convenient excuse.  Basically, once I knew I had a baby inside, I honestly felt entitled to laziness.  And I often was surprised that anyone would expect me to do anything---I was pregnant for goodness sake, it's hard work making a person!  

History and Benefits of Belly Dance in Pregnancy & Birth

When researching all things VBAC (my personal hobby since June 2010) I ran into the idea of belly dancing during pregnancy.

My interest was piqued.  I've always been intrigued by dancing, and I like to imagine that I am a dancer at heart.  (Not saying I have any skills, but my heart likes it a lot.)

Seeing a Chiropractor During Pregnancy

I moved to a new state halfway through my second pregnancy.  With my first I needed a c-section so finding a provider who would be supportive of a VBAC was tops on my list when interviewing providers.  During a long question-and-answer session I had upon meeting the provider whom I ultimately chose, I was referred to a chiropractor.  The referral came across as really more of a "must."  Not that I had to, but that it would basically be silly not to. 

via

Lets be honest, I'm really giving my all towards achieving a VBAC.  So I didn't need a whole lot of convincing.  But what really sealed the deal on my decision was this: