When you are pregnant you think about the baby, and imagine what he or she will look like, etc. There is a crucial threshold in between pregnancy and motherhood and that is labour. What would you like your labour to look like? Where would you like your labour to take place? Birth facilities vary quite a bit from one hospital to the next, so it is worth checking out all your possibilities.
I felt strongly that I wanted a homebirth. I was considered low risk, by my doctor, who would not recommend homebirth to me as it was not legal in Canada at that time. Nevertheless, I did my own research and found a midwife with a proven track record with whom I felt very comfortable.
My midwife gave me a list of things to gather for the big day, very practical and helpful items.
Beyond these are those things which make your birth your own, things that make you comfortable, for instance music can provide a relaxing background noise. Baths were a big part of my labour, and as always, I recommend a few drops of lavendar essential oil in there, or chamomile, or rose, something mild that you love. Something else that is important in preparation for the big day is your perineum. I don't know about doctors but I do know midwives will suggest you oil and yes, stretch your perineum manually, in preparation for the big push. Whichever is less awkward for you, either yourself or have your partner help. Apply a good quality cold pressed oil such as almond or walnut oil, massage and stretch gently. Do this often in your third trimester, and it will help you have less tears/stitches.
When I was almost 9 months pregnant, I prepared a dessert that had ground almonds in it. I used an electric grinder that had garlic residue, that dessert did not taste very good. I didn't sleep well, had indigestion and frequent trips to the washroom. By the next morning my contractions were 5 minutes apart. My lovely midwife and her assistant came and checked on me, things were slow to happen that day, I walked around the yard, drank juice, and was having a bath around 6pm when I saw a little mucous plug in the bathwater. I had the feeling "I can't do this!", very normal, and actually called transition. An hour and a half later, my daughter was born. I was tired, so mostly wanted to labour on my back, which puts more pressure on the perineum, I did have a little tear when she was born, so had a stitch that time. I used balm of gilead salve on that and it healed up nicely, although I had to squirt water on myrself to take away the sting of urination, for a few days.
My daughter was only 5 1/2lbs when she was born. A half pound lighter and she would have been had to go to the hospital, so I was lucky in that we got to settle in for the night, in lovely fresh sheets, with a carrot/beet juice. We stared at each other for hours, me crying in wonder and relief, she alert and looking right into my soul.
I think she and I were quite tired that first night, as I did not manage to nurse her until the next day. I was a bit worried and not terribly confident that my little breasts were up to it. My own mother was no help as doctors told women not to bother, and almost no one that I know of my generation was breastfed. I gave her a little bit of purified water in a dropper that morning, but once the midwife came to check on us, she got us going just fine. I am proud to say I nursed 3 babies with these A cups! My darling seemed to nurse constantly, she had doubled her weight by six weeks. I carried her everywhere in a sling, which is so handy for nursing.
One real fact, labour is . . . uncomfortable, I would call it. You are restless, nervous, possibly nauseous, probably sweaty. Clothes are uncomfortable, sitting too. Laying on your side can be nice, with a quiet, respectful, obedient partner gently massaging your back or feet. Herbal teas, chamomile, raspberry, oatstraw, or a light soup or salad, is all that is needed, if you can keep it down. The body tends to purge itself at both ends. Which is good, other wise when the baby is coming out, something else can come out too! That's why they give you an enema at the hospital. Pain is a part of it, at the very end when you feel like you are having the worlds biggest bowel movement.Probably around the last 5 - 15 minutes when the babys head is crowning, is the most uncomfortable time, but also the most encouraging. When you hear, "I can see the head !", you are so close. At that point you are riding the waves of contractions, and when the next one comes, you go with it an bear down for all you are worth. Once the head and shoulders are out, the rest of the baby slips out too. The placenta slips out easily, being upright helps. Graphic details aside, I found visualization helpful. Your vagina needs to open up 6 - 8 centimetres. Imagine a flower unfolding, a lotus opening, so that it's beautiful centre is revealed. The power of the universe is coming through you, directly through the centre of you, a channel of light through which your child will enter this world.
My second labour fit the common pattern, it was half as long as my first. I went to bed feeling tummyish, by midnight I gave up on sleeping and called the midwife. I walked around the house, had a bath, sipped some herb tea. My son was born at 5 am, the easiest of labours. I had been more relaxed during that pregnancy than my first. I was in a stable relationship, lots of friends and support around me, it was summertime. I did lots of yoga, including the headstand, until a couple weeks before birth. I gained a little more weight and baby no.2 was 6 1/2lbs, and smiled on his first day (I have the photos to prove it!).
With my third labour, there were several different factors involved that affected the event. I think I wanted to get it over with, I was feeling large and not in charge. I had more false labour cramps that would come and go for several weeks before the actual labour began . . . slowly. I had a long day of mellow contractions, I thought it was picking up and the baby would be born that night. My midwife had someone else who was due around the same time. Her baby (her first) was overdue, and mine was coming a little early. She lived on a little island a short boat ride away. Yes, she went into labour that night. With the midwives out of reach, my labour stalled. I spent an uncomfortable night, back and forth to the bathroom. By nine the next morning, the midwives were back at my house, and my second son was born just after ten. An ambulance waited outside the house as my son had spent so long in the birth canal that he was rather blue. He pinked up nicely,a fine healthy 7 1/2 lbs, and we didn't have to go anywhere. We were already there.
Showing posts with label herbal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herbal. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
A Pregnant Pause
When I first became pregnant, I had been having baby dreams for a couple years. Dreams where a small face looked up at me, nestled in my arms among the usual swirl of houses, people and hidden treasures. A feeling of tender calm would accompany these dreams, a knowingness, if that's a word.
I was 26 when this happened. While I was ready physically, in other ways, less so. I had a lot of fun in the years before, travelling in a van across much of Canada and the United States. Living close to nature with an active lifestyle, eating and growing delicious food. I learned about the medicines that are all around us. I made things by hand, traded and sold them at markets and fairs. What I did not have was a steady income, a house, a supportive family or partner. I was briefly married to the father of my child, and that breakup was a stressfest.
I seemed to be constantly nauseous during the entire pregnancy. I supplemented with B vitamins and drank ginger tea. I had to avoid all crucifers (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli), my already sensitive digestion was on high alert. Apparently for some people, pregnancy hormones are something their body reacts against like a toxin. I was a slim, small breasted, boyish type physically, but had always eaten whatever I wanted, and had been into health since my teens. I know everyone is different in this aspect and you might not experience pregnancy the same as your mother, sister, etc. I know the stress I was under didn't help. I also experienced an itchy tummy rash that I didn't have with my other two pregnancies.
Drinking warm goats milk was my favourite way to start the day. I was lucky to have a source for raw organic milk from a friend nearby. I would also drink it mixed with super nutritious carob powder. I drank carrot juice on a daily basis, and had been for some years before. I mention this as when you are pregnant is not the time to radically change your diet. Any cleansing is best left until after the child is weaned. By all means cut out cigarettes and alcohol, perhaps introduce fresh juice if you wish, but take it slow and even diluted with water can make it more gentle on you at a time when your digestion may not be as strong. One thing worth adding to your diet is flax or hemp oil, it can be substituted for other oils in a salad dressing, added to smoothies, or substituted for butter, etc. on toast, for example. These highly beneficial oils should not be heated. I have used flax oil for over 20 years, hemp oil has become widely available more recently, and has an ideal ratio of omega oils for the human body. I mention these oils because it is to themI attribute my total lack of stretch marks. Of course I moisturized my belly on the outside as well, but with our brains comprised of sixty percent, it makes sense to provide our bodies with the highest quality oils we can, especially when we are building an entire other body within.
Going beyond food, other important elements of my pregnancies were of course, regular gentle exercise (I favour long walks, and also yoga) and baths with essential oils (lavendar, chamomile, neroli), avoiding stress, and nesting. Babies grow so rapidly that they don't wear things out, it is possible to get almost everything secondhand, one can save so much money that way. Having as much as possible in order before hand goes a long way towards settling mothers' nerves. I also made a sort of empowerment poster for myself. I collected different images representing god/goddess, community, the earth, I found meditating on, or holding some of these images in my mind, relaxing and strengthening
I was 26 when this happened. While I was ready physically, in other ways, less so. I had a lot of fun in the years before, travelling in a van across much of Canada and the United States. Living close to nature with an active lifestyle, eating and growing delicious food. I learned about the medicines that are all around us. I made things by hand, traded and sold them at markets and fairs. What I did not have was a steady income, a house, a supportive family or partner. I was briefly married to the father of my child, and that breakup was a stressfest.
I seemed to be constantly nauseous during the entire pregnancy. I supplemented with B vitamins and drank ginger tea. I had to avoid all crucifers (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli), my already sensitive digestion was on high alert. Apparently for some people, pregnancy hormones are something their body reacts against like a toxin. I was a slim, small breasted, boyish type physically, but had always eaten whatever I wanted, and had been into health since my teens. I know everyone is different in this aspect and you might not experience pregnancy the same as your mother, sister, etc. I know the stress I was under didn't help. I also experienced an itchy tummy rash that I didn't have with my other two pregnancies.
Drinking warm goats milk was my favourite way to start the day. I was lucky to have a source for raw organic milk from a friend nearby. I would also drink it mixed with super nutritious carob powder. I drank carrot juice on a daily basis, and had been for some years before. I mention this as when you are pregnant is not the time to radically change your diet. Any cleansing is best left until after the child is weaned. By all means cut out cigarettes and alcohol, perhaps introduce fresh juice if you wish, but take it slow and even diluted with water can make it more gentle on you at a time when your digestion may not be as strong. One thing worth adding to your diet is flax or hemp oil, it can be substituted for other oils in a salad dressing, added to smoothies, or substituted for butter, etc. on toast, for example. These highly beneficial oils should not be heated. I have used flax oil for over 20 years, hemp oil has become widely available more recently, and has an ideal ratio of omega oils for the human body. I mention these oils because it is to themI attribute my total lack of stretch marks. Of course I moisturized my belly on the outside as well, but with our brains comprised of sixty percent, it makes sense to provide our bodies with the highest quality oils we can, especially when we are building an entire other body within.
Going beyond food, other important elements of my pregnancies were of course, regular gentle exercise (I favour long walks, and also yoga) and baths with essential oils (lavendar, chamomile, neroli), avoiding stress, and nesting. Babies grow so rapidly that they don't wear things out, it is possible to get almost everything secondhand, one can save so much money that way. Having as much as possible in order before hand goes a long way towards settling mothers' nerves. I also made a sort of empowerment poster for myself. I collected different images representing god/goddess, community, the earth, I found meditating on, or holding some of these images in my mind, relaxing and strengthening
Friday, January 18, 2013
Chronological Cornucopia - Oh Baby!
One of the reasons this post has the name it does, besides the fact that it is a tongue twister and satisfies my alliteration fixation, is that I want to talk about how I addressed the nutritional/medicinal needs of my children from infancy onwards, and also how our nutritional needs and health issues vary according to the seasons of the year.
Making the decision to have my babies in the comfort and privacy of my own home was for me, natural. Since becoming interested in health, as an avid reader since childhood, I have sought knowledge in libraries and secondhand bookstores. A truly revelatory book was Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. This colourful book is filled with pictures, drawings, and birthstories,
featuring all sorts of women giving birth with minimal intervention. Even before I wanted children, reading so many stories convinced me that it could be done. I will not address pregnancy or birth at this time, as I hope to focus on childhood here.
Once the miracle is accomplished, there are immediate applications for natural medicine. Perhaps not the first day, but after the first bath, lavendar oil can be applied to the belly button. Depending on what sort of bottle your lavendar oil is in, if large, you may choose to decant some into a smaller bottle with a dropper. A drop or two after baths, or a particularly messy diaper change, will keep things healing nicely and cause no discomfort to the babe. Essential oils are one of the most useful natural remedies for babies, who are not eating food yet, and will not swallow on command. If baby develops a cold, boil some water, add a couple drops of lavendar, eucalyptus, or tea tree oil ( or a drop of each, and place in the room baby is in. Even a newborn will not be harmed by this sort of gentle, noninvasive treatment. Most times I gave them baths I would put in a single drop of lavendar, later on tea tree is one of my favourites for the bath, but at first, lavendar (inexpensive) or chamomile (pricey but heavenly) oilas they are prone to rashes when fresh and this helps with any ear or nose issues as well, and if they swallow some no harm done.
I also highly recommend herbal teas for the mother when breastfeeding, as the babe will receive benefits. Peppermint tea for feverish or gassy fussers. Chamomile and fennel tea both help with producing milk for mom and soothing immature digestive systems. Mild nutritional or soothing teas such as chickweed, oatstraw, or nettle, will also be mutually beneficial.
Speaking of immature digestive systems, after reading that babies who nurse for the first six months exclusively have fewer allergies, that is what I did. I realize not everyone can or wants to do this. For me being a stay at home mom was something I had to do, and we have sacrificed the glamorous lifestyle, such as vacations, that my being a working mom would have brought. The first foods I introduced were simple, bananas, avocado, home made applesauce, working our way upwards to oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables. All organic, as much as possible. In general, keeping the environment that babies and toddlers are in everyday as organic and natural as possible provides much less of a barrage of allergens and toxins on tiny immune systems. Everything from laundry soaps, household cleaners to clothing contains chemicals. While "a little bit won't kill you", every piece forms part of the whole picture. I would grind up rice, veggies, etc. in a foodmill with a little water, add a dash of hemp or flax seed oil, a few seaweed flakes, and stir. Babies don't need all the spice and salt we do. There is so much more available these days in organic babyfoods. The health food stores carry a broad range.
I believe it was just as important what I didn't give them as what I did. Babies taste buds and intestinal flora only know what we give them. Once they have been introduced to the extreme intensity of processed sugar and salty foods, they will not be satisfied with wholesome foods. As well as the fact that these so called foods are a direct assault on immune systems. Every teaspoon of sugar lowers our immune system for 2 hours, rendering us more vulnerable to illness and disease. Much the worse for the wee ones.
The first three years of life are widely recognized to be the most important in determining certain factors in a persons' life. Good nutrition during this time is crucial to our later health. Especially when they are growing and developing at such a rapid rate, vigilance in this department has its rewards. Another book that had a great deal of practical information as well as looking beneath the surface of childhood development and needs is You Are Your Childs First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin. It was this book that prompted me to do my best (grandparents never understood!) to ensure the children ate no meat during their first 3 years. She explains why so much better than I could.
If children are sick during this time and require antibiotics, there are specific strains of acidophilous for children, to establish healthy intestinal flora, which in turn helps the body extract nutrition from the foods we eat. If there are heavy foods such as meat eaten, or strange combinations, resulting in tummy upset, a drop or 2 of Swedish Bitters, the water extract, doesn't taste good but helps, or an herbal tea such as chamomile. After the age of one year, A sore throat can be soothed with a bit of raw honey, which has antibacterial properties.
One last quick word about diaper creams. I started out using Penaten diaper cream which comes in a flat blue and gold tin and is found everywhere. It does coat an existing diaper rash nicely. When no diaper rash was present I liked using a locally made salve called Baby Bottom Better. But truly the best diaper cream is made by Weleda and available in most health food stores. When this is used, they don't get a rash, it really is lovely. The Weleda baby products are all wonderful, they have wonderful moisturizer for after bath too. I received a gift, when I had my second baby and I can't say enough about their products, a splurge perhaps, but worth it!
Making the decision to have my babies in the comfort and privacy of my own home was for me, natural. Since becoming interested in health, as an avid reader since childhood, I have sought knowledge in libraries and secondhand bookstores. A truly revelatory book was Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. This colourful book is filled with pictures, drawings, and birthstories,
featuring all sorts of women giving birth with minimal intervention. Even before I wanted children, reading so many stories convinced me that it could be done. I will not address pregnancy or birth at this time, as I hope to focus on childhood here.
Once the miracle is accomplished, there are immediate applications for natural medicine. Perhaps not the first day, but after the first bath, lavendar oil can be applied to the belly button. Depending on what sort of bottle your lavendar oil is in, if large, you may choose to decant some into a smaller bottle with a dropper. A drop or two after baths, or a particularly messy diaper change, will keep things healing nicely and cause no discomfort to the babe. Essential oils are one of the most useful natural remedies for babies, who are not eating food yet, and will not swallow on command. If baby develops a cold, boil some water, add a couple drops of lavendar, eucalyptus, or tea tree oil ( or a drop of each, and place in the room baby is in. Even a newborn will not be harmed by this sort of gentle, noninvasive treatment. Most times I gave them baths I would put in a single drop of lavendar, later on tea tree is one of my favourites for the bath, but at first, lavendar (inexpensive) or chamomile (pricey but heavenly) oilas they are prone to rashes when fresh and this helps with any ear or nose issues as well, and if they swallow some no harm done.
I also highly recommend herbal teas for the mother when breastfeeding, as the babe will receive benefits. Peppermint tea for feverish or gassy fussers. Chamomile and fennel tea both help with producing milk for mom and soothing immature digestive systems. Mild nutritional or soothing teas such as chickweed, oatstraw, or nettle, will also be mutually beneficial.
Speaking of immature digestive systems, after reading that babies who nurse for the first six months exclusively have fewer allergies, that is what I did. I realize not everyone can or wants to do this. For me being a stay at home mom was something I had to do, and we have sacrificed the glamorous lifestyle, such as vacations, that my being a working mom would have brought. The first foods I introduced were simple, bananas, avocado, home made applesauce, working our way upwards to oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables. All organic, as much as possible. In general, keeping the environment that babies and toddlers are in everyday as organic and natural as possible provides much less of a barrage of allergens and toxins on tiny immune systems. Everything from laundry soaps, household cleaners to clothing contains chemicals. While "a little bit won't kill you", every piece forms part of the whole picture. I would grind up rice, veggies, etc. in a foodmill with a little water, add a dash of hemp or flax seed oil, a few seaweed flakes, and stir. Babies don't need all the spice and salt we do. There is so much more available these days in organic babyfoods. The health food stores carry a broad range.
I believe it was just as important what I didn't give them as what I did. Babies taste buds and intestinal flora only know what we give them. Once they have been introduced to the extreme intensity of processed sugar and salty foods, they will not be satisfied with wholesome foods. As well as the fact that these so called foods are a direct assault on immune systems. Every teaspoon of sugar lowers our immune system for 2 hours, rendering us more vulnerable to illness and disease. Much the worse for the wee ones.
The first three years of life are widely recognized to be the most important in determining certain factors in a persons' life. Good nutrition during this time is crucial to our later health. Especially when they are growing and developing at such a rapid rate, vigilance in this department has its rewards. Another book that had a great deal of practical information as well as looking beneath the surface of childhood development and needs is You Are Your Childs First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin. It was this book that prompted me to do my best (grandparents never understood!) to ensure the children ate no meat during their first 3 years. She explains why so much better than I could.
If children are sick during this time and require antibiotics, there are specific strains of acidophilous for children, to establish healthy intestinal flora, which in turn helps the body extract nutrition from the foods we eat. If there are heavy foods such as meat eaten, or strange combinations, resulting in tummy upset, a drop or 2 of Swedish Bitters, the water extract, doesn't taste good but helps, or an herbal tea such as chamomile. After the age of one year, A sore throat can be soothed with a bit of raw honey, which has antibacterial properties.
One last quick word about diaper creams. I started out using Penaten diaper cream which comes in a flat blue and gold tin and is found everywhere. It does coat an existing diaper rash nicely. When no diaper rash was present I liked using a locally made salve called Baby Bottom Better. But truly the best diaper cream is made by Weleda and available in most health food stores. When this is used, they don't get a rash, it really is lovely. The Weleda baby products are all wonderful, they have wonderful moisturizer for after bath too. I received a gift, when I had my second baby and I can't say enough about their products, a splurge perhaps, but worth it!
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