If you have followed my blog over the years, you know that I struggle with perfectionism, longing for control, obsessive thinking, and trying too hard. I’m a doer. Type A, if you will. Having an unplanned cesarean birth did much to expose this part of me that often gets me into big trouble – or … [Read more…]
As I write this I am one day short of 23 weeks pregnant. Over the past three weeks I’ve felt very discouraged. I’m already dealing with so many pregnancy nuisances – heartburn, rib pain, indigestion, constipation, lower back pain, symphysis pubis pain, and fatigue. I was really hoping I would get further into pregnancy before hitting the … [Read more…]
Written on April 30, 2015 23 Weeks, 1 day Last week I realized that I didn’t remember what the pain felt like. I know it was bad and there was screaming, but it’s a blur, and I have no physiological memory of it. All that changed last night. I had a nightmare. I was at … [Read more…]
When I moved to NC in 2013, one of the first things I did (before we even moved) was start Googling to try to find resources to prepare for a VBAC in preparation for the birth of our next child. I was hopeful that, when the time came for us to have another, my birth experience … [Read more…]
Optimal fetal positioning is a hot buzzword in the natural birthing world, especially when it comes to VBAC. So what is it all about, and why does it matter? More importantly, what does the scientific research say? My Story I remember lying there on the operating table when they came back and told me my first … [Read more…]
Birth affirmations. Those wonderful mantras that mamas repeat to themselves in pregnancy and birth to maintain a positive outlook on birth. When I was preparing for my VBAC, I ATE THEM UP! (You can view the complete list of birth affirmations I used in pregnancy here.) Looking back, I almost find it humorous. Other times, … [Read more…]
In my last post on art therapy, I talked about how positive words helped me maintain mindfulness throughout my pregnancy. Another way that I sought out mindfulness was through pregnancy and birth affirmations and scriptures. I started out by printing affirmations onto cardstock and laminating them. I put them on rings and read over them … [Read more…]
Using Our Birthing From Within Keepsake Journal really opened up my mind to the idea of birth art therapy. I consider writing and music to be my primary art forms, and haven’t ever much been a fan of more traditional “art” – because I simply don’t find myself to be that good at it. Besides … [Read more…]
Music was one of the most instrumental things that provided comfort, healing, and hope for me during my pregnancy and birth. I started looking for songs for my playlist in the first trimester. By second trimester, I had all of the songs on my phone, in a Youtube playlist, and burned to CDs for my … [Read more…]
At the end of my first trimester, I purchased Our Birthing From Within Keepsake Journal. {This product is no longer available for purchase from it’s original retailer, but it can be found on Amazon, eBay, and half.com. It is the companion journal to the book Birthing from Within, which is still available. I have not read … [Read more…]
In the five years between our two children’s births, my husband (who is a combat veteran), was diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder. While he had always struggled with anxiety, things that he went through in the Army and panic attacks leading to an emotional breakdown on his second deployment (just after our first child was … [Read more…]
It’s 2015, so by now I think most people know what a doula is and what they do. I don’t think there’s a right way to pick a doula. Every mom, every family, is going to look for something different…need something different. Which is why it’s so great that there’s so many options out there … [Read more…]
Preparing for and experiencing a VBAC / TOLAC is a long, arduous journey that you simply can’t take alone. The more support you have, the higher your chances of having a positive, healing experience will be. Your doula I have a whole post coming on how I chose my doula, so I’ll just touch on … [Read more…]
Little Brother arrived Thursday, September 3rd, 2015 at 5:58PM. He weighed in at 10 lb 1 oz, 22 inches long. I went past my “due date.” This was not all that concerning to me, although my husband and son were quite ansy. {Read my 40 week update here.} I continued having prodromal labor, soft bowels, mucus, … [Read more…]
I started preparing for VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) pretty much from the moment I brought Ezra (my first child) home for the hospital. His birth was scary, traumatic, and disappointing. I knew that the next time, I wanted a vastly different experience. I did a lot of research over the five years between his … [Read more…]
