Michi8

Yes, why didn't they want you to walk after 8cm and broken water??? That would be my death I think. Yes, I love squats. Even now. I do them all the time. I was planning on giving them a try during my labor and after so many people talked so positive about them, it is even more encouraging. I'm not dilated at all. Did I write that wrong before??? I thought I wrote it correct and said 80% effaced and not dilated. Hm, well, here are the appointment news:

My blood pressure was normal, my weight increased to 145 lb. Baby's heart beat was normal. He said, now I'm almost completely, so almost 100% effaced. He was delighted to see my progress. However he also said, if the baby is still in there by next week's appointment and nothing changed, then we need to talk about an induction date. I swear I'm going to walk like crazy every day now. Cause in the past every time I walked, some progress happened.

OK, I already have to go for now. I'll see you guys later.

Glad to hear you and baby are healthy. Just so you are aware, it's up to you whether you choose and induction or not. No one can force you to do anything you don't want. You can avoid the induction talk, or let it go in one ear and out the other. Personally, I'd stall on making a date...as long as everyone is healthy induction is unnecessary. Induction will not work if the baby is not ready to come out, and often leads to further unnecessary intervention, including c/s.

Michelle

Don't worry, Stef, they won't induce you just because you've dilated a lot. They'll let you walk around at 8 cm so long as your water hasn't broken.

Why would they not let you walk around after 8cm with broken water? There's no way I could lay still during my labour...laying on my back was excrutiating. I had to keep moving until pushing stage, and had to keep moving to get my daughter into the right position for birth.

Michelle

Thanks guys, that's really encouraging. I hope, it's going to be today.

Well, if it's not today, then it will be fairly soon. I know it's hard waiting (I went over with all three of my kids), but remember that baby will come when s/he's good and ready...this really is something worth waiting for.

Michelle

Good luck Stef! Wishing you a healthy and happy birth.

Michelle

Thanks for the heads up. As Kelsey's is part of the same chain (Cara) as Swiss Chalet, Montana's, Milestone's, etc. I expected them to be as good for gluten free choices. So far the only restaurant of the chain that I feel completely comfortable with is Swiss Chalet. They have a pamphlet outlining allergy information, including gluten free choices. I always have the quarter chicken with baked potato and salad with raspberry vinagrette dressing.

Unfortunately, I have never had a good meal at a Kelsey's (pre or post gluten free) anyway...almost everything seems to be deep fried and tastes only so-so.

Michelle

Michelle, I have the same opinion, you do. In fact, I would love to be able to birth at home, too. I had a wonderful pregnancy, and I'm at low risk at the moment (was considered high risk for almost miscarrying in week 28 for a few days, but not anymore now, cause I made it to fullterm). There is nothing at the moment, that would keep me from birthing at home, except from my husband, who is a chick about it. He's so afraid, it ain't even funny anymore...

It took some time for my husband to be accepting of homebirth. Neither of us was ready for it for my first birth, but I do wish that we had hired a midwife rather than going with our family doctor. Midwives had hospital privileges and were paid for my BC Health a month before I was due. I was too fearful to make a last minute switch at the time. Ended up with a c/s for breech without labouring.

After the hospital experience and doing a lot of studying and planning, my husband was fully supportive of both midwifery and homebirth. When we finally had our homebirth with my third baby, he found the experience to be just as amazing as I did. He had an active role in supporting me through labour, got to "catch" our daughter, and was able to snuggle up with us right after birth for a good nap while the midwives and doulas tidied up. No way that would have happened in hospital.

Michelle

Well, I just got back from the doctor and nothing's changed... No dilation, no changes to my cervix, the baby isn't locked in, nothing... I was hoping maybe there would be some sign that my body does in fact work. Nothing yet though.

Now I have a slight rant... I've been back from the doctor for a little over two hours and my husband has yet to ask me how the appointment went. He works from home and he's been upstairs several times and not once has he even acknowledged that I even went to the doctor. I know he knows I had my appointment today because he had to watch our daughter while I was there. My feelings are really hurt. Plus, my birthday's friday and I know he hasn't gotten me anything. He knows its my birthday because he had said that he thought the baby would be born on my birthday. I'm just feeling really down right now.

I'm sorry you're feeling hurt, Angie. Some guys (my DH included) can just be so thick headed. I'd suggest reminding him again that your birthday is on Friday, and go ahead and tell him what you'd like to do for it.

Regarding the appoinment itself, trust that your body is working. There may be no signs at all even up to right before you go into labour. Please don't let you doctor tell you that s/he needs to make things progress faster either...let your body take the time it needs...your baby will be born when she is ready. Until then keep busy, and try sex to encourage labour to start.

My babies didn't drop, water didn't break and cervix didn't move at all until labour started. My water broke in my last two pregnancies many hours into labour (didn't break at all until my c/s for my first.)

Michelle

I tried using the FAM method but couldn't take my temp. at the same time every day, then I would forget to write it down and then my thermometer went wonky. It was so frustrating that I stopped. Also, as I understand it, your temps spike after you ovulate so you only know after you ovulate that you ovulated so you missed your chance. I think, at least as I understand it.

The thing with FAM is that you get a clear picture of how your cycles work. I used FAM for a least a couple of years before we decided to get pregnant (it was my method of birth control too). Regardless of how you determine ovulation, the trick is to have sex before you ovulate. Watching for mucous signs & cervical position is just as important as temps. I conceived my daughter by timing sex 4 days prior to my estimated ovulation, if we weren't trying for a girl, then it would have been everyday until past ovulation. I was able to conceive within the first cycle with all three of my pregnancies using FAM.

Michelle

michelle, i am so glad to know that you had a plan in place to transfer to a hospital in case things looked like they could go wrong. i was connected (years ago) to a group of people that were so set on home delivery that they were upset with the doctor, who was will to home birth babies, because he insisted that they would have to go to the hospital if it looked like there could be problems. one of my cousins chose to delivery her baby at home with no one but her husband present-----no mid-wife. the baby died the next day on the way to the hospital. i have known of a couple of other people that had disastrous problems with home deliveries and it seemed like such a shame to be so set on something that it mattered more than the well being of the child. it is good for people like me, who admittedly are a little bit jaded about this issue, to hear that there are people like you that go about it very sensibly.

I find it hard to believe that anyone could be hell-bent on homebirth to the point of risking a life. I would hazard a guess that your cousin's homebirth was not as cut and dried as you have made it out to be...you probably don't know the whole story, and I'd bet they were way more sensible about it than you give them credit. To give you another perspective, that cousin could very well have lost the baby with a hospital birth too. Sometimes babies don't survive regardless of the birth. Life is risky. Birth is no more risky than anything else we do in life.

Quite frankly, there really is no reason that a woman can't give birth on her own. It is wise to have the support of others who have BTDT, but it is really not absolutely necessary. And hospital is not the best setting for all people. Hospital is not a good place for me to birth, I proved it twice. I do not labour well in a foreign setting with strangers all around me. I labour better in my own space, where I can call the shots and can be myself with no apologies.

If I lived in a place where midwives were illegal, or it was illegal for them to attend a vbac, then I, too, would consider birthing unassisted. Glad I didn't have to face that situation. I really feel for women whose birth choices are limited by oppressive policies and doctors who are quick to perform surgeries. The c/s rate in the US and Canada is astoundingly high.

I experienced the doubt and talking behind my back when I planned my homebirth. I got no support from anyone other than my husband, and a couple of friends who had had their own homebirths. Everyone else was fearful, and tried to plant doubt in my mind, to make me change my mind. Everyone was certain that something bad would happen. Well, guess what? I did my homework, I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I had a safer birth at home than I could at hospital...where they would have likely augmented my long labour (putting my uterus at risk of rupture), and sent me back into the OR for another risky cesarean section because I wasn't progressing on their timeline.

So I'm jaded too. The medical community did me no favours in how I was forced to birth my sons. Women need to make their own birth choices for themselves. Everyone else needs to keep their worries to themselves, and stop spreading horror stories about homebirth as proof that women are making stupid, dangerous decisions.

Michelle

I just finished reading "Taking Charge of your Fertility" so I will start my next cycle, unless I don't have one. I really liked that book, because It was very helpful. I just thought, maybe it might happen this month with a little more help using those kits. Who know, but I am looking forward to using the FAM. Thanks for the input.

We followed the guidance of the book when we choose to get pregnant. I had been using the FAM method for about a year before we first tried conceiving. We were fortunate that I had easy cycles to follow, but it was very helpful using FAM, because I tend to ovulate a little earlier than "normal" and could tell that because of my temps. We were able to time conception for having a girl (after having two boys!) too, because of knowing when I typically ovulate.

Otherwise, I found the best method was to just have sex frequently.

Michelle

I am getting frustrated because there is so much conflicting information on the time of a day to use them that I am so confused. The instructions say first thing in the morining, then I do research and they say twice a day, wich I plan on doing, but they give you a time frame of 11am-3pm and then from 5pm-10pm with at least 8 hr in between. What do I do? I want to make sure that I am doing this right. Any advise or suggestions would be great. First time using them so I am trying to not get discouraged but looking at the big picture.

Have you tried conceiving without using an ovulation kit? Have you tried other methods such as FAM (fertility awareness method: a combination of basal temps, cervical position and monitoring mucous)? From what I understand ovulation kits can be hit or miss, because by the time you get a positive reading, ovulation has passed and opportunity may have passed with it.

Michelle

some of these things you gals are discussing sound so nice in theory, but in reality, there can be some really serious and unforseen complications during the delivery of a baby. i would hate to see anyone not take these possibilites into account and be disappointed if their delivery did not turn out how they had planned. i had 3 successful v-bac deliveries, but they were not without some worry during the labor. one of them was delivered with forcepts and one of them had a brief few minutes that were pretty tense and the doc actually ended up calling to have the surgery room ready and put me on oxygen for awhile. we delivered ok, but the doc told me later he had thought he might have to section me. my uterus did tear after my last daughter was delivered, her v-bac could have been disasterous if we had done it---but keep in mind that she was my 9th baby and i was over 40.

if i were doing it all over again, even with complications, i would still choose to attempt the v-bac deliveries.

Yes, there can be complications in birth and one cannot ignore that. Often birth does not go according to plan either. However, a healthy woman who is allowed to labour and birth at her own pace and with minimum intervention is likely to have a safe, healthy birth outcome.

Having a birth at home doesn't mean that no precautions are taken either. My midwives had all the necessary equipment in case of emergency, and a plan was in place for transfer to hospital if necessary. A woman's body will also tell her when things aren't quite right...and that's when you make the switch to hospital, before it becomes an emergency situation. Like with my second birth, I knew that home wasn't the place to stay so I transferred to continue labour at the hospital.

It is very, very rare that a uterus will abrupt during a naturally progressing labour, even during a vbac. It is when a woman is induced or augmented that the risk jumps. Women should never be induced in a homebirth setting...well, inductions are done way too often in hospital settings too. And a woman attempting vbac should never be induced in either situation.

Michelle

Advil (ibuprofen) is apparently gluten free: Open Original Shared Link In Canada, apparently all Wyeth consumer health products are gluten free, as per this statement on the Advil.ca website:

2. Does Children's Advil contain gluten or is the product manufactured at the same site as another gluten containing product?

Wyeth Consumer Healthcare products are gluten-free

If you need something stronger for menstrual cramps, you could consider something like Ponstan (need a prescription): Open Original Shared Link As a teenager, I had cramps that regular pain meds would do nothing for...Ponstan worked really well for me.

Michelle

I'm B- and blood test and biopsy came back negative for celiac. Based on dietary response, I believe I am gluten intolerant. I'm also in the process of being assessed for EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder)...I'm betting that my GI and other health issues are related to it. I'm not sure how many EDSers have a neg rhesus factor, but it would be interesting to find out.

Michelle

Thanks, Michelle. I will consider that. That's also the same thing, they tell you in most of the (more modern) books. So, what I will do is. I will change the sentence I have in my birth plan, that says: "Would prefer monitoring with Telemetry" into "Would prefer monitoring with Telemetry or, if not available, would like to have a nurse do doppler monitoring at regular intervals" Does that sound too pushy???

I don't think it sounds pushy. You do want to sound firm in your requests. Personally, this is the way I would word it in my own birth plan (I would prefer intermittent first, telemetric EFM second, EFM third, internal monitoring fourth):

"Because we would like to remain fully mobile during labour, we would prefer intermittent fetal monitoring by doptone. If constant monitoring becomes necessary, we would prefer to use telemetric EFM."

Michelle

Oh, another thing, I forgot. I wrote a birth plan and showed it to my ob/gyn. He said, he was fine with that and put the entire birth plan as a copy into my patient files. Saturday, when I come to town next time, I will bring one to the hospital, too. So they can put it into my admittance/preregister file. I already preregistered four months ago, but they can still add it.

In my birth plan I wrote, that I would like to try and walk first to speed up labor instead of pitocin or any other augmentation. And instead of the EFM I would like to have Telemetry. This is basically the same thing, but without the wires, so that I can move around freely. Then I requested to only put in the hep lock set up, but not to connect it to a bag, so that I'm not restricted in my movements. My doc said, this is doable, since I also included to rehydrate myself with clear fluids.

Just wanted to let you know about the Telemetry thingy, in case you didn't know. A lot of hospitals actually DO have it, but don't remember anymore, where they put it, cause it's never really requested. So I made mine dig it out... lol. Best is to go there ahead of time and ask them or your doctor about it.

It's great you have your birth plan together, and have thought everything out...you'll be well prepared.

The telemetry monitoring can be hit or miss. As I understand it, it doesn't get used too often because it's awkward, somewhat uncomfortable (it is strapped around your belly), and isn't any more accurate at reading FHR (there is some measure of inaccuracy with both stationary and telemetric monitoring, especially when baby shifts position). Also it's not that readily available, and the one telemetric monitor available at a hospital may be in use by someone else when you are admitted.

A good alternative is to simply have the nurse do doppler monitoring at regular intervals. Unfortunately, it's more work and time for the nurses rather than relying on read-outs of all the active monitors at their station, but if you insist, then they should be willing to do it for you. It's also more accurate, simply because there is a person actively using the device and reading the results immediately. Best of all, you're not constantly attached to a machine.

Michelle

Hi Angie, oh yes, D is definitely connected with early labor. Congratulations, you might be there . The reason, why you get D right before the entire thing starts to get rolling is, so that your body can cleanse your intestines before pushing. It makes pushing stage easier, because there is no #2 in the way of baby . This is the reason, why you'll get enemas in some hospitals.

Enemas before birth are outdated, uncomfortable and completely unnecessary. Virtually no hospitals do them anymore (same goes with shaving.) Regardless of whether the body has been "cleaned out" (whether naturally or artificially) there is usually some stool passed during birth.

Michelle

I am sorry to hear you and your co-workers are sick. You might want to consider calling the heath department. The restaurant should take this more seriously.

I second calling the health department. If there is an outbreak of E-coli, salmonella or other illness coming from this restaurant, it would be important to know.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

Michelle

Ok guys... Since we normally talk about Celiac poop... I have a question... I KNOW I didn't get glutened anytime within the last week, but I have had D for over a day now. Could this relate to the pregnancy or am I probably budding yet another intolerance? I have been casein free so I know it couldn't possibly relate to that if I even have an issue there...

It can definitely be related to contractions/labour.

Michelle

Michelle, thank you for your post. I am so jealous that you got to do part of your labor in water. I have to be in bed for mine, hooked up to monitors, since I'm a vbac. I'm so glad that I'm choosing to go this route instead of having another c-section. I only wish my first one would have proceded as a natural birth. So you had a vbac too? What was your perception of the risks vs. having another c-section?

I was able to labour (and birth) in water, because I chose to have midwifery care and to labour and birth at home. I planned on water for labour, and for birth if it felt right at the time, which it did. The entire process of birthing was directed by me, with guidance of experienced midwives. They didn't not "deliver" my baby, they simply supported me as I birthed her...I helped her out, I lifted her up, and I held her and we breathed together...no crying, noise, light or hospital bustle to disturb our moment.

My perception...well, I'll try not to write a book here, because I've got pretty strong feelings about vbac and the way that vbac is perceived by the medical community. Most vbacs are no more risky than a first birth...so I find it perposterous that vbacs have to jump through so many unnecessary hoops to achieve success.

I truly believe that vaginal birth is the best choice for a healthy mom and baby. There are a few instances where c/s is the best choice (prolapsed cord as only one example) but most reasons for c/s are created by medical mismanagement (as was my own experience with my two c/s.) Unfortunately, tethering a woman to the bed with monitors and wires is one form of mismanagement that all too often leads a woman through the cascade of interventions that ends in c/s. Once you're stuck in bed, it can become diffcult to manage pain without drugs.

Drs set up many a woman for vbac failure for insisting on restricted movement...they are expecting the worst case scenario rather than a healthy birth. And that "worse case scenario" happens very, very rarely...especially if a vbac woman is allowed to labour without intervention and especially without induction or augmentation.

If you are able to negotiate intermittent monitoring and a help-lock for intravenous, you may be able to get out of bed to better to move about...perhaps even get into the tub or shower to use water for pain management. If your doctor is unwilling to bend on this, then do what you can to prepare for labouring in bed. It can be a more difficult road, but you can navigate it successfully if you are prepared well. I highly recommend checking out the book Open Original Shared Link for support and guidance in achieving a successful vbac (I found the book and class to be very healing, and an instrumental part in finally achieving a vaginal birth.) Also check out Open Original Shared Link for support. It is a wonderful organization that has some really good resources for preparing for a safe vbac.

Finally, remember that a doctor or nurse cannot do anything to you without your consent, and that you need full information on risks and benefits before making any decisions. Do not get pressured into making quick decisions, and do not let them scare you. Remember that most c/s are not emergency situations...there are far too many stories about women being told they needed to rush into c/s only to end up waiting their turn in the OR...so much for it being an emergency.

I believe that having a doula (one with experience in supporting vbac mothers) can help tremendously in achieving vbac...she can help you get through labour pain, and help you think through decisions about your care before you consent or decline interventions. She cannot speak for you, but can provide expertise in navigating the hospital system, and will provide support to both you and your husband. Quite frankly, I recommend a doula for any birthing woman...its wonderful to have the support of an experienced woman to help one through the birth process.

Michelle

Basing this on my last labor, it really isn't as bad as some women say. I was able to handle the pain just fine without any medication or meditation. I played cards most of the way through until the contractions never let up. I was induced, so I just turned into one 2 hour long contraction at the end. The nurses told me this is worse than actually giving birth. I had the urge to push, but couldn't because I wasn't dilated more than a cm. I really just didn't think it was that bad. I'm a little more nervous this time around because I'm doing a vbac, but I'm confident things will work out for the best, no matter what happens.

I guess I probably shouldn't really count as the norm either though for pain... I raced cars for 20 years and dealt with injuries, bumps, and bruises on a weekly basis generally. I'm pretty used to pain, so it doesn't generally bother me much.

I've heard stories of painless labor, but I find it hard to believe just based on what's happening to your body in labor. Who knows though, maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't that be nice? I hope, for your sake, that the pain isn't bad. So long as you're truly prepared for it, I'm sure you'll be just fine.

Is it a boy or a girl? Do you have any names picked out?

When going through a vbac you need to let go of any worry about how it's going to be this time. This is a different pregnancy and different birth, so it will be a completely different experience. The biggest thing to remember is that you cannot eliminate the pain, but you can affect it with positioning and movement, and you can handle any pain you may feel. You can remember, too, that the discomfort you may feel at the time will end...and its all worth it when you meet your beautiful new baby.

To have my own successful vbac, I had to learn to let go of all control and listen to what my body was telling me. The pain of labour is very different than the pain of injury, it just cannot compare. I did, with the help of my midwives, learn to listen to the pain I was having. Changing positions affected the way the pain felt (eg, I had a posterior baby, so the pain was lessoned when I shifted to a position to allow my baby to turn). Labouring in water was a big help for me too...I would let the water support me, floating in between contractions, and my DH and doula would pour warm water over my back during contractions. It helped a lot.

The pain also told me at what point I was in my labour, and was not constant...it would come and go in waves during my labour. Transition was difficult, but very short-lived. Pushing was a completely different sensation, and an amazing urge...when the body is ready for the baby to come out, it will continue with the work whether you want it to or not!

Michelle

HI,

I am hoping for anything you have got. I have figured out the things I cannot and can have....I think? How about a small amount of citrus fruits?

I am wondering if anyone has had their home tested and what test they used and where they got it from etc.

I also would like to know if anyone has tried using Nystatin before? Good results?

How long did it take to feel the results? I have a lot of fatigue and my nervous system seems out of wack (Sometimes anxiety like symptoms). My son has tourettes syndrome which I am on a mission to fix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least get rid of the tics from view...or at least a lot. I did this, but they came back and then we went to an allergist and got this diagnosis. He is amazing and trusts me with his diet. I can almost feed him anything, but he will be so excited to have something new. He is really enjoying fisth, we tried salmon the other day and he loved it. He is very sick of chicken, but if someone has a good recipe with a sauce of some sort that works, he may just be thrilled! Is shell fish a problem for anyone????

Thanks a lot,

Shelly and Tyler (Son)

My children and I are allergic to molds & mildew (among other allergies!) Unfortunately, it's impossible to completely eliminate from your environment...and I personally don't think it's worth the cost to test. All houses have some level of mold and mildew, just because there are water sources. Spores easily move from outdoors to indoors, and travel around the house through forced heating systems. It would be helpful to get a good filtration system on the furnace to help cut down on the amount of spores moving through the house. House plants and aquariums are a BIG source of mold, so if your allergy is bad, it's recommended to remove those from the house too.

In terms of fruits and vegetables, most of the produce at the grocery store is not freshly picked, so it can harbour a lot of mold, even if you can't see it. Some produce is worse than others...melons especially.

Michelle

Thank you, kevieb... I've never even talked to anyone before that's had a vbac. It was starting to freak me out a bit. I really wanted to go natural last time, no medication, nothing, but she just wouldn't come. They ended up having to induce me and it was really quite the experience. It was just such a shame it didn't end the way we had hoped, especially after being in induced labor all day. Hopefully this one will go much easier and we'll be able to go natural all the way.

Is the recovery really that much easier? I didn't have a hard time at all after my c-section. No where near as bad as I thought it would be. I was walking around that same night and back to normal life after about 3 days with very little discomfort.

I've had a vbac after two c/s. My first birth was c/s due to breech presentation. I tried for a homebirth vbac with my second baby, but ended up transferring to hospital because I wasn't comfortable at home...that birth ended up as a c/s for a number of reasons.

My third baby was born sucessfully at home, in water, with midwives in attendance. It was a long labour (21.5 hours...13 of "active" labour) and pushing phase (2.5 hours), but my daughter was born gently and I had no complications...and she was 9lbs 12oz...pretty big baby for a first vaginal birth! It was an amazing experience...I wish I had had midwives for my first birth, and that all were born at home. I now know that I do much better labouring in the privacy of my own home rather than in hospital. In hospital I am too tuned in to the people around me and have a hard time letting go of thinking, interacting and controlling.

Recovery is much easier with a vaginal birth over c/s! You are up and moving much sooner and heal much quicker. Nothing like being able to stand up without supporting an abdominal incision!

Michelle

According to my test results, I am not celiac, but I do believe I am gluten intolerant. I was gluten free for 3 months and found that my periods became lighter and less painful (used to get horrible cramps, D, moodiness during my period) and my ovulation moodiness (anxiety) & pain lightened considerably. During this part of my cycle I also suffer from C, which was much better off gluten.

I've since gone back to eating gluten for the time being (long story) and have found a return of my cycle symptoms. Right now I'm having a terrible time with moodiness, anxiety, and pelvic & back pain...I need to be gluten free again.

Right now I'm in the process of being assessed for EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) which I believe plays a big part in my period and ovulation symptoms...it also plays a role in my overall GI issues.

Michelle

Last night i made some salmon and woke up with some nasty D this morning. Could this mean i could be intolerant to salmon, or could i have gotten glutened by something else.

paula

How was the salmon prepared? What else did you eat and drink?

Michelle