Pain Medication For Sutures
Continuing with the theme of discussing items mentioned in my birth plans, I’ve gotten quite a reaction from one line. Of course, I would like all precautions taken to avoid tearing. If tearing does happen, I do not want local pain medication to repair. Or alternately stated in my hospital birth plan: If stitching is … Read more
Are you going to have a water birth?
It’s a question that almost always follows the announcement that we’re giving birth at home. I suppose it’s a good thing that I’m not generally met with outrage. I think that more people would be upset if it weren’t already expected that we’re “the weird ones.” I think that most family and friends realize that … Read more
Placenta Encapsulation
Yeah, I plan on ingesting my placenta. It’s funny the reaction that this simple idea gets. When I said it in our Bradley class, even the teacher kind of cringed. For some reason the placenta has become something disgusting in our society. Even in the realm of people who realize the benefits of giving the … Read more
Vaginal Exams in Labor
Yesterday I posted my birth plan. Here’s one of the lines from it that I’m sure at least some of you were confused about. I would like to avoid all vaginal exams unless it is deemed truly useful or I request it. But aren’t vaginal exams common place in labor? Wouldn’t I want to know … Read more
My Birth Plans
As part of our Bradley class, we’re supposed to make a birth plan. While it’s certainly not required that home birthers make a plan for home, I still figured I would so that it could remind the midwives of the little intricacies of our birth. Here is our home birth birth plan. Labor Dea will … Read more
Remembering to Bond
I’ve been feeling a bit resentful about breastfeeding Peanut lately. With her asking for it all the time and my nipples hurting and I already feel touched out (though luckily not as much as I did earlier in pregnancy), I’m just annoyed. I’m still far from weaning, but if it were just the annoying nursing … Read more
Pregnant With a Toddler
Being pregnant with a toddler is hard. Some days it’s so hard I want to go back in time so I can slap myself during Peanut’s pregnancy for complaining so much. Some days it’s so hard I want to lock myself in my room. Some days it’s so hard I wonder why I even thought … Read more
Are Hospitals Really Safer?
The great majority of births are in hospitals. In 2007 in the United States, only .62% of all births were at home. While trends show an increase in both homebirths and birth center births, they are still remarkably low. I get it. As is obvious by the fact that I had an accidental home birth, … Read more
Feeling Beautiful in Pregnancy
I spent a lot of my first pregnancy hating the way that I looked. Feeling fat even though I knew I should be celebrating the fact that I was growing life inside me. Feeling un-sexy regardless of knowing my husband still found me desirable. Feeling disgusting rather than relishing in the changes my body was … Read more
