This blog is on hold for now due to my nursing studies and premature nephew in the NICU. My studies and my kids keep me very busy and try to visit my nephew as often as I can not only to be there for him and his mum but also to learn about the NICU. He was born at 26w2d gestation on 22/02/08. He is doing well for a preemie and so far had no major setbacks. Even so it is a bit sad, I already learned so much from this situation. I actually wanted to delete this blog but decided to leave it for now. Next semester I do a whole course on pregnancy and childbirth and I am hoping I will come across great new information that will be useful for someone out there.

Thanks.

This is a great link to another blog where you’ll find some hellpful and funny pictures about baby care

Enjoy!!

http://packphour.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/parenting-dos-donts/

By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, I have to award it to 10 more people who’s blog’s I find Excellent Award worthy. I can give it to as many people as I want but please award at least 10. Thank you out there for having such great blogs and being such great friends! You deserve this! If chosen, you agree to the same information above. If chosen, also feel free to award people who have already been awarded…

I pass this on to these other amazing blogs (listed in no particular order):

http://womantowomancbe.wordpress.com/

http://www.babylune.com

http://mammamiablog.wordpress.com/

http://babycatching.blogspot.com/

http://enjoybirth.wordpress.com/

http://observantmidwife.blogspot.com/

http://rebirthnurse.blogspot.com/

 http://wonderland5.typepad.com

http://birthingwithguinever.com/

http://wisewomanchildbirth.blogspot.com/

I’m sure you know the answer to that question yourself. Most likely not.

Unfortunately, the Estimated Due Date (EDD) commonly used by health professionals is not very accurate. It would be great if it was, as every new mother would love to know

Generally, pregnancy is calculated to last 10 lunar months or 40 weeks or 280 days.  People often use this formula to calculate the EDD:

First day of last menstrual period, minus 3 months, plus 7 days.

Example:

First day of last period is the 6th January.

6th Jan. minus 3 months= 6th October

6th Oct. plus 7 days = 13th October = EDD

This easy to calculate, however is is only fairly accurate if the woman had a regular cycle of 28 days and did not take oral contraceptives.  

Carol Wood Nichols developed a calculation that takes variations in cycle length as well as previous childbearing into account.

LMP (last menstrual period) plus 12 months - 2 months,14 days = EDD

Example: For the 6th Jan. the EDD then is the 22nd Oct.

My son was born on the 21st Oct. so the EDD of 13th Oct. given by my caregiver was very inaccurate.

This formula also uses a cycle of 28 days. If you cycle is longer, calculate the EDD then add (days in cycle minus 28). So your cycle is say 31 days. Take the EDD of 21st Oct. and add (31-28= 3) which makes an EDD of the 24th Oct.

 The formula for second or more time moms with a 28day cycle is:

LMP plus 12 months minus 2 months,18 days.

I used the formula to calculate the EDD of my second son the 15th of June. And guess, he was born 15th June :-)  The EDD with the usual formula was 9th June.

There was also a study done by Mittendorf which showed that the average length of pregnancy is longer than usually calculated especially so for European first-time mothers. And I can say, that most of the first-time mothers I know delivered after their EDD. First pregnancies are often longer than subsequent pregnancies.

So take into account that the EDD given by your caregiver is just to give you an idea of your baby’s birth day. Do not use 40 weeks as a due date but consider that pregnancy lasts 38 to 42 weeks, so you rather have a due month that a due day. I know pregnancy can seem to last forever, but rest, stay patient and enjoy your last pregnant days because, yes, all babies eventually come

Endnote: There is no need for an induction as soon as you go over the EDD. As you know now, this is perfectly normal and does not mean your baby is in trouble. However, for piece of mind you can do a kick chart once you reach 41 weeks. Set a time of the day when your baby is usually active (you can drink a cold drink to wake baby up if you like) say between 9am and 10am. During that 1 hour count baby’s movements. You should be able to-count 10. Most likely you will count much more If you feel your baby moves less than usual, see your caregiver. Always remember it is your choice to have an induction or not. An induction may sometimes be necessary but it often is not and then can cause many other interventions if the baby and your body were not ready. Millions of healthy babies have been born after their EDD.

Birth: it’s a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to examine and question the way American women have babies.

New to the Lamaze Web site is a podcast interview with Ricki Lake, conducted by Lamaze International President Allison Walsh, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE, discussing the business of birth. Ricki, best known as an actress and former talk-show host, has become an outspoken advocate for women’s rights in birth. In her new movie, The Business of Being Born, she reveals surprising insights into birth and shocking statistics on the current U.S. maternity care system.

http://www.lamaze.org/MediaProfessionals/RickiLakeInterview/tabid/643/Default.aspx

Visit www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com to locate a community screening in your area, learn how to host your own screening, or find other ways to view The Business of Being Born.

New York City Opening: January 9-22 at the IFC Center. Call 212-924-6789 or e-mail hdew@ifccenter.com or katrainor@ifccenter.com for group discounts.

Los Angeles Opening: January 16-22 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5. Visit www.laemmle.com/group_sales.php for group discounts.

San Francisco Opening: January 18-24 at the Roxie Cinema. Call 415-431-3611 for group discounts. Special Bring Your Baby to the Movies Showings on January 19, 20 and 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Netflix: Add The Business of Being Born to your Netflix queue and be among the first subscribers to receive the DVD by mail in February.

Do you enjoy your pregnancy? Would you love to be pregnant forever? Have you just giving birth and can’t wait to be pregnant again? Or do you quite dislike pregnancy and are not sure if you ever want another child? How about the birth. Do you look forward to it? Are you excited? Are you nervous? Maybe a bit scared?

During your journey you will experience many different feeling, ups and downs, happy and sad days. All those feelings are OK. Really. Don’t worry if you don’t like being pregnant and everyone tells you how great you look and you just feel so groggy. Don’t worry if you can’t speak about anything but your pregnancy while all your family and friends pretend to listen but not really do. Pregnancy is an emotional roller-coaster. nearly all women will find something they don’t like about it. It seems to go on forever. But no, it won’t. It will come to an end. You may miss it or not. No matter how you feel, do what is right for you. If you want to show your belly off, do it. If you don’t, wear long shirts like I did. My sister-in-law loves all the extra attention and does not mind people touching her belly. I did mind. I did not want any attention. I did not want pictures. Go with the flow and let people know what you like and what not.

There are many ways to prepare your body and mindset for birth. Do never forget, that it is your birth and no anyone elses. If your friend had a home-birth but all you really want is an epidural so be it. Talk to your caregiver how you feel. I told my midwife how scared I was and she gave me lots of positive encouragement.

You are never alone. Millions of women are at the same time pregnant as you and give birth with you together. Some will have very different births and some will be very similar to yours. The one thing I found so wonderful about becoming a mother is that there was and is always another mother out there who is going through the same thing/ who feels the same.

Enjoy your pregnancy and birth !!

We have been away camping as it is summer holidays here in New Zealand. I am also preparing for nursing school which will start soon. Thus I will only write new posts occasionally from now on. I still hope you come back from time to time And if you just had a baby, let me know. I am always looking for good positive birth stories, so if you experinced one or know one also let me know.  Until then,

HAPPY PREGNANCY, BIRTHING AND PARENTING !!

Here is a pic of my 4 year old already ready for bed, but still wanted to fish and cought his first snapper. So proud and cute.

There are three “classic” signs of labour:

1. Loss of the mucous plug also called a show: when the cervix softens and dilates, the mucous plug, that prevented bacteria from reaching the uterus during pregnancy, comes away. There will be a thick, sometimes bloody, mucousy show.

2. Rupture of membranes: the membranes that surround the baby rupture and the amniotic fluid will leak from the vagina either slowly (slow tickle of water) or suddenly with a gush of fluid. This happens in only about 10% of women before the start of labour contractions.

3. Start of contractions: the irregular contractions which occur during late pregnancy start to come in a regular pattern, increase in frequency and duration and get more painful (they come closer and closer and last longer)

Actual labour has started when the woman has regular contractions that are effectively dilating the cervix. It can be very frustrating-for a mother to think she is in labour and then to find she is not. Women need to know that the three “classic” signs mentioned above are not necessarily signs of labour.

A show means that the cervix started to soften and thin out but it may occur days or even weeks before the actual onset of labour or not until labour is well established. Some women may mistake the show with other vaginal discharge late in pregnancy, others may not notice a show at all ( I never noticed mine, i was waiting for it, but never saw it).

The membranes usually rupture in late labour. We all heard the story of the woman who’s waters broke in the supermarket but really… is is NOT common. And rupture of membranes before the onset of contractions does not mean that labour has started. However, most women will go into labour within 24 hours. Thus it is quite an encouraging sign. Sometimes it can take longer for labour to start and the mother may need and induction due to the risk of infection.

At the end of pregnancy Braxton-Hicks contractions(irregular contractions that occur throughout pregnancy) may become more frequent, regular and painful. Women may feel that they are in labour. These contractions soften and thin the cervix but do not dilate it. This is called Pre-labour. Some people also call it False Labour, but i do not use that term as these contractions may not be labour contractions but are useful in getting your body ready for the real deal. This experience can be confusing and discouraging for women and may even be exhausting.

Actual labour contractions become longer and stronger and come closer together over time and dilate the cervix. Contractions that are 1 minute long and come 5 minutes apart over an hour are nearly always labour contractions. Dilation of the cervix can only be confirmed by your caregiver during a vaginal examination.

If you can still talk and move during contraction you are either in pre-labour or early labour. If contractions are very regular and so strong that you cannot talk through them, that you cannot be distracted during them but can only concentrate on getting through them, then you are very likely in labour. That’s what midwifes listen for on the phone. If the mother says: Oh, there is one, then is is very early on. But if she suddenly stops talking and start heavy breathing instead, the comes back and says, oh, sorry, i could not talk then, the midwife will want to see the mother and check her dilation. Midwifes also often try o keep you one the phone for a while to check the interval between contractions.

It can be hard to tell for any mom, especially first time moms, but believe, when labour is well under way you will know. And don’t worry about not getting to hospital on time, baby’s have been safely born in the car

Immediately after you have given birth, your body undergoes changes to restore its pre-pregnancy state. This will take some time, longer than you might expect, and some changes are even forever. Don’t worry about your appearance, rest and take care of yourself and your baby. Exercise and a healthy diet will speed up recovery, but believe me, you will be very busy and often tired, so do not worry if you don’t have time or energy for exercise. Really focus on your emotional well-being and enjoy those early days snuggling up to your baby.

OK:

- changed appearance of the vagina: your labia will be swollen and the area will be bruised and tender, the vaginal opening will be larger… it will get smaller but never like it was before; also the whole area will look always different than it did before baby, this depends from woman to woman but all change somehow

- lochia: bleeding after birth from the site of the placenta… many first-time mothers are surprised about how much they bleed, it lasts 2 to 8 weeks

- loose, flabby, abdomen that still looks pregnant (yes, I got asked by a visitor I did not know at the maternity ward if I am also visiting and how far along I was even though I gave birth 2 days ago) … it takes 2 to 3 months for the muscles to regain tone but in many women the abdomen remains flabby (me included

- after-pains: contractions of the uterus to return to its normal size, they can be very painful but not everyone has them

- breast changes: the breasts get larger and tender as milk production takes place

- increased sweating and increased urination as your body will loose all the extra fluid

- weight: yes, you will loose 5 to 10 kg immediately after birth but the rest will only be lost gradually over the next months, for me it took 1 year to loose all the extra weight without extra exercise or a special diet, others loose it quicker, and some can’t loose it unless they exercise etc. Many new mums don’t worry about it much as they are far to busy and exhausted but will start a programme later on. It is also a myth that you loose weight through breastfeeding. yes, it can help to shed a few extra kilos, but not for everyone. I know a few moms, who even gained weight as they had baby’s that fed so often that they were sitting or lying most of the day just feeding bubs. So don’t count on that to loose those baby pounds

 Tired New Mumy (cBirthsupport)

Whether or not there was an episiotomy or tears, you will experience some pain around your vagina and perineum after the birth.

The following measures can provide some relief and enhance healing:

- keep the area clean and dry

- change sanitary pad every time you urinate

- spray area with warm water from a spray-bottle after urinating or a bowel movement, then pat gently dry

-  apply witch-hazel or tea-tree oil after urinating as it may help the healing process

- apply ice packs to reduce swelling and pain esp. during the first days

- sit in a bath of warm water to soothe the skin

- take paracetamol to relive pain

- pelvic floor exercises reduce swelling, restore muscle strength and promote healing