The Final Countdown… November 19, 2009

Wow-ee…34 weeks along and counting!  I’m feeling excited, enormous, exhausted, excited (did I mention that?), and incredibly READY to have this baby!  (The roller-coaster ride continues!)  Labor is approaching and is seeming more real and tangible than ever.  If I carry this baby for a full 40-weeks that should put the ETA on or around Christmas Day!  (Yes, I’ve already heard plenty of amusing name suggestions based on my expected due date…insert your own ideas here:  Merry, Carol, and yes, I’ve even heard Jesus more than once!)  My first baby was born at 38 weeks, and my daughter was born between 38 & 39…so we’ll just wait and see when this bambina(o?) decides to make an appearance!

In the meantime, I’ve been spending a little time each day getting my mind & body ready for the labor process.  I’ve been practicing some deep, yogic breathing, which is calming to the brain and helps keep the body from being tense.  And speaking of yoga, each day I spend around 45-minutes slowly stretching…connecting that slow rhythmic breathing to my movements.  I am focusing on poses that stretch the hips open and that bring some relief to the spine and sacral area (which are definitely feeling stress!)  Good poses to practice are Cobbler’s Pose, Cat/Cow Stretch (but modified to make room for a big belly), Modified Downward Facing Dog (gotta get those feet wide and those knees bent), and even Warrior II pose.  (I plan to post some pics soon, along with a little sequence plan that helps the body prep for labor.)  I practice awareness of my entire body…making sure to keep my mouth & jaw relaxed…noticing if I’m holding tension in my hands, buttocks or feet and consciously letting that go.  These moments of practice will help me to remember when it’s the REAL DEAL that I should let go of my urges to become tense and breathe into the process of labor as it takes over my body.

One day soon, it will happen…I will feel the strong contractions in first phase of labor.  Maybe my water will break, and maybe it won’t (it hasn’t in my previous experiences.)  Perhaps I’ll lose my mucous plug a few days before…but maybe not (it doesn’t necessarily happen every time.)  I’m so excited for this day to come, but I won’t let my excitement get the best of me once labor begins.  I’ll stay home for as long as possible…going through as much of the labor process as I can while I’m in the comfort of my own surroundings.  Doing so has proven helpful in progressing the opening of my cervix in my previous experiences.  Once those contractions get to be 4-5 minutes apart I’ll head on down to the birthing center!  (Just thinking about it makes me feel so happy!)

As much as I am looking forward to going through the labor process (for my third and final time), I most excited about meeting this child of mine.  What sweet & precious (albeit sleepless) moments await!  All the hard work and intense pain of labor & birth will be a distant memory once I am able to wrap my arms around my babe and look into his or her eyes for the very first time.  I’m thrilled when I think about the first time our children look upon their new sibling and how wonderful/crazy/hectic/amazing/exhausting/beautiful it will be when we all get cozy in our little home together!

More to come…I’ll be keeping you posted!  Feel free to post questions, by the way…especially if you’re reading this and facing the birth process for the very first time!  I can talk about this stuff all day long!  Hugs!

When the Water Breaks… November 10, 2009

The following article is copied directly from this link:  http://www.welcomebabyhome.com/pregnancy/rupture_of_membranes_water_bags_breaks.htm)

Rupture of membranes does not happen until just before labor, when labor begins or during labor itself. But in some women, about 10% of them, the waters break before labor begins. Often labor follows on its own within 12 hours but some women end up waiting 24 hours before going into proper labor. You may fear that the bag of waters may rupture in public but water breaking usually occurs at home and labor does not follow immediately.

When the water breaks..

• It can be a gush of fluid or a slow trickle. Either way there is a rupture to the membranes. If it is a dribble it is probably only the hind waters that are leaking and the membranes often reseal by themselves.

• Whether it is a gush or a leakage of small amounts of fluid, it is often described as a constant wetness, especially when you stand. This continuous leakage of fluid is a good clue that your bag of waters has broken.

• If it is a gush, check if the fluid is stained or clear. Clear waters indicate your baby is engaged in the pelvis. If it is stained brown or green it could mean baby has emptied meconium (a sign that baby could be in distress) or there is uterine infection.

Must Know

• Many women confuse water breaking with urine leak or copious vaginal discharge, which becomes a tendency during the final trimester. Your doctor will be able to confirm it.

• Once membranes rupture the contractions usually start or become more intense.

• Rupture of membranes at term is more likely if you have had vaginal examinations in the last weeks of pregnancy.

• Water breaking is not indicative of a difficult labor ahead since fresh amniotic fluid is being replenished every 3 hours to keep baby, its cord and the surrounding tissues moist.

• It is essential to be aware of your baby’s position at the end of pregnancy because if the membranes rupture it is important to
know the position your baby is lying.

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• If baby is in breech position or the head is high up, make preparations to go to hospital at the soonest

• If labor is slow taking more than 24 hours from the rupture then risk of infection increases

• Take your temperature to check for infection. A fever is indicative of an infection. Your caregiver should be informed.

• Do not place anything into the vagina once the membranes have ruptured, and this includes vaginal examinations – a very good reason to decline such checks so that infections can be prevented.

• Put on a sanitary pad and change it frequently.

• Practice hygiene when visiting the washroom i.e. don’t forget to wipe from front to back, away from the vagina.

• Don’t starve yourself during the waiting time. Eat carb-rich foods like pasta or baked potatoes for energy. You may not have the urge to eat once labor begins.

• Drink plenty of fluids to replace the amniotic fluid, to keep your energy levels up.