Unfolding Dreams

Second Postpartum Recovery I tore in a much better place the second time around, so I was able to go to the bathroom on my own during my mom and baby stay at the hospital. I was discharged 18 hours after being admitted by my choice. The advice I got with an un-medicated birth is you will most likely feel good after birth but its important to still rest. Our first week, we were so busy trying to do a ton of events with my mom and my husband's family while my mom was staying to help for a couple of weeks.  We had my late baby shower, which turned into a "meet the baby" party and the baby blessing. Events we had to drive 30 minutes to and back from that were a few hours long. I even went to the mall for several minutes with baby covered in his stroller to get a bra fitting when the milk came in, so I could know what size nursing bras to buy online. At 9 days postpartum, I had already lost 12 lbs. At 5 weeks and 2 days, I lost 27 lbs.  The only unpl...

Second Breastfeeding With my first baby, she had a poor latch and lost more than the normal 10% of body weight. She lost 12%. Later I read about how IVs can sometimes result in the more than normal weight loss in full term newborns and can sometimes interfere with breastfeeding. It was part of the reason I was interested in trying an un-medicated birth. I was curious to see if I had an un-medicated birth without any IVs, would my child still have more than normal weight loss. That being said, I nursed my baby after the delivery of the placenta, as well as did skin to skin as I did after my first labor and delivery. Milk came in around day 3-4. There was an obvious differences right away with breastfeeding my first and second. The second time around I was more experienced and my second baby had a strong latch. At birth my second baby was 8 lbs and 2 oz and at the first check up at 1 week and 6 days, he weighed 9 lbs and 1 oz. His pediatrician said by 2 weeks old, babies are usual...

Unplanned Unassisted Birth: Vaginal Birth Un-Medicated Active Labor & Delivery: 1.5 hours Total Time: 1.5 hours  Second Labor & Delivery For my second delivery, I wanted to attempt an unmedicated birth. I felt like I got the epidural during my first birth because I didn't know how long I was going to be in pain for. I don't feel like I am someone with a high tolerance for pain. So not knowing how long I would be in pain for made it difficult for me to consider an un-medicated birth. However, my quick labor and delivery with my first made me realize the possibility of being able to go without medicine. I started to seriously consider trying an un-medicated birth. I want to be clear that my reasons for doing an un-medicated birth aren't because my first experience or hospital birth was horrific. I felt as a first time mom unsure of what to expect from my body, not wanting to be in pain or be in pain for a long time, prepared with a basic amount of informati...

Materials to help prepare for pregnancy and birth Book: Pregnancy Day by Day Illustrated Guide Book: The Birth Book by Williams and Martha Sears Childbirth Class: 8 week Bradley Method taught by a Doula Documentary: The Business of Being Born Documentary: Pregnant in America Second Pregnancy  (39 weeks and 2 days) Overall, it was a healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy. In the beginning, I did have a cough that required my obstetrician to put me on an inhaler and a sinus infection. I did have one yeast and urinary tract infection and a prolapsed cervix again. This time I did not need preventive medicine for urinary tract infections or anti-nausea medicine. I had nausea, but no vomiting. At 17 weeks at an early ultrasound, we discovered the gender. I also was able to take my pre-natal vitamins the entire time and as a result, I was not found to be anemic. I did see my dentist who said I had pregnancy gingivitis for both teeth cleanings. I had acid reflux ...

Pregnancy # 2: Positive Pregnancy Test on December 31, 2012 Pregnancy Suspicions : My luteal phase was higher than what it was the cycle before. I knew that I was pregnant or my luteal phase had lengthened. Testing : I tested 7-9 days past ovulation with pink dye tests and got negative. Then I tested 10-11 days past ovulation I tested on blue dye and got negative. I tested after I missed my fertility chart's estimated period and when my luteal phase went past 10. That was the highest my luteal phase had been throughout my 8 out of 9 postpartum cycles. Finally, at 12 days past ovulation and I got a positive.  On a side note, blue dyes are said to be notorious for false positives. However, I used a blue dye with my first and was really pregnant. Signs & Symptoms : I would have bleeding gums more than normal. I also was craving a lot of spicy food. Before finding out, I kept eating Jalapeno jelly with everything, such as on my eggs and sandwiche...