Making Your Own Padsicles

Most likely the hospital will provide you with the cooling pads you need after birth.  These are nice as you crack them and they provide a cooling sensation that will help bring down the inflammation.  However, these don't have the best ingredients in them and you most likely you will still want them after you leave the hospital as well.

To make your own padsicles you will need a few things:

• Bladder control pads - these are perfect because they are thick and wide enough for all of the blood after birth
• Aloe Vera
• Witch Hazel (alcohol free)
• Lavender and Tea Tree essential oil

The aloe vera will give you the cooling you will need as you will likely feel a burning sensation for up to a week.  Lavender will help reduce the inflammation and tea tree is known for antibacterial purposes.  Witch Hazel is also anti inflammatory.  Mix all of these ingredients together.  You only need a few drops of the essential oils.

Once these are well mixed spoon them onto each individual pad and spread the mixture out.  Place the pads in the freezer and keep them there until after your delivery date.  

Use as needed.  You will really be happy you prepared these padiscles :)

Birth Plan

It is important to have a birth plan in place whether you are delivering at a hospital or a birthing center.  A birth plan will let your midwife or doctor know what you want in regards to delivering your bundle of joy.  This is an example of my birth plan.  Feel free to copy it and/or change it up to better suit your desires.  I am happy to report my midwife had no problems with my birth plan and followed it to a T.

No pitocin

If C-section is necessary I’d like to make sure all other options have been exhausted.  My husband is to remain with me the entire time and for him to hold the baby as soon as possible, and I’d like to breastfeed in the recovery room.

I’d like to deliver the placenta without assistance from midwife when ready.  Do not rush delivery.

I’d like to keep the placenta after removal.  Please store in bags provided.

I'd like to hold my baby skin-to-skin immediately after delivery.

I’d like for my baby to stay in the same room with me, no nursery time.

I'd like to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it's clamped and cut and I’d like my husband to cut the cord.

If my baby must be taken from me to receive medical treatment, I'd like my husband to go with him or her.

I wish to birth in different positions as I see fit.

I plan to exclusively breastfeed my baby while in the hospital.

If my baby's a boy, I do not want him to be circumcised.

Pediatrician must examine baby in my room.

No bathing

No hat

No Vitamin K

No eye ointments

No hepatitis B vaccine

NO VACCINES PERIOD

Choosing a Midwife Over a Doctor

A week ago, I had a baby.  Her name is Lenora.  We had a tough time deciding on a name, but we were finally able to.  We wanted to keep with the J's and L's and finally came to an agreement on Lenora.  She is so sweet and sleeps all day long.  

The delivery was very unexpected.  I went in last Friday for a regular check up and they wanted to induce me early because of my high blood pressure.  After weighing out the pros and cons with my midwife we decided to go along with the induction.  My appointment was at 11:30 and the whole process started at 2:00 in the afternoon.  After I got to 7 cm dilated I opted for the epidural and started pushing at about 10:00 p.m.  I had my little girl at 12:13 a.m.  

The actual birth went along really nice.  With my midwife and a nurse being the only medical staff in the room, the dimmed lights and a peanut ball I was able to birth on my side instead of the traditional way on your back.  I really wanted to stand up, but it wasn't possible with my epidural.

Deciding between a midwife and a doctor is a big decision.  There are many benefits to hiring a midwife.

-Remember they work for you, not the other way around.  Doctors seem to want to push you into doing things you may not want to do.  With a midwife they are okay with you denying any tests you don't want to do as well as going along with your birth plan.  Midwives are much more laid back than doctors.  I decided not to drink the glucola drink to check my blood sugar levels, since that alone can give you gestational diabetes.  I also refused the pap smear and pelvic exam, like I always have.  My midwife was perfectly fine with that as it can lead to infections and rupture cancer cells which can ultimately lead to cervical cancer.

-Midwives use a more natural approach.  They will first try to diagnose any issues you have and cure them with natural remedies.  After all of the natural ways have been exhausted, they will then give you a prescription if you choose to go that route.

-Midwives can deliver at home or in the hospital.  You choose the setting you want and the midwife will help deliver the baby where you want them to.

-In America only about 3% of the population uses a midwife.  That means 97% of patients use a doctor for the birth of their children.  America has the highest still birth death rate.  Many countries that uses strictly midwives have very little still births.

-C section rates are much higher with regular doctors.

-Midwives rarely induce.  Unless you have a medical issues like I did, midwives will rarely induce labor.  They believe in the mom's ability to go into labor naturally.  You wouldn't believe all the stories I have heard of doctors inducing patients early just because they are heading on vacation or want to have their baby on a certain date.  Inductions definitely increase the chances of a C-section.

Here is a picture of my baby :) I just did her newborn pictures a few days ago.  I'm anxious to post them!