Oklahoma Nesties
BoyMom21
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Tell me how you would want it to go.
You just found out you're pregnant. How would you want your pregnancy and birth to go...from beginning to even after baby is born? Would you do prenatal yoga? Massages? Get an OB at a hospital, midwife at a hospital, or a midwife for a homebirth? Any desire to have a doula? Prefer a c-section or a vaginal birth? Would you try to go through labor with no medications/interventions? After the birth what would it be like in your head? Would you have a family member stay with you? Do placenta encapsulation to ward off postpartum depression/lack of energy? I'm interested to see what everyone's take on it is. 
Re: Tell me how you would want it to go.
You probably know my answer to this, but I'm bored and can't sleep so I will answer anyway
I did prenatal yoga with M and G and I really enjoyed it. I wanted to get massages with both, but didn't have the time (or didn't make the time) but if we were to have another baby I would want to. I would have a homebirth with a midwife again and I am undecided on the doula. I loved having a doula with M, but didn't feel like we missed anything by not having one this time. Though, if for some reason I risked out of homebirth and had to be in a hospital, I would want a doula for sure.
I obviously would want a vaginal birth and would want to do it without any interventions.
I have loved loved loved having H home for the past 8 days and would want him here, ideally for 2 weeks, but not my mom or anything.
And I think I would encasuplate my placenta again too, although I haven't noticed any big difference so far. I have felt better since I started it, but I don't know if its that or just time.
Things I would do the next time that I haven't done before are that I would really try to focus on enjoying the pregnancy and the birth. I think when you have other children it is really hard to do that. I would also start prenatal yoga in the 2nd trimester and take a dancing for birth class.
I might try prenatal yoga, though regular yoga has always ended with me in more pain than what I started with...definite yes to massages, though.
I would have an OB at a hospital (my current OB/GYN would be my choice, as I love her because she's very laid-back but bare bones about stuff at the same time). Vaginal birth, if possible. I would try to make it through without any medications, but I am certainly not against them if it is too much.
I don't really know what you mean by "in my head." I imagine I would be relieved to be done with labor...
I would not have any family members stay with us, as that would drive me crazy. I'm very much a do-it-yourself person. I wouldn't mind visitors, but not anyone staying-in. Everyone lives close enough that we wouldn't really need that.
I doubt that I would do anything with the placenta. Not really my cuppa tea. I do hope to avoid PPD, but I have suffered from depression before so I am prepared to deal with it if the problem arises.
***Note: I am not pregnant. It's a consideration for the future, but not a current concern.
I'm not sure if I would do prenatal yoga or massages. I would definitely consider them though. I would probably get an OB at a hospital. I would want a vaginal birth. I really, really don't want to have medications/interventions. I definitely don't want to be induced, unless it's absolutely necessary. I probably wouldn't want family staying with us. I would love to have visitors though. I don't really know what placenta encapsulation is, and I don't want to google it here at work
ETA: Okay I googled it on my phone.
I had no idea people did this!
Kaylee & Cole 06.14.08
8/6/11 First 5k! OG&E Expo Run 34:47
9/3/11 Brookhaven Run 5k 34:18
9/17/11 Healthy Sooners Fun Run 5k 33:38
10/15/11 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 33:31
10/29/11 Monster Dash 5k 32:06 PR!
11/11/11 Veteran's Day Run 11k in Dallas 1:13:15 Instant PR!
1/28/12 Texas Half Marathon 2:38:03 Instant PR!
3/25/12 Earlywine Dash
First of all, it would take me a while to get excited since I am not currently on maternity insurance. We are adding it to start on April 1st, and then any complications during pregnancy/birth would not be covered for 365 days. So I'd have a hard time getting over that for a while...coupled with the fact that I have no baby fever at all right now.
I would definitely do prenatal massages...at least once a month or until it got uncomfortable. I might even consider weekly while B was in Mom's Day Out. I am sort of up in the air as to whether I would want an OB or a midwife. I think that I would have to meet with them first to discuss their methods of handling certain situation such as induction, progression of labor, etc. The last OB I tried (I went to her for my yearly) told me that if I were to get pregnant and not progress faster than 1cm/hour, or even closer to 2cm/hour since this would be my second child, we would do a c-section. She also told me how much her malpractice insurance was, and I could tell her main focus was preventing that from increasing. She was less than interested in what I wanted for my experience, if I were to have it with her.
I think I would hire a doula. I like the idea of her being my advocate during labor, and using her services (massage, etc) to lessen the pain and anxiety during labor. I would use a doula that did placenta encapsulation. I am leaning toward doing this for my next child since I had PPD with B. It's one of those things that if it wards it off and gives me energy, I don't have a problem with it. I am not one of those "crunchy" people, either. I just don't think it's that big of a deal since it has tons of benefits and no side effects.
I would prefer a vaginal birth since that is what I've done before. If I needed a c-section for emergency reasons, I would be okay with that.
I would like to say that I would go through labor as naturally as possible, but it HURT the last time. I was on pitocin though, so if contractions weren't as bad as they were with that, I would try to go as long as I could. This would not be because I felt like I needed to prove something to anyone, but because of all of the benefits for the baby. (Mainly increased breastfeeding success).
After the birth I would have my mom come stay with me. If that was chaotic with B at home at first, I would have her take him home with her for a couple of days so I could get adjusted. My mom is a lot of help and doesn't bother me in the least. She stayed more than a week with B since I was having some problems, and then left for a couple days only for me to call her back begging her to come over again!
I've been thinking about this for awhile. Basically almost everything that happened during M's birth I would change completely.
When we decide to get pregnant again I will be changing hopsitals. I have been tossing the idea back and forth about a homebirth but DH said he would like to have this one in a hospital and then possibly the next one could be a homebirth. I would like a midwife to attend my birth since I will be a VBAC. Unfortuntaley my current OB does not do VBACs.
I had prenatal massages done during my last pregnancy and didn't really do much for me so I don't know if I would do them next time. Prenatal yoga though I would like to try out.
I am planning on having a natural birth next time. No medical interventions at all. Unless it was really necessary. I have thought about and have been even researching doulas. I think since my mom could possibly not be there with me that I would like someone there to comfort and help me through out the birth.
I'm sure if my mom is not there for the birth she will be racing up here during or after to be here. I would really like her to stay for awhile. When M was born she only got to stay maybe a week until she had to go back home but I did have my sister staying with me to help out. DH's family lives near us so they would be there also to help out with M any way we needed them.
I will need to do some research on placenta encapsulation to really make a decision about it since I don't know really much about it.
Would you do prenatal yoga? Massages? I do yoga now about twice a week, so I think I would probably just continue on with that. I honestly don't think DH would be on board with the massages thing... lol $$ I know this isn't in the question, but I will continue with my workout routine (Zumba, weights, yoga) for as long as I possibly can while pregnant.
Get an OB at a hospital, midwife at a hospital, or a midwife for a homebirth? I will get an OB at a hospital I'm sure- don't know that I would use my current gyno for it though.
Any desire to have a doula? I will probably have my mom in the room with me (she is a nurse and worked for an OBGYN forever) so I know she'll be exactly what I need.
Prefer a c-section or a vaginal birth? Vaginal birth
Would you try to go through labor with no medications/interventions? I would love to go through the whole thing without medications/interventions. I know my MIL (if she is in town) will want to be in the room. I don't really care, but I WILL be having a silent birth (not the Scientologist version, but the "Don't ask me questions, don't talk to me, I'm in pain, shut the hell up" version...haha)... I would prefer to sleep/meditation breath my way through the delivery.
After the birth what would it be like in your head? Oxytocin
))
Would you have a family member stay with you? My choice is my mom, if other people want to stay fine... but I don't want to be smothered afterward.
Do placenta encapsulation to ward off postpartum depression/lack of energy? I would consider it... But I wouldn't want to do it myself. I just googled it and saw a GRAPHIC DIY how-to.... EEEK!
I think I'd do prenatal yoga the next time around - not sure about the massages, but I'd consider it.
I'll need to find another OB since mine moved [and doesn't take my new insurance anyway], but if I can find another OB as good as him, I'll take it. Otherwise, I'll explore options for a midwife at a hospital. I don't think I'll have a doula since my mom and sister were amazing support systems through my last labor/delivery.
I absolutely prefer a vaginal birth, and I'd like to go natural as long as possible. With JJ, I was induced due to high blood pressure and put on pitocin since my body wasn't fully ready for labor yet. While it wasn't the worst experience in the world, I'd like to go natural as long as possible the next time. Besides my sister, my mom and H in the room, I'd want no other people around. H says his mom and sister are flying out the next time, but I doubt it - and I'm fine with that. I prefer it that way.
I'd want to be able to hold our baby right away the next time - with JJ, I was able to hold him for a couple of minutes while they cleaned him off. Being able to hold him right away was amazing...I didn't think I'd have that experience, but I did. I want it again. I want to be able to bond as long as possible.
I'd love for my mom to stay with me as long as she could - she was such a huge help with JJ. And, given the nature of the military, no telling if H will be here or be deployed with our next baby. If she could stay, I'd be grateful beyond belief.
I had NEVER, until this post, heard of placenta encapsulation - but after reading up on it, I'd seriously consider it. I had the baby blues so bad the last time that it seriously affected my bonding time with JJ. It took me months to shake it. If this will help, I'm all for it.
I am sure I have told you this before, but honestly and truly for me, labor was not painful. It was crazy intense and a lot of work, but not painful. At no time during M's labor was I in pain and the only time it really "hurt" during G's labor was when I was pushing right as she crowned (and that was because she had her arm across her face).
I think a lot of the reason it was like that for me was because I wasn't afraid of labor and I did a lot of reading and talking to other mamas about labor. I read a lot about other societies and how they labor and really wondered why in America, most women have medicated births while they don't in other countries. I sort of came to the conclusion that I think it is because, first we have such high induction rates which causes a more painful labor, and second we have this fear of birth. I think if we can rid ourselves of the fear (and move how we want to in labor) women would find that it is not as painful as it is made out to be. Now, I admit that doing all of that is not easy, and there were times during both of the pregnancies I had after I educated myself that I was scared (and during my whole pregnancy with V), but in the end I decided that birth was not a scary or painful thing.
I also want to add that I am a big sissy when it comes to pain so don't sell yourself short
And that I don't think there is anything wrong with having a medicated birth, as long as the mama is educated about it!
We are not planning to have any more children, but, if we did, I would do prenatal yoga if it was something we could fit into our budget at the time. I had a prenatal massage once and did not enjoy it, but I would give it another try if I were to be pregnant again.
I would definitely want another vaginal birth and I would plan to go med-free again as well. I agree with Jenn that I think that part of the reason women believe they can't labor without meds is because of the way we've been taught to fear labor. Birth is usually depicted in movies, etc., as scary and out of control and only crazy women try to do it med-free, etc. When I was pregnant with DS, I read the book Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by midwife Ina May Gaskin, and it really helped me to look at the experience of labor and delivery very differently and helped me to deal with contractions without an epidural and to have the birth I wanted. (ETA: Not that I think there's anything wrong with having an epidural if that's what you want. I just think a lot of women sell themselves short by thinking they'd like to have a med-free birth but couldn't handle it.)
I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of a home birth, but I think it would freak H out. I would probably go with the midwives at OU, although my last labor was so quick that we barely made it to the hospital in time, so it might not be a bad idea to prepare for a home birth just in case. Lol.
I haven't really looked into placental encapsulation, so I don't know if I would do it or not. I have a general idea of what it involves, and I don't think it's gross but I don't know if it's an effort I would make or not.
I will plan my next birth to be very similar to my birth with B. I did med free as much as possible but I did end up getting three shots of Stadol (sp) but I did not get an Epi. The shots gave me 10 to 15 mins to regain control and I would do it again if I felt like I needed 10 minutes to "catch my breath". I had back labor, and it was fierce, and I begged them to knock me out and cut her out but I would totally do it the same way again. I will use my same OB at OU because even after my water broke he allowed me to be on my feet, in the tub, walking the room and he allowed me to deliver in a position that was comfortable to me. I sing high praises for this man to everyone I know. I would also LOVE to have my same nurse for labor, that girl helped in more ways than anyone could ever know. No doula for me, I really wanted one this time but after my experience without one I will stick with it.
I probably wouldn't do yoga and I did without the massage because I was terrified of them and probably will be next time as well. I thought about the placenta encapsulation but decided against it this time... Next time could be different.
Just DH and myself in the room during birth. Again after we hold her/him my mom would be next in line followed by MIL and then my sister, then each of our fathers respectively... Yes, I did this with B's birth and everyone knew how I wanted it and they all respected it.
I would change three things:
I will stay a second day in the hospital, we went home at 24 hours this time.
My mom could spend the first night at home with me, I had a HUGE breakdown when my parents left for the night that first night.
My mom could spend more time in the following weeks with me (she was sick when I had
.
Oh and I will breastfeed once again too and I will also plan on cloth diapers although I will have a much larger stash of itty bitty all-in-ones next time!
I would like to do yoga or something of the sort. I'm not sure about massages. I don't want to spend too much money on them but if I felt the need, I probably would.
I've never thought about any other way then getting an OB at a hospital. When the time comes, we may look into other options though.
I prefer a vaginal birth and plan to go through labor with no interventions. That is, unless something happens and I need a c-section.
H will take off for a few weeks. If we have any issues, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind helping out for a few days. I am very independent and don't like asking for help. In my stubborn ways, I probably won't ask for help from my mom or friends unless I absolutely need it.
I had never heard of placenta encapsulation until now. I will probably skip that.