A more natural cesarean delivery

As I approach my second cesarean delivery I've been thinking about what tweaks can be made to soften the surgical experience.

Ideas for the Best Cesarean Delivery
Prepared by Penny Simkin, author of The Birth Partner, recommended to me by a doula friend.


Here are some more links about "natural cesarean" deliveries:

The natural caesarean: a woman-centred technique

The new "natural" Caesarean

The main ideas about this type of modification of the delivery experience have come from Great Britain.


So far I've talked to my OB about having my sister doula my surgery again, abstaining from the antibiotic eye gel and about the possibility of them putting the baby on my chest right after delivery.

I'm 19 weeks along as of today and things are still going well with
the baby and me. I'm still just a bit more tired, and then of course
feeling less agile and a bit more achey as well.

I have been able to feel the baby moving for a few weeks now and this little one is very active with strong kicks and wiggles already. Makes me a bit fearful that we are going to have a very active baby on our hands, but only time will tell. My mother reminded me that I was so active in utero that I tore her diaphram. I'm only average in terms of energy output, even as a kid.

I've no inclination of whether it is a boy or a girl. My partner says girl. Jonah says boy. I've scheduled my big ultrasound for next Tuesday afternoon, March 30th, in the afternoon. I'll post an update with a photo when we find out.

Jonah likes to poke at my belly and then says "baby is wondering who
is doing that". He is starting to catch onto the idea of age and time and asks me all of the time if he will still be three when the baby comes. I talk to him about the baby a lot, to try to help prepare him for his new sibling and how things will change. Some friends have offered to lend sibling books with me as well. I know it is going to be a life-changing experience for Jonah -- and for us all.

Hi all, I just got done with my OB appt and the u/s shows a perfect little bean in there. Baby is measuring spot-on per how far along I am. Due date is 8/17 give or take. We saw the little heart beating and baby even moved a teeny bit. My partner and I were so tense and stressed out until the u/s. They even screwed up my appt. but were able to fit us in. I felt like crying the entire time, and even still. Oh my goodness, we are going to have a baby!

Blech. This nausea is getting to me. I just feel like something is imminent, but doesn't quite happen. I threw up two nights ago, while trying to clean up the cat vomit from the rug. Nice. Then yesterday morning, in spite of already having eaten once, I threw up a little again. Hardly anything either time but unpleasant either way.

As it is Christmas Eve I figured I better try to get the bull by the horns before the stores are closed tomorrow, and the weekend. I stopped by the drugstore and picked up some Sea Bands which I'm wearing now -- so very stylish. They seem to be helping a little bit already, which is promising. I think I better knit some wrist warmers though so I don't have to show them off at work. Obviously we aren't planning on telling folks at work for a while.

I'm so tired all the time, not miserable, but enough that I really need a nap. So of course my not yet 3-year-old has been pushing back on having naps this week with, "I don't wanna haf mnap." Brilliant. And I'm on my own with him which makes it a little more challenging.

Anyway, the nausea can be thought of as a good sign. The pregnancy hormones are increasing at least. I'm 6 weeks 3 days today and less than two weeks until my OB appointment.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas if you celebrate. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the long weekend holiday.

Never fear, morning sickness is here.

I'm 6 weeks, 2 days pregnant today and I'm feeling icky this morning. Like I'm hungry and nauseous at the same time. I missed taking my b-complex last night, as I took it yesterday morning to make up for missing it the night before. Surely that isn't enough to get this blech feeling started.

I'm also feeling flushed which is also uncomfortable and I'm definately more bloated than I was a week ago. While I've been fitting into my pants fine, I don't know how much longer I will be able to fit into the more fitted pairs.

I don't feel like my fibroid is growing as much as it was last pregnancy, which would be a blessing. It measured 2.7cm x 4cm when checked by my RE in October. It was up around 9x7cm at its peak during my pregnancy with J.

My breasts and nipples are more sore, but on the whole nursing isn't that much more uncomfortable than it can be during the luteal phase. J has said he has enough ba-ba, though he seems to be eating more solids and nursing more frequently, which might be related to a supply dip.

I was supposed to travel to the East Coast for a week for Christmas and I decided to cancel the trip. Hauling myself and my almost 3yo to the airport on top of 10 hours travel, while on a restricted diet (no deli meats, nuts, dairy products) and anticipating nausea, as well as food aversions and exhaustion -- it just seemed like too much. I had planned the trip back in October long before I was pregnant.

Man, I feel like vomiting right now. I think I'll go have some toast. Blah.

Anyway, I bought tickets for my parents to come out for New Years weekend in place of my going there and that seems to have ameliorated the situation.

Just about 12 days until my first ultrasound. I can't wait to get a peek.