Great birth story: prodromal labor, active labor halting, natural waterbirth at home. A little bit of everything!
http://mamabirth.blogspot.com/2012/04/week-of-labor-and-totally-intervention.html
I find this encouraging that other women labor this way, and that all those contractions help, even though they may drive mama to the end of her rope. A challenging way to labor, but with pluses as well. Kudos to this mom for outlasting the ups and downs of prodromal labor!
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Friday, April 13, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
My Sis, the Prodromal Laborer
My li'l sis, Deborah, just wrote a post on prodromal labor. Last April, she gave birth to her third baby via this labor pattern. I would love to link to or post the birth story when she makes it available (but I understand how it is--I still haven't published Ian's birth story from 19 months ago), but for now, this will have to suffice:
http://belladolcebirths.blogspot.com/2012/01/prodromal-labor-what-is-it.html
Deborah and I are of the same mind when it comes to discussing prodromal labor: that all-too-often, trying to fit what it is (or can be) into a chart or concise definition becomes too restrictive and not all that helpful. This is the biggest reason that, for all my wanting to educate about the fact that such a labor pattern does exist, this blog has yet to truly "define" it in terms that many birthy sites have--I find those definitions leave one thinking too much in-the-box, which we tend to do anyway when it comes to what is "normal" in birth. (Not to mention that my own experiences with this pattern often oppose what is detailed in the charts.)
Unfortunately, I have found that the people who are most close-minded in relation to the prodromal labor pattern are birth workers (be it doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, or birth educators) and women who have given birth before. In fact, in some cases, women who have several (even many) children tend to be the most dismissive about the possibility of prodromal labor, sometimes considering a woman's own experience with it suspect (as in, what could be wrong with your perception to make you think this can happen?). It is as if whatever was their own experience is all that can possibly be out there.
The most open-minded people I've encountered on this subject are (not surprisingly) women who have experienced the pattern themselves and women who have never before given birth. I've even seen people go from open-minded about the possibility before birth to completely narrow-minded after experiencing a more textbook birth. (It is on the close-minded people that I sometimes wish prodromal labor, I admit.) When it does occur, it can be very vindicating. :)
http://belladolcebirths.blogspot.com/2012/01/prodromal-labor-what-is-it.html
Deborah and I are of the same mind when it comes to discussing prodromal labor: that all-too-often, trying to fit what it is (or can be) into a chart or concise definition becomes too restrictive and not all that helpful. This is the biggest reason that, for all my wanting to educate about the fact that such a labor pattern does exist, this blog has yet to truly "define" it in terms that many birthy sites have--I find those definitions leave one thinking too much in-the-box, which we tend to do anyway when it comes to what is "normal" in birth. (Not to mention that my own experiences with this pattern often oppose what is detailed in the charts.)
Unfortunately, I have found that the people who are most close-minded in relation to the prodromal labor pattern are birth workers (be it doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, or birth educators) and women who have given birth before. In fact, in some cases, women who have several (even many) children tend to be the most dismissive about the possibility of prodromal labor, sometimes considering a woman's own experience with it suspect (as in, what could be wrong with your perception to make you think this can happen?). It is as if whatever was their own experience is all that can possibly be out there.
The most open-minded people I've encountered on this subject are (not surprisingly) women who have experienced the pattern themselves and women who have never before given birth. I've even seen people go from open-minded about the possibility before birth to completely narrow-minded after experiencing a more textbook birth. (It is on the close-minded people that I sometimes wish prodromal labor, I admit.) When it does occur, it can be very vindicating. :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Go Read this Great Article!
Feb 5, 2012--edited to remove all mention of and links to the birth organization I cannot in good conscience support in any way, including the very mention of their name. This organization has failed to make good on many promises, many of which are financial, and has behaved appaulingly unprofessionally in many ways.
As I have announced somewhat here on this blog and more officially to clients and friends, I am now a (link removed from post so as not to drive traffic to their scam of a site) Educator.
Recently, I started my first (edited) class. I have a student couple who has made the decision to birth at home with their first baby. A rarity, but a wise choice. One I wish I had had the smarts to make with my firstborn. (Not that I regret my decision of hospital birth--I just did not know enough to choose and be comfortable with home birth back then.)
If home birth is not initially scoffed at and completely thrown aside, the scenario all-too-often goes like this: a mom-to-be states, "I'm not entirely comfortable with home birth. I'll have this baby in the hospital, and if all goes well, we can consider out-of-hospital birth in the future;" little knowing that the choice of hospital birth will often lead her to the conclusion that she or her baby would have been in trouble at least, and would have died at worst--had she not given birth in said hospital.
Indeed, it is this faulty premise that feeds the illusion of the need to birth in a hospital in order to have a safe birth. Mom encounters problems in labor and birth while in hospital, and incorrectly assumes that had she been at home, she would have experienced these same complications. Ask any birth junky: the common quip from women after such an experience is: ". . . And thank GOD we were in the hospital, or . . . (insert dangerous and/or life-threatening scenario here). . . would have happened, and . . . (insert individual's name and horrific outcome here)!" The faulty logic is that birth = danger, while in fact, very often it is birthing in the hospital that causes the problems encountered in birth: the iatrogenic complications (that is, problems arising as a result of medical intervention, not the actual birthing process). Yes, hospitals are good for some births, and yes, major abdominal surgery is life-saving in some instances, but this does not mean that the hospital is the safest place to birth for most women.
If you are reading this and it makes sense, I am preaching to the choir. For any readers who wonder, "Where is she getting these crazy correlations?!", I would truly love to spend a few hours on this post and give all the statistical data to back up what I've said in the above paragraphs, but alas, I have four young children, a teething and needy seven-month-old asleep on my chest as I type, and I need to start dinner, finish laundry, and otherwise continue cleaning and preparing for my next class. So I regret to say that the above statements will have to suffice as a teaser and a challenge for anyone not convinced of the normalcy of birth.
Since having joined (name withheld) Birth, I have regained an excitement about teaching the essentials of a safe and satisfying birth. I have also absolutely enjoyed the never-before-experienced sense of community with my sisters in birth: fellow birth educators, doulas and midwives (to name a few) within the (name withheld) Birth community. This great bunch of birth workers have challenged me, encouraged me and constantly bring new and interesting information my way. I am LOVING my affiliation with (name withheld) Birth! (Incidentally, what I loved--and still do--was the community, which is still alive and well after a mass exodus of most of the educators who had originally joined the org. The business, as it stands, is a blight to the birthing community.)
Today, one of my colleagues posted an older article by Mothering Magazine entitled: "You Want to Give Birth Where?", stating that the couple had been clients of hers and students of one of our fellow Brio educators (while she was under a previous certification). This article is a good read: one that chronicles how an intelligent, mainstream couple came to the oft-assumed "brave" and "out-there" decision to birth at home. (Interesting note: the dad/baby pictured with the article is not the dad/baby of the article: my colleague states that he and his wife were much more mainstream. I mention this as an aside to encourage you to read the actual article and put aside any conclusions drawn upon seeing the picture.) Enjoy the read!
As I have announced somewhat here on this blog and more officially to clients and friends, I am now a (link removed from post so as not to drive traffic to their scam of a site) Educator.
Recently, I started my first (edited) class. I have a student couple who has made the decision to birth at home with their first baby. A rarity, but a wise choice. One I wish I had had the smarts to make with my firstborn. (Not that I regret my decision of hospital birth--I just did not know enough to choose and be comfortable with home birth back then.)
If home birth is not initially scoffed at and completely thrown aside, the scenario all-too-often goes like this: a mom-to-be states, "I'm not entirely comfortable with home birth. I'll have this baby in the hospital, and if all goes well, we can consider out-of-hospital birth in the future;" little knowing that the choice of hospital birth will often lead her to the conclusion that she or her baby would have been in trouble at least, and would have died at worst--had she not given birth in said hospital.
Indeed, it is this faulty premise that feeds the illusion of the need to birth in a hospital in order to have a safe birth. Mom encounters problems in labor and birth while in hospital, and incorrectly assumes that had she been at home, she would have experienced these same complications. Ask any birth junky: the common quip from women after such an experience is: ". . . And thank GOD we were in the hospital, or . . . (insert dangerous and/or life-threatening scenario here). . . would have happened, and . . . (insert individual's name and horrific outcome here)!" The faulty logic is that birth = danger, while in fact, very often it is birthing in the hospital that causes the problems encountered in birth: the iatrogenic complications (that is, problems arising as a result of medical intervention, not the actual birthing process). Yes, hospitals are good for some births, and yes, major abdominal surgery is life-saving in some instances, but this does not mean that the hospital is the safest place to birth for most women.
If you are reading this and it makes sense, I am preaching to the choir. For any readers who wonder, "Where is she getting these crazy correlations?!", I would truly love to spend a few hours on this post and give all the statistical data to back up what I've said in the above paragraphs, but alas, I have four young children, a teething and needy seven-month-old asleep on my chest as I type, and I need to start dinner, finish laundry, and otherwise continue cleaning and preparing for my next class. So I regret to say that the above statements will have to suffice as a teaser and a challenge for anyone not convinced of the normalcy of birth.
Since having joined (name withheld) Birth, I have regained an excitement about teaching the essentials of a safe and satisfying birth. I have also absolutely enjoyed the never-before-experienced sense of community with my sisters in birth: fellow birth educators, doulas and midwives (to name a few) within the (name withheld) Birth community. This great bunch of birth workers have challenged me, encouraged me and constantly bring new and interesting information my way. I am LOVING my affiliation with (name withheld) Birth! (Incidentally, what I loved--and still do--was the community, which is still alive and well after a mass exodus of most of the educators who had originally joined the org. The business, as it stands, is a blight to the birthing community.)
Today, one of my colleagues posted an older article by Mothering Magazine entitled: "You Want to Give Birth Where?", stating that the couple had been clients of hers and students of one of our fellow Brio educators (while she was under a previous certification). This article is a good read: one that chronicles how an intelligent, mainstream couple came to the oft-assumed "brave" and "out-there" decision to birth at home. (Interesting note: the dad/baby pictured with the article is not the dad/baby of the article: my colleague states that he and his wife were much more mainstream. I mention this as an aside to encourage you to read the actual article and put aside any conclusions drawn upon seeing the picture.) Enjoy the read!
Monday, January 17, 2011
More Great Descriptions of Prodromal Labor
So, this is a couple months late, but I recently stumbled upon a blog description of prodromal labor that I thought was thorough and informative. Go check out Frazzalicious Mommy and her post of late October: Red Light, Green Light. . . A Tale of Prodromal Labor.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
If I Were Truly "On" Face Book, I'd "Like" This
Sarah, from here, said this:
(Contented sigh as I revel in reading the thoughts of others that validate my own. Someone else said it. I can't be that crazy. :)
Many people are vaguely aware that "too many cesareans are being done," but they are unaware of the cause-and-effect that lead to preventable cesareans and other interventions. I know this because almost every woman who has had a cesarean, thinks that *her* cesarean was necessary/life-saving/not preventable. Statistically, over half a million preventable cesareans are performed annually in the US, so SOMEBODY'S cesarean was preventable.
(Contented sigh as I revel in reading the thoughts of others that validate my own. Someone else said it. I can't be that crazy. :)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Want to Read Another Prodromal Experience from the Laboring Woman's Perspective?
Lynsie linked to this blog as she was (possibly is still?) in the middle of a prodromal pattern of labor a couple weeks ago. I like to divide prodromal labor into two categories--one that takes breaks (and can last weeks--perhaps 5-6 hours or a whole day/night, then not picking up like that again for another day or two), and the other that continues uninterrupted until baby is born (and lasts a couple days or more). It appears that what she experienced is the first pattern--and my favorite, personally!
In her post, she mentions that she's found it a comfort to read my experiences w/this type of labor, and that is exactly why I started this blog. There are too many women who come out of this pattern with no validation for what they've experienced, and from my perspective, it can create a very lonely--even crazy feeling. (More on feeling crazy later--have I got a story for you! I can hardly wait to tell it!)
So, if you are a woman who has stumbled upon this blog because you, too, are experiencing something that you cannot find in printed material or haven't had satisfactory answers from your provider, doula or childbirth educator (there are many who are either not aware it exists or have misconceptions about it), you may find comfort in hopping over to Lynsie's post, Diary of a Laboring Woman. She gives some good detail--helpful for those of us who search for things based on "sypmtoms." You may find her experience to be for you what mine was for her--comforting.
Go check it out. I do hope she posts about how it went!
In her post, she mentions that she's found it a comfort to read my experiences w/this type of labor, and that is exactly why I started this blog. There are too many women who come out of this pattern with no validation for what they've experienced, and from my perspective, it can create a very lonely--even crazy feeling. (More on feeling crazy later--have I got a story for you! I can hardly wait to tell it!)
So, if you are a woman who has stumbled upon this blog because you, too, are experiencing something that you cannot find in printed material or haven't had satisfactory answers from your provider, doula or childbirth educator (there are many who are either not aware it exists or have misconceptions about it), you may find comfort in hopping over to Lynsie's post, Diary of a Laboring Woman. She gives some good detail--helpful for those of us who search for things based on "sypmtoms." You may find her experience to be for you what mine was for her--comforting.
Go check it out. I do hope she posts about how it went!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Trouble with Two Blogs
I've posted a little about what I've been up to lately over here. Some of the stuff, though it is regarding birth, is also about my own personal thoughts and I didn't exactly know on which blog to put it. My most recent post has to do with breastfeeding, among other things.
If you're wondering why there's a lack of postage here on FrogBlog, this will give you an idea (scroll past the pictures to read the birth-related info.). Oh, and by the way, it isn't a pregnancy announcement. I should be a little more careful about how I word things.
As I typed this post, it became more and more clear that the remainder of it belonged on my other blog. So here's yet another link if you're interested in how my Bradley certification is going.
Apparently, my life does not so neatly dissect as I would like to think it does.
If you're wondering why there's a lack of postage here on FrogBlog, this will give you an idea (scroll past the pictures to read the birth-related info.). Oh, and by the way, it isn't a pregnancy announcement. I should be a little more careful about how I word things.
As I typed this post, it became more and more clear that the remainder of it belonged on my other blog. So here's yet another link if you're interested in how my Bradley certification is going.
Apparently, my life does not so neatly dissect as I would like to think it does.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
More Links for Birth Junkies
I have recently been following a few birthy blogs that I have found very informative and thought-provoking. These blogs are by women who think, and it is very evident in the well-defended positions they take.
Spouting off opinions may be good enough for some, but for me, I appreciate ones who will take the time to gather the research that defends their view, which in turn causes me to lean toward that view myself. Being a cynical and critical person by nature, it is very important to me to be able to see the logic behind the opinion.
It is not wise to blindly believe something just because someone important has said it, and I appreciate that these women (two midwives and an L&D nurse) for the most part keep from spouting opinions alone. (I will say, however, that I do not agree with every position they take. But so far, I do respect the way they take them.)
So, for any person who is gung-ho about researching birth and the things that go along with it, I encourage you to visit these blogs:
Jan Tritten's Blog
Jan's last post includes this great tidbit that I believe is packed with wisdom and meaning. Speaking of encouraging expectant parents to be educated and informed, she advises midwives and doulas to be aware of "the pitfalls of the mindless use of technology." The fact is that most expectant parents just go right along with routine tests and treatments without batting an eye or asking any questions as to the relevance of particular procedures in their own unique situations.
Personally, this ignorance is what has made me (at least at this point) not consider midwifery as something I would like to pursue. There are so many people who do not consider themselves the primarily responsible party for their own health and well-being, and I think this has to be one of the most frustrating things about being a medical caregiver of any kind, let alone birth-related. I don't know how doctors, nurses or midwives deal with this kind of person (based on my conversations with friends who are in the medical field, I don't think I'd be exaggerating to assume these people make up the majority of medical patients). For me, I would find it too frustrating to deal with on a constant basis, with only now and then a person who is informed, asks good questions and wants to be involved in their own care decisions.
Gloria Lemay's Blog
I have especially appreciated Gloria's information, because she is very thorough, giving citations (I find this very important if you are making a claim!) and sources.
Along the same lines of thoroughness is Nursing Birth. I love that as an L&D nurse, she's right there in the middle of everything and can attest to what routinely (and unnecessarily) goes into a hospital birth. And it is very inspiring when, in that hospital, she can help an informed couple achieve a satisfying, no-frills birth!
Spouting off opinions may be good enough for some, but for me, I appreciate ones who will take the time to gather the research that defends their view, which in turn causes me to lean toward that view myself. Being a cynical and critical person by nature, it is very important to me to be able to see the logic behind the opinion.
It is not wise to blindly believe something just because someone important has said it, and I appreciate that these women (two midwives and an L&D nurse) for the most part keep from spouting opinions alone. (I will say, however, that I do not agree with every position they take. But so far, I do respect the way they take them.)
So, for any person who is gung-ho about researching birth and the things that go along with it, I encourage you to visit these blogs:
Jan Tritten's Blog
Jan's last post includes this great tidbit that I believe is packed with wisdom and meaning. Speaking of encouraging expectant parents to be educated and informed, she advises midwives and doulas to be aware of "the pitfalls of the mindless use of technology." The fact is that most expectant parents just go right along with routine tests and treatments without batting an eye or asking any questions as to the relevance of particular procedures in their own unique situations.
Personally, this ignorance is what has made me (at least at this point) not consider midwifery as something I would like to pursue. There are so many people who do not consider themselves the primarily responsible party for their own health and well-being, and I think this has to be one of the most frustrating things about being a medical caregiver of any kind, let alone birth-related. I don't know how doctors, nurses or midwives deal with this kind of person (based on my conversations with friends who are in the medical field, I don't think I'd be exaggerating to assume these people make up the majority of medical patients). For me, I would find it too frustrating to deal with on a constant basis, with only now and then a person who is informed, asks good questions and wants to be involved in their own care decisions.
Gloria Lemay's Blog
I have especially appreciated Gloria's information, because she is very thorough, giving citations (I find this very important if you are making a claim!) and sources.
Along the same lines of thoroughness is Nursing Birth. I love that as an L&D nurse, she's right there in the middle of everything and can attest to what routinely (and unnecessarily) goes into a hospital birth. And it is very inspiring when, in that hospital, she can help an informed couple achieve a satisfying, no-frills birth!
Monday, October 6, 2008
VBAC Link
I was just reading my Bradley teacher's new blog. She's recently posted about VBACs and the things that surround them (previous c-sections, among other things!) I thought she did a very good job with this topic. It reminds me of the fire-hydrant of information we got in her classes. (As in: I could easily learn a ton of "new" stuff by taking the exact class I took 4 years ago; there was that much information.)
I love her blog title: Banned from Baby Showers. Though I haven't banned myself from baby showers yet, I can totally relate because I feel so strongly about educating yourself before you do the (likely) hardest work you will ever do in your life. Far too may people waltz in completely unprepared and without an inkling as to what risks they and their babies will face because they are uneducated on this topic. (They sometimes label themselves "happily ignorant," and in one sense, I hope they remain so, because the way you get an education-in-a-hurry about just how risky the things are that you're consenting to have done to you can also be the way you become not-so-happy when those risks become reality.) Even though the post is about VBACs, it touches on some more-common topics within childbirth, such as induction, epidurals and the like.
If you read it and like or don't like it, let's discuss!
I love her blog title: Banned from Baby Showers. Though I haven't banned myself from baby showers yet, I can totally relate because I feel so strongly about educating yourself before you do the (likely) hardest work you will ever do in your life. Far too may people waltz in completely unprepared and without an inkling as to what risks they and their babies will face because they are uneducated on this topic. (They sometimes label themselves "happily ignorant," and in one sense, I hope they remain so, because the way you get an education-in-a-hurry about just how risky the things are that you're consenting to have done to you can also be the way you become not-so-happy when those risks become reality.) Even though the post is about VBACs, it touches on some more-common topics within childbirth, such as induction, epidurals and the like.
If you read it and like or don't like it, let's discuss!
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