Away I go! And Solo! Advice requested!

[scthgharpy]

Hey all,

Some school news means that the time is now to start making babies! Ive waited for years til I had the right combination of job/housing/insurance, and frankly, I cant wait anymore. Im 36! They say youre never really "READY" so, I guess Im as ready as Ill ever be. So away we go!

Thing is, Ive got a long term contract assignment with no health insurance. Im gonna have to go the au naturel way, kiddie pool in the living room style, mainly from a standpoint of cost, but but honestly, from what reading Ive done Its probably a better experience for many other reasons. Ive got Kaiser emergency room like 3 blocks away if anything goes freaky, and Im gonna have good midwives with me and well-educated freinds for support. Besides, women have been having babies for a few years-I think my body knows what to do!!! This means Im gonna have to educate myself as much as possible.

That being said, Im asking you folks for advice! Im didnt lose as much as I wanted to before getting knocked up, and if I could continue to be LC and lose (apx 50 g/day, monitoring with strips) that would be the bomb. My big plan is to throw in some sugar-free yogurt and fruit and more veggies to round it out, maybe the occasional whole grain oatmeal. Whattya say? Good plan?

I know I need the prenatal vitamins for the folic acid, and already take pretty typical supps-omega 3s, calcium, B-complex 5-htp for that serontonin boost. I eat a lot of cheeses, lean roasted type meats, zukes, cukes, cauliflower, spinach and salad greens. Think I will be getting everything I need?

Yes, Ill be walking, and probably finally take up yoga. Maybe throw in a few light weights to keep the metabolism moving.

As for continuing weight loss, I guess I figure if Ive basically got a calorie parasite in me, and eat according to my hunger, Ill probably naturally lose, right?

I think if I listen to my body, it will tell me how Im doing, overall. Feedback and advice is most welcome!!

[Josiemk]

Hi, I'm 36 too, this is my first time being pregant. I'm pretty much doing low carb with occasional crackers, I'm not trying to lose weight just to keep from gaining to much weight. I'm 10 weeks along & so far I've gained 10 pounds.

Your lucky to be so close to the emegency room. I live in a small town the closest ememgency room is 30 minutes away. The hospital that I'll be having my baby is about 45 minutes from here. So I'm hopping everything goes well. And I don't deliver on the way.

The best time to conceive is in the middle of your cycle. You can get those ovulation kits too. Good luck.

[DollGirl]

Congrats! I am going au naturale myself with my first. My mother is a midwife (CPM) and has delivered my sisters' babies. I haven't experienced it myself, but here is what I have learned from being present at several births so far (advice I will be repeating to myself over and over): Birth is Hard. It is really hard. It will be the hardest thing we've done in our entire lives but the excruciating joy and true feelings of empowerment afterwards that I have witnessed are truly amazing. I want that. I want to run the marathon and win it. Surround yourself with supportive and loving people and NO NAYSAYERS. I cannot emphasize that enough. My best friend's natural birth tanked in no small part due to family members who undermined her decision while she was deep in labor (and a nasty domineering backup doctor, but I digress...).
It will be an amazing adventure!

[DollGirl]

As for the diet, I am a terrible example - went off the wagon after I got married last July and gained 15 lbs BEFORE getting pregnant. SIGH. (My photo icon is not too current.)
Since I found out I've been eating way too much junk. I want to get it together and feed my baby right and not gain 50 pounds!

[Meg_S]

oh yay! This is always so nice to hear. I had my 3 month old - first baby - in the bedroom with my husband (whilst the midwives were in the living room) and am soooooo glad I did. This might sound weird to a lot of women, but I'd rather have 5 births that way I had Björn than go through another pregnancy.

Consider eating paleo style.. both J-bird and I tried this, although we did succumb to a lot of junk food and cravings, and we believe it contributed to our relatively easy births. Hers was 1 1/2 hours 2nd child, mine was 2 1/2 hours first baby - both of them without any pain killers or peopl with us besides our husbands. I'd highly reccomend soaking your oatmeal, fill a glass jar with oats and the rest with water, add 2 tbs of either lemon juice, whey or vinegar (I like vinegar) and soak it 24 hours.. you can store it on the counter for quite some time this way. When your'e ready to eat it just warm it up, it's already cooked and the "badness" of the grains has mostly been neutralized. Check out the www.westonaprice.org website for great nutritional info for pregnant women, as well as the nourishing traditions cookbook. I'm a big believer in food.

I have a bunch of sites etc. if you're interested.. I beefed up on the solo birth info before the birth because I wanted to be in control as much as possible and to feel comfortable about letting my body do it's thing. And I was, and it did.. I actually didn't really consciously choose to do anything, it just told me what it wanted and I followed, never pushed once etc.
And if you want to chat let me know! I love talking birth stuff.

Meg

[scthgharpy]

WOW, thats freaking incredible! Ive never heard of such short labor sessions! Im so glad to hear about all these more "modern" (ancient??) birthing techniques, at home, birthing centers, vertical birthing chairs, tubs, hypnosis, etc. I sincerely believe my bod knows what it needs, and listening to it is the best plan. With Professional monitoring, that is. If I can get it.

I Watched my very obese girlfreind have her #2, and as soon as the contractions started she was like, AHHH!! SEDATE ME!!!! 17 excruciating hrs later, he finally made his appearance. I liked how they waited til the sedation and epidural BEFORE having her sign the insurance forms. buwahaha! SIGN THIS! SHe had a marvelous doula who gave me a primer on childbirth while she slept, and WOW, yah, there is a lot to learn, but I am definately converted from the drs mindset that pregnancy is not somethingto be FIXED as soon as possible.... Im Irish, for gods sake, we breed lilke rats! My fertile cycle, now that Im tracking it, is EXPANSIVE! I ovulate like 5 days after end of period! Im overweight, but always been strong and well muscled. Im *built* for making and birthing babies. I think it knows more of what it needs than some MALE DOCTOR with malpractice suits on his mind. I initially said hey-women used to DIE in childbirht, but I now believe that nutrition and prenatal care and basic health and safety movements contribute to less deaths and problems than the anesthetises bed/stirrups birth. I dont want to go feeling cocky, but... I think this is a more natural process than not.

That being said, I really have to get a quick medical education!! Especially in how I can stay as low carb as possible, yet still make a normal baby. Please, send on those websites, Id love to look into my options. I see there are short term 'insurance' plans to take the bite out of maternity costs; since I expect to be still a contractor during this whole process, any ideas you have are welcome!

Dollgirl, you look just like my sister in law, a pretty redhead who would never have kids! Well, maybe. you go girl! Stick to your guns!

So, am I on track? Except for the corndog I HAD to have with lunch..

[DollGirl]

Meg, you are so lucky! My 2 sisters never had a labor under 24 hours! (And that's 5 kids total now). My other sister and I (there are 4 of us girls) have just resigned ourselves to it. :)

[DollGirl]

SCTH (that doesn't make an easy nickname! ;),
You're so right - we are built for this. Women used to die mainly of sepsis and obstructed labor - not anymore. If you NEED a doctor, a doctor will save your life. A C-section can save both of your lives, but there is no way that nearly one-third of all babies born in America today need to be surgically removed from their mothers. New rates came out recently - 29.1%. That's insane. OB's think a C-section is no big deal - and I guess it's not to them 'cause usually everything's fine and no one gets sued. Meanwhile, you have been cut open - usually for no compelling reason (or a crap reason like "the cord was wrapped." Oh, come on, midwives deliver babies with wrapped cords all the time) - and that changes your entire reproductive future.

After going through this with my best friend and watching her get cut for an emergency that THEY CREATED by pushing her into interventions - I will not set foot in a hospital unless I have no choice. They pressure you until you give in, then if the baby tanks as a result of a violent unnatural labor, hey, no problem, open her up and take it out!

ARGH, sorry, I will soapbox HARD on this topic!

[DollGirl]

Ok, one more post, since I'm not by nature a confrontational person, and I don't want anyone reading this to be offended!
I don't mean to criticize anyone who's having a medicated birth. That's the beauty of living today - we have a choice and I firmly believe in all parents doing what they feel is best for themselves and their babies.
The issue I have is with the actions of some doctors and hospital policies and treating birth as an assembly-line business.

[Carnivress]

They say youre never really "READY" so, I guess Im as ready as Ill ever be. So away we go!

I’m kinda in the same boat. I never thought I would be healthy enough to attempt pregnancy, but thanks to low-carb, that’s changed. Still, I am not at my goal weight. I don’t know if I’m interested in losing while pregnancy, although the Schwarzbein Principle I and one of the Somersize books (I think her 2nd) feature women who did lose while pregnant. None of those programs are ketogenic diets. Still, you might want to check them out.

Compared to what I used to weigh, I feel so svelte! :lol: Still, I am still slightly overweight for my height. Because of that, I have heard that a 15-20 lbs weight gain is adequate for me. The pounds in the last year have been creeping off and I’ve been at this weight since the summer. But, like you, I’m almost 37 and if I want to have a family, I gotta’ do it now. (Hubby and I would like at least two. My mother knows a woman who started her family at 36 and had 4 children naturally by the time she was 42. So it is possible.) I’m hoping to stay with a 15 lbs weight gain because I am still carrying a bit more weight than I should. But, if I stay the same weight or if I lose weight—providing the baby is healthy--then great!!!

[scthgharpy]

c-vress, Yep, Im 36 and no wheres near my goal weight, but certainly better than I WAS, and thats defiantely a start. Im sure you will do just fab. I will check them out, I figure if I monitor really closely, and listen to what my bod tells me, Ill do ok. Like now, Im stressing over wanting to incorporate an ounce or so of dark chocolate into my diet a day to battle these dark DARK moods. Im thinking the few grams of carbs it means is worth the positive benefits.

Doll, I usually go by scathingharpy. doesnt roll off the tongue, but if you read some of my posts, you will undrstand it... :)
I keep reading about these 2-4 hour births, and they are just as frequent as the 3 day natural births, some which require getting hauled off to the emergency room at the end. How bad does THAT have to suck!?!??! . I dont think there is any way to predict which one youre gonna have !!! Im gonna trust in nature-but verify! Thank god for the internet, there is a wealth of information here that I know my mother and grandmother never had access to! Yet another reaso nwhy natural home births are ok-the mom is better educated and more familiar with whats happening with her and the babeage.

[Hilary M]

Just one more thing to add...my OB/GYN instructed me to take the prenatal vitamins and NO OTHER SUPPLEMENTS WITHOUT HER CONSENT while I was pregnant. So during your pregnancy, you might wanna forgo all the other supplements you are taking. Just a thought. :) Best of luck to you. I had my first baby one year ago...but I went the hospital-epidural route and loved every minute of it. :D

[scthgharpy]

loved every minute of it. :D

WOW, its hard to imagine that phrase used in conjunction with childbirth. Youre one tough cookie!

Interesting about the supps, tho, cuz every website I read tells me to keep them up. I wonder what her reasoning is. im cutting out the 5-htp at thge insistence of several sites, even though that doesnt make sense to me-should I stop eating TURKEY, too? SO basically, Im getting a little cod liver oil, ( I NEVER eat fish) a little calcium, (milk and I dont get along for a variety of reasons) and a little b complex in addition to the prenatal, which doenst offer whole daily amounts of these things.

And the chocolate. DEFINATELY budgeting the chocolate.

I just heard that I may be able to get a short term policy with kaiser for the pregnancy, for little $$$/mo. that will certainly help! Any suggestions??

[5kiddos]

I just wanted to comment on the Natural Childbirth thing.

I have had 5 children 5 different births. (all in hospital...would have liked to be home but wasn't brave enough after ds#1 was a c/s)

I had a scheduled c/s with ds#1 ...he was breech and with an anterior placenta they weren't comfortable putting pressure on the placenta to turn him.

ds#2 - VBAC (vaginal after c/s) with stadol (not worth it)

ds#3 - totally natural. This was the MOST fulfilling birth I have had! Hard but worth it! EMPOWERING!

ds#4 - induced and then epidural (hospitals and drs. don't like VBAC's anymore so I HAD to have the epidural)

dd#1 (5th child) - supposed to be scheduled c/s but wasn't since water broke the day before. She was a c/s by my choice. (my gut was telling me that I shouldn't try a VBAC again...don't know why...just was) I am a TOTAL supporter of VBAC! The hardest part of the decision was that I would NEVER have another vaginal birth again. Took a lot of soul searching.

Now I am ttc #6. I know this one will be another c/s. I couldn't get maternity ins. that would cover the c/s since my previous birth was c/s (dh is self employed so we cover our own ins.) It is kinda frustrating but I guess we do what we have to. I personally don't think I WANT a home birth now since I would have the other kids wanting attention while in labor. KWIM?

Ok.this turned into a book. LOL. I guess I just wanted to say that I would avoid a c/s a much as possible but also be in tune with your gut feeling. Also, prepare yourself mentally for a drug free birth. I couldn't have done it without a lot of mental power.

Janel