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Yearly Archives: 2014

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Articles, Reviews

What’s your baby bible?

Posted on November 1, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 0

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How much do you know about babies or did you know before you had your first? Some people are lucky to be au fait with baby care if they have older siblings with children, but myself and my husband were completely clueless.  When we were giving our daughter her first bath, we had to read the instructions step-by-step as we went along. It had taken me a good half hour to deal with the first meconium poo and probably the rest of the hour to get a vest and babygro on her.

So for those of you who haven’t a breeze, The Baby Book by Sears and Sears should get you up to speed.

This book is definitely on the crunchy side – Dr. Bill and nurse Martha Sears are attachment parenting advocates, and parents to eight children. But you don’t have to be planning to breastfeed, babywear and bed share with your baby in order to find this book practical. It’s a book that a lot of GentleBirth parents will relate to, as the book talks about having a safe and satisfying birth as the first step on the road to positive parenting.  It is mostly aimed at those intending to breastfeed – there are a couple of chapters on breastfeeding basics and troubleshooting in the early weeks – but there is also a chapter on formula feeding.

The book is laid out by chapter subject, rather than chronologically, which makes it less goal oriented than the likes of What to Expect – The First Year (which seems to be an endless list of things your baby should be doing that you can tick off).   Chapters include babywearing (carrying baby in a sling) and nighttime sleep, parenting the fussy baby, as well as chapters on feeding. There are sections on baby development from 0-6 months, 6-12 months and the second year.  The chapters on the second year include dealing gently with undesirable toddler behaviour.

What I love about this book is that it encourages trusting your instincts and going with the flow – tuning into your baby and your baby’s needs as you get to know each other. It’s not prescriptive, there are no routines or schedules and while it details milestones your baby will reach during the first two years, there’s more of a range of age given for these than in some other books.

Basic stuff like nappy changing and bathing is covered, of course, for the uninitiated!  Sure, at times most first time parents will probably find bits of it a little too ‘attachment’ for them. I know I did. But it all seemed completely normal by the time I had my second!

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Articles, Birth preferences, GentleBirth workshop, Labour toolkit

Do you have a labour playlist? Why music can contribute to a more comfortable birth experience.

Posted on August 21, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 1 Comment

Did you use music to enhance your experience of labour? Or are you working on a playlist for the big day?  You may recently have seen the videos Robbie Williams and his wife shared online, showing him playing (and singing) music to keep her distracted in labour!  While various sources have referred to his behaviour as ‘bizarre’, there is a scientific basis to using music as a pain relieving measure for labour.

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The use of music to provide comfort in labour and reduce pain perception and anxiety is backed by the findings of research studies, although these are of small scale (Phumdoung & Good 2003; Liu et al 2010).  A recent study suggests that the use of music in combination with upright positions is more effective than synthetic oxytocin (“the drip”) in shortening the active phase of labour (Phumdoung et al 2014).

While research on the effects of music in labour is scant, a growing body of research supports the use of music in a variety of clinical settings.  Studies have shown that music alleviates pain, both when used as a therapy in its own right and in conjunction with other methods.  Music has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in patients undergoing medical procedures, and, used post-operatively, to reduce the need for pain medication.  It has both psychological and physical benefits.

So when it comes to birth, how can music help?

1.  Music that makes us feel good does us good! 
The amount of pain we perceive is linked to the emotional state we are in when we experience the stimulus (Nauert 2009).  Music that evokes positive emotions and relaxes us can decrease the amount of pain we think we are in and help us to tolerate the sensations that we are experiencing.

2. Listening to music can increase the level of our ‘good’ hormones in labour.  
Labour involves a hormone cocktail, the main ingredient of which is oxytocin. Oxytocin drives the uterus and is also a natural pain reliever. Music has been shown to increase oxytocin in the body.  In a study comparing bed rest only with bed rest and music for patients recovering from heart surgery, oxytocin levels in the music group were significantly higher the day after surgery for the music group (Nilsson 2009).   Music has also been shown to increase the release of dopamine into the bloodstream (Salimpoor et al 2011).  Dopamine makes us feel happier, which affects our experience of pain. However, it is also the main neurotransmitter involved in our perception of time. Increased dopamine levels mean that labour can feel faster, in the same way as feeling good during a night out makes it pass in a flash!

3. Music provides an alternative focus that competes with your labour sensations.
We feel more pain when our attention is focused on the source.   Music chosen by you works best (Bernatzky et. al 2011) as a point of focus, and research shows that music that is familiar to you and that hooks you in has greater pain relieving properties. So pick music that you love and gets you singing along. The more involving the music, the greater the benefit!  One study showed that the better the listeners knew the lyrics of a song, the greater was the pain reduction experienced (Mitchell et al 2009). Music that is already infused with meaning and emotion for you, such as music you may have enjoyed with your partner in the past, is an ideal choice.

4. The act of listening means the brain processes less pain.
Since the brain processes music and pain along the same neural pathways,  it is believed that music can block signals of pain at the spinal cord level, before they even reach the brain. This is the gate control theory of pain.  This means music works in a similar way to a TENS machine.

As a doula, I once supported a woman who had a very long prelabour. We spent a day in her home when she was in early labour, with her partner selecting music that he knew she loved over the course of 12 hours or so. The day passed in a flash – for me, anyway!

Most of us have already experienced these beneficial effects of music – whether it’s the electro on your headphones helping you to work out for longer, your favourite album distracting you from the cleaning or that evocative holiday tune raising your spirits on a rainy December afternoon.  So what’s on your playlist for your baby’s birthday?

Bernatzky G, Presch M, Anderson M, Panksepp J. Emotional Foundations of Music as a Non-Pharmacological Pain Management Tool in Modern Medicine. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Review. 35:1989-99 (2011).

Cepeda, M.S. et al. (2006) Music for pain relief. Cochrane Database. Syst. Rev. 2, CD004843

Liu, Y. Chang, M. & Chen, C. (2010) Effects of music therapy on labour pain and anxiety in Taiwanese first-time mothers Journal of Clinical Nursing 19 p1065 – 1072

Mitchell, L; MacDonald, R..; Knussen, C. An investigation of the effects of music and art on pain perception.
Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, Vol 2(3), Aug 2008, 162-170.

Nauert, R. (2009). Emotions Influence Perception of Pain. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 21, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/11/11/emotions-influence-perception-of-pain/9482.html

Nilsson, U. (2009) The effect of music intervention in stress response
to cardiac surgery in a randomized clinical trial. Heart Lung 38, 201–
207

Nilsson, U. (2008) The anxiety- and pain-reducing effects of music
interventions: a systematic review. AORN J. 87, 780–807

Phumdoung, S., Youngwanichsetha, S., Mahattanan, S., Payakkamas, T., Maneechot, K., Chanudom, B. and Ajasariyasing, T. (2014), Prince of Songkla University Cat and upright positions together with music reduces the duration of active phase of labour and labour pain in primiparous women compared to oxytocin. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 19: 70–77.

Phumdoung S, Good M. Pain Manag Nurs. 2003.    Music reduces sensation and distress of labor pain. Jun;4(2):54-61.
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Salimpoor, V.N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A. & Zatorre, R.J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipating and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature Neuroscience, Published online 09 January 2011

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Articles, Breastfeeding

What is a breastfeeding support group like?

Posted on August 3, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 0

 

They’re a bit militant”, said one friend, who had gone to La Leche League once, 18 years before.  “Great if you’re having problems”, said someone else. “What’s that for”, said a third, a mum of 4 breastfed children who had never been to a group. “Let’s get our tits out and chat?”

It didn’t sound like my cup of tea (I’d no frame of reference for people sitting around with their boobs out, chatting), but I thought I’d check into what was on locally.  I looked up Breastfeeding.ie to see what was on. There were no fixed locations for any of the Cuidiu or La Leche League meetings, just phone numbers of people to ring for information. I don’t do cold calling. I left it.

When my daughter was born, she was at the breast within 20 minutes and between the GentleBirth Confident Breastfeeding mp3,  Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Breastfeeding, our instincts and the need to get the hell out of a busy postnatal ward, she was self latching by her second day of life and we were home. Bar a few seconds of toe curling burning when she’d latch on, there was no pain and none of the nipple tenderness I’d expected. She piled on weight.  I’d no breastfeeding problems, so what would I be going to a support group for?

Fast forward 14 months or so and a weekly Cuidiu Breastfeeding Support group started up in a hall a few minutes walk from my house. At this stage, I was still breastfeeding and in need of a bit of support, being now in the ‘weird breastfeeder’ category, as I was feeding a walking, talking child (it’s funny how this happens. You start off thinking it’s weird yourself and then just keep feeding your baby – and, one day at a time, they become a toddler).  Despite the World Health Organisation  and the HSE recommending feeding to two years and beyond, it’s highly unusual in Ireland and I had only ever met one person who had fed that long and she had gone home to Poland. So what did I find? A group of very lovely women, sitting around drinking tea and eating biscuits and, yes, breastfeeding.  I’ve been attending that group regularly now for over 5 years – through two more pregnancies and feeding two more babies to toddlerhood.   When I had my son, I was up at the group 6 days later, proudly showing off my newest breastfeeding expert.   My third baby is now 17 months old and I’m still a fixture at the group.

What kept me going back was the community feel of the group. I made new friends, women on the same wavelength when it came to parenting.  We shared knowledge, ideas and lots of laughs.  Often new mothers come, upset that they are having issues, perhaps worried that baby is not putting on weight, and feeling unsure of themselves. They generally leave feeling reassured, and like someone has their back as they navigate the minefield of early parenting.  Attending the group was my introduction to Cuidiu, a fantastic organization supporting all parents, regardless of feeding method and at different ages and stages.

I wish I’d known when I was pregnant that I’d be welcomed with open arms, not made to feel awkward by women who were there to chat with their boobs out. I wish I’d known that it wasn’t ‘militant’ – it’s warm and supportive. Everyone, from the group facilitator to the other mums there, wants to help you to meet your breastfeeding goals. You’ll be met where you’re at – whether you plan to breastfeed for 6 weeks, or 6 months – you aren’t expected to go in with the WHO’s two years as your goalposts. Few of us plan to end up there, it’s just something that happens. I wish I’d known that it’s a good idea to attend when pregnant. We LOVE to see bumps coming in the door – because we know that woman is more likely to meet her breastfeeding goals as she’ll be quicker to seek support when her baby is born. It’s a lot easier to get yourself to a meeting postnatally when you know the terrain – instead of handling nerves about who and what you’re going to find there as you try to grapple with motherhood (and the inevitable poopsplosion that will happen as you’re finally almost out the door), you’re going to meet new friends to show how much cuter your bump is now it’s on the outside.

It’s said that it takes a village to raise a child – sometimes, as we live in a culture where breastfeeding is attempted by a minority, we need to create our own breastfeeding village. You can do that via Cuidiu or La Leche League or, sometimes, via your local HSE breastfeeding support group.  Incidentally, when I finally rocked up to my first LLL meeting, I found it wasn’t any more ‘militant’ than Cuidiu. Just more women sitting around drinking tea – but they had healthier snacks.

 

What GentleBirth Mothers say…

“The local breastfeeding support group was my life saver. Not for breastfeeding, but to meet other new mums going through the same things. For the first few months I would just get through each week by counting how far it was to Tuesday. 6 years on and I count these women as some of my most treasured friends”. (Ruth)

“I went to the local (HSE run) group when my son was 13 days old and most weeks after that until I returned to work. I looked forward to the cuppa, biscuit and chat. Found it invaluable those first few weeks when I wasn’t very confident about breast feeding. The Public Health Nurse always answered questions and put me at ease. I don’t know if i would have kept going in the early weeks without it and I went on to feed my son for 2 years. An invaluable resource and I would highly recommended looking up local groups before baby is born so you can go either before baby is born or after”.  (Linda)

When dd was 4 weeks, I went to a local group, everyone had babies in around the same age as mine, everyone recognised each others ‘wow I’m tired/she’s been fussy all night/we’ve had a great week’ and it was just … solidarity? To know I wasn’t alone, that I wasn’t the first and wouldn’t be the last mum who reckoned she hadn’t a clue. It’s where I met some of my most important ‘mammy friends’ too”. (Gillian)

“I’ve had a good few issues with feeding – tongue tie, inverted nipples, you name it! I expressed exclusively for my first son and am combining breast and expressing now for my 8wk old. It’s sometimes hard to know where to fit in when your expressing! I assumed everyone else at the meeting would all be naturals but it turned out that loads of the mums had had to pump for various reasons, others with tongue ties, there was even a mum with inverted nipples still feeding her 2 yr old using the shields! It was so encouraging and inspiring to meet mums who didn’t necessarily have the smoothest road but were enjoying a long and successful breastfeeding journey nonetheless”. (Danielle)

“Sometimes all you need is to be sitting in a room with women going through what you’re going through, even if you don’t talk to anyone, sitting close by and feeding your baby with a group of mums is extremely therapeutic and warming”. (Aoife)

“I went to the Breastfeeding group in my local health centre, but by the time my baby was 12 weeks old he was the oldest there, and we were struggling so I really needed the support.  A while after I stopped going to the health centre group, I started going to a voluntary organisations group that was on in the afternoon so I didn’t have to get up too early! Went for the breastfeeding support, stayed for the cake, and more importantly for the social aspect of it as I didn’t have any friends or family that were around during the week for coffee or chats. It definitely normalised breastfeeding for me and helped me appreciate how boobs can solve almost any baby problem!”. (Lisa)

“On my first baby there was no way I would step foot in a local group. I lasted less than a month. This time I’ve found the local group and other breastfeeding mothers to be the biggest, most important support in my success”. (Laura)

“When you’re a first time mum, and everything in your day with a new baby is confusing and a little scary, meeting up with other mums who’ve been there and got through it and can offer practical, tested advice makes it all feel refreshingly normal!”. (Gillian)

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Birth Stories, First baby, GentleBirth workshop, Pregnancy after miscarriage, Rotunda, Third stage of labour

Amazing first birth in the Rotunda

Posted on August 3, 2014 at 12:06 pm by / 1 Comment

Cleo, my first baby, was born on 23rd February 2010, and I suppose that was the real start of my journey towards being a GentleBirth Instructor.

I really wanted to have a natural birth and used GentleBirth during my pregnancy from about 26 weeks, doing home study and attending the workshop with Tracy. My concerns were avoiding an assisted delivery or a Caesarean, but I suppose I mainly wanted a positive birth experience, and I thought that keeping things as low intervention as possible was the way to go.  The only person I had ever heard describe birth as “wonderful”  had had a home birth, obviously with no epidural.  My mother had described my birth as great once she’d had the epidural – “like being at the hairdressers”. I didn’t want to feel like I was in the hairdressers, I wanted to experience birth in all its primal glory, if I could. I devoured Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth and felt that, after all, I was born to birth, so I could do it. My husband was super confident that he could support me, once we attended the workshop, and assured me he’d seen hundreds of births and could probably manage the delivery himself (he’s from a dairy farm!). I had a great pregnancy and felt so well and energised as I approached my guess date and then went over it.

I went into labour at my EDD + 6 days. The surges started at 7am and were only 7 mins apart. After an hour, they were 3-5 mins apart but I knew that there was no point going to hospital yet because they were not that intense. From the first surge, I knew this was it, so told Peter there was no point in going to work. We hung out at home for the day and just chatted. From an hour or so into my labour the surges were uncomfortable enough that I had to breathe through them. The hard bit was only one breath long, in and out and I would say to myself, this will pass quickly. They were sore if I sat down, but fine if I stood and swayed so I spent many surges bending over the table or the mantelpiece, reciting that affirmation. About 10 hours of this carry on, (the time really does pass so quickly!) and I started to get impatient that things weren’t going anywhere so went for a walk. On the way back, I had a waaaay more powerful surge and looked down and there was water coming out.  The same happened on the next one so I assumed the waters had gone (tip: have a sniff if this happens to you…urine smells like urine, amniotic fluid is sweet-smelling!). It was about 7pm at this stage so we had dinner and went into the hospital. As I was very calm and relaxed, I was left in the waiting room for about an hour, during which time I was able to sit quietly and listen to GB on the headphones. I was totally relaxed between surges and just closed my eyes and breathed when I had a surge.

So now came the first difficult bit. I was examined and was only 2cm (felt like punching someone after 14 hours or so of labour!) and it seemed the waters hadn’t gone at all – I had probably peed myself (I now think her head engaged at this point). But the midwife was insisting I stayed there and be admitted to the prelabour ward, while they’d send Peter home because it was out of hours. It made far more sense to us to go home and keep on as we were, when there was no medical reason for us to stay – especially when she said that my labour might slow down and they’d have to speed it up with drugs. Which was the reason I didn’t want to be admitted in the first place!  We were most definitely going home! She said no, we said yes, eventually she got a doctor down who scanned me and told us there was no problem if we wanted to go. She said she worked in England where people were a bit more vocal about their wishes so it seemed pretty normal to her for me to want to be at home and I’d be better off. I was so proud of Peter as there was no way he was going to budge and be convinced to stay there, we were going home, and that was that.

All that lying around getting the trace on the heartbeat and being scanned threw out my focus though and when we got home I could feel things were harder to cope with. After about an hour, the surges were 4 long breaths out and in at the peak and very little break between them. They were radiating from front to back and it felt like my pelvis was going to explode.  I got a bit panicky and I started to feel like I really needed the epidural and I wasn’t coping. So back to the hospital, this time I wasn’t very calm and couldn’t sit in the waiting room, could only lean over the reception desk, but was examined very quickly and was 6cm. I got the gas and air at this point as I couldn’t lie down for them to do the trace on the baby without it. Then went straight to delivery and got the gas again. The gas was like being really drunk, you can still feel everything but you don’t give a sh*t! Plus it helps focus your breathing. Was great because it meant I could lie down and rest and just flake out between surges which was a godsend because I’d been on my feet most of the day.

It was a quiet night in the Rotunda and there were two midwives in my room plus a senior midwife popping in and out, as well as a medical student. When I was admitted, I asked about the epidural and the senior midwife looked at my birth preferences and said I was doing brilliant, that it was absolutely amazing to be admitted at 6cm on your first baby, and that I still had time for the epidural if I wanted it so to see how I got on. Was hilarious when they asked me if I had birth preferences and moaned, ‘Yes, but I don’t think I want to stick with them!’. They just told me to hand them over, helped me out of my clothes and handed me the gas.

The whole time I was in the delivery room, I listened to my GB tracks on my ipod over and over (just as well, as there was a good bit of chat from the others. If I had my time again, I’d tell them all to STFU and stop polluting my birthing space with their shite talk).

All of a sudden, a bit more than an hour after we arrived, I could feel myself lifting up and turning over onto all fours like it wasn’t me doing it (poltergeist!) and the midwife looked and said, there go the waters, your baby will be here soon. I gave up the gas as I couldn’t use it on all fours and I just had to be on all fours to be comfortable. My body started pushing the baby out and it was like throwing up after waaaaay too much drink, really really forceful but it was throwing down instead of up! In between surges, I just flopped, listening to my GB and when a surge came, I just let my monkey do it and allowed my body to completely take over. Totally switched off the intellect. I could feel her head coming down and it just felt so hard, like a little cannonball. Eventually I just knew I had to get out of the bed and stand up and I did and then she was really coming. As she crowned, it stung like billy-o and I saw my sex life flash before my eyes and felt fear….and just thought, this can be over now. So for the first time, I listened to the midwife telling me to push and I pushed…..and out she came! The perfect birth!

Straight away the midwife said, oh look, it’s a velamentous cord insertion. And she said the cord wasn’t pulsating when we tried to stop her cutting it – and she cut it. So when my baby was passed to me, she was passed from the side, sort of enter stage right rather than up through my legs, which made it a little strange. She was also mostly pink and had her eyes open, wasn’t crying and looked for all the world like she was taking it all in. She was the most beautiful little thing – I just exclaimed “Oh my God, she’s gorgeous”. But I have to say I didn’t feel a rush of love – amazement, awe, relief, pride, strength, empowerment……. The love came after I sat down on the bed and had a good rest! It was less than 3 hours after we arrived back at the hospital.

I was so wrecked as I lost “more blood than normal” – have discovered since the birth of baby no 2 that I seem to bleed quite a bit at the birth but have very little lochia afterwards. My bleeding both times was pretty much done after day 3. So I was given syntometrine to stop the bleeding and deliver the placenta. However, as the midwife was carrying out controlled cord traction, she snapped the cord (she shouldn’t have been pulling it at all due to the fact it wasn’t a “normal” cord), said “oh shit” and that’s where the fun started. The world and his wife came down to try to retrieve the placenta and when they couldn’t I had to be brought to theatre, where I was given a spinal and had it removed manually. I was also stitched while I was there as pushing through the crowning meant I had a second degree tear (which was very minor, and healed brilliantly and very quickly and mostly painlessly).

The funny thing is that while all of that was going on, I was fine. I breastfed my daughter and then when I was separated from her for an hour and a half, I was on such a high, I laughed and chatted to the staff in theatre. I felt like superwoman!!!!

The memory of feeling my daughter enter to world, to feel her come down and out of me is so special. I am so glad that I got to birth her actively, my way, as really all the midwife did was catch her.

Although it didn’t end well, I still look back on the whole thing as amazing – because up until the placenta fiasco it was the perfect birth. And I think the affirmation “I accept whatever path my birthing takes” helped me stay super relaxed when it all happened – when I look back, I just can’t believe how calm and happy I was while it was all going on. It was much worse for Peter who was left holding a newborn and wondering if I would come back….

Cleo was a very easy baby and fed well from the start. Amazed all the staff in hospital with her expert breast crawling! No sore nipples, no milk supply issues, just baby bliss. We took Early Transfer Home from hospital so I was home within 30 hours of giving birth. The ETH team were fab, but I can’t say they they were great with breastfeeding help because we really didn’t need any. It felt completely natural, I think due to confidence from the breastfeeding mp3.

Despite the turn it took at the end, I had a wonderful, empowering birth that for me was transformative. When we get in touch with our primitive selves, we are powerful and all conquering 🙂

Download the GentleBirth app today – there is a free week of full access when you register.  https://www.gentlebirth.com/
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Birth preferences, Birth Stories, GentleBirth workshop, Home birth, Induction, Labour toolkit, Placenta, Second baby

A GentleBirth – however and wherever it happens

Posted on July 11, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 2 Comments

 

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As my baby boy was due just before the legendary Ina May Gaskin’s appearance at the Home Birth Association conference in 2012, I was hoping he would be four or more days late.  My daughter was born 6 days after her EDD, so I fully expected to reach 41 weeks or so of pregnancy.  Although her birth had been a positive and empowering experience in hospital, helped by using the GentleBirth programme, I knew I wanted a home birth next time. I had found the transfer to hospital the most difficult part of the whole thing, particularly the admissions process.

When I found out I was pregnant again, I rang and booked in with a Self Employed Community Midwife.  From 11 weeks into my pregnancy, she visited every 3 weeks or so, long visits during which we discussed every aspect of pregnancy, labour and birth.  Over these many, many hours, my midwife and I built a relationship and I was so happy i would be sharing my birth experience with her.   I used the GentleBirth programme both to prepare for birth and to cope with any worries that arose along the way.   I found great support at Home Birth Association meetings and through a breastfeeding support Facebook group. My “mind movie” of how I hoped the birth would go involved me going into labour in the afternoon, nursing my daughter to sleep at bedtime, then going downstairs, getting into the birth pool and giving birth around midnight.  I gave no thought to the possibility of being transferred to hospital as I felt this was remote and I have a personal philosophy of not worrying about things that might never happen.

My EDD came and went, and I was at the HBA conference to hear Ina May’s words of wisdom.  It was a wonderful day and the perfect note on which to go into labour. I felt sure labour would start in the next few days.  But by 41 weeks, the home birth deadline of 42 weeks loomed.  I tried all the usual methods to encourage labour to start – walking, sex, hot curry, hot bath, reflexology, acupuncture and more.

By 12 days over, I was anxious and upset.  I was to be scanned in the Rotunda the next day and expected to come under some pressure to set a date for induction.  Having had such relaxed antenatal care, I dreaded going into hospital and dealing with obstetricians who would likely not be supportive of my decision to wait for the onset of spontaneous labour.  My midwife called to me and her presence was an amazing comfort and calmed me.  She performed a sweep and said my cervix was soft and favourable so labour could be imminent.  I used my GentleBirth to stay as relaxed as possible and managed a good night’s sleep.

I found myself amazingly calm going to hospital to be scanned the next day.  All was well with the baby although the obstetrician who saw me was shocked to see someone 13 days past their EDD!  We discussed options with a consultant and I agreed to come in again 2 days later to be reassessed but refused an induction appointment.

Day term + 14 dawned – the last day on which I could have my homebirth.  My midwife visited and again performed a sweep.  We spent the day quietly at home.  By the evening, it seemed certain that I would not have my longed-for home birth.  I decided to focus on having a positive birth experience, wherever it happened and let go of any upset about not having a home birth for the moment.

Day term + 15.   I attended the follow up appointment at the hospital, knowing more pressure to be induced would be applied this time.    A consultant performed a scan and was happy with what he saw but still advised induction. We smiled politely and refused an induction appointment.  He noted that the date on my booking form for the hospital was 27th April which made me 13 days over.  When I rang my midwife that evening to tell her how things had gone, we realised that this meant that her insurance covered us till the following day when I would be, by these dates, term + 14.  Surely my baby would arrive before then?  I felt like I’d been granted a reprieve.  I got a sudden burst of energy and ran around the house tidying, then bounced on my birth ball for a while and got up and danced to a song with my two year old.

Suddenly, I felt a gush – the waters had released!  I was ecstatic.  My home birth was going to happen after all!  I rang my midwife to let her know and went for a walk to deal with the excitement.  The regular Braxton Hicks I’d had for weeks intensified and I could feel more water releasing.  I went home, put my daughter to bed and waited for labour to kick in, texting Krysia from the HBA for advice on homeopathic remedies to get things moving.  I stuck on Dirty Dancing for a bit of nostalgia and for music to gyrate on the ball to.  But by 11pm, nothing had happened.  I was disappointed but went to bed, listened to my hypno tracks and fell asleep.

My midwife called the next afternoon and we decided we had to make a plan.  As the waters had now gone, there was a risk of infection to the baby so induction the following day seemed the sensible option.  We rang the Rotunda and I was booked in for the following morning.  It was a scary proposition. I spent the day in communication with Krysia from the HBA and Tracy from GentleBirth for moral support and encouragement. I focused on the belief that, by having the rest of the waters released, my labour would kick off and I tried not to think beyond that.  I packed my bag and went to bed early.  In the middle of the night, my daughter woke, and I brought her into our bed so we spent our last night as a family of three snuggled up together.

Next morning, my parents arrived early and we set off for the hospital.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  As second timers are expected to progress quickly, I was brought straight to a delivery room on admission. I was put on a trace while we waited for the obstetrician, and myself and my midwife chatted.  Immediately, I could tell that she understood what sort of birth I wanted.  There was no issue with any of the birth preferences we discussed.  The doctor came at 8.50 am and examined me, then released the rest of the waters, which were copious. By 9.20 am, I had had my first surge. The midwife in charge came in and told me that, in the event that I had to go on the syntocinon drip and continuous monitoring, that they would do everything they could to let me be in whatever position was comfortable. I wouldn’t be confined to bed, so not to worry about that.

We decided on a walk outside, with the idea to go for a coffee.  I really wanted a chocolate twist from the Paris bakery. I also wanted to buy some underwear and slippers, as my hospital bag had had to be so hastily packed, and some Lego for my daughter.  In the toy shop, I had to breathe through a surge for the first time.  I was delighted that things were ramping up and labour was finally here!  We went across to Penney’s and after paying for my undies, I got a massive surge and realised coffee was definitely off the agenda and we should get back to the delivery room quickly.

We arrived back at 10am and within a very short time, surges were coming every two minutes and lasting around 90 seconds. They were strong and the thought of the epidural crossed my mind as I leaned over the ball and gyrated and moaned through them, amazed at how quickly labour had intensified.  I knew that if I was thinking about the epidural, then I was almost there, but couldn’t believe that could be the case after about half an hour of real labour! My husband was behind me using the double hip squeeze technique we had learned in the GentleBirth workshop although he kept taking his hands off between surges which meant he wasn’t getting started right at the beginning of a surge, making it less effective (I later learned this was because he was eating a sandwich to keep his strength up!).   I was using the affirmation “I can do this” between surges as I was finding the lack of recovery time in between them very challenging.  On my first birth, at it’s most intense, I still had at least 1 minutes rest time to flake out between surges and flake out I did. This time, there was no flaking, just pure hard work. The most difficult part was that I couldn’t speak during surges and in between there was not enough time to think and communicate with my husband as to what comfort measures would be helpful.  But he was amazing, and thanks to our preparation, had a few ideas up his sleeve.

After some time, I decided I needed the gas and air but went to the loo first.   I managed to get there, but once there, had no idea how I was ever going to be able to get off!  My husband started doing acupressure, as it had just occurred to him, and pressed my shoulders – but he was pushing me down into the toilet. So although it gave immense relief from the surges, it actually hurt the backs of my thighs! I didn’t have time to think that he should just choose a different point. I could barely think at all. The surges were changing and in this upright position were pushing down.  The midwife came in and encouraged me to move as she didn’t want me to have the baby on the toilet!   I asked her if she wanted to check me and she said there was no need, that I’d be pushing the baby out in no time. I was not examined at all which was fantastic. At this point, she was carrying my ball and the midwife in charge had the mat as they were going to let me set up where I was. Talk about being woman-led!!

So I managed to get back to the room and I knelt on the bed, dangling my arms over the bedstead and using the gas and air, which made all well with the world.  I no longer thought about the previous or the next surge – I no longer thought at all! After about 15 minutes, I felt the baby move down and told the midwife who had to take off my pyjamas.  It had happened so quickly that I was still fully dressed!  Half an hour later, baby began to crown.  The midwife did a fantastic job of warning me when it was going to happen and then coaching me to hold back which took a superhuman effort.  My husband was also telling me to relax my jaw as he had forgotten to do this the first time.  My baby emerged slowly and gently, with no tear, at 12.06pm, just 2 hours after we had arrived back from our excursion. He weighed 4kg (8lb 14oz)  and came out roaring, marking his territory by weeing all over me! Welcome to the world of little boys!

The cord was clamped and cut after about 15 minutes and I put my baby on to my chest, where he stayed for the day.   I had wanted a natural third stage, but lost quite a bit of blood and after 50 minutes was fed up and agreed with the midwife that I should have drugs to help deliver it. She gave me syntocinon, not the dreaded syntometrine that had contributed to me having a retained placenta on my first baby. The placenta came about 3 minutes after the drug was administered, so she reckoned the placenta had already separated anyway. She asked me if I wanted to take it home, and I had planned to, but after all of that, I was glad to see the back of it! I could not be happier with the care I received in the Rotunda. They were all genuinely sorry for me that I had been transferred and did everything they could to give me the closest possible experience to my home birth. It was amazing!!!

After two hours, we transferred to the postnatal ward which was thankfully very peaceful. It was actually lovely to be with my husband and new son and no distractions. However, I was desperate to be home and have all my family together.  I had a bit of wrangling with the hospital as they said I had had a Post Partum Haemhorrage (it was just above the borderline). But my home birth midwife was fine when I told her the estimated blood loss so I told them I was discharging myself. I got “the talk” from an obs and then they rang my midwife to make sure she was taking over my care, which was lovely of them. We eventually left at around 9pm and brought our boy home to meet his sister and grandparents.  My midwife called on us as soon as we got home and then every day for a few days after so I still had all of that wonderful postnatal care.

I feel that I have come to terms with the turn of events, although I will always be sad I didn’t have the birth in my mind movie and be slightly envious when I hear of others who had similar births. But, at the same time, I’m happy with the birth I had. There will always be the regret that the amazing midwife I built up such a relationship with over the course of my pregnancy was not with me when I delivered my baby.  It would have been wonderful had she been allowed to accompany me for support during my labour.   How much I relied on her during my pregnancy was brought home to me after her last visit when my baby was 2 weeks old. I cried on and off for the next two days, so sad that someone who had become such an important figure in my life was now leaving it.   I even irrationally wondered how quickly I could become pregnant again so I could get her back!

So, not the home birth I hoped and planned for, and yet it was a good birth.   While I didn’t birth at home, I feel I still had a “home birth experience”.   The antenatal and postnatal care count for so much. To feel nurtured and listened to during and after pregnancy is something all women should experience.  I’m thankful I did, and who knows – I may have the beautiful home water birth of my mind movie one day.

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Articles, Birth preferences, Induction

To sweep…or not to sweep?

Posted on July 8, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 0

When women go over their ‘guess’ date, and with some practitioners, as they approach it, they may be offered a membrane sweep, in the hope that it will get their labour started.

What is it?

A “sweep” is a non-chemical method of induction. It involves the practitioner attempting to separate the water bag (amniotic sac) from the uterus. One or two fingers are inserted into the cervix and the practitioner tries to get their fingers between the water bag and the uterus, following the cervix around and gently separating the membranes.

Afterwards, you may experience some ‘show’ (blood stained mucous) or spotting and mild cramps, regardless of whether or not labour starts.

How does it work?

It may encourage the body to produce prostaglandins, causing the cervix to soften and thin, which may get labour going within 48 hours.

What are the chances that it will work?

According to a Cochrane review in 2005, having a sweep at 40 weeks does reduce the length of pregnancy and the incidence of going beyond 41 weeks. However, in order to avoid one induction of labour, a sweep would need to be performed in 8 women.

What are the benefits?

The woman may experience a physiological onset of labour rather than a chemical induction.   A sweep increases the chances of going into labour within 48 hours and of giving birth within one week. (Keirse, 1995; McColgin et al, 1990; Weissberg and Spellacy, 1977)

What are the risks?

There is a risk that the water bag may be broken accidentally, which means that the woman will then be told she will have 24 hours to begin labour before she is chemically induced.  Although some of the evidence indicates that prelabour rupture of the membranes is not a risk of sweeps  (Boulvain et al, 2005; Wong et al, 2002), Hill et al found that there was increased risk of rupture of the membranes if the cervix was more than 1cm dilated (9% of women experienced PROM). Anecdotally, a few mothers on the GentleBirth mums group had their waters release accidentally during the procedure recently.

Some of the research indicates that infection is not an issue (NICE 2008). However, women who are Group B Strep positive should think carefully before having a sweep as GBS can cross intact membranes. As GBS testing is not routine in Ireland, few women know their GBS status and up to 25% of women are carriers of Group B Strep.

Some women may find sweeps unpleasant and uncomfortable. They may also lead to “false starts” where women have show and crampiness and think labour is on the way, but it then dies down. Some women find this to be upsetting.

 

Are sweeps recommended by NICE (UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines?

Membrane sweeps are not recommended for routine use beyond 38 weeks in order to avoid an induction of labour. The guidelines recommend that a sweep should be offered to women who have not had a baby before at their 40 and 41 weeks antenatal visits, and to women who have had a baby before at their 41 week appointment (NICE 2008).

Why would I want a sweep?

You may want to have a sweep if:

  • There is a medical indication for induction and you want to see if a sweep will start labour, before proceeding to other induction methods.
  • You are 42 weeks pregnant.
  • You are almost 42 weeks pregnant and you are planning to have your baby at an MLU or at home under the HSE or a hospital scheme (you cannot have your baby in the MLU beyond 42 weeks and you need consultant sign off, which can be difficult to obtain, to have a HSE home birth beyond 42 weeks).

You may not want to have a sweep if:

  • There is no medical reason to induce labour.
  • You want to let labour start in its own time without any interference.
  • You have had unexplained vaginal bleeding during your pregnancy.
  • Induction is urgently required and it would be safer to start induction with medication.
  • You have Group B Strep (GBS) in your vagina.

Unfortunately, as some of the women below have experienced, non consensual sweeps sometimes happen in Irish maternity units. If you do not want a sweep, declining a vaginal examination may be your best course of action.

Women’s experiences

“I had two sweeps, at 40 weeks + 11 days and 40 weeks + 13 days.  Neither of them did much. I had some show after the second one, but that was it. I wanted to go into labour before 42 weeks because I wanted to have a home birth. I ended up being induced due to my waters going and no labour starting after 40 hours. I think the sweeps probably contributed to the waters leaking. I wouldn’t make the same decision again – I’d just book with a different maternity unit that might be more likely to sign me off for extra days”.

“I had a sweep at 40 + 4, had a bit of show that evening & period cramps for the next 5 evenings before she arrived. The doctor told me I was very ready to go at the time & she thought I’d be back in that evening which I was delighted about coz I was carrying very low & was quite uncomfortable for the last 3/4 wks.  I really wanted to get things going & avoid induction. I was glad we avoided induction but I don’t think I would get it done again so early –  I think I’d hold off til nearer term + 14. It was not pleasant at all & maybe she would have arrived when she did regardless”.

“I had two sweeps desperately trying to get labour going for homebirth on my first,  but now I know full sure the hospital dates where at least a week out so they were never gonna work.  On my second,   I had a sweep at term plus 5 (my acupuncturist had already told me I was on the brink a couple of days beforehand) and went into labour a few hours later. I would do the same again as my thinking was if I declined it and went the full 14 days or more over and ended up with induction and another section then I would never have forgiven myself for not exploring every avenue of getting things started”.

“I had one but didn’t know until afterwards. The consultant said she just wanted to check how things were as they were considering keeping me in I was just due & had protein in my urine so they were concerned and wanted to see how likely I was to go. When she was done, after I asked what the story was she said ” oh yeah and I did a sweep too so hopefully that will get things going. At the time, I was just a bit surprised cos I thought they had to ask first but at the same time I was a bit relieved or excited or some mixed up emotions cos I was being kept in unexpectedly & baby might come soon. I hadn’t a clue back then, & in all the stuff I had looked up I hadn’t read anything negative about it. It’s only now I know better”.

References:

Boulvain M, Stan C, Irion O. (2005) Membrane sweeping for induction of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1: CD000451.

Hill MJ, McWilliams GD, Garcia-Sur D, Chen B, Munroe M, Hoeldtke NJ. The effect of membrane sweeping on prelabor rupture of membranes: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Jun;111(6):1313-9. See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18515514

Keirse MJNC. (1995) Stripping/sweeping membranes at term for induction of labour: In: Keirse MJNC, Renfrew MJ, Neilson JP, Crowther C. (Eds.). Pregnancy and childbirth module. The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database. The Cochrane Collaboration 2.

McColgin SW, Hampton HL, McCaul JF, Howard PR, Andrew M, Morrison JC. (1990) Stripping membranes at term: can it safely reduce the incidence of post-term pregnancies? Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 76: 678-80. Weissberg SM, Spellacy WN. (1977) Membrane stripping to induce labour. Journal of Reproductive Medicine 19(3): 125-7.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2008) Induction of labour. London. See: http://publications.nice.org.uk/induction-of-labour-cg70/guidance#recommended-methods-for-induction-of-labour

Wong SF, Hui SK, Choi H, Ho LC. (2002) Does sweeping of membranes beyond 40 weeks reduce the need for formal induction of labour? BJOG 109: 632-6.

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Birth Stories, GentleBirth workshop, Home birth, Third baby

Third baby, first home birth.

Posted on April 24, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 0

“…..during the times when I was fed up and wanted a break, I never thought that I could not do it, never thought that I needed pain relief. I just knew that yes, it is hard, but by god I will do it, I CAN do it and I will see my baby…..and I did.”

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So from Monday I had been having Braxton Hicks and the start of a show. My BH got a little stronger so I sent a text to my midwife to keep her up dated with anything that was happening. They subsided and my show stopped, so I let my midwife know.

On Tuesday the same happened but I just figured that this could be happening for a long time, since I was only 39 weeks on the Wednesday, and I went over with my two girls, by 5 days on the first and 11 days on my second. Wednesday came and it started all over again but the BH were a bit stronger – but not painful. So I let my midwife know and she said to keep her posted.

I woke up Wednesday night/Thursday morning at 1am with a surge that hurt and I was afraid the next one might burst my waters while in the bed because of the pressure. So once it stopped I got out and told my husband that I was ringing my midwife (previous history is that when my waters go my babies arrive within minutes).

My husband jumped up out of bed and got the pool ready downstairs while I had a shower. All the time I was having surges but they were not like the ones that woke me up. They were a little less strong.

When my midwife came and did her checks she asked were they still coming. But they were stalling/less intense and I was starting to feel bad that I even rang her, and got her out of bed (I kinda felt like a first timer rushing into the hospital with the first stirring of labour!). But she was very quick to tell me that I was not to worry that she is here and that we would see how things went. That this is what she is here for.

She rang the 2nd midwife to stop her coming out just yet. With that my surges started again, and they were beginning to build up so that I was making sounds and unable to talk during them. I got into the pool at about 3.30am and it was wonderful. I found the surges were easy to manage once I could hold my husband’s hand and hear him telling me to breathe, and relax. At 5am my two little girls woke up, my husband went to them to get them ready for my Mam to pick them up for adventures and sleep overs.

While he was upstairs playing with the girls my surges became really powerful. My midwife was very quick to come to me and hold my hand and give me encouragement, I found her very soothing. And after each surge I felt great, that I could do this….if only my waters would go, as the pressure was very intense.

Mum came and took the girls, and my husband returned to me. I felt a little lost if he was not beside me.

I wanted to get out of the pool at that stage (6am) as I felt the pool was going against gravity and not letting my baby come down far enough for my waters to go. The pressure was unreal. I felt like I was not progressing at all. I was beginning to get frustrated with my lack of progress, as my last labour I was spoiled with an easy quick one (3.5 hours from the very start to being put into my post natal bed).

Once I got out of the pool the surges came with such power I was losing my strength to stand and I needed to lean on my husband. I went to the toilet to empty my bladder and was so comfy there, but of course I had to get up. My midwife and my husband were telling me to go back to the pool or go to the couch ( I guess they could see how soon the baby might arrive and a toilet is not the place to be).

So I decided that the couch was the option for me. I leaned over it and the surges were so strong but I was getting fed up and I was feeling so weird because my waters just were not popping and I knew that if they did I was on the home run, at one stage the thought crossed my mind that I was gonna be one of those very rare births where the baby was born within the water bag!!! I even asked my midwife if she could break them – even though I knew she wouldn’t. But she explained they would break very soon, that I was nearly there. I was telling her that I was feeling tired and fed up.

It was so weird, I was telling my midwife that my body wanted to push but the waters were in the way. My midwife said just let my body do what it wanted to do and don’t worry.
So I did, after the next couple of surges my waters went with such a gush I think I got everyone wet . I felt such relief, and said thank god for that, I am feeling much better now.

The contractions started up again and baby wanted to come out, but he would just about crown with my body stretching for him, when he would go back in. This was happening quite a bit so after a few surges my midwife asked me to push with my body to help it along. So I did and he moved but his head got stuck half way out. I had to push really hard again but nothing. My midwife got me to move my leg to a different position, kinda like a squat on one leg and kneeling still with the other, and with that push he came out, turned and then the rest of him on the next surge. J was born at 7:19am. About 6 hours after I started labour.

It turned out that the cord was caught around his neck and that it was stopping him from making his appearance. Once my midwife worked on him with suction and the mask he pinked right up in less than a minute, then my husband cut the cord and he was handed over to me. I was on cloud nine looking at my baby boy. Life could not have gotten any better – still can’t.

My midwife then came to me and gave me a big hug saying that I did great, I had to really work hard for him, as it was not an easy labour.  He had decided to come down the wrong way – his head almost coming down facing my leg not my bum and with the cord wrapped around his neck that made it all the harder. But my midwife said that it was a blessing that my waters let go at the last minute as it was allowing him to turn (very slowly) into a position that would enable his head to be born.

I got back into the pool and we had our first swim and proper cuddles together.

Then my midwife brought me upstairs to check me over and I only needed a couple of stitches – which I am amazed at considering the amount of work that was needed to get him here. But my midwife explained that it was because we were relaxed and I didn’t do coached pushing.

My midwife then left after another big hug when everything was checked and checked again. Telling me to stay in bed and that she will ring later in the evening and she will see me again tomorrow.

I cannot believe I had such an amazing experience, in my own home. Yes, it was a hard labour, but I feel so privileged.

During the times when I was fed up and wanted a break, I never thought that I could not do it, never thought that I needed pain relief. I just knew that yes, it is hard, but by god I will do it, I CAN do it and I will see my baby…..and I did.

I just want to say a big thank you, without your GentleBirth workshop I would NEVER been able to have James naturally without intervention, I would have never even considered a home birth, but the workshop gave me the tools and confidence to do it and I am so happy I did.

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Birth preferences, Birth Stories, Coombe, First baby, GentleBirth workshop

Amazing birth for a first time mum

Posted on April 24, 2014 at 6:50 pm by / 0

 

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On Sunday I was convinced that I would have my baby the following day (my EDD was the Saturday). I went for a lovely walk in the park and felt the pressure of my baby in my pelvis but no surges or any pain, just an overall ‘sense’ (possibly wishful thinking!). The head had been engaged since week 38 so I had thought I would not go too far over the EDD. I had a disturbed night’s sleep on Sun night but I am a heavy sleeper so it could have been surges, I don’t know! Monday morning 8am I had a show and started to feel surges irregularly. I told my husband it would probably be a good idea for him to stay off work and come with me to my consultant’s appointment I had that morning at 11. The consultant listened to what I was feeling and told me I could be a few days away or imminent and offered to check if I wished. I accepted and she was quite surprised to inform me that I was fully effaced and 3-4cms dilated. Since I am quite near to the Coombe, she suggested I head home and that she would see me that night! I couldn’t believe I had got to that point and it didn’t feel like a big deal but I was so excited that the baby was on the way. I went home, put on the TENS, sat on my ball and had some lunch while watching Netflix but had to keep pausing it to get up on the couch to kneel and breathe through the surges. By about 2pm, I realised I needed to get back to the hospital as surges were very close together and all of a sudden there was a huge pressure and what I assume were my waters releasing. I had a  little wobble at that point as I thought the baby would be born at home! It was a bit of a Hollywood movie scenario to get out the door and to the hospital in a hurry as I felt the baby was really pressing down and about to come but I listened to my tracks in the car and refocused. On admittance I was 9cm and brought straight to delivery – they initially offered me the birthing pool as I had it in my preferences but I was too far along so didn’t have time. I had no admittance trace, I kept the TENS machine on throughout, the midwife and consultant were joking with me that I was still smiling (in between surges). I knelt on the bed, leaning over the top and I didn’t feel the need for any other pain relief. Our baby girl was born within about 50 minutes of our arriving in the hospital at 3.50pm. Cord clamping was delayed as were all checks to allow skin-to-skin and nursing as per my preferences but I did need to have some intervention for the third stage as I was losing a little too much blood. For delivery of the placenta I used the gas and air and I had a 2nd degree tear so needed a few stitches. But throughout I felt listened to and respected and that nothing was done unless it had to be. I felt empowered by the knowledge I had received from GentleBirth. Most of all I was ecstatic to welcome my daughter and when the midwife placed her under me on the bed I was the one to announce ‘It’s a girl!’ which I will remember forever.
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Birth preferences, Birth Stories, First baby, GentleBirth workshop, Positive Caesarean

A lovely c section experience for a first-time mum

Posted on April 24, 2014 at 6:45 pm by / 0

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Just wanted to share our little boy’s birth story!

You might remember that he was a stubborn breech and we were booked in for a Caesarean section today.

I will hopefully get around to writing up a proper birth story, because it was such a fantastic experience for us in spite of being a middle of the night section and I 100% put that down to the GB. The short version is that on Thursday night I started getting regular mild cramps (6/7 mins apart). Honestly didn’t believe at all it was the start of anything but then I had a small amount of show so we figured we should head in due to breech just to make sure.

By the time we got to the Rotunda they were definitely minute long contractions about every 2 minutes apart so we knew then that bubs was on his way! We had to wait a couple of hours as they had someone else more urgent in need of section arrive just before us. The time flew, I thought we were waiting bout an hour turns out it was nearer 3! Had my headphones in and dim lighting and was super chilled! Then it was time to go – super excited on the way to the theatre, no nerves or apprehension at all. The staff were fantastic! So incredibly supportive and friendly. Hardly noticed them doing the spinal and, once it kicked in, I just felt like I was rocking away on a rowing boat for the whole section, mad I know but that’s exactly what it felt like! No uncomfortable pressure or tugging. Our baby boy was out in no time and our first skin to skin is a feeling I’ll never forget!

Anyway, that’s it in a nutshell! Just wanted to thank Tracy for everything and also to all of you who have me such support when we were trying to get bubs to flip.

Articles, Birth preferences, Breastfeeding

Preparing for breastfeeding

Posted on April 1, 2014 at 6:55 pm by / 0
You’ll have heard stories about how hard breastfeeding is, shredded nipples and non latching babies – and yet, at the same time, some will say it’s the most natural thing in the world and babies can crawl to the breast and help themselves. While having a straightforward breastfeeding experience can never be guaranteed, the more you prepare, the more natural it is likely to be. Here are some tips on how to prepare for breastfeeding – toughening up your nipples is not one of them!

1. Do your homework

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Learn about breastfeeding. Know how it works and what to expect in the early days. Invest in a copy of a good breastfeeding book such as Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding, or the La Leche League’s Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. Don’t be put off by the dud name and cover of the latter – this is an invaluable resource to have to hand and is organised by the age of the baby so you don’t have to read it all before baby arrives!

There are many fantastic online resources such as kellymom.com and Dr. Jack Newman’s site, where you can watch videos that show how babies latch and how you know if baby is drinking from the breast. Another excellent online resource is this series of promotional and information videos from New Zealand.  The Irish site breastfeeding.ie is a useful local resource.

You could attend a breastfeeding class with a Lactation Consultant prior to your baby’s birth, which will give you added confidence.  And don’t forget your GentleBirth mp3 for Confident Breastfeeding – I credit it as having a huge influence on the ease of my breastfeeding relationship with my first baby.

2. Create your village

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Have you heard the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’? Breastfeeding is instinctual, but women have traditionally had help and support with breastfeeding from their mothers, sisters, neighbours and birth attendants. However, in Ireland, where little more than 1 in 2 women initiate breastfeeding, that help and support is something we often have to seek out for ourselves.  Surrounding yourself with those who are positive and supportive about breastfeeding may involve a little work on your part. 

Take note of which friends and family members may be good sources of breastfeeding information when you’ve had your baby. 

Get along to a breastfeeding support meeting while you are pregnant, perhaps at the start of your maternity leave. Pregnant women are always welcome and it’s much easier to motivate yourself to get along to a meeting post partum if you already know some of the people there. The groups are fantastic, not only if you have problems, but also for combating some of the unhelpful breastfeeding advice you can get from well-meaning family members – often from those who haven’t breastfed!  It’s a great way to connect with other mothers living near you. You can find a list of support groups in your area on breastfeeding.ie.

Put the number of a local Cuidiu breastfeeding counsellor or a La Leche League leader in your phone, so you can call if there are any problems.

If you are involved in online forums and Facebook groups, join one where there are experienced breastfeeding mums who can offer guidance and support and normalise the breastfeeding experience for you.

3. Get your partner on board

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A supportive partner has a positive influence on breastfeeding success. If you’re attending a breastfeeding class, do so as a couple.

Make sure your partner knows how time-consuming breastfeeding a newborn might be.  Discuss what your expectations are around housework, particularly during the time he takes off after the baby is born. If possible, he should be doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry and nappy changing while you focus on getting feeding well-established and sleeping when you can.  It’s a team effort!  

If your partner is not able to take time off after the birth, then call in favours from other family members. You could also consider hiring a postnatal doula who could help you with breastfeeding, as well as household chores. 

 

4. Write birth preferences that support getting off to a good start

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Babies who get skin-to-skin contact with their mothers for the first hour after birth are more likely to successfully latch without any help.  The vast majority of babies can have skin-to-skin with their mother directly after the birth – weighing and other hospital procedures can be postponed until later. Writing birth preferences around this to give to your caregiver can ensure that you get this time together.

Even if you have had a c-section, you should still be able to have this skin-to-skin contact, so discuss this with your caregiver antenatally and write c-section birth preferences.

We know that birth interventions affect breastfeeding so preparing for as undisturbed a birth as possible, by using the GentleBirth programme, will give you the best chance of getting breastfeeding off to a good start.

5. Plan on being laidback

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Laidback breastfeeding or the biological nurturing position, as it is also called, allows you both to lie back and get comfortable and stimulates baby’s natural feeding reflexes. It often means that baby self-latches, making for a better and more comfortable latch. The use of a reclined or semi-reclined position means that you get to rest as much as possible, too!

5.  Remember what you’ve learned!

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You’ve gone to the breastfeeding class, read all the books, watched the videos..but now you have a newborn who hasn’t fed yet, you had a long labour and haven’t slept for a couple of nights and you’re wondering if your baby is hungry…what did the book say about that again?

Remember that….
…a newborn’s stomach is tiny and can only hold 5 – 7 ml of colostrum on the first day of life. 

..if there is a need to supplement your baby, the first choice should not be formula, but your own expressed colostrum, fed from either a syringe, spoon or cup, rather than a bottle, so as not to confuse the baby’s suck pattern.  The Lactation Consultant in the hospital or your midwife can show you how.
..if in doubt, contact your Cuidiu breastfeeding counsellor or LLL Leader for support. 

6. Expect success!

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Use your Breastfeeding Confidence mp3, which is part of the GentleBirth Complete Box Set, to boost your confidence during pregnancy. Motivation is increased if we expect success, meaning that we put more work into preparation if we think it will be rewarded – which, in turn, increases our chances of success! 

7. Get your box sets and munchies organised

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Breastfeeding every couple of hours is of course demanding – but it also gives you a free pass to sit on the couch watching box sets and eating biscuits all day – while burning calories. What’s not to like?!

Contact

Phone: +353 87 6181008

Email: melanie@birthtobaby.ie  

 
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