essential oils

like many I have fallen hard for essential oils as part of my everyday life. 

I had dappled in them before but after discovering Young Living at an information session earlier this year, I was hooked. It was clear to me that all oils are not created equal and  the oils I had used previously were not pure, therapeutic grade like YL. The proof was in the immediate results! 

As I mentioned in the previous post, I am certifying to become a labour, birth and postpartum doula. My intention when I started learning and using essential oils was to incorporate them as a comfort measure in my doula business. I have been doing a lot of research and webinars about oiling and I can't wait to share all sorts of tips and tricks of how to incorporate oils into your pregnancy, postpartum and beyond!

If you are looking for more information on oils and doula services please contact me at info@nestedbirth.com and if you are interested in starting your oiling journey with me please visit Young Living

Besides diffusing individual oils and blends for aromatic benefits throughout your home, you can easily make the most wonderful DIY items. This is a sample of the postpartum spray I whipped for my sister... who due any day now!

Postpartum Spray
in a glass bottle mix the following:

- 6 tbs witch havel

-6 drops of  frankincense oil 

- 3 drops of lavender oil

- 4 tbs of filtered water

- 3 tbs aloe vera

more tips and DIY coming!

childbirth vs getting kicked in the balls

which is more painful? interesting....

celebrity home birth

I don't normally post things like this, 

nor would I make this kind of decision based on what a celeb was doing or did but

good to see home birth getting some positive press 

here's 14 celebrity mom that had home births

“I had the opportunity to experience the natural process of birth and it was one of the most life changing experiences for me and very very special!,” she said. “I believe it’s a woman’s right to make the decision about how she’s going to give birth to her child. And it’s also her right to have access to the information she needs so she can make that decision from a place of awareness, and not a place of fear.”

                                                                           - Gisele Bundchen

also happy to see a couple of Canadians made the list!

why do women give birth on their backs?

This is an interesting article exploring why 85% of UK and 90% of American women

(no stat on Canadian women although I'm guessing it would be inline with these figures) are still giving birth on their backs! It's true though, when you think of a woman giving birth most of us envision a women laying on her back in a hospital bed. Anything and everything else is considered  'alternative'...

I have to admit, I was one of them- during my pregnancy with Oliver I knew I wanted a natural birth (because the thought of samurai sword of a needle inserted into my spine was far more terrifying than pushing a baby out of my vagina), I gave some thought to different positions to labour in but not really about what position I would birth in and for the majority of my pregnancy I felt that hospital would be safer and I would feel more confident and comfortable there. Then my midwife asked me a simple question WHY, why did I feel this way? and I couldn't answer it, not very coherently anyway. And so I went home and thought about it. The answer was because I didn't know birth any other way. My mom gave birth to me in a hospital and her mother gave birth to her there too presumably both on their back. While I didn't have a fear of birth or of having a terrible, painful experience but when I thought about birth I pictured a woman in the hospital on a bed. That was just what you do, part of our culture. 

It wasn't until after that conversation that I really explored the option of home birth, watched births online, movies etc and created a new vision for myself that I could really open myself up to it. And then came time to pre-admit at the hospital. Ugghh, from the second I stepped foot in the door the misery at the front desk taking my information managed to put me in my place. Rained on my I'm a soon to be first time mama  parade and treated me like I was a waste of time, an annoyance and so my conviction of a hospital birth as the place I would feel more comfortable and confident
birthing at quickly changed. 

While home birth may never be the right choice for some and vice versa for hospital, let's get back to birth positions and changing our cultural norms of the vision of what birth looks like. Having done it both ways, I would always opt  and encourage other woman to go for upright! Let gravity work for you instead of fighting against it, yes my pushing stage was likely to be shorter regardless of position for my second and third child but coming in at about 7 and 5 minutes compared to 1.5 hours the first time is saying something!

It's reasons like this that I share my birth stories, not for accolades or praise or to one up anyone. But to help change the vision of birth for anyone that might be interested. To let woman know that if birthing on your back in a hospital isn't right for you, it doesn't have to be.

and so I'll end with a link to this birthphotography site,
with the most beautiful photos of all different types of births.
The new vision of what birth is or can be.

on the night you were born

everything about my pregnancy with Finn was different. 

From the false negative pregnancy test, his "due" date, his positioning in utero. 

Everything felt so different from the other two. 

The ultrasounds dictated the due date and since the first ultrasound was later than the standard 12 week, I never felt confident in its prediction. December 15th came and went without any signs of baby and I knew it wasn't to be anyway so we waited. Baby was moving lots and I felt good despite a nasty cold, then December 21st came and went and still no signs of baby. So with recommendation of normal protocol I went for a non stress test at the hospital on the 10th day of being "overdue". Other than my blood pressure being elevated since hospitals do that to me every time! baby was great and no need for concern (my bp was normal throughout my entire pregnancy). That was on a Monday and by Thursday the 26th there was still no baby and so the recommendation was for another NST and bedside ultrasound consult with an OB. My gut told me no, it wasn't necessary since I was still feeling lots of movement and I was feeling fine. But when I woke on that Thursday morning and didn't have any signs of labour I felt the pressure of what ifs and just to be on the safe side.... let's do the consult. 

Of course the typical, routine NST and consult turned into much more. My elevated BP (which goes up as soon as I take a step into a hospital) and wacky ultrasound was cause for concern from the OB although the baby was not showing any signs of distress, blood work and urine samples followed and I waited and waited with talk of induction swirling around from the nurse and the OB was no where to be found. I took lots of deep breaths, stretched and walked around trying to keep calm and hold my belief that this was not our birth plan. That things were going to happen on its own... at home!

Thankfully one of my midwives was at the hospital, supporting me and monitoring the situation. 

Knowing that she was there advocating for me was everything. It allowed me to keep calm, keep focused and not burst into hysterics. After nearly 3 hours from when I walked into triage, the OB came in to say my blood work was fine, the baby was active but that I had low fluid and I would need to be induced either later that day or tomorrow. I obviously said "tomorrow" knowing that at least I could go home, regroup and form a "new" plan.

So I bolted out there like a bat out of hell, swung by the pharmacy and picked up a bottle of castor oil. 

I am a big believer in letting nature do its thing, it worked brilliantly with my other two pregnancies and deliveries but now I felt like I was racing against the clock to avoid an induction. Desperate times call for desperate measures. As soon as I got home I downed the recommended dosage from the midwives. My midwife came out around dinner time to do a stretch and sweep and help keep me focused. I had progressed to 5 cm from 3 cm that morning and my blood pressure was completely normal. It was the extra boost I needed! Once she left, Oliver, Georgie and I had a massive dance party for like an hour. It was a win win, tired them out and helped get some contractions going for me. Let me tell you those contractions were so glorious and so welcomed! Then the castor oil kicked in and whoa! does it really kick in. The contractions were sporadic and not promising of imminent labour but they were something and so I happily rejoiced for each one. We put the kids to bed, I did a few more things around the house still having mild contractions and cramping and then I went to sit down and rest. Everything STOPPED. No contractions, no cramping. I knew if I kept walking around things would start up again but I also knew I would exhaust myself trying to keep it going. So I went to bed and held hope things would happen on their own and I would avoid the pressing 8 am induction at the hospital. 

At 12:30 am, I woke up to strong rhythmical contractions (cue Angels singing!). Guy was asleep next me so I decided not to wake him until I knew this was the real deal. I downloaded a contraction app off of itunes and started timing! They were coming about 2 mins apart lasting about 45 seconds. My water hadn't broken so I wanted to make sure the contractions were staying on course before I paged the midwives, which in hindsight I should have called a little sooner. By 2 am the contractions were definitely stronger and intensifying so I woke Guy up and called the midwives while doing a happy dance! Things progressed quicker than I anticipated, I was already feeling the urge to push when my midwife came in around 2:30. She quickly setup the supplies and paged the other midwife although we knew she wasn't going to make it in time for the birth. Maybe three or four pushes later at 3:05 am,
Finn Ezra was born. Healthy, handsome and on his own.

Just like his brother and sister before him, he was born in the same spot in our kitchen- a makeshift bed near the woodstove. I'm not sure why I chose to birth in the kitchen with Oliver other than it's a very spacious room but I did and so it became tradition and therefore Georgie and Finn were born there too. I did rent a birthing tub again but with the way things went we didn't have time to set it up and to be honest I didn't really need it. So we hung out on the bed in the kitchen, Finn latched immediately and nursed for close to 40 minutes. I happily chatted with my midwives, had a bite to eat and snuggled our new little babe. Despite the dramatic events earlier that day (well technically the day before) Finn's birth was anything but. He came swiftly and with purpose. After he was weighed and measured, Guy prepared the herbal bath (that I had previously prepared and stored in the freezer) and Finn and I enjoyed a nice soak together.

I was back in bed by 5 am and managed to get a few hours of sleep before Oliver and Georgie woke up. Oliver was up first and seeing his smile grow as he walked into our bedroom and realized his baby brother had finally arrived was one of the best moments of my life. He was a proud big brother when Georgie was born but he was only two and this time he knew just what it meant.

And so on the night Finn Ezra was born we became a family of five. 

birth book

Finn's birth book ' on the night you were born' arrived today!

this photo book from artifact uprising is beautiful, I love the quality and feel of the pages. 

this is my second photo book project from them and I couldn't be happier 

(although the extra customs charges suck when the parcel arrives)

 it's still a small price to pay to create such a precious keepsake. 

ps I'll be sharing Finn's birth story soon!

this post

attention all pregnant, soon to be pregnant or maybe sometime in the future to be pregnant ladies. 

this post is a must read for a healthy pregnancy and delivery! 

that's right what got you into this will also benefit you throughout, well the rest of your life but definitely improve the next nine crucial months!

Benefits of sex for a healthy pregnancy, labour and delivery

Pregnancy

- boosts immune system

- you are less likely to have many GBS outbreaks since semen 

contains anti-biotical properties effectively killing the GBS!

- it helps you sleep and not just from the physical act tiring you out but the release of oxytocin mixed with any melatonin present brings on the sweet slumber!
-prepares your perineum by encouraging good circulation and elasticity of your perineal tissues
- healthy PC muscles allow for a more controlled pushing stage and less chances of tearing. Having sex throughout pregnancy will mean well oxygenated, more toned and conditioned PC muscles. Also be sure to do lots of squats (how to add squats to your life coming in another post!) or better yet squats while having sex... ensuring the muscle is toned, long and elastic not bulky and rigid
-the prostaglandins in a man's semen help to soften and ripen the cervix which will mean its prepped and ready for dilation when the time is right.
-keeps the intimacy alive! beside the science of releasing specific hormones and their effects on the body, a loving and healthy relationship is so important as you embark on the next chapter ... parenthood.

Labour and Birth
- being sexually active in pregnancy will allow you to reap the benefits during labour, your toned pelvic floor will be aligned with the pelvic basin, your perineum will be sinewy and relaxed. Your cervix will be prepped and soft, your immune system at its best and you'll be ready to embrace the hormones of labour.
-create an ambiance as you would in the bedroom, low light, gentle sounds, music.
-touching, kissing, nipple stimulation, skin to skin contact are all beneficial during labour
-movement is key, allow your body to open up just as you did to create the baby,
use it to help get the baby out! Going on all fours, squatting, forward bend,
move your hips to help align baby into the right birthing position

to read the full post click here

let love reign

sorry for the silence lately, 

we have been totally consumed with snuggling and loving on our new little bundle. 

Finn Ezra arrived on Dec 27th

born at home in the wee hours of the morning. 

We are beyond blessed to have this healthy, beautiful boy join our family. xoxo

birth and beyond conference

In just over a week, I'm going to see Ina May Gaskin
speak at the birth and beyond conference
I purchased the tickets months ago and now that it's so close,
my excitement level is through the roof.

She's the founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Centre located near Summertown, Tennessee
which has handled more than 3,000 birth with amazing outcomes, low intervention and cesarean rates. She lectures all over the world and is a champion for women's birthing rights.

check out the Birth Story documentary trailer below to catch a glimpse of the Farm and Ina May!
This documentary is so incredibly good, with archived footage of the midwives giving birth to their own babies in the 70's and 80's.

A Day(s) of Action

October 19th, 2012 was called a social media Day of Action,

The Association of Ontario Midwives asked for support

 in urging our Government to get back to the table to negotiate a contract.

That's right the Midwives of Ontario have been working

with an expired contract since April 1, 2011.

Since then they have caught over 25,000 babies without a contract (including Georgie).

They are paid well below other health care professionals with similar education and responsibilty.

For example the average midwife earns about $65,000/year

while a salaried nurse makes $78,000 (based on 2009 reports).

According to an article written by Macleans's

 "Seven years ago was the last time Ontario midwives’ salaries saw a significant one-time adjustment–and even that came after a decade-long of pay-freeze."

Midwives provide safe, skilled and community based care, they have the highest satisfaction rate of any maternal care provider in the province and do so while saving Ontario money.

So if I know this and now you know this,

why doesn't the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care know this?

And why aren't they getting running back to the table to negotiate? 

Midwives provide care to about 20,000 mothers and babies which equates to about 14% of newborns born in the province. A number that is only rising as is the demand for Midwives. In fact 4 out of 10 women seeking a midwife are unable to access one in Ontario. And while our province has invested in Midwifery programmes, it has NOT invested in the Midwives themselves. 

And that's what we need to worry about.
We need to worry that Ontario will lose qualified midwives to other areas and that we won't attract new graduates to stay here, if we let this continue. Why enter into a profession with inequitable pay and no contract?  So how do we protect a health care profession that provides quality care for mothers and babies (whilst being cost-effective for the province) from being continually neglected by our Government? 
We speak up, we write letters to our Health Minister demanding a change. 

Because choosing Midwives just makes "CENTS"!

I am passionate about Midwifery and Midwives for several reasons.
My low-risk, "normal" pregnancies remained that way under their care. My uncomplicated, natural vaginal births were kept that way under their care. My babies were born in the comfort of my home because they are trained to deliver there. My midwives came to me several times within the 1st week to do the necessary assessments, which besides being totally convenient for me and my baby 
also saves the province money. 

My midwife knew my name, she knew my husband name. She knew my children's names.

On the two most important days of my life (here, here and here), my midwife was there.
Which is something that was not lost on them I promise you.

You see by my previous posts here and here that my love for midwives is no secret!
But the arrival of my little girl this past April has made even more passionate about Midwifery and about ensuring that its a viable option for her when she is starting a family. I want Georgie to have access to the same wonderful care I received when giving birth to her.

 After the AOM started the Back to The Table campaign, more than 200 emails were written to Minister Deb Matthews (including mine!) as well as over 150 photos of babies born without a contract sent in and their video viewed more than 1500 times! Recently the AOM had a productive meeting with the Health Minister and are hopeful for contract negotiations to resume. 

The point is we are not powerless. Our voices can be heard but we must continue voicing them. Protect your options. Protect our healthcare. Protect women and babies. Protect Midwifery. Protect MIDWIVES. 

The Homebirth of Georgina Kay Part 2

** if you missed Part One, click here**

By 5:30pm the contractions were coming regularly, not too strong but consistent so we started timing them. By 6:30 they were coming every 3-4 minutes and lasting nearly a minute. We paged our midwife and started filling up the tub! Charlotte and her student midwife Helen arrived by 7pm and another internal exam confirmed I was 8.5 cm. My secondary midwife Beth was called to come out and arrived shortly after. I felt great, my contractions were getting stronger but totally manageable. I was present, in the moment and able to chat with Guy and my wonderful midwives the entire time. With Oliver's labour I felt best on all fours rocking back and forth throughout the contraction.... actually I was pretty much on all fours throughout my entire labour with him and totally silent, I hardly spoke at all. But this time I felt best standing upright and moving with the contraction like a wave, I kept moving and walking around and sipped on hot water with lemon and honey (since I was still recovering from my cold). I also enjoyed a couple of my birthing staples (raspberry juice bars from M &M's) to cool me down, seriously I love these juice bars.... I stretched my back and calf muscles with the Aligned and Well exercises which felt amazing and of course Guy was there to massage my lower back through the contraction when I needed him to. But mostly I just walked around from room to room, made my hot water and lemon drinks at my leisure, listened to the birthing playlist I made and happily took in the moments leading up to the arrival of our little babe. Which I must say are (I think) a lot easier to do in your own environment.

The tub took some time to fill up since the connector didn't fit our faucet, we had to heat up pots on the stove instead of just using the tap. By 9 pm the tub was ready for me to get in and I was ready to get in! With Oliver, I felt the tub slowed my labour down and I was only in for about 20 minutes. This time it sped things up, I had only been in for about 30 minutes or so when I started feeling like pushing with each contraction. I decided to get out of the tub and get onto the mattress I set up in the kitchen. (Yes I birthed both my kids in the kitchen!) I laid on my back for another very quick internal exam , which confirmed it was go time. It was 9:37 when I got out of the tub and with 3 or maybe 4 pushes Georgina Kay was born at 9:52 pm. I was kneeling on the mattress but upright this time and gravity really did it's thing! She came out so fast, there was no head, then shoulder then other shoulder business. She came barreling out like a bullet!
 I could hear Charlotte saying "hear comes your bab.....it's here!" I scooped her up, had a quick look
and announced to everyone that we had a GIRL.

Within 3 minutes of her entering the world, she latched on like a pro! Georgina was so alert, eyes open and ready to be snuggled my her Mama. Total Perfection. We waited for the cord to stop pulsing before clamping it and this time Guy was ready to cut the cord (he didn't cut it with Oliver). The placenta was a little trickier this time, the cord detached and it wasn't as easy to deliver as it had been with Oliver. Charlotte helped slowly guide it out, careful to keep it in tact as she new I wanted to have it encapsulated (more on that later). A little maneuvering on both our parts and voila the placenta was out! It was much smaller than Oliver's which I thought was amazing and actually I never thought about placentas coming in such a variety of sizes... but they certainly do!

After the placenta was delivered, I just laid back, nursed and snuggled my sweet new baby and chatted happily with my midwives! I felt very different from how I did at Oliver's birth. With him I was totally exhausted and felt like I was on another planet while labouring and delivering him, a very happy planet of course but a foggy one. All the details are a bit hazy. This time I was alert and present and completely in the moment. While everything happened fast, the details are a lot more vivid. I continued to nurse her and Guy and I marveled at our newest creation.
Charlotte prepared my herbal bath and Georgie and I got in for a relaxing soak just as I had done
with Oliver. We cuddled and she nursed (some more)... this little girl sure was hungry.
I couldn't believe she was here, we had a little GIRL, it had all happened so fast and so easy
 and she was perfection!

Hilarious-ness on a Monday morning

I watched this video clip on one of new fav blogs

and just had to repost it!

so, so funny! Enjoy!

The Homebirth of Georgina Kay Part 1

*** Note: since this post was getting a little on the wordy side, I decided to split it into 3 parts.
This is obviously Part 1, Part 2 and Reflections of a Homebirth to come soon*****

I have to admit Georgie's birth was a dream. It's almost comical even.

She may not have come early but she certainly came fast and willing when it was time.

I am still in shock about the (dare I say) ease of her labour and delivery (which I know may make some of you reading this want to punch me in my uterus) but after a horrendous week it was well deserved. Our beloved May-May passed away 2 days before her due date and my week got worse with a raging chest infection and nasty cold that put me out of commission for 3 days. Not to mention Guy's battle with a flu bug all while trying to parent a very active almost two year old.
I couldn't fathom going into labour and trying to push out a baby while feeling so sick and weak.

 I woke up on Wednesday morning, feeling somewhat human again and officially 5 days overdue. Although I didn't really feel overdue, I had actually felt more uncomfortable a few weeks prior and clearly the universe wasn't quite ready for her arrival anyway!  At about 7:45am I felt a sharp pain that only lasted a few seconds but stopped me in my tracks. Shortly after I felt a slow trickle as what was later confirmed as amniotic fluid. Guy and Oliver set out to work/sitters for the day and I got ready to go to the office briefly before my midwife appointment in the afternoon. Mild and totally irregular contractions ensued throughout the day but nothing alerting or confirming it was go time!

At noon(ish) I arrived at work and felt a gush of fluid as I was getting out of the car. I still wasn't having regular contractions so I kept about my business and finished up some ordering before my appointment. It wasn't until I got up to leave the office that I had a huge gush of fluid that soaked my pants! I ran to the bathroom to assess the situation and luckily my mom came in shortly after.
I handed her my pants which she proceeded to blow dry (with the spare blow dryer I keep at work not specifically for these types of situations but boy did it come in handy that day.... ).
After drying my pants and myself off I headed out to the midwives office.

I immediately told Beth that I was "pretty" sure I'm leaking fluid upon arrival, I explained the details and hopped up on her table for an exam. A swab quickly confirmed that I was indeed leaking amniotic fluid (which I wasn't really doubting at this point) and that I was about 5 cm dilated! Say whaaat? I couldn't believe it. I thought maybe I would have been dilated a cm or two but FIVE... that was crazy! She did a stretch and sweep and could stretch me to nearly 6 cm, which was so bizarre because I wasn't hardly having any contractions. There was still a sac of fluid around the baby's head so it was hind leak and Beth advised me to page them immediately if my water broke fully as the labour would progress quickly. She told me because I had been sick that my body might not be ready tonight, that I may need more rest but that this baby would be making his or her entrance in the next 24 hours. I got dressed (including a very sexy functional pair of mesh undies and large pad to absorb the fluid), finished up our appointment and headed home to sleep eat and mostly WAIT for things to progress.
(ummm yeah right, who can go to sleep at 3 o'clock in the afternoon after
 your midwife tells you that you are 5 cm dilated?... me either!)

I called Guy to let him know I was in "labour" but not having contractions so not to rush home from work but get ready because baby was coming this evening?, tonight? or sometime. I arranged for my mom to pick Oliver up from daycare and feed him supper and maybe have a sleepover... depending on what happened. Then I called my neighbour to be a backup in case I went into labour in the middle of night while Oliver was asleep and for some reason we would need to transfer to the hospital. Once all the arrangements for Oliver had been made, I felt energized and ready to go! So I waited and ate and waited. I cleaned a little, did some laundry and waited some more. My contractions were beginning to come a little more frequently but nothing steady yet. Guy got home from work around 4 pm and we waited. We just sat there and looked at each other like yep... having a baby. It was a very weird feeling knowing that I was that far dilated but not having regular contractions so technically I was in labour but didn't feel like I was actually in labour.  So to pass some more time I gathered my homebirth supplies and got the tub set up, ready to be filled.

I took these pictures at 4:06 pm, as I was waiting for labour to start?
You can see in the 2nd pic I was having a contraction (not because I am making a weird face but because my belly is rock hard-notice the difference from the last 2 pics) also in the last pic you see the outline of the lady diaper I am wearing. Yes, when I got home from my appointment I traded the mesh undies and gi-normous pad for the Depends (Tena brand actually). I was leaking enough fluid that I had to labour with a diaper on! Luckily I had bought these bad boys for the postpartum period. Something I highly recommend doing!


The Homebirth of Georgina Kay to be continued......
Click here for Part 2

A Week Old

In the blink of an eye our little Georgie is already a week old!

She is sweet, beautiful and a total pooping machine.

Oliver is such a great big brother, giving her lots of gentle air kisses on near her tiny shoulder.

We are one really happy family over here!

Feeling really lucky to have struck gold twice!

Can't believe these beauties are mine.



Seriously Maclean's?

An article by Maclean's Magazine ......

"Are home births safe?

Home births may need less intervention and cause fewer injuries for mom.

But they may be riskier for babies."

I have several issues with it! But first I would just like to say that it made me appreciate and love my midwives that much more (web hugs to my awesome midwives).

Ok so I'm not sure why the author chose to use stats and experts from the U.S and abroad when commenting on the safety of Canadian homebirths especially when these other countries do NOT have the same education level, training or regulations that Canadian midwives have. A little like comparing apples to oranges don't you think? Not to mention that none of these experts commenting of the safety or lack of there of have actually attended a homebirth in Canada.

Secondly, choosing quotes from the clearly anti-homebirth group and then the freebirth fringe isn't really giving a true picture of what homebirth is all about. The article alerts us about the risks and dangers of homebirth and yet quickly brushes off the fact the  “A healthy young woman, coming into this hospital now for delivery, has almost a 40 per cent chance of having some sort of intervention that is not desired.”.  What outcomes does that have on the mother and baby? The article continues on about "Because of modern obstetrics. Modern obstetrics has lowered the neonatal mortality rate 90 per cent and the maternal mortality rate 99 per cent over the past 100 years.” which is wondrful and thank goodness advancements have been made in both maternal and neonatal care! But the article gives the impression that midwifery is still the same as it was in the 1800's, when in fact modern (Canadian) midwives balance the best of both worlds!

While I was miffed at their article on homebirths- they did redeemed themselves in my books with this article on McMaster University's first male midwife.
"Men are attracted to obstetrics, so why not midwifery?"

http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2011/08/28/meet-mcmasters-first-male-midwife/
http://www2.macleans.ca/2008/11/20/a-midwife-crisis/

Empowered Birth Awareness Week

Every year, starting on the first Monday of September for entire week.

Women (and Men) come together to celebrate Empowered Birth.

The triumph and truths of natural birth, of getting involved and making your own choices on how you want to bring your baby into this world.

http://www.birthpower.us/WhatisEmoweredBirth.html

"Becoming educated about empowered birth choices and following your instincts for what you truly want can lead to a happier more fullfilling birth. To some this means home birth, birthing at a birth centre, hospital or even for some an educated choice of cesarean.
Your birth, your privacy and your baby's gentle beginnings can easily be railroaded by medical caregivers through unnecessary interventions. Educate yourself! And take charge of your birth, every decision counts! This journey can be one of the most amazing times of your life, if you claim it. It's the journey from being a woman to being a mother."
source

Last night I mean in the wee hours this morning when I was wide awake, I started watching 16 and pregnant on MTV. Honestly I don't know why, that show infuriates me on so many levels but in my foggy state at 3:00am I couldn't turn it off. I'm not even going to comment on the age thing and how even though the show is trying to portray the "reality" of teen pregnancy it's actually glamourizing it by making these kids celebrities. Anyhoo, that's a post and half by itself. What was really annoying last night this morning was in more than a few episodes the girls were induced prior to their due dates, or put on pitocin immediately after being admitted to "jump start" labour. Never were they given the chance to progress naturally. No wonder an epidural is needed, they've just tricked your body from early labour, where your body is preparing itself for delivery. Your body can cope with the increase intensity of contractions when allowed to do so on your time
Birth is not a race against the clock!
I feel such sadness when I see someone who's uneducated about birth and their options- fully relying on the professionals who are doing what's best for the "baby" but also what's best for their schedule. Using scare tatics about fetal distress after they just pumped you full of synthetic hormones to speed up labour. The domino effect of interventions that result and the over-use of "emergency" Cesareans are just unacceptable (to me). I don't want to heap all medical caregivers into the same pile, there are many out there who promote natural birth and respect your birth choices but you must educate yourself and make your wishes KNOWN! Always be your own advocate when it comes to your healthcare.

Of course there are complications that can arise, things can wrong and thankfully we live in a time with so many medical advancements. Life saving advancements for both mother and baby that without would have devasting results. But some where down the line, women have learned to not trust their bodies, not trust their abilities to birth naturally and to use these advancements as routine practices.

Trust your body, educate your self, find a healthcare provider you can trust.
and promote Empowered Birth Awareness!

Because they're worth it!

Hello Readers!

I just wanted to give some web love to the wonderful Midwives out there,

especially the Stratford Midwives who provided the BEST care throughout my pregnancy, labour, delivery and the six weeks after Oliver was born.

I am so thankful to my very good friend Jen (who gave birth to 2 of her 3 children at home assisted with a midwife), for being a wealth of knowledge and sharing such a great attitude and love for birthing with me. Without her I don't think I would have had the same experience or known about my birthing options. Before I was pregnant and especially after it was refreshing to hear her talk about her natural deliveries (in the comfort of her own home) and the amazing care the midwives gave her instead of all the negative comments and horror stories. Luckily my mom was also a source of inspiration, having 4 children naturally in the hospital (Midwives weren't a readily available option or cover by OHIP at that time or she probably would have had us at home too), she never terrorized me with how badly it hurt or how awful it was. It was a natural process, something my body was designed to do! But I don't even know how many times women would say to me " Take the drugs" "Don't be a hero" or look at me like I had 2 heads when I said I wanted a natural birth and a homebirth. Truth be told, the idea of having an epidural was more terrifying then having a baby, so as soon as I peed on the stick and seen the double lines...
I called the Midwives!

I knew I made the right decision the minute I stepped into their office.

The receptionist, Sandra greeted me with a huge smile, her sweet British accent put me at ease. And everytime I walked through the doors it was the same. The waiting room was filled with a "community" library which you were encouraged to borrow from, although I never had to wait long, they schedule their appointments with generous amounts of time as to not rush you in and out. The midwives are lovely, calming, caring and good-natured. The appointments were once a month, then twice a month until 36 weeks when they became once a week until baby! Each appointment alternated between my primary and secondary Midwife. My primary, Rebekah was with me throughout the active labour, delivery and afterwards. While my secondary Midwife was called to come just before Oliver was born, her role was to care for him and once he was checked, weighed and measured she was on to the next birth! Two midwives attend each birth so if for some reason the primary isn't able to make it, the secondary becomes the primary and another midwife attends as the secondary. During my visits I met each of them (there are 4 of them altogether) so that in the event Rebekah or Charlotte couldn't be there, I would still know who was delivering my baby! Which was a good thing because there was 3 births the night I went into labour, so my secondary Charlotte ended up being a primary at another birth and wasn't able to come. Beth filled in and was absolutely wonderful,
she was the secondary to all 3 births that night.

Over the course of 9 months they offered me knowledge, encouragment and an abundance of  personal (ized) care. They treat you like a human being and not just another uterus with a baby in it . You play an active role in your own healthcare, choosing whether or not to have an ultrasound, genetic screening, gestional diabetes screening and testing. Of course they make recommendations based on your situation but most importantly it's a discussion!
They inform you not make the decision for you.
It's the same with your birth plan... it's your plan, you take the reigns.

With that being said- of course things can go wrong, not every pregnancy or birth is "normal" and the midwives are trained to know where that line is. There is definitely a need for OBGYN's. They perform lifesaving operations but that's what Cesareans are.... operations. And I feel that a lot of women have forgotten this and unfortunately a lot of women are "forced" into them with "emergency" C-sections as a result of interventions (another fear of mine).  I was undecided for the longest time if I was going to give birth at the hospital or at home. But after a great discussion with Charlotte, where she explained what they bring to your home for the birth and once they do it is considered a Level One hospital (my local hospital is a Level Two) and what sorts of things would constitute a need for transfer, I knew homebirth was right for me.

Again it's your choice,
that's why I am asking you to please support your local midwives in their rally for pay equity!
Because they are worth it!

Also please support midwifery care in Ontario (for Ontario Residents only) by sending your MPP a e-postcard asking the government to give women another option of midwifery-led birth centres

Having the best sleep of my life in my ultra fresh sheets.....

 You can read Oliver's birth story here

A Birth Story- Oliver Warner

My original due date was May 17th but about halfway through my third trimester my midwife changed the date to the 12th solely based on the hugeness of my belly I'm sure (although it might have also been because of the baby's measurements in both ultrasounds). I still kept the 17th in mind and was prepared to go 2 weeks over as many people told me that can be the case with your first. Basically the baby would be born sometime in May-
a taurus or a gemini.....

So I was still working full days on May 10th when I finally felt some contractions in the afternoon. I was so excited as up to this point I hadn't had anything- no braxton hicks, no cramps no signs that this baby was thinking of making moves anytime soon! After work my sister and I went to my friend Jaime's to check out her new baby doll lamb, I was having contractions the entire time but chalked it up to a little pre-labour. We got home around 7:00pm-ish my sister left and the contractions stayed. Still thinking this was a wee bit of false labour that would go away I started cleaning and doing laundry like a crazy person (nest much?). Guy got home around 8:30 and by 9:00pm we were timing the contractions, they were coming steady every 2 minutes and by 11 we called our midwife Rebekah. She came to the house to see how far dilated I was and I was 6 cm! So she unpacked the gear and we set up for the homebirth. 

Now in my delusionalness it had never crossed my mind that this was in fact real labour and that my son was on his way, so we were rushing to set up the birthing tub and bed in the kitchen all the while my contractions continue to get stronger. By 3:00 am my water still hadn't broken so Rebekah broke it to help things along. It worked - soon after I was pushing and pushing some more for what felt like forever.......

and then at 6:10 am Oliver Warner was born!

It was such incredible feeling having my baby placed in my arms for the first time! He was so alert and wide awake and although I was completely exhausted (I had been up for a full 24 hours at this point) Guy and I were totally in love with our gorgeous baby boy. Oliver and I shared an amazing herbal bath together shortly after and then I got to crawl into my own bed. Now not only was  labouring and birthing at home awesome but the fact that I got to bathe in my own tub and sleep in my own bed (with freshly washed sheets... thanks to my obsessive labour cleaning) was just unreal!

My delivery was everything I hoped it would be (although next time I wouldn't mind if I don't have to push for soooooo long!) and I am so thankful for my wonderful midwives. They were loving, motherly and encouraging when I needed it, letting me go with what my body was telling me to do. Having a natural homebirth (no drugs not even tylenol!) was so empowering and gave me a new confidence as I entered into mamahood.

Midwives are the best!