first bath

this is so incredible, 

and makes me wish she would give me a bath!

a much different visual then we see in North America.

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!

microbirth

Please take a moment (or nine minutes rather) and watch this trailer. 

it's about a feature length documentary looking at birth through the lens of a microscope. It explores the latest scientific research into the microscopic events that occur during and immediately after birth. 

"This compelling, brand new science is starting to indicate that if the natural processes of childbirth are interfered with or bypassed completely, this could have devastating consequences for the long-term health of our children. Just to be clear, this film is not calling for an end to interventions as many times they are essential and they can be life-saving. But as this new science is starting to indicate, the use of synthetic oxytocin to induce or speed up labour (Pitocin / Syntocinon), antibiotics, C-section, the routine separation of mother and baby immediately after birth and formula feeding, could significantly raise the risk of our children developing serious disease later in life. And as the film shows, the medicalisation of childbirth could even be contributing to a potential global human catastrophe predicted to happen by the year 2030. 

This catastrophe could have a devastating impact for the future of our species.

The clock is clicking down to an event that we have been describing as "global warming for the species".

But there is hope. "MICROBIRTH" suggests a potential solution. For this new science is presenting us all with a golden opportunity. For if we act now to make change happen, we could improve the life-long health of our children and we could even put the brakes on this impending global disaster.

This is a factual, scientifically rigorous documentary featuring academics from, amongst others, Ivy League universities and leading institutions from the United States, Canada and Europe. 

We believe this film is the most important film we will ever make. But we need your help to get the film finished and seen around the world. So that together, with your help, we can make change happen. 

We believe this is a moment in history.

The choice of what happens next is a choice that belongs to all of us."

 via One World Birth

Please check out their indiegogo campaign to find out how you can support this incredibly important film!

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

what we learned about having babies in 2013

this is a great article by the Huff post summarizing key research published about having babies in 2013. While there is so much information out there, it can hard to sift through and process all of it. But having knowledge is power and the key to making the right decisions for you and your family. 

8 things we learned in 2013 about having babies

"When it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, it seems like parents-to-be often fall into two camps: Those who devour every bit of information they can get their hands on about what to expect and how to prepare (heh), and those who take a less-is-more approach when it comes to the latest research.
But really, keeping up with all the information being thrown at you -- at the same time that you're doing the very hard work of growing your family, or trying to -- can be overwhelming. That's why we assembled this list of eight of the biggest health research findings about preconception, pregnancy and childbirth to come out in the last 12 months -- with the caveat that science is a process and any finding requires replication and verification before it's considered definitive. Because while we at HuffPost Parents support anyone's decision to put their heads down, ear-buds in and do this whole baby-having thing their own way, we also believe that being informed can help parents-to-be make decisions that feel right to them -- in consult with their doctors, nurses, midwives, etc.
So with that in mind, here are just eight of the most interesting things researchers learned about making and having babies in 2013:

1. Sleep and diet can affect fertility.


What makes one couple particularly fertile, while another struggles for months or years to get pregnant is, in many cases, a mystery. And though infertility is often due to factors that are entirely out of a couple's control, more and more research suggests that, in some cases, certain lifestyle factors, like sleep and diet, can make a difference. One study found that women who do shift work (working outside of the typical 8 to 6 framework) may have disrupted menstrual cycles and reduced fertility, while another found that getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night was linked with the best outcomes among patients undergoing IVF. In terms of nutrition, one preliminary study suggested that women with polycystic ovarian syndrome hoping to conceive may benefit from eating a large breakfast and a smaller dinner in order to help with insulin levels, which can affect hormones.

2. Specific fertility treatments lead to more multiple births.
 
A major report that delved into why the number of twins and other multiples in the U.S. is so much higher now than it was four decades ago found that a third of all twin births, and more than three-quarters of all triplet and higher-order births (i.e. multiples of three or more) were due to the use of some form of fertility treatment. But notably, the report also found that in vitro fertilization -- often singled out as the main culprit -- was, in fact, no longer the greatest contributor to the rate of multiples. Instead, other treatments, such as ovulatory medications, were the top cause.

3. Miscarriage is more common than most people know.


When researchers with Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx polled a group of more than 1,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 69, they found that they grossly underestimated how common miscarriage, or the loss of a fetus before the 20th week is: More than half said it occurs in fewer than 6 percent of all pregnancies, but estimates suggest it actually happens in roughly 15 to 20 percent. Moreover, many respondents wrongly identified the major causes, citing stress, oral contraceptives and physical exertion, when, in fact, chromosomal abnormalities are most often to blame. The study wasn't meant to stoke fear, but rather to point out how much misinformation there is about miscarriage, and how that can leave the women and men affected by it feeling very alone.

4. Maternal exercise benefits newborns' brains.

Exercise is, understandably, the last thing on many women's minds when they're exhausted, sick and can't remember the last time they saw their toes, but one study showed that just a bit of moderate exercise (in addition to helping with things like mood and sleep) might also boost babies' brain activity, by contributing to a healthy fetal environment. Babies born to women who clocked at least 20 minutes of moderate cardio three times a week appeared to be better at processing certain sounds, which may have implications for overall brain development. "Our results show that the babies born from the mothers who were physically active have a more mature cerebral activation, suggesting that their brains developed more rapidly," the study researcher told HuffPost.

5. Junk food addiction may start in the womb.

It was a highly preliminary study done in rats, but an investigation out of Australia nonetheless raised interesting questions about what can happen when women eat a significant amount of junk food during pregnancy. Researchers found that rats whose mothers ate diets high in fat and sugar (think sweet cereals and potato chips) had a greater preference for high-fat foods after birth than those whose mothers ate a diet that was low in fat and sugar -- and the gene expression in the reward pathways of their brains was changed, so that they had a greater predisposition to a junk food addiction later in life. Though it's too early to say if the findings can be extrapolated to humans, the study's main researcher argued that the "take-home message for women is that eating large amounts of junk food during pregnancy and while breastfeeding will have long-term consequences for their child's preference for these foods."

6. Pregnancy interventions are common ... and not always welcome.

Despite the fact that roughly 60 percent of moms in the U.S. who were included in a survey about birth practices and beliefs said they feel giving birth is a natural process that shouldn't be interfered with unless it's absolutely necessary for medical reasons. However, one-quarter of the women surveyed said they had at least three interventions during birth, from taking drugs to speed up or start labor to having a C-section. Twenty five percent of respondents who were induced or had an epidural said they felt pressured at the hospital to do so, as did 13 percent of those who had a C-section. 

7. Midwifery care is linked to better outcomes.

Most women in the U.S. rely on doctors to provide their primary care during pregnancy and birth, but a growing minority rely on midwives, and a Cochrane review lent some serious support to that model. The review found that consistent midwifery care throughout pregnancy was linked to better outcomes for mothers and their babies, compared to women who saw family physicians, OBs, or some mix of health care providers. Women who worked with midwives had lower rates of episiotomy and epidural useand they were less likely to deliver their baby prematurely. None of the studies cited were conducted in the U.S., but the review's lead author argued that the findings are still relevant in this country.

8. Delayed cord clamping has benefits.


The clamping and snipping of the umbilical cord can be a memorable post-birth moment -- particularly for hands-on fathers and partners -- but an investigation released in 2013 suggests its best done at least a minute or two after the baby is born. The review of 15 previously published trials from around the world found that delaying by just one minute can increase a newborn's iron supplies for up to six months post-birth." article source

raspberry leaf tea

one of my favourite teas (and not just because I'm 37 weeks pregnant)

 is  raspberry leaf tea while it has a great reputation for benefits during pregnancy, this tea is beneficial to all women in any stage of life. As it's name suggests, it's made from the leaf of the raspberry plant, it's naturally high in magnesium, potassium, iron and b-vitamins and this specific combination of nutrients make it highly beneficial for women's reproduction health. 

In pregnancy it helps alleviate nausea, leg cramps and improves sleep while also strengthening the uterus and pelvic muscles which many claim lead to a shorter and easier labour. It is also recommended for women to increase fertility and helpful for couples trying to conceive. I've drank it throughout my pregnancies although I've found at times it made me crampy and then I would reduce my intake to a couple of times a week instead of daily. But always consult with your midwife or doctor before taking any herb while pregnant.

Pregnancy aside,  Raspberry Leaf Tea has been used for centuries as a folk medicine to treat an assortment of ailments including but not limited to:canker sores, cold sores, and gingivitis in persons of all ages and anemia, leg cramps, diarrhea, and morning sickness in pregnant women, and as a uterine relaxant. 

I've been a fan of raspberry leaf tea for some time, 

check out my other posts here , here,  here and here

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!

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

Days of Pregnancy- 40 Weeks!

I am a bit in shock that today has come and almost gone with NO signs that this wee one wants to come out! Oliver's punctuality is even more appreciated now. It's been a tough week (not pregnancy related and more on that in another post) so I guess it was meant to be.

Can't wait to meet you little babe. xoxo

Days of Pregnancy Series

Days of Pregnancy- 35 weeks!

My Maternity Photo Session with Dana!

These were taken last week when I was 35 weeks

The weather felt more like July not March which allowed for such great photos!

I decided to do the session just me and the belly, since I haven't had the same amount of time to reflect on this pregnancy as I did with Oliver (for obvious reasons) and I am so glad I did.

I couldn't be happier with how they turned out! Having the pictures taken in our home

and out in our backyard in G-hill makes it even more special.

Check out my Maternity Series here

The Difference

As we inch closure to the day we finally get to meet our new babe, I am in total awe how quickly it has gone by and by just how different my pregnancies have been.

with Oliver I barfed more between weeks 6-12 but then I was good for the rest of the day and the rest of the pregnancy for that matter. This time around I was nauseated for most of the day, but very little barfing actually and only from about 6-12 weeks as well. Exhaustion however was for the entire first trimester! Which I don't remember experiencing while pregnant with Oliver but then again I didn't have him and did have copious amounts of free time to rest and relax.

U/S- Oliver at 21 weeks

U/S- Babe#2 at 20 weeks 

My second trimesters for both pregnancies were pretty easy and enjoyable. Feeling the first kicks and movements were awesome both times. I've definitely had more aches and pains this go around which I attribute to not being able to enjoy as much time doing prenatal pilates. With Oliver I scheduled it in religiously and my body really felt strong, limber and loose and this time I'm lucky to get 10 minutes of stretching in a day. I'm really exhausted by the time Oliver goes down around 8-8:30 that getting into a pilates workout really isn't in the cards that late in the day. Other differences include my hair. With Oliver my hair was shiny and luscious, this time it's dull, frizzy and a mess. I carried lower with Oliver so I don't remember my boobs ever touching my belly, not the case this time. Although my sweet sister Jenna told me it could also be because my boobs are sagging more now then they did 2+ years ago (which maybe true but...).  My belly is rounder this time opposed to all out front and longer like it was with Oliver.

36 weeks with Oliver

36 weeks - Babe #2

I had an ultrasound at 36 weeks with Oliver because my midwife wanted to confirm that he was in the head down position, he was but the U/S technician freaked me out by telling he was already weighing in at 7 lbs and still had a month of growth (fattening up) to go! The boys in our families (on both sides) tend to be on the large side so I was panicked that he would be like 10+ lbs. He ended up weighing in at 8 lbs 2 oz which was a managable size but definitely had a huge head!
Hopefully this one has a slightly smaller melon.

So here we are, 36 weeks and 4 days in and 24 days to go.
Friday marks 37 weeks and this babe will be considered term. Next week I'll start drinking Red Leaf Raspberry tea regularly and frequently (I stopped for a while since I was experiencing a lot of cramping the next day) and also start the evening primrose capsules at night. My midwife did a stretch and sweep at 38 weeks with Oliver and I'm not opposed to doing that again this time.

The next few weeks while we wait for baby to come, we'll continue to put the house back together and really prepare for this little one's arrival!

Days of Pregnancy- 30 Weeks!

I don't know why but 30 weeks seems like such a big milestone in my pregnancy world.
Even though there are still 10 weeks to go (maybe longer if this bebe decides to stay put past his/hers "due date")
It still feels like the home stretch. Maybe it's because this pregnancy is going so quickly that I can't believe we are at 30 weeks already. Or that now I have midwife appointments every 2 weeks instead of every month. My pregnancy with Oliver seemed to go fast too, minus the last month... it almost felt as long as the previous 8 combined but that could have been because of my ridiculously swollen feet. Not a good time, hope I don't go there this time around but I'm pretty sure it's going to happen.

On the flip side in approx. 10 weeks I am going to be the Mama to 2 babies...
wowza which is kind of scary! 

Days of Pregnancy Series

Days of Pregnancy- 29 Weeks!

Weeks 27, 28 didn't come together as planned but here's looking at 29 weeks and 4 days.

The bebe's heart rate was was between 130-140 yesterday at my appointment which is lower than Oliver's ever was... which made me think it was a boy (typically lower heart rates) but then made me think it is a girl since Oliver was always 150+. I'm so confused!

Still no agreed upon names to speak of, although we did play the name game after Guy had had a few cocktails on the first night of our trip. I don't think we will do that again, trying to pick names while one of us is a wee bit tipsy isn't the best idea. Needless to say we didn't gain any ground after that round!

In other news we get our new Tempurpedic mattress today and I am beyond excited! We have been talking about getting a new bed for quite some time and this entry into the 3rd trimester was the extra "push" I needed to make it happen. Oh yeah and they were on sale for $700 off!

Days of Pregnancy Series here

Days of Pregnancy- 25 Weeks!

Another week, another picture.

We are officially into the 6th month! And in 2 weeks time will be entering the 3rd trimester.

Wow, I can't believe it. The hustle bustle of everyday makes the days blend together. It seems each week is passing more quickly than the last. Of course it helps being in the "honeymoon" trimester right now- I'm not too big yet, still comfortable and still  have enough energy to mother Oliver, be a wifey to Guy and work fulltime! I have a midwife appointment this afternoon and soon my monthly appointments will turn into appointments every 2 weeks and then every week until your arrival. I know that your gender is revealed on the last ultrasound report so I am going to have to stay strong and resist the urge to find out today. It's going to be tough..... but I know it will be so worth the wait!

Check out my Days of Pregnancy Series here

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/