Friday, March 30, 2012

Eating the afterbirth

  Recently this subject has been what seems like everywhere and I was curious. As a doula, I am all for becoming educated on everything that has to do with birth. My own midwife asked me on Wednesday if I was interested in placenta encapsulation.

  I read articles like this one. All opinion and no actual facts. Sure a TV star ate her placenta, but what does that tell me? You can watch http://youtu.be/LGAYZyAHk-s this video of the story also. Doesn't really help find any facts, but it was entertaining.

  I decided to do some research myself. You know, to see if there were any truth to what a lot of other doulas are saying about ingesting the placenta.

  Here is an article of someone's experience taking her own placenta vitamins. She says she regrets it. Very interesting read.

  I found this very helpful article. It basically says there have been no reliable or valid studies to prove any benefits of a human mammal eating its afterbirth.

  So my conclusion is that eating the placenta may or may not be helpful. There have been no studies to prove it right or wrong. I will not be encapsulating my placenta. If I have a client that is interested in doing it, I would support her 100% and help her make this happen. I just suggest everyone do their own research before doing something such as eating the afterbirth.
  

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Baby A.

  The second birth I attended as a doula did not turn out as any had planned either. (First lesson of doula-ing - birth hardly ever goes as planned!) And just at the first one, I learned SO much and am so grateful I got to be a part of this wonderful birth.

  Mama was about 36 weeks gestation when her water broke! The previous week she had found out baby was breech. She had an appointment to try to turn the baby that week. So when the water broke and she went to the hospital it turned into a C-section.

  Mama got to the hospital pretty early. Due to me being VERY ill-prepared and my phone not being charged I did not get there until almost 12. (Another lesson! Be prepared a month early! Just in case!)

  Mama was already frustrated with waiting for her baby to be born. She couldn't have anything to eat or drink. Then her Section was pushed back due to someone needing one more then she did. Besides me she had two aunts to support her. So we all sat around telling stories and laughing. Mama started having some pretty painful contractions and I wished their was more I could do. She was stuck in bed with the monitors for her and baby. Poor mama. I tried to be comforting.

  So we waited and waited. And almost an hour after they said they would take her back for surgery they FINALLY came and got her. Her aunt accompanied her to the surgery. Her other aunt and I waited in the waiting room. It seemed like forever to us! I was actually surprised at how long this surgery seemed to take. Most of the C-section birth stories I have heard or read seemed to happen so fast.

  A few minutes after she was taken to recovery we were allowed to join her. Baby was perfect! 6lbs 11oz and 18 inches long. At one point I got to hold her and she was so sweet and precious!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Baby T.

So my first client birth didn't go as anyone had planned. It was still amazing and I am so thankful I got to be a part of bringing baby girl T into the world. As my first birth as a doula, I learned SO MUCH. I guess that is what the 6 pre-certification births are for.

I had only met with Mama one time before labor/birth. She was the girlfriend of the son of a crafty friend of mine. That's right, I am friends with the Grandma. I met Mama when she was about 38 weeks and she was pretty miserable dealing with being pregnant with her first baby and a case of PUPPs. I should mention Mama is a small statured lady, an inch shorter then me! And I am 4'11''.

So a few days after baby T's due date Mama was finally in labor. I was not as prepared as I wanted to be! Mama was already at the hospital and had an epidural before I got to the hospital. Mama was at a different hospital then I thought she was delivering at. Had to drive to downtown Seattle (about 30 minutes from my home.) But I was excited and ready to help in any way I could!

When I knocked on Mama's room and I said I was the doula her nurse said, "She doesn't need a doula, she has an epidural." I was a little shocked. (This was a learning moment for me. I will probably be treated like this in the future also.) So I said as politely as I could that every mama needs a doula. It turned out that this hospital would only let 3 visitors in the room while a mama was laboring. Family were all chosen over me. (Which is understandable.) So I spent most of my time checking on mama and then waiting in the waiting room.

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed but not put out! I used my kid-free hospital waiting room time to study my doula textbook. And I got to visit my friend (grandma-to-be) whenever she came in the waiting room. And I got to listen to all the other excited families who were also waiting on babies to be born.

So the details on Mama's labor: She was only dilated to a 4 when she arrived at the hospital but was not dealing with the pain at all and so got the epidural to relieve that. After a while they gave her pitocin to hopefully help her dilate. Unfortunately she only ever got at a 6. Baby T's head was at an angle not preferable to an easy birth. Mama's cervix had started to swell instead of dilate.

This is when the doctors decided it was time for a C-section. They came in and talked to Mama about it. Then brought the surgeon in and talked about it some more. Mama just wanted labor over. (As would I!)  So they decided on a C-section. I tried to be as comforting and supportive as I could. I knew this decision did not come lightly. I hope Mama knew we(her family and I) all supported her and her decisions.

Some time after 6 Mama was taken to the OR. Baby T was born at 7pm on February 7th, 2012. She was 6lbs 6.9 oz. 19 inches. Just a cute little bundle of baby girl!