Chandler, Arizona
Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Q&A with SPB: Chiropractic Care
Posted on October 13, 2015 at 9:08 AM |
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We invite Dr. Ross to speak to our
students every series. We started out by having him come to a portion of a
class to share the benefits of chiropractic in pregnancy and for breastfeeding,
and to explain The Webster Protocol, a technique used for mothers carrying
breech babies. I imagined he would speak for about 30
minutes, leaving us two hours to spend on that week's topic with our students.
After two sessions when the reverse was true, it became apparent that he needed
his own class. Ever since then, our Bradley™ series is actually 13
sessions: 12 classes with us, and 1 with Dr. Ross. Our belief in
the benefits of chiropractic stem from the results we see in our own family’s
health. I write about those HERE.
Among other things, we have been positively impacted in pregnancy and
with breastfeeding, and those are the topics that are relevant to our students. He speaks on several topics:
Now supposedly, women under
chiropractic care have shorter and easier labors. We found that they were easier…not
necessarily shorter for us! We wish that
benefit for all our readers and student, though! I have listed several local
chiropractors at the end of this post.
If you are not local to Phoenix, please check www.icpa4kids.com to find
a chiropractor in your area. If you are
a skeptic like I was, consider scheduling a consult just to talk before you
make a decision about initiating care. Our story of coming around to chiropractic care: http://goo.gl/sDTdMS Get your own “Eat Locally” tee-shirt at Rescued Rumps: http://goo.gl/BXf11J DR ROSS VIDEOS Whole Foods https://youtu.be/YIlMvB3KA7o Harmful Substances https://youtu.be/pKt2PGHqYTU Chiropractic Care Pregnancy https://youtu.be/qgd_eqZ01FU Webster Protocol https://youtu.be/A3762xOCMcs Sacrum https://youtu.be/NheKWhvDqZE Posterior Baby https://youtu.be/Tean65Uhw-Q Chiropractic Care for Infants https://youtu.be/Aol0l_wBhLo Cranial Care & KST for babies https://youtu.be/CpAiwXJApZE BREECH Information Five Point Plant to Turn Breech Baby http://goo.gl/2WYf4n Find a chiropractor in your area: http://icpa4kids.com/index.php AHWATUKEE: Dr. Stephanie http://livinginline.com/ MESA: Dr. Jenny http://www.expressionsoflifechiro.com/ PHOENIX: Dr. Becky http://www.kidsrising.com/ SCOTTSDALE: Dr. Dara http://optimumwellnesschiropractic.com/ TEMPE Dr. Ross http://rechargeyourlife.com Disclaimer: |
Blueprint for a Vaginal Birth
Posted on April 26, 2013 at 7:35 PM |
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If I could write a blueprint for having a vaginal birth, I would follow the Five-Point Plan outlined in our Bradley Method® classes. Here are five things you can do throughout your pregnancy to decrease your chance of a cesarean when you go into labor: 1. Exercise Have you ever heard of a person signing up for a race on the day of the event with no prior running experience? Have you ever heard of an athlete being signed to a team without any previous training in that sport? No. You would not participate in an athletic event without at least three months of prior training. Labor is like an athletic event. You will have the best outcome possible if you are free to move, walk, and engage your body in different physical positions. A body that is ready for that event will perform much better than a body that starts labor with no preparation at all. 2. Good Nutrition Coach Bruss tries to impress on the coaches that they have a vested interest in ensuring that their partners are eating a healthy, whole food diet. The benefits for the long-term health of the growing baby will last their lifetime. The mother will benefit in pregnancy and labor if she is well hydrated and well nourished. You can read more about the details of what we teach in Bradley™ classes HERE.
In the event that the MotherBaby do have a cesarean birth, the well-nourished pair
has a better chance at recovery and establishing breastfeeding. Barring additional complications from
surgery, Mother can withstand the trauma of labor and her milk should come in
without too much delay if she has been well nourished. Her good nutrition made strong, healthy,
stretchy tissues, so she may also have a better recovery healing from the
physical rigors of a cesarean. Baby has
been afforded every opportunity to have all the right nutrients for growth
while in-utero, and they are likely to be born at their best health
possible.
Anecdotally, I can share that most of the babies born via cesarean to our
students have had lusty appetites when they are reunited with their mothers! 3. Education You and your partner are going to live with your baby for the rest of your lives. The decisions you make and the information you learn during your pregnancy will help you make the best decisions possible when it comes time to make choices for your birth. We love the Bradley Method®, which is why we took it twice and then became certified instructors. We both wanted to work together to bring our children into the world so it made sense for Bruss to train as my coach. We felt the topics covered in the twelve weeks would help us to be as knowledgeable as possible about the process of labor and how to handle the work of labor. We liked the focus on communication, exercise, nutrition and relaxation every week.
If “one size fit all”, there would not need to be any other types of childbirth
preparation course. The reality is that
what works for me, may not work for you, and what works for you, may not work
for your best friend, etc. There are
several other methods to prepare women and/or couples for birth. Along with a link to The Bradley Method® main
page so you can find an instructor in your area, I have listed some of my
colleagues in the Phoenix area who teach other methods at the end of the post,.
I also recognize that sometimes classes are not possible due to timing or
resources. Read THIS about the natural alignment plateau. I also put a suggested reading
list at the bottom of this post – you can read as much or as little as you want. I did list my top three choices if your time
is limited and you really want to do your best to be ready for your birth.
I will close this section with a parting thought: you would not save up your
money for the vacation of a lifetime and then hand over that savings to a
travel agent and say, “Book it” without any further investment in the process. Your child is priceless. Take the time to read, form a community and
really be confident in the choices you want to make for your birth, and the
options you are willing to consider if your birth takes a different course than
you prepared for. 4. Take Responsibility Piggyback on the last idea: you are the ultimate arbiter of your pregnancy and labor. You can inform yourself and make the best decisions, or you can be completely casual and careless, or something in between. You can also take responsibility for your pregnancy by taking care of yourself physically and emotionally. Avoid stress and overwork. Instead of popping a pill, what do you think about going to see a chiropractor, getting a massage, or going to prenatal yoga classes to ease the discomforts of pregnancy? Some of the most important choices for you to make intentionally revolve around your birth plan. Do you have a provider that supports your birth choices? What is their primary cesarean rate? Are you at a birthing facility that supports your choices? What is the facility’s primary cesarean rate? This information is public record – you can find it. If not, you can contact an advocacy group like Childbirth Connection or Improving Birth to help you uncover that information and find the most vaginal-birth friendly providers and birthing places in your region. Especially if you choose a hospital birth, you can also explore your feelings about hiring a doula. Learn what a doula’s role is in birth, how to hire one that best suits what you anticipate your needs as a couple will be, and then plan it into your budget. Some doulas work on sliding scales, and they are willing to trade and barter – all birth workers want to help you in any way they can. Realistically, couples in all birth places can benefit from a doula – read up and see which choice is right for you. 5. Relaxation Relaxation is the key to The Bradley Method®. Dr. Bradley believed that a well-trained mother who was accompanied by her loving coach could do anything that nature intended. With the knowledge of the progress of labor, she doesn’t have to be afraid of “what comes next”. A well-trained mother welcomes the sensations of labor with the knowledge that this is a journey she must take to grow as a mother. Bradley™ classes teach strategies for physical, mental and emotional relaxation
to have as many tools as possible to break the Pain-Fear-Tension cycle. We teach our couples various positions for
labor so that a mother can follow her instincts and get into the best position
possible to achieve maximum relaxation. Both she and Coach know the
roadmap. They also know that their
course may be a sprint or a marathon, or maybe something in between – their
role is to accept the labor and follow mama’s instincts about what she needs
and when. Once she is completely relaxed
and able to surrender, labor can progress beautifully and unencumbered to an unmedicated,
vaginal birth. In closing: As I mentioned earlier in the post, sometimes you do all the right things and
yet, you are still being presented with a situation that looks like it may lead
to a cesarean. HERE is a good post that
covers how to handle different labor scenarios that may present as a reason for
a cesarean. If mom is okay and baby is okay, you can think about asking for more time.
What if you do everything right and you still end up at the operating room? Read HERE to learn about your options if you
want to maximize your cesarean experience to capture the essence of a vaginal
birth. Again, you must educate yourself
and prepare. Consider writing a cesarean
Birth Plan B so that your provider is well aware of what you want to happen
before you are in labor and so that when you ask for these things, they are not
forgotten. A natural approach to a
cesarean takes more time than a standard cesarean. By discussing these things in pregnancy, you
are not going to ask them to change their “game” without fair warning. All of our students come to class with the intention of having a natural,
vaginal birth. There are times when they
have made the choice to have a cesarean for a Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby outcome
after laboring and using the tools they learned in class. They had the skill
set to help them identify that despite doing all the things they could, the
cesarean was the birth that their baby needed.
The overwhelming majority of them have been grateful for all the
preparation and the communication skills they learned. Unlike families who felt railroaded into
their cesareans, couples who prepare for their births choose to have cesareans
that ensure a Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby outcome and they have a degree of peace
with their birth to help them on the road to healing. I know gratitude for the process doesn’t take away the feelings of not having the birth they planned and prepared for. Barring the rare complications, having an empowered pregnancy does give them the best possible chance of a VBAC next time. If you did everything right and still had a cesarean, I encourage you to accept your birth. Your baby had a reason for needing a cesarean, and assuming you hired a capable, experienced care provider that you trusted, they knew that knew that was the birth you needed. Seek support from other women who had cesareans through the ICAN organization in person or on-line. Lastly, there is a group of women who will always need a cesarean. They may be high-risk, or they may have high-risk pregnancies. To those women, I say, “You are strong. You are lionesses.” Cesarean births are no joke, and to be willing to undergo them again and again for the love of family, you are the ultimate examples of a mother’s love. Thank you. What do you think – would you add or subtract anything from this list? Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and posted. *I think* that the amount of traffic you so generously generate has led to a lot of spam posting. In an effort to keep the spam to a minimum, I am taking the time to moderate comments now.
Reading list: Top Three-Four, especially if you are not going to take a class Natural Childbirth The Bradley™ Way – Susan McCutcheon, AAHCC Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth – Ina May Gaskin Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth – Henci Goer The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding – La Leche League, International Other very informative books: Husband-Coached Childbirth – Dr. Robert Bradley Exercises for True Natural Childbirth – Rhondda Hartman, RN, AAHCC The Birth Book – Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears, RN Active Birth - Janet Balaskas A Child is Born – Lennart Nilsson What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know – Gail Sforza with Dr. Tom Brewer Metabolic Toxemia of Late Pregnancy – Dr. Tom Brewer Children at Birth – Marjie and Jay Hathway, AAHCC The Baby Book – Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears, RN Main Page for The Bradley Method® Hypnobirthing: Marinah Farrell (4-6 week course) 480-528-1689Hypnobabies: Noelia Waldo (6 week course) (480) 295-0895 Birthing From Within: Alejandrina Vostrejos (6 weeks) 480-206-1985 The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
A New Chapter: Meet Cassandra
Posted on March 5, 2013 at 8:48 AM |
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Bruss and I would like to welcome Cassandra to the Sweet Pea Births Family. She will be a regular contributor to the blog and you will start seeing her around the internet on our other social media platforms. I am looking forward to sharing her areas of expertise with our students and readers. Bienvenidos, Cassandra! ~KRB I am wife to my wonderful husband, Eric, of four years, and
mother to our one-year-old son. I quit my career in telecommunications finance
at 34 weeks pregnant and have stayed home ever since. SAHM, wife, mother, all
roles I am still struggling to understand, identify, navigate, and balance a
year later.
In 2009 I began a whirlwind adventure into all things
nutrition, holistic healing, natural living, conscious consumerism, and
sustainability, not only for our earth but also for us! This led me to obtaining
a certificate in Holistic Nutrition from the Southwest Institute of Healing
Arts in 2010 and exploring the world of healthy pregnancy and natural home
birth before becoming pregnant in 2011. Now my days are filled with post
partum/nursing nutrition, toddler nutrition, gentle parenting, and being the
best facilitator to my son as he explores the world.
My pregnancy was filled with tons of herbs/herbal tea,
chiropractic care, yoga, massages, nutritious food, walking, weight training
(until my due date!). Everything progressed
very normally. At 43 weeks 4 days (according to the date *I* believed my
baby was conceived), I woke up around 9:00 am and while laying in bed felt some
slight cramps that were coming and going about every 5/6 minutes. I had no
signs of labor up until this point and I knew this could last for days or even
weeks so I just relaxed, read, and then got ready for the day. My husband was
taking me on an afternoon date to see The Lorax!
While I was getting ready they were coming a little stronger
and by the time I met my husband at 1:00 pm, I was stopping for a breath at each
one. I LOVED the movie but about an hour into it I just couldn't get
comfortable during the contractions and I asked if we could leave so I could
lie down (I still haven't seen the end of that movie!).
We got home about 4:00 pm and I tried laying on the couch
while my husband changed our bed sheets and made me something to eat. That
wasn't very comfortable and I settled in on the floor. Around 5:45 pm I called our doula. I knew it could still be a
very long time and didn’t want her to come prematurely but wanted to give her a
heads up so she could plan her night. She was on her way to teach a birth class
which was from 6:30-8:30 pm and I told her to just come after! She had to run
home and get her things and said it would probably take about an hour and I
figured I could definitely go on like this for three more hours and 9:30 pm would be perfect. The bed was now ready so I got in, surrounded myself with
pillows and tried to rest, but they were really coming now. I also had to get
up and pee a lot, which was no fun. I felt the best lying down, I needed to be
supported and just try and sink into the bed when a contraction would come. I
tried the birth ball for one and I just felt so unstable without the support of
the bed and pillows all around me. I would have some on the toilet though and
would brace myself against the door; the support of the door and the toilet
beneath was good too. Around 6:45 pm they were more intense and hard for me so I
started moaning through them, it actually really helped. I decided I needed to
call our doula back and have her come now. I also called our midwife then to
give her the heads up as I was definitely feeling this was the real thing and
hoping to have my baby with us sometime the next morning. Our doula arrived around 8:00 pm, and I was so happy to see her. I was still
in bed, surrounded by pillows and not opening my eyes – just moaning through
each contraction. She set up the birth tub and it was super noisy but I didn’t
mind at all, during my contractions I was in my own world and although I would
still have my eyes closed between contractions I could still hear and
understand everything going on around me. I am not sure what time it was when the first batch of hot
water was in the tub but that is when I got in, it wasn’t very deep but it was
actually perfect. The water felt good. I got on my knees and laid over the side
with my arms outside, I began to lose it a little in the pool. The contractions
were so strong and honestly I wish I could describe how they felt but I can’t,
I couldn’t really explain to my husband right after and by now I can’t remember
as vividly. They were HARD though, I got really scared that this was going to go
on for hours and hours and hours and I knew I wouldn’t be able to last that
long. I kept asking my doula if she thought I had a lot longer left and she
just kept telling me to focus on each contraction and not think about anything
except that one. She held my hands and repeated “think about being soft and
open in front of your baby” during the contractions and I did. I spread my legs
out wide during each and thought about my cervix as butter melting away.
Between contractions all I wanted to do was rest, I just wanted to lie down. I
started sitting back in the tub during the breaks just to try and find some
relief, even though it was more work to get back up as soon as I felt another
contraction coming. During this time I had a non-stop feeling that I had to pee.
I would get out of the tub and go to the toilet but during contractions it
started feeling so much better if I pushed like I was peeing. Our doula put a
chux pad outside of the pool and I spent a couple contractions coming back from
the bathroom leaning on the outside of the pool and pee would dribble out each
time. She said a little bit of pee in the pool was fine and I was SO happy
because it seriously felt so much better when I could do that during the
contractions. Somewhere in here I was asked if I wanted the student
midwives to come hang out in the other room but I said no, surprisingly (for my
worrisome nature) I didn’t feel like anything was wrong and the only thing I
was worried about was that labor was going to go on forever and I wouldn’t be able
to make it through. I started feeling some spasms on the right side of my belly
during three contractions and then at 9:55 pm my water broke! It was the wildest
feeling ever, I really had NO idea what it was – it felt like a big gush and
then bubbles coming out. I don’t know if I made a weird face or something but
my doula immediately asked if my water broke and then I knew what it was! The very next contraction was a pushing contraction – it was
the craziest thing I have ever felt. It was like my stomach was literally
ejecting my baby out. It would happen about three times each contraction. It
wasn’t as “painful” as the other contractions but VERY overwhelming and
honestly scary to me because it was SO strong and so involuntary – my body was
doing it all without me and it was nuts! I don’t think I actually pushed with
the contractions for awhile, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything – it felt
like my body all on it’s own. My doula told me to reach down and see if I could
feel my baby and I could! His head was about half a finger inside. After a few contractions his head was closer, and then I
would feel it come down and go back up. It then started coming down and staying
down, but during the break between contractions would go back up.
My husband replaced my doula in front of me holding my hands
during these contractions while she went behind me and put counter pressure on
my back. It felt amazing, I didn’t really feel that much pressure in my
back/bum and I think it was because she was doing that. The beginning of a
couple came without her ready and they were SO MUCH WORSE. Our midwives arrived around 10:40 pm. They checked my baby’s
heart rate and it sounded good and I was relieved. I hadn’t felt any movement
from him and a couple of times it crossed my mind that maybe he wasn’t ok or
alive (I know that is awful but it was in my thoughts). Pretty soon I started
feeling burning on the inside, then a couple more contractions later and I was
feeling a terrible burning on the outside – I could reach down and feel my
son’s head RIGHT there. I had felt something slimy sticking out of me earlier and my
doula had checked me with a flashlight and mirror and saw that it was just part
of my bag of waters. Our midwife noticed the same thing at this point and wanted
to make sure she knew what it was, she couldn’t get a good look with the
flashlight so she told me I needed to stand up. I thought there was no possible
way in the world that I could stand up even if I tried but somehow everyone
helped me up, a contraction hit and my baby just shot/tumbled/fell right out,
it was 11:20pm on March 7th, 2012.
Later this week I will be sharing Part 2 so watch for
it on Friday! In the mean time I would love to hear from you in the comments: where did
you birth your baby(ies)? Was it what you expected or planned, why or why not? Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and
posted.
*I think* that the amount of traffic you so generously
generate has led to a lot of spam posting. In an effort to keep the spam
to a minimum, I am taking the time to moderate comments now. ~KRB Disclaimer: It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Coaching Back Labor
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:09 AM |
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We started seeing Dr. Ross when Bryan was breech
in-utero. His care has positively
impacted my health and made our last pregnancy feel like my best one ever. Not wanting to keep the goodness to ourselves, we
invite him to come speak to our students as a free bonus class. They hear about the many ways chiropractic care may benefit them during pregnancy,
postpartum and their nursing relationship.
For more information on those topics, click here. Here is the second topic in Dr. Ross’ presentation to our
students: how to coach back labor. He is also a Bradley© dad, and
he knows first-hand the importance of being able to coach a mom with back labor and relieve
the intense pain it can cause. We ask
him to share his tips and tricks with our student coaches. I am so excited that we finally got some
videos of him demonstrating his techniques so that people can refer to them in preparation
for the birth-day. Thank you to Erica
White for volunteering to be his demo partner and for allowing me to share
these on the world wide web! The first video demonstrates how to find the mom’s sacrum
and how to manipulate it in labor. The
idea is to open the top of the pelvis when mom and baby are trying to line up –
this is great for the first stage of labor.
When baby is engaging and mom is starting to feel low-back pressure, the
focus changes to opening the bottom of the pelvis to increase the size of the
passageway and ease baby out. This second video is a technique for every coach and doula
to add to his or her “labor toolbox”. It is specifically designed to turn a
posterior baby. I have had students use
this successfully and avoid a cesarean. In
their case, it correctly positioned their baby who was asynclitic, which is just a fancy way of saying the baby’s head was
tilted to the side and misaligned with the birth canal. Their baby’s position was also very painful
to the mom, similar to the manner that can make back labor unbearable. Dr. Ross has the moms scoot as close to the edge of the bed as
they are comfortable, and he has the coaches support the moms so that they can
completely relax in this position. I
included the written description of the technique below the video. Alternate Positioning During Labor:
Have the patient lie on the side (whichever side feels the
most comfortable to her). Ask her to
drop her top leg off of the side of the bed for as long as she’s
comfortable. This will many times take the
tension out of the tissue and allow the baby to rotate into the proper position
with the occiput oriented anterior instead of posterior. - Attribution Unkown (by me – if Dr. Ross has it I will
edit) Let me know if you try any of these techniques and how they
work for you. I trust and pray that
their successful application will help you avoid medical interventions. As
always, I wish you the best labor possible and encourage you to make decisions that lead to a Healthy
Mom, Healthy Baby outcome. Which labor toolbox tips or tricks worked for you? Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. March 5, 2012 to May 21, 2012 For more information or to register, please call us at
602-684-6567 or email us at [email protected] |
Chiropractic Care for Moms and Babies
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 4:12 PM |
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Then our third child, Bryan, was breech at 32 weeks. And he stayed breech - at our 36 week ultrasound, there was definitely a bottom where there should have been a top! Desperate to avoid a cesarean and willing to try any natural measure I could, I asked my natural momma tribe if they could recommend anyone for the Webster Protocol - the three with answers all sent me to the same person: Dr. Kevin Ross. We invite him to speak to our students because we feel that his care is one of the keys for our whole family to continue along the path of natural living that ties into our passion for natural birth. He is passionate about chiropractic care and the benefits for mom, baby and the nursing relationship. As an added bonus, he is also a Bradley dad® and can speak directly to the families coach to coach. Today's post is short on written words - I will let Dr. Ross' videos speak for themselves. You will see a title and a synopsis; click on the videos to learn more about the topics. Enjoy! The topics are: - What is chiropractic care? - What is "interfering" with the body's natural processes? - What is "adjusting"? - Chiropractic and Pregnancy - Chiropractic and Babies - The Webster Protocol explained For Part 2 of this post, which is Coaching Back Labor click here. What is chiropractic care? Dr. Ross introduces the concept of chiropractic care to our students. What is "interfering" with the body's natural process? Chemical, physical and emotional stressors interfere with the body's ability to heal itself. Good chiropractors don't "fix" things - they clear the way for the body to do the work. What is "adjusting"? The common understanding of chiropractic care is a lot of pops and cracking. Dr. Ross explains the different ways of adjusting - and there are many ways to adjust without "cracking". Chiropractic and Pregnancy Chiropractic care can help ease some of the physical discomforts of pregnancy. Chiropractic and Pediatric Work Babies can also be safely adjusted - do your research and find a chiropractor trained to do pediatric work. The Webster Protocol Guess what - it's not a turning technique! It is actually stabilizing the mother so that the baby can safely turn head-down. About Dr. Kevin Ross: Dr. Ross
has been in practice for 20 years in Tempe, Arizona. His passion and
love is pediatric and pregnancy care but his office cares for people of all ages.
He is certified in the Webster Protocol for malpositioned babies. If you would like to contact Dr. Ross, you can reach him at 480.730.7950, or visit his site at www.rechargeyourlife.com Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. March 5, 2012 to May 21, 2012 For more information or to register, please call us at
602-684-6567 or email us at [email protected] |
Breastfeeding for Newbies
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 8:30 PM |
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We had our first introduction to the benefits of
breastfeeding in last night's class. We have
the benefit of having two moms who have already breastfed in our class and it
was great to have their input as we introduced the new parents to the concept
of breastfeeding. Most people know about engorgement or nipple soreness, or that it can take a few days for your milk to come in. There were comments about the new things our students heard about breastfeeding when we
closed class, so I thought I would share the insights people learned in
class. Although it seems that the
general awareness about breastfeeding has increased, there are still a lot of
ideas that haven’t hit the mainstream that are important to share – hence the
subtitle in today’s post. Breastfeeding is
not supposed to hurt. One of the
common reasons mothers give for giving up is that it was literally too painful
to nurse. To quote our chiropractor, “It
may be common, but it’s not normal.” He
shows our classes the way the head and neck are compressed in the birth
canal. That alone is a tight squeeze
that might cause a misalignment. Add in
the “help” from a well-meaning care provider when they tug on the head during
delivery and you have a baby that is misaligned to the point that they cannot
latch on properly. Baby’s that are misaligned might also appear to prefer to
breastfeed on only one side. Guess
what? Mom’s breasts are a matched
set! The feel of the breast is the same,
the texture of the nipple is the same, and the liquid coming out is made the
same – there isn’t vanilla on one side and chocolate on the other. If you are having one or both of these issues, you have a
couple of options. You can look into
taking your infant to a chiropractor that does pediatric work. With a simple adjustment, he or she can make
a huge difference in your breastfeeding relationship. You can also consult with
a breastfeeding specialist, ranging in expertise from a peer counselor to an
IBCLC certified lactation consultant.
These ladies can also take a look at the way you are breastfeeding and
make suggestions to improve your latch. Whether you go to a chiropractor or a breastfeeding
specialist, the goal is to make breastfeeding enjoyable for everyone. We always encourage our students to do
their research and whatever they decide to do, take the time to find a
chiropractor or breastfeeding specialist that is certified in their field and
comes highly recommended. Get help within
the first three weeks to establish your milk supply. If you feel like you are not making enough
milk, or your baby is acting like (s)he is always hungry, ask for help. It is critical to establish your supply in
the early days. Your baby and your body
working together will work to establish what baby needs, creating a “ceiling” of
production. Your production can ebb and
flow from there, however you will always be able to go back and meet your peak. You also make new milk glands for each baby. If you had a hard time feeding one baby that
does not necessarily mean you can’t feed the next baby. The best description I have heard of these
glands is to imagine a cluster of grapes.
You make new clusters with each pregnancy, and once you stop using them,
they wither up and the body absorbs them.
If it was hard the last time, get help now to identify which factors
contributed to low production, and find out how you can increase your supply
with the next baby. You can search for lactation consultants on the web, or
click here
to find an IBCLC, considered the gold standard in lactation services. However, if along with low production you are
experiencing a fever or anything else that indicates you need to see a doctor,
see your care provider as soon as possible.
Only a lactation professional that is an M.D. will be able to correctly
diagnose a medical problem and prescribe you the needed medication. If they don’t fit this description, see your
M.D. as soon as possible so that you don’t go down the route to an infection
that leads to hospitalization. A
hospital stay will surely interfere with the breastfeeding relationship you are
trying to establish. There are lots of
options in support groups. A
support group is a place to get answers to your breastfeeding questions. You can also take heart that you are not the
only one struggling, and find encouragement in the stories of women who have
gone through what you are going through and come out on the other side as happy
breastfeeding moms. You can also gain confidence to nurse in public by being in a safe and accepting place when you start nursing away from home. Support groups are a
great way to meet other new moms and make friends for you and baby. We have a couple of students who have made
lasting friendships through the groups they attended. There are a variety of places to get breastfeeding
support. La Leche League is the most recognized
name in breastfeeding support. I know…it
also has a few negative stereotypes associated with it. To quote someone I know, “Birkenstock
wearing, tree hugging, breastfeeding zealots.
Nice, right? Well, guess what –
it is a Stereotype. Will you meet some
moms on the fringe there? Maybe – then
again, you can meet someone on one extreme or the other wherever you go. You will definitely meet regular, everyday
moms who are looking to learn more about breastfeeding and moms who are there
to share their knowledge of breastfeeding.
The best thing you can do is to try a couple of different groups and see
if you find a leader that fits with your personality. If La Leche League is not for you, there are other
free-of-charge options in the Chandler, AZ area. Monday mornings you can go to a breastfeeding
support group run by Debbie Gillespie, IBCLC, that meets at 10:00 am at Modern
Mommy Boutique. Wednesday mornings you
can head to Chandler Regional Hospital for an IBCLC-led group that meets from
11:00 am to 12:30 pm. On Fridays, you
can head to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center for their IBCLC-led support group that
meets from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. All
groups meet weekly with the exception of major holidays. (See below for phone numbers.) If you are not in the Chandler area, call your local
hospital to see if they have any classes or groups to attend. You can also check and see if there are any
Meet-up groups or do a search for breastfeeding support in your area. Your baby’s poop
color can change according to your diet. Most of us have heard or learned that
breastfed babies make a mustard-yellow poop.
Guess what? That’s not always the
case! Just because what goes in is
whitish, doesn’t mean that what comes out is going to be mustard all the
time. Bruss is always tripped out when
he sees green poop, or purple poop…he can usually tell when I have eaten
spinach or beets. A word of caution: if anything in the poop raises a red flag do not ignore
it. One of the reasons you hired your
naturopath or pediatrician is so you could ask a child health expert questions about your
child. (Another reason to hire someone
you absolutely trust!) If you feel
something is wrong, call them. They can
reassure you that it’s normal, or help you find answers if it’s not normal and
you need to follow up with an office visit plus. Your baby’s palate
will reflect your diet. There
are many reasons why breastfed babies tend to be healthier adults. One of them is that they are more likely to
eat a variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. The milk you make is imbued with the tastes
from your previous meal. When you
introduce solids, they are more likely to accept a variety of foods and become
less picky eaters. The main ingredients in formula are whey, casein, vegetable
oils and lactose. In other words – a
common allergen, a manufactured fat and a sugar…read: the ingredients in
processed food. On top of that, the baby
is receiving the same flavor every single time they eat…every feeding for as
long as they take formula. They are less
likely to eat a variety and may tend to gravitate towards the processed foods
that taste like the food to which they have become accustomed. You can supplement
with your own milk. When a
pediatrician says that you need to supplement your feedings for any number of
reasons, most of us make the leap to assume that you use formula. Not necessarily…if you pump during or after a
feeding, you will have your own milk to supplement with, instead of substituting
your unique food with chemically manufactured formula. If you are having a supply problem and
pumping is not a choice for you, there are several organizations that are
gaining popularity that connect moms needing breast milk with moms that have
breast milk to donate. You can do an internet search for “milk sharing”. Do your due diligence and ask lots of
questions before you make a decision to ask for milk donations. Each family needs to make that call based on
their particular situation. You can still
breastfeed if you have a low supply.
Dr. Jack Newman drove home a very important point at his lecture this summer: breastfeeding is
much more than breast milk. You probably did not expect that you would only be
able to nurse your child one or two times a day. From another perspective, youcannurse your baby
once or twice a day. No matter how many
times you are able to nurse, the laxative qualities in your breast milk will
help your baby process the formula in their system. You will help them be less constipated. Those one or two feedings will still provide
your baby with immunities and antibodies.
And most importantly, the you and baby will get to bond the way nature
intended – skin-to-skin. There is a growth
chart designed specifically for breastfed babies. Did you know that the growth chart in most physicians’
offices was designed in the 1950’s? Not
only have our standards for what “healthy” is changed since then, those charts
were designed based on the growth patterns of formula-fed babies (remember..fat
and sugar babies?). We make big babies
and I have nuclear milk, so our children have never had a problem being
measured against those charts. However,
that is not the case for every family.
If your baby is measuring small against the traditional chart and your
pediatrician is concerned, then click here and print out the chart that
pertains to your baby (boy or girl specific) and measure your baby. These were designed by the World Health
Organization specifically to address the different rates of growth for
breastfed babies. The WHO standards establish growth of the breastfed infant as the norm
for growth – yeah! I
hope this will help you have the confidence in your body, your baby and your
milk. Just as you were designed to birth
your baby, you were also designed to feed him or her. There
are lots of options and many avenues to get the help you need. You can breastfeed the best way you are able to and
reap the benefits for you and baby. Did
you discover anything about breastfeeding that nobody told you about? Note: For some great “how-to” breastfeeding posts,
you can check under the Breastfeeding 101 blog topic and access information
written by Debbie Gillespie, IBCLC, RLC. To read some of our student's experiences with breastfeeding, look under the "In Their Own Words" topic link. Breastfeeding support groups: Mommy
Help Center
Inside Modern Mommy Boutique
3355 West Chandler Boulevard
Chandler, AZ 85226
phone: 480.786.0431 Chandler
Regional (Frye Rd & Dobson) Mercy
Gilbert (202 Frwy & Val Vista) ~ For more information, please call the ResourceLink toll-free
1.877.728.5414, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You
may also leave a message during after hours and someone will return your call
during the next business day. Disclaimer: The material included
on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult
her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the
information for their own situation. This blog contains
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or
the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. for our Spring Series March 5, 2012 to May 21, 2012 For more information or to register, please call us at 602-684-6567 or email us at [email protected] |
Our Homebirth Story - Part 1
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:39 AM |
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Dr. Ross
got to our home around 11:00 am. I told him, “I’m having contractions,
the dogs are acting like I’m in labor, the kids are feeling/acting funky – all
signs are pointing towards that direction, but my water hasn’t broken yet…what
is going on? Do we start making the calls to family, doula, photographer,
midwives, or do we hold off?” So Dr. Ross
did a KST check on me, and adjusted a few places, and decided that since
everything he adjusted for was centered around the cervix, that yes, I was
probably in labor. He told us that it wasn’t likely to be today.
Maybe late night today or early morning hours Friday. He told us to call
him if we needed any more adjustments or KST checks. He left me
with the parting thought that having my bag of waters intact was actually a
good thing. (Yes, even Bradley® teachers need to be reminded of the
basics!) He reminded me that the intact waters would protect the baby and
the extra pressure would help dilate my cervix without any additional work on
my part. I realized that for once, I might get to experience this benefit
and hoped that meant we might really have a shorter labor this time. At this
point we called my Aunt Gloria who was on-call to come take care of our
children, and our photographer who also has kiddos so that she could make
arrangements for her family and start getting things ready to come over and
document our birth. We told them there was no rush since our labors are
slow to start and my water had not broken yet. We also
contacted our friend Andrea, who was on-call to doula for us if Bruss felt like
he/we needed support through our birth. When we first found out we were
pregnant and started talking about labor, Bruss was thinking that he did not
want a doula this time. Since Andrea is “technically” our former teacher
turned friend, he didn’t feel like he would have a doula there, just help from
a good friend. So we went
it alone for most of the day. I tried to rest and relax as much as
possible, and remember the Bradley® mantra, “Don’t pay attention too soon,”
which means that parents should go about their day, eating, drinking and
resting instead of timing contractions and getting worked up about their labor. The benefit
of not having my water break yet was that I got to make food in early labor,
something we encourage our Bradley® students to do when we teach class.
Why food? So that they have goodies to take with them to their birthplace
for the staff; or in our case, to have food at home for our midwife and her
students. I had all the fixings together to make our favorite crock-pot
lasagna, and I actually got to prepare it! The goal was to have enough
for dinner and for the midwives to snack on when they came to our home – and
this is one thing that went as planned! After
having a light lunch and making the lasagna, I went back to bed. I did
not feel like things were progressing as I had hoped, but then again, we know
our labors are slow to start and quick to finish, so I figured we were fine and
it was still possible we would be meeting our newest family member by Friday
morning. When my
aunt finally arrived at 5:00 pm, Bruss and I decided to go for a turn around
the neighborhood to see if we could get our labor going. Walking has been shown
to speed labor as well as Pitocin, and it also helps avoid unnecessary pain by
naturally opening the inlet of the pelvis to ease baby down. We found
that we our contractions got more regular as we walked – yeah! This is
what we wanted!! We stopped
back at home after our first walk to refill water and use the restroom. I
thought that maybe I had a high leak in the membranes, since I was getting a
tiny little trickle of fluid – literally like a teardrop – with some of the
contractions. I couldn’t tell if it was a high leak or just sweat…another
“not knowing” emotional hill for me get over. After our second walk, we
actually noticed that contractions seemed to slow down, so we figured it was a
good time to take a break and have dinner. Bruss had not gotten any rest
during the day between taking care of me and the kiddos, se we made the call to
Andrea to come relieve him while he took a nap. We also called the
midwives to let them know that we were in early labor. So Andrea
and I went on our walk with Brenda, our photographer. Again, the first
time around things seemed to progress; by the second time, things slowed down
significantly. Andrea commented that it looked like it was going to be
another slow to start Bowman labor and that yes, indeed, it was time to go to
bed and conserve energy. Although
Dr. Bradley® recommends the side-lying or “sleep” position for active labor so
that a mom can completely relax through the intense uterine activity, this had
never appealed to me. I am a mover – with our other labors, I had always been walking or
squatting or stair climbing between contractions to progress, and then when a
surge hit, we would stop, chant and relax through the contraction. They were
not so intense that I couldn’t sleep, so Bruss came to bed with me so that he
would be available if I needed him, my aunt got the kiddos to bed, Andrea went
home, Brenda found a place to camp out, and the Bowman house settled down to
sleep and wait. At
midnight, I got up to go to the restroom and, water works! My water broke
and we squished our way to the restroom. There was no mistaking this gush
– my water had officially broken. And unlike our other labors,
contractions started coming on right away, so we called our midwives to come
over and evaluate mom and baby and see about our labor. Andrea came
over again and we started walking around “the track” in our backyard.
Bruss would call out the time as I had a contraction so I could know how long
we had been having one, and Andrea would remind me to breathe through the
contractions. It started to feel good to squat and lean forward when we
were having them. They seemed to come on every three to five
minutes. And then some of them were back to back – and then they stopped
again. Our midwife
Wendi Cleckner was the first one to arrive around 1:30 am. When we went
in for a potty break, she was already set up in the bedroom and she checked the
baby with her Doptones monitor. Lo and behold, she found that our baby’s
heart was nice and low, a little above the pubic bone. This was another
point of excitement for me. With our hospital births, we always started
with the heart tones being found a little below my belly button – this was
good! With her heart so low, I guessed she (the baby) was already down
and applying pressure to open my cervix. We went out
for another walk around the track. Again, the more we walked, the more
labor slowed down. Grr!! Around 4:00 am, we decided it was
time to go back to bed, and that Andrea would go home to see her family and get
her girls off to school. Brenda decided to stay since her trip home meant
going to Glendale and back. The midwives found places to camp out around
our home and we…went back to bed. I was starting to get
discouraged. It was clear that this baby was not arriving in the wee
hours of this morning. We slept a
little longer. Our next wake-up was around 7:00 am. Despite having
been asleep, I was having more contractions again. Bruss had a quick
breakfast, and I drank a mango smoothie. We went back to our regular
routine of walking – we just couldn’t figure our why it had not gotten our
labor jump started yet, and figured it was worth another try. Since it
was daylight, we walked around the perimeter of the backyard instead of just
the loop around our pool. So we
walked and talked. We tried to figure out if there was anything physical,
mental or emotional that we needed to deal with for our labor to
progress. We commented on the benefits of having a homebirth: No
IV’s, no fetal monitoring that tied us to the bed for 20 minutes every hour, no
vaginal exams, no nurses starting to fret that we were “failing to progress”,
no one talking to us about making decisions to augment our labor. The
only pressure was self-generated: I felt bad that all these people were sitting
around waiting for our labor to do “something” so that they could do their job. Friday
progressed like Thursday: we would walk, get some contractions and then notice
that labor slowed or stopped. By 10:00 am, Bruss wanted to stay inside
since it was getting hot, so we would sit on the birth ball in our bathroom and
rock back and forth to imitate the hip action that walking produced, staying
upright and trying to work with gravity to encourage labor to progress.
As labor stalled, we would lie down for another nap. By 2:00 pm, I was
emotionally spent. The first set of tears came. I was disappointed
in my body. We had been so hopeful that eliminating the hospital transfer
would make for a smooth, progressive labor, and one that was shorter than 24
hours. It was clearly not our lot to have a “butter birth” as they are
known in the birth community. So we went
back to bed – again. Again, we noticed that when we were in bed, the
contractions became regular. Bruss and I talked and agreed that clearly
this baby was going to be another teaching moment for us, so that we could be
better Bradley® teachers to our students. We accepted that walking was
not the key to her labor; this baby clearly preferred me to labor on my side. We also
noticed that the contractions would be most intense when we changed
position. When we got up to go the bathroom every 30 – 45 minutes, we
would have a more intense contraction right by the bed. When we got to
the bathroom, I would have a couple of good contractions on the toilet.
Then they would stop, Bruss and I would clean up, and we would go back to side-lying
position on our bed again. And so we repeated this new cycle. To be continued...check in on Friday for Part 2 and read about when we finally got to meet our baby! Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Now enrolling for our Winter Series December 5, 2011 through February 20, 2012 Limited enrollment Call us at 602-684-6567 or email us at |
Planning for Baby - Part 1
Posted on July 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM |
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While
we were there, one of the other moms from their class mentioned that
they were already trying for baby number two. Which prompted Bruss to
suggest that I write a post about things to consider when you are adding
to your family. I would add that this list is probably applicable
whether you are thinking about or planning for your first child or
additional children. Thank you to my fellow Bradley® instructors Victoria Calleja, Lisa Pearson and Rachel Davis for helping me round out my list for today! Money, money, money.
The first and most crucial question is can you afford to have a child, or an additional child,
right now given your current financial situation? I’m not talking about
are you and your partner living your dream life yet, or close to what
you imagine is perfect. Sometimes people do that and wait so long that
they are unable to have the family they want, even with the myriad of fertility
treatments that are available. I am talking about, can you comfortably
support a growing family without having to add an extra job or extra
shifts to your current work situation? A baby is not a short term
commitment - they belong to you for a lifetime, and yours will be the
exclusive bank account that bankrolls their expenses for at least the
first 18-22 years of their life. Here are some of the costs associated with starting or growing, a family... Medical Costs of Pregnancy Care: Most
care providers work under a “universal” plan, which means that you pay
one fee that includes all your pre-natal care after the pregnancy
confirmation visit until the time your baby is delivered. If your care
provider is a traditional OB/GYN, your insurance company will probably
cover the fee, no questions asked. You will probably pay a co-pay for a
percentage of that total cost. The percentage of that cost you will
bear depends on the type of insurance coverage you or your partner has. If
you choose a home birth or birth center birth, you may be paying more
out of pocket, although the cost of care is less. Expenses in this case include midwifery care and/or the care providers at the birth center and delivery. Our midwives also include four postpartum visits in their fee. Again, depending on
which insurance carrier you have and their contract with you or your
employer, the cost of non-traditional care may or may not be covered.
In addition, there are co-pays if you opt for or are “supposed to have”
blood tests, pregnancy screenings and genetic screening or genetic testing. You may have
costs involved for any ultrasounds - “it depends on your insurance
plan”. A
couple of other “medical” costs to factor in are the cost of pre-natal
supplements and doula care. Pre-natals vary in cost depending on
whether you buy name brand, generic or prescription supplements. There are also a variety of herbal supplements and teas that you may want to consider for use through pregnancy and labor. We
encourage students to budget for a doula based on our great experience
with doula care. Continuous doula care has been shown to have the
following potential benefits according to research studies: reduced
stress and anxiety in mother/partner, shorter labor with fewer
complications, reduced need for interventions (epidural, vacuum
extraction, forceps), reduced C-section rate, increased positive
feelings about your birth experience, decreased incidence of postpartum
depression, better success with breastfeeding the newborn and a stronger
relationship with her partner. Our experience has been that is well
worth the investment, especially if you are planning a hospital birth. Non-Medical Pregnancy Costs: How
about non-medical costs you might incur before your baby arrives? You
will have to invest in maternity clothes at some point - you can always
save money by shopping re-sale stores or doing an exchange with a friend
who isn’t pregnant at the moment. Keeping
in mind that mom is growing a whole new person - it is worth evaluating
your grocery habits. Nutritious and whole food for mom, organic when
possible, are the best way you can lower the risk of complications with pregnancy and
labor and have a healthy outcome for mom and baby. Nutrition is the one
thing we can completely control and have a positive impact on our
pregnancy and our child’s physical profile for the rest of their lives.
(read more) When
it comes to getting ready for baby, there is a lot of “gear”. Thankfully, these costs are usually defrayed by the wonderful tradition
of showering the new family with gifts before the blessed occasion. At
a minimum you will want to consider a good, safe car seat, a
pack-n-play, a stroller, a diaper bag, baby layette (0-6 mo clothing,
receiving blankets, burp cloths), some kind of baby carrier, a pediatric
first-aid kit, a baby-safe bathtub. Have you thought about doing
disposable or cloth diapers? If you know what you are going to do
before your baby shower, you can include the necessary supplies on your
registry. Here’s
a short list of add-ons: a baby monitor, nursing supplies (nursing
covers, breast pads and breast cream), a nursing pillow, a nursing
stool, breast pump, milk storage bags, bottles, bottle warmer, wipe
warmer, pacifiers, baby clothes hamper, swaddle blankets, organizers,
activity centers, activity chairs, a swing, nursery decor, a crib, a
crib mattress, baby bedding, crib mobile, changing station, an armoire
or dresser chest of drawers, a rocker/glider and a high chair. Depending
on the depth of the circle of your family and friends, you may or may
not complete your registry. Bear the costs of completing your registry
in mind as you budget for baby. What do you think you really need,
versus the things that you want but are not really necessary? Are you
willing to shop yard sales, resale or consignment to save money? Another
consideration is the expense of child-proofing your home. At a minimum
there are outlet covers to buy. Depending on your space, you may need
baby gates, bumper pads, rubber edge guards for hard corners. Do you
want to install toilet clamps to keep little hands out of the toilet?
The good news about child-proofing is that it can be done in stages.
You could add all the items to your registry and hope for the best with
the knowledge that you can always budget for and build on child-proofing later as
baby gets older and more mobile. I almost forgot! Budget in tuition for an informative and comprehensive childbirth class! The Bradley Method® covers
many different topics about pregnancy, labor, childbirth and
breastfeeding. We strive to prepare moms and their coaches for the
healthiest possible pregnancy and the foundation they need to make
informed choices about their labor, birth and parenting. Along with childbirth preparation classes, there are also other classes and services that are available to help you have an easier, more comfortable pregnancy: chiropractic care, prenatal massage, yoga classes, prenatal exercise programs or water aerobics classes. Some you will need or want a professional for, others you can do through self-study to save money - just check in with your care provider before taking advantage of these classes or services. Lastly, have you considered documenting your pregnancy? Pregnancy photographers vary in price range. I have also had students use high-quality cameras and have very nice pictures turn out - how much you spend depends on what exactly you want to capture and the quality of the prints you want. There is also belly-casting, when someone makes a plaster-of-Paris cast of your pregnant torso. You can read up and do this on your own, or you can pay an experienced belly caster with an artistic eye to create a piece of art you can proudly display on a wall. Here is a list of costs to consider after your baby is born: Placenta Encapsulation
- Benefits as per PBi (see link below): pills contains your own natural hormones, it is
perfectly made for you, it balances your system, replenishes depleted
iron, gives you more energy, lessens postnatal bleeding, has been shown
to increase milk production, helps you have a happier postpartum period,
hastens return of uterus to pre-pregnancy state, shown to be helpful
during menopause. Cord-blood Banking From the National Cord Blood Banking site: "Cord blood offers a number
of advantages to donors and transplant recipients. It is easy to
collect, often more likely to provide a suitable match and is stored frozen,
ready to use." There are fee-for-service companies, as well as companies that store blood on a donation basis at no charge to you. The trade-off there is that you have no guarantee that your baby's blood will be available should the need arise. (see links below) Lactation Consultant
- A lactation consultant is a professional who can answer your
questions about breastfeeding and help you overcome breastfeeding
challenges. Prices vary based on their training, experience, and
certification levels. If you are serious about sticking with
breastfeeding, hiring one to help you overcome any hurdles is a must.
On a budget? Attend free La Leche League meetings. You will receive
reputable peer-to-peer help from trained La Leche League Leaders. They
are a group of volunteers who hold monthly meetings and also have a
24-hour helpline. Know that if they feel something is out of their
realm, they will refer you back to a professional lactation consultant. Continued great nutrition for mom
- Especially if mom is going to be breastfeeding her/your newborn baby.
The better the mom’s diet, the better nutrition she will supply for
the baby that is going to double in size the first year alone, and
continue to develop it’s mental capabilities throughout the first year. Mom will also want to continue with prenatal pills or some kind of vitamin and/or herbal program...all it takes is money! Which brings me to... Take-home Pay
- If you are both working, do you need both your incomes to keep paying
your bills? If one parent wants to stay home to raise the child, do
you have a good plan to make that possible? Have you tried to live
within your new, pared-down budget before you conceive? How realistic
did you and your partner find this budget? If you can’t make it work on
a double-income or single-income, and you still feel like now is the
“right time” to have a baby, is one of you willing to add the extra job
or extra shift while the other one essentially becomes a single parent?
I have great respect for couples who make this decision and make it
work - they are my heroes. Every baby is a blessing and I take my hat
off to parents who take this responsibility seriously. Childcare
- if both parents continue to work, there has to be a provision for
childcare in your budget. You can plan on spending a minimum of $200/week in most
areas here in Arizona. It is best to find a reputable provider with
whom you feel 1000% comfortable. You will be leaving the care and
nurturing of your most precious gift in their hands for the extent of
time you drop them off, commute to work, complete your work day, and
commute back to pick them up. Clothing
- Your baby will be outgrowing their layette before you know it - some
parents find themselves buying 18 mo. or 24 mo. clothing before Baby
reaches their first birthday. How about mom - will mom need a
post-pregnancy size of “bottoms” clothing? Then their are nursing bras
and nursing “tops” if mom plans to breastfeed. Again, you can save
money by participating in a clothing swap group, or buying consignment
or resale. Medical Care
- If you are going to a traditional pediatrician, there is usually a
"universal" coverage for the first year of visits and vaccines. If you
want to look for “green” care, there are pediatric naturopaths. We
also start chiropractic care in infancy. You can ask an alternative care
provider if they offer "family plans" that would make regular visits
affordable if they don’t take insurance coverage. Entertainment
- Museums, zoo, and field trips usually cost money. Some
establishments offer a Free Day every month, or maybe it’s a “free”
period of time during the day. Looking for more "free"? Libraries and
hospitals are also a great source for free educational programs. I also
found a great resource here in the Phoenix area that helps me find free
or low-cost activities to enrich our children's world! Check out
Active Moms Magazine (see link below) - they have both a print and digital version that
is published on a monthly basis. They provide listings for
family-friendly things to do on every day of the month. Transportation
- Will you be needing a larger car? If yes, how will you pay for it?
Can you pay cash or will you have to finance it and add another bill to
your list of monthly outlays? As your children grow, they will continue to factor into your family budget for things like: Extended Travel, College
fund, Furniture for their big-kid rooms, Groceries for growing children
(teenage boys!!), Utilities for kiddos that are bathing and using
household electricity everyday, Schooling expenses, Hobby, Sport and
Team expenses...maybe you will eventually want a larger home or yard for your children to be able to spread out... Since
this post is already full of food-for-thought, I will wait for Friday
to discuss considerations such as Child Spacing, Nursing Relationship,
and Sibling Preparation as you add to your loving family. Until then,
break out your calculators and let me know how your baby prep is adding
up! Disclaimer: The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It
is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider
to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own
situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The
Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily
reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth®. References and Resources: Doula Care Placenta Encapsulation Cord-blood Banking Lactation Consultant Active Moms Magazine Cost Calculator for Raising a Child |
Pregnant - at 38!
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 4:02 PM |
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Dr. Ross, DC makes a house call
Posted on February 22, 2011 at 1:01 PM |
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Dr. Kevin Ross, DC has been our chiropractor since I went to see him
for help with Bryan’s breech presentation. He is trained in the Webster Protocol, which as he explained
to our class last night, it’s NOT a turning technique. It’s an adjustment that addresses the
imbalance in the pelvis. Once the
pelvis is aligned, then the baby can safely turn head down. They may be unborn, yet they are smart
enough to avoid tension!! We were
very blessed that his “magic hands” worked to align my pelvis and Bryan turned
head-down 11 days before he was born. We invite him to come speak to our classes for a couple of
reasons. Being a Bradley Dad
himself, he is a champion of natural birth. He and his wife took Bradley Method® classes in preparation for the
births of their two older children, and they had three homebirths. He is also passionate about
chiropractic care during pregnancy and childhood. He is a favorite of La Leche League leaders and lactation
consultants. They consider him a great
resource and he is recommended to moms who are having breastfeeding
challenges. One of the fringe
benefits of infant chiropractic care with Bryan was having our nursing
relationship stabilize within two weeks after his birth, instead of the 4-6
weeks it took with our older two children who didn't receive chiropractic care as infants. Since last night was our postpartum care class, we asked Dr. Ross to
come speak to our class about what they should expect as “normal” for their
infants and we also asked him to participate in our labor rehearsal. He started his presentation by using his spine model and his
baby doll to show our students about how a baby progresses through the birth
canal. He re-iterated what we
strive to teach in our classes:
given a normal, uncomplicated birth, a mom’s body and the baby know how
the baby needs to get out, and they can do it without any outside manipulation
or maneuvering as the baby exists the birth canal. He really emphasized to the families that they could trust
mom’s body to do what it is designed to do. He also used the spine and baby to demonstrate why it is
that some babies seem to have a “favorite side” when they nurse. As he likes to say, mom’s breasts are a
matched set: they look the same, feel the same, and for all intents and
purposes are the same size. There
is no reason other than a misalignment from the birth experience that would
cause a baby to choose one side over another. He explained that if a baby has tension in their spine, it
is uncomfortable for them to turn to one side, therefore it lends to the
appearance that baby favors one breast over the other one. Dr. Ross made use of the spine model to demonstrate why lying in a
supine position on the bed (on your back) is so painful during labor. He reminded the students that
studies have shown it’s the best way to slow down a labor, which then leads to
a host of interventions. He
suggested that if our students want their labor to progress as it was designed
to do, mom should stay off her back.
Thanks, Dr. Ross! The first thing he showed us for labor rehearsal was how to
deal with “back labor”. Back labor
is generally caused by a baby who has the bony part of the head against mom’s
spine, called “sunny-side up” in the vernacular and “occiput posterior” in
medical terms. In two of the
graduate birth stories we heard, babies in a posterior position had slowed their
labors down. Dr Ross has a very
specific way to address posterior presentation without physically manipulating
the baby. He also shared a way to help open the inlet of pelvis during
early and active labor, and then open the outlet of the pelvis during late
first stage labor. We practiced
this in side-lying position, as well as in a labor scenario where couples would
be walking between contractions and then either squatting or standing against
the wall during a contraction. Having Dr. Ross visit was informative on so many
levels. Unfortunately, although I
had my video camera and my still camera ready, I was so caught up listening
that I didn’t take pictures or video to share today! Next time…the picture at the top is thanks to Bruss' quick shot with his phone camera. For more about the Webster Protocol, please visit Dr. Ross’
webpage: http://rechargeyourlife.com/drross_chiropage/webster_turning.html Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
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