Chandler, Arizona
Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
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Waiting For Baby
| Posted on May 27, 2016 at 8:54 AM |
 Originally posted Fall 2011 - sharing today since some of our Spring 2016 mamas are starting to approach their EDD's)So
your estimated due date is approaching...or maybe it has passed. Those
little ones we are carrying are happily ensconced in their warm, loving
homes. To us “carriers”, it feels like we have been pregnant forever!! I
remember that feeling very well. We have always had the good fortune
of having our babies before our due date. I am mentally preparing for
this baby to be the one that teaches us how to wait...and since we are
not planning to have any more children after this, reminding myself to
treasure every moment of the pregnancy...I’ll get back to you on that
after our baby is born. (Our youngest was born at 38 weeks - got lucky again!) As
a reminder, if you are a first-time mom, there was a Harvard study
published in the June 1990 edition of the medical journal Obstetrics
& Gynecology that demonstrated that we are probably not allowing
enough time when estimating due dates (read more). We give a copy of
this article to our students on the first evening of class. It is a
retrospective evaluation of pregnancies between April 1, 1983 and March
31, 1984. The
conclusion of that study was that the median estimated due date for
primiparas (first-time mothers) should be 8 days later than Naegele’s
rule (the 40 week date used to estimate due dates - it’s been around
since 1830), and that multiparas should have an estimated due date that
was 3 days later than Naegele’s rule. Per their study, if you are 41
weeks as a first-time mother, your baby might just be arriving to the
point when he or she is ready to be born. For
some of us, it is hard to be in the last two weeks before your due
date, wondering when labor is going to start. If you are personally
tired of being pregnant, it is hard to remember that every day your baby
is inside your womb is a day he or she needs to finish their
preparation for “life on the outside”. Because you are big, hot and
uncomfortable, and you are ready to be done!! I cannot even imagine
what it’s like to go past your estimated due date and then have people
you know constantly asking, “Is the baby here yet?” or, “Have you had
that baby yet?” At
that point, you might as well get a t-shirt made that says “Obviously
STILL Pregnant”. If your family and friends are constantly calling to
check on you, you could screen your calls. Change your phone message to
say “Still pregnant - don’t call me, I’ll call you! Leave me a message
if you are calling about something else.” All
kidding aside, here are some ideas that have been shared on our Facebook page that I hope
will help you pass the time as you wait for your baby to arrive safely
into your loving arms. From a Series 2 Coach: “[We] Reviewed Bradley® material,
continued to think about our own birth plan and contingencies,
continued to exercise (Kegel), and practiced relaxation techniques. Bags
packed, gas tank filled, friends/family/support group info programmed
into phone, phone charger? We also enjoyed the peaceful time we shared
as a couple and thought about our soon to be family of 3. Slept a bunch
too. Ahhhhh..... sleep.” From a reader in Phoenix, AZ: “My
confession: I had gathered supplies to bake birth-day cupcakes during
early labor. At about 10 days past ''due date,'' I caved in, baked the
cupcakes, and ate them! Our son arrived two days later. Despite our
Bradley® training, I was a bit impatient and I definitely learned my lesson!” From one of our Bradley® teachers: “The other kids kept me busy. Eating out is always a help.” From moms in our Series 2 and Series 4: “Retail therapy!” I
know one of our students from our Spring Series 5 is busy quilting a
blanket while she waits for her labor to start - they are already “past
due” their estimated due date by seven days. To
piggyback on the advice from our Series 2 Coach, it is vitally
important that you keep up with your exercise and relaxation practice.
Exercise is important to keep your stamina and your energy up, as well
as keep your circulation going. Some moms experience swelling in the
last weeks of pregnancy. Doing regular cardiovascular exercise will
make sure that things are circulating through your body as needed. The
pregnancy exercises will continue to keep you in good shape for your
athletic event, whether you have a “sprint” or a “marathon” birth. It
has been proven that exercise also produce endorphins. These “good
guys” will be a great asset to you if you are feeling a little cranky
about being uncomfortable. Anything you can do to stay positive will
help you have a better labor. Relaxation
practice is another key for coping with an approaching or passing due
date. It helps both mom and coach increase in their confidence to
manage their natural labor. If mom knows that coach knows what they are
doing, it will help her achieve deeper relaxation to manage the
discomforts of labor. If coach knows they know what they are doing,
they are confident and unwavering in their support. Relaxation
practice also helps keep mom’s blood pressure lower. If you go past
your due date, your blood pressure will be monitored every visit. The
better your reading, the less likely you are to be pressured to “do a
little something to speed things along” or schedule an induction. I
spent the last two weeks of our first pregnancy preparing Puma’s
pregnancy scrapbook. The attention to detail and the loving touches
made the time worthwhile. To date, she is the only one with a real book
- that was the last time I have made the time to work on one. The rest
of the kiddos have their items gathered and labeled...one of these days
there will be time again. If
you have older children, I find it’s important to spend one-on-one time
with them, too, wherever you are in respect to your due date. I do
have virtual albums made for each of the kiddos - they are a great help
as we prepare to welcome our fourth child. I use our special time to
look at their pictures with them, tell them their birth story, and
remind them that they were once babies, too. The
albums show their birth and their first year in our family. The
pictures show them how we took care of them, and we can relate how we
will be doing things for the new baby. You can also remind them that
you will always love them despite the fact it will seem like you are
spending most your time with the new baby. It may feel like the baby is
going to be a baby forever - showing them the pictures of their quick
progression may help demonstrate that this time will pass and soon they
will have more of your attention again. “Banking” some special time
with them now may help decrease the jealousy after baby arrives. I
would also suggest making time with your spouse. Create special date
nights for just the two of you, for it will be the last time you are
just the two of you, or “the parents of # children.” This is a time you
can spend talking about the plans for your birth, your hopes and dreams
for your children, and reminiscing about the days you fell in love.
Although it will feel like there is less “couple time” after your baby
is born, I hope that you will be as blessed as we are with the birth.
Inexplicably, we are more and more in love with each other after each
birth when it seems like we just couldn’t love each other any more than
the overabundance of love we felt already. Have you documented your pregnancy yet? Make time to have a belly-cast done, or have some pregnancy pictures taken. You can share some laughs with the person doing your belly cast. Find a fun place to take pregnancy photos - maybe a botanical garden, the zoo, a historical building. Not only will you have a good day trip, but your child will have some great stories to hear some day when you tell them about the pictures. If
you are artistic, you can dedicate some time to writing, painting or
drawing. You can dedicate your art to the new baby, or explore your
feelings about your pregnancy through your art. These pieces will
probably become treasured keepsakes to your children. If
you are so inclined, you can also sew, knit, or crochet a blanket or
baby clothes. Older siblings might enjoy having an item of clothing or
outfit made out of the same fabric or yarn to show that they are all
going to be part of the family now. Just wear your “STILL Pregnant”
t-shirt when you go to the fabric store! It has been my experience that
the ladies at the fabric counter love to chat up pregnant customers. Best wishes to you if you are near or past your due date. Please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] if you would like us to pray 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®. Reference: Harvard Study: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vol. 75, No. 6, June 1990, pgs 929-932 |
Categories: Coaches, Due Date, Exercise, Past due date, Pregnancy, Swelling in Pregnancy, The Bradley Method®
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288 Comments
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Rachel Davis
6:23 PM on July 8, 2011
All excellent advice, as usual! Our second child's ''due date'' is in a couple days. For our first child, I was impatient and tried every natural induction technique in the book (except castor oil). He was born a very long 12 days past EDD. For this pregnancy, we have mentally prepared for a late baby and are very patiently enjoying our last days/weeks. We're distracting ourselves with activites, date nights, little projects, and lots of rest. You know what? The time is flying by! I highly recommend the patient approach!
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Krystyna
1:05 PM on July 9, 2011
Rachel Davis says...
All excellent advice, as usual! Our second child's ''due date'' is in a couple days. For our first child, I was impatient and tried every natural induction technique in the book (except castor oil). He was born a very long 12 days past EDD. For this pregnancy, we have mentally prepared for a late baby and are very patiently enjoying our last days/weeks. We're distracting ourselves with activites, date nights, little projects, and lots of rest. You know what? The time is flying by! I highly recommend the patient approach!
I am glad to hear the time is passing quickly with the patient approach. I hope you are pleasantly surprised with an earlier arrival
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