My path towards a homebirth.

At this point on my journey towards a home vaginal birth after c-section (HBAC or VBAC) my biggest asset is to research everything I can about homebirth. I find that I crave more and more knowledge and resources all the time. I spend alot of time doing the following things: Looking at all the birth videos and stories. Taking birth video notes, reading awesome inspiring books, and just envisioning my birth as I plan it to be. I think your mentality during birth effects everything! Fear + Birthing do not mix. You have to get into a state of total calmness and accepting all that your body is doing. So I am working alot on my state of mind. (I really want to get into hypnobabies, but that is another post)

I watched "The business of being born" again a few weeks ago. To me it is what first inspired me towards a VBAC after Lincoln was born, and seeing it again just renewed those feelings in me. I took notes on it, and wanted to share some of the amazing things I learned from it this time:(my favorite scene from the movie, look at the PURE JOY on her face! I dont think anything can compare to that. I cry everytime I see it!)

• midwives attend over 70% of births in Europe and Japan, and they attend less than 8% of births in the U.S
• The U.S has the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world, and one of the highest maternal mortality rates (personal note: do you see the connection here? Midwives in other countries help lead to higher success rates... WHY do we not use them here again???)
  
• Very few obstetricians observe natural childbirth in school or practice
• In 1900 90% of births were at home, in 1955, less than 1% birth at home and that number remains the same today!
• The hospital delivery system is set up in a way to handle the 2% of births that have actual complications... and every woman gets put through that system, whether high risk or not... its like they are set up for the c-section, and led there through a cascade of interventions, until everything just falls out of their hands
• Women in America are instilled with fear about birth, they expect traumatic births and plan for an epidural! (I know for a fact that birth DO NOT have to be traumatic, I have seen beautiful videos and have close friends that have birthed beautifully and without trauma... I will post some videos)
• "Today what we have to rediscover is how easy birth can be"
• Dont precipitate things going wrong with your birth
• In 1996 the c-sec rate was 46%- 1/3rd of births were c-sec. This rate went up starting in the 70's when Electronic Fetal Monitor was introduced
• The outcomes of homebirths are great: just look at history!!!
• Trained homebirth midwives are incredibly skilled at what they do
• Nothing compares to the natural high you get when give birth naturally
• The pelvis of the american woman is just fine, thank you very much
• People spend more time researching what car to buy than they do their birth options!
• One of my favorite quotes from a woman about her labor: "I hit a wall that was higher than anything I've ever seen, and I scaled it!"

Another wonderful resource for learning all things childbirth is Ina May Gaskin's "Guide to Childbirth." Which a fellow homebirth friend of mine recommended, and I will be eternally grateful. I learned more from this book then I ever thought possible. Here are some good quotes from the book!!!!!!

• "Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body."
• "It is important to keep in mind that our bodies must work pretty well, or their wouldn't be so many humans on the planet."
• "There is no other organ quite like the uterus. If men had such an organ they would brag about it. So should we"
• "the presence of even one person who is not exquisitely attuned to the mother’s feelings can stop some women’s labors… Many labors stopped or slowed down when someone entered the birth room who was not intimate with the laboring mother’s feelings."
• "I believe that high adrenaline levels are the reason that so many women in labor find themselves no longer in labor when they check in to a hospital. "
• "The pain of labor and birth has an entirely different message. It says: "Relax your pelvic muscles. Let go. Surrender. Go with the flow. Don't fight this. It's bigger than you."
• Maximizing your chances of having a successful VBAC: "Avoid labor induction and augmentation. If there is pressure for you to dilate more quickly, try to get into water or walk the halls and arrange for some privacy... refuse a routine IV, make sure your well fed and drinking plenty... resist pressures to get an epidural. Last, spend your pregnancy loving your uterus and your baby. I mean this literally. Positive energy makes a good birth outcome more likely, so go for it. "

What I hope to send out there is that there is so much more information about birth then most women tend to look into. Know everything about giving birth that you can. If I could have known for my first what I know now.... things would have been so different. But, in my case I had to learn from that experience to realize what I can really do. I do not fear my birth or labor. I KNOW that it will not be easy, and do not expect some easy birth... but that is just it... I WANT TO FEEL! I want to have this natural real, empowering and totally unforgettable experience. And I want other women to have it also, hopefully you will look at everything before you have your baby! * I do want to add, that I do not think you HAVE to have a homebirth to experience this, but I know for me it is neccessary. You are just more likely to have a natural birth experience if you know everything before hand, and are fully prepared to stave off the ppl who might come against you while in labor in a hospital. I have a very close friend who just gave birth vaginally in the same hospital and with the same doctors office that has a reputation for being cut happy.... Her birth experience was beautiful, and opened my eyes to the realization that AWESOME births can happen anywhere :)

Video for those who have had previous c-secs

WHEW! go Ricki! Here she is debating homebirth vs. hospital with the Doctors

One of my FAVORITE VBAC stories... read this when you get a chance and the video of her birth is right here.


Pass this on to anyone you might know that is expecting now, or plans to in the future, I think it is great to look into everything you can before just going with the flow!
And for now, I am just going to be doing what I can to give this new baby the best birth I possibly can. I look forward to this experience with my husband and our midwife, Nicole.

Caution!! Highly Combustible!

So I am 21 weeks right now. For the most part I would say I have been feeling wonderful... and have no complaints. I am loving being home with Lincoln. I enjoy spending as much time with him as I can before Nursing School starts in three weeks. I really have no reason to be mad or angry about anything.... that's where the pregnancy hormones come in. Oh man, does Zack have to be careful what he says and does because these days I tend to be a little bit on edge, and can bark at you without warning. I should have this sign on me at all times I think:


Not only are my mood swings cause for this warning sign, but also, I have been having VERY vivid dreams if you know what I am saying. Those do not exactly help with my easily combustible state of being right now :) But I am not complaining about those. Well until next time... I will try to keep things together cause like I said... I honestly have no reason to complain about anything right now, I am truly wonderfully happy! (right now)

18 weeks already!!!

So I havent had a computer to be able to upload pictures or update this blog. But I have been very good about writing in my journal to keep tabs on everything this pregnancy. I have been feeling wonderful!!! I honestly feel so good and I am LOVING being pregnant. I have been feeling wonderful movement and occasional kicks.
I have gained about 1 and a half pounds. SOOO not to bad for the time being. I have really been trying to go for walks at night or use my exercise ball or just dance around with Lincoln alot. He keeps me mad busy anyways!He loves having his mommy home, but I think he is getting quite spoiled by it, I know once school starts next month he will do well in the schools daycare (if we decide that is what we are doing for sure) Oh and by the way.... I got into nursing school!! SO I have been pretty busy trying to get everything ready for orientation in two weeks. I have a CPR class next week. I need to get all my records of shots and everything from my old high school. I get fingerprinted at the UAPD tmrw. I also am trying to figure out what to do for books, trying to save up as much as possible from my babysitting.
Here a crazy thing to see how much my tummy is just growing growing growing......
Here is me at 10 weeks......and here is me at 16 and a half weeks...... (WOW what a difference in 6 weeks)
and.... here is a super cute picture of Lincoln just for the fun of it... He is so big. He is totally in his terrible twos but can also be the most sweet loving boy (thats why we are keeping him around:)) But seriously, dude, he is way sooo adorable and handsome. I am excited for him to gain a new brother or sister.... but probably brother (thats my guess right now)


Next blog update.... I am writing all about my plan to birth at home (yes you read that right)... whether you want to hear it or not :)

YAY! I can do this! Here we go!

I posted this on my facebook about two weeks ago... kinda announcing my second pregnancy to all my friends and family. I kinda wanted to write out how I have been feeling and my thoughts about where I am right now, just so I can always look back at this.


Its been so different this pregnancy. I think I am somewhere around 5 or 6 weeks, but I feel no rush to have to find out right now. I am very nauseous continually all throughout the day. Last time I would just throw up and be done and I have not thrown up once yet. I am sleepy all day, and just want to hang out with Lincoln the whole day.... I hate being away from him. I want to enjoy everyday of this pregnancy and everyday that I get to grow this baby in my belly!

Most of all I am obsessed with MAKING THIS BIRTH DIFFERENT! Making this birth what I WANT.... what I KNOW MY BODY CAN DO! I will take control of this birth experience, for me and for this baby!!! I will not see a doctor if I can help it. I want to have the full midwife experience, I know that it is just as safe to deliver in the hands of a midwife... even safer actually, than if I were to go back to that god forsaken hospital. I cant do that again.

I just keep saying to myself... VBAC VBAC VBAC VBAC VBAC VBAC VBAC! I know I can do it.

Here are a couple really empowering websites that I have been visiting for the past 2 years since the birth of my son:

birthcut.com

theunnecesarean.com

standanddeliver.blogspot.com

ICAN-online.org

Changes are coming our way!!

I have been working at Heinens for the past five years... the entire time my hubby and I have been married.... I havent known anything else. Lately it has been so hard, with work and school and trying to spend time with Lincoln. I have breakdowns all the time and it has really been hard on Zack. I need more time with my son... time I will never get back! So I have finally put my two weeks in at work. EEEKKK, its such a scary, excited, fun feeling. Im worried about how we will do, but at the same time I am planning on watching children this summer and during the weekends of the school year. Hopefully I can get enough business. I really would love to do that because I absolutely love working with children and I could be home with Lincoln at the same time.

On another note, we have had a wonderful last few weeks, with our spring break trip to florida to visit grandpa and disney. We also just went to Zacks brother Mike's wedding. It was beautiful.... and Lincoln looked super super handsome!! Check out this little man:

Bestest Vacation Ever!!

Here are a few pictures from our awesome week! Ill write all about everything later... for now.... goodnight.

My little Pace family had the best vacation ever over my spring break this year!

Ewwwwww.

Just gonna throw this out there.........................


And

Dont really mix together when you have a child prone to throwing up!!! It was a yucky disaster this morning when I woke up to see a sticky boy covered in red vomit all over himself and the bed. Im not sure if this is full blown sick now since he has been randomnly vomiting like this for some time now, or if he just has a really bad gag reflux!! I dont know what to do! Someone help me out :(

Big BOY!!!!

Just wanted to check in with the internet world out there.... or maybe just to myself cause Im not sure who actually reads these. But I cant believe my son is almost 2! He is such a cool little man. He is obsessed, and I mean OBSESSED with the movies Finding Nemo and Cars, everyday he asks to see them when he wakes up. Its a big dilemma for me because I dont really care for him watching that much television... but at the same time he is really learning how to throw a temper tantrum when he cant watch his movies.

This boy brings absolute joy to my life! Its seems like such a cliche to say it, but really, this boy brings real pure happiness into my life.... the kind you never really experience until you have a child yourself. I just wanted to share a few pictures of my little big boy! I hope he brings a smile to your face like he does to mine everyday!!!!

Happy 2010!

Well the end of 2009 has come and gone... along with my drive to do anything productive (except for reading the trueblood book series lol) But here I am sitting next to my 20 month old son.... watching Finding Nemo.... his absolute obsession right now. He wants to watch it everyday and if he cant he throws a screaming crying fit!

We had a great trip to NC over Christmas break, spending some much needed time with Mimi and Uncle Z and Uncle Clay! We got Lincolns professional pictures taken, we went to jumpin beans, we even visited the beach and aquarium! Lincolns vocab has improved TONS! He is a little blabber mouth repeating everything we say! He always says, "Wheres daddy" "daddy at wooowrk" and he sings lady gagas song "paparazzi" and its so cute and hilarious, i have to get it on video! Ill post some pictures of Christmas soon but for now Im going to post a few of Lincolns professional pictures he just got taken, they turned out great! Thanks to Rebecca, here is her website if you wanna see all her other awesome work www.theindieimage.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This Thanksgiving has been so super wonderful! Im thankful to be in NC and to spend it with family! I think we got to give someone one of the coolest thanksgivings ever..... someone who has been dyeing to meet Lincoln and didnt get a chance to until this year! It made our day to see you too! We had some wonderful food with Zacks Moms family. I spend black friday in boone, nc, which I love more than anything! Ill post pics of all that later, but for now.... here is what im thankful for this thanksgiving holiday season...............