This was a really big week for me (us) and at the end of it I feel really positive. We went to our regular birth class on Tuesday and found out that there would be a waterbirth class on Thursday with Maureen (who happens to be my favorite doula/birth instructor so far!). Matt was actually the one who first said, I'll call your dad and see if he can cover for me at church so we can go." Apparently he likes the idea of water labor and/or delivery- I think maybe because the men at "partner's night" talked about how much it helped their wives.
I still hadn't (haven't) decided if I will want to deliver in water, but I definitely wanted to try some sort of water during labor. So, at our meeting with the midwife Thursday morning we found out that Seton has 3 tubs- 2 whirlpools for labor (but not birth) and 1 birthing tub. Water hadn't really been an option for us at our other hospital as they only have one tub in one room and its use didn't seem very encouraged at our tour. (The lady's comment was actually "I don't understand why people want to use the tub anyway, it seems like a lot of hype!" lol)
So we went to the class last night and I really enjoyed watching the video of 7 or 8 women giving birth and laboring in the water. It was kind of amazing to see how much of it they were doing on their own, since the midwife/ob wasn't in there with them (obviously!). May of them "caught" their own babies which was so cool. There was even one who gave birth, pulled the baby up to hold it and then the husband started pulling on the legs to find out the gender- then they started screaming. It was so sweet and made me really excited about the day we get to find out if we are having a Naomi or a Levi.
After going through the class, I am sure that I want to use an "aqua-dural" (you know, as opposed to an epidural) though I am not sure how I feel about birthing in the water for a few reasons. One, because husbands are not allowed in tubs (in general) in the US which makes it a little isolated (i think). Also, as my lovely sister has pointed out, it might be a little weird to sit in all of the bodily fluid- though I am not sure I will really care much at that point! Finally, NYS makes you get out of the tub before you deliver the placenta, which means you have about 10 minutes (depending on the attendant) to hang with the baby and then you have to hand him/her off to get out of the tub. I think I will choose to deliver "on land" with my husband and support close to me in a place where I can cuddle my baby until they make me stop!
So there's my informed labor decision for the day. However, I am totally aware of the possibility that I will not want water on me... I'd just really like to try it. I know how much I enjoy going in my dad's hot tub right now (when he lowers it to 99!). It's just nice to feel warm and buoyant!
Backing up a bit- the midwife was really sweet. When I was asking her questions about medical things during delivery she just kept saying, "well you have to remember, this is your birth and I am only there to support you." It was really nice to have that reassurance- this is our birth. I feel really good about all these new decisions that we've made this week. Phew!
Now I am off to the chiropractor who is trying to relieve some of my upper back pain (by cracking my rib cage- seriously, eek) and realigning my hips. I've read a lot of studies that claim women who have regular chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy have less chance of back labor and mal-positioned babies as well as "easier" labor. Though I don't think for a second labor is really ever "easy" I think I will take my chances and get aligned!
28w6d
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