Friday, February 29, 2008
rediscovery
Last night I rediscovered my love of cinnamon toast. It had been years since our last encounter. I don't know how I lived so long without that butter, sugar, cinnamon, bread combo that is a delight to my taste buds! And cinnamon toast is so fast and easy too. Seriously, what is not to love? I had it for a bedtime snack last night and again this morning. I see a dangerous trend starting.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
the business of being born
We watched the documentary last night, and I highly recommend it to all of you. It will definitely open your eyes about how birth happens in this country. Here are my thoughts on it.The purpose of the film is not to push home births. I honestly think the purpose of the film is to show that there are options out there besides a highly medicalized birth. Because the truth is, the majority of births are low-risk and don't need a lot of medical intervention. Ricki Lake, the executive producer of the film, decided to make it after having her first son in the hospital with lots of intervention and her second son at home with a midwife. She felt that the second birth was so much more fulfilling. She called it a gift to her son. Again, she didn't make the film to say that having a home birth is better. She wanted to show that women do have choices. And that having a natural birth is a very different experience than being drugged up. She wants to show that birth can be more.
The film talks about some pretty scary stuff that went on in obstetrics. In the first part of the 20th century the common practice in hospitals was to knock women out during labor and strap them to a bed. It was called twilight sleep. Here is the definition from MedicineNet.com:
Twilight sleep: A term applied to the combination of analgesia (pain relief) and amnesia (loss of memory) produced by a mixture of morphine and scopolamine ("scope") given by a hypodermic injection (an injection under the skin). The mixture of the two drugs created a state in which the woman, while responding somewhat to pain, did not remember it after delivering her baby. Twilight sleep was once in vogue in obstetrics.
The women had to be tied down because they would thrash around while in this state. They would have no memory of giving birth.
Other crazy stuff that used to be routine was x-raying pregnant mothers to check the size of the baby. This went on until they realized it gave the babies cancer. In the 50's mothers were given a drug that caused children to be born without developed arms and legs. And even all through the 90's a drug given to mothers was discovered to be causing major problems. (Sorry I don't remember the specifics. I think it was ruptured uteruses.)
Another point the movie makes is how disturbing the sky-rocketing cesarean rate is in the US. Right now the national average is 1/3 of all births are c-sections. This is much higher than other developed nations. Many believe there are several reasons for this. One is that OBs are mostly trained surgeons and therefore feel more comfortable doing a section than a natural birth. Many OBs very rarely have experienced a natural birth. Another reason is the ridiculous malpractice situation in this country that makes doctors very scared of being sued. They have way more control in a c-section.
Also, there has been an increase in elective c-sections. Women choose to go through major surgery instead of pushing a baby out. Some of the reasons I've heard are the convenience of scheduling the birth, not messing things up "down there", and even doing the c-section a little early in order to lessen the chances of stretch marks. Crazy if you ask me.
There is also evidence that all the interventions common in hospitals today increase the likelihood of a cesarean. The way it is explained in the movie is this: the mother is given an epidural early which slows down labor. So then she is given pitocin to get things going again. Pitocin makes contractions really hard, long, and close together. This puts stress on the baby and usually requires more pain relief. Or it can start with a woman being induced with pitocin and then given the epidural, etc. What happens is this slippery slope occurs where with every intervention, more in often required. And then the baby is under stress and things aren't progressing quickly enough, and so a c-section is given.
Of course, this is not the case with every c-section. There are many emergency c-sections that save the life of the baby and mother and couldn't have been prevented. In fact, the director of the film ends up having an emergency cesarean because her baby is breech and she went into labor 5 weeks early. It turned out that the placenta had stopped working, so her baby had stopped growing. He was only about 3 pounds. Usually, if this condition happens, the baby is stillborn, so they were really lucky.
One thing I thought was interesting is that the director said afterwards that she didn't feel like she gave birth. She felt like she was in a car accident, went into surgery, and was given a baby afterwards. She described the whole thing as being very surreal and that it was hard not to be able to bond with her baby right away. I'm curious if any of you who have had c-sections felt this way.
Another thought provoking point was made by a French doctor they interviewed. He says that the hormones released during natural labor and birth are what help us to bond to our babies right away. He said that if you take that away, especially when a c-section is done, you are taking away the "love hormones" that cause that bonding. He said, for example, that if you give a monkey a c-section, the monkey will want nothing to do with her baby. Obviously, we are human and love our babies however they come to us. I do not think that a mother who births naturally loves her baby more than a mother who has a c-section or a mother who adopts. But the hormone stuff is real and makes one wonder if it is affecting us in some way.
There are few things I wish were a little different in the film. I wish they had shown more hospital births where things go well. I would have liked to seen a natural hospital birth, because that is what I plan on doing. I also wish they had spent a little time on how mothers should prepare for a natural birth because I think it definitely takes some preparation. The film was skewed toward midwives, but I think that is understandable because they were trying to show that midwives are an often forgotten option in the US. Everyone knows you can go to an OB and have a hospital birth. This film is trying to show that women actually have more choices than that. And even if you do have an OB at the hospital, you still have choices. The point is that women should be in control, not doctors.
I definitely recommend this film. I was educated and moved. I found it inspiring to watch women give birth naturally and safely. I still plan on having my baby in the hospital. But if this birth goes smoothly, I would certainly consider other options such as a birth center or maybe even home for subsequent births. Midwives are trained professionals who come equipped with many of the tools doctors have in the hospital. I am actually excited for the birth of this baby. I'm excited to see what my body is capable of and to truly experience it all.
I also want to point out that the most important thing is not to have a natural birth, but to have choices. And of course to have a healthy baby. I know many women choose to have epidurals and have no regrets. What concerns me more is all the women I've talked to who are disappointed in their birth experience because of all the interventions. They went into it without knowing much and just went along with hospital protocol. I don't agree with hospitals that pretty much automatically prep everyone for an epidural and pitocin. Laboring on your back in bed is not the best way to get a baby to come out.
What I love about this film is that it shows women that they can have a different birth experience than the one you are likely to get if you walk into a hospital ignorant of your choices.
Any thoughts?
Other crazy stuff that used to be routine was x-raying pregnant mothers to check the size of the baby. This went on until they realized it gave the babies cancer. In the 50's mothers were given a drug that caused children to be born without developed arms and legs. And even all through the 90's a drug given to mothers was discovered to be causing major problems. (Sorry I don't remember the specifics. I think it was ruptured uteruses.)
Another point the movie makes is how disturbing the sky-rocketing cesarean rate is in the US. Right now the national average is 1/3 of all births are c-sections. This is much higher than other developed nations. Many believe there are several reasons for this. One is that OBs are mostly trained surgeons and therefore feel more comfortable doing a section than a natural birth. Many OBs very rarely have experienced a natural birth. Another reason is the ridiculous malpractice situation in this country that makes doctors very scared of being sued. They have way more control in a c-section.
Also, there has been an increase in elective c-sections. Women choose to go through major surgery instead of pushing a baby out. Some of the reasons I've heard are the convenience of scheduling the birth, not messing things up "down there", and even doing the c-section a little early in order to lessen the chances of stretch marks. Crazy if you ask me.
There is also evidence that all the interventions common in hospitals today increase the likelihood of a cesarean. The way it is explained in the movie is this: the mother is given an epidural early which slows down labor. So then she is given pitocin to get things going again. Pitocin makes contractions really hard, long, and close together. This puts stress on the baby and usually requires more pain relief. Or it can start with a woman being induced with pitocin and then given the epidural, etc. What happens is this slippery slope occurs where with every intervention, more in often required. And then the baby is under stress and things aren't progressing quickly enough, and so a c-section is given.
Of course, this is not the case with every c-section. There are many emergency c-sections that save the life of the baby and mother and couldn't have been prevented. In fact, the director of the film ends up having an emergency cesarean because her baby is breech and she went into labor 5 weeks early. It turned out that the placenta had stopped working, so her baby had stopped growing. He was only about 3 pounds. Usually, if this condition happens, the baby is stillborn, so they were really lucky.
One thing I thought was interesting is that the director said afterwards that she didn't feel like she gave birth. She felt like she was in a car accident, went into surgery, and was given a baby afterwards. She described the whole thing as being very surreal and that it was hard not to be able to bond with her baby right away. I'm curious if any of you who have had c-sections felt this way.
Another thought provoking point was made by a French doctor they interviewed. He says that the hormones released during natural labor and birth are what help us to bond to our babies right away. He said that if you take that away, especially when a c-section is done, you are taking away the "love hormones" that cause that bonding. He said, for example, that if you give a monkey a c-section, the monkey will want nothing to do with her baby. Obviously, we are human and love our babies however they come to us. I do not think that a mother who births naturally loves her baby more than a mother who has a c-section or a mother who adopts. But the hormone stuff is real and makes one wonder if it is affecting us in some way.
There are few things I wish were a little different in the film. I wish they had shown more hospital births where things go well. I would have liked to seen a natural hospital birth, because that is what I plan on doing. I also wish they had spent a little time on how mothers should prepare for a natural birth because I think it definitely takes some preparation. The film was skewed toward midwives, but I think that is understandable because they were trying to show that midwives are an often forgotten option in the US. Everyone knows you can go to an OB and have a hospital birth. This film is trying to show that women actually have more choices than that. And even if you do have an OB at the hospital, you still have choices. The point is that women should be in control, not doctors.
I definitely recommend this film. I was educated and moved. I found it inspiring to watch women give birth naturally and safely. I still plan on having my baby in the hospital. But if this birth goes smoothly, I would certainly consider other options such as a birth center or maybe even home for subsequent births. Midwives are trained professionals who come equipped with many of the tools doctors have in the hospital. I am actually excited for the birth of this baby. I'm excited to see what my body is capable of and to truly experience it all.
I also want to point out that the most important thing is not to have a natural birth, but to have choices. And of course to have a healthy baby. I know many women choose to have epidurals and have no regrets. What concerns me more is all the women I've talked to who are disappointed in their birth experience because of all the interventions. They went into it without knowing much and just went along with hospital protocol. I don't agree with hospitals that pretty much automatically prep everyone for an epidural and pitocin. Laboring on your back in bed is not the best way to get a baby to come out.
What I love about this film is that it shows women that they can have a different birth experience than the one you are likely to get if you walk into a hospital ignorant of your choices.
Any thoughts?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
coming today
This movie should be waiting in my mailbox in a red Netflix envelope when I get home from work today. I'm so excited to watch it! I'll definitely let you know what I think afterwards. Click here for my previous post about it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Happy First Birthday to my blog! (2 days ago)
I just realized this morning that I totally missed my blog's first birthday! I wrote my very first post on February 23 of last year. My posting was pretty sporadic those first few months but got steadier over the summer when me and the blogging world became better friends.
Happy Birthday, dear blog of mine! It's been a good year.
Happy Birthday, dear blog of mine! It's been a good year.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
17 weeks
How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he's around 5 inches long. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.I've been feeling the baby move now for more than a week and it's really helped me feel closer to him/her. Jared is really cute and talks to my tummy now too. Having a baby is such a bonding experience. Seeing how excited Jared is makes me love him even more.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
the ultrasound
will be March 4th!!! That's less than two weeks away! I can't wait to see my baby and hopefully find out whether I can start buying pink clothes or blue clothes.
So any guesses on the gender?
So any guesses on the gender?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
baby update
I went to the doctor's yesterday and things are looking good. I have officially gained one pound! We heard the heartbeat again nice and strong. My doctor also measured my belly, and I'm a little on the small side for 16 weeks, but nothing to worry about. It's funny because in order to justify the ultrasound to the insurance company the doctor has to say you are either "too small" or "too big". The ultrasound is then used to check the baby's development. So she put me down as "too small" but said I'm probably fine. I will find out today when I'm having the ultrasound. It will be in 2-4 weeks! We are so excited to find out if this little baby is a he or she!
Here is a little visual update of the growing tummy. We took this on Monday night:
We also took a little trip to Costco last night and splurged on a couple things. I will have pictures of those tomorrow. And...I went to Motherhood Maternity to try on their "Secret Fit Belly" jeans. Let me tell you, if you are pregnant you must try on these pants! They are the most comfortable things ever! It seriously feels like you are wearing nothing. They didn't have a huge selection at the store so I ordered some online. The best part is I can wear them now and even after the baby because of how they fit. Motherhood maternity has them for very reasonable prices. Mimi Maternity also them but they are more expensive. I can totally still wear most of my pants but it is like heaven to have nothing pressing on your belly, which is how these pants feel. The stretchy part over the tummy is quite thin and soft and feels delicious.
Here is a little visual update of the growing tummy. We took this on Monday night:
We also took a little trip to Costco last night and splurged on a couple things. I will have pictures of those tomorrow. And...I went to Motherhood Maternity to try on their "Secret Fit Belly" jeans. Let me tell you, if you are pregnant you must try on these pants! They are the most comfortable things ever! It seriously feels like you are wearing nothing. They didn't have a huge selection at the store so I ordered some online. The best part is I can wear them now and even after the baby because of how they fit. Motherhood maternity has them for very reasonable prices. Mimi Maternity also them but they are more expensive. I can totally still wear most of my pants but it is like heaven to have nothing pressing on your belly, which is how these pants feel. The stretchy part over the tummy is quite thin and soft and feels delicious.
movies we've watched lately
We love us some Netflix in our house, and I thought I'd give you my take on our last few DVD selections.
We really liked this one. It's trippy and weird but has a cool Moulin Rouge-esque thing about it. And it's a musical using all Beatles songs! What is not to love about that?It was funny cause several times throughout the movie Jared would ask me, "Now that's not a Beatles song is it?" And I'd say, "Yes! They are ALL Beatles songs!" It took him a while to catch on to that. :-)
Love you honey!
Although I do think the movie poster is rather cool, I did not much like this movie. It's a thriller so it was cool trying to figure stuff out, but it left me feeling depressed and not in a good way. The basic premise is a woman's husband is killed in a car accident but she lives the days of the week it happens out of order, so she knows he is dead but then wakes up and it's two days earlier and he's not dead and then it's two days later and it's his funeral, etc.
I quite liked this one. It moves a bit slowly but it's a really sweet story about a widower who decides to adopt an eccentric little boy that happens to think he's from Mars. The best part is that it is based on a true story. Also, it has Amanda Peet in a supporting role, and I have a girl crush on her.
Jared put this on our queue and when it arrived I wasn't all that excited about watching it. It's long and I had heard it moves pretty slowly. So I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed it. It is long and it doesn't have the usual arc and climax of most stories, but I was never bored once. It is based on the true story about a serial killer who called himself Zodiac. The three main characters are a reporter (Robert Downey, Jr.), a cartoonist who went on to write a book about the case (Jake Gyllenhaal), and a detective (Mark Ruffalo). Great acting all around and a very intriguing story.What movies have you watched lately?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
16 weeks
How your baby's growing: At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.Well the big news this week is definitely that I felt the baby! I'm convinced that I did. It really makes it all feel more real. I feel more of a connection with my baby. It's not quite so abstract now that I've felt my little one move. Pretty cool stuff. My next doctor's appointment is on Tuesday so hopefully they'll find everything is progressing nicely.
Friday, February 15, 2008
what's up, baby?
photo from birth.comFor all you ladies who have been pregnant, how did you know it was the baby moving? When did you first feel it move? What did it feel like?
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