One of the great things about being under the care of midwives is access to their knowledge of natural remedies. I thought I would share some new things I've learned here: During pregnancy: --- 1 --- This has been an unusually tiring pregnancy for me - particularly in the first trimester and now in the final few weeks. Midwife Vanessa suggested Spatone water soluble iron supplement. At first I was wary that iron supplementation would cause constipation, but eventually I was so tired it was worth a try. I have been taking the supplement in cranberry juice first thing each morning, and now I wish I had started it earlier! With no negative side effects, I have been transformed from weepy and helpless back to a reasonably competent pregnant mum to two toddlers. --- 2 --- Speaking of constipation, a friend gave me this tip (you know it's a good friend if you can discuss such an uncomfortable subject!): get your feet up on something when you visit the loo. I find a toilet-trained toddler's step-stool particularly handy, though fortunately I haven't had to use it very often. --- 3 --- My backup midwife, Michelle, gave me a recommendation for a loose-leaf organic raspberry leaf tea from Southern Light Herbs. In Michelle's experience, all the women she's had drink this particular brand of tea have had very efficient labours. One woman gave birth with only 12 contractions! Since I picked mine up a few weeks ago from Freemantle Markets, I have been enjoying one to two cups of tea per day. ------ After birth: I remember hearing, I think from a midwife friend of mine, Ramona, that women from traditional cultures who have given birth multiple times are actually much more concerned about the "after pains" than the actual labour and delivery. I didn't have after pains to speak of with Nikki. However, following Michael's birth I remember fervently wishing the contraction pain would stop already! For that second pregnancy, after pains lasted a few hours. Apparently 24-hours is not uncommon after a third birth, so I asked Midwife Vanessa if she had any suggestions for surviving... --- 4 --- Mag-phos or just a normal magnesium supplement should help relieve the muscle cramps. --- 5 --- Accident Relief Cream can be applied topically to the belly to soothe muscle pain. --- 6 --- Midwife Vanessa also recommended Panadol (known as Tylenol in the US) - not natural, but still compatible with breastfeeding - to take the edge off the pain. --- 7 --- I hope to avoid a tear this time, but Midwife Vanessa will give me a tube of MediHoney to expedite healing of the perineum if that becomes necessary.

Michael is a water baby, and we are planning another home water birth for baby three. A favourite book in our house during the final weeks before a new baby arrives is Our Water Baby. The illustrations are lovely, and the text is both accurate and child-friendly. In the video below, Nikki quotes a sample page. [Note that in the book, the boy's name is "Oliver" rather than "Gulliver." Also, the text states that the mother's stomach is getting "bigger and bigger, and rounder and rounder" rather than just, well, endlessly bigger.] I think Nikki is excited about welcoming another sibling!

Nikki will turn three in September, while her newest sibling is still a newborn. Realising this early in my pregnancy, I tried to think of a gift that would be engrossing for Nikki and make her feel very special at the same time. Since March I have been bringing all the elements of a dollhouse together. Baba and I are providing the house (from eBay), the wooden furniture (also from eBay), and the dolls (from Etsy seller nakedpeggies). To make the house a home, generous family members have hand-crafted soft furnishings including bedspreads, rugs, and wall-hangings. It is so much fun to think that every aspect of this gift was either pre-loved or hand-made just for Nikki. All the wonderful contributors used odds and ends of fabric, yarn, and thread they already had around the house. When everything comes together the dollhouse will have an eclectic, cosy feel far surpassing anything we could have bought off the shelf. Most especially, every item will have a name behind it: the name of someone who loves Nikki very much! Last night, in a continuation of my nesting phase, Ben and I worked together on some finishing touches to this project. I wrapped the parcels that have come from America. Ben installed small hooks to hang the curtain Audrey sewed to go across the front of the house. I touched up the paint. Ben threaded a cord through Audrey's curtain. I added a fusible interface backing to the wall-hangings Erin and Patrick cross-stitched, and stuck Velcro to them so they can be hung. I sneaked the dollhouse outside for a quick photo today so you can see how far we have come with the repainting.

before (with furniture for scale)	after

Clean, dry, and snug under a large sheet, the dollhouse will soon be ready for its September début!

Congratulations to Mike and MaryAnne on Lily's safe arrival this morning! Emma and Johnny are thrilled about their cute new sibling.

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him." Psalm 127:3 NIV

As parents, we realise what a blessing a new baby is. Older siblings, on the other hand, sometimes need to be convinced. From their point of view, what good is a crying, attention-grabbing weakling?

"A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." Proverbs 18:16 NIV

Prayer and encouragement have a lot more to do with how siblings get along than any material gift. But giving the older siblings presents on the new baby's behalf is a fun tradition in our family, which Baba and I believe emphasizes the happiness of welcoming a new sibling. Michael brought a Svan scooter when he arrived. Baby 3 is bringing Nikki a Mini-Moby Stretchy Doll Carrier for wrapping her Baby. And as the newly promoted big brother, Michael will receive the complete set of Mr Men books. Promoting happiness and entertaining the older children, that's what the gifts from the new baby are all about!

Congratulations to Lita and Kevin, who welcomed Reese's little brother, Kian (KEE-yan) Tyler, on the 30th of July. Kian weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and measured 19 inches! Since we decided against an ultrasound during this pregnancy, we don't know if we'll be welcoming a boy or a girl to our family in the coming weeks.
image credit :: pregnancy-calendars.net The name game this time around is kind of like being able to shop in the girl and the boy section at a favourite clothing store! If you'd like to join in on the name shopping fun, here are some favourite online resources:

• Australian baby names: http://www.babynames.com.au/
• American baby names + pictures of people with that name: http://www.babynames.com/
• Love the style filter on this one: http://www.quickbabynames.com/
• Possibly the most extensive list of names: http://www.mybaby.net.au/

In addition to internet searches, I keep a list of names I like on a spreadsheet. Ben recently discovered that a co-worker's sister has her own list of names she's compiled over the years. Her brother asked to see it and she replied, "I love you... but I just can't share my name list with you!" I'm glad I'm not the only one for whom the naming process is intensely private. As the time for the birth draws nearer, Ben and I have been enjoying more frequent discussions on this topic. We're excited about the names we have so far. It will be fun to see who comes!

Congratulations to Keith and Tricia on welcoming Lillian Joyce to their family! Lovely Lily arrived on the 31st of July weighing 7 lbs, 1 oz, and measuring 19 inches. Ben got very excited today when he saw 32 degrees south latitude marked in the pavement near Cottesloe Beach. He really likes to know where he is in the world. We enjoyed an early taste of spring here in Perth with a gorgeous, cloudless walk along the coast at pregnant woman pace, followed by a dinner of fish and chips alfresco. To cap it all off, we watched the sun appear to descend into the Indian Ocean. We tried to explain to Nikki why we don't feel like we're rotating even though the Earth is turning quite quickly. A fun, fun day.

During each pregnancy, I tend to start a number of projects, with the goal of getting them all completed before the new baby arrives.
photo credit :: yojimbot The nesting instinct, as it is known, is super useful. I find it much easier to get things done with baby in the womb than I do once the early weeks of round-the-clock nappies and numnums commence. From experience, I know I can be far more productive around the house now than I will be for the first nine months of the new baby's life. Even though I'm full-term today, I think the baby is going to wait a bit and give me a chance to complete the following projects that I've had underway for a few months now:

1. add grommets and drawstrings to the Lego® / Duplo® playmat and tea set playmat
2. hem 16 cloth napkins - 8 for Nikki and Michael, 8 for Mama and Baba
3. get the garage cleared out of all the unnecessary things in storage out there
4. add finishing touches to the dollhouse for Nikki's 3rd birthday
5. wrap gifts from the new baby for Nikki and Michael

When each of these projects is complete, I will take pictures and let you know a little more about where I got the inspiration for all this activity!

--- 1 --- This just in: Mothers who consume excessive amounts of high fructose sweetener during pregnancy and breastfeeding increase the chances that their children will suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes. Maybe there is a reason for my aversion to processed sugar during this pregnancy? --- 2 --- We tried out Saturday evening church for the first time this week. After a busy day out running errands, our children settled well for the evening service and we kept both of them with us the entire time. Then on Sunday morning there was no running around trying to get out the door quickly.     Plus, the kids enjoyed lots of extra play time with Baba. A truly restful day! --- 3 --- Baba pumped up my birth ball this week - fun for the kids, so comfortable for me. --- 4 --- I've taken the plunge and gone shampoo free - washing my hair in baking (bicarbonate) soda and rinsing with apple cider vinegar rather than using a commercial shampoo. I'm sure the pregnancy hormones help as well, but I can honestly say I'm enjoying my hair at the moment. Such a treat! --- 5 --- MaryAnne asked for the recipe, so here it is... Baba's Secret Recipe Oatmeal / Porridge

1. In a saucepan add 5 cups of milk and 2 cups of Oats.
2. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve with milk, honey, brown sugar, dried or pureed fruit... unless you are Scottish - maybe Aileen can give us some hints on how to top savoury oatmeal??

As they say here in Australia, "too easy!" Enjoy! --- 6 --- After six years enduring Old El Paso, I'm considering making my own taco seasoning and salsa - anyone have any recipes to share? --- 7 --- We're at the stage in pregnancy where I see my midwife every two weeks rather than once a month - I saw Vanessa Tuesday morning and I'll see her again two Tuesdays from now.

Each pregnancy, I find I gravitate toward certain creature comforts. Below I list of a few of my favourite things the third time around:

• side-sleeping memory foam pillow, which complements the long feather pillow that keeps my lower back straight (from the first pregnancy), and the wedge pillow to support my bump (from the second pregnancy). I feel that I've found the ultimate pillow trio for pregnant side-sleeping and am luxuriating in the ability to sleep straight through the night every night!
• fit ball - still a favourite from the first pregnancy
• tubigrip to support my bump and lower back during the day - and hold up my maternity jeans, which I pessimistically bought a size too large
• Lunapad underwear fits comfortably under the bump and keeps me feeling fresh
 

photo credit :: saidaonline
 
• organic grapes - I try to keep a bowlful of loose, washed grapes on a shelf in the fridge. With my senses heightened during pregnancy, I really appreciate that the organic grapes don't have a chemical aftertaste
• Similarly, my Kleen Kanteen provides convenient, non-spilling water that tastes good.
• ... and last but not least: Baba's oatmeal - his secret recipe involves using more than twice as much milk as oats, and soaking the oats in the milk prior to cooking. Unbelievably delicious!

Related posts:    Favourite Pregnancy Things
   Favourite Pregnancy Things - volume 2

 

30-week baby belly in front of Bunbury Lighthouse I had a midwife appointment at my home on Tuesday morning, followed by a trip to King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) on Wednesday, 10 June. One of the requirements when booking a home birth with the Community Midwifery Program (CMP) is that I register with a backup hospital in case I need an emergency transfer during labour. Debbie came with us on our adventure finding the hospital from the Subiaco rail station via Railway Road. We learned that it's much easier to get to and from the hospital via Rokeby Road. My "appointment" was for 8:45, and I saw an obstetrician around 10am. The time went by pretty quickly since I had plenty to do while I waited.

First, I tested my own urine by peeing in a cup, dipping in a stick, and holding the stick up to the bottle to see that all the colours matched

 

Next, I spoke with a staff nurse/midwife in the public restroom. She came and found me there and asked me several questions about my medical history while tens of visibly pregnant women maneuvered around us clutching cups of urine.

 

Still in the restroom, the nurse/midwife helped me weigh myself (I would have thought a digital scale was a little more straightforward and less crucial than color-matching for the urine test), and then offered the opportunity to weigh Nikki (13.5 kilos, 30 lbs, 50th percentile) and Michael (11 kilos, 24 lbs, 75 percentile) as well

 

And finally I chatted with another lady, pregnant with her first, who somehow sussed that I was another home birth mum with the CMP. She's due mid-July and also has Vanessa as her midwife.

I was impressed with Dr Cliff Saunders, the OB whom I met for my brief appointment. He had a calm, reassuring manner, was unruffled by the idea of a home birth, and he didn't berate me about my lack of ultrasound and blood testing in this pregnancy to date. He was also organised and methodical, and he broke the appointment up into three phases.

Phase I involved him reading over the medical history Vanessa had written in my file and asking me questions for clarification. He even checked my due date and suggested it might be closer to the 25th of August rather than the 18th. Then we moved on to Phase II.

 

Phase II considered how I was doing right then. He checked my blood pressure, which was good, and an improvement over the reading Vanessa had gotten the day before. He checked for swelling in my feet, of which he commented that there was not a trace. He offered to check the baby by palpating my abdomen, but said it wasn't necessary since Vanessa had checked the day before. He left the choice to me, and I agreed an additional palpation would be redundant.

 

Phase III covered several reasons why I might need to be taken in to hospital during my home birth, such as: excessive bleeding, placenta previa, baby in distress, placental abruption, or too large a tear after the birth for the midwife to stitch at home. He stressed that these were all unlikely in my case. Since I have had two normal births, including a successful home birth, he didn't expect to see me again. He mentioned that since I haven't had an ultrasound, I should report any bleeding to my midwife due to the possibility of placenta previa. I assured him I would, but I also said that I can feel the baby quite low down sometimes and I was pretty sure the placenta was up and out of the way. He agreed and repeated that he didn't expect to see me back at his hospital.

Not having to transfer into hospital is my preference, but if I do need emergency services for any reason, I would certainly trust Dr Cliff Saunders as my attending obstetrician. When I walked out of his office, I was glad I had been given an early appointment. Pregnant women were actually standing in the waiting area and the hallways since every seat was taken!