new website

Ran across this VBAC website, thought it was amazing.
"Are VBACs High Risk? Quite simply, no. Bruce Flamm, MD states in Birth After Cesarean: The Medical Facts, that VBAC parents “have been erroneously told that they are in a very high-risk group” as well as “the chance that a VBAC candidate will require emergency surgery is, for all practical purposes, no higher than that of any other pregnant woman” and “the risk of VBAC is not substantially greater than the risk of any type of childbirth.” He also states, “Midwives generally give care to low-risk or ‘normal’ pregnant women. However, VBAC mothers are not excluded. Numerous medical reports have revealed that VBAC is not associated with substantially more risk than any other childbirth.”
If more VBAC moms only understood this. We are constantly being told me are "high-risk" when really, I am not different that any other mother. (with the exception of a small percent for complication)
the site is: http://vbacfacts.com/vbac/
I love it!

I am looking forward to my VBAC. I know that I am taking all the best steps possible help ensure a VBAC. Your body is only part of the equation, the other parts are knowledge (educating yourself) and your care provider. You can plan and learn everything, but if you don't have a care provider who is willing to go the VBAC route with you, then you are setting yourself up for a hard ride.

Taking my own Advise!!

Well so far things have been pretty uneventful this pregnancy, and I am grateful for that. I originally planned to return to the OB/GYN that we used last time. Well on my first visit with her, I immediately knew that something had changed. She was not the warm caring women that I knew 2 years ago. She was cold and indifferent. When I expressed my desire to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) she seemed impartial. She told me I only had a 50% chance of that actually working. And "Considering you weren't favorable for birth last time, it doesn't look to good this time. But we will see." (my last appt. with her I was 50% effaced and 1/2 cm dilated....but I was also just SHY of 40 weeks) I was put off at first, then decided that it didn't matter, I was birthing this baby, and she would just be around to catch the baby.
Well over the next month the thought of changing care providers kept coming up in my mind. I realized that she really wasn't supporting my birth, not really. She was only giving me a 50% try and even at that, she didn't have confidence in my body. Not that this affected me, I know my body. But I realized that if she didn't support me now, she would have no extra desire to help me when the time came to birth my baby. So I kept thinking about changing, but it was still just a thought.
Well at my appointment yesterday, I was offended, and finally realized that she had NO faith in me, and why was I paying her for that?
...a little info, so you better understand... I am not a skinny girl, I know this. But I would never consider myself fat. I have a little extra, yes, but still healthy in my opinion.
At my appointment she tells me 3 big things:
1- You've gained 6 pounds, I don't want you to gain ANY more the rest of your pregnancy.
ok, I am not quiet half way, and you want me to gain NO more, so basically for everything my baby gains, and all the extra blood, etc, I have to loose that much weight? ok!!
2- She tells me to eat less than 1300 calories.
I am not morbidly obese, and even if I was, I need to allow my baby to grow. But I am somehow very unhealthy. 1300 calories is not enough for a pregnant lady. Yes, that is the low end of what I normally eat sometimes, but to eat LESS than that, would be absurd.
3- You know, heavy girls don't have successful VBACs.
Um, OK!!! I would like to see the study that says that my weight effects my pelvis outlet and my perineum. Oh wait, I have doula-ed for several heavier women whom birthed their babies JUST fine, vaginally.

So I left my appointment deflated. I was so upset, my care provider basically told me I was too fat to have a baby, and needed to starve myself the rest of my pregnancy. After a good hour of crying, and talking to my sister and husband. I realized that this was stupid. Why stick with a women who only sees your flaws.
This among all the other things I was feeling was too much. As a Hypnobabies instructor I am always telling my moms that if they don't feel that their care provider is 100% supporting their birth, they should consider switching. So, I have decided to take my own advise. I have made an appointment with a local Midwife, whom I have meet before, and will meet with one other.

You must feel fully supported in your birth, of there will be tension. And when there is tension, it will inevitably cause mom to tighten up, and that is the last thing you need while trying to birth your baby.

On a happier note, we will have an ultrasound on Saturday the 19th, just a simple one to learn the gender. We are excited, but planning to keep the gender a secret until Christmas (wish me luck)

Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Well, I've done a lot of research on women who had successful VBACs, and a common theme, chiropractic. So I made my first appt with Dr. Stitcher, and WOW. She is an amazing lady, and I can tell how chiropractics would help to have an easier birth. I am excited, and truthfully it has relieved quite a bit of fear for me. When she explain how my hips were misaligned, I could see why we had such a long birth the last time.

I have my first OB appointment today, that makes me happy too. So very ready to hear the heart beat. I have a doppler, but still waiting on my gel, so I can't listen at home yet.

The size of a grapefruit....hmmm

ok, so today I feel huge, but according to my weeks, my uterus is the size of a grapefruit. Maybe I have one of those massive grapefruits, who knows. All I know is that I feel like I am four or five months pregnant.
But on the upside, I have my first doctor appointment on the 23rd, and I am pretty excited about that.
I told Ethan the other day that there was a baby in my belly, and he politely asked me to open my belly up so he could see it. It was really cute, and he didn't quiet understand why I couldn't. So instead, he gave my belly a kiss and left.
He know keeps asking to see "the baby" and lifts up my shirt. Oh kids are so funny.

Blah, big ol belly

Ok, so I swear I am monstrously huge already. My belly feels like it is already poking out, but micah says he can only tell a little bit. WHAT!! Seven weeks and I should not be showing.
Oh well, all the joy of having a baby. I had a dream a few nights ago that I was preggo with Triplets, YIKES!! Oh the strange things that happen when you are pregnant. Only 2 more weeks til we get to hear that little heart beat, and only three weeks til the big reveal. YEAH!!

Well it begins, the start of baby #2

Well it has officially begun, we are starting the further expansion of the Lloyd family. We are expecting baby #2, due May 2010. We are all pretty excited, though I am not sure Ethan fully understands what is going to happen.
As you all know, I had a cesarean birth with Ethan. Totally not what I had planned on, but beautiful anyway. We are planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-birth) I am very excited about the whole thing. Micah is excited too!
We have chosen to nick-name the little one Bean Two, since Ethan was Bean.
Well, I will keep you posted as things continue.