I mentioned Birth Roots many times during pregnancy - this is the Perinatal Resource Center here in Portland which offered the childbirth education, breastfeeding, parenting, and newborn classes in which Dan and I participated. This is the place co-founded by our awesome doula, Leah and her amazing business partner, Emily.
Birth Roots recently re-located, due in part to the closure of Portland's only free-standing birthing center, the Ballard House, which had leased space to perinatal resource groups through the years. Their new location is larger and more functional for the types of classes and services offered. On Sunday, I attended the grand opening of the new location. Here's a clip from the local news:
http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx?mid=895208689
I strongly encourage any family preparing for birth in the Portland area to see what Birth Roots is all about. I really liked the independent nature of the courses, which allowed for more open discussion on the shared experience. Rather than taking a course hosted by the hospital where we gave birth-which, I'm sure, is a fine course- we were able talk about how I wanted give birth, not just what it would be like at that particular facility. In our Birthing from Within class there was couple who started out planning to birth at Mercy Hospital, decided do home birth instead, and, in the end, finished up delivering at Maine Medical Center. In my Blossoming Newborns class, there babies born at home, at Ballard House, at Maine Med, at Mercy...in tubs, squatting, in beds, by cesaerean birth... A wide variety of experiences, and we were brought together to help each other through the strange, tumultuous, scary, frustrating, joyous, wonderful and humbling experience of being a new mother.
Thank you, Birth Roots, for all you have done for my family and friends! Congratulations on your new space - it's beautiful, open, welcoming, functional, and perfectly YOU!
Showing posts with label perinatal education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perinatal education. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Friday, May 18, 2007
How do you cope with pain?
In my last post, I mentioned the childbirth prep class Dan & I are taking. One focus is on understanding our own instincts towards coping with pain. There are many ways of coping with pain, but two basic instincts: internalization and externalization. Some people like to focus on something outside of themselves to ignore the pain, and some like to focus on something inside themselves to address the pain. The main thing we're encouraged to remember is that neither way is "right" or "wrong." That's why Lamaze - a very specific pain-coping technique - worked wonders for some women, and not so well for others; it involved very externalizing methods which just don't click for those who tend to internalize pain.
One very intersting point is that labor pain is expected, whereas most all other pain in life is not - so we react to it differently.
One exercise we did was holding an ice cube for 60 seconds - the length of the average contraction. Some people in the class didn't find that painful, so they would hold it on their wrist or to their temple.
The first round was done with no instruction, just to see what we instinctively did. I kept my eyes closed and relaxed, focusing my attention on my breathing and directing my breath and attention to the pain in my hand. This is pretty much what I do when i have a migraine - I try to "be with the pain" and relax the rest of my body. That worked pretty well for me in the ice cube trial. It occured to me that I am one who uses the internalization methods more often than not.
The second round we were told to use focused, patterned breathing, whether that meant counting breaths, timing breaths, hee-hee-hoo-ing...whatever was focused and patterned for each person. That worked okay for me, but wasn't enough. I felt like I was trying to ignore the pain, and of course, the pain wasn't actually going away.
The third time we talked about the "Theory of Equanimity," a buddhist theory that basically says no one thing is more interesting than any other thing. So, we were instructed to widen our field of vision - try to look at the ceiling and the floor and all of the walls, all of everything in the area, without focusing on one particular spot - and to do the same with our other senses. It was really interesting! There were candles burning in the room, art on the walls, patterned slipcovers on the sofas, other couples sitting together, the instructor's soft voice, music in the background, traffic on the street, the feeling of the ice in my hand, the feeling of the breeze from the window, the cushioned sofa, the air flowing in and out of my nostrils... I was so surprised by how well this worked for me! I was so completely relaxed by the end of this 60 seconds, and the pain had just been a part of all of the sensations I was taking in. I had doubts about this technique, since in trial #1 I had realized, acknowledged, and grasped onto the idea that I Cope With Pain Using Internalization...like, it was a new law in my life or something. I remembered learning that "be with the pain" technique about 10 years ago, and that it's something I have practiced since then...always a conscious choice to cope that way, rather than what I could call an instinct.
I'm finding this stuff FASCINATING.
Again, I'm hoping for that 2 1/2 hour labor during which I won't need to know much of this stuff, anyway! (But, it's always a good idea to be prepared.)
One very intersting point is that labor pain is expected, whereas most all other pain in life is not - so we react to it differently.
One exercise we did was holding an ice cube for 60 seconds - the length of the average contraction. Some people in the class didn't find that painful, so they would hold it on their wrist or to their temple.
The first round was done with no instruction, just to see what we instinctively did. I kept my eyes closed and relaxed, focusing my attention on my breathing and directing my breath and attention to the pain in my hand. This is pretty much what I do when i have a migraine - I try to "be with the pain" and relax the rest of my body. That worked pretty well for me in the ice cube trial. It occured to me that I am one who uses the internalization methods more often than not.
The second round we were told to use focused, patterned breathing, whether that meant counting breaths, timing breaths, hee-hee-hoo-ing...whatever was focused and patterned for each person. That worked okay for me, but wasn't enough. I felt like I was trying to ignore the pain, and of course, the pain wasn't actually going away.
The third time we talked about the "Theory of Equanimity," a buddhist theory that basically says no one thing is more interesting than any other thing. So, we were instructed to widen our field of vision - try to look at the ceiling and the floor and all of the walls, all of everything in the area, without focusing on one particular spot - and to do the same with our other senses. It was really interesting! There were candles burning in the room, art on the walls, patterned slipcovers on the sofas, other couples sitting together, the instructor's soft voice, music in the background, traffic on the street, the feeling of the ice in my hand, the feeling of the breeze from the window, the cushioned sofa, the air flowing in and out of my nostrils... I was so surprised by how well this worked for me! I was so completely relaxed by the end of this 60 seconds, and the pain had just been a part of all of the sensations I was taking in. I had doubts about this technique, since in trial #1 I had realized, acknowledged, and grasped onto the idea that I Cope With Pain Using Internalization...like, it was a new law in my life or something. I remembered learning that "be with the pain" technique about 10 years ago, and that it's something I have practiced since then...always a conscious choice to cope that way, rather than what I could call an instinct.
I'm finding this stuff FASCINATING.
Again, I'm hoping for that 2 1/2 hour labor during which I won't need to know much of this stuff, anyway! (But, it's always a good idea to be prepared.)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
29 Week Update (late again)
Here's the technical update on the baby's development:
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week she weighs about half a pound more than she did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is getting bigger to accommodate her growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.
My glucose tolerance test came back completely normal, but my iron was a bit low. After a little light-headed scare on Tuesday, I have learned the importance of staying VERY hydrated and constantly-fed. (Don't freak out, but my blood pressure dropped to 100/50 while I was at the doctor's office that day. I was kept under a watchful eye and not allowed to drive, and given very good instructions on how to prevent such "spells.") I've been packin' PB Crackers and Cliff Bars and other snackable items. And, I've been told by my doctors to move more slowly. So now I'm waddling in slo-mo...very attractive! I do find that I feel really good if I eat every hour and a half, or so. And the slight increase in my iron (just through my diet) has helped, too.
I think Dan has finally hired enough staff, his sales are picking up, his store looks GREAT, and, how many times can I say how much he likes his boss? This guy is really doing his job well - helping his managers meet their goals by advocating for them, getting them to think outside the box, and motivating them with positive reinforcement and optimism. Who ever heard of such a thing?! We like this guy. A lot.
We started our Childbirth Preparation courses a few weeks ago, based on the "Birthing from Within" model. (Where else would one birth from? everyone asks me.) It's a very informative class, that helps expecting couples prepare for their own way of giving birth, rather than a step-by-step instructional on one method of coping with pain. Part of the course focuses on the technical stuff - vocabulary, biological/anatomical/physiological functions. The other part is - this might sound hokey - more of a self-exploration, especially for the mom-to-be. How do I instinctively react to and cope with pain? What are my pre-conceptions of labor? What is important for me to consider? It's been an educational experience for both of us, and very reassuring that Dan and I know and support each other well. We've been through a lot in the past few years, and I think our pain-coping skills (while mostly emotionally based) will come in handy.
Dan's going to be so great as a birthing partner. Not only does he have the strong back and quadriceps that I will most likely require as I squat, stand, hang and dangle myself around the delivery room while dilating, but he also has that gentle spirit that some of you have had the pleasure of witnessing. Plus, he makes me laugh like nobody else. That MIGHT come in handy, but I might not be in the mood for jokes.
Part of the course is bio-research: what is the story of my birth and Dan's birth? This has been interesting...I will try to spend some time this weekend creating a post for each story, for those of you who are interested. I'm hoping that labor patterns are genetic, though..so far my preganancy has been very similar to my mother's pregnancy with me, and she had only 2 1/2 hours of hard labor with me. I'm not getting my hopes up, but wouldn't that be nice?
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week she weighs about half a pound more than she did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is getting bigger to accommodate her growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.
My glucose tolerance test came back completely normal, but my iron was a bit low. After a little light-headed scare on Tuesday, I have learned the importance of staying VERY hydrated and constantly-fed. (Don't freak out, but my blood pressure dropped to 100/50 while I was at the doctor's office that day. I was kept under a watchful eye and not allowed to drive, and given very good instructions on how to prevent such "spells.") I've been packin' PB Crackers and Cliff Bars and other snackable items. And, I've been told by my doctors to move more slowly. So now I'm waddling in slo-mo...very attractive! I do find that I feel really good if I eat every hour and a half, or so. And the slight increase in my iron (just through my diet) has helped, too.
I think Dan has finally hired enough staff, his sales are picking up, his store looks GREAT, and, how many times can I say how much he likes his boss? This guy is really doing his job well - helping his managers meet their goals by advocating for them, getting them to think outside the box, and motivating them with positive reinforcement and optimism. Who ever heard of such a thing?! We like this guy. A lot.
We started our Childbirth Preparation courses a few weeks ago, based on the "Birthing from Within" model. (Where else would one birth from? everyone asks me.) It's a very informative class, that helps expecting couples prepare for their own way of giving birth, rather than a step-by-step instructional on one method of coping with pain. Part of the course focuses on the technical stuff - vocabulary, biological/anatomical/physiological functions. The other part is - this might sound hokey - more of a self-exploration, especially for the mom-to-be. How do I instinctively react to and cope with pain? What are my pre-conceptions of labor? What is important for me to consider? It's been an educational experience for both of us, and very reassuring that Dan and I know and support each other well. We've been through a lot in the past few years, and I think our pain-coping skills (while mostly emotionally based) will come in handy.
Dan's going to be so great as a birthing partner. Not only does he have the strong back and quadriceps that I will most likely require as I squat, stand, hang and dangle myself around the delivery room while dilating, but he also has that gentle spirit that some of you have had the pleasure of witnessing. Plus, he makes me laugh like nobody else. That MIGHT come in handy, but I might not be in the mood for jokes.
Part of the course is bio-research: what is the story of my birth and Dan's birth? This has been interesting...I will try to spend some time this weekend creating a post for each story, for those of you who are interested. I'm hoping that labor patterns are genetic, though..so far my preganancy has been very similar to my mother's pregnancy with me, and she had only 2 1/2 hours of hard labor with me. I'm not getting my hopes up, but wouldn't that be nice?
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
18 week update!
I've realized that none of my links were working properly. Instead of trying to figure it out - for which I have NO patience right now - I'm just going to paste the text from the Babycenter email into each post. Like this:
18 weeks pregnant: Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
Changes with us: I'm ravenous - constantly. Pickles and ice cream are right up there on my list of favorite foods right now; it's not just a myth. I have had my belly patted twice, and I am told that I definitely look pregnant. The emotional roller coaster seems to have cooled down, only to be replaced by physical aches and pains. Why didn't anyone tell me how much it would hurt to be growing this much?!? I am, of course, worried that I am just a wimp and this doesn't actually hurt that badly, and that I will never survive the pain of labor. The ultrasound - the big one - is scheduled for March 12th. We STILL haven't decided if we want to find out the sex of the baby.
We'll be delivering at Mercy Hospital in Portland, and we had a tour of the Birthplace there yesterday. It is very much a hospital - duh, Lindsay - but this section has nicer curtains and some hot tubs. They have one tub for water births, an option we're considering. (If any of you have a good resource on the topic, please share it with me. ) It really looks like they have made an effort to make the delivering mom comfortable, so I will be perfectly happy to bring Critter into the world at this particular place. Dads beware, though: the chairs in the delivery rooms are plain, wooden chairs, and you have to wear a swimsuit if accompanying your wife in the tub. I know - who cares about the Dad's comfort?!? I certainly won't in the heat of the moment, but I got a sore rumpus just looking at those chairs.
We're both working a lot right now - Dan's district will be doing inventory for all of the stores next week, so he'll be on the road a lot helping out his fellow managers. I'm gearing up for my new consulting responsibilities at work with online training. We started a registry with Babies R Us, but gave out in a fit of exhaustion without really finishing it...I don't think what we accomplished is truly "starting" the registry. I think we managed to get a mattress and a thermometer on there...
My friend Bonnie will be here next week, so she and I will get to play/work on the nursery and registry some more.
We're still brainstorming a baby-moon to take this Spring. The one consistent piece of advice we receive from everyone is that we should take a trip together, just the two of us, before the baby comes. We hate the idea of spending any money, but we're going to make an effort to get away for a romantic weekend sometime in April.
Any cheap vacation ideas? Anyone win a vacation that they can't take? :-)
March is almost here, we're setting our clocks ahead soon, and the songbirds are out again. Hurray for Spring! I hope you are all well, and please stay in touch!
-Lindsay
18 weeks pregnant: Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
Changes with us: I'm ravenous - constantly. Pickles and ice cream are right up there on my list of favorite foods right now; it's not just a myth. I have had my belly patted twice, and I am told that I definitely look pregnant. The emotional roller coaster seems to have cooled down, only to be replaced by physical aches and pains. Why didn't anyone tell me how much it would hurt to be growing this much?!? I am, of course, worried that I am just a wimp and this doesn't actually hurt that badly, and that I will never survive the pain of labor. The ultrasound - the big one - is scheduled for March 12th. We STILL haven't decided if we want to find out the sex of the baby.
We'll be delivering at Mercy Hospital in Portland, and we had a tour of the Birthplace there yesterday. It is very much a hospital - duh, Lindsay - but this section has nicer curtains and some hot tubs. They have one tub for water births, an option we're considering. (If any of you have a good resource on the topic, please share it with me. ) It really looks like they have made an effort to make the delivering mom comfortable, so I will be perfectly happy to bring Critter into the world at this particular place. Dads beware, though: the chairs in the delivery rooms are plain, wooden chairs, and you have to wear a swimsuit if accompanying your wife in the tub. I know - who cares about the Dad's comfort?!? I certainly won't in the heat of the moment, but I got a sore rumpus just looking at those chairs.
We're both working a lot right now - Dan's district will be doing inventory for all of the stores next week, so he'll be on the road a lot helping out his fellow managers. I'm gearing up for my new consulting responsibilities at work with online training. We started a registry with Babies R Us, but gave out in a fit of exhaustion without really finishing it...I don't think what we accomplished is truly "starting" the registry. I think we managed to get a mattress and a thermometer on there...
My friend Bonnie will be here next week, so she and I will get to play/work on the nursery and registry some more.
We're still brainstorming a baby-moon to take this Spring. The one consistent piece of advice we receive from everyone is that we should take a trip together, just the two of us, before the baby comes. We hate the idea of spending any money, but we're going to make an effort to get away for a romantic weekend sometime in April.
Any cheap vacation ideas? Anyone win a vacation that they can't take? :-)
March is almost here, we're setting our clocks ahead soon, and the songbirds are out again. Hurray for Spring! I hope you are all well, and please stay in touch!
-Lindsay
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
