Yogi Tree
  • About
  • Placenta Encapsulation
  • Blog
  • Yoga
    • Prenatal Yoga

My Birth Story.....

7/13/2015

6 Comments

 
It all started with an eggplant.

Well, kind of.

I had got to the end of the list of ‘natural methods of induction’  – you know the ones –  eating spicy food, walking, driving down a bumpy road, eating pineapple, certain yoga poses, and so on, when I discovered that apparently eggplant parmigana was one of the “sworn by” tricks to get baby moving.  I like eggplant anyway, so decided to give it a crack.

Oregano and basil are the key ingredients (supposedly) which will encourage bubs to get a wriggle on.



Anway, Viper and myself were sitting down to our baby-inducing Italian meal when we received word that our Sister-in-Law, Netsky was going to be induced.  Randomly we were both due around the same date – both first time baby ovens.  We knew we were having a little boy, Netsky and D-Max however were awaiting a surprise.

We decided to light a candle for Netsky and our little niece or nephew who would soon enter this crazy world.  A glass of wine was also called for (my midwife said a wine might relax me enough to go into labour, hey, I wasn’t going to argue with that!)  So we toasted the impending birth(s), ate our eggplant and went to bed.

2am.  Ouch. Go back to sleep, probably just a cramp.

20 minutes later. Ouch.  Hey, there goes another one.

I lay there wondering if this was it.  I had had the odd niggle for the previous few days, but nothing consistent.  These tweaks were beginning to form a pattern.



I lay there wondering if this was it.  I had had the odd niggle for the previous few days, but nothing consistent.  These tweaks were beginning to form a pattern.

4am.  Up around the house, pacing – bracing myself against each wave.  Such a bizzare pain, contractions cannot be explained to someone who has not experienced one.  Closest I can get to a description is a really bad cramp that starts in your back, wraps around your front, tightening and squeezing, reaching a peak and then ebbing away gradually.  My midwife liked to call them ‘waves.’   Suppose that sounds nicer than a  ‘holy gosh golly gee that really really hurts like a mumma F*&^in vice squeezing my lady bits.’

4:45am.  Wake up Viper.  Tell him he’s is not going to work today.  We are having a baby.

Put on dressing gown with big hood, drape it over my head and make a big pot of raspberry leaf tea.  Try to sip away at it, everything (including water) makes me want to yak.  Viper doesn’t know what to do, so he does the only thing he knows – puts on records.  He makes some outstanding choices that just fit the mood perfectly.



I sit on the couch, watch the sunrise over the deck and listen to Tracey Chapman’s album of the same name.  I hadn’t listened to it in years, neither had Viper – he had no idea why he put it on, but it was amazing.  I can’t listen to ‘Fast Car,’ without crying now – just hearing it brings back the emotions of the day like a ‘wave’ dumping down on my head.  Love it how music is such a sensory experience like that.

For the next few hours, I paced, braced and peed.  Every time I had a contraction, I needed to pee after it.  The midwife said the baby pushing down on my bladder (felt more like he was stomping on it).  Boosty followed me around and around the house as I paced, and bewteen contractions I literally spaced, lay on the bed and zombied out. It was pretty surreal.

So many phone conversations with the nurses at the hospital.  Wait 2 more hours, then come in.  It was already 12pm, I felt like I had been going for days.  2 more hours?  You’ve got to be kidding.  Take a Panadol, they would tell me.  Panadaol?  You’ve got to be kidding.  I’ll give you a Panadol.  Viper decided to go to the pharmacy and get some anyway (I think he just needed to feel like he was doing something to help).  While he was gone, I noticed I was bleeding, and that was it.  As soon as Viper returned, I said, ‘We are going to the hospital.  Don’t argue with a contracting woman.’



Let me tell you, having a contraction in the car, sitting down at a red light is not fun.  Although we only live about an 8 minute drive from the hospital, it was the longest 8 minutes of my life.  Not good, not good.  Viper dropped me off at the door to the hospital, and peeled off to get a park.  The labour ward was on the 3rd floor, so I had to take the elevator, which was crammed full.  And I was having a contraction.  Pretty funny to think about it now; at the time I was not laughing.  I was putting all my energy into trying not to scream every obscenity under the sun, and hoping I wouldn’t wee myself.

Finally, to the labour ward!  Hurrah!  Why do they have those dumb sliding doors where you have to push a button and wait for someone to open it?  Yeah, yeah, security, I know – right now I think I’m your biggest threat.  Squawked out my name to someone, and they showed me to a room… pacing continues.  Can barely think let alone try and explain anything to the midwife.



Turns out I was 8cm dialated – the midwife said she was about to send me home even before checking me as I seemed too calm to be that far along.  Calm?  Really?  Woah, you must come across some pretty crazy ladies in these parts.  Someone in the next room sounds they they are being brutally murdered.  Or they are a wounded wilder beast.  Either one will do.

Viper returns.  I barely noticed.  He said he kept asking me questions, and trying to talk during the whole thing.  I have no recollection.  He says, ‘yeah, you were definitely off in another world.’  I prefer to think of myself as keenly focused on the job at hand.  Probably the first time in my life I properly focused on anything, but hey, better late than never.

Anyway this is turning in to a mega post, so I’ll get to the good bits.  My waters broke.  It was disgusting.  It stunk and made me want to vomit.  Sorry.

I felt the urge.  You know?  The urge.  I needed to push.  At this point, I kinda got scared.  I was worried I didn’t know what to do.  That seems crazy to write now, because your body just does what it needs to do, but I remember feeling frightened.



Basically, Misty had a huge head (he gets that from Viper, ha) so it took awhile working on getting him out.  Countless positions and the constant disappointment of actually feeling him coming down down down – not quite far enough – then sneaking his way back up again… it was exhausting.  We also found out at this point, that Mopsy had been born – I was so far from caring at this point –  but it is pretty awesome that these two little cuzzies were born 2 hours apart.  Apparently Viper was all excited yelling, ‘They had a girl!’ I grunted, ‘I don’t f&*9ing care.’  So rude.  They have this regulation at the hospital that after 2 hours of pushing, they call in the doctor to assist (read: forceps and other hideous instruments of baby torture).  My midwife was awesome, and fought for me, saying – give me 2 more contractions, and we will have this baby out.

I don’t know how or where that extra bit of energy was dredged up from but we did it.  I now know why my midwife called the stage where the head is out, “the ring of fire.”  There was a bit of confusion on that last push as the midwife yelled, ‘thatta girl!’ at me, and Viper thought she was saying, ‘it’s a girl!’ – we had found out at the 12 week scan that Misty was a boy.  Viper had a momentary panic that we had a daughter, but that was quickly rectified.  Confusion sorted; I was in shock.  A screaming slippery thing was placed on my chest and I didn’t know what to do.  Through all that focus and physical exertion, I actually had forgotton I was having a baby.  I was so intent on getting this thing out of me, that the fact it was my son never crossed my mind.



Viper said at that moment, my face just went from one extreme to another – intense pain, to shock, to amazement.

Best moment of my life.  I welcomed my baby boy.


Picture
Picture
6 Comments

Quick Tips: Pregnancy Posture

7/11/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Posture.   Bye Bye Banana-Back.

Like I always say - being aware of your posture during pregnancy is SO important.... a stable pelvis and centre of gravity will help ease the aches and pains that come along with your changing body.

* You should stand with your pelvis flexed out - if you picture your tailbone has a long tail sweeping down towards the floor, you wouldn't want to sit on your tail, would you?  Keep the weight in your heels, and imagine yourself pulling on a tight pair of pants.

* Whenever you reach/lift something/bend over you need to pull your belly in - pull baby in and up towards your spine.  This protects your abdominal muscles and keep baby in a good postion.

* Side lying on your left side is the optimal position for blood flow to you and baby - abgle your baby down as this is the perfect "baby hammock" for bubs to settle into.

* Sitting on a birth ball goes a long to encouraging correct posture and forming a "belly hammock."  Make sure your tail isn't tucked in too far - lean slightly forward at the hips rather than curving your back.

* Try to avoid reclining in chairs once you hit the 3rd trimester - no rounding of the back!



Quick Tips & Tricks.

Constipation:  Eat enough fat in your diet.  Warm herb tea may help stimulate things.  Yoga cat/cow pelvic tilts.  Put a stool under your feet when you sit on the toilet.  Bushflowers such as bottlebrush, bluebell and flannel flower can help.  Probiotic foods (kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha etc) can aid digestion by boosting the guts good bacteria stores.

Hemorrhoids:  Don't bear down too hard when having a bowel movement.  Eat foods rich in fatty acids and vitamin E.  Use witch hazel to ease discomfort.  Black eyed susan, dagger hakea and bottlebrush are effective bushflowers to use.

Heartburn:  May be unavoidable!  Papaya Enzyme.  Peppermint tea.  Slippery Elm powder.

Stretchmarks:  May be unavoidable!  Ensure enough zinc and Vitamin C in your diet.... lots of good fats - AND hit me up for one of my amazing belly massage-oils ;)


Picture
0 Comments

Beautiful Birthing.....

7/11/2015

0 Comments

 
A few ideas to keep you in the zone during your labour and child birth experience - thinking about these NOW, before D-Day will help you prepare yourself and your birthing team for an amazing experience.

Keeping Things Positive and Productive During Birth..... A few Ideas! 

* Breathing effectively and calmly.... imagining the inhale coming all the way down to baby, and feel the exhale helping your body relax.  When things get intense - inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale through soft lips - like you are cooling off

* Using your breath to open your pelvis, renew your energy and relax parts of the body - exhale through the mouth like a deep sigh to help open your body further.

* Using your breath as your drishti - your focus.

* Choosing and trying birthing positions that can help baby's decent..... be active, keep trying out different positions and body movements, tune in and ask your body what it wants.... you know what feels best, so trust!

* Being internally aware of what is going on in your body - again, tune into your own body awareness - LISTEN to the messages your body is sending you, it knows how to give birth, you just have to trust and let it.

* Focusing on the task at hand - leaving other issues aside.... one breath at a time, one contraction at a time.  Keep calm and surrender to the experience.

* Help others know how to help you.... this is one that requires forward planning - even writing down exactly what may help you during labour (music/massage/warmth/water/essential oils/positions etc) and giving them to your partner/birth team to have with them.... you are going to be focused on the job at hand, so make it easier on yourself by prepping your support!

* Taking things one breath at a time.  (constantly repeating this!)

* Saying "I know what I am doing."  Say it out loud - sing it, chant it!

* Knowing "If I lose it, I can get it back!" (You can, and you will - let your birth support team guide you back into your happy place)

* Knowing you don't have to like it to do it well.

* Keeping your sense of humour!


Picture
0 Comments

Spiced Pumpkin Granola

7/10/2015

0 Comments

 
Granola is one of those foods that can be ANYTHING..... a snack (handful grabbed at random) a meal - with creamy coconut yoghurt, chopped apple and banana, drizzled with honey (mmmmm) or even one of those in-between mouthfuls - not quite a snack, but not quite a meal ( a handful dropped into a bowl with a splash of milk and a few pieces of fruit)..... I love the stuff!  Packed full of nutrition, and FLAVOUR - making those taste buds sing, without the notion that you are actually eating something  - god forbid! - HEALTHY.  This bad boy is actually pretty low in sugars, low in gluten (just the rolled oats, but if you are worried just grab the certified GF ones) PLUS this is a great recipe for nursing Mums as the oats, chia & quinoa are awesome for keeping your boob-juice cranking!

Spiced Pumpkin Granola
DRY:


1C whole rolled oats

1/2C buckwheat groats

1/3C black quinoa (white or red, same same)

3T black chia seeds

2T sesame seeds

1/3C coconut threads

1/4C pepitas

1/2C dark raisins

SPICE:

1t ground ginger

1 1/2t ground cinnamon

1t mixed spice

1/2t sea salt

WET:

1/4C maple syrup

1T coconut oil

3/4C pumpkin puree



  • Mix together dry ingredients, leaving aside the raisins.
  • Assemble spices.
  • Melt coconut oil and combine with pumpkin and maple syrup.
  • Mix spices into dry, and add wet ingredients.  Make sure everything gets a good coating.
  • I split the mix between 2 trays, lined with baking paper.
  • Bake for 1 hour at 150 degrees C, rotating trays and stirring ingredients every 15 minutes to ensure even crisping.
  • Turn off oven and leave granola inside to cool.
  • Once cool, mix in raisins and store in an airtight container.
This is seriously good.  For the small amount of oil I used, the texture is great – a nice crunch factor.  I think using coconut threads is important, as it brings a chewiness that would get lost with just the dessicated version.  The main sweetness comes from the raisins, the maple syrup is very mellow, which sits well with me as I’m not into overly sweet muesli mixes (I don’t like to feel as if I’m eating a bowl full of crumbled cookies for breakfast, although that may be quite delicious…. hmmm).

Picture
0 Comments

DIY Chai - spices and all.

7/9/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
Chai Spice Tea

This is my ‘loose’ recipe – my mix changes on a weekly basis.  Add or subtract whatever you like.  I’m a fan of spice, so sometimes I even add chilli and fenugreek depending on my mood.

  • 2t black pepper corns
  • 3T dry ginger root (ginger powder will work)
  • 3t nutmeg (use whole nutmeg and grate it)
  • 3T whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 6 whole star anise
  • 2T rooibos tea
  • 4T powdered mixed spice
  • 2T green tea
  • 1 1/2T green cardamom pods
  • 1/2C strong black tea of choice



Put your cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise in a mortar and pestle.....
Smash it up.
Mix with other ingredients.
Store in an airtight jar and use whenever the mood is right.

Brew however you like – I’m crazy for really strong tea, so I put it in a very fine mesh tea infuser lined with cheesecloth (so all the powdered bits don’t escape and make sludge at the bottom, ick).  I let it steep for about 10 minutes in boiling water, then add honey and a tiny splash of milk.  This is my usual cuppa, but in the evenings when I want something a little more hearty and comforting, I steep the tea in vanilla soy milk and add a bit of maple syrup.  Warm, sweet, milky, spicy – makes for one sleepy and satisfied Lou.  If I am feeling particularly raucous I even get my essential oils in on the action - a drop of clove & ginger (in a BIG brew, as these oils are strong, PonyBoy) really get the party going.
1 Comment
<<Previous
Forward>>
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.