My Favorite Birthing Books.

Preparing for Child-birth and Motherhood is over-whelming (in many, many different ways). People prepare differently. I like classes. So, I took several classes during my first Pregnancy.

I am a Reader. So, I read. Lots and lots of books.

These are the books that were the most helpful for me, during both my Pregnancies. I re-read some of them (it's amazing how much you forget, especially about newborn care and the specifics of Breastfeeding), before my 2nd daughter was born. 

Hope this is helpful!

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

by Susun S. Weed

(The book is clunky and obviously self-published many moons ago. But, if you can get past the formatting issues, etc.., this is THE BOOK on herbs and women during Pre-conception, Pregnancy and Post-partum. Susun Weed is kinda out-there, but she knows her stuff).

Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality

by Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu

(A terrific resource. I will definitely be re-reading this book. It's so easy to focus on getting STUFF ready for the baby and preparing for Child-birth that sometimes you forget that you will be developing a new skill set...changing diapers, burping. putting to sleep, etc...).

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Updated With New Material

by Ina May Gaskin

(A classic. Ina May is THE most famous Midwife in the country. She and The Farm Midwives are amazing inspirations, from the mid-70s until the early 2000's...when the book was updated...their practice had a 2-3% C-Section).

Spiritual Midwifery

by Ina May Gaskin

(Another classic. This book was originally written in the 1970's and you can definitely tell. The words "heavy" and "psychedelic" are thrown around a lot. It's a collection of Birth Stories told by women who had their babies at the Farm. The last section has some interesting information for Midwives and folks interested in learning more about Child-birth. The photos and drawing are a hoot).

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

(This book was highly recommended to me by one of the Lactation Consultants at the phenomenal Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington. It's my favorite book on breastfeeding.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation

by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

(I don't think I understood how much I had absorbed of this book until I began re-reading it. Pam England is a Certified Nurse Midwife and began a teaching a series of classes with her husband back in the 1990's. The book is a little on the hippy side but I think it does a fantastic job of helping mentally prepare for Childbirth. I also adore the Art Therapy element of Birthing From Within, which I think it's particularly helpful for second-time Mamas).

Journey into Motherhood: Writing Your Way into Self-Discovery

by Leslie Kirk Campbell

(This book is a wonderful resource for women who love to write and are about to become Mothers for the first-time. There are tons of writing prompts in the book for every stage of your pregnancy and the first few months after. It is a terrific book for helping a woman deal with the emotional and mental shift that occurs when you have a baby.)




***Disclaimer: Amazon Affiliate Links are included in this post. Thank you!

The Birthing Month. Motherwort.

I love this stuff.

Motherwort?

It truly can be a Mama's Helper.

I took Motherwort 5 times a day, during my first 2 weeks Post-Partum. It helped my hormones tremendously. Every time I started feeling weepy and a little out-of-control, I would look at the time and realize I had missed a dose.

I seriously had NO Baby Blues. Unlike after my first Birth. It was amazing.

Saturday, I was feeling frazzled and anxious and so I reached for Motherwort. The new tincture of Motherwort I had made was finally ready.

I took 20 drops and felt calmer within the hour.

Motherwort (part of the Mint Family) is also great for PMS symptoms and Menstrual Cramps. I think I need to start taking it, along with drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea during my Period.

Gotta love the Mints!

Susun B. Weed talks about how helpful Motherwort can be in all the stages of a woman's life right here.

Kiva Rose wrote an excellent post on 10 Reasons to Love Motherwort.

Here is some information from WebMD about possible side-effects.



***Remember to always check with your Health-care Provider first when taking any Herbs. Thank you!

Breastfeeding Mamas: 5 Ways to Increase Milk Production

1. Barley (here is my post on making Honeyed Barley Water with Mint and here here is my post on a Barley Chicken Soup)

2. Acupressure ( SI 2 and SI 11 are good for a low supply) ( ST 18 and ST 30 are also suppose to help with a low supply and are good for breast pain) ( SP18 helps with blocked ducts)

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/517093-acupressure-for-lactation

3. Blessed Thistle Tincture

4. Foods rich in Carotenes (cooked apricots, asparagus, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and peas...cooked leafy greens are especially helpful)

5. Hops (one Guinness Stout a day is an easier and tastier than making Hops Tea)

Increasing Your Milk Supply: Honeyed Barley Water with Mint

Ancient Greeks. They knew a thing or two. Turns out one of their Sacred Drinks was "Honeyed Barley Water with Mint."

I already knew Barley Water has historically been given to folks when they were ill. But I didn't know it had such a long history.

Besides being a Sacred Drink and helping sick folks recover, Barley Water is terrific for helping New Mamas increase their milk supply.

Recently, I made my easy, delicious Barley Stir-Fry. Instead of throwing out all that nutritious water, I added some honey and fresh mint. And froze it to give to one of my Pregnant friends.

If you have ever tasted plain Barley Water, it's about as bland as you can get. Mint and honey (or agave or your Sweetener of choice) really jazzes it up.

Here is an interesting post on the history of Barley Water with two recipes.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

My Post-Partum Physical Self-Care Check List

This is the Check-List my husband and I will be using to make sure I am taking care of myself during those first days and first weeks of recovery. It may seem like it's over-kill, but I had a very rough recovery after my first baby. I want to do everything I can to take care of myself and prevent any long-term issues.

It's a lot of tasks, but it seems less daunting when they are organized by the 5 B's....Belly, Bladder, Bottom, Breast and Bleeding. Got it? Okay, here goes...


Belly

• Breathing exercises (spend 5 minutes a day doing Mindful Breathing Exercises)
• Belly-binding on after each run to the bathroom begun after 24 hours
• Either an Oil Massage or Belly Herbal Paste put on after each bathroom run
• Crampbark and Motherwort tincture for after-birth cramping pains (supposedly after-birth pains are much, much more noticeable and painful your second Birth)
• Heated Rice Pack on Belly when needed
• Gentle Ab work-out beginning at day 3
• Post-Partum Full Body Massage at day 3 or 4 (these were the worst two days for me...pain-wise and as well as emotionally, so a Massage is a MUST on one of these days)
• Mother Roasting with moxibustion at day 4 or 5

Bladder

• Go to the bathroom regularly (after each time I nurse...I need to drink a glass of water or Herbal Tea and ask myself if I have to pee)
• Peri Bottle full of Herbal Tea spritzed every time I go to the Bathroom
• Kegels

Bottom

• Senna Tea
• Herbal Sitz Bath several times a day
• Sitting on a donut pillow
• Using witch hazel pads pressed against my perineum when making a bowel movement
• Homepathic Arnica pills every few hours for 1st several days to help with perineal pain (still skeptical about how helpful they can be, but it's worth a try)

Breast

• Drink 1 glass of water or Red Raspberry Leaf  with Nettle and Comfrey (for help with swelling and/ or tears) every time I nurse
• Drink Milk Makin Tea, if supply is low (I had the opposite issue the last time, so I doubt this will be a problem...but it's better to be prepared)
• Milk Makin Cookies
• Warm Shower when engorged
• Cabbage leaves in bra when engorged
• Healing Nipple Salve (Comfrey Root, Yarrow Leaf, Calendula Flower, Elder Flower)
• Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington Phone # Ready (for home Lactation Consultant visit, if necessary)
• Breastfeeding Made Simple on my book-shelf

Bleeding

• Super Absorbent Maxi Pads
• Rule about number of Steps (going up or down steps once on Day 1, twice on Day 2, three times on Day 3, etc...)
• Pay attention to the amount I'm bleeding
• Call Midwife if flow is increasing rather than decreasing, I have a temperature of 100 degrees, the smell is off, or I am passing clots bigger than a golf-ball
• Shepherd's Purse Tincture to help slow bleeding

My Birth Plan

 

I am very confident that my wishes will be respected with the Midwives I have chosen. I sought out my Providers based on their similar philosophies about Birthing and medical interventions. I have total faith in them.

BUT, having had a Home Birth that ended up with both of us transferred to the Hospital, I totally get how unpredictable Childbirth can be and the importance of being flexible (and having your Hospital Bag packed, even if you are planning a Home Birth). My Midwives have required me to submit my Birth Plan next week.

I'm not stressing too much over it. But, I thought I would share my Birth Plan with you, especially for those first-time Mama's out there who may be confused as to what one might put on a Birth Plan. One tip I received was to keep it short and succinct.

My Birth Plan with my first child, did not mention my wishes in regard to the possibility of having a C-section. I have been coming across numerous mentions recently about the rise of the "family-oriented C-section" or a "gentle C-section." I think it is imperative for Mamas to include very specific wishes about having a C-section, particularly, if you are first-time Mama giving birth in a Hospital.

In Northern Virginia the C-Section rates at all the Hospitals (excluding Loudoun) hover around 40%. In 2010, INOVA Alexandria's C-Section rate was 38%, Fair Oaks was 38.1%, Fairfax was 41%, VA Hospital Center was 40.5%. Loudoun's was 29.4%, thanks to the Loudoun Community Midwives who work out of the Birthing Inn at the Hospital.

The Unnecesarean is doing great work pressuring Hospitals to be more open about their C-Sections rates. Educate yourself, know your options!!!

Here is my example of a Birth Plan....

My Birth Plan

We would like an unmedicated, vaginal birth. We would like for my labor to progress as naturally as possible as long as there are no health problems for Mother and Baby.

With this in mind we request the following:

• No offering of drugs
• Intermittent, external fetal monitoring (10-15 minutes an hour)
• Minimal Vaginal Examinations (use of other protocols to determine dilation…i.e. the Purple Line)
• No IV (Saline Lock if needed)
• Unrestricted mobility including use of shower and/or tub
• Various labor positions
• No episiotomy
• Breastfeeding and Baby on Chest Immediately
• Delayed Cord Clamping

• Routine Procedures delayed for the first hour
• No formula, pacifiers or glucose

 

If  we have agreed that a C-Section is medically needed, we request the following procedures in order to have a “gentle” or “family-oriented” C-section:

 

• immediate skin-to-skin contact in the operating room
• slow delivery (with the intent to mimic the “vaginal squeeze”)
• placement  of IV catheter, oximeter and blood cuff all on the same non-dominant arm (the left arm) to allow a completely free arm for maternal contact with baby
• placement of ECG leads on the back, to allow a free chest for early maternal skin-to-skin contact
• intraoperative breastfeeding

 

We would like the following people to be present during my labor: my husband, my Doula (Birth Assistant) and my Birth Photographer.

We realize that events may arise that require medical intervention. In such case, our full cooperation will be given after an informed discussion of all risks and benefits has taken place.

The Books That Helped During My Pregnancy and Labor

Preparing for Child-birth and Motherhood is over-whelming (in many, many different ways). People prepare differently. I like classes. So, I took several classes during my first pregnancy.

I am a reader. So, I read. Lots and lots of books.

These are the books that were the most helpful for me, during my first pregnancy. I am slowly re-reading some of them (it's amazing how much you forget, especially about newborn care and the specifics of breastfeeding). I just started unpacking some baby clothes...man, are those newborns itty-bitty. How soon you forget!

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

by Susun S. Weed

(The book is clunky and obviously self-published many moons ago. But, if you can get past the formatting issues, etc.., this is THE BOOK on herbs and women during Pre-conception, Pregnancy and Post-partum. Susun Weed is kinda out-there, but she knows her stuff).

Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality

by Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu

(A terrific resource. I will definitely be re-reading this book. It's so easy to focus on getting STUFF ready for the baby and preparing for Child-birth that sometimes you forget that you will be developing a new skill set...changing diapers, burping. putting to sleep, etc...).

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Updated With New Material

by Ina May Gaskin

(A classic. Ina May is THE most famous Midwife in the country. She and The Farm Midwives are amazing inspirations, from the mid-70s until the early 2000's...when the book was updated...their practice had a 2-3% C-Section).

Spiritual Midwifery

by Ina May Gaskin

(Another classic. This book was originally written in the 1970's and you can definitely tell. The words "heavy" and "psychedelic" are thrown around a lot. It's a collection of Birth Stories told by women who had their babies at the Farm. The last section has some interesting information for Midwives and folks interested in learning more about Child-birth. The photos and drawing are a hoot).

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

(This book was highly recommended to me by one of the Lactation Consultants at the phenomenal Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington. It is my favorite book on breastfeeding and will be one of the books that I re-read).

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation

by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

(I don't think I understood how much I had absorbed of this book until I began re-reading it. Pam England is a Certified Nurse Midwife and began a teaching a series of classes with her husband back in the 1990's. The book is a little on the hippy side but I think it does a fantastic job of helping mentally prepare for Childbirth. I also adore the Art Therapy element of Birthing From Within, which I think it's particularly helpful for second-time Mamas).

Journey into Motherhood: Writing Your Way into Self-Discovery

by Leslie Kirk Campbell

(This book is a wonderful resource for women who love to write and are about to become Mothers for the first-time. There are tons of writing prompts in the book for every stage of your pregnancy and the first few months after. It is a terrific book for helping a woman deal with the emotional and mental shift that occurs when you have a baby.)

Galactogogue Cookies (aka Milk Makin' Cookies)

English: Brown Flax Seeds. Français : Graines de Lin cultivé (Linum usitatissimum). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a recipe I was given by the lovely Midwives at GW Hospital. They appear easy to make and easy to freeze, so you can have them when you need them.

It also might be a nice activity to do during the beginning stages of labor (especially if you are a first-time Mama and you need some distraction).

***Whole Wheat Flour, Oats, Flax, Walnuts, and Nutritional Yeast are all foods that help make abundant milk. 


Ingredients

2 cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (regular Whole Wheat is okay too)
1 cup Oats
½ cup ground Flax Seeds
½ cup Nutritional Yeast (not Baker’s Yeast but the yellow flakes)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt

1 cup Butter softened
1 cup Raw Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Organic Eggs
2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips
1 cup Walnuts


Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix up the dry ingredients

3. Cream the Butter, Sugar, Vanilla and Eggs

4. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed and then add the remaining ingredients.

5. Bake at 350 until golden (10-12 minutes). 

Good Soups to Freeze. Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrots of many colors. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whoops. I made this WAY too spicy for me. My husband LOVED it and commented that it tasted very Indian.

The next batch I make, I am going to tone down the Cayenne Pepper (I didn't measure it out and that was my mistake). This soup is chocked full of warming goodness - perfect for those few first weeks after having a baby.


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (I used one that was infused with Chilies)

2 Onions chopped

6 Garlic Cloves finely chopped

6 tsp Ground Cumin

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

3 Carrots

2 Parsnips cut into 1 inch chunks

1 large Sweet Potato, thinly sliced

4 cups of Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

3 cups of Water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the Olive Oil in a heavy stockpot (I used an infused Olive Oil that had chilies in it...this might have also added to the heat issue).

2. Add the Onion and a pinch of Salt, cook over medium heat for about three minutes.

3. Add the Garlic, Cumin, Ginger and Cayenne (this was the point where I sprinkled in way too much of the Pepper).

4. Cook for 6 minutes, until Onions are very soft. Add a little water.

5. Add the Carrots, Parsnips and Sweet Potato, 1 tsp Salt, the Stock and the Water.
 
6. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a medium simmer until the Carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.

7. Puree the soup in a Blender or use an Immersion Stick until smooth (this is one of the times, I really want to have an Immersion Stick).

8. If using a blender, return to pot and season to taste with Salt, Pepper, & Cayenne.

Enjoy!!!