So, my last post was about my early weeks of pregnancy and I'm now almost at the end. Just over a week to go until my estimated due date! So, before this baby is born, I'd like to try to quickly record how the pregnancy has been!
I'm not sure, but I think before my last post, I wrote to the Midwifery Group Practice in Bunbury to try to get a spot for this baby, even before we moved down south (which was shortly after my last post). I got a response a few weeks later and was eventually accepted onto their program, which is a government funded homebirth (and also hospital) program that allows low-risk women to birth with a known midwife. My first visit was with a midwife, as well as a student, who assessed whether I met their criteria and also explained how the program worked. The midwife explained that the program was in a state of change and as such, I probably wouldn't meet my primary midwife until the end of my pregnancy and in the meantime would be cared for by a few different ones. She also noted that, since I had birthed with an independent midwife last time, I might find some aspects of the program challenging, since the guidelines of the program are stricter than how an independent midwife might practice. I thought about all this and decided that, unless something very challenging came up, or I was starting to feel very strongly about knowing who the midwife would be on the day, I would give the program a go since I felt fairly confident as a second-time mum.
Well, so far, the first midwife's prediction has been accurate. I had the same midwife for two or three monthly visits, then a string of different ones, then finally in the last month or so I've met my primary midwife, who is new to the team. Still, she may not be the one who will attend my homebirth. It could be any one four (including her), just depending on who happens to be on call that day. A second one will also come towards the end. I have found this aspect a bit challenging - I felt like I had to re-explain my thoughts on things every time I met a new midwife and it was sometimes a struggle to build rapport. I also wondered for a while what a homebirth with the MGP would practically look like - what are their standard practices during and after the birth? I was a bit concerned there I might come across something strange, but it was difficult to get a clear picture of that. That was until I wrote a birth plan. Once I did that, the midwives explained how their standard practices did or didn't fit into how I imagined the birth to happen (and what would happen if complications arose). They definitely do more checks and have stricter guidelines from what I am accustomed to, but I think I can deal with it. I'm just hoping that my birth will unfold 'by the book' and so I won't have to worry about it all the other guidelines. I would have liked a bit more openness on their part to dialogue and learning, but I understand that they are restricted by their guidelines and can't be as much "with women" as they may like to because the system forces them to be "with guideline".
As part of the MGP, I also needed to see a doctor registered with the program a few times. It turns out that this person would be a member of my care team, would be in touch with the midwives about me, would be the one they go to if there are concerns during the birth and if I transfer to hospital, would be the doctor I'd see, even the one performing a C-section if neccessary (unless they weren't on call at the time). I saw one doctor a couple of times and then decided to change because the first seemed rather on the conservative side and hard to dialogue with. I'm pretty happy with the one I changed to, as I feel he isn't offended by me questioning him or putting forward alternative points of view. Though he doesn't offer the exact perspective I espouse about birth, I think he's probably the best OB-GYN around here and I'm glad to have him on my team!
Anyway, overall, for a government funded program, I have to say it's been a pretty positive experience so far. I'm grateful for the fact that every visit with the midwives (and even my doctor) has been unhurried, offering ample time for questions and discussion. They always do their little checks as well, of course, and send me to various tests, like for iron levels, gestational diabetes and more recently, group B strep. Thankfully, I have been very well during my pregnancy, all tests have come back clear. Just a bit of low iron, which has lately gone up a bit (but was never dangerously low). I was especially glad about being GBS negative! Yay! No need for antibiotics or any of that drama!
Now my only concern is going more than 2 weeks past my due date. Home birth would no longer be supported by the program and I think there would be a fair bit of pressure to induce. I'm fairly confident that I will go into labour before that time, anyway :)
I've been glad to meet quite a few other pregnant mamas through activities around the region. Every Tuesday evening I try to go to a pregnancy yoga classs. I really enjoy that as a way to stretch and relax, plus meet some like-minded mamas. I've also been going to a monthly meeting organized by a couple of doulas held in Eaton called "Bunbury Birth Circle". Every time, an aspect of childbirth is discussed, with people sharing their experiences with the issue, as well as a few birth stories each time too.
Overall, it's been a fairly smooth and enjoyable pregnancy. It has sometimes been hard keeping up with my son (now 2) as well as managing colds and flus when they come up for him (as he's prone to asthma), but overall, he is not to hard to take care of. He is still taking a nap and sleeping through the night most of the time, so I guess I can't ask for more.
So now, we wait. I have just over a week until my due date and it still feels unreal that it's this close. I guess now is the time to make sure I do a few of those things I want to do to prepare for a good birth - praying for a good experience, practicing meditation techniques, doing optimal positioning exercises, stretching, squats, drinking red raspberry leaf tea and that sort of thing! I just wish this cold would go away now so I'd have more energy for all of that!
I'm not sure, but I think before my last post, I wrote to the Midwifery Group Practice in Bunbury to try to get a spot for this baby, even before we moved down south (which was shortly after my last post). I got a response a few weeks later and was eventually accepted onto their program, which is a government funded homebirth (and also hospital) program that allows low-risk women to birth with a known midwife. My first visit was with a midwife, as well as a student, who assessed whether I met their criteria and also explained how the program worked. The midwife explained that the program was in a state of change and as such, I probably wouldn't meet my primary midwife until the end of my pregnancy and in the meantime would be cared for by a few different ones. She also noted that, since I had birthed with an independent midwife last time, I might find some aspects of the program challenging, since the guidelines of the program are stricter than how an independent midwife might practice. I thought about all this and decided that, unless something very challenging came up, or I was starting to feel very strongly about knowing who the midwife would be on the day, I would give the program a go since I felt fairly confident as a second-time mum.
Well, so far, the first midwife's prediction has been accurate. I had the same midwife for two or three monthly visits, then a string of different ones, then finally in the last month or so I've met my primary midwife, who is new to the team. Still, she may not be the one who will attend my homebirth. It could be any one four (including her), just depending on who happens to be on call that day. A second one will also come towards the end. I have found this aspect a bit challenging - I felt like I had to re-explain my thoughts on things every time I met a new midwife and it was sometimes a struggle to build rapport. I also wondered for a while what a homebirth with the MGP would practically look like - what are their standard practices during and after the birth? I was a bit concerned there I might come across something strange, but it was difficult to get a clear picture of that. That was until I wrote a birth plan. Once I did that, the midwives explained how their standard practices did or didn't fit into how I imagined the birth to happen (and what would happen if complications arose). They definitely do more checks and have stricter guidelines from what I am accustomed to, but I think I can deal with it. I'm just hoping that my birth will unfold 'by the book' and so I won't have to worry about it all the other guidelines. I would have liked a bit more openness on their part to dialogue and learning, but I understand that they are restricted by their guidelines and can't be as much "with women" as they may like to because the system forces them to be "with guideline".
As part of the MGP, I also needed to see a doctor registered with the program a few times. It turns out that this person would be a member of my care team, would be in touch with the midwives about me, would be the one they go to if there are concerns during the birth and if I transfer to hospital, would be the doctor I'd see, even the one performing a C-section if neccessary (unless they weren't on call at the time). I saw one doctor a couple of times and then decided to change because the first seemed rather on the conservative side and hard to dialogue with. I'm pretty happy with the one I changed to, as I feel he isn't offended by me questioning him or putting forward alternative points of view. Though he doesn't offer the exact perspective I espouse about birth, I think he's probably the best OB-GYN around here and I'm glad to have him on my team!
Anyway, overall, for a government funded program, I have to say it's been a pretty positive experience so far. I'm grateful for the fact that every visit with the midwives (and even my doctor) has been unhurried, offering ample time for questions and discussion. They always do their little checks as well, of course, and send me to various tests, like for iron levels, gestational diabetes and more recently, group B strep. Thankfully, I have been very well during my pregnancy, all tests have come back clear. Just a bit of low iron, which has lately gone up a bit (but was never dangerously low). I was especially glad about being GBS negative! Yay! No need for antibiotics or any of that drama!
Now my only concern is going more than 2 weeks past my due date. Home birth would no longer be supported by the program and I think there would be a fair bit of pressure to induce. I'm fairly confident that I will go into labour before that time, anyway :)
I've been glad to meet quite a few other pregnant mamas through activities around the region. Every Tuesday evening I try to go to a pregnancy yoga classs. I really enjoy that as a way to stretch and relax, plus meet some like-minded mamas. I've also been going to a monthly meeting organized by a couple of doulas held in Eaton called "Bunbury Birth Circle". Every time, an aspect of childbirth is discussed, with people sharing their experiences with the issue, as well as a few birth stories each time too.
Overall, it's been a fairly smooth and enjoyable pregnancy. It has sometimes been hard keeping up with my son (now 2) as well as managing colds and flus when they come up for him (as he's prone to asthma), but overall, he is not to hard to take care of. He is still taking a nap and sleeping through the night most of the time, so I guess I can't ask for more.
So now, we wait. I have just over a week until my due date and it still feels unreal that it's this close. I guess now is the time to make sure I do a few of those things I want to do to prepare for a good birth - praying for a good experience, practicing meditation techniques, doing optimal positioning exercises, stretching, squats, drinking red raspberry leaf tea and that sort of thing! I just wish this cold would go away now so I'd have more energy for all of that!
