So, we've got four more weeks left till the little moto rider comes into our lives. I'm planning on doing an all natural water birth in a birth center. The midwives pretty much let you do whatever you want when it comes to your own birth (i.e. turning lights off, lighting candles, playing music, whatever you feel you need)
I would like this moment to be very special to us and I'd like to hear about cool stuff your parents did or that you did for your babies when they were born. One example I heard of is someone's great great grandpa made some wine a hundred years ago, and when they did the naming ceremony, everyone present dabbed a little on their lips and dabbed a little on baby's lips, just like their family had done for generations since the wine was made.
I'm not looking to steal anyone's traditions, just get a little creative inspiration for our own.
Peace.
Order a poster of a Monster and paste it on the wall during delivery.
The Doc
I brought my son home is the same outfit that I was brought home in.
I once saw a series of pictures, the parents had a pair of jeans and put the child in them every birthday until he was 18.
All the women in my family have traditionally screamed profanities during child birth.
We all turned out make the beast with two backsing great.
Quote from: Pakhan on September 04, 2008, 11:16:06 AM
All the women in my family have traditionally screamed profanities during child birth.
We all turned out make the beast with two backsing great.
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
I will probably be doing that as well
Hey, I was wondering how you were doing ;D
No real traditions that I can think of in my family. Probably much of the same as Pakhan.
When boys turn to men we get tattoo'd using a shark tooth attached to a stick (used to be a tattoo for every battle won). Soot or coal is used as ink. With that said....I need to get my tattoo done, but I dont want to grow up! ;D
Take a picture of the little one in your or dad's shoes (or moto boots), don't ever throw those shoes/boots away, then take a pic each year in same shoes/boots. Give 'em the montage framed or in a picture book when they're 18, or leave the nest...
Hope it's a quick and easy one... practice that brrreeeeeaaathinnnnngggg!
[thumbsup] & [beer] to a happy, healthy mom & little one!
kind of off topic, but is there a doctor on call at a midwiving facility?
The midwives are all licensed in Oregon, there will also be a Nurse Practitioner Midwife present. In the case of emergency I can be transported to the hospital and they have a protocol for that too. They are also trained in infant resuscitation and stitching for tears as well as anesthetics. They can't get their licenses without that knowledge.
stitching for tears...........
[puke].............sorry
[puke]
Quote from: herm on September 04, 2008, 04:26:37 PM
stitching for tears...........
[puke].............sorry
Kinda par for the course, dude.
As far as traditions, I dunno. My family kept "baby books" but it was pretty obvious that by the time I showed up (youngest of three) the novelty had worn off that idea. Mine had like the first 5 pages filled in, as opposed to my sister's which was full to bursting.
Dont forget the tape in the video recorder!! [evil] Heck of a way to start off those home movie nights when friends are over! [popcorn]
Congrats on choosing to have your child in a birthing center. My wife did the same for both of our kids. For #1 she had to go to the hospital after 10 loooong hours (that was a car ride I'll never forget) but #2 was a bit smoother and she was able to stick it out. The experience for #2, with no hospital involved, was infinitely more enjoyable for both of us. Having to stay with your newborn in the hospital for the first night sucks. Just nasty. Not being allowed to hold your child until the docs give the thumbs up is also silly. It's just a very impersonal environment. Besides, our midwives inspired more confidence than the docs at the hospital, who were very mechanistic in their approach to the birth.
Traditions? No ideas here, sorry. The birthing experience by itself is memorable enough without adding any more complexity in my opinion!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 04, 2008, 05:05:58 PM
Dont forget the tape in the video recorder!! [evil] Heck of a way to start off those home movie nights when friends are over! [popcorn]
My wife banned the use of any recording device from the delivery room [laugh]
I had a leg in one hand, video camera in the other!! Gotta have something to hold over those little suckers heads when they refuse to take out the trash!!! ;D
my wife's family has a weird custom of having all the womenfolk present in the delivery room.
i dated her older sister before going out with my wife and later marrying. long story, but she is much younger than me..
it was quite weird having my ex hanging over my shoulder staring at my wife's nether regions while my son was born.
Quote from: ducatizzzz on September 04, 2008, 06:17:29 PMmy wife's family has a weird custom of having all the womenfolk present in the delivery room. i dated her older sister before going out with my wife and later marrying. long story, but she is much younger than me.. it was quite weird having my ex hanging over my shoulder staring at my wife's nether regions while my son was born.
Thats Hot!
good luck, and good on you for using a midwife..it is a great way to go for some people. As far as traditions goes, take lots of photos and even a short movie. When my son was born i did not want to see it through a camera lense so I kept the camera on and filmed his 1st seconds with his mom ( after he had come out).. I now cherish this video and every years for my sons b-day we rewatch all of his home movies to date
How quickly can they get you to a hospital? For our first baby, my wife and I chose to have it at home with a midwife, and not through any fault of hers, we had a bad thing happen, and it happens really quickly, not trying to scare you, but just hoping that things turn out better for you, and that you are closer to the hospital than we were (we were about 15 minutes away). You can PM me if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. And good luck!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 04, 2008, 06:30:10 PM
Thats Hot!
it was a bit unnerving, me trying to coach my wife and her sister goosing me.
In our family, the tradition is that I stand there and get screamed at and don't scream back.
the screaming obscenities will come naturally i'm sure :)
im so excited for you C :)
& good luck with the birthing!
Quote from: herm on September 04, 2008, 04:26:37 PM
stitching for tears...........
[puke].............sorry
[puke]
all about the scheduled c-section [thumbsup]
The epidural is your friend....
Babies traditionally come out of the ladies in my family.
Quote from: rgramjet on September 05, 2008, 07:32:20 AM
The epidural is your friend....
I hear it's great for pain relief. buuuuuut I'm not really cool with the whole, inserting stuff into my SPINE and numbing me from the waist down thing. I'd like to be able to move around, not lay there like a slug wondering if my kid is coming out or not. [laugh]
lol
Oh you'll know epidural or not.
With our first child, my wifes water broke. I drove her to the hospital which is about 10 minutes away. By the time we got to check-in she was doubled over in pain from the contractions.
Ten minutes later she was in a bed. They connected a device which measures contractions to her and it was reading around 50. At 60, she had the epidural. The contractions were so strong, she was oblivious to the nasty epidural needle.
Epidural kicked in....
I looked down at the meter a little while later and saw the meter was at 120!! At the same time she asked me to hand her the hairbrush so she could fix her hair...
Natural childbirth is absolutely amazing and I applaud anyone that does it sans meds..... Its not for everyone ...
Congrats and Good Luck!!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 05, 2008, 01:08:48 PM
They connected a device which measures contractions to her and it was reading around 50. At 60, she had the epidural. The contractions were so strong, she was oblivious to the nasty epidural needle.
Epidural kicked in....
I looked down at the meter a little while later and saw the meter was at 120!! At the same time she asked me to hand her the hairbrush so she could fix her hair...
A good L&D nurse will tailor the epidural flow based on the contractions, and their level. My wife had a wonderful epidural experience.
I started our birth tradition, with our first back in May: hire a Doula.
Quote from: Dangerous Person on September 05, 2008, 12:50:11 PM
I hear it's great for pain relief. buuuuuut I'm not really cool with the whole, inserting stuff into my SPINE and numbing me from the waist down thing. I'd like to be able to move around, not lay there like a slug wondering if my kid is coming out or not. [laugh]
You're thinking of spinal anesthesia (which is pretty rare for childbirth these days), not epidural. Epidurals don't have much effect on motor nerves, so you can still move. They won't completely numb you, either.
However, our second child was born under hypnoanalgesia. The epidural with the first kid wore off (they wouldn't use an indwelling epidural catheter at that hospital, so it couldn't just be "topped off") and did seem to slow down labor significantly. The second time around, my wife did have a small epidural (this time with indwelling catheter so it could be titrated) but primary pain control was with hypnosis. We worked with a psychologist colleague who had done pain-control work on the burns intensive care unit, so she knew a thing or two about pain. Both of us went in for training for 4 months prior to delivery. My wife was much happier with the hypnosis than with the epidural alone, and I certainly found the training sessions very relaxing.
Quote from: Sinister on September 05, 2008, 01:41:17 PM
I started our birth tradition, with our first back in May: hire a Doula.
+1000
We hired a Doula after having twins 2+ years ago. Shes like a walking talking owners manual for the kiddos and will stay up with the kids and feed them so you can get a good nights sleep. I fought the concept at first but after two weeks I gave in. Ive never been so happy to pay $250 for 10 hours sleep!
Heck with being registered at Buy Buy Baby or the like, instead have people kick in towards a Doula fund.
^^^Yep! We didn't use a post-partum doula. The birthing doula was great; I sipped coffee during the birth. [coffee] [coffee] [thumbsup]
The menfolk in my family make it a point to be "stuck in traffic" during the delivery.
Even if they drove her to the hospital.
I'm not one to argue with tradition :P
I think epidurals, cesarians, hospitals, and doctors are wonderful and have saved the lives of countless women and babies. However in my case, I am not high risk and believe in the power of my own body to be able to give birth through the pain. I applaud women for giving birth in ANY situation and would never dream of making someone feel bad for their own birth choices. Sometimes people surprise me though, because they make decisions based on little to no knowledge. One lady I work with told me that drugs are aMAZing because women used to die at a much higher rate due to the pain of childbirth and since drugs came along that killed the pain, people are now living through labor. The same woman then asked me a few days later when I was planning on being induced. Huh? Is it really that standard for people to plan their births? I think before any decision is made, whether it's a natural birth or a hospital birth should be made under careful consideration and research.
Best wishes C, we'll be thinking of you. :)
Quote from: Dangerous Person on September 05, 2008, 04:17:25 PM
I think epidurals, cesarians, hospitals, and doctors are wonderful and have saved the lives of countless women and babies. However in my case, I am not high risk and believe in the power of my own body to be able to give birth through the pain. I applaud women for giving birth in ANY situation and would never dream of making someone feel bad for their own birth choices. Sometimes people surprise me though, because they make decisions based on little to no knowledge. One lady I work with told me that drugs are aMAZing because women used to die at a much higher rate due to the pain of childbirth and since drugs came along that killed the pain, people are now living through labor. The same woman then asked me a few days later when I was planning on being induced. Huh? Is it really that standard for people to plan their births? I think before any decision is made, whether it's a natural birth or a hospital birth should be made under careful consideration and research.
[thumbsup] With that attitude everything will be perfect. We did a home birth with the assistance of a doula/midwife and it was perfect for us. We dislike hospitals and like you my wife believed wholeheartedly in the power of her own body to give birth. Used a kid pool with heated water on his room and I was the one that grabbed him when he got out. He opened his eyes, looked at me and started crying. After 6 years, we are planning on another kid and it will be done the same way. My wife required no medication, no ivs, nothing. Gatorade and that was it. I looked like the one that gave birth instead of her. This is not for everyone though. Some of our family members thought we were crazy. Good luck!!
I wonder if theres some way we could do a closed caption feed to cheer you on? How cool would that be? [evil]
Quote from: desmopr on September 06, 2008, 02:44:43 PM
[thumbsup] With that attitude everything will be perfect. We did a home birth with the assistance of a doula/midwife and it was perfect for us. We dislike hospitals and like you my wife believed wholeheartedly in the power of her own body to give birth. Used a kid pool with heated water on his room and I was the one that grabbed him when he got out. He opened his eyes, looked at me and started crying. After 6 years, we are planning on another kid and it will be done the same way. My wife required no medication, no ivs, nothing. Gatorade and that was it. I looked like the one that gave birth instead of her. This is not for everyone though. Some of our family members thought we were crazy. Good luck!!
That's a very cool story. I am a firm believer in natural births out of hospital but a lot of women aren't comfortable with that and that's totally cool. It's whatever makes you feel the safest and for some people that's a hospital with drugs readily available. When it comes down to it, you're having a freaking BABY and any way you do it is your choice alone. Good luck on the new little one!!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 06, 2008, 02:49:18 PM
I wonder if theres some way we could do a closed caption feed to cheer you on? How cool would that be? [evil]
I don't think I want members of the DMF seein' muh bizniz if y'all know what I mean. Unless we can blur out all my naughty bits in a live feed. [laugh]
Ohhhh we'll be fine.....just think of us as a few hundred extra coaches.....Im sure thousands if it actually happened!!! ;D
We'd be able to comment on the lines the wee one took on his way into the world.
Left left left....lean!
I reread your post. Did you know that most of the births that are induced are out of convenience? Pitusin sp? is actually mare hormone.
Re: the original post,
My parents kept a book of their thoughts, descriptions of dreams they had, drawings they did etc during the last couple months i was in the oven. I didn't know about it until they gave it to me when i was 25 or so.
It is hands down the most valuable thing I own and the only thing I'd come back into my burning house to save.
Quote from: Monsterlover on September 06, 2008, 09:50:24 PM
Re: the original post,
My parents kept a book of their thoughts, descriptions of dreams they had, drawings they did etc during the last couple months i was in the oven. I didn't know about it until they gave it to me when i was 25 or so.
It is hands down the most valuable thing I own and the only thing I'd come back into my burning house to save.
Oh god, I'd hate to think what mine would look like if the parents had done that sort of thing.
It'd basically read
"fun, excitement hope, adventure, travel travel life of leisure.....
crap-she's pregnant-non of the above will EVER happen....
Oh god-it never shuts up! never argh!"
When the twins I nanny were born, I was hanging out at home with their grandpa. We got a call from the dad who said, "Baby number one is out... NOW. And here comes baby number two.... NOW." As they were born, the grandpa started a clock for each one. They are very expensive clocks that are expected to run for the duration of the kids' lives.
In a side note, the clocks tradition is from the dad's family. Each member of the family has one. When the mom married the dad, the grandpa started a clock for her too.
Thats a heap of clocks! Im a bit of a "Clock o Phile", what kind?
No clue the manufacturer. I think the ones for the twins are Austrian. They have astrological signs and moon phases (I think). Hand wound, not electric. All workings/gears are visible as the thing is covered by a removable glass box (wooden base). Very expensive, $5-10k IIRC.
Quote from: desmopr on September 06, 2008, 09:21:48 PM
I reread your post. Did you know that most of the births that are induced are out of convenience? Pitusin sp? is actually mare hormone.
Pitocin® is synthetic oxytocin, where did you read it was mare hormone? "Regular" oxytocin is released by a woman after pregnancy.
I think you are thinking of Premarin®.
^^^Thanks for clearing that up.
Quote from: desmopr on September 06, 2008, 09:21:48 PM
Did you know that most of the births that are induced are out of convenience?
Nothing wrong with that.
Also, lots of doc's are now giving the option of c-section because it lowers their malpractice insurance
Quote from: rgramjet on September 06, 2008, 02:49:18 PM
I wonder if theres some way we could do a closed caption feed to cheer you on? How cool would that be? [evil]
Uh, that would not be cool. At all.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on September 08, 2008, 07:33:16 AM
Nothing wrong with that.
Also, lots of doc's are now giving the option of c-section because it lowers their malpractice insurance
Take note that this ^^^ is the opinion of someone who does not have children, nor has gone through the process. i.e., he is ignorant.
Carry on, and excuse my retarded little brother for banging his helmet and drooling on this thread.
;) As they say, to each their own. IMO, there IS something wrong when you want to "play" with the natural order of something so important as giving birth. Then again; c-sections, birth inducements sp? drugs, and such have saved tons of babies. There is a big controversy back home (PR) because most of the births are scheduled to be done on a specific date by inducement sp? or c-section just because. MDs make more money out of C-sections too, than natural births. (at least in PR) Very controversial and interesting subject. [popcorn]
Quote from: desmopr on September 08, 2008, 09:11:55 AM
IMO, there IS something wrong when you want to "play" with the natural order of something so important as giving birth.
QFT, with the exception of medical necessity, of course.
Quote from: Sinister on September 08, 2008, 09:17:47 AM
QFT, with the exception of medical necessity, of course.
[thumbsup] of course buddy.
Quote from: Sinister on September 08, 2008, 07:53:45 AM
Uh, that would not be cool. At all.
It would be EXTRA Cool!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 08, 2008, 01:13:35 PM
It would be EXTRA Cool!
I didn't want to watch my own kid come out; I definitely don't want to watch someone else's come out.
Quote from: Sinister on September 08, 2008, 02:06:15 PM
I didn't want to watch my own kid come out; I definitely don't want to watch someone else's come out.
Im not saying we should zoom in on the birth canal....Gutter Mind! ;D
Actually i think Id rather watch someone elses than my own, but thats not where I was going... [laugh]
Oh. Not a gutter mind, more like a train wreck: "don't want to look...can't help myself...NO, DON'T LOOK!...can't help it...must fight it...OH, SWEET HEAVEN WHAT IS THAT???...HONEY, YOU BIRTHED A LIZARD!!!!"
[laugh] [laugh]
The lizard is the easy part.....its that thing that ends up in the SS lasagna pan that freaks me out... [puke]
Quote from: rgramjet on September 08, 2008, 06:12:03 PM
its that thing that ends up in the SS lasagna pan that freaks me out... [puke]
There were specific instructions to hide that from me and the wife.
+1 to screaming obscenities at Mo! [thumbsup]
Oh, and kick him in the nuts while you're at it. ;D
Quote from: Sinister on September 08, 2008, 07:25:49 PM
There were specific instructions to hide that from me and the wife.
There are folks that actually eat the "thing" as a birth tradition..... [puke]
Though I would never "eat" the placenta, we saved our daughters, and planted it underneath a new tree in the yard in our daughters name. Very traditional among the white settlers on homesteads in the west... We don't have a homestead but our little house was plenty big enough for one more tree!
[thumbsup] For the Natural birth experience!, husband and I kept it low key, just us, the midwife and her assistant. We had a big tub for a water birth and that is where I was most comfortable for the entire labor and delivery (I even got to catch her!). It was a home birth, couldn't imagine having to get in a car and drive while in labor unless something was horribly wrong. Yes, there was pain, noise, and messiness but with a good coach (aka husband) and a high level of comfort with the midwife and her assistant made for a very rewarding experience. Ask if I will do it again... at home? Yes, but jury is still out as to if we really want another... our little churub is now almost 2 and keeps us plenty busy!
Quote from: rgramjet on September 09, 2008, 06:05:18 AM
There are folks that actually eat the "thing" as a birth tradition..... [puke]
one of the many reasons that hippies smell.
Quote from: smsbell on September 09, 2008, 01:49:42 PM
Though I would never "eat" the placenta, we saved our daughters, and planted it underneath a new tree in the yard in our daughters name. Very traditional among the white settlers on homesteads in the west... We don't have a homestead but our little house was plenty big enough for one more tree!
buried for the same reason that they'd bury an amputated body part : 1) to avoid the smell and 2) to prevent wild animals from coming around looking for a free meal.
nothing earth-mama-ish about it, they just didn't want to smell rotting flesh nor get eaten by a bear.