Acknowledging My Niece Knows What is Best for Her

Today’s blog is created because of my niece's posted on Facebook today “Membrane sweep next Tuesday, so Coby will hopefully be here on Wednesday and if that doesn’t work I’m going to be induced the week after!” My niece's post “lit a fire” under me and sparked the creation of this article.

I found myself collecting different articles and clinical reports to showcase valid opinions, you know the "Great Thinkers" on these subjects. One of the best learning, I found in my academia time was I do not need to know everything; I just need to know where to sight it from. You will find most of the links on the reports are from “US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Pub Med .gov and Ina May Gaskin, Midwife and Author foloowed by two youtube videos to a a visual expression” As I sit here, in Waterloo region,  in Ontario, I pondered, how can my Labour doula learning help my niece in Alberta as she gives birth to her son.

I know, some of you are going to say, there is a great amount of research on waiting for the baby to start the process of labour. However, being a doula also means to support women on their journey of their birthing process. There are many times when a doula needs to remember, it is not their birth or story. The birth story itself belongs to the family and to support them on their way.

                          Meet Cody, Erin, Trinity, and Tanix, they are waiting on little Coby.

As a Great Auntie, I am going to say, I value my niece enough to know she knows, her body and her family’s needs more the I ever possibly could. Here you go my dear niece Erin. I hope this helps you birth you little man. Welcome  to the family little Coby, we cannot wait to meet you!

I am sure there are other ways to natural induce labour, but these are the ones, I found and chose to write upon today.

1. Sex: “Breast stimulation is especially effective in starting labor at term when it is combined with sexual intercourse. Unless your partner is an abysmally poor lover, this combination is by far the most enjoyable method of induction.”  Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
2. Acupuncture/Acupressure: Report “The most popular therapies recommended by midwives are massage therapy, herbal medicines, relaxation techniques, nutritional supplements, aromatherapy, homeopathy and acupuncture.”
3. Reflexology: Report “Reflexology services are offered to induce spontaneous labour for women with low risk pregnancies once postdates, reducing the need for medical induction of labour (IOL) and intervention…”
4. Induction Massage/Shiatsu: Report “Post-term women who used shiatsu were significantly more likely to labour spontaneously than those who did not (p=0.038). Of those who had used shiatsu, 17% more went into spontaneous labour compared to those who were not taught shiatsu.”
5. Sweeping Membranes / Stretch & Sweep: It is known to give a gentle push in the direction of full labour. It may not be completely natural but it is definitely drug free. Report “Membrane sweeping, has beneficial effects on labor and delivery, which is limited to nulliparas with unfavorable cervix requiring PGE2 or Oxytocin alone.”
6. Evening Primrose Oil Report “It is often used for several women's health conditions, including breast pain (mastalgia), menopausal and premenstrual symptoms, cervical ripening, and labor induction or augmentation.”
7. Raspberry Leaf  Report “The aim of the study was to identify the effect and safety of raspberry leaf tablets (2 x 1.2 g per day), consumed from 32 weeks' gestation until labor, on labor and birth outcomes.” I also found this from Ina May Gaskin book, “The strangest request I have encountered was that of a first-time mother who—just before pushing—asked her husband for a jar of peanut butter and proceeded to eat two heaping table-spoonfuls. She then washed the peanut butter down with nearly a quart of raspberry leaf tea and pushed her baby out. I was impressed.” Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth 
8. Date Fruit Report “Spontaneous labour occurred in 96% of those who consumed dates, compared with 79% women in the non-date fruit consumers.”
9. Yoga Positions and Therapy: Yoga Positions to Induce Labour youtube video
10. Exersise: Here is a great article on exercises to bring on labour called “8 Effective Exercises To Induce Labor Naturally” and the Yoga Ball as well as some acupress points on the second link

www.asacredjourney.ca

Our Angel Baby Abrielle

The greatest of a families joy can turn horribly wrong in the blink of an eye.  As a family, we had to mourn our beautiful baby girl.  I learned of my granddaughter passing, when I was away on a retreat. I had to make the hard choice of listen to my Adult daughters wishes for me to stay because I could not change what was going to happen. Or listen to my mother voice within me, say my little girl has no idea what she is going to go through. I chose to come home to her. I am so glad I was there for her, her husband and the whole family.

As a mom, I was able to help and witness my daughter give birth to the most beautiful baby girl, my darling granddaughter, who sadly had passed on. This was the hardest day of my life so far. To be unable to fix my daughters problem, and allow so much emotional and physical pain to impact her. This was one of my worst fears as a mom, not being able to keep her from harm.

I was so proud of my daughter and son-in-law. They love each other so much, they love their daughter, and they love their family with their whole heart; which was apparent in how they maneuvered the journey though the loss of their daughter. They have taught me so much on compassion and the differences between sympathy and empathy. Thank you both for allowing me to share in your joy and sorrow.



A special thanks to Lisa at  Kitchener Waterloo Midwifery Associates for all you did for our whole family; specifically with my daughter and her husband, as we lost our Brie. Your gentle and caring spirit, was more than appreciated. Even after our terrible loss, you still kept a close loving eye on my daughter Mandee. Thanks Lisa,  for sharing our joy and our tears with such grace!
A loving grandmother of a sweet little angel that was far to precious for this world.
http://kwmidwifery.ca/lisa-xia-li-r-m/

The Announcement From My Daughter, Mandee:
I have to share some terrible news today, this morning our beautiful princess was born, unfortunately we also had to say goodbye.  We named our daughter Abrielle, she was perfect.
I'll never live another day without thinking about you Brie, you were more than wanted, more than planned... We waited years for you, and this morning I finally saw your beautiful face, and it was everything I imagined it would be. I love you princess.

At 38 1/2 weeks I woke up and the baby wouldn't move, I tried everything to get her to move without luck. My fears were confirmed at the hospital, no heartbeat. I delivered my daughter about 24 hours later, in the same hospital. The Doctor told us that she had suffered an "umbilical cord accident", which occurs in about 1/150 births. We named our precious daughter Abrielle Niccia Simas, she was born at 6:10 am on May 30th 2015. A small girl with her daddy's long legs and my red hair, a perfect combination of my husband and me. She will be forever missed ♥ 

Written by a Loving Nana, Lesley Cressman, CLB, SBD and Foundher of A Sacred Jouney

the Postpartum Recovery Called Zuo Yue Zi or Sitting In

In my journey researching different traditions within birth work, I found some unique beliefs and paths. One in particular is the Chinese custom called “Zuo Yue Zi”, or more publicly known as the ritual of “Sitting In”.  This is a time where the mother and child spend 30 days or more in the gentle  and secure surroundings of their home. The process itself has been coined “Chinese Postpartum Confinement” because that name brought (some people) to see it as a caged, its name has been changed to a time  “the Pampered Seclusion”;  has been practiced for over 2000 thousands years. The process of giving birth is a time of great transition. In the research I have done, it expressed that the tradition practitioners, believed this is a time of vulnerability and pronounced transformation.  Sometimes in times of adjustment, it is helpful to take time to let the changes develop into norms.
In this time, there are a few things that happen or do not happen, as the women spend this time in postpartum recovery.

• DO NOT’s: no exercise, household chores, cold foods, bathing, work, outside time or wearing light clothes. Traditionally, women would not wash their hair; because, it was believed that it would upset the mothers “chi” or energy balance. It is really it is about not letting anything cool the woman’s body temperature to negatively impact on the “Chi”.
• DO’s: blankets, hot hearty soups, self-care (such as massage or belly wrapping), sleeping, prenatal physical care,  attachment with the baby and adjustment in to motherhood; all done to help restore the body to a natural healthy balance.

To assist in the success of the process, women in the matriarchy line of the family would come to the home and help with preparing foods, look after the household chores, waking up with the baby at nights and transition the baby to the mother whom is snuggled within her bed. Due to society changes, yet still believing in and wanting to ensure positive and healthy recovery of the mother and child; families now for the successful time of confinement,  by utilizing a postpartum doula, specifically, if family are not available. The hiring of a postpartum doula or 24-hour “confinement woman” has been utilized more in the more recent years. It has been noticed that this time of confinement, takes away a lot of pressure on the mother to be the “perfect mother”. 

If you are looking for more information on this topic, there is a wonderful book called Sitting Moon: A Guide to Rejuvenation after Pregnancy by Daoshing Ni   ( Sitting Moon) “Sitting Moon provides women with information on how to prepare for a new child and how to have a healthy postpartum period. The book includes information on nutrition, especially Chinese nutrition, what physical changes a new mother might expect, common ailments and how to help heal them, qi gong, acupressure, meditation, and exercise. Also includes recipes for the first four weeks after birth and meal plans.”
If you are looking at more holistic Chinese Medicine or more natural help within your in Pregnancy, check out this YouTube video for some ideas.  A Healthy Pregnancy with Wu Ming Qigong  (Video) There are many Chinese Medicine or Natural Path practitioners in the world, search  for them or ask your doula she may know of some practitioners personally.

Lesley Cressman, CLD, SBD

In Class Component Completed

Lesley Anne has successfully completed her in class components for Labour and Postpartum Doula services. This class has only built upon her strong foundation from her early childhood education child development program; it created a new frame of reference with current research-based data on what is promising practice within the rhythms and rituals as a woman births her own child.
As she works towards her certification requirements, Lesley Anne is proud to offer student doula rates to her clients.

Acupressure for an Optimum Natural Birth Course

Lesley Anne has successfully completed the learn acupressure to encourage an optimal natural birth online course. Courses like this will be a stable expectation from the Sacred Journey. As a whole we strongly en-courage the least invasive, comfortable experience by listening to a woman’s natural rhythms, as she births her child. The most important part of the process is to allow the mother, the power to birth as she sees fit: natural, unmediated, medicated, with the midwife, with an OB, or with her family practitioner. As a doula, our role is to nurture the mother, the partner, and assist the medical staff and whatever they need.

The actual meaning of the word Doula is a person who serves.

Bengkung Belly Binding and Birth Sealing Ceremonies

“What is Bengkung ? Well, it is a traditional Malaysian belly binding method. Essentially it is the practice of tying long strips of cloth around the abdomen during the postpartum recovery. To ensure a strong support to the woman's womb after childbirth.” Valarie Lynn, author of the mommy plan.
Ask me about the many medical, physical, and emotional reasons for belly binding.

Birth Sealing Ceremonies close the journey of giving birth, it allows one the opportunity to celebrate what when well and to mourn for that did not go as expected.

These are services offered at A Sacred Journey for free to her Labour and Postpartum Doula Clients.