Weeks 35-36: What HypnoBirthing taught me

31 March 201631 March 20161 Comment

36th week nearly over! It’s getting close I can’t wait to hold our little angel in my arms… In this week’s post I would like to share with you my HypnoBirthing experience. Cause I really do think every pregnant woman should at least know that HypnoBirthing exists. Enjoy xxx

The symptoms I am supposed to have in weeks 35 & 36 (and how I am really feeling)

Waddling: “You might find that you waddle”, says my weekly pregnancy update. Wow, that sounds super sexy. This is due to the heavy weight that now shifts from side to side when walking. Apparently, this will even get worse when the baby will engage into the pelvis. Yeyy haha! Well, I hope that I don’t waddle too much. And if I do: please don’t tell me😉
Swollen feet and ankles: No, thankfully, I don’t have any swollen feet and ankles! My belly is already super big – honestly, that’s enough haha! This so-called oedema is due to fluid retention, which, in turn, is due to the extra blood production during pregnancy. It can be particularly bad in hot weather. (NB: Attention: I’ve read that it can also be a sign of pre-eclampsia. So, it might be good to check with your doc if you have this problem). Things that you can do to reduce welling include wearing maternity stockings and elevating your feed (e.g. by lying on the floor with your feet up the wall). It’s also important to drink loads of water.
Painful breasts: Hmmm. No. I recommend wearing nursing night bras though. Got them when I was nursing little L and they are super comfortable at night (and even in the evening in front of the TV or so😉 )
Impatience: Well, what should I say. Yes, of course, I am impatient to meet Miss M (and to stop looking like a coloured Easter egg haha). But it’s so much different when you’re pregnant with your second baby. For Luca I literally couldn’t wait any longer. I got booored but really bored of being pregnant during the last pregnancy month. Especially when my doctor told me to stop working two weeks before Luca was born. When you have a toddler at home this is very unlikely to happen. I wish I still knew how boredom feels like haha
Etc…: I just add “…” as there are so many parts of my body that are aching now from time to time haha. Like, my back and my legs when I get out of the bed in the morning. And I also have difficulty breathing sometimes. Especially in the morning. But well. These are all minor things not worth mentioning. I guess that’s just the way it is when you about to enter your last pregnancy month😉

Little Miss M

Last Saturday, we had a “rendez-vous” with our little Miss M – and the good news is that she turned again!😀 I couldn’t be happier! While my pregnancy app tells me that our little angel is now about the size of a honeydew melon, my doctor told me that she was quite “petite” (but totally fine and healthy) with her 2.5kg. Well, honestly, I am glad that she is not on the 4kg+ side as I am not super tall myself haha!

My doula explained that Miss M’s head might be starting to engage now in readiness for the start of the labor. However, this is more likely to happen this early for a first pregnancy. She still suggested to measure the height of my belly regularly to see if there is a change. So far, nothing…

However, I can feel that Miss M’s movements have changed as she is probably having less room. Last week I was pretty close to heading to Al Zahra as I didn’t feel her much during one entire day! I called Dr. Anni instead who told me to drink something very cold and sweet to see how our little lady would react to this. I did this immediately – and ate some chocolate just to make sure the sugar level is high enough (any excuse to eat chocolate is welcome, right haha?!). She did move a bit after that but she only really responded when my husband placed his hand on my belly in the evening. Pfff. Already daddy’s girl😉 Well, apparently, towards the end of the pregnancy, a baby can have periods when she is moving less. However, there should always be some strong kicks every day.

This week’s topic

I have to say that I am feeling quite calm and relaxed considering the fact that Miss M’s expected due date is only a few weeks away now. And this is not because I am a generally calm and relaxed person, believe me. I love things to be planned and organized and, well, birth is unfortunately (fortunately?!) nothing you can really plan. You can prepare yourself but you will never really know when (and how!) labor will start (except if you have a planned C-section, of course). Yep, there’s this thing about labor: it will always remain unpredictable to a certain extent. And unpredictable things usually tend to freak me out a bit…

So, if I am rather calm and relaxed this time that’s mainly because I am surrounded by amazing people this time: My husband, of course. Cause I know that he will be there for me when labor starts (if he is physically in Dubai that is…). Our nanny. Because she has succeeded in creating a real bond with little L after only some weeks and because I know that I won’t need to worry about Luca when I will need to go to the hospital. My gynecologist, Dr. Anni, simply because she is not only very skilled, especially when it comes to VBACs but also very calm and reassuring. I trust her completely. My doula, which I know since we have arrived in Dubai, a long time before I got pregnant with Miss M. Knowing that she will be here for me during these last pregnancy weeks and on my side during labor means a lot to me. And finally, my / our HypnoBirthing teacher Elizabeth (you can read more about her on her website).

I won’t be able to share my husband or nanny with you, nor should I probably recommend one particular doula or gynecologist as this is a very personal choice (but I can tell you that IF you want a natural birth and especially if you want a VBAC, Dr. Anni is the right person for you😉 ). But I can definitely tell you one thing: Give HypnoBirthing a Go!

I should add that I am about to write about one particular HypnoBirthing program: The WiseHippo Birthing Program (don’t question the name, there is an explanation for it😉 ). I am also talking about one particular teacher: Elizabeth. And one particular kind of method: Elizabeth came to see my husband and me at home on five evenings. I have to admit that 8-11pm may not be the best timing but we had no nanny and therefore nobody to look after little L when we started the sessions. So, for us, these one-to-one evening sessions were the perfect solution. Some couples may prefer to share a class with other couples (and this is totally possible) but I personally prefer to be in my pajamas when it comes to birth preparation sessions😉

While I was honestly a bit skeptical when we met Elizabeth for the first time (and I am not even talking about my husband here haha), I am now more than convinced that learning more about HypnoBirthing was the best idea I’ve had in a long time. I wonder why there are so few mums-to-be who know about the benefits of HypnoBirthing. I wish I had known about it when I was pregnant with little L. This would have made a huge difference. Probably, I would never have agreed to induce labor two weeks before little L’s due date. And maybe I would never have had a C-section. But that’s another story.

5 important things HypnoBirthing taught me:

Why I am so afraid of birth and how to deal with it
Yes, I have to admit that I’ve always found giving birth scary. I still do a little bit. As I told you, mainly due to the fact that you cannot really plan it. You cannot control it. You need to let go to a certain extent. But there’s another factor as I realized when I started the HypnoBirthing sessions. It’s the negative image that comes with giving birth. Basically, giving birth is like taking a plane for me. A few years ago, I was scared to death when I approached an airplane (and I needed to take the plane quite regularly). It was horrible. I didn’t know much about flying but I knew that it was not possible to pilot the plane myself (I would have done it otherwise, believe me, haha), that I needed to trust the crew and that there were some really bad plane crashes happening. I mean you could read it everywhere. And see it in the news. Well, that’s the thing. I only saw negative images about flying. In the news, in films, everywhere. Add some personal, not so nice (but totally acceptable) experiences on a plane – et voilà: you create a fear. That is regularly fed by new negative images until it becomes a phobia. One day I decided to do a course against my fear of flying. It was a quite intense course (3 days of complete brain wash + a flight) where I learned everything about how a plane functions, about how to identify different noises you might hear in a plane and about the real risks (as opposed to the imaginary ones). I got the possibility to talk to a pilot, to a crew member, even to an air traffic controller. I also learned some techniques how to deal with my fear on the plane. And I needed to practice. A lot. For a while, I took the plane every few weeks or even more often. And if I am still not a big fan of taking a plane today, I am now definitely able to cope and feel more relaxed. Well, it’s the same with giving birth. I didn’t know anything about it a few weeks ago. The only thing I knew was that it can be damn painful. I mean, I’d never seen a calm and easy birth before. Where would I?! Certainly not in any film (who would watch that?!) and nowhere else neither. I have some friends who apparently had a great birth experience but, hey, I’m talking about a lucky few! No wonder you get scared! HypnoBirthing was for me like the intense course against my fear of flying. It had the same healing effect. I finally started to understand “how giving birth works” if you can say this like that. And how to counter-act my fears and the negative things about giving birth you see and hear everywhere.

How to make my own informed decisions
I trust doctors, don’t get me wrong. But there’s a difference between trusting a doctor because you have no other choice than to do so and trusting a doctor because you truly believe that what he is suggesting is the best solution for you in your particular situation. When I was pregnant with little L I simply believed everything we were told and advised to do. I didn’t question anything. Even though I am normally a person who questions everything. I just felt lost and vulnerable. This time, I wanted to make sure I knew a bit more about my options. About how my body works, about the pros and cons of different interventions. I actually was not expecting to learn so much during the HypnoBirthing sessions. But I did. One of the most important things I learned is probably the fact that one intervention can easily lead to the next. It becomes what Elizabeth calls a “cascade of interventions”. For example, an epidural forces you to lay down, which is not the best position to have a baby, which can lead to the necessity to have an assisted birth (forceps or ventouse), which may require episiotomy and so on… I am not saying that I will say “NO” to any intervention my doctor might suggest – especially if they are necessary! I mean, I will definitely not question the need for an emergency C-section! -, I might even be the first to ask for an epidural, who knows. But I now feel more confident to ask the right questions in order to fully understand the pros and cons of a certain medical intervention. And I feel confident enough to make my own informed decisions. To trust myself.

(NB: I copy-paste however the following note taken from my HypnoBirthing book as this seems quite important to mention: “[The HypnoBirthing] program is NOT an alternative to medical advice. Should you have any concerns at any point during your pregnancy please consult with your medical professional.”)

That I can actually do it
“Research has estimated that up to 95 percent of women can safely give birth without medical interventions.” (taken from my HypnoBirthing book). I guess I needed someone to tell me exactly that. To tell me that I am totally capable of giving birth and that there are ways (natural ones) that actually really help you reduce the pain. I don’t think anybody has ever told me “Hey, you’ll see, giving birth is such a great and empowering experience! Of course, it will require some effort but you can totally do it.”. I also really loved the fact that Elizabeth showed me some concrete preparation exercises that can help me when in labor. For now, I can’t tell you if they work (might need to give you an update on that in some weeks😉 ) but I definitely feel prepared. It’s like preparing for a sport competition. You won’t get the best result without mental and physical preparation. And this is what I am doing at the moment: exercises to prepare my body, breathing exercises to relax, reading the right documents to get mentally prepared, writing my birth plan etc.

That me and my baby are a team
I know that this might sound stupid but I have always thought of labor as a one-man show. One person is doing the work (well, plus the medical team of course). That’s it. I never thought that you should actually “work together” and team up with your baby. But that’s exactly what I have learned during the last weeks. It’s so important. And there are actually some really fascinating things going on – even before birth! When Miss M was breech (meaning not in the perfect position for birth) I talked to her every day. I did some exercises as recommended by my HypnoBirthing teacher (read more about it in my previous post) and she actually turned! I can also feel her respond when I start doing the breathing exercises I have learned. It’s really funny. During labor, you can actually help your baby move down with different breathing techniques, positions etc. It’s the baby who needs to do quite a lot of work herself. So, it’s important to know how to help her do her job😉

How to calm down and relax
Probably one of the most important things I have learned during the last weeks. Not only for pregnancy and birth. In general. Had I done yoga before, maybe HypnoBirthing would not have been such a revelation to me. But during the last sessions with Elizabeth I actually learned for the first time how to sit down and relax. I should explain you first that I am a little Duracell bunny. I rarely sit down and do nothing. HypnoBirthing teaches you how to relax and calm down very rapidly and how to get some new energy out of your relaxation and breathing exercises – certainly a technique that I will use after giving birth!

I am not trying to say that every woman should do HypnoBirthing. But it might be worth getting some information on it. It might be just the right thing for you. It certainly is for me! It is like the first gift I am offering Miss M. Something I am doing for the both of us. It’s also some private time with my little baby girl.

NB: There are several people teaching HypnoBirthing in Dubai. Elizabeth was the right choice for us but you might want to have a look at Jasmine’s HypnoBirthing classes as well about which I have heard good things.

Must haves for Miss M

When little L was born we faced one problem we didn’t think about at all when I was pregnant: the ceiling light in his room was super bright – really aggressive at night when we needed to change Luca’s nappy (for both him and us, by the way). We needed to change the bulbs but even that wasn’t enough… So, this time, I want to make sure Miss M’s room would be nice and cosy at night, when we would need to change her nappies and nurse her (I don’t like to nurse in bed). Of course, there are numerous possibilities to achieve this. But some are, let’s say, “trendier” and more fun than others😉

When looking for a nice little lamp for Miss M’s room I came across the lightboxes of A Little Lovely Company. Gorgeous! You have three options:
– a lightbox in A5 format
– one in A4 format
– and a poster lightbox

While the poster lightbox gives you the possibility to display and illuminate a nice selection of posters (themes are for example Little Girl, Little Boy, Love etc.), the A4 and A5 lightboxes have three and two rows respectively to light up any quotes or messages you want to see written on your nursery wall (or on a shelf). I love this idea!

You can order them on the A Little Lovely Company website and ask them to ship the lightboxes to Dubai or, if you want to get them to your home as rapidly as possible, you can find them at the Caramel and Sun store in Mercato Mall. The poster lightbox can also be ordered online on www.thebowerycompany.com.

IG: @alittlelovelycompany, @caramelandsun, @thebowerycompany

xxx

Tani

Weeks 32-34: Packing my Hospital Bag

17 March 201630 March 20162 Comments

Time flies and the due date is slowly but surely approaching! A bit more than a month to go! Time to think about my hospital bag. I don’t want to make the last mistakes than last time though😉 So, in this post, I will share my list of things to take to the hospital as well as a list of items that I will definitely leave at home this time. Enjoy!

The symptoms I am supposed to have in weeks 32 to 34 (and how I am really feeling)

Belly button pops out: Umm, yes. My belly does indeed look like a balloon. I don’t mind it that much though, I have to say. I know that some pregnant ladies are hiding this under large tops and dresses. But I don’t bother really. Especially as my belly button will pop back to its normal shape after pregnancy. At least, that’s what it did the last time.
Itchy skin: Apparently, many pregnant women’s skin on their bump is becoming increasingly itchy towards the end of their pregnancy as the skin in this area stretches and thins. I would say that the area around my previous C-section is itchy from time to time, yes. Nothing major though. If your abdomen, the palm of your hands or soles of your feet are severely itching, you should see a doctor as it can indicate a problem.
Braxton Hicks: Yup, I remember these from my last pregnancy. I could feel how my uterus suddenly became hard as the muscles tightened. Braxton Hicks are contractions, but no “real” ones if that makes any sense. Personally, I don’t feel that they are uncomfortable but this seems to be different for every woman. As opposed to real contractions, they are usually irregular, do not last for long (less than a minute, I’ve read) and do not increase in intensity. So far, I’ve had a few of them.
Back pain: Still here and unfortunately getting worse and worse… I tried to make an appointment with an osteopath but they seem to be busy when I have time and vice versa haha. Really need to go!

Little Miss M
Last time, I told you that Miss M was in the perfect position (head down) for birth. Well, apparently, she has decided to turn around again… I am happy for her that she has enough space to move freely around in my super huge belly but, honestly, our little Miss is playing a bit with mummy’s nerves here… So, I am doing the “Forward-leaning Inversion” daily, as advised by my Hypnobirthing teacher (for more information, click here). At 34 weeks, I really would like her to turn around again. Well, let’s wait and see and try to convince her😉

Otherwise, Miss M seems to do very well. She is now about the size of a pineapple or even a cantaloupe melon! The problem is that she never really shows herself when we go see Dr. A for the monthly scan… She is always hiding her face! Such a pity as our doctor told us that now would be the perfect time to get a nice picture of our little princess in the bump. So, instead, I post this (very nice) picture of a pineapple haha

Source: My Little Baby App

This week’s topic

The famous hospital bag
With only few weeks to go until Miss M’s due date, I guess the time has come to start packing my hospital bag for labor…

It’s the second time I will pack this famous hospital bag and the least I can say is that I will make some adjustments this time haha😉 I took loads (honestly, loads!!) of things with me for the birth of Luca. Well, I didn’t use half of them. And every day, I gave my husband a new list of things he needed to buy or bring from home to the hospital because I realized I had completely forgotten to bring them (especially as I had a C-section the first time and stayed in hospital for 5 days).

So, let me share with you a list of things I will make sure to take to the hospital this time – as well as a list of things I will not waste any space on anymore😉

This goes in the bag for sure:

For labor:

Definitely my Hypnobirthing mp3s. I have seen my Hypnobirthing teacher 4 times so far and, honestly, I have never learned so much about my body. Not only about birth. In general. I will probably still use these relaxation mp3s after Miss M’s birth. I can only recommend Hypnobirthing and will maybe try to write a separate post about it soon.
My birthplan and medical notes (hubby will need to take care of them)
An old (ideally dark-colored) pregnancy T-shirt (or just a big and comfortable one) that can get ruined
Socks: Apparently, your feet can get really cold when in labor
A pillow: One that I like but not a super nice and expensive one neither
Other things that might help me feel comfortable: a yoga mat, a birthing ball (if there’s not already one available at the hospital), a TENS machine (I will ask my doula to take one with her)
Snacks and drinks: my Hypnobirthing teacher recommended coconut water and to bring a straw; otherwise, nuts, dried fruits etc.
My glasses: I never really wear them and actually hate to wear but for the birth of little L, the doctor asked me to remove my contact lenses as it was a C-section)
My mobile (note to myself: remember to make some space on it in the next days or weeks for the 100 pictures we will probably take of Miss M!!)
Ideally my husband if he is not travelling

For the day(s) after the delivery:

Nursing bras as I plan to breastfeed
Nursing pads (they are actually useful even if you’re not planning to nurse, trust me. It’s not super sexy to have two wet circles on your shirts, especially when you have visitors).
Nipple cream (I used it quite a lot last time)
A nursing cushion: very useful when nursing a newborn I find, especially if you’ve had a C-section. Honestly, the nursing cushion made things so much easier for me the last time. So, will definitely not miss it this time.
Pyjamas or a night shirt: both should be very light as I remember I was sweating like crazy after Luca’s birth; if you’re planning to breastfeed, it might be a good idea to take some that can be unbuttoned in the front.
A dressing gown (in order to look half-decent within a second when someone is coming in the room)
Slippers
Dry shampoo: Oh, how happy would I have been to have dry shampoo with me last time! My doctor told me not to shower immediately after the C-section… Not great if you have not had the time to wash your hair before the C-section neither because you had an induction for 24h that didn’t work out… (especially, if people want to take pictures of you and the baby)
The usual toiletries, especially make-up, concealer and mascara that make you look (a little bit more) human after a sleepless night
Scent-free shower gel: After little L’s birth, a midwife explained me that babies want to smell their mum’s natural odor and not any rose-scented shower gel or so. This is especially good to know if you plan to breastfeed. Still need to find one here in Dubai though…
A hair dryer (I usually don’t like the ones in hospitals and hotels)
A little blank booklet to take notes: I took many notes after little L’s birth. And, yes, the weirdest ones. Like, for how long Luca drank on each side of my boobs, the color of his poo, how often his nappy was dirty or wet etc. I also wrote down any questions I wanted to ask the doc or nurse (and I had many, many of them after Luca’s birth) as well as any good advice we got from the midwives
A list of people I want to contact when Miss M is here (it might also be a good idea to think about the text…Hmmm)
Biscuits and chocolate: I was constantly hungry after little L’s birth…

For my hubby:

A change of clothes (you never know how long it will take…)
A toothbrush (for the same reason)
Swimwear in case I might want to use the birthing pool and he might come with me
Snacks (loads?… Last time, my husband kept eating my desserts and drinking my smoothies when I was at the hospital after the C-section haha)
Energy drinks
An iPad, smartphone (+ headphones as I don’t necessarily want to listen to Italian football games or similar things) or any other kind of entertainment
Some cash
Chargers for our mobiles, iPads, cameras etc.

For Miss M:

Some bodysuits and sleepsuits: It’s a good idea to take different sizes as you never really know how big your baby will actually be… And to take quite a few of them cause they get dirty very quickly. The other lesson I have learned is to take only super practical ones that you can open in the front. Honestly, you don’t care about super cute at 2, 4 or 6am when you need to change your little one’s diaper…
A hat: we never really used one for Luca but I am honestly afraid of the AC here in Dubai
Socks
The hospital usually provides nappies, wipes etc. but I am a bit picky, so I will bring some.
Cotton and saline solution: In Switzerland, we were advised to use this to clean little L’s eyes and nose. Actually, we still use it…
A swaddling blanket or (light) sleeping bag
Muslin squares
A foldable changing mat: I didn’t bring one for Luca’s birth but wished I had thought of it
A baby car seat and a blanket for the way home

For little L:

A gift for him that Miss M will offer him when they will meet for the first time

No way, won’t take that with me this time:

Anything else than maternity (or at least super comfortable and loose-fitting) clothes. When I had Luca I honestly packed a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans in my hospital bag. Haha. Well, I don’t think I wore it until months after little L’s birth…
Any thongs or G-strings. They rarely go with the super huge pad you’re wearing in the days after the delivery. I’ll go for maternity knickers this time – as much as I hate them…
Books. Novels. Took them with me the first time as I thought I would get bored (??!!! I honestly thought that??!) at the hospital while the baby was sleeping haha. Magazines or surfing on your mobile / iPad seems much more realistic.
All these super cute, super expensive baby clothes that you need to pull over baby’s head or (un)button at the back… Think liquid yellowish poo all over your baby’s back at 3am… If I have learned one thing from the first weeks with little L than it is to appreciate baby bodies and sleepsuits that you can open in the front.
“Le Petit Larousse des Enfants de 0 à 3 ans” or any other baby encyclopedia that explains the life of a baby / toddler during the first three years and weights about 2-3kg. Honestly, what was I thinking?!
A baby book where you can write down the baby’s weight, size etc. and add a first picture. I know it’s a very nice idea. But I just had no motivation whatsoever to fill it in… and it added to the weight of the baby encyclopedia and the novels I took with me…
Our camera… Yes, we filmed little L after his birth but no, we never used our big camera for that. Only our iPhone. Yup, that’s the truth…

If you have any other ideas about what to take or not to take to the hospital, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment! I would love to hear about your thoughts😉

Must haves for Miss M:
It happened last weekend at the ARTE market at Times Square Centre: I fell in love with a little owl. Well, to be honest, I fell in love with a whole bunch of absolutely beautiful crocheted little animals, all handmade in Dubai:

You can’t but adore the little toys made by Komeropuoti! They are simply super cute. One of the little owls has been adopted by us and is now sitting in Miss M’s bed, patiently waiting for her arrival😉

If you want to have a look at the whole collection, simply check out or, even better, visit the Komeropuoti Little Craft Shop twice a month during the ARTE market at Times Square Center.

Weeks 28-29: My Birth Plan

11 February 201630 March 2016Leave a comment

Wow… Just like that I am in the third pregnancy trimester already! Suddenly, everything is going quite fast! Next week, we will start the HypnoBirthing classes and I am starting to think more and more about the D-Day… So, this post will be about delivery and birth. And about why I think I will write a birth plan this time😉

The symptoms I am supposed to have in weeks 28 and 29 (and how I am really feeling)

Breathlessness: In the last trimester, the baby pushes more and more up and squashes the mum’s lungs. This can cause breathlessness and, even though I am only at the beginning of the third trimester, I can confirm this. Well, I am not the sportiest person on earth, I have to admit. And I gained quite some weight during this pregnancy already (well, actually less then in my first pregnancy but it feels so much more!!). So, when I climb stairs or run after little L, I become out of breath quite quickly…
Restless legs syndrome (RLS): Honestly, I had never heard of this before. Not even during my first pregnancy. Apparently, pregnant woman can get an uncomfortable crawly sensation in their lower legs towards the end of their pregnancy. This sensation appears when you’re resting and only goes away when you move your legs. Lack of iron is one of the main causes of RLS; too much caffeine can make it worse. My legs do feel heavy and I sometimes (rarely) have some cramps at night but, thankfully, no sign of RLS for now.
Insomnia: Yes. Unfortunately. Is it due to the bizarre dreams that make me wake up every second night or so? Or rather little L and his lovely 18-months sleep regression? Or maybe my hurting hips (guess this comes from changing my sleeping position… I try to sleep on the side as this is suggested during pregnancy but all the weight that is put on my right leg and hip make them hurt a lot! Maybe I should start using the nursing cushion at night…)? I don’t know really. But fact is that I am up quite often at night these days…
Return of tiredness: Well. What can I say? See point “insomnia” above haha. Yes, there is definitely a return of tiredness. There are days when I don’t feel like doing anything. Like, anything at all. I’m glad I have little L who keeps me busy and makes me forget my tiredness. But it is eventually coming back at 8pm when Luca is in bed… I hardly make it through one film or TV show without falling asleep on the sofa…

Little Miss M
Last Saturday, I had my 28 weeks scan. Oh, and the glucose tolerance test. How could I forget about this… I didn’t do the so-called oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) back in Switzerland when I was pregnant with little L as my gynecologist didn’t see the need to do so (THANK YOU, Dr. S!). Here in Dubai, it is however advised to do the OGTT (or even required by some hospitals if I got Dr. Anni right). The latter is used to detect gestational diabetes, which can be hard to diagnose sometimes and can represent a risk for pregnant women and their babies. So, on Saturday, I went to the doctor without having eaten anything (I never, really NEVER, go out of the house without having had breakfast… So, you can imagine my mood haha…). At the doctor’s, the nurse took a first blood sample to measure the level of sugar in my blood and gave me a sweet, sugary mixture to drink. Well, the least I can say is that it tasted disgusting… I felt drowsy during the next two hours when I was waiting for the other blood samples to be taken (still no food or water at this point)… Miss M on the other hand was moving around in my belly “like a headless chicken” after all the sugar she got to swallow… poor her. A second blood test one hour and a third blood test two hours later and I was finally done. Then the result after 48h that everything was ok But back to the 28 weeks scan. Miss M now weights a bit over 1.2kg and has already turned head down! This is much earlier than it was the case for Luca… Not sure if I should be happy or worried about it. Especially as my doctor told me to calm down a bit. Hmmm, we’ll see. Otherwise, Miss M seems to be perfectly fine – and that’s the good news She was hiding her face though, meaning that we didn’t really see much of her. I also learned that, at this stage in pregnancy, Miss M starts to sleep and wake at regular intervals. This sleep-wake cycle is actually quite similar to the one she will have in the first weeks after birth. So, I guess I will start writing down when she is awake to be able to prepare myself mentally😉

This week’s topic

Why I will have a birth plan this time
I didn’t have a birth plan for my first delivery back in Switzerland. I didn’t even know there was such thing as a birth plan. Funny enough cause the idea of having a “plan” for the “birth” of your child couldn’t sound more German or Swiss😉 But no, I had never heard of it before coming to Dubai.

Of course, I know that writing down a birth plan will not give me the power to control what will actually happen on the D-Day. I can hope and wish for a natural, easy, quick and painless delivery as much as I want (and, man, trust me, I do haha), if there are complications or if Miss M doesn’t want to show up at all, what can you do… But at least, I can write down my wishes and make them clear to my doctor, my doula and maybe even the midwives at Al Zahra Hospital.

Cause I think I was extremely lucky last time, when I had little L. No, not because I had the easy and painless delivery I wished for back then (this was not the case… read the whole birth story here). After the medical induction of labor failed to work, Luca was born by C-section. But I was still very lucky, I feel. Because I had an amazing midwife on my side during the operation. One who strongly believed in the positive effects of immediate skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after birth. Not only did she make sure that little L stayed with me for a while after he was born (even though I was still in the operating room), she also arranged that my husband could hold him until I was brought to the recovery room where I started nursing Luca. She even took pictures of the whole operation and of the moment when Luca was born. Well, that’s another story but I cannot thank her enough for having suggested doing this for us. I wouldn’t even have thought of it and it is such a feeling thing to look at these pictures now. Especially when you had a C-section and felt a bit “left out” of the whole birthing process.

If we have had a different midwife or if the induction had actually worked and I have had a natural delivery, oh my, it probably would have been a different story all together.

I had never thought about the benefits of immediate skin-to-skin contact or breastfeeding before having little L. I had no clue about my preferences during labor neither. Nobody, not my doctor, nor my husband or the midwives, not even myself knew if I preferred to lay down or walk around during the first stage of labor. Nobody knew which methods of pain relief I was considering, if I wanted an episiotomy and if we wanted to stay with our baby for a while before the medical exam and procedures were given. Nobody knew if we were ok with formula or a pacifier. And honestly, I cannot imagine that I would have been able to give a response to all these questions immediately before or during labor…

It’s very unlike me not to have thought about all this. But it was our first child. We were clueless. And nobody had told us all the points we should think about. Not even the midwives during the antenatal “crash course” that we attended some weeks before the birth because we had no time to attend the regular classes. (Well, maybe I should have read the last chapter of the dozens of books on birth I had bought but I never got to the last chapter haha).

This time though, I know much better what I want. I still believe that you cannot “plan” anything when it comes to giving birth. There is something unpredictable about labor that forces you to remain flexible. But I certainly know what kind of labor I am wishing for. And I know my preferences. So, I will make sure my doctor and doula do know them as well this time.

That’s the reason why I will write down a birth plan this time. “An outline of how you would like things to go during your baby’s birth”. Sounds simple. But it is not that easy. I had a look at different examples and one of the most comprehensive ones I’ve found is the one suggested by TheBump.com. Of course, Al Zahra hospital might not “allow” or offer all the options included in this plan BUT reading them made me think about my preferences and raised some questions, which I will need to discuss with my gynecologist and doula next time I see them. It’s important to talk through all questions. For example, I was quite keen on a water birth. But my gynecologist told me that this sadly was no option for a VBAC.

I also like the idea of writing down some open questions and trying to answer them for myself, such as:

What would be the idea birth environment for me? For example, do I like to listen to music or do I prefer a quiet environment? If music, which kind of music? And so on.

What exercises and labor positions do I think I will feel comfortable with? Do I like to get a massage or do I prefer not to be “touched”?

What does my partner feel comfortable with? (It might actually be a good thing to discuss this with my husband at one point cause, even though we briefly discussed things before Luca’s birth, we never really talked about his “role” during labor… Does he want to cut the umbilical cord or even “catch the baby”??).

There are also more complex questions that might be worth talking about, such as the question of stem cell collection. Or placenta encapsulation. I won’t discuss these questions in detail now but they are certainly worth thinking about.

It’s funny how unprepared and anxious I still feel for the delivery of my second child and how much better prepared I feel at the same time. Sounds weird, I know. And, probably, this doesn’t make any sense. It’s just that you think of so many more things and know so much better what you want for your second delivery. But, at the same time, every birth is different. It will be a completely new and unpredictable experience this time. Just like Miss M will be a completely different person than little L…

So, writing a birth plan is not that much about planning the D-Day. I think it’s more about knowing what you want and what you feel comfortable with – for you, your partner and your baby. It’s about making sure that everyone is working as a team. You, your partner, your doc and doula, and the midwives. It’s about communicating and making things easier.

That’s why I will write a birth plan this time.

Facebook groups
At this point, I would like to share some Facebook groups with you, which I find quite useful as a pregnant mummy here in Dubai:

Must haves for Miss M:
Shoes… I know what you think. Babies don’t need shoes. I agree. They don’t. I bought quite a few pairs of shoes for little L when he was a tiny little baby. And he rarely (never?!) wore them. But that doesn’t keep me from checking out baby shoes for Miss M. And she’s a girl after all. Girls do need nice shoes. And there will be her Christening coming up. And little L’s second birthday… Well, a lot of good reasons to check out shoes, I would say haha. And they are simply so damn cute. So, here are two of my favorite brands for baby shoes:

Moxilicious
Not only do I love the trendy design of Moxilicious’ soft sole moccs, they are also made out of genuine leather and super comfortable! Plus, I really like the ladies who created the brand. Enough reasons for me to be in the starting blocks already to buy Miss M her first pair of Moxilicious😉 Two of my favorite models for my little princess are definitely the bow moccs and the ballerinas with Swarovski stones. Another advantage: the moccs are made here in Dubai, meaning that you can order online and get them immediately. If you want to meet the fabulous ladies who create them, head to the Ripe Market that takes place in Zabeel Park every Friday!

Website: www.moxilicious.com
IG: @moxiliciousdxb

Wren’s Nest Creations
I came across this IG account quite recently and all I can say is that I immediately fell in love with the beautiful handmade soft-soled shoes this mum creates! They are lined with organic cotton and even have a padded insole for extra comfort. I am sure Miss M will love that😉 Also good to know: the smaller sizes have elastic over the arch so that the shoes don’t slip off our little princess’ tiny feet. Only thing to consider: you need to wait patiently until these little beauties, which are made to order in the US, arrive here in Dubai.

Website: www.wrensnestcreations.com
IG: @wrensnestcreations

Tag: pregnancy

Weeks 35-36: What HypnoBirthing taught me

Weeks 32-34: Packing my Hospital Bag

Weeks 28-29: My Birth Plan

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