Home birth and Natural parenting!

[MaybeSoonBaby]

So here's where I stand.. I've never dealt with cloth diapers so I have no clue where I truly stand on that..

I truly WANT to breastfeed, but I am concerned seen as how I have chemical depression, and it's part of my birth plan to start on Paxil again after giving birth.. if I knew I could get away with NOT taking the pills, I would be breast feeding without a doubt. I've seen the difference in babies who are breast fed and ones who are not. It's phenomenal!

I looked into home birth, and there's actually a local midwife who helps women with it, although it's heavily frowned upon for plus size ladies (which I am a plus size). I think I will decide on the home vs. hospital after I find out what kind of shape I'm in. The local hospital here has a women's only center that honestly is designed to be more like home than a hospital. They have tubs in the bathrooms for water births, the beds are queen sized so that OH can stay over nights in comfort, recliners, and the baby stays in the room if you so choose. They also offer where you give birth in whatever position you are most comfortable. You labor and deliver in the room you're given. They're gorgeous rooms! Here's a link!
https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/awp/birthing-center/labor-delivery.asp

 

[cleckner04]

I cosleep/bedshare, breastfeed exclusively, use cloth diapers, plan on doing BLW, use teething necklaces, tried babywearing but Emma refuses but loves being carried everywhere, and I plan on doing extended rear-facing with her carseat. I'm a natural mommy all the way and plan on doing the same with my next. I honestly never thought I'd be this way. The view that you have of parenting, and than actually doing it are two completely different things. But no matter what, I never realized how absolutely amazing it would be. I can't wait for the next one.

I would have loved to have a homebirth type of labor but instead ended up with 25 hours of hard labor after being induced and it was horrific, I won't even go into details cause it will scare everyone off of having babies, and than I ended up having a C-section.

 

[krwh]

can i join? i'm not pregnant yet (hopefully soon) but i definitely would like to do everything as naturally as possible. i want to have a water birth, but i don't think it will be at home. our local hospital has a fantastic birthing pool (water jets in the pool and everything )....my sister in law was in the process of having her little one in the birthing pool but her baby was swallowing meconium and as a result, she couldn't have the baby in the pool and had to be transferred to a different room to have the baby and i'm scared of that happening to me. so, just in case, i plan on having the baby in the birthing pool and if anything happens, at least i'm still in the hospital. plus, im just a water baby myself anyway, and i'd feel better being in a pool. i do want to take the cloth nappies ( i don't think i'm quite brave enough to have my baby go nappy-less), teething necklace, carrying my baby in a sling, and organic food route though. i wouldn't take it as far as making my baby a vegan or vegetarian though (i was both of those, at different points, for years, i'm not anymore) but i don't think its necessarily a bad idea. congratulations to you for planning your pregnancy though and baby dust to you when you decide to start trying!

 

[littlevixen]

Hi, I used cloth diapers for my daughter and also I breastfed for a yr. I gave birth in the hospital but all natural though coz when I got to the hospital I didn't have enough time to take epidural/etc coz my daughter was about to come out which she did as soon as they let me start pushing for 3-4 times. When I got to the hospital, I asked the nurse if I could get an epidural but the nurse said that no need coz she could see my daughter's head already.I had a very quick birth coming from a very petite preggy girl. Planning to use cloth diapers again for my 2nd one (planning to have a 2nd one soon). I also bedshare w/ my daughter eventhough she had a crib and a bassinet coz she sleeps more peaceful w/ me and I didn't have a problem w/ that so I'm planning to co-sleep with the next baby.

 

[cupcake123]

Wow this is a popular topic! I'm generally in favour of natural methods, but I think I am pretty flexible, so I will try whatever works best. I was bottle fed due to complications, and I had cloth nappies/ diapers. I don't know anyone who has had a natural/home birth, but out of those I know with young kids, about 70% have breastfed at least for the first few months.

 

[Bmary83]

I agree with cup cake about being flexible, would like to try the natural stuuf but realise it doesn't wrk for everyone, esp the cloth nappies thing. Really don't like thought of that. Wud reallt like to try brestfeeding tho, n not just for the supposed weight loss(dunno if thats really true.)

 

[honeybunch2k7]

Me me me!!! I really want to EC!

 

[mummy_vic]

I kind of fell into natural parenting methods, i certainly didn't start out with that mindset! The only thing I was really passionate about before DD1 was born was breastfeeding. I ended up BF her for 7months, DD2 was breastfed for 15 months. The next one will be BF too.

I switched to cloth nappies when DD1 was 9 months old after she appeared to have a reaction to disposables. She'd had really bad nappy rash for 2 to 3 months and nothing we did or any creams we had prescribed seemed to help. This was the last resort and I was dreading it tbh as I thought it would be too much hard work. I was really surprised by them, I loved them, you can some really pretty ones (check out Weenotions lol!). Needless to say DD2 has been in cloth since birth.

I had a homebirth with DD2 after not having a great labour with DD1. The thought never even occurred to me the first time around. I doubt i will be having a HB next time as I had a PPH and other complications after DD2 was born(nothing caused by HB, just one of those things). It' a shame as it was a fab experience but I think I'll feel more confident in hospital after all the complications last time. I also use slings with DD2 as it was easier to manage DD1 without a pushchair. Will be using slings again next time too, so much easier.

I've never tried co-sleeping, my OH just wasn't happy with the idea.

I think parenting is so much easier when you feel happy with what you are doing, I would go with what you want to do at the end of the day.

 

[Pyrrhic]

having one child already I have:

had a natural birth at a birthing centre
done BLW
done baby signing (but didnt keep it up)
BFed
used teething necklace
co-slept
used cloth nappies
still use our sling

So Im a pretty 'natural parent'.

next time I plan to do all of the above plus...

have a natural home water birth
keep the placenta
BF for longer than 6 months
baby wear only, no pram for the first few months
co-sleep for longer than 3 months.

I also plan to home school, and will hopefully plant a big veggie patch this coming spring. I cant see OH letting me have chickens yet

 

[Kess]

[snip] I also plan to home school [snip]

I would love to homeschool, I don't know anyone who had a positive school experience, but OH maintains that I won't have time (we have a small menagerie lol and he thinks the animals take up all my time) and that he doesn't want them to miss out on the objective viewpoint of a teacher keeping an eye on their progress. He has worries about socialising too. I've managed to get him to agree that we can go along to a homeschool meet if they'll allow us to meet the kids and talk to the parents about the diffciculties, and that we'll consider it in comparison to the local schools whn the time comes.

 

[Pyrrhic]

We're looking at flexi-schooling. So partly home taught, partly schooled with more emphasis on the home schooling while she is in primary school

 

[shocker]

Cloth diapers look cute but i doubt i'd have the patience for them tbh I would breastfeed if i could but i wouldnt stick with it for a long time, i wouldnt co-sleep at all as im a heavy sleeper and would be too scared in case i rolled over onto them and definatly wouldnt have a homebirth i'd be too scared that something would go wrong, i dont find babywearing comfortable ive done it with my niece when she was small and it was really awkward to move around lol.Also i believe in letting the baby cry it out, babys need routine and ive seen the hell my sister went through with her first when she tried the whole letting the baby eat/sleep when they like, obviously at first thats fine but i think a more firm approach works better

 

[Amygdala]

I'm sorry but I completely disagree with letting a baby "cry it out". All that teaches them is that they can't rely on you meeting their needs. If you want a securely attached child that will grow into a balanced, happy adult, then the best thing you can do is be consistently responsive to your baby's needs. And that includes the need for comfort. I'm not sayin there shouldn't be any routine. You can have bedtimes and even feeding times (although I don't believe in those either) and still be there for your child. There is so much research that shows how important it is to be consistantly there for young infants and how damaging it can be if they learn that you aren't.

 

[Samantha675]

I am planning on a home birth VBAC. I tried to have a home birth with my first, but just didn't dilate, never did actually even with pitocin.

We co-slept till about recently, BLW, still nursing and do cloth diapers. I also still wear Brenn when we go out. I love the Ergo.

 

[sleepinbeauty]

Count me in on Natural Parenting! BF, AP, the works!

 

[cleckner04]

I'm sorry but I completely disagree with letting a baby "cry it out". All that teaches them is that they can't rely on you meeting their needs. If you want a securely attached child that will grow into a balanced, happy adult, then the best thing you can do is be consistently responsive to your baby's needs. And that includes the need for comfort. I'm not sayin there shouldn't be any routine. You can have bedtimes and even feeding times (although I don't believe in those either) and still be there for your child. There is so much research that shows how important it is to be consistantly there for young infants and how damaging it can be if they learn that you aren't.

I very much agree with this. I could never in my heart allow my daughter to cry knowing that I can easily comfort her myself. I don't even understand where people think that is okay. They do it so they can get their baby to sleep on their own. So much pressure is put on these little babies to sleep a full night. When in all actuality, babies wake up at night. It's just what they do. Babies crying it out is just a parent letting their baby cry and cry until they realize mummy isn't going to meet their needs, and they give up and go to sleep. And slowly they won't even try crying anymore because they know their needs won't be met. It's horrible.

 

[sleepinbeauty]

^ Musta missed this. I can't stand people who let their kids "cry it out". How can you sit there and let this poor baby cry like that?

 

[vermeil]

*sneaks in* what's BLW?

 

[cleckner04]

*sneaks in* what's BLW?

Baby-Led Weaning. It is allowing your child to feed themselves from around 6 months and you give them finger foods instead of purees. They do it completely themselves and you let them learn on their own how to eat solids. I am in the middle of the BLW "bible" right now. Because Emma is going to start her weaning journey in a few weeks. Baby-Led Weaning by Gill Rapley if you are super interested. It is a good read for anyone considering it!!

 

[tasha41]

Sorry mine has turned out long

This time vs. Next time:

BIRTH-->

Planned to have uneventful hospital birth with an epidural, however got induced after no contractions after my water broke, had the epi, had an emergency c-section ~ I will definitely be having a planned c-section next time. Recovery is not a treat but with the complications I had last time and the birth experience I had, incl. back labour etc, I don't feel like taking the risk of history repeating itself if I attempt a VBAC. I'd like things to be as planned and comfortable as possible, and I did find the surgery comfortable rather than scary.

FEEDING-->

Bottle fed formula on demand from day 1 ~ Might try to breastfeed, undecided. Both have advantages, but I may stick with formula because it's what I know? I also worry that I will get sick as I did after I had Elyse and I'd get breastfeeding started and have to switch right away. I will definitely feed on demand again as I did with Elyse rather than adhering to once every 4 hour x oz per feed schedule the nurses want you on.

Homemade purees & mainly finger foods from 6 months ~ May do BLW, but will depend on the baby obviously. Elyse was fabulous on finger foods from 6 months, but not every baby is, and if I think it would benefit to wean early next time, I will.

DIAPERING-->

Disposables ~ Would use disposables again. I've been lucky to have had zero leaks using Pampers brand and if it works why change it? Would entertain the idea of reusables but I am very lazy about laundry and that would be an issue.. plus I am squeamish about poo and wouldn't want to get poo on the cute diapers. lol

OTHER-->

Used a sling and a couple of other carriers plus had stroller ~ Will definitely use a sling again, I think I want a BabyHawk next time too. Not sure what I will get for sure. I will totally babywear a lot more next time. It is so much more convenient than a stroller and it's bonus cuddle time! Elyse is too heavy for me though and I have chronic back pain and my carriers were uncomfortable so we stopped


Still cosleeping (in same room) but bedshared for better part of 9 months ~I will definitely keep next baby in my room for a few months, but I'm not sure about bedsharing. With Elyse it worked well as I wasn't sharing a bed with a partner and I didn't have her own room for her anyway... next baby I expect I will have my OH in bed with me and a nursery for baby

Started baby signing seriously at around 9 months ~ I will start earlier and get my OH on board next time. Elyse enjoys it, and maybe she will be able to sign to the next baby! That would be neat!

Activities - swimming lessons, a couple of baby groups (total of 3 times, weren't for us) ~ Next time I will make more of an effort to find baby groups better suited to our needs. I want to also go to the library story time programs and I will do parent and tot swim lessons again

Used teething necklace ~ will probably do next time too, I am very anti-teething gel, not because of choking risks, but every medicine I've given Elyse I've tried myself... the teething gel tastes awful and it's an unpleasant feeling in your mouth.

Used homeopathic & non-medicinal remedies when able to ~ I have had a lot of success with homeopathic teething & flu remedies. I keep Motrin on hand at all times for fevers, vaccinations and severe teething pain.

Vaccinated on schedule ~ As it stands now, will continue to vaccinate next child on recommended schedule