Hey ladies!
I'm sorry for being so quiet in here. I've been having severe round ligament pain for the last couple weeks, on and off, and this heat has been killing me. I check in and read all the news, but for some reason, I was feeling so reclusive and bleh with this weather... not wanting to comment per se.
Anyway. Updates on me:
I've been reading "Active Birth" by Janet Balaskas, and it is wonderful. I tried reading "The Bradley Method" and that didn't go well. I found it really condescending. I know that I want to go into this one more naturally, as with my son, labor came on so quickly and hard that I got all the juice!
It's only fair when you start feeling labor pain at 9cm 5 minutes apart. I attribute not getting the build up of intensity to why I caved on the meds. But, the truth is that I wasn't prepared.
I was recommended The Bradley Method by a midwife at my doctor's clinic, and it was kind of awful. For those going 100% natural, at home or in a birthing center away from doctors, it would be great, but every other paragraph is insulting doctors and medical staff. It was a really abrasive read *to me*. Not to mention, I found it irritating how often the book was trying to sell me on itself. *I BOUGHT YOU! STOP SELLING YOURSELF!!!*
I was looking for stretches, exercises, positions, etc. that would benefit me and the baby during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post partum. Active Labor is that book, if you are the same. There's no class they are trying to sell you on. As a matter of fact, you can simply accomplish your goals by going through the book. No need to find the expensive class it correlates with because there is none. Just pair it with your favorite class or no class. There's no miracle cure to the perfect labor. And the best part is that they aren't making you feel guilty for previously using meds or using them should you need, want, or require with your current pregnancy. They do offer information on each of the meds that come up in conversation, how they can affect you/baby, etc.. I appreciated that.
My favorite part was that there are over 50 pages on exercises/stretches/hatha yoga poses for pregnancy to prepare you, your mind, baby and body for delivery. I've been doing them every day since, and I have had ZERO flare ups of my SI Joint pain/sciatic pain. My round ligament pain comes and goes, but I strained it playing with my son, and ligaments take time to heal. It is better than before I was doing my stretches. I wrote out all the stretches and poses, and every night, I run through them in a peaceful, meditation-filled 30-45 minutes. It's taken my mind off the heat, even if briefly, and it lets me get out of my head. You can easily shorten the routine by picking the stretches you'd like to focus on and not spending time on the meditation aspect.
Anyway, I really have been wanting to share this for a while, but my mood was just so bleh. Sorry for the silence on my end.
I hope all is well!!!
I know we still have a few TTC, and I think this book is also great for that. They are safe to do while pregnant, therefore safe in the TWW. Also, they will help your mind, body, and spirit in what I believe is one of the most difficult portions in pregnancy... the trying. I find turning on some Native American flute music, (or something without a harsh melody) sitting for the meditation, and breathing are the most soothing. I hope this finds someone that is looking for this information. It was super beneficial to me!!!
can't wait to get in and settled!
