It’s essential you choose your birth team with utmost care, empowering yourself with information, educating yourself on the birth landscape you find yourself in.
You don’t get to do it all over again. You don’t get a retake… You only get to do this birth once, so that even if it ends up in a caesarean section, you will have peace in your heart, because you know you tried and exhausted all avenues.
I wish you joy and a sense of empowerment and confidence as you prepare to meet your baby!
Check out www.relaxintobirth.com for more info on doula care, pre and postnatal pampering, products and the Relax Into Birth course, which includes Hypnobirthing techniques for labour and birth and caesarean section.
The power of each surge Flows through me Like water. Washing off my skin, Taking my breath away, Bringing forth life… And Opening me up. Stripping away the layers and layers Of holding back I leave my body Surrendering and merging with my baby’s soul Hovering around me. Come my love I say… It’s time. Let’s emerge together…
Pregnancy Awareness Week takes place annually and this year’s theme was about empowering parents for their journey to birth. I was there representing Relax Into Birth, talking about doula care and relaxation techniques. Many thanks to Sister Lindsay Donnachie, Carline and Vaughanine for arranging such an inspiring event.
Sister Lindsay Donnachie opening the day’s Pregnancy Event.
Sister Donnachie reminded women about their invisible bejeweled crowns on their heads and that no matter how their births turned out – or what turn they took, natural or caesarean, that they would still, no matter what, be the queen of their own births. She emphasised that what really mattered was how the mother viewed her birth and that in order to have a positive experience, she needed to empower herself with information and to know her options. She welcomed all attendees and speakers to the event.
Sister Donnachie reminding mothers to wear their invisible crowns.
Sister Emma Numanoglu of Breastfeeding Matters was first up and is a lactation consultant extraordinairre. Her talk focused on debunking myths around the subject of breastfeeding. Emma’s heart and soul is in her teaching and consulting and those who have been touched by her kindness can attest to that. Nothing is too big or too small – Emma will help you! Did you know that you don’t have to cut out any major food groups while breastfeeding? You don’t have to go gluten free or dairy free (unless medically indicated)! And, did you know there is science behind the use of cabbage leaves for sore, engorged breasts? Also that Jungle Juice is not helpful for anything except a sugar overload and does not help with supply issues… only a good latch can ensure that baby is getting milk… and milk being extracted from the breast helps to increase milk supply. Emma shared these titbits with us and more…
Sister Emma Numanoglu presenting a breastfeeding talk.
Next up was Dr Jacky Searle. One of the most gentle, aware and intuitive doctors in Cape Town, her talk focused on choice and birth. She made attendees aware of the choices available in pregnancy and birth and how to navigate the landscape of those choices in Cape Town and within the limitations of medical aids. Practical and always so encouraging, Dr Searle empowers women daily in her work life and beyond. Births with this fine doctor are always Beautiful.
Dr Jacky Searle presenting a talk on choices in the birthing landscape.
I was next in line and my talk was entitled “Empowering women through doula care and relaxation techniques”. Doula care is often misunderstood and so my talk opened with an explanation of the doula role through pregnancy and birth and how it differs from that of a midwife. I also shared some tools for relaxation, excerpted from the Relax Into Birth course.
Attendees trying out some Relax into Birth breathing techniques.
Next up was Liesl Hansen from Johnson and Johnson, who spoke about the benefits of massage in pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period in her talk; “The first touch of love.” When it came to baby massage, she handed out dolls for the parents to practice on, which was just so much fun and so informative! Who doesn’t love a good massage and these parents left feeling equipped to give their babies some extra tlc through massage. She was assisted by Lisa Townend of Holistic Baby – Baby Massage Classes, a certified infant massage instructor.
Liesl Hansen and Lisa Townend share their learnings around baby massage techniques.
Last but not least, Jenny Spiro of Nurture One delivered a very interesting talk entitled “Start out right… And sleep tight.” She emphasised the importance of catching the sleep wave to assist your baby to sleep as best as possible. She also showed parents a very clever way of using the amazing Nurture One nesting pillow to put baby to sleep. The pillow cleverly mimics a womb-like environment and gives newborns much comfort.
Jenny Spiro shares info around baby sleep methods to help new parents also get more sleep!
Here are some other pics from Saturday’s fun event:-)
And here’s one of my son and I; my inspiration to do this work in the first place… Dearest Leonardo… Funny face selfie 😍:
See you at the next pregnancy event! Wishing you a wonderful birthing day, no matter what turn it takes ❤️❤️
As birthworkers, we just cannot do this work without someone just there for us, waiting in the wings. Gayle is my mentor and friend and I have learnt so much from her. Here’s ten reasons why I am thankful to Gayle (I’m sure there are more than 10!):
1. JUST BEING THERE: I know that no matter what we have going on in our respective lives, I can count on Gayle to be there for me if I call her.
2. DEBRIEFING: In the caring profession we forget that we as birthworkers also need to debrief… And we talk and walk each other through birth stories, tough times and good times. My husband was grateful as he no longer needed to listen to my birth stories… Now he says; “just call Gayle!”
3. NOURISHMENT: I know that she would just show up with a flask of tea and something healthy to eat if I find myself at a long birth 😁
4. BACKUP: If two births take place simultaneously, which happens, but very rarely, we know we have reliable back up in each other and we match each other in skillsets and tricks!
5. LEARNING: They say you can’t teach and old dog new tricks… I disagree! We learn from each other constantly and live through each birth the other takes on and support each other through each birth too with tips or a fresh perspective.
6. LAUGHING: Let’s face it, as rewarding as this work can be, it is also a little stressful… Ok a lot (LOL😂) and I must admit sometimes after long birth, we are the only people (besides other birthworkers) who understand just what we’ve been through… And that’s where the 3am hysterical laughter comes in… 😁
7. SPACE-HOLDING: Just as we are highly skilled at holding the space for mothers, fathers and babies, we also hold the space for one another. Sometimes the doula also needs doulaing!
8. TIME IS JUST A NUMBER: No matter the time, we chat just about at any time, anywhere when we need to or want to. It helps to know that no time is off limits. We do know how important sleep is though!
9. SHARING OF IDEAS: Gayle and I are on the WOMBS committee and it helps to share ideas with each other and also apply them to our own partnership and businesses.
10. EARL GREY TEA: The sweet aroma of bergamot Earl Grey tea and chatting to my birth buddy.
It really is the parents who make this course what it is… One dad at the January course held at Birth Options in Plumstead, shared that one of the exercises we did made him feel more empathy and compassion for what his wife was going to face in labour.
“It made me realise what she might experience and how I can perhaps help her – as best I can,” he said. Dads do not have to be helpless on labour day and that’s why Relax Into Birthprovides birth companions aka dads and partners with a toolkit to become doula dads, who feel more at ease in the birth space.
I love seeing lightbulb moments for dads come to life when they suddenly feel more empowered to fully embrace what the experience holds in store.
I’m about to share the the latest statistics from 2017 for the Birth Options Midwifery team – and they are unbelievably good!
The team is comprised of Glynnis Garrod, Susan Lees, Angela Wakeford and Bernice Jehring Down.
Birth Options Independent midwives can attend both home and hospital births at Vincent Pallotti and Melomed Tokai with gynae/ obstetrician backup at those allocated hospitals. Ayla Nowell of Birthing Naturally, another wonderful independent midwife, has back up support from Vincent Pallotti and Constantiaberg Mediclinic. So women have the option of birthing at home with the support of Independent Midwives (with gynae back up support in case of emergency) as well as to birth at these allocated hospitals under the care of an independent midwife (with gynae back up support in case of emergency). We also have traditional midwives in Cape Town, who use various government hospitals for back up support. It pays to know your options and that you have choices available to you!
It says a lot about these doctors at those hospitals (Vincent Pallotti and Melomed Tokai) and their view on promoting a natural approach to birth, where caesareans are only called for when necessary. This is a rare breed of doctor in South Africa and should be taken into account when choosing your care provider/back up gynae.
Independent midwives specialise in normal, low risk pregnancies and birth and will do all within their capacity to help you have the most positive birth experience, whether that is a natural, vaginal birth or a necessary Caesarean in the end.
Without an independent midwife, you will have hospital midwives attend to you in private hospitals. Hospital midwives change shift, so you might have multiple midwives for the duration of your labour and birth time. Hospital midwives are also not allowed to deliver babies, (but sometimes they do as a baby may come quickly!:-)) as that role falls to your obstetrician, who is called to come in when you are near being fully dilated. Many hospital midwives are underappreciated for their hard work and loving care of mothers in labour, and burn out can be a very real challenge facing all birth workers.
My wish is for women in South Africa to start seeing independent midwifery care and doula care for Pregnancy and birth to be the norm, so that we can also lower our exorbitant rate of 90% caesareans in the private sector… Of which most were likely not necessary… and, to choose their doctors and hospitals more carefully too. You only have your one birth, so make choices that will facilitate a good birth experience without regret in the end.
So, without much ado, here are the fabulous stats from Birth Options.
Birth Options Midwifery Team Statistics 01/01/17 – 31/12/17
Total number of clients: 147
Total no Caesarian Section 21/147 = 14%
Number of clients who labored with the Team = 136
Spontaneous Vaginal Birth 115/136 = 84.5%
Kiwi Ventuse Delivery 4/136 = 3%
Emergency Caesarian Section 16/136 = 12 %
VBAC 7/10 = 70 %
Primigravida (first birth) 55/136 = 40 %
Waterbirth 15/136 = 11% (many more labored in water)
PPH over 1000 ml 3/136 = 2 % (from a retained placenta)
Third degree Tear 1/136 = 0.7 %
Neonatal Unit Admission at Birth: 2/136 = 1.5 % (1x 34 weeks, 1x signs of sepsis)
Births @ Life Vincent Pallotti 73/136 = 53.5%
Births @ Melomed Tokai 29/136 = 21 %
Home Births 34/136 = 25 %
Transfer to hospital from home birth 3/34 = 9 %
7 births not with the team – care taken over by back up Obstetrician: X3 persistent Breech Position after 37 weeks for elective c/s, 1x 37week early labour with breech position, 1x 31week premature labour breech position, 1x previous Caesarian Section, Term, SROM with meconium, unfavorable cervix, baby weighed 4.6 kg, X1 transfer from homebirth in labour for c/s ( CPD) to Christian Barnard Hospital – care handed over to Gynae as we don’t have an SLA there ( prior arrangement )
So there you have it. In a world where unnecessareans are on the rise, it helps to know your options and who will support you in your preferences.
And remember, no matter what turn your birth takes, there are no unnatural births. ❤️
Here I am pictured with Christa Bussack … a little tired, an hour or two after midnight, but still looking fresh (maybe a bit too optimistic?!) 😀 Even through the early morning hours, Christa maintains her sense of humour and effervescence in the maternity ward.
If you have stayed over at Vincent Pallotti, you will know her kind face and voice and her bubbly giggle… She is one of the nurses whose focus is to help mothers adjust to life with a newborn and breastfeeding. I am always happy to see her on the floor, because I know my client will be in loving hands <3 Christa has been at VPH since the year 2000.
“Mothers always seek help in various areas when it comes to mothering, as they are beginning to experience a newfound love for their child. Mothering comes as an instinct, but guidance is still needed, as each mother is unique. No case is the same,” she says. “I have a passion for helping new moms, as there was a lack of guidance and help in my own personal experience as a young mother. It all comes down to giving the mothers the best support possible and to help them enjoy a positive start to motherhood, which will filter through into the time they are home.” Christa is also a proud mother of four kids, all who have already completed Matric level. She also has four grandchildren and counting. So, next time you see Christa on the night shift, say hi! #relaxintobirth#charleneyaredwest#empoweringbirthandnewparents
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