WHAT IS A DOULA?

So, what is this doula thing that so many pregnant women speak of? The word ‘doula’ — pronounced ‘doo-la’ — is a Greek word meaning ‘woman servant or caregiver’.

More recently, it refers to someone who offers emotional and physical support to a woman and her partner before, during and after childbirth.

A doula (also known as a birth attendant) believes in ‘mothering the mother’. She enables a woman and her partner to have the most satisfying birth experience possible, from pregnancy and into motherhood. This type of support allows the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience too.

A doula provides  supportive care during pregnancy, labor, and shortly after during the postpartum period.  The support comes in two forms: physical and emotional.  

The second important role of a doula is to provide childbirth education in order to empower the Mother into making the best choices for herself as well as her newborn. All of this is done in a non-judgemental, supportive way.

Basically, a doula is bring the 'village' back to childbirth and childrearing. Women, supporting women. 

IT'S A GIRL!!!

So my granddaughter is already a week old! It has been a crazy roller coaster week, hence, why I have not written about this sooner.  

Last Friday and Saturday I helped Tamika, Guy and Chester move into their townhouse. Late Saturday night I was very tired and bruised, as Tamika drove me home I jokingly said "please don't have the bub tonight or tomorrow I am too tired."

Well Bub did not listen.

At 4.15am Sunday morning Tamika had her first show. She called me, and woke Guy. Then called the midwife.... Yep that was all to plan. But the next hour was not.

Tamika knew with the very first contraction something was not right, that this bub was in a hurry. She called back the midwife, who told her to call an ambulance. Guy, was like, no need I will just pack and we can drive.

Lucky Tamika followed her intuition. A with just two pushes, bub was born in the back of the ambulance in Tamika's driveway at 5.47, just over one hour and half from her first show.

It was an extremely hard birth for all of us. For me to be inside the apartment playing trains with Chester, hearing my daughter screaming for me. For Guy to see Tamika go through the birth and then begin to hemorrhage. And obviously it was the hardest for Tamika.

Tamika lost a LOT of blood and lost consciousness on the way to the hospital. The rest of the story is not mine to tell, it is Tamika's

But the drama continued for a few days... culminating in another ambulance ride Tuesday night back to the hospital for emergency surgery. (The hospital had only discharged her a couple of hours before against my better judgment).

But, now a week later I can finally say Mum and baby are good when I tell people Tamika had her baby.

Welcome to the world, Lola Ruby Lietzow-Chinn. You certainly know how to make a dramatic entrance!

C SECTION MUMMAS, SOMETHING FOR YOU

Three and a half years on, my scar still hurts. I get twinges along the scar, often. Sometimes when I lift things the 'wrong' way. it pulls like I am going to come apart like a zipper.

However, I love my C section scar. I am proud of it. Through this was Jarvis's SAFE entry into the world. Yes, I capitalised safe, because I do not care how my two babies were born, as long as they were born safely. (For the record Tamika was a quick and safe vaginal birth)

I have had people, normally other Mums, express disappointment. I even had one to go as far as ask if I was disappointed "I did not have a successful birth?" Excuse me, but what the?

Tamika put a link to this article on my Facebook page. For those who have not read it I thought I would share it with you. Three Truths About C-sectionMamas

I recommend reading the whole article, but this paragraph so resonated with me.

1. C-Section mamas are brave.

Being prepped for a c-section is not a walk through the park. Many times, a mother’s partner is not allowed in the OR until after the epidural has been administered and everyone has “taken their place.” This means that while doctors and nurses move about, readying the operating room for delivery (maybe talking about their lunch or what movie they saw over the weekend) a strong pregnant mama sits on a cold operating table considering what lies before her - often scared and often feeling very alone. 

Yup, look at my face in the image. You will not see disappointment at having to prep for a C, you see cold hard fear, and typical me when I am emotional, I cry. Plus a needle in the spine freaken hurts.

So for anyone who has ever felt doubt at their C section stand proud, you are a brave strong women who birth a child. Did you know April is Cesarean Awareness Month? 

How did you birthing go? Any stories you want to share? 

THREE YEARS AGO THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS

A lot of waiting.

With a bit of this thrown in.

40/52 2014

I have been sitting here at the computer for over an hour with not a word written down. I simply cannot find the words to describe the facts, let alone the emotion that Thursday afternoon, and Thursday night entailed.

I want to start by saying thank you to Tamika, this was the greatest gift she and Guy could have ever given me, to allow me to be present and participate in the birth of my grandson.

So for now I am going to allow images to tell the story. I will re-visit this when my emotions are not so high. 

Welcome to the world Chester Phoenix Lietzow-Chinn. Born 02/10/2014 weighing in well over 10 pounds. 

THIS WAS ME TWO YEARS AGO TODAY

By this time two years ago, I had been in labor for about 18 hours or more. Still have about another 20 or more to go. The pain came and went, but the urge to hold my baby was getting so strong. 

EIGHT MONTHS OLD

Eight months (and one day ago) you were in my tummy. Now you have spent almost as much time outside, as inside of me.  Yet, somehow, you are still very attached to me. Or is it that I am very much attached to you? For 40 weeks we called you Dim Sim, and waited to meet you.

Now you are Jarvis. From the moment you came screaming out of my tummy you have been a little man with a big personality.

It is like every day you change. In front of me, you have changed from a tiny little bubba to a chubby toddler. You sat up early, but still have not learnt to roll over, crawl, or walk. It could be because you hate tummy time. But you are such an active little man. You love the “Jolly Jumper, and to walk around the house when I hold you under your arms.

Everything goes in your mouth; you are such a curious little soul. You are so much more aware of yourself and of your surroundings. You love your food and have a good appetite, but you would, and constantly do, choose breast over solids.

Music and dancing never fail to make you happy, and THAT ABC song, well I have lost count of how many times I have heard that. You love to sing, even more than you love to chatter. Each week you will find a new noise to make with your mouth, and we delight in repeating it back to you as it never fails to make you grin and repeat it back to us.

I enjoy every moment with you, even when you are screaming to be held.  I did not think I could love anyone as much as I love your sister. But now, I live everyday for you. I hate being apart from you, even for a moment.

I love to gush over you; from the top of your sweaty little boy’s head when you sleep, to your big feet. I constantly call out to your Daddy, or to your big sister “Quick! Come and look at Jarvis.”

If your smiles melt me, I cannot even begin to explain how your laugh will make my day. I even like it when you cry, the way your bottom lip drops down and the curls. Not that I can let you cry, I weaken the moment you do, which could explain why for the last three months you have slept with us in the bed.

Now you hold out your arms to be picked up and you give the best cuddles, snuggling in laying your head on my heart, or reaching your face up for kisses. Kisses.... hmmm, it seems as if I can never kiss you enough.