The Review of Stuff I Did While Pregnant

I am sure you are all wondering whatever became of the things I did while I was pregnant. What worked out and what didn't? I compiled a little list of the things I did to prepare for birth and how I feel about them in hindsight. I hope it helps all the mommies to be  out there who are trying to sift through the never-ending lists of things on the internet!! And for those of you wondering about my experience with placenta encapsulation, I will have another full post on that coming soon.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea:

So I drank this tea because it is supposed to help tone the uterus and make for a fast birth. Did it work? Well, that is likely subjective, but I had a very quick birth, coming in at about 8-9 hours. So would I recommend this? Absolutely! For me it was great because it helped me get an extra cup of water into my system each day and I liked the ritual of it...it made me feel proactive. Definitely worth a shot because it can only help, and won't hurt. 

Evening Primrose Oil: 

This I used both orally and vaginally to help reduce tearing during birth. So did it work? Well, I think so. See, thing is, that when I was doing the big push to get The Bird out, the midwife asked me stop pushing so that they could shimmy the shoulders out...and I didn't listen. I was so done, I just kept right on pushing and out she came, shoulders and all. So I had some minor tearing anyway. But even so, the tearing was minor and I was REALLY happy about that. Bottom line? Do the primrose oil. 

Also worth a mention. Some women think it helps you go into labor before or close to your due date. I told everyone The Bird was coming between May 9th and 15th and sure enough she did...did the primrose oil help? I guess we'll never know. 

My own hospital gown: 

I got my own hospital gown because I didn't want to wear the ones the hospital had; it was a karma thing. And a "me" thing. At the last minute, though, I decided on a whim to throw a sarong into my bag because I thought perhaps I would want to wear that while I was in labor. You know what I wore while I was in labor? Not a damn thing. At a certain point, I threw off all my clothes and strutted my stuff naked the rest of the way. And I didn't care who saw me. The president of the United States could have walked in and I wouldn't have cared. 

But I am SO glad that I bought the gown because it was the PERFECT outfit for the day I was in the hospital. After I showered, I got into my cute little gown and was able to visit with everyone and feel comfortable and covered. Totally get it. Totally. 

The Nurses' Gift Basket: 

If you do nothing else, you must do the nurse's gift basket. Seriously. Those women (and men) work way too hard and you know what? It sometimes makes them grumpy and prone to not taking your shit. The gift basket is the perfect neutralizer and allows you to start out on a great note with the nurses. It lets them know that they are appreciated and it buys you a little tolerance because, let's face it, we all have requests that may seem a little unreasonable or just rub someone the wrong way. This is your buffer zone. Do it.