Showing posts with label preparation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preparation. Show all posts

Monday, July 30, 2018

Inducing Labor Naturally

So I've been ready to give birth for the last 2 weeks, and still... waiting.
I don't want to wait beyond August 1 that's for sure because of the complications that may arise when the baby stays too long in the womb. So I tried to find and did some research on natural induction methods. Some of which, I do wish I started earlier.

This are generally the requirements for a successful vaginal delivery: 1. regular labor contractions, 2. cervical dilatation and effacement, and for the 3. descent of the fetus to the vaginal canal. To induce labor contractions, one needs oxytocin while cervical softening requires prostaglandins. Descent of the baby usually is not a problem when there is no problem with the pelvic area (which causes cephalopelvic disproportion); this part cannot be helped much.

1. Exercise
There are a lots of exercises out there for pregnancy. Mind you, I did my "normal" walking (applicable with commuting) through out pregnancy. I even incorporated some yoga mornings and stretches to "open my hips" more (though those poses I already did prior to getting pregnant).

In pregnancy, the hormone elastin allows the pelvic bones to move in preparation for birth, enabling it to become wider... and supposedly this stretches are supposed to help.

What I should probably do is climb lots of stairs...

2. Dates
There's a research journal saying that this is effective if taken in 4 weeks before your estimated time of birth, taking a daily dose of 6-7 dates/day. My OB friend who is also working in the middle east, also swears by this based from the patients she'd seen. Eating dates are supposed to shorten the labor time and soften the cervix effectively.

3. Acupuncture and acupressure
Because I'm an acupuncturist, of course I would do this to induce myself into labor. The most effective points is LI4 and SP6, but I am also doing GB21 (just because I also love my shoulder massages), BL32 (back massage), BL 28 and BL 48 (butt massage), KI1, KI3 and BL 60 (foot massage).

I read that some are effective without the need for electrical stimulation, but if it doesn't work, I am going to apply TENS also to my needles.

4. Sex
Nipple stimulation causes oxytocin to be released (which is similar process to producing breast milk), prostaglandins from the semen, and reaching orgasm to stimulate contraction of the uterus are all said to help induce labor... but really, it's a bit of a challenge to do this when you're so big and you easily get shortness of breath with certain positions.

5. Evening primrose oil
My friend took this orally for several weeks before giving birth, and it wasn't very effective.  I tried to look it up in journals also but oral intake doesn't seem to be much effective.

My OB told me that on the day of induction, she will use 6 caps of evening primrose oil 4 hours before IE. Apparently, she was one of the authors in a study in PGH, where it was said to improve Bishop scoring (and cervical dilatation) to more than 4... Though in that study, only about 31% had successful vaginal deliveries and the rest had cesarean sections due to fetal distress (46%), intraamniotic infection (1%), and arrest in cervical dilatation (15%).

Because almost half the reason for cesarean section was due to fetal distress, I am contemplating on doing that the night before we get admitted, or just doing it in the hospital.

6. Malunggay capsules
One OB in a prenatal class I attended said that Malunggay capsules can also start contractions, that's why she recommends giving it when the patient is already term. When I asked my OB about it as a supplement in preparation for breastfeeding, she just told me that it's a supplement, so you have to establish breast milk first. And it may have constipation as a side effect.

Anyway, I started drinking 1 cap 500 mg since I was in 37 wks old, but I don't think it's very helpful.

7. Pray
Probably the best thing to do is also to pray. Pray for a safe and successful delivery to a healthy baby. I am constantly in anxiety over the possibilities of stillbirth and postnatal infection and complications, especially now that I'm getting past my ideal 38-39 weeks AOG.

Every night, I listed to my fetal heart tone... sometimes, twice! Especially if I don't feel her move as much. I noticed that there is less tendency for movement in my last month of pregnancy as compared to the 2nd and early 3rd trimesters. The reason for this is because the baby is accumulating fat and getting bigger, and the uterus is getting cramped.


Anyway, I will update on how my labor goes. I don't know else what to do when there's only less than 48 hours before my scheduled admission!

Friday, April 20, 2018

To organize my own baby shower or not?

I am soooo excited to buy things already for the baby. It's all I've been browsing and thinking about since we've reached 20 weeks and the baby has been kicking!

But... unfortunately, I can't yet. Because mom said I should wait before my baby shower before buying anything... Well, who was supposed to organize it anyway? They say it's usually a friend or relative of the mother-to-be... And I am in agreement, because it seems that we're scouting for gifts if I organized it haha

Regardless, they say the best time to do a shower is 4 to 6 weeks before the baby is due. Since we're due on August 1, that will be in mid-June, right? Hmmm... since my parents are going away after June 5, I prefer it to be June 3 which is a Sunday. I guess, there is still time for me to do online shopping then hehe Though when I counted, I am 31-32 wks AOG at the time.

But I am a bit confused on who should organize it? Should I let my sister take over or can I? Haha
Though... I was also thinking what is the purpose of the baby shower? To tell them that we're pregnant, and we're celebrating? To just meet up with my friends (especially those coming from the abroad)? To collect gifts? Haha

Okay, a part of me is saying... if I'm going to be the one to shell out a budget for this, then I guess let's just not give a baby shower and just use the money to buy our own baby stuff, right? But... if I do wait for my relatives to organize a shower for me... then... when should I start buying? Or... maybe I should just buy the essential stuff first that we'll be needing within the first month, right? That seems to be the safer answer.

What are the essentials again, especially for the first month:
Bathing - wash cloth, hooded towel, waterproof pad
Clothing - newborn set (side ties, bonnet, mittens, booties), onesies, receiving blanket, swaddle
Diaper - cloth diapers (we already have 10 pcs) and inserts
Feeding - manual breast pump, bottles, bibs and burp cloths, nursing stuff (nursing cover, pillow, pads, bra)
Nursery - we're planning on co-sleeping for the first few months, so the BabyCuddle should do

From the list above... actually, a lot of them can be easily bought online (since the diapers are local; we just need a week for delivery; and several days to have them washed first), Hello Baby Outlet (clothes), or department stores (wash cloth, towels). Since the swaddle is a bit expensive on department stores, my guess is that I could buy those online along with the manual breast pump. Even the usual lampin and basic newborn set is more expensive in SM as compared when bought outside.

IF hindi man kami mabigyan ng baby shower, ready na din naman kami mag shopping online especially for the Graco crib, which we plan to buy from the US (cause it's 3x cheaper) and just have it ship here via sea. Kahit 2 months siya aabutin, it's okay kasi maliit pa din naman si baby.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Second Trimester Preparations

Yey for second trimester!
Goodbye morning sickness and hello to appetite once again!

We are now 21 weeks, and we already have a baby bump!
I can also feel my baby move at times, which can be described as a very short intestinal borborygmi hehe Or as our nurse described it, like popcorn popping from the inside.
I can also sometimes here our baby's heartbeat with my stethoscope... Though sometimes it's hard and the sound is still very slight.

Anyway, I just want to say that I'm soooooo excited for the baby now that we're past the miscarriage stage (1st trimester). We only have half way to go.

We started looking at things to buy for a newborn. Like, what to look for in a crib? Or do I really need to buy a breast pump?

Most people tell me not to spend too much money on newborn clothes because they're easily outgrown... Which is true... it's the last thing for us to think about or put in the registry. Actually, I was thinking of just asking from my friends for this haha So... what do I really need to buy? Or at least... what do I need to research before buying?

1. Nursery Stuff
  • Crib
  • 1-2 waterproof mattress cover
  • 2 Receiving blankets
  • 1 Comforters and pillows - But I read somewhere that too much soft things can lead to SIDS. So we'll just probably buy 1 set?
Actually, we haven't really started looking at this but since we joined Cordlife, their freebie for the month includes a Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper... We looked it up of course, which made us look into cribs and playpens haha

We are looking more into a playpen because they also have a bassinet and a changing table so it seems to be more convenient. Playpen costs PhP 4,000 to 12,000 which the child should be able to use until toddler stage, maybe 2 years old?

Anyway, we still think we have to time to think and research with this because it's just our second trimester. And since, we have the rocker napper and the BabyCuddle (which could be used for co-sleeping), she actually has a bed already.

UPDATE: We looked at cribs and playpens in SM department store (we were thinking of getting a registry, and it will probably come from there). It turns out that Graco is the only one that has lifetime warranty for service, in case any part gets stuck or whatever. Their service center is in Sta. Mesa. The other brands, though cheaper, only have 1 week store warranty.

2. Feeding
  • Breast pump - manual breast pump for now, preferably Haakaa style (available online, Rustans Department Store, or The Parenting Emporium)
  • Breastmilk reusable storage bottles or disposable storage bags - I am kind of looking for the disposable ones because I am still not sure how much breast milk I can use, nor do I know if I really need it because as of know, I am planning on breastfeeding fulltime
  • Bottles and nipples
  • Nursing bras and breast pads - Yeah, I already bought nursing bras and breast pads (because my breasts started to hurt from my 3rd month of pregnancy, so might as well get nursing bras already)
  • nursing pillow - Is this worth it? Though Tin recommended it too, particularly the U-shaped one. Anyway, online and in department stores, it can costs so much, roughly up to 1000 for something that a normal pillow can also do, right? Though we did see it cheaper in Shopwise... haha
  • nursing tops - I am still thinking if I want to buy nursing tops or I can just use a nursing cover which is more versatile
  • 4 cotton bibs
  • 12 burp cloths (bird’s eye, gauze or cotton) - They say burp pads are a bit small, so it's better to use bigger ones like event the hooded towel, receiving blankets, or the lampin
  • Bottle/nipple brush

From this list, I am more concerned with the breast pump.
Do I need that? Electric or Manual? From what I read, Medela is usually the one being recommended... if we can afford it. Though at this point, I am looking into Ameda, which is from Switzerland, it's way cheaper and there's also a warranty for 1 year. I read some good reviews on it too. But do we really need it? Or... for now, we decided to prolong the decision until after the baby is born. Or.. for now, maybe I will just buy a manual one, preferably in the style of Hakaa which had good reviews, including better output than the electric ones.

As of now... I am more concerned with... what if I cannot produce enough breast milk? Does that mean that I need to buy bottles? Just in case. Well, I've read that they say bottles are trial and error. So we should just buy a few bottles of certain brands (brands recommended by friends and the internet), and see if it works for our baby.

So far, most popular in the Philippines is Philips Avent. Though from most US blogs, they say Playtex, Dr. Brown (soooo expensive), MAM are also good especially in preventing colic. We liked the shape of Tommee Tippee (which is cheaper than Comotomo), and we also liked NUK when we were in the department store. Therefore... we limited out bottle choices to Avent and Tommee Tippee and... well since the opportunity arises, Playtex are cheaper coming from the US, so we got those too hehe

3. Diapers
  • 30 pcs of Cloth Diapers with inserts
  • Diaper changing pads - we already bought one by mistake haha
  • Baby wipes
  • Cotton balls
Since we are aiming for cloth diapers, I read that we need 24 to 30 diapers because for a newborn, they change diapers every 2 to 3 hours, which is equivalent to 8 to 10 diaper changes per day.

My guess is I should also help with the laundry, particularly for this one because we need the diapers and it needs time to dry (especially with those microfiber and super absorbent inserts).

So far, (and in my excitement) I bought 10 already from Shopee haha We tried different brands, with different types of diapers (all in one, all in two, and pocket) with different features (single versus double gussets), with different inserts (microfiber, bamboo charcoal, hemp, coffee, zorb). Usually for newborns, they say that the microfiber is enough... unless the baby is really heavy wetter, then the hemp and zorb are better absorbers. I am quite excited to experiment which one works best, but since I don't have a baby yet, I may have to lend them to my other friends then tell me their verdict afterwards.

As of now, it seems that Jeff and I are aiming for the cover-type or the all in two diapers, which have snap ons at the end. If the baby pees, it seems that we can just change the insert and still use the same cover. I read that double gusset is important in keeping the poo inside the shell, so we also got those. But... really, it has to depend on the size of the baby and its fitting.

UPDATE: Most department stores only sell the pocket ones usually with microfiber inserts. There are so many better choices  online! So I would recommend to buy online instead. It seems to me that we have already settled for Babyland and Happy Flute cover diapers with hemp inserts coming from Shopee.

4. Clothes
They say that I should refrain from buying too much newborn clothes since they will outgrow them very fast. As I said before, I did think about just inheriting this from my family and friends haha
  • 3-6 Tie-sides - best they said, especially for newborn babies who still has their umbilical stumps
  • 3-6 Onesies - convenient especially for changing diapers
  • 3-6 Mittens - prevent themselves from scratching themselves
  • 3-6 Socks - no shoes needed since babies don't walk yet
  • 3 Bonnets - prevent the cold from going in
  • Burp pads/Lampin/Gauze eye - hmmm... I was just thinking if a microfiber towel serves the same purpose? Microfiber towels are cheaper from Shoppee than lampin!
So we're thinking if we're going to put this on the Baby Registry, because this seems to be the easiest. And there is the possibility that we would want to pick our own baby's clothes, right? (Like... even if we're having a girl, no very girly-girl stuff so much; we prefer it to be neutral)

So... our plan is to wait until after the baby shower to purchase this. Someone will probably give us this even if it's not on the registry. If not, we plan to go to this Hello Baby Outlet in Makati to get clothes in bulk, which is cheaper.

5. Bathing and Grooming Accessories
  • 1 bath tub with hammock-like chair
  • 1 bottle baby wash (Cetaphil or any brand recommended by the pedia)
  • 1 bottle baby shampoo (optional. Baby wash can double as shampoo)
  • 3 hooded towels
  • 4-6 wash cloths - so isn't this the same as the burp pads above?
  • 1 bottle alcohol
  • 1 bottle baby oil
  • 1 nail clipper or nail file
  • 1 soft brush and comb
  • 1 nasal aspirator
  • 1 pack cotton buds
  • 1 pack baby-safe laundry detergent
  • 1 digital thermometer

We looked for the bath tubs in SM Department store. Bath tubs can cost from PhP 300 to 2000! Since we're practical people, we think the simple plastic one is already enough, though we are going to get this sort-of hammock-like chair (similar to this one) where the baby can sit because she's still an infant. (In Landmark, they already have a set with both bath tub and net which costs less than its counterpart in SM)

They have different hygiene sets in the Baby Company, so some of those are conveniently packed and ready to be bought as gifts haha Though... what I think we really need are the nasal aspirator and the nail clipper. It's not like the baby would have that much hair when born, right? And we already have a thermometer, as freebie from one of the baby seminars I've attended.

For the consumables,  like the baby wash, shampoo, alcohol, baby oil, cotton buds, detergent... We are not too concerned. We still have many freebies from the baby seminars. We also have to test which one is best for our baby. And... it's not like the baby can already take daily bath after she's born.

6. Travel
  • 1 diaper bag
  • 1 baby carrier (ring sling or baby wrap is recommended for newborns)
  • 1 stroller (optional if you prefer to babywear)
  • 1 car seat
From this list, Jeff just preferred a diaper bag that doesn't look like a diaper bag (because he's the one who's probably going to carry it), like this backpack. I prefer it to be one with many pockets and compartments. Bags in the department store costs up to 4k! Whoa! Okay, we have time to look into this and shop online haha Though in the end... we actually got one for free because Cordlife already gave one to us.

For the baby carrier, my sister already gave us one. I am not sure if we going to buy another 1 as an extra. But I guess it would be an investment because carrying a baby will probably hurt my back hehe Though that could also wait until after the baby is born hehe

For the stroller, Jeff preferred it to include a car seat already... Though I was thinking, car seats aren't really common in the Philippines because there's no law about it yet. Though for security purposes, a car seat is always nice. I just prefer the stroller to be lightweight. In the department store, the brand that will fit our expectations was Graco, for the whopping price of 15k! Haha That's the price of the crib already! So... we still have time to look for something else haha


So there you have it. My guess is that it's still too early to buy this but I'm too excited so I'm already on the lookout for sales and reading up on the different kinds! Haha The list is basically based on another blog and this one.

Though a thought came while we were in the department store... Do we really need those sterilizers that cost 15k? I just remember getting the bottles sterilized through boiling in water when I was young haha I guess I still have much to learn and read up on, but it's okay because I'm excited anyway hehe




Since I've been reading up on "essential" things for babies, I also read up on those things that are not really necessary (some of which, I agree). For example, there are a lot of things listed in the SM Department Store Gift Registry, which I don't think are necessary.
Clothes - as I said previously, they say don't buy a lot of newborn clothes, because babies tend to outgrow them very quickly (and they're rather cheaper to buy in bulk in Hello Baby Outlet in Belair, Makati)
Car seat - well, in the Philippines, they are not totally required, unless in the US and they're actually pretty expensive here
Sterilizer - as I said, we can just boil them right? Hehe But I guess it's a nice to have especially if it's a gift hehe
Air purifier/humidifier - really?
Changing table - actually... we are thinking of just a regular drawer... but we're not yet sure since we don't really have enough space for now. Or since we were hoping to get a playpen, they can come with changing tables.
Diaper pail/trash bin - having a separate bin for diapers? Well, I was thinking of a diaper bag because we have to wash this separately from the other clothes because we need it.
High chair - we think it's way tooo far to think about buying one... Actually, I don't really remember if we used one at home before.
Knee pads - I think babies need to crawl on their own and it would only strengthen if they don't have knee pads