Crunchy Stuff

MrsCase1 · April 2014

I love natural, home births despite being a c/s girl myself. THIS article was written by a big natural foods guy, and is a birth story from a man's perspective.

Some stuff I found interesting (because his birth was not as unusual as he'd like to believe, LOL.):

1. The whole "not washing our baby for a month and why.

2. She had her baby moved during labor, while fully dilated.

3. Cranial-sacral body work (I have to be honest and say I am not totally on board with this but not my baby so not my problem.)

Reading births like this totally make me want to have a vbac. Too late now, but this was enjoyable nonetheless.

MrsCase1 · April 2014

@nickelnichol don't give up on belly binding! I am a huge proponent!!! I am also plus-sized and while I didn't have a pro come like she did, I did it myself and found it to be very simple.

I WISH I could do placenta encapsulation but my hospital doesn't allow it.

P.S. They said they weren't washing their baby for a MONTH. Lincoln got a wipe down but no formal bath till day 3 as I recall.

temursgirl · April 2014

A month seems a little long, but I thought it's normal to not bathe babies in their first week or two, just give them what you called a wipe down? And a lot of what he described didn't seem that unusual to me. He did mention that mammals except dolphins eat the placenta. Actually, I believe most marine mammals don't. Just in case anyone was curious about marine mammal birthing norms

MrsCase1 · April 2014

@CAMag yeah he definitely thought he got more of a SS birth than he really did. Not like they invented anything they went through, LOL. If you're rich you definitely have more options, I think.

And I also know doctors who will deliver a variety of babies but for the sake of glamour I think he either fibbed or allowed himself to believe that only two other doctors will, LOL.

I have nothing against The Business of Being Born but he took the entire thing to be gospel or something and I do find that a bit dangerous.

BMaidPlanner · April 2014

@MrsCase1 please tell me about this DIY plus sized belly binding! (What does it do? How does it help? What do I need? I am clueless.)

steprozz · April 2014

I have heard of people doing chiro work on newborns and it scares the crap out of me. it's just too outrageous IMO. I do plan on delaying the first bath but probably only to later that night so I can do it and not the nurse. I wish so badly there was some way to do delayed cord clamping with a csection but my dr has told me it's just not possible which makes me sad. but I am working on a gentle csection birth plan with him which I think will be amazing so there's that

tbmadeamistake · April 2014

I think it was his "you can cry now if so inclined" comment that turned me off. I think they had an awesome delivery that worked really well for them. I also think he's very "holier than thou" throughout and that he sounds like he had a little too much of the after birth high. I do delayed cord clamping at my hospital, and I think last time it took about ten minutes for it to stop pulsing and turn white. They delayed the first bath until I was able to get up and help, and just did a quick wipe in the delivery room AFTER an hour of skin to skin time and her first nursing. He seems to have a very discolored view of hospital births in this day and age.

potterybygrace · April 2014

They probably don't vaccinate either.

chloephoebecali · April 2014

BAER:

"After we returned to the US and settled into our new home in Santa Monica Laurentine and I felt that much more 'nested' and conception happened immediately. There was obviously a part of us that needed to feel like we were home (or had a home base) before her body wished to conceive."

So that is why people have ttc?

"It was amazing to see the results after his muscles, bones and nerves were gently helped into optimal positioning. You could see his eyes, mouth and suckling reflexes come in fast and he really found his way after this simple and effective treatment. He went straight on the boob and has been sucking like a champion since. There is no doubt he would have developed this over time however this really did help to speed things up and allow his body to come into natural alignment after the birth faster."

So it helped "speed" things up?! Otherwise it would have taken more time?

"On day 3 after the birth when I first started noticing the symptoms of postpartum moodiness or depression at its infancy the capsules arrived and almost immediately after taking them Laurentine was on high for hours and feeling like superwoman!

She has been in incredible spirits ever since and very present for the connection with baby in these early days and especially her traditional Eastern postpartum treatment of..."

Totally not opposed to this, but really? Immediately taking the capsules? That's some amazing stuff! Jus sounds so condescending. If only it was that easy to treat ppd -just pop one capsule and you are immediately superwoman!

In no way do I think any of this stuff is bad, but coming from his point of view and the way he makes these broad statements just makes me roll my eyes.

tbmadeamistake · April 2014

I side-eyed the whole conceiving because they were feeling comfortable and at home as well. Way to make people who can't conceive easily feel as though it's the fault of where they live/emotions.

rastrau · April 2014

I have to agree that something rubbed me wrong about this article - he definitely felt condescending and eye-roll inducing in certain respects. Must be nice to be rich and have meditation rooms and "famous" professionals on-call. He should look into putting a copy editor on call as well.

Regardless, it was an interesting read, though not quite as unique as he'd like to think. I haven't heard of chiro work on a newborn either, but I can see where it makes sense if that's your cup of tea.

MrsCase1 said:

snip...

I have nothing against The Business of Being Born but he took the entire thing to be gospel or something and I do find that a bit dangerous.

And I definitely agree with this statement. Fanaticism is generally not a good thing. If nothing else, it closes your mind to alternatives.

rastrau · April 2014

saltypearl said:

the part that stuck in my craw was the "baby had turned" which would mean an episiotomy and likely vacuuming (paraphrased). There are babies born sunny side up daily with no episiotomies or vacuuming. I find this to be quite a stretch. My GF delivered her daughter sunny side up with only 3 stitches to natural tearing. This person seems to exaggerate medical interventions so that he can be even more SS.

wss^ My sister delivered DS#2 sunny side up and all she had to say about it was that the pelvic bone gave him a scratch on his nose on the way out. That delivery was otherwise completely med/tool free.

temursgirl · April 2014

@saltypearl Yes! A lot of what he described as "routine" are things my OB/hospital doesn't do at all. And they live in LA, so they must have access to great doctors. I agree he seemed to be trying for a dramatic comparison.

Read247 · April 2014

Damn. I saw the title "crunchy stuff" and thought it was about food.

RaeJ004 · April 2014

I consider myself "crunchy". We will be encapsulating my placenta, I'm shooting for a natural birth, we will delay cord clamping, blah blah blah. But that is MY choice for MY birth. My big issues with this guy is the condescending tone and at the very end where he said that their birth should be the norm. Just like I get to make the decisions about my birth, I feel everyone should get to make their own decisions about their own births. I don't like that he thinks his way should be how everyone else should do it.

And I'm sorry but this is not OUR birth. This is MY birth. If DH wants to have his own he can go right ahead and do so. It's not that I discount what it is he wants, but he on board with "this is your body, you are doing the work, you make the calls. I'm just along for the ride". For some reason it bugged me that he kept saying "our's". Probably just because he rubbed me the wrong way about everything else.

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Married DH 7/30/11

CSC arrived 5/7/12

CHC arrived 6/2/14

Married DH 7/30/11

CSC arrived 5/7/12

CHC arrived 6/2/14

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