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SUPPORTING NZ FAMILIES THROUGH LOSS

Neither life nor childbirth is without risk. And sometimes we loose the baby or child we have so dearly loved and wanted. Sands is a voluntary organisation that helps support families through the difficult time of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death. I think it is awesome that it is run by parents who have experienced loss themselves, rather than another service set up to fill 'a need'. For who can know what you are going through better than someone who has been there themselves? sands.org.nz

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BIRTH IS PRIMAL! So use you primal brain…

You were born with the knowledge of how to give birth! So during active labour to help quieten down your neocortex (thinking brain) and use your primal brain (the part of you that instinctively knows how to give birth) HAVE THESE THINGS: QUIET. PRIVACY. DIM LIGHTING. NO AWARENESS OF TIME.
Avoid: Your birth team chatting with each other. Bright lights. Clocks and time limits. Direct questions e.g. "What time did your waters break?". Feeling observed.
Thanks to Bloom Birth Photography for the beautiful pic of Mama using her primal brain! Sharon is very good at taking photos without people even knowing she is there!

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FOLIC ACID OR FOLATE IN PREGNANCY?

Did you or are you taking folic acid during pregnancy? This article is certainly interesting and worth taking into consideration. Whilst I haven't come across any hard and fast research saying that folic acid is causing tongue ties, it is certainly becoming a more popular theory. And it is a fact that many of the pregnancy vitamins we are marketed, the body cannot use in that form. So it may be worth talking to your care provider about taking a form of folate that the body can process, verses the synthetic form "folic acid".
Is folic acid making us sick

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LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO ANTENATAL CLASSES? Book a Private Session with The Birthing Room

As awesome as antenatal classes can be, they are not suitable for everyone. Some families have transportation, social or medical issues that either make classes impossible to get to, or make much of what is taught irrelevant. If your baby has a serious condition and your are not sure if your little one is going to make it, sitting through hours of antenatal education with happy, healthy parents-to-be is less than ideal. Maybe you are expecting a breech baby and need to explore your options. Or what if you are just completely freaked out at the reality that a person is now living inside you? Or you've suffered sexual abuse and talking about the birth makes you feel traumatised? Or the truth is you don't even LIKE babies?!

Kate Evans states in her book 'BUMP: How to make, grow & birth a baby' that "You don't discuss these kinds of things at antenatal appointments. In our culture, the social rituals that accompany pregnancy centre around medical care and, later on, shopping for the new arrival. It's all very practical - it's about blood tests and ultrasound scans, then different makes of car seats and pushchairs. We don't explore the philosophical, emotional or spiritual ramifications of pregnancy. That's not very British." Unfortunately, it's not very kiwi either. I have heard many a childbirth education teacher say that large numbers of clients in an antenatal class is easy because "you don't have to go too deep." BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT GOING DEEP!!

So what is the alternative to group antenatal classes? The Birthing Room offers boutique antenatal classes which have a maximum size of 6 Mums-to-be (plus partners). But if that doesn't work for you for whatever reason there is another choice. The Birthing Room also offers Private Antenatal Education Sessions. You can have as many or as few as you need. The sessions can be done in the privacy of your own home (if you are in Christchurch or North Canterbury), or with Google Face Time on your computer if you are elsewhere in New Zealand.

Some of the benefits of Private Antenatal Education are:
-Only covers topics relevant to your situation
-Can ask any question or talk about any subject (especially the deep ones...)
-Receive a BirthWorks Childbirth Preparation Workbook
-Can be done at a time that works for YOU, not just trying to fit your life around weeks of classes

The Birthing Room is now taking bookings for Private Antenatal Education Sessions throughout New Zealand. Cost $50NZ/hr in person or $40NZ/hr online.

For more information about The Birthing Room's Private Antenatal Education Sessions CONTACT US

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MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Thank you for a fabulous year everyone! The Birthing Room has had a year of awesome growth and incredibly positive results. I hope you've enjoyed The Birthing Room fb posts this year.
In 2015 The Birthing Room will be starting North Canterbury Antenatal Classes, and facilitating The Youth Alive Trust's new free Antenatal Classes for young parents called BUMP. And of course there will be lots more Christchurch Antenatal Classes, Online Antenatal Classes for people throughout NZ & overseas, Kiwi Companions (NZ Doulas), Doco & Discussion nights, events, and lots lots more fb posts to help empower & inspire you! Thank you to Bloom Birth Photography & Rachel Herangi for amazing pics throughout the year to share. Merry Christmas everyone, see you in 2015! XX Rosemary

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WORLD LEADING ANTENATAL EDUCATION: Empowering women yet again!

Wow, I am truly blown away with the impact BirthWorks is having on people's birth experiences! Got the privilege tonight of hearing about yet another Birthing Room baby's incredible arrival. Really looking forward to facilitating more BirthWorks antenatal education next year at The Birthing Room's Antenatal Classes. The next courses begin in February in Christchurch & North Canterbury. The Birthing Room Antenatal Classes

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ANOTHER REASON WHY YOUR DUE DATE COULD BE FALSE

Due date accurate? Probably not! Most women have their "due date" calculated from the date of their last period. This is based on the assumption that every woman ovulates on day 14 of a 28 day cycle. The average length of a cycle is actually 29.5 days (which go figure is the same as the lunar cycle). Only 15% of women get their period on day 28, and of those women only some ovulate on day 14. So knowing when you made your baby can go a long way for knowing your "due date"! (Bump: Kate Evans)

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SUPPORT THROUGH MISCARRIAGE

What are your thoughts on miscarriage? Doula NZ writes: "MISCARRIAGE. Unfortunately has become such a "taboo" subject in our culture. Do you think it is better to not tell people you are pregnant until the 2nd trimester, just in case? Or is it better to tell people you are pregnant early on so they can support you through infant loss, should you have a miscarriage? I would love to see miscarriage treated as the birth is really is. I feel women (and their families) should be supported, wrapped around with love, give birth in a non medical setting if ever possible, be given meals, rest and be loved some more through their birth experience. What are your thoughts?" How to support someone after miscarriage or loss

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