Our wonderful, intense, didn’t-make-it-to-the-water birth

Written by mum of two, Katie, who writes the blog Coffee with Katie; “stories about motherhood and coffee conversations”. 
A week and a half before Zara was born I had 10 hours of contractions. I was sure that I was in labour and that the baby would be born that night. I had been timing the contractions since 4pm and they were coming consistently and getting stronger. At 2am I eventually fell asleep, expecting to wake later and rush to the hospital. Instead I slept till morning and woke feeling completely normal. No baby.
Up until then I had assumed that the birth would be similar to my first – which was a precipitate labour that you can read about here. These contractions made me think that this birth might be quite different and I wondered if I would cope if it was a much longer, slower birth. With my first I had put a lot of things in place to ensure it was a positive one – I organised a doula, hired a TENS machine, had acupuncture, practiced hypno birthing and pressure points with my husband etc. This time I hadn't organised anything, I was just assuming it would be ok, and the 10 hours of contractions made me nervous. We couldn’t afford to do everything we did last time, so out of all of the things I had to choose. I decided to choose a doula as I felt we needed all the support possible and because having a doula last time made us feel so positive about the birth, both in the lead up to it and afterwards. We organised a student doula through the Australian Doula College, which is much less expensive than booking a fully qualified doula. It’s lucky we went for this option because for the second time the doula didn’t actually make it to the birth. Even though she didn’t make it in time I don’t regret having a doula because you never know what type of birth you will have. You just have to plan for the unknowns as best as you can and be prepared for anything.
Knowing my first birth had been so fast and with such little warning I had started staying close to Box Hill Hospital at 37 weeks. This was not something I did with our first baby, as I had assumed that labour would start slow and gently and give me enough time to get home from wherever I was. Staying close to home, made the waiting very real, it made me constantly think that our baby could be close. But I was feeling great right up until the final day of my pregnancy so I started to think, maybe this bub is still a while away.
The day before I gave birth was our wedding anniversary. It was a sunny day and mum and dad had our eldest daughter. We went to a beautiful nursery café in Warrandyte with a view. We sat outside in the sun and took some time to reflect. We went for a walk along the river. We took photos of my belly and I realised that it was absolutely ready to pop, that it was the hugest belly I have ever seen. We sat by the river and talked about our baby. We prayed for her and wrote letters to her. Sitting with the man I love and doing this brought me a great deal of peace. I very much felt that as a team we were ready to welcome our baby and become a family of four.
Sunday morning was the end of daylight savings so my daughter woke at 5am. When she woke us up I noticed that I was having cramps. This wasn’t unusual for me though, as I had been having cramps / contractions / prelabour on and off for about 5 weeks. They weren’t strong so I didn’t think that anything was happening. I started timing them and realised that, though they weren’t strong, they were coming consistently about five minutes apart. I was still in denial though as my previous contractions had been a false alarm. Still we started getting ready for the hospital just in case – packing the last few things, putting the bags in the car, tidying up the bedroom, bathing our daughter and doing her hair for a party she was going to that afternoon. At 8:20am I messaged our doula and asked her to come. I said I wasn’t sure if it was going to go away or progress but I asked her to come anyway. By 8:50 the contractions were getting stronger and fast. I realised that we weren’t going to have time to finish bathing our daughter. Luckily my dad was there so I quickly asked him to get my daughter out of the bath and dressed and we ran to the car.
I remember getting in the car when I was in labour with my first and how dramatic it had been, how I was screaming and kneeling and holding back her head. This time it was all very easy and calm. We drove to the hospital and I was able to discuss the best place to park with my husband. We found street parking. I jumped out, leaving my husband to park the car, and walked alone into the hospital, up the lift and into the birthing ward. The midwife who greeted me later told me I was so calm that she thought she was going to check me and send me home.
But as soon as I got into the birthing suite the contractions started coming thick and fast. I leaned on the table and swayed my hips to get through them. My husband arrived with our bags. The contractions were ramping up and the pressure was building. I remembered the feeling of pressure from last time. I tried a number of different positions and ended up on all fours on the bed. When I arrived I had told the midwife I wanted a water birth and she had turned the water on. I wanted to get in the bath but it wasn’t full enough. The contractions were so painful that I was now screaming through each one. I was grateful though that the contractions were coming and going so I was getting a break between each one to catch my breath. My first birth had been so fast that I didn’t have contractions, they just rolled on top of each other without a break for an hour and a half. Now that I remember the intensity of the pain of birth, I wonder how I did it with my daughter, how I got through it without the break between contractions. With my first birth I actually blanked out as I was birthing, so I blocked the memory of the pain. This time I was much more aware of it, I was feeling every little bit. I was becoming terrified of the contractions because I felt they were too much for me. As I felt them coming I said 'oh no, oh no, oh no; because I didn't feel I could face it. I felt I had too much pain and no path through, as though the people around me couldn't and wouldn't help me through. I asked for the bath and I asked for gas but I wasn't able to use either.
Looking back this is the time I would have appreciated having our doula with us, who could have made some practical suggestions to get me through, who could have advocated for me, updated me on where things were at, explained what was happening and why.
I asked the midwife if she could see the baby’s head. Although you might think it would be obvious whether the head is out or not all I could feel was pain without being able to identify exactly what that pain was. Luckily, the birth was quick, and before long the baby was out (she was born at 9:30, half an hour after we arrived at the hospital). I was so relieved. I had birthed, again, without intervention or any pain relief.
It is often assumed that a quick birth is a good birth and that it makes it easy. I can’t count the number of people who have said how lucky I am. And while I am grateful to have had two quick births, it is true that short labours are characterised by contractions that are continuous or extremely long and intense. In both births I had no options for pain relief, despite experiencing pain that was more intense than I can find words to describe.
I didn’t see it but I was told my daughter was born in the sack. I wish we had got a photo of that but the midwife popped it straight away and my husband was too busy caring for me in that moment. Within seconds she was placed on my chest, naked and wet and messy, and we were covered in warm towels. She was here!
My husband and I had named her a couple of months earlier – Zara Lethu – a name that means ‘our radiant dawn’. I held her close to me and was overwhelmed that she was here and by just how blessed I am to be the mother of two daughters. I looked at my husband, I remembered the first night I had vomited at a restaurant and suspected I was pregnant nine months earlier – what a journey it had been to becoming a family of four!
I was lucky because I had no tearing or problems with the birth. With my first I had had internal lacerations which took weeks to heal. This time the recovery has been much easier and much quicker. I believe that this is birth how God created it to be – with breaks between the pain, no damage afterwards and a quick / easy recovery. Having not anticipated feeling so good afterwards I was amazed, amazed at how the body can repair itself and how it can bounce back from something as momentous as birth. I personally am in awe of just what a woman’s body can do.
So now my second daughter is here, and I’ve just embarked on the crazy, amazing and no doubt life-changing journey of being a mother of two. Welcome, little one.

coffeewithkatie.blog/welcome-about-me/ 

“There is nothing to escape from, nothing to avoid, nothing to oppose and nothing you cannot face or cope with or go through. Each contraction brings you closer to the goal of birth.” Janet Balaskas
First signs of labour may include:

• pre labour
• the “bloody show” or “mucous plug” dislodging
• occasionally the membranes rupture
• period tupe pain or dull back ache
• diarrhoea

Emotional signals that labour is impending:

• Feeling “over” the pregnancy, uncomfortable
• Feeling a little spaced out
• Feeling on edge or on the edge, waiting for labour to begin

Pre-labour
The sensations can range from general aches and discomfort to specific pelvic cramps. These may be accompanied by braxton hicks contractions and will be irregular. You may feel your belly become firm for lengthy periods of time.
There are lots of hormonal changes occurring at this time. As your cervix begins to thin (efface) and stretch (dilate), you may notice a ‘bloody show’ of pink or red mucous, or a mucous ‘plug’ that is thick and opaque.
Bowel movements can be regular and loose at this stage. Your waters may break with a slow leak or a strong gush.
Conserve your energy. If possible stay relaxed and well rested. Hydrate and nourish your body if you can.
Stay aware of how you are emotionally and physically.

Labour
If you begin breathing gently, slowly and deeply at the onset of labour, you will always have somewhere to go with your breath, both in pace and effort, as labour intensifies.
“My breath in, my breath out, my life in, my child out,
In and out, down and out, open and out,
My love in, my life in, my love out, my child out”
Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, you can extend the exhale as labour intensifies. Because we can alter our breath voluntarily, conscious breathing has a direct effect on our mentality, allowing you and your baby to connect deeply throughout labour.
The upper layers of the uterus will contract to reduce the space while the lower layers stretch, relax and open to allow the baby’s release. The pressure and intense sensation of labour needs to be accepted, rather than fought against. 

First Stage
This describes the circular opening and thinning of the cervix and is characterised by rhythmic, regular contractions aprox 15-20min apart lasting 20-30seconds. Contactions/tightenings/waves become longer with less space between them. Some women have no pre labour and some experience contractions spaced a few minutes apart all the way through.
This is the time to manage your energy. Some mothers need to relax and lay down, while others need to be active to facilitate progress.
Keep drinking and eating.
Direct your breath to your pelvis.
You should empty your bladder every few hours. As needed, communicate with your birth team:

• remind me to focus during the contractions
• help me change position
• hold me/touch me like this
• tell me to bring my breath down

The energy and intensity leading into the second stage may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweats, shakes and self doubt.

Transition
This interval describes the final opening of the outer edges of the cervix. The descending head against the cervix and the upper walls of the vagina creates immense pressure. 
Second Stage
Your baby is ready to travel through your open cervix, vagina and towards your perineum (the expulsive stage).
Direct your breath into any areas that you feel pressure or intensity. Your body, breath and mind can work together energetically to help you push, at other times it may catch you off guard. 
Continue to “let down” between contractions.
Placing your hand over your vagina, where you can feel your baby’s head emerge, may help you to align yourself to the birthing. Touch guidance may help you feel supported as baby’s head emerges, warm cloths on the perineum can help soften the tissue there and prevent tearing.
Change can help the decent of your baby, changing positions, posture, water/land etc.
There is lots of pressure on your rectum, the whole anal area needs to ‘flower’ open for your baby to emerge, do not resist this feeling.
As your baby is close to being born, you may feel emotionally and physically stretched to your limit.
The baby body will closely follow the head, in the next contraction or immediately. Stay present and focus your breath on your perineum.
Third Stage
This describes the birth of the placenta and the first contact between mother and child. Baby will begin to breathe, provided all is well. Within a few moments your uterus will contract rhythmically again, it will be more noticeable with second and third (and fourth) babies. The placenta will be birthed anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours after the birth of your baby. Once the placenta is birthed, you can truly rest.
Drink something warm to restore body fluids post birth.
Babies receive all life sustaining nourishment from the umbilical cord during pregnancy. The oxygen delivered through this cord gradually decreases after birth, triggering baby to breathe. The baby will instinctively seek nourishment at his mothers breast. The longer you can leave the cord attached, the less likely it is that unnecessary blood loss will occur.
While medically managing the delivery of the placenta with syntocinon is designed to reduce the risk of maternal bleeding, or postpartum haemorrhage, it seems that it actually leads to many of the problems that active management is designed to prevent.
It can lead to a newborn being deprived of up to half of her expected blood volume which is intended to perfuse the newly functioning lungs and other vital organs, thus possible complications such as breathing difficulties and anaemia are caused, especially in vulnerable babies. Further, continuing high levels of adrenaline will counteract oxytocin’s beneficial effects on the mother’s uterus, therefore, increasing the risk of haemorrhage.

Do you have a birth story that you would like to share? Please email sares@crossfitcroydon.com.au

Usually the parents-to-be are busy preparing for the impending birth of their baby. They might be setting up a baby room, finalising a birth plan, cooking for the post partum period. Mum might be “nesting” in preparation of welcoming her child, cleaning and washing everything. If there is another child, the parents might be spending lots of cherished time with them, talking to them about how their world will change. If the mum has been made aware about optimal foetal positioning she may be doing exercises to ensure her baby is in a great birthing position. Napping is a beautiful way to pass the time, as is visualising the birth and meditation. Many couples might feel anxiety about the birth, they may choose to ignore these or seek help. If a wife is being particularly emotional it is best that her husband or partner brings her cups of raspberry leaf tea and rubs her feet while being very quiet ;)
A woman might take supplementation and relaxation more seriously at this time to prepare for labour and the post partum period.

Week 29
Your baby's bones are fully developed, but still soft and pliable. Her adrenal glands are producing a chemical which will be made into a form of estrogen by the placenta. This might stimulate prolactin production in your body, which causes milk production. So that if she comes early, you'll be able to breastfeed.
Some mummas in fact experience leaking colostrum at this stage of pregnancy! The placenta is pressing on your bladder, causing frequent urination, and you may feel a heaviness in the pelvic floor area. It is important to keep moving now as energy creates energy and movement is important to keep you and baby healthy.

Week 30
Red blood cells are now forming in your baby's bone marrow.
You may find yourself breathless, as your belly expands and organs shift in a way that restricts the diaphragm. It is really important to practice breathing deeply, yoga can help you with this. Leg cramps are common at night and can be treated by taking magnesium.

Week 31
Your baby's central nervous system has matured so it can control body temperature.
Sleep may feel like a memory as mumma might be uncomfortable. Stretching can actually help so much with this. By now mumma should be doing three sets of 20 cat and cows daily to help her baby find its optimal position, there is still plenty of time for baby to move. 
Be aware of baby's movements and if there is a notable decrease contact your care provider, baby will be a little restricted as she grows but keeping track of kicks may help decrease the chance of still birth.

Week 32
Your baby practices breathing motions in preparation for birth. His five senses are developed, and REM sleep begins. Lanugo (downy hair) starts to disappear. His body begins absorbing vital minerals, like iron and calcium from his intestinal tract.
Weight gain is steadily increasing now, and fluid retention is likely. Please avoid processed and salty foods. If you suddenly feel quite puffy, you may want to look into preeclampsia, which can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood, which can cause a small baby. It is a leading cause of premature birth, and complications that can follow include learning disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems. You can prevent this with a healthful diet. 

Week 33
Your baby has probably moved head downward and may descend into your pelvis at any time, beginning to press onto your cervix. This position prepares her for birth and allows blood to flow to her developing brain. She is building her antibody supply.

Week 34
Your baby's brain development is rapid and he is taking deep breaths. His eyes can blink and open when awake while closed when he is asleep, the pupils even dilate and constrict in reaction to light. The white coating that protects his skin (vernix caseosa) is about to get thicker.
It is a good idea to install your baby's car seat and walk your pram with your pooch if you have one.

Week 35
While your baby's nervous and immune system are still under development, everythig else is fully formed.
GBS infection is diagnosed from specimens collected from blood, urine or spinal fluid. Vaginal swabs may be collected from pregnant women to determine if the bacteria are present. Many Australian hospitals screen ‘at-risk’ pregnant women for GBS infection. Other hospitals screen all pregnant women at 35 to 37 weeks. Risk factors include; Preterm labour (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), women whose waters have been broken for more than 18 hours, fever in labour (greater than 38C), a previous GBS affected baby, GBS urinary tract infection in pregnancy.
Be aware that a woman that is GBS positive has no risk factors and no treatment the chance that her baby is being affected by GBS is 1 in 500, which is a low risk.
The antibiotics given to a woman in labour will have an impact on her own flora that she passes on to her baby at the time of birth. If antibiotics are given in labour there is a delay in newborn gut colonisation. The antibiotics received in labour will partially pass to the baby during gut colonisation, interfere with the baby’s development of a healthy gut flora and potentially allow penicillin-resistant bacteria to become established.
Even if a swab result returns positive at 36 weeks, that does not mean that the vagina is still colonised with GBS at the time of labour and vice versa. And research has shown that whilst antibiotics might be effective in most cases, they do not 100% prevent early onset GBS disease in newborns.
Get testing if you present with any risk factors; labour before 37 weeks, waters have been broken for more than 18 hours, fever <38degrees during labour, a previous GBS affected baby, or if you have had a GBS urinary tract infection in pregnancy.
You might start to see your care provider each fortnight now. It is a good idea to have a birth plan, and supportive team.

Week 36
Relaxin causes your joints to feel loose due to the smooth muscle in your body relaxing. This helps you to vaginally deliver a baby, as the pelvic bones need to soften and the vagina needs to stretch. You may start taking Evening Primrose Oil vaginally as of next week, as it contains prostaglandins which help ripen the cervix. Use this while you practice perineal massage, to reduce the risk of tearing during labour. 

Week 37
Your baby will begin to move into a head-down position. When she is facing your abdomen, she's said to be in the occiput posterior (OP) position ie the back of your baby's skull (the occipital bone) is in the back/posterior of your pelvis. The ideal position for birth is LeftOP. Your baby is practicing her breathing, though has increasingly less space to stretch and kick. Her intestines are also building up meconium, a greenish-black substance that will become her first bowel movement.
You may notice Braxton Hicks contractions, which are irregular and random in occurance. These may briefly take your breath away but are all part of becoming ready to birth your baby.

Week 38
Your baby's neurons are still developing, and this will continue throughout his first years of life. His organs are ready to function on their own. Sing to him and spend time in meditation, sending your love and desire to meet him.
Continue to eat small, nutrient dense foods and stay well hydrated, even though your size can cause you to feel less agile than before. 

Week 39
Your baby's chest is becoming more prominent and boy's testes continue to descend into the scrotum.
Your baby knows her birth date. Possibly, when babies are ready, they send a chemical signal of androgens to the placenta, increasing the estrogen and leading to birth. Most first babies are a little "over due" and rarely is a baby born on its EDD. Please be patient and spend these last few weeks making final preparations for your baby.
If you can, swimming is amazing relief from the heaviness you may feel! Continue to practice your optimal foetal positioning techniques, keep walking and make plans to do something you love each day.

Week 40-42
Your baby is gaining weight, and it is very inaccurate to guage their size from manual manipulation or ultrasound.
You may experience labour at any time now, meditation and patience will hold you in good stead.
Check on in with the next blog to read about the stages of labour and some great preparation advice.

Switch off
Turn off your phone, do not allow notifications on your smart phone, keep your phone on silent and pop it on flight mode from 8pm-8am. Turn off computer notifications. Begin whatever it is that you need to do.
If I am studying or writing I chunk my time, 45min of hard work and 15minute mental break per hour. This advice was given to me by my best friend when we were at uni and I still employ this method 12years later.
Meditate in the morning
I have been light sourcing and finding this extremely beneficial, rather than trying to find time to meditate during my busy days.
rebeccacampbell.me/instant-guidance/  
Heathful, nourishing food
at all the curries, roast veggies and drink all the herbal tea. Winter is the time to slow down our world, chew thoughtfully, eat only food prepared from home (or with love at your favourite restaurant). Cut processed food and sugar from your diet and if you are STILL eating dairy then please stop! Wholefoods are the food we eat that is as close to it's natural state without refining or processing.
Nature
Walk daily in the crisp fresh air. Set your feet upon the cool earth or sand and feel connected to our mother. Get that vitamin D :D
Visualisation
"Decide what you want. Believe you can have it. Believe you deserve it and believe it is possible for you. And then close your eyes and every day for several minutes visualise having what you already want, feeling the feelings of already having it. Come out of that and focus on what you're grateful for already, and really enjoy it. then go into your day and release it to the Universe and trust that the Universe will figure out how to manifest it." Jack Canfield
Imagine the person you want to be, what does it really mean to you to be successful? What behaviours and traits does the person you are destined to become possess? Show up every day with tiny inspired actions that draw you closer to the life you desire.
For example, mummas to be, visualise meeting your baby, imagine bringing your baby earthside in a peaceful and loving way. Imagine an empowered mother-centred birth, inhale love and exhale your fears.
Sleep
Recovery and rebalance occurs when we sleep, so go get those zzzzzz's. We naturally feel more lethargic when there is less sunlight and warm days. Light candles to eat dinner by and as the sun sets, prepare for a warm and comfortable nights rest.

It happened again...I left it too late to fill up my cup, overwhelm and anxiety combined with deep depression have become my normal.
Then there's the mumma guilt. My children do not deserve a depleted mother. My children deserve lightness, peace and joy in each day. They deserve presence and ease.
In the trying to create this for us all, I often lose my sense of direction. Sometimes I do so much work on myself that I trap myself into believing I am not enough exactly as I am. And this is already a belief system I carry from childhood. My number one goal is to instill in my children the knowledge that they are enough exactly as they each are, as different and out there as that may be.
I find this challenging with River, as he is exploring some way out there behaviours and voices and can often be aggressive and weird. It challenges me in so many ways.
Bringing this back to the way I want to feel, I want to feel connected, and so I try to listen to his stories as best as I can (uninterrupted by technology). It is hard when by nature, he wants to create and destroy and play as wild as can be! I always knew I would find this age challenging, as I had limited interaction with boys at the same age, and most of the children I babysat were much younger or just in to different things.
We have to just try to connect on any level, today happened to be the alphabet. It is my absolute pleasure to teach my children about the english language, as writing and reading have always been my favourite activities.
I also ensured that I went for a walk and was recharged by the beautiful sunset with Reef. When we returned River and Raine were drumming and singing outside, they think they can start busking immediately!
So here are my top ways to fill my own cup:

• dance
• write, journal or read
• make a list (literally of anything)
• exercise
• yoga 
• walk 
• talk to a good friend or just spend time with them
• pop on a face mask and paint my nails
• clean the house

Sometimes I can literally do all of these in a day and it doesn't impact my mood or my demeanor...at least not like a cup of coffee and a deadline does! So it is my promise to myself to do all of these as often as I can.
Thankyou for reading my blogs, especially if you have been following my journey over the past six years. And if you have only just started following along then I hope next week I can provide you with enough information to discover who I am and my mission.

"I am not here for your understanding of who I am. I am here for your understanding of who you are. I am your mirror. How you feel about me, what you see in me, the thoughts that arise from your encounter of me, the judgement s you held about me are all reflections of you. They have nothing to do with me."
- Emily Maroutian

During the second trimester, energy levels can somewhat return to normal. It is really important to stay well hydrated, continue movement and eat nourishing foods. It is especially important to eat well after a period of morning sickness, so that you ensure yourself and baby receive optimal nutrients. It is lovely to start journalling at this time. Notice the changes within your body, and start to think about welcoming your baby, the sort of parent you might like to be. 
If this is your first baby, enjoy resting where possible, dates with your partner and slowly preparing for their arrival. If you have other children, it is a beautiful time to spend quality time with them, talk to them about what they might expect with a newborn sibling.
You might like to book in your birth support team, photographs and start making regular appointments for body care (massage or chiropractic).


The Second Trimester 13-28
Week 13
he hormone, relaxin, helps to loosen ligaments and joints. It may also make you a little clumsier. Baby's foetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and synapses (neurological connections in your brain) start to form. The baby has more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench. Baby starts to swallow and urinate amniotic fluid! Baby has fingerprints.

Week 14
Energy levels increase and morning sickness may ease up. Miscarriage risk drops drastically.  The baby can move the muscles of its face. HIs or her arms will lengthen in proportion to its body. Downy hair forms on the body.

Week 15
Skin pigmentation may change, and libido may spike. Baby is about the size of an avocado. The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, the foetus is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through his lungs.

Week 16
Constipation, bloating, gas and indigestion may be prevalent due to hormones. You may feel your baby kick for the first time! Baby is rapidly growing, about 13 cms and weighing 140g. The skeleton is mostly cartilage, which will harden later and myelin slowly begins to wrap around the spinal cord.

Week 17
The uterus is growing to accommodate baby, mummas will usually be showing now. The baby’s bones begin to harden, the umbilical cord grows stronger and thicker.

Week 18
Vivid dreams, nightmares and insomnia can disrupt a mummas sleep now. Baby’s ears are standing out from its head. The arms and legs can flex, and the chest moves to mimic breathing. Boys genitals are recognisable and girls reproductive organs are developed.

Week 19
As the centre of gravity shifts, you might experience back ache and clumsiness. Sensory development reaches its peak this week with each of the senses – taste, smell, hearing, sight and touch – developing in their specialised areas of the brain. Nerve cell production slows as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections. Arms and legs are in correct proportion to the body. Baby measures about 14.2cm long and weighs about 240g.

Week 20
Uterus has reached the navel! Round ligament pain can be present due to the round ligaments, which are attached to your pelvic sidewall and each side of your upper uterus, pulling and stretching as the uterus grows. Vernix caseosa begins to cover the baby, and bub is steadily gaining weight. 

Week 21
Hopefully mumma is feeling amazing, though body image concerns may appear as her belly grows. It is important to keep moving in preparation of labour, for optimal foetal positioning and to ensure strong pelvic floor muscles. The eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed and the fingernails cover the fingertips.

Week 22
Low blood pressure is common, so be mindful of moving quickly from lying down or seated to standing. Nails and hair may look extra strong due to oestrogen (hormone). The baby now weighs about 430g, measures 27cm long from crown to heel, and is proportioned like a newborn. The lips are distinct and the eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation. The pancreas is developing steadily. 
The first signs of teeth appear in the form of tooth buds beneath the gum line.

Week 23
Mumma should definitely have felt bub kick by now. Anaemia could be causing a few symptoms like fatigue and should be monitored as bub likes to take what he or she needs and many mummas cannot store iron efficiently. Your baby's hearing is well established and lungs are preparing to breathe.

Week 24
Libido may dip or surge here thanks to hormones. Aches and pains due to growing a human are apparent and sleep may be harder to come by, despite being tired. Bronchioles in the baby's lungs are developing.

Week 25
The uterus grows upward and outward now. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can occur. Baby now weighs nearly 660g and is about 35cm long from crown to heel. He or she is starting to put on some adipose/fat, and their hair has colour and texture.

Week 26
Fluid retention may occur in some mummas, so it is important to stay hydrated. Baby’s eyes begin to open around now and brain development is intense.

Week 27
The volume of amniotic fluid reduces by half. The weight in the belly might cause sciatica. Baby sleeps and wakes regularly! Often babies will get hiccups now, swallowing amniotic fluid.

Week 28
 As baby and belly grow your legs may ache or cramp, it's hard to get a good sleeping position, and the baby is big enough to give you some sharp kicks to the ribs. The baby weighs just over one kg and may measure 38 centimetres from top to toe. His or her fat layers are forming and his fingernails appear.

This is a wonderful time to start thinking about the delivery of your baby earth side. Ways in which to help you breastfeed, what to do with the placenta, creating a birth plan, starting to prepare a place for the baby to sleep.
It is really important to learn about optimal foetal positioning and pelvic floor health (including diastasis recti). It is important to eat a wide variety of nutritious, fibrous, foods and stay well hydrated to avoid fluid retention and constipation.
It is a good idea to begin or continue exercising.
Talking to each other about labour support from partner, about parenting roles and expectations. Mum should feel safe to discuss any concerns she may have about the labour and post partum period with her partner.

Week One
Mumma's uterus is the size of a fist and sits in the pelvis. If you are planning a baby it is a great idea to behave as if you are pregnant, take folate and avoid alcohol and caffeine. 
Embryonic period begins for the conceptus until 8weeks. HCG hormone increases.

Week Two
"Mittelschmerz" or middle pain is possible. Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF), an immunosuppressant protein is produced in the ovaries. This is signalled by the blastocyst when implantation is complete. Cell division occurs for the blastocyst.

Week Three
Most Mummas will not know they are pregnant, though there may be some symptoms.
The embryo is 3mm and it's miniature heart pumps blood in the mesoderm. It has three layers, the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm.

Week Four
Mumma could be feeling lethargy, mood swings, sensitive breasts and there will be a large increase in the HCG hormone.
Embryo now receives nutrition via umbilical vessels connected to the placenta. The neural folds begin to fuse.

Week Five
The increase of some hormones can cause mumma's to get headaches, become lethargic and nauseous.
The embryo is between 4-10mm, limb buds appear and there is endodermal differentiation. Epithelial linings of digestive and respiratory tracts form.

Week Six
Some Mummas will discover their pregnancy and find that skin changes may occur, like breakouts or oily skin.
The embryo has three sets of kidneys at this stage, hand plates and the nasal pits are forming.

Week Seven
Parents may be coming to term with the news of their pragnancy, and this may be a time of excitement or even fear. There may be tension between partners as a mumma is feeling exhausted and emotional, it is my personal opinion that this is a good way to create compassionate and empathetic parents.
Toes are forming on the embryo while the liver churns red blood cells until the kidneys take over.

Week Eight
Especially if this is not a mummas first pregnancy, she may find that her belly is quite hard and "bloated". This is normal. If she is exercising this is a great time to stop all direct abdominal work and keep the heart rate more even, she should be able to talk through a workout.
Bub is about 22mm with his head as large as his body. All of his major brain regions and limbs are present. Ossification (hardening of bones) starts and spontaneous muscle contractions occur. Rapid growth begins for the baby.

Week Nine
Mummas growing uterus may cause more frequent urination.
Babies wrists develop, her ankles are formed, her little fingers and toes are visible, and the inner ear is complete. The placenta develops to support most of the hormone production.

Week Ten
Mumma could well be aboard an emotional roller coaster and may begin to experience cravings. It is a great time to slow down and really listen to her body, finding an experienced yoga teacher, trainer and chiropractor or massage therapist. 
Babies face has a human profile and he develops fingernails.

Week Eleven
Parents should choose a hospital or birthing space, choose public or private maternity care and begin to build a birthing team. 
Baby will have developed her/his genitals.

Week Twelve
Many parents choose to announce their pregnancy now, as the risk of spontaneous miscarriage decreases dramatically. Mumma may start to feel more human now. 
Baby has doubled in size over the past few weeks!

So, in case you have been feeling SUPER strange the last few days, I would like to inform you that today was in fact a full moon.
Here is a lovely ritual that you can adapt: http://spaceinbetween.com.au/how-to-create-a-full-moon-healing-elixir/
And here are my top tips for increasing energy and channelling CALM MUMMA:
1. Do not underestimate the power of a few deep breaths. I catch myself so many times during the day about to say something I might regret (like, please tell me again why you would prefer to waste money on smokes and fast food rather than get fit? and ifIhearonemoretantrumIwillthrowmyselfoutofthewindow) or speak in a way I might regret. If I simply stop and take two or three deep breaths, say whatever it is in my head and then proceed with caution, generally I will avoid making a crap situation worse.
Diaphragm breathing has literally held me (and my rectus abdominus) together.
2. Drink all the water. First thing in the morning I drink a warm lemon water, last thing at night I drink a glass of water. During the day I drink about 3lt of water. I am breastfeeding and train daily, I also drink a tonne of coffee, water is the elixir of LIFE.
3. Eat food that makes you feel good. I dont care about GOOD food vs BAD food, in my humble opinion all FOOD (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and grains) is GOOD and the majority of processed food serves its purpose. We all know that eating processed foods doesn't make us feel good. It might taste good (well, the sugars and fillers and fat do) but if you really sit with your body, you will sense the delayed digestion, the bloating and possibly the toxins.

My gift to a birthing woman is empowerment. I truly believe that birth is a normal process that does not require fear or coercement, and that each birth is magic in its own way. 
Having experienced a 'cascade of intervention' and traumatic cesaerean, then a healing home birth (HBAC), followed by a very fast and intense home birth, gives me strength and belief in what women can do. Women are so strong and when our birthing partners align with our vision, we can achieve a birth that is beautiful.
I love women, birth and babies and love when partners are supportive of the birthing mother. I believe I can hold space for a birthing couple or family with a deep respect for midwifery and personal choice.
With a lengthy experience and vast knowledge of anatomy as an exercise scientist, personal trainer, coach and yoga teacher, I can assist women during pregnancy, labour and the post partum period. I believe in affirmations, manifesting your dreams and the power of breath.

It's day five of NO SLEEP in our home. Thanks to an ex husband that wont be named, who got a cough, which has now passed from child to child, all I have heard at night is coughing for the last three weeks.
This wouldn't be so bad, I mean, I can survive hearing coughing...it's just that Reef is feeding like a newborn overnight...and he screams like we're pulling out toenails if I refuse to feed him. And this is compounded by Raine screaming at night because of night terrors/being cold/because she is secretly possessed*
Something about the last week has made this even more unbareable. Raine just cries all the time and has these huge tantrums, River is really struggling with that relationship, Reef is particularly demanding with feeding.
I am trying so hard to be the kind mother. The compassionate, helpful safe space my children can turn to. This is making me train well because I need to get this huge energy out somehow. It is hard to speak truthfully and kindly and role model emotion processing in a way that is age appropriate for the kids.
Most of the time my energy is stretched so thin that I could shatter if the smallest thing doesn't go to plan. There is a confronting place in meditation where the magic isn't happening and I have so many questions, and I'm trying to balance the acceptance of what is, with the dreaming and the manifesting the life I crave.
What have I been doing:
Nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) has helped calm my anxious mind.
Practicing yoga each day and making sure I spend 5-10min diaphragm breathing.
Training five days each week, carefully programmed by my husband to increase my strength and focus on posterior development (I've just bought myself some booty bands for an exciting project), as of this week my focus will be back to building up my muscle ups.
My reading has included:
Parenting for a Peaceful World - which is equal parts eye opening, affirming and devastating. I urge any parent or caregiver to read this if they like more educational texts.
Rise sister Rise - one of the (many) things I took from this book is that my true sisters are waiting and searching for me, just like I am them. And I am able to look at my experiences, emotions and actions without judgement, and I feel like I am evolving each day to my life's calling.
Autumn Eats:
We've been having a hard time preparing enough food for everyone, so as long as I got a big ass coffee, a daily kombucha and a smoothie I am happy. We've been drinking Fire Tonic. Breakfast will be porridge and kitchari through winter so I am looking at more breakfast bars and muffins through this season. Warm salads. Pasta and tofu wraps and Vegie Bar dinner is my jam. I've found a delicious recipe for cauliflower pizza which I will endeavour to post.
Wearing:
I am now an ambassador for the incredible activewear store Movement Mecca #mvmtmecca and all of our CFC tribe can get a little discount (code found in our facebook members page). I'm also crushing on Slinkii and Lorna Jane (their tees and undies are so cute!). 
All my gal pals are invited to a VIP night at Lorna in Eastland on Tuesday May 9th at 5pm, register your interest with me asap.
Dreaming:
I am filming my Mummas porogram to pop online next month!
Because I am having a little winter break in July, I am looking for accomodation in Brisbane from July 4-11th and in Byron from 11th-30th.
There is some HUGE growth on the horizon to both The Mumma Movement and CrossFit Croydon, they say if it doesn't terrify you, then it's not worth doing.
Mumma's and Mumma-to-be's:
Autumn CrossFit Mummas is now fully booked!! 8 weeks of postpartum training come at us!!!
If you are looking for a doula and would like to enquire about my services, I am still available through the ADC as a trainee until July, when I will qualify! Holistic Birth Packages available in Spring.

Here's to the other zombie mummas, and papa bears, the shift workers, the light bringers, anyone who is trying to heal themselves and therefore our world, you are my tribe.


*Ps I do not actually believe Raine is posessed ;)