I know there will be a day when women don’t think twice about hiring a birth photographer, just as they don’t think twice about hiring a wedding photographer. I am at the cutting edge of something remarkably special. I have the technical and artistic ability of a photographer, the professional knowledge taken from my previous life as a Midwife and the loving, tender heart of a Mum who has journeyed through birth 3 times myself. Each journey all so very different, allowing me to relate to women with all sorts of birth stories.

I shoot in a photojournalistic style, like a fly on the wall, not saying a word, just sitting back and capturing every moment with my camera. I have a special passion for homebirth but I have also photographed births at local hospitals. I compile your photographs into a slideshow for you to cherish in years to come. I have no doubt you will view your slideshow over and over and with a tear in your eye think how remarkable you are and how beautiful the process of birth is.

It is so easy to forget the vernix that covered his soft squishy body, the thick pulsating cord that slowly stopped beating, that very first breast feed with her gazing up at you in awe. Your photographs will be a beautiful reminder of that very first meeting. I am sure you will hold them close to your heart forever.

For more information please head over to www.janemccraephotography.com I look forward to hearing from you.

]]> http://coastkids.com.au/blog/2012/01/why-would-you-hire-a-birth-photographer/feed/ http://coastkids.com.au/blog/2011/09/30-things-my-dad-taught-me/ http://coastkids.com.au/blog/2011/09/30-things-my-dad-taught-me/#comments Sun, 11 Sep 2011 08:47:09 +0000 admin http://coastkids.com.au/blog/?p=518 Book review of “30 Things My Dad Taught Me” by Carlie Harris

“Denis, Ian and Paul Baker are three brothers, and when their dad was dying, Denis came up with the idea of putting together what each of the brothers had learnt from him - and the result is a truly moving book.

When I read it I had a little cry, not because it’s sad but because it is so joyful that it transports me to that place we all remember: sitting with our dad and hearing him talk about life, its highs and lows, and how we as their children can avoid the trapdoors life presents.

This little book is like one amazingly large greeting card. There are beautiful words on every page, some that will make you laugh, some that will make you cry, and it also has pages where you can write special things about your own dad. It’s not mushy or sentimental just warm and insightful. It’s the simplicity that makes this book work.

When you read some of 30 Things My Dad Taught Me you will feel that rush, that warmth, that connectedness to what is real and what is really important. When I first read it I took my time; it’s not a big book, but it’s a reflective one. I thought of my dad, how as a younger man he used to dance on the kitchen table but made sure at the same time that we all ate our eggs. I thought of my dad saying not to go out with that mini-skirt on as it will make boys go crazy. I thought of my dad as I held my little baby boy and we both cried. I thought of my dad as I now watch him as an older man creak beside the vege patch with such a light in his eye that he still looks like that young man who danced on the table. Such a blessing!”

To win a copy of 30 Things My Dad Taught Me, visit the Coasts Kids facebook page.

Science tells us that when babies cry alone and unattended, they experience panic and anxiety. Their bodies and brains are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. Science has also found that when developing brain tissue is exposed to these hormones for prolonged periods these nerves won’t form connections to other nerves and will degenerate. Is it therefore possible that infants who endure many nights or weeks of crying-it-out alone are actually suffering harmful neurologic effects that may have permanent implications on the development of sections of their brain? Here is how science answers this alarming question:

Chemical and hormonal imbalances in the brain
Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. 5, 9, 11, 16

Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. 17

One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. 14.

Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brainstem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. 6

Dr. Allan Schore of the UCLA School of Medicine has demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol (which floods the brain during intense crying and other stressful events) actually destroys nerve connections in critical portions of an infant’s developing brain. In addition, when the portions of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional control are not stimulated during infancy (as may occur when a baby is repeatedly neglected) these sections of the brain will not develop. The result – a violent, impulsive, emotionally unattached child. He concludes that the sensitivity and responsiveness of a parent stimulates and shapes the nerve connections in key sections of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional well-being. 7, 8

Decreased intellectual, emotional, and social development
Infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, concluding that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.”

Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. 19

Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)

Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to consol them at 10 months. 15

Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children 1.

Harmful physiologic changes
Animal and human research has shown when separated from parents, infants and children show unstable temperatures, heart arrhythmias, and decreased REM sleep (the stage of sleep that promotes brain development). 10 12, 13

Dr. Brazy at Duke University and Ludington-Hoe and colleagues at Case Western University showed in 2 separate studies how prolonged crying in infants causes increased blood pressure in the brain, elevates stress hormones, obstructs blood from draining out of the brain, and decreases oxygenation to the brain. They concluded that caregivers should answer cries swiftly, consistently, and comprehensively. (3) and (4)

Dr Sears

1. P. Heron, “Non-Reactive Cosleeping and Child Behavior: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep All Night, Every Night,” Master’s thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Bristol, 1994.
2. M R Rao, et al; Long Term Cognitive Development in Children with Prolonged Crying, National Institutes of Health, Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89:989-992.
3. J pediatrics 1988 Brazy, J E. Mar 112 (3): 457-61. Duke University
4. Ludington-Hoe SM, Case Western U, Neonatal Network 2002 Mar; 21(2): 29-36
5. Butler, S R, et al. Maternal Behavior as a Regulator of Polyamine Biosynthesis in Brain and Heart of Developing Rat Pups. Science 1978, 199:445-447.
6. Perry, B. (1997), “Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence,” Children in a Violent Society, Guilford Press, New York.
7. Schore, A.N. (1996), “The Experience-Dependent Maturation of a Regulatory System in the Orbital Prefrontal Cortex and the Origen of Developmental Psychopathology,” Development and Psychopathology 8: 59 – 87.
8. Karr-Morse, R, Wiley, M. Interview With Dr. Allan Schore, Ghosts From the Nursery, 1997, pg 200.
9. Kuhn, C M, et al. Selective Depression of Serum Growth Hormone During Maternal Deprivation in Rat Pups. Science 1978, 201:1035-1036.
10. Hollenbeck, A R, et al. Children with Serious Illness: Behavioral Correlates of Separation and Solution. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 1980, 11:3-11.
11. Coe, C L, et al. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Non-Human Primates. The Psychology of Attachment and Separation, ed. M Reite and T Fields, 1985. Pg. 163-199. New York: Academic Press.
12. Rosenblum and Moltz, The Mother-Infant Interaction as a Regulator of Infant Physiology and Behavior. In Symbiosis in Parent-Offspring Interactions, New York: Plenum, 1983.
13. Hofer, M and H. Shair, Control of Sleep-Wake States in the Infant Rat by Features of the Mother-Infant Relationship. Developmental Psychobiology, 1982, 15:229-243.
14. Wolke, D, et al, Persistent Infant Crying and Hyperactivity Problems in Middle Childhood, Pediatrics, 2002; 109:1054-1060.
15. Stifter and Spinrad, The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation, Infancy, 2002; 3(2), 133-152.
16. Ahnert L, et al, Transition to Child Care: Associations with Infant-mother Attachment, Infant Negative Emotion, and Cortisol Elevations, Child Development, 2004, May-June; 75(3):649-650.
17. Kaufman J, Charney D. Effects of Early Stress on Brain Structure and Function: Implications for Understanding the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Depression, Developmental Psychopathology, 2001 Summer; 13(3):451-471.
18. Teicher MH et al, The Neurobiological Consequences of Early Stress and Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroscience Biobehavior Review 2003, Jan-Mar; 27(1-2):33-44.
19. Leiberman, A. F., & Zeanah, H., Disorders of Attachment in Infancy, Infant Psychiatry 1995, 4:571-587.

Being active is well documented as being important for all ages and getting children interested in being physically active from a young age is great. For toddlers who have mastered the art of toddling, they suddenly have a huge amount to explore – and the ability and function of their own bodies is no exception. They suddenly tend to become very active, wanting to move around and explore whenever they get the opportunity.

Toddling around is certainly beneficial, but for a young growing child, it also helps them to learn more about how they can move their bodies and exercise different parts. That’s where movement and dance classes come into their own.

Movement And Dance Classes
There are a variety of movement and dance classes available on the Central Coast and they cater for a wide range of aged children. At their most basic, the movement classes for children focus on getting children to be active, through jumping around, stretching, running and even being still. Sometimes there’s play acting involved too where they act out stories or scenarios, or they may listen to stories or play with balls.

Dance classes are often available for children from the age of three upwards. Miss Carmen from the Fontaine Academy of Dance offers classes from as young as 15months. Classes can cover all forms of creative dance, with one of the most popular for children being ballet or tap.

These type of classes are a great introduction to being active and physical exercise. Plus they help develop key skills, such as coordination, balance, flexibility, strength, stamina, discipline and even memory. Being active in this way also helps boost a child’s self-esteem, make them feel good about their own abilities and increase their self-confidence.

Young children have short attention spans, so dance and movement classes are often no longer than 30 to 45 minutes. A good teacher should be aware of their attention span issues and keep the class exciting and moving, so no-one is able to get bored or off track. The focus of classes for young children tends to be wide ranging, which helps gain their interest for longer, and is likely to explore all the different styles and approaches to dance and movement.

As children get older, they may find that they prefer one type of dance or movement over others, or develop certain preferences. Classes for older children tend to focus more on certain styles, such as ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz, hip hop or even Irish, than a generalised approach, so offer ideal options for them to move on to study and learn in more depth. The length of classes tends to increase with age too, and an hour or more becomes the norm.

With these movement and dance classes, children can start from a young age. If you think your child may enjoy it, then there’s no harm in them giving it a go. Of course, not all children will love it and, if your child is not thrilled at attending, then it’s best not to push it. There may be other music or physical classes out there that they’d prefer to go to and would gain more from.

For a great list of Central Coast Movement and Play programs, check out our directory.

It often astounds me to hear about how Hollywood celebrities lose excessive amounts of weight in such short periods of time after pregnancy. The difference here is that they often have many people around them to help look after the new baby, organize their meals and allow them to dedicate hours to getting back in shape. For us regular people who have to deal with families, jobs or the responsibilities of being a stay at home mum, getting back in shape may not be this easy.

According to the Australian College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) healthy weight loss is only 1/2 - 1kg a week.  But unfortunately everyone is always looking for a quick fix, and we’ve all been told over and over how easy it is just to take a pill, follow that diet or buy this piece of equipment and the weight will fall off in no time at all. Truth is quick weight loss is very unhealthy and there are two simple reasons why; firstly you lose muscle in the weight loss, which isn’t a great thing as you need that muscle to burn those calories you consume as well as staying healthy and strong. Secondly it slows down your metabolism, which results in you putting the weight back on plus more when you stop dieting.

A good guide to getting your body back to it’s pre pregnancy shape including muscle tone, is to remember that its it took 9 months of your body changing, so allow yourself at least 9 months to get back into shape.

One great way to help you get back into shape is to hire a personal trainer. This is a great way to gain all the tools and knowledge you will need in order to get fit and healthy and achieve your goals.  Many will come to you at a time and place that’s convenient, which is very handy when you have a baby in your life. I currently train a number of mothers while their children play around us and others while their children sleep. With a good personal trainer you do not need much room to do a fantastic workout and being accountable to someone else is a great motivator in keeping you on track.

If you haven’t had the baby yet you might want to keep in mind there are so many advantages to being fit and healthy during pregnancy. It can reduce the likelihood of complications during labor and actually make labor shorter. One of the biggest benefits is that it makes losing weight after you have the baby so much easier. So while the thought of taking yourself to the gym throughout your pregnancy might not have you jumping for joy, you’ll be happy that you did once you start trying to loss those pregnancy pounds!

For future information on weight loss after pregnancy please contact Kelly at Komodo Fitness here on the Central Coast.

Wyong Hospital’s maternity unit has seen ups and downs in its 13-year history, but is now back on the rise again as the Central Coast’s low-risk birthing centre.

As the venue for almost 10 per cent of births for the Central Coast, Wyong’s birthing unit has a way to go before competing with the number of babies born at Gosford Hospital, but Central Coast Health’s Acting Divisional Manager for Women’s, Children’s and Family Health Angela Monger hopes that day is closer.

“We support births locally for people. People want that. If we could get more of our normal births out to what is now essentially a birth centre [at Wyong Hospital], then we would lighten the load at Gosford and we normalise birth for women,” Ms Monger said.

The unit opened in October 1997, however problems such as a lack of obstetricians and anaesthetists and funding for registrars and trainees, have meant it has closed several times, including a five-month closure in 2008. “In early 2008 we had a problem with lack of obstetricians here at Gosford so there really was no choice. The obstetric support that was at Wyong was brought to Gosford,” she explained.

Then started a recruitment program for obstetricians that is still underway even now. “It was obvious we weren’t going to be able to fix the lack of obstetricians problem here quickly so we went into recruitment. Most of our applicants were from overseas and it takes a considerable amount of time to get them over here,” she said.

When the Wyong birthing unit re-opened in late 2008 it was under two midwifery care models – caseload or Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) and Team Midwifery Program (TMP) – and run independently from Gosford Hospital. Women who needed obstetric support or had problems in labour had to go to Gosford Hospital.

“With caseload a woman is allocated to a known midwife and, apart from when the midwife is on her designated days off, that is the midwife that they see for all their visits, in labour, and all being well, that’s the midwife who will care for them. Women going through caseload feel more supported and more secure and able to continue with their decision to have their baby at Wyong. We want to continue to have more babies at Wyong,” Ms Monger said.

And this is the scenario Central Coast Health is aiming for. “We also know we get better outcomes from normal women when they are away from an environment of a high risk birthing unit,” Ms Monger explained, saying fear caused longer labours and greater pain. “Women who feel completely supported and capable of doing something actually manage to do it so much better. Women being supported by an individual who is very experienced and philosophically of the viewpoint that birth is a natural process are going to have better outcomes.”

The process of going to hospital to have a baby and then returning home soon after is called Domino Domiciliary in the United Kingdom, where Ms Monger practised as a midwife. Care is provided in a woman’s home by midwives post-natally and, sometimes, ante-natally.

Despite recruiting midwives for the TMP model, the number needed to effectively staff Wyong birthing unit could not be maintained and Ms Monger decided to switch to one care model, similar to the system run at Belmont Hospital. “Belmont has operated successfully like that for a considerable amount of time now and has very good outcomes - very short lengths of stay and women who are supported by their midwives to go home early then have whatever home visits are necessary for the individual.”

So now women attending Wyong Hospital to give birth naturally can see the midwife they had seen throughout their pregnancy and a second midwife comes in for support as the baby is born. The unit is sometimes heaving with activity, and other times quiet. “We always say our birthing suite is a bit like the emergency department of the hospital – we can’t predict exactly what is coming in,” Ms Monger said, and added there was some known activity like booked inductions and caesareans, “but we can’t control when people will go into labour”.

Another advantage of the MGP model is allowing midwives to stay with labouring women if they have to be transferred to Gosford, even if they only stay with her as a support person. This model also provides assessment during pregnancy, such as if a woman has had some bleeding or they think their baby is not moving.

“Our hope and intention is that one day we will have all the required resources for reintroducing an obstetric service at Wyong,” Ms Monger explained and added she hoped home birth would also be an option for Central Coast women. “We’re not able yet to offer people home birth on the Central Coast, but I certainly hope that that is something that will be available to people one day.”

“A birth unit like Wyong is there for people who would have a birth at home – they recognise home as the best place to be, rather than a hospital environment. Hospitals generally don’t perpetuate the whole wellness model – it’s an illness model of care.”

Dads are usually overlooked when it comes to childbirth preparation. Yet when it comes to the big day, they need to know how to support their partner through what can be the most physically challenging and emotionally charged event in their lives.

Beer and Bubs, a one-night session held in local pubs, was developed by Sydney-based childbirth educator and birth attendant, Lucy Perry.

“I could see that dads really wanted to be involved in the births of their babies, they just didn’t know how,” says Lucy. “But they like the idea of heading to the pub with a bunch of other men who are in the same boat as them.”

Beer + Bubs has been running in Sydney for six years, going national in 2009 with dads in all major Australian cities and some regional areas sinking a few beers in the name of fatherhood.

“Most men are surprised to learn that childbirth is not a spectator sport and that they can have a profound impact on their partner’s birth experience, helping to make it faster and easier for them,” says Beer and Bubs Central Coast facilitator, Lisa Kim.

The two-and-a-half-hour session covers what to say and what not to say during childbirth, tips on how to be an advocate for the birthing mother, practical tips on pain management as well as specific recommendations on how to support a woman through each stage of labour, including a caesarean.

“The friendly, casual atmosphere of the pub is a great venue for childbirth education,” says Lisa Kim, a mother of two, childbirth educator and local Maternity Coalition representative. “Childbirth is unfamiliar territory for most blokes, so it’s more comfortable for them to be in their natural environment to learn about something so foreign!”

Beer and Bubs is held at the Tall Timbers Hotel at Ourimbah once a month. Check the website for details and bookings or phone 0418 656 221.

He shoots, he scores: why one day we could win the World Cup….

Picture the scene – the young player steps up to the penalty spot, he glances confidently at  the goal, he runs, he shoots, he scores…. then he rushes over to mum or dad for a quick high five before sitting down behind the other toddlers in his soccer class , ready to wait for his next turn at the penalty shoot-out.

This winter, the world’s greatest soccer players are competing in the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  And Australia will hold its breath as our team battles the odds to progress in the competition.

But maybe this will change, as a new generation of Socceroos emerge.  At Little Kickers you are never too young for the beautiful game.  In fact, the children attending Little Kickers football classes make Tim Cahill look over the hill.

Over 12,000 children attend Little Kickers classes, which are aimed at 18 month to 7 year olds.

Wherever the location, classes follow a similar format, and were developed by highly qualified coaches, with input from child-health specialists.   A warm up and ball skills games lead to the main event, excitement peaks as the penalty shoot-out begins.
Our mission at Little Kickers is not only to focus on the physical well being of the child, but also to promote the development of social skills such as turn taking, following instructions and sharing. These skills for life are put into practise at a time when the playing field is certainly ripe for parents wanting to get their kids moving. Our team at Little Kickers has adopted a “Play not Push” commitment at our classes which means that children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a non-competitive environment.  Each class is run by two coaches and whilst parents can participate if they feel that their child’s enjoyment will be enhanced by their involvement, one of the overall objectives of the sessions is to encourage kids to learn to play independently of their parents, so the parents get a well deserved break on the sidelines.
Many professional players, having missed a vital penalty, may have wished to ‘move the goalposts’, and at Little Kickers this is not just a metaphor. The aim is to improve a child’s confidence and self-esteem, with the priority that he or she actually scores. If the shot is in danger of drifting wide - and bear in mind that the younger children are still getting to grips with running, never mind kicking - coaches nudge the goal along the ground. Cue a deafening round of applause.  If only we could introduce this at professional level!

So, on the 12th July, when the World Cup is over, and new champions have been crowned, thoughts will move towards the future, and it may be only a pipe dream, but if our ‘Little Kickers’ can help Australia to win a major championship - or at the very least come out on top after a penalty shoot-out – then maybe we should all dream ….

For more information about Little Kickers  www.littlekickers.com.au

I’ve been in awe of everything to do with pregnancy and childbirth since I was a little girl- I just couldn’t wait to experience it for myself… and I think my excitement about it (as opposed to fear), my respect for natural processes and trust in the human body is the reason why I’ve had two amazing intervention & drug-free natural birth experiences.

I had an obstetrician with my first, ‘just in case’, as I am quite a cautious person and it was unchartered territory.  That said though, I searched very hard for one who would respect and support my wishes for an intervention-free (unless absolutely necessary) natural birth.  I found one who delivered in a Birth Centre environment and even encouraged me to catch my baby - I reached down and lifted her out all by myself with my husband supporting me from behind, which was just incredible, beyond words.  So the birth was amazing, but I wasn’t expecting the routine jab of Syntocinon that came shortly afterwards, and my placenta actually had some trouble detaching.  I lost quite a bit of blood- not enough to require a transfusion, but enough for it to be classified as a post partum hemorrhage (PPH).

Fast forward a couple of years and we decided that we didn’t need an obstetrician for our second pregnancy, choosing instead to be cared for by a team of Community Midwives.  My pregnancy was, once again, easy and uneventful.  Sometime during my last trimester I informed them of my intention to have a physiological third stage – I didn’t want any interference this time, especially as the Syntocinon didn’t seem to work last time.  I trust my body.  We consequently discovered that, due to my previous PPH, hospital protocol dictated that I was going to have a cannula inserted upon my arrival (whilst in labour), as I was at risk of another post partum bleed.  To me, getting a cannula is actually much worse than giving birth.  And why assume that just because it happened once it was going to happen again? I’d have it if & when I needed it – but definitely not as a routine precaution in the middle of labour which would totally interrupt my focus.  Someone wise once advised me to “throw the road out ahead that I plan to travel on”… well there was no PPH on my road ahead, so why would I prepare myself to have one?!  The midwives were very understanding, but their hands were tied and they said the only way around it was to meet with the Head of Obstetrics at the hospital and have this protocol officially waived by him… so they made me an appointment to see him.

This Head Obstetrician didn’t hold back in letting me know that I was making a very irresponsible choice not to have the cannula or the Syntocinon, and he tried to talk me out of my decision.  He made me feel stupid and selfish for even contemplating a physiological third stage, given my history.  It turned into quite a heated debate, where I felt bullied as I asserted my right to make informed decisions about my birth and my body; and he kept reiterating all the risks involved.  I had done my homework and would never put myself or my baby in any danger.  I got the distinct impression that he was more concerned about looking after number 1… which wasn’t me by the way!  This was confirmed in my mind when he eventually asked me to assume full responsibility for my choices in writing.  I was happy to do so and was glad that the worst was over… or so I thought.

He then expressed concern that I looked very small for my dates (at 35 weeks) and after measuring me he wanted to do a scan.  I don’t like the idea of exposing my babies to too many ultrasound waves during pregnancy (I only have the morphology scan at 20 weeks), but I was passed the point of arguing with him at this stage, still reeling from our last debate, so I let him go ahead.  I wasn’t worried about my size- I carry small and have small babies.  The first thing he deduced from the scan was that my baby was in frank breech position.  He actually laughed as he told me “well there’s no point worrying about the third stage now because this baby will be born via caesarean section”.  I immediately thought back to one night that week when a massive movement from bubby actually woke me up- she must’ve done a 180, a little acrobat☺.  He then proceeded to tell me the following things with the most appalling bedside manner that plunged me straight into a pretty severe state of shock.
“Your baby is too small for dates, it has probably stopped growing.  There isn’t enough amniotic fluid surrounding it, a dangerously low level actually, hardly any… it is likely that your placenta has stopped working, so the baby is being deprived, hence the lack of growth, and will need to come out very soon – you will definitely be having a caesarean, most probably an emergency within the next few days”.  All as though he was telling me what he was going to order for lunch.

At that point I was floating above myself, looking down on the surreal scene, straining to hear what he was saying on the phone as he ordered more urgent, immediate scans, but barely hearing him over the sound of my pounding heart, and my screaming insides… trust your instincts, trust your body!

I remember the student midwife walking out with me, expressing concern and disbelief about how I had just been treated.  I remember collapsing into my car and sitting there for hours (I had to wait 3 for my appointment) stroking my belly, reassuring my baby, trying to digest it all, phoning my husband and my midwife, just not believing… how could anything be wrong when it felt so right, when it felt just the same as last time, when there had been no warning?
And finally… I remember the immense relief that flooded every cell in my body when I heard the magic words about four hours later that my baby was in fact OK… my instincts were right, everything this obstetrician had said was wrong… except for one thing: that my baby was in breech position at 35 weeks.

I trust my instincts, I trust my body.

So my midwife informed me that if she was still breech at term, a natural delivery was unfortunately not an option and they would have to hand me over for a caesarean, performed by whichever obstetrician was on duty at the time- perhaps the very one I never wanted to see again.  Suddenly I was invaded with every birthing mother’s worst enemy… fear.  Fear of having no choice at all in how I was going to birth my baby… fear that we would be forced to endure the polar opposite birth experience to the one we were excitedly anticipating… fear of unnecessary major abdominal surgery… fear of putting my body and my baby into the hands of someone I absolutely could not trust.

They said that if I laboured at home until the last minute I might get my natural birth, but it wasn’t a guarantee.  They had seen women presenting at hospital with buttocks on view and still being taken to theatre.  These were risks I was just not willing to take, so at this stage I thought I should just stay home for the whole thing… but with a breech on board I wasn’t so sure I should be going it alone.

Knowledge is an effective adversary to fear, so I spent hours researching everything to do with breech birth, and then hours on all fours with my bum in the air, doing handstands in the pool, waving moxa sticks at my toes, shining a torchlight and pressing my ipod earplugs down on my pelvis (serenading bub with Mozart), and road-testing countless other methods that google informed me might encourage my baby to turn.  That was Plan A.  However after learning that only 5% of breech babes turn back around after 37 weeks, I realised that I needed a Plan B, pronto.

We explored all options and decided to make use of our private health cover and try to find an obstetrician who would take me on at such a late stage, and who might even consider delivering a vaginal breech.  I knew it was rare, but in all my research I hadn’t found any reason to believe that this method would present a higher risk to my baby or to myself than a caesarean would.  I know a lot of people, including my husband, who were born breech naturally without any dramas.

One very pleasant local obstetrician agreed to meet with me straight away and take me on.  He also agreed to ‘attempt’ a vaginal delivery, having had some experience with it, but… well there were a lot of buts, which again all came back to risk.  I felt a dreaded sense of déjà vu.  He was very quick to quote the results of a big research study called the ‘Term Breech Trial’ of 2000, which concluded that there was a small percentage increase in the infant mortality rate with vaginal breech as opposed to planned caesarean section for term breech babies.  I had just read all about this study (AND its numerous flaws) and discovered that it has been solely responsible for most obstetricians worldwide deciding not to practice vaginal breech at all anymore.  He asked me if I was willing to put my baby’s life at risk, which made me feel again like an irresponsible and selfish mother… and yet he never disclosed the risks that I know are inherent in all caesarean operations.  My trusty inner voice was screaming again… trust your instincts, trust your body!… so needless to say, after yet another unnerving experience which made my hair stand on end, Plan B was quickly aborted.

Breeeeathe.

That night, in absolute desperation, I gave my friend Peter Jackson (founder of Calmbirth) a call.  His reassurance and words of wisdom instantly lifted my spirits and led me to the turning point I so desperately needed.  He kindly gave me the contact number of the Head of Obstetrics at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, Dr Andrew Bisits, who apparently was a bit of a guru on natural breech.  I left a message for him the following morning and was delighted when he personally returned my call and invited me straight up to meet with him.  Our conversation was brief but it left me with such a good feeling that I immediately binned all my private hospital admission forms and told my husband that our baby was a little Novacastrian.

Andrew is my hero.  He made me feel like a mother about to have a baby rather than a troublesome patient with a life-threatening disease.  He respected both my desire and my ability to birth my baby naturally, and he answered all my questions and addressed all my concerns with a wealth of knowledge and vast experience.  He cared about me and my instincts and what I wanted, because it was my experience and I was at the centre of it.  I knew instantly that I was in the right place, and I didn’t care anymore whether bubby was going to turn back around or not – I was actually secretly hopeful that she wouldn’t so we could remain in his care… but that said, he did attempt an ECV at 37½ weeks, and I wasn’t disappointed when it was unsuccessful.

Vaginal breech deliveries occur so often up there that all staff on the labour ward are very experienced, confident & positive about it - which is a much better situation to be in when giving birth than if your caregivers are inexperienced, anxious or negative.  At John Hunter they measure & manage risk by adhering to a strict set of criteria which must be met in order to qualify for a vaginal breech.  Some of these include: size & position of baby, size & shape of mother, attitude of mother etc.  I got ticks in all boxes and had the added advantage of having given birth before, so Andrew told me that he expected my birth to be very straightforward- ‘textbook’ even.  He said he could picture me just breathing her out – what a vote of confidence! ☺
He gave me an internal exam at 39 weeks (which was when my first daughter was born) and found that I was already 1cm dilated.  It was two days before my husband’s birthday and we were predicting that bubby would probably arrive then, considering how much she already took after him!

During the early hours of the next morning I felt the familiar tightenings which I immediately recognised as the probable onset of labour… such an exciting feeling!!!  Even though they had subsided once I got up, we organised for our 2½ year old to be picked up by her grandparents, and David & I spent the day quietly getting ready (all the drama of the recent weeks had distracted me from even packing a bag yet!). It was a Thursday, late night shopping at Erina Fair, so we went down there at about 5pm.  I hadn’t told him that the waves had started up again, and the whole time we were shopping I was calmly breathing through them.  When we got home at 7, I suggested that we go for a walk- I wanted to stay active to keep things moving, and also upright so that gravity would assist me this time (I laboured for a long time with my first because I was mostly horizontal).  Still David had absolutely no idea that it was happening, until we were quite some distance from home on our walk, and it dawned on me that we had almost an hour+½ drive to hospital and I didn’t really want to be giving birth to a breech baby on the F3!

So we got home at around 8pm and David started organising dinner in a mild panic while I called the hospital, still very calm & collected, to let them know that I’d “probably see them up there sometime during the night”, before getting in the shower.  Only a few minutes later Andrew himself rang and asked David to get me out of the shower.  After speaking to me and ascertaining that I was in established labour and extremely relaxed about it, he very calmly told me that he didn’t want to alarm me, but that I should get dressed now, hop in the car, and head straight up there.

We left home at 8:30, and David did the trip in only 1 hour… 10 minutes of which were spent sitting in roadworks at East Gosford.  He told me later that if it came to it, he was worried an ambulance might take me back to Gosford if we didn’t get far enough up the freeway.  Once we were passed halfway and on the home stretch towards John Hunter he relaxed a bit, but he was still determined to get pulled over by the police, believing that he had the best & only excuse for speeding- “my wife is in labour with a breech baby & we’ve got to get to Newcastle”.  I think he was disappointed that he was denied that little thrill ☺ However he was anticipating a much bigger thrill- his birthday was only 3 hours away now, and he was going to get the best pressie ever.

We walked into our Birth Centre room just after 9:30pm and our lovely midwife Christine took me through all the ‘check-in’ questions whilst I was rolling around on a fitball, still quietly breathing through my waves.  In for 4, out for 6, releeease.  She then busied herself getting things ready whilst David dimmed the lights, got the music set up and the aromatherapy oils burning, and I slipped off to the bathroom. Once again I found the toilet the most comfortable place to sit.  By this stage my exhalations were audible- I sighed as I surrendered to the strength of each wave and visualised the muscles of my uterus doing their job so well, bringing my precious baby closer to me and our much anticipated first cuddle.

It’s protocol up there to have a CTG machine strapped around the belly to monitor the baby’s progress during a vaginal breech delivery.  Chris kept popping her head in to check it and commented that bubs heartbeat was consistently strong so she was happy to remove it.  Shortly afterwards, I leaned over and vomited into the shower, which I celebrated as a sign that I was fully open and transitioning now… not long to go bubby, we’re doing so well.  Chris seemed quite shocked to hear a subtle change in my sighing, which obviously indicated to her that I had started to push.  I remember the incredulous look on her face when she asked me if I thought my labour had progressed any since we arrived- she apparently hadn’t realised how far along I was, perhaps because I was so calm.  She asked me to hop up on the bed so she could examine me, but then David announced that he could see a water sac emerging, so she got a bit of a fright and rushed out of the room to call Andrew.

When she returned and helped me onto the bed on all fours, my waters broke and a little bottom was crowning, so there was no need for an examination.  I was moved straight onto the birthing stool and was vaguely aware of more people entering our sanctuary… the registrar on duty assumed catching position (Andrew wasn’t there yet), another midwife and a paediatrician stood by (another protocol for vaginal breech)… and then Andrew appeared just in time to quietly talk the registrar through the birth, which was a very “hands off” experience that unfolded seamlessly.  One hand supported the little bottom as it descended and I think a finger may have swept one shoulder through, but it was really just all my baby and me… just as we had intended☺.

Our precious Sophie Grace was born at 11:45pm, just 15 minutes shy of her Daddy’s birthday (she clearly wanted her own day!) and only a little over 2 hours since we had entered the room.  She was lifted straight up onto my chest and let out a little cry which sent the paediatrician away with a big smile. Everyone was smiling, it was such a joyful event… who would’ve thought that it could be so uncomplicated in the end?  Even the third stage was easy- my placenta fell spontaneously to the floor within minutes, before the chord was cut… no Syntocinon, no hemorrhage.

The irony that I even achieved a physiological third stage after everything that had happened, after being told that I would need the highest form of intervention to birth this baby, still floors me.  Andrew subsequently told me that it all unfolded exactly as he knew it would, and Christine thanked me for “restoring her faith in birth”.  Aside from a little bruise on her left butt-cheek, Sophie was perfect in every way, gorgeous, alert & content.  She latched straight onto the boob and hasn’t looked back (19 months later it’s still her favourite place ☺).

I count my lucky stars that I found Andrew and had the fortitude to strive for a Plan C… however it wasn’t really luck, it was all about preparation:

•    Doing lots of homework so I was fully informed every step of the way;
•    Creating a private, safe & sacred space to birth in, with caregivers who supported me 110% (settling for nothing less);
•    Using visualisation, affirmations & meditation to help maintain my positive mindset;
•    Listening to my instincts & letting them guide me through the obstacles;
•    Connecting with my baby throughout;
•    Practicing my calm breathing and using it consistently;
& lastly, but perhaps most importantly -
•    Trusting implicitly in my body to do the job that it was so magnificently designed to do.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Even though my eldest son is about to turn four I always insisted he travel in a car seat after he grew too big for the seat he had as a baby. My youngest son is about to outgrow his baby seat and will soon be joining his big brother in sitting in a booster with a harness.

From March 1, it became law in NSW that:

* Children younger than six months must be secured in a rearward facing restraint
* Children aged six months to under four years must be secured in either a rear or forward facing restraint
* Children aged four years to under seven years must be secured in forward facing child restraint or booster seat
* Children younger than four years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows
* Children aged four years to under seven years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless    all  other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in a child restraint or booster seat*

I knew I was definitely not alone in following these recommendations before they became law. My friend Amanda Gonzalez shared my view, and assumed when she booked a taxi to travel to Sydney airport from her home in Coogee on March 1 that there would be suitable car seat for her two-year-old son Lex. After all, it was law then.

“Most taxi companies would only have capsules – and if they did have seats, they were only up until 12 months, because when I was trying to book it in February anyone above 12 months could legally ride with a normal seatbelt,” Amanda explained. “But we were travelling on March 1, which was the first day the laws came in.”

After spending several days ringing around Sydney’s taxi companies Amanda became frustrated and annoyed. “I finally got someone who would agree to have a car seat, but they couldn’t tell me whether it would fit Lex or not. They couldn’t guarantee it was even going to turn up and secondly, if it did turn up, whether he was going to fit. They said that’s the risk I had to take.”
Even a taxi service that promoted itself as being a specialist in mobility wouldn’t guarantee a car seat to suit a child over 12 months.

“We ended up hiring a private car from Green Tomato Cars, because they were the only people who would guarantee us a car seat,” Amanda said, adding that it cost her $120 for this service to and from the airport, compared with the $40-60 it would have been in a taxi.

“We live 9km away from Sydney airport. But I would use these people again – they were so professional, they were here early, the car was impeccable, the driver was in a suit and tie and when we came off the flight half an hour early they were there with a printed sign. It was wonderful, a great experience, but it was $120.”

Even in Fiji, where the family was travelling, there was a car seat fitted in their car without a fuss. “So if a country who is having huge political problems and has been battered by a cyclone can manage to present a car seat, I’m pretty sure Sydney can manage it,” Amanda said.

A booster seat and harness that would fit a child up to seven years can be easily bought at Big W, Target or even a car accessory store for less than $100. Why are these companies resisting when it costs so little? What is a child’s life worth?

* From RTA website: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/children/childrestraints/index.html