SweetLily

How old is your daughter? Traffic here is not the safest with car crashes being the number one killer for children so you want to find a good car seat. I haven't seen any great ones here with five point harness and good reputation. We have ordered both of ours from carseat.se. It's a Sweedish company that has rearfacing seats (far safer than forward facing). They ship here to the UAE and it gets here in a couple of days. We have gotten two from them and have been really happy each time.

Hi Tonti, I had a beautiful VBAC at home (here in the UAE) last Feb. My daughter, who was born by section, was 17 months at the time. So I fell pregnant 8 months after my section. My VBAC was wonderful and quick - 3 hours in total. Over here because everything is so medical it is all a mind game. You need to trust your body, trust your baby and trust the process of birth. We kept hearing about all the 'risks' that I was taking as a VBAC mama that we stopped going to ant antenatal appointments. I sat back and listened to my body and my baby. I did a Hypnobirthing course and, I think most importantly, I got a doula. Actually, I got two. A VBAC carries no more risk than a first birth. The risks are different, but the same level. Here is a post that I wrote a few months ago. ______ I'm a VBAC mama also, as well as a medical professional and doula. I'll go ahead and toss out some information that I found useful to prepare for my VBAC. http://www.ican-online.org/vbac/home http://www.vbac.com/ http://www.vbac.com/making-informed-decisions-about-vbac-or-repeat-cesareans/ http://caesarean.org.uk/presentations/NaturalBirthAfterCaesarean.html http://www.vbac.com/increasing-your-odds-for-a-vbac-before-and-during-labor/ http://www.theunnecesarean.com/ The more sections you have the more risk you face in childbirth. It is very much recommended through lots and lots of research that a VBAC is the safe option for mothers with one - and even two or more- sections.. It is just as safe to have a VBAC after one section as it is to give birth for the first time. Research very clearly shows that the vast majority of mothers who labour after a section go on to have a safe and normal birth. From http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10210 (a fantastic website) "If you do not have a clear and compelling need for a cesarean in the present pregnancy, having a VBAC rather than a repeat c-section is likely to be: safer for you in this pregnancy, far safer for you and your babies in any future pregnancies." If I understand your post right (an induction that led to a section) it sounds like your body was doing exactly what it should have been doing for your first birth. It is most often the interventions from the medical team that causes delays in labour, 'failure to progress', fetal distress and need for section. The more undisturbed a birth is, the more a mother can let her body do what it is designed to do, the more wonderful, successful and enjoyable (yes, enjoyable ) a birth will be. Bodies aren't made to be induced and they often fight it which leads to distress in both mother and baby. When you are induced all your natural, wonderful birthy hormones are blocked and things just can't work as well as they are meant to. I was also an induced mama for my first pregnancy that lead to a whole cascade of interventions and eventually to an 'emergency' section. Not because of my failure in any way (or my baby's failure) but because of the hospital's failure to allow me to birth normally. I walked away from that birth traumatized and with PTSD. At the time I thought that the hospital was working for me and my baby's best interests -- I know now that isn't always the case. You can only make the best decisions with the information that you have at the time. I've since forgiven myself for my ignorance the first time around but I swore that I would never walk away from another birth feeling powerless and afraid. In your last post you talk about body structure. It is very, very rare that a body will build a baby it can't birth.True CPD (large baby, small pelvis) is very rare with the better nutrition that we have. In the past Rickets most often was the cause for CPD. Now, rickets are very, very uncommon. You are designed to birth and you are designed wonderfully. Trust that. "Dystocia refers to a long and difficult labor due to slow cervical dilation, a small pelvis, or a big baby. Many women who are given this reason for previous cesareans, deliver vaginally the next time, and give birth to a bigger baby than the first! ACOG states that the effects [or difficulties'> of labor with a baby more than 8 ¾ lbs have not been substantiated. There is not evidence that a big baby necessitates a cesarean. The pelvis and the baby's head are not rigid structures and both mold and change shape to allow for birth. During labor there are certain positions that a woman can use to help open up the pelvis, allowing a larger baby to move through. For example, squatting opens the outlet of the pelvis by 10%." www.americanpregnancy.org Find a birthing team that you like and trust. That can be a doctor (I have heard good things about Dr. Janaki and Dr. Raj at American from other VBAC mamas), a midwife, a partner, a friend and a doula. Research shows that having a doula with you during your birth will provide for better birth outcomes including shorter labour, less intervention and happier babies and parents. Make sure that you educate yourself and come to terms with your previous birth experience and do your research to come into this experience feeling confident and whole. Check out the Be Empowered workshops. http://be-empowered.weebly.com/ It is a place where birth professionals get together and chat about your options. It would be a great place to get more info on VBAC options in Dubai. Also, I would say head to a great birthing prep class like Hypnobirthing or Birthing from Within or Fear to Freedom. Something like this will give you (and any mother whether a first time or tenth time mama) information and confidence for your upcoming birth. Your chances of having a successful VBAC will require a calm and trusting environment so that your body will be able to do what it is designed to do. Here is a great blog about 'being a good candidate' for VBAC. http://www.birthactivist.com/2010/07/new-vbac-guideline/ You can have a wonderful VBAC whether or not you had a good labour (or any labour) in your first birth experience. I hope that helps. Feel free to ask away if you want some more information. There are some great books out there also like 'The Silent Knife' and 'The VBAC Companion.' Also, the More Business of Being Born (http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/) covers VBACs. I hope that no matter which way you decide to birth that you walk away from the experience feeling empowered and wonderful. x

Sorry, just wanted to pop on here and let you know that home birth isn't illegal as a couple of posters said. I had a home birth and was able to get the birth cert just fine. I know a few other women who had a homebirth and didn't have trouble getting birth cert either. So, it is a possibility if that's what you want. Midwives aren't able to assist the birth, however, as their license restricts them to their clinic or hospital. So the birth would have to be unassisted. I hope you are able to figure out what will work for you. Hugs. x

I agree with Kiwispers. It's best to get yourself some good support quickly. There are IBCLCs (the gold standard in lactation consultants) are worth their weight in gold and there are a few in Dubai. There are other supporters as well. Here's a bit of a list for you to pick and choose from. I hope it helps. x Dru Campbell, midwife and IBCLC Baby Clinic and Midwifery Clinic, Health Bay Polyclinic Tel: 04 348 7140 Dr Delphine Dupuis, family doctor (special interest pediatrics, lactation and women’s health) and IBCLC. Speaks English and French. Sun and Wed am MediCentres, Motor City Tel: 04 360 8866 Other days Symbiosis Healthcare, Healthcare City Tel 04 3624955. Fatima Jaaoura Baigar, midwife and IBCLC. Speaks English and French. Symbiosis Healthcare, Healthcare City Tel 04 3624955 Sahar Husseini (Inspiratus Loving Care), midwife trained in lactation management. [email protected] or 055 -6704363. Home visits; fees charged) Breastfeeding Q&A - monthly meeting, 3rd Saturday at noon, Organic cafe in Dubai Mall. MEETINGS NOT TAKING PLACE DURING RAMADAN. http://www.facebook.com/groups/242418372502807 or [email protected] . City Hospital Mothers' Group - monthly meetings on Tuesday. Not a specifically breastfeeding meeting, but facilitated by an IBCLC. http://www.facebook.com/events/329983037054669/

We have donated through this site. It was an amazing experience. It's totally donation based so no money exchanges hands. There are mamas on the site who receive breastmilk for a lot of different reasons. Some tried to breastfeed but weren't sucessful, some just couldn't breastfeed, others are looking for milk for adopted or premature babies. Mamas can donate to a family long term or just unload a freezer stash on a one time deal. It's a pretty amazing thing to be a part of. I know that there are a few mothers on here who are involved and really passionate about it. There is an event coming up at the end of the month in Dubai to celebrate World Milk Sharing Week 2012. I don't have the details but interested families can go and get more information and meet families who give and receive milk. Thanks for sharing the link, Angel Joy. I wish more mothers knew about it.

Oooh. I love my Ergo. I carry both my 3 month old and my 20 month old. I use the Ergo with both of them. For both of them when they were newborn until they were a couple months old we used a Moby wrap. But they do grow out of them fairly quickly. I have read a lot of information that raises concern regarding the Bjorn. It can cause pain and injury to the adult using it but also because it doesn't support the legs of the baby it can be harmful on the hip joints and cause hip displacement as they develop and grow. I have also read a bit about hollow back and spinal problems with them also. So best to really check into that before using it. It's for these reasons that we always use an ergonomically correct baby carrier. http://www.becomingmamas.com/babywearing/ and http://www.babywearingschool.com/babycarriers101.htm have a bit of an overview of the carriers. My favourite to use is my woven wrap. I use that one with both of mine and my husband's favourite is the Mei Tai that we have. Are you still in London now? I do know that there are babywearing consultants there and there are also sling libraries where you can go and test some out before you decide to buy. Here's a link to a babywearing consultant that might be able to give you more info. http://mamanaturauk.wordpress.com/about/ When we were in Leeds we used a babywearing consultant when my daughter was born. It was really, really helpful. Congrats on your upcoming birth! x

I agree. I find that really worrying. Where can mothers get access to that list?

I fell pregnant when my daughter was 8 months old. She was 17 months when I gave birth two months ago. I was also worried about scar pain but had nothing and felt wonderful through the whole pregnancy. I ended up having a beautiful VBAC. :)

Ladies, can anyone recommend a pediatrician in Dubai or other Emirate that is understanding towards mothers who are anti-vaccination? I'd be very grateful for the information sent to me at [email protected] Thanks in advance! Hey Zelazna and Praia74, just an FYI: there is a Facebook group where a lot of natural and non-vaxxing mamas post and talk. They might be able to answer this question too. It's the UAE Natural Living Network. http://www.facebook.com/groups/244138918988067/

Also, I've noticed a few of your posts, Icedqueen and wanted to let you know about a group of mamas (and some dads) who are a part of the UAE Natural Family Living group here in the UAE. There is a group on Facebook if you're interested. It's quite active and from your posts (sorry to assume, if I'm wrong please ignore this :)) it seems like they might be able to answer some of your questions also. Just tired to put up the link and can't but if you search UAE Natural Family Living it should come up. :)

Hi Sweet Lily...did you have your planned VBAC /Water birth in Dubai? We're in Al Ain.

If you can't find one I have one (with the CD) that you are welcome to borrow and return whenever you are finished if you would like. I don't need it back anytime soon so no rush. If you want you can email me at sweetlilydoula at gmail dot com and i can get it to you. :)

my gynae wants to induce labour early ( week before scheduled date). this is my first pregnancy can anybody share their experience. i wanted to have normal delievery but due to little decrease of amniotic fluid she wants to induce labour. i am scheduled on 19 april now and getting anxious. Hi manubhadauria, There is quite a bit of research to say that the diagnosis of low amniotic fluid is often wrong and not a cause for induction. Maybe this link will be helpful? http://www.glorialemay.com/blog/?p=60

It's going really great, thanks. He's nearly here now. :) Yup. I wouldn't put anything up there with the cerclage. Wouldn't want to introduce any bacteria at all. I would even keep my hands and all else out. You can take any probiotics. I get mine from iHerb.com, which is where I order all my things but the Organics Cafe would have a good selection also. I just make sure that any supplements that I take don't have any included nasties. I use Healthy Origins brand but if you check the label just make sure there's no added sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors, or synthetic colors, etc. - If those are things you stay away from, I mean. I would look at your diet also. Make sure to stay far, far away from sugars and simple carbs and keep fruit to a minimum. Here's an idea of some things to do. http://www.everydiet.org/diet/candida-diet Keep in mind this wasn't written for pregnant women so you can do things like the detox but make sure you're eating along with it and not just juicing, for example. I do know women who flushed out infections by drinking buckets of water so maybe increase your water intake also. I also would ignore the herbs part of that link also. But the diet section is great and something to really focus on. Also think about any soaps or washes that you're using. I would stick to plain old water for a few days. And your toilet tissue also. Do you get tissue with additives like colours, scents, lotions, etc? I would use mostly plain white, soft paper to reduce the risk of infections. Finally, I would say get your lady bits out and about. :) Yeast thrives in dark, wet places so airing yourself out and getting some sun on your bits will help a lot. Not sure how practical the sunning part is but if you can lay on your bed with the window open or something. Don't get yourself arrested, tho! Lol. And wearing cotton undies will help also. Hope that helps. :)

Aww. Thanks. That's a wonderful compliment. It sounds like you're also doing a great job. I think it's so important to follow your baby's cues like you are doing. If he seems ready I say go for it. With EC you take the misses with the catches and just go with the flow of it all. It might take some time but you'll do great. There's a great facebook page called UAE Natural Family Living Network and there are a couple of Ec-ers on there if you want to look us all up if you have any questions or want tips or anything. :)

It will be very difficult to get all the nutrients he needs into him without milk. Basically you will need to be [b'>extremely[/b'> careful with what solids you give, I would recommend finding a trained nutritionalist who can best advise. It will be very important to give meat, eggs and calcium rich foods. I would keep trying with including milk within the solids, making sure that he is aways offered milk before solids, using either formula or donor breastmilk. You might want to consider a multivitamin designed for babies too. I very much agree with Kiwispiers. I think that you will need to see a specialist specific for infant nutrition. If the dairy doesn't agree with him there will usually be specific signs like gas, loose stools, skin irritation, etc. Dr. Delphine is a doctor and lactation consultant who has a special interest in infant nutrition. I think that she would be a great person to consult.

That's great. Yes, I have heard some very questionable things about Al Wasl. Is that where you're booked this time around? I'm glad that your antenatal classes are helping. Have you looked into Hypnobirthing? That's what we use for our births (I don't want pain relief or any intervention including vaginal exams or monitoring - our personal choice) but hypnobirthing is very much a mindset and helps you get nice and relaxed for the birth and keeps you very relaxed during your labour. For the trauma I used EFT (http://eft.mercola.com/) and talked with a couple of counsellors. And yes, breaking your waters would very much have brought on a lot of contractions quickly. It is very much a form of induction and shouldn't be done as standard. It removes the nice cushion that the baby's head was resting on and jams it into your pelvis. If your waters are broken before baby is ready it increases the risk of him having the cord around his neck or of him being back to back and not in the greatest position. I think it should only be done as an alternative to a drug induction and, even then, only when medically indicated. Have you thought about getting a doula? It sounds like you could really benefit from one. I swear by them, as I said, I have two for this birth. :) There are loads of doulas in dubai if you google them. Or, I have a list also and can forward it to you if you want. [i'>Edited to add a different link. The first EFT link I posted didn't work.[/i'> <em>edited by SweetLily on 15/01/2012</em>

Yikes. I would stay very clear of both. You want to be able to move around unhindered during labour so a catheter wouldn't be so great. And as other ladies said, the enemas don't always have the desired effect and at that point that it matters you really don't care anyway so I would say no thanks. :)

I am so, SO happy for you! Good work, mama! :)

Oh no. Hugs to you, mama. How frustrating. What is your sleeping arrangement? How are you nursing at night? Are you having to get up and out of bed or go to a different room? Does your son settle right back to sleep after nursing? Have you spoken to a breastfeeding supporter or counsellor? How do you feel about giving formula?

We ordered ours in September and I think it only took four days or so. They are super helpful there so maybe just call and see if they can give you a timeline? We are so, so happy with our carseat and with carseat.se. I am so glad to see other people using them! :)

Fingers crossed for you, N.Kaye. Was the official advice of skin to skin and keep offering from your doc? Sounds like he/she is pretty clued in... something that is a bit rare these days. That's great. :) The self weaning at this point is rare, like your doc said, so keep offering and just like KW said her baby went for 2 weeks. So keep up the great work, mama. Hugs to you.

Pretty sure the factory burned down in the riots. If you go to iHerb.com you can order other natural and homeopathic teething products and they are shipped here very quickly. That's where we get our stuff.

Oh no. Nursing strikes are tough but luckily they don't usually last long. I remember how stressful I found it when my daughter would strike. First off, take a deep breath. You can totally get through it. Here is a link for LLL: http://www.llli.org/faq/strike.html And another: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbstrikes.html Here are people you can all in Dubai. DUBAI Dru Campbell, midwife and IBCLC Joanne Francis, midwife and IBCLC (also home visits) Baby Clinic and Midwifery Clinic, Health Bay Polyclinic Tel: 04 348 7140 Paula Miller, IBCLC (clinic appts and home visits) Tel: 050 6501189 Dr Delphine Dupuis, family doctor (special interest pediatrics, lactation and women’s health) and IBCLC Sun and Wed am MediCentres, Motor City Tel: 04 360 8866 Other days Symbiosis Healthcare, Healthcare City Tel 04 3624955. Telephone helplines (free) Breastfeeding Friends (7 days/week, 10am-10pm) English Support Line: 050 – 8684417 Arabic Support Line: 050 – 5679525 Urdu Support Line: 050 – 9819270 You can also contact any local doulas. The vast majority of them are trained in peer support and lactation education. Here are some contacts for local Dubai doulas: http://www.doulasofdubai.com/ http://www.my-doula.com/about-me/ http://www.m2mdoulasdubai.com/m2mdoulasdubai.com/Welcome.html http://www.thedotingdoulas.com/contact-us/ (Note to mods, I am not a doula in Dubai and none of those are links to my own site or give me any personal gain.) All of those doulas are trained in breastfeeding support. As far as working with the strike goes, 10 months is a prime age for it. So you're not alone. They don't last forever, some babies go back after 24 hours and some after a few days. 10 months is young to self wean and weaning is usually a gradual process to just keep in mind that it is a strike and only temporary. Do you have a pump available? If you are feeling engorged it's best to pump to prevent infection. Or maybe you can hand pump if you don't have one at the ready. First off, don't panic (I know easier said than done). Try to stay relaxed and keep offering the breast. Is she more likely to nurse if she is sleepy or at night? Those are common times when babies can pop back on during a strike. Don't force a feeding. Try doing lots of skin to skin and maybe take a bath together. You can also take a bit of a nursing holiday. Meaning that you hang out in bed for a day with your daughter and just do lots of skin to skin and stay really relaxed as you keep offering her the breast. Try not to seem too worried about her not nursing, she will feel that stress. If you do end up pumping you can give that milk in a glass when she is eating. But keep at the nursing. It is very, very likely that she will go back to the breast. Try to get hold of one of those people above for some one to one support. Hugs to you, mama.