Hi everyone!
Does anybody know of a midwife who practices or has knowledge of alternative methods for birth? something like meditation, hypnosis, reiki, aromatherapy, it doesn't matter what!
It's just that I have in a way "accepted" how the birth of my child will be here and since the hospital delivery doesn't convince much either (I've heard that sometimes it's even worse than at home, it's not so clean, etc.) I would prefer to make a "safe" and comfortable athmosphere at home maybe with some New Age music, aromatherapy, etc. But also with the help of someone who undertsands about this way of thinking (the last thing I need for the delivery is a midwife who will make fun of me) and practices something "extra".
So far I haven't found anybody who does... but I was also interested in the idea of water birth, looks more relaxing...
Please, any information you could provide about "alternative" pregnancy and birth will be welcome!
thanks!

Hi. Email me at pip[AT]underwateramsterdam.com and I'll put you in touch with my best friend Georgina (or George, British) who has had two kids at home, water births both times, and is really into alternative stuff too so hopefully she should be able to give you a few contacts/suggestions/advice...

I think her last midwife was in fact, into alternative stuff and pretty cool. But I think anyways, you should just create the atmosphere you want – assuming you have a home/water birth - ie. put on nice music, candles, get your partner to massage you etc. Bubble bath even (ha... just joking). I'm too squeamish to have ever attended one of her births but if I had to give birth it would be in water. It's apparently very relaxing all round.

BTW [AT] = @ (just avoiding spam robots)

PiP

Dear pipduck;

I'm not sure of your nationality or background, but you may find that all Dutch midwives are a bit alternative, compared to what you are used to in your home country. It depends on what you mean precisely by "alternative".

Regardless of what the midwife promises or what you agree with the hospital, it is extremely difficult to get any pain relief whatsoever here in the Netherlands for labour and delivery.

Water births can be easily arranged via your regular midwife - I live in Gelderland, here you can easily borrow birthing pools (they must be large enough for your birthing partner and midwife to be able to assist you.

I'm not sure of your Dutch language skills, but there is a course given by the local health offices which is called "zwangerscap begeleidingcursus" - during which time you discuss all the available options for birth and delivery. During my first preganancy, we discussed hypnosis, meditation, water births, etc - also with my mid wife practice -- all are considered normal.

The midwives I've had consider a home birth the better alternative (same with most Dutch pregnancy printed materials I've read as well) - precisely because you can control the environment and mood -- what ever helps you relax best. I can't imagine any of the midwives I've dealth with ever making fun of such decisions. They've been very supportive.

In my home country, almost all babies are born in the hospital. Since there would be no pain relief, I decided to have my baby at home. It was great - I could listen to music, lay in my own bed, have my favorite candles lit, take a shower or bath what I wanted, etc. At the last minute, we needed to head to the hospital in an ambulance.

If you run in to trouble during the delivery, the hospital is not so very far away. If you are in the hospital and run in to some trouble, they'd probably have to page the specialist anyway, so you'd also have a wait. The mid wife called the hospital and made all the arrangements so that we were met at the door by the doctor when we arrived.

I'm now pregnant with number 2 (due in 1 1/2 weeks!), and I'm hoping for a home birth. But if it becomes necessary to go to the hospital, so be it - whatever is needed to be as safe as possible, I'll trust the experts - the midwives all have a lot more experience at this than me.


Good luck with your pregnancy. I hope you have a good delivery, and quick recovery. Enjoy the kraamhulp!

Thanks user_basia
However, I'm not actually pregnant...
It's Kat76 who started the topic who is...
I was just popping in to reply as my best friend here George (British like myself), seems to know all about alternative stuff concerning pregnancies etc.
But thanks anyways (!) and all the best with your next birth!
PiP

BTW Kat76. I read another post of yours. I'm also hypothyroid and it sucks big time. I can't imagine what it's like being pregnant and hypo... (mind you I feel pregnant most of the time anyways!).

I also needed more medication recently and my doctor refused. I ditched her, increased the meds myself and feel SO much better...

The last time I needed to increase the meds another nice doctor (from the same surgery), agreed to and we did blood tests later which showed my instincts were right: I was right to ask for more. But, yeah, this other doctor, wouldn't. She ended up making me feel like I was a junkie begging for a fix. And let's face the meds taste horrible – it's not like they're smarties or something – so there was no other reason for me to ask for an increase in dosage apart from the fact that my symptoms started coming back (maybe because one needs more meds in the winter?).

Sadly, in my experience, most doctors I have come across in the Netherlands aren't too au fait with hypoT. And I think you are the best person to judge if you need an increase in dosage. I'm no expert but I imagine pregnancy will put a greater strain on your body than usual and you would need more meds... so trust your instincts and persist... I mean, as I reminded my witch of an ex-doctor, I'm pay my health insurance (now a whopping 120 euros per month) and in effect, pay her wages and am entitled to be taken seriously and listened to and have a doctor who HAS picked up a text book on the subject since 1920.

I've found two books really useful: Thyroid Power by Richard L Shames and Karilee Halo Shames and especially Living Well With Hypothryoidism (subtitled What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You That You Need To Know, haha). Page 87 is very interesting, concerning blood tests... They also have a chunk on pregnancy and hypoT. Good luck!

Hi, I hadn't been around here for a couple of months and then I was unable to log in with my usual name, so I made a new name. I hope u didn't think that I didn't care about your answers.

Pipduck, I'm not pregnant yet but I'm trying to inform myself on all subjects that make me nervous before I even start trying.
I don't want to have to worry about such things halfway through the pregnancy. I think since I even started thinking of getting children here I got a little obsessed with the subject and I've always been a little scared about the system here. So the only thing I can do is get as much information as possible.

Thanks also for your answer about hypo, that's also solved! (I answered that in the other post) I will definetely buy those books! thanks!

Basia, also many thanks, it's a relief knowing all this and I will keep the info in my e-mail for when the time comes.

Quote:

Hi, I hadn't been around here for a couple of months and then I was unable to log in with my usual name, so I made a new name. I hope u didn't think that I didn't care about your answers.

Pipduck, I'm not pregnant yet but I'm trying to inform myself on all subjects that make me nervous before I even start trying.
I don't want to have to worry about such things halfway through the pregnancy. I think since I even started thinking of getting children here I got a little obsessed with the subject and I've always been a little scared about the system here. So the only thing I can do is get as much information as possible.

Thanks also for your answer about hypo, that's also solved! (I answered that in the other post) I will definetely buy those books! thanks!

Basia, also many thanks, it's a relief knowing all this and I will keep the info in my e-mail for when the time comes.





************************************
I really tried to leave it alone, really I did! Alternative births?
The baby only comes out one of two ways, traditional vaginal or surgical c-section, I know of no alternative methods. My wife wished that Scotty could have beamed them out, all 7. <img src="../images/emoticons/ysmile.gif">

ah