Hi Kandace,

Congrats on your pregnancy!

I don't have any advice about ratios for the witch hazel -- but I wanted to add that I found ice to be my best remedy!
http://www.lilsugar.com/983230
For my first, we ended up having to transport to the hospital -- one of the nurses brought be an ice diaper -- and it was SOO good. It helped with all the postpartum bleeding and the pain! For my second baby, I brought some natural disposables with me and made our own!

Rachel

I really found the icepack pads to be incredibly helpful after I gave birth. I'm not sure if they are available online though. (I had a hospital birth.)

Here's a recipe for witch hazel pads.

That's awesome that you're planning a home birth. My little guy was born 3.5 weeks ago at home and it was awesome.

As far as the witch hazel, I didn't trust the pre-fab tucks so I bought a bottle of witch hazel and a package of cotton cosmetic rounds. I used a zip-loc baggie and put the cosmetic rounds in and made sure they were thoroughly wet with witch hazel and then put them in the fridge. The frozen pads thaw and then feel squishy and since they're already wet they don't absorb the lochia. I found that the cosmetic rounds provided relief just placing 3 or 4 of them on the pad without being too wet and didn't interfere with the absorbency of the pad. The only inconvenience I found with this method was that when I would change them, sometimes they wouldn't stay on the pad and I'd find them clinging to me. It wasn't terribly bothersome to me though. I didn't use the witch hazel in the peri bottle so I don't know what kind of ratio to use.

I can't offer any insight into any of your other inquiries but the above is what worked for me. Good luck and congratulations on your impending home birth.

My mw's custom kit came with ice pads. All you had to do was crinkle them to activate the cold. Ahhhhh! Kind of reminds me of cracking glow sticks to activate them.

Massage and Frozen Peas

Hi. I look forward to hearing the unfolding of your birth experience and the welcoming of the little one. What a beautiful experience awaits you and your family.

We had a homebirth and it was ecstatic and magical. I used two big diapers immediately after the birth and then went to cloth pads I made. It was the prep that made the difference for my experience, I believe. For me the best advice was:

• "You do not need any advice you will be a great mom."

Something I feel every Momma needs to be told. Trust yourself and your baby.

Believe that and start everyday developing the trust in communication between your baby and you. It has already started. No need to look for 'signs, signals, dreams' just be open is what I mean. I also had a few experiences that I found (upon reflection) so very helpful:

• My MW gave me a sheet of language to use to remove the "pain and work" mentally out of labour. If you like I can PM it to you.
  
• Another was a homebirth momma that said she went 'primitive'. She just rolled with the waves of sensations. No thinking, no mind, just allowing.
• Another said, "Slow down." Be where your hands are and move slow. I found this to help when the sensation came.

And finally about two weeks before Zimmi joined us I began doing the periniuem (sp?) massage. Not particularly nice but between that and the pink kit I began to really know the shape of my yoni, soften it and learn what positions opened and closed my pelvis.

I also read heaps of birth stories where labour would start and stop and found that helpful in that I just keep saying to myself during my first stage first few hours that this may be it but to just watch and allow. (Ina May's books where sensational)

11 hours later, with a slight graze, Zimmi arrived beautifully and peacefully and I had used my packet of frozen peas only to hold in my hand as it was a nice contrast to the sensations and the warmth of the water.

First my questions:
My midwife suggested making some pads with witch hazel or comfrey tea on them and then freezing them. Can I use disposable pads? Or are clothe pads the only way to go in this case? Do I just spray or pour a bit on the pads?
You can use disposable pads or even adult diapers, or cloth too Mix some witch hazel or strong comfrey tea and pour it on them and then lay them on the back of a wide bowl and freeze. The bowl will help shape the pad. After they are frozen just take them off and store them in a ziploc in the freezer.

Use after birth as neccessary. Remember it will be a little messy if you really let it thaw, just have a towel underneath you. Leave it on for a bit, then put on a regular pad. Or to alleviate any mess put the pad in an adult diaper, then no worries. Too much cold can inhibit your body's natural healing abilities, don't be afraid to use them cause their heavenly, just use common sense so you don't end up getting frostbite

Did you find you really needed these?
Oh man, these were awesome, and I'm sure I could have lived without them, but I wouldn't want to They are truly wonderful and really helped me get through the first few days

Also I heard about adding witch hazel to the epi squirt bottle, what parts to what parts?
If I remember correctly, it was 1 part witch hazel to 3 parts water.


For your nursing toddlers, did you allow them to nurse during labor? Did you find it too painful to nurse? Did you find it helpful to nurse?
Sorry can't help ya there, I only have one

Thank you everyone for such great replies with both information, answers and your own experiences!!

I am truly excited for this experience and all it's benefits to the baby and I.

I never used the compresses or sprays after my children. I would have loved it after my 7th was born, though! Last time, I wasn't that sore. The hemorrhoids bothered me more than my perineum. So I used Tucks for those. The witch hazel really helped there.

My toddler asked once during the ALL DAY labor. I nursed him briefly, but I think hormones were different enough that he wasn't really interested. But I mostly was walking around throughout labor, and he was outside playing, so he wasn't too interested anyway. Interestingly, he did not ask to nurse again until the baby was two days old. (Guess he wanted the baby to do the work of getting my milk supply going again! LOL) But even now, if I sit down, he normally comes over wanting to nurse.

Anyone heard about waterbirth??? they say its nice and easy...Just wondering if that is true...