Birth Plan Inspiration: Kat Gopez

I am introducing a new section in this blog. Since this portal is all about pregnancy, much about THE BIRTH and many more beyond that, I feel that we should give most importance to the preparation for the arrival of the baby. If women worldwide give so much energy to the planning of a wedding, same thing should apply to the birth plan, right? We're adding another human being to the world!

To jumpstart on this, let me introduce you all to someone really cool. I have known Kat since my Catholic school days in Assumption College. When she posted this really awesome photo of her and her baby bump, I almost begged her to publish it here.

Taken somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Death Valley CA

Name: Kat Gopez

Age: 30

Due Month: April 2015

I find that the most  important thing to do when you learn that you are pregnant is that you just need to keep educating yourself. Read, read, and read. Empower yourself through what you gain by reading. At this day and age society is becoming so used to solely relying on doctors and medical professionals in every little thing that happens to their bodies that they tend to lose confidence in themselves and what their bodies are naturally capable to do. Pregnancy is not a sickness, women have been birthing naturally longer than these medical hospitals and doctors have existed. While it's great to know that they exist as an option for complications, still give your body the chance to do what it is meant to do, which is what I have been preparing for now from the moment I found out I was pregnant.

My pregnancy started with me seeing an "In-Network" medical obstetrician (what most insurances here in CA provide) and interviewing midwives, hoping to experience both OBGYN and midwife practice: It was stark as night and day. The OBGYN hardly looked me in the eye and would talk to my husband instead of me, while I sit naked in a lab gown in a stark bright white light medical room. Blood was always drawn out from me. Screening tests were not explained to me well. In my very first ultrasound I did not even get to see the baby. With the midwives we chose though, I would sit in their home setting office, furnished with persian rugs and a really comfortable couch I can just sink into. They remained professional but smiled and treated you like a person. They answered all your questions, and took time to talk to you about maintaining a healthy pregnancy and all that. They'd provide snacks and have a wonderful library where I can just take a book and borrow anytime. There is also a Mother to Mother Breastfeeding Support group that I have yet to attend, and a great network of doulas, prenatal yoga classes, pregnancy massage therapists, and etc. Through them also I found my childbirth preparation class, taught by a highly recommended childbirth educator Julie Freitas, which I am looking forward to attending soon. Legally though here in CA I still have to see a back-up OBGYN at least once, and thanks to the midwives referral, I found one who was also an advocate of natural birth and who would listen to me and speak to me with grace and confidence. It's not as much as a hospital setting as it was with the previous one, and I wasn't made to change into lab gowns or have blood drawn out when unnecessary and such. I am very happy with where I currently am in this pregnancy journey. I feel that it matters a lot when you surround yourself with people who believe in the same values and beliefs as you do. My plan is to naturally birth as gentle and peacefully as I can in an environment I choose, with just my husband, midwives, doula and dog. I am excited to surrender myself to the world and birth this little one- I can do this! :)

Oh you definitely can, Kat! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us. I will carry you in my prayers for your dream birth to unfold! <3

Thanks for taking the time to tour me in L.A last year, Kat!

I was about 4 months pregnant in this photo. In a year, a lot has happened. Kat is now halfway through her pregnancy expecting her own soon!

Premiere Screening of MICROBIRTH in Manila

Yesterday was the premiere screening of MICROBIRTH by the Gentle Birth Philippines group at Beyond Yoga, Greenhills.

"MicroBirth is a new feature-length documentary looking at birth in a whole new way; through the lens of a microscope. The film investigates the latest scientific research that is starting to link the way babies are born with health in later life, particularly the increased risk of children developing certain immune-related conditions, including asthma, type 1 diabetes, celiac (coeliac) disease, obesity, cardio-vascular diseases, mental health disorders and even some cancers."  - www.microbirth.com

My darling doula, Irina Otmakhova, purchased the film so that she can help spread the knowledge in our country. We hope to make a difference in the alarmingly high c-section rates in the Philippines. At present it is about 30% (I suspect more because when I hear my friends give birth in the hospital, most of them end up with a CS) when the accepted numbers are only 5-15%. 

Why does it matter? 

Because the seeding of the important microbiome happens during childbirth, specifically during the passage of the baby from the mother's vaginal canal. Read on...

The purpose of the documentary is to raise public awareness of the importance of “seeding the baby’s microbiome” at birth with the mother’s own bacteria – this bacteria helps train the immune system to recognise what is “friend” and what is “foe”. We believe “seeding of the baby’s microbiome” should be on every birth plan – for even if vaginal birth isn’t possible, immediate skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding can still help to provide bacteria crucial to the development of the baby’s immune system. In the scientists’ view, if we can get the seeding of the baby’s microbiome right at birth, this could make a massive difference to the baby’s health for the rest of its life."                - www.oneworldbirth.net

It is interesting to note that c-sections occur much more with families who can afford it. 

Three yogi mommies unite in promoting homebirths in Manila! Monica Luna is to my right with her daughter, Willow. Mon was my batchmate in yoga teacher training back in 2009. Last year, when I was studying everything-I-could-get-my-hands-on--homebirths, she was one of my valuable resource persons because she was successful with hers just a few months before mine! She also recommended her midwife, Deborah Gustafson to me. To my left is Aisa Winternitz, who is currently on maternity leave from Yoga+ because she just gave birth to her son Kainoa at home in the water, just as she envisioned it. Bravo, little yogini! :)

Last group shot before we called it a night. Thank you for supporting this event, gentle birth warriors! May we continue to spread seeds of consciousness to make a real impact in the births of the Filipina. Every woman counts, every child counts, every birth counts! As Ibu Robin Lim says, "Let's save the world, one birth at a time".

Missed this film screening? Join on our Facebook page to get updates on our next gathering. We plan to show the documentary again in a bigger venue to include the medical community because we need to get the doctors and nurses involved if we care about the health of humanity!

We are open to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Mommy Hack # 1

This product I wish I had prior to birth. On too many occasions I struggled to bathe my daughter on my own. This would've been a handy mommy and baby hack!