My pregnancy was a healthy one. Since I was at 15 weeks, I have been searching for support to have Maya birthed through the gentlest and least invasive method. That was the reason why I chose home birth. By the time I was 8 months’ pregnant, I got to know the wonderful knowledge of HypnoBirthing. Its concept of honouring nature suited well with what I wanted and grown to understand from my previous communication with a midwife in Hawaii. With that, I began preparing for Maya’s birth – thinking home would the place to birth my daughter.

Babies are amazing beings. They are aware of their surroundings, even when they’re in their mother’s womb. I started communicating with Maya when I was carrying her. Whenever I came to a situation where I needed to decide what was best for us, I would ask for Maya’s opinion by asking her close-ended questions and her replying 2 taps for a ‘yes’ and 1 tap, a ‘no’. Whether it’s shopping for gynaecologists, or vitamins, food and anything else on a daily basis, I asked Maya and she would respond by kicking. Even when I considered water birthing at around 6-7 months, Maya was quick to let me know that she didn’t want it. Not that water birthing is harmful (quite the contrary though), but I guess Maya wasn’t into it.

Fast forward to Jan 22nd 2009 – I started having surges throughout the day. I was contemplating if this was IT, as I had periodic surges days before. But the surges were irregular and I thought it was Braxton Hicks.

Jan 23rd 2009 – after having Hokkien mee at Damansara Uptown, Hubby and I headed home. Being tired, 20kg heavier, rounder and clumsier, I told Hubby I was going to bed. Once I sat down on the bed, I felt a warm discharge and checked myself. I was happy to find that my membrane had released and told Hubby as I started ‘leaking’. He went into ‘Operation Baby-Ready’. He brewed raspberry leaf tea (I swear it must be gallons from the amount I drank!) and added more diaper sheets to the already prepped up bed. Since the surges began at 11pm, we both were timing the surges (but we were just too tired to do so after staying up whole night).

Jan 24th & 25th 2009 – Surges were encouraging and more frequent. Whenever I had a surge, Maya would move up towards my stomach and turned horizontally. I called it ‘going bongo’ like the musical instrument. Tried going on all fours and staying upright so Maya would be head down and in the ideal position for birth. But Little Miss Bongo had her own ideas. As exciting as it was, I had a supportive friend who came and accompanied us. She kept us in the right positive mindset and gave me the best back massage I had which was so needed during the surges!

Jan 26th 2009 – I was exhausted by then. Told Hubby to send me to the hospital. I was wheeled straight into the delivery room. Nurses checked me and said that I was 8 inches dilated and ready. Hubby and I both decided on not receiving shots while Maya was still in me and this was what we told the nurses, much to their surprise and dismay at us. Doc came in and within the next 20 mins or so, Maya was born at 1.53pm. Only when she came out followed by the placenta 15 mins later, did I receive a jab to stop my bleeding. Hubby and I experienced disagreements from the nurses and doctor because of our refusal to be given unnecessary drugs. I insisted on breastfeeding Maya right after delivery instead of a shot for placenta removal. Breastfeeding encourages the placenta to release itself from the womb naturally (amongst other benefits of breastfeeding). When I told the nurses that I chose not to have Maya vaccinated there and then (I chose to give her time to mature before vaccinating her), they went into an automated drill filled with fear and scare tactics. Come to think of it now, the situation looked very animated and I found myself having to assure them of my decision, just like when I told others of my decision for home birth. By 7pm the same day, we checked out of the hospital with Maya and her cord still attached.

Because of our decision to have a Lotus Birth, Maya’s cord was not clamped nor cut at the hospital. A baby’s cord ought to be left attached as precious nutrients in the placenta should be returned to the baby immediately after birth, in order to boost his/her own natural immune system, instead of administering synthetic vaccinations at the hospital. Sure, medical professionals would talk about infections and such, but here is an organ that has been supplying essential nutrients to baby for 9 months (or so). Why must immunization be done artificially, when we can have it done naturally? By discarding the cord and placenta prematurely, baby would be deprived off his/her rightful nutrients. Anyway, that’s just my 2 cents’ worth.

When we got home, Hubby rinsed the placenta and cord gently, dried it and proceeded to pat it with rosemary powder. Since rosemary powder has antiseptic properties, it helps to preserve the placenta by drying it out gradually and allowing baby and the cord to detach from each other naturally. We applied rosemary powder on Maya’s belly button, entire length of the cord and her placenta for the first 2 weeks although by Day 3, her cord was as dry as spaghetti which was a good sign. Hubby decided to cut the cord for convenience’s sake (we were juggling between baby and placenta for every feed and cleaning). At first he cut it half its length, stopped and observed Maya. When she showed no sign of distress (she was in such deep sleep, we didn’t think she would mind), we cut a little more until 2 inches of the cord was left attached to her belly button. Within the first week, the remaining inches fell off by itself. We wanted to bury her placenta, but it has been a month now and it’s still sitting in our freezer. Yeah, we’re just too tired from the sleepless nights to bury Little Miss Bongo’s buddy.

We mothers spend the entire 9 months or so, getting our bodies nourished and healthy for the big day, but most of us fall short of ensuring that our babies would get the best welcome on their birthday. Lotus Birth honours the baby by letting baby decide the best time to let go of his/her placenta. Sure, medical professionals would say that babies won’t feel a thing when they cut the cord (my first doc told me that too). If babies don’t feel a thing when their cord is cut, why do they cry so hard at the moment it happens?

For me, Lotus Birth is the gentlest welcome I could offer to Maya on her first day. Although I encourage other parents to consider taking this path for their babies, I would also suggest that they do their own research on the topic and have a positive mindset on it. I did a lot of Google searches (good advertising huh?) and asked A LOT. I spoke to many here in KL and overseas too. I learned that I shouldn’t let my health and Maya’s health be decided out of fear. Should I decide to have Baby #2, I would inform the hospital and the attending doctor of my decisions just so we’re on the same page and no one would jump out of their pants scared of legal consequences.

– Sher Li (Jan 09)
http://mamapenyu.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-virgin.html

Cord up close (birth day)Placenta up close (birth day)Baby Maya and placentaBaby Maya - 1 week oldBaby Maya - 11days old