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Orlagh Frank McLoughlin, 23 March 2013, her birth story!

04/08/2013 14:49:00

Orlagh Frank McLoughlin Birth Story!

Hi guys, I have had lots of requests for Orlagh’s birth story. Apologies that it has taken me 2 weeks to get round to writing it and even bigger apologies for the length of the story. However, most of you wanted all the info, so here it is…..

For those who want the nutshell, Orlagh was due Friday March 22nd and arrived March 23rd at 15.47, 8lb 7oz! We got to the Coombe at 15.00 and Orlagh was born at 15.47. She is gorgeous and perfect and we are loving that she is part of our family!!!!

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so here are some amazing pictures that Eugene took and they convey Oralgh's arrival into the world better than I ever could!!

Labouring at home Friday night.

Focusing on long slow exhales!

My Very First Touch of Orlagh

Feeling a huge sence of relief and gratitude that she arrived safely.

My first inspection

Just taking a moment to look at her little face and see who has been living inside me for the last 9 months

Baby Orlagh

Orlagh Frank McLoughlin, 23 March 2013. Born 15.47, weighing 8lbs 7oz

Relief, Joy and Love!

Eugene cutting the cord

We waited about 7 minutes to cut the cord, you can see the cord has gone from purple to white and it was no longer pulsating

Skin to Skin

Sisters

Home 2 weeks

Hanging with my ladies!

For those that want the full story, here you go…………......

Middle of the night, 4am on the 22nd, I went to the toilet and noticed that my underwear was slightly damp, changed my underwear and got back into bed, slept until about 7.30 and when I got up my underwear was damp again, so I guessed that my waters were leaking ever so slightly.

22nd being my due date I had planned a lovely day for myself, and booked Clodagh in with her child-minder for the day so that I could really enjoy, what could be my last day of freedom for a while!

My day started with a personal training weights session which I had booked for 8am. After this I noticed I had a small show/spotting. I had reflexology booked with Melanie in DHC at 9.30, so I continued on to this and had the most relaxing, nurturing treatment and left feeling fabulous.

After reflexology I went home, I had plans to meet 2 friends in TriBecCa for lunch so I hopped into bed for a quick power nap, listened to my 30 minute GentleBirth track and then headed off to Ranelagh. I was feeling great, but aware that things were starting to shift a little, as I had a little discomfort in my back and walking was very slow and heavy.

I met my friends at 12.30, and when doing the rounds of how are you, I said, "Fine, in the early stages of labour, I reckon I will have the baby by this time tomorrow!" The girls thought I was a little crazy sitting eating my chicken wings, but I was determined to enjoy my last bit of time before Orlagh arrived.

Had a great lunch and chats, and after I had planned to get my nails done, (part of my lovely day for me!), however it was a really wet rainy day and I was feeling tired and I love my bed, so I went home and had my second nap of the day. Again I listened to the GentleBirth rehearsal track, followed by the subliminal music and slept for an hour!

I got up after my nap and noticed again that my underwear was again slightly damp however apart from small, discomfort in my back, I was feeling totally normal.

Clodagh came home, and from there the normal Friday evening kicked in. Dinner, playtime, wind down, bedtime routine. However I couldn’t hold Clodagh for long, she was way too heavy and I was feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Once we got Clodagh to bed, I started to feel gentle cramping sensations starting to build. I had a shower, popped on my TENS machine and came downstairs to sit on my ball and do my nails watching The Late Late. Around 10pm, I had another show and contractions started to build gently.

By 11.30, I rang my mum (who was out having cocktails with my sister, my 2 back up babysitters!) and told her that I didn’t think that I would make it through the night, and would she rather come over now or get a call at 3 or 4am? Mum got in a taxi and came over, and once she came over I hopped into bed hoping to get some sleep.

From about midnight on, I started timing the contractions with an app on my phone, with my TENS machine on, lying in bed on my side and again listening to my GentleBirth tracks. I really wanted to get some sleep, but the contractions even though five minutes apart and lasting only 20 seconds to begin made sleeping impossible. The TENS machine and the app on my phone for timing the contractions were a great distraction. I happily lay in bed, very comfortably until 4am, when the contractions were about 3 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds. Eugene fast asleep beside me, none the wiser.

I woke Eugene at 4 and told him that I thought that it was time to go to hospital. I decided to go because the contractions were getting stronger and closer (3 mins apart lasting 30-45 sec) together, I thought that I was well on my way to getting my hands on my beautiful baby and it was now 24 hours since my waters first started leaking so I wanted to go in and get checked out. We got up, had a bowl of cereal, double checked the bags, woke my mum and headed off.

It was all very relaxing and chilled out, we were both in great form, getting all excited about our new baby. We arrived at the Coombe around 5, it was very quiet and they weren’t busy at all so we were seen straight away and brought into be assessed. As I thought my waters had started to leak 24 hours earlier, the policy in the Coombe is that I had to have a 20 minute trace done, I had wanted to have intermittent monitoring, however I had to have the trace. At this stage my contractions were still coming, so I was allowed to sit on the ball for the trace.

The trace picked up Orlagh’s heart rate no problem, but there was no variance in her heart rate. I didn’t know what this meant, until after 7am when she started moving again, but it turned out that she was fast asleep and would not wake up.

The midwives needed to see variance along with a strong heartbeat, so I ended up on the trace for 2 hours 5-7am, during this time, I was given lucozade, cold water, ice, I ate chocolate, cereal bars, all in an effort to get variance in the heartbeat and wake Orlagh up. I started to get worried as they had me moving positions, drinking litres of water, eating sugar and nothing would wake her. As I got more concerned my contractions completely stopped, no contractions, my lovely relaxed feeling was gone (along with my labour!).

As nothing was working to wake my sleepy baby, the midwives wanted to put me on an IV drip to give me fluids. I strongly resisted this, as even though it was just water, I felt that this would start a chain reaction of intervention (which I planned to avoid as long as I was ok and my baby was safe). I bought some time by suggesting that I drink 1 litre of coconut water (which I had in my labour bag) to try to improve my fluid levels. Coconut water is also full of potassium and electrolytes and is great for rehydrating the body naturally so I thought that it was worth a try.

I am not sure what worked, if it was the coconut water, sugar, chocolate or if Orlagh was just done sleeping but by 7am, she woke up, started moving again and then 20 minutes later we got a perfect trace with lots of variance.

Once I knew that she was okay, I was so relieved I vomited. It could have been relief or the litres of fluid, chocolate and cereal bars I had consumed in an effort to wake her! But then I was feeling fine and ready to go again, but now labour was gone, no contractions, aches, pains or even twinges!

Once the trace was okay, the midwives checked to see if there was still fluid around baby. They figured that my membranes we still intact, however as I had felt that I was leaking for the previous 24 hours, along with the problems with the trace, they wanted to admit me for monitoring. Again, this was not something that I wanted at all, in fact I would have gone out of my way to avoid, as I did not want to be put on the clock or have anyone intervene, speed up my labour or try to make anything happen that my body or baby was not ready for. I tried to negotiate, saying how close I lived to the Coombe, but they were not budging.

However my luck changed as the night shift changed into the day shift and a new team, led by a new doctor came on. After speaking to the senior midwife, her making a few calls to the doctor, quick double check on fluid around baby, my blood pressure and baby’s heart rate, she agreed to let me go home. T&Cs applied, including that if I leaked any more fluid I had to come back in, and once the contractions started again to come back to hospital.

I was back in my house, with my baby in my belly by 9.30am. When I got home I couldn’t help but feel really disappointed that I had had a false alarm. I was full sure leaving my house at 5am that I would be back home with my baby in a few hours.

My mum and sister were in my house minding Clodagh, and I was only home 5 or 10 minutes when I started getting mild twinges back. I decided to hop into bed and bank some sleep in the hopes that when I woke up everything would kick off again!

Because I had been off to a false start earlier that day I was determined that the next time I went into the Coombe I was coming out with a baby. I was disappointed that things hadn’t gone to plan, that we had had that small fright, that my labour had come to a complete stop. I started doubting that this would be the day I would get to hold my baby. I had called on my mum, dad and sister to be on standby to mind Clodagh for the weekend and I was afraid that I might not need them at all!

I got into bed, slept until about noon, I woke to the contractions starting again, so I popped my TENS back on, played my GentleBirth tracks and focussed on deep slow breathing, resting in bed ‘til about 1.

As things had not gone according to plan on my first trip to the Coombe that day, I really needed to focus on getting my confidence back. I used my deep, slow breathing to centre myself again and come back to a place where I felt calm and centred. I lit some candles and made my bedroom very nice, comforting and relaxing. And I used my GentleBirth affirmations to get my head back in the game. All of this, particularly feeling safe and relaxed, helped me get back into the zone and things kicked off again for me.

From 1pm onwards the contractions really started to build, less rhythmical than the previous night, but stronger, shorter and sharper. I spent the next 2 hours on my ball, with my TENS machine, breathing through them, and waiting for a pattern in the contractions, or expecting them to get longer (they were only 20-30 seconds). I think that I had forgotten all the work my body had done the previous night and thought that this was the start of things now.

Very quickly I went from bouncing on my ball, breathing and using the TENS machine, feeling very grounded and centred. To feeling serious pressure in my pelvis and bum, and needing to kneel on my hands and knees with each contraction. In my head, this was the start of everything and I thought that with the contractions lasting only 20 seconds I still had a long way to go so I was just focussing on getting through each contractions, like a wave, one at a time, each bringing me closer to my baby.

I had sent Eugene out to nearby shops to get some supplies to feed my babysitters and by the time he got back from the shop, he was greeted by my mother ushering me down the stairs, with me saying that I needed to push and that I felt that baby in my bum!

I felt that with every step that I took down the stairs that the baby was going to come. Contractions were coming hard and fast, were still very short (20/30 seconds) and very close together. As they got stronger the pressure in my bum increased, along with the urge to bear down. My mum packed me into Eugene’s jeep and Eugene and I set off for the Coombe.

I really wasn’t sure if we would make it, and now for each contraction I had to focus on keeping the energy up and not breathing or thinking down. We only live 5/10 minutes from the Coombe, and we passed a Garda car along the way, Eugene asked should we stop it, however I didn’t even think that we had time for that so on we went!

Luckily it was a Saturday so parking and traffic etc was no problem so we quickly arrived at the Coombe. When we got there, I couldn’t walk due to pressure and feeling like the baby might pop out if it walked, so Eugene had to run off and get a wheelchair. He came back, got me into the wheelchair and we got into the Coombe and went straight for the delivery ward, they had my file etc from being in that morning.

At this stage, each contraction had me growling, deep low noises, the growling helped me with each surge, my TENS was still on at this stage, so I was hitting the boost button and growling with each contraction.

Got up to the delivery floor, met the midwife who had released me that morning and she took me straight to a delivery room. She admitted me to the delivery room just after 3pm.

On my first pregnancy with Clodagh I was diagnosed with Group Strep B, which means that you need antibiotics once you are in labour, and once you have it once, they always assume that you have it, so I was immediately given antibiotics through a cannula in my hand.

After that they wanted to do a trace on baby, I was lying on my side on the bed for this, however I was unable to stay still and said that I needed to go to the loo. The midwife took me over towards the toilet, however once I started walking/moving again I got huge pressure and an urge to bear down again, so I got back onto the bed and this time I was on my hands and knees on the bed.

I hadn’t planned to give birth on my hands and knees, as you really cannot plan this, you just have to listen to your body and see what your body needs. For me being on my hands and knees felt very comfortable and allowed Orlagh the space to come into the world. For the contractions I was on my hands and knees and then in between, I rested on my elbows, stood on my knees or rested face down in the bed. It felt very natural and gave me great relief from the pressure I felt in my bum.

At 15.35 I started pushing, I was on my hands and knees on the bed and there were 3 midwives present (one senior midwife, one newly qualified and one student). I was very relaxed on my hands and knees and there was no coached pushing, with each contraction, my body was pushing my baby out and I was just going with that, helping by bearing, breathing and thinking down. Orlagh came out quickly and easily and was born at 15.47. My stage 2 was so much faster and easier than with Clodagh (50 minutes stage 2). By being on my hands and knees she moved down and out through my pelvis without difficulty and I actually enjoyed feeling her make her way into the world.

Immediately as soon as she came out, I reached back between my legs and took her skin to skin with me. I was able to sit back with my bum on my heels and take in my beautiful little daughter. The relief, joy and love just takes over from everything else and you instantly feel fabulous! Eugene managed to take some amazing photos throughout and captured everything from her coming into the world, to my first touch of her.

My preference was not to cut the cord immediately (which is standard hospital policy), as I wanted Orlagh to get all her iron and nutrients from the cord and allow it to stop pulsating before the cord was cut. The midwives were fantastic and we got about 7 minutes before the cord turned white, stopped pulsing and then Eugene was allowed to cut the cord and Orlagh was free from me!

After that I delivered the placenta. I chose to get the injection and the placenta came away and was delivered easily with a couple of pushes. As Orlagh came very quickly in the end I had a very small tear and the midwife, after some consideration, decided that I needed a couple of stitches.

I got 2 hours of completely undisturbed skin to skin time. The first hour was just snuggles and cuddles and after that we popped her on the boob and started breastfeeding.

The best thing about having a drug free natural birth is that immediately after the birth you feel great. I was able to get up and walk around very comfortably shortly after delivery. I had a shower and was transferred onto the ward. I spent 48 hours in hospital as they had to keep an eye on Orlagh for 48 hours as I got the antibiotics very close to her delivery.

Eugene brought Clodagh in to meet Orlagh the following day and that was the part I was looking forward to most, introducing the little sisters. It didn’t disappoint and Clodagh has been an amazing, kind and somewhat scarily affectionate big sister ever since!!!

We are home 2 weeks now, time is flying by and it feels like Orlagh has always been here. She is doing great. We are doing a little bit of baby massage and once she is 6 weeks we will be back in baby yoga!!!

Please continue to email me your birth stories and send me photos of you and your little babies so that I can spread the great news to the other ladies in the classes.

If you have any questions, queries or comments, pop them in below or email Rachel@mywellbeing.ie

A letter to … the lady in the next bed The letter you always wanted to write

01/04/2013 14:43:00

A letter to … the lady in the next bed The letter you always wanted to write

Saturday 15 December

The Guardian,

Having watched Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake and the other Olympians recently, I started thinking about how their competitiveness translates to the everyday world. I thought about how we push each other along and help each other to do our best. That made me think of you. I wanted to say thank you. Though we never met and I never even saw your face, you helped me to get through one of the most intense experiences of my life.You were in the bed next to mine. There was a curtain around it but I could hear you and your partner ringing around to try to find someone to look after your dog for the night. It seemed that your baby had decided to come a little earlier than expected. I heard you saying to the midwife that your mother had hoped the baby might arrive that day – it was 11 November 2011 and would have the birthdate of 11/11/11. The midwife said she thought your mother would get her wish. I smiled because my mother had been hoping for the same thing.I think you found someone to look after the dog and as the day wore on and afternoon turned into early evening your contractions seemed to be more frequent and closer together. You remained so calm. While mypartner and I played Scrabble on the other side of the blue curtain, we couldn't help but hear what was going on.It was only possible to know that a contraction was coming because you would stop talking and start breathing slowly and deeply, in and out, until it had passed. This went on for a while and then I heard you stopping a passing midwife and saying politely, "I think I am ready to have that conversation about pain relief now." I think they kept you hanging on quite a while longer as I heard you stop them and ask the same thing, in the same calm way, several more times. I'm not sure you ever got that conversation. Eventually you were taken out of our ward and off to the delivery suite.During this time, my contractions were slowly but steadily starting to take off. But then I knew how to do it. I would do it like you. As each contraction built I copied what you had done. I breathed in and out slowly and deeply and the contraction passed. I kept calm and I kept going. When the midwives came to check on my monitor, they commented on my pain-management skills. Well, I learned it from you.
It was only a little later, on the delivery suite after they'd broken my waters, that I started to feel out of control. The midwife had popped out of the room and it was just me and my partner. I was just feeling like I couldn't go on, when suddenly I realised I had the urge to push.There was no midwife around so my partner ran out of the room to find one. A different midwife arrived and delivered our baby boy, who shot out. It was a wonderful, intense experience and he is a wonderful baby. I wanted to thank you. You helped me through it and made it such a positive experience and you never knew.I heard that your baby arrived soon after you were moved off our ward. I hope you are all as happy as we are. And that the dog welcomed the new family member.Rebecca

Treating Pelvic Organ Prolapse

10/31/2012 12:28:00

There are many options for treating pelvic organ prolapse (POP), ranging from the conservative and non-invasive, to more serious treatments such as surgery. The degree of treatment used by a woman and her doctor to reverse prolapse symptoms should reflect the degree of her condition.

Surgical treatment is only necessary to reverse the most severe side effects. It's important to keep in mind that many non-invasive treatments used to treat prolapse can also be used to prevent it from developing.

Non-invasive Treatment The most common risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse are pregnancy and childbirth. However, estrogen levels — which begin to decrease as women age — also play a role in the strength and tone of pelvic tissues. When these tissues become weakened, they may allow one or more pelvic organs to slip out of place — or prolapse. Additionally, smoking, obesity, chronic constipation, a previous pelvic injury and/or a family history of prolapse can make a woman's body more prone to serious symptoms. T

he more women do to naturally maintain the strength of pelvic tissues and muscles, the less susceptible they will be to more severe cases of prolapse.

Non-invasive treatments include:

· Diet and exercise. A healthy diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, can make sure that depleted and/or weakened pelvic tissues receive the nutrients they need to heal and regain their strength after childbirth. When combined with regular exercise — yoga and Pilates are good choices — a well-balanced diet can also help women to keep off unnecessary weight. Women who smoke should discuss various cessation methods with their doctor. The sooner they quit the better it is for their overall health.

· Pelvic exercises. From the moment a woman becomes pregnant, the strength and tone of her pelvic floor should become a priority. Not only will this help to prevent incontinence during pregnancy and after childbirth, it sets the stage for maintaining a strong upper vagina and pelvic floor after the baby is born. Kegel exercises are the most common form of pelvic floor exercise. When done daily, they can help to prevent organs from prolapsing later on.

· Pelvic physical therapy. Therapists who specialize in pelvic health can be particularly helpful for women who have had a traumatic childbirth, experienced prior pelvic injury, or who have a family history of POP. They can create specialized exercise programs to promote pelvic health. · Vaginal pessaries. Pessaries are one of the most successful methods to treat POP symptoms for women with more moderate to severe cases of POP. These devices come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the symptoms, and are custom fitted. When they are inserted correctly, they provide support for the pelvic floor and prevent organs from prolapsing. They also treat urinary incontinence.

Surgical Treatment For severe cases of prolapse, surgery may be the only option to treat the symptoms. The aim of surgery is to reconstruct the supportive mechanisms that hold pelvic organs in place. Women should discuss their surgical options with a doctor. Some surgeries, such as methods using transvaginal mesh, are associated with higher numbers of health complications than others. Many of these mesh products have been pulled off the market in a transvaginal mesh recall. By discussing the full range of treatment options with their doctor, women can choose the safest and most effective treatment for their symptoms. Elizabeth Carrollton writes to inform the general public about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com.

20 Things Happy People Do Every Day

08/01/2012 16:01:00

Check this out...

Something that I need to remind myself of more often!

How about you?

What makes you happy?

20 Things Happy People Do Every Day

By Jennifer White

1. Smile—a lot (pass on that happiness).
2. Say “yes” to something that makes you uncomfortable—because you know it’s actually good for you.
3. Practice kindness.
4. Love enthusiastically and with your entire being.
5. Re-commit to goals.
6. Talk to a friend—even if it’s just on the phone.
7. Be your own best friend (practice self-love).
8. Live your beliefs and convictions.
9. Take care of your body.
10. Do something indulgent (this could be a lot of things—a square of dark chocolate, a glass of wine, treating yourself to a yoga class or reading a few pages of a new book).
11. Remember tomorrow’s another day.
12. Let go of the little things.
13. Laugh out loud and from your soul.
14. Enjoy your alone time—even if it’s just in the shower or on the drive to work.
15. Spend time with people you enjoy.
16. Don’t let the people that you must encounter, and don’t enjoy, affect your mood for too long—let them help you grow as a person instead.
17. Grow a little bit closer to your higher self.
18. Let go of ego.
19. Do something you know you need to do but don’t want to.
20. Find the benefits in obstacles.

Taken from:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5550/20-Things-Happy-People-Do-Every-Day.html

5 Tips for a Happy & Healthy Pregnancy

07/24/2012 15:51:00

Taken from

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5554/5-Tips-for-a-Happy-Healthy-Pregnancy.html

Whether you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, these five simple tips will help establish a healthy foundation for you and your baby.

1. Supplement Your Diet
Taking a high-quality prenatal supplement andpurified fish oil are essential to ensuring you and the growing life inside of you are getting what you need. Think of supplements as insurance for your health, and don’t skimp on quality or price (i.e. don’t purchase your vitamins at a store that also sells tires).

2. Eat Fresh, Organic Whole Foods
When you’re pregnant, what you eat is literally forming the building blocks that are growing and nourishing your unborn child. For a healthy prenatal diet full of nutrients and free of toxins, focus on fresh, organic whole foods.

Include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and a variety of colorful vegetables in your diet. If you consume meat, fish or dairy, make sure to choose full-fat,organic dairy, grass-fed beef, organic poultry and wild-caught fish.

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Proper hydration is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Staying hydrated will keep your energy levels up and help ease some of the discomforts of pregnancy. Not only does water transport vital nutrients from your blood to your baby; it helps prevent water retention, constipation, hemorrhoids and dehydration, too.For optimal health you should drink half your weight in ounces of water daily (Example: 150 pound woman = 75 ounces of water). When you’re pregnant that amount increases to meet the needs of your growing body. As you gain weight adjust the amount according to your weight.

4. Exercise
There are many benefits to prenatal exercise including more energy, lower chance of gestational diabetes, easier labor and delivery, a healthier baby, quicker postpartum recovery, better sleep, and a healthier immune system… just to name a few.
Try out prenatal yoga, pilates, walking, or swimming. A great way to meet other like-minded mamas-to-be is to check out your local gyms or yoga studios for prenatal exercise classes.

5. Ditch the Toxins
From the kitchen to your cosmetic bag - toxins lurk in every corner of your home. Do yourself and your growing baby a favor, and trade out those harsh cleaning products for simple and effective natural cleaning products. Some great companies that make non-toxic, natural cleaning products includedMethod, Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day. You can make your own natural, effective cleaners at home as well. For an all-purpose cleaner, mix a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar to water and add a few drops of essential oils such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil.
Avoid ingesting harmful chemicals from plastics that leach into your food. Trade in your plastic food containers for glass. If you don't want to spend money on a set of glass storage containers, reuse glass jars you already have like pickle jars and pasta sauce jars. Check out these easy and affordable ways to reduce your chemical burden.

Published July 24, 2012 at 9:15 AM

Protecting Your Back at Work

06/20/2012 16:08:00

Backache in Pregnancy....

Backache is one of the top complaints with all my Pregnancy Yoga and Pilates students. The two most important places to protect your back is at work and watching how you sleep. Keeping active, using your ball and coming to class will help keep your back strong, but you MUST mind your back in work.

Please read below top tips from one of my FANTASTIC students who has worked in facilities management.

Tips for Office Workers

You should be given a Pregnancy Risk Assessment by whoever is in charge of Health & Safety in your company. This is a legal requirement. Most places don’t do it.
Basic workspace ergonomics can have a massive positive effect on your posture.

Your chair: your chair should be adjustable to cater for your height. The seat part should fit the underside of your thighs comfortably and be neither too long or too short.
The height should be adjustable so that your feet rest comfortably on the ground and your knees at a 90degree angle. If this is not the case, you can request a foot rest. (These are cheap as chips and available from any stationery supplier).
Back should be at 90 degrees and supported especially in pregnancy. Again, without getting militant, a company is responsible for your safety at work and should take measures to ensure that you do not suffer from back pain. Request a back support, bring a pillow with you to work or roll up a blanket and put it behind you.
Your computer screen should be at the correct level for your height. Eyes should be level with the “File” bar in Microsoft Word. If it is not, find some way to raise it up. This will help to keep you sitting straight. It should be at a distance that you can touch it with the tip of your middle finger. Any closer is too close and vice versa. If you have a laptop, elevate the laptop and request a separate keyboard. It is worth noting that laptops are not considered “safe” to work on for long periods of time.
You should have the keyboard flat on the desk, and you should have a mousemat and wrist rest.
If you’re on the phone all day and inclined to rest the phone between your ear and shoulder, request a headset.

Ryan Gosling does Yoga

05/20/2012 01:03:00

Ryan Gosling - Yogi! (And Dog Lover)

By MindBodyGreen

We love that 30-year-old actor, Ryan Gosling, has joined the long list of men who are hitting the yoga mat! Apparently, Gosling his been bringing along a friend to class as well -- his beloved dog, George.

We love yoga and we love dogs here at MindBodyGreen -- and we even love yoga for dogs or 'Doga'... but we're not so sure about dogs and yoga mixing together in a regular yoga class.

What do you think about dogs being present in a yoga class?

Does it depend on the circumstance? Does it depend on the behavior of the dog? Or maybe the size of the dog?

Let us know!

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3276/Ryan-Gosling-Yogi-And-Dog-Lover.html

5 Great Ways to Use a Birthing Ball For an Easier Childbirth

04/10/2012 10:44:00

As those of you who are taking my pregnancy classes know, I am a huge fan of using birthing balls during your pregnancy, labour and birth. I strongly advice all students to get a ball as soon as they know that they are pregnant and spend as much time on it as possible. Use your ball at home, relaxing, watching TV, at your desk, at your kitchen table and use that ball to ease any back pressure. Don't forget to use your ball for your daily exercises too!

For more info, check out this article by April Asorson, either read below of click here

http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/birthing-ball-for-easy-birth/

Join into one of our 5 pregnancy yoga, pregnancy pilates or pregnancy yogalates classes. Please click here for more info.

Having a birthing ball on hand during your birth can be a huge help. For me personally I wouldn’t even dream of giving birth without having one there in case I needed it, and most birth professionals would agree that it’s one of those “must have” items. There are just so many beneficial ways to use one. A birthing ball can help with everything from getting birth started, to getting the baby into a favorable position or by helping a tired Momma to keep going when things get hard. In this article I’m gonna share with you some great ways to use your birthing ball that you’ll want to know about because they may just be your saving grace during your birthing time.What is a Birthing Ball?Very simply it’s an exercise ball that you can find at any department store. We call them birthing balls because we use them for birth, but you don’t have to go seek out any sort of specialty “birthing ball.” They’re pretty inexpensive and definately invaluable.1) Using the Birthing Ball During The Early Stages of BirthWhen you first start to feel your rushes coming on using your birthing ball is a great way to ease into the process. The best way to use your birthing ball in the beginning is to simply sit on it and begin spiraling your hips in a circular motion. Having your birth partner standing in front of you holding your hands or being available for you to rest your head on between rushes can help you feel more supported.Don’t think too much, don’t worry about the direction your going, or counting your spirals. You can just follow the natural flow and rhythm that you feel in your body. Remember to trust your body and allow it to lead you. This spiraling movement is one of those essential keys to moving the rushes through without allowing them to compound and become painful. The birthing ball makes it easy to move without a ton of effort allowing you to just relax and merge that connection between the rhythm and movement of your body and the flow of the birth. While simultaneously it is opening up your pelvis creating space for your baby to move down.Using Spirals on the Birthing Ball to Get into Active LaborActive Spirals on the Birthing Ball to Get Contractions StartedNow this one is similar to the first one but is used to get your birthing rushes started. Perhaps your water has broken but it’s taking a while to progress to the point of contractions yet, so to get things rolling you can sit on the ball and do smooth but active circles (perhaps to the same flow as salsa music) for 20 minute alternating directions periodically during that time. This will bring your babies head right down onto your cervix and some nice juicy rushes (contractions) should start flowing.2) Rocking and Spiraling on Hands and Knees Over the Birthing BallGreat to use any time throughout your birth. It’s a good way to maintain that hands and knees position without putting any extra strain on your wrists. And the birthing ball is a fabulous support for your upper body allowing you to relax while your body does the work. In this position you can lean over the birthing ball and rock or sway your hips from side to side or from front to back. This movement feels really nice, and can be very soothing. Or even better spiral your hips in this position.3) Using the Birthing Ball When Mama gets Tired and Needs A Little Extra SupportBirth Partners Helping Mother on the Birthing BallAnother great reason to have a birthing ball on hand is because there may be times during your birth that you get really tired and movement may become challenging. This is when the birthing ball comes in handy. With the help of your birth partners you can sit on the ball and they can easily help to move rock and spiral your hips while your on the ball. Since balls move around easily it is a way to keep your body moving and flowing with the birth without exerting a lot of effort. Also if you’d like to lean over the birthing ball as in the previous position while your birth partners rub your back or apply warm compresses it can help you to relax and release your muscles.4) Using Birthing Ball to Progress Labor or Get Baby into Favorable PositionUsing Birthing Ball to Progress laborThis is a position to use if birth has slowed for some reason and you need to get it going again. Sometimes when birth has slowed it is because the baby has moved into an unfavorable position. This one will help to correct this and get your baby properly aligned. You sit and bend your knees touching the soles of your feet together. The birthing ball is placed in the space between your knees and you lean forward to hug the ball. Now you have two trusted people at either side of you.You vigorously rocks side to side as your support team holds your arms and shoulders to hold your weight when you lean towards them preventing you from falling. This is a vigorous movement that shifts the asynclitic (the baby’s head is tipped as if listening). It may correct the angle of the baby’s head and allow it to descend if it was in an unfavorable position.5) Deep Squatting with the Birthing Ball Squatting is a great position to be in during birth, because you are upright and working with the pull of gravity to move the baby down, it also creates a wide opening in your pelvis. The arch of the ball can help to support your upper body while in this position. This is a great one to use during all phases of birth and may even be a good possiblity during the pushing phase.So go out and get yourself a birthing ball! You can practice doing some of these moves while your pregnant such as leaning over the ball (which is awesome to help with back strain) or doing the comfortable spirals on the ball. I used my birthing ball through my whole pregnancy, which relieved a ton of the discomfort and pressure especially the further along I got, and I used it some during the birth. If you already have a birthing ball and have any tips that you’d like to share or if you have any questions please leave me a comment below

Gweneth Palthrow's Advice For the mother-to-be

04/09/2012 13:36:00

Goop for the Mum to Be

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Please click here to check out my range of Pregnancy Yoga, Pregnancy Pilates and Pregnancy Yogalates classes in Dublin 2.

http://www.mywellbeing.ie/Pregnancy--Classes.html

For the mother-to-beIn the past few months we’ve received lots of reader requests for a goop issue on pregnancy, and so we got to work on the subject. Below are all my essentials plus our most recent sources of inspiration for everything from wearable maternity clothing to putting together a nursery.Love,
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The NurseryJessica Wilpon Kamel, the co-founder and creative director of Edition01, lends us her mood boards and inspiration for the nursery and layette she's prepared for her own baby, who's on the way.

“I’m a total website and blog junkie so when presented with the project of selecting the best places to shop for babies online, I only had to take my hundreds of bookmarked sites and begin the arduous and addicting process of editing! My husband even took the laptop away from me and told me I had to take a break from looking at baby products! I obliged, but then went straight back to it.”The FurnishingsA dream nursery comes to life in this mood board that Jessica created.The WallsSome of Jessica’s inspiration for the walls to complement her nursery layout.The LayetteA baby preparedness kit with clothes, swaddles, blankets and stuffed toys.

Guidance and Inspiration

Dr. Gowri Motha and the Gentle Birth Method

Gowri Motha is an obstetrician turned doula based in London who was invaluable to me during my pregnancy. After spending years delivering babies in UK hospitals, she came to understand that giving birth did not have to be as difficult and stressful as it can be for some, many times leading to cesareans that could have been avoided, etc. So, she developed a method of preparing mothers for giving birth called the Gentle Birth Method, which is described in her book and encompasses diet, gentle exercise tips, Reflexology, Creative Healing, Reiki, visualization, emotional preparation and more.Here’s a very relaxing foot massage from the book:This is a super easyfoot massage you can practice at home. For five minutes have a friend or partner massage your feet, giving you an all-round kneading. Work deeply on the tissues at the top of the feet firmly moving your fingers up and down the spaces between the bones. This can be done on the hands too.Dr. Gowri Motha teaches and holds private sessions at the Viveka Centre.

Eat Right For Your Baby

This book is based on Dr. Peter Adamo’s blood type diet, which takes his research on eating according to your blood type and applies it to pregnancy.

The Glow

This is a site that is a collaboration between Violet Gaynor, the senior fashion editor at InStyle and Kelly Stuart who is a photo director at Hearst. They feature beautiful photographs of cool moms and their kids and each post is full of personal tips for kids' clothes, beauty, kids' recipes and more. It’s very inspiring to look at and also full of useful ideas directly from one mom to another.

Babble’s Week-by-Week guide

Babble provides a guide for every single week of the pregnancy, with specific information for each particular week. It describes the changes you might be experiencing, tells you about how big your baby is inside your womb, and provides advice for each step of the way from other mothers.The ClothesA few of the brands that I like the most for pregnancy gear.

HATCHHATCH is a fantastic collection of simple, incredibly cute and cool clothing that transitions well throughout pregnancy, meaning you can wear it when you’re at two months or nine months and about to burst (or even when you’re not pregnant). The spring collection is especially cute – flowing dresses, a trench that goes well with just about anything, an adorable jumpsuit...etc. HATCH gives

Every Mother Counts $5 from each transaction on the site.

Bellydance Maternity

This site has a huge selection of clothing for expectant mothers including a brand called Nom, which makes super comfortable and wearable tops, bottoms and dresses, which I practically lived in while pregnant. Also, don’t miss Bellydance’s maternity denim selection.

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A French brand of totally wearable, casual clothing. It has a laid-back and yet not slouchy aesthetic. Great straight-leg pants, airy shirts and shorts.

JBrand

JBrand has some of the best maternity jeans out there. They’re comfortable on the belly and nice and tight everywhere else. Wear their legging jeans with a flowing top and a cropped jacket on top and you’re set.

Topshop Maternity

And of course, Topshop is a good place to stop if you’re looking for a few pieces to liven up your wardbrobe affordably and get you through the nine months without your getting too tired of your closet.Beauty and WellbeingWhere possible, incorporate organic and natural products into your routine during pregnancy.

Check out our Natural and Organic Skincare issue for more ideas on products that you can use while pregnant.

Mama Mio

A skincare brand created by four beauty experts who developed products for problem areas such as, their Boob Tube, a bust and neck firmer, Lucky Legs, a cooling serum, and Tummy Oil. They have an extensive line of special pregnancy products including their Congratulations Kit with O-Mega Shower and body creams and Tummy Rub oil. Their products are what they call “no nasties” in them, meaning no parabens, petroleum, phthalates, colorants, sodium laureth, sodium sulphates, synthetic fragrances or xenoestrogen.

Perfect Prenatal Vitamins from New Chapter Organics

This is an organic prenatal vitamin that I took during pregnancy that contains nutrients to maintain general health (and great hair and nails too).

Earth Mama Angel Baby Stretch Oil

Earth Mama is a great line of products for expecting and recent moms – teas, balms, oils, and body butter, that all aim to make pregnancy and breast feeding more comfortable. I used their Stretch Oil and it worked for me.

Sheswai Lacquer

There are plenty of nail polishes to choose from now that are formaldehyde-free. Sheswai comes in great colors and is free from the terrible three: formaldehyde, dbp, and toluene. Butter London, another favorite, does the same.Tips on the Pregnancy Beauty RoutineMelissa Schweiger, who recently wrote Belli Beautifulabout baby-safe skincare, offers a few suggestions from her book on how to stay safe with your routine during pregnancy.

"Instead of applying mascara at the roots of the lashes, apply it only onto the tips of the lashes."
"Stage a ban on all synthetic perfumes. Instead, use essential oils (we love jasmine and citrus scents) and dab them onto your hair."
"Rather than getting a single process hair color that sits on the scalp, opt for highlights instead. Or get an ammonia-free glaze to keep the grays at bay. But wait until the second trimester to do any hair coloring treatment. Our motto is ‘When in doubt, wait it out!’"
"Stay away from finger bowls and foot spas at the nail salon. Instead ask for a waterless manicure and pedicure."
"Swap your highly pigmented red lipstick for a gloss."
"Shampoo every other time – or even every third time – you wash your hair to lessen the number of chemicals you’re putting on your scalp. And apply conditioner to only the ends of the hair."
"Cancel your waxing appointment and throw away any depilatories or body and facial bleach. Laser hair removal is also a definite pregnancy no-no. Instead stick to good old shaving for the body and plucking or threading for the face."

The Baby KitAnd, when the baby arrives, a few of the practical things you’ll find incredibly handy in the first year.Organic Soft ToysYou never know what the No#1 favorite toy is going to be but bothUnder The Nile’s Fruit and Vegetable Toys and Sage Baby’sOrganic Baby Blanket Friends are serious contenders. They’re made from organic cotton so they make safe companions for sleeping, playing and chewing.Note: Once your child chooses its favorite toy, be sure to buy duplicates to avoid crises when and if the prized toy gets lost or left behind!gDiapersA ridiculously cute eco-friendly diaper system. Choose one or two outer layer diapers that you can use over and over again and then replace the inner layer with biodegradable refills or washable cloth inserts (both viable eco options). The diapers come in lots of great colors and patterns.Dr. Brown’s BottlesThese bottles are BPA, PVC, lead and pthalate-free (so nothing to worry about there!), and were developed specifically to help reduce colic and burping through a vent and vacuum system within the bottle. Dr. Brown’s also makes glass bottles if you prefer.Braun ThermometerYou’ll find that you’ll want this on hand pretty constantly to identify whether your baby has a fever or not, i.e. whether you need to worry or not. It measures the heat generated in the ear and tells temperature in seconds. It’s non-invasive so there’s a minimum of discomfort for your baby.BabyKicks Duz-it-allsYou will need to have LOTS of cloths on hand at all times – for feeding and burping, and for drool, spit up and all the general spillage that comes with. These are super soft, absorbent and made with organic cotton and hemp.Under the Nile's Side Snap OnesiesThis is another item to stock up on as side snaps are much easier to put on a squirming baby than regular onesies that you have to slip over your baby’s head. Under the Nile’s onesies are made with organic cotton.ergobaby Organic Baby CarrierDesigned to be super comfortable and ergonomic as the name hints, ergobaby has the added benefit of offering organic baby carriers made with organic cotton twill and sateen.

Marilyn Monroe: Yoga Superstar

04/05/2012 09:53:00

Marilyn Monroe: Yoga Superstar

By MindBodyGreen
Not only did Marilyn Monroe crank out inspirational wisdom, but she also got her yoga on. Seems like the spirit of Marilyn is in the air as we've seen lots of Marilyn yoga photos floating around the internet the past few days.
Did you know that Marilyn learned yoga from Indra Devi, who many consider to be the "The First Lady of Yoga"?
At any rate, Marilyn Monroe was a yogi!

Check out more images by clicking here:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4438/Marilyn-Monroe-Yoga-Superstar.html

Join Yoga at 20.20 on Wednesdays and embrace your inner Marilyn! Yoga classes in South William Space, Dublin 2