Mary Kury, Bradley Childbirth Instructor

Mary Kury is a Bradley Childbirth Instructor. She teaches classes at the Labors of Love Birth Center in Spartanburg, SC. I attended one of Mary's classes with my first doula client, Juli Ennis. Both Juli and I took away a lot of knowledge which was helpful during Juli's labor. Read Mary's story below.

My husband and I got married in June of 2006 with full intentions of waiting to begin our family until the fall of 2008 (that's when I would turn 30). But, God had different plans for us, and three short months after our wedding day we were pregnant with our first child. In my mind, I had a "designer birth" all planned out... schedule c-section with a tummy tuck afterward. I mean, if Britney Spears and Heidi Klum could do it, why couldn't I? Well, I thought that since this was a pretty important event, I should know as much as possible about the procedure and what I found was shocking. I went from wanting designer birth to wanting the complete opposite. I just wanted a normal birth. No medication, no drugs, no one bothering me. I spoke with a coworker about his twins' birth experience. He said that his wife had done it naturally! I wanted to know how she did that, and he gave me the number to their childbirth education teacher. My husband and I signed up the next week. After 12 weeks of instruction, and armed to the nines with information, I presented my birth plan to my OB. She systematically crossed off everything that was important to me, and told me that it was either against hospital policy or that it would cause my or my baby's death. I left feeling sad and angry. That weekend, a girl in my Sunday School class asked me how long I wanted to "feel the contractions" before I asked for an epidural. I told her that I wanted a natural birth and she laughed and said, "Well I'm certainly not the girl to talk to. Talk to her." And she pointed to a tall, slender wisp of young woman. I talked to her for over an hour and discovered that she had had her baby at home! I did not want to do such a thing as that, but did want to interview her midwife. That week we met Linda Weaver and went over my typed list of 92 questions- it took over 2 1/2 hours, but that was when we made the decision to have our baby at our home. I was 34 weeks pregnant, and at 38 weeks, my beautiful little girl arrived in a very textbook normal birth.

When she was a few months old, I wanted to contact my childbirth education teacher and tell her how integral she had been in my ability to have a natural birth experience, but found she had moved to Arizona. I had maintained a close bond with my midwife and told her about the move and she recommended that I begin teaching the class- there was no one within a 2 hour drive that was offering that curriculum. So, when my daughter was four months old, my family drove to the workshop in Atlanta and I began my journey to teaching. The more I learned, the more passionate I became. I found that women were not being properly educated about the risks and benefits of seemingly "routine" procedures. My appetite for reading medical literature became ravenous, and I couldn't seem to find enough books to quench my thirst for knowledge. I built a comprehensive library of materials to correlate with my classes. I have enjoyed the last year of teaching my students that childbirth is normal, not an illness, and I have been extremely proud that the vast majority of my students are able to have completely unmedicated births. I even had a couple tell me afterward, "She was going to give up and get the epidural, but she didn't want to mess up your stats!" I thought it was cute, but ultimately, it was what got her through a tough part of labor. And she had the birth experience that she wanted.

I love developing close relationships with my students and talk with many of them on a weekly basis. It is so amazing to watch them grow from being husband and wife to becoming mom and dad. And even though it was just for a breath of time, I was able to be a part of their family's birth experience. It is such an honor to work with expectant parents. I truly have the greatest job in the world.

** Contact Mary at maryandtodd@gmail.com.

Me and Juli @ Mary's Childbirth Class

Juli practicing pelvis rocking.

Birth Plan: Did Yours Help?

Birth plans can be a controversial issue. Some say they are wondeful while others say that birth plans create a "false sense of security." While birth plans may not be honored down to the letter, I believe birth plans are a good way to let your medical professional(s) and birth partner(s) know what you would like during your childbirthing experience. My first doula client, Juli, had planned to have a natural labor with her son, Pace. After laboring for 24 hours, both her midwife, the attending midwife, Juli and myself believed that after very little progress, a hospital birth would be best for Juli. After 3 additional hours of not progressing, the medical staff decided to perform a c-section. Pace was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around him twice. Have a vaginal birth could have presented complications for Pace. So, again, a birth plan is simply that. However, of course, the health of the mother and baby is first and foremost. http://www.birthplan.com/ is a great tool to help you create your tentative birth plan.

Medical Records in English Please!

Deciphering your medical records can be very confusing. They may as well be written in Japanese, right? Well, here are a few tips that will help you decipher what your medical professionals are saying about you.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS:

Para 0 - The mother has had no previous births

Para 1 - The mother has had 1 previous birth

Para 2 + 1 - The mother has had 2 previous births and 1 miscarriage.

LMP - Last Menstrual Period - The date of the first day of the last menstrual period

EDD/EDC - Expected date of delivery

Proteinuria - Protein in urine - Your urine is analyzed for the presence of sugar, which may be a sign of diabetes, and protein, which may be a sign of preeclampsia. If theses are present, they are notated by + signs. Neither should be present; however, traces of protein and sugar are sometimes present in a normal pregnancy.

Hb - Hemoglobin - Hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying substance present in red blood cells. If your Hb level is lower than 10.5% or your hematocrit is below 32% you may be considered anemmic and prescribed iron.

Hct - Hematocrit - Hematocrit is the precentage of red blood cells in the blood.

Fe - Iron - This means that you have been prescribed iron.

BP - Blood Pressure

FHR - Fetal Heart Rate - The number of fetal heartbeats per minute.

H/NH - Heard/Not Heard - This refers to the fetal heart.

Edema - Swelling -

Fundus - The top of the uterus - As the baby grows, the fundus is pushedup to just above your navel at 22 weeks and under your ribs at 36 weeks. but when the baby drops down into the bony pelvis ready for birth, the fundus is lower again. You can find your own dundus and chart its position week by week through your pregnancy. Lie on your back with your tummy bare and, with the sides and palms of your hands, feel around the hard top of your uterus, pressing against what feels like a wall of muscle.

Cx - Cervix - The neck of the uterus, which softens, shortens, and opens during birth.

PP - The presenting part of the baby - This is the part of the baby that is down at the bottom of the uterus.

Vx/Vtx - Vertex - This indicates the baby is head down, as it should be.

Ceph - Cephalic - This also indicates that the baby is head down.

Long L- Longitudinal lie - The baby is laying parallel to your spine

Eng/E - Engages - This is written on your chart when the baby's head has dwopped down into your pelvis.

T - Term - This is written on your chart when you are 40 weeks into your pregnany, which is your estimated date of delivery.

Additional Abbreviations:

28+3 (28 weeks and 3 days)

NAD - No Abnormalities Detected


**This chart was taken from The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger and Baby Center.

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

Everything we do requires money from a $0.05 piece of bubble gum to a $5000 down payment on a car. So, why not teach your baby the value of a dollar at an early age? In fact, let's start saving for baby at birth!

Greenville Federal Credit Union has a program called Youth Accounts.

• DISCOVERY CLUB (Ages 0-9)

- Share Savings Account

-Club Amenities - Reward Card, prize for each $5 deposit, prize for every $100 deposited, web page and account services, discount movie tickets, add-on share term certificate (CD) available

• ADVENTURE CLUB (Ages 10-13)

-Share Saving Account

-Share Checking Account

-Club Amenities- Reaward Card, prize for each $10 deposit, prize for every $200 deposited, web page and account services, discount movie tickets, discount Six Flags and Carowinds tickets, add-on share term certificate (CD) available

• EXPLORER CLUB (Ages 14-17)

-Share Savings Account

-Share Checking Account

-Club Amenities- Reward Card, prize for every $400 deposited, web page and account services, discount movie tickets, discount Six Flags and Carowinds tickets, add-on share term certificate (CD) available

Upromise is also a good way to include your closest family and friends on saving for baby. By registering your grocery store saving cards, credit cards, etc. you are able to put a portion of your purchases into a college savings account.

If you know of any other good money-saving organizations, please be sure to share them with fellow TBBC readers.

Go Go Babyz

So, I'm browsing Upstate Parent magazine and I run across the Gogo-Kidz Travelmate. I've seen so many parents struggling to carry their baby, luggage, carry-on, and diaper bag. This handy piece of equipment takes all your travel cares away. Go Go Babyz also has other transportation products for your lil' bundle. Check them out! And, tell them TBBC sent you.

I don't NEED a doula! If this is you, READ!

An excerpt from The Doula Advantage by Rachel Gurevich, p. 3-4

"Will someone be with you in the labor room?" Sara, a mother who had given birth several times previously, asked me.
"My husband will," I answered. "We took a class." Sara looked up from her cleaning in the kitchen.
"Rachel, he's not going to be able to help you as much as you need. Will someone be there who is experienced with birth? Another woman?"
"My best friend will be there," I said. "I think I will be all right."
My best friend, though she had zero experience with childbirth and pregnancy, was ready to hold my hand and help support me. I assumed my husband would remember the techniques we learned in childbirth education class. Personally, I read as many book on childbirth as I could. I thought I was ready. I thought it would be okay. But it didn't turn out okay.
Much of the information I remembered from birth books and childbirth class I used incorrectly, partially because I was nervous and excited, partially because this was my first time. I remembered reading that a woman should not eat or drink during childbirth, but I didn't realize they meant true labor - not pre-labor.
I arrived at the hospital too early. The doctor decided to break my water to "get things moving," something I wished they hadn't done, but didn't know I could refuse. My husband tried to coach me in breathing exercises, but he thought hyperventilating was the correct way and slow breathing was incorrect.
My friend did exactly what I expected. She held my hand. But, she also looked at me like she was sure I would die, which didn't help my confidence. My mother was there, but she was overwhelmed watching her daughter give birth and not in the position to support or coach me.
I found the hospital environment intimidating. The nurses walked in and out of the room without even saying hello to me. I don't think I was once told their names. They positioned me on my back to strap on the fetal monitors, and a few minutes later I started to pass out. Lying on your back for extended periods of time in late pregnancy is dangerous because the weight of the uterus pushes on vital blood vessels. I called for a nurse to help me, and she had me lie on my side. I felt so helpless that I didn't even think to reposition myself until someone told me I was "permitted" to move.
I asked for some water but was only allowed ice chips. Because I'd had no fluids the entire day, I was feeling ill and needed hydration. After a couple of hours, my husband asked a nurse when they would check my cervical dilation.
"Whenever she asks for drugs," the nurse replied.
My husband, knowing I wanted to give birth normally asked, "What if she never asks for drugs?"
"Oh, she will!" the nurse laughed. "I wouldn't have given birth to three children if it weren't for the drugs!" This happened in 1999, and from my work with doulas and women, things have not changed - and this attitude is common in all different parts of the country.
At that point, I felt no hope. I was exhausted, thirsty, and lonely. I didn't know it, but I was going through transition. I asked for an epidural and was told it would be another hour before the anesthesiologist could administer the medication. Ironically, my first experience with a doula came when I was given the epidural.
It is extremely important to stay still when an epidural is administered. I was scared to death. I knew I would have at least one or two contractions while they inserted the epidural catheter.
"We will work through them, and you will be okay," the nursing assistant assured me. Touching my arm, she looked straight into my eyes and said softly, "Breathe normally, in and then out...that's it, relax."
I sat up in the bed, resting my head on her shoulder while the anesthesiologist administered the epidural. When I started having a contraction, I began to panic. The nursing assistant's voice and words calmed me, more than I would have expected.
"Take a deep breath, Rachel. And, now, breathe out, try to relax your muscles, let the contraction happen....breathe in....and breathe out...don't fight your body, just let it happen. They peak, and then they fade away...it's almost over, take a nice, cleansing breath...very good."

This story gives me a warm sensation every time I read it. I can't imagine a husband or mother looking at their loved one in what seems like excruciating pain and being able to keep themselves together enough to soothe her. And, why should they have to? In fact, a doula can keep dad and other family members calm, too, by explaining what's going on, what to expect next, and that everything's going to be okay.

Have you had a similar experience? Share your thoughts with TBBC.