Global Birth Club: Meet Vivian

Vivian lives in Israel (originally from South Africa), and came to us through our friends at Circle of Health International. Welcome, Vivan, we’re glad you can join us!

Vivan’s joining the club and we couldn’t be happier. Vivian lives in Israel (originally from South Africa), and came to us through our friends at Circle of Health International. Welcome, Vivan, we’re glad you can join us!

My name is Vivian and I’m 40, from South Africa, currently living in Israel. We recently moved from Berkeley, CA to the north of Israel where we built a brick oven and opened a San Francisco-style bakery. My husband grew up in the kibbutz and always wanted to return. I’m a painter, and have a studio next to the bakery. I am 17 weeks into my second pregnancy (I have one child already). I found out within the first month, with a home test, and am very happy. I feel great, wasn’t sick, just a bit tired and prone to hot flashes. I’m eating even more healthily, and have stopped jogging.

Was this a planned pregnancy? Do you plan to have more children? If you have other children: Where did you deliver your other child(ren)? Did you experience complications? Would you recommend that experience to a friend or family member?

This is a planned pregnancy, and my second. We didn’t really think too much about a second child, I guess we were so busy with starting a business, moving to a new country and settling in that we kept on putting it off. We feel very lucky that I got pregnant so easily, and that its been pleasant and without sickness so far.

My daughter is 5 and although she seems to be perfectly happy being the only one, she is very happy and excited about the pregnancy. It seems like such a good age to welcome a sibling into her life.

I delivered in a good hospital with a midwife, and there were no complications and not too much intervention. It was a natural birth and quite an experience, but I am partial to home births. As long as there are no complications and one is in the hands of an experienced midwife, natural birth at home in your own environment with no intervention seems like such an ideal way to give birth. Of course, not everybody has that option.

Have you been receiving prenatal care? How many visits? How many weeks into your pregnancy did you first see a physician/health care worker/etc.? What are you most excited about with this baby? Who will be responsible for naming the baby? Is there a name picked out yet?

I have had a couple of ultrasounds, and blood tests. Because of my age I have to be more thorough, and so far everything is fine, the baby and me are doing great, growing bigger every day! A local midwife will be attending my birth, and we are hoping to have the baby at home. Because I am healthy and the baby too, I don’t feel the need for a doctor, and I have my regular check ups done at the local clinic. There’s a hospital ten minutes away, so we are covered in case we need it.

I was about 8 weeks when I first went to a doctor, but I did go to the local nurse before that. The doctor gave me an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy, along with a list of standard procedures that is expected of me. What excites me the most is to find out how this birth and baby will be different (or the same ) from the first one. I am fitter and stronger than the first time,and know more. Also, I am curious to see who this little person is and how my little girl will enjoy having a little brother. My husband picked our girl’s name, just because he felt strongly about a certain name and I didn’t really care, and this time I have a name that I love, and he doesn’t mind. Unless another name presents itself to me, this will be the baby’s name.

For fathers: How did your partner share the news of pregnancy with you? For father and mother: What are your dreams/hopes for your child? How do fathers prepare for the birth of a child? In the US they might take childbirth education classes with their partner, attend doctor’s appointments with them, sometimes take on extra chores so that mom can rest. Anything like that where you live?

Vivian’s husband: Vivian woke up before dawn, while I was still sleeping, and did a pregnancy test. She then woke me with a kiss, telling me “This one’s for you.” We were both laughing and excited.

We hope to raise our boy in a peaceful, loving environment…hopefully the world will become a kinder, more simple place where a person can experience true happiness. We wish our children, and the world’s children, health and happiness.

Vivian: My husband is a true prince, he supports all my decisions and desires. And he loves my bigger body and cherishes this time of pregnancy, allowing me to indulge in extra sleep and making no demands on me. He is reading a book by Israel’s foremost expert on natural and home births, and is preparing himself and me by educating us on all the pros and cons. He makes sure I eat well and healthy, and in general is super sweet and loving. With our first child we were in Berkeley CA, and were part of a Mindful Birthing prenatal group. We meditated and did yoga together, and I hope to spend the last three months of my pregnancy doing the same with him.

JULY: How many weeks into your pregnancy are you now? Where do you plan to deliver your baby? What family or friends if any do you plan to have with you? What are you doing to get ready for your baby’s arrival? How do pregnant women typically prepare for baby’s arrival? Do people give presents?

I’m 28 weeks into my pregnancy. We are planning to deliver at home, with a certified nurse midwife. I’m curious as to how it will be different from the first birth, and a little anxious, hoping all would be well. My husband, my midwife and the stand-by midwife, will be at the birth. We are preparing for the birth by reading about home births, and getting everything ready for our newborn. In Israel it is not customary to give presents before the baby is born, but since I live in a community where a lot of women gave birth recently, I have received a lot of baby things passed on from them. Once the baby is here, the women in the community cook for the mother and her family, and give a communal present of something practical, like a baby carrier.

September 23, 2013
Vivian’s Birth Annoucement:

I gave birth in my 39th week. The labour and birth went very well, and was only actively painful for about an hour and a forty minutes. It was so different from my first baby! Then the labour was almost two days!

The birth was at home, in a pool, and it made such a difference to be in water when the pain became overwhelming. I had two midwives in attendance, and my husband. My daughter was at her grandmother. The baby came out under the water and up between my legs to my chest. We rested together in the pool, in the dark with music, and then went to the bed where I spontaneously delivered the placenta about a half an hour later. Only then did the midwife cut the cord. We are doing very well, the baby is healthy and happy. His name is Benjamin, born 23 September, 3:40 am.

I am breast feeding, and hope to do that exclusively for the first six months.

My daughter met him later on that first day. She was excited, but also a little reserved, and sad that she wasn’t there when he was born.

I am very grateful that everything went so very well. What a blessing!

Click here to read stories from all our Global Birth Club members.