Unconditional Love in Sweden

Gothenburg - Sweden

After going through a non pharmaceutic-ally intervened childbirth, I went through a rapid healing process which took 1,5 week. I think giving birth in the water really helped as well, so there were no rips, therefore no stitches were needed. Ralephka herself has been growing strong rapidly. From day 3 she was able to start using her neck muscles. After a week, she was able to focus her eyes. It's so amazing how quick babies change each day.

Being a mother has given a great change in life. I could say that she is my first love as I have never felt this much love for a being before. This may be the greatest challenge in my life to be able to love unconditionally, meaning being able to not let my emotions take over me; being able to not overly protect and spoil her so that she grows stronger mind, body and soul; being able to not have expectations and attachments.

1 week old Ralephka. The background painting is my latest artwork on the wall.

2 weeks old Ralephka.

3 weeks old Ralephka posing while sleeping in my arm.

4 weeks old Ralephka contemplating in bed.

5 weeks old Ralpehka saying hi to everybody. "Hi world!"

6 weeks old Ralephka lying on daddy's chest.

That's all from us for now. Until next month.

1ove <3

Unassisted Home Birth to Ralephka

Kortedala (Sweden)

It was 4.15am on the 15th of September and after 4 days of prelabor, my water finally broke. A few hours before we just had a little celebration of my 37th birthday when the clock striked 12. 'Is Babeb going to be born on the same day as my birthday?' I thought to myself.

Mats started to fill up the birth tub with hot water. For another 30 hours, I was in and out of the birth tub, guided by Mats and sometimes Nanette, to continuously focus on the breathing, especially during contractions. At the night of the 16th, I was sleep deprived and feeling really exhausted. By that time, I haven't slept a full hour for almost 6 days.
I wanted to give up and go to the hospital. But I really don't want to go to the hospital because then all my effort of not having to do with pharmaceuticals and not even subjecting Babeb to ultrasounds would be a total waste. So I stayed strong and powered through.
'If most women can go through child birth naturally, then why can't I? I can do this!' I thought to myself.

As the contractions become more intense and closer to each other, I spent most of the time in the birth tub. Between each contractions, Mats would gently lay my head to lean on the birth tub to preserve my energy and allow me to sleep. As the pushing sensations became stronger and stronger, my body instinctively wanted to be in a squatting position, and then I breathed out Babeb's head.
"Something's out! Head! Head's out!" I called out to Mats full of excitement.
His hands dived in to the water and immediately caught her head. Then her body followed quickly.
She was finally born at 7.30am on the 17th of September 2017.

Since her arrival, my exhausted body and mind suddenly somehow recuperated. I continued on not sleeping for another 48 hours. I was extremely excited and overwhelmed with love and joy. I could never ask for a better midwife than Mats. His love and support really helped me go through the whole process, including the overdue pregnancy which went on for approximately another 2-3 months.

My gratitude as well for Nanette for being there to help out and most of all, for allowing the birth process to happen in her apartment.
Through a great team work of the 4 of us (myself, Babeb, Mats and Nanette), we succeeded to have a natural unassisted child birth.

Now it has been 2 weeks since Babeb came in to our lives and we finally have decided a name for her:

Ralephka Thothiana Ganesh Matsdottir Manaf Lagnevall

My decision to give birth unassisted at home is definitely one of the best decisions I've made in my life. It is a hard one to make, especially when I never subjected Ralephka to any ultrasounds to see how she was developing throughout the pregnancy. But having read enough to understand more about child birth gave me the confidence to the decision I made. I wrote about it in my previous blog (April 2017), check it out. Just click on the link: truth about childbirth.

Anyway, here are some pictures of Ralephka's grand entrance in to this world.
Welcome to this life Rara.

Me in the birth tub with a candle lit atmosphere and smell of sage in the air

Candle light everywhere

My last meal on the first night of pre labor before I only went on liquid diet throughout the labor

The night of the 16th when I was really exhausted and sleeping between contractions

Little Babeb when she made her grand entrance

Grandmother visiting a few hours later, with the placenta still attached to Babeb

Burning the umbilical cord

Ralephka's favourite place to sleep.. Nothing like snuggle wuggle with daddy

A week after Ralephka was born. She's gained more weight and starting to fill up her clothes.

Until next month.
1ove <3

Waiting patiently in Kortedala

Kortedala

'Cows to the Valley' is what Kor-Te-Dala sounds like it means. It's a nice area to live in Gothenburg, due to the location of it which is on one of the hill top of Gothenburg. So the air is fresher than other parts of this second largest city in Sweden.

What I love mostly about Sweden is that it has such a vast land, yet not highly populated, so even the second biggest city in Sweden has so much greenery in each suburb. Perfect place to be able to go out for a daily walk in to the forest. Not to mention an unimaginable amount of fresh water they have as well.

The air is starting to get cooler again as the autumn weather starts to seep through overlapping the remaining summer weather. But with my pregnancy, I don't feel the cold as much as I would.
Yes, that's right, I'm still pregnant. Still waiting patiently for the little one to enter the world.

So, during the month of August, I've been exploring the forest area of Kortedala and spending most of my time doing my usual routine, yoga, tai chi, meditate.

We have the birth tub installed in our room which I have used once when I felt a strong contraction for half a day. But so far, the little one is still not ready to come out yet. Apparently, what I was experiencing is called prodromal labor.

Sometimes a feeling of frustration does overwhelm me on this waiting period, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and I also believe that the baby determines when he/she wants to enter this world. I just want to be the best mediator/facilitator/provider for the baby to enter this world in the most loving, caring and comfortable way, because I understand that how the baby enters the world really affects the remainder of his/her life.

This is the forest that I normally go to for my daily walk

Me, in the birth tub soothing my body from the prodromal labor I was feeling that day.

Walking to the top of the hill one sunny day

I found a cute little bunny hopping around the apartment block and one rainy day, the little bunny was soaked and just sitting outside of the block, so I took her in to stay dry and warm for a couple of days. We named her Trudy.

Nypon Soppa
Mats made a traditional Swedish delicacy from rose hip

Nypon (Rose hip)
Going to gather some more of these beautiful babies to make some more yummy Nypon soppa

The fly swatter mushrooms are out, autumn is here!

And last but not least, a picture of me with my belly belly.

So, I have decided that during this waiting period, I won't be updating my blog until the little one enters the world because I don't think there will be anything interesting to publish on the blog. But I truly hope hope that the little one will show an appearance this month.

So, until next time.

1ove <3

Bun still cooking in the oven

Lycke - Kortedala (Gothenburg)

It's the 1st of August and you are probably expecting to see pictures of the baby on this blog. But, nope, little baby is still cozy in the belly. He/she will enter the world when ready. 

In July, we moved out of the cottage in Lycke and came back to Gothenburg to live in Kortedala with Nanette. 

The entrance footpath that Mats worked on while living in Lycke.

July hasn't been much of an exciting month for this blog. I have been spending most of my time preparing for the birth, doing my daily yoga, tai chi, short walks and meditating.

My latest picture taken today.

So, until next month and let's hope little baby will meet us on the next blog.

1ove <3

Big belly in little Sweden

Lycke, Sweden

It's the first of July and summer is finally in the air. June's summer here in Lycke was not much of a summer at all. It rained quite a lot (even a monsoon like rain) and it was really windy with an average temperature around 16-18 degrees.

Anyway, my belly is getting bigger and bigger. Looks like little baby's still enjoying time inside my cozy belly. I think my approximate due date will be around late July, so hopefully on the next blog, there will be pictures of the little one. 

For now, here are some pictures of what's been happening the last month up here in Lycke.

A gang of geese migrating and resting in the field full of smorblommer (butter flower).

One sunny yet windy day when we went to the beach.

Cows by the beach. You don't see that very often.

One night when I was walking out to the toilet, there was a little deer just across the road from us.

Cleopatra, a little kitty cat we're taking care of.

Here's my latest baby bump picture. 

Cozy little cottage that we're living at, full of memorabilia. 

A selfie infront of the mirror after measuring the belly belly BELLY!

We all can't wait to meet you, little baby!

1ove <3

Like lycka in Lycke

Gothenburg - Lycke

You must be wondering what the title meant. Lycka is Swedish for joy/happiness/lucky, so it seems that it suited the title really well, 'like happiness in Lycke'.

We had the opportunity to stay at our beloved friend, Nanette's family's summer house in Lycke also to help out fixing the house up a bit, while it's nicer and warmer now in Sweden. It's been really nice to be out in the country side with the fresh air and just the sounds of animals. It was also the first time I saw an elk from a distance. Shame I didn't get the chance to take a picture, but the image will always stick in my head cause they are amazing beings.

The house that we're staying at in Lycke

Pretty spring flowers sprouting

Wild orchid flower that are apparently protected 

Going for a walk in the beautiful forest nearby

This is Nanette, our beloved Gothenburg sister, giving some energy to the tree

Walked up to top of the stoney mountain hill when it was really foggy 

While sitting up the mountain hill top, I sang 'I can see clearly now' and then the weather cleared up! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!

While enjoying the clear blue sky, Mats found a green stick and is making it in to a wand

Went for a little walk in the forest one sunny day

Hanging out at Ramberget. 

We went back to Gothenburg for a few days and spent alot of our time at Eriksberg, Farjenas and Ramberget. It's interesting to mention Ramberget actually, because apart being a really nice place to hang out and see Gothenburg from the top, back in the old days, Ramberget (meaning frame mountain), used to be the place where people who are a nuisance to society at that time, were pushed off the cliff.

Regardless the history of Ramberget, I feel cozy hanging out with Mats up there

Went to Torslanda while we were in Gothenburg to watch the beautiful sunset

Sitting up on the stoney hill while enjoying the sunset

Belly belly belly picture taken a week ago

We're back in the country side again and here's the latest picture of baby bump. Little baby's been really active lately, we all can't wait to meet the little one.

Latest belly belly belly picture taken a few days ago.

Much love to you all. 

1ove <3