u/AndroidsHeart

Hi,

I’m 38 weeks now with my first.

I am a 40 year old and had 2 previous miscarriages at 8 weeks in the past 1.5 years. Relatively good shape/fit. Stayed active during pregnancy and physically had the easiest pregnancy ever. Also have vaginismus quite severely and have not sought treatment and don’t intend to.

I will be attempting a home birth with my amazing midwives any day now I guess.

I am on the autism spectrum and have a very bad anxiety disorder along with a severe medical phobia. I also struggle a lot with health anxiety.

I just want this birth to be as unmedicalized as absolutely possible.

I’m terrified. I’m getting more scared as we approach the due date.

I would absolutely love and appreciate any positive stories about unmedicated home births. I really badly need some positivity and encouragement right now.

Please no advice about seeking help, I don’t do well with outside help from people. I have a very good inner support team and I’m happy with that.

The best help for me is seeking real life stories that I can draw from and think about.

Hi,

I have been trying to figure out how difficult/steep the hike into Brandywine Meadows is if we start right at the upper parking lot?

I have managed to find various accounts of the trail and it ranges from being a walk in the park to quite challenging.

Some of the videos I saw looked pretty rough, water crossings and very steep climbs.

Is this the case if we start right up at the upper trailhead? We have a very capable off-road vehicle and the drive won’t be a problem.

I’m currently pregnant and would be going with people who haven’t done much hiking. I’m familiar with backcountry hiking but I’m not currently looking for a super strenuous/steep hike and the people I’m going with have a kid.

Any input on what the trail steepness is like from the top would be very much appreciated.

As I said I have heard a few different things, watched videos, but I can’t tell where people are starting the hike from. I know that from lower down it’s much longer/steeper.

Hi,

I was wondering what the hike up to Helm Creek Campground is like from Cheakamus?

Specifically wondering about steepness and loose gravel. I am very unsteady on my feet and struggle A LOT with loose gravel, scree, etc.

I'm pregnant so the trail considerations are far more important to me right now. Having said that, I hiked up to Garibaldi Lake and back yesterday and that was fine. Is the trail to Helm any worse than that in terms of the steepness or loose gravel?

Again, specifically concerned about loose gravel on downhill sections.

We were scheduled to camp at Garibaldi in July and our reservation was cancelled due to tree hazards (so sad!) and we have re-booked at Helm. Stayed there before but we hiked from Rubble Creek across the lava fields, and I also wasn't pregnant at the time, haha.

I've looked at pictures and videos and everything seems okay and about the same as Rubble Creek trailhead, but a couple years ago I remember reading that Helm Trail had more loose gravel sections coming down, for the average person it's probably not even noticeable, but I really do struggle.