So I attempted the external version on Wednesday. And I won't ever do that again. The experience was the worst & most painful procedure I have ever endured. And after four attempts at turning the baby, it was unsuccessful. I was screaming & crying, and Darren was crying, absolutely horrible. I now have bruises on my stomach, & I'm in a constant state of wondering if the baby is okay. Now we are scheduled for a c-section on June 8th. So we'll be meeting our baby girl sometime that afternoon.
I'm having to change gears a bit. No longer will we be able to fly solo in our first week with the baby. The baby & I will be in the hospital for 3-4 nights. Then we'll come home to be cared for by Poppie & Momma Boo. I'm looking forward to that first week at home together. After that Aunt JoAnn will come help us keep house & home in one piece while we continue to learn to parent our new baby girl. I'm feeling good things coming our way & that Prenatal Peggy is keeping a close watch over her granddaughter.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Not what I envisioned
Darren & I saw the midwives yesterday for my 37 week checkup. I was given a copy of my prenatal medical records & instructed to keep it on my persons at all times. I tested negative for Group B Strep, & that was my only win for the day. The baby is still breech & settling into my pelvis. I've been scheduled for an in-hospital version for next Wednesday. I'm to drink a ton of water over the next few days to build up my amniotic fluid. I'm not to eat or drink after midnight on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I'll be given an IV with fluids & a smooth muscle relaxer. Then the doctor will attempt to manually turn the baby. I have a lot of anxiety about this procedure.
If the version is unsuccessful then I will be scheduled for a c-section for the following week. I'm even more anxious about that procedure.
Packing my hospital bag was a lot more fun. I'm not having fun anymore. I'm ready for this to all be over & behind me.
If the version is unsuccessful then I will be scheduled for a c-section for the following week. I'm even more anxious about that procedure.
Packing my hospital bag was a lot more fun. I'm not having fun anymore. I'm ready for this to all be over & behind me.
Monday, May 24, 2010
37 weeks
Well another great shower has come & gone. We had an amazing time in Baltimore with our family & long time family friends celebrating our soon to be born baby girl. This shower also took place during one of the three triple crown races, this time the Preakness, where it turned out to be Lookin At Lucky's big day for the win. So we will not be naming our baby girl after Super Saver or Lookin At Lucky. However it's been fun to tie in the horse races to the backdrop of each shower event. And as I am now full term...Maybe it will be my little thoroughbred who will win big on June 5th. It could happen. Here are a few photos from the Baltimore Baby Shower. Thanks to my aunt & her family for hosting a lovely party.
On to the current issues. So our little baby girl still has not turned. I've done everything holistically possible so far. She's not moving. So now we discuss the in hospital version. I'm disappointed about the prospect of this manual maneuver. Word on the street is that it's rather uncomfortable for mom & can take anywhere from 5-30min to successfully turn the baby. They usually stop after 30min even if the baby has not turned. The other concern is that this maneuver will cause the baby to go into distress, which could result in an emergency c-section. The other issue is that if she has not turned by 39 weeks, either on her own or by force, I will be scheduled for a c-section. It always goes without saying that mom & dad want a healthy baby born, first & foremost. However, we take issue with people who say don't worry about it. That's just insane to me. While a c-section is common practice in the US, anyone in a sound frame of mind ought to consider the draw backs of any surgery "big" or "small". And oh-by-the-way, abdominal surgery isn't considered a walk in the park. Not to mention that this is as far from my envisioned birth experience. So there is reason to allow me to grieve for the potential loss of that experience, all while preparing for what may come, and all that will be required in a cesarean postpartum recovery. A c-section does have very immediate & long term lifelong consequences. So today I'm sad & disappointed.
On to the current issues. So our little baby girl still has not turned. I've done everything holistically possible so far. She's not moving. So now we discuss the in hospital version. I'm disappointed about the prospect of this manual maneuver. Word on the street is that it's rather uncomfortable for mom & can take anywhere from 5-30min to successfully turn the baby. They usually stop after 30min even if the baby has not turned. The other concern is that this maneuver will cause the baby to go into distress, which could result in an emergency c-section. The other issue is that if she has not turned by 39 weeks, either on her own or by force, I will be scheduled for a c-section. It always goes without saying that mom & dad want a healthy baby born, first & foremost. However, we take issue with people who say don't worry about it. That's just insane to me. While a c-section is common practice in the US, anyone in a sound frame of mind ought to consider the draw backs of any surgery "big" or "small". And oh-by-the-way, abdominal surgery isn't considered a walk in the park. Not to mention that this is as far from my envisioned birth experience. So there is reason to allow me to grieve for the potential loss of that experience, all while preparing for what may come, and all that will be required in a cesarean postpartum recovery. A c-section does have very immediate & long term lifelong consequences. So today I'm sad & disappointed.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
She's a brick...House
Yep that's right, I'm huge. Confirmed by the fact that I now have significant trouble parallel parking & that my friends keep telling me so (& telling me stories of them telling other people that I am huge). So I'm huge! My lower back & right oblique is killing me & I now have trouble getting a deep breath. I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant & quite frankly I feel it. The baby girl is still moving & shaking. She's in no rush to get herself into position. This puts my midwives into a tizzy. They are eager to schedule me for an inversion, however I've decided against this plan. I think the baby is just not quite ready yet. She'll have her whole life to be bossed around, for now she can decide when it's time to get ready & when it's time to be born. I feel a lot better having made this decision. The in hospital inversion seemed so dooms-day to me. It will be a challenge next week getting the midwives to back off & accept my choice to allow the baby to find her way down on her own terms. But as her mom, I'm prepared to fight on her behalf for what I feel in my gut to be what's best for her.
So now that you've been updated on that turn of events I will share with you the photos from my most fabulous Brooklyn Baby Shower. My friends did the most amazing job creating a day packed with fun, creativity & some gift giving. Many many thanks for all who participated in Baby Girl's Showering of Love & Affection!
Thanks to Matt & Amy for sharing their pics with me. And Thanks to Megan & Luke for opening their home. And to Megan & Heather for showering us with love love love.
So now that you've been updated on that turn of events I will share with you the photos from my most fabulous Brooklyn Baby Shower. My friends did the most amazing job creating a day packed with fun, creativity & some gift giving. Many many thanks for all who participated in Baby Girl's Showering of Love & Affection!
Thanks to Matt & Amy for sharing their pics with me. And Thanks to Megan & Luke for opening their home. And to Megan & Heather for showering us with love love love.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Feeling Something New & Learning Too
I'm 33 weeks & one day along in my pregnancy, and I've started to feel my body practice & prepare for the big day. Last weekend I had my first braxton hicks contractions. My entire abdomen tightened & became rock hard during these isometric exercises. The second time it happened I had Darren feel my tummy. He thought it was so cool. It didn't hurt, just a flex-hold-release a few times & then that was enough for one day. These have happened a few times, but I hardly notice them unless I'm walking where they restrict my range of motion. Now this weekend I started to feel tinges of pain in between my pelvic bone. My best guess is this is my cervix thinning. All welcomed as a reminder that we are nearing the day when we will greet our little girl into the world.
And learning, we started our Child Birth Education Class last week. We have five consecutive classes, once a week. To be entirely honest, Darren & I are the most informed of our group. This kind of surprises me, as New Yorkers tend to be extremely studied. Preparing themselves for a class by reading all the books they can get their hands on before the curriculum begins. This group, maybe not so much the case. They do all seem very busy, with both parents working. Darren & I left feeling like we were at the top of the class. And he even said that he was so pleased that I have had the time to really focus, learn & make educated decisions about our pregnancy & birth plan well in advance of 33 weeks into our gestation. This class may just be a refresher of information for us. But that's fine.
In other great news, my friend Cookie just had her baby girl on Friday. Poppy Day was born around 10:35pm & weighed in at 6lb. She's a little peanut, & I really look forward to meeting her.
And learning, we started our Child Birth Education Class last week. We have five consecutive classes, once a week. To be entirely honest, Darren & I are the most informed of our group. This kind of surprises me, as New Yorkers tend to be extremely studied. Preparing themselves for a class by reading all the books they can get their hands on before the curriculum begins. This group, maybe not so much the case. They do all seem very busy, with both parents working. Darren & I left feeling like we were at the top of the class. And he even said that he was so pleased that I have had the time to really focus, learn & make educated decisions about our pregnancy & birth plan well in advance of 33 weeks into our gestation. This class may just be a refresher of information for us. But that's fine.
In other great news, my friend Cookie just had her baby girl on Friday. Poppy Day was born around 10:35pm & weighed in at 6lb. She's a little peanut, & I really look forward to meeting her.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Get Out of My Head
So as some of you already know, I've been working diligently to keep the kind concerns of my midwives at arms length. My weight has been on their radar since sometime in January. It started off innocently enough by mentioning that I was still not back to my pre-pregnancy weight, after having lost 5 lb in the first 12 weeks thanks to morning sickness. They stated no concern at the time. Just followed the statement up with an, "oh but don't get carried away either. Your not eating for two. You should only be eating an additional 300 calories a day". I like to think of it as eating for 1 & 1/4. So I noted what they said & wasn't really worried about my eating habits anyway. I mostly just smiled & thought to myself, I'm the least of your worries. Truly knowing that I am.
I love food. I love really good food. And I've kind of been fanatical about it since I left home at 18 years old & began feeding myself. After college I worked with a food photographer, who just sent me deeper into my obsession with amazing food. And living in NYC has harbored such a deep appreciation for food that it's actually a reason to never leave the city. And a justifiable one at that. I can argue in this favor if given the opportunity.
Once my appetite returned, I was happy to dig back into the yummy foods I had been missing. First stop was India, with a healthy dose of Chicken Kurma, Potato Samosas, Shag Ponir, & Naan. It's true I do remember what I had for dinner 20 weeks ago. It was just that memorable. And if you had eaten one Cherrio at a time for 4 weeks straight, you too would remember the first supper you were able to put down & like it.
So last week when they again mentioned that I wasn't putting on weight at a rate that they were comfortable with, as they have said repeatedly at every appointment since January, I was officially annoyed. And then offended when they added the question, "Are you restricting calories?". I realized right then & there that they didn't trust me. And a growing anxiety began to build when I realized that without them trusting me, I couldn't fully trust them either. I left that appointment very upset & followed a series of sequences to put myself back on track. First stop call my husband. He was mad. Second stop call aunts & girlfriend. One aunt says oh just eat more & shut them up. The other says take it with a grain of salt, everyone in the medical provider community wants to fit their patients into a neat little "normal" box, and you're not fitting. Then my surrogate mom tells me I'm fine & arms me with ammo. Keep a food journal she says. That way they can actually see for themselves the quantity & quality of what you are eating. At the next appointment share it with them & ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Then the nutritionist can back up my caloric intake with regards to my weight gain. And finally tell them to stop it. From this moment forward a midwife's goal should not only be to ensure healthy fetal development, but to also foster confidence in the mother.
So that's what I am doing. And I have to admit that keeping a food journal is really annoying. And like my first supper post morning sickness, I look forward to my first meal post food journal. I'll probably remember exactly what I ate & likely know the portion too because I'm getting pretty good at eyeballing measured amounts. The guessing part has become a bit of a sport in an effort to maintain my sanity. I feel like I have won some invisible prize when I confirm the guess against my measuring cups & spoons. If anything this lesson will have prepared me for a career in a test kitchen.
I love food. I love really good food. And I've kind of been fanatical about it since I left home at 18 years old & began feeding myself. After college I worked with a food photographer, who just sent me deeper into my obsession with amazing food. And living in NYC has harbored such a deep appreciation for food that it's actually a reason to never leave the city. And a justifiable one at that. I can argue in this favor if given the opportunity.
Once my appetite returned, I was happy to dig back into the yummy foods I had been missing. First stop was India, with a healthy dose of Chicken Kurma, Potato Samosas, Shag Ponir, & Naan. It's true I do remember what I had for dinner 20 weeks ago. It was just that memorable. And if you had eaten one Cherrio at a time for 4 weeks straight, you too would remember the first supper you were able to put down & like it.
So last week when they again mentioned that I wasn't putting on weight at a rate that they were comfortable with, as they have said repeatedly at every appointment since January, I was officially annoyed. And then offended when they added the question, "Are you restricting calories?". I realized right then & there that they didn't trust me. And a growing anxiety began to build when I realized that without them trusting me, I couldn't fully trust them either. I left that appointment very upset & followed a series of sequences to put myself back on track. First stop call my husband. He was mad. Second stop call aunts & girlfriend. One aunt says oh just eat more & shut them up. The other says take it with a grain of salt, everyone in the medical provider community wants to fit their patients into a neat little "normal" box, and you're not fitting. Then my surrogate mom tells me I'm fine & arms me with ammo. Keep a food journal she says. That way they can actually see for themselves the quantity & quality of what you are eating. At the next appointment share it with them & ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Then the nutritionist can back up my caloric intake with regards to my weight gain. And finally tell them to stop it. From this moment forward a midwife's goal should not only be to ensure healthy fetal development, but to also foster confidence in the mother.
So that's what I am doing. And I have to admit that keeping a food journal is really annoying. And like my first supper post morning sickness, I look forward to my first meal post food journal. I'll probably remember exactly what I ate & likely know the portion too because I'm getting pretty good at eyeballing measured amounts. The guessing part has become a bit of a sport in an effort to maintain my sanity. I feel like I have won some invisible prize when I confirm the guess against my measuring cups & spoons. If anything this lesson will have prepared me for a career in a test kitchen.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Planning for Baby
Okay so in some ways planning for baby is like planning for a wedding. Everyone says that once you have decided on your dress, then stop shopping for that all important piece. Well I guess the same could be true for the stroller. I was not able to stop searching for the very best possible stroller choice in my quest to be ready for baby. I concluded, quite happily, months ago that the Maxi Cosi Perle was the best bet for us. But then today I got knocked on the head with the UPPAbaby G-Luxe. So many things are good about this stroller. For one it's 11 lb. The Maxi Cosi is 17 lb, ahhh. And secondly it's $25.00 cheaper, however the rain shield is not included (purchase price $20). Then I come to find out that Maxi Cosi has stopped making the Perle! Oh no, what does this mean? Now I'm feeling confused again. However, I cannot find anywhere that the UPPAbaby G-Luxe is compatible with an infant car seat. If it's not, well then all bets are off.
Okay, so I just found out on Consumer Report that it is not compatible with car seats. So HA! I was right with my dress pick, I mean my stroller pick all along. See people just stop shopping for the things you already know are right.
Okay, so I just found out on Consumer Report that it is not compatible with car seats. So HA! I was right with my dress pick, I mean my stroller pick all along. See people just stop shopping for the things you already know are right.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Blog Dumping
Well I had some things to write about a few weeks ago; however I got a couple weeks of solid work, which left me no time for blogging. So this entry will be a blog dumping.
Dump #1
The Killer Worm
As you may, or may not know, lucid dreams are a regular occurrence in pregnancy. This is not one of them. I dreamt that I was in a house, that was my house, but not. With my husband, who was my husband, but not Darren. A giant worm with a razor blade for a mouth cut him on the ankle. Then the giant worm became enraged with the adrenalin that it got from the blood of my husband's wound. It grabbed him by the feet & began dragging him away. Then a Worm Bounty Hunter rushed into the house and ran after the worm. The house turned into a grocery store as the Worm Bounty Hunter ran up & down the aisles in search of the outlaw & my injured husband. To no avail, the worm & his victim could not be found. The bounty hunter turned to me, shrugged his shoulders and said, "want to rent a movie?".
Dump #2 (he he, potty joke)
Glucose Check
My last appointment with the midwives was almost three weeks ago. It was week 26 & time for my Prenatal Glucose Screening. This test determines if a pregnant woman has developed Gestational Diabetes. The requirements of the test were to not eat any fruit, sugar, or complex carbs. I could eat protein. Drink an orange drink, provided by the midwives, one hour before testing. Then have my blood drawn. So this is the first time that I have had my blood drawn without the comfort of a trusted loved one holding my hand. Normally I am a flight risk when unattended, but when it came to the needs of my baby I just walked into the room, asked to lay down, had my blood drawn & then started to fade into faint land. But I didn't faint, just lost most of my color for a while. My midwife came in and promptly started feeding me my apples & once my checks were rosy again we listened to the baby's heart beat. My next appointment is this Thursday.
Dump #3
Third Trimester
Well, I've rounded the corner and have now entered into my 3rd trimester. It's hard to believe, just 10 more weeks 'til baby is due. She is currently a very busy girl. She does some crazy in utero acrobatics. Also she does something that feels akin to tap dancing on my belly. I'll be completely honest when I say it feels really strange. Darren got to feel this rapid movement last night for the first time. And I'm pretty sure it was a mind bending experience for him. Then he sent her calming energy through his hands so that I could go to sleep. And it worked, so thanks hubby for having that special touch that puts baby to sleep.
We have a lot to accomplish over the next few weeks. We have two Pediatrician consults set up & I have one more that I plan to schedule today. I begin seeing the midwives every two weeks. Then we start our Child Birth Education Classes. And are guests of honor at two upcoming Baby Showers (thank you JoAnn, Megan & Heather). In the time between we've been, & will continue to be, busy organizing and preparing our home for baby's arrival. The crib is set up & ready. The dresser has been ordered. All open shelving has been replaced with shelving units with doors. A storage unit has been procured making room in our apartment for all of the baby gear. And now my research for an affordable, while still experienced, doula begins. Disappointingly our Blue Cross Blue Shields health insurance does not reimburse for the cost of a doula. Sometimes I think health insurance companies are backwards. They cover emergency invasive medical care, but do not value noninvasive care that will likely thwart the need for something bigger & more costly to them. Anyhow I digress, we are looking for a doula now.
Oh yeah, & our building facade leaks, so that project needs to be underway & hopefully repaired before baby's arrival. You know just a few little projects! HA, I wish.
Dump #1
The Killer Worm
As you may, or may not know, lucid dreams are a regular occurrence in pregnancy. This is not one of them. I dreamt that I was in a house, that was my house, but not. With my husband, who was my husband, but not Darren. A giant worm with a razor blade for a mouth cut him on the ankle. Then the giant worm became enraged with the adrenalin that it got from the blood of my husband's wound. It grabbed him by the feet & began dragging him away. Then a Worm Bounty Hunter rushed into the house and ran after the worm. The house turned into a grocery store as the Worm Bounty Hunter ran up & down the aisles in search of the outlaw & my injured husband. To no avail, the worm & his victim could not be found. The bounty hunter turned to me, shrugged his shoulders and said, "want to rent a movie?".
Dump #2 (he he, potty joke)
Glucose Check
My last appointment with the midwives was almost three weeks ago. It was week 26 & time for my Prenatal Glucose Screening. This test determines if a pregnant woman has developed Gestational Diabetes. The requirements of the test were to not eat any fruit, sugar, or complex carbs. I could eat protein. Drink an orange drink, provided by the midwives, one hour before testing. Then have my blood drawn. So this is the first time that I have had my blood drawn without the comfort of a trusted loved one holding my hand. Normally I am a flight risk when unattended, but when it came to the needs of my baby I just walked into the room, asked to lay down, had my blood drawn & then started to fade into faint land. But I didn't faint, just lost most of my color for a while. My midwife came in and promptly started feeding me my apples & once my checks were rosy again we listened to the baby's heart beat. My next appointment is this Thursday.
Dump #3
Third Trimester
Well, I've rounded the corner and have now entered into my 3rd trimester. It's hard to believe, just 10 more weeks 'til baby is due. She is currently a very busy girl. She does some crazy in utero acrobatics. Also she does something that feels akin to tap dancing on my belly. I'll be completely honest when I say it feels really strange. Darren got to feel this rapid movement last night for the first time. And I'm pretty sure it was a mind bending experience for him. Then he sent her calming energy through his hands so that I could go to sleep. And it worked, so thanks hubby for having that special touch that puts baby to sleep.
We have a lot to accomplish over the next few weeks. We have two Pediatrician consults set up & I have one more that I plan to schedule today. I begin seeing the midwives every two weeks. Then we start our Child Birth Education Classes. And are guests of honor at two upcoming Baby Showers (thank you JoAnn, Megan & Heather). In the time between we've been, & will continue to be, busy organizing and preparing our home for baby's arrival. The crib is set up & ready. The dresser has been ordered. All open shelving has been replaced with shelving units with doors. A storage unit has been procured making room in our apartment for all of the baby gear. And now my research for an affordable, while still experienced, doula begins. Disappointingly our Blue Cross Blue Shields health insurance does not reimburse for the cost of a doula. Sometimes I think health insurance companies are backwards. They cover emergency invasive medical care, but do not value noninvasive care that will likely thwart the need for something bigger & more costly to them. Anyhow I digress, we are looking for a doula now.
Oh yeah, & our building facade leaks, so that project needs to be underway & hopefully repaired before baby's arrival. You know just a few little projects! HA, I wish.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
24 weeks Maternity Photos
Last weekend I went to the Outer Banks of NC to surprise my friend, Brooke, for her baby shower. So while I was there she captured some really beautiful pictures of me & my growing belly.
Enjoy!
Monday, February 22, 2010
What to Read
Well I know I've seemed dormant for a while now. But I've been thinking about the blog & what my next post should be for weeks. And to be honest I wasn't really sure what to say because most of what I've been experiencing lately has been very much internalized. Only just yesterday did I voice to Darren some of the thoughts that have been brewing in my mind. So since I'm still brewing here, I thought that I would share with you the books that I have been reading, & what I've learned or taken from them thus far.
In my first trimester, before the nausea set in, I read Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs. I appreciated her candor. And Darren & I both laughed at all of the "symptoms" of pregnancy that would eventually come. With chapter titles like: Honey, Your Sperm Really Do Work! (Pregnancy Tests) & Poopin' on the Table (The Dark Side of Delivery), who wouldn't love to kick back in the beginning & simply lighten up on the major life changer that's growing inside.
Starting in my first trimester, & carrying on into the present, I have been reading What To Expect When You're Expecting. Sometimes Darren would read it to me. I loved that; when he was so excited & inquisitive to the growing changes to our baby. We have continued to check in with this book at the beginning of each week. I like it's format & readability.
Then towards the end of my first trimester, you may remember from an earlier post, I started to feel well again. I was left with my thoughts & fears of what's to come. So I started to read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth. Ina May is a Midwife on The Farm, a birthing center, in Tennessee. She opens the book with positive & empowering birth stories. Stories of women who labored & birthed without the aid of pain medicine or medical intervention. These stories helped me to overcome my fear of the birth plan that I had chosen. I knew it was right path for me, but couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the opinions of other women who do not agree with my natural birth plan & feel the need to tell me so. I haven't finished this book yet. I've only read the birth stories, but I plan to go back to it this week.
In the beginning of my second trimester I began reading Birthing From Within. This is another book that supports the natural birth approach & nurtures a nervous insecure momma to be. This book touches upon ways in which we can meditate & tap into our most creative & primal selves. It's a homeopathic guide to childbirth preparation. Suggestions include choosing empowering words to meditate to during pregnancy, & to apply that practice to your labor. This practice in meditation & belief in your empowering words will help carry you through to the birth of your baby. I have not finished this book either. I plan to pick it back up in about a month, when I feel that my head space will be ready to absorb the information.
The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy I picked up in my second trimester & felt that it was a repeat of What To Expect When Expecting. Same book, different layout. I liked the flow of WTEWE, so I put The Girlfriends Guide down. It would be great for a lady who doesn't like the bullet point and Q & A method of WTEWE.
The book that I just finished reading, & so far was the last book that I picked up is, The Official Lamaze Guide, Giving Birth with Confidence. This book is very informative & has helped to solidify some of my opinions about our birth choices & parenting style to our growing baby. The book is a strong advocate for natural "normal" birth. It speaks in great length to the importance of breast feeding, and that, if possible, to not introduce the bottle for 6 weeks, and to avoid formula if at all possible. The book certainly explains that this is not 1978 or even 1987 for that matter, so move over Baby Boomers there's a new sheriff in town. Babies are now encouraged to sleep in the same bedroom as their parents in either a crib, bassinet or as co-sleepers in a safe bed environment. The idea is that attachment parenting fosters trust between baby & parent. It also helps the new parent to more quickly pick up on their baby's early cues. Sleep schedules are outdated advice & based on research done on formula fed babies of yesteryear.
I've read two pamphlets sent to me from Mamma Boo, Lamaze & Breastfeeding. Both are great for a quick uptake of the information. The Lamaze pamphlet has a section on the "Supporting Cast," how to choose who's by your side. That's something that's beginning to come into question for me. I would love to have a Doula, but cannot afford one. So I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I will discuss with Darren about having a friend be available to be with us to act as our advocate in the delivery room. I will want Darren to stay with me always, and hopefully the midwife will not need to leave to care for another laboring woman. But if I want or need anything from the outside world, like say maybe a bowl of fruit, I could ask our friend and labor advocate to go get that for us. So maybe we will open our delivery room to a close friend who can handle being invited in & potentially asked to leave too.
I've also been reading the amazing letters sent to me from Mamma Boo. She's on a journey to share all four of her birth stories with me! So far we are up to birth number two, Sarah. My mom was present for her birth, where the grand finally occurred in the Safeway Parking Lot on the way to the hospital. I knew her birth story well from my mom's perspective, but I greatly enjoyed reading & learning about it from her mother, Momma Boo's, perspective. Boo's kind words & encouragement have been well received and greatly appreciated by both me & Darren.
So what's next. Well, Darren wants to dive into The Happiest Baby on the Block. So I guess that's where we are going. We have 16 weeks to go, so I'll be busy reading and attending birthing classes. Oh and nesting, lots and lots of nesting.
In my first trimester, before the nausea set in, I read Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs. I appreciated her candor. And Darren & I both laughed at all of the "symptoms" of pregnancy that would eventually come. With chapter titles like: Honey, Your Sperm Really Do Work! (Pregnancy Tests) & Poopin' on the Table (The Dark Side of Delivery), who wouldn't love to kick back in the beginning & simply lighten up on the major life changer that's growing inside.
Starting in my first trimester, & carrying on into the present, I have been reading What To Expect When You're Expecting. Sometimes Darren would read it to me. I loved that; when he was so excited & inquisitive to the growing changes to our baby. We have continued to check in with this book at the beginning of each week. I like it's format & readability.
Then towards the end of my first trimester, you may remember from an earlier post, I started to feel well again. I was left with my thoughts & fears of what's to come. So I started to read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth. Ina May is a Midwife on The Farm, a birthing center, in Tennessee. She opens the book with positive & empowering birth stories. Stories of women who labored & birthed without the aid of pain medicine or medical intervention. These stories helped me to overcome my fear of the birth plan that I had chosen. I knew it was right path for me, but couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the opinions of other women who do not agree with my natural birth plan & feel the need to tell me so. I haven't finished this book yet. I've only read the birth stories, but I plan to go back to it this week.
In the beginning of my second trimester I began reading Birthing From Within. This is another book that supports the natural birth approach & nurtures a nervous insecure momma to be. This book touches upon ways in which we can meditate & tap into our most creative & primal selves. It's a homeopathic guide to childbirth preparation. Suggestions include choosing empowering words to meditate to during pregnancy, & to apply that practice to your labor. This practice in meditation & belief in your empowering words will help carry you through to the birth of your baby. I have not finished this book either. I plan to pick it back up in about a month, when I feel that my head space will be ready to absorb the information.
The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy I picked up in my second trimester & felt that it was a repeat of What To Expect When Expecting. Same book, different layout. I liked the flow of WTEWE, so I put The Girlfriends Guide down. It would be great for a lady who doesn't like the bullet point and Q & A method of WTEWE.
The book that I just finished reading, & so far was the last book that I picked up is, The Official Lamaze Guide, Giving Birth with Confidence. This book is very informative & has helped to solidify some of my opinions about our birth choices & parenting style to our growing baby. The book is a strong advocate for natural "normal" birth. It speaks in great length to the importance of breast feeding, and that, if possible, to not introduce the bottle for 6 weeks, and to avoid formula if at all possible. The book certainly explains that this is not 1978 or even 1987 for that matter, so move over Baby Boomers there's a new sheriff in town. Babies are now encouraged to sleep in the same bedroom as their parents in either a crib, bassinet or as co-sleepers in a safe bed environment. The idea is that attachment parenting fosters trust between baby & parent. It also helps the new parent to more quickly pick up on their baby's early cues. Sleep schedules are outdated advice & based on research done on formula fed babies of yesteryear.
I've read two pamphlets sent to me from Mamma Boo, Lamaze & Breastfeeding. Both are great for a quick uptake of the information. The Lamaze pamphlet has a section on the "Supporting Cast," how to choose who's by your side. That's something that's beginning to come into question for me. I would love to have a Doula, but cannot afford one. So I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I will discuss with Darren about having a friend be available to be with us to act as our advocate in the delivery room. I will want Darren to stay with me always, and hopefully the midwife will not need to leave to care for another laboring woman. But if I want or need anything from the outside world, like say maybe a bowl of fruit, I could ask our friend and labor advocate to go get that for us. So maybe we will open our delivery room to a close friend who can handle being invited in & potentially asked to leave too.
I've also been reading the amazing letters sent to me from Mamma Boo. She's on a journey to share all four of her birth stories with me! So far we are up to birth number two, Sarah. My mom was present for her birth, where the grand finally occurred in the Safeway Parking Lot on the way to the hospital. I knew her birth story well from my mom's perspective, but I greatly enjoyed reading & learning about it from her mother, Momma Boo's, perspective. Boo's kind words & encouragement have been well received and greatly appreciated by both me & Darren.
So what's next. Well, Darren wants to dive into The Happiest Baby on the Block. So I guess that's where we are going. We have 16 weeks to go, so I'll be busy reading and attending birthing classes. Oh and nesting, lots and lots of nesting.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Baby Girl S.
It's a girl! Darren & I went in for our 20 week anatomy exam on Friday. It was so awesome to see her little fingers & toes. The technician was great. It's amazing how they can find & identify all of the baby's parts. Her kidneys, which looked like a specular highlight, & all the chambers of her heart. And most excitedly, her private parts! I'll be honest, it didn't look like much to me. She even had to draw me a line, a bit like connect the dots. I said, "Oh yeah," but really I still couldn't see anything clearly. So I took her word for it.
Darren was sooo happy. He high-fived me, just like the day he found out we were expecting. He continued through out the exam to express how thrilled he was to be having a little girl on the way. It makes me so happy to be married to a man who's so involved & thrilled about being a father. On our way to Columbus Circle to make all of our phone calls he asked if we were going to say, "I got my girl!," just like my mom had when I was born. It's awesome how he always finds a way to include Mom in our lives.
Calling & texting everyone was a blast. We received some really wonderful responses from our family & friends. It is a moment in our life that will be treasured always. Enjoy her beautiful profile pic!
Darren was sooo happy. He high-fived me, just like the day he found out we were expecting. He continued through out the exam to express how thrilled he was to be having a little girl on the way. It makes me so happy to be married to a man who's so involved & thrilled about being a father. On our way to Columbus Circle to make all of our phone calls he asked if we were going to say, "I got my girl!," just like my mom had when I was born. It's awesome how he always finds a way to include Mom in our lives.
Calling & texting everyone was a blast. We received some really wonderful responses from our family & friends. It is a moment in our life that will be treasured always. Enjoy her beautiful profile pic!
Monday, January 25, 2010
In A Land Down Under
I think a kangaroo is growing in my belly. Baby Kanga is kicking like a three legged ninja. I felt it with certainty for the first time yesterday. Darren got to feel the baby kicking & punching last night too. Then this morning Baby Kanga got feisty after breakfast & started playing the drums on my uterus. So I told Darren to put his hand on my belly again. And you know what happened...nothing. The baby went silent. Looks like Poppy has the special touch. Now we know who will be rocking Baby to sleep.
We will find out Baby's gender on Friday. So stay tuned for the big reveal!
We will find out Baby's gender on Friday. So stay tuned for the big reveal!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
I'm Back In The Saddle Again
That's right. It's 2010, a new year. And so as these things go for me with the start of November through the first week of January of the new year, I take a little break from my routine. Now I'm back into the swing of things. Yesterday I attended my regular yoga class, and it just so happens that my yoga instructor is preggers too! Fantastic, now I really know she has my back when it comes time to tweak my poses to be baby friendly. In addition to my yoga practice, I pooped, twice! Once last night & once this morning. That too is very exciting for me. Other pregnant ladies you know what I'm talking about. I also went to the grocery store. One of my items purchased, prune juice. I tried it this morning, it's disgusting. It's possible that constipation is more desirable than prune juice. Hard to imagine, but it's fact. I tried hiding it in a yummier juice cocktail, but the taste is still there.
In other news, I have purchased some white storage boxes to go onto the shelves that Darren assembled in December. This will hopefully contain some of our stuff & make the apartment further baby friendly. And, we bought our crib! Second hand off of Craigslist. Love that site. Strangely enough NYC continues to remind us that we are living in a small town when the owner of the crib just so happens to be an art director that I was just on set with last October. It's a small world after all.
In other news, I have purchased some white storage boxes to go onto the shelves that Darren assembled in December. This will hopefully contain some of our stuff & make the apartment further baby friendly. And, we bought our crib! Second hand off of Craigslist. Love that site. Strangely enough NYC continues to remind us that we are living in a small town when the owner of the crib just so happens to be an art director that I was just on set with last October. It's a small world after all.
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