So, apparently 100grams of glucose doesn't agree with my system.
That should come as no surprise. I mean, 100g is approximately 7 tablespoons of sugar, or almost half a cup. Seriously. YUCK.
Not to mention that I had to chug it - all 10 oz of it - within 5 minutes on a completely empty stomach. I then was not allowed to eat for the 3 hours of the test. Now, I had to take the 1hr test with Owen (standard) and the glucola was not that bad. It just tasted like orange soda- not something I normally drink, but it wasn't the sludge that many women complain of. That was a lesser amount as well as half the glucose load. But this stuff? Pure nastiness. Thick like syrup and so yucky. It wasn't even chilled. UGH.
All that to say that I did the fasting, drank the glucola, sat in the waiting area for the first hour before my first blood draw, and when I went to get the blood draw I promptly got sick.
Yup.
That means I couldn't continue since not all the glucola was in my system.
Relieved? Oh yes. Disappointed? A little. (I would have liked a diagnosis sooner than later.)
So I called my midwife and told her. She let me know that I wouldn't have to try it again (clearly I can't handle it) and instead I'd get a glucometer so I could test my blood sugars (via finger prick, like a diabetic) after normal meals here at home for a little while to see what my sugars look like.
Whew! So glad I'll never have to drink glucola again. Yuck.
But now I'll have to wait for a "diagnosis". At least in the meantime I'll be seeing my numbers and figuring out if there is any need for adjustment. I still don't feel very optimistic about it, just because I know how often I feel pretty yucky.... But we'll see.
I have been trying to watch my carb intake since last week, just to be sure I'm not overloading baby if I do in fact have GD. It's tough, to be honest, since nearly everything else gives me serious heartburn, so I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place. Pregnancy woes, sorry to complain!
All I'm saying is, I better not have GD because it's prime fruit pie season and this mama needs to enjoy it. Seriously.
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
01 September 2011
24 August 2011
Pregnancy: 27-28 weeks
Hello Third Trimester!
Wow, has there ever been a marked decrease in energy as I enter the third trimester. I am so sleepy. I'm trying to remember to take my supplements daily to make sure my iron levels are high (fatigue is related to anemia). Unfortunately my fatigue has been joined by sporadic hip pain and loose joints which lead to twisted ankles. Ugh. Must walk more carefully :-)
This week is my gestational diabetes test. I am doing the alternative test which is a fasting finger prick followed by a carb-heavy breakfast. Two hours later they do a lab draw to check blood sugar levels (as well as for Rh antibodies since I'm Rh negative.) I opted to skip the 28-week Rhogam shot unless there is an event that would cause sensitization (car accident, other trauma to abdomen, bleeding, etc).
Speaking of appointments, I only have one more monthly appointment before we switch to bi-weekly and then weekly! This is going so fast! (my midwife starts bi-weekly later than most, even. If I was at a hospital-based practice I'd start bi-weekly now. Crazy!)
I don't think I've gained any weight since the last appointment... which is odd and I hope doesn't cause her to be concerned. I think maybe I've gained a pound (based on the last time I checked) but I've also been exercising more. So we'll see. (normal weight gain is ~1lb per week, or ~4lbs a month) Personally I don't think it's that big of a deal since I, ahem, gained a little more a little earlier in this pregnancy.
Emotionally and mentally, I feel awesome. I've noticed in talking with other pregnant women that I am surprisingly stable throughout pregnancy while many prego mamas suffer from serious mood swings due to hormonal changes. I'm like a peaceful birthing buddha. Ha! I think Kraig is thankful for that. I am enjoying this second pregnancy but it's surprisingly different from the first. It is much more "private", which I knew to expect. People aren't swooning over me, asking a ton of questions, or trying to touch me (which I don't mind, though I know some are not okay with the belly-rubbing). There is not as much advice given, which is a huge blessing. Generally it just feels like we are left on our own to prepare for this new little one, and I like that. The attention was nice the first round, but we've got it under control this time.
I believe there will be a shower/blessingway at the beginning of October, and I do think it will be nice to have some concentrated attention if for no other reason than to really get excited about the birth (I'm already excited, but during that homestretch it will be much needed.) I'm blessed to have friends and neighbors who want to celebrate me. It's not an easy thing to build a community from scratch when we're so far from our hometowns, but we've done it and we're thankful for everyone here that loves us. We have a great support system here and we couldn't be happier. Now I'm feeling all sappy. Whatever- cheers to new babies and friends that are like family.
Wow, has there ever been a marked decrease in energy as I enter the third trimester. I am so sleepy. I'm trying to remember to take my supplements daily to make sure my iron levels are high (fatigue is related to anemia). Unfortunately my fatigue has been joined by sporadic hip pain and loose joints which lead to twisted ankles. Ugh. Must walk more carefully :-)
This week is my gestational diabetes test. I am doing the alternative test which is a fasting finger prick followed by a carb-heavy breakfast. Two hours later they do a lab draw to check blood sugar levels (as well as for Rh antibodies since I'm Rh negative.) I opted to skip the 28-week Rhogam shot unless there is an event that would cause sensitization (car accident, other trauma to abdomen, bleeding, etc).
Speaking of appointments, I only have one more monthly appointment before we switch to bi-weekly and then weekly! This is going so fast! (my midwife starts bi-weekly later than most, even. If I was at a hospital-based practice I'd start bi-weekly now. Crazy!)
I don't think I've gained any weight since the last appointment... which is odd and I hope doesn't cause her to be concerned. I think maybe I've gained a pound (based on the last time I checked) but I've also been exercising more. So we'll see. (normal weight gain is ~1lb per week, or ~4lbs a month) Personally I don't think it's that big of a deal since I, ahem, gained a little more a little earlier in this pregnancy.
Emotionally and mentally, I feel awesome. I've noticed in talking with other pregnant women that I am surprisingly stable throughout pregnancy while many prego mamas suffer from serious mood swings due to hormonal changes. I'm like a peaceful birthing buddha. Ha! I think Kraig is thankful for that. I am enjoying this second pregnancy but it's surprisingly different from the first. It is much more "private", which I knew to expect. People aren't swooning over me, asking a ton of questions, or trying to touch me (which I don't mind, though I know some are not okay with the belly-rubbing). There is not as much advice given, which is a huge blessing. Generally it just feels like we are left on our own to prepare for this new little one, and I like that. The attention was nice the first round, but we've got it under control this time.
I believe there will be a shower/blessingway at the beginning of October, and I do think it will be nice to have some concentrated attention if for no other reason than to really get excited about the birth (I'm already excited, but during that homestretch it will be much needed.) I'm blessed to have friends and neighbors who want to celebrate me. It's not an easy thing to build a community from scratch when we're so far from our hometowns, but we've done it and we're thankful for everyone here that loves us. We have a great support system here and we couldn't be happier. Now I'm feeling all sappy. Whatever- cheers to new babies and friends that are like family.
12 August 2011
Pregnancy: 26 weeks
26! One week shy of the third trimester (depending on how you count it)!
Next week is Kraig's vacation! It's the first proper vacation (read: we are doing things we want to do! For a whole week! Seven days!) we've taken as a couple/family. Last year's "vacation" was driving across the country- super fun and I'd totally do it again, but moving at the same time was stress-inducing. We went to Florida this year but that was for a family event. It was fun as well, but doesn't count as a real vacation :) Next week will be 7 days full of EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO! It's a staycation, which is even more exciting because we've not had a chunk of free days to explore Portland since we moved here (Kraig went back to work immediately after our arrival.)
Anyway, back to pregnancy.
Still coasting along, and sometimes I am surprised by how good I feel. I think I can start to "blame" that on Baby's position. It feels like he is transverse most of the time which keeps his feet away from my lungs. Hooray! The kicks aren't uncomfortable when he's laying this way, and there is more room in my stomach which also means less heartburn (not "no heartburn", though, unfortunately.)
I am starting to lose energy, though. I still have good days where I can conquer a million things, but the exhausted-lay-on-the-couch-and-read-to-Owen-all-day kinds of days are creeping in.... That means the nesting countdown is on. Yikes!
I mapped out a plan for things we need to get done before Baby's arrival and it was a little weird to me that there are only three months left. So soon! We can't wait to meet him! I'm super excited for childbirth, too. I'll keep reminding myself of that as it ekes closer and closer.... Now we just have to transition Owen to his new bed and potty train him before November! (bless his heart, he'll gladly wear no diaper (undies or not) and then have accidents with no issue. He's learning... slowly but surely. I wish I would have believed everyone when they say boys are harder to train....)
Next week is Kraig's vacation! It's the first proper vacation (read: we are doing things we want to do! For a whole week! Seven days!) we've taken as a couple/family. Last year's "vacation" was driving across the country- super fun and I'd totally do it again, but moving at the same time was stress-inducing. We went to Florida this year but that was for a family event. It was fun as well, but doesn't count as a real vacation :) Next week will be 7 days full of EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO! It's a staycation, which is even more exciting because we've not had a chunk of free days to explore Portland since we moved here (Kraig went back to work immediately after our arrival.)
Anyway, back to pregnancy.
Still coasting along, and sometimes I am surprised by how good I feel. I think I can start to "blame" that on Baby's position. It feels like he is transverse most of the time which keeps his feet away from my lungs. Hooray! The kicks aren't uncomfortable when he's laying this way, and there is more room in my stomach which also means less heartburn (not "no heartburn", though, unfortunately.)
I am starting to lose energy, though. I still have good days where I can conquer a million things, but the exhausted-lay-on-the-couch-and-read-to-Owen-all-day kinds of days are creeping in.... That means the nesting countdown is on. Yikes!
I mapped out a plan for things we need to get done before Baby's arrival and it was a little weird to me that there are only three months left. So soon! We can't wait to meet him! I'm super excited for childbirth, too. I'll keep reminding myself of that as it ekes closer and closer.... Now we just have to transition Owen to his new bed and potty train him before November! (bless his heart, he'll gladly wear no diaper (undies or not) and then have accidents with no issue. He's learning... slowly but surely. I wish I would have believed everyone when they say boys are harder to train....)
03 August 2011
Pregnancy: 25 weeks
We've officially passed the six month mark!
I'm still surprised by how easy this pregnancy has been. I looked back at posts from this time during my last pregnancy and noticed that I was already mentioning how my belly size was interfering with my stomach capacity. I do not notice that yet, however, Baby Tiny is SO LOW. I also never feel kicks up toward my stomach, which makes me think he is always lying transverse or breech. There is plenty of time for him to get head-down, but I would be lying if I didn't say it makes me a little nervous. Owen was usually head-down, and I don't like waiting for baby to get into the correct position. Time is a'wasting, buddy!
(I could go into a lengthy monologue here about how I'm trying to get baby to flip by checking my posture and sitting in certain positions (mainly cross-legged on the floor), but I don't want to bore you. I could also write some teary-eyed side-note about c-section and how that would be the EXACT OPPOSITE of what I would ever want, but you probably know that. I would also list out all the recent research showing that breech positioning does NOT necessitate a c-section, and I'd tell you all the reasons why we'd try our very hardest to find a care provider who would deliver a breech vaginally, but I won't. I wouldn't want you to think I'm crazy, now, would I? ;-P Besides, Baby will flip. He will. I'm confident of that- most babies flip between 28-32 weeks, so I realize I'm preemptive here. I need something to worry about, don't I?)
Anyway, everything is going swimmingly. Oh, except for the little issue that required me to call my midwife last weekend (I had never, ever called my midwife in either pregnancy). But other than that, everything is fine. (Again, I could tell you the issue but then I'd have to tell you how we treated it with an herbal tincture and you all would be like "What kind of hippie medicine are you practicing?!" and then I'd just roll my eyes and tell you "Well it WORKED, didn't it?!" And then we'd all feel pretty silly. Anyway, everything is fine, it was nothing serious, and baby was never in trouble.)
Stay tuned for a full nesting report, complete with photos! Hooray!
02 August 2011
Let's talk Placentophagy
Oh yeah, I'm goin' there. If you're a bit faint of heart, maybe you should skip this post.
Placentophagy is the practice of eating the placenta after birth. I KNOW, YOU'RE TOTALLY GROSSED OUT RIGHT NOW!
Everybody relax- most people don't eat it straight up like a grilled steak (though I'm sure it's been done). Also, I'll bet many of you would be surprised to know that some pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hair and skin preparations contain placental extract of animals- usually sheep. True story.
I plan to have mine dehydrated and put it into capsules to take as a supplement. There are really far worse things that one could take in capsule form, and at least I know what this is and where it came from :-) Also, this way I don't have to get near the thing. I can even look at raw meat, so I want nothing to do with the preparation. I'll have a new baby to coo at, anyway :-)
So anyway, in theory there are lots of health benefits to ingesting your placenta including increased energy and milk supply and a much, much lower risk of post-partum depression. (Also, see here, here, here and here. Oh, and this, this, this, this, and this.) Relatively speaking, my recovery period with Owen was pretty great but I did suffer from extreme fatigue which caused hallucinations (Kraig experienced this as well- hey, maybe he'll eat some placenta tabs!). I had no issue with milk supply, but might donate to a local milk bank this time so the extra milk won't hurt. I am anemic, especially during pregnancy, and the placenta is a great source of iron (duh) so that will certainly help.
Honestly, with a toddler + new baby + holidays I think I'll need all the energy I can get.
So, that's the plan. I used to be weirded out by the idea, but you really get used to a lot of weird stuff during pregnancy/birth/raising a baby so the idea is really not all that strange to me now. It's really worlds better than eating conventionally raised arsenic-laced chicken, right? And don't even get me started on what's in hot dogs. Woof. So, this is not so weird in the grand scheme of things.
If you want a pretty hilarious take on it, read Joel Stein's article about his wife's placenta encapsulation.
Placentophagy is the practice of eating the placenta after birth. I KNOW, YOU'RE TOTALLY GROSSED OUT RIGHT NOW!
Everybody relax- most people don't eat it straight up like a grilled steak (though I'm sure it's been done). Also, I'll bet many of you would be surprised to know that some pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hair and skin preparations contain placental extract of animals- usually sheep. True story.
I plan to have mine dehydrated and put it into capsules to take as a supplement. There are really far worse things that one could take in capsule form, and at least I know what this is and where it came from :-) Also, this way I don't have to get near the thing. I can even look at raw meat, so I want nothing to do with the preparation. I'll have a new baby to coo at, anyway :-)
So anyway, in theory there are lots of health benefits to ingesting your placenta including increased energy and milk supply and a much, much lower risk of post-partum depression. (Also, see here, here, here and here. Oh, and this, this, this, this, and this.) Relatively speaking, my recovery period with Owen was pretty great but I did suffer from extreme fatigue which caused hallucinations (Kraig experienced this as well- hey, maybe he'll eat some placenta tabs!). I had no issue with milk supply, but might donate to a local milk bank this time so the extra milk won't hurt. I am anemic, especially during pregnancy, and the placenta is a great source of iron (duh) so that will certainly help.
Honestly, with a toddler + new baby + holidays I think I'll need all the energy I can get.
So, that's the plan. I used to be weirded out by the idea, but you really get used to a lot of weird stuff during pregnancy/birth/raising a baby so the idea is really not all that strange to me now. It's really worlds better than eating conventionally raised arsenic-laced chicken, right? And don't even get me started on what's in hot dogs. Woof. So, this is not so weird in the grand scheme of things.
If you want a pretty hilarious take on it, read Joel Stein's article about his wife's placenta encapsulation.
28 July 2011
Pregnancy: 23 and 24 weeks
A nesting report:
I got a haircut. Fun! I so needed the pampering and my hair SO needed to be cut. I scheduled my next two appointments.... which brings us right up to our due date! Exciting! I'm trying to get things like that in place. Less to worry about later :-)
This week we'll be painting! We were ultra-productive last week- we weeded our yard and flowerbeds, cleaned up the side 'yard', organized some things around the house, and I gave the kitchen and bathtub a good scrub. It feels good to stay on top of things.
We had another midwife appointment yesterday. It was great (as usual). We talked about important things, not-so-important things, and at one point we were all dying of laughter. Not your normal prenatal appointment, to be sure. Our next appointment is our gestational diabetes check- we opted for a modified test which means we'll be going in for a finger poke then going out for a heavy-carb breakfast. Two hours later we'll return for a blood draw and regular prenatal appointment. I'm excited not to drink glucola (gag!), especially since I have tried to cut out much of the sugar in my diet because of my RLS.
My belly is measuring 25cm, which is about a week ahead but I'm not surprised since our ultrasound showed that Baby is measuring large. Oh please, let his weight "even out" by the end.... Either that or he can come a bit early! I really don't want to birth a huge baby. Not that I don't think I can do it, but waddling around with a giant belly (I'm pretty petite!) doesn't sound all that fun. Oye. (// end naive rant.)
I'm trying to keep my weight gain in perspective, too. I am a few pounds ahead of where I was at this time with Owen, however, I am less active now (I was still working on my feet all day during last pregnancy) and I am a second-time mama. I also didn't gain enough during my last pregnancy- my midwives were never concerned and it was a perfectly healthy pregnancy, but I lost all the weight far too quickly (please don't throw tomatoes at me). I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by two weeks post-partum. This all sounds great, right?! Not. Not for a breastfeeding mama, especially. I had no energy and I was starving all the time even though I was eating a ton of food each day. I just couldn't gain any "extra" weight! I didn't have the calorie stores to be able to breastfeed AND maintain a good energy level, so I'm trying to convince myself that it's okay if I have a couple extra pounds post-partum. I was spoiled last time, for sure, but losing the weight that quickly isn't ideal for breastfeeding. Still, it's hard to gain weight (yes, it's even a mental struggle for me during pregnancy when I'm SUPPOSED to gain weight. I think that's completely normal).
Anyway.
She put us down for "dad catching baby" and "placenta encapsulation" at the appointment. Doesn't that sound exciting?! So thrilling, I know! If you don't know what placenta encapsulation is, you just wait. I'll tell you ALL about it.
And here is a 6 month belly shot. Thank goodness, now I can cross "take belly photo in a parking garage" off my to-do list! (kidding)
I got a haircut. Fun! I so needed the pampering and my hair SO needed to be cut. I scheduled my next two appointments.... which brings us right up to our due date! Exciting! I'm trying to get things like that in place. Less to worry about later :-)
This week we'll be painting! We were ultra-productive last week- we weeded our yard and flowerbeds, cleaned up the side 'yard', organized some things around the house, and I gave the kitchen and bathtub a good scrub. It feels good to stay on top of things.
We had another midwife appointment yesterday. It was great (as usual). We talked about important things, not-so-important things, and at one point we were all dying of laughter. Not your normal prenatal appointment, to be sure. Our next appointment is our gestational diabetes check- we opted for a modified test which means we'll be going in for a finger poke then going out for a heavy-carb breakfast. Two hours later we'll return for a blood draw and regular prenatal appointment. I'm excited not to drink glucola (gag!), especially since I have tried to cut out much of the sugar in my diet because of my RLS.
My belly is measuring 25cm, which is about a week ahead but I'm not surprised since our ultrasound showed that Baby is measuring large. Oh please, let his weight "even out" by the end.... Either that or he can come a bit early! I really don't want to birth a huge baby. Not that I don't think I can do it, but waddling around with a giant belly (I'm pretty petite!) doesn't sound all that fun. Oye. (// end naive rant.)
I'm trying to keep my weight gain in perspective, too. I am a few pounds ahead of where I was at this time with Owen, however, I am less active now (I was still working on my feet all day during last pregnancy) and I am a second-time mama. I also didn't gain enough during my last pregnancy- my midwives were never concerned and it was a perfectly healthy pregnancy, but I lost all the weight far too quickly (please don't throw tomatoes at me). I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by two weeks post-partum. This all sounds great, right?! Not. Not for a breastfeeding mama, especially. I had no energy and I was starving all the time even though I was eating a ton of food each day. I just couldn't gain any "extra" weight! I didn't have the calorie stores to be able to breastfeed AND maintain a good energy level, so I'm trying to convince myself that it's okay if I have a couple extra pounds post-partum. I was spoiled last time, for sure, but losing the weight that quickly isn't ideal for breastfeeding. Still, it's hard to gain weight (yes, it's even a mental struggle for me during pregnancy when I'm SUPPOSED to gain weight. I think that's completely normal).
Anyway.
She put us down for "dad catching baby" and "placenta encapsulation" at the appointment. Doesn't that sound exciting?! So thrilling, I know! If you don't know what placenta encapsulation is, you just wait. I'll tell you ALL about it.
And here is a 6 month belly shot. Thank goodness, now I can cross "take belly photo in a parking garage" off my to-do list! (kidding)
17 July 2011
Pregnancy: 22 weeks
Soooo.... I do believe we have a name for our little man.
We're testing one out, at least. Seeing if it sticks, you know.
But we're not telling!
Awww, don't be upset. We didn't reveal names the first time either. Frankly, people have wayyy too many opinions (you know it's true!) So, you'll have to wait and see.
I'm feeling pretty great, still. This is of course the second trimester- the EASY trimester. I can see the third trimester looming, though, so we're trying to get our tuchuses in gear and start/finish these projects.
I think my supplements (alfalfa for iron- as well as many other nutrients; it's one of the most nutritious plants known to man! Also, I take a cal-mag-zinc supplement.) are really helping me feel better. I was feeling very fatigued and would get frequent dizzy spells before. I would eat lots of snacks in order to feel better, but now that I'm supplementing regularly I can eat less frequently (but enough, you know, for good weight gain) and generally feel better during the day.
I have to laugh at this update that I googled:
Uh, regular sleeping and waking? I can't help but wish that his sleep cycles more closely coincided with mine! (I'm done whining now). But my abdomen doesn't get in my way?? I should sit and bend over comfortably? Odd, I must be doing something wrong. (ha) Also, yes- my waistline is most definitely gone. It's actually been MIA for a few weeks (months?) now. I don't mind these things, honestly... it's just funny!
Anyway, baby is the length of a spaghetti squash. WOW.
Now that we're approaching 23 weeks, I can't help but think of a friend-of-a-friend who's baby was born at 23 weeks. He survived what doctors called "imminent death" at just a few days old (his potassium levels were lethal for a couple of days in addition to a brain bleed and many other obstacles that micropremies face) and he is now 95 days old and 6 lbs! He should be going home in just a few weeks, barring any setbacks. The interesting thing (besides his miraculous recovery) is having followed their blog and seeing a very premature baby born at the approximate size that our baby is now. We don't often get to "watch" micropremies develop, but it gives interesting insight into what a baby looks like as they develop while (usually) still inside the womb, you know? Fascinating. You can check out their blog at www.littlebabypierce.blogspot.com
We're testing one out, at least. Seeing if it sticks, you know.
But we're not telling!
Awww, don't be upset. We didn't reveal names the first time either. Frankly, people have wayyy too many opinions (you know it's true!) So, you'll have to wait and see.
I'm feeling pretty great, still. This is of course the second trimester- the EASY trimester. I can see the third trimester looming, though, so we're trying to get our tuchuses in gear and start/finish these projects.
I think my supplements (alfalfa for iron- as well as many other nutrients; it's one of the most nutritious plants known to man! Also, I take a cal-mag-zinc supplement.) are really helping me feel better. I was feeling very fatigued and would get frequent dizzy spells before. I would eat lots of snacks in order to feel better, but now that I'm supplementing regularly I can eat less frequently (but enough, you know, for good weight gain) and generally feel better during the day.
I have to laugh at this update that I googled:
from: www.baby2see.com (I'm not promoting this website)Week Twenty Two: Taste buds develop | |
You are 22 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 20 weeks)
By this week, your waistline is definitely gone. The top of your uterus is now about 1 inch (3cm) above your bellybutton. Your enlarging abdomen is not too large and doesn't get in your way much. You're still able to bend over and to sit comfortably. Walking shouldn't be an effort. Your friends and relatives can tell you are pregnant. It would be hard to hide your condition. The baby is about 11 inches (28cm) long (crown to heel) and weighs in at about 1 pound (450g). |
Anyway, baby is the length of a spaghetti squash. WOW.
Now that we're approaching 23 weeks, I can't help but think of a friend-of-a-friend who's baby was born at 23 weeks. He survived what doctors called "imminent death" at just a few days old (his potassium levels were lethal for a couple of days in addition to a brain bleed and many other obstacles that micropremies face) and he is now 95 days old and 6 lbs! He should be going home in just a few weeks, barring any setbacks. The interesting thing (besides his miraculous recovery) is having followed their blog and seeing a very premature baby born at the approximate size that our baby is now. We don't often get to "watch" micropremies develop, but it gives interesting insight into what a baby looks like as they develop while (usually) still inside the womb, you know? Fascinating. You can check out their blog at www.littlebabypierce.blogspot.com
16 July 2011
A long-winded statement about birth center vs. home birth
We finally decided on a birth center birth. I should say that I finally decided- Kraig made his decision a long time ago :) Of the two of us, I was more in favor of a home birth but I think despite his qualms with it (which are few, and none are related to safety) I would have ultimately still chosen the birth center.
We've found in talking with many different folks about our options and choices that there are lots of misconceptions about home birth and birth centers. I must be clear and mention that our birth center is NOT at all like most birth centers. Many modern birth centers are attached to a hospital and thus parents have the ability to choose to be transferred to the hospital for pain management and/or it is obviously much simpler and faster to transfer them to an operating room if it seems a c-section is necessary. There are also many birthing units that are only "birth centers" in title- they are simply just the birthing wing of the hospital but the hospital is trying to appeal to the more liberal-types who want a "more natural" (I do not prefer that terminology) birthing experience. They even "play up" the more holistic amenities, such as birthing tubs, water-birth option, the ability of the mother to walk around during labor, etc. I must be clear that those options are hardly ever available to the mother during actual labor- being in a hospital almost guarantees continuous fetal monitoring (which automatically disqualifies a mother from being in the tub or walking around) and there may not be tubs or jacuzzis in every room. I've even heard of hospitals that have a jacuzzi that has never been used- not because of a lack of demand, but because they simply don't want to allow it.
Thus, it's very important for a mother who wants to be allowed the choice to labor without unnecessary interventions to ask the right questions. I won't get into those questions, but simply wanted to point out the difference in that "style" of birth center and the birth center that we are birthing at.
Our birth center is run by a group of midwives- there is no OB on call at the BC- so any emergency situations (which are highly unlikely in midwife-based care, I'll tell you the reasons why in a moment) require transfer to the nearest hospital (which is usually very nearby. Ours is just a couple of miles away, and an ambulance is always called at the earliest sign of a possible problem).
At BCs that are similar to ours, the midwife has access to the exact same birthing tools and emergency equipment that she would bring to a home birth (such as oxygen and medications for hemorrhage). Because of that, it is not "safer" to birth at the BC or at home as long as access to ambulance and hospital are the same. Obviously if a mother wanted to birth at home but is an hour from a hospital, there are different protocols for emergencies (and often midwives will not agree to attend a home birth in that situation).
That is why it is surprising to me when people are "so thankful that we are not birthing at home" because that would have made them "nervous". Um, if safety is the concern here, first of all we believe that out-of-hospital birth is as safe if not safer (for low-risk mothers) than hospital births, and in case of emergency we are just as protected/unprotected (depending on how you want to look at it) at a BC as we would be at home.
Like I said- so many misconceptions.
Anyway, we definitely believe that having a midwife and birthing out of a hospital is safer (for us) than being in a hospital. Every single hospital intervention (fetal monitoring, narcotics, induction methods such as rupture of membranes, cervidil and pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, cesarean birth, forceps and vacuum-extraction, IV, etc etc etc.) carries risks. The risks are hardly- if ever- mentioned. For low-risk pregnancies (that is a very important disclaimer) it is safer to birth out of the hospital than it is to be in a hospital where it is extremely likely that one or more interventions will be used. (An interesting article explaining the problem of extrapolation when discussing home birth risk)
These websites explain the infamous Cascade of Interventions. (see here and here) The problem is that most women in hospitals are told of the risks to baby if an intervention is not used but rarely are the risks of the intervention explained. I think it is interesting that the same docs who want to point out the risk of true emergencies in home birth (which happen in about 3% of planned home births) fail to mention the risks of hospital birth. Let me be clear- I think there is a time and a place for interventions in birth. I also think these interventions are used FAR too often, sometimes to the detriment of the mother and fetus. (I also think it is up to each woman to decide if that 3% risk of emergency (that is not the risk of death, to be clear) is enough for her to decide to be in a hospital.)
I also want to vent here for a moment about risks of hospital interventions- I know that we all know many, many women and babies who are "fine" despite one or more interventions. Well, I also know many, many babies who were born at home and are fine. I also know many babies who were born in the hospital and are not fine, or their mothers are not fine due to intervention. I also know my own experience of being in the hospital. However, anecdotal evidence doesn't prove a thing. There is a funny story that sticks out to me: A NICU nurse was talking with a midwife about how she had a patient who was recently admitted to the NICU because he was a planned home birth. The midwife looked around and asked- well where were all the other NICU babies born? (The hospital...)
One of the major differences between in and out of hospital care is the philosophy of the birth attendant. It has been summarized in some circles that doctors believe birth is complicated until proven otherwise (which is usually a retroactive assessment) and midwives believe birth is normal until proven otherwise. I personally believe that doctors specialize in risk-management (and, unfortunately, financial risk-management clouds their view)- their training is in pathology, not normal births. When over 90% of births are "normal" it is a wonder to me that our c-section, induction, and intervention rates are so high (this is an American phenomenon). A midwife, on the other hand, views birth as a normal process yet and is trained as such, while also trained to to vigilant and troubleshoot any problems. A midwife is also in a better position to be able to accurately assess the risks of each individual labor because she is present during most if not all of active labor, unlike a doctor or hospital-midwife who is present for often less than 30 total minutes of any given labor/birth. Even the nurses monitor the mother from a central station rather than being at the bedside where s/he can assess what is "normal" for that particular labor. My midwife was making decisions about my care FROM OVER THE PHONE. She wasn't at the hospital! It is also worth noting that nurses (and sometimes the delivering physician) are often strangers to the mother while a midwife has spent hours and hours (and hours!) with the mother throughout pregnancy and labor. If given the choice, I'd choose a physician who knows me and my body over one who views me as just another body in a bed.
So, those are the reasons why we are much more comfortable with the birth environment and attendants we have chosen. I think you can see that once we decided for an out-of-hospital birth, deciding between home and BC was really a wash. For me, it came down to personal comfort. Many women are more comfortable in their home but I actually prefer the thought of going to "another place" to birth. It isn't about the mess involved (birth hardly causes a mess in most cases), and it isn't about safety, as I've pointed out. I really just don't want to worry about prepping my house for a birth (don't tell me I won't be concerned in the moment- I will), so the idea of going somewhere to have my baby seems preferable to me. There is also the benefit of Owen being able to stay here with our chosen caregiver(s) where he is comfortable (this is what works for my family- it may be different in yours). Besides, our BC is almost like a resort so I'm pretty excited about it. Huge, cozy rooms with gigantic jacuzzis? Postpartum doula to provide meals, childcare, lactation support, laundry services? Post-partum massage? Sign. Me. Up.
_________
I hope it is clear what is my opinion and what statements are intended to be taken as fact- based on readily-available evidence, of course. In as much as I can, I try to research statistics and reputable studies before making a statement. However, I am also heavily biased so some of the post is intended to be taken only as opinion.
We've found in talking with many different folks about our options and choices that there are lots of misconceptions about home birth and birth centers. I must be clear and mention that our birth center is NOT at all like most birth centers. Many modern birth centers are attached to a hospital and thus parents have the ability to choose to be transferred to the hospital for pain management and/or it is obviously much simpler and faster to transfer them to an operating room if it seems a c-section is necessary. There are also many birthing units that are only "birth centers" in title- they are simply just the birthing wing of the hospital but the hospital is trying to appeal to the more liberal-types who want a "more natural" (I do not prefer that terminology) birthing experience. They even "play up" the more holistic amenities, such as birthing tubs, water-birth option, the ability of the mother to walk around during labor, etc. I must be clear that those options are hardly ever available to the mother during actual labor- being in a hospital almost guarantees continuous fetal monitoring (which automatically disqualifies a mother from being in the tub or walking around) and there may not be tubs or jacuzzis in every room. I've even heard of hospitals that have a jacuzzi that has never been used- not because of a lack of demand, but because they simply don't want to allow it.
Thus, it's very important for a mother who wants to be allowed the choice to labor without unnecessary interventions to ask the right questions. I won't get into those questions, but simply wanted to point out the difference in that "style" of birth center and the birth center that we are birthing at.
Our birth center is run by a group of midwives- there is no OB on call at the BC- so any emergency situations (which are highly unlikely in midwife-based care, I'll tell you the reasons why in a moment) require transfer to the nearest hospital (which is usually very nearby. Ours is just a couple of miles away, and an ambulance is always called at the earliest sign of a possible problem).
At BCs that are similar to ours, the midwife has access to the exact same birthing tools and emergency equipment that she would bring to a home birth (such as oxygen and medications for hemorrhage). Because of that, it is not "safer" to birth at the BC or at home as long as access to ambulance and hospital are the same. Obviously if a mother wanted to birth at home but is an hour from a hospital, there are different protocols for emergencies (and often midwives will not agree to attend a home birth in that situation).
That is why it is surprising to me when people are "so thankful that we are not birthing at home" because that would have made them "nervous". Um, if safety is the concern here, first of all we believe that out-of-hospital birth is as safe if not safer (for low-risk mothers) than hospital births, and in case of emergency we are just as protected/unprotected (depending on how you want to look at it) at a BC as we would be at home.
Like I said- so many misconceptions.
Anyway, we definitely believe that having a midwife and birthing out of a hospital is safer (for us) than being in a hospital. Every single hospital intervention (fetal monitoring, narcotics, induction methods such as rupture of membranes, cervidil and pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, cesarean birth, forceps and vacuum-extraction, IV, etc etc etc.) carries risks. The risks are hardly- if ever- mentioned. For low-risk pregnancies (that is a very important disclaimer) it is safer to birth out of the hospital than it is to be in a hospital where it is extremely likely that one or more interventions will be used. (An interesting article explaining the problem of extrapolation when discussing home birth risk)
These websites explain the infamous Cascade of Interventions. (see here and here) The problem is that most women in hospitals are told of the risks to baby if an intervention is not used but rarely are the risks of the intervention explained. I think it is interesting that the same docs who want to point out the risk of true emergencies in home birth (which happen in about 3% of planned home births) fail to mention the risks of hospital birth. Let me be clear- I think there is a time and a place for interventions in birth. I also think these interventions are used FAR too often, sometimes to the detriment of the mother and fetus. (I also think it is up to each woman to decide if that 3% risk of emergency (that is not the risk of death, to be clear) is enough for her to decide to be in a hospital.)
I also want to vent here for a moment about risks of hospital interventions- I know that we all know many, many women and babies who are "fine" despite one or more interventions. Well, I also know many, many babies who were born at home and are fine. I also know many babies who were born in the hospital and are not fine, or their mothers are not fine due to intervention. I also know my own experience of being in the hospital. However, anecdotal evidence doesn't prove a thing. There is a funny story that sticks out to me: A NICU nurse was talking with a midwife about how she had a patient who was recently admitted to the NICU because he was a planned home birth. The midwife looked around and asked- well where were all the other NICU babies born? (The hospital...)
One of the major differences between in and out of hospital care is the philosophy of the birth attendant. It has been summarized in some circles that doctors believe birth is complicated until proven otherwise (which is usually a retroactive assessment) and midwives believe birth is normal until proven otherwise. I personally believe that doctors specialize in risk-management (and, unfortunately, financial risk-management clouds their view)- their training is in pathology, not normal births. When over 90% of births are "normal" it is a wonder to me that our c-section, induction, and intervention rates are so high (this is an American phenomenon). A midwife, on the other hand, views birth as a normal process yet and is trained as such, while also trained to to vigilant and troubleshoot any problems. A midwife is also in a better position to be able to accurately assess the risks of each individual labor because she is present during most if not all of active labor, unlike a doctor or hospital-midwife who is present for often less than 30 total minutes of any given labor/birth. Even the nurses monitor the mother from a central station rather than being at the bedside where s/he can assess what is "normal" for that particular labor. My midwife was making decisions about my care FROM OVER THE PHONE. She wasn't at the hospital! It is also worth noting that nurses (and sometimes the delivering physician) are often strangers to the mother while a midwife has spent hours and hours (and hours!) with the mother throughout pregnancy and labor. If given the choice, I'd choose a physician who knows me and my body over one who views me as just another body in a bed.
So, those are the reasons why we are much more comfortable with the birth environment and attendants we have chosen. I think you can see that once we decided for an out-of-hospital birth, deciding between home and BC was really a wash. For me, it came down to personal comfort. Many women are more comfortable in their home but I actually prefer the thought of going to "another place" to birth. It isn't about the mess involved (birth hardly causes a mess in most cases), and it isn't about safety, as I've pointed out. I really just don't want to worry about prepping my house for a birth (don't tell me I won't be concerned in the moment- I will), so the idea of going somewhere to have my baby seems preferable to me. There is also the benefit of Owen being able to stay here with our chosen caregiver(s) where he is comfortable (this is what works for my family- it may be different in yours). Besides, our BC is almost like a resort so I'm pretty excited about it. Huge, cozy rooms with gigantic jacuzzis? Postpartum doula to provide meals, childcare, lactation support, laundry services? Post-partum massage? Sign. Me. Up.
_________
I hope it is clear what is my opinion and what statements are intended to be taken as fact- based on readily-available evidence, of course. In as much as I can, I try to research statistics and reputable studies before making a statement. However, I am also heavily biased so some of the post is intended to be taken only as opinion.
08 July 2011
Pregnancy: 21 weeks
We're scooting right along in this pregnancy. I'm really trying to enjoy it- a pretty easy thing to do when 1) it's my last pregnancy and 2) it's been pretty easy so far. So, when the not-so-fun aspects of pregnancy (my insane restless leg syndrome and consequent insomnia, for one) rear their ugly heads, I jump right on it and try to TREAT TREAT TREAT so I can get back to the enjoying.
Which is what led to this particular tweet last night:
I mean, honestly- who sleeps with a BAR OF SOAP under her bedsheet? This girl. Why? Because people swear up and down on the interwebs that it is an effective remedy against the twitchy, spasmy, crawling feeling in their legs that keeps them awake at night.
One of my midwives had recommended this trace mineral supplement that I was really excited about... until I looked at the ingredients:
Bovine orchic cytosol extract, magnesium citrate, manganese lactate, bovine liver, porcine stomach, soybean, bovine spleen, ovine splee, para-aminobenzoate, defatted wheat germ, porcine brain, and ascorbic acid.
Let me break that down for you: It contains cow liver, pig stomach, cow spleen, sheep spleen, and pig brain. Oh, and that first ingredient? That is an extract from cow testes. Yup. I don't think you have to be a vegetarian to be completely grossed out by that. All I could think was MAD COW DISEASE! MAD COW DISEASE! (Apparently those ingredients are "safe" according the FDA. Still- no thank you.) Feeling defeated, I hoped there was another way that didn't involve ground-up farm animal parts. If I wanted to eat that, I'd have a hot dog. HEYO! (Sorry, inappropriate vegetarian wit ;-P)
Anyway, at my last appointment my head midwife recommended taking a liquid cal-mag supplement, which from what I have read online might take a week or two to fully kick in and prevent the symtpoms. So that, in combination with the epsom salt bath, soap bar, and cup of chamomile tea, certainly did the trick last night! What a relief!
We're starting to pick up the pace with projects around the house. I've been shopping for some upholstery fabric to re-cover the dining room chairs and we purchased the supplies to start stripping and repainting the dining room furniture. Our dear friends are giving us their queen-sized headboard which we'll also be re-covering and tufting. We bought a few new light fixtures to update our very 70's-era ones. Paint chips are being considered for the living room walls, and we purchased a new chair to finish off that space.
I'm on the lookout for some great fabric for the boys' bedding and can't wait to get their new beds! We'd like to move Owen to a big bed sometime soon- definitely before November. He's been gracious enough to offer some of his own decorating ideas. What a great helper!
We're also planning some vacation time before the baby comes. A trip to the coast, a weekend in Seattle, and an adventure in Central Oregon with the Djupes. We're so overwhelmed with all of the things to see and do in this gigantic and dynamic state- we feel like we could explore forever and still not see all of it. Hopefully we'll scratch the surface this summer, though. Hooray for Babymoon 2K11!
Speaking of baby (ha, why yes this is a "pregnancy" post) he is 10.5-11 inches long (supposedly the length of a carrot) and is 12-15 ounces. Baby Tiny was not so "tiny" at the ultrasound- he measured about 11 days ahead of his "due date" so he's likely on the larger end of that range. He is also quite the ninja! Kicks and jabs have been visible from the outside for a few weeks now which never fails to surprise me. I'll even catch my belly moving from out of the corner of my eye. Super-active baby here!
Kraig and I are feeling really excited about Baby2 lately. We are SO looking forward to 4 months from now when we are meeting our new little man. I'm so excited for labor and delivery (can you tell I've been reading BOOKS and BOOKS full of super-inspiring, positive birth stories?) that I simply can. not. wait for November! This is such a change from the nervousness and apprehension about the unknowns of childbirth and the what-it-might-be-likes of parenthood as we prepared for Owen. We feel much more prepared and confident this time. I'm glad we're both so excited :-)
21 weeks down, 19-ish to go!
Which is what led to this particular tweet last night:
I mean, honestly- who sleeps with a BAR OF SOAP under her bedsheet? This girl. Why? Because people swear up and down on the interwebs that it is an effective remedy against the twitchy, spasmy, crawling feeling in their legs that keeps them awake at night.
One of my midwives had recommended this trace mineral supplement that I was really excited about... until I looked at the ingredients:
Bovine orchic cytosol extract, magnesium citrate, manganese lactate, bovine liver, porcine stomach, soybean, bovine spleen, ovine splee, para-aminobenzoate, defatted wheat germ, porcine brain, and ascorbic acid.
Let me break that down for you: It contains cow liver, pig stomach, cow spleen, sheep spleen, and pig brain. Oh, and that first ingredient? That is an extract from cow testes. Yup. I don't think you have to be a vegetarian to be completely grossed out by that. All I could think was MAD COW DISEASE! MAD COW DISEASE! (Apparently those ingredients are "safe" according the FDA. Still- no thank you.) Feeling defeated, I hoped there was another way that didn't involve ground-up farm animal parts. If I wanted to eat that, I'd have a hot dog. HEYO! (Sorry, inappropriate vegetarian wit ;-P)
Anyway, at my last appointment my head midwife recommended taking a liquid cal-mag supplement, which from what I have read online might take a week or two to fully kick in and prevent the symtpoms. So that, in combination with the epsom salt bath, soap bar, and cup of chamomile tea, certainly did the trick last night! What a relief!
We're starting to pick up the pace with projects around the house. I've been shopping for some upholstery fabric to re-cover the dining room chairs and we purchased the supplies to start stripping and repainting the dining room furniture. Our dear friends are giving us their queen-sized headboard which we'll also be re-covering and tufting. We bought a few new light fixtures to update our very 70's-era ones. Paint chips are being considered for the living room walls, and we purchased a new chair to finish off that space.
I'm on the lookout for some great fabric for the boys' bedding and can't wait to get their new beds! We'd like to move Owen to a big bed sometime soon- definitely before November. He's been gracious enough to offer some of his own decorating ideas. What a great helper!
We're also planning some vacation time before the baby comes. A trip to the coast, a weekend in Seattle, and an adventure in Central Oregon with the Djupes. We're so overwhelmed with all of the things to see and do in this gigantic and dynamic state- we feel like we could explore forever and still not see all of it. Hopefully we'll scratch the surface this summer, though. Hooray for Babymoon 2K11!
Speaking of baby (ha, why yes this is a "pregnancy" post) he is 10.5-11 inches long (supposedly the length of a carrot) and is 12-15 ounces. Baby Tiny was not so "tiny" at the ultrasound- he measured about 11 days ahead of his "due date" so he's likely on the larger end of that range. He is also quite the ninja! Kicks and jabs have been visible from the outside for a few weeks now which never fails to surprise me. I'll even catch my belly moving from out of the corner of my eye. Super-active baby here!
Kraig and I are feeling really excited about Baby2 lately. We are SO looking forward to 4 months from now when we are meeting our new little man. I'm so excited for labor and delivery (can you tell I've been reading BOOKS and BOOKS full of super-inspiring, positive birth stories?) that I simply can. not. wait for November! This is such a change from the nervousness and apprehension about the unknowns of childbirth and the what-it-might-be-likes of parenthood as we prepared for Owen. We feel much more prepared and confident this time. I'm glad we're both so excited :-)
21 weeks down, 19-ish to go!
02 July 2011
01 July 2011
Pregnancy: 20 weeks and a midwife appointment
HALFWAY!!!!!!
Oh my goodness, I can't believe how fast this is going yet surely the second half will slow WAY down. We have SO many things to do, it's really a bit ridiculous. I'm sure if we re-prioritized and spent more time being productive instead of enjoying the Portland sunshine, we'd be in a better place. But who wants to do that?
I had a midwife appointment and covered a few things that I was concerned about. Namely iron, backache, and carrying Owen. She encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing (blackstrap molasses, alfalfa, other iron-rich foods) and we'll recheck my levels at 28 weeks. As far as my backaches and weird arm circulation issues when I am trying to sleep, she recommended a chiro adjustment. Mama loves a good chiro adjustment, so I was totally down with that idea. Can't wait! Finally, I knew that I should just listen to my body regarding how long to carry Owen, which she confirmed, but it's already starting to get uncomfortable and tiresome on our family walks. He only wants to be held some of the time, but wow is my belly in the way.
Otherwise, we had a really great appointment chatting about the ultrasound, reflecting on how I am feeling lately, and discussing general pregnancy stuff. I love these appointments so much- they are a full hour which is so unlike any conventional prenatal practice. It feels like it's just girly chat time, which is so wonderful when I've been with Owen all day everyday.
Unfortunately, Kraig and Owen were unable to make it to this appointment. It was the first time in either pregnancy that Kraig has had to miss an appointment, which was a little sad but at least it was for a good reason! He was busy taking care of Owen at a doctor's appointment. More details on that later, but our poor little guy had to undergo some pretty interesting testing. We're hopeful that everything will turn out okay, though.
Also, my urinalysis was normal this week, thank goodness. I was nervous about getting another abnormal result. My weight gain is approximately +10, which is great! It seems I'm on track to gain a healthy amount. I've been walking almost everyday which makes me feel so much better. I was so active during Owen's pregnancy because I was working, so I was feeling pretty sluggish until we decided family walks were in order.
Oh my goodness, I can't believe how fast this is going yet surely the second half will slow WAY down. We have SO many things to do, it's really a bit ridiculous. I'm sure if we re-prioritized and spent more time being productive instead of enjoying the Portland sunshine, we'd be in a better place. But who wants to do that?
I had a midwife appointment and covered a few things that I was concerned about. Namely iron, backache, and carrying Owen. She encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing (blackstrap molasses, alfalfa, other iron-rich foods) and we'll recheck my levels at 28 weeks. As far as my backaches and weird arm circulation issues when I am trying to sleep, she recommended a chiro adjustment. Mama loves a good chiro adjustment, so I was totally down with that idea. Can't wait! Finally, I knew that I should just listen to my body regarding how long to carry Owen, which she confirmed, but it's already starting to get uncomfortable and tiresome on our family walks. He only wants to be held some of the time, but wow is my belly in the way.
Otherwise, we had a really great appointment chatting about the ultrasound, reflecting on how I am feeling lately, and discussing general pregnancy stuff. I love these appointments so much- they are a full hour which is so unlike any conventional prenatal practice. It feels like it's just girly chat time, which is so wonderful when I've been with Owen all day everyday.
Unfortunately, Kraig and Owen were unable to make it to this appointment. It was the first time in either pregnancy that Kraig has had to miss an appointment, which was a little sad but at least it was for a good reason! He was busy taking care of Owen at a doctor's appointment. More details on that later, but our poor little guy had to undergo some pretty interesting testing. We're hopeful that everything will turn out okay, though.
Also, my urinalysis was normal this week, thank goodness. I was nervous about getting another abnormal result. My weight gain is approximately +10, which is great! It seems I'm on track to gain a healthy amount. I've been walking almost everyday which makes me feel so much better. I was so active during Owen's pregnancy because I was working, so I was feeling pretty sluggish until we decided family walks were in order.
29 June 2011
Blessingway!
I recently stumbled upon a special ceremony for pregnant mamas called a Blessingway or "mother's blessing". The ritual ceremony is rooted in Navajo, Christian, and even Scottish tradition. It is a special celebration wherein friends of the mama surround her, pamper her, offer words of peace, grace, and strength, and support her as she prepares to bring a new life into the world.
Some common rituals in a blessingway include consecration, prayers, bead ceremonies, releasing of fears, honoring, pampering and adorning the mother, henna (SQUEAL!), storytelling, blessings and wishes.
If it sounds like totally wacky hippie stuff, that's because it is. And it's awesome! (It's actually not that crazy- unless you think consecrating with oil, smudging with ashes, burning of incense, etc. is crazy)
Blessingways are an alternative to the normal, often highly consumerist tradition of baby showers. They are potentially more meaningful and focus more on the mother and upcoming act of birthing a new life.
In keeping with the preparations to have a med-free birth I am extremely excited about having such an amazing, life-giving ceremony. It's all about empowerment, trusting in my body to do what it was created to do, and releasing the fears that I may have about the upcoming birth. Being surrounded, supported and blessed by my dearest friends is, in my opinion, a great way to do that.
Anyone else ever have/been to a Blessingway? I am so excited about having one, I can hardly wait!
Some common rituals in a blessingway include consecration, prayers, bead ceremonies, releasing of fears, honoring, pampering and adorning the mother, henna (SQUEAL!), storytelling, blessings and wishes.
If it sounds like totally wacky hippie stuff, that's because it is. And it's awesome! (It's actually not that crazy- unless you think consecrating with oil, smudging with ashes, burning of incense, etc. is crazy)
Blessingways are an alternative to the normal, often highly consumerist tradition of baby showers. They are potentially more meaningful and focus more on the mother and upcoming act of birthing a new life.
In keeping with the preparations to have a med-free birth I am extremely excited about having such an amazing, life-giving ceremony. It's all about empowerment, trusting in my body to do what it was created to do, and releasing the fears that I may have about the upcoming birth. Being surrounded, supported and blessed by my dearest friends is, in my opinion, a great way to do that.
Anyone else ever have/been to a Blessingway? I am so excited about having one, I can hardly wait!
25 June 2011
Baby Boy Buesch #2
Our handsome little man- Buesch Boy v.2.0
Here's what I'm thankful for:
A healthy baby boy with a strong heart and beautiful profile.
A "big brother" who is so excited to meet his new younger brother and play trains with him.
A husband who will raise them both to be as smart, free-thinking, courteous, honest, and compassionate as he is.
That Owen and Baby2 will have each other. I'm also glad that I will have three sturdy gentlemen to care for me!
Most of all, I'm thankful to be witness to BOTH of my boys' childhoods, to play an integral part in their development, to nurture their creativity and spirit, and to watch them figure out who they are as individuals.
You know what? Kraig and I are pretty good parents to this boy that we have, so we're excited to remain in our comfort zone.
And hey, if I can't get excited about tutus and ruffled bloomers, you better believe I'm going to deck out the boys' room. It's going to be awesome!
____________________________
Now, let me clear up a few things.
A bit of honesty: Never have I (or Kraig) envisioned our family with two boys. We have always known we'd have two kids (unless we adopt a foster child) but we, like many people, expected (--a dirty word, apparently) or hoped to have one of each.
Raise your hand if you've ever dreamt about something that didn't become a reality.
Everyone's hands raised? I thought so. (See? It's not so bad to speak your dreams only for them to never become a reality. It doesn't make you ungrateful for what happens (unless you complain, of course, so don't complain)).
We've all been in the place where the outcome was not as we expected. Baby, job, relationship, (fill in the blank)... It happens to everyone. Ev-ery-one. So I don't need to tell you how it feels, right?
Good. I'm glad we got that out of the way.
(To those who can understand how it feels and have allowed me a bit of time to process and re-align, thank you. I appreciate your kind words and your sympathy. To everyone else: please know we are thankful, and that this baby is so, so very loved already. Finding out the sex now has allowed a bit more room for honesty and reflection, so if reading my words somehow offends you, just stop reading.)
22 June 2011
Pregnancy: 19 weeks
I have got to get this anemia situation figured out. Mama is t-i-r-e-d. I'm trying my best to get extra iron-rich whole foods into my diet, and plan to discuss alfalfa tablets as a natural supplement with our midwife next week.
So, 19 weeks means we're nearly halfway (or maybe we are halfway, you know, if we're lucky!) and that means we are WAY behind on all of the things we have to do. We've been meaning to paint the living room and fix up a few things around the house, which are obviously pretty necessary before I get too huge. I'd like to take a couple of classes at our birth center, too. I need to get to the eye doctor for new contacts, and a trip to the dentist wouldn't hurt either (the problem is, we don't have established care providers for either of those.... So "dentist and eye doctor shopping" needs to be added to the list). There are so many more things! All "wants" with just a few "needs" though, so I'm trying not to stress.
I will say that it will be SO GREAT to know the sex after Friday (TWO DAYS!!!!) I may have more "projects" in mind if it's a girl, but if it's a boy we are pretty unsure of a name as well as a few other boy-related "issues". So far I've been worrying about both, so to eliminate one set of things to think about will be awesome.
I can feel it in my bones that this is a girl, though. I could TOTALLY be wrong, obviously, but I hope I'm right :) It'd sure would be nice to balance out the testosterone in the house! Otherwise I'm going to be THAT "dog mom" that dresses her dog in hairbows and tutus. Yup.
If it's a girl, we have a name picked out (we were going to use it last time) but we're unsure about calling her by her name pre-birth. Anyone have thoughts on that? I've always thought it was sort of weird but now that I'm in this position I'm unsure.
So, 19 weeks means we're nearly halfway (or maybe we are halfway, you know, if we're lucky!) and that means we are WAY behind on all of the things we have to do. We've been meaning to paint the living room and fix up a few things around the house, which are obviously pretty necessary before I get too huge. I'd like to take a couple of classes at our birth center, too. I need to get to the eye doctor for new contacts, and a trip to the dentist wouldn't hurt either (the problem is, we don't have established care providers for either of those.... So "dentist and eye doctor shopping" needs to be added to the list). There are so many more things! All "wants" with just a few "needs" though, so I'm trying not to stress.
I will say that it will be SO GREAT to know the sex after Friday (TWO DAYS!!!!) I may have more "projects" in mind if it's a girl, but if it's a boy we are pretty unsure of a name as well as a few other boy-related "issues". So far I've been worrying about both, so to eliminate one set of things to think about will be awesome.
I can feel it in my bones that this is a girl, though. I could TOTALLY be wrong, obviously, but I hope I'm right :) It'd sure would be nice to balance out the testosterone in the house! Otherwise I'm going to be THAT "dog mom" that dresses her dog in hairbows and tutus. Yup.
If it's a girl, we have a name picked out (we were going to use it last time) but we're unsure about calling her by her name pre-birth. Anyone have thoughts on that? I've always thought it was sort of weird but now that I'm in this position I'm unsure.
16 June 2011
Pregnancy: 18 weeks
Literally a day after I posted my last belly photo this baby decided to pop. My back started aching and it was suddenly difficult to get comfortable enough to sleep at night, so I asked Kraig if it looked like I had popped out a bit.
At the Farmer's Market with an achin' back.
You be the judge.I'm still coasting along symptom-wise. The insomnia is definitely kicking in a bit, but it was also a crazy week with Kraig's later hours so I think that had something to do with it. I still get strong aversions to certain foods- something that I don't recall happening this late in pregnancy with Owen.
We are so excited about our ultrasound appointment next week, as you can probably tell since I keep talking about it! 8 days, 8 days, 8 days!!!
09 June 2011
Pregnancy: 17 weeks
Two weeks... two weeks.... two weeks.
I'm at a standstill as far as baby-prep goes, at least until we find out thegender sex of the baby... I could either have lots of new projects (like sewing, knitting, finding a few pieces of feminine room decor for the kids' shared room) or I could have nothing to do. Our teeny-tiny registry is ready to go either way, since there are some things we could use regardless of whether baby is a boy or girl. (We got rid of lots of necessary baby items when we moved and aren't expecting a shower this time but if friends/family wanted to get a little something, there is a list of things we could use... along with a few wants :))
I'm feeling good, though, so I'm looking forward to having a few jobs to do while I am still feeling up to it. Still tired, which I'm sure will continue for the next 18-19 years (yes, years). I'm enjoying baby's kicks- and now so is Kraig! He felt his first kicks on Sunday. It was so exciting! It's SO wild to me that we can feel the baby's kicks externally. Kraig and I talked about if I can feel it earlier because I know how it feels, but I really don't think it's that. (Any other mamas with 2+ kids wanna weigh in on this?) I think it's just my changed anatomy- more lax ab muscles, etc.- that affect it. I am certain, absolutely 100% positive- that if a first-time mother was feeling these sensations she would know EXACTLY what it was. They are powerful and definite- even back at 14 weeks.
I also picked up a few new books to read before labor. Definitely mother-centered, hippy-inspired, encouraging reads. Good stuff.
Kraig has had the camera at the new store all week, so this is the best I can do for a monthly belly shot. I haven't grown much, but I'm sure there will be a 20-week pop coming up.
I'm at a standstill as far as baby-prep goes, at least until we find out the
I'm feeling good, though, so I'm looking forward to having a few jobs to do while I am still feeling up to it. Still tired, which I'm sure will continue for the next 18-19 years (yes, years). I'm enjoying baby's kicks- and now so is Kraig! He felt his first kicks on Sunday. It was so exciting! It's SO wild to me that we can feel the baby's kicks externally. Kraig and I talked about if I can feel it earlier because I know how it feels, but I really don't think it's that. (Any other mamas with 2+ kids wanna weigh in on this?) I think it's just my changed anatomy- more lax ab muscles, etc.- that affect it. I am certain, absolutely 100% positive- that if a first-time mother was feeling these sensations she would know EXACTLY what it was. They are powerful and definite- even back at 14 weeks.
I also picked up a few new books to read before labor. Definitely mother-centered, hippy-inspired, encouraging reads. Good stuff.
Kraig has had the camera at the new store all week, so this is the best I can do for a monthly belly shot. I haven't grown much, but I'm sure there will be a 20-week pop coming up.
03 June 2011
Pregnancy: 16 weeks
Well, we scheduled our ultrasound! Only 3 weeks away... which I am sure will go quickly since during that time Kraig will be opening the new store, i.e. stressing out like a crazy person while having the time of his life, and working new hours. Father's day falls in there as well, which means I will also be stressing out about not having a car during the days leading up to it as I try to create a special day for Kraig. Weee!
The excitement this week has been that I can feel fetal movement from the outside (I had started feeling little flutters in the 11th week, and more definite kicks and rolls at about 14 weeks. I know, it's crazy, and you don't have to believe me but this isn't my first rodeo, y'know). The sensations in my abdomen are pretty strong but I was even more surprised that I can feel them on the outside, too. Kraig hasn't yet- not because he hasn't tried but because he has some sort of calming effect on fetuses. Seriously. Strange.
It makes me really happy that I can feel movement throughout the day (and night). I had felt pretty paranoid up until this point, like somehow I wouldn't be so lucky to have two healthy pregnancies/children. This is a pretty common concern for women who have given birth more than once. My midwife and I talked about this last week as well and she said she hears it a lot, too.
Other than that, I am breezing through this pregnancy. I feel comfortable so far, I take nausea and heartburn and dizziness in stride, and I'm not worrying about every little pang or symptom. I did forget how suddenly my blood sugar can drop- like every two hours or less, hence the dizziness- so I'm trying to eat, eat, eat even if it seems ridiculous that I'm eating so much. But overall this second-time-mama thing is pretty laid-back compared to my first pregnancy. I've thrown out the fear-based, ill-informed pregnancy books (*cough* What To Expect *cough*), I try to talk to positive, uplifting mamas about pregnancy and birth, and I am just trying to relax and be good to myself. I know that if something is wrong it shows up in spades, so I'm not as anxious as I was last time. So far, so good.
I'm way past the point of trying to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy pants, so I'm almost fully in maternity-wear now. Thankfully I was able to borrow some summer maternity clothes from friends (I had all winter stuff from last time) so I'm all set! It feels good to have clothing to wear that fits me well, even with room to grow. In my opinion, having nothing to wear and feeling like a stuffed sausage (or super frumpy) in ill-fitting clothing is one of the worst parts of pregnancy. Surely there is no other time in a woman's life where she goes through so many bodily changes and gains so much weight in such a short time. It sure is hard on my self-esteem, at least!
16 down, 24ish to go.
The excitement this week has been that I can feel fetal movement from the outside (I had started feeling little flutters in the 11th week, and more definite kicks and rolls at about 14 weeks. I know, it's crazy, and you don't have to believe me but this isn't my first rodeo, y'know). The sensations in my abdomen are pretty strong but I was even more surprised that I can feel them on the outside, too. Kraig hasn't yet- not because he hasn't tried but because he has some sort of calming effect on fetuses. Seriously. Strange.
It makes me really happy that I can feel movement throughout the day (and night). I had felt pretty paranoid up until this point, like somehow I wouldn't be so lucky to have two healthy pregnancies/children. This is a pretty common concern for women who have given birth more than once. My midwife and I talked about this last week as well and she said she hears it a lot, too.
Other than that, I am breezing through this pregnancy. I feel comfortable so far, I take nausea and heartburn and dizziness in stride, and I'm not worrying about every little pang or symptom. I did forget how suddenly my blood sugar can drop- like every two hours or less, hence the dizziness- so I'm trying to eat, eat, eat even if it seems ridiculous that I'm eating so much. But overall this second-time-mama thing is pretty laid-back compared to my first pregnancy. I've thrown out the fear-based, ill-informed pregnancy books (*cough* What To Expect *cough*), I try to talk to positive, uplifting mamas about pregnancy and birth, and I am just trying to relax and be good to myself. I know that if something is wrong it shows up in spades, so I'm not as anxious as I was last time. So far, so good.
I'm way past the point of trying to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy pants, so I'm almost fully in maternity-wear now. Thankfully I was able to borrow some summer maternity clothes from friends (I had all winter stuff from last time) so I'm all set! It feels good to have clothing to wear that fits me well, even with room to grow. In my opinion, having nothing to wear and feeling like a stuffed sausage (or super frumpy) in ill-fitting clothing is one of the worst parts of pregnancy. Surely there is no other time in a woman's life where she goes through so many bodily changes and gains so much weight in such a short time. It sure is hard on my self-esteem, at least!
16 down, 24ish to go.
27 May 2011
Pregnancy: 15 weeks
I'm sure I'll continue to feel this way, but time is really flying by! We're only a month out from our ultrasound (woohooo!) and at our next appointment we'll be halfway through this pregnancy.
I had our monthly appointment with our midwives- all three of them, which will likely continue to be the case since they are all free on our preferred appt. days (Wednesday). I felt like it was our best visit so far. It seems like we are becoming very close with all of them. We have a very fun yet trusting and professional relationship. Our head midwife, Stephanie, fully explains all of the risks and benefits of any procedure or testing so that we can make informed decisions about them. We never feel pressured into anything, which is so great. We get to weigh the risks ourselves and decide what we are comfortable with. How refreshing :)
We covered a lot of different things during the visit (more details below) but the main event was hearing the heartbeat, which included another fun surprise! When she was checking my abdomen I looked down to watch and noticed that one side was bulging a bit. I didn't think it was the baby, but I asked anyway (along with saying something stupid like "is that my bladder?" I know my bladder is not located there. It was the first thing that came to mind :)). She felt it and confirmed "that's your baby!" and then taught Kraig and I how to palpate my abdomen. This is something we were comfortable with during our last pregnancy (we could always tell what position Owen was in based on what body parts we felt and where) but I did not at all expect to be able to feel the baby this early! It was amazing, and now I lay around and home and try to feel if she's (*yes I refer to the baby as a she, but we don't know yet) in a position where I can feel her little body. It's pretty amazing, and it helped us to bond to her even more. (Especially Kraig, who can't feel movement yet, obviously). You can watch the video posted below, but I will warn you that you can see my stomach, obviously, so watch at your own risk :)
Other than our appointment, which was the highlight for the week, I've been feeling pretty good lately. I purchased some Earth Mama Angel Baby Heartburn Tea and wow, is it ever a magic potion. I can eat ANYTHING and just drink some tea afterwards to prevent heartburn. It's amazing, organic, all-natural, herbal tea and I highly, highly recommend it!
I'm still so, so very tired but try to squeeze in a nap each day and I go to bed pretty early (in the 9 o'clock hour).
More details:
At this appointment we covered nutrition first. I had to record everything I ate for an entire week for Stephanie to review. She was very happy with my diet, but we need to discuss some ways to supplement iron based on my blood test results. I can either take a pill OR she will refer me to a naturopath for treatment, which may be more beneficial since I may have more deficiencies or areas of concern that don't show up on a blood test. I was only a wee bit anemic, which was good to hear, but it's obviously something that needs to be taken care of before third trimester when anemia worsens.
We discussed prenatal screening for defects and disorders, and decided against any except for the 20-week anatomy scan. We had the quad screen (a blood test) with our first pregnancy, but feel as though we are young and low-risk, plus the screen isn't definitive and requires even more testing to be done. The followup tests are the part we are not comfortable with (another ultrasound and/or amniocentesis, which carry risks of their own), and they are done when your chances of having a baby with a certain disorder are just high enough (but not conclusive) to merit more testing. So it could all be for nothing- which seems like a lot of worry and testing for no reason. It wouldn't change whether or not we'd continue the pregnancy anyway. We feel that the 20-week ultrasound screens for enough physical markers for defects or disorders without being ultra-invasive.
We also talked a bit about my last labor/delivery and some thoughts I've had about it in regard to this birth. Stephanie put me at ease- which I knew would be the case- but it was just nice to be able to process aloud some of the things that I disliked about my last birth experience. I love that the midwives don't mind acting a little bit like therapists in that regard.
We also discussed some of the benefits of home vs. birth center birth. We have until 35 weeks to decide, but we are leaning toward birth center (Kraig is 100% certain he wants to be at the birth center). *There is no difference in care, since it is a freestanding birth center. I have so many thoughts about this- too many to list right now.
Finally, I weighed myself (totally optional here, which is great) and I gained 5 pounds (WOW) since the last appointment (I had lost 2 at that appt.) for a net gain of 3 pounds. Not bad after gorging myself on crazy amounts of food during vacation. I also had to do a urinalysis (you do the dipstick yourself at my midwife's office) and I had a couple of abnormal results. Namely, high glucose and a teeny bit of blood. She was not concerned since this is the first time it's been abnormal, but if I get another abnormal result we'll do more testing. (Specifically earlier testing for gestational diabetes. It is very common to spill sugar into the urine at some point during pregnancy and the vast majority of the time it is no cause for concern. Whew.)
Anyway, watch this video if you'd like.
(somewhere in the upload from iPad to Macbook it got all smooshed looking. Everyone just looks a little wide. Don't know what happened. Whatever.)
*Highlights:
-Owen tried to measure my belly with a tape measure. He's never seen that done before. Funny boy.
- Heart rate was ~150-156bpm according to my count. I could be wrong.
- yes, I am all dopey and can't even answer simple questions like "Do you feel those?" because I was zoned out listening to my babe's heartbeat. I also have a really high-pitched laugh when I'm excited. Embarrassing.
I had our monthly appointment with our midwives- all three of them, which will likely continue to be the case since they are all free on our preferred appt. days (Wednesday). I felt like it was our best visit so far. It seems like we are becoming very close with all of them. We have a very fun yet trusting and professional relationship. Our head midwife, Stephanie, fully explains all of the risks and benefits of any procedure or testing so that we can make informed decisions about them. We never feel pressured into anything, which is so great. We get to weigh the risks ourselves and decide what we are comfortable with. How refreshing :)
We covered a lot of different things during the visit (more details below) but the main event was hearing the heartbeat, which included another fun surprise! When she was checking my abdomen I looked down to watch and noticed that one side was bulging a bit. I didn't think it was the baby, but I asked anyway (along with saying something stupid like "is that my bladder?" I know my bladder is not located there. It was the first thing that came to mind :)). She felt it and confirmed "that's your baby!" and then taught Kraig and I how to palpate my abdomen. This is something we were comfortable with during our last pregnancy (we could always tell what position Owen was in based on what body parts we felt and where) but I did not at all expect to be able to feel the baby this early! It was amazing, and now I lay around and home and try to feel if she's (*yes I refer to the baby as a she, but we don't know yet) in a position where I can feel her little body. It's pretty amazing, and it helped us to bond to her even more. (Especially Kraig, who can't feel movement yet, obviously). You can watch the video posted below, but I will warn you that you can see my stomach, obviously, so watch at your own risk :)
Other than our appointment, which was the highlight for the week, I've been feeling pretty good lately. I purchased some Earth Mama Angel Baby Heartburn Tea and wow, is it ever a magic potion. I can eat ANYTHING and just drink some tea afterwards to prevent heartburn. It's amazing, organic, all-natural, herbal tea and I highly, highly recommend it!
I'm still so, so very tired but try to squeeze in a nap each day and I go to bed pretty early (in the 9 o'clock hour).
More details:
At this appointment we covered nutrition first. I had to record everything I ate for an entire week for Stephanie to review. She was very happy with my diet, but we need to discuss some ways to supplement iron based on my blood test results. I can either take a pill OR she will refer me to a naturopath for treatment, which may be more beneficial since I may have more deficiencies or areas of concern that don't show up on a blood test. I was only a wee bit anemic, which was good to hear, but it's obviously something that needs to be taken care of before third trimester when anemia worsens.
We discussed prenatal screening for defects and disorders, and decided against any except for the 20-week anatomy scan. We had the quad screen (a blood test) with our first pregnancy, but feel as though we are young and low-risk, plus the screen isn't definitive and requires even more testing to be done. The followup tests are the part we are not comfortable with (another ultrasound and/or amniocentesis, which carry risks of their own), and they are done when your chances of having a baby with a certain disorder are just high enough (but not conclusive) to merit more testing. So it could all be for nothing- which seems like a lot of worry and testing for no reason. It wouldn't change whether or not we'd continue the pregnancy anyway. We feel that the 20-week ultrasound screens for enough physical markers for defects or disorders without being ultra-invasive.
We also talked a bit about my last labor/delivery and some thoughts I've had about it in regard to this birth. Stephanie put me at ease- which I knew would be the case- but it was just nice to be able to process aloud some of the things that I disliked about my last birth experience. I love that the midwives don't mind acting a little bit like therapists in that regard.
We also discussed some of the benefits of home vs. birth center birth. We have until 35 weeks to decide, but we are leaning toward birth center (Kraig is 100% certain he wants to be at the birth center). *There is no difference in care, since it is a freestanding birth center. I have so many thoughts about this- too many to list right now.
Finally, I weighed myself (totally optional here, which is great) and I gained 5 pounds (WOW) since the last appointment (I had lost 2 at that appt.) for a net gain of 3 pounds. Not bad after gorging myself on crazy amounts of food during vacation. I also had to do a urinalysis (you do the dipstick yourself at my midwife's office) and I had a couple of abnormal results. Namely, high glucose and a teeny bit of blood. She was not concerned since this is the first time it's been abnormal, but if I get another abnormal result we'll do more testing. (Specifically earlier testing for gestational diabetes. It is very common to spill sugar into the urine at some point during pregnancy and the vast majority of the time it is no cause for concern. Whew.)
Anyway, watch this video if you'd like.
(somewhere in the upload from iPad to Macbook it got all smooshed looking. Everyone just looks a little wide. Don't know what happened. Whatever.)
*Highlights:
-Owen tried to measure my belly with a tape measure. He's never seen that done before. Funny boy.
- Heart rate was ~150-156bpm according to my count. I could be wrong.
- yes, I am all dopey and can't even answer simple questions like "Do you feel those?" because I was zoned out listening to my babe's heartbeat. I also have a really high-pitched laugh when I'm excited. Embarrassing.
18 May 2011
Pregnancy: 14 weeks
He thinks he has a Baby Tiny in his belly, too.
We've been on a vacation of sorts for the past week (posts and photos to come). I was hoping that my first trimester nausea would have been gone before vacation but, alas, I still get my lovely
I'm not happy about it.
In fact, it makes me worry that I'll continue to be sick for who knows how long. I know this is normal for some women, and I know quite a few of them. I just don't want to be one of them (no offense!)
Other than my sickness and whining about my sickness, I'm doing well. Still tired, still very hungry. My aversions/cravings are weakening, though, which makes me, and especially Kraig, hopeful that I will be cooking again soon. My waist doesn't seem to be expanding much more, which makes me happy. It seems as though things are evening out and I am looking as pregnant as I am as opposed to 3 months ahead of schedule :)
I'm very, very excited for our midwife appointment next week. We'll hear the heartbeat and also talk about my nutrition (I have to journal a week's worth of meals/snacks.) I'm mostly just excited that our practice focuses on nutrition at all. I also have a few things I want to discuss after reading Ina May's book. It really has me thinking about our last pregnancy/birth experience and how we can do things differently this time (i.e. stay out of a hospital, for one :-))
11 May 2011
Well hey there, second trimester!
Finally! I'm thankful to say that the last 9 weeks have really flown by. We've been keeping busy with Owen, obviously, so I'm sure that has something to do with it.
I'm not 13 weeks pregnant today, per se, but this week-ish. I know, so vague. But this is all an elaborate plan to mask when my due date is. Yes, it's that important to me that people don't know the date. Why? Because folks don't know when to leave a 40-weeks pregnant, grumpy mama alone about when she is going to get that baby out. If you're going to call me in November looking for a baby or laboring mama, instead consider an offer of food or a foot massage. Just keeping it real :)
Anyway, I'm still feeling 100% awesome for most of the day. Evenings are the worst but are slowly getting better. Hopefully I'll feel great as we travel for the next 6 days on vacation to Florida for my sister's wedding.
And now I'll leave you with a few random photos of me and Owen (yes, Owen is still here despite the fact that I've basically ignored him on the blog lately. Sorry!) Kraig was going to shoot a couple photos of my growing belly and Owen wanted to model as well. He picked up a shirt of mine that is wrap-style and had me put it on him. So funny! Look at his face; I think he felt like he looked pretty fancy. Gentle smile, hands crossed. I love this kid.
I'm not 13 weeks pregnant today, per se, but this week-ish. I know, so vague. But this is all an elaborate plan to mask when my due date is. Yes, it's that important to me that people don't know the date. Why? Because folks don't know when to leave a 40-weeks pregnant, grumpy mama alone about when she is going to get that baby out. If you're going to call me in November looking for a baby or laboring mama, instead consider an offer of food or a foot massage. Just keeping it real :)
Anyway, I'm still feeling 100% awesome for most of the day. Evenings are the worst but are slowly getting better. Hopefully I'll feel great as we travel for the next 6 days on vacation to Florida for my sister's wedding.
And now I'll leave you with a few random photos of me and Owen (yes, Owen is still here despite the fact that I've basically ignored him on the blog lately. Sorry!) Kraig was going to shoot a couple photos of my growing belly and Owen wanted to model as well. He picked up a shirt of mine that is wrap-style and had me put it on him. So funny! Look at his face; I think he felt like he looked pretty fancy. Gentle smile, hands crossed. I love this kid.
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