We went to tour St. Luke's hospital on Saturday. St Luke's in the med center is the only hospital besides Methodist that the midwives will deliver. But St. Luke's seems to be more supportive of the mom walking around and using more natural methods, etc. I wanted a cushy delivery at Methodist Sugar Land, but I can't have it all my way (keep telling myself that...not an easy thing for me to accept!).
My point.....we filled out our pre-registration paperwork and medical questions about the baby it asked me what my relationship to the child was. You should have seen the look I gave Troy when I wrote down the word "MOTHER".
I'm not a mother! My mother is a mother! The one who is responsible when broken arms, ice skating accidents and head gashes occur. The one who is in charge of getting my dad back in between the yellow lines when he is writing on his Blackberry while taking a note on a sticky pad while talking on the phone and driving with his knee! The one who gets blamed for everything. The one who sets up camp in the living room when lightning strikes the transformer in your backyard in the dead heat of summer when dad's out of town. And the one who changes the sheets when they are peed three times in one night by the same kid (not saying any names). You get my point...that's not me...can't be! Can it?!?! Oh...my...gosh.....
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Milestones - Baby Bumps & Flutters
The last week or so I have really started to POP! I'm still not waddling or standing with my hands on my back as you see in the movies, but it's definitely there! It's so cute when I have a nice shirt on but when I look in the mirror in the mornings it's more like "YIKES! Is that me?! Not cute..." But that's okay, all well worth it.
I went for my monthly appointment last week. This was the first appointment that Troy did not come with me. The last two appointments were chaotic, we couldn't find parking, they mixed my chart up with another pregger's chart (not good!) and the doctor practically ran out of the room after a 5 minute tune-up and brake check. This time the parking lot was half empty (or half full depending on your outlook), the waiting area was calm and peaceful, the appointment took 30 minutes from start to finish and the doctor sat and talked with me for 15 of those....of course!
I got to hear the heartbeat, love it! My blood pressure was a little high because she took it 2 seconds before we listed to the heartbeat....duh! I was excited and nervous and giddy, of course my heart rate is going to be high! And then as soon as I heard it I was immediately cool as a cucumber. I tried to get her to take it again but she clearly didn't think it was a big deal.
The electronic scale they threw me on was so OBVIOUSLY wrong but I still got the "eat plenty of veggies and take a walk each night" lecture anyway. I said to the doc, "What can I say? This kid likes his chips and queso....!" Well, maybe I left that part out and just nodded my head up and down until we moved on to the next topic.
The nurse asked me if I had felt any movement, kicks or flutters and I told her that I hadn't. Then when I got home I sat down on the couch to watch tv and BAM! I felt flutters on the left side of my belly! Whoa! Poor Gussy didn't know what was going on, he has never seen me be that still or quiet in his life, so he was sniffin' it out. I had a feeling that the baby likes to hang out on the left side of my stomach. When Troy has touched my belly (the few times he hasn't scrunched up his nose and told me how weird it is and then walked away creeped out) he has asked why it is so much more hard on the left side. I know that everyone says this, but MY kid REALLY is going to be a soccer player!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Bradley Method
Troy and I recently decided to sign up for Bradley Method classes. Well...I found out about it and Troy signed us up for the class. Okay...he had to drag me there kicking and screaming (but whatever). I come up with brilliant ideas and he follows through with them, we're the perfect team.
Anyway, the Bradley Method was created around the idea that we should let nature take it's course and that we should interfere as little as possible with modern medicine. We took our first class Wednesday and though I fully expected the atmosphere to be a cross between 80's favorite The Miracle of Life and Woodstock....everyone was pretty normal. These were middle class working professionals and expectant mothers who are just looking for information and a bit of education regarding child birth. I still don't know if I am going to try to avoid an epidural altogether or if I will plan to have one if it is an especially difficult or very long delivery. But at least I know all of my options! Before we joined this class, it felt like the doctor dictates your options to you...induce on your due date...be open to medication...c-section is a last resort (in the sense that I have to be home for dinner..stat!). There is no education, no options, and they provide cures, not preventative methods that help before, during or after labor. This is not specific to my doctor who I personally like a lot....fyi.
Bradley method encourages good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. This method encourages women to be prepared for labor ahead of time, it is important to do more than just show up for the delivery.
Anyway, the Bradley Method was created around the idea that we should let nature take it's course and that we should interfere as little as possible with modern medicine. We took our first class Wednesday and though I fully expected the atmosphere to be a cross between 80's favorite The Miracle of Life and Woodstock....everyone was pretty normal. These were middle class working professionals and expectant mothers who are just looking for information and a bit of education regarding child birth. I still don't know if I am going to try to avoid an epidural altogether or if I will plan to have one if it is an especially difficult or very long delivery. But at least I know all of my options! Before we joined this class, it felt like the doctor dictates your options to you...induce on your due date...be open to medication...c-section is a last resort (in the sense that I have to be home for dinner..stat!). There is no education, no options, and they provide cures, not preventative methods that help before, during or after labor. This is not specific to my doctor who I personally like a lot....fyi.
Bradley method encourages good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. This method encourages women to be prepared for labor ahead of time, it is important to do more than just show up for the delivery.
We definitely watched a birthing video that I will never forget. I think I was more squeamish than half of the men in the room...and I made a lot of awkward jokes to make myself feel better. I didn't know that a woman's body could stretch that way....yikes! But ladies...this method encourages the spouse to administer daily back rubs and relaxation sessions that are focused around the mom....something to think about!
Oh...and I think I found my happy medium between a home birth and a medical birth (for lack of a better term). St. Luke's has a program that consists of 4 midwives and 7 doctors. You consult with a midwife during pregnancy and then a midwife delivers your baby IN A HOSPITAL. But you wouldn't see a doctor unless there are complications. But if something does happen, you are immediately in touch with a doctor and you are as close as anyone to an OR.
Good stuff....
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Babymoon!
The latest trend in the world of babies, according to thebump.com is a "babymoon". This would typically take place in the form of a vacation, a last get away before your life is swallowed whole (I mean that in the nicest way possible) by parenthood. So...Troy and I have decided to take a Caribbean cruise. We mulled over some other destinations, but when Troy could only come up with skiing in Chile, white water rafting in CO, hiking the Grand Canyon and rock climbing in Yosemite (may be exaggerating a tad), we defaulted to the classic Caribbean cruise. Love it!
We will be swimming with the sting rays in Cozumel and then heading to Montego Bay and Grand Cayman. Hopefully I won't get stuck in the narrow doorway of our balcony suite or get mistaken for a manatee while snorkeling, but I will only be 20 weeks so I think it will be fine!
We actually had to get a formal written letter from the doctor stating that I will be less than 24 weeks preggers at the time of the cruise. My initial reaction is....whose business is it? And 24 weeks seems like a bit of an overreaction...but who am I?
We are leaving on September 13th and we will not return for an entire 7 days...Sunday to Sunday. 6 weeks and 4 days to go...but who's counting?! Whoo hoo!
We will be swimming with the sting rays in Cozumel and then heading to Montego Bay and Grand Cayman. Hopefully I won't get stuck in the narrow doorway of our balcony suite or get mistaken for a manatee while snorkeling, but I will only be 20 weeks so I think it will be fine!
We actually had to get a formal written letter from the doctor stating that I will be less than 24 weeks preggers at the time of the cruise. My initial reaction is....whose business is it? And 24 weeks seems like a bit of an overreaction...but who am I?
We are leaving on September 13th and we will not return for an entire 7 days...Sunday to Sunday. 6 weeks and 4 days to go...but who's counting?! Whoo hoo!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Second Doctor's Appointment....
We had our second appointment with Dr. McDonald yesterday. Everything was beautiful! Less than 12 weeks along and you can totally tell that there is an actual baby in there! Weird. Arms and legs were wavin' & wigglin' around like a mad man (or woman). Of course, Troy thought he saw a "boy-part" but it was just wishful thinking as the nurse assured him that it is still just a nub. He said "Is that a....?" and before he could finish his sentence I said "No, it's too early to tell." and the nurse quickly followed up with a "Definitely not." So that was funny.
We discussed birthing plans with the doctor and she pretty much told me to be open to medication when I said that I would like to go naturally. When I explained that my mom carried me 4 weeks past my due date and her side of the family is always at least 2 weeks late, she quickly told me that they would not allow that. She pretty much indicated that they will induce on the due date, so that was a bummer. I really like my doctor and know her personally so I want to stick with her. But I want the option of having a natural birth, being able to walk around, hang out in the bathtub and let gravity help out a little bit. It doesn't seem that this is something that is widely accepted anymore. One of my co-workers told me that 98% of women in this world have their children at home. Only in the US do we view child birth as a medical procedure.
How does everyone react when I say that I want a natural birth? Mostly laughter followed by judgment. Troy would like to do a home birth, but I don't think I would ever think of my house the same again after going through that process at home! Plus, I would be concerned if something happened and we would have to drive to the hospital in distress.
My little audit accounting yuppie truck driving Texan husband (who wants to name his son "Texas") turns out to be a hippy...who knew?!
But where's the happy medium?! The hospitals are so ready to cut the kid out of you to save time and space, they don't even consider letting this process happen the way God intended it anymore! So I can either have some dirty hippy come into my home to assist in the birth process. Or I can go to some bed & breakfast looking birthing center that is creepy and doesn't feel clean. Or I can go to the hospital where the bottom line is money more so than bringing life into this world.
Don't get me wrong, if this is a long hard labor, I am open to an epidural. And if the baby is ever under distress then I would go to a C-Section as a last resort. But can't I at least TRY to have the baby naturally? Is that too much to ask?
My Grandmother breast fed all of her children when it was still viewed as being "taboo". And now it is widely accepted and most everyone agrees that it is best for a baby. I am hoping that we are just forward thinkers and that the trend will go away from "designer births" (scheduling a C-Section for a convenient date and having a tummy tuck the same day). And people will go back to having natural births.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox.....
For the most part, we are so excited and I know that it will all work out in the end, I just like to have options! Don't tell me what I can and can't do! For my sake I HOPE this stubbornness doesn't rub off on the kid....but I will definitely teach him or her that you have to stand up for what you believe in, even when it isn't easy :)
We discussed birthing plans with the doctor and she pretty much told me to be open to medication when I said that I would like to go naturally. When I explained that my mom carried me 4 weeks past my due date and her side of the family is always at least 2 weeks late, she quickly told me that they would not allow that. She pretty much indicated that they will induce on the due date, so that was a bummer. I really like my doctor and know her personally so I want to stick with her. But I want the option of having a natural birth, being able to walk around, hang out in the bathtub and let gravity help out a little bit. It doesn't seem that this is something that is widely accepted anymore. One of my co-workers told me that 98% of women in this world have their children at home. Only in the US do we view child birth as a medical procedure.
How does everyone react when I say that I want a natural birth? Mostly laughter followed by judgment. Troy would like to do a home birth, but I don't think I would ever think of my house the same again after going through that process at home! Plus, I would be concerned if something happened and we would have to drive to the hospital in distress.
My little audit accounting yuppie truck driving Texan husband (who wants to name his son "Texas") turns out to be a hippy...who knew?!
But where's the happy medium?! The hospitals are so ready to cut the kid out of you to save time and space, they don't even consider letting this process happen the way God intended it anymore! So I can either have some dirty hippy come into my home to assist in the birth process. Or I can go to some bed & breakfast looking birthing center that is creepy and doesn't feel clean. Or I can go to the hospital where the bottom line is money more so than bringing life into this world.
Don't get me wrong, if this is a long hard labor, I am open to an epidural. And if the baby is ever under distress then I would go to a C-Section as a last resort. But can't I at least TRY to have the baby naturally? Is that too much to ask?
My Grandmother breast fed all of her children when it was still viewed as being "taboo". And now it is widely accepted and most everyone agrees that it is best for a baby. I am hoping that we are just forward thinkers and that the trend will go away from "designer births" (scheduling a C-Section for a convenient date and having a tummy tuck the same day). And people will go back to having natural births.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox.....
For the most part, we are so excited and I know that it will all work out in the end, I just like to have options! Don't tell me what I can and can't do! For my sake I HOPE this stubbornness doesn't rub off on the kid....but I will definitely teach him or her that you have to stand up for what you believe in, even when it isn't easy :)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
From the beginning...
I have never been a blogger in my life, I suppose I have never had anything interesting enough happen to me to blog about it. I am also a big believer that you shouldn't look to the past all the time but to the future and always live in the moment. I am not a good picture taker or journal-er. BUT I recently found out that I am a few weeks pregnant. Now I know that millions of women for millions of years have had millions of babies. And when I think about this process in general it is fairly ordinary. When I think about MYSELF having a baby, it is a completely different story! Maybe this will be a good way for me to wrap my brain around the process and get a better grasp on the fact that I am going to have a baby! Up to this point I have not even been comfortable saying the word "baby". The best I can do is "zygote", "tic tac" or "the kid". For some reason "baby" is a tough one for me. I need a little bit of time.....like maybe 9 months give or take.
I am right at 11 weeks pregnant and we confirmed at 7 weeks that I am pregnant. I had been taking tests each month since I got off the pill in January just to be sure that I was not pregnant. I was not on the pill but we were using an "alternative method" to avoid getting pregnant. (Note to self: Only the pill is 99.99999% effective!) My periods are irregular so there is potential that I could have been pregnant for some time without knowing. So I was about to take a hot bath after an exhausting soccer game and decided that it was about time to take a test. I peed on the stick and did the whole routine and noticed that the first line came up on the opposite side that it was supposed to be according to the picture on the stick. Still unfazed by this I kept going on about my routine and checked back a couple of minutes later. To my surprise....there were two lines the second time. Immediate reaction? An instant smile. Two seconds later? My arms were flailing and I was running around like a mad woman. Troy was on his nightly bike ride, so Gus and I walked down the driveway about 6 times to see if we could spot Troy's bike rounding the corner to our street. He finally came home and for the first time in my life I was speechless. I could only lead him to our bathroom to point out the pregnancy test laying out on the floor. I am sure that he would have preferred that I share this news with him in a creative way. But I found out from the shock of two very unexpected lines....so could he!
I think that deep down we both knew that we would never decide to "start trying" whatever that means. So it was probably best this way that it come as a surprise in God's timing. Part of me feels completely ready for this new adventure and the rest of me feels like I am still 16 years old and feeling sorry for the unfortunate 26 year olds who are so rapidly approaching 30. But I am ready for this....or as ready as you can be. I like to take new things and face them head on, so I am ready to meet this kid and see what he/she looks like!
I am right at 11 weeks pregnant and we confirmed at 7 weeks that I am pregnant. I had been taking tests each month since I got off the pill in January just to be sure that I was not pregnant. I was not on the pill but we were using an "alternative method" to avoid getting pregnant. (Note to self: Only the pill is 99.99999% effective!) My periods are irregular so there is potential that I could have been pregnant for some time without knowing. So I was about to take a hot bath after an exhausting soccer game and decided that it was about time to take a test. I peed on the stick and did the whole routine and noticed that the first line came up on the opposite side that it was supposed to be according to the picture on the stick. Still unfazed by this I kept going on about my routine and checked back a couple of minutes later. To my surprise....there were two lines the second time. Immediate reaction? An instant smile. Two seconds later? My arms were flailing and I was running around like a mad woman. Troy was on his nightly bike ride, so Gus and I walked down the driveway about 6 times to see if we could spot Troy's bike rounding the corner to our street. He finally came home and for the first time in my life I was speechless. I could only lead him to our bathroom to point out the pregnancy test laying out on the floor. I am sure that he would have preferred that I share this news with him in a creative way. But I found out from the shock of two very unexpected lines....so could he!
I think that deep down we both knew that we would never decide to "start trying" whatever that means. So it was probably best this way that it come as a surprise in God's timing. Part of me feels completely ready for this new adventure and the rest of me feels like I am still 16 years old and feeling sorry for the unfortunate 26 year olds who are so rapidly approaching 30. But I am ready for this....or as ready as you can be. I like to take new things and face them head on, so I am ready to meet this kid and see what he/she looks like!
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