Yes, I did. 15 weeks and feelin' silly.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Snap....Crackle....POP!
So, my husband and a few coworkers claim I have a bump.
I know how big my uterus is at this point....and I can assure you that that bump is not all baby! Unfortunately, it's mostly just my pudge being pushed out of the way. However, sometime in the last week I became unable to suck it in or control-top it into shape...so I think I'm going to have to start owning it as a bump.
I wouldn't say I'm showing yet, especially in most of my regular clothes. Edward/Alex and a couple people at work who know I'm pregnant are the only ones who claim they see a bump. I haven't had any strangers or patients ask me if I'm pregnant. Which means that, as I expect, I'm not really showing yet. Or, they follow the Golden Rule (thou shalt not ask a woman if she is pregnant unless her water breaketh on your shoe).
I know how big my uterus is at this point....and I can assure you that that bump is not all baby! Unfortunately, it's mostly just my pudge being pushed out of the way. However, sometime in the last week I became unable to suck it in or control-top it into shape...so I think I'm going to have to start owning it as a bump.
I wouldn't say I'm showing yet, especially in most of my regular clothes. Edward/Alex and a couple people at work who know I'm pregnant are the only ones who claim they see a bump. I haven't had any strangers or patients ask me if I'm pregnant. Which means that, as I expect, I'm not really showing yet. Or, they follow the Golden Rule (thou shalt not ask a woman if she is pregnant unless her water breaketh on your shoe).
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Shhhh....I have a secret....
Come a little closer...i'll whisper to you...
I'm considering using cloth diapers.
Why all the secrecy? I keep getting the side-eye (or even better, rolled eyes) if I mention that this might be an option. I know it sounds a little crazy, but cloth diapers aren't what they used to be. As sexy as those old plastic pants were...there really are much better options now.
I already feel like I have difficulty balancing the responsibilities and demands of being a wife, medical provider, co-worker, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, friend, etc. And now I'm going to add being a mommy. As a side note, Edward/Alex would probably say that a lot of these demands are more perceived than real but that's a whole post of it's own. So, why would I want to add washing cloth diapers to my to-do list?
I do think it will be a bit more "green." We're not the militantly green, but we do what we can. Do we go as far as to use "family cloth" (Google it) as opposed to toilet paper? No. We recycle, reuse, and try not to be wasteful in general. And we try to make earth friendly changes little by little.
Admittedly, however, I think that the cost savings is the biggest motivation. Disposable diapers are super expensive. Even when you add in the cost of washing cloth diapers...it's a huge savings.
If anyone really wants me to have a non-practical reason for using them...they make those little tushes looks so cute!
Seriously, though, they're a lot easier to use than they were when Edward/Alex and I were in diapers. If we get the all-in-one style, each diaper change wouldn't be much different. Instead of emptying the diaper pail outside in the trash bin, we'd take them down to the washing machine. There would be an extra step when it's time to wash a batch, but it's not like I would be washing them by hand in a creak and scrubbing them on rocks.
And, we wouldn't be obnoxious about it. We'd likely use disposable when we were out and about, or when we go out of town to visit family. Also, we assume that most daycare providers won't mess with the cloth styles. We're okay with that....we could use them at home and still save some money and some landfill space. It may not be perfect, but it's something.
We'll see. I'm still doing my research.
You may roll your eyes now.
I'm considering using cloth diapers.
Why all the secrecy? I keep getting the side-eye (or even better, rolled eyes) if I mention that this might be an option. I know it sounds a little crazy, but cloth diapers aren't what they used to be. As sexy as those old plastic pants were...there really are much better options now.
I already feel like I have difficulty balancing the responsibilities and demands of being a wife, medical provider, co-worker, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, friend, etc. And now I'm going to add being a mommy. As a side note, Edward/Alex would probably say that a lot of these demands are more perceived than real but that's a whole post of it's own. So, why would I want to add washing cloth diapers to my to-do list?
I do think it will be a bit more "green." We're not the militantly green, but we do what we can. Do we go as far as to use "family cloth" (Google it) as opposed to toilet paper? No. We recycle, reuse, and try not to be wasteful in general. And we try to make earth friendly changes little by little.
Admittedly, however, I think that the cost savings is the biggest motivation. Disposable diapers are super expensive. Even when you add in the cost of washing cloth diapers...it's a huge savings.
If anyone really wants me to have a non-practical reason for using them...they make those little tushes looks so cute!
Seriously, though, they're a lot easier to use than they were when Edward/Alex and I were in diapers. If we get the all-in-one style, each diaper change wouldn't be much different. Instead of emptying the diaper pail outside in the trash bin, we'd take them down to the washing machine. There would be an extra step when it's time to wash a batch, but it's not like I would be washing them by hand in a creak and scrubbing them on rocks.
And, we wouldn't be obnoxious about it. We'd likely use disposable when we were out and about, or when we go out of town to visit family. Also, we assume that most daycare providers won't mess with the cloth styles. We're okay with that....we could use them at home and still save some money and some landfill space. It may not be perfect, but it's something.
We'll see. I'm still doing my research.
You may roll your eyes now.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Giggle, giggle, snort
Usually the ticker to the right calmly explains what is going on with the baby. For example, it might state, "your baby's bones are forming," or "your baby's eyes are open."
Today, it exclaimed, "the tail is gone!"
For some reason, the simple little exclamation point made me laugh. It was like the ticker was just waiting to make this proclamation.
Obviously, we'd love Munchkin even if s/he had a tail. But I'm glad that s/he won't have this hanging over his/her head.
....or more specifically, off of his/her backside :-)
Today, it exclaimed, "the tail is gone!"
For some reason, the simple little exclamation point made me laugh. It was like the ticker was just waiting to make this proclamation.
Obviously, we'd love Munchkin even if s/he had a tail. But I'm glad that s/he won't have this hanging over his/her head.
....or more specifically, off of his/her backside :-)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Hamsa
That's has been my mantra (literally) for the past couple of days. My nurse says this whenever our day becomes particularly crazy and I've started to pick up the habit. Try it one day....breathe in with a big Ham (hahm)...and breathe out with a big Sa (sah)...don't you feel relaxed? Yeah, me neither. Never hurts to try, though. It worked for the gal who wrote Eat, Pray, Love but she also spent four months studying yoga at an ashram in India so I think she had a head start on the whole meditation and relaxation thing. Anyway....
I've been really nervous about this appointment. Edward/Alex, on the other hand, has been cool as a cucumber and has been telling me that I have nothing to worry about. It's a good thing he is the way he is. We'd be in a whole mess of trouble if we were both neurotic.
Today was our first appointment with our midwife. Edward/Alex was slightly traumatized by part of the exam (I don't think he had seen a speculum before), but overall it went really, really well. I thought they would just listen for the heartbeat with the little hand-held doppler, but they actually performed a quick ultrasound to confirm Munchkin's due date. S/he is growing a few days ahead but looks great! This time s/he was flipping and flopping all around and waving those little arms all over the place.
Top picture: Head is to the left, Munchkin is facing you. Elbows are bent with the hands by the face. Legs are curled up and you can't see those very well. If you turn it sideways it looks a bit like the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.
Bottom picture: Mid-flip. Munchkin is twisting on his/her side with arms pointing downward.
We're not technically out of the first trimester, but we felt comfortable giving our parents the go-ahead to start spreading the word. At this point, there really is no perfectly safe time to tell people, and all looks well at this point.
The midwifery group I will be seeing delivers in the hospital. While I'm not against home births when appropriate, Edward/Alex and I didn't see that as a good option for us. Also, midwives aren't legally allowed to attend home births in Maryland.
We chose to go with the midwives primarily because we wanted the pregnancy to be treated as a natural process, not a medical illness. It was enough to go through the fertility treatments. Now that I'm pregnant, we want to trust that my body will do what it's supposed to, when it's supposed to. Or at least we'd like to try to take that approach!
The midwives are trained to know what's normal. When anything strays from the normal, they call in the OB to evaluate the situation. So...we're not going to be left hanging if things don't happen as they should. But, unless there is need for concern, I don't need anyone turning up the dial on my anxiety unnecessarily.
I have never given birth so I have no way of knowing how I will respond to the pain of childbirth. That said, I would like to try to give birth without an epidural if possible. To be perfectly honest, it's all about maintaining a shred of control. If I don't have to be numb from the waist down, I can chose to labor while walking around, in the tub, on the birthing ball...whatever seems to work. If I have an epidural then I'm stuck on my back in the bed. If I need the epidural, the midwives don't have a problem with it. But they also aren't going try to pressure me into getting one.
Lastly, if I do have to have a C-section, it will be because Munchkin or I need a C-section in order for the birth to be as safe as possible. It won't be because I'm being pressured into it. When I was on my OB/Gyn rotations, I saw a lot of OBs pushing for C-sections simply because they wanted to get the show on the road. I'm really hoping I don't have to have a C-section, though. Again...it's about maintaining at least some control. I do not see myself taking kindly to being strapped down to a table while someone surgically removes my baby without me being able to see the birth.
Regardless of how Munchkin comes into the world, the midwife will be there to support us during labor, and will also be there to help with bonding and breast feeding afterward. It really does seem like the best of all worlds, so I'm happy with our decision.
I've been really nervous about this appointment. Edward/Alex, on the other hand, has been cool as a cucumber and has been telling me that I have nothing to worry about. It's a good thing he is the way he is. We'd be in a whole mess of trouble if we were both neurotic.
Today was our first appointment with our midwife. Edward/Alex was slightly traumatized by part of the exam (I don't think he had seen a speculum before), but overall it went really, really well. I thought they would just listen for the heartbeat with the little hand-held doppler, but they actually performed a quick ultrasound to confirm Munchkin's due date. S/he is growing a few days ahead but looks great! This time s/he was flipping and flopping all around and waving those little arms all over the place.
Top picture: Head is to the left, Munchkin is facing you. Elbows are bent with the hands by the face. Legs are curled up and you can't see those very well. If you turn it sideways it looks a bit like the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.
Bottom picture: Mid-flip. Munchkin is twisting on his/her side with arms pointing downward.
We're not technically out of the first trimester, but we felt comfortable giving our parents the go-ahead to start spreading the word. At this point, there really is no perfectly safe time to tell people, and all looks well at this point.
The midwifery group I will be seeing delivers in the hospital. While I'm not against home births when appropriate, Edward/Alex and I didn't see that as a good option for us. Also, midwives aren't legally allowed to attend home births in Maryland.
We chose to go with the midwives primarily because we wanted the pregnancy to be treated as a natural process, not a medical illness. It was enough to go through the fertility treatments. Now that I'm pregnant, we want to trust that my body will do what it's supposed to, when it's supposed to. Or at least we'd like to try to take that approach!
The midwives are trained to know what's normal. When anything strays from the normal, they call in the OB to evaluate the situation. So...we're not going to be left hanging if things don't happen as they should. But, unless there is need for concern, I don't need anyone turning up the dial on my anxiety unnecessarily.
I have never given birth so I have no way of knowing how I will respond to the pain of childbirth. That said, I would like to try to give birth without an epidural if possible. To be perfectly honest, it's all about maintaining a shred of control. If I don't have to be numb from the waist down, I can chose to labor while walking around, in the tub, on the birthing ball...whatever seems to work. If I have an epidural then I'm stuck on my back in the bed. If I need the epidural, the midwives don't have a problem with it. But they also aren't going try to pressure me into getting one.
Lastly, if I do have to have a C-section, it will be because Munchkin or I need a C-section in order for the birth to be as safe as possible. It won't be because I'm being pressured into it. When I was on my OB/Gyn rotations, I saw a lot of OBs pushing for C-sections simply because they wanted to get the show on the road. I'm really hoping I don't have to have a C-section, though. Again...it's about maintaining at least some control. I do not see myself taking kindly to being strapped down to a table while someone surgically removes my baby without me being able to see the birth.
Regardless of how Munchkin comes into the world, the midwife will be there to support us during labor, and will also be there to help with bonding and breast feeding afterward. It really does seem like the best of all worlds, so I'm happy with our decision.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Book Festival
10 weeks! I'm starting thicken out a bit. It's hard to say if it's because Munchkin has been so hungry or just because I'm getting fluffier all on my own. Either way, I'm starting to realize that there is a little more of me to fit into my clothes each morning.
I wandered on down to the National Book Festival yesterday. I've wanted to go for the last couple of years but something has always come up. I was able to hear both Isabel Allende and Diana Gabaldon speak. I have several dozen "favorite" authors, and they are two of them. I really enjoyed it. My plan was to stay and have Diana Gabaldon sign her latest book for me. Munchkin had other plans, though.
1) Munchkin did NOT like to ride the Metro. I barely made it to the Mall without getting sick, and I knew I had to get back.
2) It was HOT. And crowded. And the long lines in the even hotter, more crowded tents weren't doing me any favors. When I realized that Diana Gabaldon wasn't signing books until a couple of hours after she spoke, I knew I wasn't going to be able to hang around.
3) I needed to eat something or I was going to pass out. I brought some carrot sticks (I never travel without something in my purse these days), but they were only going to get me so far. And Munchkin emphatically did not want me to eat a hot, greasy, fried whatever-was-being-offered-at-the-festival and get back on the Metro.
So, I had to head home. Luckily, though, a friend from work went down and got the book I lent her signed by Isabel Allende for me....wasn't that nice of her? I owe her big time.
To say that I'm a voracious reader is a bit of an understatement. One of the things I'm most looking forward to is reading to Munchkin. We all used to read to my brothers when they were little and it was a lot of fun. In fact, I will probably have to make a concerted effort to make sure the baby has enough clothes when he/she comes...I'm much more likely to buy too many children's books and forget about things like keeping him/her from going naked!
I wandered on down to the National Book Festival yesterday. I've wanted to go for the last couple of years but something has always come up. I was able to hear both Isabel Allende and Diana Gabaldon speak. I have several dozen "favorite" authors, and they are two of them. I really enjoyed it. My plan was to stay and have Diana Gabaldon sign her latest book for me. Munchkin had other plans, though.
1) Munchkin did NOT like to ride the Metro. I barely made it to the Mall without getting sick, and I knew I had to get back.
2) It was HOT. And crowded. And the long lines in the even hotter, more crowded tents weren't doing me any favors. When I realized that Diana Gabaldon wasn't signing books until a couple of hours after she spoke, I knew I wasn't going to be able to hang around.
3) I needed to eat something or I was going to pass out. I brought some carrot sticks (I never travel without something in my purse these days), but they were only going to get me so far. And Munchkin emphatically did not want me to eat a hot, greasy, fried whatever-was-being-offered-at-the-festival and get back on the Metro.
So, I had to head home. Luckily, though, a friend from work went down and got the book I lent her signed by Isabel Allende for me....wasn't that nice of her? I owe her big time.
To say that I'm a voracious reader is a bit of an understatement. One of the things I'm most looking forward to is reading to Munchkin. We all used to read to my brothers when they were little and it was a lot of fun. In fact, I will probably have to make a concerted effort to make sure the baby has enough clothes when he/she comes...I'm much more likely to buy too many children's books and forget about things like keeping him/her from going naked!
Friday, September 17, 2010
9 weeks!
We're 9 weeks with child today! I'm headed into the third month, and so far everything is going well.
I'm still really, really fatigued. I'm starting to wonder if Edward/Alex would even recognize me if I weren't horizontal on the couch or zombie-walking through the house trying to get ready to go to work. Beatnik (one of our cats, for those who haven't met him) even acts surprised when he sees me moving around. The other day he kept pawing at my head...I think he was trying to make sure his food source was still alive. I was plenty sleep deprived, stressed, and worn out when I was going through rotations for PA school, but this is a whole new ball game. I'm hoping that the rumors that the energy should return in the 2nd trimester are true.
On the other hand, my morning sickness hasn't come back, so I really feel like I've lucked out.
We go for our first appointment with the midwife in 2 weeks. I'm really anxious to hear that heartbeat so that I know Munchkin is doing well. I was somewhat tempted to order a home doppler so that we could check for the hearbeat at home, but I decided that was a bad idea. If I tried to use it and was unsuccessful at hearing the heartbeat (either because I tried a little too early or just because I didn't know what I was doing), I would FREAK OUT. We're just not going to go there.
I did make one early purchase for Munchkin. It's a Mei Tai carrier that I've been eying. I was doing a lot of baby-related research long before we were pregnant and decided that I wanted to try this type of carrier. It keeps the kid in a sitting position and supports the hips rather than making them hang from the crotch like a lot of carriers. Plus, it's easy to wad up and pack in a bag, and can be used for several different types of carries. And no, it's not the type of "sling" that has been in the news. Plenty of carriers are safe when used correctly...it's the cradle holding slings that can pose problems. I've done my research, I promise.
I was going to give it a whirl with one of the cats, but Edward/Alex vetoed that idea pretty quickly!
Munchkin's Auntie Adria sent us a very cute little outfit the other day. As she said, Munchkin won't go naked with Auntie A. around!
So, all's well in the womb today. I'll post more later about some of the projects I'm hoping to work on, why we chose to go with a midwife, etc later on.
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