I must admit, I have to get on my blog to figure out how far along I am - as of today, I'm 31 week. Only 61 days to go! Only....
This pregnancy has been different than my pregnancy with Malachi in many ways. The nausea was much worse with Malachi and the back ache began much sooner, but this one has waited till further down the line to give me trouble. I've really had a hard time with my back, and have had to delegate the vacuuming to Travis! Malachi is getting trained very well to pick up things off the floor for his mommy, too!
I am so thankful, though, that besides the back ache, everything else is great! The baby is growing well and moving a lot. The heart rate is perfect - pretty mellow at about 140 BPM. And my blood pressure has remained at a good level.
Travis and I always enjoy our visits with our midwife, Jill Colin. This last visit my mom was able to come with us to meet Jill. We probably spent about 2 hours with her doing the normal visit routine plus just chatting. Her office is in her home, and we were her only clients that day. It was fun, and I always learn a lot. I really appreciate her emphasis on preventing issues in pregnancy through diet. It has really given me some accountability and encouragement to make good choices in my diet. For example, she really encourages getting a lot of leafy greens towards the end of the pregnancy to build up iron in my blood. That way, if there is a problem with blood loss during or after birth, the blood I do have is healthy.
I am to the point in my pregnancy where I should be going in for an appointment every 2 weeks, but since everything is going great and we have to drive all the way to Vegas, she is allowing us to wait 3 weeks. So as long as things are going well, we'll be able to spread out the visits some.
We got a list of supplies we must collect for our home birth, such as lots of towels, healthy food, honey (for an instant energy boost if needed), lots of bottled water, olive oil to prevent tearing and also to help clean the baby’s first stool. I put in an order for a “birth kit” which contains all of the sterile things, gauze, bulb syringe, etc.
Yesterday I spoke with a woman who does birth tub rentals for both hospital and home births (yes, you can have tub put up in a hospital – and it is definitely worth looking into!) Our insurance will most likely help with the $400 rental fee, too! And if $400 sounds like a lot of cash, just consider that an epidural is $500 – and there are no needles, no IV’s, no being stuck in bed... Anyway, birth tubs are about 3 feet deep, round, and big enough to stretch out in. Pain management through labor using water is so effective, it is often called the “aqua-dural”. Water is very relaxing, it makes movement MUCH easier (moving around with a big belly is NOT very easy!), and it helps prevent tearing. I am looking forward to experiencing this birth in a different way than I did with Malachi.
Malachi knows what babies are, and he knows that a “baby” is in my belly. Now, whether or not he associates the babies he sees in pictures with his mommy’s bulging belly, I don’t really know! But I love it when he comes and kisses my belly, and he always points at it and does the sign for “flower” apparently my navel looks like a flower to him. It is so sweet.
If you’d like to see a post on my pregnancy and birth with Malachi, click here.
I am very interested in childbirth education and maybe one day becoming a certified doula after my own kids are grown. If you have any questions regarding pregnancy, birth, home birth or water birth, please let me know. Also, if we know anyone who may have questions, please give them my email or other contact information!
This pregnancy has been different than my pregnancy with Malachi in many ways. The nausea was much worse with Malachi and the back ache began much sooner, but this one has waited till further down the line to give me trouble. I've really had a hard time with my back, and have had to delegate the vacuuming to Travis! Malachi is getting trained very well to pick up things off the floor for his mommy, too!
I am so thankful, though, that besides the back ache, everything else is great! The baby is growing well and moving a lot. The heart rate is perfect - pretty mellow at about 140 BPM. And my blood pressure has remained at a good level.
Travis and I always enjoy our visits with our midwife, Jill Colin. This last visit my mom was able to come with us to meet Jill. We probably spent about 2 hours with her doing the normal visit routine plus just chatting. Her office is in her home, and we were her only clients that day. It was fun, and I always learn a lot. I really appreciate her emphasis on preventing issues in pregnancy through diet. It has really given me some accountability and encouragement to make good choices in my diet. For example, she really encourages getting a lot of leafy greens towards the end of the pregnancy to build up iron in my blood. That way, if there is a problem with blood loss during or after birth, the blood I do have is healthy.
I am to the point in my pregnancy where I should be going in for an appointment every 2 weeks, but since everything is going great and we have to drive all the way to Vegas, she is allowing us to wait 3 weeks. So as long as things are going well, we'll be able to spread out the visits some.
We got a list of supplies we must collect for our home birth, such as lots of towels, healthy food, honey (for an instant energy boost if needed), lots of bottled water, olive oil to prevent tearing and also to help clean the baby’s first stool. I put in an order for a “birth kit” which contains all of the sterile things, gauze, bulb syringe, etc.
Yesterday I spoke with a woman who does birth tub rentals for both hospital and home births (yes, you can have tub put up in a hospital – and it is definitely worth looking into!) Our insurance will most likely help with the $400 rental fee, too! And if $400 sounds like a lot of cash, just consider that an epidural is $500 – and there are no needles, no IV’s, no being stuck in bed... Anyway, birth tubs are about 3 feet deep, round, and big enough to stretch out in. Pain management through labor using water is so effective, it is often called the “aqua-dural”. Water is very relaxing, it makes movement MUCH easier (moving around with a big belly is NOT very easy!), and it helps prevent tearing. I am looking forward to experiencing this birth in a different way than I did with Malachi.
Malachi knows what babies are, and he knows that a “baby” is in my belly. Now, whether or not he associates the babies he sees in pictures with his mommy’s bulging belly, I don’t really know! But I love it when he comes and kisses my belly, and he always points at it and does the sign for “flower” apparently my navel looks like a flower to him. It is so sweet.
If you’d like to see a post on my pregnancy and birth with Malachi, click here.
I am very interested in childbirth education and maybe one day becoming a certified doula after my own kids are grown. If you have any questions regarding pregnancy, birth, home birth or water birth, please let me know. Also, if we know anyone who may have questions, please give them my email or other contact information!
1 comments:
Being pregnant and carrying a baby inside is no easy thing to do. It can be taxing on ones body... but it sounds like you are doing well.
I learn so many new things reading about home birth... although I never tried it myself you definitely have my attention.
ToOdLeS.
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