Waiting

I have found something that relieves my pregnant days- SWIMMING POOLS! I have been going to my parents' house and swimming in their huge pool every day that I have been able to. I think my family thinks I am crazy because I always want to be in the pool, but it makes me weightless! It feels like I am hardly pregnant (until I look down at my enormous belly). It is good to have found something that can make me feel good as I anxiously await Alden's arrival.

Now I am starting to get a little bit nervous. I am mostly dissapointed because I found out Vanderbilt doesn't have the waterbirth option I was thought they did. I can get in the shower, but that's all. It made me want to stay at home and have the baby, but we don't have the space in the apartment. My parents said they would let us have it over there and then they changed their minds. So it's back to the birthing center plan. Friday Joey and I are meeting with the midwife to give her our birth plan. I hope that I can have a smooth birth since my pregnancy has been so rough. I just want to get Alden here as easily as possible. I hope that I can have him naturally and be able to apply all I have read about Active Birth.

So in other news, I am going to be taking an online class starting June 5th or so. I know you probably all think I am crazy, but I have to have this class to take one of the online classes in the Fall that I am registered for. The class goes until July 7th or something...so now I kind of hope Alden comes late so I can finish my class! If I don't pass this class, I won't have enough online courses to take in the Fall to be full time, which I might have to be if I have to stay on Dad's insurance. It's contingent on whether Joey gets a better job with benefits or not. If he doesn't we won't get married until he does get a better job, and I'll have to be a full time student to remain on dad's insurance. Insurance is such a hassle. And I want to take all online classes in the Fall because I can be home with Alden that way and try to get over my panic attacks before Spring. I will have to attend on campus in the Spring because there are no more classes offered online that I need for my degree. I hope I can do this. I want to have my bachelor's degree in Psychology even though I have had so many set backs.

Other than all of that, Joey and I are doing well. We hope to hear from all of you soon if you have a chance to drop an email or give us a call. Have a great one!

8 Months

Argh...pregnancy is tiring. However, I am getting more and more excited as the birthing day draws nearer! Joey and I are starting to talk about preparations and will soon be making a list of what we have to take to the hospital (it's going to be A LOT since we have to provide all the props needed for active birth). Then, we'll be packing what we can of it so it will be ready for the big day!
We had a doctor's appointment Monday that went really well. I saw a different midwife because mine was out of town. But this one was just as excellent as Shelly. When I go into labor and go to the hospital any of the 9 midwives will deliver my baby. At first this made me nervous, but now I understand why that is possible without much discomfort. All of the midwives practice under the same philosophy, which is that birth is natural and they are there not to interfere but to be a help in the process. This is much different than I would get if it were one of 9 doctors that might deliver me because they all have their own techniques and plans for your birth according to how they feel medicine is best practiced. Also, at our next appointment, we will be making out a birth plan that will be at Vanderbilt for all the people involved in our care to have access to. This will tell all of our wishes about how we want the birth to go (under normal circumstances), and they will try and accomodate and follow that plan to the best of their abilities. Some things that will be on there: I want the baby skin to skin right when he is delivered and have him cleaned off while I am holding him. I want to breastfeed as soon as possible (after any stitching that might have to be done). I want the umbilical cord to stay intact until the baby is breathing well on his own (the umbilical cord continues to give the baby oxygen and then quits throbbing when the baby takes it's own breaths). I want my baby with me at all times as much as possible. I want my husband to sleep in the room with me on a cot. These are just some examples. You get the idea.

So that day is coming very soon! I want to say something to any of you who might be close enough to visit us as I think it will be good to let you know what I am thinking. During our, hopefully short, stay in the hospital, Joey and I both are going to be very concerned with making sure the baby has as much contact with the two of us as possible. In the different parenting research I have done and what I have decided to go with, this time is very important for bonding between the parents and baby. It is also very important to make the baby's transition into the world as comfortable as possible. Because, at birth, he has known only me for his whole life, it would be traumatic for him to be taken away from added to all the new things he is already encountering. As the days go by and he can eat and see and get adjusted to everything around him, it will be appropriate to introduce more of his family to him. It is important for him to form trust and attachment to those individuals as well when he is ready. For example, Joey's family is coming a week or two after the baby gets here, which is perfect because he will be somewhat more used to all the new things around him and we will hopefully be feeling better enough to enjoy company. While I am in the hospital, I would love to have some visitors because my family's support is so much needed at times like these. I just want to say now, ahead of time, that I don't know how I will feel or how long I will feel like having visitors if at all. I am also not going to worry much over this. I feel like my only responsibility in the first few days the baby is born are to be with him and introduce him slowly to Joey and this new world. That being said, it will probably be best for most visitors to see us after we have been home for a couple of days and have had time to be alone and bond with our new baby. I love all of you and want you to be a part in his life very soon!!

Well, I hope we can all benefit from being open with our ideas and feelings. My wish is that I can talk about these things now so I can have everyone's support when the important days arrive!

Thanks for reading!

What a Weekend

So we had a very interesting weekend. On Friday night, Joey was working out at Barfield for the Beach Party thing they had. They had dumped all the sand they are going to use to redo the baseball fields onto the pavement and so the Parks and Rec Dept. of the City (who Joey works for) were making the best of it by doing a kick off for summer. They had a long jump competition for the kids, and Joey decided he'd do it for fun. Well, he jumped like 12 feet (or so he said), and when he landed his heel on his left foot went all the way through to the pavement. This resulted in a rolling back of all that tough skin on his heel. He had to go to the emergency room until like 10 p.m. The doctor just yanked at a cut off all the skin that was hanging (OUCH!) and bandaged it up...not sure that was a great idea. So I've had to take care of poor limping Joey- even made breakfast on Mother's Day! But we went over to my parents' house yesterday, and he cooked kabobs on the grill in the intermittent rain! That was nice of him. And I got presents on Mother's Day! Not from Joey...I think he meant to, but, well, he hurt himself. My mom and grandmother gave me some great gifts! It was neat because it was another one of those moments where it hit me that I am a mother...oh boy!

In other interesting news, the night all that happened with Joey it felt like the baby dropped down- possibly into the birthing position. This usually means about 3-4 weeks until birth...which would be right when I am term, but a month before the due date (which I've kinda expected). Now it feels like the baby is going to drop out, and I have to pee all the time! However, I can breathe and eat normal meals because he's not in my organs. I have also had cramping which I assume to be contractions...Braxton-Hicks probably. I am going to ask my midwife today about all of it. According to the old wives' tale about birth and the full moon, your body will wait and have the baby on a full moon. There should be another one around June 9th and then again like around July 7th...the full moon we had the other night was when the baby dropped (or at least it felt like it)...weird! Of course, who knows if all that's accurate, but if it is I want the June date please!!

The Baby Room

Okay, I had to put some pictures of the baby room up here because I am so glad we finally have one. A couple weekends ago all the furniture my parents bought for us (thanks mom and dad!) arrived. We only have two bedrooms and one was full of mostly Joey's music things and office type stuff. We did some rearranging and were able to work it out so that the room could be just for the baby. Of course now our living room has a computer and our bedroom has the only tv (which we never watch so that's fine) and also has Joey's music stuff, but it looks good! So anyway, here are the pictures. I don't think the room looks as good in the pictures as it does in real life. We also don't have the whole bed set put together yet, but other than that, it's wonderful.

Oh and I sewed the green covers for the glider cushions and the green and brown pillow on the chair. I also altered the curtains, but that's not in this picture. And I sewed the brown and green tissue box cover (I never thought I would make one of those, but I was bored). I love making things for baby!

My favorite part was what Joey said when we were finished. He said, "I can't believe we have a whole room with the nicest furniture in the whole house all for a baby that can't use it!" He does have a point...(I guess it's more for the mama right now!).

Yet Another Doc Visit

So today we had another visit to the midwife. Joey accompanied me as usual. Everything is going very well with the pregnancy. My weight gain is right on target, which is one of the things that makes me the happiest. The baby's heartbeat was in the 140s; the midwife said this was perfect. We talked to her a lot about getting more information about birth since I don't feel comfortable or able to sit through birth classes. She suggested videos and reading. I have already been reading through Active Birth and Gentle Birth Choices which are both excellent resources. Soon Joey and I will have to start practicing birthing positions and breathing to get ready for the big day (or days...). I will also be doing a lot of reading these last weeks about breastfeeding and such. My mom got me this book called the Fourth Trimester, which I think will prove an invaluable resource in the 3 months after the baby is born. It is so exciting that the baby is so close to being here. Joey is getting more attached to Alden, I think, as he is talking to him more and hugging me around the belly a lot! We both keep saying, "We're going to have a baby," like neither one of us knows or something! I think it just takes a while to set in. However, it has become somewhat more real to us now that Alden responds to touch from the outside and to our voices. He even moves and responds differently to the members of my immediate family when they each talk to him! It's just so neat! By the way, I think he says hi right now by putting his foot in my ribs and kicking at my belly button!

Well, we will update again soon! Everyone have a great one!