My Doula oblongata

Doula: dou·la/Doo-luh/ –noun, plural -las.
a woman who assists women during labor and after childbirth.
[Origin: 1975–80; < Mod Gk, female servant]

Who knew a person like this existed? This is definitely a new word for us. I hadn't actually considered a doula until I realized that my support network is kinda limited. Even still, it was a vague notion. A friend of mine hired a doula for his wife's birth and said it was money well spent, that's when a notion became something to really look into. So in addition to trying to find a class, I'm considering trying to find a doula.

Back to School

Word to the wise: Do Not Wait until the last minute for classes!

Just when you think you have enough time, you don't. We really hadn't talked about what kind of birthing we wanted. I am still on the fence regarding whether an epi is worth it... thoughts of:
1) having to stay perfectly still while the epi is administered makes me worry (under stress and pressure, I have a hard time with this).
2) being numb from the waist down kinda freaks me out.
3) giving birth is a natural experience across all species and cultures. Why does Western medicine have to play a part in this?

So, there's all sorts of classes - Lamaze, Bradley, Alexander, Hypno-birthing, etc. Steven and I have been looking at the Bradley method (www.bradleymethod.com). Here's the rub: it's a 12 week course! 12 weeks usually during the week! With traveling for work, 12 weekday classes are impossible. I am waiting to hear back from an instructor I found that offers classes on Sundays. The other alternative is an educator who is offering private lessons compressed in 4 weeks at the shocking price of $500!

We also signed up for 3 other "classes" with INOVA: infant CPR and first aid, baby care, and an extended tour of the maternity center.

25 weeks

eenie weenie @ 25 weeks (2/2/2007).
Power to the People! It's hand is near it's face
and if you look close you can see the fingers. this was taken at the perinatal office and everything looked good. She confirmed the extra lobe but it looked OK. *phew*

21 weeks

eenie weenie at 21 weeks (1/4/2007). We decided to not find out the gender of our baby if they could avoid it. Everything looked good - heart, lungs, brain. They did find a low-lying placenta and an extra placental lobe. This was a bit surprising. My doctor put me on pelvic rest and no strenuous activity. I was also referred to a perinatal specialist for another ultrasound. My research indicated that low-lying placentas at 20 weeks usually correct themselves as the pregnancy progresses.

I bit the bullet and bought maternity clothes. I had been putting it off as long as possible hoping that I could work from home and stay in my pj's all day long :-) When I got assigned to a gig in NYC that is business dress, I HAD to go shopping, besides the fact that my pants were getting uncomfortable. My mom and I went to the mall and I bought a suit, a pair of pants, and several skirts. Then I found a local consignment shop and bought more outfits for about 1/2 the price of retail. My sister's friend Betty gave me some clothes as well. I rounded out my purchases with some end of season sales at JCPenneys and I think I'm all set for clothes. (I hate to admit it but they are more comfortable).

Alive and Kicking @ 18 weeks

You turn me on, you lift me up
And like the sweetest cup I'd share with you
You lift me up, dont you ever stop, I'm here with you
Now its all or nothing
cause you say you'll follow through
You follow me, and i, i, I follow you...
Alive and kicking
Stay until your love is, alive and kicking
Stay until your love is, until your love is, alive
Simple Minds

I'm happy to write that my Nuchal Fold and my AFP have come back fine so I'm feeling a little more at ease at actually telling people and putting things in writing. The first 15 weeks were kinda tough due to the fact that food was not really agreeing with me. I wasn't nauseous or anything, but food just wouldn't go down and by the end of the day it felt like food was stuck in my throat. And my burping was driving me nuts! Sit up, burp; lay down, burp; roll over, burp; roll the other way burp; just sitting there, burp. uuuuuuugh. Steven was calling me Burpy. Things that I basically could eat: yogurt, bananas, soup, rice, and salad. Anything more substantive was a real problem. But luckily that cleared up, for the most part, just in time for Thanksgiving! Tuuuuuurkey! I'm getting a little tired of the restrictions. Don't eat this or that, or drink this or that. And now I'm supposed to lay on my side. Not just any side, but my left side. This is such a challenge as I've been sleeping on my back for some time now. I've taken to placing as many pillows behind me as humanly possible (and as the bed allows) so that if I do fall on my back, I'll at least be on an angle. Not that I'm complaining or that I'd trade it in. Not in the least.

So it began during my last week in Bloomington. We were eating lunch and I got this weird jab in my stomach. Kinda made me jump. Gas? Knowing eyes at the table guessed it was a kick. Time to pay attention! My mom happened to call that afternoon and asked if I felt the baby yet and when I told her she started her giggling and said that Yes, it was weird. So now I'm wondering just how often does this happen?

Steven had been calling me Beenie Weenie since this spring when I mentioned that he really doesn't have a nickname for me. So that's what he came up with. It's hilarious and makes us laugh. When we went to Ralph's festival this year, we stopped in the local grocery store... and lo' and behold there were actual cans of Beenie Weenie's!! What a riot. Well now, the baby is Eenie Weenie. And the nickname has stuck.

During our trip to London, eenie weenie was very active! Almost clockwork... about 30 minutes after having tea or eating supper it would begin it's dance in my belly. Sometimes it would take me by surprise and I'd just about jump out of my seat.

~13 weeks

eenie weenie at ~13 weeks (11/10/2006).

This was the first ultrasound where they calculated due date of 5/18/2007.

eenie weenie at ~13 weeks (11/10/2006).

This was also our Nuchal Fold test for Down's screening. Measurements included thickness behind baby's neck, nasal measurement, and blood test.

~7 weeks

Here we are on 10/10 about 7 weeks. It's grown from a spec to something that really doesn't resemble anything yet.

There's some rocket science going on to calculate dates. The dates we figure don't necessarily correlate to any date that we were given....fudge factor of about 2 weeks.

4.5 weeks

Here is eenie weenie. This ultrasound was taken on 9/22/06 at about 4.5 weeks. Not much to look at now, but we were assured there was something there!

oneplusone

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings