Saturday, January 26, 2013

Getting the Grand Tour

Brian and I attended our one and only childbirth class today at the hospital where we'll deliver.  On our own and with the help of my sister, we are studying the Bradley Method, but since the closest class is over an hour away from us and it meets twelve times, it just wasn't feasible to take the classes.  My sister followed the Bradley Method for all three of her births, including her two-for-one special (aka:  Nathan and Matthew).

In a perfect world, I'd have my sister in the delivery room with me.  (Yes, of course Brian will be there.)  Unfortunately, at two and a half hours away (just from our home; the hospital is even further), and with four kids of her own, it just isn't doable to drop everything and drive up here to help me deliver my child.  If we lived closer, I know her presence would bring me great peace of mind.  She knows a lot, and to be honest, I think she'd make a wonderful childbirth teacher.

As far as hospitals go, we don't have many options here.  Back home where I am from, there are quite a few hospitals to choose from that are within driving distance.  Here we have one local hospital (still about twenty-five to thirty minutes away), and the word on the street since I have moved here is that it is one of the worst hospitals known to man.  In fact, their maternity ward almost shut down. We ruled that hospital out quickly.

Every other hospital is about forty-five to fifty minutes away.  I knew I was interested in a having a midwife, and so began seeing one this past September, and since she serves one hospital fifty minutes to the west of us, that's where we decided to go.  (Although, there's no guarantee my midwife will be available to deliver, but I explained this in a previous post.)

So today we got the grand tour of the place where our little one will come into the world.  It's rather strange, because the hospital is tiny in comparison to the hospital where I was born.  Parking is rather uncomplicated, with there being only one small lot and a quick walk across the street.  The maternity ward has five birthing rooms.  It was calm, quiet, and the staff was friendly.  It didn't have the "hustle and bustle" that larger hospitals seem to have.

Even though I didn't really "choose" this hospital, I was pretty happy with what I saw, and I was pleased, for the most part, with what the childbirth instructor had to say about the place.

We got to see one tiny newborn in the nursery, and I looked a bit longingly at the cute little guy. Our instructor recommended that new mothers put their baby in the nursery at night so she can have some rest.  I don't think so.  I wouldn't rest UNLESS my baby was at my side.  As I told my mom, I wouldn't leave my purse in another room.  Why would I leave my baby?  I don't care how good the security is; things can and do happen.

In a nutshell, it was a good day, and somehow we feel further along in our baby journey after going to this class and receiving a hospital tour.  In two days, I'll be in my twenty-sixth week of pregnancy, creeping ever closer to the third trimester.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Meant To Be Together

I'd like to tell you a simple story about a sofa and love seat.

One year ago today exactly, I went to the furniture store to purchase a sofa for our apartment.  Brian and I had already seen it a few days prior.  Our shopping strategy was pretty straightforward.  We wanted a sofa for our apartment (the two of us trying to stretch out on Brian's old love seat was not cutting it), but ever true to ourselves, we didn't want to spend a lot of money.

We walked into the store and pretty much asked them to take us to their cheapest sofa.  They did. We liked it, thought about it for a couple of days, and decided to get it.

Then in August, we bought a house.  Our sofa, no doubt due to the much bigger space it was placed in, began to look a little lonesome.  When we've had guests over, seating has been awkward.  Who sits on the couch?  Guests have unnecessarily and graciously insisted the pregnant lady sit on the couch, but Brian and I began to think, "Gee, maybe we should get the matching love seat."

Ever the cheapskates that we are, we didn't WANT to spend the money, but we also realized the furniture set won't be around forever, and what if we want it in five years, and it is gone?  So we made a trip back to the furniture store, expecting the price to be cheaper than the sofa.  When we were told the price, which was in fact, higher, we nearly fell over.  After I questioned it and even made them pull up our previous order, they informed us that when we purchased the sofa, it was a doorbuster sale.  So that was why it was so cheap!  They had just made it sound like it was their everyday price.

Feeling defeated, Brian and I left the store, knowing full well we wouldn't spend more on the love seat than we did on the sofa.  But we are not quitters.  I went home, took to the web, and found the same love seat offered by some obscure store, for much cheaper.  I e-mailed the link with the price to the salesperson who had waited on us, and he agreed to price match it for us.  Hallelujah!

In the end, it cost a tiny bit more, but that was only because the delivery fee went up $20 during the course of time between our two purchases.  While that part was a rip-off, we did get a good deal, and today I got to enjoy the delivery of our love seat.

So this pair was meant to be together.  I believe they'll be happy.  I know Brian and I are.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A Rough Week and a Dose of Healthy Perspective

Last week was a rough week for me in terms of pregnancy and overall well-being.  I experienced several dizzy spells, giving new meaning to the old song that goes something like this, "I'm so dizzy my head is spinning...."  Funny that those are the only words I remember, but they are enough, and they summed up what I was feeling in a nutshell.

One episode occurred while getting out of bed, and that didn't make me too nervous.  Relatively normal, I'd say, when changing one's position after quite some time.  But after two more rather severe episodes, when the room began to move- violently- I began to take precautions.  I put myself on a driving ban last week, because even moving my head quickly made me feel rather unstable.  I knew that a dizzy spell behind the wheel could spell potential disaster- in the worst way.

Then, on Sunday morning, I almost passed out- twice.  (This was not the same as the dizziness, but I'll leave out the unpleasant details.)  I ended up at church some time later, looking for all the world like something the cat dragged in.  Well, perhaps my appearance wasn't THAT bad, but it was how I felt.

So I'm close to back to normal, I think.  There are still the occasional dizzy spells, but they are minor in comparison and much more manageable.

Times like these are hard, and they make me wish these next few months would hurry up.  Yet, I know this is but a brief snippet out of my life, and it is one to enjoy.  One of Brian's coworkers, whom I've never even met, told him that she wished she was going through it again (she has two kids).  I always seem to think Brian and I are behind everyone else and need to catch up.  It has given me pause to think and reflect when I do get antsy, that this time of pregnancy, no matter how difficult it can be, is a beautiful time nonetheless.  Only for nine months does this life grow inside of me and is a part of me.  Only for nine months does this life live because it depends on my very breath.  I've got to enjoy it, because this too shall pass, and one day I might miss these precious days.

~And so little one, though I long to see your face and hold you in my arms, I will try to be patient for that day. For now, I'll be content that you are snug and warm and safe, right inside of me.  Please know that your mommy and daddy love you already.~

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Moving Right Along


The holidays are over, and now that we're in the new year, the calendar is staring us in the face, reminding us that we are to be parents in four months.  (Right now, I'm at 23 weeks.)  We're ready to be parents, I believe, but are we ready for labor?

We are doing our homework, that is for sure.  I have begun a pregnancy Pilates workout led by Lizbeth Garcia.  I absolutely love this workout.  It offers five ten-minute workouts that can be combined or done separately.  I like doing two at once.  (Don't judge my two pound weights.  The instructor only recommends going up to three pounds, and since this is all I have, these will have to do.)

I'm also doing a few exercises that the Bradley Method recommends.  One of them leaves Brian and I laughing quite a bit.  He's supposed to put resistance on my legs while I'm trying to open them, thus strengthening my muscles.  It's kind of hilarious, though, because he is still trying to find that balance between not overpowering me and allowing me to push his arms down.  Some times he wins; some times I win.  (I don't count the ones where he wins, though.  They are do-overs.)

Brian is slowing entering coaching mode.  Am I drinking enough water?  Am I tailor sitting?  This is only the beginning.  We have much to work on, including (for me) learning to relax, and (for Brian) learning to spot if I'm tense or relaxing.  All of these things will help us in labor.

For Brian, he has an especially challenging task.  We live fifty minutes from the hospital where we'll deliver.  While I'm sure he'll shave a couple of minutes off of that (no doubt he'll be flying), it is still a haul.  We don't want to go to the hospital too soon.  Nor do we want to go too late.  He's going to have to take great care to study me and how I'm laboring and where I'm at in labor before we head off.  While it certainly is my decision, too, it might be easier for him to make a better judgment call as he watches me.

I see a midwife, rather than an obstetrician, for my prenatal visits.  However, I am not guaranteed that a midwife will deliver my child, because there are two midwives and five doctors in the practice. I have made my voice known that I prefer a midwife, but my personal midwife will be traveling on the weekends in May, and I'm not sure of the availability of the other.  Why don't I prefer a doctor?  I believe that birth is a natural process, one in which the woman's body already knows what to do. Doctors are trained in medicine and in surgery, and many times, want to bring so-called conveniences (drugs, forceps, episiotomies, etc.) to the table that are not helpful but in fact, harmful. Many times, a doctor will perform a cesarean, not because it is necessary (though some are, but those are the minority), simply because the labor is taking too long and he wants to get it done. Believe me, I've done my research on this.  (Note:  I'm in no way saying this about all doctors as a blanket statement since doctors are different, but this is something I wouldn't have to worry about at all with a midwife.)

So for now, I can only trust in God for that day and what it holds for us.  In the meantime, I'll be doing my part in exercising, studying, and even practicing the stages of labor and what I'm supposed to do during each stage.  Since we live too far to take formal classes, Brian and I need to be diligent ourselves so that when that glorious day in May rolls around, we'll be prepared. We could certainly use your prayers!