Doula

After taking our classes at Real Birth, it became evident to us that our goal of achieving a natural birth might be more likely if we had an additional, experienced support person by our side during labor and delivery. AKA a DOULA. I mean in addition to the Ob/Gyn or nursing staff. I like to think of it as a hired friend actually. We're in the process of talking to a couple of them, and their prices range wildly, due to experience I think. The official D.O.N.A website has been useful too. We meet one more on Wednesday night and then will hopefully make a decision either way. I think having someone there to help relax me and use their bag of tricks to manage the pain would be smart. I like the idea of a doula too. It's a good way of thinking and our doctors seem to be ok with us using one also, which is good. They don't interact too much with the doctors - they are there to interact with us and to help us make knowledgeable decisions about our choices and care. I will keep you posted!

how did the classes go?

I really enjoyed our birth classes, and I think my husband did too. They were super informative. I was really worried about 2 days in a row of 7.5 hours each, and worried about being bored/falling asleep, etc, but there really wasn't a dull moment. We covered it all and watched movies of many births. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and I now have a lot of questions for my doctors in relation to the kind of birth I would like to have.....natural. I've known this all along but the classes solidified a couple of things for me. Mainly, that I don't wish to have an epidural. It seems scary and I think the risks outweigh the benefits, so I really don't want one. I would like to ask our doctors about fetal monitoring, birthing positions, laboring positions, and many other topics that I wouldn't have know to ask had it not been for the classes! I just really hope I like the answers!

birth classes!!!

This is our birth class weekend! My husband is NOT looking forward to 2 intensive days taking up our weekend, but I am looking forward to getting them done! Everyone asks me if I'm ready to have this baby, and my answer lately has been "not until I get these classes taken!" I'm quite glad we'll be getting them over with and I hope we learn some good stuff!

30 weeks!!!!

I am 30 weeks now. I can't believe it. 10 weeks to go, which if you think about it, is not much time. It's 10 more weekends. 10 more episodes of Grey's Anatomy....10 or something is not that many PLUS, god forbid it could come early. Yikes! All this has made me think about all that we have left to do and get. We are borrowing a bassinet from a friend, which I will pick up soon, and we need our changing table thingy from Ikea, and we need a glider. Those are the three things, but for some reason they feel like big hurdles. Hmmm.....my birthing classes aren't for another month or so, which now suddenly feels like cutting it close! Wow. I need to chill out and take it day by day, but I think when it turns from "I've entered my 3rd trimester" to I've entered the third quarter of my pregnancy, it turns some sort of corner. Either way, other than having a nasty cold I've been feeling ok as long as I take it easy. If I go on long walks or exert myself too much I get very tired and my feet hurt. I've been sleeping well - probably because I've been sick, but hey - I'll take it!

prenatal yoga & exercise

My series of four prenatal yoga classes are over, and honestly - - I'm kind of sad! I quite enjoyed them. I would have signed up for the next round, but I would have had to miss the first 2 classes, and it would be a waste of $. I met a nice lady who is due a week before me, who goes to a class on Saturday mornings in my neighborhood here, so I might try to go to that, but it's at 9am - and that's EARLY!!! But I think it would be good for me to find some drop in classes to go to. I think the stretching was good for me. I was sweating the last class - she worked us HARD! I am a big fan of structured exercise. I am never good at doing videos or things at home, and much prefer a group environment. My belly is growing FAST and I am in turn, moving a lot slower, so I need to keep motivated in order not to just lay on the couch.

the hospital tour!

We went for our hospital tour the other night....interesting stuff I thought. First of all, these tours are pretty frequent, like a couple of times a week - maybe more. Even so, there were 72 or so people on the tour! All couples, of all different pregnancy ranges. Some people weren't even showing, and some people looked like they were ready to pop. A very diverse group! The super nice lady, who also is the head of education/classes took us on the tour and we started in a boardroom where she gave us handouts and explained the different options in terms of rooms - private room, birthing center (all private rooms), and normal double occupancy rooms. She was SO thorough and nice, as was the info she gave us.

We then headed upstairs to the 11th floor I think for a tour of these rooms. The normal labor and delivery rooms are all single occupancy and not bad. They even have tubs in them for laboring, just not as big as the ones in the birthing center. You do your thing in this room and then 1 hour later, they move you to whatever room you have requested (maybe). You can sign up for a private room, and if there is one available and you're next on the list, you get it - except you also have to be willing to pay $750.00 right then and there on your credit card. Those rooms were ok, still a little grungy, but nice. You get special meals, and your husband/partner can stay the night, which is not the option in the double rooms. The double rooms aren't bad - but I guess it would really depend most on who was your neighbor and how annoying they were. The tour lady told us that she is still friends, 35 years later, with the woman she shared a room with!

The birthing center was cool, it smelled good and it was peaceful and quiet. I would LOVE to be in there, but unfortunately my doctors don't deliver there anymore. Apparently they used to, but because they have to commit to be there the whole time, labour included I guess, it's not possible since they work in shifts. ie: there are four doctors in the practise and one of them is always at the hospital. The lady said they were "liberal" - so hopefully that means they won't force drugs and epidurals on me. Anyway - I am happy to give birth there and I hope it will be good and that I won't go into labour on New Year's Eve, because if that's the case I will have to take the subway - crossttown traffic on that night would be INSANE!!!!!

zits and classes

I have a million zits on my face. They have been coming and going for months, I guess about 6! Normally I have pretty good skin, but it's been SO oily and these zits are killing me. They're not even normal, they're more like red spots that I can't even squeeze. Major bummer. I guess I should be lucky that I have been blessed with good skin, and if this is a price to pay for having a baby, I'll gladly pay! Speaking of paying, I signed up for birthing classes today. I'm doing them at Real Birth, which comes highly recommended by many. My husband and I will be taking "Comprehensive Childbirth", which is like school, but it's on the weekend. 2 days, 7.5 hours each day. Ouch! Then I will take breastfeeding alone, which is a mere 3 hour class, and then I will take newborn care alone, which is also a mere three hours. My husband doesn't seem to be interested in this one, so I guess he knows all about the basics of diapering, soothing techniques for a crying baby, establishing normal sleep, bathing and dressing, how to take a temperature, choosing a pediatrician and when to call them, what's normal in newborns, postpartum family adjustment and what helps. I sure as hell don't, and while I'm sure some of it will be self-explanatory, but from what my friends that have gone tell me, it's very useful, so I am looking forward to it and I am glad to give up a mere three hours to learn these things.

We've finally decided on a crib. It's the one in the image to the left, and it's an Amy Coe crib from Babies R Us. I really like that it has a drawer....although I can tell you that our bedding won't be pink! I am psyched to have this crossed of the list - although we still need to order and get it! We've also decided on the stroller situation but not yet the stroller itself. We're going to get a stroller frame that a car seat sits on, and then after it's born, get a proper stroller. Being that it's going to be born in the freezing cold winter of January, the visits outside will be somewhat limited initially, and we can use the frame or a carrier! Decisions are being made and it makes me feel good - a little more relaxed. Now I just need to get the ball rolling on our hospital tour and birthing center tour and birthing classes! I kind of want to take hypnobirthing too - which is not as weird as it sounds. I've only heard amazing things about it, and I HATE hospitals, and I have problems relaxing, so this sounds like exactly what I need!