Paperwork. That's what the first week of the third trimester means. Birth plans, pre-admission work sheets, kick cards. Also, pain. Charlie horses and round ligament stretching. Not great. Waking up in the middle of the night wincing and moaning.
And is it just me, or am I getting klutzier? I rolled my ankle walking to my car yesterday. Best part was that it was after an extremely excruciating workout of deliciousness. Yes, I am fine while I'm working out, but afterward I am liable to end up face down in your driveway (don't worry, I didn't end up face down, I actually managed to hold myself upright, but it was close for a second there).
Otherwise, physically, things are going really well. The baby is kicking and punching a lot. Especially in the ribs! A somewhat annoying and totally awesome sensation. There is a baby human inside of me and she is kicking me in the ribs. From the inside, did I mention that? I do not think that there is much in the world that is cooler.
I had my monthly doctors appointment today and I know you're dying to know all about it. She confirmed that super long glucose exam showed that everything was okay, but my hemoglobin levels are a little low so she wants me to start taking an iron supplement. Also I've finally started gaining weight which I am trying very hard to be reasonable about, but honestly am a little freaked out by. The baby is great though, we got to listen to her heart beat and she sounds good. Like a million elephants.
I am beginning to get really anxious to meet Penelope Melon. I mean, there are only so many parenting blogs in the universe, only so many parents I can live vicariously through before it just isn't good enough anymore. I want my baby. I mean, it'd be really unfortunate if she came out now because her room isn't ready and we haven't got anything to put her in. Also, I'm told it's kind of early for all that. But I want to meet her! And to fill her full of snuggles!
Here's something though, Dooce Dot Com posted the third part of her labor story and I cried like a beagle when I read it. If you didn't know, and you probably don't, it was a combination of the first part of Dooce's labor story and several conversations with respected mothers that I know that really got me moving on birth research. I especially like Dooce because she's funny and sarcastic. In case you didn't notice I too am funny and sarcastic. Anyway, Dooce and my trainer (also funny and sarcastic), really got me to thinking about the process of having a baby and I figured if these funny and sarcastic women could even just think about having a baby naturally I could at least do the damn research and do some thinking myself. So I started doing the research. And I learned a lot of really cool stuff. And I think that maybe being pregnant and this whole big shaboggle have changed the entire course of my life.
Yes. The entire course of my life. And I haven't even had the fucking baby yet. Obviously the hormones have brainwashed me and I am totally insane, but hell. I'm rolling with it.
One thing I am really excited about right now is the encouragement I'm getting from my OB to meet with a Kaiser midwife. She said that my pregnancy has been totally chill and that there's no reason I shouldn't plan to deliver with a midwife, if that's what I want. While I absolutely love that she brought up seeing the midwife, I love even more that she said, "if that's what you want". How funny that those few words are so relieving.
And this is the part where I end the post with something funny and/or brilliant. Choose your own adventure!
I read Dooce as well and I read her post on natural birth today and think she is incredible. I think it's amazing that anyone even considers natural birth (yes, I've done much research and I'm not even PG yet!), especially this day in age when there is a drug for anything and everything... That said, right now I feel like I will never be strong enough to do it. Maybe I'll change my mind the moment I am with child- who knows. So kudos to you, and you are supported, so much stronger than I could ever be physically and spiritually, etc. etc. Go Val!
ReplyDeleteAwww Jen, you're sweet.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you though, before I was pregnant I never ever thought that I would consider giving birth naturally.
Around month six though it started to make a lot of sense. Instead on panicking about pain and the possibility of pooping in front of my husband I realized that women have been doing this for gazillions of years without any interventions and that maybe having a baby was as much of an industry as anything else.
I feel really capable, but I definitely think that's been a growing process. I know that I didn't start out feel capable that is for sure. But little by little, the more I read and the more I learned the more I realized that yes, in fact, I could do it.
It started with something really silly. Like I figured that if I could train like I had been for the past two years then I could have a baby. Because an average transitional contraction lasts 60 seconds and so I figured that if I could channel the strength that I tap into when I am working out and use it to work through those contractions, that I'd be golden.
Then I just started asking questions and reading books and I dunno, it just started to make more and more sense, that this was the way I should have this baby.
I think the most important thing though is doing the research, knowing the reality of the situation, and being an advocate for yourself. There's no doubt in my mind that birth is transformation for everyone, and that you can have that no matter how you give birth; so long as you keep asking questions, you keep making informed decisions, you do what is right for you. And you might surprise yourself!
If someone had asked me a year ago, six months ago even, if I envisioned myself wanting to have a natural childbirth I would have laughed my ass off.