So, if this was fanfiction, this would be an authors note... :)
As you may have noticed, my blogs have dropped off in the last 2 weeks. I'm here - I'm just SUPER busy and haven't been able to really sit down and write. :( I promise, things should calm down in the next few days or so and when that is done, I will finish and post my blogs for the past two weeks.
In the meantime, please follow me on Twitter for my day-to-day updates!
Thanks for your patience!
Sep 15, 2009
Sep 10, 2009
Week 17: Birthing classes
Note: Weeks 16-20 are being posted during week 21 due to life and computer problems getting in the way! Sorry for the delay!________________________________________________________________
So, my sister is a nurse and while she is not working in the maternity floor, she used to work in the women's health center at our local hospital where she would help with women heart education/stuff and mommy/baby stuff. (side note: it's amazing the difference between women and men with their hearts!!! Be educated as a women about heart disease and how it shows up in women!) So, while she has not been pregnant (and honesty annoys me many times with comments she makes - the joys of being pregnant and all of a sudden understanding SO many things!), she does have a very good idea about pregnancy, babies and the education classes.
So, I have been starting to look at the classes offered through the hospital I will be delivering at (I love these programs!!!) and they pretty much have the basic classes:
* Childbirth Preparation A four-week course that provides you and your support person with information on pregnancy, labor, birth, relaxation techniques and the early postpartum period. Other discussion topics include medication, anesthesia and Cesarean birth.
*Childbirth Express Ideal for the busy couple, this condensed six-hour course covers pregnancy, labor, birth, medications, anesthesia, and the role of the support person. Learn basic tips for managing labor to practice on your own.
*Maternity Tours See where you and your baby will stay during this visit to Labor, Delivery and Recovery, the Nursery, and Postpartum Unit; offered for adults only. (ok, not a class, but in that grouping)
*Baby Care One session class for expectant or adopting parents. Information on what to expect from baby, feeding, bathing, diapering, sleeping, crying, illness, and safety.
*Breastfeeding for Success Prepare for a successful, rewarding breastfeeding experience. Coaches encouraged to attend.
So - I will do the maternity tour and I think the Baby Care and Breastfeeding classes would be good too, although looking at cost, maybe just the Baby Care for now and see about a consultant and my mom when baby comes. But, the main thing that everyone talks about this the Childbirth Preparation classes.
So, me being the busy person I am (!), I would probably want to do the condensed version. I hate to be very self-centered like this, because should I want to spend the time to learn everything well, but I just don't see me sitting through 4 sessions. Also, I don't expect my husband to come to these classes. I don't want him in the room while I give birth (just my preference, I think it's great when fathers are in there, but I'm not feeling it) and it would nice for him to know what's going on, but I've been down that road before and it doesn't get to far. :)
Also, I'm not sure about these classes because I always hear from people that they forget everything they were told from these classes and follow what the nurse tells them to do during labor. I'm not sure if I want to be around people who probably range from not knowing ANYTHING about children, babies, their bodies, labor, pregnancy to those SUPER excited about the pregnancy and probably with an idea of things will be all cheerful and rosy and such. It's fine for them, but I'm not sure I want to be around them.
So, I asked my mom and sister what they thought and kinda' felt it out on Twitter. But, my sister is pretty familiar with the classes and me and said, "I don't think you should go. I think the people in the class would annoy you too much." !!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought that was really funny, but actually made me feel better because, as much as I want to know EVERYTHING about what is going on, it made me feel better to hear someone say I didn't HAVE to go. She went on that I can read as much as I want to about labor and everything leading up to it online, watch videos, ask people and - when it comes down to it - it's the nurses' job to let me know what is going on and help me through the process. Of course, I'm going to ask my mom about her techniques (see my last post on THAT; she only thinks you need to know how to breathe), but I'm feeling ok not taking the labor class.
... the baby classes I think would be good to take. I mean, the baby is going to come out of my one way or the other (yes, my knowledge can help with comfort so I am going to read up on EVERYTHING), but I need more guidance in the 'after' parts of birthing.
Other Stuff:
* I'm waking up (and alert) at 7 am. Why is my body preparing me for the baby's schedule NOW?! Can't it wait another few months?!!!
* Starting to pee more frequently (didn't really have this in first trimester)
So, my sister is a nurse and while she is not working in the maternity floor, she used to work in the women's health center at our local hospital where she would help with women heart education/stuff and mommy/baby stuff. (side note: it's amazing the difference between women and men with their hearts!!! Be educated as a women about heart disease and how it shows up in women!) So, while she has not been pregnant (and honesty annoys me many times with comments she makes - the joys of being pregnant and all of a sudden understanding SO many things!), she does have a very good idea about pregnancy, babies and the education classes.
So, I have been starting to look at the classes offered through the hospital I will be delivering at (I love these programs!!!) and they pretty much have the basic classes:
* Childbirth Preparation A four-week course that provides you and your support person with information on pregnancy, labor, birth, relaxation techniques and the early postpartum period. Other discussion topics include medication, anesthesia and Cesarean birth.
*Childbirth Express Ideal for the busy couple, this condensed six-hour course covers pregnancy, labor, birth, medications, anesthesia, and the role of the support person. Learn basic tips for managing labor to practice on your own.
*Maternity Tours See where you and your baby will stay during this visit to Labor, Delivery and Recovery, the Nursery, and Postpartum Unit; offered for adults only. (ok, not a class, but in that grouping)
*Baby Care One session class for expectant or adopting parents. Information on what to expect from baby, feeding, bathing, diapering, sleeping, crying, illness, and safety.
*Breastfeeding for Success Prepare for a successful, rewarding breastfeeding experience. Coaches encouraged to attend.
So - I will do the maternity tour and I think the Baby Care and Breastfeeding classes would be good too, although looking at cost, maybe just the Baby Care for now and see about a consultant and my mom when baby comes. But, the main thing that everyone talks about this the Childbirth Preparation classes.
So, me being the busy person I am (!), I would probably want to do the condensed version. I hate to be very self-centered like this, because should I want to spend the time to learn everything well, but I just don't see me sitting through 4 sessions. Also, I don't expect my husband to come to these classes. I don't want him in the room while I give birth (just my preference, I think it's great when fathers are in there, but I'm not feeling it) and it would nice for him to know what's going on, but I've been down that road before and it doesn't get to far. :)
Also, I'm not sure about these classes because I always hear from people that they forget everything they were told from these classes and follow what the nurse tells them to do during labor. I'm not sure if I want to be around people who probably range from not knowing ANYTHING about children, babies, their bodies, labor, pregnancy to those SUPER excited about the pregnancy and probably with an idea of things will be all cheerful and rosy and such. It's fine for them, but I'm not sure I want to be around them.
So, I asked my mom and sister what they thought and kinda' felt it out on Twitter. But, my sister is pretty familiar with the classes and me and said, "I don't think you should go. I think the people in the class would annoy you too much." !!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought that was really funny, but actually made me feel better because, as much as I want to know EVERYTHING about what is going on, it made me feel better to hear someone say I didn't HAVE to go. She went on that I can read as much as I want to about labor and everything leading up to it online, watch videos, ask people and - when it comes down to it - it's the nurses' job to let me know what is going on and help me through the process. Of course, I'm going to ask my mom about her techniques (see my last post on THAT; she only thinks you need to know how to breathe), but I'm feeling ok not taking the labor class.
... the baby classes I think would be good to take. I mean, the baby is going to come out of my one way or the other (yes, my knowledge can help with comfort so I am going to read up on EVERYTHING), but I need more guidance in the 'after' parts of birthing.
Other Stuff:
* I'm waking up (and alert) at 7 am. Why is my body preparing me for the baby's schedule NOW?! Can't it wait another few months?!!!
* Starting to pee more frequently (didn't really have this in first trimester)
Sep 3, 2009
Week 16: Dr's apt and other stuff I'm noticing
Note: Weeks 16-20 are being posted during week 21 due to life and computer problems getting in the way! Sorry for the delay!
___________________________________________________________________
I know, I know - I'm not posting as often as I used to. (thank goodness for Twitter!) There are two main reasons to explain this as I expect it will continue through the next 2 weeks, then again during parts of Oct and most of November: 1. I work at a university and we go in cycles of being super busy :) 2. I'm getting more used to being pregnant I guess - I don't wonder about every little thing any more. I think...
I had my regular doctor's appointment which was the normal weight check (164 lbs I think - hehe, I'm totally over what I should be... :/ That's around 14 lbs since I got pregnant!), pee in cup, listen to heartbeat (heart beat in 150s, uterus about inch or less below belly button), questions? Everything is fine - I also met a new doctor (female) who just had a baby actually and looks GREAT!! I hope that I will be that thin after my baby is born! In my office, there are 2 female doctors and 3 male doctors. I know - everyone is qualified, but I do prefer the female doctors. They just seem to have a better idea of what things feel like and I appreciate that during exams. I was told when I made my appointment for next month that I need to meet with another doctor, so I'm going to go on a Friday to meet one of the male doctors. I understand why - the doctors will rotate who's on call at the hospital and so I could get any of the doctors delivering baby and it's better to meet them before hand!
I was really hoping that I would have another ultrasound to find out the sex of baby, but they said that they do that outside the office and so I have a referral to get that done between weeks 18-22. At that appointment, they will check for all of the limbs and everything to make sure things are all good, plus they will see what the sex is!!! I can't wait! :)
Other Stuff:
* My skin around my belly is getting so tight! It's not a very good feeling - it's like everything is stretching and is going to pop at some point. If I'm feeling like this NOW, what's it going to be like later?!!! I'm obsessing about that a lot now - it's just this very ODD feeling - not too happy with it. On the other side, my husband is loving my boobs (I'm usually a bit small...)
* I got UBER cranky for about 2 days to my husband; then it got better. Hopefully that is the last of that mood swing! :)
* My contacts in my left eye is bugging me - it's find while in, but when I try to take them out, they are stuck to my eye! I'm wearing my glasses a bit more - I don't want them to get stuck!!
* Started getting some leg cramps... :( I think it may be tied to the temperature in our room
* Frustrated with my lack of maternity clothes - I have 1 pants and 5 tops!!! I need more variety!!!
* Dreams: not really about babies, but rather violence and murders and stuff... is that an indication of anything? Will I have a psycho child? ;)
* Starting to feel baby more - a bit stronger and more like 'pops' I guess... It's hard to tell because it's not really something I can feel and go "oh yeah, that's a kick"
* I get cranky (think 5 year old kid) after 9 pm!
* Boobs getting 'tingly' (I didn't get that in 1st trimester)
___________________________________________________________________
I know, I know - I'm not posting as often as I used to. (thank goodness for Twitter!) There are two main reasons to explain this as I expect it will continue through the next 2 weeks, then again during parts of Oct and most of November: 1. I work at a university and we go in cycles of being super busy :) 2. I'm getting more used to being pregnant I guess - I don't wonder about every little thing any more. I think...
I had my regular doctor's appointment which was the normal weight check (164 lbs I think - hehe, I'm totally over what I should be... :/ That's around 14 lbs since I got pregnant!), pee in cup, listen to heartbeat (heart beat in 150s, uterus about inch or less below belly button), questions? Everything is fine - I also met a new doctor (female) who just had a baby actually and looks GREAT!! I hope that I will be that thin after my baby is born! In my office, there are 2 female doctors and 3 male doctors. I know - everyone is qualified, but I do prefer the female doctors. They just seem to have a better idea of what things feel like and I appreciate that during exams. I was told when I made my appointment for next month that I need to meet with another doctor, so I'm going to go on a Friday to meet one of the male doctors. I understand why - the doctors will rotate who's on call at the hospital and so I could get any of the doctors delivering baby and it's better to meet them before hand!
I was really hoping that I would have another ultrasound to find out the sex of baby, but they said that they do that outside the office and so I have a referral to get that done between weeks 18-22. At that appointment, they will check for all of the limbs and everything to make sure things are all good, plus they will see what the sex is!!! I can't wait! :)
Other Stuff:
* My skin around my belly is getting so tight! It's not a very good feeling - it's like everything is stretching and is going to pop at some point. If I'm feeling like this NOW, what's it going to be like later?!!! I'm obsessing about that a lot now - it's just this very ODD feeling - not too happy with it. On the other side, my husband is loving my boobs (I'm usually a bit small...)
* I got UBER cranky for about 2 days to my husband; then it got better. Hopefully that is the last of that mood swing! :)
* My contacts in my left eye is bugging me - it's find while in, but when I try to take them out, they are stuck to my eye! I'm wearing my glasses a bit more - I don't want them to get stuck!!
* Started getting some leg cramps... :( I think it may be tied to the temperature in our room
* Frustrated with my lack of maternity clothes - I have 1 pants and 5 tops!!! I need more variety!!!
* Dreams: not really about babies, but rather violence and murders and stuff... is that an indication of anything? Will I have a psycho child? ;)
* Starting to feel baby more - a bit stronger and more like 'pops' I guess... It's hard to tell because it's not really something I can feel and go "oh yeah, that's a kick"
* I get cranky (think 5 year old kid) after 9 pm!
* Boobs getting 'tingly' (I didn't get that in 1st trimester)
Week 15: Belly Shot!
A bit late, but here is my week 15 belly shot - actually taken at week 15 and 2 days ;)
Week 14 belly shot
Week 11 belly shot
Week 5 belly shot
It's coming along! I feel a difference, but I don't think it's looking all that difference from last week. We'll see about week 16 though :)
Week 14 belly shot
Week 11 belly shot
Week 5 belly shot
It's coming along! I feel a difference, but I don't think it's looking all that difference from last week. We'll see about week 16 though :)
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