Eluned G. Sharron Bethea » November 2007 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

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Thu, Nov 29, 2007 8:00 PM
People keep asking me if I'm excited. I figured out pretty quickly that I should just say "yes" instead of answering honestly, but the truth is, I'm not excited about all this.

To me, excitement implies a certain amount of agitation -- that bouncing up and down, clapping hands kind of response.

Instead, I would describe how I'm feeling as a deep, steady joy. Joy pervades my body and extends beyond me; the joy of this pregnancy is connecting me to the people around me in new ways.

Early on, I didn't know how long this pregnancy would last. While I did experience fear, I focused instead on each day that the baby and I had together. I felt awe, to finally be pregnant. Now that it looks like the baby might just be with us for a little while, the fear is mostly gone, and I feel calm.

I'm at peace with this. I'm at peace with what it took to get us here, the choices that we made, the changes that we made, and the decisions that we're making now about the next phase of our lives.

I can't honestly say that I'm excited. People tell me that I seem happy, or happier, and I do agree with that. But the best way to describe how I feel is joy.

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Tue, Nov 27, 2007 2:00 PM
Sean's theory about the full moon seems to be holding up: the baby was very active all weekend. I'm not sure which night was the full moon, but Friday evening she couldn't keep still. It was nice, because my parents and my Aunt Ginny came down for Thanksgiving, so they got to feel the baby kick and even see her move.

I saw Dr. Sikking this morning, and everything is on track and looking good. Somehow, for the last two months, I've managed to gain exactly 1 pound each week. The books, etc., say that's the average at this stage, but I am literally gaining precisely 1 pound per week. Now having said it, though, watch -- my next appointment we'll break the pattern.

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Tue, Nov 20, 2007 8:00 PM
Last week we went to Breastfeeding class. I looked around at a lot of different breastfeeding classes and I chose this one, partly because they were reasonably priced, but mostly because I liked the course description. And I'm really glad I did.

The class was held at a store called The Pump Station, and our instructor was one of the two owners/founders. She and her partner were nurses who became childbirth educators and then lactation consultants. Eventually, they opened their own store (now 2) for breastfeeding mothers. They still consult, and the stores offers lots of classes, support groups, etc.

Since all the classes I found were about 3 hours, I wanted to spend all 3 hours learning as much about how to breastfeed as possible. This class breezed right over the arguments for breastfeeding; the instructor said she had to figure we had all that information already, or we wouldn't be in her class.

Instead, we spent most of our 3 hours going over the information I needed: the mechanics of breastfeeding. How a proper latch-on works, and why it's so important. Different ways to hold the baby. How to tell if the baby is getting enough to eat, and how much food the baby needs at each feeding -- at birth (not much!), at 2 weeks, etc. When to ask for help. Our partner's role (Will's first job is to keep those little hands out of my way when we get started).

Everyone keeps saying breastfeeding is learned behavior, both for me and the baby, and now I understand why.

We also went over various questions that people brought up. The instructor talked about breastfeeding and going back to work, and walked us through different pump models. She gave us a lot of additional information in hand-outs.

And she gave us a lot of great tips; she has years of experience with this. For example, she told us that many new mothers don't know at first when they've reached let-down, so she gave us a couple of other ways to recognize it.

I went home and practiced some of what I'd learned on the cat, who wasn't too pleased, but played along.

Comments:
Aunt Marilyn: I am so glad you are taking advantage of this opportunity to learn about breast feeding

Virginia: Now the Pump Station needs to give weaning classes for moms who have babies who liked breastfeeding a little *too* much and refused to give it up! ;)

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Wed, Nov 14, 2007 6:00 PM
Last week we went to Baby Care class. Baby Care is the class they invented for people like Will and I who have never spent time with babies, much less a newborn. We did this class at that hospital I liked near our house.

The instructor was great. She's been a nurse for 27 years, including 10 years as a post-partum nurse and 5 years as a lactation consultant; she has 3 children and 7 nieces and nephews. And she has a terrific sense of humor.

She opened the class with a rousing speech to the effect that we can all take care of our children, that we should trust our instincts, and to not let anyone tell us differently or make us feel bad about our choices. I'm not describing it well, but she was really very convincing.

The rest of the class covered all the basics: diapering, bathing, swaddling, etc. (We practiced on baby dolls.) The instructor went over everything that will happen from the delivery room until we leave the hospital, and why.

We watched a slide show of photos of newborns, while the instructor said things like, "This is normal. This is normal, and here's what you do about it."

More important that the basic information, though, was that somehow the instructor gave us a sense of confidence. Part of it is that I now have a much better idea of what to expect and what to do. And part of it -- well, I really have no idea how she did it.

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Tue, Nov 13, 2007 5:00 PM
I think I've really popped in the last few days. People are starting to make comments like, "You must be due any day now." We'll take some more pictures soon.

The baby has hardly moved all day. I finally called Dr. Sikking's office. Her nurse told me the baby was probably just growing and running out of room, but to put my feet up, drink some cold water or juice, and start counting movements. I did, and sure enough she started moving. So I called back and told them anytime I want to feel the baby move I'll just call them. Kidding, of course -- next time I'll know what to do before I call.

I'm finally developing two more pregnancy symptoms: vivid, bizarre to disturbing dreams, plus I'm a little more "emotional" these days.

I mentioned that I got a body pillow? I wasn't sure how the cat was going to take it; she's slept right next to me for years. At first, she just moved to the foot of the bed, beneath the new pillow -- Will's dream come true. But lately, she's discovered that the comforter makes a nice little hammock in between me and the new pillow. And this morning, I woke up and she was sleeping right on the body pillow between me and Will. At least, she was until Will woke up.

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Sat, Nov 10, 2007 5:00 PM
We had our first Childbirth Preparation class last Saturday and the final one this morning. Our instructor has been a labor and delivery nurse for 17 years; she still "floats" at a couple of local hospitals several times a month.

Last week's class was all about the stages of labor: what happens during each stage, how long each one usually takes, how to tell when you've moved from early to active labor, etc. It was interesting, but I knew most of it already. I think that first class was much more helpful for Will; he took notes and was really positive about the class afterward.

I did get to see two births -- not TLC-style, edited and prettified births -- but two real newborns as they came out. The first mother actually said, as her baby crowned, "That doesn't look like a baby!"

And our instructor was emphatic about back labor (perhaps, a tad obsessive?), but I'll be really glad for that information if I do have back labor: she taught us how to recognize it early, and how to try to get the baby to turn.

This week, we spent most of the morning on interventions and drugs. I got all of my questions answered, like:

* What's up with narcotics (as opposed to an epidural)? They can be quite helpful in short doses early in labor, but they're never given past 8 centimeters, because they can make the baby sleepy and interfere with her breathing at delivery.
* How long does induction take? Up to 48 hours (ouch).
* If I need a C-section, do they have to strap my arms down? No, just keep my hands up above the curtain.

That last question spawned a bunch of funny stories, like a doctor pausing mid-surgery to alert the nurse (our instructor) that somebody had just grabbed the doctor's behind.

We watched another video that included an animation of what, precisely, happens during a C-section. I think I could have lived without that information.

And finally we got to my favorite part of Childbirth Preparation class: we practiced our "stations." That's what our instructor called the series of things we can do at home (and some at the hospital) to cope with labor on our own. The stations include going for a walk, some simple yoga postures, and taking a warm shower or bath.

To practice, we broke out the birth balls. I was familiar with them, but never really saw the point. The instructor had us sit down on the balls in front of our partners, and right away Will started rubbing my back; he's good like that. Then the instructor showed us how to use a birth ball.

I've had hip pain for a few months now. On Dr. Sikking's recommendation, we went out and bought me a body pillow, and that has helped a lot. Will just loves it too; if I get up before he does he takes over the body pillow. Lately, I've added lower back pain.

Well, the movement we learned today on the birth ball just hit every sore spot on my hips and lower back: stretched and relaxed them, and worked out the soreness. So I'm sold; we'll be picking up our own birth ball.

Then the instructor taught our partners how to give a special massage for labor. 'Nuff said.

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Fri, Nov 9, 2007 9:00 PM
Dr. Sikking is going to be on vacation at the end of December. She'll almost certainly be back before I'm due, but just in case I go into labor early, I asked her what the plan was. Dr. Sikking's back-up, the doctor who would take care of me during her vacation, is Dr. Sikking's own Ob/Gyn -- the woman who delivered Dr. Sikking's two children. I'm pretty comfortable with that.

I'm close to maxing out Tums and Zantac, so I asked what comes next. Dr. Sikking gave me a list of GI specialists; she wants me to see one before we move on to stronger prescriptions.

As to my "homework," it's mostly done. The only remaining item is to find a pediatrician. We have an appointment with one for 11/28. We just got a recommendation for another; Will called and settled the preliminaries, so now I have to call back and make an appointment.

And I got a flu shot today.

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Tue, Nov 6, 2007 1:00 PM
Baby hiccups are the best. That's how the books and websites describe these gentle, rhythmic movements: that she's got the hiccups.

I had no idea that the most interesting thing I'd have to do all day is stare at my own belly waiting for movement. Her movement is getting much stronger and more distinct; we can see her moving under my skin. If just her movement in utero is this fascinating, I can't even imagine how interesting the actual baby will be.

Now, you'd think that any child of mine and Will's would be relatively bright, would you not? But this morning she was in the classic birth position with her head up against my pelvic bones. And she got the hiccups. And she stayed there for quite a while, smacking her head into my pelvic bones over and over again. It didn't hurt me, but I had to wonder a little about her, that she seemed content to bang her head repeatedly instead of moving.

Comments:
Aunt Marilyn: A baby's movements in the uterus are fascinating. My take on this is that she will persevere and probably has a bit of the Sharron stubborness. Meghan always awakened me at 2:50 am before she was born and continued to do this in her early years. We'll have to ask her if still wakes up at this time. I always thought that this was related to circadium rhythms?? Matt, never awakened me at night before he was born, but did a real jitterbug every time I was driving across the Monongahala Bridge ready to go into the Liberty tunnel in Pittsburgh. I always thought this was because I was anxious and probably pumping more adrenalin.
I love reading your comments about your pregnancy because it keeps us in touch even tho we are so far away. I also love it because it reminds me of my own pregnancies and of what a special time that was for me.

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Thu, Nov 1, 2007 7:00 PM
The baby has been very active for the past week or so, with her activity peaking at the end of last week. I was talking to Sean here at work; he told me that when his sister was pregnant she paid attention to the phases of the moon, and her baby was most active when the moon was full. Sure enough, the full moon was late last week.

She's getting big enough and strong enough, and her movements are becoming distinctive enough, that Will and I are starting to play "guess the body part." We think we can sometimes find her head now. Will found it the other day, and was rubbing it, and she moved away!

She seems to favor the transverse (sideways, hammock) position, with her head to the right of my belly button and her feet near my left hip. That's fine for now, but in a few weeks she's going to have to move.

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