Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Meet Baby "Lumpy"
The whole 3-D thing is cool in concept, and makes the baby look more real, but it's also a little freaky...
Waiting for snow...
Did you know that only 7 of every 100 Christamses in Seattle is white? We learned that last year when the small sprinkling of snow on Dec 25th caused a regional frenzy--and it didn't even stick. This year we might actually get one--if it will ever start snowing. It was supposed to start last night. We're still waiting. They assure us that it's coming...makes me feel like a kid waiting for candy that keeps being dangled further away. Well, at least maybe I can get a little shopping done today after all.
The drawback to the possibility of a White Christamas is that in order for snow to stay the temperature must be below 32 degrees. We've been setting the stage for awhile now--it hasn't risen above that for nearly a week. Brr. On Monday morning, as I left the house at 7 AM (ungodly early for me) for our first ultrasound appointment, the car thermometer kindly informed me that it was 20 degrees. Thank God we have a garage, it delayed my exposure my another 30 minutes.
And yes, we saw the baby! Troy was really antsy about doing prenatal genetic testing (which we didn't do with Morgan, as we were so low risk), as he has heard me say that your risk rises as you age (why does he hear stuff like that, but not, "can you take out the garbage?"). He decided that it was more necessary as I am *GASP* over 30 now (by two months), and I agreed mainly as there is a newer option for the screening that includes an ultrasound. While I was laid low with the 1st trimester yucks, and my mood was suffering, I had much anxiety about the wellbieng of the baby--so much so that I decided the possible risk of ultrasound (and yes, there is potential risk-those sound waves are shaking the baby's brain) was not worse (to me) than the damage being done by my high stress levels. So in I went. Unfortunately Troy and the kids were unable to come, as he had a meeting he couldn't miss and we didn't have a sitter (we made the appt late and they only had that time slot). Luckily by Monday I was feeling SOOOOOO much better and lighter of spirit that being alone did not terrify me. There was breath holding during the initial nudging around with the wand, then all of the sudden there was our baby--arms, legs, fingers, toes, heartbeat and everything. As always, an amazing and humbling experience. Further enhaced by our risk of Down's being 1 in 3,947 (chromosomal disorers were 1 in 41,000). I told Troy we weren't at risk. Baby was right on schedule and VERY active. Oh well, we're all much more relaxed and happy now, and may even forgoe the 20 wk scan as we (meaning I) don't care to know the gender, anyway, and they've already checked for everything else. We got some great pics (our first in 3-D) and a DVD so the kids and Troy were able to watch it that evening--the kids are enthralled. They've watched it several times. The really cool thing about the DVD was that the u/s tech turned on the sound to capture the heart rate, so we have a recording of that, too! And if we do decide to have the 20 wk scan, they'll add it onto the same disc. Technology, man. It's a trip. I'll post some u/s pics later.
The drawback to the possibility of a White Christamas is that in order for snow to stay the temperature must be below 32 degrees. We've been setting the stage for awhile now--it hasn't risen above that for nearly a week. Brr. On Monday morning, as I left the house at 7 AM (ungodly early for me) for our first ultrasound appointment, the car thermometer kindly informed me that it was 20 degrees. Thank God we have a garage, it delayed my exposure my another 30 minutes.
And yes, we saw the baby! Troy was really antsy about doing prenatal genetic testing (which we didn't do with Morgan, as we were so low risk), as he has heard me say that your risk rises as you age (why does he hear stuff like that, but not, "can you take out the garbage?"). He decided that it was more necessary as I am *GASP* over 30 now (by two months), and I agreed mainly as there is a newer option for the screening that includes an ultrasound. While I was laid low with the 1st trimester yucks, and my mood was suffering, I had much anxiety about the wellbieng of the baby--so much so that I decided the possible risk of ultrasound (and yes, there is potential risk-those sound waves are shaking the baby's brain) was not worse (to me) than the damage being done by my high stress levels. So in I went. Unfortunately Troy and the kids were unable to come, as he had a meeting he couldn't miss and we didn't have a sitter (we made the appt late and they only had that time slot). Luckily by Monday I was feeling SOOOOOO much better and lighter of spirit that being alone did not terrify me. There was breath holding during the initial nudging around with the wand, then all of the sudden there was our baby--arms, legs, fingers, toes, heartbeat and everything. As always, an amazing and humbling experience. Further enhaced by our risk of Down's being 1 in 3,947 (chromosomal disorers were 1 in 41,000). I told Troy we weren't at risk. Baby was right on schedule and VERY active. Oh well, we're all much more relaxed and happy now, and may even forgoe the 20 wk scan as we (meaning I) don't care to know the gender, anyway, and they've already checked for everything else. We got some great pics (our first in 3-D) and a DVD so the kids and Troy were able to watch it that evening--the kids are enthralled. They've watched it several times. The really cool thing about the DVD was that the u/s tech turned on the sound to capture the heart rate, so we have a recording of that, too! And if we do decide to have the 20 wk scan, they'll add it onto the same disc. Technology, man. It's a trip. I'll post some u/s pics later.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Baby update
So I realized I never got around to posting about our first midwife appt (or our Disneyland trip, or Halloween, or Thanksgiving--I'll get to it). It was awesome, of course-Valerie was running behind as her prior appt had been 1/2 hour late (we cut them slack, their baby was just a week old), but that gave us time to re-introduce the kids to the birth center, show them the family room stocked with toys, and fill out all the new-pregnancy paperwork. Val was so excited to see us that she actually ducked out of her appt (they were with the student midwife) to come and give me a gigantic hug.
Once in the room (they conduct all their appointments in the birth suites, which are like really nice jacuzzi suites at the Hyatt), we settled into the loveseat and chairs to chat while the kids continued to play with the toys they'd brought in from the family room-Val actually spent about half the hour we were there playing with Garrett while the student midwife asked me all the standard questions--Val was still paying attention as she would interject if she heard something interesting or unusual, but never took her focus off Garrett-who now thinks she is a Goddess of Superglue (they were fixing toys). Morgan got in on the action, too, and by the time we left both kids were totally comfortable and happy--what doc's office could have accomplished that?? I wouldn't have even been able to take them with me to an OB.
Val even spent time just talking to Troy (while I was in the bathroom), asking about work and how he's feeling about the pregnancy--then they discussed the possibility of homebirth (yes, we are considering it!) and what that would mean for him (not much, they take care of all the clean-up). I moved over to the bed and Val let Garrett help carry the supplies she needed for my blood draw and explained everything as she went so he wasn't nervous at all. He sat right next to me on the bed and held my hand, and was very surprised when I didn't cry.
After that Troy and Morgan joined us on the bed as Val wielded the almighty Doppler--I was a little over ten weeks, so there was a possibility of hearing hear tones. With our history this is always the most anxiety-ridden part of a pregnancy for me, and I was prepared to request an ultrasound if she couldn't hear it. After a few tense moments, there came that reassuring whoofwhoofwhoof--Val squeezed my hand in her free one, and we both teared up. Then away the little rascal flitted. Morgan hadn't even noticed the noise, but Garrett had (when he first heard Morgan's heart in utero, when he was not quite 2, he jumped up startled and announced, "Is a doggy!").
So everything was hunky-dorey, my blood pressure was a little low which explains the light-headedness I'd been having, and as we prepared to leave (with lots more hugs from Val), Garrett became very upset and said, "we AREN'T leaving, the midwife still needs to get the baby out!!" Apparently he got confused with our purpose, and was very distressed (even though we've discussed at length how long the baby will be inside me and when it will come out). I felt so bad. So most of us left happy.
I just wish that every woman choosing an ob/hospital birth would have the opportunity to have one meeting with a really good midwife before making that choice. Would you buy the first car you test-drive just because it's the car everyone else is driving? Not that OB's and hospitals don't have their place, when there is danger present, they do a great job getting through it (usually). But a normal birth isn't dangerous, and by treating it as though it is modern medicine has created danger where it wouldn't normally be (since the introduction of continuous fetal monitoring, for example--making moms where monitors that check baby's heart and mom's contraction strength throughout labor--the c-sect rate has sky-rocketed with no change in maternal/fetal outcome. The monitors are notoriously inaccurate, but docs treat them as though they aren't and are often cutting open perfectly healthy women with perfectly healthy babies for no reason--so a woman that requests intermittent monitoring has already lowered her risk of surgery without compromising her or the baby's health).
Holy cow, I've accidentally climbed on my soapbox. Sorry about that. Bottom line, birth is a healthy, normal, really super-cool experience and I anxiously anticipate doing it again!
Once in the room (they conduct all their appointments in the birth suites, which are like really nice jacuzzi suites at the Hyatt), we settled into the loveseat and chairs to chat while the kids continued to play with the toys they'd brought in from the family room-Val actually spent about half the hour we were there playing with Garrett while the student midwife asked me all the standard questions--Val was still paying attention as she would interject if she heard something interesting or unusual, but never took her focus off Garrett-who now thinks she is a Goddess of Superglue (they were fixing toys). Morgan got in on the action, too, and by the time we left both kids were totally comfortable and happy--what doc's office could have accomplished that?? I wouldn't have even been able to take them with me to an OB.
Val even spent time just talking to Troy (while I was in the bathroom), asking about work and how he's feeling about the pregnancy--then they discussed the possibility of homebirth (yes, we are considering it!) and what that would mean for him (not much, they take care of all the clean-up). I moved over to the bed and Val let Garrett help carry the supplies she needed for my blood draw and explained everything as she went so he wasn't nervous at all. He sat right next to me on the bed and held my hand, and was very surprised when I didn't cry.
After that Troy and Morgan joined us on the bed as Val wielded the almighty Doppler--I was a little over ten weeks, so there was a possibility of hearing hear tones. With our history this is always the most anxiety-ridden part of a pregnancy for me, and I was prepared to request an ultrasound if she couldn't hear it. After a few tense moments, there came that reassuring whoofwhoofwhoof--Val squeezed my hand in her free one, and we both teared up. Then away the little rascal flitted. Morgan hadn't even noticed the noise, but Garrett had (when he first heard Morgan's heart in utero, when he was not quite 2, he jumped up startled and announced, "Is a doggy!").
So everything was hunky-dorey, my blood pressure was a little low which explains the light-headedness I'd been having, and as we prepared to leave (with lots more hugs from Val), Garrett became very upset and said, "we AREN'T leaving, the midwife still needs to get the baby out!!" Apparently he got confused with our purpose, and was very distressed (even though we've discussed at length how long the baby will be inside me and when it will come out). I felt so bad. So most of us left happy.
I just wish that every woman choosing an ob/hospital birth would have the opportunity to have one meeting with a really good midwife before making that choice. Would you buy the first car you test-drive just because it's the car everyone else is driving? Not that OB's and hospitals don't have their place, when there is danger present, they do a great job getting through it (usually). But a normal birth isn't dangerous, and by treating it as though it is modern medicine has created danger where it wouldn't normally be (since the introduction of continuous fetal monitoring, for example--making moms where monitors that check baby's heart and mom's contraction strength throughout labor--the c-sect rate has sky-rocketed with no change in maternal/fetal outcome. The monitors are notoriously inaccurate, but docs treat them as though they aren't and are often cutting open perfectly healthy women with perfectly healthy babies for no reason--so a woman that requests intermittent monitoring has already lowered her risk of surgery without compromising her or the baby's health).
Holy cow, I've accidentally climbed on my soapbox. Sorry about that. Bottom line, birth is a healthy, normal, really super-cool experience and I anxiously anticipate doing it again!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
One more check box filled
Hooray, hooray, I finally submitted my packet to be approved for my birth doula certification. I say yay, finally, because I finished the work portion in August, but it's taken me this long to gather all the needed paperwork and letters, and write essays, self-assessments and such. Holy cow, they are thorough.
In case you are wondering, being a doula is not a licensed profession--which means there are no requirements that have to be met in order to practice. There are lots of lay doulas out there (meaning uncertified, sometimes trained, sometimes not, etc)-those doulas who choose to certify do it for a number of reasons--mainly because it gives a doula more credibility in the community (and because you can charge more). The certification process is not difficult, but time consuming. I was hoping to submit in September, but just had a heck of a time tying up all my loose ends (getting pregnant can really throw a wrench in the works).
But hooray, it's done, Troy can stop bugging me, I don't have to work during the holidays, and I just contracted with a lovely couple due in a couple months, so all is peachy in the world of doula-ing. I took the kids to a member meeting for my doula orginization (PALS Doula), and while trying to explain to Garrett that we were meeting with several other doulas (ladies who help other ladiea have babies) he spewed off a volley of inquiries, "Am I going to help a baby be born?" "Will we get to see the babies?" "Are we going to be there all day and all night and all day?" and my personal favorite, when asked if he remembered what a doula was, "Is that like when you swing your hips inside a big circle?" When I relayed that to one of the senior doulas, she cracked up--coining the pharse ,"doula hoops." Which actually isn't a bad idea-I've contemplated bringing hoops to births to help show a mother how to rotate her pelvis to nudge the baby into descending. I smell a marketing plan.......
In unrelated news, today my children got to video-conference with their great-grandmother and grea-aunt in Arkansas, whom they haven't seen for two years. When they moved away, my grandma told me, "I'm just afraid I'll never get to see you again." Best Buy should do a commercial about us. Right about now I'm loving technology.
In case you are wondering, being a doula is not a licensed profession--which means there are no requirements that have to be met in order to practice. There are lots of lay doulas out there (meaning uncertified, sometimes trained, sometimes not, etc)-those doulas who choose to certify do it for a number of reasons--mainly because it gives a doula more credibility in the community (and because you can charge more). The certification process is not difficult, but time consuming. I was hoping to submit in September, but just had a heck of a time tying up all my loose ends (getting pregnant can really throw a wrench in the works).
But hooray, it's done, Troy can stop bugging me, I don't have to work during the holidays, and I just contracted with a lovely couple due in a couple months, so all is peachy in the world of doula-ing. I took the kids to a member meeting for my doula orginization (PALS Doula), and while trying to explain to Garrett that we were meeting with several other doulas (ladies who help other ladiea have babies) he spewed off a volley of inquiries, "Am I going to help a baby be born?" "Will we get to see the babies?" "Are we going to be there all day and all night and all day?" and my personal favorite, when asked if he remembered what a doula was, "Is that like when you swing your hips inside a big circle?" When I relayed that to one of the senior doulas, she cracked up--coining the pharse ,"doula hoops." Which actually isn't a bad idea-I've contemplated bringing hoops to births to help show a mother how to rotate her pelvis to nudge the baby into descending. I smell a marketing plan.......
In unrelated news, today my children got to video-conference with their great-grandmother and grea-aunt in Arkansas, whom they haven't seen for two years. When they moved away, my grandma told me, "I'm just afraid I'll never get to see you again." Best Buy should do a commercial about us. Right about now I'm loving technology.
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