Today Brandon and I attended the Preparing for Childbirth class through Kaiser. The class covered the basics of what we need to know about childbirth and techniques to help relax during labor. We began the class by performing introductions which included names, due dates, baby's gender, pain management preference, and our thoughts on what "birth" means to us. There were 17 couples in the class. Among them, 9 were having boys and 8 girls. There were three categories for the medication preferences: Those who definitely planned to have an epidural (5), those who didn't want medication (6) and those who were undecided (6). We were surprised there were fewer women planning to have an epidural than those who planned to go unmedicated. I was in the undecided category which consisted of women who plan to see how they handle childbirth before deciding on whether to request an epidural.
After introductions we watched a video on the stages of labor. It discussed what to expect during each stage and how to tell that your labor is progressing. There was so much information to take in. I am glad that we were given handouts of the slides and other resource materials to help us remember everything once the time comes. The one thing I do remember is that we should call the hospital to let them know we are on our way when contractions are one-minute long, three to five-minutes apart, for 1-2 hours or if my water breaks, whichever comes first.
The discussion of labor lead into the coaches/spouses role during the labor process. Because we are going through this on our own with our families being so far away, Brandon and I are really going to have to work together. It's exciting for us but scary at the same time. We keep joking that Baylee will be my doula (birthing coach), however I don't think she will actually be of much assistance being that she's a dog and all. She'll have to sit this one out and wait on the sidelines at home. I know Brandon is a little nervous about helping me get through labor but I know he will do an excellent job and there is nobody else that I would want by my side more than him.
The most entertaining part of the morning was when Brandon got into a debate with the instructor about why they always say that the cervix is fully dilated at 10 centimeters, no matter the size of the woman. The instructor said that it was one of those things like everyone having two feet and two eyes, it is just 10 centimeters for everyone. He told her that her argument was illogical and said that while everyone has two feet, they're certainly not all the same size. She then went on to say that the measurement was not an exact science, but more of a feel from the healthcare provider who was examining the cervix. He stopped debating, but wasn't at all satisfied with the explanation.
The second half of the day covered epidurals and analgesics, cesarean sections, and relaxation techniques. The majority of the information for epidurals and analgesics I had already learned in the Pain Management class I took last month. There are pros and cons to getting an epidural. One of the biggest cons for me is being restricted to the bed. I would like to have the option to get up and move while I am in labor and once the epidural is administered you are not allowed to do so. Another con, although not medically proven, is the chance that the epidural can slow the progression of labor thus extending the time I will be in labor. I am keeping my stance of going in with an open mind and making a decision about medication at an appropriate time should I deem it necessary.
We ended with an instructional session on breathing techniques and positions to help cope with labor pain. It was an interactive lesson as we passed around cards with pictures and performed the different positions as if we were actually in labor and having contractions. I can imagine how some of the positions might be helpful, however some of the positions seemed downright awkward or uncomfortable. My favorite positions were the ones that involved Brandon massaging my hands, back, or feet. That may change of course once I find myself in actual labor.
We may not have learned everything we need to know about childbirth in a one day class but I am glad we went. The class got us thinking about how we will handle certain situations and what we can do to better prepare ourselves. Now my main focus for these next few weeks is to determine what relaxation method will work best for me so I can begin to practice and prepare myself for the big day!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
32 Weeks and 30 Years Old
Today is 32 weeks as well as my 30th birthday! Dunebuggy is packing on the pounds and according to our ultrasound yesterday she is a whopping 4 lbs. 13 oz.! Ultrasounds are not 100% accurate in estimating a baby's weight as they use several factors such as the length of the femur and the circumference of the head in the weight calculation. In fact the ultrasound machine showed a margin of error of +/- 12 oz. so she could weigh more or less....let's hope less for my sake.
During our 18 week ultrasound, the radiologist determined that I had a low lying placenta. There is a standard measurement used to determine the preferred distance of the placenta from the cervix and we were a mere 4mm short. Generally the placenta will move further away from the cervix as the uterus expands, but they perform an ultrasound during the 3rd trimester just to make sure. In the worst case scenario, the placenta would not have moved, resulting in the need for a cesarean section delivery. We had our ultrasound yesterday. The technician thought that it looked fine and now we are just waiting to get the confirmation once the radiologist reviews the ultrasound results.
Our ultrasound started out well enough, but quickly took an unexpected turn about 10 minutes in. I started feeling a little lightheaded and uncomfortable but didn't think much of it. I tried to dismiss it and just stared at Dunebuggy up on the screen but the feeling didn't subside. Soon I began to sweat and I could tell something definitely wasn't right, I was about to pass out during the middle of the ultrasound. I asked Brandon to hand me my bottle of water because I wasn't feeling well and the technician quickly tuned in to the fact that I wasn't well. She quickly helped me sit up as she explained it was most likely due to the pressure of Dunebuggy on my organs and blood vessels. After sitting up, drinking some water, and putting a wet cloth on my forehead the feeling subsided and I slowly felt "normal" again.
Unfortunately, this episode put an abrupt stop to our ultrasound. The technician had taken all the necessary pictures the radiologist needed so there was no need to continue. I was a little upset that we didn't get to see Dunebuggy for very long and even more upset that we only got one picture of her. It's a picture of her face (on the right) and she appears to have chubby little cheeks that I can't wait to kiss on.
According to the technician, she appears to still be a girl...thank goodness. I had visions of us going in there and finding out that what we thought was a she was really a he. That would have put a big twist on things! She also said that she saw hair on Dunebuggy's head. I am hoping it will be red but the chances of that happening are minimal as red hair is a recessive gene.
Dunebuggy is slowly running out of room in there and that was evident when we saw how big she was on the screen. She was moving during the ultrasound but her movements were minimal compared to the flips she was doing at 18 weeks. She is in the proper position, head down, which explains the uncomfortableness I sometimes get in my ribs from her kicking. Now I can identify her little body parts when they are pressed against my belly. Her bottom generally stays around the level of my belly button and her legs and feet are just below my rib cage.
When I was younger I always thought I would be a mom before the age of 30. I guess I am going to miss that by a few months. Turning 30 hasn't really hit me yet and I have never been one for being down about my age. Looking back at the first 30 years of my life there have been good times and there have been bad times. Although I would like to forget the bad, they have taught me some valuable lessons that have helped mold me into who I am today. I wouldn't change a thing, as I feel so blessed to be where I am right now in my life. I have a wonderful husband that loves me and I can't wait to start our little family together. I have a feeling these next 30 years are going to blow the first 30 out of the water!
During our 18 week ultrasound, the radiologist determined that I had a low lying placenta. There is a standard measurement used to determine the preferred distance of the placenta from the cervix and we were a mere 4mm short. Generally the placenta will move further away from the cervix as the uterus expands, but they perform an ultrasound during the 3rd trimester just to make sure. In the worst case scenario, the placenta would not have moved, resulting in the need for a cesarean section delivery. We had our ultrasound yesterday. The technician thought that it looked fine and now we are just waiting to get the confirmation once the radiologist reviews the ultrasound results.
Our ultrasound started out well enough, but quickly took an unexpected turn about 10 minutes in. I started feeling a little lightheaded and uncomfortable but didn't think much of it. I tried to dismiss it and just stared at Dunebuggy up on the screen but the feeling didn't subside. Soon I began to sweat and I could tell something definitely wasn't right, I was about to pass out during the middle of the ultrasound. I asked Brandon to hand me my bottle of water because I wasn't feeling well and the technician quickly tuned in to the fact that I wasn't well. She quickly helped me sit up as she explained it was most likely due to the pressure of Dunebuggy on my organs and blood vessels. After sitting up, drinking some water, and putting a wet cloth on my forehead the feeling subsided and I slowly felt "normal" again.
Unfortunately, this episode put an abrupt stop to our ultrasound. The technician had taken all the necessary pictures the radiologist needed so there was no need to continue. I was a little upset that we didn't get to see Dunebuggy for very long and even more upset that we only got one picture of her. It's a picture of her face (on the right) and she appears to have chubby little cheeks that I can't wait to kiss on.
According to the technician, she appears to still be a girl...thank goodness. I had visions of us going in there and finding out that what we thought was a she was really a he. That would have put a big twist on things! She also said that she saw hair on Dunebuggy's head. I am hoping it will be red but the chances of that happening are minimal as red hair is a recessive gene.
Dunebuggy is slowly running out of room in there and that was evident when we saw how big she was on the screen. She was moving during the ultrasound but her movements were minimal compared to the flips she was doing at 18 weeks. She is in the proper position, head down, which explains the uncomfortableness I sometimes get in my ribs from her kicking. Now I can identify her little body parts when they are pressed against my belly. Her bottom generally stays around the level of my belly button and her legs and feet are just below my rib cage.
When I was younger I always thought I would be a mom before the age of 30. I guess I am going to miss that by a few months. Turning 30 hasn't really hit me yet and I have never been one for being down about my age. Looking back at the first 30 years of my life there have been good times and there have been bad times. Although I would like to forget the bad, they have taught me some valuable lessons that have helped mold me into who I am today. I wouldn't change a thing, as I feel so blessed to be where I am right now in my life. I have a wonderful husband that loves me and I can't wait to start our little family together. I have a feeling these next 30 years are going to blow the first 30 out of the water!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Two months to go...
We had an appointment today with our OB/GYN and everything appears to be right on track. My belly is measuring about 31 1/2 to 32 weeks right now and Dunebuggy's heartbeat is a strong 152 beats per minute.
I think my doctor was a little sad to hear that we were planning on using a midwife for the delivery. She told us that she would like to deliver Dunebuggy if she happens to be the OB/GYN on call when we are at the hospital. The image of an OB/GYN vs CNM death-match at the foot of the bed in the delivery room briefly crossed my mind. Somewhat flattered, we assured her that if that turns out to be the case, we will gladly have her do the honors. She has really been great and I feel lucky to have her as our doctor.
When we first found out we were pregnant my doctor was actually out on maternity leave and so we were assigned to Dr. Robinson who was one of her colleagues. What I thought was a bad thing turned out to be great since I like Dr. Robinson better. My doctor has since returned from maternity leave and we had the option to switch back to her but we chose to stay with Dr. Robinson and I am glad we did.
Once we got home we began doing some research on cord blood banking. Cord blood is a type of stem cell that can be used in many different medical treatments. Not only can the cord blood be used for Dunebuggy should she need it in the future, but if another family member is a match they may benefit from it as well.
Cord blood banking is a lot different than what I thought it would be. I thought the hospital was more involved in the process, but come to find out, the only role they play is to perform the collection of the cord blood. The whole process has to be initiated by us through a private agency that provides cord blood banking services. One of the agencies we are looking at is Cord Blood Registry. You pay a one time processing/collection fee and the agency provides you with a kit to take with you to the hospital. The hospital will collect the cord blood when Dunebuggy is born and from there we are responsible for contacting the agency to have them pick it up for storage. The agency will store the cord blood for an annual fee and it will be available to us in the future should we need it. We will have to make a final decision soon as Dunebuggy's birth is quickly approaching!
Researching cord blood banking got us in preparedness mode so we decided it would be a good idea to begin packing our bag for the hospital. During our hospital tour we were given a list of items to pack so we pulled the list out tonight and began to do just that...pack our bag! We made some progress but still have a lot to pack. Hopefully over the next month we can finalize all the packing and rest assured that we will be ready once the time comes.
In the meantime, we are anxiously awaiting this Thursday's ultrasound appointment. I can't wait to see her again on the screen! She is going to be so much bigger than she was last time we saw her. I hope to have some pictures to share with you later this week!
I think my doctor was a little sad to hear that we were planning on using a midwife for the delivery. She told us that she would like to deliver Dunebuggy if she happens to be the OB/GYN on call when we are at the hospital. The image of an OB/GYN vs CNM death-match at the foot of the bed in the delivery room briefly crossed my mind. Somewhat flattered, we assured her that if that turns out to be the case, we will gladly have her do the honors. She has really been great and I feel lucky to have her as our doctor.
When we first found out we were pregnant my doctor was actually out on maternity leave and so we were assigned to Dr. Robinson who was one of her colleagues. What I thought was a bad thing turned out to be great since I like Dr. Robinson better. My doctor has since returned from maternity leave and we had the option to switch back to her but we chose to stay with Dr. Robinson and I am glad we did.
Once we got home we began doing some research on cord blood banking. Cord blood is a type of stem cell that can be used in many different medical treatments. Not only can the cord blood be used for Dunebuggy should she need it in the future, but if another family member is a match they may benefit from it as well.
Cord blood banking is a lot different than what I thought it would be. I thought the hospital was more involved in the process, but come to find out, the only role they play is to perform the collection of the cord blood. The whole process has to be initiated by us through a private agency that provides cord blood banking services. One of the agencies we are looking at is Cord Blood Registry. You pay a one time processing/collection fee and the agency provides you with a kit to take with you to the hospital. The hospital will collect the cord blood when Dunebuggy is born and from there we are responsible for contacting the agency to have them pick it up for storage. The agency will store the cord blood for an annual fee and it will be available to us in the future should we need it. We will have to make a final decision soon as Dunebuggy's birth is quickly approaching!
Researching cord blood banking got us in preparedness mode so we decided it would be a good idea to begin packing our bag for the hospital. During our hospital tour we were given a list of items to pack so we pulled the list out tonight and began to do just that...pack our bag! We made some progress but still have a lot to pack. Hopefully over the next month we can finalize all the packing and rest assured that we will be ready once the time comes.
In the meantime, we are anxiously awaiting this Thursday's ultrasound appointment. I can't wait to see her again on the screen! She is going to be so much bigger than she was last time we saw her. I hope to have some pictures to share with you later this week!
Friday, March 11, 2011
31 Weeks
Yea for 31 weeks, only 63 more days to go! Baby Stepp is 18 inches long and approximately 3.3 pounds. Her little kicks are starting to get pretty powerful and at times a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's amazing that there is a little person growing in there.
Somedays Dunebuggy seems to make herself comfy and hangs out on my bladder...all day long.
Other days she is constantly in motion. Just the other day I was talking to a co-worker when Dunebuggy began her flips. My co-worker stopped mid sentence and said "I just saw your belly move." We laughed and just watched her.
She is definitely most active in the evening after dinner. It usually begins once I assume my nightly position laying on the couch.
Still happy even with this big ol' belly!
Shelby and I went to the Just Between Friends consignment sale last night and found some great deals. We got there just before 5, when the pre-sale began. We waited in line for a few minutes then made our way through the massive amount of baby stuff! I have never seen that many pregnant women together at the same time. You could tell some of the women meant business and were on a mission, I tried to stay out of their path.
We made our way through the larger items like the strollers, bassinets, and high chairs to the clothes where we split up. I shopped the infant girls clothes while Shelby perused the boys. There were so many cute things! I really could've gone overboard but reminded myself that Dunebuggy already had a large wardrobe at home. Two hours later I ended up with a bag full of goodies and an aching back.
Here are a few pictures of my favorite items.
I LOVE this outfit and think it is my favorite! It was brand new with the tags still on it. I just love the little mini skirt.
I have decided that baby clothes made to look like mini versions of grown-up clothes are my favorite.
Dunebuggy is going to have a better wardrobe than me. My total purchase included 13 outfits, a knit blanket, and a Boppy pillow.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Photographers and Consignment Sales
These past couple of weeks have been rather uneventful as we have not had any doctor's appointments or classes at Kaiser. But don't you worry they start back up next week so there will be a lot to blog about! In the meantime, I have been working on finding a local photographer to take maternity and newborn pictures for us. After doing some extensive internet searching it quickly became apparent that photographers are not cheap! I am beginning to think I should get in on that business, unfortunately photography is not a skill that I possess. Maybe one day...
Thanks to my good friend Shelby, I believe we have finally found our photographer. Her pictures are great and you can't beat her price! Not to mention she will be providing us with a CD of our images with full printing rights so we can share with you, our friends and family. I have come to realize that this is something that is hard to come by without a hefty price tag. We have scheduled our maternity session for Saturday, March 26th and I am so excited. We are planning to take pictures in outdoor/park settings around the Rocklin area; fingers crossed it doesn't rain. I have been using other photographers websites to get inspiration and ideas for our photos. I am anxious to see how they will turn out and look forward to sharing them with you all.
We will also be using the same photographer for our newborn photos of Baby Stepp. Once she is born we will contact her and have pictures taken within the first 10 days of her life. During that period of time you can put them into pretty much any position as long as they are asleep. I have come across some precious newborn pictures on the internet and can't wait for Baby Stepp to have hers done. This weekend I purchased an adorable knit beanie for her to wear during her photo shoot. Dunebuggy is going to be a little model, let's just hope she will be more photogenic than her parents.
Until then, I am looking forward to attending the Just Between Friends Consignment Sale this Thursday night with Shelby. The sale is in downtown Sacramento at the Convention Center. The sale doesn't technically start until Friday but there is a pre-sale open to new moms this Thursday, lucky me! I have already gone a little overboard with the baby clothes so I will have to try to be good but I am sure there will be some awesome deals to be had on other baby items. I will report back later this week about any treasures we find!
Thanks to my good friend Shelby, I believe we have finally found our photographer. Her pictures are great and you can't beat her price! Not to mention she will be providing us with a CD of our images with full printing rights so we can share with you, our friends and family. I have come to realize that this is something that is hard to come by without a hefty price tag. We have scheduled our maternity session for Saturday, March 26th and I am so excited. We are planning to take pictures in outdoor/park settings around the Rocklin area; fingers crossed it doesn't rain. I have been using other photographers websites to get inspiration and ideas for our photos. I am anxious to see how they will turn out and look forward to sharing them with you all.
We will also be using the same photographer for our newborn photos of Baby Stepp. Once she is born we will contact her and have pictures taken within the first 10 days of her life. During that period of time you can put them into pretty much any position as long as they are asleep. I have come across some precious newborn pictures on the internet and can't wait for Baby Stepp to have hers done. This weekend I purchased an adorable knit beanie for her to wear during her photo shoot. Dunebuggy is going to be a little model, let's just hope she will be more photogenic than her parents.
Until then, I am looking forward to attending the Just Between Friends Consignment Sale this Thursday night with Shelby. The sale is in downtown Sacramento at the Convention Center. The sale doesn't technically start until Friday but there is a pre-sale open to new moms this Thursday, lucky me! I have already gone a little overboard with the baby clothes so I will have to try to be good but I am sure there will be some awesome deals to be had on other baby items. I will report back later this week about any treasures we find!
Friday, March 4, 2011
30 Weeks
Today is 30 weeks! We have officially made it 3/4 of the way to Dunebuggy's due date. It's hard to believe there are only 10 weeks to go. We still have much to do in preparation, but it could certainly be worse. You can only prepare yourself so much anyway, right? Our world is going to be turned upside down pretty soon and we will just have to learn on our own how to adjust from a family of 2 to 3.
The bump is growing and so is Baby Stepp.
Starting this week she will gain approximately 1/2 a pound each week.
Whoa!
Yesterday we got our diaper covers in the mail; we ordered them from Amazon. I was so excited to get them and put them in her dresser. Now they'll just have to sit there until she is born. We really need some practice on diapering...maybe Baylee can fill in until Baby Stepp gets here?! I'm not quite sure if she would like being our guinea pig, plus there's no hole for her tail.
Our preparation for baby has not only been the purchasing of baby items, we have also begun the process of de-cluttering and organizing...otherwise known as nesting. It began with cleaning out the office closet since we turned the office into the nursery. That resulted in several trips to Goodwill. It's amazing how much stuff two people can accumulate over the years.
Since we purchased the house over two years ago we have been wanting to install cabinets in our garage for more storage. This week we had cabinets installed by our friend Ted! They turned out great and will provide us with a lot more room for all of our "junk." It will be a slow process getting everything organized and put away but it will be worth it in the end!
Starting to put the luggage, golf clubs, lawn chairs, etc. inside.
Brandon happy to have the cabinets installed.
The workspace with boxes of paint Brandon wants me to put away...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Kites, Mobiles, and Playards...oh my
This past Sunday Brandon and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and took a walk to our neighborhood park. We played a little basketball, threw the Aerobie, and even flew a kite! The kite we flew was one that we purchased in Delaware down at Rehoboth Beach. It doesn't get flown much, maybe once a year, but has been worth every penny. I look forward to flying a kite in the park with Dunebuggy one day!
It's hard to see but the kite is in the top left corner and that's Brandon in the bottom right corner.
Brandon flying the kite sporting his Sylacauga Aggies sweatshirt and mustache.
Me and Dunebuggy flying the kite.
On my way home tonight I stopped by Pottery Barn Kids to pick up the mobile for Dunebuggy's nursery. Apparently the mobile is pretty popular because they never have it in stock. And when they do have it in stock it goes quick! I had been attempting to get the mobile for a couple of months now with no luck. Fortunately I had the store put it on hold for me when it came in. The mobile is pink and white paper butterflies and fits in perfectly with the rest of the nursery decor. I love it and hope Dunebuggy does too!
One of the gifts we received at the shower this weekend was our portable playard. I was thrilled to get this gift as it will be Dunebuggy's bed in our room for the first few months. It's a playpen, bassinet, and changing station all in one. Brandon was in daddy mode tonight and put it together. It looks great and I can't wait to start using it!
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