My birth story, part 1

I woke at 1 a.m. Saturday morning and lost my mucous plug. I went back to bed with a towel just in case my water broke. About 30 minutes later, I felt a gush and the towel was wet. I'd been having contractions for weeks now and they had been stronger the night before.

Since I was Group B Strep positive, I did the Hibiclens wash and then called my midwife. She asked if I'd felt baby move at all since my water broke. Since I hadn't, she decided to drive down and listen for him. So, I woke Dave up to let him know. He was super excited and jumped out of bed. When Nancy arrived, she had no problem finding baby's heartbeat, it was good and strong. So, we went back to bed to try to get some more sleep.

Contractions were much harder than before and soon I realized I was not going to be able to sleep at all. Dave and I got up. I made some pancakes but didn't feel like eating them. It was about 5 a.m. when Dave thought it'd be best to call Nancy back. My contractions were still about 5 to 7 minutes apart but much stronger. He started filling up the tub and Nancy said she was on her way.

Nancy arrived, set things up for the birth and then we labored. I rocked on the yoga ball, walked around, drank lots of fluids and just waited. We were on a time limit since being GBS + meant I had to have antibiotics after 18 hours of ruptured membranes. About an hour before we'd have to transfer Nancy asked if she could check me to see how far we'd gotten. It was SO disappointing to hear I was only 3 centimeters dilated. We knew we would have to transfer then. Nancy gave me some herbs so I could sleep for a short time before heading in. Dave and I prayed together. We both felt such immense disappointment. We'd prayed so long for a gentle home birth and now we were headed to the hospital. I was so afraid of what would happen at the hospital. I knew I would have to be on my back with monitors and IVs and the thought of going med free while not being able to move was scary to me.

We got a room at the hospital, they monitored baby for about half an hour and then wanted to check to make sure my water had really broken. The nurse said she didn't see any fluid leaking but took a sample. Come to find out- my water bag was still intact! And, I was still only 3 centimeters. So, we left. There was no way I was staying in the hospital when I didn't have to be there. By the time we got home it was midnight. I took some Benadryl (on the nurse's recommendation) to help me sleep. I was able to get about 6 or 7 hours between the strong contractions that woke me up.

Sunday morning I was still contracting and hard. Dave emptied the birth pool so it could be refilled with fresh water later. We labored all day and all night. The whole labor seems so blurry- I know we took a walk, I hung out in the birth pool, I labored on the birth ball and the birth stool. The contractions were hard and coming faster and I remember I thought I felt like I needed to push. But, I was getting SO exhausted. I hadn't had good sleep in almost three days, it'd been over 50 hours since we thought my water had broken. Nancy asked if she could check me again. I was hesitant since it was SO uncomfortable to get on my back and the exam itself is no walk in the park. But, we needed to know.

I have never felt such disappointment as when Nancy told me I was still only 3 centimeters dilated. All those hours, all that pain, all those contractions and they had done NOTHING. This was when we had to make our decision. Did we want to transfer? Gideon was still doing fine- his heart rate hadn't changed at all and my water bag was still intact. But I was exhausted. I was shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't think. I could barely talk. Nancy left us alone for awhile and Dave and I talked. We decided to try to rest and then see if I'd progressed any further. Nancy gave me a herbal tincture and I was able to sleep for a short time. There was no change so we decided we'd have to transfer. I got dressed and sat on the yoga ball while Dave and Nancy gathered things up. I tried to eat but could barely get anything down. It was about 10 a.m. Monday when we left for the hospital.

-To be continued-

38 weeks (or so)

So, technically, I'm 38 weeks and 5 days. We're getting SO close! I've had two appointments since the last time I posted. Both have gone well. My blood pressure has gone down thanks to the herbal teas I've been taking (a mix of red raspberry leaf, roasted dandelion root and nettle leaves). It's not the most tasty but I think it's growing on me. I told baby this morning as I was making it that he had to be out in less than 4 days because I don't want to have to buy a whole package of dandelion root tea and have a bunch leftover when he arrives!



Baby is head down. I've been having lots of contractions but none that are too painful or getting and staying close together. No other signs of labor... I did time contractions for awhile last night and they were between 3 and 7 minutes apart, lasting less than 2 minutes. But, they still weren't too uncomfortable. I decided to just go to bed because if I was going into labor I wanted to get as much sleep as possible first! Today I've had some that are a little more uncomfortable and 4 minutes apart, but then it'll be 15 minutes before another non painful one. I think this kid is messing with us!

Next appointment is sometime next week... Unless I go into labor before then!

Belly picture! I'm huge, I know!

36 weeks walking along the Snake River. I just realized that I hadn't posted a picture in awhile. I think I've grown even more in the past week so I'll try to remember to post my 37 week picture after we take it. Also, my stomach was attacked by several angry cats- my stretch marks are super impressive. I'm thinking I might actually post a picture of them.



Some new pregnancy symptoms/ side effects: Braxton Hicks contractions every day and carpal tunnel. I'm pretty sure my right hand middle finger has been numb for more than a week now. I feel like I'm going to drop things and like I have no strength in my hands. Super fun. BH contractions aren't bad so far. A little painful if I'm in the wrong position but otherwise I'm sure they are nothing compared to what the real ones will be like.



Our big appointment is tomorrow! Both midwives will be coming to our house (which we really need to clean, by the way) and going over the birth supplies and answering any questions we have about the labor and delivery.



We are having some issues with our kitchen faucet and we're not sure how we're going to attach the hose to it. The little aerator thing won't unscrew. And, of course, we don't have any pliers so we have to go buy some tonight and hope the thing will come off. Otherwise, we're not really sure how to go about filling up the tub! I suppose we could do without, but I was really looking forward to laboring in the water.



I organized baby clothes the other night. It's nice to finally have that done! Now, I just need to tackle the diapers... I ordered a few more things this week. I just love these diapers with the brightly colored snaps. This is one I bought last night.





Well, that's about it for today. My numb fingers and I are going to find something else to do.

Why is my belly considered public property?

While at my baby shower this past weekend, we talked a little about the joys of pregnancy. One of those was the touching. You know, when someone thinks that because your belly is sticking a foot out in front of you that it isn't actually part of a person so they think they can touch it as they walk past? Thankfully, this hasn't happened to me in the store with complete strangers yet (I think because it's cold so I usually have a coat and scarf on- harder to see the stomach! Or maybe I give off a don't-touch-me-if-you-want-to-keep-your-hand vibe.)

Since I've been pretty vocal about not liking the touchy-feely stuff, most friends and acquaintances have kept their hands to themselves. The few people who have touched my stomach haven't bothered me.

But, when I first announced my pregnancy at work, coworkers started telling me this touching was inevitable. I said I would start slapping hands and that Dave is very protective of me and more than likely, the random person in the store would not get close enough to touch my stomach before he stopped them. Anyway, one of my coworkers said that she was going to touch my stomach one day when I was least expecting it.

Hmm, now think of it this way: If I was not pregnant and simply told a coworker that I was uncomfortable with people touching me, would it be appropriate for them to say they planned on touching me when I least expected it? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It would warrant an HR meeting and very strongly worded warning. And, if they did touch me, I would have every right to charge them with harassment. Yet, because I'm pregnant, it's OK?

She did manage to get in a belly touch one day while I was refilling my water at the cooler. I was not in a good mood that day and gave her a very dirty look. She hasn't attempted another touch since then. I think if she did, I would tell her I was going to file a complaint if she tried again.

I don't understand what makes people think that pregnant bellies are public property? It makes me want to be pregnant during the summer when it would be more obvious and see how many people I would have to slap.

On having a midwife

I started looking for midwives in the area as soon as we found out we were pregnant. I'd decided I wanted a natural birth and the best way to do that was to have a midwife. I assumed I would hire one who would be with me at the hospital. Well, lo and behold, midwives in Idaho aren't given hospital privileges.

So, I found two midwives who both practiced about 40 minutes away. I looked at their web sites and realized that in order to have a midwife, I was going to have to birth at home. I'd already looked into the possibility so decided to book some appointments with the midwives to decide who I wanted as my primary. They usually assist each other during births as long as one of their own clients doesn't need them.

After I decided on a midwife, we scheduled prenatal appointments. Because Nancy had three clients in Lewiston, she scheduled all of us for the same day, around the same times. So, all my appointments have been done at my house on Tuesdays during my lunch hour. Which means I've missed very little work because of the pregnancy and I don't have to travel very far!


The appointments last about an hour and include blood pressure and pulse checks, urinalysis, listening to the baby, feeling baby's position, measuring my uterus, checking for swelling, going over dietary needs and then talking about any concerns or questions I have.


I had one obstetrician appointment this pregnancy. Nancy requires that her clients meet with an OB in their area in case they have to transfer care. That one appointment was THE MOST stressful doctor's appointment I think I've ever had. Even Dave felt stressed and pressured and she wasn't even talking to him! The doctor pushed the HIV test even after I had told her twice that we didn't need one. She told me that there were some people in Texas who had contracted HIV from their dentist... (if I could do an eye roll emoticon right here, I would.) Her eyes practically shot out of her head when I said I didn't want an internal exam.


I know there are people who have natural hospital births with an OB. But they are never guaranteed. And I didn't want to have to fight at every.single.appointment for a natural experience. Doctors don't like it when you decline internal checks (internals increase the risk of infection and can cause premature rupture of the water bag, also, they don't actually tell you anything about the progress since things can change SO quickly in real labor), decline the gestational diabetes test (that sugary drink cannot be good for mom or baby, there are other signs that can warn of GD), decline using a doppler at every appointment or getting more than one ultrasound (ultrasound waves have NOT been proven safe for use during pregnancy), etc. Decling all these things has to make the doctor feel like they aren't "managing" the pregnancy. Which is exactly what I didn't want a doctor doing!

I didn't want to have to fight over every aspect of my birth plan- no constant fetal monitoring, the ability to walk and move during labor, no pain medications offered, being able to eat and drink as I wanted, having the lights dimmed, having as few people as possible come into my room, not having internal checks, etc. And, then, after fighting over all that in the office before birth, having to fight with every single nurse who came in thinking she/ he could examine me whenever they wanted and fight with whatever on call doctor I end up with about not breaking my water, not doing internals, not having monitoring, being able to birth standing up, etc.


It was wonderful when I asked Nancy, "How often do you do internal checks?" and she responded, "I prefer not to do them and won't during labor unless you request one." When I decline a procedure or test, she says okay and moves on. It's wonderful when I can tell her that I looked into the eye ointment or Vitamin K or circumcision and decided against it. She doesn't try to scare me into having these things done. She doesn't try to push anything.


She's only been adamant about one thing. She said she will not waiver on this one point except in the case of an emergency. She requires that the mom hold the baby skin to skin for the first two hours after birth. :) Which I am completely okay with! This is wonderful bonding time and encourages breastfeeding, it also ensures that baby's body temperature regulates (did you know that a mother's body temperature changes to accomodate her baby's? i.e. if baby has a fever, mom's body temperature will cool down and if baby is cold, mom's body temperature will go up). Those hospital incubators can't do that!


Midwives give the birth experience back to the mother and families. Nancy will be there to assist and help in case she is needed. More than likely, Dave will be the one to pull our little boy out of the water and hand him to me. More than likely, he'll be the one cutting the umbilical cord (after the cord has stopped pulsing- another decision we would have to fight for in the hospital.) I will be able to give birth where I feel most comfortable- no one will be telling me that I need to lie down and put my legs in stirrups (which, according to studies, -and common sense- is the WORST way to give birth.)

During the birth Nancy will check my blood pressure, pulse and listen for baby's heartbeat intermittently. She'll make sure I get plenty of fluids and food to keep my strength up. She'll do a newborn exam and make sure I don't bleed too much. She'll make sure the placenta comes out in one piece and is healthy. She'll stay for at least three hours after the birth to make sure breastfeeding is established, things are cleaned up and that mom and baby are still doing well. In the six weeks following the birth, she'll come for at least four checkups to make sure things are still going well. She's a lactation consultant so she'll be able to help with any breastfeeding issues we have.

Needless to say after this massively long post, Dave and I are very happy we've chosen a midwife.

What do you need for a homebirth??

A lot of the things are on a list my midwife gave me but some of them are from the Mothering.com homebirth board. There is an amazing list of things that people had wished they'd known before they had their homebirth. Some of the things are like, "I wish I would have known that I wouldn't want so many people around during labor," "I wish I would have known I would want to drink lots of juice- all we had in the fridge was water!" and things like that.

So, a few things on the list from the midwife:

• New water potable hose with correct fittings (for filling up the birth tub)
• Tarp/ plastic to go under the birth pool
• Old bathroom mats/ towels to go around the pool and soak up the water that splashes out
• Plastic sheet/ cover for bed mattress (in case water breaks in bed or I end up wanting to labor/ give birth there)
• Several sets of cheap sheets for our bed (so we don't care if they get ruined)
• Turn the water heater up as soon as labor starts so there is plenty of hot water for the tub.
• Emergency numbers, fastest route to the hospital and a full tank of gas in case of a transfer.
• Extra towels and a robe or two
• 10-12 washcloths for cold/ hot compresses
• Ginger- peeled, sliced and kept in freezer until the birth (for hot compresses)
• A crockpot (to keep the compress mixture warm)
• Cold pressed oil for massage
• Lots of ice and frozen juice chips in the freezer
• Witch hazel
• Hydrogen peroxide (gets out blood)
• Bendy straws to make drinking water/ juice/ whatever easier
• Easily digestible snacks for me; healthy, quick snacks for the midwives/ Dave
• Flashlight with extra batteries

Supplies from the thread on Mothering.com:

• A hospital bag packed in case we need to transfer with everything for me, Dave and baby for a hospital stay
• Coconut water- works better than Gatorade as an electrolyte replacer and is natural (no added sugars), it can be ordered online but a local grocery store here has it in the natural foods section.
• A yoga ball (already have one!)
• Plastic covers for pillows (some people said they just used garbage bags under their pillow cases.
• Soup or casserole that can go in the oven or on the stove just after the birth for something healthy and filling for everyone to eat.
• Orange juice for after the birth (everyone agreed that it was just what they wanted to drink)
• Goldenseal powder for the umbilical cord stump
• Small waterproof mattress pad to protect mattress after the birth is over

Advice from the thread on Mothering.com:

• Separate birth supplies into two tubs: One for during bith and one for after.
• Cover the clocks so you don't know how long you've been laboring
• If you start labor at night, try to sleep as long as you can so you are rested when labor really kicks in.
• Turn your cell phones on silent but make sure they are charged and close by in case of emergency.
• Put a note on the door that you are not to be disturbed for any reason!
• Warn the neighbors (we live in a duplex so we really need to do this) that there may be lots of noise but that we are all okay!
• Write out a list of things to do if labor isn't progressing well: Massage, different positions to try, etc.
• Make sure that your husband knows that he MUST enforce anything you say in labor- apparently, it's hard to say things while in the throes of labor so anything that is said must be taken seriously the first time!
• Put an air mattress in the area you plan on birthing (this for us is upstairs in our living/ dining area). They are a soft place to labor, easier to clean up than a mattress, and can be tossed out if gets too messy.
• Lots of extra batteries for your camera and an extra memory card (ours will hold over 2000 pictures so I'm not too worried about having an extra one)
• Set visiting hours for after the birth so you don't get worn out and don't be afraid to kick people out if they stay too long!
• Require that visitors help out by doing dishes, laundry or folding clothes.
• Keep the fridge stocked since you never know when you will go into labor!
• Energy bars and snacks with protein and fats- helps with milk production.
• Remember to turn the hot water heater back down before doing laundry on hot or running the dishwasher as the super hot water can ruin the machines!

So, we have all the supplies now. The pool is partially blown up and leaning against our dining room wall. We have the correct attachment for our kitchen sink attached (which was a pain to find, by the way!) Everything we'll need right away- the tarp for the floor, the hose, liner for the pool and some towels are in a container. The rest of the birth supplies are in another tote underneath that one.

We've been trying to stay stocked with food. We need to run to the store tonight because we're getting close to running out of some things. We are SO looking forward to this little guy deciding it's time to come! He and I are both still doing well. I think he just likes it in there!

Some musings on being pregnant...

So many people ask me how I am doing these days. If I say, "Good" or "Fine," they give me this sympathetic look and then ask if I'm ready to done being pregnant. I just say, "No, I want him to be in there for as long as he needs to be."

Really, I have liked being pregnant. There are things that are no picnic: Heartburn, stretch marks, constant hunger, food aversions/ cravings, etc. I've had a super easy pregnancy compared to some people. I'm extremely grateful that I haven't been sick, haven't had any miscarriage scares, haven't had to have all sorts of tests done or anything like that.

I love knowing that my son is safe, warm and as close to me as he'll ever be. I love feeling him move around and trying to guess if it's a foot, knee, elbow or hand that's trying to escape.

I've loved planning my birth: All the research and gathering of supplies and tips on how to make it the best birth possible. I love knowing that the decisions I have made are based on research and common sense rather than fear and things I've seen on TV. I've loved collecting a stash of cloth diapers to use, I've loved knitting him wool pants to go over the diapers, I've loved crocheting him sweaters and hats. I've loved going through tiny clothes and imagining how cute they will be on his tiny little body.

My goal is to be content the entire time I'm pregnant. I don't want to get to one day after my "due date" and suddenly start wishing he'd hurry up and get here. I know I won't be pregnant forever. I know he will be arrive and be the sweetest little boy in the world, there is no reason for me to stress about when he arrives.

I wish that people didn't put so much emphasis on baby's arrival. I know it's going to be a HUGE event, an amazing day and we are going to remember it forever. But, pregnancy is a very short period of time, compared to how long you'll be a parent, so why does everyone rush it? And, it's not even the pregnant people themselves who rush it, it's everyone around them. The constant questions about when baby will arrive/ when's the due date. I tell most people the end of March. The actual date doesn't matter because it's an estimate! He may need another week or even two in there for his lungs to be fully developed. And that is fine with me. I'm not going to start trying "natural" induction methods at 39 weeks. And yes, it may mean that I have to be super uncomfortable for two weeks. Oh well! I believe that what is best for my baby is him choosing his own birth date.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on that!

32 week picture and appointment update

This is me in Boise with some funny looking boots. The white part of them is all fur.

Anyway, my 32 week appoitnment was awesome. My blood pressure was a little high the past few appointments and it's gone back down. We're attributing it to extra water, exercise and prayer! Also, I'm well hydrated as well. We've had some issues with that in the past. Apparently I'm one of those I'm-too-cool-for-64-ounces-of-water-to-keep-me-hydrated types... so, I aim for just over 70 ounces a day. I think it's probably because my work keeps the office at 74 degrees- WHO NEEDS TO BE THAT HOT??? We keep our house just above 60 when we are home, 55 at night and when we are out.

Baby boy was being difficult again so she couldn't get his heart rate. He is head down though. He was hiding behind the placenta and kept moving away from the fetascope. But, with all the moving he's been doing, I'm not too worried about not having a heart rate at this point. He's obvisouly healthy since he spends so much time exploring my ribs with his toes.

I ordered my birth kit this morning! Woo hoo! It was just under $70 and includes all sorts of little things that I could get locally, but would probably take me forever to track down. So, it's way easier to just order it all at once. We, of course, need to make sure we have lots of towels and wash cloths on hand (bought a bunch on clearance already) along with a few other things like snacks for me and for the midwives.

So, I only have one more appointment until the big 36 week one! After 36 weeks I'll be able to deliver at home if I go into labor. Also, at this appointment, both my primary midwife (who I've been meeting with at my house since the beginning) and her backup will come. We'll have all the birth supplies ready to go and we'll show them where they will be kept. Also, we will show them where the bathroom is, where things are in the kitchen, etc. Not that our house is very big... Dave will be at that appointment- the first one he'll have been at since the very first! Well, and the doctor's appointment/ ultrasound- but I don't really count that as a real prenatal appointment.

Yikes... the more I think about what we have to do before then, the more I realize there is to do! We'll also be installing the carseats at 36 weeks. The convertible one will go in the truck and the infant seat will go in the car. That way, if we do need to transfer to the hospital, we can take either vehicle.

OK, I'm going to stop thinking about all the things we have to do before then since I'm at work (working hard obviously) and can't do anything to prepare at the moment!

Declaring over our pregnancy and birth

Dave and I have been declaring positive things and blessings over this pregnancy and birth since we found out we were pregnant. We've prayed for our safety and health as well as this child's safety and health from the beginning. When fears or worries would creep into my mind, we would pray against those thoughts.

A friend of mine recently loaned me a book called Supernatural Childbirth. Lo and behold, we were doing many of the things suggested in the book already. But, it was a reminder that we should declare those things every day, rather than just when I am stressed about them.

So, I wrote out a few things that are very important to me for the rest of this pregnancy, the labor and our baby. Here are a few of the main things:

I declare a complication free pregnancy for the next two months- normal blood pressure levels, no infections and no more heartburn.
I declare a complication free labor and delivery- baby in the correct position, that my water won't break until the end, that I would not lose an excessive amount of blood.
I declare that we will have a healthy baby- he will breathe with no problems, he will latch on and breastfeed within the first few hours and will be healthy and happy.

Yes, it may sound strange and I know that you can't plan a birth. But, being positive about the future has never hurt anyone. And I believe that God can and will bless my family.

Also, here's my most recent belly shot. 31 weeks!



Right now he's kind of sideways and facing my spine. So, if you could see inside my uterus, you would be looking directly at his butt, which he likes to stick out as far as he can. He's been moving during the day lately, which was unusual before. Today he kicked a lot during church while daddy was preaching.

My blood pressure problems...

So, I don't really have high blood pressure problems. It was a little higher during a couple appointments but that was because I was dehydrated. Now that I've been drinking enough water, my blood pressure is fine.

But, my blood pressure tends to rise when I talk about maternity care in the U.S. and birth and parenting decisions based on misinformation. I've learned during this pregnancy that people seem to think that a pregnant belly (or a babe in arms, I've heard) is an open invitation to tell you what you should or should not be doing/ saying/ feeling/ thinking.

This is the reason that Dave and I have kept a lot of our decisions to ourselves. Most of my friends and family don't know that we are planning a natural birth at home in a birth pool, we will not have the Vitamin K or Hep. B shots at birth, and we won't put the eye ointment on our son. He also will not be circumcised. We plan to have baby sleep in our room, I will breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months, we will cloth diaper from the beginning, we will have vaccinations given on a delayed schedule, we will carry our baby in carriers or our arms rather than carry him in the carseat and we will do baby led weaning. Every single one of these decisions is based on research. None of these are based solely on what a doctor or midwife has told me we should do.

The funny thing is, I would never walk up to a pregnant woman who plans on a hospital birth with an epidural and tell her that she is making the wrong choice for her and her baby. I would never tell her horror stories about hospital births (even though I know of MANY), I would never say she was endangering her child's life by choosing a hospital birth. And yet, if I tell someone that I am planning a home birth with a midwife, they feel like it's their place to tell me that it's unsafe, that they knew of a friend of a friend of a friend whose baby died because they were at home, that I am some sort of whackadoo hippy who isn't getting proper prenatal care, etc.

I also wouldn't tell someone that putting their baby in a different room to sleep is cruel. I don't think it's right that parents allow their babies to cry themselves to sleep, but I'm not walking around telling anyone who reads the book Babywise that they are teaching their children to not trust them. But, if I tell someone we plan on cosleeping, I get told my child is going to be spoiled, he'll sleep with us forever, he won't learn to self soothe...

See the problems here? Other expectant moms are able to talk excitedly to anyone and everyone about their birth plans- how they will be getting their membranes stripped a week early, how they'll have a Pitocin drip and then they'll get an epidural when the contractions become too difficult (which, with an induction, can happen very quickly). Or a woman can say that her doctor told her the baby is going to be too big to fit through her pelvis based on an ultrasound, so they scheduled a c-section two weeks early. I can't give my opinion on any of those things because the person would be extremely offended that I would dare question the choices they've made for their birth.

Yet I feel that I can't talk about home birth, natural labor and delivery, delayed cord cutting and spending the first two hours after birth holding my son skin to skin.

Because my choices are not mainstream, I'm apparently fair game for all judgment, ridicule and doubt. This causes my blood pressure to go up!

But you know what? I'm not going to hide my choices anymore. I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that what Dave and I have decided to do is best for us and is best for our son. Everyone is allowed to make their own choices based on their research. So, if anyone has problems with my decisions, they are welcome to do the same research I've been doing. If they come up with a different decision - fine, they can go have a baby however they want.

Woo! See, I tend to go off on these topics. It's a good thing I didn't have an appointment today, otherwise my blood pressure would have been up again! But, really, I feel like most women don't even realize they have a choice in their births. They don't know that there are options out there for them. And, if I keep what I have discovered to myself, then it's possible they'll never hear about it. So, maybe, if I share my choices and deal with the doubt and ridicule from most people, maybe one woman will realize that she does have a say over what happens to her body and her baby during birth.

30 weeks and some days survey

How far along: 30 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain: Still an unknown. I prefer not knowing anyway though I've grown out of a pair of maternity pants, so I know I'm getting bigger!

Maternity clothes: Almost everything.

Sleep: Not too bad. I wake up several times a night to roll over or go to the bathroom. Thankfully I haven't had too many problems getting back to sleep.

Best moment this week: I actually felt his little foot. He was pushing against my side and I could tell where his heel and toes were! So tiny!

Movement: Lots of it! He really rocks around in there.

Food cravings: None really, though I have been eating more lately. Pretty much everything sounds good these days.

Gender: Boy

Labor signs: Definitely none.

Belly button in or out: Still in though much shallower still.

What I miss: Being able to get up quickly.

What I'm looking forward to: Having appointments every two weeks, beginning to really plan for the birth.

Weekly wisdom: Pregnancy makes everyone else super weird. I've had people make the dumbest comments to me. Just because my belly sticks out does not mean you have the right to know what is going on with my body!

Milestones: Baby's lungs are developing more and more and he's getting fatter!

What I've been reading...

I thought I'd post a few of the web sites and books I've been reading to prepare for having this baby.

Our favorite site has been ehd.org. It has short videos (actual videos inside the womb) of baby's development. It was so amazing to watch those early ones and see what had formed that week. Now that baby is bigger, we check it every once in awhile to see when baby is supposed to be able to see light (which he can now!) and when his lungs are getting more mature. They have a lot of 4D ultrasounds of babies. It's amazing how much they move around in there!

My personal favorite site has been mothering.com. I did subscribe recently because I was able to get a free book out of it. I love the articles because they actually encourage parents to follow their instincts rather than just listen to a doctor. I lurk on the boards there as well- so much wonderful, personal experience on those!

I also like naturalbirthandbabycare.com. Though I checked it out again recently and it's changed a lot. I don't visit it much any more, but there is lots of good information on it.

Another great one is theecofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com. Tons of information about cloth diapers and how to care for them!

On to the books I've been reading. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin is a wonderful book that I am SO glad I bought. It's so empowering to be reminded that women's bodies are supposed to be able to do this! There are some great birth stories in there (also some that are a little weird.) Gaskin has been a midwife for years at The Farm. She is a nationally recognized midwife (was interviewed for The Business of Being Born) and is very experienced with natural, out of hospital births.

I am also reading Active Birth by Janet Balaskas. She encourages exercise and yoga during pregnancy to prepare for birth. I haven't been too great at doing the exercise and yoga though... I really need to step that up!

I received Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding when I subscribed to Mothering Magazine. I've been reading that slowly. It seems a little early to be reading about how to breastfeed but I figure it will help to read it now and then I'll remember what it said when I need it! Or at least remember that it was in there and be able to find it again! It is also a great book that explains the common issues women have while breastfeeding and how to combat them early.

I wrote a little in a past post about Pushed by Jennifer Block. It's not a guide to birth but it is an eye opener about maternity care in the United States. I would get SO angry, frustrated, upset and annoyed while reading stories of women who wanted natural births and were forced into inductions, episiotomies, forceps and/ or c-sections. Stories of doctors and nurses who used scare tactics to get women to submit to continuous fetal monitoring (which has been shown in several studies to increase the risk of c-section but not increase the likelihood of a healthy baby). There were women who would say they were refusing a c-section and doctors that ignored them and gave them one anyway. Women who said they did not want an episiotomy (if you don't know what this is, I wouldn't recommend searching through Google images for the answer) and were given one anyway, without their consent.

Dave finally told me I wasn't allowed to read the book before bed because I would get so angry that I'd be up for another hour just venting about it. Also, at one midwife appointment, we were talking about what I'd been reading. I started telling her about the book and how horrible all those stories were. When she took my blood pressure it was WAY higher than normal. She took it again later and it was normal. So, that book definitely raised my blood pressure!

I highly recommend that every woman read that book. It made me simultaneously want to scream at every obstetrician I ever met, picket hospitals and cry for all those women who were violated. It made me think of the women's rights movement and how maternity care has made women no better than cattle in a slaughter house line. Maternity care these days is a GIANT step backwards in women's rights. It made me SO glad that I will be having a home birth with a midwife.

I did get a few other books from the library about natural birth but none of them stick out to me as being wonderful.

Oh, another great resource is The Business of Being Born video. It is available to watch instantly through Netflix if you have that. I believe there are also places online where you can watch it for free. I actually watched it about a year and a half ago because I was home from work and bored. It really opened my eyes to other options about birth. I had Dave watch it when he got home and that was a big reason that he's so open to and looking forward to our natural birth.

So, those are a few things I've been reading/ watching. There is SO much information out there about birth and choices that a couple needs to make about their baby. The saddest thing for me is knowing that so many women never look into the options they have. They simply listen to their doctors and never make an informed decision about tests or procedures done to them or their baby.

Hmm, and now that I look back through this post, I probably should have written a whole separate one for the review on Pushed! That got long.

28 weeks! (well more now...)

Here is me in La Push, Washington, at 28 weeks pregnant. It was the day after Christmas and so beautiful, sunny and warm! We got in some exercise and Dave and I were able to get our ocean fix. It's hard moving from someplace right next to the ocean to a city where the biggest body of water is the river.



See, I told you it was warm! No coat!

Anyway, after we got back from our Christmas vacation, I had my 28 week midwife appointment. Baby was difficult again and wouldn't let Nancy get his heartbeat on the fetascope or the doppler! She did get a heart rate from his umbilical cord (which sounds very whooshy on the doppler). She said she likes to establish a baseline for his heart rate so that during labor, she'll know what is normal for him.

I had to get my finger pricked to check my hemoglobin and even though my blood pressure was a little high, she said she can tell that my blood volume has increased from the hemoglobin drop.

From here until 36 weeks, I will be meeting with Nancy every two weeks! I can't even believe we are going to be 30 weeks pregnant at the next appointment!

Well, there is more to write but that will have to wait. We got TONS of stuff for baby recently and I'd like to get some pictures of some of it to go along with the next post. We'll see how I do considering our home computer it being difficult.

26 weeks!

I'm 26 weeks and 3 days pregnant! Less than 100 days until my due date. I keep telling myself to not get too stuck on that date... I want this baby to bake as long as he needs to so a specific date will not help me relax if I go past that. But, it's hard when I have a little ticker on my Facebook page telling me how many days I have left!

So, as you can see, the belly is getting bigger! Little boy moves around like crazy- usually when I'm laying down. When I lay down for the night, he starts kicking and poking. If I get up during the night, he'll kick a little bit when I lay back down. And then, in the morning, after Dave wakes me up, he'll start kicking until I get up.

He'll sometimes kick during the day while I'm at my desk. Yesterday, I'd been typing in ads and hadn't been talking much. When I answered the phone, he started kicking. I'm telling myself it's because he liked hearing my voice. :)

It's only 10 days until Christmas! Dave and I will be bringing back tons of baby stuff from my sisters' houses. Tubs of clothes, a swing and a dresser for baby. As well as anything else they decide they want to get rid of!

While finishing up our Christmas shopping this weekend we browsed the baby sections. There were SO many cute outfits that I was tempted to buy. But, I'm telling myself that once we get all the hand me down clothes here, we'll go through them and then figure out what things we are missing- if he needs a coat/ body suit for the first few cold months, socks, long sleeved shirts, pants, etc. And I need to get myself in the mind set of buying second hand. I should go to Goodwill/ Salvation Army/ St. Vincent's first and then the baby consignment stores in town before going to real stores. It will be cheaper and it is eco friendly to reuse instead of buy new!

And, I've decided to get a crib. We are going to copy my younger sister and take one side off and put it at the same level and right up against our bed. We tend to use up all our bed space, so this way he'll have his own space but he'll be right there for breastfeeding, soothing, diaper changes, etc. So, we are going to check out a baby resale store in town that I know has cribs and then just buy a new mattress. If he was going to be in a separate room while sleeping, I would prefer a new crib, but since he'll only be in it while we are in the room, a second hand one doesn't worry me.

I think that's everything for now... I'm reading the book Active Birth right now. Trying to make sure to get yoga and stretching in every day. I would walk as well, but it's hard when it's icy and snowy outside.

Belly shot, 23 weeks!

I realized I hadn't posted a belly shot recently so here's the most recent one. About 23 weeks, which is really hard to believe!

I'm feeling good. Baby boy is moving around and kicking me a lot. It feels weird sometimes but I still enjoy it.

Protein, protein, protein

A few studies have shown that adequate protein while pregnant can prevent pre-e. So, I'm under strict instructions to get 80 to 100 grams of protein a day. Yeah, that's a lot of protein. I tried protein shakes and there is no way I'm getting that or keeping that down.

Well, I discovered an awesome recipe for Cottage Cheese Pancakes that has an obscene amount of protein. The batch makes about 6 pancakes and has 50 grams of protein in it. I was able to add an extra 1o grams to the batch with ground flax seed and toasted wheat germ. And, while the name may be a turn off, give them a try. They are very moist and even fluffy.

1 cup cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. ground flax seed
2 Tbs. toasted wheat germ
Pinch of salt (I usually leave this out)
3 Tbs. melted butter

Directions: Mix all ingredients except butter in bowl. Pour melted butter over and mix in. Cook on preheated skillet until dark golden brown, turning only once.

Simple as that! 10 grams of protein per pancake. I usually eat three for breakfast along with an 8 ounce glass of milk. So, I start my day with 38 grams of protein. I think the only other way you can get that is by drinking one of those disgusting protein shakes.

I have topped mine with honey, syrup, apple pie filling or blackberry syrup. The apples help get in a daily fruit but I think the blackberry syrup is my favorite. It was home canned by my grandma and has the perfect blend of sweet and tart. It's almost like eating a blackberry pie for breakfast!

Ultrasound pictures!

Here's our little boy! It was just so cool to see him moving around in there. I still can't believe that there's actually something alive inside me... little weird and creepy and awesome all at the same time.

So, we've chosen a name but have decided not to share it. I did not realize how upset people get when you won't tell them the name you've chosen for your unborn child. Then they start giving you names you might like... I finally told one friend that we were not open to suggestions.

Of course, since Dave and I are referring to baby by name while alone, we may accidentally give it away before March!

It's a...

BOY!
We were very surprised when we opened that envelope after the ultrasound! For some reason, we both were convinced it was going to be a girl. We are very excited to be expecting our little man though. Dave is SO excited. He wants to show the picture of little man's stuff off to everyone but I told him he wasn't allowed to post it anywhere. Just seems a little weird to me.

It was so cool to see him on the screen though. It's weird that he's actually in there, swimming around. He moves a lot more than I can actually feel.

So, since I had been thinking girl all this time, I had all these ideas for little dresses and outfits I could sew for her. Little play food sets I would make, little dolls and stuffed animals. Well, now I have to come up with ideas for what to make for my boy! I compiled a little list of things I want to make. I'll post them here in case any other parent of a boy needs some ideas. Let me tell you, there are a lot more tutorials and ideas out there for little girl stuff!

Fabric barn (also includes dollhouse tutorial)
Felt ball (I have a ton of felt that I'll be able to use for these!)
Rocket ship (I love this one)
Crocheted dragon (I've wanted to make this for awhile now... just to have made it. But, it will make a great toy for a little boy! I'm thinking I'll need to modify a crocheted doll pattern to make a little knight so the boy can have battles.)
Felt castle (for the dragon to attack!)

I also found a few patterns for crocheted cars on Ravelry that I might try. And lionbrand.com has tons of little animal patterns.

So, my son will not be without homemade toys. I hope to add Lincoln Logs, some wooden blocks and other wood toys. I want to keep my house as plastics free as possible... also as few battery operated toys as possible!

Gender ultrasound scheduled for...

November 9th! Almost a month earlier than originally scheduled- the doctor's office had a cancellation. And it's only a month away! I'm very excited to find out...

Also, here's a belly shot- 18 and 1/2 weeks.

18 week pregnancy survey

How far along? 18 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Unknown... and I will never know!

Maternity clothes? Most definitely. I love that I have sisters that just had babies and are about the same size. We went to visit to pick up clothes and see the little babies.

Sleep: Waking up a lot but thankfully able to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.

Best moment this week: Hmm, I can't think of one. Since I did the last survey though, it's been visiting the family.

Movement: I think I've been imagining some. I'm SO looking forward to it!

Food cravings: Fruit and fruit flavored things for a while.

Gender: Unknown though the husband thinks it's a girl.

Labor signs: Nope.

Belly button in or out? In. I'm pretty sure it's never coming out.

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.

What I am looking forward to: Movement!

Weekly wisdom: Don't try to rush things... people keep saying they can't believe we won't be able to find out what we are having until December (long story about doctor's office issues.) But, I'm trying not to be impatient about anything. I know pregnancy takes awhile and I know things aren't going to happen quickly. And they are already saying how miserable I'll be at the end of pregnancy and how I'll just want it to be over. Another pearl of wisdom: don't listen to them!

Milestones: I'm showing... We need to start taking belly pictures to post on Facebook and the blog.