I had something completely different planned for today but when I went upstairs to grab my camera to download pictures, I got distracted by my bladder. After using the restroom (something you needed to know ;)) I came back downstairs… without the camera. I’m exhausted. Therefore, you get tomorrow’s post today and today’s post tomorrow.
So, here goes.
I’ve made a few changes this pregnancy.
****First off, I’m going to a midwife. Admittedly, I was a little nervous about this decision but I keep hearing what a wonderful experience it can be so I made the decision. I went to my first appointment a week ago and actually really enjoyed it.
Well, except for the actual exam part. That’s never fun… ICK!
But the midwife actually took the time to get to know me a little bit and I felt like she really cared. I wasn’t just another patient in room 12. We talked about each of my previous pregnancies and she noted anything significant such as the fact that I tend to produce very short umbilical cords and C was wrapped up in his so tightly that he was unable to descend until the doctor actually reached up (inside my body!) and broke the cord with his bare hands. After that, C wouldn’t take a breath (they tried for two whole minutes with him on my chest) and they had to rush him to the resuscitation room. They tried everything they knew to try but it hadn’t worked. From there they had to call a CODE BLUE… TWICE before anyone showed up and was able to get him breathing.
Thank heavens for her! She wasn’t even supposed to be on that floor. She heard the code called over the system the second time and rushed up there.
The next step they were going to take was to crack his chest. YIKES! I don’t even know what that means but it doesn’t sound fun.
Other than that we’ve never had a problem **knock on wood**!
Ok, so that was kind of a side note but pertinent, nonetheless.
The midwife was so kind and I loved that she was willing to do an early ultrasound for me, just because I asked. It was too early to hear a heartbeat but darnitall! I needed something to make it more real. She snuck me in there and I got to see my little peanut for just a brief moment! I also loved that they wanted to see me before my 10th week of pregnancy.
And I don’t even have to go as often… how cool is that? I’m on a 6 week schedule instead of a 4 week. It was completely up to me but she said she trusted my judgment since I’ve ‘been around the block a time or two’… or five! ;)
It’s a midwife group so I won’t necessarily see the same one each time. And whichever one is on call when I go into labor is the one that will be there for delivery.
Maybe I’m a little scared about that one. What if there’s one I decide I just don’t like and she’s IT! UGH! But so far I like all one of them that I’ve met. ;)
****The second change that I have to make has to do with my weight gain. Anthony has lost A LOT of weight! So much, in fact, that I’ve never known him to be this small the whole time that I’ve known him. Do you know what that means? I’ll tell you!
If I end up gaining my usual 50 pounds per pregnancy (yes, 50!) I will end up HEAVIER than my husband! That has never happened before! I just don’t know if I could handle that.
So, my goal is to only gain 30. How do you other moms do it? I always hear about people gaining only 15 or 20 pounds and I just don’t get it! I need to know your secrets! Maybe my tummy wouldn’t be so stretched out if I only gained that much. I’m determined to figure it out! Too bad I’ve already gained about 5 pounds… stupid cravings!!
****Another change that I’m making is the hospital. Why drive clear downtown when there is a perfectly awesome (and new-ish) hospital right down the street? I never delivered there before because I loved my doctor and he just didn’t go there. However, the midwives I chose deliver there and I am actually really excited about it.
My due date is November 23rd, the day after Thanksgiving.
The day AFTER!
I really don’t want to be in the hospital for my feast… cross your fingers for me that this baby comes early! Not too early, just a week or two would be great.
****The final change is that we aren’t going to find out what this baby is! We’ve always found out at our 20 week ultrasound and this time we want to be surprised. However, we’re a little nervous that we’re going to figure it out at the ultrasound anyway. Obviously we’ll look away when they look at the anatomy but if the baby happens to flip or change positions while looking somewhere else…. we’re both pretty good at knowing what we’re looking at now.
And just another tidbit… my very first doctor, with K, told me at my very first appointment that the first trimester is the equivalent of running a marathon EVERY DAY!! That’s how hard our bodies work to create the perfect environment for our little ones to grow. And boy, do I feel it!! No wonder I’m so stinkin’ tired all the time. You’d think with all the marathoning I’m doing I wouldn’t have a weight gain problem. WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!
What experiences have you had with doctors or midwives? Were you able to stay within the ‘limits’ on weight gain? Tell me your secrets! Anyone deliver at home?
13 comments:
Okay, loved reading this post. I wanted so badly to go with a Midwife. My only option out here is to do a midwife if I deliver at home. I'm not against a home delivery I've heard so many wonderful experiences with home deliveries. I've gone back and forth with even trying one. Although, I know I'd have to sneak it under my husbands nose and never tell my parents. I also get a little nervous with, what if something.... I'm within seconds of a hospital but you don't always have seconds. I'm opting to stay with my doc I delivered Matthias with and do it in a hospital. I wish there was a midwife that could deliver at a hospital but nothing of the sort within an hour drive.
I'm with you on the weight gain. With each pregnancy I put on 50-80lbs. and I really, really don't want to go there. I've been trying really hard to be careful and eat right. I've found my problem is that when I'm tired I eat. Or, if I don't feel like doing anything, I eat. Such a bad habit. Normally, when I'm not pregnant I can combat this and find something to keep me busy. When pregnant though... well I'm tired and pathetic a lot.
I do hope people will have suggestions for you on how to keep the weight down. I'm going into this pregnancy with 20lbs left over from the last. I know weight isn't a big deal and I get that I'm supposed to gain some. I just am really struggling this round with that process.
No secrets to share here... hoping your other readers have some.
I haven't done the midwife thing, but I found the best doctor in town. He talks with you, you don't feel like cattle when you go to his office and he remebers EVERTHING about you. So good to find someone that actually cares!
As far as the weight gain thing I always gain between 20-30 lbs. If you are noramally a small person it's good gain more weight 30+ lbs, if you are medium 20-30 and if you are over weight that is when the 15 lbs is ok.
Yeah for not finding out what it is. I haven't foudn out with any of mine and it is awesome.
As far as home delivery...I have had to many scares in my own and my extended family. Baby needing oxygen, baby being life flighted to PCMC...so scary for me, but a lot of people do it!!
So since I really don't have any room to gain weight anyways, my MD and I came up with a really easy plan of me only gaining 15 pounds when I was pregnant with J. I ate every two hours something organic, whole grained, no HFCS, low sodium, etc. Really healthy stuff all the time. It worked because I only gained 12 pounds. A lot of people laughed because my purse was always full of snacks like apples, grapes, yogurt, carrots, seeds, edamame, etc.
Brooke, I love the new blog look! Congrats on baby number 6. It's funny how life goes, as a teen I always thought I would have 6 kids...nope. So way to go that's very exciting! Oh and midwife=totally the way to go!!
Cousin Brooke-
It must be hereditary to gain a lot of weight during pregnancy. I also gain about 50 and I have passed my husband before as well. But the rule is I don't step on the scale any more once I know I weigh more than him! Good luck with the Midwife and the new hospital. I finally switched on my last and was so glad to have the doctor and hospital closer and more convenient. I Love your blog! Keep it up.
Love following your blog! Congrats on #6. LOVE kids and I think they make life better :) I didn't do the midwife thing as I've always been high risk [I'll spare you the boring details]. However, with my first pregnancy I gained 63 pounds! OUCH! When #2 came around I promised myself no more than 30. The best advice I can give about the weight gain is I ate LOTS of veggies ... at every meal. I also ate them first before I ate the "good" stuff. That way I was loaded up & full on healthy options and didn't tend to overeat my favorite ... the carbs!! I also read that drinking a glass of milk at every meal filled you up as well so I did that too. Must have worked as I only gained 32 pounds with #2. Yipee!! Again, God's blessings on your pregnancy!!
I eat when I'm tired too! And when I'm bored, excited, sad, lonely, happy... I just like to eat. And I think the problem is that I give myself permission when I'm pregnant just because I'm pregnant. I use it as an excuse and I need to stop it! I need to follow your example and start doing something, like running... EW!
I hear ya on the homebirth. I am way too chicken to ever try it myself. First of all, I am a huge fan of the epidural and after what happened with C, it just isn't something I would ever consider.
Look at you go! So disciplined. I need lessons. Maybe you could help me out. ;)
Good to know others who have done the midwife thing. I'm really excited about it. We'll see how it goes.
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one ;)
Good for you! That's awesome! I need to take your advice and eat more vegetables. I'm really good at eating fruit but I could definitely do better in the veggie department.
My first two babies were born in a hospital delivered by a doctor. I go WAY late with my babies. Much to many peoples amusement and astonishment, as I'm only 4'9". My first baby was 9 days late and I was induced. It was AWFUL. 5 hours of pushing a posterior baby (which they didn't know) and then I ended up sleeping through the c-section. Baby #2 was 16 days late, and once I hit 42 weeks my OB informed me that I needed to have a c-section or my baby would die. You know, because if a baby doesn't come before the doctor's scheduled vacation, the baby will die. Ugh. So I was forced into another c-section, which was worse than the first one!! Epidural needles bending in my back, damaged vertebra, ugh ugh ugh.
So baby #3 (who is 7 weeks today! <3) was born with a midwife at home. Best birth experience EVER. And he was 21 days late. Born beautiful and perfect and healthy. Seriously, this was a great experience. My husband goes along with my crazy ideas of having a big family, but he is always saying that we are done. After the birth of this baby he has stopped telling me we are done, I think it changed him a lot. It was incredible. You can read the story on my blog :)
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