30w 1d - Hospital "Policy?"

Wow! A lot is happening this week! On Sunday the other Hypnobirthing couple expressed their desire for the dad to stay with their baby for their pediatric exam. Huh? That doesn't happen automatically? The ped doesn't do the exam in the room? Nope, it's done in the nursery. WHY?? Well apparently 1 excuse is that the lighting is pretty terrible in the L&D/recovery rooms to be able to check the baby's color very well. And essentially it comes down to "physician preference" and convenience. I was told by a nurse that if it is not busy in the nursery, the father may go inside the nursery with the doctor during the exam. If it's too busy, it's a confidentiality violation for him to be there! OH come on! So he would have to stand outside the glass and watch. Not acceptable in our opinions.

I may try calling the pediatric offices who are on call at this hospital to "get a feel" for which practice may be more flexible and possibly come to the room. Even if I don't get around to calling, and even if nobody wants to "bend," we will not allow "Pason" to leave without 1 of us by his/her side! Unless, of course, I am alone and so exhausted that I absolutely cannot function!

Ain't nuttin' easy... ;)

30w 0d - Pre-Registration

We pre-registered at the hospital this evening and asked a few more "newbie parent" questions. I signed up for a volunteer, on-call doula, and the registrar asked which family nurse-lactation consultant (LC) I would want to come visit me at home around day 3 or 5. Whaaaaat? I am so impressed they do this! I don't think the hospital closer to home offers this personal service! You can call the other hospital's LCs, but they don't plan to visit each mom automatically!

I've heard a paid doula is *so* worth the investment, but we're not going for it. I'm crossing fingers tightly that the volunteer doula service will be able to come through and that there will be one available for me!

30w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby now weighs about 3.5 lbs (1600g) and measures about 18 inches (40cm) in total and about 11.2 inches (28cm) from crown to rump.
• Your baby's increasing size means that she has less room to move around in your uterus.
• Your baby could already be moving into the head-down position.
• Your baby's lungs are maturing and their lining, which prevents air sacs from collapsing, is growing. This lung development means that your baby would have a much greater chance of survival if he were born prematurely.
• About 16 fluid ounces of blood are flowing through the wall of your uterus to the site of the placenta, though your blood never mixes with your baby's blood. It is separated by the placental barrier which is a very thin wall. Water, nutrients and waste are exchanged across this barrier at a rate of 0.3 fluid ounces per second.
• Your baby swallows amniotic fluid and urinates.
• Your baby's ears are sufficiently developed to hear and recognize your voice, the voices of other family members as well as familiar musical tunes.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

29w 5d - Last Hypnobirthing Class

Today we finished our 5th and final hypnobirthing class. Of the 3 couples, 1 of the couples still hadn't shown by 15 minutes after our start time. The instructor called them at home and she said that the mother-to-be sounded "odd," but that they were coming and to start without them. Fifteen minutes later we were getting settled for class and they walked in with their baby! Mateo was born about 3 weeks "early"--on our anniversary, the 25th, at 6 lb 14 oz. Isn't God great??

A. used many of the vizualization techniques she had learned in class and never requested medical pain relief--even with Pitocin! She felt pressured to start the Pit due to the time when her membranes had ruptured. (Of course, in other countries where the childbirth "practice" seems to be leaps ahead, they allow a mom to labor for 2-3 days after her water breaks before worrying too much about infection. But anyway, that's another post!) Long story short, she ended up with a sort of homebirth in the hospital! She had labored a good bit in the tub/jaccuzzi and was alone (with her husband half asleep sitting on the floor) in the tub when she felt their son ready to arrive! She trusted her instincts and gave birth right there, half kneeling and half standing in the tub. It was such a beautiful and inspiring story, especially since she didn't even finish our course! It was truly a surprise to see them walk in with their beautiful baby Mateo. Congratulations A. & B.!

In our actual class after A., B., & Mateo left, we covered the final stage techniques, other birthing positions, more in depth birth companion instruction, and even how to use Hypnobirthing if you must have interventions such as Pitocin! A. and B. practically taught our class this evening!

I have only great things to say about the course and our instructor. Please contact me if you have questions about HypnoBirthing or Hypnobabies. Now I just need to get back to a regular practice schedule!!

29w 3d - Latest "Down"

I discoverd this week that I am suffering from a condition called diastasis recti. I had pretty bad pain in my upper abdominal muscle area under my sternum for 2 days. That is mostly gone, but a numb feeling on my skin still remains. Yet another fun pregnancy "benefit" (hehe) that everyone neglects to tell you!

29w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby now weighs about 3 lbs (1400g), measures about 10.8 (27cm) inches from crown to rump and measures about 17 inches (38cm) from head to toe.
• Your baby is probably aware of your Braxton Hicks contractions, which you experience regularly, even when you do not notice them.
• By this time, your baby is very active and you feel its movements frequently.
• Your baby is still practicing breathing movements which have now become rhythmic.
• Sometimes your baby gets the hiccups when she accidentally swallows amniotic fluid the wrong way.
• She is getting fatter and plumper. On an ultrasound, you can see your baby's activities quite easily.
• Your baby has periods of rest and periods of activity now. Your baby is probably most active when you are trying to rest.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

28w 2d - Ups & Downs

I had my 28-week appointment today. I'll try to interweave the details below!

Downs

• "Failed" the hemoglobin (iron) blood draw today. They like to see it at 11 in pregnancy and mine is currently 10.6. I am not surprised as I know I have been feeling more tired. According to the midwife, Donna, it takes 120 days for your consumption to reflect results in a blood test! So what I change now will affect my post-birth recovery, ability to breastfeed, emotional well being, energy level, etc. at that time period. A friend has the same problem and finds natural remedies whenever possible. She has told me about a product called Floradix that is also pumped with great mommy herbs and is not constipating! I think I will give it a go.
  

Ups

• Passed the GTT - glucose tolerance test today. YAY! My number was a 134, and their threshold is 135.
• "Pason's" heartbeat was around 134.
• My belly measured 28 cm--"right on" for 28 weeks.
  
• 3 generous friends and family have offered to host baby showers! So far they are all scheduled in December!! I am so humbled and grateful.
  

28w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby now weighs about 2.7 lbs (1.2kg), measures about 10.4 inches (26cm) from crown to rump, and is around 16.7 inches (42cm) long. He is plumper and rounder, and his head and body are beginning to be in proportion.
• Your baby now uses all of his senses. He can see, taste, and recognize touch and the sound of your voice.
• During the last trimester, your baby will receive antibodies from you through your placenta that will provide immunity from many diseases.
• Your baby's adrenal glands are producing androgen-like substances. Androgens are normally male sex hormones, but in late pregnancy, when they reach the placenta they are turned into estrogen which in turn stimulates the production of prolactin in your body. Prolactin is the hormone needed for milk production. In this exchange, your baby is beginning to stimulate milk production in your breasts so that when he is born there will be food waiting for him.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

27w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby weighs about 2.5 lbs (1.1kg) and is about 10 inches (25cm) from crown to rump and 15 inches (38 cm) long from head to toe.
• At this time, the baby has tastebuds which allow it to distinguish between sweet, sour and bitter tastes.
• Brain tissue and brain development increases at this time as your baby grows the folds and grooves needed for a developed brain.
• Eyebrows and eyelashes are probably present and the hair on your baby's head is growing longer.
• Your baby's body is filling out, getting a bit fatter as fat deposition continues, but it is still somewhat red and wrinkled.
• Your baby is big enough for his presentation to be determined. That is, your caregiver can probably tell how your baby is oriented in your uterus. He may be breech (bottom down) or head first. If your baby is in a breech position now, there is no need to worry as there is still plenty of room and time for your baby to change positions.
• Your baby can feel pain and respond to it in the same way as a full term baby.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com

Razor Update 3

This one is way overdue, but finally we have a somewhat concrete answer. Razor has had lots of trouble in the same leg since his surgery. However, his surgery was very successful and did not fail. Turns out his extreme pain that developed recently is from the head of his femur (upper leg bone). After taking another set of x-rays, our vet, who consulted with 3 or 4 other vets also, is fairly certain he has bone cancer (which is typically very aggressive). It is possible that his surgery sped up the attack of it. It is also possible that he has an infection from the patella (knee) surgery, but that is more unlikely. He is currently on an antibiotic and Prednisone. The long term affects of Pred do not look very appealing. But for now we have decided to take the situation day by day and not put him through any more x-rays (which require sedation) or testing. Dr. Bowman wanted to x-ray his chest to see if it has spread there yet. We don't see where that will gain him any quality of life or time, so we have declined to know at this point. We appreciate your continued prayers for his comfort and happiness in the days, weeks, months? ahead. We love you, Razor!

26w 6d - HypnoBirthing® Class Update

We have already had 3 classes! Only 2 more left. We have 2 other couples in our class who are due around mid-November, so we've had to "crunch" several classes together. That's OK--it just gives us more time to practice our relaxation, visualization, and deepening techniques!

Our class focuses on the philosophy of the natural birth using the HypnoBirth® techniques. I am loving it! We've worked on releasing fears we are facing about childbirth and parenthood, because fear only results in tension, which results in pain, which results in more fear! The never ending cycle... The fear and tension result in the "fight or flight" reflex and type of adrenaline which is definitely not conducive to childbirth! If you are afraid and tense, your cervix is only going to be that much tighter to not allow the baby a relaxed, welcoming door to the world.

Then of course we are also working on relaxation techniques. Sometimes our instructor will read us scripts to help us learn to relax. So far I have come really close to falling asleep on two different occasions! I guess that's really relaxed! She said that's OK as long as I "come back" to the room when she prompts us, which indicates I subconsciously heard her and wasn't fully asleep.

There is so much more to these classes than I'm able to write about here. I'm definitely inspired and I'm closer to being empowered to have the childbirth experience I desire. If you have questions about HypnoBirthing® please do not hesitate to ask me!

26w 0d - "Pason" This Week

• Your baby weighs more than 2 lbs (1000g), measures 9.6 inches from crown to rump (24cm) and its total length is about 15.3 inches (34cm). If your baby were born now, she would have about an 85% chance of surviving. Nonetheless, your baby still needs another 13 weeks of in utero development to be considered full term.
• Your baby's eyes, no longer fused shut, are now open.
• Your baby's skin still has a very wrinkled appearance, but it is protected and nourished by the covering of vernix, a waxy coating that keeps the skin supple.
• Your baby looks almost like a full term baby, but is still much thinner and smaller than she will be at birth.

Source: http://preg.fertilityfriend.com