i think i was bragging just a bit too much about how easy my pregnancy was going because overnight the nausea came back with avengance and i was on the couch for most of the new year's weekend. we rang in the new year with sighs, snuggles and naps. (it was actually rather wonderful despite feeling like ass). really, up until that point, the only thing i could remotely complain about was the heartburn. oh, the lovely, lovely heartburn. i told my family that i was incubating a small fire-breathing dragon. i really thought that if i exhaled long enough that at least some smoke would come out. (turns out, it just means bebe alf is going to be hairy. but hopefully just on his head, ok? i think i would completely freak out if i birthed a little baby ewok or sasquatch). but once i pop a few tums (a few times a day), he goes back to being a little, wiggly (poky, kicky, punchy, head-butting) baby boy. problem solved. which reminds me, my bottle of 160 extra strength tablets is down to a few green ones (i hate the green ones) and i need to restock before he starts practicing his fire juggling circus act. kids, amiright?
what i'm happiest about though was our first "official" midwife visit. we had a "get to know you" session before christmas (with another couple that was adorably just as nervous as i was) but this was our one-on-one with Jen - one of three midwives who would all be checking in on the baby and i as we progress into the final stages. just the few simple things she did during that session solidified my decision to leave the hospital and with it, my OB far, far behind. it's not that my doctor did anything wrong, per se, but like a lot of women i felt like just another number, ushered in to pee in a cup, give blood, then wait in a room for a half hour (most times much longer) for her to woosh in, flip through a chart, tell me everything looked "fine" and send me on my way. sure, i felt good, nothing felt "wrong", my baby did (and does) feel strong and healthy to me, i didn't have any crazy questions (because, let's face it, you can find most things online should a question come up that you don't feel is "doctor worthy" anyway) but that didn't mean that i felt like i was really getting the care i wanted either. plus, i really don't like the whole "no news is good news" way that the hospital tends to deal with things. they weren't giving me anything other than the bare minimum and frankly, this being my first baby, i was unsure of a lot of the questions i should be asking.
in just our hour session with Jen, she pulled all of my previous paperwork from the hospital and went over everything with us. she told me my iron levels were a little low (nothing to be alarmed about and it's often quite common in pregnant women but she gave me a list of iron-rich foods i should start incorporating into my diet) and that my vitamin D levels were hella low. (something that i learned hospitals rarely even test for so she did her own blood culture and then gave me a call later when the results came in). um, yeah, because obviously i live in the city of sunshine! (ha ha, oh seattle, how i wish). and i work at a job with no windows anywhere near me and it's dark when i go to and from said job. in any case, she was bestowing upon me KNOWLEDGE! knowledge for which was formerly completely unbeknownst to me! and i could now thusly use such knowledge in order to procure vitamins and healthy foods with which to provide myself and my baby! so it was thusly spoken! and it was good!
seriously, evergreen OB, WTF?! thanks for telling me absolutely NONE of this.
Jen also had me lay on the table and she felt that he had turned so his head was already near my pelvis and she pointed out where his legs, arms and little butt were (oh, so that's what you've been sticking in my ribs, you little stinker). (my OB did the same hand sweep on me when i visited her the last time but informed me that "it was too early to tell position"). hmmm....
my midwife also pulled information on birthing classes, foods high in omega-3 (good!) and omega-6 (bad!), safe herbs to take during pregnancy and their positive and often preventative uses (good!), exercises to do during pregnancy (good! i have a personal trainer so this wasn't completely necessary but not everyone has access to such a kick-ass person and this is still more information my doctor never gave me).
i called the favorite (i.e. most popular) birthing class and managed to get the last slot before it was full. hurray! huzzah! joy and rapture! so tomorrow is already our first class and i'm all sorts of nervous/excited. looking forward to hopefully meeting some new people that are of the same mindset.
on another note, a friend from college answered my facebook post/note awhile back about cloth/reusable diapers and how we're really interested to try it (i.e. cost saving, environment saving, cool hippie-parenting street cred) but we didn't know where to start or which brands to look at. she just sent us a bunch of bum genius brand diapers and assorted pads, burp cloths, laundry detergent (especially for baby stuff), the cutest bag ever to hold the wet diapers, and a nursing bra and a nursing top. i was completely overwhelmed.
my brother's girlfriend found the cutest little boy outfits when she was out thrifting one day and gave them to me for christmas.
our new york friends brought us some mementoes the last time they were in town:
friends from college i haven't seen in years gave us adorable clothes over christmas as well:
my stepdaughter got us the cutest onesie and stuffed baby elephant:
my best friend from college and her husband (who just had a little boy themselves) sent us a box of goodies:
my last wedding clients sent us a thank you:
my stepson's best friend and her mom gave us some beautiful handmade clothes:
plus my cousin, whom i also haven't seen since she was just a wee one herself, just sent us another two boxes FULL of baby clothes.
i actually get rather emotional when i think about all the people who have been so generous and supportive. and i can't even begin to say how much my mother and father and family members (you Geers and Alfs are without question included in this category) have done for us already.
this little guy is so loved already. and he's being born into a pretty lucky, wonderful extended family.
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