Birthing Class- Part 1

Yesterday we had our birthing class. I was so excited and ready to learn! I had registered for the class online, and was told that is was Sunday from 10-4. Kevin and I woke up early, got dressed, went and had a nice breakfast, then headed to the hospital. When we walked into the classroom, there was only one other couple and they looked like they had already started (even though we were 10 minutes early!) After talking with the instructor she told us they have been having problems with the online registrations, and we actually signed up for a class in Anchorage!

Thankfully the class we showed up for was from 9-5, so we only missed the first hour. Since it was such a small group, she back tracked a little to help get us all caught up. We also found out that this class is actually broken up into TWO different days, not just one. And to be honest... everything that I was REALLY excited about learning wont be covered until our next class, which isn't until March 6th!

Regardless, she went over a lot of really good material and was really good about repetition. If something was important, she would repeat it throughout the class to make sure that it stuck in our minds. The class was offered at the hospital and is supposed to be one of those that doesn't lean more or less towards medicated or natural delivery, but our instructor was VERY pro-natural. She told us her birth stories and how she delivered all 3 of her children (who all weighed over 9 pounds) naturally. She didn't really get into the medications or c-sections in this past class (that will all be covered next time), but I am feeling much more confident about trying for a natural birth after hearing what she had to say.

First of all, our hospital is very small. Come on now... we live in Kodiak! The room that I labor and deliver in, is also the post-partum room. There are only THREE of these rooms in the hospital! There is also not a nursery. We will not have the option to send baby away to get some sleep (not that I would have wanted to), and everything that is typically done in the nursery is done in the room right in front of us. They are a very low intervention hospital. They will not induce until you are 10 days past your due date. She also talked about how it is a really good thing that the hospital is low intervention, because anything you request, they will almost always allow. Such as wearing your own gown, having music playing, changing the lighting, etc. They also really encourage MOVEMENT. Even if I were to have an epidural, they will change my body position every 30 minutes to help get the baby into the perfect position.

We are still working on our birth plan at this point, but I am really excited about trying to go as naturally as possible. There is a birthing tub that I have a feeling I will be using ALOT. The biggest thing to me is the fact that I want to be able to move around. I want to get up to go to the bathroom, I want to be able to walk around if I want to, to change positions if I get uncomfortable, etc. Plus I don't want to be hooked up to an IV or monitors the entire time. I want to be able to figure out how to get myself comfortable. Saying this... once things really progress I may say screw it- give me the drugs, and I'm okay with that too.

We went over a lot of breathing and massage techniques, which I made Kevin practice last night before bed! And let me tell you... I slept SO good last night, and don't feel nearly as much pain in my lower back and hips as I was before. She showed up labor positions as well, and I practiced those, since they were more like stretching. They were positions that really open up your hips, and take so much of the pressure off of them. It was amazing! It really goes to show that our bodies are amazing things, and are MEANT to do this!

Oh, and how could I have almost forgot!! My favorite part of all! Once Kael is born, we will get immediate skin-to-skin time. They actually wait to weigh the baby and do all of that until he has had his first feeding! Those first few moments after birth are so important for bonding and the fact that they will wait on us before they scoop him away is so special!

Overall, I am actually REALLY excited about labor and delivery now. I feel much more comfortable with the thought of it, mainly because I feel like I have a lot of tools in my belt now. I am really excited about our next class because we will take a tour of the hospital, have the lactation consultant come in and talk to us, and go over all the medications and options.

And Kevin did pretty good through the class as well! He only looked like he was going to pass out when we watched a video of the birth itself. He actually looked away when the baby was crowning and started to come out, but eventually finished watching it. The part that had ALL of us making gross faces was when we watched the placenta being delivered! I thought Kevin was going to throw up all over the table!! haha!! But the videos did help get the shock out of the way for him, and now he is actually wanting to cut the cord. And another little funny tid-bit on Kevin... the ONLY question he asked all day was "where does his pee and poop go right now?" Which we learned, the pee is in the amniotic fluid and he is just swimming around in it, and he doesn't poop yet. Kevin was pretty thankful that he wasn't having to swim around in his own poop...

Just Stopping In

Well... one of these days maybe I will get better about updating, but let's be honest- throw a baby into the mix and I'm sure I will really become a slacker! But in all fairness, I wrote a really nice update at 33 weeks, and when I went to post it... it vanished! I was so frustrated that I didn't bother attempting to rewrite it, and threw in the towel.

So let me begin by saying that I have rarely made it a point to just "write" lately, and have been more focused on pregnancy updates. To be honest, this pregnancy seems to consume my life. Besides work, pregnancy is on my mind 24/7. I have had some people make some rude comments about how they are sick of reading nothing but pregnancy related statuses on facebook, and you know what I think about that... screw you! After trying, waiting, hoping, and praying for 18 long months, of coarse I am beyond excited about having a baby, so if that is what I want to talk about all day long, that is what I'm going to do!

Recently, it is really hitting hard that in just a few short weeks we are going to have a baby. Our family of two will soon be three, and our lives will never be the same again! I keep telling Kevin that we need to enjoy this small amount of time left, and take advantage of it as much as possible. It's tough since he works every other weekend, but we are making it a point to have a nice (as possible) date night this Saturday. We are also (finally) attending our birthing class this Sunday. To be honest, I am a little scared! Thinking about labor really freaks me out... mainly because I have no idea what to expect!

Now for my mini-sentimental note. Tonight in the few hours I had with Kevin before he had to go to work, we were talking baby (of coarse)... the last touches to the nursery that will be done this weekend, the date/time of our birthing class, nesting/cleaning/organizing that still needs to be done/etc. As we sat and talked, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. We found out we were pregnant roughly around 5 weeks... now we have only 5 weeks (more or less) until our due date. What a huge difference!! Those first few weeks/months were filled with worry and panic that something would take a wrong turn. After finally embracing the joy of being pregnant, it has felt like the time has flown by! Feeling those first tiny flutters that then turned into sweet little kicks, which are now like kung fu- karate chops! Finding out that we will be having a SON. Hearing his heartbeat grow stronger and louder with each appointment. Feeling his hiccups. And with every kick, punch, roll, hiccup, and heartbeat, I feel like I am getting to know Kael more and more. And the anticipation of finally getting to meet him is overwhelming! We have been waiting a long time to meet HIM. It was in God's plan for us to endure what we did, so that in the end we would have this baby. He is already so special and loved, I really can't imagine what it will be like when I am able to finally hold him in my arms, look into his eyes, and say hello!

Ok... give me a sec to wipe away my tears...

Now, onto the pregnancy updates! To be honest, I am being really lazy and don't feel like uploading pictures, but I will very soon I promise!

I'm jumping the gun a little, but considering I know I wont have time to write a post this weekend, this is the best I can do!

1. As of Sunday February 20th I will be 35 weeks pregnant. My doctor's office considers 36 weeks full term (anything before that would be sent to deliver in Anchorage).
2. My last Dr. appointment was on the 7th, and I was at a total weight gain of 25 pounds (YUCK!)
3. My next appointment is on Monday and I will have the Strep B test, which I am not looking forward to! If you don't know what this is... google it, because I'm not going into detail on here!
4. After Monday, my next appointment is March 7th and I start going every week after that.
5. At the 33 week mark, I developed two small stretch marks. One that looked like a "Y" on the left side of my belly button, and the other was just a small line on the right side. Since then they have EXPLODED! This past week it is like the decided to reproduce and fling their evil spawn all over my belly! I have tried all kinds of creams, lotions, oils, etc. but I have an allergic reaction to EVERYTHING! The only thing I can use at this point is just regular lotion that doesn't have any sort of fragrance to it. To be honest, this is my least favorite part of being pregnant!
6. I still haven't had any swelling, and my co-workers are very impressed that I can still wear my wedding ring.
   
7. We had our maternity pictures done this past weekend. We should be getting our disc of pictures next week, and I can not wait! I've only seen 2 of the pictures so far, but they both came out AMAZING! They were really special to me 1.) because of this pregnancy in general and 2.) because we are in Alaska. We were able to take the pictures outside (even though it felt like -4 degrees) so we will always be able to remember the beauty of this pregnancy and our "home".
8. I'm still having lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions. I've also been having a lot of cramping lately as well. The other night I actually started timing my contractions again, and they were lasting a little over a minute a piece and were coming on randomly, but on average every 7-8 minutes. Of coarse I hydrated, walked around a little, then took a bath and they stopped. I just keep hoping that maybe all these "practice" contractions will help bring on the real ones a little early! :)
9. Tomorrow I am putting in my final "request" for maternity leave! I have had such a hard time deciding when to take off, but I am going to plan on working up until Friday, March 25th (which is only 2 days before my due date!) I will be taking 12 weeks off, so I will return June 20th. I guess all of that can change if he comes early, but that is the plan for now!
   
10. The nursery is pretty much complete with the exception of hanging the curtains and some of his wall decor. We will be doing that this weekend, along with sorting clothes and organizing them into boxes since he has so many we can't fit them all in the TWO dressers and closet we have!
    
11. We have been extremely blessed!!