The birth

Yep that's right this picture pretty much says it all. I know I imagined me looking  beautiful and refreshed and both of us holding our little baby boy at home on my bed with no tubes or anything. Well I have learned that you can't plan everything out perfectly, the hospital isn't as bad as I thought, and next time I need to be more pushy. :) I'll explain.

After watching a documentary and exploring my options of homebirth with a midwife or a hospital birth with and OB I decided I wanted a home birth. I loved the idea of just getting to be there with my baby and being able to trust that indeed my body was capable of giving birth without medical intervention. I mean god doesn't make mistakes right. Women should be able to do this. I also was farely confident because of my high pain tolerance and my general bullheaded and stubborness that I would have no problem.

A kink was thrown in my plan when little Kenter decided to come 5 weeks early. At 35 weeks I was going into labor. I had to decide what to do. That is a little too early for comfort to have a baby at home. Although I wouldn't need medical attention he would as soon as he came out.

At 34 1/2 weeks I started having random contractions that really didn't hurt. I kept talking to people asking how I would know if I was in "real" labor or not. I talked to my midwife, my mom, my sisters, my bosses wife, and really any other woman that was around. :)  Although my  midwife planned to come check my I was generally assured that it is quite normal to be having some contractions this late in the game. This continued for a few days...off and on. Some days I would time the contractions to see how far apart they were. There were a few days that were a little scary as they would be like 5 minutes apart for an hour or so and then completely stop. I decided to take it easy. I was told to just lie down so I didn't actually go into labor. I started having alot more contractions friday night. enough to keep me and Kwin up most the night tossing and turning. My Baby shower was Saturday the 11th. I headed to it after the contractrions subsided a little that morning. After I got there they came back but still 15ish minutes apart and not painful. Everyone thought I was having Braxten Hicks. I kind of did too.  I was so used to just having contractions all the time. That night I took a nice bath to ease the contractions and then headed home for the night. This seems to be where my brain got fuzzy and I was just in denial. At about 10:00 that night the contractions started getting a lot more painful and closer together. They were about 5 minutes apart. Because my midwife didn't seem too worried about it the earlier contractions I thought I would just text her and see if she thought maybe this was something. (I should have known, but aparently wasn't quite in the right state of mind...granted I was exhausted from no sleep the night before and completely new at this.) I didn't get a response so I went to bed. Well at least tried to. 4 hours of hardly any sleep I started thinking this was something so I texted her again. They were still painful. I kept trying to breath through them to bare the pain.  Periodically i would go take a hot bath to ease the pain too. At 6:00 in the morning I was taking a bath and I could hardly bear it. I thought if this isn't real labor I'm  getting an epidural. At that time I called my midwife, (who then explained she hadn't gotten the texts) she said she would rush down to see me.  Unfortunately she lived 2 1/2 hours away.  Soon after I called her the contractions subsided a little and I actually was able to sleep a little. She got here at 9:00 and checked me. I was dilated 9 centimeters. (wow) She started doing some pressure things and the pain with every contraction was almost unnoticeable. (Why didn't I call her earlier). At this point we had to make a decision. Should we go to the hospital? I labored for another hour or so.  The bag of waters was bulging out of my cervix so my midwife broke it.  After a little while baby's heart rate started acting funny so we went to the hospital. (good thing) We were admitted at 11:20 and Kenter was born at 11:56. My OB of choice was the one on call so lucky for me she is the one that delivered him. I had no epidural or pain medication of any kind and only had to have one stitch. I was doing pretty well besides my lack of sleep. Poor Kenter though came to the world too early. He was given to me just long enough to pee on me and then taken to the Nicu. He was hooked up to a cpap machine, an IV, Oxygen. I was taken to my room. I really wanted to go see him but needed to be checked myself. After 4 hours I finally walked to the Nicu and saw my little guy.  Poor thing it was so sad seeing him hooked to all the machines and having to be poked all the time. Over the next few weeks we watched as he first got off the cpap, then off oxygen. He was given a feeding tube and started to learn how to eat. It took two weeks before he was able to nurse all of his food on his own and we were able to take him home.

So what did I learn...What would I have done differently.
I still love the idea of having my child at home. As far as labor goes I think it is a perfectly normal thing that I want to do on my own. However I am extremely grateful for modern technology.  They were able to take care of Kenter as he struggled for his first little while here on this planet.  Of course no one wants to end up with a child in the nicu...I am glad that he was treated so well and for the nursing staff there.

I think next time... I'm going to be a little more careful with what I do in the last trimester. i gotta keep that baby in as long as I can. I'm going to attempt a home birth again...(unless I start contracting too soon again). I'm going to get a midwife that lives less than 20 minutes away. I also want to get an ultrasound to make sure everything is going well along the way.

Fat, Sick, And nearly Dead

So I have been struggling during this pregnancy to get my veggies into my daily diet. I work at a weight loss clinic where our clients eat 4 cups of vegetables a day. That is a lot. (especially when it doesn't include potatoes and carrots). My parents have started Juicing after watching a documentary entitled "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ After they and my midwife told me to watch it I finally did. I needed to find some way to get all those healthy green veggies in. It is a super interesting film. My parents have been feeling so much more vibrant and healthier from all the fresh fruits and veggies. So anyway this is a great film to watch. It helped me realize that most American's really don't get the veggies they need.


I do however feel like it is a complete waste of vegetables to juice them. You loose a lot of the bulk of the veggies. (ok and the real truth) I can't stand to drink them. I think they are disgusting. So although I love the idea and the ease of it I really needed to come up with something else. I decided to just make sure I ate tons of veggies. So of course if I want to eat them whole it is going to take a lot for me to learn how to incorporate vegetables into my diet.
How to shop for veggie's
How to cook them so they taste good
How to cook meals that include veggies but don't take forever. (let's face it...it's easy to throw spaghetti on the stove, it's easy to do whatever is already a habit.)


So there is the goal.... Learn to cook healthy meals that taste good but don't take forever to make. Can I do it? I hope so. :)

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Weekly Weigh in

Although at the beginning of this pregnancy the thought of gaining the inevitable weight was terrifying, I have kept track of my weight gain. And I have actually enjoyed it. It is amazing to me to see how i am gaining weight and the reality of this whole experience. I am now at week 27 (13 to go) and in my extremely organized, wanting to know everything that is going on attitude I have followed my weight and measurements since before I got pregnant.
I think this is extremely interesting.

My weight and measurements throughout pregnancy:


Week                     Date               Weight          Belly        Waist            Hip            Thigh
Pre-Pregnancy        08/12                145                                 30.5            38.75            21.75
12                        01/04/2012          146.2           33              30.5             38.75           21.75
14                        01/15/2012         145.2            34.5           30.75           39                21.75
16                        01/29/2012         147               35.25         30.75           38.75           21.75
20                        02/25/ 2012        152               36.5           30.75           39                21.75
21                       03/03/2012          155               37.5           31.25           39.5             21.75
23                       03/18/2012          158               38.5           32.75           39.75           21.75
24                       03/26/2012          159               38.5           32.75           40                21.75
25                       03/31/2012          164              39.25          34                40.5             21.75
26                       04/09/2012          162               39              34.25           40                21.75
27                       04/14/2012          163              40.25          35.75           40                21.75


I must admit that some of this data may not accurately represent my weight gain. mostly looking at week 25. We went out to eat the night before to Pizza Pie Cafe so obviously that was artificially high.
Weight is taken consistently in the mornings before eating anything.
Belly measurement is just the biggest part of my belly
Waist is where I bend
and Thigh is always measured 6 inches from the top of the knee cap.
It has been interesting for me to watch my measurements. Although at first I was worried that I wasn't gaining any weight I soon realized that i would and yes my belly would grow too.  More importantly than what my measurements say however is the fact that I am extremely happy with myself. I know that I am gaining a healthy amount of weight and that my baby is healthy. Weight may have been a worry for me at first but now I am much more concerned about the health of my baby. I want to make sure it is getting the nutrients it need and that I keep my body in good physical shape so that I can go through labor.  I believe that is what is more important than the number on the scale or how big my belly ends up getting. I just want my baby to be healthy.

Walking Hills

My Husband took me out this morning for a speed walk. We sped walked down and up a hill. This is a great exercise because it let me get my cardio up without having to worry about my bouncing belly getting to annoying.

How Far and How Often?

If you already walk, keep up your regular program. To get started, walk 20 -30 minutes a day three days a week and build from there to 30 - 60 minutes most days of the week. Walking for exercise can continue into your last trimester and right up until birth as long as it is comfortable for you.

How Fast and How Hard?

Moderation is the word during pregnancy, don't push yourself to the extreme. The chemical byproducts and raised body temperature of overexertion are bad for the fetus. Your pulse rate should not be above 140 beats per minute at any time during your walk. You may also use the "talk test" -- you should be able to speak in complete sentences without having to huff and puff and gasp out only short phrases. A pulse more than 100 beats per minute five minutes after a workout means you have worked your body too hard. Drink water before, during, and after your walk to help regulate your core body temperature. The fetus cannot get rid of excessive heat, so avoid exercising in hot weather and keep your walking workout moderate. Consider mall walking as an alternative during hot weather.

Posture!

A good walking posture is essential and can help prevent backache.
Stand up straight: Think of being a tall and straight, do not arch your back.
Do not lean forward or lean back: Leaning puts strain on the back muscles.
Eyes forward: not looking down but rather 20 feet ahead.
Chin up (parallel to the ground): This reduces strain on neck and back.
Loosen the shoulders: Shrug once and let your shoulders fall and relax, your shoulders slightly back.
Suck in your stomach
Tuck in your behind: Rotate your hips forward slightly. This will keep you from arching your back.

Other Helpfull Pregnancy Exercises

• Pelvic Tilts: These can be done in nearly any positions. For beginners, I'd recommend standing, my personal favorite is hands and knees. To get started in a standing position, place a hand on your abdomen and a hand on your lower back. Bend slightly at the knees. Concentrate on moving only your pelvis only. You should not get a lot of body movement from this exercise. It should be done slowly. Do this often through out the day.
• Squatting: Try this first with a partner or a chair back. Slowly go down into a squat, stopping as low as you can go but before your heels come up off the floor. Practice this several minutes a day.
• Tailor Sitting: Basically it's sitting with your legs crossed at the ankle and knees out, much like you used to do in kindergarten. It helps stretch your inner thighs.

Kegels

The "wonder exercise of pregnancy", kegels are something every woman, pregnant or not, should learn how to do. Though you may be sick and tired of people telling you to exercise during your pregnancy, kegel exercises require so little effort from you, yet give you so much back in return, you really have no excuse not to do them.

Little Pain, Lots of Gain

Kegels are named after their inventor, Dr. Arthur Kegel, who suggested them to his female patients in the 1940s. Kegel exercises target your pelvic floor muscles, helping to strengthen your urethra, bladder, uterus and rectum. Both women and men can become a kegel exerciser, although men won’t gain the childbirth benefits that women do.
Pregnant women are encouraged to do kegels because strong pelvic floor muscles help make childbirth, specifically pushing, easier. Plus, the exercise can lower your chances of tears happening during labor. During the postpartum period, doing kegels can aid in your healing from an episiotomy as well as prevent postpartum incontinence and tone your stretched out vaginal muscles, thereby making sex better.
But the benefits don’t stop there! Kegels can also:

• Prevent incontinence from happening later in life
• Make your orgasms better
• Reduce your chances of hemorrhoids (the exercise aids in circulation to the rectal area)
• In men, kegels can help with erections since kegels encourage increased blood flow to the genitals

Become a Kegel Master
Easy childbirth? Better sex? What are you waiting for? It’s time to get that kegel technique down! Thankfully, instructions for kegel exercises are very simple and easy to follow:

• Contract your muscles as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine
• Hold this contraction for a count of three
• Slowly release and relax

That’s it. You’ve just done your first kegel. To begin with, try to do three to four sets of 25 repetitions several times throughout the day. As your pelvic floor muscles get stronger, increase the length of time you hold the contraction for, working your way up to ten seconds.
When you contract your pelvic muscles, though, be careful not to squeeze your buttocks and abdominals. These muscles aren’t needed to do a kegel. You may also find that you squeeze your rectal muscles. As you get better, you should be able to focus on just your pelvic floor muscles. To make your workout harder, and more effective, try changing your contractions. Do some quickly, like little flutters, while doing others more slowly.
Do It Anywhere!
The best part about kegels is the fact that you can do them anywhere at anytime. Whether you are watching TV, standing in line at the grocery store or are driving in your car; fitting kegels into your busy schedule is easy. Once you’ve had your baby, though, don’t neglect these muscles that you’ve just built up. Make kegels are regular part of your fitness routine for life.

This article from: http://www.pregnancy-info.net/exercise_and_well_being_kegels.html