Pregnancy Journal Index
Home
Pregnancy Symptoms
|
My husband, Ellen, and I went to my monthly checkup at the midwife's today. We had a good time. Ellen really enjoyed herself. She not only got to play with the toys and the special doll that she likes to visit everytime we go there, but she also got to have her blood pressure taken and to listen to her heart with a fetoscope. :-)
My uterus is the right size (the top of it is two fingers below my belly button), and the baby's heartbeat sounds just right! I worried for nothing. :) The baby really moved around a lot when we were trying to listen the heartbeat, so it was hard to listen to it for very long. My midwife would find it and then the baby would move. She said the baby moved about 10 times. She even felt the baby move when she was holding the doppler on my tummy. Apparently my little one is active. I know Ellen sure was when she was in my womb! I still don't feel a whole lot of movement, but I feel little moves every once in a while.
There wasn't any protein or sugar, etc., in my blood and my blood pressure was normal. I had some blood drawn for the tests the state wants pregnant moms to take and to check to make sure I have enough iron. I refused the AFP test and the test for AIDS.
We talked for quite a while, and my midwife gave me photocopies of some good prenatal exersizes.
I have decided not to take Bradley childbirth classes. For a long while I planned on taking them, but I've changed my mind! (I hope no one is mad! ;-)) I've decided that I don't want feel obligated to follow his method. He says lots of wonderful things, but he is a very opinionated man (there is nothing wrong with being opinionated :-)) who seems to think that his way is the way to have natural childbirth. I admit he does have statistics to back him up and many couples rave about how wonderful births are using his method, so I'm sure his method is a good choice for many parents, but I personally want to be more free to listen to my instincts... and Bradley doesn't even believe women have birth instincts! So that's a major reason I've decided not to take Bradley classes.
Actually, I am reading his book right now, and I am planning on reading lots of books and then using what I like or feel like using during my labor and childbirth. My husband has agreed to read some books, too. We still might take a childbirth class, but it will be either a refresher course or one taught by a Christian lady who doesn't teach a certain method of childbirth, but mixes a lot of them together.
I'll write more later. I think I might write a page on my website about different methods of childbirth preparation.
I can't believe how fast my tummy is growing. It's so much bigger than with my last pregnancy. I feel somewhat uncomfortable when sitting at the computer. My tummy sticks out so much that it's uncomfortable if I slouch (something I like to do when I am at the computer), so I am almost forced to sit up straight. Ack! :) I feel most comfortable when I lie down on my left side. Of course being on my left side gets really old after a while.
Nursing is still difficult for me. Ellen doesn't nurse for very long periods of time when she nurses, but sometimes it really helps her calm down when she feels overly tired and stressed out.
It seems like a million years until my baby is due, but I guess it'll come soon enough!
I haven't felt any big movements lately, but I feel little ones still. I can't wait util I *really* start feeling my baby. That will be fun. It will be so exciting when John and Ellen can feel the baby move.
It continues to be difficult for me to nurse Ellen, but it sure is a life-saver sometimes. It often calms her right down when she is upset. Tonight when we were in her bedroom, she was trying to avoid getting her teeth brushed, so she wouldn't sit still. She was so tired that she was a bit wobbly, and she fell off her bed (a futon, so thankfully the fall wasn't that far). She began crying, and she asked to nurse and went right to sleep for the night. I love being able to comfort her in that way.
I still can't believe how big my tummy is getting. John will probably take a new picture next week. It's fun keeping track of how my tummy is growing. I think being pregnant is for the most part pretty fun.
For quite a while now I have been feeling sore in the pubic bone area when I walk. I guess I'm already spreading out down there to prepare for birth. I can't believe it's happening so soon. Also, my tail bone hurts sometimes, especially after church and after sitting in the car for a long time, but I'm not sure if that's pregnancy related or not.
I've been getting Braxton Hicks contractions. I am much more aware of them with this pregnancy than I was with my first. I was kind of clueless with my first pregnancy. I like being more aware of what's going on this time.
The heat (it was in the 80s today) isn't bothering me yet. I am enjoying the nice weather. I wonder if I will start getting puffy in my ankles and fingers like I did with my last pregnancy. That happened in August last time, so we'll see what happens this August! I just need to drink lots of water.
Yesterday and today Ellen didn't nurse very much. Today she nursed this morning (on both sides), then once in the afternoon (also on both sides), on one side this evening (really quickly), on one side before bed, and on one side tonight. She usually goes back and forth between sides several times during a nursing. Sigh. My milk must be getting really low. Perhaps it's changing to colostrum.
Well, baby is moving more now than he/she was earlier this week. I am glad. I was getting a bit nervous for a while.
Ellen sings songs about holding the baby. She talks about wanting to hold the baby. She's very sweet.
|
[Where to Buy] [Health] [Protecting Children] [Free Graphics] [Awards] [Home] [Table of Contents] [Webrings] [Who am I?] [GeoCities]
The Kidz are People Too Page |