Sunday, May 29, 2011

To soon post-pregnant first time mothers

If you are reading books and hearing how all these silly and terrible side effects will vanish the moment that little one inside of you comes out...DON'T believe them. Those wonderful side effects can hold on for quite a while. The large tummy isn't left on the deliver room floor, only your good excuse for the extra weigh disappears then. Those lovely stretch marks, well I had my bundle of joy seven months ago and those marks are still around. The worse part in during the initial shrinking of the stomach the marks seem to grow and darken. I have notice about a week ago that my thigh marks are lightening, so there is some hope that those pink lines will not remain forever. My brown stomach line, oh what is that called? Well that thing hung on for about two months, which is fine because you really don't want anyone to look at your stomach anyway. And I mean anyone, husbands included.
Now there are those blessed few, you know the ones that the rest of us hate, that wake up the next day put on there pre-pregnancy pants and run the mile. Maybe you are one of those lucky witches, well then this blog isn't for you. I have yet to fit into my size fours(pre-preg. size). Me I'm still in limbo then it comes to clothing. At first I refused to buy bigger clothes, telling myself I'd make it into those old clothes soon enough. Well after 5 months of nothing to wear I made my way to the store and bought some new jeans. Now the fun part was that I recently lost a pound or two, just enough that my newly bought clothes and bagging but my old clothes still don't fit. My body keeps changing and I closet keeps growing with clothes I can't wear. I'm starting to consider the moomoo, at least those are easy to fit.
The fun of pregnancy doesn't end with birth.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Motherhood!















MY Little Boo boo is close to seven months old. Life with this little girl is full of smiles, laughter, and very little sleep. At 6 months and 1 week old my busy girl started crawling and she is getting quite good at it. During my pregnancy we called her monkey and she is starting to life up to that name. She climbs all over, usually all over me. Me and Josh are active as it is no wonder that she is an active girl. Even though I'm often running on little sleep I'm glad she's an active girl. It is fun. She is full of energy and personality. I love her so much

Monday, October 25, 2010

39 week and 5 day Appt

My husband told me not to write this blog because he knows how detailed I can be. So I'll try to make it short and not make him too mad! Love you Josh!
So Friday I had my first "check", where the midwife sees how dilated I am. I was going to the appointment alone and was a little nervous about it. I got there on time only to have the clinic be running late. I sat alone in the waiting room for about an HOUR! Once they put me in a room, I had the thrill on undressing from the waist down. They gave me a large napkin to cover up with. As if I need to cover up, the lady is going to check if I'm dilated...so she is going to get a good look at everything! There I was napkin on my lap and the room was freezing. She took a while to come in, so I'm sitting there debating if I should get up and put on my jacket. Only thing i'm pretty much naked and very pregnant, so getting up and over to my jacket could take so time. I just knew that if i got up and bent over to pick up my jacket she would walk in at the perfect time to be mooned by my very big pregnant butt. This made me decide just to wait and freeze.
She did come in eventually and the appointment began. Now this is where my husband would like me to not go into detail, so what I will tell you is this... she checks to see if I'm dilated (SO uncomfortable) and while she is still up there she casually asks me if I want her to sweep my membrane in hopes to soften my cervix. Since her hand is just waiting inside of me, i wanted to make the decision as quickly as possible. So, I said "sure". The uncomfort that followed made the initial check seem pleasurable. After the "sweeping" I had major cramps for 6 hours but no baby.

Here I am Monday morning and still no Bliss. At my check up I was barely 1 cent., softened but hardly thinned. My hopes is that the uncomfort of that day did something. My next appointment is Friday. I hope Bliss comes before then.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Bags are packed, just waiting.

Bags are packed, bassenet is made, room is set, BELLY IS HUGE>we are ready for you! Every morning Josh calls me on his break and asks if I'm in labor yet. At 37 weeks Josh wanted me to take castro oil to induce labor. If Bliss comes late, I'm blaming Josh because it would be God teaching him to be patient. Or at lease that's what I'll tell him.

Last weekend Bliss coming seemed so close! I was having contractions, lower back pain, had to pee ALL of the time, think I have lost my mucus plug, and had the most intense pelvic pressure. All these signs have seemed to dwindle to no signs. Which is pretty frustrating at 38 plus weeks. Most nights I still sleep so I guess I can't complain very much.

Friday, October 1, 2010

My Birth Plan!

Joanna's “if everything goes right” Birth Plan

LABOR

I’d would like my husband Joshua and my mother, Brenda to be in the birth room during labor and delivery. I would like to bring my own music and wear my own clothing during labor and delivery. I would like to eat and drink during labor if I wish to.


Once I'm admitted, I'd like Joshua to be allowed to stay with me at all times. I’d prefer to only have the midwife, nurse, and guests present in the birthing room. Please no medical students, or other hospital personnel. I would prefer not to have an IV; I’d like to drink to stay hydrated. I want to walk and move around during labor.

As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I'd like to have intermittent rather than continuous electronic fetal monitoring. I would like to be allowed to progress naturally, free of stringent time limits.

If they're available, I'd like to use a birthing ball, birthing stool, a squatting bar and definitely the tub.

DELIVERY


I would like to wait until I am ten centimeters before starting to push. When it's time to push, I'd like to be coached on when to push and for how long.

During pushing I’d like to be able to try whatever position feels right at the time. As long as my baby and I are doing fine, I'd like the pushing stage to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits.


PAIN RELIEF

I'd like to try the following pain-management techniques, bath/shower,
hot/cold therapy, massage, please don't offer me an epidural, I'll request it if I need it.

VAGINAL BIRTH

I do not want to view the birth using a mirror. I would like to risk a tear rather than have an episiotomy. I do not want to use forceps or the vacuum. If one is needed I would like the opportunity to rest and try pushing again. If help is still needed I want a vacuum used not forceps? I would rather have an emergency C-section then use forceps.


After birth, I would like the baby placed directly on my stomach, though I would like any blood gentle wiped off of her along with her nose and mouth suctioned to make sure she is breathing. I want to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it's clamped and cut. My husband, Joshua, would like to cut the umbilical cord. I don’t want to get routine oxytocin (Pitocin) after I deliver the placenta unless necessary. I would like to breastfeed as soon as possible. After delivery, I would like a half an hour to an hour of alone time with myself, Joshua and the baby, putting off any procedures that aren't urgent. During this time I would like my mother to tell anyone in the waiting room how baby and I are doing.

C-SECTION

If a c-section is absolutely necessary I would like my husband present at all times during the operation, including during the epidural. I do not want the screen lowered a bit so I can see my baby coming out. I would like the baby given to my partner as soon as she's dried (as long as she's in good health). I would like to breastfeed my baby as soon as possible. I do not want my baby to be given a bottle.

POSTPARTUM

After delivery, I'd like all newborn procedures to take place in my presence. I want my partner to stay with the baby at all times if I can't be there. I would prefer to stay in a private room, though I understand that may not be possible. I plan to breastfeed exclusively. Please don't offer anything to my baby at any point unless I request something.

I only want immediate family at the hospital after Bliss is born. Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and friends can come see her as soon as we bring her home.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Conversation piece...My Belly

So I have reached the point in pregnancy that it is very apparent that I am pregnant, and the whole world wants to talk about it. In one shopping day I was asked over 6 times when I was due and what I was having. These questions are usually welcomed, what pregnant women doesn't want to talk about her baby. But some strangers take it even farther. I haven't had strangers ask to touch my belly, thank God because being touched by strangers is just too weird for me. I was in line at Walmart and the lady in front of me wanted to talk about my pregnancy, which was fine, but then she started talking about how much raising a teenage girl sucks... Not exactly what I care to hear Lady! But that was nothing compared to the lady at Target. I was walking (quite fast) from the dressing room to meet my mom, I passed by a women pushing a shopping cart with her son. Just after we passed each other, she yelled out, "IT"S A BOY!" ....Really, rude lady, do you usually yell out unwanted and uninformed information at strangers. If you do, that's probably not a bright idea. I was so shocked by her that I said nothing, just continued walking with a "what the heck just happened face on". Now that is just taking it to far. So if you see a pregnant women don't yell out your guess as to what she might be having... she will just think you are a moron.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Karate

As of today (yesterday as of 4 minutes ago) I am 34 weeks pregnant!! That means 3-6 weeks left. I can't believe it's this close already. The whole pregnancy you are waiting and preparing but it seems like this far off thing and then, you wake up and realize it is no longer very far off. You think of everything you haven't done yet and... it can be overwhelming. Then, there is the preparing for LABOR. You tell yourself I can do this all natural, I have a high pain tolerance but the closer the day gets the more you think, I don't WANT to do this!! In other words I'm feeling a little anxiety right now, the preg books say that is normal.

In other news, Bliss had hiccups! If you don't remember, I was wanting to know what they felt like. The first time I noticed her hiccuping was on my birthday! Kinda fun. She only had them for like 30 sec, it was the perfect amount of time. Since then, she had them when I was getting ready for her Baby Shower and then again today. I'm kind of over them now... It was exciting at first but now I'd be okay if she didn't get them again.

Bliss is no longer dancing in my stomach, she is now practicing karate in my stomach. Hence me being up at 12:24 AM! (Plus, the indigestion doesn't make falling asleep easy either.) I laid down in bed around 9:30 tonight. Josh felt Bliss move for a little and then we both turned over to go to bed. He fell asleep and I did not, Bliss didn't either. Every side I would lay on I'd feel her pushing and kicking that side. Being the nice mother that I am, I'd think maybe she's uncomfortable so I would change sides. But that wouldn't help, she would just start pushing on the side that I was now laying on. So I tried laying on my back at an angle. That only made her movement cause shooting back pain. The last thing I tried was to lay like a stink bug(butt in the air) for a while and then back on my side. This failed to help. Once I was back on my side, she found my bladder. After a few good kicks I had to get up to pee and thought for get it, she isn't going to let me sleep just yet. When I got out of bed... IT WAS 11:30, remember i got in bed at 9:30. So she had been moving and keeping me up for two hours. We'll see if she'll let me sleep now.