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First of all, I should report on my midwife appointment last week. I had been scheduled to see Sherry on Monday, but as she was at a birth that day, I got rescheduled for Friday. Everything is continuting to go well with the pregnancy. My blood pressure was lower than usual this time--102/80, whereas it's normally right around 120/80. So that was fine with me! Baby's heartbeat was find-able right away, now that the little one has moved up a bit and is growing bigger. The heart rate was in the high 140s/low 150s this time. We talked a bit about a few questions I had--such as, what happens to the placenta after the birth? Do I dispose of it, or does she? She told me that often people will bury it and plant a tree over it, which I think might be a neat idea. Otherwise we can double bag it and throw it away, or we can donate it to a midwifery school for study. :) She told us about this one guy who flushed it down his toilet!!! Can you imagine? Then later he was on some tour or the local water treatment plant, and they were telling about strange things that they had found that wouldn't go through the grate . . . "Yeah, one time we found a placenta!" He didn't say anything, but he knew it had to be the one from his kid! I don't think the average person would come up with that method of disposing of it. :)
Last week I was fighting off a urinary tract infection and thought I had it beat a few times. But after doing the urine test at my appt, it was evident there was still something going on in there, by the higher than normal count of leucocytes, etc. Sherry recommended that I watch it closely and go see a dr. if it didn't clear up soon. I decided to give it till today and see if it got better over the weekend, but I could tell by last night that it was still there. In fact, we ended up skipping church again because by the time we got all ready to go, I was really dragging, and all I wanted to do was lie down. Standing up, and even continual sitting, made me feel like I had to go to the bathroom all the time. Jim told me to go take a nap, which was definitely the best thing for me right then. I later got up for a few hours, then went back to bed and slept well all night. This morning I called a dr. and got right in to get the UTI checked out. Sure enough, it was still hanging on, so it was a good thing I went in. I got a prescription for amoxycillin and have started taking them 3x a day. So I should be feeling a lot better soon. I'm the type that hates to take meds. while pregnant, but sometimes it's just a necessary thing to prevent a more serious problem.
Of course, the baby's constant activity in utero this week hasn't helped my feeling of needing to go all the time! :) A few times it's felt like he or she is using my bladder for a trampoline. And I still have 16 +/- weeks to go!
Jim was reading over some of my posts here a while back and commented that I should clarify something I had written in Sam's birth story. Right at the end of it, I wrote this: I never even got to use the labor tub, as I had hoped, but in the end, I didn't even care! I was just so focused on getting him out, it didn't really matter what means were used to accomplish it! My dear hubby thought that last sentence made it sound like I didn't care how he came out, whether it was all natural (as planned) or via c-section, or with the use of suction, or having to have an episiotomy, etc. What I really meant was that I didn't care that I didn't get to use the tub for labor. :) Now just to clarify a little more, of course the most important thing of all to me, was having a healthy baby. If the means of episiotomy, suction, c-section, etc. (in other words, less "natural" things) had to be used to accomplish this (as they occasionally are), then I would have been OK with that, even though I'm sure it would have been somewhat disappointing. And I'm not criticizing anyone who may not have been able to have an all natural birth, not at all! I know that totally depends on the individual mom, caregiver, and circumstances of the birth. I'm just very thankful that I was able to be blessed with a straightforward, med-free birth, as I had hoped. And I pray that the same will be true for this next time!!
Now, for the QUESTION OF THE WEEK: (I realized that "question" is a better term to use than "poll" since I'm not asking anyone to vote on anything!) I get a lot of people who ask if I know what I'm having, or if I'm planning to find out. Nope, I don't and I'm not--I like to be surprised. :) But I was wondering about the other moms who read this blog--did you/do you like to try and find out the gender of your baby ahead of time? Why or why not? Have fun sharing your tales!
8 comments:
I just stumbled upon your blog. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
For me I am pregnant with #3 and we found out the sex each time. I am a very impatient person and there is no way I could wait to find out! :o) Plus it helps to plan ahead.
I'm pregnant with our third boy. So each time we've found out the same news! It's a boy!
With the first, we wanted to be surprised so we didn't find out what we were having. It was a boy (of course you know that already!) Then with the second, we asked, but they weren't really sure what we were having. Their guess was a boy, which was right, but at the time it was so soon, they just weren't totally sure. Then the third time, we wanted to know asap and again, it was a boy. I actually had a couple of ultrasounds with Levi and the second time I asked them to check again, just in case they'd been wrong the first time...they weren't.
For us, if we are blessed with more children, then we'll probably just find out right away. It is still a surprise, just a lot sooner than most people want to be surprised!
With Levi, I was really hoping for a girl so hearing we were having another boy was at first a bit disappointing. However, having the next few months to get used to the idea, by the time he was born, I didn't want a girl at all, but was very happy to have another boy. And now I certainly wouldn't trade my boys for any amount of girls!
I think knowing ahead of time helps me to better prepare, both mentally and in getting things together that I'll need for the baby.
Amanda, thanks for your comment! It's nice to have another reader. :) Congratulations on your pregnancy, as well!
Joanne, maybe one of us will have a girl one of these days . . . you never know, I guess! :) And you're right, it is still a surprise when you "find out" ahead of time--just an earlier surprise than finding out at the birth!
Mindee, I'm exactly the way you are with the sarcastic part of me. :) I think Jim actually said that to a few people when we were expecting Sam . . . in a nice way, though. :) Just, "Yup, it's a baby!" Thanks for your concern about my UTI, too--the amoxycillin is definitely helping because I'm feeling much better today. Even had enough energy to vacuum the house and mop the kitchen! Yay!
Back in the "old days" (70s!!) when I was having babies, you always had to wait to find out! And it was always just fine. If I was having kids today, I think I'd probably still want to wait. But that's just me!
I like the idea of having a surprise as to a baby's gender- when my littler brothers were born, nobody knew what they'd be and my parents had two names picked out for each of them; one girl name, one boy name. If I'm ever a pending mama I'd probably do the same.
Your shirt is super cute, btw!
It would be really nice if one of us has a girl, and better still if we both do! I'm hoping you have a girl this time, I do want to buy something pink for a change!
When I went to see the dr the first time (had to confirm that I was going to have a baby for the financial side...at 5 - 6 months I was really sure but I had to go anyway!) he asked me what I thought my chance was to have a girl this time. Thinking of the family history, I said I probably wouldn't..he then reminded me that I have a 50/50 chance either way and that God is in control! And yes, while there may be some genetic factors, ultimately God is in control and He is the one who decides what we need. I like the idea of that!
I thought you looked really nice, and really feminine in the photos too!
Hope all goes well for all you ladies who are expecting....
Zan, your ultrasound comment made me smile! :D It's so nice that the option is available now for those like you who enjoy finding out ahead of time. :) My midwife was telling me about a couple in one of her childbirth classes who had a 3-D ultrasound done; she said the detail was incredible. The funny thing was, they didn't want to know the sex. She thought it was hilarious that they could see exactly what their baby's face looked like, yet they don't know if it's a boy or girl!
Samara and Joanne, thanks for your compliments about my outfit. :) I love it when I find clothes, whether maternity or otherwise, that I feel really pretty in. I'm working on trying to "dress up" a little more even while at home--not in church clothes, but just looking a bit more put together and feminine so that my hubby comes home to a nice looking wife instead of a frumpy person in PJs. :)
Mrs. T, it was nice to see your comment. For those who don't know, Mrs. T is my mom. :) I'm so glad I turned out to be a girl named Carrie instead of a boy named Joshua! Even though I like the name Joshua. :)
Joanne, thanks also for the encouragement that one of us may still have a girl--you're right, it will be whatever God knows is best! And it definitely would be nice to be able to buy pink, and other frilly things!! We have friends who had 4 boys before finally having their first girl. . . so you just never know. :)
I posted on my blog about donating your umbilical cord. If you want to find out more about that go here.
http://sarahellsworth.typepad.com/along_the_way/2006/01/donating_cord_b.html
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