Warning: This post is pretty TMI.
I get weekly pregnancy email updates from a couple of sites, as does Chris. I'm still not sure what's the best option for me as far as vaginal birth or c-section, but I definitely want to keep my options open until either I make the decision or my doctor makes it for me. One thing I worry about with a vaginal birth is having to be cut or tearing...you know, down there. We got this email from Babycenter.com yesterday that offered an idea to help reduce the risk of tearing. Here's what it said:
Some practitioners recommend massaging the perineum (the area between your vulva and your anus) to help you avoid having an episiotomy or tearing during childbirth. Not everyone is comfortable doing this but if you'd like to give it a try, now's the time to start. Here's one method:
• Wash your hands and then sit in a warm, comfortable area, spreading your legs apart in a semi-reclined position. Put Vitamin E oil (from Vitamin E capsules) or pure vegetable oil on your fingers and thumbs and around your perineum.
• Place your thumbs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (up to or just past your first knuckle) inside your vagina. Press down toward your rectum and then out toward the sides. Gently and firmly continue stretching until you feel a slight burn or tingling. Hold this stretch for about 2 minutes — until the tingling starts to subside.
• Slowly and gently massage the lower part of the vaginal canal back and forth, hooking your thumbs onto the sides of the vaginal canal and gently pulling these tissues forward, as your baby's head will do during delivery. Keep this up for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Be gentle, as a vigorous touch could cause bruising or swelling in these sensitive tissues. During the massage avoid pressure on the urethra (urinary opening). This can cause irritation or infection.
Without going into too much detail, we tried this last night (yes, he helped) and let me just say I have decided I am screwed.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Craptastic
Yesterday was a great day! Jeremy came over and helped Chris assemble the crib and the hutch, so the nursery is really starting to come together! But last night, well, it was not so great. In fact, it was horrible.
I went to bed around 10. I tossed and turned and couldn’t get comfortable. I tried watching TV, taking a bath and counting sheep. My back hurt, my legs hurt and about 1AM, I started to get a headache. The baby was kicking most of the night, but that didn’t really bother me too much. Then, at 3AM, I started getting leg cramps – those awful ones that make you jump out of bed and cry. Not to mention that my carpal tunnel was in full force.
I finally fell asleep about 5AM. The alarm went off about 6:30 and I tried to get up and get going, but my legs felt like mush and my hands were completely numb. So, I didn't make it in to work. Now, it’s 3PM and I barely feel like getting up and moving around. Today has not been fun. :(
Friday, March 26, 2010
The impossible quest
For about four months now, I’ve been searching high and low for the perfect diaper bag. Most people probably don’t find this task as difficult as I have, but we all know that I’m just a wee bit picky. It has to be the right size, right style, right color and right material. No cartoon characters, crazy designs or animals are allowed (that’s just my personal preference, nothing against those who like that). It has to be something that Chris wouldn’t mind carrying (which totally knocks about 85% of them out of the running). Oh yeah, and did I mention it can’t cost a bazillion dollars?
The search continues…maybe in the next five weeks or so, I’ll get lucky and find the perfect bag. Or I’ll just settle. Or I’ll just throw a box of diapers and wipes in my car and wing it! ;)
The search continues…maybe in the next five weeks or so, I’ll get lucky and find the perfect bag. Or I’ll just settle. Or I’ll just throw a box of diapers and wipes in my car and wing it! ;)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The birthing process
I’m not gonna lie – I’m starting to freak out a bit. I knew when we decided to have a baby what that entailed. Okay, maybe not ENTIRELY what that entailed, but a pretty good idea. I knew about morning sickness and swollen feet and peeing a lot. I also knew about ultrasounds and feeling the kicks and the excitement that leads up to the birth. Oh, yeah, there’s that pesky word – birth. The baby has to be born. One way or another, this kid is coming and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it. And honestly, I’m terrified.
When I was 12 weeks or so along, my doctors told me I had pregnancy-induced chronic hypertension, which is a fancy way of saying high blood pressure, except in pregnancy, it’s pretty freaking serious. One of my doctors pretty much told me that I would be induced, need a c-section and that we had to focus on making it to 26 weeks. (Apparently, 26 weeks is the earliest that a baby can really survive on its own. Not to say if he came earlier they wouldn’t do everything possible, but 26 weeks was the milestone we were looking for.) Needless to say, I was terrified. Well, about 23 weeks, when everything was going completely normal, thanks to bi-weekly visits and medication, one of my other doctors said a c-section wasn’t absolutely necessary, but I would need to be induced around 38-39 weeks. (Naturally going into labor with blood pressure problems can be bad.) In talking about my options (c-section or not) with the OB, she said that she is still leaning toward a c-section, but as long as things progress as they have been, it may be my decision.
So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about this and then it hit me – one way or another, the baby is coming out of me. Holy crap. I am not the least bit nervous about him being here. In fact, I can’t wait to look into his eyes and kiss his little hands and feet. But what I am completely freaking out about is the birth part! I’ve always known this coming, but now, when we are like 6-7 weeks away, I’m really freaking out. The thought I’ve carried in the back of my head is, “If so and so can do it, so can I.” That’s not a dig against any of my friends and family, sometimes I even think about the girls on 16 & Pregnant – if they can do, I can, too. But I’m quickly losing confidence. Maybe I can’t.
But I have to. There’s really no choice, is there?
When I was 12 weeks or so along, my doctors told me I had pregnancy-induced chronic hypertension, which is a fancy way of saying high blood pressure, except in pregnancy, it’s pretty freaking serious. One of my doctors pretty much told me that I would be induced, need a c-section and that we had to focus on making it to 26 weeks. (Apparently, 26 weeks is the earliest that a baby can really survive on its own. Not to say if he came earlier they wouldn’t do everything possible, but 26 weeks was the milestone we were looking for.) Needless to say, I was terrified. Well, about 23 weeks, when everything was going completely normal, thanks to bi-weekly visits and medication, one of my other doctors said a c-section wasn’t absolutely necessary, but I would need to be induced around 38-39 weeks. (Naturally going into labor with blood pressure problems can be bad.) In talking about my options (c-section or not) with the OB, she said that she is still leaning toward a c-section, but as long as things progress as they have been, it may be my decision.
So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about this and then it hit me – one way or another, the baby is coming out of me. Holy crap. I am not the least bit nervous about him being here. In fact, I can’t wait to look into his eyes and kiss his little hands and feet. But what I am completely freaking out about is the birth part! I’ve always known this coming, but now, when we are like 6-7 weeks away, I’m really freaking out. The thought I’ve carried in the back of my head is, “If so and so can do it, so can I.” That’s not a dig against any of my friends and family, sometimes I even think about the girls on 16 & Pregnant – if they can do, I can, too. But I’m quickly losing confidence. Maybe I can’t.
But I have to. There’s really no choice, is there?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Single digits
Technically, since I’ve been told they will induced at 39 weeks because of my blood pressure issues, I’ve been in the single digits weeks for a week, but now it feels more real. I am 31 weeks pregnant. There are 40 weeks in a normally pregnancy. That means (using my awesome math skills) that there are only 9 weeks left. I remember being 9 weeks pregnant! How can there only be 9 (or less!) weeks left? I feel like there is so much left to do. I mean, there IS so much left to do, but it will get done. This I know. Some of it might get done after he’s here, but you know what? Who cares!? He’ll be here and as long as he’s healthy and safe, that’s all that matters!
I do believe, however, that I will not see a full night’s sleep again for the next 18 years and 9 weeks. Jack's new favorite game is called "Poke Mommy in the Ribs" and he really likes to play it about 2AM. :)
I do believe, however, that I will not see a full night’s sleep again for the next 18 years and 9 weeks. Jack's new favorite game is called "Poke Mommy in the Ribs" and he really likes to play it about 2AM. :)
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Showered with lots of love!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wait? What was I doing?
My friend Lori said I should write this and since I always listen when I’m told to do something, here it goes. I’ve done some stupid things while I’ve been pregnant. Baby brain is real, my friends and for all my preggo friends, it will happen to you, too! Here are a couple of the highlights:
1. One day, I come out to my car at lunch to drive home. I unlock the door and am immediately ticked off because there is a pile of crap in the seat (mail, papers, magazines, an empty water bottle, etc.). How did it get there? Who was in my car? It obviously wasn’t there when I drove to work this morning? Did Chris come to the car to get something out and leave this mess? I was just pissed. So I throw all the stuff into the other seat, got in the car, keys in hand and go to put them in the ignition. Except, there was no ignition. Only the dashboard and the glove box. Yup, I had gotten in on the passenger side.
2. I forgot to wear a bra to work one day. I have big boobs; therefore this is not a good thing. When I realized it, I went back home and put one on because no one needs to see Pam and Tori run free.
3. I paid the same bill three times in one day. In my defense, the site didn’t update that I had any payments pending, so I thought that each time I logged in, I had just forgot to pay it. Plus side: A credit with Georgia Power! :)
4. Last night, I made spaghetti for dinner. After I finished the sauce, I drained the noodles and mixed it all together. Only thing is the noodles had cooked for maybe five minutes (i.e., no where near being done). Of course, I didn’t realize that I hadn’t cooked the noodles long enough until I took a bite. I guess in my head, once the sauce was ready, the noodles should have been, too! Chris (bless his heart) said, “They’re fine - just al dente!” He tried to eat them. I threw the rest down the garbage disposal. Cereal for dinner is fine by me!
There are more stupid things I have done, but I’ll leave it at that. :) I have a couple more updates, too – pictures from an amazing baby shower, new ultrasound pics and nursery pics are coming soon! :)
1. One day, I come out to my car at lunch to drive home. I unlock the door and am immediately ticked off because there is a pile of crap in the seat (mail, papers, magazines, an empty water bottle, etc.). How did it get there? Who was in my car? It obviously wasn’t there when I drove to work this morning? Did Chris come to the car to get something out and leave this mess? I was just pissed. So I throw all the stuff into the other seat, got in the car, keys in hand and go to put them in the ignition. Except, there was no ignition. Only the dashboard and the glove box. Yup, I had gotten in on the passenger side.
2. I forgot to wear a bra to work one day. I have big boobs; therefore this is not a good thing. When I realized it, I went back home and put one on because no one needs to see Pam and Tori run free.
3. I paid the same bill three times in one day. In my defense, the site didn’t update that I had any payments pending, so I thought that each time I logged in, I had just forgot to pay it. Plus side: A credit with Georgia Power! :)
4. Last night, I made spaghetti for dinner. After I finished the sauce, I drained the noodles and mixed it all together. Only thing is the noodles had cooked for maybe five minutes (i.e., no where near being done). Of course, I didn’t realize that I hadn’t cooked the noodles long enough until I took a bite. I guess in my head, once the sauce was ready, the noodles should have been, too! Chris (bless his heart) said, “They’re fine - just al dente!” He tried to eat them. I threw the rest down the garbage disposal. Cereal for dinner is fine by me!
There are more stupid things I have done, but I’ll leave it at that. :) I have a couple more updates, too – pictures from an amazing baby shower, new ultrasound pics and nursery pics are coming soon! :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)