I am 30 weeks as of yesterday! EEK!! (Excited Squeal!) I cannot believe how time has just flown by. I mean some nights my eyes just pop open and I realize, I am going to be a Mom in 10 weeks or less. I am feeling really good and ready. We still have to set up the baby room and get somethings squared away there, but we are getting there. My plan is to work on finalizing that stuff over Thanksgiving break. I also have a baby shower coming up on January 7, 2012, a few weeks before my due date. We should be finalizing all our other needed things by then I hope.
I have been doing a lot of reading up on natural birth too. I really want to give birth naturally and have been reading all sorts of books, stories, and articles about it to see what has worked for other people to create a plan that will hopefully work for me. I am opened minded to other options if necessary, but I feel really good about my plan so far. I have always always always had a high tolerance for pain and really want to be in control of the process as much as I am able too.
I have been doing a lot of reading up on natural birth too. I really want to give birth naturally and have been reading all sorts of books, stories, and articles about it to see what has worked for other people to create a plan that will hopefully work for me. I am opened minded to other options if necessary, but I feel really good about my plan so far. I have always always always had a high tolerance for pain and really want to be in control of the process as much as I am able too.
I am really grateful to have so many tools for educating myself at my finger tips. I have talked to my Mom a lot about various things, even a few friends or coworkers that have gone through it already, I have taken some free classes that my insurance company/hospital has offered, plus I have a few books, and the Internet. I took an amazing child birthing class last night that was awesome and just put things into perspective and left me feeling very encouraged and amazing. I feel like a sponge some days. I just want to get as much info under my belt mostly to feel at ease and prepared, I guess knowledge is power or makes me feel more prepared. Some days I take a break though because it feels a little overwhelming. I took a break for a few weeks and read part of The Hunger Games series. :) I think all the natural instincts are kicking in and if I forget something then I do, only human right.
Aside from the occasional hip pain, leg cramps, and heartburn I am feeling amazing. (well right now I am fighting a nasty cold) I love being pregnant and love the process of feeling him grow. I have experienced swollen ankles and I think that my belly button will be popping near the end. My favorite part has been feeling him move. He has become incredibly active and strong. One night when I was reading I could see my belly move like a wave. It was amazing. Lars and I enjoy playing with him. We play "hide n' seek" or "tag your it". We poke him or a side of my belly and see if he pokes back or moves over to the other side of my belly. I end up laughing a lot of the times when we play and then we can't tell if it is him moving or me from the laughter. At times my belly looks deformed because he is curled up on one side and it is hard as a rock. Minutes later he moves and it changes shape again. He also gets the hiccups in the mornings and evenings. We should start teaching him morse code or something to communicate. Tap once if this is your head, twice if it is your bum. :) I love love love it!
At times it is really hard to describe or find words to express the love I feel. I end up crying tears of joy when I really stop and think about it. One day I was just listening to the radio and Beyonce's song Halo came on and I just started bawling at the words. I love this child and I love how into this Lars is. He is going to be an amazing Dad. Sometimes I feel silly with how emotional I am about this but it is just a great feeling. I feel like when the baby comes out and when I hold him on the outside I will just explode with even more love and not know what to do with myself.
Here is my 30 week belly shot.
People at work that were too afraid to ask if I was pregnant now have no shame in asking questions and even strangers or vendors that come in the office congratulate me or comment about it. So far I haven't been too terribly offended by any rude remarks or comments about my weight or hormones. I think I have been annoyed twice by something someone said, but I can't even recall what it was so I guess it wasn't that important. I do joke with some people about it and am called Chubbs LOL. But those are people I know really well so it is cool with me. I don't mind people touching my belly. Most people are polite about it and ask first which is nice. So far no creepos have come asking because I will tell them NO! LOLAnyway so there is the 30 week update. I guess since I am nearing the homestretch I will be posting weekly pictures of the belly progress. :)
Um, just so you know, getting an epidural doesn't mean you lose control of your birth experience. I felt pretty in control all 19 hours I was in labor and would do the epi again in a heartbeat. I didn't feel out of the loop or like I didn't know what was going on, and I was still able to experience the whole experience. :)
ReplyDeleteHey Stephanie, obviously you will get a LOT of advice on what to do and what not to do as far as labor goes. You gotta do what you think is best. As for me, I've been pro-epidural all my life due to very low pain tolerance. But I must say, once I was actually in labor I went almost 24 hours without needing one. If your heart is set on natural childbirth you should check out my friends blogs about it. She actually teaches hypobirthing classes but she has a wealth of other info and would be more than happy to share. Check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://utahvalleyhypnobabies.blogspot.com/2011/11/bump-diaries-episode-4.html
That class really was great. I feel a lot better now:-) It was fun going with you guys too. How cool that we get to do this together. Cute pic! You beat me to my 30 week post. I better get on it since I'm 31 weeks tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie!! Congratulations, you will rock as a mom! I wish i could have seen you when you came to SLC. I love reading your blog! I wanted to tell you that I used hypnobirthing with Miguel and even though I had to be induced I was able to have the natural childbirth I wanted as far as not using any painkillers. I loved it, the hypnobirthing helped me focus on breathing, relaxing my muscles and working w/ my body to help him come out (nobody is there putting you under hypnosis or anything - it's not at all wierd). You will do great, you know yourself best, trust your instincts whatever they be!
ReplyDeleteMuch love!
Eagen Lopez
My Cousin Eliza posted this but then I accidentally deleted it so here it is.
ReplyDeleteI love how positive you are. I also find it very cute and endearing that Lars is so into it. That is one thing I don't have - Brent has never been into feeling the baby move, talking or playing with the baby and I try not to let that bother me. So in that regard you are luck, enjoy it.
I'm almost 36 weeks and I'm starting to feel the crunch to get everything in it's place. I never tire of feeling her move and, like all mom, I can't wait to see her and hold her and smell her and kiss her and ... everything!
Keep on enjoying every moment. The aches and pains are so temporary. One piece of advice is to not focus on the birth so much that you don't think much past it. Try to envision your new life as a mom, the adjustment that will take place and your transition from working out of the home to working in the home. I had a hard time adjusting with Jacob and I think it was because I never thought much past the birth.
Love you!
It was fun to read this and see how much our pregnancies are alike. And luckily I am feeling pretty good except for the same things you mentioned (hip pain, cramps, heartburn, and I just got over my cold).
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