In the interest of mind-numbing psuedo-research to kill time while waiting for baby, I decided to experiment on my pits. Yes, my pits.
You see, I am a sweaty person. I've convinced myself it's nothing to be ashamed of as it's evidence my body is an efficient machine capable of cooling me down even through the most torturous of Arizona summers. But, let's be honest here: it's gross and embarassing. And I'm totally one of those people who, when nervous or uncomfortable, turn into a sweat machine. It's gross and kind of 'dude' like, and I'm over it.
I have tried lots of different kinds of deodorant/antiperspirant options, and even though I may smell like a Day Lily or Powder Fresh or what have you, I still get pit rings on my shirt.
So, I caved. I bought some Secret Clinical Strength. And today I put it to the test. Under my left pit, I used the SCS. Under my right pit, I used the deodorant/antiperspirant I always use (to remain unnamed in this post). And then we went to an outdoor mall nearby and walked for a little over an hour.
I am pleased to repoort, the pit I used the SCS on had no sweat ring even though the one I used my regular stuff on did. So I guess this stuff works. Now, before I get TOO excited, I do know of a little condition my friend likes to call RPS (Right Pit Syndrome) wherein one pit is inherently more sweaty than the other. Just to rule that out as a reason for the one-sided ringing of the shirt, I will be showering shortly, and reapplying the deodorants on the opposite pits. ALL in the name of science, people. Stay tuned.....
....or, just keep sending some labor-dust my way so you can escape the hell of having to read something as boring and gross as this again.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Day Is Here.
Or...it's supposed to be. Happy Due Date #3 to me....but where is Andre?
Anyone? Anyone?
I did have some contractions last night, but only for about an hour and they weren't painful so much as pressure. And then they went away. Today we're hanging out at home, finishing some laundry, watching movies, and having dinner with the families later to celebrate birthdays (my mom's and Darrick's brother's).
Ho hum.....ho hum. I'm off to bounce on my yoga ball some more. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Anyone? Anyone?
I did have some contractions last night, but only for about an hour and they weren't painful so much as pressure. And then they went away. Today we're hanging out at home, finishing some laundry, watching movies, and having dinner with the families later to celebrate birthdays (my mom's and Darrick's brother's).
Ho hum.....ho hum. I'm off to bounce on my yoga ball some more. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Due Date #2
We went out to breakfast and to the park this morning. I also planned to go get more reflexology, but it didn't work out. Instead, I bought a pineapple and a shaved ice (wild strawberry, add cream). I also took a long nap, which I was awoken from by the sweetest girl on Earth hugging me and playing with my hair. I can deal with that kind of wake-up call.
We might go to a movie tonight, if we can agree on one. And if I'm not in labor (which, by the way, has now officially become the most hated expression in my household).
Did I mention Luca now sings 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'? Not the whole thing, of course, but enough to know what song it is, and the parts she doesn't know she mumbles the melody. And then, when she gets to the part she really doesn't know, she stops, starts to clap for herself and says, "YAY LUCA!"
Friday, March 13, 2009
Questions and Answers.
I thought I'd take a few minutes to go over some questions I've received (some fairly common, others sort of unusual) lately. Seems like a good way to kill time (otherwise known as wait impatiently for a baby to arrive).
Question:
How do you keep the water in the birth tub warm?
Answer:
I'm not really sure how this will work in real life, but in my imagination, it's not so hard. I do not plan to fill and get into the birth tub until I am sure I am in active labor (my MW suggests about 5 cm, but does not demand I get checked to prove I am 5 cm first or anything). Our water heater will be turned up so the tub fills very hot. I'll get in and relax.
The water is actually NOT intended to be 'hot' when baby is born in it. It should be close to mom's normal body temperature of 98.6, so ideally by the time baby is born into the water, it will have cooled down to about that temperature. And many moms who've birthed in water say you won't WANT it really hot anyhow, since labor raises your core body temp and too-hot water = too-hot mom. Now, should the water need heating, we can boil some on the stove and add it in, or siphon some out and add more in straight from the tap.
Question:
What do you do with the water when you're done birthing and the pool needs to be emptied?
Answer:
You siphon the water out. You can use a hose to siphon it into the yard, sink, or tub.
Question:
Does the birth pool have stirrups?
Answer:
No. Stirrups are not needed, as mom pushes in whatever position is comfortable for her. Stirrups are only used in labor to get mom in a position that's convenient for the OB or MW attending, and that position can lead to worse tearing or...episiotomies. Which leads ME to....
Question:
What if you need an episiotomy?
Answer:
Episiotomies are very rare, if not non-existent, in home births. I am not even sure if my MW brings the right....tools....to do one. I never asked, as I don't plan on needing one done. She tells me very few of her moms tear at all because they direct the pushing themselves and, in water, the tissues have time to soften enough that there's usually no tearing. What tears she DOES see usually don't even need stitches.
Question:
What about the mess?
Answer:
Most of the 'mess' will be contained in the birth pool. We also have 'drop cloths' of sorts to lay on the floor and bed, and the MW and her apprentice do a cleaning of the house after baby is born, including throwing soiled linens in the wash.
Question:
So about this 'mess' in the pool...isn't it kind of gross and unsanitary to float around with your placenta?
Answer:
I don't plan on bobbing for placenta, if that's what you mean. There will probably be some amniotic fluid and blood (and possible 'debris'...please see fish net post below) in the pool at some point. But the fact is...this is all stuff (ok...maybe not the 'debris') baby is being exposed to in the womb, and is no less safe for baby to be exposed to OUTSIDE the womb. I don't expect it to be a lot, and usually the blood comes after the baby, so it's not like I'll be swimming in it for 10 hours of labor. Also, the placenta is typically delivered outside of the pool, on dry land, so there will be no floating with that either.
Question:
What if baby needs oxygen or CPR? What if mom needs oxygen or bleeds too much? Can the MW handle this?
Answer:
We bought this jar of stuff called Rainbow Puppy Unicorn Magic. You just open the lid, and out comes a magical fairy to sprinkle Rainbow Puppy Unicorn Magic around the room, and all is better. And the bonus is, labor doesn't hurt and AIDS is cured and there is world peace.
Ok, but seriously, people. I do appreciate the concern and curiosity, but we didn't get out MW out of the back of the New Times. We didn't pick her just because she has horses and Luca likes going to see them (though she does, and Luca does). We interviewed 3 potential MWs and asked a ton of questions. Naturally we asked about emergency medical situations and how they are handled. My MW carries oxygen for both baby and mom (maybe even for panicked dads?). She knows First Aid and CPR. She brings pitocin to births in case mom bleeds too much or needs help getting her uterus to clamp down and expel the placenta after baby is born. She is a qualified professional with a LOT of training and experience, and a part of that includes knowing when she needs to call for help. We live less than a mile from the hospital where Luca was born, and an ambulance could be to us in about 2 minutes if need be. About the only thing my MW cannot do that the OBs at the hospital CAN is perform a c-section or give me drugs for the pain.
Question:
What about all the normal things the hospital does? Eye ointment, shots, health checks, etc. Can your MW do those?
Answer:
I've sort of touched on this a few times before, but the answer is yes, if we wish. The big difference here between a home and a hospital birth is that we as the parents can decide what things to have done and what to decline, with full knowledge of the pros and cons, no on-the-spot pressure, and no judgment on our decisions. So, we won't get the eye ointment, we will get the Vitamin K injection and the newborn screening (required by the state anyhow), baby will be weighed and measured....and all this will be done (I hope!) while I lounge in a robe at home in bed.
Question:
Will Luca be there for the birth?
Answer:
It depends. If I go into labor while she's sleeping at night, we'll leave her in bed. If she's awake or wakes up, we'll play it by ear. It's really dependent upon whether I am comfortable with her there, whether H can help me while keeping an eye on her, and what her reaction is to the whole thing. We don't want to exclude her, but we also don't want to scare her, so if we think she'd be better off playing with one of her Grandmas or uncles or a friend, we've got backups on call.
Question:
Who 'catches' the baby?
Answer:
We plan to play it by ear. My MW is more than happy to step back and let Darrick or me do it if all is going well with the birth. I can't predict who will actually end up doing it.
Question:
Who will announce Andre's sex?
Answer:
My MW has told us she doesn't even look unless we ask her to. I'm hoping Darrick will announce it, but this is another thing we can't actually predict for sure in advance.
That's it for now! If you have other questions you want to see answered, feel free to comment here.
Question:
How do you keep the water in the birth tub warm?
Answer:
I'm not really sure how this will work in real life, but in my imagination, it's not so hard. I do not plan to fill and get into the birth tub until I am sure I am in active labor (my MW suggests about 5 cm, but does not demand I get checked to prove I am 5 cm first or anything). Our water heater will be turned up so the tub fills very hot. I'll get in and relax.
The water is actually NOT intended to be 'hot' when baby is born in it. It should be close to mom's normal body temperature of 98.6, so ideally by the time baby is born into the water, it will have cooled down to about that temperature. And many moms who've birthed in water say you won't WANT it really hot anyhow, since labor raises your core body temp and too-hot water = too-hot mom. Now, should the water need heating, we can boil some on the stove and add it in, or siphon some out and add more in straight from the tap.
Question:
What do you do with the water when you're done birthing and the pool needs to be emptied?
Answer:
You siphon the water out. You can use a hose to siphon it into the yard, sink, or tub.
Question:
Does the birth pool have stirrups?
Answer:
No. Stirrups are not needed, as mom pushes in whatever position is comfortable for her. Stirrups are only used in labor to get mom in a position that's convenient for the OB or MW attending, and that position can lead to worse tearing or...episiotomies. Which leads ME to....
Question:
What if you need an episiotomy?
Answer:
Episiotomies are very rare, if not non-existent, in home births. I am not even sure if my MW brings the right....tools....to do one. I never asked, as I don't plan on needing one done. She tells me very few of her moms tear at all because they direct the pushing themselves and, in water, the tissues have time to soften enough that there's usually no tearing. What tears she DOES see usually don't even need stitches.
Question:
What about the mess?
Answer:
Most of the 'mess' will be contained in the birth pool. We also have 'drop cloths' of sorts to lay on the floor and bed, and the MW and her apprentice do a cleaning of the house after baby is born, including throwing soiled linens in the wash.
Question:
So about this 'mess' in the pool...isn't it kind of gross and unsanitary to float around with your placenta?
Answer:
I don't plan on bobbing for placenta, if that's what you mean. There will probably be some amniotic fluid and blood (and possible 'debris'...please see fish net post below) in the pool at some point. But the fact is...this is all stuff (ok...maybe not the 'debris') baby is being exposed to in the womb, and is no less safe for baby to be exposed to OUTSIDE the womb. I don't expect it to be a lot, and usually the blood comes after the baby, so it's not like I'll be swimming in it for 10 hours of labor. Also, the placenta is typically delivered outside of the pool, on dry land, so there will be no floating with that either.
Question:
What if baby needs oxygen or CPR? What if mom needs oxygen or bleeds too much? Can the MW handle this?
Answer:
We bought this jar of stuff called Rainbow Puppy Unicorn Magic. You just open the lid, and out comes a magical fairy to sprinkle Rainbow Puppy Unicorn Magic around the room, and all is better. And the bonus is, labor doesn't hurt and AIDS is cured and there is world peace.
Ok, but seriously, people. I do appreciate the concern and curiosity, but we didn't get out MW out of the back of the New Times. We didn't pick her just because she has horses and Luca likes going to see them (though she does, and Luca does). We interviewed 3 potential MWs and asked a ton of questions. Naturally we asked about emergency medical situations and how they are handled. My MW carries oxygen for both baby and mom (maybe even for panicked dads?). She knows First Aid and CPR. She brings pitocin to births in case mom bleeds too much or needs help getting her uterus to clamp down and expel the placenta after baby is born. She is a qualified professional with a LOT of training and experience, and a part of that includes knowing when she needs to call for help. We live less than a mile from the hospital where Luca was born, and an ambulance could be to us in about 2 minutes if need be. About the only thing my MW cannot do that the OBs at the hospital CAN is perform a c-section or give me drugs for the pain.
Question:
What about all the normal things the hospital does? Eye ointment, shots, health checks, etc. Can your MW do those?
Answer:
I've sort of touched on this a few times before, but the answer is yes, if we wish. The big difference here between a home and a hospital birth is that we as the parents can decide what things to have done and what to decline, with full knowledge of the pros and cons, no on-the-spot pressure, and no judgment on our decisions. So, we won't get the eye ointment, we will get the Vitamin K injection and the newborn screening (required by the state anyhow), baby will be weighed and measured....and all this will be done (I hope!) while I lounge in a robe at home in bed.
Question:
Will Luca be there for the birth?
Answer:
It depends. If I go into labor while she's sleeping at night, we'll leave her in bed. If she's awake or wakes up, we'll play it by ear. It's really dependent upon whether I am comfortable with her there, whether H can help me while keeping an eye on her, and what her reaction is to the whole thing. We don't want to exclude her, but we also don't want to scare her, so if we think she'd be better off playing with one of her Grandmas or uncles or a friend, we've got backups on call.
Question:
Who 'catches' the baby?
Answer:
We plan to play it by ear. My MW is more than happy to step back and let Darrick or me do it if all is going well with the birth. I can't predict who will actually end up doing it.
Question:
Who will announce Andre's sex?
Answer:
My MW has told us she doesn't even look unless we ask her to. I'm hoping Darrick will announce it, but this is another thing we can't actually predict for sure in advance.
That's it for now! If you have other questions you want to see answered, feel free to comment here.
Due Date #1 is here (and almost gone)
Today was my original due date, according to my calculations. Of course, my MW has me as due on the 15th, so I'm looking at this as more of a Due Weekend. Which is good, since today has almost passed already and so far no sign of baby. I feel more uncomfortable. I feel more twinges and pains and braxton hicks contractions. But there is nothing leading me to believe baby is going to make it here in the next hour.
It's bizarre to go through a whole day knowing you're supposed to be having a baby. Several people asked me today when I am due, and I said, "Today...tomorrow...soon!" I don't quite know how to answer. I'm afraid if I start thinking of TODAY as my DUE DATE, I'll wake up super bummed to be OVERDUE tomorrow, if that makes any sense.
Today is my Mom's birthday, which is one reason I am sad Andre didn't choose to arrive, Friday the 13th be damned. We took her out to dinner, and then I caved and we walked over to Target to buy some chocolate ice cream, for the "Chocolate Ice Cream Induction". Two bowls and two hours later and...still nothing to speak of. So we continue to wait.
It's bizarre to go through a whole day knowing you're supposed to be having a baby. Several people asked me today when I am due, and I said, "Today...tomorrow...soon!" I don't quite know how to answer. I'm afraid if I start thinking of TODAY as my DUE DATE, I'll wake up super bummed to be OVERDUE tomorrow, if that makes any sense.
Today is my Mom's birthday, which is one reason I am sad Andre didn't choose to arrive, Friday the 13th be damned. We took her out to dinner, and then I caved and we walked over to Target to buy some chocolate ice cream, for the "Chocolate Ice Cream Induction". Two bowls and two hours later and...still nothing to speak of. So we continue to wait.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
39 Week, 3 Day Appointment.
We went and saw our MW this morning, rather than waiting for this weekend. I really have nothing to report. I'm still pregnant, baby is still head down, and all is still well. We didn't make a 'next' appointment this time. According to her chart, I am due on Sunday, so if I'm still pregnant come Monday, I'll call her and we'll go in for another visit. We were laughing over an 'induction' technique she suggested. It's called the Chocolate Ice Cream Induction, and involves eating as much chocolate ice cream as you can in one sitting. I asked how it works and she said like castor oil it's likely to cause...how should I say it?...lots of toilet time, which can sometimes start contractions. I decided to skip it in favor of NOT living on the toilet WHILE being in labor.
Tonight is a full moon, so....maybe?
Tonight is a full moon, so....maybe?
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