Continued new things…
Well as most of you all know, especially since I mentioned it in my last post - I am pregnant. I am a little over 3 1/2 months pregnant. The first 3 months were pretty hellish. I was sick pretty much everyday, all day, and found riding in a car unbearable…and sometimes just walking to the bathroom was too much. Chris did the best he could to try and make things easier for me by bringing me dinner and sometimes supposed remedies, but not much helped me at all. He was also busy pretty much all the time except dinner and bed time - so we still haven’t talked about alot to things regarding this baby. We still haven’t looked at names really, and I have been the one to decide nursery design and baby items for the most part. Not to say that there isn’t still time, but in about a month school starts again for both of us…which means little to no time together again. Which is also why I am trying to get some things figured out earlier rather then later. I also know later I will be tired, and sore…and won’t want to do all this stuff probably. I admit also that the first 3 months I was depressed off and on just because I was lonely. No other reasons really - just missed human companionship. My cell phone doesn’t work very well at home, we don’t have a land line, and skype costs money to call other phone lines (and my mom doesn’t use skype…so can’t call her for free that way). So between not being up to traveling much if at all, not getting to spend time with my husband, and then also not getting to talk to much of anyone on the phone…my main company was just TV and my computer. Now that Chris isn’t so busy, things are better - although I know it won’t last long. I am at least able to travel a little more now thankfully. I even had to drop both of my summer classes because of feeling so sick and also not being able to find a school to observe in.
Chris heard our baby’s heartbeat the first time last week. I thought it was sweet that he was excited, although this was my second time to hear it. We both really would like to know the gender…although I think it will be a boy. I could always be wrong though! We shall see!
Apparently I am farther out there then I ever thought. I come to this realization with this baby too. I have decided to use a midwife instead of a doctor. I have done alot of research and many, many medical studies show that midwife births are as safe - if not safer then birth with doctors. A great book is Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities: A Guide to the Medical Literature by Henci Goer which talks about lots of medical studies that show how safe midwife use is, and how safe home birth is as well. And yes, I am planning a home birth. A great documentary to see is the Business of being born. It also talks about this subject and gives faces to stories. I am low risk, so I see no reason why to not go this route. I don’t like hospitals, nor do I feel comfortable in them. I don’t feel that I could give birth with confidence there - and that can stall labor or make it much more difficult. Not to mention doctors are far more likely to give drugs that I do not want, and also do c-sections…which is a very big “do not want” in my book. The recovery is too hard and I don’t want that unless it is absolutely necessary. My midwife does have a back up doctor in case things don’t go well, and also I don’t live too far from an emergency room.
I have to say to women out there: do your research. Look at the common medications given during labor and look at what side effects and repercussions they can have. You’d be surprised. Remember that a hospital is still a business and they are trying to fill beds and empty them, which means that they may give you meds to speed things up…even if it’s not necessary - which can also cause complications …which cause intervention you may have not wanted. Many of these drugs are bad for your labor and bad for your baby. Women today are so afraid of what a natural birth is…because it’s rather uncommon these days! You know your body, and it was built to give birth…and you have to trust in that. (Of course all of this is only if you are low risk) I have learned so much with the reading I have done…and I just think women need to ask questions and need to do research before making a choice about their birth plan.
As things progress I will update on my thoughts about it, but so far I am happy with my choice, and I think it will be worth it in the end.
Anyways obviously I am weird to doing my research and making an informed choice. Funny enough Chris’s mom also fears what we are going to name our baby. In truth, yes we want a unique name…but not something that won’t work for an adult in the future. I know he or she will eventually grow up and need a name that other adults can respect and/or think is pretty neat. So we shall all see what happens in the future… until my next update (and I’ll try not to wait another 2 months)..