A Pediatrician and La Leche League

Friday morning I got up and went to meet a pediatrician for Ethan. Darrell remembered that the ped the girls always used when they were younger is out in Yukon so I decided to just start with her. It turned out she is very nice, and I feel comfortable with her. I don't have a whole list of things to be anal retentive with in a pediatrician so I think I will go with it. I did like hearing that she breastfed her own three daughters, but she also not a hard-core committed to breastfeeding type of doctor. She rambled on about how it's everyone's choice and how things just don't always work out the way we plan them. So, our approaches are a bit different but I'm not going to worry about it for now. So, that's another item checked off the huge list of things to do.

After sitting at the tire store for 2+ hours waiting to get the tires balanced and a flat fixed, I went home to work on some homework until the La Leche League meeting at 3:30. It was at a church in Yukon. When I got there, there was only the leader and one other person there. Another girl showed up with her baby a few minutes later and that was our group for the day. I was suprised that the other pregnant girl, Angelique, was the wife of Darrell's first Sgt. in the unit. We've met and gotten to chat at a few of the unit events, and I enjoy spending time with her. Come to find out, she's due in a few weeks and having her baby at OU Medical Center with the same midwife. I'm excited to hear how things go for her, so hopefully she'll be at the next meeting. I told Darell, it makes me happy to find other people who have similar outlooks on this birth thing

Rebecca, the LLL leader is great. I can tell that she's going to be very helpful. She's very knowlegeable and has been leading LLL for several years. Her own children are older, but she breastfed them all. It seems like she devotes a great deal of time to breastfeeding support. It was encouragine that she had great things to say about the lactation staff at OU Med Center. She also mentioned the hospital's efforts to become a baby friendly hospital as defined by the WHO and UNICEF, something I had just heard about. This is an initiative that mainly deals with hospitals' support of breastfeeding. You can read more here. Essentially, the goal is for the hospitals to give breastfeeding mothers what they need to succeed instead of pushing formula samples on them, and undermining their efforts. It's a big deal to be recognized as a baby friendly hospital and there are none in Oklahoma yet. OU Medical is the closest it comes and they do intend to fully meet the requirements.

The rest of the weekend was pretty laid back. I took the girls to the fair on Saturday afternoon while Darrell was at drill. We probably didn't even stay two hours and I was pooped. They had fun though, with the petting zoo and agriculture/animal exhibit. I think the highlight of the day was the roasted nuts stand though! I always forget how good those things are. Mmm... I might have to dig into the cashews I bought for Darrell tonight when I get home. I don't think he was as thrilled about them as I remembered from last year.

Yesteray was shot to crap after I burned my hand cooking bacon. Of all things. I cook bacon every weekend but for some reason I had to splash grease all over my hand. Thankfully Patrick had come up and stayed the night so he kindly finished up breakfast for the girls while I soaked my hand in water. I essentially sat all day with my hand in water, then magically about 9 pm things started feeling better so I was able to get my homework done and bake some cookie bars for birth class tonight.

How about a potty break?

Childbirth Class

Since Darrell is in school every night, Sarah agreed to come with me to the seven week Prepared Childbirth class that is offered by OU Medical Center. Hopefully Darrell and I will be able to attend the "fast track" course together as well, but either way, it looks like Sarah is going to be my other Labor Support Person. I think it's going to work out beautifully!

The class is being taught by Marie Rowe, a childbirth instructor who my friend Angela recommended. She is a very sweet older lady, who is just about 70 years old. She was a L & D nurse, and now does childbirth education and doula services. I thought it was pretty cool that she volunteers as a doula to women whose husbands are overseas with the military. She definitely has a bent toward natural, unmedicated childbirth which is, of course, fine by me! I was so suprised that at least two of the four other couples in the class were vocal about their desire to have natural, unmedicated births. It made me happy to meet other young, normal people in real-life who have a similar goal.

Being the first class, things seemed a little unorganized. Marie admitted that she was being forced to follow a structure that she wasn't used to, so I hope that's why it seemed a little disjointed at first. Not that she didn't give us some interesting information though. Toward the second half of the class she had us watch part of a DVD with a class discussion and then a birth video, and that was good. Overall I'm excited to be doing it. I hope that I learn a lot that will help during labor, but regardless it is just good to be out of the house and talking to other pregnant mommies :)

I didn't put up weekly development on Sunday. It's very much the same from week to week now. Baby is growing bigger and all of his organs are continuing to mature. Mommy is getting huge. Mommy's back hurts and she can't breathe. Pretty much right on target!!

Hard to believe we've finished 30 weeks already! Less than 9 weeks to go now until the official estimated date. Wow. Childbirth classes start on Monday night, and I'm excited. I've started piling things in the bassinet that will be going into the hospital bag, and I have a list. Since Darrell is so convinced that Ethan should make an appearance early, I intend to have everything ready in advance, or close to it.

Something interesting I read is that baby now spends most of his waking time with his eyes open. He can apparently see light when it's light out. I wonder if he can see it through my clothes as well?

I have really started to be a whine-bag over the last week. I should probably curb that a little since I suspect it's only going to get worse not better. Nichola called me the other night and one of the first things she said when she got on the phone was "are you having trouble breathing?" I have to admit, at that moment I was trying very hard to get comfortable so that I could actually talk to her, and I thought she could hear it in my voice. But actually, she's just been having as much trouble or more being able to breathe. The baby is getting higher and higher, and as he does, he's giving my lungs less and less room to expand. It's especially difficult since I sit most of the day at work.

I guess it's normal that more and more my thoughts are consumed with this baby. How he's going to get here, what it's going to be like when he does. It's what I think about as I fall asleep and the first thing I think of when I wake up. (After wishing horrible deaths upon the alarm clock, of course.) I have about 4 books lying around at any given moment, three about birth and one about breastfeeding. That way I can read about exactly what I'm thinking about at the moment.

My online classes started this week. So far nothing looks too demanding... I'm going to start in on the work this evening and hopefully I'll be able to get a few weeks ahead and stay that way in case anything happens early. I'm excited about taking classes again, although these are the typical "welcome to school" type classes that consist of talking about learning instead of really delving into a real subject. It's okay though... I might not have the mental energy for too much more.

Marie

I've been looking around for some good childbirth classes to go to and got in contact with a lady named Marie today. We had a great talk. It turns out, she teaches and is a doula at OU Medical canter, and I already have an appointment there with a midwife on Friday. (I have a few differences with my current OB and I just don't feel completely comfortable with her so I'm looking at other options.) Talking with her was really encouraging and I really think that I'll end up going to OU Medical center. I think I'll know for sure on Friday though.