Tuesday, December 4, 2012

WHOA! Everything just got heavy...


Week of Pregnancy: Week 36… 1 week until full term!

Fruit to Fetus: Watermelon. We’ve reached watermelon proportions. No wonder stairs are difficult and I have to wee every hour.

Cravings/Aversions: Can’t eat anything greasy this week – I think because it just sits on the top of my stomach and the relaxen hormone makes me want to spew it back up again. Toast is fine, as is fruit and salad, but no bacon, eggs, meats, etc. Still loving my muesli.

Kick Counter: Still the insane kickboxing gymnast that she was last week. Sometimes it looks like my tummy does a Mexican wave. Also, there is a foot poking out from underneath my right ribs. It’s not always there, but 80% of the time, which makes it hard to sit.

Now that Miss Muffin is the size of a watermelon, I felt like reflecting on how far she has come – and how big she’s grown in such a (relatively) small space of time – though it feels like forever since we did the test!
 

It amazes me how little Miss Muffin got from a seasame seed (above)... to a watermelon!! (A small watermelon - 2.9kgs this week!)
 
 
 

I found when I googled 'baby watermelon' that both cute and creepy things appear. Guess which one is cute, and which is creepy... 
 
 

Seriously?! Don't get me wrong - great GREAT art watermelon carving, but oh my gosh it is creepy. Kind of like the doll I had to use for the breastfeeding class - more on that later.
 
So this week I finished up at school (Well, ‘officially’ I’m finished but I still have all my marking and reporting to do from home!)and tripped down to the coast for my birthing class! Justin unfortunately couldn’t make it L So I went solo amongst all the couples that attend birthing classes. Kind of awkward that I took my mum? I don’t think so. After all, she’s had two babies with no form of epidural/caesarean etc – I think she’s pretty qualified J

 We rocked up and I handed in my epidural consent form. Apparently, if you have not signed a consent form BEFORE LABOR BEGINS they will not give you an epidural, even if you beg and cry. So I thought better to be safe than sorry! Though I’m still going for hypnobirthing and waterbirthing without drugs (hopefully) you never know what might happen. Also, I've heard posterior births may be more painful...

Little Muffin is currently in a posterior position (Head down, but facing up, spine next to my spine):

 

But we want her to end up like this, in the anterior position (Head down, facing down with spine against my belly) :

 

So, basically, if she doesnt turn around, we can still have a natural birth but, as the lady showed us with a set of fake hips and a doll, the head doesn't fit as well when baby is facing upwards.

Also, don't google 'posterior birth' images - just don't.

So, getting back on track, handed in epidural form, and learned about different stages of labour, ways of managing pain (ie: Gas, morphine/pethidine, epidural, etc) as well as some natural techniques such as hot water. No mention of hypnosis though… hmm.

Then watched a birthing video. Let me tell you, it is still just as scary to watch a baby crown when you are 26, as to when you were 13 and shown a random video of 70s ‘afro-lady’ crowning in sex ed.

DON’T DO IT TO YOURSELF! I know you want to you-tube it, but don’t. You can’t unwatch it.

Fortunately I will be up the other end and won’t have to watch. Although apparently you can request a mirror.
 

Um. No thanks, I’m good.
 

We then learned about breast feeding for another few hours (very good session, really!) and what to do with a newborn – what will you need when you go home from the hospital? How can you prevent SIDS? What are the questions most new mothers ask?

All in all, very informative, very knowledgeable midwives with lots of experience. Also, they had tasty sandwiches for lunch. Quite sad Justin missed it, actually!

Sunday mum and I went shopping (Well, can’t go to the coast – CIVILISATION! – without doing some shopping…) and I finished my year 11 reports.
 
Finally, Monday morning Dad and I did some hypnosis practise for relaxation and labour – Have some fabulous visualisations to practise, and was reminded that doing proper hypnosis (for 20 minutes) is as good as a few hours sleep! Am feeling much more competent and comfortable with the hypnobirthing idea, though I am deviating slightly from their suggested methods and adding some that Dad uses with his patients.

Strangely, at one point I was visualising myself on a beach, with waves gently surging over my torso, but that ‘fake’ me on the beach was visualising a flower opening (cervical dilation visualisation)…

INCEPTION!!!!!!!
 

So anyway – about to hit 37 weeks in a few days time (HOLY CRAP – Tomorrow actually!) so here’s to hoping Baby Bechaz doesn’t make an appearance until at least week 38/39, as I am six hours away from my preferred hospital and Obstetrician!

Lots of love to all – I’m off to finish marking and reporting and make a ‘clean break’ from Bilo in a few days time!

xxxxx

 
 
 
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Baby Mini-Muffin Timer

Lilypie Pregnancy tickers