Initially, I wasn't focused on taking this type of series, as I didn't know how comfortable Erik would be with not only taking a class that required such a time commitment, but also having so much responsibility placed on him during labor as my "birth coach." We have been planning on hiring a doula who would come to our house once labor began, who would be there to provide extra support especially during the first part of labor while we were at home. However, after talking with the instructor, she said that couples become so comfortable with the knowledge they receive in her class series, that they often change their minds about the necessity of a doula. We will see how we feel as we get closer to the due date, but as of now we are still on the fence about whether or not we will really need one. Our class starts in just over a week and we are both really looking forward to it.
If you want to read more about the Bradley Method, this page has some great information. The instructor teaching our class told me that 96% of her students go on to have a natural, unmedicated, intervention-free childbirth. The Bradley Method is quite well known for its success in helping women achieve the natural birth that they desire, and the average "success rate" is around 86% nationally. That being said, I know that this information doesn't guarantee anything, and that first time births are often long, exhausting, and usually "harder" than subsequent births. So perhaps the statistics would be a little different if they were only looking at women experiencing their first childbirth. But still, I am pretty impressed with those odds and I have no doubt we will learn a lot and come out of the class with as much preparation as we possibly can for something that is rather tricky to prepare for, with all of the unknowns that can play into each individual labor.
Yesterday Erik and I took a class on cloth diapering that was held at the birthing center. They offer two free classes per month (the other one is on baby wearing and I will take that one next month), and we were both really happy that we attended. We decided early on that we will cloth diaper our kiddos - the health, environmental, and economical benefits are too great to not do it. Google will provide you with a vast amount of information if you search for "cloth diaper benefits" so I don't need to list them all here. The class was great for helping us learn about the different kinds of diapers, how to care for them, and also gave us the opportunity to check out in person just about every kind of cloth diaper system available. I couldn't wait to get home and shop on amazon for the kind we decided upon. Who knew someone could get so excited about diapers?!
 |
| 28 weeks + 3 days |
At 28 weeks, baby B is the size of an eggplant, weighing approximately 2 1/4 pounds and measuring in around 10 inches from crown to rump and 15 inches head to heel. He continues to add more fat every week, and will gain around 1/2 pound or so each week from here on out. His eyes, complete with eyelashes, are likely open by now, and he can see bright light shining through my belly.
 |
| 28 weeks + 3 days |
I wore this shirt yesterday when Erik and I went out to grocery shop and ran some other errands, and if my hand isn't resting below the bump, the shirt sticks out in a way that makes me look quite pregnant! Strangers have gone from asking me "are you expecting?" to "so is it a boy or girl?!" or "congrats, when are you due?" I have to admit, I am rather enjoying all this attention :)
As far as new symptoms go, I have been feeling this weird "stretching" very low in my belly for the past couple of weeks. It happens when I stand up after sitting down for a while, and feels like the baby has turned himself transverse and is laying as low as he possibly can. It resolves within a minute or so and then I feel normal again. Last Thursday, Lucy and I were on the way out the door for our morning walk, and I felt the low stretching feeling start. Only this time, it came all the way up over my belly and it seemed like my stomach was very hard, despite trying to relax it. I am pretty sure it was a Braxton Hicks contraction, which I have read can start around this point in the pregnancy. It didn't hurt, but sure was an interesting sensation! It's the only one I have felt since then, but if it was a BH contraction I am sure there are a lot more coming my way... I am still loving every kick I feel, and my favorite thing is to pull up my shirt when he really starts moving around and watch my belly move. He continues to be the most active when I am laying in bed, but so far he hasn't woken me up with his nighttime exercise routine.
According to thebump.com, at this point my breasts already have colostrum which is the first milk that will feed the baby until my milk really comes in a few days after birth. It's weird though, during the 1st trimester I felt like I couldn't get out and buy new larger bras fast enough, but during the 2nd trimester I don't think they have grown a bit. I am certainly not complaining, I know they will probably double in size once he is born!
Despite my best efforts to keep the calender free from commitments and obligations as we start the 3rd trimester, we have a busy couple of weeks coming up. Next weekend we will be in Asheville for our last getaway as a family of two, and the following week I have my next appointment with the midwife and our birthing class starts. Fortunately this weekend was a nice relaxing one, allowing me plenty of time for nesting and crafting. More about that in my upcoming post!
No comments:
Post a Comment