Un Random Update

Just a little about things going on around here lately. . .

We now have 5 new trees growing in our backyard. Wish we'd had them planted when we first moved here. They might've given us some shade by now!

I'm looking most forward to enjoying the globe willow's shade in a couple years.

This evening marks when we FINALLY turned on the air conditioning. Case (is every man like this?) had a goal to make it to May 1 before we resorted to cooling ourselves by such means. Before the crazy cold snap last week, we were laying under ceiling fans as the thermostat registered 84+ degrees. I actually welcomed last week's freezing rain. (But not so much the 90 mph winds that drove piles of fine dust through our closed windows.)

We had class 8 tonight (Bradley), so we thought it would be nice to let our almost-due couples have a cool environment in which to learn about variations of labor and possible complications. (Want to watch a cesarean video in an 80+ degree room, anyone?) One of our students had just witnessed her first labor (not hers--her first to witness) and told us a great story of prodromal labor . . . ending in the unmedicated birth of a healthy baby! I'm excited to hear more.

Let's see. . . last Thursday, the girls and I made it to an unofficial church play date at a local business that is like a coffee shop and a play place in one. We've been there a couple times. The girls really love it. I don't think the business will last long--we've been some of the only customers when we're there--but it is such a great idea. I really want to support them as long as they're open.
Over the weekend, we made our family pilgrimage to Costco (I don't know how I've talked Case into coming to help me with the shopping here several times now. I think I might be throwing my weight around. . . or maybe just my belly.)
These girls. . . I guess it's too much to ask that they all look my direction and like they are not homeless and drugged. Yikes, I really need to do their hair before setting out in public. A hat can only hide so much. (This is the tip of Haley's cheesiness iceberg.)

Case and I had the special treat of going on a quick dinner date Saturday while a couple from church watched the girls for us. It was a treat for the girls as well-- they got their nails painted and got to play with another little girl AND a puppy! They were disappointed to find that the couple was not sleeping over.
This has been a spoiling week for the girls--on Monday they had another couple friends come over to play and then on Tues, we went as a family to dinner at an acquaintance's home. She's the one who has given birth on the same day as have I the last two times. Claire and J are exactly the same age, as are Haley and D! They have 3 boys and have recently discovered they expect another baby in October. Claire asked if we'd have our babies the same day again, and I told her I really hoped we didn't this time!

This family was so gracious. Claire threw a HUGE tantrum outside where the dads had taken the children as we cleaned up dinner, and the other father was extremely understanding. Case and I had wondered how he and the husband would fare in conversation, since many of Casey's interests/hobbies and job all have to do with technology (and, dare I say, violence?!) and as Mennonites, they have little to do with such things. Well, I think Claire's fit may have just brought them together on a point of commonality . . . to our surprise, they struggle with similar things with their oldest. We laughed that if they hadn't said anything, we would have never known, and the dad very humbly said, "Well, you've caught us at a good time." We went on to have several hours of great conversation.

Speaking of our fiesty fit-thrower, Case let Claire play in her room tonight while Ruby sat in on our class. He forgot to turn off her light, and we found her asleep on the floor next to her toys. So sweet. And yes, it's times like these when I wonder, can she really throw such out-of-control fits? Surely not THIS girl.
In other news, I am 30+ weeks and getting bigger by the moment. Today, at Ruby's dance class I was asked (again) if I was having twins. . . which sparked a conversation with two ladies in their 70's who each told me about their twin births, one with the traditional "knock-em-out, drag-em-out" (as Dr. Bradley put it) method, the other whose Dr. hypnotized her. Very different. It is funny how many twin stories I have heard since sporting a large belly. More than I have ever heard before (even though I've had a pretty large belly at some point each time).

Here's a little trivia for you: I personally know 3 different people (not the above ladies--they both knew beforehand) who either had or were undiagnosed twins (as in, they didn't know there were twins till the first baby was out and/or the second baby was being born). I'm not saying that means I'm having twins . . . I'm just sayin'. . . it isn't exactly unheard of.

Anyway, I'm not always asked if I'm having twins, but it is a normal suggestion/question when people find out how much longer I have to go. But that's with strangers, mainly. With those who know me, I get the entirely too brief, "Wow, Sarah." or "When was it that you said you were due?" I get it, guys. I'm huge.
Last midwife appointment (we're down to every 2 weeks now--really closing in!) I measured 33 weeks--only 4 weeks ahead, instead of 5, so the gap is closing, rather than widening. I have another appointment tomorrow, which I purposely scheduled for when my MIL is in town (as in, immediately after she flies in--sorry, Sandy!). Hopefully, my blood pressure will be back to normal. It's been high (for me) the last two appointments (114/60 at 29 weeks) and I have a hunch that sans children, we'll get a lower reading.
Incidentally, in all of my appointments where I follow behind another prego woman or one follows me, I am the only woman who comes to appointments without a husband (or whatever). Seriously, what do these women's husband's do? If Case took off every time I had an appointment, we wouldn't have any family leave time for him to take when I REALLY need him--after the baby's born and my family help is gone. I think my midwives might find the fact that I come without him a little puzzling and concerning, but it just isn't feasible for him to burn up several hours of family leave for each appointment. Anyone else have this experience? Is this a home birth thing, or do most couples consider it "thier" midwife/doctor appointment, and go together? Are we just too practical? I know I'd enjoy it on this side, but I'm sure I'd regret it when he only has a day or two he can stay home with us after #4 arrives.

Contractions are getting stronger. For the last few weeks, it has been pretty normal to have an evening with fairly regular contractions every 5 minutes (some evenings, every 10 minutes) for 5 hours or so. They usually kick in around dinner time and die down by 11ish. Some days, like yesterday, I have strong contractions all day (not as close, though). I'm having them very strong and less than 5 min apart now for the last 1/2 hour, so I'm going to call it a day. Relaxation practice awaits!

I Have Some Corrections to Make

In this post regarding my Bradley certification, I said several things that I need to clarify. First of all, I said that the Bradley® Method's® goal was natural childbirth. Though that is indeed true, the 4 days at the workshop impressed in me that the primary goal of this method is a healthy baby, healthy mother and healthy family. The mode by which that is usually accomplished is to not mess with the labor process.

There are times when major interventions like cesarean sections are called for, and though the true necessity is probably one third to one tenth of what is currently practiced (in the U.S. as of 2007, 31.8% of all births are surgical), some cesareans are truly necessary. *Interesting fact: Dr. Bradley attended about 22,000 births and had a 3% cesarean rate and had not one maternal mortality. Of course, he didn't mess with other parts of labor either, not just the birth part.
I thought I should clarify that so I'm not giving Bradley a bad name by cesarean-bashing. It can be a marvelous life-saving surgery. I just believe it should only be reserved for times when the benefits outweigh the risks. Too often this is not the case.

The other thing I wish to clarify is this business of an 80% natural childbirth rate. That number is incorrect. The truth is that, of those Bradley students who go on to have vaginal births, 87% of them are unmedicated. There is another group here that is left out of this count, and that is the cesarean group (who I'm hoping were medicated!).

Anyway, I think that's important to clarify. So, if we included those c-sections into the number, only about 76% of all (reported) Bradley births are vaginal and unmedicated. Bradley advertises the 87% rate, which is more impressive, but not the whole story. My guess is that most students and even some teachers are not aware of this numbers game.

I still challenge anyone to find a better rate with another method or class. Even at that percentage, it's pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. :)

It's Official!!!!

As of a few hours ago, I am a Provisional Affiliate with The Bradley® Method of natural childbirth!

I'm sitting at the Denver airport waiting for my flight back to ABQ. There are two other Provisional Affiliates who also turned in their certification packets and were accepted at the workshop, and another 14 people who are candidates.

Words cannot express how very excited I am to go home and teach my first class, starting on Tuesday, October 27th. What a wonderful thing to have the chance to impact families in a positive way by educating them on nutrition in pregnancy, relaxation, and good consumerism in order promote a safe and satisfying birth.

If anyone you know lives in the Albuquerque area and is interested in learning how she/they can work toward a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth, please encourage her/them to contact me.

This method was instrumental in sparing Casey, me and our three babies many unnecessary interventions, possibly including major surgery, so I am quite passionate, to say the LEAST!

I'll be updating as I prepare for my first 12-week series to start, and hope to give an update on how my classes go as well. If you can't wait to hear more, contact me!