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Lilypie Maternity tickers

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Snow Day...


Well, it's snowing so... we are working on organizing the school room! In preperation of beginning again after taking a semester off! So let's get to it, right?

The kids enjoyed organizing the file folder games, the puzzles, books, and so on! Fun morning. Now for lunch. PNB with pear honey sandwiches, apples, and popcorn, while listeing to an audio book equals happy kids! YAY!

The Art closet is waiting.... ho hum.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Jane Austen and LDS chicks....

http://www.ldsliving.com/story/63666-why-jane-austen-appeals-to-lds-women

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Baby-


Well, I told my hubby no matter when she came, he was getting a baby for Valentine's Day/Anniversary gift. 2 days after the "I love Us" (HallMark)Day, the baby came. And it was glorious.

On Monday, according to the last menstrual cycle we were 43 weeka long with the baby. After much prayer Tuesday, I went to the chiropractor, as since Sunday I had been experiencing excruciating pain. The Chiropractor, Crystal, found my hips terribly misaligned. After my 45 minute appt, I stood up and experienced WONDERFUL pain FREE movement! I expressed my gratitude several times, while enjoying the fact that standing was no longer painful. On my way out the door I decided I could have the baby now that I could move freely - well, as freely as most women this far pregnant.

Wednesday, I woke up feeling that we should break my water, or at least strip my membranes. Well, my family doctor, who used to be an OB and is trained for such things, is no longer licensed to. My friend, a midwife, is out of town. So after errand running, I was still on a high about being able to move so painfree, I met Hubby at home. He stripped my membranes, having the same *feeling* about it as I did. We prayed. And half an hour later I was in labor and running myself a bath.

2 1/2 hours of labor. That was it. And it was wonderful. Hubby managed to feed the children dinner, and keep them occupied while still being there for me. He was amazing, as he always is. He offered water, ice, hotter water for the bath, and so support verbal and physical support for me during this time. He had his hands perfectly placed to catch our daughter as she came into the world. She tried breathing right away! He brought the children in, gave me everything I needed while we nursed for a while, delaying the cord clamping.

The girls were mezmerized, the boys looked and left, not knowing how to interpret this little naked purple things as their new sister. Our eldest stayed to help. Handing us towels, blankets, items out of the birthing bag we had prepared together, and so on. She thought it was fabulous. She asked many questions and was amazed at this miracle of birth.

Eventually we clamped and cut the cord, storing the placenta for processing into capsules later. While DH and DD dressed the baby, I showered. When I came out I found that DH had tucked everyone into bed and the baby was ready to nurse again. DH made me dinner, then went out to milk the cow. By this time it was very late... who is not impressed with DH yet??

When he came back in to take a shower, he scrubbed the bathroom clean (as is his usual practice after a birth at our house) then took a shower. He tucked the baby and myself into bed before climbing in himself and falling alseep before his head hit the pillow.

There were no complications of any kind. No tearing, or pain that could not be dealt with with the bath water. The baby showed her lusty set of lungs right off, needed no suctioning, or resucitation. The delayed cord clamping allowed her to gain the blood from the placenta. She is very healthy, nursing often and greedily. She is also a very calm little girl.

This was the most blessed experience I have ever had birthing a baby. Much of it is very personal and spiritual and find I cannot share all the reasons here. But I am so very grateful to my Heavenly Father and my husband for making this possible.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

42 1/2 weeks and counting...


Usually I care not a wit for other peoples' opinions. But for some reason, due in part I'm sure to hormones, during pregnany I listen to what others have to say a lot more than usual, and take it to heart for some short duration of time.

I have turned it OFF! YAY, me. I stopped listening to horror stories of late births, pitocin possibilities, other induction choices, and need after need after NEED of ultra sounds, etc, etc, etc. Since turning this inane chatter off, and letting it wash off my back, instead of giving it credit, I have felt so much LESS stress about this baby. I feel much more in control of my emotional state, mental outlook, and perspective. I am once again the optimist. Confident in my ability to birth this healthy baby in due course.

So, yes, I am over 42 weeks pregnant. I have carried so far 3 other babies past the 41 weeks mark and had nothing but easy labors and happy healthy babies as a result. I am not worried or concerned about the health of the baby or myself. I admit this one is lower and dropped a while ago so - Yeah- I'm darn uncomfortable, but that's par for the course.

This fear that going past 40 week sis dangerous doctors and other well-meaning people in the medical proffession infect their patiens with is a MYTH! Yes sirree. A Myth! You're not technically considered POST-Due until after 43. ANd even then it is not considered a real threat unless there is some sign that either the placenta is beginnig to break down, or the baby is stressed. There is no date at which the placenta automatically begins to calcify, some begin this process as early as 27 weeks, hence many many early labors, while others don't begin to break down at all. There is no proven reason, as yet, as to why this happens or does not happen. Although I have a hunch that it has a lot to do with the mother's health both preconception and during pregnancy.

So, my friends there is no reason for me to be overly concerned, except of course in the topic of standing, sitting, and walking. I am looking forward to being able to move more freely, hold our new baby, recover and get my energy back. But those are not reasons good enough to jumpstart this pregancy before the baby is ready. The baby send out chemicals from the womb that triggers labor. Yes these chemicals can be stimulated from outside forces, but why would I do that. These last few days or weeks the baby is developing her endocrine system. The system that helps her adjust to life outside the womb. Why would I stop that prematurely.

Would I be thrilled to go into labor today- YUP!! But I'll let my body and the baby decide when that time is. My body's ready and has been for a while. So I'm just waiting on baby. I'm sure she'll arrive when she's good and ready.

I believe birth to be a natural process, just like the pregnancy. I do not believe it is innately dangerous. It's beautiful, natural, powerful, and to be embraced with faith and confidence. Perhaps this is an unusual philosophy, but I doubt it. It's just not the mainstream idea. But I've never thought very highly of many of the mainstream ideals that have gone in and out of fashion.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Homebirth versus Hospital birth

Fantastic blog entry!!!

http://hippiehousewife.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-homebirth.html

Way to go Hippie Housewife!

Ultra Sounds Pros and Cons

http://ecochildsplay.com/2010/10/07/to-ultrasound-or-not-to-ultrasound-reasons-vs-risks/

It may come as a shock to a lot of people, but there ARE cons to having ultrasounds done!!!