****Au Natural's Thursday Check-In****
Well! I thank you all for your patience. Its been quite a few days since the last check in. As many of you know, I left on Monday for The Farm, the place where I will be delivering. It took 6 1/2 hrs of driving day one, 8 hours day two and 3 hours day three to get to Tennessee from Rhode Island. Needless to say by the time I arrived my ankles were quite swollen and I was a bit on the tired side. But I am relieved to be here...no more worries about giving birth back home without a plan or (God Forbid!) on the highway! Now the adventure officially begins!
****If you have had your babies please let me know your screenname, baby's sex, date delivered, and a link to your birth story if you have one.
****If you want to be added to the group on the blog please let me know your screenname, what team you are on, where you intend to birth (hospital, birthcenter, home, etc.) and your due date.
Your help with providing that info will save a lot of time and confusion. Thank you!
QOTP: What do you really think about being pregnant? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it a miraculous and beautiful experience? Is it just a royal pain in the a$$ before getting what you are after in the end...a beautiful baby? Here is your chance....let it all out!
PURPOSE OF THE GROUP: The purpose of this group is to motivate and encourage other moms trying to achieve their goal of having a med-free and/or intervention free birth experience.
Feel free to add links on any other boards you feel it might be useful. If you have suggestions or a question you?d like to see the group answer PM and I?ll likely use it in the near future as I?m sure I?ll run out of questions. Remember, even if you've checked in and responded to the days question check back throughout the day to see what the other members are sharing.
THE AU NATURAL'S BLOG: https://thebumpaunaturals.blogspot.com/
Re: ****Au Natural's Thursday Check-In****
QOTP: What do you really think about being pregnant? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it a miraculous and beautiful experience? Is it just a royal pain in the a$$ before getting what you are after in the end...a beautiful baby? Here is your chance....let it all out!
Wow, the question! Such conflicting feelings. When I think about what is going on in my body and what has been going on for the last several months...sure, it is miraculous....how this tiny union between a cell from my husband and one from myself could split and split and turn into this beautiful creature designed from equal parts of both of us is in fact a miracle!
However, pregnancy....hmmmm... I dont love it. I hear women talk all the time about how they LOVE being pregnant. I did for the first 20 weeks. I was just in such awe that it was really happening to me....but after that the symptoms got a bit tough to take and now, I am ready for it to be over so I can move effortlessly again....and sleep (yes I know about the baby's contribution to my future sleep deprivation....but there is a difference btw external causes and those like acid reflux that prevent you from lying down without throwing up or at least feeling like you will at any moment).
Overall, I think it is worth every ache and pain...but It certainly is challenging!
Kerianne11, I've been on the fence about going pain med free...but DH and I both agreed after our birthing class last weekend that it is what we want to shoot for. I'm nervous and completely under prepared I think, but I also KNOW I can do this! Any advise would be greatly appreciated. With my first DD, I had a problem with a "misplaced" cervix and required medication so they could move it so I really never felt a contraction!
We are delivering at a hospital, and if all goes well, our next will be at a birthing center!
ETA: EDD is 5/29, screen name laurieb602
QOTP: In the beginning when I had morning sickness I hated being pregnant and didnt understand why anyone would ever want to do this more than once. Once that passed though I really fell in love with it. I felt better than I had felt in years (as I have PCOS and my hormones are normally way out of control and make me feel crummy) I didnt like the stretch marks but I really love my baby belly! I will miss it when it isnt there anymore. I love waking up every morning to my little man wiggling around I cant imagine that anything could ever be better except for actually having him here
. And it is really nice to have an excuse to eat whatever the heck I want whenever I want it, yeah Ive gained a few more pounds than I had planned but its not way out of control so Im not too worried about it. The whole pregnancy things really amazes me, I still cant believe that there is a tiny but complete person inside of me and how fast it has all happened.
QOTP: What do you really think about being pregnant? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it a miraculous and beautiful experience? Is it just a royal pain in the a$$ before getting what you are after in the end...a beautiful baby? Here is your chance....let it all out!
I'm really indifferent to being pregnant, which I feel a little bad saying, but it's honestly how I feel. I think it's interesting from a purely academic perspective, and at moments I feel like it's beautiful and a miracle, but at other moments I feel like it's a huge annoyance. Most of the time, though, I just feel like I'm plodding along, waiting for the baby to come.
I do generally find it funny as well - the awkwardness of the belly, the mildly gross things that my body does now (leaking boobs, increased discharge, swelling, bloody noses, random vomiting, etc.), and how strangely people behave toward you when you're pregnant.
Overall, I LOVE being pregnant and I'll love it even more when I'm not pregnant anyway. I love feeling him move around inside me and I even love experiencing the changes to my body. I feel more womanly and powerful.
At the same time, it can be a huge pain. I've gained weight in my legs and butt and it's hard to see that. I've had pretty bad RLP since week 20 and generally get only a few hours of sleep each night. I have huge bags under my eyes. But it's worth it for the reasons I wrote above. I don't feel pretty but I do feel incredible in other ways.
QOTP: What do you really think about being pregnant? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it a miraculous and beautiful experience? Is it just a royal pain in the a$$ before getting what you are after in the end...a beautiful baby? Here is your chance....let it all out!
Seems like I'm on the fence with everyone else. There are things that I LOVE about this jounrey and other things that are awful. We had so many complications in 1st tri and beginning of 2nd that it was hard to enjoy. As those things cleared up I was able to start enjoying our miracle, but then the discomfort set in. For me it's been about finding a proper balance, which is something I am not good with. I am good at going and going until I drop I can't do that anymore. But my husband and I have never been better partners to one another and this experience has brought us even closer.
the idea, magic, Divine creation of pregnancy makes me swoon.
in theory, it's the most wonderful time in my life. knowing that my husband and i, together, created new life. the very notion makes me teary.
in practice, i have enjoyed much of it. i love the physical changes in my body: my swollen belly and breasts, the kicks and jabs of our baby, my changing shape. i love the way our son holds and kisses my belly. i love the positive thought and energy that being pregnant gives me.
however, there are certainly parts that i have not enjoyed: the constant acne in the apples of my cheeks, the three straight months of nausea and dizziness, the vulvar varicosity that makes using the bathroom uncomfortable, and the uncontrollable hormonal outbursts. i could do without them!
but, i realize that with the not so fun parts, come all the wondrous and joyful parts. and that's just the way it goes.
I, like others, am still on the fence. I don't LOVE it, but I also have not had any bad complications (other than the normal morning sickness in 1st tri) and can still pretty much do everything that I normally do. I miss being able to do my normal runs and can't wait to get back to it, but I also love feeling little man moving around and doing his thing.?
We are planning on having one more after this one but I don't see more than that in our future. So I am enjoying the time I have now and can't wait to meet our little man
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QOTP: What do you really think about being pregnant? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it a miraculous and beautiful experience? Is it just a royal pain in the a$$ before getting what you are after in the end...a beautiful baby? Here is your chance....let it all out!
Good question. The first time i was pregnant i really enjoyed it. Nobody really pestered me, i felt good, birth went well, etc. i was totally content to go past 40w.
This time hasn't been *bad* but it's been much more uncomfortable and has had more challenges. I go back and forth, sometimes it's miraculous, and sometimes it's just an everyday biological necessity. I'm really looking forward to getting my body back but since i'll likely be breastfeeding i know it will take a lot longer until it's really all mine again.
sometimes i look at my 2yo son and remember that he grew inside of me and how special that is, and then i feel like he'll always be a baby to me no matter how big he gets.