Saturday, July 05, 2008
He's getting bigger. . . *sniff*
2 days old:
2 weeks old:
I guess all that time he's spent attached to me is paying off ;-).
2 weeks old:
I guess all that time he's spent attached to me is paying off ;-).
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Hans' Birth Story
I'm actually sitting here in bed with the laptop with two hands free. *gasp* Two hands free! Hans just finished eating some and fell promptly asleep, but I don't think he's nearly done with his meal, so I'm just holding onto him right now, letting him rest against my chest until he awakens for course #2. He's proven to be a very good eater and is already back above his birth weight. If only he'd take less than 5-10 minutes to latch on for the majority of feedings. . . but I digress ;-). While I'm sitting here waiting to serve the next course, I thought I'd start typing up Hans' birth story, per request.
As a refresher, for the past month Hans had been flipping between transverse and vertex positions whenever it fancied him to do so, much to the emotional exhaustion of his mother who did NOT want a c-section. 2 1/2 weeks before his due date I started going to a chiropractor who is certified in the Webster technique, and Hans flipped head-down after I did a pelvic tilt, and his position was confirmed by my midwife. But then he flipped transverse again a few days later, and continued to waffle back and forth for the next week. He'd always go head-down after a Webster adjustment and a pelvic tilt, though, so I kept going to the chiropractor every day, per suggestion. This mommy was VERY glad that he finally permanently settled in vertex position a few days before labor commenced.
On Tuesday morning (the 17th, 5 days before his due date) I woke up at 6:30 a.m. with my bag of waters leaking. I already had a midwife appointment that morning, so I just went in as scheduled and had the leaking confirmed. As per procedure, my midwife instructed me to check into the hospital 12 hours later, at 6:30 p.m., so they could monitor Hans' heartrate. Because of the slight risk of infection (since the amniotic sac had been leaking), they would also start me on antibiotics at 18 hours, or just after midnight.
All morning and afternoon I had slight cramping that I totally would have written off as indigestion if I hadn't been super-sensitive to any possible signs of labor. But they were really so mild. Only just before we left for the hospital did they start to even have a defined peak to them, and even then they were so mild. About 20 minutes after leaving, Adrian asked me if I'd been having any more mild contractions since we'd left, and I'd just had 4 sitting right next to him and not even flinched, they were so light.
We checked into labor and delivery at around 6:30 p.m., as we couldn't be admitted to The Birth Place (our choice for delivery) on the same floor until I was in active labor (5 cm). I'd been checked that morning and been almost 4 cm, which amused me since I didn't feel like I was in labor. My midwife and I both didn't think I was in active labor, and we both wanted to minimize internal exams, so we just decided to wait out labor starting and not keep obsessively checking for the magic number 5. I did not want an induction, so we'd been praying all day that I'd go into labor on my own. The only thing I'd done to help encourage labor was take a few walks throughout the day.
About 10:30 p.m. I finally started feeling like I was really in something resembling labor,and the nurse said that I couldn't possibly have been in active labor before then, as I was functioning too normally. The midwife had gone down the hall an hour before to lie down, as I wasn't having strong contractions at the time, but had told me to have the nurse get her when I wanted her. I still wasn't convinced I was really in active labor, and I wanted to wait to get her as long as possible, so I was really in labor and could be moved to The Birth Place. I was given antibiotics at 12:30 a.m. (ugh, rotten burning feeling in the arm) and was quite uncomfortable by that time. Finally at 1:30 a.m. I told Adrian to please get Jessica, the midwife, because surely I was in active labor with contractions so close together and so intense, and I really wanted the tub at The Birth Place. She came in and checked me, and I was at 8 cm! No wonder the contractions were one on top of another by then ;-).
So we finally got to move to The Birth Place, and I just got in that tub as quickly as possible. Calling a birth tub a "midwife's epidural" is a bit strong of a description, because it doesn't take away the pain, but wow, I felt so much better after getting in the tub, mainly because I wasn't so uncomfortable with every position, and wanting to change positions constantly. The water held me up and equalized the pressure quite nicely. Also, as soon as I got in the tub my urge to faint (which I'd been having with every contraction for an hour or more) was completely gone.
At one point my body was pushing with every contraction, without my aid. I told the midwife this, and she said that was fine and not to fight it. She asked me if I wanted to stay in the tub for delivery, and at that point there was no way I was going to voluntarily leave the relative "comfort" of the tub ;-); prior to labor, I'd been about 50-50 as to whether I wanted to deliver in the tub. Jessica very nicely didn't even suggest checking me again, as it was really obvious I was fully dilated, and she told me I could push when I was ready. Delivery really didn't take that long, though it was no picnic either ;-), and Hans was born at 2:57 a.m. I was never so glad to have something over with!
The main things I took away from the experience:
I totally see why women get epidurals. Duh. Especially when most labors (especially first-time labors) are so much longer than mine. I had a remarkably short and easy labor, and it was still plenty uncomfortable enough at times so that a c-section sounded like a good idea.
Water births are wonderful options. Period.
Practicing relaxation exercises for birth does help (yay for Bradley). During most of labor I felt like I was not able to relax with each contraction, but apparently I was, as the midwife said she could see me physically relax each time. If I hadn't practiced that a lot, it would NOT have happened.
I made it through *a* natural birth. I would like to make it through 11 more, but I'll take each one as it comes, and one natural birth does not a natural birther make.
And yes, I do still want 12 kids. Because I know half of you wanted to ask that.
The Bradley method was very helpful, but is not what got me through birth. The midwife and nurse tell me they were quite impressed with how well I handled labor and delivery, but in all honesty, I did NOT feel strong at all in the midst of it. The one thing that got me through was God's grace and strength, I'm quite convinced. I was telling Adrian later that a passage from The Hiding Place came to mind. It's a passage where Corrie's father explains to her that God gives us the strength to endure tough times, giving it to us right when we need it, not before, not after:
…that night as he stepped through the door I burst into tears..”I need you!” I sobbed. “You can’t die! You can’t!”…
Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. “Corrie,” he began gently, “when you and I go to Amsterdam- when do I give you your ticket?”
I sniffed a few times, considering this. “Why, just before we get on the train.”
“Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run ahead of him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need- just in time.”
On the night of Hans' birth, with each contraction peak, I felt like God was handing me a ticket. Only one, just for that contraction. No more, no less.
It was worth it :-). *snuggles up to little Hans*
As a refresher, for the past month Hans had been flipping between transverse and vertex positions whenever it fancied him to do so, much to the emotional exhaustion of his mother who did NOT want a c-section. 2 1/2 weeks before his due date I started going to a chiropractor who is certified in the Webster technique, and Hans flipped head-down after I did a pelvic tilt, and his position was confirmed by my midwife. But then he flipped transverse again a few days later, and continued to waffle back and forth for the next week. He'd always go head-down after a Webster adjustment and a pelvic tilt, though, so I kept going to the chiropractor every day, per suggestion. This mommy was VERY glad that he finally permanently settled in vertex position a few days before labor commenced.
On Tuesday morning (the 17th, 5 days before his due date) I woke up at 6:30 a.m. with my bag of waters leaking. I already had a midwife appointment that morning, so I just went in as scheduled and had the leaking confirmed. As per procedure, my midwife instructed me to check into the hospital 12 hours later, at 6:30 p.m., so they could monitor Hans' heartrate. Because of the slight risk of infection (since the amniotic sac had been leaking), they would also start me on antibiotics at 18 hours, or just after midnight.
All morning and afternoon I had slight cramping that I totally would have written off as indigestion if I hadn't been super-sensitive to any possible signs of labor. But they were really so mild. Only just before we left for the hospital did they start to even have a defined peak to them, and even then they were so mild. About 20 minutes after leaving, Adrian asked me if I'd been having any more mild contractions since we'd left, and I'd just had 4 sitting right next to him and not even flinched, they were so light.
We checked into labor and delivery at around 6:30 p.m., as we couldn't be admitted to The Birth Place (our choice for delivery) on the same floor until I was in active labor (5 cm). I'd been checked that morning and been almost 4 cm, which amused me since I didn't feel like I was in labor. My midwife and I both didn't think I was in active labor, and we both wanted to minimize internal exams, so we just decided to wait out labor starting and not keep obsessively checking for the magic number 5. I did not want an induction, so we'd been praying all day that I'd go into labor on my own. The only thing I'd done to help encourage labor was take a few walks throughout the day.
About 10:30 p.m. I finally started feeling like I was really in something resembling labor,and the nurse said that I couldn't possibly have been in active labor before then, as I was functioning too normally. The midwife had gone down the hall an hour before to lie down, as I wasn't having strong contractions at the time, but had told me to have the nurse get her when I wanted her. I still wasn't convinced I was really in active labor, and I wanted to wait to get her as long as possible, so I was really in labor and could be moved to The Birth Place. I was given antibiotics at 12:30 a.m. (ugh, rotten burning feeling in the arm) and was quite uncomfortable by that time. Finally at 1:30 a.m. I told Adrian to please get Jessica, the midwife, because surely I was in active labor with contractions so close together and so intense, and I really wanted the tub at The Birth Place. She came in and checked me, and I was at 8 cm! No wonder the contractions were one on top of another by then ;-).
So we finally got to move to The Birth Place, and I just got in that tub as quickly as possible. Calling a birth tub a "midwife's epidural" is a bit strong of a description, because it doesn't take away the pain, but wow, I felt so much better after getting in the tub, mainly because I wasn't so uncomfortable with every position, and wanting to change positions constantly. The water held me up and equalized the pressure quite nicely. Also, as soon as I got in the tub my urge to faint (which I'd been having with every contraction for an hour or more) was completely gone.
At one point my body was pushing with every contraction, without my aid. I told the midwife this, and she said that was fine and not to fight it. She asked me if I wanted to stay in the tub for delivery, and at that point there was no way I was going to voluntarily leave the relative "comfort" of the tub ;-); prior to labor, I'd been about 50-50 as to whether I wanted to deliver in the tub. Jessica very nicely didn't even suggest checking me again, as it was really obvious I was fully dilated, and she told me I could push when I was ready. Delivery really didn't take that long, though it was no picnic either ;-), and Hans was born at 2:57 a.m. I was never so glad to have something over with!
The main things I took away from the experience:
I totally see why women get epidurals. Duh. Especially when most labors (especially first-time labors) are so much longer than mine. I had a remarkably short and easy labor, and it was still plenty uncomfortable enough at times so that a c-section sounded like a good idea.
Water births are wonderful options. Period.
Practicing relaxation exercises for birth does help (yay for Bradley). During most of labor I felt like I was not able to relax with each contraction, but apparently I was, as the midwife said she could see me physically relax each time. If I hadn't practiced that a lot, it would NOT have happened.
I made it through *a* natural birth. I would like to make it through 11 more, but I'll take each one as it comes, and one natural birth does not a natural birther make.
And yes, I do still want 12 kids. Because I know half of you wanted to ask that.
The Bradley method was very helpful, but is not what got me through birth. The midwife and nurse tell me they were quite impressed with how well I handled labor and delivery, but in all honesty, I did NOT feel strong at all in the midst of it. The one thing that got me through was God's grace and strength, I'm quite convinced. I was telling Adrian later that a passage from The Hiding Place came to mind. It's a passage where Corrie's father explains to her that God gives us the strength to endure tough times, giving it to us right when we need it, not before, not after:
…that night as he stepped through the door I burst into tears..”I need you!” I sobbed. “You can’t die! You can’t!”…
Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. “Corrie,” he began gently, “when you and I go to Amsterdam- when do I give you your ticket?”
I sniffed a few times, considering this. “Why, just before we get on the train.”
“Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run ahead of him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need- just in time.”
On the night of Hans' birth, with each contraction peak, I felt like God was handing me a ticket. Only one, just for that contraction. No more, no less.
It was worth it :-). *snuggles up to little Hans*
Monday, June 23, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Il vient d'arriver!!!!!!!
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Pour vous annoncer la naissance de:
Pour vous annoncer la naissance de:
Hans Friedrich Keister
n
é
à 2:57 ce matin, le 18th juin
é
à 2:57 ce matin, le 18th juin
poids: 3005g
Tout le monde est en bonne santé; pour cela, on remercie Dieu de tout notre c
Å“ur!
Å“ur!
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Hey, it's me announcing it, so I had to do something a little different! Here's some info in English if you didn't quite get all that... ;-)
Announcing the birth of:
Hans Friedrich Keister
born at 2:57 this morning, June 18th
weight: 6lb10oz.
I just talked to the proud parents and everyone is doing very well. We are so thankful! Labor was 'only' about 5 hours long. (I laughed when Susan told me that. "ONLY?" 1 hour or 10, it still sounds horribly, painfully long!)
I wish I had a picture, but alas! You'll have to wait for that, after Grandma gets there later today, camera poised and ready. I hear he has a lot of hair, is pretty long (21in), and is adorable. :-)
Thank you so, so much for all your prayers.
From the happy aunt on behalf of Susan and her growing family,
Aunt Hannah :-D
EDIT: *Active* labor was only 5 hours :-).
Saturday, June 07, 2008
I found them!
The other pictures reappeared. So many picture files, but I uncovered them.
I thought this was a fun one :-).
Monday night we went to a few stores to look for maternity shirts for Stephanie. Hannah decided she had to try on this peasant-style maternity shirt. She's trying to give herself a belly here, but it looks. . . odd.
A little more normal looking, but still bunchy there, Hannah ;-).
I thought this was such a cute one of Stephanie :-). Brother Dear informed me that comparatively, I look enormous. Thanks, Bro ;-). Hannah called me fat all week, and said she was awfully glad it didn't phase me, because that would have been very unfun. Hehe.
I thought this was a fun one :-).
Monday night we went to a few stores to look for maternity shirts for Stephanie. Hannah decided she had to try on this peasant-style maternity shirt. She's trying to give herself a belly here, but it looks. . . odd.
A little more normal looking, but still bunchy there, Hannah ;-).
I thought this was such a cute one of Stephanie :-). Brother Dear informed me that comparatively, I look enormous. Thanks, Bro ;-). Hannah called me fat all week, and said she was awfully glad it didn't phase me, because that would have been very unfun. Hehe.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Vaccine Book Review, Pictures, Update
First of all, Adrian finished reading The Vaccine Book (mentioned here) and has posted a review on his almost-forgotten blog.
Hannah and Stephanie left on Wednesday. We were sad to see them go, because we really had a fun time having them here. I'll post some pictures at the end of the post. Stephanie and I let Hannah order us around in the kitchen, in accordance with her whims and experimental inspirations ;-). We had some mighty tasty dishes! We attempted to use our ice cream maker (wedding gift) for the first time, but unfortunately it was a dismal failure. Note: when the instructions say to freeze the bowl for 6-22 hours, the highest time is definitely recommended!
Today we had some very happy news at the midwife's office. The baby finally decided to turn head-down! Thank you all for your prayers :-). Although we can't be certain, I'm pretty sure that what allowed the baby to turn was the Webster technique - a chiropractic technique that focuses on correcting the tail bone, soas (sp?) muscle, round ligaments, and two neck vertebrae that all affect the proper shape of the uterus, and when not properly aligned, can make less room for the baby to turn. In my case, one of my round ligaments was really tight, and his head had been on that side of me for some time without dropping. I think (though not sure) that he rotated down Wednesday evening during a pelvic tilt. Wednesday was the first day I had the Webster technique done. Regardless, I'm just glad he decided to cooperate!
We're only about 2 weeks away from the due date now, though Adrian and I are both predicting I'll go into labor a few days late (Aren't we optimistic?). My mom, on the other hand, is really pulling for tomorrow, since she thinks 06-07-08 would be a nifty birthdate ;-). I'm not banking on that date, though ;-).
I made my first non-prefold today! I made a Rita's Rump Pocket diaper and I love the way it turns out. After I make some more types of diapers, if I haven't had a baby by then, I'll have to post some pictures. Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the past week:
Hannah had a little too much fun with photo ideas. Unfortunately I can't find the few pictures with here in them! We had some taken of her, Stephanie, and me, and I can't find them on our computer. Bummer.
Didn't the colors turn out purty in these ones?
Baby K, meet Baby G. :-)
Poke, poke!
Hannah thought we should duel with our giant chess pieces.
Hercules held them for us afterwards.
My favorite :-).
Hannah and Stephanie left on Wednesday. We were sad to see them go, because we really had a fun time having them here. I'll post some pictures at the end of the post. Stephanie and I let Hannah order us around in the kitchen, in accordance with her whims and experimental inspirations ;-). We had some mighty tasty dishes! We attempted to use our ice cream maker (wedding gift) for the first time, but unfortunately it was a dismal failure. Note: when the instructions say to freeze the bowl for 6-22 hours, the highest time is definitely recommended!
Today we had some very happy news at the midwife's office. The baby finally decided to turn head-down! Thank you all for your prayers :-). Although we can't be certain, I'm pretty sure that what allowed the baby to turn was the Webster technique - a chiropractic technique that focuses on correcting the tail bone, soas (sp?) muscle, round ligaments, and two neck vertebrae that all affect the proper shape of the uterus, and when not properly aligned, can make less room for the baby to turn. In my case, one of my round ligaments was really tight, and his head had been on that side of me for some time without dropping. I think (though not sure) that he rotated down Wednesday evening during a pelvic tilt. Wednesday was the first day I had the Webster technique done. Regardless, I'm just glad he decided to cooperate!
We're only about 2 weeks away from the due date now, though Adrian and I are both predicting I'll go into labor a few days late (Aren't we optimistic?). My mom, on the other hand, is really pulling for tomorrow, since she thinks 06-07-08 would be a nifty birthdate ;-). I'm not banking on that date, though ;-).
I made my first non-prefold today! I made a Rita's Rump Pocket diaper and I love the way it turns out. After I make some more types of diapers, if I haven't had a baby by then, I'll have to post some pictures. Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the past week:
Hannah had a little too much fun with photo ideas. Unfortunately I can't find the few pictures with here in them! We had some taken of her, Stephanie, and me, and I can't find them on our computer. Bummer.
Didn't the colors turn out purty in these ones?
Baby K, meet Baby G. :-)
Poke, poke!
Hannah thought we should duel with our giant chess pieces.
Hercules held them for us afterwards.
My favorite :-).
Thursday, May 29, 2008
36 (and 1/2) weeks
Hannah is here for a week, so today she snapped some pictures of me :-). Only 3 1/2 weeks left, give or take a few weeks ;-). The women in my church are giving me a baby shower on Saturday, so that will be lots of fun :-). I'm glad Hannah can be here for that.
In some ways I have continued to slow down more, but I also seem to at times have more energy than usual. Very odd. The pregnancy is going great overall, except that it seems this stubborn little boy has yet to follow general convention and turn head down :-P, so we're praying for him to turn, and I'm doing pelvic tilts a few times per day to encourage him in that direction. Also I'm playing classical music or my voice low on my abdomen. Who knows if any of it is truly helpful :-).
I made great strides in my sewing projects list before Hannah got here yesterday, as hoped, and I'm taking a break this week. Can't wait to start back in on some diapers, though! I got a ton of fleece for free off Freecycle to use as diaper lining (microfleece, to wick away moisture) and diaper outers (regular fleece, water resistant).
I'm kind of blanking out on anything more news-worthy happening recently. I'm mainly been sewing and getting ready for a Certain Arrival. Hannah and I are cooking various concoctions this week, and getting in some good walks. Ben's wife Stephanie arrives Saturday evening and stays through Wednesday :-). I'm sure I could think of more I could say, but it's 9:00 p.m., and my brain officially stops functioning at 8:30 p.m. (often earlier), so I should stop now before I start babbling :-).
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Two interesting links
First, one on Japan's declining population.
Second, one on the financial benefits of stockpiling. Since I just bought 19 lbs of ground beef yesterday at a really good price, this one was relevant to me :-D.
HT: Amy
In other news, I'm working through my lists of things to sew, buy, and do before Little Boy gets here. My latest venture is sewing cloth diaper prefolds. Quite interesting, and addicting too! I'm using up scraps of double-napped flannel, flannel sheets, and old towels, as well as using baby towels and flannel receiving blankets that I got really cheap at a thrift store. I figure I'll use a combination of homemade diapers and store-bought prefolds - trying to balance sanity (not trying to do too much) and economics. I'm forcing myself to take a diaper sewing break for a while, though, so I can get other pertinent projects done, like curtains. When I return to diaper sewing I'm going to try out this pocket diaper pattern.
My sister Hannah and my sister-in-law Stephanie are both going to be here for a few days (Hannah for a whole week) at the end of this month, into June, and we're looking forward to that :-). Hopefully Stephanie will be looking a little pregnant (she'll be about 4 1/2 months along), so Hannah can take some pictures of the two of us together, looking all fat ;-). Their visit is also giving me motivation to try to get several of my projects done before they get here. Like the guest room upstairs. . . should probably be made to look more like a guest room instead of a sewing/storage room with random piles of fabric everywhere :-).
Second, one on the financial benefits of stockpiling. Since I just bought 19 lbs of ground beef yesterday at a really good price, this one was relevant to me :-D.
HT: Amy
In other news, I'm working through my lists of things to sew, buy, and do before Little Boy gets here. My latest venture is sewing cloth diaper prefolds. Quite interesting, and addicting too! I'm using up scraps of double-napped flannel, flannel sheets, and old towels, as well as using baby towels and flannel receiving blankets that I got really cheap at a thrift store. I figure I'll use a combination of homemade diapers and store-bought prefolds - trying to balance sanity (not trying to do too much) and economics. I'm forcing myself to take a diaper sewing break for a while, though, so I can get other pertinent projects done, like curtains. When I return to diaper sewing I'm going to try out this pocket diaper pattern.
My sister Hannah and my sister-in-law Stephanie are both going to be here for a few days (Hannah for a whole week) at the end of this month, into June, and we're looking forward to that :-). Hopefully Stephanie will be looking a little pregnant (she'll be about 4 1/2 months along), so Hannah can take some pictures of the two of us together, looking all fat ;-). Their visit is also giving me motivation to try to get several of my projects done before they get here. Like the guest room upstairs. . . should probably be made to look more like a guest room instead of a sewing/storage room with random piles of fabric everywhere :-).
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Interesting Blog Post Link on Natural Childbirth
This is why I tell people that our "current plan" (stress on "current") is to birth naturally in a birth center. And why I say that we'll see how it all turns out, whether I'll really make it through labor without pain meds, without any interventions, etc. Because this fallen world is unpredictable (and so is my ability to handle pain!).
I am a huge supporter of natural birth (though I'm sort of an unqualified supporter until I've gone through it myself), but I think many - and I'm not saying all - in the natural birth camp are missing one piece of the puzzle in the perspective. We women are told to "believe in our body" and "believe in God's natural design for birth", or whatever other variation on the natural childbirth mantra. I believe that God did design a woman's body for birth, and that it doesn't usually have to be a medical event.
But (and that's a big but) this earth is not the perfect "good" world that God originally created. As a Christian I have to remember that this world is darkened by sin, which affects every aspect. Childbirth, of all things, even got individual note in the curse recorded in Genesis! That means that our bodies do not always work according to their perfect original design, that means that childbirth is painful, and that means that we can't guarantee that childbirth will be a "a natural, nonmedical event". Tragic events happen, and more simply, some women don't have the ability or desire (or in some cases, haven't been prepared) to handle pain.
There is a lot of controversy over interventions in labor and delivery, and I think the general obstetrician needs to seriously reconsider a lot of her practices. But the fact is that managed care, pain meds, etc. usually still result in healthy, happy babies. And that's a much bigger thing than whether or not a woman chooses to have an ultrasound in pregnancy, or had an episiotomy in labor, or an epidural, or an induction, or any of the other many intervention options. It's good to remember the big picture - in this case a picture of a cute little baby :-D.
On the flip side, I do highly recommend Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way and The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth for education on obstetric care and alternatives. Just keep it all in perspective, please.
I am a huge supporter of natural birth (though I'm sort of an unqualified supporter until I've gone through it myself), but I think many - and I'm not saying all - in the natural birth camp are missing one piece of the puzzle in the perspective. We women are told to "believe in our body" and "believe in God's natural design for birth", or whatever other variation on the natural childbirth mantra. I believe that God did design a woman's body for birth, and that it doesn't usually have to be a medical event.
But (and that's a big but) this earth is not the perfect "good" world that God originally created. As a Christian I have to remember that this world is darkened by sin, which affects every aspect. Childbirth, of all things, even got individual note in the curse recorded in Genesis! That means that our bodies do not always work according to their perfect original design, that means that childbirth is painful, and that means that we can't guarantee that childbirth will be a "a natural, nonmedical event". Tragic events happen, and more simply, some women don't have the ability or desire (or in some cases, haven't been prepared) to handle pain.
There is a lot of controversy over interventions in labor and delivery, and I think the general obstetrician needs to seriously reconsider a lot of her practices. But the fact is that managed care, pain meds, etc. usually still result in healthy, happy babies. And that's a much bigger thing than whether or not a woman chooses to have an ultrasound in pregnancy, or had an episiotomy in labor, or an epidural, or an induction, or any of the other many intervention options. It's good to remember the big picture - in this case a picture of a cute little baby :-D.
On the flip side, I do highly recommend Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way and The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth for education on obstetric care and alternatives. Just keep it all in perspective, please.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Fun Visit
Yesterday I finally got to meet Zan in person! When Adrian got the job here in Connecticut I started mapquesting New England blogger friends, and I was happy that Becky and Zan were both only about 2 hours away. Yesterday I drove up to New Hampshire to see Zan. It was a beautiful day, so a nice relaxing drive all the way up (except for the half hour where I turned down the wrong road - totally my fault. . . ) and we had a good visit together, eating lunch, talking, and spending some time outside while her older two boys played. I got to hold Owen (2 months, about) some :-), even though the poor guy was so fussy most of the time I was there. I did get him to smile a few times, though! It was fun to finally meet Zan after communicating online for almost 3 years(!).
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
An Ode to Craigs List
Okay, I'm really not going to write an ode. That would be my sister's line of work. I haven't the talent (or current desire to lay aside self-respect ;-D). But I do really like Craigs List. It's become a sort of replacement to my garage sale thriftiness.
Growing up we'd often spend Saturdays March-October hopping from garage sale to garage sale, and saving a lot of money in the process, buying needed household items for much cheaper than we could get them new, or even at a thrift store. There were also the dud purchases, like the CD player that didn't actually eject, or the money wasters like those dust-collecting purple peacocks, or the pink poodle trinkets (I'm not making this up), but we won't go there :-D. Overall, though, garage sales saved us a lot of money.
But the sky-high gas prices make weekend-ly (I decided that's a word) garage sale jaunts a really pricey way to find things. I am planning to go to two larger rummage sales ("tag sales" in New England) next weekend, hosted by a historical society and a church, but those are more gas-efficient.
Craigs List has proved to be a more gas-efficient way overall to find bargains. I got frustrated with the Atlanta Craigs List because everything listed was in mid-town or Marietta, and I did not live near either. But here in Hartford, everything is much closer together, and a lot of the things listed are within a 15 minute drive. I've been keeping three Hartford Craigs List categories minimized (baby/kids, furniture, free), and will check them several times throughout the day. I've found a washer/dryer set, a sleeper sofa, some maternity clothes, a mini-cosleeper, and a free(!) window air conditioner, just to name some of the main items. And I got them for pretty good deals :-).
The key is to be willing to wait. I've been looking for a dresser for Baby and a stroller for weeks (literally), but haven't found something for the price I'm looking for, and in a close enough drive. But because I started looking a while ago, I'm not in a rush and can wait out a better deal.
One amusing note on Craigs List, Freecyle, and other online exchange/selling/giving sites. Mainly this is a random thought I've had about Freecycle. Freecycle is a great site that is designed to recycle unwanted items, instead of tossing them in landfills, etc; you subscribe to the Yahoo group for your area, and receive e-mails of offers and requests. Everything is free. But I do wonder how ecologically efficient some of the exchanges are (just to be cynical :-D). Some of the items posted are only worth a few dollars, and let's face it, with the price of gas in New England, there are some things that I'd like but wouldn't bother to make a separate trip for 10 minutes away, because I'd end up breaking even between gas cost and the benefit of a free item, when I could just pick the same item up at another store when I'm already there buying other items. And if Freecycle is about saving the environment, it'd be amusing if someone made such a monetarily illogical extra trip and on the way added polution to the air :-). Hehe. Just my random thought. Overall I think Freecyle is a great idea.
Growing up we'd often spend Saturdays March-October hopping from garage sale to garage sale, and saving a lot of money in the process, buying needed household items for much cheaper than we could get them new, or even at a thrift store. There were also the dud purchases, like the CD player that didn't actually eject, or the money wasters like those dust-collecting purple peacocks, or the pink poodle trinkets (I'm not making this up), but we won't go there :-D. Overall, though, garage sales saved us a lot of money.
But the sky-high gas prices make weekend-ly (I decided that's a word) garage sale jaunts a really pricey way to find things. I am planning to go to two larger rummage sales ("tag sales" in New England) next weekend, hosted by a historical society and a church, but those are more gas-efficient.
Craigs List has proved to be a more gas-efficient way overall to find bargains. I got frustrated with the Atlanta Craigs List because everything listed was in mid-town or Marietta, and I did not live near either. But here in Hartford, everything is much closer together, and a lot of the things listed are within a 15 minute drive. I've been keeping three Hartford Craigs List categories minimized (baby/kids, furniture, free), and will check them several times throughout the day. I've found a washer/dryer set, a sleeper sofa, some maternity clothes, a mini-cosleeper, and a free(!) window air conditioner, just to name some of the main items. And I got them for pretty good deals :-).
The key is to be willing to wait. I've been looking for a dresser for Baby and a stroller for weeks (literally), but haven't found something for the price I'm looking for, and in a close enough drive. But because I started looking a while ago, I'm not in a rush and can wait out a better deal.
One amusing note on Craigs List, Freecyle, and other online exchange/selling/giving sites. Mainly this is a random thought I've had about Freecycle. Freecycle is a great site that is designed to recycle unwanted items, instead of tossing them in landfills, etc; you subscribe to the Yahoo group for your area, and receive e-mails of offers and requests. Everything is free. But I do wonder how ecologically efficient some of the exchanges are (just to be cynical :-D). Some of the items posted are only worth a few dollars, and let's face it, with the price of gas in New England, there are some things that I'd like but wouldn't bother to make a separate trip for 10 minutes away, because I'd end up breaking even between gas cost and the benefit of a free item, when I could just pick the same item up at another store when I'm already there buying other items. And if Freecycle is about saving the environment, it'd be amusing if someone made such a monetarily illogical extra trip and on the way added polution to the air :-). Hehe. Just my random thought. Overall I think Freecyle is a great idea.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
30 weeks (one week shy of 7 months)
After much pestering from various family and friends ;-), here is an updated pregnancy picture, taken this morning before church. It is getting so pretty and warm outside, which I am loving, although I am getting overheated more easily, with this extra weight :-P.
The skirt in the picture is just a regular elastic waist skirt I made a while ago, and I made the light green top using Simplicity 3762. I love the way it turned out - such a pretty pattern :-). I'd like to make a few more maternity tops soon, but I've also been working on various other projects, like general clothing alterations and repairs, baby gifts for other women in the church (3 babies born since we came in January, and 2 more due any day). My windows still don't have curtains on them! I am determined those will get done soon, and I have all the material for them. And I think I'm going to make a quilted diaper bag; I couldn't bring myself to register for a $30 one, when I could make one for free using material I already had.
I've been finding myself napping a little more frequently, but still not completely feeling weighed down yet. My only complaint really is achy hips, which come and go, but they're manageable if I'm careful with posture et al. Midwife visits are every two weeks now, since I'm in the third trimester, which means two 45-minute drives out to the birth center per month :-P, but I do want to make sure I get to meet with each of the midwives at least a few times a piece before the birth. Adrian and I have been taking Bradley method classes and finding them very informative. I hope I can give a more authoritative recommendation on Bradley after putting it into practice ;-), but for now I'll just say that we're definitely benefiting from the course. We've had 7 or 8 classes, and a few more to go.
April 2nd was a year since Adrian proposed :-). What a lot has changed in a year! Lots of good things, I think ;-).
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Book Review: The Vaccine Book
I remember my mom mentioning to me years ago how confusing all the controversy about vaccines is, and how she hoped that by the time I had kids, all the vaccine controversy would be sorted out. Yeah. . . right.
I was pretty typically vaccinated through early childhood, and then caught up on any missed shots before entering college (state school requirements), or as needed (tetanus when I had stitches, for example). I didn't get my booster shot for MMR, for example, until college. This probably had mostly to due with the 105.6 degree fever and convulsions that my brother experienced after his first MMR shot :-P. Can you say "emergency room visit"?
A few months ago I mentioned to Adrian that I wasn't wildly enthusiastic about all vaccinations, especially the standard schedule used for infants (especially the vaccine offered at birth, and then loading up several shots at once at successive check-ups - 6 different shots in one visit at age 6 months!), and I wanted to do some research before our baby was born. He thought that was a good idea, but being the wise, level-headed man that he is (*grin*), he told me I had to look at both sides of the issue. That was just fine with me, as I wasn't interested in conspiracy theories or blind acceptance of current practices.
In the last few months I've read (online and through a La Leche League magazine) about Robert Sears' book The Vaccine Book, and finally ordered it last week. It arrived earlier this week, and I devoured the first 10 chapters in one sitting. The rest of the book was polished off in another sitting. I really liked this book.
Now, before I go farther, a disclaimer: "I really liked this book" doesn't mean I completely agree with all of Dr. Sears' recommendations; it does mean that I think the book was well-researched, informative, and very helpful. Dr. Sears is a medical doctor who spent 13 years researching this issue. The pro-vaccine people would think he's too lax and skeptical, and the anti-vaccine folks would think he's way too vaccine-friendly.
The first 12 chapters detail each of the 12 vaccines on the standard vaccination schedule for a child. There are 12 standard vaccines, not 12 standard vaccinated-against diseases; for example, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) is counted as 1 of the 12 vaccines, since it is standardly given all together, though it can be given separately. Each chapter gives detailed answers to the questions:
What is the disease?
How common is the disease? (mainly in the U.S., but he does bring in some international discussion)
Is the disease serious?
Is it treatable?
When is the vaccine for the disease usually given?
How is the vaccine made?
What ingredients are in the final vaccine solution?
Are any of these ingredients controversial?
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
Then in each chapter he gives reasons to give the vaccine and reasons some people choose not to get the vaccine. Then he highlights [international] travel considerations, options to consider if getting the vaccine (delays, splitting up combined vaccines, etc.), and then a few concluding paragraphs explaining how he views the vacccine.
He does end up recommending more vaccines than I think are necessary, but the nice thing is, he gives the information so parents can make up their own minds, and he thinks that parents have the right to deviate from his opinion.
The last chapters discuss assorted topics such as: the ingredients in the vaccines (more in-depth look at aluminum, formaldehyde, MSG, animal and human components, etc., and the controversies surrounding them), collected statistics about vaccine side effects and disease rates, and some very helpful suggested alternative vaccination schedules that spread out vaccinations (no more than two per visit), limit aluminum-containing vaccinations (no more than one per visit, if any), and in the case of one of the proposed schedules, eliminates the vaccines that he considers to be "less important", like chicken pox, for example. Then he gives rather detailed advice for parents who do delay some of the vaccinations, if they would be worth "catching up on" at some point (pertussis and rotavirus, for example, would not need to be "caught up" if vaccinations are begun after age two, since those diseases are really only serious for babies), how many booster shots would be needed, etc.
This book was written in a very level-headed manner. My husband and my brother are two of the most skeptical people I know (I love you both!) when it comes to conspiracy theories, alternative methods, scare tactics, etc. I know that if I find a book (or article) that I can unashamedly show them, then it is one that is very well done, and this book passes that test (I could call it the "Adrian and Ben test"; I would be happy to show it to either, and I think they would both find little fault with it and actually appreciate it. Adrian plans on reading Dr. Sears' book, and I think he will really appreciate it. Dr. Sears' has a real head for spotting logical fallacies and gaps in statistical data.
Dr. Sears also recognizes that information on vaccinations is constantly changing. A nice plus is that this book was published last year, so it is very up-to-date. But just to ensure it stays that way, he is maintaining a website that has a lot of resources on vaccines, and he posts updates to any of the vaccines, as it becomes available.
Notice I didn't come right out in this post and announce which (if any) vaccines we have decided to give our son. That's because we haven't firmly decided (though I have a much better idea after reading the book through the first time). Adrian still wants to read through all the info, and then I'm sure we'll talk through pros and cons of various vaccines, and the pros and cons of delaying those we do decide to do.
Oh, and speaking of Brother Dear, he and his Wife Dear now have reason to think about these sorts of things. . . our little baby is going to have a cousin! Yay :-).
I was pretty typically vaccinated through early childhood, and then caught up on any missed shots before entering college (state school requirements), or as needed (tetanus when I had stitches, for example). I didn't get my booster shot for MMR, for example, until college. This probably had mostly to due with the 105.6 degree fever and convulsions that my brother experienced after his first MMR shot :-P. Can you say "emergency room visit"?
A few months ago I mentioned to Adrian that I wasn't wildly enthusiastic about all vaccinations, especially the standard schedule used for infants (especially the vaccine offered at birth, and then loading up several shots at once at successive check-ups - 6 different shots in one visit at age 6 months!), and I wanted to do some research before our baby was born. He thought that was a good idea, but being the wise, level-headed man that he is (*grin*), he told me I had to look at both sides of the issue. That was just fine with me, as I wasn't interested in conspiracy theories or blind acceptance of current practices.
In the last few months I've read (online and through a La Leche League magazine) about Robert Sears' book The Vaccine Book, and finally ordered it last week. It arrived earlier this week, and I devoured the first 10 chapters in one sitting. The rest of the book was polished off in another sitting. I really liked this book.
Now, before I go farther, a disclaimer: "I really liked this book" doesn't mean I completely agree with all of Dr. Sears' recommendations; it does mean that I think the book was well-researched, informative, and very helpful. Dr. Sears is a medical doctor who spent 13 years researching this issue. The pro-vaccine people would think he's too lax and skeptical, and the anti-vaccine folks would think he's way too vaccine-friendly.
The first 12 chapters detail each of the 12 vaccines on the standard vaccination schedule for a child. There are 12 standard vaccines, not 12 standard vaccinated-against diseases; for example, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) is counted as 1 of the 12 vaccines, since it is standardly given all together, though it can be given separately. Each chapter gives detailed answers to the questions:
What is the disease?
How common is the disease? (mainly in the U.S., but he does bring in some international discussion)
Is the disease serious?
Is it treatable?
When is the vaccine for the disease usually given?
How is the vaccine made?
What ingredients are in the final vaccine solution?
Are any of these ingredients controversial?
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
Then in each chapter he gives reasons to give the vaccine and reasons some people choose not to get the vaccine. Then he highlights [international] travel considerations, options to consider if getting the vaccine (delays, splitting up combined vaccines, etc.), and then a few concluding paragraphs explaining how he views the vacccine.
He does end up recommending more vaccines than I think are necessary, but the nice thing is, he gives the information so parents can make up their own minds, and he thinks that parents have the right to deviate from his opinion.
The last chapters discuss assorted topics such as: the ingredients in the vaccines (more in-depth look at aluminum, formaldehyde, MSG, animal and human components, etc., and the controversies surrounding them), collected statistics about vaccine side effects and disease rates, and some very helpful suggested alternative vaccination schedules that spread out vaccinations (no more than two per visit), limit aluminum-containing vaccinations (no more than one per visit, if any), and in the case of one of the proposed schedules, eliminates the vaccines that he considers to be "less important", like chicken pox, for example. Then he gives rather detailed advice for parents who do delay some of the vaccinations, if they would be worth "catching up on" at some point (pertussis and rotavirus, for example, would not need to be "caught up" if vaccinations are begun after age two, since those diseases are really only serious for babies), how many booster shots would be needed, etc.
This book was written in a very level-headed manner. My husband and my brother are two of the most skeptical people I know (I love you both!) when it comes to conspiracy theories, alternative methods, scare tactics, etc. I know that if I find a book (or article) that I can unashamedly show them, then it is one that is very well done, and this book passes that test (I could call it the "Adrian and Ben test"; I would be happy to show it to either, and I think they would both find little fault with it and actually appreciate it. Adrian plans on reading Dr. Sears' book, and I think he will really appreciate it. Dr. Sears' has a real head for spotting logical fallacies and gaps in statistical data.
Dr. Sears also recognizes that information on vaccinations is constantly changing. A nice plus is that this book was published last year, so it is very up-to-date. But just to ensure it stays that way, he is maintaining a website that has a lot of resources on vaccines, and he posts updates to any of the vaccines, as it becomes available.
Notice I didn't come right out in this post and announce which (if any) vaccines we have decided to give our son. That's because we haven't firmly decided (though I have a much better idea after reading the book through the first time). Adrian still wants to read through all the info, and then I'm sure we'll talk through pros and cons of various vaccines, and the pros and cons of delaying those we do decide to do.
Oh, and speaking of Brother Dear, he and his Wife Dear now have reason to think about these sorts of things. . . our little baby is going to have a cousin! Yay :-).
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Reading List (roughly in order of start/finish)
Recently Read:
The Fisherman's Lady by George MacDonald
The Marquis' Secret by George MacDonald
Surprised By Joy by C.S. Lewis
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing by Sheila Kippley
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler
The Gifts of the Child Christ by George MacDonald
Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor
Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
The Missing Three-Quarter by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What Men Live By by Leo Tolstoy
Various books of the Bible (We most recently finished Job and Romans)
Currently Reading:
Reading Between the Lines by Gene Veith
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
The Plan of Salvation by B.B. Warfield
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature by Elizabeth Kantor
The Vaccine Book by Robert Sears, M.D.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
Psalms
I Corinthians
The Fisherman's Lady by George MacDonald
The Marquis' Secret by George MacDonald
Surprised By Joy by C.S. Lewis
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing by Sheila Kippley
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler
The Gifts of the Child Christ by George MacDonald
Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor
Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
The Missing Three-Quarter by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What Men Live By by Leo Tolstoy
Various books of the Bible (We most recently finished Job and Romans)
Currently Reading:
Reading Between the Lines by Gene Veith
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
The Plan of Salvation by B.B. Warfield
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature by Elizabeth Kantor
The Vaccine Book by Robert Sears, M.D.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
Psalms
I Corinthians
Saturday, March 08, 2008
25 weeks
I'm finally looking pregnant enough to warrant a picture. This is a huge change from even a week ago. And how pregnant I look does vary quite a bit, by outfit. Here I'm in maternity clothes, so I look more pregnant than I do with regular clothes, but it makes for a more fun picture :-). Funny story about the skirt here. I bought it years ago at a thrift store because I liked the fabric and pattern (drop waist yoke), and didn't realize it was a maternity skirt until I got home (I just thought it was rather loose ;-)). I've still worn it through the years, but with a regular top, but I finally get to use it for its original use!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Depravity of Man
Ashley has an interesting conversation going on her blog, related to the depravity of man. She has been discussing Christianity with a coworker who is an atheist, and is asking for advice, especially relating to explaining the depravity of man. I encourage you to check it out.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Baby Clothes Are Entirely Too Cute
*happy sigh* Aren't baby clothes just absolutely adorable? I've always thought baby girl clothes were the cutest, but I don't know. . . I've decided that baby boy clothes are incredibly cute too (maybe I'm just prejudice at this point, though).
I've been so strong and not bought anything yet for this baby. . . until this morning :-). I found out the church across the street from us has a thrift store, open two mornings a week, and all this month they're having bag sales on clothing, $5 for each brown paper bag (grocery sack size) stuffed with clothing. So, I stuffed 3 bags. Adrian found a suit, a tie, a buttoned-down flannel shirt, and a wallet, and the rest of that bag and 2 others, I stuffed with this:
120 pieces of cute little boy clothing :-D. Mostly size newborn to 9 months, So, factoring out the suit et al, which took up about 1/3 a bag, I got the baby clothes for just over 10 cents each. Not bad, especially since I only chose ones in really good condition, and there were a lot of them that were brand new. I love thrift stores :-).
I've been so strong and not bought anything yet for this baby. . . until this morning :-). I found out the church across the street from us has a thrift store, open two mornings a week, and all this month they're having bag sales on clothing, $5 for each brown paper bag (grocery sack size) stuffed with clothing. So, I stuffed 3 bags. Adrian found a suit, a tie, a buttoned-down flannel shirt, and a wallet, and the rest of that bag and 2 others, I stuffed with this:
120 pieces of cute little boy clothing :-D. Mostly size newborn to 9 months, So, factoring out the suit et al, which took up about 1/3 a bag, I got the baby clothes for just over 10 cents each. Not bad, especially since I only chose ones in really good condition, and there were a lot of them that were brand new. I love thrift stores :-).
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