mothers first maternity

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Clearing the Calendar

April 25, 2010 in Baby, Family by Tristina | No comments

This past week has been whirlwind of activity from getting the nursery done, keeping the house clean, making sure the dog is up to date on all his shots, the latest OB appointment to lots of really informative and fun classes.

The nursery pictures are up in case you haven’t seen them.  We’re so proud of how it turned out.  True, we didn’t do all the crazy design stuff we’d originally planned but we do rent the place and what ended up happening is fantastic in itself.  I think we’ve created a really fun, bright, cozy environment for our little one.

House cleaning is an ongoing process but I’m keeping up with it reasonably well.  I pretty much do the cursory cleaning – sweeping, vacuum, dishes, laundry.  I’m not really worried about the place falling into funk when the baby comes what with my mom being here, Stephen’s family stepping up to help out and Stephen being around for at least two weeks.  Stephen is putting in extra hours at work to make sure his temporary replacement is trained and up to speed before he’s out for two weeks.  His boss rocks for giving him two weeks PAID paternity leave.  Plus, he can always work from home if something happens and I need him home for longer or if an emergency happens at work that only he can brilliantly solve.

Because my husband is brilliant.

Duh.

My full term OB appointment went really well.  My Group B Strep Test came back negative which means no antibiotics during delivery.  Yay!  And my midwife jokingly said that my iron levels were better than hers so woohoo on that one, too.  Liv’s heartbeat is still strong and steady and she’s still head down.  She’s dropped a LOT – so much so I can’t see my belly button anymore.  I really hope that means soon.

I’m having lots of Braxton-Hicks which are definitely increasing in intensity and duration.  No other labor signs yet though…  LOTS of trouble getting comfortable no matter what I do.  Back pain, hip pain, edema in my right leg and foot, and, I think, a shin splint which is so. much. fun.

All the classes this past week were really great.  I wrote about the Sign Language course already.  We also took a Massage for Pregnancy and Labor class and I took a Breastfeeding Class.

The massage class was nothing short of awesome.  Not only did I get massaged as Stephen practiced all these new things, but the teacher, who is a licensed massage therapist specializing in prenatal and infant massage, showed me how to position myself while sleeping so I wasn’t in as much pain in the morning.  What was really nice about the class is we learned a handful of what she called “Contraction Distractions” which are places Stephen can apply pressure to help relieve some of the discomfort during contractions during labor.  I just hope we can remember them all when the time comes.

She also showed us acupressure points for inducing labor.

I was so tempted…

Now, I realize I didn’t need to take a breastfeeding class.  I wanted to.  I don’t know how to do it – I’ve never done it before.  I figure I might as well get as much information as I possibly can.  Things have changed since our parents breastfed – new information is out, new techniques, new studies, new this and new that.  The class was taught by a certified lactation consultant who is a mother of four and a grandmother of several so when I say she was highly qualified to teach this course, I mean it.  And what was nice is that she was able to talk about things that changed between when she breastfed to now.  She went over various positions, pumping, problems and how to address them, feeding schedules and even things that Dad can do to help out and be supportive.  It was fantastic and I’m really happy I took the class.  I feel I can go into that first feeding session after delivery with a bit more confidence now.

For those of you in Atlanta, all these classes are offered through Northside Hospital but are considered community classes.  You do not need to be delivering at Northside to take them!

http://www.northside.com/medical_services/Maternity_Parenting_Classes.aspx

I highly recommend any of them from the really important ones like Infant CPR and Car Seat Safety to the more fun ones like Massage, Daddy Boot Camp and Sign Language.

And you get a discount for signing up for three or more if you call them to register.  We’re talking a really nice discount, too.

So, we come to just shy of 38 weeks and, other than OB appointments and our one year anniversary on May 2 (woohoo!), the calendar is officially cleared.  Stephen has put a ban on me driving anywhere on my own.  My brother called me to see how I was doing and to send his well-wishes, which was really sweet.  Mom has told all her clients that she’s “on-call” as far as I’m concerned so any horseback riding lessons she schedules are all tentative so she can leave at a moment’s notice if need be.  Stephen’s mom has instructed that the baby not come next weekend as she’ll be out of town at a conference but she did say she’s told all her coworkers that if I do go into labor then, she’s dropping everything and leaving immediately.

Everyone is gearing up!

It’s all up to Olivia now…

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CPR, Labor Suites, and French Toast

February 8, 2010 in Baby, Family by Tristina | 5 comments

I have to say, this past weekend was full of fantastic things.

Class!

Saturday was our first of a few classes we’re taking in the whole Baby Preparation arena.  Northside Hospital offers a bunch of classes in all aspects of parenting and maternity.  I want to take them all but, unfortunately, we aren’t made of money and nor do we have the time to do them all!  So we’re picking and choosing based on what we feel is important and what’s being recommended to us by our midwife.

On Saturday, we attended the Infant and Child CPR class which went over, you guessed it, CPR for babies, toddlers, children and even adults.  It also had a really informative part on home safety.  Stephen and I had already made a mental checklist of what we knew we needed to baby proof before Olivia gets here (or Stephen do it all after she’s here) but we learned a few things that we hadn’t thought of which made the whole experience really worth it.

It also helped that our instructor has been teaching CPR on all levels for years so she had plenty of anecdotal stories and tips she’s learned over the course of her training and teaching.  It was an amazing class and we learned a LOT.  I highly recommend any parents, whether you have kids already or are working on your first, to go take this class if you haven’t already.

Quick little funny story.  During class, we were learning the Heimlich maneuver and using adult torso dummies to practice on.  These dummies are made of hard plastic and are only the molded shell of the face and chest.  The rest is hollow – think a pastry mold.  So we have to hold the dummies kinda diagonal so we can properly execute said maneuver.  Being diagonal, the side edge of the dummy’s torso I have is across my very round belly.  So I perform the maneuver and the dummy basically pops into my tummy and then back out briefly.

Olivia kicked back immediately.

Yes.

Some other classes we’re signing up for are the Baby Essentials course which was recommended to us.  It goes over all the basics for your newborn – holding,  bathing, sleeping, safety, feeding, etc.  Excellent for new parents apparently.  We’re also going to take a Car Seat Safety course when we get our actual car seat purchased.  I did not know this but apparently 60% – 80% of parents don’t install their car seats correctly.  They may think they have it in there right and, during the course of normal driving, you’re fine, but, in a rollover (god forbid), you’re not.  We also learned that your local Fire Department and Police Station will check your car seat to make sure it’s installed correctly as well – you just call them and ask where their Certified Car Seat Technician is stationed and go see him/her.  They have to go through some crazy intensive training to be certified – all different kinds of car seats in all different makes/models of cars.

The final course we’re going to take is a Baby Sign Language class.  I’ve been reading a lot about the benefits of signing with your baby as they can pick up on basic signs – i.e. hand movements – quicker sometimes than they can speech.  It also helps with learning and pattern recognition and communication skills.  Plus, I’ve always loved sign language – I think it’s beautiful.  Stephen’s mom knows it fairly well so this will be a lot of fun for everyone.

Tour!

After CPR class and our cool new diplomas, we headed to the Women’s Center of Northside Hospital where Olivia will actually be born.

Yes, I got a little choked up from time to time when I thought about it.

The Women’s Center, if you’ve never been there, looks and feels like a day spa.  If the nurses weren’t wearing the customary pastel and print nurse pj’s, you would seriously think you were at a day spa.  They put a lot of money and thought into the design of the place to make it feel as comfortable and non-hospital as possible and they did a fantastic job.

I hate hospitals.  I hate staying in them.  They make me nervous and uncomfortable and anxious.  I don’t know why – it’s just something I’ve always felt.  But I didn’t feel that way here during the tour.  I hope that feeling stays when I’m actually there hooked up to monitors and whatnot.

From when we get there on the Big Day, I’m settled into what’s called the Labor and Delivery Suite, which is a private room.  This room is enormous.  It has a full bathroom, a couch, a rocking chair, my bed (with all its fancy equipment), a warmer and bassinet for Olivia and tons of electronics (flat screen TV, DVD, stereo, etc.).  The decor is all wood paneling, muted tones, and soft lighting (except for the overhead lights they turn on for the actual delivery).  I do all my labor (minus the walking part) and delivery in that room with my support person(s) in attendance.

Two things are really, really nice about this room.  1) The end of the bed drops away when it’s time for Olivia to come out.  No moving to another table or anything.  They put the bed back together when I’m/we’re done.  2) Olivia never leaves the room, or my sight, unless there’s an emergency.  All her washing up (which Stephen gets to help with!) and tests are done at the little bassinet/warmer right there in the room where I can see.  And they do all that while I’m passing the placenta, getting cleaned/stitched (if needed), and catching my breath.  By the time I’m ready, she’s done and back in my arms.  It’s a very efficient little process they have over there and I’m really happy to be in such good hands.

After the delivery and all the tests to make sure both mom and baby are healthy, we’re all moved to a Family Center Care Room, which is also a private room.  It’s a little bit smaller than the Labor Suite but still extremely nice and roomy enough for visitors without it being claustrophobic.  After I’m settled in, washed up, dressed in my favorite pj’s and had some quality time with Olivia and Stephen, they’ll allow visitors in to see us.  All in all, for those of you planning on coming to the hospital to visit, from when Olivia is born to when visitors come in will be about 1-2 hours.  However, there is a gift shop and a mommy’s boutique for you to shop in if you want – plus a coffee shop!

But Stephen will have camera the whole time so there will be plenty of first moment pictures for folks to see later.

The tour made me feel really great about Northside and it’s staff.  The nurse that gave the tour was really nice and had a lot of really excellent information about what happens, what our options are at every stage, and where everything is.  The nurses we spoke to at the admissions desk to verify my pre-registration were also extremely nice and helpful.  They provide bedding for the spouse or whoever to sleep on the couch while Mom is spending the night and they give you the option of keeping your little one in the room with you overnight in her own bassinet or in the nursery.  I’m definitely keeping her in the room.  I wonder if I’ll even be able to sleep!

So, yes, the tour made me a little bit more impatient for her to be here.

Brunch!

The last really great event was Sunday when we met some friends of ours for brunch at Parks Edge.  If you live in Atlanta and you have not been there, go now.  It’s amazingly wonderful.  I’ve only ever had brunch but I want to go there every Sunday now.

I used to work with Chrissy years ago at a commercial real estate company.  She and I were both single, loved going out, smoked like fiends and spent most of our smoke breaks bitching about how we would never find anyone to marry and boys sucked.

Now we’re both married to truly excellent men and both expecting our first child.  She and her husband, Nathan, just found a few weeks ago so she’s in the early first trimester.  It was really great to see her and share what I’ve learned so far in my pregnancy with her and hear about her plans and how she’s doing.  I’m so incredibly happy for the both of them and I really believe they’ll make amazing parents.

She’s also had a dream it’s a boy.  *raises eyebrows knowingly*

Brunch was a fantastic cap on a great weekend.  We learned a LOT of important information and feel better prepared for Olivia’s arrival.  Plus we got to spend some time with dear friends and nothing is ever better than that when you really think about it.

In another week or two, I’m heading into the third trimester and the home stretch!  I must admit, I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed at everything still left to do and buy and plan but we’ll get there before we know it!

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