Thursday, January 21, 2010

33 weeks and a breastfeeding class

Yesterday was my 33 week checkup. Again, uneventful. I gained 3lbs which is more then I wanted but oh well... at this point what can I do? My blood pressure was normal, but high for me. However, I have read it is perfectly normal for your blood pressure to go up at this point so i'm trying not to read too much into it. That and I had just come from work which is insanely stressful right now! Again no success with getting this guy to coperate for a heart rate check! The midwife this time didn't try as hard as the one I saw last time... I think she realized it was a lost cause. Of course the entire way home I got beaten up as punishment for letting the midwife try and find his heartbeat. ;)

Last night I took a breastfeeding class, which was awesome! I didn't make my husband come because I figured it would be more informative for me and it wasn't worth him missing his lessons over (when you're self employed you don't get paid time off!). 3 of the women there did bring their husbands while 2 others didn't. There was even a girl there with her mom! I found out afterwards by logical deduction and overhearing her talking that the girl was in high school! While I give her brownie points for going to a breastfeeding class and birthing at the birthing center it stung a bit. You could tell this wasn't planned by any means and she didn't look too thrilled to be at the breastfeeding class. In fact her mom looked more into the class then she did! I still will never understand why some people can get pregnant by accident while others who really want to have kids never do. But, thats another post for another time...

So, breastfeeding! The woman who ran the class had then mentality of "Anyone can breastfeed" which I really liked. She said in 30 years shes had 6 people who physically could not breastfeed. She listed many of the reasons people do not breastfeed or give up so quickly, many of which I knew but some which surprised me. A lot of the breastfeeding facts I already knew, but the videos she showed were really good. There was one that went really in depth into correct latching which made SO much more sense. I've read the books about it, but seeing it in action really made me go "Oh, thats how it works!". Hopefully I remember all this knowledge when it comes time to actually breastfeed. =)

So when I first became pregnant I really liked the idea of having a doula, however after investigating the cost (and a car breaking down) the doula option became financially impossible. Baby stuff or doula? Not really a hard choice. At my midwife appointment yesterday they mentioned that Johns Hopkins has a free service they offer. The person isn't a trained doula yet, they are someone who is going through their program and is considering either being a doula or a midwife. So now I am back on the whole "Do I want one" debate. While my husband will be there, I think it may be nice to have someone who has experienced birth before and can help. Sure, my midwife will be there, but not every moment of my labor. I'll have to talk more with my husband on this one. Any thoughts?

So it seems the next 2 months are filled with appointments. Next week its the pediatrician, the week after that its the dress rehearsal at the birth center and a baby basics class, and then every week after that its a doctors appointment! This guy is going to be here before I know it!

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