Almost there

High Bp today, but finally made it to full term! 

30 weeks

A lot has been going on lately. About a month ago we finally settled on the idea of having a home birth. So now begins every other week midwife appts, filling out journals, gathering supplies (well thanks to Laura for helping with that!) and all the fun that comes from turning your home into a birth setting.

This baby is a kicker. Night and day, moving, kicking and playing already. He is going to be active just like his big brother Patrick. No names for this kid yet. I keep asking Ryan when we may be able
to start deciding.. soon soon I hope!

I have been having a lot of uncomfortable feelings with this pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions are in full force. Sometimes too full. Over Easter I called the midwife because they were coming frequently over a 2 hour period of time. They weren't painful but they were intense. I remember them like this before but closer to 36-37 weeks, not 30! As much as I'd like an early baby, I don't want one this early!

Yesterday I was really tired, sore and experienced even more contractions. I ended up rescheduling a session because of it all. It is a tough balance between taking care of myself and making sure everything gets done that needs to get done. In the midst of trying to care for myself my dad goes into surgery for a ruptured ear drum, my brother Scott is diagnosed with Colon Cancer and undergoes surgery and mom was in surgery as well for a cornea transplant. Ugg... Stressful weeks indeed!

Luckily the weather has been gorgeous, my sessions have gone smoothly and the kids are loving the outdoors. They love to call my belly "fat baby belly" um.. thanks. ;)

 Easter 2015

Organizing baby clothes! 

Nursery in progress

Nursery

We worked on the nursery last week, fun to get it all together!

27 weeks

A big snow!

25 weeks: it is a boy!

Delivery options

We received some devastating news a couple of weeks ago. At my regular monthly appointment in Plainview, we learned from my midwife Sharon that St. Elizabeth's hospital in Wabasha will no longer offer OB service starting June 1st. This basically means there won't be an option for us there anymore and not an option to deliver with Sharon. :(

I was so sad and mad and then sad again. I had a good delivery at Mayo with Patrick, but a really yucky post delivery and post-partum care. I felt like I had to be on guard the entire delivery to achieve what I wanted from the birth. They listened to my desires, but it wasn't without a fight every step of the way. Then I found myself recovering while oodles of people came in and out of my room to check on me, check on baby etc without a moments rest. I was tired, sore, and just over it. I wanted something different.

 So with Annika we were lucky to find Sharon at St. Elizabeth's. We were the only people on the delivery floor that day. We were able to rest when we wanted, move when we wanted and just chill out and let the birth happen. I felt like I could totally trust those who were caring for me. I didn't have to be on guard, I could just deliver.

 So, what now? I'm not sure. I attended a meeting last week for the Southeastern Minnesota Birth Network. A network of moms, midwives and doulas. I got to meet the two home birth midwives serving this area. Each with very different personalities. I could tell right away that one was a better fit for me than the other was. The interesting tidbit is that this same midwife helped deliver my nephew at the local hospital 16 years ago! I have never been opposed to home birth, but I just wasn't sure it was the right option for us.

St. Elizabeth's felt like a great compromise for us, but unfortunately that is no longer an option. I really am not excited about returning to Mayo either. They now have 11 midwives on staff and really no personalized care. They have tubs for laboring now, but birth is not allowed in them :( So.. next week we will be meeting with this midwife Leann. It's an opportunity for Ryan to understand home birth more and for us to decide together if this is the option we want to pursue. It isn't the easiest option (it is certainly the most expensive) but at this point it may be our best option. Delivery is just one day in our lives. One day that hold a lot. I can't control what will happen, but we can make some choices that will allow us to have the best chance at the relaxing and trusting atmosphere we so desire.

 I will also be meeting with a midwife at Mayo whom I do trust. That way I will be established in that practice and they will know I may be showing up in labor (if it is an emergency transfer or I decide that I want to). To be continued I suppose.

 We have also decided to announce the gender of our baby. We will be having a little party on March 8th with close friends and family. This will be a new experience for us but a fun one!

21 weeks

I don't think baby has slept all day! Constant kicks everywhere. Typically kicks are first thing in the morning and a 10:00 party, but today it's been constant and hard! Ryan was shocked, I could have probably seen them from the outside if I looked.