So, I'm Done

This is the one thing that I'm going to miss about our duplex - our lilac tree (er, bush). I really love the scent of lilacs... maybe our landlord/realtor will still let us clip a few as a thank you for all of our great business? :)

My main goal was to get a little more prepared for baby this weekend. The car seats are in the car, the baby's room is sort of up and running. The dipes/covers are ready to go with some disposables thrown in. Clothes are sorted. Blankets are folded. Swing is ready to go. Now we just need baby.

And, boy, this weekend made me decide that I am SO done being pregnant. This whole pregnancy I've been panicked that we have so much to do, so much on my mind. I'm certain that God makes us go these 40 weeks so that we welcome the birthing process by the end of them.

I'm uncomfortable and my belly is huge. :) Getting on the floor is probably humorous for my clients to see. Getting up is even funnier, I'm sure. I had some pretty strong contractions over the weekend, which encouraged me to get my bum moving on all things baby.

My doc says I'm dilated 2 cm, my cervix is thinning "nicely", and the baby's head is pretty low. He jokingly said "I bet you're feeling every pound of that". Why, yes, I am Mr. Doctor, which is why I am now waddling, and much of the reason why I'm ready to be done.

And I will be soon. Maybe later than sooner. Maybe sooner than later. But eventually, right?

A Spring Birth

I'm having spring fever, and will be posting pictures that remind me of spring until this fever passes (or spring actually comes!). Streams of sunshine always make me happy - I love mornings that start out with them!

I've been reading a couple of books about birth and pregnancy that I found in the library. One is Birthing From Within (which is what I'm reading now), and also Guide to Childbirth. I had a pretty decent birth with E, had a great experience with the hospital we birthed in. Though my intention was go to all natural (isn't that the general desire?), about an hour before pushing, I decided to take stadol, which I would not recommend to anyone. I felt very disoriented, and never felt the desire to push, which made the process take even longer.

They gave me the option of an IV, which would have been stronger, but IVs scare me (and so do epidurals, no matter what people tell me). I do find it strange that birthing a child doesn't scare me as much as needles do. In any case, they gave me a shot in the leg, and it only took the edge off of the pain (I still felt a ton a ton). So, in my opinion, it didn't really do much other make me feel drugged.

Personally, I feel like my mind hindered me from doing the birth naturally. It's hard to explain, and everyone's birth experience is so different, but for me, that's how I've processed my delivery of E. I went into the birth, freaking myself out in a lot of ways. I'm hoping that this birth will be a little different, as I do know what to expect a bit more.

Also, my birthing class did very little in preparing me for the mental aspect of childbirth. In fact, it might have aided in scaring me just that much more... but it probably didn't take much to do that. :)

Still in the end, I had a beautiful healthy little girl, and a complication-free birth, which is more than what some others experienced. I'm very very thankful for that.