What Some Strangers Should Hear

After being asked by a woman in my office (who I don't really know more than passing in the hall) if I would be taking an epidural, she proceeded to tell me what I "really want to do."   "As soon as you sit down, ask for the epidural, you don't want to wait at all.  You really just want the drugs to start right away.  Tell them to just get it started."

Fact 1.  I am not you.
Fact 2.  You are not me.
Fact 3.  This is my child, not yours.
 
Looking at the 3 facts listed above, please do not tell me how I should or should not plan on giving birth.  This is my body and my child.  What worked for you and yours doesn’t mean it will work for me and my family.  Please do not argue with me or try to change my mind based on your body and your birth experiences.

No, I do not plan on asking for an Epidural.  And no, I do not have delusions of being Super Woman.  I do however know my limits (mental and physical) better than anybody else.  My body starts to freak out when I can’t move my legs more than a couple of inches.  How do you think I’ll react when I can’t feel the entire lower half of my body?  Not to mention that I’m not too keen on the idea of a LONG needle entering my spine.  I’m not worried about the pain from the needle or the birth, it will all eventually go away.  If it didn’t, our species would have ceased to exist centuries ago. 

I currently have a birth plan that revolves around a calm environment, relaxation techniques, and deep breathing.  It is also part of my birth plan to know that I can’t really "plan" the birth of my child.  I know things happen and plans need adjusting.  If we (our doctor, Chad, and myself) feel that it is in the best interest of our little Nuggette to change the plan, we will indeed change the plan.  Until then, I'm sticking to my idea of how I want to bring my child into this world, and my husband fully supports my decisions.


In any case, we'll do what we can to make sure she arrives healthy and ready to take on the world.

The Name Game

We’ve been asked a few times if we have picked out the name for your little girl.  I can only share with you the middle name.  We’ve chosen to use my mother’s middle name, Jean.

For the first name, we do have our top 2 picked out.  We’re taking both names to the hospital and choosing once we see her.  We don’t want to get set on a name only to find that she doesn’t look like what we picked out.  I know a few people that went for a few days after their child was born because they just didn’t fit the name they had picked out.  That makes sense to us, it’s good to have a back up plan.

Right now, we plan on  keeping our top 2 first names secret until we pick one and introduce our little bundle to the world.  There is one main reason behind this.  We don’t want to be swayed either way by people’s reactions or stories.

We’ve both seen this with other couples.  A lot of people have ugly facial expressions, or have horrible stories about others they knew with the name chosen and are inclined to share those stories with the parents-to-be.  Especially if they think they can persuade the parents away from the chosen name.  That really adds a negative aspect to one of the most important decisions a couple makes for their child.  We don’t want that.  She’s our child, it shouldn’t matter that you knew somebody you didn’t like with that name.  We like what we've picked and we think one will fit her perfectly.

Besides, you can't look at a beautiful baby and make an ugly face.  You'll all just have to wait until she gets here.  She'll definitely be worth the wait.

Starting to “Blossom”

As some of you have seen in the FB album, the belly is starting to protrude a bit.  I actually look pregnant now instead of just bloated or chubby.  (Of course the maternity clothes help with that part.)  I’ve truly embraced the bump and am proud to display it.  However, I have conflicting reactions to people telling me I’m starting to “blossom.” 

The main comment that gets me a little hot is, “Your face is getting rounder,” usually followed up with “and you’re glowing.”  I’m probably glowing from the irritation radiating from my face.  No woman, pregnant or not, wants to hear that they’re getting rounder.  I expect the belly to get rounder, but I don’t want any other part of me to really expand.  Yes, I understand this is a natural aspect of being pregnant, but I keep thinking of all the hard work I put in before getting pregnant to not be round.  And it doesn’t help when I have friends that are pregnant or recently gave birth that didn’t change much other than the basketball they were smuggling under their shirts.  That really gets me.

I guess it’s just my own insecurities that I’m learning to deal with.  I need to remember that I can always work to get the little extra weight off if it doesn’t go away with birth (or the recovery time).  I need to remember that there is a very good reason to be expanding in all the places I am.  I am not any other woman or body.  I am special.  And I’m starting to blossom.