Surprise, surprise! Baby got a second baby shower. It’s nice to be one of the youngest in a choir by a solid decade (or two)—everyone I sing with is as excited about Baby as my own family. This lucky boy got a nice little party after last week’s practice. It resulted in a stunning homemade cake, a delicious concoction of Ritz crackers with cheese and bacon to munch on, one small addition to his 3–6 month wardrobe, and one ridiculously large contribution to my Babies ‘R’ Us collection of gift cards. Sweet, lovely people. A heartfelt “thank you” goes out to them all. People can be so kind and generous!
In other news, I broke the word to my new boss—during orientation—that I had a bundle of joy on the way. To my immense relief, she reacted wonderfully. She smiled and congratulated me very enthusiastically. I believe she is entirely genuine and supportive, even if she was secretly thinking “Ahhhh! What am I going to do three months from now?” Maybe it’s in the job description for managers that cool tempers and self-control are must-haves. That’s one major worry off my back, though, so bless her and her relaxed response.
Two Trips: One to Pittsburgh…
Seizing perhaps our only opportunity to see some family for a relaxed weekend before Baby arrives, the Hubs and I jetted (or drove) off to da ‘Burgh for a visit to the folks. We spent a wonderful two evenings relaxing on the back porch, enjoying Mummy’s cooking, and reveling in perfect spring weather. I knew I left Arizona for some reason!
My brother lives near my parents and was able to join us for dinner both nights. He will be a first-time Uncle when I become a first-time Mom, and he is super stoked. Baby cooperated a few times and actually let him and both of my parents feel a few kicks through my tummy. My mother was a tad impatient, though, and would immediately give my belly a little jiggle if Baby didn’t supply kicks quickly enough. I’m hoping she’ll be more patient with him once he’s arrived…
The Other to the OB
At the 27 week OB visit, I got the measuring tape treatment. The belly seems to be keeping up with expected growth, although I go back for another ultrasound with the specialist in a couple of weeks to double check and to see his kidneys again.
Just before this appointment, I was introduced to the lovely test for gestational diabetes. I had to down an 8 or 10 ounce bottle of something that tasted like flat orange Fanta in less than five minutes. Besides feeling like the drink was sweet enough to burn my esophagus, I was pleased when I narrowly passed the blood sugar test 90 minutes later (phew!). I’m guessing I was close to the cut-off because of something I like to call a peanut butter Rice Krispies treat that cleverly sneaked its way into my breakfast that morning. Don’t judge.
Because I’ve been a tad behind the curve for weight gain (yes, despite the “occasional” Rice Krispies treat), I got the official, sweet go-ahead to “go crazy” if I wanted. This includes, she said, frequent trips to the ice cream shop. I can handle that, I think. Yes—I know—my OB rocks. Needless to say, I did not waste any time complying with her edict. The flavor of the week for me was chocolate with peanut butter swirls. Dee-lish.
Getting My Doula Act Together
Besides having investigated the topic slowly over the last few weeks, I’ve finally discussed the decision to hire a doula with the Hubs. After learning a little more about what the heck a doula is and why she might prove useful to both of us, he agreed to help me schedule and meet with a few. We set a date to go doula greeting, so check back next week to see our verdict.
I tentatively broached the subject of hiring a doula with my mother and my mother-in-law as well, just to get a feel for their reactions. My mom needed a definition of the term (“Who’s Adoula?”) but basically seemed chill about me “bringing in a professional, eh?” My mother-in-law, however, a nurse in a family of nurses and a major fan of modern medicine, asked, “Does this mean you are doing a home birth?!” No, mother-in-law dearest, that is not a requirement of doula-attended births. Besides, my insurance dictates my only maternity center option: a major academic medical center.
I set her at ease and hope to bring both mums into agreement with us that the idea is a good one. I don’t anticipate much difficulty once they adjust to the plan, but I suppose it doesn’t matter if they think we’re crazy—these are my Baby Boy and my Hubs, and we’re sticking to our decision!
Until next week,
Your Preggers Geek
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