A foot!
Friday, 27 April 2012
19 weeks- nearly half way
At the weekend Joakim and I stayed in Mendocino with family visiting from Buenos Aires. I love Mendocino, it's a 4 hour drive or so from San Francisco, away from the hoards of tourists. Mendocino is a quiet town on the cliffs edge of the Pacific Ocean. It's a beautiful place to visit. Highly recommend a casual yet great dinner spot Mendocino Cafe
This week we had another ultrasound (sonogram). It's an opportunity to find out whether the tiny human is male or female. Joakim and I had been wanting to keep the sex a surprise, but in the cab ride to the hospital we discussed letting the physician find out and give us the news in an envelope so we could perhaps share with family later on. Unfortunately baby was in on our initial plan and decided to keep his/ her legs well and truly closed as he was happily sleeping, so we couldn't get a peek. So a surprise it will be. The good news is that all looked good on the sonogram and we even were able to get a 3D image where you can make out his/ her face. Looks like the wee bean has Joakim's forehead and my nose :-)
Bump is definitely getting bigger. Here's a shot from Mendocino. I'm weighing in around 124.5lbs which is around 57 kilos.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Week 18-Doula & Midwifes v Ob/Gyn
I am growing fast.
This week I've been doing a little research on alternative approaches to where I would like to give birth. In the US it is uncommon to have a midwife and after watching Ricki Lake's 'Business of being born' I started to think how I wanted to give birth to my child.
When I immediately found out I was pregnant I reached out to my Ob/ Gyn so had thought that I would stick with her, but am thinking maybe not. My Ob/Gyn works with the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) only.
Ob/ Gyn are are certified in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and my Ob/Gyn 'Dr Cullan' is wonderful, but Ob/Gyn's are not midwives and are not advocates for home births. They are practiced surgeons and are great to have on hand if there are complications in the pregnancy and if you want a Caesarean (C-Section), but I have been feeling that I want a supportive birth, similar to having a midwife to support you during pregnancy and during the birth. So have been looking around.
I promptly started reaching out to find alternatives to the typical ob/ gyn practice and looking into midwives/ doula's. Through a friend (who has a 4 month baby) I was given the contact of a Doula- Annemarie Russo http://www.wetrustbirth.com/Why_a_Doula.html. Jab and I met her at our home. We spoke about what I am initially wanting as my 'birth plan' . (US term as everyone loves to plan a birth) and suggested possible birthing centers, rather than hospitals to give birth in.
Doula in Greek means a woman who serves. Although when it comes to labour support the doula is a specially trained birth companion (not friend or loved one) who provides labour support and post partum (after the birth).
I've already subscribed to an open house at St Luke's which is affliated with a larger hospital. St Luke's philosophy focuses on the wellness of the mother during childbirth and postpartum.
As for the invasive testing. I've decided not to do the Amnio. I feel confident in the results from the blood tests. I have my 19th week scan next week where we can find out whether it is a boy or a girl. Or will we? Lots to think about.
When I immediately found out I was pregnant I reached out to my Ob/ Gyn so had thought that I would stick with her, but am thinking maybe not. My Ob/Gyn works with the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) only.
Ob/ Gyn are are certified in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and my Ob/Gyn 'Dr Cullan' is wonderful, but Ob/Gyn's are not midwives and are not advocates for home births. They are practiced surgeons and are great to have on hand if there are complications in the pregnancy and if you want a Caesarean (C-Section), but I have been feeling that I want a supportive birth, similar to having a midwife to support you during pregnancy and during the birth. So have been looking around.
I promptly started reaching out to find alternatives to the typical ob/ gyn practice and looking into midwives/ doula's. Through a friend (who has a 4 month baby) I was given the contact of a Doula- Annemarie Russo http://www.wetrustbirth.com/Why_a_Doula.html. Jab and I met her at our home. We spoke about what I am initially wanting as my 'birth plan' . (US term as everyone loves to plan a birth) and suggested possible birthing centers, rather than hospitals to give birth in.
Doula in Greek means a woman who serves. Although when it comes to labour support the doula is a specially trained birth companion (not friend or loved one) who provides labour support and post partum (after the birth).
I've already subscribed to an open house at St Luke's which is affliated with a larger hospital. St Luke's philosophy focuses on the wellness of the mother during childbirth and postpartum.
As for the invasive testing. I've decided not to do the Amnio. I feel confident in the results from the blood tests. I have my 19th week scan next week where we can find out whether it is a boy or a girl. Or will we? Lots to think about.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
17 weeks- a week for relaxing
All very calm in the world this week. I went to my first prenatal yoga class on Saturday. Very surreal to be in a room of 30 or so women at various stages of pregnancy. I was one of the smallest at 16 weeks to a lady who was 38 weeks! The class was amazing, it focused on mind, the little one and also lots of yoga poses and arm strengthening exercise (practice for holding the baby maybe).
The class is held at Yogatree Valencia by a wonderful teacher (also doula*) Jane. Her energy is contagious and I think the 90 mins with her were the best 90 mins of my week. Totally hooked.
Here's the wee bean expanding the horizontal dress somewhat.
This week I also received my tests from the 2nd round of genetic tests. My results were negative and no action is required, although a few friends have recommended that I have an amnio for piece of mind just in case. The risks from something going wrong from the amnio are much higher than my tests. I have a week or so to think more about whether the have the amnio or not.
I also treated myself to a prenatal massage today. It's been a while and I have been told to enjoy every moment of my pregnancy, so I am following that mantra. The masseur provided me with a specially adapted mattress with a wee hole in the middle for my belly to comfortably sit. I wanted to take the mattress home with me. Absolute bliss. I am already booked in for the end of the month.
*doula. More to come on the term next week.
The class is held at Yogatree Valencia by a wonderful teacher (also doula*) Jane. Her energy is contagious and I think the 90 mins with her were the best 90 mins of my week. Totally hooked.
Here's the wee bean expanding the horizontal dress somewhat.
This week I also received my tests from the 2nd round of genetic tests. My results were negative and no action is required, although a few friends have recommended that I have an amnio for piece of mind just in case. The risks from something going wrong from the amnio are much higher than my tests. I have a week or so to think more about whether the have the amnio or not.
I also treated myself to a prenatal massage today. It's been a while and I have been told to enjoy every moment of my pregnancy, so I am following that mantra. The masseur provided me with a specially adapted mattress with a wee hole in the middle for my belly to comfortably sit. I wanted to take the mattress home with me. Absolute bliss. I am already booked in for the end of the month.
*doula. More to come on the term next week.
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Week 16 + Napa Valley
It's been a busy week thus far with work plus friends in town.
At the weekend we went on a wee road trip to Napa Valley and stayed the night in the Wine Country Inn in St Helena with friends visiting from Sweden. The WCI is an amazing, welcoming country inn, set looking over the vineyards. Mum/ Dad, I've already booked us back in for your visit. We also sampled the delights of the Farmstead on Saturday night. The Farmstead rears all it's cattle, lamb, goat and vegetables, so everything we ate was probably grazing in the hills a few days earlier up on the Farm Meadow Ranch. Gulp. Our visitors were really impressed and voted the meat at Farmstead the best they had ever eaten. Argentinean Joakim on the other hand would beg to differ that the meat from his mother's land is the best in the world. I thought the food was great and will be back again. http://www.longmeadowranch.com/Farmstead-Restaurant
Earlier in the week I went a little crazy in a maternity wear shop called A Pea in the Pod http://www.apeainthepod.com/. It's a lovely wee shop near Union Square and I couldn't resist purchasing a few (don't tell Joakim) dresses that are especially fitted for the growing bump. I also bought some of the Mama Mio cream that all the mum's here seem to rave about. It's supposed to stop stretch marks from 9 months of the skin growing to accommodate the baby. I think how your skin reacts is really hereditary but there's no harm in using the cream just in case it might possibly help.
Yesterday I was back at the Perinatal Associates for another blood draw, that's my 3rd. So hope to get results next week and then we decide whether to do an Amnio. Today I had my nearly 16 week check up. I've gained approx 9 lbs/ 4kg and weigh-in was 123lbs approx 58kg.
And da da da.......da belly finally popped out. The technical word seems to be that I am 'showing'. What a wonderful term. It's as if I am finally showing that yes we are making a wee human life down there. I am feeling really happy and so is Joakim. It's happening!
More next week.
At the weekend we went on a wee road trip to Napa Valley and stayed the night in the Wine Country Inn in St Helena with friends visiting from Sweden. The WCI is an amazing, welcoming country inn, set looking over the vineyards. Mum/ Dad, I've already booked us back in for your visit. We also sampled the delights of the Farmstead on Saturday night. The Farmstead rears all it's cattle, lamb, goat and vegetables, so everything we ate was probably grazing in the hills a few days earlier up on the Farm Meadow Ranch. Gulp. Our visitors were really impressed and voted the meat at Farmstead the best they had ever eaten. Argentinean Joakim on the other hand would beg to differ that the meat from his mother's land is the best in the world. I thought the food was great and will be back again. http://www.longmeadowranch.com/Farmstead-Restaurant
Earlier in the week I went a little crazy in a maternity wear shop called A Pea in the Pod http://www.apeainthepod.com/. It's a lovely wee shop near Union Square and I couldn't resist purchasing a few (don't tell Joakim) dresses that are especially fitted for the growing bump. I also bought some of the Mama Mio cream that all the mum's here seem to rave about. It's supposed to stop stretch marks from 9 months of the skin growing to accommodate the baby. I think how your skin reacts is really hereditary but there's no harm in using the cream just in case it might possibly help.
Yesterday I was back at the Perinatal Associates for another blood draw, that's my 3rd. So hope to get results next week and then we decide whether to do an Amnio. Today I had my nearly 16 week check up. I've gained approx 9 lbs/ 4kg and weigh-in was 123lbs approx 58kg.
And da da da.......da belly finally popped out. The technical word seems to be that I am 'showing'. What a wonderful term. It's as if I am finally showing that yes we are making a wee human life down there. I am feeling really happy and so is Joakim. It's happening!
More next week.
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