Pregnancy & Birth Class

Pregnancy: So I am just around the corner to 28 weeks of pregnancy. It has been going so much faster than my first pregnancy...at least once I got past being so sick. Once that was over, things have really been going well. I feel like I have been more relaxed this time around and have been able to enjoy being pregnant more. Maybe it helps that I am not working a job that was really hard physically when pregnant.

Even though things have been going well, pregnancy sure does bring some interesting changes to a woman's body. Thanks to sickness in the first trimester, the weight gain has been really good so far. Most of the time I feel pretty good physically. I feel like I have been able to be a lot more active with this pregnancy-going on more walks and things. I haven't been walking much lately because the weather has been quite hot recently. The other problem I am having with walking now, is that whenever I walk I get a very sore crotch (sorry if that's too much information). This has been happening for 2 or 3 months and I couldn't figure out what was going on. After talking to another expecting friend-she suggested that I may have varicose veins down there. I haven't had it checked out, but I can't think of any other reason it hurts. It's like being kicked in the crotch every day. It even hurts a lot at night when I sleep. Who knew you would need an ice pack before giving birth!

The only other thing that has happened is that I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. I was borderline with Katelyn, but didn't get so lucky this time around. I was pretty upset about it and was feeling guilty that it happened because I am so overweight, but the Diabetes educator explained that it has way more to do with your family history and unfortunately Diabetes runs in my family. I was really nervous about having to poke my finger every day and then found out I would have to do it four times a day. Yikes! Well, that has gone better than expected and my fingers aren't sore at all really. The diet has been surprisingly easy as well, for the most part anyway. The other day I was going through chocolate withdrawals pretty bad, but I was able to find a couple of things that could work: Peanut/Chocolate Granola bars and Weight Watchers chocolate cakes (they are about as big as my thumb, but it satisfies the chocolate craving after dinner). Anyway, I'm pretty serious about following the rules, not only for myself, but because I don't want a big, huge, unhealthy baby either. I really feel that this is a blessing in disguise and it has motivated me to get myself together once and for all.

Birth Class: We took a birth class last month called "Birthing From Within" and I loved it! Since having Katelyn, I have been on a long learning-journey about child birth. I won't go into a lot of detail. I know there are a lot of different opinions out there and this is very personal to me. The only thing I will say is that I was able to go from being completely freaked out about childbirth, to having that fear taken away altogether. I am actually looking forward to my next birth experience and am excited to be a part of such a great work. These are a few pictures from class.

I really like this quote

Our instructor (2 to the left of me), Kristina French

My Doula, Amanda (1 to the left of me) and some of

the other really cool expecting moms.

Some of the "birth art" we got to do in class

Mine on the left, Justin's on the right

Below: taming our birth fears, ROARR!-don't make fun!