Gametes In Love

A few months ago we saw this great cartoon of an expectant couple on their way to birthing class. The guy was wearing a racing helmet as his wife was trying to explain the difference between Lamaze and Lemans.

So now on the way to our birthing classes S likes to drop some references to said cartoon.

Sadly for him, we’re not taking Lamaze classes. We’re taking Bradley classes.

For those unfamiliar with the program, Bradley method is a birthing methodology. It stresses natural & un-medicated childbirth. The courses also offer dedicated sections on breast-feeding and infant care. It’s (typically) conducted over a period of 12 weeks, but our instructor teaches it in 9. We liked the longer, spaced out period better than the single day 8+ hr cram session at our hospital. I’ll be frank with you – I can barely do anything beyond 2 hours these days, so asking me to sit in a chair/floor/anything for 8 hours just ain’t gonna happen.

Today was our 3rd class. Well, sorta. Technically it’s our 6th class. We had to split up the sessions, since we’d be due right before class #6. So we took the last 3 classes first (which focused on infant care, breast-feeding, minimizing intervention), and are now doing the first 6 sessions.

Today was our first class on actual labor. I’ve been waiting for this class a long time. We went over the 4 stages of labor, discussed the anatomical process and watched a video. Yep. I am no longer ignorant. It was a bizarre experience. It’s like you want to watch and not both at the same time. The lady in the video seemed to be enjoying herself waaaay too much. After the first 3 minutes, I had to ask “Is she in labor, or is she having an orgasm?” Seriously. Way too much happy groaning going on there! If we didn’t get the preface that this was an un-medicated birth I would have assumed that she got something really good from either the doc, or self-medicated before getting to the hospital… “naturally”, if you get my drift. I know that birth is not likely to reflect what my experience will be.

I might have nightmares about said video, or more specifically on some of the close-ups. It’s strange to be in a class about birthing and wanting to turn away from the birthing video. Would that be inappropriate?
Alas there are more videos to watch. My innocence is receding quickly.

In other news, my latest OB appointment was today. I’ve gained 2 lbs over the previous week, but in my defense I swear a pound of it has got to be water weight! I feel good, but really swollen up: my feet; my hands; my face – I swear I’m a smaller version of the Michelin man. The witch from Hansel and Gretel drools and fires up her ovens when she sees me walk by.

Looking for a way to get out of jury duty? Being in labor, I think should be a good excuse.

I just received my first jury duty summons and in typical jury duty fashion, I was requested for an aptly inappropriate date for my court appearance: 9/11. Aside from the interesting date choice, I have no idea if I will be:

• with a 1 week old child
• overdue and waiting to go into labor
• in labor
• in the hospital post-delivery

Either way, my OB wrote me a nice excuse note today, so I get to defer jury duty.

I would actually like to be a jury… just preferably not while I’m also battling contractions… or post-labor hormones. I would imagine any defendant would appreciate a non-hormonal-raging/contraction-free juror too.

“Labor” day is 30 days away now and G’s temporary home looks like this:

I still marvel at how much my belly can grow.

S has been urging me to go to the community pool, especially while I’m on my maternity leave. As lovely as the idea sounds, I don’t quite feel comfortable wearing a bikini in front of strangers. Don’t get me wrong — I think I look very good for an 8 month pregnant lady, but I’m worried that some poor child is going to see me and start crying. I can just hear that conversation now:

[Child’s parent]: Don’t cry kiddo. It’s just a baby inside her belly!

[Child, while sniffling]: Did that lady eat it?

Ah, yes — no bikini for me.

In preparation for labor, S and I signed up for a Bradley birthing class. (Bradley, like Lamaze is a birthing approach.) One of the core principles of Bradley is the coach assisted child-birth. S, of course, in this journey, has the role of coach. I, in turn, will take the role of the pregnant woman going through labor.

A second principle of the Bradley method, is that birth should be regarded as an athletic event and that the mother’s body should be conditioned (mentally and physically) for the challenge ahead. What this means is that there are a series of exercises that should be done every day, and as the pregnant person does them, the coach should assist and encourage.

So last night, S in his most encouraging tone, reminded me it was time for some exercises. This on its own makes me give him a dirty look: when you’re comfy in bed the last thing you want to do is get up and do some squats and pelvic tilts.

I begrudgingly get up. As I do this, S moves over to my side of the bed and proceeds to tell me that in the Bradley book he is reading, the coach is encouraged to take over the lady’s side of the bed “and keep it warm for her” while she exercises. So there is S, laptop in lap, lounging on my perfectly positioned pillows while I have to get down on all fours. The only thing he was missing was a bag of Cheetos!

Thanx coach!!!

… before I go on my leave. But who’s counting?

Don’t get me wrong — I like my work. I genuinely love working. As a matter of fact, I need to work! I’ve just never taken any time off before to just do “nothing”. There are always trips involved such that by the time you come home you need a vacation from the vacation. So for two potential blissful weeks I am looking forward to the possibility of sleeping in late (or as late as the cat will let me), watching day-time TV ’till my brain rots, working on some photo albums and making appointments without any regard for meetings and production deployments at work. I’m sure as I say this, mothers right now are smirking and shaking their heads thinking “You have no idea what you’re in for!”

At the same time, as refreshing as the thought of time off is, it’s a two edged sword: each day of work less is also one day closer to labor. 2 weeks of work? Sweet! 4 weeks before life changes as I know it? Scary!

Last week S and I had professional pictures taken with Augie Chang. They turned out simply amazing!!!

I didn’t want the traditional maternity “half-naked pics standing by a window, draped in a sheet” photos. Don’t get me wrong — I think those pictures are beautiful, but it’s not what I wanted for us. I wanted something outdoors… something fun. Augie did a great job, and I love the fact that S is in just about all of them. Augie called this his “bun in the oven” shoot. Love it!!!

You have to check out the slide-show at: http://augiechang.com/GALLERY/AvaShanePrego/, but here are a few of my faves (and I say “a few” because it hurt having to trim this down to just these):

Cool, huh?

Augie and I have known each other for years (I even had the pleasure of calling him “boss” for a whole month before he left to become a photographer full-time) and he does amazing work. He’s been documenting our life for years (starting with our engagement shots) and I hope he’ll be doing it for years to come.

Apparently they’re mandatory in later stages of pregnancy.

Why, you might ask? Because, quite frankly, your feet don’t fit into anything else 🙂

I don’t like flip-flops! Unless I’m going out somewhere nice in a high-heeled pair of sandals, I don’t even like wearing shoes without socks. I remember looking at pregnant ladies wearing their flip flops wondering “Why?”. Now I understand.

I just think it’s funny. 2 weeks ago, the OB checked my feet and they were fine. Now less than 14 days later I feel like I’m walking on slightly inflated pillows.

Although I haven’t 100% admitted defeat (aka de-feet) I am wearing my flip-flops more (good thing I actually own a pair). Luckily I work in a very casual environment, but I feel like I’m about to really push the limits with my modified foot-wear.

All this means is that now my toes have to look pretty all the time. Great! Has anyone else tried applying nail polish (on their own) while X number of inches of belly are hanging out? No? O.k., assignment: take hardest pillow you can find, or bowling ball, or melon and stick under your shirt. Now bend over forward reaching for your toes. Working? I didn’t think so.

This aside though, and it is very minor, and some of the other items creeping in here and there, I’m still loving being pregnant. I feel good… very good to be honest and G’s being the perfect baby.

You mean there are more shots in our future? Oh yeah! But this upcoming set is all on G 🙁

My poor baby is about to be turned into a pin-cushion!

I’ve spent some time over the last few weeks researching vaccines and the vaccination schedule normally prescribed to newborns in the US. Considering some of the risk associated with some shots, I’d like to delay and space out as much as possible, while at the same time considering two big things:

1. G will be in day care around other kids, and
2. by the time he’s 1, G would most likely have made his first trip over-seas to visit his European family.

Both of these factors equal germs, and although I’d like to be cautious around the vaccine schedule, I also need to be sensible around what he could be exposed to as well.

Luckily, living in the area we do, delayed vaccination schedules are not uncommon, and our pediatrician is happy to work around our needs. As a matter of fact, during our interview with him, following our discussion around vaccines we (mutually) agreed on the following schedule for G’s first two years:

Birth: no vaccines
Month 1: no vaccines (yey! spared another 30 days)
Month 2: Pentacel (an IPV, DTaP, Hib combo) + Rotavirus
Month 3: Hep B + PCV
Month 4: Pentacel + Rotavirus
Month 5: Hep B + PCV
Month 6: Pentacel + Rotavirus
Month 7: Hep B + PCV
Month 12: Hep A
Month 15: Pentacel + PCV
Month 18: Chicken pox + Hep A
Month 20: MMR (joined since no longer made separately). Moved from 24 months, since traveling abroad.
4-6yr: DTaP + IPV + MMR + Chicken pox
11-12yr: Td + MCV

Interestingly enough in Bulgaria they immunize infants against TB immediately at birth. Here we do Hep-B, there’s it’s TB. I need to look into this a bit more and understand if that’s because TB is actually active out there, or if it’s just their normal procedure. If it is active, I might be reconsidering when G will be making his first trip out there. Arg — more research. When does it all end?

Posted by S.

We’ve been working on the nursery lately and it’s almost done. It’s turning out to be a great room — that’s our opinion which is a good thing since most nursery decorations are for the parents and not the infant.

From an earlier post you know the colors are green and brown and that we’re going with a modern geometric pattern.

The focal wall has Baby G’s name in large wooden letters. We then used Wall Words to print out a quote in vinyl letters. The quote is “mythical animal with the body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle”. The contrast of the thickness of the wooden letters along with the vinyl letters applied to the wall surface is great (yes, we’re biased). The two fonts work well too.

I find myself glancing into the room as I leave in the mornings and again when I get home in the evening.

Seriously!

11M+ for pics of the Jolie/Pitt twins? They’re not even a week old and already bringing in the dough!!! G needs to get a move on — he’s got some heavy competition by his peers.

Oh, and PS — G’s parents are obviously already a failure, since we won’t be bringing home 11M any time soon.