40 weeks

Today I'm 40 weeks along in my pregnancy!  For me, this is when the real countdown begins.  How many days past the EDD will this birth-day be?

Will child #2 continue to hold the record as the earliest baby at 5 days "late"?  I sincerely hope this little one doesn't go for a new record of lateness...

This morning my children sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Due Date to You" (tune of "Happy Birthday").  I hadn't even reminded them (we try to be low-key about due date stuff around this house)...so sweet!

a few critical updates!

I had my belly drawing last week!

Got my last prenatal massage on Saturday!

After 9 weeks of warranty drama and many tears, we have a new washing machine being delivered today!

The fridge is clean!

The laundry is caught up!

My due date is tomorrow!

I now have soup for the freezer!

All the bathrooms are clean!

The scarf party is tonight! 

The pantry and fridge are stocked  - again!

I've started eating raw dairy again! (I know, it doesn't have anything to do with the rest of this theme, but it makes me a very, very happy girl!)

And perhaps most importantly, after a week of moping and feeling uber-impatient, I am feeling more at peace with the Wait.  I'm okay with a little more time to sleep, work on projects, play with my kids, and dream about my baby.  

Even so, we're ready...just saying.  I would love so much to have this baby before Christmas. Lord-willing!

Top 10 6 Reasons the Baby Can Stay Put (a bit longer)

So...in an effort to present a balanced perspective and all, I thought I'd offer my Top 10 Reasons the Baby Can Stay Put.   Sadly I was unable to come up with a full 10, so we shall have to make do with six.  Still, I think my six are fairly compelling.


Top 10 6 Reasons the Baby Can Stay Put (a bit longer)

1)  I still need to clean my refrigerator.
'Nough said.

2)  I enjoy sleep.
Really.  And while there is something sweet and bonding about those dimly-lit nursing sessions, those moments snuggling in the rocking chair...well, sleep is just lovely.  You understand, right?

3)  I'm going to this scarf exchange...
...and it's going to be a lot of fun, and I don't want to miss it.

4)  There are no prepared meals in the freezer.
It pains me to admit this.   Generally at this point in a pregnancy, I have at least, at the very least, four or five meals in the freezer, usually more. But this time?  Nothing.  Oh, I have a lot of grass-fed beef and some pastured chickens, among other things.  I mean, we have food.  But prepared meals?  Nada.  Truly I think it's mostly because with this diet I'm kind of struggling with finding meals that (1) I can eat, (2) freeze well, and (3) my family enjoys.  But I'll think of something.  Besides, I may lighten up the restrictions a bit for those first few weeks postpartum, so we'll see.  Or maybe I'll just freeze a bunch of things that my family can have, and then for myself I'll scramble an egg or something...

5) I'm re-reading my beloved Ina May's Guide to Childbirth...
...and it would be good to finish before the baby comes.  Just in case I've gotten rusty in the past two years, or this birth throws me some surprises.

6)  It's best for everyone if the baby is truly ready.
Maybe it sounds trite, but I believe that it's best to wait until the baby is ready.  Did you know that research suggests that the baby's brain sends out a signal when the time comes for it to be born?  I suspect that it aids in the labor process as well.  After, it seems that if the baby is ready, the mama's body is likely to be "ripe" as well.


There you have it, my 10 6 reasons.  We'll see what happens.  With my track record (all my babies have arrived well past their due dates), I'm not holding my breath for an early arrival...

the belly: a progression

36 weeks

37 weeks

38 weeks

And the latest contribution to our collection:

39 weeks

Top 10 Reasons I'd Love to Have My Baby Soon

1)  I'm tired of relying on my alarm clock to wake up.
It's time to shake things up, to add a little spice to my life.  Alarm clock, schmalarm clock.  I'm ready to be awakened by a tiny, new human.

2)  My house is (nearly) as clean as it's ever gonna get.
With a few exceptions (anyone want to come clean out my fridge??), my home is currently as clean as it's going to get before this baby is born.  I can't make any promises about how it might look three weeks from now, though.  Come one, little person!  Strike while the iron is hot!

3)  I could use a little break from my teething toddler.
Yes, I do realize that this sentence makes me sound like a horrible mother.  But honestly, this child has been an absolute bear lately.  I get that (1) he's a toddler, and (2) he's teething, but...wowsa.  Nursing around the clock might be a vacation compared to this...

4)   I am weary of drinking raspberry leaf tea.  
Not a bit tea drinker in the best of times, consuming this particular beverage on a regular basis is something of a chore for me.  I'm doing it, though...you know, for uterine toning and stuff.  But once the babe arrives, I shall be finished.  Okay, okay, I guess I should drink it during the postpartum period too.  But it will seem like less of an obligation.  Maybe I can get away with a little less of it, anyway...

5)  The suspense is killing us. 
Boy or girl?  The Lord alone knows...

6)  I keep eating into my labor snack supplies. 
When you're on a funky diet like this, the things you are allowed to eat become special, almost sacred if you will.  You protect them fiercely and, when you're really digging them, you want to eat them.  I keep stocking up on legal snacks I suspect might appeal to me during labor, and then...I eat them.  So then I have to make more...  You see?  It's a vicious cycle.

7)  I don't want to have to scrub the bathtub again.
The soaker tub where I plan to birth this baby is scrubbed, shining, perfect.  I've been longing for a bath but don't want the beautiful tub to need another cleaning.  I want it to remain its lovely, spotless self.  So for now I'm abstaining, but not forever. No, not forever.

8)  I'm going to this scarf exchange...
The scarf exchange is the day before  my due date, and I'm really looking forward to it!  But see, I absolutely love the scarf I bought for the party.  So if I have the baby first, I get to keep the scarf...

9)  I'd like to be able to reach stuff again.  
Using the kitchen sink has become a bit awkward.  Things on the floor are difficult to reach.  And as for putting on my shoes...well, I'll leave that to your imagination.

10) There's this Christmas present under the tree...
...and we'd really like to give it to the baby on Christmas.  Although I suppose it will still serve its purpose a week or so later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There you have them, my Top Ten Reasons I'd Like to Have My Baby Soon.  Even so, since I'm just hitting 39 weeks on Tuesday, I likely have a while yet to go.  The average "lateness" for our five children is 9.8 days past the due date, so I'm pacing myself, settling in for a bit more time.  Still, I've love a surprise...

why my kids are invited to the birth

My husband and I are planning another home waterbirth for this baby's arrival.  Our past birth experiences have been wonderful.  Four of our five children were born at home, and all five had gentle waterbirths.   We love the freedom of being in our own space, with people who trust the birth process - and yet are trained to deal with problems as they arise, too.  

(photos taken in 2010 are not an accurate reflection of how tidy my bathroom is at present)

It is so nice to be home for all of this - such a comfort to only be able to sleep in my own bed afterward, to know my children are being cared for nearby...and to not have make that horrible drive while in labor! Once we switched to homebirth, we knew we didn't want to go back.

When I first began to consider having my child/children present in the birthing room, I was unsure.  Would it be weird?  Would I scar my son for ever?  Would the things he saw and heard frighten him?  I don't remember an actual decision being made when our second child was born.  Our oldest was not yet three years old, my labor was during the night, and the baby was born in the wee small hours of the morning.   We asked Jeff's parents to wake our toddler up to meet his new brother, and that was that.  

But after that point, I'd really started to consider inviting my children to be present for our births.  When I was expecting baby #3, our oldest was five years old,  and he asked to be there - but once again it was very, very early in the morning, so we let him sleep.

The next time was a little different, though.  When I went into labor with my daughter (aka baby #4), it was the afternoon, and she ended up being born in early evening.  The timing was perfect - I hadn't been laboring all through the night, and right about the time all the excitement died down and the baby dozed off, it was bedtime.  But even better than that?  My boys got to be there.  

Yes, they were there, all lined up beside the tub like stair-steps.  They'd been floating back and forth between the birthing room and the family room, but they were summoned (by the birth team or by my sounds?  I'll never know.) at the end and they were able to see their sister enter the world.

It was beautiful.  And then they went off to bed.  

When my youngest child was born, the two oldest boys were there again (the others were already in bed).  You may remember that they were very attentive to me, and played a role in my support team.  That made a big impression on this mama.

So here are my reasons to inviting the children to attend the birth of the wee one.  In no particular order:

~I've been told that most kids do fine at a birth, as long as they want to be there.  

We would never force our kids to be present while I was laboring.  If they want to be there and it's not a problem for me or the birth team, great.  If they don't, that's completely fine too.

~We've read and talked about the process.  

They understand, even my 3-year-old daughter, that labor and childbirth are hard work.   They get that it can hurt.  I've told them that it helps the mama to make noises, sometimes strange noises.  And we've read books.  Our favorite homebirth book, pictured above, is "Hello Baby" by Jenni Overend.  Told from the youngest child's perspective, it is the story of a family welcoming their fourth child into the world, in their home, in front of a fire on a blustery night.   And it has absolutely beautiful illustrations!

~They've seen me in labor.
In addition to the boys' presence at my last two labors, we have all the kids' births on video.  They have seen them many times.   In fact, they've seen a lot of birth videos; that's what happens when mama is pregnant.  My daughter loves to cuddle up beside me and watch whatever birth videos I'm sobbing my way through.  I've even shown Gabriel a few; he views them with great interest and tenderly points out the "baby!"  That's one of the biggest factors, for me...that the kids have seen and heard what it can be like.  If the things they hear are not scary to them, they'll likely not be fazed to see their mother behaving like that during labor and childbirth.


There are no guarantees here. If it's not working for the kids to be present, or if it's in the very middle of the night, then they may not be there.  I expect to be in the bathroom again, in my tub, and although we have a nice-sized room, it could get a little crowded...so we'll see.

But if it seems like a good fit, and if they want to be there, my children are welcome to be with me when their new sibling is born.   After all, it is our family...growing.  Beautifully, astoundingly...joyously.

a milestone

(photo courtesy of my almost-8-year-old)

Well hello there, 3rd trimester!  So nice to see you!

"This pregnancy is going by fast!"

I know - you're waiting for a "...said no pregnant lady, ever."

But actually, it's true.

This pregnancy is, for me (the pregnant lady in question, it must be noted) flying by as none other has.   Perhaps it's because we've had a fairly busy summer.  Perhaps it's because I still have so much to do to be ready for Christmas, with two birthdays (three including my mother-in-law) and a birth in December as well. (Don't think I'm an overachiever; I suspect that in the years to come I shall need to have Christmas prep pretty well finished by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, just for the sake of my sanity.)

Perhaps it's because of this complicated undertaking I've taken on, to reclaim my health as much as possible before the wee one is born.  And I'm still very much "in process."   And I'd really like to be able to eat a blueberry or two by the time I go into labor.

It could be the fact that we've had quite a difficult time choosing a boy's name this time around (hey, we've already picked four!), so it seems like we've come to the decision reeeeeeeeeally late in the pregnancy - even though I'm only 5 months along.

Or perhaps it's just because I have to make another dad blame Christmas stocking, and I haven't even started yet. (*wink*)  You recall, don't you, that I Am Not Crafty?

Regardless of the reason (or reasons), this pregnancy seems to be sailing along at a frightening pace.  Giving birth a few months into the school year is a little intimidating, although I've done it before.  Oh, it'll be fine - it'll all be fine - but right now it feels like there are a lot of details yet to fall into place.

When I start to feel overwhelmed by all the ground we'll have covered by the time this little one arrives, I'm going to just take a deep breath, and...think of the babymoon.  And that moment when I get to hold my sweet baby for the first time.  The opportunity to mother another precious child, to experience the unspeakable blessing of a new soul - it's amazing. Astounding.  And it does bring peace.

Now to tackle that Christmas shopping.

what we saw on Friday afternoon

Yes, we're waiting to learn baby's gender until the birth...again. 

20 weeks

Today I am 20 weeks along in my pregnancy!  Which, of course, is not truly halfway for me - on account of the fact that my babies are always, always "late."

In terms of my pregnancy, I am feeling great.  No aches and pains, almost zero heartburn (this is huge for me!).  I'm feeling the baby flutter and twirl more and more these past few weeks, which is always delightful.  In fact, s/he is bopping around right now, as I type.  What a miracle new life is!  I am so happy to be carrying another precious soul.

So here we are...20 weeks.  In a few short months I will be holding this child in my arms.  I'm already dreaming about that day - and so is my family.  We love this tiny person dearly!

14 weeks

barefoot & pregnant

Enlightenment

a little perspective

Just to offer a little perspective for you: in order, my babies have been born 11, 5, 15, and 9 days past their due dates. Today is 5 days past Little Bean's EDD. So really, if I'd had the baby before this point, that's what would've have been surprising.

Yes, the baby is "late." No, I do not enjoy that fact. But we're just now getting into where my span of "days I've birthed" begins.

I suppose it's nice for Kyle that he still holds the record of being my earliest baby... (*wink*)

*Yes, I know, I know, I know I've got birth and babies on the brain. I can't help it. Feel free to skip these posts if they're growing tiresome; I understand.

I am...

...trying to work up the motivation to do more cleaning.

...really looking forward to sleeping on my back again.

...making an effort to rest up daily - usually in the afternoon. (This doesn't include sleeping - I am a horrible napper! - but still, physical and emotional rest is lovely these days.

...still doing homeschool lessons. But with a lot of flexibility. If I need to take a "mental health day," I will. (We've achieved everything I'd hoped to by the baby's EDD. Whatever we get done after this point will just be icing on the cake: a very good feeling!)

...still taking extra effort to tidy up downstairs before I come up to bed. Besides looking nicer for the birth team and our birth-time help, it's pleasant for me, too when I come down in the mornings.

...wondering when all this Practice Stuff is going to develop into something called It's Time.

...thinking about my baby for most of the day, every day.

...amazed by how much time I have to blog, now that I'm officially done with prenatal exercise!

...doing the "this is the last time I'll do __________ before the baby comes" thing.

...riding the hormonal wave. My poor boys have no idea what to do when their mama get so weepy!

...so very glad I got one more haircut squeezed in before the Time came. (It was amazing how fast my hair grew all through this pregnancy: I spent least half of it feeling something like a shaggy dog!)

...amused by the fact that all my kids' birthdates are even-numbered days, and somehow hoping this baby shares that pattern, too.

...very, very tempted to just hole up and avoid the general public right now...but still trying to go ahead and live my life.

...just biding my time.

belly drawing

So, Jeff and I talked our new midwife into doing a belly drawing for us. She used a Sharpie, which is somewhat less forgiving than the grease pencils my other midwife used to use...but I think it turned out pretty good.

Which is entirely different than it might look if it's still around after the baby is born, don't you think?! Let us not ponder that idea for long...

a letter

Dear Baby,

In case you're wondering, it's safe to come out now. Our home is ready for you and our arms long to hold you. Our hearts are ready to receive you.

I know it sometimes sounds loud out here. And I'll be honest with you - it certainly can be. Sometimes it's loud, and sometimes it is cold. But still, I think it's worth it. Mostly (not always), the noises are happy ones. Your siblings know how to have a good time, that's for sure. And we know of many ways to help you stay warm - not the least of which is snuggling. Just sayin'.

I made mayo yesterday. And the granola (that long 3-day process of soaking & drying) is all finished. I've cleaned and shopped and planned and wrapped ...and cleaned some more. I'm not saying everything will be perfect when you do arrive, but it will be good. I bought toilet paper this weekend, and extra tissues. The tissues just seemed like a good idea, what with it being December and all, and a new baby joining the family.

Speaking of December...no pressure, but the sooner you arrive, the farther away your birthday will be from your big brother's own birthday -and from Christmas. Not that there's anything horrible about being close to those two dates, but still. Something to think about...give it some thought, but not too much thought.

Your Daddy and I have had a lot of dates lately. Did you notice? While we were enjoying the Weekend to Remember...while your siblings were at their grandparents' house...and even this past weekend when our church hosted a Parents' Shopping morning. I guess we're cramming a lot of "us time" in now before you arrive. It's been great, really. But with all this eating out, I'm not sure how much more my waistline can handle.

Ha, ha. Ha.

See, your mama even has a sense of humor! Most of the time...

So, I just wanted to let you know that whenever you're ready, we're ready. And of course I don't want you to come before you're ready. Truly. But really, anytime now is fine. We are so very eager to meet you!

See you soon (Lord-willing),

Mama

40 weeks

"...but I'm always late."

People. I tell you, if I had a quarter for every time I've uttered this phrase in the past month, I would be a very rich woman.

Alright, maybe not a rich woman. But at the very least, I'd have enough to go out and buy myself a new scarf.

I am unspeakably weary of this phrase. Instead of answering questions about the baby's estimated due date literally, I just need to say something like, "We're expecting the baby in mid-December." Because somehow, each and every time I say the words "Well, the due date is December 2nd, but..." (and this latter part is getting more difficult to say as time goes on) "...I'm always late," it somehow makes the waiting all the harder.

Here's the deal (again). I choose to let my babies come in their own time. This is a choice I make because I believe that, generally speaking, it benefits both the mother and the baby. (Yes, I know that there are definite exceptions, and I fully believe that it is a choice each expectant mother has to make for herself. So please, please don't be offended if you're the "let's get this ball rolling" type. I just choose to wait.)

This isn't easy for me. I don't really enjoy being "late" each and every time. With every single labor, it's an exercise in patience. And I'm not the kind that enjoys exercise all that much.

My problem is, I'm too prepared. I nest like a crazy woman in the month or two leading up to the EDD, and then tend to sit and twiddle my thumbs. Granted, there are still a lot of tasks around my house to keep me occupied: spills, laundry, and my ongoing war against crumbs. And then there's dusting. I did that the other day, and found that it forced me to come to terms with just how infrequently I do dust. So yes, I'm sure I can find things with which to occupy myself.

Still, once I'm ready, waiting, eager to meet my new little one, it can be hard to wait.

But that's the way it goes. And so, I suppose that I shall keep having to utter the Dreaded Phrase. I will do my best to enjoy the flexibility I have now with my time. I'll cuddle with my husband in the evenings after the kids are in bed. I'll clean my home. I'll read to my children. I will plan my life as best as I can.

I'll make peanut brittle.

And I'll dream of that moment when the day arrives: when I'm holding my snuggly, sweet-smelling newborn and settling into our babymoon.

But for now, it's still time to wait.

how I'm feeling

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant.

And how I am I feeling, you may ask?

Well, I'm feeling incredibly excited to meet this new little one, but am bearing in mind that considering my history, I may well have another 5 weeks to go. Yes, I'd love to be surprised with an "early" delivery, but I daren't hope for it too much.

I'm achy. Sore. There's no denying it. But in all honesty, I'm feeling only marginally worse than I was, say, 3 weeks ago. So although I tire more easily these days, and my stride resembles a rusty old robot when I rise from my seat, I can't complain. A month ago, I struggled to imagine how I'd last until after my baby's (estimated!) due date. Now, with a month or so to go, I feel that I can.

At any rate, I had a great appointment with my midwife yesterday, and I'm feeling good about preparations for the birth of this little one. The baby and I are both healthy and doing well, and I can't ask for much more than that.

And so, I'm using my waiting time well, for the most part. I've been nesting like mad. Organizing, cleaning, making lists. I'm all done with Christmas preparations - even the wrapping. The baby's Christmas stocking is made (all except adding the name!), and I'm planning to share a little bit more about that in a future post. I even re-threaded my nursing necklace for a few months down the road - and made one for Elise to wear with her "babies," too.

There are a few things left on my list, but all in all I'm feeling very prepared. It's a nice balance at the moment -mostly all ready, but thankful for a little more time to accomplish a few more tasks.

Yes, I'm ready to meet this precious one, but I'm also a big nester. So I'll let this bundle of joy continue to grow beneath my heart, and count my aches and soreness blessings. I'll prepare my home for the holidays, and dream of cuddling with my newborn under the glow of the Christmas lights. I'll do some more cooking and pack a few more things into the freezer for a more needful time. I'll try my best to keep things clean and organized, and when they get dirty and tousled, I'll fix them again.

I am on a roll. So I'll try to be patient as I wait for the right time, the right day. I know my babe needs time to be ready to face the world outside mama's womb, and I'm prepared to give that.

But if, just if, that day comes sooner than expected, I would be nothing less than thrilled...