On Thursday night James and I went to another prenatal class. It was again very useful and helpful hearing information to prepare us for the birth. This one though was watching a short video of labour. After watching it, not so keen! I know that there's no going back, and I know that adrenalin kicks in so you aren't thinking about everything as much as you can before, but yeah. It has slightly freaked me out. Hearing about the different needles which will get put in for drips and if you get the epidural, etc, I don't like needles! Seeing that you just strip down, I like clothes. Seeing that the baby gets up onto you immediately after birth - that is wonderful and I know a very important time, but it still has blood all over it - I don't do blood. On the video the midwife then showed the woman all the different parts of her placenta - no thank you! Seeing that the head crowns and then the baby doesn't come out until the next contraction. I think that will hurt a bit...
I know it is silly. And I know that all will be fine and I'll do what I have to do so that Bubble can come out and I'll do what the doctor says, but I just am a little bit freaked out about it.
On other news since the letter went out to my parents at school about me finishing up, I've had a couple of my parents being very lovely and supportive which is a nice change from the start of the year. The kids are very excited about meeting Bubble too.
One of my boys is so keen to meet Bubble, he keeps coming up and waving at my tummy and each day asks me if Bubble is ok. Also, on Tuesday I was doing playground duty, watching the kindy kids and one of the boys came up and asked if he could rub my tummy (I've never met this boy before). I laughed and said, 'no, we keep our hands to ourselves'. He said 'but I really want to' and then the next thing he was rubbing my tummy. It was very cute but a bit odd. I think he is a sensory boy.
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Back to school
31 weeks today. Roughly 9 more weeks to go. Eeek!
On Monday I went back to school. 1st day back with the kids. It was rather stressful as I wasn't able to set up my classroom as we were in Tasmania in the last week of holidays so the morning was filled with me running around: photocopying, organising tables (Rach was wonderful and actually set up my tables for me so that I didn't have to stress about that in the morning), pencils, glue, boomerang notes, new books for my new students, etc. 1 hour just seems to disappear in the mornings!
It was nice to see my kids again. I had no tears! That was refreshing (one of my common criers is away this week). I felt more relaxed in my teaching which was nice. Joking with the kids, talking a bit about Bubble and different events this week. It was a long day though. With a recess duty, fighting with the printer at lunch and then doing more photocopying, inside lunch play, etc meant that I basically didn't sit down until around 1 (thanks to a dvd being put on over lunch because of wet weather and us deciding to finish the dvd that afternoon - I love the girls that I work with!) I also noticed that the way that I teach is going to need to change which will be tricky. Things like I mark a lot of their work (especially writing) over their shoulder while they're working. This doesn't work as both my tummy gets in the way now, but also I can't bend as easily (not because of a sore back, but because of Bubble pushing up into my ribs a lot). So that will be hard.
At the end of the day I was thinking 'how am I going to do the next 6 weeks?'. I still am not too sure about how I can do it, but I know that I will be able to do it.
Tuesday morning was another dr appointment. All was good again. My bp is fine, Bubble's size is good, heart beat is strong. The only downside was that Booker said he wanted me to go back to get another ultrasound to check my placenta has moved. I told him that before he said I was just safe but if I needed to go back then I will. He decided that he will make a decision at the next appointment in a fortnight - and it will depend on if Bubble has engaged or not. Something in my favour is that I haven't had any bleeding so hopefully I don't need to get another ultrasound.
My boss is also very understanding about if I need to take time off because my body is just needing a break so that is good. A note went home to the parents, telling them about my last day, the new teacher, how I'm writing reports but the new teacher will do the interviews, etc. So things are starting to come together for me finishing up teaching before maternity leave.
Bubble is being very active but is starting to make me feel uncomfortable. Hopefully I will get used to it again :-)
On Monday I went back to school. 1st day back with the kids. It was rather stressful as I wasn't able to set up my classroom as we were in Tasmania in the last week of holidays so the morning was filled with me running around: photocopying, organising tables (Rach was wonderful and actually set up my tables for me so that I didn't have to stress about that in the morning), pencils, glue, boomerang notes, new books for my new students, etc. 1 hour just seems to disappear in the mornings!
It was nice to see my kids again. I had no tears! That was refreshing (one of my common criers is away this week). I felt more relaxed in my teaching which was nice. Joking with the kids, talking a bit about Bubble and different events this week. It was a long day though. With a recess duty, fighting with the printer at lunch and then doing more photocopying, inside lunch play, etc meant that I basically didn't sit down until around 1 (thanks to a dvd being put on over lunch because of wet weather and us deciding to finish the dvd that afternoon - I love the girls that I work with!) I also noticed that the way that I teach is going to need to change which will be tricky. Things like I mark a lot of their work (especially writing) over their shoulder while they're working. This doesn't work as both my tummy gets in the way now, but also I can't bend as easily (not because of a sore back, but because of Bubble pushing up into my ribs a lot). So that will be hard.
At the end of the day I was thinking 'how am I going to do the next 6 weeks?'. I still am not too sure about how I can do it, but I know that I will be able to do it.
Tuesday morning was another dr appointment. All was good again. My bp is fine, Bubble's size is good, heart beat is strong. The only downside was that Booker said he wanted me to go back to get another ultrasound to check my placenta has moved. I told him that before he said I was just safe but if I needed to go back then I will. He decided that he will make a decision at the next appointment in a fortnight - and it will depend on if Bubble has engaged or not. Something in my favour is that I haven't had any bleeding so hopefully I don't need to get another ultrasound.
My boss is also very understanding about if I need to take time off because my body is just needing a break so that is good. A note went home to the parents, telling them about my last day, the new teacher, how I'm writing reports but the new teacher will do the interviews, etc. So things are starting to come together for me finishing up teaching before maternity leave.
Bubble is being very active but is starting to make me feel uncomfortable. Hopefully I will get used to it again :-)
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Prenatal Course and Tasmania
2 weeks ago James and I went to our first pre-natal course. These will hopefully be very helpful and informative and hopefully not too much information overload. They are at the SAN with a nice midwife who is very passionate about all the information, particularly breastfeeding. There are 7 other couples with us. They all seem lovely and most are also due in June. One couple is quite outspoken and have to make a comment about everything. It got on James and my nerves a bit but I think that's their way of dealing with their nerves about having a baby.
We went through all the technical words which we may hear when we are in hospital. The boys went and spoke about how they think they can be a good support person from now to when in labour. They came back with some very good ideas - James had some which were helpful and I like them. She told us that the boys need to do vacuuming for the next 6 months (which all us girls liked!) because it isn't good for our backs. She is a keeper. The girls spoke about the irritations of being pregnant. From the list that she gave us, I noticed that I have had a pretty smooth run (and hopefully that will continue!). Some of the other girls have had a lot of the symptoms, while I have only had a couple of them and they have been very minor.
At the end of the session James and I were chatting and we both said that we found it very helpful. We were a bit disappointed that we missed out on the next week - especially as she was going to go through all the natural steps to use during labour, avoiding medications. She gave us a bunch of notes and on Tuesday at my next dr appointment, I'm going to ask Rhonda, the midwife, if James and I can have a time to sit down with her to go through the notes, like she said she would be happy to.
Tasmania was a great trip! I love traveling and experiencing new and old places with James. This trip was different to other holidays we have gone on as it was only partly planned as neither of us really knew what to expect. I was more emotional this trip which got on my nerves quite a bit - I am over crying over silly things! Fortunately James is very patient with me at the moment and unbelievably understanding about why I'm crying - even at times when I don't get why I'm upset! We loved walking around the Tahune Airwalk and the Huon Valley around it. It was wonderful to have a full day of just walking and enjoying creation! We had some good chats about the future and different thoughts about parenting which I'm sure will increase over the coming weeks. In Launceston I had a few troubles with over heating and having a smaller lung capacity. We were staying up the top of a hill which was a nice 5 minute walk to the city centre (not a problem!) but the walk back was up hill and a steep uphill. The temperature wasn't very cold, like I had planned it to be, so after walking up the hill, I was over heating and feeling claustrophobic like, needing to get out of the layers I was wearing. When we got back to the b&b I could strip back to my singlet top to cool down but it wasn't a very fun time. This was around the 1st time that I have experienced the overheating and getting puffed easily, not so fun.
There were some funny moments too. Bubble was quite active at different times during the holiday. It decided in the last couple of days that it would be fun to push up against my ribs and try to stretch out lots. A lot of people asked me how far along I was and were surprised to hear that I only have 10 more weeks to go. A lot of people commented about how compact I am and how little my bump is for 30 weeks. James and I were surprised at how many people asked about Bubble, as it hasn't really happened with strangers at home. When we were at Tasmazia there was a space were there were 3 ladders that you could climb up. I laughed lots when 1 of the ladders definitely wasn't made for pregnant people. I only just fit through and that was with squeezing through the space. Good fun!
I did enjoy walking lots though, and feeling good about exercising. I'm hoping that I keep the motivation to walk now that we're back home. The walk back to the car after the afl today was a good start to that motivation!
Tomorrow I go back to school with my lovely Year 1s. I'm finding it hard to get very motivated this term as I can see the end is very close. But I keep overlooking all that I need to do! Teach, program, reports, notes for the next teacher, new student starting tomorrow, etc. But it is crazy that I only have 6 more weeks of teaching, 29 more days! It really doesn't sound like much!
We went through all the technical words which we may hear when we are in hospital. The boys went and spoke about how they think they can be a good support person from now to when in labour. They came back with some very good ideas - James had some which were helpful and I like them. She told us that the boys need to do vacuuming for the next 6 months (which all us girls liked!) because it isn't good for our backs. She is a keeper. The girls spoke about the irritations of being pregnant. From the list that she gave us, I noticed that I have had a pretty smooth run (and hopefully that will continue!). Some of the other girls have had a lot of the symptoms, while I have only had a couple of them and they have been very minor.
At the end of the session James and I were chatting and we both said that we found it very helpful. We were a bit disappointed that we missed out on the next week - especially as she was going to go through all the natural steps to use during labour, avoiding medications. She gave us a bunch of notes and on Tuesday at my next dr appointment, I'm going to ask Rhonda, the midwife, if James and I can have a time to sit down with her to go through the notes, like she said she would be happy to.
Tasmania was a great trip! I love traveling and experiencing new and old places with James. This trip was different to other holidays we have gone on as it was only partly planned as neither of us really knew what to expect. I was more emotional this trip which got on my nerves quite a bit - I am over crying over silly things! Fortunately James is very patient with me at the moment and unbelievably understanding about why I'm crying - even at times when I don't get why I'm upset! We loved walking around the Tahune Airwalk and the Huon Valley around it. It was wonderful to have a full day of just walking and enjoying creation! We had some good chats about the future and different thoughts about parenting which I'm sure will increase over the coming weeks. In Launceston I had a few troubles with over heating and having a smaller lung capacity. We were staying up the top of a hill which was a nice 5 minute walk to the city centre (not a problem!) but the walk back was up hill and a steep uphill. The temperature wasn't very cold, like I had planned it to be, so after walking up the hill, I was over heating and feeling claustrophobic like, needing to get out of the layers I was wearing. When we got back to the b&b I could strip back to my singlet top to cool down but it wasn't a very fun time. This was around the 1st time that I have experienced the overheating and getting puffed easily, not so fun.
There were some funny moments too. Bubble was quite active at different times during the holiday. It decided in the last couple of days that it would be fun to push up against my ribs and try to stretch out lots. A lot of people asked me how far along I was and were surprised to hear that I only have 10 more weeks to go. A lot of people commented about how compact I am and how little my bump is for 30 weeks. James and I were surprised at how many people asked about Bubble, as it hasn't really happened with strangers at home. When we were at Tasmazia there was a space were there were 3 ladders that you could climb up. I laughed lots when 1 of the ladders definitely wasn't made for pregnant people. I only just fit through and that was with squeezing through the space. Good fun!
 |
| I like this photo of us. |
 |
| 30 weeks. |
 |
| I only just fit to make it down the ladder! |
I did enjoy walking lots though, and feeling good about exercising. I'm hoping that I keep the motivation to walk now that we're back home. The walk back to the car after the afl today was a good start to that motivation!
Tomorrow I go back to school with my lovely Year 1s. I'm finding it hard to get very motivated this term as I can see the end is very close. But I keep overlooking all that I need to do! Teach, program, reports, notes for the next teacher, new student starting tomorrow, etc. But it is crazy that I only have 6 more weeks of teaching, 29 more days! It really doesn't sound like much!
Thursday, 12 April 2012
29 weeks
Only 11 more weeks to go! Pretty crazy stuff. Things are coming along well which is good. James and I spent Sunday and Monday working on the nursery. We organised all the bits and pieces which Jens has given us from Oscar, put up some pictures and made storage in the cupboard but putting a bookshelf inside it. We also opened up the box from Malcolm and Julie which is very fun and put toys into it. Then yesterday we went shopping at IKEA to get a bookshelf to put into the room too. The last thing which we need to do is put up the picture frame of Psalm 139 (which we were waiting for the bookshelf to be made). So here is how the room looks now.
I saw my doctor yesterday and he is again happy with how everything is going. My glucose challenge came back fine so I don't have diabetes. My blood pressure is good too. Dr Booker just said that the baby could handle some more Easter eggs. :-p
He had a prac student who sat in for the appointment. I'm pretty sure her name was Tash. She is at UTS studying Midwifery. She felt where the baby was and mentioned to Dr Booker that she would like to journey with me over the next few months and be there during the birth. As I found prac very beneficial and the main place where I learnt things, I am happy for her to use me to help her growth as a midwife. So basically she will sit in on my appointments on Wednesdays (the next 2 are on Tuesdays when she is working in the hospital). And then when I go into labour she will be there as an extra set of hands. The midwives from the hospital will still be the primary carers but she will be there to be able to get heat packs, give encouragement, tell James things to do, etc. With the thought that Dr Booker will probably not be there as he goes on holidays at the start of July, it will be nice to have a familiar face at the delivery.
I also spoke with Rhonda, the midwife at the clinic and she mentioned a psychologist session which is funded by the doctors. This session covers the transition from being a working person, to a stay at home mum. And just talks about ways to be kind to yourself which I think will be really good. I'm wondering how I will go with not teaching - as it is such a big part of my life. I always find myself doing some form of school work on weekends and in the holidays. So yeah, it will be good to have some strategies for a few months time.
I've also really started to pop and Bubble is being quite active. The other night I was watching my tummy move. It is very cool but also quite alien-like. But Bubble is often kicking me in the ribs which isn't very kind. I do prefer it when it is comfortable down low.
We are looking forward to going to Tasmania on Saturday. It will be really nice to just get away and have nothing that we have to do. Hopefully Bubble will enjoy Tasmania too and it won't be too cold for me as I don't fit into a lot of my warm clothes.
Our friends Grant and Cathy had a baby girl on Sunday called Grace. She is very beautiful. We have had some lovely cuddles. It is crazy that Grant and Cathy are a mum and dad and that we are soon going to be a mum and dad too.
 | |
| The toy box fits in perfectly - thanks Malcolm and Julie! |
 |
| The picture frame will be above the family photo frame. Hopefully it will fit nicely. |
 |
| These canvases are cute. Thanks Mum and Dad |
 |
| They fit perfectly above the cot. |
He had a prac student who sat in for the appointment. I'm pretty sure her name was Tash. She is at UTS studying Midwifery. She felt where the baby was and mentioned to Dr Booker that she would like to journey with me over the next few months and be there during the birth. As I found prac very beneficial and the main place where I learnt things, I am happy for her to use me to help her growth as a midwife. So basically she will sit in on my appointments on Wednesdays (the next 2 are on Tuesdays when she is working in the hospital). And then when I go into labour she will be there as an extra set of hands. The midwives from the hospital will still be the primary carers but she will be there to be able to get heat packs, give encouragement, tell James things to do, etc. With the thought that Dr Booker will probably not be there as he goes on holidays at the start of July, it will be nice to have a familiar face at the delivery.
I also spoke with Rhonda, the midwife at the clinic and she mentioned a psychologist session which is funded by the doctors. This session covers the transition from being a working person, to a stay at home mum. And just talks about ways to be kind to yourself which I think will be really good. I'm wondering how I will go with not teaching - as it is such a big part of my life. I always find myself doing some form of school work on weekends and in the holidays. So yeah, it will be good to have some strategies for a few months time.
I've also really started to pop and Bubble is being quite active. The other night I was watching my tummy move. It is very cool but also quite alien-like. But Bubble is often kicking me in the ribs which isn't very kind. I do prefer it when it is comfortable down low.
 |
| I got my hair cut today too. A bit of a special treat but also a long overdue one. |
 |
| The angle is hard to get right so it shows the real size of my tummy. I think this one is a bit bigger. |
Our friends Grant and Cathy had a baby girl on Sunday called Grace. She is very beautiful. We have had some lovely cuddles. It is crazy that Grant and Cathy are a mum and dad and that we are soon going to be a mum and dad too.
Friday, 6 April 2012
3rd Trimester
So I am now 28 weeks, which according to the books and info tells me 'welcome back to tiredness'. On Wednesday night James and I went to the Michael W Smith and Mercy Me concert. Wow. It was awesome. Amazing singing praises to God with Michael W Smith - such a talented musician and leader! Mercy Me were brilliant too. I wish they did more of their older songs as I didn't know a lot of the ones they performed but it has made me want to go and buy their latest cds (I guess the idea of a concert) so I shall do that. They are all such genuine people who honestly love God and just want to sing his praises. The only downside was that I saw midnight for the first time since I've been pregnant (I think). That's a pretty long time! Fortunately I didn't have children on Thursday, otherwise I would have been a bit grumpy with them. Today though I think I have experienced the side effect of the late night and the start of the return of tiredness. After lunch today I came home to have a nap as I was feeling quite tired. I went to sleep at 3pm and woke up at 3:30. I was thinking that it wasn't a big sleep and would try to go back to sleep. The next thing I noticed was the clock said 5pm. Oops! I had just slept for 2 hours. That's a lot of sleeping. I hope that I can still sleep ok tonight.
Bubble loves the music. On Saturday (at Luke Robinson's Album Launch) and then Wednesday Bubble was very active. I hope that Bubble is musical when it grows up. I wonder what instrument it will play, if any. I wonder if it will be able to sing in key or not. All these new experiences to look forward to.
Bubble loves the music. On Saturday (at Luke Robinson's Album Launch) and then Wednesday Bubble was very active. I hope that Bubble is musical when it grows up. I wonder what instrument it will play, if any. I wonder if it will be able to sing in key or not. All these new experiences to look forward to.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)