Week 25

Well, trying to get back into the swing of things after being off for 12 great days. It did make it a little easier to transition back last week only having 3 work days.

This past Saturday Todd and I went snowshoeing at the Clarence Nature Center (off Thompson Road). Even though there wasn't a ton of snow, we just had to try out Todd's new snowshoes. Besides it's a great way for me to enjoy the winter now that I shouldn't ski. After the Clarence Nature Center, we hiked the Clarence Escarpment Park (off Greiner Road) which led into the backyards of Spaulding Lake where we continued to walk. I think we ended up being out for almost 2 hours! Needless to say I was pooped by the time we got back home.

Today we met with Cindy, a doula who came highly recommended to us by our friend, Michelle P. A doula is "a person who accompanies a woman in labor, mothers the mother, taking care of her emotional needs throughout childbirth. A doula also provides support and suggestions for partners that can enhance their experiences of birth. A postpartum doula continues that valuable emotional support and guidance, helping a family make a smooth transition into new family dynamics." Since we have only heard wonderful comments from those who have had a doula during their birth, we thought we'd look into the option as well.

We ended up talking with Cindy for almost 2 hours! She had a lot of information for us to think about that we will eventually have to articulate in a Birth Plan. Things like what we would like available to us during labor for comfort, induction/augmentation of labor, fetal monitoring, leg support, environment (light and noise), episiotomy, anesthesia, and postpartum wishes such as skin to skin contact with the baby, evaluation of the baby, cutting of the umbilical cord, delivering of the placenta, breastfeeding, rooming in with the baby, circumcision, and more. Yikes, so much to think about!!!

I personally think that we would only benefit from having Cindy with us during the labor and delivery. Other than being there to implement as many techniques as necessary to ease the 'pain' of labor so as to deliver as natural as possible, I also see her as being a patient advocate. Someone we could look to to help us make as educated of a decision as possible if the midwife should propose it during labor.

In the meantime, the tum tum is getting bigger and the baby's movements are getting stronger. I tend to feel him/her much more during the weekend and at night. All my movement during the school day must keep it quiet.

Furthermore, little by little my former students are finding out that I am pregnant as well. I've noticed a few of them 'checking out' my belly when they come in to say hello each morning, and apparently it came up in one of the first grade classrooms today. Hence, I received three cards from two of the girls. One of which said," Dear Mrs. Rassman, Hay I hrd (heard) you wear (were) haveing a baby."

I'm definitely enjoying being pregnant and really don't want it to go any faster as I imagine this is the easy part compared to what s/he has in store for us!

Baby Development (from Pregnancy.org)

• The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.
• Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
• Your baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
• The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
• His swallowing reflexes are developing.
• Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.
• Your child has now obtained an approximate length of 13.6 inches (34.6cm) and weighs 1.46 pound (660gm).

(from Pregnancy.org)