Nano's Birth Plan

Our Birth Plan

To the wonderful nurses and doctors at our birth:

We would like to have as natural of a birth as possible. This means no drugs, no unnecessary medical interventions, and working with my body during labor and pushing to get the baby out without a time schedule. All preferences below are obviously if there are no complications-we want a healthy baby and mom in the end! \We appreciate your cooperation in making our birth experience as positive as possible. Thank you for helping us and for honoring our wishes as stated below.

~Heather and Nicholas


*TOOLS: Please make the birthing tub, birthing ball, squatting bar, and birthing stool available as possible after my arrival so I can utilize all of them during my labor.

*IV: Heparin lock in right hand supplemented by drinking clear fluids during labor.
*MOVEMENT: Please let me move/walk during labor and try different positions for pushing.

*LABOR INDUCTION/AUGMENTATION: Please let my labor to start and progress naturally, so and do not use labor inducing drugs or an amniotomy to start or speed up my labor.

*PAIN MEDICATION: Do NOT give or offer pain medication to me at any time (this includes epidural, narcotic medications or medications through the hep lock). I will ask you if I need it.

*MONITORING: I am fine using the external fetal monitor intermittently and having vaginal exams every 2 hours (or even less frequently if possible).

*PUSHING: I would really prefer no time limit to birth my child so please let me labor down as long as possible and then let me push in my own timing- when my body tells me to. Do not instruct me when/how to push (counting, forcing pushing, holding legs, etc).

*EPISIOTOMY: I do not want to be cut. Other techniques for avoiding tearing are welcome and appreciated! If I do tear, I WOULD like a local anesthetic to numb the area during repair.

*AFTER BIRTH:
-Please put baby on my chest and do not remove for any procedures (including weight, length, etc) for at least an hour so baby can breastfeed and have skin to skin contact while bonding with me.
-We would like to wait until the cord stops pulsating to cut it.
-Do NOT give the baby the erythromycin medication after birth; we will sign a waiver if necessary. Delay other medications as long as possible (PKU/Vitamin K oral).
-Please, do not offer or give our baby pacifiers, bottles, water, or formula. We want to exclusively breastfeed.

Just 35 days left!!! (34w6d)

Soooo, today I am 34 weeks 6 days pregnant! I feel very pregnant and look very pregnant... which makes sense since I only have 35 days left til Nano's due date!

I had an appointment today after a little over 2.5 weeks. It was my last "every 2 week" appointment and my last check-up. From now on, I get lovely cervical checks for dialation/effacement/etc. The next appt I get the lovely Strep B test (a vaginal/rectal swap for strep B- which if I test positive for I will need meds in the hospital during labor so baby doesn't get sick) and a cervical check, along with an ultrasound to measure baby.

Today:

-I got weighed- gained 2.5lbs (a rate of 1lb/wk) for a total weight gain of 10lbs so far in pregnancy.

-I got my bp taken- it was still "normal" but not as good of normal as it usually was. The doc/nurse both went "hrm" and the doc said we want to continue to watch it regularly to make sure i don't get hypertension or anything. I'm not worried since it has been great the whole time and was still "normal."

-Nano's heartbeat was great! Sounded strong and reminded me of a horse galloping.

-I asked the doc if he could tell if Nano was head down. He started feeling my belly and pushing all around. Almost immediately he could identify that Nano's head was down near my hip bones (which explains why it always feels like Nano is pushing against my right hip bone). That's a good sign because it means s/he is in position for birth.

-The fundal height was 38 (still 3wks ahead of what it should be). Because of this and the fact I've been measuring ahead the whole time/nano's big head I am getting an ultrasound next appointment to check on Nano's growth. I'm excited to see Nano again on the ultrasound but hoping he doesn't make the determination that I need to be induced or anything because of the measuring big.

-Nick and I finished our birth plan last week and I gave it to him this week. He was busy so I gave him 2 copies, asked him to read it/ok it and sign one to give back to me next appt. I want his signature OKing it so I can make copies and bring them to the hospital and prove to the nurses my doc is ok with everything on there.

That's about it. :o) I'm gonna post another thing with the birth plan so I have it here in my records for the baby book. I understand that I may only get some of the things, that things may change that are out of my control, and that labor is unpredictable. That is why it is only a plan and I put in the statement about understanding the need to change things if something comes up. :o)

I also need to post about my friend baby shower, which was last Saturday (34w) and wonderful! :o) Oh goodness I am behind!

~Heather

Dancing belly video (33w4d- but from 32w1d)

Here is video of my belly at 32w1d (so a week and a half ago) dancing. Nano moves WAY more and WAY harder than this every day but this is the only time I've been able to capture ANY of it on video. :o)

We finally have names! (32w5d)

As of yesterday morning Nicholas and I have decided on our full boy and our full girl name for Nano. It is nice to know that whenever the baby decides to come now s/he will have a name! We are waiting to tell people the name until the baby is born- this is much more Nick's idea but obviously I am agreeing to it, tho somewhat reluctantly. I just want to shout the names out loud and let everyone know what our little girl/boy will be called.

In other words Nano has been literally laying/pushing on my right hip for the past 2 days. It's a really weird sensation and I don't know what to make of it.

That's all for now.

~Me

Maternity Picture Post (Pics taken at 31w6d)

My great friend Heather Winters is a budding photographer and has a very fancy camera. She offered (the second she found out that we were pregnant) to take maternity pictures of us whenever I wanted. I guess most people get them done at 6 months or so but with my schedule, vacation, moving, life, etc. we didn't get together until I was 1 day shy of 8 months. I definitely have a belly in these! We went to Mount Woodson Golf Club to take photos and it was gorgeous...I had never been there before but she had. The greenery, scenery, and architecture was a perfect backdrop for Nick, Nano, and I. Here are some pictures of the session. She took about 250 so it was hard to narrow them down!














Hope you enjoyed! This is like 12 of the 32 I really really liked. I just didn't want to bombard you guys with more pictures than I already did!

~Me

Quick Appointment Update (32w2d)

Hola,

I'm super tired and have a lot to say so I'm going to just post stats from the appointment (2 more posts tomorrow I promise):

-My blood pressure was normal (woo!)

-Nano's heart rate was 142 ("perfect" according to nurse)

-My fundal height was 35cm (should be 32 since I'm 32 weeks...but is consistent with me measuring 2-4 weeks ahead on it the entire pregnancy)

-I only gained 1/2 a pound in the last 2 weeks for a total weight gain of up 7.5 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight (not bad since from weeks 31-35 the baby gains 1/2 a pound EACH WEEK and therefore would have gained a pound since my last appointment 2 weeks ago. It means I actually lost fat weight and only gained baby)

Another appointment in 2 weeks...then every week after that! I am finally almost done (a little less than 8 weeks left). Tomorrow I will post MATERNITY PICTURES and answers to questions I asked my doctor today.

Night.
~Me

Random update post (including appt update from last week)

This is a late post but I want the update in here for later...

*We went to Nick's uncle's memorial service on Saturday and I got burned....sad day. Here is a pic of us with Nick's cousin/his wife while there (me at exactly 31wks):
'

*I had an OB appointment a week ago (Monday, July 26th at 30w2d) and gained 2 lbs. That makes me up 7lbs this pregnancy.

*My blood pressure was GREAT again (better than docs and the nurse even commented on how good it was). It seems the farther along in pregnancy I get the better my blood pressure is.

*The doc had a hard time finding Nano's heart beat at the beginning. He would get it on the doppler for like 1 second but it was far away and not clear. He said it was because Nano's heart was right underneath my belly button. So, the doc decided to just flip the ultrasound on real quick to look at the heart and verify where the baby was. Right when he turned on the machine it was on Nano's face and s/he was smiling right at us!!!! :o) It was soooo cute and i could see how the face was getting more chubby and defined. Probably best image of the baby's face and it was clearly accidental. After the doc verified baby's heart was fine/location he was able to get a nice strong heartbeat on the doppler.

*I have another appointment next Monday. It's crazy that they are every 2 weeks now... and soon will be every week. I have less than 9 weeks (8wk5d to be exact) til my due date and it feels like it is coming up so fast. I am getting so excited!

*My amazing sister in law is giving me a co-ed baby shower on August 21st. It is going to be fun with all our friends and I am blessed that she graciously is throwing one for me. Also, my aunts are throwing me one for all the church ladies which will be more traditional. :o)

*Nano is moving a TON these last 2 days. I am getting constantly kicked and feeling rolling/movement. It's to the point where is see lots of movement on the outside for the kicks, but Nano isn't quite big enough for me to see when s/he is rolling completely over (but I sure feel all the pressure from rolling!). It's getting really fun to feel the movements and Nick is stoked when he gets to see/feel Nano.

*I think that's it for now, I am craving chocolate and am hungry even though I ate only 1.5 hours ago. Time for a snack!

~Me