Week 36

Where did the time go?  I've been busy with school and busy most weekends.  Busy is good because it makes time go by quickly. Busy is bad because it makes me swell.  Week 36 brought on some excitement on the baby front.  At our routine appointment Monday, my blood pressure was high.  We were admitted to OB for further testing just to make sure Miles (and I) were still doing good. After 3+ hours of being hooked to my bed and machines via monitors and blood pressure cuffs they decided we could go home.  The main thing this did was solidify my already made-up mind that I will not be strapped to a bed for my labor. UN-Comfortable! 

So, Wednesday we met with our doula.  I met her at the baby/child expo I went to the weekend before.  I had read about doulas in a book my friend Carissa gave me, and they made a lot of sense for mine and Trevor's situation.  However, when I looked online I didn't see any in our area.  I had kind of wrote it off as not going to happen, so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard them say they were willing to travel to me! 

The main reasons we hired a doula are:
1. A person who is experienced at birthing. This is mine and Trevor's first time (ha)
2. A person to offer a wealth of knowledge on how to carry out our birth plan, and Miles' birth naturally (such as pain management techniques/birthing positions)
3. A person to support Trevor in coaching me through labor. I think this suits his personality better than him just taking charge.
4. A person who is familiar with medical jargon/birth procedures who will be on our team should something arise that we feel is unnecessary. 
5. Plus, she's really cool.
6. And our families live 6+ hours away so we are just hoping they make it here before Miles does.


Friday Trevor's friends from Pharmacy school threw us the best baby shower!  I laughed harder than I have ever laughed before. NO JOKE. Games with $5 prizes make sleep- deprived college students play hard. Or it could be their pharmacist personalities... anyway it was super fun and totally worth the purple swollen feet I had at the end of it.  Here Trevor and I are with our wonderful friends who hosted the shower.

This Friday (19) is my last day of teaching.  I'm going to miss my kiddos...but I'll be glad to have a week or so to ready the house for my mom's arrival (for real) and put my feet up.  It's also state testing week, so I'm sure that will help my blood pressure.

The most common question I've been asked lately is if I'm having contractions.  If I am, I'm completely unaware of them and they don't hurt.  At my blood pressure scare last Monday they said I was having them (based on the monitor I was hooked up to) I was also 1 cm dilated, but I could have been that way for weeks they said. It made it more real that this guy is on his way and that makes me excited to meet him, and introduce him to all the awesome people that will be in his life!

oh, and according to Trevor I've started snoring. :)