Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Baby Talk- How things have changed

I can hardly believe that we only have 6 weeks left until we welcome our baby girl home!  This whole journey has been amazing!  I really have had a blast being pregnant and John and I are so excited to meet our daughter!  John is the most incredible, supportive 'dad'!  He is so 100% beside me in this, it just amazes me every day!  
I am very lucky to have had an easy pregnancy.  No morning sickness, no swollen hands or feet, or stretch marks, no excessive weight gain, nothing out of the ordinary at all!  Just in the last week or two I have started to get a little uncomfortable.  My belly is just getting so big and I'm lacking space for breathing!  It has been pretty funny trying to get used to the size of the belly.  I often find myself trying to squeeze through tight places where I *think* I should fit!  John also gets a kick out of the fact that I can no longer get up from the couch or off the floor on my own.  I'm like a turtle who is stuck on its back!  
John and I both love feeling Paisley kick and stretch.  It is so fun to push back as she stretches and watch her move or kick somewhere else.  Its so neat to be able to feel her feet and legs and try to guess what position she is in!  
I think that the single most important decision John and I have made for this pregnancy was to attend a Bradley Method birth class.  The Bradley Method teaches 'husband coached, natural childbirth'.  The goal of the class is to use a research based method of education to encourage proper nutrition through pregnancy and teach relaxation techniques for labor and delivery.  There is a HUGE amount of information on common medical interventions, what they are for, when they are needed, and how to avoid them if they aren't needed.  The 'husband coached' part of the class has been the best part for me.  John's role in this birth is absoloutly integral.  He is the person who knows me best.  So, he needs to be aware of the labor and birth process so that he can encourage me when I need it and make decisions for me when I am unable to.  This class has brought us closer and strengthened our bond.  Seeing how supportive and committed he is has really allowed me to hand over 100% of my trust to him.  That was something I didn't realize I was holding back before.  Not that I lacked trust in John, but that I was protecting myself by trying to remain in control.  I now have total faith that I can let go and he will do everything in his power to take care of me.  
This amazing journey has made us better people and a better couple.  We only have little Paisley Blue to thank for that.  So, thank you baby girl.  We love you and know you will continue to humble us and teach us to be better people.  We hope we can give back to you what you have already given to us.  

Check back next week for "What is Natural Childbirth?"

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