A baby on the way

A baby is on its way! Andy and I are thrilled. I was suppose to be having some swallowing tests at the doctors but there first question was if there was any possibility i was pregnant. I thought it's possible. We weren't preventing it. They needed to know as soon as possible so the day after my first missed period we got a home test and it was positive! It was hard to believe it. It didn't feel real until i started getting sick.

It's funny because we were talking to a midwife, i was at 5 weeks, and i told her that i wasn't even sick. She said just wait, it starts about 6-8 weeks. Sure enough, the next week i was feeling quite nauseous. The nausea hasn't gone away since, so life has been a little rough.

I have been interested in having a natural birth. Before i even conceived i was researching and looking at my options. I watched two movies "The Business of Being Born" and "Pregnant in America". I had to take it with a grain of salt. They are very anti hospital and medicine, which i am not. I did learn that most other countries have 80% of their births by midwives at home and their mortality rates are a lot lower than Americas. Interesting.

I just want to have a natural birth because it feels right to me and to Andy. I am very excited about it. The two books that i love and have inspired me are, The Guide to Natural Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, and Birthing from Within ( i can't remember the authors name). A women's body has been made to have a baby. Interventions can be a blessing but they can also make things worse. I am very grateful i have 7 more months to prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I found my midwife! She is a wonderful lady. Rebecca Williams, she has her own solo practice in Murray, Utah. I toured her birth center which seems perfect to me. It is right next to a hospital in case of emergency, and an emergency is pretty rare. Midwives are very capable and understand this whole process of pregnancy and delivery and how to make it easier on the mothers body. Rebecca's c section rate is 4% (compared to Americas rising 30%...or higher i can't remember). She said for a first time mom a transfer to the hospital is 10% chance. We'll see how it goes. I know i can do hard things...i hope!

can't wait till i have a big belly to show off :) 

The baby is due November 10th!