(This post is a super-mess, sorry about all the random pictures in random places -- I just can't figure this out!) Anyway, here's what we've been up to lately:
Happy Birthday Hannah! We celebrated Hannah's fifth birthday in April. We had a great celebration. I am not big into birthday parties so we went bowling as a family (Tiffany and Robbie came out to join us, which was great fun!) and then we let Hannah invite some friends over to have cake and presents and birthday games. Her favorite movie is Robin Hood so she drew her own version of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and had a "Pin the Arrow on the Target" game. Her drawings are so cute. We are so thankful to have Hannah in our family. She is absolutely the sweetest, most sensitive girl ever -- really the greatest kid in the world. So good and helpful and self-entertaining and imaginative and intelligent. She's a cutie. We're all excited to have another baby brother for her to mother in the next few weeks.
Above you can see pictures of Hannah at her birthday. There's also a random picture of me at about 35 weeks pregnant for those of you who asked :) . And the cake is a demonstration of how incompetent I have been in the kitchen lately. It took me two tries to make a simple round cake for hannah's birthday -- from a mix! The first one just totally fell apart, as you can see. I have also blown up potatoes in the oven (it really can happen! and yes, I even remembered to poke them), left the gas burner on on the stove for four hours (we are all still alive, thank goodness) and overcooked almost everything I have tried to make. I am usually a pretty good cook so it has been really frustrating to be such an idiot. One of the many joys of pregnancy :)
We also had great Mother's Day. Seth helped the kids make a little book for me called "We Know Mommy Loves Us Because..." They presented it to me in the morning -- they would each bring over a page along with a pink rose and tell me what the page said until I had a whole book and a whole bouquet. It was the cutest thing ever.
Some friends in our ward threw us a great baby shower -- thanks so much Monica and Marissa! We had a great time and received some very thoughtful and helpful gifts. I always thought by the time you had a third kid you pretty much had everything you would ever need, but I was amazed at how much we had to replace, so the shower was really helpful :)
IMPORTANT: I have one question to ask you experienced mothers out there. Have any of you ever had your membranes stripped to "encourage" the onset of labor? I have been induced twice (breaking water, Pitocin) and I never ever want to do it again. But I hate being pregnant and I really want him to come out...soon...and the midwives have offered to strip my membranes at 38-39 weeks. I would love it but I want to make sure that 1) It's not going to give me pain and cramping before labor even begins, making it hard to use my hypnobirthing and 2)could it accidentally break my water and cause me to have to be induced? I don't know. What do you guys think? Please give me the benefit of your experiences!!!!
6 comments:
Hey Rebecca! Here's one of my fave birthing blogs: http://birthfaith.blogspot.com/search?q=breaking+water
this post talks a little bit about it. Make sure to read all the posts at the bottom labeled with amniotomy. As much as it sucks to be overdue it really is best to just let the baby come when he's ready. I know, I hate that answer too :) Your body naturally makes pitocin as you breastfeed. Something that worked for me as I tried to induce labor w/ my son 4 months ago (b/c I was overdue and had a threat of a C-section over my head) was using an electric breast pump. That started the contractions. You will just get colostrum out. Your body won't produce milk until you deliver the placenta. That website has lots of answers. Good luck!
I love you're butterfly cake! It all worked out in the end. Glad you didn't kill your family with the gas burner - that can be scary! Only a little while longer...
I love the picture of you pregnant! You're so cute! I'm so excited for you. I'm no pro on the subject, seeing as I've only had one child to-date, however I did have my membranes stripped. It didn't cause any cramping, nor did it start my labor. I think it is just different for everyone. I have a friend who had horrible cramping, but no induced labor. Then another friend who had no pain and it did start labor. So unhelpful, I know!
And one more thought...Have we talked about how we both know Deanna? I can't remember, but this is weird. We met in Savannah and somehow she knows everyone I know and she's not telling me. Did you meet at BYU?
Hey Rebecca! i'm excited for you, i hope it's sooner than later. My third pregnancy was my most uncomfortable, I was SO glad when he decided to come a little early. I agree with the last post. I think that stripping the membranes is so different for everyone. With Brody I was dialated to a 3 for 3 weeks, and had my membranes stripped twice. It was really painful for me, I had lots of cramping and it didn't bring on labor. But I've heard it go the other way too.
I know how it feels to want to try something, ANYTHING, to get the baby to come :) Like I said, I hope it's really soon. I'm with you on the whole "disliking being induced" I went into labor all on my own with Boston, and it was fabulous, I hope you get to do that too!
I can't believe it is almost time to welcome baby #3! How exciting. Good luck- I hope he comes sooner rather than later for your sake!
I had my membranes stripped with Rowan. Hurt like a son of a gun - but of course it only lasted but a moment. The pain went away almost immediately for me. I can't say if it helped speed things up for me. I think I had Rowan like a week after it was done. It might have helped a bit, and I did go into labor on my own. BUT my friend had it done and it didn't hurt her at all. Like one of your friends said, it varies apparently.
Your butterfly cake looks yummy! Oh pregnancy brain - I think I still have it at times and I am not pregnant.
Good luck- can't wait to hear about the babies arrival!
I don't have your email to send you an invite. Will you email me: sprklyblue@gmail.com
Thanks!
I can so relate to the incompetency of pregnancy. I hope it doesn't leave you frustrated for much longer. So as for the stripping your membranes, I had mine done with Nate and he came a week later completely on his own. It wasn't the most comfortable thing while it was being done, but I don't remember being in pain afterwards or suffering from contractions. I hope things go well for you and it happens soon. Good luck!
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