40 weeks 1 day

Now overdue, my anxiousness is constantly winning me over at this point. It's reassuring yet somewhat frustrating to see people that share the same due date go early. There have been two our of 5 ladies to go so far. I'm so happy to see them have their little ones, yet I'm insanely jealous and bummed out because I feel as if I'll be the last in line to go into labor. Time will tell. It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but time inches by when you're so uncomfortable.

My negative thoughts are fueled by my first birthing process. The last gestational period lasted almost 41 weeks, and it was induced by pharmaceuticals due to low amniotic fluids in the womb. With Talon, I wanted to have an all natural water birth. That wasn't an option. There was one whirlpool tub in the unit we went to. I chose the hospital for its lower C section rate since I wanted to avoid surgery as much as possible. I believe that this country cuts women at birth way too often (but that's a whole other blog), and one medical intervention leads to another.

It was serene floating in the bath while listening to relaxing music and enjoying the ebb and flow of the contractions. The shit hit the fan after I was kicked out because someone else wanted to use it. Then I demanded for drugs and was given them. They put the epidural too high, therefore there was only 3 hours of relief in the middle of the laboring process. Once I started to fully dilate, I could feel everything including the crowning and every push. With 3 hours of relief from a 30 hour labor, drug free is how I want to go. Therefore I asked my husband to deny me the pain meds in my weakest moment this time around. Although it doesnt matter since my midwife doesn't administer epidurals. The tub, breathing, and relaxation will have help me through the discomfort.

Unless there's another surprise in our future, this will be my last birthing experience. Hence, my ultimate goal would be to begin labor spontaneously and have the baby n the water. We're considered a low risk brith so this is possible. Without getting into detail, let it be known that it's quite uncomfortable in this state. It can't happen soon enough.

Instagram

Follow me @teganink

Happy New Year!!

Well the newest addition to our family still hasn't made her presence. I've been hoping for an early arrival, but who doesn't want their baby to come early?! 40 weeks or more being pregnant is no fun especially when you know at 4 weeks pregnant. As you get older, time speeds up because there's so much responsibility except when you're pregnant. Then time slows down when you want it to fly by because you're excited to meet this little one, and get your body back.

I'm pretty much done with work at the shop until after the short lived maternity leave of 4 weeks after our little girl is born. I'm still drawing for upcoming pieces and might go in if I feel up to it for ongoing work. However it's all tentative in my 39th week of pregnancy since I haven't been feeling up to it. I'm booking appointments for February and on, but require a cash or Paypal deposit to hold spots.

During this time of year, everyone writes about New Years Resolutions. I'm going to follow suit. Of course the same ongoing goals apply. Lose the baby weight, exercise more, eat more healthy foods, save more money, read more, and become more organized. These are things I always aspire to do so why bother on elaborating on my blog. Two of my specific resolutions that I'm pretty excited about are:

1. Utilizing a weekly dinner meal plan. Making the haste decision at the last minute about what to cook can get us into trouble. We ending up getting take out or forgetting to use leftovers because we're too hungry to make a decision. At least if I have a plan, then I have a guide to stick with. Also it's a good idea to plan ahead on what to do with leftovers and what to put on my weekly shopping list. When you have a shopping list and stick to it, then you're more likely to buy only what's on the shopping list and avoid frivolous spending. I'll have to look at the weekly sales at Whole Foods to help my meal plan decisions in order to save more money.

2. Sketch a day. Even though I only did one on 12/30 and missed the past two days, this is an important "me" activity that I want to stick to. I suppose I can count that first one for Jan 1, and I'll have to promise myself to have make up days if I miss any. It's so difficult to find any "me" time to do these things, and at this point we still only have one child. I'm creative with my job everyday, but I deserve to draw for my own personal satisfaction. There re so many ideas in my head that it makes it difficult for me to focus on one idea once it's time for me to draw what I want.

Feel free to share some of your resolutions with me especially if we share some similar ones.
Hoepfully next time I post, it'll be to share pics of our daughter.... C'mon Baby!!