The pregnancy



My journey into motherhood


Friday, January 19, 2007

Week 34

The beginning of this pregnancy found us always looking at the growth of babies at each week. Hands, fingers, bone growth, brain development etc... Now nearing the end, as baby development is less intense I find myself looking at other landmarks along the pregnancy. Some of the things that crossed my mind were survival rates if born at 25 weeks, 30 weeks etc. Now that we are nearing the countdown, (well, almost), I am excited for week 36 to roll around because that means I would be able to have the baby at the Campbell River Hospital which is only a 9 minute ferry ride away. Any earlier and I would be flown away to Victoria, Nanaimo or Vancouver! Once we reach 37 weeks, I will be considered full term and will be able to have a home birth as planned. Our midwife is not legally allowed to do homebirth on our little Gulf Island; our plan is to have the baby at Janet' and Case's house (Jordan's mom and partner) in Campbell River.

I am feeling prepared and ready to give birth. 9 months is a good amount of time to prepare. To contemplate, to grow and learn about babies - its enough time to explore parental options as well as personal education and career options. Of course you can never fully plan anything - you need to go with and adapt to whatever comes your way, but its good to figure some things out, its good to visualize what it is you want and therefor strive for it. I don't care that I may come across as 'over the top', but I have thought about such 'basic' things as to co sleep or not, crib or not, vaccines or not or some, to buy or not, cloth or plastic diapers, communication, attachment, socialisation, intelligence - all baby stuff really. I have grown fascinated with these things. Did I ever think I would be like this 5 years ago? Babies and all?? No way.

But I do know that I am the type of person who will get interested in something and then fully immerse myself into it until I am full satiated. That's why I have sometimes felt that journalism would be such a fulfilling career - to immerse oneself and learn all you can on a subject and then write about it. That's the dream though and I am sure in reality the job wouldn't always be quite so adventurous (like the poor reporters who have to write/report on the progress of the BC Stadium roof coming up....ugh).

Offspring is a lifelong adventure. I look at our parents and they are not only still parenting( in a different way of course), they are also grandparenting!

So in these months of growing a baby, I have also been loading my mind and senses with new things. Its been really enriching. I am how I have always been, a thinker, never an extremist. I like to hear all sides and let things sink in. I make my own decisions and I am always confident in them because I have taken the time to think them through. Regardless of any ones opinion. Jordan is very similar and I think when it will come to parenting, we will have a good time together.

I haven't mentioned anything about our prenatal classes on this blog yet. Many months ago we began to look into different types of classes and we decided on Hypnobirthing. The name really conjures up all sorts of funny images and I don't know if I like the name (that could be my preconceived ideas of what hypnotherapy is). We are nearing the end of our 8 weeks of classes - once a week in Courtenay - we are the only ones from 'up island' who have taken the course. Our instructor is also pregnant and the other couple we took the class with were about 6 weeks ahead of us. It was a really good learning experience and I felt that it was even more interesting because the other father to be was a young doctor whom we had some great discussions with (and his wife as well).

Basically Hypnobirthing included attending several classes with Jordan where we learned a variety of exercises, from relaxation and breathing to visualization techniques. We also received a few CD's to listen to at home. It doesn't sound so different from other prenatal classes out there - except for the homework. The idea is to learn to get yourself into a deep state of relaxation where you are totally receptive to new information. Your partner feeds you information on pain and fear release if necessary. The idea is to have drugs in labour - but drugs that the body naturally produces. If you are filled with fear during labour, other natural drugs will be released that actually make you more tense and open to discomfort. Knowing as much about your body and the process of birthing should really eradicate any fears - after all, birthing is supposed to be a natural process like any other bodily function.



I know it is still winter, but after a walk along Rebecca Spit last weekend, I got into the mood to do some gardening. It turned out that many Quadra Islanders had the same urge as me that weekend! The season of rebirth will soon be arriving...


Thursday, January 18, 2007

Week 33

I can now see a pattern throughout this pregnancy; every three or four weeks I spend several days totally exhausted. Last week was really intense, I could barely drag myself out of bed at 12:30/1:00 every afternoon in order to get ready for work. Once I was at work I was fine, but then 4 or 5 hours later when I returned home I was totally exhausted again. The worst thing was being so tired at that point and not being able to sleep. I was tired, but my legs were so restless...so I would lay awake in bed trying to read and finally sleep after 2am. It was really hard, but I slept when I could and Jordan was totally supportive in my sleeping whenever possible.

After a restful weekend, this week has been totally back to normal. My energy level is great and I am even falling asleep by 1 or 2am!! I am much happier this week because I am getting things done - I have this to do list before baby arrives and I really want to get it all done so that I can just take the time after birth to focus on our new family.

I am really excited and am looking forward to giving birth to our little one. Its gonna be quite exciting for all three of us! And of course for our whole entire family!

My appetite is still very strong and Jordan has been cooking all of our dinners, which have been really healthy. I am lucky because after I come home from work I can just put my legs up and visit with him and then eat. Its all done! He has also been very intuitive with my needs and I feel so loved and cared for right now. It takes two in more than one way to make and grow a baby. Then it probably takes a whole village to raise it! I know for sure from experience that the first part of the above is true. Perhaps that is why I have had such an 'easy' pregnancy. Actually its probably a number of things, including genetics.

My mother is the eldest in her family. Same as me. My parents were actually pregnant with me at their wedding, just like we were! Both marriages had nothing to do with being pregnant - just lucky presents! I was in a posterior position until right before I was born, so my mother had a long and mildly painful back labour. My baby is sideways posterior and I am not sure what the official name for that is. I have begun doing some of the exercises that may help turn him before he becomes too engaged!

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Week 31

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007!! Jordan and I stayed on the island for this years winter festivities. Had a Christmas Eve party with family; ate some venison stew - fresh venison care of Jerry and his new crossbow, veggies, breads and baked yummy goods. Charades and crokinole (sp?) and lots of laughter.

Nick and Case playing crokinole Christmas Eve

Valerye and Casey Christmas Eve

It was nice to just see everyone and slow down and enjoy each others company - which is something I had been missing over the past while.
At 5:40AM Case and Janet made sure we were all up - it was fun even though I was abit tired. Devyn was the only kid this year (which is what makes early morning raising more fun at Christmas) she was super excited to see what Santa brought for her (and as it turned out, for everyone else as well). I went back to bed after a couple of hours while everyone else stayed up.

Our tree; Devyn doing art Christmas Eve


Janet and Case Christmas Morning, 6AM!!!!
Had a traditional and delicious Jill pancake breakfast later on and opened some more gifts - at which point the sun had come up, enticing us for a walk along Rebecca Spit. Went home and had a luxury bath with Jordan with our new salts and soaps and then headed to Campbell River to Janet (and now Case's) house for more festival cheer - turkey yum yum.

Breakfast and presents at Jerry and Jill's house

After Christmas we went down to Victoria to visit family and friends. Bower stayed at Chico's house and spent a few days with the guys surfing the west coast. I was feeling really good and happy to be spending some days making the rounds and doing city things. Spent New Years with Natalie, her family, Casey and our new nephew Taagen. It had been a few months since I had seen him - now that he is about 9 months he is much more mobile and animated. When I would visit with him he gave me this wild smile and laughed and it felt that he was giving me these sly looks with the intention of saying...I know whats growing in your belly and I can't wait to meet my new cousin who will be only 11 months younger than me and wow are we ever gonna have some great advetures together....thats what I felt when we were together...
Auntie Valerye, 8 months, Taagen, 9 months, Victoria

Uncle Jordan and Devyn