Friday, March 28, 2008

Lamaze Class Drop outs

We are official Lamaze class drop outs, and I am OK with that. In fact,I feel so much better about it. You know when you are planning on doing something you worry that you are going to upset someone, well I was worried that our Lamaze instructor would be upset and try to convince me to stay with the program, but she didn't. She actually told me that I was being a good "mom", and that I did in fact have too much on my plate right now and dropping this event was being responsible. So, that made me feel 100 per cent better, although part of me was a tad bit disappointed that we couldn't keep up with it, because I think it would have been a good class.

This week has been a well needed break from after work events. Since we dropped Lamaze, and our other class had this week off for Easter break, we did not have any after work events. I was nice to come home and watch TV for an hour, or have Ryan come home and actually sit together and catch up.

Exciting news happened yesterday. Our friends J.J. and Heidi had their 3rd baby, their 3rd boy. Nolan Scott was born yesterday at 3:23 in the afternoon, weighing in at 7 pounds 14 ounces, and 20.5 inches in length. We are looking forward to meeting him once they get settled in at home.

I am still going to the hospital twice a week from my non-stress test, and things are looking fine. The babe is doing what the babe should be doing and the doctors are happy. No deceleration in the heart rate with activity, rather a very active baby with an expected acceleration in heart rate. Yesterday the babe went through an aerobic workout while I was hooked up and it's heart rate was bouncing up in to the 190's with activity. I guess it like my fresh fruit, peanut butter toast and decaffeinated tea for breakfast.

Ryan's parents bought the babe's change table on their visit last weekend. The babe's room is starting to look finished. We just have to get our glider chair and start washing clothes and linens.

Hope you are all well, talk to you soon.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Too much

Sometimes do you feel like you have too much going on? Heck, I am sure most of you moms out there feel that way everyday. With children to organize, school to get to, work for yourself, housework and homekeeping tasks, and then after school organizations to attend I am sure this is just part of life. Well, I haven't even become an official mom and I am already feeling this way.

This week has been "too much" for me, and hence I am sitting at home today rather than being at work. My weekly life now consists of my 3- 12.5 hour shifts at work, that usually become more like 13 hour long days, 2 days of hospital testing for my non stress test, and 2 nights a week of prenatal classes. Oh yeh, and doctor appointments popping up here and there as well. Then add in my other daily lifeisms -like household chores, meals, laundry, you know, routine stuff and I don't know where the time is going to come to fit all this stuff in.

Yesterday wasn't one of my worst days at work, but it was pretty bad. I had a patient that was transfered to our unit from another floor that was pretty sick. Of course the transfer came at 11:45, and I didn't know about the transfer until 11:30, so no hope for lunch was in sight until 2:30. I guess it could have been worse, I could have not gotten to lunch at all, a common nursing problem. Issues ensued with this patient's well being making for a busy afternoon, with a lot of general "running around" in attempt to maintain a stable blood pressure.

Yesterday night was the first class for our Lamaze class. Something that I had been looking forward. I had hoped to sneak out an hour early, as class started at 7pm. Rather I left at 7pm, ran to McDonalds, grabbed a quick burger and dashed over to the Lamaze class. The class was good, but we did not get home until 10pm, and then a quick shower and off to bed without even talking to my husband, or having any time to unwind. Then I was awake off and on through out the night with stomach cramps, horrible indigestion, nausea and a very overactive babe. At 2am, I decided that lack of sleep alone would make me a poor nurse to any patient today, and called in to work for today.

Monday was a little better, but not much. I worked my shift at work and then went straight down to labor and delivery for my first stress test. The only saving grace was that Ryan came to sit with me for this test, so we were able to talk abit and catch up on each other's day. We were there about 40 minutes, again raced home and got ready for the next day.

Tomorrow I am again busy with my doctor's appointment, stress test, a funeral and our other prepared childbirth class at night.

So I am trying to figure out how to ease this overwhelming amount of stuff going on
right now. I am thinking of dropping out of the Lamaze class which is disappointing to myself and probably Ryan. Our instructor is excellent and it is a personal group with only 2 couples. However, there is overlap in the course contents between our Lamaze and our Prepared Childbirth classes.

It is ironic as in these classes they are teaching us relaxation strategies and I honestly feel more stressed and busy right now in my life than I have in a while. So, I feel that I have to do something to eliminate that stress and maybe getting rid of one of the classes is the answer?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Update . . .

Well, I have been a bit blog tardy lately as time is flying by quickly. I couldn't believe it when I saw my baby counter today to say only 65 days left until the babe should make it's grand appearance. I am starting to get a tad bit more nervous as to the fact that this babe has to get out of me. I hear the horror stories of my girlfriends labour details as well as the good labour stories, and I just pray that my story is a good one. Last week we started our prepared childbirth classes at the hospital and I was a bit disappointed in them. So we will see what next week brings. The lady seemed really unorganized and maybe she was just having one of those days. We are also going to take a Lamaze course. I had voiced my wishes to my doctor about wanting to stay away from the epidural if at all possible and he suggested we try to take a Lamaze course and gave me a name of a Doula whom he would recommend. Luckily for us, this doula is offering a course starting next week so we are going to attend that as well. That will give us classes to attend both Tuesday and Thursday nights, so we are going to be quite busy with that.

At my last doctor's appointment, I was told that I now have a bit too much amniotic fluid on board. This is called hydramnios or polyamnios. I have 21 cm of fluid and depending on the amniotic fluid index that you look at I am either not too high, or a little too much. I have seen two different indexes, one that says the normal amount is below 18, and another that says below 25. So, my doctor being the thorough MD that he is, is going to start sending me for Non Stress tests, 2 times a week starting at 32 weeks, which is next week. This will continue monitor the level of amniotic fluid as well as the babe. This all makes me a little nervous as high amniotic fluid could be a sign of congenital abnormalities. My MD assured me not to worry about it, which is hard when you start to read more about it online and such.

So, as you can see with classes, tests and oh yeh, work, the rest of this pregnancy is going to be pretty busy. As well, I have made all the necessary appointments, such as dental, hair, eye, interviewing pediatricians, you know, all the stuff you want to get done before the babe arrives.

We got the border up in the nursery and it looks great. We are almost finished with that room, we are going to get the change table, and the glider and then it should be completed. All we need is the babe!



This weekend I went home to throw a bridal shower for my friend Patti. Patti is getting married in June and I am her matron of honor. So, Saturday, in the midst of a horrendous snow storm, a group of girlfriends gathered to celebrate Patti's upcoming wedding.

It was a lingerie themed shower. Patti did receive a lot of nice gifts. I held the shower at East Side Mario's Restaurant in London which worked out great. I was going to have it at my parent's home however, my sister had been in the hospital sick with her Crohn's for the past week, making my parent's house the center for 3 active kids. Therefore, I was quite glad that I had decided to have it at the restaurant instead. 9 of the 12 people made it and no shower would be complete without some silly shower games, gifts, cake and laughter.

This shower game was to design the best bridal gown for Patti, and Patti would have to choose the best dress. Which one do you think she choose?

We had the honor of 2 newborn babies with us. Both of which slept sweetly for the party. All in all it turned out great and I was glad to have to opportunity to throw Patti a shower, as she is the type of friend that would do anything for you.


Anyways, that is what I have been up to lately. I hope you are all well.