The Belly Beans (Bryson and Sawyer)

It’s funny, even though I have not written much about my pregnancy this time around, I am so much more acutely aware of it than I was with Bryson.  I think it’s because I really know what it means now to be pregnant and to be bringing another person into the world. 

I guess that sounds a little silly. 

Of course, I knew I was bringing someone into the world when I was pregnant with Bryson.  But I didn’t really grasp just what it would mean.  I had no idea that such a cool little person could emerge from my swelling belly.  And now, I know. Each time the baby gets the hiccups, I ponder what his or her voice will sound like.  With each little kick I think about how this baby will soon be running around the house singing for me to catch him or her.  Each nudge makes me think about how this little person will someday tap me on the arm and proudly hold up his/her Crayola inspired masterpiece for me to see.  

I feel much more in control of the pregnancy this time around also.  Maybe I should clarify right off by saying I feel in control because I given up my previous attempt at control.  Mainly because I know that I don’t have to schedule anything or stay on anyone else’s time table.  With Bryson, I was trying so hard to be in charge of everything.  As a 4th year med student, I only had 6 weeks that I was allowed for “maternity leave”, and I didn’t want to waste one minute of it waiting on him to be born.  We all know how well that worked out…HA!  Thankfully, this time around, we aren’t trying to have a scheduled C-section to accommodate any school or rotation schedule.  We have learned our lesson and this time will take all cues from mother nature alone!   I feel a great sense of relief also, knowing that no matter when I have the baby, I will have 12 weeks off from work to enjoy being home with the baby and Bryson.  What a blessing!

Despite being hyper-educated in the medical field, we have opted to have as low-medical a birth as possible.  For about five minutes I entertained the idea of a home birth, but we decided that might be too much for even me.  After a lot of reading, we have decided to go with a nurse mid-wife and will be delivering at what I believe to be one of the best hospital-based birthing centers in Atlanta.  I was very disappointed to learn that despite being a huge city, Atlanta does not have a single free-standing “birthing center”.  But I am trying not to dwell on that.  I like our mid-wife and I am really liking the low-medical approach.  They don’t make me “weigh in” at each appointment like some kind of cattle.  There is a scale in the bathroom, and if I want to check to see how things are going, it is up to me.  And while they do make me pee in a cup at each appointment, they aren’t pushing me to do any additional tests, unless I want them.  Since having Bryson, I have really felt that we (as a society) really over medicalize the birthing of babies.   So I appreciate their minimalistic approach.  At my last pre-natal appointment, our mid-wife sent me home with a lot of paperwork to go through for the delivery of #2.  I guess that since Bryson came so early (35 weeks) they want to be sure I have thought about everything early enough.  I guess they are right…we do need to sit down and think about our birth plan.  Yikes!

ANYWAY- here is a picture of my big pregnant belly-ness.  Can you believe we are already 30 weeks!?!

I think my butt has gotten just as big as my belly!!!