The Hormone Extravaganza

posted on: Wednesday, August 11, 2010




So, remember I mentioned in one of my recent posts about relaxing and pacing myself...?

Well, it seems to be working. My body, my prego mental and emotional state, as far as getting things going for d-day are completely different. :) Almost immediately after making that shift, my body started responding! Yay for giving myself permission to be a justifiable bum! ;) (Just kidding...sort of.)

Yesterday I woke up with a urge to go to a local, higher end mall to walk, talk and window shop with my mom. We set it as a date and headed off to my weekly midwife appointment around noon.

Damaris, my midwife was excited when she examined me and listened to my updated, end of week baby body report. She was getting excited by what I was telling her, which made me excited! She said our little guy is locked and loaded (dropped into my pelvis all the way) and that although she was going to go ahead and schedule another visit for next week she thought it would be a mommy/baby at home visit. (Post-natal!) Eeee!

I had been having contractions that were about 1 min and 15 sec long and anywhere from 5-8 min apart. :)

My mom and I ended up going to the mall with our men and had a great time. Sam and my Dad spent some good guy/Mac time in the Apple store looking at iPads etc... :) My contractions, which where steady enough, started getting stronger and closer together. For over 4 hours they stayed that way and we called our Doula. We got a game plan and confirmed that I was in the early stages of labor/active labor. Ha! Oh dear me... Talk about a flood of freaking emotional hormones. My goodness!




A children's book I got for little man that I adore right now!



I had a moment where I couldn't decide if I wanted to leave the mall or keep walking to help things along. Oh dear, what about my house! (I kept thinking...) I needed to wash sheets and get that darn tub of winter boots out of my bed room. Wait a second, I can't get into the adrenalin mode, I have to stay in a happy place. Eek!

At one point we were about to get in the car and I burst into tears saying, "I don't want to go to the health food store, I think I want to walk around some more...but, I don't know why I'm crying. I don't know what I want." My mom just hugged me, with a compassionate and half amused look on her face as she hugged me.

Haha! It was all hitting me like a flood. All the hormones surging as the reality that I could actually be in labor slammed into my brain.

We finished one more lap of the mall before heading to the health food store where we got some goodies. After that we all headed to my house. I was excited! Trying to stay chilled and in the thought of "Well, hey if this is it... cool. If it's a little flutter and no serious business goes down tonight, that's cool too. "

We washed sheets, put the cover on our mattress. Sam blew up the birthing pool and I scarfed down 4 avocados, chips and salsa.


SAAAAAAWEEEEEEEEEET!!!! Look at this amazing birthing tub people! We set it up in ourboho boy's room. How cool would that be to give birth to him in his own room!? Yeah, I'm kinda leaning toward the staying at my casa route. We'll see!

I got a good night's sleep and have been having pretty steady contractions all day...they are kinda getting a little stronger. I'm just taking them in strides.

For me, a girl of high pain tolerance, my Doula and midwife have come to a solution to measure the intensity of my contractions. I can't really go by how they hurt, but by how distracting they are to me. If I can't maintain a train of thought about something through one...and they keep getting closer, yeah, that's worthy of a text or two to my birthing mommas. :)

The hormone extravaganza is something that is becoming more intense to me. You have to let them come up, surface and then just wash away, my doula told me this afternoon. If I need to cry...let it out. If I need to laugh...do it til' your belly hurts! ;) Responding to those emotional feelings that way, releases that Love Hormone Oxytocin. But if you stuff them, you get adrenalin... and you don't want that til you have to push.


So, little man of mine...

I'm going to work with you however you need me to love. We are going to do this and it's going to be great. Listen to momma sing to you and know that soon, you're going to like it way better in my arms, more than you do in my tummy. Daddy and I are waiting...

love babes,

momma




We Are Top Baby Blog

12 thoughts:

  1. Wow! I am so impressed by your writings! You are an amazing writer! I am learning a lot too! Please keep writing! You have a fan here!! <3

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  2. I am reading all your blogs, I am so sad that I cant be there and hang out with you in Charlotte, but I am so excited for you and looking at your facebook all the time too see when it will happen. =) I might come to visit in Charlotte at the end of September, so then I can get to see you and your little boy. =) Im sooo excited for you!!!

    Julie

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  3. To my fellow "Girl Meets Gown Bride", I love reading your blog. I had the blessing of being able to have a wonderful natural child birth when I gave birth to my son. You words touch me. I can't wait to have another baby and do it again. I have prayed for you and the baby that you have an amazing labor and birth. Love, Tiffany

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  4. I know so many people have amazing experiences with home births...but I wasnted to just give you our story. If skye wasnt born in the hospital, she would of passed away and no one, not even the doctors knew she had the diagnosis she had and needed the surgeries she needs only a few hours old.

    http://teamskyesthelimit.blogspot.com/p/skyes-story.html

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  5. Cutest prerro ever, I'm telling ya! ;-) Hang in there honey!

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  6. Girl, I'm praying for you that you have a speedy, happy, and healthy "d-day"!
    Your cousin
    Sarah

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  7. I've been following your blogs a while now (after seeing Girl Meets Gown and thinking you are quite awesome) and think it's about time I comment. I love your candid thoughts on here about being pregnant and all that pregnancy entails. It's been a fun journey for you readers and thanks for sharing with us! You will be an AWESOME mom and I hope you have the smoothest delivery ever. :) Can't wait to read about it. Good luck!!!

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  8. wishing you the amazing world of parenthood... i have found my greatest joy in being a parent through the ups and downs...highs and lows...it has been a the biggest blessing in my life.... god bless and good luck through out your life.. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW PARENTS TO BE....

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  9. Hey Jess, I love reading your posts! It's so interesting to hear all you're going through in your pregnancy, makes me look forward to it whenever the time comes for me :)
    May you have a wonderful and beautiful delivery!
    Daria

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  10. What a great tip about the contrations! I am pregnant w/our (my hubby & my) first child so I have not yet experienced labor but it helps to know about different ways of detecting contractions. I was with my sister for her first born and she didn't hardly make a peep through the whole thing! While we do have a high threshold for pain; I doubt I could manage as well as her in self control!
    I do very much admire your modivation throughout your pregnancy to exercise and take such good care of you and your little one. I know you will be a wonderful mother and Sam will be a great father.

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  11. Omgosh!!! I read your blog on the actual birth a while back and I just keep wondering whether I could ever have the courage to do that when it was my time?? Or if it would ever be an option, as the women in my family have small bone frames and big babies...so ceserean seems to be our default now. I just want to commend you for going natural and moreso for having your little bundle of a miracle in your home. What a memory that will remain with you everytime you walk in the room. Wow! I wish there were more communities like yours here!

    Alas...

    Blessings to you, mama!

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