My first week back has been a whirlwind. Working nights has been going well so far. We haven't had any really crazy busy nights all week, so it has been a good transition. This schedule really causes the days to fly by, though. After my 14 hour shift i go straight home to bed, then wake up just in time to head back to work, and before i realize it, the whole week is over and I can enjoy my Saturday off.
I'm trying to find fun things to do every weekend until the baby comes. I know our lives are going to change drastically in about 2 months, and I want to squeeze in all the running around i can into the next couple months. So far i have planned a nice weekend trip to Kauai at the end of the month. I'm really excited about visiting the "garden isle". it is supposed to be very green and beautiful and peaceful. We are staying 2 nights at a lovely oceanfront resort, and i think it will be a great time.
Yesterday we went to the Fingerprinting office to renew our fingerprints. I still don't totally comprehend the idea that fingerprints expire, but whatever. Anyway, it was uneventful. The immigrations officer we had was about the nicest government worker i have ever seen. She was so excited for us, and specifically requested we send her a christmas card of Juneau after she comes home.
I am still feeling great with the pregnancy. No aches or pains yet. And fortunately, I have NEVER had a problem sleeping anytime or anywhere. I'm trying to stay healthy and energetic, and have been out walking several times this week. Nova's movements have changed a lot. She has been in a head down position for the last 6 weeks or so, and now i get random baby parts poking out. Mostly her bottom and knees i think. She's also been getting the hiccups, which is a little strange.
I'm enjoying Laurie's posts (over at pho for four, or is it pho for five, or are we up to 6 or seven by now?) about her upcoming delivery quite a bit. I do plan on posting some about my thoughts about deliveries, and hospitals, and doula's and midwives and interventions. Probably won't be too terribly popular of a post, coming from the oh so dreaded Ob/GYN doctor with a mission to go around sticking scalp electrodes on innocent babies heads and popping amniotic sacs with a crochet hook. It's just a very very different perspective that you get after working in Labor and Delivery day after day. I've delivered about 600 or 700 babies by now i think. About 450 vaginally and 150 by cesarean. I've seen some horribly terrifying and sad things happen in those hundreds of deliveries, and even though it is really uncommon to have a poor outcome it impacts you in a way that is hard to explain. and it certainly has changed how i think about things, and how i always believed i would practice obstetrics. i will say i can count on 1 hand the # of episiotomies i've cut, and i avoid the vacuum and forceps like the plague (but i'm not afraid to use them when i need them!) but that post is for another, more ambitious day. Posting on controversial topics usually leaves me feeling really vulnerable, so i'll wait for a day i have lots of energy.
Juneau
4 comments:
I look forward to your post. I bet you have seen it all! As someone who had 5 pregnancies,but only 4 births, and one of those ending in a stillborn, I look at pregnancy/delivery now very differently than before when I did not think anything bad would happen. At this point, I support any medical intervention to ensure a safe and healthy delivery!
Robin
I will look forward to hearing your experience and opinions! After two HR pgs. and two NICU stays, I am very very thankful for the interventions that allowed my children to be here as healthy as possible. I had sone wonderful OBs along the way and I think the good ones make such an enormous impact in the lives of their patients--even or especially when the outcome is not typical.
I also read Laurie's blog and appreciate her perspective, but believe that we are all a culmination of our experiences. I think your opinion will be just as valued, if not more - due to your experience. I had three children in a hospital, with medicine, and still had wonderful experiences with my babies! I wouldn't change a thing. Good luck to you and your family - can't wait to see your girls!
I am the mother of a daughter who was stillborn at 40 weeks (on her due date). I had a textbook pregnancy and no indication of problems. Anyone who would ever use anything but a hospital and MD for L&D is insane. (By the way, we did not sue our MD.)
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