38 Weeks. It seems more surreal. 2 weeks until the standard due date (although I know "due" dates are ALL in God's hands). Each week when the number goes up, I'm amazed and humbled and SO very grateful to the Lord for this little miracle.
We had our weekly midwife appointment yesterday with Joni. Josh had to work a morning shift, so it was just me and Jacob at the new All About Babies Birth Center. It is GORGEOUS! Jacob loves it because we get to see horses and dogs and play with a train set and balls and fun toys.
Baby Ruth had a strong heartbeat, 136, which has been her norm several appointments. My feet had been wanting to swell after eating some carbs the weekend before the previous visit, but they were back to normal at this visit and all else was clear. I'm finding my feet are REALLY sensitive and wanting to swell if I sit in one place too long. We've also learned so much about how my body responds to simple carbohydrates. For those who have asked, what I've learned through carrying a glucometer twice in this pregnancy and watching the symptoms of swelling and how I feel about my body is that, for me, carbohydrates means no simple sugars that include breads, pastas, cereals, crackers, etc. So, none of my beloved cereals for breakfasts, no pastas, and no snacking on animal crackers with Jacob. I also only eat things like yogurt (unless it is plain) or local raw honey on a limited basis - anything that is a more simple sugar that will break down more quickly in my body. It has made a WORLD of difference. I have some discomfort carrying around my baby in my belly now that I'm at 38 weeks, but NOTHING like what I experience in my first pregnancy. I'm so thankful for the resources and information the Lord brought into my life through Mama friends and the natural birth community over the past 2 1/2 years! I've been empowered and grown and learned that no one really cares about your body the way you do nor can anyone else take care of your body for you. And as much as I'm disillusioned by the modern medical establishment overall, I have to give great credit to Dr. Frederick Cummings in Denton who was our OB for the first half of this pregnancy, while we also were seeing our awesome midwife, because it was he who told me I HAD to cut carbs and exercise. I'll never forget him saying, "Now, WHO is going to have this baby?" Many of the medical persons I've talked to about my journey, cutting carbs (which is totally what the Brewer Diet recommends and WORKS) seems foreign as far as it being ESSENTIAL in pregnancy for many women. I'm thankful to those who look at the whole woman and practice holistic care that recognizes pregnancy not as a medical condition but a unique physical time in a woman's life where she is growing life and thus must treat her body uniquely (and much of what I learned is important even when not pregnant). I digress - having spent some time in an urgent care clinic over the weekend with a possible sinus infection and being seen as REALLY odd because I didn't know if I was yet dilated at all (once I'm in labor, we'll find out - I am not a fan of checking early because I learned that it really means very little - babies come when God's timing is right) and also didn't know other things that are standard medical practice for all pregnant women even when unnecessary. However, me not knowing is by choice, though I was treated as though I was a "right off the farm" individual and just let it go rather than getting on my soapbox about women, knowledge, empowerment, and information in pregnancy that means we can have evidence-based informed choices that sometimes mean we decline tests or other interventions. But, it has obviously gotten to me and is part of what I'm processing here at 38 weeks. And I look forward to teaching both my children about this part of life when the time is right.
So, back to our update! I feel great and Ruth was head down at the appointment. Positioning is a HUGE prayer of mine because that was what completely guided how our labor with Jacob went. As our AWESOME childbirth instructor explained, size of baby means little - position is KEY. God designed our bodies to give birth and women can birth large babies, but positioning is SO very important. So, I've learned a lot about how to sit and ways to move and position my body to encourage my baby to be in the best position. Plus, as my midwife reminds us, pray and trust the Lord for each step of this birth!
Here are some pictures from today of me, my girl, and my precious boy who will soon be a brother!
Love that baby bump!
I can't wait to hold you precious one!
After my photoshoot with Josh (one of my favorite photographers :-) ), I sat on my exercise/birth ball at my laptop to post the pictures, and Jacob wanted to sit on a ball, too! So, we got one of his bouncy balls that is bigger and he sat down right next to me and started bouncing. We, of course, HAD to get pictures!
Of course, he cannot let go of his favorite thing - his blue football from Granddaddy!
Mama and Jacob - sitting just right for baby!
Then, Jacob looked at Josh and said, "Daddy ball, too!" We have a smaller, 55 cm exercise ball that Josh sat on for his boy. What a great Daddy!
We are enjoying this pregnancy journey and so feeling ready to hold our girl soon!
I also thank the Lord for the GORGEOUS weather with sun but a breeze and temperatures that are not nearly so hot!
~ Mama Bruffey
Wife of One, Mother of Two
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