When parents have said in the past to me they have unconditional love for their children I never really knew what that meant. I still probably won't know the full extent of it until my daughter is born in 5 weeks. I've experienced complete parental mind takeover in that I have consistently made sure I try to do everything right in my pregnancy, in the impending birth, and in life style changes.
One thing that has recently had me and Phil completely freaked out was not owning a house. A light bulb dawned on us one day as we were looking at a scheduled bill payment to pay off a credit card which was a few thousand dollars. We looked at each other and I said we should use this money towards a down payment. We can find something affordable I'm sure.
From that moment the hunt for a new rats nest was on. We put in an offer for a house in Burbank that was way too underpriced. We ended up putting in an even higher offer so that we could be considered at the top of the list. We are anxiously waiting results of our offer and hope to be home owners very soon.
7.31.2009
7.29.2009
Midwife Ahoy
Today was my appointment with one of the UCLA Midwives. My husband and I pulled into the parking structure looking like bright eyed deers. I had a slight sting of sticker shock at the medical plaza's $11 parking fee. Doh! Fortunately the plaza's signs were very helpful in finding out where we had to go.
I get in to the office and ask the woman at the administration desk if I'm supposed to leave sample. My ritual has always been to drink a lot of water so I'm prepared to release the flood gates. She asked me to sign some paperwork and wait for the label that goes on the specimen cup. About this time I'm dancing and holding back with all my might. Meanwhile the baby enjoys punching at my bladder.
Ahh relief I got to go. Weird though, their specimen cups were just plain old dixie cups. hah.
So far my experience has been great and all the staff was so accommodating and just as nice as could be. I finally got in to see Stacey - wife #1 of 4.
She gave us a consultation and immediately asked me if I had a birthplan. Right away I was welling up inside because wow she actually wants to know what I WANT out of the birth! She gave me their standard practices spiel and I just couldn't stop being so impressed at everything that she said. In my chart she even wrote that I practice Bradley, which all the Midwives are very well versed in.
My maternal instinct may have kicked in that I needed to switch from my OB very late in the game, but now that I'm where I'm supposed to be, I'm completely unfreaked out about my baby's birth day.
Now....the only caveat is that I ended up doing a tour of the wrong UCLA hospital center so I have to find a way to get in. I'm on a waitlist for a tour on Saturday and will plead and beg to get in.
I get in to the office and ask the woman at the administration desk if I'm supposed to leave sample. My ritual has always been to drink a lot of water so I'm prepared to release the flood gates. She asked me to sign some paperwork and wait for the label that goes on the specimen cup. About this time I'm dancing and holding back with all my might. Meanwhile the baby enjoys punching at my bladder.
Ahh relief I got to go. Weird though, their specimen cups were just plain old dixie cups. hah.
So far my experience has been great and all the staff was so accommodating and just as nice as could be. I finally got in to see Stacey - wife #1 of 4.
She gave us a consultation and immediately asked me if I had a birthplan. Right away I was welling up inside because wow she actually wants to know what I WANT out of the birth! She gave me their standard practices spiel and I just couldn't stop being so impressed at everything that she said. In my chart she even wrote that I practice Bradley, which all the Midwives are very well versed in.
My maternal instinct may have kicked in that I needed to switch from my OB very late in the game, but now that I'm where I'm supposed to be, I'm completely unfreaked out about my baby's birth day.
Now....the only caveat is that I ended up doing a tour of the wrong UCLA hospital center so I have to find a way to get in. I'm on a waitlist for a tour on Saturday and will plead and beg to get in.
7.22.2009
Baby Bruin?
After spending lord only knows how much time on the phone with my insurance company, they have finally found an OB which has a group of six midwives in network! This group is called The UCLA Midwives and they deliver at UCLA Westwood. So ultimately my baby would be born into the Bruin world.
Our first appoint is not until next week which means I have missed 4 weeks of care since abandoning ship with my previous OB but the baby seems to be doing great :) And we're touring UCLA Westwood this Saturday.
After doing research with different Bradley instructors and other women who've had successful natural un-medicated childbirths they all seem to swear by the UCLA Midwife group. I'm looking forward to meeting them.
Our first appoint is not until next week which means I have missed 4 weeks of care since abandoning ship with my previous OB but the baby seems to be doing great :) And we're touring UCLA Westwood this Saturday.
After doing research with different Bradley instructors and other women who've had successful natural un-medicated childbirths they all seem to swear by the UCLA Midwife group. I'm looking forward to meeting them.
7.16.2009
Tiny Bubbles
As you know from my previous posts, I am cloth diapering little Bubley. We are using a brand of diapers from The Natural Baby Company called Gro Baby. I chose the diapers from this company primarily because they use sustainable resources, and offer all organic. Recently The Natural Baby Company just released a new product called Tiny Bubbles which is a laundry detergent to wash the diapers. I am very excited to wash my first batch of cloth diapers and Bubley's clothes using Tiny Bubbles.
Cloth diapers require special care when laundaring because detergents can cause build up which then causes the diapers to leak. Tiny Bubbles claim to fame for both diaper and baby clothes washing is that it is:
Cloth diapers require special care when laundaring because detergents can cause build up which then causes the diapers to leak. Tiny Bubbles claim to fame for both diaper and baby clothes washing is that it is:
- Dye & Fragrance Free
- Completely Biodegradable
- Completely Phosphate-Free
- No Optical Brighteners or Fillers
- Gentle for Sensitive Skin
- Low Residue Formula
- Ultra-Concentrated
- Low Cost-Per-Wash
- Recyclable
7.13.2009
The Hunt is On
One of my co-workers referred me to his Bradley instructor, who then referred me to a midwife in Beverly Hills. I met with her today. She was a lovely human being who totally understood my desire to have a wonderful birth experience. But.....and there always is one, she is not in my health insurance network.
Her fee's are stiff and you have to pay upfront. Insurance will pay a portion of these costs but not guaranteed all of them. If I did medically need a c-section I'd most likely get NO reimbursement.
So again I walk off with my tail tucked between my legs, feeling defeated. Back to the drawing board in my hunt for a midwife in my insurance network.
Her fee's are stiff and you have to pay upfront. Insurance will pay a portion of these costs but not guaranteed all of them. If I did medically need a c-section I'd most likely get NO reimbursement.
So again I walk off with my tail tucked between my legs, feeling defeated. Back to the drawing board in my hunt for a midwife in my insurance network.
7.02.2009
Ditching the Assembly Line
Today was my 30 week doctor appointment. Everything went as normal except this time I dare approach my birth plan with the doctor. This something that most first time moms always bring up at the wrong time- wrong time being the 3rd trimester.
At the end of our session doc asks if I have any questions - Dr. Anne was one of the few in the group of women physicians that actually sticks around to see if I have any concerns. Nervously I brought up the fact that I wanted a natural un-medicated birth and inquired as to how they would work with me to accommodate that. Her immediate response was, are you practicing the Bradley method. I proudly said, "Yes" thinking that I was a studious patient. I was floored at her response, "Oh we don't accept Bradley patients, but I can make sure you get in to see the doctor that's 'in' to that kind of stuff." WHAT! That wasn't what I wanted to hear. I felt so shunned and knew that even if that doctor in the group that was in to natural birthing became my primary doctor, I'd still run the risk of delivering with one of the six other doctors in the group who weren't 'in to' that.
I walked out of there with my tail tucked between my legs and began a nervous rampage searching every Bradley instructor in the South Bay and LA for referrals.
What I've now since learned since being a naive first time mom is that most OB's in this country have their patients on an assembly line during delivery. They give you remedies to speed up labor and delivery which actually is more prone to lead to a c-section. There's apparently a thing they teach in school called text book labor. If the woman doesn't go by that clock then its time to break out the Pitocin and get things moving.
I've taken out of this lesson, which almost gave me a potentially horrible birthing experience that if you want to have an un-medicated, natural, do it at your own pace, child birth, then you HAVE to use a Certified Nurse Midwife. I am glad I learned this lesson just 10 weeks prior to delivery day instead of while lying there on the delivery table having a gaggle of guilty induced non necessary medical interventions.
At the end of our session doc asks if I have any questions - Dr. Anne was one of the few in the group of women physicians that actually sticks around to see if I have any concerns. Nervously I brought up the fact that I wanted a natural un-medicated birth and inquired as to how they would work with me to accommodate that. Her immediate response was, are you practicing the Bradley method. I proudly said, "Yes" thinking that I was a studious patient. I was floored at her response, "Oh we don't accept Bradley patients, but I can make sure you get in to see the doctor that's 'in' to that kind of stuff." WHAT! That wasn't what I wanted to hear. I felt so shunned and knew that even if that doctor in the group that was in to natural birthing became my primary doctor, I'd still run the risk of delivering with one of the six other doctors in the group who weren't 'in to' that.
I walked out of there with my tail tucked between my legs and began a nervous rampage searching every Bradley instructor in the South Bay and LA for referrals.
What I've now since learned since being a naive first time mom is that most OB's in this country have their patients on an assembly line during delivery. They give you remedies to speed up labor and delivery which actually is more prone to lead to a c-section. There's apparently a thing they teach in school called text book labor. If the woman doesn't go by that clock then its time to break out the Pitocin and get things moving.
I've taken out of this lesson, which almost gave me a potentially horrible birthing experience that if you want to have an un-medicated, natural, do it at your own pace, child birth, then you HAVE to use a Certified Nurse Midwife. I am glad I learned this lesson just 10 weeks prior to delivery day instead of while lying there on the delivery table having a gaggle of guilty induced non necessary medical interventions.
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