childbirth classes and a 29 week check-up

 

a couple 27 week 4 day pictures (the rutabaga week)

M 9.2.13

• first child birth class was tonight at the hospital
• we are at Hospital Alemán (German Hospital) in Recoleta...about a 20 minute walk from our house
• we go here for everything: my OB doctor appointments, bloodwork, classes, and the delivery
• Alemán is known for its high-quality medical staff, but not so much maybe for its high-quality facilities
• everything looks a bit outdated, including the room in which I had my first childbirth class...just picture what a hospital might look like in Germany in the 60's..maybe 70's? 
• the objectives for tonight's class, clase practica, were described as "Mejorar posturas para liberar tensiones. Trabajo de elongación y relajación en las diferentes etapas del trabajo de parto y parto. Pujo." rough translation: Improve postures to release tension. Elongation and relaxation in the different stages of labor and delivery. Pushing. (eek!)
• it was all in Spanish, and I think I got the basic gist, especially with the help of my stretching partner, Claudia, that I met tonight and who happened to know a little English
• she summarized a few of the most important points that the midwife was talking about, phew!
• basically we stretched (imagine prenatal yoga type stuff), talked about contractions, and learned some breathing techniques
• it was sort of funny to be in a room full of big bellies...I felt at home, although I think mine was one of the smallest in the room, leading me to worry that my baby isn't big enough
• I'm sure most of those women are simply further along than me...I think I was one of the earliest at 29 weeks, but there were women in there up to 33 at least...
• I had fun, even when I didn't always know what was being discussed

28 weeks 4 days...the eggplant week

• for those curious about comparing birth classes in Argentina vs. elsewhere, here's what my schedule looks like:

> 3 clases practicas sin el papa (as described above, w/o Jake)

> 1 clase practica con el papa (w/ Jake)

> 4 charlas teoricas con el papa or "theoretical lectures" all w/ Jake; lecture topics: 

- charla 1 - reasons for consultation, reasons for internment, inducing labor, water breaking

- charla 2 - contractions, phases and duration, preparing for labor, delivery
- charla 3 - postpartum care/cesarean section, postpartum stage, father identifying the baby after birth

- charla 4 - benefits of breastfeeding, mother-baby bond, recommended feeding

> charla kinesiologo con el papa; kinesiology chat/talk
> medico obstetra con el papa; meeting w/ OB to discuss cesarean section, forceps, and vacuum 

> medico pediatra con el papa; meeting w/ pediatrician to discuss newly born baby and his/her first months

• so mommies and pregnant ladies in different countries...what's the same? what's different? would love to hear from you! :)

28 weeks 4 days...I think it's a little bigger than this

...cute little eggplant

hey there...

Tu 9.3.13

• today I had another appointment with my OB
• I'm at 29 weeks, so the baby's about the size of an acorn squash (no pictures at the moment...so will have to settle with more of the eggplant stage)

• I waited the dreadful, typical wait time at doctors offices...40 minutes, and was in with my doctor for 10
• check blood pressure and weight, everything's fine, back/pelvis still hurts, normal, measure the belly, listen to the heartbeat, sounds great, feel the belly a bit, schedule a 30-week routine ultrasound, you want the fancy 4-D, no problem, do you know any of these pediatricians? no, ok, do you work with a midwife? only in delivery, need more vitamins/creams? no, ok, see you in three weeks
• I guess it's a good sign when your appointment is an uneventful, quick 10 minutes like this one
• we have our fancy shmance ultrasound next week, Wednesday...hopefully we'll get a better image of the little bundle!

• Jake's got the half marathon this weekend
• notice I said "Jake"
• baby and I (and my achy back/pelvis) will be cheering our hardest on the sidelines
• and maybe I'll have to hop in at the end to finish it off with him...we'll see...really trying to take extra special care of the body this week...we'll see if it's in any condition for a little jogging

I almost forgot...

W 9.4.13

• ONE MONTH UNTIL MATERNITY LEAVE BEGINS!!! 
• cannot WAIT until October 4th!
• will still be working at the two adult institutes and with my private students as long as I can, but I'll be done with my main job with the 7th graders and at the Tu/Th children's institute :)
• ready for the break!