Strict Orders from the Midwife
I had my weekly check up yesterday with the widwife. She was a little harried as she was the only midwife on duty (the other scheduled to be there was down with that nasty stomach bug that's been going around) and had two girls who had called early in the morning talking about maybe being in labor. She was rushing through things because she was just certain that at any moment she would get the call for one or both of them and need to leave.
I was actually eating lunch, enjoying a giant tasty pepperoni roll at one of my favorite local pizza joints when my cell phone rang, displaying the number to the midwives office. They were calling to see if I could come early, due to the above mentioned dilemma. I obliged.
When I got there and got into my little private room to await the midwife, I was relieved that I was getting in early. I knew that if I had had to spend the rest of the hour and a half between lunch and my scheduled appointment time I'd have ended up somewhere that I might have been tempted to spend money. And payday is a few days off yet.
When the midwife came into the room, she threw her arms around me and asked for peace and calming energy if I had any to spare. I hugged her back and said simply "breathe". She laughed and released me and sat down to begin our appointment. It's nice to know that she gets so excited to be helping babies come into the world and that she wants to be there for her patients so much. I hope she is the midwife attending my birth when my day comes, because her positivity and down to earth nature energize me. And if she told me once yesterday she told me a million times how important energy is going to be come labor day.
During the course of the appointment, I asked a few questions about some things that had been on my mind since last week, one of which was about what sorts of food/drink items I should consider bringing to the Birthing Center when I'm headed in for labor. She gave me a good list of energy boosting items including granola bars, fruit snacks, calorie containing drinks like Ginger Ale and Gatorade, and even sandwiches.
After Q & A, she then proceeded to give me her "Strict Orders List" that I should adhere to from now until the day I go into labor. She wants me to rest, not just getting a good nights sleep, but napping during the day when I start feeling wore down. She wants me to walk, at least 15 minutes a day, just to keep myself "limber" as she put it. She said "you don't even need to leave the house to do it, you can walk around inside the house in your pj's and slippers for 15 minutes straight if that's what floats your boat, just as long as you walk every day." She emphasized how important it was to be rested so as to not be too tired to labor.
She asked me how I'd been sleeping and I told her not too well most nights, so she suggested I get either Benadryl or Tylenol PM and take it before bedtime to help with that. She said both are safe and will help me rest better. I did try the Tylenol PM last night for the first time ever and while I didn't stay asleep all night (thanks to kiddo bouncing on my bladder when it was starting to cramp her space) but I'd say that I slept more soundly when I was asleep. I won't take it every night, but I can see where it will come in handy on the days I nap too long and can't sleep as well at night.
She also told me to eat smaller more frequent meals to keep my energy boosted throughout the day and to make sure I'm taking in plenty of water and at least one calorie containing drink everyday.
"There's nothing more important than keeping your energy levels up from here on out." she stated several times. She then went on to explain to me when she wanted to hear from me should I suspect I'm in labor... timing of contractions and other such events that mean I'm really getting ready for bringing baby girl into the world.
After all the talking was done it was time for a quick check of the belly, and as usual little girl had a strong steady heartbeat, is still head down, and is estimated to weigh between 5-6 lbs. I also had my Group B Strep test which is a quick swab of the intimate bits which will be sent off to a lab for culture. I'll find out at next weeks appointment if I'm positive or negative. It's nothing major but if I'm positive then they will have to administer antibiotics via IV to me while I'm in labor to prevent me from passing it to baby during birth.
Once the appointment was over, I was feeling pretty good and decided to run to K-Mart for a pillow for the twin bed in the baby's room so I didn't have to keep dragging my pillow in there on the nights I can't get comfortable in my regular bed. And then I had to run to the pharmacy to fill my allergy meds, since I'd run out two days before and didn't even realize it.
Then, once I'd gotten back home I decided to take the midwife's advice and work on that napping portion of her strict orders. I broke in the new pillow and slept for two hours, and it was good.
The rest of my evening was fairly normal. I made dinner and was just wrapping up cooking it when hubby got home. We ate together and then he needed to go take care of some things over at the rental properties. While he was gone I watched TV and knitted. When he got back our friend came over to visit for a while, bringing with him his baby gift.... a lovely solid wood rocking chair. It's so lovely. And such a thoughtful gift.
Our friend had also moved into the 21st century and got himself a smart phone. So while the boys stood in the nursery playing with their phones, hubby showing him all the good apps to get and how to use some of the settings, I sat in the rocking chair and just smiled watching them.
Today is laundry day and I'm getting some cleaning done in small spurts. But right now it's coming up on lunch time and I think that after a small salad and a bowl of leftover spaghetti from last nights dinner, I'll knit a little then take a nap.
I was actually eating lunch, enjoying a giant tasty pepperoni roll at one of my favorite local pizza joints when my cell phone rang, displaying the number to the midwives office. They were calling to see if I could come early, due to the above mentioned dilemma. I obliged.
When I got there and got into my little private room to await the midwife, I was relieved that I was getting in early. I knew that if I had had to spend the rest of the hour and a half between lunch and my scheduled appointment time I'd have ended up somewhere that I might have been tempted to spend money. And payday is a few days off yet.
When the midwife came into the room, she threw her arms around me and asked for peace and calming energy if I had any to spare. I hugged her back and said simply "breathe". She laughed and released me and sat down to begin our appointment. It's nice to know that she gets so excited to be helping babies come into the world and that she wants to be there for her patients so much. I hope she is the midwife attending my birth when my day comes, because her positivity and down to earth nature energize me. And if she told me once yesterday she told me a million times how important energy is going to be come labor day.
During the course of the appointment, I asked a few questions about some things that had been on my mind since last week, one of which was about what sorts of food/drink items I should consider bringing to the Birthing Center when I'm headed in for labor. She gave me a good list of energy boosting items including granola bars, fruit snacks, calorie containing drinks like Ginger Ale and Gatorade, and even sandwiches.
After Q & A, she then proceeded to give me her "Strict Orders List" that I should adhere to from now until the day I go into labor. She wants me to rest, not just getting a good nights sleep, but napping during the day when I start feeling wore down. She wants me to walk, at least 15 minutes a day, just to keep myself "limber" as she put it. She said "you don't even need to leave the house to do it, you can walk around inside the house in your pj's and slippers for 15 minutes straight if that's what floats your boat, just as long as you walk every day." She emphasized how important it was to be rested so as to not be too tired to labor.
She asked me how I'd been sleeping and I told her not too well most nights, so she suggested I get either Benadryl or Tylenol PM and take it before bedtime to help with that. She said both are safe and will help me rest better. I did try the Tylenol PM last night for the first time ever and while I didn't stay asleep all night (thanks to kiddo bouncing on my bladder when it was starting to cramp her space) but I'd say that I slept more soundly when I was asleep. I won't take it every night, but I can see where it will come in handy on the days I nap too long and can't sleep as well at night.
She also told me to eat smaller more frequent meals to keep my energy boosted throughout the day and to make sure I'm taking in plenty of water and at least one calorie containing drink everyday.
"There's nothing more important than keeping your energy levels up from here on out." she stated several times. She then went on to explain to me when she wanted to hear from me should I suspect I'm in labor... timing of contractions and other such events that mean I'm really getting ready for bringing baby girl into the world.
After all the talking was done it was time for a quick check of the belly, and as usual little girl had a strong steady heartbeat, is still head down, and is estimated to weigh between 5-6 lbs. I also had my Group B Strep test which is a quick swab of the intimate bits which will be sent off to a lab for culture. I'll find out at next weeks appointment if I'm positive or negative. It's nothing major but if I'm positive then they will have to administer antibiotics via IV to me while I'm in labor to prevent me from passing it to baby during birth.
Once the appointment was over, I was feeling pretty good and decided to run to K-Mart for a pillow for the twin bed in the baby's room so I didn't have to keep dragging my pillow in there on the nights I can't get comfortable in my regular bed. And then I had to run to the pharmacy to fill my allergy meds, since I'd run out two days before and didn't even realize it.
Then, once I'd gotten back home I decided to take the midwife's advice and work on that napping portion of her strict orders. I broke in the new pillow and slept for two hours, and it was good.
The rest of my evening was fairly normal. I made dinner and was just wrapping up cooking it when hubby got home. We ate together and then he needed to go take care of some things over at the rental properties. While he was gone I watched TV and knitted. When he got back our friend came over to visit for a while, bringing with him his baby gift.... a lovely solid wood rocking chair. It's so lovely. And such a thoughtful gift.
Our friend had also moved into the 21st century and got himself a smart phone. So while the boys stood in the nursery playing with their phones, hubby showing him all the good apps to get and how to use some of the settings, I sat in the rocking chair and just smiled watching them.
Today is laundry day and I'm getting some cleaning done in small spurts. But right now it's coming up on lunch time and I think that after a small salad and a bowl of leftover spaghetti from last nights dinner, I'll knit a little then take a nap.
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