B is for.....

BABY BILL, BLANKET (by Bronwen)AND BASSINETTE

One fantastic thing about having a pack rat family (sorry Costin family...but hey, it's a GOOD thing here!) is that you actually still have things that were around when you were a baby! Thank you Edna (Bill's mom) and Faye (Bill's sister) for keeping this around long enough for Bill to need it again.

Bill came home from his Nanaimo commute a few weeks ago with HIS baby bassinette! The proof is in the picture. There is baby Bill in his bassinette.

Finding bedding for these things seems to be fairly tricky. My mom seems hot on the trail and has discovered some sets of bedding by Kushies that may do the trick. If not, we may consider getting a mattress and bumpers made by Dream Design which is up the street from us.

It just so happens that my friend Bronwen had been talking about making baby blankets. Check out the cute one she made for me. She goes into production with these in summer or early fall, so if you're interested- she has some other designs and will be taking orders. Let me know and I will put you in touch with her.

Check it out. (pretty cute baby too eh?)



Jennifer

Midwife contemplation

In the midst of this whole new phase of my life, I have heard every version under the sun of child birth from various sources. The birthing "pool", "home" births, "natural" childbirth, Cesareans, 48 hour labours, induced labours, doulas, birth coaches, midwives, obstetricians, premature births, St.Paul's Hospital, BC Women's. I have a plethora of baby birthing info rattling around in my head.

Someone make it stop.

Decision making has never really been my strength. (some of you who think I'm stubborn or opinionated are probably rolling your eyes right now.....Mom?)

Well, I had heard all of these different things about Doulas & Midwives so I began to look into it myself. We knew one thing for certain between, us - we want the baby born in a hospital.

After speaking to so many different people, my question was - how would my experience be different if I were to have a midwife vs not?

It seems with a midwife, the amount of time spent in your visits leading up the birth is more and you are able to access them for things that may seem menial to bug a doctor with. Afterall, these people have decided to do nothing but deal with pregnant women and childbirth exclusively. It was all explained to me. I really like the fact that they are with you from the time you go into labour, until a few hours after your baby is delivered. They then do follow up visits to your home for the couple of weeks after. (a public health nurse does this if you don't have a midwife) I figured it would be nice to have someone who is an expert that follows us through the whole process and knows our concerns and wishes.

I have since heard a few skeptical comments from people who have asked their doctors, or people who are involved with doctor types. I'm not sure what the politics are, but there tends to be SOME opposition with certain doctors. My doctor - was very supportive of the whole concept and she is the best doctor ever.

So now Bill and I have officially been to two visits with our midwives (there are a small group of them that deal with you - we've met two of them so far) The care that I receive each time is really nice. They spend about 45 minutes talking to you. Do all the regular stuff like blood pressure etc. We heard the baby's hearbeat again - this time Bill heard it!

Next up...a blood glucose test to ensure I'm not at risk for gestational diabetes.

Jennifer

THE BUMBLERIDE FLYER

Well, we have offically acquired our first of the larger baby paraphanalia. A few weeks back I attended "Vancouver's Largest Baby Shower". I realized as I visited the website the day of, that I was suppose to have registered and that the doors opened in the morning. Oh well, I figured I would take my chances and stop by later in the day.

By the time I had got there, all the free goodies had been given out and it looked like many of the businesses displaying their wares were packing up. I looked at some kind of new cloth diaper service, (which turned out to be some kind of synthetic fibre of some sort?) and brushed quickly past some horrible item that holds TWO breast pumps in place so you can have your hands free!!! What the ?!@!#$!@#%? It looked like some bizarre S&M accessory?! Who wants to have TWO of those things attached to you AND be doing something else at the same time? I mean THAT is multi-tasking far beyond my capability. eeeeeeeee. Talked to a group of Midwives (see next post) and set up a meeting to go speak with them.

My friend Barb and I took a quick look around and decided to enter the two draws that were at the front door as we were on our way out. (incidentally, I am now being sent baby info from every possible business in town....Barb? you must be too? hahah) We then wrote the whole thing off and decided to have lunch at the vegetarian restaurant down the block.


Well as it turns out, of the masses of people who attended (and lined up VERY early) I won one of the two big prizes. A Bumbleride Flyer Stroller! (see picture - it's the exact colour too) I received a phone call from one of the organizers that night and arranged to pick it up the next morning. It's really great. It pops up and down in a snap and it has a universal click system that many car seats will fit. (Thanks Barb! - we'll never know who of us won it...but you doubled my chance!)

So now that one item is out of the way. On to the car seat, high chair...ugh - breast pump? ....that one I'm not so excited about. (it seems I need to get over the concept of my breasts being pumped huh.....?) I guess we will be able to commiserate with some other people when we start prenatal classes.

I think Bill should practice holding one of the cats as he folds and unfolds the stroller with his free hand. This could be good training. Afterall, babies can be really wiggly, right? (minus the claws I guess)

Jennifer (I think I have swallowed a children's size basketball)