Dear Cadbury Company,
I understand that, in the Christian tradition, Lent is a time of conscious suffering. Enduring Gestational Diabetes while your delicious products beckon from the grocery shelves has been my personal walk through the desert (on swollen feet).
For weeks, I have come face-to-egg with your purple displays when entering Safeway to buy protein shakes and pick up insulin refills. I have turned away from the strategically placed baskets of creme eggs at the gas station counter and feigned interest in polyester roses and tasteless keychains. I have resisted the urge to break open one of your smooth chocolate eggs and lick out the sweet goo inside while drifting blissfully into a diabetic coma.
March 17, 2007
March 8, 2007
What's in a Ras-Birthday?
There's a Ras-Birthday on the horizon.
This morning, my doctor told me that, barring any unforeseen developments, she'd like to induce labor on March 21st.
It's reassuring to have the date set. It's a bit later than I expected (39 weeks and 1 day), but Rasbaby's doing so well that my doctor doesn't feel the need to rush things.
I've always been fascinated by birthdays.
Throughout the world, throughout human history, we have tried to understand people based on when they were born. Astrology, numerology, the Chinese zodiac, the Roman Calendar of Saints... all of them tell us that a fundamental piece of our identity or our destiny is determined by the date that we emerge from the womb.
If that's true, then might scheduled inductions and C-sections disrupt the balance of the cosmos?
This morning, my doctor told me that, barring any unforeseen developments, she'd like to induce labor on March 21st.
It's reassuring to have the date set. It's a bit later than I expected (39 weeks and 1 day), but Rasbaby's doing so well that my doctor doesn't feel the need to rush things.
I've always been fascinated by birthdays.
Throughout the world, throughout human history, we have tried to understand people based on when they were born. Astrology, numerology, the Chinese zodiac, the Roman Calendar of Saints... all of them tell us that a fundamental piece of our identity or our destiny is determined by the date that we emerge from the womb.
If that's true, then might scheduled inductions and C-sections disrupt the balance of the cosmos?
March 1, 2007
Due to medical conditions, Monica is excused from gym class for the rest of the semester
If you read last night's blog, you might be wondering where I (and Rasbaby) ended up after today's checkup.
I'm not in the hospital, and I'm sitting up in a chair, so things went better than I expected.
My blood pressure was borderline-high, so my doctor wrote a note officially excusing me from any professional responsibilities until at least 6 weeks after Rasbaby's arrival. Tomorrow will be my last day at the office, where I intend to tidy up my desk and hand off my projects to other people for the next couple of months.
Once I stop working, I don't need to start bed rest yet. I can remain reasonably active, although my doctor did recommend I avoid unnecessary stress and sodium.
And what about my favorite little fetus?
She's doing great. Her heart rate and activity level are quite healthy, so there's no reason to rush her delivery at this point. We'll let her stay where she is, at least through the weekend, and check up on her again next Monday.
There's a part of me that's disappointed to spend a portion of my maternity leave baby-less. That's another week - or two or three - that I could have spent at home being a mother.
On the other hand, I feel like I've been handed an amazing gift. I've been specifically ordered to stop working, relax, and concentrate on improving my own physical and emotional conditions. How often does anyone get this opportunity?
Maybe I'll put together an MP3 playlist for when I'm in labor. Maybe I'll finally pack my suitcase for the hospital (I'll probably need more than just makeup and Cadbury Creme Eggs). Maybe I'll go to Babies R Us on a weekday and finish decorating the nursery. Maybe I'll print out all my baby-themed blogs and paste them into a nice journal for Rasbaby's future reading.
Or maybe I'll just sleep a lot, storing up some energy reserves for midnight feedings and diaper changes.
Or maybe, the minute I'm finally able to relax and savor my time alone, my water will break and the next adventure will begin.
Either way, I'm determined to enjoy these next few days - or perhaps weeks - of focusing first and foremost on myself. Such opportunities are dwindling by the minute. I can't make them last, but I can make them count.
I'm not in the hospital, and I'm sitting up in a chair, so things went better than I expected.
My blood pressure was borderline-high, so my doctor wrote a note officially excusing me from any professional responsibilities until at least 6 weeks after Rasbaby's arrival. Tomorrow will be my last day at the office, where I intend to tidy up my desk and hand off my projects to other people for the next couple of months.
Once I stop working, I don't need to start bed rest yet. I can remain reasonably active, although my doctor did recommend I avoid unnecessary stress and sodium.
And what about my favorite little fetus?
She's doing great. Her heart rate and activity level are quite healthy, so there's no reason to rush her delivery at this point. We'll let her stay where she is, at least through the weekend, and check up on her again next Monday.
There's a part of me that's disappointed to spend a portion of my maternity leave baby-less. That's another week - or two or three - that I could have spent at home being a mother.
On the other hand, I feel like I've been handed an amazing gift. I've been specifically ordered to stop working, relax, and concentrate on improving my own physical and emotional conditions. How often does anyone get this opportunity?
Maybe I'll put together an MP3 playlist for when I'm in labor. Maybe I'll finally pack my suitcase for the hospital (I'll probably need more than just makeup and Cadbury Creme Eggs). Maybe I'll go to Babies R Us on a weekday and finish decorating the nursery. Maybe I'll print out all my baby-themed blogs and paste them into a nice journal for Rasbaby's future reading.
Or maybe I'll just sleep a lot, storing up some energy reserves for midnight feedings and diaper changes.
Or maybe, the minute I'm finally able to relax and savor my time alone, my water will break and the next adventure will begin.
Either way, I'm determined to enjoy these next few days - or perhaps weeks - of focusing first and foremost on myself. Such opportunities are dwindling by the minute. I can't make them last, but I can make them count.
February 28, 2007
Ready or not.... here she comes.... maybe?
Be ready.
Ever since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes over two months ago, my doctor has been trying to prepare me for the possible medical interventions that Rasbaby and I might need.
Be ready for a lot of medical tests. Be ready for an amniocentisis. Be ready for a C-section.
The semi-weekly non-stress tests haven't been so bad. Leaving work early every Monday and Thursday so that I can spend half an hour in an overstuffed recliner listening to Rasbaby's heartbeat and counting her kicks... hell, I'd pay for that experience even if my health insurance didn't.
Ever since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes over two months ago, my doctor has been trying to prepare me for the possible medical interventions that Rasbaby and I might need.
Be ready for a lot of medical tests. Be ready for an amniocentisis. Be ready for a C-section.
The semi-weekly non-stress tests haven't been so bad. Leaving work early every Monday and Thursday so that I can spend half an hour in an overstuffed recliner listening to Rasbaby's heartbeat and counting her kicks... hell, I'd pay for that experience even if my health insurance didn't.
February 11, 2007
A very Ras-baby shower
Yesterday, Sam and I attended a baby shower thrown in our honor.
Even though they're usually hokey, I love baby and bridal showers. I love helping people celebrate joyful milestones. I love giving gifts.
Mostly, I love the feeling of anticipation that permeates the air at a shower. Unlike a wedding or a birthday party, a shower celebrates something that hasn't happened yet. It's a day of pure, unabashed optimism.
It's a shame that people only seem to throw showers for babies and weddings.
We all need more parties to celebrate the wonderful things that haven't happened to us yet.
Even if we don't know what they are.
Even though they're usually hokey, I love baby and bridal showers. I love helping people celebrate joyful milestones. I love giving gifts.
Mostly, I love the feeling of anticipation that permeates the air at a shower. Unlike a wedding or a birthday party, a shower celebrates something that hasn't happened yet. It's a day of pure, unabashed optimism.
It's a shame that people only seem to throw showers for babies and weddings.
We all need more parties to celebrate the wonderful things that haven't happened to us yet.
Even if we don't know what they are.
February 2, 2007
Rasbaby update
Yesterday, I went to the doctor for a Rasbaby checkup. It was great to see her on the ultrasound, although I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to take home any photos.
Here's what I learned about my favorite little fetus:
She weighs approximately 4 pounds 5 ounces, which is right on track for her gestational age. I'm very relieved, because diabetic mothers tend to have freakishly huge babies. But Rasbaby is just the right size, and she's expected to gain about 1/2 pound a week until she is born.
I can leave the "Someday, I'll Demand a Pony" onesie on the gift registry, because she is definitely still a girl. No surprises have popped up since we last saw her at 18 weeks.
She has long legs. I don't know how long, but my doctor pointed out and complimented Rasbaby's femurs. I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be tall; I just hope she doesn't tower over me the way I tower over my mother, since I'm 5'10". On the other hand, perhaps in 20 years, 6-foot tall women will be the norm.
She has assumed the head-down position that babies are supposed to get into before birth. Her feet are just above my belly button, and the hearty pummeling I feel in my mid-section is coming from Rasbaby elbows.
She's an active little fetus, simultaneously impressing and annoying the doctor's staff with her ability to wriggle away from a heart monitor as soon as it's in place.
Even though she's getting her oxygen through the umbilical cord, Rasbaby is already practicing breathing. That's a really good sign; I couldn't be prouder of my little overachiever.
All the little details - heart rate, amniotic fluid level, etc. are exactly as they should be.
It's a tremendous relief to know that Rasbaby is healthy, strong, and appears to be well-equipped for a few more weeks in the womb. I'm also pretty healthy, all things considered, and there has been no talk of bed rest or starting maternity leave early.
Now, the biggest remaining question is, When?
Because my diabetes makes things a bit riskier, my doctor will continue to peek in via ultrasound every week. If things do happen to go awry, I have to be prepared for the possibility of an early baby.
If Rasbaby needed to be born tomorrow, she would eventually be fine, although she would need a stint in the ICU before coming home.
If she can stay put until March, I should be able to dress her in some cute newborn clothes, put a hat on her little head, and bring her home from the hospital when I check out. Who knows - I might even have her nursery ready by then.
If you want to send Rasbaby some positive psychic energy, just remember: March over February. Aquamarine over amethyst. Pisces over Aquarius (although I would welcome another Aries into my home, if push came to shove).
But no matter when she arrives, I trust that everything will happen exactly as it should. She's a good baby. A strong baby. And she's got her mother's femurs.
Here's what I learned about my favorite little fetus:
She weighs approximately 4 pounds 5 ounces, which is right on track for her gestational age. I'm very relieved, because diabetic mothers tend to have freakishly huge babies. But Rasbaby is just the right size, and she's expected to gain about 1/2 pound a week until she is born.
I can leave the "Someday, I'll Demand a Pony" onesie on the gift registry, because she is definitely still a girl. No surprises have popped up since we last saw her at 18 weeks.
She has long legs. I don't know how long, but my doctor pointed out and complimented Rasbaby's femurs. I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be tall; I just hope she doesn't tower over me the way I tower over my mother, since I'm 5'10". On the other hand, perhaps in 20 years, 6-foot tall women will be the norm.
She has assumed the head-down position that babies are supposed to get into before birth. Her feet are just above my belly button, and the hearty pummeling I feel in my mid-section is coming from Rasbaby elbows.
She's an active little fetus, simultaneously impressing and annoying the doctor's staff with her ability to wriggle away from a heart monitor as soon as it's in place.
Even though she's getting her oxygen through the umbilical cord, Rasbaby is already practicing breathing. That's a really good sign; I couldn't be prouder of my little overachiever.
All the little details - heart rate, amniotic fluid level, etc. are exactly as they should be.
It's a tremendous relief to know that Rasbaby is healthy, strong, and appears to be well-equipped for a few more weeks in the womb. I'm also pretty healthy, all things considered, and there has been no talk of bed rest or starting maternity leave early.
Now, the biggest remaining question is, When?
Because my diabetes makes things a bit riskier, my doctor will continue to peek in via ultrasound every week. If things do happen to go awry, I have to be prepared for the possibility of an early baby.
If Rasbaby needed to be born tomorrow, she would eventually be fine, although she would need a stint in the ICU before coming home.
If she can stay put until March, I should be able to dress her in some cute newborn clothes, put a hat on her little head, and bring her home from the hospital when I check out. Who knows - I might even have her nursery ready by then.
If you want to send Rasbaby some positive psychic energy, just remember: March over February. Aquamarine over amethyst. Pisces over Aquarius (although I would welcome another Aries into my home, if push came to shove).
But no matter when she arrives, I trust that everything will happen exactly as it should. She's a good baby. A strong baby. And she's got her mother's femurs.
January 31, 2007
Remember when I was only slightly pregnant?
I used to think it was silly to speak of pregnancy in anything but absolutes.
Could someone really be "very pregnant" or "kind of pregnant?" Wasn't it a yes/no situation? A matter of black and white, or, as the test would indicate, pink or clear?
Now I know the answer.
I can state, with confidence, that I officially feel "very pregnant."
Could someone really be "very pregnant" or "kind of pregnant?" Wasn't it a yes/no situation? A matter of black and white, or, as the test would indicate, pink or clear?
Now I know the answer.
I can state, with confidence, that I officially feel "very pregnant."
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