Baby Update - 14 Weeks: Thinking About Labor Preparation

Pregnancy Update

I had my first appointment at the Birth and Women's Center last week. I was reminded of all the things I need to be doing to make sure I maintain a healthy weight and stay in shape (oh goodness) during this pregnancy. The biggest reminder was not the need to cut back on the sugars and caffeine, although that's always tough for me, but it was the reminder to exercise.... to walk like an hour each day! Lawd help me.

I also remembered this week, the experience I had when little Lamby was born. I was not afraid of the labor and delivery. It was the heparin lock I was afraid of. A heparin lock (or hep-lock) is "a small tube connected to a catheter in a vein in the arm for easy access." I was told I may need that because my iron had been low through out the end of my pregnancy and the iron supplements hadn't brought it up to the level it needed to be. I was so fearful of it, that I almost literally ran from it to avoid getting it during the labor and Lamby came before Lisa could insert it.

So the reason I was reminded of this was because at this birth center visit, I had to have blood drawn to see where my iron is now, among other lab work which has to be done, routinely. After trying both arms unsuccessfully, I began balling uncontrollably. I told the midwife I could not do it today. It was too painful. I'd rather be delivering a baby today than being stuck for blood. I always hate needles. She finally got what she needed by using a butterfly needle, which is a very small needle often used in very young or elderly patients or patients with small veins and arteries. Anyway, all of the "punctures" to my body hurt like I don't know what and I left there almost trembling in tears. I wasn't really but almost!

Birth Videos

I ran across these videos from Giving Birth Naturally, which are pretty graphic but good depictions of birth and many of them are natural.

Summary of Prepartation for Natural Childbirth

So at week 14 here is my summary of what I'm doing to prepare for having a natural childbirth.

• Prayer - Asking God for health for mother and baby, for his peace in the weeks leading up to the delivery day, for his Holy Spirit to reign during the labor and delivery and that I will maintain "control" by giving up "control," allowing Him to work through me and deliver the baby through me. There is no reason to fear, no reason to focus on what could happen. Only focus on how he is leading me. I will trust him to show me or the health care professionals if there is anything that needs to be done to change our route for delivering the baby.


• Healthy Eating


• Exercise - walking, kegel exercises


• Stretching - squatting, pelvic rock, arm/leg lifts, ankle rotations


• Preparing the Perineum - perineum massage


• Reviewing the Bradley Method Principles we learned back in 2001!