don't forget to mail me :-)Well, let’s see……. The story of my first little one. I’ll start at the beginning.
Firstly I have to admit the pregnancy was a surprise. Michael and I had recently decided that we wanted to get some medical testing done to see if indeed we could conceive, and we intended to use that information to decide if I needed to go back onto some type of reliable birth control. Shortly after that decision I realized that my usually like clockwork menstrual cycle was late. Being in the restaurant business we had a pretty extreme party lifestyle and I also noticed that I couldn’t seem to drink really. Alcohol made me feel strange, semi nauseous, and the hangover seemed SOOO bad even though I hadn’t consumed much.
I started to realize that this could mean I was pregnant! Michael and I decided to skip the home test and go straight to the Clinic for the foolproof blood test. Low and behold we were pregnant. It was rather shocking for me, for both of us…….. I cried the instant I heard, and I can’t say 100% for sure if they were tears of joy or not. Although Michael couldn’t stop smiling!!
It wasn’t a hard decision, and I’m think I’m fooling myself to say that there really was any “decision” because we both pretty much knew right when we found out that we would be keeping this baby. The whole prospect was very scary to me, but those hormones, and the ingrained maternal instinct quickly set in and I was very happy to be having a baby. I told Michael that I knew NOTHING about having babies though!! Thus began my read-a-thon. I read absolutely everything I could get my hands on about childbirth. I was very conscientious throughout my pregnancy making sure to eat a balanced diet, and get everything I needed while excluding anything iffy.
Initially I was sure I wanted to have the baby in the hospital and take as much medication as I could get (they don’t do episiotomies here). Although through my research I started to change my mind. After some of my reading selections, and my childbirth class I decided I wanted to go a whole different route! I really wanted a natural birth, and I truly wanted to have my baby at home.
I realized when I was about 8 months pregnant that I had not read a single book on what you’re supposed to do once the baby comes out!! I was all primed for the birth itself but was clueless about the rest of it! Fortunately I got my hands on some Attachment Parenting books. I am so glad too. It seemed to just make sense to me, and really changed my original thought processes about a lot of things!
I had decided I wanted to Breastfeed, as it is the best way to nourish your baby. I was completely daunted by this idea though, and started attending my local La Leche League meetings. What an excellent support group for breastfeeding mothers. Now I’m hooked and rarely miss a meeting :)
The pregnancy as I mentioned went along very normally, at the very end Xavier developed a skip to his heartbeat which really scared me, but is apparently often a normal thing towards the end. His due date was April 1st. I was really hoping he wouldn’t come on April Fool’s day though! I remember being very uncomfortable towards the end, and really wanting the baby to COME OUT!! Finally on April 4th, 2003 I went into labor in the late afternoon, which brings me to the BIRTH STORY.
don't forget to mail me :-)