3 Men and a Lady, Plus a Baby!

Yeppers, I'M PREGNANT!!!!!! We found out almost three weeks ago, which is the main reason my blogging has come to a stand still. We technically don't know the due date, but it's around the last week of March, no later than April 1st. I'm so glad it didn't take near as long to conceive this baby compared to my last pregnancy. We are still undecided if we'll find out if it's pink or blue, but I will tell you that gender doesn't matter to us at all, healthy baby all the way!

I've had two ultrasounds now, and today's ultrasound showed a healthy round gestational sac, yolk sac, fetal pole, and a flickering heartbeat of 165 bpm (I will post a picture of the ultrasound, but it's a pretty crappy image due to the pretty crappy and old ultrasound machine). We will have another ultrasound on the 19th of August, which will then determine a more accurate due date (today's machine wasn't cooperating with measurements and dating). I will definitely keep you all posted.

Gestational sac with the yolk sac and fetal pole located on the top left, she was measuring bpm here

Blogging will definitely pick up more as I start feeling better. I'm suffering from pretty severe nausea all day long and fatigue. Now, I'm not complaining about having morning, excuse me "all day" sickness, because I know it's a sign of a healthy growing baby. However, it may put blogging on the back burner until I start feeling like my normal self, which I hope is sooner than later.

I'm planning on blogging throughout my entire pregnancy, especially with this being our last. I will also talk about my thoughts (pros and cons) on either attempting a VBA2C or having a repeat csection. I'm definitely looking forward to sharing my pregnancy journey with you.

Birth: Putting Things Into Perspective

I want to do a blog series that highlights all the different forms of birth...home birth, hospital birth, csection birth, natural delivery hospital birth, birth center birth, labor induction birth, VBAC birth, etc. I'm hoping to find someone who fulfills each one of the listed categories in hopes they will become a guest blogger. This will give them the opportunity to tell their story (the pros and the cons, the ups and the downs, etc). By getting a different "perspective" on each type of birth, this could potentially help someone relate and or educate their different options of labor and delivery. I know all too well what you want to get out of labor and delivery doesn't always work out the way you want. So, it's always good to have an open mind at all the different possibilities and outcomes of delivering a baby.

Please let me know if this is something you are interested in helping me out on. Feel free to contact me via email at 3menandalady06@gmail.com. This will not only give someone the opportunity to have a voice, but to educate someone on their options as a woman and mother.

Natural C-Section

Natural Cesarean Section?! You all are probably scratching your heads. I know I did, when I came across this YouTube video. It's not what you think, the mother did not have a csection without the use of drugs. However, she did get to experience a csection that pretty much mimicked a "natural" delivery.

How is that even possible, to "mimic" a "natural" delivery?! This form of csection is being used in the UK. It consists of course of an OBGYN, anesthesiologist, and a midwife. Yes, a MIDWIFE! The anesthesiologist places the spinal like he would in any csection, and the OBGYN makes a normal surgical incision into the uterus. Instead of lifting the uterus out of the mother to get the baby out, he "mimics" a vaginal delivery by finding the head of the baby, and lifting the head out first, shoulders, torso, legs, etc. This helps the baby "squeeze" out any left over amniotic fluid in their lungs (this normally doesn't happen during routine sections, which is why many babies experience respiratory distress, etc). By doing this, it only adds on about two extra minutes or so. While the OBGYN is lifting baby out, they drop the surgical drape, so the mother can witness her child being brought into the world. As soon as the baby is delivered, baby is then placed on the mother for skin-to-skin contact. The midwife is right there at the mother and baby's side, so both can be monitored closely. During the skin-to-skin contact, baby usually wants to try and nurse, which helps their breastfeeding relationship get off on the right "breast"...get it...breast...foot...breast...ya get it, right!? This is very important, because in many cases (my first csection included), breastfeeding after a cesarean can be challenging. Baby's cord is still not clamped and cut, which is another "natural" part of birth. It's only beneficial for the baby to still have two different sources of oxygen. It's finally clamped and cut (by the father of course) when the OBGYN removes the placenta from the uterus. Baby is still on mother's chest until it's time for her to be moved into recovery. During that time, that's when baby is placed into the father's arms for their height and weight check.

I think this "natural" cesarean section is wonderful, and should be performed here in the United States. Even though my second csection was way better compared to my first (you can read about W's birth story here: Birth Story) , I really wish I could of had that special bonding time. As much as I would like to attempt a VBA2C, that's just not possible, especially when hospitals are having a difficult time as it is accepting VBACS. Who knows what will happen when that third baby comes around... only time will tell.

As for right now, we can all enjoy being mothers-to-be, new mothers, mothers with experience, etc. We all know what's right for us and our children, because we are in control of our own destiny. Giving birth is such a miraculous experience, and I only wish for the best possibly labor and delivery for everyone. Sometimes, we have a few bumps in the road that will prevent that from happening, but being able to look into those baby eyes, smell that baby smell, and kiss those baby toes makes, whatever the delivery method, OH SO WORTH IT!!!!!!

Here is the video:

Wordless Wednesday

38 weeks pregnant with P-man

Dear H1N1

Dear H1N1,

I want to thank you for all the worry you have caused since April. Not only do I have to worry about my 2-year-old child with asthma, but I have to worry about myself and my unborn child. It doesn't help that you have to make your appearance known on the front page of every national and local news outlet daily. I'm also not a fan of how many lives you have taken including at least 89 children. You have also taken mommies and babies from their families as well.

At this time, I'm supposed to be sitting here enjoying every second of my pregnancy as well as doing fun things with my son outside the home. Instead, I'm having to make sure I have enough hand sanitizer in my diaper bag and make sure we isolate ourselves from anyone who can potentially be sick.

You have seriously taken so much away from a lot of people, me included. I'm now trying to figure out if vaccinating my family against you is the best decision I can make. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm pro-vaccination, but do I fully trust the readiness of the vaccine who will protect us against you?! Not really! I hate the fact I'm stuck here making a decision that could possible cause harm to myself, my son, and my unborn child. Do I go ahead with the vaccine without the known LONG-TERM side-effects? or Do I take my chances in hope neither one of my family members comes down with you? If one of us comes down with you, are we going to be associated with the lucky 99% of people who have the mild form, or are we going to be apart of the dreaded 1% who are either hospitalized or die?

You have caused so many people to worry that our national government declared a state of emergency, causing hospitals to be flooded with people believing they contracted you. Hospitals are also changing their visitation policy's regarding children, and now my child won't get the opportunity of meeting his new sibling until we are home from the hospital. Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful my newborn will be able to stay germ free during his/her stay with me. I wouldn't want to put any child in harms way of contracting you or any other illness for that matter. This is just another thing I need to worry about and or change (my birth experience, easy transition for my eldest, etc) , because of your unwelcome presence into this world.

I hope you take this letter into consideration and just disappear. You are no longer welcomed.

Cleaning off the dust and clearing the cobwebs

Wow, it's been forever and a day since I've last blogged. I guess I'll blame the fact it's been hard to sit down for a few minutes and concentrate on writing what's been going on. Anyway, huge news in the S household...I'm currently 15.5 weeks pregnant (insert cheering and clapping here...HAHA). It took Jess and I exactly six months to conceive, and I honestly thought I was out that cycle due to the stress of Jess being admitted to the hospital for four days (long story). We will found out in a few weeks as to what we're having. W keeps saying there's a "baby sister in mommy's tummy", and I have a feeling it's a girl, but who knows?!?! We are 90% sure of the names, if it's a boy he will be Jackson, and if it's a girl, Ava Marie. It's not set in stone yet, especially since we still have about 5 months until gummy bear arrives.

15 Weeks:


Baby Gummy Bear at 13 weeks:


Everything has been good here. We went back to Nebraska for 4 weeks while Jess had training to attend to in Colorado Springs. It was great being back home, and it was DEFINITELY hard to leave. However, I was ready to be in my own house, bed, and W really wanted his train table. I really need to finish getting my Halloween decorations up, which I'm thinking I'll do tomorrow. I'm hoping we can stop by a Halloween store today just to look around and see if I can add anything to our decor. Oh, last night I got the opportunity to meet other Air Force wives in the community I live in, and it was a blast. My neighbor who is due with her 1st a few weeks before me included me in the girls night out. It was a lot of fun. I'm definitely looking forward to more nights like last night.

Well, this blog isn't completely dusted off yet, but I got a dent in it. We have to get the boys haircuts today, because W's hair is seriously out of control.