My C-section has been bumped up to 7:45 tomorrow morning instead of in the afternoon. This is good because when you are the first surgery of the day there are no delays and all the doctors will be there (not caught up in other emergencies). It means that by tomorrow afternoon I will be encouraged to walk around, which is a good thing after spinal anesthesia. It also means that we have to check in to the hospital at 9 pm tonight and spend the night there (that's in 5 hours, by the way) because they want to do some tests on my heart/pacemaker and all my bloodwork tonight. I guess technically Kristoffer doesn't HAVE to spend the night with me, but he is going to anyway - we are in this together! So the countdown now is even more of a countdown!
Last night we went to our last lamaze class, which was actually helpful because it was about taking care of the baby and of me after birth/delivery! Our class was very supportive of my C-section tomorrow and the mid-wife who taught us promised to check on how everything goes.
Today is also Ash Wednesday, and for Lent I've decided to give up being pregnant. Effective tomorrow.
(come on...that is a funny joke!)
All joking aside, before I went to mass today to begin the Lenten season and say some prayers for tomorrow, I met with the anesthesiologist who will be in my surgery. It was great. She asked a lot of questions about my medical history, heart condition, pacemaker, pregnancy, etc. Then she explained to me step by step what will happen from the time I check in to the hospital tonight until the day after the surgery. It was very helpful. I thought she was very professional and she definitely understood my concerns about the spinal anesthesia and addressed those concerns. I think it is going to go so well!
We appreciate all of your thoughts, wishes and prayers. Time Zone Check: the surgery is at 7:45 AM Kenya time, 11:45 PM (tonight) East Coast US time, and 5:45 AM Danish time. We are so, so excited and can't wait to tell you all about our baby!
Happy Almost Birthday to Simba and Mormor Karen!
Love, The Almost Mommy
Showing posts with label Simba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simba. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
February 24, 2009 - Simba's Birth-date
No no, I haven't had the baby yet! But after a big day yesterday with two different doctors (my regular doctor and the ultrasound doctor) we came to the conclusion that a scheduled C-section is the safest way for Simba to enter the world.
My doctor was really nervous that the baby hasn't flipped yet because as we get closer to my due date the risks increase should I go into natural labor. She wanted us to schedule the c-section right away but we asked for another ultrasound first. When I had the ultrasound yesterday the doctor found that Simba has gained 2 lbs in the last 3 weeks, has almost no room left in utero to move around, and that there is very little amniotic fluid left to help facilitate the flip. In other words, it is very, very unlikely (especially given everything we've tried) that Simba will flip. This baby is staying breech! And like my regular doc, the ultrasound doc recommended that we have the surgery before the end of this week because the risks will only increase as we get into my 40th week.
I had a minor emotional breakdown that sounded something like, "I don't want to have surgery in Kenya!" But after talking to my childbirth-experienced sister, my parents, and most of all Kristoffer, I realized that it is not worth it to wait until next week to hope for a very unlikely flip and increase the chances of having a very dramatic or traumatic childbirth experience. Especially because we are in Kenya - where we are happy and confident in the medical care I've received so far but are still nervous about having an emergency here - scheduling the surgery makes much more sense than leaving the situation to chance. Kristoffer and I also had our first moments of parental guilt yesterday. All of the crazy efforts we were trying to flip the baby - and believe me, some of them were CRAZY - did yield a lot of baby movement; Simba was probably trying to flip like we wanted him/her to do but given the accommodations in there just couldn't do it! We hope we didn't cause our baby too much stress and spent last night apologizing to the belly repeatedly. Needless to say, all flipping efforts have ceased.
My c-section has been scheduled for this Thursday February 26th at 3pm (Kenya time). The doctor couldn't get an operating room on Friday or Saturday and didn't want to wait any longer than that. We think this is a pretty special date to have a baby because it is Kristoffer's grandmother's (Mormor Karen's) 85th birthday and what a gift we can give her! Tomorrow morning I am meeting with my doctor and the anesthesiologist to sort of prep for Thursday. We go into the hospital at 8:30am on Thursday morning for pre-op blood work and all that jazz, and then the baby will be born. I've heard that it takes 15 minutes to get the little one out :)
Since we adjusted to the idea that this is really happening, we have both been giddy with excitement. I could barely sleep last night and when I did sleep I was having surgical dreams. Kristoffer had a very hard time getting himself to work this morning. It is funny to be planning and waiting and planning and waiting, and then to all of the sudden know the exact hour when we will actually have our baby with us in the world.
My parents will be joining us in Kenya on Monday night; I was already very grateful that they were coming, but especially having the c-section I am glad that they will be around to help me and Simba recover and adjust to our new life. Kristoffer will be off from work through next week and will save the rest of his paternity leave for our trips home to Denmark and the US in June.
Again, this is not exactly the way I pictured the whole thing going and having surgery in Kenya has never been on my to do list ("But you're so good at having surgery!" Kristoffer told me), but I have gotten good at rolling with the punches and Simba's health and well-being is the most important thing in the world to both of us. So we will have this surgery and will soon have ourselves a healthy baby on our hands.
The next big surprise will be: lion or lioness?!
LMW
My doctor was really nervous that the baby hasn't flipped yet because as we get closer to my due date the risks increase should I go into natural labor. She wanted us to schedule the c-section right away but we asked for another ultrasound first. When I had the ultrasound yesterday the doctor found that Simba has gained 2 lbs in the last 3 weeks, has almost no room left in utero to move around, and that there is very little amniotic fluid left to help facilitate the flip. In other words, it is very, very unlikely (especially given everything we've tried) that Simba will flip. This baby is staying breech! And like my regular doc, the ultrasound doc recommended that we have the surgery before the end of this week because the risks will only increase as we get into my 40th week.
I had a minor emotional breakdown that sounded something like, "I don't want to have surgery in Kenya!" But after talking to my childbirth-experienced sister, my parents, and most of all Kristoffer, I realized that it is not worth it to wait until next week to hope for a very unlikely flip and increase the chances of having a very dramatic or traumatic childbirth experience. Especially because we are in Kenya - where we are happy and confident in the medical care I've received so far but are still nervous about having an emergency here - scheduling the surgery makes much more sense than leaving the situation to chance. Kristoffer and I also had our first moments of parental guilt yesterday. All of the crazy efforts we were trying to flip the baby - and believe me, some of them were CRAZY - did yield a lot of baby movement; Simba was probably trying to flip like we wanted him/her to do but given the accommodations in there just couldn't do it! We hope we didn't cause our baby too much stress and spent last night apologizing to the belly repeatedly. Needless to say, all flipping efforts have ceased.
My c-section has been scheduled for this Thursday February 26th at 3pm (Kenya time). The doctor couldn't get an operating room on Friday or Saturday and didn't want to wait any longer than that. We think this is a pretty special date to have a baby because it is Kristoffer's grandmother's (Mormor Karen's) 85th birthday and what a gift we can give her! Tomorrow morning I am meeting with my doctor and the anesthesiologist to sort of prep for Thursday. We go into the hospital at 8:30am on Thursday morning for pre-op blood work and all that jazz, and then the baby will be born. I've heard that it takes 15 minutes to get the little one out :)
Since we adjusted to the idea that this is really happening, we have both been giddy with excitement. I could barely sleep last night and when I did sleep I was having surgical dreams. Kristoffer had a very hard time getting himself to work this morning. It is funny to be planning and waiting and planning and waiting, and then to all of the sudden know the exact hour when we will actually have our baby with us in the world.
My parents will be joining us in Kenya on Monday night; I was already very grateful that they were coming, but especially having the c-section I am glad that they will be around to help me and Simba recover and adjust to our new life. Kristoffer will be off from work through next week and will save the rest of his paternity leave for our trips home to Denmark and the US in June.
Again, this is not exactly the way I pictured the whole thing going and having surgery in Kenya has never been on my to do list ("But you're so good at having surgery!" Kristoffer told me), but I have gotten good at rolling with the punches and Simba's health and well-being is the most important thing in the world to both of us. So we will have this surgery and will soon have ourselves a healthy baby on our hands.
The next big surprise will be: lion or lioness?!
LMW
Saturday, February 21, 2009
February 21, 2009 - Flipping Efforts
Here is a list of things we have done today to try and get Simba to flip - all of which were recommended by a midwife, other mothers who have had breech babies, my doctor, my acupuncturist, or the internet:
1. Acupressure points in my toes
2. Swimming laps
3. Doing handstands in the pool
4. Acupressure points in my toes whilst floating in the pool
5. Lying on a mattress that is elevated at the feet to relieve pressure/gravity on my pelvis (Kristoffer created quite the setup for me to comfortably lie in this tilted position)
6. Acupressure points in my toes whilst lying on the mattress in the elevated position (see #5)
7. Belly massage
The being on "all fours" position has not worked for me yet either and I am particularly uncomfortable in this position so I have sort of given up on it. But, tonight we will also do the moxa heat therapy and maybe try something recommended that involves my iPod and a flashlight.
IF Simba doesn't flip, nobody can say we didn't try everything!
LMW
1. Acupressure points in my toes
2. Swimming laps
3. Doing handstands in the pool
4. Acupressure points in my toes whilst floating in the pool
5. Lying on a mattress that is elevated at the feet to relieve pressure/gravity on my pelvis (Kristoffer created quite the setup for me to comfortably lie in this tilted position)
6. Acupressure points in my toes whilst lying on the mattress in the elevated position (see #5)
7. Belly massage
The being on "all fours" position has not worked for me yet either and I am particularly uncomfortable in this position so I have sort of given up on it. But, tonight we will also do the moxa heat therapy and maybe try something recommended that involves my iPod and a flashlight.
IF Simba doesn't flip, nobody can say we didn't try everything!
LMW
Friday, February 20, 2009
February 20, 2009 - Friday Update
Yesterday I had a great day. First I had the wives club and it was the biggest turnout I'd ever seen at a meeting; there were even some younger faces in the crowd which was nice. We had a guest speaker on homeopathy (sadly there is no homeopathic cure for a breech baby!) and a nutritionist who was interesting as well. Then I had book club and for the first time since I have been trying to do book club (this is the fourth book I've tried!) I had more than one person come! There were five of us in total and we had an absolutely lovely conversation about how much we absolutely despised the book we read, "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold. Another woman picked a new book for next month, we set a date and a time for the meeting (which I may or may not make it too depending on the baby) and everyone there at least committed to reading the book. Finally, a success!
Then I had a lovely lunch with my new American friend, Courtney, who is pregnant and due in May. It was really nice to sit with another woman for 90 minutes and talk about nothing but being pregnant in Nairobi, all of the different medical research we have done here, pediatricians in Nairobi, etc. It was wonderful! And we both agreed that while you always have to be in your own advocate, even in America, in Kenya it is even more important to ask questions that you might take for granted at home. Even though our babies will be a few months apart, I truly hope that we remain mommy-friends because yesterday I felt like she was a really great outlet for me, and vice versa.
My doctor called me yesterday to see how the big treatment went the night before. She is hopeful that the moxa treatment will flip the baby too because she know how much I would prefer to delivery naturally. We moved my appointment from this afternoon to Monday to give the baby the weekend to flip and then next week she'll decide if I should have another ultrasound to monitor my levels of amniotic fluid, how the placenta is functioning (placenta's stop working as well the closer you are to term or beyond term, which is why overdue babies are induced usually 1-2 weeks after their due date), and to make sure that the placenta isn't preventing the baby from flipping or wrapped around the baby in any dangerous way.
Kristoffer did the moxa treatment on me last night and so our entire house smells like pot (the burning of this particular Chinese herb is freakishly similar to marijuana...I wonder what the neighbors think!). The baby didn't flip yet but did move around a lot while he was doing the treatment. We are very hopeful that in the next two days of the treatment s/he will figure out what to do.
The weather is really great in Kenya these days and Kristoffer and I are trying to enjoy our last days together as a couple without kids. It is really hard to do that though when pretty much all we talk about is our breech baby, labor and delivery!
LMW
Then I had a lovely lunch with my new American friend, Courtney, who is pregnant and due in May. It was really nice to sit with another woman for 90 minutes and talk about nothing but being pregnant in Nairobi, all of the different medical research we have done here, pediatricians in Nairobi, etc. It was wonderful! And we both agreed that while you always have to be in your own advocate, even in America, in Kenya it is even more important to ask questions that you might take for granted at home. Even though our babies will be a few months apart, I truly hope that we remain mommy-friends because yesterday I felt like she was a really great outlet for me, and vice versa.
My doctor called me yesterday to see how the big treatment went the night before. She is hopeful that the moxa treatment will flip the baby too because she know how much I would prefer to delivery naturally. We moved my appointment from this afternoon to Monday to give the baby the weekend to flip and then next week she'll decide if I should have another ultrasound to monitor my levels of amniotic fluid, how the placenta is functioning (placenta's stop working as well the closer you are to term or beyond term, which is why overdue babies are induced usually 1-2 weeks after their due date), and to make sure that the placenta isn't preventing the baby from flipping or wrapped around the baby in any dangerous way.
Kristoffer did the moxa treatment on me last night and so our entire house smells like pot (the burning of this particular Chinese herb is freakishly similar to marijuana...I wonder what the neighbors think!). The baby didn't flip yet but did move around a lot while he was doing the treatment. We are very hopeful that in the next two days of the treatment s/he will figure out what to do.
The weather is really great in Kenya these days and Kristoffer and I are trying to enjoy our last days together as a couple without kids. It is really hard to do that though when pretty much all we talk about is our breech baby, labor and delivery!
LMW
Thursday, February 19, 2009
February 19, 2009 - The Heat is On
Last night's treatment to get Simba to flip was interesting. First my acupuncturist, Ketan, went over some really helpful suggestions for pain relief and comfort from her experience helping laboring women, both here and in the US. She explained that at this stage of my pregnancy (just about 2 weeks left until my due date) she couldn't actually do acupuncture on me because that would be very likely to induce labor...which is not something we want to happen until AFTER the baby has definitely flipped. Instead, she did a moxibustion treatment on me. Moxa is a Chinese herb that is heated and put on or near certain acupressure points to stimulate circulation in certain parts of the body (for a little bit on moxa you can go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxibustion). The points for encouraging the baby to flip are on the sides of my pinky toes.
Simba did not flip during the actual treatment, but s/he did move around quite a lot during and since then (actually is moving right now!). Ketan says that it usually takes a few days and she taught Kristoffer how to do the treatment on me for 10 minutes every day until Simba flips. I am really hoping that the baby flips before my doctor's appointment, but as long as it happens before I go into labor than that is OK by me. She has had great luck with this treatment before and said that it almost never happens instantly. She is really great and gave us lots of great tips on labor and delivery in general.
Yesterday was the first day that I did absolutely nothing - literally, I gave myself a day of bed rest and didn't run errands or anything until my 6 pm treatment with Ketan. I hadn't slept well the night before so I slept a lot during the day and read a book. It was very relaxing and got me all ready for a busier day today. I have a "wives club" meeting (although there is now one husband among us!), a book club meeting after that (supposedly 3 other people read the book I picked this time!), and am having lunch with a young American woman who I am becoming friendly with; she and her husband work for the NY Times and are also expecting a baby a few months after Simba is due.
Simba would also like to wish his/her Auntie Meghan a happy birthday today!
LMW
Simba did not flip during the actual treatment, but s/he did move around quite a lot during and since then (actually is moving right now!). Ketan says that it usually takes a few days and she taught Kristoffer how to do the treatment on me for 10 minutes every day until Simba flips. I am really hoping that the baby flips before my doctor's appointment, but as long as it happens before I go into labor than that is OK by me. She has had great luck with this treatment before and said that it almost never happens instantly. She is really great and gave us lots of great tips on labor and delivery in general.
Yesterday was the first day that I did absolutely nothing - literally, I gave myself a day of bed rest and didn't run errands or anything until my 6 pm treatment with Ketan. I hadn't slept well the night before so I slept a lot during the day and read a book. It was very relaxing and got me all ready for a busier day today. I have a "wives club" meeting (although there is now one husband among us!), a book club meeting after that (supposedly 3 other people read the book I picked this time!), and am having lunch with a young American woman who I am becoming friendly with; she and her husband work for the NY Times and are also expecting a baby a few months after Simba is due.
Simba would also like to wish his/her Auntie Meghan a happy birthday today!
LMW
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
February 18, 2009 - Scary Movie
Last night our Lamaze class was a little bit traumatic, I have to admit.
My logical, sensible reaction to seeing a World Health Organization video of a live c-section birth is that tons of women (including many I know!) have the surgery which is considered to be relatively routine in the US and Denmark. I also know in my head that I won't see the surgery and will not be able to feel the surgery, should I need to have the surgery. However, on an emotional level: I did not like watching the video of the c-section at all, I thought it was so gross and scary, it made me more certain than I was before that I do not want to have a c-section, and really it is now very clear to me why I am not a doctor. I have had four surgeries in my life before and I was not awake for any of them...and apparently at least one of my last two heart surgeries was pretty gruesome. I just don't think regular, non-doctor people should see what is being done to their bodies in a surgery like that! Oh no! No offense to women reading this who have had c-sections...there is nothing wrong with them at all! I just don't want one!
So anyway, tonight is the night that we try the acupuncture for getting Simba to flip. I have recently given Simba two small lectures about doing the right thing and how s/he really doesn't want to come into the world "grounded" for disobeying us already. I mean, that would be a really sad baby if s/he couldn't play with his/her toys or hang out with the other babies on the block. I used my sternest teacher voice and then I also used my most loving maternal voice, but neither lecture seemed to work. Hopefully the needles will do the trick tonight and hopefully I get better at giving lectures before Simba is a teenager!
LMW
p.s. Last night wasn't all bad. We also watched a useful breast-feeding video, learned about our drug options and other medical procedures/interventions that can be used during labor and delivery, and took a tour of the maternity wing (the second tour for us). There were two brand new babies in the nursery last night and when we peaked our heads in Kristoffer and I both got SOOOO excited that soon we will have one of our own!
My logical, sensible reaction to seeing a World Health Organization video of a live c-section birth is that tons of women (including many I know!) have the surgery which is considered to be relatively routine in the US and Denmark. I also know in my head that I won't see the surgery and will not be able to feel the surgery, should I need to have the surgery. However, on an emotional level: I did not like watching the video of the c-section at all, I thought it was so gross and scary, it made me more certain than I was before that I do not want to have a c-section, and really it is now very clear to me why I am not a doctor. I have had four surgeries in my life before and I was not awake for any of them...and apparently at least one of my last two heart surgeries was pretty gruesome. I just don't think regular, non-doctor people should see what is being done to their bodies in a surgery like that! Oh no! No offense to women reading this who have had c-sections...there is nothing wrong with them at all! I just don't want one!
So anyway, tonight is the night that we try the acupuncture for getting Simba to flip. I have recently given Simba two small lectures about doing the right thing and how s/he really doesn't want to come into the world "grounded" for disobeying us already. I mean, that would be a really sad baby if s/he couldn't play with his/her toys or hang out with the other babies on the block. I used my sternest teacher voice and then I also used my most loving maternal voice, but neither lecture seemed to work. Hopefully the needles will do the trick tonight and hopefully I get better at giving lectures before Simba is a teenager!
LMW
p.s. Last night wasn't all bad. We also watched a useful breast-feeding video, learned about our drug options and other medical procedures/interventions that can be used during labor and delivery, and took a tour of the maternity wing (the second tour for us). There were two brand new babies in the nursery last night and when we peaked our heads in Kristoffer and I both got SOOOO excited that soon we will have one of our own!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
February 17, 2009 - A Ready Nest
Nesting is officially complete today as we finally have a changing table pad, complete with custom-fitted covers that make it a lot less ugly than it was in its original (and expensive) state. Sheesh...it was the only normal changing table pad in all of Nairobi (literally, I went to every single possible baby store. No joke.)! And of course I mean that nesting is complete...but maybe only until my parents arrive in two weeks with 3 boxes/suitcases of baby gear from my shower in December for us to unpack and organize. It will be like having my shower all over again to re-get all of Simba's cool gear and all of the books that s/he was so generously given. We also bought a new-to-us, used-in-great-shape refrigerator last night because our previous one was too small (in addition to the new stove/oven we bought last week), so we are really, really ready for the baby and my parents to arrive and live in our home!
We (read that: I) will not buy one more thing until we either run out of the teeny-tiny baby diapers I already bought or until we realize that for some reason they don't fit our baby! In terms of our house, there is still a perfect piece of artwork or two that we that we are hoping to discover for some of our walls, but really Simba can live without them and looking at our bank account I think we can too for awhile.
Yesterday I discovered on a Skype call with my parents that our Skype connection is much better now on our new computer than it was on our old one. In efforts to cut back on our international phone bill (which I am sure will be assisted greatly when my parents are actually in Kenya and I am not calling them after every doctor's appointment!) we would like to try skype-ing more! The Skype username we use most is "robolisa" and if you have or get a Skype account, we will be happy to add you as a contact on there. When Simba comes, we can pump his or her cries all the way to a live studio audience right in your very own home in whatever country it is that you live. Unfortunately, video connection doesn't last very long because the bandwidth here is so slow, but of course we can always try that out too so that you can get a glimpse of the baby. If you don't already have a Skype account - go get one! If you have one that we don't know about it - tell me! We only turn on our Skype when we were are actually able to talk - remember that we are 8 hours ahead of the East Coast in the US and 2 hours ahead of Denmark.
Tonight is our 5th Lamaze class (only one more to go next week!); we are pretty psyched that Simba has made it this far. AND...the best news of all is that tomorrow evening I have an acupuncture treatment to facilitate Simba's flipping out...I mean, flipping over to the correct "exit this way" position. I am sure it will be a great and interesting experience; the acupuncturist is also going to teach Kristoffer some ways he can use acupuncture and massage to alleviate my discomfort (read that: excruciating pain) during the natural delivery I am hoping to have. Will definitely keep you posted!
LMW
We (read that: I) will not buy one more thing until we either run out of the teeny-tiny baby diapers I already bought or until we realize that for some reason they don't fit our baby! In terms of our house, there is still a perfect piece of artwork or two that we that we are hoping to discover for some of our walls, but really Simba can live without them and looking at our bank account I think we can too for awhile.
Yesterday I discovered on a Skype call with my parents that our Skype connection is much better now on our new computer than it was on our old one. In efforts to cut back on our international phone bill (which I am sure will be assisted greatly when my parents are actually in Kenya and I am not calling them after every doctor's appointment!) we would like to try skype-ing more! The Skype username we use most is "robolisa" and if you have or get a Skype account, we will be happy to add you as a contact on there. When Simba comes, we can pump his or her cries all the way to a live studio audience right in your very own home in whatever country it is that you live. Unfortunately, video connection doesn't last very long because the bandwidth here is so slow, but of course we can always try that out too so that you can get a glimpse of the baby. If you don't already have a Skype account - go get one! If you have one that we don't know about it - tell me! We only turn on our Skype when we were are actually able to talk - remember that we are 8 hours ahead of the East Coast in the US and 2 hours ahead of Denmark.
Tonight is our 5th Lamaze class (only one more to go next week!); we are pretty psyched that Simba has made it this far. AND...the best news of all is that tomorrow evening I have an acupuncture treatment to facilitate Simba's flipping out...I mean, flipping over to the correct "exit this way" position. I am sure it will be a great and interesting experience; the acupuncturist is also going to teach Kristoffer some ways he can use acupuncture and massage to alleviate my discomfort (read that: excruciating pain) during the natural delivery I am hoping to have. Will definitely keep you posted!
LMW
Saturday, February 14, 2009
February 14, 2009 - Happy Valentine's Day!
Kristoffer and I are having a pretty low-key Valentine's Day: we had a lovely brunch this morning and are going out to dinner and a movie tonight. We also managed to buy some new plants today to replace a few that have recently died (read: we have or our staff has killed via over-watering). Last night, however, was a big night out for us. Our neighbors/friends, Mike and Caroline, took us out to dinner to say thank you for lending them our house for their family reunion when we were in the US and Denmark over the holidays. They took us to what many consider to be the best restaurant in Nairobi, which we had not been to before. It was incredible! Kristoffer found good vegetarian food and the rest of us enjoyed fresh seafood that was absolutely amazing. We had a lovely, lovely evening and look forward to taking our next guests there (Mom and Dad!) because it was definitely the best food we have eaten in Nairobi.
This morning we also had an interesting meeting. Earlier this week we wrote a letter to our landlord to complain about the sketchy practices of our caretaker, Hillary. She was very glad to get our letter and came for a meeting with us and him. Actually, he received a "warning letter" about his job from her yesterday and then came to talk to us directly. He continued to be sketchy making up excuses that didn't make sense and begging us not to tell that he owed us money (too late! that was in the letter! but at least he did pay us back, finally!). He was clearly terrified of getting fired, which we can understand because as it turns out he has FOUR WIVES to support. Even sketchier! Anyway, we were very polite but clear and honest, letting him know that his performance is not acceptable to us and that if we didn't complain to his boss we were sure nothing would ever change. She really appreciated the direct correspondence and seemed very proactive about changing some policies on the compound that will decrease his sketchiness. We think he will give us no more trouble as long as we live here (except for probably harboring deep resentment towards us) and we are really happy that we know our landlord now and can go directly to her with our concerns (instead of going through the property management company). She even said she wanted to meet the baby! All in all, we are very satisfied with the outcome of writing that letter.
Finally, as you can see from the poll, voting has closed and most voters believe that Simba is a boy. I am not yet convinced that we don't have a little girl with a big attitude on our hands but, with only three weeks left to go, we will certainly find out soon enough.
LMW
This morning we also had an interesting meeting. Earlier this week we wrote a letter to our landlord to complain about the sketchy practices of our caretaker, Hillary. She was very glad to get our letter and came for a meeting with us and him. Actually, he received a "warning letter" about his job from her yesterday and then came to talk to us directly. He continued to be sketchy making up excuses that didn't make sense and begging us not to tell that he owed us money (too late! that was in the letter! but at least he did pay us back, finally!). He was clearly terrified of getting fired, which we can understand because as it turns out he has FOUR WIVES to support. Even sketchier! Anyway, we were very polite but clear and honest, letting him know that his performance is not acceptable to us and that if we didn't complain to his boss we were sure nothing would ever change. She really appreciated the direct correspondence and seemed very proactive about changing some policies on the compound that will decrease his sketchiness. We think he will give us no more trouble as long as we live here (except for probably harboring deep resentment towards us) and we are really happy that we know our landlord now and can go directly to her with our concerns (instead of going through the property management company). She even said she wanted to meet the baby! All in all, we are very satisfied with the outcome of writing that letter.
Finally, as you can see from the poll, voting has closed and most voters believe that Simba is a boy. I am not yet convinced that we don't have a little girl with a big attitude on our hands but, with only three weeks left to go, we will certainly find out soon enough.
LMW
Friday, February 13, 2009
February 13, 2009 - Breech Baby
Another Friday doctor's appointment, and Simba is still breech. My doctor was very happy that the antibiotics cured me of my parasite and that I am feeling better, and in fact she said that had I not been pregnant I may not have had any symptoms of the parasite at all. Many people apparently have or get giardia and don't know about it, but pregnant women's immune systems are more vulnerable, which explains why I was generally feeling so crappy.
Anyway, she confirmed last week's news from the ultrasound that the baby is measuring on the small side of normal for weight, there is plenty of fluid to help facilitate the baby's movement, and that the placenta is still highly functioning! Basically, everything is GREAT except for Simba's position.
We had to have the discussion "what if Simba remains breech", which resulted in our consensus that if Simba is still breech when my water breaks or my contractions start, that I will have a c-section because it is the safest procedure they can do here (which is a no-brainer). After reading up on acupuncture treatments, which I proposed at our appointment two weeks ago, she encouraged me to try it this week to see if that will facilitate Simba's gymnastics. And I should apparently be spending most of my time on all fours if possible, because that encourages the baby to flip when there is no pressure on the pelvis or something technical like that. We will see my doctor again in one more week.
Simba, if you can "hear" me as I write this: This is your mother speaking and I love you, but I am also telling you to get your act together and flip yourself over right this minute!
LMW
Anyway, she confirmed last week's news from the ultrasound that the baby is measuring on the small side of normal for weight, there is plenty of fluid to help facilitate the baby's movement, and that the placenta is still highly functioning! Basically, everything is GREAT except for Simba's position.
We had to have the discussion "what if Simba remains breech", which resulted in our consensus that if Simba is still breech when my water breaks or my contractions start, that I will have a c-section because it is the safest procedure they can do here (which is a no-brainer). After reading up on acupuncture treatments, which I proposed at our appointment two weeks ago, she encouraged me to try it this week to see if that will facilitate Simba's gymnastics. And I should apparently be spending most of my time on all fours if possible, because that encourages the baby to flip when there is no pressure on the pelvis or something technical like that. We will see my doctor again in one more week.
Simba, if you can "hear" me as I write this: This is your mother speaking and I love you, but I am also telling you to get your act together and flip yourself over right this minute!
LMW
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
February 11, 2009 - No News Yet! 24 days to go
Not too much new and exciting to report in Nairobi this week. The last two days I have had a lot more energy than I had last week which initially made me wonder if that meant the baby was coming (because supposedly you get a burst of energy before you start labor), but my sister reminded me that perhaps my boost of energy is because I am not being drained by a nasty parasite anymore! I have one more day of antibiotics and am definitely feeling better. I see my doctor this coming Friday afternoon as well.
Last night we had our fourth Lamaze class. This time it was a lot about newborns/infants and their different states of activity and sleep, how to bond with them, etc. We also practiced more breathing techniques and talked about pushing during delivery. The mid-wife gave me some exercises to facilitate Simba flipping over (s/he is still breech!) but when I tried them last night at home I found that they are SOOOO uncomfortable because I am so big. I will keep trying, but am not sure that at this stage I can do them for a sustained amount of time which might render them useless. Let's hope not!
Assuming we make it to next week's class, we will learn about breastfeeding, we will discuss medical interventions (C-section, epidural, vacuuming, etc.), and we will take a tour of the hospital's labor/delivery facilities (which Kristoffer and I have already done but it can't hurt to look at it all again). There is another couple in the class due a few weeks after us and when we walked to class last night they were like, "Hey! You're still here!" Everyone must be wondering if we will make it for the next two classes!
LMW
Last night we had our fourth Lamaze class. This time it was a lot about newborns/infants and their different states of activity and sleep, how to bond with them, etc. We also practiced more breathing techniques and talked about pushing during delivery. The mid-wife gave me some exercises to facilitate Simba flipping over (s/he is still breech!) but when I tried them last night at home I found that they are SOOOO uncomfortable because I am so big. I will keep trying, but am not sure that at this stage I can do them for a sustained amount of time which might render them useless. Let's hope not!
Assuming we make it to next week's class, we will learn about breastfeeding, we will discuss medical interventions (C-section, epidural, vacuuming, etc.), and we will take a tour of the hospital's labor/delivery facilities (which Kristoffer and I have already done but it can't hurt to look at it all again). There is another couple in the class due a few weeks after us and when we walked to class last night they were like, "Hey! You're still here!" Everyone must be wondering if we will make it for the next two classes!
LMW
Sunday, February 8, 2009
February 8, 2009 - 36 weeks pregnant
Here are pictures taken yesterday at 36 full weeks pregnant with 28 days left until my due date. Parasite and all, I guess I don't look too shabby. I am also happy to report that after 24 hours of antibiotics my symptoms have already improved. Phew! And, my parents arrive in Nairobi three weeks from tomorrow (Monday) night - the big question is if Simba will wait for them or not!
p.s. only 5 days left to vote for Simba's sex if you haven't done so already! So far, I've had one "it's a boy" dream and one "it's a girl dream" :)
LMW
p.s. only 5 days left to vote for Simba's sex if you haven't done so already! So far, I've had one "it's a boy" dream and one "it's a girl dream" :)
LMW
Friday, February 6, 2009
February 6, 2009 - Getting Crowded in Here
Today I had a great morning running all kinds of errands with Charles and checking off quite a few "nesting" things from my list, including picking up the custom-made mattresses for Simba's cradle and crib and ordering sheets to be made to fit them. Successful errands in Nairobi are not a given, so that was really a good day! I even had a good experience at the post office picking up a package from Kristoffer's mom! And after this great day, Kristoffer and I went for my ultrasound.
As predicted, Simba is still breech. The ultrasound doc confirmed that the placenta is still fully functioning, there is plenty of amniotic fluid to facilitate Simba's turn, and that there is also still a little bit of room in there. The baby's heart rate was normal at 150 and s/he is weighing in at just over 5 lbs. Life is good in there...we just need this little one to FLIP already! The doctor suggested giving him/her time to do the right thing and then checking back in 3 weeks when I am 39 weeks pregnant to see the status. If Simba has not flipped by then, which we are confident that s/he will, we will talk about what our other options are (including acupuncture, massage, etc....I am really trying to avoid a c-section here!).
So far a great day, right? Well, as it also turns out I have not been feeling so great the last week or so, with some digestive troubles that have been unpleasant and persistent. So earlier this week my doctor ordered a test, and I got the test results today. My doc was at a conference outside of Nairobi today so I called her nurse to get the test results. Basically, she said: "Lisa, your test results indicate that you have worms." To which I naturally replied, "Come again?"
After several moments of feeling more disgusting than I have ever felt in my life and freaking out more than a little bit, I called my doctor on her cell phone. She didn't pick up and so I sent her a text message that read something like, "Your nurse just told me I have worms. Help!" While waiting for her to hopefully get back to me late on a Friday afternoon, Kristoffer took me to the pharmacy where I begged the pharmacist (here, called a "chemist") to de-worm me. She said that unfortunately de-worming medication cannot be given to pregnant women and I would have to wait it out until after delivering. This was bad news because if worms are untreated they just get worse with each "episode/attack", indicating that I would just be getting sicker for the next 4 weeks until I deliver. NO!
My doc shortly called me back - she is GREAT! She said she was on her way back to Nairobi and she would call the lab to get more specific results than just "worms" as her nurse had told me. Then we would figure out what to do. OK - that was reasonable. She called me about 3 hours later to tell me that I do not have worms, but that I do have the very specific parasite called "giardia". It is an intestinal parasite that is very common in developing countries and among travelers. Luckily, it can be treated with medication that is safe for pregnant women and babies in utero. I will start this medication tomorrow and she said I should see an improvement very quickly.
The symptoms of giardia (explained at this comprehensive website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/Giardiasis/factsht_giardia.htm) affect pregnant women and young children more than others. This explains my lack of weight gain in the last few weeks (I most likely got the parasite right when we got back to Kenya because it usually takes about 2 weeks for symptoms to present), my general feelings of lethargy and yuckiness, and a few other symptoms I have attributed to late-term pregnancy. The lab results also showed that I have a yeast infection, but she said at this stage of pregnancy there is nothing I can take for that so we will follow up with that post-delivery.
The good news is that I am not TOTALLY disgusting with worms and that giardia can be treated. The bad news is that maybe my immune system is a little bit weakened and I have to take it really easy to get through the next four weeks before Simba arrives as healthy as possible.
My doctor is really great - she has texted me twice in the last hour to check on me and said I can call her any time this weekend if I have new symptoms or if anything gets worse. I have an appointment to see her next week anyway and hopefully I am feeling much better by then!
Never a dull moment over here...but me and my baby and my parasite (it's getting crowded in here!) are quite tired now so I think we will all go to sleep.
LMW
As predicted, Simba is still breech. The ultrasound doc confirmed that the placenta is still fully functioning, there is plenty of amniotic fluid to facilitate Simba's turn, and that there is also still a little bit of room in there. The baby's heart rate was normal at 150 and s/he is weighing in at just over 5 lbs. Life is good in there...we just need this little one to FLIP already! The doctor suggested giving him/her time to do the right thing and then checking back in 3 weeks when I am 39 weeks pregnant to see the status. If Simba has not flipped by then, which we are confident that s/he will, we will talk about what our other options are (including acupuncture, massage, etc....I am really trying to avoid a c-section here!).
So far a great day, right? Well, as it also turns out I have not been feeling so great the last week or so, with some digestive troubles that have been unpleasant and persistent. So earlier this week my doctor ordered a test, and I got the test results today. My doc was at a conference outside of Nairobi today so I called her nurse to get the test results. Basically, she said: "Lisa, your test results indicate that you have worms." To which I naturally replied, "Come again?"
After several moments of feeling more disgusting than I have ever felt in my life and freaking out more than a little bit, I called my doctor on her cell phone. She didn't pick up and so I sent her a text message that read something like, "Your nurse just told me I have worms. Help!" While waiting for her to hopefully get back to me late on a Friday afternoon, Kristoffer took me to the pharmacy where I begged the pharmacist (here, called a "chemist") to de-worm me. She said that unfortunately de-worming medication cannot be given to pregnant women and I would have to wait it out until after delivering. This was bad news because if worms are untreated they just get worse with each "episode/attack", indicating that I would just be getting sicker for the next 4 weeks until I deliver. NO!
My doc shortly called me back - she is GREAT! She said she was on her way back to Nairobi and she would call the lab to get more specific results than just "worms" as her nurse had told me. Then we would figure out what to do. OK - that was reasonable. She called me about 3 hours later to tell me that I do not have worms, but that I do have the very specific parasite called "giardia". It is an intestinal parasite that is very common in developing countries and among travelers. Luckily, it can be treated with medication that is safe for pregnant women and babies in utero. I will start this medication tomorrow and she said I should see an improvement very quickly.
The symptoms of giardia (explained at this comprehensive website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/Giardiasis/factsht_giardia.htm) affect pregnant women and young children more than others. This explains my lack of weight gain in the last few weeks (I most likely got the parasite right when we got back to Kenya because it usually takes about 2 weeks for symptoms to present), my general feelings of lethargy and yuckiness, and a few other symptoms I have attributed to late-term pregnancy. The lab results also showed that I have a yeast infection, but she said at this stage of pregnancy there is nothing I can take for that so we will follow up with that post-delivery.
The good news is that I am not TOTALLY disgusting with worms and that giardia can be treated. The bad news is that maybe my immune system is a little bit weakened and I have to take it really easy to get through the next four weeks before Simba arrives as healthy as possible.
My doctor is really great - she has texted me twice in the last hour to check on me and said I can call her any time this weekend if I have new symptoms or if anything gets worse. I have an appointment to see her next week anyway and hopefully I am feeling much better by then!
Never a dull moment over here...but me and my baby and my parasite (it's getting crowded in here!) are quite tired now so I think we will all go to sleep.
LMW
Thursday, February 5, 2009
February 5, 2009 - 30 days to go?
So the countdown on the blog says that there are 30 days left until Simba is due. In some ways this makes sense, given that I have already been pregnant for 9 calendar months as of Saturday** and that I am increasingly filled with joy and tears when I think about finally delivering Simba into the world. In other ways, it seems like, "What?! Holy shit?! Only 30 days left in my life to not be a parent?! How will I ever fit in everything I ever wanted to do before having children into only 30 days?!"
In honor of this moment, I've decided to make two lists.
First, here are some of the things that I have really liked about being pregnant:
1. Experiencing the baby growing and feeling the baby move - hands down my favorite! It is a cliche for a reason - pregnancy is a true miracle!
2. Not feeling self-conscious about my body because I am supposed to be big! I have even liked wearing a two piece bathing suit for the first time in my life b/c it looks awesome with a big belly that is supposed to be there!
3. Talking to/emailing with other women about their pregnancy and delivery experiences - I will be standing on the shoulders of giants when i join the "club". Also, making friends with other pregnant women (online and here in Nairobi) has been great.
4. Making plans with Kristoffer for all the things we want to do and be as parents, our hopes and expectations for our child, the values we want him/her to know from day 1, etc.
5. Writing letters to Simba for him/her to read way in the future.
6. Planning and organizing for the baby to come.
7. Closely examining our own parents and how they raised us, plus how we see other friends and family raising their kids. This is not to judge at all, but rather to see what tips and strategies we want to pick up and definitely use in raising Simba or what things we think won't work so well for us.
8. Having an excuse not to lift things or bend over or go up and down the stairs a million times or sit in the back seat of the car.
9. Reading pregnancy/parenting books.
10. Feeling overly protective of and unconditional love for a person I have never even met yet!
11. Counting time in weeks :)
Next, here is a list of some things that I will not really miss when I am no longer pregnant:
1. Skin acne.
2. Having to go to the bathroom every hour or even more frequently than that!
3. Receiving unsolicited opinions and advice from strangers on everything from how I look to what I should eat to how I should deliver, etc.
4. Acid reflux.
5. Having a finicky/unpredictable/terrible appetite and not enjoying eating food almost at all in addition to having several foods that I used to like ruined for me forever (except for dessert foods like ice cream and chocolate chip cake...those things were never ruined for me - phew. But avocados? Forget about it.).
6. Waddling (although Kristoffer insists that I waddled long before i was pregnant).
7. Kristoffer singing, "I like big bellies and I cannot lie...you other brother's can't deny..." (instead of "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." from the hip-hop song "Baby Got Back").
8. Being more forgetful than usual and a little bit more moody/sensitive than usual too.
I would attempt to make a list of all those things that I wanted to do in my life before becoming a parent, except I can't think of that many! Most of the ones I can think of - like climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, for example - are things that I can still accomplish at some point later in life or are things that I really do need to accomplish before the baby gets here, like find a gosh-darn changing table pad!
At our Lamaze class on Tuesday night, we practiced all kinds of coping mechanisms for labor including using a birthing ball (just one of this big inflatable exercise balls), a stool for squatting, massage, breathing techniques, etc. This was useful...assuming we remember any of it during the actual labor experience, which is questionable. We also watched "THE video" of a few live births. They were really graphic! As I told my mother, I am sure that we will think our baby is beautiful and incredible and an amazing miracle when s/he comes out, but boy did those other babies look gross!
On Tuesday night after the Lamaze class when I went to sleep, I dreamed about my labor and delivery and in this dream (as opposed to a dream I had around Christmas when we were in the US), Simba was most definitely a girl! She had a thick head of dark hair and she was plump and pink and beautiful and we even named her something different than the girl's name we have chosen (which might cause us to rethink if the baby is really a girl!). Kristoffer says that the dream doesn't mean anything because in the first dream I ever had about the baby Simba was a boy and so that is the dream that counts. We'll see, Kristoffer...
When I am 36 full weeks on Saturday I will have Kristoffer take the usual monthly picture and post it. I haven't gained much (or any?) weight in the last few weeks but I do look a little bigger I think. According to books and websites, Simba will not get any longer in this last month but should continue to put on fat. We have an ultrasound tomorrow afternoon to check if Simba is still breech or has assumed the correct position yet...I can tell you right now that s/he is still breech but maybe by tomorrow s/he will move. And if not, s/he still has 30 days!
LMW
**36 weeks = 9 calendar months but only 8 pregnancy months because pregnancy months are calculated by the baby's development. I have found this to be very annoying for the entire pregnancy...40 weeks clearly does not divide evenly by 3 trimesters or 9 months and I would have much preferred to have pregnancy "quarters" instead of "trimesters" anyway. The bottom line is that pregnancy is 10 months if you go to full term and I am sure that any woman who has been pregnant for 40 weeks knows this all too well.**
In honor of this moment, I've decided to make two lists.
First, here are some of the things that I have really liked about being pregnant:
1. Experiencing the baby growing and feeling the baby move - hands down my favorite! It is a cliche for a reason - pregnancy is a true miracle!
2. Not feeling self-conscious about my body because I am supposed to be big! I have even liked wearing a two piece bathing suit for the first time in my life b/c it looks awesome with a big belly that is supposed to be there!
3. Talking to/emailing with other women about their pregnancy and delivery experiences - I will be standing on the shoulders of giants when i join the "club". Also, making friends with other pregnant women (online and here in Nairobi) has been great.
4. Making plans with Kristoffer for all the things we want to do and be as parents, our hopes and expectations for our child, the values we want him/her to know from day 1, etc.
5. Writing letters to Simba for him/her to read way in the future.
6. Planning and organizing for the baby to come.
7. Closely examining our own parents and how they raised us, plus how we see other friends and family raising their kids. This is not to judge at all, but rather to see what tips and strategies we want to pick up and definitely use in raising Simba or what things we think won't work so well for us.
8. Having an excuse not to lift things or bend over or go up and down the stairs a million times or sit in the back seat of the car.
9. Reading pregnancy/parenting books.
10. Feeling overly protective of and unconditional love for a person I have never even met yet!
11. Counting time in weeks :)
Next, here is a list of some things that I will not really miss when I am no longer pregnant:
1. Skin acne.
2. Having to go to the bathroom every hour or even more frequently than that!
3. Receiving unsolicited opinions and advice from strangers on everything from how I look to what I should eat to how I should deliver, etc.
4. Acid reflux.
5. Having a finicky/unpredictable/terrible appetite and not enjoying eating food almost at all in addition to having several foods that I used to like ruined for me forever (except for dessert foods like ice cream and chocolate chip cake...those things were never ruined for me - phew. But avocados? Forget about it.).
6. Waddling (although Kristoffer insists that I waddled long before i was pregnant).
7. Kristoffer singing, "I like big bellies and I cannot lie...you other brother's can't deny..." (instead of "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." from the hip-hop song "Baby Got Back").
8. Being more forgetful than usual and a little bit more moody/sensitive than usual too.
I would attempt to make a list of all those things that I wanted to do in my life before becoming a parent, except I can't think of that many! Most of the ones I can think of - like climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, for example - are things that I can still accomplish at some point later in life or are things that I really do need to accomplish before the baby gets here, like find a gosh-darn changing table pad!
At our Lamaze class on Tuesday night, we practiced all kinds of coping mechanisms for labor including using a birthing ball (just one of this big inflatable exercise balls), a stool for squatting, massage, breathing techniques, etc. This was useful...assuming we remember any of it during the actual labor experience, which is questionable. We also watched "THE video" of a few live births. They were really graphic! As I told my mother, I am sure that we will think our baby is beautiful and incredible and an amazing miracle when s/he comes out, but boy did those other babies look gross!
On Tuesday night after the Lamaze class when I went to sleep, I dreamed about my labor and delivery and in this dream (as opposed to a dream I had around Christmas when we were in the US), Simba was most definitely a girl! She had a thick head of dark hair and she was plump and pink and beautiful and we even named her something different than the girl's name we have chosen (which might cause us to rethink if the baby is really a girl!). Kristoffer says that the dream doesn't mean anything because in the first dream I ever had about the baby Simba was a boy and so that is the dream that counts. We'll see, Kristoffer...
When I am 36 full weeks on Saturday I will have Kristoffer take the usual monthly picture and post it. I haven't gained much (or any?) weight in the last few weeks but I do look a little bigger I think. According to books and websites, Simba will not get any longer in this last month but should continue to put on fat. We have an ultrasound tomorrow afternoon to check if Simba is still breech or has assumed the correct position yet...I can tell you right now that s/he is still breech but maybe by tomorrow s/he will move. And if not, s/he still has 30 days!
LMW
**36 weeks = 9 calendar months but only 8 pregnancy months because pregnancy months are calculated by the baby's development. I have found this to be very annoying for the entire pregnancy...40 weeks clearly does not divide evenly by 3 trimesters or 9 months and I would have much preferred to have pregnancy "quarters" instead of "trimesters" anyway. The bottom line is that pregnancy is 10 months if you go to full term and I am sure that any woman who has been pregnant for 40 weeks knows this all too well.**
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
February 3, 2009 - Baby Doctor Round 3...and the winner is...
Dr. Nesbitt, the 4th pediatrician I saw today, is our guy!
I definitely had the "you're the one" moment during our meeting. He was very well-prepared with information for me about his clinic, he is the first doctor who asked me questions about my pregnancy, about our birth plan, about myself and Kristoffer generally. Even though his clinic is not at the hospital where I am delivering Simba, it is located in the local Children's Hospital here which has a good reputation. And, he receives babies at our hospital all the time so unless he has another emergency or is receiving another baby at the same time, he will be with us to receive and check out Simba at birth. He is Kenyan, but educated in Ireland and the UK and had a very easy, calm, knowledgeable manner about him. I can see now why every expat mother I know at the UN uses him for their kids! His was the most American-like office of the offices I went to and, whether or not that actually matters, it did make me feel really good.
He even has a website, should you be as interested in our baby's health care as we are (which I doubt...come on, you must have better things to do with your time than check out my pediatrician's website), and here it is: http://www.muthaigapaediatrics.com/index.cfm
So Simba has not arrived yet, but does have a doctor...whose phone numbers have already been saved into my cell phone :)
LMW
I definitely had the "you're the one" moment during our meeting. He was very well-prepared with information for me about his clinic, he is the first doctor who asked me questions about my pregnancy, about our birth plan, about myself and Kristoffer generally. Even though his clinic is not at the hospital where I am delivering Simba, it is located in the local Children's Hospital here which has a good reputation. And, he receives babies at our hospital all the time so unless he has another emergency or is receiving another baby at the same time, he will be with us to receive and check out Simba at birth. He is Kenyan, but educated in Ireland and the UK and had a very easy, calm, knowledgeable manner about him. I can see now why every expat mother I know at the UN uses him for their kids! His was the most American-like office of the offices I went to and, whether or not that actually matters, it did make me feel really good.
He even has a website, should you be as interested in our baby's health care as we are (which I doubt...come on, you must have better things to do with your time than check out my pediatrician's website), and here it is: http://www.muthaigapaediatrics.com/index.cfm
So Simba has not arrived yet, but does have a doctor...whose phone numbers have already been saved into my cell phone :)
LMW
Friday, January 30, 2009
January 30, 2009 - Flipping Around
Today I had a big baby-prep day.
First, when I was out running some errands I bought diapers. To be specific, three different types of newborn diapers from Pampers. I don't know how much Simba will weigh (and everything here is in kilos, which still confuses me) and each kind of diaper had a different weight range...so I bought one pack of each. And some baby wipes. I assume this is a very "first time" mother thing to do. Now if the baby comes early, we will be able to keep his or her bottom fresh....although I have yet to find a pad for the changing table. It's on the list for next week.
Next, I met with an acupuncturist here - she is a great woman and I felt a very strong connection to her when I met her for the first time at Thanksgiving - about what she can do for women in labor and delivery. It turns out that she can't do that much actual acupuncture because during labor you aren't just lying still in a bed, but there are certain moments when she can do a little acupuncture and many moments when she can do different relaxation therapies and provide general support, similar to a doula. As of now, I am pretty convinced that I want to deliver Simba without an epidural or anything and so she is a good option for helping me cope with that. Kristoffer and I haven't decided how involved we want her to be, if at all, but I had a great conversation with her and I am happy to have her as an option.
Finally, we had a doctor's appointment. Turns out my iron is a tiny bit low, although not in the anemic range thankfully, so I have to eat more spinach! Also turns out I might have a urinary tract infection; I am getting retested tomorrow so that by the beginning of the week I can be put on antibiotics if that is the case. I don't feel sick or like I have a UTI, but it can be really bad for Simba if I do and it is harder to detect when you are pregnant because you are so used to your body doing crazy things. I haven't gained any weight in two weeks, but the doctor did not seem concerned about this because I had gained so much in the weeks prior to that. We mostly discussed more details about the hospital and the baby's positioning. While Simba cooperated two weeks ago and turned to the proper head-down position, currently his/her head is up in my ribs. I knew that before the appointment - I actually think Simba has changed positions 3 or 4 times in the last two weeks and I knew that s/he had flipped again. I will have an ultrasound next week to see what s/he is doing...but clearly the baby is not ready to come yet (ok by me!) and we just hope that by the time my body starts to push him/her out Simba has decided to get into the right position. I am rejecting offers to schedule a C-section or to induce labor at a moment when we know Simba's head is down because I would really like this baby to come out as naturally as possible. We still have 5 weeks to go and I don't feel that that is too little time for the baby to get into the right position.
This weekend we still have our Danish friends visiting as well as a new visitor from NYC - it is a full house! Kristoffer's friend Stig is going to sleep on a mattress in the nursery and we hope to get feedback on how he thinks the baby will like it (not that it is finished yet...but getting closer).
LMW
First, when I was out running some errands I bought diapers. To be specific, three different types of newborn diapers from Pampers. I don't know how much Simba will weigh (and everything here is in kilos, which still confuses me) and each kind of diaper had a different weight range...so I bought one pack of each. And some baby wipes. I assume this is a very "first time" mother thing to do. Now if the baby comes early, we will be able to keep his or her bottom fresh....although I have yet to find a pad for the changing table. It's on the list for next week.
Next, I met with an acupuncturist here - she is a great woman and I felt a very strong connection to her when I met her for the first time at Thanksgiving - about what she can do for women in labor and delivery. It turns out that she can't do that much actual acupuncture because during labor you aren't just lying still in a bed, but there are certain moments when she can do a little acupuncture and many moments when she can do different relaxation therapies and provide general support, similar to a doula. As of now, I am pretty convinced that I want to deliver Simba without an epidural or anything and so she is a good option for helping me cope with that. Kristoffer and I haven't decided how involved we want her to be, if at all, but I had a great conversation with her and I am happy to have her as an option.
Finally, we had a doctor's appointment. Turns out my iron is a tiny bit low, although not in the anemic range thankfully, so I have to eat more spinach! Also turns out I might have a urinary tract infection; I am getting retested tomorrow so that by the beginning of the week I can be put on antibiotics if that is the case. I don't feel sick or like I have a UTI, but it can be really bad for Simba if I do and it is harder to detect when you are pregnant because you are so used to your body doing crazy things. I haven't gained any weight in two weeks, but the doctor did not seem concerned about this because I had gained so much in the weeks prior to that. We mostly discussed more details about the hospital and the baby's positioning. While Simba cooperated two weeks ago and turned to the proper head-down position, currently his/her head is up in my ribs. I knew that before the appointment - I actually think Simba has changed positions 3 or 4 times in the last two weeks and I knew that s/he had flipped again. I will have an ultrasound next week to see what s/he is doing...but clearly the baby is not ready to come yet (ok by me!) and we just hope that by the time my body starts to push him/her out Simba has decided to get into the right position. I am rejecting offers to schedule a C-section or to induce labor at a moment when we know Simba's head is down because I would really like this baby to come out as naturally as possible. We still have 5 weeks to go and I don't feel that that is too little time for the baby to get into the right position.
This weekend we still have our Danish friends visiting as well as a new visitor from NYC - it is a full house! Kristoffer's friend Stig is going to sleep on a mattress in the nursery and we hope to get feedback on how he thinks the baby will like it (not that it is finished yet...but getting closer).
LMW
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
January 28, 2009 - Baby Doctor Round 2
Before delving into the details of the doctors, I have to say that last night's lamaze class was much better than the first class. There was still a lot of the mid-wife asking questions that most people felt too uncomfortable to answer aloud, but this week's mid-wife was much better than last week's. The whole class was about the three stages of labor (pre-pushing, that is), what mothers might feel physically and emotionally, what both the mother's body and the baby's body are doing during labor, how partners can help mothers, when to go to the hospital, etc. In other words, it was about "game day" details which is what we have been looking for, and it did include a lot of useful and new information. The two hours went by pretty quickly and, even though we were so tired before the class that we really didn't want to go, we were happy we did. There were only two moments of minor panic for me and Kristoffer:
1. The mid-wife said that it is "safe for the baby" if labor begins any time after 36 weeks...at which point we both looked at each other and said, "that's next week!" A few of the other couples noted our reaction and thought it was a little bit funny...they, of course, are only at 23 weeks right now. I think at 38 weeks we will be ready, but next week might be pushing it a bit for us!
2. The mid-wife also said that we won't be discussing pain management options until the 5th class (3 more weeks!) and should the above come true (labor shortly after 36 weeks) we wouldn't make it to that class! The mid-wife agreed to bring us the notes from the pain management class next week so that we can have them ahead of time and use them to complete our birth plan. We are hoping to get to the 5th class anyway!
So, lamaze class for the week: check. And today I interviewed two more pediatricians. I have to admit, I liked them both for different reasons and looking at all three doctors had anticipated a much clearer "winner", thinking that I would find one doctor I instinctively liked the best, rather than 3 doctors with different yet equally redeeming good qualities. Of course tonight I will spill all of the details to Kristoffer - my pros and cons of each doctor - and see if he will weigh in on the decision, but at the end of the day good old medical insurance might help make the decision for us because I don't believe all three of them participate in our insurance company (which I just discovered this afternoon). If that is the case, then it is good to feel comfortable with any of the three. Generally, I do think this hospital provides good care and that all three doctors were of very high quality and standards.
Today I also ordered custom-sized mattresses for Simba's cradle and crib, which is another thing to check off the list, but am still hunting for some key baby supplies, such as a changing table pad and sheets for the new mattresses (I think I'll have to go custom on those too but haven't figured out where I can do that yet). It is a good thing I am not working full time because I have a lot more things to do than I thought I would. At the same time, I am still doing a little bit of work for UNICEF to wrap up something from last year...but I have to admit that my heart is not really in it at all and I can't wait for it to be over.
To get back to lamaze class for a minute, the reason I was so tired before going last night is because I am not sleeping well at all anymore and on Monday night I really only caught 4 1/2 hours of solid sleep. My sister would tell me that my body is getting me ready for sleepless nights with a newborn (which I think is a raw deal...I should be allowed to get as much sleep as possible pre-newborn, right?), which might be true, but that doesn't make it anymore fun! Last night, for example, I woke up every hour on the hour to go to the bathroom for 6 straight hours in a row. I have been used to 2 or 3 bathroom trips a night for the entire pregnancy, but last night reached a new high, "even for you", as Kristoffer said to me this morning. I basically give up on sleeping between 6 and 7 in the morning, but by 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon (right about now, actually) I am desperately in need of a nap.
In fact, I think that about wraps up this blog and I will take a nap right now.
LMW
1. The mid-wife said that it is "safe for the baby" if labor begins any time after 36 weeks...at which point we both looked at each other and said, "that's next week!" A few of the other couples noted our reaction and thought it was a little bit funny...they, of course, are only at 23 weeks right now. I think at 38 weeks we will be ready, but next week might be pushing it a bit for us!
2. The mid-wife also said that we won't be discussing pain management options until the 5th class (3 more weeks!) and should the above come true (labor shortly after 36 weeks) we wouldn't make it to that class! The mid-wife agreed to bring us the notes from the pain management class next week so that we can have them ahead of time and use them to complete our birth plan. We are hoping to get to the 5th class anyway!
So, lamaze class for the week: check. And today I interviewed two more pediatricians. I have to admit, I liked them both for different reasons and looking at all three doctors had anticipated a much clearer "winner", thinking that I would find one doctor I instinctively liked the best, rather than 3 doctors with different yet equally redeeming good qualities. Of course tonight I will spill all of the details to Kristoffer - my pros and cons of each doctor - and see if he will weigh in on the decision, but at the end of the day good old medical insurance might help make the decision for us because I don't believe all three of them participate in our insurance company (which I just discovered this afternoon). If that is the case, then it is good to feel comfortable with any of the three. Generally, I do think this hospital provides good care and that all three doctors were of very high quality and standards.
Today I also ordered custom-sized mattresses for Simba's cradle and crib, which is another thing to check off the list, but am still hunting for some key baby supplies, such as a changing table pad and sheets for the new mattresses (I think I'll have to go custom on those too but haven't figured out where I can do that yet). It is a good thing I am not working full time because I have a lot more things to do than I thought I would. At the same time, I am still doing a little bit of work for UNICEF to wrap up something from last year...but I have to admit that my heart is not really in it at all and I can't wait for it to be over.
To get back to lamaze class for a minute, the reason I was so tired before going last night is because I am not sleeping well at all anymore and on Monday night I really only caught 4 1/2 hours of solid sleep. My sister would tell me that my body is getting me ready for sleepless nights with a newborn (which I think is a raw deal...I should be allowed to get as much sleep as possible pre-newborn, right?), which might be true, but that doesn't make it anymore fun! Last night, for example, I woke up every hour on the hour to go to the bathroom for 6 straight hours in a row. I have been used to 2 or 3 bathroom trips a night for the entire pregnancy, but last night reached a new high, "even for you", as Kristoffer said to me this morning. I basically give up on sleeping between 6 and 7 in the morning, but by 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon (right about now, actually) I am desperately in need of a nap.
In fact, I think that about wraps up this blog and I will take a nap right now.
LMW
Monday, January 26, 2009
January 26, 2009 - Baby Doctor Round 1
Simba is doing somersaults these days - I don't think s/he can figure out which way to settle, so sometimes his/her head is up and sometimes it is down. I am hoping that one of these days s/he will stop flipping, pick a spot and stay put (preferably head down) because the gymnastics are not so comfortable for me. It is getting harder for me to sleep long stretches at night without having to rotate my own position and, of course, go to the bathroom. Good news is that my leg cramps are a lot better, even if the rest of me is more uncomfortable. We have another checkup this week on Friday afternoon with my doctor.
To keep up with the active little one, I began my search for a pediatrician today. I had two appointments, but one of them was cancelled because the doctor was too busy with sick babies to meet with me. I can certainly appreciate that the babies are more important than a list-full-of-questions-bearing-potential-future-patient's mother. So I will meet that doctor and a third doctor on Wednesday morning. From three interviews, I hope to find one doctor that is a good fit for us.
The doctor I did meet with today was very nice; she reminded me a lot of my obstetrician in that she is very calm and relaxed and answers questions very thoroughly. Her medical training took place in Russia, actually, and she did her internship at our hospital here in Nairobi. She has been a practicing pediatrician for 14 years and in private practice for about 5 years. While she is a general pediatrician, she is currently doing a fellowship for a sub-specialty in pediatric endocrinology. She easily and comfortably answered all of my questions about the baby traveling, vaccinations, making appointments, etc. and she also said that she appreciates when parents come with their questions written down because it usually makes the parents calmer and appointments go smoother. I was happy that she wasn't turned off by my polite grilling! The only hitch with her is that for her fellowship she will have limited office hours in May, June and July and I am not sure that I am very comfortable only having access to her in the evenings and on Saturdays. Of course, we will also be away for the month of June so maybe it isn't that big of a deal. As much as I liked her, I am happy that I will have two other doctors to whom I can compare her before deciding.
Kristoffer and the guys had a great climb up and around Mt. Longonot yesterday and I had a girls day with my friend Stephanie. All is well in Nairobi - despite the immense afternoon heat - and I am now in my 35th week of pregnancy. I can't even express how excited I am getting to meet Simba!
LMW
To keep up with the active little one, I began my search for a pediatrician today. I had two appointments, but one of them was cancelled because the doctor was too busy with sick babies to meet with me. I can certainly appreciate that the babies are more important than a list-full-of-questions-bearing-potential-future-patient's mother. So I will meet that doctor and a third doctor on Wednesday morning. From three interviews, I hope to find one doctor that is a good fit for us.
The doctor I did meet with today was very nice; she reminded me a lot of my obstetrician in that she is very calm and relaxed and answers questions very thoroughly. Her medical training took place in Russia, actually, and she did her internship at our hospital here in Nairobi. She has been a practicing pediatrician for 14 years and in private practice for about 5 years. While she is a general pediatrician, she is currently doing a fellowship for a sub-specialty in pediatric endocrinology. She easily and comfortably answered all of my questions about the baby traveling, vaccinations, making appointments, etc. and she also said that she appreciates when parents come with their questions written down because it usually makes the parents calmer and appointments go smoother. I was happy that she wasn't turned off by my polite grilling! The only hitch with her is that for her fellowship she will have limited office hours in May, June and July and I am not sure that I am very comfortable only having access to her in the evenings and on Saturdays. Of course, we will also be away for the month of June so maybe it isn't that big of a deal. As much as I liked her, I am happy that I will have two other doctors to whom I can compare her before deciding.
Kristoffer and the guys had a great climb up and around Mt. Longonot yesterday and I had a girls day with my friend Stephanie. All is well in Nairobi - despite the immense afternoon heat - and I am now in my 35th week of pregnancy. I can't even express how excited I am getting to meet Simba!
LMW
Saturday, January 24, 2009
January 24, 2009 - Happy Birthday, Pops!
FIrst, Simba would like to wish his/her "Pops" (my dad) a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today. Simba is really hoping that Pops and Nene will get here in time for his/her actual day of birth - which is expected exactly 6 weeks from day (a few days earlier than that would be OK by me).
The baby furniture did arrive yesterday ON TIME, which is the first time such a thing has ever happened in Kenya's history...or maybe just in our history in Kenya. We really like it and now I have all kinds of small projects I want to do to organize/decorate the nursery. I feel like every day I organize or reorganize something...how much longer can this go on?! Even Kristoffer was as happy as I was when he saw the furniture in the room and last night he was like, "do you wanna go hang out in the baby's room?" Unfortunately, with the baby's room missing its key ingredient (eh hem...the BABY!) it is not that fun to just "hang out" in there...although Simba already has a lot of great books and toys to read and play with!
Last night two friends from Denmark - Stig and Steffan - arrived to visit for two weeks. They will go to the Masai Mara this week and next week will climb Mt. Kenya. It is fun to have visitors; Kristoffer was very giddy when he picked them up at the airport at 11:30 last night. Today we are going to take them to visit the By Grace Orphanage and will also give the orphanage some donations that people gave us when we were home in the US and DK. Tomorrow the guys will climb Mt. Longonot - Kristoffer's favorite thing to do with visitors...this will be at least his 4th time climbing the volcano!
Those are our weekend plans...hope yours is a good one!
LMW
The baby furniture did arrive yesterday ON TIME, which is the first time such a thing has ever happened in Kenya's history...or maybe just in our history in Kenya. We really like it and now I have all kinds of small projects I want to do to organize/decorate the nursery. I feel like every day I organize or reorganize something...how much longer can this go on?! Even Kristoffer was as happy as I was when he saw the furniture in the room and last night he was like, "do you wanna go hang out in the baby's room?" Unfortunately, with the baby's room missing its key ingredient (eh hem...the BABY!) it is not that fun to just "hang out" in there...although Simba already has a lot of great books and toys to read and play with!
Last night two friends from Denmark - Stig and Steffan - arrived to visit for two weeks. They will go to the Masai Mara this week and next week will climb Mt. Kenya. It is fun to have visitors; Kristoffer was very giddy when he picked them up at the airport at 11:30 last night. Today we are going to take them to visit the By Grace Orphanage and will also give the orphanage some donations that people gave us when we were home in the US and DK. Tomorrow the guys will climb Mt. Longonot - Kristoffer's favorite thing to do with visitors...this will be at least his 4th time climbing the volcano!
Those are our weekend plans...hope yours is a good one!
LMW
Thursday, January 22, 2009
January 22, 2008 - One Step Closer
Today we took the plunge and bought some high-quality-yet-extremely-overpriced-because-it-is-imported-from-South-Africa baby furniture, specifically a crib and a changing table, and they will be delivered tomorrow or Monday. This is what we bought:
I also went to a UN spouse club meeting today for the first time since last March. All of the women in the club are in agreement with the majority of our blog poll-takers so far in that they are convinced that Simba is a boy (there are several women in the club from Indonesia, India, and Malaysia and apparently these women have extremely accurate instincts about these matters). I am trying once again to initiate a book club with the group, which may not be the smartest undertaking just before having a baby, but in the meantime I am doing a lot of reading so I figured there is no harm in trying again.
Anyway, it is good news that we are one step closer to having an official baby nursery in our house, and of course our surprise find last weekend of a rocking chair makes it even better. My increasing nesting instincts are very pleased.
LMW
I also went to a UN spouse club meeting today for the first time since last March. All of the women in the club are in agreement with the majority of our blog poll-takers so far in that they are convinced that Simba is a boy (there are several women in the club from Indonesia, India, and Malaysia and apparently these women have extremely accurate instincts about these matters). I am trying once again to initiate a book club with the group, which may not be the smartest undertaking just before having a baby, but in the meantime I am doing a lot of reading so I figured there is no harm in trying again.
Anyway, it is good news that we are one step closer to having an official baby nursery in our house, and of course our surprise find last weekend of a rocking chair makes it even better. My increasing nesting instincts are very pleased.
LMW
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
January 21, 2009 - Teachers Make Bad Students
Last night Kristoffer and I attended our first of six childbirth (aka lamaze) classes. We should have predicted that the class - supposedly from 6-8 pm at the hospital - would have started on African time (approximately 30 minutes late) but we were so anxious because we planned to dash out a few minutes early to get to a television in time to watch Obama's inauguration live. We definitely started off a little irritated that it took so long for the class to begin.
Once it started, we were with about 10 other couples, all of us in our first pregnancies. The facilitators of the class were two mid-wives at the hospital. It is fair to say that Kristoffer and I were both underwhelmed, because most of the class discussed things that we have already gone through and experienced in addition to the fact that the lead mid-wife was very slow and everything she talked about could have been condensed to about 30 minutes total. People were very shy to talk and there wasn't a lot done to encourage trust and sharing. As a teacher by training, I don't do that well sitting in a class that I think is being taught poorly because I just think of all the things I would be doing to engage my students instead of the topic at hand.
We are definitely farther along in our pregnancy than anyone else in the class; most people are around 28 weeks and I am in my 34th week. The facilitators were like, "You should be taking a weekend crash course! You might not make it through all 6 of these classes!" That is very true, but I had previously been told that there were no upcoming weekend classes. Last night they said that this coming weekend there is a class, but we have friends coming from Denmark and Kristoffer would not be able to attend the class with me if I chose to do it (which defeats part of the purpose: for partners to learn how to support mothers during labor and delivery!).
So class started 30 minutes late, after 45 minutes there was a 20 minute tea/snack break (it is nice that the hospital provided snacks and beverages) and then it was almost 7:45pm which is when we planned to make our exit. We hung on a few minutes longer as the mid-wife talked about some possible solutions to aches and pains we might be feeling (note: I pretty much had every pregnancy symptom she described so she got the impression that I was really suffering in my pregnancy, but that is not true. I have probably had very mild versions of every symptom and because I am farther along than everyone else in the class I have already experienced more third trimester symptoms than the rest of them). I suppose because we have done a lot of reading throughout the pregnancy we didn't feel there was much new information at all. We finally snuck out at about 7:55pm and we aren't sure what the last minutes of class entailed or how long class actually went!
But we did arrive at our friend Stephanie's in time to hear President Obama's inaugural speech live in its entirety. We had missed his taking of the oath by just two minutes...which is too bad because in the replay it seems that he was pretty giddy as Justice Roberts messed up his lines! While we were not as overcome with emotion as we had been on election night and when he gave his victory speech, we thought his speech was pretty amazing, we were totally jealous of everyone in Washington, DC (because we used to live SOOOO close to the Capitol!), and we were so happy for the change in American leadership. It was an incredible night (save for Ted Kennedy's seizure, that is). We did not stay up for coverage of the parade or any of the inaugural balls, but I am getting caught up on all of that on CNN this morning. We did stay up much later than we usually do and I even slept in one hour later this morning as a result (until 8:00 am - wow!).
Right now, we have high hopes for the future of America and the world, and we have mediocre hopes that our next childbirth classes will be a little bit more engaging and informative than last night's class.
LMW
Once it started, we were with about 10 other couples, all of us in our first pregnancies. The facilitators of the class were two mid-wives at the hospital. It is fair to say that Kristoffer and I were both underwhelmed, because most of the class discussed things that we have already gone through and experienced in addition to the fact that the lead mid-wife was very slow and everything she talked about could have been condensed to about 30 minutes total. People were very shy to talk and there wasn't a lot done to encourage trust and sharing. As a teacher by training, I don't do that well sitting in a class that I think is being taught poorly because I just think of all the things I would be doing to engage my students instead of the topic at hand.
We are definitely farther along in our pregnancy than anyone else in the class; most people are around 28 weeks and I am in my 34th week. The facilitators were like, "You should be taking a weekend crash course! You might not make it through all 6 of these classes!" That is very true, but I had previously been told that there were no upcoming weekend classes. Last night they said that this coming weekend there is a class, but we have friends coming from Denmark and Kristoffer would not be able to attend the class with me if I chose to do it (which defeats part of the purpose: for partners to learn how to support mothers during labor and delivery!).
So class started 30 minutes late, after 45 minutes there was a 20 minute tea/snack break (it is nice that the hospital provided snacks and beverages) and then it was almost 7:45pm which is when we planned to make our exit. We hung on a few minutes longer as the mid-wife talked about some possible solutions to aches and pains we might be feeling (note: I pretty much had every pregnancy symptom she described so she got the impression that I was really suffering in my pregnancy, but that is not true. I have probably had very mild versions of every symptom and because I am farther along than everyone else in the class I have already experienced more third trimester symptoms than the rest of them). I suppose because we have done a lot of reading throughout the pregnancy we didn't feel there was much new information at all. We finally snuck out at about 7:55pm and we aren't sure what the last minutes of class entailed or how long class actually went!
But we did arrive at our friend Stephanie's in time to hear President Obama's inaugural speech live in its entirety. We had missed his taking of the oath by just two minutes...which is too bad because in the replay it seems that he was pretty giddy as Justice Roberts messed up his lines! While we were not as overcome with emotion as we had been on election night and when he gave his victory speech, we thought his speech was pretty amazing, we were totally jealous of everyone in Washington, DC (because we used to live SOOOO close to the Capitol!), and we were so happy for the change in American leadership. It was an incredible night (save for Ted Kennedy's seizure, that is). We did not stay up for coverage of the parade or any of the inaugural balls, but I am getting caught up on all of that on CNN this morning. We did stay up much later than we usually do and I even slept in one hour later this morning as a result (until 8:00 am - wow!).
Right now, we have high hopes for the future of America and the world, and we have mediocre hopes that our next childbirth classes will be a little bit more engaging and informative than last night's class.
LMW
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