Here's To Silly!

So, I got no pictures so far.  I'll work on that.  Still, I just wanted to report on a few things. 

1 - I know I'm 12 days late, but everyone seems to be posting about their New Year's resolutions.  I don't really make those, and if I did, I think that September is a good time to do it.  I read that somewhere, and it made sense to me, what with school starting and the seasons changing and all.  Still, I feel a little bit like making some change for good.  My goal is to floss my teeth daily.  That's been my goal for 12 days now and I have yet to do it once.  Nevertheless, the goal remains.  I thought maybe if I shared it with the internets, it'd give me some accountability.  I used to be good at getting my floss on every day, but I've lost it and I blame it fully on marriage.  I love Wonderman and all, but he put a serious crimp in my hygiene style.  This is the year to conquer that.  I hope.

2 - Can I just write a glowing, rose-colored glasses bit about nursing?  First I will say that I haven't yet experienced the chapped nipples or mastitis or all the things that make nursing hard (although pumping is definitely not my friend).  I'm sure I'll get my turn.  That being said (recognizing that my experience is limited): I love being able to feed Bean with just me, the way we were built to do it.  It's beautiful and incredible and I can't imagine why anyone would say formula is easier because I can't tell you how many times Bean has started to get a little crazy and I just whip out a boob and she's fine (too crass?  sorry).  Love it.  Don't love nursing pads, but I'll take it.  Also, I think I am officially the dirty hippie who nurses sans cover.  Even at church, where I was sure I would always use the cover.  My cousin made me an amazing cover that I used at first, as I was getting the hang of things.  I am grateful for it.  I haven't used it in weeks.  It's so much easier this way.  I think I'm pretty modest and  no one sees anything too exciting and it just feels so natural.  Sigh.  Dirty hippie.

3 - On another hippie note, I have been wearing Bean as we walk around the island.  The Baby Bjorn is good, but she seems a little contorted or something.  Plus, she got a wicked sunburn after just one trip to campus (don't tell my mother-in-law).  I switched it out for this sling that my sister gave me.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I love it.  More comfortable.  More cute.  More Bean sleeping sweetly.  More better all around.  Ok, I still love the Bjorn and I know it has its place, but it's going to the back of the closet for a while.

4 - I love my cloth diapers.  I bought these and they work great.  After using disposables for all our travels, I am glad to be back to cloth.  They never come nearly as close to the blowouts or leakage as do the plastic diapers.  I have done a couple diaper laundry loads here on the island and they still work great.  I was worried about our washer being lame or the detergent not being good enough or them not drying or something else I hadn't yet imagined.  All is well.  And this has kept rash at bay so far (I know we're just beginning, but still, I think it's good stuff)

The end of me reporting on stuff today.

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As I am approaching my birth experience, my blog will probably begin to revolve more and more around my crazy hippie ideas and philosophies.  I have a lot to say as I have spent much time pondering and studying (in fact, Wonderman has multiple times expressed bewilderment at how much thought I have put into this process, as he can't imagine doing so himself.  I told him that is why I am having the baby and not him).  We've talked a lot about doulas.  I have a lot to say on the subject, and I haven't even hired a doula yet (let's all pray that I have time to find a great match in between my rush home and Bean's rush appearance).  I only wish I had seen this post (I have to confess, it's a link from another blog I read, but I don't remember which one.  I just open links that seem interesting and then have a bunch of tabs open and sometimes have no idea why when I get around to looking at them) earlier, as I think it may have convinced Wonderman a little sooner about the benefits of having a doula.  She describes my thoughts quite succinctly, although I do not think that Wonderman is a lame tard.

Conclusion:  Who wouldn't want a doula?  It seems crazy to do this without one.  And I may be crazy, but not like that.

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My last visit to the doctor was quite empowering.  I said "no" to something routine.  And I'm fine.  So is Bean. 

So, I read a lot of what I call (especially in conversations with Wonderman) my "crazy hippie blogs."  Lately most of these have to do with childbirth or child-rearing.  There is a lot of talk about empowering women to take back the choices regarding their pregnancies and births.  Discussions range from the mild to the extreme - from how to have a conscientious hospital birth to the at-home, unassisted birth.  The common thread seems to be essentially like proselyting  to let women know that they are in charge of what happens to them and they can choose what care to seek or accept.  So much of my experience has been hypothetical, as the doctor I've been seeing for seven months is not the doctor that will be around when Bean is born.  I have all kinds of things to ask my US doc and all kinds of ideas about how my natural hospital birth will be, but none of it seemed particularly relevant just yet.  I just go in monthly, pee in a cup, stand on a scale, and tell the doc I feel fine.

However, about three weeks ago was the time I was supposed to have the glucose tolerance test done.  I didn't want it done here, mostly because I have had BAD experiences with the nurses here drawing my blood.  I really didn't think about it past that.  I was planning on going back to Utah, so I told Dr. Dominica that I would do it there.  Then I stayed.  It didn't come up in conversation for a while and I "forgot" about it.  Then this week, Dr. Dominica got a worried look and said "You were supposed to do that at 28 weeks.  I'm going to call and see if you can still do it."  I inwardly rolled my eyes.  I knew it was on the list of "optional" tests (at least according to the crazy hippies).  I didn't have any concerns or reasons to be concerned.  I didn't want to do it.  Dr. D. came back with a relieved look.  "You can still do it."  Like a three-year-old I said, "But why?"  She tried to explain that it would determine if I had gestational diabetes (duh) and that it was just part of the prenatal testing that was done.  "But what would happen if we found out I had gestational diabetes?"  She explained that I would be put on insulin and marked as high-risk.  Since I'm fine and I feel fine and I definitely want to avoid any unnecessary risk labels, I said "I don't think I want to do it."  Dr. D. was great and didn't try to convince me of anything.  She just smiled and said it was my choice.  Then she told me that if I had done it, I would have had to take the one hour (each way) bus ride to Roseau and spend a couple hours at the lab, because it wasn't a test they could do here.  For that reason alone I was glad I said no. 

It was a small thing.  I really am glad to avoid the blood draws, the gross orange drink, and the travel time, but it wouldn't have been a big deal to do it.  I am confident it would've come back negative.  Still, I felt elated to recognize that I had been able to be in touch enough with my body, my baby, and my Heavenly Father to make a wise decision for us even if it didn't go along with the generally accepted norm.  I also think this was an important step in helping me realize the power I have to make decisions for what is best for me and for Bean.  As long as I can remain in tune, we're gonna be all right.  And I may be a crazy hippie yet.

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