So...today is our first Childbirth Class! Im so excited to go tonight. Its only 2 hours long but Im really excited to see how Brad responds to this experience. Its gonna make it even MORE real than before. Other than that, there isnt a ton of new things to let you guys know about. I had an interview today for a new position at work. Its a pay raise and I would get to work from home 3 days a week. That would be HUGE for me. Since we moved out to Spring Hill, its a 40 min drive to work every day. Not to mention, once the baby gets here, working from home would be a HUGE plus for me. The interview went well today and I have a follow up interview tomorrow with the next person up the chain in management. Hopefully it all works out and Ill get to start the new position at the end of the quarter. Anyway, on to the questionnaire.

How far along? 26 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 10 lbs

Sleep: Sleeping well except for the transition when we moved to the new house.

Best moment this week: Moving into our new place.

Movement: All the time. He is using my body as a punching bag...my belly jumps EVERYWHERE.

Food cravings: Bananas...apples with peanut butter...pretty much fruit

Gender: Boy.

Belly Button in or out? out...but not ridiculously out

What I miss: bending over without being uncomfortable

What I am looking forward to: Our class tonight!

Milestones: passed the gestational diabetes test!!

I also ran across this awesomeness on one of the message boards I frequent. It is NOT directed towards anyone (so dont get all offended or get any ideas :P). I just thought it was funny...although the belly comment needs to be emailed to the entire company that I work for :).

Dear Non-Pregnant Person
,
I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is 'Congratulations!' with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an ass.


2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase 'my baby'.

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it. The same goes for the name of the baby.

4) The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.


5) Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance, and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is 'You look fabulous!'.

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL (Mother-in-Law) or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to 'help out'. If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

8) If you did not receive an invitation to the ultrasound, amnio, hospital, L&D, home then you were not invited. You do not get to trump the mother's call on this one. Don't think you are doing us a favor by just showing up to "help out". If your assistance is needed, it will be requested.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less. I hope this helps- it sure makes us feel better.

Signed, All Pregnant Women