You Are Taken Care Of

Dear Baby Howell,

Early this morning as I was laying in bed struggling to get comfy, my mind started thinking about all the things your Daddy and I are doing right now to try to take care of you.

I force down prenatal vitamins the size of horse pills. I sleep on my left side because it's somehow better for my body with you in it. I abandoned my favorite drinks of Diet Mountain Dew and Starbuck's Cappucinos. I allowed myself to get stuck 6 different times in one of my many baby appointments. And, while your Daddy doesn't have to guard his body to help you grow, he's doing a stellar job to help me create a safe haven for you. He takes care of the dogs so they won't jump on me. He forces me to eat (even when I don't feel like it) so you can grow like you should. He brings me orange juice so I can get my vitamin C. He asks smokers to move so you won't be subjected to the harmful substances in the second hand smoke.

There are so many things we are doing now for you; but, I know when you enter the world, that list will multiply beyond measure. Not only will we take care of your physical needs, but as your parents we will take care of your spiritual needs, teaching you the love of God and His Word. That is our number one goal with you. Nothing else matters if we fail to do that. While somemay tell you that going to college is a measure of success, or marrying a rich spouse is a measure of success, or being happy on this earth is a measure of success, we will teach you from day one that true success is living your life and going to heaven.

You're going to be a very blessed little baby; because, not only do you have a Mommy and Daddy who care for your soul, you will have a slew of relatives -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc -- who will help us and ultimately help you reach true success.

Love,
Your Mommy

This "Morning" Sickness Thing is NO JOKE!

For those who have never experienced the joy of pregnancy, you have the misnomer that "morning" sickness occurs in the morning. (Seems logical, right?) WRONG! At least for me, the nausea is there when I wake up in the morning and lingers until I lay down my head at night.

Saltines and Daniel's special homemade ginger tea = My recipe for some relief. However, I notice that it becomes a cycle. The nausea makes me not want to eat, so I don't eat and get weaker, causing me to be more nauseous! Woah!

However, the "symptoms" are a comfort to me, providing a constant reminder that my baby is doing well inside of me. I will cling to the comfort of those symptoms until the 2nd trimester, when I can breathe more of a sigh of relief, that the extreme danger time has passed.

Thoughts on Midwifery and Natural Birth Philosophies

Pregnancy and the birth of a child is not a medical condition, it is something that our Maker put in place to multiply mankind. How wonderful the process is and how glorious it is to think that God Almighty was the designer of the whole process!

Because of this reason, my whole philosophy towards pregnancy and childbirth led us to the Madisonville Women and Birth Center which is run by nurse midwives.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with nurse-midwifery, this description was taken directly from their website:http://www.wellnessandmaternity.net/

"Nurse-midwives at the Women’s Wellness and Maternity Center practice the midwifery model of care.

This model at the Center encompasses:
* Individualized care in an un-rushed environment
* All woman staff providing women with information to make informed decisions and take responsibility for their own health
* Appropriate health screening, risk assessment, and referrals

In addition, pregnant women at the Center will receive:
* A nurse-midwife who will stay with you throughout labor and delivery
* A nurse-midwife who will develop a plan with you for your labor and delivery

At the birth center, we try to provide the care that the woman and her family desire. We allow as many family members, including siblings of the new baby, to be present at the delivery as the mother wants. We do not separate the mother and the baby. Women are able to manage pain through freedom of movement—they may walk outside, get in the bathtub or labor pool, and use a variety of positions in labor. The Center is a UNICEF baby friendly facility which means we encourage breastfeeding and do not give artificial nipples to breastfed babies. The midwives are happy to discuss and try to accommodate any other specific requests that the family may have."

Did you know that a Obstetrician's education and experience is typically focused on COMPLICATIONS in pregnancy and delivery? Midwives, on the other hand, focus and thrive on aiding healthy pregnancy and births!

At the time, and because of my low-risk, I feel like having a midwife oversee the pregnancy and delivery is the best choice for us! I pray that the pregnancy will continue to be uncomplicated so I can continue on this path.

Two Lines = Three of Us Now!

Our hopes and prayers were answered when that one extra little line on the stick appeared. I thought I was seeing things, so I ran after Daniel (who had already pulled out of the driveway) to get a second opinion.

"Yes, I see two lines." Daniel said. "What does that mean?"

I told him and we had our moments of squealing. After 6/7 months it happened! There was proof on that stick that a living being was inside of me.

And so begins our journey into pregnancy and parenthood.