35 Week Checkup

Wow! I can't believe that I'm already at 35 weeks! My appointment went very well today according to midwifery assistant Bennett (He's measuring my belly.) and I'm right on track for homebirth #4.

The next appointment (37 weeks) is a biggie and a major milestone when planning a homebirth. It's the visit typically known as the "home visit". Of course, I've been blessed to have all of my visits at my house but if your midwife is local, you travel to her office/home for your appointments and it's at 37 weeks when she comes to your home to make sure you have everything ready and all supplies on hand.

The reason that 37 weeks is an important milestone is that if you go into labor any time before that, you risk out of a homebirth for the health of the mother and baby. So far, I've had no risk factors for pre-term labor, great blood pressure, and appropriate weight gain which is also taken into consideration so I'll be excited when I officially pass into my 37th week.

At the home visit, here's what my midwife will be checking to make sure I have ready:

• Birth Kit (to be ordered from Baby, Birth & Beyond- kinda sounds like Bed, Bath and Beyond don't you think?)- contains about 20 different items including gloves, peri bottle, cord clamp, thermometer, chux pads, etc.)


• Phone Numbers and Emergency Birth Instructions posted - phone numbers of my ob/gyn and hospital should a transfer be needed, as well as a copy of my records


• Infant Car Seat - oh yeah, I've got to get that out of the attic! Safety guidelines state using one not older than 5 years old- surely my six year old one will do, right???


• For Mom- 2 sets of clean sheets and pillowcases, 6 bath towels and washcltohs, Nursing gowns/tank tops


• For Baby- receiving blandkets/baby blankets, 2 newborn hats, baby's first outfit, newborn diapers


• Supplies- 2 rolls paper towels, 1 box drawstring trashbags, 4- 30 gal. trash bags, 2 plastic dropcloths, 2 large bowls, 1 flashlight w/ new batteries, 1 package overnight pads, lysol wipes, one new package toilet paper, small bottle of olive oil, 1 package waterproof underpads, 1 package moist toilet wipes, 1 bottle alcohol


• Car with gas tank at least 1/2 full


• Extra person for sibling care


• Birth tub with hoses


• Food and Drink- Light food: yogurt, eggs, toast, grapes, chicken broth, 2 qt. clear juice, mother's favorite hearty meal for after the birth, Emergen-C packs


• Ice Options- Lots of ice cubes for drinks and cold packs, reusable gelpacks or Ziploc bags with crushed ice


• Optional Items- Coffee for midwives and helpers, honey for energy, favorite music, camera batteries, video camera battery and someone to film, candles, birth ball, rice or flax sock for heat/cold, crockpot for warm compresses, large handheld mirror

Seriously, they have thought of everything!

Prenatal checkup - 23 weeks

I'm usually at home alone with the kids for my prenatal checkups, so I never get to take any pictures. Unfortunately for Simon he was home not feeling well last week for my 23 week checkup, but on a positive note I got him to get a few shots of us listening to the baby's heartbeat with the fetoscope.

One thing I love about these visits is that the minute that the midwife comes in the door, the kids swarm her and don't leave my side until the visit is over. I guess I assumed they'd always want to go and do their own thing since we're at home, but they're always right there and love to get involved in any way they can. I feel so blessed that they know that this is their baby as well and are concerned for me and baby Graham.

Oh, and you may ask, why a fetoscope instead of a doppler to listen to the baby? The doppler uses ultrasound technology to bounce sound waves off the baby and returns the sound of the fetal heartbeat. While super easy to use and pick up the baby's heartbeat, there are studies of developmental risks with continuous use of ultrasound on fetuses (both dopplers and sonograms). So, we choose to only use the doppler during labor to monitor the baby's heartrate.

Midwife Goodness

When is the last time you had a health care provider drive more than two hours to your house for your appointment and visit with you for over an hour and a half?

This afternoon I'm on a midwife high.

After having had three OB appointments already in this pregnancy, it's so easy to believe that that was as good as it gets. I mean, after all, my OB is kind, thorough and professional. What more could I want?

That all flew out the window when I reconnected with my midwife today.

I hadn't seen her in what was close to two years- the last time being at my postnatal checkup after Bennett was born. The minute she stepped out of her car all that time slipped away. We hugged and immediately began catching up on the latest - her recently attended births, her family, my family and last but not least, my health and pregnancy.

Since she's a Christian, I shared with her how the Lord walked with me during my miscarriage last fall and how I'm doing now- my hopes for this pregnancy and my fears. All of this just spilled out without her ever having to ask. Funny that even with my OB asking me if I have any questions, I never even consider broaching those subjects.

She checked my blood pressure, measured my fundal height, I weighed myself and had a refresher course in checking my urine for protein, blood, specific gravity, and levels of pH, nitrites, leukocites, bilirubin and glucose... so that's what the nurses do with my pee when I put it through the hole in the wall at the OB's office! :) It's fascinating stuff to me and I love knowing what's going on with my body.

All this going on while the kids ran around playing and helping her with her "mystery bag" with measuring tape, blood pressure cuff and stethoscope inside.

And yet, my midwife will make the more than 4 hour total drive no less than 10 more times during this pregnancy, delivery and for post natal visits.

Is it any wonder the the names of the midwives in the book of Exodus in the Bible (Puah and Shiphrah) when translated from Hebrew into English means "Beauty" and "Splendor"? :)