Flip it Like a Flapjack!

Yeah!!!! The baby flipped!! We weren't sure; we were doing all the exercises: anything and everything we could to encourage it to go head down. The baby was moving around a lot, and I thought I may have noticed some changes that might indicate a flip, but we were having trouble figuring what was the head and what was the butt and we didn't know if we should keep doing the exercises to encourage a flip or stop.

So I went for a quick check at the birth center and they confirmed by feeling head/butt, as well as ultrasound. The head is most definitively down. The one midwife high-fived me (yes!) and we were all so happy! I can cancel the appointment with the specialist. It is not likely that the baby will do any 180s at this point... I can get a belly band to further stabilize things down there. Thanks so much to everyone for your support, advice, what-have-you. SO HAPPY SO HAPPY SO HAPPY!

hello again

today was much improved. the weather was nice, though we're really supposed to get hit hard with rain tonight and tomorrow. had a good talk with abbers. took it easy. there was a good crew of volunteers and workshares out to help today.

AND... we had an employee picnic, complete with water balloon toss, pictionary, and all sorts of other fun games and door prizes. unfortunately i didn't win any cash prizes or anything else really, but it was a lot of fun. and there was birch beer and water ice and all sorts of other junk to get the baby moving in my belly.

finishing the day off with a good chiro session and will shortly head to yoga class. hasta luego.

hello

had a lovely 4 day weekend down the shore with old friends from college. hadn't all been together in 6 years!! mostly great weather, lots of relaxing.

today i was back to work and it felt kind of crappy. i was excited to go back, but it didn't feel good. combo of bad weather, body aches and pains, and feeling like i need to step back from some of the physical work but not feeling comfortable in doing that. i have been going so strong still, and feel good, but everything is getting harder. and will continue to i assume. plus, i need to stay out of positions that encourage the baby to stay breeched (typical farming positions like squatting, bending, lifting, great!).

i'm getting a little bit emotionally and physically exhausted and thought my trip away was the ticket to some rejuvenation. oh well. perhaps tomorrow my spirits will lift again.

midwisaywhat??

*breech! frank breech! the midwife told me my sweet angel babe is frank breech and we gotsta get to flipping the lil' one asap. i panicked... i'm better now. but still obsessing a bit.

*basically the further along we go, the less space there will be for the baby to flip, and we want the baby in a nice head down position for the last weeks of pregnancy. frank breech is a bit harder for the baby to flip out of because he/she has to somersault over the legs also.

*what's the big deal you ask? not many people will deliver a breeched baby vaginally, and the midwives at the birth center definitely will not. i was hoping to avoid a hospital birth and wanted to deliver the baby vaginally. so we'll just have to see what we can do and see how this whole thing evolves.

*i have exercises to do, that should help move the babies butt out of the pelvic floor area and encourage it to turn over. i am also seeing a chiropractor that has helped women with breeched babies... with something called the webster technique. i'm consulting with my acupuncturist friend, and prenatal yoga teacher. and then throwing in some positive visualization, talking to the baby to let him/her know what we're hoping for, etc. some people even do things with a flashlight or music lower on the abdomen to encourage the baby to follow the light/sound. one of the craziest things was to put an ice pack on the top of the belly, near where the head is... i guess to give the baby brain freeze and make it move away from the cold, i don't know!?!

*like i said, i am obsessing a little bit. but trying to remain calm and go with the flow. wish me luck. and send good energy and thoughts to the baby so that he/she and ger and i will all have a smooth, healthy labor and birth. head down head down head down!

*btw, i can't seem to get returns between paragraphs, or tabs. so i've resorted to asterisks.

Crane Mobile

I mentioned in an earlier post the mobile of my dreams that Aby and Sue made for me. I finally took some pics so you can see how beautiful it is.

Farm Shower!

Saturday night they threw me a surprise 2nd shower at the farm! What great friends and fam. I think I acted like a total wierdo when I walked in and everyone yelled surprise. I was a bit cranky at the time, and then I think it took me a while to realize what was going on. I tried to run away, but Tom stopped me. =) It was so nice though... I feel so loved! Great food, great gifts, great company. A beautiful night with the moon lighting up the sky. Yay! Thanks y'all.

Some of My Other Babies

Bok Choi

Yukina Savoy and Tokyo Bekana

Yukina Savoy

Escarole

Here's hoping these gorgeous fall greens

keep doing as beautifully as they are now...

Great week all in all. Feeling blessed.

Phenomenal weather, farm field day today, 3rd wedding anniversary, etc.

Still hoping to post pics from baby shower... patience...

Baby Showers and Rain Showers

Perfect weekend. Baby shower with gorgeous weather on Saturday and a nice quiet rainy morning Sunday. (The farm is thankful for that.) And we are so thankful for an amazing baby shower! It's so great to feel so loved, and get all this awesome baby loot... we're getting so exited! Gerard and I have been "nesting" this weekend too... setting up the crib, washing sheets and baby clothes, making space for him/her. I think they'll like it here in our little 1 bedroom... it's cozy and sweet. I reframed these sweet animal prints and we have one mobile hung over the changing area and the best gift EVER... a handmade mobile with origami cranes will go over the crib! That's from Sue and Aby, two of my nearest and dearest. I saw something a while back and said I wanted to make a baby mobile based off it, but never found the time/energy to do it. But the girls did it for me and it is so lovely! Hope to post so pics of it, and the shower in the next couple of days. And then photos with our NEW CAMERA, also one of the best gifts ever! Not to mention the top-of-the-line breast pump, etc. etc. etc. We are so so grateful. Love!

Fun on the Farm

Today, after lunch, we put a blanket on the ground inside the bean teepee and Aby, Adam, Amy and I all laid down, stretched out, and relaxed. Gazing up at the beans on the trellising, and the sky coming through, on this beautiful mid-70 degree day. It was our one moment of just sitting still, and enjoying something, and each other. At least for me it was. And it was simply wonderful. Next time, we just have to remember the corn ice cream and the "No Dogs Allowed!" sign.

Pea in My Pod

In the waiting room at the birth center yesterday

I was perusing Anne Gedde's book, Pure: My Pregnancy Journal.

There are lots of photos of moms and babies, simulating the baby in the womb. It was really fascinating. I sort of had this "Aha!" moment, realizing how there really is a little baby in me, kind of all just smushed up in there.

It's hard to believe, especially considering how compact I've remained.

But he/she's really in there. Just trying to make some room for his/herself.

Not too concerned about how it's affecting my bladder or ribs or muscles.

I guess he/she thinks I don't seem too concerned about them either,

all smushed and smashed in there. Poor baby. I LOVE YOU!

Back to the Grind

Not looking forward to going back tomorrow.

The weekend was nice; unfortunately my allergies were out of control and I feel a bit headache-y/out of sorts even now. But at least I wasn't doing ANYTHING. Went on a nice boatride to brunch with the in-laws today... really really pretty day. Beautiful weekend overall. Just those damn sinuses causin' trouble.

LOOOooong day tomorrow and Friday. But at least it's only a 4-day week and I have my baby shower to look forward to this weekend.

R and R

Going down the shore for Labor Day weeekend. So happy. Just need to get the last of our stuff together and get on the road. YaY! The pregnant farmer takes a vacay!

FYI, I'm now 31 weeks pregnant, and the baby is around 18" and somewhere around 4 pounds. He/she has been very active lately, but soon the baby will start running out of room and not be able to wind up before hitting or kicking me. I'll still feel movement, just not as severe. And hopefully the baby will settle into anterior head-down position in the next few weeks, and stay there, ready to come into the world like the little angel they are. =)