Update on my prenatal questions
So for those of you that followed the blog for a while - back when I was about halfway through my pregnancy I did a few blog posts on "hot topics" - things like would I nurse, would we circumcise, etc. so now - 6+ month in I wanted to revisit those answers and see where we are today!
In black is my previous blog post - in pink are my answers today!
Q: Do you plan to return to work or be a stay at home mom?
A: So I answered this for the most part in my last post but in case you missed it I am planning - at this point in time - to return back to work. I cannot wait for maternity leave (65 days but who is counting) and I am looking forward to the whole summer off with my little one (My last day will be March 28th and I don't plan to return until August 4th) - but I think for me I will be one of those moms that needs to work - to feel fulfilled and content. And I am hoping it makes me a better wife and mombecause of it. But again, I have had many moms tell me once they looked into their baby's eyes there was no doubt - they were not returning. So my motto - never say never...
This one is an iffy one. So I am a SAHM mom but I am going to start consulting with my previous company next week - mostly from home - because I do miss being a part of the workforce. I loved my career - as stressful and annoying as it was at times - and so I'm hoping to strike a balance of both. But I do find it funny that back then I didn't even entertain the thought of staying home. Definitely never say never!
Q: Do I plan to breastfeed?
A. Yep! This is a funny one because breastfeeding actually scares me more than labor! My mom who also happens to be my best friend didn't breastfeed my brother or I so I feel like my resources and avenues for guidance are a little lacking but I plan to make full use of the hospital staff, the few classes we've signed up for and our amazing doula Rita!!
So we have been nursing for 6+ months although I'm sad to say I think we are weaning quickly. Ceej used to be a huge nurser - he loved it! He comfort nursed a ton and I think that helped what little milk supply I had. Well cue him getting bigger and needing more supplementation - at 5 months we were still using preemie nipples and he was getting frustrated and couldn't focus long enough to eat a bottle. Now we are on level 2 (which still aren't full flow) and he's not so interested in nursing. So we nurse in the morning and for a few minutes throughout the day and I've recently upped my pumping game again to try to put away a few ounces to at least give him a little breastmilk each day through the winter but every time I nurse him I relish the moment worried it may be our last.
Q. Perfect lead in to next question - do you plan to try a natural birth?
A. So I am saving a post for our doula (she really is amazing and just so happens to be my next door neighbor) but the short story is - we don't know! The thing that Chris and I are hoping most for is to be blissfully unaware and just go into labor unexpectedly. I would love to avoid a scheduled induction or a c-section because as you can all probably tell from our wanting to be surprised as to Baby Wik's sex - we would love to be surprised when he or she decides to grace us with their presence! That being said - I always thought I would be one that would walk into the hospital and beg for an epidural right away. However, after meeting with Rita I realize we are not educated enough - at this point - to make that decision. We will be taking the hospital's birthing class in a few weeks as well as Rita's natural childbirth series and will decide from there what we feel is the best choice for us. I will say however - going through IVF made me realize I am stronger and braver than I ever imagined so it may not take much for me to decide to at least try the natural route! :)
Hahaha I am literally laughing out loud at this one. So to start it off Chris and I did get our wish - we were watching some dumb Jack Kevorkian movie and napping on a chilly April Sunday when I awoke to my water breaking. We went in labor blissfully unaware just as we had always hoped! As for the natural part I think I only made it to 3cm dilated before I was like get the epidural in here right the hell now. I had had enough and let me tell you - zero regrets. After getting the epidural I feel like we really started to relax and enjoy labor and I would do it again in a heart beat!
Q: If I'm right and Baby Wik is indeed a boy - will we have him circumcised?
A. Maybe a weird question but I love it because Chris and I were talking last and we haven't even discussed this! My gut reaction is to say yes - but for sure something we still need to discuss.
After doing our research and consulting with our pediatrician - we decided not to circumcise Ceej (sorry buddy - you may hate me for this post in about 16 years). We just felt as though that was the right decision for our family - not that it is for everyone - but for us it was what made sense and we are very happy with our decision.
Q. Will we vaccinate the baby in a special way or stick to a more traditional shot schedule/
A. This again is something we haven't discussed too much. However, with all of the whooping cough outbreak scare information I have been seeing I know one thing is for sure and that is that I will trust my doctor/pediatrician. Chris and I have decided that we will be very strict on the whooping cough vaccination as it relates to anyone who plans to be around the baby for any significant period of time. I read a CNN article where there have been a number of infant deaths because they contracted whooping cough - not ok with this momma when it's something that can likely be prevented. As for vaccinations and things of that nature while I've been pregnant I did get the flu shot and will be getting the pertussis vaccine at 30 weeks just to be safe. Unless we can educate ourselves to the point where we feel comfortable making such an important decision on our own - we will likely find a pediatrician we trust whole heartedly and go with his/her recommendation.
Ahh vaccinations - such a touchy subject! So we are actually doing exactly what I said - we found a pediatrician we whole heartedly trust and we follow his modified schedule. CJ still gets all the recommended vaccinations (with the exception of the rotavirus vaccine which is a topic for a whole other post) and we are perfectly happy and comfortable with the path we are on. Currently we are so torn about whether to get the flu vaccine for Ceej - although the CDC recommends it they also mention that the effectiveness in those under 2 is questionable we are completely torn and will be decided soon. We both however have been vaccinated and will continue to be!
Q: Have we considered cord blood banking?
A. For sure! I am a big proponent of it but Chris feels as though he wants to learn more about it's benefits, costs, etc. For me - crazy science got us here and if we can use science in the future in the event that anything goes wrong with the baby I'm all for it!
Funny after lots of research we decided not to bank CJ's cord blood for many reasons - cost being the least of it.
Q: Have we picked names?
A: This is a funny one - my husband is a product manager now but is educated as an engineer. That means he's very analytical. So he came up with a whole methodology that I will spare you from but essentially we each came up with about 10 boys names and 10 girls names. We whittled it down to 5 each and we are close! We have a definite favorite for a girls name - and a strong back up. I have a very strong favorite boys name - which I am still trying to get Chris on board with - but otherwise we are light years away on boys names - which presents a problem if the little one indeed is a boy! So we are close but not there yet. We won't be sharing the names until the baby arrives so that we can keep them in our bank for the time when our little frosties become Baby Wik #2 and beyond :)
This is a fun one!! So Casey James as you know if after our maternal grandfathers - both of whom were very important parts of our lives. So I knew in my heart Case was a boy from probably about 14-15 weeks and from the beginning I always wanted Casey James and I fought HARD for it. I even at one point told Chris that he would have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if he wanted a different name haha! So momma got her way (even though Daddy loves the name too!) and we have our little CJ!
Q: Do we plan to baptise or dedicate the baby?
A. This is a tough one. I believe in God and know whole heartedly we would not be where we are today without him. I pray and I pray a lot. Surprisingly it was one of my favorite parts of acupuncture - an hour to relax in totaly silence and just talk to God each week - could not have been more perfect and it's a big reason I miss going! That being said - Chris and I do not regulary go to Church. I grew up going to a Wesleyan church but my family ended up converting to Catholicism. Chris grew up his whole life Catholic. Now that we are adults - we just don't believe or stand behind some of the things the Catholic church believes in so we feel it isn't right and would be hypocritical of us to stand up there and promise to raise our child in the church when we don't go ourselves. So the easy answer to this is no - not at this time. We will teach them to pray and to love God - but don't feel we need to baptize them to do so.
So as you probably know we have not dedicated or baptized Ceej and have no plans to anytime soon. We don't belong to a church, we don't go regularly and honestly haven't found one that we feel like we can subscribe to all their beliefs and values and until we do we won't be baptizing him. That doesn't mean we don't read bible stories and say prayers with him - just that we don't feel the need to make it official at this time. He was created by and is a child of God regardless of never having a ceremony to prove it.
Wow - that was fun! It's fun to look back on our answers then and what our lives are really like now. Can't wait to do the second!
XOXO
K
In black is my previous blog post - in pink are my answers today!
Q: Do you plan to return to work or be a stay at home mom?
A: So I answered this for the most part in my last post but in case you missed it I am planning - at this point in time - to return back to work. I cannot wait for maternity leave (65 days but who is counting) and I am looking forward to the whole summer off with my little one (My last day will be March 28th and I don't plan to return until August 4th) - but I think for me I will be one of those moms that needs to work - to feel fulfilled and content. And I am hoping it makes me a better wife and mombecause of it. But again, I have had many moms tell me once they looked into their baby's eyes there was no doubt - they were not returning. So my motto - never say never...
This one is an iffy one. So I am a SAHM mom but I am going to start consulting with my previous company next week - mostly from home - because I do miss being a part of the workforce. I loved my career - as stressful and annoying as it was at times - and so I'm hoping to strike a balance of both. But I do find it funny that back then I didn't even entertain the thought of staying home. Definitely never say never!
Q: Do I plan to breastfeed?
A. Yep! This is a funny one because breastfeeding actually scares me more than labor! My mom who also happens to be my best friend didn't breastfeed my brother or I so I feel like my resources and avenues for guidance are a little lacking but I plan to make full use of the hospital staff, the few classes we've signed up for and our amazing doula Rita!!
So we have been nursing for 6+ months although I'm sad to say I think we are weaning quickly. Ceej used to be a huge nurser - he loved it! He comfort nursed a ton and I think that helped what little milk supply I had. Well cue him getting bigger and needing more supplementation - at 5 months we were still using preemie nipples and he was getting frustrated and couldn't focus long enough to eat a bottle. Now we are on level 2 (which still aren't full flow) and he's not so interested in nursing. So we nurse in the morning and for a few minutes throughout the day and I've recently upped my pumping game again to try to put away a few ounces to at least give him a little breastmilk each day through the winter but every time I nurse him I relish the moment worried it may be our last.
Q. Perfect lead in to next question - do you plan to try a natural birth?
A. So I am saving a post for our doula (she really is amazing and just so happens to be my next door neighbor) but the short story is - we don't know! The thing that Chris and I are hoping most for is to be blissfully unaware and just go into labor unexpectedly. I would love to avoid a scheduled induction or a c-section because as you can all probably tell from our wanting to be surprised as to Baby Wik's sex - we would love to be surprised when he or she decides to grace us with their presence! That being said - I always thought I would be one that would walk into the hospital and beg for an epidural right away. However, after meeting with Rita I realize we are not educated enough - at this point - to make that decision. We will be taking the hospital's birthing class in a few weeks as well as Rita's natural childbirth series and will decide from there what we feel is the best choice for us. I will say however - going through IVF made me realize I am stronger and braver than I ever imagined so it may not take much for me to decide to at least try the natural route! :)
Hahaha I am literally laughing out loud at this one. So to start it off Chris and I did get our wish - we were watching some dumb Jack Kevorkian movie and napping on a chilly April Sunday when I awoke to my water breaking. We went in labor blissfully unaware just as we had always hoped! As for the natural part I think I only made it to 3cm dilated before I was like get the epidural in here right the hell now. I had had enough and let me tell you - zero regrets. After getting the epidural I feel like we really started to relax and enjoy labor and I would do it again in a heart beat!
Q: If I'm right and Baby Wik is indeed a boy - will we have him circumcised?
A. Maybe a weird question but I love it because Chris and I were talking last and we haven't even discussed this! My gut reaction is to say yes - but for sure something we still need to discuss.
After doing our research and consulting with our pediatrician - we decided not to circumcise Ceej (sorry buddy - you may hate me for this post in about 16 years). We just felt as though that was the right decision for our family - not that it is for everyone - but for us it was what made sense and we are very happy with our decision.
Q. Will we vaccinate the baby in a special way or stick to a more traditional shot schedule/
A. This again is something we haven't discussed too much. However, with all of the whooping cough outbreak scare information I have been seeing I know one thing is for sure and that is that I will trust my doctor/pediatrician. Chris and I have decided that we will be very strict on the whooping cough vaccination as it relates to anyone who plans to be around the baby for any significant period of time. I read a CNN article where there have been a number of infant deaths because they contracted whooping cough - not ok with this momma when it's something that can likely be prevented. As for vaccinations and things of that nature while I've been pregnant I did get the flu shot and will be getting the pertussis vaccine at 30 weeks just to be safe. Unless we can educate ourselves to the point where we feel comfortable making such an important decision on our own - we will likely find a pediatrician we trust whole heartedly and go with his/her recommendation.
Ahh vaccinations - such a touchy subject! So we are actually doing exactly what I said - we found a pediatrician we whole heartedly trust and we follow his modified schedule. CJ still gets all the recommended vaccinations (with the exception of the rotavirus vaccine which is a topic for a whole other post) and we are perfectly happy and comfortable with the path we are on. Currently we are so torn about whether to get the flu vaccine for Ceej - although the CDC recommends it they also mention that the effectiveness in those under 2 is questionable we are completely torn and will be decided soon. We both however have been vaccinated and will continue to be!
Q: Have we considered cord blood banking?
A. For sure! I am a big proponent of it but Chris feels as though he wants to learn more about it's benefits, costs, etc. For me - crazy science got us here and if we can use science in the future in the event that anything goes wrong with the baby I'm all for it!
Funny after lots of research we decided not to bank CJ's cord blood for many reasons - cost being the least of it.
Q: Have we picked names?
A: This is a funny one - my husband is a product manager now but is educated as an engineer. That means he's very analytical. So he came up with a whole methodology that I will spare you from but essentially we each came up with about 10 boys names and 10 girls names. We whittled it down to 5 each and we are close! We have a definite favorite for a girls name - and a strong back up. I have a very strong favorite boys name - which I am still trying to get Chris on board with - but otherwise we are light years away on boys names - which presents a problem if the little one indeed is a boy! So we are close but not there yet. We won't be sharing the names until the baby arrives so that we can keep them in our bank for the time when our little frosties become Baby Wik #2 and beyond :)
This is a fun one!! So Casey James as you know if after our maternal grandfathers - both of whom were very important parts of our lives. So I knew in my heart Case was a boy from probably about 14-15 weeks and from the beginning I always wanted Casey James and I fought HARD for it. I even at one point told Chris that he would have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if he wanted a different name haha! So momma got her way (even though Daddy loves the name too!) and we have our little CJ!
Q: Do we plan to baptise or dedicate the baby?
A. This is a tough one. I believe in God and know whole heartedly we would not be where we are today without him. I pray and I pray a lot. Surprisingly it was one of my favorite parts of acupuncture - an hour to relax in totaly silence and just talk to God each week - could not have been more perfect and it's a big reason I miss going! That being said - Chris and I do not regulary go to Church. I grew up going to a Wesleyan church but my family ended up converting to Catholicism. Chris grew up his whole life Catholic. Now that we are adults - we just don't believe or stand behind some of the things the Catholic church believes in so we feel it isn't right and would be hypocritical of us to stand up there and promise to raise our child in the church when we don't go ourselves. So the easy answer to this is no - not at this time. We will teach them to pray and to love God - but don't feel we need to baptize them to do so.
So as you probably know we have not dedicated or baptized Ceej and have no plans to anytime soon. We don't belong to a church, we don't go regularly and honestly haven't found one that we feel like we can subscribe to all their beliefs and values and until we do we won't be baptizing him. That doesn't mean we don't read bible stories and say prayers with him - just that we don't feel the need to make it official at this time. He was created by and is a child of God regardless of never having a ceremony to prove it.
Wow - that was fun! It's fun to look back on our answers then and what our lives are really like now. Can't wait to do the second!
XOXO
K
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