Concentration, Meditation, Determination and Stamina

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With 17 weeks to go I am preparing my mental and physical self for childbirth. To go about this thing naturally I know that I will have to prepare myself for the wildest sensations and emotions ever. My research has led me to my old friends relaxation, stamina, and yoga. In learning different breathing and focusing techniques for going through labor I realized I have used many of these before.

I didn’t make it though my first hilly 10K without focusing on my breathing, pulling the power from within me and taking it mile by mile. By mile four my legs were on such auto-pilot I remember being amazed at how quickly I conqured the final miles.

In my 95 degree hot yoga class not only was I successful and happy in every pose, the initial agony of the brutally hot and humid room simply faded away. Had focus and meditation done that for me? I think so. I recall actually embracing the heat as it allowed me to stretch and twist further than I had ever before.

Several years ago Joe purchased a blood pressure machine to keep tabs on his own health and I welcomed the chance to compete with him to see who had the lowest numbers. To this day, no matter who comes over and chooses to play the blood pressure game, I am the winner. And if I feel that I can still make that number lower I sit in focus. By taking deep calming breaths and relaxing my entire self I am able to drop my blood pressure even more in a matter of minutes.

In choosing to go naturally in childbirth I am learning the extent to which I will have to breathe, focus, and use all of my tools to deliver our child into the world.  Luckily I have a great doctor who has not judged my fear of needles in my spine and only offered suggestions and support in how to prepare for it. Joe fully supports my decision and knows that his role is to hold my hand, possible jab a tennis ball into my back, and keep people from being too cheerleader-y or rubbing me. Both of which will get you hit or cursed out on a good day and I am realistic about what the power of meditation and focus can control.

I am blessed.

Moore Organic Food for Us

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Joe and I can’t wait to pick up our first box of organic food from Moore Farms and Friends. This southern region group of organic farmers offers up their goods every week for $20 and $30 a box. Selections include fruits and vegetables but you are also able to add cage free eggs, grass fed beef, and dairy products.

When you know what you are eating you then realize what you don’t want to eat. When I was trying to concieve I made the effort to rid my diet of garbagy chemicals and pesticides. I am a firm believer that when you eat garbage you become garbage on the inside. My goal was to make the best environment possible for our little person to thrive. Many people say, “My mom did not buy special foods when she was pregnant with me.”, to that I respond, “She didn’t have to.” In the past 30 years food companies have cut cost corners by using cheaper chemical ingredients instead of real ingredients in their foods. When we make these substitutions they can have drastic effects. Not only have these foods combined with our sadly sedentary lifestyles led to higher obesity numbers; they have also changed the chemical makeup of our youth. Do you think it is just a fluke that girls are showing signs of puberty as early as seven years old? I don’t.

You can keep the chemically crap, thanks.  

The Fun of What’s to Come

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Joe and I visited the Seed Factory yesterday and did our registry. The store has some of the coolest baby stuff ever. Everything is nice without frilliy bows and pink and blue are not mandatory. The most fun part of the entire trip was thinking about our little person wearing or playing with the items we have registered for. All of our registries are bare bones and are filled with items that will not only fit our busy lifestyles but also our one bedroom condo. No we aren’t moving anytime soon so don’t ask.  Companies like Skip Hop and Haba make great toys and diapering items that don’t cramp your style or lifestyle and I love them.

                                                 Skip Hop Pronto Diaper Changing travel kit
Haba wooden teether

We really liked the Dwell Studio line of items. The pattern we chose worked well for both a boy or a girl and was covered in owls. While we won’t do everything in this patttern, we will combine it with solids, it isn’t too obnoxious.  And who dosen’t like owls??

bibs and burps cloths
sweet little sleepsack
The store also carries Petite Bateau, Jellycat, Blablah, and many other brands that are certain to be toxin and bad thing free. While my dear friend Lesley wasn’t working that day, the store owner Rachel was awesome at helping us pick out all of our items and showing us new items we may not have considered.

Visit the Seed Factory website at http://www.seedfactoryatlanta.com/.

Work It Out!

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Hambone at 20 weeks

My initial bout of nesting has passed. I think it has something to do with the fact that Joe completely rearranged the bedroom which also means it is cleaner. The move allows for more floor space on my side of the bed so I will be able to nurse easily if we decide to have Hambone sleep in the same room as us. We are open to whatever works best and think we have made room for all of those options.

I am doing my best to keep up with my cardio. Sunday morning I made it out to walk at Piedmont Park for 2 miles. Trying to keep healthy, eat healthy, and gain the right amount of weight before each doctors visit isn’t easy. I am trying to never “get hungry”. Before I got pregnant once I got to a point where I felt hungry I knew I had a very small window in which to eat before I got crazy and migrainey(I know that is not a word). I really don’t want to get that way with baby so I always have crackers or a granola bar stashed in my purse just in case.

Hambone enjoys kicking and Joe has been able to feel some big kicks. After looking at the ultrasound I felt bad for how cramped it appears the little one is in there. In the above picture there knee was actually bent up to their nose. Oh well, the big stretch out comes in December. Speaking of, I am currently wrapping my head around meditation, breathing and all of the tricks of natural labor. I think the most important thing to know is that this will a feeling like no other and the reality is I am squeezing a human out of me. It will not be a walk in the park!!