Pregnancy: Week 22 & 23

I've been lagging on my posts. Shame on me. Ben and I are back in Alabama after our Christmas holiday in Tennessee. I've settled back in and put all of the Christmas decor away (I'm a little bitter about it).

Other than the same annoying back pain (which has grown to be almost more of a side pain) all things are well. Among my wonderful Christmas gifts was a pregnancy pillow (which is seriously like a third person in bed), a lumbar support pillow, prenatal yoga DVDs, and other goodies that have really helped to relieve some of the mysterious ailing pain. Along with the back/side pain, I have been introduced into the brutal world of heartburn, or as I like to call it, fire throat. So I now have a plethora of bedtime supplies, which include but are not limited to: My pregnancy pillow, cocoa butter belly cream, a Mozart cd for baby, and a large bottle of Tums. That's on top of my non-pregnancy related supplies like water, chapstick, my vaporizer, my fan for noise. I think my bedtime rituals exhaust Ben a little... Especially the one that involves me crawling out of bed every hour to visit the bathroom.

My mom gave me a little Betta fish tank for Christmas and I was so excited about it! Like I've mentioned before, I've been dreaming about fish throughout my entire pregnancy. The tank is the perfect size to put in the nursery. When it comes to things like this, I am very much a child at heart. Therefore, of course we have already brought home a special inhabitant for our tank. This is Leonardo DaVinci. He is a male Betta and is now officially the tiniest member of the Ashworth household. He currently resides on the guest bathroom counter, but will be moving into the nursery in good time.

I've refrained from reading and researching too much throughout my pregnancy. I feel like there is so much information out there and a lot of it can have a negative impact if you're not careful. I feel like if I google something I'm experiencing like ligament cramps or headaches the results say terrible things like, "You're baby has cancer!" I'm over analytical enough as it is... I really don't need any assistance. There is one book I'm reading, however, called Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

The author is Ina May Gaskin who has been declared the nation's leading midwife. She actually lives and works on The Farm (commonly referred to as "the hippy farm" by locals) which is a naturalistic community located about 30 miles from my hometown. I've visited The Farm before and it's actually really impressive. It was founded on the principle of respecting all religions and practices. It has all of the usual implements of village life - grocery store, medical clinic, filling station, schools, water systems, pharmacy, post office, cemetery, and scores of businesses and residences. The thing I find most impressive is the fact that this community is sustainable and completely self sufficient. Anyhow, back to the book... Go visit The Farm!! The book is really enlightening. The first half is a collection of stories from different women sharing their birth experiences. Most of the stories took place at The Farm or involved the midwives of The Farm. The stories detail experiences of women who choose to have natural births, mostly outside of hospitals. They're really inspiring and uplifting. The second part of the book is called The Essentials of Birth and discusses the power of the mind and body, along with many other things. It's a really great read for anyone, especially an expecting mother who intends to have a natural birth.

That brings me to the next subject... The big "E" word. Epidural. As many people already know, I am not planning on receiving an epidural and have every intention of having as few interventions as possible with my labor and delivery. I think I've been a little shocked at the reactions I get from people when I say that. Some people think it's great and offer words of encouragement and inspiration. However, most people look at me like I'm crazy. Some will even tell me that I am. I have to admit that I was taken aback... Who the hell do people think they are? I have my own personal reasons for wanting a natural birth (which I may discuss in a separate post one day) and I don't understand the need for people to make you feel like you're being ridiculous. It's almost as annoying as people giving me parenting advice.

I believe in the power of my body (and yours too!)