Baby Boy Beal Bump (BBBB) :)

There are no words to describe how pregnant I feel.  That being said, a pictures worth 1,000 words.

Have a little faith

I trust the doctors, I trust the midwife, I trust myself and most of all, I have faith in God.  Some things must be left up to him.

~Mama Beal

Today is the Beginning of the End

So yesterday I had an appointment with the midwife and she said that I HAVE to be in labor by Friday and no later.  She said if I haven't gone into labor by Friday, I will have to go back to Hudson and they will give me pitocin to try to get me into labor.  Once I'm in labor at the hospital, it then becomes a hospital birth with the midwives present.  So, even though this sounds like bad news, it's also good news because we know he will be born by the weekend. 

After the midwife checked me, she found out I was dilated 1 cm and she could stretch me to 3 cm which meant she could strip my membranes.  Not comfortable but another opportunity to get the labor process started.  After she did the procedure, I started having contractions at 2:10 every 10 minutes for several hours.  They were REALLY weak contractions but they lasted through the night but didn't change in intensity.  If that didn't put me into labor, the next step is to take Castor oil.  What the heck does this mean?!  Well, here's what I do.  I was told to eat a "hearty meal" 1 hour before I take the crazy concoction.  Here is the "recipe" for a castor oil induction, the midwife said in her entire practice, she's only had 2 people who this did NOT work at all for. 

1 cup crushed ice
6 oz citrus juice
1 pinch of baking soda
1 banana
4 oz of castor oil
1 shot of vodka (optional)

Drink with a straw so it doesn't coat your teeth and inside of mouth with the oil.  Also eat with saltines or crackers. 

Well, this was supposed to start at 9:20 and that's what time it is so hopefully this is the last post until baby Beal is born.  Wish me luck that I don't get the shit's without any contractions or baby at the end.  (that would be the ultimate frustration.)

Cheers!
MamaBeal

It's Labor Day ...

And so far, I'm NOT laboring.  I am REALLY trying though.  I'm putting in the effort. 

Several long walks and sitting on the Yoga ball etc, and still no baby.  We went to Hudson WI the other day to see a physician for a BioPhysical exam and a Non-Stress Test for the baby.  Everything seemed to be fine and in order.  The physicians recommendations were to "just wait".  So that's exactly what we're doing.  If we haven't had the baby by next week on Monday, we will go back to Hudson for another BioPhysical and Non-Stress Test. 

As we wait, I've taken a few pictures of proof that we are ready for Baby Beal 2's arrival. 

Here's our bags, all packed and ready to go to the birthing center.  They've been packed for weeks, probably a month.  The Baby's bag is already in the car along with the baby car seat which makes our small Subaru look like a clown car.  No more of us driving our friends around, they're going to have to drive us if we go anywhere.

Here's the Yoga Ball I've been sitting/bouncing on recently.  Sometimes I have contractions and this helps to relieve some of the pain.

Presents have been bought by Abby for the new baby and even the baby bought Abby a present (but she doesn't know that yet.)

And here's the very eager big sister WAITING ... PATIENTLY for her little brother to show up.  She can't wait to meet him.  Every morning she wakes me up and gives me a hug and kiss and the next thing she does is shakes my belly and says "baby come out!"  If anything, this has given us the opportunity to show Abby what it means to be "patient".

"Waiting is the Hardest Part"

Like the Tom Petty song says, "Waiting is the Hardest Part."  That's for sure.

I'm sick of being pregnant.  Sick of having to go to the bathroom every 3 hours at night.  Sick of not having any clothes to wear.  Sick of the hip pain.  Sick of working hard to try and make something happen.  Sick of the comments from strangers.  Sick of thinking about it.  Sick of people asking "so, when do you think the baby will come?"  Sick of waiting!!!

I don't know why I have to wait so long but ... if I have to wait, I have no choice.  I keep telling myself, "at least I'm not having a C-section."  Because if I were still at Waconia, they would be pushing me to have the C-section at this point.  Being at Morning Star Women's Health Center it just isn't an option.

So, because I'm sick of being pregnant, Thursday we're having a Bar-B-Que just to get my mind off "being pregnant".  Every weekend Jason and I have been kind of  ... putting things off and not doing much because we're never sure if something is going to happen and when nothing happens ... we've just wasted another weekend of missing out on fun stuff with our friends/family.  So ... if I go into labor during an event, so be it.  :)

So tomorrow I will officially be 1 week overdue.  They say, on average, women will go over due 1 week and 1 day.  So Friday I'm scheduled to go see a doctor in Hudson WI that the Midwives at MorningStar trust to make sure baby and I are able to continue to be "overdue".  The midwives are very reassuring that they've never had anyone go overdue more than 2 weeks.

Wish me luck, I would have posted a picture but ... seriously, nothing has changed besides I've gotten bigger and crankier. :p

~Mama Beal

Here comes my due date ... And ... there it goes.

Well, August 26th has come ... and gone.  It is now the 27th and I am officially "over-due".  The lady at the coffee shop looked at me and asked me when the baby was supposed to come.  It's interesting to tell them "yesterday."  I also went into Creative Kids Stuff to buy Abby a present from the new coming Baby Beal and the sales lady saw me from behind and asked how I was doing, when I turned around, her eyes got real big and I'm pretty sure she lost her train of thought and then walked away.  Yeah, it's FUN to be looked at like a freak of nature.

Anyways.  I have officially never been this pregnant before so this is all new.  With Abby, they induced me at 38.5 weeks.  So, feeling "ready" to have the baby is an understatement.  Jason and I have been trying everything to move things along.  I've been adjusted, had acupuncture, done Moxibustion (this is a weird thing but supposedly it works well), I walk 2 times a day for 15 minutes at least, one day I went for a 3 mile walk (that was exhausting).  The little booger is just nice and cosy inside. My only worry is that I will go 2 weeks overdue and the next step will be to have a C-section.  I am so ready to do this, I KNOW I can do this, God just needs to grant me the opportunity. 

I really appreciate all the support I've been receiving.  Everyone has been so encouraging these last few weeks as my due date has come and gone.  It is truly what has kept me going.  I've been exhausted recently so the encouragement is MUCH needed at this point.  Thank you so much, keep sending me positive thoughts and prayers.  I just want everyone to know that I'm not only doing this for myself, the baby, Abby and Jason but I'm doing it for all my readers, and all the women in my family that have had C-sections before me.  I'm doing this for all of you as well as myself. 

If I can do it, you can do it. 
Thanks again everyone, hopefully next time I post I will have become a mom for the second time.
~Mama Beal

5 days ... AND LOOK AT THIS ZUCCHINI!

My "due date" is slowly but quickly approaching.  I haven't really been feeling any different from last week but when I looked at the pictures from the last post, I obviously have increased in belly size.  I must be growing though because I literally have no shirts that cover my belly anymore.  On my off work days I find myself rummaging through Jason's drawers to find his few extra large T-shirts.

As the days go by, I find myself feeling more and more prepared to have this baby.  People keep asking me "do you just feel like you want to be done?"  Well yes ... but I feel like I had an epiphany the other day and the best place for an epiphany is, of course, the bathtub.  I was laying in there thinking about my decision to have this baby and do it naturally and attempt this VBAC and I suddenly knew I was ready.  I'm not just physically tired and ready to be done but I know that I am mentally prepared.  I CAN do this.

To put things into perspective as to how my pregnancy is progressing, I'm feeling round, I'm measuring about a week ahead of schedule and I'm occasionally having braxton hicks contractions.  PLUS, when I walk into a room of people who don't know me, they almost look startled as to how big I am.  (yeah, that makes a pregnant woman feel REALLY good.)  I haven't been nesting, infact, I've had to force myself to clean the house for a showing that we had.  I've even started doing dishes (against my own will) just to see if it would maybe put me into labor, kind of a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" mentality.  I don't think it's working.

Anyways, to spice it up a bit, I have taken the regular picture of my growing belly but we also have received some rather large Zucchini's from our organic farm share.  I've never seen zucchini this large before.  They've got to be about the length of a full grown baby! :)

Have you ever seen a Zucchini this huge before???  It's GOT to be about the length of a baby.

Aw, Zucchini Baby.  (Weird, I know.)