Our chunky monkey is on the move!

Who would have thought that at 39 I would be going through the pregnancy stage again? Oh gosh I had wanted more kids for the longest time! I just had to find the right guy! Long story visit my other blog for that Jerry Springer saga.

Here's me about 8 months along...

Our chunky monkey came into the world on       Sept 10, 2011. He shares this day with his big sister, Alex! He was 8 lbs and 2 oz

Proud Daddy with Kalven!

Alex (11), sitting down with a goofy grin, Jess (12) is standing.

Our little guy at home a few days later!













My how time has flown by! He is now a little over 4 months old and is turning over quite well. He pushes himself around abit with his feet. He has discovered his toes and loves checking out his hands. It seems like a lifetime ago when the girls and my older son were at this stage. It goes by so quick! He should be up and around in the next few months. Oh boy I am so not ready for that!

I was going to start working out again (P90x first time using this). But I am feeling so cruddy! I even thought of picking up my glue gun but I just can't motivate myself to do much more today. SIGH! I need all the energy for chasing little one around in a few months! Plus we have been invited to a wedding in June. I hear a new dress calling!

The birth Doula

Educating yourself about childbirth so you're able to make informed decisions is a great way to increase your chances of a smooth labor. But you can't possibly learn everything you might need to know. That's where a doula comes in. A doula is a trained labor support person who provides emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. She (they're usually women) absolutely doesn't replace medical caregivers or your birth partner, but rather complements them. There are many ways a doula can assist you.

She can:
help you prepare your birth plan
provide suggestions and exercises to help you have a more comfortable pregnancy
explain medical procedures
provide emotional support
suggest and provide non-pharmacological pain relief techniques (massage, heat therapy, positioning)
assist with breastfeeding
provide partner support
work as an advocate so your birth plan is carried out.
This list is just an example of some of the many services a doula may provide. To learn more about the benefits of hiring a doula for your birth, read Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth (Paperback) by Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell, Phyllis H. Klaus.

Why hire a doula?

Doulas (professional labor assistants) offer services that can fill in the gaps of mother care during childbirth. Many women state that they couldn't have done it without their doula. Now we have evidence to prove that doulas do improve birth outcomes.

Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:
• 50% reduction in Cesarean rate
• 25% shorter labor
• 60% reduction in epidural requests
• 40% reduction in Pitocin use
• 30% reduction in analgesic use
• 30% reduction in forceps delivery

Six weeks after birth, mothers who had doulas experienced:
• Less anxiety and depression
• More confidence with the baby
• More satisfaction with their partner

Long-term benefits include:
• Improved breastfeeding
• Increased time spent with baby
• More positive maternal assessments of baby's personality and health, and maternal competence
• Decreased postpartum depression

Source: Mothering the Mother, by M.H. Klaus, J.H. Kennell, and P.H. Klaus; Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, New York (1993).

 Contact me today for more information on my Doula services!