Gabby's First Halloween

By popular demand, below are photos from Gabby's first Halloween. Enjoy!

Daddy Observations

It has been an amazing experience so far watching Gabby grow before our eyes. Gabby is over a month old and is already over 10 lbs. We like to call her "milk monster" because she's always hungry!. Overall, Gabby is doing great. She can be fussy at times (slight colic), and Erin and I have used all the tricks to console her. It has been difficult getting her to sleep, but she is slowly sleeping more through the night and increasing her length of sleep between feedings. In the meantime, Erin has been a champ getting up every few hours at night to feed the baby. We are also monitoring her skin, as she has developed some mild eczema and diaper rash. They both should disappear over the next couple of weeks.

From a time management perspective, Erin and I have adjusted our schedules quite a bit. We are definitely on Gabby's schedule now but wouldn't have it any other way. During the week, Erin has been able to recover well and help with some of the administrative items like searching for daycare and sorting through all the baby photos. For me, the past few weeks have been filled with several transitions, especially with the start of a new job a few weeks ago. We are all taking one day at a time and enjoying the new adventures in our lives.

That's all for now. More pictures will be posted later this week!

-Gabby's Dad

Gabriella Elise Simms

As many of you know, Erin gave birth to a healthy baby girl on June 16, 2011 at 9:03pm EST. Gabriella Elise Simms was born 7.0lbs and 19.75 inches. The baby arrived three weeks early, but we are blessed that Erin and "Gabby" are doing well. For me, it was quite a roller coaster, celebrating the birth of Gabby while tending to Erin's side after birth. Erin will come on the blog soon to tell her birth story, and it is story certainly filled with ups and downs. I'm just thankful for the staff at Emory Johns Creek hospital, who tended to Erin with great care after birth.

Below are a few YouTube videos with some pictures of Gabby after birth through the arrival home for the first time. Enjoy and more blogs to come on the birth story! -Gabby's Dad

It is time!

We are finally at the hospital ready to have a healthy delivery and birth of Pooka. After several discussions with our doctor and mid-wife, we decided to induce labor in the best interest of Erin and Pooka. Accordingly, we checked into the hospital this morning and Erin is in the very early first stage of labor. She is doing very well. Talk soon! -Paul

A New Mindset

Tomorrow will mark 37 weeks in the pregnancy. We have come a long way in a short period of time. Yesterday, we were fortunate to receive family and friends at our very last baby shower in Atlanta. We again thank those who came out on a hot sunny afternoon! And kudos to Samantha, Whitney, and Celeste for putting on a great shower!

Since our last blog, quite a bit has happened. This past Saturday, we had the opportunity to take maternity photos, which are going to look terrific! We also purchased and installed a car seat and finalized the baby's room, with the crib mattress as the only outstanding item (should arrive mid-week). However, our most important development happened last Wednesday.

As mentioned in prior blogs, Erin's blood pressure has fluctuated quite a bit, and the midwife and doctor have been monitoring it very closely. Last Wednesday, her blood pressure results remained high, and we were urged to admit Erin to the hospital overnight for a 24-hour observation period. We consented and immediately went to the hospital that night. During the stay, Erin's blood pressure readings were monitored every hour, along with tests for urine and blood. All the results were normal, and Erin was released Thursday night. Since the hospital stay, Erin has continued to remain on bed rest, with the exception of the baby shower and photo shoot.

As we reach full-term tomorrow, we are continuing to monitor Erin's blood pressure, as the readings have continued to fluctuate since her stay in the hospital. Maintaining normal blood pressure is critical at this stage for a variety reasons, but for today's blog, we'd like to outline its importance for water birth. We continue to plan and expect a natural water birth. However, if the readings continue to fluctuate and remain high, Erin will be unable to do a water birth and may need to have induced labor to prevent potential health hazards (toxemia and pre-eclampsia).

Obviously, the emotions have remained high as we process all the changes and potential scenarios. For months, we have been planning for a water birth and now may have to move forward with an induced labor. For us, this will require a new mindset as we prepare for the labor process. In addition to planning for a water birth, we will also need to plan for an induced labor if it is required. We continue to advocate for a natural birth process, but we understand and trust our birth team if we need to have an induced labor.

Currently, we are monitoring Erin's blood pressure over the next 24 hours and will assess our next steps with our birth team tomorrow and Wednesday. Most importantly, we are praying for the continued good health and well being for the baby and Erin. Throughout these past few days, we are fortunate that the baby is fine and that Erin has not developed any serious symptoms alongside the high blood pressure readings. We ask that you join us in praying for a successful and healthy delivery of Pooka, regardless of the birth method.

For all those who have called, we thank you for your outreach, love and support. We definitely want to speak with everyone who has called but have been trying to catch-up on our rest and keeping Erin in a state of bed rest. If you'd like to send an email (paulanderin2007@gmail.com), we'd love to hear from you. You can also post a note on Facebook.

I think we've posted enough for today's blog. Thanks again for all of the love and support. This may or may not be the last blog before Pooka's arrival, so stay tuned!

-Paul & Erin

The Home Stretch

Tomorrow I will be 36 weeks pregnant. As I have said to quite a few people - it takes a long time to cook a baby. There is not much room left for little pooka to move around, so I feel everything! Apparently - the baby is not so fond of car rides (or maybe it's Paul's driving). We listen to classical music in a vein attempt to settle the baby while I ride to where ever we are headed. I am feeling ok at this point. It is quite a load that I am carrying so I have slowed down a bit and take more naps/ do less activities. It takes some getting used to. Kudos to Paul. He has been a great chef, dog walker, and house cleaner throughout this period. I am sure that I call his name at least 35 times a day (and likely in my sleep). The upside is that the baby is doing well, I am still sleeping soundly through the night, and the swelling in my legs and arms have improved. At my next visit with the midwife, she will do a biophysical profile (ultrasound and listen to the baby's heartbeat for an extended period) to make sure that everything is fine. She has told me that I am not too far from meeting little Pooka now since the baby has moved down even further into my pelvis already. All signs are pointing to a slightly earlier than planned delivery. Join with me in praying that I can at least get through 37 weeks and a waterbirth is still in my near future!

Erin

"Charleston" Baby Shower Slide Show

Second baby shower slide show below. Enjoy! A few family and friends during Erin's Charleston upbringing put together a fun baby shower last weekend. We are blessed and humbled by the love and support from all of our family and friends!

Baltimore Baby Shower Slideshow

Finally uploaded. Enjoy! Slideshow for the "Charleston" baby shower to be posted later this weekend! If you would like to have a larger view of the photos, start the video with the play button and then click inside the video to open up another window with a larger view.

busy busy busy!

Hey gang, sorry for the lack of posts! Now in the midst of 35 weeks, Erin and I have been tied-up with so many obligations in preparation for Pooka's arrival. With the help of my father-in-law, we successfully installed the crib (yes!) and moved some furniture around the house last weekend. This week, I have been traveling for the job and we will have our waterbirth class/info session tomorrow evening. On top of that, we're trying to figure out where to store all of Pooka's toys, clothes etc. Through it all, Erin has been a good trooper, continuing her modified bed rest and preparing for the labor process.

I hope to post the pics/vids soon from the baby shower.

Don't forget the baby registry folks! Registered at amazon.com and walmart.com

Stroller

We are now all set in the stroller department. Last week, we purchased a snap and go which we will use here and there (restaurant, mall, travel, even pavement) for the first 6 mo of pooka's life. The snap and go is just a compact frame with a storage compartment and cup holder that allows you to 'snap' on the car seat and get moving quickly. Earlier this week, we found a deal on craigslist for the stroller that we like but didnt want to pay full price for - the uppababy vista. It really fits us completely from the design, portability, and features. Yesterday, we contacted a couple that was looking to upgrade from their 2009 stroller to a newer model and were able to purchase their stroller for half the price of the new strollers. We are happy with the purchase. Although the stroller normally comes with a bassinet, bug shield, and rain shield, we just got the stroller and seat. Aww well, we're still happy with it. One more thing off the list...

Erin

Latest Updates!

(8:50pm eastern time, in-flight somewhere over the Arizona/New Mexico desert)

Wow, what an amazing few weeks! As you can tell by the lack of blogs, Erin and I have been pretty busy between our jobs, buying baby items for Pooka, and attending our first baby shower. As I type this blog, I’m in flight returning from a wonderful memorial service for my great Aunt in California. Now that we are closely approaching the delivery date, this will be my last bit traveling until the baby arrives. As discussed below, Erin’s last traveling occurred this past weekend.

Amidst a busy schedule, I feel in some ways that the past few weeks are preparing me for what life will be like after Pooka is born.  Here’s a brief rundown of the baby activities that have occurred since our last post:

• Stroller: After months of serious debate, Erin and I finally purchased Pooka’s stroller. We debated between getting one, high-end model (via Craigslist, eBay, etc.) or settling for a basic stroller frame with the purchase of a basic stroller at a later date. We wound up purchasing the stroller frame (Snap-n-Go). There are several ways to think about stroller purchasing, but we feel comfortable with the Snap-n-Go and the ease of snapping in the baby seat on the go. Nonetheless, we continue to keep our eyes on good deals for the strollers we may like. To be continued…
• Baltimore baby shower: On May 14th, Erin and I attended our first of three baby showers. The event was held for my family and friends in Baltimore, and my parents did a tremendous job putting the event together. Prior to the occasion, my Dad invited me and several of my male friends and family to a “men’s only” breakfast.
• Visit to midwife: Immediately following our Baltimore trip, Erin went for her routine check-in with the midwife on May 16th. With our hectic travel schedule and Erin’s continued battle with water retention in her legs, the midwife did express her concerns and urged Erin to cut down on her activities and water intake. Nonetheless, all the standard readings (glucose, baby’s heartbeat, blood pressure, etc.) were normal. We will check-in again with the mid-wife next week to assess Erin’s progress and discuss any additional alternatives (if needed).
• Baby crib: In addition to purchasing a stroller, Erin and I finally purchased our crib for Pooka. As most parents know, setting up a crib for the first time is an important task to complete ahead of the baby’s delivery. From a timing standpoint, most people recommend setting up the crib around this time of the pregnancy, and Erin and I came to an agreement fairly quickly once we narrowed our decisions at the baby store (Georgia Baby).
• Baby dresser: I forgot to mention in my prior blogs that Erin and I were able to put together and install Pooka’s baby dresser from Ikea. Given my history and “fun” with Ikea (i.e. jacked-up installations, faulty nails and screws), I was surprised how quickly we put it together. The top of the dresser will be used as a changing table as well.

Whew! These are just a few things that have happened over the past few weeks. I haven’t even mentioned all the other non-baby events and travel that have occurred! (Father-in-law’s PhD graduation in Chicago, high school reunions in Charleston and my continued preparation for the 10K race). We have some great photos/footage from the baby shower and will post them shortly. I’ll also post some photos of the new stroller and crib (once assembled).

That’s all for now! Thanks again to those who have generously given to Pooka! It’s not too late to get on the baby registries at walmart.com and amazon.com!  

Growing Pains

I went to the chiropractor (certified in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care) for the second time in my life today. Going has helped me to understand some of the aches and pains that I am feeling in my lower back a little better. She provides a minor adjustment to my lower back then helps me to stretch the muscles that are currently holding everything together back there. I was told that I need to do a better job stretching certain muscles or the pain will get to the point where my movement will be limited shortly (because of the extra work my muscles are doing to compensate for all of the changes related to pregnancy like my shift in posture and weight). Apparently my muscles supplying support to my lower back are severely shortened and need to be stretched much more often. She also recommended using a heating pad to relax the muscles in order to get a deeper stretch and getting a prenatal massage regularly. She made sure that I understood that I am not at risk for a difficult pregnancy or complications as a result of this 'very normal' pregnancy related back pain, but that for my comfort it would be good to implement more stretching into my daily routine.

Paul is also working on stretching more as he is seeing a physical therapist this month in order to get his achilles in tip top shape for the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th (a 10k). We ran in this race last year and it was a lot of fun. Specifically they are focused on stretching and stability of the achilles first, then working on strengthening the surrounding muscles to keep him safe moving forward. Other recommendations included orthotics potentially and biking/swimming. Main take home message from this post ----STRETCH!

So Many Blessings

This weekend we were in three states: Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois. We were blessed to be able to travel to spend some time with my parents for a day, then travel with them to Illinois to celebrate my father receiving his doctorate of education in ethical leadership. A tremendous accomplishment which we could not be more proud of him for completing while still maintaining his full time career/job. We were able to share this moment with friends from Paducah, our god family from VA beach, my aunt in Chicago, and were surprised when my brother's girlfriend flew in all the way from Cali to share in this moment with the family and bring well wishes from my brother in Cuba. It was a wonderful graduation/Mother's Day Weekend. My parents could not have been more proud.

To top off the events of the weekend, we were surprised in church when we were blessed with a gift from our pastor for being an expecting mother to be with a wedding anniversary the closest to today's date. Here's a picture of the wonderful bounty:

Weekends like these continue to remind us how loved we are and the love that surrounds us. We are beginning to receive gifts from our registry and beginning to sigh finally as everything is coming together :)

The Countdown Continues...

There are still about 5 books that I would like to read in the next 3-5 weeks in preparation for baby. There's one on breastfeeding, hypnobirthing, 2 labor related books, and books on bringing baby home/ baby's first year of life. We mentioned in an earlier post that we signed up for NetFlix, so there are also a few baby-related videos in the queue. Topics include: swaddling, infant CPR, bringing home baby, and maybe one other on infant massage if I remember correctly. So much to do! At the same time, we are focused on getting the house ready. Paul has cleaned the garage and will be getting a storage unit for down there, he is changing the lock on the front door and will be putting child safety gadgets all over the place. I have found and purchased most of the baby furniture that we will start off with and have been rearranging existing furniture to make room (as well as doing some spring cleaning). In the afternoons after work, we are likely in the gym or at a workout class before coming home to walk and feed Tessa.

All of this has us pretty tired these days...

Updates and More Pics!

Wow, the weeks are flying by and we're getting closer and closer! We are now at 31 weeks and the preparation has increased quite a bit. Pooka is now over 3.5 lbs and growing according to plan. Erin is doing well and is certainly ready for all of the internal kicks and motions to be over with! Recently, we have been working quite a bit on Erin's legs to reduce swelling and aches from water retention. The retention comes and goes, but Erin has used compression socks and continues to do pilates which seem to help. Also, our midwife said that Pooka has sucked up quite a bit of iron from Erin. Accordingly, Erin is now taking an iron supplement to make sure her iron levels are fine. Otherwise, I'm happy to have a healthy Erin and Pooka marching towards the due date.

Finally, below are some pictures we took in Charleston last weekend. As you can see, Erin's tummy is big now!!!

Latest Baby Bump Photos

Below!!!

Video Education

We joined the NetFlix crowd last week for a free one month trial. There were a lot of DVD recommendations that people were telling us about so we decided to take the plunge. (We were reluctant because we pay Comcast monthly for On Demand - which we like). Yesterday, we received our 1st movie: The Business of Being Born. It is a documentary produced by Ricki Lake and discusses modern childbirth and misconceptions of doctors, mothers, soon to be parents, and others. It celebrates natural childbirth, midwifery, and shows positive examples of these practices as well as homebirth. It was educational and enlightening. By the end of the movie, both Paul and I reaffirmed our decision to have a natural birth. We really do believe that it is the best thing for us and best for little pooka.We recommend this movie for first time parents (or for 2nd time parents) to grasp a better understanding of midwives, our current birth system in America, and for a better understanding of natural childbirth.

Reflecting on Family and Friends

Amidst the joy of getting ready for Pooka's arrival, Erin and I have had some family and friends that we lost during the week. Early this week, Erin lost a good family friend who was a "second" grandfather to her. Growing up, their families were very close and attended the same church. She even got her first car from him! And early this morning, I learned that a great aunt very close to me passed away. I learned a lot from her during the times we shared and was always inspired from our conversations.

As we go through the various tasks and appointments this week, we are taking pause this week to reflect on the great families we have. Even more, we are humbled to know that Pooka will be surrounded by great family and friends who will provide support and guidance during his/her life. Erin and I look forward to sharing with Pooka the memories of those that have passed and instilling the values and principals they gave to us. Pooka, Erin and I thank Raymond Rhett and Elaine Swan for being in our lives and being a great inspiration to us.

Baby Registry!

Below are the links to our baby registries! Feel free to look around and let us know how our list is shaping up!

Amazon

Walmart

A New Midwife!

Today I had a consultation with a seasoned midwife in the Atlanta area as a candidate for replacement of my previous midwife. Paul and I were distraught when we found out that our previous midwife lost her hospital privileges and no longer would be able to oversee our baby's birth. Our old midwife had personality, was a great advocate, and had been around the block and knew what she was talking about. Our new midwife is experienced, personable, and has a similar outlook on birth and even life as Paul and I. She actually owns the practice and there is one other midwife and a doctor (OB) that work with her. I like that it is a small, family environment and they don't treat it like a 'baby (read: money) making factory. Thank the Lord! There was one too many suspect occurrences that was adding up at our old practice, so the switch is a welcome one. If I had to do it all over again, I would still make the same choice. We will still have a water birth at North Fulton hospital, just with a different midwife. Now, on to the next item on our Pooka to-do list. There's not much time left - I am 28 weeks now, third trimester!

Erin

Hospital Visit

Today, Erin and I went to the hospital to get a preview of what will go down in July. For just over an hour, we toured the hospital's maternity ward and showered our tour guide with several questions. It felt great walking around, as it built up another level of excitement and anticipation. From pulling up to the hospital during labor to the departure from the maternity ward post-labor, we covered every angle of the birthing process at the hospital. As usual, I felt like the odd man in the group, as I was the only one with a notepad and pen furiously writing down all the notes from the tour! Erin and I came away impressed from the tour, and we are now ready to sign-up for the waterbirth class, which is required for any mother wanting waterbirth at the hospital. We hope to begin that class in the next few weeks.

-Pooka's Dad

Latest Pics!

Latest pics of Erin/Pooka attached! We found some great baby clothing in Asheville, NC this weekend, thanks to the great people at Spiritex!

Getting Away

I'm sure many first-time parents have heard the expression, "life will change forever once the baby comes," or "get your rest in now because you will never sleep after the baby arrives." I'm sure that my first few months as a Dad will be filled with changing diapers late at night and rocking Pooka to sleep (while Tessa whines over a crying baby), so I decided to take Erin out of town on a few vacations to get some quality R&R. I must say, these vacations were very helpful, as the time off helped us de-stress from the baby prep, b-school interviews, and hectic work schedules. Not long ago, Erin and I had the opportunity to stay in Amelia Island and Reynolds Plantation. Both places gave us the opportunity to hangout together and enjoy some quality time with each other. In addition, spending time with each other helped us appreciate the progress we had made thus far in the pregnancy. If I had to recommend something to first-time Dads, I would certainly recommend taking the Mom-to-be away for a few days (or weeks if you work somewhere in Sweden). A few vacations prior to birth has certainly helped us as first-time parents to enjoy the moments we have with each other as we prepare to have many enjoyable moments with Pooka.

P.S. Baby registry coming soon!

Shopping...

Speaking of budgeting...it has taken me almost a week to get everything (or almost everything) onto our baby registries. We used a book entitled 'Baby Bargains' to guide us on what to buy and more importantly what not to buy. There are still a hefty handful of items that I chose not to put on the registry so that we could go shopping for them ourselves. Some of these items include diapers, stroller, some basic medicine cabinet items, and of course clothes for myself. Hopefully, we will have enough downtime in the next four to five weekends to purchase most of these items. Paul mentioned that we haven't done much shopping. To date, the only item that we have purchased for the baby is a jungle themed bedding set just after Thanksgiving. I guess it takes more to sustain little Pooka than that. My dad has now given us the Obama hat and baby t-shirt that he purchased (while in our presence) at the inauguration in anticipation of his grandchild - do you see what we had to deal with?

Budgeting

So far, we have kept idle in terms of accumulating a lot of baby equipment. With a bunch of other things in the air (b-school, living arrangements, etc.), we have avoided spending a lot of dinero on the baby until we have a better sense of where Erin and I will be in six months. Nonetheless, we have certainly been doing a lot of research on baby equipment and discussing our preferences. I have learned from this process to pace ourselves so that we don't get overwhelmed. I've also learned that safety is paramount, regardless of the features or customization of some products. Budgeting is a topic that will come up often in the life of Pooka for sure.

-Pooka's Dad

Getting Bigger by the Minute

Pooka has had a growth spurt in the past two weeks and I am definitely showing now. There's no denying it. In that same period of time, I think that my stomach has doubled in size. This morning, I was able to get out of bed and actually walk normally as opposed to limp or waddle to brush my teeth. The low back pain has lessened (still there at times) and I feel more comfortable in the evenings. All of this has occurred because Pooka has moved up and out of my pelvis finally! Today at work, I felt kicking and movement up by my rib cage. Definitely a good feeling (relatively). Pooka is about 2 lbs now and 14 inches long. By our next midwife visit, they will be able to identify how Pooka is resting in my stomach and in what position. Time for some maternity wear now - I have been able to wear most of my regular work slacks with the help of some nifty rubber band tricks.

Preliminary Thoughts on the Bradley Method

I often think about pregnancy in the context of a sport event. You have the players (Erin), the coach (me), and other teammates to help lead the team to victory (mid-wife, nurses, etc.). For a team to be successful, a coach needs to understand his player's strengths and weaknesses. In other words, a coach that leads a team for the first time with no practice may have a harder time leading a team compared to a coach who has prepped with his team for months on end.

In the Bradley classes, I am understanding more of my role as a coach to Erin. This is one of the most important things I have learned in the class because I realize now that Erin's pregnancy, labor, and birth will not be successful if I am not able to be an effective coach. This means that I have to understand her strength and weaknesses like never before. For example, I know that Erin drinks a lot of water, but I also understand now that she has to drink more water during pregnancy as Erin may get more dehydrated more often. Therefore, I have to be more in tune with what she is doing on a daily basis to make sure she is treating her body (and Pooka) well. This also applies in delivery, where I will be actively walking around with Erin supporting her, giving her massages, etc. to make her feel comfortable for delivery. Now just to be clear, I won't be delivering the baby, but I certainly will be helping Erin throughout the entire process.

I think this is one of the things that separates the Bradley Method from other birth classes: it places a heavy emphasis on the coach and how well he/she needs to be prepared to coach the mother through a successful pregnancy. It's certainly different from I've seen/heard in the past, where the husband sits outside tapping his toes or watching the doctors and nurses deliver a healthy baby. The Bradley Method may not work for everyone, but it's certainly has worked for us. It's also helped me in the following ways:

1.) The Bradley Method has helped me learn more about the history of births in the U.S.: We have spent some time in our class learning about the background of births in the United States and some common misnomers in pregnancy. This has helped my understanding of the birth process and why I have learned some things over time that are either true or false. Therefore, it helps me set realistic expectations going into the labor and delivery process.

2.) The Bradley Method has helped me understand more about the role of mid-wives: I must be honest. When I first heard about using a mid-wife, I had many questions and doubts. I did not have a lot of background or knowledge on mid-wives, and assumed that a doctor would be performing most of the work in Erin's water birth. This class has certainly educated me more on mid-wives and I have a better appreciation for them during the birth process. Most importantly, I have learned that they can be a great advocate for Erin (and Pooka's) health during the labor and birthing process.

3.) The Bradley Method is leading Erin and I to have a deeper connection: Erin may have a different opinion, but I feel that the class is helping me to learn about my wife in new and fun ways. I now need to be more in tune with Erin's physical, emotional, and mental activities, and through the pregnancy, I feel that it will draw us closer and help us become effective parents.

Off to bed now. Have a great week everyone!

-Pooka's Dad

Get Up Offa That Thing! (ode to Stu)

So, let's talk about exercise. During the first trimester (13 weeks or about three months), I may have worked out two, possibly three times. And I was good to even get that accomplished. The fatigue was amazing and kept me tired for most of the time. Now that I'm in the second trimester, I have a lot more energy and feel much more "normal." I tried to walk after work for about twenty to thirty minutes every other day, and I'm currently taking 3 Oh Baby fitness classes: Pilates, Yoga, and water aerobics. The Pilates class strengthens my core, arms, and legs. The Yoga course stretches out all the muscles that get so tense throughout the day, especially my lower back. The water aerobics class gives me a hard workout without me even realizing it because of the weightlessness of the water. So please encourage me to keep up the good work. Combined with good nutrition, I'm on the right track! Stay tuned...

-Erin

Listen here for your own inspiration

Pooka's Development

It was quite funny watching people's reactions when we told them that Erin was pregnant (although Erin probably didn't think so). Most of the reactions were either "wow, you don't look pregnant" or "wow, you must be early in pregnancy!" Pooka has slowly developed over time, and Erin's tummy is now growing out at a rapid pace. At first, Pooka was kicking like crazy, moving around, and trying to figure out why Erin eats Yoforia frozen yogurt all the time. Within the past week, Pooka slowed down and was just flipping around. As usual, this made the dad-to-be nervous, but I was reassured by remembering some our discussion points in the Bradley class. And to erase all doubts, Pooka decided to fire on all cylinders today, trying to distract mom-to-be during her time at the office and in her meetings. Well, that's it for now! More tomorrow!

Midwife and Pooka's Heartbeat

As part of the process of natural water birth, Erin will have a midwife to help and guide her through pregnancy, labor, and birth. More details on midwifery can be found here. Just like a having dependable doctor, a good midwife is imperative to the birthing process. Once we learned that Erin was pregnant, we did a search for a midwife and found one that we liked with good experience. Over the past few days, Erin and I have learned that our midwife no longer has privileges at the hospital, and we will not know who Erin's midwife will be until a new a midwife is hired and retained by the hospital (which will take a few months and run into Erin's due date). While disappointed, we are still encouraged. Erin has been seeing another midwife for her regular appointments, and that midwife has been helpful for the most part.  In addition, we will be touring the hospital in a few weeks and will make a decision thereafter to move forward with our chosen hospital or choose a new hospital and midwife. As a dad-to-be, these sudden changes make me nervous, but I'm reminded through this process to build more patience and be a positive support to Erin.

In other news, Erin and I checked in with our "temporary" midwife today and we had the opportunity to listen to Pooka's heartbeat! As usual, Pooka doesn't like poking or prodding, and the midwife had to move her device around quite a bit to hear the heartbeat. Nonetheless, Pooka's heartbeat is normal and Erin is progressing right on track in terms of gaining weight and staying healthy. Our next appointment will be in 3 weeks, where Erin will get a few more tests (glucose test and sickle cell screening) and the midwife will be able tell us where Pooka's body parts are located in Erin's womb.

In a few days, I'll post a few more thoughts on the Bradley class. One of the unique features of the Bradley method is that it focuses on husband-coached training. During the labor and birth process, I will have a critical role in supporting Erin and being her advocate during labor. More on that later.

Oh, here a few more pics of mom-to-be!

Tessa

They say that a dog is able to tell if its master is pregnant. I can’t tell one way or the other whether our hound mix Tessa has any indication that I am ‘with child’. She has always been pretty protective of me and still tries to jump up on me. Both Paul and I have tried to break some of her old habits like running up and down the stairs, jumping up on me, and setting other boundaries (she is not allowed in the kitchen). We figured that these would be positive changes. There is still some level of education that needs to happen on our part regarding how to introduce Tessa to little Pooka, how to interact around a newborn and how to discipline her when the baby comes. For instance, Paul and I babysat for a friend several months ago and I remembered learning that you shouldn’t harshly discipline your dog when a child comes into its territory for the first several times. If you do, this could associate the toddler with harsh discipline from its owners. A lot to think about, but it will be needed. This is next up on the list… For all you dog lovers, get ready. I have also heard that the birth of a new baby is one of the more popular reasons that a dog can be returned to a shelter. Sad thought :(

Notes from Today and Other Observations

Happy Sunday everyone! My college basketball bracket is busted (really really busted), so I decided to post a blog to make me happy. Today, we attended our third Bradley class and covered nutrition and the baby's anatomy. As a dad-to-be, it's a lot of material to cover but exciting as I learn more about the baby and how proper nutrition will play a vital role in Pooka's birth and in his/her life as well. The class has been very helpful for me as a "coach," and I am taking furious notes so that I can help Erin during the birthing process.

By the way, this Tuesday will be 25 weeks of pregnancy and my level of excitement is increasing (if you can't tell yet)! As we get close, I am now spending more time on preparing for the baby as we look at the various items that we will need when Pooka comes home for the first time. There's a lot of material to review, but I am trying to take it one step/item at a time. As an aside, I wish I could create magic and make some baby products. The baby industry is fascinating with the number of different products and entrepreneurs (e.g. an aeronautical engineer making baby strollers!). I'll put that on the to-do-list down the road.

That's all for now. Mom-to-be will be posting shortly!

-Pooka's Dad

Cat Cow

After talking with other pregnant women and hearing about their experiences, I have realized that I am blessed to have a great pregnancy experience. If I had one complaint, it would be low back pain especially in the early morning and evenings. My midwife tells me that I have a very accommodating pelvis. The baby sits very low for the most part and as a result, I can feel the pressure in my lower back. This has been the case since week 8 or 9.

A few things have helped to alleviate the pain: prenatal yoga classes, a warm shower, and a few exercises that I do when I can remember to do them (or when the pain really hits). They say that walking and light exercise is supposed to help but walking does not work for me. I have been able to stay active and meet new people by participating in classes with Oh Baby! Fitness. A couple of the exercises that help are tailor sitting while at home (basically sitting 'Indian style') and pelvic rocking (or cat cow for all of my yoga followers). Both of these exercises relieve tension on the lower back, relieve pressure and encourage the baby to move forward.

Hopefully when the baby gets a little bigger, I wont have the same issues. Right now Pooka is the size of a stalk of corn (so says my babybump app on iphone). Maybe in the next couple of weeks!

Here are the latest ultrasound photos! The mom-to-be will hopefully post tonight as well! -Pooka's Dad

The Origins of "Pooka"

A lot of people have asked, "why call the baby little Pooka?" In short, Erin and I debated for several months whether or not we wanted to know the sex of the baby prior to birth. Eventually, my wife said no, and I totally understand her reasons. There are good arguments on either side, but in the end, the mystery of having a boy or girl is part of the joy and excitement of the birth process.

On the other hand, I definitely want to know! So, at our last ultrasound, the nurse confidentially told me and now I know! In order to keep the sex of the baby from Erin, I have made a vow not to tell a soul. Therefore, we wanted to come up with a name for the baby that we could use to avoid referring to the baby as "he" or "she". Hence, the name "Pooka!"

More to come later today. I hope to post the latest ultrasound pics tonight!

-Pooka's Dad

All About Bradley

Two weeks ago, we started our Bradley childbirth classes. It was important to us to include this as part of our experience to educate ourselves on the process of childbirth and pick up any little tidbits possible from experienced parents. There were quite a few options in the Atlanta area, but we chose Bradley because the premise is husband coached childbirth-which would give Paul an added boost of confidence. The first class provided an overview of what we would experience during childbirth and provided a few tips to the 'Dads to be'. The second class was on breastfeeding (our instructor is also a lactation consultant). There were so many things to soak in I was almost overwhelmed! We were provided with some resources and I am reading a book on breastfeeding now, so I know it will all work out. I never would have imagined that there were so many things involved in breastfeeding. Using my own resources definitely beats washing dishes constantly anyday-that's encouragement enough for me.

In between classes, we practice a few exercises and try to do as much reading as possible. Not many of our friends took any classes, so we cannot really compare notes. Nonetheless, with two classes behind us I feel like it has been worth it. It is something to look forward to at the start of the week and more information to soak in. We are really learning about what natural childbirth really is and how to empower ourselves.

Welcome to Our Blog!

Hey everyone! Thanks for checking out our blog! We plan on updating this frequently so please check in for updates! As I type this, little Pooka is resting nicely with mommy in bed, still making a few kicks here and there to let us know that he/she is active! I would post the latest ultrasound pics but my laptop is jammed up! I'll get on the iMac tomorrow and post them from there. Talk to you soon! -Pooka's Dad