30 Weeks, and Going Natural

30 Weeks!   10 more to go.  Although my belly is getting larger by the day, I’m still enjoying the pregnancy and the miracle of our “surprise.”:)      In the years we hoped and prayed that God would bless us with another child, I had time to really think about what I would do, should we ever have that chance.  First, I promised myself I did NOT want to know what we were having, and keep the suspense until the baby arrived.    Second, I really felt called to experience a natural childbirth.  

With all 3 boys, my labors were pretty textbook, thankfully.  No complications, 12-16 hours of labor, easier delivery/pushing with each subsequent birth, etc.  The other common thread was how quickly I got an epidural and then just “hung out” until it was time.   I’ve never really experienced true labor, and I feel a little sad about that.    As I have been reading and studying NCB, I have become more convinced (and excited) to go natural.    My friend Jennifer gave me a resource that she said helped her immensely.  It’s the Dr. Sears Birth Book:

The book is great!   I think it’s a thumb’s up for anyone expecting.   In addition to brushing up on birthing techniques, my friend Beth recommended taking childbirth classes.   It’s been 10 years since I’ve done it, so I probably could use a refresher.   Jim and I are signed up for September, so we’ll see how it goes!    That’s about it on the baby front.  Karolina has her MRI this week, and I’m anxious to hear the results of her overall assessment.     We are all gearing up for back-to-school and the boys are excited to see their friends and start a new year.  I feel mixed, since I truly loved homeschooling and will miss our conversations and witnessing the boys grasp new concepts.   I know it’s for the best though, and this year still has some exciting twists and turns to come.   Let the fun begin!