Week 36: from Breast Pumps to Pediatricians

My head is full of to-dos, emotions and excitement. I have 3 weeks until my due date and we are feeling really ready to meet this little one. This post?  A few highlights of my week, some of which may be helpful to Moms who are on this same track and others that may just allow you to get a good chuckle out of my current existence.

Last night I picked up my friend's Maserati of breast pumps. This machine, the Avent Isis IQ costs about $350 retail and is supposed to be a quiet, easy machine to use. Thank God for hand-me-downs and good friends!  All I need now are the replacement parts. When my husband heard I was getting a used breast pump he almost choked on his food.  He couldn't quite take the idea of the whole thing. Then I showed him the image of the woman, in her suit at work (at a conference table no less) with her shirt open and two plastic bottles strapped to her breasts. His face was one of confusion, intrigue, disbelief and interest. Without saying a word, he pulled out his cell phone and took a photo of the woman. He said, "I need to send this on to a couple guy friends who have been through this. This is too much." You know what? I felt the same way. That woman is going to be me in a few months? It seems so unnatural and bizarre and yet what we are trying to do is the most natural thing of all, breastfeeding. Later that night I called in the troops and, with a girlfriend on one side and my husband on the other, we watched the "how to" video. We were all shocked, but at least they had wine to help them through it.

Sleeping through the night was another major highlight. One night this week I actually slept eight hours. My usual routine is waking up at 2:30am, every night on the dot. Then, waking up every hour to flip flop sides and try to get comfortable while dealing with bouts of heartburn and hip pain. In the last month it is really tough to sleep for most women. I think pure exhaustion and the right pillow configuration (I prefer two king sized pillows on both sides of me) led to my 8-hour stretch of bliss.  A couple helpful tips -- keep Tums next to your bed, a glass of water and a heating pad for easy access.

By far the best moment was this morning.  We had an ultrasound and we remembered the video camera (it is a must is to get a video capable device to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments!).  We could see her toes, her lips, even her little mouth sucking, -- the whole package!  She is in there with this life of her own. Amazing. It reminded me how important it is to listen to your body during your pregnancy and give it what it wants. So, I stopped at Red Mill and had a butterscotch malt shake before heading home for a nap, just answering the calls of my body that's all...

Lastly, we interviewed our pediatrician today. She was kind, smart, and a perfect match.  Just as I feel that I am becoming a pro at this pregnancy business my world is set to flip again and catapult me into the unknown -- our life with a baby. I am gathering the next round of books and asking my friends who have kids all the questions I can imagine. I have so much more to learn and cannot wait for the next phase of this wild adventure. I just wish we could know when we will meet her... 

A new chapter began in Leigh Canlis' life in May of 2009, when she became pregnant with her first child. Follow her blog as she documents the sometimes hilarious, and other times trying, moments of pregnancy and the thoughts of how to handle it all as a working fashionista Mom-to-be.