Things are going really well with my CBI class! So why has it been so long since I've updated? Illness. This has been THE sickest winter we've ever had. It's been unbelievable. A couple of months ago we all had the flu (well, Ian got away with an ear infection, but PG, Zollie and I were wiped out). Then a couple of weeks after that, Ian and Zollie had runny noses and a cough. Last weekend we ALL got a stomach virus. It started Thursday night with Ian and Zollie waking up at about 1am puking all over the bed. They both continued to throw up all day Friday. Saturday at about 3 or 4am I woke up sick and spent about 12 hours nausious and throwing up. By Sunday morning PG had it too. He said it was like watching a train wreck...he knew it was coming but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
We had thought it was over this week. I went back to teaching on Wednesday and PG went back to work that day as well. The kids were back to eating normally, everyone seemed fine. Then last night PG said he didn't feel well. I thought he felt hot so he took his temperature...102.6!!! He has been taking Tylenol every 6-8 hours and it's still only getting his fever down to 101. Unbelievable! *sigh*
In other news, Ian seems to be hitting a growth spurt. He's been asking to eat every hour or so. I'm going to give him another week or so of this and then find a really accurate scale so I can weigh him to see if it's time to turn his car seat forward facing. I think it's definately time to put him in Zollie's seat (since it goes rearfacing up to 35 lbs and Ian's seat only goes to 33 lbs...it's an older model). He sure is growing up. I think he's going to eat us out of the house!
As far as the doula class, I've finished about 3 lessons from the communication module. I've hit a big assignment and need to sit and work on it. I'll probably wait till the kids are in bed tonight so I'll have some uninterupted time. I had hoped to work on it today quite a bit, but PG getting sick again ruined that plan. PG's parents were hoping to get the boys and keep them for the day, but they don't want to risk them being carriers of whatever PG has so we'll just have to reschedule. I did, however, get to have my first prenatal appointment with S. yesterday and I think it went really well. We discussed her first birth and her birth plan for this time as well as some relaxation techniques and streaches she can do. She has a good list of questions to discuss with her OB and to ask on her hospital tour and I think I'm pretty comfortable with her birth plans, so - even though the boys were pretty wild the whole time I was there - I think it went great!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Today is the day!
As of today I'm officially a birth doula in training through Childbirth International. I am just jumping for joy! We ended up with 5 people signing up together and got such a great discount. I got immediate access to all the online materials. Right now I'm just waiting to be matched up with a Trainer and then I can get started on my materials. Yay!!!
The other exciting thing that happened today (because it makes me feel better to share the good news first...) is that our beef arrived! Two friends and I went in together to buy half of a steer and WOW does it feel good to have my freezer overflowing with free range, hormone free beef! We'll be eating steak and roasts for days and days!
So now on to the bad news...last night we were woken at 1:30am by both kids puking on our bed. I wasn't even aware that Ian had gotten in bed with us till he puked on the comforter. They continued to puke on and off all night. Ian finally stopped at about 5am or so. Zollie kept puking all day...I think the last time was right after lunch. Ian seems fine now. He ate a good lunch and supper. And Zollie seemed pretty ok by bedtime. He was drinking juice and stealing bites of pizza. So I'm praying they are ok tomorrow because I REALLY want to go to the homebirth meetup. I'm really hoping they just got some mild food poisoning or a 24 hour bug that is over now. I also need them to be well because Sunday afternoon I'm supposed to go to my first prenatal appt with S. and I do not want to risk getting her sick. Bleh!
So for prayers...pray that the boys are healthy tomorrow and that PG and I don't come down with a stomach virus!
And praise God that everything has worked out for all of us to get signed up for our class! I can't wait to get going!
The other exciting thing that happened today (because it makes me feel better to share the good news first...) is that our beef arrived! Two friends and I went in together to buy half of a steer and WOW does it feel good to have my freezer overflowing with free range, hormone free beef! We'll be eating steak and roasts for days and days!
So now on to the bad news...last night we were woken at 1:30am by both kids puking on our bed. I wasn't even aware that Ian had gotten in bed with us till he puked on the comforter. They continued to puke on and off all night. Ian finally stopped at about 5am or so. Zollie kept puking all day...I think the last time was right after lunch. Ian seems fine now. He ate a good lunch and supper. And Zollie seemed pretty ok by bedtime. He was drinking juice and stealing bites of pizza. So I'm praying they are ok tomorrow because I REALLY want to go to the homebirth meetup. I'm really hoping they just got some mild food poisoning or a 24 hour bug that is over now. I also need them to be well because Sunday afternoon I'm supposed to go to my first prenatal appt with S. and I do not want to risk getting her sick. Bleh!
So for prayers...pray that the boys are healthy tomorrow and that PG and I don't come down with a stomach virus!
And praise God that everything has worked out for all of us to get signed up for our class! I can't wait to get going!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
It's just about time!
I'm anticipating being able to formally sign up for my birth doula class this week...next week at the latest. We have 6 people who all want to sign up together, and we will recieve a substantial discount for signing up as a group! That's even better news!
I also already have my two births lined up and this Sunday afternoon I will be meeting with one of my clients, S., and her husband, D., to talk about her first birth experience and how this one will be different (or hopefully the same, as she had a really "boring" first birth!). I'm planning to discuss her birth philosophy, help her write a birth plan, and talk with her and her husband about streaches and relaxation techniques they can practice working on together, as well as explain the things I will be able to help them with during labor.
I'm so excited to be meeting with them! S and D and I went to highschool together, and I just really feel blessed that they would allow me to be a part of the birth of their daughter.
I also had the honor of speaking at our local ICAN (International Ceserian Awareness Network) meeting this past Saturday. It was a great opportunity not only to share with the group what a doula does, but also to get information about Blessed Birth out there. Glynis was able to attend as well, which was great! We have some preliminary handouts made and were able to pass out a number of those at both the ICAN meeting and at the clothing swap beforehand.
Praises: I want to continue to praise God for allowing me to persue this calling. I feel really confident that everything will work out the way it is supposed to.
Prayer requests: Pray that both of my moms will be able to have the births that they want, with healthy babies and moms. Please also pray that things will work out with their labors in such a way that I will have no problems getting to them on time and will be able to support them in the ways that they need.
I also already have my two births lined up and this Sunday afternoon I will be meeting with one of my clients, S., and her husband, D., to talk about her first birth experience and how this one will be different (or hopefully the same, as she had a really "boring" first birth!). I'm planning to discuss her birth philosophy, help her write a birth plan, and talk with her and her husband about streaches and relaxation techniques they can practice working on together, as well as explain the things I will be able to help them with during labor.
I'm so excited to be meeting with them! S and D and I went to highschool together, and I just really feel blessed that they would allow me to be a part of the birth of their daughter.
I also had the honor of speaking at our local ICAN (International Ceserian Awareness Network) meeting this past Saturday. It was a great opportunity not only to share with the group what a doula does, but also to get information about Blessed Birth out there. Glynis was able to attend as well, which was great! We have some preliminary handouts made and were able to pass out a number of those at both the ICAN meeting and at the clothing swap beforehand.
Praises: I want to continue to praise God for allowing me to persue this calling. I feel really confident that everything will work out the way it is supposed to.
Prayer requests: Pray that both of my moms will be able to have the births that they want, with healthy babies and moms. Please also pray that things will work out with their labors in such a way that I will have no problems getting to them on time and will be able to support them in the ways that they need.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Opening doors!
God is so awesome! He has been opening so many doors recently for me in regards to the doula class. Firstly, He has blessed me financially! I was anticipating having the money for the class by early May, but God has already provided all but $100 between my paychecks and birthday money! I'm just astounded! I did not expect to get nearly as much birthday money as I did! He is so good, and I want to thank ALL of my family for their gifts...you are all so precious to me!
Secondly, my next worry with the class was finding enough births to attend. I will need to attend 2 births in order to be certified. My best friend Crystal is due in June, so I knew I would be able to use her birth as one, but I had no idea how to find a second birth. I was thinking I could call a midwife I knew or contact the Crisis Pregnancy Center and see if they had a mother whom I could attend, but yet again, God provided for me! I was on Facebook the other day, reading through some of my friends' pages, and realized I had a friend from highschool who is due in a few months. I had not even thought about her! I knew she was pregnant, but didn't realize she was as far along as she was. She and I got to talking, and I explained about my doula class and the certification process, and asked her and her husband to do some research online and see if they would like a doula to attend their birth. She just got back with me recently to say that, as long as the hospital had no policy against her having a doula present, they would be happy to have me come and use their birth to help me get certified!
I am just walking on air!
I've also been asked to speak at our local ICAN meeting on Saturday about the role of a doula. I'm excited about that as well, firstly because I think VBAC moms are probably one of the groups who most need an extra support person at their birth, and also because I think it can help get my name out to drum up clients.
Please pray that all goes well with this whole process! I'm also concerned about how attending births will affect my teaching schedule as well as my babysitting schedule. I had already been thinking that in another year or so I would need to stop keeping children in my home on a regular basis so that I can focus more on homeschooling (and also because I will *hopefully* be pregnant or have a new baby within the year). But God has provided in so many ways so far that I really feel like He is ordaining me to be a doula, so I'm sure He will work all of that stuff out in due time.
Secondly, my next worry with the class was finding enough births to attend. I will need to attend 2 births in order to be certified. My best friend Crystal is due in June, so I knew I would be able to use her birth as one, but I had no idea how to find a second birth. I was thinking I could call a midwife I knew or contact the Crisis Pregnancy Center and see if they had a mother whom I could attend, but yet again, God provided for me! I was on Facebook the other day, reading through some of my friends' pages, and realized I had a friend from highschool who is due in a few months. I had not even thought about her! I knew she was pregnant, but didn't realize she was as far along as she was. She and I got to talking, and I explained about my doula class and the certification process, and asked her and her husband to do some research online and see if they would like a doula to attend their birth. She just got back with me recently to say that, as long as the hospital had no policy against her having a doula present, they would be happy to have me come and use their birth to help me get certified!
I am just walking on air!
I've also been asked to speak at our local ICAN meeting on Saturday about the role of a doula. I'm excited about that as well, firstly because I think VBAC moms are probably one of the groups who most need an extra support person at their birth, and also because I think it can help get my name out to drum up clients.
Please pray that all goes well with this whole process! I'm also concerned about how attending births will affect my teaching schedule as well as my babysitting schedule. I had already been thinking that in another year or so I would need to stop keeping children in my home on a regular basis so that I can focus more on homeschooling (and also because I will *hopefully* be pregnant or have a new baby within the year). But God has provided in so many ways so far that I really feel like He is ordaining me to be a doula, so I'm sure He will work all of that stuff out in due time.
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