OK FOLKS HERE IS A PLETHORA OF WEEK 26....and today Nov 15th I AM 26 WEEKS PREGO!


The lone prego belly...











Attack of the bellies!







Holy doorknobs, look at my belly! Its the same size as a woman in our natural childbirth class, she is due in Jan and I in Feb!

TODAY I AM 25 WEEKS AND 1 DAY.

We had a midwife appointment today, and everything is as it should be......we have now met with almost all of the midwives of the midwife practice we go to, we have 2 to go. =) Nina was our midwife today and she was a very sweet and lovely person. My belly is now measuring at 27 cm's and I weigh in at 151! However, I don't look it according to the nurse who weighed me. =) It's just so shocking to get on the scale and WHOA! Anyways, I am just happy yo know that everything is as it should be, and I feel great and baby is moving and we are so happy. =)

The weather was so beautiful here today, it must have been close to 70 outside. Pretty strange I think, nonetheless I took advantage and me and Macy went to the local resevior for a hike. It was so nice to be outside for a long time, nice for me and I know Macy had a lot of fun. I think that it was around 4 miles all the way around.....
The leaves have almost all fallen off, so it smells so good.....the water was beaituful and clear, Macy went in the water a little too to cool off and to quench her thirst. We had a lovely afternoon.

After we got home and got settled, the baby was moving around a bit. It seems that after I have done a lot of any activity like walking or working out the baby is energized! Well now it's time for a nap...I am so tired even though it's 6pm!

A photo is coming soon. I am waiting for Matt to get a camera from his work.

lator

GOOD MORNING!

Let me start by saying how excited I was to vote yesterday! I was in such a good mood all day, because I just knew that things the house and the senate were about the change for the better of this country. Sure enough, the people of this country came out and made it known that they are tired of the direction the president and "his" partisan & corrupt government have taken us. I have a renewed confidence, and I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. THANK YOU EVERYONE! Also, some thing amazing and important happened in our state of Massachusetts....we elected Deval Patrick as our new governor...the first Democratic governor in 16 years! I AM SO EXCITED! HOLY CRAP! I am pretty sure that the baby felt my relief and excitement yesterday and all last night...the baby was moving SO much! Yeah baby...things are going to get easier! I know that a change will not happen overnight or even in a few months (or maybe it will).....but atleast now things can start to look brighter for our future, our childs future and the future of this country.

Ladedaa....

Hello all of you out there in lunchladyland......
I dunno, I am in a goofball mood I guess. So, the babe had been making lots of moves in my belly the past few days especially. I think that the baby is teaching itself to breakdance in the womb! I can't wait till we get Matt's turntables set up so we can play and mix records...that will really get the baby moving! I have been feeling the most movement in the afternoon, early and late evenings. Those are the times when I tend to be most still, so it makes sense the baby would move most then. Also when I am sleeping I tend to wake up a lot, I have been tossing and turning so much the past few days and when I do I often feel the baby moving around. I really don't mind at all, I love feeling the baby move any time day or night, its reasurring of the little miracle inside of me. =) I'm not sure when we will have a new photo for ya'll, I have no idea where the battery charger for the camera battery is. Well see what we can do.

I have been knitting a bunch again, I am working on a hat for baby to wear home from the birthing center.....I found a pattern online, but I am using yarn that seems to be much thicker than the pattern calls for. So, I will finish the one I started and just have to get some skinny yarn and make the newborn cap. I am re-taking a kntitting class that I had taken in the spring.....to help me to be better about reading patterns and how to use guage properly. Not long after I took the class in the spring I knit a bunch of my own patterns, and I kind of forgot about guage etc. That was a bad idea, because I have to learn by doing things....and I pretty much forgot what I had learned in class, though I excelled while in the class I have to admit. =)
Also, I want to let ya'll know that if you are able to come to the baby shower, you are welcome to knit or sew a gift if you want to!

Heloo,

Last night, well actually more like early this morning, i woke up and once again Erin was snoring VERY loud. I decided to go to the bathroom and see if maybe the snoring would subside with a little bit of time. On returning to the room i realised that this was not the case. Now normally i just kick her alittle and she rolls over and the smoring fades for a moment, but this morning I decided to try a differrent method. Erin was laying on her side and facing me so i decided that if I just put my hand on her belly she would sense stimulation on the life pod area and she would stop snoring...... Well, it worked like a charm. She slowly stopped snoring and seemed to be sleeping very calmly. Then as i lay there with my hand on her belly I felt some movement. Erin was sleeping but the baby was not. I realised that this was my first moment "alone" with the baby. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! It was very strange to have that moment in which I felt connected to this little creature in an individual way. Usually erin is awake (duhh) and she can tell me "put your hand here the baby is kicking", but this morning was different, I layed there thinking about it for a while and then erin rolled over and started mumbling....

Here is the buddha in all its glory, week 22. I have been feeling more pronounced movements in this past week. Some days baby is really quiet with hardly a movement to be felt, others there is a whole lot of something going on in my belly! I am surprised and amazed everytime I feel the baby move even the slightest....this is an amazing experience!

That there is a photo from last week.....Aren't we so cute together! I don't have a new one for this week yet. One will be coming soon. Just wanted to write ya'll a little note about our baby shower and the places that we are registered. Yes, the shower in on December 10th.....and you will be getting an invite early November; so keeps your calenders open! So, about the registries...we are registered at more that one place because some of the items we are in need of can be found at one place and perhaps not the other. There is one specific place for diapers, and a few places for other practical and neccesary baby items. We are trying to be as practical with the things that we are asking for as possible. We are asking for organics, as they are the most healthy for baby...this is why you do not see us asking for many things from Babies R Us. "BRUS" only sells 4 or 5 things that are Organic and that is really sad, because many of the items they sell are so unhealthy for babies and mommies! I guess it's better that we don't ask for our Organics from there anyways because we would rather support the smaller MOMMY RUN online stores that we are registered with! Just take a look at the article about hidden carcinogens that is posted on the blog. I know that you might be rolling your eyes, but I have been eating and trying to live a wholesome organic lifestyle for a long time now. I only want to pass this way onto my child....there is a lot of info out there about organics and why they are so much better for humans, please before you roll your eyes again take the time to some research for yourself.

HERE

is a little reading to get you started.


I am 21 weeks and a few days, and the baby is moving more everyday! I am feeling much stronger kicks or punches or maybe the baby is rearing its head or shoulders into my belly. Either way IT RULES! I feel really euphoric when I feel the baby moving, and I am so often moved to tears, how amazing to feel this little baby inside of me stirring around. I have almost finished a new book that was reccomended to me (one of many) by our Doula Kirsten. Its called "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". This is quite possibly the most women empowering books I have ever read. It is so well written and packed full of birth stories, as well as natural childbirthing techniques and studies. I highly reccomend this book, even if you are not pregnant its that good! So things are good here in our house, I mean apartment...I am still working and will be until late Nov. In the meantime I am trying to get my wedding photo biz going for next year, and hopefully my doggie apparell site/store

Bubby Boutique

will be finished and some sales from that will start to come in. Well my lovelies....I have rambled enough for now, besides I am hungry again.....MUST EAT FOOD!

On the cusp of 20 weeks here are some photos of the belly....and me and Matt. Also, my mom and Matt's mom are having a baby shower for us on December 10th......I know that many of you won't be able to make it, but you are surely invited.

Baby! Baby! Baby! I am just about 19 weeks now. Here are some very special images of the little one in my belly!

Slowly, I am growing this baby......I am not about to rush to the end. I am taking this beautiful process one-day-at-a-time...
There is simply no need to rush to the finish........

I am very happy to let you all know that we have found our Doula! Her name is Kirsten, and she is a very sweet and lovely person. Having a doula has been one of my goals in preparing for labor. I wasn't too sure if Matt would be skeptical about my wanting to have a Doula. After our meeting Kirsten last week we both left knowing we had made a good decision. Kirsten has been a Doula for many years in Western Mass attending over 100 births, she is in training to become a midwife as well. Here is a link to Kirsten's website. Kirsten's Website: Graceful Birth

Photos for the begining of the week no. 18:

Finally our internet at home works, though there is no comfy place to sit and use it right now! Anyways, here are photos from a week and a half ago......(late week 15).

So here I am at week 16. We did take photos last week, however our web access at home is not working right now...so ya'll will have to wait till next week. =)
I am hoping to take self portraits, and some of Matt and I this weekend at the Studio. Hopefully the weather will be nice and lots of sun will come into the studio.
I am deffintately growing in the belly! Its pretty fun to see the changes in my belly now...I am taking it all in everyday, I don't want to rush the process. I know that it will go by fast when I look back on these days. I am not one to rush things...and this is deffinately not something to rush through. This monday we have another Midwife appointment, and then on wednesday we are having a meeting with our tentative Doula. I am very adamant about having a doula, I want to be as supported mentally and psyically during labor, as I know that I will need it. I want to have the extra emotional support for myself and for Matt....

You may be saying: What is a doula?
A birth doula is a trained labor support person who provides emotional and physical support to a laboring woman and her partner. While she is not a medical professional, she can offer a wide range of comfort measures during labor - from massage to aromatherapy to continuous reassurance and coping techniques.

Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:

50% reduction of cesarean rate
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
30% reduction in analgesia use
40% reduction in forceps delivery

YES this is for me!

WEEK 15! We are in the process of moving to our beautiful new apartment so the picture of my belly might be delayed. =)

Hello everyone. As you know, I am pretty strict about the food I eat (as much organic as possible) and the kinds of clothes I wear as well as the products I buy for cleaning, as well as shampoo's, soaps and body lotions (ALL NATURAL & Organic). I am careful about these things with good reason, not because I am a bit eccentric, but because I know the dangers of the ingredients of many products out there. What many people don't realize about the products they use everyday is that they are probably made of dangerous chemicals or have toxic ingredients, and these things that can easily be avoided. It is a scary fact that studies show these products to be hazardous to our human health and they can potentially cause cancers or worse. My lovelies, I hope that you will take a second look at the ingredients in your cleaning, bath and body products etc. you are using, and perhaps your children are using everyday. It is too important not too. It's so sad that as a nation we are not more informed about what companies are exposing consumers too in thier products, so as consumers we have to take some time to educate ourselves of these hidden dangers. Also keep in mind that babies are children are that much more succeptable to the dangers posed by so many of these products/ingredients! This is all the more reason we want to have all natural/organics for our child....and for ourselves. =) Below is a short list of ingredients to look out for, please take a moment to read through this list of "hidden carcinogens".

- The largest group of hidden carcinogens includes dozens
of wetting agents or detergents, particularly PEGs,
Laureths, and Ceteareths, all of which are contaminated with
the potent and volatile carcinogens ethylene oxide and
dioxane. These carcinogens could readily be stripped off
during ingredient manufacture, if the industry just made the
effort to do so. Another hidden carcinogenic ingredient is
lanolin, derived from sheep's wool, most samples of which
are contaminated with DDT-like pesticides.

-- The second group includes another detergent,
Triethanolamine (TEA) which, following interaction with
nitrite, is a precursor of a highly potent nitrosamine
carcinogen.

-- The third group includes Quaterniums and Diazolidinyl urea
preservatives which break down in the product or skin to
release the carcinogenic formaldehyde.

-Of additional concern is another group of common
preservatives, known as Parabens. Numerous studies over the
last decade have shown that these are weakly estrogenic.
They produce abnormal hormonal effects following application
to the skin of infant rodents, particularly male, resulting
in decreased testosterone levels, and urogenital
abnormalities. Parabens have also been found to accumulate
in the breasts of women with breast cancer.

Thier is a full article about these carcinogens HERE

I hope that you will take atleast some of this to heart. There is much more info out there about the hidden dangers of everyday products too. As I progress in my pregnany I think about everyday products (cleaning, soaps etc.) more and more, and the more I learn about the dangers of lets say "Name Brand" advertised products the more upset I get that so many people are using these items, and it scares me that so many people are probably unkowing of what they exposing themselves and thier children too. The positive thing is that there are natural, non-toxic alternatives out there, and the cost of them is comparable if not less sometimes. Not only are natural non-toxic products better for humans, they are better for the environment.

e-

Ok so this is Matt, posting for the very first time here on the VBODW. First off I have to say that the title of this blog might be a little misleading because I don't necessarily know if the the baby will be of the vegan only persuasion, that's still a discussion in the works. So I been feeling very nervous about having a baby. I mean i'm really excited, extremely joyous, wonderfully uplifted, but..... i'm really nervous. Yeah. For example, i got nervous last night when Erin wasn't home when I got home even though she left the restaurant that we ate at the same time i did and I had a longer walk to my car. Seems odd, but I just started thinking about all the things that could have been happening, turns out she just stopped at Stop and Shop, stoppin, at Shopping, stop, shop. OK moving on. So I have made a video about the babies beat. Link to it here

HEAR THE BABY BEAT JAM

Ok the end.

M

This was some of the worst writing i've ever performed. Sorry, first time babaay blogging jitters.

P.S. YOU MUST REGISTER TO MAKE COMMENTS ON OUR BLOG. MANY LUDE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP ON THE BLOG AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT CRAP!

Here's why I only want to eat Organic, and feed our child Organic foods when the time comes....please take the time to read this article.

CHILDREN'S CHEMICAL & PESTICIDE EXPOSURE VIA FOOD PRODUCTS

"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that one of the main sources of pesticide exposure for U.S. children comes from the food they eat." If that does not scare the crap out of you, and make you sick.......that is SCAREY STUFF!

Not only do pesticides an bio-engineered food effect the health and well being of children, but they effect ALL HUMANS who consume these foods. For some reason, our society chooses to not really care where thier foods come from. This is really a scary thought, since so much of the foods in this country are "factory farm" raised.....seeds, fruits, vegetables and farm animals alike. As a society we need to realize that eating these foods is unhealthy! Organics are more nutritious and pesticide free!

"Over 300 synthetic food additives are allowed by the FDA in conventional foods. None of these are allowed in foods that are USDA certified organic." GO ORGANIC!

The other scary thing about non-organics is that scientists do not know the long term effects of consuming these foods, i.e. cancers, disease etc. Think before you eat!

PLEASE READ THIS TOO!!! OCA & Cancer Prevention Coalition Warn of Hidden Carcinogens in Baby Care

TOXIC THREATS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT

there are many more important and interesting articles here

Ok Ya'll, here is week 13 in all my belly's glory! Babe's first video coming soon (soon as Matt gets it done and up on the inter-nets)

THIS IS AN IMAGE OF A 13 Week old fetus.....no it's not our fetus!

We've got a strong one my lovelies!

Today was our 2nd midwife appointment, at 12 1/2 just about 13 weeks. Our midwife today was Anne (remember we have 6, or is it 7 midwives). Anyways, she used the little fetal doppler and whaddyaknow.... WE HEARD OUR BABY'S HEARTBEAT! WOW! IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY EXCITING!!!!!!! Matt brought along a video camera, so we have the sound on video, I will be working towards getting the sound extracted and onto a webpage so you all can hear to! That is my plan for this evening...=)
It was so incredible to hear the sound.....swoosh swoosh swoosh! Matt is so incerdibly sensitive and sweet, I saw his eyes well up with joy. I looked at him and saw what his eyes were doing and that made me lauph....not at him but with happiness! So, I had to not look at Matt so that we could continue to hear the heartbeat. Hearing our baby's heart this morning made my day....how beautiful the sound. Anne the midwife said that the babies heartbeat is deffinately very strong......a wonderful thing! Our next appointment we will probably listen again...I cannot wait! Now that we have heard our baby's heart beating inside of me I really feel different. I truely feel connected to this little person growing inside my womb. AMAZING!

A PHOTO SHOOT BY MACY AND ME...

Ok.Ok.Ok.............EVERYTHING IS OK! So it was really hard not to get totally upset yesterday from the letter we got from MassHealth. So, I called our Midwifery place today and spoke with the woman there who talks directly to MassHealth all the time. I told her what happened, what the letter said...she asked for my social sec. and checked in the MassHealth system. According to the system I am covered for pre-natal and labor and delivery! I was like, uh ok but what about the letter we got? She suggested to give MassHealth a call, so I did and I am glad that I did because it totally has changed everything since I had not been working. With only Matt's income we have made the "cut" for my getting pre-natal and labor and delivery by $50 dollars! Now, I had been told by the woman that helped me to fill out the paper work for MassHealth that she would let them know I was not working. Obviously that never happened. No worries though, all I had to do was what I did today; call MassHealth and tell them I have not been working. So thats that. Disaster and stress headaches averted. So, we will be going to the midwife appointment on friday. All is well.

Also, Liz thank you so much for the email you sent to Matt. You always have a wonderful way of thinking logically and calmly about situations. I love that photo of you and Lucy on the party boat! We ALL deffinately have to get together in Milwaukee again and arrange for a party boat!

Ok, so that last post was a bit harsh. But you know what it is super stressful knowing that our income (mine is none right now) is not above the 200 percentile that you need to be below to get MassHealth. When I filled out the paperwork at a local Health Center that assists women in doing so, the women told me that the income gap had gone up July 1st, and that we were deffinately going to be covered at least for the pre-natal. Well, something got messed up because now the state won't even help me with pre-natal care. So, I am going to be on the phone all day tomarrow probably trying to see what happened...because it's just not right. We were also told by another woman at our midwifery place that deals with MassHealth all the time that we would be covered no problem! So, WHAT THE FRUITCAKE HAPPENED! I am also looking into alternatives that I was looking at even when I was covered by pre-natal: 1. Matt's health insurance...which might be super expensive and have a waiting period 2. A local group of Midwives called River Valley Midwives (they are 2 women who are nurse midwives) who do and all the pre-natal care and homebirthing, I am going to see if they might be interested in doing a partial trade....they have no website and maybe I can design them one for free. I am not totally sure about the last alternative, I had been in touch with a local Doula who is super nice and she has worked with local nurse midwives who offer care to low income people who can't afford health insurance. So, we shall see, but this is more stress than I want to have in my mind and body right now. I started crying this afternoon to myself over this....and Macy was so sweet, she immediately got up and came over and proceeded to get in the chair I was sitting in and gave me kisses and a hug. What a good girl she is!

Please excuse my being so blunt but......MASS HEALTH CAN SUCK A FART! I have just found out that I lost my pre-natal and any MassHealth care that I had....and that we have to pay a deductible, for what I have NO CLUE! Thank you Massachusetts Government....thank you US government! You all rule!

Have I told you lately that I love ARTICHOKES! YUMmmmmmmMMMM! I do really like artichokes, but for some strange reason, I CRAVE them at certain times, or on certain days! So here are some photos that I took today, while at home with Macy. Also the belly photo on this post is the week 12 belly photo dujour! Oh, and I got a job! Its a part time webmaster job at my old school, Greenfield Community College. I am not entirely sure why they hired me, as I am a little underqualified....but I am a quick learner so well see. Yeah, now Matt and I can go to IKEA at the end of the month and buy furniture and organizational wares to make our new place lovely for the baby!

SO.....hi there.

Yet another week in the life of a pregnant me has gone by. We had a lovely time going to the Berkshires for a few days last week, and then to Rhode Island for a few more days. I would love to share photos of that, but I haven't had the film processed just yet. So, this coming week is week 12 for me and friday we are going to the Midwife again for our 2nd appointment. I am really hopeful to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat this time! I weighed myself today, and I am up to 124 lbs! I have not weighed that much since I was in high school! Gaining is good...I have to keep reminding myself of this. Hopefully this week we can get signed up for the local YMCA that will be very close to where we are moving at the end of the month. I am excited to lift some weights (light one's of course) and to go swimming everyday! I am also going to see about signing up for pre-natal yoga...for some reason those classes are few and far between around here. =( Our friend Liz, who had her baby last summer reccomended pre-nantal yoga very highly. She told me that it was really nice be do the different stretches and etc. but also that it was so nice to be around other pregnant mommies. We will try to get a belly photo for this week...please stand by. =)

erin