Okay, since nobody else is setting up a club, I thought I’d give it a whirl.
No fee. Partners welcome.
Come in and introduce yourselves!
(I’ll start)
FAMILY: I’m hedra, married to epeepunk. This will be our second child, and my fourth pregnancy (two miscarriages in between). Our son is Gabriel, he’ll be four (almost exactly) when this one is born. And my brother is also a Doper.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: I had an extremely long but overall very decent labor with Gabe (using Bradley Method relaxation), and am doing Hypnobirthing this time. Been-there-done-that on both the natural and medicated sides in one labor, and definitely prefer the natural. Still, medical intervention has its place, so I’m glad there are options available. Nursed WAY longer than I expected or planned to, despite a nasty painful start. Always wanted kids, never had any experience with them (or not much), so learned a lot on the fly.
PREG INFO: Due 10/29, don’t know what gender (we like surprises). On a slightly modified diet (watching the glycemic index) to keep blood sugar levels under control, but not technically gestational diabetic. Under midwife care, intend to deliver at a free-standing Birth Center. No major problems with the pregnancy, but definitely in the achy/uncomfortable stage at this point.
OTHER: Writer. Working mom, plan to continue working (I make the big bucks, between the two of us). 35 yrs old. Compulsive researcher. Have contributed to four books related to pregnancy/parenting, two of them now published (but I get no royalties), two in editing/review.
I’m not pregnant (being a male, this would be a little difficult). Nor is anyone close to me pregnant. And I don’t want to be a Lamaze coach. I want to deliver a baby. And please don’t say I’m not qualified. Cavemen did it. How hard can it be? Can I please deliver someone’s child?
If there are no complications (breech, etc), the delivery itself should be relatively easy; the only hard part being the shrieking, writhing woman on the other end.
However, with complications. Whoa, nelly! That’s a whole different ball of wax.
Never shreiked or writhed, myself… And that is WITH complications. Superdude, your best bet is finding a mate who wants an unassisted home birth. Next best bet is becoming a certified nurse midwife - there are men who do it. Oh, and you’d have better luck if you said you wanted to ‘catch’ rather than ‘deliver’ the baby. You are more likely to find someone who would be happy to have you there for that part if you use those terms, I suspect (given the experience issue - doctors and midwives ‘deliver’, but ANYONE can catch in an uncomplicated birth). I’d kick you in the teeth before letting you ‘deliver’ my baby, but I might be convinced to let you catch, if, say, I knew you, trusted you, and there wasn’t someone more personally involved in the process who I’d rather have catch.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: This is my first so no horror stories of previous labor. (Sorry!) Closest things I have to kids are a husband, a neurotic dog and a hideously bratty niece.
PREGNANCY INFO: Due March 9, 2002. Don’t know the sex yet but are going to find out. No problems yet (it’s very early). I really don’t even feel pregnant–except those times daily that I have horrible heartburn! Heard the heartbeat last week and got the first ultrasound pictures.
FAMILY: I am married to another doper, Sealemon88 and this will be my second child.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: I have an 11 year old daughter and her birth was relatively easy. I had an epidural after only 11 hours of labor and she was born two hours later, go figure.
PREGNANCY INFO: I am due November 2, 2001, currently 30 weeks pregnant with a girl. We had to know! I didn’t get to know with my first daughter and the curiousity was killing me plus it helped me with getting all the essentials together. No major problems just extremely sleep deprived and incredibly hot. I just keep telling myself only two more months of being miserable.
FAMILY: Married to a wonderful man, as of this past Saturday. (But we’d been living together for two years previous.)
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None, none, none! Except helping take care of younger siblings when I was growing up. This is a very surprising first pregnancy for the both of us.
PREGNANCY INFO: Due Jan. 31, 2002. Ultrasound tech thinks it’s a boy, although is not 100% sure. We’re planning on taking Bradley classes as I would like to go drug-free if possible. (I’m not dead set on it, though.) Living in an extremely small one-bedroom house and trying to make the best of it.
I just thought I would check in and see how the other pregnant ladies are doing.
Myself, not to great but there is a light at the end of the tunnel with only 6 more weeks to go and it can’t happen soon enough. My hands and feet stay constantly swollen, I’m not sleeping well and I can’t eat anything without becoming sick. I think my husband is plotting my death if he hears me complain one more time. I heard him and our daughter whispering and looking at me last night.
So how is everyone else doing? Misery loves company.
