Well, I found a really great doctor in town who is supportive of me doing a VBAC. There are only 2 in the valley and I chose this one because he was somewhat closer to where I live. My mom went with me to meet him and we both loved him. He was practically a feminist. He said everything right. I asked why he did VBACs when so many won't and he said that he knows that women want to have a good and positive birth experience and that that is really important to them. He'd rather have a woman do a VBAC at the hospital under his supervision than at home with a midwife who couldn't really do anything for the mother or the baby if something went wrong.
While I recognize that he is a Dr. and that they are generally biased against midwifery (and I'm not) and so that colors his perspective, I still appreciate that he puts women's values, experience, health, and safety at the center of his approach to birthing babies. It's pretty much the same argument for why doctors are willing to do abortions. I kept thinking that while he was talking.
This value on women's experience as well as their health and safety was not at all part of my first birth experience. The doctors I had wouldn't even talk with me long enough to entertain the thought of a birth plan, for example. I had one, but they didn't care. Anyway, I've got to figure out some insurance stuff, but I'm going to go with him. Give it a shot. If something happens and I have another c-section again, that's okay. But for now, I really am grateful for the option of at least trying to have this baby vaginally. That's what I want...options. And I was thrilled to talk to a doctor who wasn't an alarmist asshole about the mere thought of a VBAC--which was my previous experience. This time I'm also going to hire one of my students who is a doula. I really like her anyway and she is very excited and supportive about me having another baby. I think it would be good to have her there.
That's the latest on the birth plans. Getting bigger and fatter all the time! Here we go!
This is me...
Anyone out there been through a VBAC and have a good, bad, or otherwise experience to share? I'm trying to figure out how to get this next baby out of me and am considering going the VBAC route rather than get cut open again. I don't personally know anyone who's done a VBAC though and so I've got no point of reference. Thoughts?
(If you don't know what a VBAC is then it's probably because you're a man or you don't know anyone who has had a vaginal birth after cesarean. Not trying to be sneaky or cool, just trying to speak the lingo and own it a little.)
Pennsylvania was fun. We had a great time at my brother's house in Pittsburgh. Monkey loved hanging out with his cousins and it was such a baby-friendly place to hang out it was very low stress for us. A really nice time overall. And it's always good to get to spend time with my brother and his wife. Good people.
Work is busy. I'm having many moments of panic from time to time. So many projects going on. I have to try to get a handle. I applied for some jobs this fall and apparently didn't get any of them. Oh well. Next year. Maybe this isn't a good year to be on the market anyway since I'm trying to finish up a book, four articles, write a grant proposal, mentor four students, and HAVE A BABY all at the same time. Maybe the timing is just a little off.
Baby stuff is good. Monkey stuff is good. He's so funny. He's stringing together words now into two word sentences and babbling all the time. He knows the word kite and I have no idea how. He's pretty amazing to watch.
My mom is coming to town on Sunday and staying for 10 days. I'm really looking forward to it. She's got a lot of work to do once she's here! It'll be good.
We've been really busy lately. Lots going on. I'm feeling a lot better, much less nauseated. Still kind of tired. And, at times, uninspired to blog about anything. I'm trying. I really am.
Work, work, work.
My dad was here last weekend and that was nice. Monkey really liked spending time with him.
The mister and I went to see Old Crow Medicine Show downtown last week and that was wonderful. If you don't already have their records you really need to get on that. We were in a small venue with good sound and the crowd was just so happy to be there. It was all good vibes. They were great. Lots of fun.
Had dinner with friends M & E and their kids C & E tonight. That was really fun. Monkey and little E are friends at daycare and they love each other. Monkey went to bed really easily tonight. He was pooped from all the fun with E.
Getting ready to go to Pittsburgh for most of next week for turkey with my brother and his family. We've never been to that part of PA. Should be nice. It'll be good for monkey to spend time with his cousins too. Looking forward to that. All the preparation for leaving is not so fun, but it'll be good once we go. My dad gave us a portable dvd player for monkey on the plane. It's kind of cheating, but I think it'll really save us. Make everyone happy.
Gotta do some house stuff before I fall asleep here at the computer. Mister is out covering a coffee house story. Poor guy. He works so hard to bring home the bacon. And he mostly seems to hate it. But he's a good man. And I appreciate all he does for us.
Good night.
We took a trip to Bonnie Springs, NV today. It's an old mining town/petting zoo/train ride kind of tourist attraction. We felt like we were in National Lampoon's Vacation the whole time. We had been there before, but not with monkey. He really had a good time and passed out in the car before we had driven a mile towards home.
Took a bunch of pictures. Here are a few...
Well, he's almost 20 months now and he knows 40 something words...Of course he has his own way of saying many of these, but they are distinct sounds and we can tell them apart. Sentences are clearly in the near future!
- mama
- dada
- Wanda
- Mimi (for Mildred the cat)
- nana (banana)
- Elmo
- bye bye
- thank you
- Barbara
- more
- flamingo
- balloon
- moon
- ball
- butterfly
- umbrella
- baby
- Elijah
- night night
- go!
- car
- truck
- bus
- color
- juice
- eat
- monkey (ooh ooh!)
- bye bye da da!
- poo poo
- owl
- uh oh
- no
- fish
- cheese
- hat
- hot
- mine
- nose
- shoes
- eyes
- light
- pee pee
- what’s that?
- apple
- onion
- book
- onion
