The Weird & The Wonderful

THE WEIRD

1. I dreamt that I gave birth to a cat. It was actually my cat - Archimedes. In my dream I turned to Mr. T and said "I am happy with the cat but I wish it was a human baby." When I woke up I reached down and touched my belly and felt reassured that I was still pregnant and hadn't actually given birth to a cat. I then reminded myself that the last scan had clearly shown a human form and not a cat. Am I a total freak? Or does this dream have a bigger meaning?

2. Mr. T wants to be pregnant too. He told me he is jealous that he doesn't get to feel what it is like to be pregnant. I told him that it has been hard enough getting me pg, let alone him. I told him I thought he was a bit weird. Did he want to give birth too? No. He replied. Quite firmly. Ha ha ha!

3. Pebbles moves so much now but in ways that feel really really weird. Sometimes it feels like she is doing a Mexican wave inside my tummy. Other times I feel like my skin is going to burst and she is going to pop out - a bit like that scene in Alien. Gotta get that image out of my head.

THE WONDERFUL

1. My Mr. T turned to me the other day and said something really sweet. He said "when the baby comes if you see me doing something wrong please tell me. I really want to be helpful and be just as capable with her as you are, but I know I don't know as much as you do." Firstly I don't agree with him on all that. But I knew the intention behind his words and it just melted my heart. I reached over and gave him a big hug. Then I told him we will both be learning. She doesn't need perfect parents, she needs us. And that if he asks for my advice I will give it but I will not criticize while he is figuring things out. I have seen friends do this and I have seen husbands sit back and do less for fear of doing something wrong. I have also spoken to girlfriends who bite their lips and force themselves to walk away when they want to criticize something their man is doing but know they shouldn't despite the enormous urge to! This has resulted in their husbands being more hands on and more confident and capable with their babies. A much better result.

2. So far (30 weeks tomorrow!) I have no stretch marks a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e. No varicose veins. No water retention or swelling. Normal blood pressure. Normal iron levels. No toxi. I am one happy mama.

3. Today we are going away for a mini-vacation! Just a long weekend really to a small coastal town called Essaouira where we have rented a villa in the countryside with a (saline!) pool. It's our last trip away where it will just be the two of us. Although we have been wanting to go from two to three for a long time, now that it is actually happening we thought we should take advantage of our last holiday as a couple. The plan is to sleep, eat and just have fun in each other's company. So catch you when I get back!!

A HypnoFertility success story

Jennifer's HypnoFertility success story:

I was finally ready to start trying to have baby #2... and we tried and tried and tried for 9 months, charting my cycles, testing my fluids, reading too many fertility articles and books, and using way too many ovulation strips. Nothing was happening. I was having no luck and was getting more and more frustrated, especially as everyone around me was getting pregnant and having babies. I wanted to be pregnant again, too! The frustrations I was having were also putting stress on my husband and our relationship.

As the 1-year mark of "trying" was looming, I decided I better try something else before I had to go on Clomid or experiment with other more invasive fertility treatments. I really did not want to have to go on medication or have IVF. I remembered that Carol (whom I had taken HypnoBirthing from for my first baby) was now a HypnoFertility Therapist. HypnoBirthing had worked so well for me when I gave birth that I figured HF would probably work, too. So, I set up some sessions with Carol.

After our initial session, my husband, upon my arrival home from the session, remarked that I was so much more cheerful than I had been. I felt more like myself. I was happy and hopeful and a lot less stressed. During the few weeks that I was having my HypnoFertility sessions, my thoughts about conceiving were much more positive than they had been. I was in better spirits in general, and I was able to feel happier for other people as well.

I only had 5 sessions with Carol because the HypnoFertility worked immediately. I conceived during my next cycle. Carol was a miracle worker! I feel so strongly about the positive effects that HypnoFertility had on me. I honestly feel like I went through the trial of infertility so that I could know about HypnoFertility and share it with others. I know that there are so many people out there who could benefit from it, but don't even know that it exists. I want everyone who is battling infertility to know that there is another way!
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Thanks so much for sharing your story, Jennifer! I'm thrilled that you are pregnant & that HypnoFertility was so helpful to you in so many ways. I've heard the same thing from all of my clients--that their overall mood improves & that their stress level about trying to get pregnant and life in general is decreased significantly.

If you are in San Diego and are struggling with infertility and want to get pregnant faster, please visit www.AWellLivedLife.Net for more information about Carol Yeh-Garner's HypnoFertility services. She is also available for phone and Skype sessions.

If you are out of San Diego and want to find a HypnoFertility practitioner, please visit www.hypnofertilityfoundation.org.

ICLW finally!

This is my first ICLW in a loooooooong time. I forced myself to do it as I kept putting it off since finding it hard to come back to my blog after my miscarriage last year. But now I am in a very different place as you may see from all the baby stuff on my blog now. It's all a bit surreal. But it's more amazing and wonderful than I could have imagined.

So to introduce myself and The Pitter-Patter to new visitors here is my ABC of information:

A: Acupuncture - weekly sessions which keep me feeling good and regular (if you catch my progesterone-slowing drift)

B: Bump!

C: Cats, we have three. They want to sleep on me all the time - this is a new development, could it be pregnancy related?

D: Dancing queen - our bubba's new nickname since she started movin and groovin

E: Eternity - how long it seems we have waited for our little miracle bubba

F: Fit - working hard to be as fit as can be

G: Girl - As in our baby is a

H: Home birth - That's the plan

I: Ice-cream? No. I stopped eating it, trying to be very healthy now until baby comes.

J: Jane, the name of my midwife

K: Kicks!

L: Love conquers all

M: Mr. T - also known as bear and sometimes as knob, when he's being knob-like. But mostly he is just my incredible hubby. My absolute all.

N: Nearly 8 years since we met.

O: Oh to stuff myself with chocolate and pizza and all other naughty things I would like to eat!

P: Pebbles - our baby's blog name

Q: Quack quack - my nickname at school

R: Raspberry leaf tea - every morning

S: Sat Nam - My birthing mantra. It means I am true.

T: Third Trimester

U: Uterus. Big up. You kept up your end of the bargain. So far. Hoping you get to do your thang in 10 weeks time.

V: Viable. Baby now is. Phew.

W: Water birth - the pool is here, in its box, waiting for Mr. T to pump it up so we can check it, clean it and sterilize it

X: Xtraordinary ladies who I meet all the time thanks to blogging

Y: Yoga - I am a yoga machine at the moment, unstoppable!

Z: Ze list is done!