FAQ, part 2

Back by popular demand, here's round 2 of the FAQ's. Yes, these are all questions I've been asked in the last month or so. Feel free to leave a comment with any questions I may have left out. I do try to be thorough (some of you out there are thinking "anal," I know). :) Enjoy...

When are you telling the baby's name?
We'll announce the baby's name when she's born. Until then, we're reserving our right to change our minds, and still making sure we are 100% happy with the name we think we've come to an agreement on.

Will you have a baby shower?
There will be two baby showers... one thrown by our church ladies on the first Thursday in September, and one for family and friends outside our church circle the last weekend in August. If you are interested in attending a shower, let me know, and I'll do my best to see that you get sent the details.

Are you registered yet?
Yes. I am currently registered at Target (almost exclusively in-store items) and Amazon.com. The Target registry has most of the usual baby stuff. On Amazon, I've listed a couple of the bigger items I want (the jogging stroller, Ergo carrier, Glider rocking chair), as well as some kids books that I would like since I have fond memories of them growing up. The larger Amazon items are probably group gifts because of their cost. If you're interested in contributing to a group gift, talk to Amanda or my mom, since they have access to free two-day shipping on Amazon for those items, and so can help organize the ordering.

Will you continue to work after your baby is born?
No. I plan to be a stay-at-home mom. While God reserves the right to change these plans, this is what we are planning at this point, and I'm SO excited to be transitioning "jobs" to this new role.

What symptoms have you had lately (aka: how are you feeling these days)?
Swollen feet, leg cramps, hip pain, back pain, abdominal pain, feeling baby move a lot, frequent bathroom trips, vivid dreams, emotional swings, heartburn... you know, normal pregnancy stuff. :) I recently discovered that if I stand up straight, I can't see my toes for my tummy in the way. All in all, the third trimester has brought some very normal discomfort, but nothing dramatic, extreme or terrible. I am very blessed to have had an uneventful pregnancy thus far, and pray things continue to go along as they have been.

Do you have the nursery set up yet?

NO. The living room isn’t done. See previous blog post about this. The nursery continues to house most of the smaller living room furnishings, as well as some furniture that will no longer be living in there once the baby comes, so it’s not real accessible right now. Once we do get around to it, we’ll be painting and setting up furniture, but have no plans to do special wallpaper or other fancy designs. :)

Will you get an epidural?
I don't know. My plan is to go in and do my best to do it without an epidural, but I am certainly not making any final decisions until I know what I'm getting myself into!

Who will be in the hospital room when you deliver?
Kaiser allows three people to be in the delivery room for a normal birth (only one is allowed if a C-section needs to be performed). I've asked my sister, Amanda, to act as my Doula for the birth, so she will be there. Jacob, will, of course, be there as well. I'm hoping that with Amanda acting in the role doula/birth coach, Jacob will be able to relax a little more during the birth and not have to worry about remember all the right things to do and when. :) The third spot will probably be for family members to rotate through during labor, and then I'll have my mom in with us during the actual birth.

What's a Doula?
From Wikipedia: "Labor/birth support doulas attend to the emotional and physical comfort of laboring women. They do not perform medical exams but perform massage and offer positioning suggestions. Some offer prenatal visits, phone support and a postpartum meeting to ensure the mother is informed and supported. The terms of a labor/birth doula's responsibilities are decided between the doula and the family. Doulas serve as advocates of their client's wishes and may communicate with medical staff to help the client make informed decisions. The doula is an ally for the father or partner with little experience with the labor process. A responsible doula supports and encourages the father in his support style rather than replaces him."
If you want more information, google it. :)

Will you be accepting visitors at the hospital after the baby is born?
In all honesty, I'm not quite sure what to expect. I would love to say "Yes! Come and visit!", but know that I may feel a little differently after labor. I anticipate posting a quick blog post about guidelines for visitors once the baby is born and we know more about what everything will be like (if we don't get around to this, we're probably not up for visitors!). Kaiser does allow up to 4 visitors at a time (not counting the new dad) in the post-partum rooms, so if we're up for visitors, there will be plenty of space for that. For now, we know at least that family is welcome to visit, and we'll play the rest by ear.

Will you be nursing?
Yes, I do plan to nurse if all goes well, and am committed to giving it a shot. I have heard from other moms (and from my reading) that it can be very difficult at first, and am willing to stick with it even if it's hard for awhile.