Week 27

It's a little early in the week, but I thought this was a good shot. I had a great workout tonight, and I realized there's no better way to see the bump than when I'm rockin' my workout clothes. I've been doing yoga a few times a week, and the breathing and stretching is a fantastic relief. My body is certainly shifting as I go along in the pregnancy, and my hips are definitely opening up, causing some sciatic pain in the mornings. By the time I get home from work, I just want a massage, and yoga seems to take care of that need. I've also been doing "The Perfect Pregnancy Workout" by Karyn Steben, who is a dancer for Cirque du Soleil. She's got this amazing body at about 6-7 months pregnant in the video, and the workout is just challenging enough to make you work but not too much. If I can do her workout and half a session of yoga, I'm really set. That's what I did tonight, so this shot is me feeling very good.

On another note, I had a doctor's visit last Thursday and found out that we do not have to worry about gestational diabetes. (Thank heavens!) The glucose test came back normal, although I'm now taking an iron supplement. For as much as everyone talks about the glucose test being this awful ordeal, it was really underwhelming. You drink a small bottle of sugar drink that is sweeter than Gatorade, but if it's cold, it's not that bad. Then you get your blood drawn in an hour, and that's it. Of course, the way people talk about it, you'd think you had to drink a gallon of sugar Kool-Aid or some form of gross syrup, and then run a mile hooked up to machines, and then maybe stand on your head for a half hour before finally having some strange science fiction test done to you. (At least that's what I envisioned until my girlfriend told me what really happens!) It was very easy, and I'm thankful for that.

I also had a great conversation with my doctor about expectations for delivery, and she said a really wonderful thing. "There's nothing we can do medically that will be more beautiful than what you can do naturally." That is extremely reassuring since I would like to stay as natural as possible in delivery. I'm not opposed to epidurals, and my approach is based more on common sense and ultimately safety, but having a doctor who supports a natural birth as much as possible is wonderful. I'm also happy to know that Hoag Hospital is supportive in a similar way, although I'm not going in with an unrealistic expectation about pain management, or even the possibility of a c-section, if medically necessary. Of course, it will all happen exactly as it's supposed to, and as long as we have a healthy baby and a healthy Mom at the end of the whole experience, I'll be happy. So, I'm starting to gear up for the idea of delivery, which is a pretty awesome thing to prepare for as a woman - perhaps one of the most significant in life.