Getting This Body Ready
Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 01:30AM 
Getting this body ready for labor is even more involved then anything else. Which makes sense, since my body is the one that's going to do all the work.
For awhile, I was considering my job sufficient exercise. I stopped working, then I got sick. Today feeling better, my mom, sister & I started walking. We need to keep it up, and I need to be squatting, doing pelvic exercises, and I desperately need to start remembering my kegels! I had to put signs up in my bathrooms reminding me to do them. All of these are supposed to help my body get ready for labor.
I'm also trying to get Marcus to do as much exercising with me as possible, if you know what I mean. I need those prostaglandins!
Also in order to get ready, we are attempting perineal massage. This lovely massage is supposed get my perineum used to being stretched & lessen the chance of tearing. It also helps me to learn to relax through discomfort in that area. It's difficult for us because Marcus doesn't really love it, and I've found it not very effective when I do it alone. And there are many nights when he comes home from work at 2am exhausted, & I'm already asleep.
Nightly I'm taking evening primrose oil, which contains many prostaglandins, known for their assistance in softening the cervix, preparing me for labor. I am drinking red raspberry leaf tea, which is supposed to tone my uterus or help it be more efficient in practice & future contractions. There is this other thing I'm taking with meals, but I don't remember what it's supposed to do.
All of these little labor helpers started at 35 weeks. Before then & now I am also taking my prenatal vitamins, omega 3, trace minerals, & chlorophyll to help keep my red blood cell count normal. And I'm taking GTF to help regulate my blood sugar. Because... At about 28 weeks, my midwife did a blood glucose test to see how my body was handling sugar. The results weren't ideal. Certain foods cause spikes in my blood sugar, which lead to unnecessary Isaiah growth. If these spikes get out of control, I am put at risk for gestational diabetes. Since then, I've been monitoring my blood sugar with a little finger pricker & taking the GTF. It's been interesting to see what foods I can & cannot eat. Like no Chinese food. What the F?
Anyway, it's under control now, I've been doing pretty decent with my diet. At my baby shower, we had special carb-less snacks, except for the baby shower cupcakes, of which I only had a bite. The lack of treats has been a little sad, but I'm glad to know that I may have contributed to lessening the chance of having a really big baby.
How big are you going to be Isaiah?
Reader Comments (1)
Ah, I am already missing being pregnant reading this. Yeah, there are some sucky things like having to moderate what you're eating but it's such a lovely time of anticipation waiting for your LO to arrive.