Last year I wrote detailed posts about my Thanksgiving menu and the cooking/prep process. Today has been a busy day with prep and cooking. I didn't take any pictures of the food. The menu is basically the same, although I'm not making the broccoli salad (it's never been as good as it was the first year I made it), and I'm giving up on homemade rolls. They're amazing, but store-bought brown-n-serve will be just fine too.
I'm tired. Was on my feet a lot. Last year I was pregnant and had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes for about a month while I was doing the Thanksgiving cooking. I was on my feet and busy all morning. I'd had my snack but I still felt weird. That's the only scary episode I had during the pregnancy, and I kind of blacked out -- not fully but everything went black/I lost vision while I stumbled to the table and sat down. I couldn't stop laughing after I recovered. But it scared Shawn. I was very pale too. Nothing like that happened today, of course. I'm healthy-ish.
I am not in a cheery, holiday mood. I don't know how I'm going to celebrate Christmas. It's not going to be the same. I am looking forward to Advent -- sitting in the dark, waiting for the light. And I hope and pray the the miracle comes to me again anew. At the very least I'll be going through the motions for my girls -- Jane's sixth Christmas season and Livia's first. My precious baby girls.
There's something to be learned here, even though I would give almost anything to not be learning it.
Showing posts with label gestational diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gestational diabetes. Show all posts
More Writing ...
My freelance (emphasis on the free) writing continues to be published on my hospital's blog, The Mommy-Go-Round, and my doula's blog at Birth Help. Here are a few recent posts:
Better Birth Through Improved Communication
I’m a communications professional by trade with degrees in journalism and years of experience in public relations. I excel with the written word and communicating within a marketing framework. Communicating is my vocation, but when it came to talking to my doctor about my wishes for childbirth I came up short. Standing up for myself and what I need does not come naturally to me.
I needed some help to become a more effective communicator in the doctor-patient relationship.
VBAC Success: I Will Push This Baby Out of My Vagina
Despite everything stacking up against my desire for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – previous big baby, ultrasound estimating an even bigger baby, being overdue and having gestational diabetes – I was ultimately successful and delivered my second daughter vaginally.
Our Jaundice Experience
Both my daughters had jaundice, a condition in which the baby’s blood contains too much bilirubin and makes her skin and eyes appear yellow. My older daughter’s jaundice resolved itself on its own, but my younger daughter born at the end of March had a more severe case. She had a lot of risk factors – exclusively breastfed, larger baby (born 10 lbs, 8 oz.) and our blood types were incompatible, which seemed to be the thing that worried the pediatrician the most.
A Mama's Choice: Getting Started Breastfeeding
I breastfed my first daughter for 26 months, and that nursing relationship was a very healing thing for me after the disappointment of my C-section. I’m proud of myself and my body for feeding and nourishing her for so long. So I knew no matter how my second birth went I would be a nursing mom again for this second baby.
I have high hopes to actually write more HERE and have a list of posts I'd like to write (and have probably written dozens of times in my head). Nothing earth shattering but just continuing to chronicle bits and pieces of this life I'm living. Time at a keyboard is limited, and I'm also trying to work on a (paid!) freelance project and ease back into my volunteer work at church.
Better Birth Through Improved Communication
I’m a communications professional by trade with degrees in journalism and years of experience in public relations. I excel with the written word and communicating within a marketing framework. Communicating is my vocation, but when it came to talking to my doctor about my wishes for childbirth I came up short. Standing up for myself and what I need does not come naturally to me.
I needed some help to become a more effective communicator in the doctor-patient relationship.
VBAC Success: I Will Push This Baby Out of My Vagina
Despite everything stacking up against my desire for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – previous big baby, ultrasound estimating an even bigger baby, being overdue and having gestational diabetes – I was ultimately successful and delivered my second daughter vaginally.
Our Jaundice Experience
Both my daughters had jaundice, a condition in which the baby’s blood contains too much bilirubin and makes her skin and eyes appear yellow. My older daughter’s jaundice resolved itself on its own, but my younger daughter born at the end of March had a more severe case. She had a lot of risk factors – exclusively breastfed, larger baby (born 10 lbs, 8 oz.) and our blood types were incompatible, which seemed to be the thing that worried the pediatrician the most.
A Mama's Choice: Getting Started Breastfeeding
I breastfed my first daughter for 26 months, and that nursing relationship was a very healing thing for me after the disappointment of my C-section. I’m proud of myself and my body for feeding and nourishing her for so long. So I knew no matter how my second birth went I would be a nursing mom again for this second baby.
I have high hopes to actually write more HERE and have a list of posts I'd like to write (and have probably written dozens of times in my head). Nothing earth shattering but just continuing to chronicle bits and pieces of this life I'm living. Time at a keyboard is limited, and I'm also trying to work on a (paid!) freelance project and ease back into my volunteer work at church.
Writing Elsewhere on the Web
Note - as soon as I posted about the thank you notes we got a thank you from the most recent kid party. So not all families skip thank you notes!
I've written a few posts at my hospital's blog called The Mommy-Go-Round. I thought I'd share them here in case you'd like to read them. All my posts are here, and there will be four or five more posted. I just sent them in yesterday. Let me know what you think!
Here are links to the posts published so far, including Livia's birth story:
Continue Reading...
I've written a few posts at my hospital's blog called The Mommy-Go-Round. I thought I'd share them here in case you'd like to read them. All my posts are here, and there will be four or five more posted. I just sent them in yesterday. Let me know what you think!
Here are links to the posts published so far, including Livia's birth story:
My Birth Story: A Successful VBAC at Woman’s
Despite everything stacking up against my desire for a
VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – previous big baby, ultrasound
estimating an even bigger baby, being overdue and having gestational
diabetes – I was ultimately successful and delivered my second daughter
vaginally.
Gestational Diabetes Diary: The Home Stretch
I’m writing this one week away from my estimated due
date, so no matter what, I’m in the home stretch of this pregnancy.
Although it’s been true since the beginning, each day brings me closer
to birthing and meeting my daughter. I can’t wait!
A Baby is Coming! Sibling Class at Woman’s Hospital
Our four-year-old daughter is very excited about becoming
a big sister, and she’s maintained a very positive attitude about the
new baby since we told her around week 12 of the pregnancy. (We didn’t
tell anyone else before her, since it impacts her more than pretty much
anyone else.) It’s good that we’re expecting another […]
Gestational Diabetes Diary: I Just Want a Cookie!
As I am rounding the bend to the end of this pregnancy
and my experience with gestational diabetes (and hopefully diabetes all
together – unless I should ever become pregnant again), I find myself
wanting a cookie more than ever. Both literally and metaphorically. I
have worked very hard to maintain my blood glucose levels, […]
Things I’ve Missed During My Pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes
All pregnant women miss some foods and drink that are on
the verboten list such as sushi, wine and cold sandwiches. I miss those
things too, but I have an even longer list of “wish I could haves.” Here
are just a few I’ve been thinking about. In addition to the raw fish
aspect of […]
Preparing for VBAC with Gestational Diabetes
When I was pregnant in 2011 I had a desk job, and as my
due date neared my assignments decreased to the point of sheer boredom. I
joked that I was able to “finish reading the Internet” because I had so
much time on my hands. That’s not the case this pregnancy; although I
do […]
I Bought a Diaper Bag and a Car Seat – It’s Getting Real
I’m not a first-time mom, so I haven’t spent much of this
pregnancy poring over listicles of “things you need” and “things you
don’t need” to bring home a new baby. It may be false confidence, but I
think we can handle it. Although there still are a few things we need to
buy. One […]
A Supposedly Fun Thing (or Why Movie Tavern & Gestational Diabetes Do Not Mix)
Date nights are rare in my house. We’ve never taken the
time to find a regular babysitter, and our families live more than a
day’s drive away. So when we have family stay with us we take advantage
and sneak away for dinner and a movie. Since the new Movie Tavern opened
near our house […]
Patient Perspective: Blood Glucose Testing for Gestational Diabetes
I’m not really needle averse, but poking my finger 4+
times a day is not my idea of a good time. And I had a rough experience
at the lab with the blood draws for the glucose screening tests that
left one of my arms bruised for weeks to really add insult to injury for
[…]
The Gestational Diabetes Diet
After I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 17 weeks I assumed I’d be following a low carbohydrate diet. I have experience with that from the South Beach diet that I used before my first pregnancy and smart carb dieting recommended by the staff of the Metabolic Clinic while I successfully managed my insulin resistance […]Continue Reading...
What to Expect at Your First Diabetes Center Visit
I met with Ellie, a diabetes nurse educator, and Sara, a
dietitian, at the Woman’s Hospital Diabetes Center about a week after I
failed the three-hour glucose test. I was surprised when I called to
schedule the appointment that someone actually answered the phone –
there’s no answering service like I’m used to with my […]
Gestational Diabetes Diary
Gestational diabetes is just what it sounds like –
diabetes that arises during gestation. It’s usually diagnosed with a
glucose challenge (the dreaded orange drink test) around week 24-28 of
the pregnancy. Most women pass the test no problem and continue with
their normal pregnancies. (That’s what happened to me with my first
pregnancy in […]
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