216 Days Pregnant

Today I am one day shy of being 31 weeks, and my pregnancy ticker tells me that I've got roughly 64 days left of this pregnancy. 64 days?! That is not that many days! That's just over two months...which is only like 9 more weeks! I can't dissect the time like this...it's becoming a little more real (but I suppose I need reality to hit me before I'm sitting in the hospital with a baby to care for).

Now, as I think about that moment, of first seeing Jack, and holding him against me, I feel like these 64 days are just way too long..

Today we had our birthing class #3. It was all about breathing techniques and other methods to help during labor and delivery. I originally thought that the birthing classes were all going to be centered around this. I envisioned us sitting in a circle with the other pregnant ladies, breathing in and out, having our partners be taught different massages to give us, etc. This class is more informative then demonstrative, and provides a broader amount of information about the entire pregnancy/birthing process then just labor techniques. The breathing techniques she informed us of are incredibly similar to the ones I already practice whenever I do my Pregnancy Yoga. I feel like I have the upper hand now since I have been doing the yoga for the past 5 months. I feel a little more confident that I will be able to really be able to use that during labor. Then, if the pain becomes more than the breathing can handle, I will think about asking for some Demoral or Stadol. I would really prefer to stay away from the epidural for three main reasons:

1. I don't want to be completely numb and not feel the baby coming out.
2. I don't like the idea of not feeling my body and losing that control over it.
3. I'd much rather go for the tiny needle to get the IV rather than the huge needle in my spine.

Also, I wouldn't be able to take a bath if I really wanted to because of the opening in my spine. I think that if I have Kyle's support there with me, I stay focused on the fact that the pain I'm feeling is natural and what women have felt and gone through for thousands of years, along with utilizing my deep breathing and focusing I will be able to get through it. Again, if it's truly more intense than I ever thought and I really feel like I can't handle it, then I will approve to get a light dosage of Stadol to help "take the edge off". This will still allow me to feel the birth, have control over my body, and not feel so anxious and be in so much pain. Hopefully I just won't get nauseous from it...I don't think Kyle will be able to handle the birth with me puking added the to the mixture!