Hi!

[bwylde]

I thought I'd get the ball rolling for this group (although I don't know how active I'll be since I'm rather scattered at times!). Feel free to pop in and introduce yourself!!

My name is Carla, I'm due August 6th with our second blessing. I'm already the mama to a sweet, active little man, Ethan who's going to be 2 on May 6th , I've been married since Aug 2000 to DH Mark . I'm a SAHM. We practice AP parenting and are probably low-medium on the crunchiness scale, but trying hard to change (although next to my friends and family, I would be considered hard core crunchy, lol!!! I guess it's all persective). Overall I'm a pretty quiet person IRL, I like to read, sew, cook, scrapbook, make stuff, ect..

Can't think of much else, but post what you want about you and your family!!

[mama-meg]

Hi there! My name is Megan, I'm due the first week in august with my first little one. I've been married since August 2003 and have a wonderful nearly 5 year old step-daughter.

[mommycaroline]

Hi, I'm Caroline, mommy to Bonnie Helena (9-01) and soon to be babe, due in August. I'm married to Rob since June 1998. Almost 6 years! Hard to believe.

We live in Tallahassee, and consider ourselves AP - breastfeed, cosleep, babywear, positive discipline, etc. We cloth diaper, and probably also rank aobut low-medium on the crunchiness scale. We're not terribly organic, but I don't buy TFA's at all, so that makes me a little nutty about food. You never find me not wearing Birks though, LOL.

Bonnie was born by cesarean after a 36 hour pit induced labor due to pre-eclampsia. I didn't have pain meds during labor, and it was actually a pretty good experience, despite requiring surgery. We're planning a VBAC this time around, and I'm stuck going to the hospital again, which I really don't want to do. Can't find a midwife that will care for me at home, and I don't want to go unassisted. It's a tangled web, and kind of a sore spot for me. I don't feel like another surgery would be the end of the world for me, but I want to give natural childbirth the best possible chance, and I'm afraid that means not being in the hospital. Plus, I've never left my DD overnight before, and I don't want the night she becomes an older sister to be the first night she's left without her mommy, you know? That's probably the biggest sticking point for me.

Okay, nuff for now. Glad we have a nice new home!

Caroline

[bwylde]

Hi Megan and Caroline!

I had a section with Ethan too and as much as I'd like to try natural this time, my chances are probably low (they push for VBAC's here, so them saying they're about 99% sure I'll need one makes me think it's a good idea, especially with how I was cut and some circumstances surrounding his birth). I see the OB in May, so I'll find out for sure then.

[becca011906]

Hi, I'm becky, new to the board. I'm due aug. 20 with baby # 3 this is also my third pregnancy. I've been a sahm for about 3 years now and love it! I have a 4 y/o son austin and a 21 month old dd who will be 2 y/o in june. I have just stated the whole ap thing and love it and it's working so well. I had my son when i was only 16 y/o and wasn't into all this then i just figured i should do what my parents did. Although i've always been all for breastfeeding. I'm planing on having my baby at a hospital b/c i had a fairly good experiences there with the last two. I had epidurals with the last two but am really hoping ot go natral this time around but we'll see !!!

Becky
SAHM to austin 4 y/o
and abby 21 months
EDD 8/20/04

[mama-meg]

I have signed up to take a bradley class. A little nervous about it because everybody I've talked to irl about it has been kinda.... not negative but they all seem to doubt it and reassure me that after a while I'll want the drugs. I am hoping to go all natural, and am trying to prepare and all that good stuff :-) I know that I can always change my mind, but that most people I talk to assume that I will kinda sets me on edge, yk?

[magemom]

mama-meg, i would love to take a Bradley class, but Dh and I read the books together last time.
11 pounds, 4 ounces, posterior and perfect- not a drug/IV in my system and by far my easiest birth. Yes I wanted a natural birth, but more importantly to me- I did not want the side effects of the drugs I had already expereinced in the past.
you can do it. While in hospital I had several nurses stop by to see what kind of woman I was (LMAO!!) and one who wanted to talk to me at length because her son and his wife were taking Bradley classes and she was facinated it could be done.
The babe before was 8 1/2 pounds so it wasn't like I worked up to an 11 pounder either! No GD, just healthy eating.

I am junking out this time BTW, lol.

[mama-meg]

Jenn, its so inspiring to hear that. And wow - 11 pounds! Its great to hear encouraging words about going all natural. I'm not sure why people feel the need to say stuff like "you won't win any medals" or some of the other comments i've heard since I started talking about this. I actually had my first class yesterday, and it was great. Of course today I've eaten nothing but junk and am feeling awful grumpy and sluggish because of it!