Journal Entries
Time's flying by...
Posted Aug 22, 2005
Has it really been *that* long since I last wrote a journal entry? 
I meant to write a journal when I first felt my babe move, but never got round to it...
Maybe I'll post some poetry at a later date.
The babe (desperately trying to refrain from calling her the word that AR1 despises so) is growing well and currently exploring my ribs and liver with her strong little feet. 
I've been singing to her every day in the hope that she'll recognise the song when she's born and it will help to calm her.
I've had a bit of hassle about booking a homebirth (being told that there isn't enough staff blah blah blah), but telling my midwife, whilst smiling sweetly, that I was going to have my baby at home, and it was up to them whether or not they sent a midwife out to attend me 
and one ars*y letter later and I was informed that they've sorted it out and unless there's an emergency, I *should* be able to have my baby at home.
*Wondering what sort of 'emergencies' may arise to enable them to get me to go in to hospital*
I'm now entering the *huge* phase of my pregnancy. 
The whole world and her husband have been irritating me with "have you got long to go?" and variations on "you're really big, it must be twins!"... 
Amazing how many people are experts on pregnancy!
You wouldn't walk up to someone in the street and remark on how bald they were now would you??
There's also been some hassle from an ex of mine. He contacted me to see what I was up to these days (I haven't seen him for about 5/6 years), and when I told him about the pregnancy, he then started emailing all sorts of nasty, snidey comments about me (like he always thought I was a bogus individual... ). He obviously couldn't deal with the fact that I'm pregnant, and not by him - years ago he asked me to have his child after I spent hours telling him I didn't want to see him any more...
I got really angry and told him where to go, and now I feel loads better! 
Must be part of my emotional clutter clearing before the babe is born!
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Latest reply: Aug 22, 2005
Blessed child
Posted May 2, 2005
At long last I feel comfortable about announcing my news, both to the world and here.
I'm pregnant!
After many long years of the longing and pain that only barren women feel, it was a real surprise to find out that I was pregnant.
My first inkling that I might have conceived was from a dream, and I woke up with a name on my lips.
The first 3 months were spent in quiet disbelief and rising panic with every abdominal twinge.
My mantra became 'every day's a Blessing'.
The constant nausea and tiredness got me down quite a lot. 
I described the feeling of being pregnant to the Man as having a little dictator inside of me who is pulling all my bodily function levers - eat now, pee now, sleep now...
The Man and I decided to go through with our plans of taking a trip around the world - to help take our minds off the worry that I might miscarry again, and to make the most of our time together before the snotling arrives.
5 weeks of travelling around definitely gave us something else to focus on, but in retrospect running around as much as we did was maybe not the best idea in the world - when we got back home a week ago I was wiped out and more sick than I'd been in all the first 3 months put together.
On Friday at the appointment with the midwife, the Man and I heard the heartbeat of our child for the first time.
An amazing feeling to finally connect with the life growing inside of me... I didn't realise how much I'd been holding my breath...
The most astonishing thing - the Bump made an appearance overnight! I woke up on Sunday morning with a definite bump. It's strangely tactile, and rather lovely to stroke.
Discuss this Journal entry [30]
Latest reply: May 2, 2005
New Earthling!
Posted Sep 7, 2004
Welcome little Rosa!
Born on Wednesday the 1st September 2004 at 7.55am.
I've been staying with a pregnant friend of mine for the past 5 weeks as she wanted me to help her out with the birth of her second child (I gave her shiatsu during the birth of her first child 2 years ago.
It's been quite stressful due to my own emotional stuff about my fertility problems, not having any 'alone' time and not to mention living with a noisy 2 year old... 
. Oh and being away from The Man. Obviously.
She originally thought that she was going to be early and was fussing and stressing, so I decided to go and stay with her 2 weeks early, which meant that The Man and I had to cancel our plans to go to a festival in early August which I wasn't too happy about, but seeing as I'd made a promise to be at the birth and give her shiatsu/support during the labour, I decided that was much more important.
But as soon as I turned up she told me that she thought that she was going to be late, and it the baby wouldn't come until September....
Well her prediction was right!
She was over 2 weeks late and was due to go into hospital on 1st September to be induced, so the day before we were trying everything to try and get this baby to come so that she could have a home birth - everything from magnets on the acupuncture points, having a good session on the saxophone to cumin tea!
She really responded to strong pressure on the acupuncture points in the sacrum and after some of this work she started having weak contractions.
We used some homoeopathic remedies to help make the contractions stronger, and they started getting stronger at about midnight.
The midwife came and told her that she had quite a while to go yet, so she'd come back later.
We spent the next 2 hours resting (to begin with!) and listening to classical music (Ludovico Einaudi) with the lights dimmed and candles burning. Oh and shiatsu of course.
My friend dilated from 1 to 7cm in a couple of hours (hoorah the husband and I thought - it took *ages* with the last baby.... but then that was in hospital), but when the 2nd midwife turned up and we were moved upstairs things slowed down.
It took another 4 hours to dilate the last 3 cm....
To cut a long story short, Rosa was born.
It's such a wonderful, awe-inspiring experience to witness a new person come into the world.
I feel truly blessed.
I've been doing a lot of training in the use of shiatsu in maternity care, and this is what I hope to centre my practice around, as my present shiatsu work in drug rehab is draining to say the least.
This is the website of the woman that I've been training with:
http://www.wellmother.org
It's so lovely to work with pregnant women and their babies.
Amazing to feel the child' energy whilst still in the womb, and how obviously different it can be from the mother's.
Discuss this Journal entry [26]
Latest reply: Sep 7, 2004
Another baby!
Posted Jul 30, 2004
I'm leaving Somerset tonight to go and stay with a friend who is expecting her second child soon - she's asked me to give her shiatsu during the labour.
I attended her first birth (nearly two years ago! 
) in hospital, and she plans to have this birth at home - I'm hoping that being in her own space will really make a difference and smooth things along, rather than a reapeat performance of 20+ hours... 
Wish us luck!
Discuss this Journal entry [15]
Latest reply: Jul 30, 2004
I've been suspended from ebay!
Posted May 24, 2004
I've had loads of hassle from ebay in the last few weeks.
I've had a couple of non-paying bidders, and one of them has been sending me abusive emails. He can't seem to understand that to send 3 t-shirts from the UK to the US costs a fair bit of money, he doesn't understand the concept of exchange rates whatsoever. He's refusing to pay more than $15 which doesn't even cover the price of his highest bid, which works out at about $18.76. 
I decided to change my telephone number (to 1234567) on there as the last thing I need right now is abusive phone calls, but Mr Ebay told me that wasn't allowed, threatened me with suspension if I didn't change it back (which I did straight away), have now suspended me (to be reinstated I have to post them copies of my passport and bank account... ) and threatened me with debt collectors for the princely sum of £1.73.
Discuss this Journal entry [17]
Latest reply: May 24, 2004
Leopardskinfynn... sexy mama
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