Does anybody have babies vaginally?!?!

So it had been rumored that La Romana has a high c-section rate.  So during my first prenatal appointment I asked the ultrasound tech about it.  She explained that La Romana has a very high teen pregnancy rate.  (And many of those teens are very young, like 13 years old.)  So the rate is higher due to the girls being unable to deliver babies due to their undeveloped pelvises.  Though I wasn't thrilled with the answer, after all not all moms are teenagers, I thought it was reasonable and could explain for a portion of the c-sections.
Well, it has been three weeks since that first appointment and  I have been asking around.  No one I have talked to about having a baby here has been a teenager.  And EVERYONE has had a c-section! I realize that I have not taken an official pole by any means.   BUT what are the chances that EVERYONE I asked has had a c-section if the c-section rates are not inexplicably high.  C-sections can be life saving and I am thankful for that.  But EVERYBODY needs a life saving surgery to have a baby in La Romana? I have to question why?
I just want a healthy baby, born the way babies were intended to enter this world.  I'm concerned that I am in the minority because of that!
Here's a link to ICAN for anyone else that may be looking for a little support and information.
www.ican-online.org

Hormones! Week 11

3D ultrasound of baby at 11 weeks

I feel awful and when I don't feel awful, I am emotional! All thanks to raging hormones! I am thankful, really I am! This past June I lost a baby during my 11th week of pregnancy.  And now I understand more than ever that hormones are a sign of a healthy, VITAL baby.  I have to remind myself each time I find myself trying to suppress the unsolicited gang reflect that randomly invades my days that my little baby is thriving off these hormones.  Each time I cry over some news story, I can thank God that my tears are a sign of a growing baby! When I awake in the night because my breasts are so tender it hurts to roll over, I can pat my no so flat tummy and hope for the day I will meet my growing baby.  And since that isn't until October, I better find something to do in the meanwhile.  I have played around with eating every few hours, avoiding fats and sugars, but none of that seems to quiet my ridiculous gag reflex or overwhelming sense of nausea.  So I am going to try motion sickness bracelets.  I will keep you posted on if they seem to help.  But until then cheers to hormones and a healthy baby!     

Pickles and Ice cream? No way!

The idea of pregnancy cravings has always interested me. But when I was pregnant with my first child I never really had any major ones. For a couple days, I really wanted cantelope and then a while after that I prefered PB&J to most other sources of protein. But those just lasting a few days.
However. . .this time I WANT CUCUMBERS! And usually I want them with balsamic vinegar, I am more than half way to a pickle! I also have been craving fruit smoothies. Crazy I know. How similar are my cucumbers to pickles and smoothies to icecream! I thought pickles and ice cream were just something people joke about with pregnant women. But for me, it is a reality. Fortunately at this point I have not craved them together, though with my raging hormones, I wouldn't put anything past them!
So it is almost 9:30am. I've dropped my son off at school, my husband off to work,I have already eaten an entire large cucumber and I am headed to the grocery store. And guess what? YogenFruz is calling my name. A little yogurt stand at the front of the store that sells. . . you guessed it, SMOOTHIES! This looks like it is going to be a great day! :) Cheers to pickles and ice cream!

The story of me

So I decided to blog, again. But this time, it is about me. It is not about my work as a missionary or my jobs as wife and mother, though those will definately be a part of what I write because that is a HUGE part of who I am. Instead it will be about me. I am celebrating week 10 of my pregnancy and was inspired by other pregnant bloggers to do the same. I will continue my EDCM blog, but this blog will be about what occupies my mind most of each day, my new baby and how we are changing from a family of three to a family of four. This will be my story.