First, HAIR PICTURES!
And, my first pair of aviators. $9 bucks at walmart bay-bay!!
ALSO, THE WINNER OF THE NAME MY SHOP CONTEST IS KIM!
The shop is now named “Eklectic Designs”
I have been wanting to write this for the past couple weeks, but I haven’t been sure how to write it.
My thoughts on family planning, for us.
There is no secret, our kids are close in age.
17 months in fact. They are suppose to be 18 months, that sounds better right?
Teag was 9 months when I got pregnant with Arlo.
Arlo is 9 months right now.
I have had so many people ask me when we are going to get pregnant next.
I have never understood why people think it is their business. It’s not. It is our business. (end rant, sort of)
Before we were even married people were asking us when we were going to have kids, what our plan was, where did we stand on birth control, how many we kids we’re going to have. What kind of births I want, where did I stand on drugs during labour and delivery. Questions that are so personal to me, to us.
Now, I am ready to answer them.
Rich and I just talked about this the other night, after much talking, much laughing, some tears. We have decided that with Rich going back to school, practicums, and surgeries and therapies for Arlo, that we are going to wait a bit. I don’t want to have 3 kids all by myself and have Rich gone away for school. That is not how I picture the arrival of our next child, call me crazy, but I want him here.
Our plan has always been, have two close together (hello 17 months apart!) have a space and then have two close together. Our plan is 4, it might change, we might decide at 3 that our family is complete, or we might decide that we want more.
Birth control. **Feel free to skip this part, if talk about periods gross you out**
Birth control performs amazing in my body, my period comes when it is suppose to, cramps go away, its wonderful. If it is so wonderful, yet it makes me crazy. Talking about it scares me, writing about it scares me, knowing that I will never go back on any form of birth control is relieving. My anxiety levels go through the roof, I feel manic, it is scary. I am a big believer in natural family planning, to either get pregnant or to avoid pregnancy. I was given this book and in turn have given it to friends. It’s that good.
Birthing.
With both of my boys I was induced, I was going into preeclampsia with Teagan. With Arlo I wasn’t allowed to have in my home town (our hospital only delivers full term, no risk babies) so I had him in the city. With both boys I was drugged to the nines. Epidural, laughing gas, morphine, fentanyl, gravol. I had it all.
Next time, I want the opposite, I want water birth, drug free, induce free, all natural.
Am I against the others? Of course not, I want to see if my body can do it. I want to experience snuggling my baby for the first hours of his/her life. (With Teag, I didn’t get to hold him for the first 2 hours of his life due to him being born blue.)
Where do you stand on the issues I talked about?
I agree that those kinds of questions pretty much fall in the “nonya” category. I suspect people don’t even consider they are being nosey or rude, they are curious and want to be included in our story. It’s that whole “it takes a village” thing. The village doesn’t realize that, really, it just takes mom and dad to make those decisions.
As for birth control, I’ve been sans b/c since my last baby (she’s 20 months now) and it’s been freeing..and terrifying. I forgot what periods were like in my younger years. It took a full year after the baby was born for my hormones to level out..and I realized I was having emotions and feelings I hadn’t had in a long time. Probably because of the b/c in my system. And my periods..holy crap. Unpredictable, unfathomable and irritatingly strong. Honestly, I feel like I’m 13 and need a jacket “just in case” all the time. I never thought I’d feel that way at 33. Whew.
I don’t think people realize it either, for the most part. Then there are the nosy ones who just want to know everything. The question that annoys me the most is when people ask if our baby was planned or not. I don’t know why, it just does!
And yes, I have a jacket or hoodie with me at all times. just in case. *sigh*
I also hate those questions and I agree it is no one should be allowed to ask those types of questions. We do not use anything either as I figure it is in Gods hands if we have more children.
I totally get when it is close friends or family, but when it is people I barely know, that’s what annoys me.
We use a barrier method, and will be tracking when I ovulate, but no more chemicals in me!
I really want to try natural family planning. I don’t know really how, but I just need to study up on it. We’ve got 4 kids ages 5, 4, 2 and 3 months. It gets kind of crazy around here, lol. I don’t like birth control. The last time I took it, I also had PPD, and so I associate the two together.
As for going natural, your body can do it! As long as there are no complications. I had one with an epidural, one with pitocin, and 2 completely natural. It is amazing! The biggest thing with going natural is having the right support. You have a good support system, and you will have an amazing birth!
Haha, that would be busy!! I would definitely recommend the Taking charge of your fertility book, we used it for avoiding pregnancy and for getting pregnant! It is amazing.
I know I could do, I’m just the biggest wuss ever. Haha!
Am i too late to comment?
I watched the most amazing documentary called the business of being born. I think you should watch it. It gives a really sweet perspective on natural home births and midwives. A lot of the negativity towards the “system” is towards the American system, which obviously is quite different from ours health care wise.
The one thing that they commented on that stuck out to me is that people are so diligent about researching TV’s and stereos and cars, but about their own bodies? Women go in not knowing their rights or what their bodies are capable of. Anyway, watch it haha. I really liked it.
I LOVE that movie. I watched it last night. And will probably watch it again tonight.
There is a second one that they made, but I can’t find it on netflix. It’s called more business of being born. and I have their book. I want to be a birth nerd. haha.