20 + (6 - 2)

Taken on 1129 Lake Shore Drive's back deck at 24 weeks, 4 days.

The honeymoon period is over and the third trimester begins.

And so I enlarge.

Easter in Esky

Will, the boys, Baby S. and I spent Easter weekend in Escanaba. Though not the best time of year to enjoy the majestic Upper Peninsula, we lucked out with decent weather and even a little blue sky. Honestly, the real draw is Easter Saturday dinner, celebrated Polish-style with the Gorenchan family.

Before we could enjoy those delicacies, however, in true Breclaw fashion, we had to haul some wood. In preparation for the annual Mother's Day load (delayed a tad this year by possible supplier issues and B&B's Italy excursion), each piece was moved from the side of the house, down the ramp and into the backyard.

Will was full-wheelbarrow man. Grandpa Bob and I stacked (no pregnancy out here!).








First-cousin-once-removed Gage was PT stacker and empty wheelbarrow man, Grandma Betty took photos and Owen supervised. (Kip was quiet and napped in the house. Smart man.)


















We got a little rest, then family and neighbors convened at six for the Easter dinner kick-off and official Betty-led apostle hunt. No silly egg hunts around here! Twelve little bearded, cloaked, hand-markered clothespin men find their way into tricky spots around the backyard. Before the event begins, one is designated the "special" apostle. Finder of that snappy dude gets $20.








Guess who the lucky finder was?

Yep.

Me.





We all enjoyed the feast. Ham, veal, lamb, homemade cheese, hard-boiled eggs, rolls, brie, potatoes, beets and horseradish, deviled spinach and of course, Sayklly's for dessert.

Marge continues to enlarge.

Birthing Normally

Last week Will and I attended the second installment in a Birthing Normally speaking series hosted by Providence Alternative Birth Care Unit. The first was the Meet the Doulas event that I blogged about ages ago, and where we first met our doula, Deb.

Last week's installment was titled Improve Your Chance of Having a Normal Birth and Positive Breastfeeding Experience. There was a panel of speakers and each presented their top recommendations for achieving the birth you want to achieve. Panelists included an acupuncturist, a lactation consultant, a chiropractor, two nurses, a doula, the founder of the ABC mom group and my new girl crush. Probably should explain the last one.

The featured panelist was Cynthia Gabriel, a friendly, witty, funny medical anthropologist from Ann Arbor that just published a book about natural hospital birth. Will and I met her in the parking lot, where she was attempting to wrangle her 3 year old (just up from a car nap) son into a sling, while holding a box of books and a basket of aromatherapy oils. We helped her out and got some one-on-one before she was attacked by the organizers.

I found her so engaging! She is a doula, a mother of three and teaches anthropology at Eastern Michigan University. She earned her PhD from UCSC, in part by apprenticing midwives in a Russian maternity hospital.

It was in this hospital that her book, Natural Hospital Birth, was born. Of the 66 births she witnessed, only one was medicated. She started thinking - why, in the USA, would that NEVER happen? Maybe it's not the hospital, but the patient? How can women be more prepared to birth naturally in a hospital environment? She did her research and the result is a well-put together reference for all pregnant women (as far as I can tell, 35 pages in).

Synopsis: These days, many mothers-to-be find themselves torn between the desire for a natural childbirth with minimal medical intervention and the peace of mind offered by instant access to life-saving technology that only a hospital can provide. In Natural Hospital Birth, doula Cynthia Gabriel asserts that there is no good reason that women in North America should not be able to have both. She shows expectant mothers what they can do to avoid unnecessary medical interventions and how to take initiative and consciously prepare for the kind of birth they want to have. Also included are inspiring stories from other women who know firsthand that natural birth in the hospital is possible. With this book, mothers-to-be will be equipped with the knowledge they need to ensure a satisfying hospital birth that they will look back on with peace and joy.

If anybody wants to read it, I have an autographed copy available for loan sometime in May. :)

Welcome Walter Patrick

Hey world, meet my first cousin, once removed, Walter Patrick Gunsten.

My beautiful, strong cousin, Molly, gave birth to Walter on Sunday, April 17 at 4:52 a.m. via VBAC.

I am so proud of her and can't wait to hear the details of Walter's birth. She has been an inspiration during my pregnancy and a wonderful source of support.


Mind you, Walt wasn't a slight fellow, weighing in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. Good thing big sister Maeve has strong biceps! (And of course, dad Chuck is always there if Maeve needs a break.)

RLP Relief

Admittedly, thus far I've had a pretty easy pregnancy. But as of late, I've suffered two totally, frustratingly annoying symptoms: killer heartburn and hand-me-an-icepack round-ligament-pain (in our house, grudgingly referred to as RLP).

After a quick call to the midwives' office, I received antidote for the former: 150 mg of Zantac 2x/day. Works like magic. Pass the garlic hot wings. But the latter has proved much more troubling.

Web MD describes round ligament pain (RLP from now on) as a type of pelvic pain caused by stretching of the round ligaments, which hold your uterus in suspension within your abdomen. As the uterus grows in size and weight, these ligaments become very long and thin, stressing and tensing like rubber bands. The ligaments pull and tug on nearby nerve fibers and sensitive structures, causing pain, especially during or after exercise.



And running is exercise that causes me some serious RLP. The first couple times it happened, and notably after the Corktown run, I was worried. I eased off the running, wore flats to work and complained. But soon after, around 19 weeks, running was out of the question. Heck, walking hurt. I did my internet research and found quite a few blog and forum posts about RLP and running. The top tidbits of advice: #1.) Stop running and #2.) Buy a support band.

Fearful of gaining 50 pregnancy pounds, and with the RLP keeping me from walking for exercise, and little confidence in an elliptical's ability to keep the peanut M&M's off my ass, I opted for #2. Of course, there are 27 different maternity support band brands and types, and reviews led me to conclude that it's a total crap-shoot. I turned to a gym aquatintance and two-time Ironman triathlete finisher, who I knew ran 6 miles the day before her c-section (and yes, is probably also a tad insane), for advice. She recommended the Medela (yep - the same peeps who make breast pumps) Maternity Support Belt.

After a couple clicks on Amazon and about 4 days of restless anticipation, what I hoped was the answer to my RLP, arrived. Despite the questionable packaging and model choice, I was optimistic. It was soft (probably wouldn't irritate my skin) and offered a decent amount of support.






Not to mention I looked awesome in it.

Well, I was wrong. (About the amount of support. I know I looked awesome in it.) My coo coo Ironwoman friend must have had more cooperative round ligaments. Mine laughed at the Medala. Not a titter. A hardy, German-man belly laugh.

Sure, it offers support. During a normal day. Or grocery shopping. But brisk walking, wogging, or heaven-forbid running? Ummm, no.




I hemmed and hawed. What to do? What to do? As I did deliberated (and crafted like a woman possessed), I watched the numbers on the scale rise. So, I logged back into my Amazon account and a couple clicks later, the blog/forum maternity-support-band-for-runners all-star favorite, the Gabrialla, was on its way to 505. Of course, while I waited, the RLP began to abate (something that I read could happen in the third trimester). But, I figured I may as well give it a go. I could always sell it on craigslist.

My second chance at RLP relief arrived last Wednesday. Better packaging (no model headshot) and what looked like a serious increase in support. Not baby's bottom soft, but the support to softness trade-off seems worth it.






And of course, there was the awesome-looking factor.

With the craft show last weekend, I haven't gotten a chance to really try it out. But with the test-runs around the house, I am hopeful that I'll at least be able to walk briskly without RLP.

I'll be sure to report back.

But for now, to any of my pregnant running pals out there, I say, "Buy the Gabrialla not the Medela."

Who knows, maybe this endorsement will earn me a freebie...

Really, Owen?

This is what happens when I blog and Owen isn't under foot, under the desk.

Best part - he knows he's in trouble. Note the self-banished crate occupant.

Just yesterday Will said he was getting better. Jinxed? Or too-obsessed with last weekend's craft-fair karma?

Damn him. I really liked that pillow . . .