Centering Pregnancy

Centering pregnancy is a program for pregnant women to meet as a group with other women who are due around the same time as they are, talk with midwives, doctors, other birthing professionals, and each other, and keep track of pregnancy together. MCV has been doing the program for the last 5 years. Apparently it's only been available so far to women with normal pregnancies. I'm in one of the first groups for women in high risk pregnancies. Today there were two other women in my group, although the ladies running it are hopeful that we can fill up the group with 8 women in the next couple sessions.

First we took our blood pressures, weight, and I heard the heartbeat. This will happen at each meeting, which is every other Wednesday. Maybe hearing the heartbeat every two weeks instead of having to wait for my once a month prenatal visits will help with my anxiety. Of course Blastocyst was being feisty again and swatting at the Doppler microphone again. Then they settled down and let me hear the heartbeat - nice and strong.

We introduced ourselves and our situations to everyone, and we had to come up with adjectives to put in front of our names that were also alliterations. So in my group I am known as Able Amanda (I was tired and couldn't think of any A adjectives. Huzzah sleep deprivation!), and my fellow preggos are Rocking Rihala and Casual Candice. Ha ha. The dietician came in, and we played a Jeopardy game to go over nutrition facts. I am happy to say that Team A (myself and Rihala) won. Booyah. My obsession with nutrition facts and pregnancy apparently came in handy.

We took a break for some snacks (hallelujah) and then the doctor came in. Apparently each session we'll have a different guest (today was the dietician) and then one of the maternal fetal medicine doctors associated with the high risk clinic that is on duty will come in to talk with us both about the stage of pregnancy we're all more or less in, talk about and answer questions about our specific conditions, and all that good junk. Today's MFM doc was actually the one that oversees my case and the residents that work with me (as MCV is a teaching hospital), and it was good to finally meet the person whose name is on my paperwork and prescriptions.

I actually got some great information on how I could tell if the placenta was starting to have problems early, as it's something that I've been worried about since I'd learned about early placental breakdown in diabetics and the higher chance of stillbirth. 

Next the midwife talked with us, we made a list of rules for our group. I think the main thing we decided was that this would be "preggo time" and partners would only be invited to join the group meetings that are going to be relevant to them. These end up only being two of the meetings, one on December 19 in which we are going to tour the hospital labor and delivery ward and ask questions, and January 30, which will be a birthing class with important information for partners.

I asked the midwife if natural birth would be a possibility for me since my chances for induction were so much higher because of diabetes. She reassured me that plenty of women had natural births under induction, and went on to explain MCV's induction policies. Apparently they try and mimic natural labor as close as possible to induce, even if it means it takes a couple of days. My labor will not be rushed for the convenience of doctors or to empty a room, which is one of the great things about the teaching hospital. MCV in general is very much up to date with the latest research that suggests that a natural vaginal birth with as few interventions as possible leads to the best possible outcome for mother and child.

When you're induced you need to wear a continuous monitor to keep track of the baby's heartbeat, and I was worried I would be confined to bed once the induction happened. However, MCV uses wireless monitors that are completely waterproof so I'll be allowed to walk around, get in the shower or jacuzzi, or any other method of natural pain relief that I need to do to be able to try for the birth I want. The midwife is going to be working with us specifically on pain and relaxation techniques, too. Even if we want an epidural, she pointed out that relaxation is helpful both for mother and baby.

After that, the midwife led us through a full body relaxation technique, not unlike the visualization exercises that I do in shamanism. It was nice, and I think I'm going to start trying to use it when I'm having trouble with insomnia like I was last night.

Our next meeting of Centering is on the 7th, 2 days before my ultrasound and prenatal appointment. :)

The special guest that will be there that time is a prenatal yoga instructor. I'm actually really relieved and happy I went to Centering even though I felt apprehensive about it this morning. It's just the right combination of scientific and granola for me. Ha ha. I think going every two weeks will help me with my anxiety, and help the time pass a little faster. Last night I couldn't stop thinking of holding my baby in my arms, smelling their skin for the first time, snuggling them close to my chest.

I can only hope that I'll be a good mom for Blastocyst.

Also I volunteered to bring the snacks for the next group meeting.