The McNugget hits the campaign trail!

Last night was a first for me. It was the first time I worked for more than 24 hours in a row while working for two. As part of Yahoo!'s original election coverage, I was camped out at the Reagan Library Wednesday night to produce and coordinate a debate/series of interviews with the Republican candidates for President. You may remember that I was in DC last September doing the same thing with the Democratic candidates pre-McNugget.

The McNugget pulled through the night like a champ, rarely slowing me down as we plowed through the interviews and the lengthy editing process. I wonder if the McNugget will remember meeting all four of the current candidates, Paul, Huckabee, Romney, and McCain, Mrs. Romney, Mrs. McCain, and having a close call with the Governator. I considered asking them all to sign my stomach lest the McNugget have no memory of the night, but I decided that might make this newsie look just a bit too partisan. Neutrality is key so I will save the autograph signings for celebrities of the Hollywood variety.

I don't know about the McNugget but right about now, I need a nap.

The Pollsters Visit

What can I say -- the political atmosphere is causing me to throw in political terms wherever I can. (Don't even think of asking who I'm supporting in next week's primaries, but I will tell you that I'll be out voting on Feb 5 -- if you are in California or any other Super Tuesday state, I trust you will be too). Ok, back to the topic at hand. I'm being swayed -- and it's not by high-priced political consultants, it's by YOU, our loyal readers. Maybe we shouldn't find out the sex of the Avocado-sized McNugget? Perhaps it is better to just wait? I am, after all, a very patient person.

I think I can handle the wait now...will I regret writing this in 6 weeks when I really want to know but feel that I trapped myself by writing this post??? These are the types of predicaments I anticipate...who knows? Can I reserve the right to change my mind -- hereby proclaimed on this public forum?

-Jonathan

Week 16 update

The McNugget is now 16 weeks old but in pregnancy terms, I am actually 4.5 months along. I will never understand this math.

Our little gal/guy has grown from the size of an apple to an avocado. How very California.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and was able to listen to the McNugget's heartbeat. It was loud and very fast (which I am told is normal). He/she/it must be working really hard in there.

I bet the McNug is readying itself for our upcoming trip to Argentina. This trip was planned last summer as a fun getaway for Jonathan and me but now I guess we can call it our "babymoon."

Should we or shouldn't we?

Jonathan and I are often asked if we are going to find out the McNugget's gender before it's born. We have a few more weeks until the next sonogram which can tell us if we want to know.

So far, we are undecided. Jonathan wants to find out and I don't. I understand Jonathan's position. It's not about picking colors for the nursery (we have decided we are going to do everything in a gender-neutral way anyway) but rather about visualizing what's ahead for us. He thinks, and I am tempted to agree, that if we know, we can better prepare ourselves for what to expect.

I'm still on the fence. I think it will be such a great surprise to wait and it will make the painful process a touch more exciting on the McNugget's big day.

So, what do you think? I've set up a poll where you can vote. I am not saying that we are going to go with the people's choice on this one but it would be nice to know where you all stand on the issue. Feel free to elaborate on your vote in the comments, we read them all.

Creating a Nest for the McNugget

I've read about "nesting" when creating a baby's room and no, we're not there yet -- it's far too early. Before we can even think about creating a nest for the McNugget, we really need to focus on the rest of the house -- alas, our remodel is finally taking root. So, this a shameless plug for our remodeling blog -- beachwoodremodel.wordpress.com -- over the next few months we will post lots of exciting (well, exciting to me) footage, photos, plans and links to help keep you abreast of our plans. Happy reading!

-Jonathan

More reactions to the film "The Business of Being Born"

Guest blogger Annie sent in this post:

My reactions to the Business of Being Born have changed since I first saw the movie.

When I left, I was convinced that a natural childbirth, at home, was probably the ideal way to go. The scenes of the at-home births were so amazing and powerful, that I thought every woman should experience this. I particularly liked that the women did not give birth lying down, but in different positions. It seemed that giving birth in the hospital is also painful, so you might as well do it at home, where it's slightly less creepy.

But, the movie didn't really show anyone who had a positive hospital experience. I understand that intervening too early with pitocin (or other labor inductions) and epidurals accelerates the need for a c-section, which should generally be avoided. I also understand that sometimes doctors just do c-sections in order to get home for dinner on time. But I think there are many women who had epidurals, no c-section, and were perfectly satisfied with their birthing experience.

There was something slightly condescending about the tone of the movie. At one point, Ricki Lake says, "I think some women just want the baby to be born, healthy, and be done with it." I was offended by that because I had just been thinking that what happens after the baby is born is more important, and all of that birthing stuff doesn't interest me. For some women, natural at-home childbirth might be the way to go. But, for others, I would think the anxiety of the potential for pain and the fear that a medical catastrophe might occur would be too much to handle, and they should go to a hospital.

And anyway, even if you decide to go at home with the midwife, I think it's really reckless not to affiliate with a doctor and have a good back-up plan.

Three cheers to Jamie for sitting through that movie!

Week 15 Update

We are now 15 weeks in.

The McNugget is no longer a lemon but a much more mature apple.

The movie

I went to see "The Business of Being Born" with Jamie and (Aunt) Annie today. I had a lot to say after the movie was over, but not as much as Jamie -- who I think was ready to commit to a natural childbirth. I feel strongly that yes, birthing is a business, and yes, hospitals have an MO, but I don't think it is misplaced. Hospitals aren't promoting a delicate spa-like experience, because (in addition to existing to generally turn a profit) they are also in the business of saving lives. Everyone in the movie agreed that the best place to deal with potential catastrophes in childbirth was a hospital -- not a birthing center (or -- shudder -- your own living room). Why even take a risk by working without the aid of a hospital's vast resources?

Before I get hate mail from others promoting natural childbirth, I'm not against the concept. In fact, I was in awe of the actual childbirth scenes that I saw occurring naturally -- they seemed so raw, painful, real, and, er, natural. I was also so impressed with the midwives depicted, they really seemed so knowledgeable, skilled, calming, etc. However, I'd just prefer to go to a hospital for our birth.

I think the best solution to the quandary a future mother might face after viewing the movie is to follow these basic guidelines:

1. Find a doctor (that would be an M.D.) whom you trust and feel comfortable talking to
2. Talk to said medical professional about your interest in natural childbirth and determine what, if any, natural steps can be taken at your birth. Determine if you are a high-risk candidate and if "going natural" is even an option for you.
3. Indulge yourself in many spa visits before the actual birth and, if necessary, set up a birthing pool in your living room to maximize the experience at home. If you live in the city, this pool could be useful after the child is born -- you'll have your own indoor swimming pool.

This was a film worth seeing -- but it was a bit too sensational for my tastes.

Movie Review: The Business of Being Born

I saw The Business of Being Born this afternoon. It's a movie by Ricki Lake (yes, that Ricki Lake) about the differences between giving birth in a hospital and doing it at home with a midwife. It favored the home birthing route.

Ok, I guess this isn't really a movie review because I am not going to explain much about the movie, just my reactions to it.

It certainly opened my eyes to the process of delivering a baby in the US and how it has changed over the years. It also challenged some of my ideas about what a midwife is. It certainly gave me a lot to think about over the next few months. Jonathan thinks this means I am seriously considering giving birth in our bathtub. I assured him this is not the case (it's far too small, we'll have to just bring in one of those kiddie pools and do it in the living room. . .).

The other raw reaction I had to the film was tearing up each time I heard a woman in labor. I wish I could say my tears were because I was appreciating the miracle of childbirth and each mother-to-be's wails of pain were like music to my ears. Sadly, this is not the case. Their screams just terrified me. I am not at all prepared for the pain.

Did you know?

I read in two separate places this week that apparently kids don't sleep in on the weekends. That's really disappointing to learn.

"GET IT WHAT IT WANTS!"

Jonathan and I often communicate during the day via instant message. A few weeks ago I was explaining a particular craving. I told him that it must be the McNugget who wanted that kind of food (I can't recall what it is at the moment) because I don't even like it. He wrote back with a demand: "GET IT WHAT IT WANTS!"

I think he was mostly kidding but I couldn't stop laughing and decided that it's a great mantra to go with (within reason). Maybe the McNugget craves certain foods because I need more protein or carbohydrates or something else it needs to continue developing? As long as the food is healthy, why not indulge the McNug?

Most of my cravings have gone away but every now and then I get a "GIWIW" craving. Last night I had a new one. We get organic fruits and vegetables delivered every week and this week's shipment came yesterday; part of the haul included three beautiful navel oranges Jonathan left on the counter. Normally I would leave these for Jonathan who loves fresh squeezed juice. Also, I am not a huge fan of oranges; but we learned last night that apparently the McNugget is. I saw the oranges and something inside me (literally) told me I had to have one. It turned out to be delicious. I credit the McNugget with opening me up to new foods. I'm just glad it has moved on from the fast food type to the organic.

In the News

Since I found out I was pregnant, each day I seem to come across a new article about pregnancies and family. Here are three I saw today:

Apparently I am defying the norm - from the Washington Post
On the other hand, I am not supposed to wait - from the Independent
And apparently my friendships are going to change - from CNN.com

My head is spinning.

Happy Birthday Jonathan!

It's going to be quite a year!

Minimalist baby

So far we have one goal that is guiding a lot of our planning for our imminent new roommate. We want a minimalist baby. That is, we are planning to stock our house with everything this baby needs to survive, but not much more than that. Perhaps this is what all naive parents-to-be say until they realize babies require a lot of "stuff" but we are determined to keep things to a minimum as much as possible.

Jonathan found an article in the New York Times this weekend about alternatives to disposable diapers. I don't think I like the ones described in this piece but I did some searching today and found a company I really like called G Diapers. G Diapers function like disposables except you don't throw away the whole diaper, only the insert, and the inserts happen to be completely biodegradable. If you don't want to throw them away, you can actually flush them down the toilet or even throw them in your compost pile.

As an added bonus, they happen to be adorable and are stamped with a "G" on the back which means they should wrap quite nicely around a baby Gordin.

We are considering all of our options but so far this looks like a good way to go.

One trimester down, two to go.

I'm officially 14 weeks pregnant today which means I am opening this blog up to the public and will likely be updating it a lot more. At first it was a place to store the quirky feelings I was experiencing privately but the plan now is for you to follow Jonathan and me along this process without us having to bother you with lots of e-mail updates.

Here are some things we learned in the past few days:

• The McNugget (who is in need of a new name so please feel free to suggest one) is now the size of a lemon
• All of my genetic tests came back negative (this is a good thing) and I'm at a very low risk for everything else that can't be ruled out
• Pregnant women should avoid sprouts. Actually, we just read this somewhere on the web so we should probably confirm it before perpetuating a myth