Birth planning second time around

I think I can remember my birth plan for my first pregnancy, it was focused on having a water birth in a midwife-led unit, using TENS, gas and air and breathing/relaxation techniques. I was midwife led care throughout pregnancy and hadn't really put any thought into what being induced or having a caesarean would mean, as I didn't think it would affect me. I had put alot of thought into my plan and reasons for choosing them, but in the end the preparation was lost as I was induced at the local hospital, and couldn't have a water birth, and I needed stronger pain relief than I realised... an epidural (something I'd never imagined). This time, I'm hoping for something closer to my original plan, but with birth plans for alternate scenarios just in case. Somewhere between realism and optimism.

The Spiritual and Practical Life: 1. Yoga

I'm sleeping so lightly at the moment that I may as well stay up and write a little... I'm now 29 (and a half) weeks pregnant, though many assume I'm alot closer based on my size, so expect that the big bump is contributing. My sleep is nowhere near deep and dreamful (is that a word?) and my daytime wakefulness is only bordering on being actually awake. Still, it is all very exciting being a properly pregnant person!

Back to the content. 

I wish I could change the prioritising of practicality and efficiency (often of tasks that are unnecessary in the first place) over time for reflection and spirituality in our lives. The two may seem to go together: making time by being efficient and pragmatic in our decision making, but actually letting go of the expectations and perceived obligations is what gives most a real break. I will focus especially on the benefits I've had from 1. Attending a prenatal yoga class in the last few months and 2. Gaining ever more confidence to let go of the impossible expectations put on pregnant women and parents by the experts/Quacks thanks to reading a few choice chapters of Free Range Kids. This first blog will concentrate on my yoga classes. It isn't necessarily doing yoga in pregnancy that I'm encouraging here though, more just doing anything that brings you the peace from doing an activity that you want to do, in amongst all those to do lists of daily necessities.

Christmas doesn't get better than this

Abigail is still saying "Happy Christmas" at every opportunity and asked for party hats and crackers when we had roast dinner yesterday - she completely and utterly loved, and knew about Christmas this year. This year was the first time we all had that Christmas feeling - she was too young really the previous two, and although dressing her up in Santa costumes was fun (see pics - L: 2009, R: 2010), this year was certainly special. I also went a bit mad too, making Christmas Pudding and Christmas cake for the first time (well, me made a cake at school once but I don't really remember much else), I even tried a full-blown Christmas meal for some friends a few weeks before, which didn't go tooo badly... It has been fun just letting myself and Abigail get whipped up into and soaked with the Christmas Spirit. Children do really add another, completely fantastic dimension to Christmas and what it is really all about. Really.

Here's to next year. Happy New Year Everyone XXxx