TEN: The Doul-a

I know why pregnant women glow. It's just what happens when one's skin is stretched to it's limits across a vast expanse of bloated body.

I haven't updated in a while because, among other things, I move in slow motion. Also, I/we were busy with house guests and a housewarming party - we finally cracked the seal on our home. Being acutely aware of our dwindling time as a duo, L and I have preferred to hide in our house together whenever possible. It helps that he is a great cook, I am a great ice cream purchaser and that we have a giant screen on which to watch trashy tv and movies.

The biggest news related to the pregnancy is that we've found a doula. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a doula is a birth coach/companion of sorts...someone who is there throughout the labor (in my case, starting at home and then moving to the hospital) to support the laboring woman and her partner. At home, they can assure you that you are not dying and can tell you when it is time to go to the hospital (two things L and I would not likely be able to determine on our own) and once at the hospital, they can advocate for you, educate staff about your birth plan, and help you make sane decisions. Statistically speaking, women who have doulas experience significantly shorter labor, less use of medication, forceps, and c-sections. The doula we hired - Anna - is also a photographer and will take pictures if the parent(s) desire.

If my description above does not quench your thirst for information about doulas, below is Anna's website address....

familydoulaservices.com

Meanwhile, I continue to expand and although I generally feel okay during the day (minus the aftermath of the multiple episodes of overeating), sleeping has become increasingly elusive. L keeps reminding me that once the baby is born, it'll be just a few more years before I'll be able to sleep again.

My lack of sleep has allowed for at least one positive thing: a voracious reading schedule. Aside from wondering why the next New Yorker is taking so long to arrive, I've been brushing up on a lot of boring birth/baby related reading while still being able to indulge my interests in things such as methamphetamine addiction and gender identity disorder. My most recent read and recommendation is:

"She's Not There" by Jennifer Finney Boylan. Jennifer is a professor at my old college and although I did not take a class with her (him - James Boylan - at that time), I knew who he was because many of my friends raved about him as a creative writing professor. Years after I graduated, he made the transition to female. Fantastic book about his experience as a transgendered person and his relationships through his transition.

Another (older) recommendation "The Kid" by Dan Savage (of the column "Savage Love") about the adoption of his son with his partner. Irreverent (not for the timid) and yet extremely heartfelt stuff about the increasingly common practice of open adoption vs. traditional, closed adoption.

I write as if someone, anyone said "hey, can you start giving out book recommendations on your blog?" No one did. But there you go anyway.

And although I keep getting requests for photos of the...expansion project I've decided, for the sake of my self, to include a picture I just found from when I was thin and my life was sassy.