Birth of Benjamin Clark Sherwood 2-6-12

32 weeks!

Well our hynobabies class is officially over.  It’s kind of scary and exciting all at the same time.  Scary because now all I have to rely on is my own little (or not so little) weak self to keep up on my practice each day and not get lazy with it.  Exciting because it means we’re that much closer to meeting Benjamin Clark Sherwood!  Our last class time was very interesting and surreal.  We had an actual ‘practice’ of giving birth.  She helped us picture it and act out actual scenarios of what we could do. This of course included all of the hypnosis cues and tools that we’ve learned in class.  

At the very end I even got to reach down and pull a baby doll up to my chest and just imagine the real thing-kinda weird I know but it was fun and very exciting.  We received another hypnosis CD that’s quickly become my favorite to listen to.  It’s called, ‘Visualize your Birth’; so as I’m relaxing and ‘in hypnosis I’m just creating in my mind my own reality which is a beautiful, peaceful birth.  It’s very calming and reassuring and again exciting!!  I am so grateful that we decided to do Hypnobabies.  I could never have imagined learning so much and coming out of it more happy and excited.  I honestly don’t know what I would be doing without it.  I am grateful for our teacher, Talya for being so supportive and who will continue to be supportive and helpful as we’ve hired her to be our Doula.  And can I just say, whoever came up with the idea of a Doula was a genius!!! GENIUS!!  Love it!  

Well I have been feeling very blessed lately.  Within the last week or so I've started to feel 'uncomfortable' as I sleep because it's a bit harder to breathe. The other day I was at the dentist ( I love dentists normally) and this new found 'problem' made itself very apparent while in the dentists chair!  You know how your body is tipped downward with your feet normally above your head?  Ya well I realized about 15 mins into it that it was not optimal positioning for me to breathe and I had to stop the hygienist, and sit up in the chair because I almost passed out!  They had to get me water and everything but bless their hearts they must have told the rest of the staff that would be checking on me because from then on out the worked on my in pretty much an upright position.  :)   But that is seriously the only thing I can complain about at this point!  But if I think about it it's not even a complaint!  It's my baby getting bigger and healthier!  So what if he's pushing on my diaphragm!   

My midwife has confirmed from a blood test that I am seriously anemic (we knew it all along) so we have a valid explanation about why I've been feeling so tired all the time but thanks to modern medicine I am able make it so I don't have to suffer.  But even despite that I am really blessed.  I was never sick once other than just feeling kind of 'yucky' in my first trimester.  I again have sooo much respect and honor women who are or were sick throughout their whole pregnancies or even through some of it!   I just couldn't do it.  At least not after the first time when I saw how it was going to be.  I would have been like, "Ok not doing that again...better start looking at adoption!"  hehe

I've been feeling blessed because of the life that I've had up to this point and being pregnant has made me become more keenly aware of this world that I am about to bring a child into and it's all very exciting and scary!  But I know that I have no need to fear as long as we raise him in the Gospel and keep Christ the center of our home. I am so blessed to have a husband who has had all the life experiences that hes had that I know will benefit our son as he teaches him. I want our son to know Christ and to be very familiar with his spirit. I want him to have all the amazing experiences that I have had and more with the Gospel and with service and with just living on this earth!  It's an incredible journey and I am excited to watch Ben go through it and experience it for himself!  

But first the experience of Birth!  I can't wait!  Honestly!  For the day that I'll wake up or just notice that first 'pressure wave' and to know that soon we'll be holding Ben in our arms.  I know it is going to be another amazing journey filled with peace, love and empowerment.