23 weeks

This week we had our monthly OB appt. We met with Katie, a new midwife to the practice who graduated a year or so ago from the Florida School of Midwifery. She was the student midwife who attended Piper's birth and she was so calm and sweet during Piper's my labor. I remember at one point during my labor I turned to her in complete exhaustion and with absolutely no modesty left whatsoever and told her that I felt like I was bleeding or leaking or something. She calmly got a warmed wash cloth and wiped my entire nether region down while I leaned over the bed in a contraction. I remember thinking "man, what a crappy job she has." And now look who is cleaning off other people's nether regions...me!!

She has a really great personality and a very calm, self-assured spirit. At this last appointment I told her that when I was pregnant with Piper I couldn't fathom actually giving birth. It didn't seem possible for me and was just way too big of a notion to get my head around. I worried that I wouldn't be able to handle the pain or wouldn't be able to push or wouldn't be able to stay calm. And I did it all (shockingly) and now I'm here looking at that big mountain again. This time I'm not worried about not being able to birth my child, I'm just dreading going through the pain again. Of course I know I can forgo the birth center and have this baby at a hospital and get my epidural and everything. But despite the pain of Piper's birth, it was exactly what I wanted to experience and I would go through it all over again to know that I'm doing this how I want to do it, in an environment that I'm comfortable in, blah blah blah you guys all have heard this before.

I didn't realize it at the time, but Katie was pregnant with her first child at Piper's birth and since then has gone on to have two little boys in 3 years, wowzers. Her first birth was horrendous (worse than yours Lisa) and long with contractions for days and an eventual transfer to the hospital. She told us her second birth was fast and quick and efficient. And while it was obviously still painful, her body had been through the motions and knew what to do in a much more orderly fashion. I know (and hope!) the second time around will be quicker and easier for me. Piper had an absolutely text book perfect birth; one that I hope occurs with this baby as well. I am not looking forward to the pain (AT ALL), but I can't wait till I feel that first contraction and know that a wild ride is ahead of me for the next few hours followed by the blissful moment of meeting my second born.

So what do you guys think about my belly growth? Am I looking bigger or do I look like I've sorta been maintaining the same size for the last few weeks. My vote is the later.