Questions & Answers

I know there has been a lot of baby talk this week, but let's face it, since leaving my job, I have nothing else to talk about. I have found that once your pregnant, you get asked the same questions a lot. So here is my attempt to maybe answer some of those questions.

-Am I going to breastfeed?
After many months of going back and forth, I have decided to not go for it. I just don't get the warm and fuzzy feelings most women get when thinking about it and have decided it's just not for me. I felt guilty for a period of time, but thanks to two friends (Alison & Renee) who both decided to go the same route I am, talking to them about it has helped me get over my guilt and be at peace with my decision. Luckily, I have a husband who supports me with whatever I want to do and to be honest I think when he found out the nitty gritty of it, he really didn't want me to either.

-Where did we come up with the name Olivia Kate?
I have always liked the name Olivia. It's kinda old school, but nothing too out there. David wasn't a huge fan of it at first, but for some reason when I put it with Kate, he went for it. Kate is short for Katherine. Katherine happens to be a family name for both of us, but David's great grandmother was named & called Katherine. David was always close to her and I was fortunate to become close to her in the years David & I were dating. Sadly, she past away the day after we married. We decided to go with Kate because it just seemed to flow better with Olivia.

-Am I going to go for a natural birth?
To be honest, I so far have no opinion on this. Some people close to me say epidural all the way and others say you can do it naturally. Since I have never given birth, I have no idea how much I can take or how I will react to it all. I have honestly never had to deal with any surgeries or major amounts of pain in my life, so I honestly don't know what my pain tolerance is. It's one of those things we'll find out when we get there. Next go round I'll have an opinion.

-What does it feel like to have a baby inside you?
I actually get asked this one a lot. To me the best way to describe it is that it feels just like that, a baby inside you moving around. There is no other way to describe what it feels like and to me it feels like nothing else. So sorry to all the guys that have asked me that...but unless you carry a baby inside you or another human for whatever reason, there is no other feeling to compare it to.

-Who am I going to have in the delivery room with me?
Obviously, David will be in there and more than likely the only one in there. I feel like this is a private moment (there is a reason why I didn't sign up for A Baby Story) and a moment I want to share with just the two of us. We have to share Olivia with everyone else for the rest of her life, so we want to have the first few moments of her life to belong to just the two of us (and the doctors & nurses). One thing I like about the hospital we are delivering at is that they don't like a lot of fuss & people around. They feel its not good for the mom or baby and they are very strict with their rules and not afraid to tell people to leave. During labor only three people are allowed in the room (that includes dad) and during delivery only two people are allowed in the room (that includes dad also). So the only reason we would have anyone else would be if something was to go wrong, in which I have asked David's mom if that is case, to stay in the room. She has been a nurse for 25 years and has spent the last 20 years at the hospital I will deliver at. Needless to say, she knows people. She is who has honestly made sure that I have gotten the best care so far. She has even gone to the labor and delivery floor to talk to the nurses and they are aware of who I am. Though, the main reason being that if something were to go wrong, she could keep up better with what is going on. Other than that it will be just David and I. Or unless David decides to not answer his phone that day, then it will be my friend Renee who is my designated ride to the hospital if I cannot get a hold of the hubby. Then it will be Renee & I, but hopefully that won't happen.

-Are we keeping the dogs after the baby is born?
Yes, we are keeping the dogs unless it just doesn't work out. I would like to get rid of the dog hair, but since they are both older we feel it's not right to them to be given away. Biscuit is now 9 or 10 years old and before we got her she had a pretty rough life. In the beginning we weren't sure about having her around kids, but she has changed into the sweetest dog since. She's been around kids several times and has had no problems so right now we're hoping it stays that way. Buddy is now 6 or 7 and we have had him pretty much his whole life. He is a big baby and very sensitive and it would seriously break his heart if we ever gave him away. Of course, he is wonderful with kids and always has been. They are both good dogs and they will have a time adjusting since they have been our babies the past few years. So unless anything major happens they are staying in the Mabrey household.

-Is David taking vacation when the baby is born?
The answer to this is yes & no. He has a ten day vacation left and he has worked it out to were he can take a few days from it but he is not going to take the whole ten days. Two reasons...1. if he had to stay around the house for ten days he would drive me insane and 2. since he would have to use it in September, then he would have to go till at least February without another vacation and we have learned that makes for one grumpy husband/daddy. So I asked him to take about three or four days off and then save the vacation till November. Daivid's mom has already asked off for the week after Olivia's birth and is planning on coming down to help me. So we will be a much happier household if daddy goes back to work. Those who know my husband know what I'm talking about.