Yes you read correctly, we are officially going to contribute to the rampant overpopulation of the Planet Earth, and thereby further tax the social structures and ecosystems that, as of late, seem to be bursting from the seams from all the stress. Before you get too worked up about the overpopulation issue, remember this is just our first child, so technically speaking we haven't even replaced ourselves yet. So I guess if we keep it to one kid we will remain growth-negative. But of course we are having so much fun this is unlikely to happen. Jack actually is pushing for no less than four, but Daniela, who holds the trump card (I carry the babies), is still lobbying for two max. In response, Jack has vigorously investigated incentives for reaching a comprise number of three little bundles of joy. This jockeying has been ongoing over the past two years. Like ESPN SportsCenter, we will keep you updated on the score.
For now, we’re concentrating on a healthy maternity, a natural childbirth for Mom & baby, and planning for our family future. As of this writing, Daniela is in her third trimester, with an April 4th due date. Though Daniela claims to enjoy surprises, she wanted to know right away the sex of the baby and dismissed as idiotic Jack’s idea to wait until the birth. We are both overjoyed to report that a baby BOY is on the way. That’s right, a bouncy baby boy.
Early signs indicate that our baby may have a knack for any number of martial arts, place kicking in the NFL, striker on the UNC soccer team, or perhaps a top-tier break-dancer. To Mom’s chagrin, nightly baby begins his spastic gyrations. Sometimes he’s motivated by a staccato hip-hop or reggae beat, whereby a flurry of kicks, punches and somersaults ensure. Other times he’s grooving on funky jazz or Sinatra, slowly waving appendages across the horizon of Mom’s ever-growing belly. Sometimes he just punches Mom in the bladder resulting in an immediate trip to the restroom.
First-birth couples are typically rabid consumers of pregnancy information and we’re no exception. Our cadre of pregnant, soon-to-be pregnant, and ain’t-gonna-be-soon-to-be pregnant friends have rained down on us a steady stream of books, magazine articles, internet sites, long conversations and the occasional youtube video. Suffice to say, it’s been an exciting time, but also a challenge to wade through the fluff and get to the unfiltered truth. Part of our journey started at a pre-pregnancy viewing of the documentary “The Business of Being Born.” This really opened our eyes to the notion of having a natural childbirth. After consulting with friends, family, and local experts we decided to go with a local OB/GYN practice that includes a certified nurse midwife as well as an OB/GYN physician. One trip to the new birthing suites at the Castle Birthing Center in Kailua was all it took to convince us that’s where we wanted to have our baby. The newly installed Jacuzzi tubs and beautiful view of the verdant green Ko‘olau cliffs were quite persuasive. Even more persuasive was the focus the nursing and medical staff put on the birthing mother.
We’re currently enrolled in Bradley birthing classes, which focus on natural childbirth. While this has been derided in some circles as hippie, tree-hugger idealism, over time we have come to understand natural childbirth as both medically and spiritually better for both Mom and baby, provided no pre-existing conditions preclude it. Our instructor Dora Baldwin is a vibrant and passionate Hawaiian woman who has been teaching these courses for over 18 years and has witnessed hundreds of natural childbirths.
