Another Busy Weekend… This Time at 9.5 Months Pregnant

Posted on June 16, 2014 by playinghousewi

As with most of our weekends, it was another busy one! Lots of running from one activity to the next. So, here’s our weekend through a series of photos.

On Friday, Mark went to our friends’ house to watch the World Cup and play with this tiny cutie…

While I went to my Milly’s (MIL’s) for dinner and to meet her sweet little addition to the family.

The yet-to-be-named precious little sweetie pie.

I mean, puppies are seriously the best.

This is my favorite series of puppy pics from the evening…

Pre-Yawn…

Getting into it…

And the full-on yawn!

Pooped little puppy. I left Milly’s around 10 to go meet Jessica, my house guest, at my place!

The next morning, I went for a mani with my mom, sister and niece. I chose baby pink in honor of our little babe on the way! These could be my labor nails! Although I’m guessing I’ll get one more mani in before she decides to show her face. After mani’s, I ran a couple errands and met my grandparents for a father’s day lunch.

Then it was time to celebrate the marriage of one of my adorable college friends.

Cutie Petutie Flower Girl.

Gorg bride and her pops.

Saying “I do!”

How adorable is this guest book??

Jessica (the house guest) and I posing on the bridge. I must mention, the weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding.

My attractive hubs and I on the bridge. Yes, I jammed my fat feet in heels one last time (I hope).

Fun catching up with old friends!

I love this girl… such a hoot!

With my college gals.

After the wedding, we stopped by Milly’s to see this mini pupster!

Sunday it was early rising to celebrate this guy…

And this guy!

Dad and I comparing bellies… he looks like a skinny mini compared to me, huh?

Love this guy.

Chocolate fountain + this dude = disgusting enjoyment.

That’s one happy little man.

After brunch, we went home to shower dad with some presies.

Toby’s card for dad.

Baby’s gift for dad.

But before he opened it, we watched a little World Cup action.

Reading his card..

And a little something special for my guy. Some memories from Milly & his sister from when he was a wee little one. Top memory, Marky loved his teenage mutant ninja turtles PJs and squeezed into them for 5 years!

So obviously, our girl needed some turtle wear… which I “dressed up” by sewing on some bows. A little feminine touch 🙂

And this one!

And this book – a recommendation from a friend! It’s really cool… broken up by baby’s age and very silly/helpful!

Then it was soccer time…

And snooze time, before we headed to Mark’s dad’s house for dinner!

When we got home, I was torturing myself by looking at pictures from our honeymoon. I couldn’t believe how tiny I was and how tiny my feet were. Look at all the room in those sandals… and those veins.

Not quite the same foot…

While this looks like a joke, this is literally how my weekend ended. Both hands in my carpal tunnel splints and a little extra special bonus, ice packs strapped to my feet to help with the pain and swelling in those giant paddles. Yikes.

Mental (& Physical) Health Day

Posted on June 13, 2014 by playinghousewi

Yesterday I took a mental health day. It was a little physical, although, it’s hard to justify not working simply because I’m ginormous, swollen and uncomfortable. BUT, the beauty of being 9.5 months pregnant is that you feel less of a need to justify and more of a need to just do whatever it takes to stay afloat (metaphorically… I have a feeling in a pool of water, I’d sink for sure). So, I took the day off.

I woke up around 8:30, made eggs, and watched a movie. By the time my movie was over, it was just about time for lunch. Which, lucky for me, included my husband. Hubs came home and we hung out and ate lunch… quickly… and he was off. Then, Toby and I went back to the couch to watch Endless Love. While I was entertained, I have to admit, this movie is 1000% a Notebook wanna-be… and it definitely fell short. The plot and even specific scenes were just so similar. And let’s be honest, you just can’t be the Notebook. It’s way too good. After an excessive amount of couch time – which was actually my goal for the day – I took a nice bath and listened to my birthing meditation CD. This is definitely my happy place. In fact, I conked out in the bath and woke up over an hour later. In hind sight, this might be a little dangerous when home alone… but oh well! We survived.

Couch snuggles

Sleepy pup

After the bath nap, I was actually more tired than I was before, so I relaxed on the couch some more. I was supposed to have dinner with my girlfriend, but honestly, the idea of showering, getting ready and then having to do something else (eat/drive/etc) was just way too much. I hate to flake, but I had to. I’ve actually been really flakey lately. I think it stems from me being VERY emotional this past week or so. I’m SO tired – like flu tired – and feeling a little nervous and uncomfortable and huge and blah. Anyway, it hasn’t put me in a very social mood lately. I apologize to all those I’ve bailed on recently.

After my post-bath unwind, I somehow managed to drag my butt to the gym, where I was pretty much uninvited. The gym owner/trainer said that I could work out until Tuesday or so and then it was time to call it quits until after the baby comes. He said switching to just taking walks is a better idea. So, I guess I’ll get a few more workouts in and then it’s break time.

When I got home, I spent about 1.5 hours picking up the house. We have a house guest staying with us for the weekend. While I’m very excited to see her, I’m not going to lie, this has added a touch to my anxiety. I told her that if by some crazy chance I go into labor this weekend, I’m going to kick her out. Hopefully that doesn’t happen, because that feels just mean, but again, at 9.5 months pregnant, I’ve gotta do what I’ve gotta do. I also have a wedding to attend this weekend. I’m hoping my feet will cooperate so I don’t have to wear tennies 🙂

Now a nice, unconventional baby gift… my friend made some lovely illegal graffiti art for the baby. A picture of her waiting to come out. Pretty cool, right? Baby, if you’re reading this, illegal graffiti art is NOT cool or okay.

Compliments of Polli.

38 Weeks… 9.5 MONTHS PREGNANT (June 13, 2014)

Posted on June 13, 2014 by playinghousewi

38 weeks… 9.5 MONTHS PREGNANT! (June 13, 2014). Okay seriously, there are only 2 more weeks until my due date. That is crazy. Unfortunately, you can see that this stubborn little woman is still high as ever and refusing to drop. It’s surprising that she’d be stubborn, right? Also, look at Toby. I mean, is he for real? Why is he the cutest dog ever?

My Psychic Experience

Posted on June 11, 2014 by playinghousewi

Last night, my mom, sister and I went to a “ladies night” event at my parents’ club. This was the event…

A Psychic Experience!

I have only had one psychic experience before and it was some Carnival palm reading. I can’t remember what the lady said exactly, but she was dishing out some mean words to my friends and I. Told one that he was going to have an illegitimate child, told me that I was going to have two engagements and one marriage, the first engagement that ended because I don’t know how to love, and so on. She was special.

Anyway, I tried to go into last night’s experience with an open mind because really, what the hell do I know about reaching spirits or the “other side”… I can hardly figure out this side.

The chairs were all set up in a circle and the experience began with an opening “prayer” and message. Debra, the psychic, explained that she is a medium who gets visual messages and senses… but does not receive audible messages. She said that her role was to relay messages that will provide guidance, closure, etc.

So, how’d she do? Honestly, I don’t even know. A lot of her “readings” seemed like mumbo jumbo bullshit, but some of it seemed more purposeful or relevant. It’s so hard to tell. For most of the 2.5 hour-session, I sat there and watched as women sobbed, got choked up, went from mocking to totally engaged, and thought to myself, this is what these women need. Everyone has experienced some sort of loss – some much more devastating than others – and ultimately, we all want some sort of closure or reassurance that those people are okay and that they are still with us.

Then, as the “show” was winding down, the lady sitting next to me asked Debra if she could tell whether I was having a boy or a girl. Debra explained that she’s no good at that, but she does have a message for me. Note: I had otherwise stayed out of the spotlight… a place I don’t really love. She said that she was sensing the presence of a womanly figure and asked if I had a woman in my life who had crossed over. I said yes, but did not expand on the fact that my Grandma had passed away 12ish years ago and that she always called me her heart of hearts. She was amazing and we always had such an amazing connection. Probably because I’m freakishly similar to my dad (her son).

Anyway, Debra explained that this woman was sending me a message about my pregnancy. She wanted me to know that I should trust in my body and the labor process because she was going to be with me the whole time. That my body was made for this and that everything was going to be great. I had nothing to worry about. As I sat there listening with a bit of skepticism, I couldn’t help but feel like what I imagined all the other women were feeling when the spotlight was turned to them… “is this for real?” I mean, if my grams were still alive, this would be her in a nutshell. Calming me down, telling me to relax and just trust, and saying whatever I needed to make me feel like everything was going to be okay.

She said that Grandma kept saying, “We’re all here, everything is okay. We’re catching up and laughing. We’re all here.” I picture my Grandpa arriving after 12 long years apart and them finally getting to be together again.

Debra laughed. “I’m getting another image, which probably sounds crazy, but I’m going to go with it…” She said that she saw Grandma with a “magic wand” of sorts bopping us each on the head and that she gets the vibe that we’re all a little spiritually connected. Now, I don’t know how I feel about that, but I couldn’t help but laugh a little because I kind of think my Grams looks a lot like the fairy godmother in Cinderella.

The Fairy Godmother

My Fairy Grandmother

Anyway, the point of this whole thing is that I’ve decided to trust that whether or not this psychic saw my Grams or not, I’m going to take her message with me. Because, regardless of whether she spoke to this lady or not, I’m sure that my Grammy is with me and will be protecting me and her great grandchild as we embark on this marathon laboring event and crazy life together thereafter. And I will find peace in the image of Grandma welcoming Grandpa with laughter and open arms. I bet they’re dancing right now.

Aren’t they cute?

Symptoms

I am SO tired and worn out today… and crabby and blah. I don’t know if it’s the rainy weather or if it’s the exhaustion, but I’m just not a happy camper today. In fact, I’m on my way to go take a nap during my hour between jobs. I feel like I can barely keep my head up. I just want to lay on the couch, snuggled with my hubs and pup and call it a day… not that we’d all fit on the couch together. Or at least not for too long. But still.

Also, which might be adding to my mood, I had my appointment yesterday (a few days early because my doc will be out of town on Thursday – my regular appointment day) and I’ve made no progress since last week… except for gaining 1.5 lbs. Boo. Guess it’s time I listen to Grams, huh? Relax, trust my body, etc.

Some DIY Crafting for My Girl

Posted on June 10, 2014 by playinghousewi

Last night my friend Jenna came over to help me finish the weekly/monthly photo prop for the little lady. Here are some pics…

We started with some unpainted, wood numbers (1.25″).

And after a lot of strategizing (and chatting), decided to paint the numbers solid colors.

Craft table mess.

Colored numbers.

Everything all together.

Month 1 sample! I think it’s going to be pretty dang cute!

Besides the photo props, I also finished my gallery wall artwork for the nursery this weekend. The husband still needs to hang these pictures (hint, hint, wink, wink!!!), but here are some quick photos of what I did.

Little round guy. This one is a combination of scrapbooking paper and ribbon/lace inside the frame and mini flowers glued on top of the frame’s glass.

The mirror frame and bad lighting make this one hard to see. But, I just used scrapbook paper inside the frame and painted letters/a button glued on top of the glass to give this one a little dimension and added interest.

This was my last one… creativity was running thin, and I was already wounded from the hot glue gun. So, this one is just scrapbook paper inside the frame and a fabric flower glued to the outside of the glass.

This is probably my favorite. There is white cardstock inside the frame and then I used the beads on a cheapy, pink “pearl” necklace to make a heart (I drew on the back side of the glass using a dry erase marker first to trace the heart shape), and then filled in the background with white buttons. Everything was stuck on using hot glue.

Scrapbook paper flower with a hemp stem.

I've started filling the frames for the nursery gallery wall with DIY creations. Thought this turned out well. Just hearts cut out of scrap book paper.

Just hearts cut out of scrap book paper.

Can’t wait to post pictures of the finished gallery wall! Hopefully all of these creations will blend well together.

In other news, my friend, Erica, posted some more pictures of us at her wine bottling party a few weeks ago. Thought I’d share…

Miss Preggers with the BEAUTIFUL bride-to-be!

She put me to work… corking a bottle for her table numbers! So fun!

37 Weeks, 4 Days… FULL TERM and then some (June 10, 2014)

Posted on June 10, 2014 by playinghousewi

37 Weeks, 4 Days… FULL TERM and then some (June 10, 2014). I can’t believe I’ve somehow made it to full term. I remember thinking 20 weeks felt so far, and now here we are in the home stretch. Our little mini warrior has been growing like a champ and making my belly bulge. And soon, we’ll be kissing her sweet cheeks. I just can’t even wait. As for the tum… it’s giant, still looking pretty high, and forcing me to wear some pretty interesting outfits lately.

Carpal Tunnel Glory

Posted on June 9, 2014 by playinghousewi

I’m sure after my last post of the attack of the killer ankles, you’re all sick of hearing me bitch about swelling… but I’m not quite done 🙂 Sorry! Prior to my swollen bliss, I thought of swelling as just an annoyance. It makes fitting into shoes totally impossible, it looks nasty and makes you feel even more like an umpa loompa (as my friend called it) than you already do, and it makes you feel stiff. BUT, now I know there is a lot more to it. It’s actually quite painful.

For my feet, I am currently only leaving the house in two pairs of shoes. These sexy beasts are my daily go-to’s… go great with every outfit. Wait… no they don’t. They make me look like a pregnant frump in every outfit. I knew it was something…

My sexy sneaks.

The other pair are my tennies and I only wear those for my workouts and walks with the hubs. Thankfully, I’ve still been managing to work out and have been taking lots of walks with Marky & the puppito. That seems to help, even if it’s just mentally. There is something so uplifting and empowering about breaking a sweat and kicking some ass at nearly 9.5 months pregnant.

Anyway, I’ve found that random things will make these feet just go nuts. Usually heat or I don’t know… a misalignment in the stars. But then, all of a sudden, they get SO hot and huge… like the pictures in my last blog. Woof. The only thing to do at that point is lie down. So, that’s my recent foot joy. While I’m complaining a lot, I will say, I think the biggest bother is that I can’t wear cute shoes. So, hopefully that puts it in perspective. Manageable in terms of pain, frustrating in terms of my vanity.

My hands… that issue is a little bigger because it’s not the swelling that’s an issues, it’s the Carpal Tunnel I’ve developed due to the swelling. I literally sleep with one of these beasts on each hand… every night… making me feel like a damn seal. I have flippers for goodness sake.

Seal flippers.

Then, when I wake up, my hands are so stiff/numb/in pain/etc. that it takes a good hour for me to actually be able to make a fist without excruciating pain. That makes brushing my teeth very interesting. And while things improve greatly after that first hour, I still have total numbness in three of my fingertips on my right hand (all day, every day), tingling up and down both hands to my elbows, and an inability to put too much pressure on my wrists. It’s so special. Now, again, this WOULD be manageable; however, it makes me pretty nervous about childbirth. I’m hoping and praying that the pain will subside before that point, otherwise I feel I will be at a disadvantage. Alternative birthing positions rely on supporting yourself with your hands/wrists/arms.

Mark has been trying to give me acupressure on my hands/wrists/arms, I have two chiropractor appointments this week and am thinking of trying out acupuncture. Hopefully this blend of activity will help relieve a little pressure on my sausage fingers.

I Sweat, I Bled & I Dilated… A Little

Posted on June 5, 2014 by playinghousewi

Today was my 37-Week Appointment with the doc. At my last appointment, I was feeling a little discouraged because while I had effaced a bit (50%), the baby was positioned pretty high (-4 position) and my cervix was closed for business.

Since then, I’ve been bouncing and rocking on my ball, walking, and doing everything else I could to keep things moving.

Anyway, almost instantly upon entering the exam room, I got one of the delightful hot flashes I’ve been battling these days. I’m talking full on sweat. By the time the doc came in and listened to the heartbeat, my face was literally sweaty. Thankfully, my amazing husband grabbed a pamphlet about god knows what off the wall and started fanning my face. Umm… can we say already an amazing birth partner? That fan literally saved me from a VERY uncomfortable experience.

After the doc listened to the heartbeat, it was time for her to get up in there. I’m not going to lie, it took my words away. My nervous chatter turned to silent wincing. It wasn’t terrible, just not comfortable. BUT, totally worth it for the update I received. Once she removed her bloody… yes, bloody… fingers from my lady parts, she informed me that I had progressed! Not a ton, but any progress is great news in my book. I am now 60% effaced and 1/2 a centimeter dilated! She said she could have probably gotten the finger in there to make it 1 cm, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed it… so 1/2 it is! AND, our little babes has moved down a bit and is now at the -3 position. Still a ways to go, but I’m just over the moon that we’re making progress. I feel a resurgence of confidence in my body.

On a sillier note, my doc came in saying, “I had a dream about you last night!” She continued to explain her dream…

You came into the hospital thinking you were in labor. I checked you and it appeared as if you were. I had to finish something, so I left your room for a little and when I got back, you were gone. The nurse said that there was a new hospital policy that required patients to labor in one room and deliver in the OR. So, I went searching for this OR, but could not find it. Finally, I found it (and you) and you had delivered your baby. You were totally pissed at me for missing your delivery, but I was really happy that it went so quickly for you and was so easy. It meant things went according to your birth plan. Then I think my cat must have woken me up.

Honestly, I REALLY liked the fact that I had gotten into my doctor’s head so much and that she is concerned about giving me the delivery experience we are hoping for. Makes me feel like she actually cares and that it is somewhat of a priority to her. SO, all in all, today was a great appointment. I feel like progress was made in all areas… with my body, the baby, and my doctor.

Symptoms

Holy swelling. I gained 3 lbs this week, which my doc is pretty sure is directly related to the swelling… and of course our sweet girl beefing up. But really, my hands and feet are pretty damn thick and my ankles are starting to really look like cankles. Sexy momma over here.

But, besides the recent thickening, I really feel great. The hubs has been amazing and I’m feeling good and happy. Definitely pretty damn tired, but I think that’s just the way it is now. It really does go in waves. From about 2-6p, I’ve been feeling pretty zombie-like. Before and after that point, it’s more manageable.

And as for my back, it’s been SO great! I think I’m going to make an appointment to see the chiropractor just to proactively address any back issues, but really, I feel good.

The Doctor/Hospital Switch Debacle

Posted on June 4, 2014 by playinghousewi

A few weeks ago, I briefly mentioned that we were unhappy with our doctor after a visit. My doctor had made a comment about wishing I was bigger because my size makes me more prone to needing a C-Section. I was instantly upset/angry/frustrated/discouraged/etc. After we left the appointment, my husband and I decided that maybe – at 35 weeks – we should check out another birthing venue option. So, a few days later, we went to check out the Columbia Center Birthing Hospital.

The facility was really nice. It’s separate from the actual hospital, but still run by the hospital. Supposedly, it gives you a birthing center feel with the security of a hospital. However, you’re still cared for by doctors versus midwives, as in a traditional birth center. When we left the facility, I was feeling really great about the spa-like qualities of the birth center, but was not convinced that any of the doctors were any better than mine.

The hubs and I stopped at one of my favorite lunch spots to grab a quick bite and ran into a friend from high school. As we were catching up, we mentioned our recent visit to the Collumbia Center and she started raving about it. That’s where she delivered – after switching to that hospital at 31 weeks. She said her doc was totally more midwife than OB and was VERY open to natural births and alternative birthing methods. It literally felt like fate that we ran into her. I did a 180 in the restaurant and was totally ready to sign up with this doc.

Unfortunately, when I finally got a hold of the doctor, I discovered that she was totally booked and unable to fit me in for even a visit until July. That wasn’t going to work. I had also considered this guy doc who was recommended, but ultimately, I just couldn’t get over having a guy deliver my baby. SO, I decided the only thing left to do would be to talk to my doctor about her comment and how it made me feel in hopes of getting past the whole thing.

So, at the end of my last appointment, I said to her, “Dr. Kostic, at my last comment, you made a comment about my size making me more prone to C-Sections, and I have to be honest, I left feeling really uncomfortable.” She quickly said, “I like to make sure that my patients are aware of some of the risks beforehand, so I’m not springing things on them at the last second.” This makes sense to me. I continued, “I get that, but with all the negative stories people tell you and the judgey looks I get when I say I want a natural birth, I just really want to know that you trust in my body to do this. I don’t want you going into my labor with this preconceived notion that it’s going to end in the ER.”

She said, “absolutely not” and explained that she is actually known for trying EVERYTHING before resorting to a C-Section.

Ultimately, I think I feel good about the whole thing. I really do like my doctor and while I wish I could have some hippy midwife deliver our girl, I think this option is a pretty good one. It really seems like my doc will work with us to give us the experience we are hoping for… god-willing of course.

So I guess that’s the gist. And really, the little diversion led us right back to where we were before… although maybe a bit more comfortable with our doc.

Symptoms

I’ve still been hard at work trying to bounce, workout, squat, etc this baby down a bit. Now, don’t get me wrong… I’m not doing any natural induction methods… just trying to help her move into position to improve the chances of a natural birth. Other than that, things are pretty good.

My hands and feet continue to be my biggest issue. My hands get the worst during sleep and when I wake up… it’s crazy. I’ve been trying to sleep with braces on my hands/wrists, which is supposed to help with the pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel, but sometimes that’s just way too uncomfortable. It’s literally to the point where it hurts my hands to hold my toothbrush in the morning. I’m definitely ready to have my old fingers back.

And my feet. Today I’m wearing tennis shoes at work. For those of you who don’t know me, that probably means nothing. For those of you who do know me, you know that I only wear tennies when I’m working out. Or at least that used to be the case. These feet just can’t be smushed anymore. It hurts way too much.

BUT, on the positive, the hands and feet are manageable and besides that and the fact that I’m a little achy and feeling large and in charge, I feel great!

Anyway, my uncle sent some better pics from the wedding weekend… enjoy!

The sister, mom, & I – with a hubs photo bomb!

The sister, mom, & I – with a gramps photo bomb!

The ladies with Grams & Gramps.

Dad with his girls and their men.

Cheers to Grandpa! We miss you.

Puffy eyes & the hubs enjoying the beautiful evening.

Full bod shot. Buddah belly.

Gorg sunset.

The bride and groom with our fam.

The bride and groom with both families.

Weekend Update

Posted on June 3, 2014 by playinghousewi

This weekend was my brother’s wedding and also the weekend my Grandpa passed away. Talk about a weird and confusing string of events. But, remembering all the excitement and pressure of my own wedding, I did everything I could to refocus my energy from mourning to celebrating.

Grandma, Gramps & I at the rehearsal dinner. Grams was doing so well! It was really nice to see… especially since I felt like I had been neglecting the two of them lately with all my focus being on my other gramps.

The family took a shot of scotch in Grandpa’s honor. My cousin Amy did not enjoy it. I enjoyed her disgusted face… and my Sprite 🙂

The bride and her mother.

The bride & groom during their photo sesh. My brother, Mr. Photogenic 🙂

Signing the Ketubah (Jewish marriage license).

The flower arrangement.

Hubs & I… 9 months prego makes it hard to look good.

Close up. He’s SO cute.

Happy Tobes.

Kitty/Puppy time.

All in all, the weekend went very well. My Aunt and Uncle were in town and stayed with us, which is always my favorite. I just love them. And yesterday, we all got together for brunch and my cousin and I were able to hang out.

But now, Tuesday morning, I’m sitting at work as my parents and sister are in Florida at Grandpa’s funeral. To say it’s a little difficult is a bit of an understatement. Because I’m so far along in the pregnancy, I’m unable to fly, which meant I couldn’t attend the funeral. We’re going to have a memorial service this week when my family gets back, but still. It’s hard to find focus through everything. Not to mention, I feel like I spent the whole weekend ignoring reality and I find that it kind of shows its face randomly and without warning.

Anyway, I know Grandpa would be happy to be reunited with my Grams.

Symptoms

Physically, I’ve been feeling pretty good lately. My back has REALLY improved, which is amazing. The biggest issue is my hands and feet… they are swollen sausages. In fact, this weekend, I had to go out and buy a new pair of shoes for the wedding because I couldn’t jam my feet in ANY of my shoes. I had to get a FULL size bigger than I usually wear. Sheesh.

Other than that, I’ve been doing all of my exercises to try and get baby to drop. I’ve worked out, taken a few walks with hubs & pup, done my squats and pelvic tilts, sat and rolled out my hips on the birthing ball… the whole nine yards. I don’t think she’s budged an inch, but regardless, I’m sure it’s all good stuff.

The other thing we tried this weekend – WARNING, this might be too much info for the mommas – was the perineum massage. I’m not going to lie, I’ve been 100% avoiding this. Not that my husband hasn’t been acquainted with my lady parts (hence me being pregnant), but it just seemed like such an awkward activity. In fact, while it was awkward preparing for it, the actual act was not a big deal. We used almond oil, as I’ve read that it helps to prep your parts, and honestly, seemed like it could be beneficial. The whole gist is that he makes the area uncomfortable – almost a burning sensation – by applying pressure on the muscle and I have to use breathing or whatever to relax. And then it continues. We followed the instructions in the book, The Birth Partner. All in all, it can’t hurt, so might as well give it a whirl.