Amanda's (amandasterud) birthing lodge

lunabelle · 06-02-2007, 07:10 AM

Amanda, we missed starting your lodge on time but I know you're here often so please, lets catch up and let us know how you're feeling! Only a couple of weeks until your due date now.

**drewsmom1** · 06-02-2007, 11:23 AM

I actually teared up when I saw this! Thank you so much. You can't possibly know how much it means to me.

Most of you don't know me, so let me share. DH (Mark) and I met at a fund raising concert at a local bar for a friend who was paralyzed in a motocross accident. I don't usually call people back that I meet in bars but it somehow seemed right. Maybe it was the beautiful fall night.

We were both living in San Francisco at the time. I was teaching first grade and he was doing product development for a software company. That spring I decided to go back to school for my masters in curriculum development ( I wanted to leave the classroom, but not education) and he started working for a smaller company as an integration consultant. We were engaged fall, married that winter in my parents backyard, and got our dog that spring.

He was traveling to the East Coast a lot for work and it wasn't working for us. So, we moved East. If you have never done a cross country drive, I highly recommend it. We live in a beautiful and diverse country. On that drive we started talking about when we wanted to start a family. So we decided that I would go off birth control on our year anniversary and see what happened.

I had been on depo-prevera for about 5 years at that point. We didn't know when I would ovulate as it can take up to 18 months (!). So we knew it could be 2.5 years before we really knew if we could have children. Turns out, I had major bleeding (25 days) in July, a regular period (3 days) in the beginning of September and then a funny feeling as I was finishing my thesis in October. I had eaten a chocolate bar the night before and I never eat like that.

DH was out of town (in SF) for training to become a Sales Engineer for his company and I had a funny feeling. I took 2 pg tests and yep, I was pg. I woke him up at 6am CA time to tell him. Then I woke up my mom.

This has been a fairly uneventful pregnancy. I was never working full time, just substitute teaching for a couple of schools. DH made me continue to go to a personal trainer, so I have stayed fit. We bought a house in March and are settled in here finally.

Originally I was going to an OB practice that had some midwives. I have always planned on a NCB. It never crossed my mind to do it another way. I was going to be in a hospital, but made DH swear up and down not to let me have medication, because even over the counter stuff gives me headaches, so I couldn't imagine what an epidural would do to me body.

Where we live now, I found a fantastic Birth and Women's Center that is 35 minutes from our house. We are giving birth at the center with 2 midwives and a nurse-midwife in attendance. I couldn't be happier.

I need to feed DH now, he's a monster in the kitchen, and I'll update you on how I am feeling later.

Thanks again!

lunabelle · 06-02-2007, 01:16 PM

Ahh, that's a really nice story. I'm glad you didn't have too much trouble conceiving after being on the shot.

I can't wait to hear more about how you're doing now that we're getting closer.

I'm really sorry we didn't get your lodge started earlier.. I'm glad you were happy to see it

**fostersm** · 06-02-2007, 01:48 PM

welcome to your lodge!! loved reading your story and i look forward to the rest of your journey!!!

**summerblue** · 06-02-2007, 02:13 PM

Great story. Another teacher in our midst! (me, too)

Looking forward to following your journey.

**emmy_24** · 06-02-2007, 06:03 PM

The brithing center sounds really neat, I can't wait to hear how it all goes.

**Khaki** · 06-02-2007, 07:15 PM

What a nice story of you and DH meeting! It sounds like everything has really fallen into place for you. Congrats on your lodge and GL on your journey.