Labour Wisdom

the big event is coming up, 15 days and counting!!! and since my body seems to be doing its' thing baby is strategically planning it's exit inside of there I seem keep ending up with hours on end of practice labour how quickly my mind remembered some very familiar feelings i seem to have blocked out of the labour process. So i asked for labour wisdom, tips, all the best rolled into one and one of my friends said to me to re read what i recently wrote her when she was asking for labour tips. So I share. to pass along, to remind myself, to prepare for the up coming event...  the key words I pass as wisdom are

1. Educate yourself!!! I cannot stress this enough, educate yourself, read, absorb, everything you can, educate, educate, educate. Understand labour, the stages, the patterns during contractions and stages of labour, the way your body works, how long different stages often take (for instance, did you know that transition - the end - the hardest part - only takes up to 45 min and this is when a lot of people crash and choose epidural, but your almost done!! and it gets easier after transition, contractions back off, and change patterns ready for pushing. And trust me after all that labouring, pushing feels like a relief!) EDUCATE YOURSELF!! so that you can know how to work with it and not against it.
2.  invite the holy spirit into your labour and labour room - the presence of God was so thick in our room over the entire evening and every contraction it was amazing. 
3.  on every contraction zone out and get into that place of worship, that unbelievable peaceful rest. Each contraction I would go to that place of rest, zone right out of reality and rest in that secret place almost like soaking,. breathing and unaware of what was happening in the natural realm (sounds kinda weird but totally the place to be).
4. never let your brain understand the pain you are in in each contraction, it is mind over matter, getting through labour is the art of distraction, distract your mind from your pain receptors. for me it was a focusing on hand motions, and luke drawing on my arms.
5. focus on breathing, opening up and going completely floppy and relaxed . In pain we naturally tighten up b/c it hurts, train your brain to change its responce mechanism and turn floppy on each contraction, zone out, breath, focus on opening up, and envisioning baby coming down the canal on each contraction, this way baby comes down easier and you arent fighting with your body with what it needs to do.
6. use gravity to bring baby down so stay on your feet till the end or squatting, anything to bring that baby down on it's own and faster
7. remember every contraction is doing something. so work with your body not against it to get baby out faster and easier.
8. listen to your body, it tells you more than you know, and knowing what your body is doing and understanding it will help you get through each phase of labour and to the end.  when focused you can actually even feel the direction the baby is coming down the canal, and on each push feel it come down further and further. amazing really. 
9.  and finally pray that God shows little one the easiest way out. We would speak to Jack, listen to Papa Jack, let him show you the way down and out.
10. Your body is designed and created to do this, the enemy loooves to play with fear that it will be hard and the wost thing ever, but you need to go in with the attitude of excitement, positivity and the conqueror he has created you to be. It is doable drug free. Not enough people told me this when going in. I'd say 95% said I was nuts for wanting to do no drugs and that I wouldn't be ablt to do it. Well they are wrong, and there isn't enough people in the worl to say YOU CAN DO IT!! 

Bravely making changes... Day 71: Chronicles of a toddler and his big boy bed

JACK'S NEW BED
*except it is a medium wood colour

We figured since Operation Sianara Soother went so well, with little effect at all (other than the occassional babysitting the door when he is a little too wired for nap/bed), little man goes to bed without a hitch and like always back to sleeping right through, no issues. yeehaw. doesn't even talk about the soother. ssaawweeeet! so we thought we would try something else....

We bravely decided to revisit the big boy bed..

This week I found a bed from Kijiji that I have been saving my pennies for the past bit from Ikea. I'm talking the EXACT one, I could hardly believe it. Seeing as our current big boy bed frame proved to be a touch of a child hazard (Jacks head got stuck in the bars one day while playing.... OH CRAP!) Though appreciated the hand-me-down, we knew we needed to find another one, and I swooped it up for more than 1/2 the price it was selling for at the store.. I am sooo happy! We picked it up last night and talked to Jack about it and got him really excited about his NEW big boy bed! One that was not so big, just low enough to the ground that he doesn't have to use a step stool and that is really cute. I think it really is the perfect bed for him and we hoped for a smoother transition this time round.

Jack and Daddy even put it together together  this early am (7:30!!) Jack was happy, excited, and bouncing around shouting, "MY NEW BIG BED!" (and on a whim) We even were brave enough to say goodbye to the crib!! (dare we??!!!) and Jack and Daddy got their tools out and took that one down too. WOW ok, all of those who have followed along on this bog boy bed journey know that this hasn't been an easy transition so to actually say good bye to the crib!!? WHAT ARE WE NUTS! This has been a long journey, every night faithfully reading books in the big bed (trying to get him used to it), then jack going to the crib/toddler bed, the after he falls asleep we transfer him to the big bed, every night so that  he wakes up in the big bed every morning in hopes that he will finally choose to love it.

Needless to say, it hasn't worked and he has chosen the crib/toddler bed every time other than a few I can count on my hands. What was seeming to be hopeless, surrendering to the thought and soon reality of 2 cribs and a great mattress we had been given going to waste to sit in storage for a while, we somehow got the balls to try it again, try a new approach, we really had nothing to loose. 6 weeks till the new baby comes. I have got to try it now if I'm going to try it at all.

You know what? It worked.

He is asleep. on a nap. in his big bed.

After lunch, Luke put him down for nap and he jumped right out, looked around the room for his crib and said "where'd night night go?" (which is what he calls the crib) luke didn't respond just tried the regular routine as normal. Jack was a but squirmy and didn't want a book but jumped out of bed, so Luke put him back in and said "good night buddy, its nap time" and closed the door. Jack attempted escape a few time but gave up and stayed quiet on the floor. After about 5/10 min or so I went up to check on him, (this often happens, falls asleep in front of the door while planning his next escape) He wasn't quite asleep yet and when I opened the door, he got up and climbed into his new bed and said 'night night'.

I am so amazed, so shocked, so proud, I am smiling ear to ear. He likes his New big bed, and I think he's ready.

You know we looked at him just yesterday and said man oh man, you aren't a baby anymore, look at him, so big, he is a little boy now. I am so proud of him, I hope this time is no problem, b/c the next step is his new ROOM!! It is so weird to see him grow so fast, but he will ALWAYS be my baby :)

Operation Sianara Soother a Great Success

photo credit: photosbytrayc.ca

Day 7: Dare I say it? Dare I??? SUCCESS!!! I am so happy to say that even though there has really been no fight since Day 1, I think it is safe to say that Operation Soother is a great success. I am so proud of my little man, so proud that he threw it away, gave it up, decided that soothers are no longer required in life :) Naps and bed have been mostly smooth, it takes a little longer for him to go down b/c he doesn't have the magical drug of soother to instantly settle him, but he is happy, he goes to bed without a fight (minus today's nap b/c he was wired but that doesn't ask), and he doesn't even really ask for it. The Soother has become a thing of the past! I am relieved that he is napping still. I am relieved that this was so smooth, I am relieved that this happened before the baby came, before we changed to the new room. I LOVE that this sweet little face will never be covered with a plastic suckee in his mouth ever again! Hooorraaaahhhh for a sootherless Toddler!!

Operation Sianara Soother: Day 6

no excitement to report today,

nap, cried for 5 min then went to sleep.
bedtime he was so wired but still fell asleep without a fight just babbling and talking to himself for sometime and for the first time didn't ask for the soother at all.

yeehaaaw.

morning wake up

This morning I woke up to a small person climbing over me, into my bed to snuggle in between me and Luke. He was fully equipped with dirty dog and climbing under the covers fully intending to sleep there. lol.  It was 5 am. As sweet as this was and how big of a smile it brought to my face and accepted if it were 7 am. Its just not happening at 5. lol.  Luke picked him up gave him lots of snuggles and out him back in his bed. Man it was cute what a great wake up.

Operation Sianara Soother: Day 5

Well Mommy and Daddy are both at work today so that means Jack is at daycare. I felt unsure as to what would happen without the soother today for her, unsure if he would be totally fine or milk it b/c he thinks that maybe she would give in. I was happy to hear good reports,  pretty easy for her, and she is tough, a cry for "SAAAANNNNDDEEEEEE SOOOTTTHERRRRRR" but with a simple response of the soother is in the garbage, he asked again SAAANNNNDDDEEEE SOOOOTHER" she replied "Carter (his best bud) doesn't have a soother", Jack said  "Carter soother gone?" she said "Yup he's a big boy and so are you, soother is in the garbage, goodnight"  and closed the door. "WAAAHHHHHHHH" but by the time she was at the bottom of the stairs, he was asleep.


NICE!!!

Bedtime: Jack has been bouncing like a sugar high monkey for the past hour and i'm not really sure why since he never had any sugar.. We read his books and off he has gone to bed. not to sleep but to bed. i could hear him babbling away in his room. I hear silence at the moment but he isn't crying or upset, perhaps asleep by the time I finished writing this.  When going to bed he talked about his soother being in the garbage and when Luke picked him up to have a snuggle and put him down he asked once for it, but with no complaints we just ignore the request and out the door Luke and I went.

So I do hear quiet now, seems just a few short sentences written and as fast as he is jumping on the bed he is asleep on it.

As exhausted as we are today, (no sleep last night, sick dog, vomit, poo and pee everywhere, long day at work, more poo when we return, busy child, dinner, cleaning, just wanting the noise to stop and us sit down) I can't help but get a big smile, I am so proud, and HE IS SO FREAK'N CUTE.

Operation Sianara Soother: Day 4

I am happy to announce it has still be smooth sailing. He still asks when he goes to bed but easily forgets when you tell him its in the garbage. YEAAH!! I am jumping inside with happiness! I honestly thought  yesterday for the first time, wow this was not nearly as hard as I thought, what was I afraid of? hmm maybe the same stubbornness we went through with the bed, sleepless nights, insane crying, temper tantrums, all of the above. but Luke was prepared for all of that, even if I wasn't and I'm so glad that he made me stick to my word about doing this.

Day 4: 

Naptime: Went down a bit late b/c we were at church, we had a bit of a cry but again in only lasted about 30 seconds before he just went to sleep.

Bedtime: Nothing eventful either, but after a looong day of church and Easter and family and happy child, we weren't even home till 9pm, which is an hour and a half past bed time. I was suprised that he didn't fall asleep in the car but happily sang twinkle twinkle  all the way home. When we arrived he asked for books and the soother, but again reminded it is in the garbage and after saying goodnight within minutes he went to sleep.


Today (Day 5) He is off to daycare, we told our sitter how we have responded so far, we hope it goes smooth for her too. We had Jack tell her where he put the soother, he excitedly exclaimed, "IN THE JABAGE!!!" So she made a big deal too how he is such a big boy! and Jack was happy.

One thing I have noticed as a real positive is that he doesn't have any grumpy wake ups any more. He used to a few days a week have a period of time that it took him to wake up after a nap or nighttime. He would sit with a grumpy look on his face and not want to fully wake up or talk much and when you took the soother or asked him to put it in his bed he would grump at you, cry or fit. Since the soother has been gone, he has woken up happy as a bug on every wake up. Today he said "Morning mommy! come on lets play!" and headed downstairs. What an a wonderful change! When telling my dad this yesterday he said how funny it was that when you remove addiction from your life what a difference it can make. I never would have thought of this at all but really it has been an amazing difference. It was weird to come across one today and instantly throw it out before he could see it and I can honestly say I am ready to look for all the soothers in the house, car, diaper bags, emergency places and throw them out.  I am confident that they are gone from life, at least until we decide to introduce one to the new baby, if we do.. still gonna play that one by ear.

Still wondering when he forgets about it and stops asking but at least there are no fits and bedtimes are smooth. GO JACK!