I'm not writing a 23 week bumpdate this week because it feels like it has been a very uneventful week. Ava'a stats aren't much different, and I'm not much different. Still having heartburn, achy hips, and lots of powerful kicks (although that part, I love!)
Still having unfulfilled cravings for Zaxby's... still gaining weight. You know the drill!
One thing I'll add though is that I hate hate hate having to write down my food intake for The Glowing Study. (Don't feel that bad for me, I only have to do it 3 days out of every 6 weeks.) But for some reason I just really hate doing it. I feel like it is way more complicated for me than other moms because practically everything I eat is homemade (not packaged) and that requires 100x more detail in my descriptions. (The study requires very detailed food records.) Also it makes me feel guilty for eating so much. I much prefer not writing my food down. (This is probably why a food-diary is such a successful weight-loss tool for dieters. I get that. Still not a fan.)
Anyway, since I don't feel like bumpdating, how bout I share with you my FAVORITE books for pregnancy?
My absolute fave is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth!
I am a huge proponent of natural birth... I love reading birth stories and testimonies that encourage women to BIRTH WITHOUT FEAR! It's what our bodies were created to do. I find it very annoying that our Western culture has made birth such a sterile, fearful, interfered-with experience. The truth is: We do not need to anesthetize ourselves in order to survive labor and delivery. Nor do we need to pump our bodies with chemicals to force baby out sooner than he/she is ready. (Of course there are medically necessary exceptions to this... but those instances are not nearly equal to the rate at which we elect to intervene in the natural process here in the U.S. The C-section rate for most U.S. hospitals is nearly 1 in 3. Totally absurd!)
Anyway, this book is super empowering and educational. I love love love it! I wish I could buy it for every new mom out there!
The Everything Breastfeeding Book
This book really encouraged me to stick with it when breasfeeding my first kiddo! It can be a tricky process. But the book addressed every possible circumstance I was likely to encounter... and even a few I wasn't. And it made me realize that "if so-and-so can do it" (for example, an adoptive mother) then I can!
Happiest Baby on the Block
This book gives great information for soothing a newborn between age 0-3 months. I also feel like it provides a bit of balance in contrast to some of the rather extreme baby-rearing books out there (cough cough, I'm looking at you Babywise!)
Those are my top faves! What are yours?
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