5 weeks

Today mom and I went to tour the birthing center, Nativiti. We saw the exam rooms, the ultrasound equipment, the living room and kitchen areas, and both birthing rooms. After the tour we met with one of the midwives, Melanie, to learn more about Nativiti, midwifery, and to answer any questions we might have had. It was a wonderful experience and it is definitely the way I want to go with my pregnancy, labor, and birth. Tomorrow I'm going to call to set up my first appointment which will be around 8 weeks. The first appointment will be about an hour and a half long and we will talk about things like nutrition. At the appointments after that they give you half an hour, just in case you need it! This is the kind of personal care that feels right to me. I'm looking forward to this adventure and doing it on my own terms!

4 weeks, 4 days

Yes, we're at 4 weeks and 4 days on 4/4. Cheesy, but I kind of like it. Tonight, Justin and I watched The Business of Being Born, a documentary about midwifery and home births that someone on the Bump recommended to me. It was amazing and strengthened my desire to have a natural birth. I'm looking forward to our appointment at Nativiti on Wednesday. I pray that God is leading me in the right direction and I know he has wonderful plans for us. Watching the mothers in the documentary hold their babies right after they were born was incredible. No matter the pain and the challenges I have to overcome on that day, I feel like that is the first place my child should be -- in my arms. I would also recommend The Business of Being Born to anyone who is interested in learning more about the birth options that exist.