Thirty-Four Weeks

How about that round-ass belly???

I went to the midwife today and yeehaw, I gained four pounds!

I don't really get it, since I feel exactly the same as all those times I didn't gain... you know, BIGGER... but my  midwife was pleased and I was pleased to find that I didn't really care much one way or the other. I was worried that I was secretly gratified not to be gaining much, and well, if I was, I let go of it pretty easily. So I think I was more likely mystified. I've been pretty, uh, solid the last few years, so it certainly wasn't what I was expecting.

Of course, I had assumed that the weight wouldn't have changed, again, so I finally caved and made an appointment for an ultrasound to check on Lentil's growth. And they had an opening for tomorrow. The midwife said I might as well keep it. So maybe I'll have some fun photos to share!

I'm also hoping they will verify the sex. Someone on the subway said to me on Saturday, "Oh, so you're having a boy!"

Um, no.

At least, I don't think so.

Would it be better to know now, with all those pink outfits prettily organized but with time to change them out, or to find out at birth?

I'm not sure.

My blood pressure was nice and low, I think 110/60. My cankles didn't put in much of an appearance until later in the day.

Okay, if you have a weak stomach, skip the last section. Seriously.

On the advice of a friend, I asked my midwife about her management of postpartum depression. I've struggled with depression (dysthymia, really) in the past, but have been pretty much happy as a lark (however happy they are) throughout the pregnancy. I'm seriously hoping this sticks around, but also trying to be realistic and well educated. So she recommended... and I am not making this up... encapsulated placenta.

YUCK.

I was hoping that this was some Chinese, ground up, essence-of-placenta-without-really-being-placenta thing.

But no.

She would come to my house, and cook up my placenta (I warned you!) and then somehow put it into capsules.

For those of you who are thinking that I get what I deserve for using a midwife... she is a hospital based nurse-midwife.

I was trying not to make gagging faces, so I just commented, rather mildly (I think),

"wow, that might be too groovy for me."

She said that she has a patient taking it now, a woman who suffered from PPD with her first child. She describes her dose of encapsulated placenta as "like a five o'clock cocktail." It helps with mood and also, apparently, energy levels.

I know animals eat their placentas -- very high in iron as well as keeping the potential predators at bay -- but I am pretty skeeved out by this. And I think of myself as pretty open minded.

So please, if anyone has anything positive (or otherwise) to say about this, feel free to chime in! (Although if your comment is "ewwwww," I must warn you, I thought of that already. But feel free, regardless.)