I got an e-mail update yesterday from one of my closest friends, who also happens to be pregnant. We haven’t talked in awhile, and I was glad to hear what was happening in her life and with her pregnancy. She and her husband have been through a lot these past few years, and there have been some rough spots with this pregnancy, also. The thing is: despite everything, my friend remains totally positive about life and her situation – and totally committed to taking things one day at a time. I just felt so proud and inspired when I read her note – and I immediately scolded myself for having the tendency to get all worked up over the smallest of things. I really need to take my friend’s lead (and Q’s lead, for that matter) and live life in a less stressed, more positive manner…

Anyway, I don’t know another couple who make better parents than my friend and her hubby. I’ll be praying that all goes well with her pregnancy, and that Sesame has another playmate in a few short months!

-M

Just so everyone has an idea of where Michelle will be delivering the baby, I am posting some pictures of the UCSF facilities.  As you can tell, they are not known for being one of the best in the country for nothing.  It kind of looks like a really fancy hotel!

The Birth Center at UCSF is one of the most comfortable and attractive facilities of its kind anywhere, with stunning panoramic views of San Francisco. Typically, you will labor, deliver and recover in one of our spacious birthing suites. Each of these private, comfortably furnished rooms has a bathroom with a shower and whirlpool tub and amenities such as a refrigerator.

The best part of these rooms is the bathroom. Each room comes with a bathtub that has Jacuzzi jets and a detachable shower head that is great for massage. You can labor for as along as you like in the tub, but you will have to come out for the delivery.

After your recovery period, you and your baby will move down the hall to a private postpartum room in the Birth Center, with your own bathroom and chair that coverts to a sleeper for your support person and the nurse will also wheel in a bassinet for your baby to sleep in . The average stay for a vaginal delivery is 1-2 nights, for a cesarean, 3-4 nights.

Rooming-in with your baby is a great way to start your life together. You are encouraged to keep your newborn with you in your postpartum room, or your baby may stay in our well-baby nursery.  If you choose to breastfeed your baby, nurses experienced in lactation will support you throughout your stay, helping you to learn to nurse comfortably and effectively. Additionally, lactation specialists are available for more intensive assistance to women whose babies are having unusual difficulty learning to nurse.

For those interested, more information can be found here – UCSF Center for Mothers and Newborns

Jon Q