Odds and ends.

Due to my concerns about my seemingly-low milk supply these last couple of weeks, I decided to take Maia to the pediatrician today for a quick weight check. She's doing just fine: 15 lbs., 12 oz. So, because of that good news, I can continue to work on building up my supply without worrying that the temporary lower quantities of milk are affecting her in a negative way. Once I'm producing larger quantities, perhaps we'll see a return to the longer sleep periods at night? Who knows? In any case, I'm so relieved that I don't need to supplement with formula or anything like that. Phew! :)

Another interesting event: I think I got my first taste of "stranger anxiety" with Maia at the Ped's today. When the awesome nurse Linda--whom we've seen three or four times since our first meeting on Jan. 3rd in the hospital--came in the room and started to listen to Maia's heartbeat, our little monkey was NOT happy! She started to cry real tears, which is a rare event for her. It's not really possible at this point that she connected her last visit and the shots she had--her memory isn't quite working at that level yet. But she certainly did know that Linda was not a familiar face, and she calmed down right away as soon as I picked her up off the examining table. Hmm. Perhaps this is an indication of things to come . . . I've read that stranger anxiety usually starts around the fifth month, and hits its peak between 8 and 12 months.

I toured U of M's Birth Center yesterday evening for work . . . just a quick pause to reflect on it. Following around a group of eleven pregnant women and their partners made me realize how little the facilities actually matter. Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I believe birth can or should take place anywhere. And I also know very well that certain high-risk pregnancies and births need the fancy facilities. But the fact of the matter is that all of the L & D departments that I've seen or heard about--and that total is five now--are basically the same. The same gadgets, the same stuff, the same bells and whistles. I believe wholeheartedly that the preparation and the people are what matter. What do the woman and her partner do to get ready, and who are the people--nurses, doulas, OBs, coaches, midwives--who are going to support them through the process? So perhaps this is one reason I'm getting involved with Childbirth Preparation/Education. After all, you can't control your nursing staff or whether or not a room with a tub is available. You can't control whether or not your favorite doctor is on call. You can control what you read, how you prepare, and the way you and your birth coach(es) work together.

(Stepping down from my soapbox now . . .)