I'm sick!

I'm sick everyone!  A week before a very important event too!
's OK.  I am fighting it off. Very much convinced that I caught this from an old Jew at the picture show, where Rose and I saw this stupid movie sensation that everyone is raving about: Barney's Version -- the movie.  OVERRATED!

Back on track here, baby in uterus, reaching monstrous proportions.  Swimming around.  

The most exciting news is our securing of a doula!  What is a doula, you may ask?  As near as I understand it, having interviewed five of these ladies, a doula is a woman (I would be VERY surprised if there were many man doula out there.  But hey, I just found out that two of my male capoeira compatriots are married, so anything's possible in this crazy world) who supports a pregnant woman, most notably during labour (but also with pre and post natal visits).  A doula is also there to support me, in case I need to get a sandwich during labour, which can last a long time indeed.  A doula supports the labouring woman through verbal encouragement and using various pain management techniques, both physical and psychological, including massage, hypnotherapy, visualization, breathing, etc.

Rose and I are superpsyched that the doula which chose was also the only one who brings her own birthing pool (look, daddy gets to hang out too!)!  So this is getting to be a classically granola birth plan, I suppose.  Try to avoid sharing this information with my parents please.

Rose and I, being thorough and responsible future-parents, interviewed five prospective doulas, including a doula goddess (on whom more at a later post, maybe).  Doulas, by the way, don't come cheap -- the price range for the service is $600-$800.  

Ah, interviewing, the art, the science of interviewing.  A lot can be said about interviewing (and our interviewees in particular), but I will say only that the woman whom you chose to be there, for one of the most awesome, sacred, and messy processes of your life, is a privileged person indeed.  I gotta a good feeling about this one.