Meet Tweetu's Friends!

Arent they cute? :) especially the one thats right under the countdown board & the sleeping baby in pink; wearing a white woolen sweater & hat with blue trim, playing blocks - the baby I love the most!
Thats Tweetu's Uncle(my lil brothers pic, when he was just 6 months old... he is 25 now!)

Babyshower #3!

Again, this shower was supposed to be a 'surprise' for me...but as it had to be, friends planning it, were not very cautious & soon the hints got converted to facts!
I hate acting 'surprised' but what can you do!
20 good souls had taken out time to plan for my babyshower & this one, must I say, was 10 on 10! They also had managed to rope in TD to fish out a couple of my saree blouses(which would fit me); TD asked me to pick them!
I had to pretend & I made up a good story for TD! So much for a 'surprise'...!
Neways, we thoroughly enjoyed 23rd evening...so much that we came came home @1am.
Every detail was taken care of. From decorating the room,making me change to a saree, dressing me up with traditional babyshower jewellery, playing traditional babyshower games(I picked the ring meaning 'girl' instead of a coin!), arranging a delicious dinner to the cake cutting...everything was well planned. The babyshower card & the video recording of messages for us, were the highlights! This was a babyshower I had dreamt of having!
Thanks you all! Thanks for making me & my baby feel special! Thanks for all the love & care!

So Tweetu hasnt dropped!! Yep, I no longer feel the pressure on my bladder or the rectum(intestine)...so visit the loo just once in a day! I can 'latitudenally' feel her kicks...no more heartburn...bye bye Tums! I hope & pray Tweetu drops by herself when the time comes!

Yesterday, my Mom got a 10-year visitors visa! All of us are so relived ..! Now we can start planning her arrival & stuff... she plans to be with us around 18th-19th December as she will be working up untill the 16th.
I am very happy...& seems like Tweetu is even more happier...! She has been kicking/moving throughout the day...the otherwise 20 minute NST#3, took 3 hours today...Tweetu was very excited that we couldnt catch her! But she is doing just fine....I have gained another lb since the last visit. Thanksgiving day ie NST#2 was a breeze...we were done under 30 minutes...

The crib matteress is home,finally. Travel system would had been too...but as we tried out 'Microlites' & 'tough SUV' versions of the system, for the 1st time yesterday(!!!), we stalled! Going by our track record, it'll be coming w/e when we finally buy the system :)

Week 34 Pic

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

NST - 1

Was at the clinic this a.m. for the 1st NST...
Interesting thing , the hospital didnt forward my Nov 15-16th file to the clinic - they supposedly never do...wonder how the clinic & hospital do the 'hand-shaking'...poor patients!@167lbs now! BP=normal. Tweety darling was doing fine too.
Per the CNM who saw me for the first time today, my Kleihauer-Betke test showing 2cc's of fetal blood is of a Moderate - not negligible(as we were told in the hospital). She mentioned the seat belt might have caused the trauma to the placenta. But she also mentioned, she does get to see @least 2-3 such mom's each week.
I had a very early morning appointment so didnt have time to have breakfast - had some milk & orange juice. Once I was hooked up, we noticed Tweetu darling was asleep...! A steady graph is not what the CNM wanted to see...so I was given some water. I asked TD to get me my breakfast. No sooner food was in my system, Tweetu got up & I was released within the next 20 mins!
Lesson learned: Tweetu needs food! I should not starve her esp. when we have a scheduled test.

I think...

...Tweetu has dropped!
The 16th November u/s confirmed this...Tweetu was head down!
The process is also called 'Lightening'.
Honestly, the word makes no sence as I feel more heavier now! I visit the loo even more often...my excretory system is working@its max capacity...every 15 minutes or so, I go pee or poop!! ....obviously, I have lost the count!
Theres increased pelvic pressure...& I feel it lot more while walking... so I have physically slowed down a lot...
I was eating very less for past 2 weeks but now my appetites back. I have acidity though & some problem breathing, esp while I am asleep...I almost sometimes gasp for air@nights...so I am not completely sure if Tweetu has really dropped...
I feel Tweetu's feet rib-tickling me so often now...its a funny sensation & I enjoy it!
A couple of times, I saw her fist go right across my belly...it was soooo cute!
Tweetu is definitely getting ready!

& we are not prepared yet!
The body shoppers gave an estimate of 15 days to fix our SUV. That practically leaves us car-less.
We had planned to buy the infant car seat+stroller travel system last week...due to the accident, we couldnt. Its impossible to even transport the system from the store to home in TD's 2 door coup...assembling it in his car is pointless.

We havent yet bought the crib mattress & the bedding set. The set that I like, is out of stock at our neighbourhood Target. Have asked a friend to look for it...if she doesnt find it, I am going online.

Also, we still have to shop for smaller stuff like undershirts, bibs, wash cloths, caps, hooded towels, socks , mittens, lotion, shampoo, liquid soap, dreft detergent, bath tub ,grooming kit , baby monitor, humidifier, diaper, diaper wipes, Cetaphil or Butt Paste, crib toys...

I just hope & pray, Mom gets the visa this time...please pray for us :)

Week 33 pic

Just 50 days to go!

24 Hour Fetal Monitoring

We reached the ER & filled up the necessary paper-work. Within 5 minutes, I was wheeled to the second floor of the hospital- the maternity ward. The plan was to monitor Tweetu for x hrs & if needed, I will be sent back to the ER for further tests.

Let me tell you something about this wheelchair ride. I love the TV shows ER, House, Grey's Anatomy - you name it. I crave for that Adrenaline rush! I love the action that takes place on the ER floor & have always wished to be a care provider.
I have always jumped into action when any family member or friend has gotten injured & had to be taken to the hospital. I would gladly drag the wheelchair & the patient without any hesitation!
But yesterday, when the roles switched & I was the one sitting on the wheelchair, being pushed by someone else- it felt so eerie! I was scared. The hospital seemed like the worst place in the whole world - & I didnt want to be there! People passing us thought I was in labour- few wished me luck! Not now, not so early...I was screaming within myself!

Anyways, I was taken to the L&D room. The room was large & pleasantly decorated. I was asked to lie down on the bed. A nurse came in & hooked me on to external Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) & contraction(maternal) probes; blue & pink elastic-like bands were tied across my tummy. Within a second, the fetal monitor started registering Tweetu's heart-beats & my contractions(yes, I had some Braxton's) were getting recoreded too. The nurse showed me how the bed operated, took my BP & checked my body temperature.

Thus began our long journey into the unknown...we were not sure if things were ok, we didnt know how long I would be monitored, tests to be performed, which OB/Gyn would see me, & when we would get to go home! There was a complete loss of control & everything was new to me...I mean you dont normally read up on trauma related emergency procedures...

My body temperature was 99.5 F- a little higher than expected. The nurse quickly concluded that I was dehydrated, which I was, & brought me 12oz of orange juice & a large can of water. Tweetu was doing fine between 140-150 beats/min. After about 40 minutes, the OB came in, looked at the chart & saw a couple of declerations & contractions. Typically Fetal Heart Rate(FHR) recordings correlate accelerations and decelerations with uterine contractions and identify the pattern. I was told that I would be monitored for the next 6 hours.

Later on, the nurse came in almost every 1.5hrs to check on me or if the recordings concerned her. She carried out the routine BP, temperature checkings too. Around 8pm, dinner arrived. Looking @it, we decided that TD would go out & get dinner for us! I dont know why they say hospital food is like airline food...airline food is 100 times better!

The next OB on rotation arrived & looked at the charts & told us that we were not going home that night. In the morning, after breakfast, she had scheduled an u/s & based on that she would decide if I would be allowed to go home. TD was given extra linens & a pull out chair bed was available for him.

A few years ago, my Dad met with a terrible accident & was hospitalized for almost 9 months. He had broken bones & stitches everywhere. He couldnt move. I cannot imagine what he must have gone through...I had all the comforts- pillows, a reclining bed, my Snoogle, the TV...my Dad had none...

I hardly slept that night. Everytime I moved, Tweetu would also move & her heart rate would change...sometimes, it would go up, others, it would slowly go down& get back up again. And sometimes when Tweetu moved all by herself, the monitor would stop recording as she would go hiding someplace & out of the probe range! The monitor noise kept me aware and awake. I tried not to move as much as I could. But then I realized, how would I function otherwise! After about 6 hrs, I gave up & became immune to the accelerations & decelerations! These ups & downs, within normal ranges, are a part and parcel of pregnancy.

Later, another nurse came in & drew some blood to check the presence of Tweetu's cells/blood in my blood. If positive, based on the amount, this would indicate the extent of trauma. Unfortunately, the test came positive. Around 2ccs of Tweetu's cells were found in my blood. The OB told us that the amount was pretty negligible but to be on the conservative side, and after she gets to see the ultrasound results, I may have to be monitored for a full 24 hrs ie until 1pm the next day.

Around 10:30am the next day, I was wheeled to the Radiology department for an u/s. Every nurse, doctor who saw me was aware of the accident & so was the Radiologist! The u/s went well. My bladder was full & Tweetu was active. After I was sent back to my room, the OB visited us one more time and showed satisfaction. The u/s & the overnight monitoring had gone well. She enquired if I had any pain, backache or blood discharge. I had none. Later that day, the OB came back for one last time & told us it was time to go home! She asked me to schedule NSTs, twice per week for the rest of my pregnancy & an u/s @ week 36. I am not allowed to exert but take it slow.

We were so relived to be discharged from the hospital. The 'outside world' looked different to me! I almost felt like I had come out of seclusion; was in exile for a very long time...the feeling is unexplainable! I can only wonder, how Dad must have felt when he got out of the hospital...

So as you can imagine, my darling TD is in top gear! He is managing everything so well...& today, he did something that I could only dream of! He made my favourite Masala-Dosa!

November 15th 2006 - 1:15pm

:The Accident:

I will probably never forget this date, time, the intersection or the Dosa craving I had, for my entire life...& thats because I met with an accident.

Me & Tweetu had a very strong Masala-Dosa craving & decided to have it for lunch. We left our house & were @the closest intersection, taking a left turn onto a street when suddenly we were hit by a speeding city tree maintainance truck, which was taking a reverse.

Bam...Bam...I think we were hit twice before the driver of the truck realized that he had just hit a Black SUV.

I remember looking right @the behind of the truck coming right onto me before it hit us...& I was thinking to myself, why isnt this guy braking - why isnt the truck stopping...!

After the impact, I lost control of my SUV & glided from the right side of this small street, to finally stop on its left side. Both out bodies literally shook from the impact & in those initial moments, I quickly realized - we were not hurt!

The entire left side(the drivers side or my side to be precise) of my SUV had caved in...

I tried to get out of my Van but the door wouldnt open; the alarm was on...thankfully, I was calm & could think...I switched the engine on & off just to nullify the auto-lock system of the vehicle...till then, I hadnt realized that the impact to the Van was much severe than I had anticipated...the left side doors were jam closed & were banged in...I couldnt move or turn over, as my seat was strongly locked into its position. I was frantically searching for my cell but couldnt find it as the impact threw it away.
None of the cars, crossing the intersection stopped...
A couple of minutes later, the driver of the truck, approached me with a question mark expression on his face...more like he was trying to tell me that it was my fault!

I was in no mood to discuss anything with this un-educated senseless guy who had got me & my baby into this situation.

I lowered the right side window & asked him for his cell phone.
Dialed our home phone on the first attempt, which obviously went to our answering machine! Feeling stupid, I then dialed TD's cell, hoping he would answer & not disconnect, looking at an unknown number.
I, very calmly told him of what had happened...his only question was 'how are you? Are you hurt?'...I gave him the location of the accident & he left his his office the very next second.

Then I made the 911 call...the most useless call I would say!
You know, everywhere in the US, we are told that in case of any emergency, we should dial 911. Even a kid knows what to do in certain situations..
Now you ask me- why I called it the most useless call?
Its because, when one is in trouble, in an accident, you need support & can only think of the Police & that is why you dial 911.
Unfortunately, this call is always directed to an answering machine! If you are lucky, a 'live person', typically the Dispatcher, after a wait of good 2-3 minutes, might come up on the line & try to gather information from you. This person then transfers your call to a nearby patrol car ie to a Cop. Again, the Cop spends some time, asking you, his/her set of questions & decides the next plan of action, ie whether to visit the crime/accident scene(???!!) or just to leave it to the victim to deal with the situation, entirely on his/her own! Do you know that if you are not physically hurt or injured, the Cops wont even show up at the site of the crime!

This is exactly what happened in my case! I was shell-shocked when this lady Cop calmly told me that she wouldnt be showing up & that I needed to deal with the situation by exchanging information(drivers license, insurance, vehicle number etc) with the other party & let our insurance companies take care of it!

All this time, this driver of the truck, was getting very restless & wanted to leave! But because, I had his cell phone, he couldnt do anything about it. His plan was to just take off. All his 5 other truck companions, were giving me this weird look...but I held on to the phone... & I was not giving it back, until I made the calls.

Then, holding onto the phone, I asked him(truck driver) his name, his drivers license number etc. He could not speak in English & so could not communicate with me. One of the guys from the group, the 'smart' guy, who kindof understood & could speak broken English, became the Translator. He too told me, that he was getting late for his job & that he had to leave & that all this, was indeed my fault!
I gave him a stern look & calmly told him that I was not going to discuss anything with him & that our insurance compaines would do the talking.
This 'smart' guy, then produced a paper on which he had a statement from a 'witness', ie one of his other friend, stating that I was at fault!
I reiterated my statement.
He then pressured me to give him my information first before he would give out his(his driver friends)! I said OK!

By then, TD called on the cell phone & asked for me...the guy had to give me the phone! He(TD) was worried...was not sure how I was doing...he was just 5 mins away...

& during this conversation, between me & the 'smart' guy, to my relief, TD arrived & took over! I gave him my sheet of information, that I had collected & he started doing his investigation - took the same stuff from this unwilling guys! He then called the insurance company, which came on line in a lightning speed(this is what is expected of the 911 call - but well...!), and asked if we had to file a report as the other party was not agreeing to their fault. He also tried calling 911 & was told the same old thing - TD went speechless!

He then helped me out of the Van, through the passenger side of the Van. & that is when, the rest of the guys noticed that I was pregnant. They started chit-chatting amongst themselves; I could almost feel their eyes on my pregnant tummy.

A couple of cop cars passed by us - no one stopped!

Few minutes later, we were done. The guys left & TD & I got back home in his car - my Van, parked in emergency, on the site of the accident.

TD took off with our camera to take pictures of our destroyed Van & the location of the accident. Meanwhile, I called the clinic. The advise nurse asked me to proceed to the emergency ward of the Hospital.
No sooner did TD get back, we went to the emergency unit. Heres another interesting thing. There was Clergy parking, ambulance parking, single child parking(I dont know what that means!), medical staff parking, attending doctors parking, green parking(limited time) but NO stork parking! We had to drive around the hospital to find a regular parking slot! & they call it 'emergency' unit! Anyways! @least the wait wasnt that bad! I was taken in within 5 minutes.
Photo courtesy: Atangledweb

Labour...

Here are a list of things that really worry me once I am in labour & otherwise:
-that my Moms visa gets rejected - again!
-that my water breaks when I am busy shopping or going someplace by myself, ie. not @home & when TD is not around(@office)
-that I might poop or pee on the l&d table......
-that I unintentionally shout @my poor Mom while all she is trying to do is comfort me...I am not worried about TD coz with all the current pelvic stretching pain, he have had enough of experience...!
-that my labour lasts more than 24 hours
-that I my labour would be induced... oh how I hate Pitocin...
-that I might be naked during the entire birthing process...
-we get into unexpected situations/unknown territories & have to completely rely on the OB...
-that I have a very low pain threshold...
-that TD faints & passes out(hee hee hee!) while our baby is being delivered or the OB is performing Episiotomy, giving me an Epidural or during a C-sec operation , or I get a 3rd degree tear....
-that I have to get either one or all of those nasty unwanted procedures to deliver my baby...

Here are some visualization & affirmation techniques that I would like to use when I go in labor...

Visualization techniques to be used during labour:

1.the unfolding of flower: walk to a garden, look @all the flowers(smell, dew drops, color etc i.e. add details), watch how they open & close their petals, select your flower, spend 5 mins looking at it & see it unfolding, superimpose it on your pelvis, slowly imagine it open, & your cervical muscles, petal after petal, opening very slowly, a little at a time, feel the muscles in your pelvis tingle, linger this image for 5 minutes until in your minds eye - the flower & my cervix are fully open, let the baby pass through it, once the baby is out, slowly close the flower(or your cervix).

2.whispering flute: place both hands on the abdomen and spread your legs apart, inhale & exhale(5 seconds each) through your mouth, continue this breathing pattern through your mouth, repeat again, breathe in & imagine within your body a long flute connecting your mouth to your vagina, play this imaginary flute: inhale and blow air down the tube past your baby in the womb, past your cervix and out through your vagina, as air moves down the body of the flute, feel all surrounding tissues and muscles becoming increasingly relaxed, until they feel very open ,very loose very ready for birth, breathe in again & blow the air into the flute, repeat until you have created a wide open passageway for birth, now push your baby through the birth canal!

3.warm glow: image yourself lying in the sun, the golden rays bathing your skin and penetrating your body to wash over you unborn child, your inner organs, muscles and bones, feel your entire being, inside and out glowing with the suns energy and warmth, breath in & out deeply, breathe in & imagine yourself inhaling the gentle glowing warmth of the sun, imagine the sunlight drenching your body & of your baby with rays of energy and health, imagine the light spreading our to fill every inch if your body & imagine it expanding until it surrounds you with a luminous golden glow, imagine the light growing particularly luminous, bright, in any part of the your body, during labour, that feels tensed or uncomfortable, imagine light pulsing & vibrating in that tense region until pain or tension is totally dissolved!

Affirmations:

Yes, I can!
- I am laboring with perfect harmony with nature
- I am ready and able to have my baby right now.
- The power if my contractions will carry my baby from the womb.
- I can push my baby into the world.
- My contractions are propelled by the laws of nature.
- My cervix will open like a blossoming flower, allowing my baby to emerge.

I would really like to hear from women who could successfully used these techniques...

Source: 'Nurturing the unborn child' by Dr.Thomas Verny & Pamela Weintraub.
Photo courtesy:femail.com.au

Is it 'Childbirth' or 'Lamaze' class...

...we finally attended the most recommended-for-all-couples(read dadds) class this Saturday...the childbirth class.
I was happy to see 25 other odd eager couples....
they came in with pillows, blankies, snoogles, excercise mats & just every item that was comforting for the gals...so did we.

It was good to hear in the very beginning that Dad is supposed to be Mom's 'coach' & needs to equally participate & help Mom, as she goes into labour!

& here, TD was dozing off from the very beginning & pissed me off...
But as I looked around, almost all of us gals were 100% attentive and the Dad-2-bs were trying 100%, to concentrate...avoid sleeping & getting bored! A few were having Starbuck's Espresso shots!
Cant blame TD...

I have a question, why do people call this a 'Lamaze' class?
The Lamaze breathing techniques are taught at the very end of the class... & this is not a specialized 'Hee-Hee-Hee-Hoo' class either! It is really about childbirth...Funny!

I will say, the class added merely 10% to my knowledge...as I had already read up on everything 'basic'...unfortunately the trainer could not answer any 'advanced' questions - I was so hoping to get answers to...
I was looking forward to watching a couple of birthing videos... they showed us stages of labour & C-sec videos.
But overall, the 8 hr class was worth it...esp for all Dad 2 B's...hope they all turn out as great Coaches!

Heres a funny posting: 50 reasons to be glad your preggo
Photo courtesy:birthandbeyond

Whats in Name!

TD & I have been trying to finalize on a name... ppl, its a tough job!

TD wants a Hindu name & I want something global, something unique - not necessarily Hindu! Moreover, I have a Greek name...!

We are going over a few Hindu baby name books ...we found a particularly interesting one by Maneka Gandhi...I am on the internet looking for Greek, Egyptian, Hebrew names & others... there are so many names...& so many are funny!

But one thing is clear between us...both have to like & agree on the name we decide...

Theres another issue we are currently struggling with....TDs still urging me to start drinking whole milk...! Every coupla days, we end up talking about it....

Know what? Theres an awesome sale going on @Old Navy...! I was there yesterday.. got 10 outfits for a $each! Can you believe that?

Week 31 Pic...

Do you see a difference?!

My Mom's, Brother's & Grandma's vistor visas were rejected yesterday - for no apparant reasons...I am hopeful though, that the next time she(Mom) applies, she will get it. Moreover, now its easier to re-apply as the interview waiting time, has been reduced from 6 months to 6 days...I really need her...cant imagine going through the birthing process without her...pray for all of us!

Pregnancy Pleasures...

~I love it when Tweetu kicks! & honestly, she has made me realize 99% of the time that she knows what I am thinking!
Everytime, I get a little worried about how she is doing, & have that thought, she quickly responds by either kicking or moving!
She has been kicking me hard these days... jabbed me, rolled over, showed me her butt!!, punched me places unimaginable...& I love her for all that!

~doing everything sloooowly, taking my own sweet time & not bothering about someone complaining!

~I no longer walk but waddle! I have put on pounds... I dont care how I look or am walking...

~I am on a "2 hour" schedule since the 3rd-4th month...ie no matter what time of day or night it is, I need to pee & feed myself :))
Peeing has become like the second nature...now add pooping to that :))(since the 6th month)
Heres the funniest thing about the whole pregnancy, I have completely lost the sense/urge of/to (when) to go pee! For eg:if its night, & my bladder is full, I just wake up & cant go to sleep until...u know what! I did learn that its just the nature's call & unless I dont 'act' on it, I cant go back to sleep!
Pooping pattern? Well, long ago(ie pre-preganancy), I used to go once every 2 days -eeks!
& now I go @least 2wice a day(applause) - thanks to Diarrhoea, my only pregnancy condition I had for the first few months. Thank God, I am never constipated...
I hope I havent freaked you out with all this peeing-pooping personal stuff...

~I have locked myself out a coupla times, forgotten important events like birthdays, misplaced keys...& its still OK!

~Everytime I talk to my baby, she stops moving & listens to me!

~I can EAT, not worrying what TD might say! I am expected to have cravings & make TD run for stuff- @the middle of night(wow, I would like to do that b4 tweety arrives:)))...
Sometimes, I do make TD make me my 3am cupa milk...

~Now a days, I dont walk the malls, but ride the motorized shopping cart & no one says a thing!

~ I dont pick up things, dont bend that often, am not expected to pull or push anything...

~I dont have deadlines to keep! Its OK if I am late for an appointment!

~I love the attention I get! Just everyone around me is so interested in knowing the sex of the baby or how far along I am...! I like it when they play the guessing game!

~ I love shopping & from day 1, TD hasnt stopped me - once!

Everything is about Me, Me & Tweety(of course!)...

Its 3:40am & I am wide awake, typing this entry! This too, is one of the pleasures of being pregnant...
Photo courtesy:mothernbaby

Pizza Cravings...!

Yes, had another craving episodes this Wednesday...this time it was that oily, fried hand tossed veggie Pizza-Hut Pizza! I ordered the veggie-lovers & TD picked it up on his way home.
Unfortunately, the $17 pizza didnt stand up to my expectations...it was really boring....I barely had 2 slices! TD just munched it down coz he was hungry...
Something was wrong with the dough(crust)...I wonder if the they make the crust differently @different locations, coz my favourite has always been Pizza-hut.
So now my 2nd best choice Dominos, tops the list!
Photo courtesy:pizza hut

Week 30 appointment

So yesterday as I walked in the clinic, the advise nurse asked me if I had taken the flu shots. I was blank, said no.
Non of the OBs, during my previous visits had mentioned anything about the vaccine. Hence I was clueless.

I am seeing different OB's @every appointment, coz thats how it works with my clinic. There is a team of 4-5 OB's & now I am seeing each of them, in rotation. Moreover, my OB, the lady Gynac who was taking care of me, is on maternity leave until March! Her due date is 2 weeks b4 mine:))

Seems like its a comman practise to get immunized, esp high risk patients like- Moi, coz I am pregnant; before the flu season starts(bet Nov - March).

My appointment went well, have gained 4lbs - so am now @163lbs. My BPs normal. Check out my week 30 tummy pic:)
Tweetu darling was awake & kicking- heart rate@ 140.
I wanted to know if not eating an Egg & drinking whole milk is fine...not that I have an aversion...but all throughout my pregnancy, I didnt have an Egg - ie didnt make one. U make it for me & I will be happy to have it.
& the whole milk thingy is TD created...ie he wants me to drink it while I want to stick to fat- free...we had some "exchange of words" & I finally decided, I will ask the OB!
BTW, the OB gave me a green signal to continue with fat-free milk!

Ok, back to the appointment. The OB told me to take the flu shot once we were done. I hesitated as I hadnt read(read researched) anything regarding the shots. So I said, I will take them at a later date.

In the mean time, TD found some article which mentioned that the shot can have Merucury in it. The ones that I would be given though is Hg free or the Thimerosal-free vaccine.
Reading more about the flu vaccine, I found some unproven cases of Autism(in kids), as one of the side effects of taking this vaccine in pregnancy.
I asked my birth-club gals for their opinion. Most of them, who are/were currently working in places like ER, had had to unwillingly take the shot. Some got flu after taking the vaccine! Others, were not going to take it coz the vaccine isnt a cure on all strains of the flu virus. It is cultured in egg shells(so some can have allergic reaction) & has a current kind of inactive virus strain in it.
All in all, I am skeptical about getting the shot. Moreover I never had flu in the last 5 years(knock on the wood) & currently,I am @home.
TD will have to get one though! The flu shot issue is resolved.

& just when I thought everythings fine, up comes the topic- 'AUTISM, ADD/ADHD, AND RELATED DISORDERS - IS A COMMON CHILDBIRTH PRACTICE ie premature umbilical cord clamping, TO BLAME?'