We went to Midwife Services for Dawn's checkup today....and....she's not dilated. At all. So no baby yet, and (as it would seem), no baby for a while, but that's fine. We'll wait as long as we need to for the little man. I just feel bad for Dawn. The good news from our midwife, however, is that the baby's head is right on the other side of her closed cervix, which is a position that some women have to work really hard to get to. So we're not complaining. He's in launch position.
I haven't updated in a while because I've been so busy at work and at home getting prepared for our son's arrival. In fact, the nursery is pretty much done and I'll try and take a photo and post it in the near future (aka, don't count on it). I got some requests for photos of Dawn, and while I don't have any recent ones (her stomach has gotten a LOT bigger the past few weeks), I have a photo with her in it from one of our classes (about a month ago). The proud young 
pregnant woman on the right is me. Or what I would look like if I was pregnant with an annoying heavy bag of sand and my skin was made of canvas.
Wearing the empathy belly was pretty cool, and I didn't know what to expect considering we had to sign a waiver before we could put it on. It weighed
between 30-35 pounds, and of course, I acted really tough when I got it on. But it really wasn't that heavy at first, and as I got used to it, I was thinking "this really isn't that bad." Our instructor made us do some tasks such as pick something off the floor, sit down and stand up, walk up stairs, etc. These every day things were all much harder to do with the belly on.
pregnant woman on the right is me. Or what I would look like if I was pregnant with an annoying heavy bag of sand and my skin was made of canvas.Wearing the empathy belly was pretty cool, and I didn't know what to expect considering we had to sign a waiver before we could put it on. It weighed
between 30-35 pounds, and of course, I acted really tough when I got it on. But it really wasn't that heavy at first, and as I got used to it, I was thinking "this really isn't that bad." Our instructor made us do some tasks such as pick something off the floor, sit down and stand up, walk up stairs, etc. These every day things were all much harder to do with the belly on.Now I don't want anyone to think that I don't feel for my wife or other pregnant women because I didn't 
initially think the belly was that heavy. Because when I took it off, I realized exactly how heavy it was. I felt like I was about 100 pounds lighter, and there was no longer a steel ball pushing on my bladder and pressure on my chest. I was relieved. And I only wore it for 10 minutes or less. I couldn't imagine doing it every day. Maybe that's why pregnancy lasts so long, 
so the woman can slowly get used to the insane amounts of poundage she has to lug around each day.
initially think the belly was that heavy. Because when I took it off, I realized exactly how heavy it was. I felt like I was about 100 pounds lighter, and there was no longer a steel ball pushing on my bladder and pressure on my chest. I was relieved. And I only wore it for 10 minutes or less. I couldn't imagine doing it every day. Maybe that's why pregnancy lasts so long, 
so the woman can slowly get used to the insane amounts of poundage she has to lug around each day.The other thing I should note is that that belly only represents between 20 and 25 percent of my total body weight. Dawn's baby-filled belly weighs a little less than 40% of her total weight. If I were to wear an empathy belly that was 40% of my weight, it would have to weight like 72 pounds. That's right, 72 pounds! Are you kidding? It's stuff like that that makes me more and more proud of Dawn every day she's going through this.
I will either e-mail, call or post when the dude arrives. Keep Dawn in your prayers; she will be going through quite an ordeal in the coming days!
