This is the third night we've tried an actual bedtime routine, and we did bath, bottle, book, and bed all within 45 minutes and he was (insert 40 minute break to go sooth and feed him...again) originally down by 8:45. He is back in his crib but not fully asleep so I'm sure this round will be short lived too. And I was so proud there for a bit that I managed to shorten bedtime from the 2 hour ordeal it has been the past two nights.
Things are going well for the most part. C is a good baby and growing so fast. Our home scale put him around 10.6lbs on monday....hard to believe he was 4lbs lighter just 2 months ago. I've already had to put away his newborn clothes, and he has been in size 1 diapers for a few weeks now.
Last week we took our first family trip together and drove all the way up to my parent's summer house in Michigan...a 12-14 hour drive with a normal number of stops, closer to 16 stopping every 3 hours to feed and change C. We did stop overnight though, because I didn't think driving straight through was a good idea. C was a champ going out and slept almost the whole way. He was wide awake once we stopped, but luckily we stopped early and R took him into Cabela's, where he could stare at the ceiling lights while R checked out all the hunting/fishing stuff. He did really well in a new environment too. Our biggest concern was of course his sun exposure, but we took walks in the evening or early morning when there was still plenty of shade, and we took his bouncer and put it in his little outdoor baby play tent when we were outside or out on the dock since there was always a nice breeze and it soothed him right to sleep. We plan on going back up in a few weeks when my parents will also be there. I'm hoping by that point he is starting to focus more on faces and objects, but since he falls anywhere between 3 weeks adjusted age and 8 weeks, I've got a pretty broad timeline to guess at.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
above birth weight!!
Yesterday we had another pediatrician appointment to check on his weight gain...and he is up to 6lbs8oz!! (edit: oops....as R pointed out after reading this, he is 6lbs, not 8lbs like I originally put...apparently I went from pregnancy brain to mommy brain). My little baby is getting bigger already. So this takes some of the pressure off from sticking to a strict feeding schedule. Waking a sleepy baby in the middle of the night is not as easy as one would think. I'm still struggling with my milk supply...holding steady around a production of about 10ml an hour. Colton eats about 70ml every 2-4 hours, so I'm coming in a little under half of what he needs now. I'm taking Fenugreek right now, and I am going to add in Blessed Thistle before giving my OB a call and asking for Reglan, an anti-convulsant with a side effect of increasing milk production. Hopefully I can get my supply high enough to do a "breast feeding challenge" and wean off the formula in an attempt to continue the higher supply naturally.
Overall things are going well. We did have first trip to the ER earlier this week because C wasn't maintaining a high enough body temperature. At least we didn't have to go to the regular ER with god knows what kind of scummy idiots. Instead we went to the local children's hospital, which was absolutely wonderful. They put him under the warmer for a few hours and ran bloodwork as well as a urinalysis (which required a catheter...I'm not sure if that was more traumatic for me or him). Everything came back fine, so we weren't admitted. We've kept him double swaddled most of the time since then.
We also had his newborn photos taken this morning and I can't wait to see the proofs. As I expected, C wasn't thrilled when we tried to place him on his tummy, but I think we got some really good shots anyway.
Overall things are going well. We did have first trip to the ER earlier this week because C wasn't maintaining a high enough body temperature. At least we didn't have to go to the regular ER with god knows what kind of scummy idiots. Instead we went to the local children's hospital, which was absolutely wonderful. They put him under the warmer for a few hours and ran bloodwork as well as a urinalysis (which required a catheter...I'm not sure if that was more traumatic for me or him). Everything came back fine, so we weren't admitted. We've kept him double swaddled most of the time since then.
We also had his newborn photos taken this morning and I can't wait to see the proofs. As I expected, C wasn't thrilled when we tried to place him on his tummy, but I think we got some really good shots anyway.
Friday, June 10, 2011
36 weeks....old?
That is still his gestational age anyway. So hard to believe my little guy is over a week old already. I think we've done amazingly well since he has been home. While pregnant, everyone always tells you to sleep when the baby sleeps, and that you'll never know sleep deprivation like you will after having a newborn. Well, I suppose we have to attribute some of the ease to extra sleepiness from jaundice, but we are both still functioning on a regular day and night schedule. The only time I reached the borderline of delirium was last Saturday, after a long day at the hospital...we came home and I told R that I had to lay down. Our current night schedule is worked around 3 feedings 11-12ish, 2-3ish, and 4-5ish. I usually head to bed early after pumping and R stays up to do the first feeding. Then I take over for the next 2 feedings, then head back to bed and sleep in while R takes over around 6. Colton is increasingly alert and awake in the early hours of the morning though, so we'll see how long this schedule works.
We are still having follow up appts with the pedi, and the NICU requires bi-weekly home visits from a nurse for the next two weeks, but everything appears to be on the right track. His bilirubin levels are dropping again, and his weight is starting to increase. He is now back up to 6.04lbs, from a low of 5.13 in the NICU. The pedi did tell us today that she would have liked to see him gain a little more, so we need to adhere to a 3 hour feeding schedule a little more closely. My biggest frustration right now is my milk supply. It just isn't increasing. Based on pumping amounts, I'm making about 10ml an hour. Colton eats 60-70ml every 3-4 hours. I talked to multiple lactation consultants while in the hospital and was told I'm doing everything right. I started fenugreek yesterday and I really hope it helps.
We are still having follow up appts with the pedi, and the NICU requires bi-weekly home visits from a nurse for the next two weeks, but everything appears to be on the right track. His bilirubin levels are dropping again, and his weight is starting to increase. He is now back up to 6.04lbs, from a low of 5.13 in the NICU. The pedi did tell us today that she would have liked to see him gain a little more, so we need to adhere to a 3 hour feeding schedule a little more closely. My biggest frustration right now is my milk supply. It just isn't increasing. Based on pumping amounts, I'm making about 10ml an hour. Colton eats 60-70ml every 3-4 hours. I talked to multiple lactation consultants while in the hospital and was told I'm doing everything right. I started fenugreek yesterday and I really hope it helps.
Monday, June 6, 2011
He is home!!!
A week ago I walked into the maternity wing at the hospital with a baby in my belly. Today, I rolled out with a baby in my arms. We were given the option to have a wheelchair escort or the nurse rolling the crib from the NICU to the entrance. I opted for the wheelchair and holding him (in the carseat, odd rule but hey, I still had a cute baby in my lap) and while I was not being discharged with the flowers and balloons, I still got the exit I had always pictured.
The pets have done really well so far. The dog just did a sniff check and wanted to go back outside. My youngest cat, whom I assumed would immediately confine himself to the bedroom closet...is absolutely fascinated. Colton is sleeping in the pack n play at the moment, and I suppose it must look like a giant cat carrier, because he is watching it intently. Very cute. My older cat is a little more wary, but he is still being affectionate to me, so I know he isn't too upset.
Tomorrow we have our first pediatrician appointment and we have to go get C bloodwork in the morning because his bilirubin levels were 13.7 today and 14 is the highest they want to see it for his age. If it goes up much more, he may have to go back in to the hospital or have some type of home treatment phototherapy again, but he won't be readmitted to the NICU, so we are done with that part of our journey.
The pets have done really well so far. The dog just did a sniff check and wanted to go back outside. My youngest cat, whom I assumed would immediately confine himself to the bedroom closet...is absolutely fascinated. Colton is sleeping in the pack n play at the moment, and I suppose it must look like a giant cat carrier, because he is watching it intently. Very cute. My older cat is a little more wary, but he is still being affectionate to me, so I know he isn't too upset.
Tomorrow we have our first pediatrician appointment and we have to go get C bloodwork in the morning because his bilirubin levels were 13.7 today and 14 is the highest they want to see it for his age. If it goes up much more, he may have to go back in to the hospital or have some type of home treatment phototherapy again, but he won't be readmitted to the NICU, so we are done with that part of our journey.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
No Homecoming today.
The past two days we have been working toward being discharged today. Everything seemed great when we got there. It was only at 12:30, an hour before we expected to be close to heading home, that the doctors made rounds and told us that Colton had lost too much weight and would need to stay another day. Apparently he is at 9% weight loss and the cut off for his gestational age is 10%. If he looses more weight they will want to place a feeding tube...and I'm guessing that would add another 3-4 days to his stay. We are little frustrated (beyond the obvious disappointment) because no one said anything to us about this being a concern until now. He was on ad lib feeding, meaning he was only fed when he woke up...sometimes in 4-5 increments, and eating around 25-35ml each feeding. Now they want him eating every 3 hours and at least 45ml. Um...you couldn't have reached this conclusion yesterday?
So needless to say, the afternoon was a little rough. We did have our first real breastfeeding session though, so that was a bright point. Being a preemie, he latches, starts sucking, then forgets what he is doing and stops, but we got a good 10 minutes in before he quit for good today. And I am happy to report that he did take 45ml between the breast and formula at his evening feeding before we headed home. Fingers crossed he can maintain his weight for tomorrow.
So needless to say, the afternoon was a little rough. We did have our first real breastfeeding session though, so that was a bright point. Being a preemie, he latches, starts sucking, then forgets what he is doing and stops, but we got a good 10 minutes in before he quit for good today. And I am happy to report that he did take 45ml between the breast and formula at his evening feeding before we headed home. Fingers crossed he can maintain his weight for tomorrow.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Discharged today. Just me, not him.
Let the tears commence. We knew it was a strong possibility that he would not be ready to come with us, and I cry every time I think about it. He is still making great progress, and was weaned off his IV fluids as of our last feeding this morning, but he was also placed under the billirubin lights because he is showing signs of jaundice. So now we can't even look at him for extended periods of time because the lights will actually make one sick enough to vomit if looked at too long. I feel so bad for the poor little guy. He has spent the first two days of life getting stuck repeatedly in the heel to test his blood sugar (he cries and cries when this happens, it is so heartbreaking to hear) and now he has little foam goggles strapped to his head. As of now, he is slated to come home on Sunday. Not bad at all for his gestational age, but just a few days is harder emotionally than anything I could imagine. My heart truly goes out to all the parents with babies in there longer.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
He is here!
I'll post a detailed birth story (probably several posts) later, because the whole experience was so long with so many parts...some absolutely amazing, like his actual birth, and other parts, like my recovery, that were anything but.
Baby Colton was born at 8:43am June 1st, weighing 6.7lbs!! He is in the NICU now because his blood sugar wouldn't regulate on feeding alone. We are about to head down there now, but here is a picture taken yesterday before the Peds. team took him down to the NICU.
Baby Colton was born at 8:43am June 1st, weighing 6.7lbs!! He is in the NICU now because his blood sugar wouldn't regulate on feeding alone. We are about to head down there now, but here is a picture taken yesterday before the Peds. team took him down to the NICU.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Admitted to Labor and Delivery
Yesterday I woke up feeling Braxtons Hicks and what I thought was intestinal pains. These continued sporadically throughout the day, but by evening it was so painful that I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep at all and I needed some kind of assistance regardless of what was causing the pain.
We checked into OB triage around 11pm and got all hooked up to the monitors again. Within minutes, it registered a contraction of 11 on a scale of 1 to 12. Not what we wanted to see, but I have to admit feeling a tiny bit of vindication that the pain wasn't all in my head. We were seen by the same doctor who diagnosed our SCH. This time we got a different type of shocking news as he kept his usual poker face on during my internal....I was dilated 3-4cm and he could feel the baby's head. R and I looked at each other with an "oh shit" expression.
They admitted us to L&D and though they weren't getting any closer together, I was exhausted and opted for an epidural at 3am. The back labor was probably one of the worst parts...the contractions still felt like really bad intestinal pain. The epi wasn't really painful at all, but the numbing meds did sting a little. Then it was just an odd pressure on my back until the meds kicked. I was able to move my legs and was really only numb around the hip area.
They checked me again around 7am this morning and I was 4cm and 100% effaced and baby was in -2 position. It is a little after 1pm now, and the contractions have stayed spaced out and irregular, so they turned off my epidural about 45 minutes ago to see what happens. If they stay infrequent and manageable for me, they'll move me upstairs to a pre-natal floor and monitor me there. Ideally we are hoping contractions stop altogether and they can send me home at 35 weeks on Thursday....I assume on strict bedrest. This close to 35 weeks they don't do anything to stop labor, but they also don't do anything to assist progression. 3 days ago I would have received steroid shots, but there is not enough medical data out there yet for them to give it to me now. We did opt to be included in a medical study on steroid use for late pre-term babies, but we don't know if we were assigned the placebo or the actual drug.
We are doing okay for now...feeling a little like a deer in headlights because we've barely started organizing anything. We do have plenty of friends and family locally though, so I know we can get it sorted out.
We checked into OB triage around 11pm and got all hooked up to the monitors again. Within minutes, it registered a contraction of 11 on a scale of 1 to 12. Not what we wanted to see, but I have to admit feeling a tiny bit of vindication that the pain wasn't all in my head. We were seen by the same doctor who diagnosed our SCH. This time we got a different type of shocking news as he kept his usual poker face on during my internal....I was dilated 3-4cm and he could feel the baby's head. R and I looked at each other with an "oh shit" expression.
They admitted us to L&D and though they weren't getting any closer together, I was exhausted and opted for an epidural at 3am. The back labor was probably one of the worst parts...the contractions still felt like really bad intestinal pain. The epi wasn't really painful at all, but the numbing meds did sting a little. Then it was just an odd pressure on my back until the meds kicked. I was able to move my legs and was really only numb around the hip area.
They checked me again around 7am this morning and I was 4cm and 100% effaced and baby was in -2 position. It is a little after 1pm now, and the contractions have stayed spaced out and irregular, so they turned off my epidural about 45 minutes ago to see what happens. If they stay infrequent and manageable for me, they'll move me upstairs to a pre-natal floor and monitor me there. Ideally we are hoping contractions stop altogether and they can send me home at 35 weeks on Thursday....I assume on strict bedrest. This close to 35 weeks they don't do anything to stop labor, but they also don't do anything to assist progression. 3 days ago I would have received steroid shots, but there is not enough medical data out there yet for them to give it to me now. We did opt to be included in a medical study on steroid use for late pre-term babies, but we don't know if we were assigned the placebo or the actual drug.
We are doing okay for now...feeling a little like a deer in headlights because we've barely started organizing anything. We do have plenty of friends and family locally though, so I know we can get it sorted out.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Little trip to L&D
Yesterday R and I were running some errands and I noticed that my hands were suddenly a lot more puffy than I've ever noticed before. I'd been dealing with ankle/leg swelling for a while, but this concerned me enough that we stopped by a Rite Aid and took the free BP test there. First time was 144/88. Not good. We sat down and waited a few minutes (and DH checked his to make sure it was a machine problem) and did it again...154/84. So we called the on call doctor and as I expected, we were sent in for monitoring.
At 34 weeks, I didn't think I'd be seeing those rooms before the big day. Even though we are in a much better spot pregnancy wise than we were 24 weeks ago, physically been in the same place again carried some pretty strong memories. Though the first nurse called me back pretty quickly, my pulse was up to 121 when she did the initial evaluation. She asked if I was nervous and I just gave her a look and said a trip to L&D isn't exactly a calming experience. I don't remember my exact starting BP numbers in triage, but oddly enough...there was a huge variation between my right and left arms...which the nurse said was normal. My OB always used my right arm, which was 125/60something, while my left was still at 144ish/80something.
After 3 hours everything was back to normal ranges, but my bloodwork showed something with my liver was borderline, so I need repeat BW on Wed, and though the quick urine test (I'm guessing a dip test?) came back clear...the more detailed test showed a little protein, so I get to do a 24 hour urine catch this week. Thankfully they told me I was fine to wait until Tuesday to do it, so I don't have to confine myself to the house for memorial day. I have my monthly MFM u/s Tuesday morning, so we'll get a new estimate on LO's size and Friday I have my OB appointment to discuss delivery options and I should have all these test results by then.
At 34 weeks, I didn't think I'd be seeing those rooms before the big day. Even though we are in a much better spot pregnancy wise than we were 24 weeks ago, physically been in the same place again carried some pretty strong memories. Though the first nurse called me back pretty quickly, my pulse was up to 121 when she did the initial evaluation. She asked if I was nervous and I just gave her a look and said a trip to L&D isn't exactly a calming experience. I don't remember my exact starting BP numbers in triage, but oddly enough...there was a huge variation between my right and left arms...which the nurse said was normal. My OB always used my right arm, which was 125/60something, while my left was still at 144ish/80something.
After 3 hours everything was back to normal ranges, but my bloodwork showed something with my liver was borderline, so I need repeat BW on Wed, and though the quick urine test (I'm guessing a dip test?) came back clear...the more detailed test showed a little protein, so I get to do a 24 hour urine catch this week. Thankfully they told me I was fine to wait until Tuesday to do it, so I don't have to confine myself to the house for memorial day. I have my monthly MFM u/s Tuesday morning, so we'll get a new estimate on LO's size and Friday I have my OB appointment to discuss delivery options and I should have all these test results by then.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Baby shower!
My shower was on Sunday. I knew the date and location, but the details were mostly a surprise. Everything turned out great and I think everyone had fun. It was almost a bust though. Ok, not really...but remember those super cute shoes I fell in love with back in Feb? Yeah, well....I made the mistake of not trying them on again until Saturday. My poor feet were so puffy I almost couldn't get them on. I am a shoe person. Though I've refrained from any other shoe purchases while pregnant, I couldn't resist those and my whole outfit was planned around them, because sometimes, it is all about the shoes. All was good though, I kept my feet up as much as I could Saturday and slept with 3 pillows under them. Totally worth it and I got several compliments on them.
We got a lot of great stuff, which I'm now facing the overwhelming task of finding a place for. R cleaned out half a kitchen cabinet to make room for bottles and such. Nursery furniture still isn't in, so right now things are just shoved in baskets in the closet. I am proud to say I've already knocked out a bunch of thank you notes. Unlike a bridal shower, it is a bit easier to write them when you can actually open and put away/organize what you got, rather than following proper etiquette and waiting until the wedding is over. I did figure out quite quickly that I needed the gifts in front of me to write out the notes, because even with a gift list written as I opened things....it was so confusing remembering who gave what. Because it isn't just Aunt A gave us sheets...it is noting whether it was crib sheets, bassinet sheets, pack n play sheets....how I'll keep them all straight I don't know. And trying to cross check with the registry is always fun. Babies R Us didn't update half of the stuff that was bought of it (I have gift receipts with my registry #, so I know it wasn't user error) and then there are the mystery gifts. I had a few of these from my wedding as well. Gifts that were bought off the registry and never given. How long do you wait until just buying another yourself? We could be needing that diaper genie in as little as 5 weeks. R and I plan on waiting until mid June to allow time for work showers before tackling the clothing inventory and shopping to fill the gaps.
Relaxing before gifts (please note the shoes!)
Fabulously delicious cake.
We got a lot of great stuff, which I'm now facing the overwhelming task of finding a place for. R cleaned out half a kitchen cabinet to make room for bottles and such. Nursery furniture still isn't in, so right now things are just shoved in baskets in the closet. I am proud to say I've already knocked out a bunch of thank you notes. Unlike a bridal shower, it is a bit easier to write them when you can actually open and put away/organize what you got, rather than following proper etiquette and waiting until the wedding is over. I did figure out quite quickly that I needed the gifts in front of me to write out the notes, because even with a gift list written as I opened things....it was so confusing remembering who gave what. Because it isn't just Aunt A gave us sheets...it is noting whether it was crib sheets, bassinet sheets, pack n play sheets....how I'll keep them all straight I don't know. And trying to cross check with the registry is always fun. Babies R Us didn't update half of the stuff that was bought of it (I have gift receipts with my registry #, so I know it wasn't user error) and then there are the mystery gifts. I had a few of these from my wedding as well. Gifts that were bought off the registry and never given. How long do you wait until just buying another yourself? We could be needing that diaper genie in as little as 5 weeks. R and I plan on waiting until mid June to allow time for work showers before tackling the clothing inventory and shopping to fill the gaps.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Is it working yet? (32 weeks)
This time I can blame the delayed post on blogger, which I discovered was crapped out right after uploading my pictures to my work computer on Friday. I suppose it is a good thing, because the weekend gave me some time to be relax and get back to being much more upbeat than I was feeling Friday. Last week was rough. Not compared to my SCH issues, but definitely worse than anything since that resolved.
Mother's Day weekend was pretty good. I made it to a neighbor's Kentucky Derby party and lasted, mostly on my feet, until about 9:30. Then on Sunday we went to annual steeplechase and tailgate event that we've gone to every year (R proposed there in 2006) and had fantastic weather. I rocked the pink dress in the picture below and even had strangers complimenting me for being out there while pregnant.
I took Monday as a sick day just to get some stuff done, and after that my week tanked. Tuesday and Wednesday I had Braxton's Hicks that were so painful I finally called the doctor, who said that was pretty normal and as long as they went away when I changed position not worry. So, good that it was normal...not much help because they were the worst while stuck in rush hour traffic. The other big problem I'm having is swelling. Being stuck at a desk all day makes my ankles blow up, and it only gets worse as the week goes on. I was wearing Adidas flipflops by Thursday because nothing else fit. Thankfully, they are much better on the weekends, so I'm still getting a break. My OB has yet to see them at their worst though, so we'll see what she says on Friday.
I started painting the name letters, and I must say, they look pretty damn awesome. When they are done I'll devote a post to what I did, because I have had a few minor glitches. So far I've tackled the two letters that get stripes, and R painted the 2 that are solid colors. Next up....polka dots.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Aw...hiccups!!
Yesterday he had his first round of hiccups! (or at least the first that I've felt). As I was driving home I felt these odd little kicks in the exact same spot, coupled with what felt like small cervix punches. I figured out that he was hiccuping, kicking my ribs and sending his head into my cervix....he only had 6 or 7 but it was so cute. He got them again while we were watching TV and I could just barely see them from the outside. Then I started feeling bad for him because he woke up and didn't seem very happy with his current condition. Poor guy...at least they only lasted 5 minutes or so.
Yesterday our wooden name letters came. I was going back and forth whether I was ready to commit to one name before he was born, but I decided to go ahead and take the risk. Still undecided as to whether I will share it here yet. I know at least 2 people I know IRL read, or at least have found, this blog and we aren't making name announcements to everyone until after he is born. Hell, my co-workers and some friends don't even know we are having a boy. Anyway....the letters are here so I plan to start painting them in the next week or so. My other project is painting 3 small pictures to match this lamp R had as a child (have I said that already?...I can't remember). I'll post pictures of the lamp and the paintings when I'm done and I know I still need to post nursery pictures. Hopefully the furniture will arrive soon...I think the timeframe was mid-May to mid-June.
I don't have my 31 week bump pic yet...we have a Derby party on Saturday so I figured I'd just get one then. Here are the last 3 weeks though.
Yesterday our wooden name letters came. I was going back and forth whether I was ready to commit to one name before he was born, but I decided to go ahead and take the risk. Still undecided as to whether I will share it here yet. I know at least 2 people I know IRL read, or at least have found, this blog and we aren't making name announcements to everyone until after he is born. Hell, my co-workers and some friends don't even know we are having a boy. Anyway....the letters are here so I plan to start painting them in the next week or so. My other project is painting 3 small pictures to match this lamp R had as a child (have I said that already?...I can't remember). I'll post pictures of the lamp and the paintings when I'm done and I know I still need to post nursery pictures. Hopefully the furniture will arrive soon...I think the timeframe was mid-May to mid-June.
I don't have my 31 week bump pic yet...we have a Derby party on Saturday so I figured I'd just get one then. Here are the last 3 weeks though.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
may need to consider a scheduled c-section
I had my monthly u/s with the MFM doc. today. Everything looked good, but the tech kept going back and measuring the belly. Finally she asked if I'd passed my GD test, because his abdomen was measuring ahead by quite a bit. I said I had, and that they told me if they didn't call it meant I'd passed. I asked if everything else was measuring ahead too, since he'd been about 2 weeks ahead since 20 weeks. He was still 2 weeks ahead in general, but his abdomen was in the 93rd percentile, whereas everything else was above the 50th percentile. So naturally I start wondering if my GD results were somehow lost, but I had my OB appointment a few hours later and was told I passed with flying colors.
The mid-wife did express some concern when I mentioned the u/s measurements...and that baby has an estimated weight of 4.9lbs!! She said that shoulder size usually correlates with abdominal size, and the doctor would discuss the possibility of scheduling a c-section at my 34 or 36 week appointment.
My "birth plan" has always been whatever is best for me and the baby, whether that be natural, medicated or c-section, but at this point in my pregnancy, I didn't think I'd need to be choosing one over the other before I was actually in labor. I really have mixed emotions about choosing a c-section. I know I don't want a 22hr labor and then an emergency c/s, but I'd like the chance to do it without major surgery. I admit most of my immediate reasons for not wanting a c/s are vain and selfish....mainly extended recovery time, not being able to resume normal activity right away and start working off the baby weight (yes, I realize that last part is highly delusional). On the other hand, just the word episiotomy scares me. So I guess I'll do some research and see what the next few weeks bring. I think it is safe to say I'm tossing out any thoughts of natural birth!
We did get to see his face today...and we got a smile! He was practicing smiling and frowning. I think he may have my mouth.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Pictures.
I have more to add, but here is a start!
Our room, so breezy and peaceful!
The one day I was brave enough to give the belly a little sun (seemed to make a linea nigra appear so I kept it covered the rest of the week). Secret Harbor, St. Thomas.
"Main Street" on Jost Van Dyke. One of those little buildings is customs, boats are supposed to dock and check in on a good faith basis.
The Catamaran we took our day sail on, and White Bay, Jost.
Love this photo that R took. I think this was in Maho Bay, St. John.
A little hard to see since he was stirring up sand, but a sea ray in Maho Bay.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Back from vacation!
St. Thomas was fabulous and all in all, I did pretty well physically. Of course, it was HOT...but there wasn't much humidity so the shade and/or water provided substantial relief. If you are friends with me on facebook, I've already uploaded a bunch of pictures, but I'll add a long picture post here in the next few days. I am pleased to say I have an amazing tan now.
Most of the trip was without problems, except of course for a few travel glitches. We left for the airport at 4am Monday morning for a 6am flight. I wasn't nervous about flying, but I wasn't really sure what to expect either, so I was not prepared for what came next. About an hour into the 2.5 hour flight I started getting hot flashes, so I took off my hoodie and that helped for maybe 30 minutes. Then they came back full force accompanied by sudden nausea....yep, air sickness. I've never been air sick in my life and I seriously thought I was going to throw up right there in the middle seat. I made it to the bathroom and felt a little better. I had R dig out the seabands I packed, cranked up the air gauge above my seat and made it through the rest of the flight without incident. I think it was the first time ever I was a little grateful for a 1 hour delay, giving me a little extra time on the ground in Miami. Luckily the 2nd leg of the trip and our return were not a problem.
While in Miami, we found out that our friends, flying in from Boston and meeting us at the airport in St. T, wouldn't be making it down until Tuesday, because their flight had been canceled (turns out that mechanical failure was also the cause for our delay). So it was just R and I that first night and the next day, which actually ended up being really nice because we had some time to unwind without being swept up right away in group plans (there were a total of 7 people eventually).
Over the course of the week we made it to St. John twice, visiting Maho Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Honeymoon Bay, and Trunk Bay. We took a daysail to Jost Van Dyke, which was absolutely beautiful, but don't go there on or near a holiday weekend, because White Bay becomes party central for everyone in Puerto Rico who wants to enter the BVIs illegally (when I post a pic of "main street", you'll see why it is a prime choice for skipping customs). We got in plenty of swimming and snorkeling though, and saw tons of fish, sea turtles, rays, and even a school of squid! The only thing we didn't do was make it over to St. Croix. Between the cost ($90 round trip) and schedule of the ferry, we decided it wasn't the time to do it because I wouldn't last a full day on the island.
I think might also have a future beach bum on our hands. It is hard to distinguish movement while swimming, but as soon as I'd settle down on the beach he'd go nuts.
Most of the trip was without problems, except of course for a few travel glitches. We left for the airport at 4am Monday morning for a 6am flight. I wasn't nervous about flying, but I wasn't really sure what to expect either, so I was not prepared for what came next. About an hour into the 2.5 hour flight I started getting hot flashes, so I took off my hoodie and that helped for maybe 30 minutes. Then they came back full force accompanied by sudden nausea....yep, air sickness. I've never been air sick in my life and I seriously thought I was going to throw up right there in the middle seat. I made it to the bathroom and felt a little better. I had R dig out the seabands I packed, cranked up the air gauge above my seat and made it through the rest of the flight without incident. I think it was the first time ever I was a little grateful for a 1 hour delay, giving me a little extra time on the ground in Miami. Luckily the 2nd leg of the trip and our return were not a problem.
While in Miami, we found out that our friends, flying in from Boston and meeting us at the airport in St. T, wouldn't be making it down until Tuesday, because their flight had been canceled (turns out that mechanical failure was also the cause for our delay). So it was just R and I that first night and the next day, which actually ended up being really nice because we had some time to unwind without being swept up right away in group plans (there were a total of 7 people eventually).
Over the course of the week we made it to St. John twice, visiting Maho Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Honeymoon Bay, and Trunk Bay. We took a daysail to Jost Van Dyke, which was absolutely beautiful, but don't go there on or near a holiday weekend, because White Bay becomes party central for everyone in Puerto Rico who wants to enter the BVIs illegally (when I post a pic of "main street", you'll see why it is a prime choice for skipping customs). We got in plenty of swimming and snorkeling though, and saw tons of fish, sea turtles, rays, and even a school of squid! The only thing we didn't do was make it over to St. Croix. Between the cost ($90 round trip) and schedule of the ferry, we decided it wasn't the time to do it because I wouldn't last a full day on the island.
I think might also have a future beach bum on our hands. It is hard to distinguish movement while swimming, but as soon as I'd settle down on the beach he'd go nuts.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
28 weeks!!
Good news, the emotional crazies are not here stay. After crying at the drop of a hat for the first 5 days of 3rd tri, yesterday I felt back to normal. Not sure what exactly all that was about, but I'll blame R's fishing trip this weekend for most of it. ;)
3 more days until we leave for St. Thomas. My mind checked out around mid-afternoon yesterday...I am so ready to be down there! I still have to pack, but I've got my assortment of cute dresses and shorts all ready to go. The only daunting task that remains is attempting to find a strapless bra. Yeah...not looking forward to that. The amount of side-boob I've acquired is just ridiculous, so I may end up having to choose between the saggy boob look and the stuffed sausage look for a few of these tops/dresses. I don't think we'll be paying for maternity photos, so I've been hoping someone can get a few nice pictures while we are down there. That is all I really need. And what better backdrops than these?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Hello 3rd Trimester!!
Once again I've been slacking, I'm now 27 weeks and 4 days, so last week was the start of 3rd tri. Friday I had my glucose tolerance test and all I can is that people are freaking pansies, because it wasn't that bad. It tasted like flat orange soda with extra sugar in it. The worst part, naturally, was getting my blood drawn because even with all that extra blood flow....my veins still suck. At least she only had to stick me once and the vials they took were teensy tiny so it was over before I knew it. They said they'd call with results only if there was a problem.
So it would appear that 3rd tri has brought along a few sudden changes. If "nesting" = "OMG I can't shut my brain off ever", then that has started. Our house is in pretty good shape...at least until the baby stuff start really pouring in, so instead I've gone into panic overdrive about the conditions of the grandparents houses. My mother-in-law smokes...so we have one house full of 2nd and 3rd hand smoke. My parents are borderline hoarders. Not in that TLC show way, more in the too many family heirlooms that we really don't need along with every piece of artwork/toy I've owned stashed in the attic kind of way. Seriously...I know we have a while, but it is far from child proof. So my focus over the next few months will be getting rid of as much stuff as I can. There isn't much I can do about the smokey house except limit our time there...but that in and of itself is a stressful issue.
Also, while it could be the above stress combined with fast approaching major travel, the irrational emotions have arrived as well. The littlest things will send me into tears now. Yesterday I asked R which suitcases we were taking now that he had borrowed the extra big one from his parents. He got short with me and said he'd already told me this 3 times. That resulted in a good 15 minutes of tears.
Hopefully once we are in St. Thomas I can slow my mind down and just relax, because I feel like I did back when I was on Adderall for ADD. Its not fun.
On a good note, my bump did not continue its major growth spurt...if anything, I think it might be a little smaller than my 26 week pic.
So it would appear that 3rd tri has brought along a few sudden changes. If "nesting" = "OMG I can't shut my brain off ever", then that has started. Our house is in pretty good shape...at least until the baby stuff start really pouring in, so instead I've gone into panic overdrive about the conditions of the grandparents houses. My mother-in-law smokes...so we have one house full of 2nd and 3rd hand smoke. My parents are borderline hoarders. Not in that TLC show way, more in the too many family heirlooms that we really don't need along with every piece of artwork/toy I've owned stashed in the attic kind of way. Seriously...I know we have a while, but it is far from child proof. So my focus over the next few months will be getting rid of as much stuff as I can. There isn't much I can do about the smokey house except limit our time there...but that in and of itself is a stressful issue.
Also, while it could be the above stress combined with fast approaching major travel, the irrational emotions have arrived as well. The littlest things will send me into tears now. Yesterday I asked R which suitcases we were taking now that he had borrowed the extra big one from his parents. He got short with me and said he'd already told me this 3 times. That resulted in a good 15 minutes of tears.
Hopefully once we are in St. Thomas I can slow my mind down and just relax, because I feel like I did back when I was on Adderall for ADD. Its not fun.
On a good note, my bump did not continue its major growth spurt...if anything, I think it might be a little smaller than my 26 week pic.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Baby/kid resale events.
On Saturday a friend and I decided we'd check out this huge resale event held by a Moms of Multiples club at a local school. The sale was from 9-12 so I figured we'd go around 9:30. Friday evening I talked to my neighbor, who is a garage sale pro, and she told me if we had anything specific we were looking for we had better get there early....like before the doors opened early. She hadn't been to this exact one before, but the last big one she attended had a line halfway around the building. So we adjusted our plans and decided to meet at 7:30am.
As soon as I pulled on to the road where the school was located, I was cut off by about 3 minivans in a row. I laughed to myself that they must be headed to the sale....yeah, they were. The whole parking lot was full of minivans and trucks and there was already a line of at least 100. These people do not joke around...I even saw one with her own rolling storage cart thing.
So the doors opened at 8 and by the time we got back to the room with the big stuff it looked like a scene from the running of the brides event. People pushing stuff aside, grabbing things practically out from under others...we just sort of stood there and stared for a minute. We looked over a few things, but most of it was toys so we didn't spend much time in that section and headed to the clothing room. Luckily the maternity section wasn't as much of a zoo and I got two cute tops and a pair of pants for $15. I wasn't planning on buying any baby clothes yet, but I saw this outfit on a rack and just fell in love with it. It is 3-6 months, so it may not fit until the end of summer/september...but he has his first swimsuit!!
As soon as I pulled on to the road where the school was located, I was cut off by about 3 minivans in a row. I laughed to myself that they must be headed to the sale....yeah, they were. The whole parking lot was full of minivans and trucks and there was already a line of at least 100. These people do not joke around...I even saw one with her own rolling storage cart thing.
So the doors opened at 8 and by the time we got back to the room with the big stuff it looked like a scene from the running of the brides event. People pushing stuff aside, grabbing things practically out from under others...we just sort of stood there and stared for a minute. We looked over a few things, but most of it was toys so we didn't spend much time in that section and headed to the clothing room. Luckily the maternity section wasn't as much of a zoo and I got two cute tops and a pair of pants for $15. I wasn't planning on buying any baby clothes yet, but I saw this outfit on a rack and just fell in love with it. It is 3-6 months, so it may not fit until the end of summer/september...but he has his first swimsuit!!
The little wooden train is a toy that R had as a child and will be in the nursery.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
26 weeks!
So I just wrote out a quick update and posted it....to the wrong blog. No idea how that happened, but I added it to a group Infertility blog that has been inactive for close to a year. I suppose that part is good, because otherwise that would have been reaaallly awkward with the belly shots and blantant pregnancy AW.
Anyway, no nursery pics yet...due to lack of good natural lighting in the evening we decided to do the rest of the painting this afternoon (or now weekend since it is dark and rainy today). So this post will be pretty short, sadly I have a funeral for R's great uncle this afternoon. It was reason enough to break out my first maternity dress outfit though, which actually looks really cute.
Look, the first time my knees have seen daylight in public since last October!
And the belly shot. I'm not sure if it is the dress or that I've really grown, but I really look pregnant today!
Anyway, no nursery pics yet...due to lack of good natural lighting in the evening we decided to do the rest of the painting this afternoon (or now weekend since it is dark and rainy today). So this post will be pretty short, sadly I have a funeral for R's great uncle this afternoon. It was reason enough to break out my first maternity dress outfit though, which actually looks really cute.
Look, the first time my knees have seen daylight in public since last October!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
down to double digits!!
99 days left!!!
The nursery is almost done. When I say done, I mean the painting is almost finished. I don't expect to have any furniture in there until late May or possibly even June. We did buy a glider this past weekend. We went to several furniture stores with the idea that buying a good glider from them would be better so it could eventually transition into a family room. Turns out, at least in this area, Dutailier still holds the corner on the glider market no matter what store you go in. So we decided to just look at the ones they had in Babies R Us, so at the very least I'd know which models we didn't want when I checked online. We ended up going with this glider:
It seemed just as well made and sturdy as similar models in the regular furniture stores and the in stock fabric was something I liked. Maybe the finish won't hold up super long, but I think we got a pretty good deal.
The nursery is almost done. When I say done, I mean the painting is almost finished. I don't expect to have any furniture in there until late May or possibly even June. We did buy a glider this past weekend. We went to several furniture stores with the idea that buying a good glider from them would be better so it could eventually transition into a family room. Turns out, at least in this area, Dutailier still holds the corner on the glider market no matter what store you go in. So we decided to just look at the ones they had in Babies R Us, so at the very least I'd know which models we didn't want when I checked online. We ended up going with this glider:
It seemed just as well made and sturdy as similar models in the regular furniture stores and the in stock fabric was something I liked. Maybe the finish won't hold up super long, but I think we got a pretty good deal.
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