Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Temporary/Filler/Directional Post
I was looking at some new formats on Face.b.ook and ran across a note I posted back in August of 2010 before we were public about my pregnancy. I can't believe I didn't post ANYTHING here about the trip either!!!!
I'm just joing to copy and paste the note here and if I get around to it, I'll expand on it and add pictures later. For now, it's better than nothing. I did enjoy reading it and remembered some things I had apparently forgotten already!
I'm going to date it the same date as the original FB post, so see my August 2010 posts (located on the right panel of this screen for rookies!) for the original. I'll probably post a quick snippet on a current post if I update it later so you don't have to check it for the pics if I decide to add those at a more convenient time.
I'm just joing to copy and paste the note here and if I get around to it, I'll expand on it and add pictures later. For now, it's better than nothing. I did enjoy reading it and remembered some things I had apparently forgotten already!
I'm going to date it the same date as the original FB post, so see my August 2010 posts (located on the right panel of this screen for rookies!) for the original. I'll probably post a quick snippet on a current post if I update it later so you don't have to check it for the pics if I decide to add those at a more convenient time.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Shutterfly Photo Book
I created a Shutterfly Photo Book last night for Abby and Hannah. Most of the pages are Abby's baby pictures on the left and Hannah's on the right. I like that some odd moments turned out to be parallels between the two sets of photos, so I lined them up accordingly in the book. Click the Shutterfly link above to view it. Enjoy!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
London Trip
Note: adding this on 9/28/11 after coming across it elsewhere. On this trip, Marti's family did not yet know I was pregnant, so we had to spill the beans to his aunt and uncle and his grandmother. We typically drank a lot of wine together when we visit, so when I showed up and DIDN'T drink wine, I knew they were going to know anyway. I figured it was better to tell those that were there and swear them to secrecy than to NOT tell them and have the speculation -- and talking amongst themselves and others -- begin.
8/14/10 - Day 1 - Red eye flight to Heathrow. Smelled some stinky people in line to get on the plane. Wouldn't you know it, they sat right behind us on the plane and had us gagging the entire flight! No option for 3 seats together, so we just stuck it out. In flight entertainment system shot, so it was a LONG flight for Marti, who doesn't sleep on planes like I do. Note to self: Abby is big (old) enough to just sit in a seat now. Check the carseat as luggage and give yourselves some extra space next time.
8/15/10 Day 2 - Arrived in the afternoon and took it easy hanging out with Sadie, Roger, and Jilly. Jilly made the most amazing macaroni and cheese for Abby, which Abby promptly decided she wanted to eat for dinner every night while we were there!
8/16/10 Day 3 - Took the train down to the Natural History Museum. Oh, the lines! (I mean "QUEUES!") Apparently I was spoiled on my winter trips, as the children are on break from school right now and everything has a line now. Lots of walking. Lots of stairs. Very tired Lisa. Abby loves chasing pigeons!!!!
8/17/10 Day 4 - Marti took Abby and I to see Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theater. Abby loved it, but was a little sad at the end that she couldn't go backstage to meet the cast. Where does she get these ideas from?!?!?! We also walked through Trafalgar Square and Abby got to chase some more pigeons. (Silly kid!!)
8/18/10 Day 5 - Double Decker bus tour through London. So-so, but I did enjoy just sitting on my ass for a while, checking out the sights in the cool air. Ended the day at Sadie's place so we could stay there a couple of nights and spend some more time with her.
8/19/10 Day 6 - Met up with Marti's old school mate and his family. John picked us up to take us out to the club in the country to meet up with his wife, Nicky, and their 3 kids. Abby puked 5 minutes before arriving - all over herself and the car seat she borrowed from John for the trip. NICE! The kids romped on the lawn while we enjoyed sitting on the terrace having drinks. Then we had lunch and fed the ducks by the stream, followed by a stroll down to the sports courts where everyone played games for a while. Another stroll over to the circuit training field, through the flower garden, and then back over to the putting greens where the senior Gullys triumphed over the Harrises while the children played happily in lawn chairs and the adjacent playground. Sadie took us out to dinner and it rained for about 5 minutes as we took a taxi to the restaurant. Lovely day!
8/20/10 Day 7 - Nice long walk/romp in Regent's Park. Fed the ducks and had ice cream. Abby chased more pigeons. Jilly made dinner for all of us, plus Barry, Susan, Claudia, and Alex came over as well. Good God, that woman can cook!!!!!
8/21/10 Day 8 - Took Abby over to Regent's Park again and rented a paddle boat for a while.
8/22/10 Day 9 - I woke up early for once and went for a couple of walks around the neighborhood to get some fresh air and stuff. ;) Roger and Jilly took us all out to lunch at Roger's favorite Italian restaurant, Scalini. OMG. YUM!!!!!!
8/23/10 Day 10 - Left Roger and Jilly's at about 11 AM and arrived home after 5 AM (8 PM Arizona time). No stinky drunks on this flight, but there were some ridiculously slutty drunks across the aisle from us. Cheap entertainment. That was good because the airline's headsets were absolute CRAP and made every word of dialogue sound like Charlie Brown's teacher speaking through a wadded up gym sock. I did use my own ear buds for a while but after trading those back and forth with Marti and Abby trying to find a happy solution for all of us, I finally broke down crying! The flight crew kept butting into the program with announcements, and after 4 of these megaphone-esque blasts in my ears, I couldn't stand it! I had to have the volume turned up pretty high to hear the dialogue, but movie on high volume is NOT the same as flight crew directly to my brain on high volume. I know TV stations change volume levels for commercials so you hear them when you walk away, but nobody attached to their seat by a headphone wire needs announcements blasted into their brain stem! Cross "seeing the upstairs of a 747 from the inside" off my bucket list and add a side of "pilot gave me a tour of the cockpit" just for kicks! Sweet! Customs was a breeze and this time Marti was a citizen, so we got to go straight through the short line together instead of me waiting for him to clear immigration. Woo hoo!!!!! And, we even got a little unpacking done once we arrived home.
8/24/10 Day 11 - Recovery. Mom and Ron dropped the dogs off (and donuts!) so Mom could get her Abby fix. ;) Abby was bouncing off the walls, so Marti decided she could go to school today after all. THANK GOD!!!! My idea of recovery doesn't involve chasing or being chased around by an overactive four year old. Sorry.
8/14/10 - Day 1 - Red eye flight to Heathrow. Smelled some stinky people in line to get on the plane. Wouldn't you know it, they sat right behind us on the plane and had us gagging the entire flight! No option for 3 seats together, so we just stuck it out. In flight entertainment system shot, so it was a LONG flight for Marti, who doesn't sleep on planes like I do. Note to self: Abby is big (old) enough to just sit in a seat now. Check the carseat as luggage and give yourselves some extra space next time.
8/15/10 Day 2 - Arrived in the afternoon and took it easy hanging out with Sadie, Roger, and Jilly. Jilly made the most amazing macaroni and cheese for Abby, which Abby promptly decided she wanted to eat for dinner every night while we were there!
8/16/10 Day 3 - Took the train down to the Natural History Museum. Oh, the lines! (I mean "QUEUES!") Apparently I was spoiled on my winter trips, as the children are on break from school right now and everything has a line now. Lots of walking. Lots of stairs. Very tired Lisa. Abby loves chasing pigeons!!!!
8/17/10 Day 4 - Marti took Abby and I to see Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theater. Abby loved it, but was a little sad at the end that she couldn't go backstage to meet the cast. Where does she get these ideas from?!?!?! We also walked through Trafalgar Square and Abby got to chase some more pigeons. (Silly kid!!)
8/18/10 Day 5 - Double Decker bus tour through London. So-so, but I did enjoy just sitting on my ass for a while, checking out the sights in the cool air. Ended the day at Sadie's place so we could stay there a couple of nights and spend some more time with her.
8/19/10 Day 6 - Met up with Marti's old school mate and his family. John picked us up to take us out to the club in the country to meet up with his wife, Nicky, and their 3 kids. Abby puked 5 minutes before arriving - all over herself and the car seat she borrowed from John for the trip. NICE! The kids romped on the lawn while we enjoyed sitting on the terrace having drinks. Then we had lunch and fed the ducks by the stream, followed by a stroll down to the sports courts where everyone played games for a while. Another stroll over to the circuit training field, through the flower garden, and then back over to the putting greens where the senior Gullys triumphed over the Harrises while the children played happily in lawn chairs and the adjacent playground. Sadie took us out to dinner and it rained for about 5 minutes as we took a taxi to the restaurant. Lovely day!
8/20/10 Day 7 - Nice long walk/romp in Regent's Park. Fed the ducks and had ice cream. Abby chased more pigeons. Jilly made dinner for all of us, plus Barry, Susan, Claudia, and Alex came over as well. Good God, that woman can cook!!!!!
8/21/10 Day 8 - Took Abby over to Regent's Park again and rented a paddle boat for a while.
8/22/10 Day 9 - I woke up early for once and went for a couple of walks around the neighborhood to get some fresh air and stuff. ;) Roger and Jilly took us all out to lunch at Roger's favorite Italian restaurant, Scalini. OMG. YUM!!!!!!
8/23/10 Day 10 - Left Roger and Jilly's at about 11 AM and arrived home after 5 AM (8 PM Arizona time). No stinky drunks on this flight, but there were some ridiculously slutty drunks across the aisle from us. Cheap entertainment. That was good because the airline's headsets were absolute CRAP and made every word of dialogue sound like Charlie Brown's teacher speaking through a wadded up gym sock. I did use my own ear buds for a while but after trading those back and forth with Marti and Abby trying to find a happy solution for all of us, I finally broke down crying! The flight crew kept butting into the program with announcements, and after 4 of these megaphone-esque blasts in my ears, I couldn't stand it! I had to have the volume turned up pretty high to hear the dialogue, but movie on high volume is NOT the same as flight crew directly to my brain on high volume. I know TV stations change volume levels for commercials so you hear them when you walk away, but nobody attached to their seat by a headphone wire needs announcements blasted into their brain stem! Cross "seeing the upstairs of a 747 from the inside" off my bucket list and add a side of "pilot gave me a tour of the cockpit" just for kicks! Sweet! Customs was a breeze and this time Marti was a citizen, so we got to go straight through the short line together instead of me waiting for him to clear immigration. Woo hoo!!!!! And, we even got a little unpacking done once we arrived home.
8/24/10 Day 11 - Recovery. Mom and Ron dropped the dogs off (and donuts!) so Mom could get her Abby fix. ;) Abby was bouncing off the walls, so Marti decided she could go to school today after all. THANK GOD!!!! My idea of recovery doesn't involve chasing or being chased around by an overactive four year old. Sorry.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Hannah Made it to the TOTALLY LOOKS LIKE blog!
My friend, Tom, mentioned to me that Hannah's rockin' sonogram picture looked like the logo for the Misfits, so I made a "Totally Looks Like" for her.
Between that early image and this one of her sucking her fingers, I think we have a rocker in the making!
Between that early image and this one of her sucking her fingers, I think we have a rocker in the making!
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| "I WANNA |
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Subject of Night Sweats Revisited
It seems as though I have finally come to the point where night sweats are not an issue! No more waking up in a puddle. No more having to keep my hair in a pony tail so it doesn't end up a soggy snarled mess by morning. No more extra loads of laundry just from all the towels I was having to sleep on. No more wishing I could just crash into my bed at night when really I had to arrange all those towels "just so" before going to bed so that I could be comfortable. No more wash cloth rolled up and stuffed between my boobs in my bra to soak up all the mommy boob sweat. No more waking up with towel imprint on the side of my face. No more waking up to take a shower at 3AM and no more wondering why I stink so much when I haven't even started my day yet.
A couple nights ago I left my hair down when I went to bed and I have just the slightest bit of sweat at the back of my neck when I woke up -- and that was all.
That gem of a side effect seems to be leaving almost as suddenly as it came on. I won't miss that one!
A couple nights ago I left my hair down when I went to bed and I have just the slightest bit of sweat at the back of my neck when I woke up -- and that was all.
That gem of a side effect seems to be leaving almost as suddenly as it came on. I won't miss that one!
The Easy Life
Hannah is still eating well and seems to be gaining weight at a good pace. She's so much easier to feed than Abby was and I keep realizing different aspects of this as the days and weeks go by. Of course it's nice that she eats at all. Every meal with Abby was a struggle to get her to eat -- and sometimes still is. We remembered Abby throwing up a large portion of whatever she ate much of the time, so there was that stress of knowing she wasn't getting food, as well as the added stress of knowing we'd have to start the battle of the meal with her all over again every time she puked up a meal - but not until we cleaned up the mess. We get none of that with Hannah.
It took me a little while to remember another way that we have it easier this time. Last time, we had to line the sofa, recliner, or rocking chair with towels so that the vomit wouldn't seep down into the cracks of the cushions where it would need to be cleaned up (with much time and effort) or else curdle even further if we missed any of it. Blech!!!!!
Then today I remembered yet another way that this one is making things easier on us. I was looking right into her face between tries at burping her and had a flashback to when Abby used to not only refuse to eat, not only throw up much of what we did get into her, not only get vomit on the furniture and carpets, but all over US!!! I have not had to take ANY vomit-removal showers at all with this one so far.
Yup, life is good!!!!
It took me a little while to remember another way that we have it easier this time. Last time, we had to line the sofa, recliner, or rocking chair with towels so that the vomit wouldn't seep down into the cracks of the cushions where it would need to be cleaned up (with much time and effort) or else curdle even further if we missed any of it. Blech!!!!!
Then today I remembered yet another way that this one is making things easier on us. I was looking right into her face between tries at burping her and had a flashback to when Abby used to not only refuse to eat, not only throw up much of what we did get into her, not only get vomit on the furniture and carpets, but all over US!!! I have not had to take ANY vomit-removal showers at all with this one so far.
Yup, life is good!!!!
Hannah's Hands
Today I noticed Hannah has discovered her hands. I was changing her and she was stretching out her arms and staring at her right hand. Apparently this made her happy because she kept looking at me and then back at her hand with a big smile on her face.
She's also on the verge of being able to use her hands for things. She tries to get them into her mouth if she's hungry, but sometimes now she seems to be pushing my hands towards her mouth when I come at her with a bottle or a binkie.
She's still pretty mellow and easy to be around at home since she doesn't cry much even when she's hungry. She does this little "Eh! Eh!" thing which I call complaining, but there's not a lot of full on crying ever. I guess that's a good thing. Because of this, it's also easy to take her places because I know she's not going to put us in a situation where we're making a scene and nobody is enjoying themselves anymore.
She's also on the verge of being able to use her hands for things. She tries to get them into her mouth if she's hungry, but sometimes now she seems to be pushing my hands towards her mouth when I come at her with a bottle or a binkie.
She's still pretty mellow and easy to be around at home since she doesn't cry much even when she's hungry. She does this little "Eh! Eh!" thing which I call complaining, but there's not a lot of full on crying ever. I guess that's a good thing. Because of this, it's also easy to take her places because I know she's not going to put us in a situation where we're making a scene and nobody is enjoying themselves anymore.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Problem With Non-Maternity Clothes Fitting During Pregnancy
I am looking in my closet for stuff to wear when I return to work, as it's been a while since I've had to do that and I want to make sure things still fit.
The problem is, my "go to" clothes that I would wear if I'm still sporting the baby belly a little are clothes that I was able to wear while pregnant - even though they were not maternity clothes.
So, when I show up to work in stuff that I wore while pregnant, will people think I'm still wearing maternity clothes, just because they saw me in them when pregnant? I don't want to give up my blousy tops just because they kind of LOOK like maternity wear.
On the other hand, there are a couple of things that I would LOVE to have altered (or not) so that I can KEEP wearing them even though they ARE maternity clothes.
What should I do in both cases? Do people really care what I wear and will I be the subject of office ridicule? I don't want to be that mom that is done having kids and be accused of hanging on to this last pregnancy by wearing maternity clothes after the baby is out. Ha ha!!!!
The problem is, my "go to" clothes that I would wear if I'm still sporting the baby belly a little are clothes that I was able to wear while pregnant - even though they were not maternity clothes.
So, when I show up to work in stuff that I wore while pregnant, will people think I'm still wearing maternity clothes, just because they saw me in them when pregnant? I don't want to give up my blousy tops just because they kind of LOOK like maternity wear.
On the other hand, there are a couple of things that I would LOVE to have altered (or not) so that I can KEEP wearing them even though they ARE maternity clothes.
What should I do in both cases? Do people really care what I wear and will I be the subject of office ridicule? I don't want to be that mom that is done having kids and be accused of hanging on to this last pregnancy by wearing maternity clothes after the baby is out. Ha ha!!!!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Quick update
Hannah is starting to make noises other than crying. YEAH! She will coo while in her cradle and try to talk to us in a little mimicking game she plays. She also sticks her tongue out at us in response to us doing the same. Then she smiles and we continue until I get torn away to do something more pressing than be amazed at my kid sticking her tongue out. (It's the little things...)
Monday, May 9, 2011
First FULL Night of Sleep
This post is titled "First FULL Night of Sleep" not because it was MY first full night, but because it was Hannah's first full night of sleep. Usually Marti wakes up and feeds her at night and again first thing in the early morning. Today, we woke up and he said something about her sleeping 8 1/2 hours straight!!! Luckily she made a noise RIGHT then, so I didn't have to JOLT out of bed to see if she was still breathing! It was a potentially heart stopping moment for parents of a newborn!
What he also realized moments later was that her diaper was dry.
HUH?
OK, that was of even more concern to me than her sleeping through the night. Now I was really starting to worry that something might be wrong after all.
Luckily, as he was feeding her she messed her diaper (which could have included pee or not -- we are not sure), but for sure peed her diaper shortly after that.
Phew! Today could have been a scary day, but I guess it was all just a fluke. I just hope she's not up all night tonight after that long snooze last night.
I keep wondering what is going to go WRONG after everything keeps working out so right with this little one! Between even getting pregnant at all, having a WONDERFUL pregnancy, the whole weight thing, and now having a one month old that just may start sleeping through the night... Well, it just all feels too good to be true. I bet we end up paying for this in her teen years!
What he also realized moments later was that her diaper was dry.
HUH?
OK, that was of even more concern to me than her sleeping through the night. Now I was really starting to worry that something might be wrong after all.
Luckily, as he was feeding her she messed her diaper (which could have included pee or not -- we are not sure), but for sure peed her diaper shortly after that.
Phew! Today could have been a scary day, but I guess it was all just a fluke. I just hope she's not up all night tonight after that long snooze last night.
I keep wondering what is going to go WRONG after everything keeps working out so right with this little one! Between even getting pregnant at all, having a WONDERFUL pregnancy, the whole weight thing, and now having a one month old that just may start sleeping through the night... Well, it just all feels too good to be true. I bet we end up paying for this in her teen years!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Rockin' the Granny Panties!
Well, I never thought this would happen to me, but sometimes life surprises you.
I am still having sensitivity on my C-section incision and my regular underwear seem to be too tight in all the wrong places. I can't wear them. I've tried. I also can't seem to find the lovely mesh panties they give you in the hospital after you have a baby. For those that haven't seen them before, here is a picture that I found that pretty much shows what they look like, but you have to imagine a woman wearing them that just gave birth, not some model with a nice flat belly! Oh, and don't forget to imagine the big ol' sanitary pad, while you're at it.
I asked my doctor if she knew where to get some and she suggested I get some granny panties instead. Given no other choice really, I went out to WalMart and bought some lovely assorted colored women's briefs. (Buying them anywhere BUT WalMart would seem wrong.) They come all the way up past my belly button! (Further than in this picture from their website even!) I laugh at myself every day now.
Don't get me wrong. The mesh ones were not exactly sexy, but they were OBVIOUSLY there for medical reasons. They were pretty much MADE out of guaze. When I'm wearing these granny panties, not like anyone would see them, but I feel like if they did, they'd think I CHOSE to wear them because I like this kind of underwear, not because they serve a medical purpose.
On a more positive note, I actually was able to sleep on my left side last night for the first time in three weeks! I'm going to take that as an indication that I am rapidly improving, and put hope in the idea that my incision will step up the healing process now, as well. Hopefully I can lose the granny panties sooooooooooon!
I am still having sensitivity on my C-section incision and my regular underwear seem to be too tight in all the wrong places. I can't wear them. I've tried. I also can't seem to find the lovely mesh panties they give you in the hospital after you have a baby. For those that haven't seen them before, here is a picture that I found that pretty much shows what they look like, but you have to imagine a woman wearing them that just gave birth, not some model with a nice flat belly! Oh, and don't forget to imagine the big ol' sanitary pad, while you're at it.
I asked my doctor if she knew where to get some and she suggested I get some granny panties instead. Given no other choice really, I went out to WalMart and bought some lovely assorted colored women's briefs. (Buying them anywhere BUT WalMart would seem wrong.) They come all the way up past my belly button! (Further than in this picture from their website even!) I laugh at myself every day now.
Don't get me wrong. The mesh ones were not exactly sexy, but they were OBVIOUSLY there for medical reasons. They were pretty much MADE out of guaze. When I'm wearing these granny panties, not like anyone would see them, but I feel like if they did, they'd think I CHOSE to wear them because I like this kind of underwear, not because they serve a medical purpose.
On a more positive note, I actually was able to sleep on my left side last night for the first time in three weeks! I'm going to take that as an indication that I am rapidly improving, and put hope in the idea that my incision will step up the healing process now, as well. Hopefully I can lose the granny panties sooooooooooon!
Friday, April 22, 2011
The Belly Has a Button
FINALLY!!! Hannah's little belly button stump feel off yesterday and she has a cute little belly button instead of a big scab-like appendage hanging from a thread on her abdomen.
I heard it should take 10-14 days to come off on its own, but the extra couple of days (and a couple of diaper blow UP incidents) made the time to fall off seem ridiculous! Besides, I did mention that it was hanging by a thread, so it was threatening to fall off for quite a while -- taunting us with it's longevity.
I'm glad that's gone.
Marti (jokingly) asked me if I wanted to keep it. Seriously??? I mean, did anyone ever consider such a thing PRIOR to seeing Meet the Fockers? Ick!!!!
I heard it should take 10-14 days to come off on its own, but the extra couple of days (and a couple of diaper blow UP incidents) made the time to fall off seem ridiculous! Besides, I did mention that it was hanging by a thread, so it was threatening to fall off for quite a while -- taunting us with it's longevity.
I'm glad that's gone.
Marti (jokingly) asked me if I wanted to keep it. Seriously??? I mean, did anyone ever consider such a thing PRIOR to seeing Meet the Fockers? Ick!!!!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
It's Not All a Bed of Roses
Once again, there is so much to write about still, but what is on my mind right now it that this time around, recovery from surgery is not a bed of roses!
With Abby, I had a C-section also, but it was much easier recovering. I got a prescription for percoset, but to be honest, since she was born in October of 2005, I have STILL not finished the one bottle of pills I got when I left the hospital! There are still 8 left in the bottle as of today, and that's counting any that disappeared when "someone else" might have decided they needed one here or there for whatever reasons. (For the legal record, I'm not saying I did share them. I'm not saying I did not. Tee hee!)
This time, I was on percoset around the clock on schedule and had to call for a refill when I returned home. Since percoset requires a paper prescription and can't be called in, I was offered vicodin to make things easier. I got TWO additional bottles of that as the days passed and just yesterday went a full day without one.
It's been HARD!!! To this day, I still cannot roll over in bed. I have one position I can sleep in -- on my right side. I cannot even GET onto my left side without pain. It feels like my guts are still settling in there now that the baby's not holding them up in my chest cavity or wherever they had landed for those 9 months. I swear, they are rattling around in my abdomen!
I'd LOVE to lie on my back, but the fear of the 25-pound flying sausage (AKA: our crazy puppy) landing on my abdomen or even my actual incision site (she HAS done that in the past week!) terrifies me, so I just settle for the side position for now.
On another related note, it pretty much sucks sleeping with my back to my husband every time we go to bed now. I told him if this keeps up much longer, I'll have to change sides with him so I don't have to talk over my shoulder to him. : (
My back has been killing me - presumably from not being able to move once I get into bed, from hunching over in pain for so many days whenever I was able to get up and do things, and (thinly disguised TMI) from leaning over a little while running the Medela. I took one opportunity to lean BACK into a massage chair and ended up battering my back so that it felt bruised for a few days after. Oh, but it felt soooo good at the time!!!
On a positive note, I have no idea how or why, but I have officially lost all of my pregnancy weight and then some! THAT is one improvement this time over my recovery from Abby's birth! Of course, losing all the water weight from the IVs was a help. Those of you that saw my feet and legs in real life know what I'm really talking about. For those that view from afar, here's a picture. The camera just doesn't capture the full effect, so imagine it ten times worse and you might have an idea of how bad it looked when I looked down at my legs!
Here's another view at my weight chart showing where I started and where I am today, just because it's something about this recovery that I CAN be thrilled about. Also, I'm personally FLABBERGASTED at how easy it has been this time after it took FIVE FLIPPIN' YEARS to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight after Abby! I just don't GET IT, but I will not complain. I'm THRILLED!
The last thing I can think of that stands out is the intensely annoying NIGHT SWEATS!!! UGH! Marti was my hero last night when he got out of bed and got me a towel to put under my head. (Actually, he's been my hero is so many other ways with taking care of this baby AND me. I couldn't do this without him! I'm quite sure he puts a LOT of other dads to shame and I'm so happy to have him as my husband and partner in this adventure!)
Anyway, I went to bed with wet hair HOPING it would make me feel cooler, but I still woke up in a puddle! (Just about literally -- a PUDDLE on my pillow! I kid you not!) It's from the pregnancy hormones fading away or from those that help me make milk coming into play, or something like that. I haven't bothered to look up why. I just know it happens right now and there's nothing I can do about it except wait for it to end. I can take a shower at 3 AM and wake up in the morning a pool of my own stench. It sucks!
I told Marti that I think God created this gem as a survival mechanism for new moms. We are told that we can't have sex for at least 6 weeks after a baby is born, and truthfully, I don't know many women that would want to. However, that doesn't do much for the guys' needs and wants. So, back to the "reason" I joke that all this sweat exists in the first place. I THINK that this problem exists to keep the husbands at bay. I mean, who in his right mind would WANT to have sex with a sweaty mess of a wife anyway? The night sweats buy us wives some extra time until everything is all set downstairs at about 6 weeks or whatever.
Or not. Ha ha ha!
All I know is that today we are washing not only sheets, but the mattress cover, the pillow covers, AND all my pillows. And I don't really know why. I know for a fact that tonight I will just soak them again and it's so frustrating. Why do I even bother? Well, because I want to feel human for just a short time after I lie down I guess. It won't last long, but at least I have that moment as I fall asleep when my sheets are fresh and I don't yet feel stiff from being in the same sleep position for the last 2 weeks straight.
I'm not sure how to end this one, so I'll just throw in a few more of my favorite pictures and call it a day. Enjoy!
This one is Abby kissing the baby good night the day before she was born. This was the first and last night that she ever kissed my belly. It was so sweet when she did it that I had to have her do it again so I could get a picture of it.
This is Abby just looking so proud to be a big sister. She's already a good helper and SO patient with Mommy when I can't yet do the things she'd like me to do with her.
This is Abby and Hannah after Hannah's first bath at home.
With Abby, I had a C-section also, but it was much easier recovering. I got a prescription for percoset, but to be honest, since she was born in October of 2005, I have STILL not finished the one bottle of pills I got when I left the hospital! There are still 8 left in the bottle as of today, and that's counting any that disappeared when "someone else" might have decided they needed one here or there for whatever reasons. (For the legal record, I'm not saying I did share them. I'm not saying I did not. Tee hee!)
This time, I was on percoset around the clock on schedule and had to call for a refill when I returned home. Since percoset requires a paper prescription and can't be called in, I was offered vicodin to make things easier. I got TWO additional bottles of that as the days passed and just yesterday went a full day without one.
It's been HARD!!! To this day, I still cannot roll over in bed. I have one position I can sleep in -- on my right side. I cannot even GET onto my left side without pain. It feels like my guts are still settling in there now that the baby's not holding them up in my chest cavity or wherever they had landed for those 9 months. I swear, they are rattling around in my abdomen!
I'd LOVE to lie on my back, but the fear of the 25-pound flying sausage (AKA: our crazy puppy) landing on my abdomen or even my actual incision site (she HAS done that in the past week!) terrifies me, so I just settle for the side position for now.
On another related note, it pretty much sucks sleeping with my back to my husband every time we go to bed now. I told him if this keeps up much longer, I'll have to change sides with him so I don't have to talk over my shoulder to him. : (
My back has been killing me - presumably from not being able to move once I get into bed, from hunching over in pain for so many days whenever I was able to get up and do things, and (thinly disguised TMI) from leaning over a little while running the Medela. I took one opportunity to lean BACK into a massage chair and ended up battering my back so that it felt bruised for a few days after. Oh, but it felt soooo good at the time!!!
On a positive note, I have no idea how or why, but I have officially lost all of my pregnancy weight and then some! THAT is one improvement this time over my recovery from Abby's birth! Of course, losing all the water weight from the IVs was a help. Those of you that saw my feet and legs in real life know what I'm really talking about. For those that view from afar, here's a picture. The camera just doesn't capture the full effect, so imagine it ten times worse and you might have an idea of how bad it looked when I looked down at my legs!
Here's another view at my weight chart showing where I started and where I am today, just because it's something about this recovery that I CAN be thrilled about. Also, I'm personally FLABBERGASTED at how easy it has been this time after it took FIVE FLIPPIN' YEARS to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight after Abby! I just don't GET IT, but I will not complain. I'm THRILLED!
The last thing I can think of that stands out is the intensely annoying NIGHT SWEATS!!! UGH! Marti was my hero last night when he got out of bed and got me a towel to put under my head. (Actually, he's been my hero is so many other ways with taking care of this baby AND me. I couldn't do this without him! I'm quite sure he puts a LOT of other dads to shame and I'm so happy to have him as my husband and partner in this adventure!)
Anyway, I went to bed with wet hair HOPING it would make me feel cooler, but I still woke up in a puddle! (Just about literally -- a PUDDLE on my pillow! I kid you not!) It's from the pregnancy hormones fading away or from those that help me make milk coming into play, or something like that. I haven't bothered to look up why. I just know it happens right now and there's nothing I can do about it except wait for it to end. I can take a shower at 3 AM and wake up in the morning a pool of my own stench. It sucks!
I told Marti that I think God created this gem as a survival mechanism for new moms. We are told that we can't have sex for at least 6 weeks after a baby is born, and truthfully, I don't know many women that would want to. However, that doesn't do much for the guys' needs and wants. So, back to the "reason" I joke that all this sweat exists in the first place. I THINK that this problem exists to keep the husbands at bay. I mean, who in his right mind would WANT to have sex with a sweaty mess of a wife anyway? The night sweats buy us wives some extra time until everything is all set downstairs at about 6 weeks or whatever.
Or not. Ha ha ha!
All I know is that today we are washing not only sheets, but the mattress cover, the pillow covers, AND all my pillows. And I don't really know why. I know for a fact that tonight I will just soak them again and it's so frustrating. Why do I even bother? Well, because I want to feel human for just a short time after I lie down I guess. It won't last long, but at least I have that moment as I fall asleep when my sheets are fresh and I don't yet feel stiff from being in the same sleep position for the last 2 weeks straight.
I'm not sure how to end this one, so I'll just throw in a few more of my favorite pictures and call it a day. Enjoy!
This one is Abby kissing the baby good night the day before she was born. This was the first and last night that she ever kissed my belly. It was so sweet when she did it that I had to have her do it again so I could get a picture of it.
This is Abby just looking so proud to be a big sister. She's already a good helper and SO patient with Mommy when I can't yet do the things she'd like me to do with her.
This is Abby and Hannah after Hannah's first bath at home.
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| Still have a belly even though I lost the weight |
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Hannah Rayne Has Arrived!
I never thought it would take me almost a week to shout this awesome news from the rooftops, but here it finally is! Our baby girl arrived on 4/5/11 at exactly 5:30PM. She weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces and measured 20.95 inches.
That is the short of it.
And now for the long version that I am so famous for. : )
Some History:
As you all know by now, I was determined to give her a solid 2 weeks past her due date to finish at her own pace. Her "end date" (eviction via C-Section) changed a few times in the process, but we eventually agreed to Saturday, April 9 -- and that was close enough for me. My doctor was VERY nervous about going that far as it was. When I asked her about waiting until the 11th, she said she can't go past the 2 weeks. Since the 10th was a Sunday, she said she'd schedule me for her on call day (Saturday) instead of the 7th, which is where it was moved to when the 8th was all booked up. (Are you following all this jumping around on the calendar???)
So, we thought we were set for April 9, and since I was officially going to go at least a week past my due date unless something happened, she had me schedule the BPP ultrasound to check things out while I was waiting that last week or so.
The Day Before the Big Event:
Monday morning came and we all (Marti, my mom and Ron, and I) filed in to the room for the sonogram. As crowded as it was in there (my uterus, not the procedure room, ha ha!), we were still able to get a sneak peak at Hanna's face when the tech turned the machine on to 3D. She took some measurements of the baby as well as everything around her to make sure she was doing ok in there and not "going downhill" as the pregnancy dragged on.
The only thing she noted that could be a problem was the fluid level. (More on that later!) She said it was a 6 (or something like that) and they like to see it over 10. Under 5 is a problem, so she said I fell into that gray area in between and called in the doctor as well as had my doctor notified.
They put me on the heartbeat and uterine monitors again and said the baby looked beautiful based on those readings. I saw the strip that came out of the machine and there was NOTHING going on in the contraction department. Nothing. Not even a blip or contraction that showed up but I didn't feel, as happens almost every other time I was monitored in my last few weeks.
I went home and waited for my doctor to call, knowing what the low fluid reading was going to mean. She was already nervous before this. Surely she would want to get me in that day or the next! I was worried about having just eaten, so I wasn't sure if she could even DO surgery on me so soon. When she called, I recognized her voice and we spoke of my options. After standing my ground for so long, I was amazingly peaceful about relenting and scheduling the C-section for the following afternoon. There was a real reason to relent, so she didn't need to convince me. I was already ready to cut the risks and get this baby into my arms.
She scheduled the surgery for 1:30 the following afternoon and gave me instructions on what to do and when to be where. I immediately started planning my last meal since I would have to go from midnight that night until 1:30 the following afternoon without a bite to eat. Having low blood sugar made me the type of person that thinks of that first when there is so much else to think about!
It was sort of a good thing I planned a meal for shortly before midnight, too, because........
How It Started:
After I spoke to the doctor, we went out to see a movie. (The King's Speech - EXCELLENT movie!) Twice during the movie I had really strong contractions, and also another smaller one. I had jokingly told my belly about the surgery the following day and said "last call!" Well, it looked like little Hannah took me seriously and started doing everything she could to get out on her own!
After the movie, we picked Abby up from school and then took her out to dinner to an Irish Pub that she discovered the day before when we were hunting for a place to grab a bite. After dinner, I took Abby to the restroom and discovered I was about to be in a mess of trouble if we didn't get going -- NOW!
TMI WARNING! Skip the next paragraph if you're feeling ultra-proper and don't want to hear THAT much detail!
It turned out that I was beginning to have what is referred to as a "bloody show." While it wasn't THAT bad, it was still quite apparent when I wiped and I was wearing white pants - so I didn't have a choice in the matter. I NEEDED to get out of there, PRONTO!
I bolted out to tell Marti we had to go and that there was no time to finish his Guinness. Not knowing that this sign I was observing wasn't a BIG deal yet, he looked a little panicked! I talked him down, I stopped and got gas on the way home, and then we began waiting.
I probably only had 3 contractions during the 7:00 hour, but then they started picking up. They got closer and closer, as well as MUCH more painful. More "signs" like before that my body was really, really getting ready this time, and I was convinced that this was really going to happen!
Eventually, Marti went to bed and asked if I was coming. I don't think he grasped the magnitude of what I was feeling and was oblivious to the fact that there was NO WAY I was going to be able to sleep through these contractions. Furthermore, if I was getting contractions, HE would not be able to sleep through them either, so there was NO point in my coming to bed.
As labor progressed, I tracked and timed and paced and panted. As soon as I'd find a comfortable position to ride out a contraction, another one would come that needed a different position. I'm sure if my blinds were open and if the neighbors saw me, they'd wonder what the heck I was doing!!!
I woke Marti up and told him that there was a strong possibility that he'd need to take me to the hospital soon and he might want to get up and get dressed just in case. He didn't think it was that urgent and went back to sleep - even though I tried to remind him that he'd need to get himself dressed, get Abby up at least, if not dressed, get her in the car, and get the suitcase in the car when the actual moment of panic arrived.
Eventually, I reached that magic hour where I had been having regular contractions every 3-5 minutes -- more so sneaking up on 3 minutes and even less occasionally! (Those 1 minute intervals were a little scary!)
I woke Marti again and told him I was fairly certain this was it, and even if it wasn't, I still needed to go to the hospital. NOW. We loaded up, called my mom and Ron to meet us at the hospital to take Abby for us, and headed on our way.
The Hospital (AKA "It's Official!")
He dropped me at the front door and waited for me to get in before getting back into the car to park it. I made my way up to the women's center with not one person coming to my aid, and then walked my own ass back to "Triage Room #6, back around to your left" with the same level of nonchalance. Did I look that calm that nobody came running with a wheel chair, insisting I sit, if for no other reason than "hospital regulations????" That was an odd moment, especially since I called on our way down there and they knew I was coming, but I did make my way back to the room and a nurse immediately met me to help me into the room and get prepped.
She was pleasant and helpful and whisked me right through the remaining check in procedures. (I thankfully had pre-registered at the urging of Marti AND my HR department at work. Thanks guys, for the prodding!) They assured me that I was, in fact, in full on labor and this baby was coming!
It wasn't long before they got me my own nurse and a real Labor and Delivery Room. Everything was great and after taking some measurements, I was THRILLED to hear labor was progressing quite well all by itself this time without any special interventions.
As the contractions got worse (coupled with Marti announcing the numerical levels they were reaching on the monitor), I was convinced I was finally close to being ready for an epidural. The nurse had asked me a few times if I was ready, but I wanted to ride out the contractions, without the risk of the labor-stalling epidural, for as long as I could stand it.
I heard some talk in the hall about how busy the anesthesiologist was, so that played a part in my agreeing to get it done at the time I had agreed to get it. It turned out to be a good thing I gave in to that a little earlier than I thought I would have, because by the time she arrived and was ready to put it in, I was nearly writhing in pain during the contractions! I am glad I didn't end up in one of those situations where it was TOO LATE to get an epidural!!!
Also, I was sooooo pleased with the epidural this time! It took effect in about 10 minutes and before I knew it, people were looking at the monitor and asking me, "Did you feel that?" Funny thing was, I could still move my legs (and COULD pretty much the entire time), but I couldn't feel any of the contractions any more. If I did feel anything, I really just felt like when the baby moved around in my belly. So, I wasn't completely numb or paralyzed, but I was not in any sort of pain AT ALL at that point either. It was AWESOME!
Oh, back to the low fluid level that led me to schedule the 1:30PM C-section. It turns out that when the nurse was checking me, she discovered that the amniotic sack was actually BULGING! So, not only was the fluid level not a danger, it turned out that it was JUST FINE! Had labor not started, I could have continued through that last week without worrying about that risk. However, there is no way we could have known that if labor had NOT started, so it's a moot point.
Anyway, I was at about 4cm at that point with every indication that I was still progressing. I was one happy lady! I was going to get my VBAC after all!!!!
Or, so I thought! Things slowed a little, so I was offered pitocin. I was dead set against it originally because I thought it sort of caused the events leading to my needing a C-section to get Abby out. But, since I had already resigned myself to a C-section the previous afternoon, I figured what was the worst that could happen? I go through with the plan from the day before and I still have a chance at a VBAC in the mean time.
Up went the bag of pitocin, and my contractions really picked up. I was feeling a little pain, but it was manageable and I thought that's just how it had to be since everyone says pitocin contractions are the worst!!! Plus, last time I was holding back on the epidural as much as possible since it was stalling my labor, so I felt WAY more of my contractions with Abby than I should have. The nurse was NOT happy with me and assured me that I could bump up my epidural and not feel ANY pain the entire delivery. And if I was not feeling pain, labor could progress better, so just push the button and stop being a hero. (She didn't put it that way, but I felt that vibe. She was great!)
Things picked up, and not long after getting the news that I was at 7cm, I was given the news that I was at 8 cm and was going to deliver this baby BEFORE the C-section appointment time (1:30 PM for those of you that skimmed, have short term memory issues, or can't keep up with my rambling). I don't know what happened, but, for all intents and purposes, at that point everything stopped.I didn't know it was over at that point, so I kept waiting/trying.
We were waiting for the baby's head to move over into position before breaking my water. IF they broke the water before then, since the baby's head wasn't fully engaged yet, there was a risk of the cord slipping out the gap and that would cause problems I don't even want to think of! So, we waited, and waited, and waited... My water eventually broke as I was lying there, but...
Baby's head STILL did NOT engage! I was still 8cm, cervix still "soft and stretchy" and ready to go when baby got with the program, but she was not cooperating for some reason. Also, my cervix had been starting to get swollen during all this time, and that posed a whole new set of issues. The nurse brought in a big peanut shaped yoga ball thingy to put between my knees. Apparently, being in that position allows the hips to open up a little more, and in theory would help move the baby down into place.
What it really did was immediately send the baby into distress!!! In the span of about 3 seconds flat, the two nurses that were trying to position me were joined by what must have been every nurse on the entire floor! They came running out of nowhere and into my room asking if they could help. An oxygen mask was put on my face and all the while, Marti was watching this and still wondering what the hell just happened! I had no idea either, so I couldn't do anything to calm his nerves. We just "stood back" and let them do their thing to try to help the baby get over whatever just happened. I didn't want to ask or freak out because a nurse that could be trying to resolve the issue having to stop to talk to me would NOT improve the situation. I always tell my friends that I am not the "come to me and cry on my shoulder" friend, but the "settle down and what are we going to do to fix this" friend. I guess since I did the same thing for myself in this situation, it shows I can walk the walk in that sense, as well as talk the talk. I'm pretty proud of Marti and myself for remaining calm and letting them do what they came to do without any interruptions from us. I mean, you see these TV shows and movies where the parents are freaking out and they have to be dragged from the room. The doctors are just trying to do their thing, and they have to waste precious moments calming or even working around the parents. I did not want to be one of those parents at a time like this and have any of the lost seconds be the ones that "could have" changed the outcome of the situation.
My doctor came rushing back in to see me. Her office is right across the street and they have monitors in the office to see exactly the same thing the nurses in the hospital see in my room or at their station. It turns out that even though flat on your back is NOT a good position during pregnancy, and especially during late pregnancy, that is the position I was in for most of my labor -- and it was also the position that baby did the best in! Go figure! When they put me on my side to try the peanut ball, THAT'S when the baby went into distress!
Since you are reading that Hannah arrived, you know they got it all worked out and nothing bad happened in the process. Her head, however, did NOT move to where it needed to be, and I remained at 8cm ALL AFTERNOON!
The time had come to just sign the paper and get her out. I could feel the disappointment in my nurse, Robbie, as she was REALLY rooting for me to get my VBAC and have a great experience doing so. But, I had been "here" before and just couldn't stomach the idea of even another hour wasted on another fruitless labor.
For some reason, I got REALLY cold when they were prepping me for surgery, so I literally COULD NOT EVEN SIGN MY NAME on the form! It was funny and disturbing at the same time. I was shaking SO badly that I ended up just scribbling on the form just to get it done. It was not even pretending to be a signature. I should go get a copy of that form just for kicks to see if it's as bad as I remember.
Actually, I had forgotten that I spiked a fever RIGHT before surgery, so I guess that could have contributed to the shivery episode.
I knew I was only going to get colder once we got to the operating room -- it always does -- but there was nothing I could do about it. Also, the drugs they had/were giving me, along with having been in labor since 10:00 PM and not eating since 12:00AM, suddenly resulted in my barely being able to keep my eyes open. The doctor that was assisting my OB/GYN, "Phil," was very friendly and talkative. He was trying to engage me in conversation either just for the sake of being friendly, or maybe to try to relax me so I'd stop trembling uncontrolably. I finally had to tell him I didn't mean to be rude, but I was so exhausted that I had nothing to say in reply to his chatting, and appologized for the one word answers he'd been getting from me. My fatigue was so bad that I was seriously afraid I was going to fall asleep and miss the whole thing! I thought maybe I could look up and see the reflection of the surgery in the huge light above my bed, but they changed them since Abby was delivered and rather than acting as a mirror of sorts, the view was obscured beyond recognition this time.
I felt bad for not being on a high and not jumping for joy when she arrived, but I was so uncontrollably tired! Don't get me wrong, I was over the moon when I heard her cry for the first time! But I think what happened was I was so fatigued from all the severe shivering and shaking I was doing the entire time in surgery, plus all the other factors listed above, AND the immense sense of relief that it was finally over and she made it into our lives for real!
Marti took some pictures in the delivery room, but nobody offered to take one of the three of us together with the baby like last time -- and like just about every parent under the sun has in their baby albums. I remember them offering when Abby was born, but maybe I just assumed it would eventually happen, or I was too tired to even think to ask. Marti took some pictures over the curtain, but his timing and aim was not what it was when Abby was born and you can't even see the baby in the pictures. However, I've really gotta give him credit for having his head on straight enough to consider not wanting to interrupt their work or intrude on what they were doing! I noticed the camera kept flashing, but didn't have the energy to tell him how to turn the flash off. I was in a daze. Just think if he would have flashed it in the eyes of one or more of the doctors while they were working on me. I'd rather err on the side of caution, too! So, "Bravo" to Marti for being safe rather than sorry.
He got lots of pictures of the baby getting cleaned up and weighed. I was amazed at how blue she looked in the pictures when I flipped through the camera later! It was no big deal and she still got high apgar scores, although I don't remember exactly what they were now that I think of it. I just remember hearing them talk and being happy to hear what they said.
Eventually they finished collecting the cord blood and closing me up. They took the baby from Marti and had me hold her as we went to a recovery room. Marti said he could hold her and they insisted the mother must hold the baby. I have no idea what THAT was all about, but if I were Marti, I'd be a little miffed about that.
Recovery:
We arrived in the recovery room and were greeted by my mom and Ron with Abby, as well as Marti's mom and Jim. It was getting late and they had all been there for quite a while waiting out labor in the other room with us. We gave Abby her presents and were still waiting for them to let her ring the lullaby bell to announce to the entire hospital that another baby had been born. Eventually, they declared me recovered - from the fever or the surgery? I don't remember. But they moved me to a regular room and we finally got to settle in.
I had plans of sitting around with the baby on my chest, skin to skin, immediately after delivery, but that never happened -- perhaps because I was recovering from that fever still, perhaps because I spent so much of that time still shivering uncontrollably, perhaps because the nurse was busy entering my vitals and whatnot into the computer, perhaps because nobody wanted to kick our families out of the room or expose me in front of the crowd, or perhaps because nobody remembered that's what I wanted to do and I was, once again, too tired to ask for it. It's all a blur now, but I do remember it being entirely different than last time and also nothing like I had planned for.
Was the delivery experience everything I hoped for? Not really, but I'm SO over it. I think by having THOUGHT for the entire day prior that I was going to get a C-section helped me to let go of my plans and just let it happen however it was going to happen. In the end, ALL that matters is Hannah is here now and we're all doing just fine as we find our new routine as a family of four.
A lot more has happened in the days following her birth, but I'll save that for another post. For now, that's the BEYOND INCREDIBLY LONG version of everything I can remember of Hannah's birthday, which coincidentally is the same as my maternal great-grandmother. See! I TOLD you she was going to land on someone else's birthday! ; )
That is the short of it.
And now for the long version that I am so famous for. : )
Some History:
As you all know by now, I was determined to give her a solid 2 weeks past her due date to finish at her own pace. Her "end date" (eviction via C-Section) changed a few times in the process, but we eventually agreed to Saturday, April 9 -- and that was close enough for me. My doctor was VERY nervous about going that far as it was. When I asked her about waiting until the 11th, she said she can't go past the 2 weeks. Since the 10th was a Sunday, she said she'd schedule me for her on call day (Saturday) instead of the 7th, which is where it was moved to when the 8th was all booked up. (Are you following all this jumping around on the calendar???)
So, we thought we were set for April 9, and since I was officially going to go at least a week past my due date unless something happened, she had me schedule the BPP ultrasound to check things out while I was waiting that last week or so.
The Day Before the Big Event:
Monday morning came and we all (Marti, my mom and Ron, and I) filed in to the room for the sonogram. As crowded as it was in there (my uterus, not the procedure room, ha ha!), we were still able to get a sneak peak at Hanna's face when the tech turned the machine on to 3D. She took some measurements of the baby as well as everything around her to make sure she was doing ok in there and not "going downhill" as the pregnancy dragged on.
The only thing she noted that could be a problem was the fluid level. (More on that later!) She said it was a 6 (or something like that) and they like to see it over 10. Under 5 is a problem, so she said I fell into that gray area in between and called in the doctor as well as had my doctor notified.
They put me on the heartbeat and uterine monitors again and said the baby looked beautiful based on those readings. I saw the strip that came out of the machine and there was NOTHING going on in the contraction department. Nothing. Not even a blip or contraction that showed up but I didn't feel, as happens almost every other time I was monitored in my last few weeks.
I went home and waited for my doctor to call, knowing what the low fluid reading was going to mean. She was already nervous before this. Surely she would want to get me in that day or the next! I was worried about having just eaten, so I wasn't sure if she could even DO surgery on me so soon. When she called, I recognized her voice and we spoke of my options. After standing my ground for so long, I was amazingly peaceful about relenting and scheduling the C-section for the following afternoon. There was a real reason to relent, so she didn't need to convince me. I was already ready to cut the risks and get this baby into my arms.
She scheduled the surgery for 1:30 the following afternoon and gave me instructions on what to do and when to be where. I immediately started planning my last meal since I would have to go from midnight that night until 1:30 the following afternoon without a bite to eat. Having low blood sugar made me the type of person that thinks of that first when there is so much else to think about!
It was sort of a good thing I planned a meal for shortly before midnight, too, because........
How It Started:
After I spoke to the doctor, we went out to see a movie. (The King's Speech - EXCELLENT movie!) Twice during the movie I had really strong contractions, and also another smaller one. I had jokingly told my belly about the surgery the following day and said "last call!" Well, it looked like little Hannah took me seriously and started doing everything she could to get out on her own!
After the movie, we picked Abby up from school and then took her out to dinner to an Irish Pub that she discovered the day before when we were hunting for a place to grab a bite. After dinner, I took Abby to the restroom and discovered I was about to be in a mess of trouble if we didn't get going -- NOW!
TMI WARNING! Skip the next paragraph if you're feeling ultra-proper and don't want to hear THAT much detail!
It turned out that I was beginning to have what is referred to as a "bloody show." While it wasn't THAT bad, it was still quite apparent when I wiped and I was wearing white pants - so I didn't have a choice in the matter. I NEEDED to get out of there, PRONTO!
I bolted out to tell Marti we had to go and that there was no time to finish his Guinness. Not knowing that this sign I was observing wasn't a BIG deal yet, he looked a little panicked! I talked him down, I stopped and got gas on the way home, and then we began waiting.
I probably only had 3 contractions during the 7:00 hour, but then they started picking up. They got closer and closer, as well as MUCH more painful. More "signs" like before that my body was really, really getting ready this time, and I was convinced that this was really going to happen!
Eventually, Marti went to bed and asked if I was coming. I don't think he grasped the magnitude of what I was feeling and was oblivious to the fact that there was NO WAY I was going to be able to sleep through these contractions. Furthermore, if I was getting contractions, HE would not be able to sleep through them either, so there was NO point in my coming to bed.
As labor progressed, I tracked and timed and paced and panted. As soon as I'd find a comfortable position to ride out a contraction, another one would come that needed a different position. I'm sure if my blinds were open and if the neighbors saw me, they'd wonder what the heck I was doing!!!
I woke Marti up and told him that there was a strong possibility that he'd need to take me to the hospital soon and he might want to get up and get dressed just in case. He didn't think it was that urgent and went back to sleep - even though I tried to remind him that he'd need to get himself dressed, get Abby up at least, if not dressed, get her in the car, and get the suitcase in the car when the actual moment of panic arrived.
Eventually, I reached that magic hour where I had been having regular contractions every 3-5 minutes -- more so sneaking up on 3 minutes and even less occasionally! (Those 1 minute intervals were a little scary!)
I woke Marti again and told him I was fairly certain this was it, and even if it wasn't, I still needed to go to the hospital. NOW. We loaded up, called my mom and Ron to meet us at the hospital to take Abby for us, and headed on our way.
The Hospital (AKA "It's Official!")
He dropped me at the front door and waited for me to get in before getting back into the car to park it. I made my way up to the women's center with not one person coming to my aid, and then walked my own ass back to "Triage Room #6, back around to your left" with the same level of nonchalance. Did I look that calm that nobody came running with a wheel chair, insisting I sit, if for no other reason than "hospital regulations????" That was an odd moment, especially since I called on our way down there and they knew I was coming, but I did make my way back to the room and a nurse immediately met me to help me into the room and get prepped.
She was pleasant and helpful and whisked me right through the remaining check in procedures. (I thankfully had pre-registered at the urging of Marti AND my HR department at work. Thanks guys, for the prodding!) They assured me that I was, in fact, in full on labor and this baby was coming!
It wasn't long before they got me my own nurse and a real Labor and Delivery Room. Everything was great and after taking some measurements, I was THRILLED to hear labor was progressing quite well all by itself this time without any special interventions.
As the contractions got worse (coupled with Marti announcing the numerical levels they were reaching on the monitor), I was convinced I was finally close to being ready for an epidural. The nurse had asked me a few times if I was ready, but I wanted to ride out the contractions, without the risk of the labor-stalling epidural, for as long as I could stand it.
I heard some talk in the hall about how busy the anesthesiologist was, so that played a part in my agreeing to get it done at the time I had agreed to get it. It turned out to be a good thing I gave in to that a little earlier than I thought I would have, because by the time she arrived and was ready to put it in, I was nearly writhing in pain during the contractions! I am glad I didn't end up in one of those situations where it was TOO LATE to get an epidural!!!
Also, I was sooooo pleased with the epidural this time! It took effect in about 10 minutes and before I knew it, people were looking at the monitor and asking me, "Did you feel that?" Funny thing was, I could still move my legs (and COULD pretty much the entire time), but I couldn't feel any of the contractions any more. If I did feel anything, I really just felt like when the baby moved around in my belly. So, I wasn't completely numb or paralyzed, but I was not in any sort of pain AT ALL at that point either. It was AWESOME!
Oh, back to the low fluid level that led me to schedule the 1:30PM C-section. It turns out that when the nurse was checking me, she discovered that the amniotic sack was actually BULGING! So, not only was the fluid level not a danger, it turned out that it was JUST FINE! Had labor not started, I could have continued through that last week without worrying about that risk. However, there is no way we could have known that if labor had NOT started, so it's a moot point.
Anyway, I was at about 4cm at that point with every indication that I was still progressing. I was one happy lady! I was going to get my VBAC after all!!!!
Or, so I thought! Things slowed a little, so I was offered pitocin. I was dead set against it originally because I thought it sort of caused the events leading to my needing a C-section to get Abby out. But, since I had already resigned myself to a C-section the previous afternoon, I figured what was the worst that could happen? I go through with the plan from the day before and I still have a chance at a VBAC in the mean time.
Up went the bag of pitocin, and my contractions really picked up. I was feeling a little pain, but it was manageable and I thought that's just how it had to be since everyone says pitocin contractions are the worst!!! Plus, last time I was holding back on the epidural as much as possible since it was stalling my labor, so I felt WAY more of my contractions with Abby than I should have. The nurse was NOT happy with me and assured me that I could bump up my epidural and not feel ANY pain the entire delivery. And if I was not feeling pain, labor could progress better, so just push the button and stop being a hero. (She didn't put it that way, but I felt that vibe. She was great!)
Things picked up, and not long after getting the news that I was at 7cm, I was given the news that I was at 8 cm and was going to deliver this baby BEFORE the C-section appointment time (1:30 PM for those of you that skimmed, have short term memory issues, or can't keep up with my rambling). I don't know what happened, but, for all intents and purposes, at that point everything stopped.I didn't know it was over at that point, so I kept waiting/trying.
We were waiting for the baby's head to move over into position before breaking my water. IF they broke the water before then, since the baby's head wasn't fully engaged yet, there was a risk of the cord slipping out the gap and that would cause problems I don't even want to think of! So, we waited, and waited, and waited... My water eventually broke as I was lying there, but...
Baby's head STILL did NOT engage! I was still 8cm, cervix still "soft and stretchy" and ready to go when baby got with the program, but she was not cooperating for some reason. Also, my cervix had been starting to get swollen during all this time, and that posed a whole new set of issues. The nurse brought in a big peanut shaped yoga ball thingy to put between my knees. Apparently, being in that position allows the hips to open up a little more, and in theory would help move the baby down into place.
What it really did was immediately send the baby into distress!!! In the span of about 3 seconds flat, the two nurses that were trying to position me were joined by what must have been every nurse on the entire floor! They came running out of nowhere and into my room asking if they could help. An oxygen mask was put on my face and all the while, Marti was watching this and still wondering what the hell just happened! I had no idea either, so I couldn't do anything to calm his nerves. We just "stood back" and let them do their thing to try to help the baby get over whatever just happened. I didn't want to ask or freak out because a nurse that could be trying to resolve the issue having to stop to talk to me would NOT improve the situation. I always tell my friends that I am not the "come to me and cry on my shoulder" friend, but the "settle down and what are we going to do to fix this" friend. I guess since I did the same thing for myself in this situation, it shows I can walk the walk in that sense, as well as talk the talk. I'm pretty proud of Marti and myself for remaining calm and letting them do what they came to do without any interruptions from us. I mean, you see these TV shows and movies where the parents are freaking out and they have to be dragged from the room. The doctors are just trying to do their thing, and they have to waste precious moments calming or even working around the parents. I did not want to be one of those parents at a time like this and have any of the lost seconds be the ones that "could have" changed the outcome of the situation.
My doctor came rushing back in to see me. Her office is right across the street and they have monitors in the office to see exactly the same thing the nurses in the hospital see in my room or at their station. It turns out that even though flat on your back is NOT a good position during pregnancy, and especially during late pregnancy, that is the position I was in for most of my labor -- and it was also the position that baby did the best in! Go figure! When they put me on my side to try the peanut ball, THAT'S when the baby went into distress!
Since you are reading that Hannah arrived, you know they got it all worked out and nothing bad happened in the process. Her head, however, did NOT move to where it needed to be, and I remained at 8cm ALL AFTERNOON!
The time had come to just sign the paper and get her out. I could feel the disappointment in my nurse, Robbie, as she was REALLY rooting for me to get my VBAC and have a great experience doing so. But, I had been "here" before and just couldn't stomach the idea of even another hour wasted on another fruitless labor.
For some reason, I got REALLY cold when they were prepping me for surgery, so I literally COULD NOT EVEN SIGN MY NAME on the form! It was funny and disturbing at the same time. I was shaking SO badly that I ended up just scribbling on the form just to get it done. It was not even pretending to be a signature. I should go get a copy of that form just for kicks to see if it's as bad as I remember.
Actually, I had forgotten that I spiked a fever RIGHT before surgery, so I guess that could have contributed to the shivery episode.
I knew I was only going to get colder once we got to the operating room -- it always does -- but there was nothing I could do about it. Also, the drugs they had/were giving me, along with having been in labor since 10:00 PM and not eating since 12:00AM, suddenly resulted in my barely being able to keep my eyes open. The doctor that was assisting my OB/GYN, "Phil," was very friendly and talkative. He was trying to engage me in conversation either just for the sake of being friendly, or maybe to try to relax me so I'd stop trembling uncontrolably. I finally had to tell him I didn't mean to be rude, but I was so exhausted that I had nothing to say in reply to his chatting, and appologized for the one word answers he'd been getting from me. My fatigue was so bad that I was seriously afraid I was going to fall asleep and miss the whole thing! I thought maybe I could look up and see the reflection of the surgery in the huge light above my bed, but they changed them since Abby was delivered and rather than acting as a mirror of sorts, the view was obscured beyond recognition this time.
I felt bad for not being on a high and not jumping for joy when she arrived, but I was so uncontrollably tired! Don't get me wrong, I was over the moon when I heard her cry for the first time! But I think what happened was I was so fatigued from all the severe shivering and shaking I was doing the entire time in surgery, plus all the other factors listed above, AND the immense sense of relief that it was finally over and she made it into our lives for real!
Marti took some pictures in the delivery room, but nobody offered to take one of the three of us together with the baby like last time -- and like just about every parent under the sun has in their baby albums. I remember them offering when Abby was born, but maybe I just assumed it would eventually happen, or I was too tired to even think to ask. Marti took some pictures over the curtain, but his timing and aim was not what it was when Abby was born and you can't even see the baby in the pictures. However, I've really gotta give him credit for having his head on straight enough to consider not wanting to interrupt their work or intrude on what they were doing! I noticed the camera kept flashing, but didn't have the energy to tell him how to turn the flash off. I was in a daze. Just think if he would have flashed it in the eyes of one or more of the doctors while they were working on me. I'd rather err on the side of caution, too! So, "Bravo" to Marti for being safe rather than sorry.
He got lots of pictures of the baby getting cleaned up and weighed. I was amazed at how blue she looked in the pictures when I flipped through the camera later! It was no big deal and she still got high apgar scores, although I don't remember exactly what they were now that I think of it. I just remember hearing them talk and being happy to hear what they said.
Eventually they finished collecting the cord blood and closing me up. They took the baby from Marti and had me hold her as we went to a recovery room. Marti said he could hold her and they insisted the mother must hold the baby. I have no idea what THAT was all about, but if I were Marti, I'd be a little miffed about that.
Recovery:
We arrived in the recovery room and were greeted by my mom and Ron with Abby, as well as Marti's mom and Jim. It was getting late and they had all been there for quite a while waiting out labor in the other room with us. We gave Abby her presents and were still waiting for them to let her ring the lullaby bell to announce to the entire hospital that another baby had been born. Eventually, they declared me recovered - from the fever or the surgery? I don't remember. But they moved me to a regular room and we finally got to settle in.
I had plans of sitting around with the baby on my chest, skin to skin, immediately after delivery, but that never happened -- perhaps because I was recovering from that fever still, perhaps because I spent so much of that time still shivering uncontrollably, perhaps because the nurse was busy entering my vitals and whatnot into the computer, perhaps because nobody wanted to kick our families out of the room or expose me in front of the crowd, or perhaps because nobody remembered that's what I wanted to do and I was, once again, too tired to ask for it. It's all a blur now, but I do remember it being entirely different than last time and also nothing like I had planned for.
Was the delivery experience everything I hoped for? Not really, but I'm SO over it. I think by having THOUGHT for the entire day prior that I was going to get a C-section helped me to let go of my plans and just let it happen however it was going to happen. In the end, ALL that matters is Hannah is here now and we're all doing just fine as we find our new routine as a family of four.
A lot more has happened in the days following her birth, but I'll save that for another post. For now, that's the BEYOND INCREDIBLY LONG version of everything I can remember of Hannah's birthday, which coincidentally is the same as my maternal great-grandmother. See! I TOLD you she was going to land on someone else's birthday! ; )
Sunday, April 3, 2011
We Will See Our Baby Tomorrow!
One way or another, we will see our baby tomorrow before lunch!
Either I go into labor and HAVE this baby, or we get another ultrasound for a Biophysical Profile (BPP) to make sure everything is still going ok in there. (Read more about that in section #4 here.) I still get the twice-weekly NST monitoring, but this is a little more in depth, so it will be reasuring to see that before I head into this last week of waiting.
I really don't feel a thing right now, so I doubt things will get started, but we can still hope. I have about a week left until her eviction date.
Until then, I've been resting a lot and eating a lot to try to stay ready for "go time" if/when it happens on its own. Sometimes walking is uncomfortable, and other times not, so I really have no idea if there has been any progress since Thursday's "lack of progress" report.
TMI warning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No, really. T.M.I. WAY too much info. I promise you that you do not want to read this part. Stop here. Really.
Yesterday I think I lost some of my mucus plug. It wasn't as gross as some pictures I've seen on the internet, but it was clearly not something I expected to see on that trip to the bathroom. Blech! BUT, it IS relevant, so into the baby blog it goes.
While that doesn't mean that labor WILL start, as some women lose theirs WEEKS before delivering, it was still promising to see SOMETHING happening.
I also spent a large part of Friday nesting in the nursery, so that could also be a sign if you're really searching for signs.
Either I go into labor and HAVE this baby, or we get another ultrasound for a Biophysical Profile (BPP) to make sure everything is still going ok in there. (Read more about that in section #4 here.) I still get the twice-weekly NST monitoring, but this is a little more in depth, so it will be reasuring to see that before I head into this last week of waiting.
I really don't feel a thing right now, so I doubt things will get started, but we can still hope. I have about a week left until her eviction date.
Until then, I've been resting a lot and eating a lot to try to stay ready for "go time" if/when it happens on its own. Sometimes walking is uncomfortable, and other times not, so I really have no idea if there has been any progress since Thursday's "lack of progress" report.
TMI warning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No, really. T.M.I. WAY too much info. I promise you that you do not want to read this part. Stop here. Really.
Yesterday I think I lost some of my mucus plug. It wasn't as gross as some pictures I've seen on the internet, but it was clearly not something I expected to see on that trip to the bathroom. Blech! BUT, it IS relevant, so into the baby blog it goes.
While that doesn't mean that labor WILL start, as some women lose theirs WEEKS before delivering, it was still promising to see SOMETHING happening.
I also spent a large part of Friday nesting in the nursery, so that could also be a sign if you're really searching for signs.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
No April Fools Baby
It looks like we managed to make it through all of March and skip the April Fools birthday possibility. (Sorry, Charlee!!! [Charlee is my April Fools baby cousin. She's not a baby anymore at 16!!!])
Now we're moving on to see who else's birthday we can hit in April! It's weird to think that if she doesn't come on her own, then in exactly one week at this time, I will be checking in to the hospital to have her taken out with the knife. Eeeeeep!
I was nesting in the nursery almost all day yesterday, and then I was pretty uncomfortable at night, so I thoght there was a chance things could get started. I guess it was mostly the baby moving around and not actual contractions. She was hitting me REALLY low though, so I thought with all the headbutts to my cervix, SOMETHING would have come of it. No such luck. I'm sitting here just as comfortable as can be today. No contractions whatsoever all night after I went to be, or even now.
I'm thinking about researching old wives tales for advice on "sure fire ways" to start labor. (Preferably ones that don't make me start vomiting violently and having "other intestinal issues" to go along with it! LOL at that story, "R!")
So, other than putting Marti back to work on "filling that prescription" the doctor gave us, does anyone have any advice for me this week?
Now we're moving on to see who else's birthday we can hit in April! It's weird to think that if she doesn't come on her own, then in exactly one week at this time, I will be checking in to the hospital to have her taken out with the knife. Eeeeeep!
I was nesting in the nursery almost all day yesterday, and then I was pretty uncomfortable at night, so I thoght there was a chance things could get started. I guess it was mostly the baby moving around and not actual contractions. She was hitting me REALLY low though, so I thought with all the headbutts to my cervix, SOMETHING would have come of it. No such luck. I'm sitting here just as comfortable as can be today. No contractions whatsoever all night after I went to be, or even now.
I'm thinking about researching old wives tales for advice on "sure fire ways" to start labor. (Preferably ones that don't make me start vomiting violently and having "other intestinal issues" to go along with it! LOL at that story, "R!")
So, other than putting Marti back to work on "filling that prescription" the doctor gave us, does anyone have any advice for me this week?
Friday, April 1, 2011
Just Waiting
Nothing seems to be happening yet. We're still just waiting.
Marti just went to work. I told him I'd call him if anything happened. His response? "Please do."
I wondered if he meant "Please do" to mean "Please let something happen" or if he was just being silly and emphasizing that I really do need to call him if anything happens. (As if I'd just sit here and not call him!!!) He meant that he wanted something to happen.
Hmmmm. Last time he checked, he was adamant about not wanting an April Fools Day baby. Not that I see that as a problem. I have a very sweet and bright cousin who would share this birthday with our little one, and the birthday has suited her fine all these 16 years. If it's good enough for her, then why not my little one?
Well, there is that little thing about my wanting her to have her very own birthday, so I guess he's got me on that one.
Funny, the date we picked for the c-section is Marti's ex-fiance's birthday and the wedding date for my first marriage. (Whoopsie!!!) Good thing there are no really horrible memories hanging over from either of those relationships though. I can live with both of those coincidences. But, that's not going to matter anyway because this baby is going to come on her own BEFORE next Saturday!
I told Marti he should take me downtown and find the fastest elevator Phoenix has, shoot me UP to the top floor and then let me stomp down the stairs -- over and over until gravity, inertia, and momentum take their toll on my uncooperative lady bits and labor starts.
What was funny about that is, while we were having that conversation, my in-laws called me and informed me that they had Abby on a little bungee jumping contraption at the mini golf place and thought that I should be there to give it a try to see if it would help me at all. Great minds think alike!
Marti just went to work. I told him I'd call him if anything happened. His response? "Please do."
I wondered if he meant "Please do" to mean "Please let something happen" or if he was just being silly and emphasizing that I really do need to call him if anything happens. (As if I'd just sit here and not call him!!!) He meant that he wanted something to happen.
Hmmmm. Last time he checked, he was adamant about not wanting an April Fools Day baby. Not that I see that as a problem. I have a very sweet and bright cousin who would share this birthday with our little one, and the birthday has suited her fine all these 16 years. If it's good enough for her, then why not my little one?
Well, there is that little thing about my wanting her to have her very own birthday, so I guess he's got me on that one.
Funny, the date we picked for the c-section is Marti's ex-fiance's birthday and the wedding date for my first marriage. (Whoopsie!!!) Good thing there are no really horrible memories hanging over from either of those relationships though. I can live with both of those coincidences. But, that's not going to matter anyway because this baby is going to come on her own BEFORE next Saturday!
I told Marti he should take me downtown and find the fastest elevator Phoenix has, shoot me UP to the top floor and then let me stomp down the stairs -- over and over until gravity, inertia, and momentum take their toll on my uncooperative lady bits and labor starts.
What was funny about that is, while we were having that conversation, my in-laws called me and informed me that they had Abby on a little bungee jumping contraption at the mini golf place and thought that I should be there to give it a try to see if it would help me at all. Great minds think alike!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Official C-Section Date Set
I saw the OB/GYN today and set our official date for the c-section finally. Through the last couple of weeks, we waffled around a little, and finally agreed on Saturday, April 9 at 9:30 am. I check in at 7:30 am, so I don't have to go all day without eating, which is a plus! That is, unless she finally decides to get with the program and come out on her own!
As of today, her monitoring is looking good still. It is making my doctor nervous to wait so long to get her out, but I really want to give her the time to make it on her own. Comparing Abby's delivery with this one, tonight would be the night I begin contractions at midnight, followed by a failed induction tomorrow and a c-section on Saturday. So, I think waiting until NEXT Saturday for this all to happen on its own is still reasonable.
When she checked me today, I was still at 1 cm, 50% effaced, and in -3 station. I had some contractions during lunch yesterday, but then nothing happened after that. We were hoping that would be the start of something after she's been SO active this week, but no such luck.
Today after coming home from the doctor's office, I just took a nap and pretty much just got up!!!
TMI warning!!!!!!!!!!
Marti has been ordered to help get things started! The doctor said there are prostaglandins in semen that can soften the cervix and get things started. I told the doctor we had been refraining from that part of "the act" since we wanted to try to keep things tidy down there for her. She just giggled and shrugged.
So, for now, we have our orders, and we'll see how that works out.
As of today, her monitoring is looking good still. It is making my doctor nervous to wait so long to get her out, but I really want to give her the time to make it on her own. Comparing Abby's delivery with this one, tonight would be the night I begin contractions at midnight, followed by a failed induction tomorrow and a c-section on Saturday. So, I think waiting until NEXT Saturday for this all to happen on its own is still reasonable.
When she checked me today, I was still at 1 cm, 50% effaced, and in -3 station. I had some contractions during lunch yesterday, but then nothing happened after that. We were hoping that would be the start of something after she's been SO active this week, but no such luck.
Today after coming home from the doctor's office, I just took a nap and pretty much just got up!!!
TMI warning!!!!!!!!!!
Marti has been ordered to help get things started! The doctor said there are prostaglandins in semen that can soften the cervix and get things started. I told the doctor we had been refraining from that part of "the act" since we wanted to try to keep things tidy down there for her. She just giggled and shrugged.
So, for now, we have our orders, and we'll see how that works out.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Still Cooking
Not much is going on. We're still just waiting.
I've had a LOT of movement and I think she's trying to find a way out. We recently watched Jurasic Park on TV and they were talking about the velociraptors testing a different part of the electric fence every single time to try to find a weakness. Well, that is my baby right now. She is poking me EVERYWHERE! I swear, she's methodically checking every single square centimeter of space in there looking for the way out at this point.
I've had minimal discomfort and no real contractions to speak of. Of course, some still show up on the monitor on Mondays and Thursdays when they check me, but it's nothing I can really feel, and it's certainly not painful like a couple weeks ago.
The c-section date was moved to the 7th because the 8th was booked up already. I'm not quite content with that, so I'm going to ask my doctor tomorrow if she will change it to the 11th. That way I can give this baby 2 solid weeks of post-due date time to work out the bugs and come out on her own still. Two weeks late is not really late, technically.
And the 11th would be exactly the day after 2 weeks, so I feel that is fair enough.
People keep asking, so I'll say it again. No, we are not inducing. I do not want another pitocin fiasco like I had with Abby. She didn't respond well to that and they said my contractions were right on top of one another instead of spaced regularly. It sounds like neither of us responded well to it, actually!
So, she can come naturally, or we will evict her. But, pitocin will hopefully not be part of this equation.
I'm off work now and just spending time with family. Marti's dad and his wife are in town from New York and it's been nice not having to worry about work while they are here. Abby has really enjoyed swimming at their hotel with them, and we have one more day with them before they have to head home. Looks like they will be back this summer since the baby has not arrived yet.
I've had a LOT of movement and I think she's trying to find a way out. We recently watched Jurasic Park on TV and they were talking about the velociraptors testing a different part of the electric fence every single time to try to find a weakness. Well, that is my baby right now. She is poking me EVERYWHERE! I swear, she's methodically checking every single square centimeter of space in there looking for the way out at this point.
I've had minimal discomfort and no real contractions to speak of. Of course, some still show up on the monitor on Mondays and Thursdays when they check me, but it's nothing I can really feel, and it's certainly not painful like a couple weeks ago.
The c-section date was moved to the 7th because the 8th was booked up already. I'm not quite content with that, so I'm going to ask my doctor tomorrow if she will change it to the 11th. That way I can give this baby 2 solid weeks of post-due date time to work out the bugs and come out on her own still. Two weeks late is not really late, technically.
And the 11th would be exactly the day after 2 weeks, so I feel that is fair enough.
People keep asking, so I'll say it again. No, we are not inducing. I do not want another pitocin fiasco like I had with Abby. She didn't respond well to that and they said my contractions were right on top of one another instead of spaced regularly. It sounds like neither of us responded well to it, actually!
So, she can come naturally, or we will evict her. But, pitocin will hopefully not be part of this equation.
I'm off work now and just spending time with family. Marti's dad and his wife are in town from New York and it's been nice not having to worry about work while they are here. Abby has really enjoyed swimming at their hotel with them, and we have one more day with them before they have to head home. Looks like they will be back this summer since the baby has not arrived yet.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Belly Cast
I kind of had some fun and made a belly cast this time around. It came out pretty lumpy from the gauze bunching up a bit as I made it. Jess said get some help while doing it, but I was impatient and made it myself, so now I deal with that.
Since it wsn't sanding down, I decided to put some spackle on it to smooth it down a different way.
I've been sanding away at it between coats and I think it's finally smooth enough to paint. Abby wants to help and every time she sees me sanding, she asks if she can paint it yet. That should be fun, but I keep making her wait until it's dry and sanded -- and every time I think I'm done, I see one last thing I want to fix on it.
It was a bit odd taking a sanding block to my boobs but that part of the cast also needed to be just as smooth as the rest or it would have looked REALLY odd. Ha ha!!!
Marti jokes that I have to paint it realistic colors after all this work. I joke that I'm going to paint the boob part in a black and white cow print and then let Abby paint the belly whatever she wants to do it as.
Either way, I don't really know what it will look like or why I made it. It was just for kicks, so no matter how it turns out, it will have been fun.
Oh, I forgot one little detail. When I was making it, I put a clear plastic tarp down in the bathroom to catch any slop. Marti came home right after I'd finished, and although it was only white plaster slop, he still said it looked like a crime scene in our bathroom. I have to admit, it did make quite a drippy, plastery mess!
Since it wsn't sanding down, I decided to put some spackle on it to smooth it down a different way.
I've been sanding away at it between coats and I think it's finally smooth enough to paint. Abby wants to help and every time she sees me sanding, she asks if she can paint it yet. That should be fun, but I keep making her wait until it's dry and sanded -- and every time I think I'm done, I see one last thing I want to fix on it.
It was a bit odd taking a sanding block to my boobs but that part of the cast also needed to be just as smooth as the rest or it would have looked REALLY odd. Ha ha!!!
Marti jokes that I have to paint it realistic colors after all this work. I joke that I'm going to paint the boob part in a black and white cow print and then let Abby paint the belly whatever she wants to do it as.
Either way, I don't really know what it will look like or why I made it. It was just for kicks, so no matter how it turns out, it will have been fun.
Oh, I forgot one little detail. When I was making it, I put a clear plastic tarp down in the bathroom to catch any slop. Marti came home right after I'd finished, and although it was only white plaster slop, he still said it looked like a crime scene in our bathroom. I have to admit, it did make quite a drippy, plastery mess!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
To Hospital or Not To Hospital
I got a lot of questions as to if and when I was going to go to the hospital last Monday when I was having contractions. I forgot to address that in the original post, so I'll do that now.
First of all, I've said for a while now that my doctor said to labor at home as long as I can before heading in if I want to do a VBAC. The reason for this is that once I go in, they will want to hook me up to a monitor and I will no longer be able to move around. They will want to monitor me because I had a previous c-section.
Second, once you check in, they do not permit you to eat. 'Nuff said! And in case it's not enough, just know that I have low blood sugar and if I don't eat, I pass out. I need strength if I'm going to be able to do this.
Finally, I was told that once I get contractions every 3-5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute each, for about 2 hours sustained, and I'm not smiling through them anymore, then go ahead and head in. None of that happened, so I stayed home.
Of course, the nurses in the office asked about the usual leaking of amniotic fluid, blood, and the mysterious mucus plug. None of those had made an appearance either, so I never went to the hospital.
And, it turned out to be the right choice. Go figure.
It was a sucky day full of pain, but that's all it was. For those of you following along with all the details, here is an image of the paper we wrote down all the contractions on as they happened.
First of all, I've said for a while now that my doctor said to labor at home as long as I can before heading in if I want to do a VBAC. The reason for this is that once I go in, they will want to hook me up to a monitor and I will no longer be able to move around. They will want to monitor me because I had a previous c-section.
Second, once you check in, they do not permit you to eat. 'Nuff said! And in case it's not enough, just know that I have low blood sugar and if I don't eat, I pass out. I need strength if I'm going to be able to do this.
Finally, I was told that once I get contractions every 3-5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute each, for about 2 hours sustained, and I'm not smiling through them anymore, then go ahead and head in. None of that happened, so I stayed home.
Of course, the nurses in the office asked about the usual leaking of amniotic fluid, blood, and the mysterious mucus plug. None of those had made an appearance either, so I never went to the hospital.
And, it turned out to be the right choice. Go figure.
It was a sucky day full of pain, but that's all it was. For those of you following along with all the details, here is an image of the paper we wrote down all the contractions on as they happened.
Mah Belleh...
Call me crazy, but I love my belly right now! Maybe because I can hope/know it's temporary. Maybe because I know it's the last time FOR SURE that I will be pregnant. But I am embracing everything about this pregnancy as best as I can. It doesn't hurt that I get lots of comments on how NOT huge and bloated I am this time. I got a little big when I was pregnant with Abby, but this is ridiculous! (And pardon me for loving it!!!!!) I don't feel bad about it because I'm not staying small on purpose, but here, as I wind down this pregnancy, I am still just amazed at how well it's gone. And that I weigh less now than I did at the start of last year when I wasn't even pregnant!!!! Woo hoo for dumb luck!!!!!!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Update from 3/17 Ob/Gyn appointment
Nothing to report, really.
Doc thought I would have "ripened" from Monday's activities, but there are NO changes down there yet. So, we head into the weekend just playing it by ear again.
Luckily, after taking it easy on Tuesday, I regained my energy by Wednesday, so I'm doing well in that sense again. I went crazy nesting on Wednesday after work with some random tasks around the house that have been bugging me for quite a while.
I even made my belly cast finally while I waited for Marti to come home from work. I'm not sure what I'll actually DO with it now, but I have it. It's not something I could do later after the baby comes, so I wanted to make sure to get it while I still can. Maybe Abby and I can paint it later and then put it away to laugh at someday.
The "Super Moon" came and went with no reaction from my belly, so that was all a lot of hype. Whatever. I'm just glad Monday did not keep up all week like the nurse said could happen. It's nice to be rested for a fresh start if/when labor does start back up this week! I can't imagine going through that all week and THEN having to push a baby out!
My hips REALLY hurt right now, and my EARS hurt when I wake up in the morning! I spend all night flipping from one side to the other in hopes of giving my hips and ears a little break.
I hurt a little when I go to bed, so I guess I just move the pain around, depending on what time of day it is.
Doc thought I would have "ripened" from Monday's activities, but there are NO changes down there yet. So, we head into the weekend just playing it by ear again.
Luckily, after taking it easy on Tuesday, I regained my energy by Wednesday, so I'm doing well in that sense again. I went crazy nesting on Wednesday after work with some random tasks around the house that have been bugging me for quite a while.
I even made my belly cast finally while I waited for Marti to come home from work. I'm not sure what I'll actually DO with it now, but I have it. It's not something I could do later after the baby comes, so I wanted to make sure to get it while I still can. Maybe Abby and I can paint it later and then put it away to laugh at someday.
The "Super Moon" came and went with no reaction from my belly, so that was all a lot of hype. Whatever. I'm just glad Monday did not keep up all week like the nurse said could happen. It's nice to be rested for a fresh start if/when labor does start back up this week! I can't imagine going through that all week and THEN having to push a baby out!
My hips REALLY hurt right now, and my EARS hurt when I wake up in the morning! I spend all night flipping from one side to the other in hopes of giving my hips and ears a little break.
I hurt a little when I go to bed, so I guess I just move the pain around, depending on what time of day it is.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
False Labor
Monday morning I went in for my usual fetal monitoring and Vicky informed me that I was having contractions every 5 minutes! I could feel some of them and others went unnoticed by me, but they registered clearly on the monitor strip.
She checked the baby and said she is taking the contractions well, so just hang tight and see how it goes. Of course, she had the nurse practitioner check me out before I left and I had changed from 1 cm to 1.5 cm from Thursday before, and from 0% effaced to 50% effaced from the Thursday before. I had to mentally get ready for delivery after hearing all that! I was NOT ready to do this, and kept thinking to myself, "Not today. Not today!!!!"
I went home, and finally packed a bag. Then the contractions REALLY started in!!! Marti had me start writing them down so we could time them and the 10:00 hour was probably the worst. I could feel MANY contractions and had to remind myself to breathe through the pain. It was fine though, and they started and stopped fairly quickly instead of piling one on the other like when I had Abby. It was nice to get a break between contractions so I could recover a little!
As the day went on, I didn't want to be alone in case things picked up, so Marti sat with me and then my parents came over to stay with me. They picked up Abby and brought me some food since I hadn't eaten and was feeling weak. That thought scared me because I need strength to pull this off, but if I'm going to throw up, how am I going to eat? It was a catch-22! Luckily, Mom thought of cream of potato soup, and that hit the spot with no fall out!
Eventually, the contractions eased up and around 5pm, they were not nearly as severe and less frequent. Up until then, I could probably count on at least 6 per hour, so about every 10 minutes all day long.
I went to bed around 11pm when they had pretty much stopped, and the next day was completely uneventful except that I had to go back to work! It felt like I had gone through labor and SHOULD have delivered a baby, and then went to work the next day! SO UNFAIR!!! I joked that it felt like I had gotten mugged while running a marathon. I was sore and exhausted! I mean, how would you feel if someone spent about a minute punching you in the gut, EVERY ten minutes at least, for an entire day? I was SPENT!
She checked the baby and said she is taking the contractions well, so just hang tight and see how it goes. Of course, she had the nurse practitioner check me out before I left and I had changed from 1 cm to 1.5 cm from Thursday before, and from 0% effaced to 50% effaced from the Thursday before. I had to mentally get ready for delivery after hearing all that! I was NOT ready to do this, and kept thinking to myself, "Not today. Not today!!!!"
I went home, and finally packed a bag. Then the contractions REALLY started in!!! Marti had me start writing them down so we could time them and the 10:00 hour was probably the worst. I could feel MANY contractions and had to remind myself to breathe through the pain. It was fine though, and they started and stopped fairly quickly instead of piling one on the other like when I had Abby. It was nice to get a break between contractions so I could recover a little!
As the day went on, I didn't want to be alone in case things picked up, so Marti sat with me and then my parents came over to stay with me. They picked up Abby and brought me some food since I hadn't eaten and was feeling weak. That thought scared me because I need strength to pull this off, but if I'm going to throw up, how am I going to eat? It was a catch-22! Luckily, Mom thought of cream of potato soup, and that hit the spot with no fall out!
Eventually, the contractions eased up and around 5pm, they were not nearly as severe and less frequent. Up until then, I could probably count on at least 6 per hour, so about every 10 minutes all day long.
I went to bed around 11pm when they had pretty much stopped, and the next day was completely uneventful except that I had to go back to work! It felt like I had gone through labor and SHOULD have delivered a baby, and then went to work the next day! SO UNFAIR!!! I joked that it felt like I had gotten mugged while running a marathon. I was sore and exhausted! I mean, how would you feel if someone spent about a minute punching you in the gut, EVERY ten minutes at least, for an entire day? I was SPENT!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Big Sunday Agenda
1. Pack a bag for the hospital
2. Fill out pre-registration paperwork
3. Convince Marti I will absolutely DIE if we don't do cord blood banking for this baby, too
4. Clean up and organize nursery
5. BELLY CAST!!!! (Jess tells me every single strip is COLD!!!!)
2. Fill out pre-registration paperwork
3. Convince Marti I will absolutely DIE if we don't do cord blood banking for this baby, too
4. Clean up and organize nursery
5. BELLY CAST!!!! (Jess tells me every single strip is COLD!!!!)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
General Update
In general, I am starting to get very uncomfortable, but it's not unbearable yet.
I did have to get out of bed and sleep in a chair last night! It turns out that right about now, certain muscles and tissues in my body are loosening up to prepare for birth. Unfortunately, my cervix's sister -- the muscle or tissue that keeps my stomach closed -- is also loosening up! It leads to liquids in my belly leaking up into my throat at night when I sleep and it feels like I'm choking!
Not a good way to wake up -- over, and over, and over!
So, I resorted to the rocker last night. Let me tell you, it SUCKED! I did sleep, but at 3 am I woke up in so much pain! My joints were so stiff and I couldn't even turn my head to see what time it was.
At that point, I figured I had been upright long enough and crawled back into bed to lie down. That was great, except I still don't feel like I got enough sleep and there is a lot to do this weekend, so I'm up and trying to be awake now.
I feel a LOT of movement still and pressure down "south" now. I'm sure she's moving down lower as she gets ready to come out!
I still haven't packed my bag, but that's the big plan for this weekend. That, and organizing the nursery.
Other than that, it's same old, same old around the house.
Stay tuned!!!
I did have to get out of bed and sleep in a chair last night! It turns out that right about now, certain muscles and tissues in my body are loosening up to prepare for birth. Unfortunately, my cervix's sister -- the muscle or tissue that keeps my stomach closed -- is also loosening up! It leads to liquids in my belly leaking up into my throat at night when I sleep and it feels like I'm choking!
Not a good way to wake up -- over, and over, and over!
So, I resorted to the rocker last night. Let me tell you, it SUCKED! I did sleep, but at 3 am I woke up in so much pain! My joints were so stiff and I couldn't even turn my head to see what time it was.
At that point, I figured I had been upright long enough and crawled back into bed to lie down. That was great, except I still don't feel like I got enough sleep and there is a lot to do this weekend, so I'm up and trying to be awake now.
I feel a LOT of movement still and pressure down "south" now. I'm sure she's moving down lower as she gets ready to come out!
I still haven't packed my bag, but that's the big plan for this weekend. That, and organizing the nursery.
Other than that, it's same old, same old around the house.
Stay tuned!!!
Updates From 2/10/11 OB/GYN Appointment
Everything is coming along great!
I got the results from my Group B Strep test, and that is NEGATIVE! WOO HOO!!! I believe the positive test I had when I was pregnant with Abby was the beginning of the end for any hope of a successful labor with her.
Basically, this time:
I DON'T have to get to the hospital the instant I think my water breaks.
I DON'T have to get hooked up to monitors and sit still now! Moving around is MUCH better for labor, right!?!?!
I DON'T have to get IV antibiotics the instant I check into the hospital.
I DON'T have to subject myself to many needless interventions when my labor doesn't go EXACTLY as the hospital would like. (Interventions that, while intended to speed up labor, actually drag it out and essentially STOP it, leading to the need for a c-section.)
So, the plan is to stay home and labor as long as I can on my own and then head to the hospital when it's closer to "go" time. Last time I think we went too soon because we were not sure if my water broke or not. Because of the CHANCE it could have broken, I HAD to stay, and everything went downhill from there. My doctor even said recently that when they gave me the pitocin with Abby, they induced too soon, and that's why she didn't come out on her own.
This time, if it turns out I'm not ready, they can send me home to wait it out. There is not the need to immediately hook me up to IVs. Can I tell you how excited I am just about THAT?!?!?!
She also measured my belly and it's right on target still. After a quick check of my cervix, she told me that while it was closed, long and high last week, this week it is 1 cm open, but still long and high. While this does not mean I'm having a baby today, it does show that my body is progressing towards the goal and that also makes me happy. I don't remember ANY of that progress with Abby until we were in the hospital. This, too, is a good sign.
The NST (monitoring session they do twice a week on me and the baby) went well. Vicky said the baby looks great and I'm getting a little "irritation" which is causing uterine activity. Last week it was a flat line for the most part with a few contractions here and there. This week the line was a little jiggly along the bottom of the graph with a few spikes indicating contractions again. So, once again, more activity = good, right? : )
In the event that this baby refuses to come out, we scheduled a c-section date, so we know the latest date she will arrive now! At first the doctor offered April 4, but I really, really, really want to give the baby as close to 2 full weeks of "overtime" to get her act together before we resort to just cutting her out. I was 2 weeks late, so I figure that can be considered normal for this one, too. We moved it to April 8, and that's pretty darn close to 2 weeks.
So, I'm still due on March 27, there's this "super moon" thing happening on the 19th that has a bunch of superstitious mommies thinking we're all going to pop on that day, and there's always the scheduled April 8 end date. One way or another, this baby is coming out in the next few weeks.
I got the results from my Group B Strep test, and that is NEGATIVE! WOO HOO!!! I believe the positive test I had when I was pregnant with Abby was the beginning of the end for any hope of a successful labor with her.
Basically, this time:
I DON'T have to get to the hospital the instant I think my water breaks.
I DON'T have to get hooked up to monitors and sit still now! Moving around is MUCH better for labor, right!?!?!
I DON'T have to get IV antibiotics the instant I check into the hospital.
I DON'T have to subject myself to many needless interventions when my labor doesn't go EXACTLY as the hospital would like. (Interventions that, while intended to speed up labor, actually drag it out and essentially STOP it, leading to the need for a c-section.)
So, the plan is to stay home and labor as long as I can on my own and then head to the hospital when it's closer to "go" time. Last time I think we went too soon because we were not sure if my water broke or not. Because of the CHANCE it could have broken, I HAD to stay, and everything went downhill from there. My doctor even said recently that when they gave me the pitocin with Abby, they induced too soon, and that's why she didn't come out on her own.
This time, if it turns out I'm not ready, they can send me home to wait it out. There is not the need to immediately hook me up to IVs. Can I tell you how excited I am just about THAT?!?!?!
She also measured my belly and it's right on target still. After a quick check of my cervix, she told me that while it was closed, long and high last week, this week it is 1 cm open, but still long and high. While this does not mean I'm having a baby today, it does show that my body is progressing towards the goal and that also makes me happy. I don't remember ANY of that progress with Abby until we were in the hospital. This, too, is a good sign.
The NST (monitoring session they do twice a week on me and the baby) went well. Vicky said the baby looks great and I'm getting a little "irritation" which is causing uterine activity. Last week it was a flat line for the most part with a few contractions here and there. This week the line was a little jiggly along the bottom of the graph with a few spikes indicating contractions again. So, once again, more activity = good, right? : )
In the event that this baby refuses to come out, we scheduled a c-section date, so we know the latest date she will arrive now! At first the doctor offered April 4, but I really, really, really want to give the baby as close to 2 full weeks of "overtime" to get her act together before we resort to just cutting her out. I was 2 weeks late, so I figure that can be considered normal for this one, too. We moved it to April 8, and that's pretty darn close to 2 weeks.
So, I'm still due on March 27, there's this "super moon" thing happening on the 19th that has a bunch of superstitious mommies thinking we're all going to pop on that day, and there's always the scheduled April 8 end date. One way or another, this baby is coming out in the next few weeks.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Showers
Traditionally, with a second child, there is no shower, especially if the child is the same sex as the first. So, I didn't think there would be a shower this time and didn't think much more about it.
It turns out the girls at work decided to throw a shower! Huge thanks to Tara and Cheryl for putting that together!
We got a ton of cute and useful stuff, which is GREAT, since, as I've kicked myself about before, we got rid of SO MUCH stuff last year before deciding on one last try. I just felt weird even thinking about a shower until it happened since WE were the ones that got rid of all that stuff. It felt like it was all our fault for even needing to replace any of it in the first place.
Then, the weekend after the shower at work, my mom threw a little shower for family at her house. It was nice to see the family before I pop this baby out, and, once again, we got lots more cute and useful stuff. Thanks Mom!
And, in addition to thanks to the shower organizers, THANKS ALSO to those that showered us with presents! I can't believe I already got out all the thank you notes for the first shower! This weekend I'll write the ones for the second shower.
Funny to think I went from thinking "no shower" to actually having two! I feel special. : )
It turns out the girls at work decided to throw a shower! Huge thanks to Tara and Cheryl for putting that together!
We got a ton of cute and useful stuff, which is GREAT, since, as I've kicked myself about before, we got rid of SO MUCH stuff last year before deciding on one last try. I just felt weird even thinking about a shower until it happened since WE were the ones that got rid of all that stuff. It felt like it was all our fault for even needing to replace any of it in the first place.
Then, the weekend after the shower at work, my mom threw a little shower for family at her house. It was nice to see the family before I pop this baby out, and, once again, we got lots more cute and useful stuff. Thanks Mom!
And, in addition to thanks to the shower organizers, THANKS ALSO to those that showered us with presents! I can't believe I already got out all the thank you notes for the first shower! This weekend I'll write the ones for the second shower.
Funny to think I went from thinking "no shower" to actually having two! I feel special. : )
Monday, March 7, 2011
It Just SOUNDS Like TMI, Really...
Warning: This post will sound MUCH more disturbing if you only read the first part. SO, if you're going to read it, you have to promise to stick to the end or don't read it at all if you're the squeemish type.
This morning I was drying off after my shower and noticed a slight, yet pretty significant bloody streak across the bottom half of my towel. Of course, my first thought was that I was bleeding "down there" and things were going to get started soon.
To verify this thought, I took the towel and wiped myself down there again, but came up clean.
??????
Oh well. I move on by folding the towel strategically to cover the dirty part and I continue drying myself with the rest so I can get on with my day.
I felt the need to wipe my face, and when I did, I noticed the towel was bloody again!
DUH!!!! I had a bloody NOSE!!!!
Not one to miss an opportunity, I went back to our bedroom and told Marti I was bleeding. He suddenly looked VERY awake! I didn't let him fret too long and spilled the beans that it was just my nose.
This morning I was drying off after my shower and noticed a slight, yet pretty significant bloody streak across the bottom half of my towel. Of course, my first thought was that I was bleeding "down there" and things were going to get started soon.
To verify this thought, I took the towel and wiped myself down there again, but came up clean.
??????
Oh well. I move on by folding the towel strategically to cover the dirty part and I continue drying myself with the rest so I can get on with my day.
I felt the need to wipe my face, and when I did, I noticed the towel was bloody again!
DUH!!!! I had a bloody NOSE!!!!
Not one to miss an opportunity, I went back to our bedroom and told Marti I was bleeding. He suddenly looked VERY awake! I didn't let him fret too long and spilled the beans that it was just my nose.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Update from 3/3/11 ob/gyn appt.
Everything looks good to go still. Her head is not quite as low as it was in previous weeks, but it still seems to be down, which is a good thing. I hope she doesn’t get up and moving around in there and throw a “breech” into the mix! That would NOT be good!!!
She’s still measuring good and growing, but when I asked about my weight for Marti, the doc said I still need to gain some more weight. I’m doing what I can without just packing on FAT for the sake of gaining weight. It’s hard because eating after work leads to acid reflux at night, so it’s a trade off. As long as she’s still growing and I’m eating pretty healthy food, I’m not too concerned. Marti says I look like I’ve personally lost a little weight, so I figure the baby is getting it from me one way or another.
Yesterday was my 36 week check up and I start going in every week now. I also started the twice weekly monitoring sessions which is just them tracking the baby’s heartbeat and checking me for contractions for about a half hour. To me, while I’m sitting there, it’s just a LOUD broadcast of my baby’s heartbeat combined with a record scratching sound every time she moves around and the machine gets way too much sound out of there! A little slip of paper comes out with a graph on it and I guess that is the accelerations of the heart, so they get not only the rate, but additional info as well.
They also check for my personal activity, but so far they didn’t pick any up. No contractions, in other words. I know my belly gets hard, but I told the doc I think that’s me bracing against her moving around because it hurts. I figured if I can relax my belly if I TRY, then it’s NOT a contraction. I just choose not to relax. If I do, it feels like she’s going to split some of my muscles pry her way out my abdomen wall.
For the record, the nurse that took the paper strip away then came back to unhook me said my baby looks beautiful, so everything read well there.
I also mentioned that I am short of breath a lot and it feels like someone is sitting on my chest or even my throat sometimes. She said short of breath is somewhat normal, but pressure on my chest is not. She said go see my regular doctor and he may want to refer me to a cardiologist just to have it checked out and be safe. I’m thinking it’s probably just the way the baby is pushing up into my lungs and the pressure on my wind pipe from everything getting dislodged from its regular position. It’s most likely nothing, but the word “cardiologist” was said in passing.
I put in my notice at work today that I will work 3/25/11 and that will be my last day until I return from maternity leave. I’m starting to get a little uncomfortable, and I can’t imagine it gets any better in the next 3 weeks. I read back on some of the stuff I wrote when I was pregnant with Abby and I think I was downright miserable during the last couple of weeks. No sense in punishing myself and going in to work after my due date. I don’t need to be a hero. Ha ha!
As much as Marti wants to know when she’s coming and plan his leave out, I am still going to try for a VBAC this time and let her decide when she’s going to come. Doc said if she’s not here by her due date, they like to have a c-section planned for a week after (although I can go a LITTLE longer if I want), so I’ll schedule that next time I see her on Thursday. I want to talk to Marti and choose a date first, so I didn’t schedule that yet. Plus, I do think just one week past the due date is still pushing it a little too soon based on what happened with Abby. The doc did say last time that she believes Abby was induced too soon. She was due on the 9th or 10th and they started inducing me on the 13th after the epidural stalled out my natural labor process. We all know how well that (didn’t) work, so as the 14th was coming to a close, I finally agreed to the c-section because after all that, I was physically spent and she wasn’t budging once I finally got to the magical 10 cm.
So, I’d like to see if I go a little bit further past the arbitrary due date, if it makes things kick into gear automatically without all the pitocin and whatnot. Don’t get me wrong – I’m ALL about the epidural when the time comes. But the reason I had the epidural wasn’t because of the contractions last time. I could have held out longer if it were just the contractions – and that is my goal this time.
I guess that’s about it for now. I have Abby’s best friend over for a sleep over tonight before I won’t be able to or want to deal with squeaky 5-year-olds having a blast. I can’t see putting that off much longer, and I can’t see pulling it off until quite a while after the baby comes!
I have a few presents for Abby for the big day and made a list, but haven’t actually packed a bag yet. Marti got the car seat installed in his car. It’s right next to Abby, so they are sort of facing each other, and it leaves room for another adult on one side as well in that configuration.
What else are we forgetting? It still doesn’t seem real to me that we will actually get to have this baby at home in about a month!!!! I’m still waiting for someone to pinch me!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Update from 2/17/11 ob/gyn appt.
Just got in from my doctor's appointment. She said everything is fine. No comments about my weight this time, so I seem to be ok there again.
Blood pressure amazingly good - especially for a pregnant gal. Head still down where it should be, so she's ready to go when the time comes. (She's been like that for over a month now, apparently.) Heartbeat is at 150 today when she measured, and the tape measure up my belly was right where it should be. She said 34 cm, but I swear, last time she said 37, so I have no idea what that means unless the baby settles in as you get towards the end, and the measurement actually goes down a little? Either way, she said it's "right on."
I mentioned that I want to do a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarian) and she fully backs that choice. She's stayed neutral until now, but now that I've made up my mind, she's voicing her opinion and says that's a great idea.
Also, I asked about some other specifics that are out of the ordinary that could help prolong my non-drugged labor, and she said that was fine. Last time I was given the epidural because I had pain every time they had me get up to urinate - not because of contractions. She said I could have a catheter this time if it helped get me past needing an epidural too soon. I had no idea that was an option last time, so didn't know to even ask. Hopefully I don't get freakish bladder pain this time, and hopefully if I do, a catheter will buy me some un-drugged time to allow labor to progress.
Next appointment is in 2 weeks and she will start twice weekly monitoring at that point. What that means is since I'm over 40, she wants to hook me up to a fetal monitor for about 30 minutes, twice a week until the baby comes. After next week's appointment, I also go to once a week for my regular appointments. So, I get monitored twice a week and I see her once a week until go time.
She also said first babies are, on the average, about a week late and, once again, on the average, second babies are about 3 days late.
That's pretty much it from today's visit.
Blood pressure amazingly good - especially for a pregnant gal. Head still down where it should be, so she's ready to go when the time comes. (She's been like that for over a month now, apparently.) Heartbeat is at 150 today when she measured, and the tape measure up my belly was right where it should be. She said 34 cm, but I swear, last time she said 37, so I have no idea what that means unless the baby settles in as you get towards the end, and the measurement actually goes down a little? Either way, she said it's "right on."
I mentioned that I want to do a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarian) and she fully backs that choice. She's stayed neutral until now, but now that I've made up my mind, she's voicing her opinion and says that's a great idea.
Also, I asked about some other specifics that are out of the ordinary that could help prolong my non-drugged labor, and she said that was fine. Last time I was given the epidural because I had pain every time they had me get up to urinate - not because of contractions. She said I could have a catheter this time if it helped get me past needing an epidural too soon. I had no idea that was an option last time, so didn't know to even ask. Hopefully I don't get freakish bladder pain this time, and hopefully if I do, a catheter will buy me some un-drugged time to allow labor to progress.
Next appointment is in 2 weeks and she will start twice weekly monitoring at that point. What that means is since I'm over 40, she wants to hook me up to a fetal monitor for about 30 minutes, twice a week until the baby comes. After next week's appointment, I also go to once a week for my regular appointments. So, I get monitored twice a week and I see her once a week until go time.
She also said first babies are, on the average, about a week late and, once again, on the average, second babies are about 3 days late.
That's pretty much it from today's visit.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Freaky Wake Up
Last night I woke up choking!
I think the baby kicked me in the stomach and sent some stuff up my throat. I went from "do do do, sleeping, sleeping..." to "HOLY CRAP! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!?!?" in about 3 seconds flat.
Of course, I stood up so I could barf somewhere more appropriate than my pillow and realized I had NO idea where I was. I saw the light of the hall light on the wood floor out there and was about to make a run for that (for lack of a better surface in my confusion and stupor) when I remembered where I was. Luckily, I was able to make it to the bathroom sink in time to... realize I wasn't really going to throw up.
Huh?
Whatever, I'll take it!
A couple weeks ago, Marti moved the glider chair into our room when I started getting heartburn pretty regularly. "It was time." I thought that was sweet and thoughtful! It's right next to my side of the bed so I can get into the chair in the middle of the night and do my best at continuing to sleep without having to move my alarm and all that stuff like I've had to do before.
With last night's development, it might be time to start sleeping upright soon.
I think the baby kicked me in the stomach and sent some stuff up my throat. I went from "do do do, sleeping, sleeping..." to "HOLY CRAP! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!?!?" in about 3 seconds flat.
Of course, I stood up so I could barf somewhere more appropriate than my pillow and realized I had NO idea where I was. I saw the light of the hall light on the wood floor out there and was about to make a run for that (for lack of a better surface in my confusion and stupor) when I remembered where I was. Luckily, I was able to make it to the bathroom sink in time to... realize I wasn't really going to throw up.
Huh?
Whatever, I'll take it!
A couple weeks ago, Marti moved the glider chair into our room when I started getting heartburn pretty regularly. "It was time." I thought that was sweet and thoughtful! It's right next to my side of the bed so I can get into the chair in the middle of the night and do my best at continuing to sleep without having to move my alarm and all that stuff like I've had to do before.
With last night's development, it might be time to start sleeping upright soon.
Monday, February 14, 2011
It's Like Running the Gauntlet
Call me crazy, but I really, REALLY don't want this baby to share a birthday with anyone. Well, I KNOW there will be SOMEONE born on her birthday somewhere in the world, but we have SO many family birthdays around this time and that's what I want to avoid.
We made it through this weekend, easily avoiding my mother and my father's birthdays. Prior to that was her paternal great grandmother, Sadie's, birthday, but she would have had to have been REALLY early to have hit any of those.
My maternal grandmother, Irene's, birthday is coming up, then come some in-laws and and an uncle, a few friends, followed by a cousin and a departed great-great grandmother.
Honestly, it's going to be hard NOT to hit someone's birthday if you think about it!
I've been going back and forth this whole pregnancy between scheduling a C-section and letting nature take its course. This is just one more small notch on the "pro" side for C-section. (KIDDING!!!! I would never schedule a C-section just to pick a certain date!!!!)
So, I prefer her to have her own birthday, but the whole "running the gauntlet" idea IS a bit extreme, I know. It wouldn't be THAT bad, I guess, if she had to share her day.
I guess my problem is that I don't see birthdays as a big deal. (And at this point, you're probably asking yourself, "so what's your problem??") Since I don't like making a big deal of birthdays, I guess I'm afraid that the little enthusiasm I already have for such occasions would get spread too thin between those that DO put a greater importance on such occasions. Of course CHILDREN love birthdays, but my philosophy is that once you reach 12 or so, I couldn't really give a shit unless it's a HUGE milestone birthday, like 16 to drive, 18 to vote and whatnot, 21 to drink (woo hoo!), or the big decade birthdays when you're older, like 40 when your significant other has to make you a handmade birthday present even if he's not in the least bit handy.
Some of you may remember that prank. Thanks again to all that helped make that happen! If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a long story, but I somehow convinced Marti when I turned 40 that he had to MAKE me a present by hand, and I had all his friends and even some of his clientele and strangers playing it up for effect!!! It was awesome, and in the end, I got a handmade bird house that hung in my favorite tree until the elements finally got the best of it. The best part was watching him sweat it out in the months between our 40th birthdays. (We are about 2 months apart.)
And, just because I'm "that way," here's a picture of the bird house in all its glory. I LOVE YOU, HONEY!
PS - Happy Valentine's Day, or whatever... ;)
We made it through this weekend, easily avoiding my mother and my father's birthdays. Prior to that was her paternal great grandmother, Sadie's, birthday, but she would have had to have been REALLY early to have hit any of those.
My maternal grandmother, Irene's, birthday is coming up, then come some in-laws and and an uncle, a few friends, followed by a cousin and a departed great-great grandmother.
Honestly, it's going to be hard NOT to hit someone's birthday if you think about it!
I've been going back and forth this whole pregnancy between scheduling a C-section and letting nature take its course. This is just one more small notch on the "pro" side for C-section. (KIDDING!!!! I would never schedule a C-section just to pick a certain date!!!!)
So, I prefer her to have her own birthday, but the whole "running the gauntlet" idea IS a bit extreme, I know. It wouldn't be THAT bad, I guess, if she had to share her day.
I guess my problem is that I don't see birthdays as a big deal. (And at this point, you're probably asking yourself, "so what's your problem??") Since I don't like making a big deal of birthdays, I guess I'm afraid that the little enthusiasm I already have for such occasions would get spread too thin between those that DO put a greater importance on such occasions. Of course CHILDREN love birthdays, but my philosophy is that once you reach 12 or so, I couldn't really give a shit unless it's a HUGE milestone birthday, like 16 to drive, 18 to vote and whatnot, 21 to drink (woo hoo!), or the big decade birthdays when you're older, like 40 when your significant other has to make you a handmade birthday present even if he's not in the least bit handy.
Some of you may remember that prank. Thanks again to all that helped make that happen! If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a long story, but I somehow convinced Marti when I turned 40 that he had to MAKE me a present by hand, and I had all his friends and even some of his clientele and strangers playing it up for effect!!! It was awesome, and in the end, I got a handmade bird house that hung in my favorite tree until the elements finally got the best of it. The best part was watching him sweat it out in the months between our 40th birthdays. (We are about 2 months apart.)
And, just because I'm "that way," here's a picture of the bird house in all its glory. I LOVE YOU, HONEY!
PS - Happy Valentine's Day, or whatever... ;)
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