Saturday, July 31, 2010
Post Labor and Delivery
I tried - I really did but there are just so many interruptions! And once they find out you plan to breast feed, they will drop baby off at every chance - usually because the nursery is understaffed.
Between sleeping and visiting with baby throughout the first night, I saw the following people:
* 12am - my nurse for blood pressure
* 4am - my nurse for blood pressure and pain medication
* 5am - blood work
* 5:30am - baby shows up for feeding
* 6:00am - someone - can't remember who
* 7:30am - my doctor shows up to review my health
* 8:00am - breakfast and my nurse for blood pressure
* 8:30am - baby is back for feeding
* 8:45am - someone shows up to drop off social security paperwork for baby
* 9:00am - baby's pediatrician shows up to talk about his health
* 10:00am - shower and nurse drops off pain meds
* 10:30am - baby's scheduled circumcision
* 12:00pm - lunch and my nurse for blood pressure
* 1:00pm - finally get 1 hour nap
* 2:00pm - baby is back for feeding, spends the remainder of the day with me
By end of the day I asked them to hold baby for one feeding by bottle and bring him back for 2nd feeding - which I planned to be around 4am - queue surprise visit at 1:45am below!
Is it any wonder I was ready to check out after lunch the following day? I had a choice to stay till 7pm where husband would get off work and discharge self and baby or leave around noon with mother-in-law and Charlotte. I chose early discharge so I could spend time with Charlotte and get pain medication filled before closing time. More on Charlotte's behavior with baby later.
A Rude Awakening
Let me backtrack a bit. I last fed baby at 10 and asked the nursury to give him a bottle for his next meal then bring him back to me for the next. I calculated 4am as his 2nd meal so imagine my confusion when nurse and crying baby come crashing through the door at 1:45. She doesn't hand me the baby or turn the light on and I've just learned it's very hard to feed a baby in the dark even with a netflix movie running in the background for a little light which I managed to set up with one hand.
Also learned baby is eating less than 2 hours apart! Sigh, but he's so cute.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Recap of Sam's birth week
I've always been goal oriented but to direct something like labor and delivery takes an iron will and good timing.
First I waited until the doctor said it was safe for baby to arrive, July 29th was determined the safest date.
Second, my doctor was going out of town for a conference from July 30th - August 8th - my actual due date of August 5th right in the middle. So we really put it off until the last possible day.
People have questioned why I was willing to be induced and not let nature take it's course - namely the natural birth professionals because their motto is let the baby decide when the time is right and your body will open up perfectly.
If you've been following this blog as far back as January you might remember this was a twin pregnancy and Baby B passed away at 14 weeks; it was important to me to deliver with the doctor who knew the entire history and could make sure the 2nd twin was found post birth. I didn't want to explain the history to a stranger so I grit my teeth through every weekend my doctor wasn't working; it was very important for me to deliver with my doctor.
After we picked the 29th as our deadline, I spent 3 days prior doing everything in my power to go into labor naturally.
Monday -
* I walked 3 miles in the morning
* I did a one hour yoga session with Jiwan from 6:30-7:30
* Husband walked with me for one hour on the beach following yoga
Tuesday
* I walked 3 miles in the morning
* I did a 1.5 hour yoga session with Jiwan from 11:30-1:00
* Following lunch I did another special 1 hour yoga session with Jiwan where she worked with myself and husband showing us many special techniques for how he could help me through labor. I will never forget this special time because she really worked with us as a couple to show us how to connect and focus together as one person.
* That evening I planned to walk again but I was exhausted, I couldn't do it.
* I had Eggplant Parmesan for dinner because I'd heard it makes women go into labor!
Wednesday
* I walked 2 miles in the morning (got up too late to do 3)
* Arrived at doctor's office exhausted, definitely feeling like baby had dropped, his butt had been high on my belly for weeks and it was resting below my belly button. I was quietly confident he had moved down.
* I was 2.5cm dilated and told to go home and rest - but you can read that several posts down. I went home and rested - I didn't move from my office chair for the remainder of the day pushing to get work done, knowing it was my last work day.
Thursday - day of delivery
6am - check into hospital, get hooked up to machine to check baby's and my heart rates, get very painful IV put in - worse since I hadn't been drinking much since midnight!
I'd been counseled against being induced by so many people but I had to balance that with wanting to have the baby by the 29th so my doctor and I compromised that she would break my water by 7:15am and if dilation hadn't ramped up by 1pm she would start the Pitocin. My reason for not wanting the Pitocin is because I wanted a natural birth without an epidural and since Pitocin causes stronger and more painful contractions, it would be much harder to have a natural birth.
Before she broke my water I was 3cm dilated so the ball was in my court to push my body into dilating fully so Pitocin was not needed.
After she broke my water I bounced on an exercise ball for 2 hours to push the baby down further into the birth canal and progress dilation; contractions were 10 minutes apart from 8am - 10am. Husband played a variety of music on our laptop and the nurse left us alone for the majority of this time.
Right at 10am they came 4 minutes apart so I got back in bed to focus on each contraction and rest. I wanted the nurse to check on my dilation but she was really relaxed and wanted to wait until noon or 1pm! Knowing my history of quick labor with Charlotte I was patient until 11am and then requested a check - I was 9cm dilated! She called the doctor who arrived within the hour.
I spent another hard hour of breathing through the contractions with my husbands help. He knows my face so well that with the slightest wrinkle and he would remind me to breath and relax my face.
I pushed from noon until 1:10pm and baby Sam was born. It was a combination of supreme will power and strict mind control that brought him into our arms so quickly. There was talk of using a vacuum to help pull him out since they suspected there was a stool loose in the birth canal - how they guess these things is beyond me but we worked even harder at pushing him out and got him safely born without any extra "help".
Don't think I'm entirely against pain medication, I'll happily take it after the birth. It's just important to me to be present and focused during labor - especially when things potentially go wrong and I can make choices if I'm focused. I'm also blessed to have had 2 quick births, if they were longer it would be difficult to withstand hours of contractions.
This is my story and it's worked for me but I think every women must decide what's the right decision for her. The team who worked with us to bring Sam into this world was wonderful and very respectful of our choices. Our nurse's name is Funky and she's from Nigeria. She's been a delivery nurse in the US for 10 years and 20 years in Canada where she said they opt for less pain medicated deliveries. She was our biggest cheerleader in not wanting to start the pain medication. It helps when she's in the background cheering you on, saying how great you are doing.
I am so thankful for everyone who helped me on this journey and that includes my yoga teacher Jiwan, all my readers of this blog who sent through encouraging comments, my mom's church who prayed relentlessly for safe and healthy delivery and finally my husband who is my greatest cheerleader and coach - I'd never have been able to do this without him keeping me focused and alert. Choosing to give birth naturally and working so hard at bringing baby boy safely into this world on our chosen date is one of my greatest accomplishments.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
We have progress!!!
Walked 2 miles this morning, got up too late to do 3 - the heat is too tremendous to walk once the sun is visible!
Went to doctor's office for 10:15am visit to have my membranes scraped in preparation to be induced tomorrow. Never got to find out what that means because I'm 2.5cm dilated!!! Which translates to delighted!!! Apparently all that yoga and walking has pushed baby boy's head way down - explains all the pressure I'd been feeling all morning - and my bodies getting ready.
Now for the hard part - my doctor is off work the rest of the day. So I was told to go home and cross my legs, stop all the crazy excessive walking and yoga and show up to the hospital at 6am sharp.
She will wait till noon to start the pectin (induce labor) if nothing has happened because I want to try and avoid this if at all possible.
She's confident I will have the baby by tomorrow!!! And not a moment too soon because she's going out of town for a doctor's conference from July 30 - August 8th!
I'm downright giddy at this point. I've called my boss and arranged maternity leave - yeah I left it to the last minute but it's settled. And now I'm ready to settle into a cozy life of babies and sleepless nights.
Working Mom Wednesday
I've never pursued my interest in flying because lessons are tremendously expensive but at least been able to enjoy a ton of travel in my career. I've been to Asia almost 10 times and a few other places in the last 10 years:
- China: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen
- South Korea: Seoul
- Vietnam: Hai Phong City
- United Kingdom: London, Blackpool
- Canada: Ontario
- United States: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Providence, RI
Maybe some day I'll take flying lessons but until then I'll keep enjoying the travel!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Nothing yet
We then went to my teacher's temple where they let her teach private classes - my first time in a Jewish temple! It was really pretty. We did an hour session where she showed me how to stretch and open up for birth. It was so nice of her to work with myself and husband!
But in the end nothing happened. Baby feels like he's lower, his butt is now about 5" lower than it's been for weeks - not getting my hopes up yet!
I've heard eating Eggplant Parmesan makes women go into labor so we had that tonight.
Today on Facebook my friends sent a ton of messages with ideas for going into labor - top 3 seem to be:
1. Have lots of sex
2. Go hill hopping - this involves either a riding lawn mower or ATV and some good hills to catch air on
3. Drink castor oil
Finally, thanks for all your comments of late; you guys have me laughing so hard!!! I may not comment to everyone but I'm sure enjoying the comments.
Random Tuesday Thoughts
Okay seriously this is the last RTT while pregnant with this little guy. My induce date is firmly set for Thursday, July 29th so he's coming out whether he likes it or not!
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This morning, while walking 3 miles I noticed two guys walking their dogs in boxers - which is underwear and seriously couldn't they find time to put on proper shorts? Both had baseball caps, clearly some thought was put into outdoor wear.
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Featuring daughter's best bedhead photo, I'm saving this for when she's 20, and comes home from art school with the same hair.
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I've got mixed feelings on being induced, on one hand I'm desperate to be done, on the other I really enjoyed having a natural birth the first time but it seems to be taking forever. You know how doctors do their measurements and decide you are x number of weeks, well I've always pegged myself as one week ahead based on when I know we conceived so that puts me in the final days of 39 weeks.
My Yoga instructor suggested I call a natural labor coach/midwife and her recommendation was "walk till your feet fall off". I walked 3 miles yesterday morning, 45 minutes on the beach at night, 3 more miles this morning. My feet feel fine - it's other parts that feel like they are about to fall off.
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Hope you all have a grand Tuesday! My plans are more yoga, more walking, go into labor, have baby.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Nothing yet
As we walked the water line I kept chanting break water break.
We watched the full moon rise, it's incredible.
Nothing yet.
Maybe later tonight, or tomorrow?
Multitude Monday
I started by walking 3 miles this morning. It really wiped me out! Husband is out getting Emergen-C, a wonderful energy vitamin packet from Whole Foods that I feel desperate for - that and some chocolate croissants. I have such a nice husband.
I've called my pre-natal yoga instructor and made plans to meet her tonight from 6:30-7:30, then I plan to walk another 3 miles before bed.
Tomorrow morning I'll walk 3 more miles; then meeting my yoga teacher from 11:30-2pm.
So let's see what happens!
17. Comfortable walking shoes - I have this beautiful pair of green Nike's and they are a little hard to put on at 9mo pregnant but so comfortable to walk in. I'm so thankful to afford them.
18. My Pre-Natal Yoga teacher - she gives me so much energy; after walking today I didn't think I had the energy to even sit and work at at desk but after talking to her I felt better. Some people are so good at encouragement and lifting others up.
19. Evenings at the beach - watching the moon rise as the water and sky turn midnight blue. What a beautiful experience.
20. Farmer's markets - yesterday we visited one in Davie, FL that had the most amazing Boar's head sandwiches. Mine was roast beef with horseradish sauce. It was the best sandwich I've ever eaten!! It's at least 30 miles from home, any chance I might get back before having this baby?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday evening at the beach
We haven't been since Memorial Day and Charlotte missed it. Walking down she kept stopping to touch the sand - as if to say "Yes, it's just the way I left it."
She had so much fun playing in the waves! I love seeing how happy she gets at the ocean edge.
We are getting some awesome waves from post Tropical Storm Bonnie, the lifeguard stand says DANGER RIP CURRENTS so no snorkeling tonight! Oh yeah I was going to!! I'm serious, I brought my gear.
Last pregnant photo with baby boy, not taking any more. This is 38 weeks.
And here's the moon, two days before it hits full moon status.
Friday, July 23, 2010
38 weeks & my brain is turning to mush
- In our hunt for vehicles we ran into the uber aggressive sales lady at Suzuki who won't stop calling me, I keep deleting her calls, I really need to send back an email saying not interested but that requires me to go to another computer. Uggg.
- I ordered a plane ticket for my mom and registered it under her first name and my married last name!!! UGGG, fortunately they were really nice about fixing it!
- Today Tropical Storm Bonnie passed over and I got really excited because I thought the pressure drop might make me go into labor - nothing happened but it was a pretty storm.
- Charlotte is prepared to float away with her favorite toys:
- I'm contemplating taking Saturday morning off for some alone time but I haven't the slightest idea of what to do with myself! Maybe I'll go watch the new Angelina Jolie movie "Salt".
- Conversation overheard while I work in my bedroom:
Mema: Don't hit Chopper
Charlotte: You're funny!
Mema: No, it's not funny, don't hit Chopper
Charlotte: You're funny!
-Last night at yoga class I announced it would be my last because of my scheduled inducement on the 29th. I left nostalgic and sad, realizing my pregnancy is almost over. For all my desperate words in wanting to be done there is a beauty to being pregnant and coming to the close of this chapter makes me want to enjoy these last few days.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Baby Boy Update
July 29th is my scheduled induce date at 6am! Unless he decides to come naturally before that date I'm written in for this time. Prior to this I will seek help from my yoga instructor to do a special session where she claims all mommy's who have done this with her have gone into labor. If that doesn't work I'll visit the acupuncturist/natural birth specialist who is also supposed to know how to get women to go into labor.
Why do all this during my 38th week? Because he's up to 8lbs already and getting bigger, by next weekend my mother in law will have been here for an entire month in which he was supposed to have arrived "any time now". For the record my cervix will have been 80-90% softened for an entire month with no further dilation along with 3-4 contractions per hour every day with no progress!!! In summary this little guy has gotten cozy and doesn't seem to be in a hurry to move out. And with all the working from home for 3 weeks and prior bed rest, mother in law care of Charlotte, extra attention from husband and all meals prepared - I'm so relaxed he has no reason to feel stressed!
I'm very happy to have a deadline in place, it was to be the 26th but that's Monday and I wanted some time to try natural methods after my husband works his weekend. So now my goal is to hang tight until Monday and then it's: Operation: get this baby out!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Working Mom Wednesday
Top 5 things I say to Boss every day:
1. Yes I will call Asia tonight to discuss that issue.
2. The quotes are high because of the “great price increase of 2010 from Vietnam”
3. Yes I called the client about that issue.
4. No I haven’t had the baby yet.
5. No projects are not slipping through the cracks; we just don’t have time to put them all on reports to prove they exist.
Top 5 things I say to Husband every day:
1. Why don’t you go work in the garage today?
2. Please put your shoes away in the bedroom.
3. I love you (I think I say this every day).
4. Today I need you to (fill in random chore).
5. No I’m not in labor it’s just another contraction.
Top 5 things I say to Charlotte every day:
1. Hey! Do NOT hit the dog with the broom (cup, or whatever object she is swinging)!
2. Go to your room if you are going to scream like that!
3. I love you, along with a string of other words like how she is the prettiest lady in the entire world and good morning gorgeous lady, etc.
4. Please eat more food.
5. Do you have a diaper? (meaning need diaper change)
Top 5 things I say to Asia co-workers every day in email and SKYPE:
1. Resend (to emails that are left unanswered)
2. This is “Top Urgent” (as adverse to Regular Urgent)
3. This quote is too high
4. No I haven’t had the baby yet.
5. Please fix (insert current crisis)
Hmmmm, looks like I could fit some cheer and joy into this list of interaction.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Random Tuesday Thoughts
I suppose I got over the cold quickly enough - very thankful to be back on my exercise routine and thankful he didn't arrive during the cold. Can you imagine pushing through hacking coughing and sneezing? Neither can I! The cold virus is out of our home and we are even more ready for little guy to get here.
Charlotte hasn't had regular bottles since Friday - that's 4+ days with solids and no poop since Friday so quite an aggressive little girl. Hoping something materializes today!
Husband is still working on projects and occasionally he thinks it might be fun to sit around and watch a movie until I glare at him and talk about self still working full time and he really should take advantage of the time his mom is here and yada yada yada. I know, you're thinking I should cut him some slack but you aren't here to hear him moan about not getting any projects done throughout the year when he's full time SAHD (stay at home dad). So just trying to keep things in perspective!!!
And that's all I got! I haven't been surfing the web much to find interesting tidbits, no TV time since I've been working from home, very little interaction with anyone but immediate family and all close friends seem to have taken a break from facebook so no idea what they are up to! I guess I'll just have to call all of them once I get into the hospital and have a baby!!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Multitude Monday
As I re-potted the plant Charlotte puttered around me digging up dirt and pouring it onto the porch. I'm sure my methods were not so clean to her keen observation. Dirt everywhere. Before we knew it the time was 8:20pm and it was 20 minutes past her bedtime, my dinner was ready, we were both dirty and she a little cranky at having to come in the house. I think my dad lives on in her. Such a passion to be outside and get the most out of every minute of the day.
14. Prayer - sometimes it's too effective! I'm joking of course. My mom and her church prayed really hard for me to carry this baby full term and here he is, full term - still hanging out in my womb. Now if they can only pray he'll make his way out soon!
15. Working from home - really thankful for this gift. I stopped by the office today and after 5 minutes of sitting my back started screaming and the temperature was so hot - I keep home around 74 all day! So I'm thankful to spend my last pregnant days at home where I've made myself very comfortable.
16. Mother in law - who didn't hesitate to rush here two weeks ago when we had all the warning signs that baby boy was coming and has stayed to walk us through Charlotte's diet changes and mood swings.
Hope you all have a wonderful week and find many blessings to be thankful for.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sick and 37 weeks pregnant
Every day this week I've been hoping this baby would be born and now I want him to just wait a few days until I'm over the cold. Can you imagine going through labor while sneezing and hacking through a cold??? To further compound things, husband works an hour away on Friday and Saturday so on these days I switch to "not wanting baby to be born" mode.
Mema has been here 2 weeks now and we are still incredibly thankful for the extra help. It would be difficult getting through this weekend sick without her. But after two weeks Charlotte is no better with her "attitude" and has begun to refuse all bottles from Mema. So today we set down a firm rule, Mema will provide all bottles and if she refuses them solids will be offered our our regular eating schedule - which we offer every day anyway but she usually refuses solids in favor of the bottles. She's either
A - wanting to wean off the bottles
B - not wanting Mema involved in the feeding process
Either way, Mema's assigned grand bottle/food master. Today she's rejected her 7am, 10am and 2pm bottles and in turn eaten with us for breakfast and lunch.
We got home from our morning doctor's appointment at noon and she ran up to her dad with bottle in hand and asked him to give it to her, then she asked me. Heartbreaking! Those big black doe eyes looking up asking to be fed but we made a rule and we are sticking to it. She needs to learn to eat with Mema. Personally I'd be thrilled if this ends all bottle consumption - who wants to clean bottles after 2 kids??? Especially a 2 year old who should have been weaned a long time ago but any long time readers will know she's been such a picky eater that we kept up with it to keep nutrition consistent.
So that's my day, eating cough drops, trying to get some work done while my head is one big cloud, hoping daughter decides to eat real food from now on and hoping baby boy stays put for another 2 days!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Working Mom Wednesday
I love not having to put on make up and find something appropriate to wear for going into the office!
My bedroom has two big windows so the lighting is cheerful and bright.
The bathroom is close by.
I can eat at my desk! My boss has a weird phobia about people eating at their desk in the office so I really love being able to eat all day at my desk - hey I'm 9 months pregnant!!!
I still haven't found my Bose headphones to block out screaming tantrums but I'm learning to work through it.
When I go out for snacks I'm usually required to stop and join a coloring project - that's fun!!!
I miss my co-workers and the freedom I feel when I'm away for the day.
Today one of my work projects is to visit the Disney Store, buy a collection of Princess dolls, drop them off to the office and have them shipped to Vietnam to be copied into small miniature versions. Yes the client encourages us to just buy what we need for new development projects! I walk out of that store with armfuls of plush and being 9mo pregnant they must think I'm a Disney fanatic!!! Most people think "Disney" produces it's own products when in fact it's companies like I work for who are vendors for Disney and we bid against each other and work hard to make the characters look the best for the best price.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Random Tuesday Thoughts
It’s Tuesday again and yes I’m stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiill pregnant. I’ve given up; well I have given up the medication that is supposed to keep me from going into labor so bring it on! I will enter the hospital cheering through gritted teeth while fighting off contractions!!! But perhaps he could wait just one more day – today is my 10th year wedding anniversary.
Here’s a few of my Random Observations from this past week.
- Toilet Paper Orientation
Would you believe there is an entire Wikipedia page about Over or Under toilet paper preference? I’m an Over fan! I even correct it in the girl’s bathroom at work, someone keeps putting it under and they are too scared to reverse it when I flip it Over. Maybe I’m an Over bully!
- Any ideas for how to entertain a toddler indoors?
It’s our version of winter. Up north you stay inside when it’s cold, down here we stay inside for the summer. On Sunday husband and I went out to eat in Hollywood, FL and walking 10 minutes in the sun made me want to puke and pass out – but I digress. So due to the extreme heat, we don’t want to go outside or even drive anywhere so Charlotte has been watching a lot of SpongeBob and TV. Open to any ideas for alternative entertainments. Already getting really good with crayons and stickers.
- Husband is doing great things with his mom in town.
He’s finished a wooden stand to hold our Moses Basket along with diligently searching for a 2nd vehicle and a myriad of other chores that would normally be compromised with a 2 year olds involvement. I’m quite pleased.
10 Years of Marriage
But first I had to go back in time to see what I wrote in 2008 and 2009.
PS.
We went out to eat at my favorite restaurant on Deerfield Beach and I had an amazing Wasabi Crusted Salmon. The food was amazing but to be honest I had a hard time enjoying myself as contractions throbbed throughout the meal getting increasingly stronger and closer together. After the meal we walked on the beach and I thought maybe if I touch water it will make my water break - didn't work. Maybe if I break down and cry a whole lot it will break - didn't try it.
Later that night around 2am the contractions stopped and I slept the entire night. This is one tricky baby!!!
One thing I'd like to take note of - after 10 years of marriage my favorite part about my husband is watching him be a dad to my children. I'm seeing a wonderful caring side to him that I always suspected was there but to see is to believe. I'm so happy to be married to him - even though I may have been a bit of an exhausted grump during dinner!
I would also like to say I miss our pre-kids anniversary's because we always took cool vacations, the last being 2007 in the Key's. A dinner out is just not the same. Something to look forward to when kids move out!