Two weeks ago I was in the hospital, watching a Top Chef marathon, waiting for the OB to come and break my water to get things going.
Today, AJ has school. I love that girl, but she was awake and wanting to play at 3AM, I was never so happy to pay for someone else to watch my child than this morning. I am loving spending some one-on-one time with the little. She's so alert and is really trying to focus on my face when I talk to her. Best of all though, when it's time to sleep, she does! That is the most amazing part. I relish every nap and never expect her to do it again. I don't want to jinx us, but it has been heaven to have a newborn that doesn't fight sleep.
As of this morning I'm 7 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight and spent a part of the morning packing up my maternity clothes to send off to Goodwill this weekend. My unofficial, and clothed, weigh-in of C showed 8lbs 8oz (AJ's birth weight). It's amazing to think that after two weeks, she's still smaller than her sister. AJ was our "Tank", C is our "Pipsqueek".
She is super strong though. She even rolled over already. It was a total fluke, just one of those things where she was mad enough and sort of threw her body which just happened to flip over. I can't believe she is strong enough to do that though. She'll be able to take on her sister in no time.
Showing posts with label C. Show all posts
Showing posts with label C. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
First Time Daddy
I'm not sure what was up with M last night, but if I didn't know better, I'd swear he had never been the parent of a newborn before. AJ wanted to play with me, so since M was just texting on his phone, I gave C to him and went to chase AJ around the house (one of her favorite games). Well, C was on his lap, squawking, putting fists in her mouth, shaking her head all around, and M was still texting. On one pass through the living room in chase of AJ, I ask M if he plans on feeding C anytime soon.
He grabs the rest of an older bottle out of the fridge (about an ounce and a half) and makes another bottle (about two ounces). I hold my tongue and just let him do his thing. I figured he was maybe just planning on having back up incase the first bottle wasn't quite enough.
When he starts trying to feed her, his phone rings. He can't figure out how to hold the bottle and C and talk on his phone, so he hands off C. How does he think I'm going to spend the days with two kids, a dog and basic house chores?
AJ and I are now playing Don't Break the Ice and I hear M yell out in frustration. C had spit up, quite a bit actually, all over herself and M. I go to check if he needs help and notice both bottles are empty. It had only been maybe 10 minutes since he started feeding her. I no longer want to help. Seriously?! I have to ask "what did you think would happen when you're trying to put nearly four ounces of liquid in a belly that is at most two ounces big?" His response "I burped her like three times". Um... ok.
He gets up, takes C to get changed. We do the changes on our bed and just put a hospital chuck down first, since we don't have a changing station. While I'm playing with AJ I see him pull the blanket off our bed, throw it on the floor, finish changing C and then wraps himself up in the Moby. This gets me chuckling, but I try not to let him see. He brings C down to the basement with him to wash the blanket. When he comes up he tells me that C missed the chuck.
The whole evening was a comedy of errors for him. I had to explain what feeding cues look like and not to recline her while eating or for a good long time after eating. He was always right there helping and being a part of AJ's early life, I think it's hilarious that he seems to have forgotten entirely how to care for a baby.
Oh, and just because I'm so happy about it, six days post birth and I'm able to squeeze into my pre pregnancy pants. WooHoo!!!
He grabs the rest of an older bottle out of the fridge (about an ounce and a half) and makes another bottle (about two ounces). I hold my tongue and just let him do his thing. I figured he was maybe just planning on having back up incase the first bottle wasn't quite enough.
When he starts trying to feed her, his phone rings. He can't figure out how to hold the bottle and C and talk on his phone, so he hands off C. How does he think I'm going to spend the days with two kids, a dog and basic house chores?
AJ and I are now playing Don't Break the Ice and I hear M yell out in frustration. C had spit up, quite a bit actually, all over herself and M. I go to check if he needs help and notice both bottles are empty. It had only been maybe 10 minutes since he started feeding her. I no longer want to help. Seriously?! I have to ask "what did you think would happen when you're trying to put nearly four ounces of liquid in a belly that is at most two ounces big?" His response "I burped her like three times". Um... ok.
He gets up, takes C to get changed. We do the changes on our bed and just put a hospital chuck down first, since we don't have a changing station. While I'm playing with AJ I see him pull the blanket off our bed, throw it on the floor, finish changing C and then wraps himself up in the Moby. This gets me chuckling, but I try not to let him see. He brings C down to the basement with him to wash the blanket. When he comes up he tells me that C missed the chuck.
The whole evening was a comedy of errors for him. I had to explain what feeding cues look like and not to recline her while eating or for a good long time after eating. He was always right there helping and being a part of AJ's early life, I think it's hilarious that he seems to have forgotten entirely how to care for a baby.
Oh, and just because I'm so happy about it, six days post birth and I'm able to squeeze into my pre pregnancy pants. WooHoo!!!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Over Before It Began
So our breastfeeding journy has ended. I know it went pretty quick. I never thought I'd give up after just five days. But apparently there were a lot of things about breastfeeding that I never thought about.
I knew it would be difficult. I knew all the feedings would be on me. I knew I ran the risk of the pain of latch problems, clogged ducts, mastitis. I knew I'd be dealing with the stress of how much she's eating, how much to pump, when to pump, etc. Basically, what I knew was that it would be tough, but it would mainly be tough on me. I would be the one to go through this, and I was okay with that.
Here's what I didn't know. I didn't know how hard it would be to get what the LC called a picture perfect latch to become actual feeding. I didn't know how to make a baby just close her mouth and suck. I didn't know how much time and effort it would take to try to get milk to come in. I didn't know I would have to spend days with a baby on my bare skin, eating all the prefered lacto inducing foods, and still not have any milk to show for it. I didn't know I'd ignore AJ for days just to try to get C to eat anything at all. I didn't know I'd resent M for having the free time to play with AJ. I didn't know I could pump and pump and pump and only have one tenth of an ounce to show for it. I didn't know I would end up basically starving my baby because my body just didn't want to work the way I thought it would.
Last night, after my crying, C's crying and M just looking lost, we broke out the bottles. C took one and she ate. She gulped that thing down so fast, I had to keep taking it out so she could breathe and swallow. She was starved. Once she ate, she slept. She slept more soundly than I had ever seen her. And she had a nice wet diaper after. She was finally content. This morning, I attempted the breast routine again, one last time. I did the sugar water again, but she wasn't having any of it. I decided in a last effort before giving up, I'd go to a breastfeeding support group that was held today. What I saw was 20 very supportive and friendly women, all having issues with breastfeeding. Their babies were at all ages, and every one of them was having an issue. At that point, I felt okay in the decision to stop forcing it.
So, we all went to lunch as a family and enjoyed ourselves for the first time in days. I played with AJ while M fed C. It was such a weight off my shoulders.
Then, tonight, it started. I do believe my milk is finally making it's appearance. Now that we came to the acceptance of formula, I get that choice back. However the choice now is to pump only and keep with the bottle, or try to re-teach C to take to the breast. After much discussion, M and I decide it's just not worth the stress. AJ was formula fed, we are used to it and we just don't want to bring this back into the mix again. I was so torn all day. I cried more than I have in a long time. Then, I got a sign that we made the right choice for us. C pooped for the first time since late Friday night!
I am all smiles tonight as I bind my chest.
I knew it would be difficult. I knew all the feedings would be on me. I knew I ran the risk of the pain of latch problems, clogged ducts, mastitis. I knew I'd be dealing with the stress of how much she's eating, how much to pump, when to pump, etc. Basically, what I knew was that it would be tough, but it would mainly be tough on me. I would be the one to go through this, and I was okay with that.
Here's what I didn't know. I didn't know how hard it would be to get what the LC called a picture perfect latch to become actual feeding. I didn't know how to make a baby just close her mouth and suck. I didn't know how much time and effort it would take to try to get milk to come in. I didn't know I would have to spend days with a baby on my bare skin, eating all the prefered lacto inducing foods, and still not have any milk to show for it. I didn't know I'd ignore AJ for days just to try to get C to eat anything at all. I didn't know I'd resent M for having the free time to play with AJ. I didn't know I could pump and pump and pump and only have one tenth of an ounce to show for it. I didn't know I would end up basically starving my baby because my body just didn't want to work the way I thought it would.
Last night, after my crying, C's crying and M just looking lost, we broke out the bottles. C took one and she ate. She gulped that thing down so fast, I had to keep taking it out so she could breathe and swallow. She was starved. Once she ate, she slept. She slept more soundly than I had ever seen her. And she had a nice wet diaper after. She was finally content. This morning, I attempted the breast routine again, one last time. I did the sugar water again, but she wasn't having any of it. I decided in a last effort before giving up, I'd go to a breastfeeding support group that was held today. What I saw was 20 very supportive and friendly women, all having issues with breastfeeding. Their babies were at all ages, and every one of them was having an issue. At that point, I felt okay in the decision to stop forcing it.
So, we all went to lunch as a family and enjoyed ourselves for the first time in days. I played with AJ while M fed C. It was such a weight off my shoulders.
Then, tonight, it started. I do believe my milk is finally making it's appearance. Now that we came to the acceptance of formula, I get that choice back. However the choice now is to pump only and keep with the bottle, or try to re-teach C to take to the breast. After much discussion, M and I decide it's just not worth the stress. AJ was formula fed, we are used to it and we just don't want to bring this back into the mix again. I was so torn all day. I cried more than I have in a long time. Then, I got a sign that we made the right choice for us. C pooped for the first time since late Friday night!
I am all smiles tonight as I bind my chest.
Friday, December 30, 2011
C's Birth Story
12/28
M and I arrived at the hospital at 6:45AM. We were set up in a room to await shift change and the OB to let us know what was going to happen. About 5 minutes later the OB comes in and asks what things were going on the day before. I tell him what I was told after the internal on Tuesday, that there has been no progress since the week before, still 2cm, thick and head high. He asks if they did a membrane sweep. I respond with yes. He asks if there was bloody show, and I respond with no. He said they didn't do it right then, and he'll be doing it again. Wholy Moly did he do a sweep. He also said that I was a 3, thin, but the head was still high. He believed that once the meds started we'd be having a baby by mid afternoon.
Everything was right on track for that prediction. The Oxytocin was started around 8:30. There were some contractions, but I barely noticed them. M and I put on a Top Chef All Stars marathon and just wondered around the room. Around noon the OB comes in to check things out and breaks my water. He still thinks mid afternoon. I'm at a 4-5cm at that point.
Still the contractions aren't too bad. I can definitely feel them, but nothing horrible. Every half hour to hour the Oxytocin is bumped up by 2, so it was at about a 12 at that point. I ask for a labor ball around 1, and the nurse bumps up the meds one last time. At that point the contractions were getting much more painful, but I was still able to breathe through them. The OB came in around 2 to check again. 7cm. He said he'd be back in a bit since I'll be ready soon. He has now changed his prediction to late afternoon. My mother came in around that time and her, M and I were just talking with each other and the nurse, while still watching Top Chef. The contractions were much more intense, so I had a lot of breaks in the conversation. Next internal still showed 7cm. I asked for some Nubane to take the edge off and that bought me another hour. Unfortunately I was still at 7cm after that hour. Then the pain was intense again.
I asked for more Nubane, but it wasn't doing anything to take the edge off. I went through a few more contractions, but it was too much. The nurse offered to do another internal and we agreed that if I was still at 7cm, she'd call for the epi. Still 7cm, bring on the drugs!
I got the epi all done and feeling great around 7PM. I still could wiggle my toes and my lungs felt tight when a contraction hit, but thank goodness the pain was gone. The OB told me to rest. I could either relax my body enough to get past that pesky 7cm, or I'd at least get some rest to keep going later. Sadly the nurse I had all day had to leave. She was so bummed to know it was all so close but her shift was over.
An hour later the OB comes in, checks, and tells me we're good to go. Unfortunately I can't feel anything in order to push, so they back off the epi. About 15 minutes later (8PM) the nurses set me up with M on one side, my mother on the other and explain how I'm going to push. She tells me to do some test pushes. After two contractions C is crowning. One nurse gets the OB. He comes in, sets up, and 2 contractions later C has arrived. 8:20PM, 7 pounds 12 ounces, 21 inches.
No tear, no hemhorage, no issues at all with me. C did take a big gulp of fluid, so there were some feeding issues with that, but nothing else. She spent the night with me and H in our room, and it was fantastic!
We're even breastfeeding. So far so good with that. It's an adjustment and there have already been times I thought of how easy formula would be, like the 4 straight hours she was attached to me last night, but we're hanging in there. I reached my first goal, and we made it through the hospital stay without formula. Next goal will be to make it to a week.
Such an incredible experience the whole day was. It was such a difference than with AJ, that I almost got sad that we have no plans to ever have that experience again.
We are so in love with the precious C.
M and I arrived at the hospital at 6:45AM. We were set up in a room to await shift change and the OB to let us know what was going to happen. About 5 minutes later the OB comes in and asks what things were going on the day before. I tell him what I was told after the internal on Tuesday, that there has been no progress since the week before, still 2cm, thick and head high. He asks if they did a membrane sweep. I respond with yes. He asks if there was bloody show, and I respond with no. He said they didn't do it right then, and he'll be doing it again. Wholy Moly did he do a sweep. He also said that I was a 3, thin, but the head was still high. He believed that once the meds started we'd be having a baby by mid afternoon.
Everything was right on track for that prediction. The Oxytocin was started around 8:30. There were some contractions, but I barely noticed them. M and I put on a Top Chef All Stars marathon and just wondered around the room. Around noon the OB comes in to check things out and breaks my water. He still thinks mid afternoon. I'm at a 4-5cm at that point.
Still the contractions aren't too bad. I can definitely feel them, but nothing horrible. Every half hour to hour the Oxytocin is bumped up by 2, so it was at about a 12 at that point. I ask for a labor ball around 1, and the nurse bumps up the meds one last time. At that point the contractions were getting much more painful, but I was still able to breathe through them. The OB came in around 2 to check again. 7cm. He said he'd be back in a bit since I'll be ready soon. He has now changed his prediction to late afternoon. My mother came in around that time and her, M and I were just talking with each other and the nurse, while still watching Top Chef. The contractions were much more intense, so I had a lot of breaks in the conversation. Next internal still showed 7cm. I asked for some Nubane to take the edge off and that bought me another hour. Unfortunately I was still at 7cm after that hour. Then the pain was intense again.
I asked for more Nubane, but it wasn't doing anything to take the edge off. I went through a few more contractions, but it was too much. The nurse offered to do another internal and we agreed that if I was still at 7cm, she'd call for the epi. Still 7cm, bring on the drugs!
I got the epi all done and feeling great around 7PM. I still could wiggle my toes and my lungs felt tight when a contraction hit, but thank goodness the pain was gone. The OB told me to rest. I could either relax my body enough to get past that pesky 7cm, or I'd at least get some rest to keep going later. Sadly the nurse I had all day had to leave. She was so bummed to know it was all so close but her shift was over.
An hour later the OB comes in, checks, and tells me we're good to go. Unfortunately I can't feel anything in order to push, so they back off the epi. About 15 minutes later (8PM) the nurses set me up with M on one side, my mother on the other and explain how I'm going to push. She tells me to do some test pushes. After two contractions C is crowning. One nurse gets the OB. He comes in, sets up, and 2 contractions later C has arrived. 8:20PM, 7 pounds 12 ounces, 21 inches.
No tear, no hemhorage, no issues at all with me. C did take a big gulp of fluid, so there were some feeding issues with that, but nothing else. She spent the night with me and H in our room, and it was fantastic!
We're even breastfeeding. So far so good with that. It's an adjustment and there have already been times I thought of how easy formula would be, like the 4 straight hours she was attached to me last night, but we're hanging in there. I reached my first goal, and we made it through the hospital stay without formula. Next goal will be to make it to a week.
Such an incredible experience the whole day was. It was such a difference than with AJ, that I almost got sad that we have no plans to ever have that experience again.
We are so in love with the precious C.
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