Day 10

I have continued to drop a lot of that water weight that I was carrying around for the third trimester - yay, no more sausage feet. However last week and again last night I had a fever of 103 which has been disturbing especially to not know what is causing it. I felt so awful I stayed in bed and only got up to feed Angela; John & mom shared the other baby duties. We are also dealing with a bee problem at home, we can't exactly figure out how they're getting into the house & we are constantly killing bees - luckily it's near the end of their season and they are slow & easy to get, but still very frustrating.

Angela is a feeding/pooping/peeing master, and assuming she is not hungry, she is a very quiet happy baby. She likes to take the occasional trip outside to get some fresh air, and although (unless she's dead asleep) she doesn't like getting strapped into her car seat, after about 5 minutes of driving in the car she is very relaxed or asleep - which is great.

day 6

So here is my 6 day post-partum belly, I weighed myself today and so far I have lost 22 lbs, from the whopping 60 incredible pounds that I gained during pregnancy. So much of it was water weight and I felt like a balloon.

Monday night my breasts turned into softballs, but Angela was kind enough to demand nursing on and off from midnight to 2:30am which relieved much of the swelling. However she gave me a lovely abbrasion on the right side and it was impossibly painful to nurse her on that side for a couple days. We took a trip out to CVS and then Market Basket - to get a pump and get food. However, my pain medication wore off and I was dying while we shopped at the grocery store.

Right now she doesnt roll around when she sleeps so if I'm alone in bed I bring her into the bed with me and sleep next to her. It can take a while for her to really fall asleep so this allows me to feed her on and off and let her fall asleep without me having to move her and risk waking her again.

Angela had her first checkup at the dr's office today, when we were discharged from the hospital she weighed 6lbs 6oz and today she weighed 6lbs 9oz. Our next appt is Oct 2nd to see how much more weight she had regained. She is an eating machine so I am hoping that she will be atleast back to her birth weight by then.

More of the story

John was definitely more involved in the pushing process than I had previously expected. When we took the birthing class they told the husbands that they would be up near the wife holding her hand... not the case. The nurse took one leg and John took the other and pushed my knees into my chest while I grabbed my thighs, put my chin to my chest and pushed for a count of ten, three times during each contraction. John got to see the whole thing and said it was one of the most awesome things he's ever witnessed so I was really glad that he did see everything so that he could have a special memory of her birth.

Although she scored an 8 on the apgar test, she was a bit grey and she had some mucus or something stuck in her chest so they took her to special care. It was a bit sad because neither of us got to hold her in the delivery room, although I was a bit distracted by delivering the placenta, and having my stitches put in. I only had a small tear which was good. I was also extremely exhausted, all the pushing was making me really thirsty and I'm glad it didn't take too long because I was definitely getting worn out.

After about 45 minutes the epidural wore off and I was in a state of partial consciousness from my exhaustion. A nurse helped me up & go to the bathroom, I felt like such a mess and I was so tired & sore. When they put me in the wheel chair I was pretty much ready to ball my eyes out because I was just so tired.

I was finally wheeled in to see Angela, about 2 hours after she was born, and she was doing much better, they were just waiting for a few test results to come back. She was definitely ready for me though and began breastfeeding like a little machine and didn't stop for nearly 40 minutes.

It wasn't until about 11:30pm that she finally came to our room. I put John on diaper & picking up baby duty because moving just was not comfortable. Between Friday night and then again on Saturday night I think I got a total of 4 hours of sleep. Just getting used to Angela's needs, working on the breastfeeding (she had trouble latching on despite how successful she was the first time), and then just dealing with all the nurses, doctors etc coming into the room. Nothing like having a shot in the butt at 3am or blood being drawn at 6:30am after just falling asleep for the first time all night.

Being at home is much more comfortable, the swaddleme blankets with the velcro tabs really have helped her sleep much better, at the hospital she would keep being woken up by her startle reflex but last night I think I actually got about 4 hours of sleep in between feeding/comforting etc and she hasn't cried as much either... however we'll see how today goes. The sleepy wrap is also great, I have her wrapped up with me right now and can eat breakfast and type!

She's Heeeeere!

Labor Story:

Started feeling contractions about every 15 minutes while out to dinner with mom & John at... Angelo's restaurant around 6:00-6:30. Said to them "I could be wrong, but I think this time it's the real thing" Contractions kept up through the rest of the evening some stronger and longer than others - somewhere in the range of 5-10 minutes apart and I started losing more of the mucus plug.

Called the dr on call at midnight - he told me to rest - I tried ... didn't work. So I found myself pacing around the house (I told John to get to bed & get as much sleep as possible) - quarter to 3 I decided I couldn't wait any longer and wanted to get to the hospital, contractions were 3-5 minutes apart and getting stronger.

Got to the hospital around 4:30 and I was only 3 centimeters dialated. After an hour I was still only 3 centimeters and they told me if I didn't progress in the next hour they would send me home...and that I was still in early labor. Yah, well these contractions were pretty close together and painful and not the 5-20 minutes apart that the books say is "early labor". I definitely DID NOT want to go home and face this pain and then have to eventually go back to the hospital.

Spent about 45 minutes in the whirlpool tub, came out and I was 4 centimeters ... hooray! I was allowed to stay... However at this point I was rather exhausted and the contractions were still 3-5 minutes apart and I wasnt getting much rest.

10 am I was at 5 centimeters and decided that this labor was going to take a while and that I did not have the energy to deal with the pain for the whole labor. I requested the epidural even though I wished I could have dealt with a natural birth but I knew it wasn't going to work for me.

Epidural was fantastic. I could feel & move my legs although they did feel quite heavy and a bit numb, but it allowed John to sleep and me to get as much rest as possible. However it did slow the labor so I did start receiving low doses of petocin to stimulate the contraction. From then until about 5:00pm I received 2 mili-units per minute, then 3, 5,6, and 9.

2:30 my water broke and continued to leak as the contractions progressed. About 5:30 I was 10 centimeters dialated. At this point I could definitely feel the pressure of the baby moving into the birth canal with each contraction. The nurse said if I wanted to start pushing I could. So we went for it. At first it was like nothing was happening but as we continued I became more focused & pushed a lot harder. Even with the epidural I could feel my pushing and the descent of the baby. By 6:15 they were calling for the doctor to come in and I could definitely tell she was close... 6:23 rolled around and before they could even offer to have me look at her head crowning they told me to look down, and out she came!

We are certainly smitten with her and are enjoying every second of her.

Dr's Appt 2 days past due date

Well a mix of news. I'll present it in chronological order.

1. My blood pressure was high 140/80 and they immediately hooked me up for a non stress test and also preeclampsia labs. So I had the belt hooked up to my belly to keep track of the baby's heartbeat while I pushed a button every time I felt the baby move. At the same time I was also having blood drawn for the lab... however 2 tries in one arm produced no blood... she asked if I was dehydrated, I was thirsty so she gave me a cup of water and then drew blood out of the other arm... the non stress test turned out fine... baby was asleep at first but then they put a buzzer to my belly and she perked right up.

2. Dr was concerned about the BP but glad to hear about the loss of the mucous plus. Did a cervical exam (which is SO uncomfortable for me... though I've heard not the case for all women) and we have had some progression! Last week I was 50% effaced, this week I am 80%. Last week baby's head was at minus 2 position in the pelvis and this week she is positioned at zero - so she's dropped so more. And finally... last week I was at zero dialation and this week I am 1-2 centimeters which was super to hear.

3. Based on the high BP I have an appt at the hospital on Saturday (11:00am) to have my BP checked and do a non-stress and then .... assuming I don't go into labor over the weekend on Monday I am at the dr's again to do BP, ultrasound and non-stress. IF my BP is still high on Monday she said she'll induce me... however at the end of my appt today they checked my BP again and it was at 130/80 - still a bit high but obviously better than the 140.

I am hoping/assuming that my BP will be OK and I will allowed to wait for labor to happen on its own. I'm not a huge fan of the idea of being induced but will obviously accept it if that is what the doctor recommends.

Gross, but a positive sign.

I noticed I lost what looks like some of the mucous plug this morning...for those of us who may not be blessed with being aware of this labor sign, the mucous plug is created in early pregnancy to block bacteria from entering the uterus. As the cervix ripens and (hopefully has begun to open - I'll find out later today at my dr's appt) the mucus loosens and is released. It doesn't mean labor is immediately going to start, but atleast it seems my body is getting ready. Yesterday I had my legs waxed and today I had my pedicure so I'm ready for a sexy-smooth labor...yah right.

40 weeks - tick tock

So, it's a bit boring here at home at the moment. (Not that I couldn't clean the bathrooms - that definitely needs to get done.)

But so here are some pictures to share. One... my big belly - complete with a barrage of stretch marks that I'm not sharing at this moment...note the new velour pants complete with matching jacket that I cannot zip up yet (very comfortable though). Then we have my monster feet... perhaps when this is over (and my feet return to normal) I'll take a new picture so you can really see how swollen they are. After months of not wearing my rings I decided to see how far on my finger they would go... yea not very far - holy cow my fingers are so swollen. And lastly we have a shot of the pile of clothes that my mother bought in size 3-6 months. We also got some receiving blankets and 1 regular blanket. These were all taken with my new camera, which I programmed to the correct settings & the lens I bought does not have any zoom functions so it should be very easy for John to take pictures of the baby.

I also cannot call my mother without her thinking I'm calling to tell her I'm in labor. She is coming over shortly to spend some time with me - yay.

The Eve of Angela's Due Date

Well, right now it looks like Angela is not going to be as punctual as mommy was when she was born (10:38pm, 1 hour 22 minutes before my due date). I actually do enjoy the anticipation of her arrival, I'm not desperate to get this process over with, although I do want to finally meet her.

It is a bit frustrating to keep having these occasional contractions & lots of pelvic pressure that I know at some point soon will develop into real labor. I have a feeling I may be in labor for a while before I actually believe I am experiencing true labor.

39 week appointment

Well, after waiting an hour and a half to see the doctor for less than 5 minutes.... I am still at zero dialation... no biggie but atleast my cervix has become very softened and she said the baby has dropped! So, in good news - these contractions I keep having are getting me ready. Grandma-to-be spent the afternoon with me - we picked up my mini from the auto body, got some mulch and fall-decor for the house, went baby clothes shopping at carters (grandma bought a lot of outfits for 6 months... this girl has better clothes options than I do), did more shopping for baby stuff at Marshalls (love Marshalls for baby stuff), had lunch at Panera, and then my dr's appt. Very good productive day.

39 weeks

Damn I look sexy wearing John's shorts - I barely have anything left I can wear, even some of my maternity shirts do not cover my belly fully... that's convenient!

John & I are in a game of baby-roulette. John was hoping she would have arrived this past Friday, one because of the long weekend (even though he still works on Labor Day) and two because they were redoing the floors of the gym where he plays basketball and he was going to miss his weekly Sunday basketball routine anyway.

Alas, she did not coordinate with his schedule.

38 week dr's appt

No dialation yet - not that I was really expecting that, but it is nice to think that I only have maybe 1 or a few more dr's appointments left! I brought cookies in to the dr's office also, mainly because a lot of the women that work there are grouchy, however it figures the day I bring cookies the grouchy women weren't there... alas, their grouchiness will have to continue.

I'm not sure if I am going to use this same practice for my next pregnancy they've tested my patience over these past 9 months to the point where I may consider other offices. Long waits, grumpy receptionists & medical technicians (e.g. when I came in for my 16 week appointment the tech was like "ok so you're 20 weeks" and I said "um, actually I'm 16 weeks" and she came back at me with "NO, you're 20 weeks..." and I was like "um... I'm pretty sure I'm only 16 weeks" and then she double checked her chart and realized she was wrong... but gee... be nice about it!)

My doctor has not been very good with communication. One week she told me "next week we'll talk about pediatricians" and then the next week came and she never brought it up... they still haven't told me when I should call the office if I think I'm in labor. A lot of my questions have been answered by the books I've read and online articles so I don't feel uninformed but I would expect the doctor to be more proactive about making sure we're on the same page.

Baby Stuff

So here is a listing of what I've purchased for baby-gear. (Let me know if any of the links don't work... the copying and pasting was getting exhausting)


Car Seat/Carrier Stuff:
Graco SnugRide 32 Infant Car Seat
Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Stroller Frame
Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat Base
Kiddopotamus Snuzzler Complete Head and Body Support

Baby Entertainment
Fisher-Price Papasan Cradle Swing
Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Deluxe Gym
Boppy Cradle In Comfort Bouncer

Baby Prison/Nap Station
Graco Pack 'n Play Playard with Bassinet & Changer
Graco Quilted Pack'N Play Sheet

Other
Sleepy Wrap Baby Carrier -Black
PRIMO EuroBath
Baby Trend Diaper Champ
BabySmart Cooshee Changer
Sealy Baby Ultra Rest Mattress
Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Microfleece
Kiddopotamus Dreamsie Sleeper with Sleeves Microfleece Small
Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Organic Print

Nursery ...I decided we are just going to paint the room rather than wallpaper because I was running out of time and don't feel like staying home to have the guy come and hang wallpaper, I have not purchased sheets/bedding for the crib yet - she'll be in the bassinet in our room for a while and the furniture has not come in yet and we have not painted her room either so I don't know exactly what colors we are going to go with.

Stick-on Wall Art Sweet Pea Sweet Safari
Crib, Double Dresser & Hutch in Cherry Finish

Munchkinwear

So I was a bit excited to receive some of Angelas new clothes in the mail today and figured I'd share it with you.

All this stuff was on sale at bloomingdales.com so I felt alright about wasting some money on stylish clothes for our little one. Each dress is a different size, the pink stripe is 0-3m, the solid pink is 6-9m, and the blue stripe is 3-6m. They all have little diaper covers also which is cute. I figure when it's chilly out I'll throw some tights on her & use the sweater. The sweater by the way had an SRP of $60.00 - Good Lord that is crazy... I paid $18.00 which was bordering on too much for me.

38 weeks

Well we can officially say that Angela will be born this month!

The contractions I was feeling on Sunday have subsided considerably, just once in a while and not as strong.


Expected temperatures for this week are consistently low 70s, which I prefer in general (yay I'm wearing jeans again)but this is also helping my swelling to go down a bit which is also appreciated.


I finally ordered some more clothes for Angela, I only had a few outfits and decided it would probably be a good idea to get some more.

Taking yesterday off from work was a bit boring but definitely allowed me to keep my energy up with a nap in the middle of the day. I'm going to work today though, still have things to do but will hopefully only be there for a few hours.