2016 May Miracles

[NZKiwi]

I'm hoping for a home birth in water fx everything goes to plan, I have a just in case hospital bag packed though

 

[busytulip]

I've always wanted a home water birth (but have always been too high risk), I hope that you are able to have the experience you are wishing for.

 

[Em260]

Hi, ladies! Sorry I've been MIA it's been crazy having a newborn and a toddler lol.

NZKiwi - I'm still here cheering you on! I cant wait to hear your birth story!

AFM - Our baby boy was via scheduled csection last Thursday. It was a peaceful and pain free process compared to the emergency csection I had with my DD. I'm so glad my baby decided to be breech because otherwise I probably would have attempted a vbac and failed miserably and ended up with another emergency csection. We named him Alexander and he was 9lbs 8oz!! The OB said there was no way this baby would have fit through my pelvis since he was so huge. Which is basically what happened with my daughter. We just make big babies with huge heads and shoulders I guess

I left the hospital on Sunday. It's so nice to be home! My daughter has been so sweet with the baby. She constantly wants to kiss him and touches his head and arm so gently and tells me he is "so soft and cozy" . She calls him "baby brudda" and always lets me know when he is crying.

She has definitely had some moments of jealousy though and she spent a good part of the first day we were home sitting in his crib and his swing after proclaiming they belong to her

Hope everyone else is doing well!

 

[bakerh518]

I've been stalking as well!! Waiting to see those last baby pictures!!

I have yet to finish typing up our birth story, I'm about half way through!

Are you feeling anything in the way of going into labor NZK?

 

[NZKiwi]

Lol, no, not really, a few irregular cx but that's been going on for a week at least.

 

[bakerh518]

Aw dang! waiting is the worst!!

 

[sugargully]

I'm still here too! You're not alone NZKiwi. I've gone overdue.

Em I'm glad you had an awesome birth experience. Sounds like it went according to plan.

I have an appt. Thurs. I'm hoping I'm still okay to have a natural hospital birth. I'm still in week 40 so i don't think there should be any reason to rush to induce.

 

[NZKiwi]

Sugar I don't see why they would rush to induce, at least I hope not. My midwife said next appointment if no baby we book my induction but that's only because the hospital requires at least five days notice for non urgent inductions and the majority of women who get booked in for being overdue don't end up needing it as they go naturally before then. Fx that neither of us end up needing it!

 

[bakerh518]

Highly recommend some Chinese food ladies!!

I had Chinese food the night of Williams birth and when I told that to the nurse she said "oh yes! That'll do it!" My chiropractor told me it helps labor start as it is high in estrogen and that is of the first spiking labor hormones!

 

[sugargully]

Definitely have my fingers crossed. Especially now, I just got a letter from my insurance company authorizing me to go to the hospital instead of the clinic for monitoring tomorrow. My doctor must have sent the request. This rattles my nerves a little bit. Baby has been a little quiet today. I get movement when I prod the little one or move around a bit, but not how it was last week.

What kind of Chinese food Baker? Should it be spicy? I have a Panda Express nearby. Does that count since it's not exactly authentic.

 

[bakerh518]

Any kind is good! I don't like spicy Chinese; so it definitely doesn't have to be spicy! However; if you get sick during labor (i do at about 4cm) it'll put you off Chinese food for a bit

 

[ja14]

For those who've had their LO's, how's it been going?

Overall, things have been good with us. I've been able to get plenty of sleep, but my sleep schedule has been thrown off. I want to work on getting in a routine in the coming days.
We are still breastfeeding with the nipple shield. I've tried a few times without, but he will not latch at all. We spend 3+ hours a day nursing, and I know he's getting milk, but I suspect he may be losing weight again. I've been trying to weigh him on my home scale with me, and it's been showing a decrease. I don't really trust the number it shows, but if it's declining I believe that. I'm going to give it another day or two and then if it's looking the same I may call his doctor and start supplementing. I also think we might be getting thrush. It's not obvious signs yet, so I'm hoping I'm wrong.

I actually hate breastfeeding. It's been such a trouble. I know it's healthier, and obviously the cheaper option, so I'm trying to stick to it.

 

[bakerh518]

ja14, i breastfed my son for 18 months, and i would say it took a GOOD 3 months to actually feel like i was doing things right, had any clue what i was doing and that it didn't feel like he was constantly on the verge of starvation... I have short nipple shafts, apparently my never having to worry about my nipple poking out through my shirt is the only perk you get of short nipples, but it took A LONG time to get a good latch down, they do elongate over time and it DOES get easier, but you are not alone in hating it right now! If you want to stick with it, i HIGHLY recommend seeing a lactation consultant as much as you can, they are really helpful when they can watch how you are latching and such. Also investing in a very good nipple cream will help you as you wean from the shield If you end up with formula instead, take comfort in knowing you are feeding your baby! In the end, a happy healthy baby is more important than formula vs. breast!

AFM: we are doing good! 8 days old already! He is SUCH a different baby than his brother! A VERY lazy nurser... takes anywhere from 20mins-30mins to get him interested even after he's thrown a holy fit that he is hungry! (samuel emptied a side in under 20 minutes at this age!) But so far his sleep has been at the very least decent, and samuel does not wake to his cries, nor does william to samuels So thats pretty awesome

Samuel had a lot of behaviors when i first came home, totally directed at me also, not william at all, he is so inlove with william, but there was a lot of tension towards momma but that seems to be evening out, he is still two but at least it seems to be more even between me and my dh

 

[Spiffynoodles]

Ja, I hate breastfeeding, too. It made me miserable everyday, and just wasn't worth it. Just know that, in the end, a fed baby is all that matters. Do you know how many people ask me if my 4, 2, and 1 year old were breastfed as babies? Zero. No one cares, and my kids are just as smart and happy as any other kid their age.

Levi is doing great! He'll be one month old on Saturday! He spends more time awake these days and has given me a few semi-smiles, but nothing official yet.

 

[NZKiwi]

Wow sounds like all the babies are doing so well! Today is my due date but no signs of labor (not surprising) I read that ftm average pregnancy is 41 weeks and 1 day so I'm working to that

 

[bakerh518]

Finally finished William's Birth story! (sorry in advance, its long!)

Spoiler

May 17th 2016 @138am First contraction. I was half sleeping half awake when i got the first contraction. Definitely strong, still had doubts that labor was starting as it was a week early. HOWEVER, we had had chinese food for dinner (purposely to edge things along) so i thought maybe… Next contraction was just as intense and about 10 minutes later. (very reminiscent of samuels labor) After one more contraction, i had to get up. I went into the downstairs bathroom so as to not wake up Samuel & Kyle. I believed at this point labor had started but wanted kyle to get as much sleep as possible and definitely didn't want samuel up.

The contractions kept coming about 7-10 minutes apart and required breathing through but not too bad. The bathroom toilet smelled so bad for some reason, i couldn't handle it so through contractions i went up stairs got the cleaning supplies and then back down and cleaned the toilet haha. At this point it was about 230-245 i woke up kyle to let him know i believed i was in labor but since contractions were moving between 5-7-10 minutes apart i didn't think we needed to really do anything and that i was going to take a shower.

I took a shower and then headed up stairs to labor on the couch as i really wanted to rest if possible but not wake everyone up. I was using my phone app to track my contractions and i started to get them every 4-5 minutes apart with a couple 2-3 minute apart ones, some were about 2 minutes long while the super intense ones were only 30 seconds. (i'm SO sad that i accidently deleted ALL my contraction entries toward the end of my home laboring but oh well) At 345 i just kept praying that my labor would slow down just a little so that i could wait to call Ashley until 5am, at least a little bit of a decent time.

4am, and i looked at the “status” of my laboring on my app and instead of active labor it said transition… which freaked me out, as kyle has been saying all along i was going to try to have the baby at home! (not true at all!) so i decided i needed to get kyle and we needed to call ashley. 415 ish, kyle called ashley, and said it's time, he was freaking out and gave the phone to me. I updated ashley and we decided she needed to head over. Once i got off the phone my labor really picked up, i could not talk through contractions at all, and i had to sway. The pressure in my hips was so intense. I texted meegan to let her know things were going down

Kyle was gathering everything together (we had a small list of things) he brought me water and suddenly i told him i was going to get sick. I threw up three times, and thought for sure my water had broken as i was definitely leaking and losing lots of plug. It was at this point that kyle made the executive decision that we needed to meet ashley at the hospital instead of the house. (i am SO glad he did, we definitely would have still made it to the hospital but the ride would have been terrifying and HORRIBLE) He got samuel ready, and told him the baby was coming! He was super excited but also very concerned about me. Kyle took care of everything and got us all in the car. Every contraction was SO much pressure and required moaning and breathing. As kyle was going over the “bring to the hospital list” he got to the frozen fruit, and went to grab it out of the freezer, for whatever reason this was SO not what i wanted and i growled at him that i didn't want it. (apparently i am very mean during labor ) Poor kyle lol

Samuel was adorable in the back seat, he kept telling me “happy birthday mumma” and when i would get a contraction and start breathing, he would do big breaths also.

The sunrise was absolutely beautiful on the way to the hospital, a bright red sun and gorgeous clouds. Kyle kept remarking on it, and i wanted to say something too but the contractions were hard and fast that i just couldn't.

Kyle made insane time on the back roads until we got behind someone going the speed limit which was a GOOD thing as kyle would have gotten arrested in exeter ha! There were two troopers were i know he would have been going way too fast. (later when telling this to a nurse, she said it was so good he wasn't speeding as the cops give people a HUGELY hard time, a woman who was actually minutes from delivering got pulled over and they made her get out of her car!!)

When we finally got to the hospital, kyle parked in the farther emergency room parking b/c he was worried all the upfront spots were handicapped. As he got everything out of the car, i started towards the hospital, it was an INSANELY long walk. I had two contractions between the car and the entrance where a nurse met us with a wheelchair.

We got signed in, and had to wait for someone to help us up to labor and delivery since kyle's hands were full. I continued to contract (which was “good” b/c with samuel once we got to the hospital i was so freaked out that my labor slowed way down) in the elevator and DAMN did the elevator going up during a contraction freaking hurt! The only thing i wanted to do was stand, i hated sitting down during contractions.

We got set up in the room, poor samuel was such a good boy, he sat on the couch, here my labor did slow a bit as i could focus on him and i remember talking to him, which i couldn't before. My favorite midwife was on duty but leaving! But the next best was on so that was okay. Ashley called to let Kyle know she was there, and i hugged my big boy, i really wanted a picture but between all the on goings i didn't. :/ it was really best to get him out the door and kyle back in the room so that is okay. Shortly after Ashley picked up samuel


While kyle was out loading samuel, i got an iv, had blood taken, got the contraction and heart rate monitor on, and such. I don't remember when my midwife did the initial check, if kyle was there or not, but she checked me and i was 5cm dilated. (I remember thinking, holy crap… it's gonna get so much worse and i'm only 5 cm… )

About this time Meegan arrived, thankfully, i was nervous she might miss the whole thing, my labor slowed a little bit but not really too much, enough for me to get some breath in between contractions. My other midwife came in to say hello! (caroline) and my contractions picked up again. As i was breathing through a particularly bad one Caroline suggested we go into the tub (this is NOT a birthing tub, just used for pain management) Kyle asked the nurse if the baby would be born in the tub and she said “oh no no, we don’t have tub babies or toilet babies… you’d lose your job”

The tub took FOREVER to fill, and i was still sitting in the bed, the pressure across my hips was so incredible all i could think about was getting up and not being in that position any more. Finally the nurse said i could go to the tub, i was still only leaking a little, waters intact. When we first got to the tub kyle checked the temperature before i made the momentous climb in THANKFULLY b/c i would have freaked out, it was WAY too hot. So they got it cooled off and between contractions i could climb in, Seriously the tub wall is like half my leg… no stair, nothing, it was insane to try to climb in even between contractions, which were less than a minute apart.

Once in the tub the nurse kept trying to get me to lay back which i did not want to do at all, i kneeled for one contraction which felt amazing. Then i got a really intense contraction and the nurse got a pillow so i could lay back, again not what i wanted at all, so as soon as that contraction was done i rolled to my side and wedged my knee up against the side of the tub. At the same time i got what felt like an eternity between contractions, i just remember laying in the tub and thinking i am never moving again.

Then, however long later, i really have no idea, i had the most intense contraction yet and felt my muscles push hard… I looked at the nurse panicked, remember what she just said about no tub babies, and said “my body is pushing and i can't stop” This apparently is taken more seriously than i thought, because she pulled the alarm and kyle said she looked like she was going to rip me out of the tub herself.

The midwife came in, and they told me i had to get out, and i did not want to move at all. Caroline said she would check me in the bed, but as i got even more close intense contractions she decided to check me in the tub. My fear was that i was only at a 6 or 7, but instead she said i was 8cm dilated and that she was pretty sure my water had broken.

As i got out of the tub they dried me off with a huge warm blanket, which was so amazing but then the nurse opened up a johnny to put on me, and i said quite pathetically “ do i have to put that on?” which of course i did not, naked was the only thing i wanted to be lol we slowly made our way back to the bed, which I DID NOT WAnT TO LAY IN. I stalled at the edge of the bed through a couple contractions swaying and breathing and going up on my tip toes when the contraction was at its worse. The nurse was getting seriously irritated (said kyle, i don't really remember her being irritated, however she did say pretty short to me several times that they needed to get the baby monitor back on me; which one of the VERY strict conditions of a VBAC at this hospital is that there be constant monitoring on the baby, our midwife said this to us several appointments in a row to make sure we understood that it was non negotiable. So up until this point they had been VERY lenient with me, as i don't think the monitor actually picked up the babies heartbeat for even half the time we were there, and was taken off once it stopped working in the tub)

Reluctantly i got in the bed and had to lay back so they could put the monitor on. Through every contraction now my legs seriously felt like they were going to pop off from the pressure, not so much in my vagina, just my hips. I thought for sure they were going to dislocate. I looked at the nurse and begged to get up, which she said no, you have to stay so we can hear the baby and the midwife is going to check you. I seriously felt so trapped it was insane, i just kept looking from meegan to the nurse and to kyle, silently begging to get up from that position. Meegan told me later she was about to just help me get up when the nurse said “we don't trust you second time moms when you ask to get up, the baby is usually nearly here!” The midwife told me i was in transition and that it would be the worst but the fastest part of the labor. The next big contraction, i felt the pushing again and told the midwife.

She checked me again, and said “OH! It's time to push!, so with that next feeling heather, you're going to push” (8:12am) I was SO excited to hear that we were “finally” at this part. The midwife was very quickly getting her delivery stuff on, and although a doctor was supposed to be present there was not one. The infant nurse came in and was readying the baby warming area and all the delivery supplies. As my midwife was being tied up the next big contraction came and i pushed (quite involuntarily ill add) My midwife said “your body was meant to have babies, your baby is going to be here so soon.” Through the next two contractions i pushed 3 times each (so 6 total) and didn't feel anything happening. My midwife said “with these next ones you're going to want to pull away, everything is going to tell you to escape but you need to push down, your baby is going to be here in the next few minutes” I pushed again 3 times through a contraction and again didn't feel anything, and started to freak out that i couldn't do it, and decided i did not want to do it, and that i'd rather have a csection. Obviously my midwife is amazing and could read my mind b/c as i went to lay back and refuse to go more, she said in her mother's stern voice “heather! Heather! You can do this, your body is doing it. Feel down, that's your baby’s head (i could feel the bulge, as he was just barely starting to crown)” She looked at me so sternly, like common now, you can do it, and with the next contraction i pushed as hard as i could with very throaty growls, always in threes. As i started to stop pushing for that one, my midwife (and nurse) said “look! Look!” and there was the baby's head, which was SO WEIRD!!! I remember thinking it looked like a newborn kitten b/c it was weirdly shaped and wet and covered in hair haha

I had literally no control over the pushing at this point, and pushed again and the baby was born. (8:33) During this pushing my midwife said “slow! Slow!” but there was no going slow, apparently i have an off and on birthing button but not speed control haha, I did not feel the “ring of fire” as a lot of moms describe it, but the pressure… the pressure is all i remember.

They put the baby up on my chest, and i just said “hello!” over and over. The midwife said “well daddy?! What is it!” and we picked up the leg to reveal we had another baby boy! They asked kyle the name (i do not remember this at all but was told afterwards) And kyle very emotionally said “William James” he later told me he could barely say his name.

The midwife told me Williams cord was very short, and to not pull him up (even though i honestly don't think i was, i think the nurse was but who knows! haha) My contractions stopped immediately (which i was curious if they tapered off or just stopped) And the midwife said she needed a small push for the placenta, which i thought might hurt but seriously felt like not doing anything at all haha.

William stayed right on my chest the entire time i got stitched up. Kyle asked how many stitches and the doctor (a doc was asked to do them b/c i tore pretty bad and up instead of down, and was bleeding a lot ) said “oh, i don't count…” it was A LOT and honestly hurt worse than the labor! She must have done 5 or 6 different shots of numbing but it didn't do much! It took about 45 minutes ( i think) for her to sew all the tears. While she did that, william nursed for the first time and we basically just laid there in awe of each other.

I don't think poor kyle got to even hold william until maybe an hour after he was born. The whole time Meegan was taking pictures, although i've only seen the one of myself when william was first placed on my chest and one of kyle at the same moment… I cannot wait to see them! She shot the majority of the actual birth in black and white as it was pretty bloody and this way they don't look gross HA!

I was surprised at the amount of soreness i had, not immediately but after the swelling started to go down. Tylenol and epsom salt baths have helped with that! And i feel like i'm at about 60-70% now, pretty happy about that!

NZK: its so good that you have that mindset! There is nothing more miserable than expecting to go on your due date and having to wait!

 

[drjo718]

We're doing ok over here. Nora will be 1 month tomorrow! My blood pressure is somewhat better but still not consistently normal, and I'm still on a very high dosage of bp meds. Nora is gaining weight, up to 8lb1oz on Tuesday. We're still using the SNS for supplementation at the breast. I don't know if I'll ever be able to produce enough milk for her. We nurse, use the SNS, then I pump if she'll let me put her down, then I hand express. I have been able to pump an ounce twice, but usually I only get 10-15mL after feeding her. We switched formulas bc she seemed to have painful reflux, and that seems to have improved, but she still has a lot of gas and screams bc of it. Does anyone have any formula suggestions for this? We started with similac for supplementation, now we're on similac sensitive, and I'm going to try similac total comfort.

The good news is Nora is starting to sleep at night for around 4-5 hours at a time, and she is intentionally rolling from tummy to back already.

 

[bakerh518]

Wow! Rolling already! so crazy! I can't believe some babies are already nearly a month old!

Sorry no suggestions for the formula I hope your able to sort it soon!

 

[NZKiwi]

Wow that's a great birth story Baker!!

 

[ja14]

I enjoyed reading your birth story, Baker! Glad you're feeling well, especially after the tear!
The thought of tearing was always a little scary. I ended up with a very small tear, only needed 3 stitches.

Baker & spiffy, thanks for the comments on breastfeeding. I pumped after feeding him today, and since I was still getting a good amount I think I at least have an okay supply. I just need to make sure LO is eating long enough. He likes to comfort suck, so sometimes it's hard to tell when he's done.
DH has been (non-purposely) guilting me about BF. Whenever I mention the idea of quitting, or that I refuse to exclusively pump, he makes comments that he thinks are supportive but aren't.
I still haven't made my mind up about returning to work, but I know if I do return I will be stopping before then.

Speaking of work, an annoying thing happened that I hadn't mentioned here. One of the benefits I have at work is free health insurance for myself. A couple months back, I asked how much it would cost to add the baby, and was told $350 a month- which is expensive! It would be cheaper through my husband's work, and we actually pay for me to have insurance through his work as well. We were going to cancel me off of the plan though if I continued to work.
Well, three days after I give birth my boss calls me to let me know if I want to keep my insurance from work, I have to pay the premiums for the next three months. I didn't even ask how much it was since I assume it's similar to the $350 and I don't NEED their insurance plan. I asked if I could just don't be covered these three months and resume when I return. I was annoyed this wasn't mentioned prior to me leaving work, what If I didn't have that other insurance policy? She got back to me almost a week later and told me I would not be able to get their insurance again until after I'm back at work for three months, because in the eyes of the insurance company I'll be a new employ and there's a waiting period.
So I'll be going 6 months without that insurance, one of my job "perks".