Cooking our little Christmas cakes - late Dec babies

[JayDee]

Either I'm going mad or I posted a reply earlier that hasn't taken! Oh well....

No real update here, spent the weekend making sure that everything was ready so bubs has no excuse not to come out!

So... my xmas tree is up and decorated (presents were already purchased and wrapped), our bedroom had an extra good clean, DH even put the car seat base in the car!

Just waiting now.....

TTC - sure you'll be fine with your tablets, my SIL had to have similar when she was in 1st tri (so more at risk) and her baby is fine.

 

[DaisyBee]

Hi girls!

Finally having a moment to update you! I dont even know where to start - the past week has gone by so fast! Megan Elizabeth arrive on Dec. 2nd at 6:16 pm weighed 5 lbs 14 oz & was 19" long. I am so amazed and so happy! Its the most instense most precious moment in my life and I could just sit there and stare at her all day every day! She is absolutely perfect - no issues with being early! (I was worried about that) She is bigger than they thought - since that last ultrasound showed about 5 lbs which is good! Having issues breastfeeding cause I had reduction surgery many years ago. We have now decided to slowly stop bf cause its just not working like it should. I am pumping - and until yesterday was pumping every 2 hours (24 hrs a day) and feeding every 2 hours and then giving her a bottle anyway. So I have been exhausted! So between us and dr have decided that we have tried - but not worth this struggle with it. She is gaining weight - had her first peds appt yesterday & we dont see another dr til jan (for me) and feb (for Megan)!

Labor & delivery - I am not going to take the time to go over every detail but want to share some...so you to know....yes it is hard - I'm not going to lie. But what they say is true - as soon as your baby is here - you don't even care about what happened before that & you kindof forget already. I had very intense labor which is cause I was induced - and the dr wanted me to deliver quickly so she kept upping the dosage all the time. My contractions were close together the whole time - so not like the normal progression I learned about in childbirth class. My dh was a rock during the whole thing - but I had to tell him to stop being nice to me- LOL cause it was bugging me! I wanted him to be firm and factual - not being all nice & loving - HA! They broke my water in early afternoon & I went as long as possible without epidural - and couldnt handle it anymore so had an epidural in by 4pm. Was told that they would put a catheder in me in a few hours and that they would check me again later (at that moment I was only at 4cm!) and they were guessing possibly a cm an hour after that point. So dh who was starving & realizing our cat was home with no food (how is that for being organized like I though we were!!) he decided to go home to feed the cat and grab a sandwich. Well when he was gone - the charge nurse (whatever that means!?) came in to introduce herself - said "if you deliver by 11:30 tonight I'll be your charge nurse" I was thinking "yeah right - I'm going to be here all night" . Well when she was in there the babies heartrate dropped (was being monitored) and she went to look at the sheet. She said "are you feeling pressure" I said "well yes" (the dr who did the epidural said I would feel pressure so I thought nothing of it) So she checked me and said " oh my god - the baby is right there!" and she ran out of the room and got the dr and the nurses all came rushing in the room! I said my husband went to get something to eat! So they handed me the phone and I couldnt figure it out - so the dr dialed the # and talked to my dh and told him to get here right now that the baby is ready to be born! When the dr got off the phone she asked how far away do you live - and I said less than 5 min so she said "OK well then we can wait" & "dont push" OMG!!! It was so crazy! So dh got there in 5 min exactly and at that exact moment they had me push. 3 pushes with each contraction - total of 8 pushes and she was here. They layed her on my tummy - dh & I were crying & kissing her (vernix and all) and dh cut the cord. They did her shots & exam right in the room so we watched it all & dh helped. He gave Megan her first bath which just melted my heart. Maybe 1 hour (not sure exactly) they had me get up and go to the bathroom and take a sits bath (sp?) so glad i did the epidural- plan on getting one next time without hesitation.so crazy that my dh almost missed megan being born! 4:30 i was at 4 cm dilated and she was here ready to come out by 6! Id been feeling that pressure for a while - so wondering how long i was already at 10 before being checked

trying to get some pics - either here or facebook - whichever i figure out first! Brain doesnt want to work on this little sleep.

any ? - i'll try to help!

glad to see that you guys are all doing well!

 

[DaisyBee]

pics- dh with megan shortly after delivery (bath time), #2 me with megan shortly after delivery, #3 in the carseat ready to go home from the hospital #4 one of the only pics i have with her eyes open - cause every time i take a pic she flinches!

 

[Emma1980]

OMG, how adorable is that first pic?! she is absolutely stunning!!! Love the name too, (thats my neices name!) you look so calm in your pic, how you managed that after labour i'll never know! lol

Congratulations mummy!!!

 

[amerikiwi]

Congratulations Daisy--Baby Megan has entered the world!!

She is so cute. I love the photo of her looking up at your DH.

Well done on the labor. Sounds like you handled it all brilliantly! How is the adjustment back at home going? Are you being surrounded by visitors or taking time to be with DH and beautiful baby girl?

 

[DaisyBee]

LOL - Emma - after delivery I was a different person. It was like the rest of it didn't matter. The fact that I slept only 20 min since arriving at the hospital on tues eve. and gone through everything & even told my dh a few times that I couldnt do it - everything else was completly forgotten- it was like I all of a sudden had energy and couldnt stop smiling & laughing. I have NEVER been so happy in a weird emotional way!

DH & I only had visitors on the weekend - sat my family and sun his family. I sent my family out shopping and running errands for me which helped. DH's family I couldnt really say that to them - LOL In some ways it feels like the most natural thing in the world that the baby is here with us & we are taking care of her every need. In other ways it seems totally crazy! Like I have to pinch myself! I had to sign a parent/guardian thing at the dr visit yesterday and it felt very weird.
AK - great idea on your making food - our families have been cooking and bringing us lots of things that is filling up our fridge- and it is soooo nice not to have to think about what to make/eat. Also - paper plates, etc. are my new best friend! I have been washing enough stuff with the breast pump pieces (it was 12 washings a day!) + the bottles. Trying to get breastfeeding to work has been the most challenging part of the past week. DH & I are loving getting to know our little girl. She seems like she would like to roll over & likes to hold her neck up - which seems completly impossible! She loves to cuddle & is most awake when I would like to be sleeping (nights- esp 3-7a.m.) She hates getting her diaper changed & her clothes too. We had to go buy some premie clothes - the newborn clothes were way too big! LOL I cant believe I ever worried about having a huge baby!

Time is going by so fast - hard to believe that tomorrow she is already a week old. I LOVE being a mommy!

 

[JayDee]

Daisy - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Saw the pics on facebook last night, she's adorable. I also love her name, it would definately have been on my shortlist if mine was a girl.

Thanks for sharing your birth story too, can't believe DH nearly missed the main event!

Sounds like you're both taking to parenthood really well, hoping that will just happen for us too. People keep saying "soon you'll forget what life was like without the baby" and I didn't really believe them, but some of the comments you've made after less than a week make me believe it a bit more.

The breast feeding... we got told that even if you've given baby the first few feeds from the breast then you've given them lots of good stuff. Doesn't sound like you're too stressed about switching to formula, but I really wouldn't be, if I last a few days I'll be happy.

Everyone else doing ok? I'm getting impatient now, I guess what I really need to do is just find something to occupy myself and forget about it, a watched pot never boils and all that. I guess it's just because my SIL's baby was 2 weeks early, and my mum said both me and my brother were a week early, that I'm hoping this one will follow suit. No real sign so far but, as I say, maybe if I stop looking for them.....

 

[PieMistress]

CONGRATS Daisy!!!!!!

I also saw your gorgeous piccys on facebook (am a facebook addict!). Megan is soooo adorable and you must be soooooo proud! I CAN'T WAIT - MWAHHH! I have the same thoughts on BF - will do what I can to make it work but if it doesn't, it doesn't. You can't tell who has or hasn't been breastfed so I'm not going to beat myself up if it doesn't work out. How are you finding the expressing? Are you using a pump?

Great minds think alike as Megan is on our names list (for a middle name, depending on what first name we go for).

Like Jaydee I am getting very impatient too. Being on maternity leave doesn't really suit me and I'm missing all of the craic at work. Am seeing some colleagues on Friday night though so will get the gossip and am meeting the girls from the NCT class for coffee and cake. I have a feeling bubs won't be arriving anytime soon though (famous last words) but will see. Off out for a decent sized walk in the sunshine today!

Congrats again Daisy, keep putting up the pics (when you get time!)

Wonder who will be next?!

Time for a cup of coffee and to watch the Russell Brand interview from last night, there's something devilishly charming about him! x

 

[Emma1980]

Ive not seen FB pics, do i not have you on FB?

 

[Emma1980]

Found ya - i had you sorted into the wrong group!

 

[DaisyBee]

Glad you found me Emma -cause I still don't know how it all works - & would have never been able to help - LOL

Pie - yes I am using a pump - a rental from the hospital.. so its supposed to be the best (ie. expensive one). Right after delivery we tried bf but Megan wouldnt latch on to my breast. So after attempt #2 a few hours later they had me start pumping - both at one time for 15 min. So after many attempts at latching figured out that she would latch if I used a nipple shield (was something more firm for her to feel on roof of her mouth). So then we would breastfeed every 2 hours, 15 min on each breast; then pump 15 minutes total, then feed Megan with a bottle &/or syringe with the breast milk.

Ex.... 1pm start breastfeeding 1:15 burping, switch sides, by 1:35-1:40 done breastfeeding on other breast so time to burp; by now its about 1:40-1:45. Then time to pump for 15 minutes on the double pump - by the time I get organized and finished up and clean all the parts by hand it would be 2:10? then time to bottle feed or syringe feed Megan, then burping her - so finished by 2:20..... Well then its only 40 minutes until I have to start breastfeeding again. And I was doing this all day and all night! So I was having no time to sleep or eat or anything. I'd get in a 1/2 hr nap and have to get up to start the process all over again! So frustrating when things weren't working well - they had me doing this so often to try to get my milk to come in & to be getting enough to feed Megan since they didn't want her to lose much weight & since they knew there would be issues with me having had surgery(no one bothered to mention this before btw) . Well she was starving and so was fussy but the dr wouldnt talk about formula til friday morning. I was relieved by that point cause I could tell Megan wasn't being satisfied by what I was producing & it made me feel bad. So then since Midday friday we would do the same schedule but at night could do every 3 hours instead of every 2. Only difference is we were adding in formula to her bottle feeding every other time. Well by Sunday we had starting giving up the idea of ever exclusive breastfeeding - she still wouldnt latch on without the shield & no matter what she wasn't satisified without the formula. Also was having lots of pain in my scar tissue from my surgery once my milk had been coming in. So now - I am pumping only every 4-5 hours but have given up on breastfeeding - only adding in the expressed milk to her formula. She seems to be happier & so am I - I have more time to do other things with her - not just worry about pumping & feeding. So its been easier & this I could handle - but still having the issue with my scar tissue. the dr is saying I could easily get plugged ducts & infections which is not something I want to deal with!

I cant wait til you girls have your babies!!!!!! Im so excited for everyone! Think im to the point now of being so overtired that it is hard to sleep. My dh returns to work tomorrow. I dont know who is more sad about that - him or me. He is loving being a dad - he is so amazing with Megan. It makes me so grateful for everything I have - it is going to be the best xmas ever!

 

[Emma1980]

well i could be next hehe!

had my midwifes appt and she suspects i have OC, blood test results will be back friday mornin and if theyre positive i'll be induced monday!

not really bothered either way!

Your post exhausted me Daisy! i'm thinking FF is the way to go now LOL

 

[DaisyBee]

LOL Emma - thinking it won't be that difficult for everyone else. Mine are different circumstances. And Megan likes to suck - on everything! her hands, fingers, any blanket, burp rag that comes close enough to her face, my fingers, etc.... just not my nipples!

What is OC??? How exciting to think you could be next!!!!

 

[Emma1980]

Obstetric Cholestasis - a liver disorder in pregnancy, my MW said its nothing to worry about but they will induce at 37 wks

 

[JayDee]

Daisy, I'm glad you asked what OC was cos I didn't know either! The breast feeding/pumping saga tired me out reading it as well, glad you managed to find a happy medium that you and Megan are happy with. Kinda rubbish that they didn't bother mentioning that the reduction surgery was likely to cause an issue before now though, you could have prepared yourself more for BF not working out.

I can't wait for us all to have our babies either, unfortunately mine isn't showing any sign of moving anytime soon. Bump has certainly dropped, actually looks slightly flabby for the first time if that makes sense, but that's about it.

Emma - your little man has been threatening to come for weeks hasn't he and it now sounds like you might be next... I know nothing about OC but hopefully it's something that goes away once baby is here that's why they deliver early. Kind of ironic that you get a liver disease once you give up drinking for however many months.

Going to go out today, probably just to wander aimlessly around the shops or something, if I sit here waiting for him to come out any longer I'll go mad!

Doc's appointment tomorrow morning first thing, hopefully he'll give me some good news, like baby has engaged more or that I'm actually in labour but thought it was BH or something! I can but dream....

 

[DaisyBee]

LOL at the ironic statement about drinking JayDee. Sounds like a good idea to stay busy. I dont have that problem anymore-the opposite! its 3am here & im typing 1 handed (for a cute reason !) LOL

What are the reasons they think you have oc Emma? symptoms? hope all is well... might be 2 of us induced at 37 weeks - crazy! megan measured small so your little boy will probably be bigger than she was. keep us posted!

 

[Emma1980]

Funny you mentioned the drinking thing, my mum said the same thing, though her comment was "well theres no wonder you'd have liver problems with the amount you drink!" or course i reminded her USED to drink, lol... i worked in a bar, i did drink quite often!

Yes the disorder should go away as soon as LO is born... I actually complained of no symptoms for it, though visited the midwife on monday to chat for a half hour or so, i had her, a student midwife & a student doctor, was quite a busy room! at the end of the chat she asked if she could take bloods as she had issues with how i was acting - I asked what she meant and she said all i had done since entering the room was itch my arms and legs continuously, apparently this is the main sign, also asked how i feel heat wise, i'm always hot! that was eough cause of concern for her that she thinks i have it!

i did the aimless wondering yesterday jaydee - will probably do the same today, cant find anything to buy like, there ist many baby stores around here and i dont drive so cant really go elsewhere!

 

[JayDee]

Wow Emma, I don't think I've been in the same room as a midwife for half an hour since my booking appointment. Sounds like it might have been a good spot if you have got it, I bet lots of them would miss that.

My aimless wandering resulted in random purchases, none of them baby related unless you count the bottles of pepsi I bought to put in hospital bag for DH. I'm sure they will have drinks at the hospital but after Daisy's story of DH nearly missing the main event I don't really want him to risk leaving the room just cos he wants a drink!

 

[DaisyBee]

LOL - yes JayDee - I wouldnt risk it either! I only packed little snacks - no drinks or real meal type things. DH wasnt interested in the snacks & had to go downstairs to vending to purchase a pepsi. I wouldnt let him leave most of the day however - with my contractions & how I was feeling I needed him right there in my face- so he didnt get a chance to leave the room for drinks or even to even pee for many hours - after my epidural I was ok with him leaving (silly me!)

I brought music which I didnt use, massage tools which i didnt use... I did however say that I could see why someone had suggested a rolling pin - it would have felt awesome at certain times for dh to roll it really hard on my lower back. I was having him push on my back as hard as he could & his hands could have used a break!

One thing I will say is that once I started feeling miserable that all modesty I have left the room. I spent most of the day with my backside hanging out of the stupid hospital gown (they don't have you wear your own things for labor over here). I could have cared less at the time. Also had 2 student nurses that asked to be in the room right as the nurses all were rushing in my room for delivery- dh and I always had said if they ask we would say no students but by then i could have cared less who was in the room so I let them stay and watch.

Glad your midwife was paying attention Emma! Realized during labor that my dr who i had been seeing a lot was paying attention to me too. The nurse was commenting on how flushed I was & the dr said - she is always pink. LOL True - during pregnancy every time i got in the hospital i got hot & had rosy cheeks. I never realized the dr noticed though.

 

[amerikiwi]

Daisy, glad to hear you have found a feeding solution that works for both you and Megan. I too was exhausted just reading your pumping, burping, feeding schedule! Shame your DH has to return to work already--will he get time off for Christmas?

Emma, it def. sounds like you could be next to welcome your Christmas cake. So exciting!!!

My little girl is showing absolutely no sign of coming any time soon. My bump is still really high and she has not engaged at all. I did get the nesting instinct yesterday though. I got a bit obssesive about cleaning the washing machine before washing bubs' clothes. My DH came home as I had the machine in pieces and was using cotton-tips to clean the fabric softener dispenser.

Jaydee, is your little guy engaged yet?