Ah, birth story part deux? Yes, I know overkill right? Our doula dropped by for the post partum visit and dropped the birth story off. Compare the two and see how close my reality was to what really happened!
"Christina scheduled her labor to be induced on Friday morning, August 1, 2008. In the shower that morning, she lost her mucus plug, which was a great sign that Miss Pancake was about ready to be born. Christina and K went to the hospital early in the morning and got settled, and they called me about 9:20 am to tell me that Liz, the midwife, was coming at 10:30 am to break Christina's water and get things going. Liz and I both arrived at 10:30. Christina and K had taken a walk to the cafeteria, so Liz and I chatted until they got back. Liz broke Christina's water at about 10:50 am. Her cervix was 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced, and Miss Pancake was at -2 station. K was holding Christina's hand and eating Doritos, and we thought we heard a "pop" when Liz broke the water, but it might have been K's chewing.
Liz left, and the three of us watched the end of Glory Road and ate Swedish Fish, Later in the afternoon we played rummy and Crazy 8s. All afternoon, Christina alternated between sitting in the bed, bouncing on the ball, and walking in the halls and outside. She had stronger contractions when walking, but they didn't stay consistent and weren't getting strong enough to really be called labor. By 6:00 pm she was starting to get frustrated, and we discussed various options. Christina decided to try castor oil. K went out to get some (he called it beaver oil)! Christina rested for awhile while she built of the courage to take the castor oil. She finally took the castor oil just after 9:00pm. She said it tasted like drinking lipstick. We watched Monk while waiting for the castor oil to take effect, and K and I order pizza. At 10:30p the pizza and the labor arrived! K and I took turns eating and sitting with Christina. Miss Pancake got the hiccups, which Christina said happened every night at about 10:30pm.
BY 11:20pm, Christina was having powerfully strong contractions. She got in the shower for awhile and leaned on K during contractions. He stayed right by her giving her verbal encouragement the entire time. She tried sitting on the toilet after her shower, but it was very uncomfortable during contractions. She got back in bed a little after midnight. She was beginning to feel a slight urge to push and when Liz checked her cervix, she was eight centimeters dilated. Half an hour later she was completely dilated and pushing hard.
Miss Pancake head was born at 1:12am and her body at 1:13am. She had some facial bruising that made her look blue, but her breathing was fine. By 1:45a she was rooting and sucking on her hands, and trying to latch for breastfeeding. At 2:15a she got a good latch and nursed for over a half an hour. The nurse did the vitamin K shot and eye ointment while Miss Pancake was nursing and Marisa didn't even flinch. She then switched to the other breast and nursed there for half an hour as well. Way to go Miss Pancake!
Christina got up at 3:45a to take a shower and the nurse weighed Miss Pancake - 8 pounds 11 ounces - and the nurse got her cleaned up and bundled. At 4:10a Miss Pancake was back with Christina and everyone looked ready for a nap. I left at 4:30am."
Showing posts with label baby birth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby birth. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Baby Feet
Baby toes make me smile.
I am feeling better. Thank you for the kind comments. Thank you to K for telling me to it will be okay. Thank you to Kelly for her help in getting my head on straight. Thank you to Jen for calling today and letting me blather on about everything and nothing. M and I will be a-okay & I know there will be moments that I am quite certain I will bitch about on here but that we will all be okay and at the end of the day we are good parents doing a great job!
Kelly (Shades of Gray) is going to have a baby - I know news flash if you do not read her blog BUT I mean the baby will be on the outside soon. She's breakin' out over the weekend! GO KELLY! We cannot wait to meet Waffle Syrup!!!
I am feeling better. Thank you for the kind comments. Thank you to K for telling me to it will be okay. Thank you to Kelly for her help in getting my head on straight. Thank you to Jen for calling today and letting me blather on about everything and nothing. M and I will be a-okay & I know there will be moments that I am quite certain I will bitch about on here but that we will all be okay and at the end of the day we are good parents doing a great job!
Kelly (Shades of Gray) is going to have a baby - I know news flash if you do not read her blog BUT I mean the baby will be on the outside soon. She's breakin' out over the weekend! GO KELLY! We cannot wait to meet Waffle Syrup!!!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Nine Days & Fear
I feel like I am in the 24th mile of a marathon only I did not train very well because I am hacking and snotty and very tired. But dang NINE more days till the due date. Mostly everything is done that can be done. My house is moderately clean, my bags have been packed for so long I cannot remember what is in there any more (I should check...), Pancake's room is as good as it is going to get (which is still not QUITE finished but whatev she will be in our room for the first few weeks any way... In a word, I am READY.
Ready to have this little girl. To meet her and hug and hold her. I am ready today and I have this horrible fear of going overdue, way overdue. We did schedule a date to be induced but I am getting cold feet about it. I have decided that date is subject to change. I keep hoping and praying that this morning, afternoon, evening will be the moment when I start to see BIG changes and yet there have been few. It is like my body LOVES being preggo. I mean why not - it gets fed lots of yummy foods I normally would not indulge in like ice cream EVERY DAY and Reece's Peanut butter cups! Or maybe that is Baby Pancake who likes those things? I did threaten her yesterday to stop all junk food and only eat broccoli and brussel sprouts to get her out - HA!
With M, I had to beg for extra days from my Midwife after going overdue. M's due date as far as we could tell was April 4, 2005. I gave birth to M on April 19th. In trying to stay positive about the whole birth process this time around, I felt like perhaps giving birth to this baby would be different since so much of the pregnancy has been different. I thought perhaps the getting down to the end and being late part would not bother me because the entire pregnancy I have had a great attitude about it. I know I am not technically late at this point but it seems like everything has stopped. I have had few to no contractions the past few days, almost the same cold I had at the end with M, and 1 cm-50% effaced...
I am freaking myself out at this point, I think. This worry and fear that I am headed down the same path I did with my 1st pregnancy. Please do not get me wrong as I gave birth to a beautiful happy healthy baby boy but the whole process of birth was not (a) exactly how I pictured it and (b) it was the scariest most difficult thing I have ever done. From being induced to being that close to having a c-section I could see the whites of the eyes of the c-section prep people to the struggle with post partum issues I had for many months after. Eventually I was able to put it all in perspective and I really thought I was over my feelings surrounding M's birth until this past week or so.
Something about this time frame, how similar things seem - that is what is freaking me out. I feel like I am the same scared, fearful person I was back when I had M. I know in my heart of hearts everything will be okay. That however this baby comes out she will be a dandy and I will be in love. That having the perfect natural birth is not all that. That I will not allow myself to feel like my body failed on me like I did last time. That our new baby will be grateful for having parents who make the best most well informed decisions based on what we know and are told so she can come into this world screaming and beautiful just like her brother.
I just need to keep reminding myself of that. I just need to keep trying to let go of the past and find that new place I was when we decided to have a 2nd baby. To let go of the old fears and know that however Pancake enters this world it will be a special wonderful day no matter what my expectations are. Enough of this serious stuff...
Kay, I am off to stuff some more Reece's peanut butter cups in my face because if nothing else it makes me feel temporarily good - how can one feel fearful when stuffing chocolate-y peanut buttery goodness in my mouth!!!
BTW, what strange things have you done to get the birth process going, if any? I actually ate almost half of a pineapple last evening because I heard it helps to err ah ripen the cervix... Sweet, eh?!
Ready to have this little girl. To meet her and hug and hold her. I am ready today and I have this horrible fear of going overdue, way overdue. We did schedule a date to be induced but I am getting cold feet about it. I have decided that date is subject to change. I keep hoping and praying that this morning, afternoon, evening will be the moment when I start to see BIG changes and yet there have been few. It is like my body LOVES being preggo. I mean why not - it gets fed lots of yummy foods I normally would not indulge in like ice cream EVERY DAY and Reece's Peanut butter cups! Or maybe that is Baby Pancake who likes those things? I did threaten her yesterday to stop all junk food and only eat broccoli and brussel sprouts to get her out - HA!
With M, I had to beg for extra days from my Midwife after going overdue. M's due date as far as we could tell was April 4, 2005. I gave birth to M on April 19th. In trying to stay positive about the whole birth process this time around, I felt like perhaps giving birth to this baby would be different since so much of the pregnancy has been different. I thought perhaps the getting down to the end and being late part would not bother me because the entire pregnancy I have had a great attitude about it. I know I am not technically late at this point but it seems like everything has stopped. I have had few to no contractions the past few days, almost the same cold I had at the end with M, and 1 cm-50% effaced...
I am freaking myself out at this point, I think. This worry and fear that I am headed down the same path I did with my 1st pregnancy. Please do not get me wrong as I gave birth to a beautiful happy healthy baby boy but the whole process of birth was not (a) exactly how I pictured it and (b) it was the scariest most difficult thing I have ever done. From being induced to being that close to having a c-section I could see the whites of the eyes of the c-section prep people to the struggle with post partum issues I had for many months after. Eventually I was able to put it all in perspective and I really thought I was over my feelings surrounding M's birth until this past week or so.
Something about this time frame, how similar things seem - that is what is freaking me out. I feel like I am the same scared, fearful person I was back when I had M. I know in my heart of hearts everything will be okay. That however this baby comes out she will be a dandy and I will be in love. That having the perfect natural birth is not all that. That I will not allow myself to feel like my body failed on me like I did last time. That our new baby will be grateful for having parents who make the best most well informed decisions based on what we know and are told so she can come into this world screaming and beautiful just like her brother.
I just need to keep reminding myself of that. I just need to keep trying to let go of the past and find that new place I was when we decided to have a 2nd baby. To let go of the old fears and know that however Pancake enters this world it will be a special wonderful day no matter what my expectations are. Enough of this serious stuff...
Kay, I am off to stuff some more Reece's peanut butter cups in my face because if nothing else it makes me feel temporarily good - how can one feel fearful when stuffing chocolate-y peanut buttery goodness in my mouth!!!
BTW, what strange things have you done to get the birth process going, if any? I actually ate almost half of a pineapple last evening because I heard it helps to err ah ripen the cervix... Sweet, eh?!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
List Maker, List Maker, Make Me a List
I am sort of list maker when it comes to clearing my brain and relieving the worry that goes along with feeling like I have 900 million things to do but no organized thoughts about getting them done...
It is not so much the checking off of a list that does it for me so much as the getting the cob webs out of my head especially at this late stage in the pregnancy game. If I do not put stuff on my calendar as it comes up I forget about it entirely and then I obsess over the fact that I missed the event or activity. Thankfully my husband and friends seem patient with me and just gently pat me on the back saying "no no that is not happening until NEXT week..." all the while cursing my stupidity I am sure ;)
Did I tell you the other day I walked to my acupuncture appointment and thought as I walked that it was the wrong day. She was in the room with someone so I peeked at her calendar and lo my appointment was not last Wednesday but THIS Wednesday so I left before she knew I was there.
With no further ado a list for your exciting viewing pleasure (Gawd could I be any more daft, boring and lame?!?!)
What we still need/want list:
Baby monitor (the little TV screen on our old one died) (how did our parents survive without the TV screen monitor anyway?!)
Sling(s) (STILL)
Born Free or Dr Browns Baby bottles (We threw out the old ones due to the whole toxic plastic thing)
Bottle drying rack
JJ Cole Bundle Me
A gift for Matthew from us for after the baby arrives
A night stand or little table for the baby's room - for water and stuff while I am nursing
2 shelves for baby's room
Snacks for the hospital (GOOD ONES)
Cash (for the hospital)
Tapes for the camcorder
Bumbo seat
We also need to start stocking up on extra food in our freezer for after the baby arrives. Okay and I need to pack a bag which is not going to happen for a few more weeks (hopefully?!) so I can obsess about that later.
I hesitate to say this BUT I think this all we need. Everything is all set. I am amazed by this and I am sure there will be 900 other things that come up once Princess Pancake arrives but I feel moderately good about it all!!!
It is not so much the checking off of a list that does it for me so much as the getting the cob webs out of my head especially at this late stage in the pregnancy game. If I do not put stuff on my calendar as it comes up I forget about it entirely and then I obsess over the fact that I missed the event or activity. Thankfully my husband and friends seem patient with me and just gently pat me on the back saying "no no that is not happening until NEXT week..." all the while cursing my stupidity I am sure ;)
Did I tell you the other day I walked to my acupuncture appointment and thought as I walked that it was the wrong day. She was in the room with someone so I peeked at her calendar and lo my appointment was not last Wednesday but THIS Wednesday so I left before she knew I was there.
With no further ado a list for your exciting viewing pleasure (Gawd could I be any more daft, boring and lame?!?!)
What we still need/want list:
Baby monitor (the little TV screen on our old one died) (how did our parents survive without the TV screen monitor anyway?!)
Sling(s) (STILL)
Born Free or Dr Browns Baby bottles (We threw out the old ones due to the whole toxic plastic thing)
Bottle drying rack
JJ Cole Bundle Me
A gift for Matthew from us for after the baby arrives
A night stand or little table for the baby's room - for water and stuff while I am nursing
2 shelves for baby's room
Snacks for the hospital (GOOD ONES)
Cash (for the hospital)
Tapes for the camcorder
Bumbo seat
We also need to start stocking up on extra food in our freezer for after the baby arrives. Okay and I need to pack a bag which is not going to happen for a few more weeks (hopefully?!) so I can obsess about that later.
I hesitate to say this BUT I think this all we need. Everything is all set. I am amazed by this and I am sure there will be 900 other things that come up once Princess Pancake arrives but I feel moderately good about it all!!!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Acommunucation
Ah, Friday. Do you remember Monday when I was right fired up about it being Monday and back on schedule? Well bah to that. Weekend of laziness here I come!
I will be buying Maternity clothes this weekend and calling about a cleaning service on Monday. Hippy hip hooray. This is the life of a chronic procrastinator just so you know. I am ALL talk and no action... speaking of which -
SOOOO I cannot believe I forgot to mention that my friend, Jen, from Detroit, and her hubby, Randy, has their baby boy last month. I totally suck. The baby is OH SO very cute. He was born on February 12 and his name is Evan! YEAH for them! Yes he is three weeks old already so I really really suck.
I also just found out last week that hotmail has been blocking random people from sending email to me. Like my friend Michelle. She is one of my oldest friends besides Jennifer. Michelle & I have known one another for 17 years... Can we just stop here because I had to do the math to figure that out and I almost crapped in my pants when I saw that number only because that is how long it has been since I was a freshman in college but ah Jennifer from San Jose (the one I mentioned above) ah that would mean we have known each other since... hmm carry the 4.... minus 1987-ish and 2008 - that is 21 years... HOLY CRAP. Yeah so any who la la la la NOT OLD NOT OLD...
Michelle called me to tell me she can see all my e-mail but I cannot see anything she is sending back to me. I just figured she was busy with life. You know having three kids ranging from 8 to 4 years of age will do that to you. And as I mentioned ah picking up the phone - I mean what is that? Who doesn't read this blog or email these days? Dang I have thought about upgrading my phone so I can text more just so I can completely cut out human contact all together... I kid, people, I kid (sort of...)
I gave Michelle my spam email address & we are able to reconnect finally after any moons of not - what don't we all have two e-mail addresses? In my case, three but who's counting? The spam e-mail address is for ordering stuff. I use it on almost all public sites and I only get spam or order confirmations to it. I love it. Keeps the other one much cleaner but apparently TOO clean. I am glad that has been cleared up because I was just starting to think that Michelle hated me and that would be tragic (seriously...) I was going to have to drive my lazy ass up to Milwaukee to hunt her down and find out why, WHY does she hate me? What's that? Ohhhh yeah because I never call or write or send birthday cards any more. It is me who sucks at this communication thing. Note to all: on going life changing goal to be better about communicating with people I love. Dually noted that this probably will be an on going process through out my life because I am a hermit crab. So yeah there is that.
Are you still with me? I wouldn't be if I were you... SO don't you love the sound of your child's voice when they sing along to their favorite (insert song/CD) in the car? Or they do the hand motions and dance in their car seat? We love this though I would love to chuck that Little People CD out the window most days but I still LOVE it!
Happy Weekend to all!
I will be buying Maternity clothes this weekend and calling about a cleaning service on Monday. Hippy hip hooray. This is the life of a chronic procrastinator just so you know. I am ALL talk and no action... speaking of which -
SOOOO I cannot believe I forgot to mention that my friend, Jen, from Detroit, and her hubby, Randy, has their baby boy last month. I totally suck. The baby is OH SO very cute. He was born on February 12 and his name is Evan! YEAH for them! Yes he is three weeks old already so I really really suck.
I also just found out last week that hotmail has been blocking random people from sending email to me. Like my friend Michelle. She is one of my oldest friends besides Jennifer. Michelle & I have known one another for 17 years... Can we just stop here because I had to do the math to figure that out and I almost crapped in my pants when I saw that number only because that is how long it has been since I was a freshman in college but ah Jennifer from San Jose (the one I mentioned above) ah that would mean we have known each other since... hmm carry the 4.... minus 1987-ish and 2008 - that is 21 years... HOLY CRAP. Yeah so any who la la la la NOT OLD NOT OLD...
Michelle called me to tell me she can see all my e-mail but I cannot see anything she is sending back to me. I just figured she was busy with life. You know having three kids ranging from 8 to 4 years of age will do that to you. And as I mentioned ah picking up the phone - I mean what is that? Who doesn't read this blog or email these days? Dang I have thought about upgrading my phone so I can text more just so I can completely cut out human contact all together... I kid, people, I kid (sort of...)
I gave Michelle my spam email address & we are able to reconnect finally after any moons of not - what don't we all have two e-mail addresses? In my case, three but who's counting? The spam e-mail address is for ordering stuff. I use it on almost all public sites and I only get spam or order confirmations to it. I love it. Keeps the other one much cleaner but apparently TOO clean. I am glad that has been cleared up because I was just starting to think that Michelle hated me and that would be tragic (seriously...) I was going to have to drive my lazy ass up to Milwaukee to hunt her down and find out why, WHY does she hate me? What's that? Ohhhh yeah because I never call or write or send birthday cards any more. It is me who sucks at this communication thing. Note to all: on going life changing goal to be better about communicating with people I love. Dually noted that this probably will be an on going process through out my life because I am a hermit crab. So yeah there is that.
Are you still with me? I wouldn't be if I were you... SO don't you love the sound of your child's voice when they sing along to their favorite (insert song/CD) in the car? Or they do the hand motions and dance in their car seat? We love this though I would love to chuck that Little People CD out the window most days but I still LOVE it!
Happy Weekend to all!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Welcome to the World!
My friend, Suga, whom I mentioned yesterday actually had her 1st baby one day before her due date! She gave birth to Logan Robert (I think this is the correct name) on September 18th, 2007. Logan was 8 lbs 13 oz and 21 inches!!! He sounds like a big boy like M was! I am so excited for her!!! She does not blog so no links but I had share because I am so dang excited for her!
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