I'm not sure when I'll be brave enough to post this. As of today, Tycho is 10 days old, so we'll see how long it takes me to actually... you know, buck up the courage. :)
I was so lucky to have the most perfect birth I could have ever asked for. It was at a birth center, no interventions, with supportive people, in water... it seriously could not have gotten better. I was taken aback by how quickly and ideally it worked out, and have come to savor in it.
Everything since then, however, has been completely different. I had all these pragmatic ideas on how we would raise Tycho: We would cloth diaper (after his umbilical stump came off, as even the BG newborn AIOs were too big for him!), I would exclusively breastfeed (EBF), we'd introduce a bottle only when preparing for daycare, we would cosleep in some shape or form.
Literally nothing on that front has worked out.
And you know what? I'm okay with that.
I ended up getting some mild PPD after his birth (as of this writing, I'm still battling it, though it is getting easier), and for at least the first week of his life, I was in a desperate fog where I actually found Tycho to be so much a burden that I wanted nothing more to do with him.
Nursing took at least an hour each time, and though his latch and suck were strong, it didn't seem effective if he was on the boob for that length of time. He was eating every two hours, and considering one of those hours was spent actually feeding him, I only had a break for an hour at a time. This went on day and night, leaving me exhausted and crying.
Not to mention what all this did to my nipples. After only a couple days, Tycho had made some deep gouges in both of them, my right nipple especially, and I came to dread each time I would have to feed him. So it wasn't only taking forever and leaving me drained and exhausted, but I would cringe at the thought of that one hour of rest flying by because I knew I would be in so much pain.
But I went through it for another few days. By day seven, I had given up, telling Matt that I didn't want to do it anymore. I ended up pumping for a day or two after that, doing so after each feeding. Pumping showed that I was making enough milk (if barely), and I'd have 3 ounces from both breasts combined. Pumping came with its own struggle, though -- when I wasn't feeding him, I was pumping, tied down to a machine that left me feeling like a dairy cow.
23 April 2013
21 April 2013
The Epic Story of Tycho David
NOTE: This story does have pictures, one of which may be deemed NSFW.
Now that I have a few minutes, I thought I’d write about my birth experience. :) Tycho is now over a week old, so I guess it’s about time!
I was 37w4d at my midwife appointment on 8 April, and while we were there, it was mentioned that Tycho was quickly running out of room. While that can be debated, she was sure enough that she asked whether our bags were packed and we were ready to head to the birth center, as she didn’t expect me to make it even to 39 weeks. We had everything but snacks for the center, so we spent the next two days gathering all that and putting it aside.
That weekend, Matt’s mom and Nana were flying up to visit Matt’s cousin’s baby, who was born on 26 February. We were a little miffed that they had chosen their visiting time so close to my due date, but what can you do. We just kept our fingers (and my legs) crossed that Tycho wouldn’t make an appearance.
(I should clarify that, despite this, they were incredibly supportive and not at all overwhelming while they were here. I ended up actually being thankful for how it all worked out. :))
I headed to Matt’s cousin’s house that Friday, 12 April, where he and his mom and Nana were visiting everyone. It was around 5pm when I arrived – I had cut out of work a little early to be there – and after being greeted at the door by Matt’s mom, we headed upstairs to see everyone else.
About fifteen minutes later, I felt a little uncomfortable and like I had, ah… wet myself. It wasn’t the first time that had happened recently (the joys of pregnancy, am I right?!), so I said I needed to go to the restroom. Imagine my surprise when I saw fluid tinged with blood – my bloody show.
I sat on the toilet and just stared at it for a second. It continued to come out, so I knew it was more than just what I’d been experiencing for the weeks before. I panicked a little – this wasn’t supposed to happen today! – and tried wrapping extra toilet paper around my underwear. You can imagine that that helped a lot. :P
I left the restroom and, wanting to discreetly (ha!) let Matt know what was going on without tipping off his mom or Nana, I asked for his phone and quickly started a new text message that said something along the lines of “I think that was bloody show.” I don’t recall exactly what I wrote, just something that was like, “Seriously, help, NOW.” He looked at me with huge eyes and whispered, “Are you serious?” I nodded, and we said we had to head upstairs.
Yeah, REAL discreet.
I managed to get some pads from Matt’s cousin, (Matt had to clue her in at this point, as there was no denying what had happened) which I tripled up as the amount was getting ridiculous. Matt was starting to freak out a little, so I told him it’s fine, lol. He offered to call the doula, Danielle, which I gratefully accepted while I tried to pull myself together a bit, too.
Danielle (who was absolutely wonderful and worth everything!) said it’s probably fine, we could go out and enjoy dinner, maybe have a glass of wine. And to call her back if it starts to pick up. She (and we) expected labor to start gradually, so dinner actually sounded feasible. I had to start rocking through some of the more painful contractions, but as they were light – back to back, but light – I didn’t think much more of it.
We headed downstairs, catching Matt’s cousin-in-law in the process and telling him that my water had broken and to keep it hush-hush. Of course, he was thrilled, and he promised to keep it quiet. The three of us left shortly afterward to reserve a table at the restaurant we were going to, leaving Matt’s cousin, mom, and Nana to come later. Matt’s extended family was going to come as well, but I’d never get to see them.
Not long after getting to the restaurant, my contractions really started to pick up. I needed to squat during them, so in the middle of the waiting area, I was holding on to the arm of a bench and slowly breathing through them. I could still talk, but they were starting to need some extra attention. Matt and his cousin-in-law kept asking if I was okay, and at some point, I finally said, “I can’t… I can’t stay here.” So Matt and I prepared to leave.
We wanted to catch everyone else before heading out, so when they finally arrived, we told them what was going on, gushed about it for a few minutes, and we took final pictures before Matt and I headed out.
[caption id="attachment_1777" align="aligncenter" width="764"]
38w1d... and about to pop![/caption]
On our way to my car (we left with mine, as it has the carseat and I had a feeling we wouldn’t be going back to get Matt’s car…), I squatted a few times to work through contractions. They still weren’t bad, but I definitely needed to stop. The car wasn’t far, either!
We headed home, and I called my mom on our way to let her know what was up. My family, like Matt’s, lives in Florida, so they weren’t here to experience everything. At some point, I had to put Mom on speaker so Matt could talk to her, as I started to need to breathe through contractions. I remember glancing at the clock around that point – 6:45pm. They were incredibly close together at that point, maybe five or six minutes, though I admit I wasn’t timing them.
Finally, we were home and talking about what to do. This is about the point where I forgot little things, like how I got from the car to the living room, where I was on hands and knees for a bit and quietly but progressively vocalizing through contractions, and from there to the shower. I do remember asking Matt for a glass of wine before heading upstairs, though, then reneging when I learned we didn’t have any in the house.
(He tells me that I asked for wine and food from the grocery store, then when he asked if I was comfortable with him leaving, I said, “Uh… no, fuck it.” We also tossed around the “ask a neighbor for a cup of wine” idea, and Matt ended up texting a neighbor, who didn’t respond and wouldn’t have responded in time, anyway!)
The shower helped when I made it there, and after struggling through a few contractions on the floor while the water heat up, I spent what felt like a great deal of time with my hands against the wall and the water hitting my lower back. Matt called Danielle then the birth center around that time, and while he told them what was going on, they were interested to hear my vocalization to see about where I was and when we’d need to head over.
Danielle said we probably had time, but the birth center said I should probably leave pretty soon as the birth center was a half-hour away. I imagine I was in active labor by then, and probably was when I glanced at the clock earlier, too.
So off we went! … kind of. It took me about forty-five minutes to get out of the shower and get dressed, time Matt spent packing up clothes and bathing suits for the both of us. (Remember that ill-prepared baby bag?!) He finally managed to get me downstairs and in the car, and I didn’t even bother buckling up – I actually spent the entire time with my head against the back rest, my ass on the airbag (can you imagine if we got into an accident!), and my knees pressed into the seat.
I was making some seriously scary noises by then, too, haha.
Matt drove like a bat out of hell to the birth center, and I think we ended up making it there in 25 minutes. I don’t know, time had ceased all meaning well before that point. All I know is that we made it, and that I forgot all about my sandals as we went to the birth center’s back door.
Our midwife, David, met us and led us to my requested birthing suite (so yay!), and mentioned we were the only ones birthing that night. I took that as full liberty to make as much noise as I wanted. ;) I don’t remember too much, but David and Matt talked a bit about my status, the birth tub, and that Danielle was on her way* before I was checked.
Which sucked, by the way. Being checked. He waited until a contraction was over, but man, what torture. Fortunately, I was already at four centimeters and was 100% effaced!
*I totally had to verify this with Matt, as I remember them talking, but I don’t recall about what.
Danielle arrived shortly after with a student doula, who I said before all this was totally okay to be there. She bantered with Matt and a bit with me between contractions – I remember talking about her daughter’s birthday party, which was that night (yes, we interrupted her daughter’s birthday!); that she needed coffee to get through tonight; and a quip about how even when pregnant, Matt said I looked hot from behind. That last one earned him a crotch-smack and a resulting fit of laughter – plus a word of agreement! – from Danielle. ;)
(FTR, we ended up having eight people in the room: Myself, Matt, David, a student midwife named Theresa (she ended up catching the baby!), Danielle, a nurse named Melissa (who took over the previous nurse’s shift just before or after I got in the tub), the student doula whose name I forgot, and… I swear, there was someone else.)
The real work began then, as I started to really moan through contractions. I was on all fours with my arms draped over an egg-shaped birthing ball with a blanket draped over it. Matt was amazing, stroking my arms and offering me water at any chance he could get. He really was the most amazing birth partner I could have asked for!
Danielle was WONDERFUL, too, offering counterpressure on my hips and getting me through each contraction by telling me it was peaking, I can make it, and when it was going down, telling me to breathe through them and keep my vocalizations low and controlled. It was all incredibly accurate, which I was admittedly surprised by. She’s a very talented doula. :)
I admit, though – I was wearing only my bathing suite top at that point, and I felt terrible that my ass was in Danielle’s face. She never seemed to mind, though!
At some point, I asked if the tub was ready (or maybe someone else asked before I did, but regardless, GET ME THE DAMN TUB), and David determined I was ready for it, even though it had only been about a half-hour and I probably wasn’t too far past four centimeters. They were just coming so hard and fast. It took what felt like forever to get it filled, but when it finally was, I was so ready to get in.
And let me tell you, it was INCREDIBLE. So warm and inviting. I don’t recall much of what happened for a while after that – details start to really meld together, and I don’t recall a lot of sequences. I do remember…
At some point, I felt the urge to push, but after thirty minutes with nothing happening, I was checked, and it was revealed I was only eight centimeters. So I had to breathe through… I don’t know, six or eight contractions. It’s the worst feeling in the WORLD to feel like you have to push but can’t, and I ended up having a “shit shit shit shit!” contraction at one point. I was given some homeopathic medicine to get me to ten, and I imagine it worked quickly, as I was checked shortly after and had just a lip of a cervix to go.
David was awesome by recommending he push aside that lip, but I admit I hated it while he was doing it. I had a contraction in the middle of it, as he wanted, and he wanted me to push a little as he shoved my cervix out of the way. Fortunately, it worked, and we were ready to get pushing!
The final position I ended up pushing in was, oddly enough, on my back. It didn’t seem to matter at all in the tub, though. I pushed for what seemed like ages with some blissfully longer breaks between these contractions. I was asked at some point if I wanted to feel, and I did… and felt something that did NOT feel like a head. It was squishier, SO weird!
The game was finally on when I started making some true headway in the pushing. I had Matt holding me up by my armpits, two people helping push my feet so my knees came in towards my chest, and Theresa waiting for him to emerge. I felt some immense pressure in my bottom and against my tailbone (and at some point, I said I was sure he was going to come out of my ass!), and with each contraction, I pushed against that.
Finally, his head really started to come out! I peeked down for just a moment before getting back into the swing of it, and was shocked by the HUGE THING between my legs. I was asked to stop pushing for one contraction; apparently, the cord was wrapped once around his neck and Theresa had to unwrap it, no big deal. I almost lost it during one of the pushes that had me getting the rest of his head out, but when that finally happened, I bore down one last time strictly for wanting it done, and out he came!
Tycho David was born in water on 13 April 2013 at 1:19am, after eight hours of labor. Danielle calls my labor the “gold standard” considering how fast and easy it went, and told the student doula to not expect all labors to be quite like it!
It was AMAZING, I tell you! Theresa scooped him up from the water and put him straight on my chest, and I was too overwhelmed to cry. Apparently, so was Tycho, as he didn’t for a bit, and when he did, he only wailed a few times. It was incredible, such a good baby from the beginning! Matt kissed my forehead, clearly overwhelmed himself, and I leaned back for a kiss. It was the most touching family moment. :)
I had to get out of the tub at that point, with the cord still between my legs and everything, and we all moved to the bed. I snuggled with my new baby while everyone cleaned up and took care of all the postpartum stuff, like checking him over and making sure the placenta came out. I passed a number of clots, too, and my uterus was taking a bit to shrink down, so I was stabbed with a syringe of Pitocin to help that along. Matt actually didn't want to cut the cord at all, so I offered Danielle the opportunity, and she jumped at it! Apparently, in the hundreds of births she doula-d, she had only ever cut the cord once!
I ended up later having issues with my blood pressure, which kept us at the center for another few hours so I could be monitored. Maybe I’ll go into that in a later post. Suffice it to say, I’m glad my chart noted that I have syncope, as they were keeping an eye on it, anyway.
In the end, we had a very happy, healthy baby! Tycho was weighed and measured, 6lbs 15.5oz (which they called 7lbs) and 20 inches (which may have been wrong – he measured 18 inches at his following two pediatrician appointments – but who cares), and 9/9 for his APGAR scores.
Parenting so far has come with its own ups and downs, but with each decision that Matt and I come to, the better I feel. I’m so fortunate to have such an amazing husband and partner as father to our son, as he’s done so much more than just be a daddy… he’s been my lifeline. :)
Pimpin’ it:
Special Beginnings, Arnold, MD
Danielle Koontz, Baltimore area, MD
Now that I have a few minutes, I thought I’d write about my birth experience. :) Tycho is now over a week old, so I guess it’s about time!
I was 37w4d at my midwife appointment on 8 April, and while we were there, it was mentioned that Tycho was quickly running out of room. While that can be debated, she was sure enough that she asked whether our bags were packed and we were ready to head to the birth center, as she didn’t expect me to make it even to 39 weeks. We had everything but snacks for the center, so we spent the next two days gathering all that and putting it aside.
That weekend, Matt’s mom and Nana were flying up to visit Matt’s cousin’s baby, who was born on 26 February. We were a little miffed that they had chosen their visiting time so close to my due date, but what can you do. We just kept our fingers (and my legs) crossed that Tycho wouldn’t make an appearance.
(I should clarify that, despite this, they were incredibly supportive and not at all overwhelming while they were here. I ended up actually being thankful for how it all worked out. :))
I headed to Matt’s cousin’s house that Friday, 12 April, where he and his mom and Nana were visiting everyone. It was around 5pm when I arrived – I had cut out of work a little early to be there – and after being greeted at the door by Matt’s mom, we headed upstairs to see everyone else.
About fifteen minutes later, I felt a little uncomfortable and like I had, ah… wet myself. It wasn’t the first time that had happened recently (the joys of pregnancy, am I right?!), so I said I needed to go to the restroom. Imagine my surprise when I saw fluid tinged with blood – my bloody show.
I sat on the toilet and just stared at it for a second. It continued to come out, so I knew it was more than just what I’d been experiencing for the weeks before. I panicked a little – this wasn’t supposed to happen today! – and tried wrapping extra toilet paper around my underwear. You can imagine that that helped a lot. :P
I left the restroom and, wanting to discreetly (ha!) let Matt know what was going on without tipping off his mom or Nana, I asked for his phone and quickly started a new text message that said something along the lines of “I think that was bloody show.” I don’t recall exactly what I wrote, just something that was like, “Seriously, help, NOW.” He looked at me with huge eyes and whispered, “Are you serious?” I nodded, and we said we had to head upstairs.
Yeah, REAL discreet.
I managed to get some pads from Matt’s cousin, (Matt had to clue her in at this point, as there was no denying what had happened) which I tripled up as the amount was getting ridiculous. Matt was starting to freak out a little, so I told him it’s fine, lol. He offered to call the doula, Danielle, which I gratefully accepted while I tried to pull myself together a bit, too.
Danielle (who was absolutely wonderful and worth everything!) said it’s probably fine, we could go out and enjoy dinner, maybe have a glass of wine. And to call her back if it starts to pick up. She (and we) expected labor to start gradually, so dinner actually sounded feasible. I had to start rocking through some of the more painful contractions, but as they were light – back to back, but light – I didn’t think much more of it.
We headed downstairs, catching Matt’s cousin-in-law in the process and telling him that my water had broken and to keep it hush-hush. Of course, he was thrilled, and he promised to keep it quiet. The three of us left shortly afterward to reserve a table at the restaurant we were going to, leaving Matt’s cousin, mom, and Nana to come later. Matt’s extended family was going to come as well, but I’d never get to see them.
Not long after getting to the restaurant, my contractions really started to pick up. I needed to squat during them, so in the middle of the waiting area, I was holding on to the arm of a bench and slowly breathing through them. I could still talk, but they were starting to need some extra attention. Matt and his cousin-in-law kept asking if I was okay, and at some point, I finally said, “I can’t… I can’t stay here.” So Matt and I prepared to leave.
We wanted to catch everyone else before heading out, so when they finally arrived, we told them what was going on, gushed about it for a few minutes, and we took final pictures before Matt and I headed out.
[caption id="attachment_1777" align="aligncenter" width="764"]
38w1d... and about to pop![/caption]On our way to my car (we left with mine, as it has the carseat and I had a feeling we wouldn’t be going back to get Matt’s car…), I squatted a few times to work through contractions. They still weren’t bad, but I definitely needed to stop. The car wasn’t far, either!
We headed home, and I called my mom on our way to let her know what was up. My family, like Matt’s, lives in Florida, so they weren’t here to experience everything. At some point, I had to put Mom on speaker so Matt could talk to her, as I started to need to breathe through contractions. I remember glancing at the clock around that point – 6:45pm. They were incredibly close together at that point, maybe five or six minutes, though I admit I wasn’t timing them.
Finally, we were home and talking about what to do. This is about the point where I forgot little things, like how I got from the car to the living room, where I was on hands and knees for a bit and quietly but progressively vocalizing through contractions, and from there to the shower. I do remember asking Matt for a glass of wine before heading upstairs, though, then reneging when I learned we didn’t have any in the house.
(He tells me that I asked for wine and food from the grocery store, then when he asked if I was comfortable with him leaving, I said, “Uh… no, fuck it.” We also tossed around the “ask a neighbor for a cup of wine” idea, and Matt ended up texting a neighbor, who didn’t respond and wouldn’t have responded in time, anyway!)
The shower helped when I made it there, and after struggling through a few contractions on the floor while the water heat up, I spent what felt like a great deal of time with my hands against the wall and the water hitting my lower back. Matt called Danielle then the birth center around that time, and while he told them what was going on, they were interested to hear my vocalization to see about where I was and when we’d need to head over.
Danielle said we probably had time, but the birth center said I should probably leave pretty soon as the birth center was a half-hour away. I imagine I was in active labor by then, and probably was when I glanced at the clock earlier, too.
So off we went! … kind of. It took me about forty-five minutes to get out of the shower and get dressed, time Matt spent packing up clothes and bathing suits for the both of us. (Remember that ill-prepared baby bag?!) He finally managed to get me downstairs and in the car, and I didn’t even bother buckling up – I actually spent the entire time with my head against the back rest, my ass on the airbag (can you imagine if we got into an accident!), and my knees pressed into the seat.
I was making some seriously scary noises by then, too, haha.
Matt drove like a bat out of hell to the birth center, and I think we ended up making it there in 25 minutes. I don’t know, time had ceased all meaning well before that point. All I know is that we made it, and that I forgot all about my sandals as we went to the birth center’s back door.
Our midwife, David, met us and led us to my requested birthing suite (so yay!), and mentioned we were the only ones birthing that night. I took that as full liberty to make as much noise as I wanted. ;) I don’t remember too much, but David and Matt talked a bit about my status, the birth tub, and that Danielle was on her way* before I was checked.
Which sucked, by the way. Being checked. He waited until a contraction was over, but man, what torture. Fortunately, I was already at four centimeters and was 100% effaced!
*I totally had to verify this with Matt, as I remember them talking, but I don’t recall about what.
Danielle arrived shortly after with a student doula, who I said before all this was totally okay to be there. She bantered with Matt and a bit with me between contractions – I remember talking about her daughter’s birthday party, which was that night (yes, we interrupted her daughter’s birthday!); that she needed coffee to get through tonight; and a quip about how even when pregnant, Matt said I looked hot from behind. That last one earned him a crotch-smack and a resulting fit of laughter – plus a word of agreement! – from Danielle. ;)
(FTR, we ended up having eight people in the room: Myself, Matt, David, a student midwife named Theresa (she ended up catching the baby!), Danielle, a nurse named Melissa (who took over the previous nurse’s shift just before or after I got in the tub), the student doula whose name I forgot, and… I swear, there was someone else.)
The real work began then, as I started to really moan through contractions. I was on all fours with my arms draped over an egg-shaped birthing ball with a blanket draped over it. Matt was amazing, stroking my arms and offering me water at any chance he could get. He really was the most amazing birth partner I could have asked for!
Danielle was WONDERFUL, too, offering counterpressure on my hips and getting me through each contraction by telling me it was peaking, I can make it, and when it was going down, telling me to breathe through them and keep my vocalizations low and controlled. It was all incredibly accurate, which I was admittedly surprised by. She’s a very talented doula. :)
I admit, though – I was wearing only my bathing suite top at that point, and I felt terrible that my ass was in Danielle’s face. She never seemed to mind, though!
At some point, I asked if the tub was ready (or maybe someone else asked before I did, but regardless, GET ME THE DAMN TUB), and David determined I was ready for it, even though it had only been about a half-hour and I probably wasn’t too far past four centimeters. They were just coming so hard and fast. It took what felt like forever to get it filled, but when it finally was, I was so ready to get in.
And let me tell you, it was INCREDIBLE. So warm and inviting. I don’t recall much of what happened for a while after that – details start to really meld together, and I don’t recall a lot of sequences. I do remember…
- Being offered Coke, of all things, in labor. I refused to eat anything (though I was more than welcome to and probably should have), so I was offered soda and juice the entire time to keep my blood sugar up. I strongly preferred the soda.
- Making some wisecracks in the short breaks between contractions. I distinctly remember doing a “that’s what she said” and a cymbal crash noise at some point. It was like I was cognizant, but only able to respond to some talk around me… and all those responses were humorous, lol.
- Yelling in Matt’s face. Not at him, just in his direction. I practically howled at some points, and I have to give him a ton of credit for not letting any fear or anything but support show on his face!
- The whale noises. I was playing this nature sounds channel in the background, and everyone kept laughing at the random whale noises that punctuated otherwise calming sounds of the ocean. There was a point where I laughed in my head because a whale noise came on and I moaned like a whale shortly afterward, ha!
- Around transition, spinning in the tub from one side to the other. Danielle said she was impressed! Never saw a laboring woman move like that, haha.
At some point, I felt the urge to push, but after thirty minutes with nothing happening, I was checked, and it was revealed I was only eight centimeters. So I had to breathe through… I don’t know, six or eight contractions. It’s the worst feeling in the WORLD to feel like you have to push but can’t, and I ended up having a “shit shit shit shit!” contraction at one point. I was given some homeopathic medicine to get me to ten, and I imagine it worked quickly, as I was checked shortly after and had just a lip of a cervix to go.
David was awesome by recommending he push aside that lip, but I admit I hated it while he was doing it. I had a contraction in the middle of it, as he wanted, and he wanted me to push a little as he shoved my cervix out of the way. Fortunately, it worked, and we were ready to get pushing!
The final position I ended up pushing in was, oddly enough, on my back. It didn’t seem to matter at all in the tub, though. I pushed for what seemed like ages with some blissfully longer breaks between these contractions. I was asked at some point if I wanted to feel, and I did… and felt something that did NOT feel like a head. It was squishier, SO weird!
The game was finally on when I started making some true headway in the pushing. I had Matt holding me up by my armpits, two people helping push my feet so my knees came in towards my chest, and Theresa waiting for him to emerge. I felt some immense pressure in my bottom and against my tailbone (and at some point, I said I was sure he was going to come out of my ass!), and with each contraction, I pushed against that.
Finally, his head really started to come out! I peeked down for just a moment before getting back into the swing of it, and was shocked by the HUGE THING between my legs. I was asked to stop pushing for one contraction; apparently, the cord was wrapped once around his neck and Theresa had to unwrap it, no big deal. I almost lost it during one of the pushes that had me getting the rest of his head out, but when that finally happened, I bore down one last time strictly for wanting it done, and out he came!
Tycho David was born in water on 13 April 2013 at 1:19am, after eight hours of labor. Danielle calls my labor the “gold standard” considering how fast and easy it went, and told the student doula to not expect all labors to be quite like it!
It was AMAZING, I tell you! Theresa scooped him up from the water and put him straight on my chest, and I was too overwhelmed to cry. Apparently, so was Tycho, as he didn’t for a bit, and when he did, he only wailed a few times. It was incredible, such a good baby from the beginning! Matt kissed my forehead, clearly overwhelmed himself, and I leaned back for a kiss. It was the most touching family moment. :)
I had to get out of the tub at that point, with the cord still between my legs and everything, and we all moved to the bed. I snuggled with my new baby while everyone cleaned up and took care of all the postpartum stuff, like checking him over and making sure the placenta came out. I passed a number of clots, too, and my uterus was taking a bit to shrink down, so I was stabbed with a syringe of Pitocin to help that along. Matt actually didn't want to cut the cord at all, so I offered Danielle the opportunity, and she jumped at it! Apparently, in the hundreds of births she doula-d, she had only ever cut the cord once!
I ended up later having issues with my blood pressure, which kept us at the center for another few hours so I could be monitored. Maybe I’ll go into that in a later post. Suffice it to say, I’m glad my chart noted that I have syncope, as they were keeping an eye on it, anyway.
In the end, we had a very happy, healthy baby! Tycho was weighed and measured, 6lbs 15.5oz (which they called 7lbs) and 20 inches (which may have been wrong – he measured 18 inches at his following two pediatrician appointments – but who cares), and 9/9 for his APGAR scores.
Parenting so far has come with its own ups and downs, but with each decision that Matt and I come to, the better I feel. I’m so fortunate to have such an amazing husband and partner as father to our son, as he’s done so much more than just be a daddy… he’s been my lifeline. :)
Pimpin’ it:
Special Beginnings, Arnold, MD
Danielle Koontz, Baltimore area, MD
12 April 2013
Pregnancy: 38w1d - Ridiculous TMI ahead.
So why am I writing about it? Mostly for posterity. Feel free to skip. :)
I had a REALLY rough night last night. I honestly thought I was at least in early labor, considering what all was going on, but I tried to get some sleep and kept hoping it was nothing more than my stomach being upset. Thankfully, I ended up being right(??).
It started when Kit dropped around 7pm. And by "dropped", I don't mean, "Oh, my belly looks a little lower, yay!" Instead, I mean, "HOLY SHIT I'M GOING TO POOP A BABY." I seriously thought he was going to come out my ass, the pressure was so immense. I actually kept musing to Matt about how it felt like someone took a croquet ball and was trying to ram it through my pelvis.
GOOD TIMES.
That continued through when we went to bed -- we ended up hitting the hay early, as Matt was tired. So we were climbing in at about 9:30, and Matt fell asleep shortly after. Me? I was okay until about ten minutes later when I started feeling really sick, so I went to the restroom in the hopes of getting rid of whatever was making my stomach all funky.
Cue HOURS of rocking on the toilet to try to get anything out (I did, but it was all loose stuff, so yuck), trying to ignore the contractions that were coming at semi-regular intervals (I only assume, as I didn't actually get to timing them in the hopes that I wasn't in real labor), and drinking water at a couple points to get it all to stop.
The last time I remember seeing was about 2:30, so I imagine I fell asleep shortly after that and stayed asleep for the most part, minus the two or three times I needed to pee between then and 7am (thanks to all that water). I was trying not to wake Matt up the whole time, and he told me this morning that he actually ended up sleeping pretty well, save for having to move to the guest room somewhere around 3am, confirming that I did in fact fall asleep. ;)
So yes, that was my evening. Of course, now I'm freaking out that these may be signaling labor is just around the corner, especially since my in-laws are in town and OVER MY DEAD BODY am I laboring with or delivering this baby while they're here. Um... so if anyone has some good juju to share that Kit stays put until Sunday evening, I would love that. ;)
I feel (and am!) a little poopy today, too, but thankfully I'm also a bit better. Here's to hoping that I make it through this weekend...
I had a REALLY rough night last night. I honestly thought I was at least in early labor, considering what all was going on, but I tried to get some sleep and kept hoping it was nothing more than my stomach being upset. Thankfully, I ended up being right(??).
It started when Kit dropped around 7pm. And by "dropped", I don't mean, "Oh, my belly looks a little lower, yay!" Instead, I mean, "HOLY SHIT I'M GOING TO POOP A BABY." I seriously thought he was going to come out my ass, the pressure was so immense. I actually kept musing to Matt about how it felt like someone took a croquet ball and was trying to ram it through my pelvis.
GOOD TIMES.
That continued through when we went to bed -- we ended up hitting the hay early, as Matt was tired. So we were climbing in at about 9:30, and Matt fell asleep shortly after. Me? I was okay until about ten minutes later when I started feeling really sick, so I went to the restroom in the hopes of getting rid of whatever was making my stomach all funky.
Cue HOURS of rocking on the toilet to try to get anything out (I did, but it was all loose stuff, so yuck), trying to ignore the contractions that were coming at semi-regular intervals (I only assume, as I didn't actually get to timing them in the hopes that I wasn't in real labor), and drinking water at a couple points to get it all to stop.
The last time I remember seeing was about 2:30, so I imagine I fell asleep shortly after that and stayed asleep for the most part, minus the two or three times I needed to pee between then and 7am (thanks to all that water). I was trying not to wake Matt up the whole time, and he told me this morning that he actually ended up sleeping pretty well, save for having to move to the guest room somewhere around 3am, confirming that I did in fact fall asleep. ;)
So yes, that was my evening. Of course, now I'm freaking out that these may be signaling labor is just around the corner, especially since my in-laws are in town and OVER MY DEAD BODY am I laboring with or delivering this baby while they're here. Um... so if anyone has some good juju to share that Kit stays put until Sunday evening, I would love that. ;)
I feel (and am!) a little poopy today, too, but thankfully I'm also a bit better. Here's to hoping that I make it through this weekend...
11 April 2013
Pregnancy: 38w
38 weeks! THIRTY-EIGHT MOTHAFUCKIN' WEEKS. Oh my god.
I passed by GBS test, so yay! No IV/hep lock for me. ;)
What I love: That this is almost over. No... seriously. I'm trying to enjoy every day, but I'm ready to get this show on the road!
Oh yeah! I do like that I don't look that pregnant. A coworker asked today when I was due, and I said the 25th. She asked, "Of May?" and about DIED when I told her this month! LOL
What I hate: Hip pain and BH contractions! Whew. (I also hate that my MIL and NIL are coming into town this weekend. Ughhhh.)
What I miss: Gin and tonic. I had a glass of wine with dinner the other night, and it was GLORIOUS. :D
What I’m looking forward to the most: Giving birth and meeting Kit! Seriously, now that we’re in April… it’s like, “OOH, it could be ANY TIME this month!” Freaky when you think about it, really. [Same]
Worries: Cesarean delivery. I’m still freaking out a bit about that. [Same]
Symptoms: A bigger belly, pregnancy rhinitis (and associated snoring), soooooo tiiiiiiired, RLP, some crazy-ass BH contractions, pelvic pain like whoah… so basically, I’m-still-pregnant symptoms. ;) [Same]
Mood: A little cranky, but otherwise good. I’m trying to keep a positive attitude. :) Otherwise, I'm kind of like this:
Sleep: Good when I get it, save for the crazy-ass dreams because the urge to pee or a BH contraction wakes me up in the middle of my REM cycles. LOL [Same]
Movement: Lots of it! Mostly rolls and nudges rather than hard kicks, it’s coming down to, but he still moves a LOT. [Same] I have to say he's been moving a lot more this week, too, compared to before. I wonder if that's significant of anything...?
The belly (and the button!): Bigger belly, much more shallow belly button. STILL not flat, even if it is much more shallow than before. It’s starting to pucker. LOL [Same] (STILL NOT OUT! GEEZUS)
Wedding rings on or off: On!
Weight gain: I didn't weigh myself today, but I was 150 at my appointment on Monday. 24lbs up! I'm probably more than that right now, haha.
Milestones: My ankles swelled for the first time a couple days ago. So... um, yeah, THAT was fun. ;)
How your baby's growing:
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
How your life's changing:
For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.
This Week's Activity:
Start reading up on baby care. If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to switch reading gears from pregnancy to baby. You won't have as much time to read after your baby's born, so learn all you can about the first few weeks now. A good place to start is BabyCenter's Preparing for a Newborn area.10 April 2013
38 weeks tomorrow... a quick pregnancy update.
(I'm probably lying about the "quick" part, but I have good intentions. ;))
My 37.5-week midwife appointment was this past Monday, and we were reassured that everything is looking great! I passed my GBS test, which just THRILLED me -- I admit I was freaking out about it all last week, as being GBS-positive would require either an IV or hep lock during labor for the administration of antibiotics, and since part of my intention for going to a birth center instead of a hospital is to avoid needles, I was NOT going to be happy if I ended up positive. So that was some great news.
Blood pressure was fine at 120/78, Kit is head-down and engaged (holy cow, is he riding low!), no current risk of pre-eclampsia, and everyone otherwise looks good!
While palpating my stomach, my midwife mentioned that Kit doesn't have a lot of room left in there to grow. Seriously, this kid's foot and butt are in my ribs all day long; he definitely doesn't have much room left! I had mentioned before we started that part of the exam that I was having pretty regular contractions for the past couple weeks -- not all the time, but when I do get them, they can be timed, are of a decent time, and are pretty strong -- so between that and the lack of space, she's guessing I probably won't have too long before I go. She certainly doesn't think I'll make it to 41 weeks, as most first-time moms do; in fact, she said that I should start packing (or finishing the packing of) my birth center bag as soon as possible. She's guessing I'll go between 38 and 39 weeks, all things considered.
... remember, I hit 38 tomorrow. o_O
Matt and I are excited to get this show on the road, and while I was certainly expecting to go a bit before my due date, I wasn't expecting to hear that from a midwife! We kind of went into anxious-excited-panic mode, planning out the bag and running to the grocery store to get some snacks for labor. (In fact, I'll have to do a "what's in my birth bag?" post at some point soon!) Fortunately, aside from that, there's nothing much more to do: Kit's nursery is done, we have everything set up, he has enough clothes to get him through, and we're all set with disposable diapers for his first few days of meconium. Still need to wash the cloth diapers, but we have some time... right?
I pulled a Tarot card this morning out of sheer curiosity, asking if I could get a minor card that would show me how many days until I go into labor (not give birth, but actually start the labor process). I ended up pulling:
Working strictly from a numbers POV (as the card itself holds its own meanings...), and ignoring the fact that Swords often mean weeks (because, seriously, seven WEEKS?!), I'm likely looking at seven days from today, or 17 April, to begin labor. As an Air card, it typically means that things will move pretty fast. Not as fast as Wands (Fire), but definitely up there! Here's to hoping that they signal a fast labor. :P
(If you haven't yet, I'd love if you would come join my Mother Blessing through Facebook! Everyone is invited. :) I'll likely post something there when I go into labor, as I don't think I'll have the time to write out a post for it until later... so, yanno, keep an eye out in the next seven days. LOL)
My 37.5-week midwife appointment was this past Monday, and we were reassured that everything is looking great! I passed my GBS test, which just THRILLED me -- I admit I was freaking out about it all last week, as being GBS-positive would require either an IV or hep lock during labor for the administration of antibiotics, and since part of my intention for going to a birth center instead of a hospital is to avoid needles, I was NOT going to be happy if I ended up positive. So that was some great news.
Blood pressure was fine at 120/78, Kit is head-down and engaged (holy cow, is he riding low!), no current risk of pre-eclampsia, and everyone otherwise looks good!
While palpating my stomach, my midwife mentioned that Kit doesn't have a lot of room left in there to grow. Seriously, this kid's foot and butt are in my ribs all day long; he definitely doesn't have much room left! I had mentioned before we started that part of the exam that I was having pretty regular contractions for the past couple weeks -- not all the time, but when I do get them, they can be timed, are of a decent time, and are pretty strong -- so between that and the lack of space, she's guessing I probably won't have too long before I go. She certainly doesn't think I'll make it to 41 weeks, as most first-time moms do; in fact, she said that I should start packing (or finishing the packing of) my birth center bag as soon as possible. She's guessing I'll go between 38 and 39 weeks, all things considered.
... remember, I hit 38 tomorrow. o_O
Matt and I are excited to get this show on the road, and while I was certainly expecting to go a bit before my due date, I wasn't expecting to hear that from a midwife! We kind of went into anxious-excited-panic mode, planning out the bag and running to the grocery store to get some snacks for labor. (In fact, I'll have to do a "what's in my birth bag?" post at some point soon!) Fortunately, aside from that, there's nothing much more to do: Kit's nursery is done, we have everything set up, he has enough clothes to get him through, and we're all set with disposable diapers for his first few days of meconium. Still need to wash the cloth diapers, but we have some time... right?
I pulled a Tarot card this morning out of sheer curiosity, asking if I could get a minor card that would show me how many days until I go into labor (not give birth, but actually start the labor process). I ended up pulling:
Working strictly from a numbers POV (as the card itself holds its own meanings...), and ignoring the fact that Swords often mean weeks (because, seriously, seven WEEKS?!), I'm likely looking at seven days from today, or 17 April, to begin labor. As an Air card, it typically means that things will move pretty fast. Not as fast as Wands (Fire), but definitely up there! Here's to hoping that they signal a fast labor. :P
(If you haven't yet, I'd love if you would come join my Mother Blessing through Facebook! Everyone is invited. :) I'll likely post something there when I go into labor, as I don't think I'll have the time to write out a post for it until later... so, yanno, keep an eye out in the next seven days. LOL)
05 April 2013
Pregnancy: 37w(1d)
I had my GBS test this past Monday, so I should know the results of that at my upcoming appointment this Monday. Here's to hoping I pass... (Though I did learn that I can still labor in the shower and tub! Yay!)
What I love: Thank heavens I have his movements to look forward to. I'm getting more sore, so any little thing I can get right now, I'm taking! I'm loving that he's doing really well and that things look like they're prepping for labor! Those cramps and everything are annoying, but at least they mean the end is near, haha. I love that it won't be TOO long until I'm not pregnant any more and my precious son will be in my arms. :)
I also love that I'm solidly in my 9th/10th month of pregnancy (depending who you ask), and I STILL have coworkers who are like, "OH wow, I didn't know you were pregnant!" Like DUH?! What did you think was going on! LOL
What I hate: Of all the things I've hated over the course of my pregnancy, the weight is the only thing I can hold on to now. My belly is, at least IMO, absolutely beautiful and I can completely appreciate what's going on in there, and while I can't reach my shoes anymore, I have more important things to complain about. ;) The hip pain is AWFUL, especially when trying to roll over in bed, and the cramps and other pressure are starting to have their toll on my sanity. :P
What I miss: My body, lol. And some wine!! [Same]
What I’m looking forward to the most: Giving birth and meeting Kit! Seriously, now that we’re in April… it’s like, “OOH, it could be ANY TIME this month!” Freaky when you think about it, really. [Same]
Worries: Cesarean delivery. I’m still freaking out a bit about that. [Same] Also, how the fuck is his huge head gonna come out of my body?!
Symptoms: A bigger belly, pregnancy rhinitis (and associated snoring), soooooo tiiiiiiired, RLP, some crazy-ass BH contractions, pelvic pain like whoah... so basically, I'm-still-pregnant symptoms. ;)
Mood: A little cranky, but otherwise good. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. :)
Sleep: Good when I get it, save for the crazy-ass dreams because the urge to pee or a BH contraction wakes me up in the middle of my REM cycles. LOL
Movement: Lots of it! Mostly rolls and nudges rather than hard kicks, it’s coming down to, but he still moves a LOT. [Same]
The belly (and the button!): Bigger belly, much more shallow belly button. STILL not flat, even if it is much more shallow than before. It’s starting to pucker. LOL [Same] (STILL NOT OUT! GEEZUS)
Wedding rings on or off: On!
Weight gain: I weighed myself yesterday and finally reached 150lbs, which I'll probably stay at or near. That means I'm 24lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Yay?
Milestones: I can birth at the birth center from yesterday onward! :D Yay!! And we put the carseat in the car this past weekend, so it's all like... REALITY IS HITTING, YO! We're gonna have a baby!!
How your baby's growing:
Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
How your life's changing:
Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.)Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.
It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.
While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.
Home alone "I know some people are thrilled to show off their new baby. But all I wanted to do was curl up with her in my arms when I got home from the hospital. Next time I'll tell people ahead of time that we aren't seeing visitors for the first week." — Anonymous
Surprising Facts: Signs of labor
There's no way to predict when labor is going to start. Your body actually starts "preparing" for labor up to a month before you give birth. You may be blissfully unaware of what's going on or you may begin to notice new symptoms as your due date draws near.Here are some things that may happen in the weeks or days before labor starts:
- Your baby drops. If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as "lightening" a few weeks before labor starts as your baby descends lower into your pelvis. You might detect a heaviness in your pelvis as this happens and notice less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.
- You note an uptick in Braxton Hicks contractions. More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal pre-labor, during which your cervix ripens and the stage is set for true labor. Some women experience a crampy, menstrual-like feeling during this time.
- You pass your mucus plug. The mucus plug is the small amount of thickened mucus that blocks the cervical canal leading to your uterus. The plug may come out all at once in a lump, or as increased vaginal discharge over the course of several days. The mucus may be tinged with blood (which may be brown, pink, or red), in which case it may be referred to as "bloody show."
- Your water breaks. Most women start having regular contractions sometime before their water breaks, but in some cases, the water breaks first. When this happens, labor usually follows soon. (If contractions don't start promptly on their own, you'll be induced.) Whether the amniotic fluid comes out in a large gush or a small trickle, call your doctor or midwife.
Sometimes it's very hard to tell false labor from the early stages of true labor. Here are some things that might help you sort it out:
- False labor contractions are unpredictable. They come at irregular intervals and vary in length and intensity. Although true labor contractions may be irregular at first, over time they start coming at regular and shorter intervals, become increasingly more intense, and last longer.
- With false labor, the pain from the contractions is more likely to be centered in your lower abdomen. With true labor, you may feel the pain start in your lower back and wrap around to your abdomen.
- False labor contractions may subside on their own, or when you start or stop an activity or change position. True labor contractions will persist and progress regardless of what you do.
This Week's Activity:
Figure out how to install your baby's car seat. You can't bring your baby home without a car seat and it's harder to install than you think, so don't wait until the last minute. Some car seat manufacturers have a toll-free number for you to call so an expert can walk you through the process. Or get a car seat safety inspector to help you. To find one in your area, go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Web site or look in your local phone book.02 April 2013
Pregnancy: 36w5d - For posterity, some possible pre-labor signs.
I know these symptoms can go on for weeks before actually giving birth, but I'd want to know just about when they started. So, without further ado:
I think I might be having pre-labor signs. So far...
Might update this weekly as time presses on. :) Kit is under strict instructions to not show up before 15 April, though! MIL and NIL have to clear out first. Pfft.
I think I might be having pre-labor signs. So far...
- Stabbing pains in my cervix. This has been going on for a couple weeks, actually, but has been the only thing.
- Frequent urination. Again, going on for a couple weeks, though they've picked up a ridiculous amount the past week.
- Menstrual-like cramping lasting for several minutes at a time; nothing worth timing otherwise, as I get maybe a handful a day, tops. This started almost a week ago, too, actually. (Research says these are the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'm looking for. Yay?!)
- Nausea, a new symptom that just appeared today. Seems to go away after whatever food I ate has digested. (Note to self: Smaller, more frequent meals again!)
- Backache and frontache(?), especially the latter upon standing.
- Loose, way more frequent stools (you're welcome, lol).
- Vaginal discharge -- not bloody show, but there's been a bit more of this stuff.
- Kit's head is way, WAY down. So, he's obviously dropped!
Might update this weekly as time presses on. :) Kit is under strict instructions to not show up before 15 April, though! MIL and NIL have to clear out first. Pfft.
Pregnancy: 36w5d - Random stuff.
First, if you're interested in participating in a Mother Blessing (I'm mainly asking for writings of any kind about labor and childbirth, and for a bead to string onto a labor necklace if you can), check out my Facebook event! :)
Second, I had an appointment yesterday that ended up going pretty well! I did my GBS test (which I was allowed to perform myself -- MUCH appreciated on that one), we checked Kit out, and I was sent away with a bill of good health. No internal exam was suggested, and because of that, I didn't bother asking for one. Not gonna go through something if I don't have to.
My appointments are now weekly, so I have them scheduled for Monday evenings from now until... well, 29 March, but I'm hoping to not make it to that one or to the one scheduled on the 22nd!
Of note:
Third, I posted my most recent belly pic (the one with the yellow shirt) to FB, and Matt shared it with MIL and NIL on their walls. Nothing from NIL, which is totally cool, but MIL left the following comment on my photo on her wall:
Best part is, my mom apparently read that comment (she knows my MIL and keeps her distance because she's absolutely insane sometimes... LOLOL), and she sent me a FB message with the comment copied/pasted, with the note: Really!?!?
HAHAHA. I love my mom. ;)
Second, I had an appointment yesterday that ended up going pretty well! I did my GBS test (which I was allowed to perform myself -- MUCH appreciated on that one), we checked Kit out, and I was sent away with a bill of good health. No internal exam was suggested, and because of that, I didn't bother asking for one. Not gonna go through something if I don't have to.
My appointments are now weekly, so I have them scheduled for Monday evenings from now until... well, 29 March, but I'm hoping to not make it to that one or to the one scheduled on the 22nd!
Of note:
- BP: 104/71 (Yes, for real! My blood pressure is usually low anyway, but this is the lowest it's been.)
- Kit's HB: 150s
- Fundal height: Spot on at 36/37cm.
- Position: LOA, with his head WAY down in my pelvis. The nurse practitioner practically had to dig to find it, and even she and the midwife were amazed that it was that low. So... awesome!
- Cramps: Normal, if annoying. May be indicative of a softening cervix, but of course, no internal exam to verify. Midwife doesn't think I'll make it even close to 42 weeks. :)
- GBS test: Will have the results next week!
Third, I posted my most recent belly pic (the one with the yellow shirt) to FB, and Matt shared it with MIL and NIL on their walls. Nothing from NIL, which is totally cool, but MIL left the following comment on my photo on her wall:
Yes he is getting lower as he should-steph looks great! decided you should be able to do Facetime with [SFIL] and I so we can be there even though we will not be physically there.Ummmmmmm... no. Over my dead body. Glad you decided that, but you'll be Facetiming with empty space!
Best part is, my mom apparently read that comment (she knows my MIL and keeps her distance because she's absolutely insane sometimes... LOLOL), and she sent me a FB message with the comment copied/pasted, with the note: Really!?!?
HAHAHA. I love my mom. ;)
Pregnancy: 36w4d
A little late on this one, I know. It's been really busy lately, so I figure later is better than never! :)
What I love: All of his movements. I simply can't get enough of them. Since we're now in my due date month (WHAT THE EVER-LOVING...), I'm thinking about what it'll be like after he's born, and I admit I'm probably going to miss all his kicks and rolls! Even if they ARE painful sometimes, especially when he moves as I'm walking or sticks his FOOT in my RIBS. I like to rub his foot when he does this and be all, "There's your li'l FOOT! What's your li'l FOOT doing in there?!"
I'm going to be a crazy mom. XD
What I hate: My bigger belly, if only because I’m super self-conscious about it. My weight, but I’m trying to get over that. And the fact that reaching my shoes is getting harder, even if my belly is “tiny”! [Same]
What I miss: My body, lol. And some wine!! [Same]
What I’m looking forward to the most: Giving birth and meeting Kit! Seriously, now that we're in April... it's like, "OOH, it could be ANY TIME this month!" Freaky when you think about it, really.
Worries: Cesarean delivery. I’m still freaking out a bit about that. [Same]
Symptoms: A bigger belly, pregnancy rhinitis, soooooo tiiiiiiired, RLP. The third-trimester exhaustion is kicking in, I think. Yikes… [Same] And Matt points out every morning that I snore. :P
Mood: Good! :)
Sleep: Good when I sleep. I’m up now 2+ times a night, which is fun. LOL [Same]
Movement: Lots of it! Mostly rolls and nudges rather than hard kicks, it’s coming down to, but he still moves a LOT. [Same]
The belly (and the button!): Bigger belly, much more shallow belly button. STILL not flat, even if it is much more shallow than before. It’s starting to pucker. LOL [Same] (STILL NOT OUT!)
Wedding rings on or off: On!
Weight gain: I’m up 22.5lbs(!!) from my pre-pregnancy weight. It WAS as high as 25lbs this week, but for only a day, with the rest being around that 22.5lb mark.
Milestones: A week from when I'm cleared to birth at the birth center (37w)!
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.
Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.
First stage The first stage begins when you start having contractions that progressively dilate and efface your cervix and it ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases, early and active labor.
It can be tricky to determine exactly when early labor starts. That's because early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from the inefficient Braxton Hicks contractions that you may have been feeling for some time.
Unless there are complications or your midwife or doctor has advised you otherwise, expect to sit out most of your early labor at home. (Be sure, though, to check in with your caregiver to make certain.)
Early labor ends when your cervix is about 4 centimeters dilated and your progress starts to speed up. At this point, you enter what's known as the active phase of labor. Your contractions become more frequent, longer, and stronger.
The last part of the active phase — when your cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters — is called the transition period because it marks the transition to the second stage of labor. This is the most intense part of the first stage, with contractions that are usually very strong, coming about every two and a half to three minutes and lasting a minute or more.
Second stage Once your cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor begins: the final descent and birth of your baby. This is the "pushing" stage of labor, and it can last anywhere from minutes to a few hours. (It's likely to be quicker if you've previously given birth vaginally.)
Your baby's head will continue to advance with each push until it "crowns" — the term used to describe the time when the widest part of your baby's head is finally visible. After your baby's head comes out, your midwife or doctor will suction his mouth and nose, and feel around his neck for the umbilical cord. His head then turns to the side as his shoulders rotate inside the pelvis to get into position for their exit. With the next contraction, you'll be coached to push as his shoulders deliver, one at a time, followed by the rest of his body.
You may feel a wide range of emotions now: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to name a few), and, of course, intense relief that it's all over. Exhausted as you may be, you'll also probably feel a burst of energy, and any thoughts of sleep will vanish for the time being.
Stage three The final stage of labor begins immediately after the birth of your baby and ends with the delivery of your placenta. The contractions in the third stage are relatively mild.
What I love: All of his movements. I simply can't get enough of them. Since we're now in my due date month (WHAT THE EVER-LOVING...), I'm thinking about what it'll be like after he's born, and I admit I'm probably going to miss all his kicks and rolls! Even if they ARE painful sometimes, especially when he moves as I'm walking or sticks his FOOT in my RIBS. I like to rub his foot when he does this and be all, "There's your li'l FOOT! What's your li'l FOOT doing in there?!"
I'm going to be a crazy mom. XD
What I hate: My bigger belly, if only because I’m super self-conscious about it. My weight, but I’m trying to get over that. And the fact that reaching my shoes is getting harder, even if my belly is “tiny”! [Same]
What I miss: My body, lol. And some wine!! [Same]
What I’m looking forward to the most: Giving birth and meeting Kit! Seriously, now that we're in April... it's like, "OOH, it could be ANY TIME this month!" Freaky when you think about it, really.
Worries: Cesarean delivery. I’m still freaking out a bit about that. [Same]
Symptoms: A bigger belly, pregnancy rhinitis, soooooo tiiiiiiired, RLP. The third-trimester exhaustion is kicking in, I think. Yikes… [Same] And Matt points out every morning that I snore. :P
Mood: Good! :)
Sleep: Good when I sleep. I’m up now 2+ times a night, which is fun. LOL [Same]
Movement: Lots of it! Mostly rolls and nudges rather than hard kicks, it’s coming down to, but he still moves a LOT. [Same]
The belly (and the button!): Bigger belly, much more shallow belly button. STILL not flat, even if it is much more shallow than before. It’s starting to pucker. LOL [Same] (STILL NOT OUT!)
Wedding rings on or off: On!
Weight gain: I’m up 22.5lbs(!!) from my pre-pregnancy weight. It WAS as high as 25lbs this week, but for only a day, with the rest being around that 22.5lb mark.
Milestones: A week from when I'm cleared to birth at the birth center (37w)!
How your baby's growing:
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
How your life's changing:
Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.
Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.
Eating in "Start collecting take-out and delivery menus from local restaurants. You won't have time to cook in the early weeks after giving birth. Even restaurants without a visible take-out business will usually accommodate a to-go order (especially if it's for a new mom!)." — Kristina
Surprising Facts: The stages of labor
For first-time moms, labor takes an average of 15 hours, though it's not uncommon to last more than 20. (For women who've previously had a vaginal birth, it takes eight hours, on average.) The process of labor and birth is divided into three main stages. Here are the highlights on how childbirth progresses:First stage The first stage begins when you start having contractions that progressively dilate and efface your cervix and it ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases, early and active labor.
It can be tricky to determine exactly when early labor starts. That's because early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from the inefficient Braxton Hicks contractions that you may have been feeling for some time.
Unless there are complications or your midwife or doctor has advised you otherwise, expect to sit out most of your early labor at home. (Be sure, though, to check in with your caregiver to make certain.)
Early labor ends when your cervix is about 4 centimeters dilated and your progress starts to speed up. At this point, you enter what's known as the active phase of labor. Your contractions become more frequent, longer, and stronger.
The last part of the active phase — when your cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters — is called the transition period because it marks the transition to the second stage of labor. This is the most intense part of the first stage, with contractions that are usually very strong, coming about every two and a half to three minutes and lasting a minute or more.
Second stage Once your cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor begins: the final descent and birth of your baby. This is the "pushing" stage of labor, and it can last anywhere from minutes to a few hours. (It's likely to be quicker if you've previously given birth vaginally.)
Your baby's head will continue to advance with each push until it "crowns" — the term used to describe the time when the widest part of your baby's head is finally visible. After your baby's head comes out, your midwife or doctor will suction his mouth and nose, and feel around his neck for the umbilical cord. His head then turns to the side as his shoulders rotate inside the pelvis to get into position for their exit. With the next contraction, you'll be coached to push as his shoulders deliver, one at a time, followed by the rest of his body.
You may feel a wide range of emotions now: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to name a few), and, of course, intense relief that it's all over. Exhausted as you may be, you'll also probably feel a burst of energy, and any thoughts of sleep will vanish for the time being.
Stage three The final stage of labor begins immediately after the birth of your baby and ends with the delivery of your placenta. The contractions in the third stage are relatively mild.
This Week's Activity:
Create a grapevine. Make a list of all the people you want to hear about your baby's birth — with their phone numbers or e-mail addresses — and pass this along to a friend who can spread the news. That way, when you're ready for others to know, all you have to do is make one call. Include at least one person from work on the list, so they can spread the word there.
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