As some of you may know, I was planning a med-free birth center birth for Genevieve. However, that plan didn't work out and I ended up with a c-section. This is something I am still struggling to come to terms with.
I guess I could be considered a birth junkie-I like reading birth stories and enjoy talking to women about birth. However, I must admit that I am jealous when I hear what I consider to be a beautiful birth story. Basically anything that ends in a healthy baby without a c-section is what I consider to be beautiful. Even more beautiful are the successful birth center births.
I still go to the birth center where I labored for a weekly breastfeeding support group. The group is held in the same room where I studied hypnobirthing and dreamed and prepared for my labor. Part of me still has a really hard time going back there. I know, it probably sounds crazy. When I am in that room, I think back to my mindset when we were preparing for her arrival. I was anticipating this beautiful birth and her birth wasn't what I consider beautiful. Am I glad that the c-section was available, of course. I don't know how to explain it.
I also follow an online natural birth board. Since G's birth though, I can only read a couple of posts before I get too upset and can't read anymore. I also feel like I have to over explain why I needed a c-section. I remember before G was born that I would critique every birth story that ended in a c-section...Why didn't they have her change positions, why didn't they do this, why didn't they do that. I know that c-sections are done at an alarmingly high rate in our country right now. I hate that I am part of that statistic.
You know what else I hate...I will never be able to have a birth center VBAC in my state. It is illegal. I can have a HBAC (home birth after cesarean) or a hospital VBAC. I am not comfortable with doing a HBAC, so the hospital it will be. It just sucks.
Then I have this scar to deal with. The stretchmarks I can handle. The giant scar, well that is a little bit more difficult to get used to. It is a constant reminder of my failure as a woman to be able to birth my child. I feel like I did everything right during pregnancy. I ate well, I exercised, I did my Kegels, squats, I only gained 28 lbs, etc. I try to tell myself that by doing everything right, I helped G grow to be strong so that she was able to be born without infection or any other issue.
I feel like my labor was a tease. It seemed like she was going to be born at the birth center-they even had the birth supplies on the bed. But it was just a tease and she wasn't born there.
Then I hear stories from women who didn't take care of themselves and didn't prepare for labor-these are the women that seem to have the easiest labor and delivery. Oh, the best stories are the ones that go along the lines of "I really wanted an epidural, but there was no time (or whatever), so I HAD to have a med-free birth." Ugh-talk about rubbing salt in a wound.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
My new found love of prefolds
Okay, I'll admit that I did not like prefolds in the beginning. They were bulky and I just really didn't care for them. Well, I have found the prefold love in the last few weeks.
I love them for a few reasons:
1) They are cheap. You can get a dozen high quality prefolds from www.greenmountaindiapers.com for less than $35. That's a steal!
2) They are very low maintenance. With some diapers (mainly those with microfiber), you have to be very careful about your wash routine or you can end up with the "stinkies." Prefolds are 100% cotton, so they are pretty resilient.
3) They dry fast. I line dry my diapers 99% of the time and the prefolds are usually dry within a couple of hours.
4) They are easy to use. I typically just trifold a yellow edge prefold and use it with a Flips cover or a Thirsties Duo cover. To trifold, you lay the diaper flat, and then fold in the two sides. All of the fluff is now in the middle. Then you just place it in a cover. Easy peasy! I will say that the trifold method isn't the greatest for holding in poops, but the cover will hold the poop in, so no worries there.
I have actually sold off part of my CD stash because I use prefolds so much.
I love them for a few reasons:
1) They are cheap. You can get a dozen high quality prefolds from www.greenmountaindiapers.com for less than $35. That's a steal!
2) They are very low maintenance. With some diapers (mainly those with microfiber), you have to be very careful about your wash routine or you can end up with the "stinkies." Prefolds are 100% cotton, so they are pretty resilient.
3) They dry fast. I line dry my diapers 99% of the time and the prefolds are usually dry within a couple of hours.
4) They are easy to use. I typically just trifold a yellow edge prefold and use it with a Flips cover or a Thirsties Duo cover. To trifold, you lay the diaper flat, and then fold in the two sides. All of the fluff is now in the middle. Then you just place it in a cover. Easy peasy! I will say that the trifold method isn't the greatest for holding in poops, but the cover will hold the poop in, so no worries there.
I have actually sold off part of my CD stash because I use prefolds so much.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Bed-sharing: Why it works for us.
First off, I feel that every woman and family should be able to do what works for them without being judged by others (as long as it isn't a form of abuse). I feel the same way about birth and most things in life.
That being said, bed-sharing works for my family. Before I was a mom, I said that I would not say that I would never do something. I had the philosophy that I would just go with the flow and do what works for my baby, my husband, and me.
I had secretly always wanted to bedshare. However, when we got home from the hospital, Genevieve slept better in her pack n play next to our bed. I was disappointed mainly because it was a few weeks before I could actually sit up or get out of bed. It would have been so much easier to have her in bed next to me, especially in the beginning when she was up every hour and a half to eat.
Starting at around 6 weeks, her sleeping at night became very difficult. She would wake up 5 minutes after being put down. We finally decided to bring her in bed with us. All 3 of us slept so much better! She would typically give me a 6-7 hour stretch each night of sleep. That is amazing for a breastfed baby! Since she was in bed with me, I could tell she was about to wake up before she actually did. This allowed me to easily feed her and both of us would fall right back to sleep.
Another reason this was fantastic is that my husband was working overnight shifts as a sleep lab technician. Needless to say, I was exhausted. When he was home during the day, he was sleeping and I needed to keep G quiet. I was on my own for nighttime. Bedsharing saved my sanity and allowed me to sleep.
I am sure some people think I am spoiling her and that this is a habit I will have to break. I disagree. Studies show that just like breastfeeding, babies will wean themselves when they are ready.
I want her to know that sleeping is a safe thing and isn't scary. Perhaps this desire stems from my experience as a child. I was absolutely terrified of the night and going to sleep. I used to sleep with a lamp on until my Grandmother told me that if someone were to break in to our house, they would head straight to my room since that is where the light was. Yeah, then I started laying there in the dark terrified of being robbed, or worse. It was not fun. I still suffer from awful nightmares every single night. They are quite horrific and I tend to remember them all. Most of my nightmares scare the living daylights out of my husband when I share them with him.
I digress...another reason I am okay with bedsharing is that it just feels natural. G sleeps right up against me with her head in my armpit. She sleeps on her back and doesn't thrash around or move. I also don't move when she is next to me. She spent 9 months in the womb where she listened to my heart 24/7. I think it is comforting for her to be with me still.
If you bedshare, there are some safety things you should be aware of:
1) Never ever bedshare if either you or your husband have been drinking, doing drugs, or take medication that affects your sleep. It is dangerous.
2) Keep covers and sheets to a minimum. Covers should not go above your waist.
3) Keep pillows away from the baby.
4) If possible, put your bed against a wall. This isn't possible for us.
That being said, bed-sharing works for my family. Before I was a mom, I said that I would not say that I would never do something. I had the philosophy that I would just go with the flow and do what works for my baby, my husband, and me.
I had secretly always wanted to bedshare. However, when we got home from the hospital, Genevieve slept better in her pack n play next to our bed. I was disappointed mainly because it was a few weeks before I could actually sit up or get out of bed. It would have been so much easier to have her in bed next to me, especially in the beginning when she was up every hour and a half to eat.
Starting at around 6 weeks, her sleeping at night became very difficult. She would wake up 5 minutes after being put down. We finally decided to bring her in bed with us. All 3 of us slept so much better! She would typically give me a 6-7 hour stretch each night of sleep. That is amazing for a breastfed baby! Since she was in bed with me, I could tell she was about to wake up before she actually did. This allowed me to easily feed her and both of us would fall right back to sleep.
Another reason this was fantastic is that my husband was working overnight shifts as a sleep lab technician. Needless to say, I was exhausted. When he was home during the day, he was sleeping and I needed to keep G quiet. I was on my own for nighttime. Bedsharing saved my sanity and allowed me to sleep.
I am sure some people think I am spoiling her and that this is a habit I will have to break. I disagree. Studies show that just like breastfeeding, babies will wean themselves when they are ready.
I want her to know that sleeping is a safe thing and isn't scary. Perhaps this desire stems from my experience as a child. I was absolutely terrified of the night and going to sleep. I used to sleep with a lamp on until my Grandmother told me that if someone were to break in to our house, they would head straight to my room since that is where the light was. Yeah, then I started laying there in the dark terrified of being robbed, or worse. It was not fun. I still suffer from awful nightmares every single night. They are quite horrific and I tend to remember them all. Most of my nightmares scare the living daylights out of my husband when I share them with him.
I digress...another reason I am okay with bedsharing is that it just feels natural. G sleeps right up against me with her head in my armpit. She sleeps on her back and doesn't thrash around or move. I also don't move when she is next to me. She spent 9 months in the womb where she listened to my heart 24/7. I think it is comforting for her to be with me still.
If you bedshare, there are some safety things you should be aware of:
1) Never ever bedshare if either you or your husband have been drinking, doing drugs, or take medication that affects your sleep. It is dangerous.
2) Keep covers and sheets to a minimum. Covers should not go above your waist.
3) Keep pillows away from the baby.
4) If possible, put your bed against a wall. This isn't possible for us.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Catching up: Belly pics
Okay, I know, I am a bad blogger. Being a mommy is quite time consuming! I know I never posted all of my belly pics, so here is a pregnancy recap via photos.
18 Weeks:
19 weeks:
20 Weeks
21 Weeks:
22 Weeks:
23 Weeks:
24 Weeks:
25 Weeks:
25 Weeks 5 Days:
27 Weeks:
28 Weeks:
29 Weeks:
31 Weeks:
33 Weeks 4 Days:
35 Weeks 6 Days:
36 Weeks 6 Days:
39 Weeks:
40 Weeks 3 Days:
41 Weeks:
Labor started at 41 weeks 3 days and she was born at 41 weeks 5 days.
Just for fun, here is 2 weeks post-partum. It was amazing how quickly my stomach shrank back to normal. I was at my pre-pregnancy weight by 4 weeks post-partum and was back in my pre-pg clothes by 5 weeks post-partum.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The "C" word...
No mom wants to admit that their baby might have the dreaded c word...colic. I knew Genevieve cried and screamed a lot. It was awful. I was always nervous when people would come over because who wants to be the lady with the crying baby? Going out in public...next to impossible. I would pray that she would be asleep or that I would be somewhere that I could breastfeed her constantly.
She would also cry and scream when she had to poop. It would also take her a long time to poop, usually a couple of hours from the first grunt and sign of discomfort. We called her pediatrician and were told that it is completely normal. We were also told that babies cry and it would pass.
She also started having a skin issue. It looked like a chemical burn to me. There were dry, raised, rough patches on her arms and her legs. It wasn't eczema and it looked awful.
She also would not nap during the day. I was lucky to get 2 fifteen minute stretches and I had to be holding her.
Since I was having a hard time emotionally post-partum, I went to my mom's house for a couple of weeks. Chris was working overnight shifts as well as still serving, so he wasn't around much to help. While at my mom's house, she confirmed that Genevieve's crying and screaming wasn't normal at all.
I started researching like crazy. Everything I read pointed to colic. My question though was what exactly is colic? Colic is really just a term that is given to babies who cry when there is no other medical diagnosis. Basically colic is just like IBS or fibromyalgia...there is something wrong, but no one really knows what.
While doing research, I came across several studies that said there was a 95% success rate in reduction of fussiness in colicky babies by using probiotics vs only a 7% success while using gas drops. 95% sure seemed like a good number to me!
Okay, now I need to research probiotics. I came to the conclusion that it needed to have 3 strains: L. Reuteri, lactobacilius, and bifidobacterium.
Chiropractor treatment was mentioned as well, so I scheduled an appointment with the chiropractor who was able to get me into labor since she specializes with infants and children.
I started the probiotics on a Tuesday and noticed an improvement the next day. You could no longer feel bubbles of gas moving around in her tummy. You could no longer hear the bubbles either.
She went in for her chiropractor appointment on Thursday. Dr. S examined her and asked me if she had trouble moving her bowels because she had some locked vertebrae in her lower thoracic upper lumber region. Dr. S also did some neck adjustments which was supposed to help with reflux. The doctor then did a muscle test on Genevieve. Genevieve sat on my lap while I held out my right arm. Dr. S. had me hold my arm strong while she pushed down while pushing on various spots on Genevieve. She determined that there was an issue with Genevieve's immune system, particularly in regards to bacteria. She gave me a homeopathic to take for 5 days. (I breastfeed so the homeopathic would go through the breast milk to her alcohol free.)
Genevieve actually pooped and fell asleep before we left the chiropractors office. She took 2 three hour naps that day and slept well that night.
I am happy to report that Genevieve no longer cries and screams during all waking hours. She still cries, but is easy to calm 99% of the time. She also naps during the day. Typically she takes 3 two hour naps, but not all the time. She sleeps at night from 10 pm to 6 am, eats, and is back asleep until about 8 am. For a breastfed baby, this is awesome! She no longer has "silent reflux." Silent reflux is where you can hear stuff coming up after a feeding but the baby doesn't throw up. She no longer arches her back during and after feedings. Also, her skin issue cleared up a week after I started the homeopathic.
Here is a link to an article that kind of sums everything up: http://www.healthychild.com/digestive-problems/treating-reflux-and-colic-in-babies/
One of the things I am now wondering about is the use of antibiotics during labor and birth and the incidence of colic. I ended up having an emergency c-section (read about that below if you are interested) and was given a lot of antibiotics via IV b/c I was showing signs of infection after having my water broken for 36+ hours before delivery.
Also, I wanted to avoid using Zantac because there are a lot of potential negative side effects when used on young infants. I would have put her on it if nothing else worked, but I wanted to try alternatives first. I also had to eliminate dairy from my diet.
She would also cry and scream when she had to poop. It would also take her a long time to poop, usually a couple of hours from the first grunt and sign of discomfort. We called her pediatrician and were told that it is completely normal. We were also told that babies cry and it would pass.
She also started having a skin issue. It looked like a chemical burn to me. There were dry, raised, rough patches on her arms and her legs. It wasn't eczema and it looked awful.
She also would not nap during the day. I was lucky to get 2 fifteen minute stretches and I had to be holding her.
Since I was having a hard time emotionally post-partum, I went to my mom's house for a couple of weeks. Chris was working overnight shifts as well as still serving, so he wasn't around much to help. While at my mom's house, she confirmed that Genevieve's crying and screaming wasn't normal at all.
I started researching like crazy. Everything I read pointed to colic. My question though was what exactly is colic? Colic is really just a term that is given to babies who cry when there is no other medical diagnosis. Basically colic is just like IBS or fibromyalgia...there is something wrong, but no one really knows what.
While doing research, I came across several studies that said there was a 95% success rate in reduction of fussiness in colicky babies by using probiotics vs only a 7% success while using gas drops. 95% sure seemed like a good number to me!
Okay, now I need to research probiotics. I came to the conclusion that it needed to have 3 strains: L. Reuteri, lactobacilius, and bifidobacterium.
Chiropractor treatment was mentioned as well, so I scheduled an appointment with the chiropractor who was able to get me into labor since she specializes with infants and children.
I started the probiotics on a Tuesday and noticed an improvement the next day. You could no longer feel bubbles of gas moving around in her tummy. You could no longer hear the bubbles either.
She went in for her chiropractor appointment on Thursday. Dr. S examined her and asked me if she had trouble moving her bowels because she had some locked vertebrae in her lower thoracic upper lumber region. Dr. S also did some neck adjustments which was supposed to help with reflux. The doctor then did a muscle test on Genevieve. Genevieve sat on my lap while I held out my right arm. Dr. S. had me hold my arm strong while she pushed down while pushing on various spots on Genevieve. She determined that there was an issue with Genevieve's immune system, particularly in regards to bacteria. She gave me a homeopathic to take for 5 days. (I breastfeed so the homeopathic would go through the breast milk to her alcohol free.)
Genevieve actually pooped and fell asleep before we left the chiropractors office. She took 2 three hour naps that day and slept well that night.
I am happy to report that Genevieve no longer cries and screams during all waking hours. She still cries, but is easy to calm 99% of the time. She also naps during the day. Typically she takes 3 two hour naps, but not all the time. She sleeps at night from 10 pm to 6 am, eats, and is back asleep until about 8 am. For a breastfed baby, this is awesome! She no longer has "silent reflux." Silent reflux is where you can hear stuff coming up after a feeding but the baby doesn't throw up. She no longer arches her back during and after feedings. Also, her skin issue cleared up a week after I started the homeopathic.
Here is a link to an article that kind of sums everything up: http://www.healthychild.com/digestive-problems/treating-reflux-and-colic-in-babies/
One of the things I am now wondering about is the use of antibiotics during labor and birth and the incidence of colic. I ended up having an emergency c-section (read about that below if you are interested) and was given a lot of antibiotics via IV b/c I was showing signs of infection after having my water broken for 36+ hours before delivery.
Also, I wanted to avoid using Zantac because there are a lot of potential negative side effects when used on young infants. I would have put her on it if nothing else worked, but I wanted to try alternatives first. I also had to eliminate dairy from my diet.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Baby Stuff Reviews
Okay, this will probably end up being a long post. I have debated about how to organize this, but I have decided on reviewing items by category.
Items will be rated on a scale from 1-10. 1 being absolutely useless and 10 being I can't imagine having a baby without said item.
Also, I am by no means an expert. These are just my opinions from the first 11 weeks of being a mom. : )
Breastfeeding Supplies:
*Milk Maids Reusable Nursing Pads: 9
I have the OBV (organic bamboo velour) luxury ones and I love them. These are great because they are large (5 inches in diameter I believe) and are made with a step down process. They are also PUL backed, so you don't have to worry about leaking. They are super soft (a good thing) and they don't get cold when wet (another good thing). I put the link to the FB page b/c these are super hard to find. She will announce where and when she is stocking on FB.
*Bamboobies Reusable Nursing Pads: 9
I love that these are made of bamboo, backed with PUL, and are thin. The heart shape also makes them less visible under clothes.
*Green Sprouts Organic Reusable Nursing Pads: 2
These are very, very thick, scratchy, and get cold when wet. Also, they aren't PUL backed, so you they will leak. They are so thick that there is no way you can wear them under a shirt without them being completely obvious. Just skip these.
*Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads:3
I don't care for disposable products like these. I actually only used them once and just didn't care for the itchy papery feel. Definitely go with the reusable product. Also, the disposable pads have chemicals in them (similar to those in disposable diapers) that I didn't want on me or going in baby's mouth.
*Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump:9
I am thankful that I had a breast pump before G arrived. However, I strongly advise on sterilizing and knowing how to use your pump before your child arrives. Some people advise on not opening the pump until you know you are going to successfully breastfeed. Let me tell you, when you are so engorged that your child can't latch and it takes 3 hours to get him/her latched on, you will wish you had that pump ready to go! The Ameda PY works well and I like that it is a closed system. A closed system means that no milk goes through the membranes, so this is one that is actually safe to buy used. It works just as well as the Medela, but costs half as much.
*Boobs: 10. Haha! Just kidding, but, they are super important for breastfeeding.
*Ameda Hydrogel Pads: 10
Hopefully you won't need these. However, I was given very bad BFing advice in the hospital and ended up with cracked, bleeding, blistered nipples. They were going to give these to me in the hospital, but were actually out. I had to drive to Babies R Us the day after I got home from the hospital to buy these. However, they were a life saver!!! They allowed me to heal. They may seem pricey, but they lasted 5 or 6 days for me and allowed me to continue breastfeeding. The $16 these cost is a lot cheaper than having to switch to formula!
*My Brest Friend Pillow: 4
I got this pillow b/c everything I read about nursing pillows said this one is recommended by lactation consultants. Honestly, I discovered I didn't need a nursing pillow. I have a short waist and the nursing pillows were putting her up too high. If I needed one in the beginning, I would have chosen this one. It is nice that it is nice and firm which makes it easier to properly place a newborn to latch.
*Boppy: 6
The only reason I rated this higher than the Brest Friend Pillow is that it has other uses. It is great for propping up G or during tummy time. I do use it for "lazy" nursing (meaning I want to be hands-free).
Bottles:
I am not going to say much here other than have several different kinds and don't open more than 1 at a time so you can return them. I now have several bottles that G won't take and I can't return them. She has decided she only likes the $9 per bottle Tommee Tippee bottles. We have one and that is plenty for now.
Baby Containers:
*Graco Lauren Crib: 6
G hasn't slept in her crib yet, but this crib seems like it will do the trick. We got it in white and some of the paint seems to be wearing away. Kind of like the wood wasn't primed before painting.
*Fisher Price Snug-a-bunny swing: 10
Love this! It plugs into the wall (a big plus!), plays music & nature sounds, has a mobile with a mirror, and has 3 different seat positions. This is how I get G to sleep if she is fighting it (which happens a lot)!
*Fisher Price Snug-a-bunny bouncer: 8
This is definitely nice to have, but not a necessity. It moves around the house with us and it is a nice place to put G while I am cooking, eating, or taking a shower. It has vibration, music, and nature sounds. G loves to look up at the little birds too.
*Fisher Price Rock n Play Sleeper: 10
This is another life saver!!! Our friends got this for G and I don't think it was even on my registry. Many nights G will sleep in this and she takes a lot of naps in it as well. She is also content to hang out in it while I fold laundry, do dishes, etc. The nice thing about this is that it folds compactly and is easy to take with me if I am going out of town.
*Graco Pack n' Play with Newborn Napper: 9
G slept in the newborn napper for about the first 6 weeks. The vibration and music feature on the napper and bassinet are great. The light also comes in handy. The changing table was great for in the beginning for middle of the night changes. We had to stop using the changing table when she reached 11 lbs because it started to lean. I like that the vibration thingy works on the bassinet part too.
*Uppababy Vista Stroller: 10
I feel like this is the BMW of strollers. I love that it has a bassinet included (we even have a stand for it so we can use it in the living room). It rides smoothly and the front wheels lock so you can jog occasionally with it without worry. It has a regular seat too which can face you or away. We also purchased the car seat adapter, so our car seat fits with no problem.
*Graco Snugride 35 in Logan: 8
I love everything about this except the fact that it is hot. I don't know if other car seats are better or not with this though.
Baby Carriers:
*Beco Butterfly II:10
I don't know if I could survive without this! It is great to use during shopping, cleaning, walking, whatever. What I really like about this carrier is that it is easy to do a back carry with a younger child. G falls asleep in this thing all the time!
*Boba: 8
I don't use this one much yet as G is still a little too small for it. It will be great when she is older though. I like that it has stirrups so that her feet won't dangle when she gets older.
*Moby wrap: 4
I just didn't care for this because it was soooo hot! G and I would both be super sweaty within minutes. If I had had the Beco when she was first born, I would have just used that with the newborn insert and been just fine.
Clothing:
Seriously, you will probably get a lot of clothes if you are having a baby shower. We had a lot of NB sized clothes, but G was only able to wear them for maybe 2 weeks before she outgrew them.
*Carters Side Snap Shirts: 10
I found the side snap shirts to be much easier in the beginning than onesies. G didn't like onesies going over her head and the shirts rubbed her umbilical stump less than the onesies. Buy the Carters over the Gerber ones. The Gerber ones shrink and won't last as long.
*Towels: We were given a few of the special baby hooded ones. They are nice but not necessary.
*Mittens: Another thing I got because I was told I needed them. G never had a mitten on her for one day. She didn't scratch herself once either. They are actually not great for motor development.
*Socks: Ditto mittens. I *think* she wore socks once or twice. She is a hot baby and doesn't really need or want them.
*Hats: Ditto mittens and socks. G hates hats with a passion. In the hospital they kept putting hats on her and she would start screaming. I would remove the hat and then they would come in and put it on while they were checking on her. Screaming would commence. It was a fun cycle, let me tell you!
*Sleeping attire: In the beginning, I loved the gowns with elastic at the bottom. They made all of those middle of the night diaper changes much easier. There is no way I could master those crazy snapped ones at 3 am. We then switched to footed sleepers which were nice. I definitely recommend zippers over snaps (see previous comment about snaps). Now she sleeps in a long-sleeved onesie with a halo sleep sack.
*Aden and Anais blankets: 9
Make sure to get the expensive "boutique" ones, not the ones from Target or BRU. The boutique ones are 47" x 47" and are more stretchy and soft than the other ones. I got one of the boutique ones free from a cloth diaper order that I did on Black Friday. G doesn't throw up or leak out of her diapers (yay for cloth!), so one of these blankets has been enough. I would love to have more but I am cheap. Keep an eye on www.babysteals.com, because these come out all the time. It isn't as good of a deal as it seems though because of shipping.
Items will be rated on a scale from 1-10. 1 being absolutely useless and 10 being I can't imagine having a baby without said item.
Also, I am by no means an expert. These are just my opinions from the first 11 weeks of being a mom. : )
Breastfeeding Supplies:
*Milk Maids Reusable Nursing Pads: 9
I have the OBV (organic bamboo velour) luxury ones and I love them. These are great because they are large (5 inches in diameter I believe) and are made with a step down process. They are also PUL backed, so you don't have to worry about leaking. They are super soft (a good thing) and they don't get cold when wet (another good thing). I put the link to the FB page b/c these are super hard to find. She will announce where and when she is stocking on FB.
*Bamboobies Reusable Nursing Pads: 9
I love that these are made of bamboo, backed with PUL, and are thin. The heart shape also makes them less visible under clothes.
*Green Sprouts Organic Reusable Nursing Pads: 2
These are very, very thick, scratchy, and get cold when wet. Also, they aren't PUL backed, so you they will leak. They are so thick that there is no way you can wear them under a shirt without them being completely obvious. Just skip these.
*Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads:3
I don't care for disposable products like these. I actually only used them once and just didn't care for the itchy papery feel. Definitely go with the reusable product. Also, the disposable pads have chemicals in them (similar to those in disposable diapers) that I didn't want on me or going in baby's mouth.
*Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump:9
I am thankful that I had a breast pump before G arrived. However, I strongly advise on sterilizing and knowing how to use your pump before your child arrives. Some people advise on not opening the pump until you know you are going to successfully breastfeed. Let me tell you, when you are so engorged that your child can't latch and it takes 3 hours to get him/her latched on, you will wish you had that pump ready to go! The Ameda PY works well and I like that it is a closed system. A closed system means that no milk goes through the membranes, so this is one that is actually safe to buy used. It works just as well as the Medela, but costs half as much.
*Boobs: 10. Haha! Just kidding, but, they are super important for breastfeeding.
*Ameda Hydrogel Pads: 10
Hopefully you won't need these. However, I was given very bad BFing advice in the hospital and ended up with cracked, bleeding, blistered nipples. They were going to give these to me in the hospital, but were actually out. I had to drive to Babies R Us the day after I got home from the hospital to buy these. However, they were a life saver!!! They allowed me to heal. They may seem pricey, but they lasted 5 or 6 days for me and allowed me to continue breastfeeding. The $16 these cost is a lot cheaper than having to switch to formula!
*My Brest Friend Pillow: 4
I got this pillow b/c everything I read about nursing pillows said this one is recommended by lactation consultants. Honestly, I discovered I didn't need a nursing pillow. I have a short waist and the nursing pillows were putting her up too high. If I needed one in the beginning, I would have chosen this one. It is nice that it is nice and firm which makes it easier to properly place a newborn to latch.
*Boppy: 6
The only reason I rated this higher than the Brest Friend Pillow is that it has other uses. It is great for propping up G or during tummy time. I do use it for "lazy" nursing (meaning I want to be hands-free).
Bottles:
I am not going to say much here other than have several different kinds and don't open more than 1 at a time so you can return them. I now have several bottles that G won't take and I can't return them. She has decided she only likes the $9 per bottle Tommee Tippee bottles. We have one and that is plenty for now.
Baby Containers:
*Graco Lauren Crib: 6
G hasn't slept in her crib yet, but this crib seems like it will do the trick. We got it in white and some of the paint seems to be wearing away. Kind of like the wood wasn't primed before painting.
*Fisher Price Snug-a-bunny swing: 10
Love this! It plugs into the wall (a big plus!), plays music & nature sounds, has a mobile with a mirror, and has 3 different seat positions. This is how I get G to sleep if she is fighting it (which happens a lot)!
*Fisher Price Snug-a-bunny bouncer: 8
This is definitely nice to have, but not a necessity. It moves around the house with us and it is a nice place to put G while I am cooking, eating, or taking a shower. It has vibration, music, and nature sounds. G loves to look up at the little birds too.
*Fisher Price Rock n Play Sleeper: 10
This is another life saver!!! Our friends got this for G and I don't think it was even on my registry. Many nights G will sleep in this and she takes a lot of naps in it as well. She is also content to hang out in it while I fold laundry, do dishes, etc. The nice thing about this is that it folds compactly and is easy to take with me if I am going out of town.
*Graco Pack n' Play with Newborn Napper: 9
G slept in the newborn napper for about the first 6 weeks. The vibration and music feature on the napper and bassinet are great. The light also comes in handy. The changing table was great for in the beginning for middle of the night changes. We had to stop using the changing table when she reached 11 lbs because it started to lean. I like that the vibration thingy works on the bassinet part too.
*Uppababy Vista Stroller: 10
I feel like this is the BMW of strollers. I love that it has a bassinet included (we even have a stand for it so we can use it in the living room). It rides smoothly and the front wheels lock so you can jog occasionally with it without worry. It has a regular seat too which can face you or away. We also purchased the car seat adapter, so our car seat fits with no problem.
*Graco Snugride 35 in Logan: 8
I love everything about this except the fact that it is hot. I don't know if other car seats are better or not with this though.
Baby Carriers:
*Beco Butterfly II:10
I don't know if I could survive without this! It is great to use during shopping, cleaning, walking, whatever. What I really like about this carrier is that it is easy to do a back carry with a younger child. G falls asleep in this thing all the time!
*Boba: 8
I don't use this one much yet as G is still a little too small for it. It will be great when she is older though. I like that it has stirrups so that her feet won't dangle when she gets older.
*Moby wrap: 4
I just didn't care for this because it was soooo hot! G and I would both be super sweaty within minutes. If I had had the Beco when she was first born, I would have just used that with the newborn insert and been just fine.
Clothing:
Seriously, you will probably get a lot of clothes if you are having a baby shower. We had a lot of NB sized clothes, but G was only able to wear them for maybe 2 weeks before she outgrew them.
*Carters Side Snap Shirts: 10
I found the side snap shirts to be much easier in the beginning than onesies. G didn't like onesies going over her head and the shirts rubbed her umbilical stump less than the onesies. Buy the Carters over the Gerber ones. The Gerber ones shrink and won't last as long.
*Towels: We were given a few of the special baby hooded ones. They are nice but not necessary.
*Mittens: Another thing I got because I was told I needed them. G never had a mitten on her for one day. She didn't scratch herself once either. They are actually not great for motor development.
*Socks: Ditto mittens. I *think* she wore socks once or twice. She is a hot baby and doesn't really need or want them.
*Hats: Ditto mittens and socks. G hates hats with a passion. In the hospital they kept putting hats on her and she would start screaming. I would remove the hat and then they would come in and put it on while they were checking on her. Screaming would commence. It was a fun cycle, let me tell you!
*Sleeping attire: In the beginning, I loved the gowns with elastic at the bottom. They made all of those middle of the night diaper changes much easier. There is no way I could master those crazy snapped ones at 3 am. We then switched to footed sleepers which were nice. I definitely recommend zippers over snaps (see previous comment about snaps). Now she sleeps in a long-sleeved onesie with a halo sleep sack.
*Aden and Anais blankets: 9
Make sure to get the expensive "boutique" ones, not the ones from Target or BRU. The boutique ones are 47" x 47" and are more stretchy and soft than the other ones. I got one of the boutique ones free from a cloth diaper order that I did on Black Friday. G doesn't throw up or leak out of her diapers (yay for cloth!), so one of these blankets has been enough. I would love to have more but I am cheap. Keep an eye on www.babysteals.com, because these come out all the time. It isn't as good of a deal as it seems though because of shipping.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Types of Cloth Diapers
Cloth diapering can be very overwhelming at first. There are so many different types and brands out there. I spent a lot of time researching cloth diapers, so I hope my research can help someone else. I am going to explain the different types of diapers and the pros and cons of each (in my opinion). G is only 9 weeks old, so please keep that in mind.
Let me also explain that a lot of diaper brands make different types of diapers. One example is Bumgenius: there is an AIO as well as a pocket. Grovia has an AIO and an AI2.
All in Ones (AIO): These diapers can have either an aplix or snap closure. The soaker (absorbent part) is usually sewn in or sometimes snaps in. Common AIOs are Bumgenius (BG) AIO and Grovia AIO.
Pros: Easy to use. Go on just like a disposable. Typically trim. Don't take up too much space in the diaper bag.
Cons: Expensive. (This can be cut down though if you buy used like I did.) Typically take a long time to dry. (I line dry, so this isn't a huge issue. Also, some AIOs such as Grovia have an extra snap in soaker to cut down on drying time.) Not always stay dry. (Organic cotton is not stay dry and feels wet to the touch. If your LO is sensitive to this, just add a fleece liner.) Also, organic materials tend to stain easily. However, if you put the diapers in the sun like I do, stains aren't an issue.
All in Two (AI2)/Hybrid: As the name implies, this diaper is a combination of diapers. Popular examples of AI2/Hybrids include Grovia shell w/ snap in soaker and Best Bottoms.
Pros: Typically dry fast. (The Grovia soaker takes forever to dry though!) Can take up less room in the diaper bag. Flexible. Can be trim (Best Bottom).
Cons: Entire diaper will need to be washed after a poop. (Kind of eliminates the point of an AI2 in my book.) Poo can leak. Can be bulky (i.e. Grovia).
Prefolds: These are the "old school" cloth diapers. The middle of the diaper has extra absorbency where LO needs it. You then fold the diaper, use a snappi or a diaper pin to close it, and put a waterproof cover on top. You can also just trifold the prefold (fold it in thirds) and place it in the cover. I don't personally do this b/c I don't have a lot of covers and if LO poops in this situation, the cover will more than likely need to be washed.
Pros: Inexpensive! This is the cheapest option for cloth diapering. If CDing a NB, you can get 3 dozen prefolds and 4-6 covers for under $100. Dry fast. Customizable-fold the prefold however it works best for LO. Very absorbent. Contains poo well (if folded correctly.)
Cons: Probably the most difficult to use. We used these right away and didn't find them difficult, but yes, they are the most difficult to use. Super bulky! DD does not like the bulk because she can't pull her legs up how she likes.
Fitteds: These diapers are shaped like disposable diapers and have an aplix or a snap closure. Some fitteds don't have a closure and need to be snappied or pinned. Popular fitteds are Kissaluvs, Thirsties, & Happy Heinys.
Pros: Pretty much bullet proof on leaks. Some can be customized for absorbency by adding an insert. Easy to use. I like to use WAHM types without a cover at home to give her butt some air out time.
Cons: Can be a pain on wiggly babies - you have to put on the diaper and then the cover. Can take a long time to dry. Some can get crunchy with wear. (If this happens, do a soak in ecover fabric softener. Just make sure to take out any PUL items before doing this!)
Hopefully this helps! If there are ever any questions, feel free to ask and I will answer as best as I possibly can.
Let me also explain that a lot of diaper brands make different types of diapers. One example is Bumgenius: there is an AIO as well as a pocket. Grovia has an AIO and an AI2.
All in Ones (AIO): These diapers can have either an aplix or snap closure. The soaker (absorbent part) is usually sewn in or sometimes snaps in. Common AIOs are Bumgenius (BG) AIO and Grovia AIO.
Pros: Easy to use. Go on just like a disposable. Typically trim. Don't take up too much space in the diaper bag.
Cons: Expensive. (This can be cut down though if you buy used like I did.) Typically take a long time to dry. (I line dry, so this isn't a huge issue. Also, some AIOs such as Grovia have an extra snap in soaker to cut down on drying time.) Not always stay dry. (Organic cotton is not stay dry and feels wet to the touch. If your LO is sensitive to this, just add a fleece liner.) Also, organic materials tend to stain easily. However, if you put the diapers in the sun like I do, stains aren't an issue.
All in Two (AI2)/Hybrid: As the name implies, this diaper is a combination of diapers. Popular examples of AI2/Hybrids include Grovia shell w/ snap in soaker and Best Bottoms.
Pros: Typically dry fast. (The Grovia soaker takes forever to dry though!) Can take up less room in the diaper bag. Flexible. Can be trim (Best Bottom).
Cons: Entire diaper will need to be washed after a poop. (Kind of eliminates the point of an AI2 in my book.) Poo can leak. Can be bulky (i.e. Grovia).
Prefolds: These are the "old school" cloth diapers. The middle of the diaper has extra absorbency where LO needs it. You then fold the diaper, use a snappi or a diaper pin to close it, and put a waterproof cover on top. You can also just trifold the prefold (fold it in thirds) and place it in the cover. I don't personally do this b/c I don't have a lot of covers and if LO poops in this situation, the cover will more than likely need to be washed.
Pros: Inexpensive! This is the cheapest option for cloth diapering. If CDing a NB, you can get 3 dozen prefolds and 4-6 covers for under $100. Dry fast. Customizable-fold the prefold however it works best for LO. Very absorbent. Contains poo well (if folded correctly.)
Cons: Probably the most difficult to use. We used these right away and didn't find them difficult, but yes, they are the most difficult to use. Super bulky! DD does not like the bulk because she can't pull her legs up how she likes.
Fitteds: These diapers are shaped like disposable diapers and have an aplix or a snap closure. Some fitteds don't have a closure and need to be snappied or pinned. Popular fitteds are Kissaluvs, Thirsties, & Happy Heinys.
Pros: Pretty much bullet proof on leaks. Some can be customized for absorbency by adding an insert. Easy to use. I like to use WAHM types without a cover at home to give her butt some air out time.
Cons: Can be a pain on wiggly babies - you have to put on the diaper and then the cover. Can take a long time to dry. Some can get crunchy with wear. (If this happens, do a soak in ecover fabric softener. Just make sure to take out any PUL items before doing this!)
Hopefully this helps! If there are ever any questions, feel free to ask and I will answer as best as I possibly can.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Cloth Diapering: 2 weeks in
We began cloth diapering (CDing) the day we got home from the hospital. I am by no means a CDing expert, but I feel I have a pretty good handle on CDing a newborn. So far, CDing hasn't really been a big deal and it doesn't seem like extra work. I love that I just do an extra 3 loads of laundry each week and don't have to worry about running to the store for diapers. I also love that I am not exposing my baby to extra chemicals and that we are not adding extra waste to the landfills. Here are my reviews on what we have used thus far. Keep in mind that Genevieve was 7 lb 9 oz at birth and is now close to 9 lbs.
1. Kissaluvs size 0 (often called KL0s): Right now, these are in our top 2 go-to diapers. They aren't incredibly absorbant, but we just add in a Kissaluv doubler for extra absorbancy. These fit great and aren't too bulky in my opinon. They are very easy to use and have a snap down for the umbilical cord stump. These wash great and dry relatively fast.
2. Bumgenius 3.0 AIO XS: Seriously, these are our favorite for her age. Unfortunately they have been discontinued. I purchased mine used off of www.diaperswappers.com and I actually just got some brand new seconds for $6 from www.cottonbabies.com. Anyway, they are super user friendly, contain EBF poo well, wash well (no stains), and dry really fast. Too bad these were discontinued! I wish I would have purchased more! We did have one pee leak with these, but that is because the babe slept 6 hours through the night. It was our fault for not changing her sooner, but hey, we are sleep deprived new parents.
3. Thirsties Duo Wrap Cover: We have these in size 1 snaps and they are our go-to cover for the KL0s. The double leg gussets do a fantastic job at holding everything in and we have had no leaks with these.
4. Rumparooz NB Cover: Another great cover. It also has the double leg gussets, so we haven't had any leak issues.
5. Bummis Super Brite in NB: This cover was just so-so for me. We were only able to use it for maybe 4 or 5 days before it became too small. This would be a great option for smaller babies as it is easy to use and has the important double leg gussets.
6. Bottombumpers AIO size small: I bought these used and really love them. They have a snap in soaker cuts down on the drying time. They began fitting around 8 lbs. The soaker is topped with bamboo velour which makes it extra soft.
7. Bumgenius Bamboo Fitted in small: Another great discontinued product by BG. We began using these once her umbilical stump fell off (so on day 7) and they are wonderful. They are much more absorbant than the KL0s and is pretty trim for a fitted. I really have no idea why these were discontinued as they were not replaced with a similar BG product. These do take a little bit longer to dry, but overall the dry time isn't bad.
8. Dream-Eze AIO size small: This is a pretty trim AIO that we haven't had any leaks with yet. They take a little bit longer to dry, but I like that they are made with organic fabrics.
9. Lil Joeys AIO by RaR: I almost forgot about these because we used them for like oh, 2 days. I am glad that I bought them either on sale or used because they were a big waste. I would say that I basically hate these diapers, but they are just too itty bitty and cute to hate. However, I would say to not waste your money and just pass. This diaper leaked (pee and poo) each time we tried to use it.
10. Fuzzibunz Perfect Size in small: I have only used this once so far and the one time I used it, it leaked poo out the leg. The size small is supposed to begin fitting at 7 lbs, but that doesn't seem to be the case for us. I had the leg setting snapped down as small as possible and it seemed to be a good fit, but maybe she just isn't the right size yet. I will try this one again in a week or so to see if it works better.
11. Fishnoodles AIO: These are now called Bright Star Baby, but anyway, this is another AIO that has a snap in soaker. These dry really fast and are pretty darn absorbant. I like that the soaker is extra long so that you can fold down it however you like.
12. GMD prefolds: Prefolds are super easy to me, but the baby hates them! They are so bulky on her right now (even in the newborn size) that she can't pull up her legs how she likes. (TMI warning: this makes it very difficult for her to go poo.) I'd prefer not to listen to her scream like crazy when she needs to go #2, so we aren't really using these right now.
Wow, I sure have quite the variety of diapers! If I had it to do over again, I would buy:
1. KL0s with doublers
2. BG Bamboo fitteds
3. BG 3.0 AIO XS
4. Thirsties Duo wrap in size 1
5. RaR NB cover
She is already growing out of her NB dipes, so that is part of why we have such a variety so far. Because I can't resist, here is a picture of Genevieve in her first cloth diaper (a KL0 with a Thirsties Duo Cover):
1. Kissaluvs size 0 (often called KL0s): Right now, these are in our top 2 go-to diapers. They aren't incredibly absorbant, but we just add in a Kissaluv doubler for extra absorbancy. These fit great and aren't too bulky in my opinon. They are very easy to use and have a snap down for the umbilical cord stump. These wash great and dry relatively fast.
2. Bumgenius 3.0 AIO XS: Seriously, these are our favorite for her age. Unfortunately they have been discontinued. I purchased mine used off of www.diaperswappers.com and I actually just got some brand new seconds for $6 from www.cottonbabies.com. Anyway, they are super user friendly, contain EBF poo well, wash well (no stains), and dry really fast. Too bad these were discontinued! I wish I would have purchased more! We did have one pee leak with these, but that is because the babe slept 6 hours through the night. It was our fault for not changing her sooner, but hey, we are sleep deprived new parents.
3. Thirsties Duo Wrap Cover: We have these in size 1 snaps and they are our go-to cover for the KL0s. The double leg gussets do a fantastic job at holding everything in and we have had no leaks with these.
4. Rumparooz NB Cover: Another great cover. It also has the double leg gussets, so we haven't had any leak issues.
5. Bummis Super Brite in NB: This cover was just so-so for me. We were only able to use it for maybe 4 or 5 days before it became too small. This would be a great option for smaller babies as it is easy to use and has the important double leg gussets.
6. Bottombumpers AIO size small: I bought these used and really love them. They have a snap in soaker cuts down on the drying time. They began fitting around 8 lbs. The soaker is topped with bamboo velour which makes it extra soft.
7. Bumgenius Bamboo Fitted in small: Another great discontinued product by BG. We began using these once her umbilical stump fell off (so on day 7) and they are wonderful. They are much more absorbant than the KL0s and is pretty trim for a fitted. I really have no idea why these were discontinued as they were not replaced with a similar BG product. These do take a little bit longer to dry, but overall the dry time isn't bad.
8. Dream-Eze AIO size small: This is a pretty trim AIO that we haven't had any leaks with yet. They take a little bit longer to dry, but I like that they are made with organic fabrics.
9. Lil Joeys AIO by RaR: I almost forgot about these because we used them for like oh, 2 days. I am glad that I bought them either on sale or used because they were a big waste. I would say that I basically hate these diapers, but they are just too itty bitty and cute to hate. However, I would say to not waste your money and just pass. This diaper leaked (pee and poo) each time we tried to use it.
10. Fuzzibunz Perfect Size in small: I have only used this once so far and the one time I used it, it leaked poo out the leg. The size small is supposed to begin fitting at 7 lbs, but that doesn't seem to be the case for us. I had the leg setting snapped down as small as possible and it seemed to be a good fit, but maybe she just isn't the right size yet. I will try this one again in a week or so to see if it works better.
11. Fishnoodles AIO: These are now called Bright Star Baby, but anyway, this is another AIO that has a snap in soaker. These dry really fast and are pretty darn absorbant. I like that the soaker is extra long so that you can fold down it however you like.
12. GMD prefolds: Prefolds are super easy to me, but the baby hates them! They are so bulky on her right now (even in the newborn size) that she can't pull up her legs how she likes. (TMI warning: this makes it very difficult for her to go poo.) I'd prefer not to listen to her scream like crazy when she needs to go #2, so we aren't really using these right now.
Wow, I sure have quite the variety of diapers! If I had it to do over again, I would buy:
1. KL0s with doublers
2. BG Bamboo fitteds
3. BG 3.0 AIO XS
4. Thirsties Duo wrap in size 1
5. RaR NB cover
She is already growing out of her NB dipes, so that is part of why we have such a variety so far. Because I can't resist, here is a picture of Genevieve in her first cloth diaper (a KL0 with a Thirsties Duo Cover):
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I didn't get to give birth to my baby...
A c-section was the absolute last thing that I wanted for my baby and for myself. I feel like I missed out on so many things. I never imagined that there would be so much emotional healing from this.
I wanted either Chris or myself to be the first person to touch her in the "outside" world. Instead she was yanked out by a stranger.
I wanted to give her her first bath. Instead she was rubbed vigorously by strangers and then bathed by a glove wearing stranger a few hours later while Chris stood back the required few feet and attempted to take photos on my cell phone since I was being taken to my postpartum room.
I wanted her to be born in a peaceful environment. Instead she was born in a bright and cold room with very worried and stressed out parents.
I wanted to delay cord clamping until it stopped pulsing. Instead it was immediately clamped.
I wanted to see the umbilical cord and placenta that had sustained her for 42 weeks. Instead it was disposed of as waste.
I wanted Chris to be able to cut the cord. Obviously this was not an option.
I wanted immediate skin to skin contact. Instead I got to hold her for about a minute after she had been wrapped up and I was in my gown. I didn't remember until about 18 hours later that I wanted to do skin to skin.
I wanted to be able to breastfeed ASAP. Instead she had to be on monitors and we missed her "wakeful" period.
I am thankful for a healthy baby and a healthy mom, don't get me wrong. I just feel robbed and that my body failed me. Haven't women been giving birth to their babies for hundreds and hundreds of years? I didn't get to give birth to my baby, instead, I feel like she was yanked from me. I hope to one day be able to look back on her birth day and smile, but I just can't see that happening anytime soon. For now, whenever I think about it (which is pretty much all the time), I just cry.
I wanted either Chris or myself to be the first person to touch her in the "outside" world. Instead she was yanked out by a stranger.
I wanted to give her her first bath. Instead she was rubbed vigorously by strangers and then bathed by a glove wearing stranger a few hours later while Chris stood back the required few feet and attempted to take photos on my cell phone since I was being taken to my postpartum room.
I wanted her to be born in a peaceful environment. Instead she was born in a bright and cold room with very worried and stressed out parents.
I wanted to delay cord clamping until it stopped pulsing. Instead it was immediately clamped.
I wanted to see the umbilical cord and placenta that had sustained her for 42 weeks. Instead it was disposed of as waste.
I wanted Chris to be able to cut the cord. Obviously this was not an option.
I wanted immediate skin to skin contact. Instead I got to hold her for about a minute after she had been wrapped up and I was in my gown. I didn't remember until about 18 hours later that I wanted to do skin to skin.
I wanted to be able to breastfeed ASAP. Instead she had to be on monitors and we missed her "wakeful" period.
I am thankful for a healthy baby and a healthy mom, don't get me wrong. I just feel robbed and that my body failed me. Haven't women been giving birth to their babies for hundreds and hundreds of years? I didn't get to give birth to my baby, instead, I feel like she was yanked from me. I hope to one day be able to look back on her birth day and smile, but I just can't see that happening anytime soon. For now, whenever I think about it (which is pretty much all the time), I just cry.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Genevieve's Birth Story
Warning, this will be long and it is a birth story, so it may have details that some people aren't comfortable with. If you think that is the case, don't continue. : )
Background info
I began having prelabor around 37 weeks. Contractions were off and on, but they occured daily and were much stronger than the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been previously experiencing. I was checked at 38 weeks and I had made no progress yet, so I was disappointed. I declined to be checked at 39 weeks because I did not see the point at that time.
At 39 weeks 3 days, I was sent for a BPP (Biophysical Profile) to check on the baby because my fluid was running high. Baby girl wasn't taking practice breaths, so we did not "pass" the BPP. The radiologist called my midwife (MW) to discuss this with her. The MW had us call her and she said she wasn't too concerned because the baby was asleep for all but the last 10 minutes of the exam. She had me closely monitor fetal movements and everything was in normal range.
However, she wanted me to help nudge things along, so we began acupuncture. Thankfully, my MIL is an acupuncture physician, so that was easy to do. Contractions would increase in strength and become more regular during acupuncture and for the few hours following, but then they would taper off.
I went in on Monday to be checked and had made some progress (1-2 cm) but nothing too much. The MW said things were progressing, so we would just let them continue as is and keep an eye on the baby. I went in for another BPP and everything was fine. A week later I went in for another BPP (I was 41 weeks and 1 day) just to double check that she was okay and that my fluid levels had not increased anymore.
I had an appt with the MW the next day and we were to come in whenever so they could do an NST (non-stress test) just to make sure the baby is okay. Once you pass 40 weeks, there are extra tests that should be done to make sure that mom and baby are doing well. When we arrived, the NST equipment was not set up, so I started to get concerned. The MW (we'll call her M) came in and told me that my fluid levels had increased even more, so it might be time to talk about going to the hospital for an induction. I started crying because that was the last thing I wanted. The concern was that my membranes would rupture (water would break) and that I could be in danger of a cord prolapse. (Cord prolapse is when the umbilical cord comes down ahead of the baby's head and gets caught in the birth canal.) It is a very serious complication and would require that the baby be removed ASAP.
M said she could contact the back up OB to get his opinion and I agreed to this. The OB said that M could break my water, but it would have to be done very carefully to prevent cord prolapse. M asked if we had our bags with us which we did not. We ran home to grab our bags and of course I insisted on making sure the kitchen was clean first. : )
Labor and Birth
We arrived back at the birth center at 11:00 am and went to the exam room to get ready. M did a check to make sure that the baby's head was in place so that we would not have any cord issues. She said she felt a "ridge" but checked it to make sure there was no pulse (meaning it was not the cord in the way). She confirmed that it was not the cord and went ahead with rupturing my membranes. I had been warned that it would be a flood, but I had no idea how much so! M immediately told me to "sit up, sit up!" which I did as quickly as possible. There was fluid all down the table, on the floor, everywhere. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard!
I was told to walk, walk, walk to get labor moving along. There was nothing going on in the education room, so we put in a DVD (Knocked Up) and I walked around in circles and bounced on the ball. Chris left around 12:30 to pick up some lunch from Firehouse. At around 2:00, the acupuncturist came in and did another session of acupuncture on me (I think this was round 6 for me). M said that their acupuncturist always gets women in active labor within 6-24 hours without fail.
Around 4:30, M checked me again, and I was still at 2-3 cm. She told us to go home, have a good dinner, get some rest, and to call her every 3 hrs to check in. At 10:00 pm, things were still the same, so she said I would need to drink 6 oz of castor oil at 5 or 6 am if I was not in active labor. I really did not want to do the castor oil, but agreed that I would if labor had not picked up. Around 11:30 pm, my contractions started getting a lot stronger and by 1:00 am, I woke Chris up to help me get through them.
I found that sitting in the bathtub with the shower head on my abdomen was the best thing for me. By 6 am, the contractions were about 3 minutes apart and lasting over a minute. We called M to make sure that we could skip the castor oil and she said it was fine to skip and she would see us at 8 am at the birth center. We arrived back at the birth center at 8:30 am on Friday. M checked me and I was still at 2-3 cm! Ugh! I could not believe this! She said I had 2 and a half hours to be at 4-5 cm before we would have to start talking transfer.
I will say that there were 2 other women in labor there that day and one of them was screaming like crazy at the top of her lungs. It was definitely hard to relax while listening to her!
Anyway, I was told to go out to the parking lot and "march" which involved me lifting my knees as high as possible. This got old fast, but I did it. I was also instructed to squat during contractions. I am sure I was quite the sight to see! M also wanted me to go to the chiropractor and have my MIL come do another round of acupuncture.
At 9:30, I headed over to the chiropractor who is in the same parking lot as the birth center. She evaluated me and said she could see why the baby was not coming down and adjusted me. She also asked if my belly had always been lopsided, which it had. The baby had never journeyed past my belly button to the left side. She made a couple of other adjustments and sent me on my way.
My contractions immediately started to feel different. Not necessarily stronger, just different. By the time we got back to the birth center, my MIL was there to do acupuncture. She got started and I think I lasted 15 minutes before I begged her to take out the needles in my low back so that Chris could apply counter pressure. Contractions were very strong at this point and I think they were about a minute apart.
I asked to get in the tub and was asked to wait, but I didn't listen. I needed that tub and was not going to be stopped. It was about 11:30 at this point, so I was at the critical point for making progress. M came in and said she needed to check me and that I needed to get out of the tub. I did not want to, but I eventually made my way out of the tub and back to the bed by noon. I laid on my back for about 20 minutes waiting for M to come check me and I was extremely uncomfortable. I was informed that she was delivering another baby and would be in with me shortly but she did not want me back in the tub.
Screw that! I was back in the tub and said I would get out when she was done. About 2 minutes after I got back in, M was done and ready for me. I managed to get out of the tub again and when I was checked I was already at a 7! I went from 3-7 cm in 45 minutes! I was hoping we would get to meet the baby soon.
Chris helping me. I originally said I didn't want him in the tub. Oh well, it's a good thing I packed his bathing suit.
I also didn't think I wanted my mom there. However, I am now very thankful that she was there:
Waiting to be checked was torture:
However, it took over 4 hours for me to go through transition and get to the point where I could start pushing. Those 4 hours were awful because back labor started. Back labor is constant and does not give you a break like regular contractions. There were definitely times that I said " I can not do this" or "what was I thinking." My mother in law was there as my doula and my mom came in to help me as well. Without my team of 3 (Chris, my mom, and my mother in law), I don't know what I would have done. They were a tremendous help in different ways.
M wanted me out of the tub so she could check me. I know M does not like to do waterbirths, which I wanted, so I was refusing to get out of the tub. I said "she wants me out of the water so she doesn't have to do a waterbirth." M was right there when I said that and I didn't care. She came over to me and said that there was no way I could deliver in the water with the position of the baby.
It took about 30 minutes to get me out of the tub because I could not move during contractions. M checked me and said that I had a lip of a cervix, but was good to push. I had planned on following the hypnobirth method of "breathing the baby down" and not doing "purple faced pushing," but apparently that was not going to happen. I was instructed to inhale and push "stronger, harder, longer" with each and every contraction. This was so not what I had planned, but I knew we needed to get the baby out because there was a little bit of meconium in the fluid.
(That's my MIL on the right in the sweater.)
Yeah, trying to push a baby out isn't pretty:
I'm sorry, but my expression in this one cracks me up! It's one of three photos that I actually have my eyes open.
I pushed and changed positions many times during this stage, but nothing seemed to be bringing the baby down. I was told to get back in the tub, relax, and not push. Yeah right! My body was pushing on its own and there was nothing I could do about it. By this point, another midwife, R, joined the team. She heard me grunting and such and came in and told me I needed to pant and breath through these contractions. I sure tried my best, but I could not stop the pushing. I compare it to trying to hold your breath for 5 minutes. Not really possible. (That's the student midwife in the photo.)
After a very long 30 minutes, they had me get out of the tub and push again. At this point I had been pushing for 6 hours and it was about 9:45 pm on Friday the 8th. Things in the room started to change quickly. There was a lot of meconium and M called for a transfer. She wanted me to transfer to a hospital that is 40 minutes away and I just could not image the car ride. There is a hospital literally across the street from the center, but M told me that she would be sending me to a butcher shop if she sent me there.
This is the last photo before the transfer. I was saying that my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. When we got to the hospital, my heart rate didn't go below 150.
My mom managed to get me dressed and then they got me into the wheelchair and wheeled us out to our car. Chris had to drive me to the hospital while I was fully dilated and pushing. It was literally the longest 35 minutes of my life! R went with us and was the lead driver. We pulled up to the hospital valet at 10:40 pm. R ran to get a wheelchair while Chris got me out of the car. I guess I should mention that I just had on a flimsy nightgown, but I didn't care.
They wheeled me in and R and Chris showed ID to the front and then they took me over to triage where we had to wait in the hallway. I imagine I was quite the sight sitting in the middle of the hallway pushing in a wheelchair. After about 10 or 15 minutes, a nurse finally came to get me and thankfully we skipped triage.
I was quickly taken to a L&D room where I was put on EFM (electronic fetal monitoring) & IV fluids immediately. The nurse asked if I wanted an epidural and before I could answer, R said yes and I agreed. I was beyond exhausted at this point. Within 10 minutes, the anesthesiologist was there and getting started. They had me sit up for the epidural and I immediately got sick. Poor Chris, this was the 2nd time that I had gotten sick on him that day. Zofran was ordered so that I would not continue to get sick.
The epidural was heaven. I could still feel the back labor, but could no longer feel the contractions or the pushing sensation. The OB came in at this point to evaluate me. It was the birth center's back up OB, so he was already familiar with my case. He had me push through the next contraction to decide a course of action. It is definitely harder to push effectively with the epidural - I really had no idea what I was doing.
(The anesthesiologist is on the left and the nurse is the one putting stuff on me. They were both awesome ladies. I wish I would have caught their names.)
The OB said we could either continue to labor as is or go for a c-section. He strongly recommended a c-section for the following reasons: 1) baby's heart rate was not doing well as it was continuously in the 170s and 180s. 2) My heart rate was in the 150s and 160s. 3) I had a fever and was showing signs of infection. 4) My membranes had been ruptured for 36 hours at this point. 5) There was a lot of meconium. I asked if I could talk to R and my family, so they came back in the room.
R agreed that at this point, we needed to get the baby out ASAP. The nurse spoke up at this point and said that she would have advocated for me if she thought continuing to labor would have been okay. I consented to the c-section, so the anesthesiologist got working right away on adjusting the epidural.
This was my expression when I was told I would need a c-section.
Once she did her thing, back labor was gone and I felt so much relief. Chris was super stressed and scared at this point. The doctor and R both told us that the baby will probably be floppy and sick when she was born and would need to go to the special care nursery right away. I was holding strong and was praying for a healthy baby.
I was wheeled back to the OR at 11:50 pm on Friday the 8th. I guess she was going to be born on the 9th instead of the 8th, but that was okay. They got me prepped and told me that I would feel hands tugging and pressure, but that was normal. Chris was brought in and was seated by my head. I couldn't feel a thing. I had the surgeon say "come on you little bugger, get out of there" and a few seconds later, we heard her cry at 12:36 am. What a relief!
I asked Chris how she looked and he said she looked fine, but he couldn't see much. Then I asked what color her hair was because her middle name depended on her hair color. If it was brown or blonde, then I got to choose and if it was red, then Chris got to choose. She had a head full of brown hair, so Genevieve Grace it is!
Chris was able to go over and look at her and take pictures. We had left everything in the car, so we only had our cell phones, but he was still able to get a couple of pictures. He came back to show me and told me that she weighed 9 lbs 9 oz. Seriously?!? A few minutes later they brought her over to me and I said there is no way she is 9 lbs 9 oz, she was definitely smaller than that. She was placed on my chest for a couple of minutes and the anesthesiologist took our first family photo.
She was then taken away to be checked, but everything looked good. She would not need to go to the special care nursery. Chris's instructions were to stay with the baby at all times, so he walked with her where my mom and mother and law were able to see her.
I asked the nurse about her weight and she said she was 7 lbs 9.9 oz. Chris saw the 9.9 and thought it was 9 lbs 9 oz! LOL! He had no idea of his error, so he told our moms the incorrect weight which quickly got passed around.
The OB came over and shook my hand and said that she was stuck in my pelvis. He said that I have a very narrow pelvis and there is no way that she could have come out vaginally. I guess this means that future babies will have to be c-sections as well.
I was then wheeled to recovery where Chris and Genevieve were waiting. Genevieve had to be monitored for 30 minutes before I could hold her and attempt to breastfeed. The nurse was pretty sure that I would be released from recovery within the hour because I was able to move my feet, lift my legs, and lift my butt off the bed. I guess since I only had the epidural for a short amount of time, it didn't take long for it to leave my system. However, my heart rate would not come down. It needed to be below 100 and it would not go below 120. They turned the lights down and told me to just relax and it would be okay.
I was begging for something to drink but could only have ice chips until I was out of recovery. At 4 am, they finally decided to release me despite the heart rate issue. I held Genevieve and we were wheeled to the mother and baby floor. The first stop was the nursery where she would have her first bath. Chris was able to go in with her and take photos while they got me set up in my room. They had water, apple juice, and fruit punch waiting for me and I immediately had a death grip on that water!
By the time Chris and Genevieve were done, it was 5:30 am on Saturday, July 9th. I had been awake for close to 40 hours and was exhausted. I fell asleep shortly after with Genevieve in my arms. We only got a couple of hours of sleep, but any sleep at that point was a God send.
I am still having a difficult time coming to terms with everything, but I will save later posts for that. I am happy to have a healthy baby, but am still grieving the natural birth that I wanted. I did get to experience natural labor, but not a natural delivery. I also had to recover from both a natural labor and a c-section, which has not been the most pleasant thing ever.
And now what you have been waiting for: photos!
First family photo: Genevieve Grace, born on 7.9.11 weighing 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long
4 days old:
Background info
I began having prelabor around 37 weeks. Contractions were off and on, but they occured daily and were much stronger than the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been previously experiencing. I was checked at 38 weeks and I had made no progress yet, so I was disappointed. I declined to be checked at 39 weeks because I did not see the point at that time.
At 39 weeks 3 days, I was sent for a BPP (Biophysical Profile) to check on the baby because my fluid was running high. Baby girl wasn't taking practice breaths, so we did not "pass" the BPP. The radiologist called my midwife (MW) to discuss this with her. The MW had us call her and she said she wasn't too concerned because the baby was asleep for all but the last 10 minutes of the exam. She had me closely monitor fetal movements and everything was in normal range.
However, she wanted me to help nudge things along, so we began acupuncture. Thankfully, my MIL is an acupuncture physician, so that was easy to do. Contractions would increase in strength and become more regular during acupuncture and for the few hours following, but then they would taper off.
I went in on Monday to be checked and had made some progress (1-2 cm) but nothing too much. The MW said things were progressing, so we would just let them continue as is and keep an eye on the baby. I went in for another BPP and everything was fine. A week later I went in for another BPP (I was 41 weeks and 1 day) just to double check that she was okay and that my fluid levels had not increased anymore.
I had an appt with the MW the next day and we were to come in whenever so they could do an NST (non-stress test) just to make sure the baby is okay. Once you pass 40 weeks, there are extra tests that should be done to make sure that mom and baby are doing well. When we arrived, the NST equipment was not set up, so I started to get concerned. The MW (we'll call her M) came in and told me that my fluid levels had increased even more, so it might be time to talk about going to the hospital for an induction. I started crying because that was the last thing I wanted. The concern was that my membranes would rupture (water would break) and that I could be in danger of a cord prolapse. (Cord prolapse is when the umbilical cord comes down ahead of the baby's head and gets caught in the birth canal.) It is a very serious complication and would require that the baby be removed ASAP.
M said she could contact the back up OB to get his opinion and I agreed to this. The OB said that M could break my water, but it would have to be done very carefully to prevent cord prolapse. M asked if we had our bags with us which we did not. We ran home to grab our bags and of course I insisted on making sure the kitchen was clean first. : )
Labor and Birth
We arrived back at the birth center at 11:00 am and went to the exam room to get ready. M did a check to make sure that the baby's head was in place so that we would not have any cord issues. She said she felt a "ridge" but checked it to make sure there was no pulse (meaning it was not the cord in the way). She confirmed that it was not the cord and went ahead with rupturing my membranes. I had been warned that it would be a flood, but I had no idea how much so! M immediately told me to "sit up, sit up!" which I did as quickly as possible. There was fluid all down the table, on the floor, everywhere. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard!
I was told to walk, walk, walk to get labor moving along. There was nothing going on in the education room, so we put in a DVD (Knocked Up) and I walked around in circles and bounced on the ball. Chris left around 12:30 to pick up some lunch from Firehouse. At around 2:00, the acupuncturist came in and did another session of acupuncture on me (I think this was round 6 for me). M said that their acupuncturist always gets women in active labor within 6-24 hours without fail.
Around 4:30, M checked me again, and I was still at 2-3 cm. She told us to go home, have a good dinner, get some rest, and to call her every 3 hrs to check in. At 10:00 pm, things were still the same, so she said I would need to drink 6 oz of castor oil at 5 or 6 am if I was not in active labor. I really did not want to do the castor oil, but agreed that I would if labor had not picked up. Around 11:30 pm, my contractions started getting a lot stronger and by 1:00 am, I woke Chris up to help me get through them.
I found that sitting in the bathtub with the shower head on my abdomen was the best thing for me. By 6 am, the contractions were about 3 minutes apart and lasting over a minute. We called M to make sure that we could skip the castor oil and she said it was fine to skip and she would see us at 8 am at the birth center. We arrived back at the birth center at 8:30 am on Friday. M checked me and I was still at 2-3 cm! Ugh! I could not believe this! She said I had 2 and a half hours to be at 4-5 cm before we would have to start talking transfer.
I will say that there were 2 other women in labor there that day and one of them was screaming like crazy at the top of her lungs. It was definitely hard to relax while listening to her!
Anyway, I was told to go out to the parking lot and "march" which involved me lifting my knees as high as possible. This got old fast, but I did it. I was also instructed to squat during contractions. I am sure I was quite the sight to see! M also wanted me to go to the chiropractor and have my MIL come do another round of acupuncture.
At 9:30, I headed over to the chiropractor who is in the same parking lot as the birth center. She evaluated me and said she could see why the baby was not coming down and adjusted me. She also asked if my belly had always been lopsided, which it had. The baby had never journeyed past my belly button to the left side. She made a couple of other adjustments and sent me on my way.
My contractions immediately started to feel different. Not necessarily stronger, just different. By the time we got back to the birth center, my MIL was there to do acupuncture. She got started and I think I lasted 15 minutes before I begged her to take out the needles in my low back so that Chris could apply counter pressure. Contractions were very strong at this point and I think they were about a minute apart.
I asked to get in the tub and was asked to wait, but I didn't listen. I needed that tub and was not going to be stopped. It was about 11:30 at this point, so I was at the critical point for making progress. M came in and said she needed to check me and that I needed to get out of the tub. I did not want to, but I eventually made my way out of the tub and back to the bed by noon. I laid on my back for about 20 minutes waiting for M to come check me and I was extremely uncomfortable. I was informed that she was delivering another baby and would be in with me shortly but she did not want me back in the tub.
Screw that! I was back in the tub and said I would get out when she was done. About 2 minutes after I got back in, M was done and ready for me. I managed to get out of the tub again and when I was checked I was already at a 7! I went from 3-7 cm in 45 minutes! I was hoping we would get to meet the baby soon.
Chris helping me. I originally said I didn't want him in the tub. Oh well, it's a good thing I packed his bathing suit.
I also didn't think I wanted my mom there. However, I am now very thankful that she was there:
Waiting to be checked was torture:
However, it took over 4 hours for me to go through transition and get to the point where I could start pushing. Those 4 hours were awful because back labor started. Back labor is constant and does not give you a break like regular contractions. There were definitely times that I said " I can not do this" or "what was I thinking." My mother in law was there as my doula and my mom came in to help me as well. Without my team of 3 (Chris, my mom, and my mother in law), I don't know what I would have done. They were a tremendous help in different ways.
M wanted me out of the tub so she could check me. I know M does not like to do waterbirths, which I wanted, so I was refusing to get out of the tub. I said "she wants me out of the water so she doesn't have to do a waterbirth." M was right there when I said that and I didn't care. She came over to me and said that there was no way I could deliver in the water with the position of the baby.
It took about 30 minutes to get me out of the tub because I could not move during contractions. M checked me and said that I had a lip of a cervix, but was good to push. I had planned on following the hypnobirth method of "breathing the baby down" and not doing "purple faced pushing," but apparently that was not going to happen. I was instructed to inhale and push "stronger, harder, longer" with each and every contraction. This was so not what I had planned, but I knew we needed to get the baby out because there was a little bit of meconium in the fluid.
(That's my MIL on the right in the sweater.)
Yeah, trying to push a baby out isn't pretty:
I'm sorry, but my expression in this one cracks me up! It's one of three photos that I actually have my eyes open.
I pushed and changed positions many times during this stage, but nothing seemed to be bringing the baby down. I was told to get back in the tub, relax, and not push. Yeah right! My body was pushing on its own and there was nothing I could do about it. By this point, another midwife, R, joined the team. She heard me grunting and such and came in and told me I needed to pant and breath through these contractions. I sure tried my best, but I could not stop the pushing. I compare it to trying to hold your breath for 5 minutes. Not really possible. (That's the student midwife in the photo.)
After a very long 30 minutes, they had me get out of the tub and push again. At this point I had been pushing for 6 hours and it was about 9:45 pm on Friday the 8th. Things in the room started to change quickly. There was a lot of meconium and M called for a transfer. She wanted me to transfer to a hospital that is 40 minutes away and I just could not image the car ride. There is a hospital literally across the street from the center, but M told me that she would be sending me to a butcher shop if she sent me there.
This is the last photo before the transfer. I was saying that my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. When we got to the hospital, my heart rate didn't go below 150.
My mom managed to get me dressed and then they got me into the wheelchair and wheeled us out to our car. Chris had to drive me to the hospital while I was fully dilated and pushing. It was literally the longest 35 minutes of my life! R went with us and was the lead driver. We pulled up to the hospital valet at 10:40 pm. R ran to get a wheelchair while Chris got me out of the car. I guess I should mention that I just had on a flimsy nightgown, but I didn't care.
They wheeled me in and R and Chris showed ID to the front and then they took me over to triage where we had to wait in the hallway. I imagine I was quite the sight sitting in the middle of the hallway pushing in a wheelchair. After about 10 or 15 minutes, a nurse finally came to get me and thankfully we skipped triage.
I was quickly taken to a L&D room where I was put on EFM (electronic fetal monitoring) & IV fluids immediately. The nurse asked if I wanted an epidural and before I could answer, R said yes and I agreed. I was beyond exhausted at this point. Within 10 minutes, the anesthesiologist was there and getting started. They had me sit up for the epidural and I immediately got sick. Poor Chris, this was the 2nd time that I had gotten sick on him that day. Zofran was ordered so that I would not continue to get sick.
The epidural was heaven. I could still feel the back labor, but could no longer feel the contractions or the pushing sensation. The OB came in at this point to evaluate me. It was the birth center's back up OB, so he was already familiar with my case. He had me push through the next contraction to decide a course of action. It is definitely harder to push effectively with the epidural - I really had no idea what I was doing.
(The anesthesiologist is on the left and the nurse is the one putting stuff on me. They were both awesome ladies. I wish I would have caught their names.)
The OB said we could either continue to labor as is or go for a c-section. He strongly recommended a c-section for the following reasons: 1) baby's heart rate was not doing well as it was continuously in the 170s and 180s. 2) My heart rate was in the 150s and 160s. 3) I had a fever and was showing signs of infection. 4) My membranes had been ruptured for 36 hours at this point. 5) There was a lot of meconium. I asked if I could talk to R and my family, so they came back in the room.
R agreed that at this point, we needed to get the baby out ASAP. The nurse spoke up at this point and said that she would have advocated for me if she thought continuing to labor would have been okay. I consented to the c-section, so the anesthesiologist got working right away on adjusting the epidural.
This was my expression when I was told I would need a c-section.
Once she did her thing, back labor was gone and I felt so much relief. Chris was super stressed and scared at this point. The doctor and R both told us that the baby will probably be floppy and sick when she was born and would need to go to the special care nursery right away. I was holding strong and was praying for a healthy baby.
I was wheeled back to the OR at 11:50 pm on Friday the 8th. I guess she was going to be born on the 9th instead of the 8th, but that was okay. They got me prepped and told me that I would feel hands tugging and pressure, but that was normal. Chris was brought in and was seated by my head. I couldn't feel a thing. I had the surgeon say "come on you little bugger, get out of there" and a few seconds later, we heard her cry at 12:36 am. What a relief!
I asked Chris how she looked and he said she looked fine, but he couldn't see much. Then I asked what color her hair was because her middle name depended on her hair color. If it was brown or blonde, then I got to choose and if it was red, then Chris got to choose. She had a head full of brown hair, so Genevieve Grace it is!
Chris was able to go over and look at her and take pictures. We had left everything in the car, so we only had our cell phones, but he was still able to get a couple of pictures. He came back to show me and told me that she weighed 9 lbs 9 oz. Seriously?!? A few minutes later they brought her over to me and I said there is no way she is 9 lbs 9 oz, she was definitely smaller than that. She was placed on my chest for a couple of minutes and the anesthesiologist took our first family photo.
She was then taken away to be checked, but everything looked good. She would not need to go to the special care nursery. Chris's instructions were to stay with the baby at all times, so he walked with her where my mom and mother and law were able to see her.
I asked the nurse about her weight and she said she was 7 lbs 9.9 oz. Chris saw the 9.9 and thought it was 9 lbs 9 oz! LOL! He had no idea of his error, so he told our moms the incorrect weight which quickly got passed around.
The OB came over and shook my hand and said that she was stuck in my pelvis. He said that I have a very narrow pelvis and there is no way that she could have come out vaginally. I guess this means that future babies will have to be c-sections as well.
I was then wheeled to recovery where Chris and Genevieve were waiting. Genevieve had to be monitored for 30 minutes before I could hold her and attempt to breastfeed. The nurse was pretty sure that I would be released from recovery within the hour because I was able to move my feet, lift my legs, and lift my butt off the bed. I guess since I only had the epidural for a short amount of time, it didn't take long for it to leave my system. However, my heart rate would not come down. It needed to be below 100 and it would not go below 120. They turned the lights down and told me to just relax and it would be okay.
I was begging for something to drink but could only have ice chips until I was out of recovery. At 4 am, they finally decided to release me despite the heart rate issue. I held Genevieve and we were wheeled to the mother and baby floor. The first stop was the nursery where she would have her first bath. Chris was able to go in with her and take photos while they got me set up in my room. They had water, apple juice, and fruit punch waiting for me and I immediately had a death grip on that water!
By the time Chris and Genevieve were done, it was 5:30 am on Saturday, July 9th. I had been awake for close to 40 hours and was exhausted. I fell asleep shortly after with Genevieve in my arms. We only got a couple of hours of sleep, but any sleep at that point was a God send.
I am still having a difficult time coming to terms with everything, but I will save later posts for that. I am happy to have a healthy baby, but am still grieving the natural birth that I wanted. I did get to experience natural labor, but not a natural delivery. I also had to recover from both a natural labor and a c-section, which has not been the most pleasant thing ever.
And now what you have been waiting for: photos!
First family photo: Genevieve Grace, born on 7.9.11 weighing 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long
4 days old:
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