Okay, so the funniest thing just happened.
I've been bugging Brad about changing Cael's diaper for, I don't know, the whole day. So he finally gave in and did it. Usually, we change diapers in the bassinet because it's a higher up surface and it's easy to contain nasty things that inevitably occur with diaper changes. But Brad, being the man that he is, decided that since the Boppy and blanket were still in the bassinet, he was going to change Cael's diaper on the bed.
He gets halfway through the diaper change when the worst thing EVER happened... Cael started peeing before the new diaper was attached...on my side of the bed!
Oh my gosh, I was so pissed but not really lol
I was laughing my butt off actually. Brad and I both were. And the best thing is, all the people that were on Skype with us at the time heard the whole thing unfold.
It's been a fun night :) Now I'm off to bed
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Bath Time Is (Not) Fun Time
As you might be able to tell from the title of this post, Cael had his first bath tonight! It didn't go all that bad, even though he screamed and cried the whole time. I think he hated the fact that he was naked more than the water part. While I washed him, Brad recorded the whole thing on his Flip video camera and I am currently in the process of uploading it to Facebook and YouTube at the same time, so my computer is running a little slower than usual.
If you want to see the video, plus a few others, my YouTube link is http://www.youtube.com/smoore5678. Check it out!
Lately, the night time feedings have been going better though I won't lie, I'm tired of being the only one who gets up...
Tomorrow my plans are as follows:
If you want to see the video, plus a few others, my YouTube link is http://www.youtube.com/smoore5678. Check it out!
Lately, the night time feedings have been going better though I won't lie, I'm tired of being the only one who gets up...
Tomorrow my plans are as follows:
- Wake up
- Shower
- Eat breakfast
- Feed Cael
- Go work out with my mom
- Shower again
- Take Cael to my grandma's house so I can work on the thank you notes I've been trying to get to for months
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I Swear, This Kid Will Be The Death Of Me
Every time I freaking try to blog, I swear Cael just senses that I'm typing and he wakes up and cries... I won't even be in the same room as him and he does this...
So Brad, Cael, and I went Warrensburg to visit Brad's family. It was a good trip too. Cael slept practically the whole way. We did stop in Macon to try to feed him because he hadn't eaten in a while. While there, a Department of Corrections bus and van pulled up in front of us. The bus was full of inmates and they kept tapping on the windows and whistling and waving at us. It was so creepy!
We left Macon and made it down to Warrensburg without a hitch. I drove the whole way. It wasn't all that bad considering how little sleep I had the night before. Cael had stayed up for a VERY long time and was crying and fussing the whole time. We were so frustrated that night, it was so awful. We cried with him because we were so frustrated... We started texting for help at 4 am and got three responses: my mom, Hanna, and Miranda. Brad texted his mom too.
Brad's friend Mark came up to visit for a couple of days and stayed in our apartment. He kept saying that he'll be up all night and that he would be helping because he's an insomniac etc. but he slept ALL FREAKING NIGHT. Liar.
At my doctor appointment before we left, Dr. Carr said that my blood pressure was still pretty high but that being on Procardia for a month or so should help with that. He also gave me a bunch of pamphlets about birth control so we can talk about that when I go back in two weeks. That's been a source of stress for me--whether to start a birth control method or not. I want to because I want another baby to be on our terms. I know that abstinence is the best policy but, if you think logically, are we really going to be able to abstain from sex for four or more years? I don't think so. I think it might be a good idea, just in case.
OMFG HE DID IT AGAIN!
Yes, now I'm typing with a baby in my lap... Rather difficult... As soon as he's asleep, I'll put him in the Boppy though. That thing is an amazing baby necessity and I love it :)
Anyway, the stay in Warrensburg wasn't al that bad...just very loud... I had a headache the whole time I was down there so all sounds and lights were amplified and I could barely make it through the day... Friday night was the worst. Cael started fussing around 11 pm and Brad's mom, who had been taking care of him Thursday night so we could sleep, said that she couldn't take the first feeding because she was tired. She said that she would take the early morning ones though. I was feeding him and Brad was on the computer and Brad's dad was watching college basketball. I was doing okay unti la wave of pain went over my whole head and I felt like I was going to drop Cael right off my lap. I didn't want to ask out loud so I texted Brad even though he was sitting less than 5 feet away from me (yes, I know I'm a loser) to ask if he would take Cael so I could go to bed. He did and after Cael had been fed and laid in bed, Brad came into the room where I was sleeping and held me while I cried. It hurt so bad that I didn't want to move...
The headache went away by the next morning and Brad's cousin Matt, his wife Amy, and his two little boys Ryan and Chris, came over to see Cael (and so the boys could see Brad). They gave us very cute little gifts: burp rags (because we only have two official burp rags and we've been using receiving blankets), a little sleeper outfit with dinosaurs on it, and a blanket with a little truck on it. While they were there, I took the opportunity to order a baby carrier (a backpack-like one that goes in the front) from Wal Mart. It was cheaper for Site to Store shipping so I chose that and it should arrive by April 5th (too long for my taste, but oh well).
The drive back on Saturday was almost perfect too, except when we got almost to Blackwater on I-70. A semi truck tried to merge right on top of the mini van while I was driving. Needless to say, it scared the living sh*t out of me and I freaked out, had a panic attack, and started bawling. We pulled over in Blackwater so I could gather myself and we could switch drivers. I still have nightmares about that moment...
We got to Moberly and made a pit stop so I could use the bathroom and change Cael's very wet and dirty diaper. That is one blessing and curse with this kid -- he doesn't cry when his diaper is gross which is a plus, but you don't find out about the nastiness inside of it until it's almost too late and it's about to spill out the sides. So I started the grueling process of the diaper change, and Cael, as always, was screaming at the top of his lungs. And then it happens. As I was about to pull up the front of the clean diaper to fasten it, a huge jet of urine that goes all over the back side of the bathroom changing station, all over the blanket I have laid out under Cael, and all over Cael himself. If I thought his normal screaming was bad, it was nothing compared to what came out of his mouth then. And to top it all off, he coughed and shot poop into the not-yet-fastened-not-clean-now diaper. I open up the door to the bathroom to look for Brad (it was literally right next to the changing station so no, I didn't leave Cael unattended) and luckily he was standing right outside so I told him to run out and get another outfit for Cael and to ask for a plastic bag to put the pee-soaked things in. He did it right away and we got Cael and the changing station all cleaned up. Cael was still fussing so we stayed in the connected restaurant and gave him a bottle. What a day it was.
Sunday I went to work like normal and took Cael with me. A friend of mine, Laura, had volunteered to do pictures for Cael so after eating lunch, we went back to the church for pictures. Cael was fine for a little bit and let Laura get a couple of shots but then all hell broke loose and he would not calm down after that. She got some pictures but they weren't what she was hoping for and he was just fussing so much that we decided to call it quits.
Sunday night/Monday morning I ended up going to the emergency room because of a rash I've had for about a week now. I can't relieve it with any of the normal stuff -- calamine lotion, Gold Bond, aloe, lotion, hydrocortizone, and Benadryl all didn't work. The doctor at the hospital couldn't identify it either but all the tests for mononeucleosis, strep throat, and whatever else they tested me for came back negative. I haven't changed detergents, fabric softeners, or soaps either. The doctor ended up prescibing some medicine that I can't pronounce and when I went to get the script filled, I was told I couldn't have it because the doctor had not given his D.E.A. number. I was so mad. My legs and arms itch like crazy and it looks like I'm getting the same thing on my stomach... And I can't have the medicine that relieves it because of a stupid doctor's mistake. Grr...
Well that's all I have for right now. I'm not going to lie, motherhood is HARD...
So Brad, Cael, and I went Warrensburg to visit Brad's family. It was a good trip too. Cael slept practically the whole way. We did stop in Macon to try to feed him because he hadn't eaten in a while. While there, a Department of Corrections bus and van pulled up in front of us. The bus was full of inmates and they kept tapping on the windows and whistling and waving at us. It was so creepy!
We left Macon and made it down to Warrensburg without a hitch. I drove the whole way. It wasn't all that bad considering how little sleep I had the night before. Cael had stayed up for a VERY long time and was crying and fussing the whole time. We were so frustrated that night, it was so awful. We cried with him because we were so frustrated... We started texting for help at 4 am and got three responses: my mom, Hanna, and Miranda. Brad texted his mom too.
Brad's friend Mark came up to visit for a couple of days and stayed in our apartment. He kept saying that he'll be up all night and that he would be helping because he's an insomniac etc. but he slept ALL FREAKING NIGHT. Liar.
At my doctor appointment before we left, Dr. Carr said that my blood pressure was still pretty high but that being on Procardia for a month or so should help with that. He also gave me a bunch of pamphlets about birth control so we can talk about that when I go back in two weeks. That's been a source of stress for me--whether to start a birth control method or not. I want to because I want another baby to be on our terms. I know that abstinence is the best policy but, if you think logically, are we really going to be able to abstain from sex for four or more years? I don't think so. I think it might be a good idea, just in case.
OMFG HE DID IT AGAIN!
Yes, now I'm typing with a baby in my lap... Rather difficult... As soon as he's asleep, I'll put him in the Boppy though. That thing is an amazing baby necessity and I love it :)
Anyway, the stay in Warrensburg wasn't al that bad...just very loud... I had a headache the whole time I was down there so all sounds and lights were amplified and I could barely make it through the day... Friday night was the worst. Cael started fussing around 11 pm and Brad's mom, who had been taking care of him Thursday night so we could sleep, said that she couldn't take the first feeding because she was tired. She said that she would take the early morning ones though. I was feeding him and Brad was on the computer and Brad's dad was watching college basketball. I was doing okay unti la wave of pain went over my whole head and I felt like I was going to drop Cael right off my lap. I didn't want to ask out loud so I texted Brad even though he was sitting less than 5 feet away from me (yes, I know I'm a loser) to ask if he would take Cael so I could go to bed. He did and after Cael had been fed and laid in bed, Brad came into the room where I was sleeping and held me while I cried. It hurt so bad that I didn't want to move...
The headache went away by the next morning and Brad's cousin Matt, his wife Amy, and his two little boys Ryan and Chris, came over to see Cael (and so the boys could see Brad). They gave us very cute little gifts: burp rags (because we only have two official burp rags and we've been using receiving blankets), a little sleeper outfit with dinosaurs on it, and a blanket with a little truck on it. While they were there, I took the opportunity to order a baby carrier (a backpack-like one that goes in the front) from Wal Mart. It was cheaper for Site to Store shipping so I chose that and it should arrive by April 5th (too long for my taste, but oh well).
The drive back on Saturday was almost perfect too, except when we got almost to Blackwater on I-70. A semi truck tried to merge right on top of the mini van while I was driving. Needless to say, it scared the living sh*t out of me and I freaked out, had a panic attack, and started bawling. We pulled over in Blackwater so I could gather myself and we could switch drivers. I still have nightmares about that moment...
We got to Moberly and made a pit stop so I could use the bathroom and change Cael's very wet and dirty diaper. That is one blessing and curse with this kid -- he doesn't cry when his diaper is gross which is a plus, but you don't find out about the nastiness inside of it until it's almost too late and it's about to spill out the sides. So I started the grueling process of the diaper change, and Cael, as always, was screaming at the top of his lungs. And then it happens. As I was about to pull up the front of the clean diaper to fasten it, a huge jet of urine that goes all over the back side of the bathroom changing station, all over the blanket I have laid out under Cael, and all over Cael himself. If I thought his normal screaming was bad, it was nothing compared to what came out of his mouth then. And to top it all off, he coughed and shot poop into the not-yet-fastened-not-clean-now diaper. I open up the door to the bathroom to look for Brad (it was literally right next to the changing station so no, I didn't leave Cael unattended) and luckily he was standing right outside so I told him to run out and get another outfit for Cael and to ask for a plastic bag to put the pee-soaked things in. He did it right away and we got Cael and the changing station all cleaned up. Cael was still fussing so we stayed in the connected restaurant and gave him a bottle. What a day it was.
Sunday I went to work like normal and took Cael with me. A friend of mine, Laura, had volunteered to do pictures for Cael so after eating lunch, we went back to the church for pictures. Cael was fine for a little bit and let Laura get a couple of shots but then all hell broke loose and he would not calm down after that. She got some pictures but they weren't what she was hoping for and he was just fussing so much that we decided to call it quits.
Sunday night/Monday morning I ended up going to the emergency room because of a rash I've had for about a week now. I can't relieve it with any of the normal stuff -- calamine lotion, Gold Bond, aloe, lotion, hydrocortizone, and Benadryl all didn't work. The doctor at the hospital couldn't identify it either but all the tests for mononeucleosis, strep throat, and whatever else they tested me for came back negative. I haven't changed detergents, fabric softeners, or soaps either. The doctor ended up prescibing some medicine that I can't pronounce and when I went to get the script filled, I was told I couldn't have it because the doctor had not given his D.E.A. number. I was so mad. My legs and arms itch like crazy and it looks like I'm getting the same thing on my stomach... And I can't have the medicine that relieves it because of a stupid doctor's mistake. Grr...
Well that's all I have for right now. I'm not going to lie, motherhood is HARD...
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Woohoo Updates
This week has been...hectic...
From day one of motherhood, this has been hectic. Cael still won't sleep much at night, forcing Brad and me to stay up late, late, late. But that's to be expected, he's only 11 days old after all. I wish he would sleep as well as he does during the day at night. That would be amazing.
Everyone I've visited or brought Cael to see has said something to the effect of "You look great!" I don't feel like I look "great." Sometimes I don't even feel like I look good. I feel gross, like I haven't showered in forever--because most of the time I haven't had time... I'm ready to explode from lack of sleep... It's hard to stand up and it's even harder to walk... I can't do anything without falling asleep inside my brain. That's why I space out when I'm talking to people I see.
Am I really doing okay? That's a question I've been asking myself a lot... Physically, I'm doing wonderful. My ankles are tiny again, I'm losing the baby weight very quickly, and I'm healing up very quickly.
However, my appetite has really decreased. It's not like the "eating for two" thing has dropped off. Right now, I actually forget to eat during the day... I'm going to need to set reminders on my phone specifically to tell me to eat.
I don't know if my brain is okay either. I feel...I don't know. There's not really a word or phrase that can describe the state of mind I'm in. I'm happy beyond all belief. I have two personal angels in my life. But then again, something isn't as it should be, like my brain has a wall up around it. This is a familiar wall... And it's not a good sign.
Cael's umbilical cord stump fell off yesterday so he has a real belly button now. He also slept really well last night, only waking up twice (once for a feeding and once to replace the lost pacifier and do a diaper change). He now weighs 7 pounds and 5 ounces and has already grown 3/4 of an inch! He was weighed at our WIC certification appointment (he was being put on WIC, I was on it during pregnancy). I think WIC is a great program, by the way. It really helps when you don't have enough for rent and diapers and college and food. You can't really get a ton of stuff but it gets you the food you need. The only thing I don't like about it is you only get eight dollars to spend on fruits and vegetables during pregnancy. I don't know if you've thought about it but eight dollars doesn't buy you very much, even with frozen fruits and vegetables. Now that I'm listed as partially breastfeeding, I'm up to ten dollars for produce.
Going back to my job in the church nursery was easy. I could watch Cael and still spend time with all of the kids. We only had four last Sunday--Caleb, Joel, Haylea, and Taryn. They've all gotten so big, and I had only been away for a week! Haylea cried for her mom like she usually does, so we used Cael as a calming tool. "You need to be quiet or you'll wake the baby." That got her to be quiet very quickly. Every few minutes, Joel would run over to the baby carrier on the counter and shout "Beeeeeee!" very loudly and Taryn would point up at Cael, obviously wanting to look at him again. Caleb would put his hands up in a "Where is...?" way and say "Cael? Cael?" over and over. It was really cute.
Going back to school and work at JC Penney is going to be really hard... I'll have to be away from Cael for hours at a time... It hurt me just to leave him at my mom's house for an afternoon, how am I going to be able to handle school and work? Honestly, I don't think I will be able to... I think I'm going to end up cracking and try to drop out of school... But I really don't want to. I need that education. I need my degree. I need to be able to provide for Cael.
Well, I'm going to be a laundry Nazi today and try to buy out WalMart's stock of Enfamil A.R. formula. We're already out of it.
From day one of motherhood, this has been hectic. Cael still won't sleep much at night, forcing Brad and me to stay up late, late, late. But that's to be expected, he's only 11 days old after all. I wish he would sleep as well as he does during the day at night. That would be amazing.
Everyone I've visited or brought Cael to see has said something to the effect of "You look great!" I don't feel like I look "great." Sometimes I don't even feel like I look good. I feel gross, like I haven't showered in forever--because most of the time I haven't had time... I'm ready to explode from lack of sleep... It's hard to stand up and it's even harder to walk... I can't do anything without falling asleep inside my brain. That's why I space out when I'm talking to people I see.
Am I really doing okay? That's a question I've been asking myself a lot... Physically, I'm doing wonderful. My ankles are tiny again, I'm losing the baby weight very quickly, and I'm healing up very quickly.
However, my appetite has really decreased. It's not like the "eating for two" thing has dropped off. Right now, I actually forget to eat during the day... I'm going to need to set reminders on my phone specifically to tell me to eat.
I don't know if my brain is okay either. I feel...I don't know. There's not really a word or phrase that can describe the state of mind I'm in. I'm happy beyond all belief. I have two personal angels in my life. But then again, something isn't as it should be, like my brain has a wall up around it. This is a familiar wall... And it's not a good sign.
Cael's umbilical cord stump fell off yesterday so he has a real belly button now. He also slept really well last night, only waking up twice (once for a feeding and once to replace the lost pacifier and do a diaper change). He now weighs 7 pounds and 5 ounces and has already grown 3/4 of an inch! He was weighed at our WIC certification appointment (he was being put on WIC, I was on it during pregnancy). I think WIC is a great program, by the way. It really helps when you don't have enough for rent and diapers and college and food. You can't really get a ton of stuff but it gets you the food you need. The only thing I don't like about it is you only get eight dollars to spend on fruits and vegetables during pregnancy. I don't know if you've thought about it but eight dollars doesn't buy you very much, even with frozen fruits and vegetables. Now that I'm listed as partially breastfeeding, I'm up to ten dollars for produce.
Going back to my job in the church nursery was easy. I could watch Cael and still spend time with all of the kids. We only had four last Sunday--Caleb, Joel, Haylea, and Taryn. They've all gotten so big, and I had only been away for a week! Haylea cried for her mom like she usually does, so we used Cael as a calming tool. "You need to be quiet or you'll wake the baby." That got her to be quiet very quickly. Every few minutes, Joel would run over to the baby carrier on the counter and shout "Beeeeeee!" very loudly and Taryn would point up at Cael, obviously wanting to look at him again. Caleb would put his hands up in a "Where is...?" way and say "Cael? Cael?" over and over. It was really cute.
Going back to school and work at JC Penney is going to be really hard... I'll have to be away from Cael for hours at a time... It hurt me just to leave him at my mom's house for an afternoon, how am I going to be able to handle school and work? Honestly, I don't think I will be able to... I think I'm going to end up cracking and try to drop out of school... But I really don't want to. I need that education. I need my degree. I need to be able to provide for Cael.
Well, I'm going to be a laundry Nazi today and try to buy out WalMart's stock of Enfamil A.R. formula. We're already out of it.
Friday, March 12, 2010
One Week Thoughts
Oh my God, Cael is already a week old... They grow up so fast! *sniffle sniffle*
I haven't looked to see what "milestones" he's supposed to have hit by now but you know what, I don't care if he's made them or not. He can do whatever he wants in his own time. Here's what he can do so far:
As I'm typing, Cael is laying on my chest, just snoring away. Speaking of snoring, he only really does it during the day. At night Brad and I have to hold our breaths just to listen to him breathe. He's only scared us a couple of times though and we had to actually get up and put a hand on him to check (okay, I did this, not Brad).
Cael's little grunts and squeaks keep us thoroughly entertained. He makes the greatest faces too. He has his "thinker face" which usually means he is filling his diaper, his "surprised face" when I'm up really close to his face, and his "mad face." Brad and I wouldn't trade any moments we;ve had with him so far.
I can't wait until he grows up but then again, I don't want him to grow up. I want to be the person he relies on for all eternity. If he grows up, he'll be more and more independent and won't need Mommy... I hope this doesn't make me act over-protective as he matures. I would hate to be a controlling mom.
"I was born to tell you I love you." - Your Call by Secondhand Serenade (the song that came on Windows Media Player just now)
And I think this is true. I feel like I was born for this moment, for motherhood. I'm not saying I want billions of kids. I'm saying I feel that being primarily a mother is what I'm being called to do. And that's not meaning that I'm going ot drop out of school and become a full-time house mom, although being a house mom probably wouldn't bother me all that much. More time with my children and more time to get house things done. But that's something to think about in the future. I don't want to waste my college education or anything. Maybe I'd run a home daycare service or something.
Cael and Brad will always come first in my life. I wouldn't have it any other way!
I haven't looked to see what "milestones" he's supposed to have hit by now but you know what, I don't care if he's made them or not. He can do whatever he wants in his own time. Here's what he can do so far:
- Hold his head up for small periods of time
- Stare at Brad and me like we're stupid
- Smile almost voluntarily
- Pee all over himself instead of Mommy and Daddy during diaper changes (he's done this three times now)
- Flip Mommy and Daddy the bird while feeding
As I'm typing, Cael is laying on my chest, just snoring away. Speaking of snoring, he only really does it during the day. At night Brad and I have to hold our breaths just to listen to him breathe. He's only scared us a couple of times though and we had to actually get up and put a hand on him to check (okay, I did this, not Brad).
Cael's little grunts and squeaks keep us thoroughly entertained. He makes the greatest faces too. He has his "thinker face" which usually means he is filling his diaper, his "surprised face" when I'm up really close to his face, and his "mad face." Brad and I wouldn't trade any moments we;ve had with him so far.
I can't wait until he grows up but then again, I don't want him to grow up. I want to be the person he relies on for all eternity. If he grows up, he'll be more and more independent and won't need Mommy... I hope this doesn't make me act over-protective as he matures. I would hate to be a controlling mom.
"I was born to tell you I love you." - Your Call by Secondhand Serenade (the song that came on Windows Media Player just now)
And I think this is true. I feel like I was born for this moment, for motherhood. I'm not saying I want billions of kids. I'm saying I feel that being primarily a mother is what I'm being called to do. And that's not meaning that I'm going ot drop out of school and become a full-time house mom, although being a house mom probably wouldn't bother me all that much. More time with my children and more time to get house things done. But that's something to think about in the future. I don't want to waste my college education or anything. Maybe I'd run a home daycare service or something.
Cael and Brad will always come first in my life. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I Am Proud Of My Boobs
Yes, you heard me right. I am VERY proud of my boobs. :)
I had a VERY successful night of pumping, if you can't tell. Warm showers do wonders!
Before this, I could not gte the milk to come out in a steady flow. Well, enough to actually make a difference in the container anyway. I'm using a manual pump so I can only do one breast at a time but it's working a lot better than it was the first two times I used it. My milk is still tinged with red though, which kind of makes me think something is wrong with my breasts... I'm planning on asking Dr. Carr about it tomorrow when I have my appointment.
Cael had his first doctor appointment today! He has gained back 2 ounces of the weight he lost in the hospital (he weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce when we left). Dr. Freeland said that they like to see the babies make it back up to their birth weight within the first week at home so I have to take him in tomorrow to be weighed again. His circumcision is healing up well but it's still oozing, which explains why Cael screams when we change his diaper. However, there's not much we can do other than clean it every time he's changed. His umbilical cord is getting closer to falling out but Brad and I were told that we weren't wiping it with alcohol properly. We're supposed to pull up on the stump and wipe closer to Cael's stomach. Oops... Good thhing we found out now though.
Cael has been spitting up a lot of his formula. At least, he does when I feed him. I guess I feed him just a little too much at a time. Newborns are only supposed to drink about 10 to 15 mL of formula at a time and our bottles don't indicate less than 25 mL intervals. It's hard ot tell how much he's had in small amounts like that.
He slept very well last night and, so far, is doing great tonight despite the thunder storm outside. He whimpered a lot when it first started but I think he's used to it now.
Well, I'm heading off for the night. It's late already and I have to be up early to see the doctors and whatnot. Hopefully Dr. Carr will tell me I've healed up enough to carry around the baby carrier, a thing that I've been wanting to do since I got out. I feel so useless because I have to rely on Brad to carry heavy-ish things for me. I was told when I left the hospital that I cannot carry "anything heavier than my baby." That's poo because our car seat is EXTREMELY light.
So yeah, good night all! :)
I had a VERY successful night of pumping, if you can't tell. Warm showers do wonders!
Before this, I could not gte the milk to come out in a steady flow. Well, enough to actually make a difference in the container anyway. I'm using a manual pump so I can only do one breast at a time but it's working a lot better than it was the first two times I used it. My milk is still tinged with red though, which kind of makes me think something is wrong with my breasts... I'm planning on asking Dr. Carr about it tomorrow when I have my appointment.
Cael had his first doctor appointment today! He has gained back 2 ounces of the weight he lost in the hospital (he weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce when we left). Dr. Freeland said that they like to see the babies make it back up to their birth weight within the first week at home so I have to take him in tomorrow to be weighed again. His circumcision is healing up well but it's still oozing, which explains why Cael screams when we change his diaper. However, there's not much we can do other than clean it every time he's changed. His umbilical cord is getting closer to falling out but Brad and I were told that we weren't wiping it with alcohol properly. We're supposed to pull up on the stump and wipe closer to Cael's stomach. Oops... Good thhing we found out now though.
Cael has been spitting up a lot of his formula. At least, he does when I feed him. I guess I feed him just a little too much at a time. Newborns are only supposed to drink about 10 to 15 mL of formula at a time and our bottles don't indicate less than 25 mL intervals. It's hard ot tell how much he's had in small amounts like that.
He slept very well last night and, so far, is doing great tonight despite the thunder storm outside. He whimpered a lot when it first started but I think he's used to it now.
Well, I'm heading off for the night. It's late already and I have to be up early to see the doctors and whatnot. Hopefully Dr. Carr will tell me I've healed up enough to carry around the baby carrier, a thing that I've been wanting to do since I got out. I feel so useless because I have to rely on Brad to carry heavy-ish things for me. I was told when I left the hospital that I cannot carry "anything heavier than my baby." That's poo because our car seat is EXTREMELY light.
So yeah, good night all! :)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Motherhood Is Difficult Is An Understatement
So I figured I would do a more up-to-date post since it took me four days to post the labor and delivery story :/
Cael is doing great at home! He has started to feed every four to five hours instead of every two hours and he'll take about 2 1/2 ounces at every feeding. He still spits up a lot but that's also getting better.
Sleep schedules are totally messed up... Last night Cael woke up at about 10 from a nap and didn't go back to sleep until 3 am. It was awful. He cried and fussed and wouldn't take a bottle. He fell asleep a couple of times and when I put him into the bouncy seat (we don't have a crib at the moment, we planned on having one but Cael came early so we weren't prepared) he cried and it started all over again. When he finally went to sleep, I laid down in the bed with him. Brad feels like he can't sleep in our bed if Cael's in there because he thinks he'll roll over and squish him. Cael woke up again at about 7:30 to feed again. We tried powder formula at that feeding mixed with cold water. It seemed to be fine with Cael. I think it soothed his stomach a little bit. He took down almost 3 ounces.
My mom and Hanna came over later. My mom brought over the Pack-N-Play that we'll use for a bed for now. Hanna came over to help watch Cael while Brad and I took showers and cleaned up the apartment a little (Brad played Mortal Kombat, Paper Mario, and Pokemon Stadium 2 while I was in the shower though).
I'm still working on thank you notes for all the people at my showers and that have given us gifts of money and clothes and whatnot. It's not going so well because all I want to do is sleep and play with Cael... I hope going back to classes isn't his hard but I bet it will be.
Cael makes the cutest little faces and noises! He scrunches his face up a lot and looks like a little old man. When he's awake, he's very alert and wide-eyed. He thinks it's funny when I kiss his nose and cheeks. When I pretend to eat his toes, he looks at me like I'm crazy!
Baby love is a curious thing. I only have eyes for my baby and Brad. I don't think any other baby is near as cute as Cael. Brad and Cael are my boys and I don't ever want to lose them. They are my life and my loves and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Cael is sleeping right now while we are on Skype with Brad's mom, grandma, and dad. We just have the camera pointed at Cael in his bouncy seat because that's who they really want to see :) Brad and I are off in our own worlds: he's on mIRC and I'm blogging and uploading videos on YouTube, which I'll put on here.
Cael with the hiccups
Meet Cael!
Both of these should go to YouTube and if they don't, leave a comment and I'll fix it.
I'm loving life today, even though I'm extremely sleep deprived :)
Cael is doing great at home! He has started to feed every four to five hours instead of every two hours and he'll take about 2 1/2 ounces at every feeding. He still spits up a lot but that's also getting better.
Sleep schedules are totally messed up... Last night Cael woke up at about 10 from a nap and didn't go back to sleep until 3 am. It was awful. He cried and fussed and wouldn't take a bottle. He fell asleep a couple of times and when I put him into the bouncy seat (we don't have a crib at the moment, we planned on having one but Cael came early so we weren't prepared) he cried and it started all over again. When he finally went to sleep, I laid down in the bed with him. Brad feels like he can't sleep in our bed if Cael's in there because he thinks he'll roll over and squish him. Cael woke up again at about 7:30 to feed again. We tried powder formula at that feeding mixed with cold water. It seemed to be fine with Cael. I think it soothed his stomach a little bit. He took down almost 3 ounces.
My mom and Hanna came over later. My mom brought over the Pack-N-Play that we'll use for a bed for now. Hanna came over to help watch Cael while Brad and I took showers and cleaned up the apartment a little (Brad played Mortal Kombat, Paper Mario, and Pokemon Stadium 2 while I was in the shower though).
I'm still working on thank you notes for all the people at my showers and that have given us gifts of money and clothes and whatnot. It's not going so well because all I want to do is sleep and play with Cael... I hope going back to classes isn't his hard but I bet it will be.
Cael makes the cutest little faces and noises! He scrunches his face up a lot and looks like a little old man. When he's awake, he's very alert and wide-eyed. He thinks it's funny when I kiss his nose and cheeks. When I pretend to eat his toes, he looks at me like I'm crazy!
Baby love is a curious thing. I only have eyes for my baby and Brad. I don't think any other baby is near as cute as Cael. Brad and Cael are my boys and I don't ever want to lose them. They are my life and my loves and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Cael is sleeping right now while we are on Skype with Brad's mom, grandma, and dad. We just have the camera pointed at Cael in his bouncy seat because that's who they really want to see :) Brad and I are off in our own worlds: he's on mIRC and I'm blogging and uploading videos on YouTube, which I'll put on here.
Cael with the hiccups
Meet Cael!
Both of these should go to YouTube and if they don't, leave a comment and I'll fix it.
I'm loving life today, even though I'm extremely sleep deprived :)
Meet Cael!
The newest addition in our family is here! 
Cael Luther Kenney arrived at 6:05 pm March 5th, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 21 inches long. He was born 20 days early but has strong vitals and is perfect in every way.
I lost my plug at about 10:30 am and totally freaked out. I called Dr. Carr's office and they said that since I was starting to have contractions, I should go up to the OB floor of the hospital to get checked to see if my water had broken (I had no idea if it had or not).
I went in and the test they had to make sure my water broke came back positive. They also said, after the cervical check, that my cervix was VERY anterior (meaning it was very forward, which usually doesn't happen at 3 centimeters dialation, apparently). I'm not going to lie, I cried my eyes out. I was so scared! We were scheduled to go to the lamaze class on the 13th and I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. Plus the thought of pain scared the bajeezus out of me too. So I called Brad and told him to bring my bag down and called my mom and activated the massive text lists I had made for this moment.
My nurse at the time was Pamela Baker, Brett Baker's mom and she helped me a LOT with the emotional part. She was very nice about everything. Unfortunately, she had other patients to attend to (they were going into labor before me) so I got Denise, who was also very very nice. She helped me a lot with the breathing during contractions (I was being stupid and holding my breath and bawling because they hurt like crazy).
Dr. Carr came in some time later to see how I was doing and checked my cervix again. I hadn't dialated any further and it turned out that my water hadn't really broken, it had just ruptured a little and was leaking a tiny bit. So he broke it for me. If I thought the contractions before that were bad, they were NOTHING compared to what came next. Luckily, the epidural specialist, Dr. Lowe, came in right after that so they were lessened a bit. The epidural didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would, which was a relief. I was kind of mean to Dr. Lowe and I felt bad when he came in to check and see how I was doing the next day.
Next came the easy part. After that epidural and the pain I had been feeling, I guess I went a little loopy because Brad said I was telling him I wanted Cael to come out now and that I kept talking to Cael and telling him to come out lol
Dr. Carr came back and checked my cervix again. I was fully dialated at that point and Cael's head was far enough down. Dr. Carr said I could start pushing now. While he and a couple of extra nurses came in to set up, Denise gave me a rundown of how to push and whatnot. She still made it sound too easy.
So the time came to push. Holy crap, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. They just told me to push like I was pooping so that's what I did. And boy, did Cael come out FAST! It only took pushing during three contractions to bring him into the world.
The best part about my pushing experience was this. Between the second and third contractions, Cael's head crowned and Dr. Carr said I could touch it. After I did, I was so overcome with the idea that I was actually having a baby that I started to giggle. When I stopped, Dr. Carr looked up at me and says, with an astonished look on his face, "Wait! Do that again!" So I did laugh again, because the look on his face was hilarious lol It turns out that my laughing was pushing Cael out more effectively than pushing! Isn't that so cool? Cael was brought into the world with laughter! :) In my book, that makes him THE BEST baby in the world <3
The after parts weren't all that hard: the delivery of the placenta and the clean up that followed. I only had eyes for my son. When Dr. Carr laid him on my chest, my heart soared then melted as Cael cried his adorable little cry. His lower lip quivered and he just cried and cried. The nurse that cleaned him up kept saying he wasn't crying enough though so she stimulated him, gave him a vitamin K shot and a Hepatitis B shot, and rubbed his chest. He was so red! Like a little bald baby Elmo :)
While all of this was happening, I was delivering the placenta, which really wasn't all that bad. In fact, I didn't even notice it was coming out until Dr. Carr said, "And there's the placenta. It's a really good color." Of course, I just had to see it. It looked like a liver and was all flat on one side (Dr. Carr called that the baby side). Hard to believe all of that was sitting inside my stomach for 8 months. WHOA.
All of this happened in 5 hours, by the way.
Brad didn't get to cut the umbilical cord because everything was coming out so fast, but he and my mom both got "tattoos" of Cael's feet on their arms. Pam was taking his footprints. His little feet were so purple I was afraid something was wrong, but Pam said it was just coloring and that he'll even out soon.
After everybody finally left to spread the news of Cael's arrival, I was told to start working on breastfeeding. It looks os easy when experienced moms do it but boy, is it hard. Cael didn't want to latch (and still doesn't) so after trying for an hour and making him mad, I was allowed to stop forcing him and just cuddle. That was short-lived though because he needed to go to the nursery for a full check (this was about 4 hours after delivery). I was asked if I would mind trying to stand and get everything situated to go to my room. I'm not going into details about that because it was awkward and messy...
After-birth = GROSS
Anyway, I got Cael back and he, Brad, Jen (my nurse for the night), and I rolled our way to room 506, right across from the nurses station. Cael stayed in my room all night, which was probably a bad idea for me. I couldn't sleep because of all the adrenaline still going through me. Well, that and the fact that I couldn't stop watching Cael :) I love every move he makes and every breath he takes.
He looks a lot like me as a baby but almost everything he does (minus the quivering lower lip when he cries) is Brad. He coos and grunts in his sleep. His tiny little fingers are long like mine. His ears and back are so hairy and his feet curl up, so I call him my little monkey. His other nicknames are Bubby, Goof, Cael Baby, and Buddy. He has super manly burps and explosive diapers. He likes looking at girls and when he's looking at the world, he looks like a little old man. He smiles with gas but it's still cute. He also snores sometimes. :)
Mommy and Daddy don't get much sleep anymore with the feedings every three hours but it's totally worth it.
Cael has already had his first outing (to Wal Mart to buy more diapers) and first day at Grandma's. He's already able to take down 2 fluid ounces of formula in a single feeding (sometimes even more) and now only needs to be burped every 15 cc instead of 5 to 10 cc. He spits up a lot but it's better than the first day of formula. The reason we started Cael on formula instead of the breast, other than his issue with latching, is because I'm not able to get the milk out it a timely fashion so he "loses interest" and gets mad because he's not getting food when he wants it. I also have issues with shape so a bottle is easier for him to feed off of.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll be sure to update once in a while on how Cael is growing and how life for him progresses. We are so excited to finally be a family!
Cael Luther Kenney arrived at 6:05 pm March 5th, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 21 inches long. He was born 20 days early but has strong vitals and is perfect in every way.
I lost my plug at about 10:30 am and totally freaked out. I called Dr. Carr's office and they said that since I was starting to have contractions, I should go up to the OB floor of the hospital to get checked to see if my water had broken (I had no idea if it had or not).
I went in and the test they had to make sure my water broke came back positive. They also said, after the cervical check, that my cervix was VERY anterior (meaning it was very forward, which usually doesn't happen at 3 centimeters dialation, apparently). I'm not going to lie, I cried my eyes out. I was so scared! We were scheduled to go to the lamaze class on the 13th and I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. Plus the thought of pain scared the bajeezus out of me too. So I called Brad and told him to bring my bag down and called my mom and activated the massive text lists I had made for this moment.
My nurse at the time was Pamela Baker, Brett Baker's mom and she helped me a LOT with the emotional part. She was very nice about everything. Unfortunately, she had other patients to attend to (they were going into labor before me) so I got Denise, who was also very very nice. She helped me a lot with the breathing during contractions (I was being stupid and holding my breath and bawling because they hurt like crazy).
Dr. Carr came in some time later to see how I was doing and checked my cervix again. I hadn't dialated any further and it turned out that my water hadn't really broken, it had just ruptured a little and was leaking a tiny bit. So he broke it for me. If I thought the contractions before that were bad, they were NOTHING compared to what came next. Luckily, the epidural specialist, Dr. Lowe, came in right after that so they were lessened a bit. The epidural didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would, which was a relief. I was kind of mean to Dr. Lowe and I felt bad when he came in to check and see how I was doing the next day.
Next came the easy part. After that epidural and the pain I had been feeling, I guess I went a little loopy because Brad said I was telling him I wanted Cael to come out now and that I kept talking to Cael and telling him to come out lol
Dr. Carr came back and checked my cervix again. I was fully dialated at that point and Cael's head was far enough down. Dr. Carr said I could start pushing now. While he and a couple of extra nurses came in to set up, Denise gave me a rundown of how to push and whatnot. She still made it sound too easy.
So the time came to push. Holy crap, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. They just told me to push like I was pooping so that's what I did. And boy, did Cael come out FAST! It only took pushing during three contractions to bring him into the world.
The best part about my pushing experience was this. Between the second and third contractions, Cael's head crowned and Dr. Carr said I could touch it. After I did, I was so overcome with the idea that I was actually having a baby that I started to giggle. When I stopped, Dr. Carr looked up at me and says, with an astonished look on his face, "Wait! Do that again!" So I did laugh again, because the look on his face was hilarious lol It turns out that my laughing was pushing Cael out more effectively than pushing! Isn't that so cool? Cael was brought into the world with laughter! :) In my book, that makes him THE BEST baby in the world <3
While all of this was happening, I was delivering the placenta, which really wasn't all that bad. In fact, I didn't even notice it was coming out until Dr. Carr said, "And there's the placenta. It's a really good color." Of course, I just had to see it. It looked like a liver and was all flat on one side (Dr. Carr called that the baby side). Hard to believe all of that was sitting inside my stomach for 8 months. WHOA.
All of this happened in 5 hours, by the way.
Brad didn't get to cut the umbilical cord because everything was coming out so fast, but he and my mom both got "tattoos" of Cael's feet on their arms. Pam was taking his footprints. His little feet were so purple I was afraid something was wrong, but Pam said it was just coloring and that he'll even out soon.
After everybody finally left to spread the news of Cael's arrival, I was told to start working on breastfeeding. It looks os easy when experienced moms do it but boy, is it hard. Cael didn't want to latch (and still doesn't) so after trying for an hour and making him mad, I was allowed to stop forcing him and just cuddle. That was short-lived though because he needed to go to the nursery for a full check (this was about 4 hours after delivery). I was asked if I would mind trying to stand and get everything situated to go to my room. I'm not going into details about that because it was awkward and messy...
After-birth = GROSS
Anyway, I got Cael back and he, Brad, Jen (my nurse for the night), and I rolled our way to room 506, right across from the nurses station. Cael stayed in my room all night, which was probably a bad idea for me. I couldn't sleep because of all the adrenaline still going through me. Well, that and the fact that I couldn't stop watching Cael :) I love every move he makes and every breath he takes.
He looks a lot like me as a baby but almost everything he does (minus the quivering lower lip when he cries) is Brad. He coos and grunts in his sleep. His tiny little fingers are long like mine. His ears and back are so hairy and his feet curl up, so I call him my little monkey. His other nicknames are Bubby, Goof, Cael Baby, and Buddy. He has super manly burps and explosive diapers. He likes looking at girls and when he's looking at the world, he looks like a little old man. He smiles with gas but it's still cute. He also snores sometimes. :)
Mommy and Daddy don't get much sleep anymore with the feedings every three hours but it's totally worth it.
Cael has already had his first outing (to Wal Mart to buy more diapers) and first day at Grandma's. He's already able to take down 2 fluid ounces of formula in a single feeding (sometimes even more) and now only needs to be burped every 15 cc instead of 5 to 10 cc. He spits up a lot but it's better than the first day of formula. The reason we started Cael on formula instead of the breast, other than his issue with latching, is because I'm not able to get the milk out it a timely fashion so he "loses interest" and gets mad because he's not getting food when he wants it. I also have issues with shape so a bottle is easier for him to feed off of.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Bring It On
Last night was a VERY crappy night. Not only did I have a sinus headache and back ache and all the regular aches of pregnancy, but I also had a contraction so bad that I just laid there and cried because I didn't know what else to do. It was a Braxton-Hicks of course and I didn't get another one but still, FREAKING OUCH.
This morning I'm feeling okay though. But I'm not happy... I don't feeling like I have a "glow of pregnancy" about me or any other things that suggests I'm a soon-to-be mom... I just feel blah... And that's the only way I know how to describe it. Something is amiss. Perhaps it's the fact that I want Cael to be here badly.
Then again I don't want him here yet.
Am I truly ready for this? Are Brad and I ready to be parents? Am I really capable of pushing a baby out of my vagina and still remaining sane?
That last question's answer, for me, is no. I don't think I can come out of this NOT crazy. I'm scared out of my mind. No amount of support from previous moms and friends saying "Of course you can do this. You'll be a great mom!" and hearing people say "Women have been doing this for millions of years so you'll be fine" and reading books can prepare me for the ACTUAL birth. Theory and practice are two WAY different things.
It's just like a CPR test. It's all fine and dandy to be working in a classroom with a dummy practicing the motions of CPR, looking off of a paper or hearing from your instructor over and over how many counts, when to check for breath, and things like that. But when the situation where you need this information actually arises, are you going to remember how to do it? A person's life depends on it so, by God, if you don't remember, that person is dead.
What if, while pushing, I don't use the right muscles and Cael gets stuck?
Another thing that scares me is the thought of the pain. What if the epidural doesn't work? What if I tear badly and have to spend more time in recovery? What if the pain is so bad after delivery and when I go home that I won't be able to hold Cael...or even have children again? Yeah, I know about how the hormones in my body will kick in and I'll go through labor in a daze and won't feel the full extent of the pain because I'll be focused on what I have to do and blah blah blah... What if my body doesn't work that way? Not all people are the same, you know.
After delivery scares me too. I have been told by many medical professionals and other moms that it would be best for me to breastfeed until Cael is old enough to have the bottle. But I also have to add in the fact that I may need to start back on my medication if a sign of post-partum depression arises. Before I got pregnant, I was on 20mg of Prozac and 400mg of Lamictal. That much Lamictal is harmful to an infant, no matter what stage of life they're in. I can't breastfeed and be on the medicine at the same time because it's transmitted through my breastmilk (by the way, I'm having a contraction right at this second and it hurts really bad... 10:14am). Then, when I go to wean Cael off breastmilk, he'll experience withdrawal symptoms as if he was actually on the medicine (which technically he was). I don't want Cael's first year of life to suck. That would be bad parenting on my part.
Dr. Carr has said that if I need to I can go back on the medicine and stop breastfeeding. I am determined to try to go without medicine for as long as I can, just so that I can at least get Cael the colostrum he needs. To me, that's the most important part of breastfeeding.
Brad has been a really big help throughout this pregnancy, even though sometimes he's a bit clueless. He does whatever I ask of him, unless it's chores that he doesn't feel like doing. He has been the person I've ultimately leaned on when something goes wrong for me. He's the only person who I've been able to cry to and not have him tell me to suck it up. He lets me cry and whine and complain. He worries for me more than anyone else I think. After all, I'm the love of his life (his words not mine) and I'm carrying his first-born son. In 20 days (or less), I will have Cael and then we will be a true family. And that's a good enough life for me.
This morning I'm feeling okay though. But I'm not happy... I don't feeling like I have a "glow of pregnancy" about me or any other things that suggests I'm a soon-to-be mom... I just feel blah... And that's the only way I know how to describe it. Something is amiss. Perhaps it's the fact that I want Cael to be here badly.
Then again I don't want him here yet.
Am I truly ready for this? Are Brad and I ready to be parents? Am I really capable of pushing a baby out of my vagina and still remaining sane?
That last question's answer, for me, is no. I don't think I can come out of this NOT crazy. I'm scared out of my mind. No amount of support from previous moms and friends saying "Of course you can do this. You'll be a great mom!" and hearing people say "Women have been doing this for millions of years so you'll be fine" and reading books can prepare me for the ACTUAL birth. Theory and practice are two WAY different things.
It's just like a CPR test. It's all fine and dandy to be working in a classroom with a dummy practicing the motions of CPR, looking off of a paper or hearing from your instructor over and over how many counts, when to check for breath, and things like that. But when the situation where you need this information actually arises, are you going to remember how to do it? A person's life depends on it so, by God, if you don't remember, that person is dead.
What if, while pushing, I don't use the right muscles and Cael gets stuck?
Another thing that scares me is the thought of the pain. What if the epidural doesn't work? What if I tear badly and have to spend more time in recovery? What if the pain is so bad after delivery and when I go home that I won't be able to hold Cael...or even have children again? Yeah, I know about how the hormones in my body will kick in and I'll go through labor in a daze and won't feel the full extent of the pain because I'll be focused on what I have to do and blah blah blah... What if my body doesn't work that way? Not all people are the same, you know.
After delivery scares me too. I have been told by many medical professionals and other moms that it would be best for me to breastfeed until Cael is old enough to have the bottle. But I also have to add in the fact that I may need to start back on my medication if a sign of post-partum depression arises. Before I got pregnant, I was on 20mg of Prozac and 400mg of Lamictal. That much Lamictal is harmful to an infant, no matter what stage of life they're in. I can't breastfeed and be on the medicine at the same time because it's transmitted through my breastmilk (by the way, I'm having a contraction right at this second and it hurts really bad... 10:14am). Then, when I go to wean Cael off breastmilk, he'll experience withdrawal symptoms as if he was actually on the medicine (which technically he was). I don't want Cael's first year of life to suck. That would be bad parenting on my part.
Dr. Carr has said that if I need to I can go back on the medicine and stop breastfeeding. I am determined to try to go without medicine for as long as I can, just so that I can at least get Cael the colostrum he needs. To me, that's the most important part of breastfeeding.
Brad has been a really big help throughout this pregnancy, even though sometimes he's a bit clueless. He does whatever I ask of him, unless it's chores that he doesn't feel like doing. He has been the person I've ultimately leaned on when something goes wrong for me. He's the only person who I've been able to cry to and not have him tell me to suck it up. He lets me cry and whine and complain. He worries for me more than anyone else I think. After all, I'm the love of his life (his words not mine) and I'm carrying his first-born son. In 20 days (or less), I will have Cael and then we will be a true family. And that's a good enough life for me.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Updates and Things
Being closer to my due date is putting things in prospective for me. I feel like a lot of things are more important now, such as having a clean apartment. Apparently my views are not shared...but you know what, I could care less. I decided to start packing my hospital bag and the diaper bag today. Maybe it's nesting, maybe it's not but I know that I will need these things fairly soon so hey, why not get it out of the way. I mean I only have three weeks left.
On Tuesday I was hospitalized AGAIN for high blood pressure, only this time they had me stay the night. Talk about creepy... Luckily, Dr. Carr cleared me to have Ambien to help me go to sleep. That helped a lot.
While I was at the hospital and hooked up to the fetal monitors and whatnot, the nurses noticed that I was having contractions. They weren't sure if it was true labor or not so I was given a relaxant and hooked up to an IV that beeped at me every 10 minutes. Not fun. They used the fluids and the relaxant to distinguish if the contractions were real or just Braxton-Hicks brought on by the high blood pressure. Turns out, they weren't Braxton-Hicks but they weren't strong enough or frequent enough to be considered "true labor." They checked my cervix anyway just to see how far along things were and guess what, I'm 3 centimeters dialated! And cervical checks HURT. I don't like them but I know I'll get 50 million more by the time this pregnancy is all over so I'll just have to get over it. I got to go home the next day with a note that says no more work or school for me until Cael gets here. Who's bothered by this? Not me, that's for sure :)
I'm still having the contractions too but they aren't changing in strength or length or anything so they said I was okay unless my water breaks. Then I have to go in right away.
I had a doctor appointment today and Dr. Carr checked my cervix yet again and I haven't progressed any farther. He did say that if Cael hasn't gotten here by 39 weeks (Which, he says, probably won't happen. Cael's moving so fast already and has dropped so far that he'll most likely be early) we can talk about inducing labor. Dr. Carr also said that there is no greater chance of me having a C-section if I'm induced rather than going into labor all on my own, which is a big relief to me. I don't want to get my stomach cut open...
I also had a meeting with a lady from Parents as Teachers, which is a Missouri organization that promotes teaching children before they reach a formal classroom to help their development. It's a really cool program but it's ONLY available in Missouri, which I think is a shame. I freaked out this morning and thought that she was there to judge our living environment and stuff like that so I had Brad clean while I was gone at my doctor appointment and rushed to do the dishes when I got back. She did nothing of the sort, just talked about the program. She's also an OB nurse so she answered a few questions I had about breast feeding and stuff like that. I really liked her and I hope that we can stay in this program.
Well, I think I'm going to head back in and finish packing my hospital bag.
On Tuesday I was hospitalized AGAIN for high blood pressure, only this time they had me stay the night. Talk about creepy... Luckily, Dr. Carr cleared me to have Ambien to help me go to sleep. That helped a lot.
While I was at the hospital and hooked up to the fetal monitors and whatnot, the nurses noticed that I was having contractions. They weren't sure if it was true labor or not so I was given a relaxant and hooked up to an IV that beeped at me every 10 minutes. Not fun. They used the fluids and the relaxant to distinguish if the contractions were real or just Braxton-Hicks brought on by the high blood pressure. Turns out, they weren't Braxton-Hicks but they weren't strong enough or frequent enough to be considered "true labor." They checked my cervix anyway just to see how far along things were and guess what, I'm 3 centimeters dialated! And cervical checks HURT. I don't like them but I know I'll get 50 million more by the time this pregnancy is all over so I'll just have to get over it. I got to go home the next day with a note that says no more work or school for me until Cael gets here. Who's bothered by this? Not me, that's for sure :)
I'm still having the contractions too but they aren't changing in strength or length or anything so they said I was okay unless my water breaks. Then I have to go in right away.
I had a doctor appointment today and Dr. Carr checked my cervix yet again and I haven't progressed any farther. He did say that if Cael hasn't gotten here by 39 weeks (Which, he says, probably won't happen. Cael's moving so fast already and has dropped so far that he'll most likely be early) we can talk about inducing labor. Dr. Carr also said that there is no greater chance of me having a C-section if I'm induced rather than going into labor all on my own, which is a big relief to me. I don't want to get my stomach cut open...
I also had a meeting with a lady from Parents as Teachers, which is a Missouri organization that promotes teaching children before they reach a formal classroom to help their development. It's a really cool program but it's ONLY available in Missouri, which I think is a shame. I freaked out this morning and thought that she was there to judge our living environment and stuff like that so I had Brad clean while I was gone at my doctor appointment and rushed to do the dishes when I got back. She did nothing of the sort, just talked about the program. She's also an OB nurse so she answered a few questions I had about breast feeding and stuff like that. I really liked her and I hope that we can stay in this program.
Well, I think I'm going to head back in and finish packing my hospital bag.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Boring Hospital Stuff
So here we are, sitting in the hospital and waiting...
No, I'm not waiting on Cael to get here (well, technically I am but it's not like he's coming today).
I had a doctor appointment this morning, just one of my (now weekly) checkups and the nurse noticed that my blood pressure was fairly high. It was 130/82. Usually at my appointments I average out at 63 (diastolic) so she decided that she would take it again after Dr. Carr was all finished with everything. Dr. Carr acted fairly alarmed, in his calm way, when he saw what my blood pressure was and when he saw just how swollen my legs, ankles, and feet had gotten. He mentioned that preeclampsia was possibly why all this was happening and that to be sure I needed to head over to the hospital (right next door) to get tested. He also said they would probably keep me overnight to monitor me and Cael, just to be sure that nothing was going wrong.
Of course, I was just stuck on the "you might have to stay overnight" part... I HATE the hospital and how it smells and how close it is in here and the beds and everything... Yes, I know I need to get over it because I'll be in here again pretty soon to deliver Cael but I don't care, I still hate it.
So here I am, with Brad sitting by my side, waiting for Laura, my nurse, to come in and check my blood pressure again. I'm getting checked every two hours.
Oh and the best freaking part about this? I have to collect my urine for the next 24 hours. Literally, every time I pee, I have to put it in a jug. At the end of my stay (before I can go home), they'll analyze it to make sure I'm not peeing out all the protein I'm taking in. Woohoo...
On the bright side, there are no ladies in labor right now so I don't have to freak out while hearing screams. And the lunch I had was pretty good: Mashed potatoes and gravy, roast beef, boiled cucumbers and zucchini, and chocolate cake :)
Now I'm just bored... Nothing good on the ancient TV, except a CSI marathon... I guess after Laura comes back in, I'll take a walk around the floor, since I'm not alowed to leave it... Then I guess I'll take a nap or something... I'm still hungry though lol typical pregnant lady
My dad dropped by to give me a present from my friend Korrie. She gave us some baby shampoo, baby lotion, and a REALLY soft blanket :) It's so cute!
I had a baby shower yesterday, thrown by my aunts. It was Dr. Seuss themed and was so fun! They even got me a little red velvet cake (not everybody likes it like I do).
Laura came in and took my blood pressure again (141/60) and said that Dr. Carr said I might be able to go home tonight instead of tomorrow morning :D I still have to take the pee-jug home though... Yuck... Maybe I'll write more later, I don't want to be in this room anymore!
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