He can put a baby to sleep using his patented DaddyMagic(TM) WHILE vacuuming the dining room!He is the #1 reason while my postpartum recoveries go so well -- he works so hard to ensure that I get the rest I need.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Superdaddy!
My husband is a rock star.
He can put a baby to sleep using his patented DaddyMagic(TM) WHILE vacuuming the dining room!
He is the #1 reason while my postpartum recoveries go so well -- he works so hard to ensure that I get the rest I need.
He can put a baby to sleep using his patented DaddyMagic(TM) WHILE vacuuming the dining room!He is the #1 reason while my postpartum recoveries go so well -- he works so hard to ensure that I get the rest I need.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Two Weeks!
Happy Second Week-day to meee! Aren't I handsome?
Mommy calls this The Ultimate Boy Onesie. It has everything on it! Puppies, baseballs, footballs, turtles, bugs, cars, dump trucks (filled with dirt), fire trucks, leaves, and frogs! Mommy makes sure to dress me in my cute newborn boy onesies every day, because I'm going to outgrow them quickly -- at my doctor appointment this morning I learned I had gained 6 oz. in the last 4 days! Now I weigh 10 lbs. 12 oz. -- I've already passed up my birthweight!
Obviously I'm a eating a lot (and going through diapers at an equally rapid rate -- between me and my big brother, we're making Mommy wash diapers every other day), and my jaundice is MUCH better. My doctor says I won't need any more heel pricks. Hooray! I do still need sunshine, though -- it's supposed to be cooler this week so my siblings and I are going to spend lots of time outside at playgrounds. Bright sunlight makes me sneeze, though.
a-CHOO!
Mommy calls this The Ultimate Boy Onesie. It has everything on it! Puppies, baseballs, footballs, turtles, bugs, cars, dump trucks (filled with dirt), fire trucks, leaves, and frogs! Mommy makes sure to dress me in my cute newborn boy onesies every day, because I'm going to outgrow them quickly -- at my doctor appointment this morning I learned I had gained 6 oz. in the last 4 days! Now I weigh 10 lbs. 12 oz. -- I've already passed up my birthweight!Obviously I'm a eating a lot (and going through diapers at an equally rapid rate -- between me and my big brother, we're making Mommy wash diapers every other day), and my jaundice is MUCH better. My doctor says I won't need any more heel pricks. Hooray! I do still need sunshine, though -- it's supposed to be cooler this week so my siblings and I are going to spend lots of time outside at playgrounds. Bright sunlight makes me sneeze, though.
a-CHOO!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Baby Update
Well, here it is already a week after Daniel's dramatic entrance into the family. As precipitous as his labor was, I felt remarkably good afterwards. I guess there is something to be said for a quick labor! Later that day I still felt as if I'd been run over by a truck, or at the very least run a 100-mile marathon, but the more I got up and moved around the better I felt. The hospital stay was fine -- all the staff over there practically trip over themselves to be helpful. Unfortunately, they still always manage to come in JUST after I've fallen asleep. I think that's standard hospital policy everywhere.
So the day afterwards I expressed a wish to go home early. I could have stayed until Thursday, but I was looking forward to being home. I missed the kids, and my own bed (although those infinitely-adjustable hospital beds are pretty comfy), so after about 1,000 visits by various medical staff and dozens of approval forms filled out in triplicate (okay so maybe I exaggerate) we were given permission to leave early, even though several nurses made it apparent that I was crazy. :) I just knew that I would rest better at home.
So home we went! I immediately took the baby up to bed and stayed there the next day, occasionally making an appearance downstairs. Miriam was extraordinarily helpful, bringing me snacks and filling up my water vat. Daniel and I spent a lot of time like this:
Yeah, being at home is much better.
For one thing, except when nursing, I hardly ever need to hold Daniel!
Who needs a bouncy chair when there is a cozy big sister handy? (She seems to have a talent for getting him to fall asleep, too.)
The only drawback to the week is something we've experienced with each of the kids -- Daniel was pretty jaundiced. All of our readers who follow me on Facebook already know that we spent lots of time driving to and from the doctor's office and the hospital lab for heel pricks. I had been hoping that since Daniel was born later, jaundice wouldn't be a problem with him (it's typically worse for babies born early). But apparently "precipitous labor" can also make jaundice worse, since all that hard squeezing can break up blood cells! Sigh. We can't win. I've just resigned myself to spending the first week of each baby's life this way.
So Daniel's bilirubin level got fairly high -- just below danger level, but high enough to consider renting a bili-blanket for the weekend. However, the company covered by our insurance was out of blankets, and since Daniel's level didn't necessitate immediate treatment, the doctor prescribed lots of sunshine and more nursing (oh, great). So that's how I spent the weekend. It's been difficult getting the sunshine safely, though -- it's been so hot that I'm afraid of the baby overheating. But I found a solution -- our windows face east or west, so in the morning for about an hour I sit with Daniel in Joseph's room with the window open to let the UV light in, and a fan blowing on us to keep us cool, flipping Daniel over every 10 mins. or so to keep him from getting burned. Then in the afternoon I do the same in my room. I use my own sun-sensitive skin as a gauge -- when I feel hot, I move the baby. I just realized we're also both getting lots of vitamin D this way. :)
On Monday, after yet another heel prick (his little feet are covered with pokes, poor baby) and doctor appt., we learned that his bilirubin level had stabilized at 17.7 -- .3 below danger zone! I'm sure it's due to all the prayers for him. We have another appointment tomorrow to make sure the level is going down -- the pediatrician can tell just by looking at him whether he's less yellow. I hope so -- it's been a long week of doing not much more than sitting and nursing! Part of the challenge, aside from avoiding sunburn and hyperthermia, was getting him to eat enough -- apparently jaundice-y babies get tired really easily, so after a couple minutes of nursing he kept falling asleep, only to wake up a few minutes later ravenously hungry again. It was driving me crazy because I felt like I couldn't do anything, like take my sitz baths! (*weep*) But after a day of my really trying hard to get him to stay awake long enough for a decent feeding, Daniel seems to have settled into a more normal routine of eat-wake-sleep, rather than eat-sleep-eat-sleep-eat-sleep-rinse-repeat. Yay!
For one thing, now that he has predictable nap times, I can Get Stuff Done, like organize the monstrous pile of maternity/non-maternity/nursing/off-season clothes in my closet that was preparing to take over the world shortly. So now I have more than 3 over-large maternity shirts to wear, huzzah! In the process I discovered some cute shirts I forgot I had, that ought to fit me again before long.
Another boon of the past week has been Daniel's nighttime sleeping habits -- he is a GOOD nighttime baby. Last night he actually went for a whole 4 HOUR STRETCH in between feedings!! It's amazing how well recovery goes when you can get a decent amount of sleep at night.
Of course, in all the ease of recovery, I have to give a lion's share of the credit to Mr. Pickles. He has done such a great job of taking over management of the household so I can get the rest I need. He is such a good husband and a good papa! It's obvious how much he loves his family. I don't know what I'm going to do when he goes back to work next week!
So the day afterwards I expressed a wish to go home early. I could have stayed until Thursday, but I was looking forward to being home. I missed the kids, and my own bed (although those infinitely-adjustable hospital beds are pretty comfy), so after about 1,000 visits by various medical staff and dozens of approval forms filled out in triplicate (okay so maybe I exaggerate) we were given permission to leave early, even though several nurses made it apparent that I was crazy. :) I just knew that I would rest better at home.
So home we went! I immediately took the baby up to bed and stayed there the next day, occasionally making an appearance downstairs. Miriam was extraordinarily helpful, bringing me snacks and filling up my water vat. Daniel and I spent a lot of time like this:
Yeah, being at home is much better.For one thing, except when nursing, I hardly ever need to hold Daniel!
Who needs a bouncy chair when there is a cozy big sister handy? (She seems to have a talent for getting him to fall asleep, too.)The only drawback to the week is something we've experienced with each of the kids -- Daniel was pretty jaundiced. All of our readers who follow me on Facebook already know that we spent lots of time driving to and from the doctor's office and the hospital lab for heel pricks. I had been hoping that since Daniel was born later, jaundice wouldn't be a problem with him (it's typically worse for babies born early). But apparently "precipitous labor" can also make jaundice worse, since all that hard squeezing can break up blood cells! Sigh. We can't win. I've just resigned myself to spending the first week of each baby's life this way.
So Daniel's bilirubin level got fairly high -- just below danger level, but high enough to consider renting a bili-blanket for the weekend. However, the company covered by our insurance was out of blankets, and since Daniel's level didn't necessitate immediate treatment, the doctor prescribed lots of sunshine and more nursing (oh, great). So that's how I spent the weekend. It's been difficult getting the sunshine safely, though -- it's been so hot that I'm afraid of the baby overheating. But I found a solution -- our windows face east or west, so in the morning for about an hour I sit with Daniel in Joseph's room with the window open to let the UV light in, and a fan blowing on us to keep us cool, flipping Daniel over every 10 mins. or so to keep him from getting burned. Then in the afternoon I do the same in my room. I use my own sun-sensitive skin as a gauge -- when I feel hot, I move the baby. I just realized we're also both getting lots of vitamin D this way. :)
On Monday, after yet another heel prick (his little feet are covered with pokes, poor baby) and doctor appt., we learned that his bilirubin level had stabilized at 17.7 -- .3 below danger zone! I'm sure it's due to all the prayers for him. We have another appointment tomorrow to make sure the level is going down -- the pediatrician can tell just by looking at him whether he's less yellow. I hope so -- it's been a long week of doing not much more than sitting and nursing! Part of the challenge, aside from avoiding sunburn and hyperthermia, was getting him to eat enough -- apparently jaundice-y babies get tired really easily, so after a couple minutes of nursing he kept falling asleep, only to wake up a few minutes later ravenously hungry again. It was driving me crazy because I felt like I couldn't do anything, like take my sitz baths! (*weep*) But after a day of my really trying hard to get him to stay awake long enough for a decent feeding, Daniel seems to have settled into a more normal routine of eat-wake-sleep, rather than eat-sleep-eat-sleep-eat-sleep-rinse-repeat. Yay!
For one thing, now that he has predictable nap times, I can Get Stuff Done, like organize the monstrous pile of maternity/non-maternity/nursing/off-season clothes in my closet that was preparing to take over the world shortly. So now I have more than 3 over-large maternity shirts to wear, huzzah! In the process I discovered some cute shirts I forgot I had, that ought to fit me again before long.
Another boon of the past week has been Daniel's nighttime sleeping habits -- he is a GOOD nighttime baby. Last night he actually went for a whole 4 HOUR STRETCH in between feedings!! It's amazing how well recovery goes when you can get a decent amount of sleep at night.
Of course, in all the ease of recovery, I have to give a lion's share of the credit to Mr. Pickles. He has done such a great job of taking over management of the household so I can get the rest I need. He is such a good husband and a good papa! It's obvious how much he loves his family. I don't know what I'm going to do when he goes back to work next week!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
We aim to please.
At the request of an adoring public, we are happy to provide more pictures of sweet gherkin #4, accompanied by #1-3.
oh, the cheeks!
The Big Sister. She is turning out to be a serious baby stealer -- I hardly got to hold Daniel the day after we got home!
tender little mommy
"Jojo turn!"
the proud big brother!
awww, kisses
He loves baby Danyo.
He can be SO tender and loving.
(isn't Aunt Katie gorgeous?)
They'll always be my babies.
oh, the cheeks!
The Big Sister. She is turning out to be a serious baby stealer -- I hardly got to hold Daniel the day after we got home!
tender little mommy
"Jojo turn!"
the proud big brother!
awww, kisses
He loves baby Danyo.He can be SO tender and loving.
(isn't Aunt Katie gorgeous?)
They'll always be my babies.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Okay, my turn.
Finally, all the gory details you've been waiting for!
First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone for all your prayers. I'm convinced it was through them that Daniel's birth went as well as it did.
So, where to begin? I guess Monday afternoon -- I'm sure some of you might have noticed how increasingly cranky I was getting (as evidenced by a certain FB status update). I was feeling seriously out of it by Monday evening, although I attributed it to the fact that I didn't get my USRDA of afternoon nap. I had spent the day getting several things ready to mail, doing laundry, and generally tidying up -- but not with the deranged sense of haste I usually experience during that last-minute pre-labor nesting phase. (Just ask Mr. Pickles about our 4th anniversary.) By the time the kids were in bed, I was seriously drained and incapable of coherent thought. We all headed to bed early that night. I had a couple strong-ish contractions, some of which were early-labor-owchie-ish, but nothing different from Sunday night. I fully expected to pass another night like that -- being woken up a couple times before finally settling in to a good night's sleep. (ha!) Well, I did get woken up a couple times, by contractions that were easily classified as early-labor-owchie-ish (for all the moms out there, you know the kind that turn your belly rock hard and pull on your lower back), but I was always able to go back to sleep afterwards.
Finally at midnight I had a contraction, got up to use the bathroom (because again as you moms know contractions always push on your bladder), and lay down to go back to sleep, but couldn't -- I had another contraction 5 minutes later. I also felt restless (WARNING! WARNING! AWOOGA! AWOOGA!) and didn't feel like lying down anymore. So paced around upstairs, leaning on walls or doorways or counters whenever I had a contraction, rubbing my lower belly in between times -- it felt like Daniel's bony shoulders were about ready to pop through. During all this pacing I had a moment where I marveled at the strength of the contractions this "early" -- I was dreading the car ride to the hospital in this state of discomfort. Finally after an hour of regular, intense contractions, I woke Mr. Pickles up and gave him an update. He bolted out of bed (I will never cease to marvel how he manages to be fully upright before he's fully awake) and ran around getting dressed, while I went to use the bathroom one more time. This time I felt a really odd sensation during a contraction -- almost like I wanted to push a little with the contraction -- but I thought, "Oh, that's silly, it's way too early." (FOREBODING...) When I came out I gave Mr. Pickles direction for which bags I wanted brought downstairs and a couple other last-minute things. Then I went to kiss Miriam goodbye and let her know we were leaving for the hospital, and asked her to say a little prayer for us. She woke up a little and said goodbye groggily. Then I tried to go downstairs, but I kept having these short, extremely intense contractions. "Hm, that's weird -- and annoying," I thought as I leaned against the banister and groaned. I timed a couple -- they seemed to be coming 2 minutes apart. Uh oh, not good. I began to have visions of delivering the baby in the car en route to the hospital, as happened to some good friends of mine. (There's a curve on the Beltway they named "Mariah's Curve" in their baby's honor.)
Fortunately for me at this point, I was fully entering Laborland, that state of mind women achieve when all they can think about is labor, and petty details like where they are cease to matter. I finally managed to make it downstairs, where I heard Mr. Pickles on the phone with the OB. By that time I was having another contraction, so I leaned against the piano (good ol' piano! What a support you were to me in my time of travail!) and made a noise which Mr. Pickles recognized unmistakably as the signal of the end of transition, which is immediately followed by pushing. I did indeed feel the baby's head suddenly VERY low, along with the beginnings of the urge to push, so I went running to the bathroom because I knew my water was about to burst any second. (My housewife's instincts remained intact -- there was no way I was going to make a mess all over my beige carpet!) Sure enough I could feel the bulge from the bag of waters RIGHT THERE and ready to pop. By this time the contractions had slowed down so I was able to catch my breath and think a little more clearly, so I just laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation and called to Mr. Pickles, "Guess what, hon? The baby's coming NOW!" I dimly heard his conversation with the OB suddenly shift gears as another contraction popped the bag of waters (all of which were happily contained, with not a drop on even the bathroom tile!).
Next followed a scene which from my vantage point made me chuckle at all the panic I was causing. I had full confidence in my body to birth this baby, thanks to our good Bradley training and 3 previous natural births, so I really wasn't worried. I was in the Zone, and in between pushes I was vaguely aware of Mr. Pickles and Aunt Katie running around in a frenzy, Katie encouraging me, Mr. Pickles throwing a HUGE armful of little rags into the bathroom while he called 911. Realizing that SOMEONE with a clear head needed to take charge I called out for a larger towel to wrap the baby in, and a dishpan to squat over (I was NOT going to deliver the baby into the toilet, ew). When these items arrived I squatted over the pan and found a position that was the most comfortable. (I know Mom B. asked me exactly how I squatted, but I cannot for the life of me describe it, since I don't know how I did it myself. I am not a good squatter -- I always get cramps in my legs -- but desperate times calls for desperate measures! And besides, it really was the most comfortable position to birth in.) I could feel the baby's head crowning almost right away. I noted with some satisfaction that it seemed to be as full a head of hair as our other babies. I also noticed that my skin seemed to be stretched awfully tight -- but it didn't really hurt, or maybe there was so much else going on that that was just one more sensation that wasn't able to compete.
At any rate, Mr. Pickles was right there, squatting down and supporting me, all the while giving updates to and relaying instructions from the EM person on the phone. At her insistence he and Katie lay a towel on the floor, and he was trying to encourage me to lie down on the towel -- I'm assuming to slow down the labor to wait for the ambulance to arrive. Now I'm laughing at myself because once again my stubbornness reared its head, as it did at Joseph's birth. Why in the world should I cause myself unnecessary discomfort just for the sake of some other person's convenience? I was perfectly happy and comfortable and in charge squatting over my little basin, tyvm. I even asked Mr. Pickles, "WHY do they want me to lie down?" For another thing, I just couldn't see how it was going to work logistically -- I had a baby head hanging partway out of me, for crying out loud! How was I supposed to move??
Finally, finally, ah blessed relief! I gave a couple gentle little pushes, and the baby's head popped out, quickly followed by the rest of his body. I should have had Mr. Pickles catch my gift to him, the fruition of his gift to me, but I guess we were all a little distracted at that point and not thinking very much about the philosophical side of things. So I actually held the baby's head while his body splashed down into the tub, along with everything else that comes when baby makes his grand entrance into the world. (And once again, mess contained! Go SuperHousewife!) I vaguely remember hearing Mr. Pickles exclaiming into the phone that the baby was born, while sirens wailed in the distance. The baby let out one little wail as I scooped it into my arms and wrapped it in a towel that magically appeared in my hands. I asked Mr. Pickles to check the baby's sex -- a boy! Another player for Daddy's team! I thought how happy Miriam would be. I turned off the bathroom light so the baby's eyes wouldn't be overwhelmed. He just cuddled in my arms and looked around, slightly dazed, small blame to him! He was so quiet that after a few moments I was worried about his breathing, so I blew gently on his face to trigger the inhalation reflex. Well, he did NOT appreciate that and let me know it in no uncertain terms, so that was a relief.
Just about this time -- not 2 minutes after splashdown -- the ambulance team arrived. This part is even more hazy, even 2 days after, because I was seriously pumped up on new mother's high. I do remember while they were all introducing themselves and asking questions someone suggested that the cord should be cut. I checked it and could still feel it pulsing, and didn't feel comfortable having it cut before the baby was done with it -- there's a HUGE transition that needs to happen in the baby's heart before he can breathe comfortably. But no one seemed to be in any hurry. One tech commented on the fact that the baby was pinking up nicely, although he still got a bulb syringe and (to my mind) hesitatingly attempted to suction out the baby's nose and mouth -- but I don't know if he even got anything out. I asked for another towel for the baby, since by this time the one he was wrapped in was pretty soaked and getting cold. Then I began to feel another gentle urge to push, so while the techs were talking amongst themselves I was able to pop the placenta out with no trouble. (Let me assure you, gentle readers, that there is nothing more romantic or spiritual about delivering the placenta by yourself in your own home than in the hospital. It's still bizarre and disgusting looking.) (Also, for some reason, the nurses in the hospital later seemed the most impressed by this. Really? Delivering a blubbery organ 1/3 the size of a bony baby is a big deal? Okay...) Finally the tech clamped and cut the cord with nary a word of protest from me.
Now, this whole time you may remember I had been squatting over my baby-catching basin, and as I'm sure you can imagine my legs were getting pretty tired. I was wondering how I could lower myself to the floor and not fall over. Even now I don't remember what I did -- but somehow I got positioned comfortably enough so I could give Daniel a chance to nurse for a few moments. He clamped right on with no problem. Eventually an ambulance bed magically materialized in the foyer, and I was encouraged to stumble over to it. Someone must have been holding the baby for me (Miriam says it was Mr. Pickles) as I managed to get up and hobble over. I was afraid of getting faint -- at the hospital the nurses are VERY nervous about you standing up right after the baby is born -- but actually I felt pretty good. I was most embarrassed about the mess I knew I was going to leave on the bed. It was at this point that I wondered whether I had torn or not -- no one seemed to be concerned enough to check, though, so I was assured that if I were in trouble they would let me know. As they were getting ready to wheel me to the ambulance I was trying to give Aunt Katie coherent instructions for what to do with the kids in the morning. I also commented after I lay down, "Oh, it's SOOO good to have a flat stomach again!" (Not that it's really flat yet -- but being Not Pregnant Anymore is so heavenly!) Finally the bed was bumped down the steps and into the ambulance, and various cords and wires and things were attached to the baby and me to check our vitals. Everything looked good, although my blood pressure was a little high -- but the techs said that was understandable considering the circumstances and they were willing to cut me a little slack. :)
Mr. Pickles was sitting in the ambulance with me, holding the baby, and the tech asked us what name we had picked. Before he was born we hadn't absolutely decided on a boy's name, since I was SO sure it was a girl. (My vibes deceived me!) But we had a couple names in various combinations, so when the tech asked, it was really Mr. Pickles who finally chose it -- Daniel James. We thought that the righteous man from the Old Testament who refused to compromise on religious principles in the face of political persecution, in addition to the first Apostle to be martyred, were good patrons to have in these times.
Well, that ambulance ride was something to be remembered. After Mr. Pickles left the ambulance to go inside and make a few quick phone calls before he followed in the van, Daniel and I were safely snuggled together and escorted in our chariot to the hospital where he was SUPPOSED to be born. Let me tell you, riding in an ambulance immediately after having given birth is not an experience I care to have repeated. It was basically about as comfortable as bouncing along in the back of a pickup truck along country roads. Thankfully the ride was short, since it was the middle of the night and the driver made good use of the siren. One of the techs commented on what a big night it was for little Daniel -- he got to ride in an ambulance within an hour of being born! Indeed, if Joseph knew that he missed seeing BOTH an ambulance AND a fire truck AT HIS HOUSE he would be inconsolable!
Finally we arrived and were wheeled up to our L&D room where I was met by my OB, who laughingly recounted her conversation with Mr. Pickles. She was amazed at how calm and matter-of-fact he sounded when he realized the baby was going to be born immanently. After I was cleaned up the doctor noted that I had torn, which surprised me a little since I hadn't felt any serious pain during or after the birth. Meanwhile an attending nurse had taken charge of Daniel, and she kept exclaiming over how big he was. I was expecting him to be around 8 lbs, which to me seemed large, compared to my other 7-lb. babies. When she weighed him I experienced my second shock of the night -- not only had I delivered my own baby at home, but I had delivered a 10 pound, 7 ounce bruiser in my own home! TEN stinkin' pounds!! At that point I felt sorry for my poor perineum and was willing to cut it some slack for having torn. The nurse kept measuring and marveling at Daniel's size. I kept thinking to myself, well no wonder I had felt so uncomfortable the last few weeks, and why at my last OB appt. the doc mentioned that I was measuring large! Sheesh.
After the doctor stitched me up and another nurse finished asking me a zillion questions, Mr. Pickles finally arrived. I was so glad to see him again -- I was especially glad when he finally had a chance to hold his boy. I got to nurse Daniel a couple times, and he drifted off into peaceful oblivion of all the commotion his hasty arrival had caused.
the tired, proud, dazed Papa
You know, I'd always been open to the idea of having a home birth. I like the thought of laboring at home, having the freedom to move around as I like without being Messed With, being the one in charge without having to worry about violating someone else's policy. I was always concerned with what came after, however -- what happens when the midwives leave and you're on your own? I feel that I got the best of both worlds this way -- the complete freedom of a home birth, with the security and convenience of a hospital stay! :)
So now we're all home -- I opted to leave a day early since Daniel and I were both doing so well, and I know the kids really wanted us home. They were completely enamored with him -- it's adorable seeing how tender Joseph is with him (in between pulling his hair, wiggling his ears, and honking his nose, that is).
And I am so, so, so thankful that everything went as well as it did. There are just so many variables at play in a birth that things could have gone sour very quickly. But I could feel Daniel moving around all through the labor; there was no meconium in the water; he came out very easily; the cord wasn't wrapped around anything; the placenta came out intact; I suffered only a 2nd-degree tear; the delivery was so quick (10 mins from the time the waters broke to his birth!) that he didn't have time to pick up any Group-B strep germs from me; he was able to breathe right away. I'm actually also grateful that he was born at home -- and not just for the reason that I'll be able to hold this over his head for the rest of his life -- he was SO BIG that I'm not sure how a hospital delivery would have gone. I don't know if I would have had so much freedom in choosing a delivery position. As it was I didn't notice how big he was b/c by squatting I was able to open my pelvis as wide as it could go, plus I had gravity on my side! I can't even imagine the agony that delivering on my back would have been.
The funny thing about all this, to me, is how awed people seem to be. I don't really feel like I did anything so spectacular (well, giving birth to a TEN POUND BABY is something) -- I just tried to keep up with the roller coaster that was Daniel's birth! Thankfully God has blessed me with a clear head in crises, so I was able to keep calm and take things as they came. I also had lots of preparation -- the Bradley classes before Miriam was born, 3 natural births of varying intensity, some last-minute childbirth prep reading (specifically Birthing From Within), plus those wacky dreams! So I was able to keep my head and laugh at the situation I found myself in.
Again, it's all due to God's grace and your prayers. Thank you, thank you so much to everyone who was praying for us. Know that you played an extremely important role in Daniel's birth too! I'm grateful to my darling husband for his ability to keep his head and take charge in a crazy situation. He is a most amazing man. I wouldn't have felt so confident without his strong presence, just knowing I could trust him to take care of us. I'm also thankful that Aunt Katie was with us -- she was rushing around helping to fetch things, and she was there to explain to an amazed Miriam what was going on. She also helped Miriam get back to sleep when all the commotion was over, and in the morning got all the kids up and dressed and ready to go so Mr. Pickles could sleep. Everyone should have an Aunt Katie!
Finally, I want to say an especial thank you to our dear friend Trish, who picked up the kids early Tuesday morning and kept them at her house and fed them and entertained them and sacrificed her 3yo's nap so Joseph could sleep at their house -- ALL ON HER BIRTHDAY!!! Trish, you are really one in a million and I'm so thankful for our friendship! We seriously owe you one.
So, some final stats:
Gestational Age: 40 wks, 4 days
Length of Active Labor: 1.5 hrs.
Date/Time of birth: June 15, 2010 at 1:34 am
Apgar: 7/8
Weight: 10 lbs., 7 oz. (TEN POUNDS!)
Length: 22"
Head: 14 1/4"
Chest: 14"
Mom: SO happy to be not pregnant anymore!
(more pictures to follow!)
First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone for all your prayers. I'm convinced it was through them that Daniel's birth went as well as it did.
So, where to begin? I guess Monday afternoon -- I'm sure some of you might have noticed how increasingly cranky I was getting (as evidenced by a certain FB status update). I was feeling seriously out of it by Monday evening, although I attributed it to the fact that I didn't get my USRDA of afternoon nap. I had spent the day getting several things ready to mail, doing laundry, and generally tidying up -- but not with the deranged sense of haste I usually experience during that last-minute pre-labor nesting phase. (Just ask Mr. Pickles about our 4th anniversary.) By the time the kids were in bed, I was seriously drained and incapable of coherent thought. We all headed to bed early that night. I had a couple strong-ish contractions, some of which were early-labor-owchie-ish, but nothing different from Sunday night. I fully expected to pass another night like that -- being woken up a couple times before finally settling in to a good night's sleep. (ha!) Well, I did get woken up a couple times, by contractions that were easily classified as early-labor-owchie-ish (for all the moms out there, you know the kind that turn your belly rock hard and pull on your lower back), but I was always able to go back to sleep afterwards.
Finally at midnight I had a contraction, got up to use the bathroom (because again as you moms know contractions always push on your bladder), and lay down to go back to sleep, but couldn't -- I had another contraction 5 minutes later. I also felt restless (WARNING! WARNING! AWOOGA! AWOOGA!) and didn't feel like lying down anymore. So paced around upstairs, leaning on walls or doorways or counters whenever I had a contraction, rubbing my lower belly in between times -- it felt like Daniel's bony shoulders were about ready to pop through. During all this pacing I had a moment where I marveled at the strength of the contractions this "early" -- I was dreading the car ride to the hospital in this state of discomfort. Finally after an hour of regular, intense contractions, I woke Mr. Pickles up and gave him an update. He bolted out of bed (I will never cease to marvel how he manages to be fully upright before he's fully awake) and ran around getting dressed, while I went to use the bathroom one more time. This time I felt a really odd sensation during a contraction -- almost like I wanted to push a little with the contraction -- but I thought, "Oh, that's silly, it's way too early." (FOREBODING...) When I came out I gave Mr. Pickles direction for which bags I wanted brought downstairs and a couple other last-minute things. Then I went to kiss Miriam goodbye and let her know we were leaving for the hospital, and asked her to say a little prayer for us. She woke up a little and said goodbye groggily. Then I tried to go downstairs, but I kept having these short, extremely intense contractions. "Hm, that's weird -- and annoying," I thought as I leaned against the banister and groaned. I timed a couple -- they seemed to be coming 2 minutes apart. Uh oh, not good. I began to have visions of delivering the baby in the car en route to the hospital, as happened to some good friends of mine. (There's a curve on the Beltway they named "Mariah's Curve" in their baby's honor.)
Fortunately for me at this point, I was fully entering Laborland, that state of mind women achieve when all they can think about is labor, and petty details like where they are cease to matter. I finally managed to make it downstairs, where I heard Mr. Pickles on the phone with the OB. By that time I was having another contraction, so I leaned against the piano (good ol' piano! What a support you were to me in my time of travail!) and made a noise which Mr. Pickles recognized unmistakably as the signal of the end of transition, which is immediately followed by pushing. I did indeed feel the baby's head suddenly VERY low, along with the beginnings of the urge to push, so I went running to the bathroom because I knew my water was about to burst any second. (My housewife's instincts remained intact -- there was no way I was going to make a mess all over my beige carpet!) Sure enough I could feel the bulge from the bag of waters RIGHT THERE and ready to pop. By this time the contractions had slowed down so I was able to catch my breath and think a little more clearly, so I just laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation and called to Mr. Pickles, "Guess what, hon? The baby's coming NOW!" I dimly heard his conversation with the OB suddenly shift gears as another contraction popped the bag of waters (all of which were happily contained, with not a drop on even the bathroom tile!).
Next followed a scene which from my vantage point made me chuckle at all the panic I was causing. I had full confidence in my body to birth this baby, thanks to our good Bradley training and 3 previous natural births, so I really wasn't worried. I was in the Zone, and in between pushes I was vaguely aware of Mr. Pickles and Aunt Katie running around in a frenzy, Katie encouraging me, Mr. Pickles throwing a HUGE armful of little rags into the bathroom while he called 911. Realizing that SOMEONE with a clear head needed to take charge I called out for a larger towel to wrap the baby in, and a dishpan to squat over (I was NOT going to deliver the baby into the toilet, ew). When these items arrived I squatted over the pan and found a position that was the most comfortable. (I know Mom B. asked me exactly how I squatted, but I cannot for the life of me describe it, since I don't know how I did it myself. I am not a good squatter -- I always get cramps in my legs -- but desperate times calls for desperate measures! And besides, it really was the most comfortable position to birth in.) I could feel the baby's head crowning almost right away. I noted with some satisfaction that it seemed to be as full a head of hair as our other babies. I also noticed that my skin seemed to be stretched awfully tight -- but it didn't really hurt, or maybe there was so much else going on that that was just one more sensation that wasn't able to compete.
At any rate, Mr. Pickles was right there, squatting down and supporting me, all the while giving updates to and relaying instructions from the EM person on the phone. At her insistence he and Katie lay a towel on the floor, and he was trying to encourage me to lie down on the towel -- I'm assuming to slow down the labor to wait for the ambulance to arrive. Now I'm laughing at myself because once again my stubbornness reared its head, as it did at Joseph's birth. Why in the world should I cause myself unnecessary discomfort just for the sake of some other person's convenience? I was perfectly happy and comfortable and in charge squatting over my little basin, tyvm. I even asked Mr. Pickles, "WHY do they want me to lie down?" For another thing, I just couldn't see how it was going to work logistically -- I had a baby head hanging partway out of me, for crying out loud! How was I supposed to move??
Finally, finally, ah blessed relief! I gave a couple gentle little pushes, and the baby's head popped out, quickly followed by the rest of his body. I should have had Mr. Pickles catch my gift to him, the fruition of his gift to me, but I guess we were all a little distracted at that point and not thinking very much about the philosophical side of things. So I actually held the baby's head while his body splashed down into the tub, along with everything else that comes when baby makes his grand entrance into the world. (And once again, mess contained! Go SuperHousewife!) I vaguely remember hearing Mr. Pickles exclaiming into the phone that the baby was born, while sirens wailed in the distance. The baby let out one little wail as I scooped it into my arms and wrapped it in a towel that magically appeared in my hands. I asked Mr. Pickles to check the baby's sex -- a boy! Another player for Daddy's team! I thought how happy Miriam would be. I turned off the bathroom light so the baby's eyes wouldn't be overwhelmed. He just cuddled in my arms and looked around, slightly dazed, small blame to him! He was so quiet that after a few moments I was worried about his breathing, so I blew gently on his face to trigger the inhalation reflex. Well, he did NOT appreciate that and let me know it in no uncertain terms, so that was a relief.
Just about this time -- not 2 minutes after splashdown -- the ambulance team arrived. This part is even more hazy, even 2 days after, because I was seriously pumped up on new mother's high. I do remember while they were all introducing themselves and asking questions someone suggested that the cord should be cut. I checked it and could still feel it pulsing, and didn't feel comfortable having it cut before the baby was done with it -- there's a HUGE transition that needs to happen in the baby's heart before he can breathe comfortably. But no one seemed to be in any hurry. One tech commented on the fact that the baby was pinking up nicely, although he still got a bulb syringe and (to my mind) hesitatingly attempted to suction out the baby's nose and mouth -- but I don't know if he even got anything out. I asked for another towel for the baby, since by this time the one he was wrapped in was pretty soaked and getting cold. Then I began to feel another gentle urge to push, so while the techs were talking amongst themselves I was able to pop the placenta out with no trouble. (Let me assure you, gentle readers, that there is nothing more romantic or spiritual about delivering the placenta by yourself in your own home than in the hospital. It's still bizarre and disgusting looking.) (Also, for some reason, the nurses in the hospital later seemed the most impressed by this. Really? Delivering a blubbery organ 1/3 the size of a bony baby is a big deal? Okay...) Finally the tech clamped and cut the cord with nary a word of protest from me.
Now, this whole time you may remember I had been squatting over my baby-catching basin, and as I'm sure you can imagine my legs were getting pretty tired. I was wondering how I could lower myself to the floor and not fall over. Even now I don't remember what I did -- but somehow I got positioned comfortably enough so I could give Daniel a chance to nurse for a few moments. He clamped right on with no problem. Eventually an ambulance bed magically materialized in the foyer, and I was encouraged to stumble over to it. Someone must have been holding the baby for me (Miriam says it was Mr. Pickles) as I managed to get up and hobble over. I was afraid of getting faint -- at the hospital the nurses are VERY nervous about you standing up right after the baby is born -- but actually I felt pretty good. I was most embarrassed about the mess I knew I was going to leave on the bed. It was at this point that I wondered whether I had torn or not -- no one seemed to be concerned enough to check, though, so I was assured that if I were in trouble they would let me know. As they were getting ready to wheel me to the ambulance I was trying to give Aunt Katie coherent instructions for what to do with the kids in the morning. I also commented after I lay down, "Oh, it's SOOO good to have a flat stomach again!" (Not that it's really flat yet -- but being Not Pregnant Anymore is so heavenly!) Finally the bed was bumped down the steps and into the ambulance, and various cords and wires and things were attached to the baby and me to check our vitals. Everything looked good, although my blood pressure was a little high -- but the techs said that was understandable considering the circumstances and they were willing to cut me a little slack. :)
Mr. Pickles was sitting in the ambulance with me, holding the baby, and the tech asked us what name we had picked. Before he was born we hadn't absolutely decided on a boy's name, since I was SO sure it was a girl. (My vibes deceived me!) But we had a couple names in various combinations, so when the tech asked, it was really Mr. Pickles who finally chose it -- Daniel James. We thought that the righteous man from the Old Testament who refused to compromise on religious principles in the face of political persecution, in addition to the first Apostle to be martyred, were good patrons to have in these times.
Well, that ambulance ride was something to be remembered. After Mr. Pickles left the ambulance to go inside and make a few quick phone calls before he followed in the van, Daniel and I were safely snuggled together and escorted in our chariot to the hospital where he was SUPPOSED to be born. Let me tell you, riding in an ambulance immediately after having given birth is not an experience I care to have repeated. It was basically about as comfortable as bouncing along in the back of a pickup truck along country roads. Thankfully the ride was short, since it was the middle of the night and the driver made good use of the siren. One of the techs commented on what a big night it was for little Daniel -- he got to ride in an ambulance within an hour of being born! Indeed, if Joseph knew that he missed seeing BOTH an ambulance AND a fire truck AT HIS HOUSE he would be inconsolable!
Finally we arrived and were wheeled up to our L&D room where I was met by my OB, who laughingly recounted her conversation with Mr. Pickles. She was amazed at how calm and matter-of-fact he sounded when he realized the baby was going to be born immanently. After I was cleaned up the doctor noted that I had torn, which surprised me a little since I hadn't felt any serious pain during or after the birth. Meanwhile an attending nurse had taken charge of Daniel, and she kept exclaiming over how big he was. I was expecting him to be around 8 lbs, which to me seemed large, compared to my other 7-lb. babies. When she weighed him I experienced my second shock of the night -- not only had I delivered my own baby at home, but I had delivered a 10 pound, 7 ounce bruiser in my own home! TEN stinkin' pounds!! At that point I felt sorry for my poor perineum and was willing to cut it some slack for having torn. The nurse kept measuring and marveling at Daniel's size. I kept thinking to myself, well no wonder I had felt so uncomfortable the last few weeks, and why at my last OB appt. the doc mentioned that I was measuring large! Sheesh.
After the doctor stitched me up and another nurse finished asking me a zillion questions, Mr. Pickles finally arrived. I was so glad to see him again -- I was especially glad when he finally had a chance to hold his boy. I got to nurse Daniel a couple times, and he drifted off into peaceful oblivion of all the commotion his hasty arrival had caused.
the tired, proud, dazed PapaYou know, I'd always been open to the idea of having a home birth. I like the thought of laboring at home, having the freedom to move around as I like without being Messed With, being the one in charge without having to worry about violating someone else's policy. I was always concerned with what came after, however -- what happens when the midwives leave and you're on your own? I feel that I got the best of both worlds this way -- the complete freedom of a home birth, with the security and convenience of a hospital stay! :)
So now we're all home -- I opted to leave a day early since Daniel and I were both doing so well, and I know the kids really wanted us home. They were completely enamored with him -- it's adorable seeing how tender Joseph is with him (in between pulling his hair, wiggling his ears, and honking his nose, that is).
And I am so, so, so thankful that everything went as well as it did. There are just so many variables at play in a birth that things could have gone sour very quickly. But I could feel Daniel moving around all through the labor; there was no meconium in the water; he came out very easily; the cord wasn't wrapped around anything; the placenta came out intact; I suffered only a 2nd-degree tear; the delivery was so quick (10 mins from the time the waters broke to his birth!) that he didn't have time to pick up any Group-B strep germs from me; he was able to breathe right away. I'm actually also grateful that he was born at home -- and not just for the reason that I'll be able to hold this over his head for the rest of his life -- he was SO BIG that I'm not sure how a hospital delivery would have gone. I don't know if I would have had so much freedom in choosing a delivery position. As it was I didn't notice how big he was b/c by squatting I was able to open my pelvis as wide as it could go, plus I had gravity on my side! I can't even imagine the agony that delivering on my back would have been.
The funny thing about all this, to me, is how awed people seem to be. I don't really feel like I did anything so spectacular (well, giving birth to a TEN POUND BABY is something) -- I just tried to keep up with the roller coaster that was Daniel's birth! Thankfully God has blessed me with a clear head in crises, so I was able to keep calm and take things as they came. I also had lots of preparation -- the Bradley classes before Miriam was born, 3 natural births of varying intensity, some last-minute childbirth prep reading (specifically Birthing From Within), plus those wacky dreams! So I was able to keep my head and laugh at the situation I found myself in.
Again, it's all due to God's grace and your prayers. Thank you, thank you so much to everyone who was praying for us. Know that you played an extremely important role in Daniel's birth too! I'm grateful to my darling husband for his ability to keep his head and take charge in a crazy situation. He is a most amazing man. I wouldn't have felt so confident without his strong presence, just knowing I could trust him to take care of us. I'm also thankful that Aunt Katie was with us -- she was rushing around helping to fetch things, and she was there to explain to an amazed Miriam what was going on. She also helped Miriam get back to sleep when all the commotion was over, and in the morning got all the kids up and dressed and ready to go so Mr. Pickles could sleep. Everyone should have an Aunt Katie!
Finally, I want to say an especial thank you to our dear friend Trish, who picked up the kids early Tuesday morning and kept them at her house and fed them and entertained them and sacrificed her 3yo's nap so Joseph could sleep at their house -- ALL ON HER BIRTHDAY!!! Trish, you are really one in a million and I'm so thankful for our friendship! We seriously owe you one.
So, some final stats:
Gestational Age: 40 wks, 4 days
Length of Active Labor: 1.5 hrs.
Date/Time of birth: June 15, 2010 at 1:34 am
Apgar: 7/8
Weight: 10 lbs., 7 oz. (TEN POUNDS!)
Length: 22"
Head: 14 1/4"
Chest: 14"
Mom: SO happy to be not pregnant anymore!
(more pictures to follow!)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Baby Update
This is not a post to tell you about how pregnant Mrs. Pickles is. Nor will this post offer some humorously honest comic strips about what it's like. Instead, this post announces the arrival of the newest Pickle, Daniel James, who was born around 1:30 a.m. and weighed 10 lbs. 7 oz. Here are a few moving pictures from right after the blessed event.
No, those aren't the pictures you would typically expect to see, but then this birth was quite atypical too.
Mrs. P. hasn't had many strong, regular contractions the last week, just a number of strong contractions during the past 4-5 days. After waking up at midnight and experience contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour she woke me up. About 5 minutes later she had another contraction, and given it's strength I figured that something was different. It was exceedingly strong for early 1st stage labor. As Mrs. P. came down the stairs and walked to the front door, she headed towards the bathroom as she let out a sound that typically comes right before the baby. At that time I was speaking with the OB and had the following exchange towards the end of our conversation:
OB: "How far apart are the contractions?"
Mr. P: "Contractions have been 5 minutes apart for the last hour."
OB: "OK. Well, get to the hospital and I'll see you there."
Mr. P: "OK. Hold on a second. (To wife after she departed to bathroom) Honey? How are you doing? "
Mrs. P: "The baby's coming."
Mr. P: "Oh. Well, Dr., the baby's coming."
OB: "Oh! OK. Then you need to call an ambulance."
Mr. P: "OK. ... I need to dial 9-1-1, right?
OB: "Yes."
Mr. P: "OK. I call you later."
The next 10 minutes was a flurry of running and fetching towels, rags, and a bowl in preparation for the baby. I was on the phone with the EM assistant from 9-1-1 as she tried to give me directions, and I tried to direct Aunt Katie and tell her what I needed while listening to Mrs. P. tell me what she needed. All things considered it was a remarkably calm 10 minutes before Daniel's birth. I just stood there to help Mrs. P. balance while she basically delivered him herself. He came about 30 seconds before any of the EM people arrived, and we had him wrapped in a towel and ready to go. In the pictures above the first pic contains members of the EM team. The final picture is the grand chariot that drove Mrs. P. away to the hospital. The third pic of the bathroom is the tiny closet where she gave birth, so, at the end of it all, Mrs. P's dream came true--she really did get to give birth in a bathroom.
In the midst of this activity Miriam came downstairs to ask, "WHAT is going ON?" A fair question considering the commotion of having 5 people crammed into the small entry way of our house and our tiny bathroom.
Mrs. P was wisked off to the hospital, and I followed after calling some West Coast family. Heck, it was only 2:00 a.m., and I figured they might still be awake at 11:00.
Mom and baby are doing very well at the hospital. There's a lot to tell, and more than my exhausted mind can put to text at the moment. I'll leave that to Mrs. P. when she comes back home. Here's what you would probably see if you could visit Mrs. P. right now.
As I drove home from the hospital this morning I saw a magnificent sunrise, and I remembered the images I had in my head from the story of Noah after his 40 days in flood. I always imagined that he was greeted with a sunrise and the dove--promises of a new life and new hope. The picture doesn't do a VA sunrise justice, but if something is worth doing badly then it is still worth doing.
After I got home I was also greeted by a Robin (a sign of Spring) looking at me through the kitchen window. Mrs. P and I start another life this day, like Noah after the flood. Noah began with a washed world that depended on his care and his faithfulness to God. Our life begins again now with Daniel's dependence on us and our greater dependence on Christ. The story of The Church is filled with tales of suffering, adventure, excitement, joy, and wonder, and so it is with the domestic church too. Each child brings something new to a family--new reminders of our duties here on earth, reminders of our dependence and our humility, and reminders of the ineffable joys and wonders of the world to come. We look forward to seeing these again in our new baby, and to be greeted by all of the challenges and sanctification that'll come to us with him.
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
No, those aren't the pictures you would typically expect to see, but then this birth was quite atypical too.
Mrs. P. hasn't had many strong, regular contractions the last week, just a number of strong contractions during the past 4-5 days. After waking up at midnight and experience contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour she woke me up. About 5 minutes later she had another contraction, and given it's strength I figured that something was different. It was exceedingly strong for early 1st stage labor. As Mrs. P. came down the stairs and walked to the front door, she headed towards the bathroom as she let out a sound that typically comes right before the baby. At that time I was speaking with the OB and had the following exchange towards the end of our conversation:
OB: "How far apart are the contractions?"
Mr. P: "Contractions have been 5 minutes apart for the last hour."
OB: "OK. Well, get to the hospital and I'll see you there."
Mr. P: "OK. Hold on a second. (To wife after she departed to bathroom) Honey? How are you doing? "
Mrs. P: "The baby's coming."
Mr. P: "Oh. Well, Dr., the baby's coming."
OB: "Oh! OK. Then you need to call an ambulance."
Mr. P: "OK. ... I need to dial 9-1-1, right?
OB: "Yes."
Mr. P: "OK. I call you later."
The next 10 minutes was a flurry of running and fetching towels, rags, and a bowl in preparation for the baby. I was on the phone with the EM assistant from 9-1-1 as she tried to give me directions, and I tried to direct Aunt Katie and tell her what I needed while listening to Mrs. P. tell me what she needed. All things considered it was a remarkably calm 10 minutes before Daniel's birth. I just stood there to help Mrs. P. balance while she basically delivered him herself. He came about 30 seconds before any of the EM people arrived, and we had him wrapped in a towel and ready to go. In the pictures above the first pic contains members of the EM team. The final picture is the grand chariot that drove Mrs. P. away to the hospital. The third pic of the bathroom is the tiny closet where she gave birth, so, at the end of it all, Mrs. P's dream came true--she really did get to give birth in a bathroom.
In the midst of this activity Miriam came downstairs to ask, "WHAT is going ON?" A fair question considering the commotion of having 5 people crammed into the small entry way of our house and our tiny bathroom.
Mrs. P was wisked off to the hospital, and I followed after calling some West Coast family. Heck, it was only 2:00 a.m., and I figured they might still be awake at 11:00.
Mom and baby are doing very well at the hospital. There's a lot to tell, and more than my exhausted mind can put to text at the moment. I'll leave that to Mrs. P. when she comes back home. Here's what you would probably see if you could visit Mrs. P. right now.
As I drove home from the hospital this morning I saw a magnificent sunrise, and I remembered the images I had in my head from the story of Noah after his 40 days in flood. I always imagined that he was greeted with a sunrise and the dove--promises of a new life and new hope. The picture doesn't do a VA sunrise justice, but if something is worth doing badly then it is still worth doing.
After I got home I was also greeted by a Robin (a sign of Spring) looking at me through the kitchen window. Mrs. P and I start another life this day, like Noah after the flood. Noah began with a washed world that depended on his care and his faithfulness to God. Our life begins again now with Daniel's dependence on us and our greater dependence on Christ. The story of The Church is filled with tales of suffering, adventure, excitement, joy, and wonder, and so it is with the domestic church too. Each child brings something new to a family--new reminders of our duties here on earth, reminders of our dependence and our humility, and reminders of the ineffable joys and wonders of the world to come. We look forward to seeing these again in our new baby, and to be greeted by all of the challenges and sanctification that'll come to us with him.
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
Monday, June 14, 2010
STILL pregnant.
No baby yet. It's still comfortably inside, getting bigger and bigger and lower and lower. But no labor yet. Last night I had a couple strong contractions that woke me up and made me say "Ow" -- but they tapered off some time during the night. And I woke up... still pregnant.
Going this late has been very humbling. I made the mistake of looking at the scale at my last appointment.
Ouch.
Walking is getting... interesting. I can feel my pelvic bones bouncing.
I've had 2 dreams in the last week about giving birth to the baby... in two different bathrooms. I dreamed that I didn't feel any strong contractions, just a sudden strong urge to push, and pop! there was baby!
I'm wondering if my dreams are trying to tell me something and I should get a tarp just in case....
So here I am, just waiting, taking walks and drinking my raspberry leaf tea. I'm trying to keep busy with the usual household stuff -- keeping up on laundry, especially -- trying not to worry about how big this baby will be, or whether I'll have to be induced. I hope to be able to give this baby the gift of a natural birth as well, but I tell it that it has to cooperate with me!
Maybe I should use this time to finish the maternity/nursing dress I started when I was pregnant with Joseph. You know, over two years ago.
Going this late has been very humbling. I made the mistake of looking at the scale at my last appointment.
Ouch.
Walking is getting... interesting. I can feel my pelvic bones bouncing.
I've had 2 dreams in the last week about giving birth to the baby... in two different bathrooms. I dreamed that I didn't feel any strong contractions, just a sudden strong urge to push, and pop! there was baby!I'm wondering if my dreams are trying to tell me something and I should get a tarp just in case....
So here I am, just waiting, taking walks and drinking my raspberry leaf tea. I'm trying to keep busy with the usual household stuff -- keeping up on laundry, especially -- trying not to worry about how big this baby will be, or whether I'll have to be induced. I hope to be able to give this baby the gift of a natural birth as well, but I tell it that it has to cooperate with me!
Maybe I should use this time to finish the maternity/nursing dress I started when I was pregnant with Joseph. You know, over two years ago.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Belly Update
My belly is no longer rounded. It is square. It has angles.
Yep, this about sums it up. (sorry so small -- click on the comic to read it)
This baby is officially the latest of all our children. However, I just found out (thanks, Rie!) that the baby's due date, June 11, is also the feast of St. Tochmura, the patron saint of women in labor. Coincidence? Or Providence? Cross your fingers, everyone!
Yep, this about sums it up. (sorry so small -- click on the comic to read it)This baby is officially the latest of all our children. However, I just found out (thanks, Rie!) that the baby's due date, June 11, is also the feast of St. Tochmura, the patron saint of women in labor. Coincidence? Or Providence? Cross your fingers, everyone!
Monday, June 07, 2010
Still Standing!
Well, figuratively. I try to sit down as much as possible these days.
So that puts Katie B., Kim, Dave, Joe, and our Katie-in-residence out of the running. For a while I thought the baby might come yesterday -- I was having contractions about every 5 mins. on Saturday evening, and a couple even woke me up during the night, but they weren't real labor contractions, just the annoying getting-stronger-every-day "practice" contractions. I still get the feeling it's close though -- sometimes I feel like the baby's head is ready to pop right out my abdominal wall (or maybe those are the shoulders?).
Mom & Dad B., you haven't chimed in yet! Where's your gambling spirit?
So that puts Katie B., Kim, Dave, Joe, and our Katie-in-residence out of the running. For a while I thought the baby might come yesterday -- I was having contractions about every 5 mins. on Saturday evening, and a couple even woke me up during the night, but they weren't real labor contractions, just the annoying getting-stronger-every-day "practice" contractions. I still get the feeling it's close though -- sometimes I feel like the baby's head is ready to pop right out my abdominal wall (or maybe those are the shoulders?).
Mom & Dad B., you haven't chimed in yet! Where's your gambling spirit?
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