Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Pumpkin Farm
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| happy on the hay ride |
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| watching the family carve pumpkins |
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
One Month Dr Appointment
We saw Dr Jen today for our one month checkup. All seems to be improving. Keegan's belly is less upset- and though he still is having some trouble with gas, spit up and choking because of my excess milk supply things are much better than they were two weeks ago as he is not suffering pain or having any bloody poops. Dr Jen assures me that if I just keep doing what I am doing most of this should resolve by 6- 8 weeks- which in theory means we are halfway there and since this last month has FLOWN by I think we can make it.
Keegan weighs 12 pounds, 6.5 oz so while he is still gaining rapidly- his weight gain has actually slowed slightly which is a good thing. His physical exam went well and we got some advice about bottle feeding since I start part time work in just two short weeks. Assuming all continues to go well Keegan's next appointment is at two months- I hope things keep just improving and we don't have to go anywhere before then :)
Keegan weighs 12 pounds, 6.5 oz so while he is still gaining rapidly- his weight gain has actually slowed slightly which is a good thing. His physical exam went well and we got some advice about bottle feeding since I start part time work in just two short weeks. Assuming all continues to go well Keegan's next appointment is at two months- I hope things keep just improving and we don't have to go anywhere before then :)
One Month Old
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| Hey everyone my little brother is 1 month old! |
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Brotherly Love
Grayson so very much loves his brother. He loves to hold him and help him. He loves to wipe his face with the burp cloth, wash him in the tub, hold his head while he is nursing, sit with him on the couch, talk to him in his crib, play with him during tummy time.... honestly he is just the most lovely boy and kindest big brother. There are certainly moments of jealously, certainly moments of frustration at having to wait but honestly Grayson is so kind and caring and concerned about Keegan- it warms my heart and I feel so blessed.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
I Just Can't Win
With Grayson I thought I had suffered every bit of breastfeeding drama possible- low supply, cracked nipples, breast trauma, mastitis, crying and hungry baby, dairy sensitivity, and more..... I really thought we had gone through it all and survived- G is still nursing at 24 months and I thought we had figured it out.
Then Keegan was born and it all seemed to be going so very well- he latched well, was gaining weight, nursing frequently but then sleeping nice long stretches. At least for two weeks and two days- and then it all changed...
Then our sweet sleepy baby was replaced with a fiery, cranky, gassy baby with nasty green poop with little bits of blood in it... and then mommy cried- and then we went to our new pediatrician and then there was an answer!
Turns out I have too much milk- REALLY?!?! too much milk- who would EVER have thought that was possible. But because I have too much milk Keegan is really only getting the sugary foremilk and not the fatty hindmilk- so his tummy is upset from too much sugar, he always feels hungry, is gassy, has icky poop and in general feels crappy all because I have too much milk (I still am having a hard time wrapping my head around this.)
The plan is now to feed Keegan only from one side for a three to four hour stretch and try to get him to get all the milk out, use breast compressions to get the nice fatty stuff out of the deep part of the breast and pump the opposite side if I need to in order to try to avoid clogged ducts and mastitis. Hopefully this will get more fat in Keegan's diet meaning his belly will be less upset and he might actually sleep again someday which means I might sleep again someday :)
Hopefully the solution really is this simple, that all I have to do is switch breasts less frequently and within a few weeks my body will regulate so that we can go back to some sort of normal.
Wish us luck- darn boobs just can't seem to get this deal right.
Then Keegan was born and it all seemed to be going so very well- he latched well, was gaining weight, nursing frequently but then sleeping nice long stretches. At least for two weeks and two days- and then it all changed...
Then our sweet sleepy baby was replaced with a fiery, cranky, gassy baby with nasty green poop with little bits of blood in it... and then mommy cried- and then we went to our new pediatrician and then there was an answer!
Turns out I have too much milk- REALLY?!?! too much milk- who would EVER have thought that was possible. But because I have too much milk Keegan is really only getting the sugary foremilk and not the fatty hindmilk- so his tummy is upset from too much sugar, he always feels hungry, is gassy, has icky poop and in general feels crappy all because I have too much milk (I still am having a hard time wrapping my head around this.)
The plan is now to feed Keegan only from one side for a three to four hour stretch and try to get him to get all the milk out, use breast compressions to get the nice fatty stuff out of the deep part of the breast and pump the opposite side if I need to in order to try to avoid clogged ducts and mastitis. Hopefully this will get more fat in Keegan's diet meaning his belly will be less upset and he might actually sleep again someday which means I might sleep again someday :)
Hopefully the solution really is this simple, that all I have to do is switch breasts less frequently and within a few weeks my body will regulate so that we can go back to some sort of normal.
Wish us luck- darn boobs just can't seem to get this deal right.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Two week Dr Appointment
Keegan had his two week check up today. Dr Jen Thomas is our new pediatrician and so this was our first appointment with her as a family- and it went really well.
Keegan's physical exam was unremarkable- nothing of note as all is well :) He weighed in at exactly 11 pounds (!!!) far surpassing the goal of regaining his birthweight by two weeks of age.
Dr Jen helped us a bit with our latch too- on the left side right at the beginning of nursing I feel a bit of pain that lasts only about 5 seconds but it really hurts. Dr Jen showed us a few different ways to adjust Keegan's head and body position to try to decrease the odds of a bad latch or pain for me that could impact our nursing relationship.
Dr Jen also advised us to avoid giving Keegan anything other than breastmilk at this point (and for the next six months) - no gripe water, no vitamins (apparently if I take 4000-6000 IUs of Vitamin D a day enough of that will pass to him that he doesn't need supplementation himself), nothing. Mom and Ryan had already dosed him with gripe water once and I have given him about 4 doses of Vitamin D- so we can't go back and undo those doses but we can avoid giving him anything else for the next 5.5 months.
His next appointment with Dr Jen is in two weeks, and then a month after that.
Keegan's physical exam was unremarkable- nothing of note as all is well :) He weighed in at exactly 11 pounds (!!!) far surpassing the goal of regaining his birthweight by two weeks of age.
Dr Jen helped us a bit with our latch too- on the left side right at the beginning of nursing I feel a bit of pain that lasts only about 5 seconds but it really hurts. Dr Jen showed us a few different ways to adjust Keegan's head and body position to try to decrease the odds of a bad latch or pain for me that could impact our nursing relationship.
Dr Jen also advised us to avoid giving Keegan anything other than breastmilk at this point (and for the next six months) - no gripe water, no vitamins (apparently if I take 4000-6000 IUs of Vitamin D a day enough of that will pass to him that he doesn't need supplementation himself), nothing. Mom and Ryan had already dosed him with gripe water once and I have given him about 4 doses of Vitamin D- so we can't go back and undo those doses but we can avoid giving him anything else for the next 5.5 months.
His next appointment with Dr Jen is in two weeks, and then a month after that.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Two weeks old
Keegan is two weeks old already and precious as can be. He sleeps for up to five hours some nights as long as we wake him up every two hours all day long for him to nurse. He likes going for walks and being outside - and we have been blessed with AMAZING weather in the low to mid 70s and sunny every day since we have been home from the hospital so we have been outside almost every day. He eats a lot! nurses a ton! but in general has thusfar been a very chill and cool baby. He is healthy, seems happy and we are feeling super lucky these days all around.
Monday, October 3, 2011
One Week Old
He is fabulous as well- he is eating really well, nursing seems to pretty much be second nature to him, and once he has a full belly sometimes he will sleep for almost 3 hours. He likes to be awake and look around at his brother and the lights for up to 30 minutes at a time and then nurse and sleep and snuggle. He even sleeps on his own on occassion in the Rock n Play - though he much prefers to snuggle in bed with momma.
Mimi has been here most of the week to entertain Grayson while the family gets used to our newest member- and it has been super helpful. When Grayson gets up from his nap he and Mimi have been going for a walk or heading outside to play while Mommy and Keegan nap. Then we all reconvene for dinner and the evening time.
Grayson is being a wonderful big brother so far- he loves his baby, asks for his baby when he wakes up in the morning or after nap, helps his baby get momma milk by 'holding' the milk for Keegan and patting his face with the burp cloth, he pets Keegan's head while his diaper is changed, sits next to us on the couch while Keegan is nursing and brings his blue baby (toy) to get milk on the other side. Grayson has been doing a good job of being patient so far and of sharing his momma- though I am trying to make a big effort to make special time for him each day. Grayson is more worried about Keegan being happy and getting milk and snuggles than he is about himself- what a lovely and kind big brother! Hopefully we can manage to make special time for both boys and they keep getting along as well as they are so far.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
No more heel sticks
Keegan's bilirubin level when we left the hospital was 9.1, on Thursday it was 15.3, by Friday it was up to 16.2....which meant that Saturday we had to take poor sweet boy to Children's Hospital for yet another heel stick to measure the bilirubin level again. I really struggled with taking him, but Dr Esser felt it was important so I caved and did. Everything I had read indicated that his levels were nowhere near concerning and that since he is nursing so well and having lots of wet and poopy diapers AND is already gaining weight, is alert, active, crying, etc there really are no signs of jaundice impacting him. But Ryan said if Dr Esser is our doctor and we have chosen him for our children's care then we should trust him and go- so go we did.
On the drive home with a crying baby who must just be so sick of having his heels pricked and his blood taken Dr Esser called and let us know that the bilirubin level had stabilized and was exactly 16.2. Therefore there is no need for any more testing! No more heel sticks! No more blood samples! No more trips to hospitals or labs! Now we can all just settle in and snuggle. We are so lucky that we only had to make those trips for 3 days- seriously we recognize how blessed we are to have such healthy children and we hope they stay that way!
On the drive home with a crying baby who must just be so sick of having his heels pricked and his blood taken Dr Esser called and let us know that the bilirubin level had stabilized and was exactly 16.2. Therefore there is no need for any more testing! No more heel sticks! No more blood samples! No more trips to hospitals or labs! Now we can all just settle in and snuggle. We are so lucky that we only had to make those trips for 3 days- seriously we recognize how blessed we are to have such healthy children and we hope they stay that way!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Keegan's first Dr Appointment
When Keegan left the hospital his bilirubin level was a wee bit high at 9.1. Yesterday we took Grayson to his two year check up and Keegan tagged along- and Dr Esser drew some blood then to reveal a bilirubin level of 15.3. So today at Keegan's first official Dr appointment they took more blood to see what his level is today- hopefully it is under 17 and we can avoid phototherapy. Hopefully his good nursing, the fact that my milk has come in and the fact that his already gaining weight all mean his bilirubin levels will stabilize and we won't have to do anything else.
When Keegan left the hospital on 9-28 he weighed 9 lbs 5 oz, today on 9-30 he weighed 9 lbs 7.5 oz so he is already gaining weight! Dr Esser thought everything else looked good too (other than the slight yellow tinge to his skin of course). He thought maybe he felt a little click by his clavicle- that just maybe he had dislocated or fractured something on his way into the world- but he was unable to reproduce the sensation so he is unsure and I am unwilling to have Keegan exposed to radiation for nothing so we will just wait and see. Dr Esser recommended that we be a little careful in how we pick Keegan up- not picking him up under the arm pits- for at least a few weeks just in case his clavicle is out of wack.
We wait now for Dr Esser to call us with the bilirubin test results this evening and find out if we have to do anything. Then Keegan goes back in three weeks for a weight check and then for a regular two month appointment as long as all continues to be well.
Feeling lucky to have such healthy boys!
When Keegan left the hospital on 9-28 he weighed 9 lbs 5 oz, today on 9-30 he weighed 9 lbs 7.5 oz so he is already gaining weight! Dr Esser thought everything else looked good too (other than the slight yellow tinge to his skin of course). He thought maybe he felt a little click by his clavicle- that just maybe he had dislocated or fractured something on his way into the world- but he was unable to reproduce the sensation so he is unsure and I am unwilling to have Keegan exposed to radiation for nothing so we will just wait and see. Dr Esser recommended that we be a little careful in how we pick Keegan up- not picking him up under the arm pits- for at least a few weeks just in case his clavicle is out of wack.
We wait now for Dr Esser to call us with the bilirubin test results this evening and find out if we have to do anything. Then Keegan goes back in three weeks for a weight check and then for a regular two month appointment as long as all continues to be well.
Feeling lucky to have such healthy boys!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Story of Keegan's Arrival
All day Monday at work I felt a little off- a little back pain, a little tired, a little ...off but I didn't think anything about it- though I was dissappointed that I was unable to get into my chiropractor that afternoon. I worked all day and felt fine, and then came home and wanted to go run some errands with my guys. I felt like we spent most of the weekend sitting around the house since Ryan had hurt his back so I wanted to just get out and about for a little while. Ryan and Grayson and I went to the grocery store, picked up some dinner and ran an errand or two and then we came home.
While putting together the finishing touches on dinner at about 6:30 pm I noticed that my back was really starting to bother me and it was hard to pick up Grayson. Then while we were eating I noticed that my back was hurting in waves even if I wasn't moving.... and started to wonder if that meant labor was on its way.
Ryan turned on his phone timer and it turns out there was a wave of pain across my low back about every four minutes- interesting- so we decided to try to just pay attention to that and timing and see what happened.
At about 7:10 I called my mom in Illinois and told her that I thought things could be starting and asked her to consider driving up to stay with Grayson just in case - she was happy to skip her dinner and hop in the car :) Ryan and I kept timing the contractions and they were staying about 4 minutes apart, but only lasting about 40 seconds or so and I was very comfortable in between- it didn't seem like things were moving all that quickly but it was also clear that they weren't stopping either.
By 9:00 I was starting to get uncomfortable so I hopped in the shower while my mom and Ryan watched the baseball game. I also started to think of all the things I had forgotten to pack in my bag- my glasses case, deoderant, lotion.... and so I sent my mom up and down the stairs a dozen times fetching things for me while Ryan iced his back and waited for me to feel ready.
At about 9:50 I told Ry I thought it was time to call the Doctor and let them know things were moving ahead. We ended up leaving for the hospital at about 10:15 pm and while driving there the contractions were too intense to talk through or ignore but I felt totally fine in between each one and actually commented to Ryan that I hoped we weren't heading to the hospital too soon. (On the way to the hospital during my labor with Grayson I couldn't focus on anything other than the contractions the whole time- so this feeling fine between was totally new to me.)
We arrived at the hospital about 10:40 pm and I knew it wasn't too soon, we got up to Labor and Delivery and the nurses took one look at me as I was getting through a rough contraction and took us straight to a room and let us skip triage (Woo hoo!) When we got to the room I felt really nauseated and kept feeling like I had to throw up (though I never did) and couldn't sit down because the pain became too intense. The nurse needed to check me so I had to lay down for a minute and when she did she discovered I was already 7-8 cm and there was a bulging bag of water. They called Cheri for us (she wasn't even on call and they weren't certain she would be able to come in) and when the nurse told her how far I was she said she was on her way (yay!) Our nurses were AMAZING- they let me stand while they did the fetal monitoring so I could sway and move rather than be stuck on a bed, they skipped triage so we could go straight to a delivery room, they were kind, quiet and supportive and seriously wonderful.
Shortly thereafter Misty arrived and I was pacing the floor. My feet really hurt from standing in the shower for an hour at home and then pacing at the hospital and I found good relief from wearing my sandals while I walked. Cheri got there while I was pacing as well and we chatted and spent time between contractions- it was hard work but doable for a little while. That is until the contractions started to double on top of each other- then honestly things got pretty uncomfortable- I would have one long contraction and it would start to slow down and another would start right away with no break. Eventually the only thing that made anything feel okay was Ryan jamming his palms into my low back on each side of my spine and just pushing until the contraction stopped- that made it manageable. After a bit of this Cheri wanted to check me again- which I dreaded because that meant lying down which I *did not* want to do. But I did- and when Cheri said I was 8 with a bulging bag it didn't even register that not much had changed. Then she said she wanted to break my water and the first thing I said was that Bridges told me everything gets a lot more painful after that- Cheri said we were moving in that direction either way it was just how fast- so we decided to let Cheri do whatever she recommended (thanks Ry for reminding me to just trust her- I actually made him make the decision because I felt I couldn't decide anything at that time). The downfall of agreeing to have the water broken was that I had to stay laying down for a while and OMG that hurt- I felt like with each contraction I was flailing on the bed (though Ry and Misty say that wasn't the case) it was very intense. After Cheri broke the water I got back up and stood for all of two minutes (repeatedly asking for my shoes by the way) before I felt like I had to vomit- which again I did not do- and then felt the undeniable need to push. Thank goodness for the nurse and Cheri who got me back in the bed or I would not have been able to do it on my own. I did come to the conclusion somewhere around then that it hurt way worse this time- and no one seemed to disagree with me.
By the time I laid back down little man was on his way and there was no stopping him. Ry stood on my left, Misty stood on my right and Cheri talked me through it all. I closed my eyes, I was super focused and I had a baby boy. I have come to the conclusion that Cheri is a 'whisperer' of some sort- she knows the exact right thing to say at the exact right time-- amazing.
Keegan had the cord wrapped loosely around his neck one time and pooped on his way out but otherwise was awesome. His 1 minute Apgar score was 7, his 5 minute apgar score was a 9, he snuggled on my chest skin to skin for an hour before they took him to weigh him or measure him, he nursed well on the table, he did all of the most amazing new baby things. He was born safely, surrounded by love and my most favorite people, with no meds- just his pure, sweet self surrounded by my awesome cheerleaders and support people. Once again- it was all worth it- the chiropractic care, the supplements, the pain, the determination, the nutrition, the choosing of our team of special people, all of it came together to support our sweet boy as he was born.
Before Keegan was weighed and measured Cheri came back to say good night and head home, Dr Dolan (the MD on call) came in to say congrats- and tell Ryan he was right I was in labor :) and then it was just me and Ry and Misty and Keegan.
After about an hour or so they weighed and measured him- to reveal that it *might* have hurt more than with Grayson since he was a whole pound heavier!
We got to the hospital at 10:40 pm and at 11:27 pm Keegan Orlo Schmitz was born weighing 9 lbs 12.6 oz at 21.5 inches long and perfect in every way! We are truly blessed and so thankful for another safe delivery, another healthy son, another blessed experience.
While putting together the finishing touches on dinner at about 6:30 pm I noticed that my back was really starting to bother me and it was hard to pick up Grayson. Then while we were eating I noticed that my back was hurting in waves even if I wasn't moving.... and started to wonder if that meant labor was on its way.
Ryan turned on his phone timer and it turns out there was a wave of pain across my low back about every four minutes- interesting- so we decided to try to just pay attention to that and timing and see what happened.
At about 7:10 I called my mom in Illinois and told her that I thought things could be starting and asked her to consider driving up to stay with Grayson just in case - she was happy to skip her dinner and hop in the car :) Ryan and I kept timing the contractions and they were staying about 4 minutes apart, but only lasting about 40 seconds or so and I was very comfortable in between- it didn't seem like things were moving all that quickly but it was also clear that they weren't stopping either.
By 9:00 I was starting to get uncomfortable so I hopped in the shower while my mom and Ryan watched the baseball game. I also started to think of all the things I had forgotten to pack in my bag- my glasses case, deoderant, lotion.... and so I sent my mom up and down the stairs a dozen times fetching things for me while Ryan iced his back and waited for me to feel ready.
At about 9:50 I told Ry I thought it was time to call the Doctor and let them know things were moving ahead. We ended up leaving for the hospital at about 10:15 pm and while driving there the contractions were too intense to talk through or ignore but I felt totally fine in between each one and actually commented to Ryan that I hoped we weren't heading to the hospital too soon. (On the way to the hospital during my labor with Grayson I couldn't focus on anything other than the contractions the whole time- so this feeling fine between was totally new to me.)
We arrived at the hospital about 10:40 pm and I knew it wasn't too soon, we got up to Labor and Delivery and the nurses took one look at me as I was getting through a rough contraction and took us straight to a room and let us skip triage (Woo hoo!) When we got to the room I felt really nauseated and kept feeling like I had to throw up (though I never did) and couldn't sit down because the pain became too intense. The nurse needed to check me so I had to lay down for a minute and when she did she discovered I was already 7-8 cm and there was a bulging bag of water. They called Cheri for us (she wasn't even on call and they weren't certain she would be able to come in) and when the nurse told her how far I was she said she was on her way (yay!) Our nurses were AMAZING- they let me stand while they did the fetal monitoring so I could sway and move rather than be stuck on a bed, they skipped triage so we could go straight to a delivery room, they were kind, quiet and supportive and seriously wonderful.
Shortly thereafter Misty arrived and I was pacing the floor. My feet really hurt from standing in the shower for an hour at home and then pacing at the hospital and I found good relief from wearing my sandals while I walked. Cheri got there while I was pacing as well and we chatted and spent time between contractions- it was hard work but doable for a little while. That is until the contractions started to double on top of each other- then honestly things got pretty uncomfortable- I would have one long contraction and it would start to slow down and another would start right away with no break. Eventually the only thing that made anything feel okay was Ryan jamming his palms into my low back on each side of my spine and just pushing until the contraction stopped- that made it manageable. After a bit of this Cheri wanted to check me again- which I dreaded because that meant lying down which I *did not* want to do. But I did- and when Cheri said I was 8 with a bulging bag it didn't even register that not much had changed. Then she said she wanted to break my water and the first thing I said was that Bridges told me everything gets a lot more painful after that- Cheri said we were moving in that direction either way it was just how fast- so we decided to let Cheri do whatever she recommended (thanks Ry for reminding me to just trust her- I actually made him make the decision because I felt I couldn't decide anything at that time). The downfall of agreeing to have the water broken was that I had to stay laying down for a while and OMG that hurt- I felt like with each contraction I was flailing on the bed (though Ry and Misty say that wasn't the case) it was very intense. After Cheri broke the water I got back up and stood for all of two minutes (repeatedly asking for my shoes by the way) before I felt like I had to vomit- which again I did not do- and then felt the undeniable need to push. Thank goodness for the nurse and Cheri who got me back in the bed or I would not have been able to do it on my own. I did come to the conclusion somewhere around then that it hurt way worse this time- and no one seemed to disagree with me.
Keegan had the cord wrapped loosely around his neck one time and pooped on his way out but otherwise was awesome. His 1 minute Apgar score was 7, his 5 minute apgar score was a 9, he snuggled on my chest skin to skin for an hour before they took him to weigh him or measure him, he nursed well on the table, he did all of the most amazing new baby things. He was born safely, surrounded by love and my most favorite people, with no meds- just his pure, sweet self surrounded by my awesome cheerleaders and support people. Once again- it was all worth it- the chiropractic care, the supplements, the pain, the determination, the nutrition, the choosing of our team of special people, all of it came together to support our sweet boy as he was born.
Before Keegan was weighed and measured Cheri came back to say good night and head home, Dr Dolan (the MD on call) came in to say congrats- and tell Ryan he was right I was in labor :) and then it was just me and Ry and Misty and Keegan.
After about an hour or so they weighed and measured him- to reveal that it *might* have hurt more than with Grayson since he was a whole pound heavier!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Welcome to the world Keegan Orlo Schmitz
Keegan Orlo Schmitz picked his own birthday and arrived at 11:27 pm on September 26, 2011 weighing in at a solid 9 lbs 12.6 oz, 21.5 inches long and with a head circumference of 37 cm.
To the Due Date and Beyond!!!
Somehow Buzz Lightyear's voice has gotten stuck in my head as I think about how we have gone to our Baby B's due date and beyond.... it is like when a song gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out.
Today is 4 days past our due date, but I honestly can't remember what the ultrasound said when they did that at 11 weeks- and since we hadn't told people yet I wasn't blogging about the pregnancy yet and therefore didn't write it down anywhere that I can find. Grayson was born two days after the due date predicted by his ultrasound and so I was kind of thinking Baby B would come out and meet us this past weekend about 2-3 days after his due date. However- obviously he has other plans.
I am at work today, Monday, which is actually a good thing since I am returning part time on Mondays and Wednesdays after 6 weeks of full time maternity leave so every Monday and/or Wednesday I work actually buys me more time at home with Baby B and G and Ry (but working Thursday and Friday don't benefit me at all so let's kinda hope Baby B decides to come before then...)
Our next appointment with Cheri is this Wednesday- which would be 40 weeks 6 days. At first I was thinking I would call the office and see if I could get in today or tomorrow BUT after thinking about it some more if I don't go in then no one can say the word 'induction' and I can give Baby B more time to pick his birthday. Though I am curious to see if things have progressed at all- last week I was 3 cm dilated and I am wondering if things have moved forward at all- but since I am not inclined toward medical intervention to start labor yet there is really no point yet other than satisfying my curiosity.
Wednesday is also Grayson's second birthday- kind of wondering if Baby B wants to share his brother's birthday or if he is going to pick his own- I am getting SO curious about this kid... what he looks like, what he is like, everything.
Today is 4 days past our due date, but I honestly can't remember what the ultrasound said when they did that at 11 weeks- and since we hadn't told people yet I wasn't blogging about the pregnancy yet and therefore didn't write it down anywhere that I can find. Grayson was born two days after the due date predicted by his ultrasound and so I was kind of thinking Baby B would come out and meet us this past weekend about 2-3 days after his due date. However- obviously he has other plans.
I am at work today, Monday, which is actually a good thing since I am returning part time on Mondays and Wednesdays after 6 weeks of full time maternity leave so every Monday and/or Wednesday I work actually buys me more time at home with Baby B and G and Ry (but working Thursday and Friday don't benefit me at all so let's kinda hope Baby B decides to come before then...)
Our next appointment with Cheri is this Wednesday- which would be 40 weeks 6 days. At first I was thinking I would call the office and see if I could get in today or tomorrow BUT after thinking about it some more if I don't go in then no one can say the word 'induction' and I can give Baby B more time to pick his birthday. Though I am curious to see if things have progressed at all- last week I was 3 cm dilated and I am wondering if things have moved forward at all- but since I am not inclined toward medical intervention to start labor yet there is really no point yet other than satisfying my curiosity.
Wednesday is also Grayson's second birthday- kind of wondering if Baby B wants to share his brother's birthday or if he is going to pick his own- I am getting SO curious about this kid... what he looks like, what he is like, everything.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
40 weeks...
So technically Thursday the 22nd is 40 weeks and our due date with Baby B.... the reality of course being that he can join us anytime :) and I am getting anxious to meet him. I cannot wait to see if he looks like Grayson, or Daddy, or maybe even me (crazy talk I know since Grayson looks EXACTLY like his daddy). I am also super curious as to when he will arrive. Grayson was intially due on September 23rd but I always thought he would be later and then an ultrasound told us he would come around September 26ish- he chose to join us on September 28th. This sweet boy's due date is September 22nd- and the ultrasound confirmed that timing to be pretty accurate within a day or two so I am wondering when he will arrive. I am hoping to meet him before the weekend is over :)
At my 40 week appointment with Grayson (which was on a Thursday and then he was born the following Monday) I had a cervical check which revealed I was 3-4 cm dilated, 75% effaced and at a +1 station. So that was 3-4 days before his birth. On Tuesday the 20th (two days before Baby B's due date) at my 40 week appointment Cheri checked me and this time around I am 3 cm dilated, 60% effaced and at a -1 station...... so who knows. If things follow the same trajectory Baby B should be here within the next 4 days, maybe :)
Oh and stats- Baby B's heartbeat was in the 140s today, I have gained a total of 13 pounds all pregnancy and Cheri measured me at 41 cm- all nice and lovely and reasonable measurments :)
At my 40 week appointment with Grayson (which was on a Thursday and then he was born the following Monday) I had a cervical check which revealed I was 3-4 cm dilated, 75% effaced and at a +1 station. So that was 3-4 days before his birth. On Tuesday the 20th (two days before Baby B's due date) at my 40 week appointment Cheri checked me and this time around I am 3 cm dilated, 60% effaced and at a -1 station...... so who knows. If things follow the same trajectory Baby B should be here within the next 4 days, maybe :)
Oh and stats- Baby B's heartbeat was in the 140s today, I have gained a total of 13 pounds all pregnancy and Cheri measured me at 41 cm- all nice and lovely and reasonable measurments :)
Friday, September 16, 2011
39 week pictures
Being busy working full time and mommying full time and such -- I haven't been as good at taking or posting pics of my Baby B Belly as I was the first time around. But here are a few snapshots of what it looks like for Baby B to be growing big and strong and healthy in mommy's belly.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
39 weeks
We got to see Alli this week for our weekly appointment- and really didn't ahve much to say or do because everything is totally fine which is awesome.
Baby B's heartbeat was in the 130s, I have gained a total of 12 pounds, my blood pressure was a lovely 112/74 and Alli measured me at 41 cm this week. Baby seems good, momma seems good, all is well.
Baby B's heartbeat was in the 130s, I have gained a total of 12 pounds, my blood pressure was a lovely 112/74 and Alli measured me at 41 cm this week. Baby seems good, momma seems good, all is well.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Happy Birthday Mommy
A birthday party for mommy with my two sons- Grayson @23.5 months and Baby B @ 38.2 weeks :)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
38 weeks
Today we saw Cheri for our 38 week check up- and again today we were blessed to be told that all is well!
BP is good (118/64), weight gain is good (9 pounds total so far), measurements are good (38 cm) and Baby B is head down, butt up - though he is not engaged yet and still kind of floating around in his mommy pool for now.
Baby B is full term for sure now so if he decides he is ready to be born he should be healthy and fully cooked- which is reassuring for sure. His nursery is ready, the newborn size clothes have been washed, his coming home outfit is ready to be packed.... now Mommy needs to get cracking on the next part of the to do list: pack a hospital bag for mom and dad, find the carseat so Ry can install it when the time is right, finish my schedule for my speech kids at work, finish up the last of my classroom set up at the school, and make an address list for sending out Baby B's birth announcements. Which sounds like a lot- but honestly none of it is mandatory all just preferred.
Not much else to report- Cheri is out of town on and off until next Sunday the 18th but Alli is certain she would take great care of us so I guess things really are ready to go if he is ready.
I am kind of hoping he keeps cooking for at least one more week and would be totally fine if he wanted to stay in there for two more weeks- each week he stays in mommy's tummy is another week that I can work which obviously delays my return to full time work further into the school year....
I was rereading my journal from Grayson's pregnancy and noted that at this time when I was pregnant with him I was already so puffy that I couldn't wear my wedding rings anymore- that hasn't happened yet which is nice. I am also not as swollen or uncomfortable as I was this time last time around- which is also nice. Though I am still hoping for a very similiar delivery experience so I don't want things to veer too differently :)
BP is good (118/64), weight gain is good (9 pounds total so far), measurements are good (38 cm) and Baby B is head down, butt up - though he is not engaged yet and still kind of floating around in his mommy pool for now.
Baby B is full term for sure now so if he decides he is ready to be born he should be healthy and fully cooked- which is reassuring for sure. His nursery is ready, the newborn size clothes have been washed, his coming home outfit is ready to be packed.... now Mommy needs to get cracking on the next part of the to do list: pack a hospital bag for mom and dad, find the carseat so Ry can install it when the time is right, finish my schedule for my speech kids at work, finish up the last of my classroom set up at the school, and make an address list for sending out Baby B's birth announcements. Which sounds like a lot- but honestly none of it is mandatory all just preferred.
Not much else to report- Cheri is out of town on and off until next Sunday the 18th but Alli is certain she would take great care of us so I guess things really are ready to go if he is ready.
I am kind of hoping he keeps cooking for at least one more week and would be totally fine if he wanted to stay in there for two more weeks- each week he stays in mommy's tummy is another week that I can work which obviously delays my return to full time work further into the school year....
I was rereading my journal from Grayson's pregnancy and noted that at this time when I was pregnant with him I was already so puffy that I couldn't wear my wedding rings anymore- that hasn't happened yet which is nice. I am also not as swollen or uncomfortable as I was this time last time around- which is also nice. Though I am still hoping for a very similiar delivery experience so I don't want things to veer too differently :)
Friday, September 2, 2011
A Nursery!!
Baby B has a nursery! A bed for him and mommy, a crib for him (although his brother is spending a lot of time in there right now), decorations, cuteness, fun animals, storage, a dresser, a changing table..... phew!
Now all we need is to do some laundry and fill that dresser and find the carseat- then we will be ready for Baby B! (or as ready as you ever can be for a baby...) I am so excited, so relieved and so pleased with how it has all turned out. Baby B is one loved little man and he isn't even here yet. Grayson loves to play in his room and bed, Daddy has been shopping and arranging and sorting and getting everything just perfect and Mommy has been growing and dreaming and hoping- I can hardly wait to meet this boy!
Now all we need is to do some laundry and fill that dresser and find the carseat- then we will be ready for Baby B! (or as ready as you ever can be for a baby...) I am so excited, so relieved and so pleased with how it has all turned out. Baby B is one loved little man and he isn't even here yet. Grayson loves to play in his room and bed, Daddy has been shopping and arranging and sorting and getting everything just perfect and Mommy has been growing and dreaming and hoping- I can hardly wait to meet this boy!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
37 week appointment
37 weeks (or will be on Thursday) means technically this baby is 'full term' and if he was born now he should be just fine.... hopefully he will stay in there and keep cooking as I just am not ready quite yet... I have some things at work I would *really* like to take care of before Baby B arrives so I can really relax and focus on him when he is here. But if he decides to show up he should be cooked enough to be healthy and in the long run that is all that matters.
We saw Alli this week, Grayson was an angel boy (a sucker during and after the appointment certainly helped). My weight went up by another pound or so- no biggie, blood pressure is nice and steady (112/64), Baby B's hear rate is slowing down a bit (131 this week) which is apparently normal. Alli didn't have any great advice to get rid of my restless legs other than doing what I am already doing- but I didn't really expect anything new or fantastic so I am not too disappointed.
Results of the Group B Strep Test are.... Negative!!! Yippee!! That means no fluids or antibiotics during delivery- and makes me so very, very happy. I do have to have an IV put in but they will cap it and will not make me have any fluids at all :)
Not much else to report- we have our appointment with Cheri next week, and Alli the week after. Between appointments with the midwife, the chiropractor, back to school meetings, and more things are getting remarkably busy and I suspect that I am going to be shocked at how fast the rest of this pregnancy goes by (and I have been surprised at how fast it has gone so far) and it will seem like no time at all from now that Baby B arrives.
We saw Alli this week, Grayson was an angel boy (a sucker during and after the appointment certainly helped). My weight went up by another pound or so- no biggie, blood pressure is nice and steady (112/64), Baby B's hear rate is slowing down a bit (131 this week) which is apparently normal. Alli didn't have any great advice to get rid of my restless legs other than doing what I am already doing- but I didn't really expect anything new or fantastic so I am not too disappointed.
Results of the Group B Strep Test are.... Negative!!! Yippee!! That means no fluids or antibiotics during delivery- and makes me so very, very happy. I do have to have an IV put in but they will cap it and will not make me have any fluids at all :)
Not much else to report- we have our appointment with Cheri next week, and Alli the week after. Between appointments with the midwife, the chiropractor, back to school meetings, and more things are getting remarkably busy and I suspect that I am going to be shocked at how fast the rest of this pregnancy goes by (and I have been surprised at how fast it has gone so far) and it will seem like no time at all from now that Baby B arrives.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
36 Weeks
36 weeks....9 months pregnant.... only one month to go until Baby B is here!
We saw Cheri again this week and Grayson was not as happy and cheerful during the visit- but with Daddy's intervention and a little help from a sucker things rapidly improved for our sweet toddler.
This week I was once again measuring at 36 cm, gained back the two pounds I had lost ;), heard a nice strong Baby B heartbeat and was poked and prodded a lot in an attempt to figure out which way Baby B is pointing. Cheri is *pretty* sure that Baby B is head down- which I am good with for now. She did say that if we aren't certain by next week she would happily do a quick little ultrasound herself (but our next appointment is with Alli so who knows if she would do the same). Cheri also mentioned that I am already one to two cm dilated- interesting- but that probably doesn't mean a whole lot and I have nothing to compare it to as I haven't been checked before this week. I had to get tested for Group B Strep again and am praying super hard that it comes back negative as I *really* don't want an IV again during delivery. I hate IVs, I have read recently that IV fluids during delivery can negatively impact breastfeeding after birth (makes me wonder if that hurt G and I when we were starting) and that it can also make it 'seem' like a baby has lost too much of their birthweight after birth (turns out fluid weighs a lot and when the baby establishes a normal fluid balance they can seem like they lost a bunch of weight). I took probiotics fairly consistently this pregnancy so I am hopeful, but only time and my next appointment (which is already next week!!) will tell.
We denied the fetal growth ultrasound, which I don't think anyone who knows us (Cheri included) was surprised by, so the next time we are most likely going to see our darling Baby B will be at birth (unless one of our midwives does decide to take a really quick peek to see if his head is down). We decided that since nothing would be done other than start talking about induction or abnormal findings or benign incidental findings that could cause all kinds of hoopla there is no need to have another ultrasound.
Not much else to report- appointment with Alli next week and then Cheri the week after that, only one week until Baby B is considered full term which is pretty exciting.
We saw Cheri again this week and Grayson was not as happy and cheerful during the visit- but with Daddy's intervention and a little help from a sucker things rapidly improved for our sweet toddler.
This week I was once again measuring at 36 cm, gained back the two pounds I had lost ;), heard a nice strong Baby B heartbeat and was poked and prodded a lot in an attempt to figure out which way Baby B is pointing. Cheri is *pretty* sure that Baby B is head down- which I am good with for now. She did say that if we aren't certain by next week she would happily do a quick little ultrasound herself (but our next appointment is with Alli so who knows if she would do the same). Cheri also mentioned that I am already one to two cm dilated- interesting- but that probably doesn't mean a whole lot and I have nothing to compare it to as I haven't been checked before this week. I had to get tested for Group B Strep again and am praying super hard that it comes back negative as I *really* don't want an IV again during delivery. I hate IVs, I have read recently that IV fluids during delivery can negatively impact breastfeeding after birth (makes me wonder if that hurt G and I when we were starting) and that it can also make it 'seem' like a baby has lost too much of their birthweight after birth (turns out fluid weighs a lot and when the baby establishes a normal fluid balance they can seem like they lost a bunch of weight). I took probiotics fairly consistently this pregnancy so I am hopeful, but only time and my next appointment (which is already next week!!) will tell.
We denied the fetal growth ultrasound, which I don't think anyone who knows us (Cheri included) was surprised by, so the next time we are most likely going to see our darling Baby B will be at birth (unless one of our midwives does decide to take a really quick peek to see if his head is down). We decided that since nothing would be done other than start talking about induction or abnormal findings or benign incidental findings that could cause all kinds of hoopla there is no need to have another ultrasound.
Not much else to report- appointment with Alli next week and then Cheri the week after that, only one week until Baby B is considered full term which is pretty exciting.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Large and in charge
Baby B is taking up some serious space in my body. Serious space and lung capacity have been given up to my little bundle of joy currently sharing my body. According to Babycenter at 35 weeks "Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete – he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight."
At work at the hospital I have given up the elevators so I have been taking the stairs every shift. Two weekends ago I could make it from my office in the basement all the way to the fifth floor without taking a break or feeling totally out of shape. Today however I only made it to the fourth floor before I was panting, sweating and totally short of breath. Turns out Baby B has grown a lot in the last two weeks and is now invading my lung space making me short of breath after even the most moderate exertion- which I have to say is slightly disconcerting as it makes me feel out of shape (and God knows I have a major physical event coming up in about 4.5 weeks) and it is also odd to take so long to catch my breath BUT if Baby B is growing and strong then all is good and I guess it is actually a good thing, right?
At work at the hospital I have given up the elevators so I have been taking the stairs every shift. Two weekends ago I could make it from my office in the basement all the way to the fifth floor without taking a break or feeling totally out of shape. Today however I only made it to the fourth floor before I was panting, sweating and totally short of breath. Turns out Baby B has grown a lot in the last two weeks and is now invading my lung space making me short of breath after even the most moderate exertion- which I have to say is slightly disconcerting as it makes me feel out of shape (and God knows I have a major physical event coming up in about 4.5 weeks) and it is also odd to take so long to catch my breath BUT if Baby B is growing and strong then all is good and I guess it is actually a good thing, right?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
34 weeks
Ryan and Grayson and I all headed to the midwife for my 34 week appointment. Grayson did MUCH much better this week (as Cheri predicted he would) and not only didn't cry a single time but also blew kisses at the end. My blood pressure remains wonderful (110/64), my weight is good (actually lost 2 pounds in the last two weeks) and the baby's heartbeat sounds wonderful and strong. Cheri is still not 100% certain that little man is head down, but is more sure that he is appropriately positioned than she was last week. Little Baby B is still measuring a bit big though- 36 cm this week- BUT that measurement has only gone up 3 cm in the last 4 weeks which is in the range of normal. When I measured 33 cm at 31 weeks it was a little concerning as that is a good bit ahead, but now that I measure 36 cm at 34 weeks it doesn't seem as big of a deal as the growth is constant.
So now we have to decide- do we go ahead and have the ultrasound next appointment at 36 weeks or not? The pros: we could be certain of Baby B's position so if he isn't nicely head down we could try to move him, we could check his weight and size, we could see him again soon (and since we really didn't get any good pics of him at his 20 week ultrasound we could snag some new pictures of our boy in utero). The cons: exposing Baby B to another ultrasound, the possiblity that they may find "something" that may make them think they need to induce, the possiblity that they may find "something" that means nothing (a la Grayson's pregnancy) that causes a whole bunch of hoopla for nothing, they may tell me that the baby is too big or too small, that I have too much or too little amniotic fluid.....but they may also be wrong of about any of that.
Point being I am leaning toward no u/s.... but I still have a week to decide
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