Things have been going pretty well so far this week. I got alot accomplished yesterday. Lila is quite the road warrior for being so little. She went with me to the bank, post office, and Target and never cried or needed to eat. She is not quite the piglet that Lucie was. At least she doesnt seem to need to eat every 45 minutes or so, not yet anyway. She is a very laid back baby. Right now, she is sleeping on my bed. While I had not had much success with her in any of my slings, at Target, she stayed in the "peanut shell"/"the bag" the entire time with out crying, a little fussy at times, but no crying. She is a great night time baby. Doesnt get upset with diaper changes and wakes only every hour and a half to two hours. I really feel quite rested in the morning. This is probably also because I dont have to use an alarm clock and rush off to work. Lucie gets up sometime around 5-6 and climbs in with Lila about as Jarred is going to work. When Lucie "gets up" we hang out in the bed and watch cartoons until 7:30-8am. This gives me another nap. By 8am we are up working at gettting breakfast and clothes on, so by 9am I can be working in my office as needed. Always something, but never more than 2-3 hours, including interuptions. Yesterday/Today were great b/c our babysitter was here.
We fired our former supervisor and hired a new guy, so hopefully things will be going more smoothly in the future on the job sites. I love him. A military guy so he is very "spreadsheet" oriented like me, NOT like Jarred. This could be a very good thing for us. Jarred seems much less stressed. But until he can be home by 7pm most nights adn by 6 some nights, I will not consider it a success.
I am so happy about how everything is going family wise. Lila is so wonderful and sweet and Lucie just loves "her baby". Always checking in on her to make sure she is okay. She has been very loving and gracious. I thought she may be jealous, especially of the baby getting "her mimis/nursing" but she is so sweet. Of course, we have to be very careful, cause Lucie will just grab her head and such, but she means well, so far......
With more time to evaluate my homebirth experience, I just become more and more happy about it each day. I wasnt for sure I would get "anymore" out of another natural birth, but it has meant so much more than I could have imagined. It was certainly not a "popular" decision, but it was what I knew was best and most healthy for myself and the baby. Despite lack of support from so many, I went "on MY way". i am very proud of myself and my husband
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Back in Business
Today is the first day I really feel back in business. Lucie slept in her bed until about 5:00am or so, then came in with ALL of us [4 in the bed, and the little one said, WAAA! (I'm hungry)]. She was so sweet. She laid down between Jarred and Lila and I and looked over at me and said "I love you Momma", then to Jarred "I love you Daddy", "We're family". It was so precious. So, we all rolled over and went back to sleep. Jarred let to go to work at about 7:30am. I took care of myself and the girls for a little more than an hour and everything went really well. Morning time is pretty easy around here. Just breakfast, dressing, and cartoons. The babysitter got here a little before nine. The housecleaner came a bit later. MacKenzie came to print a paper, and Jarred came to drop off the carseat. It was quite a full house for a bit. Now, Lucie is off to the babysitter's sister's house to play on their playset. The housecleaner brings her 5 year old and he and Lucie dont play so well together. On going issue there. I love my housecleaner, but the situation is a little too much at times.
I worked at my computer while Lila slept on the bed in my office. I am trying not to "tweak" the situation too much. Trying not to think about "maybe Lucie should go back to school" or "maybe I should try to do this or that instead. I am really going to try to just take it one day at a time and adapt to our new home/work life as it comes. Jarred has been so awesome cleaning up the kitchen every night before we go to bed, so in the morning the house is clean, so this morning I could just focus on getting breakfast for us and getting the house straight for the cleaning lady to come. My next project is to work with Lucie on getting herself dressed, haha. She did help me alot this morning by throwing away diapers after I changed the girls. She is a BIG help, sometimes.
Mom is coming back this afternoon and Melba will be back tomorrow. Melba is going to drive Lila and I to the pediatrician Friday am. That will be a big trip for all of us. First time I will be out of the house in a week, very weird.
I worked at my computer while Lila slept on the bed in my office. I am trying not to "tweak" the situation too much. Trying not to think about "maybe Lucie should go back to school" or "maybe I should try to do this or that instead. I am really going to try to just take it one day at a time and adapt to our new home/work life as it comes. Jarred has been so awesome cleaning up the kitchen every night before we go to bed, so in the morning the house is clean, so this morning I could just focus on getting breakfast for us and getting the house straight for the cleaning lady to come. My next project is to work with Lucie on getting herself dressed, haha. She did help me alot this morning by throwing away diapers after I changed the girls. She is a BIG help, sometimes.
Mom is coming back this afternoon and Melba will be back tomorrow. Melba is going to drive Lila and I to the pediatrician Friday am. That will be a big trip for all of us. First time I will be out of the house in a week, very weird.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sorry it has taken so long.......
Hello everyone-
Just wanted to let you know that we welcomed a beautiful little girl into the world at our home on Friday. Her name is Lila. She weighed in at 10lb 5oz, was 22 1/4 in long (head=14 3/4). Labor and birth could not have gone more smoothly. I started contractions at 2am, called my midwife about 6:30am, and woke up my husband a little after 7am. (this is where time gets a little hazy) Jackie and Emmy came some time around 8:30am or so. The tub was set up and I got in the tub around 9-9:30am at 7cm. Our little girl decided to arrive at 10:29am (after her head coming most of the way out and then she decided to reposition and went all the way back in-I thought I would die).
Everything was so great. Really only tough the last 2 hours, mainly the last hour. Birthing a 10+lb baby is certainly different than a 8lb. I would have thought while birthing her that I was "torn up", but no, nothing. My bottom feels GREAT! Which was a good relief, b/c I did lose more blood than we would have hoped, and it took me awhile to get straightened out. I felt good the first 30-45mins, then sort of crashed a bit. This was pretty disappointing to me, as my recovery from having Lucie was so easy. I have definitely seen another side of the birth experience, and while it was and has been really tough, I feel like it has really broadened my understanding of birth and the spectrum of experiences. I am sad I wasnt able to be more engaged in those first hours of life, but know that I spent that time getting better, so I could care for both of my girls as quickly as possible.
My birth team was so amazing and got me back into shape by that night. I will never forget those very special wome for how much I felt loved and cared for. I am now feeling much improved and now able to get around the house a bit for myself. I am so thankful for my wonderful birth team who watched and tended to me so diligently. They really have gone above and beyond. I know absolutely that I would not have received this type of minute to minute individualized and loving care in another setting. So, while it has been tough, I am just so happy about our experience. Because while it was NOT what I expected, it was my experience. Despite being pretty tough on me, our little girl is just perfect, arrived completely non-intervened and is doing wonderfully. That is by far most important to me. BTW: She is nursing so great.
This was such an unbelievable experience. So, we are now working at adapting to having 2 daughters. Sleeping arrangements have not yet been worked out to everyone's satisfaction, haha. The birth is just the beginning.....
Just wanted to let you know that we welcomed a beautiful little girl into the world at our home on Friday. Her name is Lila. She weighed in at 10lb 5oz, was 22 1/4 in long (head=14 3/4). Labor and birth could not have gone more smoothly. I started contractions at 2am, called my midwife about 6:30am, and woke up my husband a little after 7am. (this is where time gets a little hazy) Jackie and Emmy came some time around 8:30am or so. The tub was set up and I got in the tub around 9-9:30am at 7cm. Our little girl decided to arrive at 10:29am (after her head coming most of the way out and then she decided to reposition and went all the way back in-I thought I would die).
Everything was so great. Really only tough the last 2 hours, mainly the last hour. Birthing a 10+lb baby is certainly different than a 8lb. I would have thought while birthing her that I was "torn up", but no, nothing. My bottom feels GREAT! Which was a good relief, b/c I did lose more blood than we would have hoped, and it took me awhile to get straightened out. I felt good the first 30-45mins, then sort of crashed a bit. This was pretty disappointing to me, as my recovery from having Lucie was so easy. I have definitely seen another side of the birth experience, and while it was and has been really tough, I feel like it has really broadened my understanding of birth and the spectrum of experiences. I am sad I wasnt able to be more engaged in those first hours of life, but know that I spent that time getting better, so I could care for both of my girls as quickly as possible.
My birth team was so amazing and got me back into shape by that night. I will never forget those very special wome for how much I felt loved and cared for. I am now feeling much improved and now able to get around the house a bit for myself. I am so thankful for my wonderful birth team who watched and tended to me so diligently. They really have gone above and beyond. I know absolutely that I would not have received this type of minute to minute individualized and loving care in another setting. So, while it has been tough, I am just so happy about our experience. Because while it was NOT what I expected, it was my experience. Despite being pretty tough on me, our little girl is just perfect, arrived completely non-intervened and is doing wonderfully. That is by far most important to me. BTW: She is nursing so great.
This was such an unbelievable experience. So, we are now working at adapting to having 2 daughters. Sleeping arrangements have not yet been worked out to everyone's satisfaction, haha. The birth is just the beginning.....
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Baby Update
Well, not much to say, it is not here yet. I am starting to get discouraged. Sort of like an athlete who is waiting too long on the board before diving, I am starting to get nervous. I am really just ready to go, run the race, so to speak. E. came yesterday and said everything was great. My swelling and blood pressure, which were minorly bad, have come back to normal. I have gained about 45 lbs, which is good for me, since I gained 55 with Lucie. I am only about 3-4 lbs heavier now than I was when I birthed Lu.
E. is reconsidering the baby's weight. She says that by looking at me you would think it was a 10lb baby, but that by feeling, she thinks it may just be longer and laying "out". The head is down and not wiggly in the pelvis any more. The baby had been ROA (laying head down with back to my right side) for last month or so. This is sort of "not optimal" b/c babies tend to move in clockwise direction to get to LOA position (back to left side) before coming out of uterus. So, instead of making 1/4 counterclockwise turn, most babies go all the way around. No biggie, but for that they go through OP (back to mom's back) position, which many hear called "back labor" or posterior baby. Back labor is not fun b/c the hardest part of babies head hits hardest part of mom's back, so it can hurt more and and b/t contractions so mom doesnt get "breaks". So, I asked E about this and what she thought. She sort of dismissed it as, "if he/she goes OP, we will cope and move around until he/she moves LOA". Okay, I thought, cannot do anything else except wait for it to move, so why worry about possibililty of back labor. Last night, I was very uncomfortable with occasional crampy Braxton Hicks and just generally feeling yuck. So, at 9pm I went in my room to watch the finale of my show "the Closer" which I missed on Monday and I sat up in the bed indian style reclining on some pillows. Within about 20 minutes, the baby turned to what I thought was LOA or at least LOT (sort of 9 o'clock if front is 12 and back is 6pm). Now, I am thinking it may still be OP. Probably it is going back and forth. Anyway, the baby has started to make its move to get out, so I am encouraged. But, I sort of went to bed with this idea that it would sort of "shoot out" overnight. Nothing happened, so I am tired. I didnot sleep soundly until after 2:30pm, as per normal. Lucie got up at 6:45am, so I got up at 6:46am.
I am going to run some errands first thing this morning (get Lucie some new stuff to play with for during birth and after) and then come back and sleep for awhile while the babysitter is here. MacKenzie is coming to watch Lucie this evening so Jarred and I can go out for our anniversary. We will probably go to Pinetta's, of course.
E. is reconsidering the baby's weight. She says that by looking at me you would think it was a 10lb baby, but that by feeling, she thinks it may just be longer and laying "out". The head is down and not wiggly in the pelvis any more. The baby had been ROA (laying head down with back to my right side) for last month or so. This is sort of "not optimal" b/c babies tend to move in clockwise direction to get to LOA position (back to left side) before coming out of uterus. So, instead of making 1/4 counterclockwise turn, most babies go all the way around. No biggie, but for that they go through OP (back to mom's back) position, which many hear called "back labor" or posterior baby. Back labor is not fun b/c the hardest part of babies head hits hardest part of mom's back, so it can hurt more and and b/t contractions so mom doesnt get "breaks". So, I asked E about this and what she thought. She sort of dismissed it as, "if he/she goes OP, we will cope and move around until he/she moves LOA". Okay, I thought, cannot do anything else except wait for it to move, so why worry about possibililty of back labor. Last night, I was very uncomfortable with occasional crampy Braxton Hicks and just generally feeling yuck. So, at 9pm I went in my room to watch the finale of my show "the Closer" which I missed on Monday and I sat up in the bed indian style reclining on some pillows. Within about 20 minutes, the baby turned to what I thought was LOA or at least LOT (sort of 9 o'clock if front is 12 and back is 6pm). Now, I am thinking it may still be OP. Probably it is going back and forth. Anyway, the baby has started to make its move to get out, so I am encouraged. But, I sort of went to bed with this idea that it would sort of "shoot out" overnight. Nothing happened, so I am tired. I didnot sleep soundly until after 2:30pm, as per normal. Lucie got up at 6:45am, so I got up at 6:46am.
I am going to run some errands first thing this morning (get Lucie some new stuff to play with for during birth and after) and then come back and sleep for awhile while the babysitter is here. MacKenzie is coming to watch Lucie this evening so Jarred and I can go out for our anniversary. We will probably go to Pinetta's, of course.
From Smiley Anders Column-The Advocate 09/18/08
Smiley Anders has a "lagniappe" column everyday but Sunday. It is sort of a email in type of column where people can send in thoughts, jokes, events, etc. It has been going on for like 30 years, sort of an institution in BR.
_________________________________________________
Jackie Upton says, “I’ve been reading my e-mails from friends all over the country.
“Two sentiments occur: ‘Hope you come through this safely’ and ‘Why in the heck do you still live down there?’
“The first is appreciated, and the second takes a little thought.
“We have lived in Illinois, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas. They were fine places to live. So why do we still live here?
“My husband says it’s the people. He says people down here enjoy.
“They enjoy food. They enjoy music. They enjoy neighbors and football and fests and families and extension cords from the neighbor’s generator and sweatin’ out the hurricanes and mosquitoes together.
“I thanked a fellow from Kentucky repairing electric lines. He told me they go to all sorts of places, and said I’d be surprised at how many times they are griped at and cussed out because they aren’t getting the job done faster. He said people in Baton Rouge haven’t been like that.
“People here wave thanks at their trucks, and those guys really enjoy the praise.
“I guess that’s why we stay here. Hurricanes and all, this is the best place we have ever lived.”
_________________________________________________
Jackie Upton says, “I’ve been reading my e-mails from friends all over the country.
“Two sentiments occur: ‘Hope you come through this safely’ and ‘Why in the heck do you still live down there?’
“The first is appreciated, and the second takes a little thought.
“We have lived in Illinois, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas. They were fine places to live. So why do we still live here?
“My husband says it’s the people. He says people down here enjoy.
“They enjoy food. They enjoy music. They enjoy neighbors and football and fests and families and extension cords from the neighbor’s generator and sweatin’ out the hurricanes and mosquitoes together.
“I thanked a fellow from Kentucky repairing electric lines. He told me they go to all sorts of places, and said I’d be surprised at how many times they are griped at and cussed out because they aren’t getting the job done faster. He said people in Baton Rouge haven’t been like that.
“People here wave thanks at their trucks, and those guys really enjoy the praise.
“I guess that’s why we stay here. Hurricanes and all, this is the best place we have ever lived.”
Cally's Birth Story
http://homebirth.meetup.com/264/messages/boards/thread/5444536
What a great birth story! I have so enjoyed following Cally along her pregnancy and birth and getting to meet her. While she lives in Vidalia, LA (up by where MawMaw Nita lives), she chose to birth in BR to avoid "antiquated" birthing policies in Natchez. The drive was significant, but it looks like it was worth it. I am so proud of her for working so hard for a rewarding and peaceful birth.
Just wanted to add: if you look at the picture of Cally and baby, the baby seems sort of bluish. This is very normal for babies born in the water.
What a great birth story! I have so enjoyed following Cally along her pregnancy and birth and getting to meet her. While she lives in Vidalia, LA (up by where MawMaw Nita lives), she chose to birth in BR to avoid "antiquated" birthing policies in Natchez. The drive was significant, but it looks like it was worth it. I am so proud of her for working so hard for a rewarding and peaceful birth.
Just wanted to add: if you look at the picture of Cally and baby, the baby seems sort of bluish. This is very normal for babies born in the water.
Copied from a "due date club" message board I participate in:
I am 40+2 or so, dependent upon how you calculate (40+4 based on LMP). I am trying to patiently wait.....My midwife comes today and I am so tempted to get checked. I really dont like checking b/c I think it is so useless, but like I said I am tempted. I have been having TONS of BH, a few contractions here and there, and more cervical pinching and stretching......The waiting is the hardest part. I am going to listen to some motivational music, as I am sort of down this morning. Probably just b/c I am tired b/c I did not sleep well last night, too much peeing, reflux and BH to stay comfortable. I have a sore throat this morning, which i thought was from reflux, but I am now thinking it may be from weather change. It is so delightfully cool this morning for SELA in September. So, I am for the first time in several months, drinking my RRLTea as a Hot Tea rather than cold.
I am 40+2 or so, dependent upon how you calculate (40+4 based on LMP). I am trying to patiently wait.....My midwife comes today and I am so tempted to get checked. I really dont like checking b/c I think it is so useless, but like I said I am tempted. I have been having TONS of BH, a few contractions here and there, and more cervical pinching and stretching......The waiting is the hardest part. I am going to listen to some motivational music, as I am sort of down this morning. Probably just b/c I am tired b/c I did not sleep well last night, too much peeing, reflux and BH to stay comfortable. I have a sore throat this morning, which i thought was from reflux, but I am now thinking it may be from weather change. It is so delightfully cool this morning for SELA in September. So, I am for the first time in several months, drinking my RRLTea as a Hot Tea rather than cold.
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