Friday, April 18, 2014

"2 week" update

I started writing this on Monday, after Marie's two-week appointment. And now . . . it's Friday. So much for being timely.

Weight: 7 pounds, 6 ounces. That's right; she's packed on nearly a pound in two weeks. Even so, this still only puts her in the 25th percentile.

Length: She hasn't really grown much in this regard, measuring in at 19.6 inches (up a tenth of an inch) and again, right at the 25th percentile.

Head circumference: 36.2 cm; 70th percentile. To accommodate her exceptionally large brain, no doubt.

Current likes: Her swing, car rides, baths, eating, cuddling.

Current dislikes: Getting her clothes changed, getting buckled into the car seat, waiting to be fed, tummy time.

Things she tolerates: Jacob singing at the top of his lungs in an attempt to wake her up (not that it really works; when she's out, she's out -- just like her daddy); getting her nose suctioned out; diaper changes.

Nicknames:
-One-Eyed Jack, for those times when it's just too much effort to open both eyes
-Sleepy Squirrel, after this book
-Velociraptor (from Jacob)/Squeaker (from me), when she makes those adorable squawking noises
-The Fountain, when she not-so-adorably throws up all over herself, her mama, the couch, the bed, etc. We've started having her wear a bib all the time as a precautionary measure, though it really only protects her outfit against the normal spitting up and not the spewing. The pediatrician isn't terribly concerned about these episodes since she's gaining weight and doesn't seem distressed when she does throw up, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that this doesn't indicate a dairy intolerance or acid reflux.

Cute things she does:
-When I put her up to my shoulder to burp her, she wraps her arm around mine and holds on tightly. This is probably a reflex she'll grow out of, along with the palmar grasp reflex. It'll be a sad day when she stops doing those!
-Other times when I put her up to my chest, she'll open her eyes wide, lift up her head, shake it around, and make cackling noises like a crazy person.
-She gets those fake sleepy smiles that we like to pretend are real.

Less cute things she does:
-Throwing up (see above)
-Pooping in the bathtub
-Pooping out of the side of her diaper (though that hasn't been an issue once we ran out of Pampers and switched to Huggies)

Other odds and ends:
-She tends to alternate good nights and bad nights, as far as sleeping goes. On a good night, she'll fall asleep right away and wake up twice to eat (granted, it takes an hour to feed her, burp her, change her, and feed and burp her again). On a bad night, once the previous hour of feeding takes place, she's wide awake and will fuss as soon as I put her down. This leads to me rocking her or holding her until she either gets sleepy enough to be set down or her fussing wakes up Jacob, who will take over to let me get some shut-eye.
-She can fall asleep in her Rock 'n' Play by herself if she's drowsy enough and I leave my lamp on. If I put her down drowsy and then turn off my lamp, she's suddenly wide awake and wants to be held again. So I've taken to leaving my light on until I'm sure she's asleep, which is probably just setting us up for a future of being a slave to a nightlight or something like that.
-She really doesn't get fussy during the day, which is awesome. Perhaps I shouldn't say such things, lest I jinx myself, but she really is a good baby. Very relaxed and chill most of the time.
-She's becoming more alert for longer stretches of time, and she loves to stare into your soul. Alternately, she loves to stare into the souls of the couch or the lamp. Jacob held a staring contest with her the other night (he won, but it was a close battle).
-Her eyes seem to be taking on a lighter shade of blue, and her hair is much lighter at the roots, which makes me wonder if she'll end up blonde or a light brunette. I've also found three short hairs around, so it's possible she's shedding and will end up with a bald spot. How fashionable!






Friday, April 4, 2014

Sunday morning at 5 a.m. I woke up to what I thought might've been a contraction. I felt a lot of pressure, like a bad menstrual cramp, and then it went away. I had about 3 of those episodes in the space of 45 minutes, at which point I snagged the iPad and opened the app I downloaded previously to help time contractions. It was tricky deciding when they started and ended, but the general pattern of being about 15 minutes apart and lasting about a minute and a half continued.

At 6:45 I got up to use the loo and noticed some bright red bleeding. I was pretty sure that was a symptom my doctor told me to call about, so I turned on the ol' lappy, verified the instructions to call OB Emergency Services in that circumstance, and proceeded to make the call. The midwife wasn't terribly concerned, but said I should probably come in and get checked out "just in case." I woke up Jacob at that point by shaking him and saying "We need to go to the hospital." He was a little out of it at first, but quickly snapped to action.

I wanted to eat breakfast since I knew I wouldn't be allowed to eat once we got checked in, so I had some cereal while Jacob hopped in the shower. We packed the hospital bag (if by "packed" you mean "threw in a bunch of random clothes and the camera and some other odds and ends") and got ready to leave. By this point, contractions were coming about 6 minutes apart and I was more convinced this was the real deal. This did not, however, stop me from apologizing to Jacob in advance if this was a false alarm and made the trip for no reason.

During the car ride, contractions were coming three to four minutes apart and I really had to focus on breathing through them. Fortunately, since it was Sunday morning, there wasn't any traffic on the ride to the hospital. Unfortunately, the valet service was closed, so we had to find a spot in the parking garage. Jacob tracked down a wheelchair and proceeded to take me for a whirl as we attempted to find the entrance to the hospital from the garage. (It was trickier than anticipated.)

We made our way up to the labor and delivery unit and then wandered the halls for a bit, unsure of where to go since nobody was around. Jacob ended up calling the Labor and Delivery unit again, effectively saying, "Uh, my wife is in labor and we're at the hospital . . . where do we go?" When we finally checked in, I told the woman in charge that I'd been having contractions about four minutes apart and had experienced some bleeding. When they checked me, we were told that I was 7 cm dilated.  I ventured to ask, "Does this mean we're not getting sent home?" No, no, we were not. Later, one of the nurses said prior to getting checked they didn't think I was in actual labor because I was so calm about describing the frequency of contractions.

We were taken to our labor and delivery room and I requested an epidural. Jacob went back to the car to get our things, so he missed out on the whole process. At this point I was kind of out of it. I could hear the anesthesiologist speaking, but I wasn't really processing his words. Getting the epidural wasn't too bad, but I think it may have been too late to be super effective. I think he was finished by 9:20 and said it should start taking effect by 9:30. My legs and bum got tingly, but I still felt incredible amounts of pressure. I kept grabbing onto the side of the bed and trying to switch positions to cope with the pressure better, but nothing really seemed to help. The contractions were piling on top of one another, and I didn't get much of a break in between. I remember kind of whimpering and saying, "It hurts," to Jacob at least twice. I did a lot of heavy breathing and kept asking for water. Around 9:55 I asked Jacob what time it was, and when I asked again at 10:10, I said, "It's only been 15 minutes?!" More power to the women who have to endure long labors.

A short time later, I was checked again and was found fully dilated with the baby's head super low. They called for some doctors, and by the time they got there, one held up his fingers maybe an inch and a half apart and said that was the distance between her head and the opening. They got me into position, with Jacob holding one leg and a nurse holding another, and told me to push when I felt pressure. I wasn't really sure how to control my breathing at first, and someone put an oxygen mask on me. After maybe three contractions and a total of 14 minutes of pushing, our daughter made her entrance into the world.

Marie Elizabeth, welcome to our family. We couldn't be more thrilled that you're here!





How far along?  I am 39 weeks. . . or I would be, if I were still pregnant. She is 5 days old.
Size of baby: At her appointment yesterday, she was 6 pounds 8.5 ounces and 19.5 inches long.
Sleep: I have been sleeping much better since my parents are in town and are taking the night shifts while she's awake and fussy. The first two nights with this little one were rough. Jacob and I basically took turns holding her all night because she would cry every time we set her down. She sleeps really well in her swing (or in someone's arms) during the day and is much more alert at night. 
Total weight gain: I haven't been on a scale since my last OB appointment, but I imagine I've lost at least 6 pounds since last week. She lost an ounce in the hospital, but is already back up to her birthweight, give or take half an ounce.
Unglamorous body changes: I have accumulated a second degree tear and a tendency to leak fluid from various orifices. She is just as beautiful today as the day she was born. Maybe more so, since she's not so squashed looking.
Best moment this week: I had the chance to meet our baby girl and have been soaking up every moment ever since. She has been loving the attention from her parents and grandparents. Or at least I like to think so.
Movement: I have been waddling like a penguin, though it's getting easier to walk around and stand from a sitting position as time goes by. She is pretty squirmy and continues to get the hiccups several times a day, just like her momma.
Food cravings/aversions: I had a delicious milkshake last night. She can't get enough of the good stuff.
Symptoms: I haven't had heartburn since her birth, for which I am grateful. (And perhaps there is something to the whole "heartburn = hairy baby" wives' tale.) I've also been incredibly hungry and thirsty. She doesn't have a sign of jaundice!
Currently looking forward to: I am looking forward to snuggling with my baby, General Conference, and possibly seeing my cousin this weekend. She probably doesn't have a care in the world right now.
Realization of the week: We have a baby! And we get to keep her!
Milestones: I am starting to get the hang of nursing and diaper changes. She had her umbilical cord fall off yesterday.
Other tidbits: I'm not so sure what to do with this blog now that our daughter has arrived. Also, this: