Wednesday, July 27, 2011

July 27, 2011

Today, I am one week old.

I was due to be born today, but I've proven myself to be stubborn since the very beginning. On July 23, I came home from the hospital with mommy and daddy. Home is very different from the hospital, it's warmer, it smells different, and people only come in when I need them.

My new surroundings include a really big dog named Apollo and a fuzzy kitty named Bella. Both of them are very watchful over me - they both want to make sure I'm okay every time I cry. I haven't had much of a chance to get to know them yet, but I'm sure I will soon.

The first night home was very hard. I didn't know how to react to the new surroundings, so I woke up often. A big storm came in early in the morning, making sleeping even more difficult. Mommy stayed right by my side all night - and daddy woke up with me every time I stirred as well. I heard mommy and daddy say that the nights will get better, I hope so.

At one week, I've accomplished:

7/22 - started scooting on my belly while on mommy's tummy in the hospital bed.
7/25 - started trying to hold my head up - it's still very heavy, but I try every chance I get.
7/26 - learned to put my knees up under myself and snuggle up like a little peanut and practiced scooting on the floor.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Details of Your Belly Departure

My labor began... I didn't have labor. 7 days before the due date, I had a scheduled Cesarian Section.

July 20, 2011 at 11:42am

Where I was when the contractions started, and who helped me get ready:We arrived at the hospital at 9:30am. We had scheduled a c-section at our last OB appointment due to the baby being in prime breech position. When they did the final ultrasound at around 9:48 that morning, the baby was still in breech position, his little legs were crossed under his bottom and his arms were crossed across his chest.

Having a C-Section was very frightening for me, I had never had a surgery or procedure of any sort. I didn't have any of the usual pains associated with labor and the pain from the C-Section actually went away surprisingly quickly. By the next night, I had asked if I could cut out the oxycontin and just take Tylenol and Ibuprofen for pain management. I was told by the nurses that I was one of the very few women who refused to have a hand-activated medication pump.

Where I was when my water broke:

I was in the surgical suite when the water broke. The doctors broke the amniotic sack during the procedure.

One of the nice things about the C-Section was the surgery took less than an hour. No labor pains, no pushing, no having to deal with hours and hours of labor. The worst part was when they were trying to get the epidural in so that they could start the surgery. It took almost an hour to get the epidural in because I was not able to arch my back very well. Finally, I was able to get it to arch just enough so they could get it placed properly.

At first, the idea of a C-Section really frightened me; but it was more than worth it. Little Anthony Robert came into this world on July 20, 2011 at 11:42am weighing 7lb 9oz and measuring 19.75 inches in length. He is a perfect little boy - he's absolutely precious - he looks more like a toy than a child.

The little man is such a good baby. He only cries when he's hungry or has a dirty diaper. If he gets fussy before feeding time, I only have to say something to him and he's content.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love anything more.... I feel as though my heart could literally explode with love for this little guy.

Total number of hours that I was in labor:Due to the C-Section, I was not ever in labor. The baby was breech, so they didn't want me to go into labor with him in the wrong position. The entire time for the procedure was about 45 minutes to 1 hour, once they got the epidural placed. (Due to my inability to bend over well, it took an hour to get the epidural placed.)

The Lamaze breathing....I'm glad I didn't take a class for this, because it would have been useless.

So...this is what labor feels like:I never felt labor due to the scheduled procedure. The procedure scared me at first, but it was more than worth it. Our little Anthony came into this world with wide eyes and a healthy set of lungs. He's healthy and happy... and I wouldn't trade him for the world. He's absolutely the most perfect and gorgeous baby I have ever seen... I know I'm biased, but I have complete strangers confirm this every single time I take him out in public. He's our perfect little angel.

Special Delivery!

Tony was born in:  Rochester Methodist Hospital

If I were to do it all over again, my approach would be:Honestly, I'd do everything the same way. All of the fear and anxiety I had over the Cesarean Section was really uncalled for - it was a great team that put me at east in the OR, and our little man was born healthy and happy. He stole my heart the minute they put him in my arms.

Who delivered you?The surgical team including several nurses... doctors... and an anesthesia team.

Who cut the umbilical cord?
Daddy cut it. I wasn't really expecting him to cut the cord, but I think they caught him off guard and he went ahead and cut it. Yay daddy!

Who was present during the birth:The only person they would allow to be in the OR with the surgical team was daddy.

Nurses and helpers I don't want to forget:Amy (there were two of them), Tracy, Jen, Kymnberly - all nurses who cared for me during the hospital stay... and also cared about my anxiety over not being able to feed you. Specifically Amy, Jen and Kymnberly saw to it that we had an alternative feeding plan so you'd get something to eat since you weren't able to nurse right away.

How my husband coped in the delivery room:Rob sat at my side until baby Tony was born - then he took pictures and helped with cutting the umbilical cord. I was surprised he was such a trooper.

Who came to visit us?Katie, Tony and Elliott Sikkink, Julia Briese, Uncle Jeff, Grandma and Grandpa Lichner, Uncle John, Via and Corky.

Other good stories and interesting details about the baby's entry into the world:The first thing that I heard was laughter from the surgical team. It seems that the minute the little guy was out of the womb, he started to pee... giving the team delivering him a shower. I cried tears of joy the minute I heard him crying.

When they finally brought the baby around the curtain, he opened his little eyes and I fell in love. He was so cute in his little swaddle and hat... and his big eyes were wide open and ready to take in the world around him.

How I felt when I first saw him:I was absolutely overcome with happiness. He was so perfect, so sweet and so cuddly. I just couldn't stop tears of joy from spilling over my cheeks as they finally put him in my arms.

How it felt to hold him for the first time:I can't even begin to describe the feeling. They put the baby into my arms, he blinked his little eyes and yawned, and I fell in love in an instant.

He is absolutely the most beautiful and perfect little angel I have ever seen. He's so content... it's a true blessing to finally have him home and be able to hold him and give him all the love he deserves.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Weeks 37-39 - Ending of Third Trimester

July 7, 2011 - Week 37

Snapshot of life this week:
Music that we have been listening to lately: 1980s, soundtracks, classical
Recent movie I've seen: Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Book I'm reading right now: Thirst #3 The Eternal Dawn by Christopher Pike
Top news story right now: Casey Anthony acquittal and government budget meltdown

July 14, 2011 - Week 38

Not much time is left until we meet our sweet baby boy. I can't believe how quickly the last 9 months has passed - wow! I'm a bundle of 1,000+ emotions as I face a c-section delivery since the baby is still in a prime breech position. But it will all be worth it in the end, as I'm holding our little bundle of joy.

July 20, 2011 - Week 39

Scheduled C-Section 10:30am
The big day has arrived, it's finally your birthday!! I can't believe I will meet this precious little boy in a matter of a few hours... finally get to see who he looks like... and, most importantly, hold our little angel fir the first time. I can't wait!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Stubborn Like Your Mommy

Dear Little Man,

I see you're stubborn like me. This could get interesting.

Love,
Mommy

Fresh from an appointment yesterday, I posted this on my Facebook page. I was scared, frustrated and a little bit overwhelmed at the news we'd received. Silly, probably, but that's me.

We found out that our little man is still breech. He's in what they call "prime breech position", meaning his legs are free and dangling in the spot where his head should be at this stage of the game. We were given options... I'm not crazy about either of them, but we had to choose one as natural birth is not really an option when the baby is breech.

Option #1: External Cephalic Version

Basically, this is a procedure where I would be brought into the hospital one evening during this week. They would administer anesthesia for pain that is known to speed up the heart rate - therefore making it necessary to not only watch me, but to keep a very close eye on the baby. Once the anesthetic takes effect, the doctor and nurse proceed.

They try to keep the subject's belly well lubricated... and then proceed to put pressure on the baby to try to get him to tip into the cephalic position so that natural delivery is feasible.

Now, this didn't sound like a great option to me for several reasons... most of all being potential harm to the baby himself. In the process of this procedure, they try three times to accomplish the desired result - each time pushing for about a minute or so. If the baby flips, great. But there isn't anything stating he won't flip back.

There are potential risks to the baby as well.. he could get the cord wrapped around himself, end up with distress from the medication, the placenta could rupture or the amniotic sack could rupture. All of these situations would warrant an emergency C-Section.

If they were able to accomplish a flip with the version, and the baby stayed in position, that would be awesome, the goal would be achieved. However, then we wait for birth to ensue naturally... and the baby would continue to grow in utero. Being that they think I'm a gestational diabetic; this could result in a baby that is too large to deliver naturally... warranting a C-Section delivery.

Option #2: Planned C-Section

I'm sure you all know what a Cesarean Section delivery is. They numb me, put a catheter in, then proceed to cut the abdominal area beneath the uterus and then through the wall of the uterus to deliver the baby surgically.

It is no secret that I hate it when I have independence taken from me. It's also no secret I am not fond of needles, scalpels, etc. So... yea, not really an option I want to face. But the doctor called down and got a tentative schedule for one anyway, just in case my research proved I wouldn't be wanting to do the version.

By early this afternoon, I had decided that I would rather not go through a ECV procedure. There are other factors that I weighed into my decision... the fact that the procedure itself looks like it's painful... and my tendency to get distressed if my heart is beating too fast, even if I know the reason it's doing so. I know this will inhibit my ability to do certain exercises right away - but I will try to get back on track and keep my dietary selections and portions controlled so that I can start down the path to losing weight in the time between this little guy's birth and the conception of our next child (yes, we do plan to have at least one more). The doctor has been called... and the bouncing baby boy will be forever changing our lives on Wednesday July 20, 2011 - 7 days prior to his original due date.

Wish us luck!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Baby Shower

June 25, 2011 - The Baby Shower

We had a wonderful time at the baby shower that was hosted by my mother-in-law, Linda. She was so concerned about it being perfect for me... which was a moot point because I'm a pretty laid back person.  But we had a lovely shower - despite inclimate weather.


My family from Oklahoma and Wisconsin came over... it was great to have them over and see some of them again. We were impressed with the turn out - it wasn't huge... but it was just right.

We got every large item that was on our list... and the decorative elements for the nursery. We also got lots of clothes and blankets - he's definitely not going to be a naked or cold child! I was humbled by the gifts we received.

We did end up having a few items that were duplications - so we traded them in and one of the large items and finished out almost everything on our registry list. We had originally registered for a co-sleeper bassinet... but I got overwhelmed when we got everything and decided we'd go ahead and return that (we have plenty of things for the little man to sleep in anyway).

Now, we're in a mad dash to the end of the pregnancy... I have to get the items hung up in the nursery and get some of the blankets stored away. I'd like to move the dressers around, but I can't seem to find the motivation to do so... or get Rob to be motivated enough to help.

I can't believe we only have a little over 3 weeks left until the little guy is here!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Weeks 33-36 - Mid/Late Third Trimester

June 6, 2011 - OB Appointment (Week 33)

Weight gained: 23lb
Baby size: 17.2-18.7in, 4.2-5.8lb
Baby heart rate: 124-128bpm

Another excellent progress report from Dr. J! He says everything is looking great - we have an ultrasound with our next appointment. We are going to get an estimate on how big you'll be at birth.

Dr. J thinks you'll be between 8.0 and 8.5 pounds at birth. (Here's to hoping you will be that or slightly smaller! Come on little guy, make this easier on mommy!)

June 9, 2011 - Week 33

Hooray - an end to the stupid heat! (At least for now.) Back to nice, comfy temps and lower humidity. We can take healthy walks in the fresh air again!

One month to go! This is what I'm doing to prepare for baby's arrival:
Getting things finished in the nursery and trying to find some shelves to put stuffed animals on so they are no longer all over the floor.

I think I'm officially nesting! (Chirp, chirp!)

June 16, 2011 - Week 34

Well... it's starting to get humid again (boo!). I guess we couldn't go without it forever. =( Oh well.

Things are still going really well, but my ankles look more like cankles lately due to the humidity. Luckily, there is no cause for concern. The swelling goes down if I elevate them and my blood pressure is still very healthy.

June 22, 2011 - OB Appointment/Ultrasound (Week 35)

Weight gain: 27lb
Baby size: @6.5lb, 15"
Baby heartrate: 140bpm


Everything still looks fine. Heartbeat is still strong. Baby is still a boy and he weighs in at around 6.5 pounds. He just decided on a whim to move into the breech position... but the doctor said there is enough fluid present that he may well move back on his own. (We are hoping this is the case because I really don't want to have the doctor assist him in repositioning... nor do I want a C-section delivery.)

Seeing the ultrasound images was so much fun. He is going to be quite a cutie!

June 23, 2011 - Week 35


People say that my belly looks like: it's ready to pop.
My relatives said they think I'm carrying twins - but we know for a fact we are just carrying one big baby boy.
The baby had managed to flip into the breech position at the last appointment. I had been wondering why the activity had shifted from primarily daytime movement to primarily night time movement. Wow... I never knew I'd have a little party animal!

I experienced a night of rather abrupt movements and the baby seemed to be moving primarily during daylight hours again... I wonder if he's flipped back into the delivery position (crossing fingers).

The baby has the cutest little cheeks! I can't wait to see them in person instead of in the ultrasound photos!!



June 30, 2011 - Week 36
I've had so many people ask me if I'm ready for the baby to be here. Personally, time has passed so quickly, I can hardly believe he'll be here in just 4 weeks! Where did the time go, anyway?

To be honest, I am ready to physically have the little man here. I am ready not for the reasons most people are... not because it's been an uncomfortable pregnancy - because it hasn't... it's honestly been a dream. I'm ready partially because the weather has been nasty humid lately - making it really hard to enjoy the last few weeks... and partially because I just want to hold this little guy. :-)  I know, soon... there isn't much time left now.