Friday, April 30, 2010

Baby A's Birth Story

Let me preface with saying this is (once again) a long birth story. I just can't help myself!


Read at your leisure and peril (may contain TMI).



The Birth

At 12:01 am, Friday, April 23rd (2010), I woke up to Baby R creeping into my room. I decided to make a bathroom trip and then put him back in his bed (thank you Supernanny!). As I sat down, I felt a pop and I immediately knew my water was broken.


My first thought was, "Damn you [insert ST's name]!" My ST was in Chicago last week for training/business trip. We'd talked about the possibility of me going into labor and how we (meaning me!) would manage that.


As I'm trying to decide how to proceed, Baby R insists that I get up b/c he has to use the toilet. Um, okay...and you won't believe this, but I did relinquish the throne to my son. Please note that I did this under duress b/c I didn't want to clean up his mess :)


So, I managed to get dressed, call my ST, and send out a frantic text msg to all friends in the area. I figured if one of them could watch my kids I could drive myself to the hospital.

No one answered my call, so I decided to call a neighbor directly. She answered and said she and her husband would be over soon. Thanks V!


V watched my babies while her husband took me to the hospital. Keep in mind that Baby R was out of his mind at this point and kept saying, "No, Mommy! You can't leave until Daddy gets here!" Traumatic moment for all involved.


I got to the hospital, and by this time my contractions were about 3 mins apart. The OB on call, Dr. B, decided that we would go ahead with a c-section and not wait for my ST to arrive. She did however, allow me to put my cell on speakerphone so my ST could hear everything during the delivery. Alternately a good and bad idea!


As they wheeled me in to surgery, I peppered them with all the details of my first two births. I was scared shi*tless that the spinal wouldn't work. The ane and his assistant were very nice and everyone kept saying, "We won't cut you until we are sure you are numb. We promise!"


At one point, I think I became a true nutcase and screamed, "Please, I'm begging you. Just knock me out. I can't do this!" I laugh about this now, but at the time I was freaking out. I couldn't believe I was doing this alone and w/o my ST. Plus, I thought I'd have 4 more days until our scheduled c-section. WTF!


After they and I were assured that I was numb, the surgery began. It lasted much longer than my other two, and I will forever be appreciative to the nurse who held my hand and kept updating me with details of the surgery. She was great and later on I was able to tell her so.


When they pulled down the curtain and showed me BabyA, I was so excited. He was perfect! And he looked right at me.




They cleaned him up and brought him next to my head. He was a little fussy but immediately quieted as I spoke to him. This is a baby after my heart. My other two were definitely daddy's boys. This baby responds to my voice and touch and makes my heart melt.


He was 8 lbs 6 0z, and 20 3/4 inches long.


Eventually hubby had to get off the phone and they finished the surgery. One of the weirdest sounds you will hear in the operating room - the sound of the air-powered stapler used to close you up. See, I told you TMI.


My ST arrived @ 3:30AM, and was able to join me in the recovery room. We then moved to my hospital room and cuddled with our new baby. We also looked at each other and said, "Uh, what do we name him???"


On Sunday afternoon, Baby A and I were able to go home. However, before going home I told the doctor on-call and the nurses that my incision didn't look or feel right. It just looked completely different from my previous two. And I was in a lot more pain than before. They all assured me that this was normal. Ha!


Quick note to say that both boys immediately loved Baby A. They hugged and kissed him and wouldn't stop touching him. So thankful that my big boys are so loving!


Tuesday
Took Baby A to the hospital to have his bilirubin levels checked. They were a little high prior to checking out, so we were checking again.


I also made an appt with Dr. OB to get his opinion on my incision. He immediately ripped off the tape holding my incision together (staples were removed prior to leaving the hospital) and started poking around. He said my incision wasn't healing the way it should; I was healing from the outside-in vs. inside-out. Apparently, this is a big no-no and would never heal if I didn't take care of it. That means that every day for the next two weeks (or more) my ST needs to "dress" my incision...twice a day.

I cannot tell you how disturbing this is for me. I HATE IT!!!!!


Enough said on that.

Tuesday 5:30 PM
Received a phone call from the lab @ the hospital. Baby A's bili levels were at 19.5. He was considered high-risk at this point and we were told to get to the hospital immediately.


Baby R started crying. I think he was a little traumatized by everything and really just needed us to get back to our routine. Luckily, our friends from Chicago were there to watch the boys. They arrived the day of Baby A's birth and stepped in to save the day!


So, from Tuesday night until Thursday night we were in the hospital with Baby A. They put him under 4 phototherapy lights and over the course of those three days we were able to get his levels down to 10.4 before leaving the hospital.


We go back on Saturday to check his levels but everything should be good-to-go.


At this point, I'm just glad to be home. I hope this stupid incision heals soon, and I'm ready to be a family of five :)


Now...what do I make for dinner tonight?

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Doc appt & Baby D's birth story

Yesterday was my last OB/GYN appt (with Dr. OB) prior to my c-section next week. During the appt, I asked about the following:
  • Anxiety - I'm so anxious about this surgery. I know I shouldn't be, but the closer I get to the date the more anxious I get. My biggest fear is that I will feel them cutting. This is all based on Baby R's birth and emergency c-section. *sigh* Dr. OB said that if I started feeling "buggy" that I could ask the ane for something. I think I will, thank you very much! :)
  • 4th pregnancy - I spoke to Dr. OB about Dr. Cardio's recommendation to not have a 4th baby. Dr. OB said he was more concerned @ this time with my scar tissue. He recommended that we wait to discuss a 4th baby until after he sees what my scar tissue is like next week. If the scar tissue is "a mess" then he too will recommend that I not have a 4th pregnancy. Keep in mind that after Baby D's birth, he said my scar tissue looked great.

On a separate note, today is my MIL's masectomy (surgery). Everyone please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. As a wonderful gift, she sent us a fat check so that we could bring our housekeeper back. I've been w/o my Housekeeper Extaordinaire (HE) since Jan 2009. Could there be a better present???? :)

HE is coming tomorrow morning @8AM. Woot! Woot!

Baby D's Birth Story - Long, long post below
Our hospital's policy is that you have to have a scheduled c-section if you want to deliver in their facility - if you've had previous c-sections. So, we scheduled Baby D's birth for the end of Oct 2008.

My MIL arrived to take care of Baby R a few days before the surgery. I was so relieved b/c I needed to know that someone I trusted was watching my firstborn. This was the first time I'd ever been away from Baby R overnight. It was difficult to leave him - for many reasons; all tied to a mother's guilt.

The morning of the surgery I was petrified. Everyone told me, "Oh, this will be so different. You will have a spinal and you won't feel a thing!" Seriously, everyone said these same words to me. "You won't feel a thing." But, it wasn't enough to hear others say it, even Dr. OB. I wanted to experience it!

When they prep you for a c-section, they have to give you an IV. To do this, they have to use a huge-a** needle. Much larger b/c of all the meds they have to pump in you during the surgery. Nice.

Let's just say I was crying by the 4th stick. It takes alot for me to get a good stick while I'm preggers. Don't ask me why - any other time I bleed freely :)

During your pre-op, a million people come in to chat with you - the ane, the ane's assistant, Dr. OB, Dr. OB's assisting doc, all the nurses, etc. Everyone wants you to talk about your fears, any questions you may have, etc. This was all good for me. B/c I had a million questions about the spinal, and I wanted EVERYONE to know my fear of feeling that first cut!

The surgery room is freezing cold. Freezing! Like walking into an indoor freezer. And after they wheel you in, then the party gets started. They are in a hurry to get baby out. I can understand this. Why drag it out? Plus, the doc needs to get to his first 8:00AM appt with patients. I have no prob with this...except, that you generally feel left out of all the discussion while you're laying there.

You feel like there is a flurry of activity all around you and you have no idea what is going on. Questions like, "When will they start cutting? Why do they need that? What should I be doing?" all float around in your head.

The ane's assistant and one of the nurses stood by my head. My ST wasn't in the room yet. These two women were so wonderful. They kept asking me how I was feeling, and tried to assure me that everything would be fine.

The ane came in and we did the spinal. Okay, a spinal...this doesn't necessarily hurt. It stings a little but more than that it just feels funky to have something rooting around near your spine. It almost (almost!) tickles.

So, after your spinal, they lay you back down and wait for it to take effect. I started to feel all warm and tingly from the chest down, but I was still able to feel the assisting doc pinching around my groin area. I looked at the nurse and I said, "I can feel pinching." She said as much to the docs and the assisting doc leaned over with a look of "Come on, really?" Right then, I could have died. I thought that it was all going to happen again. I was going to feel them cut me. He had such a disbelieving look on his face.

So, every few seconds he'd pinch me again and I was very vocal about saying where he was pinching and when.

Finally, the ane decided to give me another spinal. Everyone took my arms and hauled me up to bend over my belly. Not easy to do when you're 9 mos...I was so uncomfortable.

After the 2nd spinal, I was laid back on the table and I heard some movement. I turned my head and saw my ST come into the room and stand by my head. He said, "Oh my God, he has so much hair!" I thought he was kidding. I even said, "Are you joking? They haven't started cutting yet."

My ST assured me that the baby was almost out - he was standing and watching everything. I couldn't believe that they'd already started cutting...why didn't they ask me if I felt the pinching again. Did they just take it for granted that the 2nd spinal would do it????????????

Well, I guess it worked. Thank you Jesus!

I know, I sound overly dramatic. But, Baby R's birth was enough to put the fear of God into me for any future surgeries. Especially those surgeries where you are awake.

As I looked at my ST, I was so grossed out that he was watching everything. I said, "Isn't it gross?" And he said, "Yeah, it is." He was grimacing the entire time and I could see vague shadows of everything through the whites of his eyes. I was grossed out!

But, then they held up Baby D and he was huge with all this black, curly hair. He was so big. I heard one of the nurses say that she thought for sure I'd only have a 6-pounder in there. Instead he was 8 lbs 12 oz.

They bundled him up and brought him to my head. I just wanted to hold him and touch his little face, and baby lips. I wanted to give him kisses and whisper in his ear. And I couldn't. This is the bummer of having a c-section.

And at that moment, my body decided I was ready to be sick. They very quickly took Baby R away as I started dry-heaving. They also ushered my ST out of the room and into the nursery with Baby R. Not my best moment, I'll admit. But, hey. I had 2 guys rooting around playing with my internal organs. I couldn't expect much less, right?

As they were closing me up, one of the nurses brought me a picture of Baby D. She propped it on the blanket on my chest so I could see him. They told me they were taking me to recovery and said that the baby had to stay in the nursery; no babies allowed in recovery.

The ane's assistant said, "As I wheel you by the nursery, I'll ask one of the nurses to bring your baby to the window so you can say goodbye." So thoughtful. I really, really liked this woman.

But, as she wheeled me by the nursery and asked someone to hold up Baby D I heard one of the nurses respond with, "We can't...her baby is in level II...breathing troubles..." And then I didn't hear anything. I got really frantic and I couldn't find my ST. The ane's assistant said she would find out more.

This is not a moment that is fun to re-live, as you can imagine. Fearful that something was wrong with my little boy and totally incapable of rushing in there to find out what was going on. All I could do was stare at his little picture and try to recover as fast as possible.

In the recovery room, they wheeled me into a corner and left me. With a spinal, you have this heavy-weight feeling in your chest. I kept feeling afraid that I would stop breathing. I watched the clock overhead, looked at my baby's picture, and started beating my fists against my thighs. I was trying to get the blood-flow moving in my legs b/c you cannot leave recovery until you can at least wriggle your toes. I was determined to beat the 90 mins they said it would take to recover.

It took me 3 hours to recover. This is why I alternative love and hate that 2nd spinal.

When they wheeled me into my room, my ST wasn't there. I asked if I could go see my baby and they said I wasn't allowed to sit up for 5 hours so I had to stay here. They said Baby D had a pneumothorax and wasn't allowed out of the Level II nursery.

My ST came in as I was crying and showed me pics, brought me up-to-speed on what the docs were saying, etc. He had me record a message for Baby D and he ran back and played it for him. Awesome, right???

He then came back in the room with me and we waited for the 5 hours until I could see Baby D. Keep in mind, I kept sending my ST back to see Baby D to make sure he was okay. Poor guy was running the halls the entire day.

During this 5 hours, I was feeling pretty doped. I was scared, sad, weepy, and ready to fight. I wanted to get out of that dam* bed and see my baby. Everyone kept telling me to sleep. Unfortunately, after a c-section, they hook you up to a heart monitor. This heart monitor lets out a series of very loud, annoying beeps if your heart rate drops to a certain level; which mine did everytime I started to close my eyes.

After my 5 hours were up, I had my ST and the nurse help me into a wheelchair and they wheeled me to the Level II nursery. This nursery is beside of the regular baby nursery - the only thing it has in common with the regular nursery is the name "nursery." You have to "scrub in" before you can enter - every time.

You also have to put on a special gown. Once they wheeled me back, my Baby D was the only baby in Level II. He was under an oxygen hood and he had a ton of tubes and stickers all over him. He had a couple tubes down his nose and his little chest was pumping up and down fast as he was drawing air. It was the saddest sight to see, but also the sweetest.

I wasn't allowed to pick him up, but I could rub his arms and legs and talk to him. The Level II "specialist" came in and talked to us about Baby D's condition:

  • a pneumothorax was detected soon after he was born. They noticed this b/c his nostrils were flaring each time he tried to breathe in.
  • X-rays confirmed the pneumothorax - a small air pocket in his lungs.
  • the oxygen hood was 100% oxygen. He would gradually (over the next 24-36 hours) be brought back down to our normal, oxygen level (~27% - I can't remember the exact #).
  • basically, the oxygen ensured that his lungs would reabsorb the air pocket and allow him to breathe on his own

Over the next few days, my ST and I would walk to see Baby D, and 36 hours after he was born I was able to hold him. I started nursing every 2 hours after that. I think this walking was what allowed me to heal from the c-section so rapidly.

Five days after he was born, Baby D was allowed to come back to our room. An hour later, they dismissed us from the hospital.

Not an ideal birth story, yet it had a happy ending. Baby D was able to get past the pneumothorax, and we were able to leave the hosp with our baby.

Plus, Baby R said his first full sentence that afternoon while holding Baby D for the first time.

"Dada, I got a baby!"















You can see his nostrils flaring here. This is a pic my ST took soon after Baby D's birth.















Daddy and Baby D in the nursery after his birth.













Baby D under the oxygen hood - minus the tubes down his nose.













Me and Baby D in the Level II nursery. After they took him off the oxygen hood, they moved him to that little warming, incubator you can see on the left-side of the pic.







Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Cardio update & Baby R's Birth Story

G/morning!

Update on cardio appt - Yesterday, Dr. Cardio's office called to let me know my results:
  • Echocardiogram - clean! Yeah!
  • Heart monitor results - my heart rate recorded 140 bpm. This is "cause for concern" but not "alarming." Please note that I'm using the nurse's words. Apparently, 150 is when they become alarmed.

Basically, she said they would be putting me on some meds, but since I'm due to give birth next Tuesday they are going to hold off. Works for me!

Okay, since I'm getting closer to Baby #3s arrival, I wanted to share birth stories of my first two babies.

CAUTION: The following post may contain TMI. Plus, it is a really, really, really long story. I wanted to give all the details though :)

Baby R's Birth Story
In November of 2006, I woke up @7AM; four days prior to my due date. I woke up to a feeling that my water was breaking. I had my sweet-tart (hereby to be referred to as ST) push me out of bed (literally) and confirmed that I was in labor.

ST was so excited. He ran around, getting my bag ready, getting dressed, and telling me to get out of the bathroom! I was so afraid to stand up from the toilet. My water was just gushing out...I had no idea what to do. Ugh!

After dressing, we got in the car and drove the 5 mins to the hospital. Labor & Delivery confirmed that my water had broken (litmus test) and we were put into our private room. This is the room where we would deliver and also where we would stay for the duration of our hosp visit.

Right around 8AM, my contractions started and were pretty consistent. The doc put me on pitocin to ensure that I would deliver the baby before he left for the day @5PM. Gotta love docs!

The pitocin made things so much more intense. Plus, my ST decided to start joking around and talking during my contractions. Apparently, this was a no-no for me. No talking during contractions! I was basically hateful. At one point, during a really bad contraction, my ST was trying to talk and be funny and the nurse looked at him and said, "I think your wife said you needed to be quiet." Awesome!

Around 11AM, I received an epidural (dilated at 4cm). It took them 3 tries to get the epidural in (first time hit a nerve, 2nd time hit a blood vessel). My ST has this on video. I can barely watch it.

I was feeling great from 11AM until around 2PM. I also ate 10 popsicles during this time (cherry and banana - big mistake considering how sick I felt from them later).

That's when the epidural basically wore off. From 2PM until 4PM, I basically thought Baby R had taken a wrong turn somewhere and decided to come out of my behind :) I know, TMI!!!!

Around 4PM, I started pushing. I pushed until around 5:30 and then Baby R's heart rate started to drop dramatically. The doc decided that I needed a c-section to get the baby out, and I was whisked off to surgery; after signing about a million forms.

Keep in mind that during this time, every time I had a contraction, I was pulling my knees up to my chest and pushing on my own. It just made me feel better.

When they wheeled me into the surgery room, they tied my legs down. I was screaming b/c the contractions were awful and I was basically tied down (by then, my arms were also tied down).

I remember a flurry of activity and the anesthesiologist introducing himself. Then, I remember crazy, crazy pain. The kind where I truly felt myself leave my body. It was as if my brain couldn't handle the pain and I just needed to get away from it. They were cutting into my abdomen. I heard the anestesiologist say, "Is this really necessary?"

I was telling them where I was hurting and then they held up Baby R. He was all black eyes, and pink hands and feet...and screaming. So beautiful! I wanted to hold him, I wanted to count his fingers and toes, everything.

Then, I don't remember anything until I woke up in recovery. My throat was sore and I wanted a drink of water or an ice chip. They told me I couldn't have anything in recovery and I'd need to wait until I got back to my room.

When, they wheeled me back to my room I kept asking my ST, "Why weren't you in the room? Where's the baby?"

He said that they didn't let him in b/c I was screaming and they couldn't get my pain under control. Apparently, they are worried that the husbands will go beserk when their wives are like this during the surgery. Poor ST!

My friend, EE, was there when they brought Baby R in. She'd been watching him for me in the nursery b/c I had a phobia about someone stealing him. I have the best girlfriends.

When I met this little boy, he was so adorable. He started nursing right away and I just fell in love with him. My ST and I fell in love instantly :)

The next morning, the anesthesiologist came in to check on me. I asked him what happened, and he said that b/c they had to take the baby so quickly (it went from urgent to an emergency c-section b/c of Baby R's continued heart rate decrease) they didn't have time to ensure that I would be numb. When I was screaming they decided to give me a sedative to knock me out.

So, there ya have it. Baby R's birth story. Lots of details and TMI...but so glad I recorded it. I don't think I've ever given anyone all of these details.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Ladies night

When you are pregnant for the 3rd time, with a baby of the same sex as your previous two, you don't really need anything. I don't necessarily need new, boy clothes, or toys. We have all of those things.

However, last Tuesday night my girlfriends were able to surprise me with the best gifts! So unexpected!

They bought diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, and carrying bins! All stuff that I truly need for baby #3.

It is very hard to live so far away from my family. I truly rely on my friends to build that "extended family" feel for our children. And my friends are wonderful :)

Thank you ladies for being so awesome! I appreciate your friendship and I appreciate your kindness!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

The elephant and Indiana Jones

Yesterday, we took the boys to the circus!

Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, Baby D doesn't seem to like crowds. Nor does he like to be held for long periods of time. *sigh*

So, we paid $15 (each) for my husband and I to get into the circus; kids are free with a coupon. We enter and hear that there is only standing room left on the floor. Ugh! So, with Baby D starting to get cranky and Baby R whining b/c he can't see, we settle in to watch the show.

Eventually, I have to buy Baby D a useless toy for $8 to keep him quiet. Lots of people around us were starting to give us the evil eye - "Shut that kid up!"

The toy soon began to lose its lustre so, I eventually had to take Baby D back to the car. My husband and Baby R stayed behind to watch the show.

*note that I was almost secretly glad to be back in the car b/c I had so many contractions while standing and I was so, so uncomfortable*

While Baby D bounced around the car - no joke, he launched himself from the front driver's seat into the backseat multiple times, my eldest was able to live out his dream. Baby R rode on an elephant for $5 and was able to pretend that he was Indiana Jones (his hero!). Yeah!!!!

For those of you unaware of this movie clip, check out Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Although, Baby R was upset that Indy was able to ride his elephant outdoors while Baby R's elephant-ride was restricted to indoors.

I hate that I missed this moment and unfortunately, pictures were not allowed during the show or ride. Darn it!

But, I love that Baby R was able to enjoy this. He talked about it the entire evening. This morning, when asked about the experience he said, "The elephant had big ears...that's all I could see!"

I'm so happy that we are able to provide these little moments for our kids. Believe me, as a kid growing up in WV I never experienced anything like that...especially not at age 3. The best I managed was a ride on the family mule - Jenny :) No joke! My dad would tie a piece of bailing twine around her neck and lead me around the farm.

Ah, the good 'ole days!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Pulse Ox Test

Yesterday, I received an email from an old college friend. She has 2, small children; one boy, and one girl. Her youngest (the girl) was born with multiple issues with her heart. Check out her website for more info on her beautiful, little girl - Ashley.

In her email, my friend encouraged me to ensure that our newborn (when he arrives) receives a pulse ox test. Please read an excerpt of her email below...I hope this may help others as well! I plan to definitely ask for this test when our new baby arrives!

...I did want to ask you to consider asking for a pulse ox test after your children are born. Heart defects are the number one birth defect in this country. A majority of the doctors and hospitals do not test for heart defects and many babies are sent home and the defects are not caught until weeks or months later... A pulse oximeter is a red light taped to the babies toe or foot and the light reads how much oxygen is in the babies blood. The good range for a newborn is 94-97%, it will increase to 100% as the days pass and an open valve between the pulmonary artery and aorta closes(which is typical for all newborns). Ashley’s was at 88% even on oxygen when she was born but she had a noticeable heart murmur. I’m not sure how much a hospital would charge for this test but my pediatrician charged our insurance $50 for a pulse ox in the office. If a pulse ox is not done please know some of the warning sign of heart defects are bluish color, poor weight gain, poor eating, difficulty breathing...

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Cardiologist appt

On Tuesday of this week, I met with my OB/GYN for a regular appt. During our appt, my blood pressure was low (90/60), and my pulse rate was high.

I was dizzy and had to sit on the chair vs. the examining table. The doc decided to send me to see a cardiologist to ensure everything was okay. At this point, he and I both think it is the same thing I had when I was preggers with baby D; hypotension (low-blood pressure).

This hypotension is what is causing me to pass out, and generally be a wuss! :)

I saw a cardiologist and went through all the same tests with Baby D, but my OB decided it was worth it to take another look.

So, yesterday, my sweet-tart and I got to the cardiologist's office a little after 8AM. I was basically there until around 3:15 PM (we did leave for lunch).

These are the tests we did:
  • EKG - they hook you up with about 10 stickers on your legs, arms, and chest. Then they hook up these "electrodes" to a machine for about 10 mins. It's painless, but annoying b/c I'm flashing my breasts for anyone in the room...for 10 mins :)
  • Echocardiogram - this is basically an ultrasound of your heart. You have to lay on your side for this exam, and also flash your girly bits to everyone in the room. I had to ask for a pillow to support the baby belly b/c I was so uncomfortable. They basically use the ultrasound wand on your sides, chest, and throat. This exam took about an hour the first time I had it done. This time it was about 30 minutes. But, there is always all this prep so I was in that room for about an hour.
  • Heart monitor - I am now hooked up to a heart monitor. Again, stickers on my chest all hooked up to electrodes leading to a pocket-sized heart monitor. I am allergic to the stickers so I've been itching like crazy! I keep this on for 24 hours and it records your heart during that time. I can take it off today around 2:30 and then I need to return it to the hospital; along with a journal of what time I went to bed, how many times I got up during the night, and if I engaged in any strenuous activity and for how long (please note that the nurse winked at me when she mentioned this one!)

I know it all sounds pretty weird; especially for someone in their 30s with no history of heart problems. Truly, it is all painless, but it makes me feel better to know that a specialist is looking at me and will give me the clear/go for the c-section on the 27th.

I asked the cardiologist, "Could my blood pressure drop so low that I die during the c-section?" He was kinda comforting...he said, "After they get that baby out, they will do everything they can for you. That means you can have all the medicine you need that we just can't give you now. Not good for you or baby right now."

He was a little vague on the not-dying thing, but somehow I was comforted :)

He also basically told us that we shouldn't have a 4th baby. As he pointed out, this hypotension seems to get worse with each pregnancy. He told us about a case where a woman had to have her baby early just to escape the hypotension since it got so bad.

So, this really bothered me. I'm so sad as I write this right now. We really want(ed) 4 kids, for multiple reasons. To hear a doctor, a specialist, tell me that I shouldn't have another baby, that I shouldn't be pregnant...ever again!...is a little heart-wrenching.

I will need to really think about this. My mind was looking for loopholes in his statement. He didn't say that I couldn't (or wasn't allowed to) get pregnant. He just said that I shouldn't. Again, lots of thought needed b/c I can totally rationalize this whole situation to suit my own needs :)

Anyways, here's how you "treat" hypotension when you're preggers:

  • if you feel dizzy, lay down immediately on your left-side
  • if you get heart palpitations, lay down immediately on your left-side
  • if you have shortness of breath, lay down immediately on your left-side

I often get all 3 of these in the shower, and my sweet-tart likes to tell me, "Just lay down in the tub immediately. Don't try to get to the bed." Okay, I just cannot picture me comfortably fitting with my baby belly curled on my left-side on the bottom of the tub with the shower running. I'm sorry, but this doesn't seem like the idea scenario to me.

So, everytime this happens I try to make it out of the bathroom and into my bedroom to the bed. This is invariably when I pass out; in other words, my ideal scenario generally turns into my wussy moment of the day :) Here are some recent incidents to prove how dumb I am:

  • had a contraction in the tub and was feeling sick - when I bent over with the contraction, I got dizzy and topped forward to hit my head on the faucet of the tub.
  • after the tub incident, I decided to make my way to my bed where I proceeded to pass out on the way to the bed. I woke up with my towel wrapped around my arm and head.
  • I managed to get to the bed and laid there for about 20 mins (note that I also got my cell phone and called Eric and my doc at this time to report my stupidity). I then got up, dressed, and started to walk down the hall. I passed out again through the doorway of Baby's R's bedroom. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

So when my hubby brings this up to cardiologist, he agrees with him! Yes, I should just lay down right in the tub when I start to feel faint. Great, now I have to do it his way. I mean, geesh...the cardiologist said the same thing. Grrr.

Anyways, on a lighter note I have to point out that I think my hubby and I were the youngest people in the cardiologist's waiting room, by about 30 years or more! My sweet-tart and I had a fun time making fun of the other inhabitants. Mean, I know! But, it was a great stress-reliever.

One woman came in and seemed pretty belligerent. The receptionist has to ask questions like, "Are you here because you were experienced an injury while working?" After each question this lady answered with a very offended, "No!" So, finally the receptionist said, "I'm sorry, but I have to ask these questions." The lady answered, "Oh, I know. No problem." And she sounded so understanding and nice. The hubs and I kept looking at each other with our eyebrows raised and chuckling.

To close, I should have my tests results by Friday. I'll be sure to post something about those; especially if it is good news.

P.S. Please be thinking of my sister this weekend. She is 6 weeks behind me in her pregnancy and Saturday is her baby shower. I totally wish I could be there with her and for her! Send good thoughts and wishes her way!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Shout-out to my MIL

It is so hard to just choose one topic for each post. I just can't! So, you get everything.

1. I am getting our bedroom ready for the baby:

  • mini, co-sleeper
  • pack 'n play with the diaper changer on top
  • swing
  • NB clothes

I still need to buy some diapers...and then we should be set. Whew! So much easier with the 3rd.

2. Bunk beds are coming along nicely. Set them up in the boys' room this weekend, but Baby D won't sleep in his. But, I remember that Baby R was hesitant to give up his crib too. We still need to do some type of canopy on top. I hope to post pics soon.

3. This is my last week of working at home. I am giving myself a week off before the birth. Next week, my sweet-tart will be in Aurora for the entire week so I knew I couldn't work and take care of the boys w/o going bonkers!

4. Sending positive thoughts to my MIL (hope she doesn't mind that I'm sharing - she's a reader of this blog too!). She was diagnosed last week with breast cancer. Unfortunately, we can't be in FL w/her right now. So, I'll highlight some wonderful things about her in this post...shout-out!

  • She is the best g-ma to my kids. They call her G.G.
  • I love how she devotes herself to my kids

Check out the pics below...








G.G., we appreciate you! Thinking of you this week :)

5. G.G. was planning to fly up here and stay with the boys while I was in the hospital. However, since she cannot make it, our wonderful friends from Chicago will be driving down to help out! We are so blessed to have such great friends.

6. Yesterday, we went to the park and a Japanese garden for family pics. We setup a session with a local photographer, Tia Wind. I am extremely excited to see our pics (approx 1 week). Tia did a great job although, Baby R refused to smile. *sigh*

Baby D tried to ham it up a few times though. And I think we may have gotten a belly shot with Baby R hugging me...Baby D was being stubborn; he just wanted to explore the grass, flowers, and run after big brother!

I'll leave you with this...we moved the patio furniture outside this weekend, and ate most of our meals out there. I love eating outside...why is that? Why is that so fun?



Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Introductions

Now that I've been working from home for the past week, my hours are all wonky. I find myself working in spurts, and using those other hours to read blogs.

The blogs I'm reading are alternately sad and yet inspring; and totally suck me in!!! I cannot stop reading them.

So, I've decided to start my own. I want to share things about myself, about raising two toddlers (with another baby on the way - countdown!!!), and also incite discussion with friends and strangely enough...with strangers :)

I'm 31, with a penchant for acting 12. I'm also a constant contradiction:

  • I love working, yet I relish vacation/holiday time away from work.
  • I love my boys, but sometimes I wish they came with a mute button.
  • I am in love with my husband's sexy, brilliant mind yet I sometimes, okay often, want to poke him in the eye (repeatedly) for being so anal.

I am extremely jealous of my friends who have close relationships with their mothers. Jealous. I won't say too much. It is not a pretty story and I'm sure that the woman who gave birth to me would find a way to sue me if she found me trash-talking her. Instead, I'll just say that I'm totally jealous of those women who can call their mom and say, "Hey, the baby is coming, can you come and watch my kids?" Or, "Mom, daycare called and the baby is sick. Can you stay with him until I get home from work?"

Okay, to end on a happy note. Below are some recent fun things with my baby boys!

  • Baby R loves the movie, Iron Man. He told me this weekend, "Mommy, you need to buy me an Iron Man suit. I want to fly up in the air like Tony Stark."When I told him that only Tony Stark could fly in the air like that, he looked at me like I was the stupidest person and said, "That's why I'm going to pretend to be Tony Stark." All that he forgot was the "duh" tacked on at the end.
  • Baby D loves to read. He is always bringing me books to read to him. So, so sweet. This baby definitely inherited my love of reading.
  • Baby D also seems to like to bite. No kidding. When he is angry, he will screech and then lead down to put his open mouth against your arm or your leg. He doesn't chomp down, but I don't know what is stopping him. It makes me so afraid that I'm going to get a phone call from daycare soon.
  • Baby R loves to wear a clip-on tie. Daycare picture day is his favorite, because we generally dress up the boys in suits and/or sweater vests with ties. He loves them. He will wear them clipped to his T-shirts and to his jammies. He also begs me to let him wear his dress shoes. Today he went to school in a green, button down short-sleeved shirt that said "Aloha" on the back, a pair of black camo shorts, white socks, and his black dress shoes. No joke!
  • My sweet-tart is building the boys a bunk bed. I am so excited!!! They are not tall bunk beds, but we saw something similar at Ikea in Schaumburg a few months ago and immediately starting thinking about them for the boys. I think we are going to make it a Jeep-themed bunk bed, with canvas, tires, and a canopy top.
  • I titled this blog, "I made the bed...is that enough?" because that is generally all I can do throughout the week in terms of cleaning. My house is generally a disaster. But, my sweet-tart and I are generally always able to get our bed made. Nice, huh? :)

Okay, I'll stop now. More to come later. I have a feeling I'll be on here alot with posts over the next couple of weeks until Baby #3 makes his appearance. Our scheduled c-section date is April 27th.