Dear Tavin: Month One

Dear Tavin,

It has been one month since your were born!!  To be honest I wasn't sure if we would make it.  Those first two weeks were almost unbearable and took forever to adjust to.  But now, I think we finally have the hang of it!

First day home:

Sadie checking you out

First family photo

Grandma & Grandpa D.  Do they look like they are in love?

Aunt Angie checking your monkey toes out:

The first two weeks, Dad was off of work to make it easier.  He was able to keep up on the housework while we slept, ate, and repeated.  He even had to help feed you because you weren't latching correctly

The second week Dad had to go back to school and that Monday you were MAD he wasn't there.  So mad, I had to text him to come home because I couldn't handle you!

Then Dad went back to work and Grandma D. came to stay for a couple days!  What a blessing that was.  I sure learned a lot of techniques to soothe you!  And by the time she left, I think you were overtired.  She sure loved to keep you awake and "ooh" and "aah" over you!

Then the third week it was just us and we adjusted quite well. We started to get in to sort of a schedule!   Waking up around 5:30-6, snoozing on and off throughout the morning, lunch at Noon, walk at 1, and then snoozing on and off until 5:30 p.m.

The evenings are still somewhat of a jumble mess.  But we are working on a routine and hopefully we will have it nailed down soon!

The first couple of weeks were loaded with trips to the doctor's.  We had a check-up 5 days after you were born and you had lost a significant amount of weight and your bilirubin was quite high.  The orders were to feed you every two hours, stick you in the sun, and come back the next day.


A "boob juice coma" as I like to say

Getting your sun on

On Day 6, you had gained enough and your bilirubin went down so no needed interventions!  Yay!

We then had to go back on Day 7 to meet with the doctor.  You had gained more weight and the doctor was pleased with how things were coming.  Then we had to go back again on Day 11, to make sure you were almost to your birth weight and surprisingly you were above your birth weight!  Way to go, little guy!

We also had your newborn pictures taken on Day 7!  The photographer was so impressed with how "moldable" you were and how well you slept!  She said you were the easiest baby yet!

You also took your first big trip!  Trip to Grandma/Grandpa D.s' for Easter!  You did not want to miss a thing during the entire 1 hour car ride and were wide awake the entire time!  You did a great job at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Not quite sleeping like you did at home but still did a good job.

Your official one-month photos!

Wow!  What a busy month you had! Can't wait to see how you grow!


Love,
Mama

Pregnancy: A recap

Well it has been quite the journey....from the excitement of getting the positive test, to the all day morning sickness, to the weight gain, and the "is it ever going to end" stage.  I have to say that the pregnancy overall was not terrible.

Would I do it again?  Maybe.  We still haven't decided if there is going to be a baby #2.....

Anyway, here is a look of how the pregnancy progressed!  Quite interesting to see the belly expand!

40 weeks, 2 days and Baby is HERE!!!

At my weekly doctor appointment on Wednesday, March 14, the doctor did not check my cervix because she asked if I had been having contractions and I said a few here and there but nothing significant.  So she didn't expect much to happen and asked that I schedule appointments for the next two weeks and set an "eviction date", March 28.

Thursday, March 15, I went to work feeling GINORMOUS (see my 40 week post)!  I felt like I could hardly move and none of my clothes were fitting.  I had no major contractions during the day, despite taking several walks.  When I got home that night, I was exhausted.  I ate supper, took Sadie for a walk, and plopped on the couch.  I went to bed at my usually time, 9:30-10ish and got up at my normal pee time, 12:30.  After standing up from the toilet, I felt a slight gush of fluid and thought maybe this is it.  So I sat back down on the toilet and nothing, stood back up and then had a small gush again.  Then the contractions slowly started and I knew for sure it was the real thing.  I went out to the couch to time the contractions and they were about 2 minutes apart lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute.  I didn't wake Shaun because I wanted to wait it out a little bit and see if they were getting closer together/stronger.  About 1 a.m., Shaun woke up and came out to check on me.  I told him my water broke and he proceeded to go into "get ready" mode of finishing packing the bags, etc.

At about 2a.m., we left the house and headed to the hospital.  We checked in, they showed us to our room, and then Nurse #1 checked my cervix (only 2 cm dilated) and then hooked me up to the monitors to check the baby's heartbeat and the contractions.  Everything was fine so she took the monitors off and we were able to walk around.  The contractions were fairly consistent but nothing major.  After walking around for a bit we went back to the room and I listened to some of my Hypnobabies tracks.  Nurse #2 came in and wanted to check baby and the contractions so back on the monitor we went.  Everything was fine so we were able to walk around again.

At 7 a.m., my doctor came in and checked me.  I was still only 2 cm!!  She was not happy with the progress and said she would be back around 9 to check on me.  After she left, I felt frustrated and started to do some major stair climbing to get things moving.

Around 8:30 a.m., my nurse for the day (#4 I believe) came in and said that we needed to get me hooked up to the IV and get the Pitocin started.  UM WHAT!?!?!  Who ordered the Pitocin?  Apparently my doctor wanted me to start it since I had made any progress and she had wanted to be out of the hospital by 1.  I broke down in tears!  This was so not what I wanted.  After calming down and talking it over with Shaun, I agreed to their terms.  I had a few moments to do a few things and then got "chained" to the monitors and IV.  I sat on the birthing ball for the next 4 hours while they increased my Pitocin every half-hour or so.  I could definitely tell a difference every time they increased.  The contractions were much more intense and I was starting to have trouble getting through them.  Then around Noon, I started feeling "pushy".  I asked Shaun to buzz the nurse so she could check me.  She came in and I had to switch from ball to bed it was so uncomfortable.  But when she checked me, I was dilated to 9 cm!!  She was shocked.  She said to help things even more, I should get on my hands and knees (another not so comfortable position).  The doctor came in and asked how things were going...um how does it look?  She asked if I was comfortable and I said no.  Then there was a big debate between the nurse and the doctor about why I was in that position.  Blah Blah Blah...."can we focus on me"  is all I thought!  The doctor asked when I was to the bathroom last, I said a while ago.  So she asked that I go and then I would be able to start pushing.

So around 12:30 the pushing began and it went on and on.  They wanted me to push holding me legs up but I was unable to do so.  So then she had me grab on to a towel while she pulled on the other end.  They moved me around so many times it was all such a blur.  Then the next thing out of the doctor's mouth: "I think I have to do an episotomy."  Me:  "NO!"  They tried to tell Shaun to get a cool wash cloth for my face.  He sternly advised them that if he were to do that I would probably pass out (which probably would have been the case).  Then they started to give me oxygen which I quickly turned away from because I get claustrophobic.

Then, finally, baby started crowning and she asked "Do you want a mirror to see".  Again my response:  "NO!".

Oh and the phone rang during the pushing stage and one of the nurses looked at Shaun and said "I think that's for you".  Puzzled, he answered it and it was the kitchen asking if we were going to order food!?!?  Needless to say he was a bit irritated.

Finally at 2:19 p.m., I gave one last big push and Baby E. was here!!  Screaming his lungs out!

The doctor tried to set him up on my chest but the umbilical cord was too short so he only made it to my stomach.  He was only there for a few seconds as the placenta delivered rather quickly and he was moved to my chest.

So without further ado....here is the newest member of our family!

Tavin (think Gavin but with a T) John!

In the hospital:

At home:

40 weeks (3/8 to 3/14)

How big is baby?  Can we just say HUGE or at least I feel huge!!

Weight gain/loss:  To date:   +42

Stretch marks? Pretty bad

Sleep? Fabulously!

Best moment this week?  Knowing the end is near!

Worst moment this week?  Having to try on 3 different shirts before I find one to fit the ginormous bump!

Food cravings?  Whatever works to get baby out!

Movement:  Some days there is a lot, some not so much.

What I miss:  Not going to the hospital every week!  Have I mentioned I hate doctors?

What I'm looking forward to:  The 70 degree days that we have coming!

Weekly wisdom:  

Milestones:   Baby's skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth.

I didn't think I would make to 40 weeks and another bump pic but we did!!