Thursday, June 25, 2009

Attempting to write this while the bub is filling his pants before he realizes he needs a change!

So, I have a new goal. We don't have the Internet at home (I know!! tragedy!!). Actually, we came to the conclusion that it was a nicety not a necessity and too much of a temptation for wasting time. So, my new goal is to take the bub out to the library once a week use the computers there. This will begin the habit of going to the library that I hope will also foster in the bub the love of books my family so much enjoys. I can catch up on my emails and keep everyone posted on our weekly happenings. It won't be artistic or literary or even spelled correctly, but it will put a smile on at least my mother's face.

The delivery in a nutshell:
I broke down and agreed to Induction 6 days overdue. The clincher was that Derick would already be off for Memorial day and the my OB would be on call that day. I ate a good dinner and traveled down to the hospital Sunday night. The Pitocin was started at 10 pm. Real contractions started at 11pm. I had three big ones and felt a pop. Really... A Pop! I got up to pee and realized my water had broken. I was a little horrified when it was green, but tried not to let it show on my face as not to worry Derick. I knew that babies sometimes pass meconium and that everything usually turns out alright. Still, it was GREEN!! The nurse assured me that a NICU team was standing by just in case. Well, I went back to bed and was determined to breath through those labor pains and push that little guy out. After breathing and moaning for the better part of an hour, I began weighing the option of that epidural. I thought to myself that if I could just get some space between contractions I would be really be able to do without. The nurse, mom, and Derick kept reassuring me and telling me what a good job I was doing. Then, the donning realization that the nurse was ramping up that Pit in order to have my contractions come steadily 1 1/2 minutes apart. There was going to be no relief. Even if I could do it without the epidural, I didn't want to and I didn't have to! Once I made the decision, the anesthesiologist couldn't come fast enough. AAH! Sweet relief!

Sometime shortly after midnight the baby was showing decelerations in his heart rate, so they took me off the Pit. Then, apparently I was forgotten about for the next 2 hours. I am sure I should have been really upset, but I slept so soundly, I lost whatever feeling was left in the left side of my body. When the apologetic nurse came in around 2pm to check me she and I were elated to find that I had spontaneously begun to labor on my own and would not need to be put back on the Pit. After emptying a liter out of my bladder, I progressed rapidly and felt like pushing sometime before 7am. Even though it was shift change, my nurse stayed with me and we pushed Ian out in half an hour. Mom held one leg, the nurse held the other, and Derick counted staying near my head the whole time.

Ian presented with the cord loosely around his neck which would explain the decelerations. Derick deferred cutting the cord, so my mom got to do it. The NICU team was able to safely suction Ian's airway, and he was fine. They put him on my chest, he popped up his little head, and stared me right in the face. I was in love all over again.

Since then:
We have survived one month of feedings, diaperings, rockings, wailings, and burpings. I have come to the conclusion that despite all the reading and preparing, I have no idea what I am doing and I am just happy to make it through another day. Ian is packing on the chub, so I must be doing something right. If anyone has any suggestions for getting him to sleep in his own bed, I would be grateful. Also, if anyone can explain why he seems to want to nurse voraciously only to pop off the breast howling inconsolably. I have considered that there is something wrong with my breast, my milk, his mouth, or his belly. I am thinking it might be gas, but the gas drops don't seem to be helping. This is not all day every day, but it is very vexing in the middle of the night. I hope the doctor can shed some light at his checkup next week.

I am drunk on the warm feeling that washes over me when I am nestled snugly between the two most important men in my life and they are both sleeping soundly. I also love that magic spark that passes when Ian stares at me with those baby blues.


11 comments:

Kristie said...

Thanks for the update.

Drugs...aren't they the best...I figure there are only a few moments in our lives when we can legitimately use them so we might as well take advantage of those moments.

I think he has bigger boobs than me, you must be doing some right, keep it up. xoxoxoxo

Dan said...

Lilon: He is absolutely adorable. I want another one. But Cora wasn't that cute and chubby for months, how come Ian is in a month?

Dan: Cora probably put on the same amount of weight, she just grew really long and proportionally it took a while for her to look chubby.

Lilon: Oh, right. I remember. That's why she didn't fit her 0-3 month size clothes after a month.

Dan said...

Bravo for your first labor and delivery! It sounds like you did great! I would have been a bit worried if my amniotic fluid was green, too even though I know the reason. Body fluids aren't suppose to come in the color green. I totally wish I could have slept through some of mine.

I can't believe you waited until six days after you were due. You have some definite patience there. Ian's a lucky boy to have such parents. Dan and I agreed that parenting is just done by feel, prayers, inspiration and good sense. We are so glad little kids can't figure out that we have no idea what we are doing. Maybe that is why they get so mad at us as teenagers.

Amy said...

Congratulations.....you are doing wonderful. I would not worry too much if the lil' guy is gaining weight, all is well. My babies all did the same thing, hungry hungry but then pull off before they are done screaming and howling in pain, but it was coupled with not enough weight gain. Some howled in pain everytime I fed them others just at night. I ended up putting the worst ones on a baby size dose of an anti-acid and it solved my problem. I also was told that not enough action during the day slows their bowls and causes pain at night. So, I tried baby exercises and it did seem to help. Keep the lil' guy active more during the day and he will sleep better for you at night.

Michelle said...

Glad it all went well! I've been trying to get ahold of you but I'm sure you are busy. As for the feeding issue, it could very well be an OVER supply issue. Most women assume there is something wrong with their milk but in fact they are letting down very hard and it is too much for the baby and gives them an immediate flood and tummy ache. Also, he could be tongue tied which is an easy fix too. You could try expressing just a bit before he latches or letting him latch and then pulling him off until the initial spray stops. Just have a big towel nearby to catch it all lol. You could pump a bit first but of course that plays into the supply and demand thing and could actually hinder things. O.k. I'll stop gushing info. I've realized that most people are lost 2 seconds after I open my mouth lol. Good luck and call me if you need anything 833-3573 or 689-2256

Christina said...

Yay, congrats! I've been wondering if you had had your baby yet. Sounds like you are doing a great job and I have to agree with the other comments, we all don't really know what we are doing, good thing they start out as babies and we can learn as we go too!

Rachel Brown said...

love you sis. Sorry i missed your birthday. Happy Birthday anyway. you know i'm so proud of you and no regrets ever for inductions or epidurals. That's just the miracle of our generation.

so sleeping. now you know, any advice is not a guarantee. each child is different. BUT what worked for me is putting them to bed awake rather than asleep. fed, burped, happy... with a pacifier if they would take it. and i love bassinets right brside my bed for that first few months. i can just wheel it up next to me when i lay down and lazily reach down and insert pacifier during the night if needed. i also learned that i had better success if i got up to nurse in the night, rather than nursing lying down. Once again baby would be put to bed satisfied but not fall asleep next to me and then need to be transferred, which never worked for me.

and eating/wailing? i can't say i really had that one. occasionally something i ate, like garlic or spices or chocolate would make my breast milk distasteful to baby. i'm sure you know about bicycling their legs or laying them belly down across your lap while you rub their back for the gas.

Good luck. and when you have it all figured out i am sure i will need advice from you, just as soon as they let me bring OLiver home. He has been such a different pregnancy and birth that i have the feeling everything will be completely different with him.

Ian is beautiful. i love you.

Dee said...

#5 Shelley

Ari, your granda would have loved and laughed at Ian's baby facial exersises and called him Ben Turpin (ask your mom about Ben Turpin) as he did at all of our children. He is a beauty. I loved to read that your mum attended the labour because i did exactly the same for Dee and I cut the cord as well, best experience of my life!!!! no the cutting but the attending,haha.
Love to all Shelley

sharry said...

ari, derick...he is just gorgeous. i love those big, wide baby blues. and the baby boobs...who doesn't love baby boobs.

Jessiesmylieyahoo,com said...

arisocute

Katy said...

My heavens! What a little chunk! So handsome and wide-eyed and chubby! I've never seen such full man breasts on a baby before.

Alas, I fear my little Nora (8 1/2 months already!) will never be this pleasantly plump. Oh well, lean and mean is just as good as fat and sassy. But who ever thought Quinn and I would have a skinny baby?

We are so thrilled for you! I heard through the elaborate grapevine of news sources surrounding my mother about little Ian coming. So happy to see him and hear you're all doing well.