Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A Very Special Post. Boobs Mentioned.
So, this breastfeeding thing. Let's start from the beginning.
When burrito was born, I'd say he was on the boob in the first 2 hours. Luckily, there were lactation consultants as far as the eye could see, so I got offered help at least a million times. I said yes to all of them, cause from what I'd heard, I'd need it.
The first one went pretty well, she helped get him latched and sucking away with his little newborn mouth. She basically grabbed my boob and shoved it in his mouth. She used the method of brushing the nipple down his nose to get his mouth open wide. I didn't feel a whole bunch at first, but it did get a wee bit sore so I lathered on the Lansinoh - in small amounts, because I am cheap.
The tops I brought to the Hosp were basically pajama tops and one Gap nursing shirt, and I had a Medela sleep bra, which, love. Oh the comfort at night. Not that I slept that first night. I was pretty much just up watching him, and figuring out how to lie/sit so my ass didn't kill.
So, we continued on, my burrito, boobs and me. It looked as If he was able to suck and get stuff, it was just colostrum at first so I didn't really see anything come out, but he wasn't opening his mouth wide enough, and it was starting to get painful. The lac cons and I tried a couple different positions for nursing, with the boppy and with pillows, and my left side started to be the one he didn't like. I was doing one side at a time at first.
After we got home, he continued to get enough, and I'd say within the 1st week, my milk came in. And then my boobs came in. Waaaay in. Like, good morning Dolly Parton (for me) in. I had cleavage I never thought I would, and found out what it's like to have actual boobs, like other women. Of course, eventually the side-effects kicked in: stretch marks, giant areolas, and a fun one - leaking. I blamed burrito's wet outfit on two faulty brands of diapers until I realized I *may* be leaking through my bra while he's nursing. Thank you, let-down.
The 1st week, I thought, was a bit hard. It was nothing compared to the 2nd week. The nips were sore all the time, and the cream helped, but it was just torturous at times. And then there was the favoring one side. He wasn't latching very well starting a couple days after we got home, and I remember being up one morning at 2am just crying, tears falling on the baby who was crying also, because it was so frustrating. There were times when he wanted to eat All.The.Time. and I didn't know if he was getting anything, or if he was getting nothing, or what the problem was.
And then of course, there was the moment when my mom was like, you're only feeding on one side? hmm. yeah. It's ok to feed them on both sides. And here I was sitting there for a half hour while burrito munched away on one boob. Lo and Behold, it only takes him like 10-15 minutes on one side to get his fill. It was only a couple days of that though, so we figured it out and got into a new routine pretty quick.
I wish I would've known about the growth spurts where they eat CONSTANTLY, and that there are days when they just wanna eat and that's that, when I started. Sometime around the start of the third week, he switched to the other boob being the favorite, and just wasn't having the shunned boob. His latch really didn't improve, and I called the lac cons about two times after I was home from the hosp. They gave me some good suggestions and advice, and I am so thankful I had that option. When it came down to it:
- his latch wasn't the best, but he was getting food
- sometimes he just wanted to eat
- sometimes he just wanted to suck
- my nips were PAINFUL
- it was ok to cry, moan and bitch about it.
Sometime after that, I'd say around 4+ weeks, it got better. I can't pinpoint anything specifically, but kellymom.com really helped, and just sticking with it made me feel...not better, but stronger. Not to say if it had been bad enough that switching to formula would've been weak, however, I think now that I didn't even consider that as an option, so my only choice was to succeed at breastfeeding. Possibly. Kind of like with labor - I was so scared of the needles, it didn't occur to me to ask for drugs; it wasn't even an option. And of course, there's always my pain mantra: it's probably going to get worse, so suck it up.
At around 5 weeks, we started being able to nurse laying down in bed, which was fantastic. He was beginning to be able to suck the nip into his mouth without having me pry his chin down and shove it in. And now? It's like a little mini-vac that sucks it in no matter where it is. Seriously. He could be across the room and his sucking power will just draw him to the boob. Pshaw. But I digress. I'm glad I was able to stick with it, and it wasn't as painful as it could've been, because it's really good for him and his immune system especially now that we're in cold&flu season; it's cheap; and I feel wanted and needed and useful, especially now that he's in daycare. And those moments when he's nursing and he looks up and catches my eye? Priceless.
products used:
Lansinoh lanolin
Lansinoh disposable pads - not to sound like the quote on the main page...but yeah, these do work well overnight!
I did try nipple shells and shields (Medela) but I think that I got the wrong size shield so it just hurt that much more. The shells, however? LOVE. It's like a protective little cup for the nips. Course, if you're leak-prone, remember to put a pad around them, lol.
Gap nursing tops - because I don't shop anywhere else.
Ok, I lied, Target has some nice nursing tanks for bedtime too.
I also brought one of Medela's sleep bras to the hosp with me, which was nice.
Advice to myself for possible next baby:
expect it to hurt like hell for the first 3 weeks. wake up at 2am, bitch, moan, throw things at husband. but it will get better. they will stop hurting. and maybe next time, try to plan for a summer baby so your nips don't freeze off.
When burrito was born, I'd say he was on the boob in the first 2 hours. Luckily, there were lactation consultants as far as the eye could see, so I got offered help at least a million times. I said yes to all of them, cause from what I'd heard, I'd need it.
The first one went pretty well, she helped get him latched and sucking away with his little newborn mouth. She basically grabbed my boob and shoved it in his mouth. She used the method of brushing the nipple down his nose to get his mouth open wide. I didn't feel a whole bunch at first, but it did get a wee bit sore so I lathered on the Lansinoh - in small amounts, because I am cheap.
The tops I brought to the Hosp were basically pajama tops and one Gap nursing shirt, and I had a Medela sleep bra, which, love. Oh the comfort at night. Not that I slept that first night. I was pretty much just up watching him, and figuring out how to lie/sit so my ass didn't kill.
So, we continued on, my burrito, boobs and me. It looked as If he was able to suck and get stuff, it was just colostrum at first so I didn't really see anything come out, but he wasn't opening his mouth wide enough, and it was starting to get painful. The lac cons and I tried a couple different positions for nursing, with the boppy and with pillows, and my left side started to be the one he didn't like. I was doing one side at a time at first.
After we got home, he continued to get enough, and I'd say within the 1st week, my milk came in. And then my boobs came in. Waaaay in. Like, good morning Dolly Parton (for me) in. I had cleavage I never thought I would, and found out what it's like to have actual boobs, like other women. Of course, eventually the side-effects kicked in: stretch marks, giant areolas, and a fun one - leaking. I blamed burrito's wet outfit on two faulty brands of diapers until I realized I *may* be leaking through my bra while he's nursing. Thank you, let-down.
The 1st week, I thought, was a bit hard. It was nothing compared to the 2nd week. The nips were sore all the time, and the cream helped, but it was just torturous at times. And then there was the favoring one side. He wasn't latching very well starting a couple days after we got home, and I remember being up one morning at 2am just crying, tears falling on the baby who was crying also, because it was so frustrating. There were times when he wanted to eat All.The.Time. and I didn't know if he was getting anything, or if he was getting nothing, or what the problem was.
And then of course, there was the moment when my mom was like, you're only feeding on one side? hmm. yeah. It's ok to feed them on both sides. And here I was sitting there for a half hour while burrito munched away on one boob. Lo and Behold, it only takes him like 10-15 minutes on one side to get his fill. It was only a couple days of that though, so we figured it out and got into a new routine pretty quick.
I wish I would've known about the growth spurts where they eat CONSTANTLY, and that there are days when they just wanna eat and that's that, when I started. Sometime around the start of the third week, he switched to the other boob being the favorite, and just wasn't having the shunned boob. His latch really didn't improve, and I called the lac cons about two times after I was home from the hosp. They gave me some good suggestions and advice, and I am so thankful I had that option. When it came down to it:
- his latch wasn't the best, but he was getting food
- sometimes he just wanted to eat
- sometimes he just wanted to suck
- my nips were PAINFUL
- it was ok to cry, moan and bitch about it.
Sometime after that, I'd say around 4+ weeks, it got better. I can't pinpoint anything specifically, but kellymom.com really helped, and just sticking with it made me feel...not better, but stronger. Not to say if it had been bad enough that switching to formula would've been weak, however, I think now that I didn't even consider that as an option, so my only choice was to succeed at breastfeeding. Possibly. Kind of like with labor - I was so scared of the needles, it didn't occur to me to ask for drugs; it wasn't even an option. And of course, there's always my pain mantra: it's probably going to get worse, so suck it up.
At around 5 weeks, we started being able to nurse laying down in bed, which was fantastic. He was beginning to be able to suck the nip into his mouth without having me pry his chin down and shove it in. And now? It's like a little mini-vac that sucks it in no matter where it is. Seriously. He could be across the room and his sucking power will just draw him to the boob. Pshaw. But I digress. I'm glad I was able to stick with it, and it wasn't as painful as it could've been, because it's really good for him and his immune system especially now that we're in cold&flu season; it's cheap; and I feel wanted and needed and useful, especially now that he's in daycare. And those moments when he's nursing and he looks up and catches my eye? Priceless.
products used:
Lansinoh lanolin
Lansinoh disposable pads - not to sound like the quote on the main page...but yeah, these do work well overnight!
I did try nipple shells and shields (Medela) but I think that I got the wrong size shield so it just hurt that much more. The shells, however? LOVE. It's like a protective little cup for the nips. Course, if you're leak-prone, remember to put a pad around them, lol.
Gap nursing tops - because I don't shop anywhere else.
Ok, I lied, Target has some nice nursing tanks for bedtime too.
I also brought one of Medela's sleep bras to the hosp with me, which was nice.
Advice to myself for possible next baby:
expect it to hurt like hell for the first 3 weeks. wake up at 2am, bitch, moan, throw things at husband. but it will get better. they will stop hurting. and maybe next time, try to plan for a summer baby so your nips don't freeze off.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Daycare - almost 3 days down.
The First Day:
We got there around 815, I had wanted to be there by 8 but I'm always late to everything, so why should that change now that I have even more to do in the mornings? ::sigh::
I don't have a code for the front door yet, but the director and owner recognize me. Walk in, hit the computer sign-in program, and go down the hall to the infant room, where the sign says "Welcome Benjamin and (other new baby)!" We either have to take our shoes off or wear booties, and obviously my shoe choice that day was boots, so I opted for the booties. Sex-ay.
I went in, said g'morning to the teachers, and set the burrito down to put his things away. Diaper bag to the cubby, blanket to his crib, bottles in the frig in his little plastic bin. I filled out his morning info (last nap? diaper? feeding? how's he doing this morning?) and didn't really know what to do then. The teacher with a squeaky voice (now that I think about it, she kinda reminds me of shelly duvall) asked if he was hungry, and he probably was, but when she warmed up the bottle to try it, he wasn't interested - he was looking around at everything. It was so darn bright in there.
I left his carseat there for hubs to pick him up, along with his blanket (thanks auntie Kim!) and his 3-6mo knit hat and sweater (thanks grandma shurl!) and just kind of moseyed my way to the door. I must have said goodbye about ten times. I just didn't want to go. : (
I didn't call in until about 2pm, and they said that he was doing fine, and was a happy baby, but didn't eat much. He took about 1/2oz, then 1oz, then 3, then 3. He had two leftover bottles (it said on their info sheet that I should send 4), which I then sent with him the next day. I figured it was just that he was in new surroundings, with new faces/shapes/colors/bright lights, and that he'd eat more later. He did. Of course, it took me a freakin hour to get home, thanks stupidlocalhighway. When I got home, it wasn't like he was wagging his tail and running up to me like another household item (who also peed on the floor, natch), so I wasn't expecting much. But like I said, he was a bit ravenous and ate for longer than usual. He seemed like he was sleepy, lethargic almost, and wary of his surroundings. It took him about two hours to be back to his "normal" happy baby self, and then he was smiling and chatting away.
He woke up twice in the night to eat - 2am and 550, which he hasn't done for a little while now, so he must have been starved. Hubs did say that when he went to pick him up, his hands were freezing, and the room was cold, so I'm going to see how it is today when I go to pick him up, and then address it with the center director and teachers. He does have mittens, if his hands were cold I'd hope they would use them. Maybe they forgot I packed them?...Maybe it was just the weather on Monday which was colder than the norm lately.
Yesterday, he ate a little more, but wasn't as happy baby as the first day. He hasn't taken his usual naps either, going down for only a half hour to hour at a time. He usually goes for a good 1+ in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. We'll see if it's just getting used to daycare. Hubs reported some green poop as well when he picked him up, which had happened once before, the first time he had a bottle. Is that common? Interwebs?
Last night was a little bit better, he started napping when I took him to the store, and went down for the count at about 930. Slept until about 330, when he started fussing - I woke him up to eat. My boobs were a'hurtin by that point, whee engorgement. He went back to sleep, I went downstairs to pump the other boob, and he woke up again at 650 for the day.
I really have to start getting up at 630 like my alarm clock says. Can't there be more hours in a day? and less days in a year? we don't need all those days in August. Take some back, Julius Caesar.
We got there around 815, I had wanted to be there by 8 but I'm always late to everything, so why should that change now that I have even more to do in the mornings? ::sigh::
I don't have a code for the front door yet, but the director and owner recognize me. Walk in, hit the computer sign-in program, and go down the hall to the infant room, where the sign says "Welcome Benjamin and (other new baby)!" We either have to take our shoes off or wear booties, and obviously my shoe choice that day was boots, so I opted for the booties. Sex-ay.
I went in, said g'morning to the teachers, and set the burrito down to put his things away. Diaper bag to the cubby, blanket to his crib, bottles in the frig in his little plastic bin. I filled out his morning info (last nap? diaper? feeding? how's he doing this morning?) and didn't really know what to do then. The teacher with a squeaky voice (now that I think about it, she kinda reminds me of shelly duvall) asked if he was hungry, and he probably was, but when she warmed up the bottle to try it, he wasn't interested - he was looking around at everything. It was so darn bright in there.
I left his carseat there for hubs to pick him up, along with his blanket (thanks auntie Kim!) and his 3-6mo knit hat and sweater (thanks grandma shurl!) and just kind of moseyed my way to the door. I must have said goodbye about ten times. I just didn't want to go. : (
I didn't call in until about 2pm, and they said that he was doing fine, and was a happy baby, but didn't eat much. He took about 1/2oz, then 1oz, then 3, then 3. He had two leftover bottles (it said on their info sheet that I should send 4), which I then sent with him the next day. I figured it was just that he was in new surroundings, with new faces/shapes/colors/bright lights, and that he'd eat more later. He did. Of course, it took me a freakin hour to get home, thanks stupidlocalhighway. When I got home, it wasn't like he was wagging his tail and running up to me like another household item (who also peed on the floor, natch), so I wasn't expecting much. But like I said, he was a bit ravenous and ate for longer than usual. He seemed like he was sleepy, lethargic almost, and wary of his surroundings. It took him about two hours to be back to his "normal" happy baby self, and then he was smiling and chatting away.
He woke up twice in the night to eat - 2am and 550, which he hasn't done for a little while now, so he must have been starved. Hubs did say that when he went to pick him up, his hands were freezing, and the room was cold, so I'm going to see how it is today when I go to pick him up, and then address it with the center director and teachers. He does have mittens, if his hands were cold I'd hope they would use them. Maybe they forgot I packed them?...Maybe it was just the weather on Monday which was colder than the norm lately.
Yesterday, he ate a little more, but wasn't as happy baby as the first day. He hasn't taken his usual naps either, going down for only a half hour to hour at a time. He usually goes for a good 1+ in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. We'll see if it's just getting used to daycare. Hubs reported some green poop as well when he picked him up, which had happened once before, the first time he had a bottle. Is that common? Interwebs?
Last night was a little bit better, he started napping when I took him to the store, and went down for the count at about 930. Slept until about 330, when he started fussing - I woke him up to eat. My boobs were a'hurtin by that point, whee engorgement. He went back to sleep, I went downstairs to pump the other boob, and he woke up again at 650 for the day.
I really have to start getting up at 630 like my alarm clock says. Can't there be more hours in a day? and less days in a year? we don't need all those days in August. Take some back, Julius Caesar.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
And then I pumped at work
Since breastfeeding went so well for me at first (LaughOnLine), I figured I'd need to get all the accoutrements to be able to pump at work, in order to continue my pseudo-crunchy lifestyle. And hey, it's cheap. I checked with our ins, and they'd cover a pump up to a certain amount. In a wonderfully ironic-in-the-Alanis-sense twist of fate, that amount was right.under. every mainstream pump; the medelas, the amedas, the avents. So I went for the lovely lavender Lansinoh pump, as the nip cream has been so good to me so far.
I've been using it at home since I got it for the middle of the night "feeding" time, and besides being a little bit noisy, it works like a charm. So I decided to take my show on the road and continue pumping at work. They have a special super secret pumping room, to which I was introduced today, winding through a maze of carpeted hallways on directions from ladies who have pumped before.
The room is part of a bathroom, and behind some saloon-style swinging doors. So people walk by it in order to get to the bathroom, which is behind another door. It's in a swanky part of our complex, which is inhabited by upper-level employees (I've been watching too much Charmed, I was going to finish that phrase "upper-level demons"), mostly men, so the bathroom isn't frequented too much. I made myself a sticky note to put on the swinging doors: "Pumping in Progress." Too literal, interwebs? Too impersonal? Give me some suggestions.
I went up first at 11:15, and got about 3.75oz and 4oz. Second time around 3:15 and got about the same, maybe a little less. I used my lansinoh bottles that came with the pump, and that I bought in the extra pack, and stuck them in the office mini-frig, all the way in the back. I need to get more of those milk baggies, they work better for storage. It works out pretty well. I use one hand to hold both of the pump bottles, because I haven't figured out yet how to wrangle up a holder. I just played on my cell phone today, but maybe tomorrow I'll remember a magazine or something so I don't have to sit there for 15 minutes and stare at a small screen.
I rinsed the parts with soapy water afterwards at the br sink, and stuck them in one of my fancy little Medela sanitizing bags. That and 2oz of water went in the microwave for 3 min after I got back to my cube area, which is ingenious. I just need to remember to bring a towel in my pump package.
***update - next day***
So, this morning, hubs found my special little backpack for my pump stuff. Thank goodness. I look so chic now; natch.
I also did a little bit of interwebs-lookin and found out that I am able to sanitize once a day, so I started out today with pumping at 10:30, then cleaned the parts with soapy water and put them in the medela bag. I'll get them out again at the next pumping session, which will probably be around 2-3, and then after that, sanitize. I didn't have a 3am pumping session this morning, because the burrito had a not-very-hungry first day (getting used to the bottle, new place/faces, etc) and ate tons last night and then woke to eat at 2am and again at 530.
This morning, I used the medela wipes, which actually dried my parts quicker than I expected (they were wet from washing, no towel with me). They worked pretty well, but will only be an occasional thing as they are not on the cheap side (@$10/bag of 24).
Also, I can store milk from more than one pumping in the same bottle, which is good, because since I fell asleep at 9pm last night on the couch while feeding the burrito, I didn't get to clean all of my bottles. How do women do this again?!
My resources:
KellyMom
Work and Pump
My fun things:
Medela Quick Clean Wipes
Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags
Pump'n'Stuff:
Lansinoh Affinity Double Electric Pump
Lansinoh storage bags and bottles - their bottles all fit with the pump, obviously, however I couldn't find any nipples/tops for them at my local BRU, in case I wanted to use those to feed the kid. So I will probably just pump right into my...
Dr. Brown's bottles
I've been using it at home since I got it for the middle of the night "feeding" time, and besides being a little bit noisy, it works like a charm. So I decided to take my show on the road and continue pumping at work. They have a special super secret pumping room, to which I was introduced today, winding through a maze of carpeted hallways on directions from ladies who have pumped before.
The room is part of a bathroom, and behind some saloon-style swinging doors. So people walk by it in order to get to the bathroom, which is behind another door. It's in a swanky part of our complex, which is inhabited by upper-level employees (I've been watching too much Charmed, I was going to finish that phrase "upper-level demons"), mostly men, so the bathroom isn't frequented too much. I made myself a sticky note to put on the swinging doors: "Pumping in Progress." Too literal, interwebs? Too impersonal? Give me some suggestions.
I went up first at 11:15, and got about 3.75oz and 4oz. Second time around 3:15 and got about the same, maybe a little less. I used my lansinoh bottles that came with the pump, and that I bought in the extra pack, and stuck them in the office mini-frig, all the way in the back. I need to get more of those milk baggies, they work better for storage. It works out pretty well. I use one hand to hold both of the pump bottles, because I haven't figured out yet how to wrangle up a holder. I just played on my cell phone today, but maybe tomorrow I'll remember a magazine or something so I don't have to sit there for 15 minutes and stare at a small screen.
I rinsed the parts with soapy water afterwards at the br sink, and stuck them in one of my fancy little Medela sanitizing bags. That and 2oz of water went in the microwave for 3 min after I got back to my cube area, which is ingenious. I just need to remember to bring a towel in my pump package.
***update - next day***
So, this morning, hubs found my special little backpack for my pump stuff. Thank goodness. I look so chic now; natch.
I also did a little bit of interwebs-lookin and found out that I am able to sanitize once a day, so I started out today with pumping at 10:30, then cleaned the parts with soapy water and put them in the medela bag. I'll get them out again at the next pumping session, which will probably be around 2-3, and then after that, sanitize. I didn't have a 3am pumping session this morning, because the burrito had a not-very-hungry first day (getting used to the bottle, new place/faces, etc) and ate tons last night and then woke to eat at 2am and again at 530.
This morning, I used the medela wipes, which actually dried my parts quicker than I expected (they were wet from washing, no towel with me). They worked pretty well, but will only be an occasional thing as they are not on the cheap side (@$10/bag of 24).
Also, I can store milk from more than one pumping in the same bottle, which is good, because since I fell asleep at 9pm last night on the couch while feeding the burrito, I didn't get to clean all of my bottles. How do women do this again?!
My resources:
KellyMom
Work and Pump
My fun things:
Medela Quick Clean Wipes
Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags
Pump'n'Stuff:
Lansinoh Affinity Double Electric Pump
Lansinoh storage bags and bottles - their bottles all fit with the pump, obviously, however I couldn't find any nipples/tops for them at my local BRU, in case I wanted to use those to feed the kid. So I will probably just pump right into my...
Dr. Brown's bottles
Monday, November 29, 2010
The All-Important First Day Back At Work.
or, the one where I watch the clock.
SOOOO, today was my first day back at work. Technically; is my first day, since I don't leave until 530. I aimed to get up at 630 this morning, but burrito had other plans, and woke me with some serious whining at 550 to eat. When he had eaten and spit up on himself, we went downstairs, where he took a lil catnap in his swing, and I proceeded to go about my day.
- fill bottles (found hole in one bag of milk, spilled all over frig and floor)
- eat breakfast (dog has to go out in middle of breakfast, honey nut mini-wheats are now soggy)
- get bpump items together (find that I cannot find the pump bag, have to use tote from charity walk 3 years ago)
- get dressed (sweater is too tight, change into gut-camo sweater)
- make sure I have all of burrito's paperwork (I did! I did!)
I aimed to leave the house at 745 - ended up really leaving at 805. Best-laid plans...and such. So, we get there, say good morning, director puts us in the computer so I can check him in, and head down to the infant room. The woman there is waaaaay too chipper for before 10am, but I guess you have to be around babies.
Drop the diaper bag, drop the bottles (with insanely detailed labels; 5.5oz, 5oz, 4.75oz, and 4oz bottles), fill out his am paperwork (last feeding, nap, diaper change), and unpack him, who by this time is fussing about being restrained for so long without moving. He has car seat issues.
When they asked if he was fussing for a reason, I said he's probably hungry, so they heated up one of the bottles for him - which he wouldn't take at that point, because everything else in the room was just too interesting, lol. You'd think he's never been outside my house before.
I said goodbye about 5 times, and then had to get my butt to work. I'm not sure if I can explain correctly, but I almost feel as if I'm just borrowing someone else's baby, and I'll either have to give him back or they'll come pick him up inevitably. Of course that's just right now, as two days ago I was marveling that I have a son and he's mine for the rest of our lives. It's such an odd thing. I'm not sure how people adjust to this.
One thing is certain: I miss him tons.
SOOOO, today was my first day back at work. Technically; is my first day, since I don't leave until 530. I aimed to get up at 630 this morning, but burrito had other plans, and woke me with some serious whining at 550 to eat. When he had eaten and spit up on himself, we went downstairs, where he took a lil catnap in his swing, and I proceeded to go about my day.
- fill bottles (found hole in one bag of milk, spilled all over frig and floor)
- eat breakfast (dog has to go out in middle of breakfast, honey nut mini-wheats are now soggy)
- get bpump items together (find that I cannot find the pump bag, have to use tote from charity walk 3 years ago)
- get dressed (sweater is too tight, change into gut-camo sweater)
- make sure I have all of burrito's paperwork (I did! I did!)
I aimed to leave the house at 745 - ended up really leaving at 805. Best-laid plans...and such. So, we get there, say good morning, director puts us in the computer so I can check him in, and head down to the infant room. The woman there is waaaaay too chipper for before 10am, but I guess you have to be around babies.
Drop the diaper bag, drop the bottles (with insanely detailed labels; 5.5oz, 5oz, 4.75oz, and 4oz bottles), fill out his am paperwork (last feeding, nap, diaper change), and unpack him, who by this time is fussing about being restrained for so long without moving. He has car seat issues.
When they asked if he was fussing for a reason, I said he's probably hungry, so they heated up one of the bottles for him - which he wouldn't take at that point, because everything else in the room was just too interesting, lol. You'd think he's never been outside my house before.
I said goodbye about 5 times, and then had to get my butt to work. I'm not sure if I can explain correctly, but I almost feel as if I'm just borrowing someone else's baby, and I'll either have to give him back or they'll come pick him up inevitably. Of course that's just right now, as two days ago I was marveling that I have a son and he's mine for the rest of our lives. It's such an odd thing. I'm not sure how people adjust to this.
One thing is certain: I miss him tons.
Friday, November 5, 2010
A Birth Story, perhaps?
Sorry, I know it's late. I'm a slacker, what can I say? Didn't even get my TYNotes out from my showers yet. Gar.
SO, on with the show. I had a babydr's appt on Tuesday September 21st, where the doc "agitated" my membranes. Then the rinse cycle started. Oh wait, not a washing machine.
The nurse in the room said that I'd do well through labor because I did well while he was agitating around down there, so I took that as a good sign. It was uncomfortable, but I was expecting some kind of pain or something, so I did my deep breathing. And concentrated on the puppies on the ceiling, lol. I went into work after that, worked a full day, felt fine. I think I was 2cm and 80% at that time.
The next morning, about 130am, I felt uncomfortable, so I figured I just need to go to the bathroom. Went. Woke up again about 10min later, same feeling. It took me until 221am to figure out...wait, that might be a contraction!!! WTFOMG!!1!!!!1 So I told the hubs I was going to go lay down on the couch and time these babies. They were every 9 or so minutes until about 6am, and I slept every now and then. It just felt like a slight back pain, not too bad, so I expected at the time for this to last a long time and to either taper off, or maybe have the kid that week sometime.
After 6am they went away, but I wasn't in the mood to go to work and wouldn't be able to concentrate there to save my trucks, so (sorry, but as I'm writing this, the burrito is napping and his little foot is twitching, it's so damn cute, just had to note it for posterity) I called off work. I asked my friend to stop over to deliver some pads, as I conveniently forgot anything dealing with me leaking (this goes for breast pads too), and some coke, as I was in need of a caffeine fix. As of 1030am the contrax kicked back up again, and got a little bit worse. It was all in my back, I felt nothing in the front, where I thought they'd be. Karma.
So when friend came over, I was rocking away on mybouncy exercise ball, the only thing that did any good against the back pain, I figured out. She only stayed for a bit with her two little ones because I wasn't very much fun, having to be all Rain Man during the contrax.
Hubs was at a work meeting that day, so he was able to leave whenever (which I'm sure he could've done anyway, but it wasn't a day where he was at his typical "office"). I let him know my status and he said to let the babydr know. When I called in, they said to come in, that they'd check me there. Hubs got home and we went in about 1145. At this time, the contrax were worse, so that I'd have to concentrate on them, not talk, walk around, or something of the like in order to get through them.
When they checked me, I was 3cm (I think?), and they said that I could go on over to L&D. Whee! I remember having to stop every so often while walking in and out of the office for contractions. At that point, walking through them was ok.
Went home, got the stuff ready (or just got the last-minute items ready, as the bags were packed previously), and headed over to L&D, two minutes away at the local hospital. I was sitting on a towel in the car, so as not to gush all over hubs' truck, lol.
Once we got to the hospital, I pretty much just followed hubs, because I was concentrating on breathing through my contractions and being able to make it to the room before having my water break, although I know I can't control that. I think there were a couple of old ladies in the elevator who were chatty, and I ignored them - a sign of things to come...
We got up to L&D and checked in, and they took us to a room. I asked for abouncy exercise birthing ball, and remembered that the last time I felt nauseated, at the GD blood test, they got me a fan. I was starting to have nausea with each contraction depending on how I was standing or sitting, so hubs suggested we ask for a fan as well. A couple different types of medical people came in and out, and hubs went to go find the ball and fan. They were attaching the belly monitor, and taking my bp every now and then, and I labored there for a while.
After a while, I got changed into the gown, put a "puppy pad" on the ball, and started breathing through the contractions that way. It felt better to have someone rub my lower back (whee, all back labor), and to raise my knees up slightly. The fan helped with the nausea. From time to time a nurse would come in and see if I was ready for my IV yet - I kept saying, do I have to? I'm not ready yet, I'm still nauseated, don't want to throw up, etc. Hubs then said if I just kept saying no I wouldn't have to get one, I could refuse it. So I just kept putting it off. However, I made sure that I had liquid nearby - they gave me apple juice, which sucked...all I want when I'm nauseated is water, although that makes the nausea worse apparently. Pshaw.
Hubs told me that I might speed things up or feel better if I walked around during the contractions. I kept telling him, uh, if I get up I'll puke. I was fine sitting down. Then the nurse came in and said that they were afraid that burrito was sunny-side-up, and it might help if I would either walk around, stand up, or lean forward in order to encourage him to turn. So I stood up for one contraction, leaning on hubs, and promptly threw up all the lovely purple gatorade that I'd just drunk. Oh fun. I didn't want to talk much at that time or else I would've said "TOLD YOU SO."
The contractions continued, and I had someone rubbing my back during each one. Hubs wanted to go home and shower and get something to eat, so he called my mom in to take over Baby Watch 2010. At some point around 3-4pm, lady babydr came in and checked me again, and I was at 5cm I think. I did feel some gushing of fluids when I was on the bouncy ball (thank goodness for the puppy pads), and figured out later that that was my water "breaking." Around 5-6pm, hubs goes home to shower, but skips the food because he wasn't sure how long to be away, as my contractions were getting stronger. They were giving estimates at that point. Someone said 7, someone said 8, I said 7:54pm which is when I was born, and hubs said 7:30.
My contractions were getting stronger and the nurses were recommending I change positions, so sometime around 6 I put the ball on top of the bed and started leaning on it through my contractions. One of the nurses gave hubs a small bottle of lotion to use when rubbing my back, because apparently it was turning red. He said later he almost used the whole bottle. Ah the joy.
I don't know what time it was, but after I stood up, I started to feel like I had to poop. Lady babydr said to just go with what my body said, so I went to the bathroom to see if I had to. Not a whole lot happened, and going to the bathroom with back labor, it is now established, is the worst pain I have ever felt. I went a couple times while I was at the hospital, and it was all I could do not to scream when I had a contraction on the toilet. I think it's the closest I came to actually making noise while having a contraction!
During the last stages of my labor, before I felt like I had to push, I didn't really know what was going, didn't talk to anyone, just nodded my head yes or no. I didn't open my eyes a whole lot either. I knew people were there because of their voices, but I was resting between contractions, and concentrating on breathing during them.
When I finally felt like I had to push, which I didn't realize was actually an urge to push - it felt more like I had to poop - I was still in the standing up position. I kept asking hubs if I had pooped in my fancy mesh underpants. I was really expecting something to be there! And it really did feel like I had to "bear down," which should have been my first clue that the baby was actually coming.
I don't know how many contractions I had while feeling the bear down urge, but at some point, the dr said "ok, I think you may be actually pushing, why don't you get up on the bed?" Good thing too. Since my back labor was insane at that point, and I don't know how I had gotten up on the bed the previous two times that they checked me, she suggested raising the back of the bed so it was almost an L shape, and getting on my knees. Sounded good to me! So I crawled up, put my arms over the back of the bed, butt facing her, and pushed a couple of times. I felt something which I believe can only be described by the infamous "ring of fire" and the dr told me to hold on for a second, I guess she was checking things out. When she said go again, I continued to push - and pop! I felt nothing but the sweet bliss of a baby not in my birth canal anymore. Well, I guess it was more like squish instead of pop.
Anywho, the burrito came out with his left hand on his head, so I was on the receiving end of a 1st degree tear. When he came out, he was scooped up and taken over to the warmer tray to get him ready for dinner, lol. Hubs followed him over while I basked in the feeling (ohmigodnopainnopainnopain), and attempted futilely to push out the placenta. Dr said, "maybe you should flip over, that might help." So I got on my butt (gingerly) and another squish and the placenta was out. Thence proceeded the stitching. That was a bit painful. I did have a shot for the pain, which was also painful, but I don't remember it so it couldn't be as bad as my previous shot in that area - long story.
They asked me if I wanted to hold him, but I said I'd rather have him when the stitching was done and I was able to fully concentrate on him. Hubs watched him through the whole process, he got a 9 on his Apgars, they wrapped him up and handed him to Grandma (my mom) while hubs made some calls. Whee!
He was about the cutest thing ever.
SO, on with the show. I had a babydr's appt on Tuesday September 21st, where the doc "agitated" my membranes. Then the rinse cycle started. Oh wait, not a washing machine.
The nurse in the room said that I'd do well through labor because I did well while he was agitating around down there, so I took that as a good sign. It was uncomfortable, but I was expecting some kind of pain or something, so I did my deep breathing. And concentrated on the puppies on the ceiling, lol. I went into work after that, worked a full day, felt fine. I think I was 2cm and 80% at that time.
The next morning, about 130am, I felt uncomfortable, so I figured I just need to go to the bathroom. Went. Woke up again about 10min later, same feeling. It took me until 221am to figure out...wait, that might be a contraction!!! WTFOMG!!1!!!!1 So I told the hubs I was going to go lay down on the couch and time these babies. They were every 9 or so minutes until about 6am, and I slept every now and then. It just felt like a slight back pain, not too bad, so I expected at the time for this to last a long time and to either taper off, or maybe have the kid that week sometime.
After 6am they went away, but I wasn't in the mood to go to work and wouldn't be able to concentrate there to save my trucks, so (sorry, but as I'm writing this, the burrito is napping and his little foot is twitching, it's so damn cute, just had to note it for posterity) I called off work. I asked my friend to stop over to deliver some pads, as I conveniently forgot anything dealing with me leaking (this goes for breast pads too), and some coke, as I was in need of a caffeine fix. As of 1030am the contrax kicked back up again, and got a little bit worse. It was all in my back, I felt nothing in the front, where I thought they'd be. Karma.
So when friend came over, I was rocking away on my
Hubs was at a work meeting that day, so he was able to leave whenever (which I'm sure he could've done anyway, but it wasn't a day where he was at his typical "office"). I let him know my status and he said to let the babydr know. When I called in, they said to come in, that they'd check me there. Hubs got home and we went in about 1145. At this time, the contrax were worse, so that I'd have to concentrate on them, not talk, walk around, or something of the like in order to get through them.
When they checked me, I was 3cm (I think?), and they said that I could go on over to L&D. Whee! I remember having to stop every so often while walking in and out of the office for contractions. At that point, walking through them was ok.
Went home, got the stuff ready (or just got the last-minute items ready, as the bags were packed previously), and headed over to L&D, two minutes away at the local hospital. I was sitting on a towel in the car, so as not to gush all over hubs' truck, lol.
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| ready to go! |
We got up to L&D and checked in, and they took us to a room. I asked for a
After a while, I got changed into the gown, put a "puppy pad" on the ball, and started breathing through the contractions that way. It felt better to have someone rub my lower back (whee, all back labor), and to raise my knees up slightly. The fan helped with the nausea. From time to time a nurse would come in and see if I was ready for my IV yet - I kept saying, do I have to? I'm not ready yet, I'm still nauseated, don't want to throw up, etc. Hubs then said if I just kept saying no I wouldn't have to get one, I could refuse it. So I just kept putting it off. However, I made sure that I had liquid nearby - they gave me apple juice, which sucked...all I want when I'm nauseated is water, although that makes the nausea worse apparently. Pshaw.
Hubs told me that I might speed things up or feel better if I walked around during the contractions. I kept telling him, uh, if I get up I'll puke. I was fine sitting down. Then the nurse came in and said that they were afraid that burrito was sunny-side-up, and it might help if I would either walk around, stand up, or lean forward in order to encourage him to turn. So I stood up for one contraction, leaning on hubs, and promptly threw up all the lovely purple gatorade that I'd just drunk. Oh fun. I didn't want to talk much at that time or else I would've said "TOLD YOU SO."
The contractions continued, and I had someone rubbing my back during each one. Hubs wanted to go home and shower and get something to eat, so he called my mom in to take over Baby Watch 2010. At some point around 3-4pm, lady babydr came in and checked me again, and I was at 5cm I think. I did feel some gushing of fluids when I was on the bouncy ball (thank goodness for the puppy pads), and figured out later that that was my water "breaking." Around 5-6pm, hubs goes home to shower, but skips the food because he wasn't sure how long to be away, as my contractions were getting stronger. They were giving estimates at that point. Someone said 7, someone said 8, I said 7:54pm which is when I was born, and hubs said 7:30.
My contractions were getting stronger and the nurses were recommending I change positions, so sometime around 6 I put the ball on top of the bed and started leaning on it through my contractions. One of the nurses gave hubs a small bottle of lotion to use when rubbing my back, because apparently it was turning red. He said later he almost used the whole bottle. Ah the joy.
I don't know what time it was, but after I stood up, I started to feel like I had to poop. Lady babydr said to just go with what my body said, so I went to the bathroom to see if I had to. Not a whole lot happened, and going to the bathroom with back labor, it is now established, is the worst pain I have ever felt. I went a couple times while I was at the hospital, and it was all I could do not to scream when I had a contraction on the toilet. I think it's the closest I came to actually making noise while having a contraction!
During the last stages of my labor, before I felt like I had to push, I didn't really know what was going, didn't talk to anyone, just nodded my head yes or no. I didn't open my eyes a whole lot either. I knew people were there because of their voices, but I was resting between contractions, and concentrating on breathing during them.
When I finally felt like I had to push, which I didn't realize was actually an urge to push - it felt more like I had to poop - I was still in the standing up position. I kept asking hubs if I had pooped in my fancy mesh underpants. I was really expecting something to be there! And it really did feel like I had to "bear down," which should have been my first clue that the baby was actually coming.
I don't know how many contractions I had while feeling the bear down urge, but at some point, the dr said "ok, I think you may be actually pushing, why don't you get up on the bed?" Good thing too. Since my back labor was insane at that point, and I don't know how I had gotten up on the bed the previous two times that they checked me, she suggested raising the back of the bed so it was almost an L shape, and getting on my knees. Sounded good to me! So I crawled up, put my arms over the back of the bed, butt facing her, and pushed a couple of times. I felt something which I believe can only be described by the infamous "ring of fire" and the dr told me to hold on for a second, I guess she was checking things out. When she said go again, I continued to push - and pop! I felt nothing but the sweet bliss of a baby not in my birth canal anymore. Well, I guess it was more like squish instead of pop.
Anywho, the burrito came out with his left hand on his head, so I was on the receiving end of a 1st degree tear. When he came out, he was scooped up and taken over to the warmer tray to get him ready for dinner, lol. Hubs followed him over while I basked in the feeling (ohmigodnopainnopainnopain), and attempted futilely to push out the placenta. Dr said, "maybe you should flip over, that might help." So I got on my butt (gingerly) and another squish and the placenta was out. Thence proceeded the stitching. That was a bit painful. I did have a shot for the pain, which was also painful, but I don't remember it so it couldn't be as bad as my previous shot in that area - long story.
They asked me if I wanted to hold him, but I said I'd rather have him when the stitching was done and I was able to fully concentrate on him. Hubs watched him through the whole process, he got a 9 on his Apgars, they wrapped him up and handed him to Grandma (my mom) while hubs made some calls. Whee!
He was about the cutest thing ever.
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| the burrito, day one |
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| look at the hair! |
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