Each week, I am sure will be something very different. After getting out of the lights, we have discovered the Zuri, is not very happy unless she is being held. Even when I get her asleep and lay her in the swing or pack and play, she seems to wake up after about 10 minutes and start screaming. Right now she spends a lot of time in my moby, because she loves it and it allows me to get a lot of things done.
This week she had visitors. Pedro's mom and sister came to visit. They got to babysit her while I went to practice and of course, staying with her screaming, she decided to scream most of the time! After that, they spent time with her and we went shopping for a few things and had her baptism this weekend. Zuriel, was Zurianna's Godparent and so we wanted to do the baptism while she was here. Zuriel bought her a very pretty bracelet that she will be able to wear when she is a little bigger and they both bought her some cute and necessary stuff while they were here.
Her nights have been going ok. We have had mostly good nights (knock on wood). Last night was our best night, where she slept for a good 3.5 hour or so between feedings. The night before was horrible as she would not want to go back to sleep after her feedings and was really fussy, so I was very happy for last night.
She had her two week checkup on Friday and that went very well. When Zuri was born she was in the 11th percentile in weight. She is now in the 46th percentile in weight and has gained almost a whole pound, she is now up to 7lbs 6oz (up from 6lbs 7 oz). She also grew 1.25 inches and is now in the 96th percentile in height at 21.25 inches!. Amazingly, her head size is in the 25th percentile, at 13.25 inches. Amazing, because my family all has big heads, but I guess she took after Pedro's child size head!
The doctor said her screaming doesn't appear to be caused by anything specifically, she appears to be healthy and not have a lot of gas or other things. She said it could be something in my diet, which I haven't eaten much because when it is the choice between sleep and eating, sleep usually wins! Or it could be that she is just fussy and needs to be held at this point.
It has been a lot of work, but I think we are getting the hang of it and figuring out what works and what doesn't work. Obviously, she is getting enough food, since she has gained almost a whole pound in two weeks and has grown a lot too! On the day's Pedro works, he doesn't see her much, maybe for an hour or so, that is if the "sleeping dragon" is being fussy then he holds her for some of that time. If the "dragon" is sleeping, we definitely do not wake the "sleeping dragon"! So, I spend most of my time with her. Pedro has watched her a few times while I go to the gym and do lessons and/or workout.
My workouts have been going ok. I wish I had more time, but on some of the days when I have lessons I end up doing my workout before or after my lessons which only gives me about 25 minutes of cardio, because I have to get home and be able to feed her. At my two week doctors appointment the doctor couldn't believe (this is not my usual doctor, this is the doctor that did my delivery), that I had been working out since week one. I told her I feel fine and she said that I can now start running! Usually, people have to wait until about 6 weeks to run, but she said I could run and do whatever I feel like doing, besides doing Abs, which I have to wait until 6 weeks for that. I have lost about 25 of the 38lbs that I gained being pregnant, but it will take awhile to actually have it "look like it". I know some of the weight will stay on until I stop breastfeeding, but I am not worried about it.
I am excited to start running, albeit slow and probably difficult. Because now I can leave from the house and go and run and not have the drive time included in my workout time.
I have some pictures of the baptism and other photos from the week, I will post these later.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
1 week old...
My update is a little behind, I'm sure you understand why!
Zuri's week one was not ideal. At her first doctors appointment they did the jaundice test, even though they thought it would be negative and to everyone's surprise she had moderately high levels of jaundice. Not high enough to go to the hospital, but not low enough to just let it be. So, began a difficult week. We were given a billi bed, which was suppose to have overhead lights, but didn't. The delivery people told me it was the correct bed, so I went with it. Having the billi bed meant that she had to stay under the lights ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT long. She could only come out for feedings and to be changed. The first night Zuri was up from 2am until 7am, very unhappy. I fed her and changed her and kept her out for a little bit, trying to get her to go to sleep before I put her back in the lights. By the next morning I was EXHAUSTED.
We went to the doctor for her next blood draw and this one came back lower, but not low enough. Two more days of the lights. They suggested we get the correct billi bed with lights and a billi blanket (which is NOT a blanket like I thought). This became an ordeal in itself as they said they were going to be bringing these things to us by 5pm and then they said before 7pm. I called at 8:30pm and they said they had never heard of me. They didn't know what I was talking about. By 9:30pm, we were not sure what to do. Then we got a call from the delivery guy saying he was bringing the bed, but didn't know about the blanket. UGH! He finally found a blanket and it was now 11:00pm. He arrived and while showing us how to use the new bed, he discovered it didn't work. Are you serious?? So, we kept the blanket, which we could keep the light on her while I fed and rocked her. It was very awkward as it was about the size of a deck of cards, or two, and attached to a large hose like thing. We kept our billi bed and continued to use that.
Our nights did get better and it helped that she slept some and that we found a blow up bed for me to sleep on, on her floor. At this point 2 hours of sleep, multiple times a night feels like sleeping for days! Friday came and we saw another doctor. This doctor told us that her levels had to be super low for her to come off the lights. This doctor was ultra conservative. I was very worried, they had to drop from 17.9 to under 15. The other doctor had said under 16. We weighed her and she gained 5oz in two days! She weighed more than her birth weight at 6lbs 8oz on Friday, up from 6lbs 3oz on Wednesday. We got the call on Friday afternoon and it was good news, it was 13! No more lights!
The week has gotten much better without the lights. We have been sleeping and feeding well.
Her first week of life brought us a few of her firsts.
Her first walk:
Her first bath:
Her first football playoff game:
Cute outfit:
I have also started working out again. I have done the elliptical and stairmaster. I am starting off easy at about 20 minutes. I feel like I can go a lot longer, but I am trying to take it easy to start. I have also started doing lessons, practice and games.
Zuri's week one was not ideal. At her first doctors appointment they did the jaundice test, even though they thought it would be negative and to everyone's surprise she had moderately high levels of jaundice. Not high enough to go to the hospital, but not low enough to just let it be. So, began a difficult week. We were given a billi bed, which was suppose to have overhead lights, but didn't. The delivery people told me it was the correct bed, so I went with it. Having the billi bed meant that she had to stay under the lights ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT long. She could only come out for feedings and to be changed. The first night Zuri was up from 2am until 7am, very unhappy. I fed her and changed her and kept her out for a little bit, trying to get her to go to sleep before I put her back in the lights. By the next morning I was EXHAUSTED.
We went to the doctor for her next blood draw and this one came back lower, but not low enough. Two more days of the lights. They suggested we get the correct billi bed with lights and a billi blanket (which is NOT a blanket like I thought). This became an ordeal in itself as they said they were going to be bringing these things to us by 5pm and then they said before 7pm. I called at 8:30pm and they said they had never heard of me. They didn't know what I was talking about. By 9:30pm, we were not sure what to do. Then we got a call from the delivery guy saying he was bringing the bed, but didn't know about the blanket. UGH! He finally found a blanket and it was now 11:00pm. He arrived and while showing us how to use the new bed, he discovered it didn't work. Are you serious?? So, we kept the blanket, which we could keep the light on her while I fed and rocked her. It was very awkward as it was about the size of a deck of cards, or two, and attached to a large hose like thing. We kept our billi bed and continued to use that.
Our nights did get better and it helped that she slept some and that we found a blow up bed for me to sleep on, on her floor. At this point 2 hours of sleep, multiple times a night feels like sleeping for days! Friday came and we saw another doctor. This doctor told us that her levels had to be super low for her to come off the lights. This doctor was ultra conservative. I was very worried, they had to drop from 17.9 to under 15. The other doctor had said under 16. We weighed her and she gained 5oz in two days! She weighed more than her birth weight at 6lbs 8oz on Friday, up from 6lbs 3oz on Wednesday. We got the call on Friday afternoon and it was good news, it was 13! No more lights!
The week has gotten much better without the lights. We have been sleeping and feeding well.
Her first week of life brought us a few of her firsts.
Her first walk:
Her first bath:
Her first football playoff game:
Cute outfit:
I have also started working out again. I have done the elliptical and stairmaster. I am starting off easy at about 20 minutes. I feel like I can go a lot longer, but I am trying to take it easy to start. I have also started doing lessons, practice and games.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Labor and Delivery....
After my update #2, Pedro arrived home at about 7:00pm. I told him that he should shower and eat some food before we went to the hospital, just in case we were told to stay. Or in case we would be sent home after being there for some time. I took a shower and my contractions were getting worse and were definitely about 5 minutes apart. It was probably because I was up and moving, showering and playing with the dogs. I finished packing my bag, while Pedro was getting done with eating/showering. He kept saying, "We can go I don't need to do this stuff, if it is painful." But I figured laboring at home for a good amount of time was better than being at the hospital. I called the doctor and told her that the contractions were 5 minutes apart and that they were quite painful, but manageable. She said to come in and be checked and that she would check with the nurses and see how things were going.
During the 20 minute drive I was having contractions exactly 5 minutes apart. I arrived at the hospital at 8:45pm. We got to Labor and Delivery and I was the only laboring person that night. They told me to change my clothes into a gown and they would check me. At 9:00pm I was at 5cm. I couldn't believe that I was only up 1cm from the day before, with all of the contractions that I had been having. I was thinking this could be a very long night. At this time I wasn't sure they would keep me there, considering I was only up to 5cm (up 1). However, I think some people are less when they are admitted. She said the doctor wanted me admitted because I was further than the day before and contractions were 5 minutes apart. She asked what my plan was concerning drugs. I said that I wanted to go naturally as long as possible but would be open to things, if I needed them. She asked about epidural and IV drugs specifically and I said I really didn't want an epidural and would consider the IV drugs, if it was very severe.
We walked around the floor a bit, but that was very uncomfortable and I had to stop every 4 minutes or so with a contraction. Nobody was around, but it was just uncomfortable to stop and have the contraction, so we went back to our room. They let me labor for 2 hours before they even checked me again! I was really thinking it would be a long night. At 11:20pm, I was at 7cm. She told me that this was really good and that I got there quickly. I figured she was just saying this to me, to help keep my spirits up, as the contractions were at about 3 minutes apart or less at this time, the nurse told me that things usually go quicker from this point on. She asked if I wanted to walk around again, shower, or have any IV drugs. I said I wanted to shower. I showered for 20 minutes. It felt good, well it felt good when I wasn't having a contraction! I prefer to be laying down some when I was having a contraction vs. the feeling of them while standing. While I was showering, Pedro came in and told me that they were bringing in the delivery stuff and setting everything up, so he said they must think it will be happening soon. I couldn't believe it. I felt like since I was only up from 5-7cm that it might still be a long time, again I figured any positive reinforcement the nurses/doctor was giving me was only to help me mentally, but not necessarily true! After I got out of the shower I asked the nurse about the IV drugs. I asked (because I remembered reading) that the drugs would go right to the baby and make her sleepy and drugged too. She said yes, but that it would help with MY pain. I said that I didn't want to have anything that would make her sleepy/drugged, so that I would just "suck it up."
After my shower at 11:50pm (30 minutes after my last check), I had progressed to 8cm! I couldn't believe the quick change. With my decision to "suck it up" I was getting a little defeated at this point. The contractions were horrible. They were coming every 2 minutes or so, so there was very little rest. I remembered thinking that 1 minute long contractions were manageable because they were so short, but they sure seemed VERY long at this point! I believe around this time, I started feeling like this might not be very manageable.
At 12:40am they checked me and I was 9cm and they broke my water. I figured I was at 9 and my water was broken, that this would be quick from here until pushing. They checked me after about 3 more contractions and I still was at 9. UGH! After a few more contractions I really felt like I needed to push. They said, that I couldn't push, of course you hear about this all the time, the urge to push and not being able to. But it is very real and almost uncontrollable! The nurse told me to roll on to my right side and that maybe that would help the baby move down and help me dilate. So, I rolled over and it was VERY painful for the next contraction. She checked me and said..."hmmm..." And left to get the nurse. I was thinking that can't be good. The doctor came in and checked me and they felt another (more?) sac of water that needed to be broken. So, she broke this water and it was even more than the first! I was still very unsure I was going to be able to do this. Two more contractions and now some back pain, I was at 10cm and ready to push, it was 1:15am.
I pushed in intervals of 3 pushes per contraction. I had remembered reading someone's post about laboring and pushing and they said they had a good first push but the second two pushes were not as good, so I focused on pushing even harder on each additional push, especially the last one. It felt like I pushed forever! Pedro kept saying, I see her hair! she has a lot! I was thinking she must be close if you can see her hair?!? I kept thinking that they needed to just GRAB her and PULL her out! Obviously, that would not have been good to do, but I really wanted them to because it felt like she was just on the edge!
After 23 minutes of pushing, Zurianna Jayla Malave, arrived screaming! She was 6lbs 7oz and 20 inches long. Pedro watched the entire birth. We were not sure he would want to or not, but he definitely did and said it was not "gross" or anything, like I figured it would be! Pedro cut the cord and took some immediate pictures. The doctor told me that she was impressed with how fast it went and drug free. She told me I would feel so much better because I didn't use any drugs. And I was (am). I was feeling fine just after delivering, as you can tell by my post at 4:55am.
Here are some pictures:
Not a pretty one...but this was during a contraction, my shoulder muscles are sore from pulling the top of the bed down!
This is my favorite one!
We have been home for 2 days, although it seems like weeks ago I delivered her! She has had high jaundice levels and so we have her under the lights at home, which is really hard because at night I can't pick her up if she is crying at all, because she has to stay under the lights. She can only come out of them for feedings and changes. We don't get retested until Friday, to see where her levels are.
Right now she seems to be most awake from 2am-7am, which is lovely. I take this shift as Pedro sleeps. I sleep in 2 hour intervals, when I get the chance. Surprisingly, I feel pretty decent. Pedro hasn't worked this week and my mom came one day, so that has been nice.
During the 20 minute drive I was having contractions exactly 5 minutes apart. I arrived at the hospital at 8:45pm. We got to Labor and Delivery and I was the only laboring person that night. They told me to change my clothes into a gown and they would check me. At 9:00pm I was at 5cm. I couldn't believe that I was only up 1cm from the day before, with all of the contractions that I had been having. I was thinking this could be a very long night. At this time I wasn't sure they would keep me there, considering I was only up to 5cm (up 1). However, I think some people are less when they are admitted. She said the doctor wanted me admitted because I was further than the day before and contractions were 5 minutes apart. She asked what my plan was concerning drugs. I said that I wanted to go naturally as long as possible but would be open to things, if I needed them. She asked about epidural and IV drugs specifically and I said I really didn't want an epidural and would consider the IV drugs, if it was very severe.
We walked around the floor a bit, but that was very uncomfortable and I had to stop every 4 minutes or so with a contraction. Nobody was around, but it was just uncomfortable to stop and have the contraction, so we went back to our room. They let me labor for 2 hours before they even checked me again! I was really thinking it would be a long night. At 11:20pm, I was at 7cm. She told me that this was really good and that I got there quickly. I figured she was just saying this to me, to help keep my spirits up, as the contractions were at about 3 minutes apart or less at this time, the nurse told me that things usually go quicker from this point on. She asked if I wanted to walk around again, shower, or have any IV drugs. I said I wanted to shower. I showered for 20 minutes. It felt good, well it felt good when I wasn't having a contraction! I prefer to be laying down some when I was having a contraction vs. the feeling of them while standing. While I was showering, Pedro came in and told me that they were bringing in the delivery stuff and setting everything up, so he said they must think it will be happening soon. I couldn't believe it. I felt like since I was only up from 5-7cm that it might still be a long time, again I figured any positive reinforcement the nurses/doctor was giving me was only to help me mentally, but not necessarily true! After I got out of the shower I asked the nurse about the IV drugs. I asked (because I remembered reading) that the drugs would go right to the baby and make her sleepy and drugged too. She said yes, but that it would help with MY pain. I said that I didn't want to have anything that would make her sleepy/drugged, so that I would just "suck it up."
After my shower at 11:50pm (30 minutes after my last check), I had progressed to 8cm! I couldn't believe the quick change. With my decision to "suck it up" I was getting a little defeated at this point. The contractions were horrible. They were coming every 2 minutes or so, so there was very little rest. I remembered thinking that 1 minute long contractions were manageable because they were so short, but they sure seemed VERY long at this point! I believe around this time, I started feeling like this might not be very manageable.
At 12:40am they checked me and I was 9cm and they broke my water. I figured I was at 9 and my water was broken, that this would be quick from here until pushing. They checked me after about 3 more contractions and I still was at 9. UGH! After a few more contractions I really felt like I needed to push. They said, that I couldn't push, of course you hear about this all the time, the urge to push and not being able to. But it is very real and almost uncontrollable! The nurse told me to roll on to my right side and that maybe that would help the baby move down and help me dilate. So, I rolled over and it was VERY painful for the next contraction. She checked me and said..."hmmm..." And left to get the nurse. I was thinking that can't be good. The doctor came in and checked me and they felt another (more?) sac of water that needed to be broken. So, she broke this water and it was even more than the first! I was still very unsure I was going to be able to do this. Two more contractions and now some back pain, I was at 10cm and ready to push, it was 1:15am.
I pushed in intervals of 3 pushes per contraction. I had remembered reading someone's post about laboring and pushing and they said they had a good first push but the second two pushes were not as good, so I focused on pushing even harder on each additional push, especially the last one. It felt like I pushed forever! Pedro kept saying, I see her hair! she has a lot! I was thinking she must be close if you can see her hair?!? I kept thinking that they needed to just GRAB her and PULL her out! Obviously, that would not have been good to do, but I really wanted them to because it felt like she was just on the edge!
After 23 minutes of pushing, Zurianna Jayla Malave, arrived screaming! She was 6lbs 7oz and 20 inches long. Pedro watched the entire birth. We were not sure he would want to or not, but he definitely did and said it was not "gross" or anything, like I figured it would be! Pedro cut the cord and took some immediate pictures. The doctor told me that she was impressed with how fast it went and drug free. She told me I would feel so much better because I didn't use any drugs. And I was (am). I was feeling fine just after delivering, as you can tell by my post at 4:55am.
Here are some pictures:
Not a pretty one...but this was during a contraction, my shoulder muscles are sore from pulling the top of the bed down!
This is my favorite one!
We have been home for 2 days, although it seems like weeks ago I delivered her! She has had high jaundice levels and so we have her under the lights at home, which is really hard because at night I can't pick her up if she is crying at all, because she has to stay under the lights. She can only come out of them for feedings and changes. We don't get retested until Friday, to see where her levels are.
Right now she seems to be most awake from 2am-7am, which is lovely. I take this shift as Pedro sleeps. I sleep in 2 hour intervals, when I get the chance. Surprisingly, I feel pretty decent. Pedro hasn't worked this week and my mom came one day, so that has been nice.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Welcome Zurianna!
Zurianna Jayla Malave was welcomed at 1:38am on January 8th, 2012.
She was 6lbs, 7oz and 20 inches long.
More info soon!
She was 6lbs, 7oz and 20 inches long.
More info soon!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
39 week update #2...
It is now 5:30pm. After my last post I had decided to call the doctor after one or two more contractions. And wouldn't you know it, that those contractions went from 7 minutes apart to 10 minutes! I don't know if it was because I ate some cereal or hadn't moved for a while, or what, but the contractions definitely slowed. I still called the doctor and she said that I could come in to be checked or I could wait until they are 5 minutes apart. She said either was fine. So, I decided to wait. I laid down and watched some basketball and football and they stayed about 10 minute (plus) apart.
Then I was hungry again. So, I got up and made something to eat. Then of course I have now had 3 or 4 contractions about 5-6 minutes apart. I figure the food will slow her down again, once that kicks in! I have also had a few really bad back labor pains, which were solely in my back. I think the dogs think it is weird because they watch me and have been laying with me all day.
I am waiting for Pedro to get home from work, around 7:15 and I think we will go get checked with or without the pains being 5 minutes apart. Mainly because I don't want to wait until 3am and go in just to get checked. This way we will at least no if there has been any progress from yesterday. My only concern is that if we go in and I am too far along to be sent home, but not progressing quick enough that they will want to use drugs to get it going. I really want to go as long as possible (as long as baby is doing well) without the use of drugs to speed up the process or anything else (but of course the health of the baby is most important factor).
Hopefully, our next post will give you more info about where I am in the labor process!
Then I was hungry again. So, I got up and made something to eat. Then of course I have now had 3 or 4 contractions about 5-6 minutes apart. I figure the food will slow her down again, once that kicks in! I have also had a few really bad back labor pains, which were solely in my back. I think the dogs think it is weird because they watch me and have been laying with me all day.
I am waiting for Pedro to get home from work, around 7:15 and I think we will go get checked with or without the pains being 5 minutes apart. Mainly because I don't want to wait until 3am and go in just to get checked. This way we will at least no if there has been any progress from yesterday. My only concern is that if we go in and I am too far along to be sent home, but not progressing quick enough that they will want to use drugs to get it going. I really want to go as long as possible (as long as baby is doing well) without the use of drugs to speed up the process or anything else (but of course the health of the baby is most important factor).
Hopefully, our next post will give you more info about where I am in the labor process!
39 week update...
I figure since I am sitting here having contractions, I should keep up with my post as to what is going on. After my appointment yesterday, I tried to keep a close look on my contractions. Would I know what they were feeling like? I was already having waves of cramps for awhile, but nothing too bad.
Last night when I went to bed at 10:30 I started having very regular cramps/contractions. From 10:30pm-3:30am I was having contractions every 10 minutes. I wasn't timing them, but I would check my phone every once in awhile and realized they were happening every 10 minutes exactly. I wasn't able to sleep because the contractions would wake me up, but worse, was that I am still coughing all night. So, I couldn't really fall asleep with the combination of the two.
Pedro got up at 3:30am and asked if he should go to work. I told him that since they were ten minutes apart, that he should go in and when they get closer I would call him. By about 4:15am, when he was leaving they were at about 9 minutes apart. Since then the contractions have gotten down to about 7 minutes apart (at 11:00am). The paper my doctor gave me says to call when they are 5 minutes apart for 1 hour. We have had a few here and there that have been 4-5 minutes, but most of them are in the 7 minute range. I am using an app on my phone to time the contractions and it says that the last hour of contractions have been 8:00 minutes (although I was on the phone through two or three of them, so it messed up the count a little). The average duration has been :48 seconds. The average time between the 46 contractions that have been counted, is 7 minutes and 48 seconds, which is also the length of my last one and the average duration is :53 seconds.
Right now it is all manageable. Mainly because I know there is a break between them. I know that they are about one minute long and I can manage one minute long. If you were to say they would be constant for a long time, now that would be a bit much. The bad thing about this whole process right now is that I haven't slept in 24 hours. I don't feel exhausted right now, but I know it will catch up to me.
More posts to come....
Last night when I went to bed at 10:30 I started having very regular cramps/contractions. From 10:30pm-3:30am I was having contractions every 10 minutes. I wasn't timing them, but I would check my phone every once in awhile and realized they were happening every 10 minutes exactly. I wasn't able to sleep because the contractions would wake me up, but worse, was that I am still coughing all night. So, I couldn't really fall asleep with the combination of the two.
Pedro got up at 3:30am and asked if he should go to work. I told him that since they were ten minutes apart, that he should go in and when they get closer I would call him. By about 4:15am, when he was leaving they were at about 9 minutes apart. Since then the contractions have gotten down to about 7 minutes apart (at 11:00am). The paper my doctor gave me says to call when they are 5 minutes apart for 1 hour. We have had a few here and there that have been 4-5 minutes, but most of them are in the 7 minute range. I am using an app on my phone to time the contractions and it says that the last hour of contractions have been 8:00 minutes (although I was on the phone through two or three of them, so it messed up the count a little). The average duration has been :48 seconds. The average time between the 46 contractions that have been counted, is 7 minutes and 48 seconds, which is also the length of my last one and the average duration is :53 seconds.
Right now it is all manageable. Mainly because I know there is a break between them. I know that they are about one minute long and I can manage one minute long. If you were to say they would be constant for a long time, now that would be a bit much. The bad thing about this whole process right now is that I haven't slept in 24 hours. I don't feel exhausted right now, but I know it will catch up to me.
More posts to come....
Friday, January 6, 2012
39 weeks!!
This last week has been different for a few reasons. I have had a cold for nearly a whole week, which includes a horrible hacking cough that keeps me up most nights. Most pregnant people can't sleep at this point and now I fall into that category, not because I am pregnant, but because of my hideous cough! I figure that once my cough goes away, she will arrive, or maybe earlier because she is being "coughed" out! I had some more cramping this week, but again nothing too serious and I had one day where I had back cramps for an hour or so, which is a bit different.
Today was my usual weekly doctors appointment. It was kind of funny. She asked if I had any braxton hicks, I said no. She asked if I have had any other contractions, which apparently, I don’t know what that means, but I said no. I said that I have had “menstrual” cramps, but nothing too significant. She said that we might do an ultrasound just to verify head down since it doesn’t sound like I am too far into labor and they will only let me go one week after my due date, so in the next two weeks we will for sure have a baby (HOLY MOLY)! And she said it felt like the baby is head down, but she would do an ultrasound if I wasn't dilated at all. Anyway, she goes to check me and says “WOW!” She said you are at least 4cm dilated and fully effaced. Which is a huge difference from last week (just 80% effaced). She said that she would be surprised if I go the whole weekend without delivering. Scary! She said I could go another week or so, but not likely since the change from last week was so different. I told her I was hoping to hold out until the 14th (my favorite number :) and she said it is more likely to be the 7th. She then told me that I could have a prescription for tylenol with codeine if I was having trouble sleeping because of my cough, but I said no, especially if I am going to go into labor at some point, I don't want my baby drugged up with codeine. She said that she would see me later, likely this weekend. So we shall see! After I came home, we ate and then headed to the gym to workout and then I had a lesson. So, if I go into labor tonight, I will have literally worked out until the day she arrived.
Since leaving the doctors office I can definitely feel the "contractions" that I am getting, which are cramps (no stomach tightening yet). They do come and go and as I told Pedro yesterday when I was having them, I wasn't sure if it was her just moving and hitting a sensitive spot, or if they were more than that. They don't last for long and they come and go. I am trying to pay a little more attention because if I am already 4cm dilated I don't want to be 10cm while we are driving to the hospital! It's kind of like, I want to be at home as long as possible, instead of sitting at the hospital, but I don't want to be home so long that I have her at home! I am assuming at some point they will become unbearable and there will be no choice but to recognize them and start using my contraction timer that I have on my phone. They said once I have them 5 minutes apart for an hour to call the message line and they will tell me what to do (go to the hospital). I figure since Pedro leave for work at about 4am, it will be sometime after that, that I will decide I need to go to the hospital!
When I read in my book it says that once you hit 4cm, you are considered in "Phase 2, Active Labor". Which means that contractions are stronger and do more in less time. It didn't seem like my doctor was too concerned about me knowing or not knowing when to go to the hospital and wasn't thinking I should be in there right now. I have had a few people tell me they were not even 4cm when they went into the hospital and things happened quickly after that and someone else tell me they were not at the doctor until they were almost 8cm. But I have a feeling, with the progression of the "contractions" that I am feeling even now, that it will be a lot sooner rather than later. I am going to go to bed soon, to help slow things down and rest some in case it happens tonight.
Belly Pictures:
Random info:
Days till due date: 7!!
Days pregnant: 273!!
Baby size: Is currently listed as a small watermelon (which looks like my belly!). Still 7-9 lbs and about 20 inches in length.
Interesting fact: Baby's tear ducts do not work until about a month after birth
Strange but true: Baby is now more of a white color than a pink color because of the fat deposits over the blood vessels, so the baby will have a "white" appearance, no matter the final coloration of the skin.
Days till next doctors appt: 6 (or sooner!)
Today was my usual weekly doctors appointment. It was kind of funny. She asked if I had any braxton hicks, I said no. She asked if I have had any other contractions, which apparently, I don’t know what that means, but I said no. I said that I have had “menstrual” cramps, but nothing too significant. She said that we might do an ultrasound just to verify head down since it doesn’t sound like I am too far into labor and they will only let me go one week after my due date, so in the next two weeks we will for sure have a baby (HOLY MOLY)! And she said it felt like the baby is head down, but she would do an ultrasound if I wasn't dilated at all. Anyway, she goes to check me and says “WOW!” She said you are at least 4cm dilated and fully effaced. Which is a huge difference from last week (just 80% effaced). She said that she would be surprised if I go the whole weekend without delivering. Scary! She said I could go another week or so, but not likely since the change from last week was so different. I told her I was hoping to hold out until the 14th (my favorite number :) and she said it is more likely to be the 7th. She then told me that I could have a prescription for tylenol with codeine if I was having trouble sleeping because of my cough, but I said no, especially if I am going to go into labor at some point, I don't want my baby drugged up with codeine. She said that she would see me later, likely this weekend. So we shall see! After I came home, we ate and then headed to the gym to workout and then I had a lesson. So, if I go into labor tonight, I will have literally worked out until the day she arrived.
Since leaving the doctors office I can definitely feel the "contractions" that I am getting, which are cramps (no stomach tightening yet). They do come and go and as I told Pedro yesterday when I was having them, I wasn't sure if it was her just moving and hitting a sensitive spot, or if they were more than that. They don't last for long and they come and go. I am trying to pay a little more attention because if I am already 4cm dilated I don't want to be 10cm while we are driving to the hospital! It's kind of like, I want to be at home as long as possible, instead of sitting at the hospital, but I don't want to be home so long that I have her at home! I am assuming at some point they will become unbearable and there will be no choice but to recognize them and start using my contraction timer that I have on my phone. They said once I have them 5 minutes apart for an hour to call the message line and they will tell me what to do (go to the hospital). I figure since Pedro leave for work at about 4am, it will be sometime after that, that I will decide I need to go to the hospital!
When I read in my book it says that once you hit 4cm, you are considered in "Phase 2, Active Labor". Which means that contractions are stronger and do more in less time. It didn't seem like my doctor was too concerned about me knowing or not knowing when to go to the hospital and wasn't thinking I should be in there right now. I have had a few people tell me they were not even 4cm when they went into the hospital and things happened quickly after that and someone else tell me they were not at the doctor until they were almost 8cm. But I have a feeling, with the progression of the "contractions" that I am feeling even now, that it will be a lot sooner rather than later. I am going to go to bed soon, to help slow things down and rest some in case it happens tonight.
Belly Pictures:
Random info:
Days till due date: 7!!
Days pregnant: 273!!
Baby size: Is currently listed as a small watermelon (which looks like my belly!). Still 7-9 lbs and about 20 inches in length.
Interesting fact: Baby's tear ducts do not work until about a month after birth
Strange but true: Baby is now more of a white color than a pink color because of the fat deposits over the blood vessels, so the baby will have a "white" appearance, no matter the final coloration of the skin.
Days till next doctors appt: 6 (or sooner!)
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