Friday, November 16, 2012

The First 3 Months

As cliche as it sounds; how has it been 3 months since Harrison was born??? Seriously, time is so weird. The days are long but the months are fast.

Garrett and I had set out on this journey of having a 2nd child saying we wanted another kid, not a baby. We would deal with the baby stage. We didn't think we were fans of the baby stage. Connor was so difficult as a newborn that we thought we would just be in survival mode. I'm pleased to say that we are thoroughly enjoying the newborn stage this time. Harrison is such a different baby than Connor was. I feel rested most of the time & I don't feel emotionally drained from the constant soothing during the day. He even sleeps in his own bed (for the most part).

Breastfeeding is going well; too well actually. We've tried giving him bottles but he'll just freak out after a half an ounce or so. For the most part this is fine. I don't work outside the home but I would like to get out on my own for a few hours every now & then.

Connor adores his little brother. I can't wait to see them actually play together.

Here are a few photos of our first 3 months for those of your who haven't seen them on facebook.





Thursday, September 6, 2012

Harrison's birth story

Harrison Deryk Beslow was born 3 weeks ago today on August 16th, 2012. Here is his birth story.

Preparations:

Harrison's birth story begins the day before on 8/15/12. I was 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant at this point. I was not at all expecting to go past my due date. My water had broken at exactly 40 weeks with Connor so I was getting a little antsy at 3 days overdue. I had a checkup with the doctor that morning at 10:30. He checked my cervix and found me to be 1 cm & 50% effaced w/ the cervix still far back (I'd been the same for the past 2 1/2 weeks). We discussed that I very well could be looking at an induction. We decided to induce the following day due to Garrett's work schedule. He is a contract worker & gets no paid time off so our plan was for him to take little to no time off of work. He works 4 10s with Thursday, Friday & Saturday being his days off. I know that not everyone would take the induction but I felt comfortable with that option. I was scheduled to go in the following morning at 5:30 to start cervadil (a medication to help soften the cervix). I dropped Connor off at my parents house that evening & went home to clean up a few things. Garrett & I finished packing up the bag with last minute things, I took a shower & we went to bed. 

Early/Active Labor:

At 4:15 it was time to get up, drink some coffee & head into the hospital. Since I was scheduled to come in, I got to skip triage. I was checked into a room & 2 very kind & funny nurses got me settled. They both tried to get my IV started but I have very tricky veins. By that point it was shift change time & my new nurse came in. She was able to get the IV in! Third times the charm. Around 8:00 the on call doctor came in & checked me (loved her, she was so friendly & calm). We were all surprised to find that I was 4 cm & 70% effaced. I hadn't had any noticeable contractions over the last day but obviously something was changing my cervix. She said there was definitely no need for cervadil & we were going straight to a small dose of pitocin. She figured he would be born by dinner time. I thought she was crazy given how long Connor take to come out. We let my doula, Kate, know that she would be needed a lot sooner than originally thought. As a background, my plan was to go as long as possible (hopefully all the way) without an epidural. I'd had such a rotten experience with it last time (spinal headache that left me in bed for a week) that I wanted to avoid it if at all possible. My nurse came in & started my pitocin drip at 9:00. Almost immediately I started feeling contractions but they didn't hurt at this point. Fairly quickly (and still on a pretty low dose of pitocin) I was in a good pattern of contracting every 2-3 minutes. Around 9:30 or 10:00 Harrison had a few heart rate dips after contractions. They had me get off the birth ball & everything went back to normal. However, because of the drops in heart rate they wanted me to remain on the monitors for the remainder of labor. I was checked again at 11:00 and was 5 cm & 80% effaced. The doctor wanted to break my water but I was hoping to keep it intact as long as possible. I know that the contractions are much more painful once your water breaks. Since I was making progress we decided to wait & be checked again in a few hours. I stayed on my feet for the majority of the next 4ish hours & continued to have contractions. They still weren't painful; just a lot of tightening & pressure. When the doctor came back to check me at 2:45 I had just gotten into bed. I felt a snap (like a rubber band) right below my belly button. At first I'd thought it was a kick but I quickly realized that it had felt different than any kick I'd felt. I decided to shift my position to see if my water had broken. Sure enough I felt a gush of fluid. I told the doctor I thought my water had broken, she checked me & found that to be true. I was 7 cm at this point. I don't remember how effaced I was. I'm so glad I let my water break on its own because the contractions certainly picked up in intensity almost immediately. 

Transition:

Kate had me get on the ball at this point. Contractions were getting more and more painful. Most of the pain was associated to the intense pressure of him getting lower & lower. I felt like my bottom was being broken in half. The atmosphere in the room was significantly more subdued at this point. We had been watching TV & chatting through early labor. I started to get really warm so Kate went & got ice chips & cold rags. Those were a life saver. She rubbed my back which was very soothing too. The contractions got to a point where I was having to verbalize to get through them. Kate reminded me to keep my voice low (instead of screaming & hyperventilating). This keeps the body open and prevents you from tensing up (slowing down progress). Without her constant reminders I would never have made it through without screaming for medication. My nurse could tell things had changed so she decided to check me (this was around 4:50). She said I was 7 1/2 to 8. I then had a super intense contraction & decided to ask for the epidural. If it was going to hurt this bad for 2 1/2 more centimeters I just couldn't do it. All of a sudden I had a contraction that gave me an intense urge to push. Really it wasn't an urge, my body did the pushing, I had no choice. I felt his head "down there". I believe I yelled that I felt his head "right there." Anesthesia came in just as my nurse was checking me again. I was fully dilated and he was coming. I actually felt relieved that there was no time for the epidural. First of all, with the way the contractions had changed there was absolutely NO WAY that I would've been able to sit up & remain still for the epidural to be administered. Second, it had been my goal to get through labor without it. I had known (when I was still sitting on the ball) that I was close. Being told I had only made 1/2 of a cm of progress after 2 very painful hours took away that confidence. Yet, there I was, not 5 minutes later being told I was fully dilated. 

Delivery:

The nurse sent the anesthesiologist out & yelled for the doctor to come in. The doctor came in & I distinctly remember her asking if she had time to put her cap over her hair. I don't think she did. They didn't even get to break the bed down. At this point I was laying on my left side gripping the bed rails for dear life & I was screaming. None of the nice low sounds I was able to make earlier. These were bloody murder, "get this child out of me now" screams. The nurse & doctor wanted me to roll to my back & pull my legs back. This was so incredibly physically difficult. It took my nurse & Garrett to help me. Once I was on my back, I gave a few more good pushes and he was out. He was born at 4:59; less than 10 minutes after I had been told I was 7 1/2 cm. As soon as he was out I said, "I never have to do that again." (We're planning on just having the 2 boys). It felt so good to have him out. They placed him on my chest & I fell in love immediately. All that fear of not being able to love another child as much as I love Connor vanished. I had a 2nd degree tear that required a few stitches. We got him weighed & took a few guesses as to how big he was. I think I guessed 8lb 11oz. Everyone else guessed lower. I was the closest. He ended up being 8lb 15.6 oz. Just shy of 9 pounds. Guess he used those extra 4 days to pack on the weight. He was 21 inches long. I nursed him soon after & he's been a great eater ever since. Family came to visit a few hours later. 

Postpartum: 

I was able to get out of bed quickly & with very little pain. My legs weren't shaky like they had been after I got up with Connor. I felt like I was on top of the world. The first night was actually quite restful. Harrison slept well & I actually got a few hours myself. We went home a little over 24 hours after Harrison had been born & things have gone quite smoothly since. Overall I am overjoyed with how labor went. I really can't imagine it having gone any smoother. Kate was absolutely crucial during my labor. If you want a pain med free birth I absolutely recommend a doula. She was just awesome!

We've posted a few photos on facebook so if you're friends with me you can see them there. I'll post the first photo we put up & plan to put up a few more soon now that I have my photography software up & running on the new computer.


Sunday, August 5, 2012

39 weeks. I'm still here plugging along.

Group B Strep test came back negative! No antibiotics during labor! At my last appointment (38 weeks 3 days) I was 1.5 centimeters dilated & 50% effaced. Baby's head is also, very, very low. Based on the position of my cervix the doctor expected I would be at least another week from that day. I'm not putting too much stock in what he says, I know things can change quickly. He said the same thing just 2 days before Connor was born.

How far along are you? 39 weeks. 1 week exactly until my due date
Current cravings? Croissant sandwiches
Belly button in or out? It's usually sticking out.

Gender? Boy!
Any milestones? I've been full term for 2 weeks now. This baby can come at any time.
Other symptoms? Constant pelvic pain. I'm getting really slow & tired too. This summer heat isn't exactly helping. I'm happy for warm weather, I just wish WA homes had AC so I could escape easily.
Anything different between this pregnancy & last? Can't think of anything at the moment.
What I miss? Sleeping soundly.
What I’m looking forward to? Baby being here

Working on any projects? One more clear coat & the rocking chair should be done.
If baby came now, we would be prepared enough. There are little projects that would be nice to have completed but they certainly aren't necessary. Right now, I'm trying to rest as much as possible & spend time with my little boy.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

36 week update


It's been weird not having regular access to a computer. When I was working I was at a computer 8 hours a day. Now, even though we have a computer in the house, I am obviously using it a lot less. I thought I'd jump on though & update before I completely fell out of the habit. Staying home is going well so far. I'm trying to find my groove; making sure enough gets done but giving myself enough rest before the baby gets here.


How far along are you? 36 weeks + 2 days. That's only 3 weeks & 5 days 'till my due date.

Current cravings? I'm still eating a lot of nectarines
Belly button in or out? It's usually sticking out.
Gender? Boy!

Any milestones? I'm down to appointments every week. I'm in that last month.Crazy how fast things go. They'll be testing me for Group B Strep bacteria at my appointment this week. It's a normal bacteria that is harmless to mom but can be harful to baby. If I test positive I'll have to have a course of antibiotics while in labor. I didn't have it with Connor, we'll see what happens this time.

Other symptoms? Constant pelvic pain. I'm getting heartburn too when I lay down at night.
Anything different between this pregnancy & last? I do not remember the pelvic pain being this bad last time.
What I miss? Being able to reach my legs to shave them in the shower.
What I’m looking forward to? Baby being here
Working on any projects? Finishing up on the rocking chair. We're refinishing it from it's original oak finish & painting it a light blue color. One more coat of paint & some clear coat & we'll be done.
I need a few more baby/mom care essentials & to finish setting up the nursery but I think that can all be done before baby is here (as long as he doesn't show up super early).

I want to get some meals made & frozen before baby comes but we'll see if that happens or not.


Monday, June 25, 2012

33 weeks

How far along are you? 33 weeks + 1 day. (6 weeks & 6 days to go) 

Current cravings?  Nectarines have been really good this past week. I wish summer fruit was always this good.


Belly button in or out? Definitely flat, sometimes sticking out.


Gender? Boy!

Any milestones?  I have less than 50 days to go. Not sure if that’s a milestone but it sure makes it feel close. I have 48 days to go as of this morning.

Other symptoms? Connor & I caught a cold this week. It’s not very fun but I’ve certainly had worse colds. There is also definitely a baby head in my pelvis. I can feel it when I walk. Doctor confirmed at my appointment last week that he has indeed dropped.

Anything different between this pregnancy & last?  I have a mixture of anxiety & excitement about Connor becoming a big brother. He loves babies & seems excited about the baby coming but I still worry about the adjustment. I’m sure we’ll have some struggles but we’ll take those as they come.

What I miss? Not waddling to the bathroom 2 or 3 times per night.    

What I’m looking forward to? My last day of work is THIS Friday. This is my last Monday & I’m so excited.   


Working on any projects? Pouf I was working on is pretty much done. Just a little more knitting & then it needs to be stuffed & finished up.

I went out & bought new bedding this weekend. We had a mishmash of items that never was anything too exciting. I finally bought some quality pieces & it feels so good to climb into a nice, well-made bed.

There is basically a never ending to-do list that will get even longer once the baby is here. I better get crackin’.
 

Monday, June 18, 2012

32 weeks

How far along are you? 32 weeks + 1 day

Current cravings?  Cream puffs. The little frozen ones. It’s a good thing they need to stay frozen & I have to defrost each serving or we would have a serious problem.


Belly button in or out? Definitely flat, sometimes sticking out.


Gender? Boy!

Any milestones?  None that I can think of. Although, saying that I have less than 8 week to go makes it feel really close.

Other symptoms? Pelvic pain. Sleeping is getting difficult. I’m rolling over multiple times a night to get comfy. Movement is different than it was a few weeks ago. It’s still very frequent but he definitely has less room to give forceful kicks. Mostly I’m feeling pushing & stretching. I’m feeling when he has hiccups too.

Anything different between this pregnancy & last?  I’m pretty sure this pelvic pain didn’t start until Connor dropped (around 34 weeks). This little guy might have dropped a little this last week. I definitely feel him lower down in my pelvis.

What I miss? I miss the days when my bladder wasn’t a pillow.   

What I’m looking forward to? My last day of work. Less than 2 weeks! I’m also looking forward to Connor meeting his baby brother for the first time. He loves babies & he seems really excited for him to come.  


Working on any projects? Unpacking still; although things are getting better. I’ve also got a list going of everything I need to do before he gets here. My mom, Connor & I are taking a trip to Montana the Sunday after my last day of work. Once I get back, that to-do list is going to be attacked.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

30 weeks

How far along are you? 30 weeks + 2 days

Current cravings? Avocados!


Belly button in or out? Definitely flat, sometimes sticking out.


Gender? Boy!

Any milestones?  Um, how am I already in the 30’s? I’m 75% done!

Other symptoms? Pelvic pain. Sleeping is getting difficult. I’m rolling over multiple times a night to alleviate the hip pain.

Anything different between this pregnancy & last?  I’m pretty sure this pelvic pain didn’t start until Connor dropped (around 34 weeks). This one hasn’t dropped yet but I wouldn’t be surprised if he did sooner rather than later.

What I miss? I miss the days when my bladder wasn’t a pillow.   

What I’m looking forward to? My last day of work. I have so many projects I want to get done around the house. I’m just ready to be done. I’m counting my blessings that I get to stop working though; I just wish it was here now. 3 ½ weeks to go! 


Working on any projects? Unpacking still. I unpacked a HUGE box last night so I felt good about that. I wish it was happening sooner but I just try to remind myself that I’m growing a baby 24 hours a day. It’s not going to happen as fast as if I wasn’t pregnant. More tonight! Also, Garrett has completed the media center?? (not sure what to call it). Both TV’s are mounted with no cords in sight. At first I was nervous that he was putting holes in my brand new walls but he did a great job. Now all of the components are hidden away in a closet (accessible from both the living room & bedroom TV’s) and no cluttery cords in either room. All hidden away, nice & neat.