SWAGGER WAGON

Freedom???

We decided it is time to try the bottle on little James. He has had no problem breastfeeding, so we figure we are in the clear for nipple confusion at this point.

We tried a cold bottle while out to dinner last night and he wasn't having it at all! So today we made the milk warm like mommy's and he totally went for it! Yeah! Since I will be going back to work part time in about a month, I wanted to be sure he would take the bottle. That is a relief and now maybe we can see a couple of movies we have been wanting to see :)

In other news... we have been doing our tummy time and James is getting better at holding up his head. He actually was doing this the night he was born, but he can hold it up longer now.

Sometimes he takes a break and just stares at me... I love it.

smiles :)

I took this video with my phone (which is not very high tech) but I had to try to post his smile. I love this song and play it for him all the time because it was playing in the background when he was born.

Don't mind my singing. I know I can't sing, but he thought it was entertaining :)

HE IS HERE!!!!!

This is our first family photo and a moment I will remember always.

They actually brought him to us right after he was born to see him and give him a kiss before they took him for measurements and to get cleaned up.

James Robert was born June 30th at 10:38pm. He weighed 8 lbs, 7 oz and was 20 inches. I can't believe I had over an 8 lb baby in me!

THE BIRTH STORY

This whole thing started on Tues, June 29th when I went in to be induced after being a week past my due date with a suspected big baby. I didn't want to be induced, so we tried the folley tube/balloon first. That went in around 4pm and let me tell you, that was not a pleasant experience. Seeing as I was starting labor on my own and dilated to one, I thought it wouldn't be so bad. I was wrong. Luckily I used techniques from my hypnobabies to get through it. Once that was in, we had 12 hours to see if I would dilate to 4 and have it drop out. So I labored for the next 12 hours, walking the halls, listening to my hypno cds and working through contractions that were 2-3 min apart. I felt like I had to be making progress. Then the 12 hours were up and they had to remove the balloon. It got me to 2.5 cm which was rather disappointing. I then had to get some pitocin in me. The started me off low and gradually pumped it up. my contractions were getting pretty strong at this point and back labor started to hit. I would not wish back labor on anyone! Ouch... not fun. But again, I was able to work through it just hoping it wouldn't last much longer. Haws was so great during the whole thing. He walked the halls with me, helping me through the tough ones. I couldn't have asked him to be any more perfect. Eventually they broke my water and all hell broke loose! Once that water was gone, the contractions speed up and there was no water to "cushion" the contractions. After about 2 hours I couldnt take it anymore. I couldnt concentrate on my hypnobabies and I told Haws I could do it if I knew I only had to for another hour... but with no guarantee as to how long this might last, I needed that epidural! Once I decided to go for it, it felt like the anesthesiologist couldn't get there fast enough! What sweet relief when the epidural kicked in. I no longer felt like I was going to die.

So, they pumped up that pitocin as high as they could, I was at a 4 and 95% effaced at this point. I was having contractions that should have been dilating me a cm per hour and after 3 hours... nothing. The little guys head wasnt coming down which made dilating very difficult. I was communicating with my doctor and she kept letting me try a few more hours before she came in to talk about a c-section. Haws and I talked about it and we both had a strong impression that a c-section was the only way this baby was going to come out. I thought that my biggest nightmare would be to have a c-section. I wanted to be able to move around and take care of the baby as soon as he came out. I know joke that God must have known the only way I would take it easy after birth was to make me have a c-section :) So after 26 hours of natural labor and 7 hours with an epidural we headed off for a c-section.

It really wasn't bad. I went in feeling really good about it. The drugs made me get the shakes, but it also made me super chatty and excited. Maybe that was the adrenalin. So with in 30 min of prep, listening to the KOST in the operating room (unchained melody, some chicago, Hey, soul sista) they held up a mirror and I saw James' sweet little face coming out. Since he was sunnyside up again, he came out looking at us! It was amazing. I was so relieved to see he was perfect and I couldn't believe how cute he was. I gave him a kiss and just looked at Haws while he took him to cut the cord. Then he was back with the baby and we all went into recovery. James latched on right away and I was so grateful that he has been a good breastfeeding baby. I know that can be one of the most challenging things with a newborn. The rest of the night was kind of a blur. We got into our new room and tried to rest a little for the night. I think the whole time we were in the hospital, Haws and I got somewhere between 8-15 hours of sleep total. We were there Tues-Sun and brought baby James home on the 4th of July.

We had lots of visitors who came by and I am just so thankful for all the family and friends who have been so supportive during all of this. For the visits, the meals, the phone calls... just everything! We even had Dana and Chase fly in for the weekend so she was here to see us in the hospital along with other cousins that were here for the 4th of July week. Jared flew in to surprise us at the hospital which was such a nice surprise.

Get ready for a picture overload. This is my journal, so I gotta document :) I wish I knew how to do a collage or something, but I don't.

I love this picture of him.

Using my hypnobabies

 

Look how huge I look!

Baby James

 Visitors (I know I missed pics with a few)

Daddy changing the "tar" diaper. I love the look on his face!

Giving mommy a hug.

Going home!

Baby James Update

Today things did not go as planned. I had called my doctors office to see if I could push back the scheduled induction my doctor had set up for Tues to Thurs. I just felt like little James might need a couple of extra days to figure out how to make his way into the world. I left her a message, but found out it was her day off so someone else would be calling me. I got home from a walk and running some errands when one of the docs from the office called me back. After explaining my feelings she informed me why they don't like their patients to go over 41 weeks, especially if the baby is measuring big like little James is. I tried to explain why I wanted to wait a couple of days and she said she would call my doc and the hospital to see if we could push it to Thurs. Well... the hospital only takes a certain amount of scheduled inductions each day and the next available appointment was not until next Tues. My doc called me (on her day off) to tell me it would have been fine to push it back a couple of days, but she would not be comfortable waiting until I was 42 weeks and would probably only deliver me if it was a c-section! I love my doc and trust her to know what is best. I don't think that James is going to be a 9 lb baby, but he could be if I wait too long. I might be able to handle delivering a big baby, but I just don't know. So after much thought and prayer, we decided to head to the doc today to get checked and do a few things that might help push me along. We will see if they work tonight. I was dilated about 1/2 cm but was 70% effaced with a soft cervix, which is good. Otherwise, I go in tomorrow to possibly be induced. I am hoping I will get there and I will be at a point where I can just let nature take it's course with out any pitocin... but if I need it, that's OK too.

After I saw the doc, she sent me to fetal monitoring at the hospital to have the baby and my fluids checked (his heart rate had dropped a little). Everything there looked good! His heart rate was great and he was moving a ton. My fluid levels are good and the best news of all is that James has turned for me! I was so happy to see that he is no longer sunnyside up and is in the perfect position for birth. I have been doing exercises and seeing a chiropractor to get him to turn, so I guess it worked!

Now back to the waiting game, but it wont be for very long. It is crazy to think that in a couple of days we will be holding our little baby boy.

How do you like your eggs???

Sunnyside up???

Well that is how Baby James likes them!

Today was my "due date" and no baby. I am really not that surprised. Most first babies are late right?

I went in to see my wonderful doc today and had an ultrasound to check out how he is doing. Turns out, everything looks good. Fluid is good, heart is good, I saw his mouth open and close and saw that his knee truly is under my ribs. The big surprise was that he is head down (good) but in the posterior position, aka sunnyside up (not good). This means that he is not in the best position to get down in my pelvis and slide down the birth canal. Babies ARE born posterior, but the labors tend to be longer and more painful. Often the baby will turn while he makes his way down... but not always.

WARNING: There may be TMI ahead.

Since his head is not down in my pelvis, he is not pushing on my cervix helping me to dilate. Right now I only have a "dimple" in my cervix. This can all change over night of course. I am going to try some exercises to get him to turn around and the fact that he hasn't descended into my pelvis works in my favor.

I had to schedule an induction for next Tues because he also seems to be a little on the big side (from what they can tell, but that could be off by a pound or two) and a big baby in a posterior position can create some problems. For those of you who know me well, you know I have planned a natural birth using hypnobabies. This all could put a little bit of a damper on that plan, which obviously makes me a little sad. But at the same time I know that the most important thing is that James gets here safe and sound no matter how he decides he needs to get here. I just pray that he turns and makes this a little easier on all of us.

One week to go????

I can not believe that I am in my 39th week of pregnancy! I really feel like it has flown by. I would have to say the 1rst trimester was the longest. With the nausea, throwing up and fatigue. The worrying that something might go wrong and the fact that you don't look pregnant, just pudgy, it has to be the longest.

But all of that is behind me now. These days I am feeling good! I feel little James moving a lot and his kicks are very strong and his movements make me laugh. I am constantly making Haws "look at this" or "feel this". It never gets old and I think I will really miss it, even though I will love having him here with us.

I have been very lucky in this pregnancy and I don't really have anything to complain about. The human body is amazing and it is crazy what changes happen while you are pregnant. I hope I am able to do this a few more times :)

I just wanted to document some of the things I am going to miss about being pregnant.

 

• Number one has to be feeling him move inside of me, especially when Haws can feel it too.
• People are so nice to you when you are pregnant. I have been surprised by how many men take and interest in my growing belly and ask all about the baby. It is cute.
• Connecting with strangers simply because your shared experience is so visible.
• Wearing tight clothes and not worrying about my rolls showing. There is just a huge belly that I can be proud to show off.
• Hearing about other peoples pregnancies and birth experiences. I like the good ones the most :)
• Having the support of family and friends.
• Baby showers in which you can feel the love for the baby to be and seeing so many of the people you care about, who care about you and your baby.
• The undeniable truth that there is a God who loves us. I don't know how you can see life being created in such a fascinating way and not believe there is a God.
• Treating myself to prenatal massages and pedicures. I will miss those!
• Being able to exercise so easily with the baby. I am sure it will be harder once he is on the outside!
• Laughing at how hard it is to get out of bed, especially when you are doing it 4+ times a night.
• Haws' face when he talks about how excited he is for the baby to be here.
• My appointments with my doctor, I just love her!
• Other people's reactions to my belly. "You are so small". "When are you due!?!?" "You must be ready to pop any day now". Everyone has such a different perspective.

So now I am playing the waiting game. I am done with work, have finished the nursery, have my hospital items set out and ready to pack and feel like I am as ready as I am going to be.

I have been keeping busy seeing friends and family, fitting in as much fun as I can, pampering myself, organizing the house, going out to eat and going on dates with Haws. I don't think I can ever be one of those people who are bored when they aren't working. I am getting a little anxious to have James enter the world. Now that I feel ready, I am like "bring it on!" I know that he will decide when the right time to be born is, I just hope it isn't two weeks past his due date! But for now, I am going to enjoy this time as much as possible. Life will not be the same once he gets here... and I welcome the change, even with all of the challenges.