40 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 40 Weeks/Liam is 6 Weeks, 1 Day

Size of baby: 7 pounds, 20.5 Inches (give or take a little bit)

Total Weight Gain: 16 pounds gained; 21 pounds lost (I still look pregnant though)

Maternity Clothes: All of my regular clothes fit; they just fit differently.  My maternity clothes are big, but oh so comfortable.  So I'm still rocking the stretchy waist.  :)

Gender: BOY.

Movement: He wiggles just as much on the outside as he did while he was inside.
Sleep: He sleeps like a champ, but we have to wake him up to eat every three hours so we aren't getting much sleep!   

Symptoms: none!

Food Cravings/Aversions:  aversions have subsided, bring on the chocolate!

What I am looking forward to:  watching this beautiful baby grow!

Liam's Birth Story

Wednesday, September 29th, I experienced some spotting.  I called my doctor and was advised to go to the hospital for monitoring.  I did not want to do this at all because I was sure that it was nothing and did not want to spend a lot of money only to be told that it was nothing.  My doctor agreed to let me wait until my already scheduled OB appointment on Thursday and I put myself on bed rest for the remainder of the day.


Thursday morning I had my 34 week check up (a few days early).  I was still spotting a little bit and my normally low blood pressure was slightly elevated.  My doctor checked my cervix, which was closed, and decided to send me to the hospital for monitoring for a few hours and to get a complete ultrasound just to be safe.  When we got to the hospital at noon my water broke, only I decided that maybe it was just extra fluid from my doctor checking me.  It wasn't a lot of "water" at all.  I checked in to the hospital and was hooked up to monitors to check for contractions, watch the baby's heart beat, and monitor my blood pressure.  The nurse watching me joked around that my blood pressure was not impressing her and I would probably leave in an hour.  Then I had a contraction and the baby's heart rate plummeted.  Before we knew what was happening, that same nurse was shouting for help and pushing my bed at a full sprint to the labor and delivery wing.  They told us that if the baby's heart beat didn't come up I was having a baby right then!  After the contraction the heart beat went back to normal.  They started me on IV fluids and checked my cervix again, still closed, good.  They continued monitoring me and everything looked normal.  


At 4:00 pm I went for an ultrasound where we saw that the baby looked perfectly fine and was measuring great.  We let the tech know that we didn't know the sex of the baby and she had us look away a few times but we were excited to see our sweet baby again on the big screen.  When I got back to my room and stood up to get in bed I had some fluid trickle down my leg.  Oh yeah, I remembered that maybe my water had broken.  I decided to tell the nurse and they did a test to see if my water had broken.  Then there was a shift change and new nurse came in and starting hanging antibiotics for my IV.  I asked her why I needed antibiotics and she replied, "oh your water did break, you're staying here until you have a baby."  Up until this point I truly thought that we would be going home soon and I would be opening the store on Friday like normal.  I hadn't packed a bag or told Gus goodbye.  I was in denial.  


The nurse came in and gave me an oral medication to stop contractions and a steriod shot in the booty to help develop the baby's lungs.  She explained that the plan was to give me the first shot and wait 24 hours to give me the next steriod shot. After another 24 hours of the shot working they would induce labor and deliver the baby.  So, by Saturday or Sunday we would be parents.  I just kept thinking about how this is not what I wanted at all.  I wanted to deliver this baby naturally.  I wanted to do the majority of my labor at home so that I could be free to do what I wanted.  In my birth plan, that was written only in my mind, I planned to ask to only be monitored for 15 minutes of every hour so that I could walk around and labor on a birthing ball.  I planned to be calm and to work with my contractions.  I was quickly realizing that my plans were out the window.  It was mandatory that I be on monitors 100% of the time.  I could not get up to go to the bathroom let alone walk around.  If I moved from one side to the other I had to call the nurse so that she could adjust the monitors. I was very important to keep still so that the baby's heart rate was visible at all times.  


The oral medication worked for a few hours and then I started having contractions again.  They were all really low in my pelvis and in my back.  I was very uncomfortable trying to stay still during the contractions.  My contractions were reading as "mild" on the monitor but they were lasting for 4-8 minutes (the nurse said she had never seen early labor contractions last that long without pitocin) and the baby's heart rate was still periodically dropping.  They decided to give me a shot of something that was supposed to stop the contractions.  It worked for a few hours.  They gave me another shot.  It worked for a few hours.  

(sweet husby rubbing my feet)

All this time Ryan was doing an amazing job of helping me.  He rubbed my back and held my hand.  He told me stories reminding me of how we fell in love.  He talked about the mountains and tried to distract me.  He encouraged continually.  Which just made me frustrated, I did not feel like I was doing a good job at all.  I felt like a wuss.  Later, I realized that had I been allowed to labor like I wanted to and if I was supposed to be trying to have a baby, instead of trying to get my contractions to stop, I would have handled the pain a lot better.  I am so thankful that Ryan was with me through it all, he was my rock.  


At 4:00 am on Friday, October 1st, the nurse came in and gave me the second round of steriods 12 hours early.  She said that they didn't think the baby could take the contractions much longer.  They were sure that the baby would not tolerate pitocin since it was not tolerating my "mild" contractions.  She gave me one more shot of the stuff that was supposed to stop my contractions and said that my doctor would be in to see me in a few hours.  It was at this point that I knew they would be doing a c-section.  And I knew that it was the best thing for the baby.  The very last thing that I wanted was to deliver my baby this way, but I was confident that my doctor wouldn't do it if she did not think it absolutely necessary.  And that's pretty much exactly what she said when she came to talk to us at 7:45 am.  


When Dr. Haney came to talk to us it was still fairly dim in my room.  She speaks very quietly and is very patient.  She answered all of our questions and then left to prep for the surgery.  At this point I was still calm and confident.  After she left, four or five people came in the room and flipped on every light.  They all started talking to each other, reviewing my chart, asking questions.  There was a shift change and I didn't know my new nurse at all.  I starting to have a really painful contraction in the midst of all of the chaos and that's when I had my flip out session.  I was scared and nervous and tired and ready for it to all be over so I cried and threw a little fit.  Ryan was so surprised that I lost it completely that he thought I was possessed.  :)  Once I maintained my composure I had to sign a lot of forms saying that I knew the risks of the surgery and the spinal block.  I answered the anesthesiologists questions.  I demanded that they not give me morphine afterwards (it makes me crazy).  Ryan and I prayed, he suited up in surgery garb and they wheeled me back to surgery.

(cute Papa dressed out for surgery)

Ryan had to stay outside while they administered my spinal block.  This was super hard for me and I cried again, they make you get into a very awkward position that I still don't know how I managed to do while pregnant and contracting.  You have to be perfectly still for 15 seconds or you could become paralyzed.  The second the block was in I felt amazing though.  I had been in labor for 20 hours at this point and the numbness was a nice relief, I won't lie.  They brought Ryan in and he sat to the left of my head and held my hand and prayed.  The neonatalogists and nurses were in the room lining the walls waiting to work on the baby.  They started the surgery and I couldn't feel anything but I knew they were tugging and pulling at me.  I kept trying to see a reflection of what they were doing in the big lights but I never could see anything.  At one point my doctor said that the baby's head was was really stuck in my pelvis (I had been complaining of extreme pelvic pressure for almost a month so I was not surprised).  They pulled the baby out crying and starting working on it without telling us if it was a boy or a girl.  We asked and they told us it was a BOY!  LIAM was here!  Ryan got up to go see him and then they wrapped him up really quickly and let me hold him for a second before taking him to the NICU.  Ryan followed them to document the weigh in and find out how he was as I got put back together.  

(Little Liam getting weighed in.  The red mark on his head is from where he was wedged in my pelvis)

We are so thankful that our little man is here and that he is doing so well for being born at only 33 weeks 6 days gestation.  We will never know the real reason why his heart rate kept bottoming out.  It could have been a cord issue or it could have been stress due to the way he was positioned.  We are blessed beyond measure and so thankful that the Lord's plans for us prevailed.  I may have had a lot of my own plans, but in the end I am confident that the God that knew Liam before he was ever in my womb knew what was best for our family.  

(at 8:45 am on October 1, 2010, Liam David made us a family)

thoughts on not being pregnant anymore...

• I have had more pregnant dreams since I delivered Liam than I did the entire time I was pregnant.
• When I look down, I am surprised to see my feet.
• I made it through the hottest summer of my life while pregnant without an ounce of swelling.  Now my ankles are the size of softballs.  Thanks a lot IV drugs.
• My hair looked like crap while I was pregnant, I like it a lot more now.  But it could still use a trim and some blonde.
• When I look in the mirror I feel like I am scrawny without my pregger belly.  I miss it.
• I would have no shame about wearing my maternity jeans.  Too bad they are all low-rise and hit me right on my c-section incision.  I have three pairs of appropriate lounge pants.  Get used to them.
• I have a lot of nesting energy but am not allowed to do a whole lot.  This is frustrating.  

33 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 33 Weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: 19-22 inches, 4.9 pounds; pineapple

Total Weight Gain: 16 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing maternity clothes.  However I bought a dress, a tank , and a cardigan from old navy yesterday and none of it was maternity.  Granted, I can't button the cardigan yet, but it looks cute with the belly.  I'm refusing to buy more maternity clothes but it is finally getting cooler and all of my clothes that fit are tank tops!  I'm gonna have to get creative with layering.

Gender: It's either a boy or a girl.  Had a few boy guesses lately, still mostly girly guesses though.

Movement: Movement has slowed down a little due to baby running out of room but I still get punched and kicked often enough.  Legs are still wedged in my ribs so those kicks are really comfortable, let me tell you.
Sleep: It's a bit overrated right now.  Waking up often to change positions and pee.   

Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue, backache, hip pain, pelvic pressure, braxton hicks.  If I wasn't pregnant I would complain that I feel like an old woman most of the time; but I think I really am just feeling pregnant.  :)

Food Cravings/Aversions:  I still haven't had a "gotta have it NOW" craving.  Eating a lot of cereal.  Still hitting up sonic for slushes/ice pretty much daily.

What I am looking forward to:  Still working on that To Do list...  

32 Weeks!

(on our way to go out for our anniversary)

(32 weeks, 1 day)

  (for frame of reference)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 32 Weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: 19 inches, 4.1 pounds; honeydew

Total Weight Gain: 15 pounds

Maternity Clothes: There's a baby the size of a honeydew in my belly.  I am wearing maternity clothes.  :)

Gender: It's either a boy or a girl.

Movement: Movement has slowed down a little due to baby running out of room but I still get punched and kicked often enough.  
Sleep: If I am not waking up to pee every few hours then my hips are in agony when I wake up.  I think I am up to three pillows for optimal comfort and that might be increasing soon...move over Ryan. 

Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue, backache, hip pain, pelvic pressure, braxton hicks.

Food Cravings/Aversions:  Pretty much all I want is a slush from sonic or sonic ice.  I don't have a lot of room for food these days.  

What I am looking forward to:  Cooler weather.  Finishing baby's room.

29 Weeks!

and from the front

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 29 Weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: 17 inches, 3.1 pounds; butternut squash
Total Weight Gain: 11 pounds (i think)
Maternity Clothes: Pretty  much all I wear now with the exception of lounge clothes, dresses, and a few select work clothes.  I did just order some new work maternity clothes so I don't look like a hobo everyday.  My work shirts are getting pretty short.
Gender: It's either a boy or a girl.
Movement: Moving a lot and throughout the day and night.  When I wake up in the night, baby is moving.  I stood too close to the register at work the other day and the baby kicked and a hit the register.  Pretty funny!  I've started referring to the baby as "Lurch" because my entire belly lurches form side to side.
Sleep: Starting to get uncomfortable.  I've been trying to prop myself up with pillows and use a pillow between my knees, but I don't usually make it through the night without completely rearranging the whole situation.  

Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue, backache, hip pain.

Food Cravings/Aversions:  Still no real cravings.  Enjoying cold drinks, Sonic ice, frozen yogurt.  Threw up once last week after eating salad.  Literally every romaine lettuce salad that I have eaten while being pregnant has made me sick.  So weird.

What I am looking forward to:  Cooler weather.  Childbirth classes starting next week!  Getting our apartment baby ready.  Baby showers next weekend in Arkansas.

28 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: 15 inches, 2.2 pounds; cucumber
Total Weight Gain: 9 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Wearing them.  Loving them.  Wishing the weather would cool off so I could have an excuse to buy the cute fall maternity clothes that are coming out.  Still rocking the pre-preg dresses and some work pants.
Gender: Unknown.  Still don't want to find out.
Movement: Moving a lot.  Still really active at night, but has gotten more active while I am moving around.  This confuses me sometimes.  I almost fell down while walking down the sidewalk the other day because baby kicked so hard it threw me off balance!
Sleep: Starting to get uncomfortable.  I have been doing better at sleeping on my side, but my hips are so sore that I wake up more often.  Leg cramps have subsided.  

Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue, backache, hip pain, restlessness.

Food Cravings/Aversions:  Still no real cravings.  Mainly just trying to eat throughout the day and make sure I am getting enough fluids and protein.   

What I am looking forward to:  Cooler weather.  Childbirth classes starting in September.

(nasty glucola)

I had my glucose testing done last week and I passed!  The drink was disgusting and I was dreading it so badly, but I managed to keep it down!  I also got my first round of the RhoGam shot which other than a sore hip, was uneventful.  I am now going to the doctor every two weeks which is a bit overwhelming!  We start childbirth classes soon and when I look at my calendar it pretty much already revolves around baby!

26 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 26 Weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: 15 inches, 2.2 pounds; cucumber
Total Weight Gain: 8 pounds
Maternity Clothes: Wearing them.  Loving them.  Still wearing all of my pre-pregnancy sun dresses.  Can still wear low rise pre-pregnancy pants, they just aren't as comfortable as elastic waistbands!  I am also about to have to buy some new maternity polos for work, mine are getting a little short and I've never been a fan of the belly shirt.
Gender: Unknown.  Still don't want to find out.  Folks still predicting girl.
Movement: Moving a lot.  Baby's new nickname is "wiggle worm."  During church yesterday the baby kicked so hard that I gasped out loud.  My new favorite thing is to watch my belly wiggle around like a bowl full of jelly.  :)
Sleep: Still waking up multiple times to pee in the night.  This was supposed to decrease during the second trimester and it didn't for me.  This makes me a little nervous about the third trimester when it is supposed to increase again.  I am also waking up once or twice a week with leg cramps now.  I am drinking tons of water and increasing my potassium.  I think they are plaguing me because I stand up all day at work; I am trying to sit more.  

Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue, leg cramps, backache

Food Cravings/Aversions:  Beef sounds good to me all the time.  Still enjoying all things cold with the record high temperatures we have been having I have doubled my already large liquid consumption.  Slushes, powerade, orange juice, grapefruit juice.  I really really really wish we had a shaved ice stand.  

What I am looking forward to:  Cooler weather.  Meeting the wiggle worm.

15 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 15 Weeks, 2 Days

Size of baby: 4 to 5 inches, 3 to 5 ounces; avocado
Total Weight Gain: 0
Maternity Clothes: I can still wear my normal jeans and clothes.  I have to were a be band with most of my work pants though because they won't button!
Gender: Unknown.  And we do not want to find out.  Feel free to tell us we are crazy, but we will continue to do it our way.  :)
Movement: Haven't felt anything yet.  My books say give it till 20 weeks or so.
Sleep: I miss being able to sleep on my stomach.  And I have some crazy dreams, crazier than my normal ones!

Symptoms: Still having morning (all day) sickness at least one or two days a week, but this has drastically improved over the last few weeks.  Fatigue has also improved.  Dizziness and shortness of breath are my two new friends.  Hopefully they will subside soon!

Food Cravings/Aversions:  No cravings so far, I have been having to remind myself to eat.  I currently have aversions to coffee and chocolate.  Dark chocolate in particular, which I usually love, is disgusting to me.  Every time I eat a caesar salad I wind up seeing it again.  Not sure if that is an aversion since I still want to eat them, but the baby definitely does not approve.   

What I am looking forward to: Increased energy during this trimester and the end of morning sickness for good!