Checking in....

Hey - I know it's been ages since I've posted! Time is really going by pretty fast and I wanted to at least check in and say that everything is going ok! (knock on wood) I plan to keep up with posting here on a more regular basis and will have a birth story up soon. I am also severly behind in reading other blogs, and will try and catch up this weekend.

Just a little update on what'e been going on - We are very fortunate to have what I believe is a very well-tempered baby. I know it's only been two weeks, and after the second week, I've heard/read that babies can become a lot fussier. I've already seen this happen - for example, yesterday she was awake almost all day and would start to fuss unless someone was holding her. But, holding her would calm her immediately, which I know doesn't always happen, so I certainly can't complain! Last night was a bit of a different story... she was changed and fed and wouldn't stop crying for over an hour, even while being held. I know an hour/1.5 hours is pretty much nothing - I'm well aware that babies will often cry for many hours, and nothing you do will console them. Once she gets to sleep, she only wakes one time in the night for feeding! So if I feed her at midnight (some times she has slept a bit before that) I wind up feeding her around 3:30am, then again around 6:30am. She then usually sleeps for a while after the 6:30am feeding. She does eat more frequently during the day, but with this current nighttime feeding schedule, I am actually getting some sleep!

Now that I have written the above, I know I am setting myself up for her being super fussy and up all night! ;-)

Speaking of feeding....TMI alert - this paragraph is about breastfeeding! I've been able to breastfeed ok, though I must say, so far, I'm not a huge fan of it. People always talk about it being a 'bonding' experience, but I feel like I am bonding more when I am just holding her. However, that being said, I am in no way considering NOT breastfeeding! It's extremely beneficial to breastfeed (I know not everyone is able to nurse for various reasons - I'm not saying that it's wrong to not breastfeed!) so if I am able to do it, I certainly will! To be completely honest, my complaints are all petty and selfish. When my milk first came in, I was in quite a bit of discomfort (pain!) And my chest is now a full size (maybe two) bigger, and still sort of sore. This wouldn't be so bad if the 'girls' hadn't become so much bigger during pregnancy - now with the additional size, I'm actually uncomfortable, and look like someone who just went nuts with breast implants. They love to leak too (at least I'm producing enough milk...) Right now I spend a lot of my day feeding or leaking - I hope the 'girls' get the memo soon that they don't need to produce quite so much milk!. Ce.cilia has been very good though - she will take a bottle (yes, I'm also pumping) and then will go right back to regular nursing without a problem (knock on wood again!) Now if it just didn't feel like someone is chomping on me when she first latches on - ow! She had a weight check earlier this week and was back up above her birth weight, after losing about 5 ounces (which is normal).

I'm pretty surprised at our little one's mobility. She lifts her head, rolls on her side and I swear she can crawl across my chest. Some times when I am holding on me with her on her tummy, she starts pushing herself across me! I know, I know, I am sure all of this is totally normal, and I just have the 'I'm a new parent and MY kid is just so awesome!' syndrome.

I am actually still working a bit - not at my regular job - I don't plan on returing to working outside of the home until some time in 2009 - but at my small home business, and this time of year it starts to get busier. This is making things a little more hectic, and so when I do have time to get on the computer, it's usually to do work, thus the lack of posting/reading recently.

And lastly - to the anonymous commenter (people who have negative comments just never have the guts to leave a name, do they?) regarding the post titled 'My Daughter'.... yes, I realize it should have said 'OUR Daughter'.... however, I was posting in a hurry AT THE HOSPITAL. Most people (unless they just want to find something to pick apart) would realize that I wasn't somehow leaving DH out of things, or acting like OUR beautiful newborn baby was somehow more mine than his. Would you now like to tell me how selfish I am for not being in love with the breastfeeding process?

Quick Update

Just a quick update, while I work on the whole birth story thing...We have people over watching the Eag.les game!

1. Ceci.lia weighed 6lbs, 7oz at birth and is 19 inches long.
   
2. Her apgar score was 9 and 9!
   
3. I can’t believe how much I want to hold her.
   
4. I was given pitocin to start labor, and was able to go without an epidural until they broke my water – after that, the pain was just too much! Labor lasted about 11 hours, but unbelievably, I only pushed for 20 min.
   
5. I’m feeling fine, just rather sore – I tore inside and have some stiches. Thank goodness she was tiny!
   
6. DH is being fantastic and extremely helpful.
   
7. I know my poor daughter is going to hear people sing that Simon and Garfunk.el song every time she tells people her name :)
   

My Daughter

Cec.ilia Gr.ace arrived on October 23, 2008, 11:22pm!

Still in hospital - am being discharged later today and will post more updates!

40w5d - off to hospital

Don't have much time - went to Dr., was dilated 3cm, (!), nonstress test was fine but they checked the amniotic fluid, it was low so they want me to go to hospital immediately! They wanted me to go stright from the Dr. office but I convinced them to let me stop home first because I live close by. Will update again as soon as possible!

40w4d

Yep. Still here. Still feel nothing indicating that Butters has any intention of leaving, other than some lower abdominal pressure here and there. I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow morning to see what, if anything, is going on.

I know, I know. First babies are often late. It’s normal to deliver two weeks before or after your due date. And yes, no one has to tell me that the baby will arrive “when he/she is ready.” I know all this – but I’m still getting impatient. I was extremely productive yesterday, but not so much today, so I’m a bit annoyed with myself, because I feel like I should be taking every spare moment now to do things since there will indeed be a baby here very soon. But I can’t help it – I’m being immature and irritable today and have to force myself to get anything done. I know I’ll be kicking myself later, wishing I had done more, if I don’t get my arse moving now.

On the toe front – I actually think it may be broken. It was getting better, and the bruising is going away, but it’s been a week now and it’s still swollen and does still hurt, especially if I wear anything besides flip flops (and it’s too chilly now to wear those) or sneakers. I wore ‘regular’ shoes for a short time yesterday when we went out to dinner and my toe was killing me afterwards. So I’m still walking a little funny, and feeling oh-so intelligent for managing to (possibly) break a toe walking in my house. Go me!

I’m planning on going to the gym later this afternoon with DH, though I don’t have any grand hopes of a workout getting anything moving. I haven’t even felt a contraction of any kind – isn’t that odd? It just seems weird, going on 5 days past my due date with no signs of anything.

Boy I’m being a whiner today, aren’t I?

40w2d

Oops - I didn't post anything yesterday. As the title of this post indicates, I'm still pregnant. Here are a few things that obviously don't induce labor... at least not with me:

1. Lifting weights (carefully!)
   
2. Cardio and/or walking
   
3. Going up and down the stairs a million times
   
4. Acupuncture
   
5. Listening to loud band music
   
6. Washing floors on hands and knees
   
7. Poking my belly
   
8. Asking my child nicely to please, come on out
   
9. Not having my hospital bag totally ready
   

I realize I'm not that late, and as my little ticker on the right indicates, "On average, first babies arrive 8 days after their due date." Ok, but I'm still getting ancy over here, mostly because I don't want to wind up having to be induced. I know that's still a little ways away (induction), but I was hoping to not have to go that route. Luckily I'm not very uncomfortable - if I was uncomfortable and late, I'd be one super hormonal bee-atch.

I did wake up at 5:30am with some slight back pain. Since I haven't felt anything that might indicate that Butters feels like exiting, and I haven't had any back pain whatsoever, I thought "Oohh...maybe this is something!" Of course, it went away and I haven't felt anything back-wise the rest of the day. Grrr. Right now I feel some lower abdominal pressure, but I know that doesn't really mean anything either.

I know there are other things I can try - nipple stimulation, castor oil (which I will not be trying), more walking... though walking for a long time isn't that comfortable because my toe still does hurt. I have a funny feeling that it doesn't really matter what I do... Butters has his/her own little timetable.

I just really don't want to be induced, and the my main reason is a bit silly.... I want to do something regarding pregnancy without medical intervention. I needed IVF to start this pregnancy... I would like my body to cooperate and finish without induction. I know that's silly, and as long as I have a healthy baby, who cares how he/she gets here? Besides, going to the hospital to have a baby isn't exactly giving birth without medical intervention (has anyone seen the ads for the new series that starts on the Discovery Health channel tomorrow called 'Free Birthing'?!? Ack!) But still....

I know, I'm impatient.

How about those Phillies?! :)