what babies are made of (hotdogs)
Friday, January 26, 2007
Charlotte is already two weeks old! Time is motoring by faster than ever now. Mom and baby are splendid. Oliver is his usual happy, peaceful self. He instantly seemed to have a great deal of admiration for his little sister. I’ve been blessed with the loving presence of both my mom and mother-in-law before, during and after the delivery. Miller’s mom was here with us for a little over a week and my mom will be staying for about three weeks total. The help is so, so, soooo appreciated!
The labor, delivery and post-partum recovery has been so much smoother this time around. Little Charlotte seems to have quietly slipped right into our lives. It’s as if we had already carved a space out for her before her arrival and she just nestled right into it. I’m much more at peace this time around, even though life is likely to be a little more chaotic while residing in the “two under two” club. I’m planning on staying home with the little bundles while they’re still tots. Knowing that I won’t have to return to work in the near future brings me great peace of mind (although I never imagined myself as a stay-at-home-mom). I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to stay home with my children- I certainly see it as a privilege in our society. Let’s just hope I don’t go batty in the house all day. Lots of artsy-fartsy activities and outdoor excursions should do the trick.
I found this nifty checklist which helps you document your birthing experience. Thought this would be easier that trying to remember all of the details of the birth on my own.
The Onset
When did you realize you were actually in labor?
The evening of Thursday, January 11
Where were you?
At home
What did you do?
Waited to see if it was the REAL thing…in the meantime, did some deep breathing and yoga stretches, watched Grey’s Anatomy, took a shower
When did your contractions begin?
Date: Jan 8?? Time: Evening
When did they become regular?
Date: Jan 11 Time: 7pm-ish Intervals: 15-20min
Did you realize any of the following?
Leaking or breaking of water? No
Loss of mucus plug or bloody show? Yes
Pelvic Pressure? Yes
Back Labor or pain? Yes
Baby dropping into birth canal? Yes
Energy surge? No
Nausea or feeling sick? No
On The Road
What time did you leave?
Thursday, Jan 11 at 10 pm
Who drove?
Miller
Who went along?
No one. My mom and Miller’s mom were at our house taking care of Oliver.
What vehicle did you take?
Our Isuzu Rodeo
How did you feel en route?
Excited yet surprisingly calm
Do you remember any specific thoughts?
Has this road ALWAYS been this bumpy?
What route did you take to get there?
Dan Ryan to Lake Shore Drive (the hospital is on the North Side of the city- we just moved to the South Side)
How long did it take to arrive?
Between 20 and 30 minutes
How long did it seem like it took to arrive?
Actually, the time flew by. We were there before I knew it.
At the Hospital
What is the first thing you remember about your arrival?
Crap, I forgot which door I was supposed to go in. I’ll check this one first…ouch!#$&# (contraction)…wrong door. (waddle waddle waddle). OK, here’s the right door.
What was it like?
What kind of question is that?
How much was your cervix dilated upon arrival? 5cm
When did you first see your doctor or midwife?
My doctor was out of town (!), but one of his teammates was on call. She arrived after the epidural was administered and just before it was time for me to push.
Who else was there with you?
Miller, two RNs and an intern
What did you do during contractions?
Deep breaths, focus on being somewhere else, think about Oliver
Where were you for most of your labor?
After checking in at triage I was transported to my labor/ delivery/ recovery room- we never had to move to another room.
How did you handle labor pain?
The pain was much more manageable than it was with Oliver’s birth. Since Oliver was induced one month before the due date I was physically and mentally not prepared for the birth. This time I was much more relaxed and positive. I’m not gonna lie, the pain was intense, but much more tolerable this time around.
What is your most vivid memory of labor?
The robin’s egg blue hospital gown, the awesome nurse I had taking care of me throughout labor and delivery, thinking it was really stupid for me to by lying on my back and strapped to a machine when my body was telling me I should be upright, the hooded sweatshirt that the doctor had on over her scrubs, the rush of adrenaline and determination I had when it was finally time to push, Miller holding my hand and offering me just the right amount of reassurance
When did your water break?
When the intern was checking my cervix my water broke all over the bed and on his scrubs! He had to change his clothes and then resume his work.
Your Baby's Birth
Who was there?
Miller
Do you remember their reaction to the birth?
I was so overwhelmed by the moment, I don’t remember his initial reaction. I do remember him commenting on the fact that the baby had so much hair.
Who do you remember most?
That incredible feeling of awe upon seeing and hearing the baby for the first time. One moment she’s inside of me, the next moment she’s here in the world with us. Surreal indeed. Oh, and I vividly remember Miller cutting the umbilical cord. I said “bye bye” to the baby.
How long did it last?
The regular contractions that I felt at home lasted for about 3 hours. After we arrived at the hospital, the baby was born about 5 hours later. I pushed for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Did you use any pain interventions? Yes- an epidural (hallelujah)
Did you have an episiotomy? Yes- the baby’s head was part-way out of the birth canal
Did you touch the baby's head when it crowned? No
Did you have a mirror so you could see? No
Did you videotape the birth? No
Did they place the baby on your chest? Yes
Who cut the umbilical cord? Miller
Did you nurse right away? Yes
How was that experience? Very easy- I felt a bit awkward at first but the baby latched on right away…just like riding a bike.
Is there anything about the experience that you would change if you had it to do over again?
I would have ensured that I would be able to move about more while still laboring. I was able to handle the pain quite well at home when I could stretch and squat down during and in between contractions. While at the hospital, I was very uncomfortable being on my back/ side during contractions. My instincts were telling me that I should be upright- the baby needed to come down and out, why not assist this process by being upright, eh? Maybe I could’ve gotten by without an epidural if that were the case.
Is there anything about this birth that you would want exactly the same if you had it to do over again?
Miller and Charlotte.
What was the first thing that struck you about your baby?
It IS a girl, look at all that hair, she’s so tiny, she looks healthy
Do you remember what your first thoughts were?
Oh my God, oh my God…there she is!
What was the first thing you said to your baby?
Hey sweetie! Welcome to our family!
Your New Baby
Baby's Name? Charlotte Grace
Date of birth? January 12, 2007
Time of birth? 3:16am
Weight? 7 pounds, 0 ounces
Length? 21 inches
Did your baby have hair? Yes
What color? Brownish black
Was your baby on time? Yes- 3 days before the due date
When did you bring your baby home? Saturday, January 13
What was the weather like? Cold and sunny
Who drove? Miller
How was your first day at home? Happy and overwhelming
Who helped you? The grandmas (my mom and Miller’s mom)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Welcome to the world Charlotte Grace Bradley!
Born January 12 at 3:16am.
7lbs, 21 inches long.
Details to follow...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The final stretch seems to have arrived. Here so soon!!!
On Monday I took Oliver up to the Exploratorium in Skokie (quite a drive, but definitely worth it) to meet up with some moms from a Meetup.com group. When I got home I was pretty tired and achy. For most of the afternoon I rested on the couch while Oliver played. By the time Miller got home I was pretty crampy and just feeling "off". We finally got serious about planning out our trip to the hospital and we both started to feel pretty uneasy about what we'd do with Oliver. We have friends and relatives in the city who've offered their help with Oliver, but when time is of the essence, tracking down working folks with limited transportation is not an easy task. Besides, once the big big contractions hit I'm not so sure I'd be thinking logically enough to secure a safe place for Oliver while attempting to get to our hospital way up north before #2 pops. So..., Miller and I got on the horn and pitched a convincing plea to the Wisco Grandmas to come on down and hang out with us. I didn't want them to feel obligated, but really hoped for the extra TLC around here- for ALL of our sakes.
On Tuesday, Grandma Rheta (retired) and Grandma Kris (on vacation) came down to the city. I was feeling pretty run-down during the day, so poor Oliver was a little down -trodden due to my lack of enthusiasm in his normal activities. When the G's arrived Oliver turned into another child. He squeeled and giggled and toddled around the house like crazy. Instantly, I knew we had made the right choice.
On Wednesday, Miller stayed home from work since he's been feeling under the weather with an invincible cold. It was fun to have a full house all day. Oliver put on about a million house miles from all the excitement. I've had a bit more progression toward the labor, but nothing huge. Some of the mucus plug has been shedding and I'm still feeling crampy. More (Braxton-Hicks?) contractions, but nothing earth shaking.
Today I had an OB appointment. My Dr. said that I am 2cm dialated, but that it was too difficult to predict when labor would occur. Not much else to say at this point. The G's, Oliver and I went out for lunch afterwards and then ran a couple of errands. On the way home I started to feel more significant contractions rearing up. They occurred like clockwork every 20 minutes for about 2 1/2 hours. A big piece of the mucus plug (isn't that a glamorous term?) was released after the biggest of the contractions. I don't think I've ever been so enthusiastic about the onset of pain before. Even with Oliver, I wasn't quite ready for the delivery. Being born a month early, I never had the overburdened exhaustion of simply wanting to get the pregnancy over with. Now I'm ready. Bring it on (but gently please).
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Our pals always do Top 10 lists at the end of the year (mainly albums released that year) on our community blog. Here was my contribution for the year:
Didn't get a chance to sample much new stuff this year, but I managed to put together my:
Top 10 Singles of 2006
1. nah nah nah nah nah (feed me now)
2. ta-haa (i'm going to bite your nose now)
3. tane, tane (i see the train)
4. phffftt (i'm walking)
5. top titty (stop kitty)
6. aaahhheeehh (please snoogle with me)
7. diy da doo doo doo (look, i'm doing something remarkable)
8. dada deedee (dad is home)
9. diadia (this soiled diaper shames us both)
9. glahglahgaglooga (wheeeee!)
(Note: all singles are from the artist is DJ Ollie Bubba)
I'm starting to entirely appreciate the whole "having to pee every 5 minutes complaint" that so many pregnant women have. For the past week or so, I have felt a sudden indescribable pressure on my bladder within seconds of relieving myself. Sometimes I think the little one must be turning her head back and forth over and over in order to create such a sensation. (Imaginary tennis match?) Regardless, it's a nuisance. It's particularly frustrating when subsequent trips to the bathroom only result in thimble-full amounts of urine. Waste of time.
Still trucking. Another weekly Dr's appt tomorrow. Looking forward to spending some time with Oliver downtown tomorrow (the office is right across from the skating rink in Millennium Park). And no, I won't be ice skating.
p.s. Happy Holidays/ Happy New Year :)
