Splish Splash...Brody's First Bath!

We gave Brody his first real bath at Grandma Vera's Saturday night.  He finally lost his umbilical stump on Thursday 10/21, so I was anxious to try out his new bathtub.  The sponge baths just weren't the easiest things to do.  He seemed to really like being in the water, so I'm happy about that!

Brody's first couple weeks

Coming home from the hospital...

Happy Birthday Grandma!

First time on the changing table...

Snug as a bug...

Sleeping with daddy...  

(we don't let Brody sleep in bed with us, I was just up using the restroom and came back to find my boys fast asleep and cuddling).  Awww...

Strike a pose!

Well, hello there.

Best buds???   Not yet, at least...

Sleeping so peacefully...

Trying out his swing for the first time and he loves it!  And mommy loves it too because it means she can go get something done!  :)

Well the first couple of weeks have been quite an adventure!  The first two days home from the hospital were....stressful, to say the least.  Most everyone reading this blog already knows the specifics but, basically after spending two days in extreme pain due to intestinal problems, I wound up in the ER late Friday evening (our second day home).  On top of all the normal hormonal emotions, I had the stress of this new "issue" to deal with, and I was down-right exhausted and emotionally spent.  Without going into too much detail, all I'll say is that I truly felt like I had hit rock-bottom.  The seven hours I spent in the ER were utterly miserable and I think the worst part was that I missed my Brody so so so much.  Even just typing this out  makes me want to cry all over again.  On top of everything else I was going through, I also felt like a terrible mother because I had to leave my 4 day old son.  I hated that my mom and sisters had to give him a formula bottle, but aside from bringing him to a germ-filled hospital ER, I really had no other choice.  I couldn't have pumped a bottle because being only our 4th day, my milk supply wasn't fully in yet.  Luckily, Brody took just one small bottle while I was away and we've been able to get right back on track with breast-feeding!  Which, I'm happy to report, has actually been very successful for us.  I think God was really watching over us for this because I think he knew I wouldn't have been able to handle the disappointment of it not working out for us.  But, Brody is a good little eater and has been pretty consistently eating anywhere from every 3 hours to very occasionally 5 hours.
There were initially some concerns with his weight loss after birth (he had lost 12% and they don't like a newborn to lose more than 10% birth weight), but at his 2 week check-up this past Wednesday, he was already back up to birth weight plus some, weighing in at 9 lbs 1 oz!  I love my big boy!  :)  The doctor said a couple of times "Gosh, he just seems so mature!  And I see a lot of babies!".  I'm not really sure in what way he meant he was mature...the way he looks, how big he is, his behavior, etc.  But either way, we are certainly proud parents!
Some things Brody loves to do are eat, sleep, and poop...lots!  :)  Which I know is typical of pretty much every newborn.  But when Brody is awake, he enjoys just looking around and checking out his surroundings, looking at lights, spending time at grandma and grandpa's, and hanging out with his cousin Owen.  Owen has really taken a liking to Brody and enjoys saying "Baby!" and going to look for him in whatever room he happens to be in.  It's really cute.  Gus, on the other hand could care less about his baby brother.  Maybe some day they'll be best buds....maybe.
So far, since I've been feeling better, I've made lots of trips to grandma and grandpa V's house, a couple of runs to Wal-Mart and Target, and even to a park one day with cousin Owen.  It's my goal to try and get out of the house at least once a day while the weather is still nice enough.  Sometimes this only means a trip to the backyard, but Brody really likes it outside, so until it's too cold, I hope to continue to do this.
Brody is SUCH a good baby!  I am truly blessed.  He sleeps really well at night for the most part.  We've only had a couple of instances where he didn't want to go to sleep.  And he has been pretty good about sleeping in the bassinet.  He enjoys his swaddle wraps, and I am pretty sure he wouldn't sleep as well if he wasn't being swaddled because he is constantly moving his arms and legs around everywhere!  The biggest challenge I have been faced with is the daytime naps.  He loves to fall asleep in my arms and doesn't particularly like when I put him down.  This makes getting anything done during the day rather difficult, but we are working on it.  And now that I know he likes his swing so much, I plan to use that when I need to, to get some things done (like take a shower, hahaha)!  And we will continue to practice laying in the crib or bassinet, so he can get used to sleeping on his own.  We're just taking it one day at a time right now.
Life with Brody is simply wonderful!  I love being a mom!

Oops!

Two things I forgot to mention in my last post...  One is that I got to cut the cord!  This wasn't planned at all.  In fact, all we had planned for this was that Jeff did NOT want to cut it.  But we never really planned on who would.  So, just a few minutes after Brody was born, Jeff got a text from my mom asking if there were any updates because Mary needed to head back to Muscatine.  They didn't know Brody was born yet because it was literally only 4 minutes after his birth, so I told Jeff to go out there and tell them the news!  While he was away, the doctor asked if I wanted to cut the cord.  I hadn't even considered this but said yes of course!
The other thing I forgot to mention was, if you look back to my very first blog post, I ended it by saying that there would be a happy 56th birthday present for Grandma Vera.  Well...as most of you already know, Brody was born ON grandma Vera's birthday!  How exciting that they will get to share this special day with each other!  :)

Welcome Baby Brody!

Brody Lee Petersen
October 5th, 2010 - 5:59 AM
8lbs. 14oz. - 20.5 inches

Well I went to my 40 week appointment on Monday 10/4 where the midwife told me due to my elevated blood pressure reading and a small amount of protein found in my urine, that it would be best to have me go to the hospital right then instead of waiting till the originally scheduled Tuesday morning inducement.  Both of those things could potentially have meant that I had developed preeclamsia.  With this this exciting, and a bit scary news, I left the office and headed straight to the hospital.  I called Jeff on my way and was unable to get a hold of him, which brought me to tears.  I finally got a hold of him and told him to go home and get the rest of our things and meet me at the hospital.  I was really nervous about going to the hospital alone, but it actually ended up working out well because by the time Jeff got there, they had already done the blood draws and started the IV with the pitocin to get the contractions started, so he didn't have to see any needles or anything.  :)  This was about 3:00 PM.  The first few hours were great actually!  I could feel I was having lots of contractions, but they didn't hurt me at all.  I kept thinking...this is easy!  So I visited with Jeff and my mom and sisters for awhile and then things started getting a little more intense as time went on.  I ate some popsicles and sat on the birthing ball for a while...

  

After a few hours the midwife decided to break my water since I was having contractions about every one to two minutes, but they weren't very strong, and I was only about 5 cm dilated.  After they broke my water (around 7 or 8 PM) things really started to progress!  The contractions were getting a lot stronger so I got in the on all fours position and the midwife put a heating pad on my back and massaged me for a while. 

The pain was really setting in then so we decided to try the bath tub, as that can not only help with the pain but also help labor to progress.  I got in the tub for about an hour.  It definitely helped me feel better, but I could tell also made labor progress because by the time I got out I was REALLY feeling the contractions and thought it was about time for some drugs.  They checked me when I got out and was already at 7 cm.  I feel proud that I made it that far along on my own before asking for the epidural, but I was definitely ready for one at that point.

 

The anesthesiologist came in to give me the epidural which definitely hurt, but the worst part was trying to be super still while he inserted the needle and having horrible contractions at the same time.  Ugh...Not easy!  Once it was in though, I only felt about 2 or 3 more intense contractions and then felt really pretty good.  This was sometime just after 10:00 because that is also when the midwives change shifts and the midwife I really wanted to deliver for us came in about this time.  Also, I remember not too long after getting the epidural, I felt like I was maybe going to pass out.  They gave me some oxygen and I was okay after that. 

Once I got the epidural and the pain was a lot better, it was pretty much a waiting game.  So, Jeff went out to tell my mom and sisters to go home and get some rest and that we'd call them when it was time to push.  Jeff and I tried to do the same, but I couldn't sleep a wink.  I tried to close my eyes and at least rest though.  About 2:30 AM the nurse checked me again and said I was 10 cm and it was time to start pushing.  Jeff called my mom and sisters to come back to the hospital and the midwife came back in then.  We started pushing at 2:59 AM.  The next three hours are a bit of a blur for me, but I remember at one point thinking I was going to throw-up (which thankfully I didn't), and I also remember having occasional heart-burn, which made pushing difficult at times.  About 2 hours into pushing the midwife said I was making good progress but for some reason I was unable to get the baby's head past my pubic bone.  She thought it was slightly flat instead of rounded as it should be, and guessed that was why baby wasn't moving past this position.  She said we'd need to call in the doctor to see if a vacuum extraction procedure would help.  Worst case scenario, we'd have to do a C-Section.  I was pretty frustrated to hear that after all the hard work I had put into it, but I was bound and determined to get that baby out of me on my own...or at least with the help of the vacuum (although I wasn't crazy about this idea either).  So, the doctor came in about 5:15 AM and while I pushed with all that I had left in me, she pulled with the vacuum.  I had my eyes closed the whole time, but Jeff said it was pretty intense to see.  We tried it twice and the vacuum popped off both times, which they said they expected would happen since baby's head was already as far along as it was.  But, low and behold, it did the trick!  I only had to push a few more times on my own, and I was able to get baby out.  During one of the last few pushes though, the doctor did have to do an episiotomy, but I didn't feel a thing due to the epidural.  I do have to say though, that OH MY GOSH did it hurt as baby was coming out!  Holy cow!  I was fairly quiet throughout the whole labor process but I know as baby Brody was being born, I'm pretty sure I was screaming out in pain!  At least it didn't last for very long.  I opened my eyes just as Brody was entering the world and they were quickly wrapping him in blankets and towels, and the first thing I saw were his balls.  :)  I went from screaming "OW OW OW" to "IT'S A BOY"!!!!!!!!  I remember everyone looking up at me, probably because they didn't think I was even looking or paying attention since I was crying out in pain.  And I remember Jeff's jaw dropping and him looking over to say in disbelief, "IT IS???".  Exactly 3 hours of pushing, to the minute, and the next thing I knew, Brody was in my arms and I was crying tears of happiness saying over and over, "He's perfect...He's perfect!".  Because he really was.  It was truly the single most amazing moment of my entire life.

You are so so so loved baby Brody!



PS: Sorry if this post seems really choppy - it took me almost 2 weeks and about 100  different sessions to get this story on here!  :)

Week 40

Dear Baby P,
Today is your official due date and that marks 40 weeks of pregnancy for mommy.  Your dad and I are so anxious to meet you!  I can't sleep because I keep thinking about when we can finally hold you in our arms and announce to your grandparents and aunts and uncles all the amazing news of your arrival.  I'm still crossing my fingers that you decide to come on your own before Tuesday's scheduled inducement, but if you are anything as stubborn as your father and I, I know I may be holding my breath for no reason. ;)  Either way, I can't wait to meet you and hear you cry for the first time.  Count your fingers and toes, kiss your face, and stare into your eyes.  You are already so so loved.  So, hurry up and join us, ok? 
Much love while we wait for you,
Mommy
P.S. I had two dreams about you last night and you were a baby boy in both...is that true??

Week 39 - Almost there!



I'm actually nearing the end of my 39th week, but I am only now posting.  We've been busy and I've just been flat out exhausted so, sorry for the delayed post.
At my appointment on Wednesday, we met again with the midwife I really like.  She did another exam...still 70% effaced, -2 pelvic station, but this time 1 to 2 cm dilated.  So...a little progress from last week.  She also did a procedure they refer to as "sweeping the membranes" which basically means they strip the membranes holding the amniotic sac to the bottom of the uterus.  It can sometimes help labor progress (but not always).  It was kind of painful, but hey...if it works it's worth it!  I also talked to her about my concerns that this baby is going to be HUGE, but she (just from feeling the baby from the outside of my stomach) said she estimated baby to be around 8 lbs.  I feel like that is still fairly large, so of course was expressing my concerns about how far past my due date they will let me go.  She basically said she'd really like me to at least get to my due date, and if I still haven't had baby by then, they would schedule me for an inducement.  So, since my due date is Sunday the 3rd, she said she wanted me to come back to the office for another check-up on Monday, and if still no baby, she would schedule me to be induced Tuesday.  We picked Tuesday because that is the day she works at the hospital and she is the one I prefer to have deliver for us (and it's also Grandma V's b-day!!).   :)  So, I am happy with this plan.  I, of course, am keeping my fingers crossed that baby decides to come on it's own over the weekend...but at least we know there is a plan in place in case that doesn't happen.  And I'm so relieved to know I don't have to wait 10 days past my due date.  I seriously think baby would be 10 lbs by then!
Weekly updates:
Sleep:  Sleep?  What sleep?  I am exhausted lately because I can't sleep at all anymore.  Not to mention I came down with yet another cold (sheesh!) so that is not helping matters. Ugh...

Cravings:  Same as always...still start every morning with a waffle and milk, but surprisingly haven't been finishing my day with a bowl of ice cream anymore.  Not sure why....probably just because we ran out of it and I haven't been to the store!

Best moment this week:  Wednesday was an all around good day.  I came into work to find my co-workers had decorated my desk in pink and blue for me!  (hence the picture above).  Then they ordered in Olive Garden for lunch...cheese ravioli, salad and bread sticks...YUM!  And they all pitched in to give us a cute little giraffe stuffed animal and a card with some cash for Baby P.  It was a really nice surprise.  How sweet of them to do for me.  :)  Then after work, Jeff and I met with our midwife and got the news that I mentioned above, which I was super happy about.

Movement:  Ever since Wednesday, Baby P has been SUPER active.  I am only hoping this is a sign that labor is going to start soon!  :)

Labor Signs:  Besides and increase in baby's activity, I have been noticing some stronger contractions today and yesterday.  And the pressure on my pelvis I talked about in my last post is still there...and a little worse than before.

What I Bought This Week:  Nothing I don't think...

What I Checked off my To-Do List:  Working!  Well, sort of.  I was planning to make today my last day at work until I found out I technically can't start my Leave until the baby is born or I am in labor at the hospital, unless I want to use my PTO.  So, if I don't have the baby by Monday, my plan as of right now is to go into work in the morning and work a half-day.  But then I'll be done!  Woo hoo!