What a Difference Two (and a half) Weeks Makes! Pics too!

All I have to say to the expectant ladies is hang in there when you have that newborn!  It DOES get better!  What a difference a few weeks makes!  Here is my recap of what has changed in the last few week in the areas my life revolves around: eating, sleeping, pooping, and self care for me (which is even more minimal, if that was possible!)

Eating:
Turns out,  I was overfeeding AJ at first.  I did it because he was eating forever before my milk came in.  And Charlie was a 20 min or so nurser.  So when AJ nursed for ten min and wouldn't switch sides, I worried and I persisted. :( He would spit up and I would think he was showing signs of reflux.  Duh!  Thanks to my notes on how long he fed, I realized he was a ten min nurser now and I switch sides at five minutes.  No overfeeding, he gets what he needs, and what a blessing to not be nursing almost an hour anymore!  And did I mention my nipples aren't on fire anymore?!  Wonderful feeling to not have that anymore.  And, knock on wood, no signs of mastitis yet (which I had five times with Charlie!).  It is so funny to me how when you first nurse you have to have the perfect latch, a ton of pillows to prop you up, etc and then two to three weeks later it is practically effortless.  He can put himself on and I don't have to turn on any light or anything to make sure he is on alright. I feel so much more comfortable about all of it!  Of course, that is just my experience, and I don't recall if it fell in the same timeline, but I had similar experience with Charlie.

Sleeping:
AJ has gone from eating every 2-3 hours to his first five hour stretches of sleeping at night (two nights in a row now).  Of course, now that I write this, he will probably quit :)  I think swaddling is huge, cluster feeding during the day is huge, a well put on diaper is huge, and elevation is huge (prop up if they need it-for reflux or congestion by putting a wedge in mattress or letting them sleeping in the carseat, bouncy seat, or swing).  We are getting into a nice pattern now of sleeping, waking up, eating, about 3 times a day he has a good hour of awake time (yes that is it!) and then he fusses and I know it is time to swaddle and rock him and put him in his bed. I am also starting to learn his little nuances, like his uncomfortableness that means he will spit up or have a bm soon, or when he is just tired etc.  Love it!

Pooping:
I have finally mastered the newborn diaper and I am telling you, I am sorry if you master it faster than me and buy too many newborn clothes based on my earlier recommendation.  For me it is a combo of pointing it down, making sure the leg elastic is not tucked in, making sure the back of the diaper is totally up, and making sure there is a nice tight seal across the tummy.  This is all a thousand times easier once the circumcision is healed, the navel is healed, and they are a little older and don't pull their legs up quite so much.  I think he has peed out only once this week (again, going to jinx myself!) but I will say that Charlie peed and pooped a lot the second I took the diaper off to change it and then it usually got on the clothes too.  AJ is not that way, no pee so far when changing (why do I keep saying these things out loud!) but he did shoot poo three feet across the room and hit the wall so far it covered a five foot vertical area-no lie!  So...I guess boys do crazy things with their poo too, TCIE! lol  Lesson learned, his bum is quite the fire hose and I am sure it would have gone further had that pesky wall not been in the way.

Finally, taking care of yourself:
Life is so much easier once you can drop the crazy routine the hospital has you do (esp if you have an episiotomy) every time you go to the bathroom.  And you pee often, ladies, because you drink a lot to produce the milk plus you have all that fluid and blood to lose and it is mostly during/post nursing b/c that is when your uterus contracts.  One not fun lesson I got to learn firsthand, if the bleeding stops and then comes back full force, that can be BAD!  It can be a blood clot (the blood clot blocks the blood and it builds up behind and then passes), which is somewhat typical in the first week or two post delivery.  Or it can be...leftover placenta.  Lovely.  So it happened to me the day I sent my hubby to enjoy a basketball game downtown (not close to our home!)  Word to the wise, a friend tells me she keeps hubby on hand for the first month. Probably smart.  I had so much blood I was told to go the ER.  They did an ultrasound and let me go, saying it was clots and if I didn't pass them in a few days I would need a D&C.  Instead...I got a call first thing the next day from my ob saying they should not have let me go, that I had 4.5 cm of retained placenta (very dangerous, you could bleed out, and did I mention I have factor V and that my mom almost died of something similar after a miscarriage?!)  Anyway, I had an immediate D&C that day (the day before Thanksgiving).  Healing has been alright, a few setbacks with pain and bleeding that I got meds for, etc, but every day gets better and the less I have to focus on me, the more I can focus on my family.  Praise God!  Did I mention how valuable meals are?  Huge, ladies!  So grateful for them!  Especially because my mom isn't as available as I would have hoped.  We actually lost my dad's mom last week and then my dad had to have a heart cath (80% blockage, huge stint put in) the same day as my surgery.  It's been a little nuts around here, but everyday is better than the one before and we are slowly but surely discovering our new normal. :)  I am sure prayers are part of how we survived all of this, so thank you everyone, especially my prayer buddy!
P.S. I was a little insane and scheduled a photo session yesterday. Here are some of the best ones.  Man, I had no idea my face was so round, lol.  Oh well, all in good time...!  Happy Advent!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, bloggers!  Each of us has so much to be thankful for this year.  Just a few of the many things I am thankful for are:

1. My chaotic noisy large family that always gets together on the holidays.  Most of us live in town or close, and I also love that we have an open door policy for all the friends we have adopted as family along the years. 
2. My husband, who is as affectionate as they come.  He is always the one holding my hand, begging for kisses, and snuggling me at night.  I am grateful that I can scoot over close in the bed now that my hips are no longer bothering me.
3. Friends and family that have been so generous during this time, cleaning my home, bringing me meals, showering affection on Charlie and more.
4. My two healthy boys and the fact that Charlie loves his brother so much and is so gentle with him.
5. Resources. We have everything we need-food on our table, cloths on our back, and a roof over our heads.
6. My faith.  Our beautiful faith and an amazing parish family lead by a priest that is faithful to the church's teaching and takes the time to know us by name even in a large parish.
7. The blogger community.  I am celebrating one year actively blogging and my life is better for getting to know each of you!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Parenting the 2nd time- Some things I Had Forgotten and Some New Things Learned

Its only been two years, but I had already forgotten so much from having Charlie. 

I had forgotten the value of:

1. A good swaddle blanket or product that eases swaddling like the one Second Chances and Leila mentioned.  My ha.lo sleep sack swaddle is great, but one of them had a zipper break relatively early which is frustrating.  Kiddopot.omas makes one too (spelling may be off).  I did order the Miracle Bl.anket Leila mentioned so happy about that.

2. A sleep positioner to help them stay on their backs while sleeping (to reduce the risk of SIDs).  It also helps them feel snug and secure and holds the swaddle blanket in place.  I use an angled one when there is congestion, they just ate, suffer from reflux, etc so they are propped up a bit.

3. One piece feetie pjs with zippers and a tab that protects the neck from the zipper. Carte.rs makes them, but they can be hard to find in smaller sizes.  I like to have a few pairs of fleece ones and a few pairs of thinner ones often called "sleep and plays".  The zipper part is KEY.  Most babies hate their diaper changed when they are new and scream.  In the night, you are trying to do it as fast as possible in as low light as possible so they will go back to sleep after feeding and diaper, and zippers really help speed up that process.  To this day, my dh can't properly button the pjs-it can be seriously confusing for anyone on many of those sets.

4. Having enough newborn outfits.  I forgot how much laundry there is.  With Charlie, I tried to skimp and not have many newborn outfits since they grow quickly (by the way, Ger.ber brand run super small so their newborn size really only fits preemies).  But...I didn't realize that peeing out is so common, especially with boys (it can go way up the back of their pjs even if you "point it down!"-which isn't easy at this age!).  It is hard to diaper a crying wiggly baby with their legs curled up.  Add to that a fresh belly button and, in our case, circumcision, and it took me awhile to get the hang of it (and its my second time).  When I had Charlie, I had to do a load of laundry a day-everything he owned.  He would pee through layers so blankets and pjs and the changing pad cover and sleep sack...I finally bought more clothing to wash less, but it is better to know this ahead of time.

5. Diapers with wetness indicator and notch out for belly.  Pampers make these (turquoise package-swaddler.s sensitive-NOT the yellow package so dont' even open them).  Hug.gies makes them too and their package better indicates that they have both features. When they are very little, you can hardly tell they even wet, but doctors like you to count how many a day to see if they are on track.  Plus it is easier to just peak to see if the line changes color.

6. A good nose sucker :)  Take the one from the hospital.  You paid for it and the ones in the stores are not as good.  Hopefully it will be awhile before you use it!

7. Help.  Do not refuse help!  Meals are the best gift to give and receive as a new mother.  Nursing, if you do it, makes you so hungry for good homemade food but you have no time to cook!  Remember, that while taking care of a newborn, please have someone there to take care of you!  Giving birth is no easy feet.  There is medicine to take around the clock until you are better (at least tyl and ibupro.fen).  There is a routine to maintain everytime you go to the bathroom (which is a lot!).  I had a small episotomy and I don't know what is specific to that but I had to line heavy pads with tu.cks pads and spray the area with a numbing spray and rinse with a water bottle... You are extra hungry and thirsty if nursing, not to mention tired (I average about four hours of sleep each day right now and that is broken into two to three different chunks!).  There is laundry...you get the picture.  Baby isn't the only patient in the hospital being taken care of and you need care once you go home too.  Take it as easy as possible and remind yourself that the first week home is the hardest and it isn't always that hard.

8. Pillows to build up around you if nursing so baby comes to you and not you to baby (which will hurt your back!)  I love my boppy pillow and use it for tons of things.

A new item I have learned the value of is:

9. Me.dela or Lan.sinoh Hydrogel pads (called soothies in some brands) and a tube of lanolin for sore nipples when nursing begins (which stains shirts so be aware!).  The cooling pads I just discovered and they are amazing!  Nursing hurts, even if youa re doing it right, in the beginning. A good rule of thumb is that if you have them latched on well, it should stop hurting in about 20 seconds so just take a deep breath and say a Hail Mary!

I hope this helps out to hear this and know what to expect.  I am looking forward to hearing all the birth stories of new moms and what items you find you can't live without. 

P.S. Email me if you want my little chart I made that helps me document feeding times, side, amount of wet and bm diapers, etc.  It really helps to know what they are doing so you can talk to the doctor about progress, concerns, and start to get a feel for you little one.

Is he a proud new brother or what?!  His enthusiasm is so amazing to see!

Birth Story for Anthony James *pics

We got home last night.  We had the option of another day, but we didn't take it. 

Here is a quick run down of the birth story and some pics :)

My water broke around 5 or so.  I just felt, like last time, that I was peeing and peeing.  Then had to return to the bathroom repeatedly and finally only with a pad I had to keep replacing (we learned water only breaks in ten percent of women).  Of course, I was thrilled to start labor naturally, and the timing was great in that my in laws had arrived around 4 to stay the night and care for Charlie.  So I called dh at work and said I was pretty sure this was the real deal (my percent of certainty increased with each bathroom trip! lol)

I made the call to not rush rush around because I felt no contractions.  I called, though, and let my doc know and she (on call doc) said to come on in. I wasn't going to be dumb about it, I just wasn't in a hurry.  I was told I could eat a light meal before induction, so  I definitely wanted to eat prior to getting to the hospital.  I was tempted to get something heartier, but I got a chiccken salad.  Turns out my bro in law (anesthiologist) was fuirous someone told me I could eat.  I was glad I did, but glad I didn't do a heavier meal since I did end up vomiting after labor (and almost during, from sitting up and trying to use gravity).  The idea of being nauseated didn't occur to me because I didn't have any medicine that would do that to my knowledge, just the whole process I guess.

Anyway, I started getting uncomfortable in the restaurant and was highly annoyed that the waitress saw zero urgency despite our telling her I was in labor.  I think she thought we were joking.  She proceeded to sing happy birthday to two tables before bringing our check and I was getting highly irratable and wondered if stopping to eat was a bad idea.  I was expecting painful tightening of the abs as contractions if I had any.  What I got was menstral like pain that intensified.  I had had some in my pregnancy and this just worsened.  Evidently that was my contractions.  Interesting, had no idea!

Got to the hospital and my nurse was a rockstar.  She'd just had a fast labor and was very conscious I would go fast given the baby was low and I was super thin.  I didn't realize that was possible given my contractions were 7 min apart and, had my water not broke, I wouldn't have even been in the hospital yet.  She was insistent, as was dh, that I order the epidural asap.  I was grateful as it took an hour and they had to do some prep before they could do it (get a bunch of fluid in me).  I was able to offer up my contractions, the epidural (numbing hurts but the epidural feels like nothing), lots of crazy itchiness that was a side effect of something, and other things after the fact (kneeding of my stomach-ouch! and very sore nipples from breastfeeding, which continue-another post).  Anyway, lots of good stuff and it really helped me to accept any pain that came my way, relax, know it was for good cause, etc.  I had a great CD of Christian songs playing and that was great too.  Everything was a really good experience.

I was a 2-3 upon arrival and normally they check you every hour, but I kept having signs for her to check me sooner.  First my legs shook, my teeth chattered, I felt pressure after the epidural, etc.  So then I was a 4, 4 again, 4.5, and then bam-right when my contractions had spaced further apart (4-5 was the closest they got) and I was gonna send family home for the night, I was complete (10 and totally effaced)!  The nurse said, "don't you dare laugh or the baby will fall out!"  She wasn't kidding.  I am not sure the exact timeline, but I got to the hospital about 7:30 and had him at 12:30am. 

My doctor said I pushed 1 and a half times, whatever that means! :) My epidural was amazing and I felt no pain but total sensation.  Can't explain it, but I was totally able to feel him come out, something I missed out on with Charlie.  To get that, without the pain, ideal! 

It was amazing to see we had another boy, and I thought I would cry, but I couldn't stop grinning like a big goofball!  He was so much bigger than expected 8lb 10.5 oz (bigger than Charlie and longer too-20").  He had huge hands and feet, thick thighs, a wide nose, less hair than Charlie and lighter too (Charlie's was dark at first).  It was so neat to see how different two newborns could look.  This baby, named Anthony James (name means "flourishing"), hardly ever opened his eyes, whereas Charlie gave us intense stare downs from day one.  Charlie wouldnt nurse right away, way too overstimulated, but AJ nursed for an hour right away.  It was nuts!  He was gulping audibly and the nurses were amazed.  They said never seen that in all their career.  He is a hungry big boy, hence the sore nipples despite pretty good latch. 

That's pretty much the highlights.  As soon as blogger fixes an error, I will update to include pics including me with my prayer intention list.  All of your prayers were amazing.  I felt them, I swear!  Having my water break on its own, plus no pitocin, such a great fast labor, and feeling him emerge, him being so healthy and a good eater...what a blessing!  I thought of you all the whole time, continue to think of you and offer things for you, and appreciate him for the undeserved miracle he truly is!  By the way, several nurses are now praying for you as well and are now well aware of Dr. Hilgers and the amazing work he does!

Anthony James is perfection!

Water Has Broken...

...so we are off to the hospital (after a bite to eat!)...crazy similar to Charlie.  Water broke the night before induction, though no contractions. 

Sleep Advice Re: Infants

I have recommended to many a book called "The No Cry Sle.ep Solution" by Elizabeth P.antley.  I read the book while pregnant with Charlie, and knowing I would be sleep deprived, made myself some "cliff notes."  I thought I would share these tips for anyone interested.  Note: I am really not totally anti crying it out.  I do think sometimes babies just need to fuss/cry on their way to sleep.  I still found this book incredibly useful, putting most of the ideas to use.  Charlie was pretty textbook, thankfully.  He sleeps very well (7pm-7am with a 2 hr nap from 12-2 and rarely wakes at night), so for that I am grateful!  I know there are a lot of varying opinions on sleep and this book's view may not conform to yours, but I thought it was pretty non-controversial :)  Anyway, these ideas are all from the book and passed my own "behavior background" filter.  Hopefully others will find them useful.

“Around the fortieth week the baby has started waking and going to sleep about the same time each day…” We cannot force a baby to conform to a parent’s desire for a pleasant day, a lengthy nap, and a long night’s sleep. We need to make the baby’s world conducive to sleep in every way we can. We must remove obstacles to peaceful nighttime sleep, and wait patiently for nature to what’s best. Some babies do it more quickly and some require longer…”


Safety when sleeping-in crib or following anywhere else (daycare, stroller, etc):
• Nothing in bed with baby, even a blanket (use a sleep sack instead) or stuffed animal (no animal until 4 months old). Don’t hang objects over a sleeping baby, including mobiles.
• Lay on back to sleep always (p. 31 has ideas if baby resists this).
• Avoid being around smoke
• Keep baby warm, but not too warm. Keep room 65-72 degrees. Ask doctor how long baby should wear a hat to sleep
• Avoid dressing baby in loose fitting or cotton blend clothing. Should be flame-resistant and snug fitting.
• Avoid placing your baby to sleep on soft surfaces (water bed, pillow, sofa, beanbag, foam pad, etc). Babies should be on a firm mattress with wrinkle free sheet that is firmly fastened down. Mattress can’t have gaps on any side (more than 2 fingers).
• Keep electrical and things on the wall/window treatments way from baby sleeping area; keep a working smoke detector near baby’s room
• Call doc immediately if baby is sick or feverish, never shake a baby, keep regular doc appts
• Never tie a pacifier to baby with any string type item. Remove decorative ribbons, bows or strings from bedding.
• Never leave baby unattended while in stroller, car seat, swing, baby seat, etc.
• Keep environment clean-wash bedding often, wash hand after diaper baby and every time before feeding. Wash baby’s hands and face frequently.

Sleep Norms:
• We cycle through sleep like a wave, ranging from light sleep to deep sleep
• Babies’ internal clock that regulates this isn’t mature until six to nine weeks of age and doesn’t work smooth until about four or five months.
• Babies sleep cycles are shorter and more numerous than adults and spend more time in light sleep with more brief awakenings-they may briefly wake and not be able to go back to sleep if the things they associate with sleep are no longer there…(nursing, pacifier, blanket, mom, etc)
• Up to 12 months, some children are hungry after sleeping for about four hours and you should feed them if that is truly why they are awake. Babies may need one or two night feedings up to about 9 months of age.
• Most babies wake 2-3 times a night for up to six months, 1 or 2 times for one year; once a night from 1-2 years old.
• “Sleeping through the night” is five consecutive hours.
• Newborns sleep when they are tired and wake when they are ready
• Newborn’s pattern revolves around their stomach-tiny tummies and breast milk digests rapidly!
• Newborns need to be fed every 2-4 hours and will have growth spurts too.
• Most newborns can only handle about two hours of wakefulness
• See table 4.1 for avg number and length of naps based on age-from 4 months on.

Things to do/not to do from the start re: sleeping:
• Spend time in the room for things other than sleeping or things related to your sleep routine so the room is a nice place
• When newborn, arrange schedule around baby so you don’t disrupt bedtime routine and stay out too late.
• Include awake baby in everyday chores-don’t just wait for baby sleeping to get things done.
• Set up a typical daytime routine and adjust it daily based on baby’s cues and other situations that may arise.
• Relax and rest when your baby feeds, make sure you are comfortable (drink, phone off, pillow, all you need is close, etc).
• Make sure baby is getting enough to eat (amt each and how often) during the day so that it will need less to sleep longer at night; especially make sure last feeding is complete. Notice if things you eat affect the baby’s sleep/behavior.
• Avoid too late of naps or neg effect bedtime-if 3 then mid morning, early afternoon, early evening; if two midmorning, early afternoon; if one early afternoon. Base them on babies’ natural time to be alert or tired and put to bed quickly when show signs of tiredness (no lengthy routines).
• Nap routines should be different from bedtime routine
• Put baby to sleep as soon as shows signs of being tired (quiets down, lull in movement, loses interest, looks away, looks glazed, rubs eyes, yawns and/or fusses).
• Experiment to find baby’s bedtime (p. 105) from 6:30pm on watch closely for signs of tired. Adjust it by 15-30 min every 2 or 3 nights and pay attn to the effect it has.
• Keep in mind overtired babies don’t always act tired.
• Help baby make distinctions btw daytime and nighttime-daytime naps in lit room where noises of day are evident; talking and singing okay. Don’t let baby nap for 3 or 5 hours during day or he/she will get up frequently at night. Once hits 2-3 hrs, wake gently and encourage to stay awake and play. Naps less than one hour in length don’t really count, just take the edge off, but don’t complete the sleep cycle, so baby could be fussier in the long run.
• The hour before bedtime should be quiet and dim. Nighttime and bedtime routines involve dark and quiet (no talking, singing, or lights on in the middle of the night). Use white noise to cover is house is loud when baby goes to bed at night. Start routine 30 min early, specific nighttime things into routine that starts at the same time-bath, pjs. Keep nighttime feedings quiet and mellow (no talking or singing). Keep all you need close for min disruption. At night, only change diapers if you have to and quick and quiet with tiny night light and warm wipe.
• As time passes, add flexibility to routine-shorter steps when baby is really tired, bring in other people to do it, etc when baby is ready.
• If baby is sleeping well on their back, avoid putting baby down in exact same position to sleep every night (move head, different places in crib, etc), avoid leaving baby lying on her back in stroller, car seat or swing for long period of the day (head will flatten).
• Set healthy nighttime associations: avoid doing things (nursing/sucking/in arms/etc) till baby is fast asleep; stop and put in crib when settled and sleepy, but not fast asleep. Let baby settle self the rest of the way.
• Make sure baby is comfortable so won’t wake for this reason at night: swaddle, smaller space within crib or nest car seat, stroller, etc, soft sounds or white noise, good smells (like smells like mom), warm bed, absorbent diaper , etc. Make sure last feeding is a complete one.
• When baby wakes during the night, do not talk except to say “sshhh” or “night night” and def do not turn on any lights.
• Shorten your helping go back to sleep routine each night.
• Pick up when hungry to feed at night, and feed quickly and baby will go back to sleep quickly. Baby will get more awake if has to cry it out for awhile. But, make sure really hungry.
• Be careful not pick up when making regular sleep noises and going through typical light phases. If waking for comfort, work on changing those associations.
• When waking a baby-try to wake when in lighter sleep stage, diaper change or use damp cloth to wipe face, strip down clothes, burp sitting, back rub, mess with feet, move arms and legs in exercise fashion, prop baby up in seat in middle of family activity, sit up and sing to baby (you may want to do this after daytime nap is more than 2-3 hours, so they will sleep well at night).
• Expose baby to natural light when he wakes in the morning.
• Waking at the same time each morning can help set your baby’s biological clock.

After four months:
• Babies are primed for early bedtime-as early as 6:30pm or 7; it isn’t early to bed, early to rise and most people put their babies to bed too late, causing overtired and meltdowns, etc-for time with baby after work change it time in the morning

Breaking Habits:
• Babies will love to fall asleep in mom’s arms, so try to put to bed when sleepy but not totally asleep so they can get the rest of the way on their own without mom (if trouble, p. 74, 147).
• Introduce a lovely (p.117)
• Pantley’s Gentle Removal plan (p. 126) for breast, bottle, or pacifier

Other things:
• Have tummy time for play
• Starting solid foods too early leads to more food allergies

All Things Fall (picture post)

If you aren't tired of seeing pumpkin patch pics, here are a few from our family...they wouldn't be complete without a wheelbarrow or two!

Charlie knows how enjoy the ride!  We should all be so carefree and trusting "in the wheelbarrow"!

 Love that belly!

 We went to a Halloween party fundraiser the weekend before Halloween and Charlie got to try out his trick or treating skills for the first time.  He was a train conductor, wearing a costume my dad's mom made for my dad when he was two.  It fit perfectly!

 Okay, this was not this way on the original, but blog.ger insisted loading it this way...and I lacked the skills to fix it!  Annoying!

 And it wouldn't be fall in our house without one more thing...FOOTBALL!

Three Opportunities for Sanctification

Leila, I love this title, but was too lazy to steal the icon!

1. When people use NFP interchangably with avoiding.  Example, I love Kimbe.rly Hahn, but in her book Life Giving Love she says that couples need serious reason to use NFP.  Clearly she uses it interchangably with the term avoid.  This book needs a change in its next edition.  NFP, in our case, was all about diagnosing and treating in order to achieve! 

2. Children getting yelled at by crabby parents. Seriously, folks, do you not know that children hearing yelling just tune you out?  It is so sad to hear and see people who don't appreciate children as the blessings they are!

3. Okay, don't kill me for this one, but I struggle with a) cheesy sitcoms and b) local news-mostly due to the cheesy transitions between segments.  These completely get on my nerves and then I get on dh's nerves complaining about them!  I guess that is his opportunity for sanctification! :)

Impatience Abounds-updated with pic

It is an understatement to say we live in an impatient society.  We want things when we want them and we can usually have anything immediately for a price.  I think, in general, I am a patient person.  So...the fact that I am not being very patient about this baby's arrival is something I am blaming on society :)

You see, everyone I encounter acts as if I am late having this baby.  The baby is due Nov. 7th.  I have not yet hit my due date.  However, no one can believe I am still pregnant.  It's as if all babies come early.  The world I live in stopped a long time ago in some aspects.  Everyone expects the baby will be here any second and I shouldn't drive, etc as a result.  Plus, convenience induction is very much the norm, so why wait?  For example, my sisters' husband is a doctor so they induce based on his schedule.  Two weeks before her due date with the last one.

This idea really bothered me then (and somewhat still does now).  My son was a week late.  I didn't want to have him induced.  The doctor told me he would have to induce after 2 weeks late since the risk of still births increased at that point, but no need before.  Because dh was going to enter his very busy time at work, as time passed he would have less and less time at home with me and the baby.  Because he would induce at 2 weeks late anyway, we felt it wasn't too much worse to induce a week earlier than that so dh could have more time.  So, we made the choice to schedule inducement at one week past my due date.  I prayed and prayed he would come on his own so we'd know we weren't rushing him.  Plus, selfishly, I wanted the excitement of going into labor versus getting up to an alarm and driving to the hospital.  My water broke the night before the induction was scheduled and I was grateful.

With this pregnancy, I was surrounded by friends who were due around the same time (what can I say, he/she is a Valentine's Day conception) :)  And, after tomorrow, I will be the last one standing.  Of four.  One's baby was early, one was a c-section scheduled for a week early, and tomorrow a friend is doing a convenience induction (almost two weeks before her due date).  No wonder I feel past due at 39 1/2 weeks!

Then today, at the ultrasound, the tech asked me if I was inducing.  I told her that dh and I decided to have the baby Nov. 11th if he/she hadn't made an appearance yet.  I still feel odd saying that.  Yes, we potentially chose the baby's birthday.  It sounds so strange.  It doesn't feel right.  Clearly I have mixed feelings.  The baby should come when the baby is ready.  So why am I doing it?  I guess it is nice to know that there is an end in sight when I am uncomfortable day in and day out.  Bending over, getting up at night, doing anything around the house are all very difficult if not out of the question.  While I am uncomfortable and waiting for this little one, I am not getting other things done.  I don't feel good.  I am tired.  I know I will be tired after the baby comes, but it will be different.  I am not getting my dissertation done at the point, not getting work or housework done, I might as well start my maternity leave.  Okay, I know that sounds ridiculous.   Plus I am spending time with Charlie, his last bit as an only child.  I guess in the end I am as impatient as the rest...

I will say it is excited impatience.  I can't wait to meet this little one.  To learn the gender, to memorize the baby's face, etc.  The baby is big enough at this point to be healthy.  I know the baby can breathe on its own already, as evidenced everytime I have an ultrasound, and with Charlie we had to induce even after my water broke....so I feel it is somewhat justified.  Though it still feels strange and I hope the baby will come on his/her own schedule before then, in the end I am no different than the rest.

You know the funny thing?  In reply to my induction date the tech asked, "why are you waiting so long?"  Okay so maybe I am still a little different than the rest.  Seriously, you can't win!

Beth asked for a pic and I just happened to download my all time fav pregnancy pic tonight.  It's from Halloween, after trick or treating.  And b/c I love you guys, you get to see the before pic too.  He was so cute, snuggling up to my belly, and I had no idea I was showing any, let alone this much!  (Note to self, must give birth before topping 50lbs!)  The second pic is my favorite all time pic.  That snuggling is completely initiated by him.  A fall picture post including Halloween pics coming soon.