Labor and Delivery

*** WARNING... Don't read if you don't want to hear every gross detail about my labor and delivery***

It was about 12:40am on the 10th of December, I just got back in bed after peeing when I had the feeling like I just leaked pee in my pants.  Of course this couldn't be the case because like I said, I'd just emptied my bladder.  So I went back to the bathroom. I thought about waking Craig right then, but then second guessed myself.  Did my water break or not?  With Kendra it was a gush and I had no doubt.  This time I wasn't sure.  I changed my pantyliner and got back in bed.  I thought, If my water did break, something else will happen to verify that, I wasn't going to wake up everyone for a false alarm.  I got up to pee only once more that night, and I was not really wet at all.  So I decided I must have imagined it.  When we all were awake the next morning I mentioned to Craig that I thought my water broke that night, but I wasn't quite sure.  Then I went to the bathroom again and I was wet and it smelt weird.  So, we called the Doctor, but it was Saturday so no one was in the office.  We decided to go to the hospital just to get me checked so we wouldn't worry about it all day. 

After they checked me, sure enough my water broke and I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced.  They thought it was funny that I went back to sleep for 6 hours.  I got admitted and checked into my labor and delivery room around 10:00am.  Craig's parents came and picked up Kendra and I got started on pitocin.  It took a couple of hours and the maximum amount of pitocin before the contractions were painful. I watched the Blind Side, and played a little Sudoku on my Kindle. Craig played angry birds when I couldn't concentrate on anything but contractions. They came and checked me at about 2:00pm and I was dilated to a 6 and still 80%.  This is when I asked for the epidural.  They checked me at 4:00pm and I hadn't made as much progress as they thought.  They determined that when my water broke some of it was still in tacked and was in the way of the baby's head coming down.  The nurse moved things around and released whatever was blocking the way.  I started to feel some pressure so they checked me again about 6:00pm and I was ready. 

They called the Dr. and started to prep the room. Because it was the weekend, my doctor wasn't there, and the on-call doctor was going to deliver the baby.  He was a really nice guy named Monty with a good sense of humor.  The doctor asked me how long I had to push with Kendra and I told him 20 min. He said 20 minutes would be hard to beat but we'd try.  18 min later at 6:31pm... Carter was born.  The second I saw him I couldn't help but smile wide, I was so happy to finally meet him.  His face was all scrunched and his hair was nice and thick.  The relief and joy I felt was indescribable.

I didn't have to get stitches!  Which is what I was praying for, not like it was a necessity, I just didn't want the maintenance and hassle that comes after.

Carter weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was 20 inches long. As soon as they cleaned him up I got to try and feed him.  When he was born he had his tongue out and was tasting the air. He latched on the first try and was eating like he'd been doing it forever.  It was a good thing too because I wasn't sure I wanted to nurse and I told myself if it wasn't easy I wasn't going to do it this time. He makes nursing enjoyable, only 15-20 min with very little pain. He loves to eat and I think he has the Divis gene. He's thicker than Kendra and eats a lot more.  My milk is creamer this time too.

Carter had Jaundice and had to be under the lights for two days and one night.  He was poked the day after we got home from the hospital and he weighed 7lbs 10 oz.  So he didn't loose a whole lot of weight since birth, my milk came in while I was still in the hospital.  The next day we went in for another poke, and he was 7 lbs 13oz.  Almost his birth weight.  They don't expect that until closer to the two week mark.  I'm curious to see what he weighs then.

 The things I've learned about Carter: He loves to snuggle, and is always curled up.  He hardly opens his tiny eyes.  He knows his days from nights fairly well. He hardly ever cries.  He's really patient.  He's not fooled by the binki.  He loves to eat and is always hungry.  When he's not eating, he's sleeping.  If he is awake for a few hours he has to eat about every hour.  When he sleeps he eats every 3 hours. He has cute fluffy dark hair and really light eyebrows (I think that means he'll be blond).  When I catch a smile (even though it's probably just gas) it melts my heart.

*** They say every labor and deliver story is different, mine were so much the same I had to make a chart to compare, most of the differences were improvements:

        KENDRA                                                           CARTER

• 13 days early                                                   11 days early
• water broke at 11:30pm                                  water broke 12:45am
• labor didn't start                                              labor didn't start
• 20 min pushing                                               18 min pushing
• born 8:02pm                                                   born 6:31pm

38 Weeks- any day now

I went to the Dr. today.  I'm 3cm dilated and 80 % effaced. My doctor looked at my due date and because I'm progressing so well said we could induce on the 13th, a week early, if I wanted.  Of course I want to!  She stripped my membranes today so I might actually go before then.  Kendra came at 38 weeks and one day.  We hope he comes this weekend, cause it's the most convenient, but, it's nice to know in less than a week I will be able to meet this little boy.  I'm excited!  Which means this is my last post of me pregnant.  My next post will be my labor and delivery story.

I actually lost 5 lbs from 2 weeks ago.  Kinda weird.  But I did get sick Saturday night.  I puked so bad that night or maybe it was more Sunday morning.  Anyway, I had a few days of not eating much, but it makes me back on track to where I thought I would be at this point.

I get Braxton Hicks contractions a lot these days, and some are painful. Walking is awkward and I waddle so bad it's not even funny.  Sleeping is a joke, so I figure, why not have a baby if I'm not even sleeping well.  I will try to get as much sleep as I can in the next week though.  I hope I'm ready.  Wish me luck!

37 Weeks - 3 weeks left

This week had its ups and downs. Some days I'd feel fine, but others I was moody, I had painful contractions, and I felt drained.  Yesterday I broke down and just cried, probably cause of the build up of the hormones or something. Today I feel good. 

Like the other day we were driving home from somewhere and I started a really painful contraction, I was so close to home I didn't want to pull over and I thought, "If I could just get home, it'll be okay".  Well I got safely home and then the contraction was over.  I haven't had one that painful yet or since.

I've decided my body can't take much more of this.  I'm so big I feel like I really will pop.  So I am going to have my Dr strip my membranes in a week.  Let's see if we can get this baby out a little early!

36 weeks- 4 weeks left

So I went to the Dr yesterday and she said I was 2 cm dialated and 50% effaced.  This is more progress than I ever made on my own with Kendra. She was not worried about premature labor but did say that I should relax for the next two weeks and lay down if I ever started feeling bad.  She's fairly confident I will go early but didn't mind not seeing me for two weeks.  My next apt. is on the two week early mark.  She said she could strip my membranes then if I wanted her to.  I'm not sure how I feel about that, I think I'll wait one more week before we strip membranes. I think just the apt might be enough to set me off, it was last time.

35 Weeks- 5 Weeks left

It's crazy how I can count down the weeks on one hand now.  Craig keeps reminding me how much time I have left if this boy comes as early as Kendra, that would mean 3 WEEKS! We are going to be ready by the end of the month so we are prepared no matter what.  I'm putting up the Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend and I'll start wrapping all the Christmas gifts. We will also set up the Crib Thanksgiving weekend and paint his room.  I know, it's a lot to do, but it's a long weekend.

34 Weeks- 6 weeks left

I kept saying that I thought this belly was bigger than last time, and I was right!  I just got 2 inch extensions on the stretch marks on the top of my belly. And who knows, I've got more than a month left to stretch even farther.  I went to my doctor, and I gained too much weight, she didn't say that, I just know I shouldn't be this big. But maybe that's just that it's a boy and I'm going to be big. But, I'm healthy and so is the baby, and that's what really counts.  I'll worry about extra weight when I can do something about it... after he's born.

Week 33 - 7 weeks left

I'm not sure if it's because I haven't been able to swim or be super active the last half of my pregnancy or because I'm just bigger this time, but it pains me to move much.  Getting up and down from the couch or bed must be done with great care not to cause a cramp or stab of pain in either my legs, hips, or back.  I can't walk fast anywhere.  For a ringing cell phone, or for Kendra's needs, I just walk and think, it's okay to be slow.  When we took Kendra T-O-T we walked up and down three streets.  My doctor told me not to walk up hill, but I did and I've suffered for it.  I even got a cramp in my foot yesterday.  This boy must be resting on a bunch of my nerves.

Also, Craig laughs at me when my shirts don't fit.  I have a large PJ t-shirt that doesn't cover my belly any more, and the other day I was wearing an undershirt that was a preg shirt but was still too short and then the over shirt, this shirt hovered a little and from Craig's angle (laying on the couch) he could see my bare belly.  I hoped he was the only one cause I'd been wearing it all day!

I might have to break down and buy more preg clothes at the end of my preg!  To only wear something for less than two months sounds stupid, but I do have to wear clothes so.... I hope I can find a few cheap cute things.

32 Weeks - 8 weeks left

I saw the doctor this week, actually she was delivering a baby, so her nurse checked the baby's heartbeat and measured me. So two times ago at the doctor I was measuring big, then last time I was just right, now this week I'm a little small.  So it seems I just had a huge growth spurt and thank goodness it has slowed.

31 Weeks - 9 weeks left

31 weeks

22 weeks

So I was thinking with 9 weeks left, how much more am I going to grow?  I know the growing slows down but I did a comparison of myself 9 weeks ago, I hope I don't grow even half that in the next 9 weeks. It was such a cute little belly back then! 

Well as you can tell, the size of my belly is really becoming an issue.  Craig just laughs at how much effort it takes to do simple things. I feel like my belly is hard all the time, I don't know if it's contractions or just that he's running out of room in there.  He's way up in my ribs and it's starting to hurt.  Kendra never kicked me in the ribs.  It's true every pregnancy is different, but this boy is big and rough as far as I can tell. I feel like I should be due closer to Thanksgiving than Christmas.  Oh well when he's ready, he'll let me know.

30 Weeks - 10 more weeks and counting!

It's fun now to start counting down the weeks, it makes it feel closer.  It scares me to know that Christmas is that close as well. I'm getting more and more braxon hicks contractions, some with cramping some with no pain, but things are still going well.  The more he moves now really throws me off though.  Like he'll kick me and I'll let out a yelp on accident.

Now I have to start thinking of preparations for when he'll arrive, before it's too late.  I want his room to be ready by Thanksgiving so I don't get stressed out. I have to keep my eye out for sales on baby boy clothes cause the unisex ones I got from my sister for Kendra aren't going to last long. I also am looking for sales on diapers. Craig's aunt is making a baby blanket, but I know I need more than one, oh well he'll have to sport pink blankets if he's a spitter upper.

29 Weeks - at the doctor

Yesterday I went to the doctor for a routine gestational diabetes test. They took my blood and Kendra watched the whole thing and the rest of the day she pulled up my sleeve and said "it hurts". I asked about the cramps I've been having and about sharp pains in my sides and my legs. (I never had this sort of thing with Kendra)  She said that I should avoid climbing stairs.  I thought, "I haven't been climbing stairs", then I thought, "I live on a hill and walk 3-4 times a week up and down."  No more hills for me.  I'm measuring normal again which is good, but I'm not happy about how much weight I gained. I hope I slow down a lot on my weight gain in the next few weeks or I'll be in trouble. 

28 Weeks - third trimester

Well I guess last week was really the beginning of my third trimester.  I feel huge, like I should be in my ninth month.  And this boy moves all the time!  with Kendra she would move if I pushed on my belly or if a garment or pant seam was too tight on my belly.  But this boy just moves, not only when I'm sitting or laying down, while I'm walking he just does kung-fu. I don't even know if he sleeps, if he does it's like cat naps, no longer than 20 min at a time.  If it's this bad now, I don't even want to know what it will be like in two months!  But at least I know he's healthy, and that's the most important thing, not my comfort.  Bearing children was never supposed to be comfortable.

27 Weeks- Heart Burn

I'm usually on heart burn medication all the time, even when I'm not preg. but when my prescription ran out this last time, I decided to see how my heart burn would do without it.  For me, I felt almost cured of my heart burn problem, but when I got preg. I knew that it would get worse.  I talked to my doctor about getting back on my meds but she decided to wait until it got worse like before.  Well, I think now it has.  I have major heart burn three times a day at least.  It's been really bad these last few days.  I have two weeks till my next apt so I'll have to suffer until then, but, I'm definitely asking for my meds back or I wont have an esophagus by the time I give birth cause the stomach acid will have eaten in all away.

26 Weeks - Grazing

Well my appetite returned about three weeks ago.  Instead of just eating three meals in the day, I now just nibble all day long.  I can't eat much at one time, but I seem to need to eat every two to three hours or my hands get shaky. The problem is I still don't like snack food.  I don't want chips or crackers or anything salty, which is usually the kind of snacks we have.  I always want fruit, but we never have enough, so I end up eating bread: toast with jam, or bagel with cream cheese or toast and tomatoes.  Also, chocolate in all it's varieties: chocolate chips, ice cream, candy bars, cookies, chocolate milk, etc.  So what does this all mean?  CALORIES!! And too much of them.  I only gained the recommended amount of weight between my last two appointments, but yesterday the Dr. said I'm measuring a little big.  If I don't change the types of foods I'm eating I'm going to gain unnecessary weight.  I've only gained 15lbs this pregnancy and I hope to keep it under 30 (which is recommended).  With Kendra I gained 35lbs.  I want to stay healthy so I need to shop and eat smarter.

25 weeks- bending over

So far I've been a month ahead in belly size than with Kendra.  I thought it would slow down but so far it hasn't.  I feel huge.  I can't bent over without grunting from pressure, I've started to pick up things from the side, I don't remember starting that until well into my 3rd trimester. And I can't sit up strait, I went to the dentist yesterday and when your not laying back in those chairs that have you upright and it was swishing my belly so bad. I still try to wear my normal jeans with an elastic but it's making me realize I need some 3rd trimester jeans.  I have a lot of summer pants but when it starts snowing I'll have nothing to wear but sweat pants.

24- Weeks

23 weeks- Back Pain

All that I can say about the last week is that sleeping is getting rough.  I haven't used a preg. pillow yet, but I woke up with horrible back pain and I think I know why.  My joints are getting looser so when I sleep on my side with my knees together, it spreads my hips apart and causes strain on my lower back.  I've been trying to just put a pillow between my legs, but it's not comfortable.  I really want to sleep on my back, but I'm not supposed to.  So I'm on a quest to find a preg pillow that helps me sleep but doesn't take up the whole bed (and kick Craig off). We'll see what I find.

22 Weeks- Dr Apt.

Not much new, just a good Dr Apt. his heart beat is strong and I'm gaining weight just fine, despite my decreased appetite.  I've been getting more leg cramps, especially when I'm really active.  Like the day we hiked around Yellowstone, bad leg cramps that night.  And yesterday, with yard work, leveling dirt and spreading bark, bad leg cramps last night.  But if I stretch really well before bed, it's not too bad. I need to eat more bananas.

21 Weeks - Movement

Well I've been feeling our baby boy moving around inside me for a couple of weeks now.  But, yesterday was the first time Craig was able to feel him.  It seems like a miracle that there is somebody growing inside me.  Craig asked if it ever felt like a kidney punch.  I told him: right now he's got a lot of room to move around so I feel him punch and kick, but it doesn't hurt cause he's so little.  But when he gets big enough to hurt me, he won't have much room, so it's more like hard pressure. (or at least that's what I remember about Kendra)  Maybe this baby boy will be able to kidney punch me... I hope not.

20 weeks- Half Way

I can't wear very many normal clothes anymore.  There is no way of hiding my belly no matter what I wear.  So I've decided it's time to show it off.  Meaning it's now round enough to look better than just belly chub.  This picture really isn't a good one, but some clothes make my belly look cute even.

19 Weeks- Ultra Sound

Well my previous post shows the Ultra Sound and that we're having a boy.  Everything looked good and healthy, nothing to worry about. My due date was right on with the growth of the baby.  All is well.

It's a Boy!!!

Left: Face and left arm  Right: Face with fist by the left eye.

So what "they" say is true.  If you crave meat: you're having a boy.  What the mom thinks: The sex is. Craig and I are really excited.  Kendra got to come and she kept saying "baby" at the TV screen of the Ultra Sound.

18 weeks- Dr. Appointment

I had my second Doctor appointment and I finally met my Doctor.  She seems like a great Dr. to me.  Kendra came with me this time, which was a little bit of a challenge, but we made it through just fine.  They gave her a sucker, did it have to be the blue one? Her hands and face and tongue were blue for the rest of the day. I like the office I go to, it's close and they give me juice while I wait. I got to listen to the heart rate which is healthy. She said I'm growing well.  I gained 4 pounds since my last apt. Ultra sound scheduled for next week!

Week 17

Well, I don't have much to say this week. Only, that I'm glad I don't feel like eating all the time.  With Kendra it was a constant battle to say no to junk food, or seconds of everything.  I don't have to fight my desires for food this time.  I feel like eating healthy and I do.  It's nice for a change to not have to fight nature.

Week 16- no more waist

Well, I think it's official, I no longer have a waist.  My pants no longer need belts, and some are getting uncomfortable.  I've already said my shirts were getting ridiculous, but now I may need to look into getting some more summer maternity pants. I think I've felt the baby, but I can't be too sure yet. Sleeping is getting uncomfortable and is starting to hurt my back.  I need to look into prego pillows (Craig will hate this).  Which makes me think, we should seriously look into getting a California King because I'm only going to get bigger... We'll see.

Week15- Fat Shirts

So I started taking out my maternity clothes because some of my clothes were becoming uncomfortable, especially my shirts. But when I tried on my maternity shirts, I was appalled!  They were huge, it made me look like a cow not a prego!  So I decided I needed to get some in between shirts.  These shirts will probably be the ones I wear after the baby, they're not maternity but they are a little looser to hide a belly. I'm wearing one of my new shirts in this picture.

Week 14- Doctor no show

So I went to my first appointment and they took my weight and my vitals (I weighed four pounds less than I thought). They gave me a gift bag full of samples and I sat to wait for the doctor to see me.  30 minutes later, the nurse came back in and said the doctor got called in for an emergency c-section, and I could wait or just see her next time.  I didn't want to wait so the nurse hooked up the heart beat thing and I got to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time.  It was good and strong.  I'll hopefully be able to meet my doctor next time.

Week 13- nothing to report

Week 13

This last week went by fast and it seems nothing much has changed. I have my first dr. appt. next week so I'll hear the baby's heart beat.  Then an ultra sound the end of July to see if it's a boy or girl. I have my thoughts on what it is.  I think it's a boy.  With Kendra I was starving all the time, I wanted to eat everything in sight. With this one, I'm not super hungry, I don't really like to snack, but I LOVE MEAT! They say if you crave meat you're having a boy. So we'll see how true wives tales hold out.  

Week 11-12: Safe

I think I've been doing my weekly posts wrong.  I was doing my weekly post after the week was done, but then I thought no, I should do the post when I'm another week.  So all my other posts are actually a week later. Anyway so, I'm 12 weeks today.  They say at 12 weeks your baby is mostly safe from miscarriage.  That's good news.  Most people, especially their first don't tell people until now.  But because I had such a good preg. last time, and this time has been great so far, I wasn't worried about telling early.

One thing I've been doing lately is forgetting I'm preg. Like I saw a lot of women biking around the city and I thought, oh that would be so fun to join them, and then I thought, wait I'm preg. and I'm not supposed to ride on the streets any more.  Or fast Sunday comes around and I think, what am I going to fast for, but then remember, oh I'm not supposed to fast.  Anyway I guess feeling this good should never be a bad thing.  I do have to take a nap almost everyday but besides that I feel perfect.


I'm started to grow out of my shirts.  So I had to go get some in between shirts.  I'm not ready for mat. yet. I'm sure when my family sees me in a month I'm going to be showing a lot more. 

Week 12

Week 10- Regret?

Week 10

Well this week I've been thinking about the triathlon that I would have done this upcoming weekend.  I feel so good physically right now that I kind of wish I stuck with my training and was doing the tri anyway.  I know that I probably would have been fine if I had continued with the level of activity I was doing, but I didn't want to get to this week and feel like not doing it.  Cause then it would be too late to reschedule. I just got thrown off by the whole "keep your heart-rate below 140bpm" thing.  I'm sure there's a reason, but I feel I would have been fine running with my heart-rate at 160-170.  Oh well, can't go back now. I just know that as soon as I get the go-ahead to work out again after the baby is born, I will be in full swing training again, cause I don't have to worry about harming a little human inside me.
So you may look at this picture and say 'ooo she's starting to show' but no, that's just my chubby pooch I was never able to get rid of. Maybe it is pushed out a little my my slightly protruding belly. But I know I'm not at the 'Cute Belly' stage yet.  It will come all too soon I'm sure.

Week 9 - Picture and Food

Week 9

So I decided to start taking the weekly pictures now.  I haven't really changed to the outside eye but I figured I needed a starting picture.  I think it would be fun to get a picture in the same place with a dark shirt on against the white wall.  Then at the end I want to make a movie showing the gradual growth. I think it would be fun. 

Food is something different for me this time.  With Kendra, I wanted food most of the time, mainly my favorites or I wanted something salty.  This time, I'm actually eating less than before I found out. Probably cause I'm not training any more, but I just don't feel like eating.  I don't really like snacking unless its fruit, and I can't seem to finish what I put on my plate.  But I have been craving specific things, I never did that with Kendra.  Like one day, I NEEDED Bacon.  Another day I wanted mashed hard boiled eggs on cheese toast. And then another day I really really wanted BBQ chips and cottage cheese.  (That's not something I made up by-the-way.  It's one of my family's favorites that I had a lot growing up.)  Anyway I hadn't had it in forever and all of a sudden I really wanted it. With the help of Kendra and Craig we finished all the chips and cottage cheese in one afternoon. Don't judge me.

Week 8 - tired

It has finally hit me:  the first trimester tiredness.  I remembered that I was tired last time but I was also working full-time during tax season, I thought that was why.  But no, I've fallen asleep a couple of times, and had Kendra wake me up a few minutes later.  I go to bed when Kendra does, like 8:30pm and don't wake up til 7:30 or 8:00am.  It's messing up my workouts.  I took a week off cause I was sick and now that I'm better, I can't seem to get up in time.  I woke up today around 7:00am and thought, Kendra doesn't wake up til at least 8:00 so I'm going to bike.  I got dressed and got my bike set up and the movie I was going to watch.  As I was putting on my shoes at 7:30am, Kendra wakes up! My ward has workout classes M,W,F mornings at 6-7am and one class is yoga.  So I've decided if it's scheduled, the chances of me getting out of bed are much better. We'll try that, plus I do need to bike, and if the weather ever gets better lots of walking outside.

Week 7 - Sick

So this week I got a horrible raw sore throat.  Because I'm pregnant I wasn't sure what kind of relief I would be able to get, so I asked the pharmacist.  Tylenol.  That's it.  It's tough.  I've been woken up in the middle of the night with major pain just to realize it's because my Tylenol wore off.  I still biked when I first got sick but I've decided to take a break and see if it helps me get better faster.

Week 6- Can you feel it?

People keep asking me this week (family that we've told) if I've started to feel pregnant yet.  I have not noticed a difference.  I rode my bike and ran 2 miles.  I wanted to see what my heart-rate was when I ran.  It's not good.  It was like 160-170bpm.  I know runners are okay to keep running while pregnant, but I'm no runner.  So I've decided to stick to brisk walking and hiking, no more running for me. Biking is still fine, I can monitor that really well on my bike trainer.

Week 5 - Pregnant again!

This week I took a positive pregnancy test.  I was sure I wasn't pregnant but I was a week and a half late.  I was feeling great physically and who would blame me.  I've been training for a triathlon for the past 5 months.  I'm starting to look great, feel great, and perform great in all three disciplines of a Tri. I got off birth control the end of August 2010, and when I wasn't pregnant the first couple of months, I stopped counting on it. I started planning my life like I wasn't going to get pregnant.  I'm glad I did, I accomplished a lot. But now it's time to redirect.  I got them to transfer my race fee to next year's race and I toned down my work outs. I have to keep my heart-rate under 140 bpm, so I'm glad I have a heart-rate monitor.