Our baby girl left the hospital weighing 7lbs. At the first appointment, on her fourth day, she weighted 6lbs 10oz and the doctor wanted us to come in again in a few days to weigh her again. Next time, she weighted 6lbs 9oz. I was freaking out and almost started to cry at the doctor's office. The doctor informed me that we were doing everything right by the amounts of wet diapers Ariela had, but that we should try to increase the amount of milk/formula she was getting. Since I don't have enough milk, we give her some formula as well. Since we starting feeding her more, she was less fussier and slept better. If only I knew that it was all that we needed to do.
At the last appointment (last week), she weighted 7lbs 15oz. Yeay!!!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Birth Story
After we got admitted to the hospital at 3:30 on November 15, things moved relatively fast. We settled in our room by 4:30 and I got hooked up to the external monitors for baby's heart rate and my contractions. I didn't want to get the epidural right away since then I would spend the rest of the labor in bed. So, Mr. V and I decided to go walk around. He called our parents to let them know that we finally got admitted while I was stopping every few minutes and waiting for the contraction to be over. We walked for 25 minutes and came back to a room where I was again hooked up to the monitors. The nurse (who was also a lawyer as we later found out) was very nice and answered all of our questions. The doctor who was on duty that night wanted to break my water to speed things up. I decided to get an epidural at that time and only after let them break my water. The anesthesiologist was supposed to come within 30 minutes. I kept telling myself that 30 minutes should be a piece of cake after couple of days of that pain. The hospital had couple of emergency c-section and I had to wait for my drugs. After an hour of waiting, I was done. I was so ready to be poked. I was tired and exhausted from the pain. I kept looking at the monitor every time I had a contraction and I would see the numbers around 110-120, those were some painful cx.
Finally, the anesthesiologist came in. Mr. V could stay in a room but he couldn't watch what they were doing, he had to face me. I wasn't afraid of the needle. I was more afraid of getting a painful cx during the procedure and not being able to move. And that is exactly what happened. As the guy was poking me in the back, I had to sit still through a cx. I squeezed the pillow and listened to a nurse who was telling me I was doing great and that it was almost over. And indeed it was over after 10 minutes. I got comfortable in my bed and the nurse asked me if I was feeling cx at that point. I was surprised she asked me that since she could see from the monitor that I didn't have one yet. But I was wrong.
Nurse: Honey, can you feel the cx?
Me: What cx? I didn't have one yet.
Nurse: You are having one right now.
Me: Really?...shocked face...pause for feeling stupid and not getting the epi earlier.
The anesthesiologist told me I did great and that they could use me for taping the procedure, since I didn't move an inch and didn't even peak. He told me that he'll be in the hospital all night to which I answered "me too" :) I guess I was feeling better if I decided to joke.
I was told that things could slow down after the epi. They checked me around 6 and I was at 4cm. I was a little bit upset for not making more progress. The doctor and the nurse started talking about giving me Pitocin to move things along. They told us that our families could come around 5-6am and meet the baby not earlier. I was getting for a long night while Mr. V stepped out to the store to get himself diner.
Around 11pm, they said my doctor wanted to deliver my baby (it made me feel great that as busy as that woman is, she wanted to be there for us), so they decided on not giving me Pitocin and wait till morning when Dr. G would come in. They checked me again around that time and I was 6cm dilated.
We got a new nurse after 11pm, she wasn't very talkative but she was still answering our questions and doing her job. At 1am, she came in and checked me. I couldn't read her face. I thought she was going to say that I was still at 6cm and not making any progress. She looked at the monitor and then said that I was at 10cm and ready to push. Wow, really? What a reality check it was for me. I started shacking uncontrollably and my fever went up to 38 degrees. She prepared the room and got everything ready for the baby. Then we did couple of practice pushes. Mr. V was holding one leg and the nurse was holding the other. I didn't know if I pushing or not, since I couldn't feel anything. But after couple of pushes the nurse called the doctor and told her we were ready for her. Everything was happening so fast that I couldn't believe I was about to meet my baby girl. We had to wait for the doctor for about 20 minutes, she was finishing up a c-section. After she came in, we did another couple of pushes (three at a time) and my baby girl was born. Mr. V cut the cord and they placed her on me (now originally I wanted them to clean her first, but at that point I just wanted to see her).
She was absolutely perfect and the most beautiful baby. She was very clean when she came out even Mr. V didn't expect her to be that way. She cried for couple of minutes on my chest while I looked at her and cried. The nurse took her then to clean, measure, and weight her.
Mr. V had time to call my parents and his brother before we started pushing. They wanted to be at the hospital at any time night or day to meet our baby girl. It was great to see my parents and to know that my BIL and SIL were there too and on time (they are always late) :)Our room was filled with joy and laughter as everyone was looking at Ariela.
Ariela was born at 2:14am, weighted 7lb 6oz and was 19.5 inches. We came home after spending two nights at the hospital and were learning from each other ever since.
Finally, the anesthesiologist came in. Mr. V could stay in a room but he couldn't watch what they were doing, he had to face me. I wasn't afraid of the needle. I was more afraid of getting a painful cx during the procedure and not being able to move. And that is exactly what happened. As the guy was poking me in the back, I had to sit still through a cx. I squeezed the pillow and listened to a nurse who was telling me I was doing great and that it was almost over. And indeed it was over after 10 minutes. I got comfortable in my bed and the nurse asked me if I was feeling cx at that point. I was surprised she asked me that since she could see from the monitor that I didn't have one yet. But I was wrong.
Nurse: Honey, can you feel the cx?
Me: What cx? I didn't have one yet.
Nurse: You are having one right now.
Me: Really?...shocked face...pause for feeling stupid and not getting the epi earlier.
The anesthesiologist told me I did great and that they could use me for taping the procedure, since I didn't move an inch and didn't even peak. He told me that he'll be in the hospital all night to which I answered "me too" :) I guess I was feeling better if I decided to joke.
I was told that things could slow down after the epi. They checked me around 6 and I was at 4cm. I was a little bit upset for not making more progress. The doctor and the nurse started talking about giving me Pitocin to move things along. They told us that our families could come around 5-6am and meet the baby not earlier. I was getting for a long night while Mr. V stepped out to the store to get himself diner.
Around 11pm, they said my doctor wanted to deliver my baby (it made me feel great that as busy as that woman is, she wanted to be there for us), so they decided on not giving me Pitocin and wait till morning when Dr. G would come in. They checked me again around that time and I was 6cm dilated.
We got a new nurse after 11pm, she wasn't very talkative but she was still answering our questions and doing her job. At 1am, she came in and checked me. I couldn't read her face. I thought she was going to say that I was still at 6cm and not making any progress. She looked at the monitor and then said that I was at 10cm and ready to push. Wow, really? What a reality check it was for me. I started shacking uncontrollably and my fever went up to 38 degrees. She prepared the room and got everything ready for the baby. Then we did couple of practice pushes. Mr. V was holding one leg and the nurse was holding the other. I didn't know if I pushing or not, since I couldn't feel anything. But after couple of pushes the nurse called the doctor and told her we were ready for her. Everything was happening so fast that I couldn't believe I was about to meet my baby girl. We had to wait for the doctor for about 20 minutes, she was finishing up a c-section. After she came in, we did another couple of pushes (three at a time) and my baby girl was born. Mr. V cut the cord and they placed her on me (now originally I wanted them to clean her first, but at that point I just wanted to see her).
She was absolutely perfect and the most beautiful baby. She was very clean when she came out even Mr. V didn't expect her to be that way. She cried for couple of minutes on my chest while I looked at her and cried. The nurse took her then to clean, measure, and weight her.
Mr. V had time to call my parents and his brother before we started pushing. They wanted to be at the hospital at any time night or day to meet our baby girl. It was great to see my parents and to know that my BIL and SIL were there too and on time (they are always late) :)Our room was filled with joy and laughter as everyone was looking at Ariela.
Ariela was born at 2:14am, weighted 7lb 6oz and was 19.5 inches. We came home after spending two nights at the hospital and were learning from each other ever since.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sunday
Yes, we were still at home and I was still pregnant. I was in such pain that I had to stop during the contractions and bend a little and swing my body from one side to another. I was still timing the cx and they were getting stronger and closer together but still not enough to go to the hospital. We called the hospital twice at that point. I wanted them to tell me to at least go to the hospital and see if my baby girl was doing OK in there. But each time they told me that my contractions had to be 5 minutes apart and lasting for about 45-60 seconds.
We finished installing the car seat in my car, it was the last thing we had to do. Mr. V joked that our baby girl was waiting for us to be all done with the preparations and that she would come out when we were all ready. So, at 1pm we were all ready. My parents were calling us every hour to check how we were doing. Everyone was anxious at that point. My mom was worried and kept telling us to keep calling the hospital and see if they would admit us.
Around 3pm my cx were about 6-7 minutes apart and lasting for about 40-70 seconds. We called the hospital again and this time they said we could come in! I really wanted them to monitor me and tell me that our baby was doing OK. I wasn't hoping that they would admit us and I was already mentally preparing myself for the inducement the next day.
We got to the hospital at 3:30pm but left the bags in the car, since I was sure they would send us home. The nurse put the external monitors on me and checked me and I was 3cm dilated. I coudln't believe it. After 20 minutes, she said my cx are about 5 minutes apart and that they were getting the room ready for us. Mr. V kept asking the nurse if we came at the right time or we should've waited a little longer. The nurse informed us that some people come a little later and some come when they feel the first contraction and not even dilated. At that point, I wasn't listening to what they were saying and could honestly careless :) I was excited, scared, shocked, anxious at the same time. I coudln't believe we were so close to meeting our baby girl.
We finished installing the car seat in my car, it was the last thing we had to do. Mr. V joked that our baby girl was waiting for us to be all done with the preparations and that she would come out when we were all ready. So, at 1pm we were all ready. My parents were calling us every hour to check how we were doing. Everyone was anxious at that point. My mom was worried and kept telling us to keep calling the hospital and see if they would admit us.
Around 3pm my cx were about 6-7 minutes apart and lasting for about 40-70 seconds. We called the hospital again and this time they said we could come in! I really wanted them to monitor me and tell me that our baby was doing OK. I wasn't hoping that they would admit us and I was already mentally preparing myself for the inducement the next day.
We got to the hospital at 3:30pm but left the bags in the car, since I was sure they would send us home. The nurse put the external monitors on me and checked me and I was 3cm dilated. I coudln't believe it. After 20 minutes, she said my cx are about 5 minutes apart and that they were getting the room ready for us. Mr. V kept asking the nurse if we came at the right time or we should've waited a little longer. The nurse informed us that some people come a little later and some come when they feel the first contraction and not even dilated. At that point, I wasn't listening to what they were saying and could honestly careless :) I was excited, scared, shocked, anxious at the same time. I coudln't believe we were so close to meeting our baby girl.
Couple more days
The next day I woke up at 5am and couldn't fall asleep because I was having period style cramps (which later I learned were contractions) every 10-15 minutes. Everytime I was close to falling asleep, I would get another contractions. I stayed in bed for a little longer and I was able to fall asleep. That day, Friday (I really didn't want her to be born on the Friday the 13th), I was sure we were going to go to the hospital later on. In the evening, Mr. V downloaded the application on my iphone to time the contractions. The cx were all over the place, anywhere from 10-20 minutes and lasting for about 30-40 seconds. So, there we were, sitting on our couch, watching TV, and timing the contractions. On Saturday, I woke up again at 5am, but in more pain. I couldnt' fall asleep anymore, so I moved to the living room with my iPhone and started timing again. Again, I thought that this was the big day. So, we finished packing the hospital bag, went for a walk with Mr. V, and went out to diner to a Chinese restaurant. I was praying my baby girl would come after 12am. The contractions were all over the place, anywhere from 8-15 minutes lasting about 30-40 seconds each, but they were definitely more painful. The Saturday went by and yet again our baby girl wanted to teach us to be patient.
40 weeks 1 day
I had to do the NST test since I was overdue. Baby and I passed after 25 minutes. I've been feeling a bit crampy that day so I asked the nurse if she could spot any contractions and she said I just had a little one and that is it. I was a bit disappointed since I thought that after passing the mucous plug (gross) a day earlier, I would have some signs of labor. But I guess my baby girl had her own schedule and we all had to be just a bit more patient.
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