Summary

The BF is still a challenge. A different challenge now though. He latches on really nicely now but it still looks like he is not getting enough. He slept very peaceful when we bottle fed him pumped milk. Whenever we rely on the breast, he moves around a lot during sleep and wakes up often. We are still debating whether to switch him to a bottle. The breast is just so convenient! If we do, I would still like to stick to the breast milk, so the pumping becomes a hassle. Plus, they say if you exclusively breast feed for the first 3 weeks or so, the baby is likely to want to nurse in addition to taking the bottle. This would mean that I don't have to pump at night when I go back to work, I can just nurse him. Which would make a big difference.

I do want to breast feed though. For various reasons. The biggest, I think, is to get some kind of control over this whole situation. I feel like stuff has been happening to me lately, and that I have no control over it. Beginning with the lost pregnancies, to the c section, then him getting dehydrated. I feel like I have no grasp on anything and just need to take what's given to me. I don't like this feeling. Maybe I am being a bit out there but that's how I feel.

Parker sleeps 5-6 hours at night and worries us. Since he is not gaining enough, they told us to wake him every 2-3 hours for feeding. We tried the night before last and spent 2.5 hours trying to keep him awake and feed him, and he only ate 1oz! It was horrible didn't make any sense, and I will never do it again. He probably would have waken up on his own by that time and happily drunk the milk.

Parker got used to falling asleep at my breast to the point that even the day we gave him a bottle, he wanted the breast to fall asleep. Tonight it has been difficult for him to fall asleep though. I had a 2 week check up of my incision (everything looks good, btw) and it threw everything off. He was due for eating and I couldn't give him until we came home. So he was awake and hungry longer than usually. Then he would fall asleep during eating but never stayed asleep for long because he was hungry. Ugh. He is asleep now, has been for 2 hours. I'm planning on changing him after 4 h of sleep to see if he wakes up and eats. But if he doesn't, I'm not going to bother him. I guess.

Today Parker's umbilical cord fell off, too. We will probably be giving him a bath tomorrow.

We took Parker for 10 min in front yard and once we ate on a back yard with him sleeping in a bassinet. But no stroller time yet.

As I mentioned, per doctor, my incision is healing well. Although I won't be able to take a bath until Parker is 8 weeks! This sucks as I love taking baths. Also, I am still bleeding. Less than a week ago but still.

All right, this may be the longest post ever so I better finish. :) Just one more thing. I got my parents plane tickets tonight! They are coming in three weeks, on October 12. My dad is staying till the end of October and my mom till second week of December. I can't wait!!

Ups and downs

We are having hard time with feeding. Ever since Park got dehydrated I am paranoid. We went for a check up on Mon and he already re-gained 8 oz. So we are 7 oz short. We were supposed to come again on Wednesday, to check his weight at 2 weeks mark, but Marc and I decided to cancel. We don't want to drag him in a car and expose him to all the viruses and bacterias at the doctor's office. And he hasn't gained all back anyway (he would have had to gain 7 oz in 2 days, which is pretty much impossible). We got a newborn scale (it's coming today) and will weight him ourselves. We may go back on Thu or Fri. Otherwise she would have made us come back on Fri the third time.

I would really like to stick to breast milk, either breast feeding or bottle feeding. It's getting hard though. He obviously isn't (or at least wasn't) getting enough from the breast (as he lost so much weight) so we started supplementing with pumped milk. Now he doesn't like to eat from the breast any more and I am having hard time expressing enough milk using the pump, so at the end, he may be getting even less now than he did breast fed (everyone says babies get out more from the breast than the pumps).

I also got a UTI/kidney infection. The doc says that it's probably stress based. I agree, I haven't had one when I was prego, which is the time you are much more prone to get it, and I got it now. My kidney hurt so badly I could hardly walk on Tue. But it went away as soon as I got my first dose of antibiotic. I am feeling so much better now!

Back at the hospital, again

Parker lost some weight (actually a lot, almost a pound!) and got dehydrated. Probably from me not drinking enough water and eating poorly. We had to got to ER on Wednesday and ended up in hospital. We just came back late last night. He had dark orange/almost red pee and they suspected UTI. Poor thing got catheter, IV, and spinal tap! :( He is fine now though.

We had some issues with latching too but we are better now after consulting with a lactation spec at the hospital this Thursday. She showed me how to help him latch and also advised to get him close to the bare breast as soon as he wakes up. We used to change him and play with him first and only start feeding when he gets cranky. She said at this point he is not very patient any more as he is super hungry. As soon as we started doing this, we got much better.

I am also pumping about 2x day. 1oz per boob is a good quantity, I was told. That's exactly how much i get, too.

Got to go feed my little one. :)

At home

Marc had to run and get a few more baby items from Buy Buy Baby. I never bought any newborn t-shirts and have only onsies. But we need t-shirts while he has the umbilical cord still not healed.

Marc also got a diaper pail kind of thing. We haven't started on the cloth yet (not ready to do this much laundry after c section). And he got one of those swipe and read thermometers. Parker felt a bit warm to me today and all we had was a rectal one, which is good but I would rather restrain from using it to only when really necessary.

I have to say C section is tough. The surgery itself is not bad but now I feel pretty useless. I can hardly walk and getting out of bed is horrible. I feel like I'm going to tear my stitches all the time and I'm all swollen from my belly button down. I can't believe there are women who actually sign up for that.

2 days

We are going home tonight. I have 'staples' on the outside of my belly instead of stitches (stitches on the inside layers, of course) and they will be taking them off at 5. We can leave right after. Can't wait too!

BF is going well. Parker latched on right after they gave him to me (about 30 min after his birth). Then we had some trouble yesterday when he wouldn't eat. Then last night he ate beautifully and today he did too. I now know that he needs longer breaks, 3-4h, instead of 2-3h limited by hospital.

PARKER IS HERE!

Parker Tadeusz Scott is here! Born on September 7, 2011 at 6:47 pm, 7 lbs 15 oz, 21 inches.

Ended up with C section, they won't deliver breech naturally. :( Everything went smooth though. I love watching Marc holding him. :) Pictures soon.

40w3d: Let's have this baby!

12:20 PM:
On my way home from the midwifes office. Apparently I'm 9.5 cm dilated. She couldn't believe it and even called another midwife to check me and confirm. She is coming home with us now and had me call the birth assistant. We will try nipple stimulation and if this doesn't work, she will break my water.

5:30 PM:
Looks like he turned and is head up. Heading to hospital now. :(

40w3d: Still waiting

My contractions subsided all together, haven't had one since 8 am. It's possible that it will stop for a few days. Going to see my midwife at noon. I will ask her to do internal to see where I am. I mentally need to know I made progress after 24+ of labor!

It looks like we are starting from scratch here. I'm starting to get mild contractions again. Timing them as I'll want to tell the midwife at 12. Going to take a shower now, will see which way it will push me. :)

40w2d: Not yet... :(

16.5 h of labor and everything slowed down. My midwife said I may be one of those 2 day labor people. I am definitely at least 3 cm, maybe more, as I felt it myself when I was laboring in the aqua doula. But they (midwifes) don't come that early unless something is wrong so I don't know for sure. Now the contractions are 20-30 min apart. :/ They said the goal now is to rest. If it picks up, great, if not, we will wait. The contractions are pretty painful, so the fact that they are getting more spaced out is really annoying. How long is it going to last? I am getting really tired. :(

40w2d: Starting?

I went to bed last night about midnight but couldn't sleep because of back pain. Then I realized the pain was moving to front. Started timing and turned out I was having contractions every 10-8 min. Woke Marc up and called midwife. She said to try to sleep and call in 2h. Couldn't sleep, cleaned up the upstairs. Called again. She said everything seems normal and try to sleep again because I'll be tired later.

I'm taking a bath now and trying to relax. Contractions every 4-5 min, not very painful yet but getting there. Looks like Parker will be Sept 6 baby!

40w1d: Still nothing

My "real" contractions are now gone. None since about two days ago. But I think I may have had the nesting thing yesterday. Cleaned up the shed, dining room, and threw a BBQ for 10. :)

39w6d: Tomorrow?

I'm starting to have some 'real' contractions (as opposed to Braxton hicks). They hurt a bit but they are rare and very irregular so far. I hard 5 or 6 yesterday and one last night. Perhaps it's a sign that Parker will come right on time, i.e. tomorrow?

I still want to go to IKEA today to get a shelf for my living room and baskets for Park's new bookcase, and to Buy Buy Baby to return the rest of the stuff I have to return and get a car mirror and a few other things. We will see how it goes.

39w5d: Quick update

My ticker says: 39 weeks 5 days pregnant. About 2 days to go." I still can't believe it! After all this, I am so happy! I spent last Labor Day waiting for a D&C with a dead baby in my tummy. I still miss my two previous babies. Parker is very much alive and I love when he reminds me of that, even though sometimes it means a foot in the rib cage. :)

I haven't posted for a while and now have a lot to say.

Today is my Friday off. I cleaned up my office yesterday and took my "travel" computer home. I am ready not to go back on Tuesday. :)

We finally put the rug back in the basement, as it is completely dry and doesn't smell any more (details later). :) We also ordered a new rug for our living room (the one that used to be there went to Parker's room). I can't wait until it gets here.

More later, have to get in the shower now. Having lunch with G in 25 min!

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It's 7.30 pm now, I am back. Just wanted to report that we got and hang the mobile over the crib. It's a simple one, Flensted Elephant Party Mobile, and it looks absolutely gorgeous! I also figured out what to put in the empty space next to the crib: B&W pictures! I have two large white frames left (the question remains: where are they?). I want to put one of my pregnancy pictures and one of DH with Parker (after P is born, of course). Since they will be B&W, and located in the very opposite corner of the room, they will provide a nice balance for the b&W guitar over the glider. I am so excited! Pictures to follow.

Also, I have been having very irregular but somewhat painful contractions today. I must have had about 5 or 6 all total, so not even once an hour. I don't think this means anything other than the fact that I am coming close to my due date. I am hoping to finish everything on my list tomorrow and Sunday, and that Parker comes on Monday. That would be PERFECT (although I really don't believe it will really happen in such a convenient way). :)