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Pregnancy

A Mother’s Day Gift

May 8, 2010 · 7 comments

This year’s Mother’s Day is going to be a lot less exciting compared to last year’s.

I spent several hours at the hospital the day before last Mother’s Day. I went in after waking up that morning with spotting and what felt like cramping. It was almost five weeks before my due date. The doctor monitored me for a long time, gave me a couple doses of  Terbutaline, and sent me home.

The Labor and Delivery staff assured me that the baby wasn’t coming yet, and I was probably just having very strong Braxton Hicks contractions.

When I woke up on Mother’s Day I was still having the contractions, and they seemed to be getting stronger and closer together.

I was supposed to be resting, but I tidied up the house a little, and made sure my hospital suitcase was ready. I just had a feeling I needed to be ready to go.

Then I sat on the couch, and started keeping track of how frequent the contractions were, and how long they lasted.

Since it was Mother’s Day, Dave started making lunch for me. It seemed like a really long time as I sat there keeping track of everything. I wondered if he was going to finish lunch before we had to go to the hospital. But I waited patiently. I didn’t want to spoil it.

Dave did finish lunch, and I ate it knowing it might be awhile before I could eat real food again. It was delicious, but as soon as I took my last bite, I called the hospital again.

They told me I could come in to get checked if it would make me feel better. So we packed ourselves in the car. We took David with us too thinking they’d probably just send us home again.

The hospital is about 25 minutes away from our house, and on they way there the contractions started to really get uncomfortable.

The nurses only monitored me for a few minutes, and decided to check us into a room.

My doctor just happened to be on call that afternoon. He came into see me, and he was still skeptical at that point. He said I was dilated three centimeters, but wanted to observe me a longer.

He came back and checked again an hour or so later. I was dilated 7 centimeters by that time, and 70% effaced. Finally he believed me that I really was in labor.

The contractions were definitely painful by then. I remember the doctor said to me, “I know you’re in labor, because you look really uncomfortable. You were still a little too happy last time I talked to you.”

My in-laws picked up David, and drove him back to our house. Then my parents came and took him to their house where he stayed until I was out of the hospital.

I was scheduled to have a planned C-section on June 4th, because my oldest son was also delivered by C-section.

The doctor tried  to talk  me into having a VBAC since I was already so far along, and settled into a birthing room. But I was so rattled from everything happening so quickly and unexpectedly. I insisted on going with the C-section. I think because it was the one thing I could still control.

I do regret that decision now. The recovery from surgery the first time was easy, but it was much more difficult the second time around.

As soon as the doctor said he would notify the OR, nurses came into prep me. It was amazing how fast it all went after that. Less than 30 minutes later I was on the table getting the spinal inserted in my back.

Oh, sweet relief! No more contractions as soon as the spinal took effect. I was numb from chest to toe, and I felt better than I had since the cramping first started the day before.

After that it was all a routine C-Section.

There was some concern about the baby being small because he was early. I laid there waiting to hear the him cry so that I would know he was OK.

And he was! Wade Campbell Stout was born at 8:12 p.m. May 10th, 2009, healthy, and perfect.

Wade is such a happy, sweet little boy. He’s a blessing, and joyful addition to our family. He and big brother David are are already good buddies. They laugh and giggle together all the time.

Tomorrow family is coming over to celebrate Mother’s Day and Wade’s first birthday a day early.

No, Mother’s Day won’t be as exciting, but it should be more relaxing this year.

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Giveaway: Hands Free Pumping Bustier from Simple Wishes

February 2, 2010 · 30 comments

The Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bustier is the latest solution for busy moms.

Affordable and attractive the Hands Free Pumping Bustier allows mom to multi-task. Instead of holding the breast pump mom can hold a book, cuddle her little one or just relax. The bustier is completely adjustable to fit each mom just right.

The Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bustier was created by four sisters with years of experience in the fashion industry. As moms themselves they wanted to develop a stylish and functional product that would make life easier for other women.

Visit Simple Wishes site for more information or to purchase.

Simple Wishes is giving away a Hands Free Pumping Bustier to one Mommie Daze reader. To enter leave a comment telling me how this product would make your life easier.

Extra entries:

Earn one extra entry for each of the following. Leave a separate comment for each task that you complete.

1. Subscribe to Mommie Daze

2. Follow me on Twitter

3. Tweet the about the contest (Make sure to include @mommiedaze in the tweet)

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6. Blog about the contest linking to this post

7. Fan Mommie Daze on Facebook.

Extra entries will be verified.

The contest is open to US residents over the age of 18. It ends at 11:59 February 8th. The winner will be chosen randomly, and notified by email.

Disclaimer: Product information was provided by Simple Wishes.

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Two Years is a Long Time to Marinate

July 3, 2009 · 1 comment

I really thought I was done.

Like the meat thermometer doesn’t go any higher, the chicken is all dried out done.

But I had a twinge the other day.

Already?

I’m not even recovered from the most recent total life-altering one.

I was shopping. I don’t remember where. I saw a very pregnant mom-to-be. And I actually felt a little sad that I wasn’t pregnant anymore.

That totally blindsided me because I don’t like being pregnant. And this last time I was so sick and miserable for so much of it, I was relieved when Wade came a month early as soon as I learned there weren’t any complications from him being slightly premature.

I’m so sleep deprived right now, and struggling to keep up with a newborn and four-year-old that I think, “You’re crazy for wanting to do this again!”

The doctor told me after the C-section that I could have one more, but that I needed to wait two years to let everything heal. Originally he’d said Wade would be my last if I didn’t have a VBAC this time. And at the time It didn’t matter because I thought I wanted Wade to be my last.

Two years is a long time. I’d be that much closer to 40. And do I really don’t want to be plagued with headaches and nausea and fatigue for months again? Do I really want to put my body through that again? It was more difficult to recover this time.

I was never one of those girls who dreamed of  being a mom. I didn’t even really play house growing up. I was sort of take it or leave it when it came to a family. I mean it was something I thought I’d do, but it wasn’t something I had to do. Then once I had two I was sure it would be enough.

I can think of a million reasons why I shouldn’t.

But there’s the one big reason I should.

Well, I guess we’ll wait and see how I feel two years from now.

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What Do You Mean You Broke my Eggs?

May 20, 2009 · 9 comments

So when you watch medical dramas on TV the doctors are always discussing the sordid details of their love life or their fantastic weekend in Vale while removing someone’s spleen, right? Well, it’s pretty much like that in real life. You find that out if you ever have a C-section with a spinal instead of general anesthesia.

I got to listen in on a very deep theological discussion between my doctor, who is Hindu, and the assisting surgeon and medical student, both Catholic Notre Dame grads, while they were delivering Wade. Then they got on the subject of Obama speaking at Notre Dame, and finally they talked about what a nice city South Bend is. I almost jumped in and said, “Hey, I went to college near South Bend too,” but wasn’t sure if it’s proper etiquette to shout over the paper curtain to your doctor while he’s stitching your uterus back together.

If you’ve ever had a C-section you also know that before they close you up they check your uterus and all the surrounding tissue and organs to make sure nothing was punctured or damaged during the procedure. I over heard this as well:

“O.K. I see one ovary. Where is the other? Do you see it?”

“Uh…no. Hmmm. That’s strange.”

“Let’s see…No, it’s not there. I’m pretty sure it’s not there.” (I heard just a hint of panic in Dr. R’s voice at that point.) He leaned around the curtain. “Colleen? I only see one ovary?”

“What? What do you mean there’s only one? They were both there yesterday!”

Alright, I didn’t say that, but I did think about it for half a second. I reminded Dr. R. that my eggs were all in one basket because I had an ovary removed years ago when it had a cyst on it.

I could see the the look of relief wash over his face, even with his mask on.

“Yes! Oh, yes! I remember you telling me that now.”

Stapling the incision was the last step before my surgery was finished. They asked the medical student to do that.

“How do you use this?”

“No one ever showed you how to use a stapler before?” I detected exasperation in the assisting surgeon’s voice.

“No,” the med student said sheepishly.

Not what I wanted to hear as I lay there imagining literally coming apart at the seams because the kid did it wrong.

“Just like this.” I heard a click  as the assisting surgeon demonstrated. “Now you.” I heard another click. “No. No. Like this.” Another click.

There were several more clicks. More than seemed necessary to cover the few inches of my incision.

When the nurse took the staples out the day I left the hospital she remarked that the staples didn’t seem quite right.

Oh, well.

I’m still in one piece.

Save the missing ovary.

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I Guess the Dr. Cleared his Schedule for Me

May 1, 2009 · 3 comments

Remember the OBGYN who I couldn’t pin down on an exact date for my C-section?

I just got a letter in the mail that states: (A form letter no less.)

Dear Colleen,

Your surgery is scheduled for June 4th, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. Please report to Labor and Delivery at 7:00 a.m. on the day of surgery.

Well, I guess that’s settled.

Really?

Good grief!

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What I Did this Weekend (Because it is SO Interesting)

April 26, 2009 · 1 comment

1. I spent Friday and Saturday recovering from stomach flu. (See this for David’s take on my illness.) For everyone freaking out over the latest doomsday news story, don’t worry. I am positive it was not the Swine Flu.

2. Friday it reached 86 degrees here. That’s way, way above normal for April 24th in Michigan. We turned on our central air. It didn’t work. We’re spoiled, and 86 degrees feels like Death Valley after months of temps below freezing. It didn’t help that I am almost 8 months pregnant and was recovering from the stomach flu. Definably calling the repair man first thing Monday morning.

3. We opened up all the windows and turned on every fan we could find. Then rain and a lot of wind kicked up. It blew in from the west. There is a freshly plowed field of rich, black soil immediately west of our house. Most of that lovely top soil coated everything in our kitchen. Black dust everywhere. Gross. And the rain didn’t even cool it off.

4. We, when I say we here I mean Dave, finished moving the laundry room to the basement so that we can turn that room upstairs into the nursery for Wade. It only required three trips to Home Depot in two days. Not bad. I think we’ve been there five or six times in one day before. It is such a relief to have that finished. Dave is a pretty handy guy to have around, but he’s particularly good with PVC pipe and Purple Primer. He is my plumbing hero right now.

5. Saturday it rained most of the day so it wasn’t quit as hot. That night I was feeling better and took David to the grocery store with me. We drove home in a bad thunderstorm during which the sky turned pink. I’ve seen the sky turn green, and that usually means there’s a tornado near by. Don’t know what pink means, but it was “a little creepy” as David said. Creepy is one of his favorite new words.

6. Sunday I felt well enough to realize that the house was a disaster after my languishing on the couch for two days and all the moving of appliances and black dirt everywhere. The laundry room was a catch-all too, so now that’s all in the basement. I’ve renamed the basement “The Pit”, because it’s become the new dumping ground. It’s got to be cleaned up before Wade arrives, because the guest room is down there and my mom will be staying there. Guess what I’ll be doing this week? At least it’s cool in the basement.

7. It was hot again on Sunday. And humid after all the rain. We went to get ice cream. I saw two other pregnant women at the Ice Cream shop when I was there. I guess it’s true what they say about pregnant women and ice cream.

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32 Weeks and Counting

April 16, 2009 · 4 comments

I was all excited to have new 3D Ultrasound pictures of Wade to post today, but he just wouldn’t pose for us.

Wade is still breech, and he’s all curled up on my right side. His face was turned away, and the technician couldn’t get any good pictures. I don’t imagine I’ll have another ultrasound, so I guess I’ll just have to wait for June to see his little face again. She did say he weights about 4 lbs. 3 oz. and everything still looks normal, so that’s good news.

David was his usual curious self, asking the technician a thousand questions. He loves to listen to the heartbeat, and kept asking to hear it over and over again. Thank goodness she’s a very patient woman with a four year old boy of her own.

For some reason when I lie flat on my back on the ultrasound table I start to get dizzy and feel nauseous. Does this happen to anyone else? It’s strange. I can lie on the table at the doctor’s office and it doesn’t bother me. But the ultrasound table sits at a different angle, and it’s really hard and uncomfortable. I had to  roll over on my side to keep from getting sick.

I have to admit I cheated with the water a little bit this time. I only drank 16 oz. instead of the recommended 24, and I didn’t start until about an hour before my appointment. I also used the bathroom about four times in the 30 minutes before I started drinking the water. And I ate Oatmeal for breakfast instead of cereal. I figured I didn’t need the extra liquid from the milk in my bladder. It made things a lot more tolerable, and I wasn’t yearning for a restroom quite as badly. I still say this is cruel and unusual punishment, however.

I was 32 weeks yesterday, but really only have 7 weeks left since the doctor is planning on doing the the C-Section about one week before my due date. I meet with him Tuesday, and I think we will officially schedule the birthday.

Now we just have to get the Wade’s bedroom set up, and I guess we’ll be ready.

As ready as you can be, anyway.

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