Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts

Monday, March 22, 2010

The End of the Road

Caution: this post contains TMI-it is about boobs and milk making. (Stop reading Cas, Dad and any other men...)







OK: I think I may have come to the end of the road on the breastfeeding. You know I've been pumping exclusively since Emma's birth. The actual breastfeeding didn't work out so well. But she has been getting the breastmilk. Some of you may remember when I had an issue at about 8 weeks with making milk. Well, I got on Reglan. I was on it for awhile-like almost 5 months. You are not supposed to take it longer than 12 weeks. So, I got off it last Wednesday. My milk production has dropped to nil. It is so low I am only getting about 10 ounces per day. Emma eats 7 ounces PER BOTTLE. This is a problem. I have about 100 pounds (literally) of frozen milk. I send the frozen milk to her daycare, so she won't be off breastmilk immediately. But, I really wanted to do this till her first birthday, and I don't know if the frozen milk will last that long.


Does anyone know anything about being on the Reglan longer than you are supposed to? Any advice? I have tried fenugreek and thistleweed. I drink loads of water but it's probably still not enough. And stress is a constant factor in everyone's life, so that is just always there.


Have any of you gone through this?? Advice, tips, etc to share? I am going to keep pumping, but it is really discouraging when you get so little out!
And I'm pumping as I type this. Multi-task much? :D
Happy Wednesday, I'm off to go to WW in about 2 hours. Gotta empty all that milk-it weighs something! :D
And I just realized I left my gym bag at home-what to do? Go home and get it, or just not go? Hmmmmmmm........






Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Brain Fart?

Apparently having a baby and not working since May makes one forget how to do simple math. For example, this morning I posted a "One Month" post for Emma, only to be gently reminded by my dear friend Jen, that today is not Emma's one month birthday. Yikes-she is four weeks old today, and will be one month on September 4th. Get with the program Sus.

Monday, August 10, 2009

SJE's, "A Labor Story"

We've all watched TLC's "A Baby Story," right? Well, this is my version of it-my labor story. So, if you don't want TMI, stop reading now.

OK, that was your chance. I'm bout ta tell it like it was.

I am a Mexican whore-I LOVE Mexican food-and all through my pregnancy, I ate Mexican like it was going out of style. Several times, I had myself convinced that I was in preterm labor because I overate cheese dip and taco salad and had ma-jah gas pains! MA-JAH (that's from my bestie Laura). Anyway, on Monday August 3, I was scheduled to be induced at 8:30 pm. So, hubs and my mom and I went for my last preggo meal, Mexican! We left at 7:45 and walked outside. Hubs was helping my huge ass into the car, when I felt it: trickling down below! Now I had myself convinced that I was NOT going to have all the normal labor stuff, because I was getting induced. So imagine my surprise when I feel what I can only assume is my water breaking! Ewww, it was gross interesting. For the whole 1 mile ride home, I attempted to levitate my fanny off the seat so I wasn't feeling it. Anyway, we get home, I do an inspection, and decide OK, this is really happening. Forty five minutes before I'm due to be induced, she decides she is coming out on her own!

Well then I get a contraction. I guess I had been having them all day, but didn't know what they were-they feel like period pains-cramps. Now, all of a sudden they were getting ramped up! Dude, like 3 minutes apart. Well, if you know me, you know I'm a drama queen bit dramatic, and I was all like, "We are not having this baby on GA 400, get me to the hospital STAT!" Cue hubs, driving 90 down GA 400 to get me there! We screech up to the L&D entrance, just like we practiced at our tour. I go in to the admissions desk while he parks the car. As I am standing there saying, "I am in labor," more water breakage occurs, splashing out on the floor, in front of a maintenance man and a Chinese couple. All are clearly not amused, and maybe even grossed out?? I can't imagine why. The admissions clerk gives me two towels (like, just birth it right here woman!!) and tells me to take a seat, a nurse will be right with me. OMG-srsly?? I am in labor and you want me to wait?!?! I begin texting the free world. This is where I could insert my need for an iPhone and/or Twitter. Ahem, hubs.


Ten minutes later, hubs and nurse come for me simultaneously. We go back to my "suite." Srsly, it is pimp tight. Very large and nice for a birthing suite. My nurse was freakin rad! Lauren was her name. She needs a shout out for dealing with me. And she got to learn my lingo~she was diggin it. Well, at this point when she checked me, I was 3 cm. And I was NOT down with much more pain. So, I requested my enema-ahahahaha! After that bathroom dalliance, I was ready for anesthesia. It was sometime in the middle of the night-I mean we didn't even get checked in and such till about 9:30. So maybe it was like 12:00-I get my epidural-BEST.THING.EVER. I am trying to rest/sleep, as is hubs, when I am greeted by my two long lost hoochie friends, Em and Laura. Am I hallucinating? I wish I had a picture of these two sketchballs rolling in my hospital room at 1:00 in the morning. They were "bored" and wanted to come see me before it got "too bad!" Ha! I was cracking up! Laura wrote some hilarious posts on all this at her blog, Groovin with the Grizas. They kept the laughs coming and I supplied the horror with my contractions/pain screeching. Laura may never give birth now, and I'm pretty sure Emily wants her fetus to stay inside.


So, we keep rolling, and it is the next day. At my next check, I was at 6 cm. It was probably about middle of the day on Tuesday. I was getting pretty miserable because all of my epidurals kept wearing off-yah, I said epiduralS. I got pretty cozy with the anesthesiologists-all 5 of them. Pretty sure that drug bill will be ENORMOUS. I kept losing the numbness on the left side. So anyway, by this point, I was about OVER IT. Plus, I now had a fever of close to 100-not cool-and the baby was not diggin it.


Fast forward to about 4:00-my doc comes in to check me-I was at 8 cm. I was starting to get excited-this is it, it's about to happen! He says, "Oh, by the way, you are not progressing fast enough. We may have to talk about options soon." Options in hospital speak for pregnant people =c section. My worst nightmare. Ask any of my friends, my fear was laboring then having to have a c section. I had been in labor for NINETEEN HOURS at this point-and now you want to jack me up and cut me open?!?! No thank you, I do not want to be bedridden and miz for 89 weeks. BUT, I am not down with laboring another hour, still being at 8, THEN having to do a c section. So I really suck it down and say, OK, for this kid whom I already adore, I will do ANYTHING. So cut me open.

Oh friends, so many misconceptions. Might I now add that a c section is THE.BEST.WAY.EVER to give birth. I will have 97 more c sections with all subsequent pregnancies. Srsly-my foof is still intact and I could use the bathroom without my insides falling out. Yeah, I said it.


Back to the story: I FLIP out on husby-he tries to calm me, then the nurse tech comes in to prep me-full on: new epidural, SHAVE the area, take blood, etc. All I know is once you give me a new epidural, you can pretty much do WHATEV you want to me. I vaguely remember telling the nurse when she is wheeling me to the OR, "I watch TLC, I know what y'all are about to do to me. I am so imagining everything. I'm scared!" She was damning television at that point (as well as my ability to talk.)


Enter the OR-of course just like on television, husby has to stay outside till I'm "ready." Once he comes in, the show begins. I am just imagining everything I see on TLC and slightly wigging. I kept asking the nurses what would happen if I barfed-especially once I was cut open. They were like, "Chill woman-we will give you a barf pan." So the doctor and surgical assistants are just chatting it up about BS, and I'm like, "Srsly, are you talking about this crap while you are CUTTING me open? Shutup and focus." Then I hear my OB say, "Hey dude!" I lost it-I'm all like, "Husband, it's a boy!?!?!? What the.....?!?!?!" (This was another BIG fear of mine-I was certain that all the ultrasounds were wrong and that I would have a boy named Emma with a pink and brown nursery.)


THEN-my little girl comes out! I see them carry her over my head to the little bassinet to do her check up-ahhh, she is amazing! I am so impatient waiting to see her! Hubs goes to take pictures of her and check on her. She is perfect, a gift from GOD. Long awaited.


Overall, it was a perfect labor. No complications, minus the late c section. Let me leave you with a picture of the event. Yeah, it was awesome. Pretty sure we will be doing this again soon.



Sunday, August 2, 2009

Numbers

This pregnancy has been full of numbers. I thought I would share some with you.

40-how many weeks I am today!
264-the number of times I have had to take my blood since finding out I am gestational diabetes
66-the number of times I have had to pee on a "ketostix" to check my ketones since finding out I am gestational diabetes
280-the number of days I have thanked God for this baby!
200-bowls of ice cream I have eaten during pregnancy
17-the jars of peanut butter I have eaten during pregnancy
49-the number of emotional breakdowns I have had during pregnancy
5-the minimum number of times I get up in the night to pee
138-the number of times I have checked iPregnancy on my apps
195-the number of naps I have taken during pregnancy
77-the number of times she has woken me up for food
8-the number of times I have "thought" I was in labor
37-the number of pounds I have gained during pregnancy
<48-the number of hours left until we meet her!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have our final appointment tomorrow morning at 9:15, and then we will either A)go to the hospital for induction, or B) find out I am progressing normally and let me go (ha!).

Now, since this is a product of me and hubs, we know she will be A)stubborn, and B)late. So don't hold your breath on labor today/tonight. I'm not!

Thank you all for your support and love throughout this pregnancy! It means a lot to us, and we are ready to share our little angelina with you!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

OCD much???


First of all, two posts in one day! I know, right?

OK, so the title-OCD much-I was thinking today how much time I waste doing this, and I thought I would share. See, I've always been OCD-not like the real kind where you touch doorknobs and turn three times before leaving a room and shizzle, but like Overly Clean Disorder. So, with this kid due any SECOND now, I am in FULL ON nesting/OCD mode. Every day if when I leave the house, I have to do the following things, JUST IN CASE I go into labor while I am out and about:


-Make bed

-Drain/wipe off and put away air humidifier

-Clean up bathroom after getting ready

-Clean up closet (pick up hubs dirty clothes, etc)

-Dry dust with a sock (every friggin day-stop!)

-Organize nightstands


Go downstairs and:

-Make sure breakfast dishes are in dishwasher

-Reorganize pantry and refrigerator

-Fluff pillows and fold blankets around couches and chairs

-Clorox wipe all counters

-Dustbuster giant hairballs off floor (although since this is a daily occurrence, there are never giant dustballs, just large ones)

-Contemplate vacuuming/sweeping, then decide I don't give that much of a crap


Now, this is all for when the "visitors" (read-parental units-both sets) get here and take over the house. Heaven forbid if they think the house if unclean. Today I even left a NOTE on the fridge for them on where to find things like extra water, cokes, dog leashes, and paper towels. Seriously, I need to GIVE BIRTH so that this crap isn't important.


But, at least when I come home, it will all be nice, just like I left it. (Hint, Hint Parentals).


Oh, and the best part-I forget my hospital bag EVERY DAY. Yeah, so we'll have a clean house and no crap for the hospital. Awesome!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Last Free Weekend (?) Hopefully...

Tonight, hubs and I are going to Kani House for some sushi (him) and other gastronomical delights (me). Then we are renting a movie and vegging. Tomorrow, the Flash doggle has to go to the doctor-I want him to get on Xanax for his OCD licking of the paw and scratching of the ear, but I think he has an ear infection/something in the paw. We shall see-riveting, I know.

Saturday, our dear friends Johnny and LeaAnna are coming over to eat dinner with us-maybe I will go into labor! That's what happened to LeaAnna with her first-we were all eating together and that night she went into labor-fingers crossed-I will be 39 weeks. I tell ya, we live it up in the Edwards' household. To quote hubs favorite person (Kenny Powers), we are going to, "get up in it," this weekend.

Edge of your seats huh? I'm sure I will update you periodically. :D
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Let's get this party started...

So, I feel like I'm being really impatient about labor starting and stuff, but...I have a confession to make: I have gone through this whole pregnancy thinking I would never go all the way to forty weeks, and heaven forbid, past that!

Ya see, I have THE Gestational Diabetes. So most of us (me, hubs, parents, friends, even my docs) were thinking: induction around 38 weeks or so due to the size of the baby. Well, at my 32 week US, the ESTIMATE was 5 lb 13 oz! Holy Crap, right? So at my 37 week check up, the other doc ESTIMATES she is close to 6 1/2 or 7 and that he won't let me go all the way to my due date of August 2nd. Hmmm.

At yesterday's check up, doc says, "We'll just see what's going on next week. I don't want to induce before 39 weeks because you'll probably have to have a c-section." For the love...of indecision and confusion. (For the love is my FAVE saying). I officially have until the 2nd, and that's not even for sure, since most first pregnancies go past their due date. It is called an Estimated Due Date for a reason.

Anyway, I am wanting some natural, safe labor starters-and before you tell me to have sex and go on a walk-SIB (that's one of my preferred sayings, and if you can figure it out, yay you!) I'm not down with any kind of gettin' it on right now, and I walk EVERY night for THE diabetes. So, what can I do-and don't tell me to be patient either. I've never been good at that. As you can tell-:D