Last Thursday we had our 34 week doctor appointment (just 2 days before I was 35 weeks, so I guess it's more of my 35 week appointment, but whatever). My appointment was at 4PM, so Hays was able to come too! We met at the doctor's office since we both came straight from work. We knew at this appointment that we would be having an ultrasound to determine Brady's position- so we were both really excited to see him (and REALLY hoping he had changed positions to be head-down).
We get called back to the ultrasound soon after 4PM and I told the ultrasound tech that I had a pretty good feeling that Brady was still head up, but was hopeful that I was wrong. Sure enough, she put the "wand" (I don't know what to call it) on my belly and Brady's head was right up there between my ribs! Darn it, I was RIGHT! She did a few measurements while we were in there and looked at some of his organs. His head measured at 9cm across and 11cm in length. WHOA- that's a lot of head, Brady Man (it has to be big to hold that big brain, right?)! It sure is a pretty head!!! We couldn't see much of his face this time because he is getting pretty cramped in there. His head, legs and arms are all basically on one side of my belly (the left side), so the ultrasound tech couldn't get a full view of his face for us (even though she did try with the 3D wand too)! Oh well, I guess we get to see him in real life soon enough! His organs were functioning well, she showed us his little diaphragm on the screen and said he was "practicing breathing" for when he's born in a few weeks. It was pretty neat to see! His little heart was beating at a beautiful 131bpm, too! I just love that sound! She estimated he weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces (2 pounds and 1 oz. more than he did at 30 weeks)- WOW! I have 5 pound bag of sugar in my belly- that's just wild to me! One thing that we did ask about was hair, because we thought we saw some on the 3D ultrasound, but she said you can only see that in 2D, so she went back and looked at it and sure enough she said she could see some. So, Brady's definitely got some hair....how much we're not sure!
During the ultrasound the tech performed a BPP test (biophysical profile test) and Brady scored an 8 out of 8! I am so proud of my smart little guy- he's already acing tests (clearly he gets this from his father, because I just had to google "acing" because it didn't look like it was spelled right....it is)! The BPP test measures breathing, movement, muscle tone, heart rate, and amniotic fluid. I am so relieved to hear that all of these things look good for baby Brady! I didn't even know they were going to do the test, which is good, because I would have worried! But it turns out there was nothing to worry about at all. He's just perfect! :)
After the ultrasound we had to go back into the waiting room, and then after about 10 minutes we were called back for our appointment with Dr. Schell. All the usual stuff went down: weight (gained 3 more pounds for a total of 20 so far), blood pressure (120/78- still doing good there), and urine sample (which, and I'm sorry if this is TMI, looked like WATER- seriously, I feel like a camel sometimes as much water as I'm drinking- I guess my "hump" is my baby bump)! Dr. Schell then came in and asked what we wanted to do since we know that Brady is still breech. I told her we didn't want to do version (it makes me nervous- and she said she agreed with that decision), we just wanted to schedule a C-section. She performs surgeries on Mondays and Tuesdays, so we chose Tuesday, March 22, 2011 to have little Brady. This is 4 days before my scheduled due date, but she thought it would be a good time. If we waited until the next Tuesday, he may have decided to come on his own before then! I asked her what happened if I went into labor before 3/22 and she said that I would just come into the hospital then and we would do the C-section that day. I hope this doesn't happen, though, I think 3/22/11 sounds like the perfect birthday for little man!
Once we schedule the C-Section she recommended that I go ahead and schedule my PAT (pre-admission testing) with Central Baptist Hospital for the day before too, so I have that on the books as well. This involves paperwork and a blood test of some sort. I will be doing this at 8AM on Monday, March 21st. I also went ahead and scheduled my next two doctor's appointments for the next two Thursdays- I am going every week now! I am excited- I love going to the doctor!
Once the appointment was over Hays and I had to head directly to Healthworx in Lexington Green because we had our Infant CPR class that evening! In total it was 5.5 hours of baby time on Thursday but we had fun! My friend, Nancy, who is one week behind me in her pregnancy was also in the CPR class, so it was fun to get to hang out with her! The class was different than I expected, it was 3.5 hours long but probably only 1 hour was spent on CPR, the rest was spent on other information about babies (first aid, sleeping tips, general safety, etc.). I am SO glad we went. I really, really, really hope I never have to use the skills I am now certified for, but it is comforting to know that if I have to use them at least I will know what I'm doing. :)
Monday, February 21, 2011
35 Weeks!
Pregnancy Highlights
How Far Along: 35 Weeks
Size of baby: As of our appointment on Thursday, Brady is around 5 lbs. 3 oz. - about the size of a honeydew melon
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 20 lbs
Maternity Clothes: I am getting to the point where there are about 5 items I like and I wear them in rotation! ;) Oh well, I am sure the fashion police are more forgiving when you're 8 months pregnant!
Movement: He's still pretty active, especially at night. I love putting things on my belly and watching him move them! He's an entertainer for sure!
Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good overall, I usually get up at least once to pee and at least once because I'm hot! But I'm getting used to it and can usually go right back to sleep!
What I miss: Not missing anything too bad, really!
Cravings: I still haven't had any weird cravings, I was REALLY hoping to crave salad or broccoli, but it just wasn't in the cards, I guess! I have been "craving" water, if that's possible. I am a camel!
Symptoms: Still having the random heartburn, mostly in the evenings, but it's subtantially better than it had been. I'm also starting to have a little swelling in my feet (especially at the end of the day)! And my belly button is officially NOTHING like what it was pre-pregnancy- currently it is almost flat, but at certain times of the day depending on Brady's position it can turn into more of a slit (or a "Chinese eye" as Hays like to call it)!
Best Moment this week: Hays and I traveled home this weekend for a wedding that he was in (one of his best friends from high school). It was great to see everyone and great to go home to Greenville one last time as a family of TWO. The next time we go home we will have a little Brady!!!! :)
Monday, February 14, 2011
34 Weeks!
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 34 Weeks (just 6 weeks left- eek!)
Size of Baby: Brady is the size of a large cantaloupe (up to 22 inches and 5.5 pounds)
Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am to the point where (a) I am only wearing maternity clothes and (b) I am only wearing my favorites/most comfortable maternity clothes. So...my coworkers are not getting a lot of variety! ;) I'm sure they don't judge me!
Movement: Brady's moving a lot, and still feeling like he might break through my belly at time- that macho man! I am keeping my fingers crossed that when we go to the doctor on Thursday that he's MOVED his way around to be head down!
Sleep: Sleeping good, but I'm talking like a crazy person in the middle of the night. Last night I "woke up" to go to the bathroom and when Hays asked what I was doing I said "I'm going to birthday spit", he said "What?" and I repeated "I'm going to birthday spit", then he said "That doesn't make any sense! What does that mean?", apparently that's when I sort of woke up and tried to explain myself. My best attempt at which was "I guess I meant I'm going to pee and put on my birthday suit"! Whew- who even knows!?!?!
What I Miss: Putting my shoes on without seeing stars.....getting out of bed without making a grunting noise! ;) Okay, seriously...it's not always that bad but sometimes I sound like I'm 140 years old!
Cravings: Nothing really crazy this week, just drinking a LOT of water. I go to the fridge and chug one glass before I pour myself another. I'm mildly addicted! This could be why I have to pee about 700 times a day!
Symptoms: Still having the random heartburn, mood swings (says Hays, I prefer to call them moments of INTENSE EMOTION)! ;)
Best Moment This Week: In the last week we have had three baby showers thrown by our favorite people in the world: my Alpha Gam girls last weekend, my mom's family on Saturday, and Hays' church on Sunday! We are SO BLESSED to have such amazing people in our lives that love us and love baby Brady! They have definitely spoiled us! There will be detailed posts to follow of all our showers! :)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Happy Birthday, J Baby!!!
Today, Carly (one of my very best friends in the whole wide world) is being induced so that she can have her sweet, precious, little Jameson! I am so excited for her and her husband Jon and I can't wait to lay my eyes on that sweet little J Baby! I know he is already so loved! Carly and Jon will be excellent parents- I have no doubt. I think Carly's been talking about having babies since I met her almost 9 years ago (whoa- has it been that long?!?). She and Jon were MADE for this!
Happy Birthday, J Baby!
Please join me in praying for their family of three today!
Dear Lord, I ask that you be with Carly and Jon today as they prepare for the arrival of little Jameson. I pray that you keep everyone calm and give them peace knowing that you are with them every step of the way. I ask that you give the doctors and nurses the knowledge and skills to do just exactly what is right for Jameson, and that he is brought into this world smoothly and without a hitch. Lord, I know that you have been preparing Jon and Carly for this for far longer than any of us know- please give them the confidence to know they will be great parents! Thank you for your many blessings and for allowing me to share the majority of my pregnancy with Carly. I am so grateful for her friendship and the blessings of our little boys! In Jesus' name, Amen!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Daycare Decisions
Last week, I finally found the time to visit the 2 other daycares I wanted to see before we made our decision on where baby Brady would be going. Well, I'm really glad I did because I loved both of them and one is now my new favorite! Yay! I visited Bethel Harvest Church Child Care and Central Baptist Church Child Care. Both of which are SUPER close to our house and my work, which is important! :) I was really pleased with the cleanliness, security, and overall feel at both places.
I believe Central Baptist Church will be the daycare that Brady will attend starting in August. I was really impressed with the "teachers" I met and the look of the facility. I can definitely see Brady doing well here. The ratio of teachers to children is 1:4 which is LESS than what the law requires, so I loved that. One of the teachers in the infant room (children 6 weeks to 1 year old are kept in one room) told me that her spiritual gift was loving children! I was SOLD! She was great and you could genuinely tell she loved her job. So, we are officially on their waiting list and I need to call and check in with them about every month or so to make sure they know we are still interested (which we are), and then Brady will be able to start attending August 1, 2011!
I am so glad the daycare choosing process was as easy as it was- I truly was dreading it. I definitely thought that NO DAYCARE would please me, because nothing would be good enough for MY BRADY! Well, while this is probably true, I honestly felt that he would be well taken care of at any of the daycares we visited. I do feel Central Baptist fits him best (not to mention Central Baptist Hospital is where I'm having him, so it's only fitting that he be kept at Central Baptist Church, right?). :) I know the ladies here will take very good care of my little man when Hays and I have to go back to work.
YAY- that's one more thing checked off the list! Brady will be here before we know it! :)
I believe Central Baptist Church will be the daycare that Brady will attend starting in August. I was really impressed with the "teachers" I met and the look of the facility. I can definitely see Brady doing well here. The ratio of teachers to children is 1:4 which is LESS than what the law requires, so I loved that. One of the teachers in the infant room (children 6 weeks to 1 year old are kept in one room) told me that her spiritual gift was loving children! I was SOLD! She was great and you could genuinely tell she loved her job. So, we are officially on their waiting list and I need to call and check in with them about every month or so to make sure they know we are still interested (which we are), and then Brady will be able to start attending August 1, 2011!
I am so glad the daycare choosing process was as easy as it was- I truly was dreading it. I definitely thought that NO DAYCARE would please me, because nothing would be good enough for MY BRADY! Well, while this is probably true, I honestly felt that he would be well taken care of at any of the daycares we visited. I do feel Central Baptist fits him best (not to mention Central Baptist Hospital is where I'm having him, so it's only fitting that he be kept at Central Baptist Church, right?). :) I know the ladies here will take very good care of my little man when Hays and I have to go back to work.
YAY- that's one more thing checked off the list! Brady will be here before we know it! :)
33 Weeks
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 33 Weeks
Size of Baby: Brady is the size of a pineapple (19-22 inches and 4.5 pounds)
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I love maternity clothes! Seriously, I don't know how I will say goodbye to my maternity jeans- they ROCK! I mean don't get me wrong...I AM looking forward to losing this extra weight after Brady comes, but these clothes are just SO comfy! :)
Movement: Brady moves around a lot- WAY more than the minimum 10 times in 10 hours! I love feeling him move, even though sometimes it actually feels like he is going to come OUT of my belly- he really pushes around in there! On Friday night I was laying in bed about to go to sleep and I kept feeling these punches, like every couple seconds or so. It was the weirdest thing, and I started to freak out because they were coming so regularly, but then it occurred to me: BRADY HAD THE HICCUPS! It was so fun! He had them for a good 10 minutes before I fell asleep, so maybe he had them for longer! ;)
Sleep: I have been sleeping really good (and I am knocking on wood as I type this)! Hays and I have both had a little cold this week, so aside from the random awakenings to cough, sneeze, etc. I have slept like a LOG! :)
What I Miss: I am really, really looking forward to my first meal after having Brady. I have requested that Hays get me TWO Slim 4s from Jimmy Johns (that's the turkey breast sandwich with ONLY turkey and cheese) and a SIX PACK of Coke in glass bottles! Ahhhh...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Cravings: Ice cream sounds good lately, then again, this probably has nothing to do with pregnancy! :) I did buy pickles at the grocery the other night, but again, I liked those before pregnancy too!
Symptoms: Heartburn is hanging on, but it's okay because the TUMS Smoothies I take really help AND they have Calcium (which is awesome because I don't drink milk)! I have also been randomly emotional (when I expect to cry I don't and when I think I'm fine I have tears welling up in my eyes....very strange)!
Best Moment This Week: On Saturday, three of my BFFs (the Qua- Meagan, Lora Lee and Amy) threw me a shower with all my Alpha Gam girls in Lexington! There will be an entirely separate post for all the shower details, but being with my girls was definitely the highlight of my week! :) I think Brady already loves his Alpha Gam "aunties"! Such a ladies man!!!!! ;)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Breech 101
So, I don't know about you, but I didn't know that much about a baby's positioning inside the uterus until I got pregnant. When the baby is very small he or she literally flips around in your uterus all the time, usually you can't even feel this. I personally started feeling Brady kick when he was around 19 weeks (it was actually right after we found out he was a boy!). I remember the ultrasound tech telling me at that appointment that Brady was in the breech position, which is why she had no trouble finding the angle at which to show us that he's a boy! Apparently, at that point in pregnancy the baby still moves around a bunch, so she probably just assumed we caught him at a breech moment! ;)
Well, it turns out Brady realized he liked being breech, and every ultrasound I've had since then has shown him this way. Usually by 30 weeks most babies have flipped into the head down position, but not our baby Brady, we're at 33 weeks now and staying strong with the frank breech position. See lovely diagram below (thanks, Google images) of the different types of breech positioning:
Isn't it amazing that he has lived most of his 33 weeks so far in this exact position. It makes me claustrophobic if I look at it long enough. It's just crazy! My little frank breech boy is quite flexible! I'm impressed!!! Anyway, apparently he's not claustrophobic at all because he hasn't made any attempts to head downward just yet. I feel him moving around all the time, but I still feel his sweet little head right below my ribs on the left side.
According to my obsessive Googling, I was able to find out the following about breech babies:
Well, it turns out Brady realized he liked being breech, and every ultrasound I've had since then has shown him this way. Usually by 30 weeks most babies have flipped into the head down position, but not our baby Brady, we're at 33 weeks now and staying strong with the frank breech position. See lovely diagram below (thanks, Google images) of the different types of breech positioning:
Isn't it amazing that he has lived most of his 33 weeks so far in this exact position. It makes me claustrophobic if I look at it long enough. It's just crazy! My little frank breech boy is quite flexible! I'm impressed!!! Anyway, apparently he's not claustrophobic at all because he hasn't made any attempts to head downward just yet. I feel him moving around all the time, but I still feel his sweet little head right below my ribs on the left side. According to my obsessive Googling, I was able to find out the following about breech babies:
- Factors that can encourage breech positioning: Prematurity (twenty-five percent of fetuses are in the breech position at 32 weeks gestation- this drops to three percent at term), multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets or more), abnormal volume of amniotic fluid, and uterine abnormalities.
- Methods to turn breech babies, with varying degrees of success: External cephalic version (where a doctor turns the baby by manipulating the baby through the mother's abdomen, ECV has a success rate between 40 - 70% depending on practitioner, studies show that turning the baby at term is effective in reducing the number of babies born in the breech position, complications are rare), Maternal positioning or other exercises (there is insufficient evidence as to the benefit of maternal positioning in reducing the incidence of breech presentation).
- Caesarean section is the most common way to deliver a breech baby in the USA, Australia, and Great Britain. Like any major surgery, it involves risks.
- One large study has confirmed that elective cesarean section has lower risk to the fetus and a slightly increased risk to the mother, than planned vaginal delivery of the breech.
- The same birth injuries that can occur in vaginal breech birth may rarely occur in Caesarean breech delivery. A Caesarean breech delivery is still a breech delivery. However the soft tissues of the uterus and abdominal wall are more forgiving of breech delivery than the hard bony ring of the pelvis.
So overall, I think I learned a lot about breech- some of it scary, some of it neat. I am honestly quite fascinated by anything I can get my hands on about this little guy! I just can't wait to hold him and love on him (in a few weeks- I do NOT want him to come early) and let him stretch out finally!!!!!!
Our next steps are to wait and see what position he is in at our next appointment (2/17). At that point he will be almost 35 weeks, so if he hasn't moved head down by then he probably will not be moving! We will have to decide if we'd like to try to move him with ECV or just schedule a C-Section. I will keep you posted after that appointment and let you know what we decide. Hopefully he will decide to turn on his own and we won't have a decision to make at all.....come on Brady, you can do it!!! :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
32 Week Doctor's Appointment
On Tuesday we went for my 32-Week doctor's appointment. I am starting to go the doctor every 2 weeks now, so it felt like I was just there! It's great, though, I have never LOVED going to the doctor so much in my life!
My appointment was at 3:50pm, so Hays was able to come too since he usually gets home from school about that time. He met me at the appointment and they called us back about 5 minutes after I arrived. We did all the regular stuff: weighed me (up one pound from last time for a total of 17 pound weight gain so far), left a urine sample (to check for protein/glucose), took my blood pressure (120/82- almost perfect), asked all the normal questions (any cramping? no, bleeding? no, contractions? not yet), and then she asked if I had any questions. I always have questions....like a TON of questions.....but not this time, I guess since I had just been 2 weeks ago and I had just had childbirth class. I really didn't have much to ask, but I did ask about Brady's positioning and if there were any tricks I could do to get him to move. Apparently nothing is PROVEN, but you are sometimes able to get into positions that make it uncomfortable for the baby and then they turn on their own and even weird things like blaring music between your legs to cause the baby to take interest and try to head down there. Who knows how much truth there is to any of it- but if Brady's still not turned in 2 more weeks when we go for our other ultrasound, I just might have to try anything! ;)
When Dr. Schell came in we discussed the breech position some more and I told her I still felt like I could feel his head right below my ribs on my left side. She said sometimes the head can feel similar to the butt, so she did a quick ultrasound (they have a floating ultrasound machine that can go room-to-room, rather than the BIG ultrasound that I usually have mine done on), but I was just excited to get a peek at Brady! Unfortunately, he was STILL in the breech position, with his butt down and his legs up (this is called the Frank Breech positon)! What a funny little dude! You would think he'd be uncomfortable in there, but apparently he's dealing with it just fine and hasn't had an interest in moving yet! She also checked the heartbeat while looking at the ultrasound and she said it looked good (she didn't use the doppler this time so I don't know the bpm).
Then she measured my belly which was at 31.5 cm. I am SO amazed at how accurate that can be! I am 32 weeks, and measuring almost 32 cm. WOW! At my next appointment we will have another BIG ultrasound to check Brady's position and if he still hasn't moved then we will discuss version (where Dr. Schell can try to move him) or schedule a C-Section. I doubt we try the version (it sounds risky from the research I've done and is only 30% effective), so if he hasn't turned by the next appointment we will know when Brady's birthday will be! :) I did learn through my research that they will do another ultrasound just before the C-Section to ensure he is still in that position before the surgery (since sometimes they move later, but not usually due to the lack of space in my uterus)!
My next appointment is 2/17 at 4PM and Hays and my mom (Mama Lu) are coming to that one with me too! YAY for doctor's appointments and YAY for sweet Baby Brady!
My appointment was at 3:50pm, so Hays was able to come too since he usually gets home from school about that time. He met me at the appointment and they called us back about 5 minutes after I arrived. We did all the regular stuff: weighed me (up one pound from last time for a total of 17 pound weight gain so far), left a urine sample (to check for protein/glucose), took my blood pressure (120/82- almost perfect), asked all the normal questions (any cramping? no, bleeding? no, contractions? not yet), and then she asked if I had any questions. I always have questions....like a TON of questions.....but not this time, I guess since I had just been 2 weeks ago and I had just had childbirth class. I really didn't have much to ask, but I did ask about Brady's positioning and if there were any tricks I could do to get him to move. Apparently nothing is PROVEN, but you are sometimes able to get into positions that make it uncomfortable for the baby and then they turn on their own and even weird things like blaring music between your legs to cause the baby to take interest and try to head down there. Who knows how much truth there is to any of it- but if Brady's still not turned in 2 more weeks when we go for our other ultrasound, I just might have to try anything! ;)
When Dr. Schell came in we discussed the breech position some more and I told her I still felt like I could feel his head right below my ribs on my left side. She said sometimes the head can feel similar to the butt, so she did a quick ultrasound (they have a floating ultrasound machine that can go room-to-room, rather than the BIG ultrasound that I usually have mine done on), but I was just excited to get a peek at Brady! Unfortunately, he was STILL in the breech position, with his butt down and his legs up (this is called the Frank Breech positon)! What a funny little dude! You would think he'd be uncomfortable in there, but apparently he's dealing with it just fine and hasn't had an interest in moving yet! She also checked the heartbeat while looking at the ultrasound and she said it looked good (she didn't use the doppler this time so I don't know the bpm).
Then she measured my belly which was at 31.5 cm. I am SO amazed at how accurate that can be! I am 32 weeks, and measuring almost 32 cm. WOW! At my next appointment we will have another BIG ultrasound to check Brady's position and if he still hasn't moved then we will discuss version (where Dr. Schell can try to move him) or schedule a C-Section. I doubt we try the version (it sounds risky from the research I've done and is only 30% effective), so if he hasn't turned by the next appointment we will know when Brady's birthday will be! :) I did learn through my research that they will do another ultrasound just before the C-Section to ensure he is still in that position before the surgery (since sometimes they move later, but not usually due to the lack of space in my uterus)!
My next appointment is 2/17 at 4PM and Hays and my mom (Mama Lu) are coming to that one with me too! YAY for doctor's appointments and YAY for sweet Baby Brady!
Childbirth Class
THIS IS GETTING SO REAL!!!
On Saturday, January 29th, we headed to my doctor's office for childbirth class. We had signed up several weeks prior, and 1/29 seemed SO FAR away! So when it was finally time for the class I couldn't believe we were already at that point. The class lasted from 9am-3:30pm, a LONG day with A LOT of information. I must admit that when my alarm went off at 7:30am on a SATURDAY, that I sort of HATED myself for signing us up for this class, but I am SO glad we went! It was SUPER helpful!
We arrived at the class and signed in. Most of the other couples (there were 13 couples total) had already arrived, so some of the only seats left were in the FRONT. Woo Hoo! I am a dork, so I was totally okay with being in the front row! ;) We flipped through our packet of information while we waited for the class to begin.
The nurse came out a little after 9AM and got things started. She was very high energy and you could tell she had LOTS of information she wanted to share with us. She is currently a lactation consultant, so her breastfeeding talk was super helpful. She has previously been a labor and delivery nurse as well, so she definitely knew her stuff. Not to mention she is a MOTHER OF FOUR (all of whom she gave birth to NATURALLY)! You go girl!
We started the day with the BIG stuff like when to call the doctor (if you start bleeding, if you start leaking fluid, if you haven't felt the baby move 10 times in 10 hours, or if you're having regular contractions) and when you know you're in real labor vs. false labor (if you drink water and lay down and the contractions STOP then it's false labor, if the contractions keep picking up in strength and length then it's probably real labor). I am really hoping NOT to go into labor any time soon, but at least now I feel like I know what to do when the time comes.
She said that once my contractions (REAL contractions not Braxton Hicks/false labor contractions) are about 5 minutes apart for a FULL hour then I should call the doctor's office. They will more than likely have me come into the office to examine me before sending me over to Central Baptist. If it's after office hours, I should still call the doctor's office and they will let me know whether I should go immediately to Central Baptist. She suggested that we keep our bags in the car from about 36 weeks on, just in case! I guess that means I should be thinking about what to pack!
Then we talked about the stages of labor. I didn't realize that many hours of labor happen before you ever go to the hospital. A lot of people have contractions or DAYS or even WEEKS leading up to the BIG DAY! The 4 stages are:
Stage 1- Early Labor (contractions 5-20 minutes apart, dialated 1cm-3cm), Active Labor (contractions closer together and last longer, dialted 3-7cm), and Transition (INTENSE, contractions closer together, dialated 7-10cm, once we reach 10cm it's TIME TO PUSH)
Stage 2- Pushing stage and delivery of baby Brady!
Stage 3- Delivery of placenta and bonding with baby
Stage 4- Recovery (We did it! I'm a MOM! Brady is here!!!!)
Then she talked about induction (usually done between 40-41 weeks, and sometimes at 39 for special circumstances). This is where they use the drug Pitocin to start contractions and cause the cervix to dialate. I am hopeful that we won't have to do this!
Then she went over C-Sections (which more than likely might be the route we go due to Brady's breech position). She explained all the possible reasons for a C-Section and even explained that some women have to experience labor and THEN have to have a C-Section for one reason or another. So I guess you just never know. Really all that matters is that Brady gets safely into this world one way or another!
She talked a bit about pain relief and we watched a video about our different options. My choice (if we have a vaginal delivery) will definitely be for the epidural! If you know me at all you know I CANNOT stand pain! So I am definitely in favor of the epidural! They are totally safe and not really that scary (even after you see the size of the needle). Apparently, almost 80% of women opt for the epidural these days, so I'm in good company! We found out that at Central Baptist they no longer allow the dads to stay in the room for the epidural because SO MANY of them pass out! And they aren't even the ones going through the pain! ;)
Then it was time for a tour of the hospital! I was looking forward to this because I honestly had NO idea where to go if I were to go into labor at that moment! Turns out the entrance is super close to where I go in for my normal doctor's appointments, we even park in the same garage! She walked us up to the 2nd floor and showed us the labor and delivery unit. We actually check in and have the baby on the 2nd floor and then go up to the 3rd floor for recovery. She even showed us a recovery room (they are HUGE and even have Tempur Pedic beds!). I really love Central Baptist- they have sweet scriptures about children all over the walls and it's just a happy place! My favorite scripture, that of course made me cry when I saw it, is 1 Samuel 1:27-28 "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him unto the Lord, for his whole life he will be given unto the Lord." I just feel so blessed that God answered my prayers for a baby and that he chose me to be Brady's mom. :)
After the hospital tour, we took an hour lunch break where I absolutely stuffed myself at O'Charleys and then we headed back to class. Right after lunch we watched a video about infant care and although it was super interesting and informative, I was FIGHTING to keep my eyes open! But I made it through....barely! Then we headed into the hallway where we all lined up against the wall with our pillows on our backs (Did I mention we had to bring pillows and blankets to the class? I wasn't really sure what we were getting into with that one, but turns out she just wanted us to practice breathing techniques in the floor in a similar position to what we will be in the day of labor.). She went through the different types of breathing that are used in the different stages of labor (this was all the "he-he-who, he-he-who" and "sniff-he-he, sniff-he-he" stuff that you see in the movies- or in Bill Cosby Himself-LOL)! It was a little funny at times, but I am sure will be good to know in the coming weeks (especially since you can't get your epidural until 4cm, so there WILL be some pain to deal with in the mean time)!
Next we came back into our seats and discussed breastfeeding. She said that anyone not planning to breastfeed could leave (as this was the last section of the day), but everyone stayed. So I guess everyone in the class was going to (at least try to) breastfeed- which I thought was neat. She was very informed on the subject because she is a lactation consultant and she breastfed all 4 of her children. I am really hopeful that breastfeeding works for me, I just think it's a great connection to have with your baby and the most natural thing you can do (since people have been doing it for literally thousands of years)! We watched a video about it as well and I was fascinated! I didn't realize how often you had to nurse, especially in the beginning. It's pretty remarkable how much the baby depends on you! Very cool!
We finished with the class a little early, about 3:15pm. Hays was happy because the CATS played at 4pm, so we made it home in plenty of time to watch the game! It was a very long day, but I am so glad we went! We both learned a TON of information and it helped us both feel a little more at ease about Brady's big arrival in a few weeks. :)
On Saturday, January 29th, we headed to my doctor's office for childbirth class. We had signed up several weeks prior, and 1/29 seemed SO FAR away! So when it was finally time for the class I couldn't believe we were already at that point. The class lasted from 9am-3:30pm, a LONG day with A LOT of information. I must admit that when my alarm went off at 7:30am on a SATURDAY, that I sort of HATED myself for signing us up for this class, but I am SO glad we went! It was SUPER helpful!
We arrived at the class and signed in. Most of the other couples (there were 13 couples total) had already arrived, so some of the only seats left were in the FRONT. Woo Hoo! I am a dork, so I was totally okay with being in the front row! ;) We flipped through our packet of information while we waited for the class to begin.
The nurse came out a little after 9AM and got things started. She was very high energy and you could tell she had LOTS of information she wanted to share with us. She is currently a lactation consultant, so her breastfeeding talk was super helpful. She has previously been a labor and delivery nurse as well, so she definitely knew her stuff. Not to mention she is a MOTHER OF FOUR (all of whom she gave birth to NATURALLY)! You go girl!
We started the day with the BIG stuff like when to call the doctor (if you start bleeding, if you start leaking fluid, if you haven't felt the baby move 10 times in 10 hours, or if you're having regular contractions) and when you know you're in real labor vs. false labor (if you drink water and lay down and the contractions STOP then it's false labor, if the contractions keep picking up in strength and length then it's probably real labor). I am really hoping NOT to go into labor any time soon, but at least now I feel like I know what to do when the time comes.
She said that once my contractions (REAL contractions not Braxton Hicks/false labor contractions) are about 5 minutes apart for a FULL hour then I should call the doctor's office. They will more than likely have me come into the office to examine me before sending me over to Central Baptist. If it's after office hours, I should still call the doctor's office and they will let me know whether I should go immediately to Central Baptist. She suggested that we keep our bags in the car from about 36 weeks on, just in case! I guess that means I should be thinking about what to pack!
Then we talked about the stages of labor. I didn't realize that many hours of labor happen before you ever go to the hospital. A lot of people have contractions or DAYS or even WEEKS leading up to the BIG DAY! The 4 stages are:
Stage 1- Early Labor (contractions 5-20 minutes apart, dialated 1cm-3cm), Active Labor (contractions closer together and last longer, dialted 3-7cm), and Transition (INTENSE, contractions closer together, dialated 7-10cm, once we reach 10cm it's TIME TO PUSH)
Stage 2- Pushing stage and delivery of baby Brady!
Stage 3- Delivery of placenta and bonding with baby
Stage 4- Recovery (We did it! I'm a MOM! Brady is here!!!!)
Then she talked about induction (usually done between 40-41 weeks, and sometimes at 39 for special circumstances). This is where they use the drug Pitocin to start contractions and cause the cervix to dialate. I am hopeful that we won't have to do this!
Then she went over C-Sections (which more than likely might be the route we go due to Brady's breech position). She explained all the possible reasons for a C-Section and even explained that some women have to experience labor and THEN have to have a C-Section for one reason or another. So I guess you just never know. Really all that matters is that Brady gets safely into this world one way or another!
She talked a bit about pain relief and we watched a video about our different options. My choice (if we have a vaginal delivery) will definitely be for the epidural! If you know me at all you know I CANNOT stand pain! So I am definitely in favor of the epidural! They are totally safe and not really that scary (even after you see the size of the needle). Apparently, almost 80% of women opt for the epidural these days, so I'm in good company! We found out that at Central Baptist they no longer allow the dads to stay in the room for the epidural because SO MANY of them pass out! And they aren't even the ones going through the pain! ;)
Then it was time for a tour of the hospital! I was looking forward to this because I honestly had NO idea where to go if I were to go into labor at that moment! Turns out the entrance is super close to where I go in for my normal doctor's appointments, we even park in the same garage! She walked us up to the 2nd floor and showed us the labor and delivery unit. We actually check in and have the baby on the 2nd floor and then go up to the 3rd floor for recovery. She even showed us a recovery room (they are HUGE and even have Tempur Pedic beds!). I really love Central Baptist- they have sweet scriptures about children all over the walls and it's just a happy place! My favorite scripture, that of course made me cry when I saw it, is 1 Samuel 1:27-28 "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him unto the Lord, for his whole life he will be given unto the Lord." I just feel so blessed that God answered my prayers for a baby and that he chose me to be Brady's mom. :)
After the hospital tour, we took an hour lunch break where I absolutely stuffed myself at O'Charleys and then we headed back to class. Right after lunch we watched a video about infant care and although it was super interesting and informative, I was FIGHTING to keep my eyes open! But I made it through....barely! Then we headed into the hallway where we all lined up against the wall with our pillows on our backs (Did I mention we had to bring pillows and blankets to the class? I wasn't really sure what we were getting into with that one, but turns out she just wanted us to practice breathing techniques in the floor in a similar position to what we will be in the day of labor.). She went through the different types of breathing that are used in the different stages of labor (this was all the "he-he-who, he-he-who" and "sniff-he-he, sniff-he-he" stuff that you see in the movies- or in Bill Cosby Himself-LOL)! It was a little funny at times, but I am sure will be good to know in the coming weeks (especially since you can't get your epidural until 4cm, so there WILL be some pain to deal with in the mean time)!
Next we came back into our seats and discussed breastfeeding. She said that anyone not planning to breastfeed could leave (as this was the last section of the day), but everyone stayed. So I guess everyone in the class was going to (at least try to) breastfeed- which I thought was neat. She was very informed on the subject because she is a lactation consultant and she breastfed all 4 of her children. I am really hopeful that breastfeeding works for me, I just think it's a great connection to have with your baby and the most natural thing you can do (since people have been doing it for literally thousands of years)! We watched a video about it as well and I was fascinated! I didn't realize how often you had to nurse, especially in the beginning. It's pretty remarkable how much the baby depends on you! Very cool!
We finished with the class a little early, about 3:15pm. Hays was happy because the CATS played at 4pm, so we made it home in plenty of time to watch the game! It was a very long day, but I am so glad we went! We both learned a TON of information and it helped us both feel a little more at ease about Brady's big arrival in a few weeks. :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Brady's Nursery Progress
So I know I've been pregnant for 32 weeks now, but something about having a nearly finished nursery in our house really makes it seem more real that Brady is going to be here soon! I am still sort of amazed that this is actually happening. I'm going to be a MAMA soon! WHOA!
We have been busy little bees getting the nursery all set up and ready for Brady. Hays has been quite the little handyman and has assembled everything himself with little to no help from me. He's a good one to have around! ;)
So, here's a peek at Brady's future home. This is what you see when you walk in the door. Crib with SPORTS theme bedding (of course) and his cubes filled with everything from blankets to bibs to books (and things that don't start with the letter B too! ;).
Across from the crib is the dresser (which will soon double as a changing table) and in the corner is the glider and ottoman that I'm sure I will spend countless hours in rocking, nursing, and reading to our little man!
Here's Brady's diaper bag, you can't tell in the picture, but it's HUGE!
And here's the assortment of clothing that Brady has already accumulated! He's going to be one well-dressed little guy!
I am blown away everytime I go into his room, because I know VERY soon he will be here with us! I can't help but get emotional everytime I think about it! I've never been more excited for anything else in my life! Bring on MOMMYHOOD!
We have been busy little bees getting the nursery all set up and ready for Brady. Hays has been quite the little handyman and has assembled everything himself with little to no help from me. He's a good one to have around! ;)
So, here's a peek at Brady's future home. This is what you see when you walk in the door. Crib with SPORTS theme bedding (of course) and his cubes filled with everything from blankets to bibs to books (and things that don't start with the letter B too! ;).
Across from the crib is the dresser (which will soon double as a changing table) and in the corner is the glider and ottoman that I'm sure I will spend countless hours in rocking, nursing, and reading to our little man!
Here's Brady's diaper bag, you can't tell in the picture, but it's HUGE!
And here's the assortment of clothing that Brady has already accumulated! He's going to be one well-dressed little guy!
I am blown away everytime I go into his room, because I know VERY soon he will be here with us! I can't help but get emotional everytime I think about it! I've never been more excited for anything else in my life! Bring on MOMMYHOOD!
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