Blake's birth story

A tale of Beauty and the drama that followed...

Warning:  longest birth story ever!!!



The sign my boss posted after
getting tired of everyone
constantly asking her if I had the
baby yet.

I guess I should start with a confession.  I didn't want to be induced in the traditional sense, but honestly at 12 days past due I was emotionally done with this pregnancy.  Done with everyone's comments, thoughts, suggestions, and well, I just wanted to meet him and sleep on my stomach again and finally be allowed to try hot yoga.  Ok, so those last two are a little selfish, but really all the old wive tale versions of home labor induction weren't seeming to do a darn thing.  I tried them all....for real...ALL of them.  Oh, except for castor oil.  And this mom needed to try phase 2.  Phase 2 turned out to be membrane sweeping.  It could be done in the office and was relatively safe.  I was already 4 cm and 60% effaced so there really were no guarantees that it would work.  Apparently it seems to work better if you start from no where, but you never know and I was willing to try it.  So, I had it done at around noon on Tuesday and instantly regretted it.  Again, probably more due to my emotional state at that moment than for any other reason, but still I could tell it was working.  I wasn't having any contractions, just felt that something was happening.  If it was going to work, we would know between 12 and 24 hours.

I went back to work for a few hours and finished up a few things with my boss and tidied up my desk again, knowing it would probably be my last day.  I let her know that I had decided to do the stripping/sweeping thing and had a feeling I wouldn't be back.  On the way home I texted mom to let her know I needed to run by Target to pick up a prescription since the midwife had noticed I had a bit of a cold...STILL after 3 weeks.  Kind of glad as sweeping your membranes can cause bacterial infections which is one of the huge cons of doing it.  Mom suggested Chilis for dinner, which is right in the Target parking lot so I met everyone there after my prescription was finally ready.  All through dinner I could still tell it was working.  For sure we would have a baby in the next 12 hours or so.  Even still I went with mom to Albertsons to pick up a few things before going home. 

I didn't make into bed very early as usual and then spent most of the night awake.  I was doing a squat/pushup challenge in a facebook group so around 2 in the morning I decided to go ahead and do the 2 sets of 25 squats and 13 pushups required for January 8.  I never really went back to bed after that, just wandered around the house and the bathroom until about 4:15 AM I had my first contraction.  I had loaded a contraction app on my phone earlier in the day so I got it out and instantly started timing them.  From that moment they were about a minute or so long and around 2 to 3 minutes apart.  I waited until closer to 5 to wake up Mark.  I didn't want him to spring into action too fast and insist we go to the hospital before I had time to think. 

So at 5 I shake him and tell him that we will be having a baby today.  He says ok and lays back down.  About a minute later he jumps up and says did your water break?  I told him it was just contractions, but he really wasn't paying attention to me at that point.  He just jumped up, went to the bathroom and started shaving his face.  Only a clean shaven face for the birth of his children :)  He finished shaving and was about to get in the shower when he asked me again what time my water broke.  Once again I told him it hadn't but I was having pretty close together contractions.  He tells me that he is going to take a quick shower and literally was in the shower for 60 seconds or less.  He then starts racing through the house asking me if I have everything.  Apparently we were leaving for the hospital right away.  We woke up mom and told her that we were going to the hospital.  G was asleep in our bed and we would call later when it was closer to time. 

We race to the hospital, literally!  I kept telling him it was fine to stick to the speed limit, but I'm pretty sure he was still not listening to me.  Since it is still overnight hours technically by hospital standards, we get to use the emergency room entrance.  Mark drops me off, some guy wheels me in and the ER staff calls up to the L&D floor and lets them know they are bringing me up.  I get up there and start the registration process which is much faster this time since I had pre-registered.  They ask what room I want which seems like a funny question, but being a midwife patient I have the option to use the water birth suite, 1 of the 2 bathtub rooms or a regular L&D room.  I ask for the water birth room but they say it is still being used so they will put me in Tub room 1 instead.  G was born in Tub room 2. 

I get in the room and put on the lovely hospital gown and get to the fun task of being monitored for a little bit so they can see my progress.  They asked me details about my birth plan and actually noted them.  The first detail was no IV with a drip, but I would take a saline locked IV just in case it became necessary in an emergency and that was put in.  My contractions were every 2-3 minutes still and when they checked I was already at 6.5 cm.  SCORE!!!  Good thing we didn't wait as it would have been awful trying to drive in morning rush hour.  


Harris Methodist Hospital
Fort Worth Birthing Tub

The nurse left the room for a few minutes and since it was the 6 AM shift change came back in with my new nurse, Gina, and told me that she had the tub half filled so I could go ahead and get in.  I was a little confused because I never heard the water running.  Turns out we were moving to the water birth suite.  YAY!!!  We head right down there.  I put a sports bra on and get in the tub.  Candys, the midwife, is already in the room.  Mark finds a comfy spot on the sofa and I do my thing in the tub. 

The water birth suite is actually 2 rooms adjoined by a door in the middle.  The traditional bed is in one room, the water birth tub is in the other room.  The tub is so large it needed its own space, but you still need a bed for post delivery time or if you decide to actually deliver in a bed once the time comes.  You really never know what will feel right until you try it.  Overall, a very nice and relaxing space.

This time I had back labor.  Wow, I never understood how painful that could possibly be.  All my pain with G was in my stomach which was awful enough, but this was awful too, just in a totally different way.  Maybe about 7:30 Candys asks if she can check me.  I let her and she says I'm at a 9.5 and she doesn't feel the water bag so she thinks at some point it must have broken and I just don't realize it.  Other than a tiny little piece of cervix left in the way, she says it is fine to push whenever I want to and see if that helps it go away.  I push here and there and about 7:50 I am all clear at a 10.  Time to start pushing for real, as I wish of course, no pressure.  At 8 am I feel this pop and Candys and I realize my water just broke.  Time to get this baby out so I start pushing and at 8:12 on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 our little Blake Cash King was born.  I pulled him from the water and laid him on my chest.  How amazing is that? 

Blake Cash King

He felt so tiny to me and he had a head full of dark hair.  The cord was really long so we just waited there, still attached to each other for awhile until the cord had stopped pulsating.  When it had stopped Candys clamped 2 spots on the cord and told me I could cut it since Mark didn't want to.  I never thought of that possibility, but I did it.  Again, how amazing is that? 

We waited for the placenta to be delivered but it didn't seem to want to come out so I got out of the tub and walked into the bedroom part of the suite to deliver it there.  It took a little time, but finally came out.  Mark was in the rocker holding the baby at this point.  Once I am relatively all cleaned up I get Blake back in my arms. 

At this point I had asked to hold Blake for an hour or 2 until we had at least breastfed and got to snuggle before they did anything to him.  They were fine with that, so as I'm nursing Blake I keep telling Gina and Mark that my back is killing me.  It feels like I'm still in labor and my stomach is cramping.  I'm not sure how long this goes on, but finally I just can't stand it and Mark can tell by the look on my face that something is very wrong with me.  Gina asks if she can take Blake and start his round of vitals and I let her. 

Mark and I are both shocked to discover he is 21 1/4" long and weighs 9 lbs 6.8 oz.  Yikes!!!!  I honestly did not believe it, but I  guess it has been awhile since I have held a baby. 

I am still in significant pain, feeling basically like I am still in labor.  I guess Gina got the hint because she left the room and came back with Amy, the midwife, who was now on duty for the next 12 hours.  Amy immediately checks me and finds that I'm hemorraghing and have tons of large clots in me.  She calls for all the nurses on the floor.  Mom, dad and G happened to have just arrived in the parking garage as this is happening.  Mark tells them they need to wait to come up and then I guess decides he needs mom in there with me instead of him so they head up.  The nurse tells Mark they will take the baby to the nursery so he checks with me on what rules the nursery needs to know.  The only one I get out is that Blake can only receive formula by a cup (not bottle) if absolutely necessary.  I forget the don't give him a bath thing, but really the formula thing was most important to me.  There are nurses and chaos going on all around me at this point.  The room is full of people.

Mom comes into the room and Mark takes off to the tub room to hang out with G and dad.  We were really lucky to have gotten the water birth suite since it had the 2 rooms or the guys would have hd to go to the family room down the hall.  I'm pretty much out of it from the pain at this point.  Amy was telling me that I was losing a lot of blood and most likely would need a transfusion before this was all over.  I consented and the next thing I know I'm being given Pitocin, benedryl, tylenol and an antibiotic by IV, a shot in my right leg, a shot in my left leg, a catheter, other creams and pills put in other places and another IV was started in my right hand to receive the blood.  Meanwhile Amy is literally pulling clots from my body.  All of this made me horribly nauseous. 

At some point the blood man arrives with 2 units of blood and they put that on the fast drip into my body.  I sleep through most of it because of the benedryl, only waking right before the 2nd bag is complete about 2 hours later.  I wake up freezing and ask for more blankets.  Apparently the L&D floor had been hopping the last 24 hours so blankets had to be stolen from the L&D OR room which took awhile.  Mark finally comes back in and we ask for the baby.  I seem stable enough, still pale, but stable, so Gina goes to find out if they have a room on the maternity recovery floor ready for me.  It is lunch time up there so Gina comes back with Blake.  No one had met him at this point.  Mark's mom shows up just at this very moment so everyone comes into the room.

 

 

Everything at this point is a little fuzzy.  Mark's mom, my mom and my dad all take turns holding him.  G went up to each person as they held him and pointed and said brother.  When G and Blake were in the bed with me, G was already giving him kisses and hugs.  So sweet.  I know that I am starving at this point.  It is early afternoon and I haven't had anything but 1/2 a slice of toast to eat since we had Chilis the night before.  Mark's mom had brought blueberry muffins and some apple pecan cake.  G took the muffins and I took the cake.  Yum. 

Mark's mom

Rachel's mom

 

Rachel's dad

Lunch time for the nurses upstairs was finally over so they wheel me to my recovery room with Blake in my arms as it should be.  Both moms, Mark, my dad, and G all make their way upstairs.  I have finally freed up the water birth suite for another momma to be.  I honestly felt a little bad that I was hogging it for non birthing reasons, but at the same time I needed to get better so I could actually live to be a momma to my own babies.  Live.  Who knew that word would ever be part of this birth story?

On Thursday morning on the recovery floor Blake starts receiving all his 24 hour tests like the TX blood test that looks for a ton of abnormal illnesses that almost no one ever gets, the Pulse-Ox heart test, hearing test, jaundice screen, blood sugar screen, and who knows what else.  He finally had his circumcision late that afternoon.  He was gone for a very short time thank goodness.  I handled it much better this time, but could even tell the Pedi on call was a little disappointed that another baby was being snipped which doesn't really help out a momma that isn't really ok with it to begin with.  But either way we both survived that experience.  I realized that night that Blake had his last diaper change at noon that day.  By early Friday morning I was getting concerned,  He was super red, which indicates excess red blood cells which can lead to jaundice and knowing what I learned with G is that they need to get enough liquid in them to pee regularly so they can dump the excess bilirubin from their body.  I was concerned he was going to end up jaundiced so I asked the nurse for a bottle of formula and a medicine cup so I could give him a little, not even an ounce.  Friday morning I finally got to change his diaper again.  I know I will be changing his diaper a million times over the next few months, but still it was something to get excited about. 

I end up with awful headaches once on the recovery floor pretty much right away.  I kept asking for tylenol or ibuprofen which they gave to me as needed.  Neither of them helped.  The headache continued.  Mom stayed the night with me on Wednesday since Mark had to go to work on Thursday.  I knew I wasn't leaving on Thursday and so much had to be done to me and Blake that I told mom they could just stay home with G for the day.  I got the catheter out late on Thursday afternoon and was finally free from the bed to walk around a little. Mark and G came to visit late in the evening but then left me for the night.  Mom offered to come stay with me, but being free from the bed I decided to go it alone.  Friday afternoon Amy comes to check on me and tells me that the last time they checked my blood, my levels were still low (in the 7 range) and with the headaches and the fact that I still looked so pale indicated that I needed more blood.  We were going to need to stay another night and receive 2 more units of blood.  Blake had already been discharged from the hospital so the nurse asks me if I want to have him readmitted or just keep him in the room and not have him be a patient.  I ask for him to not be readmitted.  It just seemed easier than having to go through the discharge procedures again. 

I guess for legal reasons the pediatrician decided to keep Blake as a patient.  He was still quite red indicating he was still at a slight risk for jaundice so they officially kept him for that reason which meant he got one more blood test on Saturday morning and a bilirubin check too all which were normal so he was quickly discharged early Saturday morning. 

Mark was still at work on Friday afternoon when Amy had decided I needed to stay so mom got G down for a nap and came up to the hospital to watch Blake for me.  They were going to give me Benadryl again before the blood and I knew I would be fast asleep for a couple of hours and didn't want Blake to go to the nursery, plus I needed someone to stay in the room and watch for signs that I was rejecting the blood.  Mom makes it there before they start anything.  It took awhile for the orders to show up in the computer and since it wasn't an emergency necessarily they took more time getting the blood.  I fall asleep soon after the Benadryl is injected and mom takes over with Blake.  I had given her and my nurse Theresa the ok to give Blake an ounce of formula by cup if they needed to and so before I woke up mom held Blake while Theresa fed him.  Apparently my little heart breaker winked at the nurse 3 times while she was feeding him. 

I woke up before the first bag had even finished and now it was the nurse shift change which meant bag #2 wasn't going in until the nurses had switched, had time to make rounds and then get to the fun task of the nitty gritty.  Mark finally came up to the hospital with G so I could see G and he could switch spots with mom for the night.  Mom took G back home with her shortly after. I finally finished bag #2 around 11:30 pm so I had to wait 6 hours until they could do the blood test to see if it changed my levels.  Early Saturday morning they did the blood work.  At the nurse shift change I made sure to ask Theresa if my blood work had came back and sure enough I was .1 higher than when I was admitted to the hospital to have Blake, so 8.5 instead of 8.4.  Most likely the midwife was going to let me leave.  Jennifer, a midwife to be, was on duty that day.  She was the one that had done my membrane sweep in the office on Tuesday.  After a riveting discussion on birth control (clearly a discussion that needs to be had at some point, but not necessarily that day LOL), she finally gave me the ok to go home. 

Breaking Free!!!!

 

We have been home for a week now and both of us seem to be doing good.  It has taken me a week to write this. 

G asking me if Blake is biting. 
No baby he is just eating :)

 

 

G loves brother and wants to hug us both constantly.

 

Look at that head control at only 4 days old. 
All that weight lifting I did while I was pregnant. 
Blake is already practicing his pushups.

Having a 2 year old and a newborn is certainly a lot of work.  Blake already had his first appointment with his pediatrician, Dr. Nussbaum, who I love!  We don't agree on vaccination completely, but her love for kids is so apparent and she is respectful of our opinions as the child's parents so she works great for our family.  She said he looked perfect to her.  Got his first shot though.  With all my issues it made it even easier of a decision to postpone the Hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital.  I had to spend so much time away from him at the beginning as it was that I didn't want that shot to hinder our nursing relationship any more than was necessary and that is a known side effect of that vaccine.

He has had newborn pictures with KT Photography and was an angel the whole time.  We will be waiting ever so patiently for our pics to come in. 

Grandma and grandpa Barkema got to spend a whole week with him and just left this morning.  They took care of us for an entire month.  I have not had the opportunity to be so lazy in such a long time, but now I'm probably too good at it.  We'll miss them!

It is nealy impossible to get a 2 year old to cooperate
at any given moment and for G, it is hardest when a
camera is involved.

 

Ultimately the birth itself was better than I imagined.  Every birth goes so different even for the same mama.  I was pretty sure he would come fast but not that fast.  Just glad he is the picture of health and am enjoying watching G become a sweet big brother.  He is doing amazing at his new role: more love than jealousy.  I'd say that is a success. 

My little helper who wants to push the buttons for me.
"I DO IT!!!!" 
This could get interesting.

Barring any uh oh's Blake will be our last baby.  I had bleeding issues with G and had to have a D&C 8 weeks postpartum and then this drama immediately following Blake's birth have led me to believe that birthing babies is no longer safe for me and that is ok.  I am happy being the mom to two boys.   

38 weeks midwife appointment

38 weeks, 5 days
Midwife Kathleen


This week's selfie. The weird glow from below my belly
was not edited in.  That is how the camera took the picture.
Probably couldn't get it to do that again if I tried.

So close, yet seemingly so far away.

The nurse asked if I wanted to be checked at this appointment.  I wasn't prepared to be asked that, but I decided against it.  Why?

A.  No one tells you this, but getting checked hurts.  I switched from a crazy OB to the midwives at 35 weeks last pregnancy and then had G had 38 weeks, 1 day.  I never got checked with Garrett until after my water had already broken and I was in labor so I had no idea how awful that is to have done.  I advise against it on pain alone and I didn't have pain killers or an epidural with G. 

B.  Getting checked can actually cause accidental water breakage.  I would rather go into labor on my own on Blake's birthday not on his accidental birthday.  I know that makes me crazy, but I truly believe that if a baby is fine and there are no complications, then the baby should just come when he comes.

C.  Finding out you are or are not dilating, effacing, etc really means nothing.  Just because that stuff is happening does not change your due date or give you any concrete clues as to when you will actually go into labor so I imagine any information I got from it would just make me more anxious than I already am.  I have it in my pretty little head that this Friday (2 days from now) will be my last day at work.  I sure am going to be disappointed if I have to go back to work on Monday. 

This appointment was perfectly on time.  I got there early, got my room about 4 minutes before my appointment and Kathleen was in there as soon as the nurse walked out roughly 1 1/2 minutes before my appointment.  Even she was excited about her timeliness LOL.

Blood Pressure:  119/79
Belly measurement:  who knows, she didn't say, I didn't ask
Blake is head down and we are both pretty positive he is either not as tall or large as G was.  Thinking this one is your average 8 pound butterball, not an over 9 pounder like G. 

I am still walking and carrying on like I'm not even pregnant so hopefully labor will be super easy.  That is another thing I have told myself.  Blake is just going to slip out as soon as I go into labor.  Please God do not let it last 24 hours!!!!  Drug free for 24 hours is rough, doable, but rough. 

I ordered my workout program, Body Beast, last weekend and it should be here Friday so I am ready to continue working out as soon as Blake arrives.  Yes, I realize that is one tough and buff looking dude on the cover, but I love weights.  Cardio bores me, unless on the odd occasion I really need a good run.  My research says that if you worked out your whole pregnancy there is no reason you can't dive right back in.  Of course you have to use common sense, which lucky for me I have.  I'm thinking I won't actually get started until a week after he arrives, but it will depend on how I am feeling.  I will definitely be wearing my Fitbit One and making sure 10,000 steps is happening no matter what.  I have big fitness plans this year considering Blake is technically supposed to be my last baby.  I'm not convinced yet that is true, but for now we will go with it.    

So, next appointment if for some crazy stroke of luck I make it that long is the day after Christmas, AKA my due date.  We'll see, but really it would be awesome if he came before then.  She asked if I want to have my membranes scraped that day if I make it.  Ummmmm, my quick answer was no.  If I don't want to be checked because it is painful, I'm not sure scraping certain parts sounds any less painful.  Plus, I am committed to this whole natural childbirth, babies come when babies come thing so I guess I should just stick with it.  We'll see how I feel that day though I suppose. 

37 week midwife appointment

37 w, 5 day
Midwife Amy

It is now Friday night and I am getting around to writing all this.  It has been one late night after another here this week.  When ice enters Texas, our world pretty much ends.  I must have seen every road in the DFW area this week just trying to stay away from slick spots and too much traffic.  Mostly it was all in vain. 

So when Wednesday got here, the weather had finally warmed enough to start melting the ice on the roads so having a 4 PM appointment seemed like a great time to finally get home before 7 PM.  That was my plan.....that however was not Amy or Blake's plan.

Amy asked all the normal questions about if I am ready, do I have everything planned, know where to go, etc.  Then, came the belly measurement.  Only measuring 36-37 weeks this time.  I'm convinced this baby is smaller than G.  All I am hoping for is healthy and well, maybe a slightly smaller head.  I found G's birth measurements today and his head was 14.5" which is quite large for a newborn especially one born at 38 weeks, 1 day. 

Then came the usual favorite part....the Doppler.  Baby heart beat time.  Only this time Blake thought it would be fun to squirm around so much that he must have kept rolling on his cord causing his heart rate to dip into the 90's.  Normal is 110-180, which really is a gigantic range if you think about it. 

So Amy decided I needed to head over to the MOPS area (no idea what that stands for, but basically it is a high risk prenatal assessment center).  They handed me the usual 97 sheets of paper that needed to be filled out and while I got to work on those, they hooked me up to the fetal scan and contraction monitor.  In between questions I watched his little heart bounce all over the 110-180 spectrum.  The contraction monitor was not picking up anything.  Both were great news.  Blake kept kicking the contraction monitor.  It literally moved about 3 inches above my stomach at one point.  I stayed on the monitor for about an hour and only 3 times did his heart rate drop to the 90's, but even then it was literally for 4 seconds or less.  They only worry if it stays there for more than 30 seconds at a time. 

Next up was a sonogram to check the fluid levels.  I think she said they were 11 cm, but whatever the number, she said it was good so yet again no worries.  I got to see him on the monitor for a minute or so.  She stayed down by his head and chest and didn't do any baby measuring so no idea if he is small or large or even still a boy :) 

So basically, he is fine.  He moves and kicks and squirms constantly and now we know he has plenty of fluid so there is nothing to worry about.  I am just hoping to get through 1 more week of work and then have him around the 21st.  It just sounds easier to have mom and dad already in town to watch G and not have to deal with the drama of going into labor at work.  I have already had one of my older employees tell me she's been practicing and reading up on how to catch a baby and one of our security guards also said he was prepared if necessary.  I realize I am more on the nudist side of the spectrum, but having my coworkers see me in labor does not appeal to me at all and I don't trust any of them to let me drive myself to the hospital.  I refuse to go by ambulance to any of the hospitals in Irving.  I've been to killer Baylor for 3 days due to my Crohns disease.  I actually was released on Christmas day several years ago.  Let's just say, Baylor Irving is where you send someone if you want them to be ignored and die.  I know I want minimal interventions for this birth, but I do want some of the perks of being in a hospital.  My company loves to call Ambulances and most of the time it is for one of my employees.  Last time we called one was a week before Thanksgiving.  I do not want to be the next in line thank you very much.

Today one of the ladies from the other side of the building dropped off the adorable green booties for Blake.  I love them and how nice is she for thinking of me?  So cool I think!.

I worked on my Birth Plan a little this week.  The highlights:

1.  No IV, but I will do a Heparin/saline lock if I have to.
2.  Minimal exams, mostly just upon arrival and as I feel I am progressing. 
3.  While I'm allowed to eat and drink freely, I know with G I refused everything and after 24 hours of labor I was exhausted and starving.  I asked for 2 post birth sandwich boxes LOL.  So this time I'm going to bring some Organic Apple Juice with me.  They stock regular apple juice on the delivery floor but I think I want to bring my own. 
4.  Intermittent monitoring
5.  No interventions, pain meds or epidural.
6.  No delivering on my back this time.  That was awful and caused me labor induced asthma.  Yes, there is such a thing.  Leave it to me.
7.  Delayed cord clamping until the pulsating stops.
8.  Blake goes on my chest immediately and stays there for the next 2 hours.
9.  APGAR can be done on my chest.
10.  Measurements, shots, creams, etc can be done after the 2 hours is up. 
11.  Breastfeeding begins immediately.
12.  No Hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital. 
13.  Blake will not have a bath until we get home. 
14  Blake will only leave my room for the circumcision. 
15.  No pacifiers or bottles, nursing only.
16.  Assuming we are both healthy, we are going to beg to get out ASAP.

Interesting to note, we are 13 days before Blake's due date.  Garrett had just been born at this same point in my pregnancy.  Usually you hear 1st babies are late, 2nd are early.  I'm thinking I've got this backward.  Just hope he exits by his due date.  I have been trying to take it somewhat easy so he stays in a little longer, but by next week I'm going to be walking my heart out. 

G:  age 2 on his rocking horse from grandpa Barkema

Next appointment is next Wednesday.  I wonder if it will be my final appointment.  That would be nice. 

36 week midwife appointment

36 weeks, 6 days
Midwife Lindsay

Selfie at work after 97 people out of nowhere, some of which had never spoken to me a day in my life (and i have worked there 10 years) decided today was the day they were going to speak to me and give me unsolicited comments on my stomach, the size of my baby and how this baby was probably coming any second.  FYI, only God and my baby know the answers to these questions.  There really is no need for you to make guesses.  If I wanted your guesses, I would put a jar at the front desk with little slips of paper and pens so you could share with me all the word vomit in your head.  Seriously, just because a girl is prego does not mean you can say anything.  Get that through your heads people!!!!!  Wow, ok, back to the fun stuff.  That was one long caption :)  One more note....is that a double chin????  Please tell me it is the angle!

Soooooo close to this baby's due date. We managed to get our Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving this year.  Glad it is up and glad it is done.  Presents are even wrapped.  Not bad. 

Great appointment with my favorite midwife. Shhhhhhh, don't tell the others. She did deliver Garrett so she is special in that way, but really she is also super funny which is nice in the delivery room if you ask me.  This is the first time I have seen her this entire pregnancy.  

Had to find a way to include a pic of this adorable little 2 year old.  He had school pictures today and I think he is pretty handsome minus the spaghetti sauce stains of course.  Pics were before lunch thank goodness!

I had to do the Group B test today. I got to do it myself. I have never heard of such a thing, but they are midwives and it is a pretty simple test. Don't get grossed out, but if you can wipe front to back....well, then you got this! Results will be back Friday or Saturday so if I go into labor before I get the call well I'll just have to tell them to put a rush on it, but let's not have this baby just yet. It is supposed to be icy and cold this weekend.  I'm planning on staying in by the fire with some taco soup and fudge.  (Again, pretend like you didn't just read the word fudge....Eek!)

The nurse told me about a study the Baylor students are doing for patients in their 3rd trimester. It involves aromatherapy, which I had researched a ton when I was pregnant with Garrett, but never bought because the market is crazy and I never did decide who to trust as far as purchasing. So the midwives sell this kit for $40 and then you use it while in labor and after and then fill out a survey when you come back for your 2 week post partum visit. Sold. It smells good. Now to pack it so it gets used.

The Aromatherapy Kit

Lindsay measured my belly, but she didn't tell me what it was and I didn't think to ask. We listened to the heartbeat. 120-126 so perfect for his age. She felt my stomach and drumroll......this baby is head down and already really low. Yay!!!!! Well, not yay for the really low part. I need another week or so before he comes. Yet again, the car seat is not installed.

Speaking of going into labor, Lindsay asked if I remember everything to do when I went into labor. Ummmm, well, other than breathe and get to the hospital, not really. She asked if I knew who to call. Nope. Turns out it is just the regular office number no matter what time of day. Next she asked if I knew where to go. Again, not really. When I went into labor with Garrett it was after midnight and we just went through the emergency room and they wheeled me up to the right floor, but apparently not everyone's water breaks after dark. So the correct answer is during the daytime, go to the main entrance, give your car to the valet and go inside. Then she asked if I knew who was watching Garrett while we did this whole having a baby thing. Well, again, not entirely sure of that. It will depend on when he comes I guess. Prior to the 21st, we can call my aunt and hope for the best.  Thanks Aunt Lisa!  Then there is always Kendra.  Kendra, if you are reading this, you may also get a call.  Just take him to your house and let him play with the dogs.  He'll be fine!  After the 21st, mom and dad will be here. Here's the cool news. The hospital doesn't have any weird "you can't have kids in your room" rules, so technically, while probably not exactly relaxing in any shape or form, Garrett can come hang out with us until someone has time to pick him up.  Very good information to have. 

Lindsay's parting advice:  don't drive myself anywhere or get in the car if the weather does turn bad this weekend.  Although she gave the same advice a few weeks ago to all her patients when we were supposed to get ice and 2 of her patients ended up getting in car accidents that day.  We didn't even get ice.  People in Texas just drive crazier when you mention ice.  I'm not sure I appreciate the advice knowing she jinxed 2 other pregos, but I already had my car accident for this pregnancy so I should be good.  Incidently it is almost 3 months later and we are still working with the insurance company to finish getting my car fixed and getting our Diminished Value check.  I had no idea it would take this long. 

If you need something shipped to you incredibly fast, have my sister, Becky, order it for you and have it shipped to your house.  Garrett's Christmas gift arrived in 3 days, Blake's present arrived in 2.  Everything she ordered for herself has yet to arrive to her house.  My only explanation:  the drones are practicing on my address.  So they don't have the 30 minute thing down quite yet, but 2 and 3 days is pretty good too if you ask me. 

Blake's present.  Incidently I knew what it was when I went to the front door to retrieve it.  The box was making a lovely rhythmic heart beat sound.  Might need to stock up on batteries.  Can't wait to use it though.  I never had one with Garrett.   

Random notes:
*As of last night I'm officially hungry all of the time.  Maybe it is because he dropped and moved out of the way of my stomach.  It is 11:30 PM and I am really considering an apple, but since we don't keep Peanut Butter in the house because of Garrett's potential allergy it doesn't seem quite as appealing. 
*I haven't gained any weight in the last month.  Take that scale people!
*My ankles are swollen tonight.  I won't take a picture as some people would be more offended by that than my instructions on Group B swabbing.
*I'm secretly scared to death to stay home with a 2 year old and an infant.
*I am still working out! 
*I aired up the exercise ball at home and it is now my chair at the dinner table and currently my chair for writing this post.  Supposedly this is good for helping move babies along. 
*One more week and I'll be working my way through that list of things to help labor start, you know like walking, bouncing, eating spicy food.  Any other good ones?
*Gave up Facebooking for an undecided amount of time.  Need to focus on getting things done.  I seem to be spending more time on Pinterest instead, probably defeating the purpose of giving up Facebook.
*Started reading through all the tests and injections they do right after a baby is born.  So many decisions. 
*Secretly concerned my water is going to break while I am at work.  I think my boss shares the same concern.  She may be even more concerned :)
*Still not sure of the whole circumcision thing.  I get both sides and I see Mark's take, but today I read that there are different ways of doing it.  I need to see which one seems the safest and least painful and then demand that for this little guy.
*I see midwives, so no I have no idea how big this baby might be.  That seems to be a very popular question lately.  Do you know that most of those tests are not accurate anyway?  Do the research, just saying. 

My simplified birth plan:
1.  No drugs/epidurals.  Too scary!  I have a ton of other valid reasons, but I will save that for another post.
2.  No cord cutting until the cord has stopped pulsing or the placenta has been delivered.
3.  Baby goes on my chest immediately.
4.  No tests, shots, creams, etc for at least an hour after birth.  I will let them do the APGAR on my chest at 1 minute and 5 minutes.
5.  I will only let him out of my sight for the circumcision.  They will not be taking him away for a bath and heater this time.  It took way too long last time and that stuff is good for their skin.  If that grosses you out, you can wait to visit once we get him home and have bathed him. 
6.  No hats at the hospital.  They are cute, but unnecessary I have found out.  He will wear this cool crocheted hat a lady at work gave me for his hospital pics because it is that cute. 
7.  I will not let Mark talk me into going to the hospital too early. 
8.  I secretly want to bake cookies while I'm at the beginning of labor.  Why?  I have read so many birth stories that begin with "My contractions started and decided to bake some cookies for the nurses"....  I want Blake's birth story to start that way too. 
9.  Blake and I want out of the hospital as soon as possible.  24 hours is the goal and is a possibility for 2nd time moms.  1st timers are stuck for 48. 

Well, I guess that about sums it up.  Next appointment is next Wednesday.  I think I will make it to that one :)

32 week appointment

32 weeks (56 days left)
Midwife Allison (1st time ever meeting her)

Baby B's heartbeat:  120-125
Stomach measurement:  32 weeks YAY!!
Gestational Diabetes:  NOPE!!!!!  Passed my 3 hour.  Thank goodness.  Apparently I am just a repeat 1 hour failure. 
Left Leg pain:  just normal Sciatica.
Workouts:  Still cleared for anything and everything except laying on my back, rock climbing and treadmills.  Starting a plank challenge today along with my regular routine.  Join the plank challenge here (pregnant or not). 
Big babies/early babies:  there is no hard and fast rule, every baby just does what they want so just because G was 13 days early and 9 lbs 4 oz, it doesn't mean B will be anything like that.  We just have to wait and see.
Remaining Appointments:  I scheduled the next 4 appointments through December 11.  It sounds so close now. 
Work funny: 
1.  My boss was running late this morning so she asked me to go to her Friday morning meeting for her which I did and have done many times in the past.  I arrived at the last possible second but I made it, huffing and puffing maybe a little.  Pregnancy does things to your oxygen supply I think due to blood volume or whatever, but not critical, just a normal part of the process.  Anyway, the 2 other DC managers told my boss later that she shouldn't be sending her pregnant supervisor to her meetings for her.  She asked why and they said because she is pregnant.  So she asked why that was a problem and they said because she is sick.  What????  Oddly I workout in our work's fitness center everyday at the same time as one of these managers and he tells me daily how proud he is of me continuing to workout and how it looks like it is working to keep me in shape.  So apparently pregnant women are fine to workout, but are too sick to attend meetings.  Men....LOL. 
2.  Everyone keeps asking me when I am going to leave for maternity leave.  My reply:  When the baby falls out!  I can't predict this baby's arrival anymore than the next person.  Why waste vacation on being a large, tired, pregnant woman.  I'd rather use the time for actual baby cuddles. 
Room/Closet Remodel:  I ordered Baby B's full name in street signs earlier this week to match the ones we have for Garrett and they arrived in 3 days.  Amazing!!!!!  Check out Personalized Street Signs to make your own. 

As for the closet, all the clothes are now on hangers, but I need to finalize the arrangement so it makes sense.  Thank goodness for walk in closets. I think it is time to organize the guest/toy room closet as it seems to have become baby overflow zone/randomness.  I hate randomness in closets.  Then off to tackle my closet which also serves as the garage for G's big Ford truck. 

28 week appointment

28 weeks, 6 days
Midwife Kathleen

It is now like a week later and I'm finally writing this, so only 10 more weeks until he is due. I still think he will be early though.

This was my 1 hour glucose test appointment.  Yuck!!!  Drink a flat sugary soda and then get your blood drawn an hour later.  Good times.  As was the case with G, I later found out I failed it.  So next week I take the 3 hour (which I passed with G).  Hopefully I will pass this one. 

So while I was waiting around I had my regular appointment.  She went over my thyroid test, which is now fine, but apparently I will need to continue to test each year just to be sure.  We listened to the baby.  I was so busy listening I don't think she ever told me his heartrate.  I'm so not good with details.  She measured my belly.  Only measuring 30 weeks, so only a week ahead of schedule.  Not bad.  I'm thinking this little guy is smaller than G.  He sure moves like he has plenty of space in there.  He is breach at the moment.  His head is hanging out on my right side and his little feet are hanging out on the left. 

She asked me a million times if I had any questions.  I didn't.  While I'm starting to get back into that tired, feeling huge phase, this pregnancy is super easy.  She went back and forth a few times trying to decide if my weight was an issue.  That is the most annoying part about appointments.  Who cares how much I weigh?  My weight fluctuates 5 pounds in a single day, pre-prego and prego.  The only thing about my body that looks different than before I got pregnant is my stomach.  I still lift weights most days of the week.  Luckily, she decided my weight was not an issue and moved on.  I need to add a "Do NOT discuss the SCALE" clause in my file.  Scales are evil :)  I do not like them, even if you are pregnant they do not accurately measure anything.  That is what I am sticking with anyway!

Today I went to Kohls for maternity clothes and ended up coming home with B's coming home from the hospital outfit.  It's so cute.  I can't wait to cuddle up with him when he gets here.  Decided on Newborn size, because even though G was big he still didn't fit 0-3 months stuff that first week.  Diapers however he was in size 1 on day 2 :) 

As for people's strange prego comments I had 1 older lady tell me this week that because I cross my arms at the top of my stomach, my baby will come out with a conehead.  I wanted to deck her.  If you don't have something nice or constructive to say, keep your mouth shut.  I guess maybe to her that was constructive and perhaps she is really concerned for me, but really there is no basis for your silly old wive tales.  One of my leads tells me daily that I just now look pregnant.  She tells me this EVERY DAY LOL and has for the last 2 months. 

I am now procrastinating on nesting, if there is such a thing.  The last round of baby clothes have been sorted and sitting in piles on my love seat for the last month.  Grandpa Pugh was here not too long ago and I still didn't bother to move them.  Maybe a project for this weekend.  We'll see. 

Maybe they will let me run over to L&D while I waste time between blood draws at the 3 hour so I can see the water birth suite.  It was completed like 2 months after G was born.  Go figure! I had G in 1 of the 2 rooms with a tub that they used for water births at the time, but it wasn't any more comfy that a tub at home so fine for relaxing, but not pushing.  Hopefully no other mommas go into labor when I do so I can get to that water birth suite first.  Going to try the whole water birth thing again I think. 

Well, I've been trying to write this for a week and now I'm even more exhausted :)  That pretty much sums up everything going on so far.  I have my next regular appointment in 2 weeks so I'll be 32 weeks then.  It is going by so fast. 

24 week appointment

I was busy most of last week, mostly making messes with G and then took a break from the computer over the weekend so I'm just now getting around to writing up my latest midwife appointment notes.

24 weeks, 6 days
Midwife Amy

Flexing (well in mid flex...Mark is not the most patient photographer)
Don't all pregnant women flex?
Wait till I complete Body Beast post prego, you will probably be tired of my flexing. 
(or you could join me...Always an option) 

1st paragraph is TMI, so skip it if you don't want to know THAT much about you.  Everything else is PG!

This appointment was supposed to include the normal baby checking activities as well as another procedure to check for the possibility of cervical cancer. This cervical cancer screening is not a normal procedure during pregnancy, but I pretty much denied the chance to have further testing done after an abnormal pap back in February. Why would I do that? I'm crazy! Ok, well, not entirely, but my regular doctor who caught it said it was low grade and probably would go away on it's own, but he sent me to a Gyn for further testing/discussion. She did not see anything when she looked, but suggested a test. Turns out it was an expensive test. I didn't find out how expensive the test was until the day of the appointment and well, even though we have always have enough and at times more than enough money, money still freaks me out and that made me decide not to do it. I was already apprehensive about further testing because even this doctor told me it usually goes away on it's own and can show up 1 test and be gone a few weeks later. Had I had my pap 1 day later, it could have come back perfect and we would have never known it had been abnormal just the day before. Plus, she said (as well as countless internet sources noted...yes, I know not to believe everything I read online, but ya still gotta check ya know) that eating healthier (ie. fruits, veggies, etc) can take away any bad cells. I am all for treating/preventing with food. So Amy did her own looking around and decided there is nothing visible that would suggest further testing needs to be done until after the baby arrives. 8 weeks PP I will need to get rechecked though.

So then comes the normal part of this checkup, except I'm not exactly sure how my appointment was scheduled because Amy didn't seem to know anything about the normal checkup part. She did listen to the baby's heartbeat (140-150 so normal) and they took my weight. Of all things to remember they remember the darn scale. Other than that, no belly measurement or anything. Although I'm not sure what else could have been done. Maybe blood pressure?

Amy had done my initial pregnancy exam so she saw her note to have my thyroid rechecked. She didn't see any follow up notes, so she asked if I had been rechecked. Well, no, of course not! She told me I could get it done today if I wanted. sure, what's a little blood work on a Wednesday afternoon? It would just require a stop at the lab at the end of the hall. So I get dressed and she tells me she will see me in the hallway. I am a super fast dresser so of course she is nowhere to be found so the nurse see me and walks me to the checkout desk, which is just at the other end of the hallway right in front of the lab. On my paperwork it says 1. have thyroid retested 2. return in 4 weeks for a normal appointment and a sugar test. Checkout lady (I'm sure not her real title) asks me if I would like to return on 10/9. Sounds good. Then she asks me morning or afternoon. Ummm, don't you have to be fasting for the sugar test? She says no. I say, well, isn't it 2 hours long. Again she says no. But at my last appointment I was told you guys no longer do 1 and 3 hour tests, just the 2 hour and if you fail that's it, you are just a failure and proceed as a prego diabetic. She tells me that apparently those tests were not working great so they stopped them. Interesting! So I pick an afternoon appointment and she asks if I need a parking sticker. Yes, I sure do. I get the sticker and she tells me to have a good day. Ummmm, did you not see the part on there that says have thyroid rechecked. Aw, yes, she says as the lab tech walks past her saying she will return soon. She tells her I will be waiting and then I wait. While I'm waiting, I swear the next person says she needs a morning appointment for her 2 hours sugar test since she will be fasting and the checkout lady says ok. HUH?????? But I do not ask because it just seems like too much trouble and I'm sure I will just end up more confused.

Finally the tech makes it back but for some reason she doesn't know I'm the one waiting and doesn't ask. So I'm hanging out holding the wall from falling over when the checkout lady finally says that I can just go back there. Blood is drawn and I am finally done. I get all the way home before noticing my appointment sheet says OB appointment and has no mention of a Sugar test. I could call and clarify, but I think I will just take my chances :)

Moral of the story: one picks midwives because they choose not to intervene or do unnecessary things. One does not pick them for their organizational skills, as clearly this is lacking.

Prego complaints: my legs are taking turns giving out after simple activities and it is quite painful.

The Baby: he's a kicker and a mover and clearly has restless leg syndrome (or maybe restless everything syndrome...is that a thing?). Either way I like it. Better to have movement than no movement. I think he may be getting big like G. Scary, but unless something weird happens between now and his birthday I don't imagine I will have any more sonos so I guess we'll just be surprised.

Random thoughts: I have this really great picture idea in mind for him and G for Christmas so is it bad of me to hope he arrives about a week early? G was 13 days early so I already have it in my head that Baby B will be early too. If not, no big deal. G will get to do it alone.

Speaking of Baby B, I keep thinking of the other boy name I wanted. Might just start up that convo with Mark again. That should bring more interest and fun to the next 15 weeks :)

On baby clothes: I have clothes coming out of my ears, closets, drawers, and any other crevices you can find. Mark just went and picked up another tote of clothes out of storage that I somehow missed this morning in the living room. Trying to organize everything so it gets worn is impossible, but I am organizing and reorganizing none the less.

I only picked up 50 more hangers at Target the other day.
I don't think that is going to be enough. 
How in the world did we have this many clothes?
The boy's closet is already full. 

On the boy's room and play room: just came up with a great decoration idea for the play room. Will start working on that soon. For the boy's room we just discovered that the corvette bed comes in blue finally so now we wait for the darn thing to go on sale. Once this whole baby naming business is for sure, I can order his name in street signs like G's and get those hung. Will need to rearrange some of the pictures and hang a pendant too. I still want a glider so that will have to get bought. Other than that, we are pretty good.

Wow, that was quite the post. If you made it this far, you deserve some kind of prize. Let me know what I owe you :)  I make no promises, just curious what you come up with. That was way longer than I imagined it would be for a simple 4 week OB appointment.