Lil D's Journey

Lil D's Journey

Thursday, August 11, 2011

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These are the Dr milestones that we experienced with Lil D and her journey from time of conception:

9/30/2010: LMP a/k/a last menstrual period.

12/01/2010: 9 week Dr appointment and 1st U/S. Dr confirmed there was a sweet pea growing and we heard heartbeat for the first time.

01/03/2011: 13 week Dr appointment and heard heartbeat.

01/31/2011: 17 week Dr appointment and heard heartbeat.

02/21/2011: 21 week Dr appointment and 2nd U/S. We found out baby is a GIRL! All baby parts looked great, but she was in an odd position, so we have to go back to finish check-up.

03/11/2011: 23 week Dr appointment and 3rd U/S. Dr confirmed it was a GIRL and finished check-up of baby parts! Everything looked great.

04/08/2011: 27 week Dr appointment. Completed 1 hour glucose tolerance test. Found out a few days later that I failed...barely.

04/18/2011: 28 week Lab only appointment. Completed 3 hour glucose tolerance test. Found out a few days later that I passed. Yay!

05/02/2011: 30 week Dr appointment at new clinic. We switched clinics because we moved.

05/16/2011: 32 week Dr appointment and heard heartbeat.

05/31/2011: 34 week Dr appointment and heard heartbeat.

06/07/2011: 35 week Dr appointment. Completed Group B Strep Test and blood was taken to check Hemoglobin. Also uterus was checked and no progress had been made or even started.

06/14/2011: 36 week Dr appointment. Group B Strep Test came back negative and hemoglobin came back great. Yay! Uterus was checked and still no progress.

06/21/2011: 37 week Dr appointment. Uterus was checked and Dr determined I was 75% effaced and 1cm dilated. Finally progress had started!

06/26/2011: Hailey Jo was born 11 days early!

Check back for her birth story soon.

Lil D's 3rd Trimester {Weeks 37 & 38}

Lil D's 3rd Trimester {Weeks 37 & 38}

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

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Thursday, 6/16/2011
(Week 37) 

Surprising Facts: Signs of labor

There's no way to predict when labor is going to start. Your body actually starts "preparing" for labor up to a month before you give birth. You may be blissfully unaware of what's going on or you may begin to notice new symptoms as your due date draws near.

Here are some things that may happen in the weeks or days before labor starts:

Your baby drops.

You note an uptick in Braxton Hicks contractions.

You pass your mucus plug.

Your water breaks.

(above info from Babycenter)

Today brings two beautiful words: full-term. Now, whenever baby's born, she's likely to thrive. Also thriving? Your nesting instincts, which are behind those sudden urges to bake, clean, or embroider a onesie. (Feminists, take your issue up with nature, not with us.)

HOW BIG IS BABY?

Baby's now the size of a watermelon!

Your full-term (yay!) baby is gaining about 1/2 ounce a day and getting her first sticky poop (called meconium) ready. She's also brushing up on skills for the outside world: blinking, sucking, inhaling, exhaling, and gripping (it's getting strong!).

(above info from thebump)

Thursday, 6/23/2011

(Week 38)
 

HOW BIG IS BABY?

Baby's now the size of a watermelon! See above.

Me & Lil D this week:

I am so thankful to have made it full-term. I have several mommies/babies around me that currently have complications and it really makes you grateful each week. As of now I have baby and my hospital bags mostly packed. I do still need to go get a few more bras. I have one right now that fits and that just won't do.

One thing I have often wondered is if this baby will have hair or not. Wayne had tons of dark hair. I on the other hand had light peach fuzz for a very long time. I guess we'll see sooner than later.

I have been feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions more and more, but still not on a regular basis or anything consistent. It still happens most often when I'm walking.

At our last Dr appointment this past Tuesday I found out we are 75% effaced and dilated to a 1. I guess that's a start, right? I also found out I am Group B negative. Yay!

I haven't had any trouble sleeping, so that's a plus!

I have definitely had the nesting feeling. I feel like we need to get everything cleaned and bought and organized. That's not easy to deal with since we just moved a month ago and doing anything at this point is just tiring. My Mom took me last weekend and we got most of the rest of everything we needed.

I have experienced some shooting pain. It usually happens in the middle of the night when I get up to go to the bathroom.

It's still hard for me to believe that this baby could come at anytime. Yay!
 

Funny Friday {06.24.2011}

Funny Friday {06.24.2011}

Friday, June 24, 2011

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A woman was sipping on a glass of wine, while sitting on the patio with her husband.

She says, "I love you so much, I don't know how I could ever live without you."

Her husband asks, "Is that you, or the wine talking?"

She replies, "It's me...talking to the wine."

Leah

Wordless Wednesday {06.22.2011}

Wordless Wednesday {06.22.2011}

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

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Baby Classes

Baby Classes

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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Wayne and I decided to take the parenting classes offered through our clinic/hospital. We went back and forth on if we really needed to take them and had heard from people on both sides of "they were helpful" to "you won't learn anything." Well, let me tell you as first time parents they were DEFINITELY helpful.I would recommend taking them.

The name of the class is actually "Childbirth Preparation," which I thought was a very appropriate name and it was a six-night series every Wednesday night. They recommend starting at 28 weeks. That way it's not too early where you forget, but not too late, where you probably won't finish. We started at 31 weeks.

Our teacher, Cherste, was a RN for many, many years and has now been teaching these classes for 5 years. She also was just finishing up her masters. I felt she was very knowledgeable on everything, as well as honest (didn't sugar coat parenthood) and a great resource for questions.

Weeks 1 (May 11th), 2 (May 18th), and 3 (May 25th) were all about understanding birth.

We learned and focused on preparing for a vaginal delivery. We went over the signs of pre-term labor, when to come to the hospital (511 rule), stages of labor and delivery, breathing and relaxation techniques, and medications for labor. We had to bring 2 pillows with us the first 2 weeks to practice labor techniques with each other. The third class my Mom actually came with me because Wayne had to work that night. That was the night where we reviewed all the different options for drugs during labor and delivery.

Week 4 (June 1st) was about Cesarean Birth, Postpartum Care and we took a tour of the hospital.

I liked that they went over both vaginal deliveries in the early weeks, but we also learned about c-sections as well. It was nice to learn about both and be prepared just in case. A lot of times you just plan for a vaginal birth and then unexpectedly, you need a c-section. That recently happened to a friend of mine after 19 hours of labor, they ended up doing a c-section.

It was fun to see the labor & delivery rooms as well as the Mom & Baby rooms as they call them at our hospital. We discussed the hospital stay, recovery time from a cesarean or vaginal delivery, and how to care for ourselves when we go home.

Week 5 (June 8th) was about caring for our newborn after birth

We learned the basics of infant care (such as bathing, swaddling, diapering and feeding options) and different skills for calming a fussy baby (the 5 S's).

Week 6 (June 15th) was all about Breastfeeding

I thought this class was extremely helpful. Our teacher was recently finishing up her masters and did her thesis on breastfeeding, so I felt like she was very knowledgeable about breastfeeding. We touched on how to recognize baby’s hunger cues, how to know and signs that baby is nursing well and getting enough, pumping, and breast milk storage information for time away from baby. I definitley think it was a good thing that both Wayne and I went to this class, becuase then he learned and now knows how demanding and time consuming for me it will be to breastfeed. She gave the guys tips on how to help the Mom's breastfeed, especially in those first few weeks.

Overall I thought all the classes were very helpful and I am glad we decided to take them. Wayne was joking that they should give out official graduation certificates so that when Hailey is 13 and starts talking back, we can show her the certificate of "parenting" and say..."See this, we are certified." If only it were that easy. LOL.

I'm grateful that my Husband wanted to take these classes with me and participate in them and learn just as much as I wanted to. I know he will be a great Father to Hailey and a great and supportive Husband as we welcome our first child into this world and learn to be parents together.

Love you Babydoll!