She's Here

Well she is here. Alida Marie was born June 2nd at 7:48pm and weighs in at 7 pounds 8 ounces and is 19 in. long. Words cannot express how proud I am of Erin doing the amazing job she did getting this baby out. As for myself, I always said I wanted a boy, but it all changed once I saw her beautiful head come out followed by her body. I just completly lost it and couldn't stop crying. Erin pushed for 2 hours and 58 minutes. Doctor Hamilton, by the way has got to be the best doctor out there, told us that if she didn't deliver by 3 hours then Erin would have had to have a c-section. The doc applied the vacum and on the second try little Alida came out into the world. I would have some pictures but left the camera at the hospital. When Erin comes home, she will write some more and have some pics for you all to see our beautiful daughter.

When does labor actually start?

That's a question that I have been thinking about for quite some time. In my opinion it started at least a week ago, if not two weeks ago!! HAHA!!!

I always pictured "the end" being the most exciting time. The baby is almost here, the baby stuff is all set up and ready to go, family and friends checking in to find out the latest on the ETA. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited but more than anything I am anxious!!! I hate that feeling. Not knowing when or where, not knowing what the pain will actually be like, not knowing if Matt will be there when it happens. I dream of being able to sleep in my bed again (actually laying on my back or even my stomach!!)....of being able to tie my shoes or shave my legs.....of not waking up to go to the bathroom for the zillionth time!! The rumor is (abundantly) that first pregnancies are usually overdue. I am still hoping that this happens before my due date or even on my due date. No one tells you about the aches and pains that creep up on you in the last few days/weeks of pregnancy. Sure, you hear about some of the horror stories, which I can honestly say isn't me (not at this point). But, I don't remember anyone telling me that I might end up sleeping on the couch in an upright position for the last week (or even two at the rate I am going). OR that my stomach would be harder than it's ever been and even painful to the touch. OR that the baby could choose positions that would make your back throb and ache long before you went into actual "labor". Or that the pressure from the baby would make you feel as though something were ripping inside of you. Ahhhh....the joys of pregnancy. Well, if I had known all 0f these wonderful facts I would still be here where I am at today and all of you would still be "listening" to my daily complaints. My mom always said that I liked to complain....she was right. I just never shut up!! Anyway, I need to remind myself that this journey hasn't been that bad....that what I have had to deal with does not even compare to what others have had to endure. God has been quite good to me and I know that he will continue to give me the strength I need to bring this little bugger into the world.

Well, at my last Dr. appointment the baby was doing great. The heart rate was around 123 again. I am now a "full" 2 cm (the doc said there was wiggle room) and 70% effaced instead of 50%. That doesn't seem like much progress to me but the doc was very happy with it. We talked about my options if I don't go into labor by my due date. Their practice is to induce 1 week after the actual due date. So, come June 12th we will have a baby one way or the other!! There is finally an end in sight!!!!

I guess that's about all for now.......the next posting should be from Matt! At least I hope it plays out that way!!!!

Please keep us in your prayers!!!!!!!

SO CLOSE!!!!

I know it's not Friday but I wanted to post this before I forgot the details (can't imagine I would but my mom tells me it will fade with time:-). I want to make sure that little baby knows what his/her momma went through!!! :-)

It was about 1 am on Sunday night/Monday morning and I just couldn't get comfortable in bed so I went to go sleep on the couch. My back had been bothering me throughout the day in spurts, but only the left side....very strange. I tried to get comfortable but all I could really do was sit up with pillows propped around me. I slept for about an hour and a half and then I was woken up but contractions and severe back pain (again only on the left side). Finally, I knew what real contractions felt like. I had to breathe through these suckers, big time!! For me they were a mixture of extreme gas pain and horrible menstrual cramps and of course excruciating back pain!! They were coming every ten minutes or so but seemed to be lasting more than the standard 30 - 90 seconds. I started timing them and they were lasting up to 7 minutes!!!

After an hour of dealing with this I yelled up for Matt. He came down a little disoriented but made the call to the doctor. They said to come in....even though the contractions were not 5 minutes apart yet. So, we grabbed our stuff and headed in around 4 am. First thing that the nurses said, "geez you sure are all baby....this one is gonna weigh over 8 lbs for sure!!" I hope Dr. Hamilton is right about my pelvis....this baby has gotta fit!!!! They put me on the monitor right away and noticed that I was having several contractions in a row (that's why they felt like they lasted a lifetime!!!). One big one, then a small one right after, followed by two medium ones, then another small one....then a tiny break then another big one. And, little did I know....the baby was moving during some of the contractions making them more painful than they had to be!!! I just assumed that the baby couldn't move while they were happening....wrong! LOTS OF FUN!!!

So, there we sat and waited. The contractions (the big ones) were about 5 minutes apart and consistently strong but not increasing at this point. They checked my cervix....still 2 cm and 50% effaced and the baby hadn't dropped at all. All this for nothing!!! So, I walked the halls a bit hoping to get something going....Matt was a trooper and joined me for most of the walking. There was another little baby boy in the nursery named Caleb....I thought for sure it was a sign, guess not:-(

After about an hour of walking they put me back on the monitor to see how things were going. Same as before...contractions were 5 minutes apart....less of the little guys in between thanks to the 10+ cups of water they had me drink. At this point I didn't feel like things were going to be happening quickly so Matt spoke with the nurse to see if I could go home. They checked my cervix one last time.....nothing had changed. Since I was having regular contractions I had to sign a form in order to leave. They told me to come back when the pain got worse and the contractions got closer together OR when I felt like I needed something to take the edge off.

Home we went. I spent most of the morning on all 4's with an ice pack on the left side of my back. We practiced a little of the tennis ball technique on my back that we had learned in labor and delivery - it does work well. In between the ice pack/tennis ball sessions I got about 10 - 15 minutes of sleep at a time. I was seriously thinking that there was no way that I was going to make it through this. At this point (God knew I was starting to fall apart) the contractions seemed to slow down and decrease in intensity. They were happening about every 15 minutes and weren't nearly as strong as they had been. By 4 pm they were gone....along with all the back pain I was having.

There you have it - False Labor! What I want to know is how they can call it "false" if it hurts like the real thing???!! Now that I have gotten a taste of what I can expect I am making a list of medications that I would like to try throughout the process:-) You know, getting referrals from others that have been there, done that.

Hopefully, the next post you will be reading will be written by Matt and will include pictures of our little one!!!!

Day 11

Still here!!! With everything I have been experiencing lately I thought for sure that I would go sometime this week!! At Tuesday's appointment Dr. Hamilton stripped my membranes (sounds great, huh?) and I experienced some real bleeding/spotting (which is normal) for the first time!! I thought it might help to set things in motion but nothing came of it. Since Tuesday I have been having contractions on a "regular" basis, although they have been irregular in length, distance between and intensity. I would say that I have anywhere between 40 - 60 during the day and then another 30 - 40 from the time I get home until I hit the sack. The past two nights I have been woken up by a contraction or two. They aren't all strong, they tend to vary in intensity and I probably only experience a handful a day that stop me in my tracks. So, here we go....another week on the books and only 11 days until my "due date".

Matt has a bachelor party in AC on Saturday so I have asked my mom to "watch over" me. I hope and pray that Saturday is not the day!!!! We are planning ahead to make sure he can get home at a moment's notice. It probably won't come down to that but you never know.

Let's see.....the bags (Matt's and mine) are completely packed and the baby's room is completely ready as well. There isn't much left to do except......wait.

Matt is really starting to think it's a boy for sure!! The past two appointments Dr. Hamilton has been referring to the baby as such. The heart rate was 124 this past visit and 122 the visit before. I can't imagine that's something that can be relied upon but the doc seems to think so. Can't wait to find out and share the news with you all!!!! Keep checking your email....Matt will be sending out an "arrival" email any day now :-)

Take care and pray for a quick (in the next few days and short in length) and pain free (well, as little pain as possible) labor and delivery!!

Week 38

Still no baby...but I've gotta be closer!! No changes when I went to the doctor last. The baby seems to be doing fine and isn't growing too big, like they had originally thought. The doc keeps saying that the baby will end up around 7 1/2 - 8 pounds, which sounds good to me!!
My rash is almost gone, thanks to 'Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap' (Thank You Adrianne!!!). The itching was so intense at times that I thought I was gonna go crazy!!!! Thank goodness I was able to find something to help! Surprisingly enough Matt did not break out in a rash himself (he has been having a lot of sympathy pains throughout this pregnancy:-).
The baby's heart rate was the lowest it's been thus far - only 122!!! He/she must have been taking a nap when the doc was listening in. Amazingly enough the baby's activity level is the same as always - moving all the time. I thought for sure that once he/she ran out of room I wouldn't feel as many movements, I was wrong!!
Well, I went for a bumpy ride this week (my sister, Candice, recommended it), nothing happened except for a few Braxton Hicks. I am sure that this baby will come as soon as he/she is ready.....I just wish it were now!!! Can't wait to hold the babe!!! This weekend I am scheduled for a pedicure - I have heard there are pressure points in the feet......if nothing else it will be a great relaxer!!
Until next time..........have a good one!!!!!!!!

The Countdown

Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks!!!! They consider that Full Term.....so I have decided to pull out all the "natural" inducers that I can find out about!! I have been eating pineapple every day, doing squats and lunges each time I visit the restroom (and that's a lot these days), mulching, vacuuming and begging Matt to help me out (if you know what I mean). Soon, it will all start to come together!! I have been having anywhere between 20 - 40 contractions a day (sometimes more). Sometimes they are painful and sometimes they are just an annoyance. I get waves of nausea and flu like symptoms followed by contractions with back pain but the baby is still inside!!
This past week I broke out with a rash on my abdomen - they are pretty sure it is PUPPP...some people call it PUPS. It is not harmful, but the itching is pretty intense and it can spread to other extremities. If it gets bad they normally induce labor. There is no known cause but it is said to be common for women in their first pregnancy and in their third trimester. I have a blood test tomorrow to make sure that it isn't associated with another problem that stems from the liver. I did some research on PUPPP and it sounds exactly like what I have.....AND while reading several different articles this kept popping up: "One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant. " The only other person I know that has had the same rash did end up having a boy!!! Thought that was quite interesting!!

I went to the doctor's yesterday (to have them check my rash)....I am a full 2 cm now!! Woohoo!!! I have my next appointment this coming Tuesday...I am hoping she will say that I am even more dilated - 3 cm is all I ask for!! Maybe my weekend of natural inducers will do the trick :-) That's about all that is new. I still have to pack my bag!!! I don't know why I keep putting it off....maybe if I pack it the baby will come! I am packing tonight!!!!!
Talk to you all soon!!!!!!

Is it time yet???!!

Another week gone by....several more pounds on the scale :-( I will be 36 weeks tomorrow!! I can't believe I am now in the home stretch! On Tuesday I got some good news...of course it's not much but to me it seems better than nothing. The doctor checked me out and I am almost 2 cm (she could only chart that I was 1 cm but said I was super close to 2 cm) dilated, 50% effaced and the baby has dropped into my pelvis and is at -2 station (most scales start at -4, meaning that the baby is floating and has not dropped at all, at 0 station the baby will be fully engaged). How exciting?!! Even though I am aware I could walk around like this for 4 more weeks it is nice to know that I don't have to start from scratch, right?
Matt and I officially graduated from Labor and Delivery 101 on Tuesday evening!! I really think that the class was very helpful. I am sure that most everything I learned will go out the window when I am in labor so I am hoping Matt can stay calm and be my rock!
Last night we had a bit of a scare!! I was having regular contractions for about an hour and a half. They were about 7 minutes apart (they advise going to the hospital when they are 5 minutes apart). I was really getting nervous. As much as I want to have this baby now.....I feel like I am so not ready! Thank goodness they started to taper off and ended up spreading further apart than what they started out as. Phew!!! I don't even have a bag packed! That's what I will be doing this weekend!!
Well....that's about all that has been happening lately. Now it's just a matter of time!
Take care everyone!!!!