Baby Lockie Has Arrived!!! - July 16, 2007

Leah Miriam was born on Monday, July 16, 2007, her due date!!! She arrived at 9:28 pm, weighed a whopping 9 lbs 12 oz, and measured 21 1/4 inches long. She is one BIG baby :)
My water broke at 5:45am, but it just trickled here and there for over 12 hours. I started having mild contractions around 11am, but they never really picked up. I called the doctor's office around 2pm to see what they wanted me to do since I tested positive for group B strep [the baby can get infected if the amniotic sac is ruptured for a prolonged period of time.]. Dr. B wanted me to get checked at the hospital by 6pm.
We arrived at the hospital at 6pm, and the nurse confirmed that my water had broken, BUT it was just the fore waters. There was still a bulging bag in there. My IV antibiotics started around 6:30, and Dr B arrived at 7pm to break my water. He gave me until 8pm to make some good progress or pitocin would be started.
At 8pm the nurse started the pitocin to increase my contractions even though I'd progressed from 2 cm to almost 5 cm. At that point my contractions were about 5 min apart and quite manageable with my hypnosis. Very quickly the contractions were 2 min apart and getting stronger. I was unable to keep my focus on relaxing at this point. Sometime around 9pm I decided I couldn't do it on my own and asked for an epidural. The nurse called Dr B and the anesthesiologist (who was NOT at the hospital!!!) because she was pretty sure baby was coming quickly. I had Pete help me focus on my hypnosis even though I'd never had him practice with me. That helped a LOT!! He was a great birth partner :) As the tech was setting up for the delivery, I suddenly moaned "PUSHING! I'M PUSHING!!". The response was "DON'T PUSH!!" Ha ha, like I could help it. I was able to gain some control and I "ahhhhed" and moaned to keep from pushing. The nurse looked down, smiled and said "I see LOTS of dark hair". Dr B walked in and I was given the okay to push. She came out quite quickly! One push for the head, a couple for the shoulders, and another for the body. I was totally out of control!!
Pete announced, "I think it's a girl". I responded, "Leah, she's Leah!!" I cut the cord, though at that point I really didn't care. The nurses kept commenting on how chubby she was! My babies have always been small, so that was kind of weird. I did end up with a 2nd degree tear, and getting stitched wasn't too fun.
She nursed like a champ, thank goodness, so that shouldn't be an issue.
I got my natural childbirth even though at the end I really didn't want it anymore!!! I was glad to have some excellent coping tools (HypnoBabies hypnosis) to fall back on.
We are so proud of our newest edition!!!!

39 weeks + 1 day appt - July 10, 2007

Let's see if I can remember everything.
No protein in urine
I gained 7 lbs in 3 weeks, for an unmentionable grand total (it's all water!!)
Blood pressure was 128/80
I measured 39 weeks
Baby's heartbeat sounded good
I'm dilated almost 3 cm, 50% effaced, cervix is almost completely anterior and is stretchy.
Doc offered to strip my membranes but I declined since I didn't feel like bleeding and cramping for just a "maybe" going into labor.
I have another appointment in a week, but doc thinks I will have a baby before then.

39 weeks - July 09, 2007

No Baby Yet - July 07, 2007

I know I shouldn't complain since I haven't even gotten to my due date yet. I don't know how women cope with being "over due".
I need to remember some of my birthing affirmations from my hypnosis course.
"Babies are born on their birthdays, not when doctors decide."
"My baby knows how and when to be born, and I WILL be patient."
I certainly am NOT patient :)

38 week belly - July 02, 2007

Here's to hoping this is the last belly picture :)

37 week belly - June 25, 2007

It just keeps getting bigger and BIGGER!!!

36.5 week appointment - June 21, 2007

I had another prenatal appointment this morning. I gained 2 lbs in 2 weeks, which is normal :) My blood pressure was 114/80, which is great! My belly measured 38 weeks even though the baby has dropped pretty low (big belly!). I had no swelling to speak of, baby's heartbeat sounded good, and my urine tested fine.
I don't go back until July 10!!!! That almost 3 weeks... I think I might have a baby before then! My doctor will be on vacation from June 27 - July 4 (he's on call that evening), so I got to meet the other doctor in the practice just in case he's the guy delivering the baby.

8 Months Pregnant - June 16, 2007

Here I am. I don't feel like I could possibly get much bigger!! One more month to go... but I'm hoping for sooner!!!!

34.5 week appointment - June 07, 2007

I had another appointment today. I gained a couple of pounds, blood pressure was okay (not fantastic), urine was fine, my belly measured 35 weeks, and the baby is dropping. I had my Group B Strep test today, and I sincerely hope it comes back negative. The screening they did at 12 weeks came back positive, though I was negative with my other pregnancies. I really don't want to have IV antibiotics during labor since I REALLY don't want an IV. I hate being tethered to that stupid IV pole. My doc said that he usually does a cervical check at this time to make sure the baby is head down. I refused that, and told him baby was head down. He quickly felt low on my belly and agreed. Now, isn't that easier than an internal exam??
I go back in two weeks. I thought my doc was going on vacation from June 20-July 3, but it's only June 27 - July 3. Poor guy only gets a week!! He's on call the evening of July 4th, so I can have a baby after that :)
We go to a family practice doctor so he sees all of us, and today he saw three of us. Pete's ears were impacted, and needed to be cleaned out. Hannah had what I suspected was a urinary tract infection, so I had to get her to pee in a sterile cup (she did great!!). She DOES have a UTI, so she's taking antibiotics now. Thankfully, Elijah didn't need anything!

Belly Art - May 29, 2007

I let Hannah decorate my belly this morning. She thought it was the greatest idea ever!!

32.5 weeks - May 25, 2007

I had another prenatal appointment today. I had to wait in the waiting room for 45 minutes, and not surprisingly my blood pressure was a bit high (138/78). I had the doctor retake it a few minutes later and it was better (128/78). I gained about 4 lbs in 2 weeks (yikes), but I think it's mostly water... I've been swelling a lot since it's been hot. I measured 34 weeks, so that discreptency went up again. However, my urine was fine, and most importantly the baby's heartrate was good. I go back in two weeks and I will get tested for group B strep.

Seven Months - May 16, 2007

Only 2 more months to go!!
I had to have Hannah take this picture since Pete is out of the country right now. She did a good job, but I had to straighten it up a bit in PhotoShop.
I keep looking at the calendar to see the earliest I could safely have this baby (37 weeks is good!!). However, my doctor will be out of town that week, and my babysitter won't be back until July 10th (39 weeks). Still wanting that 07-07-07 baby :) The kids would just have to come with us, but maybe they'd just sleep through the whole thing.

30.5 week prenatal appt - May 11, 2007

Not much to report. My CBC and glucose tolerance test came back great. I gained 1.5 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm measuring 31.5 weeks, so only a week ahead at this point... the gap is closing! My blood pressure and urine were fine, and the baby's heartbeat sounded good.
I was informed that my doc would be out of town the last week in June and the first three days of July, so I'm not supposed to have Lockie that early :)

Mixed feelings - May 01, 2007

Today was my due date for the baby I miscarried in September. I feel like I SHOULD have a baby to hold right now. I knew today would be a difficult day for me, and just thinking about it makes me want to cry. It doesn't help that I know 3 moms who have babies due this week.
I am very happy to be 6 1/2 months pregnant with a healthy baby, but I can't help but mourn the baby I'll never meet.

28.5 weeks pregnant April 27, 2007

I had my 28 week prenatal appointment this morning. They did the blood test for gestational diabetes so I had to drink the yucky orange stuff. My previous OB had carbonated orange "soda" to drink, and it was way better than this stuff!! I was surprised I kept it in my tummy (I apparently have the same virus Eli did last week...).
I only gained 2 lbs in 4 weeks (yay!), and my blood pressure was perfect. I'm only measuring 1.5 weeks ahead instead of 3 weeks ahead, so that's nice too. My mommy friends who have lots of kids assured me that this would happen, so no reason to expect a big baby :)
I now start seeing the doc every 2 weeks! Well, since we go to a family practice doctor, we are typically in there every 2 weeks anyway (someone is always sick). But now, we will be in a minimum of every two weeks!!
Doc was impressed that I knew what position the baby was in (he had the doppler in the wrong place and wasn't finding the heartbeat). I showed him where the baby's back was, and he found the heartbeat right away! He asked how I knew, lol!! When you have a baby bottom stuck under your ribs, it's not too hard to figure out where everything else is :) And this kid is in the exact same position that Elijah was in... I don't remember for sure about Hannah, but I think she was ROA (right occiput anterior) as well. Once they get a certain size, I guess there is only room for them in one spot!
Oh, and I started referring to this baby as "he" today! Kind of strange since I think Lockie is a girl... I guess we'll all find out in July!

Belly 27 weeks/ 6 months - April 16, 2007

No, it's not the "glow" of pregnancy... My face is red because I'd just gotten out of the shower.

Boy Outfit - April 13, 2007

Here's the outfit Lockie will come home in if s/he happens to be a boy.

Girl Outfit - April 12, 2007

Isn't that the cutest thing ever?? I'll have to take a picture of the boy outfit too, because it's pretty darn cute too!

Baby Clothes - April 11, 2007

I am simply DYING to go buy baby clothes!! However, Target now has a 90 day return policy even with a receipt. Since I don't know whether Baby Lockie is a boy or a girl, I will be buying a little of both in the tiniest size. So, I have to wait another week, at least, so I can return the clothes we don't need.
I do need fewer boy clothes than girl clothes, thanks to Elijah. I sold almost all of Hannah's clothes on Ebay before Eli was born. I did save some of the gender neutral stuff, and a few things that I really liked. I may placate myself and buy the girl going-home outfit I've been drooling over. Since I'll have to wash it before we know the gender, I won't be able to return it anyway. I have a boy going-home outfit that Eli was supposed to wear, but didn't....
Also, we've finally decided on names. Sorry, it's a secret until the baby arrives! However, I will give you the rules we followed. The first names are from the Old Testament and end in "ah", just like Hannah and Elijah. The middle names are also from the Old Testament (and happen to be 3 syllables long). If it's a boy (unsure about a girl yet), there will be a second middle name as well.

Hypnobirth - February 15, 2007

Well, some of you will definitely think I've gone off the deep end this time, but what the heck, I'll blog about it anyway.
I've just ordered the homestudy course from HypnoBabies, so I can do self-hypnosis during labor. It's a 5 week course where you listen to hypnosis CDs, read some materials, and work in a workbook. During labor (aka "birthing time" in HB-speak) you listen to a special hypnosis CD, and all the post-hypnotic suggestions you learned earlier and used to relax you. At best, the mom feels only pressure during labor and birth, at worst you have some really great relaxation techniques to use.
I think I can do this since I was able to relax though 10 hours of pitocin induced contractions during Elijah's birth. It was only when there was no longer a break between the contractions (and the doc broke my water), that I requested an epidural. Without the induction, I'm pretty sure I could have gone the distance on my own!
So, there you have it. That's what I'm excited about these days :)
Now to decide whether or not to have a "recreational" ultrasound to find out Lockie's gender... I only have a couple of weeks to decide.