Saturday, March 15, 2014

She's Here!

Our sweet baby girl Meredith arrived last Saturday morning at 37 wk 2 days gestation!  I went into labor unexpectantly early Sat. morning and barely made it to the hospital before my water broke (the hospital is one hour away, husband driving 95 miles an hour with flashers on!).  Even though I probably could have pushed her out,  at the time I just wanted her O-U-Tof me and c-section was the fastest, safest way to accomplish that (and husband was never on board with VBAC).  I was sad my OB was not on call and left on a spring break ski vacation on Sunday and we had a doctor I had never met and she was very impersonal about the delivery.   I totally thought I had until my scheduled c-section date (Mar 25th) to get things prepared and packed up to go.  The thing that has been the hardest is not being able to pick up and play with my toddler.  Thank god, I have a great babysitter for him, but it's still been hard because he is too little to understand what is going on.  I have survived the first week and according to my aunt who is a nurse, after a major surgery you get 4% better each day, so right now I am 28% better.  I am down to 1 percocet every 4 hours and 2 advil every 6 hours.  Breastfeeding is going so so so much better than last time around.  She is nursing like a champ! My milk came in before we left the hospital.  Her birthweight was 6 lb 11 oz and discharge was 6-2 and then 2 days later she was back up to 6-6.  She is such a good baby- just wakes to eat, looks around for a minute and then goes back to sleep.  She was sleeping skin to skin on my chest all week, but last night she slept in the swing and I got 4 hours of unbroken delicious deep sleep.  I love her so much and I never thought I would have 2 beautiful babies in 3 short years after 3 long years of yearning to start a family.








Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Cloth diapers revisited

Before Winn was born, I became obsessed with the idea of using cloth diapers because they seemed great for the environment and my pocketbook.  I did a ton of research on-line about the best diapering system, best detergents, etc and eventually took the plunge and ordered about $300 of cloth diapers and accessories.  I did not use them during the newborn stage, but once he was about 2 months I started using them and discovered the following drawbacks:  I had to change him constantly.  You cannot let a baby sit in a cloth diaper especially after you have been using the cloth diapers for a little while.  My diapers quickly built up ammonia in them which is extremely irritating to sensitive tissue down there.  Winn was circumcised and he started developing penile skin adhesions which totally freaked out my husband and me.  This was around 5-6 months when we discovered this problem.  The solution to this problem required much application of vaseline to to loosen the skin and protect it.  Vaseline and lots of other good diaper creams are contraindicated with cloth diapers.   It was extremely frustrating to me to have to give up on the idea of cloth, but like many things I've learned with being a new mom, you just have to go with the flow and be flexible.

This Fall after I got over the hump of the first trimester, I decided to pull out the cloth again and give it another go.  This time went much better for several reasons:

1) I finally figured out the KEY to avoiding ammonia build-up in the diaper is throughly rinsing each diaper insert in the sink after changing him.  When the diaper sits in the bin un-rinsed it dries out the and ammonia crystals get locked into the insert.   I will occasionally boil the insert if I notice it is strong smelling after I take it off of him.

2) I use cloth only during the day. Definitely disposables at night and sometimes during naps.  If I know I am going to be running around town doing a bunch of errands, I use disposables.

3) I used to like the Flip covers and prefolds because he was going through the diapers so quickly, but now I like the convenience of the Bum Genius with the inserts.  The velcro are also easier to get on him, but I have to make sure he has pants on or he will take them off.  I think about 12 cloth diapers is about the perfect of amount for part-time cloth diapering.  I was them about every other day because I don't like the idea of them fermenting in the bin.  My husband is not really on board with cloth because it's not as convenient as disposable and has the potential for more skin irritation, so I do all the washing and prepping.  I use cloth wipes sometimes for cleaning during changing him and cloth wipes are great for wiping him down after meals.  I throw these cloth wipes and bibs in with the cloth diapers to wash.

3)  Cloth diapering is so much better now that he is not tee-teeing every 30 minutes.  Winn also poops in the potty about 75% of the time now.  I hardly ever have to clean poopy cloth diapers which leads me to my next point.

4)  The Bum Genius Diaper Sprayer is an absolute must for cloth diapering moms and toilet training moms.  It is a sprayer that you attach to your toilet.  I use it all the time now to clean out the little potty bowl after poops.

I know that cloth diapering will probably go to the wayside once baby #2 arrives, but I do feel like I am finally getting my money's worth out of the cloth diapers by using them during the day and maybe lessening my carbon footprint.  Even though washing/drying them probably adds alot to my utility bill.   It feels good to no longer be cursing the cloth and Winn seems to like the cloth - he does look so damn cute in them.

I am now a day shy of 37 weeks, so in the homestetch!  I had a cervical check yesterday - nothing happening down there, but made me so sore and crampy afterwards.  I think I will go all the way to my C-section date which is in 20 days!


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Date on the Calendar

My c-section is scheduled for March 25 - 2 days before my estimated due date.  Just having a date on the calendar quells some of my anxiety about going through labor and delivery again.  The only way I would have a VBAC is if my water breaks and everything happens spontaneously and beautifully which is not a very likely scenario.  Last week, baby girl was breech and I don't think she has turned down yet.

I am recovering from a 24 hour stomach bug.  It was so brutal!  My husband and I both came down with it at 3 am yesterday morning and could not do anything yesterday.  Thank goodness Winn didn't have it too and I hope he doesn't get it.  I spent most of the day in bed trying to get comfortable and not throw up.  I had Braxton Hicks every five minutes most of the day due to dehydration.  Feeling so much better this morning.

In other news, my husband and I went to the movie theatre for the first time in a year to see August: Osage County.  The cast and acting were great, but I felt like I had been in a bar fight by the time I walked out.  Not a feel good movie at all.  Last night we laid on the couch and watched Steven Soderberg's film Side Effects with Jude Law and Rooney Mara - also depressing.   I need some comic relief!  And the weather is killing me - so cold and wet this winter and I think we are in for some more this weekend.  

Not much longer to go!  I'll keep you posted . . .

Friday, January 24, 2014

To VBAC or not to VABC?

This is the question I have been grappling with lately.

I had my 28 week appt a couple of weeks ago and passed my glucose tolerance test.  My iron is a little low and thyroid level is good.  Baby girl is moving around like crazy, so my doctor says she must be pretty happy in there.

My doctor is very laidback and flexible and has given me the option of choosing a trial of labor over a repeat c-section.  She said she would let me go to 41 weeks if need be.  On Monday this sounded like a good plan.  However, the next day I talked to a friend of mine who delivered vaginally and she tore to a 4 (all the way thru) and the very idea of that frightens me to no end.  She said that sex was painful for a long time after birth and there is alot of scar tissue down there now.

So that really got me research the internet on tearing during delivery and the odds are not really in my favor (are they ever?).  Women over 35 (I am 37) tend to tear 50% of the time, since skin loses elasticity as you age.   I already have significant bladder issues (intersitial cystisis) so I don't need any more problems with my pelvic area.

A planned c-section after 39 weeks is actually safer than a vaginal birth for the baby for a mom who has had a previous c-section.  Though the risk of uterine rupture is small, it is still real and to be accounted for.  My husband is completely on board with having another c-section. VBAC . .  . not so much.  If he was more gung-ho on a trial of labor then maybe I would be more inclined to sway that way.

The only way I really see myself doing VBAC is if my water breaks before 39 weeks and my cervix dilates quickly.  I am not going through another 24 hr plus labor marathon that ends up in c-section like last time.

We go to the doctor again on Monday, so I will revisit this topic with her to see what she thinks.  She herself has had 2 belly births (as my sis-in-law calls them), so I think I know what she will recommend for me.