82

This morning after Billy left for a meeting and I had balanced the checkbook and finished writing a few thank you cards I decided to take both kids for a walk. It was about 10 am and I started getting the clothes together for the children when I realized I had to nurse Jayda. After I got that done and everyone dressed and ready to go I got out the stroller and baby carrier that I made and we set out. We went to a small "park" (grassy area) almost a mile from our house. Jacob saw a bunch of prairie dogs and chased them. We had a nice time and started to head back. It felt really hot to me and we were out in the blazing sun the whole time. Billy got back while we were still out and came looking for us and asked me if it was a little too hot to be taking a walk. We finally got home and I checked the weather and it is 82 outside. It feels like 92 (and it was forcasted to get up to 97 yesterday). How am I supposed to whip myself back into shape if I can't go out at 11am? This is ridiculous! Hopefully when I get my energy back up to normal we can get up earlier before it gets super hot. It will still be about 80, but that sure beats 100!

day 12

We are doing very well after 12 days. I have healed very well and a lot faster than I did when I delivered Jacob (there was a lot less tearing this time). Jayda is doing alright, she had an appointment with her pediatrician on her 4th day out of the womb. The doc said that she had lost too much weight (8oz) and wanted to do a weight check the following week. We went in yesterday and she has not yet regained her birth weight even though she has gained 5oz. We were instructed to make another appointment for 3 weeks out so the doc can keep her eye on the baby's weight. It is funny because she nurses all the time! I know she is sucking it down because I have already dropped 20lbs. I am just hoping not to regain any of it in the near future and for her to keep on this behavior of eating a lot (and hopefully gaining some more weight). I am not too concerned about it because Jacob was so little it would stand to reason that she will be on the small side as well.

I must go now, the babe is crying and the toddler is yelling and asking for a special treat even though he did not put his poo poo into the toilet.

Introducing Jayda Mae

Jayda was born on Thursday morning at 3:35. She weighed 8lbs 3oz and was 20 inches long.

On Wednesday night I decided to try some Castor oil. I heard it works, so I read the directions and mixed 1 tablespoon in a small glass of juice at 9:30 pm. I thought that it would work over night and maybe it wouldn't be as uncomfortable for me. I woke up at 1 am with cramps. Really a lot more intense than I was expecting them to be. The cramps were coming every 4 minutes or so, but they were coming in twos. One right after another followed by a 4 minute break. I wanted to wait for them to get into a pattern to be sure it was labor before I called the hospital. I woke Billy up at about 2:45 and asked him to call the hospital, I was contracting every minute or so and knew I couldn't carry on a conversation with the nurse. She got after me for taking the Castor oil and told us to come in and they would send me home if it was not labor. I went upstairs to change my pants and had a strong contraction. I laid down on the bed to get off my feet and rocked back and forth. It hurt like nothing else and I started screaming like you see those crazy labors on TV. While I was screaming my water broke (yup, on the bed). I yelled for Billy because I didn't really know what else to do. I almost told him to call 911 because I knew at that point that this baby was coming very very soon. Billy was on his way to put Jacob in the car and said he would be right back to help me to the car (he was totally freaked out). I decided not to wait for him and got my pants on and went downstairs. I had a contraction and Billy came back in and held me up because my legs were going to buckle. He said he had to back to car out of the garage so that I could get in and left me there to go do that. I had another contraction that brought me to my hands and knees and he came back and told me to stop pushing. If you don't know, it is almost impossible to control the reaction of your body when you are that far along in the process. Billy helped me to the car and raced to the hospital. On the way with every contraction I screamed and moaned and every time Jacob told me "feel better Mommy". We kept reassuring him that I was OK and that Jayda was trying to come out. Also, with every contraction more and more water came on out(yup, in the car. Was I sitting on a towel? Nope). I was also pushing, I couldn't help it. When I would realize that I was pushing I would stop and breath, but that sure took a lot of effort. I told Billy between contractions that no cop better pull us over because they would really regret it! We made it to the hospital in about 7 minutes and Billy got a wheel chair. The security guard had to do the pushing and ran us to the labor and delivery floor. When we pulled up the nurses at the station were just standing there, non-chalantly handed Billy the paperwork for me to sign. Billy says that he put the pen in my hand and held it there trying to sign my name, but I was having another contraction and I started screaming again and boy did those nurses hop to it! Like 6 of them ran from behind the big desk and were yelling and running me into the room. Two of them stood me up and took my pants down and put a gown over my shirt and helped me into the bed. I remember seeing two nurses at the end of the table and Billy at my left side. I looked over to my right and there was Jacob looking so small sitting by himself on the couch watching everything with his eyes all wide. Then I pushed her out in 2, one for the head, one for the shoulders. Then the doc came in and delivered the afterbirth and gave me local anesthetic and gave me a few stitches. The only words the doc uttered were "that is the biggest umbilical cord I have ever seen!" I got a shot of pitocin after that to keep the contractions going so that I wouldn't bleed to death. Jacob had been taken out by a nurse and was given juice and chocolate until Billy's mom came to watch him. And that is it! It was all done between the hrs of 1am and 3:35 am, the shortest labor I hope I will ever have. Jayda had a perfectly shaped head and is nursing like a pro. I am feeling great and the only pain I am really having is uterine contractions when I am nursing (and they are no punk). Jacob has seemed to forget he has a mother and goes straight for Jayda all the time. He loves to hold her and touch her and is already trying to take care of her.

Yay for progress!

I should have been more specific in my post yesterday. A large part of why I want to get this baby out asap is my whole family is coming for a visit this week. They will be here from this Friday until the next Saturday. I have one sister coming from Alaska that we don't get to see very often (usually once a year). She didn't meet Jacob until he was 3 months old. Needless to say with such strict visit parameters I am feeling the pressure to make sure that this baby is at least on time so they can have as much quality time with the baby as possible. With my history (I think one time counts as history) Jacob was late, so I am concerned that Jayda won't come until after they have all gone home. It is a weight I will have to carry until she is born. Of course everyone in my family reassures me saying a I shouldn't worry about it and just let it happen, but I am very talented at placing a lot of pressure on myself (as I believe a lot of women are).

I had another appointment this morning and the NP stripped my membranes and said she got me to 3 cm and I was 80%. She said that it should be soon, so there is hope after all. I came home from the appointment and did the dishes and mopped the floors just to stay on my feet a little while so that I wouldn't slow anything down.

I am posting a lot because once she comes all this will seem like a distant memory and then I will never report what happened before hand! Nevertheless, I hope that the next post I put up will be the story of a very short and uncomplicated delivery with lots of pictures. I appreciate all of your support and willingness to go through this with me! I sure miss all my Northwest pals and wish we could better share these experiences. I am very thankful for the blogging community!

Still Pregnant?

I know it has only been a week and all, but I have tried a few things to naturally induce labor and I wanted to share what I have learned doesn't work! We have walked, eaten spicy food and been intimate. I also heard from a few sources (including my midwife when I was pregnant with Jacob) to try evening of primrose dietary supplement. I tried the pills in the same day as all those other things and yes I am sitting here blogging instead of holding a little girlie. There have been a few fruits, I have been having contractions and have been trying to encourage them, but no results have been had. Actually, that is not true, the primrose pills totally gave me issues in the bathroom, but I am feeling better from that little challenge. My next appointment is in the morning and I am going to be really disappointed if I have not progressed from last time. We shall see what happens.

If you couldn't tell I really need to work on gaining a little patience!

38 weeks

Today I had an appointment and the Nurse Practitioner checked me for dialation for the first time. I am 1cm dialated and 50% effaced. Hopefully I can skip my next appointment due to delivery, but we will see!