Wednesday, March 11, 2009
One last entry!
In case anyone checks back again, this is my last entry on this blog! I have started putting Liam's pictures on another site. You can see them at liamallenpetersonishere.shutterfly.com. Thanks!
My birth story
I was due Monday, December 29. That day came and went. I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, December 31. I was 2 centimeters and 70% effaced that day. The doctor gave me the option of coming in to be induced that Friday (January 2), when she would be on call. Or, I could wait until Monday, January 5, when I would be one week overdue, and I would then go in for another doctor's appointment where they'd do an ultrasound and non-stress test, to make sure the baby was okay, and they'd then schedule an induction for later that week. We decided against the induction on Friday, January 2, because it would have been considered "elective" since I wasn't yet a full week overdue, and we were unsure how (or if) that would affect the way our insurance would cover it. Plus, I just thought it was better to wait and let the baby come when he wanted to.
On Thursday, January 1, I went to the gym in the morning and walked 3 miles. I then lost my mucous plug in the bathroom at the gym after the workout. (One word- gross!) I was then hopeful that something would happen soon. I began to have contractions that day, but they were really spread out and sporadic- not timeable at all. However, overnight that night they started to get really close together. I almost woke Clay up to say that I thought it was time, after they'd been going on at about 5 minutes apart for about an hour, but then they suddenly started slowing down again, and I was able to get about a half hour of sleep at a time.
On Friday, January 2, Clay went to work. I had taken the day off, so I was at home. I was having contractions all day, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes apart. I felt pretty crappy, so I kind of just laid in bed all day, and tried to keep track of the contractions. In the evening, they started to come closer and closer together. By about 10pm they were 3 to 5 minutes apart. At this point, I was pretty sure that this was really it. I hadn't really eaten much all day- just some oatmeal and toast. Clay made me a piece of toast at about 10pm, and I think I ate about two bites. I just couldn't do it. At about 11pm, we decided to leave for the hospital.
During the short drive to the hospital I had three contractions. They were definitely getting more painful. After getting checked in, they checked me and I was 4 centimeters and 80% effaced, so I had definitely made progress since my appointment two days prior. When they checked me again about an hour later, sometime around 12:30 or 1 am, I was 7 centimeters and 100% effaced. This was definitely it! At that point the contractions were becoming pretty painful, and I was progressing pretty quickly, so I decided to ask for the epidural then. It took at least an hour for the anesthesiologist to come to administer the epidural (so I'm guessing I was at least 8 centimeers by that time). Getting the epidural felt really strange- like cold water running down my back. It took affect pretty quickly. My left leg became much more numb than my right leg, so I spent most of the rest of the labor on my right side (to try to get it to balance out). I could still feel when I was having contractions, but I didn't feel any pain.
After I got the epidural, the nurse suggested I just try to rest for awhile and let the baby come down naturally. (He was still up a bit high at that point.) So, Clay actually slept on the pull-out couch for awhile, but I didn't sleep. I just laid there, waiting for another cervical check. (I found out later that there were 7 babies born that morning in about a 4 hour period, so the doctors and nurses were really busy!) Finally I got checked at around 8 or so, and I was 10 centimeters and ready to push. I had to wait for my doctor to get there though, so in the meantime we watched some TV. We turned on the Food Network, which was terrible because I was starving! The whole night I just kept hoping for everything to move quickly so I could eat something (since I couldn't eat because of the epidural).
Dr. Wood finally got there and broke my water. There was meconium in the fluid, so they brought in a pediatrician and a couple of baby nurses to be present for the birth, in case he had swallowed too much of the meconium. I started pushing at 9:07 am, with the nurse. Dr. Wood came back in at about 9:45 to see how I was progressing, but then she had to leave to go to another delivery, so I had to stop pushing then and wait. All of a sudden, some random man (not in scrubs) walks into my room. I had no clue who he was! Turns out he was a doctor (not from my doctor's practice) who was on his way home from the hospital, and he'd been called back to help (since so many babies were being born at the same time). His name was Dr. LeBon. He likes to deliver babies standing up, so he moved my bed up really high off the ground! Crazy! So, I pushed with him for awhile, until Dr. Wood came back at about 10:30. I had to stop pushing again then, so she could get cleaned up and ready. She had me reach down to feel his hair- freaky! I refused the mirror though- I really didn't need to see what was going on down there! Finally, I was able to push again, and Liam was born at 10:53 am. I swear I didn't feel any pain. I could feel that he was coming out, but it wasn't painful. I just had a small tear up (towards the urethra) inside, and it only took 2 stitches. She said I had lots of internal bruising and lacerations, but I didn't really feel any of it then, or later.
Liam immediately began to cry, so the meconium wasn't a problem. Clay cut the cord. He was taken over to the pediatrician right away, so Clay went with him over to that side of the room. Liam then peed all over the nurses! Funny little guy! While that was going on, I was stitched up and delivered the placenta (which basically just slid out a couple minutes after Liam was born). He was weighed and cleaned up. He was 7 lbs 2 oz, and 19 inches long. They then finally brought Liam to me for some time skin to skin, to warm him up. It was wonderful to finally have him in my arms.
I had to stay in the labor/delivery room for a few more hours, until the epidural wore off. Clay had to leave to go home at about 1 pm, since Matt was there alone. I was moved to my postpartum room early in the afternoon. I was alone there until Clay and Matt came back at about 5pm. They stayed for about an hour, and then I was alone again. So, I spent the first night all alone with the baby. The hospital encourages "rooming-in," so he was in the room with me at all times (other than a few checks in the nursery). That night Liam slept for 5 hours straight, which I definitely appreciated! I knew that probably wouldn't happen again for awhile!
On Sunday, January 4, Clay came back in the morning for a few hours. That afternoon, Liam went to the nursery to be circumcized. (Poor little guy!) After that, he slept for quite awhile. Clay and Matt came back for a little while late in the afternoon. Clay then left to take Matt home, and a little while later my mom and dad arrived. Clay then came back again. Everyone left at about 7:30, and I had another night alone with the baby. He behaved exactly as babies generally do on their second night- he basically ate every hour or so all night, which is callec cluster feeding. I think I only slept about 2 hours that night.
On Monday, January 5, Clay, Mom, and Dad all came back in the morning. Liam had his last tests in the nursery. His jaundice level was high, so we would have to take him to the pediatrician right away the next day to have that checked. (It ended up going up even more, so he was on the bililights for a day.) He had dropped down to 6 lbs 14 oz by that time. I was released at about 2pm. It felt great to get out of the hospital, and it was wonderful to bring Liam home.
I feel so lucky. I had an unbelievably easy pregnancy and delivery, and Liam is an easy-going baby. Everything is going well!
On Thursday, January 1, I went to the gym in the morning and walked 3 miles. I then lost my mucous plug in the bathroom at the gym after the workout. (One word- gross!) I was then hopeful that something would happen soon. I began to have contractions that day, but they were really spread out and sporadic- not timeable at all. However, overnight that night they started to get really close together. I almost woke Clay up to say that I thought it was time, after they'd been going on at about 5 minutes apart for about an hour, but then they suddenly started slowing down again, and I was able to get about a half hour of sleep at a time.
On Friday, January 2, Clay went to work. I had taken the day off, so I was at home. I was having contractions all day, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes apart. I felt pretty crappy, so I kind of just laid in bed all day, and tried to keep track of the contractions. In the evening, they started to come closer and closer together. By about 10pm they were 3 to 5 minutes apart. At this point, I was pretty sure that this was really it. I hadn't really eaten much all day- just some oatmeal and toast. Clay made me a piece of toast at about 10pm, and I think I ate about two bites. I just couldn't do it. At about 11pm, we decided to leave for the hospital.
During the short drive to the hospital I had three contractions. They were definitely getting more painful. After getting checked in, they checked me and I was 4 centimeters and 80% effaced, so I had definitely made progress since my appointment two days prior. When they checked me again about an hour later, sometime around 12:30 or 1 am, I was 7 centimeters and 100% effaced. This was definitely it! At that point the contractions were becoming pretty painful, and I was progressing pretty quickly, so I decided to ask for the epidural then. It took at least an hour for the anesthesiologist to come to administer the epidural (so I'm guessing I was at least 8 centimeers by that time). Getting the epidural felt really strange- like cold water running down my back. It took affect pretty quickly. My left leg became much more numb than my right leg, so I spent most of the rest of the labor on my right side (to try to get it to balance out). I could still feel when I was having contractions, but I didn't feel any pain.
After I got the epidural, the nurse suggested I just try to rest for awhile and let the baby come down naturally. (He was still up a bit high at that point.) So, Clay actually slept on the pull-out couch for awhile, but I didn't sleep. I just laid there, waiting for another cervical check. (I found out later that there were 7 babies born that morning in about a 4 hour period, so the doctors and nurses were really busy!) Finally I got checked at around 8 or so, and I was 10 centimeters and ready to push. I had to wait for my doctor to get there though, so in the meantime we watched some TV. We turned on the Food Network, which was terrible because I was starving! The whole night I just kept hoping for everything to move quickly so I could eat something (since I couldn't eat because of the epidural).
Dr. Wood finally got there and broke my water. There was meconium in the fluid, so they brought in a pediatrician and a couple of baby nurses to be present for the birth, in case he had swallowed too much of the meconium. I started pushing at 9:07 am, with the nurse. Dr. Wood came back in at about 9:45 to see how I was progressing, but then she had to leave to go to another delivery, so I had to stop pushing then and wait. All of a sudden, some random man (not in scrubs) walks into my room. I had no clue who he was! Turns out he was a doctor (not from my doctor's practice) who was on his way home from the hospital, and he'd been called back to help (since so many babies were being born at the same time). His name was Dr. LeBon. He likes to deliver babies standing up, so he moved my bed up really high off the ground! Crazy! So, I pushed with him for awhile, until Dr. Wood came back at about 10:30. I had to stop pushing again then, so she could get cleaned up and ready. She had me reach down to feel his hair- freaky! I refused the mirror though- I really didn't need to see what was going on down there! Finally, I was able to push again, and Liam was born at 10:53 am. I swear I didn't feel any pain. I could feel that he was coming out, but it wasn't painful. I just had a small tear up (towards the urethra) inside, and it only took 2 stitches. She said I had lots of internal bruising and lacerations, but I didn't really feel any of it then, or later.
Liam immediately began to cry, so the meconium wasn't a problem. Clay cut the cord. He was taken over to the pediatrician right away, so Clay went with him over to that side of the room. Liam then peed all over the nurses! Funny little guy! While that was going on, I was stitched up and delivered the placenta (which basically just slid out a couple minutes after Liam was born). He was weighed and cleaned up. He was 7 lbs 2 oz, and 19 inches long. They then finally brought Liam to me for some time skin to skin, to warm him up. It was wonderful to finally have him in my arms.
I had to stay in the labor/delivery room for a few more hours, until the epidural wore off. Clay had to leave to go home at about 1 pm, since Matt was there alone. I was moved to my postpartum room early in the afternoon. I was alone there until Clay and Matt came back at about 5pm. They stayed for about an hour, and then I was alone again. So, I spent the first night all alone with the baby. The hospital encourages "rooming-in," so he was in the room with me at all times (other than a few checks in the nursery). That night Liam slept for 5 hours straight, which I definitely appreciated! I knew that probably wouldn't happen again for awhile!
On Sunday, January 4, Clay came back in the morning for a few hours. That afternoon, Liam went to the nursery to be circumcized. (Poor little guy!) After that, he slept for quite awhile. Clay and Matt came back for a little while late in the afternoon. Clay then left to take Matt home, and a little while later my mom and dad arrived. Clay then came back again. Everyone left at about 7:30, and I had another night alone with the baby. He behaved exactly as babies generally do on their second night- he basically ate every hour or so all night, which is callec cluster feeding. I think I only slept about 2 hours that night.
On Monday, January 5, Clay, Mom, and Dad all came back in the morning. Liam had his last tests in the nursery. His jaundice level was high, so we would have to take him to the pediatrician right away the next day to have that checked. (It ended up going up even more, so he was on the bililights for a day.) He had dropped down to 6 lbs 14 oz by that time. I was released at about 2pm. It felt great to get out of the hospital, and it was wonderful to bring Liam home.
I feel so lucky. I had an unbelievably easy pregnancy and delivery, and Liam is an easy-going baby. Everything is going well!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
He's finally here!
Just a quick post using a crappy laptop here at the hospital... Baby Liam Allen Peterson has finally arrived! He was born on Saturday, January 3, at 10:53am. He's 7 lbs. 2 oz. and 19 inches long. He has a lot of really dark hair, and is just a precious little peanut! Everything went really smoothly with his delivery- I couldn't have asked for an easier delivery. (Obviously, I had an epidural.) We should be released from the hospital sometime tomorrow (Monday).
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Last update for awhile...
Well, this will be my last update for awhile, since it's my last day at work! I'm just here until noon, and then I won't be back until March 30 at the earliest! Yeah! We don't have internet access at home, but we will be getting it sometime soon (so that I don't lose my mind while I'm home on leave). The hospital has laptops to borrow, and WiFi, so I should be able to make a blog update once I'm actually there.
I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I'm still just 1 cm, but I'm now 70% effaced. So, that's a tiny bit of progress. I must say, I'm really ready to be done... but it's not looking very hopeful that he'll be here any time soon! While there, I told the doctor that I haven't been feeling much movement lately, so they hooked me up to the fetal monitor for about 20 minutes. In that time, I only felt 2 movements... but according to the monitor, he'd moved at least 14 times! The doctor said he's actually extremely active, but that he must not be hitting the sides of the uterus, so that's why I'm not feeling the movements.
My next appointment is scheduled for Dec. 31, when I'll be 2 days past my due date. I sure hope he makes his appearance before then!
I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I'm still just 1 cm, but I'm now 70% effaced. So, that's a tiny bit of progress. I must say, I'm really ready to be done... but it's not looking very hopeful that he'll be here any time soon! While there, I told the doctor that I haven't been feeling much movement lately, so they hooked me up to the fetal monitor for about 20 minutes. In that time, I only felt 2 movements... but according to the monitor, he'd moved at least 14 times! The doctor said he's actually extremely active, but that he must not be hitting the sides of the uterus, so that's why I'm not feeling the movements.
My next appointment is scheduled for Dec. 31, when I'll be 2 days past my due date. I sure hope he makes his appearance before then!
Monday, December 22, 2008
39 weeks
Well, I'm due one week from today... and I'm pretty much ready to be done! Come on baby! You can make your appearance whenever you'd like! My belly feels like a rock- he must be super squished in there. I'm feeling a lot less movement, because of the fact that he's so squished. He should be at least 7 pounds now, which is kind of mind-blowing...I had pretty much the worst night of sleep ever last night. My lower back hurts really bad, my inner thighs hurt (from the pressure coming down, I guess), and I wasn't comfortable on either side, because it felt like the baby was trying to push through the sides of my belly (right into the mattress). All of that, combined with my usual heartburn, and not being able to get up easily from a lying down position, made it a bad night!
I'm at work today, tomorrow, and then a half day on Wednesday. I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, and I'm hoping that I've made some progress since my last appointment on December 11. (I missed my appointment last week, on December 17, due to an ice storm. I stayed home from work for the day, even though Clay ended up going to work. He was really worried that I was going to fall down... and he's probably right!) I'm not sure how far past my due date they'll let me go. Most doctors will induce at one week past the due date, which would put us into January...
I think everything's basically ready for the baby's arrival. The glider is still in a box, and needs to be assembled, but I'm pretty sure that it should be quick to put together. Hopefully Clay will do that tonight.
Monday, December 15, 2008
38 weeks
I can't even believe that I'm due 2 weeks from today! I could truly have the baby at any time now, and it wouldn't be considered out of the ordinary. He should be 6.5-7.5 pounds... about half the size of Chloe (our cat). lolllllll. I just looked at my last picture wearing this shirt, and I think I look quite a bit bigger. I feel pretty huge, and it's tricky getting up out of bed. I'm still really crampy all the time, but I just don't know if I've had any actual contractions. I have strange twinges every now and then, but I truly don't know. At my appointment last Thursday, I was still the same- 1 cm and 50% effaced. Hopefully I'll have had some progress at my appointment on Wednesday.
I feel like I've tied up all my loose ends at work, and am now ready to go at the drop of a hat. On Wednesday, I'll take my files to the two advisors that will be covering for me. My plan right now is to work through Christmas Eve... and then I won't come back after Christmas, even if the baby isn't here yet. I'll just consider it "holiday vacation" until the baby actually arrives. So, after today, I have just 7 days of work! Yeah! I'm so ready to not be here. It's finals this week, so I'm actually leaving at exactly the right time, as the semester winds down to a close.
I think I really "overdid" it this weekend. I've felt so good all through this pregnancy... I don't think I've ever really felt like I needed to slow down before. On Saturday, I was on my feet almost all day. I went to the gym, stood in line at the post office, went grocery shopping, made lunch, baked two different kinds of cookies, made lasagna for dinner (since we had some friends over), and did lots of organizing in the baby's room. By the time our friends left at about 9, I truly felt like I was going to die. My back and feet hurt unbelievably bad. That's when it hit me that I'd been standing basically all day, most of the time in socks on our tiled kitchen floor. I know now that I can't do that anymore, so I tried to take breaks yesterday to sit down and rest.
I think that almost everything's ready now for the baby's arrival. Clay put the crib together this weekend, and we got the dresser/changing table out of the box. I washed all the clothes and bedding, and organized everyting in the dresser. I went to Target and bought everything that we needed to have right away- crib mattress, diapers, wipes, changing pad (for the changing table), hamper, diaper pail, etc. The glider just needs to be picked up (since it arrived in town last week) and assembled. The room is still kind of a mess, so I'll wait and post a picture once it's cleaned up. It feels great to know that the important stuff is done, and that at least he'll have a place to sleep when he comes home!
Monday, December 8, 2008
37 weeks
I'm 37 weeks today, which means I'm full-term. So, as of today, all of the baby's development should be finished, and he shouldn't have any problems if he was born now! This is definitely a good thing! In the few weeks prior to 37 weeks, the baby's lungs aren't always full developed, so this can cause minor problems if the baby's born early. This should no longer be a problem.
He should be around 6 pounds or more right now. I read online today that, supposedly, I shouldn't really have any changes in my weight or size over the rest of the pregnancy. The baby will continue to grow, but I shouldn't. Hmmm.... we'll see about that! I'm still feeling really crampy pretty much all the time, and snacking makes my stomach feel better, so I'm guessing I'm still gaining weight.
At my appointment last Tuesday, everything was right on track. The baby is head down. I had my first internal, which was fairly unpleasant, but nothing too terrible. I was 1 cm, and 50% effaced. I know this really doesn't mean anything, and that I could stay this way for weeks. My appointment this week isn't until Thursday. Hopefully I'll have made some more progress!
One thing to be thankful for- I'm so glad that I haven't really had any swelling. My feet and hands still seem to be the same size. I'm still wearing my wedding ring, and it's plenty big. Hopefully no swelling will develop in these last few weeks.
Clay and I are going to a concert tomorrow night at a bar here in town- they have very few chairs/tables, so we're going to have to get there really early to see if we can actually get seats. The last time I saw a concert there, my friend and I had to stand through the whole thing. I don't think I can handle that at this point, and I would not expect anyone to give me their seat. Wish us luck! lolllllll
Clay started cleaning out the baby's room (his office) this weekend. His goal was to put the crib together, but that hasn't happened yet. Hopefully this will get done this week. The other goal for the week is to get my hospital bag packed. Craziness!
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