Nathan's birth story

Nathan was born on Sunday, March 22nd at 9:29am weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces and measuring 21 inches long.

I wrote a very long version of the birth story that I decided not to publish. It doesn't have anything I'm not willing to share but it is very long. And this is a very short story. But I do regret not writing more about the birth of Neil because my memory has faded with time and there's a lot I've forgotten. So I'm shortening it to here and if anyone is interested let me know and I'll email you the longer version. And seriously, it's long. Over 3 pages in MS Word.

Neil's birth story is linked in the baby tab at the top of the page. I will be adding Nathan's posts at some point to that tab as well.

Saturday night I started to feel somewhat gassy. I know that can be a sign but I'd been having other signs including sporadic contractions that woke me almost every night. I decided to just take Benadryl because if I went to work Monday (because I didn't have the baby) I would need as much sleep as I could get.

3:30am, Sunday morning, I woke up. I can't pinpoint anything specific waking me but I was having contractions. I wasn't completely sure if they were real. I didn't start actually timing them but I was watching the clock and they weren't consistent time wise at all. I couldn't fall back asleep so I lay there questioning things. Also, I had trouble at times distinguishing between baby movement and contractions so I put my hand on my stomach and could feel it tightening and said yep more contractions.

Around 6am I decided I better start timing them with my contraction timer application on my phone. I was shocked to find out they were pretty consistently averaging 7 minutes apart. Usually I think they start more around 10 minutes apart or even longer when it's consistent. By the way, this is the point that the midwife marked labor as officially starting because they were strong enough to trigger me timing them and I confirmed that they were consistent.

I decided to wait to call the midwife until 7am, figuring, eh we have a lot of time regardless. I also questioned if I was timing them right; could they really already be 7 minutes apart? They didn't feel that strong to me- I could feel them mostly in the lower front and that was it. When I called she said she was on her way over and I questioned her, surprised at that. I said I could talk through them and they weren't bad. So she said she'd wait an hour and check in at 8am. (She was a 45 minute drive away.) But I was supposed to call if things progressed between then and 8am.

Sure enough, I hung up the phone and the contractions started measuring 4 minutes apart. At this point Dave was running around getting things ready for the home birth- we had a list of things to do to get ready. I also realized we needed to double make the bed with two sets of sheets and a waterproof liner in between. AND we needed to get that tub up; I really really wanted to labor in the tub and possibly even have a water birth if it worked out. Dave also made scrambled eggs for Neil and me which I ate while having contractions and trying to keep things normal for Neil. As I made our bed, too, I had to pause when I'd have a contraction (big sign there that I should have read oops) and that happened several times as I was working. I was also pulling out what I wanted to wear in the tub, what I wanted to wear after, trying to pick up a little bit...

Anyway, I also realized in the middle of all of this that I better call the midwife. I really questioned is this right? It can't be 4 minutes between contractions now, I must really be screwing up the timing. I even asked Dave if I was talking through them and insisted I was. But as soon as the midwife answered and I said 4 minutes she said on my way without a second thought. I was pretty surprised.

Shortly after this, the contractions were coming 2 minutes apart. Again, I was so surprised and didn't understand. Was this really happening? Why were they so fast? This didn't make any sense. I thought early labor is supposed to take a long time.

The midwife arrived shortly after 8 and told me not to worry about timing the contractions anymore on the timer. So I put the phone down at that point and just started dealing with things. I had not yet admitted to poor Dave how much I was feeling them or how fast they were coming so he was being a good sport and working on the tub.

The midwife kind of irritated me because she was telling me to move my hips with the contractions instead of tensing up and try to relax to let nature take its course. I didn't really know her well and for anyone who knows me I hate being told what to do, especially by someone I don't know very well and am not comfortable with. I ended up walking away so I could deal with contractions without people watching. Oh and I forgot to mention that we had a doula in training come to watch Neil; I called her and she arrived to take care of Neil for us. She was amazing and although she is still in training just as a person I would highly recommend her to anyone. I was surprised I was comfortable with her even though I didn't really know her either.

So I wasn't really feeling great about having multiple people in my house watching me in this private moment, dealing with contractions, especially since Dave was on his own doing other things to get ready. We had two midwives (the other one showed up shortly before the birth), the doula, Dave, Neil, and me. I guess it's not that many but to me it felt like it, especially getting direction on how to handle the contractions. No, I'm not stubborn.

I wandered into the bathrooms both upstairs and downstairs for some privacy and I have to admit at that point followed the midwife's advice. I leaned at one point against the window pane in the nursery and just let myself relax, rocking back and forth and wow did it feel so much better to handle the contraction when I relaxed.

At one point, around 9:20 (according to the midwife), I went into the downstairs bathroom. I sat on the toilet for the contraction because it felt better. That contraction I felt this huge urge to push and as I stood up when the contraction was pretty much done there was a huge gush. I started yelling for Dave, in a panic. He was still working on the tub and where he was couldn't hear me. But the midwife (and main one) who got there first did hear me and came into the bathroom to see what was up. When she saw me she said immediately you need to get upstairs NOW you are having that baby now. I don't know what she saw to know that but she did say when the water breaks late, naturally, you're usually pretty far dilated and I was feeling the urge to push. She didn't even check me. I said I didn't think I could get up the stairs and she said I had to. So I waited one more contraction out in the bathroom and then I literally ran up the stairs, shedding clothes (soaked clothes or I wouldn't have been doing that) as I ran up the stairs. The midwife told me later that she has never seen a pregnant woman run up the stairs that fast.

I ran into our bedroom, and heard Dave say something about still getting the tub ready. The midwife said no you need to get in here NOW she is having the baby now, there is no time for the tub at this point. (Bummer, right?!)

I automatically went to my side of the bed but they asked me to go to the other side. I was at the point I couldn't even get in bed so I stood. I felt another contraction and from last time I remembered hating pushing but also recognized I  was stuck. That baby was coming out and I had to push, and it would be over that much faster if I could just push hard. So I did. The first push I felt a lot of pressure. Then the midwife (she reminded me later and this helped a lot) told me that the baby was crowning and would be out in one or two more pushes. Between that and just wanting this to be over, I pushed the next contraction really hard and sure enough, the head came out! I have to say I was in huge shock. I didn't in my wildest dreams ever imagine any of labor not to mention pushing would go THIS fast. Then one final push and the rest of the baby came out and I was just looking down thinking "WHAT?! That's a baby?! Right there? Now???"

So I would not say labor was fun by any means, or easy by any means but it was much easier than labor with Neil. It was also very different; I didn't feel any of the back pain I did with Neil. I will post when Nathan is about a week old to talk about differences in recovery, etc. I've been trying to write that down as well this time. I just have a hard time getting on the computer- I'm only supposed to go up/down stairs once a day and I'm spending the day downstairs while the computer is upstairs.

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Playtown Express

We found a children's play area a little over an hour from where we live. It's too bad this isn't closer- Neil loved it! We met Dave's dad and sister there; it's on the way from our house to theirs and we were trying to meet partway. This is closer to their house than ours but that was fine.

I didn't get a picture of the whole place- there really were different areas for different age ranges. Some areas Neil was too young for, but a lot was just perfect. There was also an area for the infants with bouncers and jumpers, and some couches. Dave's sister pointed out that all the pregnant women seemed to be sitting on the couches. She was right. (Didn't take a picture of that.) I think on future visits though it would be fine to nurse a baby while Neil plays. The only thing is we'll need 2 of us still to keep an eye on Neil because this place is so big and he was getting pushed around to some extent by the older kids. (Not intentionally.)

This was Neil's favorite area- it was a smaller bounce area with little extra things like a slide, tunnels to crawl through, a horse and a dog to bounce on, etc. It was meant for toddlers although older kids kept getting in and were pretty rough/bouncing with Neil in there.

Neil liked this slide and the "stairs" to climb up it was ledges you had to crawl around. Cute!

They also had an area with little "houses" as far as a kitchen, and some other stuff like that. Next to it they had those Step 2 roller coasters, which I've heard about but never really seen in action. It takes up a lot of room but Neil loved this too and kept dragging it back up to reset and go again. They had two of these there, as well as other vehicles like cozy coupes, etc.

Weekly Pictures 3/15 to 3/21

It finally warmed up enough that we could go outside and walk! So we are now making a habit of walking to our mailbox, since it's in a block of mailboxes. And we even pulled out some of Neil's outdoor toys, which made him really happy.

He found a pile of rocks and had to start digging. Boys.

We also finally got to check out a playground that is REALLY close to our house. It was snowy but I tried to let Neil play on some of the areas that had melted more. I literally had to drag him away kicking and screaming, even though I promised we would come back when it's warmer and there's even less snow.

I'm going to admit I haven't felt so much up to cooking so we've been going out to eat more. Friendly's was my request. I was actually bummed that day because I thought I had sufficient labor signs that I was going to have the baby that day or the next and no that didn't happen. So I told Dave I needed ice cream.

We tried to go to an Easter event at a local high school (Easter bunny breakfast) but it got canceled unfortunately. So we found a little cafe instead.

Then we went to the mall so I could walk around some and we let Neil play in the kids area. (No pictures there but these are at the mall.)

The face is because I'm taking his picture.

Is this how I look, holding my back because it hurts?
He has started to really mimic people so I figure this must be why he walked around for awhile with his hand on his back and hip like he was sore or something. Guess I need to watch how I'm walking...

It's getting harder to read stories at bedtime, with the belly. But we still get our cuddle time in.

Weekly pictures 3/8 to 3/14

We went to Providence to see the Providence Bruins play. Separate post here.

I went to get a pedicure after a long work week. I found a place that actually also gives a back massage while your toenails are drying. Heaven. But I could have used a much longer massage. I also paid for a hot stone pedicure and had my legs massaged as well.

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Two Brothers that has some really hard to get beer. I don't have a lot of pictures but had to take a picture of the draft beer they had on tap.

We WILL be going back. Here are some pictures from the restaurant itself. (And it has pizza so Neil is happy.)

Even Neil gave the beer selection a thumbs up

Look at the hair!

Another separate post because I have a bunch of pictures; we went to Playtown Express in Southborough, Massachusetts. We were looking for a place to meet Dave's dad and sister, something that might be halfway. We just found a good stopping place driving to their place in NH! It's a little over halfway but Neil loved it.

Before we left I wanted to see how I looked

There was a brewery on the way home so we popped by there just to see what it was like and will try to stop by another trip for longer when I can actually sample beer as well.

I had to have a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's and I let Neil have the end of it. This was his first milkshake and he loved it.

Boy Behind the Blog - Questions and Answers

Dave wanted to get in on the act of my questions and answers post so here is a guest post from him.

Four Names That People Call Me:

1. Dave
2. D-Luv
3. Jag
4. Wuss

Four Jobs I've Had:

1. paperboy
2. dishwasher
3. Micky D's
4. systems administrator 

Four Movies I have Watched More Than Once: 

1. Star Wars (all of them way way way more than once)
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. Top Gun
4. Clerks

Four (comic) Books I'd Recommend: 

1. The Killing Joke (a graphic novel, THE best Joker story. Ever.)
2. Batman (The Court of Owls story line from the New 52)
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files (continuing where the tv shows left off)
4. Star Wars Dark Empire

Four Places I've Lived:

1. Forest Hills, PA (suburb of Pittsburgh, grew up here)
2. Forest Hills, PA (moved out and got an apartment) 
3. Plum, PA (New Kensington mailing address, still part of Pittsburgh)
4. Groton, CT (about an hour south east of Hartford)

Four Places I have Been:
1. Italy (Florence, Pisa, Rome, Venice) 
2. Slovenia (Portoroz, Piran)
3. Caribbean (Nassau and Castaway Cay)
4. Canada (Niagara Falls, Toronto)

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. Walt Disney World
2. Sleeping
3. New Orleans (I loved it there, so much fun!)
4. Heinz Field, PNC Park, Consol Energy Center (all seasonal, of course)

Four Things I Don't Eat:
1. sauerkraut
2. sauerkraut
3. sauerkraut
4. sauerkraut

Four Of My Favorite Foods:
1. Perogies
2. Primanti's Sandwich
3. Pizza
4. Chicken Pot Pie

Four TV Shows That I Watch (watched):
1. The X-Files
2. The Big Bang Theory 
3. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Four Things I'm Looking Forward To in 2015:
1. Having our 2nd kid
2. Exploring Connecticut
3. Traveling back to Pittsburgh
4. seeing and visiting our New England families (both Jen and I have family that live in the area) 

Four Things I Say A Lot:
1. Hey buddy (to Neil)
2. <expletive deleted>
3. Bite me
4. Dooh

39 weeks

This was my last post last pregnancy. Anyone think it might be this time as well? We have a week to find that out... I delivered Neil 2 days before his due date although that doesn't predict by any means what will happen this time. I think I'm feeling contractions but nothing consistent and honestly I'm having a hard time determining what's baby movement vs. contractions. This baby is a mover! I had Dave feel my stomach himself and he confirmed some of it was my stomach hardening so I think it's a combination but it's so hard to tell. And last time I was in somewhat of denial, even when it was obvious I needed to get to the Midwife Center.

Anyway, at most it should be within the next 3 weeks, since they generally only let you get to 42 weeks. The midwife group here doesn't do the Pitocin induction automatically at 42 weeks but here's hoping I don't even have to cross that bridge.

Green in honor of St. Patrick's Day

How many weeks: 39

Size of baby: A watermelon and measures 37-38 cm or 14.5-15 inches, crown to rump length. Head to toe is 20 inches. The baby also weighs 3400-3450 grams or 7.5-7.6 pounds. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I gained 1 pound so I am up 18 pounds overall. 

Maternity Clothes: Well I'm not swelling as much as I did when I was pregnant with Neil but my clothes still feel short and tight. I'm just wearing what's comfortable at this point. At least I don't feel like a sausage in my maternity jeans like I did last time.

Gender: Boy. 

Movement: As I said above, I'm having trouble telling movement vs. contractions. He seems to lodge his foot somewhere and just press and then I can't tell necessarily if it's him or things compressing/squeezing/tightening. He also loves to kick me in the ribs and it hurts. I can even hear my ribs crack at times which just makes me feel so squeamish. He's not doing any damage; my bones are settling and popping/cracking as it is. But still.

Sleep: I am exhausted at this point. BTW this is one thing I wanted to say last week and couldn't find where I wrote down things I wanted to say. I'm sorry for any pregnant woman I've told at the end of the pregnancy, "Enjoy sleep now because you won't get any when the baby is here." While that's true, it's annoying advice for a pregnant woman. Because it's still hard to sleep this pregnant! And that's something you forget with time until you have to live it again. I have three issues right now. One is my bladder (and thank you baby for kicking it to make sure I go empty it every TEN MINUTES). That wakes me up at night, having to pee. The second is my achy back and body; it's hard to get comfortable and now flipping back and forth from side to side takes some effort. The third is new this time and that's a toddler who decided he's going to be super clingy and get up in the middle of the night multiple times claiming he's scared of who knows what. We don't think he's scared btw, we think he just wants attention. So no, I'm not sleeping well and tired. As I write this, I'm going to finish this post, hit post, and go to sleep. I'm behind on this blog and reading other blogs but I'll catch up hopefully soon.

What I miss: Having my body to myself. LOL. I know I'm going to miss having this baby with me 24/7 but I still am not one of those women who likes being pregnant. It will be nice to be me again and just me.

Cravings: I am not craving anything; sometimes I'm feeling nausea or heartburn or something along that line.

Aversions: Nothing.

Symptoms: Ah all the fun ones. Backache. I can't walk around too well anymore, I'm waddling, especially when I need to use the bathroom. Speaking of which, seriously, at work I am going to the bathroom at least once an hour. Fun times. ;) One of my coworkers laughed and said that I'm wearing a path to the bathroom in the carpet. (He was nice about it but he's right.)  I just feel pressure/weight in my stomach area all the time now that he dropped. For example in my car it always feels like my seat belt is tight down there but then I check and realize that's the baby; the seat belt is nowhere close (although yes I'm wearing it). My gums are pretty swollen and bleeding easily. I feel super emotional and am working hard to keep that in check especially at work. I'm start to feel very big and blah even though I know I'm a lot better off than I was last time and that I don't look as bad as I feel. Also while I'm not swelling as much as I did with Neil, I'm still swelling up a little and I am starting to feel that.

Best moment this week: I used the excuse of inducing labor (haha so there) and got a pedicure. AHHH I loved it. Loved it. And I got one of those spa ones where they massage your legs with hot stones. While my nails were drying, too, the lady gave me an upper back massage, which I was in desperate need of. It made me want to get an entire back massage at a good massage place because my lower back is even worse and I really could have used a lot longer massage on my upper back and shoulders as well. 

Looking forward to: Holding this baby in my arms. I'm really nervous about labor itself. You do forget a lot. I know it hurt a lot. And I hated, hated, hated pushing. Hated it. So I'm scared of that.

Same this time: Being ready to be done being pregnant. I may be feeling overall better this time but I'm still just ready to hold this baby in my arms. I'm nervous about having two kids and how Neil is going to react but I'm also so looking forward to another newborn. Have I ever said how much I love babies in general? Oh and both times it's been a bit surreal. I mean, I'm feeling movement and there is definitely a baby in there but it's hard to imagine holding that baby even though I'm looking forward to it. I thought this time it would be less surreal but for me it's still pretty hard to believe.

Different from last time: I think in general just how I'm looking/feeling. Last time I gained a LOT more weight. As far as weight difference, this was my last weigh in and I had gained 30.5 pounds where this time I have gained 18 pounds so far. That last week I gained a ton in particular, between 38 and 39 weeks. (Also in real pounds even though I started out lighter last time I weighed 8.5 pounds heavier than I do right now. I look at that number and kind of blanch, I can't believe how much I weighed.) I do think part of the weight gain was swelling/water retention. I'm not sure why this time that isn't so bad but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth either. :)

We had a hard time getting a picture this week because SOMEONE kept photo bombing.
It's hard to tell but he's waving Spider Man slippers here.

Ir's spirit week at daycare and today was mis-matched clothes. So please don't judge this toddler outfit!
The best part was his socks, which were striped and didn't match the pants or shirt, and were two different socks.
Mommy is having fun dressing him up for spirit week haha.

He's trying to pose like I did!
Almost there, buddy!