 Hey mamas! Cate + I wanted to take this time to educate ourselves and our readers on an issue that is near and dear to our hearts as mothers. Sometimes we forget how fortunate we are, even with the simplest of tasks like providing clean diapers for our kiddos. Did you know that 1 in 3 families in the U.S. don't have enough diapers for their babies? Diapers are not covered under SNAP or WIC, leaving poverty stricken families to have to choose between food and diapers. Diaper need is directly linked to a variety of issues, including poor maternal health, child abuse, and infanticide. When parents don't have enough diapers, they are unable to send their child to daycare and are therefore hard pressed to keep a job. Further, the average client of Nashville Diaper Connection makes around $5,000 a year, and would have to spend 14% of their income on diapers alone.  Because this issue is important to us and we feel that we (AND our followers!) can make a difference, we have teamed up with the Music City Doulas and the Nashville Diaper Connection to raise awareness. On May 27th, we (and you) can run in the Nashville Diaper Dash to help support the one in three families who can’t afford diapers. By signing up for the 5K, your donations help support this amazing non-profit organization to be able to continue helping the families in need right here in Nashville. See below for other ways to help get involved!...  Ways to Get Involved
One of Nashville's largest diaper donation sponsors: JUICE BAR  Diaper Drop Off Location: JUICE BAR. Click image for more JUICE BAR locations   Thank you all, for helping us support an amazing cause!! xx, C+I
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 Mina Kay Diaper Bag: click photo for website.
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Hi all!!
It is no surprise that we have welcomed a precious baby BOY into the world. As such, I wanted to recap my labor and delivery story for our little love, Denton, while it’s fresh in my mind. I love me a good labor and delivery story and wanted to be sure to share my own with our followers. I’ve broken it down into two parts. The first part includes notes that I wrote just minutes before we left for the hospital. The second portion is my recap of the entire day from start to finish as I saw it looking back. As a takeaway, I hope that I can encourage mamas not to cling too tightly to an idea of how they plan to give birth to their littles… because something that you might not have planned might turn out to be even more beautiful than you could have imagined <3 Anyways, here it goes… buckle in!
It is no surprise that we have welcomed a precious baby BOY into the world. As such, I wanted to recap my labor and delivery story for our little love, Denton, while it’s fresh in my mind. I love me a good labor and delivery story and wanted to be sure to share my own with our followers. I’ve broken it down into two parts. The first part includes notes that I wrote just minutes before we left for the hospital. The second portion is my recap of the entire day from start to finish as I saw it looking back. As a takeaway, I hope that I can encourage mamas not to cling too tightly to an idea of how they plan to give birth to their littles… because something that you might not have planned might turn out to be even more beautiful than you could have imagined <3 Anyways, here it goes… buckle in!
Journal Prior to Leaving for Hospital...
It is 4:16AM and we are leaving to the hospital in about 45 minutes for my scheduled induction. I am getting a bit nervous but also feel confident going into it now that I have everything in place. I didn’t think that my labor and delivery story would include the word “induction” in it, but I am assured that this is the best route for our little one due to my trust in 1. God.. and in 2. modern medicine. If I were meant to go into labor in a more “natural” way, God or “life” would have let that be the case and our baby would have arrived in such a manner. But that wasn’t our story, and here I am trusting that this is the most perfect journey and route to bringing our second little one into the world.
Over the past few weeks, probably since about 38 weeks when my doctor planted the seed in my head that I would have my baby before my expected due date, March 9th, 2017, due to how dilated I was (3cm dilated), I indefinitely started having labor symptoms. Whether it started out in my head is debatable, but it indefinitely turned into something real. The symptoms started out as period-like cramping, sometimes even waking me up in the middle of the night. It was that constant dull ache that told me labor might be near. I also lost portions of my plug throughout the two-week period leading up to my due date, although never in a huge clot. In addition to cramping and the plug, I began to have stronger Braxton Hicks contractions, which included that tightening sensation of my belly. This feeling came up mostly when I was walking or exerting myself, or, towards the end, even just standing. Because of these symptoms, there were several moments that I thought, ‘this could be it’ or ‘labor is getting close!’. To my disappointment, my labor never progressed into real contractions.
This morning I sit here excited – SO excited! YES – I won’t lie… I had hoped that I would have some awesomely exciting and spontaneous birth story and that it would happen “naturally.” But to become so fixated on the way I gave birth to my second child would be a huge mistake. Giving birth is a means to an end, which happens to be for the sole purpose of bringing a healthy, sweet child into the world. And today, through a scheduled induction, I will do exactly that!
Most importantly, if I hadn’t had a scheduled induction, I wouldn’t have been able to give Lincoln a proper goodbye either. Last night was a memorable night because I, in a way, got to say goodbye to my baby and only child. Ryan and I each wrote him a sweet note that I sobbed through uncontrollably as I wrote it. I left them on the glider in his nursery for my parents (and Ryan’s mom) to read to him respectively prior to his arrival at the hospital. Not only that, but throughout the day, I played with him a little bit longer and lingered on each of his words a little bit deeper. Before bed, I took deep breaths and smiled at him as he danced around the nursery in his pajamas. I squeezed him a little tighter as he gave me a hug goodnight, and sang him a few more goodnight songs than I usually would have. Had I have gone into labor spontaneously, I am sure that I wouldn’t have gotten those moments.
It is 4:16AM and we are leaving to the hospital in about 45 minutes for my scheduled induction. I am getting a bit nervous but also feel confident going into it now that I have everything in place. I didn’t think that my labor and delivery story would include the word “induction” in it, but I am assured that this is the best route for our little one due to my trust in 1. God.. and in 2. modern medicine. If I were meant to go into labor in a more “natural” way, God or “life” would have let that be the case and our baby would have arrived in such a manner. But that wasn’t our story, and here I am trusting that this is the most perfect journey and route to bringing our second little one into the world.
Over the past few weeks, probably since about 38 weeks when my doctor planted the seed in my head that I would have my baby before my expected due date, March 9th, 2017, due to how dilated I was (3cm dilated), I indefinitely started having labor symptoms. Whether it started out in my head is debatable, but it indefinitely turned into something real. The symptoms started out as period-like cramping, sometimes even waking me up in the middle of the night. It was that constant dull ache that told me labor might be near. I also lost portions of my plug throughout the two-week period leading up to my due date, although never in a huge clot. In addition to cramping and the plug, I began to have stronger Braxton Hicks contractions, which included that tightening sensation of my belly. This feeling came up mostly when I was walking or exerting myself, or, towards the end, even just standing. Because of these symptoms, there were several moments that I thought, ‘this could be it’ or ‘labor is getting close!’. To my disappointment, my labor never progressed into real contractions.
This morning I sit here excited – SO excited! YES – I won’t lie… I had hoped that I would have some awesomely exciting and spontaneous birth story and that it would happen “naturally.” But to become so fixated on the way I gave birth to my second child would be a huge mistake. Giving birth is a means to an end, which happens to be for the sole purpose of bringing a healthy, sweet child into the world. And today, through a scheduled induction, I will do exactly that!
Most importantly, if I hadn’t had a scheduled induction, I wouldn’t have been able to give Lincoln a proper goodbye either. Last night was a memorable night because I, in a way, got to say goodbye to my baby and only child. Ryan and I each wrote him a sweet note that I sobbed through uncontrollably as I wrote it. I left them on the glider in his nursery for my parents (and Ryan’s mom) to read to him respectively prior to his arrival at the hospital. Not only that, but throughout the day, I played with him a little bit longer and lingered on each of his words a little bit deeper. Before bed, I took deep breaths and smiled at him as he danced around the nursery in his pajamas. I squeezed him a little tighter as he gave me a hug goodnight, and sang him a few more goodnight songs than I usually would have. Had I have gone into labor spontaneously, I am sure that I wouldn’t have gotten those moments.
Not only that, but my dad arrived in town yesterday, which means that both of my parents are now here for the birth of their second grandchild. I mean, it doesn’t get much cooler than that! I don’t know what I’d do without either of them here. My mom arrived on Wednesday, the day before my due date. She is the heart of our family and has been such a huge help leading up to this day. She has cooked and cleaned and gotten us sweet gifts for Rhett Man and the baby. Everything I am as a mother, I know from my own mom. She is sweet, kind, compassionate and patient; additionally, she is a clean freak and always organized,; like mother like daughter!! This brings great peace to me as I nest and welcome a newborn into our lives. On the other hand, my dad has been the rock of our family. He has been the disciplinarian, keeping my sister and I in line J He has also been there at the drop of a pin to support my sister and I with any and every endeavor we face. He is such a family man and there is no doubt that I picked and chose my husband because of the man that my father is. In addition to my parents, my mother-in-law has been here for over a week helping with ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. She is a mother to five amazing children, so if you can imagine, she has more than enough energy to sustain a family of three. I can’t imagine this day without each them, and again, it wouldn’t have been possible to have them all here had I had had our baby sooner.
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As I wait here about to leave for the hospital, I am super excited. I am a little tired seeing that I woke up at 2:30am with a ton of adrenaline. I laid in bed thinking until about 3:15am until I couldn’t take it and got myself up and ready. YES, I did my makeup and my hair. I must say, I look good for a gal about to have a baby. Again, the perks of having a scheduled induction.
Those were some of the notes I jotted down before we left for the hospital. The following is my recollection a few days later of the entire experience… I get pretty detailed.. here it goes!
Like I said, I woke up around 2:30am that morning with a ton of adrenaline. The night before, I had told Ryan that he needed to MAKE SURE to not disturb my sleep – because I knew that if I woke up (even at 2am) after having been disturbed that I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep because of all of the adrenaline. He agrees.
We go to bed that night, and 2:30am rolls around and I am awoken out of my sleep to Ryan checking his phone. I asked him what time it was and he responded, “2:30am.” Shoot, I thought. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to fall back asleep. I laid in bed until about 3:30am until I realized that trying to sleep at this point was a hopeless cause. I rolled out of bed and decided I’d start getting myself ready. After all, you might as well put yourself together and look good for a scheduled labor and delivery!
I started doing my makeup. I straightened my hair and got dressed in comfy sweats. After getting ready and finalizing my hospital bag, I went downstairs and decided to jot down a few notes, which was written in the aforementioned section. Ryan soon came downstairs and got some breakfast. I wasn’t able to eat breakfast because the hospital had instructed I stop eating or drinking after 10:30pm the night before. I remember watching Ryan eat breakfast – eggs and toast to be specific – with stone-cold eyes. He quickly realized I was upset and asked what was wrong. I told him, “Well it’s not fun to watch you eat a good breakfast because I’m not allowed to have anything!” I was starving for some reason!!
After he finished up, we gathered some last minute items and headed out to the hospital. There was no traffic and we made it there in less than fifteen minutes. We pulled into the hospital parking lot and drove up to the third level (labor and delivery) where we found some parking. We didn’t park in the “expectant mother” parking space in the front, which was the first open space, only because the time limit was 30 minutes. Instead, we parked a few spaces away. We noticed another husband and pregnant wife pulled into the “expectant mother” space after we had left it behind. They proceeded into the hospital right before us. We didn’t think anything of it and even commented on how pregnant she looked and wondered if she was already having contractions. After we checked into the hospital, we would soon find out that she most likely took the last available bed (or so we thought)! I had heard of this happening with scheduled inductions – that sometimes they run out of hospital beds and you end up having to wait hours or worse, they send you home – and I briefly thought it might happen to me. But, of course, we had to wait – ugh!
Prior to realizing that we needed to wait for the next available bed, we checked into the hospital. This is when I started to get a little nervous. The woman checking us in had a jovial, big personality and was so sweet. I kept reminding her that we didn’t want to know the gender of the baby, and she told me not to worry. After filling out several forms (despite the fact that I pre-registered with the hospital), she sent us to the waiting room where we waited for our name to be called.
Hospital Bathroom Selfie while we waited.
As we waited, Ryan and I began to discuss names for the baby. We hadn’t really picked out the name just yet and wanted to review things before it was too late! We had our girl name set, but were having some difficulty picking the boy’s middle name. We really had a hard time deciding and didn’t really come to a conclusion. After discussing names, and now getting a little antsy, I asked Ryan to check with the front desk to see what was taking them so long. He went up and asked and came back reporting that all of the hospital beds were taken and that they were now opening a new wing for those women waiting. Ahhhhh, I thought. Of course this would happen! I quickly thought of the lady who drove in after us and parked in the “expectant mom” spot. Ryan and I concluded that she probably got the last bed and had we have parked in that spot that we would have gotten right in. Who knows… After coming to terms with the fact that we had to wait, I told Ryan that I wanted to rest. So I got my pillow out and took a nap.
Hospital Waiting Room Pic!
I was awoken about 30 minutes later to a nurse standing in front of us calling my name. She was sweet and extremely maternal. I hoped she would be my nurse. As we gathered our things to follow her, my heart started beating faster and she lead us back to the labor and delivery room. I don’t believe this room was in the “new wing”, as it was extremely close to the front desk. Regardless, we walked into the room and got settled in as the nurse left us alone. This is when my heart really started to race and I started to pace the room without a purpose, as I got ready to deliver. Whenever I get nervous, my body temperature changes, either going hot or cold, and in this case, I started to feel really cold. I also had to go to the bathroom like ten times before I got comfortable in the hospital bed. Anyways, I got myself ready in my custom hospital gown, went to the bathroom about three times and then settled into the hospital bed. I remember telling Ryan that I was getting really nervous… I also remember feeling really hungry, which I thought was weird, given the moment and all of the adrenaline.
Labor + Delivery Room
Baby Be Mine Delivery Gown. I felt so cute in this custom gown! Click photo to see their website.
The nurse, Suzy, came back in with some ice chips. She was going to be nurse – yay! She then started briefly explaining the procedure. She got me hooked up to the IV and I remember thinking, oh my gosh, this is happening right now and it’s happening so very quickly! I asked the nurse a few more questions, as I still didn’t fully understand what inducing meant. I knew that it could go a few different ways – maybe they would try to break my water first or maybe they would start off by giving me petocin. I had told Ryan prior to our arrival that if they gave me the option, I’d rather them try to break my water first to see if my body started naturally contracting. However, I didn’t brief the nurse on this and before I knew it, she had started the petocin.
I had asked her if they were going to try to break my water. She said that they would. I asked when they were going to start the petocin, and she responded saying that she already had started it at a low dose. Then, I think she realized that maybe I wanted my water broken first. She asked if it was okay that she had started the petocin. To be honest, at this point, I didn’t really care. I think I asked her what she thought about the whole process and what she would want to be done. She told me that she would start with petocin and that the doctor would then come in and break my water. I agreed that this was the best route and quickly forgot about my preferences.
After a few short moments, the nurse pointed out that I was having contractions on the monitor. They were mild cramps, from what I felt, and I quickly realized that the cramps I was having leading up to this day were in fact contractions because they had felt the exact same. She kept the petocin dosage low and for an hour, we waited to see how I progressed. I will add that I was still only 3cm dilated prior to starting the induction, which means that my body hadn’t progressed in the last two weeks of pregnancy. Again, I was 3cm dilated at my 38-week appointment.
Baby Be Mine Maternity Gown + Pillow Cover
So we waited for an hour and the cramping was extremely mild. My OB soon came in and told me that she was going to check my dilation and break my water. She sat down in front of me to check me (from what I thought) and concluded that I was still 3cm – damn, I thought. I didn’t realize that while she was checking my dilation that she was ALSO breaking my water … and after a few short moments, she pulled her hand out with a weird looking device that looked like chopsticks (yikes, I know) and told me that my water had just broken. She said that I might feel a little damp because it has only gushed a little and that it would continue to gush out. I agreed this was expected and okay.
At this point, I started to feel exhilaration and nerves all at once. I had this sure feeling that labor was about to start. Game on.
Yup. Soon after my water was broken, those contractions started coming on more regularly and also picked up in intensity. My parents came in and out of the room; mainly my mom, helping remind me to breath. Ryan was a champion at this part, and would watch the monitor while I too felt the contraction, then we would grab each other’s hand tightly and breath and relax into the contraction. He was a life saver. At first the contractions weren’t too bad; they were just intense cramping in my lower abdomen, like period cramps on steroids. They felt very similar to what I felt with Lincoln’s birth just a little less vibration. The contractions I felt with Lincoln had more of a vibration to them, while these were just straight up period cramping (again, on lots of steroids).
I was able to breath through contractions for about 45 minutes before I started getting nervous. The pain was picking up and I was starting to get uncomfortable. I got to a point and realized that this would be the perfect time to get the epidural. I hollered at Ryan to grab the nurse outside and to let her know that I was ready for the epidural. She came in rather quickly (phew!) and asked me how I was doing, and asked if I wanted an epidural. I quickly shook my head yes without thinking otherwise, and she told me that she assumed I was ready given that the women in the other rooms who started the same time as me were also asking for theirs too. I breathed through contractions and at this point I wasn’t able to hold a conversation through a contraction. I would have to stop anyone talking to me and tell them that I need to focus and breath through the contraction before I could resume the conversation. As soon as the contraction passed, I was totally good to talk. However, I talked with nerves understanding that I was just a minute away from having another contraction.
At this point, the contractions were coming on strong and hard about a minute apart and lasting for about 30 seconds each. I could breath through them since I knew that they would stop on the other side. After waiting for the anesthesiologist for about ten minutes, I began to panic and wonder where he was. The pain was getting intense. I instructed Ryan to find out and told him that I probably only had like 15 minutes of enduring these contractions left in me. About five minutes later, the anesthesiologist, Clayton, came in; a nice man probably in his fifties.
He introduced himself and pulled out his iPad. He proceeded to ask me several questions about my health. Holllllyyyy crap I thought as I answered his questions short, abrupt and to the point. Yes. No. Yes. Nope. Yes. My answers were straight to the point as if to hint to him that I was in a lot of pain. I had to stop when a contraction came on because I really couldn’t get through it if I wasn’t breathing properly at this point. FINALLY after his questions were done, they had me lay on my left side and administered the epidural. Originally, I had told Ryan to remind me to lye on the side that was having the most pain while getting the epidural, and in this case it was the opposite side that they instructed me to lie on. Ryan reminded me of this, but at this point, I didn’t care, I just wanted the drugs! “It’s ok!” I told him quickly.
Clayton instructed me to lie on my side and make a shape as if I was canon-balling into a swimming pool and to really push my spine out. I did. He put the epidural in – the needle didn’t both me as I was hoping it would kick in STAT. These contractions were getting SUPER unbearable. I started getting a little nervous, thinking that maybe the epidural wouldn’t work or maybe it would paralyze me or that something would go wrong, but it didn’t and it started kicking in gradually in the most perfect way… phewwwwww.
They asked how my pain was at this point and I told them that I couldn’t feel any of the contractions; my legs were straight up numb. Thank goodness. While I couldn’t feel any contractions whatsoever, I started getting major chills. I was shivering as I talked to Ryan and the nurse; I couldn’t stop trembling! I wasn’t in pain but for whatever reason, I felt cold and couldn’t help but shiver. I asked the nurse about this and she said it was very normal as my body goes through major hormonal changes. Okay, I thought, and just rolled with it.
I labored like this for about another hour and a half until the nurse came to check me. She checked me and told me I had already gone to 7 to 8 cm dilation!! Holy crap, I thought, that is insane… I’m about to have a baby! I labored for about another 45 minutes until I started to get nervous as if I needed to push. I didn’t feel pressure but just knowing how fast I was progressing and how strong my epidural was (numbing everything), I wanted to make sure that baby’s head wasn’t just going to pop out! I got really nervous and told Ryan to get the nurse ASAP. She came back and I asked her if I would know when to push because I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to feel it. She told me that I would feel pressure and would know. A few short moments went by – maybe 15 minutes or so and my OB came in. It was now around 1pm. She checked my dilation and told me that we were ready to have a baby!! I started freaking out and got SO excited. I felt SO good at this point like I could pop out babies all day. This is labor?! This was so fast and easy, I thought!
Three other nurses came in and gowned themselves. They also set up the delivery table. My OB gowned herself and got the stirrups out. They got me ready to push with my legs up, etc. etc. She asked if I could feel anything and I told her that I was soooooo numb and that I’d do the best job I could trying to push. She then said that they would guide me through contractions and tell me when to push (since I was oblivious at this point to any pressure or pain); literally, I couldn’t feel a thing. A contraction came and they told me to take a deep breath in and then to (literally) start pushing through my vagina lol. I hadn’t touched up on this part from my first labor and delivery so I totally forgot how to push. I forgot that you needed to push for ten seconds on every push and when asked to push I accidentally stopped pushing after about 4 seconds. They reminded me to hold it for ten seconds lol.. woops!
Even on the first push, my OB told me I did great. She told me to do it again like that but to hold it for ten seconds. I did. I went through about four pushes and on that last push the doctor told me that our baby would be here. I gave my all and put every ounce of me into it and I felt and saw my OB pull out the baby. I saw her lift him up, headfirst. I saw his little face – he was so developed yet so newborn like - and then as she pulled the baby up I was looking diligently at his or her private parts to see what it was….
A PENIS, I saw, and knew that we had another little BOY!!! They set him on my chest and I confirmed with everyone around me that he, in fact, was a little boy. Everyone confirmed and I was SOOO happy in that moment. Ryan was teary-eyed and a little sobbey as I held our little boy on my chest. He looked at me and confirmed the name, “**** Denton Raybould, babe, that is his name.” I smiled up at him and agreed. And there you have it!! Our little angel, who we will call “Denton” for privacy purposes J was born at 1:27pm. They quickly did the APGAR test and weighed our little one to report he was a whopping 9lbs 3 oz. The doctor also confirmed that I barely tore, but that she noticed my scar from my first birth. She commented how hard the recovery must have been but informed me that she only needed to give me one stitch so it didn’t hurt when I peed. PHEW, I thought.
And so it goes, out little babe came into the world in such an amazing manner. 9:45am they broke my water, 10:45am I was already at 7 to 8 cm dilation, about 45 minutes later at 9cm and started pushing around 1:15pm. Then, delivered Denton at 1:27pm. Labor and delivery was roughly less than four hours total.
I will honestly say that when I found out I had to be induced, I was a little sad. I always wanted a fun labor story – maybe something where my water broke in the shower or at the grocery store and Ryan would have to rush home from work, etc. etc. After I didn’t go into labor on my own almost a week past my due date, I started to feel upset at myself as a woman. Was my body not doing what it was supposed to be doing? Was the baby okay? Why wasn’t the baby telling me he needed to come out? I had all of these doubts, not to mention some pressure that what I thought was the world telling me to give birth “on my own” and to let the baby come when he was ready. I also had people telling me that induction was the way to go and nothing to be concerned about. I wrestled with the idea, but ultimately prayed and came to a peace about it, realizing that this was the best option for us. Now after going through the process of induction, I am here to tell you that getting induced was the best route for our family. Not only that, it was SO easy and was an amazing birth experience – seriously, I couldn’t imagine the labor and delivery going any smoother. Lastly, I have recovered SOOO quickly this time around. It’s only been a few days after delivery and I am up and about, walking outside almost as if nothing has happened.
I will honestly say that when I found out I had to be induced, I was a little sad. I always wanted a fun labor story – maybe something where my water broke in the shower or at the grocery store and Ryan would have to rush home from work, etc. etc. After I didn’t go into labor on my own almost a week past my due date, I started to feel upset at myself as a woman. Was my body not doing what it was supposed to be doing? Was the baby okay? Why wasn’t the baby telling me he needed to come out? I had all of these doubts, not to mention some pressure that what I thought was the world telling me to give birth “on my own” and to let the baby come when he was ready. I also had people telling me that induction was the way to go and nothing to be concerned about. I wrestled with the idea, but ultimately prayed and came to a peace about it, realizing that this was the best option for us. Now after going through the process of induction, I am here to tell you that getting induced was the best route for our family. Not only that, it was SO easy and was an amazing birth experience – seriously, I couldn’t imagine the labor and delivery going any smoother. Lastly, I have recovered SOOO quickly this time around. It’s only been a few days after delivery and I am up and about, walking outside almost as if nothing has happened.
If you are considering another route for labor and delivery that may have not been your first choice, I urge you to think again. You might be pleasantly surprised at how amazing and fast the laboring and delivery might be. Your healing can be extraordinary fast and it might be better than the original route you thought was the best. In my case, this is exactly how it worked out, so I am here to put to bed any rumors that induction is “bad” because it was the best birthing experience I could have even thought up in my head!!
Thanks for reading!
xx,
ILA
Thanks for reading!
xx,
ILA
Hey hey hey… Cate here! I’ve finally taken a moment to sit down and review the last 5 weeks of pregnancy! Life has been busy with work and family and running a household. I can’t believe how fast time is going by! Last Wednesday marked 20 weeks in my pregnancy. I’m half way there! As you can see, I've been having fun with different outfits and the things I pair them with. I always want to be comfy and this Mommylicous Maternity Fringe Gal Maternity T-shirt is seriously one of the softest and cutest items in my closet! It's long enough to prance around the house in as a dress or wear shorts with. In this ensemble, I decided to bring out my inner bohemian and hippy style. This Fringe Gal Tee (click to view) is super versatile and loose fitting so it grows with your belly. I added a belt here just to give the outfit an extra flair (literally)! In my book, a definite MUST for pregnancy and non! I will be wearing this even more as it warms up, even as a bathing suit cover up - yes! Be sure to checkout Mommylicious Maternity to see their full collection of dresses, tops, bottoms, sleepwear, nursing, and more! (view more images below)
Now for the "Bump Update"-
The below is a little overview of the last couple weeks of pregnancy broken down into different categories:
SUPPLEMENTS: I’m still taking all the same supplements which consists of the following:
-Omega- 3
-Multi Vitamin w/ Iron
-5-MTHFR (my B vitamin/folate- instead of folic acid, since I have the MTHFR gene mutation means my body produces 30 to 70% less methyl-folate than someone without the mutation does)
-Vitamin D
-Vitamin C
-Probiotic (VSL#3, which has a whopping 117.3 BILLION bacteria)
-Iron Bisglycinate (because at about 12 weeks I had slight anemia)
-Osteomatrix (calcium/magnesium)
Woo! Ok, so most of you are thinking I’m nuts! But I’ve taken a lot of supplements off and on for years and both my naturopath and nutritionist recommend the above for me for all my prenatals to have a healthy, strong, and well developed babe! Of course it’s my choice, and I always prefer taking as much as I can knowing it’s good for me. If you aren’t one to take on this many supplements, just be sure your prenatal vitamin is NOT commercialized and is in fact a legit brand and made very well. There are a lot of really poor prenatal vitamins and other supplements out there, so BE CAREFUL AND DO YOUR RESEARCH! I suggest adding a fish oil and a probiotic, as well as a vitamin d on top of your prenatal vitamin if you can’t do the crazy amount I take. HOWEVER, please consult your doctor/nutritionist before doing so. Again, your blood work will tell them what YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS ARE. : )
PHYSICAL:
*16 WEEKS:
At my 16 week appointment, I weighed in at 129 (from 124 at 8 weeks pregnant). I must admit, I thought about what I was going to wear that wouldn’t weigh so much. : ) I even took off my boots. You know, that could have added and extra pound! Haha. But truly, there is no need to be looking at the scale.
*17 WEEKS:
I first felt Baby B move at 17 weeks! With Kai it was so different! I think I was about 23 weeks before I felt a little flutter! 17 weeks also marked when my belly really popped and I was almost out of the awkward face of pregnancy. Although, laying down was much more noticeable than when I was standing.
*18 WEEKS:
Duke felt Baby B move at 18 weeks, which was so awesome, and Saturday March 4 was the first time I saw my tummy move (I even got it on video)! ALSO, my boobs finally were not so tender at about this time or around 17 weeks. I can actually hug my husband without readjusting my girls now. Haha!
*19 WEEKS:
My skin started to clear up, besides my neck, at about 19 weeks. I’m pretty prone to breakouts, but when I was pregnant with Kai my skin was super clear!
*20 WEEKS:
At my 20 week ultrasound the nurse said I was measuring 6 days ahead (again, I don’t pay much attention to that). Also, the cyst on my right ovary is getting smaller, and the baby apparently “has long legs.” Haha! I weighed 136.4 (from 129 at 16 weeks) with the baby measuring 14 ounces. I don’t pay too much attention to the scale and never have. I don’t even own one. I’ve definitely gained more muscle in the last couple weeks, so I’m happy about that! One thing they did see on the ultrasound, after the technician spent about 20 minutes or so measuring all Baby B’s body parts and such, was slighty inflamed kidneys. The nurse wants me to see another doctor with a more advanced ultrasound machine to see if they can more clearly see if the baby’s kidneys are in fact inflamed. If that is the case, she wants me to get that same ultrasound once a month. If they don’t see anything abnormal, then I will resume my normal schedule of ultrasounds for the remainder of my pregnancy. I’m really not concerned at all. Ilas was told a very similar thing about her baby. If anything, hearing that makes me more accountable to eating clean and giving my baby all the necessary nutrients. Also, I don’t tend to worry and over think certain things like this. You could say it’s not my personality but I must say, God plays a HUGE part in this. I simply trust Him.
Aside from that, I had heartburn (AKA acid reflux) a couple of times. TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING, watch your intake of mint, chocolate, carbonated beverages, and acid foods. Mamas, if you’re drinking soda on a regular basis, you may want to think about what’s actually in soda. Yikes! Not good for you and NOT good for your baby. Also, give yourself a couple hours after you’ve eaten before laying down. This will help your body not experience that yucky heart burn feeling!
21 WEEKS: I’m feeling strong, healthy, and energetic! Besides feeling the baby move all the time, having a tummy, and having pregnancy brain (yes, it’s real), I don’t really “feel” pregnant! Baby feels really low sometimes, which I was told is normal because after each pregnancy your uterus is slightly stretched out than the prior pregnancy. Makes sense right!
Now for the "Bump Update"-
The below is a little overview of the last couple weeks of pregnancy broken down into different categories:
SUPPLEMENTS: I’m still taking all the same supplements which consists of the following:
-Omega- 3
-Multi Vitamin w/ Iron
-5-MTHFR (my B vitamin/folate- instead of folic acid, since I have the MTHFR gene mutation means my body produces 30 to 70% less methyl-folate than someone without the mutation does)
-Vitamin D
-Vitamin C
-Probiotic (VSL#3, which has a whopping 117.3 BILLION bacteria)
-Iron Bisglycinate (because at about 12 weeks I had slight anemia)
-Osteomatrix (calcium/magnesium)
Woo! Ok, so most of you are thinking I’m nuts! But I’ve taken a lot of supplements off and on for years and both my naturopath and nutritionist recommend the above for me for all my prenatals to have a healthy, strong, and well developed babe! Of course it’s my choice, and I always prefer taking as much as I can knowing it’s good for me. If you aren’t one to take on this many supplements, just be sure your prenatal vitamin is NOT commercialized and is in fact a legit brand and made very well. There are a lot of really poor prenatal vitamins and other supplements out there, so BE CAREFUL AND DO YOUR RESEARCH! I suggest adding a fish oil and a probiotic, as well as a vitamin d on top of your prenatal vitamin if you can’t do the crazy amount I take. HOWEVER, please consult your doctor/nutritionist before doing so. Again, your blood work will tell them what YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS ARE. : )
PHYSICAL:
*16 WEEKS:
At my 16 week appointment, I weighed in at 129 (from 124 at 8 weeks pregnant). I must admit, I thought about what I was going to wear that wouldn’t weigh so much. : ) I even took off my boots. You know, that could have added and extra pound! Haha. But truly, there is no need to be looking at the scale.
*17 WEEKS:
I first felt Baby B move at 17 weeks! With Kai it was so different! I think I was about 23 weeks before I felt a little flutter! 17 weeks also marked when my belly really popped and I was almost out of the awkward face of pregnancy. Although, laying down was much more noticeable than when I was standing.
*18 WEEKS:
Duke felt Baby B move at 18 weeks, which was so awesome, and Saturday March 4 was the first time I saw my tummy move (I even got it on video)! ALSO, my boobs finally were not so tender at about this time or around 17 weeks. I can actually hug my husband without readjusting my girls now. Haha!
*19 WEEKS:
My skin started to clear up, besides my neck, at about 19 weeks. I’m pretty prone to breakouts, but when I was pregnant with Kai my skin was super clear!
*20 WEEKS:
At my 20 week ultrasound the nurse said I was measuring 6 days ahead (again, I don’t pay much attention to that). Also, the cyst on my right ovary is getting smaller, and the baby apparently “has long legs.” Haha! I weighed 136.4 (from 129 at 16 weeks) with the baby measuring 14 ounces. I don’t pay too much attention to the scale and never have. I don’t even own one. I’ve definitely gained more muscle in the last couple weeks, so I’m happy about that! One thing they did see on the ultrasound, after the technician spent about 20 minutes or so measuring all Baby B’s body parts and such, was slighty inflamed kidneys. The nurse wants me to see another doctor with a more advanced ultrasound machine to see if they can more clearly see if the baby’s kidneys are in fact inflamed. If that is the case, she wants me to get that same ultrasound once a month. If they don’t see anything abnormal, then I will resume my normal schedule of ultrasounds for the remainder of my pregnancy. I’m really not concerned at all. Ilas was told a very similar thing about her baby. If anything, hearing that makes me more accountable to eating clean and giving my baby all the necessary nutrients. Also, I don’t tend to worry and over think certain things like this. You could say it’s not my personality but I must say, God plays a HUGE part in this. I simply trust Him.
Aside from that, I had heartburn (AKA acid reflux) a couple of times. TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING, watch your intake of mint, chocolate, carbonated beverages, and acid foods. Mamas, if you’re drinking soda on a regular basis, you may want to think about what’s actually in soda. Yikes! Not good for you and NOT good for your baby. Also, give yourself a couple hours after you’ve eaten before laying down. This will help your body not experience that yucky heart burn feeling!
21 WEEKS: I’m feeling strong, healthy, and energetic! Besides feeling the baby move all the time, having a tummy, and having pregnancy brain (yes, it’s real), I don’t really “feel” pregnant! Baby feels really low sometimes, which I was told is normal because after each pregnancy your uterus is slightly stretched out than the prior pregnancy. Makes sense right!
 |  |
EMOTIONAL: I’m in a great place mentally! My hormones don’t feel out of whack like they did a bit the first trimester. All is well and the excitement is stirring about having another little boy! It’s a blessing to see Duke feel the baby move and get excited.
SPIRITUAL: I feel so grateful to the Lord for my journey. Plain and simple. Our prayers continue for Baby B, and we encourage Kai to lay hands on my tummy and pray for his “little brother.” It’s honestly one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen!
FOOD: FUELING MY BODY.
I’ve been working on cutting out sugar because for a while there I was craving chocolate and sweets. I wasn’t going overboard but I do want to keep the sugar to a minimum. To do so, I am focusing on getting enough protein (at least 70-80 grams per day). Sometimes it is difficult to do so, but I’m mindful of it. I am adding raw hemp seeds and chia seeds to my salads, smoothies, oatmeal, and such. Also, I love nut butters but only eat organic (especially peanuts)! I took a break from eating sourdough bread and bread in general for a while but just bought some yesterday and absolutely LOVE my avocado toast with Himalayan sea salt, pepper, organic garlic powder, and lemon juice. I accompany this with eggs and do my best to get 1-3 eggs per day. I am getting in the habit of keeping hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick little snack (of course with some sea salt). Sea salt, which contains, iodine is an essential hormone balancing nutrient. So don’t stray away from salt as it is good for fetal development! I’m also eating handfuls of blueberries on the daily for some antioxidants! I also choose pears, apples, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as papayas if they are organic which is sometimes rare.
Because of my anemia, I'm supposed to be eating beef or chicken liver once a week. Oh my gosh... I tried it a couple weeks ago and almost threw up, and I don't have a weak stomach! I'm going to give it a whirl again, and this time I will be making a pate. I buy only grass fed organic liver from Whole Foods and only need about a silver dollar size amount per week. Liver has up to 10mg per of iron per serving, so this is why both my naturopath Dr. Koren Barrett and nutritionist Cheri Swanson request I eat it so my anemia doesn't worsen throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. All I have to say is, it's ALL FOR THE BABY! Eek! : )
FITNESS: After returning from Nashville and being sick with a cough at 18 weeks, I finally started a fairly consistent workout regimen with cardio boxing/kickboxing- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes I make the Saturday morning HIT class. Because I am now feeling great, I make it to the gym and have noticed my thighs and booty are firmer, plus my arms are getting more cut- thank you boxing! I can still do guy pushups (woo hoo!), burpees, kettle bell swings, plank variations, tons of squats and lunges, and high intensity interval training that really gets my heart rate going and makes me feel so good! The only thing I avoid in class is any ab exercise like crunches, leg lifts, Russian twits, etc.
That’s all for now!
Please comment below if you’d like to hear more about what to eat during pregnancy, fitness dos and don’s, or anything you would like to hear more about from Ila and me.
Blessings,
Cate
SPIRITUAL: I feel so grateful to the Lord for my journey. Plain and simple. Our prayers continue for Baby B, and we encourage Kai to lay hands on my tummy and pray for his “little brother.” It’s honestly one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen!
FOOD: FUELING MY BODY.
I’ve been working on cutting out sugar because for a while there I was craving chocolate and sweets. I wasn’t going overboard but I do want to keep the sugar to a minimum. To do so, I am focusing on getting enough protein (at least 70-80 grams per day). Sometimes it is difficult to do so, but I’m mindful of it. I am adding raw hemp seeds and chia seeds to my salads, smoothies, oatmeal, and such. Also, I love nut butters but only eat organic (especially peanuts)! I took a break from eating sourdough bread and bread in general for a while but just bought some yesterday and absolutely LOVE my avocado toast with Himalayan sea salt, pepper, organic garlic powder, and lemon juice. I accompany this with eggs and do my best to get 1-3 eggs per day. I am getting in the habit of keeping hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick little snack (of course with some sea salt). Sea salt, which contains, iodine is an essential hormone balancing nutrient. So don’t stray away from salt as it is good for fetal development! I’m also eating handfuls of blueberries on the daily for some antioxidants! I also choose pears, apples, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as papayas if they are organic which is sometimes rare.
Because of my anemia, I'm supposed to be eating beef or chicken liver once a week. Oh my gosh... I tried it a couple weeks ago and almost threw up, and I don't have a weak stomach! I'm going to give it a whirl again, and this time I will be making a pate. I buy only grass fed organic liver from Whole Foods and only need about a silver dollar size amount per week. Liver has up to 10mg per of iron per serving, so this is why both my naturopath Dr. Koren Barrett and nutritionist Cheri Swanson request I eat it so my anemia doesn't worsen throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. All I have to say is, it's ALL FOR THE BABY! Eek! : )
FITNESS: After returning from Nashville and being sick with a cough at 18 weeks, I finally started a fairly consistent workout regimen with cardio boxing/kickboxing- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes I make the Saturday morning HIT class. Because I am now feeling great, I make it to the gym and have noticed my thighs and booty are firmer, plus my arms are getting more cut- thank you boxing! I can still do guy pushups (woo hoo!), burpees, kettle bell swings, plank variations, tons of squats and lunges, and high intensity interval training that really gets my heart rate going and makes me feel so good! The only thing I avoid in class is any ab exercise like crunches, leg lifts, Russian twits, etc.
That’s all for now!
Please comment below if you’d like to hear more about what to eat during pregnancy, fitness dos and don’s, or anything you would like to hear more about from Ila and me.
Blessings,
Cate
Hello from there other side!!! :) Yesterday officially marked full-term which means that any risk of having a pre-term baby has diminished. Again, mamas can absolutely have the healthiest of babies preterm and late-term; I think for me mentally, it just helps to know that I've made it to this point, especially as I prepare and go into labor and delivery. The flip side of being on the "other side" at 39 weeks, is that I am now playing the waiting game. Most mamas know this feeling all too well; that 39th and final week of pregnancy seems to go by suuuupppperrrrr slow, almost as if time has stopped. I literally have between now and Wednesday (my due date) to go into labor before you REALLY start to wonder. I will go into more detail about how I'm handling the fact that I could go into labor at any moment later in this post. The reality of this hasn't hit me until now. All in all, I am feeling super healthy. In fact, today marked an amazing day; one of those days in which I almost feel like I'm not pregnant because of how mobile I feel. The sun is shining beautifully in Nashville and I am SO excited for the baby to come... now I wonder when that will be :) In the meantime, check out my stats below...
Weight Gain: I am likely around a 30 pound gain at this point, plus or minus. Again, I communicated in my last post here, that I am abstaining from the scale. Yesterday at my appointment when I was weighed, it took every bit of me to not look at the scale, but in reality, it really isn't important. Even if I put on an additional 5 pounds in the last week, I'd be weighing in at 34 pounds, which is still AMAZING for me - given that I gained 60 last time. At this point, I don't want to stress about my weight; I'd rather enjoy the impending excitement of baby's arrival.
Diet: Still eating super healthy. My calorie consumption has likely decreased, simply due to the fact that I am not that hungry. I don't know why I don't want to eat as much (totally out of character for me), but I've heard that it's common at this point in pregnancy. I will say that I am eating less during the day, but am likely making up for it at night because of the cookie dough we have in the freezer. When Cate was in town, we made these amazing cookies for the boys - the recipe is here. My neighbor introduced me to the dark side; these cookies are literally life-changing. I say we made them for the "boys" but in reality we ate them too. Now that Cate and her fam have left, the dough is in the freezer and my willpower to avoid the world's best cookie is just not strong enough. Thus, at night, I've been allowing myself one cookie, yes, sometimes with ice cream (Vanilla Soy Ice Cream from Trader Joe's). This is my reward for eating so dang healthy and working out my entire pregnancy! I only have a few more days, right?!
Diet: Still eating super healthy. My calorie consumption has likely decreased, simply due to the fact that I am not that hungry. I don't know why I don't want to eat as much (totally out of character for me), but I've heard that it's common at this point in pregnancy. I will say that I am eating less during the day, but am likely making up for it at night because of the cookie dough we have in the freezer. When Cate was in town, we made these amazing cookies for the boys - the recipe is here. My neighbor introduced me to the dark side; these cookies are literally life-changing. I say we made them for the "boys" but in reality we ate them too. Now that Cate and her fam have left, the dough is in the freezer and my willpower to avoid the world's best cookie is just not strong enough. Thus, at night, I've been allowing myself one cookie, yes, sometimes with ice cream (Vanilla Soy Ice Cream from Trader Joe's). This is my reward for eating so dang healthy and working out my entire pregnancy! I only have a few more days, right?!
How Lincoln is Doing: What a champ. I seriously love this guy. He is so sweet when we talk about the baby and all of the fun things we are going to do with him/her. He acknowledges the baby quite constantly and loves touching my belly or giving my belly a kiss. The other day, I asked him what he wants the baby to get him when the baby gets here. I got a few answers, including the usual "balls".. we also found out that he wants a helmet for riding his little Strider around. I asked him what color of helmet, he said, "Pink." (sorry Ry!). Maybe that means it's a girl? I am savoring every single moment with this little man and know that life will certainly be different with not one but two, but indefinitely enhanced by the intro of a new baby. It will be fun to find out the gender and think about how that might impact their relationship. Overall, Linc is the sweetest big brother to date and it's only going to get better when the baby actually arrives.
Nesting: The nursery is finished! You can see a photo of it above that Cate's hub, Duke, took. I honestly love every inch of this nursery, from the removable wallpaper to the glider to the Gabby Home chest to the African decor. Everything looks amazing! Our home is also coming together nicely - we get a big Restoration Hardware delivery for more downstairs living room furniture on Friday, and should have our big sofa upstairs soon. My final, finishing touches are wall artwork and decor and also finalizing the drapery.. man, decisions decisions. The closer I get to my due date, the harder it is for me to make decisions! I feel like I need Ryan's help every step of the way (he is amazing at making decisions!).
Labor Prep: My hospital bag is somewhat packed. I did this last night after seeing the doctor. She tipped off when she thought I will go into labor, which I will talk about below. Last night around 9pm, I started having an intense Braxton Hicks contraction or maybe a real contraction and started freaking out. Ryan was already upstairs in bed; I didn't want to wake him or anything, but I also had that feeling I talked about in my Labor + Delivery post here, like I thought that this was the night that it was all going to go down! I got super super anxious and my heart started racing. I was pacing around the living room like a crazy person, almost as if I couldn't think straight and a little bit as if I wasn't ready to have this baby! Who was going to watch Lincoln?? I thought. We have designated my aunt as that person, but she is a 30 minute drive away. What if my water broke and we needed to go to the hospital right away? What if she didn't answer her phone? All of these thoughts came rushing into my head, and my contraction didn't let up. It was unlike a contraction I had felt before in this pregnancy; it was a tightening of the belly all the way around paired with some menstrual cramping. I was almost sure it was going to happen - that my water would immediately break. I cleaned up downstairs frantically. I had already texted Ryan (who was upstairs) from downstairs to get my suitcase out of the attic before he fell asleep - yes I am a lazy pregnant lady who doesn't like to walk up our steep stairs to tell my hud something lol. He got the message and put my bag out. I went straight up and started packing like a crazy person, still having the contraction. Again, I was pacing, couldn't think straight and didn't know what to put in my bag. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, I literally searched our cateandila.com site on my iPhone and pulled up my "hospital checklist" post, which you can find here. It put me at ease, having an easy checklist to follow, but then also got overwhelming because some of the items I couldn't get because they were in the room that Linc was sleeping in - this included the baby's "going home" outfit, swaddles and a few other things. I panicked. I did the best I could with my suitcase and started to calm down. I did lie in bed for awhile on my phone thinking that I may not be able to fall asleep and that we'd have to go straight to the hospital, but eventually around 11:45pm, I tired and talked myself into going to bed. If it was going to happen, I would need the rest. I woke up fresh at 7am to no additional labor symptoms and feeling amazing. I'm not sure when I will go into labor now because I feel so incredible. I also haven't lost much of my mucous plug, which was a huge indicator in my first pregnancy, and I also haven't had my bloody show - so we will see...
Doctor's Visits: My 39 week prenatal appointment was a game changer, or so I'd like to think. My vitals were checked and everything looked great. My doctor started talking to me about scheduling a date to be induced, if I so chose. Apparently nowadays, doctors allow you to be induced once you hit 39 weeks. My doctor had originally mentioned that this can help second-time moms with scheduling and taking care of childcare for their other kids. The thought was nice, but I am prone to let baby come when he or she is ready. Thus, I told her that I wanted to do it the old-fashioned way and wait for the baby to come as such. I said I might be ready at 40 weeks but wasn't sure (I really don't want to be induced if I don't have to be). She asked if I wanted to schedule it then because it would be hard to get a bed. Then I asked what her typical protocol was; i.e. when was the latest I could carry the baby before she wanted me to be induced. She said she didn't want me to go beyond 41 weeks. I told her maybe I wanted to schedule it on a Friday for Ryan's sake but that I needed to look at a calendar. She told me that she'd check my dilation and then we could discuss. So, she checked me, and quickly told me "Nevermind. You are 3cm dilated and 50% effaced. You are definitely having this baby on or before your due date." I was taken aback! What? I thought. I asked, "So do you see moms go into labor quickly after they are dilated around 3cm at this point?" And she said, "Yes. It should be soon. We don't need to schedule an induction date." So I left the hospital feeling a hundred million times lighter; like my baby was within reach!! I could go into labor at any moment! With my due date a week away, that means that I would for sure go in the next few days. So of course, I do what all anal moms do and I google "3cm dilated 39 weeks". To my shock, I found several (the majority) of posters saying they too were 3cm dilated and some even more dilated and were like that for weeks before they had their babies or worse, that they still had to be induced. What theeee, I thought. My mother-in-law told me to not worry about these rogue posters and to follow what my doctor told me. I agree with her, but it's hard to disregard all of the forums, you know? So, that is where I'll leave it. The doctor thinks it'll happen any day and indefinitely before my due date, but "web posters" seem to think it is not indicative of anything. I think I'll go with the expert's voice on this one :)
Nesting: The nursery is finished! You can see a photo of it above that Cate's hub, Duke, took. I honestly love every inch of this nursery, from the removable wallpaper to the glider to the Gabby Home chest to the African decor. Everything looks amazing! Our home is also coming together nicely - we get a big Restoration Hardware delivery for more downstairs living room furniture on Friday, and should have our big sofa upstairs soon. My final, finishing touches are wall artwork and decor and also finalizing the drapery.. man, decisions decisions. The closer I get to my due date, the harder it is for me to make decisions! I feel like I need Ryan's help every step of the way (he is amazing at making decisions!).
Labor Prep: My hospital bag is somewhat packed. I did this last night after seeing the doctor. She tipped off when she thought I will go into labor, which I will talk about below. Last night around 9pm, I started having an intense Braxton Hicks contraction or maybe a real contraction and started freaking out. Ryan was already upstairs in bed; I didn't want to wake him or anything, but I also had that feeling I talked about in my Labor + Delivery post here, like I thought that this was the night that it was all going to go down! I got super super anxious and my heart started racing. I was pacing around the living room like a crazy person, almost as if I couldn't think straight and a little bit as if I wasn't ready to have this baby! Who was going to watch Lincoln?? I thought. We have designated my aunt as that person, but she is a 30 minute drive away. What if my water broke and we needed to go to the hospital right away? What if she didn't answer her phone? All of these thoughts came rushing into my head, and my contraction didn't let up. It was unlike a contraction I had felt before in this pregnancy; it was a tightening of the belly all the way around paired with some menstrual cramping. I was almost sure it was going to happen - that my water would immediately break. I cleaned up downstairs frantically. I had already texted Ryan (who was upstairs) from downstairs to get my suitcase out of the attic before he fell asleep - yes I am a lazy pregnant lady who doesn't like to walk up our steep stairs to tell my hud something lol. He got the message and put my bag out. I went straight up and started packing like a crazy person, still having the contraction. Again, I was pacing, couldn't think straight and didn't know what to put in my bag. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, I literally searched our cateandila.com site on my iPhone and pulled up my "hospital checklist" post, which you can find here. It put me at ease, having an easy checklist to follow, but then also got overwhelming because some of the items I couldn't get because they were in the room that Linc was sleeping in - this included the baby's "going home" outfit, swaddles and a few other things. I panicked. I did the best I could with my suitcase and started to calm down. I did lie in bed for awhile on my phone thinking that I may not be able to fall asleep and that we'd have to go straight to the hospital, but eventually around 11:45pm, I tired and talked myself into going to bed. If it was going to happen, I would need the rest. I woke up fresh at 7am to no additional labor symptoms and feeling amazing. I'm not sure when I will go into labor now because I feel so incredible. I also haven't lost much of my mucous plug, which was a huge indicator in my first pregnancy, and I also haven't had my bloody show - so we will see...
Doctor's Visits: My 39 week prenatal appointment was a game changer, or so I'd like to think. My vitals were checked and everything looked great. My doctor started talking to me about scheduling a date to be induced, if I so chose. Apparently nowadays, doctors allow you to be induced once you hit 39 weeks. My doctor had originally mentioned that this can help second-time moms with scheduling and taking care of childcare for their other kids. The thought was nice, but I am prone to let baby come when he or she is ready. Thus, I told her that I wanted to do it the old-fashioned way and wait for the baby to come as such. I said I might be ready at 40 weeks but wasn't sure (I really don't want to be induced if I don't have to be). She asked if I wanted to schedule it then because it would be hard to get a bed. Then I asked what her typical protocol was; i.e. when was the latest I could carry the baby before she wanted me to be induced. She said she didn't want me to go beyond 41 weeks. I told her maybe I wanted to schedule it on a Friday for Ryan's sake but that I needed to look at a calendar. She told me that she'd check my dilation and then we could discuss. So, she checked me, and quickly told me "Nevermind. You are 3cm dilated and 50% effaced. You are definitely having this baby on or before your due date." I was taken aback! What? I thought. I asked, "So do you see moms go into labor quickly after they are dilated around 3cm at this point?" And she said, "Yes. It should be soon. We don't need to schedule an induction date." So I left the hospital feeling a hundred million times lighter; like my baby was within reach!! I could go into labor at any moment! With my due date a week away, that means that I would for sure go in the next few days. So of course, I do what all anal moms do and I google "3cm dilated 39 weeks". To my shock, I found several (the majority) of posters saying they too were 3cm dilated and some even more dilated and were like that for weeks before they had their babies or worse, that they still had to be induced. What theeee, I thought. My mother-in-law told me to not worry about these rogue posters and to follow what my doctor told me. I agree with her, but it's hard to disregard all of the forums, you know? So, that is where I'll leave it. The doctor thinks it'll happen any day and indefinitely before my due date, but "web posters" seem to think it is not indicative of anything. I think I'll go with the expert's voice on this one :)
Other than that, mamas, we are patiently waiting our little one while trying to enjoy our lives as a family of three. Hopefully this will be my last "pregnancy update", so we shall see.
Until then!
xx,
ILA
Until then!
xx,
ILA
Hey all,
39 weeks today, and getting really close to welcoming our little babe into the world. 39 weeks has also brought on an instant urge to re-educate myself on labor and delivery; what to look for leading up to labor and how to prepare yourself for the actual act. I gave birth to Lincoln in May 2015, so I definitely have some brushing up to do. This post will detail some of the most important takeaways from my actual labor and delivery to notes that I took from my first pregnancy. Hoping this will help any mamas prep for the big day, especially now that I have already gone through one successful labor and delivery! Again, this is my story and everyone has their own, so take what I say with a grain of salt, as everyone mama has a different journey. Here we go...
39 weeks today, and getting really close to welcoming our little babe into the world. 39 weeks has also brought on an instant urge to re-educate myself on labor and delivery; what to look for leading up to labor and how to prepare yourself for the actual act. I gave birth to Lincoln in May 2015, so I definitely have some brushing up to do. This post will detail some of the most important takeaways from my actual labor and delivery to notes that I took from my first pregnancy. Hoping this will help any mamas prep for the big day, especially now that I have already gone through one successful labor and delivery! Again, this is my story and everyone has their own, so take what I say with a grain of salt, as everyone mama has a different journey. Here we go...
PRE-LABOR: SIGNS TO LOOK FOR
I knew I was getting close when I started experiencing the following symptoms. Again, these are different for all mamas, but for me, this is what started to happen in the weeks and days leading up to labor.
- Dropping: baby definitely dropped lower both visibly and physically in my first pregnancy. People kept telling me that I was carrying so low and thus, it might be a boy. This pregnancy, the baby has indefinitely dropped; I can see this in the mirror and also can feel the increased pressure, which brings me to...
- Strong pelvic sensations and pressure down there: because baby had dropped, I had strong pressure on my nether regions including sharp pains and an uncomfortable pressure. I didn't feel uncomfortable 24/7 but I did consistently feel strong pains and/or pressure down there. This happened in both pregnancy; I have stronger sensations and increased pain in this pregnancy as opposed to my first at this point in the game.
- Increased cramping and Braxton Hicks: These started coming on stronger and stronger, especially with physical exercise like walking or group exercise classes. If I run, my belly tightens like crazy. This indefinitely happened in my first pregnancy when I was walking. I had intense tightening. During this pregnancy, I feel this most when I go to my exercise classes. My second pregnancy has also brought on a lot more menstrual cramping; I don't remember having this menstrual cramping in my first pregnancy. I attribute it to the fact that I am much more dilated this pregnancy as opposed to my first. My first, I was only a tight 1cm dilated at 40 weeks. This pregnancy, I am already 2cm dilated and was at 38 weeks. This pregnancy, my Braxton Hicks aren't as present but they are still there.
- Increased discharge: I noticed this during both pregnancies. In fact, I thought it was me losing my mucous plus. Either way, this is a sign that labor is drawing near.
- Desire to walk or exercise: Had this during both pregnancies, especially my first. All I wanted to do was walk, walk, walk, despite the fact that it was getting increasingly challenging with the discomfort of braxton hicks and cramping. I think the urge to walk is both a natural urge and also is a desired urge due to the fact that it can help bring on labor.
- Gradual loss of mucous plug: I noticed this especially in my first pregnancy. My mucous plug started dislodging 5 days before I went into labor. During this pregnancy and the first, I noticed I lost a little bit of my mucous plug after the doctor checked my dilation and effacement, and also sometimes after sex.
- Diarrhea: happened during both pregnancies. I had to go all.of.the.time. This pregnancy, I will get menstrual cramps, then notice that sometimes this makes me have to go to the bathroom; similar to what happens to me during a bad period cramping sesh.
WAYS TO HELP INDUCE LABOR (in my humble opinion)
- Walking or exercise: for some reason, I feel like walking definitely helped me go into a healthy and quick labor. All I wanted to do was walk; in fact, the day I went into labor I think I had walked like 6 miles or something crazy like that. This pregnancy, I am continuing my exercising and can feel my body preparing or almost going into labor with cramping and braxton hicks when I do so.
- Sex: if you're feeling up for it, which honestly, I am not haha, simply due to the fact that my belly is so big and it doesn't even feel that great because I am so uncomfortable. I also notice I cramp more. However, I believe that having sex does help progress your labor situation.
THINGS I DON'T BELIEVE INDUCE LABOR (again, totally my opinion)
- Herbal teas: really?
- Castor oil: I would never do this.
- Nipple Stimulation: hmmm, I don't know. I'd opt for sex. My nipples are already super sore and I don't want anyone going near them.
YOU'RE GOING INTO LABOR SOON IF...
These were the symptoms that transpired literally hours before my water broke and my contractions started. This is what I will be looking out for to alert the hub that I'm actually going into labor soon.
- You experience the "bloody show": we were at dinner the night I went into labor and I went to the bathroom, almost feeling as if I maybe was going into labor. I noticed that I had way more mucous coming out and this time it was tinged with blood. It was about 7pm and my water ended up breaking at midnight that night.
- Your Braxton Hicks are off the charts: the day of leading up to my water breaking, we walked around the city for miles. I had the most insane Braxton Hicks, sometimes that I had to stop. They weren't painful, just very very strong tightening in my tummy all over, making my tummy hard.
- You have a strong "feeling" that it's going down/you feel as if you will go into labor at any moment: When we were at dinner, I just had a feeling that I could go into labor at any moment. There were even times that I told everyone that I might be going into labor. I remember being so specific about telling everyone that this could be the night; I simply knew it was about to happen. We went to bed that night and then I awakened to my water breaking at midnight. Thereafter, my contractions started right away.
- Your water breaks: You know you're in labor if your water breaks :) Mine broke at midnight after experiencing a day and night full of the above symptoms. I went to bed and then my water broke that night.
LABOR + DELIVERY NOTES
The below notes are important anecdotes from a birth class we did during my first pregnancy. I was reading over them and pulled out the ones that I think may help for this labor and delivery:
- Stay hydrated and eat healthy in the last week of pregnancy and near your due date. You will need all of the energy you can get should you go into labor!
- Ask the hospital if clear fluids are allowed and if so, bring drinks like clear sports drinks, etc.
- Bring music to calm you down and distract you
- Bring 2 outfits for baby
- Ask for extra mesh underwear
- Nausea/vomiting may indicate you are in labor
- Relax, if you go into labor. Take a nap or sit down to preserve your energy for what is to come; elevate your feet and drink water
- Fiber diet is important at the end of pregnancy; try to get out all of the "waste" inside of you
- Get rid of any anti-bacterial soap in the house! Don't have a sterile house either. It is good for baby to build good bacteria and be exposed to germs. Pet are good!
- Get a lot of rest, rest, rest! If you're tired, take a nap!
- Take a calcium supplement and drink lots of water
- BREATHING: in through your nose and out through your mouth; practice deep breathing which lowers your blood pressure, heart rate and cortizal levels.
- When having contractions, take a deep breath before/at the start of a contraction; end the contraction with a deep cleansing breath. Also, ask your husband to breath with you to ensure you are going slow and doing it correctly (in through nose; out through mouth)
- Go to the hospital at 5-1-1 ! This is when contractions are coming every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minutes in length and you have this go on for an hour straight.
- Remember, when you are 10cm dilated, you can start pushing!
- If your water breaks, bring a towel and trash bag in the car because you will likely continue to leak fluid (this happened to me! So glad we had a towel)
- Go to the hospital right away if water breaks
- If you're curious about how you may birth your baby, talk to your mom! It is likely you'll have a similar experience.
- Don't get epidural until about 4 to 5 cm dilated
- Lie on the side that is hurting when you get the epidural
- Wait for doctor to break water until 6 cm dilation
- Get your epidural before the doctor breaks your water
- Do position changes to get baby to come down (while in labor)
- Get a softening agent before you get pitocin
- Don't induce baby until 40 weeks
- Only get a c-section if the doctor is seriously concerned about yours or baby's health
- Don't bathe the baby for 24 hours
- Keep baby close to your face
- Don't let others hold the baby for 24 hours; this is important for bonding and sensatory bonding
- Let dad do skin to skin too!
Alrighty mamas! Sorry for the sporadic notes, but these were the tidbits that I found to be helpful. Rock on and hopefully you're hanging in there this last and final week of pregnancy.
xx,
ILA
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