How things are going so far

In 2 more days I will be 10 weeks along in this pregnancy.  At this point we have only told our parents and 2 of our neighbors.  I am one of those that wants to wait until the first trimester is over before we publish it to everyone we know.
I just have a few things on my mind today.  In June I took over my friend's Zumba classes while she went on her maternity leave.  The week after I started teaching 2 classes per week, I found out I was pregnant.  We had been trying to conceive for several months so I was ecstatic to see the positive pregnancy test.  But immediately I started to worry.  It takes twice as much energy and stamina to teach a class as it does just to participate, so thoughts of miscarrying due to such strenuous exercise began to creep in my mind. I talked to my doctor's assistant about it and she assured me that since my body was already used to the exercise that everything would be fine.  I still worried because my body was only used to attending 3-4 classes a week, not teaching them.  Curt also assured me that exercise is really good during pregnancy and that the baby will be ok.
Furthermore, I had committed to teaching another instructors classes for 4 weeks while she went on vacation, starting the last week in June and ending the 3rd week in July (I committed before I got pregnant).  So now I was looking at 4 classes a week (2 in one day I might add) starting at week 6 of my pregnancy.  That is when I started to get really sick during my last pregnancy so I was super nervous about what I'd gotten myself into.  I began to pray that I'd be able to be strong and not have to run out of class to puke while I was teaching.
Well, those 4 weeks are over and I'm actually feeling really good.  I have been slightly nauseous, and I have a lot of food aversions, and I have to eat every couple of hours, but I've only puked twice and I feel way better than I did with Kambria.  Teaching has proved to be difficult, but only because I'm fatigued and don't have as much energy as I would otherwise.  Part of me is sighing in relief, saying "I am so blessed that I haven't been super sick" and the other part of me is worrying like crazy saying "I'm supposed to be a lot sicker than this...is something wrong?"   Next Tuesday I'm going to have the first ultrasound and I am really looking forward to seeing/hearing a heartbeat to calm some of my nerves.  I'm so grateful to be pregnant at this time in my life.  Even though it took some time, it just feels like this is the right time for us to have another baby.  It's a testimony to me that Heavenly Father is in charge.
Another thing that's been weighing on my mind and heart ever since I got pregnant is that there are a few women whom I love and care so much about who are going through the trial of infertility.  I conceived after 9 months of trying, which is nothing compared to what so many couples out there go through.  It was a very humbling experience.  I know only a teeny tiny bit of what they feel like after being unsuccessful at getting pregnant and it breaks my heart into a thousand pieces to think of how it must feel to deal with such a challenge month after month after month after year after year.  I wish that I could somehow lighten this burden and make everything better, but I just don't have that power.  I am trying my best to be supportive and compassionate and I pray every day that these women may be strengthened in this trial and blessed with children when the time is right.
I know I said it before, but I'm going to say it again, and probably a hundred more times in the coming months: I am very humbled and grateful to be pregnant.  There's something magical about having a baby and I cannot wait to have another one of my own.

It's that time again

I guess I should start posting on this blog again because I'M PREGNANT WITH BABY #2!!!

All the Gory Details

As my due date approached and still no contractions, I was very discouraged. I really just wanted to have a baby! I didn't get to see my dr on my 38 or 39 week appt so I couldn't ask how long she would let me go over my due date. The day before I was due, I got a call from my dr. office. She wanted me to go to a specialist and get an ultrasound to make sure the baby was ok. That appt was at 11 am and I had my regular appt at 2:30. The ultrasound showed that my fluid was low and my placenta was old. I asked the doctor if he thought my dr would induce me that day and he said he hoped she would. It was exciting, but also scary; it hit me that I was so close to going through an experience that I have been terrified of my whole life! He called my dr and she said that she would induce me the next day. Yikes!
Curt went with me to my appt. She found the heartbeat and measured my belly. Then she checked me (oh how I hate that!). Still at a four. Sheesh! She then called the hospital to set up a time to induce me. The choices were 4 am or midnight. I don't know why, but we chose midnight.
The next few hours went by so slowly! We finished packing, ate (but not too much, I didn't want to have an embarrassing moment in the delivery room) and TRIED to sleep (we weren't very successful). Curt gave me a blessing which helped put my heart at ease. Finally the time came to go to the hospital. I was so nervous! The nurse took us right in to the labor room; we were the only ones there. After I put my "I-see-you" gown on, the poking began. I had been trying to prepare myself mentally for this part because I hate needles and having an I.V. in for so long really made me nervous. Curt asked the nurse to put a towel over the I.V. so I didn't have to look at it. They started the pitocin right around 12. I was also receiving antibiotics through the I.V. The pitocin burned a little going in. Three o'clock came and I really started to feel the contractions. Thank heavens for the birthing class we took; I learned some awesome breathing techniques that really helped me get through the pain. I spent some time on a birthing ball. One thing that was so weird was that I was shaking so bad! I guess it's a normal reaction to all the hormones. Anyway, I wanted to be strong and get through as much labor as I could stand before I asked for the drugs. I asked the nurse how close the epidural dr (I don't know how to spell his real title) was: half an hour. OK, I can do this. We brought pictures that I could focus on during contractions, and Curt massaged my feet during the real bad ones. That helped so much! He was my strength :)
At 4:30 I decided that I wanted to get the epidural. Again, something I was really nervous about! I had heard that they usually send the husband away for this part, but Curt stayed right with me and held my hands. Another technique that I learned in a college class came in handy during this part. I repeated over and over to myself: I am strong, I am calm, I can do this. It really made me focus on getting through rather than how much I dislike needles. The dr said "Ok, a poke and a burn" and I felt the needle prick. That's really all it was. A prick! It wasn't bad at all! Then it was only a matter of time before I couldn't feel my legs. I really did NOT like that feeling, but I figured the alternative would be worse. After that, the nurse broke my water - again, not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Then it was time for the catheter. UGH. It hurt. But once that was all done (around 6 am) then we just waited for things to progress along. We turned the lights off and slept a little. When we weren't sleeping, we just talked and played 20 questions. Our parents came back around 8. We were all just visiting while I laid there having contractions and not feeling a thing. The nurse had to turn me on my sides; that was really weird. The next time they checked me I was at a 9 and the nurse was telling her trainee (that's right, I had a training nurse. It was her very first delivery) that she predicted the baby would come before 10 am. WOW. I looked at the clock and it was 8:30. I was so close to having a baby! After they left, the parents came back in and we resumed our pleasant visit. At 9:15 ish my dr. came in, introduced herself to the parents and asked everyone to leave so she could check me. She asked me if I was feeling any pressure. Uh, no, I couldn't feel ANYTHING at that point silly! So she was quite surprised when she discovered I was at a TEN and she could feel the head! Yay! Then things happened really fast. All of a sudden my legs were being hoisted up into the stirrups (again, super weird feeling since they had to do it for me) and the nurses were preparing for a baby. My dr had to leave for a minute so the nurse started me on the pushing. I couldn't believe it: five minutes earlier everyone was in my room and things were easy-going and the next thing I knew, I WAS PUSHING A BABY OUT OF ME! Crazy! After the first push, the nurse said the baby "didn't like that" so they put the oxygen mask on me. Then I rested for a contraction. My dr came back in and she took over. On one of the next few pushes, Curt told me he could see the head. Seriously?! As I was pushing, my I.V. really started hurting. I told them it didn't feel good at all, but everyone was so caught up in getting the baby that no one paid attention. I pushed through a few more contractions and then I had a baby!! They didn't ask Curt if he'd like to cut the cord. Pretty soon they put her screaming purple body on my chest while they were still wiping her down. That was the most incredible feeling in the world! I DID IT! I made it through labor and delivery! It's pretty much impossible to describe the emotions I felt. After they took her away to be weighed and such, they discovered that she had too much mucus in her lungs (or something like that...I was kind of out of it at that point.) So they had to take her to the nursery to put tubes down her :( They told me she would be away for at least two hours. Pout. Curt went with her and I was left to start the recovery process. I had to be stitched up because even thought the dr. snipped me, I still tore. It turns out that my I.V. had come out of the vein (but not the arm) while I was pushing (I told them it hurt really bad) so they had to put another one in my other arm. SAD! One of the worst parts and I had to have it twice. My arm had swollen up due to all the fluid. It hurt.
Finally Curt came back in the room and told me all about our sweet little miracle. At this point the epidural had not worn off yet so when the nurse told me I had to get up and go to the bathroom, there was no way that was happening. And then she gave me the bad news: that meant they had to put a catheter back in me until I could use my legs. GAG. Another gross part I had to have twice. Anyway, they brought in the bed from the recover room and hoisted me onto it, then wheeled me into the next room.
I wish I had been prepared for after the baby came. Labor and delivery were a piece of cake compared the the 24 hours that followed. It took FOREVER to get the feeling back in my legs, which meant that I had to have the stinkin I.V. and catheter in for all those hours. Not to mention, I couldn't feel my legs! I just had to lay (or is it lie? I've never been able to figure out the rule on that one) in bed waiting to feel normal again. When they finally brought the baby in to me, so many people were there that I didn't get a chance to hold and nurse her right off. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that we had visitors: family that really care about us.) That night was one of the hardest nights of my life! By this time Curt and I were running on MAYBE 3-4 hours of sleep in the last 48. We were trying so hard to feed the little one, but she just seemed totally uninterested in eating. She was so sleepy, and when we tried to wake her up she would scream and scream. Then we she settled down enough to eat, she would fall right back to sleep. By the middle of the night I was so exhausted I couldn't see straight. We had nurse after nurse plus a lactation counselor come in trying to help me learn this new skill. I was so so discouraged and so so tired. I just wanted to sleep, but I also wanted my baby to eat.
Our moms came in and put my heart at ease. After some good food and some much needed sleep, I felt much better. The dr. made me stay an extra day in the hospital because my blood count was so low. But I finally got to come home and start my new career as a stay-at-home mom. I LOVE IT :) It was a lot of work to get her here but I'm so happy that she's here and I'm blessed that things went so well.
I know this is a novel, and congratulations if you are still reading it. I just wanted to record everything I could remember about this AMAZING experience. I love my little Kambi Bambi!

Please Bless the Baby Ticker is Right

Today is officially my first day as a homemaker. I have been looking forward to this day ever since my freshman year of college when I decided that the career world isn't for me, and that my hearts true desire was to be a mommy. I realize that this dream job may not last forever, as I know it's getting more and more difficult in this world to live on one income, but for now I am hopeful that, at least while our kids are young I won't have to work outside my home.
At my 38 week appointment I had to see a nurse practitioner, since my doctor was completely booked. I had progressed from a 1 to a 4 :) Great! She told us to go on a long walk, and that participating in activities that make babies also can start the process of this daunting task called *LABOR*. Well, needless to say, neither thing worked. I worked Monday thru Thursday last week and was not totally miserable, but definitely uncomfortable and less than thrilled. Aside from a few painful moments at night, I hadn't had any contractions. Friday came and brought with it my 39 week appointment. Once again I saw the NP because my Dr. was in Florida doing clinicals. She checked me (oh so uncomfortable) and alas, I was STILL at a 4. No progress :( She told me she was really surprised to see me still pregnant; she thought I would for sure have a baby within the week after the last appointment. I was hoping I didn't have to see her again too; she has long acrilic nails (OUCH). But I haven't had any contractions, and that's usually a requirement. And so, I left slightly discouraged. I know I'm not technically due for 4 more days, I was really REALLY hoping she would be born during Curt's spring break (last week) so that he could be with me constantly for the first few days and not worry about missing school. I just wish that I could have seen my Dr. so I could ask her how long she'll let me go over the due date before she will induce me. I hope this little girl isn't trying to pay me back for what I did to my mom...she carried me for FOUR WEEKS after I was due. That's just mean.
Maybe I'm just not ready to give birth?


On the other hand: It's probably a good thing she hasn't made her debut yet. My mom is coming this weekend and having her moral support may be worth waiting for.

Progress!

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant. At my appointment this morning my Dr. told me I am dilated to one centimeter!! I know I shouldn't get too excited because I know I could stay that way for 3 more weeks, but at least I'm getting somewhere :) She also gave me a copy of my records that I will take to the hospital. You know what this means?! It means I could have a baby any time now!

Just thought I'd share my latest "fat belly" pic. At my last appointment I was only 1 cm small. I am growing after all!

Dear Heartburn

You've been hanging around lately, and I know you want to be friends, but you are not welcome anymore. Even when I tried to politely get rid of you by taking Tums you decided that you wouldn't let that come between us, and you stuck around anyway. Well I'm sorry but you need to let go and move on with your life. We are not friends! Leave me! My life was much happier before you came; please let me get back to that life.

sincerely,
6 weeks away from having a baby