Friday, May 30, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Lace!
I always adored those lace bras. The very thin, delicate, and no push up lace bras! In my opinion, I can't get away with absolutely no "support" in my bras. I need a little padded bra, lol. But now that my milk is coming in, I can not have any padding or I'll look..... not so good, haha. So yay to lace! ;P
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Life with a newborn
You have to feed your newborn every 2/3 hours 24/7; not every 2/3 hours after they finish feeding. So if you feed your baby at 12pm and it takes them 30 minutes to finish feeding, you still have to feed them again at 2pm, not 2:30pm.
You are supposed to nap when they nap. But when they go down, you have to clean up after yourself and your newborn. And there is stuff to do. Maybe you have to wash a bottle and your pumps on top of everything. You don't want to fall back on that because it'll pile up and be more work later or you will run out of clean things to use when your baby is crying. You have to brush your teeth, pee, feed yourself, etc. [While you were trying to do that, you didn't have enough time to wash your face. Priorities. Your teeth are clean, face can wait until next time. Haha half kidding.] Baby needs a diaper change in between! Now you only have a little time left until the next feeding. And ....baby is up. Your time has expired. Time to get ready for next feeding 5 seconds ago. Don't forget to do skin to skin sometime today too.
As I'm doing all this, I need to write down the times of everything when it happens because you will loose track of when you feed your baby, etc. 8:30am will lead to 9:10am and if you don't write down at 8:30 that you fed her, it could screw it up. You will forget if you don't write it down. An easy "8:30am" can be difficult to remember while you're juggling everything. If you feed your baby again a little late, by then your newborn may already be fussy. To avoid your baby being fussy because they are hungry, if you wrote down "8:30am" and remembered when the last feed was, it may have been prevented.
Ok baby is down [sleeping] again. Oh what - you need to run a load of laundry because your baby spit up? Ok add that to the next break too. ;] Oh darn, I'm getting tired because I didn't nap when baby napped. Oh, diapers are running low so you need to open up a new box. Ok, I can do that while I hold my newborn. Don't forget to schedule your own dentist appointment and your baby's pediatrician appointment [everyday life stuff]. I mean, I just do it right then and there at the office, but maybe your baby was fussy or since you were at the doctor's office for an hour, it cut into the feeding time so you had to feed your baby because your baby started crying at the end of the visit. Ok, wait I have to poo now. Let's get the ipad so we can watch the baby on the baby cam or if the baby is awake, bring the baby nearby so I can watch the baby while I ... poo. Sometimes your baby will sleep for 3 hours and sometimes you have to sooth your baby after changing their diaper mid nap so you werent able to get anything done because after you sooth them they are hungry again.
That load is done already!? Now you need to put it in the dryer. Baby was asleep, but is fussy so you need to attend to baby before your 2 hours, lol. Just hold your newborn, and baby is ok. Don't forget - I'm trying to pump every 2/3 hours minimum. After every pump or feeding, I put soothing gels on my boobs and switch them out at least twice. Multitasking, I tell ya. When I'm done with that, I put on nipple cream very often. Then it's already time to feed her again. And don't forget about your best friend's birthday coming up! Don't be late in getting her gift online and scheduling that massage with her. And it's time for you to eat again, but it'll have to wait. So I funnel some Skittles into my mouth. ;P
I get a lot done from 3/4-7/8am, LOL. I call it the graveyard shift.
Ok, that's not even all of it. That was just a quick 6 hours in the 24 hours you are on call with your newborn. :] But I have energy from my baby. It can be hectic, but of course you have your down time!! My baby sleeps a lot so it helps me tremendously to keep everything in order. It's a busy time fo' sho', but it's a wonderful time. Spending time with your baby, watching the baby smile at you [or was the baby just looking at you? lol], talking to your baby - everything is priceless and sooooo worth it! You are filled with such indescribable joy! Loving, holding, soothing your baby while they're sleeping and awake is priceless. Time flies and your newborn will not be a newborn soon...
You want to know how I do it? And write on this blog, reply to my phone and emails and phone calls, take pictures of her everyday and post them on Instagram, organize my photos and upload them to a book?, etc. - I don't sleep that much, lol. But since I don't sleep that much, everything is in order. Haha.
I can't power nap so that's bad. Or maybe I haven't learned/mastered it just yet! When I sleep or nap, I go for a long time. And when I wake up, I can't go back to sleep!! I've always been like that all my life.
You are supposed to nap when they nap. But when they go down, you have to clean up after yourself and your newborn. And there is stuff to do. Maybe you have to wash a bottle and your pumps on top of everything. You don't want to fall back on that because it'll pile up and be more work later or you will run out of clean things to use when your baby is crying. You have to brush your teeth, pee, feed yourself, etc. [While you were trying to do that, you didn't have enough time to wash your face. Priorities. Your teeth are clean, face can wait until next time. Haha half kidding.] Baby needs a diaper change in between! Now you only have a little time left until the next feeding. And ....baby is up. Your time has expired. Time to get ready for next feeding 5 seconds ago. Don't forget to do skin to skin sometime today too.
As I'm doing all this, I need to write down the times of everything when it happens because you will loose track of when you feed your baby, etc. 8:30am will lead to 9:10am and if you don't write down at 8:30 that you fed her, it could screw it up. You will forget if you don't write it down. An easy "8:30am" can be difficult to remember while you're juggling everything. If you feed your baby again a little late, by then your newborn may already be fussy. To avoid your baby being fussy because they are hungry, if you wrote down "8:30am" and remembered when the last feed was, it may have been prevented.
Ok baby is down [sleeping] again. Oh what - you need to run a load of laundry because your baby spit up? Ok add that to the next break too. ;] Oh darn, I'm getting tired because I didn't nap when baby napped. Oh, diapers are running low so you need to open up a new box. Ok, I can do that while I hold my newborn. Don't forget to schedule your own dentist appointment and your baby's pediatrician appointment [everyday life stuff]. I mean, I just do it right then and there at the office, but maybe your baby was fussy or since you were at the doctor's office for an hour, it cut into the feeding time so you had to feed your baby because your baby started crying at the end of the visit. Ok, wait I have to poo now. Let's get the ipad so we can watch the baby on the baby cam or if the baby is awake, bring the baby nearby so I can watch the baby while I ... poo. Sometimes your baby will sleep for 3 hours and sometimes you have to sooth your baby after changing their diaper mid nap so you werent able to get anything done because after you sooth them they are hungry again.
That load is done already!? Now you need to put it in the dryer. Baby was asleep, but is fussy so you need to attend to baby before your 2 hours, lol. Just hold your newborn, and baby is ok. Don't forget - I'm trying to pump every 2/3 hours minimum. After every pump or feeding, I put soothing gels on my boobs and switch them out at least twice. Multitasking, I tell ya. When I'm done with that, I put on nipple cream very often. Then it's already time to feed her again. And don't forget about your best friend's birthday coming up! Don't be late in getting her gift online and scheduling that massage with her. And it's time for you to eat again, but it'll have to wait. So I funnel some Skittles into my mouth. ;P
I get a lot done from 3/4-7/8am, LOL. I call it the graveyard shift.
Ok, that's not even all of it. That was just a quick 6 hours in the 24 hours you are on call with your newborn. :] But I have energy from my baby. It can be hectic, but of course you have your down time!! My baby sleeps a lot so it helps me tremendously to keep everything in order. It's a busy time fo' sho', but it's a wonderful time. Spending time with your baby, watching the baby smile at you [or was the baby just looking at you? lol], talking to your baby - everything is priceless and sooooo worth it! You are filled with such indescribable joy! Loving, holding, soothing your baby while they're sleeping and awake is priceless. Time flies and your newborn will not be a newborn soon...
You want to know how I do it? And write on this blog, reply to my phone and emails and phone calls, take pictures of her everyday and post them on Instagram, organize my photos and upload them to a book?, etc. - I don't sleep that much, lol. But since I don't sleep that much, everything is in order. Haha.
I can't power nap so that's bad. Or maybe I haven't learned/mastered it just yet! When I sleep or nap, I go for a long time. And when I wake up, I can't go back to sleep!! I've always been like that all my life.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Nursing Accessories... No, Necessities
If you are breastfeeding, your nipples will be sore after 24 hours [that's also usually 10 feeds+] until your nipples toughen up and get used to your newborn trying to suck on them. Mature milk comes in about 3-5 days after your labor and that will be easier for your baby to get milk while sucking on your breasts. Nursing is very tough, especially for the first time. Lots of help is great.
I would get these in advance prior to your labor so you have them ready to use! Start using them ASAP, even after your first feed:
The hospital lactation consultant gave me Medela contact nipple shields. It's to help with latch-on difficulties, etc. I personally love it the most because my newborn isn't directly sucking on my skin. It's still sensitive, but not to the full extent. But our in house lactation consultant said it would interfere with nursing. I'm not sure which is true. All I know is that it definitely helps ease the torture in beginning, but look into this if you are concerned about it interfering with nursing.
I love Lansinoh TheraPearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy. They can be warmed up or frozen. I stick them in the freezer and I use them EVERY time after I nurse and try to soothe my breasts/nipples as much as possible. I just put them in my nursing bra without the cloth covers so I get maximum soothing capacity, lol. And when it runs out, I stick them back in the freezer and do it again, haha. I personally got 2 sets in total so I can just switch off instead of waiting for them to get cold again; even though it doesn't take a long time.
Medela Soft Shells are what you put in your bra if your nipples are sensitive to shield them from brushing up or touching anything. When your nipples are sore or cracked, you can't stand anything slightly touching your nipples like a bra or clothes. You put these on to protect them. If your nipples are sensitive, these are a life saver!
Of course nipple cream is a must. I put this on after I nurse and I reapply AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE to prevent cracking, etc. Take this to the hospital and start applying ASAP and all the time as often as possible, like once an hour [I did it more often sometimes because it doesn't hurt!]. Serious. The hospital gave me Lansinoh Lanolin nipple cream which is thick. It's not bad, but I purchased Motherlove nipple cream and I personally like this thinner, oily consistency better. Heard Earth Mama Angel Baby is great too, but I haven't tried it out yet.
And remember to get nursing bras that aren't tight and don't have any wire underlining because you don't want it to restrict or affect your breast milk. ;]
All of these items can easily be found in many places and each can be found for about $11-$15~
Please share if you have any remedies! Thanks!!
I would get these in advance prior to your labor so you have them ready to use! Start using them ASAP, even after your first feed:
The hospital lactation consultant gave me Medela contact nipple shields. It's to help with latch-on difficulties, etc. I personally love it the most because my newborn isn't directly sucking on my skin. It's still sensitive, but not to the full extent. But our in house lactation consultant said it would interfere with nursing. I'm not sure which is true. All I know is that it definitely helps ease the torture in beginning, but look into this if you are concerned about it interfering with nursing.
I love Lansinoh TheraPearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy. They can be warmed up or frozen. I stick them in the freezer and I use them EVERY time after I nurse and try to soothe my breasts/nipples as much as possible. I just put them in my nursing bra without the cloth covers so I get maximum soothing capacity, lol. And when it runs out, I stick them back in the freezer and do it again, haha. I personally got 2 sets in total so I can just switch off instead of waiting for them to get cold again; even though it doesn't take a long time.
Medela Soft Shells are what you put in your bra if your nipples are sensitive to shield them from brushing up or touching anything. When your nipples are sore or cracked, you can't stand anything slightly touching your nipples like a bra or clothes. You put these on to protect them. If your nipples are sensitive, these are a life saver!
Of course nipple cream is a must. I put this on after I nurse and I reapply AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE to prevent cracking, etc. Take this to the hospital and start applying ASAP and all the time as often as possible, like once an hour [I did it more often sometimes because it doesn't hurt!]. Serious. The hospital gave me Lansinoh Lanolin nipple cream which is thick. It's not bad, but I purchased Motherlove nipple cream and I personally like this thinner, oily consistency better. Heard Earth Mama Angel Baby is great too, but I haven't tried it out yet.
And remember to get nursing bras that aren't tight and don't have any wire underlining because you don't want it to restrict or affect your breast milk. ;]
All of these items can easily be found in many places and each can be found for about $11-$15~
Please share if you have any remedies! Thanks!!
When visiting your friends with new a baby
Here are some suggestions... If you want to bring them something, bring them diapers, wipes, or food. Maybe ask them which diapers they're using because some do have preference with their baby. [Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive seems to be a popular one.] Wipes not so much with the brand, but no scent and sensitive would be best; especially for a newborn. Adding an addition and adjusting to your family whether it's the first or fourth child is busy in the least. It gives you lack of time so bringing lunch or take out would be really helpful. For most families, try not to stay too long because they have things to do and are exhausted to really entertain their guests. I need guests to keep me going and prefer them to stay a while, but that's just me! New parents or even parents adding another child would really benefit a ton from these things!! Diapers and a meal are the best and every parent will light up and be sooOooOoo thankful! Haha ;]
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Update
She was 7lbs 3 oz at birth and a week later she is 7lbs!
Producing a good amount of milk too! YAAY. Such a big difference today. It's Day 2 of my milk coming in, and pumping alone I'm able to produce 7oz. I mean, I'm pumping 7 times on top of feedings so I'm pumping a lot.
She latched on after a few tries at the hospital and has been latching on [quite aggressively :/] ever since.
She eats small portions very often, just like Mommy. But that's tiring :/ She 99% falls asleep while eating. And I also have to wake her up while she's feeding. She'll suck and sleep, suck and sleep pretty much the whole time! :/
Peeing and Pooing a lot! 10 pees and 6 poos today.
She farts and burps a lot which I'm glad she's able to let out and not hold in feeling uncomfortable or being fussy.
Her favorite pastime is definitely getting burped. She smiles and makes all these faces as if an adult is receiving a massage. Her facial expressions are really expressive. ;]
I prayed really hard for a good sleeper, and that's what I got! Her pediatrician said her being able to sleep right through with the lights on and loud noises will probably be her sleeping style. I thought all newborns slept like that in the beginning. She'll have a tough time waking up for school! :/
I am.. was a sleeping BEAR MONSTAH. [But I'm a very light sleeper. Colette follows after Daddy who is not a light sleeper.] Now, I think sleeping... is overrated. Hahaha half kidding!
After I gave birth, I said I was ready to do it again! Even though it wasn't easy of course! The next day when I was feeling the pain down there, I was like wow, but thought to myself that it's definitely worth it! Today is also the day I feel a ton better with recovery.
Producing a good amount of milk too! YAAY. Such a big difference today. It's Day 2 of my milk coming in, and pumping alone I'm able to produce 7oz. I mean, I'm pumping 7 times on top of feedings so I'm pumping a lot.
She latched on after a few tries at the hospital and has been latching on [quite aggressively :/] ever since.
She eats small portions very often, just like Mommy. But that's tiring :/ She 99% falls asleep while eating. And I also have to wake her up while she's feeding. She'll suck and sleep, suck and sleep pretty much the whole time! :/
Peeing and Pooing a lot! 10 pees and 6 poos today.
She farts and burps a lot which I'm glad she's able to let out and not hold in feeling uncomfortable or being fussy.
Her favorite pastime is definitely getting burped. She smiles and makes all these faces as if an adult is receiving a massage. Her facial expressions are really expressive. ;]
I prayed really hard for a good sleeper, and that's what I got! Her pediatrician said her being able to sleep right through with the lights on and loud noises will probably be her sleeping style. I thought all newborns slept like that in the beginning. She'll have a tough time waking up for school! :/
I am.. was a sleeping BEAR MONSTAH. [But I'm a very light sleeper. Colette follows after Daddy who is not a light sleeper.] Now, I think sleeping... is overrated. Hahaha half kidding!
After I gave birth, I said I was ready to do it again! Even though it wasn't easy of course! The next day when I was feeling the pain down there, I was like wow, but thought to myself that it's definitely worth it! Today is also the day I feel a ton better with recovery.
Postpartum Depression
About a month or so ago, I got in touch with a high school friend of mine. Wow, she was pregnant with her first child too! She was due first; less than a week apart from me. Her personality is tough and not sensitive or emotional. She told me that this crazy postpartum depression hits you fast and hard. She was giving me a heads up. It happened to her right after she got home from the hospital.
I wasn't a worry freak with this pregnancy and I have some confidence with babies and children. Starting Sunday afternoon, I started to check up on my baby randomly for no reason to see if she was still alive and breathing. Over the weekend, I nursed her so many times. She latched on every single time on the spot, and she had a lot of poo and pee diapers which is a good sign! So I let my husband sleep, and I was happy and confident catering to Coco. We had an in house lactation consultant come over too. Even though I was feeling great about nursing, I thought it couldn't hurt.
WELL, turns out I haven't had much colostrum [immature breast milk] and wasn't feeding the baby enough; which is actually normal and common. I knew of this fact of your newborn loosing weight in the first 2 weeks or so on average and the pain/stress of trying to nurse for the first time. Your milk takes about 3-5 days after giving birth to come in so it's not any mom's fault, but a mom could feel guilty or bad. Even though I knew of this fact and told myself that this is normal and not to feel that way when it happens to me, of course I got super sensitive. This is your baby and you wouldn't want your newborn [just a few days old!] to not be getting enough milk from you.
Then, I started to get crazy and started thinking that I would kill our newborn by accident. OMG crazy postpartum thoughts, man!! I would spazz out and worry if the baby is still breathing random times in the middle of the night. I would nervously and quickly put my finger under her nose hoping she didnt stop breathing. I would feel for her stomach moving while she was sleeping still, etc. That one night I let my husband sleep and I was watching over the baby alone in the whee hours of the night is when it hit me hard with crazy thoughts. [Your thoughts get the best of you when you're alone up late and it's dark outside!] Then she started crying a lot and I didn't know how to soothe her. We don't want to use pacifiers, but I found one someone randomly gave us, and I put that in her mouth because she wanted my breast. [I know how horrible. Plus if you're planning on nursing, you shouldn't give a pacifier to the baby before 1 month of age.] Then I couldn't sleep because I thought the pacifier might block her nose in the middle of the night without her knowing and I would wake up to a dead baby. OMG crazy thoughts I tell you. I was googling all this stuff frantically by myself, but found no answers bcos my thoughts were crazy.
Then the next morning, I started feeling like an inadequate mother. I would be all scared about her dying as a newborn, etc etc. I started frantically crying to my husband as I confessed that I'm terrified of killing our baby! And my husband helped me realize that I was a victim of these unrealistic postpartum thoughts!
When these crazy thoughts occur, don't keep them in. Until we get our normal hormones back, we're not balanced. Going to mommy support groups is so beneficial in many ways too. And I think it's good to try to be healthy than to seek help when you already have a rooted problem. Easier said than done, but yes. Mom support groups or any other get togethers and groups are great because you can share, listen, and vent all horrible, crazy, and amazing things... and be a human being and a female, not just a mom! As moms, we need to be healthy and have many interactions other than just with our newborn. We especially can use some social interaction during a new transition time like this where you want to share and ask many questions.
So speak out when you have crazy thoughts so someone can help you realize that you are not being rational and that these thoughts are not yours and not true!! Recognize and beat Postpartum early on!
I know the truth and I'm doing fine. Now, I don't believe those things I thought before. :] I have not given her a pacifier ever since. :P [Not that anything is wrong with giving your baby a pacifier!] She's been eating well. My milk has come in! And I don't worry about her dying or me killing her by accident anymore. Yay!
I wasn't a worry freak with this pregnancy and I have some confidence with babies and children. Starting Sunday afternoon, I started to check up on my baby randomly for no reason to see if she was still alive and breathing. Over the weekend, I nursed her so many times. She latched on every single time on the spot, and she had a lot of poo and pee diapers which is a good sign! So I let my husband sleep, and I was happy and confident catering to Coco. We had an in house lactation consultant come over too. Even though I was feeling great about nursing, I thought it couldn't hurt.
WELL, turns out I haven't had much colostrum [immature breast milk] and wasn't feeding the baby enough; which is actually normal and common. I knew of this fact of your newborn loosing weight in the first 2 weeks or so on average and the pain/stress of trying to nurse for the first time. Your milk takes about 3-5 days after giving birth to come in so it's not any mom's fault, but a mom could feel guilty or bad. Even though I knew of this fact and told myself that this is normal and not to feel that way when it happens to me, of course I got super sensitive. This is your baby and you wouldn't want your newborn [just a few days old!] to not be getting enough milk from you.
Then, I started to get crazy and started thinking that I would kill our newborn by accident. OMG crazy postpartum thoughts, man!! I would spazz out and worry if the baby is still breathing random times in the middle of the night. I would nervously and quickly put my finger under her nose hoping she didnt stop breathing. I would feel for her stomach moving while she was sleeping still, etc. That one night I let my husband sleep and I was watching over the baby alone in the whee hours of the night is when it hit me hard with crazy thoughts. [Your thoughts get the best of you when you're alone up late and it's dark outside!] Then she started crying a lot and I didn't know how to soothe her. We don't want to use pacifiers, but I found one someone randomly gave us, and I put that in her mouth because she wanted my breast. [I know how horrible. Plus if you're planning on nursing, you shouldn't give a pacifier to the baby before 1 month of age.] Then I couldn't sleep because I thought the pacifier might block her nose in the middle of the night without her knowing and I would wake up to a dead baby. OMG crazy thoughts I tell you. I was googling all this stuff frantically by myself, but found no answers bcos my thoughts were crazy.
Then the next morning, I started feeling like an inadequate mother. I would be all scared about her dying as a newborn, etc etc. I started frantically crying to my husband as I confessed that I'm terrified of killing our baby! And my husband helped me realize that I was a victim of these unrealistic postpartum thoughts!
When these crazy thoughts occur, don't keep them in. Until we get our normal hormones back, we're not balanced. Going to mommy support groups is so beneficial in many ways too. And I think it's good to try to be healthy than to seek help when you already have a rooted problem. Easier said than done, but yes. Mom support groups or any other get togethers and groups are great because you can share, listen, and vent all horrible, crazy, and amazing things... and be a human being and a female, not just a mom! As moms, we need to be healthy and have many interactions other than just with our newborn. We especially can use some social interaction during a new transition time like this where you want to share and ask many questions.
So speak out when you have crazy thoughts so someone can help you realize that you are not being rational and that these thoughts are not yours and not true!! Recognize and beat Postpartum early on!
I know the truth and I'm doing fine. Now, I don't believe those things I thought before. :] I have not given her a pacifier ever since. :P [Not that anything is wrong with giving your baby a pacifier!] She's been eating well. My milk has come in! And I don't worry about her dying or me killing her by accident anymore. Yay!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
I saw one of my husband's chats with a friend. How cute :]
oh yeah its crazy but all worth it
you get maybe one or two naps a day for max 2-3 hours each
she always cries the loudest when you are the most sleepy/out of it
and you have no idea if you're screwing it all up
but when she smiles because she hears your voice you forget about everything else
but when she smiles because she hears your voice you forget about everything else
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Update
I was so afraid that when Baby Coco comes into our world for the first time I'd be a nightmare, have many meltdowns, and fall apart. I thought I would be in recovery pain, short fussed with my husband and my mom, and very cranky with no sleep. I prayed really long and hard about these things. And so far, day 5, so good! :D [Except for a glitch on Day 3 with PPD. Will post about this.] I'm on this high from our precious daughter. She truly gives me the energy and happiness. We're not doing bad at all! ;]
My husband is the best! He is the best support and my #1 fan. We are both so appreciative of each other. We work as a team.
With all the medical stuff, he takes care of all that. This would be very stressful for me since I don't know any of it. I'm at ease because he knows what it is, how to reply, and knows what we want to do with Colette. And he just knows what they're talking about. When doctors and nurses ask me if I want to do this or if I have that, I'm like huh and look at my husband, lol. One example, when people tell you this is good or bad for your baby, how do you know which are biased and which are really valid? And it's your baby so you would be skeptical. Another example, when something is wrong or I'm in pain, I don't even know how to fully describe it, but my husband will cut in and explain to them in terms I dont know what it is, lol.
He started letting me sleep at nights; and I take over at 4am [which surprisingly works for me]. My milk hasn't fully come in yet so that's why twice in the middle of the night, he has supplemented the feedings with formula just for several days. [My goal is to exclusively nurse for a year. I'm going to try to really stick with it very much. We shall see. :]
He's REALLY good with babies and children. When Coco gets too fussy, everyone hands her over to him, lol! Actually before people can hand her over, he is right there, haha. He knows how to do a mean swaddle too. ;] People and nurses are impressed, lol.
He is really hands on, willing, excited, not scared, and doesn't want to miss a thing. ;]
My husband is the best! He is the best support and my #1 fan. We are both so appreciative of each other. We work as a team.
With all the medical stuff, he takes care of all that. This would be very stressful for me since I don't know any of it. I'm at ease because he knows what it is, how to reply, and knows what we want to do with Colette. And he just knows what they're talking about. When doctors and nurses ask me if I want to do this or if I have that, I'm like huh and look at my husband, lol. One example, when people tell you this is good or bad for your baby, how do you know which are biased and which are really valid? And it's your baby so you would be skeptical. Another example, when something is wrong or I'm in pain, I don't even know how to fully describe it, but my husband will cut in and explain to them in terms I dont know what it is, lol.
He started letting me sleep at nights; and I take over at 4am [which surprisingly works for me]. My milk hasn't fully come in yet so that's why twice in the middle of the night, he has supplemented the feedings with formula just for several days. [My goal is to exclusively nurse for a year. I'm going to try to really stick with it very much. We shall see. :]
He's REALLY good with babies and children. When Coco gets too fussy, everyone hands her over to him, lol! Actually before people can hand her over, he is right there, haha. He knows how to do a mean swaddle too. ;] People and nurses are impressed, lol.
He is really hands on, willing, excited, not scared, and doesn't want to miss a thing. ;]
Saturday, May 17, 2014
My Labor Story
Everyone's story is different, unique, and perfect in their own way. Here's my story!
Summary: I was going to get induced on my due date, the morning of 5/15, but I got contractions the night before on 5/14. Finally, a healthy baby born Thursday night!
God's timing has been on point with this whole pregnancy ;)
-We conceived Colette on our first try
-I didn't need to get induced
God answers prayers:
-painless as possible labor [minus the pushing for me]
Induce?
My due date was 5/15. I started dilating early and quickly before that. My OB thought I was going to go early, maybe 5/10 or 5/11. I was progressing for 2 weeks. Then a week before my due date, I slowed down around 5/8. He now thinks the baby will be born 5/12-5/15. My OB is going on vacation 5/16 so he gave me the option to induce the night of 5/14. I trust, feel comfortable, and wanted him to deliver me very much so I was thinking of getting induced VS having a stranger deliver me. That's just how I felt.
I met with my OB on 5/13 to discuss everything. I was at low risk for c section and complications with inducing. I would be 40 weeks which is not dangerous to induce. I was 3cm dilated. He said I would 99.9% give birth by the weekend anyways. I did feel my ob's confidence and trusted his words. My husband and I felt good about my decision to go in to get induced the morning of my due date, 5/15.
I was alllllll ready and finished every single thing around 10pm on 5/14, the night before I would go to the hospital to get induced. And naturally, I started contractions. Yes - without pitocin which is wonderful!
Contractions
I started having mini contractions around 8pm or so on 5/14. My stomach, my thighs, and once in a while my lower back would get extra tight (tighter than Braxton Hicks contractions) and I would feel "electricity-like" feelings in those areas sporadically for a short period of time (maybe 20 seconds or so??).
I started getting contractions maybe around 10:30pm. I wasn't sure if they were real contractions or not because they were very mild in the beginning and not for too long. I didn't think I was having actual contractions.
About 30 minutes or so after, they became more frequent and my husband started to time them with this awesome app on his phone. It's so useful and easy! It records how long the contraction is and how far apart - all for you with an average. The contractions started lasting for 20 seconds.
I really wanted a restful night so I wouldn't be exhausted to push. I was able to sleep a little! As I laid for bed is around when the contractions really began.
Around midnight, I was averaging very mild contractions for an average of 50 seconds long every 7 minutes. So that means I would have cramp like contractions lasting about 50 seconds and then a break for about 7 minutes. The contractions don't feel like electricity or have strong feelings of tightness, but just feels more like cramps now. And with time, the contractions slowly got stronger from very mild to mild - so just up a notch. Still do able! But I felt a little increase in the cramp-like pain.
Well at least now I don't think I'll need to get pitocin and induce!!! Yaaaaay! Pitocin was something my husband and I wanted to avoid.
Now my contractions are 1 minute long and consistent at every 6/7 minutes. I'm sleeping in between contractions. I loose track of how often my 1 minute contractions occur from 1am-3am.
Around 3:30am, contractions stretched out to 60-90 seconds each. And about 6-7 mins apart.
I slept until 730am and then got ready. Since I was up and about, contractions sped up like crazy! When I left for the hospital, I was contracting 60-90 seconds every 3 minutes. It started to get painful, but I was still ok hanging in there! I think my contractions were not as strong in general; not necessarily because I have a huge high pain threshold.
Hospital
I get to the hospital around 9:30am on Thursday, 5/15 and I was 6cm (an above average amount). Pain was still ok, but I wanted to get the epidural at 7cm. I got the epidural at 7cm around 10:30am or so. I was chillin'. No pain. I did have feeling in my legs and could move them which is what I wanted. Just want to say that I love the catheter, lol. I wished for that all throughout my pregnancy, lol.
So the baby went to 9cm quickly. I was 9cm at 1:30pm. You push at 10cm. Then she stalled for oh so long. They broke my water around 5:30pm. It didn't hurt at all. I'm getting bored at this point. And VERY hungry, lol. Sick of being in bed all day. After they broke my water, the pressure increased a lot which is what you want. This means the baby is going down lower and getting ready to come out. It is getting close to push. The pain is low because I have the epidural. So high pressure and low pain, but doing ok. And anxious to meet the baby. :]
The baby was at 9cm for so long that if something didn't happen, an intervention and pitocin would have happened.They check me and around 7pmish+, I am finally at 10cm!! At 7:40pm, I start to push. Pushing out a baby for me was insane. I will spare you details. Baby was born on Thursday, 5/15 at 8:09 pm!! Healthy and happy family!
The love, amazement, ETC. is indescribable!!! And it only grows. <3
The baby was at 9cm for so long that if something didn't happen, an intervention and pitocin would have happened.They check me and around 7pmish+, I am finally at 10cm!! At 7:40pm, I start to push. Pushing out a baby for me was insane. I will spare you details. Baby was born on Thursday, 5/15 at 8:09 pm!! Healthy and happy family!
The love, amazement, ETC. is indescribable!!! And it only grows. <3
Thursday, May 15, 2014
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Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
Encouraging and Inspirational Bible Scriptures
Psalm 71:6 From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.
John 16:21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
Psalm 127:3 Children are a blessing from the Lord; the fruit of the womb a reward. Don’t fret over the changes, the upcoming sacrifices, but rather rejoice in the gift and the Giver!
Deut 28:4 Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.
Psalm 129:13-14 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Proverbs 23:25 May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
“... weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5)
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” Psalm 18:32-36
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” 2 Timothy 1:7
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:1
Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
“May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”
The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11
Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Sunday, May 11, 2014
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Saturday, May 10, 2014
Phone Calls
I'm afraid to call my mom and certain close friends and family since I'm close to my due date because they'll wonder if the phone call means my water broke. So I'm just not going to call them first, lol. I'll only message them.
She'll be here before next week. I will definitely be a mom in a week!
She'll be here before next week. I will definitely be a mom in a week!
Friday, May 9, 2014
Advice from a Pregnant Lady
Things I hate:
-You got so big. You look big. You're getting bigger. You're so big now. Your face or belly is big/bigger. You're ready to pop. [Wait, can you see the steam coming out of my ears? ;P]
I think a lot of people who don't know what to say, say this?? And some just don't realize that this is not what you should... ever say to a pregnant person; even if they gained 100 lbs or are having triplets. Yes, it's a fact that we, pregnant ladies, are growing, but dude we don't want to effin' hear that!! That makes me feel SO EFFIN GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH, Captain Obvious and Inconsiderate. :]
-Your baby is like an alien. Anything comparing your baby to an alien.
Yes, little newborns and infants are little human beings that are little different at first in the least, but who wants to hear a comparison of your baby to an alien!? I am the first one to tell friends that our newborn will probably look like a precious alien, but only I can say that, lol. If someone has a problem, only that person can say they have a disability. I can vent about my family, but will get mad if my husband chimes in and starts talking about my family too. Know what I mean? It's different, LOL.
Things I love from anyone, even strangers:
-God bless your baby
-Congratulations
-Boy or Girl?
-Best of luck
-How far along are you?
-When is your due date?
Taking the time to compliment a stranger on such a precious gift takes my breathe away. Thank you for just taking the time to care and ask. I get emotional 90% actually because I am so touched.
-Being considerate and helping out whether it be lifting something heavy for a very pregnant woman.
-Asking how they're feeling.
I didn't take people on these offers in the beginning, but as I got into my last trimester, it is very helpful. It is very thoughtful and generous of anyone to help anyone.
Don't care:
-Touching my belly.
Most people hate this, but I don't mind. Unless you're a stranger, but that never happened to me.
Advice:
-Just tell pregnant ladies they look great. I can't and don't like to lie for crap, but this is one lie I would tell any pregnant lady, lol. It's not easy being pregnant sometimes!
-Asking how they are feeling is great. To me, it's about seeing how I am feeling cared for that gives me a nice fuzzy feeling. ;]
-Words of encouragement and telling them they've been doing a great job. And if they've been a nightmare of a pregnant lady, hey they're not doing so great so this is your time to just get over it [75% of the time]!
-Offer to come to them to hang out or ask what the want to do/go. We are usually very tired, but want to hang out. We might want to go somewhere and venture out, but in a car and take breaks in between.
-Ask them what they prefer to eat. I didn't have any cravings so that was ok. I didn't have too many aversions so that was good too. But I didn't like eating a lot of foods.
-You got so big. You look big. You're getting bigger. You're so big now. Your face or belly is big/bigger. You're ready to pop. [Wait, can you see the steam coming out of my ears? ;P]
I think a lot of people who don't know what to say, say this?? And some just don't realize that this is not what you should... ever say to a pregnant person; even if they gained 100 lbs or are having triplets. Yes, it's a fact that we, pregnant ladies, are growing, but dude we don't want to effin' hear that!! That makes me feel SO EFFIN GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH, Captain Obvious and Inconsiderate. :]
-Your baby is like an alien. Anything comparing your baby to an alien.
Yes, little newborns and infants are little human beings that are little different at first in the least, but who wants to hear a comparison of your baby to an alien!? I am the first one to tell friends that our newborn will probably look like a precious alien, but only I can say that, lol. If someone has a problem, only that person can say they have a disability. I can vent about my family, but will get mad if my husband chimes in and starts talking about my family too. Know what I mean? It's different, LOL.
Things I love from anyone, even strangers:
-God bless your baby
-Congratulations
-Boy or Girl?
-Best of luck
-How far along are you?
-When is your due date?
Taking the time to compliment a stranger on such a precious gift takes my breathe away. Thank you for just taking the time to care and ask. I get emotional 90% actually because I am so touched.
-Being considerate and helping out whether it be lifting something heavy for a very pregnant woman.
-Asking how they're feeling.
I didn't take people on these offers in the beginning, but as I got into my last trimester, it is very helpful. It is very thoughtful and generous of anyone to help anyone.
Don't care:
-Touching my belly.
Most people hate this, but I don't mind. Unless you're a stranger, but that never happened to me.
Advice:
-Just tell pregnant ladies they look great. I can't and don't like to lie for crap, but this is one lie I would tell any pregnant lady, lol. It's not easy being pregnant sometimes!
-Asking how they are feeling is great. To me, it's about seeing how I am feeling cared for that gives me a nice fuzzy feeling. ;]
-Words of encouragement and telling them they've been doing a great job. And if they've been a nightmare of a pregnant lady, hey they're not doing so great so this is your time to just get over it [75% of the time]!
-Offer to come to them to hang out or ask what the want to do/go. We are usually very tired, but want to hang out. We might want to go somewhere and venture out, but in a car and take breaks in between.
-Ask them what they prefer to eat. I didn't have any cravings so that was ok. I didn't have too many aversions so that was good too. But I didn't like eating a lot of foods.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
"Breaking the Rules"
I was a very lenient pregnant person.
Sashimi? - Yeah, good quality is fine. Women in Asia eat sushi during their pregnancies. :P [And have my husband mad at me. It was worth it. ;]
Tartares? - Always order the appetizer if they have it on the menu. [And have my husband fuming.]
PROSCIUTTO? - FREAKIN' YES PLEASE! [Had my pregnant sister in law slap my arm once. ;]
Salami? - UH HUH [Same as above.]
Wine? - I said I would have a little in my last trimester if I craved some, but luckily I didn't crave it at all. :O
Sleep on your left side? - It's ok, I sleep all ways.
I know this post is very opinionated and can be extremely controversial. If you went through .... oh let's say 4 pregnancies, maybe you would be like me and maybe you wouldn't.
Sashimi? - Yeah, good quality is fine. Women in Asia eat sushi during their pregnancies. :P [And have my husband mad at me. It was worth it. ;]
Tartares? - Always order the appetizer if they have it on the menu. [And have my husband fuming.]
PROSCIUTTO? - FREAKIN' YES PLEASE! [Had my pregnant sister in law slap my arm once. ;]
Salami? - UH HUH [Same as above.]
Wine? - I said I would have a little in my last trimester if I craved some, but luckily I didn't crave it at all. :O
Sleep on your left side? - It's ok, I sleep all ways.
I know this post is very opinionated and can be extremely controversial. If you went through .... oh let's say 4 pregnancies, maybe you would be like me and maybe you wouldn't.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Being pregnant was ok!! :D I really enjoy being pregnant regardless of the minor things I had to go through. I have the worst hangovers so I was dreading being nauseous prior to being pregnant.
I also get so touched when strangers say congrats; so that's something I will try to do when I see other pregnant ladies in the future. ;] Being pregnant is such a wonderful, wonderful blessing. <3
I also get so touched when strangers say congrats; so that's something I will try to do when I see other pregnant ladies in the future. ;] Being pregnant is such a wonderful, wonderful blessing. <3
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Excited!
I'm getting excited for Baby Colette! I was really excited I got less sleep last night. ;] Tehehe
Friday, May 2, 2014
Bathing Suit Ready
Both my daughter and I are ready for the summer! I got a new "mommy" bathing suit and a baby bikini.
Wearing bikinis all the time, I haven't worn a bathing suit in a long time. This Astrodreamer Lattice Back One Piece comes with removable halter straps. I love the back details. I love prints, especially for summer.
I was searching for a cute newborn bikini and I found Egg's Two Piece Bathing Suit in Cherry for Colette. I love that one shoulder, asymmetrical, ruffled detail for the top.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Mother's Day Gift
My due date is 5/15. My OB is strongly guessing 5/10 or 5/11. Sunday, 5/11 is Mother's Day. Baby Colette - don't you know a Mother's Day gift would be to come a week late and let mommy sleep!? :P
Wait, I'm very excited to meet you baby Coco, but a week VS forever... I'd take an extra week. haha.
Wait, I'm very excited to meet you baby Coco, but a week VS forever... I'd take an extra week. haha.
Pee Pee Part II
I was out and about yesterday. I sneeze and some pee rolls down my leg. I look down and you can see a long drip of pee through my leggings. When you look at me, you can tell a pregnant woman just peed herself a little. Wow, lol, what the heck man! Ahahaha
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