The First Week

Tomorrow marks the first week of little Aydan's life. Can I just say that every day I feel so blessed. I have waited for this time it seems like forever. I know that we had it easy trying wise since it happened very quickly. But when I was eighteen I was told I could not have children. To me that was possibly the worst news. I come from a big family (12 siblings) and have always wanted one also. When I got older I was told that it would be ok to have kids but I need to do it before I turn 27. I have a bad liver and it gets a little worse every year. I turn 27 this year so I cut it really close. But lets get back to the little peanut.

She has been doing very good. The first 2 days in the hospital she slept the entire time. Teressa said that while she got her bath and shots she barely made a peep. The nurses said she was the mellowest baby there. In the room she was also great. She had to have her blood checked every 4 hours and each time she never cried. When we brought her home she had a rough first night. We did not get home til 6 pm that night and she was only slept in 30 minute intervals. Finally at 3 am she fell asleep for 3 hrs. Now the rest of the nights she has done great. She sleeps for 4 hrs, eats, I change her (or Mama does), and then she goes back to sleep. During the day is much like the night right now but she stays awake longer before she goes back to sleep.

The only hurdle we seem to be having is latching issues. She just does not want to. No matter how much I try she just doesn't latch. She'll suck for a second then stop. We try and try and all that ends up is her being very frustrated. So I try and if she doesn't drink then we give her some pumped milk and then I pump. Its going ok. So far we have not had to give her formula because I am pumping enough. I just worry if she never latches I will not produce enough to keep up with her.

We go to the doctors tomorrow for her first visit. It will be interesting to see how much she has gained or lost. And of course here are some pics.

R meeting Aydan for the first time

Big Yawn

Look at those Big Eyes

Birth Story

As all of you know when I went in I was already 4 cm and 75 %. Saturday 9-19 I started having some bad cramping that was not going away. Since the OB told me to come in if they did not stop, that's what we did. When we got to the hospital they hooked me up to the machines and I was having contractions every 2 to 3 mins but I was not feeling them. They watched me for 1/2 an hour and then checked me. I was now 5 cm and 75 %. I was hooked up to an IV in case I needed insulin throughout labor and that's when everything stopped. I stopped having contractions and every time they checked me I was still the same. I was not going to have this little one today after all. We were upset because this meant I was going to have to be induced after all on Monday. And I just really wanted to things to start on their own which they were doing until the IV. We know without a doubt that if I had not been given the fluids things would have progressed more. But I was sent upstairs since it was already 9 am on Sunday and I was scheduled for the morning anyways. Also if things started back up then I was right there. I knew nothing was going to go on because I was still hooked up to the fluids.

Monday morning I was sent downstairs at 9 am and started the pitocin drip. They started the drip of slowly and hooked me up to the monitors. After 30 mins of having the drip I started having regular contractions that were 4 to 5 mins apart. I was not feeling them and I was able to walk around for awhile. They checked me several times and each time I had not changed at all. my contractions had not gotten closer either so they upped the pitocin. At this point the contractions did get closer at every 2 mins but I was still not feeling any of them.

At 12:30 they checked me and I was still 5 cm and 75% and she was still up high. They asked me if they could break my waters to help things along. I talked to Teressa and we decided to go ahead and do that. So they broke my water and also upped the pitocin a little. This is when things got bad. Within 20 mins of them breaking my water I started having bad contractions. I had a real hard time breathing through them and I could barely stand. I wanted to use the labor tub but it was unavailable and by the time the labor ball was brought in for me to use I couldn't get on it. I was having contractions every minute without a break in between.They were just one on top the other. I don't remember much of what Teressa did the next 2 hours but I know she did all that she could to help me. I couldn't lay down and I couldn't walk. I spent those 2 hours squatted besides the bed. Teressa rubbed my back and tried to help me focus and it didn't get better but I was doing it. Pain and all. That's when they came and checked me. After 2 hours of this I had not changed one bit. I was mentally and physically exhausted at this point. I decided to go ahead and get an epidural.

This was not an easy thing for me at all. I felt as though I had given up in a way. That I was wimping out. I cried after I told them I wanted one. I cried because I felt like a failure. I mean woman have labored like that for hours and hours and here I was backing out after 2. Teressa tried to reassure me that I was not a wimp or a failure but at that moment I was just to upset. Teressa had always told me it was my decision and she would back me on whatever I choose. The anesthesiologist came in and I did not change my mind. I went ahead and got it. The main reason I went ahead and got it is because I was afraid of when the time came to push, going the way I had been going, I was not going to have the energy to do it. I got the epi at 3:30 and within 5 mins I was pain free.

I took an hour nap and talked to my mother on the phone. I really wished she could have been here. At 5:15 I was checked again and I was now 10 cm and 100 % she was just still up high. They told me in about an hour I should be good to push unless I started to get the urge to push. At 6:15 the came and checked me and all signs pointed to YES. I started to push at 6:20 and after 25 mins she was crowning. The nurse told me to stop pushing she was getting the doctor but there was no stopping her from coming. I was not even pushing and she was coming out. The doctor came through the door in just enough time to catch her. She did not even have time to suit up. Aydan was born at exactly 6:50 pm after 30 mins of pushing. Teressa got to cut the cord and I have never seen her be more proud then right at that moment.

She was then sent upstairs for a bath. Because of my blood thing it had to be done first thing. I did get to hold her for a min before she went up though. Teressa also went up with her to be with her during her first bath and all the things they had to do. I spent the next 2 hours being stitched up. Because she came so fast, I was unable to stretch like i should have. I received a bad tear inside and a 3rd degree tear outside. I had 3 doctors working on me. I just kept watching the clock and wanting to be with my baby. Finally at almost 9 pm they finished up. I went upstairs and finally got to be with her. She was all wrapped up and just sleeping away. They asked if I wanted her to stay or to go to the nursery for the night. There was no way she was leaving me! lol. We kept her with us the entire time. The only time she went back to the nursery was to redo her hearing test. She had not passed the first time in her left ear but passed the second time. Her sugars were good the entire time and did not need to be put on an iv or be given anything.

I'm going to end here but rest assured I will post more updates on just about everything lol. I will leave you with some pics because how can I not. I can't take enough of them.

Me on Saturday

Right after delivery

Being Weighed

Today's Pic

Aydan Marie Is Here!!

We got home yesterday evening from the hospital. I will post her birth story later for now I'll just say it did not go as planned but in the end I have a beautiful little girl! She was born on September 21st 2009 at 6:50 pm. Weighing in at 6 lbs 7 ozs with a head full of black hair. I'm going to leave with a pic of our little angel for now but there will defiantly be more to come.

Heading Into Labor and Delivery

I'm heading to L&D. I've been cramping on and off since yesterday but this afternoon they have gotten alot worse. The ob told me on Thursday if they got like I had them on Tuesday then to come in. So here we go. I won't have a computer there so If I go missing for a while you know what happened. I will update as soon as we get back home.

I Am So Frusterated

I went to the doctor today and I am so upset to what happened. They checked to see if I was any farther and I am now 4 cm dilated and 75% effaced. They almost kept me in and then decided not to. The reason I am so upset is because for the last 3 days I have been having really bad cramping. No contractions but cramping. Obviously the cramping is doing something because I was still 2.5 cm and 50%. And when they put me on the monitor after my appt I had 2 contractions that I didn't even feel. I am 2 1/2 hrs away from the hospital, I cannot just hop over there if my contractions start coming every 5 to 10 mins apart. Which is when they want me to come in. When I get to that point I don't want to be driving that far, especially if it happens during rush hour traffic. So Teressa and I have talked and If I start to feel cramps like I had yesterday I'm going in and not letting them release me. I think it's just to risky at this point.

5 Days to Go

I have 5 days left until I go to the hospital to be induced! So close now. This last week and a half has been going so slow its not even funny. lol. We go to the doctor tomorrow for my last appointment and my last NST. I have been very crampy the last 2 days and I can tell that she has dropped alot as well. Maybe, just maybe, she might come on her own before Monday. Though I have not been having any contractions as far as I can tell.

1 Week To Go!

This time next week I will be in the hospital and be laboring to have this little peanut! We just cannot wait. I had my NST today and Aydan just did not want to move around. On the NST's they need at least 3 to 4 heart accelerations with movement. After 20 minutes she still had not moved at all so the tech had to jostle my stomach. Let me tell you, she did not like that at all! She went crazy after that and would not stop moving till they took her off the machine 10 minutes later. It was really kinda funny. I was able to find out information at my last doctors appointment that made me happy. I will be able to use the laboring ball and tub to help with pain relief. I did not know if I would be able to with me having hep. B. (lovely present from my druggie birth mother) But I was told that I could use it as long as it is available. (they only have 1) I am really hoping to be able to labor with no pain meds and with as little medical intervention as poss. I will have to have an IV due to the GD. I will have to have insulin throughout labor and I am going to be induced as well. This should be all the interventions I will have to have.

9 More Days

If I do not go into labor on my own I am scheduled to be induced on Sept. 21st. That's only 9 days away!! I will be exactly 39 weeks and the only reason I will be induced is because of the GD. The little peanut is not to big but they worry about the placenta waring out. We are so hoping that I go into labor on my own.

37 Weeks and Maternity Pics

We have made it full term now!! How exciting! But can I now say..... Aydan oh Aydan you are free to come out now! lol. It's not that I am done being pregnant because I love being pregnant. But I am so ready for her to come and to be a mommy. I knew when I went into pre-term labor and they stopped it she was not going to come when I got off bed rest. And here it is 2 and a half weeks later and she is still snug inside. I have noticed that she has dropped down some. I feel so much pressure down there its not even funny. I feel as though I am walking around with a bowling ball between my legs.

Alot has been going on here since my last post. Which is the reason for the absence. Teressa and I currently live in a 3 bedroom house with Teressa's parents. They are both disabled and Teressa takes care of them while I am at work. Now they can get around and do things but both are unable to drive and cannot do alot of things around the house. So that's were we come in. We do all the shopping and taking care of the house work for them. But Teressa's brother and sister-in-law recently fell on hard times. Her brother lost his job and was unable to get another one. They lost their home they were living in and moved back here. (They lived out of state.) They and their 2 kids moved in here. It's been a little crazy getting things situated what with 4 more people in the house but we are doing ok and it hasn't been too bad. As of right now brother and wife and 1 child are living in the camper outside and the other child is sleeping in the baby's room.

I also had a maternity shoot this last week. I only have a few of the pics as of right now but when I get the rest I will post those. I think they came out ok considering I hate having my picture taken and I think I am way to big. And I am not talking about my pregnant belly I mean myself before that. But here they and they do include my face. So i am unveiling more of myself here on my blog.