The Disappearing Act

Here is the long awaited post.
I'll try to keep it short but, that seems almost impossible considering this will be a birth story.

Lets's get down to it then...I'm now a mother of 2. A rambunctious boy, and an adorable little girl. Her name is Riley and she was born exactly on her due date of September 22, 2011.

It all started the day before Riley was born. I went to see the midwives for my 40 week appointment and was glad to find out that I was 1cm dilated. I felt good and went about my day which consisted mostly of cleaning and picking up after Pauly. I had been dealing with fatigue for a few weeks so it was no surprise that I was tiring quickly. As the day went on things started to change. I wasn't feeling as well and there was a persistent pain in my lower back. I started to think that maybe I was in early labour but, because I wasn't sure I kept this thought to myself. I struggled to finish dinner and was relieved when we all sat down to eat. The back ache subsided a little but I still wasn't feeling well. Soon after I put Pauly to bed and then sat infront of the boob tube to relax.

A few hours later Paul started getting ready for work and I was sure to ask if he had his charged cell phone with him. He did, so at 10pm he left. I decided that I should probably see if there was a pattern to the pain I was feeling and after an hour of monitoring I was sure I was in early labour. The pain was coming every 15-20 minutes and lasting 30 seconds. I then started to mentally prepare for the back labour I thought I would once again experience but, was happy when I started feeling the contractions under my belly.

The advantage of knowing what's coming is that you tend to be a little calmer and can make better decisions about what to do next. My plan was to sleep through early labour and hopefully Paul would be home before I needed his help. So at midnight I went to bed and tried to get some rest. I wasn't too bothered by the contractions and managed to sleep in 1 hour intervals until 5am. At this point I couldn't get comfortable in bed so I decided to get up and time my contractions again. They were now coming every 10 minutes and lasting for 45 seconds. I wrestled with the thought of calling Paul and came to the conclusion that he needed to come home. Even though I was still able to move and talk through the pain it would be 40 minutes before Paul got home and he still had to set up the dining/living room for our water birth. When I spoke to Paul he sounded excited and a little anxious about what was going on. After our conversation I went and sat on the birthing ball to try and relieve some of the pain but it didn't do any good. I just couldn't find a comfortable position. The contractions were now getting stronger but not closer together. I walked the house and tried different things but the only way I seemed to get relief was by slouching in the corner of the couch and breathing through the pain. I realized I should probably call the midwives too in order to give them time to get here. I had been hoping that Basak was going to be on call and was so happy when she called me back to say her and Adriana would be on their way in about 10 minutes.

When Paul got home he informed me that his mom was on her way to pick up Pauly and our dog. Before he started packing Pauly's overnight bag I had him attach a TENS unit to my back. I was a little skeptical about wether it would work for me but I was pleasantly surprised to feel that it took some of the edge off the contractions. As Paul went to work I concentrated on breathing through the pain and relaxing in between.

My mother-in-law showed up a short time later and asked how things were going. I wanted to tell her all about what was happening and how I felt but, I couldn't speak through the contractions any more and was forced to keep my answers short. She finished gathering things for Pauly and let me kiss him goodbye before leaving. I had really wanted him to stay but because he was still so young I knew it would be best if he wasn't home with us. After they left I told Paul that he needed to call our doula Jody. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together. He made the necessary call and continued to quickly prepare the birth pool.

At this point I was still on the couch breathing through the contractions and waiting for my team to show up. At 7:45am Basak and Jody arrived with Adriana following a short time later. The midwives began setting up all their gear and Jody came to my side to see how I'm doing. Because it was still early and Paul figured he had a long morning ahead of him, he decided to make some coffee. Although I didn't feel like having any, the aroma was somehow comforting and just the fact that he was able to do it was a little surreal.

Once the midwives were ready, Adriana offered to check me and I eagerly agreed. I wanted to know exactly where I stood and I wasn't disappointed. After 3 hours of painful labour, I was 6cm dilated and completely effaced. At this point I got the OK from the midwives to get into the pool and I absolutely loved it. The water combined with vocal toning really did help me get through the contractions. I had my eyes closed and was so focused on relaxing my body and resting between contractions that I can't tell you what was going on around me. I know someone was rubbing my shoulders and arms (I later found out it was Paul) and I could hear Jody guiding and encouraging me.

Then suddenly I had a few strong contractions, one on top of the other and there was no time to think. I started pushing. Basak got ready, my water broke and Adriana ran outside to get Paul because he was "making the phone calls". By the time he came back in Adriana was sternly telling me to stop pushing because things were going too fast. I tried not to push but with the next contraction my body didn't give me a choice. Riley's head was born. A few seconds later the midwives told me to stand up because Riley's shoulders were stuck. A few more seconds later and she was in my arms safe and sound. I sat back in the tub to keep her warm and waited for her to cry. It didn't take long for Riley to announce her arrival and Paul was able to cut the cord soon after.

Basak was concerned that there might still be fluid in Riley's lungs because things happened very quickly so she took Riley to the table to examine her. A short while later I was lying in bed with Riley in my arms again. I couldn't believe that I had been blessed with another little angel who was perfect in every way.




So I'm sure this new journey will have lots of sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and moments of pure chaos but, I'll also have twice the love, twice the affection and twice the amount of memories to cherish.

33 Weeks Pt. 2

Whew... I am tired. I'm in the home stretch now and I really understand what it means to be DONE being pregnant. Let me start by saying my baby dropped at the end of last week and stayed that way until Tuesday of this week. It was so unbearably uncomfortable that all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep it away. Unfortunately there was work and my sister-in-law's birthday. Work was a little more difficult to manoeuvre but the birthday party was great because Paul looked after our son while I sat for most of it. But as of now, baby has decided it's much more comfy being out of my pelvis and I am truly grateful!

As for other events, the three of us went to my in-laws trailer a couple of weekends ago. It was nice to get away for a weekend and I'm looking foreword to doing it again before the new baby arrives. I don't know if that will be possible because Paul and I still have most of the nursery to finish. And of course the more I think about how much time is left in my pregnancy, the more excited I get. I see Pauly walking around on his own and playing with his cousins and it makes me realize how much he's grown in the last 13 months. It makes me miss the quiet times we used to have together when he was only a few weeks old. At night I used to take him from the bassinet to feed him and as he nursed I'd fall asleep with him in my arms. It was never for too long but seeing him asleep in my arms made me want to squeeze him. And since Pauly is sleeping through the night, I know I'll have the chance to do it all again. At least for the first little while. I'm not exactly sure how Pauly is going to adjust to a younger sibling but I think he'll do fine considering he loves other kids.

I also saw the midwife last week and everything is looking good. She gave me my charts to carry around in case anything happens and I've got to go to the nearest hospital. But of course it's all precautions. I am really hoping not to go into labour before 37 weeks as I have officially decided to have a home water birth. I've still got some supplies to gather but it's nothing major. The biggest item will be the birthing pool which I rented form Meredith Ballaban. I get to pick it up two weeks before my due date. The decision to have a home birth is really sitting well with everyone too. The midwives and our doula Jody are very excited. Even Paul is looking foreword to the experience.

This week my lil' bean is weighing in at a little over 4 pounds, about as much as a pineapple, and is just over 19 inches long. He/she can listen, feel, see and is still gaining fat. There isn't much change except for his/her size and before I know it there'll be a newborn in my arms.

30 Weeks Pt. 2

I really can't believe I'm going to be a mom again in 10 very short weeks. It's crazy to think I'll have two little ones to love. I'm sure it'll be difficult at first but I know I'll get the hang of it fairly quickly. Especially since I've got such a caring family to support me.

As for events and updates, this week wasn't very exciting. I suppose the biggest news is that I had my glucose test which wasn't much fun at all. That sugary drink really made my tummy upset. And not to mention the fact that it's been super hot the last few days. Thank the Lord for central air. I don't think I'd be able to survive this heat and humidity without it.

Oh wait... what am I thinking. There has been one huge development this week and my pregnant brain has just seemed to forget it, until now. Pauly is walking! Ok maybe not all by himself all the time but he can do it. He just lacks some courage to get up and go so, if you encourage him and make a fuss, he'll do it. And what's the best encouragement for my son?
"Pauly, where's your ball? Go get the ball.". And off he goes. It's the cutest thing ever.

And what else has happened....??
Oh, we're having Jody back as our doula. Paul and I were so happy having her with us the first time that we didn't even think about it the second time around. It was more like "I'm more than halfway through my pregnancy, do you think Jody's available?". And we were so glade when she said she was.

And now that I'm 30 weeks along I'll be seeing the midwife every two weeks. And of course the nursery is nowhere near done. There isn't too much to do but I still don't want it to come down to the wire like last time.

It seems this post is headed in all sorts of directions but hey, that's the way my mind has been the last couple of days. And I'm trying to sort it out lol!

At 30 weeks my lil' bean is weighing in at about 3lbs. roughly the size of a cabbage. There is about a pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounding him/her, which will decrease in volume as he/she gets bigger. The soft lanugo hair that was protecting the skin is now starting to fall off. This lil' bean is keeping active by moving around and this can be seen and felt. And I can assure you this one will probably be just as active as Pauly. There's no stopping him/her. Breathing movements are also being practiced by moving the diaphragm which could lead to hiccups.

29 Weeks Pt. 2

What a busy few weeks I've had. To start (in no particular order)...my little man is now a whole year old. We had a great time celebrating his first birthday and the weather was fantastic. We took the kids to the splash pad and I couldn't believe how much Pauly loved it. After some fun in the sun we all headed back to the house for lunch, Birthday cake and presents. It was amazing to see all the kids playing together.

Loving the splash pad

Another big event is my return to work. I really don't know where the time went. It just seems like yesterday that I was sleeping in a hospital bed with my newborn son next to me. Anyways, it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In my mind I was picturing long days, too much overtime and a whole lot of me missing the little man. It actually was somewhat comforting to be back to my regular routine. Don't get me wrong...I missed my son A LOT. But being around adults and having adult conversations was refreshing. That being said, I can't wait to be off again :)

This summer has also started great. We've done a few family outings and I've loved every one. There was Pioneer Village for father's day, Springridge farm, strawberry picking and the zoo.

Happy Daddy's Day

My first pony ride

Off to the strawberry patches

Waiting in line at the zoo

And now for my lil' bean. This week he/she weighs 2 1/2 pounds, about the same as a butternut squash, and is 15 inches long. The bones are fully developed but will stay malleable in order to get through the birth canal. The lungs are maturing along with muscles and of course he/she is still gaining fat. The head is also getting bigger to accommodate the growing brain. Only 11 more weeks!

24 Weeks Pt.2

As I sit here and think of the past week I realize that my maternity leave is quickly coming to an end. My first day back at work will be June 20 and it's creeping up on me fairly quickly. To tell the truth, I'm not looking foreword to it. Mostly because things weren't ideal when I left and I don't know what I'll be going back to. The actual job is great but procedures and job responsibilities will probably be different and I'm not sure I'm going to like the new set up. The two things keeping me optimistic are
#1 - I'll only be there for 3 months before I'm off for another year.
#2 - I don't have to deal with dayshift bullshit (I'll be back on an afternoon shift).

What's kept me from thinking of work is Pauly's 1st birthday. It's 2 weeks away and I just sent out invites a couple of days ago. What's on the agenda you ask? Some time at the local park, including a simple splash pad, playground, a small beach, and lots of grassy field to run about in. Then lunch back at our house followed by cake and presents and of course...PICTURES!!!! I'm sure Paul will love playing with all his cousins and stuffing his face with cake...lol. But let's face it, this party is more for Paul and I than it is for Pauly.

On a completely different note, I've been really coveting a diaper sprayer. I've always thought I'd be using one once Pauly started solids but I haven't yet. Mostly because our upstairs bathroom is non-exsistant. With only one toilet located downstairs, it'll be inconvenient to go all that way just to clean a poopy diaper. I can sense the question that's rolling around in you head right now...so what do you do with the poop now? Well, I use a disposable liner. And even though I've been doing this for roughly 6 months, I'm getting tired of it. For more than one reason.
#1 - It makes more garbage for the landfill, which probably wouldn't have bothered me before Pauly was born but being "green" is something I think about since deciding cloth diapers was the way to go.
#2 - I could have paid for it with all the money I've been spending on disposable liners.
#3 - They stay wet so the fleece lining in my pocket diapers are redundant. This causes Pauly to get diaper rashes occasionally.
So in conclusion, I think I'll be getting one in the near future and just putting the diaper pail in the bathroom. Or I could use 2 diaper pails, one next to the diaper station for wet diapers and one in the bathroom for soiled diapers. I'll still keep the liners for outings though, that way I won't have to carry poopy diapers in the wet bag.
And finally, with only 16 weeks left until this lil' bean arrives I'm feeling a lot more movement. He/she is now the length of an ear of corn and weighs just over a pound. REM sleep is present when the lil' bean isn't dancing about and it may include dreams. The bones of the inner ear are starting to harden so all the noises outside the womb will be familiar and there'll be no need to worry about the barking dog or the train. He/she is gaining a little more fat and the lungs have started to develop surfactant. This will allow them to expand once he/she is born and there's also blood vessels forming in them. White blood cells have started production in order to fight infections and diseases and the brain is growing quickly. Fingernails are now completely formed and eyelashes have started to grow.