Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the worst. The absolute worst. "Well didn't you take a breastfeeding class while you were pregnant?" I didn't even know that was a thing! How do you learn to breastfeed before you have a baby?
In the hospital they called my baby the Barracuda. Apparently that is a "nursing personality": http://www.the-essential-infant-resource-for-moms.com/Newborn-Nursing.html
After seeing lactation consultants and all that jazz, things still did not get better. My little Barracuda does not latch well...which causes bleeding and extreme pain. Oh, and babies have a reflex to poop when they eat...and they don't care if you're already bleeding and taking medicine for pain...the clamp down. hard. It's enough to send their mama through the roof. I thought I was going to die.
After seeing lactation consultants and all that jazz, things still did not get better. My little Barracuda does not latch well...which causes bleeding and extreme pain. Oh, and babies have a reflex to poop when they eat...and they don't care if you're already bleeding and taking medicine for pain...the clamp down. hard. It's enough to send their mama through the roof. I thought I was going to die.
Because of her terrible latch, she would suck with all of her might (she's got a lot of might) and still not get enough to eat. So Craig would have to sneak little bits of pumped breastmilk into the side of her mouth with a syringe while she was breastfeeding. And then *sigh* I would have to pump to relieve the rest of the pressure and to have something to sneak into her little mouth for her next feeding. Feeding her/pumping took about an hour...and she eats every 2 hours...so half of my life was spent feeding my little Barracuda.
I was a mess. I couldn't handle the pain/lack of sleep. So I made a hard decision: Leila is banned to a bottle. It's full of pumped breastmilk, but I still feel bad about it. We're supposed to be forming this amazing bond through breastfeeding...and I'm supposed to be the only one who can feed her. But anyone can feed her...and everyone does. Leila doesn't associate me with food. Maybe that's a blessing...I haven't decided yet.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
She's Here!
At work yesterday I was goofing off with Amber, and we asked the magic 8 ball if I was going to have my baby girl that night..."My reply is No"
Amber: Is she going to have her baby tomorrow?
M8B: All signs point to yes
And that magic 8 ball was right. I had my baby girl the next day. Amazing.
After working all day (and a little goofing off with Amber) I went to my scheduled doctor's appointment, got sent straight over to the hospital "for further evaluation", was induced, and gave birth. That just about sums it up :)
Okay, okay...more details. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, so they had to get my little nudger out asap. Not c-section asap, just pitocin asap. I begged to go home and shower and have one more night of sleep, but the doctor said no...we had to start the induction right then. So I rallied the troops. Craig was already there (of course). My prince wouldn't make me hear that news all by myself. But I sent him away to pack our bags (no, I didn't have our hospital bag ready yet...but I had a pile going next to the tub...don't judge.) Mom arrived first. Then Ashley. Then Kim and Sami. And last, Kelli! The perfect mix of my favorite people :) Pretty awesome support team. Nothing in our birth plan happened...but that's okay.
7:00 PM Pitocin started
5:00 AM Epidural
9:30 AM Started pushing
10:57 AM Perfect baby girl
So, Kelli is a photographer. An awesome photographer. Side note: We (Kelli, Me, Ashley, Lise, and Henri...oh, and my dog Toni too!) used to dress up and have photoshoot sleepovers when we were in high school. I have always loved her pictures, so when she agreed to photograph Leila's birth I was ecstatic. And you know what...I couldn't be more thrilled and happy with the pictures she took. They are AMAZING. Too bad for the rest of the world that she doesn't offer birth photography...because, I may be biased, but this is the greatest birth photography I have ever seen. And I looked at a lot of birth photography while I was pregnant. I can't even express how grateful I am to have these pictures. They will be cherished for generations. Okay, okay...I'll post some :) but you should really head on over to Kelli's blog for the whole story:
http://www.kellibrewer.com/2012/12/leilas-birth-story-woodbridge-virginia.html
Careful though...you can spend hours looking at all of her wonderful pictures...it's addicting...worse than facebook.
Leila Faye Walton was born on 12.12.12 @ 10:57 AM weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz and measuring 18.75" long. She's perfect.
Amber: Is she going to have her baby tomorrow?
M8B: All signs point to yes
And that magic 8 ball was right. I had my baby girl the next day. Amazing.
After working all day (and a little goofing off with Amber) I went to my scheduled doctor's appointment, got sent straight over to the hospital "for further evaluation", was induced, and gave birth. That just about sums it up :)
Okay, okay...more details. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, so they had to get my little nudger out asap. Not c-section asap, just pitocin asap. I begged to go home and shower and have one more night of sleep, but the doctor said no...we had to start the induction right then. So I rallied the troops. Craig was already there (of course). My prince wouldn't make me hear that news all by myself. But I sent him away to pack our bags (no, I didn't have our hospital bag ready yet...but I had a pile going next to the tub...don't judge.) Mom arrived first. Then Ashley. Then Kim and Sami. And last, Kelli! The perfect mix of my favorite people :) Pretty awesome support team. Nothing in our birth plan happened...but that's okay.
7:00 PM Pitocin started
5:00 AM Epidural
9:30 AM Started pushing
10:57 AM Perfect baby girl
So, Kelli is a photographer. An awesome photographer. Side note: We (Kelli, Me, Ashley, Lise, and Henri...oh, and my dog Toni too!) used to dress up and have photoshoot sleepovers when we were in high school. I have always loved her pictures, so when she agreed to photograph Leila's birth I was ecstatic. And you know what...I couldn't be more thrilled and happy with the pictures she took. They are AMAZING. Too bad for the rest of the world that she doesn't offer birth photography...because, I may be biased, but this is the greatest birth photography I have ever seen. And I looked at a lot of birth photography while I was pregnant. I can't even express how grateful I am to have these pictures. They will be cherished for generations. Okay, okay...I'll post some :) but you should really head on over to Kelli's blog for the whole story:
http://www.kellibrewer.com/2012/12/leilas-birth-story-woodbridge-virginia.html
Careful though...you can spend hours looking at all of her wonderful pictures...it's addicting...worse than facebook.
Leila Faye Walton was born on 12.12.12 @ 10:57 AM weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz and measuring 18.75" long. She's perfect.
Ready!
Ashley tying pretty bows for baby girl's head <3
My Mother-in-Law!! Isn't skype wonderful?
Looking huge...
It was a long night...poor Sami. I had to have her with me though...she's my person.
Here are the good ones...Thanks Kelli!:
Mom kept me cool...Sami held my barf bag...dry/wet heaves after every push :/
And Craig made sure I felt loved <3
I tried to not be one of those "you did this to me" Momzillas...I think we had a good time.
ahem...what is he looking at?
I love this picture! I love this Craig.
Our baby!
I love this...she still does this stretch every time she wakes up.
Presenting at Pride Rock?
We made the most beautiful baby!...and we know it.
This is the absolute most amazing picture I've ever seen. Our sweet baby girl was smiling when she met us...still makes my eyes a little watery when I look at it.
Notice the suturing happening back there? Sneaky...wait until I'm gazing into a perfect little face so I don't notice...
Perfect little tiny fingers!
Proud Papa
Funky little toes...her big toes are like thumbs on the side of her feet :)
Meeting Opa!
Happy family!
I love Kelli <3
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