Saturday, July 30, 2011

.Birth Story.

The post you've all been waiting for!
*Warning* Birth pics...
7/20: [37w 6d] Dilated to 4cm & 75% effaced...stripped membranes.
7/21: [38w] Lost mucus plug - bloody show
...contractions off and on all weekend, nothing painful or uncomfortable, sometimes regular for hours on end...but nothing closer than 6min apart.
7/25: [38w 4d] A day like any other...A friend & her kids were over for a playdate.
4:30pm: Just sitting around chatting when I felt a small gush of fluid. Then a bigger gush, so I went to the bathroom and even after wiping several times I continued to feel wet. I called Fred at work to let him know that I thought my water had broke...while he rushed home, I did the dishes, put away some laundry & sent the kids over to the neighbors. Fred quickly changed & it was off to the Hospital we went.
6pm: They took us into this tiny triage closet room, strapped me to the monitors, the nurse checked with the nitrazine swab, it was positive [my water had broke] but it wasn't the whole sac...just the little bit trapped in front of her head [which was now acting like a plug]. Regardless, my water has NEVER broke on it's own...what a relief to know I wasn't crazy & I hadn't just peed myself! lol Contractions were mild but regular and dilated to 4-5cm.
Eventually, they moved us to a L&D room...

Hooked me back up to monitors & started an IV...
9pm: Contractions were picking up, the Dr. came in to finish breaking my water and that's when things really got started and the pain kicked in. I had been managing pretty well up to this point!
10pm: Dr. checked, we were at 6-7cm. The only thing more painful than the contractions was having to endure Fred watching WWE Monday Night Raw on the TV...lol
10:30pm: So much pain, I wanted to cry...but couldn't [literally could not cry...I tried]! I started feeling LOTS of pressure & a slight urge to push during contractions, the nurse checked me 8-9cm...she said, "It could be 15min, could be an hour!?" and walks out of the room.
Next contraction comes...definitely wanting to push, contraction is over and I still want to push. Fred runs into the hall, trying to find the nurse and she's no where to be found, he hits the call button and all they heard was me saying over & over..."I have to push, I have to push"...lol
11:00pm: 2 nurses & the on-call Dr. rush in...they start breaking down the bed & being busy, I really have no idea what was going on, I just wanted to effing PUSH!!!
11:07pm: The Dr. delivered her head and then I reached down and pulled out the rest of her little body and put her directly on my chest...no rips/tears and completely au natural!

Daddy cut the cord!

No surprise she was a big'n...8lbs 11oz of beautiful baby girl!

Exhausted & nursing...but on Cloud 9!

Checking out her Daddy Man!

We had a bunch of visitors, close friends & co-workers...but our two favorite, finally got to meet their baby sister!

We only stayed alittle over 24 hours, just anxious and ready to get home to our Lovins!
Dressed and ready to head home...

...in the car!

Napping w/his girls!

.2 days old.

EDD: August 4th, 2011
Born: July 25th, 2011 @ 11:07pm
Stats: 8lbs 11oz & 20 3/4in
Name: Chloe Jane Brielle...

Friday, July 22, 2011

.sunny.

Just a gorgeous day for a trip to Forsyth! So, here's a few fun pics...

That's about as close to the sprayers as she got!

Laying out w/Dora was way more fun...
Such a Diva!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

.37 & 38.

37 weeks & still [frank] breech...
So we decided to go ahead with the ECV [external cephalic version]. Here's how it went...
-Checked into the hospital @ 7:30am
-Changed into a gown & strapped to monitors [fetal HR & contraction]
-Ultrasound just to make sure she was still breech [sure enough, she was]
...waiting...
-IV started [just in case]
-In depth ultrasound for measurements @ 9:00am [Chloe's est. weight 7lbs 9oz]
-Perinatologist & Dr. arrive, nurse & u/s tech still in the room. [a couple random people off to the side 'observing']
-Shot of Terbutaline in the arm [it made me SO jittery...awful stuff]
-Started the version, the Peri pushed her out of my pelvis [u/s], the other Dr. jumped in & they went counter clockwise...so if you invision a clock, she went from her head at 12 - 10 [u/s] 10-8 [u/s] final turn from 8 - 6 [u/s]. It took less than a minute...and was a complete success!
-No Epidural & all of it happened in a normal L&D Suite.
...waiting...
-Monitored for about an hour
-Released home @10:45am
Honestly, I would've done anything to avoid having a c-section...and I tried everything from handstands in the pool, ice packs on my tummy & laying inverted on an ironing board, little miss just wouldn't budge! As painful & scary as the ECV was...it was worth it & I'm thrilled that it worked! I'm also so thankful that Fred was able to be there by my side, it's cliche...but he's my rock.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.7.21.11.
38 Weeks...who knew that labor was just days away!

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Getting ready for baby...

.34 weeks.
My little sticker pack didn't have a '34 week' sticker...odd!

July was pretty much spent getting the last few baby items on the list! Lots of fun stuff started arriving in the mail...Nursing cover, {custom} Lovey Duds wrap, Boppy's, Bumbo's...etc. It was like Christmas had come early! ;] I was loving it...

I started nesting & Daddy started putting things together...I even caught him reading the directions!
{gasp}

.Fisher Price Snugabunny.

.Chloe's Corner.

...and then we waited!

Saturday, July 02, 2011

.Happy 4th.

Hunter AAF 4th of July Festivities

There were so many 4th of July activities. {FREE} swimming, bowling, petting zoo, crafts, bouncy houses...and Daddy wanted to do ALL of it! lol Unfortunately, at 8 months pregnant I was feeling a little Scrooge. So Mama took the morning off and Daddy ran the kids all over post, having a blast!

.Dunk it.

.Lambie feeding the Lambie.

I dunno, this pic just kinda makes me giggle...


Hydrating...It sure was hot out!

.Sack Race.

So, after their busy morning...they headed home to grab a bite, let Lambie nap & pick up the Mama's! Then it was off to see the live band & FIREWORKS...

.07.04.11.
Our 4th was a little less spectacular, but still a good time...we grilled out and then lit a few backyard fireworks w/the neighbors.

.the end.