It's A Boy!

Rob and I arrived at the hospital at 9AM on Friday. We checked in, got our room, I got my IV and a TON of fluids, my midwife came and shortly I was being walked down to surgery. It was a fascinating experience though I would have rather just been a fly on the wall. I got my spinal, a process that is greatly effected by gravity interestingly enough, a big drape goes up so I can't see and Rob comes in and before we know it the anesthesiologist announces that 80% of those who voted in my little poll were wrong - it's a boy.

We have a little Elias Robert in our midst at 10lb 7.4oz (Gideon was 10lb 6.8oz) and 21 1/2 inches long. He only cried for a minute. Maybe not even that long. After that he cooed and sighed and made contented little noises. They quickly get him wiped down and wrapped up and then Rob got to bring him to me. We all got to visit while the doctor took care of me.

My sweet boy only minutes old.

Shortly after I'm all stitched up we're all back in the room and I get to hold him. The next few days are a blur of bonding and feeding and visitors. This afternoon we got to come home but not without stopping for a yummy sandwich and a shopping trip at Target. Gabe, Zion and Gideon are staying with Jamie for a few days while we settle in. A few more days' healing for me and some quiet for us and some fun for them.

I have a lot more pictures and will post more soon. Ta ta for now.

Tomorrow Is The Day!

The complications in this pregnancy have not resolved to our satisfaction so yesterday I (somewhat tearfully) scheduled a c-section with Dr. S. Even though I have been fortunate enough to have had three (mostly) wonderful vaginal births I still feel a bit cheated. So, I'm trying not to think too hard on it. Rather than "I'm having a c-section tomorrow" I'm trying to go with "I'm meeting my baby tomorrow!"

For those just tuning in it was discovered when I was 20 weeks along that I had complete placenta previa and velamentous cord insertion (bad, bad!). Then later they said the placenta moved and the cord was "just" marginal. Then later they said "oops" the placenta is actually a marginal previa and it has stubbornly stayed that way. The cord is still considered a marginal insertion which is rather a neutral thing at this point since it is not between baby and cervix. Also, the baby has been breech, no transverse, no breech, no head down, oops, no wait transverse, now breech... and finally head down. Not that it matters now.

Given that the baby's last measurements put him/her at about 11lb and my history for hemorrhaging after labor we all, me, Rob and midwife (with Dr. S's encouragement) decided that, given all of the unknowns a c-section delivery would be safest for the two of us.

So, there we are. Next time I post I'll have actual REAL news about the baby. We'll know, in fact, the gender for instance! :) And we'll likely have a name to go with it and no longer be calling him/her Baby D. And we'll know if this one will have beaten Gideon's birth weight of 10lb 7oz.

Back soon!

Overheard

A serious conversation between Gabe and Zion in the backseat of the van.

Gabe (having just chosen to watch Lilo and Stitch on the van's DVD): "I don't love a lot of movies. I love this one. I love the classics." (Yes, because Lilo and Stitch is such a classic. And where did he hear something like that anyway, what does he know about "classics"?!)

Zion: How do you know? (that you love it, she means)

Gabe (laughing): That's silly. I just know that I do.

All night long Rob and I have been joking about whether or not something is a classic.

The kids have named her Eva and she seems to be settling in nicely...

Notice the semi-drugged look on her face. That's the look of kitten contentment.


She sleeps with Zion at night, usually snuggled up in her blanky right along with her, and seems to be loving hearing all about Fancy Nancy. This is a great cat.

Each night when we put the kids down to bed we bring the kitty up with us and she goes to bed too. Tonight I went up without her as Rob already had the kids up for their bath and I simply forgot to round her up. Zion noticed of course. I told her that we bring her up later but half way through the bedtime process guess who should appear but Eva. I guess she new it was that time and didn't want to be left out.

Now if only it were that easy to get her used to the concept that cats don't go on the kitchen table or walk on my laptop keys (how can they always make it do something that I have no idea how to undo?) we'd be golden.

Like A Hole In The Head

I needed one of these...
And yet when we went out for milk yesterday this is what we brought home (and forgot the milk). She is precious and sweet and loves the kids. She was NOT my idea (I will swear that until the day I die). She is Zion's kitty. That girl loves cats. She loves our cats. Our cats tolerate her.

From a distance.

This kitty is staying in her room, in a crate at night with her box and food and water and a bed until she's a little bigger, in the hopes that is where she'll want to stay, bonded with her little girl.

I suggested naming her Fred or Freddie because we picked her up at Fred Myers. Zion wants to name her Eva (after Eve in WALL-E) and Gabe wants to name her Playful.

Because she's playful.

I think we need to get him around more kittens so that he will understand this is not a unique characteristic to this particular kitten. (Not a fan of the name, can you tell.)

Her name isn't set in stone yet.

Rob and I just realized last night that all three of our current cats we acquired when I was pregnant. And honestly, Rob suggested getting two of them. Aw, I just had a thought. Maybe he gets broody too?

She is so stinkin' cute though. And sweet. I think I said that already. But she is.

Belly Shot

I'm trying to remind myself that one day I will care if I don't get any pictures of me pregnant. So I had Rob take a couple the other day. It's not too bad besides the fact that my face looks like mush. Just look at the belly and ignore the rest, 'K. :)

And even though I said no more pregnancy updates there is more info to be had. *sigh* (This will be over soon. This will be over soon...) OK, so I had the ultrasound that showed baby was head down and the placenta hadn't moved enough. Then my midwife referred me to a doctor for a consultation, at my visit with her baby was back to head down. This is the doc who will do the c-section if it's necessary.

I think that summarizes the last update.

It was a more positive appointment than I expected. He said that if baby is breech for sure I'll need a C. Yeah, I knew that. But he said that if baby is head down he feels OK allowing me to try for a vaginal birth but only by scheduled induction in the hospital where I can be moved to a surgery suite very quickly if need be.

As it stands I have an appointment with my midwife on Monday for a regular ol' check up and a non-stress test for the baby (who has passed two with flying colors so far) and another that day with the chiropractor who does the Webster Maneuver.

Tuesday I see the doc who does the ultrasounds. Pretty much everything is hanging on this ultrasound. If by chance the placenta has moved more AND baby is head down I don't have to be in the hospital AT ALL.

Wednesday I have a follow up with the new doctor to discuss the results of the ultrasound and The Plan. (So, that likely means I'll have at least one more update to do, huh?)

I may have one more chance for an ultrasound the following week if things still haven't changed by Wednesday but my hope and prayer is that the next ultrasound will show baby head down and placenta moved and that I can just let things happen. No induction, no c-section, no hospital at all. Still a little time to hope and pray.

Hopefully The Last Pregnancy Update

I told myself I wasn't going to write another one since things keep changing but one more (I hope the last) to just let people know what is going on.

My midwife got the report from Dr. M (the specialist who does my ultrasounds) and talked with Dr. S (the one who will do the c-section if it's needed) and then she and I met yesterday and we have a "plan". It's not much of a plan as it doesn't actually plan for much but that's what we'll call it. :)

So MW (midwife), Dr. M and Dr. S are all comfortable with watching and waiting at this point. I will see my MW twice weekly for non-stress tests which lets us know that baby is doing well and she will likely peek to see what baby's position is. Yesterday the baby passed the NST with flying colors and, guess what, is head down. No longer breech or transverse. (We all speculate that Gideon stretched me out so much being 10 1/2 pounds that this one has tons of room and just lies however s/he wants to.) I will also see Dr. S once a week. We will monitor placenta, cord and baby closely and wait.

If I go into labor on my own I'll go to MW and she will check everything one last time. If things look favorable I can stay with her at the birth center. If not, I get transferred to Dr. S for a c-section right then.

If I don't go into labor on my own by June 22 (I'll be 39 weeks that day) I go to Dr. S and he checks everything out. If placenta, cord, baby or any combination thereof look unfavorable we do a c-section that day (though that day could change depending on the Dr's schedule, I'll know for sure on Tuesday when I meet him for the first time). If EVERYTHING looks good he'll send me home and I just wait to go into labor on my own and keep seeing MW.

So really, we don't know what is going to happen until it happens. But there is still time to hope and if I do end up with a c-section I'll know for absolutely sure that everything was done that could be done to avoid it and that it really was the best birth for Baby D.

Unless something drastic or new pops up (Good Lord, I hope not) then this will be my last note until I am writing a birth announcement. Really looking forward to that day. :)

Thank you everyone, so much for your prayers and support. This has been a crazy pregnancy and your kind words have meant so much.

Pregnancy Update

I SO expected to be giving a grand report of how my ultrasound went today! Oh my, I was so ready since the placenta had nearly moved far enough out of the way the last time and a few weeks ago the baby had turned head down and things just really seemed to be lining up.

Alas, it is not to be so. :( I'm so bummed. The placenta is clearly too close to the cervix to risk a vaginal birth. The baby has turned breech again and now has the cord wrapped around his/her neck. I'm not overly concerned about that last bit, it happens. The baby is too big for the doctor to see how the cord attachment looks. The big IS really big. Still running about 2 weeks and 3 days ahead which puts him/her at 9lb 11oz. I'm very excited to hear that. At least one thing we were told was a concern (the cord condition causing growth restriction) is not a worry.

It seems that it is pretty much final. No water birth for me. No natural birth. No vaginal birth period. I haven't had a chance to talk to my midwife yet so I don't know all the details yet as far as the plan, likely tomorrow I'll know more.

Keep praying for us. I told God that I would trust He would have this baby born in the way that s/he needs to be for health and safety but it's still very disappointing to me. It's like I've planned for the last nine months to vacation at the Ritz and ended up at a Holiday Inn. Still a vacation, but not near what I'd imagined and hoped.

And not only for my peace and mourning my hopes for this baby's birth but also because c-sections carry such a higher risk. People tend to be rather cool about them these days because they happen so commonly but that doesn't mean they are risk free. I'm not afraid, not assuming something WILL go wrong but I'm not naive to the problems with breathing and breastfeeding not to mention risks for the mom who is being cut open as well as other draw backs.

I will, of course, keep filling you in as I know more. Thanks for your prayers so far. They have meant a lot.

When Clean Underwear Isn't Enough

Mamas often tell their kids to make sure to wear clean undies just in case they get in an accident. What mamas need to be teaching their kids is that, no matter how strongly you believe you can laze around in PJs all day because you don't need to go out of the house and no one will see you, people will come to you - so dress up and look decent already!

I had such a day last Wednesday. Our morning playgroup was canceled. Aside from dropping Gabe at the bus stop after lunch I didn't have to leave the house. I.e. I wasn't going to be seen by anyone.

Right?

Wrong!

I let Gideon and Zion stay in their jammies. I, at least, put on a pair of jeans. Accompanied by my most comfy sweatshirt (read, my favorite 15 year old, ratty, threadbare, holey sweatshirt). I put on no make up and put my hair up in a pony tail. I looked, well, I don't even know if there are adequate words for how dumpy I looked that day. Remember, when you picture this in your mind, that I'm also massively pregnant. he he

That morning a dear friend from my Bible study called and asked if she could come help with a big chore around the house suggesting scrubbing toilets or my stove. Well, as luck would have it, I had already had the wishful thought that someone would come and clean my stove top so I said yes.

So, I get Gabe to the bus and Gideon and Zion down for nap and Friend comes over and goes to work. A little while into it she starts feeling overheated so I open a window and ask her if I can feed her or if she needs to take a break. At first she says no but then after a bit confesses that she doesn't think she is going to be able to finish so I have her sit down and get her some water. By the time I get back with it though she is flat out on my couch and having massive muscle contractions that are contorting her arms and hands and she is in a great deal of pain.

I call 911 and explain that my friend is having an episode of some sort and needs to be seen. I didn't think about what I expected to happen until after my house was full of people but I really thought they'd send an EMT unit with two people. I did not expect the EMT unit with two people and their five friends. I ended up with three emergency vehicles in front of my house and more people in my living room then it's seen in a while. Stove Cleaning Friend, me, my other friend who was visiting, and seven firefighters and EMTs.

Wow.

While they were checking out Friend the kids started to fuss so pregnant ol' me waddles up the stairs and comes down with Gideon on my hip and Zion in tow. It was only then that I realized what I must have looked like. Threadbare Mama looking worse than a celebrity caught with no make-up on for the cover of a tabloid with a three-year old, two-year old and one due practically any day.

I don't feel bad for having kids or having them close together. But I do wish we'd looked perhaps a little more like ourselves that day and a little less like a family out of Grapes of Wrath.

Let that be a lesson to ya! Even if you think you won't be seen, you never know. At least put on a little mascara and shirt without holes for cryin' out loud!
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And don't worry about my friend. They took her to the hospital and ran a battery of tests and suspect that she had a potassium crash which effected, not only her muscles, but her blood pressure (they EMTs couldn't get a bottom number at all when she was here) but they sent her home later the same day and I've seen her a number of times since then and she feels fine. Next time she comes I told her I'm making her eat a banana!

Kudos to all the folks who showed up to help my friend. They were really awesome, especially the gal who said my house smelled fantastic (I was baking bread at the time) and the guy who I nearly gave a heart attack to because he showed up a little later and when I answered the door I think he thought the call was for me and well, he was expecting a "woman having an episode" not a "lady about to pop". The look of relief on his face when I pointed to the back of the house and said "she's back there" was priceless.
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On another note, I have an ultrasound tomorrow. I really, really hope this will be my last one. They will once again check the position of the placenta and the cord and check baby's size and position. Baby has been head down the last two visits to my midwife so - woohoo! I'm praying that everything will look perfect and I'll get the green light for the birth center birth I have been hoping for. Feel free to pray with me!

Also, I've had some signs that this baby won't be satisfied coming late like the others. A couple of times I've wondered if I would be calling my midwife by the end of the night. While that sounds well and good it's just too early. If baby wants to come before 37 my midwife will have to transfer my care to an OB for a hospital delivery. So. I also need this baby to wait just a little longer. June 7 or 8th to be 37 weeks. Stick around just a wee bit more Little One. :)