May 21st, 2009

Warning - if you don't want to read about dilation and placentas...you may want to skip this post!

Max was due on May 27th but since his brother tipped the scales at 11 lbs. 2 oz., Dr. Chun let us know that she would induce me early if my body seemed ready. I had my last OB appointment on Wednesday, May 20th. Aaron wasn't able to make it, so I just ran there quickly myself. I was about 3cm dilated at that point and my cervix was soft. So, Dr. Chun set up an appointment with Labor and Delivery to induce me at 7am the next morning!

Liam slept at Ron and Meg's that night, and Aaron and I didn't sleep much at home! We were out the door by 6:30am and arrived at the hospital just before 7. They buzzed us into the maternity ward and showed us to room 315. Then we waited. Shift change for the nurses is 7am, so we were right in the middle of that. We just sat and relaxed for awhile until a nurse came and gave me a gown to change in to. I got "comfy" in the hospital bed and proceeded to watch Golden Girls for about an hour! A nurse came in to register me and get paperwork done around 8:30. She then did an ultrasound to be sure Max was still head-down before starting the pitocin IV. He was indeed head-down, so she started the pitocin around 9am. That's about the time that I was induced with Liam! I started to feel contractions a little bit around 9:30am.

Dr. Chun arrived around 10:30am to check me. I was about 4cm and she broke my water. There must have been a lot of fluid because she said "whoah!" as she broke the sac. I had my epidural ordered around that time, but the anesthesiologist was in surgery and couldn't come down right away. I wasn't feeling intense contractions yet, so that was fine. I finally got the catheter for it placed around 11:45am. They planned to hook up the epidural medication later on. I don't remember feeling the needle or the catheter when I got my epidural with Liam, but this time I definitely felt everything. Aaron held me really tight while the doctor got everything set. I waited about another hour and then had the epidural started.

It didn't work. There was no blissful numbing happening at all. Contractions with pitocin are super intense and don't give you much of a break in between. My nurse kept turning down my pitocin, but that didn't seem to help much. I was in a lot of pain at this point. Crying uncontrolably and making Aaron feel pretty useless. The doctor came back in and injected a stronger medication directly into the epidural line. That didn't work either. About two hours after the first failed epidural, a new one was inserted. This one worked.

I could still feel a lot of pressure, but no pain at all. I finished dilating really quickly after my epidural with Liam, and the same thing happened with Max. I was checked at around 3:30pm and was about 9cm dilated. I was 10cm at 4:30pm and my nurse called Dr. Chun. She was with her last patients of the day, so she asked if I could wait. SURE! I was in no pain, and the longer we waited the further down Max would move, so it was fine with me. We ended up waiting only 15 minutes, so that was fine. She arrived around 4:45pm and I was prepped and ready to push. She had me do one push just to see what would happen. Apparently not much because she decided to go and check on her other patients and then come back to me. I was a little discouraged, but the nurses assured me that he was right there and that I wouldn't have to push long.

Dr. Chun came back in just a minute and I pushed just a few times before Aaron said he could see Max's hair! I could feel the pressure and Dr. Chun moving things around, but no pain. I couldn't feel Liam being born, but I could feel Max! I felt his head and even his little wiggly body as he slid out! Dr. Chun put him right on my belly, so I got to hold him right away! Aaron even got to cut the umbilical cord! Liam wasn't breathing right away after birth, so they had to rush him over to the suction station before Aaron could cut the cord. Max was born at 4:54pm.

I had no lacerations at all! I waited a half hour or so after his birth before I got up. I could walk fine, and didn't feel ANY discomfort apart from the epidural site in my back. I couldn't believe it! I guess a 9lb. 6oz. baby is nothing compared to the whopper that was Liam! Not only did I have a ton of amniotic fluid with Max, but the nurse told me that normal placentas weigh between 800 and 900 grams. Mine weighed over 1200 grams! Max's umbilical cord was also really thick. He was getting some good nutrition in there! Needless to say, I felt about 25 lbs. lighter after all that!

Two great birth experiences with my two sweet boys. I couldn't have asked for better memories!

10 days in

Max is 10 days old already! Liam is still a little over-emotional and needy...but he's getting better. He is very helpful and seems to really like his little brother. He did need some cuddle time with Mom last night though, so thankfully Daddy was there to hold Max while we cuddled before bed. Liam seems so grown up now. I'm sure it's because Max is so small that he makes Liam seem bigger, but he really is starting to look like a little boy. A BIG little boy! He is all arms and legs and has such a grown up looking face now.

Max is sleeping for two hour stretches at night, which isn't bad, but hasn't quite gotten the hang of eating and then returning to sleep in a timely manner. He is very alert during the day now, though, so hopefully he has the idea that night is for sleeping. He loves to lie on our bed and look at all the black and white pictures on the walls. Liam loved to look at our wedding picture when he was a baby, so it's neat to see Max do the same thing.

I know you've been waiting for them, so here are some new pictures!

Liam's breastpump

That's right. Liam has his "own" breastpump. What? You didn't know they made children's breast pumps? Specifically for toddler boys? Neither did I.

Liam is very interested in my breastpump and likes to keep me company while I'm busy pumping. He doesn't quite gather that only mommy's can pump milk for babies, and HAVE babies for that matter. I'm pretty sure that baby girl he had in his belly is still there. I got a manual pump along with my electric one, but I never really use the manual one. It is just sitting in my room right now. Liam found it and decided that he could use that for his pumping needs. He sits by me on the bed, lifts his shirt up, and "pumps" his belly in and out very dramatically. It is HILARIOUS.

I was cleaning up some books in Liam's room today, and saw the pump on the floor. I asked Aaron if he could "please take Liam's breastpump back into our room." We both laughed hysterically after that...and made a mental note to blog about that ASAP.

New belly button!

Max's umbilical cord fell off this morning! I was changing him and noticed it hanging by just a little string. He now has a cute little belly button! Liam was very curious about the cord, and was waiting for Max to "grow a belly button!" He was excited to see the brand new button this morning! Max turned one week old yesterday, and the cord usually falls off between 2 and 3 weeks old. I'd be concerned, but Liam's cord fell off pretty early, too.

Yesterday was my official due date! I really can't imagine being pregnant for an extra week now that Max is here. It's nice to already be home and in somewhat of a routine instead of just getting to the hospital!

Max is sleeping for about 2 hours from 10-midnight, and sometimes 2 hour blocks after that. Last night we were up every hour after midnight, though. I put him back in his bed after every feeding until 4:30 when I just gave in and slept with him in the rocker. I can tell that he's going to be in a good nighttime routine soon...I just hope it happens soon!

Grandma and Grandpa are coming over tonight to hang out with the boys while Aaron and I go to dinner! I'm excited to get out of the house. It should be a fun night!

Maybe it was me!

Liam and I were singing "Jesus Loves Me" before bed tonight. The last verse goes:

Jesus loves me he will stay
Close beside me all the way.
He will wash away my sin
Let his little child come in.

We sang the last line and Liam said, "Maybe it was me!"

Back in the swing of things

Max had his first doctor's appointment today, and behaved very well! He is really easy going so far, and was awake and alert for his exam. He's back up to 9 lbs. 5 oz. already! He was 8 lbs. 15 oz. when we left the hospital. He's a hungry kid!

Liam went back to daycare today, and was super excited to see his friends. He told Miss Jodee and his friend Lily all about how his baby "was squeaking!" He was excited to tell his teacher all about the baby as well. We don't have any pictures printed up yet, but I want to try and get one for him to take in with him tomorrow. I was anticipating that he might have a hard time when I had to leave today, but he was fine and waved bye to me! Aaron picked him up this afternoon and is taking him to the library and sanctuary. I'm sure he'll have a great time.

It's been so great having Aaron home with me. I had a really hard time after Liam was born, but it makes a huge difference knowing that he's going to be here for these first few weeks. I've been able to nap if I need to, and having an extra set of hands is really reassuring for me. Max is sleeping pretty well for only being 6 days old, though. He slept from midnight until around 4am and then again from about 5am-7am. I felt great this morning, but took a nap this afternoon just because I could!

5 days old!

Our first few days at home with Max have gone pretty well! I feel much less anxious this time around, and it has made things that much easier I think. Liam is doing really well, and we're just settling in and getting used to things.

We had lots of visitors on Saturday when we got home from the hospital. My parents, my sister and Dane, my grandparents, my Aunt Brenda, Aaron's brother Justin, and Aaron's friend Greg all spent the afternoon with us! Max slept for a LONG time that day...probably too long. We're waking him up every few hours during the day now. He definitely has his days and nights mixed up, so hopefully that gets figured out soon! He is so content during the day, but around 10pm he is just wide awake, sometimes content and sometimes fussy, eating ravenously and NOT SLEEPING. Oh, well. He's only 5 days old right now...I'll give him a break.

Liam loves his little brother. Every morning he comes out of his room and asks about Baby Max. This morning he wanted to give the sleeping baby kisses first thing. Of course we let him. Then he said, "I want to hold my baby now." How adorable. He really seems to love him. It's so fun to watch the two of them together.

I'm feeling great. I'll have to post a more detailed post of the labor and delivery soon. It went so well. I know not everyone has a very positive birth experience, so for me to have two very positive experiences makes me feel pretty fortunate!

Off to check on the kids. Have a great Memorial Day!