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Monday, September 29, 2014

The Afterbirth Story - The Sh*t They Don't Tell You About

So today's post might be a bit graphic for some.  If you don't like detailed information about afterbirth stuff, then you might want to just skip over today's post.

So Caleb's birth was a breeze!  I would have babies everyday if the birth was as easy as his every time.  I had ripped internally during delivery, but it was minor and only a first degree tear.  The point at which I don't want to have multiple children came from the afterbirth!

Once Caleb was born we waited for the after birth to occur.  I laid there waiting while the doctor did her thing.  Caleb was getting his measurements done and checked out so I wasn't worried about not getting to hold him at that point.  Ryan was with him and I laid there waiting.  No one was instructing me to do anything.  I thought I would be instructed to push the placenta out?  I thought that was what had to happen next?

Well it was.  And it wasn't happening.  Like at all - for far longer than it should normally take.

After laying there for 50 minutes and still no placenta they decided that they would have to try to manually extract it.  If the couldn't get it out that way, I would have to go into the OR for a DNC.  I laid there, unable to hold my son still, and the doctor started to go in.  I could feel everything.  My epidural had been turned off after delivery to help me get sensation back.  Normally this is fine because the afterbirth only takes an average of 30 minutes.  Mine, obviously, took longer.

They had to call anesthesiology back in to give me more medication.  After 30 minutes of waiting for that to kick in the doctor went in once again.  Still unable to hold Caleb I started getting super frustrated.  I started crying, not out of pain, but out of frustration.

Why was this happening to me?  I had a great labor and delivery and now I was having problems??  I couldn't even hold my son yet.  This was some bullshit!

I asked why this was happening to me.  My doctor informed me that it was just part of my birthing story.  My placenta did not detach from the uterine wall like it was supposed to.  Of course this would happen to me.  I had a great pregnancy, labor and delivery, but all the rare, random things that happen to pregnant women, happened to me.

Once the placenta was stripped from my body I finally got to hold Caleb.  I was overjoyed but pissed at the same time.  Have you seen the placenta?  It is so tiny!  I was expecting something the size of another baby to come out.  I remember telling everyone, "That's it?  It looks like a flank steak!"  LOL

While holding Caleb they started stitching me up.  This is the additional frustrating part of afterbirth. I had already been stitched up once.  They stitched me up right after delivery while they waited for the placenta.  Apparently this is normal procedure but when you have to have a manual extraction it is kind of pointless.  When the doctor went inside she ripped out all of the stitches that she had already placed.

I lay there getting stitched up once again.  After about 30 minutes of them trying to stitch me back up they decided that it wasn't going to stick how they wanted it to.  They asked me if they could put a catheter back in and also packing to absorb the bleeding that was occurring.  I said sure and looking back I wouldn't change it, but it was super painful.

I was relying on a squirt bottle every time I go to the bathroom and lots of pads for the past 3 weeks.  I have stopped bleeding but wiping still terrified me.  My pain has gotten a lot better but I am still complaining about pain daily.  I am hoping to get back into walking next week.  We shall see.  Wish me luck.

I had a great medical team and am truly grateful for all they did for me and my baby.  I pray that if we have more littles that their births go as well as Caleb's did and that their afterbirths go 10 times better than his did.
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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Caleb's Newborn Photos

We had Caleb's newborn photos taken when he was 8 days old.  My friend, Lisa, from high school opened her own photography business and is amazing with newborns and children photography in general.  

As soon as we found out we were pregnant I couldn't wait to get an appointment with her.  I contacted her and she put us in her calendar.  Of course, Caleb was late and as soon as we knew he wouldn't be here until a week later I contacted her again to let her know.  She assured me that she would still be available to take his photos and already plans for most newborns to be past their due date.

I was so excited.  As soon as we got home I messaged her with the exciting news and she got back to me right away.  I contacted her on Sunday and we had an appointment for that Friday morning.

We showed up and Caleb was not necessarily cooperating.  He was wide awake.  My newborn, my baby who does nothing but sleep, was wide awake for almost the entire 3 hour session.

Lisa was amazing though and worked through all of his stubbornness to fall asleep and stay asleep.  If you are anywhere near the Roseville area, contact her for your newborn photos.  We couldn't be happier with how they turned out.

I have posted a few of my favorites below..although we were given 20 shots in both B&W and color so choosing just a few favorites was difficult.









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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Two Week Must Haves


So I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but I have a two week old.

I'm some what sad about this... that's normal, right?

Anyways.  I thought I would share with you the items that we couldn't have lived without these past two weeks.

1. Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper
We currently have Caleb in our room with us.  We did not want to do co-sleeping but wanted him in our room for at least the first few weeks.  We went with this sleeper and couldn't be happier with it.  It has a nice vibration that lets our little feel soothed as well as rocking legs that I can access with my arm from our bed. 

2. Summer Infant Newborn to Toddler Bath Center
This bath tub is seriously the greatest!  We, of course, had no idea what we were doing so this two piece tub was perfect.  It has the infant insert for the kitchen sink, which we used until his umbilical cord came off, and then the bigger tub for when he is bigger.  We now are bathing him in the bigger tub with the infant insert inside of that so that he is sitting in the warm water and doesn't get as upset. It has made bath time much more enjoyable for him!

3. Tommee Tippee Bottles
So we started Caleb on bottles the first night we got home.  I know that everyone has different opinions, but I couldn't risk him not liking bottles because I will be going back to work sooner than later, despite my need to stay home with him desire to not work again.  Anyways!  Back to the bottles.  We love these bottles.  I love that you can switch out the nipples with his age instead of needing to buy all new bottles.  Also, they have a one-way air valve built in that helps ensure baby doesn't swallow air instead of milk.

4. Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddles
We are believers!  Everyone says these are the best and we agree.  They are baby and parental approved in our house.  We are not good at swaddling, and by not good I really mean terrible at it, but we still wrap him up in these the best we can and he stays so snuggly and happy at night.  I love how light they are for our hot California weather, but also warm enough to keep him comfortable at night while we try to transition into Fall.  We have 4 and I keep thinking about when I can go get more because I feel as though we need at least 4 more.  LOL.
5. Boppy Nursing Pillow
I am nursing Caleb all freaking day long about every 3 hours currently and although an 8 pound baby doesn't sound like much, when he is nursing I swear he weighs about 700 pounds in my arms.  This pillow has been my life saver!  I lug this little guy with us from the living room to my room all day long.  We have a cute jungle cover for it and it is very useful even while I'm not nursing.  The hubs has been known to use it while he holds the babes to support his arms because our baby is all dead weight whenever the pillow comes out.

6. Baby Mittens
Oh man!  Caleb was born with some claws on him!!  And did you know that you can't cut their fingernails right away?  You have to just file them for a couple of weeks??  Who knew?!?  ::insert another point in which we should have read more books or taken more classes::  So Baby Mittens are a must in our house!  This little boy must have mittens on while he is sleeping.  His nails grow so fast and I can't keep up with filing them down.  I love how most of the newborn onesies have them built in but his sleepers don't and we use the individual ones then.

There are many more items that we use and love, but these are definitely the top six that we couldn't live without.

What are your go-to items with a newborn?


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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Caleb's Birth Story {Part 3} - The most important part...

We are continuing the birth story series today.  If you missed the first 2 parts they are here and here.

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So we were all just hanging out in the delivery room waiting for Baby Hughes.  We were getting so excited.  My nurse asked everyone but my mom and husband to clear the room at 10:30 AM so that she could check our progress.  She checked and we were ready to rumble.  I started pushing to get him ready and things started moving right along.  We were doing practice pushes and then the nurse told me to stop and wait for the doctor.

Dr. Ju joined us at 11:28 AM and got everything set up.  I started pushing at 11:35 AM and two pushes later, Caleb Tyler Hughes joined us at 11:38 AM!





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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Caleb's Birth Story {Part 2}

We are continuing our birth story today.  If you missed part one you can catch up on it here.

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So week 40 went on by.  I kept praying that I would still go into labor on my own.  Every night I prayed that my water would break or my contractions would intensify so much that they would be doing something and help get us admitted.  The week went by and still nothing.

Wednesday, September 3rd, I was so uncomfortable all day.  I couldn't lay down, I couldn't sit - I was miserable.  My in-laws wanted to take us out for one last dinner before Caleb joined us.  We went to Red Robin and I couldn't have been more uncomfortable.  I felt like my entire back was going to break at the bottom and sitting was not making it better.  We drove home and went to sleep one last time as husband and wife before becoming Mommy and Daddy.

I was miserable and uncomfortable all night.  Ryan told me before he went to bed to wake him if I needed anything. We had planned on leaving our house around 3:45 AM so that we could grab breakfast before our 5 AM induction.  Baby Hughes had other plans however.  At 3:00 AM I woke Ryan up and told him that we needed to leave now.  My contractions were super painful and I couldn't handle it any longer.  We got our bags in the car, brushed our teeth and were on our way to the hospital.

Side note:  I called Labor and Delivery while we were on our way because they like to know how many people are coming in.  When I told them we were coming in early they told us that we might have to wait until our scheduled induction time because they were bringing a nurse in just for us.  What???  Seriously?  I am having my baby!  I don't need to be induced!

So we get to the hospital.  They get us in a triage room and we wait for a doctor to come in and check us.  My contractions are painful at this point.  I know that this is it, we are doing it this time.  At 4:45 AM the doctor comes in and checks me.  We were dilated to 4 cm! :)  We would be having our baby on our own!  No induction!

We waited for the Labor and Delivery nurse to come get us.  After getting sick in the triage room, walking to our delivery room and getting sick one more time, my water broke!  I had just finished having a contraction, for which I was on all fours wanting to cry, when I rolled over and exclaimed, "I just peed myself.  I'm still peeing myself.  I can't stop peeing."  The nurse checked and told us that my water had broke.  It was 5:30 AM. :)

I was not handling contractions very well and begged the nurse and my husband for the epidural.  She called anesthesiology and got them to come really fast.  By the time they were ready to put in the epidural my mom had gotten there and we were all ready to have this baby.  

I got the epidural and I was the happiest little clam in the world.  It was the best relief I've ever felt!  I was hoping to not need it, but in the end I am so glad that I did.  I got checked again by the new shift doctors at 8:00 AM and we were dilated to 8 cm.  We were getting so close.  Ryan's parents had joined us by now and we were all just playing the little waiting game as Caleb made his way down into the birth canal.... 
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Monday, September 15, 2014

Caleb's Birth Story {Part 1}

So I figured before I forget everything I should document it here.  It is quite lengthy so it will be in parts.  I am hoping only two, but we shall see.

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Getting to meet our little boy started at week 38.  I started having contractions 4 minutes apart on Thursday evening while at dinner with my girlfriend.  I called Labor and Delivery and the advice nurse advised me to go home and relax and continue to track them.  Contractions continued, although less consistent.  Sunday, however, I swore it was the real deal.  We went into Labor and Delivery.  We got checked and they sent us home.  I was really upset.  They basically told me that because I wasn't crying from pain and not dilated to 4 cm yet they wouldn't admit us.  Looking back I understand what they were saying, but at the time I couldn't have been more upset and discouraged.

So week 38 went by and week 39 came around.  Friday night I started leaking some liquid.  I just thought that it was pee and went about my day.  Well Saturday I leaked all day.  My mom told me to put a pad on and keep track of how often I was needing to change it.  She thought that my water may have a leak.  Sunday night, I decided that the leaking was too much and the contractions had continued.  We, once again, went into Labor and Delivery.  It was a busy evening.  They had multiple women in for leaking waters.  The same doctor was working from the week before and we sat there waiting for her to come in and check us.  Even if I hadn't dilated any further they would have to admit me because of the water leakage.  So we sat there - not so patiently - for her.  She eventually came in and I could tell she was distracted.  So she checks me and says "You either have a ruptured water or a yeast infection.  I will take a sample and we will find out."

Excuse me?  A yeast infection?  I have never had a yeast infection!  How do you get a yeast infection?  What does that mean for my baby?  How could it be either my water leaking or a yeast infection?

So she takes the swab and leaves the room.  Through the door I then hear her running past our room telling a nurse, "I have to go back into surgery.  I am checking her for a yeast infection."

Umm.... No you are not checking me for a yeast infection!
You are supposed to be checking me for a leaking water! 

At least twenty minutes pass by and a new doctor comes in.  I was highly frustrated at this point.  "Hi, I'm Dr. Blahblahblah.  Dr. F had to go into emergency surgery and they called me in from home."  He performs an ultrasound, checking the water levels around the baby.  He says that everything is fine and that we are to go home and wait for him to come on his own and that tonight was not the night.  Can we talk about frustration?  No more talk about a potential yeast infection.  Another, you aren't in "enough" pain.  We went home - me STILL leaking fluid!

So our due date rolled around.  Thursday morning we went to our doctor and got checked.  I was still leaking fluid all week and my doctor took a swab.  She determined that it wasn't amniotic fluid and that it must be what my body does during the final stages of pregnancy.  She checked my cervix.  100% effaced but only 1.5cm dilated.  She gave us some options.  "You can get induced at 41 weeks or come back and see me at 41 weeks and then schedule an induction for 42 weeks."  I love being pregnant, but I was so uncomfortable, we decided to schedule an induction for 41 weeks.

We were contacted by Labor and Delivery that afternoon and set up with an induction date of Thursday, September 4th at 5:00am.

We would be holding our son one week later! :)

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Monday, September 8, 2014

Introducing...

We are so happy to announce the birth of our first little....

This is Caleb Tyler.
He joined us on Thursday, September 4th at 11:38 AM
He weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces & measured 20.25 inches long.

We are over the moon in love and are still in awe that he is finally here.

He is absolutely perfect and more than we could have ever wished for.

Look back later this week - hopefully - for his birth story.


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