Today was another day in the whirlwind. After making the travels to Maple Grove to get to Babies R Us (which, when will that city every learn to plow appropriately?) , we went to the hospital. It took us a little longer to pick out the car seat (we ended up just getting a new travel system because K's stroller is okay, but the stroller that came with the Chicco Keyfit is fabulous. Of course, we looked for a double stroller, but they didn't have one that worked for us and his car set. So, D and I talked about realistically how long will K want to be in a stroller and will we actually be using the Baby Bjorn more for O once he gets big enough. We'll see how this works. We are going to see if we can donate our Combi travel system that we had with K, because it's in perfect condition, we just can't use it with O.
Success story at the hospital today. O's making great progress with the eating. He's still not where he needs to be, but is doing a lot better. He ate 25 grams from me today (we weighed him before and after he nursed) and took another 20 from the bottle afterwards. Breastfeeding is so tough on the little guys. The nurse was super curious how much he ate from me because I am like a lactation machine at the moment, and so she was thinking he might be getting a lot from me before he tired out. I was so excited to see that he got that much from me. (His bottles are of my breast milk, so technically, he's getting all his food from me.) I don't know if it's just my genetics, but the lactation consultant also suggest I drink this product called Nursing Time Tea. Fortunately, I like tea and this stuff tastes pretty good. I have two cups a day, and my production is amazing for only being on the job for seven days.
I'm hoping that he did a great job with eating after we left and through the night. Each day he gets better at eating, the closer he is to coming home. And we just can't wait! It is always interesting how the doctor's tell you the news. His doctor today was the doctor he had on the first day, and she was very nice and sweet when she explained he couldn't come home today. I said that I completely understood, and would rather he come home ready than too early. She looked relieved when I said that and told me how some parents are not always understanding, and get very angry when they can't take their babies home when they want to. I can see why they'd be frustrated (and that was very much D yesterday when we got the news he wasn't coming home yet but talking it through with him, I think he finally saw the light yesterday). But, I'd much rather O be able to come home and not have to be re-admitted in the hospital a few days later.
Soon my little pumpkin will be home!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Holiday Whirl
This holiday season has been a whirl in so many respects. Our baby boy was unable to spend it with us, but we're hoping he'll be home soon. K has continued on his unbelievable good behavior streak. Seriously, the kid deserves a Nobel for how remarkably well he's been this week. I don't know if most kids could have handled everything he has.
So, today is the day after. We spent the last two days with our families and trekked in the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 (as it apparently has been dubbed) to visit O in the hospital every day. We have to trek out today to go and find a new car seat. Apparently the one we used with K is too tall for his tiny stature. So, I spent the evening researching online the best seats for preemies and came up with two recommendations. (Of course, both are around $200). The hospital has two models available as well that are only $65, but they don't have bases. And if you've ever had to lug an infant seat in and out of a car ... the base is perhaps the greatest invention ever. Of course, the only place that carries the car seat we need to get is Babies R Us. (I want to say ... hey Target infant buyers ... do your research ... these car seats are considered the most popular for preemies on multiple Web sites - it's not just Graco out there.)
This morning I've spent taking down all the holiday decorations (and trying very hard to stay within my 5 lb weight-lifting restrictions). I figure, since O isn't home with us yet, I'd rather spend my time now taking all the stuff down so that when he is home, we can just focus on marveling our two boys. Usually, I wait until New Years day to take everything down, because I love having the house all decorated and festive. But alas, it feels good to take it all down and just get ready for relishing every moment of my leave once he gets home.
So, today is the day after. We spent the last two days with our families and trekked in the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 (as it apparently has been dubbed) to visit O in the hospital every day. We have to trek out today to go and find a new car seat. Apparently the one we used with K is too tall for his tiny stature. So, I spent the evening researching online the best seats for preemies and came up with two recommendations. (Of course, both are around $200). The hospital has two models available as well that are only $65, but they don't have bases. And if you've ever had to lug an infant seat in and out of a car ... the base is perhaps the greatest invention ever. Of course, the only place that carries the car seat we need to get is Babies R Us. (I want to say ... hey Target infant buyers ... do your research ... these car seats are considered the most popular for preemies on multiple Web sites - it's not just Graco out there.)
This morning I've spent taking down all the holiday decorations (and trying very hard to stay within my 5 lb weight-lifting restrictions). I figure, since O isn't home with us yet, I'd rather spend my time now taking all the stuff down so that when he is home, we can just focus on marveling our two boys. Usually, I wait until New Years day to take everything down, because I love having the house all decorated and festive. But alas, it feels good to take it all down and just get ready for relishing every moment of my leave once he gets home.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Joy of Breastfeeding
Having a baby is perhaps the greatest experience (sans the whole pain of labor thing). However, it is also the one sure way to throw all modesty out the door. With my first pregnancy, my son K was able to room with us after delivery. My new son O is spending his first days in the NICU. What does this mean? I get to share my breastfeeding trials and triumphs with many people.
First, let's point out that my precious little bundle is only five pounds. He's a tiny peanut, who clutches at my heartstrings every minute. And he's of course connected to a bunch of wires and tubing, which can only be extremely irritating to him when I try to force upon him a food source that's twice the size of his head. I'm a huge advocate of breastfeeding, but I also completely understand why women don't do it, can't do it or try and then switch to the bottle. Having other people watch you in this most intimate moment with your child is an opportunity ripe with self-criticism.
And of course, with a premature baby, it's even harder. You desperately need him to eat, proving that he can sustain himself and thrive at home. O isn't quite there yet, he sucks for a little bit, but it's more a tease. "Hey, ma, I can do it ... but man ... it's a lot of work and this feeding tube is much easier." D and I have been taking turns trying to get him to feed. D with bottles of breast milk and then three hours later (or before) me trying to get him to latch and suck and then feeding him a bottle.
Everyone has their own tips and tricks, too. So with each new nurse or lactation consulted who is around, they suggest different ideas to help try to get him to eat more. I appreciate that he has such a supportive cheering section, but I always wonder if he and I could just sit together for a while and talk it out, maybe I could coax him into it? Wishful thinking?
The other important thing I've learned with this recent delivery is that my chances for post-partum depression are higher than normal due to the following factors: earlier than expected delivery, baby in the NICU, and having gestational diabetes ... oh and the stress of the holidays. The only thing I didn't get is the surprise c-section (apparently, you have a 40% chance of ppd if have one.) So, I'm thinking that I will leverage the cathartic experience of blogging to help me keep sane. And of course, it's lots of fun to give updates on the family and the whole experience of now raising two young men!
First, let's point out that my precious little bundle is only five pounds. He's a tiny peanut, who clutches at my heartstrings every minute. And he's of course connected to a bunch of wires and tubing, which can only be extremely irritating to him when I try to force upon him a food source that's twice the size of his head. I'm a huge advocate of breastfeeding, but I also completely understand why women don't do it, can't do it or try and then switch to the bottle. Having other people watch you in this most intimate moment with your child is an opportunity ripe with self-criticism.
And of course, with a premature baby, it's even harder. You desperately need him to eat, proving that he can sustain himself and thrive at home. O isn't quite there yet, he sucks for a little bit, but it's more a tease. "Hey, ma, I can do it ... but man ... it's a lot of work and this feeding tube is much easier." D and I have been taking turns trying to get him to feed. D with bottles of breast milk and then three hours later (or before) me trying to get him to latch and suck and then feeding him a bottle.
Everyone has their own tips and tricks, too. So with each new nurse or lactation consulted who is around, they suggest different ideas to help try to get him to eat more. I appreciate that he has such a supportive cheering section, but I always wonder if he and I could just sit together for a while and talk it out, maybe I could coax him into it? Wishful thinking?
The other important thing I've learned with this recent delivery is that my chances for post-partum depression are higher than normal due to the following factors: earlier than expected delivery, baby in the NICU, and having gestational diabetes ... oh and the stress of the holidays. The only thing I didn't get is the surprise c-section (apparently, you have a 40% chance of ppd if have one.) So, I'm thinking that I will leverage the cathartic experience of blogging to help me keep sane. And of course, it's lots of fun to give updates on the family and the whole experience of now raising two young men!
Monday, December 21, 2009
How O Made His Debut
This weekend was unlike any other weekend. And presented itself with a big surprise for the family. It all started Saturday night. I was feeling a little pelvic pressure, but if I shifted my position it would go away. Still, having learned from the past that I tend to wait until the last minute when admitting I'm in serious pain, I decided to call the doctor. At 3 a.m., since the pain would go away when I moved, she thought it was probably just my body getting ready for the birthing process and nothing to be too worried about.
Five hours later, after not getting much sleep, the pain was becoming worse and more frequent ... and it was no longer going away when I moved. So, I called again. This time, she suggested I come in just to check everything out and make sure I was okay. So, at 8:30, I went up to get my husband and said, we have to go in to the hospital. We threw together a suitcase quick, just in case and got K dressed (and we got dressed, too.)
I looked out the window, and of course ... it was snowing! Fortunately, not too bad, but bad enough that we couldn't drive the speed limit. As we drove, the pain got increasingly worse, it wasn't quite like the contractions I remembered with K, but it was the horrible being split in half pain that I remembered. D dropped me off at the Emergency drop-off and I was wheeled to triage. He went and parked the car and he and K would meet me there.
In triage, they hooked me up to their monitors and then the nurse checked my cervix. Now, I am telling you, I've never seen someone grab the phone so fast ... All I heard her say was, "I have someone who is complete, all I feel is a bulging bag of waters, we're bringing her down." The next thing I know, I'm being wheeled to the delivery room. And yes, amidst all this, I'm crying because the pain is so intolerable. God bless the nurses, as they tried to reassure me. I just kept saying, it just hurts. The doctor came in, broke my water and then I was told whenever I need to push - PUSH.
Of course, doing this whole scene from a LifeTime movie (because that is what it felt like to me, too surreal to be actually happening) K was on the floor coloring and entertaining himself. The perfect three-year-old when his mommy is sitting their in agony. Of course, everything was too fast for me to get any pain medication and I do think it is the most excruciating pain known to humans. I cannot believe how painful it was. There is nothing I can say that is comparable. After what I am told was only 15 minutes of pushing (but felt like an eternity and I swear I screamed so loud that whole floor could hear me because, really, in some strange animalisitic way, the screaming helped) baby O made his debut. Five weeks early, he weighed in at five pounds.
He's doing exceptionally well in the NICU right now, and of course D and I cannot believe we made such another beautiful baby boy. He's absolutely precious and makes your heart swell with love. K has been an unbelievably well-behaved child in the hospital, and D told me I am able to go and hold him when I go and visit him next, so I am very excited. I'm just waiting for D to take his shower, so that I can take one and then it's off to visit my boy!
Five hours later, after not getting much sleep, the pain was becoming worse and more frequent ... and it was no longer going away when I moved. So, I called again. This time, she suggested I come in just to check everything out and make sure I was okay. So, at 8:30, I went up to get my husband and said, we have to go in to the hospital. We threw together a suitcase quick, just in case and got K dressed (and we got dressed, too.)
I looked out the window, and of course ... it was snowing! Fortunately, not too bad, but bad enough that we couldn't drive the speed limit. As we drove, the pain got increasingly worse, it wasn't quite like the contractions I remembered with K, but it was the horrible being split in half pain that I remembered. D dropped me off at the Emergency drop-off and I was wheeled to triage. He went and parked the car and he and K would meet me there.
In triage, they hooked me up to their monitors and then the nurse checked my cervix. Now, I am telling you, I've never seen someone grab the phone so fast ... All I heard her say was, "I have someone who is complete, all I feel is a bulging bag of waters, we're bringing her down." The next thing I know, I'm being wheeled to the delivery room. And yes, amidst all this, I'm crying because the pain is so intolerable. God bless the nurses, as they tried to reassure me. I just kept saying, it just hurts. The doctor came in, broke my water and then I was told whenever I need to push - PUSH.
Of course, doing this whole scene from a LifeTime movie (because that is what it felt like to me, too surreal to be actually happening) K was on the floor coloring and entertaining himself. The perfect three-year-old when his mommy is sitting their in agony. Of course, everything was too fast for me to get any pain medication and I do think it is the most excruciating pain known to humans. I cannot believe how painful it was. There is nothing I can say that is comparable. After what I am told was only 15 minutes of pushing (but felt like an eternity and I swear I screamed so loud that whole floor could hear me because, really, in some strange animalisitic way, the screaming helped) baby O made his debut. Five weeks early, he weighed in at five pounds.
He's doing exceptionally well in the NICU right now, and of course D and I cannot believe we made such another beautiful baby boy. He's absolutely precious and makes your heart swell with love. K has been an unbelievably well-behaved child in the hospital, and D told me I am able to go and hold him when I go and visit him next, so I am very excited. I'm just waiting for D to take his shower, so that I can take one and then it's off to visit my boy!
Monday, December 07, 2009
It's Beginning to Look (and Taste) a lot like Christmas
Last year, D and I decided to include handmade goodies as a gift to our extended relatives that we would see during the holidays, but not necessarily give an extravagant gift to. So, we spent a day or two (or perhaps three) baking a plethora of goodies and then boxing them up for presents.
This year, we decided to do something different then cookies. We've decided to do caramels and truffles. So, this weekend, we did our "test batch" of caramels. They turned out well, but are a complete mess to create and cut and then dip into chocolate. We know the truffles will be a mess, but I was kind of hoping the caramels would be the easy part of the gift. This weekend, we'll tackle making the truffles and additional batches of caramels. Thank goodness we are a good team when it comes to working together ... I think this could make more insecure couples run the other way!
This year, we decided to do something different then cookies. We've decided to do caramels and truffles. So, this weekend, we did our "test batch" of caramels. They turned out well, but are a complete mess to create and cut and then dip into chocolate. We know the truffles will be a mess, but I was kind of hoping the caramels would be the easy part of the gift. This weekend, we'll tackle making the truffles and additional batches of caramels. Thank goodness we are a good team when it comes to working together ... I think this could make more insecure couples run the other way!
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