It's been a rough few days emotionally!
I've been trying to process the possibility that I it may not be in my best interest to attempt a VBAC. There is little to no information online regarding vaginal birth after a cesarean which occurred in the second stage of labor (pushing). Being the type who needs information to process and come to a decision, I have let the OB office staff know I would like whatever information the OB can give me. Hopefully he will provide me with information regarding the benefits and possible complications from a VBAC (specifically in cases such as mine), a repeat cesarean (RCS), and a Cesarean after failed VBAC in addition to studies and research regarding VBAC in cases such as mine.
In addition to that information request, I picked up the records the office had from B's birth (discharge summary and operative report). It has had some insight in it. I made more progress then I recalled. I don't have any of the "damning" diagnosis (ones that are contraindicated for VBAC). Both B and I were healthy and tolerated labor and the CS well.
It really appears to me that it was a case of my exhaustion more than anything else. From what I have been able to read and find, I hope that there are things I can do to improve my chance of being successful at a VBAC.
And, I think most comforting, Sandra is going to join us for labor to help me be strong and support me.
In addition to all of this processing/emotional thinking...I failed my 1 hour glucose test. Now I have to go in and do a 3 hour glucose test (actually takes 4 hours). I have scheduled for B to go into preschool early on Friday so I can make it to the lab early enough. Luckily, most women who fail the one hour test will pass the 3 hour. I'm hoping I am in that group! Fingers crossed!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
24 week prenatal visit
Today was my 24 week visit at 25w1d. Both doctors were in the office today and both were running almost 45 minutes behind. Luckily, the nurse was on top of it. She brought me the glucose drink just shortly after my appointment time so I wouldn't have to remain for much longer after my doctor's appointment.
The drink tasted much worse then I remember from last time, however, I did not end up feeling sick or get heartburn from it (thankfully). By the time I was done with the doctor, I only had 10 minutes until the blood draw was needed, so the timing worked out well. I didn't even end up having to wait at the lab for more than 5 minutes.
Now to wait and hear the results...should know by the end of the week if we "passed" or if we need to go for the 3 hour test.
As far as the doctor's appt: I have finally put on some weight above pre-pregnancy weight. I gained about a pound a week this past month. If it continues at that rate, I will be satisfied. It puts some of my fears of gaining too much weight overall to rest!
The babe was in an active phase when the doc listened to the heart (of course since I just drank a bunch of sugar!). He did a quick ultrasound to see the baby's orientation. I guessed he would be transverse and the doctor dismissed it, saying it is a bit late for the baby to be lying that way. He went looking and sure enough, Cake's head is toward my left and feet/bottom are on my right. Exactly as I would have guessed. Funny how doctors dismiss a patient's body awareness. That is really my biggest complaint about my OB.
We had our first real discussion about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) vs. repeat Cesarean. The doctor is supportive of VBAC's and is happy to allow me to attempt if that is my wish, but would like me to keep an open mind. In cases where there is late lack of progress, as B's birth was, the success rate is lower then normal VBAC's. He said we would revisit and discuss it when we are closer to 34 or 36 weeks and we see if Cake is still sitting high in the pelvis or has descended some. I will be doing a bit more research and plan on talking to people who have been in similar situations. Keeping my fingers crossed that the babe and my body cooperate with my hopes and dreams.
Next visit on March 25th. Hoping a Friday is less crazy in the office then Monday was!
The drink tasted much worse then I remember from last time, however, I did not end up feeling sick or get heartburn from it (thankfully). By the time I was done with the doctor, I only had 10 minutes until the blood draw was needed, so the timing worked out well. I didn't even end up having to wait at the lab for more than 5 minutes.
Now to wait and hear the results...should know by the end of the week if we "passed" or if we need to go for the 3 hour test.
As far as the doctor's appt: I have finally put on some weight above pre-pregnancy weight. I gained about a pound a week this past month. If it continues at that rate, I will be satisfied. It puts some of my fears of gaining too much weight overall to rest!
The babe was in an active phase when the doc listened to the heart (of course since I just drank a bunch of sugar!). He did a quick ultrasound to see the baby's orientation. I guessed he would be transverse and the doctor dismissed it, saying it is a bit late for the baby to be lying that way. He went looking and sure enough, Cake's head is toward my left and feet/bottom are on my right. Exactly as I would have guessed. Funny how doctors dismiss a patient's body awareness. That is really my biggest complaint about my OB.
We had our first real discussion about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) vs. repeat Cesarean. The doctor is supportive of VBAC's and is happy to allow me to attempt if that is my wish, but would like me to keep an open mind. In cases where there is late lack of progress, as B's birth was, the success rate is lower then normal VBAC's. He said we would revisit and discuss it when we are closer to 34 or 36 weeks and we see if Cake is still sitting high in the pelvis or has descended some. I will be doing a bit more research and plan on talking to people who have been in similar situations. Keeping my fingers crossed that the babe and my body cooperate with my hopes and dreams.
Next visit on March 25th. Hoping a Friday is less crazy in the office then Monday was!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
reflections
Things are continuing to go well with our little June bug! I am really feeling regular movements right now and getting to know his sleep/wake schedule. It's amazing how different his movements are from B's movements at this point. Much less kicking and more pushing/swiping movements. He's also a bit calmer in general. He does, however, manage to hit nerves in my back, my bladder and my cervix on a regular basis. I could do with out those.
Here's a little something I saw on one of the pregnancy boards I follow that I want to put down for posterity. It was so true with B. I imagine it will be 2 fold this time, as I fall more in love with our bug and as I watch B interact with him and fall more in love with him too!
"Nothing you hear or read anywhere can prepare you for how your life will change or how you will feel about your child. You and your partner will probably be sleep deprived; frustrated at times by inconsolable crying; your personal needs will take a backseat for a very long time. But when you see your baby smile, hear it coo for the first time or when he or she drifts off to sleep peacefully in your arms, the intense love and satisfaction you will feel are unmatched by anything on earth. Your child will be the most amazing, beautiful creature in the world. Your love for your child will give you the strength to slay dragons."
Here's a little something I saw on one of the pregnancy boards I follow that I want to put down for posterity. It was so true with B. I imagine it will be 2 fold this time, as I fall more in love with our bug and as I watch B interact with him and fall more in love with him too!
"Nothing you hear or read anywhere can prepare you for how your life will change or how you will feel about your child. You and your partner will probably be sleep deprived; frustrated at times by inconsolable crying; your personal needs will take a backseat for a very long time. But when you see your baby smile, hear it coo for the first time or when he or she drifts off to sleep peacefully in your arms, the intense love and satisfaction you will feel are unmatched by anything on earth. Your child will be the most amazing, beautiful creature in the world. Your love for your child will give you the strength to slay dragons."
Monday, January 3, 2011
17 week ultrasound/OB visit
Saw the OB today for our anatomical scan. Baby is growing well and active. Everything looks good!
It looks like our expanding family will be adding a little boy! Here's the ultrasound pictures. One of the face and one showing the goods :P
It looks like our expanding family will be adding a little boy! Here's the ultrasound pictures. One of the face and one showing the goods :P
Monday, November 29, 2010
A year later...
Wow...
Where has the time gone?
We've moved, B has had his second birthday, gone to 3 day a week preschool, started counting to 10 in 4 languages, learned to use the toilet, moved to a bed, and many other amazing milestones have come and gone (not necessarily in this order).
And now...We are going to be having a new baby!
Our newest addition is due to arrive around June 11th.
We are very excited!
Where has the time gone?
We've moved, B has had his second birthday, gone to 3 day a week preschool, started counting to 10 in 4 languages, learned to use the toilet, moved to a bed, and many other amazing milestones have come and gone (not necessarily in this order).
And now...We are going to be having a new baby!
Our newest addition is due to arrive around June 11th.
We are very excited!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
We're moving!!!
This is more a request for suggestions than an informative post but...
We are moving into a house on December 1st. It's a rental, but it has a yard and garage and washer/dryer hook ups. Needless to say we are quite excited.
Now the request. For all you out there with little ones who have moved, how have you dealt with the packing progress with a munchkin underfoot? Any and all advice is welcome!
Thanks all!
We are moving into a house on December 1st. It's a rental, but it has a yard and garage and washer/dryer hook ups. Needless to say we are quite excited.
Now the request. For all you out there with little ones who have moved, how have you dealt with the packing progress with a munchkin underfoot? Any and all advice is welcome!
Thanks all!
Friday, October 16, 2009
19 Months old
Well, I seem to get around to posting once every 2 months lately.
Benjamin started a preschool program at our local JCC in September and is loving it. It is called Moving-On and is set as a transitional program two days a week. The first hour is parent participation where we spend most of the time playing on the playground. We then come in for snack (or music then snack on Thursday). Once snack is served, parents head out for the next 2 hours. Benji sometimes cries when I leave, but is usually happy within 5 minutes. He eats his lunch there and then I pick him up. It is great for both of us. He gets to experience new things and new people, and I get time to go run errands, work out, or do whatever without my shadow :)
We have been struggling with bath time lately. Benjamin had gotten to the point where he would not sit in the bathtub and screamed/cried the entire time. We got in the habit of often taking showers and he was fine there until his hair needed to be rinsed. The last 2 bath times have been better. Benji stood through most of the 1st one, but allowed me to wash him and rinse his hair with a washcloth. The last one he stood initially but eventually sat down and enjoyed splashing and having fun. He was even quite upset when he got out of the tub and tried to get back in. I still washed his hair with a washcloth, but we will hopefully slowly get better in the water.
Benji now has 12 teeth. He is communicating mostly through signs and gestures, but it seems like we are starting to get a new word or two daily. He runs around saying "da-bay". We haven't yet figured out if this has any meaning, but it is quite cute none the less.
One other struggle we have been having is whining and tantrums. Benjamin has quite a temper. When things don't go as he would like he screams, throws things, and generally flails. For a bit, we were seeing this 5 to 6 times a day, both at home and preschool. Luckily, the duration and frequency has decreased quite a bit, however we still see a tantrum occur at least once or twice a day.
We had a great time last week camping at an SCA "war". Benji loves being outside and enjoyed being so close to so many people, including our friend N who is 2 months older than Benji. The boys played very well together and we all enjoyed watching them play side by side and interact.
Benjamin started a preschool program at our local JCC in September and is loving it. It is called Moving-On and is set as a transitional program two days a week. The first hour is parent participation where we spend most of the time playing on the playground. We then come in for snack (or music then snack on Thursday). Once snack is served, parents head out for the next 2 hours. Benji sometimes cries when I leave, but is usually happy within 5 minutes. He eats his lunch there and then I pick him up. It is great for both of us. He gets to experience new things and new people, and I get time to go run errands, work out, or do whatever without my shadow :)
We have been struggling with bath time lately. Benjamin had gotten to the point where he would not sit in the bathtub and screamed/cried the entire time. We got in the habit of often taking showers and he was fine there until his hair needed to be rinsed. The last 2 bath times have been better. Benji stood through most of the 1st one, but allowed me to wash him and rinse his hair with a washcloth. The last one he stood initially but eventually sat down and enjoyed splashing and having fun. He was even quite upset when he got out of the tub and tried to get back in. I still washed his hair with a washcloth, but we will hopefully slowly get better in the water.
Benji now has 12 teeth. He is communicating mostly through signs and gestures, but it seems like we are starting to get a new word or two daily. He runs around saying "da-bay". We haven't yet figured out if this has any meaning, but it is quite cute none the less.
One other struggle we have been having is whining and tantrums. Benjamin has quite a temper. When things don't go as he would like he screams, throws things, and generally flails. For a bit, we were seeing this 5 to 6 times a day, both at home and preschool. Luckily, the duration and frequency has decreased quite a bit, however we still see a tantrum occur at least once or twice a day.
We had a great time last week camping at an SCA "war". Benji loves being outside and enjoyed being so close to so many people, including our friend N who is 2 months older than Benji. The boys played very well together and we all enjoyed watching them play side by side and interact.
Monday, August 17, 2009
17 months old
When we last left our explorer, he was just starting to show his climbing skills. My, how things have progressed. Today Benjamin decided to show us that he can climb into his highchair, on top of the coffee table, and on to his diaper pail. He has also mastered going up and down the stairs and would like to do this EVERY time we leave the apartment. He still uses things to step up onto so he can climb or I'm sure he would be out of his crib by now.
In other updates, Benjamin continues to eat nearly any food we put in front of him. He loves to be social as long as Mom or Dad are around. I've been going to the gym regularly for the last month or so and Benjamin is in babysitting while I am working out. The first 2 times he was just fine. No tears, he just went on his way and played. After that, for about a week and a half, Benji would cry the entire hour I was gone. We have slowly decreased the amount of tears and usually only cry when mom leaves and comes back.
We have also had the opportunity to take Benjamin to the pool 3 times in the last month and a half. He does NOT like the pool. He cries when any friends or family are in the pool and nearly the entire time he is in the pool. He doesn't even want to be anywhere near a pool. It doesn't matter if it's child size blow-up pool or Olympic size pool. They all are evil in his eyes.
We are really enjoying this age. Both Jeff and I love to watch him explore his surroundings and figure out toys and other objects. We are amazed daily by the things he does and figures out. He makes us smile and laugh and marvel at how amazing and cute he is every day.
In other updates, Benjamin continues to eat nearly any food we put in front of him. He loves to be social as long as Mom or Dad are around. I've been going to the gym regularly for the last month or so and Benjamin is in babysitting while I am working out. The first 2 times he was just fine. No tears, he just went on his way and played. After that, for about a week and a half, Benji would cry the entire hour I was gone. We have slowly decreased the amount of tears and usually only cry when mom leaves and comes back.
We have also had the opportunity to take Benjamin to the pool 3 times in the last month and a half. He does NOT like the pool. He cries when any friends or family are in the pool and nearly the entire time he is in the pool. He doesn't even want to be anywhere near a pool. It doesn't matter if it's child size blow-up pool or Olympic size pool. They all are evil in his eyes.
We are really enjoying this age. Both Jeff and I love to watch him explore his surroundings and figure out toys and other objects. We are amazed daily by the things he does and figures out. He makes us smile and laugh and marvel at how amazing and cute he is every day.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
15 months old
Benjamin is now 15 months old.
We had our latest visit to the pediatrician. Benji is a healthy growing 15 month old. He now weighs 22 lbs. 3 oz. and is 30 inches long. He's in the 10th to 25th percentile for both.
While at our visit, Benji decided to try out some climbing skills. He started out climbing up on a small child's chair. He then pushed it up against a larger chair, climbed from the small one onto the seat of the adult chair, and then up onto the back. He did get a bit frustrated that he couldn't manage to climb up onto the window sill. Ah, more fun and games.
He has also been trying to climb over the gate to the kitchen (after crawling under it didn't work). We'll see how long until he is crawling out of his crib. I hope it is a while yet.
We had our latest visit to the pediatrician. Benji is a healthy growing 15 month old. He now weighs 22 lbs. 3 oz. and is 30 inches long. He's in the 10th to 25th percentile for both.
While at our visit, Benji decided to try out some climbing skills. He started out climbing up on a small child's chair. He then pushed it up against a larger chair, climbed from the small one onto the seat of the adult chair, and then up onto the back. He did get a bit frustrated that he couldn't manage to climb up onto the window sill. Ah, more fun and games.
He has also been trying to climb over the gate to the kitchen (after crawling under it didn't work). We'll see how long until he is crawling out of his crib. I hope it is a while yet.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Since we last left you...
Benji:
- has gotten a haircut at a salon
- had his 8th tooth brake through (today) molars are expected soon
- has begun signing consistently, mostly more and food
- is really into eating paper right now
- has started talking instead of crying when he wakes and throws everything out of his bed and the shelves next to his bed
- enjoys emptying his toy bucket and putting things into it (he helps clean up)
- has started to figure out how many of his toys work and how to make the electric ones go on his own
- has started crying when one of us walks away...nearly always.
- has connected with our close friend Cat, cries when she walks away, calls her SCA name (Eilidh; pronounced AY-lee) and chases after her
- likes eating with utensils, or at least trying. doesn't quite have the logistics of stabbing and scooping food down yet. He is still a pretty good eater, willing to try anything and eat most things.
- may be progressing to one nap a day
- started pressing the buttons on the front of our TV, we figured out how to lock them (a sure sanity saver)
- thinks everything he picks up is a sword. He loves to pick up sticks, hairbrushes, and anything long and stick like. He will hand you a toy and want to hit the toys together with you.
- has adopted a "lovey". He looks for the blanket his Grandma Wendy knit for him whenever he is put into bed. He has also pulled it out a few times and walked around the house with it.
In short, Benji keeping us busy. The bathroom has to be kept closed because he throws everything in the tub, tries to flush the toilet, empties the trash can and pulls things off the top of the toilet and counter. Our bedroom door must be kept shut as he goes in and opens and empties the drawers and goes into our bathroom. The kitchen is gated off or he goes in and brings out "snacks", opens cabinets or plays with the locks on the cabinets, throws things in the garbage or gets things out of the garbage and opens the drawers.
We had an unexpected doctor's visit the end of last month when Benji fell into the edge of the dresser and wouldn't walk without holding onto something for a bit after it happened. Of course, by the time the doctor saw him he was running around the room and acting normally. Doc still checked him out and said his falling is just part of being age.
In short, Benji is a healthy, happy, active, almost 15 month old boy!
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