Little Troopers

My little troopers, Blu & Vortex. They are doing great. I think Blu is convinced that this little guy is going to go away - she did the same thing with Vortex. She was so happy when he was gone for his "man" surgery. Then, he came back and she was pretty disappointed. She really just wants to take little socks and little hats into the yard and pile them up.

Vortex, on the other hand, has really stepped up his duties. He has decided that it is his job to protect his new brother. NOBODY gets into our yard or our house without a fight. I have never seen him so vicious since I got pregnant. He even got to the point of biting. Now, his little mouth is not really large enough to "bite" someone - it turns into a nip - but I see his intentions. Today, I was feeding the baby and someone walked in the room. Vortex LOST IT. He would not leave him alone until he left. Even then, he was so uneasy, he couldn't go back to laying down on his bed. I am glad that he has taken an interest in the baby. It may start to be a bother, but I'm going to let him as long as he feels he is useful.

Photos Courtesy of Fife Photography: www.FifePhotography.com ; www.FifePhotography.Blogspot.com

Rest in Peace the changing table cover

Why do they put covers on the vinyl changing table covers? Every time I put it back on, he pees all over it. If there is no cover, there is no pee. As soon as that cover goes on, the very next changing, it goes off. Why do I bother? I give up. It is staying off.

The Cost of Having a Baby

The final tally:

17 hours at Providence St. Vincent: $3,020.60
183 mile ambulance ride: $1,541.55
9 days at the hospital: $21,966.38
Being born and staying 18 hours: $4,689.15

Total: $31,217.68

After insurance: $500

Awake at last

Eyeballs!! He has eyeballs!! He is now more wakefull. He has quite a few Newborn size outfits (like the one shown swimming in here) and he wears them all every day. Because he is so young and he is breastfed, the liquid they are soaking in has no odor. I cannot yet tell what end it came out of, but he is found soaking in something. I have to change him multiple times a day!! Outfit, blanket, hat, sheets, and all!! He is now over 6 pounds. However, in the process of getting him up to that weight, I am finding it tough to feed myself. By the time I am finished feeding and changing him I have time to brush my teeth and throw a load of laundry in before he is awake again. When do women find time to eat?

Two Weeks

Carter is two weeks old now. He has surpassed his birth weight and is no longer jaundiced. He still sleeps quite a bit, but he is eating better. He can suck for 20 minutes at a time now. Before I'd be lucky to get him to suck twice. He goes 3-4 hours between feedings, and sleeps pretty well during the night. I am very fortunate to have such a sleepy baby!!!

On a side note, I got a nasty infection from the hospital. All those antibiotics they gave me at the hospital killed off all my bacterium. When this superstrain came in, I had nothing to fight it off with. So, we'll see how long that lasts.

Oh The Places You'll Go

So I should probably tell his birth story. In case anybody wanted to know. The nurses told me not to share it with too many people because I had such an easy time. I went completely natural - which was the goal all along. No drugs for me.

Friday the 4th I had cramps off and on, but nothing to complain to the nurses about. On the 5th, my cramps got worse. I let the nurse know at about 4 PM that I thought I may be in early labor. They hooked a monitor up to me, but didn't register the contractions. They gave me a button to push to let them know I was having a contraction.

Around 8 PM David's parents came to visit. I sat and talked with them for a while until I was holding the button down constantly. The nurse came in to see if I sat on my button. I still didn't think I was in labor. I asked them to leave around 9 because I could not really hold a conversation any more - and like any excited grandparents-to-be, they sat in the waiting room instead of going home.

I got into the jacuzzi tub shortly after they left. At 10 PM I decided that I might need a sedative, just something to make me too sleepy to really care what was going on. The nurse said she should check me first. I got up on the labor bed for her to check me. She started to panic. She had David hit my call button and she started calling for the doctor and the nurses and the NICU staff. Immediately there were about 15 people in the room. The nurse was tring to introduce them all to me so I felt more "comforable". I didn't care. I just wanted to be done. My doctor was not in the building yet. They grabbed the first Labor and Delivery doctor they could find. Even he almost missed it. That kid shot out of me, and the doctor almost dropped him on to the bed.

From the time that I laid down on that bed to be checked to the time there was a baby in the doctor's arms was 12 minutes. I pushed 3 times. David was standing by me the whole time. He cut the cord and followed the baby to the NICU where they did tests and checks and weighed him. I saw him the next morning around 7 AM. We went home on Monday evening (the 7th). It was quite an adventure. I don't think it is anything that I want to do again. I was fortunate - I had a small baby. At the pediatrician on Tuesday they said he is in the 2nd percentile for his weight, the 9th percentile for his length, and the 4th percentile for his head circumference. Although those numbers are small (50% is average) - to me that means that 96% of women had to push out a bigger head than I did. I know I will not be so lucky next time.

He sleeps a lot. I get quite a bit done around the house. David keeps telling me to slow down. He says I work to hard and need to concentrate on healing. I know he's right, but I have so much to do I cannot sit down.

I feel great - I am healing pretty quickly. A little sore, but that is to be expected.

baby's first web page...

check it out to get pictures and info on baby Carter Lee...

http://www.suberdave.com/Carter/

-=David=-

He is here!!!!

baby was born on 09-05-09 at 10:22pm, he is 5lbs 6oz and 18.75in long. seems to be very healthy but he will be spending the next 6 hours in the NICU on watch, due to the fact that he is 4 weeks 3 days early.

-=David=-

Busy Busy Busy

My they are busy here. All day and all night long they are delivering babies. I am the easy patient that the nurses are apparently fighting over. There were two sets of twins yesterday.

I have been asking about intervention here. I wanted to know how many women get the drugs. The nurse I had yesterday said that about 95% of their patients get the epidural. Then, they sent a doctor and a midwife in that will actually be taking care of me. My insurance sends their own doctors and midwifes. They said that the women that they assist get the drugs more like 50% of the time. They have all the tools and techniques to help assist in delivery without drugs. I take heart in that. I really would like to try.

We'll see how it goes.

P.S. It sure is nice to have David here to do my hair and help me out!!

Still Here

So we are three and a half days in the hospital. Things are going well. I am fine, unborn baby is fine. Still searching for a name. However, I have lots of time now. I just wish I could be at home cleaning the house in preparation. It is more organization than anything. I need to find home for boxes that were being stored in our back room that is now a nursery, and I need to wash and put baby's stuff away. However, other than that, I am trying not to stress too much. It is just a lazy day.