Be informed!
Well, I am in a facebook group for mommies from all over the place who are due in March 2014. It is a support group and we are there to make each other laugh and to confide in as well. Today a topic on our wall is about after birth care and I asked something about Breastfeeding that I never realized I needed to look into before. "Does Pitocin and or having an epidural affect breastfeeding?"
Well I got the answer to that, and found out a bit more about Pitocin and Jaundice correlations as well! Check out this article below.
Figuring How Medications during Labor Affect Breastfeeding - For Dummies
I am upset with myself for not researching this prior to my first child, but I had no idea it was something that would affect us for the long term. I'm not telling you as a new mommy or an experienced mommy that anything you choose is wrong, just want you to be informed in case this would make you do anything differently, the way I know it has confirmed my desire for a natural and medication free labor and delivery.
Ta-Ta!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
To H2O Birth or Not
March 6, 2014 = estimated D-DAY!
and the question I keep asking myself is if I can really do this natural birth thing!
With baby #1 it went something like this:
Water started leaking while I was out shopping, just a little bit, so we went home and grabbed my hospital bag and I cleaned up the mess in my undies from the leakage. (FTM mistake!) First time mommas, don't clean yourself up, matter of fact the last few weeks wear a pad! This way if you have a leak that is minimal it can be detected!
We drove 30 minutes to the hospital on post only to be told I had no fluid in my hoo-ha, and not to clean-up next time I think my water breaks.
At this point, after waiting around in L&D for about 2 hours we head back home. It had started snowing. So it takes us about an hour to get home safely as the roads were starting to ice over. We lived at the top of a gigantic valley hill in Puyallup, Wa.We couldn't even get into our parking spot out our apartment complex due to the degree of the hill. So I waddle my way down an ice covered hill and up ice covered stairs with my nervous husband inches behind me.
We crawl into bed, get busy, pass out quickly.
7:05 am I wake up thinking I have to pee, I stand up and take two steps and notice pee is slowly dripping down my leg. I waddle into the bathroom, not wanting to have another unnescesary trip to the post hospital in this weather, and not wanting to wake my husband to worry him if it is nothing, I sit on the potty for a minute and here a constant drip long after I go pee. I put on a pad and pull my panties up and go to lay in bed and wait to see if my pad fills up, but as I am on my waddly way back to bed I notice a fresh blood spot on the carpet from my dripping. So I wake my husband up and we slowly and calmly pack up and head out thinking we will just be sent back for a false alarm again.
So we slip and slide up the now frozen over night hill and climb into the car to take an hour and a half slow venture to the post hospital.
They confirmed I was in labor (I wasn't feeling contractions, or at least not noticing what was happening as at this point I was a FTM.
My birthplan the whole pregnancy was for an epidural, and STAT! After all, who am I to think I could live through childbirth! Impossible!
So as soon as they offered I said yes, and I felt not a single thing but numb from that point on. I couldn't tell if or when I was pushing, they even told me to grunt and I made the most fake grunting noise possible. 9 hours at the hospital (with the help of pitocin to speed up labor) and my daughter entered the world, all the while God was throwing confetti (snow) all over the place to celebrate her birth, and I gradually started gaining feeling back in my bottom half.
THIS TIME!
I have decided I am strong, other women have done this, I do not want to feel so out of it for such a significant part of life. I want to be a part of my delivery this time, and know that I am pushing!
The plan is to be completely unmedicated, no pitocin, and to let labor progress at home as long as possible. The post we are at now has tubs for water labor and water birth, and I can't help but want to try it. The chances of tearing are lower, stress to the baby is typically a lot lower, and there is something that just seems easier about it. Not to mention you can't see my hoo haa bright as day if it is under water (at least I feel like it is a little bit more camoflauged).
I think I have a lot more confidence, mostly due to realizing I have a God who loves me. My marriage isn't brand new anymore. Being a mommy isn't brand new anymore. I feel like I am a little more prepared, but as soon as I start feeling that way it scares the heck out of me!
Have you ever watched a waterbirth video? YouTube it! All these women seem so calm, so serene but so in the moment and aware. I wonder if I can really do that, during such a big moment, can I really keep calm and trust in God to help me through?
I fear feeling like a failure because I chicken out and want an epidural. I fear I lose faith in myself and my God. This almost makes me want to go straight for an epidural like last time, but I know facing that needle in my back instead of facing my fears of self will only make me feel weak anyways.
So, prayerfully a waterbirth is in my future, and I can make it to the end without giving in.
Anyone who has delivered this way, or been a part of this type of delivery, please send words of wisdom and encouragement my way. I sure could use some the next month or so!
and the question I keep asking myself is if I can really do this natural birth thing!
With baby #1 it went something like this:
Water started leaking while I was out shopping, just a little bit, so we went home and grabbed my hospital bag and I cleaned up the mess in my undies from the leakage. (FTM mistake!) First time mommas, don't clean yourself up, matter of fact the last few weeks wear a pad! This way if you have a leak that is minimal it can be detected!
We drove 30 minutes to the hospital on post only to be told I had no fluid in my hoo-ha, and not to clean-up next time I think my water breaks.
At this point, after waiting around in L&D for about 2 hours we head back home. It had started snowing. So it takes us about an hour to get home safely as the roads were starting to ice over. We lived at the top of a gigantic valley hill in Puyallup, Wa.We couldn't even get into our parking spot out our apartment complex due to the degree of the hill. So I waddle my way down an ice covered hill and up ice covered stairs with my nervous husband inches behind me.
We crawl into bed, get busy, pass out quickly.
7:05 am I wake up thinking I have to pee, I stand up and take two steps and notice pee is slowly dripping down my leg. I waddle into the bathroom, not wanting to have another unnescesary trip to the post hospital in this weather, and not wanting to wake my husband to worry him if it is nothing, I sit on the potty for a minute and here a constant drip long after I go pee. I put on a pad and pull my panties up and go to lay in bed and wait to see if my pad fills up, but as I am on my waddly way back to bed I notice a fresh blood spot on the carpet from my dripping. So I wake my husband up and we slowly and calmly pack up and head out thinking we will just be sent back for a false alarm again.
So we slip and slide up the now frozen over night hill and climb into the car to take an hour and a half slow venture to the post hospital.
They confirmed I was in labor (I wasn't feeling contractions, or at least not noticing what was happening as at this point I was a FTM.
My birthplan the whole pregnancy was for an epidural, and STAT! After all, who am I to think I could live through childbirth! Impossible!
So as soon as they offered I said yes, and I felt not a single thing but numb from that point on. I couldn't tell if or when I was pushing, they even told me to grunt and I made the most fake grunting noise possible. 9 hours at the hospital (with the help of pitocin to speed up labor) and my daughter entered the world, all the while God was throwing confetti (snow) all over the place to celebrate her birth, and I gradually started gaining feeling back in my bottom half.
THIS TIME!
I have decided I am strong, other women have done this, I do not want to feel so out of it for such a significant part of life. I want to be a part of my delivery this time, and know that I am pushing!
The plan is to be completely unmedicated, no pitocin, and to let labor progress at home as long as possible. The post we are at now has tubs for water labor and water birth, and I can't help but want to try it. The chances of tearing are lower, stress to the baby is typically a lot lower, and there is something that just seems easier about it. Not to mention you can't see my hoo haa bright as day if it is under water (at least I feel like it is a little bit more camoflauged).
I think I have a lot more confidence, mostly due to realizing I have a God who loves me. My marriage isn't brand new anymore. Being a mommy isn't brand new anymore. I feel like I am a little more prepared, but as soon as I start feeling that way it scares the heck out of me!
Have you ever watched a waterbirth video? YouTube it! All these women seem so calm, so serene but so in the moment and aware. I wonder if I can really do that, during such a big moment, can I really keep calm and trust in God to help me through?
I fear feeling like a failure because I chicken out and want an epidural. I fear I lose faith in myself and my God. This almost makes me want to go straight for an epidural like last time, but I know facing that needle in my back instead of facing my fears of self will only make me feel weak anyways.
So, prayerfully a waterbirth is in my future, and I can make it to the end without giving in.
Anyone who has delivered this way, or been a part of this type of delivery, please send words of wisdom and encouragement my way. I sure could use some the next month or so!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Big Sister
Emery Fate Speigel
My sweet, curly-haired, almost 3 year old only child.
I have not taken the time to think of the things that are about to change for my sweet angel. I have thought about it broadly, how she will have a friend to do things with, to share with. I hadn't thought about the small things, not in depth at least. I read a blog tonight that turned my world upside down. It is a blog about a second child, the day she was born, and the mom being... oh I don't know what word describes it best... scared, surprised, caught off guard once the sweet second child was laid on her chest. This mother mentioned how she spent the last few hours with her oldest daughter, and pointed out how she would not be an only child much longer. At this point, my heart ached for my sweet Emery, and I went and held her as she was sleeping and I wept. The things she is going to experience, the changes this means for her; I knew, but never really thought about how different it will be for her.
After holding my big girl for 15 minutes or so I came back to finish reading the blog. The second child/baby in the blog had down syndrome and it was not known until her birthday by anyone. The mom describes all the different emotions and how the next few days went for her and how she grew and found her bond with the baby that was not what she had expected. This made me think of a friend who had a baby at full-term born still-born. What will I do if these things happen to me? How will I handle them? Most mom's just expect a nice healthy 100% normal baby, but in reality not every baby is.
I know God cherishes children, and I know down syndrome is not the end of the world by any means. I know if I have a baby born sleeping I will learn from it. What I want to know is, what would my natural instinct be? Or maybe I don't want to know... My heart aches the way any mother's would.
My world has been shaken tonight. 1. My first sweet girl is about to have her world turned upside down and affected in who knows what ways. 2. You never know what could happen during or after delivery. It is in God's hands and I know he only gives these special babies to those who are very deserving of them, but I pray if I were to have such circumstances happen upon me that I would have the strength to be the mommy I need to be.
Thank you God for bringing this blog onto my path.
My sweet, curly-haired, almost 3 year old only child.
I have not taken the time to think of the things that are about to change for my sweet angel. I have thought about it broadly, how she will have a friend to do things with, to share with. I hadn't thought about the small things, not in depth at least. I read a blog tonight that turned my world upside down. It is a blog about a second child, the day she was born, and the mom being... oh I don't know what word describes it best... scared, surprised, caught off guard once the sweet second child was laid on her chest. This mother mentioned how she spent the last few hours with her oldest daughter, and pointed out how she would not be an only child much longer. At this point, my heart ached for my sweet Emery, and I went and held her as she was sleeping and I wept. The things she is going to experience, the changes this means for her; I knew, but never really thought about how different it will be for her.
After holding my big girl for 15 minutes or so I came back to finish reading the blog. The second child/baby in the blog had down syndrome and it was not known until her birthday by anyone. The mom describes all the different emotions and how the next few days went for her and how she grew and found her bond with the baby that was not what she had expected. This made me think of a friend who had a baby at full-term born still-born. What will I do if these things happen to me? How will I handle them? Most mom's just expect a nice healthy 100% normal baby, but in reality not every baby is.
I know God cherishes children, and I know down syndrome is not the end of the world by any means. I know if I have a baby born sleeping I will learn from it. What I want to know is, what would my natural instinct be? Or maybe I don't want to know... My heart aches the way any mother's would.
My world has been shaken tonight. 1. My first sweet girl is about to have her world turned upside down and affected in who knows what ways. 2. You never know what could happen during or after delivery. It is in God's hands and I know he only gives these special babies to those who are very deserving of them, but I pray if I were to have such circumstances happen upon me that I would have the strength to be the mommy I need to be.
Thank you God for bringing this blog onto my path.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Happy Holidays!
Hey there everyone!
I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, and give a brief update.
I am LOVING not working (well out of the house), snuggling with my daughter, babysitting and of course getting my Mary Kay shine on! We're going out of town to see my Father in Law for a few days, then to my Mother In Laws for a bit after that. I am so excited to get to go see everyone!
My babyshower is on December 28 for this baby GIRL number 2. I am so blessed to have a mother-in-law who cares so much. I didn't get a baby shower for my first since we were in Washington, so this is truly exciting.
I can't wait to get back and only have about 50 days left til my due date! Things are happening, and they are happening quickly!
How are you doing?! What are your holiday plans?!
I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, and give a brief update.
I am LOVING not working (well out of the house), snuggling with my daughter, babysitting and of course getting my Mary Kay shine on! We're going out of town to see my Father in Law for a few days, then to my Mother In Laws for a bit after that. I am so excited to get to go see everyone!
My babyshower is on December 28 for this baby GIRL number 2. I am so blessed to have a mother-in-law who cares so much. I didn't get a baby shower for my first since we were in Washington, so this is truly exciting.
I can't wait to get back and only have about 50 days left til my due date! Things are happening, and they are happening quickly!
How are you doing?! What are your holiday plans?!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Thaksgiving in Dallas
Well well well.
I am elated that we are back in Texas around family, especialy at this time of year! We went up to Dallas (well technically Frisco) mid-Wednesday and the traffic was not terrible, but not the greatest either. My little girl lit up seeing her Granny & Mr. Mark (her granny's long-term boyfriend). She just loves seeing them! Wednesday was pretty relaxed. Thanksgiving Thursday we went to Mr. Mark's parent's house and it was just like I remember from last year, only my husband was home with us to indulge in the holiday goodies!
Mr. Mark's dad is in his 70's and has Alzheimers. It has gotten so much worse over this past year. He is about half the weight he was (which wasn't much to begin with), he was talking to random objects, or no objects at all and he was attempting to eat everything, edible or not. It breaks my heart to think what his marriage is going through, what he is going through, the family. I mean, if it hurts me so bad to know what he is going through, you know the grandchildren children and wife must be devistated. I spent most of Thanksgiving worried about him, hoping he is enjoying being around family, when he remembers who they are of course.
I really don't know too much about Alzheimers, other than it makes people forget... I've decided it is time to research. I learned this past week that there are more symptoms than just memory loss, and I want to know more about it.
Thursday I must have ate too much, ended up sick multiple times throughout the night and ended up going to L&D to get checked out since I couldn't keep anything down. Gas, of course it felt like I was in pre-term labor though. Thankfully, baby is doing great and a bit of nausea medicine cleared things up.
My little family and I indulged in a few clothing items each on Black Friday, and saw nothing crazy, thank goodness. By the time Friday came to a close I was pretty sad. It is so nice having people around who are family. I hadn't had this feeling before, the comfortable feeling of knowing these people will love you no matter what. I am so thankful for my Mother-In-Law and her side of the family, including "Mr. Mark".
We headed back home on Saturday and I went straight to a networking event and met some great women with some wonderful visions and hearts. I am so glad to have met them! This was my first "vendor" event and I loved it, I learned from it and I want to grow from it! So inspiring to see other women out there doing what I am doing, and from so many different aspects!
I hope you all had a great holiday "weekend" and remember those who will have holidays that aren't quite as happy as they used to be for multiple reasons that life throws at us all at random times. Pray for those you do and do not know and love your neighors!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Pregnancy Hormones
We'll I know my third trimester is here because I get super emotional during the last bit, and we'll today I spent feeling every emotion possible for probably no reason. I'll post when my eyes are not all swollen and puffy.
Oh joy.
Oh joy.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Update Nov 2013
So, it's been a while! A cross-country move, broken laptop, new Full-Time job and even MY SECOND PREGNANCY has kept me too busy to blog! Well, now that my computer is up and running (slowly but surely), I'm about in my third-trimester, and I quit my FT job to pick Mary Kay back up... this blog is back in business! Who am I kidding, no one reads this thing, but maybe some day someone will. Who knows!
Well for an update, I am almost 25 weeks along with this pregnancy. Baby number 2 is a girl, which Baby number 1 seemed to know all along. She is due March 6 and we are betting she will be here early just like her big sister was. I'm planning on breast feeding this time, even when times get tough I don't want to give up! I may be having a natural labor, as long as God is by my side all things are possible, right?! Let's pray on that one!
We've made it to Fort Hood and gotten fairly cozy and adjusted to our life back in Texas. We enjoy seeing family more often than during our time in Washington. My husband has actually kept the same goal for about a year now and wants to become a Police Officer once this contract is up. So far we are thinking in or near Austin, Tx. Anyone have any input on either the area or the job related to that area?
I am missing some things about Washington, but it's not as bad as I was missing being "home". I've found that with how busy I have become I started drifting a bit from my Godly devotion, and that saddens me. Part of this has to do with not being able to find a church we all fill at home with quite yet. However, on Sunday I realized we live in a world with technology and I could at very least listen to sermons from a church that I miss dearly in Grand Prairie. Crosspoint Church of Christ. That place really makes my heart whole, even only being able to hear the lesson of the week helps a bit.
We are looking at becoming homeowners soon, possibly in about a year and a half. We are actually looking at Palm Harbor Homes. Say what you will, some people don't like them. I really don't care because I love everything I know about them so far! It is such a perfect way to go for young adults with a family, and I dream of moving into a home that only we have memories in!
As for Mary Kay, I am thinking big things, and have a goal in mind this time, a more realistic and plausible goal. I just have to learn how to tackle the area I live in and make it mine! If you know anyone wanting to become a consultant, in need of gifts for the holidays or wanting to earn up to $100 in free products by hosting a party (even virtual parties win free things) then let me know. I'm going to try and keep from using this solely as a way of business, but every once in a while there will be some info about Mary Kay, if you aren't interested then just disregard. A girl has to earn her money someway, and what better way to do that then partying and pampering women everywhere?
For now, I have some late night laundry to fold and probably some rocky road on the agenda as well.
Ta-Ta!
Well for an update, I am almost 25 weeks along with this pregnancy. Baby number 2 is a girl, which Baby number 1 seemed to know all along. She is due March 6 and we are betting she will be here early just like her big sister was. I'm planning on breast feeding this time, even when times get tough I don't want to give up! I may be having a natural labor, as long as God is by my side all things are possible, right?! Let's pray on that one!
We've made it to Fort Hood and gotten fairly cozy and adjusted to our life back in Texas. We enjoy seeing family more often than during our time in Washington. My husband has actually kept the same goal for about a year now and wants to become a Police Officer once this contract is up. So far we are thinking in or near Austin, Tx. Anyone have any input on either the area or the job related to that area?
I am missing some things about Washington, but it's not as bad as I was missing being "home". I've found that with how busy I have become I started drifting a bit from my Godly devotion, and that saddens me. Part of this has to do with not being able to find a church we all fill at home with quite yet. However, on Sunday I realized we live in a world with technology and I could at very least listen to sermons from a church that I miss dearly in Grand Prairie. Crosspoint Church of Christ. That place really makes my heart whole, even only being able to hear the lesson of the week helps a bit.
We are looking at becoming homeowners soon, possibly in about a year and a half. We are actually looking at Palm Harbor Homes. Say what you will, some people don't like them. I really don't care because I love everything I know about them so far! It is such a perfect way to go for young adults with a family, and I dream of moving into a home that only we have memories in!
As for Mary Kay, I am thinking big things, and have a goal in mind this time, a more realistic and plausible goal. I just have to learn how to tackle the area I live in and make it mine! If you know anyone wanting to become a consultant, in need of gifts for the holidays or wanting to earn up to $100 in free products by hosting a party (even virtual parties win free things) then let me know. I'm going to try and keep from using this solely as a way of business, but every once in a while there will be some info about Mary Kay, if you aren't interested then just disregard. A girl has to earn her money someway, and what better way to do that then partying and pampering women everywhere?
For now, I have some late night laundry to fold and probably some rocky road on the agenda as well.
Ta-Ta!
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