Thursday, April 3, 2014
Newborn photos
We just got Hugo's newborn photos back today. I'm so glad we had these taken! I got all teary looking at them. It's crazy how fast he is growing. These were taken when he was 3 weeks old.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Finally, an OOTD!
Yes, I'm (kind of, sometimes) wearing real clothes again. I went shopping for the first time in months on Friday and ended up finding a shirt that I love. Shopping is so different now. Instead of just grabbing things I like, I have to consider how nursing-friendly it is and if it will flatter my postpartum figure. I think this shirt is a new arrival at anthropologie. I'm so out of the anthro loop that I'm not sure. I don't see it on the website, but maybe it just hasn't made it there yet. This top came in a few other prints, one of which is a bright yellow that I might pick up on sale. I had to have this bird print though. Love the colors!
Jeans: Loft maternity (yep, still wearing comfy maternity stuff!)
Tank: Target nursing tank
Top: Anthropologie
Shoes: Chaco
We met some friends at the Japanese Garden yesterday and spent the afternoon there. Hugo loves being out and about experiencing new sights, sounds, and smells:) It was a gorgeous spring day.
Monday, March 17, 2014
my top 10 newborn/postpartum list
I wanted to put together a quick list of some of my favorite and most-used baby items as well a few must-have things for new moms. While pregnant, I spent so much time researching, building our registry, and trying to figure out which items we needed. Lists like this were so helpful. Now that Hugo is almost 2 month old, I can share our favorites thus far.
Yes, these are pricey. Yes, they are worth every penny. I'm so glad I bought these. We use them every single day for multiple purposes. They are great swaddlers, car seat covers, actual blankets, burp cloths, stroller blankets, etc. I'm glad I got 4 of them so we always have one ready while the others are being washed. Of course I had to get the pack that contained the bee print. Love these!
We received so many different swaddle blankets/wraps/etc. and this is hands-down the best one. We use this one at night when Hugo sleeps for longer stretches. It is easy to use, impossible for Hugo to break out of (as far as I can tell), and keeps him warm and cozy.
From what I've heard, nail clippers are very hard to use on babies. I've heard terrible stories about moms accidentally clipping baby's skin. I bought these because of all the great reviews and I have been very happy with them. It has been easy to keep Hugo's nails trimmed so he doesn't scratch his face too much.
We use cloth diapers and wipes and have since day 1. If you decide to go that route, I highly recommend these diapers. They fit great, are easy to wash/use, and do their job well. Plus, how cute are little cloth-diapered bums? These are all-in-one so they are very similar to disposable diapers - just snap it on and you are good to go. Hugo is still wearing the newborn size, so I'm glad we invested in these. I'm looking forward to trying the bigger "one size fits all" size. We use prefolds and fitteds from Green Mountain Diapers as well, which are great, but these are our favorites.
We were lucky enough to be gifted this wonderful stroller. I really like how it converts to a bassinet. There is a "cocoon" inside that bassinet that you can easily lift out (see here), which comes in handy if baby falls asleep in the stroller, or if it's cold out and you want to bundle baby up first before heading outside. We have even taken the entire bassinet off of the stroller and used it as an actual bassinet inside the house. The 3 of us are very happy with this stroller.
As much as I love our stroller, sometimes I prefer the moby wrap. Hugo loves to be close to mama (or daddy), it's convenient, and it keeps people from trying to touch baby. It took a few youtube videos to figure out how to put it on, but now that we have it down, it's quite easy. Hugo almost always goes to sleep in the moby, so I think it get's his seal of approval too:)
Hugo has only had 1 diaper rash so far (yeast) and this cream took care of it within 1 day. Our midwife recommended it and it has been great. Any time his bum starts to get a little red, I put a dab of this on it and it resolves right away.
If you are pregnant and planning on breastfeeding or currently breastfeeding, do yourself a favor and pick up some of this nipple butter. Just do it. You will thank yourself later. This brand is wonderful (we also use the baby lotion and shampoo), and their products get a great score on the skin deep website.
When I first saw the lactation consultant when Hugo was about a week old, she recommended these nursing pads. I was using the disposable kind which were very uncomfortable and abrasive against my damaged nipples. I felt such relief when I switched those out for these cool, silky pads. They are washable and are antimicrobial. I suggest just going with these from day 1 and forget about the disposable pads.
I didn't plan ahead very well for nursing gear when I was pregnant. I only bought 1 tank and 1 sleeping bra. I ended up having to send Ben out about a week after Hugo was born to pick up more tanks. I have a few products from Motherhood Maternity and a few from Target and I have to say, the Target products are so much better. I love their tanks and sleeping bras. I don't recommend getting actual nursing bras from target, but their tanks and sleeping bras are great! If you are pregnant, go ahead and get a handful of tanks and at least 2 sleeping bras. You will need them.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Hugo update: 6 weeks
.jpg)
Likes:
* Nursing! I think he would nurse 24/7 if he could:) I am currently breast feeding him every hour while he's awake to try to increase my supply. He is quite happy with this arrangement. Breast feeding has been very challenging for us. I'm so glad we have been able to work through the challenges thus far and it makes me so happy to be able to breast feed him.
* Swinging. He just starting liking his swing in the past week or so. We tried it early on and he was not a fan. We put it away for a while and just brought it back out last week. He loves it! Sometimes he goes right to sleep and other times he just likes to sit in it and look around.
* Going new places. He loves new places and being around lots of people/sounds. He's very curious and I think he will be adventurous when he's older.
* Baths. He takes baths with his dad. As soon as he dips down into the warm water, he gets so relaxed. We always joke that he is at the baby spa because he seems to enjoy it so much and it makes him so calm and happy.
* Dance parties. He LOVES music and dancing. When he is acting a bit fussy, all we have to do is crank up the music and dance with him!
Dislikes:
Not much to say here. He is such a calm, happy baby. He definitely dislikes being hungry! As soon as he wakes up at night to eat, he wants it RIGHT THEN. He also doesn't like tummy time too much, but I think that's common.
.jpg)
Sleeping:
He is a great sleeper (knock on wood). He goes down for the night sometime between 10:00 and 12:00 and sleeps for 4 to 6 hour chunks (usually 4.5 to 5 hours). He wakes up to eat and get a quick diaper change, then he's right back down. He doesn't sleep much during the day. He takes a few little cat naps here and there and maybe one 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon.
Eating:
As I mentioned, Hugo eats every hour while he's awake right now. This is to help increase my milk supply. Our breastfeeding journey has been rocky, but it's getting better every day. The first week was so hard. I ended up with bloody/sore/cracked nipples. I started seeing a lactation consultant which has been a huge help. I am currently taking lots of herbs plus a prescription medication, feeding him every hour, pumping after some feeds, drinking mother's milk tea, etc. to increase my supply. Everything I'm doing is working, thank goodness. He gained a whole pound in the past 2 weeks and I've even been able to start freezing a stash for my return to work! Even with all of our troubles, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
.jpg)
Playing:
Hugo loves sitting in the bouncer on the kitchen table. He hangs out there while I make my breakfast in the morning. He likes to look around and stare out the window. He also likes laying on his playmat and looking up at the toys. We have story time every day - he enjoys hearing our voices:)
Firsts:
First car ride (to see the midwife and lactation consultant) 1/31/14 (6 days old)
First bath (LOVED it) - 2/2/14 (8 days old)
First smile - 2/11/14 (2.5 weeks old)
First real tear - 2/19/14
First sounds (quiet little coos when smiling)- 2/20/14
First time I left him (he stayed home with dad while I went to an acupuncture appt.) - 2/22/14 (4 weeks old)
First bottle (of pumped breast milk). He was not interested at first, but once he tasted the breast milk, he gulped it right down - 2/22/14
First time trying a paci (not a fan) - 2/24/14
It is such a pleasure to be Hugo's mom. I love getting to know him, watching him learn and grown, and navigating all of the changes and challenges that motherhood brings. He melts my heart every time he smiles. I have seriously started bawling a few times when he looks up at me and smiles so big and bright. The love in this house is overwhelming and beautiful. I grow more in love with him everyday as bits of his personality shine through. He is laid-back, curious, adventurous, happy, and just perfect!
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Birth Story
The week prior to giving birth, I had mild contractions that would occasionally become somewhat regular, but after a few hours or after going to sleep, they would taper off and stop. I also went in for a few NST's (nonstress tests) and a biophysical ultrasound to make sure baby boy was safe and handling things okay (due to decreased fetal movement and because I was past my due date). The tests were somewhat reassuring, but my midwife felt like it would be best to have the baby sooner rather than later, so we tried some natural induction methods. She stripped my membranes on 1/21/14 (which caused an unusual amount of bleeding, but not much else). I had acupuncture done frequently during the last week, and did a lot of exercises at home (bouncing on yoga ball, squats, etc.). At my appointment on 1/21/14, I was 3cm dilated and 75% effaced.
1/24/14, 8 days past my due date, I went to an acupuncture appointment and then went in to see my midwife. We decided to use prostaglandins to try to jump start my labor. Afterwards, I went home and rested.
A few hours later, contractions started (first one was at 5:08pm). They were about 8-10 minutes apart. I timed them for an hour or two and then went on with my night as normal. I assumed it was just another evening of sporadic contractions that wouldn't lead to anything. Ben and I went to the grocery store and made dinner (shrimp tacos!). After dinner I decided to hop in the shower and then try to get some sleep. During my shower, contractions became stronger and closer together (every 5-6 minutes). I laid down at around 11:00pm and fell asleep quickly.
1/25/14
I woke up at 1:00am to use the bathroom. Once I laid back down, I realized I was still having contractions. I laid in bed and timed them for an hour or so and discovered they were now coming every 5 minutes. Still in disbelief that this could actually be it, I tried my best to go back to sleep. No such luck though:) I laid on my side and tried to relax through and in between contractions. Ben woke up around 3:00am and he timed my contractions until 4:00am - they were slowly becoming stronger and were starting to come every 4-5 minutes. Ben called the midwife at 4:00 and let her know what was going on. After he gave her all of the details, she asked to speak to me. I think she just wanted to hear my voice to try to gauge the situation better. We decided to keep trying to relax in bed for another hour, then give her a call back to update her. I stayed in bed and Ben got up to get the house ready. He cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed the living room, set up the birth tub, let the dogs out, etc. He made sure I was drinking fluids and he made some peanut butter crackers for me to snack on.
At around 5:30am contractions were continuing to get more intense and I wasn't able to talk through them. Ben asked me if it was time to call the midwife back and I moaned, "I don't know!". That was his cue that it was time to get her here. He called her and asked her to come over and also called our doula and let her know it was time to come. Even at this point, both Ben and I wondered if this was really it or if we called everyone over too soon. The midwife and her student arrived around 6:00 or 6:30am and our doula arrived shortly after. I came out to the living room and got on all fours on the couch. During each contraction, I stopped talking and moved my hips back and forth. In between, I still felt okay and felt like talking to everyone, letting them know there were muffins and other snacks in the kitchen and to make themselves at home. Our midwife and her student brought all of their equipment in and got it all set up and ready to go. Ben asked if he should start filling the tub, but everyone said no, that it was too early.
Our plan was to break my water as soon as I was in active labor due to my low-lying placenta (the hope is that once the water breaks, baby's head moves down and kind of acts like a plug, keeping the placenta from detaching too soon). Because of this, the midwife needed to check me to make sure I was progressing. I moved back to the bed and laid down. She checked my cervix and said, "oh Kristin, you are already at 7, almost 8cm. You are entering transition!". I immediately started bawling. I was just so relieved that I had already made it that far. I felt like I could actually do this! She broke my water and then she and Ben performed a technique to try to re-position baby a bit. I experienced intense back pain just on my left side through some contractions right before she broke my water - this is what made her aware of the need to turn baby a bit. I got on all fours and she and Ben got on either side of my belly. They placed a towel around my belly and moved it back and forth (like cleaning a bowling ball) during contractions. This was very uncomfortable for me, but it worked! No more back pain.
This is when things got really intense. I went from feeling like I was managing things just fine to feeling out of control pain and intensity. I think the combination of entering transition, having my water broken, and doing the re-positioning technique all at once was really hard for me to handle. I labored on the bed, mostly on all fours, while I waited for them to fill the birth tub. They used a hose connected to the kitchen sink, but once our hot water ran out, they had to heat up water on the stove. I later learned that when everyone arrived, they thought I was still in the earlier stages of labor. My midwife guessed 4cm and my doula though maybe 5. This is why they they initially told Ben it was too early to start filling the tub. While waiting to be able to get in the tub, my doula used essential oils and massaged my lower back while Ben stayed up near my head and rubbed my shoulders, gave me fluids, and very sweetly encouraged me. I tried to get into a couple of different positions, but each time I tried to move, it seems like the pain got more intense and I immediately switched back to hands and knees. That's what felt right. I remember asking a few times when I would be able to get in the tub and I even said to Ben, "are they not going to let me get in?". I was so ready to get in the water to see if it would provide some relief. Once the tub was full enough, I made my way into the living room, stopping for a bathroom break first. I was having what felt like back-to-back contractions and had to stop for each one, so this took quite some time.
Once I made it into the tub around 9:00am, I had a short break in between contractions (a whole 2 - 3 minutes!). Having a little break and being able to submerge myself in warm water felt amazing! I started thinking about how wonderful the tub was, but then my next contraction came and I realized contractions were just as strong in the tub as outside of the tub. I remember getting a bit agitated and saying "I thought this was supposed to be the short part" referring to transition, because we learned in our class that although transition is the most intense part of labor, it is also the shortest part. The nurse replied that transition was over and that my body was ready to push, but that my mind needed to be ready too. I continued to labor in the tub, and ended up on hands and knees once again. At this point everyone was in the living room with me, but mostly giving me space. I had my eyes closed and was definitely zoning out and using all of my energy and focus on getting through contractions. My plan was to use the tub for pain management, not to necessarily give birth in the tub. However, once I was in the tub, no way was I moving again!
After a while, my body just started pushing. The midwife did not check me, no one told me when to start pushing, no one screamed at me to push harder, I just did what my body wanted to do. I don't think I even realized I was pushing at first. Although my doula told me later that there was a definite change from transition to the pushing stage, I didn't notice it. To me, it felt like the intensity never eased up from when I entered transition to when my baby came out. I remember feeling so much pressure all over my body. The nurse used a handheld doppler to check baby's heartbeat after every few contractions. Even her holding the wand on my stomach felt like too much. Just that tiny little bit of added pressure made it seem unbearable. On one point, I physically pushed her away (I can't believe I did that!). The midwife very sternly reminded me that they have to check baby's heartbeat occasionally and I refrained from pushing the nurse away again, even though I wanted to. Our doula placed cold washcloths on my back and wiped my face with a cool cloth. Ben fed me ice chips and was so calm and encouraging. After pushing for a bit, I started feeling a sense of desperation. I was experiencing so much pain, pressure, and intensity that my mind wanted to find a way out. Once I came to the realization that the only way for the pain to end was to birth the baby, I felt more determined than ever. I pushed with all my might. I found strength that I didn't know I possessed.
At 11:35am, after 1 hour and 20 minutes of pushing (18 hours and 27 minutes since my first contraction), Hugo Augustine Walker was born. I felt such relief and joy on so many levels. He was immediately placed on my chest and after spitting up some water, he let out the softest little cry. My heart overflowed with love for this little guy and I just held him tight and stared into his beautiful eyes. After a few minutes, I delivered the placenta and then Ben cut the cord.
Once the placenta was delivered, I started bleeding a bit more than normal. They passed baby to dad and quickly got me out of the tub and into bed. I ended up having a minor postpartum hemorrhage. After an injection and uterine massage, the bleeding stopped and baby was placed back on my chest. Ben and I had some time alone with baby in our bedroom while everyone else cleaned up. After a couple of hours, the midwife came in our bedroom and examined baby. This is when we learned he weighed in at 9lbs 2oz! Big, healthy boy! I had to have some stitches for a small tear and then they wanted to help me into the shower. However, because of how much blood I lost, I was unable to get up. Even sitting up in bed caused me to feel light-headed. I stayed in bed and Ben made me an egg sandwich. I felt much better after eating. Everyone packed up and left and Ben, Hugo,and I rested in bed for the rest of the day.
.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*)
I feel so incredibly lucky that I was able to give birth in the peace and quiet of our own home with such wonderful, knowledgeable, supportive women there to assist us. I also feel lucky to have such a caring and loving husband. Ben was the best labor coach/partner I could have asked for.
1/24/14, 8 days past my due date, I went to an acupuncture appointment and then went in to see my midwife. We decided to use prostaglandins to try to jump start my labor. Afterwards, I went home and rested.
A few hours later, contractions started (first one was at 5:08pm). They were about 8-10 minutes apart. I timed them for an hour or two and then went on with my night as normal. I assumed it was just another evening of sporadic contractions that wouldn't lead to anything. Ben and I went to the grocery store and made dinner (shrimp tacos!). After dinner I decided to hop in the shower and then try to get some sleep. During my shower, contractions became stronger and closer together (every 5-6 minutes). I laid down at around 11:00pm and fell asleep quickly.
1/25/14
I woke up at 1:00am to use the bathroom. Once I laid back down, I realized I was still having contractions. I laid in bed and timed them for an hour or so and discovered they were now coming every 5 minutes. Still in disbelief that this could actually be it, I tried my best to go back to sleep. No such luck though:) I laid on my side and tried to relax through and in between contractions. Ben woke up around 3:00am and he timed my contractions until 4:00am - they were slowly becoming stronger and were starting to come every 4-5 minutes. Ben called the midwife at 4:00 and let her know what was going on. After he gave her all of the details, she asked to speak to me. I think she just wanted to hear my voice to try to gauge the situation better. We decided to keep trying to relax in bed for another hour, then give her a call back to update her. I stayed in bed and Ben got up to get the house ready. He cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed the living room, set up the birth tub, let the dogs out, etc. He made sure I was drinking fluids and he made some peanut butter crackers for me to snack on.
At around 5:30am contractions were continuing to get more intense and I wasn't able to talk through them. Ben asked me if it was time to call the midwife back and I moaned, "I don't know!". That was his cue that it was time to get her here. He called her and asked her to come over and also called our doula and let her know it was time to come. Even at this point, both Ben and I wondered if this was really it or if we called everyone over too soon. The midwife and her student arrived around 6:00 or 6:30am and our doula arrived shortly after. I came out to the living room and got on all fours on the couch. During each contraction, I stopped talking and moved my hips back and forth. In between, I still felt okay and felt like talking to everyone, letting them know there were muffins and other snacks in the kitchen and to make themselves at home. Our midwife and her student brought all of their equipment in and got it all set up and ready to go. Ben asked if he should start filling the tub, but everyone said no, that it was too early.
Our plan was to break my water as soon as I was in active labor due to my low-lying placenta (the hope is that once the water breaks, baby's head moves down and kind of acts like a plug, keeping the placenta from detaching too soon). Because of this, the midwife needed to check me to make sure I was progressing. I moved back to the bed and laid down. She checked my cervix and said, "oh Kristin, you are already at 7, almost 8cm. You are entering transition!". I immediately started bawling. I was just so relieved that I had already made it that far. I felt like I could actually do this! She broke my water and then she and Ben performed a technique to try to re-position baby a bit. I experienced intense back pain just on my left side through some contractions right before she broke my water - this is what made her aware of the need to turn baby a bit. I got on all fours and she and Ben got on either side of my belly. They placed a towel around my belly and moved it back and forth (like cleaning a bowling ball) during contractions. This was very uncomfortable for me, but it worked! No more back pain.
Here I am right after having my water broken eating greek yogurt and strawberries. My Doula insisted we get a picture of me eating a snack at 8cm dilated!
Ben was great at keeping me hydrated! I had lots of water, coconut water, and ginger ale.
This is when things got really intense. I went from feeling like I was managing things just fine to feeling out of control pain and intensity. I think the combination of entering transition, having my water broken, and doing the re-positioning technique all at once was really hard for me to handle. I labored on the bed, mostly on all fours, while I waited for them to fill the birth tub. They used a hose connected to the kitchen sink, but once our hot water ran out, they had to heat up water on the stove. I later learned that when everyone arrived, they thought I was still in the earlier stages of labor. My midwife guessed 4cm and my doula though maybe 5. This is why they they initially told Ben it was too early to start filling the tub. While waiting to be able to get in the tub, my doula used essential oils and massaged my lower back while Ben stayed up near my head and rubbed my shoulders, gave me fluids, and very sweetly encouraged me. I tried to get into a couple of different positions, but each time I tried to move, it seems like the pain got more intense and I immediately switched back to hands and knees. That's what felt right. I remember asking a few times when I would be able to get in the tub and I even said to Ben, "are they not going to let me get in?". I was so ready to get in the water to see if it would provide some relief. Once the tub was full enough, I made my way into the living room, stopping for a bathroom break first. I was having what felt like back-to-back contractions and had to stop for each one, so this took quite some time.
Once I made it into the tub around 9:00am, I had a short break in between contractions (a whole 2 - 3 minutes!). Having a little break and being able to submerge myself in warm water felt amazing! I started thinking about how wonderful the tub was, but then my next contraction came and I realized contractions were just as strong in the tub as outside of the tub. I remember getting a bit agitated and saying "I thought this was supposed to be the short part" referring to transition, because we learned in our class that although transition is the most intense part of labor, it is also the shortest part. The nurse replied that transition was over and that my body was ready to push, but that my mind needed to be ready too. I continued to labor in the tub, and ended up on hands and knees once again. At this point everyone was in the living room with me, but mostly giving me space. I had my eyes closed and was definitely zoning out and using all of my energy and focus on getting through contractions. My plan was to use the tub for pain management, not to necessarily give birth in the tub. However, once I was in the tub, no way was I moving again!
After a while, my body just started pushing. The midwife did not check me, no one told me when to start pushing, no one screamed at me to push harder, I just did what my body wanted to do. I don't think I even realized I was pushing at first. Although my doula told me later that there was a definite change from transition to the pushing stage, I didn't notice it. To me, it felt like the intensity never eased up from when I entered transition to when my baby came out. I remember feeling so much pressure all over my body. The nurse used a handheld doppler to check baby's heartbeat after every few contractions. Even her holding the wand on my stomach felt like too much. Just that tiny little bit of added pressure made it seem unbearable. On one point, I physically pushed her away (I can't believe I did that!). The midwife very sternly reminded me that they have to check baby's heartbeat occasionally and I refrained from pushing the nurse away again, even though I wanted to. Our doula placed cold washcloths on my back and wiped my face with a cool cloth. Ben fed me ice chips and was so calm and encouraging. After pushing for a bit, I started feeling a sense of desperation. I was experiencing so much pain, pressure, and intensity that my mind wanted to find a way out. Once I came to the realization that the only way for the pain to end was to birth the baby, I felt more determined than ever. I pushed with all my might. I found strength that I didn't know I possessed.
At 11:35am, after 1 hour and 20 minutes of pushing (18 hours and 27 minutes since my first contraction), Hugo Augustine Walker was born. I felt such relief and joy on so many levels. He was immediately placed on my chest and after spitting up some water, he let out the softest little cry. My heart overflowed with love for this little guy and I just held him tight and stared into his beautiful eyes. After a few minutes, I delivered the placenta and then Ben cut the cord.
Once the placenta was delivered, I started bleeding a bit more than normal. They passed baby to dad and quickly got me out of the tub and into bed. I ended up having a minor postpartum hemorrhage. After an injection and uterine massage, the bleeding stopped and baby was placed back on my chest. Ben and I had some time alone with baby in our bedroom while everyone else cleaned up. After a couple of hours, the midwife came in our bedroom and examined baby. This is when we learned he weighed in at 9lbs 2oz! Big, healthy boy! I had to have some stitches for a small tear and then they wanted to help me into the shower. However, because of how much blood I lost, I was unable to get up. Even sitting up in bed caused me to feel light-headed. I stayed in bed and Ben made me an egg sandwich. I felt much better after eating. Everyone packed up and left and Ben, Hugo,and I rested in bed for the rest of the day.
.jpg)
I feel so incredibly lucky that I was able to give birth in the peace and quiet of our own home with such wonderful, knowledgeable, supportive women there to assist us. I also feel lucky to have such a caring and loving husband. Ben was the best labor coach/partner I could have asked for.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)