Brantley's Birth Story...

So Brantley definitely is our miracle baby from start to finish of his conception through his delivery. The week leading up to his delivery was pretty normal like all the previous weeks of my pregnancy. We saw our OB on Monday like normal and he estimated me to be dilated only a fingertip (and he said he was being generous at that). Since I was full-term,  we had decided it was time to start playing with the old wives tales and see if I could get myself to dilate and progress more. That Monday I started really bouncing on the exercise ball and then Tuesday I upped my workout at the gym. I did a strenuous walk on the treadmill until I felt my contractions becoming really strong and closer together. That evening we started our late night walks around the neighborhood. Wednesday after working/teaching all day and having stronger contractions, we again went for our late night walk. Luck loved this since he got to go for a walk around the neighborhood. Thursday I woke up and got organized for work. All day I was feeling pretty good (the "calm before the storm", I guess). I left work all prepped for my last day and 2 classes on Friday morning. Since I had an early day on Fridays, we just ate dinner and went to bed. I slept through the night and felt good; only waking up once for a potty break. Friday morning the alarm went off at 6:20am and as I got up to hit the bathroom and start getting ready, I felt a slight rush and by the time I made it to the bathroom, my water had broken. We showered, called the OB and finished packing our bags. We also called our moms so they could finish packing and start their 8 hour drives to us and hopefully be here for baby's birth. My water was leaking out pretty bad, but we made the drive to the hospital, parked like normal people (since I didn't really feel any contractions or urgency). We got into L & D and were greeted by the nurses and placed in a room. The room was nice and roomy and things seemed to be going well. Husby had a view of the parking lot and in the distance the Lagoon, so scenic view to keep us relaxed. Our nurse, Megan, came in and started prepping me. She got my IV started and then started penicillan (antibiotic) since I had tested positive on the early Strep test but negative on the later test (precautionary; especially since my water had broken). When she did her intial check, she verified the water breaking, but then found I was only 1cm dilated. Since my water broke, the OB decided to start me on Pitocin to spark my contractions and cause me to dilate further. Husby and I settled in and got comfy and began working through my contractions...I think he got a kick out of watching the monitor and watching Brantley's heartbeat and my contractions register.

Around noon, Megan checked me again and found I was now 2-3cm dilated, so our OB authorized an uppage of the Pitocin to help me further. Now the contractions were getting really strong and even closer together and unbearable. Since my OB would not authorize the epidural until I was 4-5cm, I was still going at it normally. I had planned to avoid all medications up until the epidural, but as the Pitocin level increased, so did the pain of the contractions. I finally caved and allowed them to administer a half dose of the Stadol through the IV to take the edge off the pain. After that was administered, I was able to catch some short catnaps between the large contractions and we again waited for the next check. Finally around 3 or 4, our OB authorized the epidural when my check came back at 4cm. Due to my medical condition of needles, I had to get the epidural laying sideways, but it went smoothly and pretty quickly. I started feeling great after the epidural was in and Husby and I again settled in watching TV and chatting to pass the time.

A little after 6, our moms arrived from their homes and I got checked again and was only 5cm dilated but pretty much completely thinned. A little after that, the OB came in and checked me himself and informed us Brantley was stuck in my pelvic region above my pelvis and he was starting to show some coning. He was going to monitor it some and then make a decision in a few more hours. So since I was stable, I sent the moms and Husby to get food. They stalled a bit and then finally around 8pm, they ran down to get food. Around 8:45pm the OB came back to check me again and informed me I was still at 5cm dilated and the coning was starting to get to an alarming point and we needed to start talking about our "options"...meaning a C-section. Since that was definitely not our plan or goal, he said he would stall a bit and grab some food with his family (they came up to visit him). Thankfully the L & D wing was very busy and there were already 2 other moms in front of me for a C/S, so he told me he would re-check me around 11. If I had not progressed to 10, he was electing the C/S way. The technician came in to draw an extra vial or 2 of blood should I go to a C/S and then the anesthesiologist came to discuss the medicine change I would have if we went to a C/S.

Meanwhile, the moms and Mike returned and we started all talking to Brantley telling him to drop below my pelvis and my body to progress. In addition to Brantley being stuck above my pelvis, he also turned his head so he was trying to enter the world sideways instead of chin-tucked like the normal baby. Around 11, the nurse checked me and then quickly left the room to get our OB and looked really confused (which had us all alarmed). When he returned and checked me, he verified her suspicions...I had progressed to 10 and we could start pushing! The moms went to hangout in the waiting area since Husby and I decided we wanted to start our family as just the 3 of us and the doctors.

Then I started pushing...it was me, Husby & our night nurse, Johannah and occasionally the technician. It was soon eivdent I was not really getting good pushes and it was realized I was so numb from the awesome epidural that we again had a decision to make....keep the epidural and most likely end up at a C-section or turn the epidural off and try pushing through the pain and contractions. Of course, we chose option 2. So off went the epidural and here came the contractions about 30 minutes later. At this point, Husby was holding 1 leg and Johannah had the other leg and we were still counting and pushing...I was even telling them when I was going to push since I could feel my contractions. At one point, I told Johannah I was going to push for a 4th time during a contraction and she was amazed and agreed to let me do it. About 11:45-11:55pm, the OB came to check me and see if he could assist in the delivery. We were still pushing and when he checked, he noticed he could vacuum Brantley out and help me with the delivery. So we again discussed it and agreed to go with it. There was no issue since his head was already coned a bit, so we kept pushing and whenever he could, the OB vacuumed. Because Brantley's head was sideways, the vacuum slipped at one point causing Brantley to get a hematoma on the side of his head.

Since we had gotten this far, the OB was not giving up and forcing us to a C/S, so he and Husby made another decision without me knowing (thankfully) and he made a small incision since I was too small for Brantley to be delivered head-sideways. Husby kept a very straight face throughout the incision and kept me very calm ( I couldn't feel it) and focused on pushing. We had discussed incisions and agreed if that was needed we were ok with it. During the last push, unfortunately,  the OB had to cut me deeper since Brantley's head still was not progressing out of me and they could not turn him still inside me. The incision is not a typical episiotomy (runs V to A), instead he cut along the side.

After Brantley was delivered, he was checked out by everyone and because he was being vacuumed the respiratory department had to evaluate him upon delivery. Our delivery room was packed with me, Husby holding my 1 leg, Johannah (our nurse) by my face coaching me through the contractions and pushes, our tech holding my other leg, the lead nurse on the other side of me behind Husby in case he passed out during the incisions (which he did not), a baby nurse and 2 respiratory nurses. Then we found out our Moms had snuck back into the wing and were able to hear B's first cry from the hallway (on the otherside of the curtain to our room). This was both touching for us and memorable for them. Brantley was cleaned a bit while the OB finished cleaning me up and sewing me up. After everything was settled, Husby got to hold B while I finished getting sewn and distracted me (since I still did not know I was cut open). Once everything was settled, the Moms came back in to see me and meet B.

Sadly, Brantley's delivery fun was not over yet.  Brantley went on to the nursery with Husby and I got time to collect myself and talked to our moms while we waited for B to return. Meanwhile on the floor, another Mom coded and the nurses were in a mass frenzy scrambling to her rescue. This left Husby alone in the nursery with 1 nurse and 16 newborn babies. What should have taken 30 minutes, turned into a 2 hour ordeal in the nursery for Husby & Brantley. After she was settled and the mom and baby were no longer at risk, Johannah returned. After letting me rest a bit more, she got me up to finish getting cleaned up before transferring me to my temporary postpartum room for the night. We finally got into our new room around 3am and they took Brantley for his bath (since it had finally quieted down) while Husby and I caught some ZZZ's.

Amazing birth and he was strong throughout...just really stubborn.

Post-Partum Survey

• How far along were you when you had your baby? 39 weeks 2 days.
• How long was labor? 18 hours and 17 minutes.
• Total weight gain: 45 pounds
• Total weight loss since: 20 lbs! But I really want to lose like 45 more pounds...since this is accumulated weight from the medication and shoulder surgery...
• Back into your own clothes yet? It's only been a week, but many of my tops are beginning to fit while some make me look still slightly pregnant.
• Did you get stretch marks? Definitely all0over my belly...hopefully they will fade a bit and I am trying all sorts of lotions and rubbing it constantly to try to reduce their appearance.
• Did you deliver vaginally or by c-section?VB
• Best moment this week: Settling into the house just the 3 of us and realizing this is my life and how lucky we are to have him after the rough delivery and other complications we had along the way, especially conceiving.
• What I miss about being pregnant: I somewhat miss the cute belly I had grown and feeling him moving and kicking inside me.
  
• How big is baby: 7 pounds 12 ounces this past Wednesday at his Pediatrician appt.
• Baby's temperament? Good for the most part. He is very demanding when it comes to feeding time and diaper changes. To sum it up, when he wants it, he wants it now! Otherwise, he sleeps well and is not fussy or anything most of the day.
• What I am looking forward to: Watchinghim grow and be his own unique individual. Also, seeing what physical attributes and personality traits he gets from each of us in the future.

Our Little Miracle...

 Brantley Calvin

Born 9.18.10 at 12:37 am

Weighing 7lbs. 2 oz.

Measuring 19 3/4 in.

Thank heaven for our little boy!

Live from Labor & Delivery...

So, this morning I woke up at 6:20 when my alarm clock started going off. I got out of bed and felt a warm rush and by the time I was in the bathroom, my water had broken. Quikc shower, phone calls to the doctor, our moms and last minute packing and we were on the road to the hospital.

After checking in, we found I was leaking (like it wasn't obvious with the geyers that was occurring), but am only 1 cm dilated. Since my water had broken, I was admitted. They started the IV lines and did their initial paperwork and bloodwork. My fluids are dripping in now, along with a dosage of Penicillin since I had tested positive on an earlier Strep test (ealry urine test). Since my water is broken and I have only progressed to 1cm, they also administered Pitocin to start the contractions stronger and cause my dilation to progress.

We've been here since about 7:30am and so far things are good. The contractions are definitely stronger and very painful, but otherwise I am comfortable and feeling good.

Husby did my hair...can you tell?

38 Weeks!

The Weekly 20 (Week 38-September 15th, 2010) 

1. The Bump: very large and round and now feels very hard...difficult to bend
2. Total Weight Gain/Loss: not sure of an exact number but I'd assume somewhere in the 40 lb range... 
3. Maternity Clothes: Of course, and they are beginning to get uncomfortable and tight. 
4. Stretch Marks: my belly is covered... 
5. Sleep: Sporadic, some nights are better than others 
6. Movement: starting to slow down a little...
7. Food Cravings/Aversions: still sweets and red meat...but beginning to not be as hungry anymore
   
8. Gender: It's a boy! 
9. Belly button in or out: Flat with my belly.
   
10. What I miss: blue cheese... 
11. What I am looking forward to: having this baby soon
12. Weekly Wisdom: Listen to your gut, do not listen to old wives tales or those that think they are experts because they had 1 baby...
13. Best moment this week: realizing I will soon be holding my baby boy...
14. Number of days you wore the same piece of clothing in a row? 0
15. Energy Level: moderate
16. Labor Signs:lack of hunger, lots of back pain, strong contractions coming and going...
17. Daddy to be Status: starting to get worried about me and therefore not sleeping well.
18. Milestones: we are now full-term
19. Symptoms: the same, nothing new...Heartburn, some restlessness, and the occasional odd feeling like cramps in my belly.
20. Next OB appointment: Monday September 20th, 2010.

37 Weeks!

The Weekly 20 (Week 37-September 8th, 2010) 

1. The Bump: very large and round and now feels very hard...difficult to bend
2. Total Weight Gain/Loss: not sure of an exact number but I'd assume somewhere in the 35 lb range... 
3. Maternity Clothes: Of course, and they are beginning to get uncomfortable and tight. 
4. Stretch Marks: my belly is covered... 
5. Sleep: Sporadic, some nights are better than others 
6. Movement: starting to slow down a little...
7. Food Cravings/Aversions: still sweets and red meat...but beginning to not be as hungry anymore
   
8. Gender: It's a boy! 
9. Belly button in or out: Pretty flat nowadays, still has not popped out...
   
10. What I miss: blue cheese... 
11. What I am looking forward to: Resident Evil at the movie theater (going to the movies)
12. Weekly Wisdom: Listen to your gut, do not listen to old wives tales or those that think they are experts because they had 1 baby...
13. Best moment this week: realizing I will soon be holding my baby boy...
14. Number of days you wore the same piece of clothing in a row? 0
15. Energy Level: moderate
16. Labor Signs:lack of hunger, lots of back pain, contractions coming and going...
17. Daddy to be Status: starting to get worried about me and therefore not sleeping well.
18. Milestones: we are now full-term
19. Symptoms: the same, nothing new...Heartburn, some restlessness, and the occasional odd feeling like cramps in my belly.
20. Next OB appointment: Monday September 13th, 2010.

Understanding...Life & Motherhood

We had another appointment this morning. They did the normal routine stuff: blood pressure, urine check, weight, and belly measurement. Then we had a quick ultrasound to make sure Baby G was still head down and in a good position (which he is) and then we got to hear the heartbeat (once again, nice and strong). We reach 37 weeks this week, meaning less than 21 days until Baby G's arrival. So far there has been little progress in terms of my body, even though I have been experiencing the back pain and strong contractions. The contractions are not at regular intervals as of yet, so looks like we will be facing an induction.

After extensive research and talks with the doctor, I am not concerned with this end-point alternative, but I really wish Baby G decides to come out on his own. It sure feels like he is trying to headbutt and force himself out, but looks like my body is fighting him. Thankfully our immediate families are super supportive (the same cannot be said for some members of my extended family), but looks like we will actually have an Eviction Date, so both grandmoms will have a relaxing drive South for his arrival. I am beyond sick of the comments from some of my extended family, but at this point, I have learned to ignore them since they are under-educated and irresponsible...and because the "research" they keep using is outdated and not true research studies given the test groups and survey data. I just wish she would shut her mouth and stop giving me her opinion and advice, but then again I just need to stop reading it, LOL.

It truly is sad to see someone acting irresponsible, and not taking care of their child when there are so many couples who deserve a child and cannot be blessed with one. I always believed God will grant you what he feels you deserve, but recently we have seen some acquaintances who have lost children or their chance at a child, while we have seen some others who have been blessed with a child only to push the responsibility and care of the child off on their parents or siblings instead. Then turn around and play the blame game and pity party when they do not get their way...I mean seriously? Thankfully we also have seen some acquaintances get their wish, so that is definitely a positive to mention. And of course, we were granted our blessing...

With three weeks or so left until our life changes we are enjoying our last few moments as a couple before we become a family of 3. Everything is pretty much organized, cleaned, stocked, and purchased for Baby G's arrival, so now we enter the "waiting game". I am still bowling and bowling pretty well with this bump. I wonder how things will change once he arrives, but that is really not a worry at this point, more of a curious point. I am now searching for ideas for Halloween since it falls on a Sunday and we have bowling league and dinner with friends always, but will probably push it off until closer to Halloween to find a cute onesie since it is unknown what size he will be wearing. The same is said for the wedding we have to attend a few weeks before Halloween, in terms of a "nice" outfit. We each have one more sewing project to finish before Baby G's arrival and hopefully we will get them completed before, especially since we want to use the craft table to set-up our Halloween Village. I really want to decorate for Halloween, but not sure we will find the time and/or energy to do it with everything else happening.

The idea of traveling with a newborn has started to enter our brains recently as well, since at Christmastime, he will only be 3 months or so. Thanksgiving is probably going to be very low-key and around here since I will have a lot of schoolwork and Husby will have grad school stuff to be concerned with. Besides we want to travel for Christmastime, so we are conserving until then. At this point, we also are thinking of making this Christmas very low-key as well and make next Christmas Baby G's "big" Christmas since it will be more memorable for him (hopefully the moms agree). I also think we will try to knock out more of the home remodeling (aka Kitchen remodel) this year. Besides rumor has it, one of my cousins and spouse may be trying for a trip south next Christmas, so it will be great to see them and have a Southern Christmas with them and our other extended families around here and have the moms visit us.

In other news, it is the end of Week 2 of my grad class, and things are going well so far. I am trying to stay ahead of the schedule, but it is difficult to get too far ahead since most of the recent assignments have been discussions where I must interact daily with my colleagues. Eight more weeks and then I am officially done and Greene starts on his grad school journey....

Nursery Update (in photos)

Looking In the Nursery (from the Hall)

2 Strollers, a Bouncer and a Pack n Play definitely take up a lot of room

Closet Area

Crib Wall

Changing Table wall

Second View @ the Changing Table 

Rocking Chair Wall

More Projects Complete...

and some special deals on gear...

Name Plaque

Baby G has a name

(Hint: There's an "e" in his name)

Redid the Photobox with decal to cover up its "age marks"

On another note, I got a promotion code for a free baby sling from the sister company of the company I bought my breastfeeding covers from. With the promotion, I paid $5 and S&H and got a sling, a pair of baby legs and a matching bracelet cuff for me...

The pattern matches my cover and was still neutral, yet cute for numerous usage.

I will review the carrier when Baby G arrives and we start using it...

Week 36

The Weekly 20 (Week 36-September 1st, 2010) 

1. The Bump: very large and round and now feels very hard...difficult to bend
2. Total Weight Gain/Loss: not sure of an exact number but I'd assume somewhere in the 25-30 lb range... 
3. Maternity Clothes: Of course. 
4. Stretch Marks: underneath my belly and the ones on hips from high school have gotten a bit bigger... 
5. Sleep: Sporadic, some nights are better than others 
6. Movement: TONS!
7. Food Cravings/Aversions: Steak, peanut butter...sometimes salty, sweet snacks, not really disliking anything
   
8. Gender: It's a boy! 
9. Belly button in or out: Pretty flat nowadays, still has not popped out...
   
10. What I miss: blue cheese... 
11. What I am looking forward to: Labor Day weekend festivities
12. Weekly Wisdom: Listen to your nurse at the hospital, she will get you through the labor (good and bad)...
13. Best moment this week: realizing I will soon be holding my baby boy...
14. Number of days you wore the same piece of clothing in a row? 0
15. Energy Level: moderate
16. Labor Signs: Baby G is definitely a mover and a shaker...tons of movement, lots of back pain and BH contractions...
17. Daddy to be Status: starting to get worried about me and therefore not sleeping well.
18. Milestones: first internal check and we finished our class!
19. Symptoms: the same, nothing new...Heartburn, some restlessness, and the occasional odd feeling like cramps in my belly.
20. Next OB appointment: Tuesday September 7th, 2010.