Reflux?

I am going to get Zachary do see his pediatrician tomorrow. I now suspect he has a bad reflux case. He has sudden bouts of intense crying, arching his back, sounding in pain. He coughs – and then his breath smell sour-vomity. If he spits up – it’s sour and it bothers him. He wakes up in the middle of the night to spit up (with piercing cries).

To be honest, I sort of hope that’s what’s happening. His constant crying – shrieking, actually,- kust doesn’t seem normal. It’s not the “I’m bored” complaints – it’s yelling, shrieking, screaming.

So we’ll see…

Zachary is 3 weeks old

Sorry for disappearing. In short, all is well.

In long… well, Zachary is not Timothy. Timothy was an awesome night sleeper the moment he was born. Feed him, swaddle him, put him down, forget about him for 3-5 hours.

Not Zachary. Not only does he eat round the clock – he has difficulties falling asleep. So it’s wake up, eat for 30-40 minutes, and then spend 1-1.5 hours drilling a hole in my head. Fussing, crying, refusing to go to sleep. I would get him all sleepy and then, after we both start drifting away, he would poop. Or sneeze. Or start hiccupping. And then we’re back to square one.

So after 2 hours of eating and crying he’d fall asleep… only to wake up an hour later for it’s been 3 hours and he’s hungry again. Sigh.
Some nights are better. Others I am reduced to tears, cursing and asking what the f does he want and why won’t he just shut up and go to sleep. Yeah, I’m yelling at my own baby. Classy.

Oh well.

Timothy was pretty whiny during the day and a terrible napper. Zachary has much longer naps – but getting him to fall asleep for a nap is a major pain in the ass, too

He spends quite some time awake – crying, usually. He doesn’t react to rattle or my voice or pretty much anything – so being awake is pretty boring for him, I’d imagine. So he cries. Unless I unrelentlessly bounce on a yoga ball with him in my arms. The moment I try and leave the ball – screaming renews.

And then he’d nap. Most likely in my arms. So I spend my days watching dvds. With all special features, deleted scenes and commentaries – for I can’t get up and put another dvd in…

I’m exhausted. And frustrated and angry often, too. Like right now. Trying to get him to sleep. Desperately wanting to crawl in bed.

I am glad he’s my second child and I know how quickly things change and this will pass soon enough.

But for now, night time sleep qnd baby that just fights sleep is all that’s on my mind…

8 days

Zachary is 8 days old.

Thank you all for all the good wishes in my previous post!

I plan to write in more detail later (am typing with one thumb on my phone right now during a breastfeeding session.

Recovery was agonizing, the pain and the limitations it brings were driving me to tears. But I am healing faster than the last time.

Zachary lost 8% of his weight in the hospital (300 grams or 2/3 of a pound) but gained almost all of it back in 2.5 days after discharge. Pediatrician was so pleased she didn’t think we needed to come for another month!

However, to keep up with his appetite, I barely slept. I was reduced to co-sleeping in most uncomfortable poses, waking up every 45-60 minutes, crying a few times from exhaustion. Timothy was a big baby and did never need to feed that frequently, especially during night time. I also couldn’t put him down. He lost so much weight he was always cold if left on his own.

After those initial two nights at home, it got a bit better, I get to sleep 1.5-2 hours at a time, but he’s still feeding almost nonstop during the day. I barely left the couch today, my whole body aches from being so immobile.

Today I started crying as I really wanted to sleep and Zachary kept waking up 10 minutes after putting down. So hubby announced that Zachary cannot possibly be hungry, so he took Zachary downstairs and let me sleep. Zachary ended up sleeping for 4.5 hours straight! What was that about?! Whatever that was, I feel renewed.

Timothy is endlessly tender towards Zachary, always hugging and kissing him, but his behavior is now awful. Everything and anything sends him to tears, everything is like pulling teeth now. And I can’t even pick him up due to c-section. I feel so sad for him 😦 Especially since he’s so good witg Zachary. We try and focus as much as we cqn on him before and after daycare, but still…

So there you go. Our news, in short.

Born!!!

Baby Zachary was born today just after midnight via c-section at a whopping – for 38w3d – 8 pounds 1 ounce.

He’s already ate 4 boobs and pooped 🙂

L&D

Decided to go get checked – aaaand I’m in labour. Contractions are every 2 minutes (thank god I’m not feeling them all… yet…) but only 1 cm dilated and cervix still long.

My gyno is actually here – she said she thought we might try a VBAC, but seeing that such frequent contractions are doing nothing to progress my labour – I’m being prepped for c-section. They took my blood and inserted an IV.

Hubby is at home with Timothy. My friend is on her way to our place now to let my husband go join me…

Aaaah, I did not expect this!!!

Hmmmm…. early labour?

This feels like labour.

It could be braxton Hicks, but idk… Around 3 pm today as I was leaving my friend’s place, I started feeling uncomfortable tightening in my belly. It felt like mild diarrhoea or menstrual cramps.

They didn’t go away. Even after I had a bowel movement.

They are not too painful or too close together – but they don’t feel like “training” contractions, either.

It hurts all over, well, not hurts – cramps. I am resting now, drinking lots of water. So far it hasn’t stopped. And every time I stand up to refill my son’s Cheerios cup, they feel worse.

I already called my friend who’s agreed to look after Timothy while we’re in the hospital to check if she would be able to arrive today if needed (as opposed to next week). So she’s on standby…

Let’s see… ouch …another contraction …

38w1d and gyno visit

I started matleave. Thursday was my last day. I am not feeling it yet.

And my mini vacation before the baby arrives is a short one – next Tuesday is the c-section day already.

Although I’d rather lay quiet and draw and paint for the remainder of me-time, I am active : had an afternoon tea with a few girlfriends on Friday, belly photo session on Saturday, friend’s  baby shower yesterday (Sunday), gyno visit today, lunch tomorrow, dinner Thursday …

And there are some errands still like dropping by the dealership or buying bum cream…

Night sweats are annoying. I wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. I go use the washroom and climbing back in soaking wet bed is disgusting.

Heartburn is still bugging me, mostly at bed time.

Nipples are less itchy, but the I lather them in lanolin twice a day.

Baby’s still very active, punching me here and there. My favourite ones are in my rectum

On the bright side, I am starting to get excited. I think of the real baby, I envision hugging and kissing and smelling it. I think if the matleave months ahead. I finally not only accepted what is coming – but embraced it. I feel peaceful and happy 🙂

Hubby, on the other hand, is nervous about the upcoming change: if I will be on matleave, wrapping my life around baby’s needs, for him the new addition will be on top of his already busy life. And he will have to look after Timothy more than he does now. I hope he doesn’t lose his cool and we maintain a balance.

Weight gain is still fairly non-existent.

A week and a day to go until the new baby arrives. Craaazyyyyy!

The gyno decided this was our last rendezvous, no need to meet next Monday.

My blood pressure was as low as always 100/60), baby’s heartbeat was perfect, and she checked my cervix – completely shut, so we don’t expect this baby to try and get born sooner.

I did test positive for that bacteria they check for before birth. Not a big deal since I am having a c-section, but if my water breaks there’s some risk. I didn’t ask what the risk and the countermeasures were. Hopefully I won’t need to know.

And that’s it. It’s a final countdown!

Gyno visit

Had my gyno visit today. Everything is by the textbook – weight gain, belly growth, blood pressure, baby’s heartbeat…

Once again, since according to my LMP my due date is March 2 – and the c-section is scheduled for March 4th, she went over my history to make sure we’re not planning my c-section after my edd 🙂 I assured her I am certain March 10 is the right actual edd, she looked at my anatomy ultrasound results – which stated my edd as March 9th.

She asked if my son was early and late –  I told her it was 2 days late and could have been even later if it was her scraping my membranes. I also mentioned that at my 38 week ultrasound with Timothy, my cervix was 5 centimeters long.

So shr relaxed about the date and now it’s all systems go for march 4.

I am to drink a LOT the day before the c-section – apparently, the anesthesia for c-section is very different from epidural. It’s a thin needle that I will barely feel and that will be in and out. It won’t stay in my spine like epidural. However, the medication makes your blood pressure drop dramatically which may cause nausea and vomiting. And getting well hydrated the day before should help me tolerate this blood pressure drop.

Oh yes, I remember with my first c-section when they injected the anesthesia, I felt extremely cold, light headed and sort of suffocating. I felt like uf I don’t force my lungs to breathe – they would just stop. I guess that’s how I experienced the blood pressure drop…

Other than that, no prep. I am not supposed to eat or drink past midnight. I am not supposed to shave down there as it increases risk of infection. I am to arrive about 1.5 prior to the scheduled c-section time so that they havr the time to do some blood work.

We arrive, fill out the consent forms, run the blood tests, go into the op room, have c-section, they give the baby to hubby, sew me and wheel us into the postpartum room.

The surgery will be a bit longer than the first time since they will be going over tge existing scars and will have to make sure there’s no adhesions and such. My sister also told me the scar will be a bit longer as they sort if cut the old scar out.

The healing is supposed to be faster since they will not be cutting tissues all bruised by contractions. It will be a clean cut and is supposed to heal better (not that it was that bad last time).

My friends warned me they experienced weird postnatal contractions, which were pretty bad. Well, at least I am prepared …

Friends also told me with second child milk usually comes faster. Based on the fact that I already have colostrum, I believe them 🙂

So… the bag is 3/4 packed, the bedroom is almost ready, I need to finish some more laundry and hubby needs to install the carseat… and that’s pretty much it.

Looks like we’re ready.

36 weeks

Timothy turned two. When did all the time go? Two already!

At the same time, I think of how small and dependent and uncivilized he still is – and I think it will take full two years to get to this point with baby #2… it’s a long road, what can I say.

On the positive side, it looks like I finally found peace with the imminent plunge back into milk-soaked bras, night wakings and house arrest. Next Thursday is my last day at work and I am happy about it. Which means I am ready to exit the work force for now and become a full-time mom again (although Timothy will continue in daycare).

This weekend we will move around some furniture and install the infant carseat into my car.

I did most of the baby laundry this past week. While my stuff was making rounds through my friends’ houses, the baby stuff multiplied, it seems. The amount of clothes for 0-3 months is baffling! I probably have two dozens of sleepers alone. And then there are some onesies and pants and whatnot…

I should pack that l&d bag. I bought everything, I washed everything – I just need to pack!

2.5 weeks to go.

Ouch. Baby’s kicking!

We watched Timothy interact with a 4-month old this past weekend. It bodes well! At least for the first little while. Timothy watched the baby with such adoration, he stroked it and kissed it, he made faces to make baby laugh. He wasn’t jealous when I held the baby – on the opposite, he joined in with me singing to the baby! So adorable 🙂

Oh, I’m sure once our new baby starts crawling and grabbing Timothy’s toys, the dynamic will change. Still – I’ll take the short term peace over jealous tantrums with pleasure!

I am seeing my gyno tomorrow morning.

Heartburn, after being absent for about 10 days is back with vengeance.

If Timothy wakes me up in the middle of the night, I am having really hard time falling back to sleep. Sometimes it takes a full hour.

Overall, the sleepiness and tiredness have disappeared. I am once again ok to go to bed after 11 and get up at 7 am.

Belly is very heavy, walking is extremely uncomfortable, I am waddling like an overweight penguin, although my weight gain is low. Baby often resides on my bladder which makes walking very uncomfortable.

Nipples are still itchy, despite the lanolin cream.

Feet started to swollen, my shoes get tight around noon.

Linea negra didn’t appear this time around.

And I think that’s it for now…

35 weeks and gyno appointment

4 weeks to go. In 4 weeks, on Tuesday March 4, my second baby will be born.

Saw my gyno yesterday. Itchy cracking nipples – normal. Lovely.

Belly growth right on schedule. Total weight gain so far – 10 kilo. She thinks this baby won’t be quite as big as Timothy was (4.5 kilo or 10 pounds), and not simply because he’ll be born a full week earlier (Timothy was born at 40w2d). But then she says that now is when most of the growth is happening, so we’ll see.

I am indulging in whatever I want in terms of food and barely am gaining weight.

Baby obviously hasn’t read the books where they say it’s supposed to move much less due to lack of space. He MAKES space for himself to move. Oftentimes, it hurts. And he often presses in my bladder.

The heartburn is a little bit better – but then I go to bed much later now, leaving a bigger gap between meals and bedtime.

I am not sure why I am less sleepy. I typically go to bed after 11 pm now – like I used to before getting preggo.

2.5 weeks at work left.

Timothy is turning two this Friday.

Baby arriving in 4 weeks.

my boobs are already producing colostrum – I squeezed lightly and there it was. Apparently, that’s the reason ny nipples are drying and cracking.

Bottom line – I am ready for this next chapter to begin!