Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Sharable Allergies
Posted on: August 19, 2009
So Huzby comes home from work with a runny nose, congestion, sore throat, etc. but is sure that it is allergies because he looked at the the WebMD “Is It Allergies or a Cold” article.
Turns out, that article is not always correct. I of course am also culpable for not being more forceful on the whole, let’s just make sure why don’t you keep a little distance for a few days. So I get the cold as well. I hope that the whole breastfeeding thing will keep it away from the baby. And it seems to work.
Until yesterday, when we were given a very screechy and cranky baby who would not sleep for any length of time, seems to have a sore throat and a new very high pitched squeak to her cry. The doctor said she doesn’t need to come in unless she seems worse and recommended sleeping in a room with a cool mist vaporizer and saline drops in her nose a few times a day. We immediately retreated to the bedroom with the Penguin Vaporizer at full blast, which seemed to really help, and are breastfeeding/napping-for-short-periods around the clock.
Infant colds are not fun, but it is not the end-all either. For now, it seems that we are sticking to the bedroom most of the day, nursing for very long periods of time, and simply weathering the storm.
Also, being much more careful in the fall. The curious part of all this is Huzby is extremely conscious of the whole flu situation – his work has been sending out regular updates ever since the Swine Flu hit and has been emphasizing washing hands/sanitizer/staying-home-when-sick for much longer than any other company we know of. We are monitoring the news about the Swine Flu vaccine and plan on getting it as soon as it is available, since Squeaker will be under 6 months old and not eligible for any flu vaccines until at least December. I am even mentally prepping myself for confinement if there seems to be a big outbreak this fall, since I realize that it is not worth risking an infant sickness just so I can go to yoga/the city/Wegmans. And yet, we still have a summer cold.
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Also, I plan to post more frequently. Squeaker hosted her first big party this past weekend – a Lobster Fest due to friends from Boston bringing down fresh specimens – and was a great host. She slept in her sling on my chest for most of the night, but enjoyed all the hoopla and didn’t mind me getting lobster bits on her during my shameful attempt to crack open the claws.
Sleepy Baby
Posted on: July 28, 2009
One thing that I knew before being a mother that has been reinforced over the past few weeks: trial and error teaches much more than all of the baby books in the world. Not that I have read many baby books – I prefer quick snippets online regarding the basics to be on the lookout for this week, not a litany of possible problems that will make me neurotic.
Anyway.
Sleep is a big trial and error area. One day, Squeaker only took one nap – about two hours long – in the middle of the day. There were other short periods of closed eyes, but no deep sleep. By 8 pm, she was miserable. Screaming, wailing, arms flailing and inconsolable. We got in the car, which quieted her temporarily, but once we got back home it was more of the same. After 2 + hours, she finally went to sleep, but it did not last for more than 2 hours until about 4 am. Then, she finally put in a good 4 hours of sleep and woke up a happy baby.
Since then, we have stuck to a plan – not a schedule – but a plan. If she has been up for a few hours, we try nursing, changing and taking a nap. It has worked so far…
Now, she has just gone down. It is time for our postnatal yoga class, so hopefully she will continue to sleep for a few more hours and I can actually get in more than two exercises.
Baby Notes
Posted on: July 23, 2009
Things not to forget:
At one day and one month old, Squeaker gained two new skills: holding up her head for extended periods of time and cooing. These have made her lots of fun – she really has a personality now and will tell you what she wants. The only problem is deciphering that…sometime she wants to snuggle close, other times she wants to test out that whole standing up thing.
I love it when she is tired and nursing. She nurses until full, then pulls off and lets her head fall back onto my breast, using her cheek to nuzzle it into a comfortable pillow.
The first time that Huzby went to the store for diapers, he looked for baby stuff near the pet food aisle. Because he thought that pets and babies would be classified closely.
She really smiles at me and her favorite people now. She loves her Mommy and Daddy, she loves the cousins she met down the beach this weekend who shared their toys with her…she is a happy baby when she isn’t tired.
But when she is tired…oh boy. We still haven’t figured out the whole going to sleep thing – she loves sleeping in the car, but otherwise hates napping. She sleeps great at night though – in her crib as long as it is dark outside, then with Mommy & Daddy.
These really aren’t cohesive…I want to do a full post sometime. I just wanted to make a resolution to start writing down the things that I love, every day.
Baby Time
Posted on: July 8, 2009
There is no way to estimate the amount of time a baby will consume. Whatever you estimate, triple it. Add 100,000 times more. Speaking of…someone just woke from a deep sleep straight into screams.
…….
Now typing with left hand only. Am a rightie.
…….
Squeaker (Critter’s post-womb name) (she squeaks a lot) is now balanced precariously on lap between forearms. This is somewhat awkward looking but seems to be…not working as she just face planted and now needs to eat.
…….
I give up. Will try to post again later.
Squeaker's Favorite Book
For now – look at the art lover!
Penelope Rose
Posted on: June 22, 2009
Well…that did not go as expected.
The day after my last post was my 40 week prenatal appointment – one day before my due date. My doctor did the usual checks, then was rechecking the position when she looked…concerned. Where the head should be was a bit softer than expected. She wasn’t sure if the head was just positioned oddly or if the baby had happened to flip at some point – or if we had been wrong on the position for months – and was actually breech. So we were sent straight over to the hospital across the street for an ultrasound. Huzby had happened to come to this appointment – he had not come to every appointment since they switched to every two weeks, then every week, as he just could not take off work that much. I was so glad he was there – I would have been (more of) a wreck if I had been alone.
Into the ultrasound, where we learned that yep, that round part down there was her bum and the round object in my ribs was her head. She was in fact in a “frank breech” presentation, a full pike position with her head at her head.
Crap.
Back to the OB’s office, where we learned our options.
1. Wait and see if she turns on her own. (Extremely unlikely.)
2. Straight to a c-section. (What the hell was all the yoga for?)
3. Try an external version – basically, the doctor uses her brute strength to try to turn the baby in my belly. If that works, straight to induced labor so that the baby does not have time to flip back. If not, straight to c-section.
Did I mention: Crap?
I really wanted to have a vaginal birth, even if it had to be induced. C-sections scared the crap out of me. The scar, the long recovery, the fact that I had to have surgery…
Can you see where this is going?
The version was an interesting experience. My OB decided to give me an epidural first so that I would not be in pain during the version, and so that it would already be started for whichever type of exit the baby would take. I had always planned to delay getting an epidural as long as possible but to have it in place before actually beginning to push, and I would definitely need it for a c-section, so this made sense. If the version worked, I would have a full labor, just without any pain from contractions.
The version did not work. My doctor made three attempts – the first was the closest we got. She slipped about half way around, then went straight back to her pike position. Of course, my husband made her laugh and loose her grip that time…but I am trying real hard to not hold that against him.
I will save the story of the c-section for another day – along with the rest of my (extended) hospital stay.
But for now…
Penelope Rose
June 11, 2009 – 1:30 pm
7 lb 3 oz
19 1/2 inches
Not Worried. Really.
Posted on: June 8, 2009
Things I am worried about:
1. The very large pile of laundry to be folded on my bed.
2. I think Critter may be a boy and the nursery closet is full of bright pink frills.
3. I think of #2 often because those closets still have no doors. The doors are laying in my living room downstairs.
4. The floors really need to be cleaned, but the vacuum is heavy and it is hot outside.
5. Last night, Huzby filled the new bird feeder that I hung right outside the new bay window so I could watch the birds. This morning, it is almost empty. It holds over a pound of food and is supposedly squirrel proof. We either have really smart quirrels or extremely hungry birds.
Things I am not worried about although everyone else thinks I should be (or they are):
1. The fact that I am due in two days.
2. This impending deadline means I will have to give birth to a baby.
3. Things are…happening…down there…so I am on contraction watch ’09.
4. They expect me to take the baby home a few days after delivery.
Oddly, though…the first list is what is bothering me. Many, many women give birth every day and it all works out. I really am not too worried – what will happen will happen, and until then I will keep doing my yoga poses to get the baby in the correct position and my ****** stretchy enough to let her/him through.
Now, though, it is off to tackle that pile of laundry and possibly induce labor by bringing those doors upstairs.
One Week. Seriously.
Posted on: June 3, 2009
You know, when I first found out about this incredible – and surprising – event that was to take place 7 weeks in, it seemed very far off. As in, “wow, that is a long time without beer.” Now, I am looking at events on Huzby’s beer calendar and thinking, “hmmm…I may be able to have a drink that day.”
So maybe not the normal way to mark time in pregnancy, but it works for me.
Things are…happening. Critter has dropped at least somewhat – the amount of times I have used the bathroom in the last two days is ridiculous. As in, I need to go buy more toilet paper ridiculous. At my doctor’s appointment yesterday, I was pronounced 1-2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Which means…just about nothing. It could be today, it could be two weeks. I have my final hair/nails/eyebrow appointment today that I am really looking forward to, so as long as I get through that, I will be happy.
It is weird – now whenever I see someone, they wish me “good luck if I don’t see you before…” I have been a little more nervous since I found out about the whole Strep B thing, and now I tend to call the nurse when I have a question (only once a week, apparently I am calling a lot less than normal, which she seems to appreciate). I also do have my birth plan completed and doctor-reviewed. I think she liked it – she kissed my cheek and said it looked like a L&D Nurse’s perfect birth plan.
So…we are almost there. And I even cleaned out the fridge last night. If I can get the freezer done – and maybe even the closet doors in the nursery hung – I will be a happy woman.
Stretch Marks and Strep B
Posted on: May 29, 2009
There are two things that are somewhat bothering me about the final weeks of pregnancy: one extremely superficial and one a touch more serious.
1 – Stretch Marks. I knew I would get them, considering I got a good number of them during puberty and when I was weight training in high school. However, the doppler effect now radiating across my lower stomach – and oddly, the sides of my hips – caught me a bit off guard. I realize there is nothing I can do, and I still apply my Belly Butter just to keep them from itching constantly. And yet – I am really hoping that once my stomach returns to a smaller size they will be much less noticable.
2 – Strep B. I understand that this is not a big deal, but this worried me. I actually found out about this last week, but it took some time to consider it rationally. I had read about this in those “what to expect this week/month” chapters and websites, but they all have no more than a sentence on the topic. I actually had not known anyone with Strep B during pregnancy, so I did not realize how commonplace this was. Apparently, 10 – 40% of women are Strep B carriers. What I can not figure out is how many actually test positive during pregnancy.
What does it mean? Basically, I need to be more careful about keeping track of the baby’s movements, call if I have severe headaches or swelling, and have an IV of antibiotics during labor. As soon as my water breaks or my contractions establish a regular pattern, I need to get to the hospital so that the IV can be started at least 4 hours before delivery.
Finally, I will not have regular internal exams leading up to pregnancy to reduce the risk of infection. If I have contractions (like I was this week the morning of my appointment), she will do a quick check for dilation, but no stretching or stripping of membranes, etc. So there will be no helping along of the labor process – as I reach my due date, I am still on my own. And since I am expecting to be at least a week late anyway, I am probably closer to three weeks from giving birth than my projected two.
This is really not a big deal – there is almost no risk to the baby as long as I get to the hospital and receive the IV prior to going into active labor. Still…I would have rathered not have the worry.
I Feel Pregnant.
Posted on: May 27, 2009
I’ve had a great pregnancy – really, for the most part, feeling pretty normal. The usual stuff, of course, and this one issue with a pre-existing bad hip feeling like it has aged 100 years, and requiring a bit of extra momentum to get out of chairs and bed, but really I’ve felt great.
I now feel really pregnant.
I mean, I am exhausted. I could sleep every day, all day. The hammock is now my favorite place on earth (except for when I leave it unexpectedly), I am constantly thirsty, I can rarely eat more than a few bites of food at a time due to there being a small bottom and set of legs where my stomach used to be, I survive on M&Ms and I am Sore. All Over. And Swollen. All Over.
I know this is to be expected – I am full term, nine months pregnant. And I am not at that stage where I want to be done. I still love seeing my stomach jostle and feeling Critter move about. My favorite is when I feel her whole body twitch, just like I do when I wake up suddenly from a dream. I think she does the same thing, because it usually happens after she has been very quiet for awhile. I also am savoring every moment that I have alone, or just me and Huzby. I know that even on quiet nights, in a few weeks we will still have to take care of another creature. Someone more demanding than a cat who desires his food bowl to be replenished every time he eats a single bite.
But for now, I feel pregnant.
Doing Nothing
Posted on: May 18, 2009
Saturday was absolutely fabulous – great weather until around 10:30 pm, so plenty of time to sit out on the deck with great friends, decimate many crabs and watch everyone drink beer. It was one of those great parties where everyone felt at home, so they helped themselves to anything around the house. Some people may not like this but I would rather people search the fridge themselves than run in and out of the house all afternoon. Especially when over 8 months pregnant.
However, after staying up well past midnight and hosting a party – even an awesome, casual one – I was ready for a day off. So yesterday, we did nothing. I unloaded/reloaded the dishwasher once and Huzby cleaned off the crab pots. That is it. A messy kitchen has a tendency to make me crazy, but then I thought: in a few weeks, even a day of doing nothing will still be filled. There will still be changing, feeding, bouncing, walking and who knows what else to be done. A day where Huzby and I can sit and do nothing – watch some movies, play some games, basically veg – will be hard to come by.
So for now, I will let the mess wait for when I feel like cleaning. The chance to relax is too precious to give up.
Mama Geek 