Week 38:
Easter was Sunday, April 20 2014. Happy Easter!!
On Monday I had a doctor's appointment. Gavin's heartbeat and my blood pressure were both perfect and I gained three pounds. Now for the exciting news... I was one centimeter dilated and thirty percent effaced. Effaced means how thin the cervix is and I had seventy percent to go before my cervix completely thinned out. My doctor could feel Gavin's head, which meant he dropped! I know one centimeter dilated doesn't seem like a big deal, but this was the start of my body getting ready to deliver my precious baby boy. Plus during this time I still had two weeks to go before my due date. My doctor said being one centimeter dilated and thirty percent effaced at only thirty-eight weeks, "wasn't bad for a first time mom." Even though Gavin dropped, I could still feel him above my ribs. He must be super long!
On Tuesday, Tommy and I went to a baby class offered at Babies R Us. We went to one of the classes last Tuesday, but I forgot to write about it in my last post. Last Tuesday's class dealt with breastfeeding concerns. I read a lot about breastfeeding and talked to many other moms about their experiences. The nurse who taught the class worked at a nearby hospital (not the one I would be delivering at). I pretty much knew everything the nurse talked about. But I did learn some things, so it wasn't a complete waste. This past Tuesday's class dealt with infant care and labor. The infant care part of the class didn't help much, it was all common sense (how to hold your baby, how to change a diaper, and so on). But the labor portion of the class was very helpful. I learned breathing techniques and Tommy learned different massaging techniques to help ease muscle pains during labor.
On Wednesday we had a sonogram appointment to check up on Gavin's growth and internal organs. Everything looked wonderful! The tech, Barbara, said Gavin's head and belly were more portioned than the last sonogram. She said Gavin had a great sized head and he should slip out easily (I wish it was that easy). Barbara estimated his current weight to be eight pounds and four ounces. WHAT?! HE'S ONLY THIRTY-EIGHT WEEKS!!??? She further explained that the estimate could be off by a pound, so he is between seven to nine pounds. Well, that information is useless. There is no way this baby is already over eight pounds. During my third sonogram appointment the doctor estimated Gavin's birth weight to be seven pounds five ounces. So, no one knows anything. We will know how much Gavin weighs when he is born. Gavin was being so stubborn during his sonogram photo shoot. He kept putting his hands over his face. This is the best picture Barbara took and all I can say is Gavin and Daddy are TWINS... LOOK AT THOSE LIPS!!
Mommy's Health: On Thursday night I felt horrible pains in my cervix. It felt like my cervix was being stabbed with a knife every time Gavin moved his head. I called my doctor and she said sharp pains near the cervix was normal. It meant he was moving down. Plus my cervix was still softening and thinning. She asked if I was contracting and I wasn't, so there was no need to go to the hospital. About an hour after I called my doctor, the pains stopped. Thank God... but I knew the worse was still to come. I was more than ready!Well that was enough excitement for one week!
Week 39:
Supplies:
- Tall, round 3 Quart container with a lid. (I use the second to largest container that comes in a plastic canister set for dry baking ingredients.)
- Better quality paper towels (the cheap paper towels don't work well on a dirty bottom)
- Knife to cut the paper towel roll in two (serrated knife works best)- Baby shampoo
- Baby oil (I have also used Avon's Skin So Soft)
Directions:
1. Cut a paper towel roll in half so you have two short rolls. I like to pre-cut several rolls at a time since the cutting process makes a mess and is the largest pain of the process. An electric knife is very helpful but not necessary. A husband to do this job is the best suggestion!
2. Set one roll inside the canister. Set the other half aside for next time.
3. Combine and stir together:
1 1/2 cup hot tap water
2 Tablespoon baby shampoo
2 Tablespoon baby oil
4. Pour the liquid mixture over the top of the paper towel roll. As the liquid soaks through, the moisture will loosen the cardboard center making it easy to pull out. If you get lucky, it will bring with it the end of the paper towel roll. If not, carefully pull on the wipes in the center to get the sequence going.
5. Pull out the amount of paper towels (from the center) that are needed. Reseal after each use.
6. If the wipes are not wet enough or the lid doesn't get put back on, just add more water. If the wipes are too moist, leave the lid off for a little while.
On Sunday there was a baby fair at a local hospital. It wasn't my hospital, but we went to check it out anyway. Well, the baby fair turned out to be lame. There were twelve vendors. Five out of the twelve tables were newborn photographers. There was also a table with information on storing baby cords, a daycare, a body caster (where this guy takes a molding of your pregnant belly and paints the molding so you can hang it on the wall....no thanks), and other random tables that I forgot about. We didn't win anything and it was a waste of time, except for the car seat check. A police officer outside the hospital checked to make sure car seats were installed correctly. She corrected ours and told us some safety tips and then we left.
The baby: is the size of a mini watermelon! Gavin is continuing to build a layer of fat and slough off the outer layer of his skin. The vernix is almost completely gone and the placenta is working hard to provide the antibodies to help protect him from infections in the outside world.
Mommy's Health: On Monday I had my weekly doctor's appointment after work. It turned out I wasn't close to meeting Gavin at all. I was only one and a half centimeters dilated and fifty percent effaced. Dr. B mentioned that if I am a week late, she wanted me to be induced. One week after my due date was May 9th, but she wanted me to be induced on Thursday, May 8th. Being induced means to artificially start a woman's labor. It is unnatural and I am not interested in being induced. Some women need to be induced for medical reasons, but I am as healthy as a horse and have no need or desire to be induced. Women who are induced are more likely to experience increased pain and a longer labor than women who deliver naturally. Legally, all women have up to two weeks to wait for the baby to come naturally without being induced. I knew I had to do anything and everything to get this baby out naturally! I didn't even reach my due date yet, so I wasn't worried. After the internal check, I went to wipe away the gel and I saw some blood on the paper towel. Tommy went to get Dr. B. She came back and told us the blood was normal because she was poking around up there.
The next day I woke up early and while I was getting ready for work I felt a trickle of water run down my leg. The first thing I thought was, "OMG! MY WATER BROKE!" I called Tommy and then my mom and told them what was going on. They were both working and told me to call the doctor. Doctor B was on call that week so I called the service line. Dr. B called me back and told me to go to the hospital. I called Tommy and my mom back and told them I was going to the hospital. I didn't want them to come all the way to the hospital unless the nurses confirmed my water broke and/or I was admitted. I drove to the hospital and had contractions all the way there. Once I arrived, one of the nurses took me into a room and told me to strip down and put a hospital gown on. The nurse hooked me up onto two different monitors. One monitor kept tract of my contractions and the other monitored the baby's heartbeat. The nurse could see I was having contractions, however, they were irregular. Sometimes they were six minutes apart and other times they were only two minutes apart. The nurse checked if my water broke. She took a long Q-Tip and circled it around my cervix for two minutes. Then she placed the Q-Tip in a small tube. We had to wait ten minutes for the test to detect the amniotic fluid. The test was similar to a pregnancy test. If the strip showed two lines, my water broke and if it showed one line, my water didn't break. Dr. B was on her way to the hospital because another patient was in labor. The nurse had me wait for Dr. B to come check up on me and send me home. The nurse could tell I was upset that it wasn't time for Gavin to come. She reassured me that me coming to the hospital was the right thing to do. I had all the labor symptoms: contractions and water dripping down my leg. We also checked up on the baby's heart beat, which was excellent. We were both healthy and I was happy to experience what it was like being on the maternity floor. As for the water running down my leg? Dr. B was pretty sure it was my mucus plug. Gavin was going to be here in no time, he just had to be!
After the hospital visit I did not return back to work that day, or the rest of the week for that matter. I was tired and stressed, so I took my maternity leave four days earlier. My last day was Friday anyway.
Week 40: May 2, 2014
My due date has arrived! Tommy and I tried everything to get this baby out! We took long walks every night with the puppies, we went off roading through bouncy dirt roads, we ate spicy foods, I sat and "hula hooped" on the birthing ball to try and open my cervix, and we even had sex a couple of times (that was eventful). Did any of these tricks help the baby come earlier? I have no idea! But not long after attempting these old wives tales, Gavin was born!
The baby: is the size of a small pumpkin! This week was my due date! May 2, 2014! It's not uncommon for this date to come and go. Approximately only five percent of women deliver on time.
We did not have time to get a pumpkin picture!
Mommy's Health: Alright ladies and
gentlemen, here it is... My birthing story!
First I want to say these past ten months have been the best months of my life. I loved being pregnant and I am looking forward to the months ahead with my growing family.
Ok, It all started on Sunday, May 4th 2014. Throughout the whole day I was having mild irregular contractions and night time wasn't much fun either. I never had any trouble sleeping at night. I usually got up once or twice to use the bathroom, but then I'd fall right back to sleep. But Sunday night was a rough night. I wasn't in any pain or even contracting, I just could not sleep. I sat up in bed, walked around, and tossed and turned the whole night... very unusual for me.
On Monday, May 5th 2014, I had my last doctor's appointment before the baby was born. It was at 9 a.m. and I was very tired, but hopeful that I was going to meet Gavin soon. I was supposed to meet with Dr. V, but she was at the hospital delivering other babies, so I had to meet with the Dr. B again. I lost three pounds, which is completely normal at the end of pregnancy. My blood pressure was great and Gavin's heartbeat was right on target. Now for the internal exam...AAAAANNNDDD I was only two centimeters dilated. GRRRR. Dr. B said my cervix turned down (for what? -_-) which apparently was a big deal. Blah. I didn't want to hear it. Dr. B discussed the arrangements for my inducing date. I had to go into labor before Thursday May 8th at 5:30 p.m. if I wanted to have Gavin naturally.
After the doctor's appointment I went home. I ate a big bowl of elbow macaroni with sauce and cheese, then went to sleep. I woke up at 2:30 p.m. with bad cramps. I went to the bathroom and after I wiped I noticed a decent amount of blood on the toilet paper. I looked in the toilet and saw drops of blood. I remembered last week when I was bleeding after my internal exam, but that was from the exam. There was something different about this time. Last week I wiped and there was a little bit of blood, this time there was a decent amount of blood dripping into the toilet. After every visit the doctors would always say, "Please call if you notice your baby isn't moving or if you are bleeding." So, I called the doctor just to make sure...better safe than sorry. I called the doctor's office thinking my doctor might want to see me in the office since it was was still open. Dr. V got on the phone and told me to go straight to the hospital. I called Tommy and my mom to tell them what happened and they both left work to meet me at the hospital.
I arrived at the hospital around 3:30 p.m. and changed into the stylish hospital gown (not). Then I was hooked up to the contraction monitor and baby heartbeat monitor in no time. My contractions were regular! They were less than five minutes apart and lasting for two minutes each. The nurse checked to see if my water broke. I didn't feel any liquid all day and there wasn't anything on my pants, but the test came back positive... There was a faint second line! I asked the nurse why I didn't feel any liquid. She said the amniotic sac might have had a small hole in it or maybe one of the membranes broke. After the news, Tommy and my mom walked through the door within minutes apart. I told them my contractions were regular and my water "broke." After an hour of wondering whether or not I was staying (I didn't get an official "yes" yet) I asked the nurse what was going to happen. The nurse turned to me and said two magical words: "You're staying." This was it! My baby was on his way!!!!!!!
The kit had:
-life saver mints because he has been my life saver through it all
-A coffee mug that says "Best Dad" with Foldgers instant coffee packets for the long nights
-A baby book "Just Me and My Dad" by Mercer Meyer for Tommy to read to Gavin
-Matching NY Giants shirt and onesie because that is Tommy's favorite sport and team
-A package of trail mix with Tommy's favorite snacks
He loved everything.
My mom and Tommy were my coaches and stayed in the room during Gavin's birth. Tommy's parents came, but waited in the waiting area outside of the maternity wing doors. They waited for a good ten hours for Gavin's arrival. I was in labor with Gavin for fourteen hours and the last fifty minutes were spent pushing him out. Not bad for my first time!!
Dr. V came in to say hello and check up on me. She said my water didn't fully break yet and if it didn't break naturally, she would have to break my water. This wouldn't happen until Gavin was closer to being born. She confirmed I was only two centimeters dilated. She also discovered Gavin pooped inside of me. Don't worry, it wasn't a big deal. The nurses just had to take him and syringe his mouth immediately so he wouldn't swallow any of it. Around 5:00 p.m. the contractions starting getting stronger... not terrible, but stronger. I used the birthing ball for the next four hours and it helped tremendously. If you don't know what a birthing ball is, they are like those big work-out balls that you can do sit-ups on. I used it to rock back and forth, move my hips in a hula hoop motion, and bounce up and down. The birthing ball helped because it put pressure on the cervix. This relieved some of the pain and pressure.
By 8:00 p.m. I was six centimeters. When I arrived at the hospital at 3:30 p.m. I was only two centimeters, so in four and a half hours I dilated four centimeters. Once I reached six centimeters all hell broke loose (I remember it was after 8:00 p.m. because dancing with the stars was on). I was in so much pain, it hurt soooooooooo bad. The worst pain in the world. I also felt nauseous and threw up twice, Dr. V came in to check on me and decided it was time to break the rest of my water. I had to get off my birthing ball and onto the hospital bed. After Dr. V broke my water, the fluid gushed out all over the place. The intense pressure was now released and I felt great... for two minutes. Then the contractions kicked into overdrive. I went back on the birthing ball and bounced. The fluids were still pouring out of me and it didn't look like water. The water was greenish brownish because the baby pooped in me. The nurses cleaned my mess while I tried to take my mind off of the contractions by watching DWTS, but I couldn't concentrate on anything else. For the next two hours I cried and cried and screamed and cried. I couldn't take the pain anymore. Tommy was rubbing my back the whole time, which helped A TINY bit. At 10:00 p.m. Dr. V came back to check how many centimeters I was dilated. With all of this pain, I thought for sure I reached ten centimeters. She told me I was only seven centimeters. In two hours I only dilated one centimeter?? I cried again, well still. Really? Seven?? Dr. V said my dilating slowed down and I still had plenty of time to go. Great.
Dr. V encouraged me to get the epidural. The nurses encouraged me to get the epidural. Tommy begged for me to get the epidural. After I heard my dilating slowed down and I still had three centimeters to go, I cracked and got the damn thing. I couldn't deal with the pain any longer. Fifteen minutes later (which felt like fifteen hours later) the anesthesiologist walked into my room with an IV cart and a box. He took his sweet time putting together whatever was in his science kit. He proceeded to ask me questions like, "Are you allergic to anything?" and "Are you aware of the epidural procedure?" I was in so much pain I answered "Hurry up, this hurts!!" to every question. I just wanted him to stick the needle in my back and shut up. After the inquisition, it was finally time to get the epidural. I had to get off the birthing ball and sit on the bed. Then I had to sit still for TEN MINUTES while he gave me the epidural. TEN MINUTES?? I was contracting every two minutes, are you kidding me?? Tommy basically sat on my lap to hold my legs together while I had to arch my back like a cat. He finally put the needle in my back. It burned and pinched a little, but nothing compared to the excruciating pain in my uterus. Then, he taped my back with what felt like Scotch packing tape. This held the needle in place. I had tape ALL OVER my back. He finished and I was still in pain. I was crying, "When is this going to start working??" He replied calmly, "in about twenty to thirty minutes." UGHGUGUHUGHUGUHGUGUHHHHH. Every time I had a contraction for the next twenty to thirty minutes, I made sure everyone in my room was aware that it hurt. One minute after the epidural injection: "IT STILL HURTS!!" Two minutes after that: "I CAN STILL FEEL THEM!!!!" Two minutes after that: "THIS FREAKING HURTS!!!" And you get the picture. FINALLY my legs started feeling super heavy. I couldn't even lift them up. I couldn't feel anything from the waist down. Nothing. No contractions! This was the best decision of my life, well besides marrying Tommy and deciding to get pregnant.
Shortly after the sweet relief from the epidural, I fell asleep. I had a dream that I saw Gavin. I couldn't really see his face, but I dreamt I had already given birth and he was in the room with me. Then he was gone.
I woke up and Tommy was sitting next to me. I guess I thought my dream was real because he asked me how I felt and I answered, "Give me back my Gavin, you took him from me. I saw you." Tommy nervously replied, "No hunny, you didn't have the baby yet. He is still inside of you." Of course he would tell me that, he was the one who stole my baby. I wasn't going to believe him. I said," No, you took him, I want him back." My mom heard our conversation and walked over. She tried to clear up the situation and explained to me, "No sweetie, you didn't have the baby yet. He is in your belly. Feel." I guess that convinced me because I said, "oh" and fell back to sleep. Weird right? I slept until 2:50 a.m. and woke up to Dr. V and four nurses in my room. One of the nurses introduced herself as "the baby catcher," ha-ha very funny, like babies really shoot out that fast. And of course Tommy and my mom were in my room as well. I was just about to ask why there were so many people in my room, when Dr. V said Gavin was starting to come out and it was time to start pushing... WHAT!!? Already?! This was it!!! ...Well thank God I got that nap in...
I couldn't feel my contractions because of the epidural, but I could feel the intense pressure from Gavin moving down. The nurses monitored my contractions on the computer screen and told me when to start pushing. Every time I had a contraction I pushed for ten seconds three times in a row. These ten seconds were the longest seconds ever. Tommy held my left leg up and a nurse held my right leg. My mom was the photographer and took plenty of pictures for me. I wore an oxygen mask because I held my breath while pushing through the contractions. In between each push I took a quick breath to get ready for the next push and the oxygen mask really helped. When the nurse told me to push, I pushed with all of my might. The first ten seconds were always easiest. Then I took a quick breath and started pushing with all of my might for the next set of ten seconds. The last set was the worst of them all. For each set, Dr. V counted the seconds while I pushed. During the last sets I pulled a lot of: 1...2...3...4...5...6,7,8,9,10!!! I stopped pushing because I had nothing left in me. This was probably why it took me fifty minutes to push him out. Dr. V could feel Gavin's head and used her finger to determine how many more inches he had to go before he was born. I loved watching Tommy's face (except for the face he made after I pooped, which later he told me I pooped four times...thanks babe).
Every time Dr. V said Gavin was getting closer, Tommy's face lit up and he kept cheering me on to push harder. After thirty minutes of pushing I couldn't do it anymore. "JUST TAKE HIM OUT PLEASE DR.V... JUST PULL HIM OUT!! CAN'T YOU JUST PULL HIM OUT? I NEED HELP!" Dr. V was very calm through the birth. Partly because she was at the hospital delivering babies since Saturday with minimal sleep. It was now 3:15 on Tuesday morning and she was basically falling asleep. Dr. V said once she stood up that meant Gavin was here! My goal: Make Dr. V stand up. Twenty minutes later Tommy yelled excitedly, "I CAN SEE HIS HEAD!! HE HAS HAIR!!" This encouraged me to make the next push...THE push. With everything I had left in me, I pushed... hard. Dr. V had to do an episiotomy. An episiotomy is when the doctor makes an incision to give the baby more room to exit. In addition to the episiotomy, I ripped all the way to the first layer of skin in my rectum. yeah, ow. After the rip, Gavin shot out like a cannon ball. I felt instant relief. "The Catcher" caught Gavin (they weren't kidding) and Tommy cut the cord. The nurse took Gavin to the little bed in the corner of the room to make sure no poop entered his mouth. I caught a glimpse of my gorgeous baby and just wanted to hold him. But it was going to be a little while longer before I could...
Dr. V. took the placenta out and put it into the tray next to her. Then all of a sudden, I felt extremely light headed. I knew something didn't feel right and I looked at Dr. V. She was more alert than ever and looked concerned. I looked at Tommy who had a panicky look on his face. My mom went somewhere to get out of everyone's way. I started feeling dizzy and I couldn't see straight. I felt Dr. V push her hand all the way up my vagina. Was that a normal procedure? A nurse kept pushing down right below my belly-button. While all of this was going on, another nurse tapped me repeatedly on the face saying, "Lindsay I need you to stay awake, focus on me. Keep your eyes open, Lindsay." I opened my eyes, but I only saw black. I seriously thought I was going to die. I heard Tommy ask if everything was going to be okay. Now I was worried. Dr. V was stitching me up (which took forty-five minutes) while nurses scrambled around. Dr. V told a nurse to hook my IV up to Pitocin (which is used to help a pregnant woman's uterus contract...but I already had the baby?!). Another nurse grabbed my left leg and stabbed a shot into the top of my thigh. What the hell was going on?? I opened my eyes again and tried to focus on the nurse who was still tapping my face. She was blurry, but at least I wasn't seeing black. After Dr. V finished stitching me up, a nurse sat me up and I could see straight. The nurse placed Gavin on me and I immediately started crying. He was gorgeous. I couldn't believe he was mine. I made him. He was finally here, I could see him, touch him, hold him, and kiss him. I am proud and honored to finally introduce Gavin Thomas to the word. Born at 3:35 a.m. on May 6th, 2014, weighing 8 lbs and 7 oz, 21 inches long, here is Gavin Thomas:
So the next day, Dr. V filled me in on what actually happened. After Gavin was delivered, I started to hemorrhage. I lost more than two liters of blood which caused me to feel dizzy and black out. But wasn't all. On the last push, my uterus started coming out. Thankfully after Gavin and the placenta were delivered. Dr. V explained how the uterus is shaped like a light bulb. The bottom part of the uterus looks like the bottom part of a light bulb (the part that gets screwed into a lamp). Well, the bottom part of my uterus started coming out. That's why Dr. V had her hand/arm up my vagina. She was pushing my uterus back up into my body. The nurse was pushing down underneath my belly-button to try and harden my flimsy uterus. She also had to keep my uterus in place while Dr.V stitched me up. The Pitocin in my IV made my uterus contract to help it harden faster. And the shot? I forgot what that was for.
For the rest of my hospital stay, Dr. V and the nurses had to monitor my blood pressure. Because I lost so much blood, I almost had to get a blood transfusion. I ended up not getting one. Instead, I took an iron pill three times a day in addition to my prenatal vitamin. I also took a stool softener twice a day because the iron made my stools hard (ouch). I ripped bad enough and I didn't need to rip anymore.
The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday morning I felt so weak. I couldn't get up to use the bathroom because I was so dizzy. I tried using a bed pan, but I couldn't go. I ended up having to get a catheter, which was no fun now that the epidural wore off. I also pooped four times in my bed because I couldn't get up to walk to the bathroom. The bathroom was only six feet away, but it felt like miles. The nurses were great. Tommy held me up while they cleaned me and changed my sheets and blankets. Whenever a new nurse was on shift, they would come into my room saying, "It's the hallway hero!" They were all so impressed that I breastfed and took care of Gavin throughout all of the fiasco. Of course I breastfed and took care of my baby, he came first!! Plus Tommy was there to take care of Gavin too. Luckily, breastfeeding came easy to Gavin and me. The nurses showed me different ways to hold him and how to properly latch. We were pros by the time it was time to go home.
After Gavin was born I was finally able to have a turkey sub! As some of you may know, cold cuts may contain listeria. Listeria is a bacteria that can be killed by children and adult stomach acids, however, it can harm a fetus. On Tuesday, Tommy bought me the sub I was dying for throughout my whole pregnancy and it was deeeelish.
Many visitors came to the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday. We also had visitors over our house to meet Gavin. Everyone was head-over-heels in love with Gavin and raved on and on about my gorgeous son.
On Wednesday morning, the pediatrician that works in the hospital came to check up on Gavin around 6 a.m. He goes by his first name and wears work-out clothes, very weird. Anyway, he came into my room while we were all sleeping. Tommy was sleeping on the pull out couch/bed, I was sleeping in my bed, and Gavin was sleeping next to me because I am a believer in co-sleeping/the family bed. He said in a rather loud voice, "GOOOD MORRRRNING." I woke up and he scolded, "We need to talk...this right here is a no no." He was talking about Gavin sleeping in bed with me. I understood the hospital was responsible if something happened to Gavin, but there was no reason to be rude. So right off the bat I wasn't thrilled about this pediatrician. His prime reason for coming into my hospital room was to inform us that Gavin had a slight case of jaundice. Jaundice refers to the yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells. It is very common for newborns to have jaundice, but could be a potential problem if the baby has a high percentage of bilirubin. The pediatrician said we could still go home the next day, (Thursday) but we needed to come back Friday to retest Gavin's blood. At least we could still go home the next day.
Later on that day, Gavin was taken by Dr. B to get circumcised. He was only gone an hour, but I was worried sick over the procedure and I missed him so much. That was the first time I was apart from Gavin. Wednesday night/early morning the nurses took Gavin to get his hearing test and blood test done. This time they were only gone for twenty minutes, but I still missed him.
The hospital has a photographer who offers free newborn photo sessions. Before we left, she asked if we wanted a newborn photo shoot. Of course I said yes, I have a major obsession with pictures. I ended up buying the rights to all the pictures and bought every single one. Here are some of my favorites:
On Thursday morning we packed up everything because we were going home!! We waited for the nurses to come and check Gavin and me. My blood pressure was still very low. Since Gavin's birth, he lost a pound. It is completely normal for a newborn to lose weight after he or she is born. But we were all healthy enough to go home.
On Friday we went back to the hospital's pediatrician to get the beilirubin test done and to get his weight checked. In one day Gavin gained weight and was back to his birth weight. My breast milk was doing it's job! We met with the other doctor, who was not much better than the rude one. He sent us to the lab for Gavin's blood work to check the beilirubin levels. The lab was backed up, so we were sent to the maternity floor upstairs. One of the nurses I knew took blood from Gavin's foot and sent us back to the pediatrician. We ended up waiting FOUR hours, yes, four hours with a three day old newborn. The test results took forever, I was furious. We finally received the results and Gavin's beilirubin levels stayed the same, which was in the "safe zone." So we left and never went back. Don't get me wrong, there were many pros about this pediatrician office. The staff was nice, they had great hours and even weekend hours, the office was close to home, and the office was inside the hospital. But I was uncomfortable with both doctors and I didn't trust them with my child.
The good news is I found an excellent pediatrician who has been recommended by many trustworthy people. This pediatrician has two offices, one in the town where I work (in case I need to take Gavin there if he gets sick at school) and one close to home. I love Gavin's new pediatrician. He listens to me and let's me make my own decisions that are best for Gavin. For example, I do not want Gavin to receive his shots all at once. I believe there are too many immunizations given at one time. I want them separated by at least two weeks. Well I can proudly say Gavin receives one shot every month. This doctor is great to work with and I trust him with my child.
Well that wraps up my pregnancy and the birth. It's been quit a journey and I wouldn't change a single thing. I'm so in love with my son and looking forward to raising him to be a perfect gentleman.
In case you were wondering, I plan on blogging about important baby topics. Check back every so often!
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