3 & 4 week update

I'm behind with blogging along with writing thank you cards, making phone calls, and looking through my pile of mail that J put aside for me.  If I can summarize the past month with one word...it's 'survival'.  Time heals wounds and I'm glad to be on the mend!  Since I was feeling better physically, I felt like I could tackle nursing and called my friend's lactation consultant.   Linda, the consultant, explained and acted out certain behaviors Isabella made to help me better understand her...the visual was helpful!  Another helpful tip was to get my Medela pump evaluated for proper suction and mold behind the plate just in case some milk went back there since the machine is a hand me down.  I went to the Breastfeeding Resource Center in Abington for a free evaluation and it passed.  Calling a lactation consultant was worth the $, insurance covers $100, and she makes house calls...even better!  Thanks CT for the recommendation.

Baby girl is eating well and is 10 1/2 pounds!  I can't get over how much Isabella is growing and changing each week...her cheeks are chubbier, her hands and feet look so much bigger, she's become more alert, and fussy.   

Some first's:

• First trip outside was to Costco (We stayed in the car while J shopped)
• Isabella turned a month old on Thanksgiving Day
• We brought baby girl to church this past Sunday and she woke up during the last praise song
• Baby's first snow was yesterday 
• Went to home group tonight with Isabella

2 weeks old!

Wednesday morning, baby I's umbilical cord fell out after a feeding and she "saw" her first wet snow fall.   Baby girl is growing well and gained almost a pound since last week's first pediatrician appointment.  At her 2 week appointment today, baby girl is healthy, but has a umbilical cord hernia.  Straining and crying do not cause hernias; however, the increased pressure in the abdomen can make a hernia more noticeable.  For some reason, it occurs more often in girls than in boys.  Praying it heals soon and then we can give baby I her first bath!  If the hernia doesn't heal on it's own, she'd need surgery.  :(

I'm feeling much better and can walk more freely around the house.  Delivery was hard! I had 3rd degree tears, hemorrhoids, and elephant legs that felt like a ton of bricks that I couldn't lift...a side effect from the epidural.  On top of everything else, we went to the emergency room to get some antibiotics for a urinary tract infection on Halloween night.  After spending four hours at the new Einstein hospital in the suburbs, we finally left with a prescription for Amoxicillin.  A few days later, my nurser practitioner called with my sensitivity rate from my urine sample and suggested another antibiotic, Macrobid, that would be more effective for the bacteria I have.  She was right, but the Amoxicillin took the edge off when I needed it.  I felt like a mess for a week and a half and am glad to be on the mend...it's all worth it for our baby girl!

I'm thankful for my mom, mother-in-law, family, and friends who have helped us since we came home...the meals, groceries, cleaning, and help with feedings so we can nap have been such a blessing. 

1 week old!

Our baby girl is 1 week old!  Isabella is our gift from God and miracle baby.  She came into the world at 39 weeks on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 1:29 AM.  She weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 21 inches in length.  Our daughter is strong, healthy, and absolutely adorable.  We're so in love and thankful that are arms are no longer empty, but full, with our 7 lb. 13 oz. bundle of joy (she lost some weight).  Still amazed with our take home baby who we get to love, keep, and raise.  I'm slowly recovering from delivery and adjusting to functioning on less sleep :) 

Overdue posts of weeks 37, 38, & 39!

I wrote this post on Tuesday, October 23, but didn't publish it for some reason...my water broke the next morning at 7:30 AM!

I've felt fatigued the past few weeks and fell behind on updates.  Baby I is fully developed and doesn't seem ready to come into the world yet, even though we're ready to meet her.  I had a dream this morning that we were playing with her...hope she comes soon!  Our hospital bag is packed, infant car seat's installed, our living will/power of attorney is complete, but the nursery is not quite organized.  In terms of symptoms, I feel tightness in my belly when I walk too long or do too much.  When resting, Baby I favors the left side of my belly and my belly looks like an awkward slope.  It looks funny!  She moves often and hiccups almost every evening for a couple minutes.  :)  Sleep is so-so because getting in and out of bed is a slow process.  The solution is to wear a satiny pajama and slide off the bed.


Week 37- Heartbeat is in the 150's range.  Tested negative for Group B Strep and won't need antibiotics during labor.  Per babycenter.com, our baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If I go into labor now, her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb.  Our baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard).  Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Week 38 -  Heartbeat is 145, my blood pressure is normal, my cervix is soft and not dilated.  Estimated size is upper 7lbs!  I'm walking and getting foot massages from J to bring on contractions. 
According to babycenter.com, she has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Week 39 - OB appt is this Thursday. (I never made this appointment because baby girl was born at 1:29 AM)