Labor and Delivery

So many of you know that I am heartbroken that I lost my camera that we had at the hospital with us. I hadn't downloaded any of the pictures to my computer so all of my first moments with my baby boy are gone. But thankfully I did get some hospital pictures from my parents so I do have some pictures of him brand new. Ok so on to this FUN post :)

Brian, his parents and my mom were at this hospital for my induction. Brian, my mom and I arrived at the hospital at 5am. Anxious, excited and ready to meet this precious and stubborn baby boy. Because I wanted to do this without an epidural I requested a Doula (birthing coach) that are free to patients at Lexington Medical Center where I delivered. They started my pitocin at 6am. The Doula arrived around 7:15 and the Doctor came to check on things at 8am. At that time I was still 1 1/2cm dilated and about 60% effaced.

The Doula was amazing in helping with my labor. She assisted in helping me move from the bed to the recliner to be able to change position, gave me foot and leg massages, popsicles and ice and LOTS of encouragement!

At 2:30pm the doctor came to check me again and I was about 2cm and 80% effaced. He broke my water at 2:32pm and that's when I decided that I needed something to ease the pain. After they broke my water I had already been in labor for 8 1/2 hours without any medication and was not progressing very quickly. They gave me neubain which helped a little bit but wore off very quickly. At 4:45pm after almost 11 hours of natural labor I asked for an epidural. I got my epidural at 5pm THANKFULLY. They checked me at 5:30pm and I was ONLY 3cm and 80% effaced. At that point I convinced myself that getting the epidural was what was necessary for me to complete this delivery. After almost 12 hours of labor I had only dilated 1 1/2cm...there was no way I would be able to deliver by the time I had finally reached 10 cm.

The nurse checked me again at 7:30pm and I was 4cm and 80% effaced.
I was checked again at 9:20pm and was 6cm and 90%. At this point I started getting excited. In 2 hours I had progressed 2 cm!! Things were moving along more quickly and hopefully soon I would get to meet our baby boy.

I was checked again at 11:10pm and was still 6cm and 90%.

The nurse let me sleep some and I wasn't checked again until 2:10am. The nurse came in and checked me and said that I was 7-8cm but felt that I was 80% effaced. She didn't understand why he wasn't coming down like he should be. During labor they would have to come in and change my position because his heart rate was decelerating and they were becoming concerned by this point that this was to much stress on him.

The nurse and doctor decided that it was time to do a c-section. I, of course, broke down in tears devastated that I wasn't able to deliver him the "normal" way. But with the encouragement from my amazing family, the wonderful nurses and Doula I came to terms that what was important was that he would be here very soon for me to hold in my arms. They prepped me for the OR and gave Brian his cute outfit to wear lol. They made me drink some nasty stuff to help with the acid in my stomach and I immediately felt sick but chalked it up to nerves. They wheeled me back to the OR where it was FREEZING and I immediately knew I was going to throw up. After insisting that it was going to happen the nurse gave me something to catch it and I then very quickly became over anxious about what was about to happen. I was about to have major abdominal surgery while awake. I know that they do this every day but it was my first time and something that was making me very scared. Thankfully I had a wonderful anesthesiologist there that was very comforting and my doula was there as well.

Soon they brought Brian in and it was time for them to start things.
Brison Jacob was born on 11/11/2011 at 3:12 am. He weighed 7lbs 11oz and was 20 1/2in long. He did have a good bit of hair and he was PERFECT!

We immediately decided that he has the Freeman nose! He was finally here and he was mine...something that I had never thought would happen. I can not describe the love that I felt the moment that I met him. It is something that I will never ever forget. And I will never forget the HUGE smile on Brian's face. He was the proudest daddy to have his little boy here. It still brings tears to my eyes!

On to the pictures...many of you will probably say "I can't believe she put pictures on here looking like that" but that's the reality of it and I'm okay with it :)

This was my last belly shot...Here I am 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant.

I was HUGE!

Here I am in the recliner eating ice chips. Yes that is a sarcastic smile...I was IN LABOR! You can see some of my contractions on the screen behind me.

Labor was hard work for Daddy too LOL!

This is me and Diane, my Doula, getting ready for the OR.

Here's Brian all ready for the OR.

Here is our last picture as a family of 2.

Here is Brison brand new. This was him being wheeled to the nursery.

This is one of my FAVORITE pictures.

I love that smile on Brian's face as he is looking down at our sweet baby boy!

This is a picture that someone got with their phone...I think he was just as happy as we all were to finally be here. What a sweet spirit he is. I am one blessed Mommy!

From the Beginning

I thought that I would do a post all about my pregnancy...yes this will cover all 40 weeks and 3 days that I was pregnant so it may be a little long...40 weeks is a long time! :)

On Saturday March 5th, 2011 we found out that I was pregnant. I was so shocked when the test came back positive that I checked the expiration date on the box to make sure that it wasn't expired and then went and bought a second test. I wanted to make sure it was really true. What a miracle this was after all the testing and diagnosis that I had been through and having a fertility doctor tell me that my chances of giving birth to children were slim. I definitely learned who is in control and am so thankful for this amazing blessing. I looked it up online and our estimated due date was November 9th, 2011.

Our first appt was on April 4, 2011 We were so excited to see our little peanut and see that it really was real. After the tests I knew that I was pregnant but it didn't become really real until I saw our baby for the first time on that ultrasound screen. I also knew I was pregnant because the morning sickness came in full force around week 8. But I was willing to endure anything for this sweet baby to be in our lives.

So here's how my prenatal visits went some have pictures and some don't :)

8 weeks and 2 days pregnant

April 4, 2011, 9 weeks

Ultrasound and changed due date to November 7, 2011

BP:110/70 Weight: 154

Fetal heart rate: 150's

I was 12 weeks.

May 2, 2011, 13 weeks

BP: 98/70 Weight: 153

Fetal heart rate: 150

I was 13 weeks and 4 days here.
June 1, 2011, 17 weeks 2 days

BP: 120/60 Weight: 153

Fetal heart rate: 150

I was 19 weeks here.
June 23, 2011, 20 weeks 3 days

Ultrasound: IT'S A BOY!!!!

BP: 124/60 Weight: 156

Fetal heart rate: 138

This is how we told the family the sex of the baby. Everyone came over for dinner. I made cupcakes and filled them with blue tinted filling :)

July 19, 2011, 24 weeks 1 day

BP: 100/60 Weight: 162

Fetal heart rate: 146

Here I am at 27 weeks.

August 16, 2011, 28 weeks 1 day

BP: 110/70 Weight: 171

(9lb gain!! more than my first 24 weeks combined!)

Fetal heart rate: 130-140 (he was really active)

August 30, 2011, 30 weeks 1 day

BP: 120/70 Weight: 176

Fetal heart rate: 151

September 12, 2011, 32 weeks

This week he finally flipped and was head down.

BP: 100/60 Weight: 179

Fetal heart rate: 140

September 26, 2011, 34 weeks

BP: 132/76 Weight: 182 1/2

(thanks for adding not leaving off the 1/2 lb nurse lol)

Fetal heart rate: 145

October 10, 2011, 36 weeks

BP: 140/76 Weight: 187

Fetal heart rate: 130

October 17, 2011, 37 weeks

This was just a BP check because of swelling and headaches.

BP: 128/72 Weight: 191

October 18, 2011, 37 weeks 1 day

BP 152/84 Weight: 191

Fetal heart rate: 140

Not dialated.

This appt they sent me to maternal assessment at the hospital because of my high BP.

They put me on bedrest officially after they saw that my resting BP was much better.

In this picture I am 37 weeks and 3 days.

October 20, 2011, 37 weeks 4 days

This was a BP follow up since they put me on bedrest.

BP: 112/76 Weight 190

October 24, 2011, 38 weeks

BP: 128/86 Weight: 191 1/2

Fetal heart rate: 145

Not dialated.

Dr was concerned about my BP so they sent me over to maternal assessment to make sure it was pre-eclampsia. It wasn't.

October 31, 2011 39 weeks

BP: 120/86 Weight: 190

Fetal heart rate: 150

BP recheck was 122/68

Dialated 1 1/2cm

November 7, 2011, DUE DATE 40 weeks

BP: 144/98 Weight: 197

Fetal heart rate: 145

Dialated 1 1/2cm

BP recheck: 142/96

Made another trip to maternal assessment. Was having some contractions but they tapered off so they sent me home when my BP went down and told me to call for an appt on 11/9.

November 9, 2011, 40 weeks 2 days

BP: 146/90 Weight: 197

Fetal heart rate: 150

Because of my BP the doctor decided to schedule my induction for 5am on November 10th, 2011.

This is where I will end this post. I will do a new post on my labor and delivery experience.

(I know you are all on the edge of your seats just waiting lol)

Brison's Room

I know that this has been a long time coming. Today is officially my due date and still no baby. But that's okay...we have so many things to be thankful for!!

So here are some pictures of his room. It's not all the way done yet...since I was put on bedrest I haven't been able to do the last few things but they can be done after he gets here.

Here is a picture of the colors we used and the border that we put up.

This is one side of the room where the closet is.

The shelf leaning against the wall will be hung over the dresser (shown in later pictures)

This is the wall that has his crib on it. I plan to modge podge some of the extra wall paper on some wood and hang that as wall art above the crib.

This is a close up of his crib.

This is a close up of the blanket that came with his bedding set.

The glider that we got for late night feedings and snuggling.

This is the other corner of he room. His changing table and dresser.

I have a black mirror to hang over the changing table and this is the dresser where that shelf mentioned earlier will be.

The changing table.I can't wait to have our little man in this room! He will make everything complete :)

Not much of an update

So I don't have anything really fun to blog about. Brian and I have been trying to get Brison's room done...it's been a slow process. We painted one Friday night for a couple hours and I was so swollen and exhausted it took a lot for me to want to get back in there. The room is now all painted we just have to put up the wall border. Hopefully that will get done this week and we can start the setting up and organizing process.

I'm now 32 1/2 weeks pregnant...yes I'm at the point now where I count every day! I'm exhausted and only getting about 4 hours of interrupted sleep because of bathroom breaks. I thought insomnia was bad before but now with struggling to be comfortable enough to fall asleep only to wake up 45 minutes later to go potty. I have now gained a total of 26 pounds. Brison is always super active. At our last appointment the doctor asked me if I was doing my kick counts once a day (the baby should kick at least 10 times in 2 hours) and I laughed and told him that I don't have to count...It's rare that he sits still. Also, at our last appt the doctor said that Brison's heartbeat is strong at 140 and he is already head down. I can't believe that it's almost time for us to meet our little man!

I am so very thankful for the blessing of being pregnant and even through the difficult moments I am so appreciative of this little miracle.

Craftiness

I am not a crafty person...never really have been.

I have my creative moments where I am full of ideas but I've never been great at actually doing them. This past weekend I attended a conference with my sister and mom about becoming fugal, purposeful, and creative. I was inspired by one of the speakers that said "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful". I think I haven't tried alot of things because I am always afraid of them not looking good. But that just makes it mine and gives it character :)

SOOO I have been wanting to try a few things.

I made my first ever diaper cake...Super easy!!!

Then I wanted to try to make my own diaper wreath for the hospital door. Special thanks to my wonderful hubby for helping me :)

This is the finished product. B could be for boy but I did B for Brison.

This is the B hung with It's a Boy ribbon.

This is a close up of the diapers tied with the same It's a Boy ribbon.

Brian helped me attach the information plate to the B.

Again...I know it's not perfect...but it is something that we made and that in itself makes it special. I can't wait to proudly display it on our hospital room door and then to hang it in his room.

Ultrasound Pictures FINALLY

On June 23rd, 2011 we had our ultrasound appt to see our little one.

Here are the ultrasound pictures.

This is a picture of his face looking at us.

This is a profile picture.

This is another profile picture.

It took us a while to get him to cooperate but...

IT'S A BOY!!!

Showing us his face in 4D

Another 4D face picture.

Either he's shy or he's going to be a boxer :)

Another "shy" picture.

We are so thrilled to know that he is doing great and growing right on time :)

Car Seats

Warning- This is probably really boring to most people...

One of the joys of a first baby is getting to research and purchase all of the items that you need. I have been doing alot of research on car seats lately. I have found that there is a huge difference in what is the minimum requirement and what is actually suggested to be the safest. This is one of the things that I won't be just buying what's cheapest and prettiest.

I was completely suprised to find out how much I didn't know about them. For example: I did know that carseats expire but I didn't know that you should never ever buy a used carseat. I've seen them often times in the second hand store and never really thought twice about it. But you should never buy a second hand car seat because you don't know it's history. It is also suggested that you replace a carseat if it is ANY kind of vehicle accident where it is just a fender bender or huge crash. There is so much information out there that is so helpful when trying to learn and make the best possible decision about something so important.

After all of the research, I decided on the Safety 1st onBoard™35 Air Infant Car Seat. This car seat has the newest technology for side impact crashes to help protect their head from slamming into the side of the carseat as well as protecting the child from anything that may hit the side of the seat itself. I also like that the base has an adjuster so that if you have the deep seats in your vehicle the base can be installed properly and securely. One of the other great things is I like the cute pattern that it comes in too :) I like the colors are brown and green so if baby #2 is a girl we will still be able to use this travel system.

I can't believe that time is flying and in about 13 1/2 short weeks we will be meeting our little Brison.