Go Diego Go! (a belated “tweet” baby story)

     Considering my baby had his 2 week check up over a week ago, this post is coming to you late.  I will try to remember as much as I can and share my

Diego’s birth story. 

I was originally scheduled to go in for an induction at 9 am August 12, 2010.  This really had me nervous because I had gone into labor naturally at 40 weeks with both of my older children.  (Also, due to the Cholestasis I was being induced 2 weeks early.)  By Wednesday I was pretty anxious…just one more sleep and I would be heading in to the hospital.  Cielo and Junior were going to sleep over at my parent’s house Wednesday night so we could get an early start to the hospital because it is an hour away. 

Around 4 in the afternoon I got a call from my obstetrician asking if I would like to come in that evening around 9pm for my induction.  (There were no inductions scheduled for that evening and at that time there were no other ladies in labor.)  After conferring with my husband we decided to head in early.  After a quick call to my mom to confirm the change in plans I double checked my hospital bag and packed a bag for Cielo and Junior.  I can’t even explain how excited I was…and I was shocked by how calm I felt.  I decided to go through with my plan of live tweeting labor. 

 

I didn’t mention it to my husband but I had begun feeling contractions around 3 in the afternoon (so I’m glad I got called in early)… 

When you live an hour away from the nearest hospital that delivers babies you feel EVERY bump in the road during contractions.

We arrived at the hospital, got checked in and headed upstairs to the maternity ward.  I was so excited because i thought to myself, “the next time I ride in the car I will have 3 children.”  It is funny that I dressed in a cute outfit only to change into the extremely glamorous and sexy hospital gown.  I decided to leave my bra on (I hate feeling unsupported) and had the panty/no panty discussion with my husband.  He suggested I leave them on, which I wanted to do…but I knew that we were getting to the no-panty portion of the evening.  (Like conception, but less fun.) 

Mama knows...

I was happy we got the big birthing room since I was the only mom in labor.  It had big comfy leather chairs, magazines, books, tv, dvd player, dvds, private bathroom and shower and the like.  We decided to settle in and await our little one…but then I realized I was hungry.  I suggested Nehemias run out and get himself something to eat and to grab me some Subway.  Naturally, he complied. 

I really was not enjoying all the monitors I was hooked up to…the NST seemed super tight and uncomfortable and I was already tired of getting my BP checked.  It was pretty fun tweeting and I was really enjoying responding to tweeple while I waited for the doctor to arrive.  (Particularly my SLPeeps) 

I admit i didn't check my numbers because I didn't want to know if I had been unfollowed

My Dr was a bit surprised to see me tweeting on my blackberry while I was in labor but he totally rolled with it.  After a quick check (80% effaced 4 cm dilated) he decided I didn’t need the insert induction stuff.  

gitch=panties

I had blood taken (OMG OW!! That nurse was brutal) and they started my iv antibiotics because I was GBS positive.  After looking at the monitors the doctor asked me if I felt the contractions (because I was holding a conversation) and I laughed.  I told him, “Yes I feel them but they aren’t horrible.”  The Dr suggested I try to get some rest and told me they were slowly going to start a drip to keep my labor going (in case the contractions stopped.)  He offered me something for pain and again reminded me that I could have an epidural whenever I thought I needed it.  I told him I was ok and thanked him for offering.  He left and told me he would be back when I had progressed a little more.  

I think my nurse thinks I'm nuts for putting my labor on the internet

So I was settled in…Nehemias came back with my sandwich and I ate it chewing twice as much as I usually do (in case I get sick).  I wasn’t able to finish my 6″ sandwich but it was GOOD.  He brought Tim Horton’s coffees for the nurses; which they loved.  he is such a thoughtful man.  It was kinda nice to smile when the nurses all came in to gush. 

I remember thinking how awesome the slushy/crushed ice machine is, and that I wished I had one at home.  Spent some time filling out paperwork with the nurse and also doing a survey (aimed at First Nations moms).  We talked about the states and my time in graduate school.  She seemed very interested in Speech Pathology and she got my email address so her daughter could talk to me about it.  (Haha I was in total recruiter mode.)  The nurse asked me if I needed anything for pain and I told her I was still fine. 

luckily i have twitter friends in all different time zones

I even had a “twitter baby shower” with @1BeautifulRenee, @REZ_woman and @dakotadoll.  YAY for social networking! 

this native was getting restless

I was happy that baby was safe but because of all the machines I couldn’t walk around as I labored (except on potty breaks.)  I focused on the positive and tweeted on through the night.  

so glad my nurse was nice

I’m proud my spelling and use of to/too was still good. 

boom chicky wow-wow

Things were starting to get intense.  I had told Nehemias to try get some rest and that I would wake him at go time.  I could tell Diego was getting closer and closer.  By the way…I HATE INTERNAL CHECKS!! I tell you, I was thankful for my family, my blackberry and the internet…these things kept me sane.  The contractions kept getting stronger and stronger, and closer together. 

it was getting serious up in there y'all (and by "there" I mean the room and not my uterus)

At this point I really wanted the nurse to stop offering me drugs.  She seemed to always offer them at the peak of a contraction so I was proud of myself for telling her I was fine.  Then she offered me gas and I started to laugh.  She then said Nitrous Oxide and I told her I had it when I had my wisdom teeth removed.  She asked if it hadn’t worked and I told her that I hadn’t even noticed when they took them out…but I still remained med free (except for antibiotic and the induction drip–which was already stopped.) 

Once this lady gets sick its GO TIME!!

The sound of me retching woke Nehemias so fast.  He jumped up and ran over to me as I struggled to sit up and stay in control of my stomach.  He brought me the garbage can and I puked used it.  (SO glad I had chewed my food extra well.)  The nurse came rushing in and saw me holding the can in my lap with my head hanging in it and I heard her call the doctor back.  

When he arrived he apologized for his hair and clothes  (my dr is a total metrosexual.)  He said the nurse told him he had to get here quick or miss the baby.  He offered me an epidural (which I declined) and other meds.  I jokingly told him that I’d take some vicodin to go and he laughed.  He was surprised that I could still tweet, Facebook and text.  After another painful internal check he said I was at 7 cm and my water was broken.  (That gush is so unladylike.) 

I typed this during a contraction when he announced my dilation. Everyone was shocked when I said, "gimme my blackberry!"

I asked for a mirror. Well, I thought I asked, apparently I demanded a mirror.  A second nurse said they didn’t have one and I said, “YES YOU DO I USED ONE WHEN I DELIVERED MY OTHER TWO CHILDREN IN THIS HOSPITAL!”  My original nurse was shocked because I had been so sweet and polite, my dr looked annoyed with the second nurse and told her to go find a mirror…NOW.  She returned with one minutes later and I thanked her and everyone else sweetly. 

Can I just say there is nothing like seeing your baby be born?  I don’t watch the whole time but it only seems fair, I mean everyone else gets to see.  I could see the top of Diego’s head and I could feel my eyes filling up watching him.   The bed I was on is pretty neat, I hadn’t even realized that the dr and nurses had put their rubber aprony things on over their scrubs while the bed converted to chair like status.  Motorized furniture is cool.  

Nehemias was amazing, he always knows exactly what I need from him when I’m laboring.  Diego’s head came out with my first push…and he was crying already.  My second push and he was out…and was he ever mad!!! The sound of your baby’s cry is the most beautiful thing in the world.  

as you can see it was a few minutes before I could get this posted

I was so exhilerated afterwards and so thankful to everyone I tweeted with on this journey.  In no particular order, thank you to: 

@BellzJourney @creehawk @melissacop @aweshumsauce @StutteringMe 

@iheartmyanthony @dakotadoll @PuppyMcGee @SLPTanya 

@albrechtjn @TammyOfsanik @namastebyday @LRJD @1BeautifulRenee 

@REZ_woman @fli_wife @JulietLD09 @The_Daver

@starsintheskies @RhiannanW @Miiiiu @MontanamarySLP @justTip 

@stutterdude @SHYOBI @KoltonMonte @wbahner @CASLPA @OCSLP 

@atomiclemonade @djhein70 @mom2cassnnat @amazing_flora @RezNDNGirl 

 I have the best twitter friends ever, trust me if you need great followers any and all of these wonderful people are highly recommended. 

I had been up all night but it was worth every second

Pain med free! **ROAWR**

Diego Zachary, born 5 am August 12, 2010 - 8 lbs 13 oz, 22" long

He was one day old here…haha I took him shopping in Walmart when he was brand new. 

As an aside I ended up not sleeping til like 9 am, but that is another story. 🙂

Pow Wows, Pregnancy and FREE ALCOHOL!!

Ok, I lied about the alcohol.

I meant to blog about the Pow Wow sooner but things got away from me.  In a word, it was amazing.  Seriously it was exactly what I needed.  I didn’t go to the first day because it was raining a bit and I wimped out…but I totally enjoyed Saturday and Sunday.  Was great to go out with my little family, get my kids out in their moccasins and just soak in the sights and sounds.  (Since the Pow Wow my kids haven’t worn anything but their moccs.)

Grand Entry (my brother snuck in with the dignitaries...well actually he is on council so he was supposed to be there)

Sometimes it is difficult finding a seat but we were lucky

2nd row from bottom (dad, mom, bro Wil, sis Lee, bro Chris, Junior and Cielo)

 Whenever I’m at a Pow Wow I’m reminded how much I miss it.  I think I’d like to dance again, but I need to get my regalia together.  (Regalia…as a kid I just called it my “outfit.”)  I definitely want my babies to dance so to set an example I think I will have to get back in the circle.

Ooh shiny

I think Junior would make a cute Chicken Dancer.  It seems to be the style he likes the most,  judging by his actions when they are dancing.

little flock of Prairie Chicken Dancers

Perhaps Cielo will dance fancy like her cousin

little niece

We all had a wonderful time at the Pow Wow although I didn’t find earrings that I wanted to buy…and I ended up not buying anything except for food.  I found an amazing bannock burger but Mission Awesome Indian Taco failed miserably.  I gave up after my first disappointment and made my own later…

nom nom nom

I have another OB appointment today.  I’m totally ready to have the baby, I’m getting a bit tired of all these doctor visits.  Plus, once the baby is born my Cholestasis should go away and I will no longer scratch like crazy.  I hate it when I see people looking at my scratched arms and legs.  I can’t even imagine what they would look like if I didn’t have my meds. 

We finally set up the bassinet – Cielo has a few toys in there for the baby (Buzz Lightyear and Woody.) I have the baby’s clothes sorted from my huge stash of baby clothes now that we know what we are expecting.  We are excited because this is our tie breaker…. 

IT’S A BOY!!!

early morning ramblings from an insomniac

Ok apparently lying in bed and alternating between putting my blackberry down and reading blogs on said blackberry is in fact NOT conducive to sleeping.  (baby doing gymnastics in my uterus isn’t helping either)  I realized that since I obviously wasn’t sleeping I might as well get up and read the blogs on a larger screen.  What was I reading you ask?  THIS.  Girlie cracks me up, particularly with the profanity. 

I’m not sure how this post will turn out, maybe it will be complete nonsense but that is ok because its 3:46 am and I have an OB appointment tomorrow. (oh yeah and I’m still itchy…cholestasis sucks)  Considering how messed up my sleep schedule is, I’m very glad that I am off work for the summer.  I probably won’t start back at work until October just to give us time to get the new baby settled.  We still haven’t picked a name, mostly because we don’t know if it is a boy or a girl.  I have another ultrasound this Thursday so hopefully baby will cooperate. 

It has been an uneventful weekend, meaning *I* haven’t done much.  As usual the husband has been busy – seriously if he stays still for a whole day it makes him crazy.  His latest project is painting the exterior of our house, now that there is nothing left to paint inside.  He finished building a forge the other day for blacksmithing so I’m sure he will be making some things with metal for our new home.  We are going to buy the metal for him to make a couple wrought iron bed type thingies (wow for a Speech Pathologist I’m awfully crappy at descriptions, but then again its almost 4 am.)

We were going to go to a Pow Wow this weekend but between my slovenliness, a visit from my niece and my daughter feeling craptacular that just didn’t happen.  Do not feel sad for me tho, I plan to get my Indian Taco and new earring fix THIS weekend at my Pow Wow in beautiful Thunderchild, Saskatchewan.  Please consider this your personal invitation!  Welcome singers, dancers, visitors and snaggers!!

thoughts on my last post…

I just reread my last post and I think I sound like an angry, grouchy preggo chick.  (Well, except for the preggo part that isn’t a fair description.)  I promise I am just as cheerful as I usually am…just a bit more hormonal.  Honestly I have no problem with people feeling the baby PROVIDED that they generally hug me when I am not pregnant.  As for not wanting to be called small…well that just seems odd.

I forgot to mention that I got an amazing baby gift from my cousins…I absolutely love it.  I will not be having a baby shower so it really made my day. (the other day…to make up for Lesnar winning)

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn’t mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1.  The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is “Congratulations!” with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an ass.

2.  Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase “my baby”.

3.  On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4.  The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone’s stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is “You look fabulous!”.

6.  By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don’t need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7.  There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8.  Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to “help out”. If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9.  If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10.  The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Sincerely,
Pregnant woman.

***********************************************************************************************

A friend sent me this via facebook and I thought it was too funny not to share it.  It made me think of all the people who never touch me when I’m not pregnant (as in hugs) that are now all up on my bump.  Unless you’re cool with me groping you back, hands off.  It also seems that now that I am 33 weeks everybody keeps telling me how little I am.  This isn’t making me happy at all…in fact it just makes me worry more since I have to deliver early as it is.

 

I had an OB appointment today and I am happy with how it turned out since  I got different medication for the itching as Benadryl wasn’t doing anything.  The doctor said I will probably only go another 4 weeks so I realized I have to get my butt in gear in regards to getting the baby’s things ready.  Since we don’t know if we are Team Blue or Team Pink I will have to get all my white, yellow, green, orange and red clothes ready.  I will be packing the baby’s hospital bag later.  (I finally bought a package of wee newborn diapers…omg they are so adorable.)

 

I’m so excited for baby to get here…I cannot wait to see Cielo and Junior’s reaction to the new little one.