Baby Carrier: Beco Gemini Review

When we registered for our baby shower I knew exactly what kind of carrier I wanted to start out with, the Moby Wrap. I had seen moms with their cute little babies all nestled in the Moby and they both looked nice and comfy. That's what I wanted, to carry around a cute little bundle of joy in my neato Moby. The wrap is considered a sling style carrier and is basically one long piece of fabric. And by long, I mean LONG. I remember the first time I unwrapped it, it went on forever. I read the instruction manual and found that there were plenty of ways to wear it. I loved this wrap to wear around the house when Will was tiny (which was really never....). The first time I went out of the house and wanted to use it I put it on before we left, I didn't want to be in the parking lot wrapping that thing around me and dragging it on the ground. Gross. This is a picture of Will and I out at the farm picking up our CSA, he was 9 days old and I already was having a hard time putting his head under the fabric because he was so long and my torso was so short.

I did enjoy wearing it around the house when Will was fussy. He would immediately pass out and would stay asleep for hours. Then Will began to grow. And grow. And grow. I couldn't fit him in the wrap and pull the fabric over his head to help support it, he was too tall and I was too short. I would stand there trying to stuff his 100th percentile noggin under the fabric until he became so pissed that I would give up. I knew that I needed to find something better.

Brent and I began to research baby carriers and I put a call out on facebook. I had a lot of great replies, especially this website: http://www.theportablebaby.com They have a great comparison chart, even though they seem to really hate the baby bjorn, saying that it is good for no one. I know of quite a few people with the baby bjorn that like it, but this site talks about it like it killed their mother. Other than that they seem pretty fair with their comparisons.

Brent and I were actually leaning towards the baby bjorn because it seemed like the least bulky. Plus I watched a video on the new baby bjorn miracle carrier and they told me it would be the only carrier I would ever need while this soft music played and I was all like, "Ok, sure". Then the next day when I wasn't hypnotized by the baby bjorn website I began researching the Beco Gemini. I like it because you can wear it 4 different ways, one of which is front carry facing out which is the way Will loves to be carried already.

The Gemini isn't bulky and is VERY easy to use. It's also easy to adjust so switching from me to Brent is no big deal. I can tighten and loosen the straps while Will is in it. It has a head support if your baby falls asleep and is nice and cushy for their bottom. Here are some pictures of Will in it. Keep in mind that Brent was taking these pictures only because I insisted and he did so while sitting on the couch watching Casino*. They aren't the best quality but at least show how it fits on my small frame. 

Will in the front carry facing in. This is recommended for young babies who do not have full head control. It's comfy, but Will always cranes his head around trying to see what is going on so he prefers the facing out carry.

Will in the front carry facing out. All you have to do to achieve this is snap the bottom flaps at the base in to make it narrow. It's SUPER easy to do. This carry is not recommended unless they have full head control, but Will's head is so big that the shoulder straps help hold it up. He likes this position best.












The straps cross in the back and hook to the front. The waist band hooks in the back. All snaps are child proof (and were Emily proof for a minute) and are easy for you to unhook.






















This is the carrier with the head rest up. I imagine this is great if your baby's head isn't in the 100th percentile. When I snap it up Will is super squished. Won't be of use to us but for tiny babes it's a plus. Also, you can put a newborn with their legs tucked in froggy style.

I also like this carrier because it comes in 17 different prints, including robot which is what we got Will. They are sleek and cute and so far Will seems to love it. Once this heat wave is over I'll try it out for long walks to see how my back holds up, but just around the house it is very comfortable. The other big test will be our trip to Chicago in August. I wanted a carrier so that we wouldn't have to lug a stroller on and off of the train. The price tag is a little steep ($130.00) but still cheaper than the bjorn and not much more expensive than the Ergo with more ways to carry. There was a sell for them on the portable baby site for 14 dollars off which puts it almost even with the Ergo. Brent hasn't tried it on yet but I don't see why he wouldn't like it. He was too busy watching mob bosses get beat with baseball bats while I was taking the pictures for this post. 

Hope this review was helpful! Check out Beco's website: http://www.becobabycarrier.com and the portable baby website. 

*I do not recommend letting your baby/child watch Casino.

What We Eat: Seafood Thai Stew

We had 2 lbs of frozen talapia in our freezer from a sale at whole foods a few months ago so we decided to incorporate that into a meal. Brent and I both love thai food so I looked up thai soups and found this recipe. It meets all of my requirements, although the prep is a little time consuming but not too bad.

What you'll need:
1 lb Talapia (or any fish will do) cubed
1lb shrimp
Juice of 6 limes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 medium sized onions
1 cup green beans
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cans coconut milk
8 oz vegetable broth
1 bunch if chard, cut into ribbons
Chopped green onions, cilantro, and basil. I didn't measure these, just put as much as you would like.
1 cup cooked rice (I use frozen brown rice, you can get it at whole foods for 1.99 a bag and it's perfect for quick meals)

Mix the seafood, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. I also sprinkled some red pepper flakes in the mix just to give it some kick. Let it stand for 15 minutes

Saute the onions and green beans in a little olive oil in a big heavy pot for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir briefly. Add the curry paste and tomato paste and stir briefly. Then add the coconut milk, vegetable broth, and the seafood with the marinating juice. Add your rice and bring to a gentle boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through. add the chard and let simmer another 5 minutes.

Add the green onions, basil, and cilantro, stir, and serve.

Serves 4-6. Perfect for lunch or dinner the next day since it gets better with time!

Breastfeeding: 59 Days and Counting

Just thought I would give an update on how breastfeeding is going. My first post about breastfeeding was pretty intense, what with the bleeding nipples and terrible pain. So now it's time for a little reassurance for those about to start the boob journey.

The beginning is no joke, we've already established that. Once you get the hang of breastfeeding you will still have to make adjustments here and there. For me, and others I have spoken with, it's all about sticking with it. I don't know of anyone who has mastered it from day one, but I know many that have stopped prematurely for whatever reason. I can't lie, I thought about it more than once. Mostly at 4 in the morning when Will the Boob Monster was chomping on my angry nipple. But I stuck with it because to me the pros outweigh the cons.

I fell in love with breastfeeding when Will began nursing less. I think it was a combination of finally becoming comfortable with a newborn baby and getting more sleep. Will went from nursing 12 times a day to nursing 7 or 8 times around 5 weeks old. When the feedings were spread out over 3 or 4 hours instead of 1 1/2 or 2 hours breastfeeding became less of a chore and more of a treat. It was a time that I could sit with my beautiful baby and relax. Now it is something that I look forward to. I love holding him close and knowing that he is happy and relaxed in my arms. During the first week I would cry and wonder how I could go on doing it, and now I get teary eyed thinking of the day when I will wean him and won't have these snuggly moments.

So for the moms who are getting ready to start the breastfeeding journey I can honestly say it is the hardest, yet most rewarding venture I've ever taken. And when you wake up to that hungry baby at 2 am and feel like you just can't do it anymore remember that millions of women have been in your exact same position and you are not alone.

Girl power.

Things that you don't notice until your baby is asleep...

Luckily Will is a good sleeper. He rarely wakes up if there is a loud noise, but I still freak out when he goes to sleep and something makes a loud noise. Things that I never realized were so loud: When Ricky shakes his head and his ears flap, when the toilet flushes, the dogs nails on the hardwood floor, the dogs sneezing, Brent sneezing, the dogs when they play (Jeez dogs, why are you so damn loud!?!?!!), a soda can when it opens, all opening theme songs on television shows, Brent clearing his throat. So many things that I never noticed before. Will closes his eyes and Maki McToe-nails comes clickity clacking through the room or Ricky gets up from a nap, walks right next to Will and shakes his head. He might as well be banging garbage can lids together. And my husband turns into a stomping machine and goes banging around the house clearing his throat. Makes me think of Kitten Mittens from the show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. "Is your cat making too much noise?" I need Kitten Mittens for the cats, dogs, and Brent. 


If you don't know the clip I'm talking about check out this video. 

Doctor Visit: One Month Check Up (6/6/12)

It is really weird taking your baby to the doctor. If you don't feel like a parent yet then this will surely do it. You feel all responsible and parent like. You know that your baby is just a blob of people parts that you have been keeping alive, but you hope that your blob is doing better then all of the other blobs. I wanted the doctor to walk in and tell me how awesome I am doing because, wow, your baby is awesome. First the nurse came in and we weighed him. 12lbs 3oz! Nice! My awesome boobs are making awesome milk and my awesome baby is gaining weight. Score! Next they measured his length and his head size. 23 inches. My awesome baby is growing and getting all tall. Yeah! Head size, large. I don't remember the exact measurement, but he is in the 100th percentile. Yay! My baby has a head score of 100 percent! He rocks! Oh, no? 100th percentile isn't good? It means he has a giant head? Whatever, you mean giant brain for all of his smartness! Then the doctor came in and did her check up. She asked how I was doing and I said "GREAT!", then I realized I sounded stupid because there were times when I wasn't doing great and now she thinks I am a liar. She's had kids and she knows that the first month is hard. I'm just used to saying great when people ask me how I am doing because there is no reason to complain. But now I feel stupid. I try to recover, "Well you know, breastfeeding was a whole thing!". Damn! Now she thinks that I don't like breastfeeding. I should shut up now. I then asked some questions about WIll. Is the stuff on his face baby acne? Yes, it shows up around 4-6 weeks and will go away. Is there anything we can do for his gas, he farts a lot. No, it is normal and he will continue to be gassy while his gut develops bacteria and gut stuff (she used medical terms instead of gut stuff.) She also advised that WIll needed to be on an oral vitamin D supplement because he is being breastfed. Turns out breast milk is super awesome except it doesn't contain vitamin D. So now he gets 1ml of Enfamil D-Vi-Sol daily. Once the doctor left the nurse came in to give Will his vaccine. I held his little hand and talked to him while he got it. It was quick and about a second after she gave the shot he scrunched up his cute little face and screamed and cried. Poor baby. He was pretty easy to console though and was asleep by the time we got out to the car. They didn't come right out and say it but I'm sure they all talked about how cool Will was after we left. 

One Month Old

What We Eat

I used to hate to cook. Mostly because I didn't know how and didn't know where to start. When we decided to go vegetarian I realized I had to step it up and figure out a whole new way of eating. I was so used to planning a meal around whatever meat we were eating and I didn't know what my other options were. We bought the cook book veganomicon and the rest is history. I love to cook now and am actually pretty decent. After the baby was born I took a cooking hiatus. Mostly because sleep deprivation and a hot stove aren't a good combo. We lived on carry out, which you can only do for so long before you realize nothing sounds good anymore and you are broke. So now that I'm back to work its time to get back into a cooking routine that is easy/healthy. When I find a recipe that is worthy and meets the criteria (easy/fast/delicious) I will post it in a segment called "What We Eat". I tried to come up with something more catchy but I'm not as creative as you might think....

First up: Baked Zucchini. Brent and I buy a CSA (community supported agriculture) every year for our vegetables from Field 51. (http://www.field51produce.com) I highly recommend this for anyone, especially people with kids. We pay $450 for 24 weeks of seasonal veggies. Every Thursday we go out and pick up our bushel. It's great because I can plan our meals around the vegetables we get and once Will is a little older we can take him out to the farm and he will gain an understanding of where food comes from. It's a win win.

Anyway, back to my zucchini. This week we got a ton in our CSA. Honestly I am not a huge fan of zucchini but this dish is awesome, fast, and ridiculously easy.

2 zucchini
Olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, diced
2-3 tablespoons of a fresh herb (any will do, basil, parsley, thyme, etc)
Blue cheese (or your fav cheese, I'm not a huge fan of soft cheese so I used provolone)
Breadcrumbs
Parmesan cheese

Cut the zucchini in half long ways. Scoop out the seeds to create a well. Put the zucchini in a glass baking dish so that they fit snuggly. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle the diced garlic evenly on the halves. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle your herb evenly.

Put your cheese on top, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes at 450.

Then boom! It's done and you have a yummy, healthy dinner. Since we still have a bazillion zucchini left I am going to cook this again tonight and add onions and mushrooms. This dish is great because you can really get creative with it.

Hope you enjoy!

Back to Work

Maternity leave is a blur of exhaustion and milestones. I have heard people say that they would love to have 6 weeks off with a baby. These are people who A) Have never been around a newborn, or B) have had a baby of their own and know what the hell they are doing. Not only had I never been around a newborn by myself, I had no clue what I was doing. It was trial by fire. Trial by baby poop and breastfeeding and trying to keep what is basically a breathing sack of potatoes alive and uninjured. A sack of potatoes can't tell you what it wants or needs so you are left guessing what to do. Then, once you think you have figured it out, the baby decides they aren't into that anymore so you better come up with something else. Maybe last week he liked to be held a certain way, but if you hold him like that this week you might as well be holding him by the ankles over a ledge. You have to be ready for change, and once you find something that works you do it until they decide it's not working and it's on to the next thing. And of course, once you start to get the hang of things your 6 weeks of completely focusing on the baby are over and it's back to work. Time to start a whole new routine.

I am one of the lucky people who actually love their job. Going back to work for me wasn't hard because I didn't want to work, it was hard because I love my sack of potatoes. One part of me was excited to have adult conversations and get back into the real world, while the other part was in stress out mode trying to make sure that Will would be ok without me there. I am also lucky because for the time being we don't have to take him to daycare. With Brent's success in the fight world and my three day weekends we could work it out so that he has him two full days a week and he goes to friends or family two days a week from 11-6. If I had to drop him off at day care I would be a mess of crazy mom, and I don't want to be a crazy mom.

Preparation 


I love routines. I love lists and plans and having things ready. I had been planning my return to work since Will was born and searched the good ol' Internet for information on how to make the transition easy. I wanted to see actual routines from real people, not just articles on what to do. So here is what I did to prepare for that first week back, schedules and all.

Obviously my biggest stress was making sure that I left enough breast milk for him while I was gone. I was able to freeze a ton of milk while on maternity leave, but everything I have read says that fresh milk is best since your milk changes to meet the needs of your growing baby. Therefore the milk you pumped and froze last month isn't the same as what you are pumping now. I decided to keep my frozen stash for emergencies and use fresh milk for Will while I was at work. So how much do you leave? The rule is an ounce for every hour you are away. I work 10 hours day so with travel I am typically away for 11 hours a day. And since my baby is a beast monster I decided to be safe and leave 14 ounces plus a few extra just in case. I also kept a log starting 2 weeks before I went back to work of every feeding, boob or bottle, so that I could get a feel for his routine and how often he eats during the time that I would be at work. I continue to keep a log and have Brent write down when he eats and how much while I am gone. We had been giving him a bottle since he was 4 weeks old at his 8am (or 9am) feeding and found that he always ate a large amount. I am assuming that is because he would go for long stretches overnight and was more hungry in the morning. Now I leave 1 bottle of 5oz for his first feeding, and 4 bottles of 3oz amounts for the rest of the day. He eats 3 of the 3oz bottles which leaves one bottle just in case. If he doesn't eat that last bottle, which he didn't my first week back, I would just rotate that bottle for the next day. So far this has worked for us

                             


Pumping at Work


What is it like to pump at work? Moo. That's what it is like. I sit down to pump and I feel like Bessie the cow. I have a love/hate relationship with pumping. It is awesome because I can continue to breastfeed my baby while working, but it's also terrible because it takes the wonders of breastfeeding and turns them into a demoralizing act. There you are with your shirt up and the pump going making that stupid pumping noise and there is no way to feel good, at least not for me. But I digress. On the days I work I take my nifty Medela pump, the necessary attachments, 4 bottles to pump into, a cute cooler to keep my milk in, and an icepack to keep my milk cold on the ride home. I leave the insulated cooler that came with my pump for Brent to transport milk when he drops him off on the days he is not watching him. I picked a larger insulated cooler that still fits in my pump backpack but has enough room for my 4 bottles and the pumping attachments. That way in between pumping I can put the pumping attachments (breast shields) into the cooler bag and into the fridge so I don't have to rinse them in between pumping. In the morning I nurse Will, pump to drain my breasts, get to work at 7:45am, pump at 10:00am, 12 or 1pm, and again at 3 or 3:30pm. I double pump for efficiency and based on what I leave for Will daily I pump at least 2 1/2 oz from each breast during a session. That leaves me with 15oz by the end of the day and the little extra that I pumped in the morning before I went to work. I feel more comfortable leaving more milk than necessary.

End of Day

When I get home from work I either nurse Will right away (depending on his last feeding) or start the task of cleaning used bottle, nipples, and my pumping supplies. I try to nurse Will 3 times before I go to sleep, usually 7, 9, then 11 or 11:30. I wake him up to nurse around those times if he is sleeping just to make sure he sleeps through the night.

My actual work week was great. I love the people I work with and my job. That doesn't mean I didn't cry on the way to work that first day, or that I didn't think about Will every minute that I was gone. I missed him so much it hurt at times, and by the end of my work week I couldn't wait to start enjoying my weekend with him. Going back to work isn't as daunting as it seems, just find a routine that works for you and try to stick with it. And when your heart hurts because you are away from your baby just think of the time you get on your days off. You'll appreciate that time even more.

Born to be a Dad

Sometimes you see some one doing something they are good at and you think, "They were born to do that". I look at my husband and think that he was born to be a dad. To be a family man. He slipped into the role so easily and I am so thankful when I see the love that he has for his son. I love how he talks to Will and tells him overly complicated things about the universe and science. Will is lucky to have a father who can't wait to teach him things and who loves him a ridiculous amount. Happy Fathers Day, Brent. I'm proud to be your wife.

On a less serious note the other night we had just finished dinner and Will was laying beside Brent on the couch. He had just poured himself a beer to have with dinner and as I got up to get something in the kitchen I handed Brent his beer to finish. While I was in the kitchen I hear Will start screaming crying and hear Brent saying "Oh no I'm so sorry, my fault buddy!". I came back into the room as Brent was carrying a beer soaked baby into the nursery to be cleaned off. He had accidentally spilled some of his beer on him and needless to say Will was not a happy camper. I say beer soaked but really it was just a small amount on his belly. That brings our total of things we've spilled/dropped on the baby up to 4: 

1 fudge pop on his sock, 1 ketchup covered french fry on his arm, a little beer on his belly, and a spoonful of smoothie on his head.

The way I see it, if you insist on being held while we are trying to eat then you have to put up with being covered in food from time to time. And I'm the one that drops the food on him, Brent has only had the beer mishap. So while being a parent is about love and cute things, it's also about being pooped on and spilling things on your baby. 

*No babies were harmed in the making of this post.

The First Month: We Survived

Ok, my title is a little misleading. It should read "I survived, but it's all a haze and I really didn't know what I was doing", or "Fake it 'til you make it." The first month was weird and enlightening and terrifying and awesome all rolled into one. Where to start? 

Brent's Fight

Let me preface this with a little bio on my husband. He is a professional MMA fighter (I know, right!?) and was training for the biggest tournament of his career at the end of my pregnancy. When we had Will he had just won the semi finals and was training for the finals. He fights for Bellator and if you are into that sort of thing you should check him out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Weedman  He's kind of a big deal. Anyway....

When we found out when Brent's tournament was going to be we knew that it was going to interfere with baby time, and vice versa. After we got home from the hospital Brent had some catching up to do on his training. He had to get back in the gym 3-4 times a day and focus on his weight cut. I was still trying to find my rhythm breastfeeding and, oh yeah, figure out what to do with the baby. I mean he is here 24/7. Seriously. Not to mention I was exhausted. We decided that Brent needed to sleep through the night so that he could have the energy to focus on his training. I had no problems with him sleeping because I know how hard he trains and I know that if I was sleep deprived, cutting weight, and working out all day I would be pretty pissy. So there I was, feeding every two hours and trying to keep it together. Brent would come home from his morning/afternoon session and would collapse on the bed. He was exhausted, but for different reasons. We were deep in our own little worlds, his was the fight against Hawn, and mine was the baby. Our worlds would intertwine occasionally, him getting precious baby time and me getting anxious about the biggest fight of his life. His fight was on a Friday night and he left for New Orleans on Wednesday morning. I remember waking up that morning and realizing that it was just me and the baby. The baby and I. I couldn't drive, we were just together at home. I don't mind being home by myself at all, but it turns out babies are very demanding. He was still nursing every two hours and very alert during the day. I was lucky if I could stuff some food in my mouth and take a deep breath before the he wanted more boobs. Those three days that Brent was gone were the hardest in my life. Not being dramatic. Any woman who's husbands travel for work or are in the military or if they are just being a single mom are saints. I can't stress enough how hard it is. I have mad respect for all of you, because it almost killed me. 

Showering

One suggestion I have for new moms is to shower. Everyday. It sounds simple or unimportant maybe, but a nice hot shower will refresh you and make you feel somewhat normal. The first month for me was such a whirlwind and my morning showers were the best. Even if they were quick, it was a minute to relax and regroup. So shower. 

Dogs and Cats

Our pets have been great with the baby. We got a lot of questions about what we were going to do with the animals and how we thought they would react. I was worried that the cats would sleep on Williams face and smother him. Or that Ricky would wag his tail and inflict serious damage. But so far we have had no animal related injuries or issues. Ricky loves the baby and gives him the most gentle kisses. I expect them to be best friends when Will is older. Maki is very indifferent. She doesn't hate the baby, but she isn't going out of her way to make friends either. She typically keeps her distance. And the cats couldn't care less. They check him out every once in a while but seem bored by the whole charade. So if you have pets and are worried about how they will act, don't worry. Animals know what's up. 

Pacifiers

All that I heard and read while researching breastfeeding was nipple confusion. Don't give a pacifier or your baby will refuse the breast and STARVE to death. Don't give a bottle because your baby will refuse the breast and STARVE to death. It was as though an artificial nipple was going to sneak into the nursery at night and kill my baby. Needless to say I was freaked out. Breastfeeding was hard enough and I didn't want anything, especially a rubber nipple, messing with my progress. At William's first check up I asked the doctor what he thought about the whole deal. He said that he didn't see any problem with giving a pacifier, so we did. Will didn't seem to excited about it at first. He would suck on it for a few minutes then spit it out. Then one day he kept it in his mouth for an entire car ride. I went to nurse him when we got to our destination and found that he wouldn't latch properly and kept falling off of my breast. I knew it! That damn pacifier had him all confused. He was sure to die. Right then and there I swore off the pacifier. About a week later Will was being fussy at night and Brent convinced me to try it again. So, we did, and to my surprise Will did fine. He sucked on the pacifier and passed out. Then he woke up a few hours later to nurse and latched fine. Turns out using a pacifier while breastfeeding isn't the end of the world. I did a bunch of research the next day to find the best pacifiers for breastfed babies and found a brand called soothies. I bought them and was all excited because they were supposed to help your baby develop a strong latch. I brought them home, sterilized them, and gave one to Will. He wasn't having it and spit it out immediately. I tried again later, then again a few days later. Turns out he hates them. So it was back to the original pacifier, which he loves. So don't worry if your baby needs a pacifier and is breastfeeding. And don't worry if he doesn't like the super awesome breastfeeding pacifiers. Do what works for you and your baby. 

Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps

Ha! Easier said than done. Everyone kept telling me to sleep when your baby sleeps. When your baby eats every two hours it's almost impossible. It's not two hours from when they stop feeding, it's two hours from when they start feeding. So if he begins eating at noon and nurses for 30 minutes then you have about an hour and a half before he is up again. Oh yeah, and you are starving. When Will would get done nursing I would run to the kitchen and begin fixing food, whatever was fastest. I would eat, then have maybe an hour left before the next feeding. When I would try to lay down it would take 15-20 minutes to get sleepy, then I might drift off for a moment.....then it was feeding time again and I would just be groggy from my 20 minute nap. Power naps don't work when your body wants hours of sleep. Sleep when your baby sleeps is good advice, but not practical. Not for me at least. 

Umbilical Cord Stump

Gross. They are gross. I see a lot of gross things at work, but for whatever reason Will's umbilical cord stump freaked me out. His took almost three weeks to fall off. At first it had come off around the edge but was still hanging on by a chunk of flesh. I thought I would just give it a tug and it would come off. I was wrong. I pulled on it and gagged when I saw that the piece that was hanging on was all moist and fleshy. Underneath the part that had come loose there was what appeared to be brown pus. *dry heave*. So, to keep from barfing, I pushed the nasty scab of a stump back on and put him in a sleeper with footsies so that if it feel off the dogs wouldn't eat it. Also so that I wouldn't have to look at it. Gross. Eventually it came off the same day as the tugging fiasco. I had to fish it out of his sleeper and throw it away. Some people keep them. They keep the dried up nasty stump. Ewwwwwwwww. But once that thing falls off it's officially.......

Bath Time

Bath time! I love bath time! Will loves bath time! Nothing better then a happy naked baby! Bath time! 

White Noise Baby App

Is your baby having trouble sleeping? Yes, there is an app for that. It's called White Noise Baby and costs 99 cents. It is the best 99 cents I've spent probably ever. If you have a baby or are going to have a baby or might be around a baby you need this app. It has multiple white noise settings including "Car Ride" and "Doppler Ultrasound" (Will loves car ride). It allows you to set a timer and even has a mode that will reactivate the noise if it hears your baby stirring. Yep. And you can turn on airplane mode if you don't want your phone to go off by their ear while they are passed out. I just turn my phone on silent, the app will stay on through text messages but turns off if you get a call. I don't use it for Will all of the time but he tends to get over tired a lot and has trouble going to sleep. All I have to do is turn this app on and he is out. It is wonderful. 

Over Tired

Turns out babies don't just sleep when they get tired. They get what is called over tired. Where instead of just shutting their eyes like a normal person they fight sleep and get cranky. It can be pretty frustrating when all they have to do is sleep and they will feel better. Seriously baby, just go to sleep! That's where the White Noise app comes in....just go buy the app. 

Pictures

I take a lot of pictures of William. If you go through the pictures on my facebook it looks like all William does is sleep or smile. In reality it's likely that he starts crying or gets fussy after most of those pictures. So to all of the parents out there who look at our pictures or other peoples pictures and feel lost because their baby isn't all sleepy and smiley, don't worry. Neither are ours. It would just be weird if everyone posted pictures of their baby being sad. 

Breastfeeding

Most of you read about my initial breastfeeding mishaps. Once we got the hang of it I fell in love with breastfeeding. When it is going well it really is amazing. Will and I can do it with the best of 'em and are slowly branching out to doing it in public. Not to freak people out or offend anyone, but because I want to go out and enjoy life with my baby without having to hide away to feed him. I cover myself so that my boob isn't just flopping about. And by the way, if you are freaked out or offended by breastfeeding in public then get real. Think about what that means. You can't grow up enough to appreciate that a mother is feeding her baby? That's it. Providing food for her baby. My breasts aren't there for your pleasure, they actually have a purpose. So get over yourself. 

Husbands

I was lucky to have/ some time off with Brent after his fight. When he got back things got so much easier. Just having another person around to hold the baby is awesome. Before we had Will we would talk about how it would be two against one, and that we knew we could be parents because no matter what William would throw at us we could deal with it together. I tend to over react about things and Brent is there to bring me back down. One night Will was really fussy and I was trying to figure out why he was upset. I went through the list: Clean diaper? Hungry? Tired? When I couldn't find a definite answer I was on Google trying to find out what to do. I was telling Brent possible causes and he looked at me and said, very calmly, "or maybe he is just a baby, and maybe babies cry sometimes." Oh. Yeah. Maybe what I consider a fussy baby is nothing compared to some. It's good to have that balance, Brent has been a great accomplice through all of this. 

Family and Friends

A quick thank you to our family and friends who have brought us food or just said nice things about our baby! We love you all and are so glad that you are a part of our lives. 

In Conclusion

The first month was exhausting, but it was also amazing. When Will smiled for the first time I about passed out with love. When he sleeps for more than 2 hours I stare at him and wonder when he will wake up so I can squish his cheeks. There are moments where you are exhausted and overwhelmed, but so far the good outweighs the bad. Excited for what month 2 has in store. 

Breastfeeding: The beginning

Alright, things are about to get real. I'm going to write what I was thinking and how I was feeling last week when William was born. A lot of these things even Brent doesn't know. Not because I couldn't have told him, but because I knew that most of what I felt was from sleep exhaustion and hormones. 

I knew I loved William from the moment I saw him. I can't explain it, most parents can't. I had been growing him for 9 months and I already felt so close to him. The first time I held him in recovery and breastfed him my heart about exploded. He was my baby. Not some random scary baby, but my baby. 

After our family left that first night it really began to sink in. We were responsible for this baby. Not only did we get to love on him and snuggle with him, we had to keep him alive. That's where breastfeeding comes in. I kept thinking, all this kid needs is a boob to keep him alive, and I have two! I had read so much about breastfeeding that I knew it would be hard. However, nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen in those first few days. 

The first few times I breastfed it was nice. My nipples weren't too sore on that first day and my milk hadn't come in so things were pretty comfortable. Will was a very eager baby and latched on with gusto. Little did I know that he was latching on incorrectly. I assumed we had it down pat. The first night Will nursed at midnight, then slept until 4am, nursed again, then slept until 8:30am. In fact we had to wake him up at 8:30am to eat again. I remember thinking the next morning how lucky we were to have such a sleepy baby. Now that doesn't mean I got any sleep that first night. The nurses came in EVERY HOUR to check my vitals. I would fall asleep for maybe 30 minutes, then be woken up, then have to try and fall back asleep again. It was terrible, but not because of Will. The nurse came in in the evening and asked if I thought I could get up and walk to the bathroom. I had regained the feeling in my legs hours before, and remember looking at her like she was crazy. Of course I can walk to the bathroom. She helped me to the edge of the bed and I began to realize that my incision was very painful. I stood up, tried to take a step, then sat back down on the bed. Shit. I can't even walk to the bathroom. What the what? The nurse had me lay back down and said that she would come back later to remove my urinary catheter. Awesome. When she came back around 11:30 I was able to walk to the bathroom and she removed my urinary catheter. Walking was extremely hard. I was only taking Motrin because percocet makes me nauseous and I did not want to vomit with my incision. Every nurse and doctor that came into my room tried to get me to take percocet, but the thought of being nauseous or loopy while trying to nurse Will was very unappealing. Oh yeah, I was also still getting over a sinus infection so I was coughing a lot. They told me to use a pillow to push on my incision before I coughed. I would try to do it every time, but some coughs would sneak up on me. When they did the pain was ridiculous. Once again, awesome. First night: No sleep, painful incision, but a nice happy baby. 

The next day my nipples really began to hurt. Will began wanting to eat more often, and each session became harder and harder. He was so eager to latch on that he would get this crazy look in his eyes and start snorting. More than once I thought "oh my gosh this little baby is going to gum my nipple off!". And when he would latch those first initial suckles (is that a word? Suckles...) were EXTREMELY painful. I'm talking toe curling, finger biting painful. After a minute or so the excruciating pain would stop and was replaced by a constant pinching sensation. Miserable doesn't begin to describe it. That, on top of not sleeping, made for a very stressed Emily. We had a few visitors that day, but eventually asked that people not come unless it was our parents. I kept telling myself that if I could get some sleep tonight I would feel better the next day, but a very overwhelming feeling was setting in. Around 9pm Will wanted to nurse. Once again my nipples hurt something fierce. He nursed for 1 hour and 5 minutes. When he was done I thought for sure he would sleep for a while and we could get some shut eye. To my dismay he was up again 20 minutes later. Brent tried to console him but he was rooting around and wanted to eat again. Ok, lets nurse again. This time he nursed for 30 minutes. When he was done I was relieved. NOW he will go to sleep and I will get that much needed rest. Brent swaddled him and put him in the bassinet. Here we go, sleep time! But there was no sleep time. None. Will was up 10 minutes later screaming. Once again Brent tried to comfort him, but he began rooting around for a nipple. More specifically my nipple. My poor, poor nipple. This time I was on the verge of tears. In fact, I may have cried, I don't remember. If I didn't Brent had to have seen the desperation and confusion on my face. Not only was I exhausted my nipples hurt so bad I dreaded every feeding. I was up until 5:30am feeding on and off. At one point he fell asleep after nursing and I just held him and watched TV for an hour. I didn't even try to sleep, I just wanted him to sleep so that he wouldn't want to feed again. Because feeding meant pain and I couldn't handle it anymore. Finally I put him down and fell asleep for 2 hours. Then he was up again and nurses were coming in to do my checks. It was Thursday. Second night: No sleep, painful incision, cranky baby. 

Thursday was the worst. My confidence as a mom was shot and we were only two days in. Granted I tend to be harder on myself than I should be, but I wanted to be a rockstar and instead I could barely get out of bed. I knew that Friday I would get to go home so I tried to focus on that, but my breasts were so painful that it was hard to concentrate on the positive. My milk began to come in and my boobs were huge and sore. My nipples were raw and angry. And I was beyond exhaustion. Brent had been leaving on and off to train and my mom would come while he was gone to help out. On Thursday I didn't even want to hold WIll. I know, just writing it now makes me tear up. I didn't want to hold my baby because I knew if I held him he would want to breastfeed, and I couldn't take the pain. I had seen the lactation specialist the day before but I thought that I was doing ok since Will seemed to be nursing fine, and I assumed the pain was just from being new to breastfeeding and would go away. On Thursday I should have asked to see the lactation consultant again, but I didn't. Have I mentioned that I'm stubborn? I thought for sure I could figure it out. I was stupid. I can remember Will sleeping in his bassinet and I was terrified of him waking up. My confidence was shot. Brent didn't train that night, instead he stayed with me and we planned on watching our Thursday night shows (the office, parks and rec, and 30 rock) and at one point I was actually looking forward to it. Mom brought us dinner, and we settled in to watch the shows. The next thing I knew Will wanted to nurse, and it was my breaking point. He latched on and I began crying. Poor Brent, he wanted to help so much, but what could he do besides be supportive? I felt so alone, even with my best friend next to me. I asked him to go to the nursing station and see if someone could help me. He came back with a nurses aide. I had wrangled in my tears and explained to her what was going on. When I think back to this moment now I laugh, which is funny because it was such a moment of desperation for me. I laugh because of the nurses aide. I can't remember her name but she was a cute young girl who at that time was my savior. She told me about shallow latch and began to show me what to do. She began to say that I had to tickle his nose with my nipple, then when he opened wide pull him into my breast for him to latch. I began to try and she kept saying "tickle, tickle, mommy, tickle, tickle". At that time I was so focused on doing it correctly that I didn't realize she was saying that. Now it makes me crack up. Tickle, tickle! I had some relief when he latched on correctly, but unfortunately my nipples were already so angry that the pain was still there. Now that Will was getting more milk because he was latching correctly  he began to sleep better. The night before he was so pissed because he was not latching right and he was not getting enough milk. Turns out babies can't be bamboozled. Once they figure out they didn't get what they needed, ie boob milk, they will be pissed. Every time. So thank you to that nurses aide for helping me when I was at my low point, and for giving me something to smile about now. Third night: Nipples about to fall off, painful incision, satisfied baby

Friday! I knew that I got to go home, and was hopeful that I would finally get some sleep. I was able to get out of bed, pee, poop, and walk around somewhat normally. And I finally asked to see the lactation consultant. I explained what had been happening and she showed me an even easier way to get him latched. I say easy now because I can do it, but when she first showed me it was awkward as shit. Will was so huge and strong that it was like wrestling a boob hungry bull. But I felt better knowing that I was on the right track. I had to go to a discharge class with a bunch of other new moms before they would let us go. They went over the basics, how to care for your newborn and how to care for yourself. I sat there, still exhausted, with a bunch of other exhausted mothers. They began to go over how often the babies should eat. Breastfed babies eat every 2 hours. Bottle fed babies eat every 4 hours. When I heard that I remember thinking "no wonder people bottle feed! Every 4 hours?! That sounds like a vacation!". Suddenly I wanted to punch the bottle feeding moms right in their faces. My nipples were hamburger meat and they were feeding every 4 hours! Ok, so maybe I am a lot meaner when I am sleep deprived.....but 4 hours sounded like forever at that point. When I got back to the room the doctor came in to see me. He once again tried to get me to take percocet, and when I said I hadn't and wouldn't he sent me home with a prescription for loritabs....just in case. I nursed Will, then we were out the door. When we got home all I could think about was sleep. It was nice to be home, but I still felt like crap. The first night all I did was nurse and sleep. Nursing was still extremely painful and I was trying to do it while in bed. I couldn't get comfortable and my back hurt. It took me a while to realize I had an awesome glider in the nursery. I tried nursing in there and it went way better. The pain was still there, but I was a little more comfortable with the chair and my boppy pillow. Fourth night: Still sore nipples, painful incision, happy baby. 

I began to feel better Saturday. I still was exhausted, and breastfeeding was not going as well as I had hoped, but at least we were home. I found that if I expressed a little breast milk after nursing, rubbed it on my nipple, let it air dry, then put my lanolin ointment on it I could get a little relief between feedings. On Saturday my boobs were giant. GIANT. I would catch a glimpse of them in the mirror and think "big boobs, cool!", then I would touch one and feel the soreness and think "big boobs, son of a bitch". On this day I no longer felt scared of Will's appetite. I began interacting with him between feedings. When he would be alert I would talk to him and touch him and bond with him. I realized that the first few days I hadn't done anything with him except for feeding sessions that I dreaded. Brent had changed every diaper and swaddled him every time. Because of my incision Brent had also been the one to carry him around and hold him in the hospital. Now that we were home I could focus on actually being a mom, not just a pair of sore nipples. That night I went to feed Will and my nipple began bleeding. Once again I began to have a mental breakdown. Was it hopeless? Now that my nipple was bleeding did I have to stop feeding him? My mind raced, then Brent came over and said "Great, now he is going to be a vampire". I stopped and looked at him. I smiled and said "or worse, he'll like twilight".  It was back to reality. I wasn't going to fail just because my nipple was bleeding. Just like Will wasn't going to be a vampire. It would be ok. I continued to rub expressed breast milk and lanolin ointment on the cracked nipple and it healed quickly over the next few days. Fifth night: Bloody nips, incision slightly better, happy baby. 

Sunday was the day. Will and I were figuring things out. Did my nipples still hurt? Absolutely. But it was no longer the type of pain that made me doubt breastfeeding. Will was getting better at latching, and I was getting better at holding him for the latch. We were both learning. I did realize at one point that when Will would begin feeding he would release, cough up milk, then cry. Milk was everywhere. It was frustrating for both of us. I googled the problem and got an answer. I have an over active let down. Oh, duh, an over active let down. Turns out when you begin to nurse your flow of milk increases in the beginning. Mine is such that it "lets down" too much milk at once, causing the baby to choke. I guess there are worse problems to have. Solution? Now I pump for about a minute prior to him eating, or unlatch him at the beginning and express breast milk into a burp cloth until the flow slows down, then re-latch. I get out that initial flow which allows him to nurse without milk going everywhere. Moral of the story? Google is your best friend. I can not count how many times I have had a problem, and while breastfeeding I will google it on my phone and find an answer or solution. The internet is an amazing thing. Once I fixed my let down problem things became even better. Sixth night: Nipples getting better, incision getting better, happy baby.

Monday I hit my groove. I had the pumping down, our latch was getting better, and my left nipple didn't hurt at all anymore. My right nipple still had a scab from the bleeding incident (gross, I know) but even it was getting better. I was sleeping better, even though I am still getting up every two hours, I can pass out in between feedings pretty easily. Finally we were getting it. I was also able to establish a routine with Will. When we get up in the morning I lay him on the bed and we do little baby exercises and tummy time. I turn on some music and I sing to him and move his legs and arms in rhythm. He loves it, and I love having time with him that doesn't include boobs. I was no longer terrified of my baby. The rest of our day is breastfeeding and hanging out. It is still exhausting, but every day it gets better. It really does. 

I know that every ones story is different. Some woman can't breastfeed for various reasons, others choose not too. Some woman pick it up quicker than others. From what I can tell my experience is a good one overall. If you take anything from this I hope it is the fact that no matter what happens you aren't alone. I was scared of my baby for crying out loud. I would sit with him while he nursed and I would cry. It is such an emotional roller coaster. One minute I would think that things were getting better, than two hours later I would feel nothing but despair. Brent would say that he had to leave for training and I would choke back tears because I was so worried about being alone with Will. I also know that I'm not out of the woods. Things can still go wrong and I can still have my moments of doubt and sadness. I get that. But I also realize that everyday with Will is truly amazing. Now I look at him and I cry because he is so beautiful. I cry because my love for him is overwhelming. I can't wait to watch him grow up. 

A paragraph for the boys: You are about to go through something awesome and scary and intense. What you are about to go through your wife or girlfriend is about to go through that times a million. And all you can do is be supportive. Brent has been amazing. I didn't change  a diaper until 1 week after Will was born. Brent did everything for me so that I could focus on breastfeeding. And when he changed the diapers he didn't complain or talk about how gross it was. Nothing. Something as simple as that was so helpful to me. And tell your girl that you love her. That she is beautiful even though she is going to look crazy. The underwear that they give you to wear in the hospital is anything but cute, but damn are they comfortable. At least I thought so. I took a bunch home from the hospital. The first few days we were home I mostly walked around in those white underwear pulled up past my belly button so that it wouldn't hit my incision and my nursing bra that was stained around the nipples from the lanolin ointment I was using and my breast pads hanging out of the sides. And Brent didn't care. He didn't make jokes about it. He just watched me walking around looking homeless and told me that he loved me. That's all we want and need. Tell us that you love us. When we cry for no reason or for good reason tell us that you are there and that you always will be. It's time for you to be awesome while we figure out what the hell we are doing. 

My C-Section Experience

I'm writing this because I am hoping that other pregnant women (most of my friends right now) will find it helpful in some way. When I was pregnant I read all of the books and websites on becoming a new parent. When I found out I would be having a c-section I read everything I could about that as well, and don't even get me started on breastfeeding. However, the things that comforted me the most and that I found most helpful were women's blogs. Reading actual experiences, the good and the bad, helped prepare me for what was to come, and what was to follow. For those that know me, I am actually a very private person. I usually don't open up to many about my deep and personal experiences. Having a baby has been the most emotional and intense thing I have ever experienced. I gained comfort from my amazing support system, my husband, family, and friends. But in those moments when I wasn't sure what to do with my feelings or had a question and it was 4 in the morning it was the blogs and forums from real people that got me through. So, because I have always enjoyed writing and with some encouragement from those around me, I give you the Oblong Mom Blog. Because no journey, whether it is parenthood or not, is a perfect circle. This is my c-section experience.

I'll start by saying that I never was a fan of babies. Don't get me wrong, babies are awesome, but they terrified me. I never was the woman who ran over to see the newborn or ask to hold them. And typically anytime I did hold them they would cry and I would panic. They were always so fragile and foreign to me. I was the youngest in my family until my cousin had a baby, then my nephew came along, but we are a small family. Not a lot of babies to practice with. That's not to say that I didn't want kids of my own, it's just that your kids freak me out. When I met Brent I knew we would have our own little awesome family. And when we felt we were ready we planned and made our own baby.

 8 Weeks

40 Weeks

My pregnancy was, dare I say, easy. I felt great during the whole thing, besides the occasional nausea early on and feeling tired. Everything else was great and I loved being pregnant. Even when I found out my baby was going to be a moose, it didn't phase me. When we got towards the end I started preparing for the birth. In my head it would go down like most labor and deliveries do. I would have contractions, we would go to the hospital, I would get drugs, and I would attempt to push out our Weed-baby. For a month before my due date I would make sure the house was always clean, the hospital bag packed, and I would fall asleep hoping to be awoken by contractions. When my due date came, and went, I began to realize that the typical labor experience might not be an option for me. 4 days after my due date we decided, based on his weight and me not progressing, that we would schedule a c-section. It was set. May 1st at 11:30 we would have our baby. 

Having the birth scheduled was an odd feeling. To know that on Tuesday at 11:30 we would be parents was odd. What happened to the labor part? Everyone anxiously waiting but not knowing when he would come? The whole thing was just weird. Most women will hate me for this on some level, but I didn't have ONE painful contraction. Nothing. On Tuesday morning, 9 days past my due date, Brent and I made our way to the hospital. Our c-section was scheduled for 11:30 and we were asked to arrive at 9:30am. We registered at the front desk, then made our way back to be prepped. The rest happened pretty quickly. We were put in a small room and I put on my lovely hospital gown. They asked if I needed to go to the restroom, which I highly recommend doing even if you don't feel the urge right then. You won't get another chance before the c-section do make a poo. Brent was given a white jumpsuit thing, a surgical mask, and hair net to wear during the procedure. My nurse, Brooke, took a quick medical history, hooked me up to some monitors, and started my IV. She was great. I then was given a patch to put on my neck to prevent nausea and had to drink something that neutralized my stomach acid just in case I did vomit during the procedure and inhaled the vomit. Scary thought, I know. The medication is called Bicitra and I later found out that nurses will drink it during their shifts if they have heartburn. It wasn't a large amount, but it tasted AWFUL. I can't stress that enough. So when you drink it do it fast. After Brooke got me prepped I was able to see my doctor. She gave a brief run down of what would happen, all of which I already knew from researching it online. Then the anesthesiologist came in and went over her end. I can't remember her name for the life of me, but she was great. The anesthesiologist will be your best friend if you have a c-section, trust me. If you feel anything weird just tell them and they will fix it with their awesome drugs. Hooray medical science! Brent suited up, and it was time to have a baby. We walked down to the operating room and Brent had to wait in the hall while they gave me my spinal. Walking into an operating room while awake is a trippy feeling. All of the instruments are out, monitors are going, people are scurrying around. There were a lot of people in the room, which I enjoyed. I tried to talk to them all, mostly because I was nervous, but also because I wanted them to like me before they started cutting me open. They do the spinal first. I was more nervous about the spinal than anything. The thought of not being able to move my legs was troubling. They sat me on the edge of the table and had me hunch forward over my belly. My nurse Brooke held me in place and held my hand during, I meant to thank her for that but didn't get the chance. They injected local anesthesia first, which is the only part of the spinal that hurts. It's a sharp quick pain. If you can handle that, which you can, then you are set. They injected the medication and had me lay on my back. The anesthesiologist said that the first 5 minutes after the spinal is given are the worst. If you are going to get nauseous or have any ill effects it will be within the first 5 minutes. When they laid me down I could feel my legs slowly lose feeling. It was slow and tingly, I could feel it spread from my waist down, and by the time I was on my back I couldn't move my legs. I have never wanted to move them more than I did at that moment. I kept taking deep breaths just to relax. If I really thought about moving my legs I would start to panic a little in my head and would have to tell myself to calm down. Luckily I did not become nauseous, but I did get very hot and start sweating. The anesthesiologist gave me an injection of something, I didn't ask nor did I care at that point, and she stood over my and fanned me until I felt better. See what I mean? She was my best friend at the time. I began to feel better immediately. They put in a urinary catheter once I was numb. When they put the drape up Brent was able to come in. I instantly felt better when he sat down with me. This was it, we were about to have a baby. The doctor and nurses commented that if I did have a 9 lb baby in there I was hiding it well, and that they would be surprised if he was really big. I couldn't wait to hear how much he weighed. The doctor told me that she was pinching me and asked if I could feel it. Nothing. So they began. 

I tried to talk to Brent while it was happening. Saying silly things like "Are you ready?", and "We are about to have a baby!". What else do you say when you know your life is about to change forever. We threw in a good amount of "I love you" as well. Then, at 11:36am, he was pulled out of me. Ok, more like ripped and tugged. I of course couldn't feel them cutting me at all, but suddenly they began pulling him out and my whole body was being moved from side to side as they pulled. It was crazy. When the tugging stopped I felt the room go silent. I don't remember if it actually did, but all I was waiting to hear was a cry. I wanted to hear my baby. Then he did, and I cried too. It was an emotional dump. I was smiling and tearing up, then they quickly brought him around the drape for us to see, then whisked him away to be cleaned. What I saw of him was giant and naked and awesome. While I laid there Brent went over to take pictures of him being cleaned up. All of the nurses were commenting on how big he was and how big his head was. Finally I heard it, "he is 9 lbs, 9 oz!". A nurse leaned around the drape and reassured me that a c-section was the way to go. I think after that I kept saying things like "yay c-sections" and "I love c-sections!". I don't know, I was euphoric. Once he was wrapped up Brent was able to bring him over to sit with me. He was perfect. I kissed him and stared and couldn't believe it. Our baby was here. 

May 1st, 2012 11:36am

William Garin

Once I was stitched up, which took about 30 minutes, I was wheeled to recovery. Once again I had to keep telling myself not to try to move my legs, because when I'd try and I couldn't, a little voice in my head would say "freak out!". Don't try to move your legs. I don't remember how long I was in recovery. Brent got to hold William and he looked so perfect doing it. After a few minutes I got to hold him too, which is harder than you would think when you can't move your torso. Brent propped my arm up with some pillows and helped me. Brooke came in to check on us and stop my IV fluids. I was unhooked from monitors and my blood pressure cuff, and she asked if I wanted to breastfeed. Oh crap! It's here, time to feed my baby with my boobs. I told Brooke I would like to try and that I really didn't know what I was doing. Once again, she was great. She helped me unsnap my gown, put him skin to skin, and just like that he was latched on and nursing. And once again, I was in awe. 

When I was done in recovery, I want to say I was in there for 30-45 minutes, but it could have been longer, I was wheeled to my room. Brooke introduced me to my new nurse, Kori, and away she went. There was a flood of visitors after that. My parents, Brent's parents, my grandparents, were all in the room while Will got his first exam. I was still a little out of it, so most of the day was a blur of family members, baby, and breastfeeding. 

The actual hospital stay was the worst. I'll dive into that a little more when I write my next post, but there was no way to sleep for more than an hour or so with the new baby and the nurses coming in to check vitals all of the time. I was miserable. They took out my IV and urinary catheter 12 hours after the c-section, but I still didn't feel right the whole time I was there. I had to keep reminding myself that not only do I have a newborn, I just had major abdominal surgery. Walking, peeing, pooping, everything was a deal. I couldn't wait to get home. And may I recommend to limit visitors while in the hospital. Keep it to immediate family. I was so overwhelmed with my recovery and the baby that I wasn't up for much socializing. Don't forget that you need time to regroup and bond with your new family.

I am sure that there are pros and cons to both a c-section and a vaginal birth. Looking back on my whole experience (and William's head size) I am thankful that I had a c-section. The nurses were great and my baby was delivered quickly and safely. Really, what more could you ask for?