0 Months Old

The first week with Ethan home was quite an adjustment but we can't complain... Ethan is an amazing sleeper... just like his dad!  It killed me to have to wake him up to feed him though so I was determined to get him back up to his birth weight as quick as possible.  (as soon as they hit their birth weight there is no need to wake them during the night to feed as long as you can get 6 feedings in during the day). 

As determined as I was it was quite the struggle.  I was nursing Ethan and my body wasn't quite as ready as he was so we made many visits to the Lacatation Consultant... Kris Beuch... you are amazing!!!  After days of tears and lots of work my milk came in and I was able to get Ethan not only back to his birth weight but over it! 

Ethan is such a good baby and there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't look into his eyes and cry because I felt like I was the luckiest mom alive.  (Yes Butter I was able to look into his eyes- for those of you who don't know... many people but mainly my brother-in-law, Butter, didn't think Ethan had eyes because whenever we would go visit he would be sleeping).  Like I said, he is a great sleeper like his dad.

Enjoy some more of our photos below...

No I Am Not Still 37 Weeks Pregnant!

 

I am trying to get back into the swing of things and after a weekend in Chicago for a wedding and Ethan at the cabin I think I am finally into a groove and going to try to get back on this blog train.  So in the next week I am going to try to get you updated on my last 10 weeks since yes Ethan is 10 weeks today!!!

March 20, 2011:  I went to work today thinking it was going to be like any other day at work… wrong!  Today I was more swollen than I had ever been and a co-worker of mine, Mia, told me that she would not let me continue to work because she thought I was putting myself and baby at risk.  I kinda laughed at her and called my mom who agreed that if I was more swollen than I had been I needed to leave work.  I wrapped my things and called Josh and told him to call the hotline number and tell them what was going on and get their opinion.  I walked in the door and Josh said they told him to bring me in.  I didn’t really believe it so I called myself and sure enough they told me to get to the ER ASAP.  So I decided to take a bath and relax and attempt to shave (attempt is the key word).  I ate some rice and drank some water and then decided we could go.  I was rushed to labor and delivery where they took my vitals.  Yep something was wrong.  My blood pressure was around 150/90 and there was protein in my urine… I had pre-eclampsia.  TIME TO INDUCE!  Overnight I was feeling better but my contractions started and they were 4-5 minutes apart… I got no sleep.

March 21, 2011:  This morning the nurse came in and said that since my blood pressure was starting to go down they would probably not give me the pitocin and send me home…. WHAT!!!! OH HECK NO I WAS NOT GOING HOME!!!!  She checked me again and I wasn’t dilated much more than 3 still so she said she would be back shortly to check my blood pressure 1 more time.  She came back and my blood pressure was back up and…… my water broke!!!!!  I was not going home!!  Around dinner time I was ready to start pushing.  Thank god for my mom and Josh in the room I would not have been able to do that alone.  Grab my legs??? Yeah right!  More like Mom and Josh grab my legs!  I pushed for over 2 and a half hours until the doctor came back in and said I was going to need even a little more help. So he pulled out some forceps… yeeks!  With a few more pushes and some forceps my little cone headed baby was born at 9:19pm.

Ethan Arlen Flom (our Lil Hoot) was 8 lbs 6 oz 21 inches long and healthy as can be!

Thank god for: Josh, my Mom, epidurals, the button to give me more medicine, forceps, the St Francis nurses, Dr Druckman, our family that so patiently waited in the waiting room and for my little bundle of joy Ethan Arlen Flom!!! 

                            

37 Week Update

Stats from my appointment today...

Heartbeat: 140 bpm
Movement: Lots of moving of the butt back and forth from baby (I think "I Like To Move It Move It" from Madagascar is playing in there)
Weight Gain: I have slowed down again and gained 1 pound
Swelling:  See picture below. Not so hot!
Protein Test:  Checked for preeclampsia again and everything came back normal!!
Belly: Measuring 40.

Dilation:  1 cm !!!!!  Yay!
Effacement:  50%  Whoot Whoot!
Baby is head down still and ready to go. 

My doctor is on call tonight and Wednesday!  Crossing my fingers I can see her before she heads out on vacation on Friday.  She is still predicting a large baby but won't do anything more to trigger labor... still waiting!

Here are a few pictures of what I am looking like....

Say some prayers that Lil Hoot comes soon!

Much love!

Mama Hoot

Quick Update!

We had our 36 week appointment today and this appointment was a little different than all the rest.  The doctor now starts to check dialation and we went over the results of the ultrasound. 

Lil Hoot is a big baby... we heard that a few times today.  Lil Hoot is currently in the 89th percentile for weight and the head is the measuring to be the largest part of the baby at this point (I close my eyes and say a few prayers... please join me).

My doctor will not change my due date but hopes that I have this baby sometime by next week.  Originally she was hoping for a baby at 38 weeks but now she would be ready for the baby at 37 weeks and I am with her on that.  Today I am measuring at 39cm and have gained a good amount of weight but nothing to be concerned with... I am carrying a large baby. 

So am I dialated?  Nope not yet but who knows maybe her checking me today triggered something.  Fingers crossed! 

I just want to quick throw out a huge thank you to many friends and family for a beautiful shower this weekend.  I will blog about that as well but the doctor said I was looking quite pale today so I am instructed to get some sleep... off to lay down!

Much Love,
Mama Hoot

35 Week Ultrasound

9o'clock am we were called into the Diagnostics room at St Francis to get a look at our Lil Hoot and it was just as exciting as it was at 20 weeks!! 

Lil Hoot is head down, rump up and looking like he/she is ready to come out and play.   With one hand by the face (looking for food or something) and the other hand holding its foot and rocking it back and forth I think Lil Hoot is ready to come out and play. The heart was beating at 128bpm which is the slowest it has been but baby seemed to be extremely calm and content today.  I think Lil Hoot is a little camera shy because normally he/she is moving like crazy until the ultrasound equipment comes out. 

Let's see what else did you all want to know... oh yes that's right you wanted to know maybe the weight and even possible due date.  Now just so you know this information is normally suppose to be sent to the Dr and then delivered to us but our Tech is amazing and lets us know exactly what she thinks (love her!!).  So here it is... Lil Hoot is approximately 6 lbs 15 oz !!!  1 oz away from 7 lbs!!!  The "average" baby at this point would be 5 lbs 2 oz so that lead the Technician to tell me that I am wrong on my dates.  She said there is no way this baby is due on April 1st but that with these measurements she would predict a due date of at least 2 weeks sooner.  I guess that puts Lil Hoot due on my Mom's birthday of March 18th!  

We go to the see our doctor next Monday and learn more about what our expectations will be through the rest of the pregnancy.  Monday I will also be checked to see if I am dialated and where we are at in the effacement process.  So for now we will still stick with being 35 weeks.  But know that this baby can come anyday!

Congrats Kelly on being the closest on the guessing game!!

Much love,
Mama Hoot

Here is a picture of Lil Hoot's face from today.  Hard to see since the baby was under my pelvic/hip bone and had a fist to the mouth.  But I can see some chubby cheeks... better lay off the candy bars now and go back to apples.

38 Weeks... Oh wait we were only 34!

On Monday I had another doctor's appointment and this one was a little more exciting (well I am not sure if exciting is the right word).  See here is how it went...

I gained weight again!  Yippee!!!  Looking at my feet though it just looked like I packed on a few more pounds of water ... or is it?  My blood pressure was good and Lil Hoot's heartrate was back up at 140bpm.  Since I had a sudden onset of water retention the doctor did run a protein test just to rule out preeclampsia which all came back normal. 

So what was so exciting??

Well...  at my last appointment I was measuring at 34cm and this appointment (only 2 weeks later) I am now measuring at 38cm!  As the doctor read the measurement outload I looked over and saw Josh lose all color in his face... I am sure mine looked the same too.  38cm!  WOW! 

The doctor pushed on the baby a little bit and you could tell she was processing the measurement as well.  So, we are scheduled for another ultrasound on Monday.  Our doctor wants and updated due date and a better estimate of how BIG this baby is.  Sounds like this baby might not make it to its April 1st due date.

I called my mom after the appointment and there was no surprise from her since she had 5 VERY healthy babies of her own... I guess not only do I look like my mom but I will follow in her footsteps as well. 

So, let's play a little game... below you can post a comment and lets post how big you think this baby is going to be this coming Monday...  (not when the baby is born but how big you think this baby is now). 

Much Love,
Mama Hoot

32 Week Appointment

Monday we had another Doctor’s appointment and we are now down go every 2 weeks!!  The appointment was like all the others where it starts off with weight and blood pressure by our energetic nurse Angie followed by a few minutes of waiting for Dr Jenkins.  Dr Jenkins asks a few questions, answers a few questions and then it is off to measure my belly and listen for the heartbeat. 

This week I gained 6 pounds.  I almost got a high five from Dr Jenkins- she was quite excited… until a little later in the appointment when she pulled up my pant legs and noticed the weight gain was all due to water!  Not so happy for me anymore.  She tells me to keep eating.  If I eat anymore I am going to have to take a pin to pop my stomach but Dr’s orders so I will keep trying.

My belly was measuring at 34cm which is still 2cm above average.  The baby’s heartbeat was at 130bpm.  That was definitely the slowest it has been.  Nothing to worrying about though- seemed as if Lil Hoot was just taking a little nap and was feeling calm.

Dr Jenkins has her fingers crossed for me to go around 38 weeks.  She is not moving my due date and not promising anything she just thinks that is a good time to have the child J  She also let us know that they don’t stop labor after 36 weeks so have my bags packed.  My eyes filled with water at that point… for some reason it became very real for me in that moment… HOLY COW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!  Daddy Hoot laughed at me since he said it has been real for him the moment I peed on the stick! 

Next appointment is on Kortney’s birthday…. February 21st.

Much Love,
Mama Hoot