First 2 weeks with Mr. Michael :)

I’m finally getting around to updating about my new and exciting life with little Michael at home! I (wrongly) assumed that he would mostly sleep all day and that I would have all the time and energy in the world to blog about him and the adorable things he does. Having this little munchkin around is quite time consuming but it is 110% worth it. He puts a huge smile on my face all day every day and I really cannot imagine life without him.

We were all very much excited to come home on Thursday, but a bit nervous as the nurses wouldn’t be around to help or tell us if we were doing something wrong. The night went really well; he woke up on schedule for his feedings every 2-3 hours. I would breastfeed, David would burp him and change the dirty diapers. Perfect system. Unfortunately, M’s daddy had to go back to VA late that night/morning which made me even more nervous and anxious about having to take care of M all by myself without any help. Saturday morning was Michael’s first doctor’s visit. Nothing really exciting happened, he was weighed, measured and his circumcision and umbilical cord stump were inspected. He cried the entire time; poor thing doesn’t like doctors very much. I had to breastfeed him in the car in the parking lot afterwards in order to calm him down and fill his little belly so he would take a nice nap for the ride home. His next appointment is in 2 weeks.

Temperament:

Michael is the most peaceful little baby. Without exaggerating, he rarely cries. I can count on one hand the amount of times he’s had a cry session since being home and even those times that he did cry, it was pretty short lived. He is awake for a few random hours throughout the day during which he loves to just look around and hang out either on his boppy pillow or in his bouncer. He is incredibly alert and is very good at focusing on objects or faces. His eyes will be wide open and he’ll turn his head towards sounds or whoever is talking to him. Such a smart little baby already!

When he is upset or wants something (the boob) he makes a little “ahh!” sound which gets increasingly loud and demanding if it goes ignored. He kind of sounds like a squawking bird when he does it. It’s super cute!

He loves being held, although I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m the one with the boobs that feed him. In the mornings he likes to hang out on my bed in his boppy pillow and look out the window or take a little catnap while I wake myself up completely. He then comes and chills in his bouncer in the dining room while I eat breakfast. The whole time he just observes his surroundings, taking it all in.

Feeding:

While we were at the hospital, I couldn’t breastfeed right away due to the infections/fevers I had, so he was started on formula from the bottle. He had a lot of trouble latching on and feeding him was quite difficult and caused us and the doctors to worry. Once he got the boob, however, he became a total pro at feeding and now refuses the bottle entirely. I exclusively breastfeed him and he loves it. For the majority of the day/night he is on a good schedule of feeding every 2-3 hours or so. However, he recently began cluster feeding in the mornings, so from about 5am to 10am, he will want to nurse every hour to hour and a half. It’s extremely exhausting so when he sleeps in between those feedings, I do as well. I’ll still usually feel like a zombie afterwards, but after that, he’ll take a huge nap for about 4 hours or so, allowing me to shower, eat, rest, update my blog, etc. I spoke to a nurse about this, and based on his weight gain, he’s just going through his 2 week old growth spurt! Yesterday I decided to start giving him a bottle of pumped milk 1x per day in order to help him practice his bottle latch. I won’t always be home to feed him in the future, so it would be good for him to be capable of taking a bottle. Overall, it went well, but he still needed a lot of chin support. I’m not worried, he’ll get the hang out it!

In between feeds, he is very good at producing massive poopy diapers/wet diapers. So I know he’s definitely getting enough to eat. He is also a pro at burping and has only spit up once.

Sleeping:

He is a great sleeper! He naps regularly and while he sometimes fights the urge to sleep, once he does fall asleep, he is a deep sleeper so I don’t really need to tip toe around him. His favorite places to sleep are in his bassinet, on my chest or on his boppy but I only let him sleep on the boppy if I’m next to him…just in case! He makes all kinds of funny noises when he sleeps too…grunts, snorts, snores, coos, etc.  As I mentioned before, he’ll usually nap between feedings, sometimes he stays awake and hangs out, but he takes a long nap around lunch time for about 4 hours. It’s a nice break for me.

Health/Milestones:

Birth:

Height: 22 inches

Weight: 7lb 4oz.

9 days:

Height: 22.25 inches

Weight: 7lb 13oz.

17 days:

Height: 22.25 inches

Weight: 9lbs! (I weighed him on my scale, so this isn’t 100% accurate, but based on his size, I believe it!)

Despite his rough start on life, he is an extremely healthy baby and as far as I can tell, he is exactly where he needs to be at almost 3 weeks old. He makes eye contact, he is very alert, he turns his head towards noises/face, and he has a whole ton of facial expressions that he tests out throughout the day! He has smiled a whole bunch of times, and today he even laughed! Although I don’t think he laughed consciously…I think it was more reactive…possibly gas. Oh well, he’ll be laughing soon!

We started tummy time last week. I’m starting off with him on my chest. He is so good at it and has such strong little neck muscles! He can lift his head for about 3-5 seconds and turn it both ways. He lifts very well, but is still learning to control lowering his head without slamming it back down on my chest.

Size:

He still wears newborn size diapers and newborn size clothes fit him perfectly. He is slowly growing into the 0-3 month size clothes, but they are still a bit big on him.

Activities:

There isn’t a whole lot you can do with a newborn considering how much they sleep, but everyday we do the following:

Hang out and talk (aka I just ramble on to him in my baby voice)

Listen to music as I sing to him

Tummy time

Play mat time

Walk around the block

Sit outside once it’s cooler out

Sponge bath

Read a few books together

FEED

Updates:

Circumcision is completely healed, and 90% of the umbilical cord has fallen off! Yay! (That thing was really nasty) I developed mastitis in my right boob. SO painful, but now I’m on antibiotics so hopefully within a couple of days it will be all gone.

Overall, I am LOVING life with Mr. Michael at home with me. He is a beautiful baby and is perfect in every way! I love the time we spend bonding and I could stare at him for hours on end. He has grown so much these last 2.5 weeks and part of me wishes he could stay a cute little baby forever. I love him SO much. 

Birth Story!

Michael David is officially here! He arrived on August 9, 2012 weighing in at 7lbs 4oz and measuring 22 inches long! He is such a little fighter and after reading his birth story, you will definitely agree that he is the strongest little man.

It all started at my doctor’s appointment on Wednesday at 12:30. Doctor told me I was only dilated 2 cm but I was 75% effaced, so technically I was still progressing appropriately. Since I was already at 39 weeks 4 days, I asked for an induction and scheduled one for that Friday at 7am. Well, apparently Michael decided that that just wasn’t soon enough. I got home from the appointment and for the rest of the afternoon, I had some pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions. It wasn’t until later that night at 9:30 that I started timing them. What do you know, the contractions were on average, 3 minutes apart and lasted about 1 minute long. I then waited until about 12:30am before calling my doctor to ask her whether or not she thought I should go to L&D (Labor and Delivery) at the hospital. I went in and they monitored Michael and I for about 2 hours. They and I decided that I should go home for the night and “labor at home” and then return to the hospital when the contractions become way stronger to the point that they were unbearable. In the meantime, I called David and he immediately got in his truck and started on the drive up from VA. Fortunately, because it was the middle of the night, he didn’t hit any traffic and made it to my house at 4am. I was up all night as the contractions got stronger. At 6:30am, I was pacing the house trying to cope with the pain; I took a shower, called the hospital and let them know I would be coming in shortly. David and I got to the hospital at 8:30am – by then I could barely walk/talk the contractions were so bad. I was immediately put in a bed and told to relax and just “labor through the pain.” Yea ok. After a few hours of excruciating pain, squeezing David’s hands numb, and the standard birthing moaning noises, I was begging doctors for an epidural, literally begging. To hell with the whole natural birth thing, I just wanted pain meds & relief. At 2pm I finally got the epidural and it was amazing…for the hour and a half that it actually lasted on me. For some reason my right side would start un-numbing about an hour and a half after getting the injections. I suffered some more as the contractions on that side were ripping through me and got an epi refill around 4:30pm. Around 5:30pm, after realizing that my lazy cervix really didn’t want to dilate much more than 6 cm or so, the midwife broke my water. (aka she poked a hole in the sac where the baby was to drain all the amniotic fluid and move the whole process along) It was then that pretty much all hell broke loose.

Once all the fluid came out, the midwife realized that it had a really weird look and smell to it, not like “normal” amniotic fluid. It was infected. Immediately I was stuck with an IV and given fluids and antibiotics to fight whatever kind of infection this may have been. During that time, I spiked a fever of 103 degrees +, my heart rate was in the 140s and Michael’s heart rate fluctuated between 160 and almost 200. I had no idea what was going on during this time, but David and my mom knew that something very bad was happening. With the fever, I was sweating bullets but was soo cold I was shaking so violently it really must have looked like I had epilepsy. On top of all of this, my 2^nd epidural refill was wearing off again on the right side. Another anesthesiologist came in around 7:30pm and pumped me full of meds. He was awesome and really hooked me up; so much so that I was completely numb from the ribs down for a few hours after that. I felt a little better, but both Michael and I were still not doing very well. Around 9:30pm, the midwife came in to see if I was dilated any further; apparently I was about 9cm and was given the go ahead to start pushing. I started pushing around 9:45pm. Thankfully I was 100% numb “down there” and couldn’t feel a darn thing. I had record time pushing apparently and got little Michael out in 11 pushes – 20 minutes! It wasn’t all fine and dandy though. David and my mom were holding my legs so I couldn’t see what was going on, I just pushed like I was taking the biggest poop on the planet. As Michael’s head approached the exit, it became very apparent to everyone (except me bc I was basically in a trance) that something was wrong. He was kind of stuck and something was holding him back. All of a sudden, midwife says his head is out and she begins calling for clamps and scissors. I can’t see what she’s doing but I’m wondering why David wasn’t cutting the cord as originally planned. Everyone is quiet, my mom and David are staring at what she’s doing and telling me that everything is fine when it really wasn’t. Turns out the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around Michael’s neck 3 times. Poor little guy couldn’t get out because the cord was choking him. Once the mw finished cutting it, he came out all the way. No crying, no screaming. Just silence. There were about 5 nurses also in the room with us. 3 of them grabbed Michael’s limp body and rushed him to the heating table. The next 5 minutes were the longest and worst 5 minutes ever. At first I didn’t realize what was going on, but when I finally did, I was hysterical. He wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t moving, he was white. After about 4 and a half minutes we heard a little cough and he moved just a little bit. The nurses quickly wrapped him up, brought him over to me and let me give him a kiss on the cheek and then they whisked him away. David went and stayed with him.

I was sewn back together and waited and waited to hear back from nurses or doctors as to what was going on with Michael. Finally the neonatologist came in and gave me a list of all sorts of tests and things that needed to be done, to include a spinal tap. David and I agreed to everything in Michael’s best interest. Meanwhile, I was still running this crazy fever of 103 and was told that once I was fever free, I had to go another 24 hrs of being fever free before I could go into the NICU and come into contact with Michael. I cried. All I wanted to do was hold my baby and I hadn’t gotten to do that.

24 hours later, 12:30am the next day, I was able to hold my baby Michael for the first time. David has it on video…me crying and being emotional while meeting my precious little man. He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen and I couldn’t/can’t get enough of him. Later that day around 10am, I spike another fever of 103. Not only am I back in quarantine from seeing my baby, but doctors are realizing that there is something wrong with me too. After a bunch of blood tests, blood cultures and a catscan, it is revealed that I have an infection from the amniotic fluid, a kidney infection/UTI, and fluid in my lungs – awesome! They started me on antibiotics and I waited for the next 24 hours to pass so I could see Michael again.

He, in the meantime, was doing GREAT! His tests were coming back negative for all the scary things that he could have been suffering from. The doctors decided however, to keep him in the NICU an extra week to continue giving him antibiotics against possible infection from the amniotic fluid. He is such a strong baby and such a fighter. Throughout his whole ordeal, he was so calm and peaceful, rarely crying, making the cutest faces and just being the best baby on the planet.

Now- he started breastfeeding on Monday and is an absolute champ at it! He now weighs 7lbs 10 oz! He eats round the clock so David and I don’t really get much sleep. :/ to be expected with a newborn… I finished my rounds of antibiotics and am now staying at the hospital just waiting for him to finish his antibiotics. He is getting discharged tomorrow – Thursday and will finally be able to come home!! We will have been here for an entire week, but in the end we are both healthy and strong and more than 100% ready to begin our new life as a little family.

Thank you to everyone who kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate it! 

Week 39 - 1 week to go!

Countdown: 6 days to go! (SINGLE DIGITS!!)

How far along: 39 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: I'm now at 23 lbs total weight gained. Woof. I hope this baby comes soon so I can cap the weight gain and look forward to weight LOSS! Another appointment on Wed. Hopefully I won't make it till then!

Maternity clothes?: In this heat, I'd rather be naked. 

Stretch marks?: Nopes!
Belly button, in or out?: Out. I'm convinced it's permanently stretched out and will never look normal again.
Sleep: I pretty much don't sleep anymore. It's been awful. I'm either sweating, peeing, itching, cramping or contracting. This results in a cranky and  mentally/physically exhausted Fiona. Practice for when M is here.
Cravings: Homemade pizza. YUM! Can put whatever I want on it & eat it whenever I feel like it.
Showing yet?: Showing is an understatement. Exploding is more like it.
Happy or Moody?: Yes....but mostly IMPATIENT. These last few weeks have been killer.  

Movement: Still moving like crazy, still kicking me like crazy, it seems like he's desperate to get out...but he's not making a move!
Best moment this week: Knowing that my due date is on Saturday! These 9 months went by fast, but right now time is crawling.
Things I miss: Being pain free. I'm sore all over. :/
Gender: BOY!
Looking forward to: MEETING MICHAEL DAVID!
Due Date: August 11^th


So this past week has been pretty eventful in terms of contractions and cramping. At my doctor's appointment on Thursday, OB said I was about 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. According to her, this is amazing progress and I'll supposedly have an "easy delivery". I really hope she's right, although I wish she could give me an exact date that he'll arrive! According to her estimates, he weighs about 7 lbs, his heart is beating perfectly healthily, and he's more than ready to come out! I'm kind of convinced that I'm going to go past my due date so I have another dr appt set up for the Monday after my EDD during which we would discuss induction. I'm not really willing to go past 40.5 weeks. I've been pregnant long enough! Friday night I had about 5 hours of intense contractions and back cramping. The contractions felt like really strong period cramps combined with a tightness of the whole uterus. And my back was KILLING me. I was in a cold sweat until about 1:30am when I finally was able to fall asleep...kind of. When I woke up in the morning, setting aside how exhausted I was, the contractions had subsided. I had seriously considered going into L&D as I was thinking "this is it!!" but you're not supposed to go in if you can still talk through the contractions. Next time it happens, screw it. I'm going in.

Fingers crossed for something to happen for real this week! I'm really tired of being pregnant! While I've been too tired to "nest" properly, I did clean M's part of the room and reorganize a couple of drawers. I'll put up some pictures in a separate post. 


I decided to take one of those cheesy heart pictures with a belly. Had to...

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, like a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Random things..

So other than complaining about pregnancy and waiting for Michael to make his debut, I've been doing some other random things: picking out birth announcements, shopping for baby clothes, reading a book on the first year and sending out thank you cards. 


Birth announcements: I figure I might as well pick out the card format now because I probably won't have the time or energy to do it once M is born. Tinyprints.com is amazing for this kind of thing. My baby shower invites were also from this site and they were beautiful! I decided that M's pic on the announcement has to be extra cute so he should def. wear a little hat or bonnet or something. I looked online for some ideas, and this one is just TOO CUTE! I may have to splurge and get it. 

Baby clothes: Every time my mom and I walk into any kind of baby store, we obviously have to look at all the teeny outfits. A lot of them were just way too cute to pass up. These little outfits are sized for the winter time and are fleece to keep him nice and warm. The little brown zip up on the left has little ears on the hood! So cute!

Book on 1st year: While I really like the "What to Expect" books (I have What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Eat When You're Expecting, and What to Expect the First Year), I didn't find the first year book extremely helpful. I also find it difficult to read informational type books that don't have diagrams or pictures. I found Mayo Clinic's book "Guide to Your Baby's First Year" at Babies R Us and loved it. It covers absolutely EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about things to expect and know during the first year of baby's life, including all sorts of different illnesses. I haven't finished it yet, but it reads really easily and is very helpful. I definitely recommend it. 

I've been meaning to post about what I have packed in my hospital bag, I'll definitely do that next. I also wanted to write a little blurb about Mustela products. Love! 

Week 38 - 2 weeks to go!

Countdown: 11 days till baby Michael arrives! (1 week, 4 days, 3 hours, 20 minutes, 3 seconds) - but who's counting?


How far along: 38 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain: Well I gained another 2 lbs - which, according to my midwife, went pretty much straight to Michael. I feel better knowing that he's definitely growing. Now my total weight gain is at 21 pounds..not too bad. I'd really like to cap the weight gain at 25 lbs, nothing more!  

Maternity clothes?: Yea...barely.

Stretch marks?: Nothing!
Belly button, in or out?: Out. I can't wait to have an innie again.
Sleep: While sleep is definitely more comfortable, I never feel totally rested as I still wake up every 2 hours to pee. Definitely my body training me for when Michael gets here and is feeding all night. So that's a good thing and a bad thing. I just take naps to make up for the lack of sleep at night.
Cravings: Peaches! My mom gets these amazing Georgia peaches from the local town market and they are AMAZING. I could eat those things ALL day. Yum!
Showing yet?: Some lady at the market said - "Any day now, any day!" ...Lady, I sure hope so. So yes, I'm definitely showing.
Happy or Moody?: Happy, yet tired, impatient and sore. Come on Michael!!! 

Movement: He moves allllll dayyy longgg. Recently he's been really big on kicking me right under the ribs which is actually quite painful and kind of knocks the wind out of me. Ouch!
Best moment this week: Being told by my midwife that I was progressing really well and DDay should be real soon, and that little Michael gained some weight and is around 6 or 6.5 lbs!
Things I miss: Never thought I'd say this, but I really miss working out and running. All I want to do is get back into shape and I can't until this little guy pops out. Hopefully I still have this desperate motivation after he's born. 
Gender: BOY!
Looking forward to: Meeting Michael David!
Due Date: August 11^th

Now I can officially start updating about my labor progression: As of last Tuesday, I am 1.5ish cm dilated and 40% effaced. I apparently have a very soft cervix (a good thing) and Michael's head is all the way down and pretty much has me completely corked which just means that it might be a little harder for my water to break and the doctor may end up having to do it. What does all of this mean? Michael seems to be ready to come out and my body is well on its way to helping him get out. Unfortunately, it could end up being a really slow and drawn out process. All week I've been crampy, had pretty bad lower back cramping/pain and strong BH contractions. But it's all a big tease as nothing has been severe enough to warrant going to the doctor or hospital. 

In order to perhaps help the process along, I go for a walk around the block every night (about 1/2 mile), have eaten spicy-ish and curry foods, bounce on my yoga ball for what seems like hours, jump up and down, drink tons of water, jog in place, do squats...all to no avail. I even looked up the castor oil trick - yuck! I would never try that...induces vomiting and diarrhea with no guarantee of putting you into labor. Definitely not worth it to me. 

I feel so ready to give birth. I'm a little tired of being pregnant. Every time I walk it feels like someone is kicking me in the crotch bone, so sore! I'm constantly having BH contractions, constantly peeing, and feel like I have period cramps. I also must admit that I've been a little more moody recently which I'm just going to blame on my being annoyed and frustrated with the fact that I'm still pregnant.I feel like all of this is pretty typical of a woman who is pregnant in July. As much as I complain about all the symptoms, I really shouldn't. I've been blessed with a really healthy and easy pregnancy and apparently Michael just needs a little more cooking time!

My next appointment is on Thurs. I'm hoping that I'll never make it to that appointment, full moon on Aug 2! :) And if I do, the doctor better tell me that birth is imminent! 

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Week 37 - 3 weeks to go!

Countdown: 18 days till baby Michael arrives! 


How far along: 37 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain: At last week's appt, the total weight gain was still at 19 lbs. I have another appt tomorrow, so I'm hoping there's some weight gained so I know that little Michael is growing!  

Maternity clothes?: Yup, but mostly maxi sun dresses; nothing is really comfy anymore.

Stretch marks?: Nada. Fingers crossed that it stays that way!
Belly button, in or out?: Outie
Sleep: Sleeping is surprisingly more comfortable since baby dropped; breathing is definitely easier. Rolling over is a little painful for my pelvic bones and I still wake up at  least 3 times throughout the night to go pee. Annoying. 
Cravings: Cherries - thank goodness for the recent fruit cravings...at least those kinds are healthy! 
Showing yet?: No matter what people tell me about "looking so small!" I feel enormous.  
Happy or Moody?: Happy/Impatient - I know Michael will be here so soon and I can't wait to lay eyes on him! 

Movement: He's moving more than ever it seems; I think he's tired of being upside down.
Best moment this week: The cool weather! After a few weeks of 100% humidity at 95+ degrees, cooling off with some rain and 70s weather was amazing.  
Things I miss: Shopping for and wearing cute summer clothes...now I just watch my mom do that. More motivation to lose the baby weight as soon as he's born!
Gender: BOY!
Looking forward to: The day my little prince makes his grand entrance (or exit, depending on how you look at it)
Due Date: August 11^th


Delivery day is definitely approaching. I can feel it. Yesterday is what I think was the beginnings of pre-labor. I started getting some really bad lower back pain and cramping (feels like period cramps), and some pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions. After noticing that they were more frequent than usual, I started to time them. They were getting closer and closer together and in 1 hour, I counted 8 contractions. While I was starting to get excited that maybe something was happening, my body and my mind didn't really feel any sense of urgency. I wasn't panicking, I wasn't in severe pain, I kinda just laid there, relaxed and accepted what was happening. It was weird. So of course, I went online, did some research and I'm pretty confident that pre-labor has begun. The only symptoms I haven't specifically noticed are the loss of the mucus plug (gross!) and obviously my water breaking. At this point, my body is just preparing itself for the real thing which will hopefully take place within the next week. While all of this was happening, my family and I were at a friend's place celebrating 2 birthdays. There was a nice pool, so thankfully I was able to sit in there and relax a bit while all of this was happening. Everyone was getting excited that maybe I was going into real labor, but no such luck. 

When we got home later that evening, my mom and I went into a panic trying to pack the remainder of the "necessary items" into my hospital bag(s) just in case I went into actual labor later on that night. Thankfully, I also live about 10 minutes from the hospital  so someone can always go back and get something if I forget it. Throughout the night I was still cramping, had some back pain and felt nauseous. (all typical signs of prelabor) As I said earlier, I really think that this may be the week, and if not, then definitely next week. Woo! Now I think would probably be a good time to let my job know that I shouldn't/can't really work anymore...

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel, like a stalk of Swiss Chard. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Updates & Pediatricians

Updates: 

- I had my 36 week appointment on Tuesday and while I haven't gained any weight - still standing at 19 lbs total weight gained - Michael is also quite small. According to the midwife's measurements, which I'm sure aren't 100% accurate, he's probably just a little over 5 lbs. She thinks he'll definitely be on the smaller side. As long as he's a healthy baby, I don't care what size he is! (Although I really hope he doesn't have a growth spurt and become a 9 pounder) Next appointment is this Tuesday, hopefully Michael will have gained some weight and hopefully I will have made some progress in the effacement & dilation process...gross I know. 
- I received and unpacked my (Michael's) carseat! It's awesome and I'm so excited to take him home in it! I have the Graco Snap n Go stroller frame which works out perfectly for it. It's quite handy for quick outings or shopping. The other, more awesome stroller will be for longer outings and walks when he is a little bigger/older. 

Pediatricians:


Wednesday night I had my first pediatrician interview with a doctor whose practice is about 15 minutes away. They have 3 doctors on staff and one nurse practitioner who is also a lactation consultant. It was a group information session so there were about 5 other expectant couples there but they were all super nice and one of them was actually in my birthing class a couple weeks ago. 
From that night, I learned a few things about what topics should be discussed with the potential pediatrician:
- Vaccination schedule - how aggressive the doctor's are about vaccinations
- Antibiotics & homeopathy - how the doctor feels about using antibiotics in some situations and homeopathy in others; whether or not they constantly push for artificial remedies
- Accessibility - how soon your child can be seen in case of illness; walk in hours; emergencies;  doctor availability etc.
- Respect - whether the doctor is willing to work with parents and respect their particular wishes when it comes to healthcare, all within reason and still while promoting the best interest of the child
- Affiliation - which hospital the doctor is affiliated with so he/she can perform the first infant evaluation after birth; in case child is hospitalized during childhood, the doctor can easily enter and provide care for him/her
- Personality & approachability - whether the doctor is someone you feel comfortable interacting with, expressing concern to, standing up to (if necessary) and feel comfortable entrusting your child's care to
- Location - parking, accessibility, distance from home - all important things to consider


I really liked the pediatrician I met, but I have 2 more potential doctors to meet with, one this wednesday night, so we'll see who ends up being my baby's doctor :)