Warning: this post is FOREVER LONG so if you don't have alot of time to read and don't really care about nitty gritty details, you better come back later! Or skip it all together!
Ok, so pretty much everyone who reads this blog already knows that my precious baby boy has been born. Joel Carter Weidman came into the world on Sunday morning, July 19, 2009 (my precious Grandma Betty's birthday... I couldn't have asked for a more amazing thing from the Lord) at 4:53 am - weighing in at a hearty 7 lbs 13 oz. Exactly 1 lb bigger than his brother Luke. I knew he was going to be bigger... I was bigger and I just knew. (despite some peoples opinions that he would be as small as Luke)
My labor: hmm, where do I begin!? My water broke at 11:30 pm on Saturday night while I was just dosing off. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom and wasn't sure it was my water since my water did not brake with Luke. I of course had to pee so then I was even more not sure if it was my water or pee. Despite all these "what ifs" we had to go into the hospital to make sure because I tested positive for group b strep which involves antibiotics given as soon as your water breaks to make sure your baby is protected from potential infection. (sorry if that's too many details) So, I called my mom to let her know we were going in and then my dad came right over to stay with Luke. (our hearts were sad leaving him and knowing that in just a matter of hours his little life would never be the same!) Once we got into the hospital they did all the normal stuff; medical info, millions of questions, and so forth. I hadn't started contracting quite yet so they started giving me the IV of meds. It took about 30 minutes and so by that point I was having some light contractions; it was probably close to 2 am at this point. Then I was finally allowed to start walking around. (which is the way I like to labor) This definitely made my contractions continue and get harder. To the point where I had to stop and breath through them. So then they checked me and I was about 3-4 cm. I was NOT happy. Finally they got me into a room. I was blessed and was able to have a room with a whirlpool so I labored in there for about a half hour. And at this point I was definitely in pain and wondering if I was going to be able to do it again with out any medication. My mom and Matt were both there with me helping through it and encouraging me to breath. My nurse was awesome too. So, let's see... the next time they checked me I was 7-8 cm and still thinking I couldn't do it: despite the fact that I WAS doing it and getting through it. The nurse thought if I got up and tried to go to the bathroom it would help his head descend the rest of the way. So I was like OK, anything to get him out! I finished a contraction and hobbled over to the bathroom and sat down. Well let me just say that within the 5 second period it took me to get over there and sit down I had another contraction, fell to my knees, and was screaming that I had to push NOW!!! I pretty much almost gave birth to him on the bathroom floor! My mom and the nurse had to practically pick me up and drag me to the bed. Of course my doctor was tell me I was not allowed to push and I wanted to tell her to go to ... well I won't say what was actually going through my mind. It would be inappropriate! She said she had to make sure I was fully dilated if not my cervix would rip... well I was fully dilated. In a matter of 5 minutes I went from 8 to 10!!! I started pushing and in about another 5 minutes I pulled Joel up onto my chest and said "MY BABY MY BABY!!!" So, yeah, insanely intense and insanely fast. My labor ended up being maybe about 3 hours of intense contractions. I am blessed. He was healthy, I was healthy and I did it again just how I wanted to. Praise God! Depsite my fears of having to get pitocin and all that, God answered my prayers and allowed me to have a totally natural delivery.
OK, now that everyone is up to date with that part... Joel came out a fairly content baby and he is now sleeping pretty well at night. The first week was hard though because he was up ALOT at night and bless my mom's heart; she stayed with us a few nights to give me some rest. But now at night Joel is eating at like 9:30-10 ish and going till almost 2 am, and then up again at 5:30 am to feed again. Nursing is going amazingly. He latched right on and him and I are pros. :) I don't feel overwhelmed with nursing this time. I am not sore, and my milk came in great. When we left the hospital Joel weighed 7 lbs 7 oz... two days later at his check up he weighed 8 lbs!!!! He gained 9 oz in two days! The docs were like "what are you feeding this boy...?? bricks??!!" So that was satisfying to know that he is doing well with eating.
As far as dealing with Luke AND Joel... I have to say it is overwhelming and hard. Luke has definitely recognized that something is different and that it is very easy to not listen to me when I'm nursing and not able to be right there. He seems to have decided he likes to say "no" alot more, and just not listen in general. I am trying to have grace and remember how much of a change this is for him as well... but it's hard because he was such an obedient little toddler like 3 weeks ago!! And now he is testing the lines so much and I know he's desperately trying to get attention. So all this to say I am asking God for more grace and patience every day... actually every hour... well maybe every minute!!!
I do love my life because right now, at this very moment, I am doing exactly what I have always wanted to do; and exactly what I know I was created to do: be a stay-at-home mom. I am truly blessed to have two healthy little boys. I am happy; but am still learning every day to choose to be happy right. where. I'm. at.
Until next time...
Ok, so pretty much everyone who reads this blog already knows that my precious baby boy has been born. Joel Carter Weidman came into the world on Sunday morning, July 19, 2009 (my precious Grandma Betty's birthday... I couldn't have asked for a more amazing thing from the Lord) at 4:53 am - weighing in at a hearty 7 lbs 13 oz. Exactly 1 lb bigger than his brother Luke. I knew he was going to be bigger... I was bigger and I just knew. (despite some peoples opinions that he would be as small as Luke)
My labor: hmm, where do I begin!? My water broke at 11:30 pm on Saturday night while I was just dosing off. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom and wasn't sure it was my water since my water did not brake with Luke. I of course had to pee so then I was even more not sure if it was my water or pee. Despite all these "what ifs" we had to go into the hospital to make sure because I tested positive for group b strep which involves antibiotics given as soon as your water breaks to make sure your baby is protected from potential infection. (sorry if that's too many details) So, I called my mom to let her know we were going in and then my dad came right over to stay with Luke. (our hearts were sad leaving him and knowing that in just a matter of hours his little life would never be the same!) Once we got into the hospital they did all the normal stuff; medical info, millions of questions, and so forth. I hadn't started contracting quite yet so they started giving me the IV of meds. It took about 30 minutes and so by that point I was having some light contractions; it was probably close to 2 am at this point. Then I was finally allowed to start walking around. (which is the way I like to labor) This definitely made my contractions continue and get harder. To the point where I had to stop and breath through them. So then they checked me and I was about 3-4 cm. I was NOT happy. Finally they got me into a room. I was blessed and was able to have a room with a whirlpool so I labored in there for about a half hour. And at this point I was definitely in pain and wondering if I was going to be able to do it again with out any medication. My mom and Matt were both there with me helping through it and encouraging me to breath. My nurse was awesome too. So, let's see... the next time they checked me I was 7-8 cm and still thinking I couldn't do it: despite the fact that I WAS doing it and getting through it. The nurse thought if I got up and tried to go to the bathroom it would help his head descend the rest of the way. So I was like OK, anything to get him out! I finished a contraction and hobbled over to the bathroom and sat down. Well let me just say that within the 5 second period it took me to get over there and sit down I had another contraction, fell to my knees, and was screaming that I had to push NOW!!! I pretty much almost gave birth to him on the bathroom floor! My mom and the nurse had to practically pick me up and drag me to the bed. Of course my doctor was tell me I was not allowed to push and I wanted to tell her to go to ... well I won't say what was actually going through my mind. It would be inappropriate! She said she had to make sure I was fully dilated if not my cervix would rip... well I was fully dilated. In a matter of 5 minutes I went from 8 to 10!!! I started pushing and in about another 5 minutes I pulled Joel up onto my chest and said "MY BABY MY BABY!!!" So, yeah, insanely intense and insanely fast. My labor ended up being maybe about 3 hours of intense contractions. I am blessed. He was healthy, I was healthy and I did it again just how I wanted to. Praise God! Depsite my fears of having to get pitocin and all that, God answered my prayers and allowed me to have a totally natural delivery.
OK, now that everyone is up to date with that part... Joel came out a fairly content baby and he is now sleeping pretty well at night. The first week was hard though because he was up ALOT at night and bless my mom's heart; she stayed with us a few nights to give me some rest. But now at night Joel is eating at like 9:30-10 ish and going till almost 2 am, and then up again at 5:30 am to feed again. Nursing is going amazingly. He latched right on and him and I are pros. :) I don't feel overwhelmed with nursing this time. I am not sore, and my milk came in great. When we left the hospital Joel weighed 7 lbs 7 oz... two days later at his check up he weighed 8 lbs!!!! He gained 9 oz in two days! The docs were like "what are you feeding this boy...?? bricks??!!" So that was satisfying to know that he is doing well with eating.
As far as dealing with Luke AND Joel... I have to say it is overwhelming and hard. Luke has definitely recognized that something is different and that it is very easy to not listen to me when I'm nursing and not able to be right there. He seems to have decided he likes to say "no" alot more, and just not listen in general. I am trying to have grace and remember how much of a change this is for him as well... but it's hard because he was such an obedient little toddler like 3 weeks ago!! And now he is testing the lines so much and I know he's desperately trying to get attention. So all this to say I am asking God for more grace and patience every day... actually every hour... well maybe every minute!!!
I do love my life because right now, at this very moment, I am doing exactly what I have always wanted to do; and exactly what I know I was created to do: be a stay-at-home mom. I am truly blessed to have two healthy little boys. I am happy; but am still learning every day to choose to be happy right. where. I'm. at.
Until next time...
3 comments:
Thanks for a great post. I was so happy to read everything. Joel looks so healthy!
Nichole
congrats on a happy, healthy baby. glad to hear you are all doing well.
Thanks for sharing Joel's birth story! Congrats on being able to give birth naturally without pain medications twice! It's amazing what are bodies are capable of doing, isn't it? God bless your family!
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