Firsts for Carly May

FIRST SPONGE BATH on her birthday.

FIRST FAMILY PHOTO.

FIRST BATH and she loved it! She couldn't help kicking her legs. She didn't even mind water on her head.

FIRST time in her carseat. This actually wasn't for a car ride just yet, but for a walk in the stroller in the neighborhood. There was a nice breeze & she liked it. This happened to be during a wakeful time for Carly, her eyes were open & she was busy looking around during this walk.

FIRST CAR RIDE and shopping trip. We went to Ross & it was too crowded for my liking

FIRST SUNDAY at church. She just slept in her carseat during Sacrament meeting... despite the toddler right in front of us that kept trying to climb over the bench... I think she thought she could step on the cover of the carseat... hmmm

FIRST TIME IN THE MOBY WRAP. Prep for the following day = Breaking Dawn part 1 & shopping.

Carly May

Carly May arrived on 11/9/11 at 3:03am weighing 6lb 2oz & 18 3/4 in long.

So Tuesday I finally got that burst of energy and I was cleaning like crazy. Disinfecting the kitchen, scrubbing floors (yes I was down on my hands & knees), cleaning the bathroom, etc. I cooked a delicious dinner, cleaned out the fridge, and did lots of dishes. I kept thinking I should take a nap, just in case. A couple of weeks ago my midwife told me that when I started nesting, take it easy & make sure to get rest. Oops. The truth is, obviously I didn't feel like it (and not like I would since I finally had a lot of energy lol).

I was in bed & doing some visualization - my midwife told me to take time every day to imagine what my birth experience would be like & keep everything positive. Not too long after my visualizing my birth, I got a contraction - not uncommon for me, but this one got a little stronger than normal. I felt a pop & a gush of fluid (10:40pm)! No way! I couldn't believe it! I yelled for Morgan & he got me a towel to make it to the bathroom. He couldn't believe my water had broken & said "Guess I'm not going to school tomorrow." Yeah, he was really disappointed :) Good thing we were super prepared & already had a shower curtain liner under our sheet just in case this sort of thing were to happen :)

I called my midwife & told her that my water broke and that I was going to try to get some sleep. She said try to sleep 4-5 hrs, but then she would be over to help get me into labor if needed since the water's broken & we're on a clock now, but to call if my contractions picked up. I called my mom & told her my water broke & she didn't believe me. She told me to stop joking around. After about a minute, she realized I wasn't joking & was screaming with excitement. After getting off the phone with her (around 11pm) I was trying to sleep & so was Morgan. I noticed the contractions felt a little more intense than usual so I started looking at my watch with each one. They were about 4-7 min apart and getting more intense & a lot more painful. Since I couldn't sleep anyway, I got up & called my midwife to give her an update (she didn't answer the first time 11:58pm, I figured she was sleeping so I waited a little & then called again at 12:19am). She said she would stop at the birth center to get a few things & then would be on her way over.

I was sitting on my birthing ball, but even that wasn't comfortable after a little while. I tried turning on the TV, kind of as a distraction, but couldn't even stand to have it on. I noticed the contractions were coming more frequently - every 3 minutes. And they HURT!! I felt better on my hands & knees and kneeling & leaning on my birthing ball. I kept asking Morgan if my midwife was here yet - I was feeling awful & really wanted her to check me & tell me where I was at. I was starting to feel more pressure & was unsure if I needed to go to the bathroom or if I was really that far along. I couldn't believe how uncomfortable I was - I decided to get back in bed since I was feeling so crummy. Just a couple minutes later my midwife arrived (about 2:00am). I updated her on the labor & she checked me. "wow, you are almost fully dilated & her head is right there. Morgan - start running the bath tub." Normally at these births there is a midwife & 2 other assistants (birthing assistants and/or midwife students), my midwife told me she wouldn't be able to get anyone else out here in time, so Morgan would be her helper :)

I got in the water and then started pushing around 2:30am. I'll be honest - I surprised myself with how much screaming went on. I really tried to breathe through as much of those contractions as I could to allow myself to stretch out and avoid tearing. Carly May arrived not too long after at 3:03am. She was put on my chest right away & had just a couple cries at the beginning - it actually made me nervous because I had to look to make sure she was still breathing. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Dark brown hair & little blue/gray eyes. I couldn't help but say "I did it." I couldn't believe this moment was finally here. 9 months of waiting & feeling crummy and I finally had my baby girl and it was all worth it, every second. I looked up at Morgan to see him smiling & looking at our new baby.

A little while after the placenta was out, Morgan cut the cord & then took baby while my midwife helped me get to my bed. Then I got my baby back while I got stitched up. Ouch. Thank goodness my husband is a dental student & has all the good stuff like topical anesthetic & lidocaine with epi (making it longer lasting & helping to control bleeding). Morgan was the perfect birth assistant! He was familiar with everything the midwife needed & was using and was able to assist perfectly.

Then I nursed baby for the first time & it went good. Baby got her newborn exam, but then she was getting cold so I got her back again :) After the midwife left, we tried to get some sleep. Morgan's never had trouble sleeping, but I was having a hard time. After feeding baby a couple more times, I was finally able to fall asleep for what I think was at least an hour or two. Baby slept for a long time too. My midwife came back to follow up on some paperwork & see how things were going. So far so good. Mom & baby are recovering well :)

I loved having a home birth. I loved that I didn't have to worry about packing everything up & loading it into the car. I loved that I could just be in a place I was comfortable to labor. I had everything I wanted & felt safe. I didn't have to worry about getting a nurse I wouldn't like or having to follow hospital policies or even having my baby taken from me for anything. I didn't have an IV or have to be hooked up to a fetal monitoring device or being confined to a bed for delivery. I especially loved that afterwards I could just get in my own bed. I didn't have to worry about getting in the car & driving home or even having to be in the hospital & potentially room with another mom & baby. I loved that I got to be in my bed with my husband & my new baby. It was perfect.

Today was the best day in a long time

Wow, today has been an amazing day! Morgan didn't have any patients scheduled, but did have an ortho appointment & some lab work to do, so I went to school with him so I could do a swim work out while he did those things. I've been wanting to go swimming for a while, especially knowing this is something my body can tolerate lol. I had a great swim work out & ended with 15 min of treading water. Just in case you were wondering, as a 9 month preggo - yes I can still do flipturns! Wooohoo! Wow, I realized that my abs haven't been used very much... in a long time. At least I'm pretty sure it was my abs :) Then I just read my breastfeeding book while waiting for Morgan to finish up. While waiting, a guy asked me if I could donate blood. Which really surprised me this time because I definitely look pregnant... ha ha

On the way home from school, Morgan was telling me about the lab work he did - he made some bleaching trays & a retainer. After some more talking about whatever, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Morgan looked a little different... I saw more white in his mouth than usual. I started staring & the next time he opened his mouth I noticed that he didn't have braces on!!! I have been smiling ever since & keep staring at him because I can't believe it! He could only laugh. He was hoping to make it all the way home before I noticed. And then he told me, well I told you I made a retainer & whitening trays - for himself. How funny!

Today was the best day in a long time. And I still can't stop staring & smiling about Morgan's beautiful teeth :)

38 wks

Wow so I definitely didn't think I'd make it this far. I was convinced as soon as I hit 37 wks the baby would come. She has a mind of her own & her own plan I guess. Well, I've been doing things to encourage baby to come, but she won't give in. Now I really have no idea when she will make her debut. My contractions will still pick up to being 4-6 min apart for even a couple of hours at a time, sometimes even lasting that way through the night & will wake me up because of the cramping. But beyond that, no progression to more of an active labor phase... Can you tell I'm impatient? I've never been very good at waiting. I'm noticing all the fun uncomfortable things that happens at the end of pregnancy. Like this relaxin that my body secretes to loosen my joints & make it easier for baby to be born - it actually makes it hurt to walk & makes my hips & pelvis feel really off. Like unless I'm laying down my back really hurts a lot. Like because baby's head is at zero station, I waddle when I walk & always feel that pressure when I'm standing or walking. Like everytime I get a contraction, I feel like I need to go to the bathroom, even if I just went. Like to get out of bed, or get off the couch, I have to do this sideways roll thing or have Morgan help me get up. Like if I want to wear socks or put shoes on (instead of just flip flops) I have to be a little more creative because it's really hard to reach my feet. Like shaving my legs is a little more difficult than it should be. Like sitting in my low beach chair is really awkward, especially when I need to get up. Like laying on my side to sleep has been getting uncomfortable because it's starting to hurt my hips. And finally, these contractions are more bearable when I'm lying down, if I'm sitting up/standing/walking they hurt quite a bit to where I almost want to stop walking.

This week Morgan's best friend Evan came to visit. He's here for a rotation for medical school & stopped by. It's been 3 1/2 yrs since they've seen each other! Here are some candid pics of them checking out his car before he took off :)

Pembroke Pines Baby Shower

My pembroke pines young women threw me a baby shower! It was so fun! They decorated the room super cute & had some great food. The games were fun & there was even a pinata at the end = perfect! They made some great burp cloths & the most adorable baby blanket with their names signed on the back corner :) That was the most special gift - made with lots of love. Oh how I miss them!