4 Weeks Postpartum

Tomorrow, Emily will be 4 weeks old. Today, I had a postpartum visit with my midwife. At 4 weeks postpartum, I'm feeling pretty normal again. The first few days this time around were really rough. Emily and I didn't really leave the bed. It was nice in one way but it got old. Recovery was much better when I was able to get up more. Nursing is getting better. Sean and Maddy were both champion nursers from the get-go. Emily, on the other hand, had latch issues...resulting in blisters on my part. But I wasn't going to let that stop us. Her latch has greatly improved and I rarely have to fix it now. But, now we're working on over supply and forceful letdown. The over supply has gotten much better but Emily still has problems at letdown. It hasn't slowed her down any! Just for the fun of it, Emily got weighed today. Fully clothed, she's 9lbs 6oz (was 7lbs at birth)!! I'm doing good on the weight issue too. I'm just a couple pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. Then again, what do you expect when someone only has a 15lbs gain and then has a 7lbs baby. ;) The funny thing (that's not hurting the weight) is I'm craving healthy stuff. I can't seem to get enough of fruits, veggies (salads!!), yogurt, protein (eggs and peanut butter!!) and especially water. Emotionally, I'm doing better so far. Many might not realize it but I had postpartum depression after Maddy was born. I really wanted to avoid it this time so I decided on placenta encapsulation. A few days after Emily was born, someone came by to take care of the process for me. So far so good. I've had a couple weepy periods but then remembered I forgot to take a pill. PPD didn't really hit hard until a little bit later postpartum with Maddy. Fingers crossed that it doesn't sneak up later. If it does, Richard and I are both on the look out so we can nip it in the bud asap!!

My placenta pills

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Emily's Birth Story

Emily’s birth did not go exactly like I had imagined it. Sean’s birth was after a typical first time labor- about 15 hours long. Maddy’s birth was after a 4 hour labor. So I had expected that this one could possibly be another fast labor but not quite like this! I especially wouldn’t have thought that I’d give birth before my midwife (Bettie) arrived. But let me start from the beginning...

On the morning of December 29, 2011 I woke up and started getting ready for the day like any other Thursday. I noted that I was feeling crampy. I also noticed a little bloody show when I went to the bathroom. I remembered I had bloody show when I was pregnant with Sean but it was a whole day before I went into labor. Since I wasn’t having contractions I didn’t think too much about it. Right about 8:00 I had my first contraction. I had another about 8 minutes later. These were painful but they didn’t stop me, much like the contractions I had the Monday before. I was not convinced I was in labor yet but the combination of bloody show and contractions got me wondering so I sent my doula (Heather) a text: “Preggo brain is at it again...how significant is bloody show?” I heard back from Heather around 9:00. I told her that my contractions were then 8-17 minutes apart. She suggested that she come over to see if helping with the kids would help me relax enough to make progress then we’d know if I really was in labor or not. ..I should have called my midwife then too but it didn’t cross my mind as I still wasn‘t convinced I really was in labor.

Contractions continued and I decided it would be best if my daycare kids (twin 13 month olds) went home. They were picked up shortly before 11:00. Heather arrived shortly afterwards. That was when things seemed to start progressing so around 11:30 I called Bettie. She didn’t answer so I decided to send a text instead of leaving a voicemail. In hind sight, I should have left a message and called back until I got her. I then sent Richard a text saying for him to come home at lunch and called my mom to ask her to come home so I could send the kids to her house. Richard got home shortly after 12:00 and immediately walked the kids to mom’s. My back was really bothering me so I decided to get in the shower and since I hadn’t heard from Bettie, I asked Heather to call her. The shower didn’t help as much as I hoped so I got out. Since Richard had just gotten home from work (ship yard) he took a shower. Heather said that she got ahold of Bettie and that she was coming. I think some miscommunication happened here. Bettie didn’t seem to realize I was so far along so she didn't leave right away.

The contractions got stronger and more intense after the shower. I also started feeling a little nauseous during the contractions. I moved from the living room to the bedroom because I thought laying down would feel better. It felt worse. At that point I yelled “I want this baby out now!!”. I couldn’t take any more contractions laying down so I changed positions to knelling and leaning over Richard. What a difference it made!! It was pretty awesome. I was able to calm down a little and work with the contractions. Then Heather asked if I was pushing. I hadn’t been meaning to but yes, I was pushing. Heather told me that it was time to take my pants off. Funny how you just don’t think of things like that. It was a good thing I got them off too because my water broke right after that. I had no sense of time but between what hubby and my doula say, I pushed for 5-10 minutes. Emily Noelle was born at 1:18pm…while my midwife was still on the road to us. What an awesome feeling it was to look down and announce “It’s a girl!”

By the time Bettie got to us, I had delivered the placenta and Emily was nursing away. Emily being such a good nurser (latched right on and nursed for a very long time) really paid off. I had retained a little of the placenta but Emily’s nursing kept the contractions coming and the bleeding down. I was given an herb (can’t remember what it’s called) and my midwife pushed on my belly until the rest of the placenta came out. I had a small tear so she then stitched that up. After Bettie was done taking care of me, Richard cut the cord and Bettie did the newborn exam. I could not believe it when Bettie said that Emily was 7lbs!

Emily’s birth was nothing like I imagined it would be but it was just amazing. If I was to go back and do it again, the only thing I’d change would be to make sure Bettie got there on time. It was just an amazingly fast labor.

Now for the pictures:

Just moments old

Kisses...oh the newborn smell!!


Getting checked out


And weighed


Photo opt- baby feet... and midwife Bettie and her assistant Debbie


Close up of those little feet!


First bath..she did not like it!!


Back with mommy


Then some time with daddy


Time for big brother and big sister to meet little sister


Maddy gets to hold her


Sean's turn

My other birth stories:Sean's Birth StoryEmily's Birth Story

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12 week check up

I had my first appointment with my midwife today and found out that we are having another stubborn baby. She tried to use the doppler to find the heartbeat and heard nothing so she went to get the ultrasound machine. Sure enough, baby is fine, strong heartbeat but laying too low to be heard on the doppler. Peanut did the same thing the first time we tried to hear him on the doppler. The good thing about it is I got another print out.

Last week we went to the tour of the midwifery center. I am so excited. Finally someone who understands that pregnancy and birth are normal and doesn't require medical intervention. The rooms are wonderful...queen size bed, jacuzzi tub to labor and birth in, birthing balls and stools, fridge/freezer. I will not have an IV stuck in me and will not have continuous monitoring (contractions and baby's heartbeat). I'll be able to get up and walk around, get in the tub, shower..whatever feels best. I will eat and drink as I feel necessary. They will not give me pitocin or any medication to speed up labor or pain...usually makes for more problems anyways. They will not break my water...it will break when its ready and they will not induce until 42 weeks. They will let my pregnancy and labor run its course like it should...without intervention. Unlike an OB, my midwife won't show up just to catch the baby. She will be with me the whole time for support. Just knowing that I've finally found someone who gets it makes me so excited and happy.