Introducing......

Holly May! Born 13th May 2011 at 9.21am by elective c-section (obviously the ECV didn't work lol).


Her first photo!

 I'll post my birth story as I wrote it for an online forum I belong to.

Birth story:
Friday the 13th of May we had to be up at the hospital at 7am for the elective c-section, so we were up early. Got settled into my room and they checked to make sure she hadn't turned around over night (no such luck lol) and then I had to put on a hospital gown and sexy pressure stockings lol. Then they wheeled me down to the theatre. I was so nervous! On the way down they made DH grab an incubator incase we needed it. Really started to feel real then. Then they made DH wait out in the hallway while they took me in to prep me for the surgery. Took ages! First they had to put lines in my hands for the IV's, and then into the actual theatre room for the spinal. It was really cold in there and I was really scared so started shaking heaps, and my bottom lip kept trembling and I couldnt stop it. It took them ages to put the spinal in as the first two spots they tried didn't work, so another anaesthatist had to come and help out, (I was getting nervous at this stage that it wasn't going to work and that they would have to give me a general) but finally it worked and things went all hot and numb. Totally weird feeling! Then they put my legs up on the table and pushed me over to the actual operating table and did the whole 3, 2, 1 lift thing (felt like i was in an episode of Grey's Anatomy or something lol). Then the catheter was inserted and we were ready to go. They put the sheet up and I just lay there waiting for DH to be let in. Finally he came in and they started.
I wasn't actually sure when they first started cutting as i could just feel random feelings on my belly, but then they said right you are going to feel some pressure now - and they weren't wrong about that!! Major pressure and tugging! Then a feeling like my belly was deflating (like someone letting the air out of a balloon lol) and I knew they were bringing my little girl into the world. Sure enough there was a loud cry and they held her up over the screen. She showered me with blood and goo lol. I just started crying, couldn't believe that she was actually here! And I couldn't believe I was lying there with people working inside me! Really surreal. THE strangest thing I have ever been through. My little girl was screaming her lungs out while they were cleaning her down and checking to make sure she was ok, then they brought her over to me and we got a bit of skin to skin while they stitched me up. I couldn't believe how cute and perfect she was. We decided to call her the name we had thought of way back at about 20 weeks - Holly May. Seemed like a good fit. Then they took her with DH into the recovery room to wait for me. While they were finishing up with me I started to feel really weird and i got a loud buzzing in my ears. Felt like I was going to faint but I was already lying down! Then I got pushed into the recovery room and I gave my first breastfeed. They were taking my blood pressure every couple of minutes, and they took my temp - was down at 34 degrees so they were a bit concerned and I had to be put under warming blankets and stuff, even though I felt like I was hot. Took forever for my temp to come up to 35.5 which was the temp they would let me go back up to my room at. (It actually took a couple of days to come right back up where it was supposed to be).
So we got wheeled back up to my room and I spent the rest of the day zonked out on morphine which I was hooked up to a PCA device so I could self medicate it. It made me feel really sick and so dopey and sleepy. We had a few visitors that day and I can't actually remember very much lol. Was so spaced out. In the end by the time they brought me dinner I could only eat one bite before feeling like I was going to be sick so I stopped taking the morphine and just started on the oral pain meds. Felt a lot better after that! The next morning they got me up for a shower and so the recovery began.
The first couple of days were pretty hard with trying to manage the pain and get breastfeeding sorted. Was really hard to hold her with the IV lures still in my hands so was relieved when they took them out. I think it was the second night that was pretty bad, she was just crying and crying and I was in a lot of pain and couldn't do much, so ended up crying with her. We came home on day 4 and started getting things sorted with our new little family.

And now we are 9 weeks on! Here's a pic of her a couple of weeks ago. She's really a dream baby, sleeping through the night, not crying much, smiling and "talking" heaps. I am totally in love with her!

Last day!

Woohoo, last day of work today!!! :D
Second attempt at ECV tomorrow, hopefully it goes well and the bubs turns around and heads south! Otherwise we may be looking at a caesar (either tomorrow if things go to custard, or else an elective will be booked for next week). I've had two rounds of acupuncture, and tonight am going to try the moxibustion stick that the acupuncturist gave me. Am supposed to do that twice daily. And he also gave me a homeopathic remedy - pulsatilla, so if the ECV doesn't work at least I have something to go on with until the caesar and hopefully it will work! Have been getting heaps of braxton hicks since last friday though so I don't think they will let me go quite as easily this time (not that they really did last week lol).
But what will be will be. I'm in a slightly better headspace now about the caesar. so thats all good.
Anyways just thought I would update...

oh and I had better post my bump pics..


From 31 weeks to 38 weeks :)



Head up, bum down

That's how bubs is lying at the moment. And has been for the past couple of weeks. Little monkey. at 37 weeks MOST babies are head down where they are supposed to be. But bubs is being contrary and she has her feet poking out my left side and her head hitting me under the ribs and giving me horrible heartburn! Not cutey cutey. I've been trying a whole heap of things to try and get her to turn around, including lying upside down on an ironing board propped up against the couch! She wriggles like crazy when I do it, but doesn't flip! I think she's too comfy where she is lol.

SO....this friday I'm booked in at the hospital for an ECV (external cephalic version), which is where an obstetrician tries to manually turn the baby from the outside. It doesn't sound very pleasant, but I would rather try that then have a ceaser! (although there is a slight risk of something going wrong and having to be rushed down to theatre, which is why I have to be nil by mouth for 4 hours before the procedure - considering that is at 10am I'm going to be rather hungry! Might have to get up for a midnight breakfast haha). So fingers crossed that it works and bubs turns (and then stays turned around). Otherwise I will be booked in for an elective ceaser at 39 weeks. Which is still not too bad either because that would give her an extra week and a bit to turn around by herself if the ECV doesn't work.

Went shopping last week and I have (I think) all the bits and pieces that I need for my hospital bag, so will be getting that packed before friday so I can take it in the car if it happens that I will need it! Still got a few bits and pieces to wash and get sorted, and still have to get a bassinet mattress! (I know, it's leaving it a bit late..but I haven't had the spare money!)

Oh and HOPING to finish work next week if my boss agrees. I'm getting pretty darn uncomfy sitting down for so long now and there are lots of things I want to try and get done at home before bubs arrives, and I want some time to myself too! Everyone keeps saying to me that I have done so well to have made it this far still working. yay for me haha.

Well I think that's all for now, haven't got a latest bump pic to put up yet so will have to get onto that tonight if I remember.

Discharged!

So I rang up the hospital to check on my appointment that I had for yesterday to see if I had to see the midwives as well as the diabetes doctor, and I got told that my appointment had been cancelled! and that I had been discharged! (thanks for telling me....) So wow, the diabetes specialist doesn't need to see me at all now for the rest of the pregnancy unless my blood sugar readings go out of whack. Yippee! And I got a letter in the mail from them that night telling me all the info, and she is going to let me go to term now without being induced. phew! So I must be doing something right! (either that or i'm just eating all the bad food when I don't have to take readings lol).

Better update my bump pic!

34 weeks!

Ooh it's just started raining here, sometimes I really love the rain, especially when I don't have to go outside in it! It just feels so cosy being inside and looking out on it. That's why I love winter, being all snuggled up by the fire wrapped in a blanket and drinking soup or hot chocolate and listening to the rain and the wind outside.

Another week bites the dust...

So. 34 weeks tomorrow. Far Out. Not a lot to say on that subject lol. Let's just say we are freaking out a tad.

Hospital visit last week was ... interesting. The maternity wing is pretty manky, needs a damn good paint job! Who paints hospital rooms purple??! And generally needs a good upgrade. But however, got to see the water birth room (there is only one bath so it's first in, first served. hmm.) The delivery room slightly scared me lol. As did the little premmie babies in the SCBU unit, just looking at them thinking omg I have one of those inside me right now! LOL. Was pretty funny to see some of the guys trying out the entonox. I didn't have a go, I figure if I want it in labour then I will try it then. and if it makes me feel sick then we won't go there. No point in finding out it makes me sick now!

never mind. I'm sure we will get there in the end.

GD finger pricks are going well, have only had a couple of bad readings in the past couple of weeks (although I have only been doing every second day (yippee) so I don't know what my levels are like on the days that I'm not pricking!

Bubs has been doing many somersaults, but I think today she might be head down. She has gone from breech, head down, breech, head down so many times over the past couple of weeks lol. Wish she would just go head down and stay there! Heartburn has come back today which I haven't had the last couple of days (while I think she was breech) so that's kinda interesting, because thats what happened last week as well when she flipped. Not liking the heartburn very much.

Oh and I received a lovely clothes package for bubs from a friend in the mail on friday :) Totally made my week! Hoping to pick up some nappies and bits and pieces when we get paid this week so we can cross that off the list. Slowly getting there I think....at least the freezer is looking a bit healthier with some soups and things in there. Spent all saturday baking for mums birthday present so I was shattered come sat night, could hardly even get up off the couch! But mmmm, nothing like home made gingernuts and other yummy things to brighten the day!

Scan update

Well the scan went well! Bubs is sitting bang on the 50th percentile for growth so they are happy with that. She was poking her tongue out and drinking lol, she looked like a cat lapping up milk! I felt rather faint and horrible while lying down so I had to get up and have a drink haha, then they made me lie on my side. I managed to get a picture, yay. The only thing is, she is breech! Little monkey, so either my MW was wrong when she felt around the other day, or else she has turned again. So hopefully she turns herself back around and heads south! The diabetes doctor was pleased with my progress so we are just going to stick with managing it through diet and I now only have to do finger pricks every second day! YIPPEE!

Got our second antenatal class tonight, next week's one is a hospital visit so that will be interesting.

Right, better get back to it!

32 weeks

Well, 56 days to go. Yikes!
Scan day tomorrow! Looking forward to seeing my little girl again :) Bet she looks a lot different from the last scan! I hope they can give me a picture because DH can't make it this time, he has to work which is a bit stink because he really wanted to come with me. Hopefully she's growing well in there, she feels like she is, I have feet poking me all the time now and prodding out the sides and up the top of my bump, so she's still head down which is great.

My sugar levels have been pretty good mostly, I have had a couple of high readings but I think they are just related to what I have eaten. So hopefully the doctors will be pleased with that!

On the weekend we went out to the inlaws, and I managed to sew my first item ever! The hanging bassinette that came with the cot needed a new mattress as the other one smells pretty musty so I will be going and getting a new piece of foam cut, and the mattress cover was all stained so DH's nana helped me cut out a new one (from an old valance or sheet) and I sewed it up! Turned out pretty good too for a first attempt, and there was enough material there to make a backup one too incase the first one gets wet or dirty. So that was awesome. And super easy too...so now I just have to get my sewing machine up and running because I want to make other things!

Right, here is my 31 week bump.

31 weeks!

Well I never made it back here to update...
Appointments at the hospital went well. I saw the obstetrician team first which was one of the hospital midwives and two students. One of the students tried to take my blood pressure first and she said "wow thats low, do you normally have low blood pressure?" I was like "nope, its normally really good". So she said she would retake it in 5 minutes LOL. Came out normal the second time around. So they had a bit of a talk to me, had a poke around to see if bubs was breech or not (which they think she still was) and listened to the heartbeat. I was measuring 28 weeks there. Then I saw the diabetes specialist, she was pretty impressed with how my sugar levels were looking and I don't need to go back and see her for a month! So thats great news. Then I saw the dietician and she was pretty pleased with how things were going too and she said I don't even need to change my diet a hang of a lot, maybe just modify it so that I'm eating plenty of protein with the carbs so that the sugars get released slower etc. She even said I can still eat chocolate! (just not a lot of it).

So I have a scan and another appointment at the hospital next week to check on bubs growth. Just had my normal midwife appointment today, and YAY looks like baby has turned around and is now head down!! And I have feet poking me up under my ribs lol. So that is cool, lets just hope she stays that way! No wonder I was feeling hideous all day yesterday, sooooo uncomfy and sore. She must have been turning around!

Starting antenatal classes this week so that should be interesting, DH doesnt want to go lol, but I am making him!

Had my baby shower on sunday and I got very spoilt. Had some cool games and lots of food and it was a good day. :)

Well I think that's all for now...will update again later!

30 week update

So today is the big 30. 10 weeks (or less!) to go! Yikes! I had better get cracking and start getting things finished or else things are going to hit the fan more or less. Well I suppose I'm not doing too bad, I have all the clothes washed and dried, I just need to get some more wintery type things as pretty much all what I have is summery type stuff. And considering the weather has just started turning more autumny and the mornings are quite chilly, I think she will need some warmer stuff!!

Had my midwife visit today, baby is still breech at this stage so I hope she turns soon! She has caught up on her measurements a bit now, at the last appointment at 28 weeks she measured 25.5, and this time she is measuring 28.5 so thats good. I've put on 7kg so far so that's not too bad either.

Have my obstetrician and dietician appointment tomorrow which should be interesting. Will probably get a bit of a slap on the hand for some of my food choices (like the spring rolls I had on saturday that put my levels up to 9.1!! supposed to be under 7.5. whoops). But overall my levels have been pretty good (I think). Getting used to the finger pricking now, it's not particularly pleasant but once you get used to it it's not too bad.

Ooh and it's my baby shower this weekend! So I'm looking forward to that :) Looks like there will be about 13 people there which is cool.

Right, better update my pics - this is 27, 28 and 29 weeks.

It's quite funny, because the 29 week pic looks smaller than the other two! She must have been sitting differently or something, or I just took it at a slightly different angle maybe.

Anyway, think that is all for now. Will try and update on thursday if I remember with how tomorrows appointments go.

Why hello GD, nice of you to join me.....

Yep, I failed my GTT. The cutoff point is 9.0 and my result was 9.7. So I have gestational diabetes. woop de do. sigh. So I had an appointment yesterday at the diabetes clinic and the lady gave me a blood glucose monitoring system which basically means I have a little finger pricker thing and a machine with little strips that go in it, I put a drop of blood on the strip and it tells me my result. I have to do this 4 times a day - once before breakfast, and then one hour after breakfast, lunch and dinner. I forgot to do the before breakfast one today whoops, but my after breakfast result was high, lunchtime was ok though. So I'm also writing down a food diary of what I'm eating during the day and will take that to my dietician appointment in 2 weeks, and I'm also meeting with the obstetrician that day too.

So, not the greatest result! But hopefully we can just control it with diet and not have to have any metformin tablets or insulin injections. FX. At least they got onto it now and we will have the best outcome for me and bubs.

At my midwife appointment on tuesday she had a poke around and bubs is breech at the moment, so that's why I've been getting a bit of heartburn - her head is up under my ribs. But heart rate is still good, and she feels like a small bub at this stage. Which is good because with GD babies can tend to be on the large side which can make for complications during delivery etc. If my levels stay good then they might let me go to term instead of inducing me early but we will have to see how I go.

Aside from that, not a lot has been happening. I've been dealing with lots of baby clothes - so much in fact that they aren't all going to fit in her wardrobe and some will have to go in the spare room wardrobe!!

also our new chest freezer that we bought (and finally plugged in) wasn't working, the light came on but nothing else happened so we had a brand new one delivered yesterday - which does work. so YAY now I can start making up some meals to freeze and we won't run out of freezer space for quite a while.

Oh and I've been watching the horrible earthquake tragedy in Christchurch on the news, it's so sad! So many people dead and they are still looking for survivors. Thankfully everyone that I know that lives there is doing ok. phew.

well I think that's all for now....

Update

So I really need to try and post more on this!

Went for my polycose test 2 weeks ago and failed it :( so I had to go back to the lab last friday and sit the GTT (glucose tolerance test) which tests for gestational diabetes. This meant that I had to fast for 12 hours and then have a blood test, drink an insanely sweet drink that burned my throat and made me feel sick and wait for 2 hours and have another blood test. Hopefully will find out the results tomorrow at my midwife appointment. and FINGERS CROSSED that I don't have it or else I'm going to find eating even harder!

Work has slowed right down now again and I have been put onto 3 days a week. This is a bummer because it's meant that I now have less money coming in, but hopefully will give me a chance to rest up a bit and get things done around home.

Got a whole pile of baby clothes on the weekend from SIL and they are now washed and hanging in the wardrobe :) they look so pretty! and little missy is going to be well covered for clothes for like the next 3 years haha. Just need to go and get a few warm things for this winter, probably some merino vests etc.

28 weeks tomorrow! Third trimester eek! Scary to think that there is only roughly 12 weeks to go!

Random photography

So I found these photos on the comp yesterday when I was uploading my recent bump pictures, and thought I would just post a few on here. (Plus my latest bump pics)



Bumpy from 23 weeks til 26 weeks :)



Not too bad for my little camera I think!

Counting down....

So today we are down to double digits! (number of days left to go until bubs arrives) EEK! That is so exciting but scary at the same time. I feel so unorganised! and yet I don't think I'm doing too badly either....

Spent part of the weekend rearranging the lounge (well Steve did, I just watched and complained ;) lol) So now my bookcase that was in bubs room is now out in the lounge and I have all my cookbooks and gardening books and DVD's on it. The rest of the books are still lying on the floor in bubs room, so will have to get on to boxing them up and putting them downstairs. And I took one of the little bookshelves we had DVD's on in the lounge down to bubs room and it is now filled with some of my books that I had when I was little :) Can't wait to be able to read them to her! Although Steve keeps asking me if I have already started reading to her hehe.

It has been a hot and sticky weekend, which culminated in us doing not a heck of a lot! Although we did spend most of Saturday working on Steve's nana's house that is being built - I was helping him wrap the building paper. Luckily they had the roof on so we weren't working in the direct sunlight as it was so scorching! Yesterday was hot and humid as well so we moped around for most of the day and then decided to go out to the beach for a swim - was so nice and refreshing!

Well last week it was my birthday - I'm now officially quarter of a century old. Yep, 25! And was quite coincidental as I happened to be 25 weeks pregnant too! it was definately meant to be. Had a lovely birthday dinner on saturday (roast lamb nom nom nom)

Oh and my nephew was born a few hours after my last post on the 25th January. He is so cute! Made me very clucky, good thing I'm already preggers!!

The Day zero website is finally back up and running after a couple of months of it not working so have just updated my goals. I have got just over 800 days to go and I've only completed 5 of my list of about 58 things to do....so not doing great, but not too bad either. Must get around to completing more! (and actually finishing the list - supposed to be 101 things in 1001 days, only about halfway there!)

24 weeks and waiting for a baby to arrive!

And no, not mine. She can happily stay put in there until term!

My sister in law is in labour! She has been quite sick with meningitis this past week, and finally got the all clear yesterday! And today she is in early labour! Hopefully I will be an aunty again before too long :)

and yes, I am 24 weeks today! WOOP! Bubs kicks are getting a lot stronger, I even had a couple yesterday that I went "ooh!" at because they took me by surprise at how strong they were. She is spending quite a bit of her day wriggling around in her little home (maybe she's doing housework?!) It is the nicest and most reassuring feeling when she moves. It has been slightly annoying at times when she just won't stop wriggling, but I know that is only likely to get worse so I can't complain too much. Getting a little bit uncomfy at work sitting down all day, yesterday I had a sore back and my bump was all hard and sore too. A lie down after work and a good walk helped though.

So bump is growing quite rapidly. And so is the pile of clothes I can no longer fit!! It is becoming quite a task to actually find something to wear now. Thank goodness for the maternity skirt I bought from Kmart a couple of weeks ago, I just wish I had bought a couple of them! Saw some jeans at the warehouse the other day that I might have to get because pretty much NONE of my pants fit me anymore! At least it is still summer (for now) but won't be too much longer before I will want to start wearing pants again, so that may be a bit of a problem. I just hope I fit my clothes again afterward or it will be a very expensive affair to get me a new wardrobe!

I bought a Touchwood change table off Trademe last week and we picked it up on the weekend. It's the same model as my cot which is cool, I now have a matching set. So bubs' room is starting to take shape. Need to get some more coat hangers so I can hang up the rest of the clothes we have bought. Or else, find a set of drawers to put them all in.

Anyway, I think that's all the main news for now....until my nephew gets here that is!

Holidays, work and BABY NEWS!

2011 here we are! Even though we are halfway through the first month already (gasp!)....

Back at work again (sigh) and things are slowly returning to normal.... My 2 weeks off were awesome, and totally not long enough, but will make do with that for now. Christmas day was spent at my parents and we ate far too much. I totally surprised my mum with how much I ate!! She didn't think I would make it through the huge plateful of roast turkey, potatoes, kumara, pumpkin and beans that I did. But it was soooo goooooood!! And I surprised myself with being able to eat it all and not getting that horrible "oh I just ate too much" feeling. By the time it was dinnertime, everyone else was still full and I was hungry again hehe. So mum had some yummy christmas ham which I had two nice big ham steaks from that I fried up. nom nom nom.  Saw my grandparents too which was nice as they aren't doing so well, old age and all that..

The rest of the holiday was spent going to the beach (oh the swimming was lovely), going to Auckland shopping and mini-putting with my cousins, and just general relaxing and getting a bit of stuff done around the house.

Had my 20 week scan on the 29th, and bubs was very cooperative - its a GIRL!!!



My lil girl at the 20 week scan :) Isn't she cute?!

I am so excited :) We have thought of a possible name now too, but will go in with a couple and decide on the actual day. Everything is looking awesome so far, fluid levels around her are great, she's pretty much the right size for her date and her brain and heart are looking super. At my previous midwife visit she asked me if I had felt any movement and all I could say was I'm not sure, possibly. Well about 2 days after that (at 19 weeks) I got booted. and every single day since then she has been kicking and rolling around. It is the weirdest (but nicest) feeling! She has been lying transverse with her head on my left side, but as of yesterday she actually turned around and I think she is now with her head on my right as I am getting kicks on my left side now. So possible gymnast or highland dancer in the making perhaps? The midwife at my last appointment on tuesday was very pleased to hear I had been getting such awesome movements, especially seeing as I have a front (anterior) placenta! Must say it's pretty reassuring for me to have her kicking me all the time too. If I haven't felt her all day she will usually give me a couple of strong kicks that night just as I have gotten into bed and relaxing for the night. Although yesterday she had a VERY active day, and was moving around quite uncomfortably the whole time I was cooking and eating dinner. So she's certainly getting her groove on in there! 

My latest bump pictures - 20, 21 and 22 weeks!


So now that we know that she's a girl I haven't been able to resist some of the great sales in the baby shops lately, even though I have heaps of clothes coming from my sister in law, I just wanted to buy her some cute things myself. So now we have a little range of clothes for her, all different sizes - some newborn right up until 1 year. and we got some pretty damn good bargains on some of them too! So now I just have to get them all clean and then hang them up, or else find some drawers to put them in.

Baby room is a shambles at the moment, I've been sorting through my bookshelf and putting up all my children's books that I had packed away, and removing some of the other ones I had. Of course this is a work in progress as I started but ran out of steam. So there are books scattered all over the floor. Our bedroom is somewhat resembling a bomb site too as I have been going through my wardrobe and finding out what still fits me (this list is shrinking by the day...including a new pair of pants this morning that fit me ok last week!) and things that I no longer want that I will donate. This is a work in progress also. The spare room has had a tornado through it too as it contains all the things that used to be in the baby's room but haven't been or aren't going to be taken downstairs but have yet to find a new home....among lots of blankets and pillows etc that were on our spare bed....this is hopefully soon to be my sewing room as well as being the guest bedroom. Just got to ressurect hubby's old computer desk and see if it is suitable.

Right, well I think that's enough waffle from me for now... catch you later.