Does it ever really sink in?

My amniotic fluid was still very low when I went to the doctor last week, so we decided it would be best to deliver the baby early since I was already 38 weeks and considered "full term". I went into the hospital Tuesday afternoon and they gave me Cervadil that night to help ripen the cervix before inducing labor. That was actually probably the worst part of the whole labor process. I was extremely uncomfortable all night because they had me hooked up to the monitors the whole night. Then I started having this really bad back pain in the middle of the night that I thought was just really bad gas, but the nurses told me it was actually contractions. Apparently Cervadil sometimes starts labor even though it is not supposed to. I made it through the night (without a lot of sleep) and they gave me pitocin around 8am on Wednesday morning. I was having contractions similar to the ones I had the night before, enough to make me uncomfortable, but not really too terribly painful. Then, around 10:30am my doctor came in to check on me and I was 3cm dialated, so she broke my water. That was when the real pain started. I was having back labor--no pain whatsoever in my abdomen but my back felt like it was going to explode. I decided I had no desire to suffer through that for who knew how many hours, so I got an epidural, and within minutes I was pain free. Tom and I relaxed, listened to music and talked. By 1pm when my doctor came to check on me, I was 5cm, and by 2pm, I was 10cm and it was time to push. Little Hadley was born at 2:07.

Being a mother is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced, but it is also still so incredibly surreal. I just love her more and more every day--despite the lack of sleep I am getting. She was the perfect baby in the hospital, but she screamed from 6:30pm to 4:30am the first two nights we were home. Last night we actually got to sleep at about 1:30, so it wasn't quite as bad. I think part of the problem the first two nights was that she was starting to get a big appetite, but my milk had not come in yet. Luckily, it came in yesterday so things are going a little bit better. Well, I was number 3, so there are only two more of us to go! Best of luck to you both!

Isaac is SOOO grounded

You read the title right. My little sumo wrestler is grounded until he can learn to treat his mother a little nicer. I know that Emily can still identify with me on this. Isaac is seriously starting to wear out his welcome. Don't get me wrong. I want him to stay nice and cozy for about another 2 months, but we need to set up some ground rules. The first being, do not kick or press your monster head up against my rib cage. I spent about 2 hours last night (starting at 1AM) feeling my monster of a baby pressing up against my ribs. He wasn't kicking; that would have been better because at least there would have been still moments. Isaac would just cozy up and put pressure right under rib cage to point where I almost couldn't breath. I finally got him to move by taking a long hot shower with the water pointed directly at my tummy. Not fun, especially when I had to teach a singing lesson at 7:45 AM. This isn't the first time he's done this, and I'm sure it won't be the last. In fact, I'm pretty sure it will only get worse from here. Hopefully, we can come to some kind of truce where at least he doesn't do it while I'm trying to sleep or teach someone how to breath. I promise, I'll buy you a pony if you stop! ~ Andrea

It's a girl....

but we knew that already! Hadley Elizabeth Redick was born about 2pm. She is 5lbs 8oz. Baby and Mama are doing great! I'll let Amanda post with any more updates as she's feeling up to it!

3 down, 2 to go!!!

-Emily <><

5 1/2 weeks to go!

As for an update on me and my little girl....we went to the doctor yesterday and things are going well. Our midwife, Meredith, felt around and says that the babe is head down and getting comfortable. She said our little girl felt to be about 4-5 lbs and not to worry, I "shouldn't expect a 10lb baby". That was soooo reassuring cause Todd ways 9 lbs and I just kept envisioning this massive head trying to come out of me! Now I guess she could still be 9lbs but we're hoping for around 8 or so.

Anyway, I go back in 2 weeks for the Group B Strep test and have weekly appointments from that point on.

I'll keep you posted if anything news worthy comes about!
I can't believe after tomorrow there will only be 2 of us who are still pregnant!!!!!
Emily <><

Baby #3, sooner than expected!

Hello lovely ladies!

I wanted to give y'all an update on Amanda and her daughter. As she posted the other day, she had an appointment today to recheck her amniotic fluid level. Turns out fluid is even lower at this point. As I type, Amanda is checking into the hospital. They plan on giving her Cervadil tonight and then if things haven't moved along, she will start pitocin in the morning. The good news is that she's already 50% effaced and 1.5cm dilated.

I should get a text when the baby arrives and I will let y'all know, but I'll let Amanda share the name and details when she's feeling up to it!

Say your prayers!!!
Emily <><

Third Trimester Woes

First of all, congratulations to Melissa and Greer on their new babies! I haven't posted in a while, so I had not officially congratulated them yet. I'm so glad to hear both of your babies are healthy and that the mom's are doing well!

The first two trimesters of my pregnancy were really easy for me, but I have been having a bit of a hard time in the third trimester. My baby was breached during the first two trimesters, and she has now finally turned head down, but the process was agonizing for me! She was pressing on my spine and hips so much that I was having sciatica and hip pain. And let me tell you, that is no joke. I could not walk, sit, stand or sleep. I used to be on a swim team when I was younger, but I had not swam laps in about 9 or 10 years. I finally broke down and got a pass at a gym that had a pool and swam some laps just so I could tire myself out and get some sleep. And even then, I could not really kick my legs, so it was basically my arms doing all the work.

I finally started feeling better after about 3-4 weeks, and now the pain is completely gone, thank goodness! As soon as I started feeling better though, the nesting urge kicked into full gear. We have been working hard on the nursery and finally finished it last week, except for a ceiling mobile that is arriving in the mail next week.

Turns out it's a good thing we finished. Last time I went to the doctor they were a little concerned because my belly was measuring a little small. So I had to get an ultrasound this week. Our little girl is about 5 lbs. 15 oz. now, so the good news is that they are not very worried about her size since my husband and I are both relatively short and not very big people in general. The bad news is that my amniotic fluid was low, to the point that they want me to come back on Tuesday for an ultrasound and if it is still low they may induce on Wednesday. It would only be 2 weeks early at that point and I am full term now, so she would not be considered a premie. I've been getting so impatient to meet her, but when they told me it might be in less than a week, I got a little panicky! They've told me to drink lots of water and get lots of rest--I actually drank like 84 oz. of water on each of the past two days, plus juice, plus milk. And...I have also been living in the bathroom. Think I might just take my pillow in there tomorrow night so I don't have to get in and out of bed so much!

Anyway, I will keep you guys posted on what happens on Tuesday. If my fluids are back up, then we will just sit and wait so she can grow a little bit more. But if not, then we'll be a mommy and daddy a little sooner than we thought!

--Amanda

Immunizations

Let me preface this by saying, I trust doctors. I think they are incredibly well informed and really do want what is best for me and my soon to be little boy. That being said, I'm scared! It is hard to find a doctor (at least around here,) that isn't some crazy homeopathic quack to give you some kind of flexibility on the whole immunization schedule. I want a doctor who maybe doesn't want to stick my son 23 times before he is 5. Doesn't that seem like a lot? I've done my research, and yes, there are no reputable sources out there that say these immunizations will do any harm (I don't count Jim Carrey or Jenny McCarthy as reputable since, for most of their adult lives, fart humor is how they made a living,) but I don't think a little caution would hurt. I think Adam and I are set on the doctor we want to use. He comes very highly recommended by my OB and his wife (also an OB.) It's in a very small private practice that specializes in personal care, plus I could literally walk there in case of a true emergency. Their policy, however, is that they refuse to accept patients who don't allow them to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' vaccine guidelines. I really do think I'm ok with this, but it doesn't mean I'm not a little nervous still. After doing some research into other offices, it seems like this is common practice unless I want some quack who doesn't believe in vaccines at all. Any guidance is of course welcome!!!
~ Andrea