Raspberries, Toes, and Shrieks!

Nestled in Grandpa's arms

Zoie's first time in the Pacific on Maui!

Our baby girl is 4 and a half months old!

And she's already been to Hawaii. Lucky little baby! My family enjoyed vacationing with Zoie this last month - so many things have been changing with our girl! She's a completely different baby now than she was 4-5 weeks ago. Four months old is a magical age!

Hands

Slowly but surely, Zoie discovered her little fingers and realized their potential. At first, she would clasp them together over and over (she looked like she was plotting something mischievous). Then, she would stuff as many fingers into her mouth as possible. Sometimes a fist. Sometimes two!

She would sort-of reach towards toys, and grab them by accident if her open hand caught one. She'd hold onto something if you put it in her hand.

And then... She suddenly learned to pull objects into her mouth! This was a game-changer. She suddenly had a motivation to grab things! Fingers, hands, shirts, Sophie the Giraffe, burp cloths, water glasses, plates, and trying (with no success) to get a fistful of grown-up food. It's amazing to watch her move to purposefully.

Zoie having control of her hands is like she's speaking a new language - I know what she wants, likes, dislikes, finds interesting... and I've learned so much about her! I feel so much closer to her and love her even more as an individual.

Toes

Just over a week ago, Zoie found her toes! I've been waiting for this moment for so long! It's one of my favorite things to see babies playing with their toes.

It started with Zoie getting stronger and lifting her legs up higher when lying on her back. Her hands started reaching and exploring, and all of a sudden - she grabbed onto one of her feet! Soon enough, she grabbed the other! Now she happily plays with her toes during diaper changes (makes it easier to clean her up, haha!), and sometimes doesn't want to let go!

Now we'll wait to see if her toes find her mouth... I need my camera on me at all times!

Raspberries

Who taught this kid how to blow raspberries in the last week? I definitely didn't show her! I'll stick out my tongue at Zoie, but I don't think I've ever demonstrated a proper raspberry. Amazing how babies figure things out, they're so clever!

Zoie has so much fun blowing little spit bubbles and exploring what her tongue can do. She continues to make a lot of her normal coo sounds (ghee and hiya are some favorite words!), but now with her tongue out and blowing spit. She has never made me laugh so much, it's hilarious!

Shrieks

This little girl can SHRIEK! She can be so loud sometimes, it's really quite funny. Sometimes she'll make an especially loud high-pitched shriek (out of pure joy and happiness) that it's hard to believe such a sound came from such a tiny person. It's such a joy to watch her be sooo happy that she needs to express herself with such intensity!

Growth

This baby has steadily been growing! I haven't noticed any particular spurts, but she's getting much heavier and longer than before. She is fitting into lots of 3-6 month clothing, and growing out of many 0-3 month outfits! I've been warned about trying on outfits you think are still too big - babies will fit into them sooner than you'd think!

On Tuesday we'll find out Zoie's latest weight and length - she's going to her 4 month (well, 4 1/2 month) appointment with her pediatrician.

... Food?

Zoie has taken a sudden interest in food! It all started about 2 weeks ago while we were in Hawaii, with some delicious scrambled eggs I was eating for breakfast. I was holding Zoie on my lap, as I usually do while eating meals, when she suddenly realized that my food was FOOD. Oh boy, she wanted my scrambled eggs so badly! She was leaning and reaching, with her gaze locked onto the delicious eggy goodness. Her little mouth was open, and she started making chomping motions. She was almost trembling with excitement!

She has also discovered cups and beverages. She acts the same way; reaching and leaning and smacking her lips! I let her try ice water for the first time at a restaurant on Maui, and she LOVED it! She wasn't even phased by the icy cold temperature, she just kept sucking and licking the cup! She can't decide if her tongue belongs outside the cup, or inside licking at the water. Quite the dilemma.

It feels sad to deny Zoie the joy of food when she wants it so badly, but she's not ready yet! We'll wait until she's closer to 6 months to introduce any sort of food besides breast milk. I'm interested in baby-led-weaning, so it's going to be an exciting adventure!

Our tiny hula dancer on Maui

I can't wait to see what Zoie's 5th month brings us, I love watching her develop! Such an experience to watch how a tiny person learns about their world and herself. I love every moment!


Cheers,

Martha

Top 10 Zoie-isms at 3 months old

Quirky tidbits about our wee one...

1. She's ticklish - if you tickle her belly, Zoie will grin, squirm, and pull her knees up towards her chest. She's close to giggling!

2. She knows her mama - lately, Zoie refuses to let anyone else soothe her if she's feeling slightly fussy. It's wonderful to be her source of comfort and I'm glad she's well-attached, but I hope she opens up a bit towards others!

3. She's happy hanging out in her bouncy seat... as long as she can see me! - If I leave the room for more than a minute, Zoie starts yelling. Not crying, but yelling. It's actually pretty funny :-)

4. She loves to coo while nursing - once she's satisfied most of her hunger, Zoie will just start smiling at me and cooing softly, and continue nursing a bit. It's the cutest thing, I love our little milk chats!

5. She can be LOUD - Zoie loves to screech and yell when she gets excited, just like a toddler testing out her voice! Sometimes I'll hear a new sound, and not even realize it came from Zoie right away.

6. She likes to be held up on your shoulder - instead of being cradled in your arms (unless she is particularly relaxed or tired). This girl wants to be carried high to see the world!

7. She is a morning baby! - this is her happiest, most playful time of day. Once Zoie shakes off the groggy fussy just-waking-up feeling, she has tons of energy and smiles. (And as a solo-mama, this is the best time to take a shower! She'll hang out in her crib and happily chat to the sunshine dancing on the curtains for 10 minutes.)

8. She appreciates a good swaddle - as soon as her arms are pinned down and wrapped in a blanket, she'll relax instantly. As a newborn, she insisted on having her arms up by her head while she slept, so we obliged with a funky modified swaddle. These days, she's happy with her arms pinned to her sides (finally using those easy-Velcro-swaddle-blankets).

9. She wiggles in her sleep - sometimes she turns 90 degrees and wedges herself against the sides of the crib. And pretty regularly, her diaper will shimmy down her butt! Finally, after one too many pee-leaks in her crib, I've been switching to a disposable insert with a cloth diaper cover that hugs her tush. No leaks yet!

10. She loves to be carried around - her nickname is: she-who-must-be-held. This child can't get enough! She loves to be in arms. Sleeping, eating, playing, looking around - she LOVES to be held. Luckily, having several different baby carriers makes this a lot easier as a solo-mama.

I can't wait to discover more quirky things about our little girl, she's growing up so quickly! What a treat to watch her change and develop every day. Soon, her daddy will be here to join in the fun! We can't wait!

Cheers,

Martha

Zoie's second trip - Arizona!

Our baby girl turned 3 months old today!

We've just returned from another exciting trip - this time to Phoenix and Flagstaff. My in-laws took me and Zoie to spend a week visiting James' grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends! Our little girl is becoming quite the traveler. She loved meeting her extended family and friends, and got along really well with so much hustle and bustle.

Zoie with her Nana and Grandnana!

The 2-hour time change was a little rough to manage, since Zoie would get really tired around 6:30pm local time instead of 8:30pm in Kansas. Going out to dinner with big groups of family was really fun, but Zoie only had a short period of happy time where she enjoyed being held and played with by her new friends. Once she starts to get fussy, she really just wants to be held close by mama and rocked to sleep.

 How nice it was to enjoy some beautiful warm dry weather! Kansas gets so humid in the summer, so Phoenix was a welcome change. We drove up to Flagstaff for 3 nights, which was pretty chilly (almost 7,000 feet elevation!). Zoie got to try out her fleecy pajamas, warm sleep sack, and enjoyed wearing her pumpkin hat! Babies are so adorable when they're all cozy and bundled up.

Snug and warm on mama's lap

 
Our big girl is developing so much! Her smiles, her coos, her laughs - it's so much fun to spend time talking to her. Zoie loooves to have a conversation, and she's quite the chatterbox. Sometimes she gets so excited, she's just bursting to tell you her story! Her legs will kick, her arms will flail, and her whole body wiggles. I love being able to make her smile and give a little chuckle, it's the best feeling. I can't wait for full giggles to develop!

Baby smiles are the best!

In the last few weeks, Zoie has really begun to explore her hands. She constantly holds her hands together, playing with her fingers and marveling at her own movement. Laying on her activity mat, Zoie gets intensely focused and excited about her dangling toys. She moves her hands towards them, but isn't directly grasping them yet - though she is very close! She'll hold onto a toy if we help get her fingers around it.

Papa playing with his granddaughter!

Zoie had a checkup with her pediatrician two weeks ago, and she weighed in at 10lb. She's grown quite a bit from 6lb 4oz at birth, but she's still petite. In fact, she wasn't even on the chart yet for height... she was only 20.5 inches! Little shorty baby in the zero percentile. However, her noggin measured in the 50th percentile. Yay for big brains!

We've had so many fun changes in the past few weeks! Zoie is sleeping up to 6-7 hours straight (not every night, but it's happening more often!), she's holding her head up even higher during tummy time, and she's sooo interactive with talking and making funny faces. She's such a joy to play with! She loves to lay on her back and kick, she loves to stand if you help her balance, and she loves to be carried up on your shoulder to watch the world around her. She loves windows, bright lights, fans (even if they're not moving), TV screens (though we're trying to avoid her viewing the TV until she's at least 2), and shirts with interesting patterns (i.e. several of Nana's shirts!).

It's nice to be home in Kansas again - reunited with our puppy Brownie and sleeping in our own beds! We'll soon be gearing up for another trip to Seattle (and from there to Maui with my parents!) in November. It's been so good to stay busy traveling and visiting family, otherwise missing James would become too much to bear. It's only been two months since he left, but it feels like much longer. Zoie can't wait for her daddy to get back, she loves his deep voice and loves to snuggle on his chest. Just a few more months to go!

Ahhh back in Kansas. There's no place like home.

 Cheers,

Martha

Two and a half months old - Zoie's first trip!

What can I say, I LOVE the Northwest!

Zoie and I have been enjoying two weeks on Whidbey Island and visits to Seattle. It's been awesome introducing her to my friends and hometown community, she's like a little celebrity! Two months old is such a fun time to share with other people - the smiles, the coos, the intense eye contact - Zoie knows how to welcome friends and make them feel special.

Our first experience on the plane? Pretty easy! Zoie didn't even notice take-off and landing, so at the moment it doesn't seem to affect her ears. The plane was much like a car ride - the bumps and vibrations soothed her to sleep. She woke up when she was hungry, and I nursed her under my nursing cover several times. She even wanted to play for a bit, and made some coos and looked around at the people next to us. She received lots of attention and smiles from our fellow passengers! As we were getting off the plane, people who hadn't seen her yet were shocked to learn there was a baby near them and they hadn't heard a peep. Way to go, Zoie!!

Sleepy happy baby...

Bird's eye view! Zoie would switch between napping on my
chest and laying back on my diaper bag like a pillow.

I asked the attendants at my gate if I could board early so I could get situated before the plane got crowded, and boy I'm glad I did! The narrow aisle quickly became crammed with people trying to stuff their bags into extremely full overhead bins. Luckily, I had time to ask a nice fellow next to me to load my carry-on into the bin, and get seated by the window with Zoie before my seatmates, a large elderly couple who required seat belt extenders (I had never seen those before!) got settled in next to me.

It's a little tricky finding your rhythm when carrying a hefty travel bag on your back, a baby on your front, and a diaper bag slung on your shoulder. Tricky, but doable. Makes you feel a bit like a sherpa!

When my parents picked us up in Seattle, they already had a car seat installed and ready to go. Saved me the hassle of transporting a bulky car seat and trusting that it was handled with "care" in the cargo section of the plane! I also ordered several things (diapers, nursing pads, disposable changing pads, and an infant bath cushion) from Amazon and had them shipped to my parents' house - saved quite a bit of room in my bags. I'm sure most people know about Amazon Prime, but it's soo convenient and almost always cheaper than regular stores!

My favorite thing I brought on the trip? Baby carriers! Zoie loooves to be held and cuddled pretty much all the time, so she rides around in her Boba 3G, Maya ring sling, or Happy wrap when we're out and about. Makes it easy to go anywhere - malls, festivals, Pike Place Market, restaurants...

Zoie has grown quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. Her feet amaze me! Little booties that looked like clown shoes several weeks ago now fit her perfectly. She's getting so much sturdier and better at controlling her head, which makes me a lot more comfortable letting friends hold and play with her (still, I've had those moments of panic when someone doesn't know to support her head properly!).

When Zoie is first waking up in the morning, she's always a bit grumpy. Fussing, stretching, squirming, and serious fussing when I change her diaper. However, once she adjusts to a wakeful state, she is the happiest little morning baby! Big smiles, funny giggles and shrieks, and lots of happy wiggling. It's my favorite time of day!

Hooray it's a new day!

Our little girl has developed so much personality, I could write a book about her preferences and little quirky tendencies. It's amazing that newborns can be so particular and develop into such individuals after such a short time in this world. I love going to sleep every night, knowing the next day is going to bring new surprises in her personality and development. Such a joy! I'm so thankful to be able to spend each day with her.

Right now, our world continues to revolve around breastfeeding, sleep, and diaper changes. We've gotten a pretty good rhythm down with all three areas, but there are definitely hiccups!

Since Zoie is sleeping much less during the day than she used to, I really have to be diligent about providing her naps throughout the day. More naps = less fussy! You'd think a baby would just fall asleep when she's tired, right? Nooo... Zoie needs help getting asleep. If she gets fussy and doesn't want to eat, it means she's tired. A few minutes of holding her close, swaying with a little bounce, and talking to her softly usually does the trick. You'd think you could just lay her down and she'd keep sleeping, right? Not exactly. It does work about half the time, but often she'll wake up and start fussing, and usually won't fall asleep until you pick her up again. Thus enter, the baby-carrier nap! Or, the one-handed-holding-and-getting-things-done nap! Or, the chill-on-the-couch-with-baby-on-your-chest nap! It's good to be flexible :)

Grandma enjoying a baby nap

We've had a great time seeing our friends and family here in the Northwest, but it will also be nice to be home in Kansas again. Time has flown by! I'm pretty excited it's almost October. Every day passed is one day closer to my husband being home again! We still have several months left, but Zoie and I can't wait for him to return from his deployment.

Bring on October! We're ready :)

Looking forward to cooler weather, brightly colored leaves, and all that the new season will bring!


Cheers,

Martha

Almost 8 weeks old - Little Zoie is growing quickly!

Life with a newborn has been pretty amazing.

How awesome it is to watch Zoie grow before my eyes! Every day her clothes become a teenie bit more snug, her face more mature, and her personality a little bigger. I've been loving every moment, soaking up her smallness and enjoying her newness!

Zoie at 2 weeks, and 7 weeks!

Even the moments when Zoie is crying and fussy and it's hard to understand the problem, I still try my best to keep it in perspective. This stage in her life is so temporary, and I'm honored to be the one to guide her through these newborn months. It's so fun to watch her develop!

Soon she'll be grasping at her toys!

These last two weeks were great - my mom and dad were visiting! Since James is deployed, having someone to spend time with Zoie while I get things done around the house is such a luxury. I can take a nice long shower, do some cooking, vacuum, sort laundry... It's amazing how long these tasks can take when I'm the only one in the house. Uninterrupted time doesn't really exist when I'm on my own with Zoie and my puppy Brownie. But that's okay - we're finding our rhythm!

We've been out and about quite a bit in the last two weeks - restaurants, visiting family, the zoo, pedicures, shopping, long walks in the stroller, and a 4 hour (round-trip) car ride to Kansas City. Zoie has loved her time with Grandma and Grandpa (and they've loved being with Zoie!).

You know how everyone says, "enjoy these moments, they grow up so fast!" sort of thing? Well, I don't think we could be enjoying them more!

We've definitely had our fair share of challenges, but I still think Zoie is pretty easy to care for. I've learned that sleep and naps are extremely important, and determine how well the day will go. If Zoie doesn't get enough sleep throughout the day, she'll be so fussy she won't nurse, and then she gets so hungry she can't fall asleep! It's tricky to navigate that situation, so it's best avoided. I try and nurse her often, and give her lots of opportunity for naps. Luckily, she naps pretty well in her carriers and wraps, and loves to snuggle on her lion play mat. Naps are wonderful little pockets of time to quickly get things done! It's amazing how productive you can be when you have a ticking baby time bomb.

Next week we'll be in the great Northwest - I can't wait to introduce Zoie to my friends and family! I'm a little uncertain about Zoie's first plane ride to Seattle, so we'll see how that goes. Fingers crossed. My plan is to nurse her during takeoff and landing to help with her ears, and wear her in my carrier for most of the flight. Hopefully she'll have a niiice long nap...


Cheers,

Martha

5 weeks old - Now begins the solo mama-ing

Hello everyone!

Our little Zoie is just over 5 weeks old now, and she has changed so much! She's right at 8lb (according to our scale), and her face is maturing more every day. She has gotten so good at breastfeeding, sleeps longer stretches during the night, and seems happier during her awake time. I'm so thankful that James was here for the first month of Zoie's life so we could work through the tough newborn issues together!

Now that James is deployed overseas for several months, Zoie and I are working on our daily schedule together. I'm learning to do more things one-handed while carrying Zoie, and we've been using our different wraps/baby carriers around the house. Zoie LOVES to be held! It pretty much soothes any fussing unless she's hungry.

Breastfeeding

I've learned the art of breastfeeding while carrying Zoie in one arm! This frees me up to walk around and do things around the house. Of course, I can't imagine this will work when she's older/heavier, but I'm enjoying our flexibility for now.

Breastfeeding has become sooo much easier - it might hurt for a second as she's latching on, but it's not uncomfortable once she's eating. One of the most frustrating obstacles we overcame was latching on when my breasts were too full. Understandably, Zoie would get really frustrated if milk was squirting out onto her face! She kept slipping around and couldn't latch on, which made me have to put her down (fussy and upset) to hand-express some milk into the sink. SO glad those days are over, she finally got the hang of it! She can latch onto a fire hose now :-)

Sleep

Sleep has improved a lot. Zoie suddenly changed from waking up every 2 hours to feed, to sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches! It's amazing, and the timing couldn't be more perfect now that I'm her only caretaker during the night. She's also getting better at falling back asleep after I change her diaper and feed her. Being less delirious at nighttime makes me enjoy our night feeds a lot more!

As much as she loves to be held, Zoie is pretty good about sleeping in her mini crib at night. Once she is nursed, swaddled, and rocked to sleep, I'll lay her down and keep my hands rocking her gently until she drifts deeper into sleep. This usually works (and she falls asleep fast!), but sometimes she'll wake up shortly after (sometimes several times...) and I'll need to sooth her again.

As of the past 2 weeks, Zoie has been waking up around 2:30am for a diaper change and feeding, and again around 6:30am. During her first wake-up, Zoie stays pretty drowsy and falls asleep quickly when I lay her back in the crib. The after the 6:30am wake-up, she's a bit more chipper and I'll pull her into bed with me, and she'll sleep on her tummy on my chest for another two hours. We usually get up around 8:30am, and head out on our daily 2 mile walk!

Diapering

We haven't started really cloth diapering yet, our Thirsties Duo Wraps are pretty big on her. However, we have four Tots Bots TiniFit Cloth Diapers, which I use every couple days when I do laundry. They're adorable, and they're made out of this plush minky material on the inside! They are all-in-one (cover + absorbent layer), so you use them like you would disposable diapers. Remove the diaper and toss it in the diaper pail. Wash them with Rockin Green detergent and you're good to go!

It's been about a week without James here, and it's definitely been a little more difficult. Luckily, my in-laws live 30 minutes away, and my parents are flying in soon for a visit! It's nice to have so much family around. I can't really complain when my life revolves around my baby, my family, and my puppy. Life is good :-)

Cheers,

Martha

The wonderful life of a newborn - Almost a month with Zoie!

Zoie is 4 weeks old! Where did time go? 

Sometimes having a newborn feels way easier than I expected, sometimes it's just as exhausting. Zoie is the sweetest little baby, and she's such a blessing to our family! She's pretty chill, easy to soothe, and has quite an appetite. She doesn't cry too much, but whew - she can go from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds flat when she decides she's hungry!

We feel extremely fortunate to have a generally happy baby - I've heard about the struggles of parents with colicky babies, and can't imagine the heartbreak of inconsolable crying! Zoie's fussing can be pretty cute (the bottom lip pout makes me awww every time!), and she responds well to simply a position change or a little bouncing.

Zoie in her daddy's arms

It's been so fun getting to know her little personality, and she's grown quite a bit since she was born! At 3 weeks, she gained about a pound. Her face is maturing (I'm so anxious to see what color her eyes become! They're dark blue/brown/gray right now...), and she is growing so strong! She has some impressive neck control already, and powerful legs that can scoot her body upward if she's laying on her tummy.

We've definitely had our struggles with breastfeeding, diaper changes, sleepless nights, and trying to get things done around the house, but overall, parenthood is pretty much the most awesome thing ever.

It's getting easier as we figure out what works and what doesn't, and James and I wanted to share a few tips from our experience so far... 


Laboring at the hospital:

•  Toilet paper - bring your own! Drinking so much water to stay hydrated and receiving saline fluids through IV makes you pee like crazy. You don't want to use the hospital's cheap thin paper...
• Yoga mat - I spent a lot of time standing, swaying, kneeling, bending into squats, and doing whatever felt comfortable during labor. Definitely bring a comfy yoga mat!
• Bose® SoundLink - load your labor playlist on your iPhone, and play it on a Bluetooth music player! Listening to music was relaxing, empowering, and made time go by more quickly (Florence + The Machine albums were my favorite)
• CamelBak - it's nice to have a spill-proof bottle you can toss around. Hubby can keep it refilled for you.
• Big loose gym shorts - after a vaginal delivery, you're going to be wearing a sandwich of [awesome] disposable underwear, a cold pack, and a huge absorbent pad. It's big and awkward, and you'll want to conceal your bulk with something loose and comfortable. I ditched my own running shorts and ended up wearing James' gym shorts!
• Your own pillows - much more comfortable than hospital pillows. Make sure your husband brings his too!
• Your own towels - for some reason, our hospital didn't have regular-sized bath towels. Only tiny ones. Bring your own just in case!
• Lanolin - your breastfeeding experience will be much better if you use lanolin on your nipples right away! They can get sore pretty quickly.
• Diapers - you don't need these! The hospital supplies all you need.
• Snacks - easy, quick snacks are great for keeping up your energy. Nuts, dried fruit, and coconut water are favorites. There's no way I could eat more than a few bites here and there during active labor, but have some meal arrangements for your husband if labor is long!

Recovery at home:

• Tucks - The hospital gave me a tub of these soothing witch hazel pads, but I definitely bought more. They are great for the first few weeks!
• Pads - I made the mistake of buying intensely absorbent bladder-control pads... A little overkill, and they sucked up so much moisture that my sensitive skin stuck to the pad! Ouch... Stay simple with Kotex or something.
• Senokot-S - stool softeners are clutch for the first week.
• Peri bottle -  If you have stitches, use this bottle to squirt water on your perineum while you pee (urine is salty!) to avoid the burning sensation.

Breastfeeding:

• Medela Lanolin - thick, soothing ointment for your nipples. Use it after every nursing session during the first two weeks to prevent soreness.
• Medela Disposable Breast Pads - I think these keep you feeling dryer than the Lansinoh brand. They're thinner too.
• Milkies Milk-Saver - I just started using this, but I'm impressed by how much milk I've been collecting from my other breast while nursing Zoie. Empty it into milk storage bags/bottles, and there you go!
• Comotomo Natural Feel bottles - Zoie sucked down an ounce of pumped milk on our first try! It's shaped like a boob.
  

Diaper changes:

• Pampers Sensitive wipes and Pampers Sensitive diapers - we love the wetness indicator on the diapers! These wipes are nice and soft too.
• Line of fire - don't stand in front of your baby's bum during diaper changes... newborn poop is better to clean off the wall than off yourself!
• Coconut oil - it's a wonderful moisturizer for baby bottoms (and smells so good!) between diaper changes, and helps prevent diaper rash.

Sleeping:

• Aden and Anais swaddle blankets - the ones made from bamboo fiber are the best. They are SO soft and breathable! Zoie loves to be swaddled in them every night.
• Graco Travel Lite Crib with Stages - we ended up buying this mini crib as soon as we brought Zoie home. After the first night, we realized our little bassinet co-sleeper didn't really fit in our bed with both of us. Having this mini pack 'n play right next to our bed solved our problems!
  

This is only the tip of the iceberg as far as what we've learned over the past month, but this covers most of our current important topics. I'll dive into other subjects on future posts. Caring for a newborn is such a learning process! It's such a different experience than anything we've ever dealt with before. It's so completely rewarding - I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love being a mom!

Cheers,

Martha

Labor, delivery, and... Zoie Elizabeth!!!

We made it! Zoie Elizabeth is here!

Born at 9:49pm on Wednesday, July 17th, our little girl weighed 6lb 4oz and measured 18.25 inches. What an intense experience labor and delivery was! Definitely not the natural birth I was hoping for, but everything turned out okay.

Our little Zoie!

As I mentioned in my last post, my doctor was concerned about Zoie's dropping growth rate. I had ultrasounds every few weeks to check her measurements and weight (all estimations), and it appeared that she was in as low as the 2nd percentile! Worried that Zoie's growth was restricted by an early-aging placenta, my doctor told us we needed to get this baby out ASAP. The next evening, James and I checked into the hospital for a scheduled induction. I received Cervidil, was placed on a fetal monitor for a few hours, and then James and I were left to sleep until early morning, when I would start Pitocin.

The nurse woke us up at 5:30am, and got things ready for my IV drip of Pitocin and saline solution. She strapped me back onto the fetal monitor, added a blood pressure cuff, and I laid in bed while Pitocin started dripping. I couldn't even feel the contractions, but we watched them rise and fall on the computer screen. I remember thinking, wow, labor isn't so bad! That is, until my doctor came in at 8:30am to break my water. After the cushion of my amniotic sac was broken, every contraction pushed baby's head directly against my cervix. Ouch!

Often times, a women's body will take over labor and continue contracting after a kick-start of Pitocin and/or other labor drugs. Mine didn't. I stayed on Pitocin for 15 hours until Zoie was born! Being hooked up to an IV pole, fetal monitors, and a blood pressure cuff limited my movement to a few feet of space next to my bed. Every bathroom trip was quite an ordeal of unplugging wires and draping them around my neck. And I was so looking forward to the hot tub and soothing hot showers! Oh well...

As my nurse slowly increased the concentration of Pitocin in my IV, my contractions started to get wild. It's amazing how your primal brain takes over in active labor. I couldn't think straight, couldn't answer questions, and I could barely tell the ceiling from the floor! All I could do was focus on getting through each sharp, painful contraction so I could rest for a brief minute in between.

Proud new daddy!

James was such an amazing support during labor! He stayed with me every minute, letting me collapse onto him during rests (he literally held my entire body weight), and cheering me on during contractions. He pretty much saved my life when I had an anxiety attack when the nurse attempted a cervical exam during a contraction (James dove in and scooped me up from laying back in bed, and soothed my panic so I could breathe again).

The most painful position during labor was in bed. Luckily, I only needed to lay in bed briefly for cervical exams every 1-2 hours. I spent my entire labor on my yoga mat (which we rolled out next to the bed) either swaying in a type of Warrior pose, or sitting on the birth ball (exercise ball). During contractions on the ball, I would grab the squat bar attached to the bed and hang off the side. It felt good to hang onto something! During rests, I would collapse onto James, who was sitting behind me on a stool.

This lasted for endless hours, and it was exhausting! There was no way I could relax my body during these sharp, intense contractions (which is the best way to dilate your cervix!). Sometime around 6pm, the nurse checked my cervix again. Still only 3cm! I wasn't dilating any further. At this point, my contractions were completely overwhelming me. I had reached my breaking point, and knew that an epidural would be the only way I could possibly continue.

After the epidural was in place, James and I both settled down in our room and tried to sleep. It was definitely a relief, but I felt pretty sad about ruining my natural birth plan. However, the epidural ended up being a blessing! About 2 hours later, the nurse checked on me again. I was dilated to 9.5cm! It was almost push time!

Our baby Zoie, shortly after birth

The nurse ran to tell my doctor, but my doctor was about to begin a c-section on another patient. So, I labored for another hour, trying my best to relax through contractions. This extra hour was actually super beneficial, because Zoie started making her way lower and lower in my birth canal. When my doctor finally suited up and came in, I pushed Zoie out in two pushes! It literally took seconds.

What a beautiful moment when James cut the cord and the nurses placed my beautiful slimy blue baby on my chest! She felt sooo warm. I couldn't believe that she had been inside me just seconds before. It was the best moment of my life.

Zoie Elizabeth, we love you so much! We're so happy to have such a healthy, darling little girl.

Welcome to the world, Zoie!

39 weeks - It's GO TIME!

This is my last pregnancy post!

39 weeks!

We're checking into the hospital tonight! We're going to have a baby tomorrow! It's crazy how fast things are happening, and we're trying our best to keep up with all the changes.

Our ultrasound yesterday evening showed that Zoie's growth rate is still dropping off. She's now in the 10th and 2nd percentiles for her measurements, and her weight is estimated to be 5lb 12oz. Fortunately, she's still healthy, kicking a ton, and has a great heartbeat! There's plenty of amniotic fluid, good blood flow through the umbilical cord, but the placenta is degrading. We could see signs of the placenta aging and calcification on the ultrasound! At this point, we can care for Zoie better outside my womb than inside. Time to kick start labor and meet our daughter!

Since Zoie's growth has been dropping so quickly, we need to induce labor very soon. Tonight we're checking into the hospital around 8pm, I'll get Cervidil to help with dilation, and we'll hopefully sleep through the night (at least they have nice double beds!). By early morning, my body should be responding to the drug with stronger contractions, and I'll likely get some Pitocin to keep labor progressing.

We'll see how long I can hold out without getting an epidural (who knows what these contractions will feel like?), but if it's a long, painful, exhausting labor, I'm guessing I'll probably need one.

This is definitely not the way I imagined labor and birth going, but I'm so thankful that Zoie is still healthy and we're doing everything we can to keep her that way! Time to put aside our own desires and focus on what's best for Zoie.

At this point I've gotten over my shock, and I'm moving on to being excited (and nervous) about meeting our little girl! We're gonna have a BABY!!!

Wish us luck, maybe a little prayer, and stay tuned for NEWBORN PHOTOS soon!

Cheers,

Martha

38 weeks - Only 2 weeks away!

Hey everyone!

38 weeks!

We're at the two-week countdown until our due date! Since due dates are really just an estimate, I didn't think due dates were that significant. However, due dates matter when your doctor wants to induce you at 40 weeks because your baby looks small!

At our 26 week ultrasound, Zoie's estimated measurements put her in the 33rd percentile. At our 36 week ultrasound, Zoie's estimated measurements dropped her to the 12th percentile. Has her growth rate really dropped that much? Not necessarily. My doctor explained that the two different ultrasound technicians might have measured her slightly differently, and in general, accurate ultrasound measurements are more difficult to obtain as the baby gets bigger. BUT, if Zoie's 39 week ultrasound measurements put her as low as the 5th percentile, my doctor said that's a good indication that Zoie will thrive better outside my womb than inside.

It's sad to think that my body might not be providing Zoie what she needs to grow normally. I've been eating nutritious food, getting plenty of calories, taking my prenatal vitamins and DHA, exercising every day, getting enough sleep and staying stress-free. What more can I do?

On the other hand, there's a good chance that Zoie is growing exactly the way she is supposed to be growing. The great news is that her growth is symmetrically proportioned: she's just petite! Some babies are just smaller than others, just like some people are smaller than other people. And maybe the estimated measurements from the ultrasounds are completely off - it happens pretty regularly (just ask my sister-in-law - her "10lb" baby turned out to be a 7lb baby!).

We're anxious for Monday the 15th - our 39th week ultrasound that will determine Zoie's latest growth percentile. Above the 5th percentile? We can let labor start naturally up to 42 weeks. Below the 5th percentile? My doctor will want to induce labor on my due date. Come on Zoie, grow!!!

In other news, my group B strep test results were negative, yay! No IV of antibiotics during labor for me. Also at Wednesday's appointment, I had my first NST (a "non-stress test" - 10-30 minutes of laying down with a belly monitor measuring baby's movement and corresponding increasing/decreasing heart rate). My doctor was very pleased with Zoie's strong movements and healthy heartbeat patterns.

I'm optimistic and happy that we have a healthy baby, but we just need a little reassurance that her small size is not indicative of a problem. Now... I wonder if any of those methods of inducing labor naturally actually work? Might be time to try :-) Except castor oil, gross!

Here's what an average baby at 38 weeks of development looks like:




How far along are you? 38 weeks today - only 2 weeks until our due date!
 
How big is Baby? At 38 weeks, babies average about 6.8lb and measure 19.5 inches in length. I'm sure Zoie is a bit smaller than that, but who really knows... Maybe she'll surprise us all and be 10lb at birth!

Weight Gain? This morning's weight was 155.5lb, total weight gain = 24 pounds.

Gender? Little baby GIRL!

Maternity Clothes? Yes indeed. Only a few more weeks! I wonder how quickly I'll be able to wear my normal clothes (and look good in them!)?

Sleep? Sleep hasn't been too bad. Except for going to the bathroom 3-6 times each night, and some pretty wild dreams (my latest one involved getting stranded in a big city with George Bush!).

Movement? Zoie continues to wiggle all the time! She's getting so big and strong- it's funny to watch my belly jerk around. She still tickles me down by my hips (maybe she's practicing grasping with her hands?), and pokes out her tush above my belly button.

Food Cravings? Chocolate, citrus, and dairy.

Labor Signs? I think I might have started feeling some Braxton-Hicks contractions this week. No sensations of muscle cramping, but sometimes I can feel with my hands that my whole belly hardens for like a minute. Then my belly softens to where I could massage it with my hands.

Belly Button in or out? Hasn't poked out any further lately, yay!

What I miss? Well, I continue to miss my old body. My balance is off, I'm heavy, and because of my diastasis recti, I have literally no strength in my abdominal muscles!

Best moment(s) of the week? What a wonderful long weekend! It felt great to have so much free time to do whatever we wanted. On the 4th, we enjoyed a BBQ and a local fireworks show. James and I also saw Despicable Me 2 (great movie!), brought a picnic to park, took our puppy on some long walks, and enjoyed lots of sleeping in. Gotta get in all the relaxing we can before baby comes!

What I am looking forward to? This is James' last week of work before taking some vacation time. We're so anxious for Zoie to arrive!

Cheers,

Martha

37 weeks - FULL TERM!

Hello y'all!

37 weeks!

Today we're officially full term at 37 weeks (and I think we've gone through a belly growth spurt). Zoie could potentially arrive any day! My little bun should stay in the oven for another 3 weeks, but things would be okay if she came now. Hopefully she's packing on some baby fat since she measured a little small during the ultrasounds - she needs a little extra weight since breastfed newborns lose 7-10% of their body weight during the first 5-7 days.

We've been putting together our hospital duffel bag- just in case! Here's what's on our packing list:

Toiletries:
-toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
-shampoo, conditioner, soap, razor, deodorant, moisturizer
-makeup and face wipes
-toilet paper (I don't want cheap crumbly paper the hospital might have!)
-nursing pads and maxi pads

Clothing:
-yoga pants and athletic shorts
-tee shirt and tank top
-short lightweight robe
-regular nursing bra and sports nursing bra, and several pairs of underwear
-2 pairs of swim trunks (in case James wants to join me in the hot tub!)
-flip flops

Electronics:
-Bose SoundLink (My playlist involves a lot of Florence + the Machine) and charger
-iPad and charger
-camera, memory card, and charger
-cell phones and chargers

Comfort items:
-snacks (granola bars, dried fruit, squeezable packets of honey peanut butter)
-gum, mints, and hard candy
-CamelBak/Nalgene bottles
-yoga mat (so I can stretch and kneel on the floor if I'd like to during labor)
-my own pillow with a waterproof cover
-some type of aromatherapy

For Zoie:
-2 outfits (for photos?) and 2 onesies
-lightweight hat and mittens
-diapers and wipes (although the hospital usually provides these)
-swaddle blankets
-burp cloths and bibs
-Boppy nursing pillow (with water-resistant cover)
-Maya Wrap baby carrier
-Mamascarf nursing cover
-car seat

Other:
-box of chocolates for the nurses
-printed copies of our birth plan

We're starting to feel more prepared for labor. Funny how it's such a waiting game - it could happen now, or 5 weeks from now! I've been working on a brief birth plan to bring to the hospital - mostly just asking the medical team to help us achieve a natural birth. I'm worried about making the hospital staff upset if I get too defensive about non-emergency interventions they might potentially pressure on me. I don't want to turn anyone against me, but I'm very particular about what is going to happen to my body and my baby.

Did you know that fear and adrenaline can actually pause the progression of labor? I'll need to find ways to stay relaxed, feel safe, and keep my mind focused during labor. James is going to be a huge help talking to the staff for me, and being my support through everything. I'm pretty excited for everything to start happening, I can't wait to meet our daughter!

Here's our girl at 37 weeks of development:



How far along are you? 37 weeks today - we're having a baby this month! (I hope!)
 
How big is Baby? This week, Zoie's average weight should be about 6 and 1/3 pounds and should measure about 19 inches long, but I'm guessing she's still smaller than average based on her ultrasounds.

Weight Gain? Morning weight was 154.8 - WHEW! Gained almost 2 pounds this week. I think Zoie is going through a growth spurt! My belly is feeling huge and heavy. Total weight gain = 23.3lb

Gender? We're having a girl!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! I have to do laundry more frequently to make sure my limited maternity wardrobe is clean. I resorted to stealing one of James' t-shirts the other day...

Sleep? Actually pretty decent! Except... Leg cramps are still an issue. Even though we've discovered that pointing my toes triggers the muscle cramps, it's hard to control flexing/pointing/stretching when I'm half-asleep dreaming. A moment before my latest cramp occurred, I was coming out of a dream and stretched my legs, and then snapped awake when I realized I was pointing my left toes. I knew I was doomed. A split second later, a searing cramp burned its way into my left calf! GAH! Dumb sleepy brain, don't let me do that!

Movement? As usual, Zoie is moving all the time. It's borderline-painful sometimes when she's shifting around and stretching out my abdomen. It feels like she's trying to knock down walls and expand her house!

Food Cravings? Citrus and dairy have continued to be favorites.

Labor Signs? Still no Braxton-Hicks contractions that I've noticed, but Zoie is dropping lower in my abdomen. Her legs still reach up and kick my ribs, but her head is super low in my pelvis.

Belly Button in or out? Still looks about the same as previous weeks.

What I miss? Starting to miss my old body more and more - it's no fun being so heavy! I can't wait to shed weight and become more limber, agile, and regain strength in my core.

Best moment(s) of the week? Going out for dinner and drinks with friends during a hurricane-like lightening storm (thanks Nate for the shot of lemonade, haha!), buying fresh produce at the farmers market, going to World War Z (intense!), watching our little 12lb puppy outrun every other dog at the dog park, shopping and lunch with my mother-in-law in the cute historic town of Abilene, and fishing on the lake (and catching a little white bass!).

What I am looking forward to? Of course, the 4th of July weekend! James has Thursday and Friday off, so we're looking forward to a long weekend of fireworks, BBQs, and family.

Cheers,

Martha

36 weeks - Less than a month! And new ultrasound picture!

Hey everyone!

36 weeks!

Less than a month until Zoie's due date! It's really starting to hit me how soon she'll be here. James and I have been talking about what to bring to the hospital, and making sure we have all the last baby items we need.

Today I brought our Britax car seat to the local fire station for their weekly car seat check. The fireman (who was trained in a 5-day car seat course, that's intense!) made sure that we were using our Subaru's LATCH system properly, and that the car seat's incline was correct for a newborn. He also instructed to push firmly down on the seat while tightening the LATCH straps to get the snuggest attachment. Looks like we're good to go!

Also today, James and I went to see our baby's 36 week ultrasound! Zoie's anatomy is still looking perfect, and she has a head full of hair already. She is still measuring small by the ultrasound's estimations, but so far it's nothing to worry about. It was so fun to see her little chubby cheeks, and we think she yawned! She had her hands up by her face, and kept moving around gently. Her head is super low in my pelvis, with her face towards my back (so unfortunately we didn't get to see much of her face!). It's reassuring to know that she is in the correct position for delivery, and this explains the increased pressure I feel in my pelvis.

Here's the only photo we got of Zoie's face (forehead is on the right). Cute chubby cheeks!

Here's Zoie's estimated development at 36 weeks:

How far along are you? 36 weeks today - less than a month until her due date! Although I'm predicting she's going to arrive a little bit late.
 
How big is Baby? On average, she should be about 18.5 inches long, and her weight should be almost 6 pounds! However, the ultrasound today predicted Zoie to be 5lb 2oz, so she's still measuring a little small. Oh well, I can't complain about delivering a slightly smaller baby!

Weight Gain? Morning weight was 153 - steadily gaining! Total weight gain = 21.5 pounds.

Gender? Baby GIRL!

Maternity Clothes? All the time. It's been so long since I've purchased regular clothes, I'm ready to go shopping after Zoie is born! And I'd like to find a few cute non-maternity nursing tops. I finally found a comfortable nursing bra that I love! I ordered it online from Target.

Sleep? It's been going okay this week. Still waking up a lot, still kind of uncomfortable, but it's not too bad.

Movement? She's SO wiggly! Big shifting movements, and constantly poking out limbs all over my belly.

Food Cravings? Citrus has still been awesome. And I'm still craving a really good maple bar - might have to make them myself, I can't find anything good enough to satisfy!

Labor Signs? Several people have asked me about Braxton-Hicks contractions - I think I've only felt one or two (a while ago) this whole pregnancy. Perhaps I'm experiencing some now, but it's hard to tell if it's just Zoie shifting and putting pressure on my belly or if my muscles are actually contracting.

Belly Button in or out? Belly button hasn't changed in a few weeks - I think we're safe from it becoming too reckless!

What I miss? Lately I've been trying to imagine what I will miss once baby is here - we only have about 4 weeks of time alone! I'm soaking up my free time - reading, exercising, shopping, cooking, cleaning... and enjoying all the time with James that I can!

Best moment(s) of the week? These past few days and weekend have been great! Delicious Mongolian grill dinner to celebrate James' dad's birthday, Saturday exploring Kansas City with James and dinner with my friend Jenn, and a very relaxing Sunday (anyone else see the Super Moon?). And of course, today James and I got to see our little girl on the ultrasound!

What I am looking forward to? This Saturday, two of my amazing friends from college are getting married back in Seattle! I'm really missing them, and wish my due date was a little farther away so we could make the trip! Looking forward to all the pictures of the beautiful event.
 
Cheers,

Martha