Wonder weeks/4 month sleep regression/growth spurts/teething

So I discovered Wonder weeks when I got my Iphone. Before Wonder weeks I was muddling along. I didnt really know what activities/toys to give to K or what I should be looking out for developmental wise. Now that I know about it I feel so much more confident. I actually ended up getting the book a few days after I discovered the app.

Wonder weeks for those not in the know are the developmental leaps which a baby goes through. They are at certain times and are based on the due date (as I had many different due dates given to me I have based it on 7th January which was the one the doctor here in USA gave me) not on the date your baby was born.

Wonder weeks occur at the following times:

4 and  a half- 5 and a half weeks (changing sensations)
7 and a half weeks- 9 and a half weeks (Patterns)
11 and a half weeks- 12 and a half weeks (smooth transitions)
14 and a half weeks- 19 and a half weeks (events)
22 and a half weeks- 26 and a half weeks (relationships)
33 and a half weeks- 37 and a half weeks (categories)
41 and a half weeks- 46 and a half weeks (sequences)
50 and a half weeks- 54 and a half weeks (programs)
59 and a half weeks- 64 and a half weeks (principles)
70 and a half weeks- 76 and a half weeks (systems)
When I discovered the app K was currently going through the "Smooth Transitions" leap. We have recently been going through the "Events" leap and while in the UK we will be going through the "relationships" leap! Basically from 3 months through 6 months there is constant development hence the exhaustion you feel the whole time!

The wonder weeks app and more so the book are amazing. It tells you what the signs of a leap are, what developments you will see after and during the leap and also games/toys to play with to help aid the development.

As we have been going through the events leap let me go into that one in more detail.

Signs of the leap:
She may have more trouble sleeping, ie harder to settle, wake for more feedings (YES we have had this... but this is also to do with the "4 month sleep regressions" and also likely to be growth spurt related).
She may become shy with strangers, want mum more often than daddy (YES, she has been with dad and has been wanting me, she wont let dad put her down at night to sleep and when she is being held by someone else she is constantly looking for me. If I walk away when someone else is holding her she cries!)
She may demand more attention (YES, she has started COUGHING for attention and wants me to play with her more often!)
Her head may need more support again (YEP)
She may always want to be with you (yep, see above!)
She may lose her appetite (NOPE!)
She may be moody (NOPE!)
She may be listless ie make less noises (YEP!)

How the leap may affect me:
You may be exhausted (yep... waking every 2 and a half-3 hours would make me tired as would the whole moving though...)
You may feel resentful (nope)
You may feel trapped (nope)

Skills from this leap:

Body control
Starts moving every part of their body as soon as they are put on floor (yup!)
rolls over from  back to tummy (not yet... but has rolled to side)
rolls from tummy onto back (yep, but not interested in doing this now she has done it a few times)
is able to fully stretch arms when lying on tummy (yup)
lifts bottom and attempt to push off, doesnt succeed (yup)
raises themselves onto hands and feet when on tummy and attempts to move forward, doesnt succeed (yup)
Attempts to crawl, manages to slide forwards or backwards (yes and sideways... she has turned 180 degrees!)
support self with forearms and raises upper half of body (yes)
Sits up straight when leaning against you (yes!)
attempts to sit up straight on their own and succeeds briefly by leaning on forearms and bringing head forward (yep)
remains upright when supported with cushions (yep)
enjoys moving mouth- puckers lips and sticks tongue out (yep)

grabbing, touching and feeling
succeeds in grabbing objects (yep)
grabs things with either hand (yep)
is able to grab an object with either hand if it comes into contact with the object (yep)
is able to pass objects between hands (yep)
sticks your hand in their mouth (yep)
touches or sticks their hands in your mouth as you talk (yep)
sticks objects in their mouth to feel and bite them (yep)
is able to pull a cloth from face by themselves (yep)
recognises a toy or other familiar object even if it is partially hidden (yep)
tries shaking a plaything (yep!)
tries banging a plaything on a table top (not tried this but she has banged stuff on the floor)
deliberately throws a plaything on the floor (yep... countless times)
tries grabbing things just out of reach (yep)
tries to play with an activity centre (yep!)
understands the purpose of a particular toy (yep!)
studies objects closely (yep!)

watching
stares in fascination at repetitive activities such as brushing hair or teeth (yep!)
stares in fascination at the movement of your lips and tongue when you are talking (yep)
searches for you and is able to turn around to do this (yep)
looks for a plaything that is partially hidden (yep)
reacts to own reflection in mirror (yep)
holds a book in hands and stares at pictures (yep)

listening
listens intently to sounds coming from your lips (yep)
responds to own name (yep)
is now able to distinguish one particular sound in a medley of sounds, so responds to name even if there are background noises (yep)
genuinely understands one or more words (yep)
will respond appropriately to an approving or scolding voice (yep)
recognises the opening bars of a song (yep)

talking
makes new sounds using lips and tongue (yep)
uses consonants d b l m (kinda...)
babbles and utters first words (dada, momom, abba, hadahada, baba, tata) (babbles yes and has said ah boo which sounds like love you which has now become Wove u, then we have had mumumum and mamama and also had oop and what sounds a lot like hello)
makes noises when yawning and is aware of noises (yep)
Body language
stretches arms out to be picked up (yep)
smacks lips when hungry and waves arms and legs (yep)
opens mouth and moves towards food (yep)
spits when had enough  to eat(nope...)
pushes away breast when had enough (yep)
turns away when full (yup)

Other skills
may exaggerate action for example coughing (yep)
gets grumpy when impatient (yep)
screams when failing to do a task (yep)
has one special cuddly toy (5 actually- Minnie Mouse comforter, Zebra comforter, Lamaze giraffe from grandma, mouse from other grandma and the green cat...)

I wont go through all of the games to play in a lot of detail but they do say to look at pictures (this one I need to get better at), sing songs (we do this a lot) talk (we also do this a lot), ticking game (yep) peek a boo (she isnt interested in this) and mirror play (which she loves).

The toys they say are useful for this leap are:
Bath toys (we havent worked out how to incorporate them in the bath yet... help please!)
activity centre (yep)
ball (yep)
plastic rattles (yep)
screw top container containing rice (erm no... I dont think this one seems safe)
crackly paper (yep)
Mirror (yep)
photograps/pics of other babies (I show her pics of her and some of her friends on facebook!)
photographs of animals (I use an Iphone app)
cd with children's songs (yep)
wheels that really turn (yep, ferris wheel toy!)

What I love about Wonder weeks is that you can read to see what is coming up and the small developments you might have missed otherwise you actually notice more because you are looking out for them rather than just missing them happening. Looking ahead she has already started mastering some of the skills from the next leap. Also it means I can start finding the toys I need for the next leap!

So as I mentioned K had started waking more often for feeds.... there is something known as the 4 month sleep regression which it could be but I also think it is related to a growth spurt and also the additional calories which are needed to develop new skills plus she is way more active.

However, this has now gone back to one feed a night but short naps during the day! Its all good fun :)

K I think may have been teething since 3 months though no teeth yet.... I have a feeling it could be a while before those teeth make an entrance!

Think this entry is loooooooong enough..










 

12-18 weeks

I hate how I have had to clump the weeks together because I left it so long to write on here, but at least I can eventually start writing about each week as it comes once I get up to date. Of course there are a number of other posts I need to write which will take a while! I want to document as much as I can of this first year of being a mum as well as continuing onwards thereafter.

We finally made it to yoga just after K turned 3 months, of course K decided she wanted to eat so the yoga session was cut short slightly, I think she was slightly confused by what we were doing. I have noticed that whilst K can be really outgoing and babbles a lot she also gets shy, so when she is feeling shy or nervous she wants to feed!

The plan had been to go to lunch with A and her daughter with K after the yoga session then head to Java Mama cafe and Old Navy. Well, K had other ideas. Near the end of the yoga session she filled her nappy (yes, I know as I am in America I should call it a diaper, but being a mum who is from the UK and not a Mom from the USA I still use the word nappy when I am not speaking to American friends). I removed said nappy and K decided that actually she hadnt finished and I got sprayed with poop down my top, trousers (pants for those in USA), socks and my yoga mat! Obviously this meant going home for a complete change and sanitization! I am sure this wasnt her opinion on the yoga!

We did make it to Java Mama (not impressed, but then K is a little bit too small still for any of the activities they provided) and to Old Navy but she expressed her annoyance in the car in the rushing from one place to another without enough time to play.

The same week we went to a Swap meet, for those in the UK the swap meet is like a giant car boot sale for kids stuff only. We wish we had taken more cash as there was so much stuff we wanted but we still managed to walk away with 19 Baby Einstein dvds and 30 odd books for $55!

I set up a group on Facebook for San Diego mums. There is a lot of us in the group now and we have had a few things go on through that but during the past few weeks there hasnt been as much time because we have moved (more on that in another entry) and we are going back to the UK very soon!

When K was 10 weeks old I got an iphone and downloaded an app called "Wonder Weeks" as I was googling something K was doing and someone mentioned Wonder weeks, I will write more about the wonder weeks in another entry but it certainly answered a lot of questions I had about what was going on and allows me to find appropriate activites for that time period!

It seems K prefers bathtime to be done by me and not daddy. Up until this week bathtime went a bit like this:

Fill bath whilst K played on playgym, gather towels, all toiletries, clothes and wash cloths and then give K a big cuddle followed by mirror time. Mirror time being her being wushed in towards the mirror which results in big smiles and laughs plus a sing song... we have two songs that are sung "whose that baby" and "How much is that baby in the mirror". Whose that baby is basically the words of Whose that lady changed to whose that baby. They lyrics for those who are not in the know are:

"whose that lady, sexy lady" Of course I substituted lady with baby, and have since realised it is a little inappropriate to call my baby sexy haha so changed it to how much is that baby in the mirror which is sung to the tune of how much is that doggy in the window! She likes both :)

Anyway I have digressed, bath time then meant her getting in the baby bath, being washed with a wash cloth but not being submerged and her hair being washed, then rushed into a towel and wrapped up and me talking to her and cuddling her throughout which results in some giggles. After that I rush her into another towel (which is dry) and wrap her up whilst covering her also with another towel to a)protect her modesty and b) keep her warm. I then uncovered parts of her body to moisturise them with the Johnson's nighttime lotion and then covered each part again. Once the moisturising is done its nappy on and then into the pjs (onesie/babygro) quickly because that is when she whinges. I am yet to decide whether this whinging is because she is a)frustrated the bathtime is over, b)is getting cold or c) wants to be naked.

This week however she has graduated to the big bath. Not on her own I might add because well, she is a slippery little lady and I dont have a bath seat, so instead one of us is getting in with her, I have been in 3 times, daddy once. She seems to prefer being submerged in the water (not her head of course!) and enjoys splashing the water. I have not quite worked out how to get her toys in to play with when I have to hold her... but I guess that might come when she is able to sit unaided.

The remainder of the bathtime remains the same. I still have to act quickly with getting her into her bedwear!!

So bathtime has been sorted.

Carseat is still not loved, she still doesnt enjoy being strapped into it BUT she is ok 90% of the time once we get going.

I have learnt that BEFORE I put her in the carseat we have to have done the following:

1) Fed her
2) changed her
3) played a little bit

Also we need to have the following:

1) Toybar on for her to play with
2) Her Minnie Mouse comforter toy
3) Air conditioning on
4) A window open
5) Sometimes music

She still dislikes red lights and stop lights but is nowhere near as bad as before, I have had prior to working out what we need to do a period of 20 minutes of continuous screaming in the car which was not fun for her or me and then the screaming only stopped because she had fallen asleep!

We have refined our walking trips too and bedtime has been sorted to a much quicker routine (we had it take about 3 hours when she was colicky) though there is still room for improvement!

Up until a month ago K was sleeping from 7.30pm-1.30am then having a feed then sleeping again til around 5.30am where she would have another feed and then sleep til 8. However, the past month there has been somewhat of a regression in which she now feeds every 3 hours again. It's exhausting but I am taking it in my stride as it appears to be related to the 4 month sleep regression, wonder weeks and also could be due to the upheaval of the move (seeing all the boxes, moving into a new home) and also the excitement I have for the trip home (I am sure it is rubbing off on her too!). It has been slightly better the past two nights... so we shall see!

These past 6 weeks have been in a word, awesome. She has such a great personality now. I love it! But more on that another entry....

6-12 weeks

Whilst the first 6 weeks were fantastic they were incredibly difficult because of all the adjustments. The next 6 weeks were more fun, though still there was a lot of adjustments to be made!

We encountered quite a few issues in the 6-12 week time period which we slowly have overcome, some within that 6 week period and some since.

K's doctor advised us that K had Thrush, so we went away with the medicine for that and had to give it to her four times a day, which was an issue in itself as she has a tendency to spit out anything other than breastmilk! However, we saw my doctor and 4 different breastfeeding consultants at groups and they all disagreed that it was thrush! I had taken some tablets and used cream during the time I had been giving her meds in case it was but after getting other opinions I discontinued the treatment.

Then I was experiencing soreness which it seems is Raynaud's. Now that the weather has improved that has sorted (and there were more factors which were also contributing which I will get into later). I do wonder how I will be when I go to a colder climate!

K was spitting up more, was gassy, needed to be burped a lot and squirmed, she was also refusing to latch at times. Her doctor diagnosed Reflux and she was given medicine which we used for a few days but had a feeling that it was something else.

Next up was the injections which left K feeling under the weather and along came colic. Crying periods from 3pm-7.30pm every evening and nothing would console her other than being held either up on the shoulder or laid across the arm on her stomach. Poor little K.

She also didnt eat as much during the time where it was thought she had Reflux or in the couple of days after the injections so along came blocked ducts for me and engorgement. As such we called in a breastfeeding consultant.

For anyone in the San Diego area having any issues with breastfeeding I would recommend Sarah http://www.sweetlifelactation.com/, she comes to your home and assesses positions, and all other aspects of the breastfeeding experience and provides solutions.

It was Sarah who diagnosed the tongue tie that K had, prior to that no one else had noticed it or even thought it could be what was causing some issues.

The problems I was having were:

Persistent very sore or damaged/blistered nipples – however it’s important to note that there may be no nipple pain/trauma

Compressed nipples (change in shape) and/or blanching after feeding

Excessive sucking need – baby want’s to feed or suck very frequently/constantly.

Baby only swallows infrequently or swallows well for initial “milk ejection” (letdown), but then swallows become less frequent/sporadic

Cannot maintain a seal at the breast/bottle, often has gaps at corners of mouth which milk may spill out from.

Mammoth feeds at the breast – or falls asleep quickly and then wakes hungry as soon as removed from the breast

Very frequent feeds

Fussing at the breast shortly into a feed or takes very short, fast feeds, baby may pull away from the breast and cry – bobbing on and off in distress.

Parents may comment they can hear air being gulped, milk hitting the tummy, or baby is a very “noisy feeder” with loud swallow sounds.

Mastitis/blocked ducts

Gagging

Reflux (click here to read “The cause of your baby’s colic, reflux & wind“)

Frequent hiccoughs

Colic

Windy/squirmy and unsettled when sleeping.

Excessive flatulence

Green stools

Sucking blister on upper lip

Latch trouble or slipping down the nipple when feeding ie as though struggling to remain attached at times- resulting in “nipple hanging”

Clicking sound when feeding. May pop on and off.

Unorganised suck/swallow pattern – may result in coughing/spluttering/gagging and give an appearance of oversupply. Bottlefeeding mums may note this happens even with the slowest flow teat

Weak suck/poor sucking reflex

Oral aversion/ increased sensitivity – frequently refuses breast and/or bottles and/or spoons. May gag frequently

Noisy breathing/snoring sounds when sleeping

Opens mouth to attach but doesn’t, shakes head or bobs on and off before becoming frustrated

Small mouth gape

Unable to protrude tongue (some with tongue tie can)

Excessive drooling/bubbles at the mouth

Displays stressed body language when feeding – hands up near face, fingers splayed.

All of these things were related to the tongue tie but we hadnt put it all together until K was diagnosed as having a tongue tie, after all we had no idea as nothing had been mentioned by other consultants or doctors who had seen her at the hospital or her own doctor.

On 27th March (just over a week after her injections K was taken to the children's hospital and had her tongue tie clipped, it took seconds and she was only grouchy for that one day. Since then almost all of these things have disappeared. Yes I occasionally get the sore nipples but then that is on days when she cluster feeds and she still spits up a bit but it is not excessive. The colic remained til about week 12 but she has been fine since!

We had some other issues too to resolve. Bath woes and carseat hatred. Almost everytime we went in the car she would scream and whenever she was taken out of the bath and was being dried she would scream. I managed to resolve both of these but not in the first 12 weeks.

Whilst there were issues in those 6 weeks K was much more interactive. I was getting lots of smiles, she was starting to babble, was more interactive at play and much more interesting too! We entered her into the Starbaby competition, although she didnt get through to the second round we still think she is the best baby of the bunch!

During the 6-12 week period we got out and about a lot more to see other mums and babies, we went on walks in Mission Bay, Mission beach and had lots of walks on our own. I managed to establish a good routine with K during the day and she was sleeping much better during the night. That has regressed now... but that is for another entry.

Despite the issues I loved the 6-12 week period much more than the birth to 6 weeks because she was more interactive. Thought the past 6 weeks have been even more fun (but more on that in another entry!).

The first 6 weeks

In the aftermath of the hospital stay I did literally nothing but stay in bed chilling out with K. Daddy did all the housework, cooking and chores that were needed whilst I was being a full time 24/7 mum resting my body, getting my blood pressure down and sleeping when I could.

Everyone hears the words "sleep when baby sleeps" of course, easier said than done. I am one of those people who once awake has trouble getting back to sleep and daytime sleeping is something I have never been any good at.

I have to honestly say that week or so after leaving the hospital is still a blur to me. The first two weeks are so involved in a routine of feed, burp, change, put baby down for a sleep and try to sleep yourself that there is little room for anything else. We were basically muddling along as best we could! I had no clue what I was doing!

Let's not forget I was also recovering from surgery and had the blood pressure stuff going on.

There was lots of lovely cuddles with my perfect little K, we had visitors in to meet her bearing gift! I was shocked by the generosity!

However, there was stuff I would have done differently:

1) moved a tv into the bedroom to watch stuff.
2) read a book when I wasnt sleeping/watching tv.
3) replied my messages on facebook.
4) taken more photos.
5) worried less about the recovery and just enjoyed each day.
6) Set about a routine a bit more.

Let's just say I was thankful that grandma was coming to stay... as that was when I started "waking up" from the whole experiences lol!

When K was less than 2 weeks old my mum (her grandma) came out to stay for 3 weeks.

I have to say that my mum was absolutely fantastic and I am so glad she was able to spend some time with K while she was so tiny giving her lots of cuddles and love!

During the time my mum was with us there was of course the many doctor visits we needed to attend but there was also a lot of fun stuff too!

My mum was able to help me get into a routine and out and about to malls and to stores which I hadnt managed in the first week and a half of K being in the world.

Whilst my mum was with us we had a photoshoot of Kayla at one month old- when we had the one at 3 days at the hospital they had advised that we would also be entitled to one at 1 month so of course we took it up. K was such a poser throughout the whole shoot bless her!

I was able to introduce my mum to a lot of my friends which was great too.

Hubby/Mrk/daddy was off for a further week after that which was lucky really as I was still quite sore from the C section. Not that we did a lot in that week other than getting passport photos for K and applying for both her passports. Little dual citizen that she is!

Also in that week while he was off I had more doctor appointments and went to two breastfeeding support groups, one of which was at the yoga studio which I had been to with A and K (not my K but a friend K) they were both at the group as were H and her friend J.

I learnt from the other breastfeeding group that the first 6 weeks are generally a time where the mother (and baby) dont really leave the house as it is the settling in period/babymoon but I had successfully got out and about during that time and had managed to get out with K to both support groups in one day without any assistance.

The first 6 weeks are the hardest. Well, so far anyway....

After all I was a new mum, I had gone from being a pregnant lady who could do whatever (with limits) on a whim to a mum who's little lady came first and of course there is always an adjustment period with anything new!

I know I am too hard on myself at times and that I am actually a good mum. Whilst those 6 weeks were fantastic they were hard and I am glad to say we have moved on and K is getting to be even more amazing every single day... and I am getting better at this mum thing too!

Hospital stays & what I would do differently

I left off that I had just delivered K. Well this entry is all about the hospital stays which followed.

We were moved to the postpartum area around 4.30/5am. I cant tell you the exact time as I was so out of it due to the antibiotics, the epidural and general tiredness after the event. All I know is that I was told I was in the biggest room of them all!

I was still hooked up to a drip (which was giving me fluids and the oxytocin which they give after delivery), had a catheter and there was what looked like blood pressure cuffs on my legs to keep the blood circulating.

Seriously dont remember a lot about the first full day in the Postpartum room just know that I was up every couple of hours to feed K and that she slept a lot whilst I barely could due to limited movement from all the blood pressure cuffs on my legs, the drips and the catheter!

The nurses took off the catheter and the blood pressure cuffs sometime that day but I still needed help going to the restroom and with K at times. I know hubby was there too but like I say, complete blur.

What I mostly remember about the first hospital stay (there were two!) was that there was constantly people coming in to the room- the pediatrician, Ob/gyn, nurses, medical assistants (to keep monitoring my blood pressure), cleaners, people delivering meals it was just constant and I couldnt relax, I was just so intent on getting home to get to look after K in more comfortable surroundings.

I had a lot of problems with breastfeeding so had countless nurses and lactation advisors coming in to try and help me too. Seriously there were people in the room from around 6am to midday at one point or another and that also at that point happened to be the time when K was most restful.

Most of the nurses were fabulous but I did have a run in with one medical assistant and a nurse another time.

On night 2 or 3, I cant recall which K was up from 10.30-3am cluster feeding, I hadnt expected it and hadnt read up on it (I barely read anything during my pregnancy, I had no concentration for anything), then on another night from 11pm-3am she just couldnt latch- turned out my milk had come in and I was engorged, that was the night that I had a run in with a nurse and needed to get a pump to express milk so K could feed.

I literally begged to be released on the morning after the 4th night (which had been 6 nights in the hospital because I had been in for two nights for induction), I was really suffering with cabin fever! They released me on the understanding that I would go back if my blood pressure went above 160/100.

Of course, 12 hours later I was readmitted, on another floor and although K and hubby were allowed to stay K was not allowed to be left with me at any time on my own.

The first night of my second hospitalisation I was given a drug through a drip to bring my blood pressure down quickly. There was talk of being given an anti seizure medicine (I hadnt had any seizures but my blood pressure was so high that I was at risk).

The room I was in was tiny, no one said what would happen next, they left me and a few hours later when no one came back I got a little sleep, but not much due to the fact that K was waking regularly for feeds.

Hubby had to take K to her pediatrician appointment so I had to express milk for him to give using a pippette type thing (due to the fact that they had said that you shouldnt give a bottle because it would cause nipple confusion). K had gained back all the weight she had lost and an extra ounce so they said they wouldnt need to see her for another two weeks!

Second night was without anything of interest happening, but they managed to get my blood pressure to a manageable level so at midday on that day I was released from hospital to monitor it myself whilst taking the blood pressure drugs.

I didnt enjoy being in the hospital. In retrospect there was a number of things I would have done differently:
1) I would have ensured that we packed a hairbrush- for two days I went without brushing my hair and it was a mass of knots.
2) I would have ensured we had clothes for K for the whole time, as it happened she was in a nappy/diaper and a hat and swaddled for the majority of the first 4 nights.
3) I would have relaxed more and tried to enjoy the experience, there was a tv in the room but I barely watched it!
4) I would have taken more advantage of the nurses assistance, they were willing to take K for a couple of hours at a time and I only did this once (when I needed someone to feed her after expressing when I was engorged).
5) I would have read up a bit more on the first few days of breastfeeding (though now I know so if I was to have another child it wouldnt be an issue!)
6) I would have allowed visitors- I kept saying no but in reality it might have made the stay better for me.
7) I would have called and spoken to my mum rather than just using facebook and text messages.
8) I would have chosen the menu each meal rather than just eating whatever was given to me. I kept forgetting to fill in the forms.
9) I would have waited til the following day to get induced.
10) I would have gotten up more and walked more to aid healing.
11) I would have relaxed before K arrived, as in the few weeks leading up to it ensuring I got enough sleep! It truly isnt something you understand until baby arrives.

The hospital stay was certainly an experience! Love it? Not really, but it wasnt as bad as I felt it was at the time. I guess at the time I was just too out of it to really know what was going on!

Induction and Birth

So I went back to the hospital at 5pm on 10th January, I was just at the point where I wanted to be getting my baby girl into the world safe and sound.

I was taken to a huge labour room, changed into a less than flattering gown and was put on the constant blood pressure monitor together with the fetal heart monitor and they started the induction process at 6pm. That being that they inserted what looked like a tea bag inside my you know what which was filled with chemicals.

Hubby was at this point a little silly and posted to Facebook that we had checked into the hospital. I dont think he realised how long the journey could be.

We settled down and watched Ted, well, I say watched but I was really to full of nerves, anticipation and excitement to really get into it. Once that film finished hubby watched Inbetweeners and I tried but failed to get to sleep as at 1am the contractions started.

At 7am when they decided to do a check I was found to be 2cm dilated but fully effaced. Given that I had been experiencing contractions for 6 hours I was disappointed I was only that much dilated but hey ho.

The day was spent having consistent contractions but around 5pm when they checked me I was only 5cm dilated. I had been in labour 16 hours at this point and my contractions were stopping. So, I agreed to take the Pitocin to get the contractions going.

About an hour and a half in I took them up on the epidural, the contractions from the Pitocin were brutal and I couldnt take it anymore. Let me just add here that they had the whole way through been trying to push the Pitocin and the Epidural on me. They didnt quite understand that I was using the breathing and noise techniques I had learnt in yoga and was happy to be going it without the pain relief. Until the Pitocin of course.

At 9pm when they checked me I was 7cm dilated, however, baby K was having heartrate decelerations so they turned off the Pitocin (at my request). They also broke my waters at this point to hopefully speed things along.

I went to sleep at this point, and at 3am when they came to check again I was still at 7cm dilated so they called the on call doctor in and it was found that K was back to back (hence the ouchy contractions), was stuck in my cervix and that my pelvis was too small. It was decided at that point that I would be rushed into surgery for an emergency C Section.Thank god I had the epidural earlier on!

I was freezing cold during the surgery and felt very sick. Hubby cut the cord as K was delivered at 3.42am weighing 7lb 2oz and he went off with baby K to get her footprints taken, do some paperwork and stuff whilst I was being sewn up. I was then taken back to the labour room and had my first chance to actually feed K. I must add that I had briefly held her in the surgery room! I was so shocked and emotional at how beautiful and tiny she was! Though also very scared and exhausted!

Soon after we were taken to the postpartum room, but more on the after period next entry!

Huzzah...

I am back. Yes I had my baby and she is now almost 18 weeks old (well, tomorrow she will be...).

One thing I didnt contemplate when I was "waiting" for her to arrive was that not only would I not have the time to write but I wouldn't have the inclination to eiher.

So, here I am and we have almost 19 weeks to catch up on. This means there will be entries galore!

I last wrote on 7th January which was my "due date" well, according to my doctor it was my due date. Nope, K did not arrive that day. In fact she didnt arrive naturally at all.

After you reach your due date in USA you get to see the doctor twice a week for fetal monitoring, blood and urine checks and for checking fluid levels. Oh what fun!

As my blood pressure had been up on my 7th January visit and they ran tests (which might I add were all inconclusive) I tried everything I possibly could have done to bring on labour, I scrubbed the kitchen floor, did squats, used the exercise ball, had a curry, did the deed which created her, swept the floors, walked lots, danced. Nothing worked.

For those who are due, overdue or only have a few weeks to go thinking about trying to bring on labour. Stop. Dont do it. Get some dvds, grab a cold drink, put your feet up and chill because the first 12 weeks at least after baby arrives you wont have time to yourself. Plus I can vouch for the fact that baby will come when they are ready to arrive.

On 10th January I went to my doctors appointment, blood pressure was all over the place. I had already said to hubby who was soon to be daddy that I wanted him to come with me to the doctor because I had a bad feeling about it but he had to be at work.

What happened was I was sent to the hospital for monitoring, so I picked up hubby and we went back to the apartment and grabbed the last few bits we hadnt packed. I still forgot some stuff (but I will write about that in another entry). I didnt know for sure at this time that I was to be induced, but I had a feeling. My intuiton was correct.

I arrived at the hospital and was hooked up to two machines- one was the fetal monitor which monitored Kayla's heartbeat and the other was a blood pressure cuff which inflated and gave a reading every 15 minutes. I dont know about you but for me, having the blood pressure readings going so regularly is enough to make my blood pressure go up!

After 3 hours of blood pressure readings and heartbeat monitoring I was issued the news that they wanted to induce me. I was given a choice. Check in that evening and get induced or wait til the following evening when my OB would likely be the one who did the delivery. I chose to check in that night and was given 3 hours away from the hospital to go get my stuff together and eat.

In retrospect perhaps I should have waited til the next night and had one last full night of sleep! Haha. You live you learn.

I actually arrived back at the hospital 2 hours AFTER they released me because I was just a bag of nerves but the last two hours of being a mum to be (well, where I was free to walk around) was spent having a yummy meal of spaghetti and meatballs, walking around a mall and getting some dvds for the labour room.

I shall continue onto labour and delivery next entry but little Miss K has just woken from her nap and wants food so I need to answer her calls :)