It's that time again!

My wonderful mommy friend Carol took these fantastic photos of us to announce baby #2. We are due at the end of July.

Birth Story

Baby Folger’s Birth

Tuesday June 17 I had a packed day of running errands-groceries, getting a manicure and pedicure, and straightening my hair (curly hair in pictures after labor is not a pretty sight).  Later that night Will and I went to bed after dinner at the Oriental Buffet and a soothing cup of tea.  Like usual I was up at midnight not able to sleep.  I started a new television show One Born Every Minute (a show about labor and delivery).  Around 1:30 I felt gassy and thought I just need to use the bathroom.  So I did and was just gassy (thanks Oriental Buffet).  Then at 2:30 I still felt gassy and when to the bathroom and got rid of the Oriental Buffet and my stomach felt better, but once I got back into bed my stomach started to hurt, like light cramps.  I just played it as thinking I felt something since my due date was June 22 and I have been watching hours of a labor and delivery show.  But then the pain was more constant and really hurt, so I woke up will saying that my stomach hurt.  As I am gripping the sheet in pain he suggests that I am in labor. Ha. I said I will call the night nurse to see if I could be in labor.  At 3:11 I called the night nurse explaining my symptoms.  He got my information and told me that the doctor at the hospital will call me back shortly. 

            I was timing the pains and they were all over the place lasting any where from 30 seconds to one minute and they would be coming between 3-7 minutes apart-so clearly not labor since that is not what is portrayed in the movies.  I decided that the best thing to do was to fill out the preregistration papers for the hospital since that is what I was going to do on Wednesday June 18.  Will could not go back to sleep and was worried about me so we decided that if I am in labor we needed to clean the house so it would be clean for when we came home from the hospital and plus my mom was coming on Saturday.  So we cleaned the house, powering through the cramping, as well as packing our hospital bags (something I was also going to do on Wednesday).  I also finalized our call list for our friend Mike so he knew who to call and text when the time came.  Around 4:30 the house is clean the bags are packed and Will decided to take a quick shower just in case, then we went back to bed to relax and await the doctor’s phone call.  By this time the cramping was really hurting and Will used an app on my iPad to record the contractions (yes by this time it felt like labor).  By 5:11 AM still no phone call so I called the nurses hotline and the same man was surprised to hear me call him and beyond surprised that the doctor never called me.  He patched me directly to the hospital to talk to the doctor (in our birth class we were told that many doctors/midwives are able to tell if you are in delivery and how much pain you are in just through the phone).  When the doctor came on the line I told her what was happening and luckily had a contraction.  She told me it sounds like I am in labor and should already have been at the hospital.  In a chipper excited voice I told her we will be on our way.  I went to tell Will that the doctor said to go to the hospital.  We change our clothes and gathered our stuff.  I had to have Will take one last belly photo for week 39 before we left for the hospital.

            The “It’s Time” conversations we had with our friends became real.  We called our dear friend Mike at 6:00 when we pull out of our driveway to tell him “it’s time” and if he could walk our Wally dog and take care of him.  Through much pain and excitement he started driving to the hospital.  We thought the sunrise was beautiful, talked how this road could be the last time we will be in the car and driving just the two of us.  We get to the hospital park the car and walk to the Child Birth Center, full of excitement and nerves.  The nurse takes us into one of the labor rooms tells us not to get to comfortable because depending on how far I was dilated I might be going back home-especially since this was my first birth.  The nurse took my vitals and we waited for the doctor (I know bummer one of the midwives was not working) to come.  The doctor came and said we get to stay because I was 4 centimeters dilated, a number that surprised everyone.  I do not remember if Will called our moms during the drive or once I was admitted to the hospital.  We meet our nurse (yes I forgot her name) and she would be with us for the first 12 hours (nurses schedules are from 6am-6pm).  We talked about our plan-what plan?  We said we were up for anything we would like to not have a c-section unless absolutely necessary and I wanted to try an go as long as possible without an epidural, possible not have one at all.  We talked about different positions I might find comfortable and about visitors- all of which we said lets see when the time comes.  Will was amazing! He attended to my needs and was able to text Mike our progress- come to find out he and Matt came to the hospital shortly after we arrived.  My fantastic nurse taught me not to tense during contractions (it makes labor last longer and we did not want that) and to make a deep long o sounds to help get through the contractions.  I started my labor on the bed on my back, just like the movies, focusing on a knob on the cabinets in front of me, but quickly learning that this position was awful and needed to change.  I knew I wanted to try sitting on the birthing ball- which is just a yoga ball, so we did and if felt so much better.  The doctor had to check my progress around 10:00 AM (I think) and said that I was a shocking 8 centimeters dilated!  I felt like a champ progressing so fast. 

Will is showing we are 8 centimeters dilated.

The nurse suggested giving me some IV meds to help relax in between the contractions.  I had those meds given I think two more times and it really helped.  By now the birthing ball was not helping and the nurse suggested going onto the bed on my hands and knees facing the headboard so my hands could rest on the head board- um not a position I saw myself even trying- but low and behold the best position!  I did not want to leave this position but the nurse did not want me to bruise my knees so we tried other positions but all I wanted to do is go back to my hands and knees.  The other thing that was different is that I had to pee constantly and the nurse said in 20 years I am the first person who had to pee as much as I did (I think that is when worrying about being decent ended).  The doctor came back around 12:00 PM to check my progress and barley any change and my water did break yet. She said she wanted to break my water and once she did in an hour it would be time to start pushing.  She broke my water and it felt wonderful, like being in a warm Jacuzzi.  It was not until an hour and a half later did I feel the sign of being time to push.  The nurse had to get the doctor and I had to go onto my back (not my favorite position).  It is truly amazing how our bodies just know what to do.  I had my fantastic nurse on my left, my amazing husband on my right, and Doctor Elis leading the way.  What only felt like maybe 30 mintues turned out to be an hour and a half of pushing labor.  When I started pushing I was just looking forward to hearing “just two more pushes, two more pushes” but those words took a while to hear.  Using all of my strength, the support of my husband, and no epidural I gave birth to our little boy at 3:26 PM (just a little over 12 hours of actual labor).  When our boy came into the world all I could say was that he was so handsome.  Will and I became parents at 3:26 PM on Wednesday June 18, 2014 to our son James Joseph. 

James Joseph "Jimmy"

Our first family photo (well minus Wally)

Come to find out we had so many of our friends in the waiting room, waiting for the arrival of our boy.  I felt so loved and it meant the world to Will and I to have our friends there since our families were not there (except for one of Will’s sisters). 

 

After the nurses cleaned and took care of James, “Jimmy,” and I was ready for visitors almost all of our friends came to meet our little man.  I am so grateful to have such an amazing husband who knew how to help me through this experience and create such a wonderful memory.  I loved the doctor who was working that day she was wonderful and I owe my great birth experience to my nurse, she made labor and delivery easier than I ever expected.  I am thankful to Mike and our friends who called and texted our friends and family who could not be there with us.  I will remember the entire labor from watching tv, to smiling in between contractions, to hearing our friends cheer with happiness when Will walked out and told them that James “Jimmy” Joseph was born.

Now onto the next adventure of our lives!

 

Week 39

Not the best pictures of me but I wanted to make sure I got my 39 week belly pictures before heading to the hospital.  These photos are right before we left for the hospital in hopes of having our baby boy (as a side note, I wanted to wear a different shirt for each week, and luckily a friend gave me this shirt the day before-I only have one repeating shirt, I think).

June 16-18, 2014

How far along: 39 weeks  

Total weight gain: I gained two pounds since last week, so a total of 44 pounds!

Maternity clothes: Yes maternity clothes all the time, especially skirts.

Stretch marks: I am so lucky in this area, no stretch marks.  Since 40 weeks is so close and our baby boy can come any day I am rubbing coconut oil and belly butter nightly.

Sleep: Well I am usually up for an hour or so each night, I guess in preparation for the sleepless nights when the baby is here.

Best moments this week: The birth of our baby boy!  After finishing last minute errands (including a manicure and pedicure) our baby boy decided to come before for his due date.  I will have a post about his birth when I find time.

Miss anything: Since I am filling out this questionnaire after birth I am missing having my pregnant belly, but having our baby with us is so wonderful.

Food cravings: No food cravings, actually it is odd having a normal appetite and not eating all the time.

Pregnancy symptoms: Do labor contractions count?

Gender: Baby boy.

Labor signs: Yes! At 3:15 am on June 18 is when we called the doctor office with contractions.

Belly button in or out: Belly button out and stretched out smoothly.

Wedding rings on or off: Wedding rings off, but I put them back on when we came home from the hospital (but fingers still swollen).

Happy or moody: Beyond happy!

Looking forward to: Motherhood and spending the summer with our baby boy!

Week 38

June 9-15, 2014

How far along: 38 weeks (midwife says baby can come any day now!)

Total weight gain: 42 lbs- I did not gain any weight from last week, what a nice change.

Maternity clothes: As always yes on maternity clothes.  I can still wear a couple skirts and dress that are non-maternity but they are stretchy.  Even my maternity tops are starting to show a little belly when worn.

Stretch marks: I am so blessed and lucky to say no stretch marks.  Amazing genes, belly butter, and coconut oil have been my life saver on the stretch mark front.  Also the pesky little spider veins I mentioned in earlier weeks, well they are gone.

Sleep: Sleep? Well with school ending and finally being able to focus on my pregnancy and baby I have been waking up almost every night for a couple of hours.  Let’s just say yeah for naps.

Best moments this week: Last day of school/work, I am on summer vacation!  At this weeks appointment the midwife said she predicts that the baby will come before his due date.  Which makes us so excited (and very nervous at the same time) to see our baby boy.  We have a few friends and family members that this he will be born on the 19^th and I think it will be great is he was born on the 21^st, the first day of summer.

Miss anything: I have indulged in a couple of big sips of Will’s soda this weekend.  But there is nothing that I miss- well maybe sleep and being able to walk faster than a tortoise.

Food cravings: Bring on the fruit!  We bought grapes, watermelon, peaches, nectarines, and bananas from Costco and they are delicious.

Pregnancy symptoms: With the weather being warmer on the weekends and being outside and my every growing belly my feet are swollen.  Will has been so kind to rub them with feels good.  According to Will I am still snoring.  My back hurts when standing or walking for long periods of time (thank you big belly).  But truly no complaints, I am still loving being pregnant.

Gender: It’s a boy!

Labor signs: Just the regular BH contractions, but we are being aware of everything since our baby can come any day.

Belly button in or out: My belly button is out and soft.  Actually my belly is sensitive, so if I run it into anything (like a wall corner or hanger) or someone passes by and slightly runs into it, it does not feel good- so walking with my hand on my belly is my safety protection (and I might even feel our babe move).

Wedding rings on or off: Sadly I took off my wedding rings this weekend.  I am more swollen and afraid if I did not now, who knows how hard it would be when the time comes.

Happy or moody: Very happy, I am on summer vacation, I get to finally just be home and be pregnant.

Looking forward to:  The arrival of our baby boy!  My mom is coming next week and it will be nice to have help with the already never ending laundry and dishes.  

One of my students bought me a lei to celebrate the last day of school, so we had to take belly pictures wearing it.

 

Crabs Baseball- 37 weeks pregnant

As many as you know Will and I love going to Crabs baseball games.  We are sad we will not be able to attend as many as we normally would this summer but having our baby boy with us makes up for it.  We wanted to take photos pre-baby and then photos when our boy is here.  Check out the basketball belly I was sporting at this weekend's game.

Week 37

June 2-8, 2014

How far along: 37 week.  Officially full term!

Total weight gain: Up two pounds, so a total of 42 lbs!

Maternity clothes: Oh yes, full on maternity clothes.  But when we went to the river for relaxation in the sun I somehow found swim bottoms that fit.  Now of course when I was sitting with my big baby belly you could not tell I had on bottoms.

Stretch marks: Luckily no.  I am still rubbing belly butter and coconut oil every night.

Sleep: The midwife told me at my last appointment that I need to take a nap every day- whoohoo!  But the night time sleep is filled up with multiple trips to the bathroom and my loving students tried to give me a cold so my body is fighting getting sick (so of course I have a sore throat and wake up at night feeling uncomfortable).

Best moments this week: We got our glider for the baby’s room and finally have all the furniture set up and ready for our baby boy.  Also our dear friend Mandy took family maternity photos for us.  We went to the same beach where Will proposed and where we took our engagement photos.  The pictures look amazing and I am so excited to share them with everyone and to frame a few to have in the house.

Miss anything: Sleep.  I am feeling more tired this week and miss sleeping through the night (and I know that’s not going to happy for a few years or decades).

Food cravings: I am loving fruit.

Pregnancy symptoms: As many people say I look healthy but to me and close family you can see the fuller face, thighs, and arms.  I am slowing down, which is something I am not use to (just getting off the couch to go to the bathroom can get me winded).  I have forgotten to mention for a couple of weeks now my feet really hurt at the end of the day and right when I wake up.

Gender: Baby boy!

Labor signs: BH contractions happen throughout the day.

Belly button in or out: My belly button in out, stretched, and soft.

Wedding rings on or off: I am trying to hold out until after school is out to take off my rings.

Happy or moody: I am super happy, despite being a little sick.  I love being pregnant and right now happy to keep our baby boy in my belly, but I am so excited that he can come any day.

Looking forward to: The last day of school!  School is out on June 12 and I am so excited to be done and can just focus on being pregnant and finish nesting.  

Wally was so happy to be able to run around on the beach and he even got in some of the family photos.

Week 36

May 26- June 1,2014

How far along: 36 weeks

Total weight gain: Up one pound from last week, so gained about 39 lbs total!

Maternity clothes: My maternity clothes are starting to get tighter but I can squeeze into maxi summer dresses.

Stretch marks: No stretch marks thanks to the coconut oil and belly butter every night, but you can see the blue blood veins on my stomach.

Sleep: It is getting worse, the end of this week I woke up every night and stayed awake for over an hour-I guess my body is getting ready for less sleep.

Best moments this week: I had my last baby shower this weekend with wonderful colleagues.  During this week Will and I went to a tour of the Birthing Center at our hospital.  We are excited to be living in a small community and will have more one-on-one assistance during our labor.  Sorry for our family and friends because the waiting room is small and boring.  Also two of my girlfriends came over to help organize/nest our baby’s room.  You can walk in the room and round and things are looking great.  I need to buy some boxes for a bookshelf and order our glider.  I feel more comfortable if our baby boy decides to come early.

Miss anything: No I did not miss anything, but getting off the floor from sitting is always comical.

Food cravings: I love fruit! 

Pregnancy symptoms: BH contractions are a usual, pregnancy brain is in high gear, swollen feet/ankles, and I am starting to get more tired.

Gender: Baby Boy!

Labor signs: BH contractions.

Belly button in or out: My belly button is out but stretched tight across my belly.

Wedding rings on or off: My wedding rings are on, but once we take our maternity photos I will be taking them off because I do not want to have to worry about taking them off during delivery or worse have them cut off due to swelling.

Happy or moody: I am so happy that our baby boy will be coming, but sad I will not be pregnant.

Looking forward to: At week 37 our baby can survive on his own without medical help, so I can relax a little.  This week we will be taking family/maternity photos (thank you Mandy!).  Also I am excited that there are only 9 more days left of school!