One year old already

Our little prince turned one on April 1st!

I’ve been a mom for a year, we’ve been a family for a year.
I haven’t slept through the night for one year, I’m still breastfeeding after one year, I’ve had such an amazing year with such an amazing baby boy.

1 year old

Baby Q’s birthday was on Friday, he went to child-care from 8am to 2pm. I made a cake for all the kiddies and Q even got a cute little crown, the one on the photo. On Friday afternoon we had to get some things ready for his party on Saturday.
birthday_cakebirthday_food Honestly, before I was a mom and even half a year ago I thought throwing a birthday party for a baby who turns one is plain ridiculous. Here I am – throwing a birthday party for a baby who turns one – my baby πŸ™‚ I was just in the mood on inviting friends, baking cakes, ordering food and just have a nice day.
We had a really nice day, the weather was good, not too warm but warm enough to sit outside. We had cake, pretzels and Semmeln, potato- and noodle salad and LeberkΓ€se. It really was a nice day and we were all very tired in the evening. I brought Q to bed at around 20:00.

Ah my little baby boy, he’s such a cutie, I can’t wait until he starts walking and talking and making a lot of cute (and not so cute) things πŸ™‚

Happy 2016!

To everyone out there, a wonderful, happy, healthy, content, relaxed, funny and amazing new year!

Our New Year’s Eve was very calm, the three of us stayed home, Quinn went to bed at around 19:00 and my boyfriend and I cooked meals out of the “Game of Thrones” cookbook. That was my Christmas present for him, as well as the “Game of Thrones” monopoly which we played to stay awake until midnight.

Having a little baby which wakes up every day at 6:00 o’clock sharp and keeps you busy during the day can be exhausting and normally we both fall asleep on the couch at around 21:30 :).

2015 was a very special and impressive year for me, for sure. I

I’m very excited to see what 2016 will turn out and all the fun times with Quinn and I’m nosy to see what he’ll learn for new things in 2016.

Quinn’s Birth Story

So here it is, my first baby’s birth story. I delivered at 41+2. The birth wasn’t dramatic, it was fast, it was with a totally unplanned way, it was totally different than I expected, it was the best decision, it was painless and I had our Baby-Boy in my arms three hours after entering the delivery room.

Let’s just say, I never expected to have my baby-boy in my arms only three hours after we got to the delivery room. And let’s just say – you can not plan a birth, not one minute of it. You can have your ideal birth in mind but it can develop totally different than you expected. Just like with Quinn.

In my case, I was scheduled for an inducement, seeing Quinn didn’t even think about leaving his one-room apartment and entering the big world. I had no labor signs at all so, in my case, inducing was the only way to go.

On April 1st 2015 my bubby and I left home at around 06:15 in the morning, we grabbed some breakfast (white coffee and a pretzel) and headed to the hospital. We went to the delivery room but left all my bags in the car. I was of the mind that the induction will take at least 6-12 hours until it kicks in (if I’m lucky, if not I would have to wait one whole day), so there’d be lots of time to still get my bags.

My bubby and I were feeling good, he was a bit nervous but which soon-to-be-daddy wouldn’t be. I was totally calm and mentally ready for a 30-hour birth, I just felt good and ready.

So, we headed to the delivery room and arrived at around 07:30. Luckily it was very quite that day, not a lot of births going on and the midwives were in a good mood πŸ™‚ We went through my documents and then I was put on the CTG at around 07:45. A few minutes later one midwife checked me and decided we need to induce vaginal with a pill. The same diagnosis like the days before.

My attending OB came in right after 08:00 and explained to us the procedure of this induction way. That it can kick in quite fast or that it also can take a day and that I have to come back to the delivery room for a CTG check every 1,5 hours. I would get one pill in the morning and one six hours later, and if no contractions occur we’d pause during the night and go on the next day.
My boyfriend and I prepared ourselves for long walks, waiting and sudden contractions.

My OB left the delivery room and said he’d be back soon so that we can start with the induction. At around 08:45, the CTG machine made some noise. I told my boyfriend that the midwives will come in and change the paper, that same thing happened to me a few days before. Yet, the noise this time was a bit louder but I didn’t think of anything bad. The midwife came and checked the sensors and asked me to hold them and push them against my belly so that you can really hear the heartbeat of the baby.

I did so but a few minutes later the machine made that same noise. My boyfriend thought that it’s not recording the baby’s heartbeat but only mine, seeing it was down to around 60.
Now it hit me that it’s probably not the paper which needs to be changed but that’s something going on with the baby, me or the machine. The midwife came back into the room and so did the gynecologist of the hospital, seeing my OB was on ward rounds. She introduced herself, I looked at the paper of the CTG and was happy because I saw a contraction. I asked her if I just had a contraction and she said yes, a very light one which I didn’t even feel and which is not even close to a birth contraction.
Then she explained to us why the machine made that signal, that it was a warning signal because our baby boy’s heartbeat sank not only during the peak of the contraction but also after. She defined the fetal distress as a late deceleration.

Late decelerations occur when a fall in the level of oxygen in the fetal blood triggers chemoreceptors in the fetus to cause reflex constriction of blood vessels in nonvital peripheral areas in order to divert more blood flow to vital organs such as the adrenal glands, heart, and brain.
Source: http://perinatology.com/wordpress/?p=45

She also said that doctors and midwives are not fond of seeing something like that on the CTG and she will make an ultrasound of the baby to see if everything is ok.
She left the room and I mentioned to my bubby, that just a few days earlier I read an article of why the c-section rate is so high in Germany and it’s because of the CTG and what it tells us about the baby.

And that’s the first time it hit me – I might be getting a c-section! I said to my boyfriend “I think I might be getting a c-section…. and I’m ok with it…”

At around 09:00 the hospital OB came back and did an ultrasound of Quinn, my placenta, the amniotic fluid and the blood circulation of the umbilical cord. All was fine, yet the placenta was quite calcified and the amniotic fluid was quite less, but still enough. You could tell that it’s time for the baby to come out.

The OB talked with my attending OB about the results and told us that neither the doctors nor the midwives will induce a woman with a CTG result as mine. Once you induce, there’s no way of stopping and if such a little contraction already results in such a bad heartbeat of the baby, then there’s no way they will force me getting harder contractions and risking the baby’s life.

Quinn and mom
Quinn and mom
The only alternative would be a c-secion and that my attending OB could operate me within the next hour. And I said ok right away, I didn’t even think about it, I just said yes, do it, the only thing I care for is getting my baby healthy and safe!

I did ask the doctor if we could wait for another contraction to see if it just was false alarm but she said she’d really rather not. Of course, as the mother, you can always say no to the birth method the doctors prefer but really, the only thing you think of in a situation like that is the life of your baby.

So, at 09:10, after I got informed about all the risks of a c-section and how it works, I signed all the documents for the cesarean, the doctor said we’ll make it within the next hour and I will see my baby very soon (which made me happy). I had to change into a sexy hospital gown, a midwife came in to shave my private area and then I hopped onto a big bed with big tires. Everybody in the delivery room explained to my boyfriend that he could stay by my side the whole time and what he has to expect.

While my boyfriend and I waited to get rolled to the operation room, one little tear dropped out of my eye due to the fact that I would not have a vaginal birth. Yet I was so ready for this operation and I was calm and even put my boyfriend’s mind at ease, telling him that the most scary things about operations are all the machines and the sterile clothes.

Our first family photo with Quinn
Our first family photo with Quinn
At 10:00 I got rolled into the operation room while my boyfriend was changing into “operation-room-friendly” sterile clothes. At 10:10 I got the spinal anaesthesia (this was actually the thing I was scared of the most) and I didn’t hardly feel anything, a little sting, the cold fluid and that was it.

I got sprayed with something which seemed like ice-spray, once on my arm and once on my belly to see when the anesthesia started to work and at 10:22 my attending OB made the cut. I felt them push and pull and do things in my belly, I heard them suck away the amniotic fluid (and I thought this sounds like at the dentist) and at 10:25 our son Quinn was born and I heard him cry – the best feeling ever and my happy tears came.

I heard my OB saying he’s got the umbilical cord around his neck twice and it was cut right away.

The nurses showed me our baby and then my boyfriend went with Quinn and the nurses to do all the checks and after a few less minutes, I got our baby put on my chest. I actually thought that would be the moment I’ll burst into tears but nothing – I held him on my chest and just was happy to have him close to me.

Quinn and Mom go for a walk
Quinn and Mom go for a walk
I felt the doctors moving my organs, felt the pressure (no pain of course) but still, after about two minutes my circulation left me, I felt quite bad and like vomiting (I thought OMG I can’t vomit now when my whole belly is open – you have worries like that), my boyfriend said I turned totally white. The nurse asked me how I’m doing and I told her that my circulation is leaving me so she gave me some medicine into the infusion and from one second to another I was feeling good again and enjoying our baby-boy.

My OB removed the placenta and scraped out my uterus. He performed the c-section using the Misgav Ladach method, meaning ripping – not cutting. After the doctors were done, Quinn and I were rolled into the anesthetic recovery room where we had to stay for two hours. My boyfriend was there too.

And that’s the first time Quinn wanted his food and I started nursing πŸ™‚ It was a great feeling and nursing Quinn works just great. Right from the first moment on, and I was really really happy mommy! I also got my first painkillers and continued taking painkillers three to four days, every five hours 600mg. No problem at all as long as you feed the baby the colostrum and also after.

So, I actually did have a painless birth, just the two days after the c-section were quite painful but thanks to painkillers and thanks to my body for recovering so fast.
I stayed in the hospital for five nights and left one day after Easter.

I am very happy I got the c-section and that Quinn is healthy and happy, especially because my biggest fear of giving birth was the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck!

My second due date

My due-date according to the ultrasound in week 11 is today, March 23rd 2015, two days after my calculated date πŸ™‚

Due-Date Fun
Due-Date Fun

I’m happy the swing didn’t break under my weight. You never know.
A very good thing about our baby might coming later is, the later he comes, the longer I have parental leave πŸ˜€ If he’s born tomorrow, the 24th, I first have to go back to work next year on March 29th because of all the easter holidays being in between.
Just random thoughts coming up after your baby is due…

My 40th week baby bump story

40 weeks

How far along: It’s my first due date πŸ™‚ (my second according to the ultrasound in week 11 is March 23rd)
How much do I weigh: 62,4 kg (+ 13,6 kg / + 700 g this week / 30 pounds in total)
Belly size: Circumference 104 cm, Top to Bottom 44 cm, photo taken on Friday, at 39 weeks 6 days

Baby Bump Week 40 - 39w6d
Baby Bump Week 40 – 39w6d
40 weeks baby bump
40 weeks baby bump

Belly button in or out: Even / Out
Sleep: Getting up once (sometimes first at 5:30 in the morning), so, very good with all of the boppy pillows surrounding me.
Food (non) cravings: Nothing special, I can still eat lots, unfortunately no loss in appetite. I was really in the mood for chocolate on Tuesday. Lots of chocolate. So much chocolate!!!
Symptoms: The belly is getting so heavy, it’s hard to get up from the couch occasionally, especially after I was laying down on it πŸ™‚
Labor Signs: Very less Braxton Hicks, nesting (which, I think, is not a labor sign seeing my due date can be any day), I’m a bit bitchy – the things my boyfriend does/says annoy me fast.
Maternity clothes: They are getting tiiiiight – it’s uncomfortable to sit and wear maternity panties and pants, I wish I could just go naked down there (but – another symptom – a lot of vaginal discharge)
Stretch marks: None
Miss anything: Nothing
Looking forward to: giving B I R T H. Let’s see, some of my “easy-to-remember” dates have already passed

  • 03.03.2015 (I already have plans with a friend there though)
  • 05.03.2015 (I have an appointment for a foot care there though)
  • 15.03.2015
  • 19.03.2015 – Two months after my birthday
  • 21.03.2015 – Baby’s Due Date
  • 23.03.2015 – Baby’s second Due Date, according to the ultrasound
  • 25.03.2015
  • 27.03.2015 – 5 months before my bubby’s birthday
  • 30.03.2015

So there’ll be another zodiac sign with horns in our family. Our Baby-Boy might be determined, fiery, have executive skills, a born leader, impulsive, headstrong, opinionated, loyal, physical, driven, ambitious… Aries doesn’t match with Capricorn (me) or Virgo (the bubby) which I’m ok with, we’ll make it match. I have horns so it’s clear that the ram and the goat abut. But: Aries signs have excellent sense of humor, and they get along with almost everyone at the party (and they DO know how to party). Aries can be impatient, but we love them anyway because they are devoted friends, lovers and family members (aww) πŸ™‚
Best happenings this week: On Monday I went to my fourth and last prenatal acupuncture. I got 12 needles – one in each hand, two in each of my knee areas, one in each ankle, one in each pinky right next to the nail (ouchie) and one on each foot. I walked into the delivery room at the hospital, the midwife looked at me and said “looks like the baby’s coming soon”.
She wanted to check me, I let her know that I’m having an OB appointment with my gyn that same evening, so she just checked how our baby-boy is laying, made a CTG and checked my urine. All good and I didn’t have contractions.
So, in the evening I had my second check for that day:

  • How far along: 39+2
  • CTG: all good
  • My Blood Pressure: 120/80
  • Cervix: 1cm dilated, soft
  • Baby’s weight: around 3100g (6 pounds 13 ounces)
  • Amniotic fluid: 11
  • Placenta: 95% intact
  • Baby’s head: around 34cm, not completely tight in my pelvis

My OB wanted me to get in touch with the OB who will be delivering our baby this same week, seeing she could still push baby’s head up a bit. Other than that she said the supply for baby-boy is all very good so there’s no need for inducing that soon. But that’s something the hospital and/or delivery OB will have to decide.

So I made the appointment with the baby-delivering-OB for Friday morning. I asked him to check me to see if baby’s head is tight so he first checked my cervix, 1cm and yes, Baby’s head is tight in my pelvis. Then he checked the Baby, he measured him around 3400g (7 pounds 8 ounces), the head around 34cm and he’s still got a lot of amniotic fluid, so he sees no reason for inducing (yay, I’m happy he sees it that way).
I have another appointment with him on Tuesday (40+3) where we’ll have the induction-talk and on Sunday (40+1), I’ll go and get checked by a midwife at the hospital where I will be delivering.

I try to find my peace with eventually getting induced which is hard. I try not to think about it and if I do think about it, I try to see it as ok, nothing bad, maybe even something good and helping my body to get ready. It just seems too planned and not natural. I don’t like that the doctors seem to be fixated on that one date, the estimated due date. For me, the estimated due date begins today and ends next Saturday, for me it’s an estimated due range of 7 days and not one day. I have an irregular cycle, my period doesn’t start from one day to another, my ovulation – no idea when that is. Setting an estimated time range for a baby to be born would take off a lot of pressure.

The OB also made a 3D color ultrasound of our Baby’s face, it was the best 3D I’ve seen, I could see our baby-boy and what he looks like! I even got a photo which might be the last in-uterus photo of our baby-boy πŸ™‚

Ultrasound 39 weeks 6 days
Ultrasound 39 weeks 6 days with his arm before his face
Movement: Still doing his regular gymnastics. He’s been really, really, really active on Thursday evening for a long time and all of the sudden I felt his kicks in my right side, so I assumed he turned his back from right to left. I asked the OB on Friday and yes, our Baby-Boy turned, at 39 weeks 5 days, from one side to the other. I’ve read a few weeks before that it’s not such a big problem for the Babies to turn but it’s very very unlikely that they will flip so that all of a sudden their head is not in the pelvis anymore. I hope he doesn’t get too excited to meet us and decides to make somersaults!
I think he turned back on Friday afternoon… I’m not sure now, I feel his kicks, it seems, everywhere.
Gender: Baby-Boy Bruno
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy and Bitchy
Sports: I’m lifting a lot of weight πŸ™‚ Going for walks and did yoga once.
Baby-Bump Week 40
Me giving kisses to a very photogenic baby πŸ˜‰