He's here!

Baby Conner was born on Wednesday June 25th at 2:02 in the afternoon after only 4.5 hours of labor! My blood pressure went up and they kept me overnight in the hospital for monitoring so they ended up inducing me the next morning. But, they found out I had actually started progressing naturally the night before. So, the induction just sped things up a bit. Everything went VERY smoothly and I couldn't have asked for a better labor and delivery. He weighed 6 pounds and 14 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. He has TONS of black hair! :)Ironically, Cheryl ALSO went into labor at 3:00 am the night before and had her baby Lydia THE SAME DAY at 7:00 PM! So, Conner and Lydia share the same birthday! I can't wait for them to meet!

We just got home yesterday and I am recovering. I didn't feel much pain until recently and now I am recuperating from the labor and delivery. I have lots of back pain, cramps, and bruising when I sit. The pain medication makes me sleep so I'm kind of out of it lately. But, all of it is totally worth it. I love my little angel! Mom is here helping us take care of Conner. I guess since I had such a great and easy delivery I have to pay for it somehow - Conner is having a hard time adjusting to his feedings and gets fussy and has a very sensitive tummy at night. He has his days and nights mixed up so Michael and I got a whole hour of sleep last night. We go back to the doctor on Monday so we will see what he suggests. The worst part is knowing that he's upset and hearing his little tiny baby cries and not being able to console him. We have him on some medicine for his tummy so hopefully that will help.

Conner is already ahead of schedule and the pediatrician said he seems like a full term baby born at 40 weeks. He is already holding his head up and moving it around a lot. He is very attentive to people and things around him and he is very strong! He loves his pacifier and likes to hold on to it while he sucks it. It's so cute - he is so loud when he sucks it you can hear him at the other end of the house! He sounds like Maggie from the Simpsons! He gets really angry if he loses it and he gets really mad if you have to check his diaper, change his clothes, or unswaddle him for any reason. It's kind of cute because he flails his little arms and legs around and makes tiny little fists! But, I hate seeing him unhappy. He is so sweet too! When I hold him to burp him, his hugs my hands and rubs them like he is petting them. He also likes to talk. From the moment of birth, he has been cooing and making little baby noises all the time.

So far, the dogs are getting along well with him. Tino and Sophie love him and love to give him gentle kisses. Tino gets really distressed and whines when Conner cries. Tino actually made him quit crying last night when he started licking his feet! It was funny because Tino is a big sleeper. Last night he looked at us like "Is he crying AGAIN?" and went and hid under the pillows! Baxter is kind of less interested. He just sniffs him and then walks away. For now the only dog allowed around him is Tino. The others stay in their own space.

Well, that is all I have to update now! I'll try to update next time I happen to have time and energy! :) Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers! Conner is loved by so many people and we appreciate all of you who have supported us during this time.

Love,

Nat

1 day shy of 37 weeks

Today was Cheryl's baby shower and it was tons of fun! I think she looks so great to only be two weeks behind me! It was great to see Kenzie and for 3 of the 4 of us old college roomies to get together! Now, if I could somehow just photoshop a picture of Julie and Amelia in the picture - the group would be complete!! Hopefully after Cheryl and I have our babies we will all be able to get together for a baby play date/ college roomy reunion!

So, I am one day away from 37 weeks. Last week I was kept at the doctor's office for two and half hours of monitoring because I was having so many contractions. The nurse said they didn't want me to have that many, but they didn't do anything about it so I'm thinking it's ok. Conner doesn't seem to be distressed by them at all. He's doing great! As a matter of fact, he usually stays quiet these days, but as soon as they hook him up to the monitor, he starts breakdancing in my belly! The contractions still aren't officially doing anything more (other than REALLY annoy me). I have been having them every 5 minutes now for two weeks. But, today I talked to Kenzie and she had the same thing happen for a month before Patrick came. So, I'm not holding my breath or anything! I imagine these will continue up until they induce me. They are getting stronger and more painful, but still nothing to make me think it's REAL labor. So, right now we are just ready and waiting! He could come at any time but he probably won't until July 6th week. Don't want to get my hopes up!

No real news otherwise! I have another appointment on Wednesday so if anything changes I'll be sure to update!

Nat

Update

Yesterday I went back to the hospital for MORE tests and monitoring. The regular contractions I was having eventually dwindled off and became irregular so they chalked it up to dehydration. I've still been having them every day and night. My blood pressure was still high yesterday until they had me lay down and then it went back to normal. So, they sent me home with orders to be on bedrest. POO!

Today I had a doctor's appointment and my blood pressure was back to normal. So, the doctor took me off of bed rest but said she didn't want me to do anything but take it easy. :) As of today, Conner weighs 6 pounds and 2 ounces. He's measuring a little bit ahead, but even if he gains a half a pound a week, he still won't be humongous at 39 weeks when they induce! She also said that he has already dropped - meaning his head isn't too big! YEAH!! I didn't even notice a change in my profile, just lots of pressure. I am 70% efaced, but still only 1 centimeter dilated. She also said that as of now, I'm far enough along that if I do go into labor, they won't stop it (like they did on Tuesday - at least they tried to stop them, but they came back). They were also previously concerned that I might have too much amniotic fluid, and they checked that today and everything looks great! It's been a good day! :)

Things are definitely happening but I have no idea what they mean as far as a timeline is concerned. My contractions are definitely uncomfortable and I feel lots of pressure, sometimes sharp. They actually wake me up in the middle of the night. Anyway, the doctor said that is normal just as long as they aren't evenly timed like clockwork like they were on Tuesday. I'm having tons of them lately, but nothing on a regular schedule. So, 3.5 more weeks at the longest - maybe sooner if he decides he wants to come before then! I kind of have a feeling he might not make it to 39 weeks, but that could just be wishful thinking. :) At least now we know if he does come it's safe and he will be fine. :)

We're ready for him! Can't wait to see him and hold his little fingers and feel his soft little feet that have been kicking me. :) I can't wait to be a Mommy!

One Mohr in JUNE?

Strange things are happening! As of Monday afternoon, I have been having contractions on regular intervals. At first I wasn't sure that is what they were until I called all my friends and Angela to confirm it! (Thanks guys! I didn't know what a contraction felt like. I've never been pregnant before!) I was really confused because they weren't hurting, they were just uncomfortable (lots of pressure) but they were very frequent (like every other minute) and were not quitting when I would get up to move around or when I slept. Yesterday, I woke up and they were still happening so I called my doctor to ask if it's normal to have Braxton Hicks that close together for so long. Everything I have been taught about BH say that they are not consistant, not painful, and usually go away if you walk around, change positions or sleep. Not so with these. I also had thrown up a few times and had some gastrointestinal disturbances - also signs labor is starting. I was having lots of pelvic pressure and sharp pains every now and then, but other than that I felt fine and had no reason to believe it was "REAL" labor since it didn't hurt.

Well, the doctor's office didn't seem to think so. They sent me to the hospital for monitoring. Sure enough, my contractions were lasting 40-50 seconds and coming every other minute but I was not dilating anymore. The hills were just like clockwork on the little chart. They said they did not want me having contractions this early so they gave me a shot of something to make them stop. That worked for a few hours until right before I left and they have been coming ever since again. They actually woke me up at 4:30 this morning feeling stronger.

They didn't seem as concerned with what they called "Preterm contractions" as they were with the fact that my blood pressure was really high. They also found protein in my urine. Those two things together indicate preeclamptic conditions. (If you don't know what preeclampsia or toxemia is, it can be dangerous. At this point I would rather not go into it and assume everything is ok. The only cure is to deliver the baby.) So, they put me on 24 hour bed rest and I have to do a pee study for 24 hours and go back tomorrow around 2:30, get hooked up to everything again, have my labs tested, and see if things have changed. If not, they said they would probably admit me to the hospital, though not necessarily induce me at this point. Induction will depend on how much of a risk me and the baby are in and how serious the situation is. They want him to bake in the oven a little longer to make sure his lungs are well developed.

The funny thing about all of this is I FEEL GREAT!! I haven't had this much energy and felt this good in 9 months! Funny how it works like that I guess. I did have some MAJOR nesting going on Monday. I got all of Conner's things washed and put away and organized and finally got around to packing my hospital bags. It's like my body knew or was telling me "it's getting closer!" So, we will know more tomorrow. I'm betting the contractions will still be there, they will give me more medicine to try to stop them. I may or may not be dilated a little more. I bet my urine will be fine and my blood pressure will be down too. They said I was dehydrated "Off the charts" and that could be why the contractions started. I have NO IDEA how I was dehydrated unless drinking too much gatorade can do that. I've been dehydrated before and I sure didn't feel dehydrated. I drank about 5 or 6 glasses of Gatorade on Monday and then after 3:30 I had a glass of water I was drinking at all times. I wasn't outside in the heat or physically exerting myself so I have no idea how I was dehydrated with as much liquids as I was drinking. I've been drinking TONS of water like a fish since I got home and it hasn't made the contractions go away. But, someone told me it takes 24 hours to recover from dehydration, so maybe it will just take some time.

Conner is doing fine! His heartbeat and movement was strong. He would get really still when I would have a contraction and his heart rate would go up a little, but not much. I think that is normal. I think they just don't want it to DROP. What's funny is I hadn't really felt him move much in DAYS and as soon as they hooked me up, he started break dancing all around in my belly! He wouldn't be still! They were trying to get his heart beat but he kept wiggling around. It was kind of funny. Again, I feel super great! I'm just confused as to what is going on. They aren't Braxton Hicks, but I'm not dilating (maybe tomorrow), is this preterm labor getting my body ready for the real show?? We'll have more info and answers tomorrow evening so I'll be sure to update, unless I'm admitted to the hospital, in which case it might take me a little longer to get my computer.

We'll see how effective their attempts to stop my contractions are this time. Conner told them yesterday "You can't stop me! I'm ready to come out and play!" Hee hee!

More later,
Love,
Nat
(And hopefully little Conner soon too!)

34 week update

Here's a quick update!





I'm doing much better health, energy, and migraine wise! (Thank goodness!) I still have a few bad days here and there, but not nearly as many as before. I'm already dilating! Woo hoo! As many of you know, this doesn't necessarily mean I will go sooner, but it does mean I need to be ready because it could happen. Every pregnancy and body is different so there is no exact science to determining the "when" question. (Darn it! I was kind of hoping it might mean he would come a few weeks early!) It is good though because it means everything is "ripening" and I will be able to be induced at 39 weeks no problemo. At his growth rate so far, I do not want to go beyond 39 weeks and I don't think my doctor wants me to either. Hospital regulations will not allow an induction before 39 weeks because it could increase your risk for complications. I haven't started efacing and he hasn't started dropping. They said if his head is too big, we will know because I will continue to dilate and my water will break but he will never drop. Then, we will have to have a C-section. :( At the last doctor's appointment last week she said he is measuring ahead and big, but we won't be able to get a REAL accurate measurement until 35 weeks. So, next Thursday we go back for an ultrasound to find out more details. After that I will be going to the doctor every week.





The baby shower was this past weekend! It was so fun and friends and family went way out of their way to spoil little Conner and make everything so special! He is going to be so loved! Nancy did an AWESOME job putting it together! I'm attaching a picture of me and my belly from the shower. (Puffy fluffly goodness and all!)








We've been putting stuff up in Conner's room. We're almost ready with the exception of a few finishing touches! Once we get it finalized, I will put some pictures up.





I've started swelling! I now have cankles! Yipee! You can see from my picture my face is puffy too. Water retention! UGH! Other than muscle aches and swelling, I've been doing pretty good though! No complaints other than regular old pregnancy stuff! I think I am getting so happy and excited that he is going to be here soon that all the other stuff doesn't bother me as much anymore. :) The end is near and I can see it! YEAH!!



Love,
Nat