Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Fourth of July: Brielana's birth story

She's here!!!  After two membrane strips and two cancelled inductions, our second blessing finally graced us with her presence (on her time table):

My 39th week of pregnancy was feeling like a drag. I guess I was disappointed that I didn't have another early bird and it started to make me weary. At my Tuesday appointment I got my membrane stripped hoping to jump start labor and was put down for an induction the following day.  Well I have a huge fear of Pitocin and not wanting to be in the hospital longer than necessary, I promptly cancelled. At my follow up appointment 2 days later on Thursday, I was stripped again and was scheduled for an induction the following day: Fourth of July.

{Forgive this backtrack}  When I found out I was pregnant I instinctively knew I would have an Independence day baby and as the day was approaching I was starting to get anxious it would come and go with no baby. And that made me really nervous. And fearful. Totally irrational but the feelings were there nonetheless. So, scheduling the induction even though I was against Pitocin was like my fail- safe. But everything always works out...Thank you God.

I was fine all day Thursday, no contractions just slight spotting which is normal. I went to bed late after falling asleep with Kinsey in her bed. True to form I got up 3 times to go to the restroom and was feeling uncomfortable but wasn't really thinking about contractions (because truthfully, I had forgotten what they felt like. No joke.)

At 4a I was awake and definitely having contractions (I finally remembered what they felt like!) I put myself in the shower while simultaneously timing them: 1 min long, 5-8 minutes apart. I called my doctor and he directed me to go the hospital, "to get the show on the road."

I woke up Brian at 5a and we were administered and in the delivery room by 5:30a. I was hooked up to the IV to be hydrated for my epidural and began the hour countdown until I was able to get it.

 At admittance I was 4 cm. My doctor broke my bag of waters at 6a and I ordered my epidural at 6:30a to have it by 7a (there was a 30 minute wait from ordering til receiving). My contractions were close together but only lasted 1 minute so they were manageable.  If I sat up and rocked my hips back and forth on the edge of the bed (a birthing ball would have been great for this purpose but alas.) I kept my focus by praying, rocking and breathing and was praised by the nurse for "excellent control" ;).

The epidural was a quick process this time around and I didn't feel so helpless and out of control while it was injected. I didn't have complete numbing so I still felt each contraction but it was a dull pain that was mostly concentrated in my lower back. I was checked again at 7:30a and I was already at 7 cm!

At 8a my doctor came back in and announced, "My sixth sense is telling me a baby is going to be born. Are you ready?" Because I could still feel my contractions we used them as a natural push aide and with 3 or 4 pushes, my second miracle daughter was welcomed into the world at 8:13a!

She let out a hearty wail and I was completely shocked to see her full head of dark hair!  She was everything I had hoped for and more because she was finally in my arms; breathing, healthy, beautiful. Brielana Kennedy weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and measured 19 inches long.  She immediately took to nursing.

Her big sister was the first to meet her and even helped the nurse give her a bath!  

We spent the day in relative peace and ended the day watching Peter Pan, a daughter on each side of me.  Perfection.



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Monday, July 14, 2014

Bringing Home Baby: New Mom medicine cabinet

Bringing Home Baby: New Mom medicine cabinet

Bringing Home Baby: New Mom medicine cabinet by work-it-mommy on Polyvore

I can't believe it's been a whole week(!) since I've brought home Brielana and I am so glad I had these products on hand (I actually had them pre-purchased and ready at home days in advance) during my recuperation; which got me to thinking, maybe other's would benefit from this list of tried-and-true lifesavers for after-delivery:

Tucks pads- Great for soothing sensitive areas and also a  good wet wipe.
Dermoplast- helps relieve soreness and irritation.
Lavette bottle- not only are these great for personal use before wiping with toilet paper is comfortable, but they come in handy when bathing baby, too!
***My hospital actually provided the first 3 items so they are a MUST!***
Colace stool softeners- Per my nurse's discharge directions, you can take 1 twice a day (day and night) for a total of 200 mg's until things are 'regular' again.
Aleve- Recommended by my nurse to help manage pain and reduce swelling.  I'm not big on taking meds so this was the strongest pain reliever I needed to take, but if you're wary of  NSAIDS, Tylenol works too.
Tena pads- Never heard of Tena pads?  Maybe because they are for incontinence!  I like them because they are longer than traditional pads without being bulky.
Toilet Paper- I'm wayyyy picky when it comes to toilet paper, I can't deal with the extra soft that just falls apart when you need it the most.  I like 365 Brand because it holds up, its eco-friendly and a good price point.

Did I miss any must- haves?

Need help dressing the new mom body?  Visit here.


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Thursday, July 10, 2014

Winter and Summer: Comparing my two pregnancies

Well folks, she's here! I just completed my second pregnancy and I felt it worthwhile to document and compare/contrast:

 Baby Girl #1
Kinsey @ 18 weeks


Kinsey- Conceived in May 2010, born in February 2011

Significance of pregnancy- I had just had my left tube and ovary removed due to an enlarged cyst in late January and was overcome with worry I wouldn't be able to get pregnant.
Morning sickness- all day nausea without throwing up lasted the whole first trimester like to the day I was four months pregnant and then I was myself once again!
Migraines- I had 2 during the first trimester which brought on the only 2 cases of vomiting.
Cravings- nothing odd, but I couldn't stomach chicken, or anything with a strong odor. I ate lots of dairy- yogurt and cheese (I don't drink milk) which helped quell the nausea, fruit, and PB&J sandwiches.
Sleep- I took naps after breakfast (when I had mornings off from work) and then napped after I got off from work in the evening. I slept well at night.
Pregnancy symptoms- besides the morning sickness, I had a brief case of sciatica, heartburn from mid- way til delivery, a couple of leg cramps that still scare me to this day. Varicose veins on my left leg. A negra linea. It was the easiest pregnancy and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Peek-a-boo bump- I wasn't showing until 6 months.

Maternity clothes- I lived in Gap maternity bootcut jeans and was able to wear non- maternity tops the whole pregnancy, but did have a few favorite maternity tops in the mix.

Navel ring- out by month 6.

Weight gained- 37 pounds
EDD- February 14, 2011
Actual Due Date- February 4, 2011
Labor- exactly 12 hours from 8:32 pm til 8:26 am. I got to 4 cm and had to get an epidural!
Baby Stats- weighed 7.12 oz, 19.5" long
Family of 3


Baby Girl #2
Brielana @ 19 weeks 


Brielana- conceived in October 2013, born in July 2014

Significance of pregnancy- I had a miscarriage in August of 2013.
Morning sickness- like with Kinsey, I didn't throw up, but I felt nauseous up until the beginning of my fifth month.
Migraines- I had 5 but 2 were "small scale" and I was able to work through them (literally at work). They spanned the first and second trimesters.
Cravings- fruit, yogurt, cheese, steak, chocolate.
Sleep- I have been getting up 3+ times a night since conception and it really throws off my sleep. I wake up with sore hips. And I woke up with a crazy case of thigh chaffing during a heat wave last month. When I get lucky, I can nap with Kinsey about 4 times a week.
Pregnancy symptoms- besides morning sickness, round ligament pain, sciatica pain, backaches, feelings of heaviness, violent acid reflux, varicose and spider veins, leg/feet swelling. I have not gotten the negra linea yet and my face hasn't gotten as round as it did with Kinsey. This pregnancy hasn't been awful, just really long (including my miscarriage, I've been pregnant spanning exactly a year) and I'm just ready to hold my baby already!
Hello bump- totally popped at 4 months.

Maternity clothes- jumped right into them at 4 months and pretty much wore maternity tops exclusively.  Still enjoyed my Gap bootcut maternity jeans BUT the full panel for a summer time baby is NOT a good idea; I was hot, like, all the time.

Navel ring- out at month 6 (and already back in :)

Weight gained- 31 pounds
EDD- July 6, 2014
Actual Due Date- 4th of July 2014
Labor- 4 (!!!) hours, labor began at 4 am and she was born at 8:13 am, enjoyed an epidural.
Baby Stats- weighed 7.12 oz, 19" long
Family of 4

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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

She's Here!

SHE'S HERE!!!


Brielana Kennedy
Fourth of July 2014
8:13 a.m  7.12oz  19in



Brielana's Birth story here.

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