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Kayley Sex: girl Born: 30 October, 2007 Age: 2 years & 26 days Birthday in: 339 days Starsign: Scorpio Development: See the 24 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

It's a girl!

My husband, Michael, and I are both students working on an undergrad degree in Exercise Science. That is actually how we met. We were both running late for our biomechanics class and met outside the classroom. We were married on October 12, 2006 and are already expecting our little girl! We expect to graduate next year, 2008. Pregnancy has slowed my graduation down as you can all probably understand. Just a few more classes to go! Hurray! We both plan on going to graduate school. I am not sure how or when as I am about to give birth in about 94 days. It is a dream/goal of mine though.

I was exhausted in the first trimester and am again now that I am entering the third. I was sick for the first 15 weeks or so but have since felt fantastic! There were two UTI infections in the second trimester (I think second). And I managed to fall down while crossing a semi busy street with a car creeping up on me this past Monday! It was like I was in slow motion falling forward and could see the car inching closer and closer! I thought the worst part was over when I got out of the street safely, but realized I was bleeding when I went to the bathroom. I called the doctor who did not call me back that entire day. When I did not feel my baby move all day Tuesday I called him back. He is very spacey. It took him and entire week to call me back about the 2nd UTI infection! Anyway, I went into see his partner who sent me to the hospital to be monitored. I was very happy to hear our little girls heart beat! She was alive and okay! They suspect that the blood was from the placenta tearing away slightly. I was just told to rest, monitor the fetal movements, pain and watch for more blood. There was more blood that day, but today it has completely stopped! If any of you fall down you are supposed to be seen within the first few hours of the fall. Just go in. I do not suggest waiting for a physician to call you back. If you tear more than I did or have another injury it can cause major problems that can lead to lack of sufficient oxygen to the baby, fetal distress and worse, etc. I was lucky! It was so disconcerting to not feel my little one for an entire day- I was so scared. She's active again!

I have gained over 20 lbs so far! My doctor says that I am looking good though. He expects that I will gain about 40 total. This is not what I wanted to hear! Oh, well. I was in a size 0 top and 2-4 bottoms at 5'6". I also was only eating maybe 1200 cal/day max. Each of our bodies is different I suppose. Since this is my first pregnancy I have had no idea what to expect. I have gained so much respect for pregnant women! I had no idea how much work it is! It is such a sacrifice to give of oneself this way. It is also one the greatest gifts we get in life to be able to have a child! And I have had a pretty great pregnancy.

I wonder how it will feel to be a mother? I feel very blessed usually, but there are the fleeting selfish moments where I dread the constant and permanent responsibility of becoming a mother. There can be a lot of pressure with school, career, and motherhood all coming at once. On the same thought, there is so much to look forward to! How exciting.

30-31 Weeks Aug 26
I can not breath! AH! It seems like things are getting more and more uncomfortable! I have cramps-keep feeling like I should go to the bathroom to make sure I haven't started my period! Then i realize, oh yeah, duh, that couldn't happen right now!--but you know the feeling? Headaches and nausea back--it's been a long time(months and months) so i can't complain too much about that-- I am so tired but i can't seem to sleep. I am getting anxious about the birth and being a mom- and physically i feel wacky--. I think part of it is that i finished my summer classes and now i actually have time to think about pregnancy and my little baby inside of me- too much time I am noticing! Also, we just moved into a new place so I am living in a disorganized mess! I am not unhappy, just a little overwhelmed right now.

36 Weeks
Weird, several of my entries are deleted. Well, this week has been good. Physically I am doing well. I am tired and it is difficult to move around (especially get out of bed and stand up). I had my first dream about birth. Well, I had a dream that a nurse cut me open took out my daughter and put her back in b/c it wasn't my due date yet. I was really stressed in the dream about that and about not knowing what name to choose!

37 weeks
Well, we had our 37 week appointment where the did the internal exam. My cervix is softening but there is no dilation yet. Since this is my first i assume that is not surprising. I hope she does not come more than a few days late! I do not have family around here except my sister (we are trying to get along!) but my mother is flying out on the 27th and staying a week. That would be sad if she missed the baby by a few days!! But all we can do is guess and hope she can be here to see our little one. My mother is also a nurse and has worked with the babies before so it would be nice to have her here for the delivery! I HOPE!!! She will soon be a NP and is such a smart and wonderful lady.
I have been having pains that feel like the baby is on my nerve b/c it radiates down my groin on either side. I adjust my position to get it to lessen. Also, I have still been having some painful cramps. Too bad i caught a cold too! Sore throat, stuffy, headache etc. And that made me SO tired!! I had a difficult test that I just could not study for! So in between sleeping 4 hour blocks on medicine i would study for 15-40 minutes before falling back asleep. It was NOT enough, but somehow I was blessed to get a pretty decent grade! I don't know how except that I kept trying to take baby steps learning a little at a time and I feel that i was blessed.

38 Weeks
On the bright side i felt quite calmed today and surprisingly optimistic. I had patience i didn't know i had! It was weird to feel a general love for people, including my sis, in spite of how i had been feeling last week. It feels so good! I hope i can keep this feeling for as long as possible!
My doctors appointment was today. I am now dilated 1 cm and softening. My doctor says that not dilating very much before labor is a double edge sword b/c it can keep infection out but it makes delivering that much more difficult. I found out that i have a yeast infection (lovely huh!) which has caused tenderness but I really haven't had any symptoms besides the sensitivity--thank goodness! I am so glad now days we can take a little pill once and it takes care of it!
I sadly did gain more weight...now i have gained 39 pounds! And i still have 2 weeks until my due date! I have heard my whole pregnancy that they can't believe i am as far along as i am. But lately they ask when i am due not how far along i am! My belly sticks straight out!

On Thurs and Fri I was feeling really ill again (been trying to get over a cold and some vaginal/bladder infection). My bp was really high for me so i went into be seen friday night. While i was there my bp calmed down and everything else looking okay except for me being ill so I just have to rest. I have been too exhuasted to give birth anway! But it would be nice to be done with pregnancy and have my baby here! I am so tired with being sick i don't feel like i can handle labor! Hopefully I get better soon! Been sick for over 2 weeks!

39 weeks
Well, I didn't have an appointment for a week and a half, but yesterday I went to see the doctor. I had forgotten to schedule my appointment!! Anyway, early yesterday morning about 4 am i was using the bathroom (yes TMI here) and i felt a sharp pain! Then wiped and there was blood. I wasn't sure if it was from bladder (i have an infection but didn't get tested until later that day) and also a yeast infection (lovely) or if it was vaginal...anyway i have had some blood since. Also tenderness now on my left side. At my appointment the doctor said that i look like i feel awful (nice observation since i also have had a terrible cold for 3 weeks now and it is hard to sleep with all of this going on!). He said i looked like i might be in the early stages of labor. I am not sure why he thought that...but then this morning all of the contractions that i had! I had several for about 4 hours. But then they have stopped! I was sure the baby was coming! (The doctor told me he was going to induce me on Tues night if she has not come by then b/c i have not been getting better and i think my bp might have been high. I was happy to hear that!!) So maybe i will have to wait until Tues night. But honestly i would really rather this happen naturally. I want my body to be ready! But then again with all that is going on maybe that isn't so likely! Oh, so i thought it was weird how some of my strong contractions lasted over 5 minutes! I thought they only lasted like 1-2 minutes? Also, i thought back labor was in the lower back? I only feel achy lower but the intense contracting is up in my middle to upper back??? I had nerve damage from a serious car accident a few years ago in the same place the contractions seem to be starting from. Maybe it is just some related thing where the contracting muscles are messing up the nerves or vice versa? Anyway, the contractions stared in my mid back/upper back then went down and out till they were around to the front top part of my belly...everything really tense. Finally it covered the lower parts of the belly too...but that seemed almost a second shock of contracting that just added to it. I felt like it was quite difficult to breath. My husband woke up and kept telling me to breath cause i was holding my breath. Also--the pressure an pain made me feel like i was going to throw up for sure! But then it would all slowly let down and all do away (except the cramps i have been having for some time) It has been 6 hours now and no big contractions...hey, at least my body is preparing? We will see! If I don't naturally get it done then my baby will come Tues night or Wed morning (Halloween) with the help of my doctor. I feel like we are in the last 2 minutes of a close sports game...what will happen!!! Good thing it is basically not if we will win but how! The babies will come.

WELCOME Kayley Faith!!!
6 lbs 15.5 ounces
& 19 inches
I went to the doctors on Monday morning at 8:30 am as i was supposed to be scheduled for induction on Tues night if i did not go into labor first b/c i have been sick for over month and things were not getting any better. Anyway, doc said that my body was not ready! So, last week he says she will come anytime and then he said she was not ready the next week? Anyway, he sent me home. My mom flew in and i was upset b/c she was going to be leaving; but still we didn't want to rush things and cause problems with delivery. SO the doc calls back about an hour after we get home and asks me to come back at 5:30 that afternoon. When we are there he stretched my cervix and sent me home to walk for an hour and he wanted me to go to the hospital to be monitored b/c of contractions etc. I do so and on the walk i am "cramping" really badly and OFTEN. So About 8:30 we leave and get to hospital about 9pm. It turns out I was having contractions every 1.5-2 minutes. They were consistant. I was still less than a cm dilated though...they waited an hour more b/c of the nature of my contractions etc. I dilated to 2 cm. Doc said i was in labor and that I would be having her! My body was just having a hard time dilating. He broke my water midnightish. I dilated to 3 cm and the contractions were PAINFUL!! I still was having a hard time dilating. I was told that sometimes when someone can not relax it makes dilating more difficult. So, when I only got to 3+ cm and lots of time and painful contractions i felt like I should get an epidural. The BEST decision for me! I relaxed right away and dilated to 5 cm pronto. Within less than 2 hours i was at 7 cm when the epidural wore off. I got another dose. Then I was soon full dilated except for and "anterior lip" of the cervix which soon disappeared. It was time to push around 6+ am. The epidural wore off again. I pushed w/out it (about 1 hour 20 minutes). I got another dose. meanwhile my temperature had risen I had a fever. The baby's heart rate had risen and they called in a special team that could revive her if neccessary. Well, when the doctor got there he told me that I had to get an episiotomy b/c I was just too small and there was no way she would get out otherwise. So he cut a second degree diagonal cut which was nothing compared to all the labor pain. She immediately came out on that push (well her head anyway) and the doctor yelled for me to stop pushing. The cord was tightly around her neck 3x! My mom and husband just froze. The doctor was very good an cut it off and i pushed her out and though her heart rate fell the team was able to revive her heart rate. The doctor said it was a really good thing we didn't wait another day to have her! It was very scary! Kayley was a very tough little girl! I love her! She is my little miracle. We are both feeling much better and at home now.
[Kayley's jaundice level was at the max and has now doubled so we get to be tested tomorrow morning to see if she has to be readmitted =(
But at this point I am just so happy she is okay! ]

Kayley is 4 weeks today!
Oh, I love her so much! She is sleeping on me right now as I type. The first couple of weeks are stressful aren't they? It is hard to know what to do and what is safe and what's normal. Well, her jaundice levels went down and she is just fine. IT was sad b/c they mixed up her second or third bili test and gave us the results of another baby. We were upset thinking that her levels had doubled etc...i hope the other baby that got our happy results ( a false hope for them) didn't suffer b/c of the switcheroo! I really was worried about taht other baby! That's so dangerous for the hospital to switch test results like that!
At ten days old my husband and I got all dressed up with intentions of finally gettig out of the house for just a little while. Just as we were about to leave it felt like Kayley was burning up so we took her temperature. It was almost 102 degrees! Poor little thing! She had been acting strange too with projectile vomits and decreased appetite, sleeping more (too bad this symptom was b/c she was sick), and she was acting floppy. Anyway we called to oncall doc who brought us in to see him. Even though her temp went down they were insistant that at such a young age with a temp that we admit her to the hospital for a few more days! AHHHH!!!! Also, they wanted to do all kinds of tests including a lumbar spinal punch! We reluctantly allowed her to undergo the torture to make sure she would be alright. She ended up having a virus of some sort that was not one of the BIG BAD ones they were worried about so we took her home and we have been watching and caring for her since. One thing that was tough on me was the risk of loosing my breast milk. I started to dry up b/c Kayley wouldn't eat much during her sickness =( But the nurses helped me to know what to do to save us from losing my milk! THank goodness! I had to pump every 3-4 hours if kayley wouldn't eat and then if she would eat i was to pump after she finished. It worked! My milk supply came back strong =)
Since then Kayley has been gaining weight like crazy! I can see her arms and legs are getting more full. She finally fits her newborn clothing.
She has problems with gas and digestion which make it impossible for us to get any sort of sleep! It is so hard to be a parent...especially why you are "the boob" and main food supply! I am SOOO tired!!! Last night my husband took care of her for 6 hours so i could finally get some sleep! I woudl have gotten more sleep but my breasts were so painfully gigantic and I couldn't sleep anymore! Too bad! I tried for 30 minutes after i woke up b/c i knew that was my chance! Oh, well! What's a nursing mom to do!?
I am freaking out about my classes! I am sooo behind. I haven't touched my books or assignments or gone to class for weeks! How can i ever catch up?! I am sooo tired! But it is SOOO important for me to make good grades.
I am thinking about not going to school next semester. I just can not function when I get now sleep. I want to be a good student AND a good mom!
Kayley's belly button is still not healed completely! And she is 4 weeks today! We had it burned once already...poor thing! ANd poor me cause i want to be able to bath her normally!
My grandmother died and her funeral was yesterday.. I couldn't go either =((( b/c of the baby and I couldn't travel at this point. WE also couldn't be with fam for thanksgiving for the same reason...but we ate at our American/Korean friends' house ( my favorite food is probably spicy Korean food). YUMMY!!
Kayley weighed in at 8 lbs and 4 oz at 2.5 weeks. She had also grown two inches and was 21 inches! She finally grew into her feet and hands! They were disproportionately large when she was born--kind of like a tiny puppy who is going to be very large when it grows up.

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Liam Michael Sex: boy Born: 14 June, 2009 Age: 0 years & 162 days Birthday in: 203 days Starsign: Gemini Development: See the 5 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

Birth details

Original due date: June 14, 2009
Type of delivery: Vaginal (with pain relief)
Duration of labor: 5-6 hours??
Weight @ birth: 8 lbs 5 oz
Length @ birth: 19 inches

Liam-Michael`s birthstory

We had scheduled an induction for Sunday, June 14th. I have been having painful contractions off and on for weeks so I was not alarmed when I had some that morning. After arriving the midwife told us I was already dilated to a 4 and having contractions about every 15 minutes. I was already in labor. The baby would come that day or possibly drag onto the net. The midwife ruptured my membranes and it slowly leaked. There were a few hours before I received my epidural. We were planning on this since the midwife wanted to aggressively massage my perineum to prevent serious tearing if possible. I tend to have a smaller opening and had to receive a large episiotomy with my daughter. Anyway, the anestesiologist took an hour and 5 punctures to get the epidural in place. It was very painful and annoying. My contractions sped up and I went from 4.5 cm dilated to 9 cm dilated in about 10 minutes! It was very painful. The epidural caused my legs to go completely numb. I could not move them. However, my entire abdomen down to my pubic bone had complete feeling. I felt all of my labor. I didn`t feel my 3rd degree tear. It took me 5 contractions of pushing and the midwife turning the baby from a weird position to get the baby out. The pain was still severe even after the placenta came out. My legs were numb all day and into the night. I was afraid I might not get all feeling back. I did. However, I am still having severe back pain. I am not sure if this is due to the uterine infection that put me in the hosptial for four days that week or if it is from the epidural. Time will tell. I am so happy to have my son home with me safe and sound! I love him so much :)

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