Update 02/14/08--

Kaitlyn is now a little over 3 weeks old...can't believe it. I'm treasuring every moment as I learned with my son that it goes by way too fast. I miss him being 6 months old and cuddling with me; now he can't even sit still to cuddle! LOL Breastfeeding is happening and happening...I'm exclusively breastfeeding. I have an overactive letdown so that's difficult to deal with. I get the tingling sensation about every hour and it really hurts in the breast area. I've seen a lactation specialist and we hope it will resolve itself in a few weeks or so. Kaitlyn tends to spit up and vomit sometimes because she gets so much air when she chokes and gasps. But she is gaining weight. She was 8 pounds, 1.2 ounce at birth and was 9 pounds, 9.7 ounces today. My little chunk! :) The breastfeeding has helped me shed 32-33 of the 40 pounds I gained. I need to keep my strength up, though, as dealing with 2 kids under 2 has probably also helped me lose the weight so quickly. But I'm not going to complain about losing weight. I just know that the last 5 pounds are hardest to get off. Well, I gotta go because someone's hungry, someone needs to be changed, etc. (Constant cycle with these two haha.)

BIRTH STORY

On MLK Jr. day, January 21st, I went to the hospital because I had been feeling crampy all night. Turns out I was having contractions every 3-5 minutes but only at a 3, and 60% effaced. Baby was -2 station. Well, they found out I had a slight UTI and with being GBS positive and needing antiobiotics, my doctor decided to have me return that night to be admitted and started on the antibiotics (I originally was going to go in the next night, as I was being induced on Wed.). After some antibiotics, the pitocin drip was started at 5 am Tuesday morning, the 22nd. I was in labor for 14 hours. I had a bad experience with the epidural wearing off on one side and then eventually not working but it was worth it. She was born at 7:15, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce and 20 inches long. Not bad for being two weeks early! I thought I was going to tear apart but I look at her and couldn't imagine not having her. Our family is complete, no more kids. LOL

11/08/07-- I am currently 27 weeks pregnant with a girl. I am so excited as we already have our boy and now we get the experience of having a daughter. :) I am done after this. At least for a while (don't let my husband catch that last part HAHA-- he doesn't want any more!!) I am kind of stressed because my first pregnancy was very complicated and I ended up giving birth to my son at 35 weeks. He had to spend a week in the NICU and I felt terrible about it, like I was missing out on taking him straight home. It all worked out in the long run (he's a well grown toddler now) but I don't want to not be able to hold my child until a day later after they're born, like I did with him. I guess I just started dialating early on (I think I was 1 cm at 34 weeks) and then I went into the hospital a week later as I had some bleeding. I had to drive about an hour to get to the hospital where my doc was practicing at and he decided instead of sending me home and having to chance coming back again, he checked me and I think I was 2 cm, so he went ahead and broke my water. I kind of feel he "rushed" things because I had such a long drive. This time I'm seeing a doctor who practices at the local hospital which is only about 5 min. away and she seems more relaxed. I'm hoping I can get to 37 weeks and take a healthy baby girl home.

11/19/07-- Just had my check up with the doctor. She checked me and said my cervix is still thick and I'm not dialated, thank goodness. I'm so scared of dialating early and having another baby in the NICU. She reassured me that since I'm only about 5 minutes from the hospital this time, I could be 3-4 cm dialated and still be able to go along with my pregnancy, as long as I'm not really "in labor", with consistant contractions and all. She says some women sit at 3 cm for weeks. That makes me feel better. She says when you get to 5, though, that the risk for infection is greater and you'd have to be admitted. I just want to be at 37 weeks and then if it happens, it happens. I go back to see her in 3 weeks, by then I'll be 32 weeks pregnant. Time will hopefully pass by quicker with the holidays. My shower is Dec. 1st and I can't wait to see all the pink! :)

12/13/07-- Okay, I'm technically 32 1/2 weeks but I'll never know how truly far along I am. That's because I had one normal menstrual period in between the time I stopped breastfeeding my son and got pregnant. That had started on 04/08/07 and I should've had one around 05/09/07 but I didn't. But when they did a pregnancy test around that time (blood), it was negative. Only did the blood test show a HCG count greater than 5 on May 21st, 2007 and it was only around 61. So I was barely pregnant. But that last ultrasound I had at the 4d place was on 12/02/07 and she was measuring 33wk,4dys at that time and I was only 31 weeks. But that could be less accurate since it is the third trimester. I think she just has a big head. Her estimated weight was to be 4 pounds, 4 ounces. So we're just going with the original due date of 02/03/08. I want to keep her in 'til the middle of Jan. at the very least since I don't want another NICU baby. I just want to take this one home right away!

I also had my doctor's appt. this last Monday and I'm still a fingertip, not even 1cm but I'm 50% effaced and this scares me. The doctor says she can give me steroids for the baby's lung if she finds out I effaced even more, which we'll find out this next Monday. I'm scared. She's also going to do another FFN test, last one at 31 weeks came back negative so that's good. She wants me to "take it easy" and try to be on bedrest as much as possible which is really impossible with an 18-month old. So I try not to go anywhere when I have my son with me, because lifting him in and out of his seat is too much. I'm just hoping that I make it to 37 weeks. :)

12/23/07--When I was at the doctor on Monday the 17th, she checked me again and I was the same, still 50% effaced and not even 1cm. She also did another FFN test. Found out on Tuesday that was negative. THANK GOD! That would take me to 35 weeks and then they don't do them anymore because the substance comes naturally later in pregnancy and it wouldn't be accurate. I had my son at 35 weeks, 2 days and I'm incredibly nervous about having my daughter early. I'm trying to take it easy. My husband took this week off for the holidays so that helps. I get checked on the 26th again so hopefully I'm the same. :)

01/03/07--Official due date is a month away! :) Went for my weekly exam yesterday and I'm still 50% effaced but now I'm 1 cm instead of a fingertip. So a little progress. I have been about 50% effaced since the beginning of December. So for about a month. I hope I can stay like this for at least a few more weeks, until she's full term. I'm starting to get very anxious about meeting the little girl that's inside of me but I know it's for the best if she doesn't come out for a few more weeks.

01/18/07--Okay, so I'm getting induced on Wed. the 23rd. My doctor is going on maternity leave and her last day is the day after (1/24). I really want her to deliver me rather than the only other doctor in this town (he'll be taking over her deliveries). We live in a small town with only two OB's and he has a bad reputation. I know you're not supposed to believe everything you hear but I have some good friends who had horrible experiences. Evidently, he has a high Cesarian rate. So I opted for her to induce me. I'll be 38 weeks and 3 days. I'm hoping maybe my little girl will come on her own before that. I'd rather not have to be induced. When she checked me yesterday, I was 3 cm, 50% effaced still, and the baby's head was still high up. But all that could change overnight (or days or weeks...). I had never really spotted or anything from being checked before and I've been checked every week since 31 weeks. But yesterday I started having dark brown discharge. Wondering if it's my plug. I started to lose it last week. Then this morning I had pink discharge and I wish it was bloody show but you never know. The suspense is killing me!