Dominik's birth story

We're home!  And it's great to be home!  But before I tell stories about what's happened since we came home, I have to write down Dominik's birth story, because I'll probably forget something...and that's what blogs are for, anyway, right?  Sharing the minutiae of everyday life?

Tom and I arrived at the hospital on Wednesday for Dominik's 9 a.m. scheduled induction.  We learned that they were short staffed that morning, so they were waiting for more nurses to arrive that had been called in.  Maybe more babies wanted to be born on Cinco de Mayo than normal?  With Konrad's 9 a.m. induction, I was hooked up to the baby-nudging medicines by 9:45 a.m.  For Dominik, it was almost 11 a.m.  But Tom and I were there to keep each other company and we had fun talking until our nurse arrived.  After he broke my water, my doctor prayed with us for God's hand in the delivery.

I made a specific request to the anesthesiologist to not give me a full dose for my height/weight since the last time I had such a good experience with a lighter dose (I even asked them to check the hospital records for what the dose was the last time).  But this anesthesiologist didn't decrease my dose, and sure enough I ended up with one leg completely asleep.  We tried different things (spending more time on the side with the leg that was still awake), until I asked the nurse to ask the doctor to decrease the dose.  She found him, busy with another patient, and he told her we could turn off the epidural for one hour.  Great!

She turned the epidural off.

At this point, I know all the moms out there who have given birth and enjoy epidurals are saying, "Cindy, you are crazy!"  Hey, I can handle some pain (I tried to have Lukas without an epidural before begging and crying for pain killers 20 hours into labor), but I also remembered how hard it was with Lukas and Natalie to have to wait hours before I could walk because I got too much in the epidural.

After about 30 minutes of the epidural off, I was starting to feel contractions (I hadn't been feeling anything) but it was still mild pain.  I called her at about 50 minutes and asked to have the epidural turned back on, even though I still couldn't feel my leg, because I was concerned that with the rate the contraction pain was returning, I wouldn't have enough happy medicine in my system when the baby was ready to arrive.  That green button in the picture is the button I pushed to get a little extra happy medicine before Dominik arrived.


As she was there turning on the epidural again, the nurse asked if I had been feeling any need to bear down.  I said I was feeling a lot closer to the end and she said, "I should probably check you."  But for some reason she didn't, and left the room.

Ten minutes later, I thought "she really should have checked me!" so I called her in, she checked me, and said, "Ok, the baby is further down."  then... "Wow, you're ready to go!"

"I'm fully dilated?"

"Yes!  Let's go!"

But wait, I didn't have enough epidural in my system yet!  She said the baby is ready to come.  I asked her to page the doctor and see if we could get more happy medicine in my system before it was time.  I turned off the movie I'd been watching to pass the time (Julie and Julia).  Then Dominik's heart rate started to drop.

Not a good thing!

Another nurse came in, they moved me to another side, gave me oxygen so the baby would get more oxygen, and still the doctor hadn't arrived.  Dominik's heart rate would drop to the 80s, then go back up, then go down...he was right there ready to be born, but we had to wait for the major league catcher.  The nurse also requested a doctor from the children's hospital to come over since the meconium coming out (even before Dominik was born) was thicker than when the doctor first broke my water.  Between the two issues--drop in heart rate and calling a pediatric specialist--I was really concerned.  Right before I delivered, there were more than 10 people (besides Tom and me) in my room--nurses, OB, pediatrician, even a few students observing!

But then my doctor arrived and Dominik was born with just two pushes.  Someone said, "he's beautiful!" and someone else said, "he's perfect!"  I got to hold him and wipe him for a few minutes before they took him across the room to get super-duper suctioning to get all the meconium out of his lungs.  He was screaming a lot, so I knew he was ok...I didn't realize until later that the reason he was screaming so much was because he was getting suctioned.

And then the anesthesiologist showed up to check on my dosage.  Too late!  The good thing is that I did get just enough medicine in my system in the few minutes we were waiting for the doctor, to not be at all uncomfortable during the final push.  I wasn't able to walk for at least three hours, but it was still much better than what I experienced with Lukas and Natalie.

Dominik took a little while to latch on, but finally figured it out.  He nursed well the first night, but the next morning I had to work hard to wake him up enough to be interested in nursing.  Now that he's two days old, he's doing great.  Overall, he's sleeping well and eating well.

And his siblings really love him!  But this post is long enough and I have a baby to feed, so more stories tomorrow.  Thanks to everyone for your prayers and kind wishes.  We are having a great time with our new Happy One!

996 Minutes Later

This morning the kids went to the hospital to meet Dominik and to see "Mommy". It was quite exciting to get wrist bracelets and stickers, and then walk through the maze of corridors to find Cindy and Dominik's room. When we arrived Dominik was napping and Cindy had just finished breakfast. Cindy looked great and Dominik had that peaceful angelic look (please, let this be the really easy kid). Lukas did a great job of holding Dominik, and Natalie and Konrad understood that he was their new little brother.

Cindy with all four kids!

And His Name is Dominik

Baby #4 has a name and a face. Dominik Andrew was born at 3:54 PM, and weighed 8lbs 5 oz and was 21" long.

The delivery went well, but there were some tense moments when it became apparent that there was meconium (the baby's first poop) in the water. After a good bit of cleaning and suctioning he seemed to be just fine and settled in for a nice snuggle with Mom. He is feeding well and seems like an easy baby. Cindy is doing great and is enjoying the bonding time with Dominik.

We hope Dominik and Mom get to come home on Thursday.

Tomorrow!

Lukas was born on George Washington's Birthday,
Natalie shares her birthday with Walt Disney,
Konrad was born on Pearl Harbor Day,
And our fourth child will be born on Cinco de Mayo!

When Tom and I saw my OB today, he said, "How would you like to be induced tomorrow?"

We are excited!  Thanks for your prayers for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

Operation Baby Drop II

The last time we tried some "extreme" (for 9 months pregnant mom...now 10 months pregnant!) exercise was two weeks ago.  We didn't go to Disneyland because it was a blackout date for our passes, but last night wasn't!  Natalie, Konrad and I ate an early dinner, Tom picked up Lukas at taekwondo, and we left the house to go to Disneyland (Tom and Lukas ate dinner in the car) at 5:05 p.m.

We were inside Disneyland by 5:35 p.m. and left about 7:30 p.m.  Here are the pictures.  This could be our last Disneyland visit for a while (our passes expire the end of this month and we're not planning to renew).

Tuesday morning, still no contractions.  Blog update tonight after OB visit. 

For those who have suggested "running," when I mentioned Operation Baby Drop I, and how I "jogged," my OB was concerned I might hurt myself (some part of my body I've never heard of).  I think the heavy walking is about all I can do right now.

40 weeks

We'll just cut to the chase and reveal that I am no further dilated or effaced than last week.  The doctor tried to say I was a little more dilated, so I said, "Is that 1++?"  He said, "No, 1+.  If you were 1++, that would be 2 and you're not 2 cm."

I thought I had understood him to say last week that he would want to induce this week, no matter what, but he's happy with how the baby looks on the non-stress test, and there's plenty of amniotic fluid, and my cervix is not ready to deliver, so no induction this week.  "Unless things change dramatically, then I could induce you" and in my mind if things change dramatically then I don't have to be induced.

And I'm ok with waiting!  I'm not miserable.  I don't have round ligament pain.  My back is in good shape even though I haven't been to a chiropractor in a month.  I haven't had any false alarms that brought my beloved sister-in-law out of her bed to watch the kids...how could I have a false alarm when I haven't had any contractions that are more than "tight"?  I am slightly embarrassed that I've been so certain I would deliver at any moment during the past 3 weeks, and I'm still pregnant...but, hey, a little embarrassment never killed anyone, right?  Tom and I are such planners and schedulers, that that's where it's been the most inconvenient, the not knowing when.

And I've always wondered what it would be like to really go into labor.  You know, the television kind where they're rushing to the hospital and barely getting out of the car and into the hospital before the baby arrives.

On second thought, no thanks!

So the plan is for another non-stress test on Friday, and again on Tuesday before I see him.  So on Tuesday (at 41 weeks plus 2 days) we'll talk about inducing next week.

Of course, that's unless the baby surprises us and decides to come out on his own.  Hint, hint.

What will it say tomorrow?

I have nothing to say.

We are following our normal routine (Monday morning therapy, homeschool for a bit, Natalie goes to school, I took a short nap for the first time in a while, Lukas at taekwondo in the afternoon) and there haven't been any cute comments by the kids (that I can remember) that I can post for giggles.  Konrad had several screaming fits today, mostly revolving around taking toys from his brother and sister, but also when I put him in the car without his shoes on to pick up Lukas from taekwondo...but no one ever wants to hear a screaming fit, so why would you want to hear about a screaming fit?  I WANT MY SHOES!  See, not interesting! 

But I feel like I need to post so you--Michelle and others!--don't think I'm some place else, doing something that we've all been waiting to "just happen."

I was *this close* to not posting anything, then I saw the baby due date ticker at the top of our blog, which says, "We are 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant. About 1 day to go."

Aha!  Something inane I can post about so you know I'm still here.  What will the ticker say tomorrow when it's 40 weeks? (according to the ticker...somehow the ticker and the doctor don't agree exactly)

Come back tomorrow to see the ticker!

And I know I will have something to report tomorrow, because it is my weekly OB visit, after all!

Due date

During breakfast this morning, Tom said "today's your due date, isn't it?"  Lukas asked, "what does that mean?"  After Tom explained (we haven't talked much about my due date since it hasn't been important in my previous pregnancies), Natalie said, "Mommy go to doctor!" while signing "Mommy" and "go!"

So far, we're just going to church today, but the day isn't over!  Konrad looks like he thought Tom and I were going to the hospital, doesn't he?

The funniest thing is:  two to three weeks ago, I felt like I could go into labor at any time, with lots of aches and contractions.  For the past week, I've felt very few contractions.  It's a new experience for us, this pregnancy!

What we did today...

...since, no, we didn't go to the hospital.

Our calendar is empty!  Today was supposed to be continued family bonding with the new baby.

Instead, Tom worked in the backyard to prepare the current-dirt-pit-formerly-location-of-lime-tree for an eventual playground area.  This involved removing some of the agapanthas that border the future playground area.  But the plants are too nice to waste, so he planted them in our elderly neighbor lady's yard.  Of course, that involved several other minor landscaping chores, so he and Lukas spent most of the morning at her house.  Lukas also helped her throw away some stuff from her garage (and came home with small empty boxes for future craft projects).  We don't produce enough paper towel rolls in our own house for his crafts, he needs to collect them from other homes too.  Thankfully he hasn't gotten the idea of dumpster diving for them.  Yet.  Anyway, I'm glad he's learning, first-hand, to help our neighbors and especially older people.

I kept Konrad at bay for as long as possible, until he happened to look out the window and see Tom across the street.  Then it was "I want Daddy!"  We visited the worksite for a few minutes and then came back and played in our yard.  Natalie and I were happy to let the men do the yardwork.

Me?  I practiced camping, meaning I washed dishes by hand.  Our dishwasher went on the blink two days ago and the repairman won't be out until Tuesday so I have several more days of roughing it.  Life is so hard.  Seriously, washing dishes with a pregnant belly causes back strain because I can't get close enough to the sink to stand comfortably...I learned something new today!  I also cleaned the bathrooms since I hadn't gotten around to it last week.  I don't feel like I'm nesting, just in perpetual "keep the house clean because we don't know when the baby is coming" mode.  Because we all know that the house will look like a tornado hit it after the baby arrives, right?

Speaking of nesting, I don't believe in it anymore.  Three weeks ago, I was mentally prepared for this baby to arrive, and "everything" was done...except the baby, obviously!  Now I've forgotten what I packed in my hospital bag, I need to recheck the instructions I wrote for Tom's sisters because I can't remember what I wrote on them about the kids' schedules, and I haven't had all the meals planned on my calendar in several weeks, which means when 4 p.m. arrives and I'm not in the hospital, I don't know what to make for dinner.  I nested three weeks ago, and no baby.  So now I'm just sitting back and waiting for God's timing. 

I think it will be before the end of April, right?

Really, this is not pregnancy-related

I will try to post about stuff not related to my pregnancy.  This post isn't really about pregnancy, although it might seem like it is.

In the past few days I've tried to eat things that are supposed to induce labor.  The other day I ate a whole fresh pineapple in the space of about 2 hours.  I ate some beans with a lot of Tabasco sauce on them...and felt my throat spasming with involuntary hiccups.  I've drunk cinnamon-stick tea.

Tonight I made fried rice for dinner...both to use up the white rice I made last night but also to provide a way to eat some of this stuff:

I usually like to put it on my fried rice and/or Chinese noodles, but tonight I really poured it on.  As usual, Lukas asked how hot it really is.  Tom put a tiny drop on Lukas' plate, to which Lukas added a small piece of meat, ate it and promptly emptied his milk glass to cool the fire.

Konrad said, "want some of that!" so Tom put a small drop on Konrad's fried rice.  Konrad ate it up and asked for more.  And more.  And more!

Natalie said, "I want ketchup!" while pointing to the bottle.  We told her it was spicy, but she insisted, so Tom put a small drop on her fried rice...then she didn't want to eat any more fried rice.  We slowly coaxed her into eating something by giving her several peas at once, then a piece of meat...finally she believed us that the whole dish was not spicy.

All the while, Konrad kept asking for more and more of the chili sauce.  And more fried rice so he could have more chili sauce.  A boy after my own heart!

Going on with our lives

I have to admit that our lives have been "on hold" for the past few weeks, expecting the baby to arrive at any moment.  Two weeks ago I was also much more tired and not eager to really do much.

Now that I have come to terms with the fact that this baby may wait another week to be born, or may even have to be prodded out of his comfy home next week, I have mentally tried to move back to a more active life...and hey, if we are surprised with a baby tonight, all the better!

Today Natalie had a make up PT appointment and since she didn't have school afterward, we went to the library instead of rushing home, had a snack and played in the children's area.  It was fun and might be the last time I can do something like that for a few months as the only adult.  The only problem was when I decided it was time to leave, Konrad didn't want to leave.  It wasn't a pretty picture, a 9-months pregnant woman wrestling a 2-year old while also leading Natalie out of the library and through the parking lot (she wasn't ready to leave either, but was slightly more cooperative than Konrad).  Lukas was very helpful in carrying the diaper bag which he would have normally complained was too heavy for him.

I kept thinking...maybe this will induce labor, maybe this will induce labor...

But I'm still here.

39 weeks

File this under another post I didn't think I would be writing.

I've never gone 39 weeks.

Praise God the pregnancy that is going the longest is also the easiest pregnancy...no round-ligament pain, minimal back problems (with chiropractic help), less weight gain.  Although I do feel like I will now be pregnant forever.

Anyway, today was my weekly OB visit, preceded by the non-stress test and amniotic fluid level measuring.  Everything still looks great, but I have only dilated slightly more than last week, and am only slightly more effaced than last week.  The baby's head hasn't really dropped lower (like I thought it had!)

So I could give birth tonight, or go another week!  He has no reason to induce me this week, but he said we would talk about it if I am still pregnant at my appointment next Tuesday...he doesn't want me to go more than one week over my due date (which is this Sunday, April 25 on his books).  So I won't be pregnant past next weekend.  And I'm very thankful that I'm not miserable!

Operation Baby Drop

Yesterday was our big family activity to try to induce labor.  Since I'm posting this Saturday morning, you'll agree that it hasn't worked completely...yet...but I do feel the baby is getting lower, so it wasn't completely useless...AND we had a wonderful time!

We went to Irvine Park and the Orange County Zoo.  We walked a lot, I tried to lift Natalie and Konrad every chance I got (instead of deferring to Tom) to see the animals.  After the zoo, we went to the Nature Center, where there were many stuffed animals that are found in the local area (I love the picture of Lukas with the opossum).

When we went back to the car to get the bike and stroller, I heard a peacock and encouraged Natalie and Konrad to chase it (for the photo op).  I was proud that they finally stopped at the parking lot, but we couldn't get the peacock to display his fine plumage (does that only happen for female peacocks?)

Then Lukas rode his new bike while the rest of us walked on the bike path.  Konrad didn't want to ride the stroller, so I encouraged him to run after Lukas, and then I ran to keep up with Konrad.  I use the term "ran" loosely...it was more like a loping walk for me to keep up with the short legs of a 2-year old.  Then Natalie wanted to walk too, but at least she held on to the stroller to keep from falling as she runs.  Tom laughed at me for "running", but I could feel the pressure, and any little bit of extra gravity should help, right?

We had a picnic lunch then finished off with some playground play.

I'm so used to "taking it easy" the past month that it's hard for me to remember that I want to be active now...I've become quite lazy.  I think another day of walking around the neighborhood is in the picture!

The waiting game

I don't know how close I am to giving birth:  my first two pregnancies reached an early finish line with spontaneous rupture of membranes and pitocin to help me give birth at 38 and 37 weeks, and my third pregnancy was induced at 38.5 weeks because of gargantuan baby.  So I can't really be certain if this is how I should be feeling one day or two weeks before labor.

I'm starting to think this baby may stay for 40 weeks.  But tomorrow through Monday is a good time because my doctor is on call at the hospital this weekend, so starting tomorrow, I'm going to be doing a lot of walking and jumping and cartwheels and somersaults (just kidding about the gymnastics) to encourage the boy to come out.  We were going to go to Disneyland tomorrow, but then discovered that tomorrow is a blackout date for our passes, so we came up with other plans that involve a lot of walking and activity.

38 weeks

Last night, Tom commented that I've complained a lot less during this pregnancy than any of my others.  It's true!  This has definitely been my easiest pregnancy:  fewer back problems and less weight gain.  After he said that, I realized what I've really missed out on this pregnancy is the round-ligament pain in my legs.  That was a major issue in the past, but for some reason not this time...now when I get up from sitting or lying for a long period of time, I don't groan in pain (probably what Tom remembers the most from other pregnancies).

Anyway, I went for my non-stress test before the OB appointment today and the baby is moving well and there is plenty of amniotic fluid, so no issues there.  I have been feeling more "down low" feelings all day today, and my doctor said I'm 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced...and we're definitely in the window of my previous deliveries...so he said several times that I need to be mentally prepared that the baby could come this week.

Tom's at a meeting tonight or I would be walking around the block!

37 Weeks

Monday afternoon and evening I felt a lot of tight contractions after going several weeks without many contractions at all, just a lot of baby rolling around.  When I went to see the doctor today, I mentioned that I hadn't felt the baby moving around much the past couple days.  Those magic words "decreased fetal movement" trigger a non-stress test (which of course showed a LOT of fetal movement) and an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid levels (which showed plenty of amniotic fluid).  It was reassuring to me, since of course my mind had started to tell me horrible things when I didn't feel the baby moving (probably because all I could feel were the contractions).

And now that I've said those magic words, I'll have a non-stress test every week (thankfully it's only once a week...my doctor is so wise!) which is only not INconvenient because it's right before my regular weekly appointment AND I have a babysitter who is quite flexible to come earlier.

The doctor said he didn't think the baby would come this week, but next week is a good possibility (based on my previous history of 38- and 37-week babies)...but of course the baby could still come at any time, early or later.  I now know when my doctor is on and off duty at the hospital, so we can pray for the baby to be born when he's on duty.

Thanks for the kind comments on how good I look with this pregnancy.  I'm only posting those pictures because, for the first time, I also feel I look good pregnant!  My three previous pregnancies, I was really huge.  The other night we watched home video of Thanksgiving right before Natalie was born and yes, I was much bigger than I am now.  Note to self:  do not watch videos of Natalie's birth right before giving birth to a baby...I think we did this before Konrad's birth too. (!)  It's not a happy birth video...I'm glad we have it, but it brings back too many hard memories of that time, and this is not the time to re-live those memories.

Anyway, the moral of this story is that if you feel huge on your first three pregnancies, by your fourth, you'll be a "normal size."  ;)  Hey, it worked for me!

It's a girl!

I'm reporting from my laptop at the hospital. Thank goodness for wireless.

Cindy's water broke late last night and we called my sister to come watch the kids. Rushed to the hospital, broke a couple traffic laws, and got her checked into the maternity ward. Seven hours later, our daughter was born. Yes, daughter!

We're calling her April, since she was born on the first day of April.







April Fool's!

Going backwards

For the next three--count, them! THREE!--days, I only have two children!  This morning Lukas embarked on an excellent adventure with two of his aunts (Tom's sisters).  Tom (who is working in LA this week) and Lukas rode the Amtrak to LA where Aunt Christine will pick Lukas up and spend the day going to the LA Museum of Natural History, then she'll take Lukas to Ventura where he'll spend the rest of the time with Aunt Patrice and Uncle Patrick.

We only told him about this trip on Saturday because we didn't want him to be forever asking "how many more days?"  A year ago, we would have only told him the night before!  If it is possible, last night and this morning he was even more distracted than normal...I warned Tom this morning that he couldn't trust Lukas to behave as he normally does because Lukas is so excited he can't keep two thoughts together for more than one nanosecond, so Tom needs to be extra careful with him on the train.

For the rest of the news, yesterday at my 36-week check up, everything measured fine.  The OB asks me at every visit if I have any concerns or questions.  No!  He says, "You must have done this before."  I do feel like I'm being a too-easy patient...maybe I need to come in completely neurotic one day just to make things interesting for him!  But I'm not that good of an actor.

Then last night I felt that I'm coming down with a cold.  Natalie seemed under the weather yesterday, and this morning she is still in bed at 8 a.m., which is COMPLETELY uncharacteristic of her.  I have a slight sore throat and a little headache, which I'm praying will be resolved quickly.  Tom said he felt something coming on too, so hopefully we'll all be 100% again soon.

Konrad is doing great!  I expected him to be asking "Where's Kukas?" every three minutes, but he's enjoying having me to himself...we're reading books and playing with Play-doh...it's like I only have ONE child, with Natalie still conked out in bed.  Thankfully Wednesday is our stay-at-home day so we can all take it easy and have a relaxing day.

Waiting for Baby

I promised before and after pictures of the baby crib and here they are!  The best part is that the crib is ready...nevermind that I got a little too tired getting it to this point yesterday. 

Bending in to a crib with a baby belly is not easy!  And there are so many parts to making a crib bed: iron the dust ruffle, put the dust ruffle on, put the mattress in the crib, put the plastic sheet on the mattress, put the mattress cover on the mattress, put the sheet on the mattress, put the crib bumper on (my LEAST favorite thing to do of all).  Then there's the bassinet, which I love because it's so much easier to change sheets on than the crib...but since we put the bassinet in the crib (saves space!) I wanted the crib to look nice.

By this time I'm not leaning over so far (getting the bassinet ready) and then all that's left is the mobile.  I turned the mobile on (it plays "It's a Small World") and Lukas and Konrad came running to see what was up (I don't know why Natalie wasn't interested...too many visits to Disneyland?)

Lukas is making faces in the baby mirror.  He was adamant that the baby needed to have the mirror up right away.  I tried to explain that the baby won't be able to move to see himself in the mirror, but in the end I humored him.

Wordless Wednesday

35 weeks.