Posts
Sometimes, in the beginning, a pregnancy can seem like a financial burden. We were in no position to add another baby to our family when I got pregnant with Reese, but God knows. Looking back now I can't believe I ever even worried. Money can sometimes steal the joy and happiness from a situation.
The Saturday before she was born, I was just barely 35 weeks pregnant. I was sitting at my inlaws' around 3:30pm and I had a weird feeling. I had just drank a 32 ounce Coke and I felt like I was "leaking". I went to the restroom, but it wouldn't stop even after I had emptied my bladder. Gross, I know. I thought, "This is going to be the longest month if I am going to be doing this crap." I continued to "pee" on myself so I decided I better go home so I could wet my pants in the privacy of my own home! I continued to "pee myself" for a good 4 hours. I changed pants 3 times. (Teenage girls, this is what you have to look forward to. Don't have sex. Don't get pregnant for a very long time. Stay cool. Don't let this be you.) In the meantime I decided I'd get my house clean real quick just in case. I called the doctor around 8pm and they told me to go to labor and delivery and let them check it out.
Surprise! My water had broke! Yay! I WASN'T peeing on myself. What a relief lol! Even though my sack had only tore a just a teeny bit, but they couldn't let me go home due to risk of infection. I was excited, yet scared because it was too soon for Reese. Caleb was trying to get his truck put back together so he could leave out to go to work. We could not afford for him to miss work. I had so many worries going through my mind.
They gave me steroids to help Reese's lungs. So they were hoping I wouldn't actually go into labor for at least 24 hours and her lungs would have time to develop a little more.
So there I was, just laid up in the hospital, hanging out with my buddies, taking crazy pictures and eating good food. Basically I was on vacation with room service. My mother-in-law had our five babies, my husband was working like a mad man to finish his truck. He kept telling me not to go into labor. "Jenn, don't you have that baby until Monday!" Um, ok??? Like I could help that lol!
She's here! 63" inches long, 125 pounds, head full of black hair and looks nothing like the daddy!
Just kidding!
They started my induction Monday morning and she was here that afternoon! (I'll spare you the gory details of a cervix that wouldn't cooperate) She was 5 weeks early and weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces and was 18" long. She had no breathing troubles, required no oxygen and was absolutely perfect! Praise Jesus!
But we weren't completely out of the woods.
After we got her home and everything was perfect, she had a doctor's appointment that Friday. I was so proud and felt amazing. Then they put her on the scale and she had lost a lot of weight. Too much. She had lost down to 6 pounds. The doctor was pretty concerned about that. Suddenly I wasn't so happy and I got really worried. They gave me special formula to feed her and that broke my heart because I was breastfeeding her. The pediatrician scheduled me an appointment with a lactation specialist the next morning.
After a wonderful appointment with the lactation specialist, it was a little better. She didn't have to drink the formula, but I had to pump around the clock and feed her from a bottle. Her jaw wasn't strong enough to get enough milk from the breast. So she would just get a little milk and fall asleep. She hadn't been getting enough milk. Also, she was tongue tied and we had to get her frenulum released. That was so scary for me, but turned out to be a piece of cake.
After three weeks of worrying about weight and feeding her as much as possible, her weight has taken off! She gained 13 ounces in 8 days and is eating like a champ! She no longer had to go back to lactation on a weekly basis and I didn't have to pump anymore.
She now weighs 7 pounds 8 ounces and we are ecstatic!
So when these moms get so impatient and do anything they can to make themselves go into early labor, I don't understand it. YOUR BABY IS NOT READY TO BE BORN! Let them stay in and finish growing! Reese had a hard time eating and keeping weight on because she was underdeveloped. Just because they think you will have a big baby, doesn't mean your baby is done developing. Reese was big for her age and she still had a hard time. Take it from me, just enjoy those last weeks of pregnancy. I know it's hard, but it's best for baby.
Reese would be due one week from today. I'm beyond thankful that she is doing so great now.
I can't believe Caleb and I have SIX kids. Wow. We are so blessed and thank God everyday.
I LOVE being a momma to our babies! Could it possibly get any better than this?! I hope y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Be good to your momma; you don't know what she's went through for you.
XOXO, Jenn❤️
No comments:
Post a Comment