We've got a week under our belts of having Jackson home.
Instead of being terrified of going home, I was very excited to get home with him and to get home to Lucy.
Caring for a newborn is not nearly as challenging as it was the first time around. It's very much like riding a bicycle.
And unlike last time, I'm able to exclusively nurse him, which makes leaving the house easy because I don't have to worry about packing bottles, just diapers, an extra change of clothes, wipes and a blanket to cover up with if he needs to eat.
What I didn't think would be so hard was not being able to care for Lucy. I'm getting teary just thinking about it.
For eighteen months, it was just her and I against the world.
But since I had a c-section, I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than Jackson for two weeks.
It's been really strange not taking care of her, putting her to bed at night, or even being able to pick her up and comfort her when she asks for it. Things are going to be so much different from here on out, and I know that we'll all adjust and get used to our new family dynamic, but I'm really having a hard time sometimes dealing with splitting my time between the two of them.
The outings that she and I used to do alone, like grocery shopping or going to the library are going to be more complicated for awhile until we get used to Jackson being with us.
I'm sure this is something every parent goes through when they add a new member to the family. The hormones sure don't help.
On the flip side, Lucy and Andy have bonded so much ever since Jackson was born. I'm so grateful, because for the longest time Lucy has been such a momma's girl. Instead of running to me automatically when she falls down and gets hurt, she runs to Andy and not just me, which is great. She's been going to bed great for him which is another plus. I hope the bonding continues after he returns to work next week.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Jackson's birth story
I went in for a repeat c-section on March 7 due to a medical
condition I have that affects our babies. Many of you know that I've
been undergoing weekly infusions to help prevent low platelet and white
blood cell counts in our kids. A vaginal birth is too risky, because if
their platelets are too low, it could cause brain bleeds. Lucy was
born with extremely low platelets, but after two transfusions and
infusions of the medication I was on for 20 weeks, she is now totally
fine.
My c-section was scheduled for 8:30 a.m., so we arrived at 6 a.m. Andy's mom came to our house that morning to stay with Lucy. It was really hard leaving her knowing that things were going to be way different when I came home.
Anyway. We got checked in to the hospital, and did all of the normal pre-surgery stuff, like starting the IV, the lovely being shaved, etc.
We ended up being delayed by three hours because of two emergency c-sections that came in around the time I was being admitted. It actually worked to my favor, because I was really anxious and scared about the c-section, but by the time it actually rolled around I had calmed down.
I walked into the OR around 11 a.m. and they started the spinal. It was a lot worse than last time, since the guy hit a nerve going in. I also had the same experience of chest heaviness, so the anesthesiologist had to give me an oxygen mask, which helped a lot.
He was really great and eased my fears about a lot of stuff. I could feel the doctor touching my abdomen, which was scary, but he explained that the spinal blocks out different nerves for different things. It blocked the nerves that feel cutting, but not the ones that feel pressure.
I kept asking for Andy and they finally brought him in while the doctor was removing scar tissue from my previous c-section.
After a lot of tugging, pulling, and pressure, Jackson Andrew was born at 11:33 a.m. on March 7, weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches.
The first thing my OB commented on was how big he was. He didn't look that big to me, but I think it's because I'm used to Lucy. At my last prenatal visit, he and I were guessing Jackson would maybe be 8 pounds, but not any more than that. We thought that because I am only 4' 9" tall, and Lucy was 7 pounds 5 ounces.
His head was pretty much stuck in my pelvis, so the doctor had to use forceps to get him out. I wonder if he would have made it through there with a vaginal birth!
Unlike his sister, he cried the moment he came out and seemed really pissed! Lucy didn't make a peep for probably her first half hour, but just kind of looked around at everything.
As soon as they did his APGAR's and measurements, they brought him over for me to hold.
The doctor commented that he wasn't polka dot like his sister. She had pitikia, or tiny red spots that are burst blood vessels, due to low platelets, but I thought they had developed after she was born, so I learned something new!
We were extremely happy to hear that he wasn't polka dot, and he didn't develop any pitikia at any time after he was born. A blood test later reassured us that his platelets were fine.
We did notice that he was very jittery after he was born, since his arms and legs would shake, especially when he was angry. His blood sugar ended up being low, so right when I got into recovery I nursed him, and he stayed latched for 45 minutes on each side. The cool thing we were able to raise his blood sugar while in recovery just through nursing, and I felt very accomplished because Lucy and I had a rough nursing relationship.
Unlike with Lucy, who was whisked to the NICU about an hour after birth and stayed there for six days, Jackson got to come upstairs to my postpartum room, which was what we were hoping for. I'm so grateful he was able to room with me the whole time.
He started having issues with his blood sugar again Friday night, so we did have to give him 20-30mL of formula each time after he nursed, and then I had to pump to help get my milk going more. Andy was a little concerned about this, because he was afraid we'd have a Lucy situation where Jackson would get used to a bottle nipple and not want to nurse, but almost a week later my milk is fully in. We're having a bit of trouble with his latch every so often, but it's getting better.
The doctor kept threatening to send him to NICU if his blood sugar wasn't up to a certain level by a certain time, but we were able to raise it to an appropriate level by Saturday night.
We got to go home on Sunday. It's been pretty great.
My c-section was scheduled for 8:30 a.m., so we arrived at 6 a.m. Andy's mom came to our house that morning to stay with Lucy. It was really hard leaving her knowing that things were going to be way different when I came home.
Anyway. We got checked in to the hospital, and did all of the normal pre-surgery stuff, like starting the IV, the lovely being shaved, etc.
We ended up being delayed by three hours because of two emergency c-sections that came in around the time I was being admitted. It actually worked to my favor, because I was really anxious and scared about the c-section, but by the time it actually rolled around I had calmed down.
I walked into the OR around 11 a.m. and they started the spinal. It was a lot worse than last time, since the guy hit a nerve going in. I also had the same experience of chest heaviness, so the anesthesiologist had to give me an oxygen mask, which helped a lot.
He was really great and eased my fears about a lot of stuff. I could feel the doctor touching my abdomen, which was scary, but he explained that the spinal blocks out different nerves for different things. It blocked the nerves that feel cutting, but not the ones that feel pressure.
I kept asking for Andy and they finally brought him in while the doctor was removing scar tissue from my previous c-section.
After a lot of tugging, pulling, and pressure, Jackson Andrew was born at 11:33 a.m. on March 7, weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches.
The first thing my OB commented on was how big he was. He didn't look that big to me, but I think it's because I'm used to Lucy. At my last prenatal visit, he and I were guessing Jackson would maybe be 8 pounds, but not any more than that. We thought that because I am only 4' 9" tall, and Lucy was 7 pounds 5 ounces.
His head was pretty much stuck in my pelvis, so the doctor had to use forceps to get him out. I wonder if he would have made it through there with a vaginal birth!
Unlike his sister, he cried the moment he came out and seemed really pissed! Lucy didn't make a peep for probably her first half hour, but just kind of looked around at everything.
As soon as they did his APGAR's and measurements, they brought him over for me to hold.
The doctor commented that he wasn't polka dot like his sister. She had pitikia, or tiny red spots that are burst blood vessels, due to low platelets, but I thought they had developed after she was born, so I learned something new!
We were extremely happy to hear that he wasn't polka dot, and he didn't develop any pitikia at any time after he was born. A blood test later reassured us that his platelets were fine.
We did notice that he was very jittery after he was born, since his arms and legs would shake, especially when he was angry. His blood sugar ended up being low, so right when I got into recovery I nursed him, and he stayed latched for 45 minutes on each side. The cool thing we were able to raise his blood sugar while in recovery just through nursing, and I felt very accomplished because Lucy and I had a rough nursing relationship.
Unlike with Lucy, who was whisked to the NICU about an hour after birth and stayed there for six days, Jackson got to come upstairs to my postpartum room, which was what we were hoping for. I'm so grateful he was able to room with me the whole time.
He started having issues with his blood sugar again Friday night, so we did have to give him 20-30mL of formula each time after he nursed, and then I had to pump to help get my milk going more. Andy was a little concerned about this, because he was afraid we'd have a Lucy situation where Jackson would get used to a bottle nipple and not want to nurse, but almost a week later my milk is fully in. We're having a bit of trouble with his latch every so often, but it's getting better.
The doctor kept threatening to send him to NICU if his blood sugar wasn't up to a certain level by a certain time, but we were able to raise it to an appropriate level by Saturday night.
We got to go home on Sunday. It's been pretty great.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Jackson Andrew
On Friday, March 7 we welcomed Jackson Andrew into our little family, and yesterday we got to come home!
I had a repeat c-section, and despite being delayed for three hours because of a few emergency c-sections that rolled in before us, everything went smoothly.
Lucy is handling being a big sister very well, my husband has been wonderfully helpful the past couple days and I'm focusing on recovering and learning to nurse the little guy.
I'll write more about his birth later, he's sleeping now but we all know that might not last very long!
Lucy is handling being a big sister very well, my husband has been wonderfully helpful the past couple days and I'm focusing on recovering and learning to nurse the little guy.
I'll write more about his birth later, he's sleeping now but we all know that might not last very long!
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