Thursday, September 30, 2010

1 month old

Jake is 1 month old (as of yesterday)!

I love him more and more everyday... And yes that is possible. Becoming a mother is the best gift I have ever been given. It's the hardest thing I have ever done, but its the most rewarding.

Jake is 9lbs and 13 oz (as of Tuesday), and he is now wearing size 1 diapers. He's getting pretty darn big.

It's been so hot here in CA so J has been lounging in his diaper a lot lately. I haven't really been swaddling him because he hates it. However, I now have 3 Swaddle Me's and a miracle blanket I will now try. Is it bad to swaddle with the arms out? Or not swaddle at all? My little man squirms around so much the blanket falls off! He hates it... I mean, he will yell out when I begin to swaddle. He likes his arms over his head, and his legs stretched out... Can you blame him? Poor thing was Frank Breech for 3 months!

This weekend Grant and I will have our first babysitter look after Jake. We are going to Grant's friend Brian's wedding. We wont be able to make the ceremony, but we will be attending the reception. Jake can only have one bottle so I'm we are planning on having the sitter come from 4:30pm - 8:30pm. This is a big deal for me. He can only have one bottle because he is only 4 weeks and because the lactation specialist said that may cause him more gas. WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE GAS. Poor little man.

Anyhow, things have been good. He is no longer sleeping like he was in the beginning. After doing LOTS of reading and talking to other moms this is normal. They will tend to sleep less at this point and then begin to sleep again in a few more weeks. YIKES. I'm up most the day and night... with an occasional nap. The naps are hard because I find myself catching up with laundry, cleaning up, and oh I don't know...eating?! But, I know this gets better. I'm wondering how moms with twins do it. Kudos to you all!

I have been getting lots of messages from family/friends asking how I'm healing and asking about c-sections. I'm doing great! Every day is better! The first week was the toughest and you will need help. Other than that... it's not so bad! Take a look at my other blogs for more information I've posted... or give me a call... I'll tell you more! Thank you all for asking about my health!

Well, nothing more to report. He's growing and gaining weight above average, and he looks even more like his daddy. I can't wait to see how he changes from month to month!

Here are some pictures from over the week:
(example of how he sleeps)
With his best friend Colton (Kristyn's baby)
 Jake 3week - Colton 1 week - Jack 6 weeks
 Hey mom!
 1 month old... Napping before work.
 No more pictures mom!
I know... I'm cute!
 YAY! STRETCHING OUT!
 HEHE
Hope you are all having a great week!

Love and cheers,
Brooke

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Lactation Specialist?

Weeks 1-3 have been awesome... hungry baby and sleepy baby. Week 3... Gassy baby. Apparently it's not just gas. It's something that I'm contributing to.

Hi, my name is Brooke Stone, and I'm a hyperlactator.

What the heck does that mean, right? Well the initial milk that the baby gets is called foremilk. Foremilk is higher in water content and higher in milk sugars (lactose). I have an over supply of foremilk that lets out quick and rapidly. Fast delivery and high lactose milk will often make the baby gassy or fussy. Babies of a hyper lactating mother are usually gassy, fussy, may cough or gag at the breast and may spit up more often. Foremilk comes before Hindmilk. Hindmilk is high in fat and good for weigh gain, brain development, and stooling. With hyper lactic babies they get too much foremilk in the beginning of feeding.

Today I went to a lactation specialist. It was AWESOME. I learned SO much! I have a whole schedule or routine now for Jake. Some people have the problem of not enough milk... I have the opposite problem... I have too much. So, now I will be pumping before Jake's feeding from 5am - 2pm. 4 minutes on the side I will be feeding from (I feed only from one side a feeding). Stop to give him Mylicon, have a little tummy time, burp him, change his diaper, back to tummy time and a massage, and then back to finish feeding on the same side.
(J loves tummy time)

I will be doing a weekly weight check to see how he's gaining. Jake is 9lbs and 13 ounces. He's gaining about a pound a week! He's getting so darn big!

If you are in the Long Beach area I would like to personally recommend Susan Orr. She is an OB/Pediatric physical therapist, certified lactation consultant, and she gives Lamaze and childbirth classes.

Her telephone number is 562.427.3782. Give her a call if you have any questions! It was so helpful today... Even though I'm doing everything right... it's nice to have more suggestions on what to do so I can relieve my baby of tummy pains. It's already working!!

Love and cheers,

Brooke

Friday, September 24, 2010

3 weeks

I wish I had more time to blog... Actually, I wish I had more time to sleep! ;)

(Our mantle with flowers Grant bought me after a rough night)

Well, Jake hit 3 weeks on Wednesday... and poor baby has been getting gassy, and is having tummy pains. Apparently, these pains are very typical and generally start around 3 weeks of age. The worst sound in the world is hearing your little baby scream or cry because they don't feel well. I know it's totally normal the aches and pains he currently has... but, it makes me so darn nervous. So, I'm being proactive in my quest for Jake's happiness.

I went and saw Jake's pediatrician Dr. G on Tuesday and she seems to think I'm hyper lactating. Wait, what?! Basically, I produce too much milk and the baby is ingesting a lot all at once causing gas bubbles in his tummy. It's more technical than that... but, that is the round about version. So, I was told to contact a lactation specialist. She was great! She gave me tips about breastfeeding and pumping and I'm meeting with her on Tuesday to see my progress. Jake is a great eater! He latched on right away, takes the bottle if I pump, etc. His little body is mainly just adjusting to life in the outside world.

Our little man is getting so big! He is now wearing all 3 months of age clothing! And some of those aren't long enough. Today I was holding him and he started to laugh and then smiled really big! It made my day! Tummy time is great! He started lifting his head within the first 24 hours, and now he lifts up his leg and tries to roll over! My mom said I started walking at 7 months... wonder when this little guy will get up and go? I heard that boys take a little longer to get going then girls though.

This has been a good week for me personally. My body feels a little better everyday. I'm numb above the incision, and there is still pain... but, I see spin classes in my near future. I don't let things or sickness keep me down for long. I run around the house cleaning, cooking, and taking care of J. Grant and I even went to our first lunch as a family. Jake slept the entire time. We went to have Greek food and even enjoyed a glass of wine! That was fun! Tonight we went to dinner and Jake yet again slept through it. This time I enjoyed a wheat beer. :)

This weekend I hope to do a little shopping. I need to buy some clothes! This coming from someone that has a full closet, I know. But, I need some looser clothes until all the baby weight comes off. I have already lost 25 lbs! Tomorrow we'll be watching the Boise State vs. Oregon State game... YAY BRONCOS!


That just about sums up the last week. I will make sure I take more photos. We had a newborn session scheduled and I canceled it until October 4th. I can't wait to take some updated family pictures! 


Here are some photos from the week:

Hospital photo - 3 days old. (Just got these in the mail)
3 weeks old - fast asleep.
My little Bronco fan! (2 1/2 weeks)
GOOOO BOISE! (2 1/2 weeks)

Love and cheers,
Brooke

Friday, September 17, 2010

2 weeks

Jake is already 2 weeks old! He is such a good baby! He sleeps most the day unless he is hungry or needs to be changed. However as I type this blog he is wide away. He recognizes my voice and Grants and will try to focus in on us. He is beautiful. I know he is my son... but, really... he is beautiful. I can't wait until he comes into his own little personality and starts cooing and laughing. When he gets upset I kiss his face and talk to him... that usually calms him down.

My mom, dad, and Dylan left on Tuesday. I cried that entire day. I was so sad. I know I'm a 30 year old grown independent woman... but, it doesn't matter. I hate the fact they live far. My mom was absolutely amazing. She slept in our bed with me and would hand off the baby to me after she changed him so that I could feed him. We watched TV in the middle of the night, laughed, passed out, and even cried together. She bathed Jake, went to our appointments, cooked, and cleaned. When she left I felt like I was missing something. I miss her. Jake misses her. My dad walked Brady, took out the trash, and ran errands for me. They are amazing parents. I strive to be a parents like them.

When Grant walked in the door after dropping them off I felt at peace again. I have a good husband. He is loving, helpful, and sensitive to my crazy needs right now. He always wants to make me happy. Even though I miss my parents like crazy I have married a man that I am building a family with. What an amazing concept. Building a family. How do you become a good parent? I assume from trial, error, and faith in God. I'm glad Grant and I have the same morals and values to raise our little man... and more children in the future. I'm so excited for what the future holds. I pray for health and happiness and will continue to strive to be the best mommy, wife, and daughter I can be.

Today I went to my 2 week postpartum appointment. It went well. They took the tape off the wound and cleared me to be able to drive and do normal activities. I still have to take it easy and take pain medication if I need it. I stopped taking everything but my iron pills. But, sometimes I get some pain in the incision area. I go back again for my 6 week appointment. I feel pretty good. Lots of people have sent me messages about c-sections and what my thoughts are with them... So, I decided to list a pro and con list.

Con's (I like the negative first... ending on the positive):
  • Can't hold the baby after they are born
  • You have to go to recovery for several hours (I was in recovery for 3 hours... and I was totally fine with no complications), and still not see your baby
  • You have a catheter 
  • You have to keep the IV and catheter in for a full 24 hours
  • Taking out the catheter is a little awkward and then they make you get up to go to the bathroom. Have them help you and go slow.
  • Getting up when the baby cries is a challenge. You'll need help. 
  • Getting up once your laying down is a challenge in general.
  • Longer recovery time
  • Can't drive for 2 weeks
  • Longer stay in the hospital
  • Scar

Pro's:
  • Fast delivery
  • No pain with the contractions (even though my water did break and I was having contractions)
  • Spinal block numbs everything for up to 24 hours
  • Longer time in the hospital for aftercare
  • Your baby has a round shaped head 
  • Don't injure your body parts "down there"
  • Less bleeding "down there" postpartum
  • You can plan around the day chosen (if not an emergency)

In my opinion I would have still liked to have tried for a vaginal birth... but, the c-section was not terrible. The first week was the worst, but it gets better everyday! I stayed in the hospital for 3 days... that was helpful! Those first few days were the worst. By the 4th day I wanted to go home! It was nice having my family here and Grant to help out! Next birth I will probably try for a VBAC Vaginal birth after cesarean. That is if our next baby is NOT breech. :)

Here are a few pics from the week... I will continue to post more.

Jake at 2 weeks
Grant and Dylan
Grandma Spellman with Jake

Love and Cheers,
Brooke

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Surprise 30th birthday party!

Lately I've been feeling pretty fortunate. Fortunate for family, friends, and my happiness. I thank God everyday for my life and all that has been happening to Grant and I. One of the last things on my mind has been my 30th birthday. Some people make such a big deal about their birthdays... I generally do not. I always thought that 30 is a big one and should be celebrated even bigger... then... I got pregnant. I came to realize that my actual due date was September 9th. That is 4 days from my birthday. My birthday is September 13th. So immediately I knew this year would be about the baby.

Grant came to me earlier this week and said, "I know you don't want to take the baby out of the house yet, so I asked Katy to baby sit for an hour while we go to dinner with your family." At first I thought this wasn't going to work... how can I leave my week old baby? But, Grant and my mom convinced me that Jake would be OK and we would only be gone an hour. So, I pumped... I can't even tell you how weird that was. The things us women have to go through! :) We were gone about an hour and headed home. We got home and of course I march up to the back door and go in. That is where I was TOTALLY surprised! All of my closest friends were in my house yelling, "surprise!" It was awesome! I'm still in shock that Grant pulled it off without me figuring it out.

I was able to say hello to everyone and chat a little. But, the whole time I was downstairs all I could think about was Jake upstairs. So, I excused myself and went upstairs to see the little guy. I spent most of my party with the baby. I felt bad, but my first priority is Jake... not me. My mom came up and stayed with the baby while I went downstairs to talk more. Everyone understood that he's only a week old and that I'm so distracted lately. Grant wanted to make sure I felt loved... and I did! What a great guy! He planned everything and had decorations bought and ready for Katy to arrange while we were at dinner. It was great to see all my friends and family!

Thank you to all that came and made my night special! Thank you honey for a wonderful and memorable night! Thank you Katy and Kristyn for babysitting, and of course thank you mom for jumping in and watching Jake. I love you all!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

1 week old (September 8th)

Hello All!

My name is Jake. I was born on September 1st. I'm your typical baby. I like to eat, sleep, poop and be held. Yea, I said it. But, that's what I like to do. Oh! I forgot to say I love my mommy and daddy. They're pretty cool. Looks like God sent me to the right place. My first week has been a busy one. I left the hospital after 3 days, and came home to a full house. My grandparents were here, my uncles Marty, and Dylan, my aunt Ashley, and my mom's friend Kristy. I've had lots of visitors as well! Auntie Katy, Matty, Sandi and Kristyn too! I'm a happy baby. I don't have much to complain about. Life is good. I love when my mom sings Christian Hymns to me, and I already love my ABC's. My mom keeps saying I'm the best 30th birthday present she could have ever wished for. And that I'm a gift from God.

Let's see... what have we been doing this last week? Well, last Sunday (Sept 5th) I went back to the hospital for blood testing. They wanted to test my bilirubin levels because my pediatrician said I was a little jaundice. My mom cried when she saw how they take blood from a baby the day before at the hospital. So, grandma went with us. It wasn't that bad. It wasn't any worse than a diaper change in my opinion. I really hate that! I love my grandma! She sleeps with mommy and wakes up when I cry, changes me and passes me to mommy so I can eat. I LOVE TO EAT! Grandma has been helping clean the house, doing laundry... and pretty much everything my mom needs help with! Mom is feeling much better though. And everyone in the house has to tell her to sit down and stop doing so much. My dad has slept downstairs for the past few days, since grandma has been with mommy. This helps daddy so he can get up super early for work. I love hearing my dad's voice when he walks in the door from work. Daddy and I have skin on skin time every night. I lay on him with a blanket covering me. I fall asleep on him.

I went to my first doctors appointment this week. It wasn't so bad. I'm not jaundice enough for worry or concern. So, they are leaving that alone. Thank goodness! They weighed me. I gained 7 oz in 2 days. I told you people... I like to eat! Something perfectly natural happened to me when they went to weigh me...  they took my diaper off and I peed. Hello people... It was cold! The nurse laughed and said I marked my territory. But, I was just cold and had to go! Yesterday I went to the bay with Grandpa, Grandma, daddy, Dylan, and mommy. It was fun! My dog Brady ran in the water! It was pretty cool!

Well, I gotta get going. It's time for dinner! I'll write more later.

See ya!
Jake
My first sponge bath:

Grandma showing mommy how to bathe me:

Chillin in my swing:

The bay:

My dog Brady running in and out of the water:

Night night!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Introducing... Jake Bowman Stone

Nothing in life ever goes as planned, right? Well, I believe this to be true. I also believe that Jake has his own little personality and has a mind of his own already and will do just what he wants... With that said... I would like to introduce Jake Bowman Stone!

(I woke up that morning and realized that I hadn't taken a picture of my baby bump in weeks! So... Here is my last photo of my pregnant belly on 9-1-2010 : 38 weeks and 6 days)

09-01-2010
Wednesday was going to be a busy day. Grant took the day off since we had lots to get done. We ran errands in the morning, and then we went to Long Beach Memorial for our pre-op appointment. We were at the hospital for quite awhile... about 3 hours getting blood work done, urine tests, and then signing papers. I made several jokes that I should just have the baby then and there since I was at the hospital. But, I also had to get my hair done (who doesn't get there hair done before surgery?). I had a hair appointment at 2pm. Katy met me at the salon so that we could catch up! Katy, hair, feet up (they were the most swollen I had ever seen), and a coffee bean in hand! I remember telling her... that if I was having this baby naturally he would be coming early. I just had the feeling! I guess when you know you know! I left the salon all ready for Grant's and my last dinner as a family of 2.

5:15pm: I got home from my hair appointment and went to the bathroom.... I was trying to get ready for dinner and also getting the last minute laundry together, and finalizing packing our bags. My uncle Phil and my cousins were on their way over to give us a gift they had bought for Jake. I went upstairs to change and had to use the restroom again. After I got done with the restroom I noticed water dripping down my leg (sorry for that TMI). I went into my bedroom and changed. After I changed I grabbed some laundry and headed down the stairs. I threw some laundry in the machine and sat down at the dinning room. All of a sudden I felt a gush. I looked up and heard Grant talking to a co-worker, and I yelled out... "you might need to get off the phone for this one." Grant came over and I stood up... I took off my pants, showed him the wet spot and said, "my water broke"! Grant and I just looked at each other and stared! We couldn't believe it was happening! I went upstairs and heard the doorbell ring. It was my uncle and cousins.

5:22pm: Grant called our doctor and said my water had broken. She told Grant she would head on in to the hospital to meet us! Grant proceeded to call his family and friends while I changed again. I called Katy and told her the news! I of course called all of my immediate family members and went downstairs. My uncle and the boys jumped back in their car and went to the hospital. Grant gathered all of our suitcases, boppy's, snacks for the nurses, etc and we jumped into our car.

5:30pm: On way to hospital. We were shocked, and excited! I just couldn't believe I was about to be a mom. I started crying. I was so overwhelmed with emotions. I couldn't be happier and excited, but scared about the cesarean and the recovery. On the way to the hospital Dr. Woodson sent me a text message on our way to the hospital. I wanted to share that text:
"When you arrive the nurses will put you on the monitor, do a vaginal exam to confirm that your water broke, and then will get you ready for surgery. There is currently a c-section going on now. We will follow... can't wait to see baby Jake. He marches to his own beat this one... obviously calling the shots from the beginning. See you soon."
Grant and my cousins

Grant and our doctor
Pretty sure I was the complainer about not having the birth experience... The "honey my water broke"... Guess what folks... I HAD IT! I got to the hospital and was immediately taken to triage. While getting examined I had a few visitors. My brother Marty, his wife Ashley, my uncle Phil, my aunt Audrey, 2 cousins (Bryan and Mitchell), Katy, Donnie, and Matt. They checked me...water definitely broken, contractions in tow, IV in place.... IT WAS GO TIME.

They wheeled me out of the room where I said my quick goodbye's. I got into the surgery room and they administered the spinal (that was fun... NOT). They laid me down and I just waited. I got numb and then Grant appeared. I was so scared! He walked in and sat down next to me. He said I was all business. I looked at him. We prayed and I said talk to me to distract me. He was distracted so I had to lead him in questions at first. The next thing you know I felt lots of tugs and baby Jake was born. 








7:57pm:

JAKE BOWMAN STONE
7 LBS 1 OZ 19.5 INCHES

Grant cutting the cord:

Jake's feet:

Father and son:

Right after I got out of recovery. Not my finest picture... but, it's a picture of my son and I.

Jake on his actual c-section due date (9-2). His 1st day and a few visitors:


In his car seat... all ready to head home! 



Overall, the cesarean wasn't as terrible as I imagined. My doctor really does rock! I'm grateful that she was there this entire journey of becoming a parent and for being there for my surgery! The whole process actually went by fast. From the moment my water broke at 5:15pm, till having the surgery (Jake was born at 7:57pm) it actually seemed to have flown by. I was in recovery for quite awhile, but Grant was able to join me after he went with Jake to the nursery for tests, weigh ins, and a bath. Grant was able to have skin on skin time with Jake (about 45 minutes) as well. That was a very big deal for me... as well as, I don't want Jake to have a bottle. He will be a breast fed baby only. The nurses thought Grant was adorable of course. Grant came in and saw me in recovery and showed me pictures of our son. I was so so so happy! Our son is perfect! I couldn't be happier. I feel like the Lord has blessed us with so many things. I am forever grateful for our gift of life. :)

Hope you enjoyed our story. We're back at home and trying to get into the swing of things. My parents flew into town this Saturday and have been so helpful! I'm pretty darn lucky to have a house full of loved ones... including OUR NEW SON! :) 

Love and cheers,
Brooke

 
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