Take a Shot!

Today was baby's 3 week check up with the pediatrician. And his first vaccination shot.

I died inside. It must be this new mommy thing, cause I could not bear to watch him get a shot. I would've done anything to take his shot for him and take the pain. I don't want my baby to feel any pain whatsoever.

I didn't have time to mentally prepare. We thought it was just a routine checkup. It started off great. Baby's weight is textbook - he's gained an ounce a day, so he's right on target for his weight. And he's grown an inch! Everything is perfect. And then the doc dropped the bomb. "And today he'll be getting his hep B vaccination."

I died.

Baby was already stressed from being checked up by the doc and the nurse. Being undressed, weighed, stretched, examined, etc. And now we have to prepare him for a shot! You're kidding me, right. Poor guy, he was sleeping so peacefully before all this.

So the hubby held down his thigh as baby slept away, not knowing what was coming, not knowing the rude awakening about to happen. And then the nurse did it, she gave him the shot, and after a quick pause of silence, "WAHHHHHHHH!" (that was the baby crying, not me...yet.)

Poor guy. And then the doc and nurse proceed to tell us that at our next visit, baby's 2 month check up - there are a whole slew of vaccines, which means a whole slew of shots! All in one visit! OMG - I think I will need to step out of the room for that one and leave the hubby at the helm.

So the baby will get another batch of shots, which means mommy will need to take a shot!

Pumped

Baby is 3 weeks old today and so far me and the hubby have managed to keep him happy, healthy and safe.

I'm breastfeeding. But my goodness, what a stressful ordeal that has been. So I've pretty much broken all the rules of breastfeeding by now, but hey the way I see it, as long as baby is getting my breastmilk and all the liquid gold in it, than that's all that matters right?

Right.

So we're supplementing with formula (rule #1 already broken). It's just hard to know if baby is getting enough from the breast ya know? I don't want baby to be dehydrated, I've seen that happen way too often in my TLC shows. At least with formula we can measure how much baby gets and so far he hasn't been confused at all and will take both milks. I'm also pumping (rule #2 broken as well). I like to pump, cause again, it gives a control freak like myself back the control cause by pumping, I can make sure how much milk baby is consuming. And since I can store it, we're building up a supply in which daddy can also help feed, especially in the wee hours of the night/morning. And did I mention pumping is so much more easier on my breast friends than baby is.

I've talked to other moms and also new moms from my birth class, and I've found that breastfeeding is stressful for almost everyone. So I say don't stress it! If you must break some of the rules, break em! If your goal is to have your baby get some of your breastmilk, and you need to either supplement or pump in order to do so, than its ok. There are no breastfeeding police around - unless you count the la leche league!

I miss my former breast friends. I am not too fond of these new ones. I'm a tiny gal, and I miss my tiny friends. These larger ones just don't look right.

Breastfeeding is hard, but you stay with it and you do it for the simple fact that baby is getting so much more from it. That's why I do it! And I do it through every avenue that you can =)

I'm ready, I'm getting through it, and I'm pumped!

Dr. McAwesomey

Grey's Anatomy might have "Dr. McDreamy" - but we are fortunate enough to have "Dr. McAwesomey..."

Yes, I've said it before and I will say it again. I absolutely love my OBGYN. He is seriously the best. And everyone that I know that goes to him as well, agrees tenfold, women and dads-to-be alike.

So I wanted to dedicate this entry to the renowned Dr. Dwight, who made our first adventure through pregnancy, labor and delivery the absolute best and safest experience we could have ever imagined. Thank you Dr. Dwight. There aren't enough words.

I've been seeing Dr. Dwight for over 13 years now, and so when it came time to start a family, we knew we were in great hands with him.

So many of my girlfriends commented on how their OBGYN only came to the delivery to "catch the baby" and then they were off, and that was literally all they saw of their doc during the labor and delivery experience.

So I found it very reassuring and comforting that Dr. Dwight was there with me and my husband at every step of experience. From the moment I called him to say we were on the way to the hospital, to my days of recovering, Dr. Dwight was there. He was there to check in with me as I was laboring away, and he was there to stay with me as I was nearing the end of dilation. He was there during my pregnancy scares, when I was sure something was wrong with the baby, and he was there to tell me that everything is fine, and never made me feel ridiculous for coming in, in the first place. He was there, always honest with me and the hubby, realistic but always optimistic. He was always there.

He's truly exceptional.

Did I mention I like to give him gifts? The hubby says that's why he is extra nice to us. When I worked at eToys, I sent him some toys, and then when we got pregnant and started to see him for our monthly check-ups, I sent him some Williams Sonoma Croissants, and now after the delivery, I plan to send him something again. The hubby always remarks on how Dr. Dwight is getting plenty from our insurance =) and already makes more than we'll probably see in this lifetime, but still, I plan to send him gifts...

I guess its just cause I really want him to know how thankful we are that he takes care of us. He played a big part in me carrying, laboring and delivering a healthy and happy baby boy. And I guess I can't thank him enough. I look at our son, and I have to attribute his safe entry into this world to Dr. Dwight. I may have carried him for nine months, but I couldn't have delivered him without the doc.

For those of you who are planning to start a family, and are in search for an OBGYN, I highly recommend Dr. Dwight. I'm not sure if he is accepting new patients, but it's worth a try, so drop me a line for the info.

I mean, he was good enough for Madonna, so you know he's the best.

He's Worth It

Well folks...

...Believe it or not, I'm a mom now. Our healthy and happy baby boy was born on Sunday, March 4 at 10:44pm. And life's been different ever since, a brilliant kind of different.

After hours in labor, I ended up getting my epidural at 7cm! 7! My goal was to get it at 4-5cm but I had to wait it out until an agonizing 7cm. But after that epidural, life was real good, oh yeah! No pain whatsoever, I seriously do not know why women would want to do this all naturally - just get the epidural and you can smile your way through the delivery.

At around 9cm, my awesome OBGYN had me start pushing to get baby's head descending down my pelvic canal so that we can actually get the pushing out part started. But after some serious pushing, and I mean serious pushing, his head was just too big and not coming down, so with the advice of our OB, and being realistic, we opted for the C-Section. Around 15 minutes after prep, our baby arrived!

He's now 12 days old and is already ruling the household. Sure the hubby and I are sleep deprived, unshowered, not eating, and unabashedly unkempt, but it's truly all worth it once we see our little baby boy.

So it took 9 months for me to bake this lil bun, and now we're blessed with a lifetime with him. After all the pains, the nausea, the pregnancy acne, the weight gain, the water retention, the swelling, the dreaded leg cramps, the contractions, the dilation checks - ouch!, the needles, the stitches, the recovery, the post partum pouch, the hormones raging all over the place, and after all the labor...AFTER EVERYTHING...

...I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. He's just that worth it!

Entitled

We graduated!

Last night was our graduation from our 6 series long birthing classes. We are glad we made it through them all, for a while there, we didn't know if we would since the baby could've arrived sooner. But we made it, and we're glad.

It was an awesome series of classes, our instructor was exceptional, and we grew to discover that our classmates were the most ecclectic, creative, and impassioned people we had ever been surrounded with.

3 out the 15 couples enrolled, did not make it to graduation, since they delivered! One of the new proud papas came by our last class since he was still at the hospital right next door, and he shared his photos and experience with us. He and his wife delivered a beautiful baby girl on Tuesday, 4 weeks early due to a low level of amniotic fluid, so she was induced and had a C-Section.

Seeing and hearing him explain their experience was so touching and inspiring.

Our instructor ended our class with a toast to us all and she explained how there is this line drawn between those who have kids and those who don't. And currently, we are clearly still all standing on the side with those who don't, but soon, in due time, all of us in the class will soon cross over that line and become parents.

She explained how, no matter what this class has taught us, no matter what we've read, or seen on tv, or heard from our own family and friends that have their own babies, we will never know what that genuine miracle of parenthood and creating, delivering a baby is, until we finally cross over that line.

An animator, an illustrator, a painter, a composer, renowned chefs, a writer, a teacher, architects, engineers, artists, a counselor, a programmer and a designer, pretty soon, we'll be adding another title to our repertoire: Parents.

After 9 months of preparing, I'd say it's an esteemed title we are all entitled to.