Graco Pack ‘n Play® Playard with Newborn Napper®

First, after having to be plugged into the biliblanket for several days we learned how convenient and useful the Pack ‘n Play is. Rather than unplug her, hike her upstairs, replug her and put her to bed each night we simply slept downstairs in the living room with her. Andy likes to fall asleep on the couch watching TV anyway so it worked out beautifully! Kayden slept in the super soft, removable bassinet part of the Pack ’n Play . The removable changing station and diaper stacker is so handy to have nearby. I added a plastic bag next to the diaper stacker and have the top portion of the napping station (below the bassinet and changing station) packed with extra diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, blankets and pacifiers. Makes it VERY easy to tend to her needs in the middle of the night because everything you need is right there.

Total Baby Application for my iPhone

At first I wondered if it would be worth the $4.99 for this app. I still have quite a lot left on my gift card from last Christmas but I’m forever a cheap frugal girl and think carefully before buying apps, especially since there are so many good free ones out there. This one was definitely worth it.

I didn’t think it would be all that difficult to remember when I last fed and changed Kayden, but after a few nights of little to no sleep I’m lucky to wake up knowing her name let alone what time I fed her, for how long and from which side she nursed. So yes, this handy app is wonderful; you can track all that and more with just a click of a button – diaper changing (what time, if she was wet/dirty/both), feeding (which side nursing/bottle/food), nap times, bath times, other timers. 

Additionally, it tracks doctor appointments, growth, vaccines, allergies, milestones and even has a journaling function.  It also allows you to export data via e-mail or sync/backup/restore via Wi-Fi connection. I don’t use the app to its full capabilities at this time but I do love it.

Munchkin: Jelly Bean® Reversible Sling

This sling is awesome! I just got it out of the package yesterday and already love it. Kayden is comforted by being close to me and it allows me to keep my hands free to type, do housework, eat, etc. My hypnobirthing instructor said they are great for breastfeeding in public too so I’ll have to work on that so I won’t have to park out in the middle of nowhere in the mall parking lot to feed her like I did yesterday!

The sling is reversible, providing a couple different fabric options and it’s very comfortable. I have another sling that is just a single type of fabric and I must say I prefer the reversible sling…it feels sturdier and also has a padded edge on one side. The website says it can be worn in several different positions, which I can try as she gets older. There are no rings or buckles to worry about so that is nice too.

That’s all for now! I’m sure I’ll discover more as time goes on. =)

*Note: This is NOT a sponsored post. But if Graco, Munchkin, or any other baby product company WANTS to sponsor a post I’d be happy to write one (or more!) =)

Some of my faves:

More located HERE.

I am super excited to see Kayden’s newborn photos too! Those are scheduled for next week. Photos courtesy of www.annstewardphotography.com

The Biliblanket is a paddle with fiber-optic light that is placed on her back 24/7, or as much as possible. It will help break down the bilirubin so her little body can process and get rid of it. Poor little baby looks like an electric glow-worm.

Good news is she is nursing better and more frequently so that will also help flush the bilirubin out of her system. Hopefully we can get rid of the equipment tomorrow and have a mobile baby again!

Kayden came home on Tuesday, July 20th. Andy & I were both exhausted but unbelievably happy.

Meeting the dogs:

The dogs were wound up like an 8-day clock when we got home, which is par for the course when we’ve been gone for a few days. Plus, Andy gave them all baths right away, another surefire way to get them all crazy. Then obviously Kayden brought in a lot of new sounds and scents so the dogs were C-R-A-Z-Y trying to take her in and see what she was all about!

We took her to visit my grandparents that afternoon and she had a few visitors in the early evening.  I tried to sleep during the day/evening since she was sleeping but I was too excited; I just wanted to hold her, stare at her and love on her every moment I could. So, while I sat in awe over our beautiful baby Andy was in full force picking up the house getting things in order and cleaning, which is always nice. =)

I tried to nurse her as much as possible due to the low blood sugar issue in the hospital. She was getting better, but not where she needed to be yet. Andy & I finally started to wind down around 10 PM or so and wouldn’t you know that’s about the time little Miss Kayden decided to get up. =) None of us got much sleep that night.

Kayden suddenly caught on to nursing and wanted to nurse 15-30 minutes at a time every hour or two so I let her. Later the doctor said 15 minutes per side was enough, she was likely using me as a pacifier. But, I will do whatever it takes to make sure she’s getting enough and that her levels are appropriate.

How will we ever be able to say no to this face?

Our beautiful daughter  blessed us with her presence 15 days early and we couldn’t be happier to welcome her to our family. Kayden Nicole Meckley was born Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 10:17 PM weighing in at 7 pounds, 15 ounces and 19 inches long.

Although I entertained the idea that she may come early (and I’ve heard it both ways – oh your first is ALWAYS early/late) I chose to not dwell on things because I knew she would come when she was good and ready. Everyone had been asking me the usual – Have you dropped yet? Are you nesting? Have you gotten a surge of energy? (All potential signs that labor is near.) Well, the answer up until I actually went into labor is no, no and no.  I was actually surprised myself that I sort of procrastinated on getting the baby’s room ready and in order; we had just had our baby shower on July 11th and were still getting things put away and ready for the big day.

Saturday morning, July 17th, started off fairly normal, I got up around 8 AM and decided I really did need to at least get the baby clothes washed and put away  -  that was as close as I got to nesting.  I was feeling a little off and not up to doing much the rest of the day because my swollen feet hurt and I was just feeling altogether big, tired and pregnant.  When Andy got up he was in full force nesting mode and finished getting Kayden’s room cleaned, sorted and in order, while I sat and watched.  =)

Labor Begins

At one point during the day I joked that maybe my feeling “off” was because we were going to be having a baby much sooner than later. Around 10 PM my suspicions of labor grew stronger with every contraction. Since this was the first uncomfortable contraction sensations I’d had I wasn’t sure if it was the real deal or maybe false labor so we timed them and did what we could to keep me comfortable at home for as long as possible.

Using what I had learned in our Hypnobirthing class I breathed through the surges as best I could but after a couple hours I wasn’t sure I could go the no-meds route the pain was so bad. We called the midwife around midnight who advised us to wait another hour or two to see if my 30-60 second contractions would last longer than a minute regularly. As the night went on things continued to progress -  I vomited a couple times and I tried sitting in a warm tub to ease the contractions.  I tried to sleep in between surges but didn’t have much luck.

Heading to the Hospital

At 5 AM I felt a slight gush and checked to see if my membranes released. It wasn’t a lot of water so again, I wasn’t sure if it was my water breaking or part of the “bloody show”. The surges were between 3-5 minutes apart and 60-90 seconds long so I told Andy now was the time to head to the hospital. We were admitted at 5:30 AM and they confirmed my water had indeed broke; I was dilated to 4.5 cm and 80% effaced.

Once we got in the labor & delivery room I felt surprisingly better even though the contractions continued. My midwife told me getting past the 4 cm mark is probably the more difficult part of dilating and my nurse thought I was able to concentrate more going forward knowing that I was where I needed to be. We told the nurses and midwife that our plan was to use pain and other medication as a last resort. They were all really impressed at how I was managing the contractions. Sure they were strong, but I didn’t think they were all that bad yet. Andy would watch the monitor and tell me when the surge was peaking and when it was on the downhill slope, which helped a lot with my visualizations.

At first we were told first time moms usually deliver around 12 hours, which would mean at 10 AM Sunday morning. The nurse said she guessed we’d have Kayden by noon. Noon came and went and I continued to dilate. Next they said maybe by 3 PM. At 3 PM I was at 7 cm and Kayden was at -1 station so we continued to wait. The nurses and midwife continued to compliment me on how I was managing, saying I was a textbook example of how it should be, which gave me a boost of confidence that I really could do this my way.

Somewhere around this time they discovered I had what I think they called a “forebag”, a part the membranes that did not fully release so they broke it and there was a lot more fluid than when my water initially broke. We hoped this would help move things along.

The Turning Point

Then, at 5 PM I hit my breaking point; the surges had grown stronger and closer but I had not dilated anymore and they were recommending Pitocin to get things moving.  I had been awake for  about 33 hours ( in labor for 19) and hearing that my body was at a standstill caused me to lose focus on my hypnobirthing methods and rethink the no-meds route. I knew if I took Pitocin it would definitely intensify the situation and possibly prolong the process.

The fact that I was considering it at all made me feel like I was letting myself and my daughter down, but I knew things were going to be longer and stronger from here on out any direction we went. Andy and I discussed my options and decided to go ahead with the Pitocin, something to take the edge off the contractions, and finally an epidural.  They called the anesthesiologist (who was home having dinner with his family), started me on the necessary fluids for the epidural, and administered the Pitocin and other pain meds while we waited for the epidural.

What a world of difference.

Feeling no Pain

It was so nice to finally get some relief. I was nervous at first because they said I might feel drunk and out of it but I just felt much calmer and sleepy. I think I actually was able to get a wink or two of sleep in between contractions.

The first dose of medicine was wearing off before I was ready for the epidural and I could tell things were getting rough again. I should have been up walking around, trying to get gravity to help the situation but I just wanted to lay in the bed. Once I started feeling the pain in full force again I wondered how I would ever pull off the rest of the labor; I was so exhausted and whiney at this point I couldn’t even cry.

Our midwife checked me again around 6 PM and I was up to 8 or 9 cm and she said maybe I did not even need the epidural. I told her my plan had changed; I definitely wanted the epidural! She gave me another dose of the pain medicine to help until the anesthesiologist arrived, which was about 6PM when he gave me the epidural.

I tried not to think about the video I had seen of a woman getting an epidural…it does NOT look like fun! Andy said he watched the whole thing and agrees, it does not look like fun! Instead, I used my hypnobirthing techniques to stay calm while they got me prepped in between contractions.

I was pleasantly surprised at the epidural; the worst part was the numbing shot they gave before inserting the catheter, and it wasn’t all that bad considering. And then I thought I would be completely numb and not able to move my lower body…again, not true. I could feel everything and move everything, I just did not feel pain.  It was wonderful!

I was able to comfortably lay there through all contractions. The nurses and midwife kept asking if I felt the urge to push but I never really did. When I started to have different sensations around 9 PM they checked me again and said it was time to start pushing!

Witnessing a Miracle

The nurses put a mirror in place so I could watch the entire birth happen; had I not had the epidural I don’t think I could have been focused and in present mind to witness and fully appreciate the miracle that was taking place before our eyes.

Kayden’s head took longer than I expected to crown but when it finally did and we were able to get it out the rest of her followed immediately. I expected to have to work on the shoulders for awhile too but instead the next thing I knew Andy had caught her and set her on my chest. I did it. We did it. Our baby girl was here!

Hospital Stay

We stayed in the hospital until late Tuesday morning. The only issues we had was that Kayden slept ALL THE TIME! Which is normal, and nice most times, but she wasn’t nursing much. They were having to prick her tiny little foot every couple hours  and her sugar levels continued to drop. I didn’t like it, but at one point they practically force fed her an ounce or two of formula to try to get her levels up and I continued to try to nurse her. Eventually she started passing the tests but still wasn’t eating as much as she should. She would cry a bit when she got pricked or got a shot but quickly fell right back asleep.

The very worst part of the stay was when they were doing the last part of the blood work and doing additional jaundice testing. They said they would do it all at once so they only had to prick her foot one last time. What they failed to mention it they had to squeeze, squeeze, squeeze her little foot  for what felt like an eternity to collect all the blood they needed. At that time I had only gotten a few hours of sleep over the course of the last three days and I’m sure my new mommy hormones were in full effect so I lost it when she gave her first real blood curdling scream. Tears fell down my face as all I could do was sit there and watch while stroking her head and holding her hand. It brings tears to my eyes even now just thinking how much it broke my heart to see her in pain and not be able to do anything for her.

We were both released late Tuesday morning. Our new life has just begun!