Give me a "C!"

Well you guessed it, "C" for C-Section.  Last week was pretty eventful.  We spent a good part of our Christmas Eve interacting with doctors and nurses.  At 8AM we had our weekly prenatal appointment.  She was still transverse and Dr. Sanchez said he wanted to schedule a C-Section for the coming week.  The person in charge of scheduling was not in at the moment and would give us a call in a few days.  It would either happen on Wednesday or Thursday.

I was feeling a bit off, started with cramping in the later part of the morning, which turned into contractions by 2PM, at about a half hour apart.  There was no pain, but her movements had decreased.  I called the doctor's office and they advised me to go into the hospital to have her monitored because of the change in movements.  After a few hours the contractions ceased and there were no concerns with the baby, her heart rate was fine.  Before that, it looked like we were going to have an emergency C-Section.

Between all of the fun, we had to cancel our dinner plans with my dad's side of the family. They were suppose to come to our house and bring the (Guatemalan) tamales.  We were let go about 7PM.

While in the hospital we found out that Little Miss. Lopez decided to return to her original spot.  She moved herself from the transverse position, (still breech) back to head up and bottom down on the right side of my belly.  The girl has moxie!  I have diagnosed myself and believe all of the cramping and contractions we due to her turning back to where she originally was located.

Our C-Section is scheduled for the 30th, yup, in two days!  I'm feeling fine with it.  Is there a chance that she may turn (head down - bottom up), yes.  What are the statistics on that...??  Waiting to go into labor, finding out that she is still breech and having to go into an emergency C-Section adds another level of stress, that I personally prefer to avoid.  So, ready or not here she comes!

Our Last....

This year for Christmas Mark and I decided to do something different.  We usually buy each other 2 or 3 gifts, instead, we decided to have ourselves a "fancy" dinner at Dal Rae in Pico Rivera and exchange one gift with a price limit.  This would be our last Date Night, (arranged by Mark) without children.  As a "single couple," if that makes any sense.

If was a very fulfilling dinner.  The place was decorated tastefully and the food was food-gasmic!  I highly recommend the Sea Bass.   After dinner we headed back home for two reasons.  First, it was cold that night and second, I was 37 weeks and most of my energy is depleted at night; walking around is now more of good workout.

We got home, got into comfy clothes and Mark lit a fire.  We laid on the couch, talked about different things and fell asleep.  Later that night Mark woke me up and we headed to bed.  A very pleasant night.

 

We tried but no luck.

On Saturday (12/19/09) we went for the external version (turning the baby).  Dr. Gray's explanation was the Cliff notes version of the procedure.  Just in case I had to go into an emergency C-Section, I was instructed to get into a gown, an IV was inserted and blood was drawn.  A bit more intense than what was portrayed, but I was okay with it.  When Dr. Sanchez came into the triage room, he reviewed the risks and I doubled checked with him if it was too painful he would stop, he confirmed that.  So I told him that we were still a-go.  I was given a shot to relax my uterus so it would not begin to contract (just in case).

The way the version is done, is with the guidance of the ultrasound, the doctor locates the baby and placenta.  Once the baby is felt from the belly, the doctor can identify the different (major) body parts and he begins.  Since my little girl is towards the right of my belly, head up and along the placenta, Dr. Sanchez began to move her clockwise.  When he first began, there was pressure and a bit of discomfort.    I began to cry, I was not sobbing or anything like that, just tears rushing down my face and I had no control over them.  I knew it was hormones and I told Mark and the doctor I was not in pain.  I think that occurred because the "sacred vessel" was being touched in an invasive manner, with that came along the unknown.  It was actually a very odd feeling.  As he continued there were peaks of pain and a feeling of pressure and discomfort.  It felt as if the lower part of my stomach was being pulled, which then led to cramping within that area and my upper tights.  Being constricted that way made it hard to adjust to get comfortable, or move with the doctor's motion.  I can say one thing, the breathing strategies that I learned in the birthing class came in handy.  The doctor decided to stop before getting her turned all the way because the baby's heart rate dropped.  Her heart usually beats between 148-152 beats per minute and it dropped to 134.

The procedure did not last more than 5 minutes, but I needed to be observed to make sure nothing was "triggered."  Come to find out during my time there, I have been experiencing contractions.  The nurse brought it to my attention and I was actually surprised.  I have been feeling it for some time now but had not idea they were contractions.  I thought it was the baby was moving in a different manner.  First time mom, that's all I can say.  Per the monitor read-out, some were Braxton Hicks contractions, but for the most part they were true contractions.  After the procedure was done, I had nine contractions in one hour.  I did not feel pain, but felt them.  Since I had so many contractions and I was cramping, they kept me in the hospital a bit longer just to make sure I was not going into full blown labor.  I was released at about 1:30 PM, a bit sore and tired.

She is now transverse, which means she is laying across my belly.  Unless she changes position on her own, it looks we're going to have to schedule a C-Section.  We've got an appointment this Thursday and I'm sure Dr. Sanchez will gives us some options or a C-Section date will be made if she is still transverse.  Please keep us in prayer.

Someone is not cooperating

Last weekend at the 3D Ultrasound shop, the tech informed us that the baby was breeched.  She actually said, " You know she is breeched, right?"  We did not know.  Since we had a set prenatal appointment for Thursday, we did not make phone calls to the doctor's office just waited until our appointment.  The baby is positioned with her bottom towards the "exit" and her head on the top right side of my belly.  

At my doctor's office there is a pool of seven doctors that may deliver the baby.  My doctor, Dr. Sanchez, is one of the seven.  If for whatever he cannot make it to the expected event for whatever reason (i.e., vacation, illness, multiple mothers giving birth a the same time, etc) I have at least met the other six doctors and there has been some sort connection established.  At first I was a bit weary about the set up, but after meeting all of the doctors and more than once, I'm comfortable with the set up.  All of my interactions with the doctors have been positive and they seem very knowledgeable.  I should know, I usually come in with a mile long list of questions.

Yesterday I met with Dr. Gray, (it was my third visit with him) and I explained what the tech expressed to us and he confirmed it.  First, the confirmation was with him feeling for the baby and then with an ultrasound.  His top recommendation was to try to turn the baby externally.  I was not quite on board with the experience at first.  He explained and slightly performed what the procedure entails.  It's as if I'm getting a deep massage on my belly, but trying to show the baby where to move.  I don't remember the medical term for the procedure, but it must be done in the hospital so they can monitor the baby.  Dr. Gray explained that if I felt pain they would stop.  There is a 50/50 chance that she will make that turn.  The pro is that we could avoid a C-Section.  The cons are that the placenta may detach or the cord may be pinched in the process.  If that were to happen, I would have an emergency C-Section.  The likelihood of that happening is low.  Dr. Gray explained that has not happened in his experience.  He asked us to think about it, but we needed to decide soon because I'm now 37 weeks (nine months) and the space for that turn is getting limited.  Dr. Gray did check if I had enough amniotic fluid and it checked out.  Mark and I decided at that time to go ahead with it.

Dr. Gray needed to figure out who was scheduled in the hospital for today and Saturday.  So today I called the office and my doctor will be the one implementing it.  I cannot eat or drink anything after 12AM tonight.  Tomorrow we are due in the hospital at 7:30AM.  We are asking for prayers, for everything to go well.  If she does not make the turn, we will not be disappointed, but at least we tried and most likely a C-Section will have to be scheduled.    

3D Ultrasound Experience

Mark really wanted to get a 3D ultrasound for the baby.  For me, it really did not matter.  Last week we got a postcard in the mail for a 3D ultrasound package and the pricing was reasonable so we decided to make an appointment for this past Saturday.  Miss Lopez seemed to be a bit shy and did not want to show her face.  The one short glimpse we got of her face, she had her arm over it.  It seemed as if she was sleeping and did not want to move from where she was at; actually her sleeping position was like Mark's.  When I saw that arm over her face, I turned to Mark and said, "Isn't that how you sleep?"  He smiled and nodded.  The tech who was helping us felt really horrible that she could not get a decent shot.  There was nothing we could do to budge her. I tried coughing, moving to different sides, candy, drinking cold water and nudging at the tummy and nada.  She was comfy how she was.  We went back yesterday, Sunday, to see if there was a better outcome.  Luckily, we did get to see her better, not what the tech would have preferred but at least we got some shots of her.  So here are some...

 For most of the shots she was up against the placenta.  Maybe she was keeping cozy.  You can see her two arms there.

That is the placenta on the left side.

Here is a shot of her sucking on her toe.  There was a lot of that :)  If you look closely, you can see her tongue.

It was really interesting feeling her move while simultaneously watching her on the screen and realizing what movement meant which body part was moving.

Baby Shower Part 2

I feel very blessed with friends and family.  I would never imagined having 4 showers for the pregnancy.  The first shower was with family and close friends, that I was aware of and involved in to an extent.  After that, there were three surprise showers which took place within weeks to come.  My Bunco group, who really surprised me; I thought it was a regular Bunco night, but they of course had something else in mind.  In addition, the Infant-Family crew (my dept) from work and as a whole, the school I work at, Leffingwell Elementary.  For those who made the extra effort, took time and money out of their day, Mark and I are both very appreciative.  Thank you!

Here some pictures of my Bunco group.  They were taken last week.

Teresa made this tu-tu for the baby.  It is sooo cute!

The Nursery: Part 3

Here is an update of the nursery since the Baby Shower and also after a very long shopping trip to Target and Baby "R" Us.  You always hear how children are expensive, well, they weren't joking!  Even though, there was a great discount to our registry items from Baby "R" Us, it was kind of scary approaching the register.

Here are some pictures of the crib.  It finally has a mattress and bedding.  It is so nice to see it "come alive."

The changing table/dresser, now has a changing pad with cover and a cute bag to hold the diapers.

The baby's closet has finally become "the baby's closest."  All of the wonderful clothes and items that were received at the shower have been stored there.  But we still need to pull out that old computer.

It's so nice to see the room coming together.  

Baby Shower Part 1

This past Saturday was the Baby's shower.  It was given by Kimura, Lorena, Anne, Eunice, and Lizeth.  My mom and mother-in-law were "silent financial backers."  It was held at Palm Park's Rec. Room.  The "Baby Shower Ladies" did a great job and I am very appreciative of everything they did for us.  It was such an experience of being the "mom" in a baby shower. It was so different being on the other side of that, but it was a good type of different.  Lorena was the photographer for the event so I don't have pictures of the actual shower yet, but I do have pictures of the "aftermath."

I had asked for the theme to be The Very Hungry Caterpillar and here is the invitation made by Auntie Anne and the center pieces were designed by Eunice.

These were so cute; each table had one of each.  And again, she completely came up with concept herself.

Here's a picture of the presents rounded up at home in the nursery.

Here's the one that I thought had the best presentation.  It was given to the baby by (soon-to-be) Tio Jay and his girlfriend Delia.

The next picture is my favorite card.

The card was given to the baby by (soon-to-be) Uncle David and Auntie Anne.  The picture does not do it justice.

Once again, thanks to all who gave up time to attend the shower.  Mark and I appreciated everyone for being there and all the work that was put towards it from our close friends.

An unexpected hospital trip.

Yesterday I woke up and did not feel the baby.  More specifically, I didn't feel her weight.  I thought maybe she was towards my back and maybe when I started moving around she would "get into gear."  I had my breakfast and went for a walk before work.  I did feel her move, but the movements were subtle and not as frequent.

Throughout the day I felt her move here and there.  Also, I felt reassured because my hunger "needs" had not really changed.  The one thing that concerned me was the immediate change of movement from one day to the next, I was not sure if that was normal.  I did have my regular prenatal appointment later that afternoon so there was some relief to make sure that I would be "checked out."

At the doctor's office, my urine and blood pressure were perfect.  The baby's heart beat was strong and the beats per minute were right on target.  The nurse asked me to make sure to comment the difference in the baby's movement to the doctor.  I explained to Dr. Sanchez what was happening and he said, "I don't like the sound of that.  After you are done here, I want you to go to the hospital.  I'll call to let them know you will be arriving shortly."  He immediately went outside and made the call.  He came back in and I went through my list of questions and I was off to the hospital (it is two minutes away from the office).

The check-in was quick since we had pre-registered last month.  I was escorted in the triage room where Jello and ice water were already set next to my bed; I was the only one in the room (it was meant for 2).  My nurse was ready and waiting for me, she soon strapped into the monitor and all of the routine checks were made.   She explained that they wanted to monitor me for a while and the doctor on-call would be in to check on me.  The nurse came back three times within a 30 minute time span and everything was normal.  So much so, that the doctor was not needed to verify.  She explained that the change in movement(s) could very well be due to her change in weight/space.  There is probably less space for her to move and she needs to adapt to her new environment.  Later that night at home, the "tiny little dancer" was back to her old self again.  Today, everything "feels" back typical.  The movements are a bit different; they are not as fierce, but are constant. Thank God everything checked out and I was able to go home with a baby in my tummy.

Here's a pick of me during my hospital stay.

Look what Daddy is making!

On our trip to Ojai this summer we wondered into an art gallery that had very cute wooden art decor.  Like most are galleries, it was out of our price range, but we really liked them for the baby's room.  Mark turned to me and said, "I could make this."  Works for me, I thought.  For the past couple of weeks Mark was been creating his daughter's wall art.  It is the same concept as what we saw in Ojai, but the "art" if very different.  So here is Mark's first gift to his daughter...

Mark is not done with it, he would like to had more features to it.  Once it is done, he will proudly hang it up in her new room.

Sympathy Pains?

About 2-3 weeks ago my sciatica started making it's presence know.  I've never had an issue with it before; I've heard other people dealing with the pain, but I never had a clue about what it really felt like.  Now I do.  It turns out that Mark's sciatica started up about the same time mine did.  Also, his was on the left side...  Three weeks ago I decided to start with yoga classes to help out with it.  It's a yoga studio that I had gone before the pregnancy.  The day after the class my sciatica, hip and pelvic muscles felt increasingly better.  In the past 3 weeks my sciatic pain and other pelvic soreness has cleared....YaY!  A few days ago I asked Mark if he was feeling any better, miraculously his pain disappeared....hmmm.  I guess there is something to this thing called Sympathy pains.

Third Trimester!!

So finally I'm in my third trimester and I'm feeling it.  This past week my hips and butt have had to adjust to the baby's growing weight.  My bones and muscles around the hip and butt area have been sore and I could feel them stretching.  I do get tired a lot faster and cat-naps are just part of my day.  At night, trying to get comfortable in my bed is somewhat of a hit and miss, but eventually I get there.  This little girl seems to enjoy moving around, especially when I'm (semi) laying down and resting, it's her time to shine.  It is very fascinating to witness my stomach bulge periodically and also, a funny sensation.  

Guess what I'm learning to do?

Yup, learning to sew.  The driving force behind this, is to make Very Hungry Caterpillar characters for the reading area in the baby's room.  I initially was going to paint them in, but after some thought I thought a 3-D effect was what I was after.  Well friends, wish me luck!

Nursery Part 2

The crib finally came in on Friday night.  We went for it that night and of course, Mark was ready to set it up and make it part of our home.  We decided on a 4 in 1 crib, antique white to go with the rest of the furniture.  This weekend we fnally decided and purchased the curtains. 

The reading area to the right, that's where you'll find the chair, is still lacking a shelf and the Very Hungry Caterpillar decor.  Also, we are still looking for a rug for the front of the bed, the pictures/prints and other bedroom decor that will have the pinks to add the femine touch.  Those items will most likely come in a few months later.  We've got the main items taken care of, for now.  May I just add, this has all been possible due to Mark's hard work.....thanks for being who you are!

Just a little help to make it through the night

It's been at least a couple of months that my night-night routine has been in full effect.  Sleeping flat on my back is a thing of the past for now and going between the couch and the bed is just the norm.  Here's my "support group"....

As you can see it takes 6 pillows and a rolled up towel for my lower back to get comfy.  Once the pillows are laid down, I've got to find the perfect spot to drift away.  Now, the pee-pee factor, I believe I'm lucky that I usually wake up once a night.  Hopefully that keeps, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

The Nursery: Part 1

The former office has been emptied and painted. Here's our progress so far. Yesterday, the first set of furniture pieces were rolled in and a piece was set up by Mark. It has taken a bit longer to get to this point than anticipated. First, the colors (paint) that we decided on turned out to be different than what the swatches made us believe, so we had to regroup. Should we try and find the color(s), or change the color scheme? Then, Mark's surgery put a halt on the painting. His movements and activity level were restricted for about 3 weeks.

Below you'll find the picture of what use to be the office.....pre-pregnancy.

The room was white and pretty empty. Moving into this home we both knew

we wanted kids, but we were not sure when we wanted them. We did not

put much effort into the decor of this room, because we knew it would change

into a nursery, sooner than later.

The room comes with enough closet space (three closets) and we pretty much

kept a bookshelf and two desks in the room. Initially, the thought was that one

desk was for me and the other for Mark. The one you see to your left was the

one we both used.

The closet space....

The unused desk...

Moving Day!

Uncle David came over to help.

Now, let's paint!

Mark is a man on a mission.

After all of the discussions and swatch comparing, we decided to go with a soft green and yellow. The majority of the decor will consist of pinks and browns. Most of the walls were painted green, except for one. Where my desk was kept, it will now become the reading area, decorated with The Very Hungry Caterpillar characters. At this point the characters have not been painted onto the walls. I want to get the section furnished so I can have a better idea of where to paint in the characters.

The reading area

Here is the first piece of furniture that has been assembled and placed in the nursery, the bookshelf.

We have gone from an office to a corner.... This is our new "workstation." It's kind of cozy.

Once we have the majority of the room finished, I'll have another blog with pictures. Thanks for reading!

Say Hello To My Little Friend......Heartburn. Well not so little.

So what can I say? Heartburn is just part of the game. I've experience heartburn since the beginning of my pregnancy, but it was rare. For the past week or so, it has been everyday, mostly at night, but now showing up after lunch. What has been my saving grace.....

These little magic pills work immediately and they aren't bad tasting.

Last week I was pleasantly surprise by a family I work with, work related. As I entered their home the mother presented me with a gift for the baby. This is her first formal gift! I was so appreciative of their gesture, I almost wanted to cry, but that may be due to the hormones. At this point who knows, but I was very grateful to them. That was something they did not have to do but did. Here's their gift.

Two sets of bibs (organic cotton) and a blanket.

Today was set aside for baby furniture shopping. I was so tired by the end! I think tomorrow we will make our purchase and hopefully within two weeks the items will be here. The room has been painted and emptied, so all it needs is some baby stuff and of course the baby!

I'm at the end of my 5th month. Wow time has gone by so fast. You hear that at the beginning of your pregnancy, and I, at that time didn't think it would, but I was wrong. I'm over half way there and getting excited!

Baby's "First"

Hi All! I've been out of commission for about 2 weeks. Mark had minor surgery for a deviated septum about a week in a half ago, so I've been playing "Nurse Erika." He's doing a lot better and is almost his old self again, but he does have his limitations when it comes to his activity level. Who knew your nose had so much control over you?

Well, before Mark's surgery, he had begun the office to nursery conversion. He was not able to finish due to the surgery and of course there were a few snags along the way. I don't want to give too much away, because there will be a blog entry of the nursery. Here's a little peak into what we have planned.

Mark is trying to figure out which color goes with our "plan."

I'm well into my 5th month and everything seems to be going well. My 4th month seemed to be a good one. There were a couple of days that I was tired or dizzy but nothing abnormal. I'm drinking a lot of water. My hunger is almost normal, but she still wants the homemade stuff. So I've become quite a cook. The baby and Mark are truly benefiting from that. The swelling is a part of life now. I believe it has to due with the heat wave we've just experienced, but soaking in our tub has been quite enjoyable. I don't think I've ever appreciated the tub as I have these past few days. It has mostly been my feet/legs and hands that have been swollen. Also heartburn is the latest craze for when I have to go to bed, but I keep my Tums right next to my nightstand and that usually does the trick.

Last week on September 1st, the baby gave Mark the privilege to feel her kick/punch. Mark was very excited and I believe shocked on how real it felt. Later that night she woke me woke because she was moving so much. It is a nice feeling, but when you are trying to get back to sleep at 2AM it kinda makes for a cranky mom.

Friends who are already mommies have been passing on some items to me. Here they are:

I was talking to Lorena and explaining that I wanted to learn how to sew and one of the first things I want to make is a sling. She immediately explained that she had one and I could have it if I wanted it. But of course!

Thanks Lorena!

Kimura, my BFF, thought I could use a breast pump, breast pads and a swaddle when the baby arrived and she was right.

Thanks Ki!

And I could not help myself when I had lunch with Lorena a few weeks back and we were in a kids clothing store.

Aren't they cute. It's not for a newborn. Since she is going to be born in the winter, I thought she could use this later in the year. There is so much to chose from for a girl.

A pregnant gal's vacation

Before we became pregnant, we had planned to go camping over at Big Sur. Well, plans obviously changed. Instead we decided to do two three-day trips. The first, we went to San Diego. We visited both zoos and met with friends. Of course, we checked out other spots/attractions. There was a lot of walking and eating.

Here's a shot of what I think is the best picture Mark took at the San Diego Zoo...

Sisters taking a nap.

Last weekend, we head out to Ojai. It was our first time visiting that town. It is a town to wind down and relax. It was really what the doctor ordered. A few things we did:

We watched Julie & Juila, at the playhouse that only showed one movie twice per day.

Note to expected mothers out there, if you're going to watch this movie make sure you bring some snacks or at the very least come into the theatre with a full belly. There are so many yummy dishes that are shown, it's a wonder I survived it! The one that put me over the top was the beef stew. I'm actually going to track down that recipe and serve it for dinner. A quick movie review. Go see it.

The establishment was quite quaint. From the outside it did not look like much, but the owners have kept the inside in it's original era and have done some nice restoration.

The theatre from the inside. I'm on the right looking for a seat.

On Saturday night we decided to have Mexican food. It was a "mom-and-pop" type of restaurant and the food was yummy. The waitress nor I did not say a word in Spanish to each other until she came to pick up the bill. I was off in a daze when she reached over, grabbed the bill and then said, "Cuanto tienes?" Literally, that means, "How much do you have?" As she snapped me out of my daze, I thought she talking about the bill and obviously we're paying the whole thing, as the credit card was showing. She had to ask me a total of 3 times, with a puzzled expression on my face and me repeating her words she stated joyfully, "Con tu bebe!" - - "With your baby?" Oh! I explained to her why I was so confused and finally told her, 4 1/2 months! That was one for the books.

Next to our hotel was a home with a stable and we got to meet the horse.

Just a bit tense.

Once the horse turned my way, he freaked me out; his head seemed so much bigger and I was trying to take it in a little bit at a time.

As you can tell Mark had a much easier time getting to know the horse.

The envelope please.....

So let's get right to the point. We are having a GIRL! I'm still in a state of shock and disbelief, but of course very happy. I honestly cannot believe that Mark and I were right...who knew! Unfortunately, the DVD recorder was not working. It has been down since last week, so there was no recording but a lot of pictures. I think this is one of the cutest...

Waving "hi" at 18 weeks and 6 days

She was looking at us the whole time and was cross-legged. Mark is very happy. He was hoping for a girl, but at the same time he is nervous. I honestly believe he's taking the news better than I am, but I'm looking at this through the eyes of a female. Ladies, you know what I mean...

Now it's time to decorate!

Prediction(s)....

Next week, 8/12/09, we will go in for the "Big Reveal." We'll find out the sex of the baby. Even though I initially did not want to find out the sex of the baby, I've got to admit, I'm pretty excited. The doctor's office has asked us to bring in a DVD so the ultrasound can be recorded; I think that's pretty groovy. Mark and I have are predications. We have not discussed these or have any rational behind them...so here they are:

Mark's Prediction....

It's a girl.

Erika's Prediction...

It's a girl.

Again, it's just a hunch and there was never a discussion in the matter. Let's see if our instincts are correct. In our next posting we will reveal the sex of the baby, but the name will not be revealed to anyone until after the birth. I would like to get to know him/her for a bit and decide on a name. Mark and I have discussed names and have a few in mind, but nothing for sure. We find it somewhat nerve racking, but I'm sure we'll figure it out soon enough.