Waiting Game = Over. Welcome Boaz!

Boaz has officially arrived. And this past week has truly been a blur.  To make this story easier to tell and easier for anyone that might want to read it, I'm planning to share his birth story and the following days (up to this point) into a few blog posts.


So - here it goes:

BIRTH STORY

Boaz was due on Wednesday, 11/28. But like his sister before him, he did not arrive on or before the day that we were expecting him. Or the next day. Or the day after that. (I'm starting to notice a pattern here...) We had already decided with my OB, Dr. H., at my last checkup that we would like to induce the following week if he still hadn't arrived. He didn't. So I met my doctor at the hospital this past Saturday night, 12/1, for a 9 PM induction. Here are some pictures of us on our way to the induction "ceremony".

I carry my babies big and low...

looks playful, doesn't it?  ;)

our family pre-Bo

After some basic registration paperwork, we were shown to the Labor & Delivery wing and settled into my room (and new home for the next day). I was hooked up to an IV (albeit poorly - I'm still bruised from the IV) and the Pitocin started flowing. At my initial check-in cervix check, I was at a solid 3 cm and roughly 50% effaced.


The night was largely uneventful. Don and my mom were both with me as my exclusive L&D team. We all napped. Mom worked on her knitting/crocheting. We even watched the crazy new Indiana Jones movie - the one where he survives a nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge. Yes, I know it's a bad movie - but that's what was showing.

As soon as I could, I got the epidural. It was about 2-3 AM when that went down. Also, largely uneventful. And I was much more pleasant overall once it did. I also got a bit more sleep. I think we all slept from then until about 8 or 9 in the morning when the nurses changed shifts.

Also - as a side note: it was nice to be able to compare my childbirth experience the first time around with everything that happened this time. With Anna, I delivered at Prentice - a beautiful hospital with some crabby staff. This time around, I delivered at St. Anthony Hospital - a more run-down hospital with super nice staff, especially the nurses. One of the many things I really appreciated this time around is that I wasn't constantly poked and prodded. There weren't dozens of residents or students or whoever trolling through my room and checking my cervix. Not only is it awkward to have your cervix checked by anyone that wants to - but it's also not very restful. Hence, it was lovely to just fall asleep and not be disturbed at all, especially not to have someone jab their hand up in my baby-making parts to measure parts that aren't meant to be touched.

So when morning time rolled around and we met our nurse for that next shift (I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I don't remember her name - but she was really wonderful. really), we decided Don could take a break to move the car and mom would check out the cafeteria to grab some nourishment for the morning. Dr. H. stopped in before anyone left. She checked my cervix for the first time since I had been admitted. I was only at 3.5 cm and 80% effaced. (I think my water broke about this point...? It's all a blur...) At that point, I was determined that I would be in labor forever and more grateful than ever for the epidural - even though I could feel everything in my left butt cheek (talk about painful). I also felt confirmed that Don and Mom could leave for their respective errands because really nothing was happening.

And wouldn't you know it - as soon as my L&D team was out of the room, my labor started progressing very fast. Even through the epidural, I could feel the contractions coming on and really getting in the way of my relaxing (to say the least). Within about 30 minutes, my nurse came back in with an oxygen mask for me to wear. Apparently, the fast progression of labor caused some distress in Bo - his heart rate was lowering after each contraction. The Pitocin was also turned off until he could recover. My awesome bod took it from there though - I didn't need to turn the Pitocin back on. Rock it.

At this point, my mom returned and I had to explain the oxygen mask. She texted Don and told him to get back to the room. The next thing I know, I'm at 8 cm dilated and 100% effaced. The nursing staff called Dr. H. who came back after her rounds - turns out it was perfect timing. It feels like all my progress happened between 9 am and 11 am. I started pushing about 11 am. And pushed for only about 45 minutes before Boaz Thomas Donald Bratschie was welcomed into this crazy world of ours.

after his bath - Boaz is ready for his debut!

I'm definitely proud of my PR this time around. I cut my L&D time almost in half from about 22 hours to 12 hours. And my pushing time was slashed from 2:45 to just a flat 45 minutes. If I keep this up and have another kiddo at some point I might be able to deliver the wee one in about 6-8 hours, including pushing time. But no - there are no plans for future kiddos at this point - I'm just stoked that I wasn't in labor for over 20 hours.

As soon as Boaz was delivered, he was placed on my chest and he squirmed and wiggled his way into my heart.  Don took the honor of cutting the umbilical cord (so if Bo has a funny belly button, you know why. Kidding. Sort of.) And then it was time for recovery before being taken to the mommy recovery room portion of the birthing floor...

Nested. And waiting.

We've been pretty set here for a couple of weeks now. Much thanks to my folks for coming out to help us get random odd jobs done, along with the fun of washing and sorting baby clothes. It's crazy how small newborn baby clothes are - totally hoping I don't lose all the socks in the dryer lint filter.

I even got the letters up for my babies' names in their room. (see pics below)

upgrading from the crib to the big kid bed. daddy built that new ladder just to make it more accessible for our little monkey preschooler.

so excited to use this crib again.  :)

It's exciting to be in the home stretch, but also a bit anxiety-inducing. I'm ready to have this guy already. And super ready to not be pregnant anymore.

Speaking of being ready - I'm scheduled for an induction tomorrow night if my hefty little guy doesn't make his grand entrance before then. I think 12/2 is a great day for a birthday.  It should be about 60 degrees here in Chicago then. Somehow that seems appropriate.

Now - I'm off to reorganize Bo's newborn clothes again and triple-check my hospital bag for the 10th time.

Anxious and Expecting... Still...

So my maternity leave from work has officially started, but my labor has not. The estimated due date we were given is today - but if my pregnancy with Annalee is any indication, this little guy is going to be hanging on/in until the bitter end as well... I sense an induction may be headed my way.

I was hoping for a Thanksgiving baby. And though I had a few contractions, nothing happened except maybe a little overindulgence in some delicious gobble-y morsels earlier in the day. Now I'm hoping for an 11/29 baby. I'm not sure why - but I like that date. The hubs isn't expecting this baby to drop until early December though - sometime near 12/5. I'm not too worried about his prediction - he's only right sometimes...

LARGE and in charge...

Bo that is. Not me. About being in charge. Although I guess we're kind of large together...

Things are going well in the Bratschie house. Momma Mags is visiting to help us prep for Bo and things are winding down in the nesting process here. Gearing up for the waiting game and all the fun little "honey, wake up!" moments that happen a thousand times in the middle of the night.


Starting last weekend (after my cousin's gorgeous wedding weekend - our family is awesome), baby Bo seemed to grow exponentially. The fundus grew 3 cm to 38 cm. And now he's officially ginormous. Everyone that sees me (seriously everyone - neighbors, friends, co-workers, strangers on the street) tells me that the baby has dropped. But he hasn't according to my doctor. Which just means that he's growing lower too and straight forward - and have I mentioned exponentially?

At this point (38.5 weeks along), I'm just hoping to have him while he's still able to wear newborn size onesies. Game on, Bo - I'm ready. The waiting game has begun.

Answered Prayers! God is good! :)

Just got the good news that the placenta has raised enough for us to attempt a delivery without needing a c-section. This is huge!

And to celebrate, I'm including this diagram of placenta positions:

more info here: http://www.lucinafoundation.org/pregnancycomplications-placentaprevia.html

Bo and I have a similar situation to the picture on the upper right hand side. Loving that we have been blessed with about an inch of leeway between the bottom of the placenta and the cervix, giving him plenty of room to birth without me having to get cut open. (Not that C-sections are the worst things in the world, but if I can avoid it, that's awesome.)

Thanks to everyone who has been praying on our behalf. Now - I'm selfishly asking that you continue to pray for a quick & easy delivery. THANKS AGAIN!  

Cooking with Daddy

Before Bo gets here, we're trying to get as much quality time in with our sweet little girl as possible. Don and Anna have always shared a special bond with cooking - so he made her a little step stool (with storage) that's all hers. And now she can reach the counter to help daddy cook instead of sitting up on the counter or missing out. How cool, right?

He found the plans for the step stool online here. (That site has lots of great wood working plans, btw - lots are great for beginners too). It's not decorated yet, but we'll do that soon. This was Don's first woodworking project... It turned out so great that I've already started making a list of the other furniture I want him to make - looks like he's coming back to his Amish roots...  ;)

referencing the book "How to Cook Everything" for the perfect pancake recipe...

getting ready to add the strawberries

stirring to the perfect consistency

Halloween Costumes on a time-budget....

So we've obviously been a little busy recently. Quick & easy Halloween costumes were a must - if we were going to do it at all. We decided to go to a special fall event held by our church called Fallapalooza - that was yesterday. Cool name, right? The event was awesome too. Anyway - Annalee wanted to be a kitty cat and I found a great idea for a home-made maternity t-shirt online. Both costumes were quick and simple - with minimal cost (picked up everything at Target, except fabric paint - found that at a one-off trip to Walmart. (Total cost for both costumes about $20). What's not to love about that, right?


Anyway - here are some pictures of us in our fun costumes this year:

Annalee in the costume contest - worried about the mud in the field...

side view of her super cute kitty cat whiskers

this is my favorite picture of my favorite kitty cat

here we were trying to take the picture ourselves using the self-timer. kitty cats don't quite understand what ten seconds is...

here we managed to get Don to take our picture together

close up of the t-shirt. you can't really see it, but Bo is wearing a tie (blue paint). Cute, no?  ;)