The First Week
Tuesday: The birth Day - Andrew was born at 4:27pm. The first thought that went through my mind was Thank God that's over, I can't believe I did it. When I was being stitched back together and Andrew was being checked out Gary and I could hear him crying. I looked up at Gary and just said that's our son. Our son, those words sound so amazing to me. Around 5pm I got to hold my little guy for the first time. It was strange looking down at this little person and thinking he's mine. He looked so foreign to me, I just assumed after 9 months of toting this little guy around I would feel like I already knew him, but I didn't know how to react, I now had a little person in my arms. Even if I felt like I had been handed a stranger he sure knew his mommy and daddy. Gary said hi to him and he turned his little head to look right at his daddy, it was so sweet and so amazing at the same time. I guess we really did have someone eavesdropping in on all if our conversations.
At about 5:30pm the nurse recommended that I eat. I had been waiting for hours to eat and all I wanted was a fruit cup and ginger ale. Can you believe the hospital didn't have ginger ale?! I did get my fruit cup and ordered mac and cheese. I'm sure the food was good but after throwing up during pushing I guess I just didn't feel like eating. When I was done "eating" the nurse came back to help get up and walk to the bathroom. It is strange having someone hold hospital pads under you while you wobbily walk to the bathroom. Everything was good to go and they sent me down to the recovery room. It was nice to go downstairs but at this point I was so exahusted I was about to black out. They put Drew in his bassinet and a nurse came in to tell me 1000 things. I have no idea what she said I could not focus on anything, I seriously couldn't concentrate I was so tired. The second she left the room I was out. Apparently nurses came in and out and took Drew several times for testing but I had no clue, I slept and slept and slept. A few hours later I heard a little noise and realized that was my baby making noises, I was wide awake instantly. Gary stayed in my room with me and he said he couldn't sleep because Drew was making so many little noises. It's funny I didn't hear them until that one little sound and I was up. At this point I held Andrew and finally felt like I was holding my baby. Just being alone in the room with my two boys I started to realize that this was my family now.
Wednesday: Day 1- Today was a sore sleepy day. Andrew slept a lot today, which was good, I needed to sleep too. I really started to try to breastfeed today. Last night Andrew seemed like a natural, he instantly knew what to do, he's a boob man :)
Today things were a little different, he tried to feed but couldn't seem to get a good hold of things. The nurse finally brought me a breast shield and wow, what a difference that made. It gives him a little more to latch on to and things went smoothly. This morning the photographer also came in to take pictures. At about 9am she said she would be back in an hour. I couldn't believe what she was saying, I looked awful, I felt awful, I did not want my picture taken today. Plus Gary had run to McDonalds for breakfast so I didn't even know if he would be back in time. I forced myself out of bed and wet my hair to make it look like I had actually showered in the last 24 hours. I then put a little blush on, I was so pale, but the Doctor said I was anemic so that makes sense. Gary got back and he quickly washed up. I think the pictures actually came out beautiful for Andrew being 18 hours old and me going through everything I had in the last day. The funny thing was in the pictures I'm not even wearing pants :) I just pulled my black t-shirt on and staying in the hospital bed. The rest of the day was just nurses checking on me and Andrew. Around 6:30pm the nurse took my little guy to get circumcised, as if he wasn't grumpy enough. Gary was going to go home and get a good nights sleep but Andrew didn't get back into the room until after 8pm so he decided to stay, which was good because I didn't want him to leave but I didn't want to make him sleep another night on a pull out chair. I love him, he's so good to me. He spent the day getting me water and making sure I took my pain meds and ordering me food. He's awesome!
Thursday: Day 2 - The nurses warned me that this would be the day that Andrew wanted to feed a lot, he would try to get my milk to come in. He nursed over 360 minutes today, do you know what it feels like to have a someone messing with your boobs for that long. It was not fun for me, and since my milk wasn't in yet he was grumpy because he wasn't getting much of anything to eat. He cried a lot today and I couldn't get him to latch on, thus I cried today too. Today was also a little stressful because I was getting discharged but Andrew still didn't have the all clear. We were waiting for his 48 hour blood cultures to come back and for his bilirubin levels to drop. This morning Gary ran home to take a shower and get anything for the house that I would need since I would be coming home. While he was gone I started to nurse Drew, about 10 minutes into it I had to go potty, and not just a quick trip to the potty, I had to really go for the first time since giving birth. This is a very scary sensation. I put Andrew in his bassinet and went to the bathroom. Pretty soon Andrew started screaming, after all he was hungry, but this didn't help me relax any. I reached out the door and pulled his bassinet half way into the bathroom with me so at least I could try to console him. It was awful and I felt so bad for my little guy, I almost tried calling the nurse to take him so he would stop crying. Finally everything was okay and I went back to bed and continued nursing. It was extremely stressful but we made it through. The next stressful moment was leaving the hospital. It was about 10pm by the time they discharged Andrew so we were exhausted and it was dark, but we were going home. Right before we were going to leave I decided to feed Drew again so he wouldn't cry on the way home. I couldn't get him to latch on at all and he was just screaming. Gary called the lactation consultant and she told me to try feeding him lying down. I did and he latched on and seemed okay until he was done feeding, he wouldn't stop screaming. I took off his outfit thinking maybe he had a dirty diaper and he was burning up. We took his temperature and it was 100.2, very high considering the last few days he had been between 97 and 98 degrees. We called the night nurse and she was pretty grumpy, she just said yep babies get hot when you feed them. Nice of someone to tell me this. We cooled him down and started to get ready to leave. The car seat was quite a problem and Drew was not happy to get latched in it, the nurse again was pretty rude. We finally got wheeled out and it sounds crazy but this was pretty emotional for me. We were heading into the big scary world, I had just gotten comfortable in my hospital room with people there to help me. But away we went for our first night at home. When I got home I was already frustrated from the long day and the grumpy nurse. Thank goodness my mom was there to help out. She took Andrew so I could go to bed. Of course I didn't sleep very well, it was the first time that Drew wasn't by my side since his creation, but at least I slept.
Friday: Day 3 - Gary went to work today. It wasn't bad because my mom and dad are still here but next week is very scary, Gary will go to work and it will be just Drew and me in the house. I don't know that I can do it. Today wasn't too bad, lots of holding and rocking. We actually took a small walk today too. Drew did okay in the stroller, he got cranky on the way back home so I took him out. He never cried in it in the car but walking outside is something new. When Gary got home he went right to Drew. I am so in love with Gary, he is awesome with both me and Drew. He gets me anything I need, he really is treating me like a queen. On top of that he is right there for Drew's every need as well. He is wonderful at calming him down, he even invented the Plano pediatric tilt, it works every time, for just $29.95 we'll tell you the secret :)
Friday night was rough, I can't put Drew down, he screams. He sleeps so good in my arms but the minute I lay him in the crib he screams. I sat up all night with him so he would sleep but I don't know when I'm going to sleep. Drew was screaming and screaming, I tried taking him in the bathroom thinking the fan would drown out his noise and maybe it would distract him but no. Gary took a few minutes away and then tried to console him. Around 4am I started looking for my time clock, I was ready to punch out. Funny thing is I never found it, but I did find Grandma! I handed baby off to grandma and tried to sleep for a few minutes.
Saturday: Day 4- Ahhh, Saturday. Much better than Friday. The weather was great so we went for another walk, Drew cried again but we'll get there, hopefully he learns to like walking, I plan on doing that a lot this summer. Today was actually such a good day I finally got to work on my homework, I need to finish these classes but it's so hard with crying hungry baby and no sleep for mommy. Check out the pictures, you'll see one of Drew and me on the laptop together. Actually right now Drew is in my arms too and I'm typing with just my left hand, very difficult. Saturday night was better except I still sat up and held Drew all night again, I just want sleep! Gary is awesome, he takes Drew and sends me to bed for a nap every now and then, God I love him!!!
Sunday: Day 5 - Happy Mother's Day!!! Today made me cry a little. l am a mom and I couldn't be happier. Gary bought me a nice sappy mother's day card from him and one from Drew too. This morning was a little rough, piggy piggy would not stop eating and we had reservations for a mother's day brunch. Finally he finished and away we went, 30 minutes late. Drew had his first car trip since coming home and he did great, he even rode on a school bus today. The parking lot at the Morton Arboretum was full so we had to take the shuttle. The brunch was amazing and Drew slept the whole time. The rest of the day was good and I thought maybe I can do this, maybe I can be a good mommy. Then nightfall came. What happens to babies when the sun goes down? Are they related to vampires? My cute sweet baby turns into screaming babyzilla at night. I just want to sleep, just 4 hours is all I'm asking for, not even a whole night. Thank god there's grandma, what am I going to do without her?
Monday: Day 6 - Oh my god, Drew slept 5 hours tonight...no screaming!!! The only downfall is he slept in my arms all night, so while he slept, I didn't. I'm not sure what to do about the sleeping thing, I don't want to hear him cry but I seriously can't hold him 24/7. Even during the day he only sleeps if he's being held. I guess it can only get better. Today we went to the Pediatrician's office. It wasn't a bad experience at all. Dr. Para is a great doctor and I'm so glad that my friends recommended him to me. He said that Drew is healthy! Yeah! He might have a clogged tear duct but it should clear up in a few weeks to a few months. After the Dr's office we went to Red Robin. Exactly a week before I was here with Drew too, but he was still warm inside me. At this point Drew was getting hungry himself but I stupidly forgot my breast shield. He just won't latch on without it, my nipples are too short :( The Dr. said they will change over the next 2 weeks and he might be able to latch on better. We stopped at Wal*Mart to see if they sold shields but they didn't so poor Drew just had to yell, I offered him mommy diner but he wouldn't take it. After we went by Drauden to visit honorary Aunt Nicki. Drew was a little grumpy because he was hungry but at least he got to meet her. She's going through a stressful time right now becuase her newborn little nephew is very sick. Drew and I are keeping him in our thoughts and hoping that things will work out. Knowing what's going on with her nephew makes me so thankful that Drew is healthy. I've wanted a baby for so long and I'm so happy that he's okay. Having babies is so scary.
Tuesday: Day 7 - AHHHHH! We made it through the first week but I don't know if we'll make it much further. Today was pretty rotten. Drew wanted to feed every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, total nursing time today was over 4 hours!!!! Gary actually fed me lunch and dinner because I couldn't even get a bite to eat. I'm so glad I have Gary, I don't know what I would do without him. He really has stepped right into the role of super dad in no time at all.
Me and my big belly settling into the labor and delivery room. Grandma and Grandpa Poyer getting comfy in the chairs, they are in for a long night. Me, all smiles. Me and my Dad. My monitor. Me on oxygen becuase the baby's heartbeat was dropping, still trying to smile for the camera though. More monitors. Me without the oxygen now. Close up of my pretty wrist bands. More things that are hooked up to me. The baby station (incubator). The sterile table with all the instruments. Baby information, getting ready for the arrival. Me again, this time with drugs, ahhh.
The first family pictures. Me and Drew, I don't even remember anyone taking these pictures I was just in awe of him at that moment. Grandma Poyer and Drew, Daddy and Drew, Grandpa Poyer and Drew, Daddy with his it's a boy chocolate cigars, and finally baby Drew sleeping.
Mommy learning how to feed Drew, he's a natural, My room at the hospital, Drew sleeping - he's so cute, Drew and me ready to go home, The Plano family ready to leave the hospital, Drew enjoying his bouncy swing, Drew in his swing wrapped up like a little caterpillar, Diego wanting to go for a ride, Mommy and her little guy, Drew ready for his first walk, reaching for the camera, Our little ham- all the Plano's have their ham radio license, Drew will be next, Close ups of Drew on his walk, the family walking together, Drew looking so cute in his bassinet after a nice walk outside, dirty diapers!, back to the bouncy seat, Drew helping mommy with homework.
Mommy and Drew dressed in argyle ready for mother's day brunch, Grandma Poyer, mommy and Drew ready for an outing, Drew in the car, Drew snuggled in his carrier so no one can mess with him, Champagne toast for my very first mother's day, Drew and me on a butterfly bench - his cousin Zoh would love that bench, Diego checking things out, ready for another walk, tired out - again, snuggling with mommy and looking so cute, trying out the swing - still too litte, back to the bouncy with his lion buddy, trying out the baby sling, The family - finally home and settled, the crazy grandparents :) and once again in the bouncy seat!
Drew helping Daddy on the computer, Mommy getting Drew ready for the doctor, In the Dr.'s office, Dr. Para and Drew, Cuddling with grandma, Cuddling with grandpa, Daddy helping adjust the baby sling.
