Abe is a big brother

This blog was originally created to update everyone about Abraham Goddard's status since you can't use cell phones in NICU and to maximize the time for mom and dad to update everyone in one sport. Abraham is a big brother now although Luke's birth weight far exceeded Abe's, he is still the big brother. Luke Noah was born at 39 weeks 4 days,July 22,2013 at 0832am 8lbs 8 oz, 21.3 cm by vacuum assisted VBAC without any medication or epidural. Both of my boys were born on a Monday. It was a full moon too apparently.  I came in dilated to 7-8cm and pushed for 4 hours without success. He had shoulder dsytonia for 50 seconds too but he finally made his way into the world. He had subgateal hemorrhage and we both were transferred to Madigan. It was very traumatic experience but I am thankful he made it to full term.I had grade 4 tearing too and had complications as a result. We were both discharged on day 3 but he was re-admitted to Naval on day 5 for jaundice, bili level was 17 and I had surgical repair of the tears in the OR due to complications. He stayed over night for jaundice therapy but is home now. We both seem to be better. He goes back today for weight check and bilirubin level. Other wise he is healthy, breastfeeding, pooping, peeing and sleeping. We won't know any long term effects of the hemorrhage until he gets older but we are hopeful he will be just fine. Please continue to pray for Luke's development and my recovery.I  was hoping and praying for a less traumatic experience this time around for healing but it is exactly what God had intended to happen. I did have some PTSD symptoms at Madigan, even thought I was being discharged on day 2 without Luke. I panicked thinking how am I am going to feed him since I have no breast pump on hand. I also thought how am I am going to get to him in the middle of the night. Although I did not have a c-section I had pain and pressure from the grade 4 tears and complications too.Thankfully we were discharged together. I have two handsome boys under my care now. The NICU nurses were awesome at Madigan but on the postpartum unit I received less than ideal care. Housekeeping did not even clean or mop the floor until day 3 when I asked and even then it was only the bathroom that was cleaned. Thanks to the furlough hospitals are providing substandard care that has already resulted in re-admission and an additional surgical procedures. In the long run it is costing hospitals more and might be difficult to maintain accreditation if visible body fluids are not even being cleaned up off the floor for 3 days and only because the patient requested it.

36 weeks

Can't believe I am already 36 weeks so 9 months pregnant. I have never been this pregnant before but everything seems fine. The diabetes is under control with diet and exercise. One provider said I could decrease checking it to twice a day but the provider I saw today was not on board with that and said to check 4x a day. He said some patients can't tolerate the pain of sticking themselves that often. It does not even phase me. It is not painful just inconvenient. I set a timer on my stop watch so I know when to check it. I have had to check it while waiting to make a turn off of my street or I have to wait to leave somewhere because it was almost time to check it. Also while I am waiting in line at a store or during church service.  However in no way is doing it causing me any pain. The weekly shots were not super painful either but annoying that I had to get up earlier than normal and unload Abe including his stroller. It did cause a little discomfort for awhile but nothing too bad expect when I had 2 shots in the thigh. That did interfere with daily activities like getting on the floor to pick Abe up or change his diaper. One shot I still had tenderness where it was given for about a week but it was tolerable, never stopped me from normal daily activities. I was so nervous and scared that my body was not made to carry to term but this week I will be considered term. What is interesting is my health insurance will  no longer cover the progesterone shots so I got pregnant just in time. I only required them week 16-36. I guess they would rather paid the 96K plus for NICU and the all the therapies and needs of special needs kids than cover the shots that can help prevent premature L and D. Early in pregnancy I was afraid to over do it so that I don't go into premature labor. I feel like it is battle between me and the medical providers. It seems so foreign for them for a mom to want to try for a VBAC. A repeat c-section is more convenient for them but the cost, recovery and risk are high for the mom. The doctor that does the c-section does not have to live with the pain. Last time I had absolutely no choice given transverse lay and emergency situation but this time around the baby is head down so there should be no reason for a c-section. With all the furloughs and the economy I am surprised that doctors are still pushing for repeat c-sections, epidurals and lot of medical interventions. It would save thousands of dollars if epidurals were not used as often and the cost of a surgical procedure is high since it requires medications, a surgeon, assistant, floating nurse, anesthesia, and with L and D a nurse for the baby, ect. Why can't a momma just have a natural birth the way God intended without all this fancy expensive medical technology? The strips for the blood glucose monitor is $65.00 for 50 strips and if my diabetes is controlled for the most part why does the provider insist on checking 4x daily? Since we are an active duty family we don't pay for it but someone does. I asked for nutrition consult at my very first nurse appointment but never got a referral for it. I wonder if the diabetes would have never developed if I knew more information about nutrition early on. I had tons of nausea and vomiting and still occasionally do but am so much better. All this might have been avoided if someone listened to what I said and wrote down on the intake papers. I am praying one particular provider that is pushing a repeat c-section is not on duty the day or night I go into labor. He wanted my membranes stripped next week at 37 weeks. I guess in medical school doctors are not taught to let the body do what it is intended to do. I measured big today but the provider did not bother to look up the growth ultrasound done at Naval hospital 2 weeks ago where he would have saw that Luke measured almost exactly to text book for 35 weeks gestation. I thought for sure a doctor would have gone over that with me today especially since the whole point of it was to check for size to see if a trial of labor would be appropriate. I don't trust the manual tape measurement of uterine height. I bet if 4 different providers did it they would all get different measurements. Unfortunately I don't trust this doctor one bit. Dr. Banks is no longer there. He seemed to listen and genuinely care about his patients and told me when he did my emergency c-section and at my pre-conception appointment he said based on my c-section incision I could try for a VBAC if everything was favorable with my next pregnancy. I was terrified to ever get pregnant again. I just wish planning for labor was not a battle between me and the doctors. Enough venting. I just want to say one last thing this is my body and my baby and no one not even someone with MD after their name is going to do anything to induce labor unless he or she can show me hard core evidence of maternal or fetal distress.