Feb 7th - Feb 13th -- We're in the thick of things now!!! - Page 10

[wtchyhlr]

Announcing the arrival of Dominic Alec Whitcomb Valdez, born at 2:09pm Friday Feb. 11 2005. Weighing 7lbs 15oz, and being 21 inches long.

It was a hard labor - 44 hours of it, and we did end up transferring to the hospital after 32 hours at home (primarily because Dominic and I were both very tired by then), but I did have him naturally, and he's absolutely beautiful. I've updated www.babiesonline.com/babies/b/babychams with his picture, and there are more pictures at www.snapfish.com (login: [e-mail], password joywhitcomb)

i promise to write a birth story soon..... and to catch up soon too
xoxox

[heveasoul]

CONGRATULATIONS, Joy!!! Welcome baby Dominic!!! thanks for checking in - we've all been waiting for your news! What a cutie - he has dad's hair!

Monica - hope it happens for you soon! No good suggestions...nipple stimulation? Dancing? Keep us posted!

Congratulations, lisa! Welcome baby Gavin!

Great birth vibes to Stell, too! Waiting to hear news from you, too!

So many babies on their way....!!!

Yuck, Amber. hope you're feeling better before labour begins.

Yuck to Tricia, too. Hope you get relief soon. How about some apples in that porridge? Don't nuts bind?

So the shower was actually quite lovely. I hadn't seen my sisters in ages, so that was fun, and there was no fuss over the gift, as in, no preamble...I was simply presented with the super Britax car seat! I was pretty nervous about having to pull off looking surprised, but I think I did ok - I actually spontaneously cried (thank you, pregnancy hormones!)! It was so great having Shannon and Molly there - Molly was a big hit! My one sister hogged her most of the time (she has three boys at home) - we thought we'd have to frisk before letting her out the door...:LOL

[shannon0218]

Wow, I get to be the first one to say congrats to Joy!!! Woo Hoo!!! Welcome Dominic!! Sorry about the long labor and the hospital transfer Joy, but the only thing that counts now is that babe in your arms

Back from Heve's shower, sorry, I forgot my camera, but she pulled off surprised--right down to real tears (I think the tears were cause she had to pee though )

[milk_maker]

Joy - so glad you had your baby. He's absolutely beautiful.

[lasofia]

Oh, Joy, congratulations!
44 hours hard labor? Hugs to you! remember to take it easy - you'll be tired for awhle.

[Lousli]

Congratulations Joy! He's a cutie! I was starting to wonder what happened with you, and I'm so glad you had a chance to update us. Welcome Dominic!

Congratulations to you too Lisa! Sounds like things went well for you and the baby. Enjoy your babymoon with little Gavin!

Stell, I'm very excited to hear about your water breaking! You'll have to let us know how thing go for you. Good labor vibes headed your way.

Heve, I'm so glad your shower worked out and was fun!

Monica, Did I ever say how sorry I am that your shower was so crummy? I really feel for you. Wish I could give you a big hug!

Shannon, Just saying hi, and I hope things are going well with Molly. How's she doing with the reflux these days?

Periwinkle, If you're reading, hope you and new baby William are resting and enjoying each other. Can't wait to hear from you about his birth!

Mel is feeling a bit better today. She's napping on the couch right now. I'm feeling a little stressed and blue. I think the whole idea of going back to work has me sad, even though I have a few more weeks off. Plus I still can't shake this stupid cold, probably because I'm not getting enough sleep.

Hazel is nursing a little better, I think. She used to nurse and nurse and get only 24 mL or so. Well she's done a couple of 50 and 60 mL feedings, which is so great. She's 6 pounds 10 ounces today, but that was right after she ate. She's actually starting to get too big for a few of her preemie things! I still feel a little like she's this weird little alien stranger that pees and cries a lot. I remember feeling that way will Mel too, for a while, until I got to know her. It took about 6 or 7 weeks, and then she smiled. I'm sure that it will take about 5 or 6 more with Hazel, because she's really just a newborn now. I still have this awful feeling that I will never love her as much as I love Melanie, but I know that it won't be true in a few weeks. It is just strange, the adjustment period, and I think a little stranger because I didn't get to bond with her as much as I wanted while she was in the NICU. And now the nursing stuff is making it hard to. No one talks about this part, it's funny. I felt like I might be the worst mom in the world for those first weeks until I fell in love with Melanie. Now I know it's normal, so I'm not worried.

Wow! That was a novel! Sorry.

[TexasSuz]

:
Congratulations Joy and lisabc! Joy, Dominic looks so sweet! Please get some rest! I can't even imagine 44 hours of labor!

We went to a lactation consultant today and it turns out that Leah has a very small mouth and is not getting enough of my nipple in her mouth. She has not been getting enough milk from me even though we feed for hours. So now I am working with her to help improve her suck and then we supplement with breastmilk or formula to get more food. She is finally back to her birth weight though! The LC wants me to pump more also.

I hope I can keep this up because I am so tired! Having 2 kids is 100000000 times harder than having one! If someone had told me it would be this difficult I am not sure I would have had another! But I love Leah and she will be my last! My family is complete and I know that things will get easier. The first weeks of breastfeeding are a killer. If any of you new moms are having trouble breastfeeding try to stick it out - it does get better and so worth it in the end. I breastfed my ds for almost 3 years and I hope to breastfeed Leah just as long!

Oh Shannon, there is a new mom in my AP mom's group that has twin girls. There names are Molly and Leah! I thought that was such a fluke since my Leah and your Molly were born on the same day! Wild!

[Mama2Chloe]

YAY!!!! Congratulations, Joy!!!! I was so glad to hear that you and your little boy are doing well! It was wierd around here without you for the past few days. The pics are precious!!! Thanks for sharing them with us. Take care of yourself and rest. I can't even imagine 44 hours of hard labor.

Congratulations to you Lisa!! I hope you are settling in nicely with your sweet Gavin.

Heve: Sounds like you pulled off the surprise look. Wish we could have seen a pic. I'm glad it turned out to be a good experience.

Lousli: I'm so glad that Mel is feeling better and that Hazel is nursing well. It does take a while to get to know your new baby. But it is amazing how just when you think you couldn't love them any more than you do, they smile or giggle or touch your heart in such a way that your heart is almost hurting with love. It is hard for me to understand loving Sofia as much as I love my Chloe (the love of my life), but I will and it will be beautiful.

I better go for now. Take care and belly rubs to those still anxiously awaiting their little angels.

Love, Tricia

[mehndi mama]

HE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our new little boy was born after 1 hour of pretty much back-to-back contractions It was so fast, I couldn't believe it! I started pushing just because I felt like I had to poop, but the contraction was so intense, and I wasn't getting any breaks in between, I didn't want to get up & go in the bathroom. So I figured I'd poop on my chux pad, and deal with it that way......only, when I started to push, I felt the baby moving down!
My kids were all here at the time - waiting for grandma to come get them, as a matter of fact! Ian (my 12yo) was standing in the doorway as I was pushing the baby out, so he got to see his new baby brother be born - a first for him! Davey (my 2yo) saw the birth, too. Jason said that he came in as the baby was crowning, and said "he's okay", and then just stood there and watched. And he was right - it was a he, and he was definitely okay
He did a bit of grunty breathing when he was getting started, and gradually grunted up plenty of thin, clear mucus, and it took maybe 10-15 minutes for his feet to pink up, but now he's breathing great, his color is excellent, and he nurses like there's no tomorrow.

Still no name or weight, and we haven't cut his cord yet. I'm feeling great, although the afterpains are just as intense as some of my more "take notice" pre-labor contractions. I'll get pictures up tomorrow, if I can get this little boob-sucker to let go long enough!

[mum5]

Wow, what a busy lot we all are!! Well not me yet, but hope so soon!

So happy for you all.

Stell, that is awesome that all of your kids were there, and got to witness the birth of their brother. So quick too. You'd have thought that that could have been shared with Joy?

Joy, hope you are resting and recovering well. Glad that you and your baby are ok and healthy. Oh yes, he's gorgoeus!!! Well done mama!

Lisa congratulations on the birth of Gavin. Hope you are relaxing and resting!

Heve, so glad that you enjoyed the shower. They are fun sometimes, especailly nice to see people that you haven't seen in a while.

Thanks for the Roid advice. I have been using Prep H, and did mention it to my mw, but maybe it wasn't really bad at that stage, so I didn't emphasize the irritation. I am witch hazel woman post partum, so I have loads of that. Will go and try it and hope that it works a little.

I had a feeling that I was in labour about an hour ago, as when I woke up I was sick, ( which is normal for me ) and then my back pain and contrax strated getting pretty intense. Yippee I thought. But since I have been posting they have gone away. Oh well, maybe tomorrow!!

Oh will check in later xxx Jasmine

[KateSt.]

Congratulations Stell!!! Wow! 1 hour of labor -- that must have been QUITE intense! Welcome to the world, little one!


Joy, Congrats to you and your little one, as well! I'm so happy that you got the natural labor you wanted. He's just precious and you must be so happy.

Congratulations Lisa and Gavin!!!

So many wonderful babies joining our world!!

Monica -- you must be going nuts. I second what Hevea said -- nipple stimulation (either by you or dh) is supposed to work well...thinking of you.

Jasmine -- sending labor vibes your way, too...

Hevea! So glad your shower turned out well! And don't those preggie hormones come in handy sometimes! I'm so pleased you received what you wanted -- and now it's over! Enjoy your time to yourself.

[HydeParkB]

Congrats, Joy! I hope you get some rest after all that labor.

Congrats to Lisa and little Gavin! (Love that name - a friend named her son that a few years ago.)

Stell, sounds like an exciting birth - blink and you'd miss it! Congrats.

I'm getting anxious for our birth. DH and I are set to go mall walking today to see if we can get anything going. The doc thinks I'll go before my due date, the 17th, and I am seriously dropping. I'd like to meet my girl today - we'll see if it's in the cards. If I'm not in labor tomorrow, I'm going back into work, which wears me out. Plus, I'm not looking forward to the rush of getting home from work and then too the hospital.

And, it's selfish and a bit neurotic, but I really don't want a Valentine's Day baby. Which pretty much guarantees that's when we'll have her.

[lisabc311]

Wow! More and more babies!

Don't have time for personals....but congratulations to all the new mommies and babies!!!

[fourgrtkidos]

CONGRATULATIONS< LIANNE< HUBBY AND BABY ALLEN!!!


got the email with your pics, he is beautiful! I hope to see you at the FNL meeting sometime with him; when you are rested from the birth and he is old enough to be out. (don't take him out much now, flu season is rageing.) I am emailing you, would you like a casserole or dinner delivered to your house???

Really, congratulations on all your February Babies! I am a Feb baby, I'll be 32 on the 28th........ it's a good month to be born!
You are all lovely, wonderful mommas! Take good care of yourselves.

Warmly, Michelle

[Mama2Chloe]

Congratulations, Stell!!! Wow! What a great birth! I'm so glad that it went so quickly for you. My first PG was 5 hours from the first contraction, but it was really intense from the start. I got a lot of comments like, "I'm glad you had an easy birth" and stuff like that : No birth is easy. I'm hoping this time will be a bit longer than yours. (it takes us an hour to get to the hospital when there is no traffic and we still have to drop Chloe off and get her settled)

3 more days and my Mom and best friend, Bobbi will be here!! YAY!!! I can't wait!!! DH takes his promotion test on Tuesday, so that will be another weight off our chests.

I'm just going to relax today, pretty much. I woke up feeling exhausted and achy. I feel like my hips are going to break.

Talk to you all later!
Love, Tricia

[shannon0218]

Wow, congrats Stell!!! and congrats Lisa, I missed you yesterday!!
A funny thing happened to us the other night. Steve and I are in bed and for a little while Molly was in between us (so her dad could say goodnight) and while we're staring at her cause she wasn't tired so she' was busy kicking and cooing I asked Steve to pass me a receiving blanket and followed that with, "we've been so lucky she's never thrown up in the bed!" So a couple hours later, she's back on my side for the night and we hear a gag and she projectile pukes getting it all over my pillow, steve's pillow, the bed, the bed spread and herself! Just goes to show that babies have a sense of humor!

[Free Thinker]

Congratulations to all the new mamas!!! It seems like there are babies everyday now


We are doing very well now, I'm still pretty sore, I'm guessing from the hematoma b/c I was not this sore for this long after DD was born. How are the other pp mamas doing? Maybe I will start a new thread asking, so I won't scare the mamas yet to deliver

Tomarrow we go to Laina's first well baby visit. She keeps spitting up, and having it come out her nose, and she gets it in her lungs, and it sounds like she is choking. The ped. at the hospital assured me it wouldn't last long, and should be cleared up by 4-5 days, but she is still doing it. She doesn't spit up much, but instead of spitting it out, she brethes it in, and it makes her sound wheezy for a few minutes. It scares me to death! I keep her by me all the time, so I can hear if she starts to choke. I hope the ped says it's okay, and just to watch her. Other than that, she seems perfectly healthy! She is growing, and starting to fill out a bit.

[wtchyhlr]

here;s my birth story...
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...85#post2671785

[milk_maker]

Hi everyone. Pretty quiet around here this weekend. I woke up this morning with contractions and I've been having them off and on since around 7:30 am. I'm starting to think I'm going to have a valentine's day baby and I'm really upset about that. I hate V-day and I hate to think that my baby will have to share a birthday with that holiday. : Of course, he's stubborn and hasn't listened to me when I tell him to come out so I'm sure I'll have him tomorrow...it's just Murphy's Law. Cross your fingers for me and say a prayer if you pray that I have him soon. He only has 9 more hours before V-day and then he'll just have to wait it out for 24 more hours before it's safe for him to come.

[mainemom]

My gosh, Joy! No wonder you were gone so long! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your "not so terrible" transfer story.

Congratulations to Lisa and Stell, too. I hope you are both doing well.

Warm wishes to those of you still pregnant. I hope you find the comfort, sleep and support you might need right now.

We are well here. I thought briefly about ice skating with the boys today, but decided not to, since I'd probably end up trying to labor with a cracked tailbone or a bruised butt! We're just waiting at this point. Everything is ready...

It's hard to keep track of the changes going on around here! Sending each of you a hello and best wishes. susan