Challenges

Since we left the hospital with the little man we have struggled in getting him to gain weight. After meeting with his pediatrician, when he was 1 week old, he had lost 11oz. In talking to her we thought that we could get him up but in all reality over the next couple of days I realized that it wasn't happening.

So over the past 3 weeks we have been working with a lactation specialist and the pediatrician to increase his weight (i.e. my supply). We have done everything from pumping after each feeding, supplementing with formula, to taking herbal supplements that are supposed to help with increasing the supply.

Over the past 3 weeks we have been able to increase the little man's weight by 9oz (from his lowest point) but that is still not where it needs to be. In talking to the lactation specialist we are estimating that I am only producing about half of what he needs.  Bummer.

So after a lot of internal thinking, talking with Scott and consulting the pediatrician we are going to stop breastfeeding. This was a difficult decision but if we were to continue with the plan that the lactation specialist was recommending after our last appointment the feeding process would take 1.5h and I was going to have to take prescription medication, that isn't covered by insurance.

It has been a difficult decision but I think for the little man's health and my sanity we are doing the best thing for the family. I can tell you that yesterday we had the first day for him to eat the amount of food he is supposed to for his birth weight. That made me feel really good and hopefully in the next week we will be able to get him back to his starting weight. We will officially know if this change is helping on Wednesday. Wish us luck!

Swimming and Kappa, Who I am Today

 

On Friday night I had experiences with two pieces of my past that shaped me into the person I am today.  I have used the weekend to think about how these things have really affected me and I think that that I need to get it written out. So read if you wish or just ignore my ramblings. :) 

A Kappa sister's little girl passed away unexpectedly and those of us who know her are devastated. On Friday a gathering was held for family and friends who were not in Boston to celebrate her life. As I arrived at the church I immediately saw Kappa sisters. Some of these women I talked to last week and others I haven't talked to since they graduated college (4+ years).  With each person that I talked to it seemed like it was yesterday when we last talked. 

Some chapters present Kappa as a college experience but it really is for a lifetime. 11 years after graduation and not having Utah be my initiated chapter Kappa still feels like home. I can't remember the exact quote but as the mother said as she saw her pledge sisters, this is why I paid for my friends. It is an understatement in what Kappa is and why I am still involved with it. 

The other event was to watch my high school swimming coach be inducted into the Coaches Hall of Fame. It is amazing what this man has accomplished in his life including individual swimming awards, multiple national coaching awards, Utah coaching awards, and 22+ state championships.

What I even find more amazing is the number of student athletes that he affected. I know he helped shaped me into the person I am today. As a little freshman that joined the team (and wasn't that good) he saw the potential in me. He encouraged me to continue and push through the pain, as you could call it. That year at state I surprised everyone and actually made the finals and the rest is history for my swimming career.   Indirectly this man helped me get through Lawrence and actually get my degree in 4 years. He taught me how to be a better person and know that I can accomplish anything I want to do. 

The Arrival of the Little Man

On Sunday, December 28 Scott and I trekked out in the snow storm to go to the hospital to be induced. It was late, 8pm, and I was prepared to have a long go with labor but who knew how long it would really be.  I knew it would be a long go of it because of the lack of progression that I had made up to my 39 week appointment.

The first round of induction lasted 4 hours and we made a little but not very much progress. The decision was to do another round of the medication so we had another 4 hours to kill. At an ungodly time, I'd like to say 5:30am, the nurse and resident came in and I had no change from the last check. With that doctor and nurse a plan of action was created.

Scott and I didn't hear from anyone for about an hour when we had the on call doctor, the one really in charge, and in talking to her we decided on a different plan of action- pitocin and inserting a balloon to help dilate. After having these procedures for a while the contractions were (obviously) getting stronger so I asked for an epidural. 

After 3 emergency C-sections, and 2 pages later (i.e. an hour) we finally got the anesthesiologist in to get the epidural. Once we got the epidural placed I laid down and that is when things became crazy. The little guy's heart-rate had dropped and wouldn't come up. Initially I wasn't too concerned as throughout the morning whenever I laid back down after using the restroom he would drop a little but come right back up. I knew something was up when the nurse asked Scott to use the pager to call another nurse in.

In a matter of 4 minutes I went from laying down to being pulled into the hallway to have an emergency C-section. It happened so fast that my epidural hadn't fully hit when they wanted to start the procedure. Scott was allowed in the room once the little guy was out but he wasn't breathing when he walked in. It took them a while to get all the fluids out of his lungs but they were able to get him breathing. Scott got to hold him a little in the room, I vaguely remember seeing him when Scott brought him over. Scott then went with the little guy to the nursery so they could monitor him because he was having some labored breathing. In all reality, this is all a blur to me. It's recalled from what I can remember and what Scott has said.

The cause of the little man's distress was the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck. Good thing we were at the hospital or it could have been a worse situation!

I wasn't able to see the little man until we got into our room in the maternity wing. Once we were in and semi settled Scott brought him in from the nursery. At that time we decided that to name our little man Aaron.