Well, this is a moot point now considering Collin decided to come early!!

It's been over a week since I had Collin and I've experienced most of the normal post partum ailments.

My milk has almost dried up. The engorgement stopped after a few days and now I am just leaking every now and then. I still wear those breast pads because it's just embarrassing to have wet spots on your shirt.

My migrane hasn't gone away yet. Really must speak to the doctor about this on Thursday. I am taking the pills to help control the pain, but I really don't think it's good to be on these pills much longer than a week.

I still don't have much of a desire to eat. I average about 1 meal a day and even then, I am not really hungry when I eat.

I have lost 20 pounds of my pregnancy weight! I was at 194 when I delivered and now am at 174. Only 10 more to be at pre-pregnancy weight. But I would like to get back down to at least 150. Maybe 140. That will take some time though.

I try to sleep when Collin is napping. Not every nap, usually just two out of the daytime naps. He's only waking about 2x each night...between 2-3AM and then again at 5-6AM. We have been going to bed at around 12-1, so I guess you should count that too since normal people go to bed earlier.

I am having problems pooping. I guess it's a combo of just post partum and a decreased food intake.

I am still bleeding. I am using Kotex overnight pads. They work really well. I am not bleeding heavily, just consistenly. It really hasn't slowed since coming home from the hospital. But, that has only been a week!

It no longer burns when I pee (my stiches) so that is good. They said the stiches would dissovle in 4-6 weeks.

My asthma and allergies have been pretty bad. Might be the Fall weather to blame.

That's it for now!!

The migrane is still here. As long as I take the pills every couple of hours, it goes down to a dull pain, but if I don't take the pills, it returns to full-fledged blinding pain.

This is probably NOT a good thing...

I have an appointment with my new Primary Care Physican next Thursday, so I will talk to her about it if I still have the migrane.

Does anyone know if migranes are supposed to last this long???

Sweet Jesus. I have had a migrane for the past 3 days. It started off as a headache and I didn't think anything of it because, hello, I just had a baby and a little headache wasn't going to bother me. But then it didn't go away...and got worse...and worse...

and never went away. I just figured that it was due to the significant drop in my hormone levels and that it just might go away on its own. Plus, I am so busy with Collin that a headache was just not something that I could dwell on.

But today it got so much worse. Every time I got up my head would pound and send blinding pain shooting behind my eyes. I haven't slept well in days (not because of Collin, but because of the headache) and nothing was working to get it to go away.

I really couldn't handle the pain anymore so I called my doctor and went to see her today. They said it was a migrane and gave me Duradrin. I got the script filled and took the pills immediately! Within an hour I was feeling much better...not all gone, but at least I can think and walk without almost passing out.

Ok-- since I am not going to be using this journal much longer, I also am not checking my friends list from HERE. I am checking it from tiramisu_milano so I have added everyone as a friend from this journal. If you could add me back as <lj user="tiramisu_milano> that would be great because I enjoy reading all of your journals! Thanks!!

My milk came in yesterday. I was hoping and praying that maybe the Boob Goddess would shine down on me and "forget" to put the milk it. But no such luck! Since I am not breastfeeding (I need to go back on some serious medications and my doctor really doesn't advise breastfeeding on these meds and I really do need them), I have to let my milk dry up.

Oh.My.God.

It hurts. Ever since I went through labor, my pain tolerance has been upped about 500% so when I say this hurts, it does, but I guess maybe it's just more of an annoying type of hurt. I am taking Tyneol for the pain. I just hope this drying up goes quickly.

I tried the cabbage leaves, but it just seemed to make them hurt even more. A lot more. So I stopped the cabbage. I need to find out if the cabbage is supposed to make you FEEL better or help the drying up go FASTER. Because if it is going to help it go faster then I'll start doing it again, but if it's just to make them feel better...well, that's just not working for me.

The boobs are not much bigger, just really really hard and stiff. I look like someone with really bad implants!!

Ok everyone, since I am no longer pregnant, this journal is slowly going to be phased out. There will be a few more entries regarding post-partum care, but everything else will be posted in my regular journal: tiramisu_milano

So, if you aren't already on my friends list over there and want to be, either leave me a post here or a post on my "friends only" entry and I will add you.

I was just looking at our pictures on Snapfish and noticed you could see all my hospital bracelets in a couple of the pictures. I had 4 braceletes!! Funny thing is, I don't remember ANY of them being put on me. I wonder when they put them all on. I really was in a whole different place during labor!

I promised to post the birth story and have finally finished typing it out while Collin was napping. Please be aware that it is very, very long and detailed. I am not kidding.

I labored and delivered naturally, at a hospital, with a midwife. I didn't continuous mointoring or an IV until the very, very end (literally 2 minutes before he came out) and once he was out I had to have pitocin, but you will see why if you read the story.

My labor was only 4 hours and 22 minutes! Very, very fast for a first time mom!! Here's the whole story:

( The Birth of Collin )

Cross posted in a million places including: tiramisu_milano, naturalbirth, octbabies2006, ohio_mommies

Hi everyone!! As you might have all guessed, I had my baby this past Wednesday!

Collin Henry Joseph Kornish
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
1:53PM
6 pounds, 1 oz
19 inches long

I will write more about the labor/delivery later. It's such a great story! It was amzaing.

But I will leave you with a few pictures! We already have taken like 50, but I'll just post a few.

( The Cuteness That is Collin )

I think my water just broke.

As in, MY WATER JUST BROKE!!!!

I was laying in bed, reading, heard a 'popping' noise along with what felt like a little kick from the baby and I stood up, felt liquid running down, got to the bathroom and saw I was soaked through my undies and pj pants.

IS THIS IT???????????

Called Kathy, mom, and now am on the phone with the doctor.

I'm not ready yet!!! Not ready!!!!

I'm not even having contractions!!!!!!!!!!

What an exciting appointment!

Turns out I do not have GBS !! Yea!! No IV's for me during labor!!

I still have that pesky yeast infection

I was concered about my discharge because it seemed a bit watery to me and I was worried that it might be amnio fluid , so they did a quick check and it's NOT. So that's all good. She said it's probably just from the yeast infection.

She said I am losing my mucus plug

AND she did a quick internal exam and found the baby VERY, VERY LOW and I am already 3cm dialated!!!

She says I am well on my way to going into labor. I told her that I wanted the baby to stay in until the weekend so we could finish the nursery and she said "the baby doesn't care if the nursery is finished." and looked at me like she thought the baby might come sooner than that.

All in all, very exciting. My sister and mom are more freaked out than I am. They seem to think I am going to have the baby like NOW or in the next few days. I am still having a difficult time believing that I will ever go into labor. It's a weird feeling. Like I just don't think it's going to ever happen, so I am not stressed or phased by the news that I am 3cm. For some reason this news freaks everyone else out.

I'm off to try and finish painting. Wouldn't be be great if I got all that done today??

Dear Baby,

Please stay in until at least Saturday. That way you will have a nice, finished room to sleep in. If you come before then, you are going to have to sleep in a tiny bassinett in our room and have to deal with your mother being extra annoyed at having to finish the room while you are here.

So please, just hang in there 5 more days. That's all I am asking. Oh, and don't hurt me too much when you do come out.

love,
your mother

I have my week 38 appointment today at 2:15. I get the results of my GBS test. Let's hope its negative so I don't have to have an IV during labor! Although someone told me they can adminster the antibiotics as a series of injections instead of the IV...will have to check on that.

I also need to bring my birth plan with me. Must remember to print it out.

And I need to ask my midwife how my baby will be medically insured. Does the baby automatically go onto my plan and then after the birth I need to register him? Do I have to call my company and tell them I'm pregnant? Or do I wait until the baby is born? I hate dealing with insurance because it's never the same for anyone (even if you are with the same company) and it's always so damned confusing.

By the end of this week, the baby's room will be DONE!!!

Timeline:

Today: put caulking in spaces between paneling/molding, paint trim/doors

Tomorrow: paint walls

Thursday: CARPET INSTALLED in morning!!

Friday: move furniture in!

Here are some before/during pics...finished room pics to come this weekend!!!

( Progress on Baby's Room )

I was at my parents this weekend and since Scott was going to be working on the room all weekend, I decided to take Sammie with me. Otherwise, she'd be cooped up in the kitchen all day/night Saturday and all day Sunday! That's just not fair to her.

She's a good CarKitty. She just lays down in her carrier and sleeps a bit. Every now and then she'll let out a meow as if to say "Are we there yet?" Considering it's an hour drive, I am always worried she'll need to pee/poop, but she never has.

All was going well at the parents. Sammie loves it there because there are no other cats to watch out for and the house has two huge picture windows for her to look out. She loves watching the squirrels and leaves!

But then my sister came over for the shower on Saturday and Sammie freaked out and hid under the couch! She either is scared of Kathy or she smells Kathy's dog on her. I'm going with the dog smell.

Anyways, Sammie was being all weird when my sister was there and even when she left it took a good 2 hours for her to get back to normal. At one point, i tried picking her up and cuddling her, but she squirmed right out of my arms and left an 8 inch scratch across my pregnant belly It looks like she tried to do a c-section on me!!

To make a long story short, it hurt like hell when she did it (it bled) and it still hurts!! It's kinda red and puffy. I'm surprised at how much it hurts. I'll ask my midwife if there is anything to be concerned about at my appointment on Tuesday.

I think I lost some of my mucus plug today! EKKKK! EWWWWW!

It was just a tiny bit. Clear & Slimy looking.

Doesn't mean much though, could mean I could go into labor today or 2 weeks from now.

Bu

I think I have gotten the Deal of the Year today! I have been searching craig's list, freecycle and some other places, just checking on baby stuff for sale since we still do not have a stroller, extra car seat base, pack n play, or highchair. I was thinking if I could get any of these items used and cheap it would be worth it.

Today I bought a used travel system (That is an infant car seat plus car base and matching stroller). It's made by Graco...it's a bit older...made in 1999, but in really, really good condition! And it's navy blue with a little red plaid. And it was...get this... $15.00 Yes, that is right, $15.00 for a full-sized stroller, infant care seat + base!!

I have already checked Graco's website for recalls on this model and there are none that I see, but I am going to call them tomorrow and check anyways.

Yes, it's an older model, but really, it's very nice and only $15.00!!!

I figure we will install this used one in the car we don't use as much and the new carseat in the car that the baby will be in most of the time. We were just going to get an extra base for the new car seat, but it's $50.00-- just for the extra base!! And the new car seat fits into the used stroller. So it doesn't match and it looks a tad weird, but between not buying a brand new matching stroller and an extra car seat base, we saved... $165.00

I'm having a little bit of a difficult time with using used stuff for the baby. Sure, I want everything brand new and pretty, but I just have to ask myself these questions: 1) Do we really have the money to buy everything brand new?? 2) How long will we be using this item?

No, we really don't have the money to buy everything new. And the baby won't be using this stuff for a long time anyways. And I tell myself, IF we have another child, much later on, maybe we'll be in a better financial place and then I can buy new stuff, right? But for now, I just have to suck it up and be grateful that we can even afford used items.

I took a little nap this afternoon and when I woke up I was feeling VERY crampy down there. AND feeling pelvic pressure for the first time.

My inital reaction was "NOOOOOOO!!! I have 2.5 WEEKS left!!! I am not ready to have this baby now!!!"

I started freaking out. And still am!

I really need these next two weeks. I am not like the other moms out there that want their babies early. I am so scared about actually having a baby to take care of for the rest of my life I know I will be a good mom and I am excited about the baby, but I am scared to death at the same time.

I am also scared about labor. I know I can do it, but I am still scared.

And we just don't have anything ready! Nothing ready!! No room! Nothing set up! No crib set up! The carseat isn't installed! I don't have my hospital bag packed yet! The house is still messy! I have 2 more baby showers to go to!!!!

I am just not ready. I need my 2 more weeks.

Ugh. I am totally unmotivated today.

The morning started at 5AM. I got up (well, I was up most of the night 'pretending' to sleep) and ate some toast w/butter and jelly.

Then I had a HORRIBLE asthma attack again!! Dude, what is up with the food induced asthma attacks?? It had to have been the bread...I got a different brand from Food for Less. I could hardly breathe. Nothing was working until I took 4 benedryl and just tried to calm down. The benedryl seemed to do the trick, because I was able to fall asleep and when I woke up, I was breathing fine again.

But now I am still drowsy from all the benedryl and just don't want to do anything.

I vaccuumed and picked up around the house a bit, but I just might take Sammie upstairs and read. She knows I am not feeling well today because she won't leave my side.