Presley's Third Week

Presley's third week went better than expected. We had a doctors appointment to check her weight gain and she did better than I though. She went up 8 oz! All the pumping and late night feedings have paid off! I really did not want to supplement her feedings with formula like the doctor wanted me to. She is up to 3 oz of breast milk in each feeding, but I am sure if I gave her more she would eat that too. She has a big appetite like her momma. 

This week I've tried to feed her an extra ounce before bed in hopes to keep her sleeping a little longer at night and I think it helps. I can get around 4 hours of sleep before she starts to wake up. Our routine is getting better. I know it is still too early to have a straight 6-8 hours of sleep and I only dream of the day that I can have that. 

This week my dad came into town to see Presley. It has been nice having an extra set of hands, especially when John's been gone back to work. He has offered to take a night shift for me, but since I have to wake up to pump in the middle of the night it's hard to except it. But it has been nice knowing I can leave him to watch her while I try to catch up on some extras Z's.

I have noticed that Presley is getting stronger every day. She can hold her head up on her own for at least 10 seconds. I'm incorporating tummy time every day and can't wait until she can do more activities  with it. I have noticed some more personality traits coming in and she is smiling a lot more :) 

Here is a comparison to my baby picture and hers. I do think we look more alike than I thought. 

Presley's likes:

• Cuddle time
• Pacifier
• Bath time
• Feeding
• Swing

Presley's Dislikes:

• When her pacifier falls out

Presley's Second Week

Presley's second week has been great! She has been opening her eyes more and being more attentive. She also wants to be held a lot more. The bottle-feeding of the breast milk for the middle of the night feedings has been very helpful. I was lucky one day and she slept four hours straight! My breast milk has come in even more. Occasionally, I have been able to pump 3 oz total, but my usual amount is 2 oz.  I haven't been able to pump enough to freeze the breast milk, but hopefully soon I will be. 

We go to the doctors next Thursday and our goal is for her to gain at least 5 ounces. She didn't gain their expected amount and they want me to start supplementing formula. I really don't want to do that, so I am going to try to feed her more and hopefully produce more milk. However, if I don't gain the goal amount I might have to consider it. She is having regular bowel movements, but I will do what is best for her. Wish me luck that she gains the weight and won't have to introduce formula. 

A big accomplishment this week was her umbilical cord fell out. Now, bath time will get a little easier. Not sure if she is going to have an innie or an outie belly button yet, but right now it is an innie. 

Such a daddy's girl already 

Having fun on the piano mat

Such a precious smile! 

Loves looking at her pretty self! 

Presley's likes:

• Be held
• Cuddle time
• Tummy time 
• Pacifier 
• Bouncer
• Bath time

Presley's Dislikes:

• Being changed
• Getting her blood drawn

Presley's First Week

I can't believe our baby girl is already one week old. Time sure does fly by and I hope it does not go too quickly. I'm cherishing every day with her. The first week has gone a lot more smoothly than I thought. It sure has been helpful with my supporting husband and wonderful mother here. 

She has been sleeping pretty good throughout the night. The first night at the hospital I only got two hours of on and off sleep. Not because she was crying, but because every noise she made I would wake up to and got a little nervous because she kept spitting up. Luckily, the spitting up only lasted that one night. 

We have figured out that if we feed her a bottle of breast milk before bed she will sleep around 4 hours straight before needing to be fed again. I decided that I will give her a bottle of the breast milk before bed and when she wakes up in the middle of the night. This reinsures me that she ate enough food and it helps her stay asleep longer. After I feed her in the middle of the night I will pump to keep my milk supply high. 

Breastfeeding hasn't been too easy. I thought it was going to be easier than it has been. I know it has only been a week, so I am hoping as she grows she will latch on quicker and better. It has been getting better, but just not where I need to be yet. Practice makes perfect I guess. 

Keeping a list of our feedings and dirty diapers has been very helpful. The only hard part is to remember to keep track when I feed her at night. When you are half asleep the last thing you remember to do is write something down. The lack of sleep hasn't been too bad. I try to sleep when she sleeps during the day. I just feel that she has her nights and days confused still. She sleeps a lot during the day and wakes up more at night. Hopefully as she grows she will be more awake during the day.

I have seen a lot of changes already in one week. Her eyes are more open and she is more alert. She enjoys tummy time and I am looking forward to creating some timmy time stations that we can work on each day. Her hair has gotten a little lighter and her personality is starting to appear. She likes to make noise when she sleeps and we say that she is singing to us :) She has already gotten taller too. She enjoys taking a bath. I am still a little nervous bathing her by myself, so I will wait to bath her when John is home. Right now, he is off for 14 days so it is very helpful. I'm hoping once her umbilical cord stump comes off I will feel a little more at ease. 

Overall, the first week has been great! The feeling of being a mother is amazing and I feel so lucky to have the chance to raise a wonderful and beautiful girl. 

Presley's first bath. She enjoyed it for the most part :)

Presley's likes: 

Her pacifier 

Bouncer

Tummy Time

Breast milk

Being held

Sleeping with her hands up

Presley's Dislikes:

Woken up to feed

Taking her clothes off

Presley with her Mema

Daddy and his little girl

Our Birth Story

Our  Birth Story

 August 4, 2016- Due Date

Anyone who has talked to me about my pregnancy knows how much I wanted Presley to be born on August 4. To us, August 4 is a significant date. It is Coast Guard Day and it is the day (4 years ago) that John proposed to me. I felt like it was fate that Presley's due date was on that day. 

So a few days before the due date I was bouncing on the exercise ball, drinking Raspberry Tea, walking like crazy. Anything you can think of that can induce pregnancy I did… but it wasn't working. So on my due date I was so nervous that it was going to happen. Just seems to unreal that today is the day. 

After talking to my mom, she informed me that your water can leak out instead of fully breaking, which I did not know. So I thought I might be leaking (you can figure out why), so I called my doctor and she she sent me to the hospital to get checked. I was excited that this could be it, but also nervous that this could be it too. 

My mom and I go to the hospital and I get checked. Unfortunately, after the test they say that my water was not leaking. However, they said that it could be, just not enough that the test could pull it up. While I was at the hospital, I did find out that my preferred doctor was on call that night and the next day. So that made me feel like Presley was going to come soon. 

We go home, eat dinner and put everything that we need for the hospital by the door, just in case it happened soon. However, when I was at home I was starting to feel a lot of pain and pressure. I texted John that he better be ready in case she comes soon because it was a different feeling than before. So I go to bed and a little after laying down I felt like a kick/burst and thought it was Presley kicked really hard and then a bunch of water came out and I knew my water broke! So after cleaning up and calling John I go to my moms room and let her know that my water broke. And off we go to the hospital….

I get to the hospital and since I was already there earlier that day it doesn't take long for us to go up to Labor and Delivery. I get there and they test again to find out if it was my water that broke and it was. John arrived very shortly and we were both ready to meet our little angel! Not very long after I got admitted did they call the anesthesiologist and I got my epidural (thank god!). Now it was just the waiting game to see when our little angel wanted to make her debut. 

My mom and John bringing up the stuff from the car 

After getting the epidural, I'm just waiting for Presely to arrive. Really LOVED having the pillow  with me, made such a big difference. 

John arriving with my big pillow :) 

Around 8am (August 5)  they checked again and they saw that I was progressing enough, but not enough to start pushing. So they started to give me pitocin to speed it up a little bit. By 11am they said I was ready to start pushing and the labor begins. 

Overall, it was a very good labor. However, towards the end it was getting very painful. Even with the epidural I could still feel the pain. After the whole experience I found out that they lowered the amount of the epidural and kicked up the amount of pitocin so I could push more. The feeling that I had was more of contractions every 20-30 seconds. Throughout the whole process, my nurse kept telling me how much hair Presley had. The experience was very painful, but I would do it again in a second to have my little angel with me. 

 Here are some pictures of Presley's arrival:

I'm officially a mother! 

My L&D nurse and doctor

Very proud Daddy!

Mema is in LOVE

Mimi is in LOVE 

Proud Uncle

40 Weeks

Today Is: August 4, 2016
How far long: 40 weeks
Baby is the Size of: Jackfruit 
Total Weight Gain: 35 pounds
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep: Still uncomfortable to sleep. My hands start to hurt really bad at night.
Best Moment this Week:  My mom came into town. She has helped out so much and I am so grateful for her help! 

Worst Moment this Week: Hands and feet swelling. Plus it is sooooo HOT outside! It is so miserable to go outside. 

Miss Anything: Nothing in particular

Cravings: Daiquiri and dark chocolate still :) 

Queasy or sick: None  

Symptoms: Carpal tunnel in my hands & swelling with my feet

Belly Growth:  42 inches 

Happy or Moody Most of the Time: Happy
Looking Forward To: Baby Z arriving!!!! Please come soon!!! 

From beginning and hopefully to the end (as long as baby girl comes this week!) 

When I first found out I was pregnant to 40 weeks pregnant. Hopefully, I can get back to where I was :) 

36 weeks to 40 weeks. Sure does show some dropping 

Baby Z's bedding :) She is such a princess already! 

Bump from my point of view