1 Month Check up and Pictures

On March 15, I took Tinley for her 1 month check up! She weighed in at 11 pounds and 2 ounces! It is crazy to think when we left the hospital she was 7lbs 7oz. She was back up to her birth weight of 8.4 in just 6 days! She is really growing! She was also 23 inches long! She got her 2nd Hep B shot and was not too happy, but once mommy picked her up she was better!

We took her to get her 1 month pictures taken and they turned out so cute! She got a little fussy during the middle of the pictures but after nursing her a bit she calmed down! I think the tutu we had her in was itchy!

So far Tinley is doing just great! The last 3 nights she has slept really good! She sleeps for around 5 hours then we get up for a quick diaper change and she will nurse and go right back to sleep for another 3-4 hours! YAY! Hopefully we can keep this up for a while! She has also started to smile at ME!! Talk about melting your heart! She knows who I am! It is so adorable! We have such a great little girl!

Almost 1 month already!

It is almost midnight and I am still waiting for Tinley to fall asleep!

I can not believe it has almost been 4 weeks since my little girl was placed in my arms! It really does fly by! Even though I am tired, I have to say I have a very good baby! She sleeps pretty good most of the night and only wakes once or twice! After a quick diaper change by daddy and about 10 minutes of nursing she is ready to go back to sleep! Sometimes around 5am we have to come into the loft and watch a little TV, because she is ready to get up, but we don't want to bother daddy since he has to work! She will usually go back down after an hour and we will sleep till around 8 or 9.

Breastfeeding

I have nusring exclusively and it is wonderful!! I don't understand why anyone would pass up on this amazing bonding experience!! I love bonding with her and knowing that my body can give her all the nutrients that she needs! Yes, it is tough being the only one who can feed her...but it is so worth it! She will be 4 weeks, this weekend and I will have Randy try to give her her 1st bottle. I am a little sad about it, but it needs to be done! For anyone who wants to nurse I would sauy DO IT! The first couple days may be hard (and your nipples will hurt like crazy) but with little more practice and lots of lanolin all will be fine! I have even had to nurse her in a restaurant and only had a few looks, but one lady told me to keep it up! :)

Tinley is getting to be such a big girl! She is starting to try to smile and holding her head up for a few seconds! She is an amazing little baby and I am so lucky to be her mommy!

Love you Tinley!

Tinley's Arrival

For my own memory I am going to break down Tinley's long arrival!

On Wednesday February 9th I went to the doctor to see if I was dialted anymore or any closer to going into labor on my own. Remember Tinley was due on the 4th! I was still just barely dialeted 1 cm and still not having contractions. So we decided to go into the hospital the next day, Thursday February 10th. Wednesday night I was overcome with emotion. Fear of being induced, worry of things that could go wrong, excitement, and sadness knowing that mine and Randy's relationship would never be the same. We enjoyed one last home cooked meal just the 2 of us!

Thursday morning the 10th! I was trying to make sure we had all things ready to go. Bags were already packed but I was checking and rechecking. Randy's parents showed up around noon. We decided to go eat a late lunch/early dinner at El Meson before heading to the hospital. We checked into the hospital aout 4:15. They had my room all ready to go! After signing a few papers I was in a hospital gown and being hooked up to monitors. I had 2 monitors around my belly monitoring Tinley's heartbeat and one for my contractions. The also inserted my IV, which they had trouble with. I became very light headed and had to turn and they had to start over and insert the IV into a different spot, on my wrist! Ouch! Next they insereted a drug called Cervidil into my vagina. It was to stay in for 12 hours. It was supposed to sit next to my cervix and hopefully get me dialted more! It was along night. Randy's parents stayed for a while then went back to our house to take care of Balboa. I ordered some more food around 7:00, which would be my last meal for a long time!!! Randy and I just sat and watched TV and tried to sleep around 11:00. Neither one of us slept very good that night. Everytime I had to pee, I had to unhook the monitors and waddle my way to the bathroom. The nurse was in almost every hour to check on me and Tinley.

Friday, February, 11th
At about 5:30 AM on Friday the 11th the nurse came in to remove the Cervidil. I was very disappointed to find out I was still just 1 cm!!! Felt like that 12 hours was a total waste of time! The nurse did say it softened my cervix more and I went from 50% effaced to 75%. I was able to get out of bed and take a shower! I had about 30 minutes before i was totally confined to the bed. That shower felt so great!! Around 7:00 AM I was started on Pitocin. Randy's mom and dad arrived back to the hospital aroud 7:30. We knew it would be a long day. My doctor, Dr. Garrett, was not very optimistic that we would have a baby by the end of the day! We spent the day watching movies on FX. Thankfully they were playing some good movies that day! I was only allowed ice chips, so I was very hungary an thirsty! I was recieving sugarwater though IV, Pitocin, and Penicillian because my Group B Strep test was positive. The penicillan HURT going in, it made my arm burn. I had to get it every 4 hours until I delievered too. I started having small contractions but they were not painful. Around 3:00 Dr. Garrett came t see if I was dialted anymore, she said I was still just 1 cm. I was getting frustrated because things were going so slow! She had th nurses turn up the Pitocin to the max amount and she would be back in a few hours to hopefully break my water. Contractions got a little more noticable but still not painful. I did get a small amount of pain meds, they really just helped me relax for a few. Around 7:00 PM Dr. Garrett came in to check me and I was 2-3 cm dialted. She decided to break my water. WOW...that was painful. It was really painful when she just checked to see if I was dialted but when she broke my water it was really painful!!! My cervix was still high and she said that is why it was painful! Having my water break was gross!!! I felt pretty nasty. Not a lot of water came out initally, but it just kept coming out! Not too long after they broke my water Tinley's heartrate dropped!! I was scared to death!!! Her heartrate had been around 130bmp all day and went down to the 50's and 60's. The nurses had me turn to my side for a bit and back to my other side. Then they put me on oxygen. It only lasted probably a minute or 2, but it seemed like a lifetime. I tried really hard to stay calm, knowing that if I stressed out it would make it worse on her. After her heartrate went back up, they kept me on oxygen for a few. Randy came over, and I just started to cry. I was so scared for my little girl! Thankfully things were fine. My contractions became really strong after that! I was in pain, but wanted to be strong and tough it out as long as I could! The nurse told me I could have the epidural if I wanted and I said I wanted to wait a little longer! Finally after about 3 hours around 10:00, Randy and his mom told me to get it. So I did. I did not realize it would take as long as it did! After one more rough hour finally around 11:00 PM, I got my epidural! The epidural did not hurt, but it was akward. I also had to get a catheder since I would no longer be able to get up to pee! The epidural kicked in pretty fast though . I loved wacthing my contractions on the screen and I could not feel them. I ended up falling asleep and it was great!

I woke up from my nap, and the room was dark and Randy and his mom were sound asleep. I had no idea what time it was or when I would be ready to have this baby! I started to make a little noise and after a few minutes Randy's mom woke up and came to check on me. She told me it was 2 AM.


Saturday, February 12, 2011
It was 2:00 AM. Dr. Garrett's resident came in to check me. Along with my nurse Melissa. We loved Melissa! The resident asked me if I was feeling any pressure, and I said not really. Then she said the magical words....You are fully dialted to 10 cm!!! Woohoo! I was finally going to have a baby! They called Dr. Garrett and she said she wanted me to labor down for an hour and she would be in at 3:30! So here I am an hour away from pushing! I thought this hour would be the longest ever! Around 3:00 my epidural ran out! Nurse Melissa put anothe syringe in, but I noticed I was feeling my contrations much more along with the EXTREME pressure!! About the time I started to push I noticed my leg itched! I should NOT have felt an itch with my epidural!! I was pusing 3 times for 10 seconds with each contrction. Now I had been in this hospital bed for almost 36 hours and had not eaten in about 30. I did not have a lot of energy. The pushing was hard and painful. Like I said my epidural was not working fully. The pressure was so extreme. After about 30 minutes the nurse got the mirror and said she could see the baby's hair! This gave me the boost of energy I needed to really start pushing! Throughout most of the pushing it was just Nurse Melissa and Randy. They were holding my legs and couting! Randy's mom was standing behind me for a little more moral support and snapping pictures! Once we got close to getting the baby out, they put my legs in the stirrups. Again, I was able to lift my own leg to get it in. Another sign my epidural was not working!! With about 10-15 more minutes of strong pushes and INTENSE pain,Tinley was almost out!! The pressure was so bad and I was in tears! I was becoming very vocal and was almost full out screaming. Just like in one of those movies! It hurt like crazy! Finally the doctor said the head was out and a few more pushes and they she was! She cried almost instantly and then I broke down in tears too!

They had to give her straight to the NICU nurses because she had meconium. Meconium is when the baby has thier 1st poop in utero. It is common with overdue babies. The NICU nurses just wanted to make sure she did not have any in her airway. Since she cried on her own, they knew she didn't. It was just a precaution. They told me she was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 21 1.4 inches long! My big girl!!! I then had to push out the placenta. Luckily, that was quick and easy! She gave her to me and I was in love! Her eyes were wide open and she just looked at me! The doctors then had to stitch me up a little where I had torn. She said it was not too bad and only needed a few stitches. Agian, I felt the stitches going in too, OUCH! Randy then held her and so did her grandma and grandpa! Terri had been there the whole time with me!! Charlie had gone back to the house but came to the hospital right before it was time for me to push! We also finally heard the music chime in the hallway. The hospital played a little tune everytime a baby was born. We had heard it almost a dozen times and it was nice to finally hear it for our baby! The cleaned Tinley up and let me breastfeed! It was amazing!!

There were a lot of people in the room when she was born. We had Dr. Garrett, her resident, and a student. Our nurse and 2 or 3 nurses from NICU. I did not even care though! I was just so happy to have my baby and see that she was safe and healthy! After we got cleaned up, I walked (another sign my epidural was not working) to the restroom to get cleaned up a little more. Nurse Melissa, could not belive I was able to stand and walk. All in all I only pushed about 50 minutes. I don't think I could have handled much more! The nurse also gave me some water and grahm crackers because she knew how long it had been since I had food!

Finally we were ready to go to our recovery room. Randy's mom and dad left, so Terri could get some rest! The postpartum nurses came in to go over things with us, and all could think about was food! Thankfully they had 24 hour room service. Finally around 7 AM I was able to eat! That was the best breakfast ever!! I was not able to sleep, I was just too excited to have my daughter! She had to come and go from the room while doctors and nurses checked her out! They told me she was just perfect! Around 1:00 I was able to take a shower, what a great feeling! Randy's mom and dad had came back to spend some time with their new granddaughter!

We were told we could leave the hospital on Monday, February 14, Valentine's Day! We had just a few visitors while in the hospital: Amity DeFelice, Cathlene Darragh, and Stephanie Weber and Alex Castrounis.

Overall, it was a long couple of days but totally worth it! Our daughter is here and healthy! We could not be happier!!!

I love you, Tinley Sophia Woodruff! I am so glad to be your mommy!

Where are you Tinley??!!

Tinley and Mommy at 39 Weeks

Tinley Sophia 4D ultrasound at 38 Weeks and 3 days! 7lbs and 7oz

She has her my nose!!

39 weeks and 5 days!! Still no sign of Tinley being ready to join our world!! On Monday the 31st, we went to doctor only to find out I am still not dilated AT ALL!! So we decided to go in to the hopsital on Saturday the 5th to begin the process of inducing me. The would have first had to give me Cervidril to get my cervix to dilate then start me on pitocin on Sunday. Well, after I came home and thought about it, I really did not like that plan! Regardless, I am the one that picked the date. I could have waited longer, I think at the time I was just anxious and ready to meet her. So after a stressful night of searing the drug pitocin I decided to call the doc and change our plans a little. So now, I will go to the doctor on Friday, Feb. 4th...my due date and have a non stress test to monitor Tinley and make sure she is ok to stay in there a little longer. If things are ok, then we will push back the induction date to maybe Wednesday Feb. 9th. They will not let me go more then 7 days past my due date. So that is our new plan, and I am happier with that. My hope is that she will choose to come on her own and I will not need to be induced at all of course!! I am just so ready to meet her!!!

Overall, I still feel pretty good for being almost 40 weeks pregnant! I am sleeping pretty well and still getting around good. I would still be working, but we have had no school the last 2 days due to a crazy ice storm!! We have at least an inch of ice! So I guess I am thankful that she did not decide to come in the middle of all this! If we have school tomorrow, I will go and have that be my last day. I hope to meet my sub and tell the kids goodbye!

So, our bags are packed and the grandparents are on standby! We are all just waiting on our little girl to make her entrance!!

How far along: 39 weeks and 5 days!

Total weight gain: 35 pounds

Size of the baby: getting close to 8lbs. On the 24th she was 7lbs 7 oz

Sex: Girl!

Maternity clothes: yep!

Sleep: suprisingly still very good! Only get up once to potty

Movement: Big movements! She still hiccups a lot and loves to stick her feet in my ribs!

Cravings: Nothing really...still love the sweets

Food aversions: had some spicey chili, that gave me the WORST heartburn, so I am staying away from spicey right now

Morning sickness: Nope...thankfully

Symptoms: Everything is sore!! Feet and back are killing me!

Labor signs: Not really :( Maybe some BH every now and then but can't really tell

Belly button in or out: In, but looks funny!

What I miss: clothes that will cover my belly! T-shirts that fit! Being able to put lotion on my legs and feet, putting socks out without feeling like I am doing something impossible

Stretchmarks: WHY WHY WHY! They showed up around 38 weeks, not real bad, but enough to make me cry myself to sleep one night!

What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Tinley!!!!!

Milestones: 2 days away from due date!!!!!!!!!! I made it all the way!!!