Jillian Catherine now has her own blog! You can catch it here:
http://jilliancatherine.blogspot.com
Hope you enjoy it!
Friday, March 7, 2008
A Birth Story
(The condensed version ...)
Heather checked into the Family Birth Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington on February 25, 2008 at 7:00 a.m. They admitted her into Room 102, which would become very familiar to her and myself, Greta and Dany.
After signing forms and dressing in a hospital gown, the IV therapist put an IV into Heather's hand, and induction using oxytocin (synthetic pitocin) began at about 8:30 a.m. Heather also had saline solution being dripped into her IV. Further monitoring included two round discs that were strapped to her tummy: one to measure the baby's heartbeat, and the other to measure contractions. The steady rhythm of the baby's heartbeat going along at anywhere between 110 and 140 bpm was kind of hypnotic after awhile.
Unfortunately, not much happened this day. Despite the nurses increasing the oxytocin dosage up to the maximum, the contractions weren't getting much stronger or more frequent. And checkups by the doctors, residents and nurses showed that Heather hadn't dilated past 2 or 3 cm. This was a little discouraging. The doctors recommended stopping the oxytocin for the night at about 8:30 p.m., getting a good night sleep, and trying again the next day. So, Dany and Greta went to the Paul house for some sleep, and Heather and myself managed to get a decent night's sleep in Room 102.
The next morning on February 26, both Heather and myself woke up and showered. Then the nurses got the oxytocin going again at about 8:00 a.m. They pursued the increases in dosage even more aggressively this time. This time, the contractions did seem to grow in strength and frequency a bit more. By late morning, the doctor checked Heather and said that she had dilated to about 4 cm; he also attempted to strip some membranes.
Several doctors arrived at 2:00 p.m., and wanted to attempt breaking Heather's water, in the hope of jumpstarting the contractions even more. The OBGYN used an amnihook, and made several tries, but she was unsuccessful at breaking Heather's water (which she stated was a first for her since her days as an intern). Heather would later say that of all the things that happened during her stay at the hospital, this was by far the most painful.
Approximately an hour later, the contractions ramped up dramatically, coming extremely hard and less than 2 minutes apart, such that Heather was hardly able to catch her breath. She said that her pain level went from a 4 to a 10 (maximum) during this time. During this time, the baby's heartbeat experienced a deceleration (or decel, as the doctors called it), which caused a flood of nurses and doctors to pour into the room to restore the heartbeat. They immediately maneuvered Heather into a position so that the stress to the baby was alleviated. They also made the decision to halt the flow of oxytocin.
It was decided at that time to administer the epidural. The practitioner came in and inserted the tube into Heather's spine, and then got the flow of pain blocker going. Relief was almost immediate. On the downside, the oxytocin had to be started up from the beginning, and the contractions were less frequent and lower intensity. On the upside, Heather had dilated up to about 5 cm.
The oxytocin was gradually increased over the course of the next many hours. The doctors continued to check the dilation, and again attempted to break Heather's water at about 7:00 p.m. As before, they were unsuccessful ... in fact, the baby's heartbeat experienced another deceleration, which led to more emergency maneuvers. They were having trouble tracking the baby's heartbeat with the external disc, so they went ahead and attached a fetal scalp monitor to the baby's head, which gave a more accurate reading.
By about 9:00 p.m., Heather had dilated to about 7 cm. Unfortunately, it was around this time that her IV site had come apart, which led to halting the oxytocin. After waiting about an hour, the IV therapist showed up and hooked up another line, and the flow of oxytocin was started up again, but they were having to start back at the beginning again.
On February 27 at 2:00 a.m., several doctors checked Heather and confirmed that she was not dilating past 7 cm. They suggested that a cesarean section may need to be performed since she was not progressing and due to the several decelerations of the baby's heartbeat. But, after consultation with the OBGYN, it was decided to increase the oxytocin up to the maximum for the next several hours, to see if something might happen.
At about 5:00 a.m., the doctor attempted to check Heather's dilation, and again the baby's heartbeat decelerated. The nurse pulled the "code" handle, and about a half dozen doctors and nurses came running into the room to re-position Heather, which had not been an easy task due to her lower extremities being numbed by the epidural.
The OBGYN recommended that a c-section be performed immediately, and Heather consented. This began an incredible flurry of activity, as nurses and doctors moved quickly to prepare Heather for the surgery. Heather signed a waiver, and then they wheeled her out of Room 102 and into the operating room just a short distance away. They prepped her, and within about 15 minutes of the decision, they began the c-section. I sat beside her head behind the drape, and within a couple minutes, the anesthetist practioner suggested looking at the baby's head being withdrawn out of Heather's tummy. I took a look, and there was a head poking out. Within a minute, the baby was out and in the hands of the respiratory therapists, who cleaned her up and got her breathing.
The therapists called me over to check out the sex of the baby ... it was a girl! I told Heather the good news, and then got several photos. They weighed Jillian Catherine at 7 lbs 11 ounces, and measured her at 21 inches long. Then they brought her over to Heather for a look, before moving her over to the nursery.
While Heather was being stitched back up, the therapists were working on Jillian to get her to breathe a little better, since it was a bit labored in the operating room. Within 15 minutes, she was breathing normally, and her skin tone pinked up quickly. After all of that, Jillian lay there pretty content for awhile checking out her surroundings. This bliss ended when the therapists began poking her with needles to get blood drawn ... the crying began in earnest. Jillian would remain in the nursery for the next couple hours awaiting test results.
Finally at about 9:00 a.m., the nurses wheeled Heather into the nursery so that she could hold Jillian for the first time. It was a beautiful sight!
Though the birth didn't go as planned, we still ended up with a beautiful baby girl, and both mother and child came out of this in good health. It was a very happy ending to a long 3 days!
Thanks for following the action these past 9+ months. You can now catch all the news about Jillian on a new blog site : http://jilliancatherine.blogspot.com
Heather checked into the Family Birth Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington on February 25, 2008 at 7:00 a.m. They admitted her into Room 102, which would become very familiar to her and myself, Greta and Dany.
After signing forms and dressing in a hospital gown, the IV therapist put an IV into Heather's hand, and induction using oxytocin (synthetic pitocin) began at about 8:30 a.m. Heather also had saline solution being dripped into her IV. Further monitoring included two round discs that were strapped to her tummy: one to measure the baby's heartbeat, and the other to measure contractions. The steady rhythm of the baby's heartbeat going along at anywhere between 110 and 140 bpm was kind of hypnotic after awhile.
Unfortunately, not much happened this day. Despite the nurses increasing the oxytocin dosage up to the maximum, the contractions weren't getting much stronger or more frequent. And checkups by the doctors, residents and nurses showed that Heather hadn't dilated past 2 or 3 cm. This was a little discouraging. The doctors recommended stopping the oxytocin for the night at about 8:30 p.m., getting a good night sleep, and trying again the next day. So, Dany and Greta went to the Paul house for some sleep, and Heather and myself managed to get a decent night's sleep in Room 102.
The next morning on February 26, both Heather and myself woke up and showered. Then the nurses got the oxytocin going again at about 8:00 a.m. They pursued the increases in dosage even more aggressively this time. This time, the contractions did seem to grow in strength and frequency a bit more. By late morning, the doctor checked Heather and said that she had dilated to about 4 cm; he also attempted to strip some membranes.
Several doctors arrived at 2:00 p.m., and wanted to attempt breaking Heather's water, in the hope of jumpstarting the contractions even more. The OBGYN used an amnihook, and made several tries, but she was unsuccessful at breaking Heather's water (which she stated was a first for her since her days as an intern). Heather would later say that of all the things that happened during her stay at the hospital, this was by far the most painful.
Approximately an hour later, the contractions ramped up dramatically, coming extremely hard and less than 2 minutes apart, such that Heather was hardly able to catch her breath. She said that her pain level went from a 4 to a 10 (maximum) during this time. During this time, the baby's heartbeat experienced a deceleration (or decel, as the doctors called it), which caused a flood of nurses and doctors to pour into the room to restore the heartbeat. They immediately maneuvered Heather into a position so that the stress to the baby was alleviated. They also made the decision to halt the flow of oxytocin.
It was decided at that time to administer the epidural. The practitioner came in and inserted the tube into Heather's spine, and then got the flow of pain blocker going. Relief was almost immediate. On the downside, the oxytocin had to be started up from the beginning, and the contractions were less frequent and lower intensity. On the upside, Heather had dilated up to about 5 cm.
The oxytocin was gradually increased over the course of the next many hours. The doctors continued to check the dilation, and again attempted to break Heather's water at about 7:00 p.m. As before, they were unsuccessful ... in fact, the baby's heartbeat experienced another deceleration, which led to more emergency maneuvers. They were having trouble tracking the baby's heartbeat with the external disc, so they went ahead and attached a fetal scalp monitor to the baby's head, which gave a more accurate reading.
By about 9:00 p.m., Heather had dilated to about 7 cm. Unfortunately, it was around this time that her IV site had come apart, which led to halting the oxytocin. After waiting about an hour, the IV therapist showed up and hooked up another line, and the flow of oxytocin was started up again, but they were having to start back at the beginning again.
On February 27 at 2:00 a.m., several doctors checked Heather and confirmed that she was not dilating past 7 cm. They suggested that a cesarean section may need to be performed since she was not progressing and due to the several decelerations of the baby's heartbeat. But, after consultation with the OBGYN, it was decided to increase the oxytocin up to the maximum for the next several hours, to see if something might happen.
At about 5:00 a.m., the doctor attempted to check Heather's dilation, and again the baby's heartbeat decelerated. The nurse pulled the "code" handle, and about a half dozen doctors and nurses came running into the room to re-position Heather, which had not been an easy task due to her lower extremities being numbed by the epidural.
The OBGYN recommended that a c-section be performed immediately, and Heather consented. This began an incredible flurry of activity, as nurses and doctors moved quickly to prepare Heather for the surgery. Heather signed a waiver, and then they wheeled her out of Room 102 and into the operating room just a short distance away. They prepped her, and within about 15 minutes of the decision, they began the c-section. I sat beside her head behind the drape, and within a couple minutes, the anesthetist practioner suggested looking at the baby's head being withdrawn out of Heather's tummy. I took a look, and there was a head poking out. Within a minute, the baby was out and in the hands of the respiratory therapists, who cleaned her up and got her breathing.
The therapists called me over to check out the sex of the baby ... it was a girl! I told Heather the good news, and then got several photos. They weighed Jillian Catherine at 7 lbs 11 ounces, and measured her at 21 inches long. Then they brought her over to Heather for a look, before moving her over to the nursery.
While Heather was being stitched back up, the therapists were working on Jillian to get her to breathe a little better, since it was a bit labored in the operating room. Within 15 minutes, she was breathing normally, and her skin tone pinked up quickly. After all of that, Jillian lay there pretty content for awhile checking out her surroundings. This bliss ended when the therapists began poking her with needles to get blood drawn ... the crying began in earnest. Jillian would remain in the nursery for the next couple hours awaiting test results.
Finally at about 9:00 a.m., the nurses wheeled Heather into the nursery so that she could hold Jillian for the first time. It was a beautiful sight!
Though the birth didn't go as planned, we still ended up with a beautiful baby girl, and both mother and child came out of this in good health. It was a very happy ending to a long 3 days!
Thanks for following the action these past 9+ months. You can now catch all the news about Jillian on a new blog site : http://jilliancatherine.blogspot.com
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Photos
Here are 3 photos (below) from Jillian's first few days.
The first one is Jillian's first sitting (or laying) for a photo that was taken on Friday at the Family Birth Center. It's easy to see that Jillian looks just like her mommy!
The second one is when Heather and Jillian first met in the nursery on Wednesday morning ... a very happy and memorable moment!
The third one is Jillian looking relaxed in her swaddling.
The first one is Jillian's first sitting (or laying) for a photo that was taken on Friday at the Family Birth Center. It's easy to see that Jillian looks just like her mommy!
The second one is when Heather and Jillian first met in the nursery on Wednesday morning ... a very happy and memorable moment!
The third one is Jillian looking relaxed in her swaddling.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Jillian Catherine
It's a girl!
Jillian Catherine was born on February 27, 2008 at 6:11 a.m. She weighed 7 lbs 11 ounces, and was 21 inches long.
I'm not able to post much, since I'm just stopping by the house to pick up some things for the stay at the hospital. But, rest assured that Heather and Jillian are doing great.
Photos and stories coming soon!
Jillian Catherine was born on February 27, 2008 at 6:11 a.m. She weighed 7 lbs 11 ounces, and was 21 inches long.
I'm not able to post much, since I'm just stopping by the house to pick up some things for the stay at the hospital. But, rest assured that Heather and Jillian are doing great.
Photos and stories coming soon!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
41-week Photo
This is it!!!This is the last day before little Baby Woodruff appears to the world. Heather is here in front of R. A. Long High School, where she graduated in 1991.
Heather has said that the last 41 weeks have flown by, and now she is more than ready for BW to be born. We are very excited for tomorrow! It might be hard getting to sleep tonight.
I'll try to post all the details as soon as we get back from the Birth Center ... so stay tuned!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Passing Time
It's a strange place to be, knowing that Baby Woodruff will be born on Monday at the latest, but could come along at any time before that ... for sure the sooner, the better. So, we've been doing what we can to help things along, namely going for a long walk each day, trying to get little BW to settle further down and jumpstart labor. The walks might actually be doing something, since Heather says that the heaviness increases, and there might even be some mild contractions (that feel like crampiness). We've got only a couple more days now, so we'll be putting in a couple more miles of walking ... and we'll see what happens.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Countdown
After the latest doctor appointment today, we now know that Baby Woodruff is going to be arriving within the next 5 days, but not later than Monday, February 25th.
The weekly exam with Dr. Zawacki started right off with a check inside to see BW's progress downward. The doctor said that the baby had moved even further down, and that she could feeel the head "right there". She said that Heather had also dilated up to about 2 cm now. And for good measure, she stripped some more membranes (which Heather said had prompted some small contractions). The doctor finished up with a test for leakage of amniotic fluid, in case the water had broken (but this later came back negative).
Dr. Zawacki did express the opinion that she felt that labor could begin any moment, considering what she saw and the fact that Heather would be 41-weeks along tomorrow. She suggested scheduling induction next week, which would give little BW a little more time to make a move.
So, unless labor begins on its own in the next few days, we will be going to the SWMC Birth Center at 7:00 am on Monday, February 25th!
The weekly exam with Dr. Zawacki started right off with a check inside to see BW's progress downward. The doctor said that the baby had moved even further down, and that she could feeel the head "right there". She said that Heather had also dilated up to about 2 cm now. And for good measure, she stripped some more membranes (which Heather said had prompted some small contractions). The doctor finished up with a test for leakage of amniotic fluid, in case the water had broken (but this later came back negative).
Dr. Zawacki did express the opinion that she felt that labor could begin any moment, considering what she saw and the fact that Heather would be 41-weeks along tomorrow. She suggested scheduling induction next week, which would give little BW a little more time to make a move.
So, unless labor begins on its own in the next few days, we will be going to the SWMC Birth Center at 7:00 am on Monday, February 25th!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
40-week Photo
Here is the 40-week photo of Heather, Baby Woodruff and Adam! They are enjoying the nice, sunny day outside ... though it was so bright, Little Man could have used a pair of sunglasses for this shot.The February 15th due date has come and gone, and now we are taking it day by day. Not much has happened to indicate that labor is going to start any time soon, so we are looking forward to the doctor appointment on Wednesday to let us know where things stand. All Heather knows is that BW is continuing to grow!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Overtime
Unless something dramatic happens in the next day or two, it looks like little Baby Woodruff is planning on an extended stay inside Heather, since the due date is this Friday (February 15th).
We made our weekly trip to see Dr. Zawacki today. The usual tests came out good, with both Heather's blood pressure normal, and BW's heartbeat right around 130 bpm. Then the doctor checked to see how things were progressing inside. She mentioned that the cervix was farther forward than last week, but not quite dilated enough to reach 1 cm (so, just a little less). The doctor did manage to strip some membranes, so we'll see if that helps.
The next appointment is scheduled for next Wednesday, though Dr. Zawacki said she hopes to see us before then (at the birth center)!
We made our weekly trip to see Dr. Zawacki today. The usual tests came out good, with both Heather's blood pressure normal, and BW's heartbeat right around 130 bpm. Then the doctor checked to see how things were progressing inside. She mentioned that the cervix was farther forward than last week, but not quite dilated enough to reach 1 cm (so, just a little less). The doctor did manage to strip some membranes, so we'll see if that helps.
The next appointment is scheduled for next Wednesday, though Dr. Zawacki said she hopes to see us before then (at the birth center)!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
39-week Photo
Any time now!Here's the 39-week photo of Heather and Baby Woodruff standing in front of the Family Birth Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center, where the upcoming birth of little BW will take place.
We were at the hospital this past weekend, getting some last minute information and instruction at a Labor & Birth Class sponsored by the hospital. We were in there with instructor Martha and six other couples. It was very good and we learned a lot (maybe too much in my case) about available intervention techniques, breathing and relaxation methods, and post-partum. We are as ready as we are ever going to be.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Last Work Day
After working right up to the 39th week of pregnancy, Heather finally called it quits today. She had hoped to keeping working right up close to the delivery, but the back pain and exhaustion she felt after Tuesday's late shift made her mind up for her. So now, Heather is spending some relax time at home, enjoying whatever sleep she can get before Baby Woodruff arrives.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
A Look Inside
At the most recent check-up, Dr. Zawacki wanted Heather to go to the hospital the next day for an ultrasound. Being at 39-weeks along, she wanted to make sure that BW had enough amniotic fluid for the next week or two.
So today, we made the trip to SWMC. The ultrasound technician, Michelle, had worked with Heather in X-ray a few years back. Michelle lubed up Heather's tummy, and started probing around. BW had been sleeping, but woke up with all the poking going on. First to get looked at was the cranial measurement, followed by the leg and arm ... and she also checked out the heart and bladder (which was full). She tried to get a good look at baby's face, but BW was being a shy baby, keeping an arm in the way the whole time.
Everything was in normal limits, including the amniotic fluid. The measurements did show that this might be a bigger-than-average baby ... the current reading was 8 lbs 2 ounces. And that's with 1 or 2 weeks to go! She also measured BW's gestational age at 39 weeks 1 day, so we are right on target there.
So today, we made the trip to SWMC. The ultrasound technician, Michelle, had worked with Heather in X-ray a few years back. Michelle lubed up Heather's tummy, and started probing around. BW had been sleeping, but woke up with all the poking going on. First to get looked at was the cranial measurement, followed by the leg and arm ... and she also checked out the heart and bladder (which was full). She tried to get a good look at baby's face, but BW was being a shy baby, keeping an arm in the way the whole time.
Everything was in normal limits, including the amniotic fluid. The measurements did show that this might be a bigger-than-average baby ... the current reading was 8 lbs 2 ounces. And that's with 1 or 2 weeks to go! She also measured BW's gestational age at 39 weeks 1 day, so we are right on target there.
Still Waiting
Heather and Baby Woodruff went to see Dr. Zawacki yesterday for the weekly check-up. Getting within 2 weeks of the due date, the doctor wanted to find out whether anything was happening inside to indicate that baby was on the way out. Well, it looks like BW plans on staying in the cozy confines of Heather's tummy for a while longer, since there was basically no dilation or effacement. The doctor did say that she would only wait up to 41 weeks, after which she would induce labor ... so Heather is trying to convince BW to get moving (out). Apart from that, it appears everything still looks good. Heather's blood pressure is still normal, and baby's heartbeat came in at 120 bpm or so.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
38-week Photo
Not quite the typical weekly photo, but definitely the favorite spot for Heather lately. Baby Woodruff has gotten heavier by the day, and it doesn't take much to tire mommy out now. At 38-weeks along, we are as ready as we are ever going to be ... and now that BW is full-term, we hope it's sooner rather than later, since baby is not getting any smaller.Not to worry, though ... we'll get another good profile photo on Wednesday.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Movin' On Down
Baby Woodruff continued with the descent, moving even further down in Heather's tummy today. All that walking around at work is helping baby to squeeze further into mommy's pelvis, so much so that she is having to waddle now. The other way to tell how far baby has moved is by BW's "buns of steel" (according to Meagan) which are no longer in Heather's ribs, but moving closer to her belly button. It has eased a lot of the crowding up high that she was feeling lately, at the expense of even more pressure down low.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Quick Check-up
There wasn't much new at the latest check-up with Dr. Zawacki today. Heather remains in good health, as does Baby Woodruff. BW's heartbeat remained right around 130 bpm, and Heather's tummy measured 36 cm. This appears to be a run-of-the-mill pregnancy for the doctor (which we are very thankful for) ... she said that it's now just a matter of waiting. Though, she did mention that she could help to speed things up at the next appointment on next Wednesday.
Heel to the Ribs
As I sit here working on the computer tonight, I can hear Heather saying "Oooh ... owww!" Then she said, "Honey, come here and see what your child is doing." When I go and look, Heather is sitting on the sofa, rubbing her ribcage. She says that baby's foot is sticking up into her ribs, and baby's bum is jammed up nearly as far. Looks like space is at a premium in there, and BW is now strong enough to make mommy wince a bit.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Work Shower
On Friday, Heather's co-workers at Southwest Washington Medical Center hosted a baby shower for her at the end of the work day in the X-ray department.
Thank you to Cheri and Rand for organizing the event. Heather really enjoyed the balloons and the cake, which was decorated with a stork and "Happy Baby Wishes". Thank you also to Tacomis, who was the main photographer. Rick really appreciated all the interesting photos, including the smiley-headed Heather.
Heather was very thankful for all the generous gifts given to her by everyone in the department. Some of the highlighted gifts included hand-made stockings and hat by Linda, hand-made blanket by Heather, the baby-blue outift given by her boss Rhonda (who's convinced that BW will be a boy), and the group-gift from the department.
We now feel fully stocked up for the arrival of Baby Woodruff now!
Thank you to Cheri and Rand for organizing the event. Heather really enjoyed the balloons and the cake, which was decorated with a stork and "Happy Baby Wishes". Thank you also to Tacomis, who was the main photographer. Rick really appreciated all the interesting photos, including the smiley-headed Heather.
Heather was very thankful for all the generous gifts given to her by everyone in the department. Some of the highlighted gifts included hand-made stockings and hat by Linda, hand-made blanket by Heather, the baby-blue outift given by her boss Rhonda (who's convinced that BW will be a boy), and the group-gift from the department.We now feel fully stocked up for the arrival of Baby Woodruff now!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
More Checking
Heather visited Dr. Zawacki today for another routine, weekly check-up. Things continued at their usual steady pace, with mother and baby's health still looking good. Baby Woodruff's heartbeat was once again at about 130 bpm, and the position stayed at "head-down" (always good to know that) ... the only downside to that is that Heather is now getting some nice kicks into her ribcage (ouch!). Also, the tummy measurement checked in at 35 cm. And a good piece of news was that the strep test was negative.
This was also a chance for Heather to ask some questions about the upcoming delivery. After talking it over with the doctor, it appears that if the timing works out (no super-quickie appearances by BW), then she'll be able to use an epidural at a strength that allows for some feeling of the contractions. Another discussion was about Heather's blood type (O-), possibly leading to BW coming out a little jaundiced, which could mean baby's first visit to the tanning booth before the age of 1. Hopefully, the RH factor shot took care of that.
Only a couple check-ups left! ... the next one being a week from today.
This was also a chance for Heather to ask some questions about the upcoming delivery. After talking it over with the doctor, it appears that if the timing works out (no super-quickie appearances by BW), then she'll be able to use an epidural at a strength that allows for some feeling of the contractions. Another discussion was about Heather's blood type (O-), possibly leading to BW coming out a little jaundiced, which could mean baby's first visit to the tanning booth before the age of 1. Hopefully, the RH factor shot took care of that.
Only a couple check-ups left! ... the next one being a week from today.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
36-week Photo
Heather and Baby Woodruff are now at 36-weeks! Only a month to go, and preparation for BW's arrival has picked up steam. The attention this past week was on getting the baby room ready, as shown in this photo. You can clearly see Heather's color scheme coming to life. We painted the block border, used Wall Pops for the circles, and then Aunt Charolette brought us the best part ... the baby dresser that she had painted with the room colors. It all looks fantastic. Thanks, Charolette!Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Baby Activity Report
Heather went in for another check-up today with Dr. Zawacki. This visit was partly routine ... Heather's blood pressure is still doing fine at 112 over 68, so doing good there; and Baby Woodruff's heartbeat continued at a nice, strong 130 bpm. Also, the tummy measurement came in at 34 cm.
The new part was the doctor checking internally for baby's position. As confirmed earlier, BW's head is in the down position, and the little bum is definitely in the up position. However, it is not quite "go" time yet. But, Dr. Zawacki did say that if labor did start next week (almost 37 weeks), then she would let Heather give birth since BW would be at term.
They also planned ahead, as Heather got together her leave of absence paperwork for the doctor to sign. And then, she announced who her birthing team would be: Heather's very frightened husband (her words), her best friend Sara (Dany) and her sister Greta.
The next appointment will be next Wednesday, when the doctor will keep checking for dilation and baby's position.
The new part was the doctor checking internally for baby's position. As confirmed earlier, BW's head is in the down position, and the little bum is definitely in the up position. However, it is not quite "go" time yet. But, Dr. Zawacki did say that if labor did start next week (almost 37 weeks), then she would let Heather give birth since BW would be at term.
They also planned ahead, as Heather got together her leave of absence paperwork for the doctor to sign. And then, she announced who her birthing team would be: Heather's very frightened husband (her words), her best friend Sara (Dany) and her sister Greta.
The next appointment will be next Wednesday, when the doctor will keep checking for dilation and baby's position.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Still Working
Heather is 35-weeks along, and still taking little BW to work, although with a slightly reduced schedule. She managed to change her Monday shift so that she can arrive at 9:00 am instead of 7:00 am, meaning she's only at work for 14 hours instead of the usual 16 hours ... not a huge change, but those couple hours of sleeping in mean everything to her and BW.
And the even better news is that Heather only has about 3-1/2 more weeks of work left before she takes maternity leave for 3 months!
And the even better news is that Heather only has about 3-1/2 more weeks of work left before she takes maternity leave for 3 months!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Woodland Shower
Heather and Baby Woodruff attended their 3rd baby shower this past Saturday. The shower was hosted by Sara (Dany) Paul, Cindy Stephenson and Greta Verd, at Dany's country home in Woodland. The decorations were beautiful as usual, with the color theme being pink and blue, since the gender of BW is not yet known ... it was a lovely ladies' afternoon tea party. There were many desserts to choose from, and a nice light lunch. Heather would like to thank Dany, Cindy, Grandma Helen and Greta for all their hard work putting on a wonderful shower.
This shower was attended by many of Heather's family and close friends, including sisters Sheryl (with Baby Andy) and Greta shown in this picture. After Heather introduced everyone, it was time for some games. The first was "Guess Who's Pregnant", where many wished they had paid better attention in school science. The goal of the game was to match the gestational age of various animals with the correct animal ... for example, did you know that the gestational age of the African Elephant is a whopping 22 months, whereas the age for the opossum is only 13 days?
The next game was "Finish Mommy's Phrase". Heather was asked to fill in the blanks to finish the phrases on the page. Then, everyone tried to guess what her responses were on their own pages. Heather threw everyone a curve ball by mixing up her answers a bit.
Heather enjoyed a wonderful day, however some tears were shed. Dany began by saying a thoughtful prayer in memory of Heather's mom Karlene, and for the safety of Baby Woodruff. Another emotional moment was a poem written by Douglas Allegar ... the father of Justice, one of Heather's former volleyball players, and Billie's husband. And finally, Heather's cousin Michele surprised her with a crocheted blanket from her Grandma Myrtle, who passed 6 years ago.
Heather was overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. Many cute and much-needed gifts were given. Heather would like to thank some of her other special helpers at the shower, including nieces Meagan and Lindsey for taking these photos, niece McKenna for greeting and taking coats and helping clean up, Abby and Maya for helping with gifts (as shown in the photo), and niece Lindsey again for the lovely dance performance.
We appreciate everyone's love and support as we prepare for the new addition. We look forward to introducing he/she to you! Thank you so much!
This shower was attended by many of Heather's family and close friends, including sisters Sheryl (with Baby Andy) and Greta shown in this picture. After Heather introduced everyone, it was time for some games. The first was "Guess Who's Pregnant", where many wished they had paid better attention in school science. The goal of the game was to match the gestational age of various animals with the correct animal ... for example, did you know that the gestational age of the African Elephant is a whopping 22 months, whereas the age for the opossum is only 13 days?The next game was "Finish Mommy's Phrase". Heather was asked to fill in the blanks to finish the phrases on the page. Then, everyone tried to guess what her responses were on their own pages. Heather threw everyone a curve ball by mixing up her answers a bit.
Heather enjoyed a wonderful day, however some tears were shed. Dany began by saying a thoughtful prayer in memory of Heather's mom Karlene, and for the safety of Baby Woodruff. Another emotional moment was a poem written by Douglas Allegar ... the father of Justice, one of Heather's former volleyball players, and Billie's husband. And finally, Heather's cousin Michele surprised her with a crocheted blanket from her Grandma Myrtle, who passed 6 years ago.
Heather was overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. Many cute and much-needed gifts were given. Heather would like to thank some of her other special helpers at the shower, including nieces Meagan and Lindsey for taking these photos, niece McKenna for greeting and taking coats and helping clean up, Abby and Maya for helping with gifts (as shown in the photo), and niece Lindsey again for the lovely dance performance.We appreciate everyone's love and support as we prepare for the new addition. We look forward to introducing he/she to you! Thank you so much!
35-week Photo
So very close now! Baby Woodruff is now at 35-weeks, and mommy and daddy can't hardly wait any longer. This photo was taken at this past weekend's baby shower in Woodland (which you can read about in the next post).
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Dropping
Baby Woodruff continues the downward migration. Just looking at Heather, it's clear that the shape of her tummy has shifted to a lower position. More than a few people have commented on how they've noticed BW's change in altitude. Looks like the baby is nearly engaged and ready for descent!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
34-week Photo
Baby Woodruff is now 34-weeks old, and getting bigger by the day. Heather is really beginning to feel the weight of the baby, mostly by how tired she is getting with packing BW around. That stroller that the Uhlenkott's and Johnson's gave us at the Baby Bash looks like it will be a life-saver!Castle Rock Shower
It was baby shower-time in Castle Rock, better known as the "Baby Bash" as written on the invitations. The Piercy clan was together for another big party, this time at Kevin and (my younger sister) Julie Johnson's new house. It was a great time as always! Thanks to my sisters Lynne, Robin and Julie for organizing it, and to my mom for helping them out.
The party warmed up with some excellent food and snacks. And for fun, there was a guessing game, where about 15 photos of Heather at different stages in her pregnancy were randomly printed on some paper, and the goal was put them in order. There was also a betting game, where for $1 a guess could be made about either BW's height, weight, date of birth, time of birth, gender or first name initial. The guesses for the gender were split evenly between boy and girl, and it's interesting that the average guess for weight was about 9 pounds!
Then, it was time for the competition. First up, everyone cut a piece of yarn to the length that they thought would reach exactly around Heather's belly, with the closest winning. Here's a photo of Brock's attempt, with Julie looking on. In the end, the winners of the game were Gabe and Dad (tied), each getting within 2 inches.
The next game was for the kids, where each was given a baby bottle with juice in it, and the first to drink it all was the winner. The kids had to work pretty hard, since these were the low-flow nipples that give maybe a drop at a time. Here's a photo of Auna, Rielee and Parker working on their bottles. The eventual winner was Brock, with Rielee and Ainsley next.
The final event was male vs. female, in a game of charades (or drawing). The phrases to be guessed had words beginning with B and W, in honor of Baby Woodruff. The women would win this challenge, which meant Heather won some coupons for things like "One night without getting up" or "One day without changing diapers" ... lucky me.
After cake and ice cream, Heather and I opened up the presents for BW. We got lots of help from Rieliee, who loves opening presents. Everything that was given was awesome, and we are grateful for this family's generosity. Thanks to all for coming to the party ... we appreciate you and your support, and we look forward to the day when Baby Woodruff gets to meet all of you!
The party warmed up with some excellent food and snacks. And for fun, there was a guessing game, where about 15 photos of Heather at different stages in her pregnancy were randomly printed on some paper, and the goal was put them in order. There was also a betting game, where for $1 a guess could be made about either BW's height, weight, date of birth, time of birth, gender or first name initial. The guesses for the gender were split evenly between boy and girl, and it's interesting that the average guess for weight was about 9 pounds!
Then, it was time for the competition. First up, everyone cut a piece of yarn to the length that they thought would reach exactly around Heather's belly, with the closest winning. Here's a photo of Brock's attempt, with Julie looking on. In the end, the winners of the game were Gabe and Dad (tied), each getting within 2 inches.
The next game was for the kids, where each was given a baby bottle with juice in it, and the first to drink it all was the winner. The kids had to work pretty hard, since these were the low-flow nipples that give maybe a drop at a time. Here's a photo of Auna, Rielee and Parker working on their bottles. The eventual winner was Brock, with Rielee and Ainsley next.The final event was male vs. female, in a game of charades (or drawing). The phrases to be guessed had words beginning with B and W, in honor of Baby Woodruff. The women would win this challenge, which meant Heather won some coupons for things like "One night without getting up" or "One day without changing diapers" ... lucky me.
After cake and ice cream, Heather and I opened up the presents for BW. We got lots of help from Rieliee, who loves opening presents. Everything that was given was awesome, and we are grateful for this family's generosity. Thanks to all for coming to the party ... we appreciate you and your support, and we look forward to the day when Baby Woodruff gets to meet all of you!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Guest Doctor
It was time for another check-up for Heather and Baby Woodruff. The regular OBGYN, Dr. Zawacki, wasn't available, so this time she saw Dr. Tuganis.
The doctor measured Heather's tummy at 33 inches. When she tried to measure baby's heartbeat, she struggled to keep up with little BW's location. She said that the baby was "doing gymnastics!" She eventually got the heartrate at 130 bpm. Then, she checked for the position of the baby. After a pretty thorough search, she said that based on feeling something hard down low, that the baby was in the head-down position. (That would explain why Heather and I felt something hard up high in her tummy ... it was little BW's bum! Plus, that accounted for the heaviness that Heather was feeling down low, and her difficulty walking lately.)
Heather was very happy to hear about BW's position. Her next scheduled appointment will be in 2 weeks.
The doctor measured Heather's tummy at 33 inches. When she tried to measure baby's heartbeat, she struggled to keep up with little BW's location. She said that the baby was "doing gymnastics!" She eventually got the heartrate at 130 bpm. Then, she checked for the position of the baby. After a pretty thorough search, she said that based on feeling something hard down low, that the baby was in the head-down position. (That would explain why Heather and I felt something hard up high in her tummy ... it was little BW's bum! Plus, that accounted for the heaviness that Heather was feeling down low, and her difficulty walking lately.)
Heather was very happy to hear about BW's position. Her next scheduled appointment will be in 2 weeks.
Contraction
Yesterday while cooking up lunch, Heather doubled over. She was holding her tummy and had an "owwww?!" expression on her face. We got her into a chair, and after a few more moments, the pain subsided a bit. She said that her upper stomach muscles had tightened up, like cramps. The whole episode lasted about 20 seconds.
We guessed that this was a Braxton-Hicks contraction, based on what other women had told Heather, and what the pregnancy books described. Even though this wasn't the real thing, talk about a jolt of adrenaline for daddy! I was ready to race mommy and little BW to the hospital.
We guessed that this was a Braxton-Hicks contraction, based on what other women had told Heather, and what the pregnancy books described. Even though this wasn't the real thing, talk about a jolt of adrenaline for daddy! I was ready to race mommy and little BW to the hospital.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Hello 2008!
Happy New Year! It's now 2008, The Year of Baby Woodruff, as we like to say. And little (or maybe we should say BIG) BW rang it in at midnight with lots of kicks, punches and rolls. All that activity might have been caused by the dark chocolate peppermint shake from Coldstone Creamery that Heather drank on the way home.
The movements are strong enough now that we can see all of it really easily ... Heather's belly shifts around, with little bumps and ripples showing up here and there. It's just a beehive of activity in her tummy ... BW's own little pre-natal playground!
The movements are strong enough now that we can see all of it really easily ... Heather's belly shifts around, with little bumps and ripples showing up here and there. It's just a beehive of activity in her tummy ... BW's own little pre-natal playground!
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