More Charlie

There were a couple pictures I saw on the Internet that I wanted to take, here's the first one.  Its a before and after picture (duh, haha).  HERE's where I got the idea

 Then I loved THIS one too, and I think its a cute picture of Darick and Charlie.  I love the little wrinkle on Charlie's head.

Charlie's Birth Story

This pregnancy was a little different.  When I was pregnant with Jayne I took a pregnancy and labor class the college offered.  I learned all about how a baby develops and grows.  I learned all about labor and the different stages and what words like "effaced" and "transition" meant.  I didn't really have a plan for pain management, it was just gonna be a wait and see what I could handle kind of deal.  To read Jayne's birth story click HERE.  During Max's pregnancy, I did a bunch of research on natural childbirth and how beneficial it is for mom and baby.  I made my mind up to "go all natural" just like I did with Jayne.  After all, if I did it once I could certainly do it again.  To read about Max's birth, click HERE.  With Charlie I knew I wanted to go natural again, but I needed to work on a few things. I love the way I can get up and take care of my baby and myself after a natural birth.  I don't love about an hour before the baby is born when my contractions are so strong I can't breath.  I don't like going numb in my face, hands and feet. And I don't like feeling like I don't have control. So this time I decided to try Hypnobabies.  To me Hypnobabies is all about learning to relax, breath and let birth happen.  So I found a class offered and joined it. 

Change of terms:

Labor- Birth Time

Delivered- Birthed

Contraction- Pressure Wave

Transition-Transformation

In the class they go through your pregnancy and you learn different techniques to put yourself instantly into a deep state of relaxation/hypnosis.  I started practicing hypnobabies around 30 weeks, so I used it for a while.  I would practice for about 30-60 minutes a day.  Normally right before I took a nap or went to bed at night.  Darick did it with me a couple times a week so when I was in birth time, he could help me stay focused and relaxed.  Most of my birth time, I looked like I was sleeping, but really I was just staying relaxed.  You start using hypnobabies the moment to start feeling regular pressure waves, when they are short, spaced well apart, and not as strong.  That way when they get stronger you don't have to all the sudden relax and try to not think about them. 

For those that were there with me, it was a seriously boring day.  I needed it to be quiet in the room so I could stay focused.  I went into the hospital at 6am because I have a fear of not making it to the hospital in time.  I knew I had a while to go, but I wanted to be at the hospital.  So my midwife Karen came in and checked on me pretty often, she wanted to break my water, and get things moving, but part of using hypnobabies is to let things progress naturally.  Charlie's head was really low, I kept getting comments that he was just gonna fall out.  If I had let my midwife break my water, I bet I would have had him way sooner.  There is no benefit to breaking the water, except to "get things going."  There are a bunch of risks though, and I wasn't willing to do it.  There were some people annoyed by my decision, but it was my labor, and I wanted things as natural as I could make them. I was monitored about every 30 minutes, my nurse Jessica would come in and listen to the baby and check on me. I drank a ton of water (so I didn't need an IV), peed a ton, and moved from the bed to a birthing ball, to the rocking chair and finally the Jacuzzi.  Hypnobabies encourages changing positions about every 30 minutes.  But I liked laying down the best, it was easiest to stay in hypnosis then. 

Around 5pm my pressure waves were stronger but I was comfortable and relaxed.  I think this is about the time I went into transformation.  I could feel the baby pretty low and I didn't feel like I had to push or anything, but I knew that I could have pushed.  I asked my midwife Karen to check me about 5:20pm.  She did and said I was only at an 8 and to hold off for a little bit.  The urge to do something was becoming stronger but I tried to just stay relaxed and keep breathing and focusing.  Karen checked me again about 5:50pm and I had a bulging bag of water, which is the reason I wanted to push.  Karen had to attend an emergency c-section and wanted me to hold off til after that.  I basically said no, but she had to go.  So my nurse Jessica came in.  I told Jessica that I needed to push and I couldn't stop it.  The next pressure wave I had some uncontrolled tightening type pushes and I said  "oh"..."oh." Then Darick told them I was gonna push.  I think that there was about a 3 minute break between the pressure waves.  I told Jessica that on the next one I was gonna have to push because I couldn't stop it, and that she needed to be ready.  When the pressure wave was about to start I said "OK" and basically my body took over, during the pressure wave I pushed 3 times.  The first push my bag of water came out.  I told them something came out.  They lifted the blanket and got to work.  The next push was his head, and finally Charlie's body.  He was born at 6:13pm with the bag of water intact.  We chose a midwife this time because they stay with you the whole time.  With Jayne and Max the doctors came in and caught the baby.  So it's funny that Karen missed the baby, and my nurse delivered him.  It's OK though, I really liked my nurse.  She was so supportive of our desire for a natural child birth, and she was respectful of me and my needs. 

Karen came back about 6:20 and delivered the placenta and helped to clean me up.  She waited at the hospital all day... oh well, there were a couple other ladies having babies too.

He sure is a chubby little thing!

Darick was really great, he helped my stay focused and relaxed, especially at the very end when things get a little more intense.  I would definitely use hypnobabies again and recommend it.  I was able to keep breathing, and not feel light headed or numb.  I also felt like I was really in control of my birth.

Afterwards I had a chocolate milk shake, fruit and a club sandwich.  The last time I had eaten was at 4am before leaving my house.  It was a banana :)  so I was pretty hungry!

We stayed for 24 hours and then came home

He has a perfect head

Chubby cheeks

Thunder thighs

Perfect little feet

And is super kissable

Here he is, ready to go home.  This is the same outfit Max came home in.

I was ready to go home too.

We all were

Charlie James Carpenter

12.30.2011
6:13pm
9lbs
20 inches long
Short and Chubby- Perfect in every way!

34 Weeks 3 Days

I go through about 3 bags of pebbled ice a week, sometimes more...

I take a bath almost every night between 11pm-1am cause I get the Jimmy Legs

My shirts keep getting shorter

I like to sit on the floor

My toes need to be painted...

December hasn't even started and I feel like the month is almost over, time is flying by

I'm excited for this baby, I wonder what he looks like...

My belly button is popping out

Double the Pregnancy... Take 3

This is my 3rd Pregnancy, and I'm lucky enough to have sisters who are pregnant the same time I am.  My sister-in-law  Karissa is due February 15th, so she's about 6 weeks behind me.  Let's just say that's why I'm so much bigger than her :)

 Karissa is 28 weeks and I'm 34 weeks

 This little photo shoot was sorta a last minute 11:30pm at night thing, hence the lack of cuteness on my part.  I don't think I have any makeup on.  And who knows what my hair is doing... oh well, its for posterity's sake. Plus Karissa looks beautiful and so she makes up for my shortcomings haha!

Remember when I was pregnant with Max, and took pictures like this with my sister Courtney? Ya me too, I had great hair that day :)

Once Upon a Time...

There was a girl named Little Red Riding hood...

Who was bringing a basket of goodies to her Grandmother.

 ("Grandmother what a large tummy you have!")

(30 weeks. pregnant...)

On her way there she saw a BIG BAD WOLF!

 

She quickly got away from him and soon was at Grandmother's house. But the wolf got there first!

The wolf pretended to be Grandmother, and right before he was about to eat Little Red Riding hood...

The woodsman came and saved the day.

Everyone lived happily ever after...

 As soon as I put my costume on, Jayne would only call me Grandmother. "Grandmother, don't I look beautiful?" "Grandmother, the wolf is playing with your phone!"  We had a fun night getting candy, and explaining who we were :)

WIP: Chevron Baby Blanket

I'm such a slow knitter that I decided I better give myself a few months to make our little monster a baby blanket.  I saw THIS pattern on the purl bee blog and thought it would be easy enough.  There are increases and decreases to keep track of, but with some markers, it's not that hard.  I've never knit or crocheted a blanket before, so this is kind of a huge project for me. 

 I like the stripes though, as soon as a get tired of one color- its time to switch!  i only have two more colors to do- gray and black tweed.  I'm excited to get it finished.  I think I would get it done this week, if Halloween goodness didn't need to get done first.  Maybe I'll have time this weekend?  Until then, I just walk by and feel it.  It's so lofty and soft.  It will be nice to wrap around the new baby during the upcoming frigid Idaho winter. 

26 weeks

*The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. 

*He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. 

*And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel.

all info from baby center

Did you all forget I was pregnant?  I didn't :)  That may be cause I've got this belly and baby moving all the time.  He's pretty active.  He moves all the time, there's really not a time of day where he's the most active, it is literally all the time.   I had a doctor's appointment today and they did an ultrasound just to take a peek at the baby, cause we were in the room anyway.  As soon as she put the wand on my tummy, the midwife was like "oh there's a penis" (haha, can I say that on my blog?!)  So we are for sure having a boy.  I like that we know, I don't do well with surprises, they drive me crazy!  Some things I really like right now are apples and peanut butter, pebbled ice, naps and candy.  Although I love candy anyway so I don't know if that's a pregnancy thing??  If this baby is at all like Jayne or Max then I have roughly 12 weeks left.  They were both born at 38 weeks.... I guess only time will tell!. I'm also going to try out hypnobithing this time, basically its all about breathing and relaxing.  I feel good about it.   Classes start in a couple weeks, so that's something to look forward to.  Time just seems to be flying by!

20 weeks: Whoooah, we're halfway there. Living on a prayer!

We had our 20 week ultrasound today.  It was fun, and super long.  Every time I thought that they were almost done, the tech just kept going.  With my other babies, I got maybe a 20 minute ultrasound, it was kind of an in and out thing, but I switched Doctors offices (to one that had a midwife) and they took so much more time.  I really like them.

We're not at all one of those couples that waits to find out what they are having.  I figure you find out anyway, might as well be sooner than later.  I'm also not a big fan of surprises.  I'd way rather know ahead of time.  Yes I read the end of Harry Potter 7 before the beginning cause I had to know.  I'm lame  like that.  So we're having a...

 Here is a foot, so cute

 Then they did some 3D ones, way cool.  this is the first time they have done that.  They got a couple pretty cute face shots. 

 He had hands and arms in front of his face most of the time

 Oh, I love him!

17 weeks

*Our baby weighs about 5 ounces- the same as a turnip!

*Our baby is about 5 inches long

*Our baby can move their joints

*Cartilage throughout the baby’s body is turning into bone, and sweat glands are starting to develop

info via BabyCenter