Nursing

Nursing is very difficult...I knew it would be but was hoping I was one of those lucky ones that it came easy to. Since we had to supplement with formula, it taught Callie Beth that she does not have to open very wide to get her food. Now that we are back to nursing, that doesn't work. It is both painful and frustrating because she is not getting what she needs fast enough and it wanting to nurse 24/7. We are working on getting her to open her mouth very wide and know that it takes time and training. Here are a couple pics...not too many because she is connected to me most of the time :)

1 week old

Callie Beth was 1 week old yesterday. We are adjusting pretty well. Callie Beth is looking healthier each day. We are back to just nursing now. Lets hope it continues to go well. We still can't get over how much hair she has. Here are some pics from the last couple of days. Also, look below for some more pics.

Grandparents

Lots of visitors

We have had lots of visitors over to meet Callie Beth...

Aunt Jill Gary & Kinser
Kinser
Uncle Joe
Aunt Kasey

wonderful night

So last night was our first normal night of having a newborn. It was great compared to the nights before. We were exhausted from just taking naps the last few days and not sleeping. We got in bed at 9 and watched Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice and went to sleep. Callie Beth woke us up around 12:30. We fed her and changed her and went right back to sleep. She did the same around 3:30. We woke her around 6 and then she got us up at 8:30. It was great to not have to go to the hospital or doctor this morning too!

Here are some pics:
napping this afternoon
Enjoying the swing...look at her little feet :)

She was wide awake when I asked dad to watch her while I showered...I came out and this is what I see!

jaundice update 2

We started off the day at the hospital again after taking shifts watching her all night...better news this time. She gained 3 ounces since the day before and her bilirubin level went down 3 points. Each day the threshold increases so getting the level to stay the same is a challenge and getting it to drop is wonderful. We were very happy about that. Later in the day, Callie Beth had her first doctors appt. He was very happy with her progress. We can take her off the biliblanket!!! We can actually let her sleep in the bassinet while Jake and I try to get some sleep. What a relief to not have her confined to her little bouncer with the light under her. I can actually pick her up and cuddle with her whenever I want! He wanted me continue to supplement with formula after breast feeding for one more day. Then, Saturday he wants me to give her the milk I have been pumping and then the next day try just breast feeding. Lets hope it goes smooth! We are so happy our little girl is getting better!

jaundice update

Last night Callie Beth needed to be on the biliblanket all night. She has to be watched at all times so Jake and I were going to take shifts. He took the first one and was going to wake me up a couple hours later. He let me sleep for 5 hours! What a wonderful husband and daddy!

We went this morning for Callie Beth's bilirubin check up. She gained an ounce over night and her levels went down just .10....which was good. At least it is going down. So we got to take her back home for another day of the biliblanket and formula. My milk is starting to come in so I am breast feeding for a few minutes and then giving a bottle. We go again tomorrow morning so it will be another night of someone not sleeping.

our baby

Here is Callie Beth with the bililanket on...we call her our little glow bug :)

update

So they kept me in the hospital an extra day because of the rough labor. They said my tail bone will take 6 months to a year to heal and about 2 weeks till I notice any difference with the pain. The pain meds take some of it away but I'm still hurting pretty bad. It is pretty interesting taking care of a newborn when you can't sit and hardly walk.

I do need to brag on my wonderful husband. He has been amazing taking care of the both of us. I don't know what I could do without him.

Right now Callie Beth is jaundice. Her levels were a little high yesterday so they sent us home with a bili-blanket. It is something we put on her chest that gives off light to help with the jaundice. We went this afternoon for a check up and it wasn't so good. She has lost more than 10% of her body weight and her levels are higher. (she weights 7 pounds 6 ounces now). My milk has not come in so I knew she wasn't getting the food she needed. As of now, she has to have the bili-blanket on all night and we are giving her formula. We go back tomorrow morning to see if that helped. It if didn't, she will be admitted and have to be placed under the lights for a day. Lets hope tonight works and my milk comes in!

more pictures

pictures

Callyn Elizabeth Postlewait: The birth

March 20th and 21st

I know of lot of know want an update and to hear how the labor went. It is hard to talk about but here you go....Well, we went into the hospital to be induced Friday morning. When we got to the hospital, they were super busy with lots of babies being delivered. They were going to send me home which was the last thing we wanted. I just wanted to feel good and meet our little girl. They hooked me up to the monitors and I was having contractions that were 5 minutes apart. I think they scared me into labor....they couldn't send me home after they saw that. We were really excited that this was actually going to happen.

The timeline seems like a blur now. Overall, I was in labor for 25 hours and pushed for 4 and a half. I had an epidural which was awesome. I didn't even know I was having contractions. Twice the epidural started to move or wear off a little but they fixed that with a shot. Things were great until it wore off with an hour left of pushing (Not that I knew there was an hour left). The first two hours of pushing made a ton of progress. The last two and a half didn't do anything. Callie Beth was not coming out on her own....she was stuck. At this point, I was a lot of pain. They decided to use the vacuum to help her out. We didn't even worry about contractions anymore for pushing, we just kept going. In the last set of pushes, there was a loud pop. Everyone looked up, at each other, and then at me. I knew right away, my tail bone was broken. I worked so hard just to have the pain stop.

Callyn Elizabeth Postlewait was born at 10:42 am on March 21st. She was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long. She was quite a chunker and no one expected that. To me, she looks just like Jake :) We are so happy she is here.

40 week appointment

So we went yesterday for my 40 week appointment. Heart rate and BP looked great. There was NO change with dilation :( Not the news we were hoping for. So, if nothing happens between now and Friday, the plan is to be induced 9 am Friday morning. I have been in a lot of pain lately...Callie Beth is just getting bigger and there is not much room for her. I can't sleep for more than an hour at a time (at the most) but I am hanging in there. It will be interesting to see how big this little girl is.

Sorry I did not update last night. When we got home, I went to get on the computer to post a message and the darn thing wouldn't start. We have been having trouble with it lately due to a virus. It would have cost a lot of fix it which is not worth it. So, today...we went out and got a new computer. I have been trying to get all our programs and files on it today so when Callie Beth comes we don't have to worry about it.

Anyway, wish us luck Friday. I will let you all know when she arrives :) Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

39 week belly

So, we are still playing the waiting game. I was having pretty consistent contractions last night but they were just Braxton Hicks. As I was going to bed, my back really started to ache but nothing happened. I thought maybe something would happen this week with so much going on, but so far, Debbie and Nanny's birthdays have passed and so has the full moon. Today would have been Dad's birthday and tomorrow is Friday the 13th. We will see what happens. Jake and I are both really excited to finally meet her.

Here are my 39 week belly pics...hopefully the last of belly pictures!

39 week appointment

I went today for my 39 week appointment (2 days early). Something came up and they had to re-schedule me. I lost 2 pounds which made me happy!! :) Callie Beth's heart rate was at 144. My blood pressure was great. She checked me today and I was 1 and a half cm dilated and about 50% thinned out. That doesn't really tell us anything because I could go into labor tonight or in 2 weeks....just tells us that things are happening. I go again on my due date next Wednesday, the 18th (if I don't go into labor before then).

Today was my first day off of work and was very nice. I hardly slept lastnight so it was wonderful being able to stay in bed while I nap and relax.

Here is a picture on my last day of work. We have had an artist in residence with us for 2 weeks and my students have been learning African drumming. Callie Beth loved hearing this and was super active while all this was going on. I guess that is the smile I had on my face all day knowing it was my last day :)

No More Work till September

Friday was my last day of work. I will miss my little ones but I know they are in good hands. It is such a nice feeling to know that I will be home with our little girl for the next 6 months. Until then, I will be at home trying to get as much rest as I can while we play the waiting game.

Here are some pictures of my kiddies from last week :) My class and the other first grade class threw me a surprise going away party and a bunch of them brought gifts for the baby. They are so sweet. They have some a long way this year and can't wait to meet Callie Beth.

38 week appointment

I went yesterday for my 38 week appointment. Her heart rate was at 148. She is a very active little girl. She has completely dropped and ready to go. It has been a rough week with my muscles so Friday will be my last day of work! It will be nice to reast until she comes. I go back on Monday for my 39 week appointment and my doctor will check to see if I am dilated. At this point, it is just a waiting game.

37 week belly pictures

Here are the 37 week belly pictures :)