Lainey's first week

Its been just over a week since Lainey made her grand debut and she is doing great!  Every day is a step in the right direction.  But yesterday?  Yesterday was a LEAP in the right direction!!

We have hit a couple of milestones since our last update:

1. We are starting to give Lainey a binky and she is actually sucking on it!  This is great because it means her sucking reflexes are starting to work.
2. Our food in take gets bumped one cc every 9 hours now!  Last night when we left the hospital, Lainey was up to 15cc - that's half an ounce!!
3. Her residuals (the breastmilk left her in her belly after a feeding) have consistently been ZERO! This means she is absorbing all of her feedings!
4. Lainey is starting to poop on her own.  Now this may be TMI for some of you, but this is a big deal to her daddy! And it's a huge milestone for her little tummy!!
5. The biggest milestone of all?  LAINEY HAS SURPASSED HER BIRTH WEIGHT!! After dropping down to 2 pounds 11 ounces, she is now 2 pounds 14 ounces! Way to go, big girl!!

Lainey was also moved from her original isolette "apartment" to a new, fancy one!  She has moved on up to a condo! Her new giraffe bed makes it easier for the nurses to interact with Lainey and they are able to weigh her everyday without taking her out of the isolette. 

She is such a happy and alert baby.  Whenever we visit, she just looks up at us and smiles.  If she isn't sleeping, she is smiling.  The nurses always talk about what a good baby she is and how much they enjoy her. 

Every day, we go and visit her.  We read books and play pandora radio in her condo.  The other day I said, "I love you" and she looked right back at me and smiled.

33 weeks.....???

Well this is where your regularly scheduled 33 week survey should appear... however, there have been BIG EVENTS happening in the Venema family in the last 6 days.

Lainey Grey Venema decided she wanted to meet her mommy and daddy earlier than expected! 

Born at 1:29pm - 2 pounds 13 ounces - 15.75 inches long

 Leave it to my daughter to make sure her entrance into this world would be a big production!  I have yet to write down her birth story, but I will try to do so here. Right now.

Friday the 17th, I went to the doctor's office for a non-stress test.  As everyone knows, blood pressure had become an issue in the last couple of weeks, so I was being monitored pretty closely.  Well, her movements were traceable and good.  However, my blood pressure was still elevated - even with my medication.  And there was a little bit of protein in my urine - the nurse didn't seem too concerned about that though.  In walks the doctor... "Well it's back to labor and delivery for you. I want them to monitor your blood pressure a little longer." My response? "Seriously? Again??? Come on... I had a laundry list of things to do today."  I called Phil and said "I'm going back to the hospital to watch TV."  (That's exactly what I did the previous Friday when they sent me.)  He asked if he should go with me and I told him no, it wasn't a big deal.  I had done this before...

I get to the hospital, go back to my comfy, dark room.  They draw some labs and everything is just fine - so I thought.  Then my favorite nurse, Courtney, comes in and says, "Remember when I told you about that girl I knew who ended up with reeeaaallly low platelets?  Yeah, well that girl is now you."  A look for concern and confusion obviously filled my face as I asked, "sooooo what does that mean?"  She tells me, "I'm not sure - Dr. Smith is looking over your labs now, but if I was you, I would call my husband and tell him to haul ass here because it's likely you're gonna have a baby....soon."

AHHHH! What are you talking about?! Baby girl is too tiny for this! She's only 33 weeks!! I called Philip, and told him to get there as fast as he could.  As I hung up the phone, my doctor walked in and confirmed the OR was being prepped for an emergency c-section.  

I had developed toxemia, my liver enzymes were through the roof and my platelets were  much below the normal level.  I remember my nurse saying, "Girl... your labs are giving me a headache!" The only cure for toxemia is to get the baby out - stat! So whether we were ready or not, Lainey was on her way.

I got prepped for surgery in the delivery room as we waited for Philip to get there.  As he races in, the wheels on my bed are unlocked and we are ready to roll.  But first, Phil has to get suited up too! I wish I could tell this part of the story the same way he does.  Every time he tells it, I laugh so hard, I feel like I may bust a stitch!  The nurse handed him a jumpsuit he needed to put on over his clothes, but it was definitely a size "schmedium."  Anyone who knows my husband knows he is not a "schmedium."  He looked at Courtney and said, "do you have a bigger one of these?"  She looked at him and said, "Yeah I might, but by the time I find it, you will have missed the birth of this baby!" So Phil wiggled himself into this jumpsuit, attempted to cover his work boots with the sanitary shoe booties and away we went rolling on down the hall!

Because this was a surgery, I was given a spinal tap and soon after that, my feet and legs fell asleep.  The c-section itself was actually not nearly as scary or stressful as one would think.  The entire time, my medical staff cracked jokes with Philip and I.  And although not everyone would want their doctor to crack a joke with a scalpel in his hand, it certainly fits for our personalities.  I think had there not been a light-hearted air in the room, Philip may have passed out. There were hooker jokes being told by my anesthesiologist, but that wasn't even the best part.  For the better part of the surgery, everyone in the room spoke in pirate voices. Really?! Only in my surgery would things like this happen! 

But within an hour or so, baby Lainey was here! With fully developed lungs, she came out crying and there was a sigh of relief in the room as we all knew there was a huge potential for her not to be developed enough yet.  All of her vital organs are developed as well - her Ap score was a 9! She's already making good grades!! 

At this time, all we really need is for her to get some meat on those tiny little bones of hers.  Everyday she is progressing in the right direction and is proving to be a healthy little girl.  She will be in the NICU until she is big enough to come home.  It's a miracle for sure to see that this tiny, precious little girl came from us. 

I am sure there are plenty of details that I am leaving out... like how our parents all got to see their granddaughter for the first time as the nurses carried her to NICU.  Or the amazing love I had for my morphine drip... but those are extra details, and there is no way I could write them all down.  But we know what happened that day, and now you sort of do too.

32 weeks

1. How far along? 32 weeks
2. Weight gain? 18 pounds
3. Sleep? I get sleep in a few hours at a time.  I guess this is good prep for when Lainey gets here.
4. Best moments this week? Has been watching how wonderful Philip is taking care of me.
5. Food cravings? Cereal!
6. Food aversions? Still averting marinara sauces
7. Looking forward to? I'm looking forward to the end of pregnancy! I know... I know... I will miss these kicks and punches and stuff.  That may be true, I won't argue it.  But I am definitely looking forward to no more risks of bed rest, wearing my wedding ring again,  and getting back to working out.
8. Milestones? I was released (for now) from bed rest.  Hallelujah! But it's only a week to week basis.  So keep the prayers coming that the blood pressure stays in the acceptable range.
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: What makes your blood pressure go up? For the whole duration of this pregnancy, my bp has been GREAT! and then BAM in the last week or so, it's up to levels that that doctor is not happy with.  Apparently, it's normal for your blood pressure to return to its higher levels towards the end of pregnancy. (AHHH we are talking about the END of pregnancy!!)  I am just now starting to get uncomfortable and have difficulty sitting/sleeping.  I guess that's not too bad... only 8 weeks to go.  Although, I am starting to think Lainey will get here earlier than that.

 Here is my bed rest buddy... he's been the best at keeping momma company!

31 weeks

1. How far along? 31 weeks
2. Weight gain? 18 pounds
3. Sleep? It's hit or miss these days with sleeping at night.  Some nights I can get super comfy and sleep the whole time, while others it's just a losing battle.
4. Best moments this week? It's a double-edge sword of a moment this week.  Again we went for a 3D ultrasound... again we saw bits and pieces of baby girl... again she hid her face! UGH! Come on, kiddo!!
5. Food cravings? Milk and McD's
6. Food aversions? Still averting marinara sauces
7. Looking forward to? Honestly?  Vacation! Only a few mores until I will be poolside at the beach!
8. Milestones? I am not sure we have any major milestones to report this week.  The nursery is pretty well set up, so that's a milestone.  Now if only I could find a bookshelf!!
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: Pregnancy thoughts are racing this week.  Last week at my doctor's appointment, my blood pressure was a little high.  I know, I know... I jinxed myself talking about how low it has been throughout my pregnancy! But nonetheless, it was high and was placed on "take it easy" bed rest for the weekend.  So I spent my weekend either A- by the pool or B - in the bed. Hoping today would bring some better results, I went in to get checked again and damned if it still isn't high! Luckily, my blood work and urine tests have all come back fine, so this is not pre-eclampsia or toxemia! Hallelujah! But starting tomorrow, I will be back on bed rest...with my doctor's permission to work from home, if I am allowed to. I have gotten a prescription for some bp medicine and the doctor seems to think this will do the trick.  He keeps calling this an "isolated case of raised blood pressure in pregnancy." For a little while this morning I thought that this was all my fault - like I was already a bad mother or something.  Realistically, I know that is far from the truth.  We knew going into this high blood pressure runs in my family and it may be something we have to face.  Thank God it's nothing more serious though and that I am not updating ya'll from a hospital bed!  Add us to your prayer lists, if you are the praying type.  I feel confident this is just a little bump in the road and am optimistic that the prescription is all we need to manage this.

30 weeks!

1. How far along? 30 down... 10 to go!
2. Weight gain? 18 pounds... who gains 4 pounds in a week?!?! what's up growth spurt!
3. Sleep? If I could maintain a comfortable body temp, then maaaaaybe I would get some better sleep. But thanks to Richmond's "spring" heat wave, it's hard for me to get cold enough to sleep like I like to, thus making it a sweaty battle to sleep. Even with the AC trying its best and the fan rolling, I still can't get quite comfy... maybe it's the itching. (more on that to come)
4. Best moments this week? Heather gave us a heart beat monitor, which does not actually detect a heart beat.  But it does, however, detect EVERY other sound in my belly you could imagine.  So we decided to test it out - never hearing a heartbeat from baby girl. Philip was able to hear her hiccups though! Every time my belly jumped with a hiccup, he could tell it was happening from the monitor.
5. Food cravings? Milk and McD's
6. Food aversions? Definitely averting marinara sauces
7. Looking forward to? Baby classes start tomorrow night.  Yes, I know, we were supposed to start Lamaze classes a couple weeks ago, but we are awful parents-t0-be and bailed on it.  The hospital that I giving birth at offers free general knowledge classes, so we opted for those instead.  Also! Our second attempt at a 3D ultrasound is this coming Monday.  (side note: Lainey, turn around so we can see your pretty face this time. Thanks!)
8. Milestones? We only have 10 weeks left until our due date! I'd say that's a pretty BIG milestone. It's absolutely cuhrazy to me to think that we already on the downhill slope of this pregnancy... Now if only the third trimester was as nice to me as the second, we'd be all copacetic.
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: Unfortunately, the third trimester is not as friendly as the second one.  Remember earlier when I mentioned "maybe it's the itching" ?? Welllllll this is a new pregnancy symptom for me! ITCHING!!! AHHHH!! Some days it is terrible.  Apparently, it is because lovely Lainey likes to suck the moisture from everywhere in my body.  And thanks to this lovely change in my hormones and skin, laying out by the pool has wreaked a little bit of havoc on my chest. (Let me just say that this newly formed sun-rash type thing is NOT cute!)  It doesn't matter how much lotion I put on, somewhere on my body will still itch! I am hoping this itching is a combination of the newly arrived hellacious heat and the changes in my skin from pregnancy.  Either way, it's on my list of things to mention at the doctor this week. UGH!