Saturday, 15 June 2013
12 Week Vaccinations
Yesterday were Erika's 12 week vaccinations. And I walked to the doctors which is exactly a mile away with Erika in her Mei Tai carrier and Oskar walking beside me. It went surprisingly smoothly. We even dropped Oskar's nursery application off on the way! And picked up another from a different nursery! Erika is very happy whilst strapped to me. Oskar didn't want to hold my hand because he had to do 'torch eyes' the whole way.. Not sure what torch eyes are meant to be but this is them... 
He's a lovely little weirdo...
When we got into the doctors we were called for and went in to get Erika's shots. As the lady was doing it Oskar shouted 'baby Erika doesn't like that! Don't hurt baby Erika' he was so concerned it was the cutest! She cried for about 30 seconds and then was ok. She then went in to get weighed and she's a chubby 12lb 9oz! She's doubled her birth weight plus some! Just as I was thinking how smoothly it had gone, Oskar decided he needed a wee. There's building work going on in the doctors so had to go through a right maze to find the toilet, we got there just in time, with Erika in one hand (I didn't have chance to put my carrier back on) and Oskar holding the other. The toilet is so small it's quite hard for one person to get in and shut the door, never mind 3 of us. Oskar couldn't get on the toilet and I couldn't lift him because I was holding Erika so I sort of picked him up by one arm and swung him on. He then had a wee but hadn't tucked his winky in properly so he weed on the floor and trousers, then the poo came! I had to some how in the tiny space wipe his bot whilst holding Erika (who had started twisting at this point) I managed (ish), although Oskar was very concerned about his wet trousers, I stuck Erika back in the carrier and set off home.
On the way home we passed two middle aged women pushing prams, Oskar pointed at them and loudly said 'there's all the sexy ladies, Gangnam style, ooh bay-beh, bay-beh' erm thanks Oskar, I almost died! Haha!
Then about 10 minutes from home he informed me that he needed a wee again, so I told him to do a standy up wee in the bushes, so he took his pants down, and said 'oh poo's coming' I quickly pulled his pants up and practically ran home. We made it.. Just.
The Diet
I'm officially dieting! I have a size 8 bridesmaid dress to fit into by September 7th for Liv's wedding (which I'm very excited about!)
I thought a size 8 dress would fit because all my other dresses are an 8 and still fit me after having Erika but this one must be a small size. 
As you can see it does not zip up. This was 3 weeks ago when I was at my start weight 141lb. I'm now just under 134lb, so I've lost half a stone. My goal weight is 118lb. But I'm gonna try it on again when I've lost a stone and hope for the best.
You also document exercise and your weight! And at the end of everyday when you complete your diary it'll give tell you what weight you'd be in 5 weeks if everyday were like today.
I'm on day 6 of The 30 Day Shred, and I'm using My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake, I'm sticking to between 1000-1200 per day. 
I love this app because you can just scan the barcode of what you've eaten and it'll come up with all the ingredients and calories and you just add it to your diary. If something doesn't have a barcode, you just type in what it is and select the weight of the item and viola! For example:
Oskar likes to join in with me when I'm doing the 30 Day Shred, he's so cute. He calls Star Jumps 'square triangle square triangles' because of the shape you make with your legs when you do them. They're his favourite. When I do sit ups he likes to lie on my belly which isn't the most helpful..
Neglected Blog!
It's been too long since I posted on here so I'll quickly get up to date!
Erika is now 12 weeks old and weighs 12lb 9oz! She's such a little chunk.
She's a complete diva compared to Oskar, she likes to be fussed over all the time! It's a good job she's cute. She's started teething already so we've bought her some Baltic Amber beads, since they worked so well with Oskar!
Her favourite things to do are being walked around, lying on day's chest, and most definitely milk. She won't take a dodie, as much as I try! The Mam dodies that Oskar was hooked on make her gag, and the only one she'll suck for a little bit is a green frog Tommee Tippee one which they don't make with that particular teat anymore! Typical!
Oskar is an amazing big brother. He's adjusted so well to Erika. As soon as she was born he just accepted her as if she's been here forever. He kicks up a fuss when I change a smelly nappy shouting 'baby Erika stinks!!'. But that's as bad as its gotten. When she cries he'll go and hold her hand. Or force a dummy or bottle in her mouth. He'll sit and say 'what's the matter baby Erika? Why you crying?' It makes my heart melt a little.
He's never called her Erika, it's always Baby Erika. And he introduces her to everyone we see.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Erika's birth story - preeclampsia and a VBAC
At around 32 weeks I developed preeclampsia - every pregnant lady's fear! As scary as it sounds, it's easily controlled (for a short amount of time) and not really as scary as it sounds. I think everyone around you is more worried about you than you are about yourself..
Anyway I was on the maximum dosage of labetalol (blood pressure medication) as I'd been in and out of hospital from about 33 weeks, every time I went for a check up I'd get admitted to hospital as my blood pressure was high and I had traces of protein in my wee. The doctors said they were just trying to hold off inducing me until I was 37 weeks.
The day before I turned 37 weeks (Wednesday 20th March) I went for an appointment with my consultant, Dr. Ranka (who was lovely) she gave me an internal and a sweep as she wanted to get things going sooner rather than later. She then admitted me as my blood pressure was high, yet again. And she booked my induction for Friday 22nd March. It was scary to think she'd be here so soon, as Oskar was 2 weeks late, I couldn't get my head around having a baby 3 weeks early!
On the Thursday they gave me a Prostaglandin pessary in my cervix to 'ripen' it so they could break my waters the following day. If my cervix still wasn't 'favourable' on the Friday morning they would then give me a c-section. As I'd had a previous c-section they could only give me one pessary as it would cause too much strain on my scar from the previous section.
Trying to sleep on that Thursday night was like a cross between Christmas Eve and the night before a big exam. Well I didn't manage to get any sleep before I started to get contractions just before 1am. I buzzed the midwife and she felt my tummy and she confirmed they were contractions but advised I try to sleep through them and in the morning she'd then admit me to the labour ward. So I tried to sleep then had to get up around 10 minutes later to use the toilet and that's when I knew I was in labour. I then buzzed the midwife again who took my blood pressure, which was 162/110 (high) she felt my tummy again and sent me straight to the labour ward.
My god the contractions hurt! But what hurt more was the sharp pain in my head everytime I got a contraction, which the doctor put down to my blood pressure being so high. It got up to 168/113, ao they gave me a labetalol injection to try and lower it which gave me the most insane hot flushes all over my body. The next hour was a total blur, but I know that the pain in my head was not going away, and my blood pressure was still high, so they put me on a magnesium drip to stop me having a fit or a stroke. The anaesthetist didn't want to give me an epidural before they saw how I reacted to the magnesium (I think that's why, but as I said; it was a total blur)
The doctor had to sit with me at all times as well as the midwives to keep an eye on me, he then broke my waters as they'd not gone yet gone. When that was all done I rang Shaun and my Mam and Shaun went to pick my Mam up and they got there at 03:05. The nurse checked how dilated I was at around 03:20 and she said a was around 6cm. I then got the overwhelming urge to push and I told the nurse who said that I wasn't ready as I was just 6cm, she then looked again around 30 seconds later and they could see her head!
I pushed for around 5 minutes (which surprisingly didn't hurt anywhere near the contractions did) and very quickly little Erika Jane Denham was born, at 03:27 weighing a teeny 6lb 3oz. The midwives said that she had the longest cord they'd ever seen. At that point I felt so proud of myself that I'd managed to have my VBAC, and that I didn't even have time for an epidural! I also couldn't believe how quick it was, Shaun cut the cord this time which he couldn't do with Oskar as I had to have a c-section with him.
The birth was totally perfect, but after that I had to stay in recovery for over 24 hours on a magnesium drip to stop me fitting with a machine taking my blood pressure every 15 minutes, and not to mention the catheter. Erika had trouble maintaining her temperature and her blood sugar levels so she needed her blood talking every few hours. She was given a feeding tube up her nose, and given formula to top up every breastfeed she was given so try and get her blood sugar levels up.
After the horrendous week we had to stay in hospital trying to control her jaundice (away from my little Oskar, which was the most painful part) we were finally allowed home the following Friday. She then needed a further 3 days light therapy (luckily we were allowed the light machine home) and now she's doing great after a totally tough start.
As much as I'd love 3 children, after this pregnancy - with the hyperemesis at the beginning and the preeclampsia at the end, and all the complications afterwards - Oskar and Erika will be my only babies, but they're both amazing and I'm so lucky to have one of each sex.
Anyway I was on the maximum dosage of labetalol (blood pressure medication) as I'd been in and out of hospital from about 33 weeks, every time I went for a check up I'd get admitted to hospital as my blood pressure was high and I had traces of protein in my wee. The doctors said they were just trying to hold off inducing me until I was 37 weeks.
The day before I turned 37 weeks (Wednesday 20th March) I went for an appointment with my consultant, Dr. Ranka (who was lovely) she gave me an internal and a sweep as she wanted to get things going sooner rather than later. She then admitted me as my blood pressure was high, yet again. And she booked my induction for Friday 22nd March. It was scary to think she'd be here so soon, as Oskar was 2 weeks late, I couldn't get my head around having a baby 3 weeks early!
On the Thursday they gave me a Prostaglandin pessary in my cervix to 'ripen' it so they could break my waters the following day. If my cervix still wasn't 'favourable' on the Friday morning they would then give me a c-section. As I'd had a previous c-section they could only give me one pessary as it would cause too much strain on my scar from the previous section.
Trying to sleep on that Thursday night was like a cross between Christmas Eve and the night before a big exam. Well I didn't manage to get any sleep before I started to get contractions just before 1am. I buzzed the midwife and she felt my tummy and she confirmed they were contractions but advised I try to sleep through them and in the morning she'd then admit me to the labour ward. So I tried to sleep then had to get up around 10 minutes later to use the toilet and that's when I knew I was in labour. I then buzzed the midwife again who took my blood pressure, which was 162/110 (high) she felt my tummy again and sent me straight to the labour ward.
My god the contractions hurt! But what hurt more was the sharp pain in my head everytime I got a contraction, which the doctor put down to my blood pressure being so high. It got up to 168/113, ao they gave me a labetalol injection to try and lower it which gave me the most insane hot flushes all over my body. The next hour was a total blur, but I know that the pain in my head was not going away, and my blood pressure was still high, so they put me on a magnesium drip to stop me having a fit or a stroke. The anaesthetist didn't want to give me an epidural before they saw how I reacted to the magnesium (I think that's why, but as I said; it was a total blur)
The doctor had to sit with me at all times as well as the midwives to keep an eye on me, he then broke my waters as they'd not gone yet gone. When that was all done I rang Shaun and my Mam and Shaun went to pick my Mam up and they got there at 03:05. The nurse checked how dilated I was at around 03:20 and she said a was around 6cm. I then got the overwhelming urge to push and I told the nurse who said that I wasn't ready as I was just 6cm, she then looked again around 30 seconds later and they could see her head!
I pushed for around 5 minutes (which surprisingly didn't hurt anywhere near the contractions did) and very quickly little Erika Jane Denham was born, at 03:27 weighing a teeny 6lb 3oz. The midwives said that she had the longest cord they'd ever seen. At that point I felt so proud of myself that I'd managed to have my VBAC, and that I didn't even have time for an epidural! I also couldn't believe how quick it was, Shaun cut the cord this time which he couldn't do with Oskar as I had to have a c-section with him.
The birth was totally perfect, but after that I had to stay in recovery for over 24 hours on a magnesium drip to stop me fitting with a machine taking my blood pressure every 15 minutes, and not to mention the catheter. Erika had trouble maintaining her temperature and her blood sugar levels so she needed her blood talking every few hours. She was given a feeding tube up her nose, and given formula to top up every breastfeed she was given so try and get her blood sugar levels up.
After the horrendous week we had to stay in hospital trying to control her jaundice (away from my little Oskar, which was the most painful part) we were finally allowed home the following Friday. She then needed a further 3 days light therapy (luckily we were allowed the light machine home) and now she's doing great after a totally tough start.
As much as I'd love 3 children, after this pregnancy - with the hyperemesis at the beginning and the preeclampsia at the end, and all the complications afterwards - Oskar and Erika will be my only babies, but they're both amazing and I'm so lucky to have one of each sex.
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Friday, 8 March 2013
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