Happy Birthday, Koa!

CURTIS KEKOAOKAMAKUA ARRAYAN

...or just Koa for short...

born August 6, 2010
9:04am

5lbs 14oz
19 inches

Later That Night...

OK...fairly certain I am now in labor.  Contractions are about 3 minutes apart.  This started around 930pm.  It's now half past midnight.  I am the only one awake (Mr A and Ikaika are both struggling with head colds so I figured I would let them snooze until it got super bad) because I can no longer sleep through the contractions.  I can't even really lay down anymore.  I drank a protein and a glass of water.  I'm wearing my brother-in-laws baseball team shirt (Albion hometown talent!) and some shorts.  Thinking I should probably pick out something different to put on, just in case.

I'm watching this uber ridiculous show called Platinum Babies.  Goo...  What a bunch of schmoes.  Granted, this is coming from someone who never even bought a crib - but seriously, how much dumb shit can you buy for a baby?  I can't even believe there is a market for some of this stuff!

I'm a little concerned about what we are going to do with Ikaika.  If I have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night (hopefully I will since I can't sleep) we will probably end up taking him with us.  I have a friend in town who said she would watch him, but that's easier to orchestrate during the day.  Mr A said he would just throw on the Ergo and backpack him in the hospital.  I hope I either go into super active labor soon or this just goes away so I can get some sleep!

Pregnancy #2 Update: Awaiting Labor

Went in for a check up today.  First of all, I'm measuring at 32 on the belly, which is on the low side.  After checking the amniotic fluid (and determining it was plentiful), the doctor concluded that I must be having a tiny baby.  Good news!  Then she looked "in there" and told me I was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced.  Basically said my cervix is ready whenever this kid is. 

I asked about sweeping the membranes.  I did this with Ikaika and went into labor a day later.  Of course, I was a week overdue so who knows what actually started the whole labor thing, but it couldn't hurt to just nudge this boy along.  Doc said fine so we went for it.  Now...I remember this being uncomfortable, but I don't remember it feeling like someone was trying to remove my internal organs!  HOLY SMOKES!  That was so painful!  I was laughing hysterically because if I hadn't done that I would have screamed.  Or cried.  Or both.  She must have been entertained because, well, I asked for it! 

I have no clue if this will bring the baby out any quicker but the contractions that were uncomfortable yesterday have become downright painful tonight!  They aren't regular or super intense but they are different and I'm going to take that as a good sign of things to come. 

When she finished the membrane sweeping she told me, "now you are at 4cm".  I gained a whole centimeter in like 30 seconds! SCORE!

Week 39 Belly Update

Thoughts About My Due Date

Sorry folks, internet has been on the fritz lately. 

About a week ago I woke up extremely disappointed to still have a baby inside me.  I was feeling weird, thought it might be pre-labor, went to sleep a little sad because I wanted an "August baby".  Woke up bummed out and frustrated because I was still pregnant with no sign of action!

I like the due date they assigned me (August 11th) and I think August 9th would be cool (8/9/10), so I guess that pretty much rules out either of those days as the actual day of birth.  I would be horrified to go into labor on either the 1st or the 2nd since Mr A is supposed to go to Oahu and take the PRAXIS again that Monday.  Murphys law would say that increases the chances of me going into labor Sunday night by at least 80%.  Or I guess I could go into labor in the next two days and not get my August baby.  Anything that isn't me being a week late like I was with Ikaika would be fine with me.  I can't take this for another three weeks!

We all hit a point when we are just "over it".  I'm officially over it.  My mom has made arrangements to come out here mid August, the bassinet is all set up, the hospital bags are packed, and I have enough diapers for at least a couple days - I'm ready.  If I start getting super nesting-y maybe I'll freeze a lasagna or something, but I have no other pressing matters to take care of.

Let's get this baby out - quick and painful!

TLC for Pregnant People Feet

Yesterday, Mr A gave me a much needed and much appreciated pedicure. There is nothing like having your feet attended to after a long day of pregnancy! My husband is somewhat of a handy-man and I think painting toes and painting walls is the same thing in his mind. He even picked out the color at Target - Marine Scene. How classy!

When Ikaika was almost ready to pop out, Mr A painted my toes purple. It's kind of fun to have a color associated with each birth.

New Mommy Hair & Belly Update

Got a new haircut today.  I've been wearing my hair in a ponytail with the bangs clipped back for two months now - it was time for a change.  Although this is shorter (and slightly more matronly) than I typically wear it, I think it will grow out nicely.  Granny commented yesterday that my skin looks nice - I'm surprisingly inclined to agree.  Thanks Pregnancy Glow! 

...and here's the belly!  I'm not sure what week we are in now.  I'm still due August 11th so it's the end of the 7th month, beginning of the 8th.  Numerous people have commented that I seem smaller than I was with Ikaika.  Granted, I have gained less weight so far, but I don't feel malnurished.  The constant questioning of my size has been making me unnecessarily nervous about the health of the fetus, which is the same mentality that led to a massive weight gain during my first pregancy.

A Baby Girl Shower

Last weekend, one of my dear friends from MOPS had a baby shower!  Tiffiny is due in the first week of July and we are all very, very excited to meet little Chole Kealoha!

Gatherings of women are always fun, and I particularly like baby showers because there is both food and games involved.  I didn't win any of the games (one was eat baby food and guess the flavor - you can only imagine how poorly I did at that).  I was a little more than bummed about it and surprised at how competitive I was being. It appears my husband is starting to rub off on me...

 
This little 7lb sweetie is almost 7 weeks old!  I NEVER had a baby this small! I fed her a bottle and actually had to ask another mom if I was burping her correctly.  How quickly I have forgotten everything!  Holding this baby made me excited and nervous all at the same time.  I like Ikaika's durability - a newborn's helplessness frightens me just a little.

What a beautiful pregnant mommy, simply glowing with folic acid and virgin daiquiris!  I got her some links she had registered for (I thought they were so cute, I put them on my registry, too!) and made them into an open lei.  Although fresh flower leis can't be beat, I really like functional leis that have a "purpose" beyond the actual event.

Belly Bump Update!

The answer to your prayers - a belly bump update!  Can't tell you the exact week but I am due in August and my friend Karen here is due...today?  tomorrow?  Very very soon.
Yes, compared to me she is extremely tall but, her husband is 6'9" so she can hold her own!

26 Week/6 Month Check Up: Gestational Diabetes Test

I had my 6 month check up yesterday.  Heartbeat and growth appear normal.  All's good in the womb.

The big thing yesterday was the gestational diabetes test.  I know it sounds irresponsible, but I just don't want to get it.  The fact of the matter is, I didn't do it the first time and I don't want to do it now.  Apparently there are no symptoms, so if I have it I won't know until it's "too late!".  Of course, the doctor listed off a laundry list of seriously scary complications that could arise from untreated gestational diabetes in an attempt to cajole me into the lab. 

If it turns out I am afflicted, how would I go about treating this horrible metabolic disorder?

I WOULD NEED TO EAT THE SAME STUFF I SHOULD BE EATING ANYWAY!

My diet is far from perfect, but it's about as close to good as I will ever hope to get.  I doubt that a scary diagnosis will make me any more or less likely to pound down some Rice Dream Mud Slide (my favorite treat!).  So, even if I did take this test, the outcome would hardly have an effect on my daily food selection.

I have two more weeks to decide whether or not to take the test.

How to Make Maternity Pants from Regular Pants

The other day I went to Target in search of some black maternity pants. I only need one pair and I just need it to get me through 5 hours, 3 days a week. Basic black maternity pants are $35.99!

I'm no Frugal Frannie - there are plenty of things I am willing to drop money for - but pants (and especially pants I am only going to wear for 4 months) are NOT one of them.

So here's how I made a pair of maternity pants out of my current basic black pants. I don't know if I would have tried this if I had only one pair of black pants (luckily, I have two) - but I the result is both functional and free, which is what I was going for.


I started by drawing a slightly curved line on the front of the pants - this accommodates belly growth better than just cutting the waist band off straight. Then I cut it out (including the back, which I just cut straight across)
I used the waistband as a guide for cutting out two pieces of material from an old golf shirt (made of stretch knit). I used the shape as a guide by made the panels longer than the original waistband, that way they can be worn either folded down below the belly or up and over it. My preference on this changes from day to day.
I also used the original hem of the shirt, which I use later for the elastic casing - but that was just a shortcut to save time.


Next, I cut one piece of the shirt material straight across and left one curved, so it matches the waist of the pants. This picture does nothing to illustrate that point...
Next I took 3/8" elastic and fed it through just the back panel of material, making sure it was taut but not crazy small.

Right sides together, I basted down the seams, tried it on, and stitched the seams together using a narrow zig zag stitch.


Right sides together again, I pinned the stretch panel to the original waistband of the pants. Baste, try on, and stitch the seam. The back pockets are still functional but you could remove the front pocks and the zipper if you wanted to take bulk off the front of the pants - the openings end up being too small to use.
And voila! Maternity pants and a pregnancy bump update to boot!

About an hour after I finished these my mom called me and let me know that she had just sent me a box with not one, but TWO pairs of black maternity pants. Sigh...

Ikaikas Birth Story

*Phew!* Push it! Notice midwife chillin' on the couch. Yay Homebirth!

The birth was two very different and quite separate experiences. There was the labor and the delivery. Labor was top-notch and delivery was extraordinarily sucky.

Mr A and I had planned on having a homebirth from the very beginning. The reason I never wrote about it here is because I was protecting my mother from this information since she expressed her concern about my dying in childbirth long before I even conceived. We had midwives, three of which would be at the birth. We had done all our homework and everything was looking good and ready to go.

I went into prelabor on Friday morning. Mr A came home early from work and we set about getting all our stuff ready (tub, herbs, hot packs, Performance, etc.). We ate lunch then played cards outside with our neighbors since it was a nice, sunny Aloha Friday. Around 4 o'clock I started to go into active labor. Deciding that I needed to concentrate, we went inside the house and called Midwife Beth. She came over and I proceeded to labor.

It was great. I lay on the bed for awhile, the three of us took a walk down the block, I took a shower, etc. The contractions were intense, but I felt really capable of relaxing and working with them. Mr A stayed with me the whole time and gave me tons of support. It hurt, but I never felt overwhelmed or like I couldnt do it.

Around 9 o'clock (I dont know the accuracy of a lot of these times since I unplugged the clocks and had no concept of real time anyway) I started feeling "pushy" so MW Beth told me I could get into the tub if I wanted. Gladly. Midwife Alicia came over since it seemed the babys arrival was imminent. Unlike transition, where I was just totally consumed by contractions even when I wasnt having one, pushing was tons of effort during a contraction and then in between we would joke around about something or chat about this & that. I remember saying several times to Mr A as I was leaning limply over the side of the pool, "this is pretty cool, huh?"

After awhile and no baby yet, Beth determined that I had a cervical lip and needed to get out of the tub and stop pushing to give it time to go away. I did, and that sucked (not pushing when you are in the pushing part was labor is shitty times) but the lip went away and I went back into the pool.

Later still, I am pushing and the babys head is visible but just not coming down. They are checking his heart and telling me to change positions. Mr A says he could tell by their faces that something was different. Finally, MW Beth says "the cord is wrapped around the babys neck and when you push his heart rate is dropping. Get out of the tub, put on a robe and shoes we are going to the hospital. No time for anything else, just get on all fours and dont push."

Well, needless to say, that was quite a shocker.

Now, Mr A and I, upon choosing to have a homebirth, had always known and accepted that hospital transfer was a possibility. In fact, thats what the midwives are for - to keep us all safe by making those kinds of decisions. Although, I think we were both stunned that this was happening, considering that both myself and the baby had been so "perfect" and healthy throughout the whole pregnancy.

So, anyhow, we get in the car and head off to Adventist, which is the nearest hospital. When we get there its just chaos. The nurses are, frankly, kind of rude and they are sticking me with IV and blood tests, etc. They strap on the fetal monitor, which from my understanding is the piece of equipment we were seeking by going there. We have to wait for the OB-Gyn.

Its very very difficult to regain my focus. The first push I had on that bed was terrifying. It was so much more painful than in the tub - I thought my body was going to break in half. After that first push I was hysterical and crying and telling Midwife Wendy, "I just cant do it" and "I want to go back home." At some point I suggested they just cut him out of me, but upon more contemplation I realized that a Cesarean is too expensive and changed my mind! Im scared to push because I dont want to hurt the baby and Im scared to push because I dont want to hurt myself! I think I was crying because I came to the realization that I had to push him out whether I wanted to or not.

The doctor was like Panic City and Im not alone in my opinion that the doc and nurses were slightly overreacting to the situation. What a bummer because it just contributed to the continuing chaos. There was a lot of shouting and noise and bright lights and it was just so far from the scene in my living room.

At some point, MW Wendy helped me regain my focus. And in the end, I pushed that baby out on that hospital bed even though I swore that I couldnt/wouldnt do it. And when he was out - it was over and I was just so shocked that I had been able to do it I could hardly believe it was done.

The final report was that the cord was wrapped like one and a half times around his neck and also around his shoulders, turning him into a vaginal yo-yo. The doctor officially said he had shoulder distocia. I think thats BS and Im not alone in that opinion. Like I said, Panic City.

Now, even though your first inclination might be to feel sorry for me in this situation, please refrain. The person who truly needs your sympathies is poor Mr A! I had a job to do. I was hurting, be sure of that, but I was focused on one thing and nothing else. I didnt have a lot of time to process small things that were bothering me. Mr A on the other hand had absolutely nothing to do but stand by and watch everything that was going on. He almost got into it several times with the doctor and nurses over administering interventions. When the baby was coming out he had to look away because he thought the doctor was poking Ikaikas eyes out (she wasnt). He had to just be there the whole time and was quite helpless to the situation. I dont even know if he derived any pleasure from the "dad" things like cord cutting because he was so frazzled. The whole thing was extraordinarily traumatic. He said it was one of the most stressful experiences of his life. Which is too bad because all I remember is how great it was to have him there and that I couldnt have done it without him!

So, what are my thoughts about this birth? Im really glad that I was able to do it. I wanted to have a natural childbirth and I did. I wanted to experience labor and birth and I did that. I wanted to be at my home and I was...for most of the time. The cord thing is something that is totally unpredictable and unpreventable so it was just how things were meant to be. I suppose that if we hadnt had the cord issue then Ickey would have just come flying out of me in that tub. This way, he was born at 1AM on Mr As dads birthday, which is really special for all the Arrayan men. Spirits. Im thankful that our midwives are trustworthy, professional and were capable of making a quick decision in the best interest of both me and our child.

All in all, I would say that it was nothing if not exciting. If you are wondering how I feel about homebirth after an emergency transfer, I can assure you that I would do it again in a heartbeat. Hopefully next time my kid can stay untangled!

Action in the Birth Canal Tonight

This afternoon I went into the midwives office and MW Alicia "stripped the membranes". For those who are unfamiliar with the lingo - stripping the membranes is when they reach up inside the cervix and run their finger between the cervix and the bag of waters (amniotic sac). I guess its supposed to shake things up and get things going. And if it doesnt, it cant hurt. She mentioned that there would be some bloody show (I know, this is getting grosser by the second) and there is. So thats exciting! Something different and new!

Alicia also commented while she was up there that I was about 2-3cm dilated and 75% effaced. Its progress!

AND, as if that wasnt enough to leave you waiting with baited breath, she said that my bag of waters was "bulging"! Cool! Its like a giant water balloon thats on the verge of bursting(probably because my super strong contracting uterus wont give it a moments rest...). We might be having a messy day at the gym tomorrow!

Then I went to acupuncture and turned that TENS machine up as high as it would go.

If nothing else, there has been noted progress today so I feel much better, thank you. Hopefully we will be having a birthday party in the near future. You are all invited.

Weird Science

This entire pregnancy has taken on the characteristics of a high school science fair project. I have a desired outcome: an "easier" delivery. Now I have all these hypothesis about how to achieve said goal. I have no idea what, if any of these things, will work. And, sadly, because I have no way of setting up a control, if anything does work I have no way of proving what it was. So now that I think about it the whole thing is very elementary and the results wont be all that scientific. Needless to say, I wont be published for any of this "research".

Heres my "experiments"

• Ive been drinking 2-3 large cups of red raspberry leaf tea, occasionally mixed with equal amount of partridge berry, everyday for the last two or three months. According to my sources (the book Labor Pain by Nicky Wesson) the Cherokee Indians drank partridge berry tea to hasten labor and ease delivery. The raspberry leaf is a fairly well-known woman friendly herb. It tones the uterus and is said to make labor easier. WE WILL SEE ABOUT THAT!
• I have made a tincture of skullcap and blue cohosh which I will use during labor because its an antispasmodic and helps to calm the nerves. It also is said to make people drowsy and taste like ass. Risky business.
• Hot compresses made of water mixed with drops of clary sage oil placed over the pubic bone are said to be helpful for pain relief. I have the oil, a crock pot and some rags all ready to go. I was also thinking with this one that I would get some base oil (like grape seed or sweet almond) and make a clary sage massage oil to use during labor. Your skin can absorb it right into your blood stream so perhaps a massage oil would be more effective than a compress. Clary sage oil is a sedative that is particular for labor but you cant use it during pregnancy - interesting.
• Water. Good ole water. I was thinking about laboring in a tub depending on if I could find one that is comfortable enough and able to keep it at a temperature that I find appealing (Im picky about water temp). I heard showers are good too but something about being IN water sounds better to me.
• On that note, Ive been considering taking a water aerobics class now that Im getting pregnant enough that walking and working out has lost its appeal. I was sitting at a football game last night and my feet just blew up because the weight of my uterus is no longer letting blood flow to my legs. I would bet that floating in water would not only feel like instantly relief, but would also promote better circulation. Besides, several people (both friends and strangers) have told me or related stories that implied water aerobics helped with having an easier delivery.
• Ive been taking a yoga class once a week to practice breathing and relaxing and stretching and such. I feel like Im going to be a noisy laborer. Not necessarily a panicked "oh my god Im going to die" kind of noisy, but that since Im an expressive person my labor would be...well...expressive. Hopefully my dedication to staying physically active will pay off when it comes time to squeeze this boy out!
• Im almost embarrassed to admit this one, I have tried talking to the baby and coming to some sort of agreement with him. I try to visualize labor and delivery and I either directly or indirectly ask the baby to not hurt me too much, get stuck, be huge or anything like that. It almost sounds too wacky for words but its been offering me a surprising amount of comfort and hope. I guess my thought are that if I spend the next few weeks dreading labor and being totally focused on what a nightmare its going to be, it probably will end up feeling that way irregardless.
• I read a book by Grantly Dick-Read that was my grandmothers (read: its an antique) and even though the language is practically archaic I thought it was one of the more helpful books I have read. He doesnt necessarily suggest brokering a deal with your fetus, but he does point out that the more you are freaked out about labor the harder its going to end up being.
• I dont know how much a persons diet affects their labor and delivery but I would imagine there is a correlation there somewhere. I have been what I would consider "OK" about eating well throughout this whole process. Now that we are in the stages of preparing for the main event Ive been trying to take more B-complex, calcium, and protein. But especially Ive been bulking up on iron and omega fatty acids.

The things I havent done are things like taking a birth class, learning any kind of specific breathing exercises ("hee hee hee hoooo" type stuff), practicing mediation/relaxation techniques, or rehearsing pain relieving positions. For some reason these are all things that I think I will either figure out instinctively or my midwife can just show me in the moment.

Again, I have no idea if any of this stuff will work and even if it does work I will have no way of letting you know what worked and what didnt. This is how Im preparing for labor and delivery. This is my wacky science experiment!