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Briana's Journal
Expecting October 2005
Tue Nov 01, 2005
Kal Patrick was born Oct 1, 2005!
Here is his birth story!
The Birth of
KAL PATRICK BOSWELL
_________________________________________________
Friday night, September 30, 2005, our son Isaac, fell asleep early, leaving my husband Andy and I to enjoy the unusually warm fall night, just the two of us. We ate some home-made calzones while we settled on the couch. We watched the season premeire of Smallville (the latest Superman TV drama that we like to follow), enjoyed some time together, then sat on the front porch and talked for a long time. We baby danced, and turned in early for the night ourselves.
Our son woke up at midnight and strangely requested to sleep downstairs on the couch. Strangely I was willing to let him! I got him all snuggled in and nursed down to sleep. By now I am not sleepy anymore, so I get on the computer remembering I never did type "to-do" lists for the two helpers I was planning on having at our upcoming birth. As I was finishing those, I realized I was the slightest bit crampy. I made some tea and putz’d around the kitchen a bit.
I had just had 4 hours of Braxton Hicks contractions the night before, so in the back of my mind I was thinking, 'This is going to stop anytime now.' Soon the cramps were contractions and by 2 AM they were very intense and I woke up my husband. I was pacing and swivelling my hips trying to tell my poor sleepy man what was going on.
I said I don't know if this was "it" or not but I need to get in some water to take the edge off these contractions! We debated bathtub or birth pool? We decided, 'hey, it wasn't that hard the disasemble the pool if these contractions stop.' I kept pacing, swaying and swiveling while my husband filled up the pool, and let me tell you, that was a long 15-20 minute wait! By now I am leaning over the bed, humming and breathing through contractions and they are getting close together. AHHHH! Finally got in the water.
Andy hung out with me for a few minutes and then said "Now what?" I told him "You know this could take a long time, why don't you go back to bed." (It's his Saturday to work tomorrow - don't want him to lose sleep if these contractions stop you know! I am not in denial or anything!). He left me there in the guest bedroom with instructions to say his name if I needed him.
I tried to get in the groove with the contractions. I moved in all kinds of different positions but kept coming back to this position - arms draped over the side of the pool while on my knees. I really enjoyed the alone time, actually! I checked baby's heart rate once during a contraction and it was around 130 and varied from 128-134 BPM.
I quoted some scripture I had memorized, sang Matt Redman's 'Blessed be the Name of the Lord'. I prayed a bit, and called out to the Lord for help as the contractions came right on top of eachother. 'I don't know if I can do this anymore.' I thought. Suddenly the contractions spaced way out. 'Shoot!' I thought, 'More Braxton Hicks!'
Now I was discouraged. I decided to feel and see if anything was going on. I could feel my cervix well dilated, and a bulging water bag protruding. As I looped my finger around the bulge, I felt it pop! Oops! didn't mean to do that! LOL! At this point I FINALLY chuck my denial to the wind. Yep, this is the night!
OK. Break over! Intense contractions began, though they were comfortably spaced. "Andy!" I called. My husband came back in. He knew what was going on. He wasn't able to relax in the next room and could tell from my noises just what point I was at.
I felt like kicking off each contraction with a good grunt now. I went back and forth between a full squat with my back against the pool and a modified hands and that same chest/knees position. I wanted to push, but didn't want to force anything and tear. I just gave a tiny push at the beginning of each contraction until finally I thought, 'What the heck...' I beared down and hollered. I felt an inner little ring of fire. Hmmm? Cervix? Don't know... Tried to pause and not push for a little bit. No that didn't feel right...
Andy saw and heard my discomfort and asked what was wrong. I had a little pain in my lower back. He suggested I get back on my hands and knees. On the very next contraction I gave it heck again and his head crowned! Yay! "Do you see a cord?" I ask DH. "I can't see much." he tells me. The baby's face wasn't through yet. Then I start feeling the baby's head flexing up and out. "Sweetie! Quit pulling on the baby's head!" I said. "I am not touching it!" he replies. Turns out the baby is flexing his own head back trying to clear the rest of his face! LOL! (I joke later - our baby crawled out on his own!)
I am on hands and knees, and the baby is still underwater. I have to wait for the next contraction to have the strength for an effective push. It comes, but the baby doesn't budge like I expect him to. I take a feel and the baby has worked one shoulder out. I feel for where the other shoulder is. Just then I want to give a mighty push. The shoulders are born, but I still have to push to help the rest of the baby out. This was much different than my first baby that came "flying" out after crowning. My husband later said all this went really fast. It felt like a long time to me.
Andy caught the baby and I flipped around to sit. He hands me the baby and says what do we have? I am busy counting fingers and toes, noticing his face is purple and he has lots of vernix on his head - forgot about checking the sex. We take a look. Its a boy! He was born at 4:20AM, October 1, 2005.
Andy hears our son, Isaac waking up and goes downstairs to get him. My noises during the last couple pushes must have woke him up! Baby is gurgling a little, so I trying to get him positioned so he can drain his nose and mouth. He hasn't taken a breath yet so I rub his back real vigorously. He pinks right up and cries. He still has purple patches on his face. I am mildly conerned, but later realize he had bruised the prominent parts of his face on my backbone on the way out.
Andy and Isaac come in, and Isaac is so excited he is talking a mile a minute! I am wanting to show him his new baby brother and am starting to wonder about the placenta. We ooh and ahh for awhile and about 20 minutes after the birth I think I feel the placenta hanging out in the birth canal (still in the pool). I wanted to birth the placenta before cutting the cord, so I gave a tiny push. It came out, but as I tried to grab it, I realized a corner of it is still attatched inside. Hmmm... I tell Andy what is going on and notice the water is steadily getting red.
"What do we do?" My husband voices my thoughts. Wait or get the Angelica?? Andy gives me two droppers full of Dong Quai (Angelica) tincture under my tongue and then some water to chase it with. Andy gets Isaac going with a snack downstairs and comes back up. We clamp and cut the cord. He makes a path of Chux pads to the guest bed and gets one for me to and the placenta to straddle. I waddle over to the bed, holding a 3/4 detatched placenta between my legs! I sit there for maybe 5-10 minutes while my husband goes back to check on Isaac. I finally set the towel wrapped baby down on the bed and stand up. Hey what do you know, the placenta didn't come with me! I look it over put it in the designated ice cream bucket. One of the cotyledons looks like it is missing. (Later after a second look, I realize it looks like it ripped a little between the cotyledons).
Andy is tired and wishes we had some helpers. It all happened too fast to call them. How ironic that I was typing their "To-do lists" unnecessarily as labor started! I really am grateful to have been able to labor alone for a good bit, though. I think God knew what was best for me - what I needed. We clean up and to settle in with our new family of four!
Our baby weighed in at 9 pounds 14 ounces and 22 inches long. I made Andy recheck the scale. I couldn't beleive it! He certainly didn't feel like nearly 10 pounds! I had no tears and would call this a relatively easy birth! His head measured 14 1/2 inches and his chest was 15 1/2 inches. He is healthy as a horse and the bruising on his face cleared up in 2-3 days. Start to finish we figure my labor was just over 2 hours.
It took us a few days, but we named our new son Kal (warrior) Patrick (noble) Boswell (of the house of the powerful). A big name for a big guy. We had no boy names in mind before he was born. Kal is also short for "Kal-El" superman's kryptonian name. We are big superman fans and just watched the season premiere of Smallville before he was born. Funny coincedence - Nicolas Cage had a son a few days later and named him Kal-El, but we had it first, Mr Cage! LOL!
I really think God's hand was evident all through our son's birth. From our older son, Isaac, waking at night and asking to sleep downstairs so we could have the whole upper floor to ourselves... to feeling the need to be in hands and knees (the best way to birth big babies, though I had no idea how big Kal might be)... to managing some big shoulders and a partially retained placenta without panicking... The Lord was right there with us. I have never seen my husband be so cool under pressure. How sad that we so often tend to seek human/ earthly/ medical solutions without first seeking our Lord God Almighty and tapping into His infinite wisedom. Praise be to the Lord!
Tue Sep 27, 2005
38 wks... Pelvic pressure
Uffda! I have had a ton of pelvic pressure tonight. Not coming and going as if with contractions, unfortunately... but lots of pressure in my lower abs and maybe cervix. I thought maybe I was having gas, needed to urinate or have a bowel movement or something. All those things have gotten a little uncomfortable at this point in the game, but none of that seems to releive it. So now I am sitting on my birth ball bouncing away. That is soothing and brings some releif.
Wish labor would come early! Don't we all at this point! Anytime should be perfectly safe, now! Come on baby! I am trying to sell myself on the idea that this baby is coming late so I don't get anxious. It is not working, though! I am just ready to be done and meet this little person. My body is starting to get a little "angry" with being pregnant. And the growth is not slowing down at all at this point! My stretch marks are still stretching and making new ones lower down as the baby drops and boy do they itch! I long for the day when I can sleep on my back again or partly on my stomach without squashing my internal organs.
Okay. Enough complaining! I am very grateful to have a relatively uneventful pregnancy with what seems like a healthy baby and a loving relaxed environment and homelife.
Thu Sep 15, 2005
36 wks... Nesting
I have been trying to nest a bit. Things like smudgy handprints on the wall or pots falling out of the cupboards are just not OK anymore! It seems like it is one step forward two steps back, though. I live with three men who have a supernatural ability to not see messes and the make new ones at the speed of light! I could really use some estrogen around the house. I wish my mother and sisters didn't live so far away! Closest sis is 3 hours away. Everyone else is 10 hours away. DS says this baby is a girl. He has said it twice so far. I could handle that! Time will tell. Personally, I think DS would enjoy another little boy to eventually rough-house with.
Things are moving along fine, although I am a little disappointed that I haven't had a single braxon hicks contraction since I had that last flu bug. I can feel that baby's head has dropped a good bit into my pelvis, though, and I have had tiny tiny amounts of cervical mucus in the last three days. So things are slowly settling into place. This baby, who has been flipping and turning into every position know to man, seems to finally be running out of room! Seems to be anterior-occipital-left most of the time. Now hopefully we don't have too many cord wraps for all that movement!
I have been working 16 hours a week and am nearing the end of that. Yay! Just a little over a week left and I am off! Looking forward to that. It is hard to clean teeth with this huge belly to work around! ( I am a dental hygienist, BTW)
Spiritually, I seem to be on autopilot. I would like to spice that up a bit. I have had difficulty getting into the Bible lately and sticking to it. I really want to make sure I am hearing God well especially with the up coming birth. I need to spend more time with Him!
My husband has had a stressful time at work lately and is dreaming of a better job. I feel bad for him, but gosh at this point, I wish he could just be happy and think about providing and stability for our family. I guess in a way he IS doing that. It makes me nervous to see him working on his resume though. I am not too keen on change, at least at this point! Just wait till after the first of the year, Sweetheart!
Mon Aug 29, 2005
34 Weeks
I am officially to that stage where people are asking, "When are you due?" and I reply not for a month a half at least and they shake their heads and say "Poor girl." Guess that means I am looking very pregnant now! LOL! I am getting lots of unsolicited prayers and offers of condolence! How often does one get that kind of attention? I will try not to be offended, and just soak it up!
The weather has cooled down some and I am much more comfortable. I started taking the spirulina and fish oil again (I had been temporarily out) and my energy has returned. Though I feel some physical limitations for sure. Lifting my 2 year old and other items (we had a yard sale this weekend) makes me feel like I am going to pull a back or ab muscle, so I have been trying to ask for help more often.
Today I felt so bad! I am just dropsy as can be! First I dropped and broke a kitchen canister and then worst of all, I dropped and shattered our coffee pot into our porceline sink! My poor husband can't live without that thing! And we have to wait a bit to buy a new one (money just a little tight). At least we still have an esspresso maker,though its much more putsy to make a cup of coffee it. Maybe I will have to try to get up earlier and make him a nice latte before work. He says maybe I should be banned from the kitchen for awhile! Hey! Sounds good to me!
Baby is still moving and rolling and changing positions frequently. He/she has been head down anterior occipital left most often, but will turn breech for a while and then transverse/oblique once and awhile, (but I think he/she is running out of space for transverse the last few days). I am measuing around 37 weeks in fundal height, have gained between 30-35 pounds, BP yesterday was 108/68, my HR 90, baby's HR 150, no glucose in urine, protein trace, but negative when I retested a few hours later. My MIL was over when I took all my little prenatal stats this time. She has been a tolerant skeptic on the whole homebirth thing, so I think it was neat for her to see me looking like I know what I am doing (yeah, we know the truth an eight year old could do this!). Plus she really seemed to enjoy hearing her grandbaby's heart beat. She even offered to come over and help with my two year old when I am in labor. Sweet thought, but no thanks! She is just too worrisome sometimes, and I don't want anyone second guessing or bringing fear into our house.
I had another brief bout with flu like symptoms this week. Had a good 24 hrs or so where I couldn't keep food or fluids down and was just wiped out exhausted. I am not usually a puker, so I am surprised to catch 2 little bugs like that this summer. When I had the tummy flu this time around, it brought on a whole night of braxton hicks along with GI pain that kept me awake all night. I took 3 baths trying to get myself to relax enough to sleep that night. Very strange. Lets hope I catch anything else these next two months.
We are heading to Northern Minnesota to see my parents this weekend. Labor day weekend. My MIL thinks it will be my "labor day" weekend. Highly doubt that! But I will just bring a little bag of supplies along just in case. I have decided that from 34-35 weeks on I will home birth (UC) and just be mentally prepared to transfer baby if need be for respiratory distress. Not too worried about it!
Can't wait to meet this little person!
Tue Aug 09, 2005
Can I be done now??
It is just sooooooooo hot right now and I am feeling lethargic (97 degrees right now and HUMID!). I just want my physical ability and energy back! There are so many things I want to do and get done, but I feel like a beached whale!
Baby is doing fine - still rolling and stretching lots. Heart rate is slowing a little. Upper 140s to 150s now. My BP took a dive this past week or so and with it my energy. Maybe another growth spurt and more vascular changes afoot? My energy seems to come and go in spurts like that, so I hope I have a couple of productive spurts left before the baby comes.
I feel ready for labor, but not sure if I am ready to parent two children at once yet! Help Lord! Little bit worried about money too. We will have just the bare bones saved up to cover expenses while I am off work. I only work 16 hrs a week but I make good money that covers specific bills, so it will be stressful not to have that. God always sees us through it somehow, though. It is good to be dependant on Him, a reminder that we are not in control of our own lives anymore, but have given them over to Him who has much greater resources than we. If we can just trust Him in that... It gets a little easier everytime there is a crisis!
More later! I hear a little boy waking up!
Mon Jul 18, 2005
Sick sick sick!
My son came down with some kind of stomach flu bug this past week, low and behold I get it too a couple of days later. 'Had a couple of sleepless nights this week, and I think that is why I didn't successfully fight it off.
I woke up Sunday morning got all ready for church then all of a sudden I felt hot and tingly and had to run for a bowl. I felt like I puked my guts right out! Yuck! Guess I wont being going to church and teaching children's church! I have not eaten much in the last two days.
Nothing sounds good, and I am concerned about being able to keep it down. Hope that baby is OK. I know even a day of fasting isn't good for little babies in utero. :( Strangely, the baby has been very active anyway. Lots of fast twitchy movements. 'Feels like bony little feet pushing out and back real quick.
This morning I am already feeling better. It almost feels like my immune system is in high gear and is getting the upper hand. Last night I had a 101.5 fever at one point anyway, and then I felt it break (started to sweat) in the middle of the night. I rarely "treat" a fever anymore. I like to know when it breaks and how my body is doing rather than mask the symptoms.
Well lets hope the worst is over and I am on the mend. 'Going to try to eat real good today even if I don't feel like it. 'Got a baby to feed!
Fri Jul 15, 2005
Feeling Very pregnant!
Today I am 27 weeks and 4 days.
God is so good. So far this has been another easy pregnancy! I am feeling very blessed. My husband is really on board with things here. I am surprized, actually, yet very pleased! He grew up in a very medical pill-popping family, and I forget that this apple really did fall far from the tree! Its great to have his support. I am feeling very independant with this pregnancy, and we'll see when the time comes, but I feel like I am going to want lots of alone time with this birth. Still planning a water birth - that was wonderful last time!
I have everything I need set aside already, even though I have about 3 mos to go yet! LOL! Yes I am not excited or anything! I don't fear birth at all. It's hard work but I am not one who describes it as painful. A little mentally taxing, yes, but what a big reward at the end! I felt like super woman after the bith of my son! What a wonderful rush!
It has been so hot and dry here. I feel bigger and slower than I should. I was pregnant in the winter last time, so I had absolutely no clothes to wear this time. I am so thankful though, I have had about two wardrobes full of beautiful maternity clothes borrowed or given to me! Haven't had to spend a cent really!
Feeling a little dizzy for some reason this morning. BP is OK (108/72) no protein in urine, but a little water retension. I used to have that (water retention) with my last one. Heart burn is lessening and breast tenderness still comes and goes (mostly comes though! My 2 1/2 year old still nurses). I have put on a good 17lbs so far. Fundal height is around 33cm, heart rate is running about 157 with lots of good variation. Baby seems to be head down it to stay - Oh Lord here comes that constant full bladder feeling! And last I checked was in a Right Anterior Occipital position. BTW - I am still taking all this info myself. Haven't seen a Dr or Midwife this whole pregnancy.
Baby moves all the time, but is more of a twirling baby (rolling and stretching) than my last one. He was a field goal kicker! Wonder what kind of personality this little one will have.... Have begun to pray a little more specifically for this new baby and its birth. Haven't had as many pregnancy dreams this time as last time. ALthough every one I have had has a similar theme: I am under the impression that birth is going to take awhile, and I am concerned that someone is going to take me to the hospital unnecessarily. Must be what I am concerned about, eh?I bought a couple little things for "Big Brother" Isaac: a toy 69 Mustang and a Porsche to play with (He's got a thing for exotic cars!), a Garfield book, and I think I will pack some other things in a little box for him on the "Big day" like maybe some fruit snacks and alphabet soup! Just fun little things he doesn't usually get! I hope to be prepared enough to have some little projects set aside for him: maybe some painting and coloring books, maybe a little sugar cookie dough in the freezer that he and a sitter can roll, cut, bake and decorate (I've got one sort of on call, depending on when baby comes) We are still planning on having him in the house for the most part. Maybe have a friend take him out for munchies and a movie or something if labor takes awhile or stalls out.
So that is where it all stands right now. Praise God for another good pregnancy!
Tue May 31, 2005
21 weeks stats
I am doing all my own pre-natal care and monitoring, so I will share this with you as well.
At 21 weeks:
Baby's heart beat - 160BPM
Blood pressure - 94/60 (low today!)
Fundal height - 25 cm
Weight - 153 (gained 13 lb)
Protein in urine - negative
Glucose in urine - negativeI was at my sister's house for memmorial weekend and borrowed her doppler to get baby's heart rate. Everything else I did at home with my own blood pressure cuff and stethescope, sewing tape measure, scale and I had bought a jar of 100 G/P urine tests for this pregnancy.
My mom is a nurse and went to med school, and she showed me a great easy way to check hemoglobin/iron. Depress your finger nail so that it blanches white. It should quickly return to its pinkish color once the pressure is removed. She also looked at the inside of my eye lids to check for iron deficiency. Can't remember what she said to look for there. I will have to ask her again! So yes I appear to have healthy iron and hemoglobin! I have never been anemic that I am aware of, so I wasn't too worried, but nice to know everything looks good!
Baby still very active.
I have begun to have more of a problem with heart burn/acid reflux. No fun. I mostly just suck it up and deal with it, but if it gets gaggingly horrible, I will take some TUMs.
That is all for today!
Sat May 21, 2005
Second Tri in Full Swing!
Almost 20 weeks! Nearing the halfway point!
Feeling great except for little heart burn and slight ligament aches.
This baby seems very active. I have been feeling him/her move since 14 weeks and seems stronger earlier than Isaac, although he was quite a kicker too.
I have gained somewhere around 10 lb, and my fundal height is 21cm or so. Even though I am right on schedule with fundal height, I feel much bigger much quicker this time around. Blood pressure is still roughly 110/70, but one day the lower number was 64, and I have had some nose bleeds the last month or so (which I never get normally). The month before that is when I really "popped out", so I think the incredibly fast vascular changes are to blame. Now my BP is back up and I haven't had a nose bleed in two weeks. So this pregnancy has been pretty texbook so far. I am taking a multi -vitamin, spirulina for portein, iron, plus all that green goodness, and norweigen cod liver oil for tissue development and omega 3 fatty acids. Happily, I have been craving good foods like fresh garden salads, milk, hard boiled eggs, and turkey sandwiches, so eating healthy has been easy lately! I just got my protein/glucose strips in the mail today, so I can start screening urine for gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. Not too worried about it though!
I can't wait to start feeling for the baby's position. I guess I will start checking that in a few weeks. Baby was pretty quiet for two days this week, so I wonder if he/she was having a growth spurt or something.
Big brother Isaac was cracking us up today. He had five Boobahs stuck in his shirt and was running around saying something about his big tummy and that there is a baby in there. He knows what is in mommy's big tummy and is taking quite an interest in babies. He is going to make a fantastic big brother! We are so proud of him!So far so good! I don't have any fear of having this baby unassisted. I am working out details in my mind like who should we have "on call" if my hubby feels like he needs help or Isaac is awake and needing some"hand holding". We are planning on having him (age 2 1/2) here in the house for the birth. He really hasn't spent the night anywhere else yet, so I don't want to spring it on him for the first time when a sibling joins the family. Might set a bad precedent.
I've got a little box of birth supplies collecting in our guest besdroom. We are planning a water birth again for this one too.
Well, that is enough for now!
Fri Apr 29, 2005
16 weeks update!
Well, it has been a while! I was out of internet service for a short time so I apologize to readers for the time lapse!
Second trimester is here and pregnancy feels great!
I seemed to have a major belly growth spurt in the last week. I went from feeling the fundus of the uterus just under the belly button to a good two inches or so over. Whew! I can feel my body starting to stretch. Experiencing a little heart burn too. I had alot of that with my first child.
Feeling very peaceful about this pregnancy and up coming birth. I honestly haven't had any fears which I thought I might because of my recent miscarriage. God is good, and I know I have had alot of prayer support for this child's health.
Around 14 weeks I could feel the little flutters of life and now I can even feel soft kick-like sensations. Baby's heart rate has been running on average 150s-160s, but has been as high as 170 and as low as 120. I wonder if (s)he is napping at 120 BPM cause (s)he seems to quickly wake up when I move my uterus around and heart rate goes to 140-150ish. I may not moniter the heart rate for a while again. My sister has been generously borrowing her fetal doppler to me, but just found out, PTL, she is pregnant too (7 weeks) so I mailed it back to her.
Gut feeling says this is a girl, but if not that is fine too. I love my little boy and would be very happy with another one. We are starting to talk about a tiny baby in mommy's tummy that will come out and live in our house with us someday. My first son is two and a half, so I am trying to help him understand at his level.
Not many people -- including family-- know that we are doing this one on our own. If they ask questions I say this baby will be born at home like the last and leave it at that.
This will be a wonderful adventure, I am sure.
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