Tuesday, December 23, 2008

End of the blog... for a while

Several family members have mentioned to me now that Abby is here, I should change the name of my blog. I started this blog as a release for me when dealing with the challenges in trying to get pregnant. After I got pregnant with Abby, I opened it up to family to read as I travelled through the next nine months.

Now that Abby is here, someday is today.

For the time being, I'm going to stop writing on this blog. However, I will be posting updates of Abby and the whole family on my other blog - www.micahandjen.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading and I hope that you continue to stay update on the happenings of the Gelman family on the other blog. See you on the other side!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Introducing Abigail Mira Gelman

Abigail Mira Gelman made her arrival at 2:44am, weighing in at 8lbs 6oz and measuring 19 inches long.

As I mentioned briefly yesterday, we arrived at the hospital at 11:30pm for a labor check, I was having pretty intense contractions. However, once the resident checked me, we found I wasn't dilated. After conferring with the attending on call, I was told to walk around the hospital for a couple of hours and come back and get rechecked. So Micah and I hit the halls of Sinai, walking up and down the bottom floor of the hospital.

The walking seemed to help a little. When I went back to get checked I was 1 cm. The resident checked again with the doctor and because of my contraction patter and the fibroid, they decided to admit me to see if I would progress over the evening. I got all hooked up and was given medicine to help me sleep. In the morning I was rechecked by the resident and was still only 1 cm.

About an hour later, around 8am, the attending came into check me I had progressed to a "nice" 3 cm. So know we were on our way. The ended up augmenting my labor with pitocin, as I wasn't contracting and progressing fast enough on my own. At noon, they broke my water and shortly after I asked for the epi (What a life saver)!

Over the next twelve hours, I slowly progressed to 10 cm. It was so slow, that we talked with the several of the doctors about a possible c-section, but I kept plugging along. Due to going so long since they broke my bag of water, it appears that I developed an infection and started to run a low grade fever. I was giving antibiotics so that it wouldn't effect Abby.

By 1am Wednesday morning, I was 10 cm and began pushing. That in itself is another story. I pushed for about 1hour and 45 minutes, much longer that I would have liked. Abigail was born screaming. She was taken over to the warmer immediately by the NICU team because there was mechonium (baby's first poop) in my bag of water. We met up with her two hours later once I was moved to the mother baby unit. She has been with us every since. She is caught on to breast feeding quite well and already has had a couple of poopy diapers. Micah has become the diaper changing champ.

We are so in love despite how tired the past 48 hours have been.





Tuesday, December 16, 2008

At the hospital

It is time! We have been in hospital since 12am. By 8 am I was 3 cm dilated. They have started pitocin to hopefully get this party started at little more. I'm feeling good, but starting to feel the effects of the pit!

Mom and Dad Sizemore are on their way. Mom and Dad Gelman have been here for about an hour. So know we are just waiting on her arrival.

Is this the right time to tell everyone that I'm scared!!!

Will update when we can...

Monday, December 15, 2008

4 days left... still no baby

T- minus four days. Still no baby. One of my best friends, who was in my wedding, had her baby yesterday. She was due on the 17th. Mom and baby are doing well. Shosie is SO cute!

I'm officially working from home until the little one arrives, which is nice because I can't get comfortable and keep having contractions here and there.

At my appointment on Thursday, doctor said I'm effaced, but still not dilated. I did a lot of walking this weekend, so I'm hoping that things have changed. I also talked to the doctor about what happens if this little girl does not arrive by Friday. I'll go for non-stress tests twice a week to make sure that the baby is still doing okay and that my amniotic fluid levels are between 5-10. I've had it checked twice already. At 37 weeks it was 7.5 (at 7 or lower they will induce) and a week later it was 9.9, so I'm boarder line. The longer I stay pregnant, the less my placenta works to keep things comfortable in there.

I told the doctor that I REALLY did not want to have her on Christmas. It has nothing to do with being in the hospital at Christmas. It is just that I'm so sick of people saying that I'm having a Christmas baby and we should name her Noel. Yeah. I know most people don't know that I'm Jewish and it isn't something that I like to plaster out there, but I'm might strangle the next person who says it to me.

So that's the update for now. Mom sent me pictures from the shower that I'll hopefully find the energy to scan them. (At the moment it doesn't look good).

Stay tuned!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

8 days and counting

In just over a week, I will hopefully meeting this little girl. I've been having a TON of contractions. Yesterday, we even called L&D thinking this was it. I had been contracting at regular intervals for about five hours and they were getting more intense. The doctor said I could come in or labor at home for a little longer, we decided on staying at home. The contractions didn't get any worse, so we decided that this wasn't it.

Still having contractions this morning. I have my regular 39 week appointment later today, so I'm just chill'n until then. I'm working from home today and maybe tomorrow. I've decided that I'm going to start my maternity leave on Monday if Baby G doesn't arrive before than. I'm really uncomfortable and can't really focus on work, plus I've handed over a lot of my projects, so I'm just waiting anyway.

Let's hope she arrives before Monday.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

38 weeks and 2 days

A lot happened this week... on Thursday I ended up going to the hospital for monitoring because I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours. Of course as soon as I get strapped up to all the monitors, she starts moving all over the place and passed the Non Stress Test (NST) with passing colors. Also got to get another peak at her on the ultrasound when they checked my fluid levels. A week earlier, my fluid levels had been boarderline low at 7.5 (at 7, the hospital normal induces) however, a week later, my levels were back up to 9.9. So the plan is to wait for nature to takes its course.

Friday, I went to my scheduled OB/GYN appointment. Blood pressure was good (lower than it has been in weeks, however, the nurse said that it could be because it was earlier in the moring). The doctor did another internal and still no progress. She did say that I have a post-anterior cervix (i have no idea what that means, but I'm going to google it in a few minutes). I nearly had a breakdown when she said that I hadn't made any progress. I'm just so uncomfortable and ready to meet this little girl. My feet began to swell this week, which is an amazing side effect of pregnancy. My feet look gross!! That on top of the pressure and pain in my hips, I've been on the edge all week. The doctor told me to walk, which I've done and continue to do. Yesterday on my walk, I passed the mail women and she actually turned around to make sure I was all right and offered me a ride back to the house. I must look really pathetic!

I know that not being diluted means nothing, I could dilated very quickly and my water could break at any time. So her checking me every week, doesn't mean anything. It is just frustrating. But I'm trying to keep my mind off of it. I'm almost done my holiday shopping and yesterday I went to this place called "Let's Dish" to make frozen meals for after the baby comes. This week is kinda busy with work stuff and next Friday is my work holiday party. Who knows I might not be there to join the festivities (it is a full moon that day).

The hospital has free wi-fi so on top of letting everyone know via phone calls about the progress, I'm going to try and update the blog. So keep checking back!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Baby's room

After many requests, here are some pictures of the baby's room. After the shower on Saturday, we are just about ready to welcome this little girl into our home.