Monday, October 25, 2010

100th post

It seems fitting that this is my 100th post. The labor and delivery are behind me and I feel like I'm starting a new chapter in my life.

Baby update- this time around is so different from when baby #1 came. I am much more calm and know what to expect. She is the best baby! She is breast feeding like a champ and each night I'm getting more and more sleep. At first she didn't like her bassinet, but these past 2 nights she has given up the fight and started to sleep at night. When you go from getting an hour of sleep a night to 4 hours, it's is pure joy! I used to think I needed 8 hours of sleep to function, but I've found out that 4 hours will do.

I've come up with a weight loss plan. I can't "officially" do any dieting or exercising for 6 weeks, which is fine with me. That will take me to the beginning of December. Right now my plan is to slowly get back into the swing of things throughout December. If I can manage to not gain that month, I will be ecstatic. The holidays are always tough for me, but this year we are going to keep everything low key because of the baby.

I am happy to report that as of last week I am only 10 pounds over my pre pregnancy weight! I am SO HAPPY about that! Even if I just maintain right now for a while, to have to lose only 10 lbs after having a baby is really good. These past 2 days I have been wearing my pre pregnancy jeans. They are a *little* snug, but not too bad.

I am thinking about counting WW points again. I know you can follow the plan while breast feeding so I might do that. Or, I might email the dietician and have her modify the gestational diabetes diet for a breast feeding mom. Both I can do now, although the instructions said not to "diet to lose weight" for 6 weeks. But, I know WW does allow breast feeding moms to follow the plan. I am going to do some research and contact the dietician and see what she thinks. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my milk production (Yes, I feel like a cow) but I also don't want to make the mistake I made with baby #1 and start gaining weight.

The best news I have to report is I have no signs of post partum depression. I was so worried about that. I feel great. Tired at times and not happy all the time, but that's normal when you are dealing with a new born. I feel nothing like I felt the first time around. I know I need to keep watching for signs, but so far I feel really good. I think the fact that hubby is helping out much more this time around helps too. He was afraid the first time around, but this time he's diving right in and helping.

That's my update. I am looking forward to getting healthy by the end of 2011. My 25th high school reunion is in August so that gives me a target date to hit my goal. I am feeling optimistic and excited about getting back on track and getting healthy. Life is so good!!!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Welcome Macy Anne

DOB: Wednesday, October 13
Time: 2:41 pm
9 lbs 7 oz
22" long

The labor was really great this time around. Less than 10 mins of pushing. She is pretty darn big so I'm pretty sore. Per Doctors orders no dieting or working out for 6 weeks! YES!!

She is the best baby and breast feeding is going really well. Overall, it's been a great experience. I'm getting enough sleep to not go crazy, but still could use a few more hours per night. I'm not complaining though. It's all worth it.

Friday, October 8, 2010

We have a plan

FINALLY, I have a plan. I realized today that it's not that I'm being a control freak. It's that I don't think the doctors are paying me much attention or even know themselves what is going on with me.

Today my OB's office called to move up my induction date. The office manager told me that the OB said he'd really like to deliver me sooner if possible. He NEVER told me that. I have always thought he wanted to wait until the 18th to induce me. The reason they didn't schedule me for next week was because they were booked and the doctor didn't have an opening in his schedule. She also told me that the OB would look at my ultra sound results and decide if we should do a c section or not. Whew. I just wanted to know that he understood my concerns and was addressing them. I don't think he's a very good communicator and I wasn't asking enough questions. I guess this just shows me that I need to start sticking up for myself. Nobody is going to do it for me and I need to realize that I am worth the time and effort it takes to answer some questions.

I feel so much better knowing there is a plan in place and come hell or high water I will have my baby by next Wednesday at the latest. I am so excited!!!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

It is so weird for me to get on the scale each day and weigh the same. This must be what it feels like to be in "maintenance mode." I love it. I can go for 2 or 3 days, not weigh myself, get on the scale on day 4 and weigh the same. It's so strange for me that I'm not obsessing about food or what I weigh for one of the first times in my life. I love feeling like this! Besides, I know that the baby is getting bigger, but I'm not. This will only mean good things for me once I have this baby.

I was going to come on here and complain about my doctors and how they can't come up with a good plan for me and how I should deliver this baby. I've changed my mind. I'm not going to type one complain tonight. That's because I am feeling so very thankful right now.

At the beginning of the year I got involved with the bone marrow donor program. There was a local fire fighter who is in his late 30's and has acute leukemia. He has 2 kids and a wife who love him. He had the transplant and was doing well until about a week ago. Things started to take turn for the worse. He's in the hospital and the doctors are trying to figure out what is going wrong in his body. I started reading his updates on a very bad day. I had come from the OB and got news I didn't like.

Then it hit me. What the hell do I have to complain about? I am carrying a healthy baby. I have stopped gaining weight. My family is healthy. I am healthy. I know that within the next 2 weeks I will have a new baby. What is my fricken' problem that I can't see everything I have to be thankful for and I can spend so much damn time dwelling on what's not going right? He doesn't know if he will be alive in 2 weeks. I know that I will and I will have a new healthy baby to boot!

I am not going to waste one more minute worrying about what I can't control with this pregnancy. I am giving up control and enjoying being pregnant. I am thankful for everything that I have and all the wonderful people in my life. You should be too!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Saw the OB yesterday. He won't do anything to help me have this baby until I am 39 weeks. If I don't go into labor on my own, they are going to schedule me for a c section on the 13th of October. The OB is worried about the size of the baby and what could happen if I can't get her out on my own. Without boring you, it "could be" bad, or it could be no problem at all. Since they don't know which way it could go, if I go to 39 weeks they feel more comfortable doing a c section. I'm scared but ok with it I guess. I'm going to do everything in my power to go into labor on my own before then. EVERYONE has told me to have lots of sex, so my hubby is very happy about that.

I was reading an article about weight loss today and kind of had one of those simple epiphanies. Something that I *should* know, but never really thought about. It had 10 tips for losing weight and one of the tips was having cut up/washing veggies within eye site in your fridge. I think about how I have to eat now and how I've gotten rid of the junk for the most part because of the diabetes. When I'm hungry, I automatically reach for the hummus because that's what's there.

If I could just keep this frame of mind going once this baby comes, it will be so much easier for me to lose weight. Imagine your house having NO garbage in it. No candy, no chips, etc. Imagine it being filled with fruits and veggies and good stuff. Now imagine it's 4:00 in the afternoon. You're not quite hungry, but you need *something* to tide you over until dinner. You start searching through your cupboards and see healthy options. You open the fridge and there's more of the same. What are you going to do?

Are you going to drive to McDonalds and get a double cheeseburger? Are you going to drive to the store and get some chips? I highly doubt it. For one, you are not "hungry" you just want a little something. That feeling is not enough for you to get into your car and drive anywhere to satisfy this need. For another thing, is it really worth it? When you really stop to think about it- is it really worth sabotaging your diet just because you want a little something?

So, here's my point. If I've learned anything with this diabetic diet, it's to NEVER let yourself get hungry. That is when we make poor choices. Look for a healthy option when you are just feeling that beginning pang of hunger. Take snacks with you if you have to so you aren't tempted to go through a drive through if that feeling hits. I'm supposed to eat every 2 hours. Do I? No, but I try. But, I haven't gained any weight in over 8 weeks now. This works.

I just need to remember this in a few weeks when I'm sleep deprived and my hormones are going crazy after this baby comes. You'll remind me, won't you??