Amelia!

I just weighed myself!! Im already down 20 lbs. Only 11 more to go to get to my pre-baby weight. Not to shabby for 6 days post-baby.

It has gone by so quick, I can't believe Amelia is almost a week old!

As for her birth----Got to the hospital around 5:00 am on Monday. They hooked me up to all the moniters. At this time my contractions were between 2 1/2 - 5 minutes apart. They hurt pretty bad but it wasn't awful. After being there about 30 minutes, the nurse told me that I wasn't showing that I was having any contractions, but I knew that I was. I was scared it was false labor or something. They checked me and I was still dilated to a 3. They adjusted the moniter though and they started showing up. Soooo they gave me pitocin to "help things along". The pain started getting worse and worse. I was having a hard time even breathing through them. I kept telling Nathan that it was the "worst pain ever"---haha, what did I know?? They came back and I was dilated to a 4. I got up to go to the bathroom and lost my mucus plug. That was disgusting. My OB came and said she wanted to break my water but she reccomended getting the epidural if I wanted one, because the pain would get a lot worse once they broke my water. My pain level was at about a 7 or 8 at this point. The contractions felt like they were one on top of the other. So I got the epi---it was wonnnnderful. I was scared at first because I couldn't move my legs, but from that point on, I had no pain so it was worth it. The epi did make sick though, I threw up several times in the labor and delivery room. They said my blood pressure was dropping, and I guess it made me light headed and dizzy. Well, after a couple hours they came back and I was dilated to an 8. They started getting everything ready, and by 2:30 in the afternoon I was ready to start pushing. When they told me it was time I started crying...I was really scared for some reason. My mom and Nathan were both in the room with me. Then I got sick again, not sure if it was my blood pressure or nerves but I started throwing up again. Once that was done with, I started pushing. It only took about half an hour and Amelia was here! She was born at 3:11 in the afternoon. 19 inches and 7 lbs 2 oz. They put her on me right after she came out and I just bawled and bawled. Nathan cut the cord...It was the most surreal feeling ever. Amazing. It was really awesome seeing Nathan hold her for the first time as well. He is a proud papa!! She stayed with us for over an hour before they moved me to another room. They took her to the nursery for a bath and then we had her back. All in all it went better than I expected!

Nursing has been.....interesting. Amelia didn't latch well at first so the first few days were really a struggle. Things are starting to fall into place now though and we are getting into a good routine...she eats every 2-4 hours, even at night..its nice when she sleeps for 4 hours but then she wakes up starving.

I can honestly say healing from labor is worse than having the baby-----the pain I had from the stitches was pretty intense. Sitting hurts, moving hurts, walking, standing, everything hurts. When the baby would nurse, it caused cramps which hurt. Etc. I can honestly say that now, at 6 days post partum it is a lot better and I feel pretty normal again. You do "forget" the pain of having a baby-----but that doesn't mean Im in any rush to ever do this again!!! Even the first few days home were really hard on me emotionally and physically. I would go into the bathroom and cry, wondering...what did i get myself into?? But when I look at her sweet little face I know its all worth it.

Amelia was 6 lbs 9 oz when we got her home---and NOTHING fits her. Newborn outfits are huge, the gloves to cover her hands fall off, nothing fits, not even things for 5-8 lbs. Even a good sized baby like Amelia is so tiny that nothing fits!!