Brooklyn {One Week}

One week old as of 4/5/2016. It has been a hectic week around here, so I am a few days late and into week #2 already:)

Update: Brooklyn has been AHHH-mazing!! Honestly, our biggest struggle has been Bennett. He is so very active and LOUD! You do not realize how loud he really is or how much he talks (bless his little heart, I just love his personality, so do not get me wrong, I love his outgoing, talkative nature) until all you want him to do is quiet down. On the plus side, it does not seem to phase Brooklyn whatsoever. This girl has spent the first week of her life asleep. We have been able to give Bennett some of the attention he is craving and luckily Brooklyn's constant state of sleepiness has allowed us this time with him. Plus, my mom spent the first few days home with us and I cannot begin to tell you how much of a help she was, especially with Bennett and cooking us some meals!!
 

Length, Weight, Percentiles: Brooklyn had her 1 week checkup a bit early as she had lost more than 8% of her birth weight when we left the hospital. When we left the hospital, she was 7 lbs 12 oz. and as of 6 days old, she was back up to 8 lbs 4 oz, so no concerns with weight gain.

Features: Brooklyn very much resembles Bennett, but in a very dainty, girly way. She has the same dark grey eyes and light brown/blonde hair. Their noses are the only thing that I can tell is different. The shape of their eyes and mouths are very similar. Bennett had baby acne from the first day he was born and as of 1 week old, I haven't noticed any baby acne on Brooklyn.

Sleep: Rocking it. The first few nights she woke up more frequently but at 5 days old and through today, she has been going down at 10-10:30 PM and waking up once between 2-3 AM, and back down again until 6:30-7 AM. I remember Bennett having a very similar nighttime schedule. Currently, Brooklyn is sleeping in our room and I have no issues with it. Bennett was a very noisy nighttime sleeper and Brooklyn is so quiet. We moved Bennett into his room after 1 week. As of right now, Brooklyn is just fine sleeping in our room. During the day she still sleeps a lot. She wakes up to eat and for diaper changes, but for the most part, getting a lot of sleep in and very content. This has made it an easy transition for us with Bennett. We have been able to pay some extra attention to him.

Diet: This is also going very well. My milk did not come in until 4 days after she was born, so on Saturday we supplemented with 1/2 oz. of formula which homegirl sucked right down, and promptly went right back to sleep for 4 or 5 hours! We figured she was getting more hungry. Since then, my milk came in, and she has been eating every 3-4 hours. I have also been pumping 2 or 3 times a day to provide bottles for Bennett to help (and Josh of course). Brooklyn got her first bottle at 4 days old and Bennett was 11 days old. Case in point, I just am not worrying about that little stuff like I did with Bennett:)

First time at church. Bennett refused to be in a family picture. We had to take a separate one with him.

Us asking him to please get in the picture. The struggle is real.

First walk. It was extremely windy. The walk was a disaster.

Clothes: All newborn but also will not last as long as they did on Bennett. Glad we did not buy a whole lot of newborn stuff!

Diapering: Newborn diapers, which will not last long on this little (big) girl.

Social: She spends about an hour awake first thing in the morning, then 20-30 minutes here and there during the day, and again about an hour at 8:30-9 PM in the evening. She has the most adorable/funny faces as if she is just WOW'ed by everything around her that does catch her eye.

Likes: Just like her big brother, movement and vibration and so far a great car rider. Eating, being cuddled and warm, skin to skin, being swaddled at nighttime.

Dislikes: Pretty standard for an infant-Baths and Diaper Changes. 

Mama: Recovery has been much easier this time around. Not sure if it is because I knew what to expect or if it just is easier because I had less......damage. I had some lower back pain in the end of my pregnancy with Brooklyn that I am seeing a Chiropractor for now since I noticed it hasn't gone away. I also took Brooklyn to see the Chiropractor at 6 days old. I find myself so much more laid back this time around with her. Less worried about her eating/sleeping/pooping patterns and just letting her tell me what she needs. I worry most about Bennett and his transition. I can definitely notice a difference in his little personality, it is much more attention-seeking. If we do something or respond to something with him, and he notices it gets our attention, he will continue to do that and take it to the next extreme. I am hoping it is all normal and soon he will settle into our "new normal." Don't get me wrong, he is SO incredibly sweet with Brooklyn and is constantly kissing her, asking about her, asking to hold her, but he definitely knows she is getting attention that he is accustomed to.

Overall, Week #1 was fairly easy. Day 1 and 2 was hectic at home and getting used to Bennett, Brooklyn and life but the week has gotten easier. And overall easier than I remembered with Bennett. It is amazing how well Brooklyn has fit into our routine and life so quickly, maybe it is because she is always asleep so we hardly notice she is around (ha I tease, but no seriously). I find myself really soaking up all the baby cuddles. I worry less about her and enjoy my time with her. Monday Josh goes back to work and Bennett heads back to daycare a few days a week. I'd be lying if I said I am not a little excited. It is bittersweet. I love having Josh and Bennett home!!! But ready to get some rest and soak up these precious newborn days with her. My maternity leave with her is going to go by so quickly, so I want to enjoy every last moment. 

Introducing {Brooklyn Kate}

Date of Birth: Tuesday, March 29th, 2016

Time of Birth: 6:32 AM

Length: 19.5 inches long

Weight: 8 lbs 10 oz.

Head Circumference:13.5 inches

Brooklyn's Birth Story

I had been having contractions for 3 weeks so when I started having contractions on the afternoon of Monday March 28th, I really didn't think much of it. My contractions those past 3 weeks had been a mixture of Braxton Hicks and real contractions. I would time them, but after an hour or so they would go away. It was frustrating, to say the least. That past Sunday was Easter, and we had gone on a long walk, touring houses in the neighborhood being built, so lots of opportunities for stairs and walking! I woke up Monday feeling extremely sore, so I decided to work from home. That afternoon I told Josh that I had been having regular contractions, but of course, he didn't think much of it either since I had been saying this for weeks. That evening, I walked around the block with Bennett while he rode his bike and we went to the grocery store, so again, lots of walking! At the grocery store I was feeling contractions and a lot of pressure so I had a hard time getting through the entire store. Around 8 PM I asked Josh if he thought it would be a good idea to take Bennett to his mom's. Again, he didn't really think much of my "contractions" so we put Bennett to bed. At this point, nothing was painful, just tightening, so I still wasn't 100% sure this was "IT." Around 9:30 PM, I texted Emily (thank goodness my sister in law is a labor and delivery nurse, because both with Bennett and now Brooklyn, I needed her advice!!!). She suggested that I try to go to bed and get some sleep and if I wake up in the middle of the night, the hospital is close, and to not worry about Bennett. My biggest fear was thinking I was in labor and going in, dragging Josh's mom out of bed, all the way to our house, only to find out it was nothing......I was also fearful that if I was in labor, I wouldn't make it to the hospital in time to get an epidural. I had a very quick labor with Bennett and I knew in the middle of the night an anesthesiologist would have to be called in, which could take some time. I went to sleep at 10:30 PM and woke up twice to use the bathroom. I felt contractions while I was awake, but again nothing too painful, so I fell right back asleep. Then at 1:30 AM I woke up again to use the bathroom, and it was then that I felt painful contractions. I laid back down and remember thinking to myself "ok, if I can just get to 5 AM, I will feel better about waking Kate up to come over to stay with Bennett." I made it about 10 minutes before I woke Josh up and said "I think you need to call your mom, I want to go to the hospital."

We scrambled around getting everything together. My bags had been packed for a week, but added toiletries, phone charger, and clothes that I didn't want to pack right away, etc. Josh's mom arrived and I was crying. Like most women at this point, I was excited, scared, nervous, anxious, etc. My contractions were timing about 5 minutes apart and were getting very painful. We drove the short few miles to Methodist West Hospital and walked into the ER entrance since it was so late. A nurse came to get us in the ER and we walked up to the maternity center. I was thinking this whole time how different this was than when I went into labor with Bennett. For starters, it was 2 AM, the world was quiet, there were hardly any cars out on the road, the maternity center was still, sleeping. The triage room was much nicer than the triage room at hospital downtown where I delivered Bennett. Everything moved so quickly though. We sat in the triage room with Bennett for what seemed like ages, but with Brooklyn, the nurse quickly came in, hooked me up to a heart monitor and checked me to see how dilated I was within minutes. At around 2:30 AM I was 5cm dilated. She told me that she was going to admit me and get me into a room. I remember telling her at this point that I want an epidural and to call the Doctor, she smiled and said she would, but she can't call him until we are set up in the other room. Once we got settled in my room, she checked me again and within 15 minutes, I had progressed to 6 cm dilated. She said she would call the anesthesiologist right away since I was progressing so quickly. She called the Doctor on call, who was not answering his phone, to let him know that I was in labor and that I had had a very quick labor with my last, so I think she was a bit concerned too that he might not make it in time! She called the Doctor 3 or 4 times before she called the backup Docter on call. Not sure how she got a hold of the first Doctor, but a few minutes later she got a call back that he was on his way in. Josh decided to run outside to get our bags, but while on his way out, ran into our nurse and the Anesthesiologist and came back in to sit with me while I got my epidural. The worst part about the epidural is the numbing shot they give you right before! But around 3:30 AM I received the epidural and within 10 minutes, started feeling its wonderful relief:) However, after about 30 or 45 minutes, I noticed that I was still feeling pain on my left side. It wasn't horrible, but I definitely did not want to feel it either! It was making me anxious that I felt it and it wasn't getting better, if anything, feeling worse or more pain. My nurse instructed me to lay on my left side and give it another 30 or 45 minutes to work its way down. Around 5 AM, she checked me again and I was right around 9 cm dilated. She said something about not rushing it, and that she was going to let us rest for a little bit. I was to call her if I got the urge to push, which at this point, I had not. Josh and I fell asleep (and by fell asleep, I mean, it was a very very light sleep, but enough to give me some rest). At 6 AM, she came back in, and at that point I was VERY numb, almost TOO numb! She said that since I was so numb, we were going to do a few practice pushes to see how I do. We set up, waited for a contraction, and I pushed, and then she was telling me to stop and slow down! She said that I was ready to push and if I kept practicing I was going to push the baby right out, and she was not ready to deliver a baby without the Doctor. About 5 minutes later, lights were on, lots of people surrounded my bed, the Doctor was ready. I started pushing and remember thinking how awkward I felt. I didn't remember feeling this way with Bennett. There were just so many people!! At one point while pushing, I remember someone saying "oh she's a big girl!!" That was not something I wanted to hear!! It only took about 3 or 4 pushes during 1 contraction and Brooklyn Kate came out and met the world!! 

Our First Day

Since Brooklyn was born at 6:32 AM, the world was just waking up. Most of our friends and family woke up to a surprise text letting them know she was here. No one even knew we were in labor (except for Josh's mom, and well, Emily had an idea......), so it was a nice way to wake up for most:) From 7 AM until 11 AM, Josh, Brooklyn and I just relaxed and spent some time alone. Obviously, there were several people coming and going during those 4 hours to check on me and her, but as for visitors, we had none, and it was perfect. It was important to us to have Bennett be the first visitor. I loved the quiet, alone time we had, just the 3 of us for those first few hours. I remember feeling obligated? pressure? to invite our visitors into our room right away after Bennett was born. Albeit, he was born at 8 PM, so people were around and available, which was fine and I wanted it that way. Although being awake almost all night in labor results in extremely tired parents, so there is something to be said about having your baby in the middle of the night or early morning. 

Brooklyn was extremely alert the first day of her life. She hardly slept and seemed to be taking in everything around her. I am nursing her, and she latched very well, much better than Bennett did.
Kate brought Bennett to the hospital around 11 AM. I was strangely nervous for him to meet her. I did not know what to expect. Maybe I was afraid he wouldn't like her, or maybe he would be jealous, or reject her, but he came running in with a gift and went straight to her to open her gift for her. He kissed her and asked to hold her almost immediately.

We were able to nap from 2-4 and took full advantage of the nursery! We crashed around 9 PM. Brooklyn's first night she woke up at 11 PM, 1 AM and 3 AM to nurse and up for the day around 7 AM. 

I am still shocked how quickly it all happened. I knew after Bennett that I would most likely deliver very quickly again, but every labor is different so how do you ever truly know? I was always very anxious about going into labor again. Either way, Brooklyn arrived and she is perfect. It is amazing how well she fits into our family already. It feels like she has always been here (I know, it sounds so cliche, but it is true!). I could not wait to get out of the hospital. I know everyone says to take advantage of the nursery and help, but those beds are just so uncomfortable! I could not wait to be back home. We were in the hospital until Thursday and left around 10 AM Thursday 3/31.

Stay tuned to hear how our first week went!