The Princess has arrived

November 8, 2014

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been three weeks since the little Princess was born.  The last three weeks are just a blur of exhaustion, being completely overwhelmed, and happiness.  I have been pretty much off the grid for those three weeks – texting and talking to only a few people.  Answering phone calls and texts just seems like a lot of work between breast feeding, diaper changes, and getting to now this new little person. 

I had my little Princess about three weeks early.  I went to an OBGYN appointment and my blood pressure was high, so they sent me to the hospital.  I figured, I would just be monitored for a while, then sent home.  Nope, not the case.  My blood pressure stayed high and the doctors at the hospital decided it was best to induce me.  When I asked the doctor when I could go home, she told me I wasn’t leaving the hospital without a baby.  Now I had a nice little birth plan that I really wanted to follow and being induced was not part of it.  Over the next 48, basically the whole plan went out the window.  I have a fairly high pain tolerance, but even for me being in labor for more then 30 hours was too much and I requested drugs.  Labor and delivery is not something I can describe.  It’s terrible.  It's only time in your life you want the pain to increase not decrease.  Finally, after being up for 3 days and not eating since Friday at 3, the princess finally made her way into the world on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at 8:53.  The doctor had to physically reach inside and pull her out because she got stuck and her heart rate dropped.  Yes, it sounds as horrible as it was.  I really can't say too much about the delivery because I was too out of it.    

The first week of life was rough.  She had trouble breastfeeding.  Princess couldn’t get a good latch and I had flat nipples.  Really?!?! Is that real?  Yep, it is.  So with my flat nipples and her poor latching skills, no one was getting food.  Thank god for the help of a lactation consultant.  We still struggle some, but are getting better.  We also were readmitted to the hospital because of jaundice.  But we now have been home for two weeks.

Life with a newborn is crazy.  You would think it would be boring since they sleep 18 hours a day, but when you wake up and want to eat every two hours it makes for a crazy schedule.  Princess is finally sleeping a little longer, but still goes through phrases where she wants to be fed every two hours.  The other day I fed her 14 times!! I’m not sure how something so tiny can need to eat so much.  The days fly by with taking care of her, trying to nap when she does, and trying to at least keep up with laundry and dishes.   

Some days I still can’t believe that she belongs to me.  It’s amazing even with all the sleepless night and insane worrying.  I am constantly checking to make sure she is still breathing.  Having a baby really does change everything.  It's insane how something so little can completely turn your world upside down (for the better).  She has only been her 3 weeks, but I can't imagine life without her already.