Gosh where do I start (this is going to be a LONG post).....I'll start from hospital stay leading up to now (I'm printing my blogs to book, so this is now for family, friends, & a keepsake for me). I swear I will do a better job staying up to date and will post pictures with this update soon.
We had Ava on a Monday & didn’t leave the hospital until Thursday. I have nothing but good things to say about our hospital stay. Ryan would say different because he stayed on an uncomfortable tiny couch by the window. The c-section was a breeze and the recovery was not bad at all. I was up and walking around in my room the next day. I, however, was on pretty good pain pills and could have done with out all the bloating. I was back to normal after about a week.
I did "attempt" breastfeeding for about 48 hours....and boy was it a challenge. I praise any woman who can do it. I couldn't get the latch down, didn't get my milk/not enough colostrum in, & by the 2nd day was in tears because Ava was crying everytime & I felt I let her down. The next day it was formula. Both mama & baby were VERY happy. I know I should of/could of tried longer, but I wanted to see Ava & be happy. Not see her & know I was about to hear her cry/scream because she wasn't getting any milk.
Thursday rolled around and it was time to go home. To be honest I really was not scared, just ready to get my baby home & enjoy our time together. The 1st night Aunt Rachael stayed with us & then my mom & dad came to stay with us a week (well dad 1/2 a week). It was GREAT to have my mom there. We all had late night’s together, long days, plenty of coffee, & just family bonding. Then my milk "finally" came in a whole week later. "Holy Boobies"....that was interesting. I didn’t do the whole cabbage thing & let them dry out on their own. So glad I had good pain pills from the c section because the engorgement was more painful.
Once my mom left it did get pretty hard for us but we conquered through it. Somedays I would stay in my pajama's until Ryan came home for lunch or home from work. The days and nights were VERY long. I couldn't wait for Ryan to get home so I could enjoy "me" time & take a hot shower or run to the store and get out of the house. It was flu season, super cold outside, and I didn't want to take Ava anywhere until her 6 weeks shots. So needless to say, it was a LONG 6 weeks at home. We did have plenty of company though. My parents or Ryan’s dad were there every weekend and we had a few friends & family stop by here & there.
By the time we knew it Ava was 6 weeks. She went from 6.1 lbs 18 inches at the hospital, to 5.13 lbs at hospital discharge, back up to birth weight at 1 week appointment @ 6 percentile of average baby, to 10.3 lbs 21 inches @ 63 percentile of average baby at 6 weeks. Her appointment went well. She got 3 shots, we were informed she had an umbilical hernia (hernia = is a bulge that results when an organ or some tissue is out of place. Umbilical hernias occur in 10 to 20 percent of children, more often in girls than boys, in babies born prematurely, and in children of African ethnicity. In the vast majority of cases, this condition is painless and harmless. While a baby is in the womb, there is an opening in the abdominal wall beneath the navel. As the baby matures, this hole should close as the abdominal muscles merge. In some babies, the muscles don't merge completely and a hole about the size of a fingertip remains. Most likely, the hernia will go away on its own by the time your child is 2 or 3 years old, although some continue to improve until the age of 5.), and that we needed to get an ultra sound done on her hips as a precaution because she was Frank Breech.
The next day, after her 6 weeks appointment, I was packed & ready to head to LaPorte for my 1st visit since Ava's arrival. My dad picked Ava & I up. We had his truck jam packed. Ryan met up with us that weekend. It was great to finally get out of the house & see all my family.
Once back home we had several doctors appointments. I had my 6 week check up & Ava had her appointment at Texas Children’s to have an ultra sound done. We were told she has a mild subluxation of the left hip & needed to see an Orthopedic Specialist. So we met with one that week. He informed us that she didn't have subluxation of the left hip & she had dislocation of the left hip (babies have a 1 in 1,000 chance of getting it, but in Ava's case she had 1 in 400. She had all the risk factors: breech, c section, 1st born, girl, and family history. Ryan's sister had the same thing, but in both hips & had to wear the brace 6 months). The Ortho Specialist immediately wrote a prescription for a pelvic brace and told us she needed to wear it 24/7 for 6 weeks, then he would reassess her hips & go from there. He said there is a 98 % success rate for babies who wear the brace. If in 6 weeks her left hip is healed she would continue to wear the brace just at night or if needed we would continue treatment until her hip is healed. I was a wreck that whole week. We went from a happy baby, finally getting in a routine, Ava sleeping well through the night only getting up twice to her wearing a brace 24/7. She was NOT happy at all that 1st night. Both she & I cried all night. She couldn't sleep & either could I. So once again I had my parents come pick us up & help me with Ava.
This leads me up to today. We have been at my parent’s house since Monday and Ava is doing much better. The past 2 nights she only woke up twice. I think she has finally adjusted to her little brace. Which is GREAT because I go back to work on Tuesday. I have been out @ 9 weeks & it’s bittersweet. I'm ready to go back to work & get back into the swing of things. I need structure and a schedule back in my life, but I will greatly miss all the quality time with my sweet baby girl. Good thing - I still have 16 days FMLA to use as delayed time to use for proper care & bonding until 12/27/11. So I know I have plenty of days in the upcoming year to spend with Ava on top of my vacation days.
As far as daycare, I know Ava will be in good hands & I will be watching her all day long (daycare has cameras I can check on her from work). I went out and bought her lots of cute dresses to cover her little brace while at daycare. Now Ryan & I need to work on our night & morning routine with Ava. My work/supervisor is very understanding, so I know I have a couple days to work out the kinks.
@ Our Family:
Ava (aka – Chunks, Ava the Grouch, Princess, & Pumpkin) is growing up so fast. I can’t believe she will be 9 weeks this Monday. She went from a tiny little baby to a healthy little chunk. At 1st she looked like my little mini me & now she looks just like her daddy. Ryan calls her my BF because we are always together & she just wants her mama to hold her.
Daddy – he is the cutest dad ever. I love to see/hear him interacting with Ava. He & Ava have “daddy/daughter” time on Saturday & Sunday mornings and let mommy sleep in. He has been amazing this whole time, helping me around the house, with dinner, & with Ava.
Mommy – my pregnancy was so simple….as far as the birth & thereafter, it has had me on an emotional roller coaster. I’m finally starting to feel like I have this motherhood thing down. Ava has been a little blessing to our family. I’m so lucky to be her mommy & look forward to making many memories with her & spoiling her rotten.
