Happy Birthday Elijah! A c-section story

 September 10, 2012.  I cannot hesitate to say that today has been the best day of my life so far.  Why today and not the day I got married or even the day Zach was born?  Because today my family is that much more whole.  

We began the morning by packing up the car and dropping Zach off at our friend Natalie's.  Natalie and her family have become more of a family to us in our time in Okinawa.  They have two boys of their own, Logan & Dylan.  Logan was born just a few months before Zach, and Dylan was born just a few months ago now.  So her kids are the same distance apart as mine are about to be.  Natalie is even more of a rockstar Mom because her husband happens to be deployed right now!  We are so grateful she was kind enough to watch Zach for us.  Zach had a great time with her and had so much fun playing with Logan.  It was a very odd feeling to drop him off in the morning, knowing we wouldn't see him until the following day.  I had never been away from him for more then 3-4 hours, so it was very hard to just get up and leave him.  Luckily I trust Natalie with all of my heart and know he was in great hands!

We then arrived at the hospital at 7:30 A.M. and began getting checked in.  We had our paperwork already finished so we were able to quickly get things moving.  I was forced to fast for over 8 hours the night before, so I was very thirsty.  I was anxious to get an IV in so that I could get some sort of hydration while we waited for surgery to begin.

We got an IV in first, which is one of my least favorite things.  I am not good with needles to begin with, and having something going into my body in plain sight like that is very hard for me.  I won't hesitate to say that the IV is harder for me then the spinal tap.  Luckily, I have great veins so it's usually a fast process when I need one.  The other thing I hate about IVs?  They make you swell up like no other!  Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the hydration of the IV, but it makes you swell up and look fat!

Next up was getting a contraction monitor and fetal heart beat monitor on my big ole belly. As we made our way through some routine questions, we discovered that I was actually having contractions.  None were painful, just a tad uncomfortable.  There was no way of knowing if they were real contractions or not though, and really it didn't matter since I was about to go into surgery.  But in any case, I was having contractions every 4-7 minutes consistently while we waited.  Guess it was perfect timing for a c-section.

The next hour or two was spent doing paperwork, answering questions, being monitored, and talking with the anesthesiologist.  When we met with the doctor, we mentioned how I had an itchy allergic reaction to the medications last time.  The anesthesiologist decided it was most likely due to a medication given with the spinal tap before surgery called duramorph.  Apparently this medication is used to alleviate pain after the surgery.  The doctor decided he was not going to give me this medication as a precaution. 

Had to do the customary Okinawa peace sign before surgery!

And at 10 A.M.,  we were ready to go into surgery and meet our baby.  Right before being wheeled into the OR, I was given a super yummy "shot"which prevents you from getting sick during the procedure.  As you can tell, it taste wonderful

Shots!

It has the most bitter and disgusting aftertaste!

They put some calf cuffs onto your legs before the surgery.  They basically blow up over and over again, causing the blood in your legs to flow correctly.  They serve a great purpose, but it is very odd having them on when the surgery is about to start.  Especially while getting the Spinal Tap.  Dima was able to come into the room and hold me still while I got the spinal tap (thank goodness, otherwise I would have moved!).  The spinal tap is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.  It is a burning feeling and some pokes and prods, but for the most part, it's not terrible.  All that coming from someone who is terrified of needles!

As soon as that spinal is in, you get numb.  So numb so fast that they have to help you to swing your legs around.  Once that's done, they spread your arms apart and get a bunch of other machines attached to you.  They also bring in some warmers, because the medication can make you very cold.  You are also hooked up to some oxygen.  Dima was asked to leave the room for this part, but once they were ready, he was allowed to come back into the room and sit by my side while we waited.

All ready to go and waiting on baby!

From here on, the Doctors did their thing.  Very shortly after Dima was able to sit in the room with me, they told me it was time.  They began pushing down on my belly to get him down further into my uterus and pull him out.  It's a bit of some pushing around, and suddenly baby was pulled out of my belly!  His cry came almost immediately, which is a great bit of relief when you can't see anything!  The doctor lifted him up in the air to show me, but all I saw was the stream of pee going over my head! He was waiting until just that moment to pee all over the OR!

Baby is then whisked over to heating lamps to be cleaned up and taken care of really quick.  Dima was able to stand by his side, of course I still had not been able to catch much sight of him at this point.  I did catch a few glimpses here and there and immediately knew he was just like his big brother!  After he was cleaned up and swaddled, he was able to come meet mommy!

Just cleaned

Our newest addition with his family

After this, Dima and baby left the OR for his shots and to be weighed and measured.  The doctors finished up working on me in the OR and we had some great conversations about VPN addresses and netflix!  Only in Okinawa can you have a lengthy conversation about electronics and internet connections while having surgery.  

I was then wheeled out of the room and finally able to see my baby and husband again.  The first question on my mind upon coming out of surgery: How much did he weigh?  Dima told me right away that he was 6lbs, 4 oz!  Wow!  That's one tiny baby!  I did not even imagine having such a small baby when I was 39 weeks.  Zach was 6 lbs, 13 oz.  He was 19.5 inches long and got an apgar score of a 9 out of 10.  Everything looked perfect, and I was able to nurse him for the first time very quickly.  

That is one tiny boy!

First footprints.  Love the Japanese Cherry Blossoms

9/10/12- A sleepy little man

While nursing, we had the talk.  The talk we have been putting off for 9 months now.  A name.  We had a few names floating around our heads before going into the OR, but now was the moment of truth.  We decided we should both have a chance to hold him and see him before deciding, and now was the moment we were waiting for.  In the end, we decided on the name that just felt right...

Elijah Stepanoff

Mommy holding Elijah for the first time

As I was nursing, I began to feel very shaky.  My whole body was shaking uncontrollably, even my teeth were chattering.  I wasn't cold, and could tell that this was a result of the medication.  I was also a bit itchy on my face.  After Elijah was brought to the side for his first bath, I began feeling intense pain. It started to build and build in intensity, until I was finally given Morphine.  After awhile of the morphine, I was then given something else to ease the pain.  None of these medications were giving me any kind of relief.  I was rolled down to postpartum, where I was to spend the next 2 days, while still fighting the pain.

I was checked into a new room in postpartum, (the only c-section room without internet, just my luck) and given some food before being allowed to take percocets and motrin.  After waiting 3 1/2 hours, the pain was not easing up.  The wonderful nurse was finally able to bring me something to help with the pain through my IV.  Within 15 minutes I was a completely different person.  Finally, I was able to relax and enjoy time with my new boy.  

The next few days were spent in postpartum.  We got lucky and got a great staff for the most part.  A few hours after I started feeling better, I was able to walk up and down the hall, very very slowly.  I am positive that this is what gets you up and going fast after having a c-section.  It hurts the first time, but it's worth it for a speedy recovery.  

sleeping in his bassinet in our room

Zach came to visit us in the morning, but was barely interested in his new brother.  He said baby every once and awhile, but for the most part, he could care less about the new brother in mommy's arms.  We will see how that all changes over the new few weeks.  

For the first 20 minutes he was more interested in eating these rice snacks

He missed Mommy!  Gotta give kisses!

9/11/12- What is that thing?

We were discharged on Wed. morning, 48 hours after having Elijah.  We are happy to be home, but mommy is having a much more difficult recovery this time around.  We are crossing our fingers that things speed up on that end before Daddy goes back to work.  

Baby Elijah

9/12/12- Mommy, Daddy, & Elijah

"Labor" Day Wrap Up

 Down to the final days here on the baby front.  Today is Monday, the 3^rd of September- "Labor" Day.  Though, at 38 weeks pregnant, there is no "laboring" in the Stepanoff home.  If baby didn't make his appearance today, I don't think anything will bring him around except for him literally being pulled out of my body. 

Exactly 1 week from today, we will be a family of 5 (yes, I count the dog).  I cannot tell you what is going through my head right now.  Anxiety, excitement, fear, and terrified comes to mind right about now.  I don’t know if I’m ready yet, but who’s ever really ready?  I felt pretty prepared with Zach, but the only thing that threw me for a loop was just how demanding and time-consuming breastfeeding was.  This time around, I know much more about what the first year will hold, and I cannot lie, this is my biggest fear this time around.  It will surely be a demanding and difficult year, and I hope I can keep my sanity for at least some of it! 

As we approach the end, I’d like to share the end results of my pregnancy.  Basically, a “wrap up” of how this pregnancy has treated me this time around.  These are the things that most women fear the most, and I’d like to share with you that it doesn’t all have to be scary!  I did it!

Morning Sickness

I am one of the lucky ones.  I was with Zach as well.  I never once got nausea or morning sickness of any sort with either!  With Zach, I had to eat small meals every 2-3 hours in order to keep myself from getting sick.  This time I didn’t even have that problem.  For those who do get sick, I don’t know what to tell you except for what many people told me: Eat protein.  Lots and lots of protein will stay in your stomach longer, keeping you full and preventing you from getting sick.  I cannot attest to this, but this is just what many people have told me.  Perhaps this is what saved me from getting sick in the first place.  I eat a lot of lean, healthy protein anyway.  Fish, chicken, eggs, and turkey are all staples of my diet, and perhaps what prevented my morning sickness in the first place!   

Exhaustion

This was harder this time around.  I think this was largely in part to the fact that I already had a toddler at home to care for, but also due to some low iron levels on my part.  I eat plenty of iron rich foods and took my prenatals, but couldn’t seem to escape my exhaustion.  Dima was also deployed at this time, so being home alone wasn’t helpful.   At this point of the pregnancy, I was going to bed at 8pm and waking up at 7:30am AND taking a 2 hour nap in the afternoons and drinking the 1 cup of coffee I was allowed.  I’ve been told time and time again that exercise helps you gain energy.  And I do believe this is true.  But that was NOT the case for me.  I could not escape the exhaustion, no matter what I did.  It was a rough first trimester in that aspect. 

Weight Gain

Ahh the biggest fear of women.  Gaining weight when pregnant is normal, but just what exactly is a normal weight gain?  Generally speaking, a weight gain of 25-35 pounds is healthy for a person of a healthy weight, like myself.  That may sound like a lot but think of it in this aspect:

Baby’s weight= about 7 pounds

Placenta= 2-3 pounds

Amniotic fluid= 2-3 pounds

Breast tissue= 2-3 pounds

Blood supply= 4 pounds

Stored fat for delivery and breastfeeding= 5-9 pounds

Uterus= 2-5 pounds

Total=25-35 pounds

With Zach, I gained exactly 23 pounds.  He was an average sized baby, so this amount was perfect for me.  This time around, I haven’t exactly gained that much.  At this point of the pregnancy, I have officially gained 19 pounds.  I don’t see myself gaining even another pound at this point.  As far as being worried goes though, I don’t think I’m concerned.  As far as we know, baby has developed perfectly, and is an average sized child.  So that dreaded weight gain everyone’s concerned about is something that I warn you all not to be too terrified of.  If you treat your body well and eat healthy, clean foods, you should be just fine.  I was on no kind of diet during this pregnancy or Zach’s.  I simply eat healthy and clean.  Lots of lean protein, and tons of veggies. 

Stretch Marks

This is another of those things many people cringe about.  Unfortunately, I think this is just a luck game.  I don’t think any amount of lotion and creams applied will help to prevent them.  I think it even differs based on the pregnancy.  A woman can have a baby of the same size both times and only get stretch marks with one.  I never got a single stretch mark with Zach, and was hoping to be that lucky this time around.  I am happy to report that I do not have even the slightest sign of a stretch mark 7 days before delivery.  Again, I escaped one of those terrifying aspects of pregnancy!

Exercise

Many women completely stop working out when they find out they are pregnant.  This is about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.  Pregnancy is no excuse!  You’re carrying another human being, not dying!  There is no reason to not continue doing what you were doing before getting pregnant.  For me, I was lifting weights 4-5 times a week, and running on average 6-8 miles 3x a week.  I was also in the process of doing the insanity workout when I first got the news.  I initially continued on with my exercise routine just as I was before.  But once the 4^th week or so came around, I found my exhaustion prevented me from going all out like I used to.  It was at that point that I cut back considerably.  My running went down to about 3-4 miles three times a week, and my lifting took a bit of a weight break.  I completely stopped insanity, as it was a lot of jumping that was probably not advisable that early on.  Once my energy came back in the second trimester, I continued to run, and added a safe lower weight strength training routine in.  I attended some classes at the gym, but mostly kept with cardio at this point.  I didn’t want to have to start from scratch in the cardio department once baby was born.  I think exercising helped me a lot.  It gave me something to do that I enjoy, and gosh you should see the looks I got/get at the gym when working out!  Watching Marines stop in their tracks to watch me squat is without a doubt one of the greatest feelings.  As you know, I even ran a 5k race in July, when I was 8 months pregnant.  I cannot tell you how many Marines I passed at this race.  Can you imagine a 6-foot tall Marine being passed by a 5 foot tall girl who is 8 months pregnant?  That was me, and gosh was it a great feeling!  I strongly encourage EVERYONE, pregnant or not to exercise.  It’s a great motivational tool!  I felt awesome every time I laced up my shoes.  (which these days are harder to reach!)

Cravings

Those movies and TV shows where a woman sends her husband out to get her ice cream and WAVY potato chips at 1am?  I’m calling BS!  Maybe it’s due to my healthy eating habits, but I never once had a pregnancy craving.  With Zach, I was in the mood for sandwiches a lot of the time, but I don’t feel that it was a craving.  I didn’t HAVE to have my sandwich.  I wasn’t going to die without one.  I simply liked having sandwiches at lunchtime.  But who doesn’t like a sandwich at lunchtime?  Maybe cravings are a real thing for some women, I don’t know.  I just think it’s all about control in what you eat. 

Thirst

This is something nobody really discusses, not because it’s not important, but because they don’t feel that it’s important!  I’m warning you now- DRINK DRINK DRINK your water!  Drinking a lot of water (no joke, a gallon a day) is one of the healthiest things you can do.  Around the second trimester, I noticed an extreme need for water.  This happened both times.  I would drink and drink and drink to my little hearts content and would still not be satisfied.  Drinking water not only will prevent you from passing out of de-hydration, but it also is helpful in building up that ever important amniotic fluid that your baby needs for protection!  I also find that drinking water keeps you fuller longer.  Many times your body tells you you’re thirsty and a person will interpret that for hunger.  If you drink a lot of water, you may find you’re not pigging out at the buffet!

Mood Swings

I don’t think I ever had one of these.  I’ve seen so many movies and TV shows where the woman just goes nuts and starts screaming at her husband.  I won’t lie, I have had moments where I was frustrated, but I don’t think I ever had a complete turn around in mood like they portray on TV. 

Nesting

This one I am completely guilty of.  I am well aware of my nesting problems.  Both times, I nested.  This time worse then last, because I know I will be very busy after having a second c section in 2 years.  My freezer is stocked, my house is clean, and I have even gone as far as having a family organization binder that has everything in one place.  I think I’ve benefitted from this though, as I now meal plan and have a strict cleaning schedule that I follow each week.  I plan on continuing to freezer cook in the next few months as well.  I will simply chop and prep everything once a week or so, and throw things in the freezer for easy meal prep during the week!

Complications

I have been extremely lucky with both of my pregnancies.  I have had the most healthy and ideal pregnancies that a person can have both times around.  The ONLY complication I had with Zach was that he was breech, requiring a c-section.  With this baby, the age difference was too close for a VBAC, so alas I will have another c section.  In my eyes, this is not even a complication.   

The only serious complaint I had this time around was that I got very dehydrated this time around, requiring a trip to the hospital for an IV.  Granted, it was hot and humid here.  I was drinking a lot of water, but apparently not enough for the little guy in there.  Since, I’ve almost doubled my drinking habits.  I drink about 1 ½ gallons a day!  That’s a lot for a girl my size! But I feel great!

And so, I wrap up the last week of pregnancy with this reflection.  I am happy to have been so lucky and really owe a lot to a healthy lifestyle and my young age.  The next few weeks should be interesting, and I look forward to updating everyone on delivery next week! 

Typhoon Bolaven- a major dud!

This weekend we prepared and prepared for what was expected to be the worst typhoon in 13 years.  The photos and weather reports looked scary.  A category 4 typhoon the size of Texas headed directly at our tiny little island.  

Big and scary storm huh?  So we prepared as we always do before storms like this.  We secured all of our outdoor furniture, stocked up on water, and bought non perishable foods (which we never do!).  My biggest fear was losing all the freezer meals I've spent the last month on, so we bought extra ice to keep our freezer cold in case we did lose power for a long time.  

As the storm approached, the Military took extra precautions to prepare and protect our families here.  I cannot lie, they do a great job at doing so.  They have certain tropical condition readiness procedures for us all, AKA TCOR's.  From June 1- Nov 1, we are always in TCOR-4, which means that a storm could come in 72 hours.  As a storm approaches, we move up and up, until we reach TCOR-1E, which means there is a strong storm outside and we are not permitted outdoors.  As the storm approached, they moved us along the TCOR's as normal.  

Standard procedure suggests all pregnant women who are above 37 weeks to report to the hospital when we reach TCOR-1C, meaning the storm is very close.  This is to not only protect pregnant women, but also because when storms like this come, the pressure changes can cause a person to go into labor.  I wasn't sure if this would effect me or not, but on Friday afternoon I got the call.  They requested me at the hospital with linens, cash, and anything I may want to entertain myself while we were in emergency status.  I was not to bring anyone with me, and I would be stuck on a cot all day/night.  

Well guess what?  I didn't go.  I live right next to the hospital.  I did not want to be stuck in the hospital for a long period of time.  And if this storm was even close to as bad as they were predicting, I would worry about Dima and Zach the entire time.  I decided that if the time came for this emergency status, I would make the call.  When it came, I felt fine.  No contractions or signs that baby was making his appearance anytime soon.  I opted to stay with my boys instead.  I felt that if got forbid I were to go into labor, I could get down to the hospital in time.  Well the storm came and went, and no signs of labor came.  We still have just under 2 weeks until my scheduled c section, so will spend the next 13 days preparing to be a family of 4.  

As for the scary storm?  Not scary at all.  It barely did anything out there but rained!  Yes, we got some wind, but nothing too crazy.  I think we got a worse storm last May when a Category 1 hit us.  Rather safe then sorry, I'm happy nothing serious happened and there was no damage, but I am sad to have seen a wasted weekend.  Why do typhoons always come on weekends?  On the bright side, as the tail end of the storm hit us Monday, Dima didn't have to go into work.  

We spent our time riding out the storm indoors, watching veggie tails and hanging with our friends.  Saturday night, we decided to cross something off our list for this summer- a drinking game!  Though I can't drink, Dima can, and so can our friend, Jon.  We discussed a beer pong game, or quarters, but settled instead on the family guy drinking game (drink for different things.  Stewie and Brian sing a song- chug a beer).  After the family guy drinking game got old, we played Cranium again, but turned it into a drinking game.  Every time someone rolled, the boys had to drink.  Let's just say they had quite a few.  My recycling bin will make me look like a bad mom this week!  But all in all, we had fun playing, and darn it- the drunken boys beat the girls in the end!  

We rolled the dice.  Time to drink!  

So though the storm was un-eventful, we are happy to have had a nice weekend together!  

Celebrating the end of Jon's Master's degree with scotch.  Neko had to sit half on the couch with the guys!

Stepanoff Summer Sixty Checkoff:

Drinking game

nesting- freezer meals

Can you believe we are already less than four weeks from meeting Baby Step #2?  Of course, I could always go into labor early and it could be sooner, too!  I am shocked with how quick this one has gone by compared to my past pregnancy.  Of course, I've got a bald toddler to keep up with these days!  In any case, I am spending these final weeks preparing and preparing for the craziness that is about to be my life.  Having two kids under 2 years old is not going to be a joke, and I can bet the next year will be tough.  I do not regret choosing to have my kiddos so close in age, but gosh am I terrified right now!

As we near my c-section date (Sept 10th in the early morning) I have done much to prepare.  I have almost finished the nursery (photos to come soon) and am very excited with how it has turned out.  I just have to finish decorating it and will show it off!  I am excited to share photos of it!  It looks so great!  I have also gotten all of Zach's old clothes and things out for his little brother.  Baby brother will be just as cute and stylish as Zach was as a baby.  I look forward to reminiscing on outfits Zach wore.  I have even partially packed my bags for the hospital.  I have just about everything packed up, but will have to add quite a lot last minute when it's time to go.  Luckily, even if I do go into labor, I have some time to throw it all together before making the 30 second drive to the hospital.  
I have even set up Zach's childcare for while we are gone.  We are lucky to have a great friend with a boy Zach's age.  She has already babyproofed her home (she also has an adorable 2 month old boy!  Her kids are the same age apart as my boys will be) so that's one less thing to worry about while he's there.  She also already has all of the necessary things that a baby may need, so no need to lug over tons of supplies.  We are very grateful for her help, and will be providing her with lots of food and snacks for the boys and her.  I think Zach will eat her out of house and home if we didn't!

One of the things I've worked hard on in the past few weeks of preparing is freezer meals.  This is a relatively new concept for many people.  Basically, it is a meal that is ready to throw together quickly.  Everything is already chopped and measured out (which always takes me the longest), all that needs to be done is to cook it.  Most of the meals are crock pot meals, that I will be able to just throw into the crockpot in the morning.  I know things will be crazy for awhile in our adjustment to having 2 boys, so this will be one less thing to worry about.  
In my research on freezer meals and arrangement of them all, i've learned a lot.  I've learned about the shelf life of freezer meals (most can last up to about 6 months!), and most importantly I've learned that I  LOVE freezer meals!  I haven't yet made any of these meals, but the idea behind them is genius.  I even found one woman who does this once a month, and lives off those foods for a month!  She cooks once a month and then has more time to spend with her family during the rest of the month!  What a great idea!  Unfortunately, with the kinds of foods we eat, that's a bit more difficult for us to do.  But for the most part, I plan on adopting this new style of cooking into my routine, even far away from now. 

And now, without further ado, I share with you my meals.  I will be making about 5-7 more of these in the next few weeks and hope to share them as well!  

The whole bottom shelf and part of the top have freezer meals!

That's a lot of meals!

And i'm not done yet!

Here's the round up:

Balsamic Chicken

Cilantro lime Shrimp

Mini turkey meatloaves

Chicken Nuggets (for the boy)

Chicken Soup (5 of them, you never know if someone is going to get sick!)

Chicken Enchilada Stew

Savory Chicken

Cilantro lime vinaigrette

Tuna Tomato Sauce
Greek Chicken
Cilantro lime Chicken

I will be focusing the next few weeks on more freezer meals.  I will be doubling my dinners for freezer meals, making waffles, and making a few marinade bags.  Did you know you can freeze chicken in a marinade and then just de-thaw it the day you're going to cook it?  As it de-thaws, it marinades!  We love marinading chicken.  Every Sunday night we have chicken and veggies and the left over chicken is used on salads and in sandwiches during the week.  I will try to post the finished product that is our freezer.  Boy do I wish I had a deep freezer right about now!  If we extend, I may have to buy one soon!

Comment/Message me if you want any of these recipes.  They are all gluten, grain, dairy, and sugar free.  They are also mostly organic.  Basically, they're Paleo and very healthy!  Only the healthiest ingredients for my family! 

Family photos

Having a second child means that child gets jipped.  Baby #2 gets all of the first baby's hand me downs (especially if they are of the same sex).  Clothes, supplies, you name it, baby gets very few new things. Many people don't give gifts to the second baby or throw second baby showers.  

I vowed to myself from day one of this pregnancy that this baby would get some special treatment that Zach didn't get.  Baby is getting a very cute custom made bedroom (photos to come when it is finished), and some of the things that I never purchased with Zach.  When I was pregnant with Z, I took weekly photos to document my pregnancy.  This time around, I never got the chance to do that.  Life with a toddler gets in the way and my photo documentation has taken a hit as a result of my busy life.  Instead, I decided I would get maternity photos taken while pregnant.  This is something I never got done with Zach, so this baby has gotten a little special treatment in that department.  

My friend Katie has a very creative eye for photography.  She studied photojournalism at UNC Chapel Hill and is a talented and fun individual that i'm lucky to have met in Okinawa.  Her photos are constantly getting more and more creative and you can tell that everyone she photographs truly has a wonderful time with her.  Not to mention she's a mom herself, so she knows how to work with kids and what moms want!  

I was psyched to have her take some family/maternity photos of us and I am very pleased with the results.  I had some unique ideas up my sleeve that she was able to integrate into the shoot and I'm so happy with how fun these photos are!  Thank you so much Katie for your friendship and time on these photos.  They will truly be cherished for years to come!

Love watching that boy laugh!

He is truly loved

Listening to baby

Mommy

Cannot wait to meet you baby!

I barely look pregnant here but I'm 32 weeks!

Love that man :)

Kisses from both my boys.  I absolutely love this shot!

Proof he has hair!

He was having so much fun here!

Stepanoff Summer Sixty Checkoff: 

 Family pictures

C section packing list

We are in week 32 of this pregnancy, which means 7 weeks or less left until we meet our newest addition.  I know, I know, you're thinking I'm crazy.  There's 40 weeks in a pregnancy, Krimp, not 39!  And yes, that's very true.  Sometimes longer for some poor folks who carry well into 42 weeks.  But, even though this baby is head down (as of 3 weeks ago), after much thought, we have decided to go ahead with a repeat C-section for baby number 2.  While I know the rates of V-BACS are very good these days, it's the age difference that worries me.  I am healthy and young, but I do not want to risk the chances of things going wrong.  So please, before you judge me, think about it from my shoes.  Nineteen months apart is very close, and I do not want to risk baby or myself in trying this the other way.  I had a wonderful delivery with Zach and I am confident that the hospital will do everything in their power to make this experience just as special.

As we grow nearer to this date (which is not yet scheduled) I have been thinking about what I can do to prepare.  We all know I'm a planner.  There's no shame in admitting it.  I like to plan the best I can.  Sounds crazy for someone married to a Marine, but hey, I do what I can and leave room for the spontaneous surprises the Marines have thrown at us.  

I am currently nesting.  For those who don't know what that means, it means I'm going crazy in my preparations for baby.  So take that planner girl and multiply it by 10.  That's about where I'm at right now.  I've put off a lot of things for last minute, as I was very prepared for Zach.  But the time has come to really get the ball rolling and getting serious in my preparations.  I've gone crazy the past few weeks making freezer meals that'll be ready to cook after the baby is born.  I've been cleaning and organizing baby's room and clothes, and excitedly been getting the nursery together.  

One of the things I've been diligently working hard on is getting my packing list together for my 24-48 hour hospital stay after my c section.  It may sound a bit early to be packing it, but I think baby might have dropped this weekend, and I'm starting to feel like I should at least start it.  This is something that actually takes some time to get together, as you're packing for 3 people and must have it ready at the drop of a hat.  I'd like to share that list with you today and explain why you should bring some of these items.  This is a list specifically for a scheduled c-section.  There are many items missing on this list that should be brought for someone having a baby the normal way.  But to those mom's to be, I do urge you to mentally prepare for the odd chance that you have to have a c section.  I cannot tell you how many people i've met who were not prepared.  It could happen to anyone and I really think being prepared for that situation is important.  

I'd also like to point out that this is a list for a MILITARY hospital in Japan.  They are no high class hospital by far.  Think of the basics and that's what you have here.  I cannot complain, as my experience with my first was fantastic.  Delivering at a civilian hospital is far different I'm sure.  But hey, we are pretty used to simplicity here in Okinawa!

OK. Here it is.

For Mommy:

Nursing Gowns- I'd say 2 of these is great.  I say a nursing gown because you don't want anything rubbing against your incision.  You will be moving this up a lot as they check your abdomen every few hours to make sure things are healing correctly.  It's also nice to have easy access if you're breast feeding.  If you're tiny like me, you may even get away with buying a non-nursing/maternity one that has easy access to the girls.  Remember you will still look about 6 months pregnant right after delivering while everything begins to shrink down from stretching so much!

Tank top- I'm a tank top fiend.  I swear by these bad boys.  They don't even have to be a nursing tank.  I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and am just buying one size larger then I normally buy.  Maternity clothes are too big still.  No need for a nursing tank if you don't want, they are easy enough to maneuver.  I just prefer the ones with the shelf bras.  

Nursing Bras- You will live in these for as long as you decide to breast feed.  I had about 6 of them with Zach and I don't even think that was enough.  Get the sleep ones, they are super comfy.  And NO UNDERWIRE!  It's very bad for breast feeding.  Not to mention you want to be as comfortable as possible during your stay.  

Socks- It gets a bit chilly sometimes.  Always nice to have. 

Robe- If you're wearing a nursing gown that's skimpy you'll want to cover up when visitors come

Slippers- for your first walk after baby is born you'll want to be comfortable and protect your feet

Maxi Dress- These are great for going home.  They are comfortable and not revealing, and don't press near your incision.  Not to mention you don't have to look like you've just rolled out of bed.  You want to go home feeling just a tad bit cute and I personally think a Maxi dress is the way to do that! 

Nursing pads- these are your new best friend.  Odds are your milk won't come in while you're in the hospital anyway, but just in case it does, you'll want these.  

Nipple Cream- Some new babies can seriously hurt you.  I never needed this, but every baby is different!

Nursing Pillow- You don't want a baby pressing against your scar, so these are a great thing to bring.  Extra pillows can be moved around as well, but I personally love my Boppy

Pillow- Military hospitals can't give you everything, so bring an extra pillow for yourself.  

Chap stick- your lips will most likely get very chapped.  I applied chap stick about every hour!  I can't remember the exact reason for this but trust me on this.

Moisturizer- It can get to be a bit dry.  I suggest the stress relief one from Bath & Body Works

Toothbrush & paste- because come on, who wants gross teeth and breath?

Dry Shampoo- I'm starting to sound crazy right?  You may not be ready to take a full on shower yet, so instead opt for using dry shampoo to fix your hair.  You will have a lot of photos taken of you and you'll want your hair looking half decent years from now.  

Deodorant- duh

Hairbrush- duh

Hair ties- you'll be asked to pull your hair back before going into surgery.  I forgot about this before going in for Z and had to literally tuck it all into the cap!  

High fiber snacks- You may have trouble going afterwards.  I suggest eating something high fiber to help ease things.  

Water bottle- The cup they give you is TINY and I was constantly thirsty.  Do yourself a favor and bring some water with you and have the husband fill it up for you periodically.  

Laptop- You'd be surprised how bored you may get.  Also, being overseas is hard sometimes.  Your family is going to want to skype you after your new bundle of joy is here.  

Chargers- for the many many pieces of technology we all know you own

ID- you'll need this for check in and check out

Makeup- Like I said before, you'll have lots of photos taken of you.  Try to look half decent

Glasses- during surgery you will need to wear glasses

Contacts/contact case

Eye mask- if you decide to attempt a nap during the daytime you'll want some darkness

Coconut milk- This sounds crazier and crazier.  Coconut milk is naturally one of the best means of hydrating out there.  It used to be used for severe dehydration before IV's came out.  While you will be hooked up to an IV for much of your stay, you may consider bringing some coconut water for when it's removed.  After having a baby you will want to hydrate hydrate hydrate.  It's one of the best tips I can give, not to mention it'll help get rid of the water weight you put on in your pregnancy!  

Makeup remover- The wipes are very convenient.  It feels great to take it all off at the end of the day! 

 Cookies for the Corpsman- The Corpsman and the rest of the staff all work VERY hard at what they do.  Bring them a little something to say thanks.  Being nice to your staff will help make your stay just that much better.  

For baby:

Wipes- if you can believe it the hospital does not supply these!  Instead of wipes, you will get dry wipes that you're expected to go get wet.  You won't want to walk all the way to the bathroom to get water when you've just had a c section.  Bring your own.  

Swaddles- The hospital will provide blankets but I'm a huge fan of the burrito style velcro ones.  They are super easy to put on and will get your baby nice and snug like they were in the womb.  Bring about 2-3.

Clippers- I didn't bring these for Zach's birth and I yelled at myself for that for months.  Your baby will be born with LONG fingernails.  Zach scratched himself just hours after being born.  

Mittens- so baby doesn't scratch him/herself!

Hat- for that tiny little head.  Though your child will likely have more hair then mine!

Sleep & play- the Zip ones are great because they're easier to do and undo then the snaps.  Especially for first time parents.  I'd say bring 4 of these.  Maybe a gown or two

Onesie- you'll have your baby swaddled 95% of the time anyway, but if the swaddle starts getting warm you may want a onesie underneath instead of the sleeper

Cardstock for footprints- instead of giving the whole baby book, give the staff a piece of cardstock for that footprint!  Then you can just tape/glue it into your albumn

Going home outfit- Something cute and simple that will keep him/her warm enough.  Our car ride was not long (we could spit on our house from the hospital).  Don't go extravagant with this.  It's not worth it.

For Daddy:

Blanket- my poor hubby was freezing.  The blanket they give is small, so bring a bigger one!

Pillow- everyone forgets about poor daddy's comfort.  Bring him his favorite pillow!

Snacks- Everyone brings mom food, but nobody gets anything for Daddy.  My portions in the hospital were large so I shared with him, but the meals are very spaced out.  Bring some snacks.  

Cameras- Daddy is on official camera business!  

Chargers- for the tech savvy dad!

Ipad- if you have one.  My hubby loves his and will be using it a lot I can imagine

Cash- for snacks/drinks if you randomly get hungry

ID- Daddy's ID is VERY important if your husband is the active duty member!  You will need it to get the ball moving for passports and birth certificates!  

Things you DON'T need:

Diapers- the hospital is pretty good at providing diapers so save your money for when baby comes home.  They supply size 1 diapers for the big babies.  I believe they do have premie sizes for very small babies.  Zach fit perfectly into the newborns but we were able to easily fold the 1's to fit him and avoid his umbilical cord.  

Cloth diapers- Everyone knows I LOVE to cloth diaper.  I'm all about saving money and our environment, but I don't think these are necessary in the hospital.  For one, you won't want to deal with the hassle of it all right after surgery.  Also, you most likely won't be in the hospital long enough to make that much of an environmental impact.

Breastpump- Odds are your milk won't come in while you're in the hospital.  Your baby will begin the process and get colostrum in the meantime.  If by chance you do need one, the hospital does have a few.  

Nasal aspirator- The hospital will provide one of these

Pads- the hospital has these too.  Bring your own if you like but you will get enough.  They also provide mesh underwear if you like.  

Here is a photo for your use!  

Baby showers & Margaritas

I am extremely lucky to have the friends I have here in Okinawa.  They are my go to people when I need a cup of sugar or even just someone to vent to.  It makes living here much more special.  When you're expecting, you really start missing your family.  Sharing the excitement over your newest addition is something truly amazing.  But having friends makes it a little better.  So that's why I'm so happy to be writing about the baby shower that I had with my Okinawa friends.
One of the unfortunate things about being here so long is that I've watched most of my friends leave.  Many of my friends who have already moved arrived here before or after us even.  It's starting to get to be a bit sad watching everyone else leave, not knowing when that time will be for us.  Don't get me wrong, I like many things about Okinawa, but one of the saddest things is watching your best friends leave.  Unfortunately most of my friends are now gone.  On the bright side though, I've met some great new friends to share my new excitement with.  And it's those great friends who joined me today for my Baby Step #2 shower!
My friend Angie did a great job planning my shower.  She cooked and baked some wonderful goodies and found some really cute games to play.  She is a great friend that i'm very lucky to have.
Unfortunately the weather was a bit of a mess, but we made due thanks to the tent covering us.  Gotta love okinawa weather, it would rain for 5 minutes and then be hot and humid and sunny for 15 minutes!  Sub-tropical weather at its finest.  I had a great time still, and am very thankful to those who came.

The boys in the morning hanging out

Wendy made this Diaper cake

Dima helping set up

yummy foods

After the shower, I geared up and headed out the door with Angie and Tim to run a Margaritaville 5k Fun run.  This was just for fun, as I wanted to run a 5k before baby was born.  I usually run longer then 5k, so I figured it would be fine.  The biggest problem I had in this run was the fact that it was hot out.  It was 110 degrees and very humid!  Being 32 weeks pregnant- the heat is your enemy.  Luckily, I hydrated like crazy beforehand and even brought my camelbak with me to strap on my back while running.
Before the race we got to pick up our t-shirts, margarita glasses (which light up!) and tons of other great goodies.  There were free margaritas (non-alcoholic) beforehand which many people were grabbing.  I wasn't dumb enough to grab something like that before running in the heat when pregnant though.
And so, the race began.  I was doing great for so long.  I was passing people like crazy, I even passed a lot of young Marines, which is really saying something when in your third trimester.  I didn't pay any attention to my time at all during the race.  There were 3 water stations during the race which served margaritas, gatorade, and water.  I didn't stop at any of them though because I had brought my own.  I ran the entire thing, until I got to that last water station.  It was then that the heat got to me.  I had to stop for a little and walk.  There was no shade at all during the entire run and it was 5pm so the sun was blazing.  I decided I'd stop for one song on my workout playlist, but ended up needing to walk for 2 songs.  So that was about a 5-6 minute walking break.  I was really sad at myself for having to stop, but gosh it was very hot.  You'd be surprised how many others had to stop too.
What was even worse, is that during this time of the race- baby decided to turn and drop into birth position.  Yep.  Baby dropped.  I began to feel some extreme pelvic pressure and noticed my belly looked a little lower.  Zach never dropped (he was breech) so I was unfamiliar with the feeling.  I am still not 100% sure if this is indeed what happened, but I'm assuming so with all the pressure I began feeling.
I finally got my second wind and ran for the last leg of the run.  I finished in 34:11 (according to the watch of the guy who was a few strides behind me).  Not even close to my best time, but being 32 weeks pregnant and running in the heat must have something to do with that.  I thought it was actually a very good time considering heat, humidity, pregnancy, and having a baby drop.
The run was hot, but fun none the less.  I look forward to many more runs in the future!  Even though I couldn't enjoy a nice cold margarita after the race, I still had a great time.  I'll have one of those yummy, tasty drinks sometime after baby is born.  Hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere right?

Angie and I pre-race

Ready to go!

Finishing up strong

Much needed cold water

Afterwards with some people from 2 of Okinawa's many running groups- WOOT and Kickin Asphalt