Being Mommy is Wonderful, Exciting, and a whoooole lot of CRAZY

Savannah Jayne: 2 months old. Now 7 lbs 15 ounces. 21 inches long (no longer fitting into her preemie clothes!)

There's a lot that involves being a mom. Most people get the impression that a stay at home housewife and mother sits around in their pajamas all day eating ice cream and watching cartoons with the kids...and you know what...I WAS in my pjs until about 3... I ate the last delicious ice cream drumstick...and I watched the five hour long version of Pride and Prejudice. Yep, being a mommy does have these benefits, but I just think of these as necessary awards for being awesome and to keep us from going INSANE. What people don't know, except all you other moms out there, is that in between that bit of ice cream and movie we are scrambling around trying to find the time to pee and eat an entire meal before baby starts screaming and requires our attention. Let me put it this way, I have a pile of clean clothes on the floor and the kitchen is a mess because little Miss Savannah doesn't think Mommy needs to do anything except hold her and admire her pretty face. Which I do like all the time.

Here's a few things that baby is teaching me.

1. Get sleep whenever you can
2. When you have the option to clean or to sleep...well, do I have to finish that?
3. Savannah now rules the house. Her schedule is our schedule. We do what she wants...or else
4. Early bedtime equals happy Mommy
5. Eating salad is a no no. It results in icky green poop and a very fussy baby

As a new mommy, I'm still trying to get into the rhythm of things. Luckily, I have a cousin who has a daughter a week younger than Savannah and we can bounce ideas off of each other. One recent pearl is that she puts her Laila to bed around seven which helps her sleep better and longer at night. This is something we've been trying to do. Some days it works, some days, like today, it simply doesn't. Right now our little girl is being rocked by Bryce and she is doing her best to be as fussy as possible. She slept for maybe an hour all together, woke up twice, and is now crying. I literally want to yell out "When is it going to get better?!" Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing anything right at all.

I guess what I'm saying is, being a mom is HARD! I now understand why my mom used to say she was going to pull her hair out. I feel like that every. single. day. Everybody says it all gets so much easier at 3 months...and oh boy am I looking forward to 3 months.

Meet my three best friends:

These three items are alternated throughout the day, and sometimes are given all at the same time! The Zantac helps with her acid reflux, the gas drops are for, well, gas, and the gripe water is just my own personal life saver. Basically gets her to stop crying long enough to forget what she was crying about. Too bad there's nothing that I can take to make me feel better....oh yeah, it's called chocolate. (feel free to send some my way anytime you'd like). Most people make parenting seem so easy! But I'm going to go ahead and admit that it's a struggle. It's a constant emotional roller coaster and I can go from wanting to cry and scream at Savannah to be quiet to kissing her cheeks and feeling unimaginable joy within minutes. Now that's exhausting. It's even worse than PMS because you don't have the option to go into your room all day by yourself with a good book and forget about the world. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my baby girl. She is the cutest thing I have ever seen and my greatest accomplishment. It's simply that we are both still learning...she's learning how to do things other than cry...and me learning how to get her to not cry. So here's the deal, I would like some advice from you sage mothers on a few topics:

1. What worked best for you at bedtime with your little babies?

2. How often did your babies nurse?

3. How did you keep your sanity?

4. Did your babies cry a lot...if so, what did you do?

Feel free to comment and share your experiences...you will be helping a new mommy figure things out! Thanks in advance...and go ahead and send a few prayers our way!!

Welcoming Savannah

It's been six weeks since our little miracle made her surprise entrance into this world...six weeks of both happiness as well as frustration and downright despair! Meet Savannah Jayne Richman!

Savannah was born four weeks early and unexpected. The day I went into labor I had my maternity pictures taken, lucky! I also had an appointment with my OBGYN to do a cervical exam to check for any dilation. The appointment confirmed that I was dilated to 2 1/2 centimeters and my doctor told me that I would likely have her early, maybe in two weeks or so. Little did we know that I was actually in the early stages of labor already and baby was on her way. Around 2 pm I started noticing the contractions, and around 3 we started timing them. But I still wasn't sure if I was in labor or not...until they got 3 minutes apart. After calling my aunt I realized that maybe this wasn't false labor after all. So we headed to the hospital around 9pm just to be safe. The nurse hooked me up to the monitors and low and behold I was having contraction upon contraction! My doctor called and said STAY and before we knew it we were getting ready to have our baby! At the time, I was sooo excited! My aunt made it to Utah in record time so she could be there for the birth and I felt like I was doing great working through the contractions. But then we hit a lull...I was dilated to a four and staying there. I wasn't really prepared for the question of breaking my water, so I went ahead and let my doctor do it. BAD MISTAKE! Immediately my contractions were horribly painful...unbearably painful! All of my preparation, all of my resolve seemed to fly out the window! When I was only at a 6 and my body was forcing itself to push already I thought I was going to die. I almost gave in to getting some medication in the form of Fentonal...but every time I considered it I would just look at Bryce and he would simply shake his head...it was enough to get me to continue to continue to "consider" it haha The next few hours are a bit of a blur, but I do remember trying to escape to the bathroom once, slapping Bryce in the face, and swearing a few times. Later, fingernails in my aunt's arms would provide evidence of my pain.

Somehow, I made it through the entire delivery without any medication! However, I adamantly stated that I was "never doing this again". Little Savannah was born at 7:58 a.m. on Febuary 1st. She was 5 lbs 9 ounces and 19 inches long. Sadly, our baby girl had to spend two weeks in the NICU because of hypoglycemia. These two weeks were the longest of my life, and the day that I brought her home was the happiest. But I never would of guessed what layed in store...

I never realized how difficult being a parent would be. It has always been my dream to have a baby of my own and give her all of the things that I never had as a child. What I didn't know is that it is nearly impossible to juggle all of the responsibilities that come with raising a child and being a wife. Our apartment is now in a constant state of chaos and pajamas entirely make up my new wardrobe. I will never again judge another mother for having a messy house haha. And boy is Savannah a handfull! My nipples are red and sore from nursing, the garbage is full of poopy diapers, my back aches from holding her all day long, and my brain is slowly losing its ability to function...But I am happy to say that we are finally getting into the rhythm of things! Today I actually managed to clean the kitchen and the living room! Big news, I know! And Missy Moo is actually sleeping in her bassinet...a miracle in and of itself.

Needless to say, I love this baby girl more than words can express. I'm lucky to have a wonderful husband who helps me out more than a lot of husbands do. He is a great daddy and we're blessed to have him!

Looking back, I'm so glad that I delivered naturally and look forward to doing so again when the time comes...of course now I have some experience and know what to do differently. There is something so amazing about working through the pain and finding something wonderful at the end. I know this is cheezy, but it really is like running a marathon. Finishing a marathon is satisfying because it is so hard! What's the point in racing, where's the pride in making it to the end unless some pain and hurt is involved. It's what makes it so amazing! Just as a racer feels pride and accomplishment in getting through that race, I feel proud of myself for getting through that birth. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, the most painful thing I have ever done, and the most important thing I have ever done. Thank you Savannah for making my life count for something, and that's giving YOU the best life that I can.

Pregnancy Picture Timeline

It's amazing how quickly a baby can grow! I rounded up all of the pictures that I've taken throughout my pregnancy and had to share. This Thursday I will be 34 weeks! I can't believe how soon it'll be, but at the same time, week 40 couldn't get here soon enough. 

 Week 13

Week 18

Week 20 

Week 22 

Week 24 

Week 25

Week 28 

 Week 32

Back to the Natural Way

*This is not meant to offend anyone or stir controversy. I just feel so passionate about natural delivery I wanted to share

Throughout my pregnancy I've obviously been thinking a lot about the birthing process and the ways that I want to approach it. There are so many decisions to make...epidural or no epidural; hospital, birthing center, or at home birth, the list goes on. Despite the many horror stories I've heard about labor, I've always leaned more towards a natural birth. I've been scoffed and laughed at for my decision not to get an epidural. Most people give me a knowing smile and say, "we'll see..." I have nothing against women who receive epidurals, I just want to do this as naturally as possible for myself and for my baby. Recently, I had an amazing experience that just confirmed to me that I am making the best decision for myself. Since I sit at home all day I tend to watch a lot of videos and movies. One in particular has changed my perspective on childbirth. "The Business of Being Born" is a documentary that was done in 2007 that focuses on the benefits of natural childbirth. It mostly emphasizes at home births but offers really great and valuable information about how medicine and hospital interventions can sometimes be the very opposite of helpful. Many of the following quotes come directly from this video.

After watching this documentary, I fully believe that "A woman doesn't need to be rescued. It's not the place for a knight in shining armor. It's the place for her to face her darkest moment and lay claim to her victory."

I am a daughter of God and I was created specifically with the ability to bring life into this world. I have been given the strength and the innate knowledge that assists in giving birth to a child, and I know that I can do it without all the many hospital interventions.

However, I do also understand that there are instances when interventions are necessary to save the mother and the baby. My sister Emma pushed and pushed and finally was taken in for a C-section. The doctor discovered that her cervix was too small and her tiny baby boy had gotten stuck. The C-section saved both of their lives. It is important that we have trained doctors to oversee our births and make vital calls when things are going wrong, but we must also remember that these interventions, like a C-section, aren't something that we should approach lightly.

Dr. Abbe Wain, an OB/GYN for Mount Sinai Hospital has made this statement: "The risks of a vaginal delivery are much less than a C-section, and what most people don't know is that a C-section is major surgery." Did you know that 32.8% or 1/3 of deliveries today are by C-section? The year that I was born, 1991, only 23% were by C-section.

The trend of taking the easiest way out is only growing. There is even a term for those who have elective c-sections, "too posh to push." Brittany Spears, Christina Aguilera and many other celebrities actually pick the date and go in for a planned C-section, often getting a tummy tuck immediately afterwards. How are these women experiencing the joys of giving birth? To them, it's just another plastic surgery, not a moment of victory.

Here's a few links that show how common elective C-sections are becoming:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/family/orl-celebrities-csections-moms-photos,0,6210441.photogallery

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993857,00.html

"Medical decisions are being made for monetary and medical reasons, not because they're good for the mother and the baby...if we don't quickly take hold of this, we are going to lose normal births."

Did you know that the United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates in all the industrialized countries? Did you also know that midwives attend 70% of births in Europe and Japan while in the U.S. they attend less than 8%? hmmm...interesting.

"Maternity care in the United States is in crisis. It's in many ways a disaster. Everywhere else in the world, that's what they do...you can go to Great Britain, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, all the highly developed countries where they are losing fewer women and fewer babies around the time of birth and what do you see? You see midwives attending 70% or 80% of all the births and doctors are there to take care of the small percent that develops complications. That is the proven system everywhere in the world and THE UNITED STATES STANDS ALONE." - Marsen Wagner, M.D. Former Director, Women's and Children's Health

In the U.S., women are made to believe that they have one option when it comes to childbirth. They are terrified of labor and go into the hospital and discover that they are really set up for only one kind of birth. And you get put through that system and have to fight to get out of it.

"People in our culture spend more time and effort researching what kind of stereo system, car, or camera to buy than they do checking out what their choices are for birth."

Women have been told for years that they are not responsible for their own birthing process...they are told by doctors, you're not dilating quickly enough, you need pitocin...you need to push when I tell you to...you can't do this. Ladies, these are lies!! You aren't dilating? Well get up and walk around, move your body, rock your cervix, let gravity help. Maybe you aren't "dilating fast enough" because your body has it's own timeline, one that doesn't always cooperate with what the doctor wants. Trust your own body to know what it's doing. You were made for this. Listen to your body, you push when you feel it's time, not when somebody else decides!

"There is little understanding about how incredibly important this process is to a woman. Women expect a traumatic birth, that's why they are all having epidurals, because they are terrified!"

Maybe less is more?

"In the hospital you're not allowed to have very long labors, so if you're not dilating rapidly, which you're likely not to do once you get an epidural early in labor, you will be given Pitocin. They put the Pitocin in the IV and it will flow into your veins. Pitocin makes contractions longer and stronger and closer together. So then the pain of labor is much worse. So you go with that for a while because you have the epidural, but eventually the pain of the contractions is overwhelming the epidural, so you need to up the epidural and then labor slows down more because of that, so then you need more Pitocin. Now, you're not feeling the pain of the extra Pitocin because you've got the epidural, but your baby is being compressed and getting less oxygen supply because Pitocin contractions last so long and are so strong the blood and oxygen flow to the baby is compromised. So then the baby is likely to go into distress and then you're sent off for an emergency C-section because the baby is in distress from contractions induced by the Pitocin which was necessitated by the epidural."And then the doctors say, "thank goodness we were able to intervene" when everything would most likely have been fine if they had never intervened in the first place!

Why are we so terrified to do the one thing that comes most naturally to us? We let the doctors pump our bodies full of medication, medication that could potentially harm both us and our babies, all for the sake of not experiencing pain. Sure, I've never experienced labor. This will be my first time. Others are probably thinking, "Haylee, you have no idea..." and I would agree. Of course I don't because I've never done it before. But I do know that millions of women have done it before me, and that means that I too can overcome. I want to feel what is happening with my body, I want to have control over what is being done to my body. I don't want to lie flat on my back in the most unnatural of birthing positions just because that's customary. My daughter will be fighting to make it into this world and I am ready to fight right along with her. I want to be an active participant in little Savannah's birth, and I want it to be on my body's own time. This is why I've made the decision to not receive any type of medication, to do things my own way and not the way the doctors and hospitals say it must be done. After all, if you are having a home built, do you let the experts decide everything for you? Where the kitchen should be, how many rooms you should have? No, these people are working for YOU and you have the power to tell them exactly what you want.

I'm grateful for doctors and we need them in our society and available when complications arise. I'm grateful for all the medical technology that has saved thousands of babies and mothers. But I do believe that we must get back to the natural way of doing things, that we should view labor and delivery as a rite of passage, a difficult marathon in which we can look back and say, "I did it!"

I pray that I can prepare myself, that I will have the will to stick to my convictions when that "darkest moment" arrives.

A little bit OF CAMPING

Bryce and I decided that it was time that we went on a camping trip. Seeing as our summer was basically made up of me laying sick on the couch, we needed to make the most of the last of the good weather. We planned out our destination (sort of) and bought all of the necessities. And...of course, as things always do, nothing went as planned. Bryce ended up working late and we didn't get on the road until 5:30. And then we realized that we both had different ideas of where we were going!

This meant an extra 15 minutes of trying to decide whether to go towards Salt Lake or Spanish Fork. I was feeling nice, so I let my dear husband win the battle and we headed to Spanish Fork ;-) By the time we found a decent campground, and paid our 20 bucks!! it was almost dark. Bryce, using his great Anasazi skills learned straight from White Beard, quickly set up the tent while I used my awesome girl's camp skills to start our fire.

Within an hour, it was pitch black, and we were already running out of fire wood. Let's just say that Bryce and I are the greatest planners of all time. The hunter/gatherer/survival instinct kicked in and we managed to scavenge some branches. While our fire wasn't the most impressive, I think we did the Anasazi tribe proud.

 At about nine, I was falling asleep already (funny how pregnancy does that to ya) and it was absolutely freezing so we ate our hotdogs in a snap and crawled into the warm sleeping bags. I fell asleep in about ten minutes, woke up at 2am to Bryce asking me if I could sleep (I was sleeping...until he asked me that dumb question) and then woke up again at five with a raging pregnancy bladder about ready to explode. I got my revenge on Bryce, woke him up, and had him walk to the outhouse with me in the pitch black. I gotta say, it was a strange experience peeing in the dark with Bryce holding the door open so I could just see the outline of the toilet while knowing that there were about 50 other campers nearby. Oh well, what can ya do?

We had just enough firewood the next morning for Bryce to roast his fruit pie and for me to warm up. Then we headed up a trail to get a good view of the area. If you haven't been to the mountains, now's the time to go!

 After that, we packed up and headed home. While it was short, cold, and not well planned, I'd say our first camping trip was a success.

Week 10

Another baby update! I'm in my tenth week and things are starting to look up a little. The nausea is settling down somewhat and I'm praying that by the end of the first trimester that it will be gone for good! I have my first appointment coming up on Monday and I couldn't be more excited! Cross your fingers that they will do an ultrasound and I can get my first look at the little squirming alien inside. I also finally had my first baby dream...and it was a boy! And my grandma had a dream as well that she was holding an adorable fat, blonde, baby boy. Seeing as both Bryce and I were blonde as youngsters, I'm starting to have my suspicions. I guess we'll see though.
On other baby news, my sis Amber is currently having contractions and expects to be in the hospital by tonight! Hopefully we'll be welcoming another baby boy into the family soon :)

So here's what's going on with my baby:

All of the babies vital organs have formed and his fingers and toes have fully separated. Every minute, he is producing 250,000 brain cells! He is also about the size of a quarter, but in just a couple of weeks he'll be as big as a kiwi!

OOOOH Baby!

Everywhere I look I see a baby. Babies crawling on the floor, babies around the door, babies walking on the walls, babies down the halls! Congratulations to all of my family who have recently or will soon have a baby! Here's the big list...Bryce's brother Jay and his wife Sofia just had their third child, Lucas, yesterday; My brother Jake and his wife Rashmi had their third son, Zander, a couple of days ago; and my sis Amber is expecting her second son and fourth child in the beginning of August! Three new little baby boys :) And congratulations to myself and Bryce because we will be having a baby at the end of February! Surprise! 

Right now I'm about six weeks and already this little thing is taking a toll on my body. Luckily, I haven't barfed yet...but it's been close. Just last night I was spending time with friends from the ward and we were all snacking on smores. However, as I watched them take bites out of those crunchy chocolately bits of goodness I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up! What in the heck??? I love s'mores! I guess the baby doesn't! I had to step away for a while and I couldn't watch them eat anymore! 

I've also been a bit emotionally unstable...okay, more than a bit. Poor Bryce, he's going to have to deal with a grumpy wife for the next nine months! But he's so excited I think he'll survive somehow :) 

So right now my baby is about the size of a grain of rice! Pretty darn small! The nervous system and all major body organs have begun to form and it's facial features are beginning to develop. 
We are soooo excited for our baby to get here! Hopefully we can be as good of parents as all of the amazing examples that we have!