20 September 2012 - First Pediatrician Visit

               Your Pediatrician is Dr. Elizabeth Fowler and your first visit was on the 18th. You were healthy, but we were quite worried when we got to know that you have lost 11% of your birth weight! Usually babies lose up to 8% of their birth weight in the first week. You are only 3 days old and already lost 11%! Doctor even suspected you having Jaundice and sent us to the hospital for your blood test. Your dad and I were with you when they pricked your little foot and squeezed it so many times to get some blood. You were crying in high pitch and with every squeeze, your dad and my hearts were breaking into pieces! And when we got the test results we were relieved that you are fine.

               Today there was another pediatrician visit and the doctor was amazed to see that you have put on quite a lot of weight in two days! You crossed your birth weight too and now you are 6 pounds! Your birth weight was 5 pounds and 15 oz. We were even more happy to know that! After coming home from the hospital, you didn't cry as much as you cried in the hospital and you were comparatively much more calm and content! So you are getting adjusted with the world quite well. This doesn't mean that you never cry, because you do! 

               You had some more visitors like Madhavan uncle, Rubashree Aunty, Shireesh uncle, Purushottam uncle, Krishna uncle. They brought you clothes and toys. But you are not big enough yet to enjoy the gift!

               I have not yet started the work of changing your diapers. Your granny does it for you and my work is to feed you and put you to sleep! Your dad looks really happy with your presence, he tries to play with you and feels proud when you stare at him or when you fold your tiny fingers around his big finger! He lies down next to you staring at you for hours and really enjoys his quality time with you. He took off from office for 3 days and he is back to work since Wednesday. I am sure he misses you.
               Your dad has told me to give you sun bath everyday for a few minutes and you like it. Your granny gives you sponge bath everyday since 18th September and if the water is warm enough, you don't cry.
               It is nice to see you smile often, you never smile at any one of us. You smile only in sleep and especially when you are falling asleep or when you are waking up from sleep. The minute you widely open your eyes and see us, the smile disappears! But you smile or not, I just can't stop looking at you. You are my prettiest baby on earth and you have the cutest smile I have ever seen!!!

17 September 2012 - Special Journey with our Special Person!

               You are already 2 days old! Yesterday you had your first visitors - Chaithra atthe, Ashwin mava and Anvi akka. They came with a "Congrats" balloon and Anvi akka came with a lot of questions! Once she saw you and after she was quite satisfied, she said you can go back to Uma atthe's stomach now if you wish! I am sure she has a lot of love to give her new little friend and she seems ready to share her toys with you once you grow up! Anvi wanted to touch you, kiss you, hold you and you were busy crying and staring at her!

              Everyday and every night we were given different nurses and they were all good, friendly and caring. They called you little pumpkin and cutie peanut! You had your trips to the nursery for various check ups every now and then and once for vitamin-k injection. But amazingly every time you came to our room from the nursery, you seemed satisfied and happily sleeping wrapped in cozy blanket! But whenever I tried consoling you, your cries seemed to have no end! You cried through out the night and when all my efforts to keep you calm went in vein, even I joined you in crying! Your granny couldn't console you either! By this morning, we all were tired.

               Methodist Willow brook Hospital is where you were born and our room number was 2324. Hospital staff had tied a number tag on your hand, foot and on your dad's hand and one on my hand for all these three days. Every time they took you to the nursery and brought you back, we had to check if that nurse has a pink badge and it was nurse's work to check the number tags on our hands and see if it matches, before handing you over to us! Only the people with those tags could go to the nursery. And there was a tag on your umbilical cord which was for your safety and in case if you were taken out of the hospital boundary, alarm would ring! So you were totally secure in the hospital. Your ear test was done in the hospital and the certificate was given to us. Your mom's food was provided from the hospital and I just had to call from the phone next to me and order whatever I want from the menu given. Food was good, care and facilities in the hospital were excellent! 

              We could video chat with your grand parents today both to Bekur and Jogibettu and they were very eager to see their new grand daughter. Your Divya atthe also came online and your cousins were happy to see their little atthige. Your sodara mava and atthe were the only people missing to see you since they are in a trip and they were disappointed that they couldn't see the new little one! I am sure, your pijji is also waiting in Bangalore to see her chiLLi.
               Finally we were discharged today at 12.25 pm. Hospital provided us a gift bag with 2 shirts for you, a hat for you, a pair of mittens, 4 blankets, 4 big towels, 8 wash clothes, many formula bottles for you, a pacifier, empty bottles, water can, a pack of diapers, a pack of wipes, bulb syringe for your nose, 2 gowns for your mom, sitz bath tub, ointments, creams, pads, sprays and medicines for your mom, 3 waterproof sheets, a bowl, shampoo, liquid soap, and some more items. You and I were taken to the car in a wheel chair. You were dressed in colour clothes for the first time and made to sit in the car seat. That was the very first journey of your life from the hospital to home. You didn't cry during the travel and you seemed to enjoy the journey home! Your dad carried you inside our home for the first time and you were fast asleep! So here it begins - your normal life and our special life with you!

                                                                 Ready to go Home

15 September 2012 - Little Angel on Earth!!!

               Entire last night went on with severe contractions. But when your dad suggested that we must go to the hospital now, I was hesitating because of the last two experiences. But when the pain was coming every two to three minutes and when it was unbearable, we had to go to the hospital again. All the three of us were hoping to see you today. We reached hospital at 11 am. For the third time we filled the hospital admission form. I was worried when the nurse told us that I was still only 2 cm dilated. I thought about the return trip once again to home with disappointed face! But after measuring the pain, they finally told us to stay back! That was a happy news. :) Since it was a week end, my regular doctor Dr. Kristie Moss was not available. Hospital arranged Dr. Norton for my delivery. 

             We were then taken to our private delivery room. Two bottles of liquid with medicine and drips were hung. My blood pressure, contraction pain and your heart beat were constantly showing on the monitor. I was given a personal nurse, Ms. Jenny, who made me comfortable and helped me fill all the required forms. Your dad and Granny were sitting in the same room consoling me. But after a few hours, I couldn't bear the pain any more. I was already crying every time I got contractions. Pain was too severe, with every contractions, I thought I was dying! I asked for an epidural shot. After the specialist came and gave me an epidural shot on the spinal cord, the pain finally reduced! That was when even your dad and granny could finally smile at me! 

               I was told to inform the nurse when I felt the urge to push you out. My water bag was broken forcefully at 1.10 pm. I was not allowed to have my lunch nor to drink even water. My bladder was emptied and when I finally felt the urge to push, I told the nurse who was really sweet and caring. She immediately informed the doctor, and along with the doctor few more nurses came to the room. They changed my bed to the delivery bed within no time, without making me get up from the bed. I was told what to do when I get my next contraction and now I could feel the contraction pain to some extent. Epidural didn't make me numb, but only reduced the pain. But that was more than sufficient. Finally it was time for me to push 3 times with every contractions. After 4-5 contractions and pushes, I heard you cry at exactly 5.06 pm!! Your dad and granny were in the same room. With your first cry, I saw your dad's face and he was in extreme joy and relief! I saw your granny's face, and she was busy crying along with you! The doctor kept you on my chest even before cutting the umbilical chord. And then you were taken to the baby table where you were cleaned, measured and then weighed. After wrapping you tight with a cloth, they gave you in your father's hands. He looked so different when he carried you for the first time, he held you for some time and then gave you in my hands! Mean while, I was cleaned too. Until you were born, all the attention was on me and as soon as your first cry was heard, both your dad and granny focused their 100% attention on the new creature! Then it was your granny's turn to hold you, and she was still in tears! (which now she says, it was because she was promoted to an older generation!) It took some time for all of us to settle down!

                                                                     The First Cry
             
     
               You are such a cute tiny creature! And in just two hours after you were born, you scratched your face with your long nails and there were marks on your cheeks already! Your granny was already trying to analyze whether you look like your dad or mom. Nurses were happy to see that you already have eye lashes. When the nurse took your foot prints for the birth certificate, your dad took a print for my baby scrap book too! My first thought when I saw you was that you are too small! And much later your dad told me what was his first thought seeing you. He was worried seeing your hair which looked as though stuck to your head in patches! That was because you had just come out from those 9 months' stay in water. But your dad had thought that's how your hair would look forever and only after you were bathed and given to us, he realized that you have got such a cute, smooth, straight hair! Also, your head looked so long, because your bones in head overlapped while you were passing through the birth canal. I hope your head won't look elongated forever! You were weighing 2 kg and 705 grams. Your entire body length was 19.5 inches. Once everything was done, you were taken to the nursery for detailed check up and your dad and granny went to have dinner. I was given a menu card to order whatever I want. Your dad thought I would order some healthy food, gave me the menu and went out. When they returned after their dinner at home, your dad was shocked to see me happily eating pizza!! 

             When I touch my stomach now, it feels so empty and I don't feel as though I am touching my own tummy, it just feels like touching an aired out balloon! Your birth announcement was made to family and friends. All were really happy to hear the sweet news. Later at 7.45 pm, we were given a private room and I was given a different nurse who was on night shift. You were brought to the room directly from the nursery and that was when my breast feeding lessons started. You were hungry, I was new to breast feeding and you were new to the world itself! I didn't know to feed you and you didn't know to drink, so you were crying. Only one person was allowed to stay at the hospital. So your dad stayed till 1 am in the hospital and then went home. He definitely didn't want to leave you and go, but had no other option! So that was the first night you were not in my tummy any more, but you were in my arms! I didn't sleep the whole night, neither did your granny, but it was such a beautiful feeling, can not be expressed in words! Felt as though even I have come to a new world altogether!!

14 Sept 2012 - Due Date and No News!

               So, today is The Most Awaited Day! But still you are inside happily playing and kicking! I have been getting my labour pain since last night. Kept count of it through out the night. It was coming and going every now and then, but not in exact intervals. Since the pain was more, I made your dad take leave from office and we went to hospital with all my luggage and hospital bag. But after they kept me for observation monitoring the pain for half an hour, they sent us back home saying that, I am getting contractions and not the true labour pain. So we came home again with all the bags. Your dad stayed at home, rest of the day consoling and supporting me.

                                                         All set ready to go to the hospital


               That was not over yet! I had pain coming and going for the rest of the day and by the end of the day, my pain became even more serious. It was coming in exact 5 minutes intervals and the pain was quite intense. So we decided to go to the hospital once again with my baggage. Went to the hospital at 8.30 pm and I was kept for pain monitoring once again. Pain was coming every 4 to 5 minutes and according to them the pain was not intense enough and I was still dilated only 1 cm! My nurse sent us for a one hour walk in the hospital lobby. I was sent with the hospital gown and many wires hanging on me like a robot! So your dad and granny in normal clothing were accompanying the "walking robot" in the hospital lobby! We walked for an hour, went back for the pain monitoring, stayed there till 11.30 pm and we were then sent back home saying that, it is only the early labour and not yet reached the stage of delivery! I don't want to mention how disappointed were we when we were coming back home once again with my luggage!

12 September 2012 - Get Out of Me!

               Finally I have been getting some contractions. I ate pizza yesterday and when I got pain after that, I thought pizza has pleased you and you have made up your mind to come out soon! I was hoping that yesterday's would be my last OB visit with the doctor, but once again I am disappointed when doctor told me I am still only 1 cm dilated and there is no progress since last week! Even more disappointing news is that I have my next OB appointment scheduled for next Monday. So I think doctor is indirectly telling me that, you are not planning to come out anytime soon!
               I am wondering where did all the oxygen on the earth go! I am running out of air to breathe! I have a doubt that your dad and granny are taking all of it and not letting me get any!

              You can never imagine how irritated am I right now! I am shouting at you to get out of me! You are quite heavy to carry in my belly. And your kicks right on my ribs are torturous! Of course I haven't stopped loving you, but pushing days waiting to see you in my hands! Every time I feel less movements from inside, that worries me even more! Your dad and granny say that you are moving less because you don't have enough space to play. Please show some pity on me and come out!!
               

5 September 2012 - Still not Ready to Come Out

               I have been visiting the doctor every week now. Had an appointment on 21 August and had another on 28 August. I was checked for signs of infection last week and there wasn't any. Your heartbeat was 144 per minute. Your mom weighs 134 pounds now!! So I have put on 30 pounds altogether in these 8 and half months! Your heartbeat on 28 August was 155 per minute and doctor said you might stay inside for some more days. I was disappointed to hear that, because I had been waiting to see you since more than 250 days!

               You kicks have been really stronger now. Though you are now upside down and not turning around, you still twist and kick in that little space you have. You make your grand father laugh when I tell him how you get irritated if I keep a book on you. I feel like asking you, what is your problem if I touch my stomach! You have been thinking that it is your private property and have been kicking me as per your wish! Hello!!!! It's my stomach! And it hurts! 

               I had another appointment today, went to the hospital hoping to hear that you might come out soon. I was neither disappointed nor happy, because doctor said you might come out any day from now and if you still plan to stay inside for some more days, I will have my next appointment next week! Your heart beat was 148 per minute. Your maternal uncle thinks that you are very lazy and you are happily sleeping inside. My patience level is going way too bad. Your dad and granny are getting to know my mood swings a lot. Even my students had never tested my patience so much!

               I have been getting dreams that you are finally in my arms and in the mornings when I wake up, I realize that you are still inside. Every part of my body aches and pains and there are many sub-categories in stomach ache too. But still I haven't experienced "the" labour pain, which I am desperately waiting for!