Maverick Grey

Posted on August 6, 2017 by vanessawyler

Our baby boy is here! He was born on July 27, 2017 at 8:20pm – weighing 6 lbs. 11 oz. and 21 inches long. His birth gave us a bit of a scare, but thankfully we are all here, and all healthy, and so thankful. You can read the whole story below…

Since Emerald was breech at 39 weeks, she was born via c-section. This time around, my doctor said I’d be a good candidate to try for a VBAC, so I figured why not – the rule my doctor had was I had to go into labor on my own before 41 weeks, or she’d induce me during week 40, but in order to do that I still had to be dilated to at least 1cm and thinned out. I stayed at 1cm from week 38 – 40 despite all of our efforts to induce labor on our own. So we scheduled for my doctor to induce me on July 27 knowing she’d be on call that day and the following day.

With a VBAC, my doctor wanted to do a gentle/slow induction. It first started with a foley balloon. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am and the balloon was inserted by 8am (most of the day I had a resident doctor watching my progress which turned out to be helpful in the end). The foley balloon was supposed to dilate me to 3, 4 or 5cm. Luckily at 4pm that day I was dilated to a 5 and 80% thinned out. So they took the balloon out.

Next my doctor allowed me one quick meal (I had been on a liquid diet all day) before they’d break my water, start pitocin and I could get an epidural. The next time they came to check me and start on some of the tasks above I was already at a 7cm. So I said please hurry it up already with the epidural before it was too late!

They broke my water and then the epidural was in. Next, they started pitocin at a “2” which is way less than they give a non-VBAC patient. They would then increase it by “2” every half hour to help get my contractions to be more consistent and stronger. Everything was going great, I wasn’t feeling the crazy-long and on-top-of-each-other contractions – but next Drew and I noticed there was about 8 nurses and 2 doctors suddenly in our hospital room. Maverick wasn’t handling the intense contractions very well and his heart rate kept dropping and taking awhile to recover. They had me switch side to side and breathe in some oxygen to help with his heart rate. At this time I was starting to get worried. I had Drew hand me some earbuds and I began listening to a few songs to help me pray and focus – one being “Trust” by Hillsong Young & Free, which was also a song I had been listening to on repeat the past couple weeks about trusting God that’d he’d bring Maverick into this world when he was ready, and not on my terms.

They finally decide to shut the pitocin off and to give Mav a break. A half hour later they started again at a “1” and were only going to go up by “1” every half hour, however, his heart rate still dropped again. At that time my doctor let me know that both doctors and six nurses were going to be watching the monitors non-stop.

After the third time his heart rate dropped, his heart rate wasn’t recovering, my OB doctor said it was time to do an emergency c-section. Within a minute I was being rushed down to the OR and the anesthesiologist was pumping new meds into me as they were wheeling me down. Things were happening so fast, but I was trying to stay calm knowing if I started freaking out, it would only hurt Mav’s heart rate even more. When the nurses started paging the NICU that’s when my heart sank.

We got into the OR and they hooked me back up to monitors to watch Maverick’s heart rate. Thankfully it had recovered and my doctor let everyone know it was no longer an emergency c-section and everyone could chill out a bit. That gave me such relief, knowing our little boy was doing ok. Even though I had a c-section before and knew what to expect, I was still pretty nervous leading up to them beginning. Thankfully the anesthesiologist was coaching me the entire time, letting me know what was all happening (since Drew wasn’t allowed to be in the OR until surgery began).

After so much crazy pressure, nausea, and pulling (and literally someone kneeling on top of me), our little boy was held up over the curtain and was screaming his head off – that was probably the best sound ever. He looked perfect and healthy and had apgar scores of 9. The doctors discovered the reason his heart rate was dropping in labor was because the cord was wrapped around his neck twice. Thankfully I didn’t progress past 7cm, because we aren’t sure what would have happened if he had been squeezed thru the birth canal even further with his cord like that. I have to believe that was all God’s doing and the song “Trust” helped me understand and gave me peace about how the whole situation when down.

Stitching me back up took a lot longer this time (due to scar tissue from my previous c-section) but after a few minutes of them cleaning up Mav, Drew was able to bring him over and show me and I held his tiny little fingers.

About 45 minutes after he was born, we went to the recovery room (where we stayed for two hours), where I was able to nurse Maverick and they did continual checks on us. Everything continued to look great and we were ready to go back into our hospital room at 11pm.

The next day, my mom brought Emerald to meet her little brother! She was so excited, and one of the first things she asked was if his nails were painted blue like hers. She’s really been the sweetest big sister!

Even though I was the picture perfect candidate for a VBAC, God had other plans and I’m thankful it didn’t pan out to what I had in mind. Recovery from this c-section has been more painful and slower (most likely due to this being my second one, laboring all day, and taking care of a toddler), but one more week of slow recovery and I should be feeling so much better! It will feel great to be able to pick-up Emerald again and have the freedom to drive.

My friend Katie Bingen (also a photographer) came to take photos of us in the hospital on Saturday, here’s some of my favorites. So thankful she captured these sweet memories for us <3

13 Weeks | Baby #2

Posted on January 15, 2017 by vanessawyler

Last pregnancy I documented week by week starting at 13 weeks, and it’s so fun to look back now, that I’m determined to document this one similarly…

I’m hoping to do the same weekly shot with some fun lifestyle shots of our family and bump every now and then – I’m giving myself a break and not making that part weekly! Since it’s winter, most days we stay in our PJs and play which is great right now while my energy is just starting to return. There’s been a couple days though I’ve felt so achy and feel like I’m moving like a sloth. Trying to remember to rest!

Morning sickness really hasn’t been an issue, I’ve just been keeping my tummy from being empty. I’ve only thrown up once and I think it was more related to acid reflux and brushing my teeth.

Every time I show Em that there is a baby growing in my belly, she just tries to pull my shirt down or push my belly button. Not quite sure she’s understanding any of what we are saying about the baby yet. She does tend to think the baby will be a brother, though we asked her what we should name it and she suggested “Mia” – probably because Molly from Bubble Guppies had a little sister name that – sorry Em, that’s not on our list 😉

Hopefully this baby will love ring-around-the-rosy…

Weaned

Posted on July 15, 2015 by vanessawyler

After exactly 400 days of nursing this little baby girl, we’re officially weaned. I couldn’t help but feel a little sad tonight knowing it was the last time. I realize it’s just another part of growing up and that she can’t stay my baby forever.

Breastfeeding was definitely a learning curve at the beginning, but thankful we stuck it out in the long run. There were days where I would think, wow it would be so much easier if I wasn’t breastfeeding… pumping at work, the witching hour(s) in the first few months and growth spurts, keeping up milk production, having to nurse in a private spot most of the time, and so on. However it did have it’s perks, I didn’t have to worry about carrying bottles, formula, milk around with me. I had everything I needed to feed my baby if she got hungry. That part is amazing, and became so convienent. It’s amazing how awesome our bodies are – growing a baby inside our bodies for 9 months, and then how we nourish them on the outside too.

I’m so thankful for the bond between us during those 400 days, but I will also be glad for a little bit of freedom. At the beginning you think, wow, every 3 hours I have to feed her and you feel so “needed” – but now those specific “needed” days are over you realize how it feels to feel needed, but I’ll know she’ll still need me in other ways. Speaking of freedom… it will be nice to getaway with Drew this weekend, I can wear dresses that don’t have button and normal bras, my hair is starting to grow back – can I get an amen. But then on the other hand, I know have to watch what I’m eating and start working out, boo.

Bedtime won’t be quite the same anymore, but I know there will still be plenty of time for cuddling – and now Drew can experience bedtime more often. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

Not the normal post, but trying to document it all….I’ll always remember the way she crossed her feet and more recently would play with them while she nursed, or rub her blanket through her fingers…

First Mother’s Day #momlife

Posted on May 11, 2015 by vanessawyler

We celebrated my first mother’s day yesterday. Drew knows my love language is acts of service so he accomplished some of the yard work I’ve been wanting done for awhile (yay) and Emerald napped great (another yay). Drew also got me the book Capturing the Moment since I’ve gotten pretty passionate about capturing Emerald’s every waking moment with my camera

Emerald and I also celebrated Mother’s day with my mom and sisters by going out to eat and getting some Culvers. Overall it was a great day and am thankful to be this little girls mama.

Oh, and how is motherhood? Oh the mom life…

This first (almost) year of motherhood has been a roller coaster! To say it hasn’t been the hardest thing I have done would be a lie. Emerald was/is a great baby, so it’s not like she’s a terrible child, it’s more that it was a huge adjustment for me.

I documented my first thoughts about motherhood after one month in a blog post. And so grateful I did that – it was raw and honest. I’m glad I can look back now and remind myself of how far we’ve come 10 months later. Ten months later I’m so thankful for her. She’s taught me a lot, how to be more patient, selfless, be fun and silly and what unconditional love is. Seeing her get so excited to see me after I’ve been away for the day or in the morning when waking is one of the best feelings ever. To be needed feels amazing, though I know as time goes on she will need me less and less.

Motherhood today has become second nature, you learn to roll with whatever comes, even if it means no naps in a day. Being flexible is key. Sometimes I think when we finally feel like we’ve figured it out, God reminds us that we don’t have it all together and teaches us that we still need him by throwing another curveball our way, but for that I’m grateful for his grace and love. It’s so crazy to think about his unconditional love for us – just like how I love Emerald despite her throwing ALL of her food on the floor – so crazy.

It’s a crazy journey to be on, this motherhood thing, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.