Parenthood hopes

So, I've got to say, that I'm a little bit proud of how this time around of parenting is going. Not that I didn't think I did a good job with Blake, but I was a first time mom who didn't really know what I wanted. Well, as far as parenting styles go. This time I am so much more educated. Not that I was uneducated before, but I just hadn't even given any thought to certain aspects and just went with what most of society in America did. I had no idea what I was missing out on. But then there were some things that I wanted that didn't work out, and I was so devastated by that. I think this birth experience was therapeutic.

9 weeks

Well, time to play catch up, as usual! I'm not sure why it is so hard for me to keep up with this blog, but it is. I guess life just gets to me. And now I think the fact that I'm constantly nursing this little girl, which makes it not so easy to type, plays a factor. Anyway, where to start?

Happy day after Christmas!

Six days old.

Can I just first start out by saying that time is absolutely flying by? Sophia will be two weeks day after tomorrow, and it feels like I just had her yesterday.

Well, anyway, she's doing great. Breast feeding is going pretty awesome I would say. I'm having to use a nipple shield with her for now, but with it she's doing great. With Blake, not even the shield would really get him to breast feed all that well. And let me tell you, she is all about that nursing thing. She eats so much! Which is great, because I want to make sure she's getting enough. It's so funny when she's done, because she will usually have a little bit of left over milk trailing out of her mouth. :) Got to love when babies are milk drunk! It feels so great knowing that I'm able to provide for her in such a way. Makes me realize even more what I missed out on with Blake (can't say I didn't try though), but it also makes me appreciate even more what I CAN do for her. This time around just feels like it's going so much more smoothly. I guess that's part of being a second time mom though, too.

Sophia has arrived!

Sophia is here! And what a story I have to tell about how she came. :)

So where to start. Well, my due date came and went on Wednesday (12/12/12 for those who forget). I had an appointment the next day, and my midwife agreed to perform a membrane sweep the next day after clinicals (so that way, if it worked, I would have the weekend off). So after clinicals I go in, and she checks me first. At this point I was about 80% effaced and 3-4 cm dilated, although she said she could stretch it to a 5. She also told me that Sophia was very low, which I knew already, and that she's ready and was probably just waiting on me. So, she did the sweep and there was a decent amount of blood after. She said she thinks that it would probably work, and the contractions usually start to pick up in 3-5 hours.