Reagan's arrival

I am honored to present our newest blessing - Reagan Grace. 

I thought I would tell you about Reagan and I's experience

Her arrival was not exactly how we had planned.  We were actually planning a home birth.  All of my other pregnancies and labor and deliveries were all text book.  We had very nice experiences in the hospital however, a home birth was something more intimate that we were really looking forward to.

Home birth midwives do not delivery babies at home prior to 37 weeks or if you have any serious issues during your pregnancy.  So on Monday afternoon I had some contractions that lasted about an hour.  I had lots of contractions when I was pregnant with Ian and I always took a bath and drank a bunch of water and they went away.  So I did the same thing with this one.  And they stopped.  3 hours later, I felt a gush and thought - that better not have been my water breaking because I was only 34 weeks.

It wasn't my water, it was blood.  So off to the emergency room we went.  They immediately put me on magnesium sulfate to stop my contractions and the bleeding.  They quickly performed an ultrasound and there were two possibilities - a placenta abruption (the placenta starts separating itself) and just cervical bleeding.  They also decided to give me a shot of steroids for the baby in case I did deliver.

The magnesium knocked me on my a**.  I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  I could barely move my body.  About 48 hours of magnesium and 2 shots of steroids later, the contractions had stopped but not the bleeding.  I was only spotting but it was still enough that they wanted to keep me on bedrest and up to the 3rd floor I went on Wednesday night.  Contractions started again a few hours after the magnesium.  I had 4-6 contractions an hour until Saturday morning where they wheeled me back down to labor and delivery.

Around noon my contractions started to pick up and I called Mike back to the hospital.  Around 5 hours later Reagan graced us with her presence at 5 pounds 11 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.  Mike caught the baby and immediately said "oh shit, Ian and I are outnumbered."  (We had really thought it was a boy even tho we never found out)  And then......I fainted - literally.  I woke up with an oxygen mask on but I guess I was only out for a few seconds.  Afterwards, the doctor did confirm that it was a placenta abruption.

Reagan nursed like a champ.  They wheeled me back up to the 3rd floor and Reagan went to the NICU to make sure she was good - and she did not disappoint.  She had low blood sugar so they gave her a bottle of formula and it spiked right up where it needed to be.  However, while she was being a rockstar and proving that she was ready to face her 3 older siblings I started hemorrhaging.  I sent my mom downstairs to the NICU and made Mike come upstairs to be with me.  I was very scared and not used to having any complications.  It turns out that my fibrynogen levels in my liver (what makes your body clot) was extremely low; in the 60's.  So I ended up getting some plasma (which was very cold because it comes straight from the refridgerator) and my levels went up to the normal 200's.  I was informed that I should not have any more children because the likelyhood of having another placenta abruption and/or a premature baby are very high.  (Although we had already decided that we were done - having heard that just sealed the deal)

After looking like a ghost and having track marks up and down my arms from IV's and blood draws for about a week, I am feeling like myself again.  I feel awesome, I have color in my face again, and I have a little bit of energy and am basking in the glow of being a new mother again.  Reagan is awesome.  She looks like a perfect mix of Kara and Anna.  Overall, we were disappointed that we did not get the home birth that we planned but we are soooooo blessed and thankful that both Reagan and I are healthy and happy!

I want to give a SHOUT OUT to my family and friends that helped Mike, my kids and I during the week I was in the hospital.  They showered us with their love, support, flowers, chocolates (they know me too well), babysitting, pizzas, movies, magazines, books, and lots and lots of hugs and kisses.  Everyone totally stepped up to the plate to help us out during this time.  The Wisniewski's are so blessed to have you all in our lives and we love you all very much.

Videos

Hey all, they will be a new link to the left called "Youtube Videos" in it we will have links to Youtube videos. There is a cool one right now we listed that has Ian laughing at Reagan hiccuping.

Little miss Reagan Grace is doing great and so is Mom. It was by far the roughest experience bring one of our kids into this world but the end result is healthy baby and healthy Mom.

Mike

My heart runneth over

I can't express enough the love I am overwhelmed with right now.  With each child that I have had, my heart grows and grows with love.  Each of my kids are so special and I love them each differently and to the extreme!  Kara is my oldest and she is such a great big sister; always wanting to help any of her siblings.  Anna is obsessed with Reagan right now.  Always wanting to touch her and kiss her and hold her.  Ian is now my only son and I can't get enough of him.  I will certainly be someone I turn to when I've had enough drama from my girls.  And miss Reagan Grace.....as hopeful as I was that I wanted another boy, I can't imagine what it would be like with another son.  She is amazing.  She is only a week old and I feel like she has been with me forever.

I am blissfully content......

Hugs & kisses

So since my belly has gotten bigger, all of the kids have been drawn to it.  The girls are always wanting to give the baby hugs and always wanting to kiss the belly.  Ian is such a lovey and has an infatuation with skin to skin contact.  So he insists on lifting my shirt and putting his cheek directly to my belly.  I love that they are interested in feeling the baby when it's kicking me.  Mike and I joked that Ian left sticky notes inside my belly saying "kick here".  In the beginning I was a little embarassed when the kids would do this, but why?  I guess I just didn't want my belly exposed in public.  But then I got to thinking.....who cares.  I have given birth to 3 beautiful healthy children (soon to be 4) so why not be proud?  I don't have stretch marks - I have beauty marks:)

I find their affection all so sweet and it's making me cherish this last pregnancy all the more.  Even tho this pregnancy has been a little more challenging but I think that is because I do more.  Since I work from home there is so much that gets done to run a household (as everyone knows) and get my work done and get the kids to and from school and find time to spend with each of the kids and your significant other - it really does take a village.  Some days, I praise myself when all is done and then some days I don't do as much and completely exhausted.  At the end of the day, regardless of what gets done and what doesn't, I am thankful for my family, friends, health and husband. 

Being on my feet a little more this pregnancy I invested in a belly band.  Seriously?  Why didn't I use this before and why did I wait until this pregnancy is almost done?  It's awesome and it makes it so I forget that I am carrying an extra 20 pounds on my front section.  All in all, I am thankful for this pregnancy and this healthy human growing inside me.  I can't wait for this family of 6 adventure.  But it's ok to feel scared at the same time, right?:)

Sleep

I have come to the conclusion that sleep is completely over-rated.  I will never get a full nights rest even when the kids have moved out.  Ian decided to wake up at 430 this morning.  Unfortunately, I am the only one with ears at night (Mike sleeps so soundly and usually doesn't hear much at night - I am so jealous).  I lay with Ian on the couch to see if he will go back to sleep but to no avail.  He is constantly touching my face or my arm or switching his position or trying to lay on top of me or on my arm - blah, blah, blah. 

Scooter - our lovely bulimic feline cat decides that 430 is a good time to wake up too and meow until she is fed.  I have personally diagnosed Scooter, might I add that she is 14 pounds, with bulimia because she will gorge her food and then go throw up somewhere in the house and then meow through out the house until she is fed again.  Which never happens because she finally realizes that I won't feed her again.

I should add that I momentarily sometimes forget that I am almost 8 1/2 months pregnant and that I don't sleep much anyways because of my constant flipping over from my left to my right side.  If it's not my hips that wake me up indicating that I need to flip over, it's the little healthy human being that has taken over my body kicking my ribs indicating that it's time to flip.

So instead of complaining about it and being upset I will move on and simply dream of the most comfortable bed, with the most comfortable pillow, and the most comfortable blanket and the most comfortable jammies in the most peaceful environment.