Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Moments with the Mullers: Thank you God for answered prayers! Be prepared fo...
Moments with the Mullers: Thank you God for answered prayers! Be prepared fo...: Well, we made it. It's been one amazing, roller coaster of a journey, but we made it. And honestly, the journey has really just begun. ...
Thank you God for answered prayers! Be prepared for picture OVERLOAD!
Well, we made it. It's been one amazing, roller coaster of a journey, but we made it. And honestly, the journey has really just begun.
John Patrick Muller was born August 4, 2015 at 9:18am. He weighed 7 pounds and 5 ounces and was 19.3 inches long.
Let me just start at the beginning of the day last Tuesday. I didn't sleep at all the night before. I was nervous and excited and scared and worried and anxious and pretty much every emotion in the spectrum. We made it to admitting a little before six where I took my last bump picture and the last picture of the Mullers as it stands just Johnathan and I. Enjoy them below :)
We then went to L&D where I was officially admitted as a patient. The fun began. I had to have a UA (urine analysis for those who don't work in healthcare) and blood work. I also had to get started on fluids so I was plenty hydrated for the upcoming surgery. A c-section is considered major surgery and it is major abdominal surgery btw... Let me just say the nursing staff we have at MRHC is PHENOMENAL! I've always kinda known that we have amazing nurses, but now that I've seen the patient care they provide, I don't understand why people choose to go elsewhere for care. Where else can you get that hometown feel and love that I received? I never felt unsafe or uninformed about what was going on with my care. I was very well taken care of and it began the minute I walked in the door. Thank you Kim, Megan, and Amy for being such great leaders of a wonderful team!
I was taken back to the OR. I had to drink this purple stuff that smelled like grape soda, but I was fooled. It was horrible and I was warned it would be horrible. The anesthesiologist was AMAZING! I did not worry about my spinal and I did get sick off of it. I was horribly embarrassed, but FYI, a common side effect of the spinal is that your BP (blood pressure) drops rapidly and makes you sick. This happened to me and it's a natural response that your body has.
The cool thing about a C-Section is that you are awake and alert the whole time. Which sounds kind of scary (or at least it did to me); however, it wasn't scary at all because that's how amazing the staff is. There was a sheet up so I couldn't see my insides on the outside and Johnathan got to be in the room with me. I know I say this all the time, but I have the best husband. I know (because I've been married to him for 6 and with him for 8 years) that he was scared to death. You can tell because he overly tries to hide it, but he was a champ. He held my hand the entire time. The staff kept me calm and we actually talked about normal things like traveling and the nursery. I honestly was calm and not scared the whole time because of them. Finally, the time came where they told Johnathan he could look and get a few pictures of our son. And when I heard my sweet baby boy's first cry, I started crying and said "That's my son."
This is the moment we've been praying for for six years. This is the moment I had almost given up hope on. This is the moment that I worked so hard for. This is the moment that my heart was overfilled with such joy and I knew that God had answered my prayers. "For this child, we have prayed and the Lord has granted me what I have asked of Him." 1 Samuel 1:27. Below are some pictures.
After surgery, the OB nurses take the baby and clean him off. As you see, I did get a few moments with him before they took him to be weighed and to get his APGAR score (which was 9 btw). I got to stay in the room with the surgery team to get me closed up and ready for the next step. Johnathan got to go with the baby while he was cleaned and weighed and everything. Again, pictures below (just a few).
So, Dr. Henslee is AMAZING. While we closed me up, I was already itching to get my arms around my little one. I'm sure he knew it because again we kept conversation going while he worked to keep my nerves in check. He is an amazing physician and I'm so glad we chose him for our care. I cannot imagine this experience without him and truly believe I got the best care available!
After I was closed up, I was sent to the recovery room where I was monitored for my BP and fluids. These fluids. Ugghhhhh. I've never been one who could get fluids in properly so I had to play catch up. I wasn't in there long for real, but it felt like an eternity because I wanted to hold my baby. FINALLY, I was released to go to my room so I can hold my precious baby boy.
They brought him into me and he is so tiny. He has tiny hands and tiny feet. He is, in my completely bias opinion, the most beautiful baby in the world. I got a few minutes with him before the grandparents got to come in for a few minutes. Then, it was time to get the baby to breast. I decided a long time ago that breastfeeding is the way to go. It's best for the baby and it's economical. We are calling breast feeding "num nums" because I don't want my son to ask me in public for the boob. So, giving John Patrick num nums is not as easy as I thought it would be. I've read how natural it is and it is a natural and beautiful thing that God has given me as a woman the ability to do; however, it's a learning experience. I had to learn what he likes, like how to be held and the position that he likes me to be in and he had to learn how to latch and work for it. It's been quite the learning experience for all three of us.
That first night was pretty rough. He was up every 15 or 30 minutes wanting num nums. I was getting frustrated and discouraged and felt like I wasn't giving him what he needed. Finally, at like 4 am, the nurse came in and told me they were taking him for his bath and to be weighed and for me to get some rest while he was gone. Which I did because, it had been a long eventful night for all three of us. Then, the nurse came back in. And my son had lost 5.38% of his body weight. It's normal for babies to lose weight after birth, but anything 6% and over requires a new plan. The nurse suggested that we start supplementing formula. I felt (and still kinda feel) like a failure. He was nursing pretty much all night long! And still wasn't getting what he needed from me and that was my most important job which was to provide for him. So, we started supplementing with formula. We breastfeed first and then give him a little formula and then I pump to give him a little extra milk before the formula. It's not what we planned but it's what is best for my son. Once we started doing that, he started sleeping better. The next night, he would have slept through the night if we hadn't made him get up and eat every 2-3 hours. He also gained weight back and is happy and healthy and that's what is most important.
The next morning, they got me up and I started walking. I've had abdominal surgery before and I knew the key to my ticket home would be proving that I could get up and walk. I walked three laps that first morning. I'm a boss! And I know it. LOL! It hurt. Dumb me, thought the pain would resemble the pain from the WLS. Boy, was I WRONG!! It's much much worse. It hurts to stand and hurts to sit down. I tried to be a champ and not use the pain meds. I was slowly trying to wean myself off of them. I didn't want to rely on them to go home. So, I went almost the whole day not asking for any. That night, I went to the bathroom and started shaking like I had the chills. I immediately started to panic because I thought it was fever and fever is a sign of infection. Johnathan got the nurse who came in with 2 pain pills and checked my temp. Of course there was no fever. A natural response to pain is that your body convulses. I got a very long lecture from both my nurse and physician about how it's easier to stay ahead of the pain game than it is to catch up with it after a major surgery. So, lesson learned there. I won't get an award for not asking for pain meds. I won't heal faster without them. I just suffer.
Finally, we got to go home. I will just tell you that it's been wonderful. Our prayers were answered in that we have a happy healthy addition to the Muller family. It's been wonderful. We've been trying to get the baby on a routine and I think we do a pretty good job of it. At night, he will sleep until about 5 minutes before my alarm goes off to get him up to eat. He really only cries if he's hungry, muddy or wants Mommy to hold the soothie in his mouth. He is precious. He is amazing. He is the best gift that God has given to me second to my salvation. Johnathan and I could not be happier. We are on cloud 9 and loving every minute we have with this baby boy. Enjoy some more pictures :)
So, what's next for the Mullers and the blog? We are going back to weight loss. I gained 34 pounds with this pregnancy. It was a healthy pregnancy and that weight gain was in the normal range. Since the delivery, I've lost 17 of those pounds. So, I am 66 pounds away from my target weight and I'm going to work to get there. I want to be as healthy as possible so #1 I don't get back up to 345 pounds, #2 I can be an example to my son, and #3 we can repeat this process in 2,3 or 4 years. As soon as I am released to go back to exercising, we will start with the menus and weekly posting of weight loss and recipes. I also want to advocate for breastfeeding and other parental topics.
I also want to take the moment to thank each and everyone of you. Your gifts, flowers, messages, calls, texts, visits, prayers and thoughts were not unappreciated and were definitely needed. A large part of this journey depended on you and your kindness. We could not have done it without you. We thank you and love you more than you know!
Prayer requests are that you continue to pray for our family. Pray that we get some rest. Johnathan and I both are bad about getting up and making sure that he's still breathing. Prayers that I get back on track to healthy eating and living and we continue to live that lifestyle not just for the weight loss but for healthy lifestyle.
John Patrick Muller was born August 4, 2015 at 9:18am. He weighed 7 pounds and 5 ounces and was 19.3 inches long.
Let me just start at the beginning of the day last Tuesday. I didn't sleep at all the night before. I was nervous and excited and scared and worried and anxious and pretty much every emotion in the spectrum. We made it to admitting a little before six where I took my last bump picture and the last picture of the Mullers as it stands just Johnathan and I. Enjoy them below :)
 |
| 38 Weeks |
 |
| 39 Weeks |
 |
| The best is yet to come! Last bump pictures! |
 |
| Mommy & Daddy |
 |
| Last picture of the two Muller family! |
We then went to L&D where I was officially admitted as a patient. The fun began. I had to have a UA (urine analysis for those who don't work in healthcare) and blood work. I also had to get started on fluids so I was plenty hydrated for the upcoming surgery. A c-section is considered major surgery and it is major abdominal surgery btw... Let me just say the nursing staff we have at MRHC is PHENOMENAL! I've always kinda known that we have amazing nurses, but now that I've seen the patient care they provide, I don't understand why people choose to go elsewhere for care. Where else can you get that hometown feel and love that I received? I never felt unsafe or uninformed about what was going on with my care. I was very well taken care of and it began the minute I walked in the door. Thank you Kim, Megan, and Amy for being such great leaders of a wonderful team!
I was taken back to the OR. I had to drink this purple stuff that smelled like grape soda, but I was fooled. It was horrible and I was warned it would be horrible. The anesthesiologist was AMAZING! I did not worry about my spinal and I did get sick off of it. I was horribly embarrassed, but FYI, a common side effect of the spinal is that your BP (blood pressure) drops rapidly and makes you sick. This happened to me and it's a natural response that your body has.
The cool thing about a C-Section is that you are awake and alert the whole time. Which sounds kind of scary (or at least it did to me); however, it wasn't scary at all because that's how amazing the staff is. There was a sheet up so I couldn't see my insides on the outside and Johnathan got to be in the room with me. I know I say this all the time, but I have the best husband. I know (because I've been married to him for 6 and with him for 8 years) that he was scared to death. You can tell because he overly tries to hide it, but he was a champ. He held my hand the entire time. The staff kept me calm and we actually talked about normal things like traveling and the nursery. I honestly was calm and not scared the whole time because of them. Finally, the time came where they told Johnathan he could look and get a few pictures of our son. And when I heard my sweet baby boy's first cry, I started crying and said "That's my son."
This is the moment we've been praying for for six years. This is the moment I had almost given up hope on. This is the moment that I worked so hard for. This is the moment that my heart was overfilled with such joy and I knew that God had answered my prayers. "For this child, we have prayed and the Lord has granted me what I have asked of Him." 1 Samuel 1:27. Below are some pictures.
 |
| Daddy in his surgery greens! |
 |
| See, Daddy kept Mommy calm the entire time. |
 |
| This was the moment right after I heard his cry. |
 |
| Mommy & John Patrick's first picture! |
 |
| The Mullers' first family picture! |
After surgery, the OB nurses take the baby and clean him off. As you see, I did get a few moments with him before they took him to be weighed and to get his APGAR score (which was 9 btw). I got to stay in the room with the surgery team to get me closed up and ready for the next step. Johnathan got to go with the baby while he was cleaned and weighed and everything. Again, pictures below (just a few).
So, Dr. Henslee is AMAZING. While we closed me up, I was already itching to get my arms around my little one. I'm sure he knew it because again we kept conversation going while he worked to keep my nerves in check. He is an amazing physician and I'm so glad we chose him for our care. I cannot imagine this experience without him and truly believe I got the best care available!
After I was closed up, I was sent to the recovery room where I was monitored for my BP and fluids. These fluids. Ugghhhhh. I've never been one who could get fluids in properly so I had to play catch up. I wasn't in there long for real, but it felt like an eternity because I wanted to hold my baby. FINALLY, I was released to go to my room so I can hold my precious baby boy.
They brought him into me and he is so tiny. He has tiny hands and tiny feet. He is, in my completely bias opinion, the most beautiful baby in the world. I got a few minutes with him before the grandparents got to come in for a few minutes. Then, it was time to get the baby to breast. I decided a long time ago that breastfeeding is the way to go. It's best for the baby and it's economical. We are calling breast feeding "num nums" because I don't want my son to ask me in public for the boob. So, giving John Patrick num nums is not as easy as I thought it would be. I've read how natural it is and it is a natural and beautiful thing that God has given me as a woman the ability to do; however, it's a learning experience. I had to learn what he likes, like how to be held and the position that he likes me to be in and he had to learn how to latch and work for it. It's been quite the learning experience for all three of us.
That first night was pretty rough. He was up every 15 or 30 minutes wanting num nums. I was getting frustrated and discouraged and felt like I wasn't giving him what he needed. Finally, at like 4 am, the nurse came in and told me they were taking him for his bath and to be weighed and for me to get some rest while he was gone. Which I did because, it had been a long eventful night for all three of us. Then, the nurse came back in. And my son had lost 5.38% of his body weight. It's normal for babies to lose weight after birth, but anything 6% and over requires a new plan. The nurse suggested that we start supplementing formula. I felt (and still kinda feel) like a failure. He was nursing pretty much all night long! And still wasn't getting what he needed from me and that was my most important job which was to provide for him. So, we started supplementing with formula. We breastfeed first and then give him a little formula and then I pump to give him a little extra milk before the formula. It's not what we planned but it's what is best for my son. Once we started doing that, he started sleeping better. The next night, he would have slept through the night if we hadn't made him get up and eat every 2-3 hours. He also gained weight back and is happy and healthy and that's what is most important.
The next morning, they got me up and I started walking. I've had abdominal surgery before and I knew the key to my ticket home would be proving that I could get up and walk. I walked three laps that first morning. I'm a boss! And I know it. LOL! It hurt. Dumb me, thought the pain would resemble the pain from the WLS. Boy, was I WRONG!! It's much much worse. It hurts to stand and hurts to sit down. I tried to be a champ and not use the pain meds. I was slowly trying to wean myself off of them. I didn't want to rely on them to go home. So, I went almost the whole day not asking for any. That night, I went to the bathroom and started shaking like I had the chills. I immediately started to panic because I thought it was fever and fever is a sign of infection. Johnathan got the nurse who came in with 2 pain pills and checked my temp. Of course there was no fever. A natural response to pain is that your body convulses. I got a very long lecture from both my nurse and physician about how it's easier to stay ahead of the pain game than it is to catch up with it after a major surgery. So, lesson learned there. I won't get an award for not asking for pain meds. I won't heal faster without them. I just suffer.
Finally, we got to go home. I will just tell you that it's been wonderful. Our prayers were answered in that we have a happy healthy addition to the Muller family. It's been wonderful. We've been trying to get the baby on a routine and I think we do a pretty good job of it. At night, he will sleep until about 5 minutes before my alarm goes off to get him up to eat. He really only cries if he's hungry, muddy or wants Mommy to hold the soothie in his mouth. He is precious. He is amazing. He is the best gift that God has given to me second to my salvation. Johnathan and I could not be happier. We are on cloud 9 and loving every minute we have with this baby boy. Enjoy some more pictures :)
So, what's next for the Mullers and the blog? We are going back to weight loss. I gained 34 pounds with this pregnancy. It was a healthy pregnancy and that weight gain was in the normal range. Since the delivery, I've lost 17 of those pounds. So, I am 66 pounds away from my target weight and I'm going to work to get there. I want to be as healthy as possible so #1 I don't get back up to 345 pounds, #2 I can be an example to my son, and #3 we can repeat this process in 2,3 or 4 years. As soon as I am released to go back to exercising, we will start with the menus and weekly posting of weight loss and recipes. I also want to advocate for breastfeeding and other parental topics.
I also want to take the moment to thank each and everyone of you. Your gifts, flowers, messages, calls, texts, visits, prayers and thoughts were not unappreciated and were definitely needed. A large part of this journey depended on you and your kindness. We could not have done it without you. We thank you and love you more than you know!
Prayer requests are that you continue to pray for our family. Pray that we get some rest. Johnathan and I both are bad about getting up and making sure that he's still breathing. Prayers that I get back on track to healthy eating and living and we continue to live that lifestyle not just for the weight loss but for healthy lifestyle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)