Silly Boy

My little gamer :)

We finally got some snow here in Highland.

And I made some toddler crayons for my niece's birthday. They were a pretty big hit.

I love you, Brayden

Almost three months old.
It has gone by so fast and I love you more and more each day.
I love it when you recognize my face and smile at me.
I love it when you talk to me and giggle when I try to imitate your sounds.
I love it when you laugh and giggle and squirm as I try to change your diaper.
I love it when you get so enthusiastic about eating that you slam your face against the breast.
I love it when you stop crying as soon as I hold you in my arms.
I love it when you play with and talk to Daddy.
I love it when you wrinkle your nose before you sneeze.
I love it when you fall asleep with your hands above your head.
I love it all...
It is not easy by any means...
I have days when I just cry because I feel like I am doing everything wrong;
But you can always make me feel like I am the greatest mother in the world,

If you just smile at me.
I love you, Brayden.

2 months old

Brayden is now 2 months old. He was blessed on Sunday in our ward. We were so blessed to have a lot family come and join us. I will post pictures of him in his ADORABLE blessing tux his Granny made for him when I can figure how to get them off my video camera.

He had his 2 month check up today. He is now 24 inches long and 12 lbs 13 oz. Both measurements put him in the 75th percentile. He is healthy and growing very well. It is so comforting to know he is getting enough food. He had to get a few shots for vaccinations and it was so heartbreaking! His little cry of pain tore my heart out. I actually started crying also. : ( I know it is good for him but it is so sad to watch.

All that matters is he is healthy. I love his smile!!!

The Breastfeeding Diaries of a New Mom

Before we get to the diaries, an update on Brayden.
He's more adorable than ever. Nothing else to it :)
We'll start at the beginning:

His first tummy time - he didn't like it...

His first bath

Tank loves him :)

This is fun: This first one is Brayden in his carseat, the day we brought him home from the hospital. The second one is about a month old. He's growing so fast!

Roy put him in this box and he sat there content for almost 15 minutes :)

He's got a cute little smile he's started giving us more and more frequently.

This last one he's making a cooing sound that makes my heart melt.

Another size comparison: Teddy bear first week, teddy bear 1 1/2 months

The Breastfeeding Diaries of a New Mom

The point of this is to record my experience with breastfeeding and also to give other new moms hope because, trust me, it can get better. I have included some things that might be a little personal but I am trying to be completely honest. Hopefully what I write here will be of some help to other moms going through the same things that I have and it will also help me remember next time around.

Week 1

 Breastfeeding is the hardest and most painful thing I have ever experienced. The first problem to deal with was flat nipples. The nurses gave me a nipple shield but didn't tell me how to use it (I've since been told it wouldn't do any good anyway because colostrum can't get through a nipple shield). In addition to it being hard for him to latch on, when Brayden tried to latch, he would flick the nipple with his tongue. He was trying to push it out of his mouth and it took several very painful seconds for him to start going the right direction. This caused scabbing and a lot of pain every time he latched on - which was a lot. I called the lactation consultant and she was a huge help in the hospital. She was encouraging and helped us figure out what I needed to do to help him. It still hurt but at least I knew I was doing it right. My milk came on the third day and Brayden loves it. He eats really well, I just wish it didn't hurt so much. Some of the advice I've been given that has worked well is getting the prescription nipple cream at the hospital and using black tea after feeding to make them less sore. I also found some gel pads that you freeze and they are wonderful for sore nipples!

Week 2

It's gotten to the point where I want to cry every time he latches on. I went to the lactation consultant again and she was a big help. She showed me a better way to do the football hold so I can switch off with the cross-cradle . It helps give the nipple a break from different angles. She also noticed a little yellowing behind the scabs so she recommended soaking them in salt water and then putting on the prescription cream. It really seems to be working. It is already starting to to feel better. I have no time between feedings. By the time I have finished my routine (slat soak, black tea, air dry, iced gel packs) Brayden is ready to eat again. So much for sleeping when he sleeps. 

I have had a few clogged ducts but I managed to get them clear before it caused any major problems. Clogged ducts can lead to mastitis so it is important to take care. To clear it out, I would start with the clogged breast for every feeding and then massage the hard spot while he was eating. Depending on the size, it would take 2-3 feedings for it to really be gone.

We went to the doctor this week. Brayden has gained 2 pounds since we left the hospital, which is a full pound over what they were hoping for. This means that it is all worth it. He is growing so well and getting all of the nutrients he can. He is getting what he needs so I am happy to stick with it.

Week 3

I am finally feeling so much better! After making it through the first two weeks of pain and discomfort, I can finally say I am enjoying breastfeeding. I can finally understand when other women talk about the "bonding experience". I feel needed because I can do something for my son that no one else can. Now that I do not curl my toes in pain every time he needed to eat, I can enjoy the time together.

Week 7

Brayden and I have been nursing for seven weeks now and it is going very well. It no longer hurts when he latches on. We've even gotten to the point where he can latch on almost by himself. If needed, we can nurse anywhere and we've improved a lot at nursing under a blanket or nursing cover. A large part of this is because of his developing coordination. 

So I am going to include a list of my favorite items I found necessary for breastfeeding:

1. Newmans Compound ointment nipple cream (prescription from hospital)

2. black tea for sore nipples

3. frozen gel pads

4. Udder Cover (from uddercovers.com)

5. nursing pads (I personally hate Nuk brand, Johnson's and Lansinoh are okay-Avent is my favorite so far-I am going to try making some that are cloth and I'll report on that later)

6. Boppy pillow (best after about 2 weeks - just use lots of pillows until he's big enough)

7. Sleep bras (hold nursing pads in place all night)

8. Nursing bras (don't buy until after baby is born so you know what size you will be!)

So far, this is my experience with breastfeeding: it is hard, time consuming, and begins very painfully. However, IT IS WORTH IT. The pain goes away and your baby gets the nutrients they need. Breastfeeding is best for babies. If it is possible, stick with it for your babies sake. It is so rewarding to go to the doctor and hear that you have helped your baby stay healthy.

Finally the wait is over...

Brayden James Shuldberg
Born Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 5:12pm
7lbs, 13oz and 20.5 inches long
6.25 hours of labor

We showed up at the hospital at 9:30am for the induction. Then found I was already 4-5cm dilated so they got right to work breaking my water. It was supposed to be an easy, quick procedure...it wasn't. It was the worst part of labor for me. It took them a good 15 minutes of trying to get that stupid thing to burst open. If you know what this procedure requires, you know IT HURT!!!! There are some things that just don't belong in certain places of your body....and it hurts a lot when someone tries to get them there...:-{....anyway....they finally broke my water and got me hooked up to the oxytocin by 11:00. From that point everything went pretty fast. I was at 9 1/2 centimeters by 2 o'clock. I put off the epidural for a little while because my stupid curiosity wanted to know what a contraction actually felt like. It was nothing like what I thought - so I found out I had actually felt them before. For me, a contraction was all in the back. A lot of lower back pain for a period of time. From the very beginning my contractions were about 1 1/2 minutes apart. After an hour of pain, I decided it was time for the epidural. Of course by that time, the doctor was caught up with someone else so I had to wait another half hour. :-{ He finally got in and got the epidural with a lot less pain than the doctor breaking my water and I stopped feeling the contractions within 15 minutes. It was heaven! I didn't feel a thing through the rest of the time.
I was so numb I didn't even feel the "pressure" I was supposed to feel when I needed to push. That made it more difficult but I pushed for about an hour starting at 4 o'clock and Brayden was here at 5:12 pm. The doctor was there for about 1/2 hour of it and was wonderful. He was very encouraging the whole time. I did have to get an episiotomy but the way it all happened, I understood why and he explained it all before he did it.
I was blessed to only be in labor for 6 1/2 hours. My little boy is strong and healthy and sweet. He is super hungry right now, so I need to go feed him. We are excited to have him here! Enjoy the cute pictures of our little one.

This is right before we went home. We were all very excited to get out of there (Roy more than either myself or Brayden)...although I am going to miss the great food....*sigh*

Because I have nothing else to do but wait.......

One week past my due date and I feel no different, no closer, still huge, and still grumpy. *sigh* I think the most depressing part is having to tell everyone who asks how I'm doing or if he's here that he's not. I feel like I'm letting everyone down somehow, even though I know I have no control over any of it. Maybe that's the most depressing part....ZERO control! I can't say come now and suddenly have a baby in my arms. It is totally in God's hands. Roy gave me a blessing Wednesday night that told me he would come when he was ready and of his own accord...basically God said, "Stop freaking out. I'm in charge here." I have been humbled and that blessing really is the only thing keeping me sane now. It is still not easy to be patient, but maybe I am supposed to learn more of that too. I just have to keep telling myself that I am waiting on the Lord's time...no better time to be waiting for right?

Anyway....as a diversion from all of the sitting around and waiting.....
I decided to post some pictures of the various projects I have undertaken for the baby. For some crazy reason, I decided I should start sewing. My mom taught me quite a lot of the basics but I never paid as much attention as I should have. Now I am learning mostly by trial and error and the internet. Sorry Mom. :( I must say though, these projects have turned out much better than I expected.
This first one is a 14-year-old infant swing that a friend in the ward gave to us. It was a hand-me-down for her too but it still works great - and brand new swings cost at least $80! The only things wrong with this swing were the outdated fabric and some staining on the seat cover. So....I used the old cover as a pattern and made a brand new one. I chose to use flannel because I already had it lying around and why not use something soft and warm? The hardest part of this project was the binding around the edge. I had never done it before - and to any other beginners, I would recommend NOT starting with trying to bind curves. It was so frustrating but when it was finished, I was very proud. It's not perfect by any means but it looks good and it is functional. :) I am very proud.
BEFORE

AFTER

Yay for pirates!

The next project:
A "Boppy" pillow (breastfeeding pillow)
Anyone who has looked to buy one of these pillows knows they cost about $30. It just was not in my budget to spend that much on a pillow. BUT - I have been told they are a God-send when it comes to feeding your baby so I really really wanted one...Enter: my sister-in-law, Kaytie. While we were visiting her in Washington, she showed me the one she had MADE!! Yay! She let me borrow the pattern and I was able to put this whole thing together in about 2 hours for less $10. Now that is what I call AWESOME!

And finally:
 A carseat cover.
This pattern I kind of made up based on others I had seen, specifically the one that is currently for sale at Costco (that is expensive and is only sold in girly patterns :-P ). I decided to use fleece on one side and flannel on the other so that the baby would stay nice and warm through the winter. It was super easy and fast to make but I think next time I will just use cotton. The fleece was kind of hard to work with and after only two washes (one to shrink them before sewing and one to fray the edges of the flannel after) it looks a little ragged and old. I think cotton would hold up better. Oh well. I love the puppy pattern on the fleece and it matches the carseat really well.

Finally, the nursery is completely assembled, wall hangings and glider included. Here is the final picture of the remodeling project for that. (PS - we do have a changing pad that fits now, I just hadn't put it in when I took this picture)

And the final item of business:
This is a picture of me at exactly 40 weeks pregnant - October 31, 2011.

 (the chickens were following me where ever I chose to stand for the pictures so they get to be part of this memory :))
I am now 41 weeks pregnant. Roy says I look even bigger now than a week ago and that I'm "sagging", which I guess is a good thing (though it never sounds good coming from your husband). The doctor will not let me get to 42 weeks so I will be induced this week if he does not come of his own accord soon. Please come soon baby!!!