Just in case I've made pregnancy look too glamorous....here is a behind the scenes look into my life hahah
 |
| My Last official Pic before we left for the hospital! |
 |
| Last Picture with the Fur Babies! |
🙃
👫SIZE ESTIMATION: 7-8 lbs! Between boobs and belly, I felt like I might topple over sometimes
😛Reese is about the size of a watermelon, red panda, or a beach ball!
🐼We headed to the hospital on a Wednesday to be induced and entice her to come join the world!
🏩She was veryyyyyy happy to stay snuggled in there!
:::The Birth Story of Reese Willow:::
The nitty gritty deets!
At 40 weeks, doctors recommended an induction due to gestational diabetes. I was hoping for spontaneous labor (maybe not as crazy as the water breaking moment in the movies), but we decided to follow doctor's recommendation. The further along you get, the harder it is to control gestational diabetes with diet alone. I had been getting some funky-all-over-the-place numbers that week, so it was time!
My plan (haha!) was to go into labor and stay at home as long as possible while using my hypnobirthing techniques and comforts. Needless to say, it didn't go that way haha
📌Wednesday Aug 30th we arrived at the hospital to start cervidil.
Positive: I was in a huggeee labor & delivery room
Negative: trying to sleep in a labor & delivery bed is like laying directly on a hard metal rack.
I was hooked up to the fetal monitors so movement was pretty restricted. My booty and hips were killing me!
All night I had contractions and tried to breathe through them/listen to my mediation music
📌Thursday Aug 31st
After sleeping in 30 min bursts all night, I was wiped out!
They brought me breakfast at 8am which I promptly projectile vomited all over the bathroom. I STILL laugh when I think about it because the sheer DISTANCE was impressive
🤢
😜
Started pitocin at 9am until 4pm ((translates to strong contractions while strapped to a lot of monitors)
At 5:30pm I still was only 1 cm so they inserted a Foley bulb.
Honestly, this was the most difficult part of the entireeeee process. By far. Extreme cramping and everytime Reesey moved in there...I thought I might literally die. Kidding...but not.
📌Friday Sept 1st
Restless all night (my gosh that bed!
👎) At 4am I ate a Gluten free pop tart and it was AMAZING
6:45am back on pitocin
9:45am I was 4-5 cm!!
Doc broke my water
💦(such an odd sensation!!)
10:30 am contractions started getting stronger.
I sent Rich on an errand and as soon as he left, I felt like everything intensified
11:45 Rich made it back and they administered an epidural. Also NOT my favorite part
Originally I didn't want an epidural...but at this point I was so exhausted and just worn out that I didn't feel like I had the strength to go au naturale.
Once that kicked in, I could finally RELAX and things moved fast!
((A HUGGGEEE gorgeous flower arrangement arrived from our amazing friends!!))
🌸🌸🌸
1245pm I was almost completely effaced and told my doula to head on over!
By 230 I was at 10 cm and ready to go!
We let Reese labor down and started pushing at 3pm
This was my favorite part because it felt like I could finally do something!
I had a good amount of time between contractions so I could rest. Since I wasn't in pain, I was talking, laughing and just enjoying the process
We had a nice window and it was gorgeous sunny outside! It started to rain coincidently right around the time she was ready to come out!
When she started to get close, they outfitted Rich in a gown and gloves.
He headed down to the business end😜
When she was ready to join the world, Rich reached down and received her. He scooped her right up and put her on my belly.
😍
📌Wednesday Aug 30th we arrived at the hospital to start cervidil. Positive: I was in a huggeee labor & delivery room
Negative: trying to sleep in a labor & delivery bed is like laying directly on a hard metal rack.
I was hooked up to the fetal monitors so movement was pretty restricted. My booty and hips were killing me!
All night I had contractions and tried to breathe through them/listen to my mediation music
📌Thursday Aug 31stAfter sleeping in 30 min bursts all night, I was wiped out!
They brought me breakfast at 8am which I promptly projectile vomited all over the bathroom. I STILL laugh when I think about it because the sheer DISTANCE was impressive
🤢😜 Started pitocin at 9am until 4pm ((translates to strong contractions while strapped to a lot of monitors)
At 5:30pm I still was only 1 cm so they inserted a Foley bulb.
Honestly, this was the most difficult part of the entireeeee process. By far. Extreme cramping and everytime Reesey moved in there...I thought I might literally die. Kidding...but not.
📌Friday Sept 1st Restless all night (my gosh that bed!
👎) At 4am I ate a Gluten free pop tart and it was AMAZING 6:45am back on pitocin
9:45am I was 4-5 cm!!
Doc broke my water
💦(such an odd sensation!!) 10:30 am contractions started getting stronger.
I sent Rich on an errand and as soon as he left, I felt like everything intensified
11:45 Rich made it back and they administered an epidural. Also NOT my favorite part
Originally I didn't want an epidural...but at this point I was so exhausted and just worn out that I didn't feel like I had the strength to go au naturale.
Once that kicked in, I could finally RELAX and things moved fast!
((A HUGGGEEE gorgeous flower arrangement arrived from our amazing friends!!))
🌸🌸🌸1245pm I was almost completely effaced and told my doula to head on over!
By 230 I was at 10 cm and ready to go!
We let Reese labor down and started pushing at 3pm
This was my favorite part because it felt like I could finally do something!
I had a good amount of time between contractions so I could rest. Since I wasn't in pain, I was talking, laughing and just enjoying the process
We had a nice window and it was gorgeous sunny outside! It started to rain coincidently right around the time she was ready to come out!
When she started to get close, they outfitted Rich in a gown and gloves.
He headed down to the business end
😜When she was ready to join the world, Rich reached down and received her. He scooped her right up and put her on my belly.
😍
Officially born at 4:09pm!
8lb 5oz and 20" long
Such a meatball! Haha
No tears! I'm feeling sore and tender but for giving birth yesterday- I feel pretty good!
🙌🏻
8lb 5oz and 20" long
Such a meatball! Haha
No tears! I'm feeling sore and tender but for giving birth yesterday- I feel pretty good!
🙌🏻
The part we didn't plan on... she was whisked away pretty quickly to make sure she was okay. 20 min later she was back on me for some skin to skin... and then off to the NICU for her VIP treatment!
Sad not to have her with us the first night- but we made visits every 3 hours to see her.
📌Saturday Sept 2ndThis morning, she was given the all clear to return to us! Yayyy!
Heart looks great!
Blood sugar looks great!
Cuteness...off the charts
😍heheIt's crazy to see how much she's changed since yesterday! We've been busy loving on her
🍼Can't thank everyone enough for reaching out and offering support!
I wanted to share a little about her name 
🏹🌸
~•~•~•~•~•~ REESE Willow ~•~•~•~•~•~
The amazing thing about being with the person you're supposed to be with...things just click. Whether it's picking out our house or our baby's name, things are easy when you're on the same page.
I had a few baby name guidelines I wanted to follow...
1. Easy to say
2. Easy to spell
3. The name is the name
(Growing up Catherine but Kati (no E) meant constant correcting & explaining when starting the school year, getting a job or anything that involved my legal name/nickname. Love you mom & dad!😜
Not the biggest deal...but we wanted simple)
After we found out we were having a girl, I instantly had a list of potential names. Cora, Sloane, Devon, Dakota...the list goes on.
My top pick was Reese but couldn't for the life of me think of a middle name that flowed. I told Rich...thinking he wouldn't like it or be able to think of a middle name...but to my surprise, he loved it
💗
One night he said, what about "Willow"
Reese Willow!
Instant love!
🏹🌸~•~•~•~•~•~ REESE Willow ~•~•~•~•~•~
The amazing thing about being with the person you're supposed to be with...things just click. Whether it's picking out our house or our baby's name, things are easy when you're on the same page.
I had a few baby name guidelines I wanted to follow...
1. Easy to say
2. Easy to spell
3. The name is the name
(Growing up Catherine but Kati (no E) meant constant correcting & explaining when starting the school year, getting a job or anything that involved my legal name/nickname. Love you mom & dad!
😜 Not the biggest deal...but we wanted simple)
After we found out we were having a girl, I instantly had a list of potential names. Cora, Sloane, Devon, Dakota...the list goes on.
My top pick was Reese but couldn't for the life of me think of a middle name that flowed. I told Rich...thinking he wouldn't like it or be able to think of a middle name...but to my surprise, he loved it
💗One night he said, what about "Willow"
Reese Willow!
Instant love!
If you know me, I'm all about...soft, feminine, gentle. It has a graceful, ethereal vibe. It's a nod to our love & appreciation of nature. And...my favorite part...
Willow trees have been known for their healing properties.
They are strong but flexible. When things get tough, no matter how bad they seem, she can weather the storm without breaking and bounce back.
They are RESILIENT, beautiful, graceful, strong, whimsical, and offer a magical creative space, and stand in a class of their own
💖Anyyyywhoo- just wanted to share a little about this peanut's name!!
Next time I post, it should be with her on my outside! Haha
You know me- I love stories! If you have a special meaning behind your baby's name, please share.
