Hi there,
We appologize for the late entry, but life as you know it can get pretty busy when you're getting ready to head home with your newest addition. Picking up where we left off, Camden did indeed survive the circumcision...as did his daddy who was given the ultimate task of "sugar water soother" while the doctors did what they do best. He passed with flying colors and much to dad's amazement, it was the best circumcision he's seen done yet (out of 2). The beauty of it all, was that after something so traumatic as having your privates trimmed, your child tends to go into self repair mode. In that I mean he basically shut himself down for about 12 hours to reel back from the mini surgery, only waking up long enough to grab a quick snack from the dairy bar. If only they made something like that for toddlers that came in candy form...there are days most of us would be the first in line to buy it just for a few hours of peace and harmony.
Things after that went along fairly well. Mom and baby were getting their schedules down, we were roommateless, and we were on track to go home. That night, the nurse comes in and says Camden is looking a little "orange" around the gills, so they recommended a blood test to see if he was getting as juandiced as he looked. A few hours later, his #'s came in below the mark that would have sent him to a 4 hour tanning session...so we dodged that bullet as well. We decided not to rush home and stay the extra night.
Of course our lucked changed and we received another roommate. A college aged lady giving birth to her first boy and boyfriend in tow. Didn't take a rocket scientist to see she was quite unprepared for what to expect...for us it's pretty much old hat thankfully. She stayed only a few hours until another room adjacent to us opened up completely. Evidently the couple in that room found out that we were all getting roommates that night and bolted as fast as they could. That night i didn't get the luxury of a real bed and had to use the cot instead. I probably should have taken the mattress and just thrown it on the floor vs sleeping with the metal bar under my hips all night. I'll have to remember that for baby #4.
The next day mom was wiped out, so we let her rest for a few hours and took our time packing up. By 6pm, we finally had the carseat adjusted so Camden wouldn't become a projectile object in the unfortunate event of a car accident. We said our goodbye's to the nursing staff...many of them telling us to look them up in 2 or 3 years when we return. It's really a win win situation for us whenever we deliver. Nurses love us because we're fun, sassy and self sufficient outside of drug dispensing. We love them because they actually stay and TALK with us...vs just stopping by for meds. They also give us alot of leeway in what we can and can't do which makes our resort stay just that...the best it could be for what it is.
I'm told that we're not keeping the blog up now that we're home, so I believe this will be our last entry. If that changes, we'll let you all know. We'd like to thank everyone that's been following the blog for updates, and hope to see you all very soon once the "quarantine" has been revoked in a few days. Again we appologize for not taking any visitors during our hospital resort stay or shortly thereafter, but the protection of mom and baby from that terrible stomach virus going around was top priority. I'm sure most would do the same in our position.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Feb 8, 2008 - Life at Fletcher Allen Hospital resort
Hello again folks!
Life at the hospital (which Rebecca calls her 4 day resort vacation) is going very well. The nursing staff is top notch as always, and they cater to pretty much every whim. Not only do they supply the pain meds (not for me unfortunately), but also help us to obtain more important things like a private double room (more on that later). When we arrived on the maternity ward early Thursday morning, the floor had so many deliveries that day that we had to bunk in with another woman. Initially we tried to let her sleep since it was only 1:30am, but in the world of newborns, time is relative. Eventually our neighbor threw open her curtain divider and said hello. She was very nice, but mostly redneck and extremely chatty. All in all though, she made our stay a bit more enjoyable for the 12 hours we were together. She went home mid afternoon on Thursday.
So back to the double private room. As with most maternity wards, you either get a smaller private room yourself, or a larger double room where you constantly take the risk of having a roommate. In the past two deliveries (Lily and Quinten), we were always able to snag a double room with no roommate...which equates to a bed for me! This time we weren't initially as lucky, but after chatty cathy roomie left for home, we put on the Ascoli charm and was able to get them to "silently" block off the room for just us. Not sure how that works, but my guess is that we're sociable, low key, crack jokes whenever possible, and sass the nursing staff in such a way that they enjoy us enough to "bend the rules". That also goes for the surgical staff...rule #1: never piss off your surgeon...they just might flinch with the scalpel, or tatoo their name on your belly with the closing stiches. Anywho...for last night and so far today, even with a lot of new babies arriving on the floor, they have yet to bunk us up with an unknown. God love the powers of persuasion...in whatever form they come in.
Camden is really starting to like the breast (what man doesn't) and he's really coming along with the breast feeding. Initially he had an aversion to the left one, but would latch on immediately to the right. I told Rebecca she should change flavors on the left side to match the right! Hey you never know...if he could talk, it would make the whole process a lot more productive, and a hell of a lot more interesting! But it's amazing how much of breastfeeding is rather instinctual, and mom and baby are both learning to accomodate eachother's little ideosyncracies.
By day, the maternity ward is fairly busy with the flutter of lots of incoming babies and nurse staff to help them all out. By night, the floor is EXTREMELY quiet...and most of the time, it appears that only the Ascoli parental units are brave enough to pace the floor in order to soothe their newborn. Throw in a pedometer and you have yourself a mini "walkathon". Chances are BOTH of us will leave this hospital a little lighter just due to lack of sleep and lots of exercise.
Rebecca is now totally off any "prescription" pain meds and has been up and walking since 6 hours post surgery. That's a record for her, and probably a record for most post c section moms. You can hear the nurse staff whisper to eachother as we walk by..."didn't she just come out of the c section surgery this morning? Wow...now that's recovery!" Even we're amazed at how quickly she's out and about and how little pain she's in. Hang on, I need to knock on something made of wood...
As for sleep deprivation, that's pretty much at a maximum as we take shifts walking the halls. Unfortunately for mom, Camden is quite aware of her presence even after breastfeeding, and won't take "No" for an answer to the question of "More please?" Right now there's no milk to be given (usually takes a few days to come in) so he gets a small dose of cholostrum which doesn't really satisfy his big appetite. He'll just have to deal with it for a bit longer...in the end he'll get what's coming to him and then some :-)
We were able to get a few hours of sleep between us in hourly increments which feels great while you're snoozing...but waking up after anything more than a 10 minute catnap is painfull. Groggy doesn't even begin to describe the feeling, especially after Camden breastfeeds, which in the early stages feels more like chomping than sucking I've been told. The closest I came to that was putting his naked body against my bare chest for warmth and the cuddle factor. Anyone coming through the door would have sworn I was trying my hand at breastfeeding...but I know better than to tempt fate.
Tomorrow is the big day for the ol' circumcision. As with the last child (Quinten), I always attend the amputation ritual. I won't ask my child to go through something like that all alone, if I'm not even willing to witness the event. So I'll keep him company and watch with scientific interest (and a little pain in my lower nether regions) as they perform the minor surgical procedure. If you've never seen it done, it's worth your time...quite fascinating if you can get over the phantom pain that hits below your waist as you watch...
That's all for now but do take a peek at the new pics we've posted. Thanks for reading and as always, please post any and all comments on the blog. We'd love to hear from you!!!
Life at the hospital (which Rebecca calls her 4 day resort vacation) is going very well. The nursing staff is top notch as always, and they cater to pretty much every whim. Not only do they supply the pain meds (not for me unfortunately), but also help us to obtain more important things like a private double room (more on that later). When we arrived on the maternity ward early Thursday morning, the floor had so many deliveries that day that we had to bunk in with another woman. Initially we tried to let her sleep since it was only 1:30am, but in the world of newborns, time is relative. Eventually our neighbor threw open her curtain divider and said hello. She was very nice, but mostly redneck and extremely chatty. All in all though, she made our stay a bit more enjoyable for the 12 hours we were together. She went home mid afternoon on Thursday.
So back to the double private room. As with most maternity wards, you either get a smaller private room yourself, or a larger double room where you constantly take the risk of having a roommate. In the past two deliveries (Lily and Quinten), we were always able to snag a double room with no roommate...which equates to a bed for me! This time we weren't initially as lucky, but after chatty cathy roomie left for home, we put on the Ascoli charm and was able to get them to "silently" block off the room for just us. Not sure how that works, but my guess is that we're sociable, low key, crack jokes whenever possible, and sass the nursing staff in such a way that they enjoy us enough to "bend the rules". That also goes for the surgical staff...rule #1: never piss off your surgeon...they just might flinch with the scalpel, or tatoo their name on your belly with the closing stiches. Anywho...for last night and so far today, even with a lot of new babies arriving on the floor, they have yet to bunk us up with an unknown. God love the powers of persuasion...in whatever form they come in.
Camden is really starting to like the breast (what man doesn't) and he's really coming along with the breast feeding. Initially he had an aversion to the left one, but would latch on immediately to the right. I told Rebecca she should change flavors on the left side to match the right! Hey you never know...if he could talk, it would make the whole process a lot more productive, and a hell of a lot more interesting! But it's amazing how much of breastfeeding is rather instinctual, and mom and baby are both learning to accomodate eachother's little ideosyncracies.
By day, the maternity ward is fairly busy with the flutter of lots of incoming babies and nurse staff to help them all out. By night, the floor is EXTREMELY quiet...and most of the time, it appears that only the Ascoli parental units are brave enough to pace the floor in order to soothe their newborn. Throw in a pedometer and you have yourself a mini "walkathon". Chances are BOTH of us will leave this hospital a little lighter just due to lack of sleep and lots of exercise.
Rebecca is now totally off any "prescription" pain meds and has been up and walking since 6 hours post surgery. That's a record for her, and probably a record for most post c section moms. You can hear the nurse staff whisper to eachother as we walk by..."didn't she just come out of the c section surgery this morning? Wow...now that's recovery!" Even we're amazed at how quickly she's out and about and how little pain she's in. Hang on, I need to knock on something made of wood...
As for sleep deprivation, that's pretty much at a maximum as we take shifts walking the halls. Unfortunately for mom, Camden is quite aware of her presence even after breastfeeding, and won't take "No" for an answer to the question of "More please?" Right now there's no milk to be given (usually takes a few days to come in) so he gets a small dose of cholostrum which doesn't really satisfy his big appetite. He'll just have to deal with it for a bit longer...in the end he'll get what's coming to him and then some :-)
We were able to get a few hours of sleep between us in hourly increments which feels great while you're snoozing...but waking up after anything more than a 10 minute catnap is painfull. Groggy doesn't even begin to describe the feeling, especially after Camden breastfeeds, which in the early stages feels more like chomping than sucking I've been told. The closest I came to that was putting his naked body against my bare chest for warmth and the cuddle factor. Anyone coming through the door would have sworn I was trying my hand at breastfeeding...but I know better than to tempt fate.
Tomorrow is the big day for the ol' circumcision. As with the last child (Quinten), I always attend the amputation ritual. I won't ask my child to go through something like that all alone, if I'm not even willing to witness the event. So I'll keep him company and watch with scientific interest (and a little pain in my lower nether regions) as they perform the minor surgical procedure. If you've never seen it done, it's worth your time...quite fascinating if you can get over the phantom pain that hits below your waist as you watch...
That's all for now but do take a peek at the new pics we've posted. Thanks for reading and as always, please post any and all comments on the blog. We'd love to hear from you!!!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Feb 6, 2008 - Camden Arrives?!
Afternoon ya'll! Here's the skinny on the whirlwind of events that has taken place over the last day.
First, lets talk about mismanaged scheduling. We were initially slated to deliver on Friday February 8th. A few days prior, the registration desk at the hospital calls to tell us that we're all set for Thursday, February 7th. WOAH!!! Hold the phone baby...that's not right. An hour of battling it out with the hospital, ends with the delivery date holding steady for Thursday. Ok, we can deal with it. It's baby #3 and we've been down this road before...no sweat. Wednesday rolls around, and mom has been dealing with cramps for the last day and they're getting worse by the minute. We head to the hospital fighting near zero visibility from the snow storm ... but arrive safely. It's now 7:00pm, mom is dialated to 4cm, and the docs decide to do the c section a day early. So much for a "scheduled" c section!!!
At 10:37pm, Camden Isaiah Ascoli was brought into this world, weighing in at a whopping 7 lbs, 10.5oz and 20 inches long. He came out super blue in color with the cord wrapped tightly around his body, and had sucked on a little too much fluid. The nurses suctioned him for quite a while until his color started to return, and then they spent the next hour making sure his lungs were clear enough to avoid a 4 hour stint in the NICU.
Thankfully, his grunt sounds were not because of lung distress, but just because he wants to be heard. Trust me, he'll need a good set of lungs to survive growing up with Lily and Quinten. As of noon on Thursday, Camden is adjusting to his new life quite well. Mom and dad are super tired, but very excited that the newest arrival is safe and sound. Enjoy the pics!
First, lets talk about mismanaged scheduling. We were initially slated to deliver on Friday February 8th. A few days prior, the registration desk at the hospital calls to tell us that we're all set for Thursday, February 7th. WOAH!!! Hold the phone baby...that's not right. An hour of battling it out with the hospital, ends with the delivery date holding steady for Thursday. Ok, we can deal with it. It's baby #3 and we've been down this road before...no sweat. Wednesday rolls around, and mom has been dealing with cramps for the last day and they're getting worse by the minute. We head to the hospital fighting near zero visibility from the snow storm ... but arrive safely. It's now 7:00pm, mom is dialated to 4cm, and the docs decide to do the c section a day early. So much for a "scheduled" c section!!!
At 10:37pm, Camden Isaiah Ascoli was brought into this world, weighing in at a whopping 7 lbs, 10.5oz and 20 inches long. He came out super blue in color with the cord wrapped tightly around his body, and had sucked on a little too much fluid. The nurses suctioned him for quite a while until his color started to return, and then they spent the next hour making sure his lungs were clear enough to avoid a 4 hour stint in the NICU.
Thankfully, his grunt sounds were not because of lung distress, but just because he wants to be heard. Trust me, he'll need a good set of lungs to survive growing up with Lily and Quinten. As of noon on Thursday, Camden is adjusting to his new life quite well. Mom and dad are super tired, but very excited that the newest arrival is safe and sound. Enjoy the pics!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Feb 6, 2008 - Day before Camden's arrival
Hello! This is big sister Lily!
Tomorrow Camden arrives!!!! We are all very excited :~) Mommy is still running around with her head cut off trying to get everything ready for his arrival. Daddy says she's making up things to do - but mommy insists they need to get done. I'm just staying out of the way!
Because of that horrible stomach virus going around, which my family has already experienced, mommy and daddy have decided that there will be no playdates until our family is settled at home. Mommy argued that it was going to hurt some people's feelings not to be allowed to visit them in the hospital, but Daddy said they would understand. He said they would know it wasn't personal and that the decision had been made to protect mommy's and baby's health.
Mommy thought for a while how we could keep those we love updated throughout her hospital stay. She came up with this blogspot. She says we are going to keep the site posted with updates and pictures. That way everyone can see mommy, the baby and daddy whenever they want!
Nana and Poppa arrive today to watch Quinten and me while mommy and daddy are away. I can't wait to spend time with them. I told mommy and daddy not to worry, that I would be good and help out with Quinten. Maybe we'll make COOKIES!!!!
Stay tuned......
Lily
Tomorrow Camden arrives!!!! We are all very excited :~) Mommy is still running around with her head cut off trying to get everything ready for his arrival. Daddy says she's making up things to do - but mommy insists they need to get done. I'm just staying out of the way!
Because of that horrible stomach virus going around, which my family has already experienced, mommy and daddy have decided that there will be no playdates until our family is settled at home. Mommy argued that it was going to hurt some people's feelings not to be allowed to visit them in the hospital, but Daddy said they would understand. He said they would know it wasn't personal and that the decision had been made to protect mommy's and baby's health.
Mommy thought for a while how we could keep those we love updated throughout her hospital stay. She came up with this blogspot. She says we are going to keep the site posted with updates and pictures. That way everyone can see mommy, the baby and daddy whenever they want!
Nana and Poppa arrive today to watch Quinten and me while mommy and daddy are away. I can't wait to spend time with them. I told mommy and daddy not to worry, that I would be good and help out with Quinten. Maybe we'll make COOKIES!!!!
Stay tuned......
Lily
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