Esme had her one month doctor's appointment today and she is growing very quickly! Our main pediatrician is Dr. Vincent Serafino. We also see Dr. Cambria.
Her birth stats were as follows:
Weight: 8 pounds 9 ounces (85th percentile)
Length: 20 inches (72nd percentile)
Head circumference: 36.5 cm (85th percentile)
At her first appointment (8 days old):
Weight: 8 pounds 14 ounces
Length: 21.5 inches
Head circumference: 37 cm
One month appointment (5 weeks and 2 days):
Weight: 10 pounds 10 ounces (68th percentile)
Length: 21.5 inches (38th percentile)
Head circumference: 37 cm (24th percentile)
I calculated these percentages myself so I had no idea they had changed so much until now! Her percentiles have dropped a lot but the doctors told me she was progressing at a normal rate. We will see what happens at her 2 month appointment in March!
I asked Dr Serafino about the dry bumps on her face and he recommended that I start putting Aquaphor on her face twice a day. He said it is normal baby acne and should go away soon. I have already been using Eucerin (at Dr Cambria's suggestion) on her skin. It was VERY dry for a while but has cleared up quite nicely! She is a beautiful baby.
After lots of debate and lots of reading, we have decided that Esme should get her vaccinations. She received her Hep B vaccination at the hospital but I wanted to do a little research into the vaccines before she had more. I was always pretty certain that I would have her vaccinated but felt that I needed to at least look into why some parents choose not to vaccinate. It is a hotly debated subject these days and it is best to be educated!
I found a lot of information on thimerosal an ingredient in some vaccines, and it's possible link to autism. There is a lot of debate as to whether it does cause autism but I think in this case it is better safe than sorry. The concern is that thimerosal contains mercury and mercury could be linked to autism. I decided that Esme does not need to receive vaccinations that contain thimerosal, especially when there are vaccines that don't contain it and never have.
Most vaccines have been revamped and are "thimerosal free." The problem with that is that the drug admin (or whoever) decided that "thimerosal free" means that the drug contains trace amounts of thimerosal. I think I read that it these vaccines are made with thimerosal but by the time it is complete most of the thimerosal has been removed from them. Anywho, I don't see any need to take a risk with these drugs. A trace is a trace and I would prefer to use the ones that have ZERO thimerosal.
Vaccines that do not contain ANY thimerosal and never have will be labeled "preservative free." I have obtained a list of the vaccines that are preservative free and will be requesting certain brands be used on Esme. I have a list for anyone who is interested! She can have all of her shots- I just want to be careful which ones she gets. This means she probably wont be getting any flu shots (although I have heard that there are now some flu shots that are preservative free) but I have never had any and I am doing ok!
Esme received her 2nd Hep B shot at her appointment today.
A blog dedicated to all things Esme, Noah and Baby!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Week 5
I cant believe that Esme is 5 weeks old already! She has grown so much in such a short space of time. It excites me but it also makes me sad that my baby is growing up so fast. Before we know it she will be walking and talking! One thing is for sure...I am not going to wish her away! She can take as much time as she needs- we are in no hurry.
Esme's nickname is Peepers. Stephen started calling her that very shortly after she was born. It all started because we would both say "Look! Her peepers are WIDE open!" Ez has very big eyes and she is always looking around and following object. She is a little sponge as absorbs everything!
Here is a great picture of her big peepers (and a smile too!):
Ez had a slight case of baby acne but it is pretty much cleared up. Now all we have to worry about is her scratching herself. I keep her nails short but somehow she still manages to gouge her little face! We better be careful or her new nickname will be scarface ;)
Esme has always been very good at holding her binky. She loves it so much she doesn't want to risk losing it! She amazes us everyday because she seems to know how to hold it in place. Sometimes she even rips it out of her own mouth...and that doesn't go down very well!! I was against the use of pacifiers at the beginning but now I realize that they are lifesavers!
Ez and her beloved bink:
The biggest milestone this week is that she has graduated from Newborn size clothes into 0-3 month clothes! She can still wear some of her newborn clothes as it is only the length that is becoming a problem.
Here is Ez in her 0-3 month size Ellie pajamas from her Godmama Abbie:
Esme is also becoming the queen of the pouty lip. When she gets upset she sticks her bottom lip out as far as it can go. If that doesn't work she resorts to louder ways of protest! :)
Esme's nickname is Peepers. Stephen started calling her that very shortly after she was born. It all started because we would both say "Look! Her peepers are WIDE open!" Ez has very big eyes and she is always looking around and following object. She is a little sponge as absorbs everything!
Here is a great picture of her big peepers (and a smile too!):
Ez had a slight case of baby acne but it is pretty much cleared up. Now all we have to worry about is her scratching herself. I keep her nails short but somehow she still manages to gouge her little face! We better be careful or her new nickname will be scarface ;)
Esme has always been very good at holding her binky. She loves it so much she doesn't want to risk losing it! She amazes us everyday because she seems to know how to hold it in place. Sometimes she even rips it out of her own mouth...and that doesn't go down very well!! I was against the use of pacifiers at the beginning but now I realize that they are lifesavers!
Ez and her beloved bink:
The biggest milestone this week is that she has graduated from Newborn size clothes into 0-3 month clothes! She can still wear some of her newborn clothes as it is only the length that is becoming a problem.
Here is Ez in her 0-3 month size Ellie pajamas from her Godmama Abbie:
Esme is also becoming the queen of the pouty lip. When she gets upset she sticks her bottom lip out as far as it can go. If that doesn't work she resorts to louder ways of protest! :)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Milestones weeks 1-4
Since the day we brought her home Esme has been an amazing sleeper. She started off going to bed around 10 and waking up once at about 3:30 am. The most she ever woke up in one night was twice and the second time was at 530 am so I am not sure it that even qualifies as a night time wake up! She would wake up again around 8 am for a feed and diaper change and then go back to sleep until 930 or 10 am.
Her sleeping patterns just kept getting better. For a while she was going to bed at 11 pm and waking up at 530 for a feed and change and then would sleep in until 8 am or so. AMAZING!
Two days before her 4 week old birthday, Miss Esme started sleeping through the night! She sleeps from 11 pm until 730 am and falls right back to sleep after her feed until about 10 or 11! She is sleeping as I write this and it is 11:34! There was one night that she reverted to the 530 am wake up but she has been sleeping until 7 regularly! She must know how much Mommy and Daddy like their sleep!
She has the funniest sleeping position! She always sleeps with her arms above her head in "field goal" position! We think it is the most adorable thing in the world!
She makes the most hilarious faces. My favorite face is the face she makes when I burp her. She crinkles her forehead and lets out the cutest little sigh...It is hard to capture on camera (it looks like I am strangling her!) but we tried. I like to call it her Soprano face because she reminds me of Silvio when she makes it...
Sometimes we think she is smiling but it may just be gas! Whatever it is, it's cute!
Esme did not like taking baths at first. She would scream so loud and hard that it almost made me cry! I don't like causing her discomfort but I also like a clean baby! It took a few weeks but now she is very content in the water. She loves the tub Grandma Julie got her! This is how she reacted to baths at first:
and this is how she reacts now:
Ez was born with two birthmarks. They are stork bites (little red marks) and will go away over time. The one on the small of her back is very noticeable but it took a few baths before Grandma Julie and Mommy noticed the one on the base of her neck...her thick head of hair hid it!
Another big event was our first walk! I carried her in our ErgoBaby carrier and I LOVE it. It gives support to the back and has lots of storage pockets. It definitely beats getting the big pram out! There is a walk along the edge of the golf course that sits across from our apartment building. We didn't get very far as it was sunset and had to turn back but it was still very enjoyable!
This was the view of our apartments with Manhattan in the background:
Mommy and Ez on the walk:
Her sleeping patterns just kept getting better. For a while she was going to bed at 11 pm and waking up at 530 for a feed and change and then would sleep in until 8 am or so. AMAZING!
Two days before her 4 week old birthday, Miss Esme started sleeping through the night! She sleeps from 11 pm until 730 am and falls right back to sleep after her feed until about 10 or 11! She is sleeping as I write this and it is 11:34! There was one night that she reverted to the 530 am wake up but she has been sleeping until 7 regularly! She must know how much Mommy and Daddy like their sleep!
She has the funniest sleeping position! She always sleeps with her arms above her head in "field goal" position! We think it is the most adorable thing in the world!
She makes the most hilarious faces. My favorite face is the face she makes when I burp her. She crinkles her forehead and lets out the cutest little sigh...It is hard to capture on camera (it looks like I am strangling her!) but we tried. I like to call it her Soprano face because she reminds me of Silvio when she makes it...
Sometimes we think she is smiling but it may just be gas! Whatever it is, it's cute!
Esme did not like taking baths at first. She would scream so loud and hard that it almost made me cry! I don't like causing her discomfort but I also like a clean baby! It took a few weeks but now she is very content in the water. She loves the tub Grandma Julie got her! This is how she reacted to baths at first:
and this is how she reacts now:
Ez was born with two birthmarks. They are stork bites (little red marks) and will go away over time. The one on the small of her back is very noticeable but it took a few baths before Grandma Julie and Mommy noticed the one on the base of her neck...her thick head of hair hid it!
Another big event was our first walk! I carried her in our ErgoBaby carrier and I LOVE it. It gives support to the back and has lots of storage pockets. It definitely beats getting the big pram out! There is a walk along the edge of the golf course that sits across from our apartment building. We didn't get very far as it was sunset and had to turn back but it was still very enjoyable!
This was the view of our apartments with Manhattan in the background:
Mommy and Ez on the walk:
The first few weeks & Breastfeeding
I hear stories from my friends about their first weeks with a baby and thank goodness that Ez is such a good baby! I haven't found myself crying on the living room floor or stressing out about her tears (she rarely cries). I have found myself unable to take my eyes off of her...she is perfect.
Stephen and I always thought that people with children were a little...odd. Their lives seemed to be about their kids and nothing else. And while I can't say that we completely understand the way some couples with children behave, we do have a bit more of an understanding.
One of our biggest fears was turning into that couple that thinks they are more important than everyone else because they have a baby. We are not more important just because we managed to reproduce- plenty of people do it. There have been moments since Esme was born where just for a second I thought I should get special treatment because I had an infant but somehow I managed to keep my pre-baby head screwed on tightly. I still believe that most parents out there think they have the right to do whatever they want- hog the sidewalk or grocery aisle, expect preferential treatment in lines, etc. People without children have things to do and places to be too!
We also wanted to try and make sure that our life kept some form of pre-baby "normalcy." We want to keep traveling and doing things spur of the moment. That is who we are. We do realize that things will have to be a bit more planned out, but we still plan on seeing everything there is to see. The main difference is that we will have a baby strapped to our back (or front)!
Ok...on to the important things!
My Mom was a godsend for the first few weeks of Esme's life. She was a cooking, cleaning, cat feeding, baby snuggling machine! She completely spoiled us and we will be forever grateful. I have always felt that my Mama lived and breathed to be a mom. She poured every ounce of love she had into me and I always knew (and still know) that I was her life's greatest love. It is amazing to see that same love she has given me all of my life passed on to Esme. I don't think there is a baby in this world that is loved by her grandma the way my mom loves Ez.
We are very lucky that my Mom has agreed to come back to NJ for a while to watch Ezzy while I am at school. So Mama, if you're reading this, please know that I mean every word of what is written above. We love you so much and cannot possibly tell you how much all of your help and support means to us. You are the best!
BREASTFEEDING. Anyone who knows me knows that I had absolutely no intention to breastfeed. I thought it was a wonderfully beneficial thing for those people willing to do it, but not for me. SURPRISE, SURPRISE, look who's breastfeeding!! I did a lot of research about the benefits of breastfeeding prior to Esme's birth but was still not convinced that it was something I was prepared to do. I have always found it a little creepy and had issues with people breastfeeding in public and I still feel that way. I don't like seeing women whip their breasts out at the dinner table or train- I believe it is a private, personal matter between a mother and child that doesn't need to be shared with strangers.
I do not nurse in public (in fact, I nurse only a few times a day) and get the majority of my breastmilk from pumping. I am really glad that I have been able to find a way to breastfeed that I am comfortable with. Pumping allows me to extract milk in the privacy of my own home and still be able to go out and about with the baby. A mother's milk is so much more nutritious for the baby and the human body amazes me with its ability to change the milk based on a baby's specific needs. I am so glad I made this decision and can always say that I made the healthiest choice for Esme!
Stephen and I always thought that people with children were a little...odd. Their lives seemed to be about their kids and nothing else. And while I can't say that we completely understand the way some couples with children behave, we do have a bit more of an understanding.
One of our biggest fears was turning into that couple that thinks they are more important than everyone else because they have a baby. We are not more important just because we managed to reproduce- plenty of people do it. There have been moments since Esme was born where just for a second I thought I should get special treatment because I had an infant but somehow I managed to keep my pre-baby head screwed on tightly. I still believe that most parents out there think they have the right to do whatever they want- hog the sidewalk or grocery aisle, expect preferential treatment in lines, etc. People without children have things to do and places to be too!
We also wanted to try and make sure that our life kept some form of pre-baby "normalcy." We want to keep traveling and doing things spur of the moment. That is who we are. We do realize that things will have to be a bit more planned out, but we still plan on seeing everything there is to see. The main difference is that we will have a baby strapped to our back (or front)!
Ok...on to the important things!
My Mom was a godsend for the first few weeks of Esme's life. She was a cooking, cleaning, cat feeding, baby snuggling machine! She completely spoiled us and we will be forever grateful. I have always felt that my Mama lived and breathed to be a mom. She poured every ounce of love she had into me and I always knew (and still know) that I was her life's greatest love. It is amazing to see that same love she has given me all of my life passed on to Esme. I don't think there is a baby in this world that is loved by her grandma the way my mom loves Ez.
We are very lucky that my Mom has agreed to come back to NJ for a while to watch Ezzy while I am at school. So Mama, if you're reading this, please know that I mean every word of what is written above. We love you so much and cannot possibly tell you how much all of your help and support means to us. You are the best!
BREASTFEEDING. Anyone who knows me knows that I had absolutely no intention to breastfeed. I thought it was a wonderfully beneficial thing for those people willing to do it, but not for me. SURPRISE, SURPRISE, look who's breastfeeding!! I did a lot of research about the benefits of breastfeeding prior to Esme's birth but was still not convinced that it was something I was prepared to do. I have always found it a little creepy and had issues with people breastfeeding in public and I still feel that way. I don't like seeing women whip their breasts out at the dinner table or train- I believe it is a private, personal matter between a mother and child that doesn't need to be shared with strangers.
I do not nurse in public (in fact, I nurse only a few times a day) and get the majority of my breastmilk from pumping. I am really glad that I have been able to find a way to breastfeed that I am comfortable with. Pumping allows me to extract milk in the privacy of my own home and still be able to go out and about with the baby. A mother's milk is so much more nutritious for the baby and the human body amazes me with its ability to change the milk based on a baby's specific needs. I am so glad I made this decision and can always say that I made the healthiest choice for Esme!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Mommy's Neurosis
Our first week together was a bit stressful as we had a crazy full house. Great Grandma Marcia and Great Grandpa Glen, Grandma Julie and Brent were all staying with us, not to mention our 5 cats, Mommy and Daddy!
We had a lovely first Christmas- a big turkey dinner and lots of presents! A lot of Esme's presents weren't wrapped but we don't think she noticed. Stephen and I got each other a video recorder so that we can start recording cute things Ez does...we just need to get a memory card! We were able to take about 15 seconds of her on Christmas morning and the internal memory was full!
Four Generations
I always knew I was going to be a neurotic mom. When Esme was 4 days old, her umbilical cord had almost completely fallen off. This stressed me out because my baby instruction manual (yes, the hospital gave me an instruction manual!) clearly stated that the cord would fall off in 7-10 days. 4 does not equal 7-10! It also said that if there were any wet bits or any sign of an odor that I should rush her to a doctor immediately. The cord was dangling by a thread, was slightly sticky and had a very faint odor. So what did I do? I followed instructions! I started crying, packed the baby up and rushed to the ER! I was convinced that I was clearly an unfit mother and must have done something wrong or failed to wash the cord area properly.
The ER was full of ailing, hacking people. Stephen and I sat on the far side of the room in an effort to keep her away from as many germs as possible but, as you can imagine, being in this festering germ pool stressed me out even more! To make matters worse, the doctor pretty much laughed at me and told me there was nothing to worry about! She gave ma an umbilical care paper and sent us packing, telling me having the baby in the ER was far worse than her belly button falling off prematurely!
Ezzy's umbilical cord fell off on day 5.
I felt silly but still feel the $75 ER co-pay was worth the peace of mind. We never received a bill though so maybe they took pity on this silly new mom? Fingers crossed
She had her well baby check up when she was 9 days old. The doctor said she was perfect and that she was clearly gaining enough weight- the scale said she already weighed 9 lbs (with diaper) and was 21.5! This was quite a leap in weight as she was discharged from the hospital at 8 pounds 2 ounces and 20 inches.
Two days after the well baby check up I called and scheduled an emergency appointment with the pediatrician! Ez had a bit of goop in one eye and I was sure it was conjunctivitis. It wasn't. Apparently newborns can get clogged tear ducts and you need to massage the inside of the bridge of their nose....my manual said nothing about this! ;) They also weighed Ez and she was 8 pounds 10 ounces with her diaper on. The pediatrician said the other scale must have been off and that this was a more correct weight- that newborns should gain 1/2 an ounce to an ounce a day and a previous weight of 9 pounds would have meant she had gained almost 2 ounces a day!!
Moral of the story: Ez has a lifetime of frivolous doctor's appointments ahead of her! Better safe than sorry!
We had a lovely first Christmas- a big turkey dinner and lots of presents! A lot of Esme's presents weren't wrapped but we don't think she noticed. Stephen and I got each other a video recorder so that we can start recording cute things Ez does...we just need to get a memory card! We were able to take about 15 seconds of her on Christmas morning and the internal memory was full!
Four Generations
I always knew I was going to be a neurotic mom. When Esme was 4 days old, her umbilical cord had almost completely fallen off. This stressed me out because my baby instruction manual (yes, the hospital gave me an instruction manual!) clearly stated that the cord would fall off in 7-10 days. 4 does not equal 7-10! It also said that if there were any wet bits or any sign of an odor that I should rush her to a doctor immediately. The cord was dangling by a thread, was slightly sticky and had a very faint odor. So what did I do? I followed instructions! I started crying, packed the baby up and rushed to the ER! I was convinced that I was clearly an unfit mother and must have done something wrong or failed to wash the cord area properly.
The ER was full of ailing, hacking people. Stephen and I sat on the far side of the room in an effort to keep her away from as many germs as possible but, as you can imagine, being in this festering germ pool stressed me out even more! To make matters worse, the doctor pretty much laughed at me and told me there was nothing to worry about! She gave ma an umbilical care paper and sent us packing, telling me having the baby in the ER was far worse than her belly button falling off prematurely!
Ezzy's umbilical cord fell off on day 5.
I felt silly but still feel the $75 ER co-pay was worth the peace of mind. We never received a bill though so maybe they took pity on this silly new mom? Fingers crossed
She had her well baby check up when she was 9 days old. The doctor said she was perfect and that she was clearly gaining enough weight- the scale said she already weighed 9 lbs (with diaper) and was 21.5! This was quite a leap in weight as she was discharged from the hospital at 8 pounds 2 ounces and 20 inches.
Two days after the well baby check up I called and scheduled an emergency appointment with the pediatrician! Ez had a bit of goop in one eye and I was sure it was conjunctivitis. It wasn't. Apparently newborns can get clogged tear ducts and you need to massage the inside of the bridge of their nose....my manual said nothing about this! ;) They also weighed Ez and she was 8 pounds 10 ounces with her diaper on. The pediatrician said the other scale must have been off and that this was a more correct weight- that newborns should gain 1/2 an ounce to an ounce a day and a previous weight of 9 pounds would have meant she had gained almost 2 ounces a day!!
Moral of the story: Ez has a lifetime of frivolous doctor's appointments ahead of her! Better safe than sorry!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Esme's Birth
This blog is for Esme.
Esme Jean Bailey was born on December 20, 2009 at 9:39 am. She was 8 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches long.
I arrived at the hospital (in the middle of a blizzard!) at 3:30 am after a day of sporadic contractions. We had to get to New York City from Bayonne, New Jersey which meant we had to go through the Holland tunnel. When we got to the tunnel...it was CLOSED! My mom (who was driving while Stephen was recording my contractions in the back seat) called 911 and told them that I was having contractions 4 minutes apart and that we had to get through the tunnel right away. I don't know if it was our call or dumb luck, but the tunnel was open in a matter of minutes and we were on our way!
I had been having random contractions for a few days and I expected them to tell me that I was having false labor and that I would have to go home. They checked me and discovered that I was already 4 cm dilated and in active labor...I had to stay! They hooked me up and put a monitor on my stomach so that they could keep an eye on Esme as well.
I never expected contractions to hurt so much! Everyone always says that labor is the most pain you will ever experience but I was skeptical. It's the truth! I don't handle pain very well in the best of circumstances and this was absolutely unbearable! When the Dr came in and told me that the anesthesiologist was on an emergency C-section and may be away for hours, I was horrified. My mom had to keep reminding me to breathe because I was holding my breath every time I had a contraction and it wasn't good for the baby. It turns out the anesthesiologist was done sooner than anticipated and in no time he was there to administer my epidural. He was an angel sent from heaven...and I told him as much! The pain was gone and I felt great.
I started to get worried when the doctor came in and told me that Esme's heart rate was high and they might have to put little monitoring caps on her head if it didn't slow down. The normal heart rate for babies when mom is in labor is 120-160. Esme's was running between 150-200. The doc told me that she may just be excited- that some babies just react differently to stress than others and not to worry. I was worried! As a result, my blood pressure, which is normally on the low side, shot up to the high end of normal.
Dr. Shulina, my doctor, was not on call the day that Ez was born. Instead, Dr. Huang, one of 4 doctors in the practice was there to deliver Esme. She was amazing! She decided to break my water and put me on petocin to get things moving. Within a few hours I was 8 cm and 100% effaced. I started feeling a lot of painful pressure to push shortly after they checked me and knew that the baby was coming at any minute! About 45 minutes later I told Dr Huang that I was ready to push. She checked me and, sure enough, it was time! I pushed for around 30 minutes and there she was! Absolutely PERFECT.
My mom and Stephen were both in the room with me and were a lot of help during the delivery. I wasn't sure how Stephen would react to the blood, etc. but he did extremely well and even cut the umbilical cord!
I can't even explain the wave of amazement that hit me when they placed her little body on my chest. I always assumed I would cry because I am such an emotional person but the truth is that I was too amazed to cry. I couldn't stop looking at her. She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It wasn't until I could see that Stephen was getting emotional (he would be horrified to learn that wrote that!) that I started to cry. We did it. We brought a little life into this world and we instantly knew that our lives were going to be better for it.
The rest of the stay in the hospital was pretty uneventful. I had to stay two nights and was pretty bored. The nurses were great help and taught me a lot about how to care for a newborn and even took her for an hour or two each night so that I could get some sleep. Stephen, my mom, Grandma Marcia, Grandpa Glen and Grant all came for a visit at the hospital.
Grandma Marcia Jean and baby Esme Jean
Grandpa Glen singing Esme a dutch lullaby
Grandma Marcia Jean and baby Esme Jean
Grandpa Glen singing Esme a dutch lullaby
The hospital had a lady come in (optional) and take pictures of Esme when she was one day old. They turned out beautifully and we are thankful we had them done...even if they charged us an arm and a leg for 7 pictures!!!
Before we left the hospital, Esme had to have blood taken for her PKU tests. Stephen and I wanted to be with her so we followed her into the nursery. This was a mistake for me! They started poking her feet with what looked like a staple gun and squeezed her blood out. She was crying violently and it really upset me. Seeing her little chin quiver broke my heart. I was sobbing uncontrollably and had to leave her with Stephen. This was the first time my mothering instinct kicked in. Seeing someone (even if it was just a nurse doing her job and even though I knew it was for Esme's benefit) hurt my baby was the most painful thing I have ever witnessed. I just want to protect her.
We were discharged from the hospital on December 22. Stephen and my Mom picked us up and we set off to start our new life as a happy little family!
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