First week with Gabriella

Gabriella enjoying her naptime

Daddy and Gabriella at 3:30 in the morning, I had to capture this

Gabriella's first outing to the peditrician

Striking a pose

Gabriella at 1 week old

Gabriella's Birth Story

Let me first start out by saying that despite the way things turned out during my delivery I feel very blessed and even though my birth plan went out the window I have my beautiful sweet girl and that is what makes me incredibly happy. Some things are inevitable and that is one thing I learned in this process.
Gabriella Reese Collazo was born on Monday September 14, 2009 at 3:26AM. She was 8lbs 9oz and 20 inches long. The Saturday prior to this, Nunie and I decided to go to the outlets in Spring to walk all day. I wanted to progress a little more before my induction which was supposed to be the following Wednesday. We were at the outlets all day long and I got about 6-7 hours of walking. When we were driving home I started getting crampy but of course I was getting excited because I thought something must be happening. I cramped all night and also started spotting. This continued all day Sunday. However , one thing that I had noticed is that I hadn't felt baby move all day, even after meals. At 4pm I decided to call the hospital and they told me to go in so I could get hooked on the monitor and check everything out.

We arrived at the hospital and they got me all hooked up to the fetal monitor. The nurse also mentioned that I was probably going to be admitted. Although I was ready to have the baby I wasn't prepared to be having it that day or the next. The doctor came in and told me I would be staying since I was overdue and I was going to be induced that coming Wednesday anyway. And to add on they weren't too comfortable with baby's heart rate. The doctor told me I was going to be put on Cervadil to soften my cervix and we would start pitocin in the morning. Nunie left to get him something to eat and to make things worse he got Chipotle-my favorite. I was being tortured since I hadn't eaten since 2pm and it was nearly 8pm by now.

At 9pm they put in the Cervadil and I couldn't use the restroom for two hours-that was pretty hard to do! The nurse continued observing the monitor and then she came in and said I was going to get my IV just in case and they were still a little worried about the heart rate. I was then taken to get an ultrasound to see the baby's movement. After about 15 minutes we finally saw her move....we were getting pretty scared by this time. In the meantime we called our parents and let them know we were at the hospital but nothing was going to happen until the next day.

When I went back upstairs the on-call doctor came in and said that she was going to break my water...oh and contractions had started soon after the Cervadil was placed and with every contraction baby's heart rate would drop even more. When they broke my water I heard the doctor say "oh oh its Mec" she was talking about having Meconium in the water which means that baby was distressed. She then told us she was sorry but this had to result in a c-section (my biggest fear). She said she didn't feel comfortable with me laboring and baby being distressed. For some reason when they told me I was going to have a c-section I never once felt fear. I had this peace come over me and I was very relaxed. I think Nunie was very nervous we were going to the OR and about baby's condition. We called our parents and told them the status. My parents rushed to the hospital but by the time they arrived we were already in the OR. The anesthesiologist soon came in and gave me the epideral which was no big deal...it probably had to do with my contractions not being full-blown. My doctor was called and she arrived in a heartbeat.

I was taken to the OR and Nunie was brought in. The c-section was not bad at all. I could feel a little pressure and I could hear my doctor saying "there's a leg" "she's a big baby" "oh oh here she comes" and then I immediately heard Gabriella's cry. I just remember them immediately taking her away. This is another part that makes me very sad. Nunie wasn't able to cut the cord and she wasn't able to be placed on my chest. I know that these are the little things that really don't matter and her health was everyone's priority, but its something I would have wished for. Nunie left to go see Gabriella and then they both came in. They showed her to me and she was just crying.It was so beautiful to see her. I was overwhelmed with emotions. I couldn't believe I was finally holding my baby! I must have seen her for about two minutes and then didn't see her again for 16 hours.

Gabriella was put in the NICU because she couldn't maintain her body temperature (it was too low) and her heart rate was still low. I didn't know none of this. I was taken to recovery and there I was thinking after an hour they were going to take her to my room. I was then taken to my post partum room and Nunie came in. It was about 6:30am. They told us they would take her to our room later. We fell asleep and after we woke up that's when we found out that Gabriella was going to stay there for a little while longer. I wasn't allowed to go see her because I had to continue staying in bed to recover. Finally at about 7pm I was told that I could go see her. Nunie took me to the floor where she was at and I was able to see and hold my baby girl for the first time. She was in NICU for two nights and then got discharged to the regular nursery. The doctors indicated that sometimes it takes some babies longer to transition into their new environment especially with a (c-section) and to rest assure Gabriella is perfectly healthy little girl.

I on the other hand felt great right away. I had a really good experience with my c-section and the pain was never much more than discomfort even though I haven't taken my medication every few hours. I really didn't want to become too dependent on them and I've done fine since day one. I showered on my own since the second day after my surgery, walked just fine, and have had a lot of energy. I feel blessed to feel this way so I can take care of my sweet girl. To top it off I only have 10lbs left to shed.

This was a very difficult time for both Nunie and I. We never imagined that our birth story was going to turn out this way. It was a very scary experience. Those two nights were very hard and we were shedding tears instead of rejoicing. We really didn't know how serious her condition was but being first time parents everything seemed intensified. It meant the world to us for those of you who were constantly calling to check up on our status and even more for those who visited us at the hospital. Sure you couldn't see the baby because she was in NICU but Nunie and I needed everyone's support. This is the time when you realize who is really behind you.

Although my experience was not anything like I planned, I wouldn't change anything as long as Gabriella had a safe arrival. Being a mom is such an amazing feeling and this is only the beginning!

Welcome to the world Gabriella Reese!

Our baby girl Gabriella Reese Collazo arrived on Monday September 14, 2009 at 3:26am. She weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 20 inches long. She is beautiful and we are absolutely in love with her. She looks just like her daddy as the ultrasound pictures indicated...she's perfect! She loves to sleep on daddy's chest and hold on to his finger really tight...she's already a daddy's girl:) I constantly catch myself just staring at her and trying to take it all in, what can I say she's amazing. I cannot believe she's mine and she's here. We had been anticipating her arrival for 9 long months. I love you so much Gabriella, you have completely stolen mommy's heart forever!
It's been an eventful past few days at the Collazo's but so worth it. My Mom has been such a blessing in helping us so much. She has came over to cook and help us clean and even spent the night here last night so Nunie and I could catch up on some sleep:) I will post my crazy birth story once I have a chance to do so, that's if Miss Gabriella allows Mommy some time.

Gabriella is being evicted!

I had an ultrasound yesterday at my dr's appointment and like always everything looks great and healthy, which of course is our main concern. Fluid levels are good, the placenta looks good, baby's heartbeat is good, my weight has tapered off at 32lbs, and my blood pressure is good. With that being said, we're waiting until next Wednesday and if nothing happens by then, I'm being induced. So at least there's an end in sight. Gabriella looks nice and cozy in there. She was estimated to weight 8lbs 3 oz., so we'll see how accurate that really is. She has really chubby cheeks and was sucking her thumb-can't wait to hold her!
When the doctor checked I was 1 whooping cm dilated, and she stripped my membranes to see if that would help with progress. I was a little crampy afterwards, but that's it. This is all for now...We'll post an update if anything happens before then. It really feels like I'm supposed to be pregnant forever:)

Here's a list I found that I thought was a little amusing about what not to do/say to a pregnant woman...enjoy!

Dear Non-Pregnant Person, I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an ass.

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it. The same goes for the name of the baby.

4) The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about to pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance, and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!".

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.



I hope this helps- it sure makes us feel better.

Signed,

All Pregnant Women

40 Weeks

Well my huge boobs continue resting on my over sized belly and I still can't see my feet. Yup, I'm still very much pregnant! Oh and as if I'm supposed to be overjoyed, today is my due date. Happy Due Date to me-not! This will be a very short post since I obviously don't have much to report. I've been feeling menstrual-like cramps since Thursday, but I'm sure that is nothing. Oh and one more thing. I'm not a believer of the "full moon theory" anymore. Thanks full moon, I saw the way you gazed into my eyes as if saying "haha, you're still pregnant". Ok that's enough for now. I think I will go find me something to eat-something comforting that is:)

We've got a stubborn little one.....

There wasn't much progress at yesterday's appointment. I still have not dilated and my cervix is still very "high"...ugh!I'm getting a little impatient, but most of all I fear to be induced or even worse to have a c-section. I really want to experience a natural or (vaginal) birth, but I guess in the grand scheme of things that doesn't really matter as long as baby and I are healthy. I'm still coughing like crazy so maybe its for "a reason" that my body is not doing what its supposed to.
I have an appointment next Wednesday, where I'm having an ultrasound done to determine what to do next. If baby is not too big and everything looks fine, she's going to let me go for another week and see if I can go into labor on my own. However, if baby is big we're going to start talking about a c-section.

I'm not overly uncomfortable in fact I'm still sleeping like a baby other than waking up to the bathroom every couple of hours. I'm up and walking with my students all day long and feel fine. The only thing bothering me is my cough-its a little draining because after a while I get a bad headache from straining myself. I feel no aches or pains so I'm not complaining. If I knew I would have an uncomplicated vaginal birth I promise I would remain patient. Its just running out of options that frightens me. I really hope its not in the genes. My mom had to have 3 c-sections because her pelvis bone was not wide enough to have her deliver vaginally- I'm still crossing my fingers this is not my case.
Either way we've done and will be doing everything to make this baby come soon. Some suggestions have been:
1. Have lots of sex- done
2. Eat spicy food- done
3. Walk-done
4. Sorry TMI-nipple stimulation-done

Believe me I will be out and about this Friday-its a full moon. Come on Gabriella, do it for Momma!