Labor and Delivery and Post Pardom

My contrations started Sunday (7/20) around 2:00. Craig and I were at the hospital ealier that morning due to a false alarm. To be blunt - I thought my water broke but it didn't. Apparently when you are 9 months preganat with a 9 pound baby in your belly it easy to pee your pants and not even know it.

The contractions started getting intense around 5 or 6:00. Craig was timing them and by 10:30pm they were about 5 mins apart and lasted 45 sec to a min. I was in enough pain to take a second trip to the hospital. After the 3rd phone call that day to the Dr he meet us at the hospital again and said I was in labor!! After being sent home ealier that day slightly embaressed and disappointed that we weren't going to meet our baby as soon as we thought I was thrilled! At the point I was 90% effaced and 1.5 centimeters dilated.


The Dr broke my water and started potocin. I was in the labor and delivery room for about 45 mins before the anistialogist came in to give me the epidural. The contractions were so strong and intense I was wincing and almost in tears from the pain. I give every woman who delivers naturally so much credit and respect them on a whole different level. Once the epidural kicked in the pain was almost non existent comparatively.

Unfortunately I had to have a c section. I had one long contraction that pushed Karter down the birthing canal. There was a cord wrapped around his neck and we watched his heart rate drop from 130 to 60. About 10 doctors rushed in and I almost had to have an emergency section. It was so frighten not knowing what was going on.... his heart rate came back up and they stopped the potocin. After 3 hours the Dr re assessed the situation and thought a c section was the safest thing for me and Karter. Craig was behind the curtain with me holding my hand and supporting me the whole time. Within 30 - 40 mins we heard Karter's cry and got to bond with him after the Dr checked him out. He scored a 9 out of 10 on the apgar. They don't give 10 so Karter was as healthy as they get!!

Craig and I we then brought up to the 9th floor to recover for the next 4 days. We had a corner room with a flat screen tv, room service and nurse service with a push of a button. We were treated like gold and the nurses were so informative and helpful. I had a great experience at the hospital. They even offered a bath class and breast feeding class.

Thanks everyone who came by to meet Karter!

Home from the Hospital!

We finally got home Friday with Karter! On the way home we stopped at Petco and picked up some treats and bones for Lionel to soften the blow of having to share our affection with someone else. Karter slept the whole way home and actually seemed to like the car. Although it may have been that Craig was driving 10 miles an hour below the limit the whole way home...


The first day alone with Karter was a bit overwhelming. I was an emotional roller coaster with feelings of joy, then anxiety, then joy, then anxiety...you get the picture. I found myself crying for no specific reason but it wasn't any surprise since I knew I had a serious lack of sleep and raging hormones running through my body. The first night went well despite the fact that he woke up every 2 hours to feed. And when I say well I mean he fell asleep when I put him in the co sleeper and I was able to get an hour and a half of sleep in between feedings. My standards for sleep have seriously changed these days...


Saturday the visiting nurse came over for and hour to check Karter out and spoke to Craig and I about newborn care. She was very informative and really helpful. Sometimes you just need to hear from someone else that things are okay before you can relax. Barb and Joe came by with lunch and watched Karter so Craig and I could nap - which was definitely well needed and appreciated.


Last night went even better than the first. Karter slept for 4 hours from 10:30 - 2:30, which amazed us, then woke every 2 hours after that. I am feeding him every 2 hours during the day and trying to keep him awake as often as I can so he'll take his "long" nap during the night. I'll let you know how that works out.....


The biggest challenge so far is changing a diaper without getting peed on. On average he has pees on me, himself, the wall, floor - anything in a 1-2 foot radius once a day. If anyone has any advice please let me know your secrets. I asked Craig to go to Babies R Us to look for a pee guard - if it even exists. It turns out it does...it's call the "wee-block", and we now own it.


Karter let's us know when he poops. He works really hard right before and you can hear the explosions from the other room! It's really amazing how loud they are...


So we're taking one day at a time and seem to learn something new about our boy every hour at this point. We're fascinated with his faces, his noises, and even the fact that he's finally here! You wait for 9 months and when it finally comes it's hard to believe. Most importantly though, we've never been happier and are so excited for everything that lies ahead.

Welcome Karter!

Hi Everyone - this is Craig making my first post on the blog! As my first official post, I knew it would have to be a good one, and I think this announcement qualifies!

Karter Joseph Maslowsky was born yesterday morning, July 21, at 4:41am. He was 8lbs 12 oz and 20.5 inches long. He made quite an entrance too - I think the entire hospital heard him letting us know he was out!

Everything was set into motion Sunday morning. We had a false alarm and headed to the hospital, just to be sent home because we were told Danielle was barely dilated and basically that this wasn't going to happen on it's own too soon. For this reason, we were pretty confused when Danielle started having contractions. By 10pm Danielle was having regular, and pretty painful, contractions every 3-4 minutes and we knew this was the real thing. The doctor finally believed me after the 3rd call that day and we headed in.

At the hospital, we were told that things had progressed throughout the day and the doctor recommended we get things started and "augment the labor", or accelerate the process. I'll let Danielle give you the specifics, since she's the one who experienced it first hand, but it was quite a ride. Danielle did an unbeleivable job and worked so hard Sunday night into Monday morning. I was very proud of how she handled the whole situation and how well she did. From my perspective, it was scary, exciting, emotional, and surreal all at the same time.

The end result was everything we had hoped for though, and Karter is an amazing little guy and in our eyes (and I think his grandparents and aunts and uncles too) he's the most perfect baby we've ever seen. We can't wait for you all to see what we mean first hand, but you can start with the pictures I've included.

Thanks for all of your advice and support along the way. We hope to see you soon!

Let Nature Take its Course

I spoke to the Dr and told him I would prefer to wait a week to see if nature will take its course. The new game plan is - if I don't go into labor on my own: Thurs - Ultrasound and Dr Appt Tues - Hospital to get my cervix ripened Wed - Potocin to start the contractions.

A few possibilities for the baby to share the same birthday with some close friends and family:

July 20 - Uncle Jimmy and Frank Lavaia
July 21 - Judd
July 22 - Vanessa Galvin
July 26 - Iris Foster
July 31 - Craig (Dad)

Aug 7 - Stacey (Aunt) - Barb's (Grandma) due date was July 22 with her so you never know

If I missed anyone's birthday let me know. Please don't take offense - I'm lucky if I remember my own birthday...

Decisions.. Decisions

Craig and I just did some research on inducement and found that:

• 40-50% of inductions fail and either result in the woman being sent home or ending up in the operating room for a cesarean section. In fact, 44% of those who are induced end up with a cesarean, as opposed to only 8% of those who start labor spontaneously.
• In addition, certain techniques, including Pitocin can cause strong contractions and can occasionally hyperstimulate the uterus, which can stress your baby.

I also spoke to Melly Bonita who did a lot of research on her own and told me about her personal experience and encouraged me to think twice about getting induced so quickly. She recommended waiting at least a week to see if the labor will start on it's own.

I'm going to take Melly's advice and wait at least a week (one week past my due date). This is the longest my Dr and Brigham and Womens hospital will let a women go past her due date. I said from the beginning that delivering vaginally is very important to to me so why increase the chances of having a c section. I'm going to call my Dr tomorrow and let him know that I want to put it off a week.

Dr Appt 7/17

I just got back from my appointment and there has been no progress since last week - still not dilated or effaced. The Dr recommended I get induced on my due date - Tues 7/22. I will get an ultrasound on Monday to make sure everything is ok with the baby.On Tues I'll go to the hospital have my cervix ripening - sounds pleasant.. If this procedure is successful, which will result in a partial cervical effacement and dilatation, I'll go to the hospital on Wednesday to get injected with Pitocin to start my contractions and hopefully deliver our baby sometime Wednesday or Thursday!

Dr Appt 7/10

I went to my appointment on Thursday and there wasn't any progress from last week. I am still not dilated or effaced (thinning of the cervix so the baby can drop into the pelvis). My Dr thinks I may go past my due date. If this is the case I'll have to get induced. I'll find out more information next Thurs, if I don't have the baby before then, wishful thinking.

Only 9 more days until my due date!

Training to be a Good Dad

Craig is brushing Lionel's teeth with peanut butter toothpaste training to be a good father. Lionel seems to like it!

Dr Appt 7/3

So this is what 8 1/2 months pregnant looks like for all of you who were wondering...

I am now going to weekly doctors appointments. Prior to today's appointment, I thought that I might go into labor tomorrow because if so, there would be no route to the hospital from our apartment- a difficult ending to make up for the ease of my pregnancy to this point! Storrow and Memorial Drive are closed due to the 4th of July celebration with the Pops and fireworks. Luckily though, I have nothing to worry about because I am 0 centimeters dilated. The Dr said that means the likelihood of going into labor before my next appointment in a week is very slim.

Craig and I are ready to have the baby, hopefully before my due date. We just the got the car seat installed by the Cambridge Police department, the co-sleeper arrived yesterday and we did a load of wash for the baby and packed our bag for the big day. For now it's just a waiting game. I feel like a kid the night before Christmas - so excited and eager that Santa is coming with great gifts. The only difference is that I don't know when Christmas is - one week from now or 4...??