I'm a mom of 3

So much has happened since my last post. 

I gave birth a year ago and I'm still adjusting to having 3 tiny humans. 

It feels like I'm just putting out fires

It feels like I'm the mom of the 3 little pigs- they're constantly making messes because they're building a house out of blankets, boxes or kitchen utensils 

It feels like I'm exhausted all the time 

It feels like my heart may burst from loving them so much 

Beckett is our bonus baby. The pregnancy was incredibly hard, I was out on pelvic and bed rest at 20 weeks when we found out that I had placenta previa. 

After having such a difficult birth with Kai, I felt some sort of relief when I was told that a surgical birth was necessary. 

No inductions, no passing out,  less room for error. 

I learned about gentle cesareans and talked to my dr about it. While the hospital where I delivered doesn't have gentle cesarean procedures in place, they are definitely moving in that direction and were very accommodating. 

The doctors talked to me the entire time during the procedure, they allowed my husband to be there and take pictures (I have a picture of my uterus! 😆), baby never left my side and I was able to start breastfeeding and do kangaroo care right away. 

It was such a beautiful birth and a healing experience for me. 

He was born April 17, 2015 I don't remember the time and he weighed 8lbs 12 oz. 

I'm writing this in between folding laundry and while the kids are watching Pokemon on Netflix. 

My life is not how I thought it should be, I never thought I'd go through infertility for 8+ years, struggle with a gluten intolerance, find out I no longer had a job after the birth of my second baby, go through physical therapy to be able to walk on my own again, post partum depression and a whole lot of other trials. 

My life is amazing though! I've learned so much about myself through those trials, I've learned that I want to be around babies and help caregivers (so I became a Babywearing educator), I learned I have a voice and I am beautiful (so I got involved with a beauty company that vows to uplift, empower and validate women) and I've learned that no matter how many messes my piglets make, this love them more than words can express. 

Today's journey

Sleepy girl
Found a new grey hair
Kai is a teething boy
Iker is a Very Hungry Caterpillar
Huge pile of cereal
Pink smoothie for breakfast
Said smoothie on light colored dress
Quick Change
Late for church
Late for lunch
Friends
Early for dinner
Family
30 minute nap and a poopy diaper
Grilled chicken, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, salad and homemade gluten free bread
Full
Gelato and Flourless chocolate tart
Fuller
Babywearing my baby niece
Drive home
Babies in bed
Ahhhhh!
33 trips around the sun
Blessed...

Strong like the Ocean

Wednesday March 27th we went into North Central Baptist to get induced. My belly was really heavy and at a day past my due date, my amazing Dr. and I decided that if we didn't evict the kiddo, my chances of not being able to have a vag birth increased.
I was anxious, but I am very confident that I chose the right doctor, so I trusted her advice.
We were late, I asked Don to buy me a fruit cup from the hospital cafe and that was breakfast. I had some kind of stomach bug on Monday and Tuesday so that was one of the few things that I had been able to keep in my tummy. Fun times before getting the show started.
Because we were late they gave our room to the lady that was supposed to be induced after us and we had to wait.
We watched Good Morning America and took a bit of a nap in the family waiting area while a room became available for us.
Around 9 am a nurse came to get us. I got one of those plastic bags to place my belongings into and put on an awesome hospital gown.
I handed my birth plan to Willie, the RN in charge. Obviously, I told her that I understood the line where it said 'No Pitocin/ No Stadol' was obsolete since well, we were having an induction. We both laughed and we went through the other items in my birth plan. She said the fact that it was only a page was great and that they would do what they could to honor it.
She asked why I had asked to keep my placenta and I explained that I wanted to have it encapsulated and the benefits of doing so. One of the other nurses whose name I can't recall said that in the 27 years that she had been a nurse only about 10 people had asked for their placenta back. It was a pretty cool moment because having a birth plan allowed me to share a bit of what is important for me. Having a birth plan wasn't about having a perfect birth, for me it was about learning my options and empowering me as a woman.
Pitocin was started around 9:30 and soon after that I was checked. Went from a 3 to a 6, to a 10 and no epidural. I asked my husband what he thought, if I should even have one. I mean, plenty of women give birth without any pain killers. After what seemed forever, but I'm sure was a couple of minutes, I decided to get some help. The anesthesiologist gave me a mini spinal- he said that it was too late for an epidural, but that having the intrathecal would give me some relief. He said that the relief would last about 3 hours, but they didn't think it would take me that long anyhow.
I was really disappointed in myself. I kept apologizing to Donald for being weak, for not being able to do it, for giving up. He was so sweet and told me that I was strong and that I was doing great.
Fast forward about 35 to 40 minutes after the intrathecal and I'm in full blown pain again. I had a check and the Dr. said that I was at an 8 and that our son's face was up; there was also fear of a prolapsed umbilical cord.
 There were lots of details in between that I truly believe if I had a different doctor, things would have been very different. From the instrument that she chose to break my waters to the way that she talked to me and told me to not give up even when things were looking dim.
I was in a lot of pain again and my progress seemed to be not only stalled, but I was regressing.
Dr. Van W tried to repositioned the baby to where he wasn't facing up and put me in the most awkward position, hips up in the air and I wasn't allowed to move, not even when having a contraction.
Did I mention I have a history of hip dysplasia? After 45 or so minutes, I was crying from the hip pain, I asked them to please put my legs down and call the doctor, I couldn't go on...
The anesthesiologist came back and offered to do an epidural, but explained that I had to be very still even when I was having those really terrible shake-inducing contractions. I told him that I would do my best. I made sure that he understood that it needed to be 'watered-down' so that I could still feel my hips and the positioning.
After I was asked to position myself into a ball (easier said than done with a big belly and full on contractions) I asked my husband to call my mother in law, who was at home watching Iker and read to me some reassurances that had been given to me at my blessing-way. She read them on speaker phone and they helped me to be calm enough to ride out the contractions as still as possible.  Dr. Cohen inserted the epidural and I honestly thought that after it went in, things would move faster and we would get to meet our son soon.
I remember looking at the clock in between contractions and thinking that it was my worst enemy.
This is when things start to get blurry. I remember feeling the urge to push and telling the nurses that I needed to poop (keepin' it real!) and they kept telling me to not push.
Willie- the main RN was getting really overwhelmed because she had other patients and I had asked her to help me so many times and looked at her like cattle going to the slaughterhouse that I have no doubt she felt sorry for me and stayed with me longer that she should have.
Shift change took place and I met a new nurse, her name was Liz. Willie talked to Liz and gave her an update and reminded her about the birth plan. We talked (briefly) about my desire to hold my son as soon as he was born and to let the cord drain.
A little bit into the new shift (what time was it? 6 ish?) Dr. Van W came in to check and said that I was as ready as I could be, that if we didn't try to get baby out, there was a chance that the repositioning she had done earlier in the day wasn't going to work, the fear of the prolapsed cord was very real and she said that she was concerned that his shoulders would get stuck. Nonetheless, she told me to be strong and to not give up. I remember yelling at her and saying "Just take me to the OR, having a C section would be less traumatizing for the two of us!". Yep, I yelled that to my doctor, the same doctor that had been hearing from me that I hoped to avoid a C section like the plague.
After I yelled at her, I was in so much pain, I told her I couldn't keep going and she yelled back at me to focus and keep pushing.
She said that she was going to have to use forceps to get him out and that I needed an episiotomy. Those were no nos on my birth plan. I remember screaming NO! as I felt the painful grip of the forceps and the cut of her scissors. At this point the epidural had worn off and I felt everything, I remember looking down and seeing that my son was out, he whimpered and he was moved to the warmer table and greeted by a NICU team, I remember the face of one of those NICU people and thinking to myself 'C'mon dude! You see this all the time!.' His eyes were huge and he seemed really freaked out.
I remember Liz, the RN jumping on the bed on my right side telling me that I could do this.
I remember locking eyes with Donald as if to tell him that he was in charge of making sure that Kai was safe and conveying that responsibility to him.
I remember seeing Dr. Cohen again and not understanding why he was there.
I don't remember much after that.
Donald tells me that my blood pressure dropped. That at some point it was as low as 30/20 and they were about to call a code blue. He told me they pumped ephedrine into me more than once.
Oh! I do remember a really pretty nurse, blonde with gray eyes telling me that she was going to stick me as she put another IV into my right arm.
There was a crash cart in the room.
I remember waking up and telling them that my nipples hurt and the nurses were so confused that they laughed and gave me some cool towels to put on them. Nurse Liz told me that I scared her earlier and told me that I was looking better. When I came back to I asked about my placenta and they said that it was probably tossed during the whole commotion.
Dr. Van told Liz to go look for it right away, but it was too late.
It was never in my birth plan to experience the things that I experienced. But I'm sure glad that I did.
I had been concerned that I would not bond with my son, but I have no doubt that the pain endured served a higher purpose in my case.
I was released from the hospital 3 days after giving birth. I left with a beautiful and healthy baby boy, a numb useless left leg and a walker. Things are looking up and it seems that the nerve damage I suffered during labor due to the weight and positioning of my son may be reversible.
I am using a walker now around the house and trying to take it slow, at home physical therapy begins this week and I can't wait to be able to hold him while standing up (it's the little things!).

Kai Owen Mitchell was born at 7:54 pm on March 27, 2013. He weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 22 inches long.
Kai means ocean, I didn't know why that name came to me in a dream, but after giving birth to him it makes perfect sense.
Kai has already proven to be as peaceful and strong as the Ocean itself.

1 more month

March 26th is my due date. I'm pregnant with baby boy 2 and we are so excited. It's no secret that we struggled with infertility for a long time, so when the baby factory finally started working, we decided to not shut it down. The kiddos will be 22 months apart and we couldn't have planned it better Iker is such a good listener and loves babies; I have no doubt that he will be a fantastic big brother.
Before we enter the realm of a family of 4, I thought I should write down iker's birth story so that when #2 arrives I don't merge the two or mess up the details. We all know that happens, I can't tell you how many times my mom called me my brother's names and the dog's name before actually saying mine! Mommy brain I suppose.
When I was pregnant with Iker, I was told that my glucose levels were high so I was referred to an endocrinologist that specializes on high risk pregnancies. The gestational diabetes was diet controlled and I honestly was so tired of eating, they had me on some crazy amount of food, I had to eat right before bed! I remember my first consult very well because it was on my birthday- April 13. So I celebrated counting grams of protein and pricking my finger.
After many appointments, worrying about paying for all this out of pocket because Don's insurance hadn't kicked it and a couple of additional ultrasounds, we were told that our baby could weigh 10+ pounds.
My original due date was June 9th, but was later changed to June 6th. Dr Murdock- my lady parts do doctor, recommended that I be induced on my due date. Not knowing any better and totally trusting her we agreed.
I went to work on June 3rd, worked a full day, the next day was Saturday and I went swimming, I had been swimming 2x a week for a class at SAC and I really missed it, so I went to my inlaws pool for a while. Sunday I went to church, nothing really out of the ordinary- except for one thing. After dinner at my in laws Rob (Tamara's husband) asked about my due date and so I told him that I was going to be induced the following day, that I was supposed to go into the hospital at 3 pm and they would get started around 6pm.
He then, very calmly and assertively spoke to my very big belly and said to the baby that he was being evicted. To consider that his eviction notice haha! We all laughed!

Around 4 ish am the next day I felt the first contraction, I had no idea what was going on and thought I had gotten 'glutened' because I felt the need to run to the bathroom and I felt like I was going to die!!! After a few more of those pains, I realized DUH! I'm in labor! Don was supposed to go into work at 7 am, so I waited to wake him up just in case it wasn't the real deal, I mean- this was my first rodeo and I had no idea what I should expect. Besides, I had been told, time and time again that a first baby always took forever. Because I knew that Don would be skeptical I downloaded an app on my phone to help me track the contractions. I took a shower, and went back to bed to try to relax. I was sleeping in the guest room at this point because the bed was a lot firmer and more comfortable on my extremely pregnant body and that is how Don was completely oblivious to the first couple of hours of labor. I decided to wake him up around 6:30 am, I told him that I was in labor and just as I expected he didn't believe me so I took out my phone and showed him that I was keeping track of the contractions and how close they were. At that point, I think they were about 10 minutes apart. He called into work and let them know that we were possibly having a baby sooner than the scheduled induction time of 3pm, he had planned on going to work and then we would leave for the hospital. I wanted to wait as long as possible at home, I wish I had drank more water and eaten something, but I was just concentrating on riding out the contractions. Around 9 am, I couldn't wait anymore and asked him to take me to the hospital. At this point my sense of urgency had severely increased, but my lovely husband wanted an orange Julius, so he proceeded to make one before we headed out the door. I should mentioned that the he forgot it in the car when we got to the hospital, so he didn't even drink it. Poor guy!

 I called the dr's office to let them know that I was on my way and when I get there the receptionist asked me if I was sure that I was in labor because most moms can't even talk when they are in labor, part of me wanted to punch her and the other part of me was happy to find out that I wasn't a total wuss. I told her I thought I was and so she sent me back and after getting checked I was immediately sent to Labor and Delivery. I walked over there only to find out that online registration was useless and had to fill out all kinds of paperwork- Again! So I'm 3cm, having contractions super close together and filling out paperwork. It was interesting to say the least. Once I got settled in the room, I decided to ride out the contractions as long as I could on my own, I think it was around 11 that they put an epidural in, as much as I would have loved to just do it naturally, there was a concern about my hips crapping out and having to be wheeled to an OR for an emergency C section. Dr. Murdock agreed on a walking epidural, and although it didn't mean that I could actually go walking after this was done, I could still feel my legs, but more importantly, I could still feel the contractions. Again, I didn't know any better so after a couple of hours of not having things advance as quickly as doctors would like, Pitocin was administered. They assured me and reassured me that it was going to be ok, but I still don't know why I was so uncomfortable with them administering it. The nurses kept telling me that it was going to be a long labor and just to sit back and relax. Boy! We proved them wrong, because around 4pm the nurses came in because they couldn't hear the baby's heartbeat on the monitor, they moved it and moved it and couldn't find it. I pointed out that my belly had shifted down and so one of the genius nurses decided to check the undercarriage and said, "Um, yea. Let me go get a doctor".

 Iker Donald Mitchell was born at 4:23 pm on Monday June 6th of 2011. 8 lbs. 5 oz of pure perfection, measuring at 20 3/4 in. I'm so blessed to be his mom.

Babywearing Educator Certification Goal. Any help is appreciated Peeps!

Friends and Family:

Have you heard of babywearing?

 It is a practice that has gained publicity in recent years because of infant injuries and sometimes death. However, this is due to the incorrect use of carriers and the use of poorly designed carriers. When done correctly, babywearing can provide the perfect opportunity for caretaker and child to bond; allows premature babies and newborns to receive much needed skin to skin contact and helps them regulate their temperature.
Proper babywearing can also help parents to carry on their daily activities with ease and without any bulky equipment like strollers and car seats (outside of the car, of course) that when used too often can be detrimental to the development of the child.

I am writing this letter because as a new mom, babywearing was a lifesaver. I hope that I can help others to understand how important close contact with a baby is and I respectfully ask that you consider my proposal.

I am currently seeking support in raising funds to become a certified babywearing educator so that I can teach parents- new and ‘old’, grandparents and other caretakers to ‘wear’ their babies safely, in a carrier that is comfortable and meets all of their needs.  I am especially passionate about babywearing because as an infant I suffered from hip dysplasia, a condition that could have been corrected by the use of baby carrier that allowed proper spine and hip alignment, and a diaper-like brace.

 To think that my 3 surgeries may have been avoided by using a properly designed carrier is just amazing to me!

Becoming a certified babywearing educator will allow me to teach parents how to ensure that their babies are carried in the best possible way to avoid injury and protect the proper development of the spine and hips.

The class and certification will be offered through a partnership between The Babywearing Institute based in Utah, and San Antonio Natural Parenting.

The cost for the class is of $600; my proposal to you is that if you choose to make a donation to help me pursue this dream of mine, I will teach a babywearing class once I receive my certification to your friends, family or any others who may be interested. I think this can be a fun activity for a baby shower or maybe a private consultation with a mom to be or any mom. Also, keep in mind that babywearing is not limited to newborns. We have gone on many hikes and grocery trips with our 17 month old toddler sleeping comfortably on my or my husband’s back.

I believe that all families can benefit greatly from learning more about this practice and about the many benefits that it can bring.

The deadline for registration is Friday November 9^th.  If you are interested in participating, please let me know as soon as possible.

Should you choose to make a donation and I am unable to raise the full amount, I will return your contribution promptly.

I thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter; I appreciate your time and willingness to help. I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Best Regards,

Denise Mitchell

It's International Babywearing Week Ya'll!

Happy Babywearing Week!!!

If you haven't heard, babies are the latest fashion accesories. Things that may go out of style usually come back in style a little while later. Some of those fashion statements are so ill designed that I really wish they'd never come back, unfortunately even terrible things like high tops and crimped hair show back up.

In the case of 'wearing' a baby, this is a practice that has been done from the beginnings of time and it has only gotten better. 

I grew up in Mexico city and I remember seeing indigenous women with their babies strapped onto their back while selling knick knacks in Coyoacan. I became a mom 16 months and 3 days ago and I can now say that those indigenous women were onto something brilliant. 

My son didn't sleep for the first few weeks, I lie, he did sleep. Unfortunately, he slept at all the wrong times.

I figured out that he would sleep if he was on me though, and so I pulled the Moby wrap that I received as a gift and started wrapping. 

My first couple of attempts weren't so successful, he would cry even before I could put him in the wrap, so I followed the instructions and as long as he was fed and had a clean diaper before I put him in the wrap, then he was a happy baby for HOURS!!! Yes, you read right, HOURS!!!

This picture was taken with my phone when he was 5 days old. And so our babywering journey began.

We live in South Texas, so the Moby was just too hot if I wasn't in a place with AC at full blast, so when we went outside I used a stretchy homemade wrap, the fabric was a lot more breathable than the heavy knit of the Moby. This became our wrap of choice- he loved riding Kangaroo style on mommy. Grocery store, bank, mall, the fair, you name it, we were there. 

This was taken at the Comal Co. Fair in 2011 He was barely 4 months old in the picture. He was able to look around and enjoy the view. Using a stroller would have been nearly impossible, it was so crowded!

Now that I look back at pictures, I can see that the shoulder is not spread out quite right, live and learn... live and learn.

Once the kiddo started putting on the pounds these stretchy carriers were not the best option for us. They were getting uncomfortable, saggy.

It was time to move on to the big leagues. I didn't know what type of carrier to get so I asked one of the my friends from  the local natural parenting group. She was kind enough to meet me and let me borrow her Kozy. 

I loved that thing! It allowed us to keep moving and it was so much easier to use than the stretchy fabric.

I decided to get something else, but still appreciated the comfort and ease of the Kozy Mei Tai. 

We splurged and bought a Boba.

BEST 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIFT EVER!!!!

              

These pictures were taken during our family vacation. We went hiking in Tennessee and South Carolina and enjoyed some ice cream in Georgia. I even went bowling with my son on my back, unfortunately that didn't improve my score (although it didn't really hurt it either), but I can't find a picture. 

The pic at the bottom is epic, we were in a tunnel and it was super dark in there, that is until the flash went off. Look at my eyes!

I am pregnant again and I will soon be getting a wrap. My inlaws recently traveled to Germany and just happened to be staying about 15 minutes from the Didymos store. I will be getting my first wrap sometime this week, just in time for the babywearing celebrations. Am I a lucky girl or what?

This is a Peruvian manta that my boss brought me recently. This picture was taken last week, so even though my son is now a very independent 16 month old, he still likes to be carried by mommy.

So, yes, I have caught the baby carrier bug. There are some beautiful carriers out there, all kinds of different features. The most amazing thing about babywearing is not the fancy carrier, it is about having my baby close to me in a comfortable, healthy position for him and for me too.

Babywearing has been more than helpful, it has been a sanity saver, and I have no doubt that it has helped to forge that parent to child bond because our kiddo feels secure next to us while we out and about having adventures.

Today is Mother's Day

What? It isn't? Yes, it is... for me. Today, a year ago, a sweet baby boy was born. 4:23 pm weighing at 8lbs 5oz, and 20 3/4 in. long. Perfection!
I am perplexed at how fast time is moving, and delighted, grateful, for those lazy moments that we spend together, that seem to go so slow.
What can I say? It's all been said before, "a mother's love" this... "when you are a mom, you'll understand" that... And really, all I can say is that today I am grateful for you.
Dear Iker- I'm grateful for your silliness, for your amazing smile that brightens my day and the day of those around you. My heart melts when you start bobbing your head and dancing the minute you hear music. I love that you sing with me and love to play peekaboo. I am thrilled that you love your daddy, and you look for him the second he steps outside of your gaze. You are adventurous, and brave, and I admire that.
I can go on and on, but the thing I am most grateful for, is the trust that has been placed upon us by Heavenly Father to provide a loving home to you, to give you everything you may need- spiritually and physically.

I don't hope for time to slow down, I want to see you grow. I only pray that I make the time to savor every milestone you reach in each stage of your life. Thank you for making me a Momma.
Happy birthday 'sneaky boy'!
Love,
Denise


NOTE: I cannot believe that I didn't 'publish this post! Oh well.