ivy is so lovely. I know it's jumping the gun but I'm already looking forward to her saying some darndest things.
― estela, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 04:35 (ten years ago) link
Awwww she's gorgeous!!
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 19 November 2013 05:11 (ten years ago) link
http://www.funtasticecards.com/postcard/images/congratulations-baby-crawling-01.gif
― Homo schaduwkabinet (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, 19 November 2013 05:34 (ten years ago) link
http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/congratulations-new-baby-girl--azaleas-carol-senske.jpg
― Homo schaduwkabinet (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, 19 November 2013 05:35 (ten years ago) link
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW http://thejuxtapositionape.blog.com/files/2011/09/Aaliyah-288x192.jpg
― Homo schaduwkabinet (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, 19 November 2013 05:37 (ten years ago) link
Carl finally got to hold Ivy!
― Jeff, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 06:13 (ten years ago) link
:))))))))))))
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 19 November 2013 06:16 (ten years ago) link
So glad everything went well. Congratulations and welcome to the world, Ivy!
― Madchen, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 07:12 (ten years ago) link
While it is true I don't know a thing about neonates, that beautiful babby looks fully formed to me! How much did she weigh? She doesn't look like a premie at all, good job Carl for an excellent babby baking project.
― quincie, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:06 (ten years ago) link
She weighed in at a scrappy 4 pounds, 1 ounce (1840 grams for you metric ppl), which is small for a newborn and a little small for her gestational age (we were really hoping she's top 5 pounds). But at almost 35 weeks, babies look like babies. They just aren't as plump since the last 5 weeks are dedicated to fattening up and learning how to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.
She definitely feels mini when I hold her, but the last newborn I held was NA's daughter but that was three years ago and she was tall so I really have no frame of reference.
Anyway the next goal is for her to start showing interest in nursing. I'm going to be allowed to get up and move around once I'm disconnected from all these tubes so I plan to spend a lot of time with her and I'm hoping being around her food source will encourage that.
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:18 (ten years ago) link
Does she have a white board? You can list out her goals for her ;)
I'm thinking the smell of peanut butter will certainly arouse her appetite.
― quincie, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:19 (ten years ago) link
how long before we learn if she prefers hot vs. cold
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:28 (ten years ago) link
She definitely prefers hot. She already hates winter.
― Jeff, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:29 (ten years ago) link
lol
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:32 (ten years ago) link
She was pretty content stretched out under the heat lamp.
― carl agatha, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 14:41 (ten years ago) link
have any cubs fans asked you if she's named after the outfield walls at wrigley?
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 16:35 (ten years ago) link
They have not. I've considered that association when picking the name, but it really did not factor in.
― Jeff, Tuesday, 19 November 2013 17:37 (ten years ago) link
Been dying to get online and get on this thread, no wifi, traveling...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! She is so beautiful!!!!!! Oh so happy for you both!!
― *tera, Friday, 22 November 2013 01:25 (ten years ago) link
Kind of offline lately (and waiting for another straggling baby in chicago), realized I had not heard news about carl's junior yet, then noticed this thread. Congratulations, good on both of you.
― joygoat, Friday, 22 November 2013 06:04 (ten years ago) link
lol @ "carl's junior"
― Geoffrey Schweppes (jaymc), Friday, 22 November 2013 06:07 (ten years ago) link
<3
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 22 November 2013 06:10 (ten years ago) link
congratulations carl !
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Friday, 22 November 2013 18:34 (ten years ago) link
What a beauty!! Congrats Carl and Jeff. YOU MADE A HUMAN
― woah did you see that hummingbird over there? anyway, meth (sunny successor), Saturday, 23 November 2013 07:05 (ten years ago) link
argh why did I not have this thread bookmarked, belated congratulations to the three of you!!
― mh, Monday, 2 December 2013 16:22 (ten years ago) link
BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BABY!!!
― combination hair (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 2 December 2013 16:45 (ten years ago) link
Ivy's 4 lbs 10 oz! And no more feeding tube! Yesterday I got to see her face without a tube taped to it for the first time since the three seconds they kind of waved her in front of my face on the way to the NICU the day she was born and I am confident saying that she is a really good looking baby.
We're engaged in "kangaroo care" as I type this, which today involves her farting* on me a lot and it is like the best thing ever.
*let's be real she's totally sharting.
― carl agatha, Monday, 2 December 2013 16:56 (ten years ago) link
Also thank you all for the kind words!
― carl agatha, Monday, 2 December 2013 16:58 (ten years ago) link
I've always loved the idea of k-care, and I love that you're doing it!
― Tottenham Heelspur (in orbit), Monday, 2 December 2013 17:04 (ten years ago) link
what's that?
― sweat pea (La Lechera), Monday, 2 December 2013 17:05 (ten years ago) link
skin-to-skin. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/childrens-hospital/health-info/ages-stages/baby/hic-Kangaroo-Care.aspx
My Australian bride gave our two kids kangaroo care, but it was mostly teaching them how to fight with their feet.
― pplains, Monday, 2 December 2013 17:09 (ten years ago) link
It's when you put the baby bare chested on your bare chest (well sort of bare since there are people in here). It helps preemies regulate breathing, heart rate, and temperature and also just makes them feel better because they are getting lots of human contact, which they don't really get enough of. Also makes me feel better.
xp
― carl agatha, Monday, 2 December 2013 17:11 (ten years ago) link
ahi am totally not up on the lingoi would have called that "holding yr baby"!
k-care sounds like obamacare to me! lolanyway glad everyone is feelin good and eating and not wearing any tubes and on the way to the rest of your lives!
― sweat pea (La Lechera), Monday, 2 December 2013 17:15 (ten years ago) link
The bare skin contact is the differentiator between k-care and holding the baby.
I love the origins of kangaroo care. It's so simple but so effective and so logical. Babies like being held! Fancy that.
It also gets me right in the feelings area, sort of like how I cry every time I read about the wire monkey/cloth monkey experiment.
― carl agatha, Monday, 2 December 2013 17:16 (ten years ago) link
oh, man. that robot monkey mama.
― pplains, Monday, 2 December 2013 17:20 (ten years ago) link
what's the monkey thing now?
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Monday, 2 December 2013 17:57 (ten years ago) link
do I wanna read up on this while at work?
Does Jeff do the skin to skin thing too? I've seen dads do it and I also think it's v awesome and important and omg at yr little sharting baby. <3
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Monday, 2 December 2013 17:58 (ten years ago) link
wire monkey/cloth monkey experiment
Uh, I had to stop reading when I got to the part about keeping the monkey infants in complete isolation for up to 24 months. Those poor lil guys! :(
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Monday, 2 December 2013 18:02 (ten years ago) link
Oh, this is where people are talking about Ivy! It was a hard thread to find b/c ILP doesn't show up in SNA.
Anyway, happy baby to you.
I learned about the monkey deprivation experiment in psych class, but I guess I forgot the 0_o terminology of it, which I guess I won't share here, but yikes. (Just Google Harry Harlow if you're interested.)
Also lol My Australian bride gave our two kids kangaroo care, but it was mostly teaching them how to fight with their feet.
― disgruntled punter (Je55e), Monday, 2 December 2013 19:01 (ten years ago) link
ILP doesn't show up in SNA.
It does if you tell it to.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Monday, 2 December 2013 19:07 (ten years ago) link
Heyo so some of you know that Ivy finally came home last Thursday! While she was still in the hospital, it almost felt like I was still pregnant (but not) or at least expecting so it seemed somehow appropriate to keep posting here but now that she's snortling and grunting away right here at home, I'll take Ivy-related posts to the parenting thread and the rolling photo quarantine so as not to monopolize this thread.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
― carl agatha, Monday, 9 December 2013 15:42 (ten years ago) link
ps How's it going, Madchen?
― carl agatha, Monday, 9 December 2013 15:43 (ten years ago) link
Just little things for me really. Mum had peripheral neuritis both after my sister and I were born, which is unusual enough in new mums for my consultant not to have come across it before, so I'll be kept in and observed for a couple of days after the birth just in case. White blood cell count is slightly raised, which can be a sign of infection or DVT, but I have neither so they're going to do more bloods in January and see what happens. Four dizzy spells: three at home and one on the station platform, for which I've been given iron tablets. Apart from that... indigestion, bump ache and APPALLING snoring which keeps poor Stet awake all night long.
In summary: could be so much worse.
― Madchen, Monday, 9 December 2013 18:43 (ten years ago) link
The snoring! It is a real thing. I also had a terrible drooling problem. At the end I slept with a washcloth under my face.
I hope everything is okay with the post-partum observation. They'll let the baby stay with you, right?
― carl agatha, Monday, 9 December 2013 18:56 (ten years ago) link
Not sure yet if they have a separate room for the babbies or cribs on the ward - need to check that out. Also, as it's wards of four, it's not a compulsory stay and the hospital's only five minutes away, if it's noisy or stressful I can always check out and be under my own observation. But good to know there's a bed booked if I need it.
― Madchen, Monday, 9 December 2013 19:23 (ten years ago) link
So, er, I'm 33 weeks pregnant and on crutches. On the way downstairs to breakfast on Saturday morning I missed the last step and rolled my ankle so badly I heard the ligaments crunch. Felt no pain initially, but knew it was bad so shrieked for Stet who called the ambulance. Don't remember much - I wasn't responding at one point - but oh my god the agony. Thank goodness the paramedics brought gas and air, so I tooted on that for the next couple of hours... It's pretty good stuff.
No fracture, but tons of swelling and one weird circular bruise on the sole of my foot. And when my ankle isn't above the height of my hip it hurts like bejimminy. I declined the offer of a cast because I really need to be as mobile as possible and start doing physio exercises right away to give myself a decent shot at an active labour. So instead I have a gloriously stylish NHS grey plastic boot to match my NHS grey crutches.
Half my Christmas shopping remains unshopped and our trip to Glasgow has been cancelled. Hey ho.
― Madchen, Monday, 23 December 2013 19:48 (ten years ago) link
And crutches are a *bastard* at the best of times. When you're 25lb heavier than usual it feels like doing push-ups wearing an army backpack.
― Madchen, Monday, 23 December 2013 19:51 (ten years ago) link
Oh my god that's awful. I'm glad it wasn't worse but damn. Just reading that made me cringe in pain.
I hope you heal rapidly and thoroughly!
― carl agatha, Monday, 23 December 2013 19:53 (ten years ago) link
Oh geez, what unlucky timing! But hopefully your super-charged baby-making body will heal up in record time. Take care and best wishes for a speedy recovery!
― quincie, Monday, 23 December 2013 23:08 (ten years ago) link
Glad it wasn't worse is very much how I feel. I mean, it's crap and it's horrible and it's painful but ... I slipped on the bottom step rather than the top one, and I landed on my arse rather than my head.
― Madchen, Tuesday, 24 December 2013 19:02 (ten years ago) link