Meeting The Szems

Last night, Owen met his Uncle B and Auntie S for the very first time...a moment that C was really looking forward to, I mean...it is his big brother after all!

While Uncle B was a little hesitant to hold him, he soon warmed up to the idea of a baby and was being silly in no time. Auntie S was awesome with him and Owen really snuggled into her. It was very cute!

Nagypapi took Owen over to meet the neighbours, The H's, and got the seal of approval from the head honcho.


We even sneaked in a family picture. Why no one told me that my hair looked ridiculous and needs to be cut and dyed is beyond me, but I think the pictures all turned out very nicely!




With Uncle B


With Auntie S, the birthday girl




With Nagypapi




Uncle B being silly...apparently Owen needed aviators



Helping get socks on those tiny feet

First family picture!! Only took a week to get!!

What Makes It Worthwhile...

Yesterday was in a few words...not good. Talk about emotional roller coaster! From weeping when Owen choked on his own puke (I swear, I turned for a second and then looked at this sweet little boy all in distress and choking...he's fine, I on the other hand just rocked him and bawled after he spit up some junk from his tummy), to being outrageously angry about a personal issue, to bawling again when C came home from work. Baby blues anyone?


Owen was pretty good overall yesterday...a little fussy here and there, and was awake most of the day. After the choking incident, I didn't want to leave him so once C was at work...I stayed with him on the couch...all....day...


Queue exhaustion, and queue even more tears.


Thankfully, C took Owen for the entire evening, made me dinner and let me take care of whatever it was that I wanted to accomplish around the house that I hadn't gotten to since I didn't want to leave Owen's side.


I am happy to report that our laundry is done, partially folded and that our freezer is organized, milk properly stored in it's own little basket (though I need another...that basket is full! Yipee!!) and other things that were too large (like the yummy lasagna from Grandma Dale that is waiting to be baked for dinner one evening...mmmmm) are down in the big chest freezer in the basement. C cleaned the litter box, and then (after washing his hand of course) massaged my feet and ankles to help the fluid drain.


So what makes all of this worthwhile?


Snuggle time. Hands down.




Today's been much better, and is only going to get better from here on out. C's on his way home early from work, Owen and I spent the morning shopping for presents and breastfeeding shields that fit properly, and we're going over to Nagypapi and Nana's for a birthday/father's day dinner with Uncle B and Auntie S! They haven't met Owen yet, so both C and I are very excited to see them (plus we're celebrating Auntie S's bday!! And Nana's too! I'm so excited about their gifts!). Pictures tomorrow, and we may even have our first family picture!

Breastfeeding vs. Formula vs. Pumping

I'll give you fair warning here...I will be talking about boobs, two of them in particular that have taken on a life of their own since Sunday. I will also be discussing (nay...bitching) about the inconsistent messages that were given by some of the nurses at the mother-baby-wellness-centre we were recovering in last week. If you're not down with that, turn back now.

Everyone's first question, after getting the details about his height, weight etc. is always Are you breastfeeding?? y answer to this is one that I have been giving hesitantly, and one that I have received alot of....peer pressure I guess you could call it...about.

No. I am pumping and we are supplementing with formula until I have a good stock pile in the freezer that puts us at least a day ahead in terms of number of feedings.

You see, I have a very powerful sucker on my hands and it became incredibly clear while we were at hospital that breastfeeding fills me with alot of anxiety because he's so darn strong.

When he was first born, he latched super well and it didn't hurt to feed him for 15minutes per side. Well...I also had alot of drugs in me from the epidural, and was on an emotional high from ust delivering my son into this world. A few hours later, I noticed that his suck was super strong and wondered how it was all going to shake out.

The second day, we had some good breastfeeding sessions and some bad ones. The bad ones were largely at night, where he would fall asleep on the breast and be difficult to stimulate so it would take about 30+minutes per side to get a feeding done and there was one nurse (we didn't like her very much by the end) who insisted that I feed him once every two hours no matter what, and to do at least 20mins per side. At this point, my nipples were cracked and sore, and the nurses were telling me to tough it out and to only use the Lansinoh cream sparingly.

The second night was torture. Breastfeeding to me quickly came to mean a fussy baby, a stressed out mom and lots of tears. I barely slept at all, and poor C had to sit there and watch me cry and scream (literally...I screamed) when getting him latched.

Our favourite nurse, Sue, was concerned that my milk wasn't coming in. Really?? It'd only been a couple of days, and we're supplementing with formula to make sure his glucose levels are okay...so...what do you expect? These puppies are going to take a little bit of a break before they move from colostrum to liquid gold. She kept reassuring me that it would come in, and if I wanted to pump once I got home to avoid the anxiety and stress that I feel when he's feeding, then that would be a great alternative.

I still wanted to at least try to breastfeed once we were home, and the first session was great. Perhaps it was because I didn't have the bitchy regimented nurse looking over my shoulder, making me feel bad that I wasn't producing enough...yet, I don't know...but whatever it was, our first session was great. We had a few sessions that weren't so good, and a couple more that were allright, and then we were right back to me crying and wincing in pain when he started to suck and really get into a feeding session.

Where's the pump?? I resigned myself to the fact that this little boy who I love so dearly was far too strong for me in this particular, and very sensitive, area and that maybe giving the pump a go would be for the best.

Well...the pump is working out beautifully. The first day it was alot of colostrum, so we fed that directly to Owen instead of banking it, knowing that it is very important to his immune system. The second day went fantastic and it seemed that my milk was coming in slowly and the portion sizes would almost double with every pump.

Right now (even as I type!) I pump once every 2-3 hours, depending on what's going on, where we are and if Owen is feeding at the time. I find it relaxing, have control over the situation, and can then snuggle with Owen when he is hungry, rather than sit and cry that I'm not producing enough and feeling like a total failure.

To those out there who've judged me for this, I have nothing but horrible terrible things to say to you that I will not write here. Simply, you do not know how it feels and therefore could never relate to the pain of scabbed, bleeding nipples and feeling like a chew toy to a precious little boy.

To those mom's out there who may be struggling with this same thing or aren't quiet decided on if they want to breastfeed, I would highly recommend becoming an exclusive pumper like I did. It's so easy! I was doing 20minutes per side without issue a few days ago, and now that my milk is coming in more and more everyday, I am down to 10minutes as per my doctor's instructions.

While we are still supplementing with formula for the time being, C and I share the responsibility of feeding him, which is a huge help for me when I need to pump at 2:30am (aka...nowish) and is a great bonding tool for the boys. We both know that Owen is getting the nutrients that he needs, and is a very happy baby because he doesn't have parents who are stressing about this particular issue.

I am doing everything that I can to help my supply increase, and it seems to be at a steady 2oz. per pumping session at the moment. Owen eats about 2-3oz. per sitting right now, so while my supply is okay, it definitely cold be better and will get better with consistency and a few tricks like warm compresses, hydration and a balanced diet. Oh...and rest!

Which is where I should be headed off to now that I'm done my midnight-pumping session. So I will leave you with this...

A positive bond between mom and baby doesn't have to be established by breastfeeding. It is established when mom is happy and feels an incredible amount of love for her child, regardless of how they get fed. It is established when a baby has a full tummy and is happy when he (or she) looks up at their momma and smiles, giggles, toots and snuggles in for a nap. It is established out of love, not out of a routine or how a mom choose to feed their child.

Owen And The Doctor

Well...Owen had his very first doctor's appointment yesterday. As I write this, it's hard to believe that only a week ago we were at the hospital and I felt as though I was dying from the pain that I was in. And only about 10hours later...Owen was here!


Here are the specs!


Height - 21"...he's grown a whole 1/2" in the past week! Definitely gets that from his Dad's side of the family...all of the Szem's are super tall!


Weight - 8lbs1oz! We're back up to birth weight, which is amazing at only a week old! Apparently, babies aren't supposed to be back up to their birth weight until about 2weeks!


Head circumference - 36cm...that seems extraordinarily large to me!


We had a tonne of questions, and I think our doctor got a little giggle out of it we think.


When should we start tummy time?
Clearly not until he can support his head a little better...duh! What a silly question! I think we ust want to get the playmat out and play with him on the floor haha


Umbilical Cord Care?
We let it fall off, but is there anything we're supposed to do now? We've heard such conflicting things. Old school "clean with rubbing alcohol" and new school "leave it alone." We're leaving it alone.


Circumcision Care?
The site looks good, but do we need to continue with the Vaseline at every changing? Only for a day or two, and then he's good to go! It healed very fast! This kid must have his Dad's healing abilities!

He's hard to wake up throughout the day, wants to sleep all night, and is geting hard to wake up for feedings at night as well. What do we do?!
Nothing! Let him sleep! Since he's already back up to his birth weight, we've officially been given clearance from our doctor to let him sleep as long as he possibly wants to throughout the night. Last night...that meant a full 5 hours! Even though I got up at 2:30am to pump, it was still good for Owen and Daddy to get lots of sleep! We're to let him only sleep for a few hours at a time during the day, wake him every 3-4 if we have to for feedings, but if we let him sleep most of the night, he should be alert during the day. Well....he is! Bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning!


Hiccups and gas - this kid toots up a storm and hiccups about 4 times a day!
Since we're pumping and bottle feeding exclusively, he's taking in extra air...which is causing his tummy and diaphragm to expand. He's fine, no gripe water needed and it will pass in time.


Bathing - how often should we do this? Are we okay to sponge bath, or should we be getting him in his little tub?
Dr. Leslie answered this one...only every few days for a full sponge or tub bath...either are fine when he's so little and not crawling around getting super dirty. Other than that, wipe down his face, hands and bum everyday with a wet cloth.


The only other thing we discussed was my weight. Since I lost so much during the pregnancy with all of the morning sickness, I wasn't quite sure what that dreaded number on the scale would be.

Well! Let me tell you!! I've lost 11lbs in having Owen! Apparently, the weight comes off in thirds and it's the last third that is the hardest to lose.


1/3 baby
1/3 fluid
1/3 post-baby (aka...all of the hot fudge sundaes and slushies and NERDS I indulged in)


I definitely haven't lost the fluid weight yet, my feet could tell you that, but I found it really exciting, and incredibly encouraging, to know that even with boobs the size of the Rockies and heavy like 30lb weights, I am down 11lbs. on the scale and weigh 2lbs less than when C and I got married nearly 2 years ago. Thank you Owen, mommy loves her new figure (and flat tummy!!).


Here we are!






Oh my favourite jeans...so saggy in the tush! I have a lack-there-of for the very first time in my life!

The Many Expressions of Owen

We certainly have come a long way in the expression department!! Owen is only a week old, but loves to show us his many faces and expressions...

Sleeping sweetly and snuggling his blanket in the hospital

Completely exhausted...*sigh* such a hard life

The fat bottom lip that I am completely in love with...how could you not be!!??

Every day brings a new first...and we are a little family who celebrates every success, no matter how big or small.

The first night he slept...actually slept...was Saturday night. After we figured out that he loves his carseat, I don't think there is any going back! He also loves his crib, so it will be in the near future that he is sleeping in his own room. This thought is both exciting and terrifying!

The first smiles have happened, and are always fleeting to the point where I can't find a camera. I know that he's probably just trying to pass gas, but I love it just the same!

We had our first outing on Father's Day. A big 'ol trip to Walmart and Golftown. First and foremost, the Quinny Zapp handles likes a dream!! I am VERY happy with our stroller! He is an excellent traveller, which is very exciting for us since we have some trips planned for the summer and fall!

Yesterday, his umbilical cord clamp fell off! Grandma Dale and I were on the deck chatting and giving Owen some fresh air, and wouldn't you know....it dropped right out of his little onesie?! So neat and yet gross all at the same time.

Our first dinner out...which he slept through completely! Boston Pizza with Godmomma and her son T, who met the big Odog yesterday for the first time. It was a highly anticipated event, which I missed since I was pumping, but all the same...I am very glad that the boys met! Oh the mischief they will get into...

And today...Owen's first doctor's appointment! I am very excited to see how much he (and I!) weigh, and ask silly ridiculous questions about newborns of our doctor. He's not going to know what hit him...other than two parents who are madly in love with their son!

This Is A Long One, Folks...

I know, I know...you're all waiting with baited breath to find out where the heck we've been and what we've been up to lately.


Three words.



Owen Andrew David
8lbs 1oz
20.5 cm
dark borwn hair and big dark green eyes (that are dark blue right now...we'll see how they turn out at the end of the week!)


That's right! Our little boy made his arrival on June 16th at 6:52pm. Here's how it happened...


At around 5:45am, I felt a gush. I mean the gush. I waited for a moment, not rally believing that it had happened, and then the contractions started coming fast and furious at 5...3...1 minute intervals.


Okay C, time to get out of bed!!! C grabbed a very quick shower, I got dressed and we said goodbye to the furbabies and hopped in the car. By the time we got there, it was about 6:30, and I was in a fair amount of pain. Knowing that I was already 4cm dilated...there was no way I was leaving that hospital without a baby.


The lovely night nurses got me into triage immediately, and quickly found that things were progressing very quickly. Time to call the doctor and get things sorted out for the day.


Unfortunately, there weren't any of birthing suites available when we got there, so we spent our day in a labour room, which suited our purposes fine in my opinion.


By about 8am, I was begging for an epidural. Please dear God, someone make this pain go away!! They ordered the epi, and by 10am I was able to get some rest. Our dr. checked on us frequently, C watched almost the entire season 3 of LOST and I slept alot, which in hindsight was the best idea I had all day (next to getting the epi in the first place!).


Dilation seemed to slow and at noon, I had halted at 5-6cm. The nurses were considering my options...push oxytocin? Let things happen as they should? Call the doctor for alternatives? What would mommy like to do? Sleep...please let me sleep!


They did, and when our doctor came in to check on me at around 2pm, I was 9cm! HOLY CROW! He said that he would be back at around 3:30pm and would check to see if there was further progress. Well....10cm is as much progress as you can get! He had to go back to the office to see some patients, but left instructions to have me start pushing at around 4pm. Well...4pm came and the nurses thought that I could use more sleep and since I was already fully dilated, what would another hour and a half of sleep matter? I LOVED my nurses!


5:30pm came, and they had me try a couple of practice pushes. They wanted to coach me through it since...well....I was totally numb from the epi and couldn't feel a darn thing! They wanted me to feel the pressure, so they turned the epi down (NO!!!!) and had me do a few pushes. Well...Owen started to crown almost immediately and I heard Nurse Cathy say "how much notice does the doctor need??" in the hallway. "Oh, can you call him please?" Apparently, 6pm signaled go time!


By 6:20, our doctor had arrived at the hospital and I had pushed so much that there really wasn't a whole lot left to do. About 5 or 6 good pushes and Owen was here!


Now comes the scary part...


Originally, I asked for him to be placed on me and dried off on my tummy so I could say hello. I was a little confused when they whisked him out of the room, but with everything going on I didn't really ask what was up. I still had to be stitched and whatnot, so I figured that they were doing their 15-point baby inspection in another room


Am I ever glad that C went with the nurses right away. Apparently, poor little Owen was having trouble breathing and his heart rate dropped to the low 60's. He had to be resuscitated and stimulated...and after 3-5 very very long scary minutes, he let out a great big cry. The Peid's team was called, and they inspected his every inch, then brought him to see me.


This was our first meeting...






So tired, and so happy!


I think C fell in love pretty much immediately as well!





After he was born, he had to be checked before every feeding for his glucose levels. Because of all of the stress that he was under, he scored pretty low on the Agspar scale, so the Peid's team was keeping a very close eye on him. We needed 3 checks over 3 all in a row, and by the wee hours on Friday morning we had our third check over 3...it was a 4.7! Way to go, Owen!


We came home on Friday at around 1:30pm after his hearing had been checked, and had a really up and down first night at home. Breastfeeding was not going well, the nurses were concerned when we left that I wasn't producing enough (he latches hard and wants to feed for a very long time...and I can't do it. It's painful, and is a topic for a whole other post!) so we were supplementing with formula, but he wouldn't sleep the first night! Little bits here and there, and eventually, he slept in bed on me and I was able to get a little bit of rest here and there.


Last night was an amazing night. He wasn't liking the bassinet, AT ALL, so we figured that we'd try a swaddling blanket (which is too big right now), rocking, sitting, standing...anything to get a few hours of sleep. However...I remembered a tip from my cousin S...the car seat.


HE LOVES IT! He loves being in it and tightly confined. He loves being able to kick his little feet out a whole bunch. He loves being rocked in it when he's a tad bit fussy. C brought him to bed at about 12:30 after a mini-feed, which I finished at 1am...and Owen slept until 4! Not just Owen, but C and I slept too!! He fed again for 10-15 minutes at 4am, then slept straight through to 7:20! Again...C and I slept, though I brought Owen into bed for a little Father's Day morning snuggle. We all slept until about 9:30 this morning!


We're getting the hang of it, and definitely celebrating those little successes that happen throughout the day. C is an amazing Daddy, and it fills me with so much love and pride to see him with Owen.


Though I probably won't blog as often, I will still blog and let you know what we're up to, what challenges we face and how our lives are going. I feel like they've only now begun, and I get to see them through the most beautiful eyes I've ever know.


The eyes of a mom.

Induction Plans

Yes folks, we're headed for an induction.

After a night of contractions...yes...more contractions...I called the doctor's office promptly at 9am. The contractions were every ten minutes on the ten from 1:30am until 11:00am. Neither C nor I slept a wink...and I still haven't managed to even nap.

I explained to the receptionist what was going on, and she booked me in for 4:00 this afternoon. Score...I should be able to nap right? Nope...I tried and tried but I think I was so wired from all of the contractions, start and stop, and worried that the stress on my body was going to cause Bug harm.

Off to the doctor's we go, and we met Dr. Kwan who is taking over for Dr. Leslie this week as she's on vacation. The rundown...


Weight - hasn't changed since Friday...haha not that I was expecting it to

Fetal Heart Rate - 131bpm...a little slower, but still safe

Fundus measurement - 40cm...no growth since Friday


Then we were told that our OB was on call until 5, so if we didn't mind waiting...to sit tight because he's been paged and would like to come in and see us immediately. Thank Goodness!! Someone is finally taking this seriously with (for?) me. They gave me an extra pillow, said that I looked exhausted and told me to have a nap while I waited. How thoughtful!

Knock, knock, knock at the door and it was Dr. Jordan. He sat down, and I started to explain about the back pain from Saturday and the contractions, then C interrupted me and told the doctor that I was downplaying everything. Bless his heart for stepping up to the plate and really going to bat for me.

A few minutes later, and it was determined that I am fully effaced (that we already knew...) and 4cm dilated! That's almost halfway to having a baby!! He was very happy with our progress, and was happy to call delivery to book our induction...for Father's Day! I'm the first on the list, so we should be at the hospital and whatnot by noon! NOON!

We talked about C and my concern for the stress that all of this might be putting on Bug, and Dr. Jordan booked us in on Thursday for a Non-Stress Test to make sure everything's allright. If he passes, then it's straight on to Sunday (unless my water breaks before then). If not...then we stay in the hospital, and have a baby! The sooner the better, but we obviously hope that everything's okay with our Bug and that he passes the NST with flying colours.

I was also given a prescription for Tylenol 2, should the back pain get like it did on Saturday night. I'm only going to have C run out to fill it if it flares up and other comfort measures like ice and the yoga ball don't work next time around.

It's the final countdown, Bug! You've been evicted, little one!!