The Christensen Family

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Just some fun pictures...

Fun pictures...I have a lot to learn about taking pictures but hope you enjoy them non the less.

My Mom is the only family that came to help with Elsie after she was born. What a life safer she really was! I'm so grateful for the sacrifice she made to come here! Our girls really enjoyed their time with her!

These pictures are my 1st attempt at taking new born pictures. I have a lot to learn and Elsie wasn't super cooperative with the picture thing. She just kept waking up it was hard to get her to do anything I wanted her to do.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

My delivery story

Just and FYI this is very long but if you enjoy reading birth stories here is mine...

This delivery was much different than my past two deliveries. Anna’s delivery was crazy hard, emotionally draining and also very scary. Kali’s was somewhat healing and just what I needed at that time. This delivery was by far the coolest experience so far. I hope with every baby I have I feel at peace about the people that are helping me with the delivery. One thing I know for sure is that things always do happen for a reason even if we don’t know why at the time.

I thought I was in labor Wednesday night after my Mom had gotten to our house. She decided to drive all day Wednesday because Thursday was supposed to be bad weather. Thursday morning I had had some contractions and it also had snowed some so Zach decided to work at home. Well needless to say I didn’t go into labor on my own and we ended up going to the hospital at 6am to be induced on Friday. When we went in I was having contractions about every 6 minutes. I was also 70% effaced and dilated to a 3. It took the nurse 2 tries to get my IV in and to get the blood work that they needed. It seemed like hours before the Midwife came in and put a bulb (balloon) in and then finally got the oxytocin started in my IV. I did walks, sat on the ball, leaned again the edge of the bed, and knelt on the bed on my knees, anything to help labor progress. I asked the nurse to check me because I was getting in a lot of pain but she couldn’t quite tell where I was and so she said I would have to wait for the midwife. When the midwife told me I was only at a 5 I wasn’t sure I could last hours in that kind of pain. That is when I asked for an epidural. Once I decided to do it they were there

pretty quick. 3 people came in to do it and that worried me. The 1^st lady didn’t do a good job and she was moving the needle inside of me during my contractions and I’m pretty sure she poked me 3 times. Once for numbing me and the other 2 times trying to find the right spot. I was so mad too because she wasn’t very considerate of me having contractions. Here I am in so much pain and she can’t even wait till my contraction is over? Anyways after she missed another guy tried. He did alright but only my left side got numb. I felt everything on my right but I was numb on my left. They had me lay on my right side trying to get the medicine to work on my right but it didn’t work. I was so frustrated. When they came in to re due it I wasn’t sure I wanted it re done. The midwife came in and asked if I had given it any thought of just trying to push. I didn’t know what to say. Sure I’d be happy to not be getting poked anymore but I didn’t know if I was close to being complete. The last thing I knew was that I was at a 5. When he re did the epidural he hit my spinal fluid sac and it caused me to have an instant head ache. (I will explain more about that experience later.) About ½ an hour after I got the epidural I started pushing. What a crazy experience. The midwife took her time helping me open up and stretch. She helped me push slow enough that I didn’t tear very much. She said I tore a little but it was less than an episiotomy would have been. What a huge blessing. Kali came quick and easy but I’m pretty sure that was because he cut me and then she came right after that. I feel like that was what was supposed to happen but this time was so much different. They also put a mirror up for me to see her being delivered. That was really cool. I really enjoyed seeing that. The midwife also took time to show me the placenta after she was born. It was cool seeing what was inside of me taking care of my baby for 9 months. I’m so grateful for a vaginal delivery! It is so much easier to heal and take care of kids if you don’t have to have a c-section.

After I delivered the guy who did my epidural came in and told me he was really sorry but there was a 50 percent chance I would get a spinal fluid head ache within the next 24 hours. Well it happened. Not fun! They said if I did nothing it would go away in like 4 or 5 days but then every time I sat up I would be in pain….or I could have them take some of my own blood and put in in my spine where the epidural was and it would make a band aide where the hole was and instantly help my head ache. They called this procedure a blood patch. Well I guess I should have asked for it right after the baby was born but I didn’t know so then I had to get poked once again in the arm and also in my back. After being poked at least 10 times in the last 2 days I’m so done being poked. After the procedure was done I felt the weirdest pressure in my spine and around into my stomach all the way to my head. The craziest part was I couldn’t move for like 15-20 minutes. Zach put a pillow under my head and it hurt so bad I wanted to scream. Even though I was in so much pain for the first few minutes it was amazing how 20 minutes later I’m sitting up in a wheel chair going back my room. Ever since then my head has felt so much better. My back will be sore for quite a while though. I kind of feel like my back will be just as sore as where I delivered a 9lb baby, that’s crazy! After this experience I really think I will try and deliver without an epidural next time.

We are so happy that this baby is hear and healthy. Having this baby away from family has been hard but I’m SOOOO grateful that my Mom is here helping. I know she has made some major sacrifices to be here but it has been so nice to have her help. She is leaving tomorrow and reality will finally hit. Zach is going to do half days for about a week so that will help but dealing with these 3 is going to be tricky. They don’t want me picking up Kali either and I’m not sure how that is possible! Here’s to surviving life with 3 kids for this 1^st time tomorrow!

Saturday, February 8, 2014

New Baby Girl pictures

Baby girl was officially born at 6:25pm on February 7th, 2014. I thought I would add some of the more fun pictures that explain the story a little better. We are so lucky to have our beautiful girl with us. In case you missed the measurements she was born at 9 lbs 8 oz and was 20.4 inches long. I think i've told people 9lbs 9 oz but it was more like 8.7 oz and they round down so I guess we should say 8 oz. She is healthy and happy as long as we are holding her. Anna and Kali are going to be pretty jealous I'm sure. We still haven't decided on a name yet but we have a few choices. I think #1 right now is Bonnie, #2 is Elizabeth and #3 is Audrey. I don't know why it has been so hard to decide on a name for her but we just haven't been able to come to a decision. Anyway, I'm sure Christy will explain more later. For now enjoy the pictures.

Shortly after getting everything hooked up. Christy got poked twice and they still ended up in her hand. :( Here she is sitting on the ball leaning forward to keep the baby off mama's back.

Doing some laps around the maternity center. It was pretty empty which was very nice. I think there were only two other rooms occupied out of the 10 that were there.

In a clear liquid diet Popsicles are king!

Christy's face after the 2nd time they put in the epidural. Seriously I think they stuck her like 5 times overall. The first time didn't work so the anesthesiologist came back to do it again. The second time they punctured the spinal corridor causing the medicine to leak into her spinal fluid. This gave her an instant headache which went away quickly once the medicine started working but she could have a headache for the next week which is no fun.

This picture was only a couple of minutes after baby girl was born. The midwife Leanna immediately handed Christy the baby and she lay there for probably half an hour before we tried breast feeding. It made the experience so much more special and intimate for us. It was nice this time because while pushing it was just us, our nurse Anna and the midwife Leanna. They were an awesome team and did exactly what Christy needed. I'm so grateful that they were able to help us in this experience. Once baby girl was born a few more people came in to help take care of her but it was still very quiet and respectful. Such a different experience than both of the last deliveries we have had.

Mommy and Daddy bonding with baby girl.

Our girls got to come see here only an hour after she was born. I don't think they quite understand but I'm sure they will soon. They are crazy and were trying to get into everything.

While Kali is trying to see mommy here she noticed the food tray right behind her very quickly and of course was trying to eat everything on it. That girl loves her food!

Kali checking out the baby and Momma.

Daddy daughter picture. This pretty much sums it up.

Family picture! Sorry it's so whited out. I put the flash setting a little too high. Ooops.

Grandma and baby girl.

The Big Sisters! (This is their "show me your shirt" pose)

Mommy and baby! Both are doing very well and we are so happy everything went so perfectly. Our prayers were answered in so many ways. Heavenly Father is truly great to us.