Amazing weight gain

We weighed our little girl on Sunday and she has gained 15oz in one week! We were both amazed that she gained so much. I would have been happy if she'd have gained 6oz but 15 is amazing! I guess that means I have good milk :)

We had a trip to Ikea yesterday and she was as good as gold. We put her in her front baby carrier and she slept the whole way round the store. She was so exhausted last night bless her and slept for 5 hours straight overnight.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. Plans are to go out for "romantic" dinner this evening with Isabella. Not quite sure how romantic it will be, but looking forward to it anyway. Just hope I can stay awake that long! I'm planning on getting Isabella dressed up as her clothes are actually starting to fit her now. She's wearing them rather than the other way round. Also we need to go and get her weighed today. Looking forward to seeing how much she's gained this week. She's almost outgrown her newborn sleep suits so I'm guessing quite a bit.

Feeling Bleugh :(

Well, I didn't escape the cold/flu thing. Yesterday was horrendous. It really knocked me for six and I spent most of the day in bed. The grandparents came over to fix me food, drink and change the baby and pacify her when needed. I just seemed to spend my day sleeping, feeding Isa and blowing my nose. I feel a little better today but it's really turned into a bad head cold and sore throat. Everything aches in my head and sinuses and the only thing I can take is paracetamol due to breast feeding. Everybody else who has it is knocking back the whiskey and the Nyquil, but I guess I just have to soldier on!

Merry Christmas!

A very merry christmas to you all! We've had a lovely relaxing family day with the grandparents. Everybody pitched in to make dinner and the wine flowed, well, for everybody except me! I did have a small glass of champagne though. Our daughter has been an absolute angel all day and has been thoroughly spoiled. She spent the day wearing her very cute Santas Little Baby dress and is the most adorable little girl I've seen - although I am extremely biased of course! We all seem to have a dose of the flu at the moment, thanks to John and Colette bringing over the American germs. I'm feeling a little worse for wear at the moment and hope I'll be better tomorrow.

Growing up fast!

My little girl seems to change by the day! She's growing up so fast already. The changes are amazing from one day to the next. Today she is so alert and curious. She's sitting propped up with Grandma Biele and looking all round the room at every little thing, turning her head when somebody talks, looking towards the light etc.

We managed another trip out today to sort out our payments with the social security office. We went for coffee in a bar and she was so good, laying in her pram until we got home. It must have tired her out as she fed non-stop for about an hour and a half! I got caught out by a couple of wees today during diaper change time and some how ended up with it all over me too. Thank god for baths!

The big weigh-in

We took Isabella to be weighed today at the pharmacy as I needed to get my blood pressure checked. I'm so happy that she now weighs over her birth weight! Last Monday when the midwife came to check her at a week old, she'd dropped 7% of her weight, and was down to 3.250kg (a loss of 8 ounces). Today she's weighing in at 3.510kg, an increase of 9 ounces in 6 days. I'm so happy as now we're breast feeding her exclusively it's hard to know if she's getting enough food as you can't see exactly what she's taking. I know she has plenty of dirty and wet diapers each day and seems content after a feed, but I was still worried. So, a very relieved mommy! I weighed myself while I was there and I have already dropped 9kgs, which is about 20lbs. I'm only about 4kgs more than my pre-pregnancy weight but I think that is being stored in my boobies! My tummy has totally shrunk back to normal and you'd never know I had a baby only 12 days ago, well, apart from the bags under my eyes and pale skin, as the picture below shows!

Got Milk...?!

Finally my milk has come in! All the perseverance and soreness of engorgement and a baby constantly nursing for 48 hours non-stop has paid off. This morning when I woke up there was milk a plenty. In fact it was running out of me like a dripping tap! It is so comfortable to feed her now and really is one of lifes greatest pleasures. I'm finding myself looking forward to the next feed as it is such a lovely bond that we're sharing. It sure as hell beats washing and sterilising bottles too!

Some new photos...

As we're starting to find our feet we're gradually getting round to uploading photos of our princess. So, here are a few of her, now 9 days old! Time certainly flies in a mix of crying, feeding and laundry, but I wouldn't want it any other way!

Our first trip out!

Today we finally left the house! It took a bit of organising as we're still re-establishing breast feeding so although we actually got up at 7am we weren't ready to go until midday as little missy was snacking on the boobies on and off all morning. She finally dropped off to sleep so we got her into her car seat and went out to register her birth. She was so good and slept the whole time we were out, admittedly it was only 2 hours but made the journey very calm and passive. We even managed to stop for coffee and a bite to eat and a quick visit with the grandparents. We're back home now and I'm doing a one handed post here while she snacks and sleeps. Finally, I'm also getting stuck into a rare steak sandwhich - god how I've missed those!

Inundated with parents!

So all the family have arrived to check out the newest addition to the clan. Chris' parents flew in from the States today and are totally besotted with their new granddaughter. I think his mum is thinking of ways to smuggle her out in her suitcase! My parents turned up on Sunday and I have already put my dad to work painting Isabellas nursery in our new apartment. I haven't seen it yet but apparently it's luciously pink so I'm sure perfect for our princess. I'll post some photos once it's all finished. I have to say that it is fab having Chris' mum here as she really is a baby expert. I was all ready to quit the breast feeding after a difficult day yesterday but she has us back on track with some great tecnhiques and reassurance. I will persevere and do this! By 8pm I was all parented out though and Chris had to assume doorman duty and escort them all off the premises before they stayed all night!

Napping with Grandma Colette

First meeting with grandpa John

With Nanny Carol


and Granddad Ted

The heel prick test

We had a visit from the midwife today to check Isa over and to do the heel prick test. She has plasters on both heels now which are almost as big as her tiny feet! She cried and cried bless her. The midwife was very happy with her progress and said it looks as though the jaundice is well on the way out. Her weight had dropped to 3.25kg from 3.49kg birth weight. I've decided to try and re-establish breast feeding again now she is stronger and more alert. I think it's going to be a long and tiring week but hopefully we'll get there in the end. If not I'm going to make the decision to switch over to formula feeding but at least I'll know that I've tried once more. Her umbilical cord dropped off on day 4 and the remainder of the cord came away today so we're all set for the first bath this evening!

Waking for feeds!

I'm so happy that as the night went on yesterday Isa was getting more and more alert and although I was sticking to the every 3 hour feed schedule she woke me for food! I was so happy as it had only been two and a half hours and she wanted more. She was and still is today very bright and curious. Her eyes are wide open and she's looking all around trying to focus on things. She's feeding like a little trooper too and making tonnes of dirty diapers for us. Chris is learning that once the dirty diaper comes off you need to get her cleaned quickly and a new one in place under her, as he's been caught out twice already with her diaper off and she's wee'd everywhere! All part of the fun of learning. I have her in her little crib by the window to try and get the rest of the jaundice out and she's starting to look a really healthy colour again. My parents are arriving today and staying with us overnight so Chris and I can try and get a good block of sleep in as we're obviously running on empty at the moment. They're going to do the nightime feeds with some expressed milk and hopefully the washing up and clean the apartment too!

A trip to the hospital

We had our first major panic today, well it started last night really. Isa was getting more and more sleepy and difficult to arouse and was not really feeding. The midwife came to see us at 12pm and confirmed she is a touch jaundiced. She was concerned by her jittery movements too so advised us to go to the hospital to get her checked over although she didn't think it was too bad a case. She managed to get her to take 40ml of formula food before we went and we managed to get her to take a further 40ml while at the hospital. She had her bilirubin levels checked and her blood sugar levels. My poor little girl had to have several horrible needles. I'm so thankful to say that her sugar levels are fine and the bilirubin level, while it was high, it was still within the normal levels so no treatment necessary. We've been advised to feed her every 3 hours and get as much sunlight on her as possible. Since we've been home she's managed to take a further 60ml of formula food in one feed and then another 20ml of expressed breast milk and 25ml of formula in the next feed. She seems so much more alert already so hoping we will see a big change soon.

Meet Isabella Daisy Biele!

Born on 9/12/08, weighing 7lb 11oz at 11.15pm - absolutely perfect!

A very new newborn!

Back home yesterday

Her first day of life!

With her very very proud daddy! Really similar hair!

I'm happy to say that we arrived home yesterday afternoon and my feet haven't touched the ground since! My every waking moment is filled with our little princess who is truly the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen and I still can't believe what we made!

As new parents Chris and I are still finding our way around as it's all a very new and huge experience. I'm trying to establish breastfeeding which is no easy task I have to say. It is not something which just comes naturally and both Isabella and I are having to work at it. I'm at the point of thinking of switching to formula food. I have the midwife coming tomorrow and will have a chat with her about it then. We were concerned by Isabellas lack of interest in feeding today and that she just seems to want to sleep all the time. The midwife has said it may be a touch of jaundice which is quite normal but will check her over tomorrow and then I'll make a decision then. We did supplement with a formula feed this evening just to get some food into her. Today has been a particularly emotional day with hormones flying all over the place plus the worry over her not feeding and being so sleepy. I'll let you know how the check up goes tomorrow. She's also having her heel prick test which I'm not looking forward to :(

Welcome Isabella!

OK, I'm gonna keep this short because it's 5 am and I've been up for way too long. I just wanted to say that Ellie is currently in the hospital with our new baby Isabella Daisy Biele. I'll leave all the details for Ellie to fill you in, but I just thought you should all know that she's healthy and the most beautiful thing ever. Please check back for Ellie's next post, she has a lot to tell you.

-Chris

Monday, December 8 - UPDATE

Hey everyone, this is Chris, Ellie's better half *JK*. All day yesterday Ellie was hit with a headache and loss of appetite. At around 1 in the morning we finally decided to head off to "Urgencias" for some monitoring. To make a long story short, her blood pressure was through the roof so she was admitted for induction :( She's not too happy about the whole thing, but none the less, she is still sitting at the Hospital Costa del Sol with a Russian roomate, bad food and no Wi-Fi, which is why I'm keeping you all posted. If things start to get a move on we'll have ANOTHER Dec 08 baby, along with myself and Ellie's dad, but I think this little girl has plans of her own and probably won't be meeting us until tomorrow. If it doesn't happen tomorrow they might have to resort to the C word. Either way, we have a long road ahead. Ellie is writing her thoughts on an iPod Touch and I'll be posting them here tonight. Watch this space!

-Chris

Week 39 To 40

Thursday, 39+0
Well, I'm still here and still pregnant! I can't believe I'm now in the final countdown week to my due date. While I would LOVE the baby to turn up this weekend, I'm actually sitting here wondering just how overdue I'll go! I have had a few signs that she may be on the move with stronger contractions, lots of pressure on the cervix and dull lower back ache and period type pains so just hoping it's all for the greater good. Just can't help thinking I'll be late though!

I'm trying lots of different things to help move her along, nothing drastic though, just sitting and bouncing on the birth ball, oodles of raspberry leaf tea, a couple of homeopathic remedies, long brisk walks with the dog and also s-e-x (ssshhh!) Sorry if either of our parents are reading this! I have bought some fresh pineapple but have since read you need to eat something like 7 to kick-start labour and I think that would be an impossible amount to get through but at least I'm upping my fruit intake! I know at the end of the day though the baby will come only when she is good and ready so I guess the things I'm trying are more for a distraction than anything so I don't go quite so stir-crazy in this final week and beyond!

All-in-all I'm feeling pretty good though. I still have plenty of energy and am pretty active during the day too. Night time is a whole different matter though when it feels like a planned military operation just to turn over in bed. The baby is doing very well. She had a dose of hiccups last night which went on for a good half an hour which she thought would be great to kick her legs out the other side every time she hiccuped! Chris found it very entertaining in between my cries of "ouch, that hurts!"

If anybody has any other suggestions of things which worked for them with kick-starting labour then please leave a comment. Can't say I'll definitely try them, but I like food for thought. Oh, and to the older generation, no I will not try castor/cod liver oil as I believe it is very dangerous, so please no suggestions of that one!

If you're a regular reader of my blog then please leave me a comment and say hi anyway. I can't believe I had over a thousand views last month, but have no idea who's actually reading so would be lovely to know :)

Saturday, 39+2
Well, still no news. My husband is off work for a few days now as it's bank holiday here so we'd love her to turn up as he can then start his paternity leave a bit later over christmas and new year. Oh for an ideal world! He is still really hoping that she is born on his birthday on the 8th December. I think that would be perfect too. If only labour could start tomorrow and I could have her at just gone midnight!

We've driven down the bumpy road when we went christmas shopping on Thursday. We managed to shop for four hours, then I had a massage in one of those chairs you find in the shopping mall, ate an entire pineapple and stayed pretty active for the rest of the night. Nothing! Yesterday I went and bought some evening primrose capsules as they're meant to be great for helping to ripen the cervix as they're packed with prostaglandins. I'm taking a couple orally and inserting the other over night. Also had a very long walk with the dog yesterday and found myself in a cleaning frenzy too. The house is sparkling and I even went as far as whitening the grouting between the tiles in the bathroom. Also wrapped up all the christmas presents but still nothing!

Todays strategy started with another long dog walk. Unfortunately the weather was hot and I was a bit overdressed as it's been so cold here lately and I ended up feeling overheated and a bit faint so we had to come home. I went to get my blood pressure checked this morning and it was 140/70 which sounds normal for me. I was all set to go up the hospital if it was high but obviously didn't. This evening we ordered a very hot curry for dinner, and I think my mouth has just recovered now. Followed the curry with a little bit of fun and a hot bath! I've just dried off and relaxing on the sofa now to see if any contractions want to start tonight! Watch this space......

Sunday, 39+3
Still here, still pregnant! I think the only thing the curry achieved was sending me off to the loo numerous times, but sadly didn't result in stimulating contractions! Mmmmm, what next....?!

Here's my latest and hopefully final bump picture taken this evening.