The back story:

On July 2, 2012, Corey and I were pleasantly surprised to discover that a fourth little Christen was on the way. Although we were content with having three kids, we wanted a fourth, but after so many complications from retained placenta with my other pregnancies we had accepted that a fourth baby might be unlikely and didn’t put too much effort into “trying”. Happily shocked describes how we felt when we found out that we had conceived faster than we ever had before. It was a wonderful summer filled with mild morning sickness and the first time I ever experienced a first trimester with no complications.

Then, at the start of my second trimester, the complications set in and I was put on bed rest for three months.

In January, at 30 weeks pregnant, I was finally able to get off the couch and ease back into normalcy. I enjoyed 7 weeks of productivity and feeling like myself again. Which brings us to the most exciting part of the story . . .

T’s Birth Story

Feb. 20 -I hit 37 weeks and had been feeling crampy for a couple days.

Feb. 21 -OB appointment. He checked me and I was 2 cm, 80% dilated, baby’s head was low, and my cervix was anterior. At my request, he did a membrane sweep and said he expected that the baby would arrive soon. I had a long bout of false labour most of that evening, which finally subsided by morning.

Feb. 22 -I slept. I slept in that morning and went to bed early that night. I slept in the next morning. I was exhausted.

Feb. 23 -Exhausted all day. Napped. Cranky when not napping. Wanted to be left alone. Then, at 9 pm, shortly after climbing into bed to watch TV, I had a couple strong-ish contractions. I texted our nanny to give her a heads up that I might want to get checked out at the maternity ward if I had a couple more contractions. At 10 pm, I was convinced it was false labour, but Corey’s spidey-sense was tingling and he persuaded me to head to the hospital to get assessed. Our nanny came over to stay with the kids and off we went.

By 11 pm, I had been checked and was an easy 3 cm. My contractions were still mild and irregular, coming every 7-10 minutes. The nurse decided we should stay close for the next hour and walk around the hospital lobby to see if anything changed, or if I was embarking on another long false labour experience like I went through with E. So we walked.

Feb. 24 -Midnight:  I was 3-4 cm dilated, my contractions had become regular (every 5 minutes), the baby’s head had dropped to a very low position, and my membranes were bulging with each contraction. The nurse told me that this, indeed, was the real thing. Due to my history of retained placenta and the bleeding problems that put me on bed rest, I was at-risk of hemorrhage at delivery and needed an IV. I was given an IV and admitted to my room. The OB on-call broke my bulging membranes at 1:00 am, and I began sucking back the laughing gas.

At the same time, I began having strange contractions. For nearly two hours, the contractions were one on top of the other (with no break) and I was losing my sense of reality. This is Corey’s account of what happened: I was not dilating at all and the baby started showing signs of distress (his heart rate was decelerating to 77). One of the maternity doctors came in and as she was placing a scalp monitor on the baby, she noticed another bulge of water and broke it. Apparently this was getting in the baby’s way of descending.

3:00 am: My contractions instantly normalized (hooray for breaks between contractions), the baby’s heart rate became regular again, and I progressed fast! With E’s delivery, I had no pushing stage whatsoever so they made sure to call the OB into the room when I was almost complete (the nurse checked me with each contraction since I was progressing so quickly). This time, my second stage of labour lasted one minute (according to the nurse). I was completely dilated, the OB gave me the green light to push, T’s head got stuck, and I yelled and screamed that I couldn’t get him out. The OB stuck his hands inside me and pulled T out (causing me to yell even more). T was born at 3:48 am. I was also glad that I had opted to go for fentanyl during this delivery, after determining during E’s birth that natural childbirth is overrated when one dilates as fast as I do. Despite a stuck head and big hands inside me, I had no tearing and no stitches were needed (woot!).

Corey cut the cord, and T was pulled off my chest because he was struggling to breathe. The nurses got him going and Corey held him as the attention turned to my placenta. Normally, my problems with retained placenta appear about a week post-delivery as teeny-tiny fragments remain inside causing infection. To prevent this, the OB decided to allow the placenta to deliver naturally and we waited. Except the placenta wouldn’t come out. And, after about 30 minutes of trying to deliver the placenta naturally, the OB had to put his hands inside me once again to deliver the placenta (which also caused me to yell a lot and get more laughing gas).

As the OB was examining the placenta and saying that it looked complete (it always does with me, and never is), I felt huge gushes of blood. According to Corey, who was still holding newborn T, blood was spurting out of me like a fountain and pooling on the bed. The mood in the room changed quickly as everyone sprang into action. The OB and the nurses stayed incredibly calm, which kept me from freaking out.

The OB was reaching around inside my uterus yet again, three nurses were assisting him/attending to me, and I was being drugged up. Something was said about having to take care of things in the room because it would take 30 minutes before the OR would be ready. I yelled that I could wait 30 minutes so this could be done in the OR (I really wanted to be unconscious by this point) and was told point-blank by the OB that waiting 30 minutes was not an option as dealing with the situation immediately was a matter of keeping me alive. He removed a piece of placenta in the room while the OR was being prepped, stabilized the bleeding, then went to help get the operating room set up quickly. I was rushed in for an emergency D&C. (For those of you keeping count, this was my eighth D&C to deal with retained placenta . . . good grief!)

While I was in surgery, T became shaky and his blood sugar was checked. It was dangerously low and he needed to be fed immediately.  He is officially the first of my kids to ever receive formula, and I was totally okay with this (given the circumstances). The formula did the trick temporarily and T’s blood sugar became more stable once I started breastfeeding after my D&C. At only 5 lbs 11 oz, T is my smallest baby and this is most likely due to the fact that he wasn’t receiving enough nourishment during the pregnancy from my lousy placenta.

By 7:30 am, I was back in my room, the kids came to visit their new baby brother, and T and I were on the road to recovery. We stayed in the hospital until Wednesday morning to be monitored.

I’m anemic from the blood loss and on antibiotics to prevent infection. T is amazingly healthy, seems to have an easy going temperament, and he’s eating non-stop to make up for the lack of food he received in the womb. I’m not sure if my usual post-partum complications will set in -it’s a matter of wait and see right now. Regardless, Corey and I know that this will definitely be the last time we deal with retained placenta and other post-partum complications as we are definitely DONE having kids.

We’re so grateful that T is here safely, that I made it through delivery, and that we are able to progress to the next stage of our lives!

The post T’s Birth Story: The One in Which We Both Lived to Tell The Tale appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

I’ll preface this post by reassuring you that all is well physically with baby and I. This was simply one of those weeks where life was a bit bumpy and tiring.

The kids (one in particular) had a week filled with explosive temper tantrums and emotional meltdowns. Staying calm, yet maintaining firm boundaries for acceptable age-appropriate behaviour is draining.

I’m adjusting to being back on my feet. A fabulous transition so far, but it means finding a new normal once again. And, I’ve had to ensure that I don’t overexert myself in my excitement.

Then, this morning, I bumped a curb in the school parking lot (with my tire) which caused my tire to blow. ETA: I learned after the tire was fixed this afternoon that I bumped nothing, I drove over something sharp that popped my tire.

I heard the loud noise and noticing that a few parents were staring, I decided to try to drive to my dealership that was a few blocks away to check out the damage. Honestly, I was embarrassed and didn’t want to look like an idiot. (Note that by stopping and checking out the damage right away, I would have looked like less of an idiot than I did in the end. Lesson learned.) Although, to be fair, at this point I thought I probably gave the side of my van a good ding and didn’t realize what had actually happened until I was driving down the road. When the van began leaning to one side, losing traction, and rumbling, I clued in that I had a flat tire and pretty much began to panic as I drove down the road, praying to make it to the dealership without doing more damage, not knowing what to do. By the way, honking at someone to inform them of their flat tire is not helpful when their anxiety is already through the roof.

Things got better from there . . .

A few years ago, when we had days where nothing seemed to go right, Corey and I began doing something that helps us regain perspective: we stop whatever we are doing and list 5 good things that are happening in our lives before carrying on. And, that is what I need to do now before carrying on with my day.

5 Good Things:

1. While driving in my panicked state, a dad who had followed me from the school parking lot pulled alongside me and indicated I roll down my window. When I shouted, “I know it’s flat. I’m trying to get to the dealership.” he told me to pull over ahead and he’d fix things for me. Turns out he’s a mechanic and he quickly changed my tire for me so I could carry on for another few blocks to the dealership to get a new tire. That was a good thing since I was getting close to damaging the rim. As you can see from the picture below, the tire completely blew out.

2. I don’t think there is any other damage to my van. By the end of the day, I should have a new tire and a few hundred dollars less in my bank account. The situation could have been much worse.

3. Corey and I have amazing people in our lives. The support we’ve received this week, whether dealing with flat tires or behaviour issues, has been incredible. Not to mention all the amazing people who rallied around us while I was stuck on the couch for three months. My goal in life is to pay it forward whenever possible as a way of expressing my gratitude!!

4. I’m off bed rest. The baby is strong, healthy, and kicking me while I type. I’m in the homestretch for this pregnancy and can be an active part of preparing my kids for the adjustment of welcoming their final sibling. I could deal with the stresses that arose this week without worrying about preterm labour or other complications.

5. In spite of the daily grind of parenting and life’s little setbacks, I am surrounded by many good things. I have a comfortable home, healthy food to eat, people to love, work that inspires me, and time to drink a cup of tea and reflect on these good things.

And, with that said, my mood has been reset. *smiles*

The post When I Have a Challenging Week appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

I’m off the couch. Today is my first full day of normalcy.

I’m 30 weeks pregnant now. The baby is strong and healthy. I haven’t had bleeding for about 2 months and am showing no signs of preterm labour.

I can begin gradually increasing my activity. I can even begin light exercise at the swimming pool. (I’m surprising K with a mother-son date to the swimming pool tonight. Playing together at the pool is our favourite one-on-one bonding activity.)

I can go to my local health-foods stores and re-stock my cupboards with my favourite crunchy-granola hippy foods. Oh, how I’ve missed my organic, mostly vegan (with the exception of plain, organic, probiotic yogurt and the occasional meal of fish), soy-free, gluten-free, low-sugar, low-sodium, high-fibre diet. Yes, it sounds dreadful, but it’s not in the least. I’m forever amazed at how many delicious options exist and how good I feel. Surprisingly enough, Corey and the kids are as excited as I am to switch back to this diet too -I’ve trained my little hippy freaks well. Please don’t get me wrong here, we’ve been immensely appreciative for all the help and meals we have received (they really were delicious), but all our bodies have noticed the difference and we’re ready to switch back. Also, M was diagnosed by a pediatrician over the Christmas holidays with an egg allergy and digestive issues that require a strict high-fibre diet, so the timing could not be better.

I’m so excited to shop, and cook, and tidy my house again that I woke up at 4 am this morning ready to go. I will nap most of the morning/early afternoon so I don’t overexert myself on my first day, but I do plan to hit the stores as soon as they open. Never in my life have I been so eager to shop for groceries!

I’ll still have considerable help with childcare as I make this transition and we’ve decided to keep our eco-friendly house cleaning service forever. Because I’d rather not dust, vacuum, wash floors, and scrub tubs and toilets, even if I’m physically able.

Anyhow, it’s almost 6 am and the grocery store opens soon.

Hello normal life. Let’s start reacquainting ourselves today.

The post Hello Normal Life appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

Yes, I’ve been limited to the couch for almost 100 days now. The good news, I’m 30 weeks now and will be full-term in a mere 7 weeks. That’s only 49 more days. Although I’ve been keeping busy tackling my to-do lists for a pile of business tasks that can be done over the computer, I still have had lots of time for reflection. I’m not a huge fan of setting specific New Year’s resolutions; however, I like the idea of setting an intentional word or phrase to focus upon throughout the year.

My word for 2012 was “pursue”. I pursued new friendships, new business opportunities, and any resources to help me grow as an entrepreneur. I took a one-year leave from my educational studies to put all my extra energy into developing my business ideas. Overall, the year was amazing.

For 2013, I’ve chosen the word “explore”. I want to explore the connections between my educational studies and business ventures. This involves going deeper with my social media knowledge and exploring how I can more effectively use different platforms. I plan to explore different strategies as I work to grow my brands. On a non-business related note, I want to spend time with my children simply exploring the world from their perspectives. Finally, I hope to invest time exploring other passions of mine that I’ve put aside during my childbearing years. In 2013, I will be starting a new stage of life: my family will be complete. I’m excited to begin this experience!

The post Bedrest Day 97: My New Year’s Resolutions, or Lack Thereof appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

While I still have an equal mix of good days and bad, I’m finding my new normal while on rest. My weeks have a sense of routine again (instead of a feeling of scrambling, panic, and wondering how we’re going to get through). Our support systems are falling into place and we have contingency plans ready in case of all the potential “what if’s”.

On my good days, I feel like working again and I love the sense of productivity I feel after hammering away on my laptop for a few hours -so thankful to have a job that can be done while resting on the couch. On my bad days (bleeding and/or contractions), I give myself permission to curl up and watch TV all day. My uterus is becoming more and more irritable and I’ll be asking for meds to calm my contractions at my next OB appointment.

We know that the new baby is another boy (two ultrasounds showing definite boy parts confirmed the boy-feeling I’ve had throughout this pregnancy). Name has been decided, but will remain top secret until Baby Boy’s arrival. Little boys are so much fun to raise and I’m delighted to be having a third son!

The ultrasounds also showed that my complications are not worsening at this point. There is still bleeding under part of the placenta (looks like I have a small extra lobe of placenta where the bleeding is coming from, also called an accessory lobe or succenturiate lobe) and an area on the posterior side of my uterus where the membranes are separating. Both could cause preterm labour or PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes), which is why I am still limited to being a couch potato and likely will be until this baby is ready to arrive. The extra lobe of placenta could cause bleeding problems at delivery and I’ll just need to be monitored carefully. Both the main placenta and the accessory lobe are in an okay location and it doesn’t appear that a c-section will be necessary at this point.

The New Normal Still To Come

With all the adjustment of finding this new normal and coping with yet another difficult pregnancy, Corey and I have decided that this is our last baby. My OB agrees as well that my uterus is done!  A little over two years ago, I wrote how we would be managing my endometriosis through pregnancy and breastfeeding. We were good with the prospect of having a big family. Now, two more pregnancies later, it’s time to figure out a Plan B. My tubes will be removed 6 weeks after my due date and I’ll likely have a hysterectomy within the next couple years. I thought I would feel a sense of sadness when this time came, but in reality I feel a sense of peace and relief. I’m delighted to be having a fourth child, but I admit that (for the first time) I have that “done” feeling that people describe when their family is complete.

I’m ready to focus on growing my businesses instead of growing babies. I’m ready to find a new normal in managing my endometriosis that allows me to enjoy my children as they grow up. I’m excited to permanently have my body back to myself in a couple years when this baby is done breastfeeding.

In the meantime, as I dream about the new normal coming with this next stage of life and adjust to my temporary new normal for the remainder of this pregnancy, I’m doing my best to cherish each minute of my last pregnancy. Each kick and movement is extra sweet, knowing that this is the last baby that my body will hold.

The post Bedrest Day 36: Finding My New Normal appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

Yes folks, I am officially embarking on my 4th week of rest. While I initially had grand visions of doing vast amounts of work online during this time off my feet, I’ve found myself with an irritable uterus and wanting to do nothing more than curl up and watch TV.

An irritable uterus during pregnancy is nothing new to me, I’ve endured this to varying degrees with all my other babies. It simply means I have early labor-type contractions that fall in and out of regular rhythms. It also means that I have a difficult time discerning whether or not I’m actually in labor until it’s well underway. Not a big deal once I’m past 37 weeks, but very unnerving until then.

My last bleeding episode triggered my irritable uterus and, being that the bleeding alone can trigger early labor, this has made me extra anxious and even more conservative when it comes to staying off my feet. To be honest, if I can find  a position that relieves the contractions, all I want to do is stay perfectly still for hours.

Then there is the general crankiness:

With cold and flu season starting to hit, I’m anxious about becoming sick and how a bad cough or stomach bug could aggravate my uterus and start the bleeding again (or take the contractions beyond the point where they can no longer be controlled). Unfortunately, with a child in school and a three year old and one year old, avoiding (or even stressing about) illness is a losing battle. Stress makes me cranky.

Missing out on things I enjoy makes me grouchy too. I have had to cancel numerous events (current and upcoming) over the past month that I was super-excited about attending, including a trip to Toronto for two awesome social media conferences. As a natural extrovert who needs regular changes in scenery, this has been particularly painful.

Thankfully, having been through a bout of anxiety that was exacerbated by pregnancy before (and realizing after the fact that there was probably an element of depression as well), I’m attuned to the early warning signs. I’ve decided (with my doctor’s approval, of course) to embrace Prozac once again before I start feeling uber-crazy. I’m also attempting to do some online work for a few hours on the days where my contractions aren’t too bad. I feel so much better mentally when I can gain a small sense of accomplishment.

Hopefully, the overall sense of crankiness will go away soon and my irritable uterus will ease up somewhat as well now that I’ve gone more than a week without any bleeding (the longest stretch I’ve had in the past 3 weeks).

Milestone: As of tomorrow, I hit the 20 week mark and am officially half-way through this pregnancy! I’m also finally able to go directly to the Maternity Ward should any problems arise and can bypass the ER (yay!). I’ll post some belly pics soon.

The post Bedrest Day 22: Irritable Uterus and General Crankiness appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

I’ve been watching more television than normal, for obvious reasons, and have found myself drawn to crime fighting series. I’m currently watching Bones (why didn’t I start watching this show years ago -I love it!) and Numb3rs on Netflix and keeping up with Criminal Minds, Hawaii 5-0, and Flashpoint on a weekly basis. I’m considering buying a few seasons of CSI via iTunes since I can’t seem to find new episodes online. FYI: I’ve never been able to get into Law and Order, and I can’t bring myself to watch the Mentalist as I think that’s the dumbest name for a show.

Anyhow, given the ample time I have for deep, reflective thought, I’ve been thinking about what could be possible if the best of the best joined forces to create the ultimate crime fighting team. Here’s who I would like to see join forces:

On the forensic side of things, Grissom from CSI will be brought back and join Hodgins, Brennan, Angela from the Jeffersonian Lab. I’d also like Charlie from Numb3rs and Agent Garcia assisting them with data gathering and analytics. Max from Hawaii 5-0 could replace Camille from Bones when it comes to examining the body. He’s a stronger asset.

Pursing the criminals themselves, I want Agent Booth and Steve McGarrett leading the team out in the field. Agent Reid from Criminal Minds is most qualified to handle the psychological profiling. All of Team One from Flashpoint along with the entire Hawaii 5-0 team would be on the team lead by Booth and McGarrett.

Oh, and I’d bring on Horatio from CSI Miami just to hang out. He’s needed to crouch down and remove his sunglasses in an insightful manner at key moments in the investigation.

Finally, if alien activity is somehow suspected, then Mulder and Scully from the X-Files need to be called in. Obviously.

The post Bedrest Day 14: The Ultimate Crime Fighting Team appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

I don’t like having limits imposed on me. My parents can attest that I’ve been like this since childhood.

In school, particularly elementary school, the most challenging subject for me was physical education (I was academically inclined, not athletically inclined). By high school, my coordination had improved enough that I didn’t completely suck; however, athleticism never came naturally to me and, while I was no longer the last pick for teams, I certainly never won any ‘top jock’ awards. Refusing to be bound by these limits, I decided to learn as much as I could about athletics and physical activity.

By the time I graduated from university with a degree in Human Kinetics (another term for Kinesiology), I had entirely new perspectives on physical education, health, and sports. I learned that physical education was (and still is) poorly taught in the majority of schools. When I became a teacher, I found it incredibly frustrating to have my new-found knowledge of quality physical education, the kind that is proven to promote life-long physical activity, shot down by an “old boys club” mentality that was focussed entirely on achievement in team sports. I fought this as much as I could when I taught PE, by teaching my classes differently. I know I made a difference to a few, even though my hands were tied in many regards. Somedays I still think about how I can continue this fight against the barriers preventing so many children from learning to love physical activity.

Another example: As someone who is not a natural runner, I have run 2 half-marathons and numerous 10K’s (with respectable times). I have to train harder and watch my form more than someone who is born to run. Still, I take pride in the fact that I conquered these limitations and got to experience the sense of accomplishment that exists on the other side.

When the pain of endometriosis sidelined me from doing any vigorous physical activity (which I have learned to love over the years) and from being the active parent that I hoped to be, I had a minor identity crisis. For the first time, I experienced limits that I could not overcome. I chose not to let these new limitations hamper my feelings of being a productive member of my family and I re-embraced academia. I began my master’s degree, I dove into the world of social media, and I began to learn about the world of business and entrepreneurship. I chose to revolutionize my life so that my physical limitations no longer affected my sense of self-worth and my sense of accomplishment.

So, while it’s tough to have bedrest limitations imposed on me right now and, for the health of myself and the baby, I can’t fight those, I can choose to fight to come out of this ordeal stronger somehow. Months of rest, fear, and being sidelined from my daily activity will affect me, but I get to choose how. Even if this pregnancy does not have the positive outcome for which so many are praying, I take comfort in the fact that I can choose to let the experience shape me for the better.

Sometimes limitations can be overcome and sometimes they need to be respected. I’m glad that my life experiences have taught me how to discern situations accordingly. I’m also grateful to have learned that, although limitations may take away some choices, they never take away them all.

The post Bedrest Day 11: Limitations appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

While I hope to be very productive in terms of continuing to work via my laptop while on rest, I also need some things to do for the sheer purpose of amusing myself. Since the potential exists for me to be on rest for another 5 months or so, I decided that a bedrest bucket list would be a fabulous way to pass the time.

Without further adieu, here is what I would like to do while stuck on the couch:

1. Redesign this blog. This morning I downloaded a new theme that looks super-cool. I’m excited to customize it and give Canadian Mom Blogger a completely fresh look.

2. Master a few different eye shadow techniques. I’ve always wanted to be able give myself smokey eyes and a few other different looks. Being that I’m stuck in my house, it doesn’t matter if I have a few dorky-looking fails while figuring out the best techniques.

3. Learn a few new hairstyle techniques. Like my make-up, I have a couple techniques that make me look decent in a hurry; however, I would like a greater hairstyle repertoire.

4. Finish all my scrapbooking projects that were started earlier this decade.

5. Sort through my photos and create digital photo albums.

6. Read all the unread books on my shelf that have been begging to be read. Some for years.

7. Learn how to play chess. I’m pretty sure I’m either going to love the game or detest it. Either way, I might as well learn.

8. Become an iPhone photography ninja. I’m falling more and more in love with Instagram daily.

9. Discover new photography techniques to use with my “good” camera.

10. Begin tweeting again. Twitter isn’t my favourite platform: I’m much more of a Facebook person. With that said, I really would like to do a better job of connecting regularly with friends and acquaintances via Twitter. I can’t think of of better time to get into a Twitter-happy groove.

The post Bedrest Day 10: Bedrest Bucket List appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.

I’m feeling more and more movement, which is very reassuring. Still not as much movement as I felt with the other kids at this stage, but that’s likely due to the location of the placenta.

Last night was a rough night with bleeding and cramping and sometimes I feel that every day that I’m still pregnant is an accomplishment. I’m celebrating these weekly milestones much more than I ever did with the other kids.

I’m going to try to pull myself out of the funk I’ve been in since being put on rest and start doing some work again (via my laptop while lying down, of course). I’m going to start with an hour or two per day as my body and brain are still adapting to the inactivity of bed rest.

I’ve also set up a daily food plan for myself. Healthy choices with a few low-calorie treats, that mostly follow my endometriosis diet (it’s hard to be too strict on this when I can’t properly cook for myself). Corey went shopping last night and picked up some healthy grab-and-go snacks that I can keep near me while on the couch. I’m accepting that I’ll likely gain more weight than I would like this pregnancy and, for the sake of a healthy baby, I’m determined to look upon chubby cheeked pregnancy pictures of myself with affection (not criticism) when this ordeal is over. Besides, I tend to be blessed with the most amazing breastfeeding metabolism and have lost all my pregnancy weight (and then some) within 6-12 months after giving birth.

So there are my daily ramblings. Yay for reaching 18 weeks!

The post Bed Rest Day 9: 18 Weeks Pregnant appeared first on Canadian Mom Blogger.