Thursday, December 17, 2015

VBAC Hopes and Dreams

If you don’t want to read about pregnancy or some of the details associated with it, this post probably isn’t the right post for you. This is something that I’ve been wanting to talk about for a little while.

My pregnancy with Patsy was “normal” without complications or problems. I didn’t have swollen feet or stretch marks. I didn’t have gestational diabetes or pre-clampsia. I did test positive for Strep B and that was about the only thing. My regular doctor visits were pretty uneventful. Chris and I took the child birth class and were prepared for a normal, vaginal birth. I was very against having a c-section and I was ready to defend myself and fight to not have one if necessary. Then, at 38 weeks exactly, I tripped and fell. I fell to my knees and then fell forward. Because I was so pregnant, my belly hit the ground. I was instructed by my doctor to go to the hospital to be monitored for the next 24 hours. Upon arrival, they performed an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay with the placenta because of the fall. “Oh, your baby is breech.” Errrrrr *screeching brakes noise*… This was like a punch to the gut. I had so many questions. How did we not already know this? What does this mean? What are my options? My due date was 2 weeks away and everything I was planning and prepping for was now completely out the window. My doctor instructed me that she did not do a versions (manually flipping the baby around) and that my c-section would be scheduled in 4 days. I didn’t really have time to process what was about to happen. I didn’t really have time to handle the emotions that went along with this change. I didn’t know I would have so emotions about the fact that I would now have a c-section.

Patsy was born (birth story here) and she was a beautiful, happy and healthy. As far as c-sections go, I was still able to hold Patsy immediately after birth for the “golden hour”. My husband and I were able to cherish those precious first moments together as a new family. My doctor was comforting and held my hand as she could tell I was nervous. The nurse during the surgery was fantastic. BUT, that was not my ideal birth situation. I knew when I wanted to get pregnant again, I wanted to try a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).

In the OR, our first photo as a new family of 3

Unfortunately, based on the area of Illinois in which I live, there are 3 practices that are specialists and have high VBAC success rates. (If you go to a state like Oregon or California, VBAC rates are very different than Illinois.) I chose a midwife practice and I’ve been very happy with my decision so far. All of the midwives I’ve met with continue to tell me the same thing. “You are a perfect VBAC candidate.” It just makes me that much more hopeful. We’re also working with a doula to help provide additional birth support. Having a VBAC is very important so I want to try and give myself all available tools for success. Because I’ve had a previous c-section, a medical induction (Pitocin, etc.) is off the table so my body needs to go into labor on its own. That hasn’t happened before so it’s back to playing the waiting game! I’m assuming I’ll go past my due date, like a first time laboring mom but we will see! The holidays have been a great distraction throughout December and we are running full speed through the rest of 2015. January will be her before we know it and the baby can come just about any time in January! (Actual due date is February 3.)

I’ve kind of been in denial about how much will change in being a parent of one child to a parent of two. Part of me doesn’t want to over think it because then I get emotional, etc. and I think I just need to take it as it comes. I have a few ideas and suggestions to make the difficult early days/weeks easier and I’m hoping to really utilize the support of our friends and family during that time. Well, this is what has been consuming my thoughts and time lately. Please wish me luck as I embark on a new and different type of challenge, that I feel hard training sessions, difficult half marathon and marathon races have mentally prepared me for.


Monday, December 14, 2015

12 Days of Oiselle - Recap

If you've been following me on Twitter, you probably saw that I was doing a fun little "12 days of Oiselle" game where I wore some of my favorite Oiselle items and tweeted about it for 12 days. Honestly, it wasn't really a challenge since I own so much Oiselle at this point, but I thought I would do a fun little recap of the items I posted. 


  • Day 1: Vintage "iRun Without Tee" that was given to me by The Nest when I first became pregnant with Patsy. It is a size large and extremely soft. Best pajamas around
  • Day 2: Lux headband (new this season) and Katron jacket (currently available for those cold winter days). It was a chilly winter day in Chicago and I was properly prepared for the weather
  • Day 3: Power Stretch Mittens (new this season). I absolutely love that they are warm, fleecy, and come in a size L/XL for my super long fingers. My only wish is that the thumb was cellphone compatible.
  • Day 4: Go Mac tee in honor of Ms. Sarah Mac as she was on her quest for an Olympic Trials Qualifying Standard. Patsy wanted to send PJ some smiles too.
  • Day 5: Portman Pants are my new favorite warm pants to wear as leggings. The waistband is super comfy for this growing belly and black goes with just about everything.
  • Day 6: I'm obsessed with the new violet color that came out this fall. I needed to get the classic Flyte Tee in this new hue. Oh and the Starbucks Holiday Flat White is my new jam.
  • Day 7: Men's American Runner Tee. Had to support my Oiselle teammates that tried for that OTQ and got it! Although it is the mens tee, I love how comfy and soft this American Runner tee is. It is a staple in the pregnancy wardrobe.
  • Day 8: Gwen Tank paired with jeans and a cardigan. We have a casual dress code in the office but this tank covered my belly and I dressed it up with a cardigan and necklace. Comfortable and office-appropriate
  • Day 9: Holiday shopping in my vintage Mac jacket. With the unseasonably warm temps, I'm glad I had this one hidden at my desk!
  • Day 10: Heads Up Wings Out Full Zip Hoodie. I've been waiting for a zip up hoodie for the past 2 years. When it was released, I obviously absolutely had to get it. I live in it just about every day. Best purchase ever.
  • Day 11: LF Sweatpants. On Fridays I work from home and these sweatpants were perfect for when I don't have to make my long commute in!
  • Day 12: I didn't buy this feather tee when it first came out (I was pregnant with Patsy at the time) and it was my biggest regret. I searched the internet high and low and found it on a discount site. I made the purchase and absolutely love it. Oh and don't mind the Elmo phone that is 15 years old. Patsy only wants one thing for Christmas--an Elmo phone. This is the phone she has at the babysitter's house and it is her favorite toy. Thanks eBay!

I hope you enjoyed my recap of 12 days of Oiselle. I had so much fun doing it, I just might do it again next year! If you have questions about any of these items and want to know more (how they fit, is it worth the price, etc.) feel free to leave me a comment.