1 Week Old

Today Cora and I took our first trip out of the house and into town for her first doctors appointment. Josh went back to work this week so he met us there. Her doctor looked really young and I know she's a new doctor which I like because that means she's fresh and up-to-date on things. I really liked her. Cora's head measured 13 1/2 in., she is now 20 in. long and she weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. So even though she only eats for about 5 minutes each time, she's getting enough to eat because she's putting on weight. She was 7 lbs. 4 oz the day we went home from the hospital.

Cora has a hematoma (bruise) on her head from when she was in the birth canal and pushed up against my pelvic bone. The doctor said it's soft now but could become calcified and harder but it will go away within a few months. Cora also woke up this morning with yellow goo in her right eye so the doctor took a swab to make sure it's not an infection. She said that babies are born without tear ducts so until they are developed, she may have this problem. She gave us a prescription for some eye ointment. She verified my suspicion that Cora has a small umbilical hernia but she said that it will go away and it's nothing to worry about.

So Cora is in great health and she'll go back when she's 1 month old.

Hanging out with Daddy

Lookin around.

Cash checkin in on her while she sleeps.

First bath.

Cora Mae Frink

Josh and I go to his parent's house every Sunday to eat breakfast. After breakfast I felt the need to go to the bathroom. I came out and told Josh stuff was coming out and he sarcastically thanked me for informing him. Then I felt the need to go to the bathroom again. I came out and then I got the gush and told Josh "uh we need to go home NOW". I said I think my water broke and we need to get home before I make a puddle. I don't think he was getting it because I had to tell him several times. This was at about 10:25am.

When we got home I called the doctor and he suggested I go ahead and go to the hospital because I said the baby wasn't very active. So we got our stuff together, called our parents and headed to the hospital. We got to the ER at about 11:20. The waiting room was full and of course I got another big gush running down my legs as I was checking in.

We got into our room and the nurse did some paper test to make sure my water had broke. She said the strip wasn't turning blue like it was supposed to so I started to wonder what was going on then if it wasn't my water. She came back after a while and tested it again and it turned blue.

By 4:00pm I still hadn't had any contractions. Since I wanted to do the water birth, the nurse said I couldn't have Pitocin to induce labor. So they brought me a breast pump to help induce labor. I did get a few minor contractions but they went away. I also learned that since I had had MRSA two years ago I probably couldn't do a water birth. It would have been nice to know this a long time ago. I had to take a test to see if I was a MRSA carrier. Make a long frustrating story short it came back negative so they said I could get in the tub if I wanted. The nurses also had never called my midwife, they only called Dr. Gratkins. Finally the new night nurse called my midwife. The midwife was actually sick with the flu so she most likely wouldn't deliver me anyway. So so far nothing was going they way I hoped it would. My midwife did say I could take Pitocin up until I got in the tub.

At 9:30pm I started the Pitocin and finally started feeling contractions. I was very tired by this point and the contractions were coming hard and fast. I was only dilated to 4cm. At 12:45am I received an epidural and went to sleep finally. Obviously I decided not to go ahead with the water birth.

At 3:00am I woke up because I could feel pressure on the right side of my body. I called the nurse to help me turn to my right side. She said she was going to check me too. She said "oh there's the head and you're 10 cm". I woke Josh up and told him it was time.

Cora Mae was born at 3:32 a.m. on 5/4/09. She was 7 lbs 8 oz, 18 1/2 inches long and healthy. She latched on and took to feeding right away. The nurses were really surprised.

We got home at about 8:30 pm yesterday, 5/5. I could've stayed in the hospital today too but I was ready to get home and be comfortable. Our first night home went really well. We all slept good and my milk had come in so Cora ate well and stayed happy.

Cash and Willie (the cats) still don't know what to think. They know there's a new addition but haven't really investigated her. They are both scared so far.

Proud daddy!

She has alot of dark hair!