Spinal Headache.....

Spinal Headache....otherwise known as the headache from hell.....

The epidural with Mason was perfect, no issues. With Brady, not so much. The doctor was young. As soon as he did it he went "umm you'll probably have a headache tomorrow". His explaination...the ligaments in my back are really soft. They do the epidural by feel and they usually can feel with they get through the ligament into the epidural space. If they go to far, they puncture the spinal column and it leaks spinal fluid causing a headache. It's a 1 in 100 chance of this happening. Well because my ligament was soft, he couldn't feel when he got through it and went to far.

I woke up the next morning in the hospital with a headache. They gave me Motrin, Perkaset and had me drink 4 Mt. Dews (caffeine to help constrict the blood vessels). That worked so I said "I'm fine send me home". Little did I know......

Friday morning I woke up with the worst headache I've ever had. A pounding, pulsating migraine headache. I couldn't get out of bed. Cure? Lay flat until it heals. REALLY??? You do know I have a 2 yr old and a newborn right? Thank God for my mom and mother n law. I would not have survived without their help. They pretty much came over every day and either took Mason home with them or entertained him here so that I could lay in bed. I was alternating Loratab and perscription Motrin every 4hrs on top of drinking 6 Mt. Dew's a day. Mt. Dews = caffeine = no sleep for the newborn. But at that point I didn't care b/c I HAD to get rid of the headache.

One week later and I was still in bed with an excrutiating headache. Poor Brady hadn't had a bath since birth.....oh and me either. I called my doc and she sent me to the hospital. They said I could have a blood patch. Doc said he thought I was almost over the headache though so he would wait. Blood patch = another epidural except instead of nubbing medicine they insert 20cc's of my blood into the space so that it clots and closes the hole, stopping the leak and relieving the headache. Of course the risk is that they could again go to far and cause another hole, leading to a longer headache. I opted to wait.

I waited the weekend and went back Monday for the blood patch. I just couldn't stand it anymore...and I have a high tolerance for pain. It took a total of 45 min but I was in the ER for 5 hours.

Tuesday the headache was almost gone when I sat up!! However, it was back with a vengence when I layed down....FAIL I thought! But Wednesday was even better and by Friday I was back to 100% 16 days after I gave birth!

I will think long and hard about an epidural if there is a third...

A bunch of firsts!

First Bottle

Mason feeding Brady

He held it himself!!

First walk

Mason "No me do it!"

First Bath

NOT a fan


First toy shared

Mason gave Brady Thomas to play with :)

Brady @ 2 weeks

Brady's 2 week check-up was awesome! He got an A+. No jaundice at all and he gained 1lb from his 1 day check up. He's up to 8lb 4oz!! He also grew....a lot to 21in. Doc said not to go to much on that b/c different nurses/docs stretch babies out differently so the height might not be 100% accurate.

Feeding is going wonderfully. He has had no problems latching or nursing. He also switches from bottle to boob perfectly. He's a snacker though. He likes to eat for 3-4min, go to sleep for 5-10min, eat for another 5 min, got to sleep again. Doesn't make for a fun midnight feeding :).

Sleeping....well now that he's not hyped up on caffeine, he sleeps pretty good. Definitly has his days and nights mixed up, but all babies do. We are getting 2 good 3-4hr stretches at night. He likes to be swaddled...Mason didn't so I wasn't swaddling Brady. I bought one of those swaddle me things and the first night we used it we got 5 hrs!!

Mason is doing well with Brady. He likes to get right in his face...which ticks Brady off but he's VERY protective. If Brady cries, Mason goes running. He's regressed alittle...wanting to be held all the time, crawling around, sucking on a paci (which he NEVER did)...but overall he's doing great. I'm trying really hard to give him mommy and Mason time every day.

Mason LOVES baby Brady

Crayola Colored Bubbles = NOT COOL!

Brady has arrived!

After months of waiting and weeks of being dilated to active labor sizes

He has decided to join the world!!

Birth story (another amazing one):

Went to the doctor for my weekly appointment Wednesday at 1145pm. Doctor said I was 7cm dilated and he was at station 0. I was having a few still irregular contractions but nothing regular or horrifically painful. She decided she would break my water and that would get things moving. So again, I hopped in the car, drove myself over to the hospital, grabbed all my bags and walked into the admitting office. I told the lady I was 7cm and going to labor and delivery. 30 MINUTES LATER I finished checking in (she was SOO slow!) and walked up to labor and delivery.

Even though the contractions weren't painful I knew that when she broke my water things would go fast so I asked for the epi first. Got the epi about 2:45pm. He screwed up and went to far and warned me that I'd probably have a headache the next day. 3:15pm my doctor broke my water. 3:50pm I started pushing. 4:13pm he was born! Yep that fast!!!!

Scored a 9 on the apgar scale. He was 7lb 13oz 19.5in long. He has LONG fingers and HUGE feet.

Mason was soo cute with him! He gave him lots of kisses and was kinda amazed by the whole thing. When he got ready to leave he asked "Mama all done now?" LOL

Brady and I were doing great in the hospital so they released us 24hrs later. Of course as soon as I get home the spinal headache started. The horrible HORRIBLE headache. It is better when I lay down versus sitting or standing. Someone please tell me how to care for a newborn and 2 1/2 year old lying in bed?! Yeah....

Supposedly these things last anywhere from 1 week to months. Wednesday is a week....Wednesday afternoon I will be calling the doctor if I still have it. Lora tab and Motrin along with Mt. Dew (caffeine) just aren't cutting it.

Our new little monkey....Brady James Blanton :)