Introducing Frankie Grace

It seems it's been almost an entire year since I last blogged. The day to day life seemed to take over and the extra time of blogging was put aside...not that there was a lot of blogging in the year prior to that either.

The end of 2014 brought us another precious gift...a little girl. Making that a total of 5 little ones here for the Neatons. 

Introducing...

Frankie Grace

She was born on New Year's Eve (12/31/14) at 8:45 pm. She weighed in at 8 lbs 9 oz and was 23 1/4 inches long.  

**Birth story at the end, after the photos

Minutes old

About to get weighed...probably about 90 minutes old

Weighed - 8 lbs 9 oz

Big sister Cori

With big brother Joseph

Big sister Charlie

Just like with my pregnancy with Arthur, I was 'overdue' this time around too. My due date was technically December 15th. But you know babies come when they are ready not necessarily when you are ready.

Pregnancy was going well. I was gaining appropriate weight, my blood pressure was good, baby's heart beat was good and she was plenty active in the womb. I had had a conversation with my midwives earlier in the week and we had decided that an ultrasound would be appropriate by the end of the week if I hadn't delivered yet.

At 16 days past my due date (12/31/14), my midwife, Kim texted to remind me to schedule the ultrasound. We talked back and forth about what to do to get labor going at this point and I decided on giving castor oil a try.

Around 2 pm I took the castor oil and went about my day....I was working in the office that day and the kids were upstairs with the sitter. Contractions came and went for awhile. By about 3:30, I knew I was in labor. I took the babysitter home, told Joe I was in labor and texted my midwives back with an update. They decided they would head out this way.

I called Joe's mom to come and picked up the kids for the night. We had a little conversation back and forth about whether it could wait until after they went to dinner, etc. In the end, she came and picked the kids up instead and they were out of the house by about 6:00 pm. Our midwives, Kim, Jane and Rachel got her about 6:30 pm. I was in active labor at this point and was having horrible back labor...which is very typical for me. What I love about our midwives is there is very little intervention/checking, etc that occurs unless I want it. So, they just check baby's heartbeat and my blood pressure and let me labor as I wanted. I showered and headed to the couch to try and find a better position for contractions...no real luck.

Joe was napping on the couch at this point and I had to actually wake him up to go get me a heating pad for my back...I'm guessing it was about 8:15-8:30 pm. Jane came down with a heating pad for my back and I worked through some more contractions but it was very sudden that I knew I needed to push. It was quick...which is awesome if you ask me. I pushed through about 3 contractions...starting at 8:41 and baby girl was born at 8:45.

One of the sweetest things heard that night...my hubby telling me that I make labor and delivery look easy and a midwife telling me that I'm good at birthing babies.

She was wrapped up in cord and Jane did a quick untangle job to free her and she was in mama's arms. At that point, both midwives commented that she didn't look like an overdue baby. She was covered in tons of vernix (the white cheesy stuff on her skin) yet and typically the longer a little one is in the womb the less of the vernix they have at delivery. We figured, I must have had the due date wrong...which easily could have been the case this time around.

...but when I delivered the placenta and they were checking it over and the placenta clearly indicated a 42 week pregnancy. So, in typically Neaton fashion....a contradiction all around.

Little girl nursed, then we clamped the cord and then she was weighed and checked over and dressed.

One of the best parts of having a home birth, midwives who feed you, do your dishes and laundry and hang around for a few hours to make sure everyone is settled in and postpartum visits in your own home.

Sweet Frankie is already 5 weeks old and the time goes so fast. It seems like she has been here forever and not all at the same time. She is overly loved by all here.


God bless!

Arthur's Birth Story

*Warning - this is super long*

Arthur is already 2 months old, so I figured I needed to finally get his birth story written out before I completely lost it to the far corner of my brain.

To start with the little guys was 2 weeks late...yes 2 weeks. All our other three were early or right on time, so waiting was hard. I was tired and cranky and my family handled it really well. I spent the week prior filling the freezer and cleaning the house. I also had been having contractions off and on for weeks.

It all started the evening of April 15th, 2013. My water broke around 11 pm that evening...just that, no contractions happening. Which also was very different then the others, I had never had my water break on it's own. With the other three, I always started with contractions and actually had my midwife break my water later on in labor - basically right before delivery. 

So there I was, late Monday night sitting in a huge puddle of water and nothing else happening. I texted both my midwives and let them know what wasn't going on and tried to get some sleep. Sleep didn't come very easily and I slept off and on all night, had a few random contractions but no real progression to labor. 

We got up in the morning and discussed what we were going to do with the other children and decided to call Joe's mom to come and get them. Grandma LuAnn ended up picking them up and they spent the day playing at their cousins house..while mama impatiently waited out little boy's arrival. 

I let my midwives know what was going on and texted a couple of girlfriends...letting them know that my water had broke but I was not in labor yet and to pray that labor would start and we could get things going. I didn't let anyone else know. I didn't want to hear the questions and worries about getting to a hospital because my water had broke so much earlier. I felt at ease being at home and trusted my own body to do what it was suppose to do. My midwives don't have a hard and fast rule about how long after your water breaking that they worry. I was told to stay away from public restrooms and refrain from sex...no problem, neither were interesting to me at that point.

Most of Tuesday (April 16th) was spent sleeping and walking. I was having contractions but they were very inconsistent and were not getting stronger or longer at all. My midwives came out around 2 pm and checked baby and mama and everything was fine just not really progressing. I was frustrated and cranky and just baffled at how different this labor was from all my others. 

Grandma brought the kids over for awhile that night and then they went back with her for one more night...just in case labor actually started moving faster. I didn't really feel like having them all here for the delivery. I am not one to have a million people in the room. I would never think to ask my mom or my sister or a friend or mo mother-in-law, etc to be here for any baby delivery. The less the better - Joe and midwives was plenty for me.

Around 8 pm contractions finally started to get regular and they continued to do that for the rest of the evening. I talked to my midwives around 10:30 pm and asked them to come back out...hoping that things would change quickly. My other labors went from manageable and 5 cm dilated to ready to push in a matter of a couple hours and both Kim and Jane live about an hour from us.

They got here around 12:30 am Wednesday morning (April 17th). I timed a couple of contractions and they were about 8 minutes apart yet and manageable. baby was active and contractions were regular. We all basically slept at off and on for the rest of the night/morning. By morning, contractions were a lot closer and more painful but they still seemed doable to me. I was feeling bad that I asked everyone to come out earlier and have to sleep on my couch and floor instead of in their won beds. 

Joe got up and I was still feeling like it would be a few hours so he left to run a couple of errands. Around 7:30 am, I had midwife Jane check me and I was dilated to 5 and basically completely thinned out. I went to take a shower. I was having back pain and was hoping the warm water would help. Then I went to bed and tried to sleep some more...exhausted. I hadn't really slept for 30+ hours. 

Labor pains were very different than my other labors and with each contraction I need to get out of bed and on my hands and knees to manage the pain...this made sleeping impossible. I finally went back down stairs at about 9:15 am and asked to be checked again. We checked baby and his heartbeat was good. I was having contractions fairly close together, so checking me was a little more difficult but we did finally get it done. I was now dilated to about 8 cm.

I sent Joe a text and asked him to come in and fill the birthing tub for me. He was on his way back and figured he was about 10 minutes out yet.

I asked if I could shower again and was told 'yes' but asked to leave the door open so that they could hear what was going on. By the time I got in the shower, my contractions were right on top of each other. I was in the shower for maybe 10 minutes and then decided it was time to get out. I stepped out of the shower with the intention of going potty and getting dressed again. None of that happened. 

About this same time, Joe got home and was trying to figure out how filling the tub. We were now out of hot water and there was no way we had enough time anyways...I couldn't move from where I was.

It was 9:55 am and I was on my bathroom floor ready to push and delivery our little one. I'm not sure but I probably pushed through about 4-6 contractions and a whole 10 minutes later Arthur was born at 10:05 am on April 17th, 2013. 

As he was being delivered, Jane calmed stated we have a cord. And sure enough he had a lot of cord and it was everywhere...around his neck, around his belly, around his legs. They just calmly unwrapped him and it wasn't a big deal at all. I don't think it would have been handled in the same way in a hospital.

A few minutes later, baby and mama moved to the comforts of our own bed and snuggled up. It was so nice to just take time slowly. We didn't cut the cord until about 45 minutes later...he nursed a bunch and I delivered the placenta before the cord was even touched...minus the untangling earlier. 

Arthur Cody Neaton

born 10:05 am

April 17th, 2013

8 lbs 2 oz and 21 in long

4 days after delivery...my entire family was here for a visit. An event that had been planned before his birth and I had been expecting to have at least a 2 week old by then.

This is 4 generations - grandma Geri, my mom Deb, me and baby Arthur

I'm pretty sure we are done having babies, but if it happens that we are blessed with another we will definitely be doing a home birth again. It was a great experience and I feel very blessed to have had Kim and Jane here for it. I think the nicest thing was the postpartum visits...they came to me for a 24 hour check, a 3 day check, a one week and a two week check.

The boy was my biggest newborn and has continued to grow like crazy. At his 3 day check he had already gained 4 oz since birth. At a week old, he was up 1 whole pound and at 3 weeks he had gained almost 3 pounds. 

God bless!

Introducing Arthur Cody

Baby boy is already 3 weeks old...thinking it was time for some photos and an update.

Arthur Cody was born April 17th, 2013 at 10:05 am. He weighed in at 8 lbs 2 oz and was 22 inches long. 

He is the largest baby we have had...could be because he was born 2 weeks after my 'due date'.

About 1/2 hour old...cord hadn't even been cut yet.

About an hour old...snuggled up in the sling and getting ready to get weighed.

Proud big sister, Charlie, just can't get enough of him. 

That big dent in his forehead got much better overnight. He was kind of cock-eyed in the birth canal while I was in labor and he had his head pressed up to one side of my pelvic bone.

5 days old...chilling out on the top of mom's desk as she was working away on paperwork...there is no maternity leave when you run your own business.

He was born at home...quick delivery after a long labor.

Birth story coming soon...

God bless!

What to do on your due date.....

.....plant the greenhouse of course!

My 'due date' was yesterday and I spent the day working, helping plant the greenhouse and answering numerous texts like - "baby yet??".

Soon...it will be soon.

God bless!

Baby #4 - 39 Weeks

39 weeks pregnant and I've fielded calls from my mom, my mother-in-law and my dad and a few texts from friends in the past few days wondering if baby has arrived yet. I guess everyone else is as excited as we are to meet the little one.

I'm feeling good. Baby has dropped a little. I'm having random contractions, too. I would say we are getting closer. I had a midwife appointment earlier this week and everything looks good. I'm measuring right on for my 'due date' and baby is still really active.

Everything is ready on this end...birthing tub is blown up, midwife supplies are sitting here, there is extra food in the freezer and I have managed to stay on top of the laundry all week.

We will keep you all posted.

God bless!

Baby #4 - 37 Weeks

Not a very good photo, but as you can tell baby is growing.

I'm about 37 weeks now and measuring about 2 weeks ahead. Which means nothing...at my appointment before then I was measuring a week behind. Baby is head down, but still very high.

I'm feeling well though and looking forward to meeting this little one.

Names are still up in the air and we will not decide until after the birth...stay tuned.

God bless!

Baby #4 - 33 Weeks Photo

33 weeks as of tomorrow and feeling it. It's hard to believe that in 40 some days or so, we will get to meet this little one.

And I think we may have a few names picked out.

God bless!

Baby #4 - 32 Weeks

The beginning of this pregnancy seemed to move really slow...but the last few weeks have flown by. I'm sure the rest of this pregnancy will move by just as quickly. I'm feeling the urge to 'nest, nest, nest' but also only have energy right now to accomplish probably half of what is on my 'to-do-list'.

It seems somewhat weird to say that I'm looking forward to labor and delivery, but I am really looking forward to birthing this little one at home. I've ordered my birthing kit that the midwives need and was just googling what else I should have on hand for the birth...like extra towels, sheets, etc. I still need to check my essential oil and herb stash and probably order a few things for labor prep, etc.

I also still need to line up renting a birthing tub. I wanted to have a waterbirth with all the other kids, but there always seemed to be too many interventions while in the hospital and it just never worked out that way. My other three labors went fine, but looking back I definitely see things that I wished I had done differently.

I'm tempted to just buy a tub, but Joe and I do feel like this will probably be our last baby so spending the money on owning one is probably not necessary. Last baby means we should firm up our birth control plans from here on out, too.

This has been more and more talk of baby names and we still don't have any firm winners yet. The girls have opinions and this time around we need to think of both girl and boy names since we don't know what this little one is yet. Cori's current girl names are 'Apple' and 'Mya'. Charlie's favorite right now is 'Georgia' if we have a girl. Boys names are a entirely different story here...we have always had a hard time coming up with a few choices for boy names.

I had a short midwife appointment earlier this week and all is looking well. My blood pressure has been great at my last couple of appointments...it's usually on the low side of high when I'm pregnant. I'm measuring right on and baby is moving around like crazy. I'm still getting kicked pretty hard and regularly up in my rib cage. One of midwives, Jane, did remind me the other day that that won't happen anymore once this baby is born...she was trying to be funny I think.

I'm loving this pregnancy and how nice it is to see my midwives right at one of their homes. I haven't needed to do any unnecessary testing...yeah for no glucose test! I thought I would miss not having an ultrasound done, but it hasn't been an issue either. I still get to hear little one's heartbeat...just with a fetal stethoscope rather than a doppler.

I'll try and add a photo tomorrow. I'm getting bigger...no more regular jeans for this girl.

God bless!

Baby #4 - 28 Weeks

Baby #4 - 27 weeks

I'm about 28 1/2 weeks right now and feeling pretty good.

I'm pretty sure this is the smallest I've been during pregnancy...but have still gained plenty of weight.

Baby is growing well and moving around like crazy.

At my last midwife appointment, he/she was moving around so much we couldn't get a steady read of a heartbeat with the fetal-scope. 

My only complaint...I'm having horrible rib pain that I never experienced with any of the others.

We have been talking about names, but haven't come up with anything quite yet.

God bless!

I'm Pregnant!

 

For those of you who may have not heard yet.....I'm pregnant with baby #4!

 

 

I'm 17 weeks today, making the little one due early next April.

 

I have been feeling pretty good the last couple of weeks, but did have a lot of tiredness and nausea during the first trimester.....totally normal for me. All of my pregnancies have been very similar.

 

We are going a different route with this baby. We are seeing different midwives and are planning a homebirth. I'm excited, I had tried to talk Joe into a homebirth with the last 2 babies but he wasn't up for it at that time.

 

We won't find out the sex ahead of time and won't even have an ultrasound in less absolutely necessary. I don't forsee any complications. I have had pretty normal pregnancies and deliveries in the past.

 

I'm off to see my midwives today and should get to hear the little one's heartbeat.

 

 

17 weeks - Baby #4

 

God bless!

Introducing Joseph Arthur Jr.

Joseph Arthur Neaton Jr.

Born 12-26-2010

10:36 am

7 lbs. 1 oz.

18 3/4 in. long

Our little boy has arrived...almost 3 weeks ago already.

I have had relatively uneventful pregnancies, but both the girls were born after being induced. So, going into labor naturally was different but good.

I had been having contractions off and on the whole week before little Joseph was born. Totally annoying and frustrating, but made it much easier to realize when I was really in labor. 

We had Christmas gatherings with both sides...on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...both with me having contractions off and on again. We left my mom's on Christmas Day around 6:00 pm and I told everyone I was planning on having a baby the next day...joking, wishful thinking...a little of both.

I had no more contractions on the way home or for the couple of hours before bed time. Joe asked when he was going to bed if I thought tonight was the night. I told him no.

I was wrong. Contractions started around 11:00 pm Christmas night and were about 10 to 15 minutes apart and didn't seem like a big deal to start with. I was able to breath through them and actually was trying to sleep...that didn't work well...I would just fall asleep and have another contraction that would wake me up. 

I finally got out of bed around 1:00 am (12/26/10), took a shower and went downstairs to watch some t.v. The rest of the early morning was spent watching t.v. and tracking my contractions online. The were getting closer, longer and more painful, so I finally woke Joe up around 4:15 am. I called the hospital and Joe called his mom to come stay with the girls. We got to the hospital around 5:15 am.

With both the girls being inductions, we just showed up at the hospital and were put right in a birthing room. I didn't think about it being different this time until we got there. They put us in a triage room to make sure I was really in labor, to time contractions and check my cervix. I was totally bummed, when the nurse told me I was only 3 cm dilated and if nothing changed in the next hour they would send me home. I knew I was in labor and that today was the day and there was no way I wanted to go home...so we went walking and climbed a whole bunch of steps and walked some more.

And by 7:00 am, I was dilated to 4 cm and contractions were about 6 to 7 minutes apart. They let me stay and the nurse called my midwife (who was not on call, but was so sweet to come in on her weekend off anyways). Over the next hour or so, my contractions got closer and more painful. I had been have back labor the entire time, but it was getting a whole lot worse. It was like having 2 contractions at the same time...I would feel each contraction in both my lower back and my lower abdomen.  My midwife broke my water at around 8:30 am. I was dilated to 5 cm and was looking forward to speeding up labor...my back was killing me.

With all 3 deliveries, I had planned on having a waterbirth or at least laboring in the tub for quite awhile. Each time it has not worked out, including this time. My children have all had issues with umbilical cords wrapped and dropping heart rates when I contract. Thus leaving me hooked up to monitors and on the bed. With both the girls, at that point I opted for an epidural...but not this time. There really wasn't time for it when we had got situated and ready to get into the tub.

I was all hooked up to the monitors and laboring on the bed by about 9:45 am. Contractions were close and I was real close to being fully dilated. And I swear you forget how painful labor is until you are in the ends of it again. You would think with pregnancies so close together, it's not something I would have forgotten...Praise the Lord for forgetfulness! At this point, I was ready to have this baby...to see his sweet little face, but I think more just to end the horrible back pain.

I was fully dilated and ready to push by 10:15 am. Contractions hurt, were right on top of each other and I could not seem to catch my breath. This was by far my most painful labor...I think more just because of the back labor. I had some back labor with Charlie, but with an epidural I didn't deal with it during delivery and was able to just concentrate on pushing.

I pushed through a few contractions and rested through a few and pushed through a few more. Our little baby boy was delivered at 10:36 am. In the end, it turned out the cord was wrapped around his neck...thus explaining the dropping heart rates. And he delivered face up, rather than face down...thus explaining my horrible back labor.

I would say all in all a painful delivery...but is there any other kind, it is suppose to be painful after all. But, I have already decided I can do it again and we will do it again. Neither of us feel like this was our last baby to deliver.

The little guy came out nameless and remained that way for a good part of the day. Joe and I had went around and around on his name for hours, for days, for weeks. In the end, I just gave in and Joe named our precious new son. Our little man now named after his wonderful daddy.

These first few weeks have been going well. He is eating like a champ and at a weight check when he was just 8 days old, he was already 12 oz. over birth weight. I weighed him again this morning...19 days old...and he has gained 2 lbs already. I may just have a chubby baby after all (neither of the girls ever were).

He has been sort of crabby the last couple of days and seems stuffed-up off and on. I'm thinking a diet change is in the future for me...I'm thinking I need to cut the coffee and the dairy (both the girls did not tolerate dairy well at all while nursing).

God bless!

You know you are 9 months pregnant...

1. ...when you get winded reading a story to your children

2. ...when your body is producing and leaking milk at inappropriate times (my husband tells me if I was a cow, that would mean I'm due to calf in the next 3 days)

3. ...when you have to pee before you get in the shower, while you are in the shower and as soon as you get out of the shower

4. ...when you need your 3 year old to take your boots off because you can barely bend over

5. ...when you are down to one pair of maternity pants that fit

6. ...when you are constantly adjusting the thermostat because you can't decide if you are too hot or too cold

7. ...when you can't remember the last time you slept well or for more than an hour at a time

Almost 38 weeks

I'm headed to a midwife appointment tomorrow (38 weeks on Tuesday). Joe has dreamt twice that this baby will be born on December 13th...that is tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath, but we will see. It is getting close any way you look at it and we are basically ready for the little guy. Bassinet is up, his clothes are in the dresser, diapers are bought, carseat is out...still need to pack a bag for the hospital and would like to get this house a little cleaner and make a few more meals for the freezer...but in the long run we are ready.

Enjoy your week!

God bless!

Baby #3 - 33 Weeks

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has been going. It could be that our house is just busier each week, each day, each minute and another pregnancy seems par for the course.

Seriously, 33 weeks already.

The name discusses are still happening. This little boy may just be nameless until we leave the hospital. My dear sweet husband is insisting on Joseph Arthur Jr. Me...not so excited about the idea of a junior. I'm trying to be open minded, but just do not like the idea.

I had an appointment with my midwife on Tuesday and everything is looking well. I am actually measuring ahead...measured at 34.5 weeks. Seems odd since this is the least amount of weight I have gained in a pregnancy. Baby is head down where he should be...causing lots of kicks in the ribs...painful but always exciting to feel that movement.

God bless!

Baby #3 - 27 Weeks

27 weeks already.....oh how time flies.

God bless!