The Schaffer Family!

FINALLY!!! Our little baby... GIRL is here!!! Laynie Lynn Schaffer born September 10, 2010 at 10:47a.m. She weighed 7lbs 13oz. 20in long. I must say she is the cutest little baby girl ever and we are so glad she is all ours! Since being home it has definitely been a big adjustment with emotions and stress and lack of sleep but also along with smiles and laughs! We know it will get easier so we've been told a hundred times but being new parents is tough! I don't think anyone will ever realize the work and change it is until it happens to themselves. All our time goes into making sure she has everything she needs! It for sure has made me realize that Jeff and I come second but I won't complain! She is such a blessing in our lives and already has made Jeff and I as a couple grow stronger in our marriage! I don't know what I would do without him! He is always there for me to cry on when I'm having a rough day and reminds me it'll all be ok. I have been quite weepy this first week but it's getting better! Laynie has been such a wonderful baby! She chooses the nights she wants to sleep good and then of course the ones she wants to cry. One night she slept from 10 till 6 in the morning!!!! It was so crazy! Jeff woke up at 6 and starting getting a bottle ready but figured he may have slept through me feeding her sometime in the night. So he woke me up and asked if I had which I didn't! We were both pretty shocked cause then she'll have nights where she is up for 4hrs crying on and off. She tends to suck on the bottle funny with her tongue which leads to her swollowing a ton of air and upsetting her stomach which then leads to her crying in pain. It is so sad to see her in pain and not really be able to do anything. We have now started to burp her often while feeding and are going to try this new formula, Similac sensitive, which is suppose to help with colic. So crossing our fingers it'll help with her gases. I tried breast feeding then decided to pump and feed with a bottle but it's a lot of work! I was pretty set on breast feeding but I think with how stressed I was letting myself get and hormones changing that I needed to do what I could to help relieve some of it, so we have officially decided to go with formula and I'm loving it!!! We're taking it day to day with a new baby and I think we're starting to get the hang of things and stay positive about it all!

So now for the labor and delivery story! I think I got lucky with how well it went that's for sure! 1:30 Friday morning I woke up and went tot he washroom and kind of felt a small gush. I wasn't sure, being a first time prego, if it was my water that broke or just the usual discharge pregnant woman experience. So being the laid back person I am, I got on the computer and looked up more info on your water breaking. After reading a bunch of stuff I figured it was my water. Just to make sure I laid on the couch for a bit then got up and I felt another gush followed by contractions being 4-5mins apart. I then finally woke Jeff up at 2:00. Yes yes I never woke him up right away and everyone wonders why but it's because I wasn't sure if it really was my water breaking. I went into the bedroom...

"Babe, I think my water broke." I said it really calmly so I didn't freak him out or anything.
Jeff says, "Ok, see you babe!"
Funny guy!!!
So we headed to the hospital here in C-town to get assessed before heading to Lethbridge. They confirmed my water had broke and that I was 4cm dilated. So we flew to Lethbridge going a whopping 160km/hr!!! We got there about 3:00 and they checked me again and said I was only 3cm dilated and that there was probably no chance I was going to get into my own room because of how busy they were. The nurse even said that after delivery that I would probably not get a private room. We weren't so happy to hear that but we figured whatever, nothing we can do about it! Within 15 minutes they got me into my own delivery room. They lied!! Well technically not really but still ha. So we got into the room and got as settled as I could be. My contractions were then 1 1/2 mintues apart and very strong. I even got into the bath and could not relax enough to get through a contraction. I was exhausted and finally gave in to get an epidural!!! Luckily, the anesthesiologist was in already around and was in the room within 10 minutes (6:00a.m.) He did an amazing job!!! I was nervous to get it but with my contractions I didn't really care. So i held 2 pillows and held onto Jeff while he did the procedure. I hardly felt anything! I was sweating like crazy with how bad my contractions were while getting the epidural and I was also making Jeff sweat at the same time! After getting the shot, I was pain free within 10 mintues except for the pressure in my butt, which is where I was feeling the contractions when they would come. I had to go to the washroom really bad so the nurse and Jeff grabbed me on each side to get me there but oddly enough I didn't need the help! My legs were more of a "sleeping" feeling rather than completely numb. It was wicked nice! By 7:30, because of the epidural letting me relax and not tense up, I was already dilated to an 8! By 9:30 I was dilated fully which is when the nurse had me start pushing to get the babies head down further before the doctor showed up. Once the doctor did get there is went by fast! I was tearing really good which Jeff said he could have cried from watching. I'm glad I never felt it happen! By 10:47a.m. Laynie was born! When she first came out we both thought she was a boy from how swollen she was down there but they they flipped her tummy up and then we heard, "IT'S A GIRL!" We were both so happy! Jeff grabbed the camera and video camera and was over to her right away to get pictures and everything! It took a good 20-30mins for the doctor to stitch me up which I was not wanting but what can you do right? I then showered and got cleaned up and within half hour we were going to a new room, a PRIVATE room!!! The nurse had said 110% that wouldn't get a private room but we did! We were so glad because who wants to share a room with another parent and their newborn? Not us! We were in hospital till Sunday afternoon because they wanted to make sure my swelling went down and my iron went up. I didn't even know till being discharged that I had lost a ton of blood and my hemoglobin was only at 88! It then made sense why I was so pale! I still am but we find out tomorrow what it's at so cross your fingers it's getting back to normal! So that is the story! I was in labor for 9 1/2 hours and happy with how it went! So now we are home as a family and loving it!

Until next time... Jeff, Brittany, and Laynie!!!!
(P.S. The pictures weren't loading for some reason, I'll load them when it works)