Second Baby, 9 Pounds 13 Ounces – Update (Anonymous)

Previous entry here.

I am now 4 months postpartum, after my second child. I was 1 week overdue when I had him and I knew he would be a big boy. I had terrible pelvic symphysis pain with him. I couldn’t roll over in bed and by the time I was 40 weeks along, I stopped doing my regular exercise (walking 1 mile a day). It was just so painful! The day he was born, I was around 158 pounds (two pounds lighter than the day my 7 pound 11 oz daughter was born at 39 weeks). I guessed that he would be born weighing 8 pounds, nearly 9 pounds. On November 1st, 2011, I was scheduled for induction at 41 weeks. I wanted so badly to go into labor on my own (as I was induced with my daughter for high blood pressure). My blood pressure had been excellent throughout this pregnancy, at around 112/60, so I had high hopes. After lots of prayer, I went ahead and scheduled the induction. Thankfully, I went into labor early in the morning on November 1st. At first, I thought it was back pain (which wasn’t unusual), but I quickly realized that it was the real thing. The labor still had to be augmented with Pitocin later down the line, but I got to go into labor on my own! My epidural worked this time around and I was able to actually really enjoy and remember the experience of childbirth. My son, however, was posterior just as my daughter was and he also needed a vacuum to assist the delivery. I could feel his large head in my pelvis as I pushed – a bizarre feeling that I’ll never forget. The doctor was amazing and tried to turn him to an anterior position as I pushed. There was a bit of an issue with shoulder dystocia and meconium. The scariest part was the fact that the cord was wrapped around his neck. It was frightening not to hear him cry for a few minutes after birth. However, he is a very healthy little boy! We are so thankful for him. When the nurse weighed him, she said, “He’s a big boy!” I remember thinking, “Of course he’s big! I was overdue!” Then she turned him toward me and I squinted at the scale! 9 pounds 13 ounces! What?! How could that be? I’m a petite woman and my husband is fairly short at 5 feet 10 inches (his father and brothers are well over 6 feet tall). The doctors checked his blood three times, thinking that perhaps I had unchecked gestational diabetes, but I didn’t! The doctor said, “He’s just a big boy!” Today, he is 4 months old and over 18 pounds. My arms are getting quite a workout, but it must be good for me because I’m already back down to 118-119 pounds. I might be back down to my old weight, but my old body has changed quite a bit. I earned quite a few stretch marks on my tummy that I didn’t have before (I had a lot of extra amniotic fluid, as well as a big baby) which are fading and my tummy is still a little fluffy. At times the stretchmarks bother me, but considering that I carried such a big boy, it could have been much worse. I want to start jogging soon, but I’m going to wait until the weather gets a little nicer. I want to be careful that it doesn’t effect my milk supply as well. Losing weight so quickly makes me nervous about my supply (although I had no issues in the 2 1/2 years I nursed my daughter). My goal is to nurse my son for just as long as I nursed my daughter. Nursing is going great and I’m enjoying the time with my little guy while he’s still little.He’s already sitting up and I get this feeling that time will fly just as quickly, or more quickly, than it has with my five-year-old.

Thanks for reading my update. :)

~Your Age: 27; Currently: 5 foot 2 inches, 119 pounds
~Number of pregnancies and births: 2 pregnancies, 2 births
~The age of your children, or how far postpartum you are: 1st child: 5 years, 2nd child: 4 months

1st photo: close-up on stretchmarks at 2 weeks postpartum
2nd photo: goal weight, but not goal shape, 4 months postpartum
3rd photo: 4 months postpartum
4th photo: 40 weeks 2 days pregnant (notice how I’m carrying extra fluid above my belly button)
5th photo: me with my darlings