I first saw this on my friend, Jenny's blog. She did it about her firstborn, but I thought it would be a fun thing to do around DaKoda's birthday so that I could reflect on her birth one year ago. I plan to do this post for Brooke around her birthday as well.
1. Baby's full name?
DaKoda Adalee Wentz
2. Why did you choose that specific name?
I have really liked the name DaKoda since watching sooo many movies with Dakota Fanning. I think she is a cute girl and I just fell in love with her name. But I wanted to be different (and difficult, I know!) and I think that when you say 'Dakota', you don't pronounce the T. It sounds like a D. The reason for the capital K, is because in my family we have my Dad whose name is DeVon, and my sister JoLyn. So I thought I could sort of carry on the 'tradition'. Plus, I think it adds personality to her name.
As for her middle name, Adalee, it is after my Great Aunt Addie. Aunt Addie was named after her Aunt Adaline. I had heard the name Adalee and felt like it just fit better. (Really read her name out loud with all 3 names as the middle name. Adalee is the only one that has a ring to it.)But that way we could still nickname her Addie and pay tribute to both Aunts.
3. Were you married at the time?
Yup. 3 years.
4. What were your reactions?
Yes, it worked! I knew the day I was ovulating, and this was the 4th time we had gotten pregnant on the 1st attempt. Then it went to into total secure mode. After two miscarriages, one being just the month before, we didn't want anything to go wrong again. Both miscarriages were right before becoming pregnant again. With Brooke it was 2 months apart, with DaKoda it was the very next month. I fear that for some reason one of my babies has to be sacrificed for another one to make it. Morbid thought, but why else would Heavenly Father put our family though the tragedy? This is the only thing that gives me a peace of mind. I have two angel babies that gave up everything so that their sisters could live an amazing life here on Earth.
I did lightly bleed almost the entire first trimester which mad me a nervous wreck. The doctor didn't seem to worry even considering the miscarriages. He said when there is another symptom, then we can worry.
As soon as I hit 12 weeks, we were endlessly overjoyed. A few days after the 12 week mark, I did stop bleeding.
5. How old were you?
24 years old. I didn't have my birthday while being pregnant.
6. How did you find out you were pregnant?
I took a home pregnancy test as soon as possible.
7. Who did you tell first?
Ummm, I think we told my sister JoLyn first. Then we went out and bought a bib that said 'I love my big sister!' We wrapped it and opened it in front of both families (separately) Christmas day. Both sides of the family were really excited. I was super excited though when not long after telling my best friend, Cara that I was pregnant, she called me to say that she was pregnant too!! I would love to be pregnant along with her again. I t was great to have someone to call who knew EXACTLY what you were going through. We were only 3 weeks apart, but I went into labor a week and a half early. So the babies are 4 weeks to the day apart.
8. Did you want to find out the sex?
Oh yeah! I can't handle the suspense. And I am a girl who really likes to be prepared. I was glad that I wouldn't have to buy much, having two girls in a row.
9. Due Date?
August 20th, 2007 Induction date was scheduled for August 16th.
10. Did you deliver early or late?
A week and a half early. 11 says to due date, a week before induction. I didn't even have a bag packed. So much for planning ahead.
11. Did you have any morning sickness?
I had a little in the first trimester, (actually I had more nausea- I hardly threw up) but the doctor told me to take half a Unisom before going to bed and it worked wonders! The third trimester though? Man I couldn't stop getting nauseous. I got nauseous everyday. Plus I threw up more in that trimester than I did all throughout the rest of the pregnancy and even including the pregnancy with Brooke (3 times). I was so sick. I think the heat of the summer had something to do with it too.
12. What did you crave?
With both girls I craved chocolate. Anything sugary actually. I hated the smell of cooked hamburger. I could order a burger at a restaurant or fast food and be fine eating it, but if Derek fried up some hamburger in the kitchen, I was seriously ill and had to leave the house.
13. Who irritated you the most?
I am sure I got annoyed with Derek too easily, but I was bugged the most by our landlord. That summer was a record heat summer. I thought I way going to die from the heat. All we had was a swamp cooler and it kept breaking. The float doesn't work and it leaks water. We kept calling the landlord to fix it and he would come, so a few things and say it was fixed and it never would be. It was usually 80 degree's in the house. Not good when you are at the end of your pregnancy and have an internal heater. Finally after bawling on the phone too many times to my Dad, he purchased us a window air conditioner. Heaven!! I could actually survive when I sat in the living room with it on. Then for my birthday, he bought us another one for our bedroom. (It was the end of season and it was an awesome deal.) This year, we don't even turn on that stupid swamp cooler, but we do have both air conditioners going almost all day.
14. What was the sex of your baby?
A girl! She showed it out and proud for the ultrasound tech. We have pictures to prove it! It was the first image that came up on the screen when he placed the thing on my belly. He said well, I guess I can't ask you whether you want to know the sex or not because there it is! I saw it right away.
15. Did you have any complications in your pregnancy?
I already talked about the nausea and all that. But I went and got my book out (I kept a detailed book about each visit) and I had a sore throat at 25 weeks, horrible pelvic pain at 29 weeks (that pretty much never went away, it just got worse. The doctor told me at 29 weeks to stop doing any housework that I could). I was fatigued a lot. (That's actually the first symptom I get. I just want to sleep ALL the time.) Heartburn, shortness of breath and a pounding heart. The one symptom with DaKoda that I never got with Brooke was leg cramps. I got them a lot in the middle of the night and it would wake me up and I would almost be in tears. I also got them when I would walk for more than 10 minutes. My sinus' were awful. I complained to the doctor every visit, but nothing ever helped. He finally gave me loritabs under stick instructions to only use one if I really couldn't stand it. (Came to find out after seeing an ENT after giving birth, that they never were sinus infections. I have bad migraines, which get worse during menstruation or being pregnant. Good to know! The ENT told me the doctors have always seen my sinus as bad when they look because I broke my nose at 14 years old. My nose is still crooked and so my sinus look swollen when the doctors look at them. All those years I have taken Antibiotics unnecessarily and even had to go though finding out I am allergic to penicillin and sulfa....all for nothing! Migraines stink!
I did have to go back to the hospital for a second blood glucose test because the first test showed me at border line high. The second test showed normal range.
But as for any MAJOR medical complications, no. Although I still consider the bleeding a reason to freak out. Thank heavens, that I had no other problems.
16. How many hours were you in labor?
From when I arrived at the hospital at 6 in the evening, to 11:05 am, it was a total of 17 hours.
17. Who drove you to the hospital?
Derek along with Brooke in the back seat.
18. Who watched?
Derek, my Mom and Dad, my sister JoLyn, and Derek's mom. It was JoLyn's first delivery of someone that she was close to that she was present for. (She had to watch others in a college class)
19. Was it natural or C-section?
Natural
20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain?
Ohhhh yeah. I am a big wimp. Those women out there that can do it without medicine, power to them. You are my hero. I was crying because I had gone to the hospital in pain, not because I thought I was in labor and they just kept checking me. The nurse came in while I was crying and she asked if I wanted my epidural and I said, yeah. But for the second time, the anesthesiologist hit my nerve causing me to scream at the top of my lungs. Apparently I was heard down the hall. I screamed then, but not when I had to push or right before I had her.
21. How much did your child weigh?
7 pounds, 10 ounces. One measly ounce more than Brooke. DaKoda has consistently stayed heavier than Brooke (at similar ages).
22. Did your child have any complications?
None. Hallelujah!
23. What hospital did you deliver at?
Mountain View Hospital (in Payson, Ut)
24. How old is your baby now?
One year, five days old.
I wanted to share the story of my labor as well. The Saturday before we had gone to the drive in in West Valley. One of our favorite activities. We saw Bourne Ultimatum and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. (Both great movies.) We didn't get home until around 2 am. When I walked in, I went to shut the curtains that I had accidentally left open (I usually don't do that) and I saw a lot of flashing lights down the street. I was really curious, so I wanted to go see what was up. I completely forgot that there is a big jump in our sidewalk. I tripped and fell straight a little to the side, but I did hit my belly.
I called the doctor on Monday morning because my back had been hurting since I fell. He wasn't concerned, but said to call if I have any other problems, or if it gets worse. Tuesday I felt fine as could be. Then Wednesday, my back started hurting again, the same pain from Sunday and Monday. I called the nurse and she said to try taking some more tylenol. I told her I had and it didn't help. She suggested that I take a good walk, take a really warm shower, take a nap and eat a healthy lunch. I did everything she told me and at 4:00 pm, I called her back to say that nothing helped. She said, "Honey you're in labor!" I said no, I'm not. This is the same pain from me falling. She asked how dilated I was at my last appointment, but the doctor didn't check because I flinched and he said he didn't want to hurt me. So we had no idea how dilated I was. The nurse really felt that I was having 'back labor' and told me to get to Labor and Delivery right away to have them check me because the doctor had left for Provo already. I decided to wait for Derek to get off work at 5 because it wasn't like he would get home that much sooner if he had to drop everything and leave. So I didn't even call him. I just sat around and waited...in pain. When he got home, we got Brooke ready and piled into the car. I hated walking into Labor and Delivery saying I just needed to be checked because my doctor wasn't available. I really felt like some girl crying wolf. I thought they are going to be so annoyed with me by the time I have this baby because I am going to have to keep coming back every few days until I have this baby. Well the nurses were great and said no problem. They got me all hooked up and I was finally measured for the first time at 2 and 1/2 centimeters and 80% effaced. Then they left for an hour. When they checked me again, the nurse felt like I had changed a little. So she wanted to monitor me for another hour. Brooke was restless at this point. We hadn't expected to stay. So we called JoLyn and asked her if she would take Brooke for the next hour so she wouldn't be bored. She also got us dinner because we had left the house in a hurry and again we didn't think we would be staying.
After the next hour, I had progressed to a 4. So I was staying. After a little while I starting crying because I was still in pain (the main reason I had gone to the hospital in the first place). The nurse came in and asked me why I was crying. I told her well, because I've been in pain all day and nothing has helped. She said, "You can get your epidural. Do you want it now?" YES.
While the anesthesiologist was setting up, he tells us that he passed out when they gave his wife hers. I guess he can give them, but not watch them. He did hit a nerve though and my screams were heard down the hall. We had to remove it and try again. When he finally got it right, I felt a lot of relief.
We had called my parents and told them the situation and they decided to drop everything and drive down. We visited for a long time, but I could not progress past a 6. So around 1 am or so, they decided to go to JoLyn's to get some sleep. Brooke had been dropped off at my brother JD's house to spend the night. That night was the longest night I have ever been through. The nurse came in every hour and woke me up, or something would start beeping and wake me up again. Derek's mom had decided to stay at the hospital, so her and Derek slept on the couch. (Each used an arm rest and had their feet propped up on a chair. Well, I now know where Derek gets his snoring from. They both snored all night, sometimes switching back and forth. I had nothing to do but think all night long.
At 8 am, my doctor had shown up off the night shift in Provo. Thank goodness. I really didn't want someone I didn't know delivery my baby. He checked me and I was a 7 and 90% effaced. So he broke my water, which felt completely different than with Brooke. It was really weird being under the effects of the epidural and having someone break my water. (Versus with Brooke my water Brooke right after I got to the hospital to be induced. So I felt all of that one.) Then the doctor ordered pitocin to hurry things along. I think DaKoda was trying to take her time to make her entrance. Hence her nickname....drama queen!
At 10:30 am I was finally dilated to a 10 and 100% effaced. One nurse went to get the doctor. The other was still checking things when all of a sudden I felt seriously ill. She grabbed an bag for me and I threw up twice. They told me it is common from the pitocin. I felt immediately better and then the doctor came in. I literally pushed 3 times and DaKoda came out at 11:05 am.
DaKoda Adalee Wentz
7 pounds 10 ounces
21 inches long
11:05 am
August 9, 2007
DaKoda had no complications and I had her almost the entire time I was in the hospital. I was up a lot with her the first night, but passed the time watching the news coverage about the Crandall Canyon Mine accident. Click here to read more about it if you didn't hear about the tragedy. The ten men who lost their lives will forever be in my heart.
I love you baby Koda! May you always be the center of attention my little drama queen. I want the best in life for you and I wish that you can accomplish everything you ever want. You have an amazing sister to look up to and I know already that you are following in her footsteps. You seem to have a drive to do everything Brooke can do and it is wonderful to watch you along your way. It has been one amazing year. We have sure been through a lot. Two hospitalizations, 9 teeth, sitting up, crawling and even walking. Please continue in your strive to be happy. We will love you forever and always. Love, Mom
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