BABY HAM
Due mid-January 2005

COLE PHOTO GALLERY

January 16 , 2005 BIRTH DAY!
I am updating this on February 9, 2005.
Cole was born at 5:03 AM at our home in Sacramento. He was born in the water/labor tub that was setup
in the baby's room.
My early labor began at about 8pm on Friday night (1/14/05 - my due date) with contrations 10-15 min
apart. We were at Dan & Mel's house with our Dad playing Dominos that night, so I was not concentrating
too much on the contractions, but more on the game.
The contractions slowly and steadily increased to active labor, 1-3 min apart by 11:30pm on 1/15/05.
Saturday afternoon, I tried to go about my business, going food shopping and resting, by dinner time I was
starting to really feel and need to deal with the contractions. I spent the contractions on my hands and knees
rocking back and forth and moaning. This worked really well. When active labor hit, I woke up John, who had
been getting some sleep, and asked him to use his hands to put pressure on my lower back. At midnight, I
went into the shower and had the hot water running on my back to ease the pressure. I tried to rest again,
in bed, but was up every few minutes with contractions and going to the bathroom a lot.
At 2:50 AM I went into the labor tub. By this time, I was ready for a change and really needed John's help to
ease the pressure on my lower back. With each contraction, I could feel it coming and would tell John to get
ready and then I would tell him I needed pressure and direct his hands to exactly where to put the pressure.
It did get intense as the contractions intensified. John was using all his weight. At one point, Tosi (midwife)
stepped in for John while he went to the bathroom, but she just couldn't do it right. I needed John back.
You can ask him, He was exhausted from helping. At 3:02 AM my water finally broke. It felt like an explosion of
fireworks so loud I thought everyone had heard it, but I was the only one. At 3:35AM I felt the need to push,
and so it began. I started to push with each contractions. At first I could not feel anything from the pushing
and then at some point, I could feel that it was making a difference, that the baby was moving it's way down
the birth canal. At 4:05 I was completely dialated and had lost all my energy. I was very lost at this point and
needed much encouragement from everyone that things were progressing and that I could do it. At 4:33,
we could see the head starting to crown, but kept moving back up. I gave it my all with each contractions,
though I had no energy left. I felt completely wasted. Each push, moved the baby's head that little bit more
down and out, but it kept on going back up and would not stay. I felt a harsh burning sensation and remembered
that I had read about that happened as the baby's head crowns. So when I was told to continue to push,
I pushed. and I took the seconds in between contractions to breath and then I pushed again. And with
each push I felt the head emerge. It felt like eternity, but it was really only a minute in time. and then the head
was out and I felt a huge relief. I asked if the shoulders and body were easier than the head and was assured,
yes. so I pushed some more and the body came out. within seconds the baby was in my arms. I was so
overwhelmed with emotion that I forgot how tired I was. I was helped out of the tub and felt my legs almost
buckle underneath me. I was supported from the baby's room, to my bed. The baby was wrapped in a blanket
and placed back on my belly. he could not go far since he was still attached to the umbilical cord and the
placenta was still inside me. The placenta was born about 10 minutes later and John cut the umbilical cord
another 10 minutes later.
He was perfect. I can't even begin to describe the emotions we both felt. It is so overwhelming to all of a
sudden have this tiny little person in your arms.
After all the clean up and the check up of both of us. The baby lay between us in our bed. He was alert and
looking at me. I was mezmorized. Even though we were all so exhausted, it took us a while to finally close our
eyes and drift to sleep.

January 12 , 2005 (39.5 weeks)
Happy Birthday to John today!
No baby yet, so please stop calling and emailing us asking if we are in labor yet. You will know when
it's over and we are holding our gorgeous son in our arms :) . I still have a few days till my due date
and it is normal to deliver up to two weeks past the due date. We are both anxious and waiting.

We are all doing well. Baby has grown in the past week and is still in position getting ready to go. I have
been having regular contractions, not labor, but practice contractions that are more noticable.
The baby has been hiccuping more too, which is annoying since he does as I try to go to sleep. It is
impossible to sleep with a hiccuping baby shaking up your belly. It doesn't last for long. I have had much
more aches in pains in my hips and pelvis as the baby moves on down. I can get heartburn at any time,
if the baby shifts and leans on my stomach. the good thing is it doesn't last for long! but usually happens
a few times at night when I get up to go to the bathroom.

John and I purchased a new 2005 Subaru Forester and love it. We've had the car seat installed and are just
waiting... along with everyone else... for the arrival our little guy. We also picked up our wonderfully
comfortable new glider chair with lots of padding and foot rest. ahhhhh. it is very comfy for mom.

We saw Claudia (midwife) today and she suggested some more time on my hands and knees coaxing the baby
toward the front along with daily walks and naps. I have been missing out on naptime this past week.
I just can't find the time. I am too busy trying to get the laundry done, the bathrooms clean and the house
in order, just in case. I need to have a clean house. Though it takes me days to get anything done.
Hang in there - we will call, email and update this site as soon as possible. Thanks for all the support!

December 19, 2004 (36 weeks)
FOUR WEEKS to go. The closer we get, the more excited we become to meet this little guy. He is still
kicking and stretching in there and sometimes it is painful. He has knocked about under my ribs, my pelvis
and I thought he was stretching up so much he was hitting my heart. Luckily, he can be coaxed down
from my rib cage with some strategic rubbing lower in my belly. I have also discovered that he is
ticklish. I can tickle at his feet (or whatever is poking out) and he will move it rather quickly with
a chuckle from both John and I. What fun. He will be just like his dad.
The baby has started to fall deeper into my pelvis, head down. He is pretty much buried in there
in the correct position, so it is highly unlikely that he will move. It does put much more pressure
on my pelvis and hips, but also it gives my organs much more room. I've been able to eat more
and have less heartburn. YAAA.
At this point in time, if the baby came, he could still be born at home without too much worry.
He might just be a little small. I'm not too worried about him being born in December, but I have a
funny feeling that he could be born just after the first of the year. We shall see.

John and I went to a class at my Midwives home on Saturday - How to catch the baby. We definitely
did not want to miss this. Tosi went through many good suggestions on what to do if you go into
labor and also covered what to do if she does not arrive in time. John paid close attention. It was
great to see, with hands-on visuals, just how the baby works it's way down and out. The miracle of
life emerging and the incredible way a women's body changes for this experience. I really feel honored
and blessed by this baby. I have to mention that we got to see a real placenta, previously frozen, but
real and bloody. WOW. I was amazed to see the actual size and structure of this and I think it was good
for John to see some blood. We are still a little worried he may pass out :)

Also on the list for this last month is for me to get lots of rest, eat good, walk and do squat exercises.
I am in the full swing of "light sleep" at night, waking at least every two hours to pee and up for 1-2
hours. I am trying my best to nap for an hour each day. Though I am not good at it, my body is telling
me to rest. I'm working on it. John and I talked about how this last month needs to be about us and
the baby and we need to get in synch for the upcoming birth. He should be getting as much rest as
I am so he can give me the support I need when I need it. This is something we really had not thought
about until Tosi talked to us about it. It makes sense. John can't be falling asleep during labor when
I need him.

I feel prepared for the baby, at least in terms of having what we need to labor, deliver and comfort
the baby. We do need to setup up a plan to have friends and family help out the first two weeks after
the birth to bring by meals and to help clean up the house a little. I am glad my Dad will be here for
we hope the first week.

December 9, 2004 (35 weeks)
We have stopped counting forward the weeks; we are now counting backwards from the due date.
FIVE WEEKS and counting!!! Yes, five weeks. We are anxious and excited and cannot wait. We are
willing to skip the holidays this year and just get on with it. The baby is doing great. Growing like
crazy. You can see it almost daily - the bigger belly, the belly button even further out - and still kicking
and dancing in there A LOT. I really think this guy is going to be a dancer, a modern dancer, but who
knows there are a lot things one can do with healthy kicking! (check out the new photos above).
Sleeping seems to be getting harder, at least this week. and definitely my bigger belly has something
to do with it. but I have also been very dryed out and very thirsty. I think it's the weather and the
heat. We just purchased a humidifier which I hope will help, but John forgot to start it tonight and
I am up at 3 am updating this website.
I had some bad days of heartburn the past few weeks, hard to predict what was causing it;
maybe just the location of the baby? but that is a little better this week. I have also been insatiably
hungry these last few days. I had John pick me up a pizza tonight at 8pm, after dinner. That is a first.

We have made progress in the baby's room. We finished painting the dresser/changing table. It looks
great. It is bright, each drawer painted a different primary color. I finished the curtains which are red
with bright colored stars all over and I just order a blue rug for the room. We still have a lot to buy
we are planning another spending spree this friday to get the car seat, stroller and a few other items
and we need to buy a new car too. We did manage to get a christmas tree and decorate the house
last weekend. I also need to mention how lucky I am to have John. He is suppportive, caring, loving and
all around great guy and the only person I would want to be Dad.

November 24, 2004 (32.5 weeks)
It seems that with each week the baby communicates more and more with the outside world.
Each kick or movement is amazing. I can't believe in less than two months (hopefully) we will
meet this little person. I am sure Baby Ham is very excited to meet us and all of you.

I am also growing in warp speed now. If you look hard enough you can literally see my belly grow.
I measure it by how much my belly button sticks out. It is so ready to pop. All this growth has had
an effect on my diet, again. I get hardburn much worse than before and I am still trying to figure out
if it is because of the spicy food or because I am eating too much at one time. It seems I have to eat
little tiny meals, snacks really, about a quarter to half of what I would consititute as a meal. I don't
usually feel full from eating like this, so I am constantly hungry. This part is not fun at all. Especially
since it is Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am still not sleeping well. The most sleep I get at one time is about
5-6 hours and I am up for 1-2 hours and then try to sleep again. I know I should be happy with that
since it won't be long until it could be much worse.
The baby's room still looks like my office. I have hung up a few beautiful pictures that Mirella and Joanne
drew for me and some of my handmade crafts I made as a kid, but that is about it. John and I should finish
painting the changing table dresser this week and I can finally put all the clothes and blankets and socks
we received away. We still have a lot to do and at this point I am starting to feel the rush of the next month
especially since we have Christmas shopping to do and much entertaining.
We have had many guesses as to what sex child we are having; many unexplained reasons of suspicious
origin. I think it is safe to let everyone know all bets are off, we are having a boy. and hopefully he will
have my head :)

November 16, 2004 (31.5 weeks)
OK. I know I said this baby was kicking and moving, feeling like thunder and lightening a week
or two ago - multiply that by TWO! It is actually really fun, since we can communicate now.
I can rub my belly in a certain place and oooh there's a kick. and I can talk to the baby and get
some reaction. I am really loving these last few weeks because I feel I have a little person inside me.
The heartburn is getting better now that I've adjusted my diet a bit. I am also thinking that it may have
something to do with the hot sauce I put on my eggs. I have also been drinking some Slippery Elm Bark
Tea, which definitely helps with the burning sensation.

Met with my midwife on Tuesday, gained 3lbs in 3 weeks. The baby is growing and is a good size and my
uterus is at 31, correlating with my # of weeks. Braxton Hicks contractions are more often and I'm learning
to recognize these much more easily and react. Walking seems to help since sitting and laying are out
of the question. It really sucks when these happen at night because John has to get up and walk with me.
He has to adjust to this not sleeping through the night thing too!
Speaking of sleeping through the night... I have not done that for months. I am up for about an hour or two
most nights, mostly because my back is in so much pain I can't get comfortable in bed. My latest snack is
a bowl of cereal with banana or raisins. I am eating this a couple times a day now. Everything is going great
and we are just starting the countdown to birth!

November 8, 2004 (30 weeks)
What a great weekend. Mark and Janeen through a baby shower for us at our house. It was great
to see everyone. A few friends that we had not seen since our wedding. Thank you to everyone!!
We had a great time. I had John open the gifts this time, since I opened them at our shower in
Massachusetts. His face got very red as he opened the gift from his cousin Debbie and Alvin... nipple cream
and nursing pads. The best gift was a joke from Dave Bollinger. He fooled us by covering a box with his own
design for a baby campfire pokey stick, which mentioned not to be used by John Ham. If you have ever gone
camping with us, John always get banned from poking the fire. It was a great joke.

Baby Ham has been doing well. Yesterday, last night and today, he/she has been very actively moving around
in there. It feels like thunder and lightening in my stomach. I have no idea what they are up to, but I bet it is something good. :) The baby's body has grown in size just from the feel of it poking out of my stomach.
I'll find out next week how much growth when I meet with my midwife.

November 3, 2004
I've been trying to walk more. We've been reading alot about labor and birth and it looks like the more
walking the better and more fit you are to deliver. I'll do anything!
Because of the size of the baby, she/he is resting on my stomach, so I have had bad heartburn. I
adjusted my diet and the amount and times I eat so I can keep everything down, literally. It seems like I am
eating constantly (like in the first few months of pregnancy), but much smaller portions.
The baby has been very active in the last few days, We have even been able to see movements where
you see my shirt just jump around. You no longer need to just feel them with your hand the belly.
The size of the feet are about 2 to 2.5"! Can you imagine how big the rest of the baby is!

October 26, 2004
I met with my Midwifes today, Tosi and Rachel. The baby is in position, head down, and most likely will stay in this position. While they were searching for the heartbeat, the baby decided to play and kicked up right under the monitor.
I got some recommendations for birthing classes, as well as, continuing my prenatal yoga class once a week. They brought this huge book which shows the mom's belly and a full size baby at 7 months. It was amazing to see what the baby looks like in size; this is one of the things I keep thinking about. The baby is big!

October 25, 2004
I am in the final trimester now (almost 7 months). My belly is bursting with baby.
The baby is about 13 inches and can see, hear, taste and smell. The lungs can now breath air and the brain is rapidly expanding.This month I had a growth spurt in the last 3 weeks of about 7 pounds and I can feel it. My feet, legs and wrists swell up and it is even harder to sleep. The baby does not have as much room to move around, so the movements are less, but stronger and shake my belly all over not just in one spot.