Post-Birth Update

The Beautiful:
Here are the all-important birth pictures:





It's amazing how in only two weeks, he already looks bigger and older!

The Random Thoughts:

• Breastfeeding is really, really time-consuming. MC is not a fast eater, so take 8-12 nursing sessions each day that each last about 45 minutes, and you can see where my time is going. Breastfeeding and using the computer don't mix very well, but I have been able to read some novels. Despite the soreness and time, I wouldn't want to do it any other way.
  
• Having your mother out after giving birth is a great thing to do, but having a guest for two weeks also has downsides, such as when your mother gets mad at your husband after everyone has been feeling a little tired and off from trying to deal with a newborn.
• Having new windows installed the second week after giving birth can heighten such tensions, but if you're going to have new windows installed and you weren't able to get to it before giving birth, it's good to have someone else there to help you out. I'm sure the workers also have appreciated my display of boobs.
• I loved my son the moment I saw him, and still can't get over the fact that I gave birth to him.

The Story:
Who doesn't love a good birth story? I have to say mine was pretty straight-forward. As you already know, my contractions started in the middle of the night on Saturday morning. I felt like I was in pretty good control for the first few hours at home. I called the doctor and she told me to keep monitoring the contractions and if they continued and got stronger, I should come into the hospital. By early morning, I was starting to feel strong contractions about every 5-6 minutes, so I woke up D. He was confused and asked me why I was waking him. I told him I was in labor. "Really?" he asked with a smile. "Yes," I told him. "Okay," he said, "I'm going back to sleep." Well, I soon disabused him of that notion and he got up and got ready to go to the hospital. I took my time, taking a shower, getting the cats feed, etc. Meanwhile the contractions were getting very strong and I could no longer really manage them myself. I had D running over to put pressure on my back, because with each contraction it felt like my spine was being pulled into my belly. It was about 7:30 by the time we got to the hospital and triage. I was having a rough time of it and while trying to change into the gown in the bathroom, my mucus plug came out in a big bloody mess. Then while on the triage bed, my water broke, although because my bloody show was so bloody, it looked rather red. While I went into labor hoping to manage the pain, I knew I wasn't going to make it, so when they asked if I wanted an epidural, I said yes!

I was five cm dilated, so I was admitted to the labor and delivery room and soon got the epidural. While I don't think I would have made it through labor without it, it didn't exactly work the way I thought either. It was lopsided, so while my right side was completely numb, my left side continued to function and feel some degree of pain. Even with adjustment, this continued, but I didn't really want to have needles poked in my back twice, so I lived with it. I felt a little disappointed about getting the epidural, because it meant I was stuck in bed, and also meant I ended up getting a catheter, IV, and two internal monitors: one for the baby, and one for the contractions. I was a mess of tubes. My labor after the epidural slowed considerably, so by noon, nothing had really changed, and the doctor started me on pitocin. My body, never one to turn down artificial hormones, reacted in fine fashion and labor picked up quickly. I'm sure it was a doctor's dream because she could be completely in control of the labor: add a little pitocin and it sped up; going to fast and all she needed to do was drop the dose. By 3:30 I was fully dilated and ready to push.

The heart monitor for MC showed that he was having decreased heart rate with the contractions now, as he moved lower. So the plan for me was to push hard and fast to get him out quickly. This I did. Three contractions and just over 15 minutes later, he was out! It was amazing. I cried when I saw him. Who knew a body could do so a miraculous thing? The umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, so they quickly fixed that and MC was fine. The disadvantage of the fast pushing was that I tore all over and it took an hour and a half to stitch me up. I'm still feeling the ouch. At least I got to hold my baby to take my mind off the stitching.

The Unfortunate
So how does a sleep-deprived, breastfeeding mother, who is hosting her own mother at her house get to write such a long post? Well, I'm back in the dammed hospital tonight, awaiting a D&C for some leftover matter that apparently didn't get out at birth time. I started noticing some foul-smelling discharge a couple of days ago, and an ultrasound earlier today suggested there was material remaining in my uterus. This has got to be one of the hardest things I've done: leaving my tiny baby with my mother, and going to the hospital to have this procedure. I have never given him a bottle or formula and the poor guy has to start rather abruptly tonight. The maternal instinct has really kicked in because it just makes me cry to think that I'm not able to be there for him. Once I got here, they had to delay the start time because I ate almonds at 3:00 PM and they don't want to give me anesthesia for eight hours. I'm hoping I'll be home late tonight or tomorrow and all will be well.