Post Birth Wrap Up

Yes ladies and gentlemen, my daughter was born with her right hand up around her ear. She would hold that pose with both hands balled up but arms raised about her head for weeks. I would laugh and ask her if she thought she might be under arrest for something.

If I put her arms down she would fuss so up they stayed.

They put her right on me when she was clear. I think Gramma cut the umbilical cord if she wanted to. I was not really looking around. I was checking out the new little messy bundle.

She was perfect with 20 digits and a button nose. She had a full shellacking of some what thick black hair that appeared completely straight.

With the almond slant to our eyes and just a hint of my color she looked almost Chinese. She had perfect little dark pink lips and a nice round head.

It was long over due love at first sighting. She nursed right away and I cannot remember when she first cried for me. I am sure she made the necessary noises for the delivery staff.

Gramma snapped pictures of her raising holy hell while being bathed, cleaned and fussed with. She was completely pale in one of them and totally beet red in another. LOL

That should have been a warning to me ~wink~

She was born around 7pm. I do not completely understand what took three hours but it was 10pm before we were nestled in our bed back in the rooming areas.

I remember because mom had gone home. Baby was asleep. Things were quiet and I was awake. I tuned my radio to listen to the two hour airing of the Dr. Demento show but only got through half.

I spent the next day in a blur although I was passing my nurses inspections if you are familiar with what they come to check on. I must have made phone calls because friends showed up that my mother would not have had numbers to call.

I called home and the roommate spread the word to our friends on the BBS. They reported "You would have thought he had something to do with it all they way he carried on".

Men can be so cute at times.

Two of my friends showed up at once. I spent most of the day sleeping but I would awaken to see them play fighting over the baby and taking turns holding her.

I only held her to nurse. I did change a diaper or two. I put her in an out fit we had brought for the photo opt that was scheduled.

I remember she was throwing a fit having been handled for all of that.

I was worried it would be a picture of her wrinkled face with a shot of her tonsils at the rate she had worked herself into. Instead the photographer got her with her eyes closed looking so peaceful you would think she was smiling in her sleep.

We were on our way home right away with no complications. 

Drink some water and eat some roughage ladies. That is my final warning. The only thing worse than giving birth is...getting your exit systems all back to normal afterwards if you do not.

I was anti drinking water until dehydration headaches kicked in due to on demand constant nursing. She was a healthy size and on her way to being pleasantly plump with no bottles or filler substances at all. 

Things went steady onward from her birth weight of about 7 pounds and around 22 inches.

Our Birth Story

My best friend had been pregnant all year with me. Her due date had come two weeks prior. All year she had made fun of my desire to just be as fully medicated as possible as quickly as possible when labor pains hit.

"Women have been giving birth since the dawning of time." She would sneer at me.

I would snap back "Millions of them cannot be all wrong. They say it HURTS."

I called her when she was in labor but she was never able to talk...

I think I knew all about what had happened with her by the time it was my term not so long after.

When I arrived at the hospital with serious contractions going on they determined that my cervix was still not really opening. They did not want me to lay in bed (yet) they wanted me to walk around. They sent me into the hall ways were I just slid along the walls.

I think misery can completely describe the next 7 hours it took to get to 4 centimeters dilated. At or around this time my attending Dr. came in and popped the sack to release my water.

A young trainy of some sort came in and introduced himself. His job was to...prevent excess tearing for the future baby exit. He sat for what seemed like a long time massaging and ringing the area gently stretching and rubbing.

I was almost too miserable to catch the hilarity of the whole situation.

With my body progressing they were finally willing to medicate me.

My new problem was my anesthesiologist had an attitude. I could have too when they told me I needed to sit up, bend to expose my spine and keep absolutely still. Did they realize I was in labor which meant I was not in control?

I tried to comply but right as he walked in a contraction hit and I fell over to one side. He started to curse at the nurse who had been holding me. The contraction passed and we resumed our position. He did what he needed to do and was putting his tools together to leave the room.

Suddenly his mood was better and I was the best patient ever. Dr Jeckle Mr Hyde much???

On we went to pushing. This is probably where things went most wrong. Maybe they should have had me walking then or just down on all fours to try and help gravity.

Back prone is just such non sense. What did I know I was 20. I had to trust those who had come and gone before me. I still have a little...damage from all that excess stress on my sensitive tissues.

Never the less as she began to crown I asked to have a mirror in place. I would not have wanted anyone video taping it but I wanted to watch if possible. With my epidural working I could feel pressure and various things but it was 2-4 on the pain scale not 8-12 anymore.

Sadly the mirror got moved as her head emerged and people got in their places to finish the job we had been working at all day. It was after dinner and staff had changed hands actually.

Out came her head and that was announced. I pushed again and I heard "Hand". 

I knew a lot was going on that maybe I was not totally aware of but "head and shoulders knees and toes" don't shoulders and elbows come before hands??? 

What the heck???

As I mentioned the mirror was just out of sight so I had no idea what was going on.

Another push and her shoulders cleared. Another push or few and we had baby never mind my questions.

Tune in tomorrow for the clean up and 1st days...

Our Pre Birth Story

Wow ok so 16 years ago this time I was 1/3rd of the way pregnant.

Maybe this pre Mothers Day blog hop is what I need to help this blog get on track. 

We will go back to the beginning for a moment. After that we can go back to the teen adventures I am dealing with that started this .5 of a blog as I call it.

My mother had two live births and too many miserable pregnancies that ended in miscarriage. 

My birth was such a mess it did a lot of damage. To carry my brother to term she had to have a cerclage and be on bed rest.

If there was anything I knew about child birth it was the following: It's natural but it will kick your butt on the pain scale and other wise.

I wanted to be ready. I wanted to be drugged. The idea of CIO or Mind Over Matter did not even enter my head.

I was 20 years old. I was single. It was an exciting time.

Fast forward to late September. 

I had a last minute Dr. check scheduled for right around the due date they had given me. 

At which time I was told my body was giving no serious indication that it was in transition towards labor and delivery.

I was incensed having been pregnant ALL year. I just knew he would want to do something about this. He was content to wait. I went home.

The following Thursday morning as I was drying after a shower my plug fell out.

Labor in it's own slow natural way was beginning. I called the hospital. They said to come in and get things checked. As ready as I was sure I was this sent me into a tizzy. It took me the rest of the day to make sure I was packed and supplied properly.

When I arrived and they checked my fluids and cervix they sent me home. If I could be annoyed by medical professionals they were working up the short list.

Breathe Breathe Breathe Release Relax...pant

As Saturday rolled through contractions started. I sat around with my roommate who for the weekend was giddy like he was going to be a dad. 

We timed and kept tabs on how my slow but steady labor was progressing. By 10 or 11pm they were regular and getting closer together but not overly intense.

I decided on a nice bath. Either I would be a really clean relaxed lady in the delivery room or I would put myself to sleep for the last time solo was my thinking. Indeed the latter happened.

Around 6am that Sunday morning I awoke to a serious contraction. We are talking an 8 on the pain scale. It subsided and I called my mother to come and pick me up as planned.

As she got up to get ready my dad grabbed the phone and wanted to chat. My body was too distracted and I quickly bid him adieu. 

Contractions were coming hard and regular. Not so much that I thought I might transition into delivery any time soon. Serious enough however that I knew the day had come.

I was in the hospital about one hour later. It would be 12 hours before this ordeal was a complete success.

...to be continued...

Moving Apart to Bond

You have not lived until you have moved a three piece sectional up stairs into a bedroom.

That is what we did last week. She wanted to move down stairs and I decided to allow it if we could get the couch into the master that has been hers in our two bedroom town home rental.

We needed the bonding exercise and she needed...a new project and a bit more independence.

If I have spoiled her it is with too much freedom. The balance now is to allow new adventures that have their own requirements and restrictions.

My clutter and mess annoys her. Hers me too but I get so much less grace for some reason. Living down stairs the idea is she won't have to see my mess and she can actually keep it looking presentable.

 

She is doing well in school. That is a relief. She is actually doing very well which is what I knew was possible. She just needed the stability and again maybe more control of the reigns.

I hate that she thinks I am the enemy sometimes. I have started telling her, her lack of service to me and the house drives her unrest.

“How can you feel good about yourself and your life if you are doing nothing to contribute to anyone or anything but yourself?” I asked her.

She has said she is neat and tidy but I keep her from being so. I told her that is bunk. I told her if she were really so concerned she would do more and demand more not just complain.

I further explained to her some of the problems she can see are things she simply needs to deal with and come along side me on. 

It should be an interesting spring and summer. Maybe we will do some/more entertaining. We’ve been hiding a little bit. Only her step siblings and a couple of her friends have come over since we moved in here. 

She has probably spent more time away between them, her friends and the guys she has dated. I want her to feel comfortable to bring people over.

Having no door and all of the downstairs to herself should facilitate that. 

I needed her to take ownership in keeping things tidy and guest ready. This will force it or show that we need outside resources.