(Originally Published July 2014)
This post is about random products that I had not prepared for in advance. For example, night lights. Suddenly it's not a great idea to turn on overhead lighting and shock my infant into waking up. Huge lights suddenly blinding her make her flinch and then cry. Also, I can't be left fully in the dark for when she wakes and I need to find her in her cuddle cove attached to the pack 'n play at the foot of my bed. So after a week of leaving the closet light on with the door cracked open a few inches, I finally got smart and ordered night lights. These are great because they rotate to point in any direction you want, turn off in the light, turn on automatically in the dark, and are LED.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SVANCY/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1
Other things that might not seem obvious were manicure scissors for her nails... She came out intent on clawing her own face with tiny but sharp little nails. The weird thing is that the nails could not be clipped as they are flexible but sharp. You can try with a clipper, but nothing happens. The best bet is to be really careful with tiny scissors when she is sleeping and trim them a little. (The hospital did not have any nail clippers or scissors, btw.)
Have you heard of the Boppy pillow? It's okay, but I was still having a really hard time with my back and the pillows slipping. While I think the name is pretty terrible, I now have a "My Brest Friend" pillow after trying one at the pediatrician's office. Yes, they are awesome. Less like a pillow and more like a padded shelf that buckles around you, it saves your back from stooping forward and all kinds of other craziness. Now I buckle that on, stick one pillow on my lap underneath it because she's so small, and am set to feed her fairly comfortably.
Get some pads before the hospital. It's been over nine months since my last period, and I moved a few times. I had no idea where my pads were. Since you will be bleeding similar to a period for six weeks, stock up. (This also might seem obvious, but tampons are not an option and you will not want to go there. I'm saying this because those tiny panty liners won't be enough and most of us probably don't use those jumbo pads anymore these days and have switched to tampons or luna cups, but for this, you need the big absorbent pads.) The hospital also gave me a jar of witch-hazel soaked swabs for the stitches area, and that was nice to have also.
Stool softeners - they are over-the-counter, so you might as well pick them up. Just ask the pharmacy which one for postpartum moms and then you won't have to make that stop on the way home. I've been taking one a day with my prenatal vitamin, and it has helped.
Personally, I decided to go all reusable with diapers. However, I did not anticipate Koral being so tiny! It will take several months before she fits into to the regular size of adjustable BumGenius diapers I had ready, so I went ahead and ordered the infant sized ones this week. They arrived today! I washed them and they are on the drying rack. Thank goodness. In 7 days of being home, we have gone through almost 4 packs of diapers with about 36 in each! Why so many? Sometimes I'm changing her and she pees on the next diaper. And the next. I'm getting better at it, like opening the soiled diaper and then waiting a little while for her to decide to pee before moving on, but then it's so sad to throw away a diaper that was only used for a whole two seconds, let alone four tossed out at once. It's such a huge waste. It will be handy to not have to worry about a depleted supply.
Oh - the hospital did not have a MIRROR. Like a make-up mirror or hand held mirror. I asked to see my stitches, and that was the reason I couldn't. I just wanted to know what was going on down there. Turns out it's not a very visible thing anyway, and since it never really hurt that much, especially since coming home, it's not a huge deal, but wow - how can a hospital not have nail clippers or a mirror??
Alright, that's the end of my thoughts for now.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Day 10 - up till now
It's been a whole week since my last entry, so this will be a couple topics and report up until Koral's 10th day. It's been a great week!
First, as promised, I'm going to discuss feeding her. In the hospital, as soon as Koral was born, she was able to suckle as I mentioned before. What I didn't mention is that I had not started to produce any milk yet, and actually the nurses assured me this is perfectly normal. It can take 3 days for milk to start coming in, and during this time, babies are fine living on the fluids in them from birth, so really her nursing was simply there to stimulate milk production and tell my body that it was time.
The second or third day I did notice some liquid, which was colostrum. There is really not a lot of this - like not even enough to fill a shot glass each time she feeds. It's a super strong vitamin milk that only lasts a couple of days and is perfect for newborns. Well, her latch was really good so I just let her drink, and the hospital was unable to get me a lactation consultant until our final morning there, Friday - day 3. Meanwhile, her strong latch was actually doing some damage to my tissue because I didn't know how to adjust her (wait for a wide mouth, hold her head firmly on, use a finger to break the latch when it was painful, etc.). So, by Thursday night, I was ready to cry it hurt so much and it is a terrible feeling to not be able to feed your little infant! I called a nurse, who suggested we try the hospital pump and get a little milk that way. It still hurt, but not nearly as much, so we did that and fed her with a little syringe. The next couple of feedings were the same until I could try her latch again with the help of the consultant. We were sent home Friday in the early afternoon, and I continued to pump about every other feeding to give myself a break from the cluster feeding and latch issues to heal. It was a difficult time, though. By Sunday, I was okay to feed her again exclusively. My advice is to double check with a lactation consultant early, even if it doesn't hurt, and then know that it gets better after about five days. Also, thank goodness I had this nipple balm in my bag because the hospital gives you nothing! I used this after each feeding the first week and now I don't seem to have issues, but this got me through. I used half of it in the first five days. There are a ton of kinds out there, but I got Boob-ease Balm from "Bamboobies" brand because that's where I ordered my washable milk pads. Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Boob-ease-Natural-Nipple-Balm-Organic/dp/B007TIM8A6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406371548&sr=8-2&keywords=nipple+balm
However, I have heard that plain coconut oil works amazing, too, so when I run out, I'll probably just refill my little container with that since I have it in the kitchen.
She now eats really well, and it has been a great convenience to have the milk ready to go at the first little cry. Poor Senthil is helpless and can only offer her a finger to suck on.
The other issue with feeding that is just huge is the clothing. It's a huge pain to take off your whole shirt every one to three hours to feed your baby, which is what I did for the first week pretty much. I have since ventured to Target and now have exactly three nursing tank tops that I love (gray, black, and purple) that have a built-in nursing bra and the sides just unsnap to allow feeding. I am comfortable in public in this top, but it's mainly great for at home. I need to find more shirts since this will go on for 6 months to a year, and these are sort of workout-casual.
Also due to feeding, my trip to Target and just about everything else revolves around a two-hour window from one feed to the next. Senthil is starting to remember to account for this as well. He was home, I fed her, and I was out the door - and back with groceries and clothes in an hour and a half - really good considering the drive out there is 15 minutes. So my time since having her goes a bit like that.
Don't plan on working the first week after giving birth. This might sound obvious, but I had a few last items to get completed (legal forms, appointments to schedule, etc.) and it was really hard. Harder than usual. Something that would have taken me a few hours was this burden in my foggy, sleep-deprived mind for four days while I struggled with the fact that I would have to wait to deal with it. However, I finally got caught up on sleep - I sleep when she sleeps as much as I need to - and got it done on day 9. That felt really good, to be rested, back to normal, feeling like my old self even pre-pregnancy only with this perfect little bonus daughter that I love! Also on day 9, we took our first walk in the stroller and she slept peacefully the entire time.
That's the short version of what's been going on!
First, as promised, I'm going to discuss feeding her. In the hospital, as soon as Koral was born, she was able to suckle as I mentioned before. What I didn't mention is that I had not started to produce any milk yet, and actually the nurses assured me this is perfectly normal. It can take 3 days for milk to start coming in, and during this time, babies are fine living on the fluids in them from birth, so really her nursing was simply there to stimulate milk production and tell my body that it was time.
The second or third day I did notice some liquid, which was colostrum. There is really not a lot of this - like not even enough to fill a shot glass each time she feeds. It's a super strong vitamin milk that only lasts a couple of days and is perfect for newborns. Well, her latch was really good so I just let her drink, and the hospital was unable to get me a lactation consultant until our final morning there, Friday - day 3. Meanwhile, her strong latch was actually doing some damage to my tissue because I didn't know how to adjust her (wait for a wide mouth, hold her head firmly on, use a finger to break the latch when it was painful, etc.). So, by Thursday night, I was ready to cry it hurt so much and it is a terrible feeling to not be able to feed your little infant! I called a nurse, who suggested we try the hospital pump and get a little milk that way. It still hurt, but not nearly as much, so we did that and fed her with a little syringe. The next couple of feedings were the same until I could try her latch again with the help of the consultant. We were sent home Friday in the early afternoon, and I continued to pump about every other feeding to give myself a break from the cluster feeding and latch issues to heal. It was a difficult time, though. By Sunday, I was okay to feed her again exclusively. My advice is to double check with a lactation consultant early, even if it doesn't hurt, and then know that it gets better after about five days. Also, thank goodness I had this nipple balm in my bag because the hospital gives you nothing! I used this after each feeding the first week and now I don't seem to have issues, but this got me through. I used half of it in the first five days. There are a ton of kinds out there, but I got Boob-ease Balm from "Bamboobies" brand because that's where I ordered my washable milk pads. Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Boob-ease-Natural-Nipple-Balm-Organic/dp/B007TIM8A6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406371548&sr=8-2&keywords=nipple+balm
However, I have heard that plain coconut oil works amazing, too, so when I run out, I'll probably just refill my little container with that since I have it in the kitchen.
She now eats really well, and it has been a great convenience to have the milk ready to go at the first little cry. Poor Senthil is helpless and can only offer her a finger to suck on.
The other issue with feeding that is just huge is the clothing. It's a huge pain to take off your whole shirt every one to three hours to feed your baby, which is what I did for the first week pretty much. I have since ventured to Target and now have exactly three nursing tank tops that I love (gray, black, and purple) that have a built-in nursing bra and the sides just unsnap to allow feeding. I am comfortable in public in this top, but it's mainly great for at home. I need to find more shirts since this will go on for 6 months to a year, and these are sort of workout-casual.
Also due to feeding, my trip to Target and just about everything else revolves around a two-hour window from one feed to the next. Senthil is starting to remember to account for this as well. He was home, I fed her, and I was out the door - and back with groceries and clothes in an hour and a half - really good considering the drive out there is 15 minutes. So my time since having her goes a bit like that.
Don't plan on working the first week after giving birth. This might sound obvious, but I had a few last items to get completed (legal forms, appointments to schedule, etc.) and it was really hard. Harder than usual. Something that would have taken me a few hours was this burden in my foggy, sleep-deprived mind for four days while I struggled with the fact that I would have to wait to deal with it. However, I finally got caught up on sleep - I sleep when she sleeps as much as I need to - and got it done on day 9. That felt really good, to be rested, back to normal, feeling like my old self even pre-pregnancy only with this perfect little bonus daughter that I love! Also on day 9, we took our first walk in the stroller and she slept peacefully the entire time.
 |
| Koral and Milo Sleeping |
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| Koral and Grandpa |
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| Milo is never far away. |
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| Beautiful Littles |
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| Baby's first sponge bath, following YouTube instructional |
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| After Bath |
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| My girl |
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| With Dad |
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| First Walk |
That's the short version of what's been going on!
The Hospital Stay: the first two days
(Originally Published July 2014)
Let's see. Today is Saturday, so I have to remember back a little. Koral was born on Wednesday morning at 2:24 a.m., 18 inches long. So that makes her 4 days old today. A lot has happened, but try to go in order.
Immediately, Koral was a great eater. She suckled for 80 minutes straight and then fell asleep. I don't know if she got anything during this time, but this would jump-start the flow of the first milk for later. Her belly was full of amniotic fluid anyway.
On Wednesday, we were moved to our permanent room two hours after delivery. I don't know why hospitals give classes and videos about what it will be like if they don't follow it anyway. This particular hospital bragged on video that you stay in the same room you birth in, and it's really not true. It's a whole different wing of the hospital. But I was happy because the bed was nicer and the room was bigger in the new one.
Senthil was able to fall asleep quickly, but I was on a proud-mama adrenaline high that whole first day. Looking back, maybe I should have really tried to sleep, but at the same time, I don't know if I could.
Senthil would wake up and see me all alert and tell me to sleep and I would say I was fine and he would think in his head, "Crap, this will be terrible later" and he was right. What they did not tell us is the baby is super tired and easy the first day. She would occasionally spit up slim that was amniotic fluid, and the nurse or I would take the sucker-bulb thingy and remove it from her coughing tiny mouth. She fed maybe a few times, but she mostly just slept, slept and slept.
But the second day, that is rough and I was not rested for it at all. I was ready to crash and here she was ready to Cluster Feed - which is to feed every hour. This is when her stomach is no longer full of amniotic fluid and is empty, but so tiny she can only fill it for a tiny bit, then it processes, and she wants to fill it again. I felt like sleeping, but was interrupted on repeat by her, nurses coming in for blood pressure checks, diaper changing, whatever. Senthil slept through most all of this, but in the few hours where I couldn't function, he woke up and rolled her in the cart through the halls for a half hour at a time to stop the crying and sooth her so I could catch 20 minutes of sleep to tide me over.
While all of this was going on, I was still just amazed at what I had done. I don't know if that will ever go away, and I think that is the great attachment that all moms feel. This is super emotional and your eyes tear up thinking about it in ways that they wouldn't for a puppy you dearly love or even your spouse. Senthil is my world - Koral is our world. That makes everything stronger, better, more interesting. The only problem is she is just so tiny I am totally afraid of her getting hurt. I hear they grow up quickly, and am kind of looking forward to when she is at least ten pounds so I can feel a little more secure she won't break! (Day 4 Dr. Apt, she's only 5 pounds and 10 ounces - they always lose weight before gaining it back. So tiny!)
Next up: Choas in feeding...
Let's see. Today is Saturday, so I have to remember back a little. Koral was born on Wednesday morning at 2:24 a.m., 18 inches long. So that makes her 4 days old today. A lot has happened, but try to go in order.
Immediately, Koral was a great eater. She suckled for 80 minutes straight and then fell asleep. I don't know if she got anything during this time, but this would jump-start the flow of the first milk for later. Her belly was full of amniotic fluid anyway.
On Wednesday, we were moved to our permanent room two hours after delivery. I don't know why hospitals give classes and videos about what it will be like if they don't follow it anyway. This particular hospital bragged on video that you stay in the same room you birth in, and it's really not true. It's a whole different wing of the hospital. But I was happy because the bed was nicer and the room was bigger in the new one.
Senthil was able to fall asleep quickly, but I was on a proud-mama adrenaline high that whole first day. Looking back, maybe I should have really tried to sleep, but at the same time, I don't know if I could.
Senthil would wake up and see me all alert and tell me to sleep and I would say I was fine and he would think in his head, "Crap, this will be terrible later" and he was right. What they did not tell us is the baby is super tired and easy the first day. She would occasionally spit up slim that was amniotic fluid, and the nurse or I would take the sucker-bulb thingy and remove it from her coughing tiny mouth. She fed maybe a few times, but she mostly just slept, slept and slept.  |
| After delivery - far too happy and awake to sleep. Koral and Senthil sleeping next to me. |
But the second day, that is rough and I was not rested for it at all. I was ready to crash and here she was ready to Cluster Feed - which is to feed every hour. This is when her stomach is no longer full of amniotic fluid and is empty, but so tiny she can only fill it for a tiny bit, then it processes, and she wants to fill it again. I felt like sleeping, but was interrupted on repeat by her, nurses coming in for blood pressure checks, diaper changing, whatever. Senthil slept through most all of this, but in the few hours where I couldn't function, he woke up and rolled her in the cart through the halls for a half hour at a time to stop the crying and sooth her so I could catch 20 minutes of sleep to tide me over.
While all of this was going on, I was still just amazed at what I had done. I don't know if that will ever go away, and I think that is the great attachment that all moms feel. This is super emotional and your eyes tear up thinking about it in ways that they wouldn't for a puppy you dearly love or even your spouse. Senthil is my world - Koral is our world. That makes everything stronger, better, more interesting. The only problem is she is just so tiny I am totally afraid of her getting hurt. I hear they grow up quickly, and am kind of looking forward to when she is at least ten pounds so I can feel a little more secure she won't break! (Day 4 Dr. Apt, she's only 5 pounds and 10 ounces - they always lose weight before gaining it back. So tiny!)
Next up: Choas in feeding...
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Surviving Labor
(Originally Published July 2014)
First, the hospital is going to do something to piss you off. At check-in, I got mad quickly.
Senthil and I had gone to this very desk last week in a practice run. I asked questions about any possible forms I could fill out then. They said there was nothing. At in check-in, I was first asked for a living will and about three other random documents. Grrr, I would have prepared them if they would have simply told me last week. It's fine, though. But I had back-labor pain. Koral was pushing on my spine from inside, and my salvation would be in the form of a heating pad, which I was told by the classes (given at this hospital) was an option. Guess what? No heating pads!!!!! Crazy policy about people getting burned.
I was livid and having more painful contractions. We were taken to the first of our three rooms - triage. This is where they checked me and I was 4.5 cm. I thought, that's it? We were eventually moved to a room in Labor and Delivery where I was hooked up to a horrible monitoring device by a tight band around my belly. This was again not what I was told in the classes. I was told I would be free to move and labor unhooked if drug-free.
Well, another policy they tell you only when you get there is they have to monitor baby every half hour for 15 minutes with this tightening belly band and monitor that makes you crazy. My mantra continued - "Noo nonononononononononononooooooo, ohhh, it's baadddd...." Yes, I was a baby about the contractions until they let me off that monitor and into the shower. Thank god for the shower. That set up the next few hours. Shower for 20 minutes, get out, put on the gown half-wet, lay down, belly band, monitor and contractions, back to the shower.
Senthil discovered we could bring our own heating pad! He called Mom and Dad right away and luckily they were able to buy one and bring it. That got me through the worst parts of being in the bed for my back-labor. Mom and Dad wanted to stay, and were quietly sitting on the couch while I focused on contractions, showering, moaning, etc. I didn't care where they were, but kicked them out near the escalation. I kind of knew at the point where it got worse and I would no longer be able to shower. This was coming up on something bad.
I remember laying there, discovering from a nurse that I could breath through the contractions instead of moaning and mantra-ing. It didn't improve much, and my throat got really dry, but it kept me from hyperventilating and Senthil got some sleep.
Oh, I forgot, they won't give you food or water. Only ice pieces to eat.
In through the nose, out through the mouth long - the breathing went like that. The nurse was awesome when she told me I was doing really well for someone with no drugs. She said some women do much worse with the epidural. My favorite thing she said was that I was almost done. I was 9.5 cm and about ready to push. I asked how I would know when to push, and she just said I would know.
I remember a lot of nurses came in. A lot. Like six, ten? Senthil was awake again, watching them. Then the urge to push came and they were holding my exhaustedly shuddering legs and coaching me - curl your spine into the push - bare down on your middle, don't push through your legs - take a big breath and HOLD it, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, okay - quick breath, again! 1, 2, 3 . . .
I pushed. The contractions told me when. It happened. I was sweaty. One awesome nurse mopped off my face, and Senthil had the lovely spray-bottle fan from CVS that I love. I looked at him and said, "Do it" and he pulled the trigger. All the nurses laughed. We pushed, breathed, pushed. Little breaks were taken. Senthil later referred to me in this time as "in charge like a CEO." I talked about delayed cord cutting in between pushing, I told them when I would push and demanded someone count for me, when they explained about the liquid being spread down there was for lubrication, I said, "Yes, like a slip-n-slide, just do it" and pushed. Sometime in the mix the water had broken like a huge warm gush - I think earlier on. This was fine.
The doctor was called. I remember one nurse said, "Should I get Dr. K?" and someone said "let's let her push a few minutes" and I said, "Yes, get her. Get Dr. K!" When she came in, somehow the bed transformed. There were suddenly big places for my legs to be - not metal stirrups but some kind of big leather grooves. Senthil said the whole bottom of the bed broke off and they connected this other thing. I was being coached through pushing but after many pushes, I could not believe she wasn't out. They kept telling me they could see her hair. Why wasn't she out? I pushed hard. Then I told them she was not coming, she was stuck, I couldn't do it - and I would push - and then tell them again, it's not happening - she's too big? I don't know if I tore like they said or if Dr. K cut me, but that was what got her out. Head was out - YES - then one shoulder, then the other, and she was REAL.
Senthil's face. He saw everything, and he followed that baby. He got her first cry on video with the iPad. He was amazed. Later he would tell me my nether regions looked like a whole new scientific thing, nothing he had seen before. I'm shocked to say I never did poop during the process. I read so many blogs about women fearing that, and I simply didn't care if I did. But I didn't. Senthil said things (hemorrhoids?) were bulging out (they went back in, I'm fine now...) and her head was emerging and it was crazy.
I got through it! I got her out! I was pretty thrilled. They handed her to me and Senthil took that first picture of us together while Dr. K was sewing me up and someone reached an entire arm inside of me three times in a terrible way to get out some undelivered bits of placenta. However, Koral was there and the best distraction ever. Like I said, just amazed to have gotten through labor and that she was real.
Most amazing, I never hit my 10. The doctor said a 10 on the pain scale would be getting your leg cut off. I was saving for my 10. I hit my 8. It was as bad as a migraine headache, but quicker. Therefore, while new and not easy at all, it was better than a long migraine headache. This was without any pain killer - not even a Tylenol. Afterward, I would start on Motrin for the stitches and cramps.
First, the hospital is going to do something to piss you off. At check-in, I got mad quickly.
Senthil and I had gone to this very desk last week in a practice run. I asked questions about any possible forms I could fill out then. They said there was nothing. At in check-in, I was first asked for a living will and about three other random documents. Grrr, I would have prepared them if they would have simply told me last week. It's fine, though. But I had back-labor pain. Koral was pushing on my spine from inside, and my salvation would be in the form of a heating pad, which I was told by the classes (given at this hospital) was an option. Guess what? No heating pads!!!!! Crazy policy about people getting burned.
I was livid and having more painful contractions. We were taken to the first of our three rooms - triage. This is where they checked me and I was 4.5 cm. I thought, that's it? We were eventually moved to a room in Labor and Delivery where I was hooked up to a horrible monitoring device by a tight band around my belly. This was again not what I was told in the classes. I was told I would be free to move and labor unhooked if drug-free.
Well, another policy they tell you only when you get there is they have to monitor baby every half hour for 15 minutes with this tightening belly band and monitor that makes you crazy. My mantra continued - "Noo nonononononononononononooooooo, ohhh, it's baadddd...." Yes, I was a baby about the contractions until they let me off that monitor and into the shower. Thank god for the shower. That set up the next few hours. Shower for 20 minutes, get out, put on the gown half-wet, lay down, belly band, monitor and contractions, back to the shower.
Senthil discovered we could bring our own heating pad! He called Mom and Dad right away and luckily they were able to buy one and bring it. That got me through the worst parts of being in the bed for my back-labor. Mom and Dad wanted to stay, and were quietly sitting on the couch while I focused on contractions, showering, moaning, etc. I didn't care where they were, but kicked them out near the escalation. I kind of knew at the point where it got worse and I would no longer be able to shower. This was coming up on something bad.
I remember laying there, discovering from a nurse that I could breath through the contractions instead of moaning and mantra-ing. It didn't improve much, and my throat got really dry, but it kept me from hyperventilating and Senthil got some sleep.
Oh, I forgot, they won't give you food or water. Only ice pieces to eat.
In through the nose, out through the mouth long - the breathing went like that. The nurse was awesome when she told me I was doing really well for someone with no drugs. She said some women do much worse with the epidural. My favorite thing she said was that I was almost done. I was 9.5 cm and about ready to push. I asked how I would know when to push, and she just said I would know.
I remember a lot of nurses came in. A lot. Like six, ten? Senthil was awake again, watching them. Then the urge to push came and they were holding my exhaustedly shuddering legs and coaching me - curl your spine into the push - bare down on your middle, don't push through your legs - take a big breath and HOLD it, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, okay - quick breath, again! 1, 2, 3 . . .
I pushed. The contractions told me when. It happened. I was sweaty. One awesome nurse mopped off my face, and Senthil had the lovely spray-bottle fan from CVS that I love. I looked at him and said, "Do it" and he pulled the trigger. All the nurses laughed. We pushed, breathed, pushed. Little breaks were taken. Senthil later referred to me in this time as "in charge like a CEO." I talked about delayed cord cutting in between pushing, I told them when I would push and demanded someone count for me, when they explained about the liquid being spread down there was for lubrication, I said, "Yes, like a slip-n-slide, just do it" and pushed. Sometime in the mix the water had broken like a huge warm gush - I think earlier on. This was fine.
The doctor was called. I remember one nurse said, "Should I get Dr. K?" and someone said "let's let her push a few minutes" and I said, "Yes, get her. Get Dr. K!" When she came in, somehow the bed transformed. There were suddenly big places for my legs to be - not metal stirrups but some kind of big leather grooves. Senthil said the whole bottom of the bed broke off and they connected this other thing. I was being coached through pushing but after many pushes, I could not believe she wasn't out. They kept telling me they could see her hair. Why wasn't she out? I pushed hard. Then I told them she was not coming, she was stuck, I couldn't do it - and I would push - and then tell them again, it's not happening - she's too big? I don't know if I tore like they said or if Dr. K cut me, but that was what got her out. Head was out - YES - then one shoulder, then the other, and she was REAL.
Senthil's face. He saw everything, and he followed that baby. He got her first cry on video with the iPad. He was amazed. Later he would tell me my nether regions looked like a whole new scientific thing, nothing he had seen before. I'm shocked to say I never did poop during the process. I read so many blogs about women fearing that, and I simply didn't care if I did. But I didn't. Senthil said things (hemorrhoids?) were bulging out (they went back in, I'm fine now...) and her head was emerging and it was crazy.
I got through it! I got her out! I was pretty thrilled. They handed her to me and Senthil took that first picture of us together while Dr. K was sewing me up and someone reached an entire arm inside of me three times in a terrible way to get out some undelivered bits of placenta. However, Koral was there and the best distraction ever. Like I said, just amazed to have gotten through labor and that she was real.
Most amazing, I never hit my 10. The doctor said a 10 on the pain scale would be getting your leg cut off. I was saving for my 10. I hit my 8. It was as bad as a migraine headache, but quicker. Therefore, while new and not easy at all, it was better than a long migraine headache. This was without any pain killer - not even a Tylenol. Afterward, I would start on Motrin for the stitches and cramps.
 |
| 6 Pounds, 3 Ounces |
 |
| Holding my girl for the first time! |
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| Day 4, so tiny in Dad's arms |
From Home To the Hospital
(Originally Published July 2014)
I'll try to start from the last post. First, that was the beginning, but I had a whole day of minor contractions in there where I just kind of hung around the house waiting, playing cards and pacing. Tuesday afternoon, Senthil came home from work - my parents were around all day and ate with us - and then around 2 pm I started timing the contractions. It went from 8 minutes apart to 4 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart over two hours, quickly changing. I took a shower in the middle and knew it was time.
I told Senthil, it's time to go, we're going, load the car! He REALLY wanted to call the hospital and make sure we were ready and not going to be sent back home. The hospital was difficult to reach, and I said no, we have to go. Mom and Dad saw us off and took this great pic of it!
In the car, Senthil was driving AND calling the hospital. He reached a nurse and said something like, "Hi, my wife is in labor and I just wanted to call and make sure it's the right time to come in and ask a few questions." She said, "Let me speak to your wife." I said, "Hi, I know it's time." She said, "Come on in!" I hung up. Senthil said, "That wasn't very scientific."
My contraction mantra became an internal protest put to words as the pain got bad, and went something like "Ohhh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooooooo" and repeat. This went on through the car ride and beyond. Senthil drove well, didn't speed, and we got there just perfectly not to early, not to late. I was able to walk up from the far car lot, stopping just for contractions. We arrived on the 4th floor to check in, and found to be at 4.5 cm and in progress.
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| My Stomach from My Perspective: You can barely see my toes. |
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| Waiting for Contractions to Increase |
I'll try to start from the last post. First, that was the beginning, but I had a whole day of minor contractions in there where I just kind of hung around the house waiting, playing cards and pacing. Tuesday afternoon, Senthil came home from work - my parents were around all day and ate with us - and then around 2 pm I started timing the contractions. It went from 8 minutes apart to 4 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart over two hours, quickly changing. I took a shower in the middle and knew it was time.
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| Mom and Dad |
I told Senthil, it's time to go, we're going, load the car! He REALLY wanted to call the hospital and make sure we were ready and not going to be sent back home. The hospital was difficult to reach, and I said no, we have to go. Mom and Dad saw us off and took this great pic of it!
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| Holding up my Contraction Timing App |
In the car, Senthil was driving AND calling the hospital. He reached a nurse and said something like, "Hi, my wife is in labor and I just wanted to call and make sure it's the right time to come in and ask a few questions." She said, "Let me speak to your wife." I said, "Hi, I know it's time." She said, "Come on in!" I hung up. Senthil said, "That wasn't very scientific."
My contraction mantra became an internal protest put to words as the pain got bad, and went something like "Ohhh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooooooo" and repeat. This went on through the car ride and beyond. Senthil drove well, didn't speed, and we got there just perfectly not to early, not to late. I was able to walk up from the far car lot, stopping just for contractions. We arrived on the 4th floor to check in, and found to be at 4.5 cm and in progress.
I think she's almost ready! (3 Days Left)
(Originally Posted July 2014)
Cramping is going on in a big way. I think this is the beginning of the end - labor may be close today!
At 1:15 I got up and felt cramps similar to monthly cramps. I walked around the living room for a while and they mostly subsided, but then they are back at 5:00 a.m. While this is not THE big moment, this tells me something is changing or happening! I think she's getting ready. Technically, 3 days left. Maybe she's going to be punctual or slightly early. It's getting fairly hard to ignore now - sometimes breaking to walk is good. This is great news! Yay!
As long as I don't get a headache, I should be fine. A migraine would complicate things a lot as far as focusing on pain management. I can do this. There will be a point in labor where I think I can't do this. But I can. I know it's possible. I know it will hurt. I know later it will be terribly sore and difficult for a while. But the point is, it can be done.
Cramping is going on in a big way. I think this is the beginning of the end - labor may be close today!
At 1:15 I got up and felt cramps similar to monthly cramps. I walked around the living room for a while and they mostly subsided, but then they are back at 5:00 a.m. While this is not THE big moment, this tells me something is changing or happening! I think she's getting ready. Technically, 3 days left. Maybe she's going to be punctual or slightly early. It's getting fairly hard to ignore now - sometimes breaking to walk is good. This is great news! Yay!
As long as I don't get a headache, I should be fine. A migraine would complicate things a lot as far as focusing on pain management. I can do this. There will be a point in labor where I think I can't do this. But I can. I know it's possible. I know it will hurt. I know later it will be terribly sore and difficult for a while. But the point is, it can be done.
5 days until the due date
(Originally Published July 2014)
With only five days left, the waiting game continues. My parents arrived two days ago and have settled in to Koral's room for their stay.
It's 2:00 in the morning and I'm pretty tired, but I think I couldn't sleep because I knew in the back of my head that I left wet clothes in the washer and it haunted me. Also, my parents were up later than I was and I wanted to check on Milo. He's not in his kennel while they are here since it's up in their room, and is staying on the couch at night. He's very good about it, but I just wanted to make sure he was settled. Of course everything was fine. Now I'm just waiting to get sleepy again.
With only five days left, the waiting game continues. My parents arrived two days ago and have settled in to Koral's room for their stay.
It's 2:00 in the morning and I'm pretty tired, but I think I couldn't sleep because I knew in the back of my head that I left wet clothes in the washer and it haunted me. Also, my parents were up later than I was and I wanted to check on Milo. He's not in his kennel while they are here since it's up in their room, and is staying on the couch at night. He's very good about it, but I just wanted to make sure he was settled. Of course everything was fine. Now I'm just waiting to get sleepy again.
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