Welcome to the world, baby girl

Yesterday, March 24, 2009 at 1:52 PM we welcomed Cameron Patricia into our family. She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and is 18.5 inches long. And needless to say, is also absolutely perfect!

DH and I met with the doctor last week and we decided to proceed with a c-section. It could not have gone better. Ironically, while hooked up for the pre-op tests, I was having contractions 4 minutes apart. And I couldn't even tell! I'm already up and moving around and will hopefully get some solid food for lunch. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to that!

Cameron has already had some great feeding sessions this morning after being very sleepy and not interested in feeding for most of yesterday. I guess that isn't uncommon in c-section babies. She also had to go to the NICU briefly because she was grunting after she came out. I didn't get to hold her until a couple of hours after I was in recovery. But I got to see DH hold her before she was whisked off.

We actually got a few hours of sleep last night. Cameron has been sleeping 2-3 hours at a stretch which I hope continues. I think she looks a lot like DH but it's hard to tell with her this small. Here are a couple of pictures. She has so much hair! And it is longer in the back and kind of kinked so I think she will have curls.

Stacey getting ready to walk to the OR.

Little Cameron is already posing for pictures.

Our first family photo

Lessons in breastfeeding

It has been a rainy, dreary last few days in Charlotte. Perfect weather for 2 1/2 hours in a classroom learning about breastfeeding.

DH and I went to the hospital for our last class before the baby comes. We did the birthing class about a month ago, infant CPR earlier in the week and now breastfeeding. We're as prepared as we can possibly be at this point! Now we're just waiting for our daughter to arrive and teach us what idiots we are for trying to learn anything...

I had assumed the breastfeeding class would be similar to the other two we attended: at most 7 couples in an intimate setting. Instead we ended up in a room crammed with approximately 40 other people. The class was presentation style and the instructor decided that dimming the lights in a basement room on a Saturday afternoon was the way to go. Good thing I was so invested in the class and had no problems staying alert. Unlike a few classes from undergrad or MBA school I can think of.

I liked the class because it was wasn't extremely evangelistic. The instructor went over the benefits of breastfeeding but didn't demonize formula feeding. I'm very happy about that because people who talk in absolutes completely turn me off. I believe in the benefits of breastfeeding but don't need to be preached at about it.

Breastfeeding is probably the thing I worry about the most (aside from dealing with lack of sleep) about being a mom. Despite the research I've done which says breastfeeding is hard, there is still a big part of me that thinks it should be easy. It's natural after all, right? Breastfeeding is one of the things I can give to my child aside from my time, attention and love. I'd like to do it correctly with a minimum of fuss and be able to maintain it after I return to work through pumping. But I worry that my expectations are completely unrealistic and I will be disappointed.

The class itself didn't present anything new to me. I have been researching for a while and am about half way through The Nursing Mother's Companion. I am glad I waited to attend the class so close to my due date if only because it served as a "refresher" and will hopefully stick in my head long enough to be applied post delivery. Whether I end up delivering vaginally or via c-section, I am determined to have the immediate nursing experience (or in recovery) to establish good habits from the very beginning. However, many new mothers have shared with me their less than ideal experience, primarily because delivery nurses are not certified as lactation consultants. I've heard that a nurse will basically shove the baby on the nipple and not worry about a proper latch. The result is blisters right away. I'm going to be pretty out of it so it will be up to DH to help me ensure a good initial latch.

My hospital does provide hospital grade pumps in every recovery room and I can rent one for about $60 a month once I return home. I'm probably going to go that route until I figure out what I really plan on doing pumping-wise when I return to work. Depending on how breastfeeding goes I will then decide if I want to invest in my own pump which would be critical if I decide to pump after returning to work. I hope that I will not be using the pump in the hospital room and instead work with DH, the nurses, the lactation consultants and of course my daughter to breastfeed. I'd prefer to exclusively breastfeed while I'm in the hospital (not pump) because I know I will have a lot of support while I'm there.

For all the mothers out there who have tried breastfeeding, do you have specific recommendations for what I should be focused on immediately after delivery? What about for women who had c-sections? Or vaginal deliveries?

Is there no such thing as waiting it out any more?

I'll admit it. I'm getting antsy to get this kid out of me. Not because the pregnancy is bad. Far from it. More because I am bored with this stage and ready to move on to the next: motherhood! I'm also not at the "scared out of my wits" to be a mom stage yet so this would be the perfect time for the kid to pop out. In 4 weeks I'll probably be begging her to stay in...

As a part of my obsession I have been doing a lot of web board reading on WebMD (third trimester) and BabyCenter.com (March birth club). At it appears as though every other woman out there is having a scheduled induction or c-section. WTH? One woman writes, "I have an EDD (estimated due date) of 3/14 but am being induced on 3/12." Why? There is no medical reason for the induction aside from scheduling. Not to mention the number who are whining that their doctor won't let them schedule an induction. Women have been giving birth for hundreds of thousands of years (would millions be accurate? probably). Let it come naturally! The best are the women who say, "I am at one centimeter dilated and have been for a week so I am scheduling my induction." or "I have been having small contractions every two hours for the past week." That probably means you needed a week to prepare yourself for labor. Just because you aren't progressing and you have one day to your due date doesn't mean somethings wrong. Gah! Am I wrong to be disgusted with some of these women?**

I have heard that inductions end up with more complications like the need for vacuums or c-sections. So even though it would be nice to not be pregnant I'm not going to rush it on my end. However, if I'm a week past my due date (which was already pushed out from 3/21 to 3/28) I will take the freaking induction. But that's more of a fear for a huge baby than anything else.

So, what do others think about the number of inductions and c-sections? Any corroboration for increasing percentages? Does anyone else roll their eyes at the whining?

**I reserve all right to completely change my mind when I am at 40 weeks pregnant and suffering from contractions. That is my right as a pregnant woman. Deal with it.

We're off to see the center...

Well, OK, it doesn't quite work like "We're off to see the wizard," but DH and I are heading out to the hospital tonight to check out the maternity center. I'm not sure what they are going to do for an hour tour but I'm excited to see the set up. Apparently every labor room has a big tub, shower and plenty of space for hanging out. We will also stop by the nursery I'm sure so we can ooh and ahh over how tiny the babies are and how it's it now less than 7 weeks away for us!!!

The brochure also told us that we can only have a max of 4 other people in the room during delivery (including the significant other). Um, that kind of creeps me out. I was watching a Baby Story last night and some girl had her mother and grandmother with her! "Hi, Grandma, check me out giving birth!" Crazy... Relatives can come in after I'm all cleaned up and feeling a little more like myself. Not that we will have anyone with us unless I go 2+ weeks late and my mom is here. No offense, Mom, but if that's the case, I will have to kill someone.

Any particular questions I should come in asking? I'm more than happy to be that annoying person who asks all the questions and gets weird looks from other expectant parents.

I will try to get the American Idol recap up first thing Wednesday but if we get back late I may have to defer for a day. It's the Chair week, people! I love the Chair. And the elevator. And Simon saying, "I totally disagreed but I was outvoted, so you are in." But first up are more auditions to cut us down from 75 contestants to a manageable number for the Chair.

Adventures in Childbirth Class

This weekend DH and I had 10 hours of childbirth class. We had the option of 2 hours per night over a 5 week period or this intensive weekend class. I'm glad we chose this one because we "got it over with" in one shot. The class was offered at the hospital where I will be giving birth so we got a chance to see a bit of that as well. Our maternity tour is next week so I'll have a better sense of the facility after that.

Our teacher, Ann, was a very nice woman with 3 grown children of her own. I never got the feeling that she was pushing a particular agenda (natural childbirth only, breastfeeding only, etc.) which was nice and made me trust her a lot more. On Friday night we were joined by 8 other couples but one couple elected not to attend Saturday's session. It was a pretty homogeneous group. One half Taiwanese mother and one Indian father. All married couples and all within the 25-40 age range. It was pretty cool for me because there are no other pregnant women on my floor at work so it was nice to be surrounded by 7 other women who were going through the very same things I was. Unfortunately there was not a lot of time for socializing. Most couples were due in the mid to late March time frame with a couple being induced on 2/14 (she was on best rest and had a lot of blood clots in her legs) and one other due the first week of April (ironically on my birthday, April 6!).

Most of the class was focused on "classroom" style learning with slides and videos. The rest emphasized hands on practice of breathing and massage techniques.

The best part of the class for me was that it made childbirth seem much more real and less of an imagined activity. I have an overactive imagination so watching the videos really helped me to realistically visualize myself in that situation. It actually made me fear childbirth a lot less which I had not anticipated! However, I think it freaked out DH more, but I'll get into that in a minute.

Interestingly I responded best to the women who used a lot of movement in their labor. Of the three videos we saw, one woman went completely natural, one had Pitocin and some narcotics and the last had Pitocin and a full epidural. The woman who had the epidural was restrained in her movement which seemed to make labor longer (mentally). I had always anticipated having an epidural but now I am considering seeing how long I can go without one. When DH and I practiced the different positions for managing contractions I kept thinking to myself, "Sure, I am not actually having a contraction right now but I think I can do this!" We'll see how that stands up once they really start...

Every time the video showed the actual birth of the baby, DH had to look away. I was immensely interested and actually got a little teary eyed (in a good way) with the first one. After the first woman gave birth DH turned to me and said, "Are you sure they won't let you schedule a C section?" He got a little woozy at the first video and I had to tell him to turn away with the subsequent ones. I kept joking that he is going to pass out at some point during my labor. It could really happen folks! Now, in DH's defense, there was quite a bit of blood in each of the births related to the episiotemies that the women had to get. That shit definitely creeps me out too.

Ann told us that our hospital has a 90% epidural rate (!) which is extremely high but it is the main hospital and gets all the high risk pregnancies. The suburb facility has only a 50% rate which is much more in line with my expectations. Jeesh, from all the boards I read it should be more like 10%. People are extremely evangelistic about natural childbirth. I am much more of the mindset of whatever makes it work. My worst fear is that I labor for hours and hours only to be told that I have to have a C-section. All that work for nothing!

DH was pretty impressed that I already knew a lot about what to expect in labor and delivery. Um, since I'm the one that has to suffer through it I had to know as much as possible. But book reading (or Internet reading) is not the same as seeing an actual birth. I may be taping "A Baby Story" on TLC now to get even more educated.

DH and I are attending the maternity tour next week and a breastfeeding class the first week of March. He is also now interested in infant CPR so we'll try to fit that in too.

In other news, I am now 32 weeks and one day pregnant! The little one is 3.75 pounds (apparently the size of a jicama) and 16.7 inches long. Considering I feel her at the same time poking up very high on my ribs and the opposite side way down in my pelvis, I think our daughter is a bit longer. Or a gymnast. I have entered the "fattening up" period for the baby. I just hope that I don't gain too much on my end! I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we'll see. In other fun symptoms I am back up to multiple trips to the bathroom at night. Aside from that, I really can't complain.

Isn't labor itself enough to worry about?

Did you all see the latest from Boston.com? A state trooper gave a couple a $100 ticket after they drove in the breakdown lane. Normally I am all about making people obey the sanctity of the breakdown lane. I used to hate to see those f&*%!rs zipping by while stuck in traffic over the Borne Bridge. But this couple had a great excuse: she was in labor. And her contractions were 3 minutes apart! I don't know much about labor yet but that seems close.

Boston's traffic has not noticeably improved with the completion of the Big Dig so I can understand why they felt the need to drive in the breakdown lane.

The best part? The trooper didn't believe she was pregnant and demanded to see her belly. Who the heck allowed this guy to get into uniform?

Um, not only is DH responsible for getting me good drugs during labor, he is also responsible for getting me there as quick as humanly possible. If that means breaking some laws, then so be it. I guess what I question is why the state trooper didn't help the couple with an escort to the hospital, not even to mention the $100 fine! My dad used to get escorts when he rushed to the hospital to perform an emergency surgery. Just because labor is more common than a liver transplant it doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the same level of respect.

The couple claims they won't file a complaint against the trooper. I guess they are filled with love after having the baby. But if that trooper kept me from having pain meds faster, I would file!