It’s been a week and a bit since I brought home my baby. It’s been a helluva learning experience.
Boobie feeding
I am doing the boobie feeding thing. No bottles. The advantages far outweigh the drawbacks, which are mostly comfort related. By the 3rd day since the delivery REAL milky white stuff started coming from my boobies. Score! The key here is the latching of the baby onto the boobie. I can’t explain the pain associated with sore boobies though. It’s fire and soreness. And full boobies that require drinking… sigh. The nipple cream has helped, however. She munches every 3 – 4 hours a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I don’t plan to enforce a routine. I will feed her when she is hungry, and make sure she munches for at least 15 minutes every time I whip out my boobies.
Nappy changes
At first, this seemed a daunting challenge. The first stool was handles by nursing staff, thankfully. The whole first night was taken care of, actually. My husband has been … beyond wonderful. I got a crash course in nappy changing at the hospital. My mother changed her when the baby was brought to us. Then, my cousin, who has 2 younger sisters did a few changes as well. By the time I actually HAD to, I’d seen it done a couple times. So, I play assistant to my husband when he changes her. During the day, I’m on duty. At night, he does most of the changes, as I do the feedings. I can’t explain what a help he has been. I’ve been ridiculously tired these days; must be the boobie feedings.
Sleepy time
After she eats, she sleeps. The mosquitoes have been bothering us at night. My parents bought her a mozzie net for her crib, however. Thing is, she sleeps better between me and the husband, and I don’t have to jump up and out of bed every time she makes a muffled groan.
Bath time
I had one demonstration in the hospital on how this is supposed to be done as well. Easier shown than done. Once again, the help of my cousin was invaluable. She washed the baby 3 times, before she had to go home. Varsity holidays have started, after all. So, by the time I had to do it, I’d seen it done 4 times in total. I heard of a neat trick from a work colleague – wrap her in a towel and wash her in the towel. She only cries when she is cold, so as long as I can keep the cold at bay, bath time is fine. My husband has washed her by himself as well. It went very well. Have I mentioned that he is awesome?
So, in conclusion, I have a living breathing doll. And, it’s… overwhelming at times. She is so fragile, so dependent. Very beautiful. I hate it when she cries. It’s so awful. She is such a sweet kid, she deserves only every bit of happiness that comes her way.
I finally have the angel baby I’ve always wanted. She is beautiful and sweet. She only cries when she is cold, hungry or needs a change. Other than that, she sleeps the deep sleep of the righteous. She is just gorgeous. She is developing this permanent tan, without ever seeing the sun. (haha) I suppose that’s what happens when you have an eclipse of pale and dark.
I can’t screw this up. I only have this one shot, after all. It’s gonna be a while before we do the baby thing again. It’s really expensive!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Delivery Day
Kyra was born 2,5 weeks premature, on Saturday, 29 November 2008, at 17h05.
She popped out after a mere 5 pushes-it was a vaginal delivery, with epidural.
Here is a brief overview of my weekend:
Saturday morning, at 4am, I wake up due to menstrual cramps. "More Braxton Hicks." I think to myself. With a sigh I head to the bathroom, for the 10th time that night. The pain then migrated to my back, which was when I decided, no time like the present for a bath.
An hour and a half later, the bath water is cold, and the pains, erratic as they are, are not going away. And, I'm getting hungry. So, I get up, get into a towel, and head to the kitchen to get some cornflakes. Pain courses through my abdominal and back area as I ambulate up the hallway and back.
When I return to the room, I decide to call the hospital to ask what pills I can take for this pain. They tell me to come in to the hospital for a check up. Just basic foetal monitoring. So, I finish my cornflakes and get dressed. Off to the hospital we go. It is 06h50.
We make it to the maternity ward without incident. I get hooked up to a foetal monitor at 07h00. "Great" I think, the cramps have stopped. The nurse tells us that I need to be on the monitor for at least 20 minutes. Also, my stomach is "hard". Don't know what that's supposed to mean.
So, after 20 minutes of only 3 cramps happening (they were erratic as I said, not regular, one bad, one not, etc) the nurse told me my obstetrician is in the building, as another lady was in labour. The monitoring wasn't conslusive, so I should wait for the obstetrician.
In the mean time, the cramps are still coming, and I wonder about getting some Panado at least. The nurse said I'm not to have anything till the doctor has seen me. "Wonderful" I think.
At 09h00 the obstetrician shows up. She does an internal exam of my bits. It hurt. Then it was just uncomfortable. Anyway, she felt up my cervix, said that it was squishy (meaning soft), and proceded to puncture my amniotic sack. So, she broke my water, and it rushed the bed. Felt like I'd wet myself badly. So, the doctor told me, no going back now - the water is broken, the kid is coming today.
Turns out I was in real labour, even though I thought it was false, cause it didn't happen as the book said it should.
I called my parents, who got in the car and drove the 5 hour trip immediately.
I’m told the anaesthetist showed up at 10h30, it felt like hours later. The labour cramps were intense – worse than any menstrual pains I’d ever experienced. I am lucky in that my husband is patient. I was telling, nay yelling at him to rub my back harder, softer, DON’T TOUCH ME, etc. Then there was the sweet sweet numbness as the epidural took effect. The rest of the day was downhill from there.
By 14h00, I was 5cm dilated. My parents arrived at around 16h00. By 17h30 I was 9 cm dilated. The last cm took an hour and a half.
They put me in these leg brace things on the bed. The pushing part of the situation took about 15mins, then Kyra was out. I cracked up laughing the 1st 2 times I was told to push. The doctor and nurse were like, “Push like you’re constipated!” Yes, the epidural was that good.
I recall the first thing I said as she popped out and they immediately put her on my chest, was “Euw, gross.” So, they took her away and wiped her clean. Then they gave her to my husband (Who had cut the umbilical cord, by the way). He went to go show the grandparentals, who were waiting outside.
Then, out popped the placenta, all intact.
The paediatrician checked her out. Everything was fine. She went to the baby room with my husband in tow. Then all the tubes were removed from me. And, the wait for the numbness in my legs to away ensued. I’d needed extra drugs to get my right side as drugged out as my left side. It took roughly an hour or so. The husband migrated all my and the baby’s stuff to our hospital room. I had a private room for some reason.
The nurses helped me to the bathroom, where my husband helped me wash. In salt water. I walked like a drunk person, cause the feeling in my feet hadn’t returned yet. Also, my blood pressure was a bit low again, now that the baby was out. So, I was a bit dizzy as well. After the bath, I went to the room.
The first breast feeding attempt, which happened before Kyra was taken to the baby room, was … weird. I had some water-like substance appearing from my boobie. They called it colustrum. Or something. Anyway. The nurses were awesome, they helped me get the baby to latch and do some sucking. This is vital as soon as possible after she pops out. The baby needs to learn to suck properly.
Then every 4 hours, the nurses would bring the baby in for boobie feeding. Sunday my parents bought the baby a bath, and bathing stand, and nappies, etc etc. They left around 14h00. My husband slept on the lazyboy all weekend. And he helped with the nappies. Sunday afternoon and Monday, the baby spent most of the time in our room. And we had a crash course in baby care on the job. Monday morning the husband had to go to work to secure some leave. He was back in a couple hours.
We left at 18h00.
And, that’s how Kyra made her appearance.
She popped out after a mere 5 pushes-it was a vaginal delivery, with epidural.
Here is a brief overview of my weekend:
Saturday morning, at 4am, I wake up due to menstrual cramps. "More Braxton Hicks." I think to myself. With a sigh I head to the bathroom, for the 10th time that night. The pain then migrated to my back, which was when I decided, no time like the present for a bath.
An hour and a half later, the bath water is cold, and the pains, erratic as they are, are not going away. And, I'm getting hungry. So, I get up, get into a towel, and head to the kitchen to get some cornflakes. Pain courses through my abdominal and back area as I ambulate up the hallway and back.
When I return to the room, I decide to call the hospital to ask what pills I can take for this pain. They tell me to come in to the hospital for a check up. Just basic foetal monitoring. So, I finish my cornflakes and get dressed. Off to the hospital we go. It is 06h50.
We make it to the maternity ward without incident. I get hooked up to a foetal monitor at 07h00. "Great" I think, the cramps have stopped. The nurse tells us that I need to be on the monitor for at least 20 minutes. Also, my stomach is "hard". Don't know what that's supposed to mean.
So, after 20 minutes of only 3 cramps happening (they were erratic as I said, not regular, one bad, one not, etc) the nurse told me my obstetrician is in the building, as another lady was in labour. The monitoring wasn't conslusive, so I should wait for the obstetrician.
In the mean time, the cramps are still coming, and I wonder about getting some Panado at least. The nurse said I'm not to have anything till the doctor has seen me. "Wonderful" I think.
At 09h00 the obstetrician shows up. She does an internal exam of my bits. It hurt. Then it was just uncomfortable. Anyway, she felt up my cervix, said that it was squishy (meaning soft), and proceded to puncture my amniotic sack. So, she broke my water, and it rushed the bed. Felt like I'd wet myself badly. So, the doctor told me, no going back now - the water is broken, the kid is coming today.
Turns out I was in real labour, even though I thought it was false, cause it didn't happen as the book said it should.
I called my parents, who got in the car and drove the 5 hour trip immediately.
I’m told the anaesthetist showed up at 10h30, it felt like hours later. The labour cramps were intense – worse than any menstrual pains I’d ever experienced. I am lucky in that my husband is patient. I was telling, nay yelling at him to rub my back harder, softer, DON’T TOUCH ME, etc. Then there was the sweet sweet numbness as the epidural took effect. The rest of the day was downhill from there.
By 14h00, I was 5cm dilated. My parents arrived at around 16h00. By 17h30 I was 9 cm dilated. The last cm took an hour and a half.
They put me in these leg brace things on the bed. The pushing part of the situation took about 15mins, then Kyra was out. I cracked up laughing the 1st 2 times I was told to push. The doctor and nurse were like, “Push like you’re constipated!” Yes, the epidural was that good.
I recall the first thing I said as she popped out and they immediately put her on my chest, was “Euw, gross.” So, they took her away and wiped her clean. Then they gave her to my husband (Who had cut the umbilical cord, by the way). He went to go show the grandparentals, who were waiting outside.
Then, out popped the placenta, all intact.
The paediatrician checked her out. Everything was fine. She went to the baby room with my husband in tow. Then all the tubes were removed from me. And, the wait for the numbness in my legs to away ensued. I’d needed extra drugs to get my right side as drugged out as my left side. It took roughly an hour or so. The husband migrated all my and the baby’s stuff to our hospital room. I had a private room for some reason.
The nurses helped me to the bathroom, where my husband helped me wash. In salt water. I walked like a drunk person, cause the feeling in my feet hadn’t returned yet. Also, my blood pressure was a bit low again, now that the baby was out. So, I was a bit dizzy as well. After the bath, I went to the room.
The first breast feeding attempt, which happened before Kyra was taken to the baby room, was … weird. I had some water-like substance appearing from my boobie. They called it colustrum. Or something. Anyway. The nurses were awesome, they helped me get the baby to latch and do some sucking. This is vital as soon as possible after she pops out. The baby needs to learn to suck properly.
Then every 4 hours, the nurses would bring the baby in for boobie feeding. Sunday my parents bought the baby a bath, and bathing stand, and nappies, etc etc. They left around 14h00. My husband slept on the lazyboy all weekend. And he helped with the nappies. Sunday afternoon and Monday, the baby spent most of the time in our room. And we had a crash course in baby care on the job. Monday morning the husband had to go to work to secure some leave. He was back in a couple hours.
We left at 18h00.
And, that’s how Kyra made her appearance.
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