Very belated birth announcement/update « Back to Group Discussions

[guen]

Hi all....I'm sorry for the long silence.  Kaelan Keith was born on November 11th in what started out as my best labour of all of them. I was actually *enjoying* it. But everything went to hell when I hit transition and there followed 7 hours of the most excruciating pain I've ever experienced trying to push him out.  Unfortunately, his head was tilted back and caught behind the bone and we couldn't budge him an inch. The midwives and doctors were determined to get him out vaginally, as I'd already vagingally birthed four children.  However, after 7 hours of trying everything we could think of and no pain meds at all, the baby starting doing poorly, his heart rate dropping and not coming back up, and I was sectioned in a sudden hurry.  The c-section was a horrific experience and I'm still realing from it. 

Kaelan does not seem to have suffered any long term effects other than a stiffness in his neck causing him to avoid turning his head to one side, which we will be taking him to an osteopath for.  He is nursing and gaining well and we are all in love with him.  He has not been put down since his birth, always in someone's arms, sleeping on my chest at night or in my arms.  He is 8 weeks old today and is smiling and cooing at us and I'm sooooooo in love with this little boy.  It's a bit of a novelty having a boy, as our last baby boy was born over 12 years ago!  Our family feels truly complete now.  I had promised DH after our first son was born, that we would name our next son Kaelan, but then followed two more girls in the following years.  Our families tend to have a lot more girls than boys.  We often talked about "Kaelan" in the theoretical, thinking that it was unlikely we'd ever have another boy (or even another baby, for that matter) so it feels a little surreal now when I refer to Kaelan as a very real little boy and he's now here with us.  If that makes any sense....  Anyway, he is our last and I am soaking up every moment with him and loving every single bit of it!

Here he is at birth and at one month old. 
 

[franjapany]

aww, I love him! reminds me of my little guy :) congrats again and welcome, little kaelan. so was he a brow presentation/stirnlage? I'm curious, bc my first one was too. also ended in a section. I hope you have recovered some more in the meantime and holding your gorgeous little baby makes the torment of his birth fade with every day.

[finnegansmom]

Adorable!  Sorry the birth wasn't what you had hoped for.  Hope are you both able to heal quickly!

[rnra]

He's adorable! What sweet pictures. I'm glad that you were able to get the care needed to get him here safely!

[MrsKoehn]

Oh how cute! He was born the day before my Ana. I had to snicker, my dirty little secret is that I hold her constantly too.... Yes, most naps (like now) and she sleeps on my chest at night too. So glad I'm not the only one! If it wasn't for my Moby wrap and Daddy time, very little would get done here - I mean less than I'm currently doing. Hehe

So sorry about your birth experience! It is good they were able to get him out and he's okay though. It will get easier I'm sure Mama!

[katelove]

Congratulations on your lovely little boy. What a sweetie he is.

I'm sorry you didn't have the birth experience you hoped for. I didn't either. It is such a hard thing to deal with and very few people seem to understand that it is ok to grieve.

We hold our babe constantly too. The only time she isn't on one of us is when she is on the change table, in the bath or carseat or lying next to us on the bed. I'm enjoying it very much, even though I don't get much done either

[guen]

Thank you all for the kind comments!  It sounds like my little guy isn't the only baby enjoying constant love and snuggles! Kaelan is so heavy that he spends most of his time in my Didymos mei tai or sometimes in a ring sling or a wrap.  I love babywearing and this little guy is just too heavy for me to carry around on my arm as was my habit with my previous babies (though I wore them, too).  Next, we'll be pulling out the Ergo.... ;-)

The birth experience....  I still haven't been able to process it.  Not the horrible, painful seven hours of pushing but the c-section at the end. I'm still in shock that it ended in a c-section (after 4 normal births) and when I refer to it, feel like I'm talking about someone else.  The surgery was scary, horrifying and traumatic in the way it all happened.  I think once I've processed that, I'll move on to disappointment and grief.  Right now, it doesn't feel like I will ever get past the shock and the horror of it (I could feel the pain of the cutting and, at one point, was given a drug that left me unable to move, speak or open my eyes and thought I was dying).  The memories of the experience make it difficult whenever I feel discomfort from the incision or muscles.  The pain/discomfort is not so bad, it's the overwhelming feelings that the discomfort evokes.  That aside, however, I feel fantastic.  I'm really enjoying this beautiful little guy!  If ever there was a reason to go through an awful experience as that, it's him! :-)

 

[PacificMar]

Welcome, little Kaelan--what a beautiful boy!

I'm sorry that his birth was difficult and traumatic. I too had an unexpected caesarian after sixty hours of labor at home. Although I'm grateful that Luthien and I are both well, I have moments of sadness for the birth I'd hoped to have. 

Many blessings to you, your family, and your lovely new son!