Mainstream baby shower- Part 2- She had her baby!

[birthjunkie27]

She called me yesterday to inform me that she had her baby last Saturday.

She's breastfeeding her and doing really well.

You knew I couldn't post without a vent so here goes ...

She wanted to try to birth without drugs. She was induced, but she wanted to go without the epidural. Her CNM tells her that she'll support whatever choice she makes, but that it's probably in her best interest to get the epi. : She compared it to having a c section...that all following births will most likely be c section too (which I know isn't right....VBAC anybody???). She says since my friend had the epidural with her last baby she didn't think it would be a good idea to go through labor without it this time! That her body wouldn't be able to handle it.

Then she tells me that she was breastfeeding, but the baby wasn't really interested for the first 24 hours. She was released from the hospital by her CNM but the nurse wouldn't let her leave because the baby wasn't eating yet (even though the nurse doesn't even have the authority to keep her). Her milk hadn't even come in! So this nurse is all concerned that the baby is not eating (but she was suckling and getting colustrum). Where'd she get her nursing degree? A friggin cracker jack box?!?! You might think that someone working in a maternity ward would know that the milk doesn't come in until 2-3 DAYS later!!! So then she tries using a medicine dropper full of formula to "tease" the baby. Luckily my friend stood up for herself and said, "This is a BREASTFED baby, she does NOT need formula!"

I'm going to visit them today and see how she's doing. I can't wait to hold a newborn again!!!

[IncaMama]

oh man. i feel so bad for your friend. i hate the over-medicalization of the birth process and how UNDEReducated the damn L&D nurses are at so many hospitals!! that's just sinful to convince a mother that she can't handle the birth. how insulting and offensive. and GOOD FOR HER for standing up for her breastfed baby! i confess i was not able to be so strong when they gave my son formula in the hospital. i didn't know any better and they can be very convincing when they want to be.

i'm glad that she has you as a friend to help support her bfing! :

[kofduke]

As someone who has had both an induced + epi birth with #1, and a natural birth with #2, i have to say it is possible, and the explanation about not being able to do it a second time is just absolutely silly. HOWEVER, should I ever have another baby, and need to be induced for some (real) reason...I'd get the epidural again. You just can't even compare the sensations of natural labor versus pit-induced labor; plus since you're stuck lying on your side in a bed, there are just no comfort measures that are possible. When I was in labor with Luke, it made all the difference in the world to be able to walk, get on my knees, get in the shower, etc. I fully believe that caving to the epi after the 15 hours of pit and no progress saved me from a c-section - I was actually able to relax, and dilate.

Good thing she's bfing and is knowledgeable to say no to the nurses!

[aisraeltax]

i think its great she is bf'ing. someone needs to write that hospital a letter!

as far as not having an epi for a later birth, thats just crazy! WHY are they like that?? i just don't get it. i have 2 c/'s so had epi by necessity. i never was induced but ive heard it led to horribly painful contractions...but that doesnt mean she has to be induced again. perhaps next time she will be willing to consider other options for birthing.

but good for her for rejecting the formula! stupid, stupid nurses (sorry...not calling any one person stupid...just the general idea that a mother should use that nasty stuff unless they absolutely have to...i just dont get it).

and OT but im so sick of seeing the term "bf'ing nazi"....don't even get me started! i don't believe in violence of any sort but do believe babies should get the most perfect food nature created.



have fun holding the baby...i have a friend prego with twins and cant wait for her to deliver!

[Minnow_]

Bethany, I'm so glad she's breastfeeding and that's working out okay. Have fun holding the tiny baby.

It frustrates me the way so many hospitals are not supportive of women's choices and breastfeeding. I feel lucky about my hospital experience. I ended up having pitocin (after being 5 cm dilated for over 6 hours, and coming up on 24 hours since my water broke) but was able to have wireless monitors so I could still move and get in the tub (heavenly) and avoid an epidural. The midwife and nurses knew I didn't want one, and no one even suggested it. And none of the nurses ever mentioned formula or pacifiers.

It's sad that a hospital being educated and supportive of breastfeeding still seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

[birthjunkie27]

Well, we went over to visit them today and OMG....the baby is soooooo wittle bitty! She was 8lbs which isn't really that little, but compared to Samara she was a peanut! It was so weird holding such tiny baby.

Mom's still doing good nursing so far.

She's talking about baby number three already and is considering homebirth. I'd be floored and so happy for her if that's what she chose.

[Taedareth]

Good for her! Glad she made good choices that enabled her to have a successful nursing relationship.

What is up with the widespread idea that colostrum doesn't count as food, and that the baby will starve until the milk comes in? Um... babies are SUPPOSED to drink colostrum for the first few days... that's why it's there! Not to mention all the million nutritional and immunological benefits of colostrum. *sigh* I was just thinking about the fact that hospitals used to tell women not to let the baby drink colostrum at all (pump and dump, I think was what they recommended) and they kept the babies on forumula or sugar water until the regular milk came in. I read that when I was doing my research on homebirth vs. hospital birth.

[Thursday Girl]

uuuggghhhh

hospitals can be so stupid. wiht jewely they threatened to give her formula ifi couldn't get her to wake up and eat. I KNEW she was fine b/c they store extra so they don't have to eat after they are born (and she latched right after birth anyways) they bullied me into sugar water. ash holes. my friend was also threatened with formula. you would think the people working their would be trained!!!

courtney

oh but yeah for her standing up for her breastfeeding rights!!

[Nora'sMama]

I'm not a December mama, I just happened to see this on 'New Posts' and the title looked interesting, I hope you don't mind me barging in...

I just wanted to say that the nurses at the hospital where I gave birth were the same about being concerned that I didn't have milk at 24 hours pp! I had read tons and gone to LLL meetings and they were able to make me totally paranoid...and it was supposedly a really BF-supportive hospital! The hospital L.C. actually recommended giving my DD infant Pedialyte to hydrate her since I said I didn't want to give formula. So I did, about 10 cc's. I don't know how much it affected her gut but I still feel bad about it. My milk came in at 3 days pp. But in the meantime I was wailing, "I can't feed my baby..." b/c everyone seemed so darn concerned about it. I truly don't understand it...surely the majority of new mothers do not get their milk in before 24 hours?!? Maybe they readily supplement w/ formula so it is not a concern for the nurses...grrr...

Cripes! It makes me angry! Just wanted to share. I'm so glad your friend stood up to the nurses who wanted to give her baby formula. on her behalf.

[xmasbaby7]

Bethany, this is actually so great to hear about your friend taking such a stand about bf'ing. This is much better momma behavior than what she was doing at the shower, and it sounds like she has had a healty baby. Yeah!

As for the nurse, nothing shocks me anymore. So darn depressing.