Ok, so here's the birth story ....
The morning of the 24th I woke with some mild back pain - it fluctuated ... no abdominal cramping or anything and I'd been up late the night before cutting out a dress for Ina on a low table (and usually have backaches after that) ... so didn't pay it much mind. But, it did seem to get more persistent throughout the day. But didn't feel anything like I felt with Ina (I felt a bit crampy with her in addition to back ache) -- so I called my mom (who had 7 of us and is a nurse) at about 4:30 and described what was happening (back pain about every 5-6 minutes, usually about 40 seconds long but sometimes only 10 seconds). She said - maybe it's labor, just keep watching things.
I'd told dh that it might be labor, earlier - he and his dad were working on the office remodel we're doing and we decided to let gpa know since he'd be watching Ina and spending the night depending on how long labor took, IF I were in labor .... at 5:30 I told dh he needed to come in and take a shower and get ready to go, because the last 3-4 pains had been about 80 seconds in duration and 3-4 minutes apart. "Can I just finish this first?"
So, dh was in the house about 15 minutes later, showering and getting ready to go. I finished up whatever I'd been working on (dishes I think) and got gpa oriented for taking care of Ina (who was certain she was coming too) -- and then dh wanted to know if we could swing by Wendy's on our way to the hospital because he was hungry (!!). I told him NO, I didn't want to smell fast food -- so as he was getting cameras together etc., I cut some cheese for him to eat while we were at the hospital. Funny, I know but I figured whatever I could do to make things more effiicent, the better.
Anyway, we got to the hospital at about 6:45, right as the shifts were changing. We got a nurse who was probably in her late fifties. I unpacked the birth plan for dh and for the nurse, and changed into the hospital gown. Nurse was back about 15 minutes later and (sly one but I'm from a family of nurses so I knew what she was doing) got the EFM hooked up for a preliminary reading and then talked with me about the birth plan she hadn't read yet, while I was having a contraction (to guage how far along I was I think
). We told her that we deliver fast, and that it takes awhile to get an IV in on me while I'm in labor - but things were pretty unhurried 'til she checked me prior to calling our OB. Then she went google-eyed and said I was 8 cm and was calling ASAP -- and it was a zoo from then on. They got the IV in but couldn't get blood (I'm an RH factor mom) and finally had the lab come up to take care of THAT. Labor went even faster without being in back labor ... we delivered at a little past 7:30.
Doc did a great job.
I'd told him we wanted to do delayed clamping, and he totally did that - and when a nurse bustled over to put the pitocin in my IV (I need an IV because of a heart condition for antibiotics) - he stopped her and told her that "Mom wants to deliver the placenta naturally."
We already liked him a lot after Ina's birth but things were just awesome this time. He asked afterwards if we were happy with the birth, too.
It took 1 1/2 contractions to deliver SJ - Ina was 6 1/2 pounds, SJ was 8 pounds exactly and her head circ is the same as her chest circ. !! So when her head was out, I still felt like I had a head to push out. We were able to stay in the delivery room for almost 2 hours - it took about an hour for SJ to want to latch on, then she stayed latched for an hour.
She is a CHAMPION nurser. They kept suggesting a paci for her (whatever) - I told them "I'm breastfeeding, she doesn't need a paci, she has a good latch and we're not messing with it and my nipples don't hurt anyway." They didn't send me home with a ff Bf bag (hurrah!) .... I don't know if it was because we checked out at night, or if it was because they knew I didn't want one.
Anyway, SJ was already 2 oz beyond her birthweight at her 3 day appointment with the Ped --- at 2 weeks, was 9 pounds 4 oz. Ina's (then undiagnosed) reflux and allergies etc. meant that she gained much more slowly. SJ mostly sleeps, nurses, has a diaper change and cycles again. She's very alert when awake but really does sleep a lot (or maybe this is normal vs. a sick reflux newborn which is our only prior experience).
Ina is adjusting well - being very big. She decided that panties WERE for her the day after Ina came home so we're in the midst of potty training right now too. I miss putting Ina to sleep at night, but she's pretty well adjusted to dh doing that now .... pretty teary for both of us the first few nights. No jealousy yet other than that SHE would like to hold, nurse, etc. SJ herself all tghe time.
