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Marijke Rose
03-22-2006, 02:50 PM
Well, as some people might know, I am married, finally. ^.^
On February 20th, 2006.

On March 1st, just 5 days after my due date, I went into labour (and was absolutely enjoying it!) and went to the hospital in Wuppertal where I ended up having an emergency c-section - much to my and my husband's dismay as we were really hoping for a natural birth and had already cleared my birth plan and other questions we had with the head Hebamme on duty that shift. Unfortunately, an ultrasound revealed my baby to be sitting breech (I believe that's 'Beckenendlage' in German) and the doctor thought the baby was too large and that I was too far along to turn her. Also, they didn't want to attempt a vaginal breech birth because the baby hadn't lowered into my pelvis and because it's heartbeat was 'not very strong' (that's a lie, though, as the doctor didn't even check the heartbeat and when the Hebammen had checked it, it was a good, solid and strong heartbeat, but whatever). My husband and I, in retrospect, are pretty sure the c-section was unecessary and that the doctor pushed us so hard for it (bullying, guilt-tripping, scaring and simply lying to us) just because it was simpler for them. At the time, though, their tactics worked and we both consented to the c-section for the baby's sake.

Anyway, that's not really important right now. The important thing right now is that my baby girl was born March 1st at 16:12! She came out in good health and with a strong set of lungs which she showed off to us as soon as she was able!
Also, we have been breastfeeding since day one (though for a few days I had to have lots of help as I could hardly move), the breastfeeding has gone extremely well. She and I have had NO trouble. My nipples are well-suited to it, my supply seems to be quite good, and she started sucking and latching on like a pro from the first nursing!

Before my mature milk came in (when I still primarily had colostrum), there was one point where she didn't seem to be getting full, so we had a wonderful nurse give her a little bit of milk -or formula, I can't remember, in a cup (we didn't use a bottle since we didn't want to risk messing up the breastfeeding relationship she and I had started).

We are still breastfeeding and enjoying it.. though at night I keep falling asleep whilst breastfeeding, but that's also been working out okay (when I am tired, I lay down and she lays in front of me with pillows or a blanket positioned to keep her from rolling around too freely). It still scares me a bit, since she is so young still, so I have been trying to prevent it.

Her name is Kerstin Marie Elisabeth!


I will admit that I am struggling emotionally with the c-section and the physical recovery has been slower than it should be (according to my gyno at the last visit a couple days ago), but I am recovering. I've also had some post-partum depression, specifically related to the c-section and not directed at my baby.

I HATE the c-section, but I LOVE my little daughter. She is wonderful, feisty and so beautiful! Sometimes I miss being pregnant, but I'm also kind of relieved.. the last trimester was exhausting and I was tired of being so slow.




Vicitoria
03-22-2006, 03:07 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking about you and glad you have the time to update us.

I'm so glad to hear you have a healthy little girl! I'm so sorry to hear about your c-section but I'm on the side of "all is well that ends well." I didn't produce milk so I'm happy to hear you are producing and everyone is well fed. I'm sure plenty of people on this website may give you a hard time that a nurse gave your daughter formula but don't let it bother you. It's better than what I went through with a baby screaming for 24 hours before we realized he was starving and had lost over a pound. My supply never came in after the colostrum so I'm glad yours did!

You are totally allowed to feel bad about the c-section but don't let it get in the way of enjoying your wonderful miracale. I know the pain and guilt of not being able to breastfeed was truly cippling at times but then I realized I had better things to do - like love my son. He's healthy, happy and wonderful 20 months later.

If you need to talk I'm just a few towns away! You've got my digits!

Much love! Vic:-)

Marijke Rose
03-22-2006, 06:26 PM
Thank you, Vicitoria.

I just wanted to add something to your statement that "all's well that ends well"... for me, I'm still hoping it will end well.. but I am having a couple problems that we're working on: My uterus isn't healing as fast as it should, as I said, but it is healing; and I have fluid (blood) in my womb that has started clotting and therefore is difficult to get rid of.. so I have an infection. I went into the hospital Saturday night/Sunday morning with a tempurature of 39 degrees Celsius and that freaked the doctors out, they wanted to put me on station and do an IV of Oxytocin and antibiotics and if that wouldn't work, they would want to scrape out my uterus (via a Dilate and Curetteage). My husband and I refused and instead accepted a shot of Oxytocin and a prescription for some antibiotics and went home. They tried to scare us into staying by warning that if the infection gets too bad, I may need a hysterectomy (they even made us sign something that said we understood the risks and accepted the responsibility if something should happen because of my going home). When I got home and nursed (I also had engorged breasts), the fever broke. I'm not sure if the fever was due to the engorgement or not, but it seems like it could be.

A visit to a gyno a couple days ago discovered my iron level is low (I got a prescription for iron suppliments) and he also said that the D&C is risky (since it'd be scraping against a wound that is, at this point, technically still open), and he recommended to try not to have it done unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary, which he didn't think it was at this point yet. Basically, not to let the doctors bully or scare me into doing it, just wait until it's the only option left, IF it gets that bad.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so maybe the results will be good.


I'm sure plenty of people on this website may give you a hard time that a nurse gave your daughter formula but don't let it bother you

Well, the only thing I can say to that is that it was my choice, not theirs. I had my husband give her a little bit of formula in a little cup another time as well, and again it was my choice to do so.

I'm not critisising you, just so you know, I'm just saying what I would say to anyone who'd try to give me a hard time about it. ^.~


Anyway, I am very interested in talking sometime, I just haven't had much time. I barely have time to go to the bathroom, LOL! But, maybe I will give you a ring or something, if I find a few free moments to do so. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for us, unfortunately. Doctor's appointment plus I need to go to the Ausländersamt.

Anyway, thank you again for replying and you take care.

behr
03-23-2006, 01:21 PM
Welcome Kerstin Marie Elisabeth!!!!
And congratulations to you, Marijke Rose!!!

I have no time to elaborate, just wanted to say that after my C-section I had similar issues as you're stating. I did get acupuncture for the uterus contraction and thus avoided any further procedures. Call your Hebamme and ask around. Shurely there is a mw who will do this in your area.

Take time to grieve the loss of the perfect birth you had envisioned, and enjoy your babymoon!!

Beate

Hollycrand
03-23-2006, 01:39 PM
I'm going to echo what behr just wrote:

Welcome Kerstin Marie Elisabeth (I love the spelling of 'Kerstin')!!!
and:
Congratulations to you Marijke Rose, both on your wedding and on the birth of your beautiful baby girl.

The important thing is not how she came into the world, but that she's here and is receiving lots of love from her parents. It's great to hear that you haven't had any major snags with breastfeeding, and that she's thriving.

Again, congratulations!

Marijke Rose
03-24-2006, 10:27 AM
Acupuncture? I've been interested in looking into non-medicinal remedies.. but haven't found anything. I will try to look into acupuncture, but I don't know how.. (I don't have a Hebemme/Midwife, unfortunately..)


Thank you, Hollycrand!
She and I are both doing well, for the most part, she is gaining weight (she has a doctor's appointment on Tuesday which was the earliest appointment we could get, so I'm hoping he'll agree with me; it'll be her first since leaving the hospital).

As I said, recovery is a bit slower than it should be.. my exact problem is that the swelling from the c-section wound in my uterus wasn't going down quite as fast as the gyno said it should, though it IS healing, just slowly; AND I have another problem: I have fluid in my womb that isn't coming out. Or wasn't, anyway. We're working on treating it, though. The gyno feared that it might have been some of the placenta, that the doctors may not have gotten ALL of it removed when they did the c-section, so he ordered a blood test (and was pushing for fast results, he took it to the lab right away that day as he was very worried about it, and had the lab do it as soon as possible and they were able to fax him the results that night and he gave us a call on our cellphone to tell us). However, the doctor had good news from the lab: it wasn't placenta.

And I have low iron, so I'm on iron suppliments.

Anyway, other than that detail, I seem to be doing okay, just tired from taking care of a newborn (I've never even taken care of a young baby before, so this is very new to me). The external wound is healing well.

Vicitoria
03-24-2006, 02:54 PM
:Hug

BIG hugs and positive thoughts for a fast recovery!