Introductions and Reflections

We've been a tad bit busy around here so I'll cut myself some slack and say that actually 6 weeks from my last post isn't terrible (considering i think i went 10 months between the last two...).

Disclaimer: For those of you who are squeamish - there are photos with blood (maybe even a glimpse at my guts), and words like vagina, nipples and definitely lots of talk about poop in this post so consider yourself warned if these are problems for you.

Introductions

A little over 2 weeks ago we welcomed this sweet peanut into our world.

Anna "Sloane" Jalazo

September 16th, 2012 at 7:03pm

8lb 10oz

19.5 inches long

 

Things did not necessarily go the way I expected (perhaps a reoccurring theme in this post) but I still hold that I wouldn't change things if I could. I'll spare the gory details but the short story goes as follows. I woke up around 5:30 and thought maybe my water had broken. After one false alarm already I wasn't about to wake up MAJ until I was sure. However, around 6am it became less ambiguous and it was clear that my water had broken and we were going to have a baby! We made our way to the hospital a couple of hours later after I leisurely took a shower, dried my hair (fearing this would be the last time for weeks I would be able to do so) and ate breakfast (again, for fear they wouldn't ever let me eat again) while MAJ took things to level 5 panic and starting throwing everything he owned in a bag for the hospital (95% of which never saw the light of day in the hospital). We arrived, they confirmed that the lake of water I was swimming in was indeed my water breaking and admitted us to labor and delivery. By 10am we were all settled in our room and ready for action. Unfortunately, my cervix was not on board with this plan. I was 2cm dilated (1cm LESS than I had been told I was in the office earlier in the week - NOT something you want to tell a woman in labor unless you want to get smacked). My contractions were getting stronger so they let me labor on my own for a few hours to no avail. Still at 2cm, they started pitocin. My cranky uterus didn't love the pitocin and started contracting every 1-2 minutes and my cervix still wasn't getting with the game. The doc recommended the epidural to try to relax and speed things up. Sure. Sounded good to me since having back to back wicked contractions wasn't feeling fun either. After 4 more hours on pitocin, epidural in place (albeit one sided), and no change in cervix still AND with EVERYONE and their mother telling me how big they thought the baby was (also NOT something necessary to say to a laboring woman every hour) - the doctor recommended a c-section. 

I should say - I didn't expect to have a c-section (who does) however I was also open to doing whatever was medically necessary to get her out safely. I had no real strong opinion about delivering naturally and no real birth plan to speak of but I had just always assumed it would at least be a vaginal delivery. When we arrived at the hospital, the nurse asked about my birth plan and my response was "to get the baby out in the least painful, safest way possible". After a quick discussion with the OB, we were all set to go for the cesarean. It was kind of exciting I will have to say - to know exactly how your baby will be born and know that its going to happen soon! About 2 hours later (we got bumped for another c-section first) she was here! There was lots of snickering and witty banter in the OR between the resident and the OB about how this baby was not ever planning on coming out vaginally, how her head wasn't engaged because she was so big, etc, etc. And lots of joking by the nurses that she didn't fit into the newborn diaper and that if we still had the tags on any of the 0-3mo clothing we should consider returning them...turns out she does fit in them, thank you very much. But she is definitely a chunker. But a really cute chunker we think. 

The whole experience went very smoothly though, despite being unexpected. We were home less than 48 hours later and the recovery has been MUCH quicker than I assumed it would be. We had an amazing time with all of our family here! It was so special and I wouldn't change a single thing about the whole experience. 

Luckily, Anna documented everything in the hospital amazingly and you can see those pictures here. 

This is one of my favorites.

Now for some Reflections on the first two weeks at home with a newborn...

1. First impression: This was not what I (we) expected. I think one of my best friends put it best, "I always loved kids and knew I wanted to be a mom, but I think I was picturing myself with a 6 month old". So true.

I don't even know what's happened to the last two weeks. All I remember is wrangling a wiggly baby for breastfeeding and attempting to remember to shower, brush my teeth, poop and sleep in between feedings.

2. Babies spray poop. No one tells you this. I am a pediatrician and I didn't know this. We have honed a very special skill in the last two weeks of putting up a diaper wall to catch unexpected spray poops while changing a diaper full of liquid spray poop.

3. Breast feeding is not easy. Now I knew this one. I've been trained to tell parents this and be an advocate for them, but for reals. It is not easy. Even with a baby who gets its from the first jaunt at the boob, its not easy. Your boobs hurt, they leak, you are sure your nipples are going to fall off - it's really awesome. And god forbid someone tell a new mom at 10 days that their baby is not gaining weight perfectly. (Hard to buy when your baby has countless fat rolls...) This is like setting off the worlds largest emotional time bomb. It will explode. It did. And it was ugly. Ask MAJ.

4. Babies make really funny faces in their sleep. I need to video this before it stops so I don't forget, because it is precious. Sloane gives the goofiest smiles in her sleep...photographic evidence below.

This is all I can reflect on right now and the time bomb that is the sleeping baby feels like it's about to go off. Enjoy the milk-drunk baby smiles! 

5. One last reflection. Whoever coined the phrase it takes a village wasn't lying. We had some amazing help the first week home. All of our family's support was incredible. Sloane's Gigi was there to cook, clean and scoop her up when she was screaming and I thought my head would explode. We wouldn't have made it through that first week without her help. (Or at least there would've been alot more tears ;)). I also have to give credit to MAJ. I'm beyond lucky to have such an amazing partner in this who makes me laugh hysterically when I feel like crying, has mad baby whispering skills (see above) and can tuck an unruly baby arm during a feeding and wrap a mean baby burrito like the best of them.

More to come - newborn photo session with aunt Anna, "Baby Bjorn"ing it up around town and around the house and a weekly guest post from MAJ - week-in-review photo-only post.