And another photo

[bronwynrh]

Because my uncle made us look so good here :)




An observation from the delivery room... I've heard many women say things like, "I'm never having kids. You POOP when you're in labor!!" and, "I'm having a c-section. No way am I going to risk POOPING in front of all those people!"

To those women I say, in the moment, you don't really care about the poop. Well, you do care, but you know why? Because when you're drug-free and can feel every blasted thing, and you're pushing and you feel pain and POOP, all you can think is, "O my god, all I'm getting is POOP! I'm NEVER gonna get this baby out!"

*sigh*

Obviously, I got both. When I managed to open my eyes for a few seconds there, indeed, was a head. The poop had been swiftly disposed of, thank goodness.

And we can now say that there is nothing my body can do that my husband has not witnessed. Amazingly enough, he still loves me and still thinks I'm sexy.

So it's all good.

I have about 8 stitches. They hurt, but now I'm in this macho, pain-is-relative zone where I feel the need to say "discomfort" instead of "pain".

Also, I have my waist back. There's a little paunch left in front, but by damn, I've got a waist! I'm gonna guess one more day 'til I can wear my size 8 jeans again. I'm gonna shoot for my size 4s - gimme a month.

For those who inquired, Dixon Louis is named for our beloved late grandmothers, Dixie (Jeff's maternal grandmother) and Louise (my maternal grandmother). We've had this name for a long time, and I'm so happy to have a baby who will carry it with love and honor.

Both boys are sleeping now, so I'm going to take the opportunity to do a little something. Namely, nothing at all.

Comments

[lemon-says.livejournal.com]

Told you--you might not get a medal, but you feel like you did, don't you? You're both beautiful. :D

Is he nursing well?

[mysterygal11.livejournal.com]

I remember being all worried about the poop. That totally goes out the window approximately 5 minutes into labor. By the time I had Sam, I would have felt perfectly comfortable doing pretty much anything. I just did not care. Now I think it's funny when I hear people getting anxious about that.

Rest up! I hope the "discomfort" improves.

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

And a well deserved "nothing at all" it is! (:

[colleenaf.livejournal.com]

Yay! So adorable! I really appreciate the poop confession. i've always wondered about that! Truly a testament of your hubby being awesome.

[zoltara.livejournal.com]

Um, I never knew about the poop until this post. Now I know.

Baby PIC

[(Anonymous)]

A waist is ALWAYS good after a baby...lol...You look happy, Bronwyn, which is as it should be!
Blessings,
Cindy@ Sewhappy

[holdfast27.livejournal.com]

the poop is the one thing that comes to mind when i think about having a kid, but an epi terrifies me. now i know more about the poop issue. i've seen the "lean back into the needle" and know thats not an option for me. i'd have a panic attack.

[msmichelle.livejournal.com]

He is beautiful! Congratulations!!

Did you have meds with Samuel? I had no epi with Natalie and I'm really glad I had the experience...and didn't care or know anything about the poop because of the efficient nurse team. I just know my body did all the work, because I FELT it, and it was amazing to think about that afterward.

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Having done both, I'd go naturally again. The back pain sucked, and by the end I was just about done in - After Dixon was born, and we were both being, er, processed, I kept yelling at everyone to STOP TOUCHING ME!!

But I'm certain that at least part of that was exhaustion. I'd not slept for a couple days, and I'd kept working.

So. I recommend going natural, but taking time off before the baby comes to sleep sleep sleep.

5 days later and I still feel very achey, but I'm best friends with my ibuprofen now :)

[bramey.livejournal.com]

I did have meds with Samuel. I had this awful pelvic pain then, which was mostly resolved this time.

Still... I wish I'd been better rested. I think I could have handled it with a little more grace :)

It was truly amazing, though. I was on this ride and there was no getting off, and there was a fabulous payoff at the end!

Re: Baby PIC

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Cin :)

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Well, you are pushing :)

There are birthing methods that call for "breathing" the baby out, without pushing, but when I was at the peak of a contraction, all I could do was UUUUNNNNNGH! Push! And then feel blessed relief as it came down.

You just let your body do what it wants and needs to do :)

[bramey.livejournal.com]

My mom told me they left it along for a while, I guess 'till it was... out more... before flicking it away.

She said she was glad, cuz it smelled :)

I was too busy burying my head in her hands and trying not to vomit. Again.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Pregnancy and childbirth (and nursing) are the most feminine things a woman can do. It is the essence of femininity, after all. But there is not a damn thing ladylike about it!

[bramey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in the moment, it's all about GET THIS THING OUTTTA ME! And who cares what else comes with it!

[bramey.livejournal.com]

His chin is a little far back, and he has a habit of chomping. We're working hard on his tongue techniques, and he is getting better.

I realized yesterday that all my pain was actually due to blocked ducts. Apparently my skin is in hyper-healing mode and keeps closing things off. Seriously. 10 minutes in a nursing pad without sufficient lansinoh and I've grown into the pad!

Lots of soaking and rubbing yesterday broke most of it free, but I'm still not firing from all hoses like I did with Samuel. I don't know how to clear it completely and make it stop recurring. :-/

[lemon-says.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Slather on that lanolin, man. It'll probably just take a few days to get used to it all again, and a funky latch can cause that kind of problem. Watch for blebs, and if any turn up pop 'em right away so you don't get a plug.

[bramey.livejournal.com]

I cut a real pretty picture. People walk into a room and always risk coming upon me during a nipple inspection :)

Leftie's improving, Rightie's taking a bit longer, but you're right. I do think they'll resolve.

So far, no sign of the overactive let-down or hyperproductivity of last time, but hey. It's only been 6 days. I'm sure I'll be shooting for distance records again, soon.

[lauren82.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!! He's a cutie. You look great too, considering you just had a baby. Hope your family is doing well. Wish we could all get together again sometime. Take care and keep in touch!

[curlicue.livejournal.com]

Ladies, one day you need to splain all these terms to me because I have no idea what you're talking about but am fascinated. No hurry. But do the world a favor and edumacate the nulliparous.

[curlicue.livejournal.com]

I've always thought about the bizarre things people due during the last 100 years of childbirth versus what was done for the previous 3.5 million years.

I'm really good with the idea that a squatting posn is good as is pushing when it feels right unless there's a damned good reason not to (that can be seen by very expensive eqt they didn't have 3.5 million years ago.)

I think this is so awesome and if you ever want to tell us ever detail of labor, I would love to hear it. I know nothing of this. It's just fascinating.

[bramey.livejournal.com]

I feel badly - I never posted Samuel's birth story, and now I have Dixon's to tell, too!