luvmydogs
<font color=blue>and my cat, too<br><font color=re
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2001
- Messages
- 7,046
I'll give you the perspective from one who had a difficult pregnancy.
I was very healthy when I got pregnant, had great prenatal care, ate well and exercised. Long story short, I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia in my 4th month, and was on bedrest until my 6th when I was hospitalized. There I went into kidney failure and cardio-pulmonary edema, and had an emergency c-section, where my son was born two months prematurely. He was extremely healthy for his age and birthweight, but still had to be on a respirator and in NICU for a month. I recovered from everything in about a month, but nearly had another heart attack when our hospital bills *after* insurance totaled $65,000.
Ds was a very difficult baby--he had reflux, and had to be fed small amounts at hour intervals. It would take him 15 minutes to drink about an ounce, then we'd have to prop him up and monitor him for aspiration for 30 minutes. 15 minutes later, he'd eat again. This went on for 10 months, and I was exhausted. He never slept, neither did I, and I went into an extreme PPD. If we'd have had relatives around, I would've begged for help--just a little nap here and there, but we were 750 miles from family. It was a terrible time, and I felt so guilty for not 'enjoying' my ds's infanthood like so many moms said they did.
All in all, and 10 years later, I treasure Chris like I never thought I could treasure anything. I'd die for him. The physical discomforts/pain of pregnancy and my c-section were secondary to the emotional stress that came after his birth. In fact, compared to everything else--the physical issues were nothing at all. I often heard people talk of the pain of childbirth, but I rarely heard stories of what you can go through *after* the child is born. I would've loved to hear other women talk of the sleep deprivation, hormonal changes and relationship changes with a spouse/SO that may occur after the baby's born--that would have helped so much! That all these things were going on was a shock to me, and I really felt like I was the only one going through this--and I can't believe I was.
I've forgotten the physical aspects of pregnancy and birth--I'd go through them again in a heartbeat. But it was the emotional issues I faced that had the much greater impact on my impression of the whole birth experience.
I was very healthy when I got pregnant, had great prenatal care, ate well and exercised. Long story short, I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia in my 4th month, and was on bedrest until my 6th when I was hospitalized. There I went into kidney failure and cardio-pulmonary edema, and had an emergency c-section, where my son was born two months prematurely. He was extremely healthy for his age and birthweight, but still had to be on a respirator and in NICU for a month. I recovered from everything in about a month, but nearly had another heart attack when our hospital bills *after* insurance totaled $65,000.
Ds was a very difficult baby--he had reflux, and had to be fed small amounts at hour intervals. It would take him 15 minutes to drink about an ounce, then we'd have to prop him up and monitor him for aspiration for 30 minutes. 15 minutes later, he'd eat again. This went on for 10 months, and I was exhausted. He never slept, neither did I, and I went into an extreme PPD. If we'd have had relatives around, I would've begged for help--just a little nap here and there, but we were 750 miles from family. It was a terrible time, and I felt so guilty for not 'enjoying' my ds's infanthood like so many moms said they did.
All in all, and 10 years later, I treasure Chris like I never thought I could treasure anything. I'd die for him. The physical discomforts/pain of pregnancy and my c-section were secondary to the emotional stress that came after his birth. In fact, compared to everything else--the physical issues were nothing at all. I often heard people talk of the pain of childbirth, but I rarely heard stories of what you can go through *after* the child is born. I would've loved to hear other women talk of the sleep deprivation, hormonal changes and relationship changes with a spouse/SO that may occur after the baby's born--that would have helped so much! That all these things were going on was a shock to me, and I really felt like I was the only one going through this--and I can't believe I was.
I've forgotten the physical aspects of pregnancy and birth--I'd go through them again in a heartbeat. But it was the emotional issues I faced that had the much greater impact on my impression of the whole birth experience.
And then a teenager! BLECH!!! 
I fell into a burnin' ring of fire....
)
water finally broke around 12 I got my epi at 1is (never will I do it without if possible) we all fell asleep(DH DD and me) woken up by nurse to "check" pushed for 2 hours they were prepping me for emergency c-section while Dr tried to use the Vac which worked! with an episotomy which almost made DH who is a Dr faint! Emma who we thought was a boy was born at 8:21am 8lbs 4 oz 21 in
