Baby Holding

Being put down is not an option for the baby. She cries and fusses. She seems to know when she isn't next to a person and instantly protests. My mother has been visiting daily to help with housework and hold the baby.

I would have consulted Mom about getting pregnant if I'd known it was going to be that much work for her. She said she was glad I didn't ask because she would have told me not to do it. She and Dad are both as enchanted by the baby as I am. It's good to know she doesn't have regrets.

Baby has had diaper rash for two weeks. It looked painful and nothing was clearing it up. The doctor's office suggested a combination of Mylanta, A & D ointment, and miconozole. It sounds strange, but the rash looks better.

The Stork has Arrived

The baby arrived in the middle of a snowstorm. Schools were closed and events were cancelled. I wouldn't have known. My mother and I had spent the last two nights in the hospital while tests were being run for pre-eclampsia. The diagnosis was that it was a mild case.

By that time, I felt awful. My ankles, knees, and wrists were so swollen I could hardly move them.

The doctor came to discuss induction with me, and I said I wanted a c-section. His eyes bugged a little after all of our discussions about avoiding medication. However, the last fundal measurement had been 49 cm. I didn't think I could go through labor after being unable to keep down food for months and having limbs that wouldn't allow me to move in the positions that help labor progress. All of my plans for a natural childbirth were out the window.

The doctor said his biggest concern was being able to deliver the head and not the shoulders. I didn't tell him my childhood memory of the "two-headed cow" at my uncle's farm. The cow and calf had died for exactly that reason. I found this concurrence further motivation.

The next day, I had a c-section. When the baby, 10 pounds 10 oz, emerged, the doctor said "You made the right decision." Her head was 15 inches.

I am absolutely in love with her. She's a nice, solid baby. Very good for hugging. We spend lots of time snuggling and nursing these days and it is absolute bliss.