.jpg)
If this is your first visit to our site, it's baby month here at Today's Housewife in honor of one of our writers. Kama will hopefully have her first baby near the end of September. This week we are giving her "Labor Day" advice. Be sure to come back the week of Sept. 15th to find out how to win a $15 gift card to Toys/Babies R Us!
Labor Day with #1 and with #2
Kama~ Oh, how I wish I could tell you every detail of labor so you will be prepared! But what's the fun in that? Your labor (and your baby) will be unique to you and Ben in ways I wouldn't even be able to explain. It will be a day (or more than one day!) filled with the highest highs and lowest lows you have ever experienced.
Here's a little from my experiences:
Labor with #1 started around 8:00 Monday night. I stayed home through the easy contractions so Lee and my parents could get some sleep. We headed to the hospital around 2:00am. I eventually got an epidural got some sleep. I think I started pushing around noon because I remember the doctor telling Lee to go eat lunch before we started. It felt like a long time and it was really, really hard work. I just listened to the doctors and did my best. I wanted to see, touch, and smell him so badly! Finally the pushing was done and he arrived at 2:30 on Tuesday, Oct. 25th.
Labor with #2 started around 10:30pm on Labor Day last year! My water broke at home so we knew it was time. We got to the hospital around midnight. I got the epidural quickly because I was dilated 3-4 cm if I remember correctly. The doctor said it would be a quick delivery. I think I pushed about an hour. Compared to #1, it didn't seem long at all before I got to hold him. He was born at 6:24am on Tuesday, Sept. 4th.
Because you know I love lists, here's a list of my advice to you as you prepare for your first labor day:
1. Take something that feels like home with you to the hospital. With #1 I took my pillow. With #2 I took a picture of #1 kissing my belly.
2. Get all the help you can from the lactation consultant. She is your best friend for the first 48 hours.
3. Don't be afraid to shut your door and ask the nurses to not allow visitors while you sleep or feed the baby.
4. Take lots of pictures.
5. Know that the way your baby looks as soon as he/she comes out is not how he/she will look for very long.
6. Don't wear horizontal stripes.
7. Give Ben clear and specific directions so he knows exactly how to help you. With #2 I told Lee, "Don't look at my face!" because I felt like I was making strange faces while pushing.
8. Don't buy yourself cute new pajamas to wear in the hospital.
9. Do buy the baby cute pajamas to wear in the hospital.
10. Call me as soon as labor starts and as soon as you can when it's over.
11. Remember, it will eventually be over.
12. The after part is harder than you think it will be. Every thing will hurt and nothing will work right. But each day it gets better.
13. Listen to advice from others, but do what you want!
I am really excited to read what the other girls and our guest posters will say this week. I tried to take it easy on you to ease you into thinking about labor and delivery! Remember we love you and already love your baby. We are looking forward to hearing all about your labor day soon!
Posts
7 comments:
I laughed, I cried (hey, I'm pregnant). Thanks for the great advice!! I am so blessed to know so many people who have already given birth and can give me advice. I can't wait to read the advice of everyone else.
3:00 in the morning, I'm calling you dude.
THANKS Sandra! :)
You look so good on labor day! Me, not so much!
Hi Kama,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. One word of advice is don't wait and try to be a hero before you get an epideral lol. All 3 of my kids came out fine and they can ease up on it when the time gets close to push so you can feel the contractions. When they give you the green light, GO! LOL! Unless of course you had already "planned" a natural non-medicated birth in that case I'm behind you 100% lol. I have more advice but don't want to write a post in your comment section lol. I'll be back to check and see what's next. Meanwhile if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Blessings,
Kim
Kama...
My biggest piece of advice is to RELAX during labor. I was so nervous and so NOT relaxed, I couldn't do the first Lamaze breath I was taught. That made the contractions a lot worse. I wasn't allowed an epidural until I was 4-6cm dilated, and that just took forever.
When I had my second, I was determined to be relaxed and I was. My labor was easy-peasy compared to the first. Good Luck and I look forward to reading more from you guys!
Each of my birth stories was different as I'm sure yours will be unique as well.
Some words of advice is stay busy during the early labor (if daytime) and get sleep (if nighttime). The busyness makes it seem like it progresses faster.
And I wanted to add, since you read my blog about all three of my crazy birth, about the sex of your unborn baby. Don't be too confident in finding out the sex before the baby is born. My first daughter, (10 lbs 2 oz), was supposed to be twin girls. I have two ultrasound pics (1 of 2 faces 1 of 2 spines). The explanation - she was moving so fast inutero.
Daughter #2 was actually fraternal twins at some point. This was not detected until I gave birth and a second bag of water burst everywhere.
Daughter #3 Well, she just wasn't turned the right way for either ultrasound. They thought she was a girl.
Congratulations on becoming a mommy. It is a privilage to be enjoyed even on hard days!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Kama-
The best advice that I can give you is to expect the unexpected and don't try to plan ahead...because there is no way to know what is going to happen. Go with the flow and do what feels right in the moment. Listen (REALLY listen)to what your doctors tell you, but don't let them bully you into doing something that doesn't feel right.
Surround yourself with the people you love, but don't worry about trying to pay attention to them because you probably won't be in the mood. Don't be shy about asking them to do whatever you need them to do.
Oh, and forget about modesty. It no longer exists for you and won't for quite some time.
Good luck! I can't wait to hear your story.
Kama,
Thanks for stopping by. Advice? Well, first of all, relax and enjoy every minute of it. Even when you're at the end and you forget to smile and people near you can hear you breathing. It's all normal and believe it or not, now when I see a pregnant woman and she has to steady herself after getting up out of a chair to make sure she doesn't fall down and then waddles out of the room, it's endearing to me.
Pregnancy is such a beautiful thing. I love it!
Also, that breathing thing really works. I don't know anything about Lamaze breathing, but really deep, slow breaths work like you wouldn't believe!
One more thing. You already know that I had my babies at home, but just know that if I had to have my babies in a hospital, confined to a bed and a birthing position, I would go for drugs all the way! It's a lot harder to handle pain when you can't move around and find a position that's comfortable. So if you have a plan that doesn't include drugs and that plan happens to change in the middle of the game, no one's keeping track. You're certainly not less of a woman because of it.
God bless you and your family!
Post a Comment