29 June 2006

THANKS...


For your kind comments, gifts and/or visits to the hospital over the past few weeks. Can you believe E-chan is 3 weeks old tomorrow?

Another pic attached. This is what he is doing now...

28 June 2006

Nipple cripple & expressing yourself

Within 2 days of giving birth, I had serious nipple cripple* in left breast. Turns out there are several crucial thing about breastfeeding that caused this:

- baby over a week overdue... tend to be bigger, suck hard, and are extremely hungry.
- fair anglo saxon skin, and sensitive nipples. Wish I'd spent more time topless at the beach**, toughening up the nipples . Some harsh handling would probably also have prepared me for the pain. Should have perhaps considered some S&M during some more experimental phases in my life.
- baby not latching on with correct technique. This is hard for both mother and baby to master, especially when there is no expert watching on assisting***. In fact, I wonder how the hell anyone used to manage out in the wild when we were hunter gatherers.

Then there is my breast shape. One of my adolescent insecurities was my breast size and shape. Never saw anyone with a simlar shape... I won't descibe them too much because you never know who's lurking in cyber-land. But it seems my breast shape has been noticed in lactation midwife circles to be a type that is sometimes (but not always) not able to establish breastfeeding fully due to supply issues. (Next time I see you all, I bet I catch you gawking at my chest - I don't care by now, as it seems everyone under the sun including brother in law has seen my top half naked, and half of those have inspected my undercarriage as well to see how the stiches are coming along...).

The midwives broke this news to me gently, but for a week or so, it was my worst nightmare of suspected inadequacies being realised. Meanwhile, the other breast was succumbing to and equally bad case of nipple cripple. I had to take baby off the breast entirely and feed it formula or starve it. Hard when you want to breastfeed, but no alternative. Breastmilk is produced on a supply-demand basis, so we had to do things to keep the supply going in the meantime. I was totally amazed at the range of techniques and products available to "express" milk with. Had to do it by hand as pumps were too harsh at first (yes they have motorised pumps for this kind of thing).

I kept thinking of that scene in "Meet the Parents" where Ben Stiller's character describes milking a cat's nipples. Step back a few metres from my life and it all seems surreal. For a while in hospital it was too painful to do myself (kind of like having to rip a band aid off a hairy leg), so midwives would help me, kind of like milk maids. Surreal. Luckily, all was starting to heal by the time I left hospital, and was able to do it myself, and later was able to use a pump, which is nowhere near as labour intensive.

So how has breastfeeding gone post-hospital? I have been getting advice from 3 midwives (2 public, one privately engaged), and we have had to be taught how to do it again almost from scratch. All the while things have been hectic, as we have been trying to boost my supply, and we have a crazy production line of me feeding as much as I can, then handing him over to someone else to top-up bottle feed, while going off to express. This all takes up quite a lot of time, when you include washing and cleaning bottles, and we need a 3rd person around to help when C-chan is at work (he had to work last week and this week, but can take some time off after the new fin-year starts).

Monday I fed E-chan on the breast 3 times, with almost no pain at all on the right hand side. Managed it 4x yesterday, and hope to again today. Saw a midwife at the hospital clinic this arvo, and she was amazed at our progress given how things were when I left hospital. Feel more upbeat after this than I have in ages.... Might be able to breastfeed afterall, to some extent or even fully. Just need to build my supply. Fingers crossed...


* Pretty bad even by the lactation midwife's experience. Not a pretty site. Scabs included. Ugh.
** Have not spent time topless at beach since pre-pubescent...
*** All I can say is thank god I was in this well resourced public hospital, with 1 lactation specialist on duty each day plus 5-6 midwifes on a ward of 56 or so patients. I hear some other public hospitals have 40 beds and a grand total of one regular midwife on duty. No wonder so many women give up breastfeeding so early on.

Labouring the point...

Part 1 of my Labour and postnatal experience...

WOW what a day June 10 turned out to be. The day started at 4am with the real contractions. I stayed in bed a while to make sure it was the real thing - they were 5-6 mins apart from the moment I was woken up. I can't actually remember the degree of pain any more - strange, huh? (Or nature's way of making sure we reproduce more than once if possible??). But it felt like really, really, really bad period pain. After about an hour, I went and had a bath to ease the pain a bit. I also really wanted to make sure it was the real thing, as it was the day that C-chan's exam was scheduled... At 6am I woke C-chan. Gradually the pain got worse and worse. We guessed C-chan would have to sit the exam at a later date...

I rang the hospital and spoke to a midwife (as you are supposed to do). We concluded that I was in labour. I asked when I should come into the hospital. The answer: "When the pain is so bad you can't imagine anything else" WHAT?!! I don't remember reading about this in the books... "...or when you think you won't be able to sit in the car to get to the hospital".

Eeek. So there was some practical advice.

Dang! There's an Inner West baby boom!!
We reached the "I think we better drive to the hospital" point by 8am, and started getting things ready to go. Got to the hospital, and wouldn't you know it? The labour ward was full. Had to wait in a waiting room with a television until one of the rooms was cleaned. Contractions were every 2-3 minutes, so no time to appreciate the telly or nice lounge chairs. At this stage, had to bend over or lean on C-chan to get through each one. Finally a midwife came to see what was going on. Midwife suggested that a short stint outside in the car park might be a nice change in surroundings to pass the time until the room was free.

It wasn't a nice change in surroundings. There was nowhere nice to sit that wasn't occupied by a smoker in their shift break. It was cold, damp and grey outside. At some point I was examined to see how far my cervix had dilated. Was disheartened to find that it was only 1 cm (1/10 of the way). Midwife said something heartening to reassure me that the first stages take the longest. Waters broke during examination, but nothing dramatic. Finally got our own room, and said goodbye to C-chan's parents.

I laboured in a few positions - first in the bath. Then the pain got pretty bad and I used gas. Got out of bath, but at some point pain was too bad for even the gas - gas was however useful for regulating breathing. Had a pethadine shot at some point, but couldn't bring myself to consider an epidural still. Pain is so bad you have to be reminded to breathe out rather than scream in pain. Went on bed and rested on side for an hour or so while contracting - who knows how long it was?

Finally, the pushing phase was reached (this took up the last 2 1/2 hours of a 13 1/2 hour labour, so it must have been 3pm by then). Pushing phase is better, as you have something productive to do (push) rather than just waiting for your cervix to dilate. You have to push without breathing out, and grit your teeth at the same time. Got up off bed to let gravity help with this bit... and then...

My left leg collapsed under me!!

This was completely unexpected, and I landed on all fours on the floor. My leg had been feeling a bit pins-and-needle-y, but had assumed it was hyperventilation. More on this later, but this basically eliminated standing or walking around as options for labouring.

Went on a birthing stool for a bit (like a kidney-shaped foot stool, and you rest your back against a pillow and your partner). Leg got tired of this, and we ended up spending the last hour and half or so giving birth kind of like they do in the movies. Except I didn't use stirrups, rather, I had my knees up and pushed my leg against C-chan on one side and the midwife on the other for each contraction. I had to pull my thighs against my hands at the same time. Midwife was great and so encouraging with every push I gave.

Finally I ran out of puff. Baby's head was going forward 10 millimeters and back 9.5 with every push. (Turns out baby's head was on the larger side of average). Baby was helped out with a vacuum extractor thing on his head. Baby was pulled out with one last push and scream of pain, and plonked on my tummy with a gush of mixed fluids (ugh) and a tear or two in the corner of his father's eye.

Ethan's eyes were wide open and alert from the word go. This is all a blur, but there were lots of people in the room (paediatricians, obstetricians, midwife, trainee drs) - checking the baby's vitals, giving him his vitamin K shot, weighing him. Oh, and attending to my stitches. (I'll say no more, other than I didn't know there was such as thing as a 3rd degree tear before, and quite frankly, hope to soon forget).

Had to wait in the labour ward for a while for someone to come and check my leg. Meanwhile, baby was given his first inept feed, named, and cleaned up a bit and swaddled. Finally I got to clean up and we were all taken up to the Maternity ward (me in a wheelchair!!). And so began the first few blurred nights of parenthood for C-chan and me...

17 June 2006

Hooray!! at last!!





















Welcome to the world, Ethan (k.a. E-chan from now on)!!

Born a week ago on Saturday 10 June. We are absolutely delighted with him - he's completely normal (apparently), and only seems to cry when he wants a feed, change, burp, or cuddle.
Here he is leaving the hospital on Thursday, and on his first outing to a cafe on Friday with his mother and Nanna!

There is so much to write about concerning the last week it's not funny... I've so much to post on the things I experienced...

- excruciating pain,
- the biggest high,
- unforseen challenges with birth complications, breastfeeding, and baby being overdue,
- the most undignified probing and invasion of privacy,
- deep gratitude to my family and C-chan's,
- an experience as a private patient in a very well-resourced public hospital

All I can say is thank god we have a normal, gorgeous, happy baby.

More later I hope.
xxx

08 June 2006

Baby baby baby, you’re out of time…

Random person in shop: “Oh! When are you due?”
Me: “Last Wednesday!”
RPIS: “Uh? Oh! You’re overdue!”
Me: “yes”

Look forward to not having to answer that question much longer…

--------------------

Urm. Am at a loss to know what else to post besides baby stuff. I'm pretty baby centric at the moment... How could I possibly think of anything else?! Happy to hear anyone else's business... I'm thinking of you all, but I seem to be tied up in evenings with relatives so it'd be rude for me to ring while they are here.

Mum had to go today (sniff!) which is sad, because we never thought she'd have to go without seeing her grandkid. Being a nurse who works weekends and evenings/nights, she has to book her holidays months in advance because they are always so short staffed. She'll hopefully be back in a couple of weeks when Dad comes.

In-laws are on the couch behind me "because I shouldn't be left alone", so I have given them books and yesterday's paper to read. They didn't come with their own amusements it seems...

07 June 2006

False alarm #3... 41 weeks pregnant...

This pregnancy is now officially 1 week longer than average (but not out of the realm of normality).

Had 8 or so hours of regular contractions yesterday. We thought I was going into labour. The thing that was fishy was that the contractions weren't that painful and didn't stop me from holding down conversations or doing other things. Kind of a stomach tightening/period cramp with the occasional back ache.

So we got all prepared, rang the inlaws like they asked us to, and they are headed over today.
Then I was tired so had a nap, and the contractions petered out. And stopped.

That's right. 3/4 of the grandparents are here in Sidonee, but no sign of baby.

Had drs appt as scheduled this morning. Had the first internal exam of my whole pregnancy, which was a bit more unpleasant than a pap-smear. He said there has been some thinning of the cervix (as usually happens when you go into labour), but no signs that I am actually in labour. Getting mild contractions again now. Fingers crossed (but not holding my breath). There is a good chance that I'll go into labour on my own some time in next few days, and I'll go in again on Saturday to hook into a machine that measures baby's heartrate over 20 or so minutes to make sure everything is OK, along with me monitoring that it is still moving around regularly.

Worst case scenario is an induction for next Tuesday (unfortunately they don't do them on weekend or public holidays - isn't it great that biology, which has little relation whatsoever to the Earth Calendar, is forced to fit in with medical services? I think if there is any emergency, they wouldn't hesitate, but normally they'd induce from 10 days overdue which is Saturday.

At least weather is sunny and I can go for walks with Mum today.

Hope to see some of you soon, with baby in tow!!

04 June 2006

Dang, that was false alarm #2

We're still waiting...

We've resorted to firm talking-tos and snide remarks about how bub seems to be chicken, and is missing out on all these cuddles and back strokings from Mummy and Daddy. Coaxing just didn't seem to be having any effect. Guilt tripping is the next tactic, as Daddy approaches having his 2nd-last exam this Saturday and it would be best not to be inconvenienced (but don't tell bub we have the Uni exemption forms all ready just in case).

We're also trying dancing in the lounge room to songs with "Baby" in them, and brisk walks around our neighbourhood.

possibly something happening??

Last night we had some labour pains, but I managed to sleep through much of the night without much more than some back ache. When C-chan wakes up, we're going to go for a walk, and see if that speeds things along... Pains so far have been like period pain accompanied by some stabbing sharp pains in the lower pelvis. Nowhere near as bad as they are described, so I'm assuming I'm in very early stages, the raspberry leaf tea has REALLY helped, or it's another false alarm.

Mum arrives this evening, and we have had to come up with a plan B for if she flies in during the big moment and we're at the hospital!! Would be awesome if she is here for the birth (but it would suck big time if this drags on all week and she has to go home before it all happens... I guess she'll have to see if she can get out of working next weekend). In-laws also want to be notified as soon as we are certain, as they are going to drop everything and fly over to see their first grandchild. Haven't rung them yet because we aren't certain.

So... unless you hear from a very impatient me some time in the next day or so, you can assume things are progressing. Hopefully, my next post will be a photo... with a name announcement...

xxx

03 June 2006

Icky-gooey chocolate dessert (aka "Chocolate Fondant")

(This recipe makes 10 - I halved it, and made 4, but the servings were a little large and I'd recommend sticking with the recommended serving sizes, even if you're a complete guts like me. These should be eaten right away, so you don't want to make more than you can eat.)

10 Oz (280g) semi or bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa, such as Lint (sic))
200g butter
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup (130g) sugar (I'd use fine white sugar, not raw or brown)
1 1/4 cup (160g) plain flour

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 derees C
2. Grease 10 large muffin tins (souffle dishes are too large - sturdy coffee cups might do. They rise a bit when cooking, but not as much as a souffle. Put some cocoa powder in the cups and roll them around until coated).
3. Break chocolate into small pieces and melt with butter in bowl over simmering water
4. Beat the eggs until fluffy. Mix in sugar. Sift in flour and fold gently.
5. Slowly fold in melted butter & chocolate.
6. Bake for 8-12 mins until the top is firm. Up-end onto a plate and dust with icing sugar, or serve with scoop of icecream or cream (but you don't need it). The inside should be liquid.

01 June 2006

Overcooked

Well due date came and went yesterday - not suprising given only 4% of babies are born on their due date. So, it will be a June baby, afterall. Have lots of energy today, so am taking the opportunity to take little trips out of the house whenever they arise... walked C-chan to the train, went to post office. Walking is supposed to help things along.

Thought another way I could urge the baby out is with some Haiku*. When I was in primary school, we were taught that Haiku is a 3-lined poem describing a single thing/concept, that has the 5-7-5 syllable structure. I'm not sure that the syllables are that important from what I've read subsequently, but limited syllables is more fun.

So here goes:
Overdue baby
Please come out and see the world
It's waiting for you

or
Like a letter sent
But not yet received by us
We anticipate
Beautiful, poetic moments of blog-dom, I'm sure. I thought of the last one on the way back from the Post Office!

* Baby will come out screaming "Mum, stop it! Blog poetry is EMBARRASSING!!!"
Had to post a link to Betty Sue's hilarious blog gossip page entry, in which yours truly gets a mention, along with other blogging chums Seagreen and BeeSharp!! I laughed out loud at the post-baby figure and miracle diet!! I was going to post a recipe for a sticky-icky-gooey chocolate dessert (suitable for any pregnant woman looking for that ultimate chocolate hit), but don't want to fuel those tabloid rumours...even this side of the baby being born. Perhaps I'll post some healthier recipes instead.