Feb-May 2011 Mommies

oh Joli you are superwoman the reason you still have pain (I had no swelling of feet etc and the physio was to help with the bubbles that get caught when you open up a stomach) is cause it was an emergency c section. And I definitely think surgeons are different, I know that the guy i had is the top guy in SA and he is just a top surgeon so I do believe that helped. But mainly as he said to me the difference between emergency that you had to endure (and I mean ENDURE because it is an horrific experience for anyone who has it done) vs planned is the whole chemistry of body, the shock etc etc so you are meant to be in terrible pain and with planned you're not - in general. And I'm not saying your doc wasn't top doc I don't know who you got, but it sounded like you had the top person for the natural planned you know and then you had to go with who was available - thank God it saved your life and baby but it was always going to be traumatic. sorry if I am sounding like the expert LOL but you are not kleinserig or even not positive enough it was the nature of the emergency and I think it's awesome how you've moved on from it so quick!! a really brilliant example!!!

anyway just wanted to say that LOL re you breathing through spinal OMG I got through it but I so didn't breaththrough it I just about died!!! LIke i said to kimika IF i do vbac next time I'm going to have to be A HELLUVA lot more prepared and learn those skills cause now that I read and understand more about natural birth I can see that there is a whole process to it and you got to work at it and practice - I think!!

so nice of you to say i'm doing well - all i'm really doing is feeding him changing him and loving him and talking to him I guess the 'easier' parts but LOVING it. my mom says enjoy every second especially the long naps 3 or so hours at a time when I know he's full and happy! Long may it last!!!

William is making those little baby sounds it's just too cute!!

Karin pls remind me do you want the c section 9your baby is 4 kilos so is natural possible) or do you want a natural and c section is a backup plan? Your dh is so right re the cooking process william is still sooo little although not abnormally so LOL but he could've done with at least a week or 2 but we are where we are and I'm glad we got him out when we did.

Love
cathm
x

Joli - no...she isnt part of that group so I emailed her to see if I could visit her next week. I am so curious to know her story!!! I mean - SURELY the triplets must have been conceived naturally? No fertility specialist would do IVF for someone with a 6 week old baby?!
That pic of Callum is gorgeous!!! I am SO disappointed I didnt get a maternity and newborn session with you I was telling DH that I should have just done my maternity shoot with you before leaving SA.

Kimika - hehe about the shooting poo. I warned hubby of this - but I dont think he believes me!!! When you lift his legs to put the new nappy on - try not bend them up towards his tummy too much as the pressure can also be a cause of squirting poo!
And yes - marriage is about the bad times too. I actually felt like SUCH a bad wife last night as all I have done is complain complain complain and tell him what a bad husband he is, how he's going to miss out on everything for the baby cos he doesnt make time for us etc...meanwhile he has been feeling so low about it already. so ya...I really felt bad!

Cath - ah man it is just so beautiful how much you love William!!!! and of course we expect you to just talk about him all the time! I am one of those people who find newborns fascinating. I love the fact they do nothing. And I often (at the orphanage) would just put them on my lap and stare at them!!!!

Yip the broodiness - it's actually bad cos i SO badly wanted to hold one of the babies yesterday but I didnt want to ask. You know some people are funny about it and I didnt want them thinking "who is this crazy South African?" so I just sat there looking at them!!!! I wish I could come swoon over your little Reuben Kimika Honestly, looking after babies completes me - I just LOVE it. Even the night time feeds, taking them to the shops. I just love everything about it.

oh yes and Kimika - so glad his cord has falled off!!! hehe I know you were worried it would stay on for long like Pietertjie's!!!!

Cath You sound so happy... I can't help but grin from ear to ear while reading your posts and how you gushing about your little boy. It's truly beautiful! May it last for a very long time.

Okay, so just got back from the gynea. He's still happy, LOL, just as I thought he'd be. Not much concerned about my aches and pains, he says there could be a number of reasons for them at this stage of the pregnancy and yes, it could also mean my body is preparing for labour... but he is very relaxed about it and he says he actually hopes she comes on her own before the 7th - because then they will be 100% sure she is ready. Hehe, he is very old fashioned that way, such a sweetheart, wants to make sure she is cooked and ready. My urine test came back negative for infection by the way. Mmmm.
So, we'll wait and see what happens in the next 10 days.
My c-section is booked so long for 7 March @ 14h00 the afternoon. Have to be at the hospital at 12h00.
Would have liked an early morning c-section... but thinking about it now, this gives me the opportunity to go have a relaxed early breakfast with hubby maybe before 8h00, cause thats my cut off time, can't have anything to eat or drink after that.

Anyways, very tired now, really wish I could go sleep, but its flippen hot here and no chance that will happen. Will just relax a bit with a book before hubby gets home again.
You guys must have a wonderful weekend and take care of yourselves and little bambinos!

Jessica - Enjoy your last weekend with baby in your tummy! Thinking of you!
XXX

Kimika - a pic specially for you he he.

Karin - thx for the tip on the liners! Gonna try that. Kimika - I also had poo squirted all over me

Schatsie your tummy is lovely.

Meags - did you get to meet the mom with the 3 kids and triplets on top of that??

Cath - I'm glad you had such a good experience. The spinal itself wasn't sore me at all and I'm petrified of needles - I breath through all that - even when they started cutting and I could still feel wasn't too bad - only the pain afterwards. I'm still a bit sore so I don't know. Did your legs and your feet swell up? I couldn't wear shoes for nearly 2 weeks. And my tummy was very blue (bruised) after the c-section. I'm not sure if each doctor then has his own way of doing things or maybe prem babies require more stretching or something. Hubby says they had my tummy stretch open and the skin clamped on hook like things to keep it open. And I am a very positive person, but I don't think any positive thoughts was gonna rid me of the pain I went through or stopped the vomiting after the c-section or the headaches. I only stayed 2 nights after the c-section and when I came home also cooked and all that, even tho' I had pain. Did my 1st shoot when Callum was 3 weeks old, so he was home for 1 week. But lots of c-section moms have the same experience than you, it just wasn't meant to be for me. What did you have physio for? LOL maybe I'm just 'kleinserig' but then again I pushed Megan out, went home 7 hours later and had a whole house full of people I had to entertain and made coffee for etc. I really had a lot of pain after my c-section (even tho' it will be hard for you to believe that )

You sound like a wonderful first time mommy - enjoy! Can't wait to see more pics.

Kimika - let me know re the shoot. I'm fully booked for next week.

Meags it's so cute how broody you are and awesome that you met some people and have the opportunity to meet more! I am sure you will make lovely friends and it's awesome that you are putting yourself out there to meet people, etc.

Karin that's great advice re the liners I have had a few experiences where I'm all done with William and then he decides to make a big golden arc of a wee! Very helpful!

Faw sorry about the horrible experience at clinic, honestly! Thinking of you! Almost there!

Can totally relate to not being in love with being pregnant full time, i've found my 5 days of being a mom three of them at the hospital lol ten billion times more fun than the whole pregnancy put together! It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great and clearly I ended it very early so those last few weeks I am sure William would've benefitted but it all has worked out as it has meant to be! My mom says william is sooo good and soooo lovely! he was sooo good with his bath just held onto my bra straps LOL and looked at me with utter trust! Sorry I can't stop talking about him!

Lovely weather here today and it's been a gorgeous day.

Can't wait to hear all the other experiences!!! Esp Karin and Tazzy oh my word soon soon soon!!!

Cathm
x

Hello ladies,

William is sleeping so beautifully next to me here so I thought I’d do an update – especially for the first time mums! Joli and all the other experienced mums, thanks for all the tips!

Well it’s been….perfect!!! joli you are so right we are all soo different it’s amazing LOL but for me my hospital and c-section experience was really amazing. Yes the anaesthetic was a bit of a shock and the 20 mins WAS uncomfy but I think you can see from the pics that passed quickly and then we were 3!

I LOVED being in the hospital the 3 nights, one or 2 horrid nurses but they’re all trying their best. For me being taught everything from bathing to nappies, and having all the mainly lovely staff on hand to help with William, the fact that I had no pain really after 1st day (Tuesday I stood up for first time, op was 1.30pm on Monday, when I stood up on Tuesday the pain was excrutiating, the 2nd time I got up better the third time even better and by Wed I was walking upright, stopped all pain meds and that’s been my experience.

I must say I did have a very positive attitude – after the shock of the anaesthetic lol – and I spent a lot of the time on Monday night praying and saying affirmations and I believe that and God’s grace was the reason for my awesome recovery. My mom is here now and said she would not believe my recovery had she not seen it with her own eyes. She also thinks William is PERFECT which he is!!!

We came home yesterday and last night was our first night!!!  hectic but wonderful!! My mom arrived at about 7pm but slept through the night and left us to do what we had to do which was great!!! My dh did make one cmoment that was interesting at about 3h45 LOL and said “Imagine having a band aid baby” LOL!  It was stressful but love conquers all and we are trying to be considerate of one another as well as look after William!

So!! We got home from hospital stocked up on some essentials (I stayed with W in car and dh dashed into baby city) e.g. the sleep wedge which has been invaluable plus some Nan HP or BP or HA or whatever it’s called for emergencies and one other thing can’t think now – oh!! A sterilizer!!!! Didn’t think we needed one but were advised to get one – 4 mins in the microwave and everything is sterilized! But still co-ordinating all of this – the sterilizing, feeding, expressing (still my preference), nappy change, umbilical chord, changing etc is just pretty daunting. My dh went back to work at about 2pm and I was with my boy for the nex 3 or 4 hours it was lovely. I spent a lot of the time looking at him LOL!  and he slept on my chest and we just chilled together. Also was able to make supper, put on a wash really am fully functioning although I know it will be 6 weeks til ‘fully healed’ the stitches and staples came out at day 2 and 3 I think and now just have sutures. The cut is TINY about 5 cm I think?? I’ve lost 4 kilos BOO I thought I would’ve lost 10 ha ha and look overweight but not pregnant.

Got about 60 ml breast milk yest morning so he had a pure breastmilk feed, slept a few hours then had breast milk again. I think he woke up hungry up the first time at 11.30pm then at 3-ish then at 5-ish then slept til 09h30 so a good 4 hour stretch. Dh was WRECKED going to work but I slept about 3 hours solid – DIVINE!! And it was raining this morning and weather perfect!!!! So had a perfect sleep!

Also William had his birth cert done at hospital, his hearing, I did physio which helped, what else, tons of stuff, oh his immunization, saw the paed who was v happy with him by the time we lef t- the one who had been so WORRIED about his weight LOL!

I’m totally enchanted with our little boy. It has made me love my dh even MORE although he can be quite intense about germs etc and the slightest sound LOL!  He is perfectionist what can one expect! Wililam is such a beautiful considerate little boy hardly cries AT ALL sleeps for hours at a time and when he is awake looks around with the most wonderful look of wonder I could watch him for hours – for DAYS! How did I ever think new borns were boring??? They are magical!!!! W is so happy when with dh and particularly happy when with his momma! He loves the swaddling but likes one hand free!

Will post this now and do some personals so many new babies arriving!!! William still sleeping like a total angel!

Cathm
xxx