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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 26 2006, 9:21 PM EDT (current) | Patty | 25 words added, 25 words deleted |
| Sep 18 2006, 1:22 PM EDT | Patty | 162 words added, 90 words deleted |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
About me and my partner: My partner and I weren't planning on having baby number one or two, but they have been the happiest of accidents! We're not married, but have been together for a dog's age -- not the most approved life plan according to his ultra-Catholic family (including an older sister who is a nun!), but it works for us. We have two gorgeous tots, a daughter and a son, with birthdays falling four years and one day apart. I think we're both very good parents, both "born to be" parents, and we're making a loving life and home for our two cuties.
Most unusual cravings: There's nothing unusual about cravings, unless you suddenly become a geophage, or something! :)
Pregnancy #1: spaghetti and meatballs; daily pint of Ben & Jerry's (yes, you read correctly: DAILY pint, eaten in one sitting); strawberries; Thai food (heartburn, be damned!).
Pregnancy #2: cheeseburgers and fries. I'm not proud of it, but there it is. Is it any wonder my son was 11 pounds at birth!?!?! Think of the growth hormones you ingest eating a daily burger!
Morning sickness -- when it started, how I tried to cure it:
Pregnancy #1: didn't have ANY morning sickness. Bless that sweet baby girl.
Pregnancy #2: UGH. Plaguing, neverending queasiness (but no attendant vomiting, thanks for small miracles) that only fully subsided at about week 18. I just tried to keep my mind occupied, nibbled at crackers all day, and occasionally tried homeopathic pills I bought at the local PCC. They helped buy short periods of respite from that awful yutzy feeling.
The baby's sex -- to know or not to know?
We both wanted to know, which, I can tell you, was terribly convenient (we have friends who have disagreed, and it's been problematic).
This always strikes me as a very strongly binary parental opinion: people either have to know or absolutely contort themselves not to find out in advance, because they want it to be a surprise. Well, I'll tell you, no matter how you slice it or how many times you go through it, the act of delivering a baby is plenty surprising enough, without that added gender discovery thing!
With my daughter, I just knew she was a girl, but we decided we'd better confirm the strong suspicion. I'm not a practical person, but I can also argue the benefits knowing lends to preparing for baby: we picked out a name we adored immediately and outfitted her room and wardrobe. I may be a freak, but I felt a stronger psychic connection was formed and nurtured with her during the pregnancy because I knew. Another benefit knowing confers, in the case of a second (third, fourth...) pregnancy, is helping prepare an older sibling for the arrival. Once we'd confirmed we were having a boy, it did seem easier for Matilda to adjust and attach to the notion of having a brother. It's like the baby-to-be seemed more "real" to her, not just some abstraction.
Best piece of advice someone gave me about giving birth:
Epidural! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 -- get one!!!
Worst piece of advice someone gave me about giving birth:
During the peak of contractions, one "helpful" nurse suggested I take a "relaxing" shower. How uncomfortable, awkward, and physically ridiculous I felt standing in a weak-spray hospital shower with my ambulatory IV. I can't imagine what could be less relaxing, with the possible exception of hopping naked on a stationary bicycle!!! Ugh, and then I had to dry my whalelike body off, drape on the hospital gown, and lumber back to bed -- still in incredible pain, only then with the added discomfort and annoyance of my long hair dripping water all over.
Best piece of advice I can give about giving birth:
I don't know that it's the best piece of advice I can give, but one thing that made my hospital stays more comfortable was investing in a lovely new pair of non-pregnancy pajamas. I found that having a button-front pajama top and roomy bottoms made all the time sitting in bed and nursing so much more comfortable -- and I looked infinitely more presentable for all the visitors! Don't look like an unmade bed, with your gown and robe riding up all around you! Make your return to non-pregnancy clothing immediately -- get pretty new pajamas for yourself! Or, better, mention the idea to your partner or family/friends as a good gift idea for you.
Favorite maternity clothes/shoes:
Thankfully my job (as a web writer/editor) didn't demand much in the way of work dress codes, so this part was easy! I bought Gap overalls in graduating sizes and lived in Danskos, which served me well up to the bitter end, even when my feet would swell up like little piggies fatted for the kill.
Of the nicer clothes I purchased, the items that looked and wore the best were Japanese Weekend brand. I also bought a pregnancy evening gown for a company Christmas party that was actually quite pretty. Can't recall the brand, but picked it up at Pea in the Pod.
Funny stories about my husband/partner during pregnancy:
He was incredibly sweet and excited all the way through -- I can't think of anything particularly humorous (at his expense) that happened. He had really strong ideas about the baby's layette, which kind of surprised me.
Hospital or home birth?
Birthing center at a hospital.
Breastfeeding or bottle feeding?
Breastfeeding. Neither one of my kids took a bottle. Straight from breast to cups! I don't say this with any particular "lactivist" pride -- that's just the way it was. The ultimate convenience of it! Just worked for me and my kids -- almost too well.
So, on this subject, here's a cautionary: be wary of "nursing down" your children once they have teeth. My darling little girl had to have extensive dental work (crowns/filling) done when she turned three because of falling asleep with milk in her mouth. It is the chief sadness of my career as a parent so far! There is such a strong push to breastfeed, for all the great reasons, that I almost think there is a conspiracy of silence against saying anything potentially negative about it.
When I went into labor, I was...
Pregnancy #1: I had a scheduled induction, so I was comfortably ensconsed in the hospital with a frontrow seat to the fireworks show. I never really even had a naturally occurring contraction outside the hospital.
Pregnancy #2: I had a scheduled c-section, because it was established by ultrasound that my son was so large.
My labor:
Pregnancy #1: Gels were administered on a Thursday evening at about 7:00; petocin kicked off the real fireworks at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Miss Matilda arrived at 6:37 Saturday evening.
Pregnancy #2: Never had any labor. Tommy was delivered by c-section in about 30 minutes.
About baby:
Matilda is a breathtaking blonde, blue-eyed, eccentric darling; she was 8 lbs. 8 oz. and ~21 inches in length at birth. Alert and wide-eyed from minute one.
Tommy is a gorgeous and uncannily charming blue-eyed blonde; he was exactly 11 lbs. and 23.5 inches in length at birth. Equally excited to be on the outside as his big sister.
Looking back on my pregnancy, these moments were the:
Most unusual cravings: There's nothing unusual about cravings, unless you suddenly become a geophage, or something! :)
Pregnancy #1: spaghetti and meatballs; daily pint of Ben & Jerry's (yes, you read correctly: DAILY pint, eaten in one sitting); strawberries; Thai food (heartburn, be damned!).
Pregnancy #2: cheeseburgers and fries. I'm not proud of it, but there it is. Is it any wonder my son was 11 pounds at birth!?!?! Think of the growth hormones you ingest eating a daily burger!
Morning sickness -- when it started, how I tried to cure it:
Pregnancy #1: didn't have ANY morning sickness. Bless that sweet baby girl.
Pregnancy #2: UGH. Plaguing, neverending queasiness (but no attendant vomiting, thanks for small miracles) that only fully subsided at about week 18. I just tried to keep my mind occupied, nibbled at crackers all day, and occasionally tried homeopathic pills I bought at the local PCC. They helped buy short periods of respite from that awful yutzy feeling.
The baby's sex -- to know or not to know?
We both wanted to know, which, I can tell you, was terribly convenient (we have friends who have disagreed, and it's been problematic).
This always strikes me as a very strongly binary parental opinion: people either have to know or absolutely contort themselves not to find out in advance, because they want it to be a surprise. Well, I'll tell you, no matter how you slice it or how many times you go through it, the act of delivering a baby is plenty surprising enough, without that added gender discovery thing!
With my daughter, I just knew she was a girl, but we decided we'd better confirm the strong suspicion. I'm not a practical person, but I can also argue the benefits knowing lends to preparing for baby: we picked out a name we adored immediately and outfitted her room and wardrobe. I may be a freak, but I felt a stronger psychic connection was formed and nurtured with her during the pregnancy because I knew. Another benefit knowing confers, in the case of a second (third, fourth...) pregnancy, is helping prepare an older sibling for the arrival. Once we'd confirmed we were having a boy, it did seem easier for Matilda to adjust and attach to the notion of having a brother. It's like the baby-to-be seemed more "real" to her, not just some abstraction.
Best piece of advice someone gave me about giving birth:
Epidural! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 -- get one!!!
Worst piece of advice someone gave me about giving birth:
During the peak of contractions, one "helpful" nurse suggested I take a "relaxing" shower. How uncomfortable, awkward, and physically ridiculous I felt standing in a weak-spray hospital shower with my ambulatory IV. I can't imagine what could be less relaxing, with the possible exception of hopping naked on a stationary bicycle!!! Ugh, and then I had to dry my whalelike body off, drape on the hospital gown, and lumber back to bed -- still in incredible pain, only then with the added discomfort and annoyance of my long hair dripping water all over.
Best piece of advice I can give about giving birth:
I don't know that it's the best piece of advice I can give, but one thing that made my hospital stays more comfortable was investing in a lovely new pair of non-pregnancy pajamas. I found that having a button-front pajama top and roomy bottoms made all the time sitting in bed and nursing so much more comfortable -- and I looked infinitely more presentable for all the visitors! Don't look like an unmade bed, with your gown and robe riding up all around you! Make your return to non-pregnancy clothing immediately -- get pretty new pajamas for yourself! Or, better, mention the idea to your partner or family/friends as a good gift idea for you.
Favorite maternity clothes/shoes:
Thankfully my job (as a web writer/editor) didn't demand much in the way of work dress codes, so this part was easy! I bought Gap overalls in graduating sizes and lived in Danskos, which served me well up to the bitter end, even when my feet would swell up like little piggies fatted for the kill.
Of the nicer clothes I purchased, the items that looked and wore the best were Japanese Weekend brand. I also bought a pregnancy evening gown for a company Christmas party that was actually quite pretty. Can't recall the brand, but picked it up at Pea in the Pod.
Funny stories about my husband/partner during pregnancy:
He was incredibly sweet and excited all the way through -- I can't think of anything particularly humorous (at his expense) that happened. He had really strong ideas about the baby's layette, which kind of surprised me.
Hospital or home birth?
Birthing center at a hospital.
Breastfeeding or bottle feeding?
Breastfeeding. Neither one of my kids took a bottle. Straight from breast to cups! I don't say this with any particular "lactivist" pride -- that's just the way it was. The ultimate convenience of it! Just worked for me and my kids -- almost too well.
So, on this subject, here's a cautionary: be wary of "nursing down" your children once they have teeth. My darling little girl had to have extensive dental work (crowns/filling) done when she turned three because of falling asleep with milk in her mouth. It is the chief sadness of my career as a parent so far! There is such a strong push to breastfeed, for all the great reasons, that I almost think there is a conspiracy of silence against saying anything potentially negative about it.
When I went into labor, I was...
Pregnancy #1: I had a scheduled induction, so I was comfortably ensconsed in the hospital with a frontrow seat to the fireworks show. I never really even had a naturally occurring contraction outside the hospital.
Pregnancy #2: I had a scheduled c-section, because it was established by ultrasound that my son was so large.
My labor:
Pregnancy #1: Gels were administered on a Thursday evening at about 7:00; petocin kicked off the real fireworks at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Miss Matilda arrived at 6:37 Saturday evening.
Pregnancy #2: Never had any labor. Tommy was delivered by c-section in about 30 minutes.
About baby:
Matilda is a breathtaking blonde, blue-eyed, eccentric darling; she was 8 lbs. 8 oz. and ~21 inches in length at birth. Alert and wide-eyed from minute one.
Tommy is a gorgeous and uncannily charming blue-eyed blonde; he was exactly 11 lbs. and 23.5 inches in length at birth. Equally excited to be on the outside as his big sister.
Looking back on my pregnancy, these moments were the:
Funniest: In a tragi-comic way, that ill-advised shower was the funniest.
Happiest: You can't pick just one. There is something almost surreal and ever-so-euphoric about seeseeing for the first time in person that little personcreature you've carried in your body for so long in the flesh for the first time.long.
Saddest: With both kids, I was so sad that my father wasn't alive to knowmeet histhem and grandchildren.know them. This was very poignant with Matilda, because she was my first; and painful in a different, achingdifferent way with Tommy, because I named him after my father. Crying this minute about it!
Most unforgettable: The startling delivery room revelation that my son, the whopper, weighed 11 pounds -- you should have seen the OB and nurses' reactions.reactions!! Totally comical, the shared look of amazement when they pulled himthat little prize-winning pumpkin out. It's funny how much I reflect on other people's immediate reactions to the birth moments -- in a sense, I guess that's because you're largely incapacitated to react (one totally allowable downside of having an epidural/block, perhaps)in my opinion) or really see what's happening "down there." When I think about Matilda's arrival, I always remember the look of utter surprise and awe on Matt's face as she emerged. He's pretty unflappable by nature, but there's no one who can't be struck into amazement by awitnessing livea birth!
