Yup, Aimee, that's about where I was at, too. Heck, I didn't even get to push. I went in at 2 cm and after 13 hours induced labor was still at 2 cm. The body, she did not want to accomodate at all. Not the baby's fault. Just mine being stubborn.

Now, I have no desire to have a VBAC. Scheduled C-Sections from here on out. Appeals to my anal retentive side.

I am decidedly unnatural. NO maternal leanings.

Did it once, wasn't supposed to be able to do it at all, was sick and in physical pain (traction every morning for the back issue) the entire pregnancy, hated the delivery. Hated the entire process. The kid was cool, but nothing would have induced me to do it twice.

Had I ever had the faintest inclination toward doing it again, I would have been on the phone with the various adoption experts so fast, a superhero on crystal meth wouldn't have been able to catch up.

Both Ben and Sara were VBACs after Jake, and it was kind of neat to do it naturally after a C-section. Kind of neat in a really painful way, of course. I liked being pregnant, too, even with the diabetes. Yet while I always envisioned myself as a total earth mother, nursing did not work out at all, to the point that I didn't even bother trying with Sara.

Nursing didn't work for me with my first one. I'm not sure how much the c-section may have interfered, what with the anesthetic and all. Plus, (cover your eyes, Kalshane) I'm one of those women with really small, flat nipples. The kid just couldn't latch. We tried putting a baby bottle nipple over mine, tried pumping. Could barely get a drop out in 15 minutes. It was a relief to turn to bottles.

I had all good intentions of breastfeeding for a year, but it ended up not working, and the attempt was an ordeal. I'm not sure what I'll do if we have another kid. I know it's best...and yet Annabel is a fine specimen of a child, and I don't feel like enduring another ordeal if I can help it.

Nursing was the one thing that I did right away and well. Em latched on like a little monkey and suckled away to her heart's delight. I quit when she (watch those eyes Kalshane) stretched my nipple out 6 feet with her gums.

cover your eyes, Kalshane

This makes me laugh. I realized I've been told that (or "cover your ears" for face-space) numerous times in the last year.

Where are all the other menfolk around here, anyway?

Oh, they pop in and out occasionally. D. Gris was around for a while, but haven't seen him here lately.

The babies have invaded here, too! Babies everywhere!

Sorry, but there's been a cranky baby here at work and people just giving it "Oh, look, a baby, how adorable!" looks. I'm working here, people! The day care is the building next door!

You'd think these people had never seen a baby before. My county has a birth rate comparable to Bangladesh, for god's sake! Really, it does.