Heh. JZ and I were talking about birthing plans and her notions about giving birth on the way home. Of course, we'd just been to see her friend and new baby.

I know somebody who, like Cindy's friend, tore upward so, I would never say No Episiotemies. I would definitely recommend talking about it with the OB, finding out their philosophy, emphasizing (as AmyLiz did) the perineum massage with oils or lubricant. Then saying, We'd Much Rather Not Have An Episiotemy Unless Your Professional Judgement Determines Otherwise. EM had a nurse who did a lot of perineum massage until it was thin, supple and slippery. EM had only minor tearing that took about two stiches. She didn't notice.

I think Emmett's birth was a classic HMO birth, with all the pluses and downsides. But mostly pluses. I don't know if we had a written birth plan (maybe a checklist?), but California Pacific Medical Center (aka, Children's Hospital) is very progressive. They had La Leche League in-house, and a nurse made an at-home visit within the first two days.

EM's labor went like this: water broke at 7am. No contractions started. We went into the hospital and saw the on-call doctor. Doctor wanted us to check in. We were very resistant to coming in at that point before the contrations had started. She was just being extra-careful, but I still remember the nurse standing behind the doctor, shaking her head "No!" backing our decision. We went home and walked and drank liquids and watched TV. Labor didn't start until 12 hours later at 7:30pm. It was widely spaced until about 10pm. Then the contractions started coming very hard. EM remembers this as being the most difficult part. Our doula came and drove us to the hospital. Contractions were 2 mins apart. We arrived, EM got put into a wheelchair and the orderly ran down the hall while she was yelling at the top of her lungs. We thought birth was imminent. Nope. She was only dilated 2cm. Hard labor for two more hours and she's exhausted and she's only dilated 3cm. We wanted to avoid an epidural, but now she wants one. We're flexible. She had to have a morphine shot to calm her enough to get the epidural. (EM, incidentally, is very needle phobic. That wasn't a factor. Labor was harder than needles, and the needles brought relief.) She had been pretty feral for three hours, no words spoken but groaning and hard breathing. She got the morphine shot and she started to talk a little. She got the epidural and got normal and chatty again.

But the epidural stopped the labor cold. They put her on a pitocin drip. Very slight at first.2 With the morphine shot (and exhaustion) she went to sleep. She woke up at 10am dilated to 8cm.

She began pushing at 11:30 (well rested) and Emmett was out at 1pm. Cord was around his neck, so he was purple when he arrived. First Apgar score was 3. Second Apgar (1 minute later, after a room full of nurses descended on him) was 8.

We got one night in the hospital. In the morning our Pediatrician came over and met us and Emmett. At about 10:30 I went in with Emmett as he was circumcized by EM's OB. We were released by 2pm that afternoon.

Really really would have benefitted from another day at the hospital, as we had to come back to check the next day for jaundice (which is very common).

And, Pleiades, if I don't get to talk to you before Tuesday, I love you very much and will be thinking about you on that day. JZ's been lighting candles for you every week for months now. Blessings on you. Easy birth and a healthy baby.

That cake looks great, Cashmere.

Annabel has her official 1-year checkup on Thursday. I'm tracking what she eats Mon.-Wed. just to make sure I've got the hang of this whole transition to eating like a toddler. She's the picture of health, but I'm a little concerned that I've been overcautious on introducing new foods, clueless newbie parent that I am.

That's an adorable cake, Cashmere.

Yargh! Have to find a baby doctor!

t face palms

Must remember to ask OB what to do about that. Haven't had time to, really. Should make P. do it.

Just popping in to say hey, and how is everyone? No Plei baby? I'll have my kids pray for her Monday and Tuesday. I may not be Catholic, but I'll put all those juicy adolescent Papist vibes to work!

I had a lovely, relaxing and working weekend at my folks this weekend. I worked out in my parents yard, trying to get a little sun, a little exercise and help my dad out. I raked until I got a blister, then helped my dad chainsaw a big ol' woodpile of trees and brush down to burning size.

(Yes, Queen Cleavage knows how to operate a chainsaw. I can also worm a horse and kill a chicken. A girl should be well-rounded, as well as WELL-ROUNDED.)

Sorted through a bunch of stuff for my portfolio -- KristinT, I'll prolly be emailing you the addy for my portfolio in a week or so, just to see if you have any great tips, if that's okeydoke with you.

My mom took me to Aldi's and bought me a bunch of sorely needed groceries for me and kitty.

Now I'm home, and all ready for my LAST WEEK OF STUDENT TEACHING.

I'm going to bed now, but thanks to Hec and everyone else for sharing all their stories. I always take away two things - lots of different stuff can happen (and I like hearing about it; I always feel better when I've thought about stuff in advance) and when it's all over, you have a healthy baby and (mostly) healthy mom.

Also, I think Owen's cake is really cool looking.

Hec, that's so cool that you remember all that. I think Christopher's memories of our experience may go something like this: Contractions, hospital, walking, home, sleep, hospital, freaky-ass wife, epidural, pushing, BLOOOOOOOD, BABEEEEEEEEEE, no sleep.

Susan, if there is a history of allergies in your family, cautious is good. I'm usually freaked out because I can never tell exactly how much the baby is getting inside him and how much he's tossing to the dogs and the cat. Just when I get interested in my own meal I usually notice giggling, then it's mostly going to the dogs. Meal time in our house has a rapt audience sitting in a half circle around the high chair.

The best part of the new foods is when I think he's going to eat it--he puts it in his mouth and chews it up and smiles. But the smile is just a cover for him to spit out the half-chewed bits onto his bib.

I'm going to find the neighbor who's dog is barking right now and beat them senseless. Warm weather=open windows. Sleeping baby doesn't like barking dogs.

then helped my dad chainsaw a big ol' woodpile of trees and brush down to burning size

I better not tell DH. He'd leave me for a woman who can run a chainsaw.

Must remember to ask OB what to do about that. Haven't had time to, really. Should make P. do it.

Your OB will have a list.

The boy better like chocolate or I'm going to have to eat this cake by myse...oh, like that would be a problem.

Yargh! Have to find a baby doctor!

You can tell I'm childless, b/c the fact that a woman who's due in *two days* just said this made me snicker madly.

Hec, that's so cool that you remember all that.

That was the short version. I could easily break it down into detailed half hour increments. I remember way more about it than EM does.

Stephanie, I'm glad to share the details. I really think we got very nearly the ultimate in generic HMO type births. Except for Emmett having the cord around his neck and coming out purple. But otherwise it was totally dictated by HMO type procedures. We had great nurses. Loved our nurses.

Ple, don't worry about the Pediatrician. We just took the one our OB recommended and he's been great. He came over the day after the birth and we met him for the first time and he met Emmett at one day old.