A Poll: What surprised you?

Nikki wrote:

Cheryl wrote:


It certainly seems to be more standard to cut than not cut if using
forceps or ventouse.


I wasn't aware that they could use forceps or ventouse without doing an
episiotomy first.


They *can* sometimes do it without an episiotomy, but
many routinely do an episiotomy for an instrumental delivery.
I get the impression it's a technique issue, and few know
how to do it without an episiotomy.

Best wishes,
Ericka

In article HbEib.753927$YN5.707132@sccrnsc01,
"Em" wrote:
So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

Baby hiccups.
Creepy feeling when I could see baby kicking from outside.

2. Labor/Birth

How late I was (2.5 weeks).
How even though I really trusted my body to do labor on its own, I
needed intervention towards the end (pitocin to finish dilating, after
water broke, 24 hours of labor, and contractions that just would not get
regular).
How fuzzy the details are afterwards. DH remembers a lot more than I do.

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

How long it takes to recover! Pooping was painful for weeks, and I was
sore down there for months, and didn't really feel back to normal until
at least 9 months pp.
That I was sure I had hemorrhoids - so I was surprised that I didn't/or
they went away so easily.
Post partum depression - I've always been such a happy person, what's
with the crying every day? Didn't get treatment for 6 months, since I
was sure it was "just" sleep deprivation.

4. New motherhood

The helpless feeling of worrying all the time about what I was
"supposed" to do. I found myself wishing that the "real mother" would
show up, I must be just a babysitter, since a real mother would know
what to do/what baby's cries meant, etc. Once I learned to trust my
instincts, and developed some experience, it got so much better.
How good my husband was at soothing a newborn.
How much I enjoyed nursing. And how great nursing is for instantly
quieting a crying baby.

- Lynn

Nikki ) wrote:

I wasn't aware that they could use forceps or ventouse without doing an
episiotomy first.

They do sometimes, especially with ventouse. In fact Dr. Danny Tucker, who used
to post here, said he used an episiotomy in about four out of five forceps
deliveries but only one out of fifteen to twenty ventouse deliveries (and he
said he used the ventouse about eight times as often).

I had a mid-forceps delivery without an episiotomy, but the specific technique
that was used is pretty rare from what I understand. The doctor brought the
baby down to the perineum and then took the forceps out, and the rest of the
delivery was spontaneous. This took a lot longer, though, and I suppose
wouldn't be used in cases where forceps were needed specifically to get the
baby delivered ASAP.

--Helen

wrote:

Learning to bf was much harder for me than unmedicated
childbirth. For one, childbirth doesn't happen every 2
hours around the clock for weeks on end.

Yeah, but during labor you can't hand the baby to someone else and say "I'm
going to take a nap for an hour," either ;-)

--Helen

"Tiina Kartovaara" wrote in message
Em wrote:
So....What surprised you about:

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

Again, how easy it was. I actually went out for a short walk with Joel
in the sling when he was 3 days old, started a bit longer walks after a
week and my usual 4-mile walks at 2 weeks. At 3 weeks, I was doing the
4-mile walk to town center almost daily, carrying Joel and pushing
Emilia in the stroller at least part of the way, sometimes also carrying
an umbrella and/or groceries. At 5 weeks, I jogged for 30 mins and it
felt *wonderful*!

Ack! I'm so jealous! I think it is great that you felt so peppy though! Lann
is 4 weeks old now and I am starting to get out and about a little bit
more--don't feel nearly so invalid and wounded. I still haven't been out for
a walk though. It is on my agenda though!

I adjusted well to the routines, the logistics of having two kids etc,
but started getting the familiar feelings of gloom, inertia, and strong
irritation around 2-3 weeks. I've been on Zoloft for 2,5 weeks now and
feel *so* much better. Wish I'd done that the first time..

I'm glad you paid such close attention to yourself and were able to take
such prompt action.

Oh, another physical surprise: like Em, I've regained my shape amazingly
quickly. Even though I'm in good shape, this is my second baby, and I
was expecting to be more stretched out. But no! I still have about 12 of
the 35 pounds I gained, but I'm back in 27-inch jeans and look
absolutely normal. Haven't done any crunches etc. either, just walking
and nursing. And no long sessions with a personal trainer - hear that,
Sarah Jessica Parker??? :-)

;-) I still feel very pleasantly surprised about this! I have five pounds
left and I think I will just hang on to them for a while, since I was quite
thin to begin with and it makes sense to have a little "cushion" with all
the nursing!

4. New motherhood

Also, Joel is a much mellower baby than Emilia ever was - we cosleep at
night, but you can actually put him down in a bassinet to take a nap!
Emilia would only sleep next to you or in a moving stroller or car. So
this was a very nice surprise..

Sounds like things are going great for you! Keep checking in! It feels weird
not to be comparing pregnancy "notes" with you any more.

--
Em
mama to Lann, 9/21/03

"Cathy Weeks" wrote in message
"Em" wrote in message
3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

How much my bottom hurt. No tears, but I was sitting on one butt cheek
or the other for a few days! I also felt, well, not like myself. I'm
not one of those lucky women who missed (or misses) being pregnant - I
was more than ready to have my body back (no heartburn, and being able
to hold my pee were such a relief!!) I also got my energy back
quickly. Mostly, I felt so wierd for a few days - like "this just
isn't me!!"

I keep feeling like, "where did my real life go?" The feeling was much
stronger in the first 2 weeks and now I am coming around to, "this *is* my
real life now!", but I still have moments of a sort of "what happened?" type
of feeling!

--
Em
mama to Lann, 9/21/03

"KD" wrote in message
With my first I was surprised to not have that burning when the baby
crowns that I'd heard so much about. With my second I was surprised
that the burning was so intense when the baby crowned.

In general, I was surprised that the two were so different.

Interesting! I know it isn't true, but it always seems logical that
pregnancies and deliveries would be similar in the same woman! the
burning sensation. I was surprised by how *long* it lasted. I knew all about
the "ring of fire" and all, but I guess I thought it lasted for like a
minute as the head began to crown. For me, it felt like it was lasting
forever!

--
Em
mama to Lann, 9/21/03

Em wrote:
"Tiina Kartovaara" wrote in message

Em wrote:

So....What surprised you about:


3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

Again, how easy it was. I actually went out for a short walk with Joel
in the sling when he was 3 days old, started a bit longer walks after a
week and my usual 4-mile walks at 2 weeks. At 3 weeks, I was doing the
4-mile walk to town center almost daily, carrying Joel and pushing
Emilia in the stroller at least part of the way, sometimes also carrying
an umbrella and/or groceries. At 5 weeks, I jogged for 30 mins and it
felt *wonderful*!


Ack! I'm so jealous! I think it is great that you felt so peppy though! Lann
is 4 weeks old now and I am starting to get out and about a little bit
more--don't feel nearly so invalid and wounded. I still haven't been out for
a walk though. It is on my agenda though!


Well, I don't drive, so I'd better feel peppy enough to walk, or I'm not
going anywhere! I should point out though that it's a 4-mile *round
trip* to town center, not 4 miles one way, in case I gave the wrong
impression. I hope you'll feel up to going for a stroll soon!

Yesterday I jogged for 50 minutes and it felt so good. I had to wear two
bras, a nursing one plus another one over my shirt like Gwen Stefani or
something. With way bigger boobs, of course.. ;-) And I wore a tracksuit
on top of all that, or even the moose would have died laughing! (I run
on this forest road.)



I adjusted well to the routines, the logistics of having two kids etc,
but started getting the familiar feelings of gloom, inertia, and strong
irritation around 2-3 weeks. I've been on Zoloft for 2,5 weeks now and
feel *so* much better. Wish I'd done that the first time..


I'm glad you paid such close attention to yourself and were able to take
such prompt action.

Yes, me too. I still notice my moods are fluctuating, though - today,
I've definitely felt quite testy for no reason. It's like I'm having
cycles with no ovulations or periods, just *moods*. But it could be so
much worse.



4. New motherhood


Also, Joel is a much mellower baby than Emilia ever was - we cosleep at
night, but you can actually put him down in a bassinet to take a nap!
Emilia would only sleep next to you or in a moving stroller or car. So
this was a very nice surprise..


Sounds like things are going great for you! Keep checking in! It feels weird
not to be comparing pregnancy "notes" with you any more.


I know! I'm kind of in a newsgroup limbo right now - can't really keep
up with mkp and don't actually post much, but can't bring myself to
abandon it either and move over to mkb. Wasn't it just the other day
that we were nervous about hearing the heartbeat at 11 weeks? :-)

Tiina
SAHM to Emilia,4
and Joel, b. 09/06/03