Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Warning:

TMI: Expired.

15 comments:

Anne Haines said...

"Terrified" sounds like a pretty normal response to me! But I'm sure everything will go super smoothly and you'll have a healthy, happy baby. And 15 years from now when said baby is driving you crazy with teenage mayhem you can say "look what I went through to bring you into this world! the least you can do is behave for five minutes!" *grin*

marybid said...

Hang in there, Suzanne! Gabi's birth sounds much like J's, and from what I've heard the scheduled c/s is a whole lot easier to handle than all that uncertainty and stress. I know what you mean about all the medical bells and whistles, though. *sigh*

Pamela Johnson Parker said...

I'm with Jenn on this one. My first child was an unexpected C-section after 23 hours of labor. It was fine--I was able to hold my baby on the OR table, too. I had no trouble afterward, either. I was scheduled for a repeat c-section, but my daughter decided to be born 3-1/2 weeks early, only a couple of hours after labor started. She came faster than the OR team could get to the delivery floor and almost faster than I could get to the hospital.

A healthy mom and a healthy baby are always success stories, no matter what route the birthing takes.

Alison Pelegrin said...

Suzanne--

I've had two c-sections--one emergency after (like others here) 23 hours of labor. The other was scheduled, and it went really well.

You are not a failure. Anyone who even hints that you are, esp. a woman, should be told to f-off.

I can tell you everything about my scheduled section, what to expect, how long, etc. if you want.

Take care of yourself!

gina said...

God yes it's terrifying. You're so brave and wonderful. Nothing failed about you. I'm thinking that diabetic diet must feel like a real damper on the party, but don't let it feel ominous. The c-section will go quickly and well, and I'll be here on the sidelines shouting "you are a mother hero!" when it happens. You are!

xoxo,

Gina

Radish King said...

After I had my son, I decided to get cats instead.

Jeannine said...

My good thoughts and prayers are with you, and you're not a failure - until I was a teenager, I thought every baby was a C-section, I believe because every baby born on TV/soap operas was a C-section. When I found out about the "other" way women had kids, I was like, wow, the C-section seems a lot easier and more glamorous...Anyway, many hugs...

Suzanne said...

Thanks for the much needed empathy ladies. I feel like such a chicken.

It's not the c-section that makes me feel like a failure--it's my body with its pelvis that apparently isn't the same as those women whose babies fall out. I think it may also be all the natural childbirth propaganda. The reality is that childbirth is pretty damn dangerous and y'all reminded me that I've been very lucky to come out of the experience O.K. and with healthy babies.

Alison,
I will definitely tell my [censored] to f-off the next time she tells me,"But, they have to cut through so many layers of skin for that!" So far all I've been able to say is, "Yeah. They cut through all them." In fact I may not speak to my [censored] at all since she keeps making me feel like I have a freakin' choice in the matter.

And absolutely I would love to hear about your experience with the scheduled c-section. I think I'm most worried about taking care of Jack during recovery.

Gina,
You're the best! Loveyougirl. xoxox

Rebecca,
We can't have cats. The man is allergic. :-(

Suzanne said...

Almost missed you J. When I was little I thought all babies were born wearing Pampers. (The only babies I had seen were on T.V.) I was pretty damned shocked when I found that they were born naked. Thanks, sweetpea.

Suzanne said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Suzanne said...

Cynthia,
Those classes are horrifying! I went to one on breastfeeding and the film freaked me out so much, I almost didn't nurse.

Wouldn't it be great if you could take her out! [gleeful giggle] Unfortunately, she's my cross to bear--I must have done something terrible in a past life--and I'm hoping that I'll get rid of her after this life. ;-) She's definitely banned, though.

You're absolutely right:
'This ain't no party, this ain't no disco
this ain't no fooling around'

I agree with you about the primal fear kicking in--and there is a point when you realize that the baby actually has to come out...that you can't chicken out of going through...it's entirely sobering.

Alison was kind enough to give me a very detailed blow by blow on what to expect and put my vivid imagination to rest.

I'm resolute. I am not going to worry about it anymore. This is the last time I'll be expecting and I'm going to enjoy it and not let anyone or any procedure ruin the experience. Damn it I am the Queen Bee!

Thanks, C. I wish you were here. I love your fierceness and your softness. xoxox
__________


I almost deleted this post and I'm so glad I didn't. Ladies, you R O C K!

Peter said...

Best wishes Suzanne. One of my sisters is looking at a schedule C/S soon too . . . I suggested she think of it like a scheduled airline flight, first class, where she'll land on the other side with a beautiful baby!

Suzanne said...

C, the energy was almost tangible--I can only imagine what it would have been like to have had you all in my living room.

And what do we have here? A wizard!
Thank you, Peter, that's a great way to look at it. :-)

Kay Day said...

Suzanne, the scheduled c/s will be safer for the baby too--look at it like that. Peter's take is one I really like--there've been so many advances in technique in the last few years, I'm betting you'll bounce back. I'm beyond the baby years, but your post brought back many memories for me. I worried about everything, but it all worked out fine. And look at all of us who care enough about you to talk about having babies in public!

Best wishes to you and the wee one,
Kay

Suzanne said...

Thanks so much, Kay! :-)