We’ve been asked about labour and the early weeks. Now that the early weeks are ending, here’s a little bit of enumerated and unvarnished history. The bad stuff first:
- We both had the worst colds ever the week she was born.
- We spent much of labour in a crappy triage room because they were busy when we arrived. By the time we got a room, Ayako was desperate for an epidural (which was provided very quickly and without complication, and Ayako slept through transition).
- Ayako had extensive 2nd degree tearing, a bunch of stitches, and then slow (but steady and uncomplicated) healing.
- Ayako had two catheters: one with the epidural and the second because of the swelling from the tears.
- The catheters caused a bladder infection.
- Antibiotics for the bladder infection caused a yeast infection in her breasts.
- An initial bad latch caused blisters and pain, as did the yeast infection. Nursing was painful for the first 5 weeks. Sawa lost a bit more weight at first than normal, but then took off like a bamboo shoot and is now a happy fatso. We learned that lactation consultants are far more interested in infant weight gain than in mothers’ pain.
- Ayako did well and was usually in good spirits, but was sore and exhausted much of the time. Early on she had weird dreams and a bit of sleep walking. She once thought the baby was vanishing into her dresser drawer like a Cheshire cat.
- Both of us had grumpy moments and failed to be sympathetic at times. But these were moments, not the norm.
- When I went back to work I camped in the living room in an attempt to get enough sleep to function. Sawa was sleeping with Ayako and I really wasn't needed during the night. But I became sore sleeping there, and felt a bit detached from Ayako and Sawa.
- Sawa is healthy and strong and pretty darned cute. She's growing like a weed and racing up the percentiles on growth charts.
- She seems unusually well-baked for a newborn. No jaundice, no crying, no spit-up, lots of quiet alertness, lots of social smiles, lots of strength and head control.
- To the extent that she has personality, she seems delightful. Through our biased eyes, she has a good sense of humour and play. She’s calm except when hungry, and when hungry is very determined. She’s been amazingly social during the past week.
- Ayako's mother came two weeks before Sawa was born, and cooked all meals, did all laundry and cleaning, and bought all groceries. She then flew to Japan with us, and the care continues. We’ve never eaten so well (except when we visit her in Japan, and I suppose Ayako grew up this way). Keiko is the best cook I have ever met. I tried so hard to help at first, but she's so much faster than me that things were always done before I'd get to them. It is far too easy to get used to this care!
- I took two weeks off, then worked for four, and am now in Japan for a month (radiation permitting). This will be my first Spring in Japan. We’ll all be here for cherry blossom season!
- We inherited a complete set of everything baby from friends with great taste. We've barely bought anything and have everything. It's an odd and slightly guilty feeling, but wonderful. We could not have afforded to be so well-equipped, and wouldn’t have known what to get.
The ugly:
Wow. This morning Sawa was in a carrier and had a quick series of large, explosive poos. She just went up a diaper size, so they’re slightly loose fitting. In the carrier there is pressure on the bottom and front, reducing the available storage volume. There was a little side leakage, but most of the explosion vented up the back. Way, way up the back. That was my first experience of Total Diaper Failure. I remain alive because she’s breastfed, and the ejected material was pretty friendly. Friendly enough for me to leave washing her outfit to Ayako when she woke from a nap. I don’t want her to feel left out of the parenting experience.
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