On the Mom Side of Life

Well, it's here.  Or I suppose I should now say that he is here, making it very official - I am now a mom.  It's weird how in a matter of minutes, between the baby being in you and then out of you, you go from being the person you've been all along - a friend, sister, wife, professional, to a whole new version of you.  Even though it comes at you for months, the moment it all changes seems to happen all of a sudden.

After a slow beginning to my labor induction - it took about 16 hours to go from 0 to 2cm - things went pretty quickly.  By late afternoon on delivery day I had made it to 4cm.  By early evening I was 5 and in active labor.  My doctor predicted that I would move along at about 1cm an hour, probably starting delivery at about 11pm.  Well, within an hour and a half I was 8cm.  Then, after two additional contractions I was 10cm and Elliot was ready to go.  My doctor had a patient all ready for her c-section but ended up delivering me first because my pushing went so well.  After just a few contractions worth of pushing for a total of about 30 minutes, Elliot just popped right out.  I guess my mom was right - I would be thankful for my "good birthing hips" one day.

Now we're home, and my hormones are going nuts and I feel like a crazy person at times.   I think we have now established breastfeeding, just tweaking certain things.  Although, that didn't happen without a lot of tears, conversations with lactation consultants, and some emergency pumping.  Man, I thought reading books and taking a class would prepare me for the challenge, but there were definitely unexpected hurdles. 

While my body and my mind return to normal we are just trying to figure out how to take care of this new little person.  Luckily, he seems to be a very peaceful and easily contented baby.  Hopefully this will last.  If you can see early signs of personality at this stage, I would have to guess that Elliot will take after Bobby in his laid back manner- thank goodness for us and for Elliot.  

I look forward to what is ahead - and I also look forward to my hormones returning to normal because I feel like a blubbering crazy person a good deal of the time.

Elliot looks forward to playing with all his new friends on the street like Levi, Tali, and baby Klein!!!