short version updates
So, the short version is that Albert Wright Patterson was born on Valentine’s Day at 3:24 p.m. My water had broken at 8 a.m. You would think that would mean I had a short easy labor, but there was a ridiculously long pushing phase, and then his shoulders were stuck, and had it not been for the fact that I was undrugged, mobile, and had a goddess midwife, I think things would have gotten ugly. And somehow, I got off with only some first degree tearing. God bless perineum massage and midwifery care.
So then, the boy was jaundiced. Like, pumpkin colored. We had tried sunlight and lots of nursing, but the boy was seriously yellow. He was really bruised at birth and so the midwife recommended vitamin K and so between the bruising and the shot, it’s no surprise. So we took him to the hospital on Sunday (four days post-birth). We took him to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and I was prepared for a nightmare scenario. I was pleasantly disappointed. My milk had come in on Saturday, and they were really supportive of breasfeeding. To the point of me getting room service food because I was a breastfeeding mom. I was encouraged to take him out of the lights and breastfeed as often as possible. I was blown away. I had chosen a family doc rather than pediatrician for the baby, and was ridiculously pleased with the practice as a whole. It’s the residency practice/program at Good Sam. Every doctor who checked in from that practice reiterated how important it was for me to breasfeed and avoid a bottle if possible (!!!). They discharged him after 12 hours because his levels were falling, and then we went to the office for a follow-up the next day. And everyone had been surprisingly gentle with him as well. At the follow-up, the doc was great, and was not alarmed at his weight loss (born at 8 pounds 14 ounces and was down to 8 pounds 3 ounces), so it seems that these docs are actually educated. Hallelujah.
So, we’ve just been chilling at home doing our thing. However, Albert and I now have colds…although it seems to have hit me much worse. No fever, just a sore throat and a really annoying dry cough. And I can’t get a straight answer from a pharmacist about what I can take for the cough while breastfeeding. The cough is keeping me from sleeping, so I hope it passes soon.
That’s the short version on the happenings. Working on the birth story and will post as soon as I can.
