Day 20...time to check up

Feb 8

Martyn had his three week post-pardum check up today and is doing great! He weighed 8lbs and 11oz, which my second midwife Dana said is perfect weight gain for him at this age. I'm doing great too. Feeling good, looking good....I had so been looking forward to this check up because for one thing, Dana hadn't met Martyn yet, and secondly, I knew there would be more visiting with her and Nicole, than concern about any problems with either him or me.

My midwives are so freaking cool!

Dana also mended Martyn's little knit sweater from Sandra, it had a little opening in the shoulder. She was looking at it and says to me, "I have a needle in the car, I could fix this for your right now..." I was like ok sure! How cool is that?

I also had a WIC breast feeding class after my check up and that was pretty cool too. There were a couple girls there, with little ones getting advice on breastfeeding...and support. One girl was pretty young, I'd say probably 19 or 20 and her little baby was the same age as Martyn (3 weeks). That little baby had been just having a heck of a time breast feeding and the mom was so frustrated and nearly ready to give up. It was good to be able to encourage her to keep at it and don't give up. She was able to pump at least so the baby was getting breast milk, but it's really best for both Mama and baby if baby can get it straight from the breast as much as possible.

The mom had been induced two weeks before her due date, and thankfully didn't have to have a c-section, but still I'm positive that is why the baby was having such a hard time...she wasn't ready to be born yet. The doctors induced her because she had been having blood pressure problems before hand....now that very well could be true, but I'm leery of the Doctor's decision to do that. I was frustrated by that story, but I kept my mouth shut, and continued to encourage her as much as I could.

It made me all the more thankful I did not have a hospital birth, and haven't had any problems with breast feeding. Now I know that for some women and babies, they have problems and I'm not knocking those women for having problems breast feeding. It can be really difficult sometimes. I've had it super easy compared to a lot of women, but I think a great deal of that comes simply from having a good attitude and being determined to make it work no matter what.

Okay. Time to get off my soap box...oh I'm sure I'll be back up there soon (this is a subject that I feel very passionately about.)