DD2 is here!

[Liziz]

I'm thrilled to say DD2 has arrived! Healthy and doing great. Labor went much more quickly -- 5.5 hours total. Contractions were clearly painful but very oddly timed....DH had to convince me to go to the hospital. I learned that 7am is NOT the time you want to walk into the hospital...everyone and their mother is either coming or going at that time! I had LOTS of attention as we made that slow walk inside! Everyone kept trying to get me a wheelchair, which I kept refusing (way easier to deal with contractions standing for me). Anyhow, got checked in and the nurse warned me it was shift change time so it would be awhile before I saw a doctor -- and that she was just going to do a baseline check. Well, baseline check was 9cm! That sent everyone into a flurry of activity and they got the doctors in there quickly! (I delivered in a teaching hospital so there were several). DD2 arrived less than 2 hours later (would have been a lot faster, but I had them hold off on breaking my water while they checked to see if my OB was available).

Just after DD2's birth didn't go as planned -- she arrived pretty blue and although she was crying, wouldn't "pink up". We started skin to skin, but they had to pull her off me pretty quickly to make sure she got enough oxygen. They gave her oxygen and she did fine, but she couldn't maintain without it the mask. After 30 minutes or so, they told us they needed to take her to the NICU since she still couldn't maintain her O2 levels without help. DH was able to go with her, but they wouldn't let me leave L&D right away. That was the LONGEST wait of my life...I just laid there and cried. They brought me down to the NICU as soon as I was cleared to leave L&D (an hour later or so). They wouldn't let me attempt breastfeeding b/c DD's breathing was too unstable, but we did get to do skin to skin. We got a couple scary potential reasons for DD's breathing challenges -- but thankfully in the end it turns out it was just a ton of amniotic fluid in her lungs. Her breathing (still with oxygen) settled down in a few hours, and we were able to try breastfeeding. She was a champ! Latched right away and nursed for 30 minutes. I was so relieved...I was very upset we didn't get do the "first feed within an hour" and in my hormonal state, quite panicked about what it would mean for our future success.

DD had to spend the first night in the NICU, but was able to be transferred to my room the next day (after she was able to come off the oxygen and was cleared for the couple scary potential scenarios). Since then things have been "normal" and wonderful! Big sister is elated and doing great with her. We're happily back and home and will start to settle in once the family gets out of our hair! (ILs have been wonderful and helpful...but I'm ready for my house back, lol!)

(As an aside -- for those of you who remember, I posted many months ago about trying to decide at which hospital I should deliver...the academic hospital where I delivered DD1, right at "new doctor" time, or the civilian hospital -- I ended up sticking with the academic hospital, and I'm happy with my choice. On the OB side, I did have the new doctors -- but I just asked for the staff physician, and no one questioned me or had any issues with that. I let the interns (newest) do any of the stuff you can't mess up (like check dilation, etc.), then declined to let them do stuff like my repair, etc. On the peds side, we only saw the staff physician. Everyone at the hospital I was at was incredibly well versed and supportive of my desire to exclusively breastfeed and I had no issues and lots of support with it (no artificial nipples/paci; a very well-trained nurse to help me express colustrum ASAP after they took her from me b/c we didn't know what would happen next; NICU staff really supportive to making sure I could breastfeed while she was there, etc.) I recently talked to some people at the civilian hospital that was my other choice, and learned that they've had major (still unresolved) issues lately with the NICU staff NOT being supportive of breastfeeding. I would never have imagined that would matter to me as it wasn't even on my radar that my baby might need to go to the NICU, but now that it did happen, I'm SO glad I was where I was!)

[georgiegirl]

Congrats! What a scary start to life. Glad it's all resolved and breastfeeding is going well. I didn't nurse my DD until she was 6 hours old, and we had a wonderful and long breastfeeding relationship. So glad you ended up with the hospital you did!

[kep]

That's so exciting! I'm so happy for you. I don't think there's much worse than not being able to be with your new baby right away. There's just something very unsettling about coming back to your hospital room alone, and leaving your baby in the NICU. So glad to hear everything is OK now!

[KrisM]

Congratulations. I'm glad you are home. Scary start to life for her, but hopefully it's settled down now.

[AnnieW625]

Congratulations! Now go get some rest

[citymama]

Congratulations! 5 hours is amazing. I'm sorry about her breathing challenges at birth but so glad you were at a good hospital that could deal with it! I chose academic hospitals with both babies and was pleased with that decision. Hope all goes well with nursing, baby's health and your recovery.

[essnce629]

Congrats! So glad things stablized rather quickly and hope you are all settling in now!

[trcy]

What a scary start, but thrilled to hear it all turned out ok. Congrats!

[kdeunc]

Congratulations! Glad all seems to be going well after a scary start!

[baymom]

Congratulations!! What a scary start, but glad things seem to be going great, now!