Happy 2009!

In the mist of my going-ons as of late, I didn't think about much of anything else except my going-ons. And you know what has been going on? The arrival of my second!

I've been super busy with stuff like prepping for him, taking my teacher certification online course (which I'm not even sure when I'm gonna teach because I'm so comfortable with my current job - I hate how I'm so fickle!), taking care of the older baby, and spending time w/ my fam as much as I could since B left two weeks prior to my due date (and came back three days before). I also took maternity leave a week earlier than my due date so as not to wear myself out and have that possibility of early labor without B around.

With my first pregnancy, I worked up to a couple days before I gave birth - even past my due date! He just wanted to incubate and incubate until I finally was scheduled to be induced, 8 days after my due date. I ended up getting a C-section because I stopped dilating.

C-sections for reasons such as mine have been controversy amongst pregnant women and doctors alike. Would waiting until I could have possibly dilated more really lead to a natural birth? I'll never know. It also depends on your doctor. Some docs completely believe in natural birth, but I've heard horror stories of infections in baby and/or mother from waiting it out too long to deliver the baby naturally.

Statistics have shown that C-section has increased success rates of healthy births about 50%. That's pretty impressive in my book, so I'm not against C-section. I'm simply tired of hearing people telling me that I should deliver naturally if I'm this young and intend on having more. I do realize the side effects, especially that of adhesion, which is typically unavoidable in any sort of abdominal surgeries. Adhesion can range from unnoticeable to internally severe enough for additional surgery to remove it. I'm risking myself for convenience if you must say. If I did have a natural birth this time (called a V-BAC, vaginal birth after cesarean), I wouldn't be induced due to higher risk of uterine rupture (very rare), so I would have to wait until I go into labor. If I waited, I might have had to schedule a C-section anyway due to going too far past the due date.

Bottomline, there is no right or wrong way to have delivery. Whatever you feel is best for you and baby and what you feel most comfortable with is the way to go! I reiterate this to myself constantly, because it's simply not an option I want to consider when my baby is in danger, which is up to the professional to decide, the doctor, who people just have to trust in this situation.

I ended up having a scheduled C-section again. The doc didn't want to risk my pregnancy going too long if I waited for natural labor/birth since I can't be induced. It went really well. Went into the hospital at 10am, had the epidural at noon, had the C-section at 1pm. And bam! There he was..in this world..it was too surreal! He was just in my belly one second, and then on my chest looking at me through his slitted, swollen eyes. Believe me when I say this moment is not something you want to take for granted or ever will. 8 lbs 13 oz baby! A big boy none the less. That took me aback. I thought I heard 7 lb 13, because P was 7 lb 15 oz, so I was like oh ok. Then B said no EIGHT lb 13. I actually lifted my head from the surgical table in shock, which caused the nurse anesthetist to tell me to relax and lay down while they stitched me up. I didn't cry or get overly excited or anything. I was the same way with my first, too. The thoughts going through my head were more like "Thank God it's over..now can I just sleep?" The first moment of bonding and nursing and all that aren't big in my book, even the first time around. I knew I can get plenty of that later.

And so all was well in the hospital. I went home on day 4. And here I am, eight weeks into maternity leave and four weeks left.

Big brother started school/daycare for toddlers a few weeks ago. Fortunately, he took to it a lot faster than I thought! He's all smiles when I drop him off and doesn't want to leave when I pick him up. His separation anxiety definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And he's only gotten sick once, so I kept him home for a few days, brought him back right after, and he was fine again.

It's true that with the second baby, you don't get all excited and antsy about milestones and what not. I feel bad for the guy. But of course, I love him nonetheless. It's just tough noticing every detail with a toddler to run after.

Anyway, there was my loongg update. I'll jump on the bandwagon more often hopefully. I really do need to keep the few who do read this entertained. =)