27 Weeks, and Welcome, Delilah!

Not sure if this is the best picture. But I am bigger than last week--several people who've seen me in workout wear have attested to it. And I've gained 23 lbs. Tiny is still moving a ton.

I talked to my friend Shana, who just gave birth on Saturday, to Delilah Grace. Mazel tov, Delilah and Shana! Shana and I talked yesterday, and she really broke it down for me, about the labor and delivery. At our next convo, she's going to tell me the real deal on breastfeeding--at least, her experience.

She said this: She hadn't been sleeping well for days, because she'd been awakened by contractions three nights in a row. Finally on Sat around 4 am, she awoke to contractions that were 5 minutes apart, a minute long each. They went to the hospital, she wasn't dilated enough. They sent her home. She went to an open house, in labor. She returned home and her water broke all over the bathroom floor. (She suggested we get waterproof liners for our sheets.) She went back to the hospital. At this point she'd been having contractions for twelve hours and they told her it might be another day, maybe two, before active labor. She said contractions are really freakin' hard. That a contraction, on its own, isn't so bad, painwise, but that they come so quickly, and so intensely (she said they're like a menstrual cramp but WAY more intense and painful) that your body doesn't have time to recover, and that is what is so hard/harsh. She said she couldn't even describe the pain, though she tried. It comes in a wave, crests, then falls, steadily and slowly, back down to normal.

The doctors asked if she wanted medication.

This was the moment of truth. She'd wanted a "natural" childbirth but didn't want to punish herself if she wanted the epidural. She got the epidural.

"Liz," she said, "It's the best thing I've ever done for myself, EVER." She reiterated what Jen said, about the epidural relieving your pain enough so that you have energy saved up to push later.

She said the pushing was harder than you think, and that she did it wrong. She said don't tense up your shoulders and legs and abdomen. Just focus on your pelvis, and push like you are trying to push out a poop. She said her inefficient pushing caused her process to be longer than if she'd pushed correctly. But then Delilah pushed out her own shoulder--she was ready!--and next thing Shana knew, this beautiful little girl with a ton of black hair popped out!

Shana said she didn't really feel the pushing or the ring of fire, because the epidural was so strong. When it wore off, she said it felt like her vagina had been cut open with a dagger. Her legs were shaking, just walking to the bathroom.

She also said that labor and delivery are nothing, compared to the pain that comes after childbirth, and the exhaustion/mental fatigue of sleep deprivation and being a new parent. She also said breastfeeding is the hardest thing she's ever done in her life.

Makes me rethink taking a breastfeeding class. Uy.

On another note, this coworker of mine teaches spin classes, at a different gym than the one I belong to. She doesn't want me coming to her class, even though she tells me about it, because she's worried I'll pass out or something, being preggo. I told her I spin twice a week, at least. Why do people think preggos are so fragile! We're not! It's not an illness! I'm strong and healthy and I can manage my own fatigue level; so why is everyone trying to manage it for me? This same woman is one who tells me what I can and can't eat and drink. It's annoying. I keep telling everyone, I eat everything and drink everything... why does everyone care so much?