5 Days Old!

Baby Sasha had her 5 day check-up today, and all is well! The greatest news is that she has already surpassed her birthweight of 8lbs 4.4oz. She now weighs 8lbs 8oz! I'm so happy about this, because it means that she and I are doing a good job at nursing (something I had been warned may be hard to do after a C-Section). The C-Section wasn't half as awful as I thought it would be. After 23 hours of excruciating contractions around 2 minutes apart with no progress past 5cm dilated half way through (no progress whatsoever for the 2nd 12 hours), the OB and my doula finally talked me into consenting to the C-Section (they even consulted other doctors & a midwife). They explained that with hard labor like this, I should have been dilating around 1.2cm an hour, but they were seeing no change. I was shaking and crying hysterically in opposition, but since Sasha's condition was beginning to look unstable, and my water had been broken over 24 hours (risking infection), they explained that I had NO choice- that they could say with 100% certainty that I would not deliver my baby vaginally. Truly, I was heartbroken... but all is well that ends well; and now I have my perfect, beautiful baby girl to attest to that. Apparently, she had been trying so hard to get down the birth canal that whole time... her head was completely cone-shaped (unusual for C-Section babies), and she was quite bruised up. But my cervix would not open- it just wouldn't no matter what we tried (different positions, etc, even pitocin at the end). I guess it shouldn't have surprised me since I was never able to miscarry naturally either (and I waited months the first time). But like I said, it was all worth it; and I'm so thankful that we are both recovering so well. :)

Thanks to everyone for the beautiful emails and comments of congratulations and well wishes! As for the comments regarding make-up in the operating room- believe me, I didn't look all that great up close... my make-up had been on for over 24 hours- the secret is good ol' cheap Covergirl waterproof eye make-up and 18 hour lipstick. :)

We came home to a very sick Sophie Lu and Ollie. Both have coughs/colds, and Sophie has pink-eye in both eyes (I wish I had known this before I let her hold Sasha that first day). But as soon as they both recover, I'll be taking lots of photos of my three angels together (so long as I can catch them)!

I'll update again in a couple days for Sasha's one-week birthday! :)