Thursday, April 19, 2012

the best things about giving birth...

i have just recently had my fifth baby. yep, you read that right, five pregnancies, five labors, five deliveries, five hospital stays. i've given birth on both coasts and in south america. i think i'm almost an expert at this point. i'm not quite a *duggar*, but i've had my share of birthing experiences. so, here's my *letterman* top ten things about giving birth...only it ended up being 15 things...oh well.

15) losing cankles: i got to the point where i retained so much water that my feet were unrecognizable. in the hospital, i started to see the bones in my feet again. what bliss.

14) increase in bladder size: i am always amazed that as soon as that baby is out, i am able to go more than an hour in between each trip to the bathroom. it's amazing what normal bladder capacity really is...amazing!

13) you're expected to be in your pajamas...all day: there's no guilt. no one thinks you're a slob. in fact, most people will think you're an overachiever if you get *out* of your pajamas during your stay. when is that ever going to happen again? enjoy it. two to three pajama days in a row with no judgement...i'll take that!

12) meals will be brought to you in bed: again, when does this ever happen in real life? i may get a meal on a mother's day or your birthday brought up to your bed but chances are, i'll eventually get down to the kitchen where some of the mess will be waiting for me to clean up. not in the hospital. someone will bring you a hot meal, you'll get to eat it in bed and then someone will come and pick it up for you. no cleaning, no prep, just food. i don't care how bad the hospital food might be, i consider it a little gift.

11) you can request things, and someone will find a way to bring it to you: i always requested an after giving birth meal from my husband. i didn't get to eat during labor and delivery and i'm always starving. cost and inconvenience is pretty much not a factor after i've pushed a baby out. i go for it. usually when placing an order, my husband will mention that i've just had a baby. we get lots of desserts for free.

10) friends will come and hang out...and sometimes bring starbucks: when was the last time you had hours of girl time to chat? when was the last time you had more than one girlfriend come by and see you in one day? here's your chance. you can sit and chat to your heart's content. if they know you well and can bring you some liquid caffeine, all the better.

9) nurses are on call 24/7: post delivery nurses are pretty amazing. i'm pretty low maintenance with them in the hospital (again, not a novice here) but still, i know what to ask for. need to take a shower? a nurse will take your baby. need a little sleep? a nurse will take your baby. need a refill on your gigantic water bottle? a nurse will run and get that for you. they are like highly skilled and knowledgeable magic fairies.

8) gigantic water cups with straws: i don't know why i love these so much but i do. they are huge and oh so handy. if they made them so they would fit in the cup holder of my car, i'd be carrying one around everyday.

7) unlimited shower time: did i mention that a nurse will take your baby so you can shower? there is no time limit. i've never run out of hot water in the hospital. you can sit there forever. not only that, but after your shower, you have time to blow dry your hair...and put on make-up. you probably won't have that luxury for a very long time once you leave the hospital. don't miss it while you are in there. bring an extra deep conditioning treatment. exfoliate. shave both legs on the same day. go crazy.

6) internet access: most of the places where i've delivered have had wifi. this is fabulous. want to post your new baby to facebook? go for it. want to catch up on current events? it's right there. wanting to watch a show? pull it up on your laptop. again, this leisurely time is limited in the future. might as well enjoy it in the hospital.

5) catching up on all the shows you want: there is a lot of time spent lounging in the hospital. i usually hit a redbox on my way in and get a couple of movies to watch. i also pay for hulu plus for that hospital stay. all the shows you want are just a click away. when do moms ever have a chance to sit and watch tv shows? in the hospital you can watch as many as you may want...all day long.

4) napping in the middle of the day: go for it. you can nap at any time of the day and it is expected of you. there is no need to think about all of the things you could be doing while the baby is sleeping. nope, while the baby is sleeping, you get to sleep. when the doctor comes and takes the baby to check out, you get to sleep. any time of day, it doesn't matter. now that's something i could get used to.

3) taking, uploading, and sharing photos...all in one day: i hate to admit it but i've gotten worse with the photo taking with each child that has gone by. the only time this isn't the case is when i'm in the hospital. i can snap away at my little angels, load the pictures onto my computer, post them, make albums, share with my family. i'm like a picture taking guru laying in that hospital bed.

2) drugs: i take drugs. i take them during labor, they stay in there during delivery. i take some more after delivery. this last baby, i took a two hour nap while i progressed from 4-10 centimeters. thank you, drugs. thank you.

1) time to hold your baby: the number one best thing about giving birth? without a doubt, it's getting to hold my baby. at home, things pull me away from my little angel. like it or not, i have to put them down and get some stuff done. the survival of the other kids depends on it. in the hospital, i can hold my baby as long as i want. none of the other things compare.

what did i forget? how about you? what was the best thing about giving birth?

14 comments:

  1. The best think about giving birth for me other than meeting my beautiful daughter) is not having to put make up on and go to work. Love this post!

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    1. i hear you! how great to lounge around with your new baby!

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  2. The best thing about giving birth for me was that after all the pain ,every time I remember that experience make me feel happy !
    Great blog and nice post, following you from MBC.
    Angela & Angelica
    http://Groovybabyblog.blogspot.com

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  3. loved this list! it made me smile. I loved snuggling with my baby all day with nothing else to do! it was so luxurious and lovely. And all those meals in bed were awesome! :)

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  4. I've only had one baby, and in some ways it was a nightmare (he had to be rushed to the NICU, and I didn't get to hold him for two days). But I did love certain things about the hospital, and one of them was that I either was giving birth or had just given birth, and that made me a rock star. The nurses, my husband, and my guests all waited on me hand and foot, and protested if I even lifted a finger to shift my own tray. When else does that happen? It was awesome.

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    1. i'm so glad you can remember the great parts of that experience. it is wonderful to be waited on hand and foot for those few short days!

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  5. Preheated blankets. A snuggly luxury that I loved every time they were changed.

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  6. i am due with our second child on 12/15/12, and our daughter will be 22.5 months then. i am anxious to see her reaction to the baby, but i am even more anxious to feel MY heart grow exponentially once again. and i have to say i took full advantage of the "magic fairies" the first go round, and i fully intend on doing the same this time. that is the first thing i tell anyone i know preparing to give birth!

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    1. Congratulations on baby #2! How exciting for you and your daughter. It's amazing how your heart grows. Enjoy all the great things about your new arrival!

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  7. Genelle, you amaze me, Friend! Your post about the after-giving-birth breakfast really resonated with me. The best thing about giving birth at the hospital for me, besides getting to hold my sweet baby and see my husband's face when he held him, was that they let me eat breakfast twice that morning because they moved me from one room on one floor to another room on another floor. I told them when they brought the second breakfast that I had already had breakfast on the previous floor, but they said I could have the second breakfast, too, if I wanted it. Well, I didn't have to think twice about that. I was starved after giving birth on a mostly empty stomach. And while I normally refrain from 2nd breakfast, that day I dug in and enjoyed. =)

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    1. Two breakfasts? Sign me up! If you ever deserved a second one...it was that day! So happy for you, Sarah!

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