- Joined
- Jul 10, 2012
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Hullooos! The past few weeks I've received quite a few PMs and e-mails from AWers asking about my pregnancy, and I thought this might be the easiest way of updating everyone. 
At 5:30 AM on the 2nd of December, I rolled out of bed to go to the bathroom. As soon as my feet touched the floor, something warm slid down my leg. My first thought was: Omg, did I just pee myself? Am I gonna be one of those pregnant women who pee themselves?? As it turned out, it wasn't pee, but my water breaking. My due date wasn't supposed to be until the 27th, so we were taken somewhat by surprise. Okay, that's an understatement. We pretty much spent the next 15 minutes shooting around the house gathering all our things. Well, Mr. Putt shot around the house. I had to waddle due to the towel that was stuffed between my legs. Just btw, for those who are curious, amniotic fluid smells a lot like boiled eggs. Yum.
3 hours after my water broke. I was about 4 cm dilated here, and still in high spirits because I had no idea what was in store for me. 4 hours after this pic was taken, I had my second cervical exam, which utterly destroyed me. It left both me and Mr. Putt in tears. After that, it was epidural to the rescue. To all the women who gave birth without epidurals...I salute you. You guys are crazypants in the best possible way.
I'd been told by my friend in Cali that after receiving an epidural, they don't tend to allow you out of bed. But the doctor and midwives taking care of me were really chill about letting me move around, and when it came time to push, I was able to try out every position there ever was. Bent over while standing up (as pictured), on all fours, on my side, squatting while hanging on to the bed, lying down... the medical team was great. They just laughed and went, "What position would you like to try next?" The position I finally settled on was half-sitting with my legs propped up. 20 minutes of pushing later...
A very gross and bloody wee hippo slid out! She then proceeded to make us all lose our shit by refusing to cry for about 5 minutes. The nurses had to call the emergency pediatrician to the delivery room, who then announced that wee hippo wasn't crying because she was, in fact, sleeping.
And here she is, all cranky and bitchy after being woken up from her labor nap.
Sleeping in a crocheted hippo blanket from an AW member.
At two weeks old, she's a little bit more curious and somewhat less bitchy.
I have so much respect for single parents after the past 19 days. I don't know how they do it. There's two of us, plus help from my mom and other family members who are always dropping off groceries, and wee hippo is still wiping the floor with our faces. But, yanno, biology's a real son of a bitch because despite all the sleepless nights, despite the deaths of our social lives, despite having been peed and pooped on more times than we can count, we take one look at her and we're like, "Awww, she's so worth it." Logically, she's so NOT, but damn if I can convince myself of that. This is how I'd describe newborn parenthood: We are so sick of her by this point, but at the same time we can't have enough of her. Does that make any sense? I can't tell, my brain's pretty fucked up by the lack of sleep.
You little asshole, I love you so.
Throughout my whole pregnancy, AW has been the sweetest, most helpfulest community ever. I can't remember the number of times I have turned to various AW members for advice or help, and in fact, I attribute the smooth labor experience I had to a couple of AWers' advice. Even after wee hippo was born, the support has been tremendous. So many of you sent messages with kind, sweet words...and even gifts for the wee hippo! So thank you, AW, for being so amazingsauce! HIPPOHUGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE from wee hippo, who bears a somewhat alarming resemblance to Pou!
At 5:30 AM on the 2nd of December, I rolled out of bed to go to the bathroom. As soon as my feet touched the floor, something warm slid down my leg. My first thought was: Omg, did I just pee myself? Am I gonna be one of those pregnant women who pee themselves?? As it turned out, it wasn't pee, but my water breaking. My due date wasn't supposed to be until the 27th, so we were taken somewhat by surprise. Okay, that's an understatement. We pretty much spent the next 15 minutes shooting around the house gathering all our things. Well, Mr. Putt shot around the house. I had to waddle due to the towel that was stuffed between my legs. Just btw, for those who are curious, amniotic fluid smells a lot like boiled eggs. Yum.
3 hours after my water broke. I was about 4 cm dilated here, and still in high spirits because I had no idea what was in store for me. 4 hours after this pic was taken, I had my second cervical exam, which utterly destroyed me. It left both me and Mr. Putt in tears. After that, it was epidural to the rescue. To all the women who gave birth without epidurals...I salute you. You guys are crazypants in the best possible way.
I'd been told by my friend in Cali that after receiving an epidural, they don't tend to allow you out of bed. But the doctor and midwives taking care of me were really chill about letting me move around, and when it came time to push, I was able to try out every position there ever was. Bent over while standing up (as pictured), on all fours, on my side, squatting while hanging on to the bed, lying down... the medical team was great. They just laughed and went, "What position would you like to try next?" The position I finally settled on was half-sitting with my legs propped up. 20 minutes of pushing later...
A very gross and bloody wee hippo slid out! She then proceeded to make us all lose our shit by refusing to cry for about 5 minutes. The nurses had to call the emergency pediatrician to the delivery room, who then announced that wee hippo wasn't crying because she was, in fact, sleeping.
And here she is, all cranky and bitchy after being woken up from her labor nap.
Sleeping in a crocheted hippo blanket from an AW member.
At two weeks old, she's a little bit more curious and somewhat less bitchy.
I have so much respect for single parents after the past 19 days. I don't know how they do it. There's two of us, plus help from my mom and other family members who are always dropping off groceries, and wee hippo is still wiping the floor with our faces. But, yanno, biology's a real son of a bitch because despite all the sleepless nights, despite the deaths of our social lives, despite having been peed and pooped on more times than we can count, we take one look at her and we're like, "Awww, she's so worth it." Logically, she's so NOT, but damn if I can convince myself of that. This is how I'd describe newborn parenthood: We are so sick of her by this point, but at the same time we can't have enough of her. Does that make any sense? I can't tell, my brain's pretty fucked up by the lack of sleep.
You little asshole, I love you so.
Throughout my whole pregnancy, AW has been the sweetest, most helpfulest community ever. I can't remember the number of times I have turned to various AW members for advice or help, and in fact, I attribute the smooth labor experience I had to a couple of AWers' advice. Even after wee hippo was born, the support has been tremendous. So many of you sent messages with kind, sweet words...and even gifts for the wee hippo! So thank you, AW, for being so amazingsauce!
HIPPOHUGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE from wee hippo, who bears a somewhat alarming resemblance to Pou!
Hello, l'il baby!
