@Donna: I’m sorry your daughter went through all of that! I wonder, was she up and about and able to try different positions as well? Its pretty common to get *stuck* and have changing positions finish dilating. I was stuck at 9 for HOURS with one of mine (I’ve had 5 so far) and finally all the walking and changing positions worked-I actually felt her drop. She was born 15 minutes later 🙂
Also, inverted nipples doesnt mean she can never nurse. I too had inverted nipples with my first. I pumped exlusively for 3 months due to that and my son having nipple confusion (the hospital gave him a bottle, which is bad in general, but probably much worse in the case of inverted or flat nipples). Finally after 3 months of trying he nursed for the first time-and never looked back! I never had any issues after him; my nipples are no longer inverted. Between pumping and nursing, they were drawn out. So dont give up hope! If she has another one, she may be able to nurse! Good for her for pumping though, I know how draining it is.
]]>I too tore after birth – a third degree tear through my perineum and a second degree tear through my labia (which has never healed properly) I had a very slow and peaceful second stage having chosen to have a physiological second stage (no pushing) but the tearing through my labia (he came down hard on the left side) which I wasn’t able to articulate and standing – no one was able to see .. meant my body gave a huge involuntary heave and out he came – heads, shoulders and body in one massive contraction.
In retrospect now – i am very glad that I did in many ways. Like you – I’m rather active and sitting around doing nothing isn’t something I relish. though I took my midwife’s advice – constant bedrest for the first week and then mostly bedrest for the second.
While my tears were slow healing – they forced me to slow down at a time I really needed to. And gratefully later on at both four and six months I had lots of energy, was healthy and well – at a time when other mothers were hitting the wall – having got straight back into life after birth.
Babymoons are standard in most traditional societies for a reason … and I think there is often a gift behind tearing at birth.
.-= Jodi Cleghorn´s last blog ..Getting Antsy =-.