After giving birth to Grace I had no complaints about the process, the recovery, etc.  I had nothing to compare it to.  Now that I have delivered two healthy beautiful baby girls... I know that there were HUGE differences between the two births and frankly, the experience I had with Grace in Georgia was awful compared to the experience of delivering Brooklyn here in Tennessee.  Here is why...

My entire induction from first dose of medicine to birth of baby was 25 hours with Grace, and just over 10 hours with Brooke.

I didn't have nurses moving me into different positions to get Grace ready... but spent the entire day being moved around to get Brooke ready by one very attentive nurse.

When offered my first dose of medicine with Grace, I took it.  I was afraid of feeling the pain, and thus don't remember 95% of the process.  With Brooke - I was 5 cm dilated and feeling pain before I got my epidural.

I had to use an oxygen mask with Grace.

My legs were in pressure cuffs with Grace to keep my blood circulating.

I pushed for an hour and a half with Grace.  I pushed for nine minutes with Brooke.

I didn't get to do skin to skin with Grace as they believed she was having problems breathing and she was taken to the NICU to have her vitals monitored almost immediately.  I got to do skin to skin with Brooke - straight from the womb.

Grace spent the first four hours of her life in the NICU.  Brooke never left our room.

I felt every stitch from tearing during delivery with Grace.  I felt nothing while being stitched after tearing in the exact same spot with Brooke.

I was wheeled out of the hospital with Grace.  I walked out of the hospital with Brooke.

Rob was with me the entire time I was in the hospital with Grace.  Rob went home every night to be with Grace while I was in the hospital with Brooke.

Even though the processes were entirely different - I can say the babies that resulted are very much alike... healthy and well.


Don't forget to link up with Jen and I Friday for the Military Spouse Appreciation Day Link-UP.  Same questions as last year!

always,
amanda