Well..I don't know how happy any Crohn's story can be, but we had an
absolutely lovely birth the other night.  Mom with Crohn's and a
vag/rectal fistula, everyone just a wreck thinking about it and huffing
about how the mom should've gone 1-1/2 hrs away to our "local" Level III.
   The OB says to the midwife, "don't get all shook, just do this birth as
a birth.  if you need me call me."
   We check the mom, she's 7 cm.  The midwife ambles down the hall, checks
the mom again and she's complete (primip!).  Mom says, "What do I do?"
Midwife says, "Just do whatever your body tells you to do.  You and your
baby know how to do this togther."
   A (exhalation) pushes later, the mom says, "it hurts -- is something
wrong?"  "That's just your baby stretching you open.  Don't be afraid."
   After 1/2 hr total pushing, "suspected SGA" baby is born weighing 7 lb
13 oz!
        First thing mom cried out was, "Oh Ellen! (the midwife)  I will be
able to breastfeed won't i??"
        Ellen:  "Of course you will!  Your body and your baby will do it
just like you did this birth!"
        (I'm in the corner charting and sobbing...this is one of my Lamaze
moms.)
        Babe of course latches and nurses like it's been doing it forever!
        A few hours later I wandered in to see how things were going --
baby was back on the breast.  She looked like she had nursed three kids
and informed me that she was just going to keep that baby in her arms.
knew the nurses wouldn't particularly like that, and who cared??
        Oh what a night!      Happy Dawn in southern Vermont, crying
again!