>Intact perineum, minimal blood loss, quick shower, back to her room to
>breast feed. Within the first 3 hours, he had 2 lovely long breast feeds,
>and when I left, the new family were all resting together.
>At no time has mum and baby been separated, except when she showered, then
>he was in Dad's arms, or when she goes to the toilet, again, Dad cuddles.

Good job, mom, dad, sis, midwife!

I was lucky enough to be called to the end of a home birth here in the US
recently, because I have a scale.  I got there after baby, before placenta,
to find mom and baby nursing in the tub.  Baby went from mom's arms, to
dad's, to big sister's, to mom's for more nursing, as circumstances (and
placenta) shifted and as mom moved from tub to bed.  Then he was given to
me to weigh.  I laid him on that flat, lonely surface, and of course he
cried.  Back into big sister's arms and mom's, and no further cries.  Later
on, his two older brothers held him - awkwardly - with no cries.

The only time this baby showed any distress was when he was alone and out
of arms.  Is that at all surprising?  So what is it we Americans push for,
literally from the moment of birth?  Virtually all our efforts go toward
finding ways to make a baby accept various hard, flat, lonely surfaces.
Sigh.

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC  Ithaca, NY