My oldest daughter recently gave birth to our first grandchild...I won't
start on how wonderful that is.  It was my first experience with high-tech
births as my youngest child was born almost 18 years ago when most of what
happened with Jill's labor and delivery weren't options.  This couple's
intent was to have an unmedicated, non-interventive birth but ended up with
every thing from induction to forceps with every kind of monitor in between.
When I arrived at the hospital an hour after the birth (per their request)
my daughter looked shellshocked, my grandson stunned and dad scared.
Breastfeeding was not going well but the staff was comfortable with letting
them get to know one another. Within 12 hours the three of them were
enthralled with each other but a good latch had not happened. A nurse looked
at Jill's non-responsive nipples and told her they were flat...without
asking how they normally respond to stimulation, and brought her shells and
shields.  No one...nurse, OB, Ped ever really stayed and offered suggestions
(oh, and they were never told anything more than I was Grandma).  The new
family decided to leave as soon as they could and when the little guy was
exactly 24 hours old were out the door...the first good latch was his
nursing just before we left the hospital.  The first week was rocky but
he weighed 13 lbs at his 2 month checkup...the Peds advice was to stretch
his nursings out longer.  When I was back to visit at a month the baby made
one of those loud, in his sleep squawks and Jill said, "That's his forcep
dream."  When he did a little waah in his sleep she called it his "suction
cup dream."  When he smiled in his sleep though, that was his "the milk is
in dream."  One last note: when it is time to go home the hospital policy is
to bring the car seat up to the room and carry the baby out in it.  Jill
went to unwrap the baby's blanket and put him in his car seat in his onesy
outfit and the nurse said to leave him wrapped in the blanket.  When Jill
pointed out that babies were suppose to have their arms and legs in the
straps and the blanket over them the nurse told her he would be fine in the
blanket!

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