At 5:46am, I will have been riding this train called Parenthood for 10 years! Oh My, What a ride it has been so far… 😉 If anyone thinks it’s easy, I beg to differ!!  I remember 10 years ago I started having contractions at the beginning of NYPD Blue. For those of you that remember, NYPD Blue was on Tuesday nights at 10, well, I contracted about every 8 -15 minutes throughout the show.  I called my best friend, who was so excited. She was going to forget about her fear of blood (I’m talking pass out kind of fear 😉 ) to be there when this new little bundle was going to enter this world. My husband didn’t quite get this was the real deal, and thought he was going to take a Benadryl and go off to sleep. I had to explain that I thought it was going to be a long night, and Benadryl was not a good idea! Well, it wasn’t too long, I was having contractions every 2 minutes as we were on our way to the hospital at midnight.  And, wouldn’t you know it, we pulled right up on a cop half way there. Morgan was so excited, he wanted to throw on the flashers, and speed past him.  I dared him to pass.  That was the last thing I wanted to deal with… This baby wasn’t coming quite that fast.

I wasn’t at the hospital for more than 4 hours, before my Joshua made his entrance, Thank GOD it was quick!! There are a few things that needed consideration during this birthing process….DRUGS!?!? I needed to decided if I wanted an epidural, or no epidural, this $#!+ hurt!!!  I’m not going to bore you with all the details of my birth story, we each have our own….and, each is definitely a Rite of Passage!

Speaking of Epidurals… a topic for any of you still in the baby making phase of parenthood.  I think women should decide if they want an epidural with no persuasion from husbands, mothers, in-laws, etc.  This is a personal decision!! There is nothing wrong with having an epidural, each person tolerates pain differently, and has different philosophies about pain. If labor is long and difficult, an epidural can be quite beneficial for mom and baby.  If mom is too stressed during labor, baby can be stressed during labor.  One thing to remember is that it takes time for the epidural to wear off after the baby is born. If a woman is induced, she should consider that the contractions induced by Pitocen (the hormone used to stimulate uterine contractions) can cause some really powerful and painful contractions.  Now, don’t get me wrong, contractions are a 15 on a pain scale of 1-10 with or without Pitocen, but with your body being forced into something it isn’t quite ready to do naturally, it just seems to make the contractions more forceful.  I’ve had friends that have had babies and needed Pitocen, and had no epidural. My hats off… it is an amazing feat, just plain amazing! I had no Pit, and my contractions hurt like He!!, No ifs, ands, or buts about it…Any woman that gives birth and doesn’t have an epidural can tell you, CHILDBIRTH HURTS!

When to go without an epidural?? I went without an epidural because I was blessed with quick labors.  Joshua was born 4 hours after I got to the hospital. This baby wasn’t waiting for the sun to come up or an epidural, he was in a hurry to get out and see what this world was all about.  Believe me, I thought about it, I have some back problems that made things a little iffy, and helped make my decision. If labor is quick, then, my personal opinion is suck it up, and get it over with.  The movie Fast and Furious was in theaters, that was what Joshua’s birth reminded me of…  He was 3.5 weeks early, 6#4oz, and 21.75″long, born in less than 8 hours from my first contraction. 1.5 hours of that was pushing…ughhh!!  All I could say, that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life! At least that’s what I thought at the time, but the actual parenting thing is much harder!  All that pushing causes the baby to spend longer in the birth canal, causing a nice little cone head… it usually returns to normal within 24-48 hrs.  The little hats they have in the hospital are necessary to keep their body heat in because babies are learning to regulate their body temp, but the hats are perfect to cover up that little cone head until it is a little cuter. One of the best things in the world is the downy softness of a babies head! Enjoy it when you can, it only lasts a few months.

Aunt Shell made it and thought it was an amazing experience; and there actually wasn’t all that  much blood…We love Aunt Shell, she’s tops! 🙂 Aunt Kathy also made it in time, and was the first to say It’s a Boy!! (yes, we impatiently waited to find out). She was also the first to notice that Joshua looked just like his Daddy! Well, I do love the daddy, so that’s ok, I guess!

Another question that comes with babies – Breastfeeding or Bottlefeeding. This too is a personal decision for parents, but I am going to have to say the decision does have to weigh Mom’s feelings the most.  Breastfeeding takes dedication! It can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do (it was for me!), but for some women, it can be very difficult.  Breastfeeding can provide so many benefits to a baby, such as: increased immunities through breastmilk, help with allergies, management of cholesterol later in life, help with lifelong management of a healthy weight, help decrease ear infections, more easily digested by immature GI system, and the bonding experience is priceless, and there are so many more….  Yes, I am  an advocate for breastfeeding, I am also a lactation consultant.  As a practitioner, I support whatever decision Mom makes, no questions asked! I have helped so many moms and babies through their breastfeeding difficulties.  For the mom that is dedicated, breastfeeding can work out.  There are some women that are not capable of producing an adequate milk supply for their child.  This happens when women have insufficient glandular tissue for adequate lactation. This is real, I have friends that have had this grueling experience.  I enjoy a blog by a female pediatrician that expresses the distress from a mother that was unable to produce an adequate supply for her child.  Check out her struggles, at Confession of a Dr. Mom.  The information I have read so far on her blog has been awesome!

My Boy has changed my world, he has taught me that there are rules to parenting that don’t always fit every kid. Just when you think you know what you’re doing, the kids forget to read the book and respond appropriately….ugh! So, Fast and Furious has been going on for about 10 years….and hopefully will continue for many, many, many more!

All I really wanted to say was Happy Birthday to my Joshua! The catalyst that started this unbelievable journey called parenthood!

I LOVE YOU JOSHIE!! 🙂