I had a theory that I shared with Jen about birth. I told her that I didn’t think women remembered their births very well, only the outcome. My reasons were simple: 1) husbands, when prodded, often told a much different story and 2) women wouldn’t go through it again if it was awful as the husbands said. My experience thus far has upheld this theory. Jennifer remembers little of the birth, only the c-section and, of course, hearing we had a boy with blond hair. Obviously my study has no basis in statistics, or quantifiable facts. I just think it’s interesting, that’s all.
Today was kinda tough with Hayes. His hunger is insatiable. Jen, can’t move around much, and feels awful about not being be able to help much. We’re both hoping her milk comes in SOON. In fact she just told me she thinks it’s coming in. YES! Hopefully this will fill up Hayes more than the current solution. He fed for 1.5 hours straight today.
Jen sent me home tonight to get some sleep. We both agreed it was a good idea. The room really isn’t set up for two people to sleep comfortably. There’s gotta to be a better way to design a convertable chair that you can actually sleep in. There has to be. Anyway, I said that when I got home, I’d post some more pix. I lied. Waaay too tired. Will have to wait until we all get home on Thursday.
Cameron says:
January 25th, 2005 at 11:36 pm
The whole forgetting how bad it was thing is how we exist. If women remembered there would be no kids.
The sleep thing is hugely important. On the second night at the hospital our son was wailing and I was trying to calm him and literally feel asleep on my feet. The nurses came and gently took him away for 3 hours so we both could pass out. If I had it to do again I would go home for a nap and would have come back actually useful.
Courage.
Madeleine says:
January 26th, 2005 at 9:38 am
Eric,
Tell Jen that the ONLY thing she needs to do right now is feed Hayes and take care of herself. Someone else can do the rest for now. I read an anthro book about the Roma (aka Gypsy) culture, and traditionally when a baby is born the mother doesn’t get out of bed for 2 MONTHS. Female relatives take care of everything and just bring her the baby to feed it. Granted they were generally in their early teens when they had their first child, but I can’t help thinking they were on to something.
Oh, and with apologies to any real poets out there, last night at dinner D. decided we should make up some haiku. Quick trip to the computer confirmed it’s 5-7-5. And since Hayes’ name fits perfectly on the middle line, here’s one for you guys.
Jennifer’s new joy
Hayes Kennedy Sagalyn
Eric? Elated!
Note that you can substitute “exhausted” in the last line and it also fits.
Love,
M.