Small Things

And finally . . . a baby!

I am so happy to post that my baby girl finally did arrive. Mary was born last Thursday night, on the 15th, at 10:32 pm. She weighed in at over 9 pounds! I guess it helped that she was a week and 4 days overdue.

The labor didn't go too well, though I guess any labor that results in a healthy baby should be considered a good labor. As usual, mine lasted two days, and by the end I had every tube in the L&D ward hooked up to me--not my my style of baby birthing. My husband has been saying "next time we're having a homebirth!"  He takes his coaching very seriously, and I don't know how I could do without him.

Mary's delivery was smooth and wonderful, on the brighter side. I watched her crown, and even pulled her out myself! It was amazing, and she was robust and loud and beautiful. Birth is truly a miraculous thing.

So now we are home, resting.  Or trying to, with a newborn, a sick toddler, and my mom already flying back to her home as I type this. She spent almost 4 weeks here with us waiting for this tardy baby to be born! I am so glad she was here for us, and to hold her granddaughter. Moms are great.

I'll try to keep up posts--I'll have to get a sling so I can type two-handed again!

 

Eight days past due and still pregnant!

I really thought I'd have a baby by now! I just finished reading through all my pregancy and birth books, looking up "overdue," "postmaturity," and "past due date."  They don't really offer anything I don't already know, though one--Dr. Sears' birth book--described one way to stimulate contractions I hadn't heard, with warm towels over your nipples. It was actually in the section about the non-stress test, where they put a fetal monitor around you and measure the baby's heartrate in reaction to contractions. The warm towels were one way to get some going.

I know that in all likelihood, I am just fine, and she will be born soon, in her own time. But this is my third baby in three years, so this is supposed to go more quickly. My body is supposed to be pretty well rehearsed at this. With my first baby, I went into labor 5 days past due. Ok, normal for a first time mom. My second baby had a fatal birth defect that usually prevents babies from stimulating labor on their own, and we chose to induce just after her due date. I guess now that I am past the timeframe of my first baby's labor, I am beginning to wonder could there be something wrong. I know that in subsequent pregnancies after losing a baby, moms can have lots of fears that are not really logical. I can't help but worry now that this lack of labor could be because something is wrong with my baby.

Anyone else out there go this long past their due date? Over eight days? I could sure use some stories to make me feel less like an elephant.

More on Refugees and Racism

Yesterday an AP article addressed the debate over the word "refugee," and it included a couple of definitions:

The 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention describes a refugee as someone who has fled across an international border to escape violence or persecution. But the Webster's New World Dictionary defines it more broadly as "a person who flees from home or country to seek refuge elsewhere, as in a time of war or of political or religious persecution."

I must concede, it appears the word does connote a wartime or political theater. I can see how the U.N. would define it in terms of international usage, as that is their purpose, that is the only context in which the U.N. would have use of the term.

But no one balks at reporters and survivors alike describing the Gulf coast and the city of New Orleans as a war zone. It looks like one, it feels like one, and people have fled with all the desperation of fleeing a war zone. I believe that is what has prompted the use of the word "refugee."

I just cannot for one minute believe that refugee is a racist term. I don't see how it applies to skin color--it has been used to describe all the victims, white or black, from all over the coast, not just inner city poor in New Orleans. And it is not based on economical class, either--wealthy  homeowners with luxurious beachfront homes have been in just as much need of refuge as those dependent on state support.

I am just disgusted that this is even taking up so much attention and airtime. If you are sick of suspicion and accusation, calling Americans racist (just think how this plays out overseas), then check out this heartwarming slideshow over at Townhall.com of real Americans, of various races, and how much race matters to them. It will do your heart good.

Still in the oven

Nope, no baby yet. Three days overdue.

Just had a great chuckle over a post at The Big Yellow House. I highly recommend it if you like a mystery. In fact, I often find a good chuckle over there.

This ridiculous "refugee" argument

I don't know if I can bear watching more Katrina coverage, but I don't know if I can stop at this point. I do know that I just can't watch anymore stories about babies and desperate mommies. I just sob and go kiss my own little one. And pray. If you can't keep watching, at least keep praying.

Now what is this business with black lawmakers taking offense at using the word refugee? I thought of that word myself three days ago, when I realized "evacuees" was not an accurate word for the thousands of people stranded and wandering. These people have nowhere to go, they need food, water, shelter, doctors, and they are suddenly homeless. They seek refuge. It IS the right word.

The congresswoman I saw on TV today said angrily that these are not refugees, they are American citizens, they are taxpayers. Yes, they are, and they are now refugees too. Perhaps she and others are just so used to refugees coming from other countries to America seeking refuge. We are used to refugees being foreign war refugees, or foreign political refugees. I think that's why we need to accurately call these people refugees. Precisely because it is so shocking to think that Americans themselves could be refugees, that our own people could need such refuge, and suffer so long without it. Aren't we all shocked? We are just not used to Americans needing refuge. Whether they are black, white, purple, or green.

Though I can't say for sure that race has nothing to do with the decisions being made, or not made, as the case seems to be. How would I know? Apparently no one knows who is in charge and why or how things are or aren't getting to the people who need it.

But these people need refuge, and there is nothing disrespectful about saying it. In fact, it needs to be said, because we need to stay focused on the scale of this crisis. These people need REFUGE, and all it entails. Not new and senseless "politically sensitive" terminology. Sheesh, get a clue, people.