We're home!

Thank you all for your well-wishes and concern. It really feels great to know you all are out there, cheering us on.

We are finally home! Miss Critter was released from the NICU late on Saturday night, and we are so happy to be out of the hospital. Her biliruben levels came down really well on Saturday, even with reduced and then no phototherapy, so they let us go. It was no fun sqautting at the hospital, but the great NICU nursing staff found us a "rooming in" space - basically a full sized pull-out couch in a room off the family lounge. Not ideal, but we were just down the hall from the critter, and with breast feeding or pumping every 2-3 hours, it was convenient.

Mr. P and I have been enjoying getting to know the critter in person. We think she is pretty easy-going so far. She is an eating and pooping machine, having taken to breast feeding really well. A great latcher from Day 3. And I'm so happy that my boobs got the memo and my milk is in good supply. We did supplement a bit of formula in the hospital, and once since we've been home - mostly to add to a skimpy pump session. I've been pumping so Mr. P can take over some feedings to allow me to rest - which after the c-section, I've really needed.

The c-section recovery has been up and down. Before the whole NICU situation, I was taking it easy and recovering well. But once she was admitted to the NICU, well, my focus on recovery went out the window. I walked more than I should have, missed pain med doses, and basically put myself second. Well, now I'm paying for that. I'm still having a fair amount of incision pain, and things like getting up from laying down, or climbing the stairs can sort of suck. It gets better every day, but I don't know how I'd do it without Mr. P's help. He's been a total rock star, caring for both me and the critter. I have fallen in love with him all over again, watching him bloom into a father. It's been so sweet to watch.

Aside from the c-section recovery, I've also noticed I'm on an hormonal roller-coaster. My emotions have been all over the place, and tears will come out of nowhere. I was just brushing my teeth last night, and suddenly had this overwhelming urge to cry. Not like I was thinking of anything sad, or doing anything hard or painful. It is such an odd sensation, that cascade of emotion that is not really grounded in the present situation. And then, suddenly, it goes away. Really weird.

I'll have to post on the critter's birth story in another post. It's late, and I need to nap while she is sleeping too - we'll be up soon enough for another boob juice session.