Random observations

Forgive the rambling; I'm still a bit sleep deprived, but wanted to get this in place now. Linnea and/or I will expand on these later, probably more coherently. :)

• Julie Bates and Jana Sund of Family Born are wonderful. Fantastic care givers and support team. Recommended!
  
• While we didn't meet everyone on staff at the KRMC Birthing Center, we met a lot of them, and they were fantastic. Recommended, with one exception (see below). They went above and beyond the call of duty to help us through the week we spent there; we literally could not have done it without them.
• Labor is hard. Induced labor is agony. Many have said that if men had to go through that much pain to procreate, the human race would die out... lot of truth there.
• Epidurals have risks, from minor to life threatening. That said, sometimes you don't have a choice, and the pain relief is amazing. Don't rush into one, but don't rule it out either; it may be your only option.
• At least one of the doctors who does rounds in the Birthing Center is very pro formula, pushing it on breastfeeding mothers, and ordering nurses to do the same. Fortunately(?) I wasn't there during that visit, so I didn't get to ask said doctor which formula companies he had stock in. Yet another reason to pick a CNM as primary caregiver.
  
• On the same topic - the formula companies are ever so helpful, providing breast feeding kits... with some pre-mixed formula "just in case". As with many corporate sponsorships, the thing to remember is that a company does not do something out of the kindness of its non-existent heart. They know how hard breast feeding can be at the start, and they're ready and eager to provide an "easier" way, for a price. All it takes is money, and being willing to forgo the benefits of breast feeding.
• To echo what many others have said: prep your house and yourself for the 1st few days after birth just like you would for a major sickness. You will be exhausted, and every little thing that you don't have to take care of now will help.
• If you're planning to have a child, take the free birthing classes - the info helps!
• Meconium stool will disturb you if you're not ready for it. It looks very much like vegemite (see, told you it was disturbing). Draw your own conclusions on that one.
• Diaper changes haven't been anywhere near as bad as people have warned me about. They're certainly not fun, but neither are they as horrible as advertised.

More later - have to go make some dinner.