Lindley Brooke

Lindley Brooke:

The birth of my first child Lindley. (She is the first of my four children).

During the end of my pregnancy with Lindley, I found myself asking my physician, "Is it normal to gain this much weight?"  Pre-pregnancy, I was 5'0 and did not weigh barely 100 lbs. At the end of the pregnancy, I had gained 34lbs. Added  another 3rd to my body weight. But I didn't care. I loved looking like I was carrying a watermelon...
The evening I went into labor; I lost my mucous plug and my water broke. I spent several hours at home, with Lindley's very nervous father. He threw up three times before we even left for the hospital. We arrived at the hospital, excited and nervous. We knew that Lindley was going to be a girl,  we had picked out her name, and had the nursery already for her arrival. At the hospital, Eric and I spent the day, trying to move things along. Dancing moving walking.... but Lindley took her good old sweet time! I was given the usual drugs, pitocin, some other one I don't remember the name, and an epidural. Eric swears I was hallucinating through out the middle of my labor, caused from the medication (the medication with which name I forget).
During delivery, Lindley had to be vacummed out, A hook was placed in the top of her forehead. Finally 22 hours later, and 2 hours of hard labor, Lindley arrived, 8 lbs 4 oz, and 22 and 1/2 inches long. She was beautiful.
Eric, Lindley's dad, had been adopted a week after his own birth. For him, Lindely was...... his first real blood relative. After he cut the embilical cord, Eric reached down, and touched her. He said, he had never experienced any thing like it. For him it was his first ever feeling of being truly connected to another person. For me, I was amazed at how different I felt. My world had changed miraculously. Oh what a high! It was truly amazing, no words can describe it.
Lindley's apgars were within normal range. I spent a day in the hospital.

Moments old!

Bright Eyed and Beautiful

Proud parents!

The weigh in!

Lindley and her siblings
Lindley is on far right!

Lindley's birth was monumental. She was my first born. Lindley's birth definitely had an impact on her development. After taking Lindley home, I soon realized she had low muscle tone. One pediatrician wanted to run every test in the world. She stated she may have a disability. Come on, I knew that she was not disabled. My knowledge lead us to a physiatrist. She diagnosed Lindley with Hypotonia. This has never stopped Lindley. She wore orthotics to strengthen her ankles and help support her, and help her to walk.

Did the medications I was given during Lindley's birth and my long labor did they affect her muscle tone?I am not sure. But I do know that her hypotonia did impact her development. She kinda always fought gravity... Lindley  did not let any of this stop her. She did gymnastics and swam on a swim team. Lindley knows as an adult that some physical things don't come easily to her. But she maintains a healthy lifestyle by working out 5 times a week, and eating healthy. To me she is still beautiful and bright eyed!

We know that the birth experience can impact a child's development. In relationship to the term of the pregnancy, complications that can occur, (example lack of oxygen to the baby). qq

Ensure a Safe Birth for Mother's in the West Bank:
In the West Bank of Israel, a grassroots group of Palestinian and Israeli midwifes are meeting. There goal is to ensure the safety and health of newborns and their mothers. The midwifes for peace enables Palestinian women who are in labor to deliver safely despite Israeli military roadblocks and checkpoints that prevent or dangerously delay them from reaching hospitals in the West Bank. The site states that certified, well equipped midwives help ensure healthy births. The midwifes are provided kits to help ensure the healthy delivery.

I wrote about this story, in relationship to how different most of our American life birth experiences are. Delivering my four children had its shares of small issues. But when I read about these women living in the west bank of Israel, I was saddened. I cannot even imagine how stressful their lives are. Non the less how they deal with prenatal care and the actual birth of their child. I am Jewish. I have always been torn. For I view myself as a humanitarian. I feel for the anguish for families of all cultures living in Israel.  I read about these midwifes several months ago and their efforts. I cannot imagine trying to get to a hospital to deliver my child, and being attacked by enemy fire. Something to think about?