Gemma's first, my second, hospital stay

Yep the last time I stayed overnight in a hospital I was Gemma's age. So whilst I was relishing the thought of being able to, and indeed encouraged, to lie around in my pyjamas all day, I was a bit unsure about what goes on in those big white buildings. I found out lots of nice people work inside them.

Is it a ploy to make you want to leave quicker or just economics? Unfortunately the parents room was unavailable (Rico would have been able to stay with me in our own room), so we got the normal room. At least I only had to share with one other person, but still with the snoring, crying and visits, not to mention Gemma's little noises, it combined to give me maybe 6hrs total sleep over the whole stay in hospital.

Good things: visitors - we received visits from some very proud grandparents and a proud uncle. Not to mention visits from other family and friends (thanks for the grapes and choccies P&A!). The nurses were also great and very supportive, (taking Gemma for a couple of hours so I could get a bit of sleep was fantastic). Gemma also started her 'showing off'. "Oh she was perfect - didn't cry a bit", said the nurses. "She doesn't cry at all ", said dad (who wasn't there for the night-time sobbing!). "What a good girl", said all the doctors and nurses who had to prod, measure and inject her over the two days. Hmmm, I was beginning to see a pattern...

Bad things: breast-feeding - I was warned that this is a learned skill and not necessarily something that comes naturally, but, um, ouch!! Let's just say not a a natural. Confidence not helped by more than one nurse commenting, "Ooh, you've got fair skin - it's going to hurt". Huh, I've got to put up with bloody sunburn and now this.

Big plug for the Mercy Womens Hospital though, everyone was fantastic, there was a lot of support and they follow up with two home visits within about five days of leaving the hospital. These really helped a lot as there are a lot of questions, once you get the little ones home.