The birth of Joshua

I did a few posts through out my pregnancy on the prenatal care system in the US and wanted to reflect on the differences I found postnatally.

The birth went well. I laboured at home, consulting with my Doula via telephone. Mum, who was worried I was going to give birth on the living room floor, sent us off to hospital. We arrived at 730 where a nice security guard took one look at me outside the hospital doubled in pain (Matt was parking the car) grabbed a wheelchair and took me to the delivery ward without delay. Matt and my Douls Julie followed shortly. I was 8cm dilated on arrival and Joshua was born an hour later. I managed the natural, intervention free birth I had hoped for and most significantly got the skin to skin time I had missed with Ethan as he'd been rushed off to special care.

The post natal care was excellent. We managed to get a private room. Which is good because you spend a minimum of two nights in hospital as standard. Every time you pressed the buzzer you had attention immediately. The food was great. The security for the babies was impressive (electronically tagged, matching wrist bands with codes for parents and baby, each time Joshua was separated from us they checked all the codes marched etc).

Birth certificate documentation is completed in hospital (you need to have chosen name before you leave) which is very handy.

There was a lot of support if needed. A lactation consultant visited for example, checking breast feeding was going ok.

Overall it was very impressive and I was happy with the care I received at every stage. I am very glad I used the services of a Doula, not least because I also used their placenta encapsulation services (where your placenta is freeze dried and put in capsules for you to take) which meant I flew through the first few weeks with great energy levels and balanced hormones. For any cynics out there, just ask my mum who is now a massive advocate of this!!

Hello Joshua!

Our doula Julie

First family photo

The celebration dinner menu!

Our son the US citizen!

One year (and a bit) in

This post is late, it was due to be written on the 14 October but I was in a haze of pregnancy exhaustion and preparing myself for the arrival of Joshua.

We've been here a year now. And it seems like a good time to reflect on our experiences to date.

It's been a fun year. The USA is definitely a land of opportunity and there's been lots or fun things to do. I feel like we've a great selection of activities for Ethan within a short drive on a day to day basis. And good family days out with the zoo and children's museum all within a half hour drive.

We've made friends, good friends. Friends who when we come home will be painful to leave, especially for Ethan who is becoming inseparable to his friend Lucy. They're often mistaken for twins when we're out and they can bicker like siblings and boss each other round too.

Matt has enjoyed his job. Yes it's been busy and stressful but it's been a different experience to the London office.

We have a lot more time as a family. As we're living in a rental this doesn't consume time at the weekend. As we have left our family and friends behind we don't have the opportunities to do as much wih other people. Therefore we spend weekends together as a family which we are really enjoying. Ethan loves his time with Daddy at the weekends as he doesn't see him Monday through Friday. Currently they're doing swimming lessons together on a Sunday and Ethan likes helping him walk Bruno at the weekends.?

Culturally it is much more different than we expected. Speaking the same language does not make the transition as easy as we expected. The differences are subtle in places and significant in others. I am still uncomfortable with the divide that wealth creates here. It feels that if you have money the quality of life is better than the UK, but if you don't it is worse. I especially don't like the divide this creates in the health system!

Overall we are having a great time. We do miss our family and friends lots and have had to learn to detach ourselves from these emotions. We are very fortunate that we've had so many visitors this year and that modern technology allows us to stay in touch easily. 

Halloween

Our second Halloween! Our first doesn't seem that long ago so scary to think a year has passed.

Ethan went to two Halloween parties this year.

His first was at the Y and he went as an elephant, his second at My Gym and he went as Superman. Photos below. His friend Lucy is the lion and Elsie the ladybug.