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Thanks to Kirk for posting the first online pictures of Catherine. Leslee is doing very well for someone who just went through a C-Section. She is already up and walking around. Daddy is proud as can be, and much of the family has already been in to visit.

Unfortunately, Catherine has jaundice, which makes her very tired. She is currently undergoing light therapy, which involves covering the baby's eyes, strapping the little baby into a little tanning bed in a combo fitted sheet/nighty, and then turning on these really bright blue lights. Any time not spent feeding or cleaning is spent in light therapy. I sent Kirk the picture below to illustrate.

PS. The whole fainting thing almost did come to pass. After 14 hours of labor, Leslee hadn't reached the pushing phase. Her doctor advised that we consider an immediate C-section. Leslee asked for the consent form. My mind, which had already packed its bags, left. C-sections have received such bad press lately, and I had been consuming quite a bit of it. I felt faint at the decision, but then I did some simple math. I counted the number of doctors in the room,3, and nurses, 2. I figured an average of 16 years experience. That's 90 years of medical experience saying its time for Caeserian versus 9 months of indiscriminant reading saying "maybe not such a good thing". The math was simple, I kept my mouth shut on my concerns and focussed on Leslee.

It was quick, and Leslee was up and walking by the next day, albeit not comfortably. If you are giving birth,even if you would prefer natural, you are best off someplace that has the staff and equipment to make the decision and act quickly. Surgical speed and accuracy are the determining factors for recuperation time.