Calla Sydney was born at home, 1:10 pm, November 22.
9 pounds even, 20 3/4 inches
I'll preface this by saying that with DD1, I had a 50 hour labor (plus a preceding day of prodromal labor). I just sort of assumed things would dawdle along this time, too. Wow, is it true that every labor is different!
I had a few hours of irregular, light contractions...a couple hours of more regular, heavier contractions (but nothing earth shattering--nothing regularly longer than 45 seconds)--and then bam! In about a half hour's time, we went from thinking, yeah, the midwife should get her things together and leave soon (it's an hour+ drive) to: I'm pushing and the baby is coming. About a half hour later, the baby was born.
DH and my dad, who's here to watch DD, were AWESOME. I'd written a previous post ("41 weeks and pissy") complaining mightily about them, but they TOTALLY came through. DH was assured and calm, supported me through all the contractions, supported my perenium, talked to the midwife on the phone through the delivery, encouraged me just when I needed it, slipped the looped cord from around the baby's neck, and opened a suction bulb package all at the same time. Meanwhile, my dad hung out with DD downstairs (she'd been awakened from her nap by my primal screams) and calmed her down and talked to her all about what was happening, using teddy bears and ribbon (for an umbilical cord) to illustrate.
I tore a little along my previous episiotomy scar. 1st degree, nothing major. The baby was pretty blue at first, but we brought her around with vigorous rubbing. Midwife, assistant, and doula arrived in time for the placenta to be delivered, vitals to be taken, and to clean up.
I really feel like I did almost nothing--this giant force just took over the seized me. I just hung on and breathed. The only thing I really "did" was flip onto all fours to deliver the shoulders--I'd been reading about the Gaskin manoeuvre the night before!
Calla is beautiful and nursing well.
9 pounds even, 20 3/4 inches
I'll preface this by saying that with DD1, I had a 50 hour labor (plus a preceding day of prodromal labor). I just sort of assumed things would dawdle along this time, too. Wow, is it true that every labor is different!
I had a few hours of irregular, light contractions...a couple hours of more regular, heavier contractions (but nothing earth shattering--nothing regularly longer than 45 seconds)--and then bam! In about a half hour's time, we went from thinking, yeah, the midwife should get her things together and leave soon (it's an hour+ drive) to: I'm pushing and the baby is coming. About a half hour later, the baby was born.
DH and my dad, who's here to watch DD, were AWESOME. I'd written a previous post ("41 weeks and pissy") complaining mightily about them, but they TOTALLY came through. DH was assured and calm, supported me through all the contractions, supported my perenium, talked to the midwife on the phone through the delivery, encouraged me just when I needed it, slipped the looped cord from around the baby's neck, and opened a suction bulb package all at the same time. Meanwhile, my dad hung out with DD downstairs (she'd been awakened from her nap by my primal screams) and calmed her down and talked to her all about what was happening, using teddy bears and ribbon (for an umbilical cord) to illustrate.
I tore a little along my previous episiotomy scar. 1st degree, nothing major. The baby was pretty blue at first, but we brought her around with vigorous rubbing. Midwife, assistant, and doula arrived in time for the placenta to be delivered, vitals to be taken, and to clean up.
I really feel like I did almost nothing--this giant force just took over the seized me. I just hung on and breathed. The only thing I really "did" was flip onto all fours to deliver the shoulders--I'd been reading about the Gaskin manoeuvre the night before!
Calla is beautiful and nursing well.
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