I know you all don't know me, but I've been lurking here for awhile, enjoying reading everyone's posts. But I'm too excited to stay silent anymore. 
Our first child, Katmai Winter, was born on Valentine's Day! -- four days after his official due date.
I had a completely natural birth in a small town Alaska hospital, with a wonderful midwife and nurse (and of course my wonderful husband). I think I just became the only person ever to walk to the hospital while in labor -- arriving at 8 centimeters -- which surprised me as much as everyone else!
Katmai was a little asynclitic (slightly sideways), so it was incredibly difficult to push him out. The rest of the labor went pretty smoothly, but it took well over 3 hours of really hard pushing to get him through! He was born a bit stunned, so they had to give him a bit of oxygen, but he perked right up, and is totally perfect and amazing and healthy (with quite a cone head still). He weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces, and I'm glad he wasn't any bigger!
It's fun to read all the birth announcements popping up here all of a sudden.
Our first child, Katmai Winter, was born on Valentine's Day! -- four days after his official due date.
I had a completely natural birth in a small town Alaska hospital, with a wonderful midwife and nurse (and of course my wonderful husband). I think I just became the only person ever to walk to the hospital while in labor -- arriving at 8 centimeters -- which surprised me as much as everyone else!
Katmai was a little asynclitic (slightly sideways), so it was incredibly difficult to push him out. The rest of the labor went pretty smoothly, but it took well over 3 hours of really hard pushing to get him through! He was born a bit stunned, so they had to give him a bit of oxygen, but he perked right up, and is totally perfect and amazing and healthy (with quite a cone head still). He weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces, and I'm glad he wasn't any bigger!
It's fun to read all the birth announcements popping up here all of a sudden.
: It took me four hours to push out my first son. 
