Update: full birth story found here: http://hippieincognito.com/?p=401
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Sorry I didn't post sooner but on Sunday January 8, our daughter Evie Ryan was born at 6:09PM. She weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces (today at 6 days old she is 8 pounds, 3.5 ounces so not bad!) and was 20 inches long.
Very early labor started last Saturday morning. I went to yoga, went to lunch and grocery shopping at Whole Foods, and then to Ikea to walk a bit...it was my youngest sister's last night at home before headed back to college so we all went for a sushi dinner, with my parents and grandparents. At dinner I was having mild to medium contractions about 10 minutes apart.
Labored throughout the night waking up every 7 to 12 minutes to get through the contraction and then sleeping in between them. On Sunday, I showered a bunch of times, walked outside, met with my doula (twice--she lives near us so she would pop over and check in), talked with my midwife on the phone, ate, drank, and snuggled with DH and just kept dealing with the contractions as they came. They were irregular and showing no signs of progressing (not longer, closer together, or stronger) so I was pretty bummed. While they weren't frequent, they still really hurt(!) and I couldn't imagine having to labor for an entire other day. I cried a little just mad at my labor. My parents came over to get the dogs and check on us. They left around 3:30 thinking I was still in early labor. Then I showered and when getting out I had a hard contraction and threw up. I tweeted that I just vomited but I am not in transition because contractions are so sporadic (ha!). At about 4:45 I got 5 strong contractions back to back and then my water broke on the bathroom floor! I instantly was bearing down and couldn't help it. My husband tried to remain calm while calling doula, midwife, et al to come asap. Our doula got to our house in 5 minutes and took a look at the scene and said that we might have the baby without the midwife (she lives an hour away). At this point I am in total shock and roaring through intense pushing contractions on the floor in my hallway. It must have been quite the scene.
Because we thought Sunday was a day for early labor, we hadn't even put plastic sheets on the bed, or filled the birth pool, etc. The next half hour or so is a blur as everyone was moving around me. My midwife said she drove 130 mph. She and my parents arrived and ran upstairs as Evie's head was coming out. Two pushes later Evie was earthside! DH helped catch her and announced, "It's a girl!!" And then everybody was really happy, crying, hugging, etc etc.
It was not the birth I expected but it was a good experience. We are so happy to be parents! She is precious and we are in love.
(I keep trying to post a picture but it's messing up. Will try again soon!)
Edited by HippieIncognito - 2/4/12 at 2:09pm
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