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UPDATE: Emerson is here! (Anbody else water break first? I'm in labor...) - Page 2  

post #21 of 33
6/20/06 at 7:14pm

Welcome Emerson!

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Congrats to them!!
post #22 of 33
6/20/06 at 8:52pm
Thread Starter 
So, a week later and I can finally get a chance to tell y'all about this beautiful boy ...

Emerson Asher was born 2:16 pm June 13th
he weighed 9 lbs 2 oz and was 21 1/2 in long

He and I are both healthy after a *very* long labor (60 hours) which brought us to the hospital instead of delivering at home as we had planned. But I *did* deliver vaginally so I am grateful for avoiding a c-section after all the time we spent trying to help him make an appearance. I'm sure that if we had gone to the hospital in the first place (instead of HB) they would have started talking c-section early on even though baby vitals were staying strong).

Here is the summary of our birth story:
-> Sat night 6/10, water breaks 10:30 pm
contx start around 3 am Sunday 6/11 and I get out of bed @ 4:30 (see previous posts)
-> Up all day and night sunday in labor - first exam by HB midwife Monday morning (30+ hours past water breaking) shows I'm still only at 3 cm dilation, 80% effaced
-> Pull out *all* the stops all day Monday with the help of midwives to keep labor progressing (every 20 min cycles of herbs, acupuncture, nipple stim, etc); contx take coping with but don't keep progressing to the next level
->Second exam at home Monday afternoon shows I'm still only 4-5 cm after 40 hours of labor and no sleep (all along, baby vitals are strong and no signs of infection)
-> We very tearfully decide to go to the hospital (now Monday night 6/12) to see if we can use their interventions to our advantage while baby is still healthy and not showing distress
-> HB midwives go with us to the hospital and stay the entire time; the hospital staff, nurses, and midwives are all very supportive and surprisingly understanding of our emotional state after leaving home. Their eyes do get very wide when they hear how long my water has been broken, though!
-> At the hospital, first try low pitocin that gives me killer contx; I am already so exhausted it feels like a nightmare and I still only dilate to 6 cm. But baby is still healthy, so I only have to have the external monitor and contraction monitor - not internal fetal monitor.
-> Finally decide early Tues 6/13 to have an epidural so I can rest and the pit can get turned up ... a few hours of sleep and the first good news; I am dilating!
-> baby is low and signs are still good, though there is some mec; time to turn down the epi and then I can feel enough that I am pushing my baby out!
-> Emerson emerges at 2:16, (they suctioned the mec out of his mouth when just his head was out) so he goes right to my belly, cord was cut after it stopped pulsating, he roots around on my chest, and we never let him go for the first 1.5 hours in the labor room. We find out how big he is when they weigh him 2 hours later. Wow!!
-> in recovery room we decide to spend one night at hospital (they wanted us there longer for observation) and we refuse bath, vax, tests, etc because our midwives will do the ones we want at home for us later. DP, me, and Emerson go home Weds, about 24 hours after his birth and then the recovery time begins at home.

DP and I are recovering well - now after a week with 'round the clock support from my mom, I feel like we are at least in the normal range of exhausted new parents, instead of the dead on my feet that I was post-delivery after not having slept for 3 very long days of labor. Em is nursing like a champ and is already back up to birth weight!

Thanks to all of you who kept vigil or sent wishes for us.
love to the moms who are laboring now and those at home with the new wee ones.

now the real adventure begins...

peace,
Rachel
post #23 of 33
6/20/06 at 9:01pm
Oh my gosh, stubborn little guy! Congrats to you and your partner. Good job on staying strong through what sounds like a marathon! I admire your strength.
post #24 of 33
6/20/06 at 9:02pm
Thank you so much for sharing. Glad to hear you've gotten some rest and you are all healthy and doing well!
post #25 of 33
6/20/06 at 9:22pm
WoW - I'm so glad everything turned out OK! COngratulations!
post #26 of 33
6/20/06 at 11:47pm
Wonderful news! Thanks for letting us know!!
post #27 of 33
6/21/06 at 12:18am
Wow, what a week, eh? I'm glad you all came through OK. Rest well and enjoy your little one!
post #28 of 33
6/21/06 at 4:04am
Congratulations!
post #29 of 33
6/21/06 at 11:05am
congrtas!!!
post #30 of 33
6/21/06 at 11:54am
Great Story!! Congrats Mamas!!! Enjoy that little one!
post #31 of 33
6/21/06 at 12:22pm
How exhausting! Glad your little one made it safe and sound. Congrats and enjoy your BabyMoon!
post #32 of 33
6/22/06 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all - I added a few pics to the link in my siggy.
thanks again for all the lovey vibes ... we are doing great!
post #33 of 33
6/22/06 at 9:23pm

Awwww!!!

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