Aesop Glenn was born peacefully at home at 5:44p on Friday, January 25, 2007 after an intense 13-hour labor. He was 7 lbs., 12 oz. and 20.5 in. long. He has a very delicious and fuzzy head, his dad's cleft chin and long fingers, and really bright blue eyes (for now, anyway). And it only took us three days to name him. 
I was having irregular contractions and lots of signs of early labor for a couple of days before active labor really hit me hard at about 9:00a on the 25th. There was nothing--no book, no advice, no second-hand experience, no relaxation technique--that could have possibly ever prepared me for the pain of labor. It was terrible and beautiful: it seared everything clear and clean and white and I became totally feral... a roaring, moaning beast. It sounds silly now, but at one point I was pretty sure I was going to die.
The pushing stage lasted for more hours than I care to count. At one point I was begging the midwife to take me to the hospital and cut him out of me. Thankfully, she refused and he was delivered medication- and intervention-free.
I actually had some pretty serious blood loss--1200 CCs--and a second-degree tear that required six stitches (all the way from my vagina to my anus). I only started sitting up yesterday, which has made things a lot easier. My body is currently a mess and healing can't progress quickly enough.
The days since his birth have been a blur of breastfeeding, diaper changes, and epic snugglefests. I know co-sleeping doesn't work for everyone, but I can't imagine not sleeping snuggled up to Aesop--it's like snuggling cats times 2342798. He's been a blast so far. I had no idea newborns could be so alert, active, and strong. The day he was born, he could already hold his head up and look around (thanks again, natural birth!). He spends a lot of time trying to figure out all the stuff that he sees.
He's still a little battle-worn, but here are a few photos of him when he was still fresh out of the womb:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Aesop%20Rocks/
I was having irregular contractions and lots of signs of early labor for a couple of days before active labor really hit me hard at about 9:00a on the 25th. There was nothing--no book, no advice, no second-hand experience, no relaxation technique--that could have possibly ever prepared me for the pain of labor. It was terrible and beautiful: it seared everything clear and clean and white and I became totally feral... a roaring, moaning beast. It sounds silly now, but at one point I was pretty sure I was going to die.
The pushing stage lasted for more hours than I care to count. At one point I was begging the midwife to take me to the hospital and cut him out of me. Thankfully, she refused and he was delivered medication- and intervention-free.
I actually had some pretty serious blood loss--1200 CCs--and a second-degree tear that required six stitches (all the way from my vagina to my anus). I only started sitting up yesterday, which has made things a lot easier. My body is currently a mess and healing can't progress quickly enough.
The days since his birth have been a blur of breastfeeding, diaper changes, and epic snugglefests. I know co-sleeping doesn't work for everyone, but I can't imagine not sleeping snuggled up to Aesop--it's like snuggling cats times 2342798. He's been a blast so far. I had no idea newborns could be so alert, active, and strong. The day he was born, he could already hold his head up and look around (thanks again, natural birth!). He spends a lot of time trying to figure out all the stuff that he sees.
He's still a little battle-worn, but here are a few photos of him when he was still fresh out of the womb:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Aesop%20Rocks/
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