NEW - labor slideshow I created to thank my doulas for anyone who'd like to watch 
It's kind of long so be prepared . . .
http://smilebox.com/playEmail/4d6a6b...46b790d0a&sb=1
This will be quick because I've got a crying little one that needs to be swaddled, but Bodhi Grayson, my little baby boy was born 2/26/08 at 3:06 am and weighed 7lbs 7oz and is doing great!
Here are a few pics:
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0254.jpg - Happy Mama
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0246.jpg - Proud Papa
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0204.jpg - My 2yr old dd, new son and my sister
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0166.jpg - me and my two doulas
Birth story (It's LONG!):
On Sunday night I slept on the couch downstairs because I was stuffed up, sick and starting to have more intense BH contractions. I ended up waking up throughout the night with contractions that would wake me at times, but I could sleep through other times.
When Monday morning rolled around, I decided to get into the tub to help relax and get some reprieve from the cxts (abbreviation??) although they weren't very regular.
At 7:25 I started timing them and they were getting regular but then spaced out again before getting more regular. I spent the day at home with easy early labor and all the comforts of home. I ended having both of my doulas come over that evening when the cxts were still pretty far apart but they were getting more intense. I was in good spirits, I had my dh and my 2 doulas helping me upstairs, my mom, grandma and grandpa taking care of my 2-yr old dd downstairs while I labored and enjoyed the company of my labor team. I called my doctor around 5:30 and she wanted me to get to the hospital right away because I was GBS + and she wanted me on IV antibiotics. Although I really do like my doctor, I didn’t want to stall my labor or be there longer than necessary so I waited until 9pm to finally go to the hospital.
I was 6 cm and paper thin when I showed up and they got me into a L&D room quickly w/ my dh and doulas. My mom, sister (who flew in from CA to be there) and aunt showed up shortly thereafter and we all chatted and enjoyed each others’ company in between contractions. I got hooked up to all the monitors, got an IV of antibiotics running (after the nurse tried 3 times to get the hep-lock in place ) and was more than glad to have my dh and 2 doulas helping me manage the cxts. I was finally unhooked and went into the shower to let the hot water relieve the back labor. My dh came with and helped me with counter pressure and warm blankets when I was ready to get out. I asked to get into the Japanese soaking tub that the hospital has, but of course, the nurse I had had never had anyone request to use it so she went to find out what the protocol was. And not surprisingly, they require that you’re monitored for 20 minutes before you can go in and naturally the initial monitoring I had didn’t count. I did the monitoring and eventually got in, but the water temp limit was 100 degrees and wasn’t as relaxing as I had hoped. My dh and 2 doulas were in the room with me, dh was meditating and one of my doulas was giving me reiki treatments while the other took pictures and adjusted the water temp. By the time I got out, I had progressed quite a bit with contractions coming quickly and intensely. Wrapped in a warm blanket, I walked down the hallway back to my room, stopping every few feet with a contraction.
Once back in the room, they checked me again and I was 8cm and getting much closer. They called my doctor and she was on her way. I was having a much harder time with the strong cxts and everyone took turns helping to push in on my hips and apply pressure to my back while I leaned against a wall. I lost track of time, I didn’t know who was helping me at any given time, but I was fully supported and allowed my space to moan, hum, shhhh, etc as I needed.
My doc finally showed up and although I wasn’t ready to push yet, I was ready to get going. I asked my doc if she would break my water to move things along and she said ok, as soon as the antibiotics were done. She went to get things ready for delivery and one of my doulas suggested changing positions to help move things along. I sat up, got hit with an alarmingly intense cxt and there went my water! The antibiotics were done and everyone kicked into high gear to deliver the baby. I tried pushing once on my back and hated it so I turned onto my side and started pushing. I pushed 6 or 8 times and successfully delivered my son – without any drugs!
My dh caught him and delivered him onto my chest where I was able to hold him while the nurses gently looked him over. Bodhi didn’t really cry, he was just mellow as could be. We had refused the eye goop, vit k and hep b and no one even asked about it. We also decided not to bathe him and just wiped some of the vernix off and into his skin. It was wonderful! He was 7 lbs 7 oz, 20 inches long and born at 3:06 a.m. 2/26/08.
We are home now and working on breastfeeding, I can’t wait until my milk comes in and our nursing relationship becomes a breeze .
Thanks so much for your support and friendship through this pregnancy, ladies – so many words of wisdom from you mamas came to me during my labor and helped me do it au naturale! I can’t wait to hear about everyone else’s stories now!
~Candice
It's kind of long so be prepared . . .http://smilebox.com/playEmail/4d6a6b...46b790d0a&sb=1
This will be quick because I've got a crying little one that needs to be swaddled, but Bodhi Grayson, my little baby boy was born 2/26/08 at 3:06 am and weighed 7lbs 7oz and is doing great!
Here are a few pics:
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0254.jpg - Happy Mama
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0246.jpg - Proud Papa
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0204.jpg - My 2yr old dd, new son and my sister
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...2/IMG_0166.jpg - me and my two doulas
Birth story (It's LONG!):
On Sunday night I slept on the couch downstairs because I was stuffed up, sick and starting to have more intense BH contractions. I ended up waking up throughout the night with contractions that would wake me at times, but I could sleep through other times.
When Monday morning rolled around, I decided to get into the tub to help relax and get some reprieve from the cxts (abbreviation??) although they weren't very regular.
At 7:25 I started timing them and they were getting regular but then spaced out again before getting more regular. I spent the day at home with easy early labor and all the comforts of home. I ended having both of my doulas come over that evening when the cxts were still pretty far apart but they were getting more intense. I was in good spirits, I had my dh and my 2 doulas helping me upstairs, my mom, grandma and grandpa taking care of my 2-yr old dd downstairs while I labored and enjoyed the company of my labor team. I called my doctor around 5:30 and she wanted me to get to the hospital right away because I was GBS + and she wanted me on IV antibiotics. Although I really do like my doctor, I didn’t want to stall my labor or be there longer than necessary so I waited until 9pm to finally go to the hospital.
I was 6 cm and paper thin when I showed up and they got me into a L&D room quickly w/ my dh and doulas. My mom, sister (who flew in from CA to be there) and aunt showed up shortly thereafter and we all chatted and enjoyed each others’ company in between contractions. I got hooked up to all the monitors, got an IV of antibiotics running (after the nurse tried 3 times to get the hep-lock in place ) and was more than glad to have my dh and 2 doulas helping me manage the cxts. I was finally unhooked and went into the shower to let the hot water relieve the back labor. My dh came with and helped me with counter pressure and warm blankets when I was ready to get out. I asked to get into the Japanese soaking tub that the hospital has, but of course, the nurse I had had never had anyone request to use it so she went to find out what the protocol was. And not surprisingly, they require that you’re monitored for 20 minutes before you can go in and naturally the initial monitoring I had didn’t count. I did the monitoring and eventually got in, but the water temp limit was 100 degrees and wasn’t as relaxing as I had hoped. My dh and 2 doulas were in the room with me, dh was meditating and one of my doulas was giving me reiki treatments while the other took pictures and adjusted the water temp. By the time I got out, I had progressed quite a bit with contractions coming quickly and intensely. Wrapped in a warm blanket, I walked down the hallway back to my room, stopping every few feet with a contraction.
Once back in the room, they checked me again and I was 8cm and getting much closer. They called my doctor and she was on her way. I was having a much harder time with the strong cxts and everyone took turns helping to push in on my hips and apply pressure to my back while I leaned against a wall. I lost track of time, I didn’t know who was helping me at any given time, but I was fully supported and allowed my space to moan, hum, shhhh, etc as I needed.
My doc finally showed up and although I wasn’t ready to push yet, I was ready to get going. I asked my doc if she would break my water to move things along and she said ok, as soon as the antibiotics were done. She went to get things ready for delivery and one of my doulas suggested changing positions to help move things along. I sat up, got hit with an alarmingly intense cxt and there went my water! The antibiotics were done and everyone kicked into high gear to deliver the baby. I tried pushing once on my back and hated it so I turned onto my side and started pushing. I pushed 6 or 8 times and successfully delivered my son – without any drugs!
My dh caught him and delivered him onto my chest where I was able to hold him while the nurses gently looked him over. Bodhi didn’t really cry, he was just mellow as could be. We had refused the eye goop, vit k and hep b and no one even asked about it. We also decided not to bathe him and just wiped some of the vernix off and into his skin. It was wonderful! He was 7 lbs 7 oz, 20 inches long and born at 3:06 a.m. 2/26/08.
We are home now and working on breastfeeding, I can’t wait until my milk comes in and our nursing relationship becomes a breeze .
Thanks so much for your support and friendship through this pregnancy, ladies – so many words of wisdom from you mamas came to me during my labor and helped me do it au naturale! I can’t wait to hear about everyone else’s stories now!
~Candice
