REposted for Jenmarie:<br><br>
Welcome to Naomi Star!<br><br>
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So, while it wasn't the comparatively quick birth I'd expected, things did move along at at least a somewhat different pace from DD's birth.<br><br>
Late on the evening of the 20th, sometime after my trip to HEB (a grocery store here, a trip I'm glad I made!), and during dinner, I started to have contractions again.<br><br>
Over the next couple of hours, I decided that these were promising, but after the 'practice' run a couple of days prior, I thought that we'd just wait it out and see... but that getting to bed soonish was a good plan. Mase came in to check on me a couple of times and they were hard enough that I wasn't able to get to sleep, but not incredibly uncomfortable.<br><br>
I got up and searched around for something to serve as a functional stopwatch, as I'd forgotten to get one. Eventually, on a whim, I pulled the $5 Walgreens watch that we'd bought when in labor with DD out of her baby box. It was still working. Mind you, I've had other watches in the interim, gifts and such, that are MUCH nicer that have all croaked. The cheapy made-in-china plastic POS that we got over 3 years ago? Still truckin' right along. *snort*<br><br>
So, I spend the night timing these contractions to see if this might be the real deal. They waffle around between 10-20 minutes apart, back and forth, all night, never letting me actually SLEEP, but I did get some rest as they weren't so uncomfortable that I couldn't lay down (unlike the night of early labor with my first labor). I'm VERY glad that I got a nice nap on Saturday afternoon.<br><br>
On Sunday, we're pretty sure things are actually happening, though at a very slow pace. I call Laurie (our midwife) at about 7am to give her a heads-up in case things start picking up once I'm moving around. I call my folks about an hour later to give them some time to get here. Then the contractions switch from being about 7-8 minutes apart to about 10-20 minutes apart, and SHORT. Not particularly impressive, and I'm wondering if I'm having another 'practice' day.<br><br>
I stay in regular contact with Laurie throughout the day, but I didn't call anyone else, as I had no idea whether or not this was actually going to HAPPEN any time soon, and I didn't want to subject folks to hanging around watching me either work or clean for several hours and/or hanging out with my parents for that time. heh<br>
I fully planned on making some calls when I KNEW things were really moving, but by the time THAT happened, I wasn't really able to do so. :|<br><br>
My parents got here mid-afternoon and played with DD and chatted with me. More see-saw action as far as contractions went, but I was getting tired. Laying down had become a surefire way of getting them to be more painful, but not of being any longer or closer together or regular. grr.<br><br>
My sister arrived and rubbed my feet and I contemplated trying to take a nap in the chair. I talked with Laurie again and she offered some homeopathic options for either slowing things down some to let me nap, or something that might help make the contractions more regular. By 8-ish, I was ready to try one or the other. I'd used my pump to try to strengthen/kick-start things, but it only worked for a little while (I thought).<br><br>
Turns out it had done a fine job, as when I got to Laurie's, I decided to have her check me. I had been unable to reach my cervix to self-check, so this made for my first vaginal check of this pregnancy. To everyone's surprise, I was 6-7cm dilated! Guess all my sporadic contracting had been more productive than we'd thought.<br><br>
Obviously, armed with this info, we decided to go with the Caulophyllum (blue cohosh) in a very, very tiny amount to see if we could regulate things a bit. As the drive over there had kind of already started to do that, I don't know how much affect it had had.<br><br>
We got back home and Laurie showed up shortly thereafter and called the other midwife, GB. Things seemed to be going along nicely and I was getting ready to see if the couple of folks who'd expressed an interest in being here wanted to come over.... when pretty much all of a sudden the contractions were long, intense, and only a minute or so apart.<br><br>
I hit transition pretty fast and was having a LOT of trouble relaxing. I just couldn't seem to find that zone that I got into last time around. My water still hadn't broken and there was a TON of pressure. We did another check and I was at 9cm. Sometime along after that Laurie suggested getting into the shower for a bit. Ok, sure, whatever you say.....<br><br>
While in the shower, the contractions spaced out a bit, giving me a bit more of break between them, but intensified SIGNIFICANTLY. Poor DH was almost dragged to the floor of the tub a few times as I leaned/fell into him. Finally I gave up trying to stand and found myself on my knees in the tub supporting myself with the soap thingie and the side of the tub, grinding my head into his thigh and PUSHING. Guess the tone of my vocalizations changed, as Laurie came in quickly and told me it would be fine to have the baby in there if I wanted. My knees were killing me (enough that I noticed despite everything else), and I had no idea how anyone else was going to FIT in that bathroom to help, so I somehow got up and back into the bedroom.<br><br>
Oh, over the course of the labor I had kept returning to a position that had me on my knees quite a bit, even though the contractions were VERY strong and particularly unpleasant there. I guess my body knew what it wanted, though, as that's immediately what I did on the bedroom floor once I was out of the shower. DH knelt in front of me and supported me so we were kind of in a face-to-face 'hug' position. And I pushed.<br><br>
On the second or third contraction/push, my water finally broke with a pop and I knew that in the next few minutes we'd meet our baby. One more, and the head crowned. GB called out to mom/sis that if they wanted to be there for the delivery, they'd better get in NOW. (I'd warned Laurie that I was a STRONG pusher! *laugh*)<br><br>
One more, and the baby's head (and hand) slid free, and another for her body. Laurie slid the baby forward between my legs and wrapped her up in a towel. She had a nice strong cry and a longer cord than DD had at birth. DD came around and Laurie let her peek into the towel to see the baby's gender. The cord was in the way, so there was some maneuvering that had to take place to see the important bits.<br>
As I had my glasses off, I couldn't have seen anyways... even though I was looking right at her. Yeah, I'm that blind. hheheh<br><br>
DD makes her announcement, followed by "ewwwww." She promptly leaves the scene to go do something more interesting.<br>
I can't really blame her, because the baby was a mess, Mommy was a mess, and she was DONE with the whole thing. She'd done her 'job' and was on to bigger and better tasks.<br><br>
The midwives get me reclined against my big blue exercise ball, and put the baby up on me. After a few minutes I push again for the placenta. Our new little girl is PISSED, but eventually finds the boobie and latches on like a pro.<br><br>
After a bit of melee and my mom trying to get me mostly covered so my dad can take photos, I want to move to the bed. Once in the bed, the midwives do most of their basic checks and stuff with the baby still latched on to me, and then leave the room so that DH, the now-returned DD, and I can properly introduce ourselves to the baby.<br><br>
Some time later, they come back and finish up.... My sister cuts the cord, the baby gets weighed, and some assorted other things happen. I donate my placenta to an organization Laurie knows about that trains rescue dogs. Apparently they use 'em in training exercises because they smell like human blood. Weird, but interesting! It's not like I have any further use for it, so sure, why not! *laugh*<br><br>
I only tore a teeny tiny bit, not enough to need even a stitch, and probably wouldn't have even had that had not the Naomi's hand been up by her face as she came through.<br><br>
After some more odds and ends and finishing up, DH takes the snoozing baby for a few minutes while I read DD a story and cuddle her to sleep. Then I get to sleep between my girls for the first time. DH snags some needed sustenance and crashes on the futon.<br><br>
Soon we'll set up the crib sidecar, which will open up more room in the bed and maybe then we can get the whole family in here. Yay!!<br><br>
Born on Sunday, 10/21, at 11:48pm<br>
9 pounds, 9 ounces<br>
21" long<br>
14.5" head
Anyway, we have been nursing and Gavin is a pro, having tons of wet and dirty diapers, so no worried in the end. And the respiratory issues are gone now.<br><br>
