The Birth- Part 2

I waddled back over to my room and sat on the bed for awhile waiting for the contractions to get stronger. This was a few minutes after 2:00 and it wasn't too long before they started to get painful. Melanie started drawing a bath for me and we all just kind of chilled for awhile. Linda would bring Clara in and out for a few minutes at a time. She was wired and there was no way she was going back to sleep. There was far too much excitement going on in the room next door.



Our last picture as a family of three.




It was such a vastly different experience from the hospital. The lights were dimmed and soft music was playing. It was just us and Melanie at this point. She checked my temperature and blood pressure on several occasions and checked the baby's heart rate periodically throughout labor with the doppler.

I got in the bath with the jets running and it felt soooo nice. I didn't realize how nice until I got out to pee in between contractions. They were coming really close together, but I thought I could get out and back in between them. I had a contraction while I was out of the tub and it was so much worse than in the tub. I think the jets not only felt good but were a wonderful distraction.

I hadn't bled at all up to this point. I told Melanie that I passed a little blood and she said it was time to call Sally, the birth assistant. I don't know what time this was, but it wasn't too long after she broke my water. I didn't know it, but when the assistant is called, that means birth isn't too far out.

I couldn't believe it was happening so fast. By the time Sally got there, I wasn't paying too much attention to anything because my contractions were very painful and right on top of each other. She moved around quietly and talked in a very soothing voice. She told me that if I needed a cold washcloth, she would warn me before putting on my face. She had ice water for me between contractions and was just generally there with anything she thought I might need. It was really nice.

Then it was transition time. I said I was going to throw up and immediately she handed Chris a bottle of peppermint oil to wave under my nose, instructing me to breath deep. She had a cold washcloth on my face and grabbed a pan just in case I did. It was all so effortless and thankfully I didn't throw up in the bath water I was sitting in. I was beginning to think twice about the whole no pain meds thing when they said that the nausea and pressure meant we were close.

When he heard that, Chris went and turned on the video camera we had set up on a tripod earlier, so I think we ended up with the last 15-20 minutes on video. Sally and Melanie had been walking around the room and would talk in whispers so as not to disturb me. Chris knelt by the tub the whole time. And then I felt the terrible pressure and told them I felt like I was going to have a bowel movement. Melanie said I was complete and I could push.

There was no one counting to ten or telling me when to push or anything. My body just naturally did what it was supposed to do. Crazy, huh? I'm tall enough that my feet touched the end of the tub. I was able to just push with my feet and never had to pull my knees up or anything. I was essentially floating as I gave birth. Chris was able to see the head and said it was pointy and looked really messed up. Melanie told Chris to feel the head, but he's a bit squeamish about that kind of stuff, so he declined. (He thinks it's gross to hold a pregnancy test because it has human waste on it.) Looking at the video, she eventually grabs his hand and puts it on the baby's head. She wasn't going to let him get away with not feeling it. Ha! I was able to feel it too.

When he was about to crown, Melanie did tell me to stop pushing and just blow as she helped out hoping to prevent tearing. I got the head out and when the shoulders passed, she told me to reach down and pull him out. I still had a washcloth covering my eyes and I don't think I had opened them at all while pushing, but I reached down, not knowing what part I was grabbing and placed him on my chest.

He was so cheesy! I know it's not the best picture, but look at that! She said he looked to be a 39-weeker.





I hadn't even thought to find out what he was at this point. It was just such an awesome relief to have that thing out of me! I wasn't really thinking straight. Chris immediately went and got Linda and Clara, so once they came in, I took a look and he was all boy.

The Birth-Part 1

This may be very detailed, so I'll break it up into multiple parts. I should note that before bed on Sunday Chris told me he really didn't want to go to work the next day and Linda said she'd see us around 2 a.m., so the pressure was on.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday I started having regular contractions. They were about 7-8 minutes apart. I didn't think too much of them because they weren't painful yet, so I tried to sleep. Sleep wouldn't come and after awhile I realized they were regular and closer together.

I walked around and drank some water to see if they'd go away and they just kept coming, so around 12:30 I woke Chris to help me time them. They were about 2-3 minutes apart and 45 seconds to a minute in duration. I didn't know whether or not to call Melanie because although they were more intense, they still weren't painful and I was walking and talking easily through them.

A little after 1:00 a.m. I decided to call her and make sure. I just really didn't want to wait too long since they had been consistent and gotten closer together over several hours and I was dilated to at least a 5. She told me to take a shower and see if they went away and then call her back. Chris said he wanted to take a 10 minute nap while I showered. I guess that should've been my first clue he wasn't feeling well.

They were still coming 2 minutes apart so she told us to come on in. We got Linda and Clara up and threw our last minute stuff in the car and were off. Wouldn't you know it, my contractions eased up just a bit and were closer to 3 minutes apart on the drive there. Here's Clara on our way to the birth center.



Melanie got there a few minutes before us and was getting the room ready when we arrived. She took me over to the exam room to check me out first. I was 5-6 cm. and 80% effaced, so she asked me if I wanted her to break my water. I was pretty much done with the waiting game, so I said yes.

The Short Version

Sorry I've not updated. Here's what we got. Clara has had a little cold since the weekend. Just stuffy, runny nose, but combine that with a new little brother and, well.....you know.

Chris woke with sinus problems the morning I had Robert. He deserves a medal for not letting on just how sick he was during the birth. I just thought he was tired. He went downhill fast and went into the doctor yesterday morning. He passed out on the way to the exam room. The doc wanted to hospitalize him, but he refused. He has a chest and sinus infection and his oxygen was way out of control, so after $350 in meds and 'round the clock breathing treatments, he's feeling better. He goes back this morning and if his levels aren't better, he may be admitted.

Robert had his checkup yesterday and looks great! The dr. was a little concerned about me being GBS positive and only having a few days on the antibiotic, so we're going to get bloodwork done this am just to be safe. He's wanted to nurse non-stop and I think he's frustrated that he's not getting anything after a while, so hopefully my milk comes in soon. According to yesterday's nursing log, I nursed him at least 15 times and he had 6 poopy diapers! I leave him sleeping for 10 minutes and go try to sleep and he's up and only Mommy will do, so I've had it pretty rough. Since Chris has been so sick, he's only held him for a few minutes total.

I started getting a sore throat right after the birth. I did the same with Clara b/c of the weird grunting and breathing I did during the delivery and I thought this was the same. I now think I got a touch of Clara's cold. I'm fine otherwise except for lack of sleep. The little guy did awesome last night though. After a good cry from me yesterday as I'm trying to process everything going on here, and then another good middle of the night cry and some ernest praying on my part, Robert and I slept about 4 hours straight! From about 2-6. I had only slept about 3 hours total before that. I'm doing good now.

Linda, well Linda's probably kicking herself for deciding to come take care of us :) We're quite a sight over here. Clara's had several knock down drag outs that have included being very mean to Grandma and have been very embarrassing for Mommy. Hopefully with Chris feeling better and me having had a little sleep, she'll do better today. Linda's been a lifesaver and I hope she agrees to come back some day!

Well, gotta get up and at em. We've got a busy morning! Please just keep us all in your prayers. I'll try to update later today.

It's a Boy!!

Robert Fox was born at 4:02 this morning! He's 7 lb. 14 oz. and 21.5 inches long. I went to the birth center at 2:00 with contractions about 2 minutes apart. They weren't very painful, but they were consistent and had gotten closer together over the previous 3 hours. She checked me and I was between a 5 and 6, so she asked if I wanted her to break my water. "Yes please", I told her.

Clara was with us and stayed awake the entire time, coming in every so often until I started transitioning. She and Grandma came back in right after he came shooting out. He was quite a cheesy fellow. Clara has been just fine with a brother; she loves the little guy. No problems at all!

We are doing great and got home around 8:30. I'll try to write out a little more detail later. Thanks for all of your prayers and encouraging words these last few weeks!

Happy Due Date to Me!

I'm 136 pounds and baby can't be too much longer before making it's grand entrance. It's just trying to get everyone pepped up and excited and I believe it's succeeding!

I had my 40 week appointment this morning and everything looks great. I'm dilated to a 5, 75% effaced, and the baby is still at a +1 station. It's gotten into a little better position, with it's back more in line with my abdomen. I asked her for a guess on it's size and she said around 7.5. (Clara's ob guessed 7 or a little over and she was 7 lb., 3 oz., so we'll see if Melanie's as good a guesser.) She would've swept my membranes, but said it probably would've put me into labor at this point and since I had Clara with me, Chris not with me, and a dirty house we opted not to go that route.

She doesn't think I have too much longer, but I have an appointment on Tuesday morning and we'll be ready and more aggressive if I have to actually keep that appointment. I'm GBS positive, so she called in an oral antibiotic for me to start taking right now.

This is actually happening it seems. Chris' mom went ahead and got a flight after getting the news this am and should be here soon! I'm so glad she'll get to be here for the birth. I'm just so excited, I'm having a hard time thinking right now, so I guess that's all for now. I need to go clean something!

Oh, and you guys were soooo much help with the guessing the gender thing. I could've saved us all time and just flipped a coin. Thanks :)

J Dog to the Rescue

Our friend Jason (J Dog) came to stay with us for awhile. He worked with Chris in Huntsville and lived with us for awhile when Clara was a baby. The plan was for him to be here before the baby was born and help out with a few things. He'd be able to stay with Clara when we went to the birth center and then he would bring her up to see the baby when we were ready. Then he'd head home soon after with an extra dog in tow. It was a great plan.

He couldn't stay forever though, and he's been here for two weeks now, so he and Dingle went ahead and left this afternoon. I'm sure the baby will come tonight :) I am an emotional mess just as I suspected. I actually cried after Dingle was gone.

Jason put up the chair rail entirely by himself.

And then one day Clara and I came home only to discover a small snake on the front porch. We went through the garage and called J Dog to come get the snake. He was very brave to catch it for us even though he had assumed it was a grass snake and not some scary looking one. Anyone know what this is?

He cooked dinner several nights, ran to the grocery store, cleaned out the refrigerator of a few leftovers that I don't even know how long they had been in there, ran the dishwasher, played with Clara, played with Clara some more, tolerated Clara's incessant jabbering and knocking on the door while he was in the bathroom.

The child was smitten with J Dog. She didn't want to leave his side the entire two weeks. They played hide and seek and tag and he swung her on the swing. She wanted to sit by him and play video games with him and read with him. They took turns trying to scare each other every time one of them would come downstairs. She's been in heaven with all the extra attention and I've been in heaven having an extra set of hands to entertain.

We took a few last photos with Dingle before saying goodbye. I know she'll be taken good care of and I'm just so grateful for a friend who would tolerate us (mainly me, a nine month pregnant woman) for two weeks straight and then take our old crippled dog off our hands. Thanks for everything J Dog!

Thirty-Nine Weeks

I guess I should post something. I know everyone is wondering if this baby is here yet. I am so done. I'm a frustrated, foggy-headed, hormonal mess. I've just been walking around in a daze. I haven't committed to anything for the last week or so because I was positive I'd have a baby by now.

Ok, now that I got that out of the way....... I'm 134 pounds and who knows what the baby is. I'm not even going to look it up because Clara was 2 weeks early and 7 lb., 3 oz. and I don't want to know how big the baby probably is now. I know, the weight doesn't really matter, but Clara's head size has always hovered around the 100th percentile and Chris was a big baby, so I'm just slightly anxious to get this thing out of me sooner rather than later.

There have been several nights that I've thought "this is it", but as it turns out, the baby was just messing with me. One night I woke 4 different times with very painful contractions 3-5 minutes apart. I'd have 4 or 5 of them, then they'd get further apart and I'd fall asleep again. That was a week ago.

Some nights I wake at least every hour with horrible pain in the side I'm sleeping on, wincing in pain as I roll to the other side. And then other nights I'll sleep through the night on one side waking maybe once to pee. I have no idea what causes the awful nights.

My feet started swelling a few days ago. I'd never experienced swelling before and man is it painful! My legs and feet just tingle and feel numb from the knee down. Thankfully it's only just now become a issue. The baby is still very active, especially right as I'm trying to fall asleep. If it gets bad, a lot of times all I have to do is lift my shirt and it stops. I don't know if it's the light or what, but it will calm right down. I just realized the baby doesn't get startled when the dogs bark, which is great. Clara was the same way. The barking didn't bother her before or after she was born.

Sorry about my little pity party. Don't mind me; like I said I'm a complete mess. I'll be right as rain as soon once I'm able to hold my sweet baby. I'm beyond thankful that the baby is healthy and getting big and strong and I cannot wait to find out if there's more pink in our future or if we're in for something totally different. The suspense is killing me!

Prenatal Appointment- 38 Weeks

How this baby has not just fallen out of me, I don't know. I had my appointment on Friday and yet again, the midwife was amazed at how low the head was. Still posterior though, so another uncomfortable exam. I'm 4 cm, really thinned out and the baby is at +1 station. I'm still measuring at 34 weeks, which is what I've measured for the past few weeks. Apparently I'm measuring small because the baby is so low.

I can feel the baby's head down low. I can't cross my legs because I feel like I'm squeezing it's head. My waddle is beyond ridiculous now. I seriously don't know how I'm still pregnant. I've been saying "any day now" for about a week. I'm hoping I don't make it to my next appointment on Friday.

Have We Turned a Corner?

Clara has been just the sweetest thing lately, which is a vast change from the several months prior. She really had been pushing my buttons every chance she got. I'm not sure I mentioned it, but a few weeks ago, she was mad at me because she didn't get to stay for lunch after ladies bible class. On the drive home she told me she didn't love me anymore. And to drive the point home further, she said that she still loved Daddy though.

But now? Now she's full of loving words. On the way to church today she told me I was gorgeous. She's given me tons of her Halloween candy and has been loving on my belly for the past week or so. She'll just come up and pull my shirt up and talk to the baby for a while, then give it hugs and kisses. She's been perfect at my last two midwife appointments and sitting still and quiet during church. She's getting right into her carseat without a fight and listening so well when we ask her to do something.

So, tell me this isn't just a phase as the baby gets closer to being here. If it is, any pointers on how to get the sweet child back after her sibling gets here would be much appreciated. Thankfully, the baby did think ahead and get his/her big sister a gift for the big day, so hopefully he/she will get some good mileage out of that.

Oh btw, there's a poll to the right so you can take a guess as to what this baby's gonna be.