Emma's birth story

Ready to have a baby and be comfortable again.  Check out that belly!

It took seven pokes a super-cool-Star-Trek-looking gadget to get an I.V. going.  I recommend having a shot of benzocaine to numb an I.V. spot before attempting a full on stick with the needle.  Eventually my nurse had to use a smaller needle and it held on with a prayer.  I had the sore arms and bruises to prove those needle sticks!  I kept saying "I've stepped on Lego's in the dead of night and thety hurt worse than this!"  But I.V.'s are still an owie in my book.

Walking around to get the pitocin to work.  I had a pole next to me and would take off all of those belts and straps so I could walk around.

The pitocin was started at 4:30pm.  At 8:00 I had my nurse check me and she said I was "easily at a five".  I would have been happy with being three centimeters!  At 8:30 my doctor came in and broke my water and immediately my contracts were extremely strong and exactly two minutes a part.  I was laying in bed and said "I need to get on my birthing ball before these contractions get even harder and I can't move."  I waited until a contraction ended and then moved onto the ball.  Christina was quietly saying "Good job" and "Breath your baby out" which is so true.  I concentrated on having a loose jaw, non-clenched hands, and to not tense up when feeling a contraction coming on.  It is so 'against nature' to not tense up, it's like not holding on for dear life when you see you're in a head on collision.  However, it helps the contraction do its job if you chill out and don't get scared.

I asked Christina to braid my hair.  I wanted to at least have my hair out of my face for pictures.  In this picture I look like I'm at about 9 cm.  The ice pack is on my arm from recieving antibiotics that hurt like the dickens!  The nurse rushed two doses into my vein at one time and boy did it sting, so we put an ice pack on my arm.  I felt like a wasp sting.

After about forty minutes of intense labor I looked up at Christina and said "I feel grunty" which are code words for "I am about two contractions from pushing out a baby".  I wiggled back into bed, saw that Christina and the nurse were at the foot of the bed, felt at peace enough to push without having to announce that I needed to, and pushed her out.  Pushing a baby is out is bittersweet.  I can relate it to puking your guts out- while it hurts and is highly uncomfortable, you immediately feel so much better that the pain is almost welcomed.  Or something like that. :D

Kendall wasted no time calling people.  She was born at 9:11. 

I am not the type of mother who immediately wants to see her baby.  I always ask for 'a moment'.  I just need a moment to close my eyes, come down a bit from my adrenaline rush, tell my brain to tell my body that my baby and myself are safe and healthy, and to just breath and chill out.  Then I welcome my baby with opens arms.

Have you ever realized how incredibly soft a newborn baby's skin is?  Unbelievable.  I was trying to accept that she is born and I'm no longer pregnant. 

Adoring our new daughter.  I love this photograph.

Our doctor did not make it back in time and our nurses delivered her.  Fine by me but I wanted to be sure we got a picture of him holding her.  I have so much respect and admiration for this man.  I'm glad we found him, he is incredibly well-knowledged and respects families choices. 

My friend first, my midwife second.  I cherish this woman.  She has such a heart for children and babies.  I always feel like a queen when I'm at her house, her and her kids wait on me hand and foot with ice water and home made tapioca pudding.  This is a picture of our end product :).

Our nurse who delivered Emma.  She was soft spoken and worked well under pressure.  Anyone could tell she had been a nurse for a number of years.

Cuddling my newborn.  I'm so happy to be holding her.  We went through a lot to get her here!

Emma was born pretty dry without any vernix (white cheesey gunk), long hair, long nails, not too much amniotic fluid.  Her cheeks show she was well fed in the womb!

Both Christina and the nurse applauded Kendall's professional swaddling skills. He had definitely swaddled a baby before!

Our trip from the "Labor and Delivery" side of OB to the "Let's heal up and go home!" side!

Emma's bath.  Kendall took this shot while I was asleep.  I had no idea she'd been out of the room until I noticed she was clean the next day!

The kid's first time seeing Emma!  Look at Ethan's face!

SO PROUD!  I had told Ethan that Emma would come at Valentine's Day.  Valentine's Day came and went so I said she'd be coming soon.  You'd better believe every time I went to Christina's house or to a doctor's visit he'd ask when Emma was going to come out of my belly.  Many times he said "Emma should come out now.  I'm just so excited.  Emma should come today."

Eleanor gets to see Emma.  Eleanor is 17 months old.

Our cousin's get to see Emma for the first time.  We were all so happy to meet a new baby!

Ernest holding Emma.  He held her for a few seconds then decided she was too heavy.  It was pretty cute.

COUSINS!  Our kids and Kendall's brother and his wife's kids.  Seven little children ages five and under in one hospital room!

Ethan cuddling with her.  About makes me cry.  This is totally him, and wasn't taught and he was told to do this.  He is naturally this sweet with babies.

Kendall's brother being sweet with her.  He has his own mess of kiddo's now!  It's amazing how we all have our families and how much they have grown!

Holding Emma with Ernest.  Ernest is more reserved when it comes to changes in his enviroment, I knew it would take some time for him to be comfortable around her.

My sweet family!  Kendall and the kids!

My kiddos.  Ethan's 5, Ernest is 2, Eleanor is 17 months, Emma is a day old.

A family of six!

My sweet friends came to visit.  Amy on the left is pregnant with her sixth baby.  Sue has six, or is it seven?, kids and drives a huge van plus she delivered her twins naturally.  I applaud these women!

Christina and her youngest daughter came to visit us.  They both adored Emma.

Two more of my dear friends came to visit.  My friend Anna on the left loves ladybugs so I made sure Emma was wearing her ladybug hat.  By this time, I had been able to take a shower and put on my own clothes.  It so nice to relax in my own nightgown instead of a hospital gown.  I tried to make everything feel as home-like as possible since the odd's of me having a homebirth or slim to none.

Emma Elizabeth

And a picture to make you laugh, Eleanor in her Hello Kitty sunglasses.  I love my life.

Thank you to all of my friends who have kept tabs on my pregnancy, labor, and family via blog and facebook.  Wasn't it such an adventure getting her here?!  I'm so glad it's over and I can say I've recovered much slower than I anticipated but Kendall was an incredible helper and all of the meals that have brought to our house have be appreciated.  I cannot say enough thank you's!  Thank you for bringing our family meals!  Thank you for praying for Emma and myself!  Thank you everyone for your uplifting words there at the end of my pregnancy!