Baby E is here and doing well.
I am logging in from DH's laptop in the hospital. I'm very tired and sore all over but didn't have any tearing or other complications. Baby E is doing great. Her labor and delivery was by far the hardest thing I've ever done.
She was cock-eyed and one hand was up by her head, so she wasn't pushing properly agains the "exit" with contractions. Her fist came out with her head and she ended up with one arm above her head before the rest of her came out. She still likes to have her fist up next to her face all the time, and sucks on it a lot.
Labor was very long, hard and painful. We had many hours of hard labor with no progress, and I was really scared the baby wasn't going to come out on her own. I kept asking God to help me, and that labor would progress and the baby would be kept safe. DH was incredible--it seemed he often anticipated my needs and guessed what would be helpful before I even thought to ask. We make a great team. :)
I never thought I'd consider doing anything but "all-natural" labor, but we ended up with pitocin and a painkiller administered by IV, and then eventually an epidural. The epidural helped a lot but even with that it was still painful and difficult--but bearable. I'm so thankful we went ahead and decidded to do the epidural, because I was having a really hard time getting through the contractions after so many hours. I was shaking so hard my teeth were chattering and all my muscles were just giving out and refusing to cooperate. The epidural let me rest from pushing for a couple of hours before the hard, intense pushing started (and it lasted another 90+ minutes once the midwife started having me hold my breaath and push as hard as I could 3-4 times per contraction with about 30-second to 1-minute breaks between). We started out with one midwife and set of nurses and finished up with another because they all changed shifts.
Baby E is beautiful. She has huge chubby cheeks and doesn't look like a newborn because she was overdue. She's so alert when she's awake, and looks for us and makes eye contact when she hears my and DH's voices. She's been sleeping a lot, is already nursing well and absolutely loves to be held.
A and M are beside themselves and think Baby E is absolutely wonderful. My parents and sisters have been great to stay with them, and the girls have been having a lot of fun. Tomorrow DH's mom is going to watch them for a while.
Now, I've had about 4 hours of sleep in the last couple of days, so I'm going to try to sleep some more. Thanks so much for your prayers and thoughts, everyone. Thanks to DH for keeping everyone posted.
She was cock-eyed and one hand was up by her head, so she wasn't pushing properly agains the "exit" with contractions. Her fist came out with her head and she ended up with one arm above her head before the rest of her came out. She still likes to have her fist up next to her face all the time, and sucks on it a lot.
Labor was very long, hard and painful. We had many hours of hard labor with no progress, and I was really scared the baby wasn't going to come out on her own. I kept asking God to help me, and that labor would progress and the baby would be kept safe. DH was incredible--it seemed he often anticipated my needs and guessed what would be helpful before I even thought to ask. We make a great team. :)
I never thought I'd consider doing anything but "all-natural" labor, but we ended up with pitocin and a painkiller administered by IV, and then eventually an epidural. The epidural helped a lot but even with that it was still painful and difficult--but bearable. I'm so thankful we went ahead and decidded to do the epidural, because I was having a really hard time getting through the contractions after so many hours. I was shaking so hard my teeth were chattering and all my muscles were just giving out and refusing to cooperate. The epidural let me rest from pushing for a couple of hours before the hard, intense pushing started (and it lasted another 90+ minutes once the midwife started having me hold my breaath and push as hard as I could 3-4 times per contraction with about 30-second to 1-minute breaks between). We started out with one midwife and set of nurses and finished up with another because they all changed shifts.
Baby E is beautiful. She has huge chubby cheeks and doesn't look like a newborn because she was overdue. She's so alert when she's awake, and looks for us and makes eye contact when she hears my and DH's voices. She's been sleeping a lot, is already nursing well and absolutely loves to be held.
A and M are beside themselves and think Baby E is absolutely wonderful. My parents and sisters have been great to stay with them, and the girls have been having a lot of fun. Tomorrow DH's mom is going to watch them for a while.
Now, I've had about 4 hours of sleep in the last couple of days, so I'm going to try to sleep some more. Thanks so much for your prayers and thoughts, everyone. Thanks to DH for keeping everyone posted.
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Posted by purple_kangaroo at 10:29 PM[Permanent link]
15 Comments:
Hooray hooray hooray! Congratulations to you and sweet Baby E.
God bless you and your family!
I am incredibly happy for you! Many congrats to you and your family. I hope we can see pictures--take time to enjoy, recover, and come back when you can!
Sounds like you've earned that nap, PK!!!! Baby E sounds like an absolute love, despite being stubborn about getting here in the first place (lol). Enjoy that recovery time and the newest bundle of joy! :)
this is fantastic. awww! I'm glad Baby E is healthy and you sound so happy.
Congratulations!!!! I'm so glad to hear that all is well, and that Baby E is finally here. Welcome to the world Baby E! Now its time to rest! i'm so happy for you all!
take care and yey again!
rach
Welcome Baby E. Mazel tov and lots of hugs!
Hurray! Welcome Baby E and so happy that you had another safe labor. I can't imagine- big baby AND the arm by the head? You may be a saint.
Welcome, Baby E! I'm so happy to hear everything is well. Love and best wishes to your whole family.
Hurray! I just came home from vacation and came over here hoping to hear some happy news. A beautiful healthy baby! What wonderful news! Congratulations.
I am so glad to know that Baby E is finally here, and that you are doing well! Happy (late) birthday, Baby, E! Good work, Mom, and big hugs to helpful DH! Now, you get some rest, and we wanna see pics! :)
Congrats, and mucho kisses and hugs!
Oh, PK, you are a superhero! Congratulations, and give a great big kiss to that adorable big baby of yours, from all of us.
Congratulations!!!
Girls are terrific! Can't wait for the pictures!
Believe me, all natural labor is not all its cracked up to be. I didn't have an epidural with either baby and I wish I had!!!!
So glad everything turned out well!
Congratulations!! She's soo cute.
PK, I'm one who was also anti-epidural, right up until I had my overdue, over 9 lb 1st child (sloooow labor, posterior), my nearly 9 lb overdue 2nd child, and my over 10 lb overdue 3rd child (another really long labor). All had to be induced.
I respect women who are able to have their babies naturally, but it's not a competition, and there is no reason to feel let down or guilty about having an epidural. I'm extremely grateful for all the medical intervention I had that allowed me to get my babies OUT. I suspect I would have been one of those poor women who died in childbirth if I'd lived a century or two ago.
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