hospital stay

peter's birth

*We experienced a natural birth with the assistance of hypnobabies methods 

Something felt different that night as I struggled to get to sleep.  I was feeling more uncomfortable than usual and a little queasy.  Then the contractions started (even though I didn’t register then that they were contractions.)  At around 2:00 in the morning I got up to try and find some relief by walking around, using the bathroom etc.  And that’s when I started noticing a pattern.  Every ten minutes they’d start up again.  I tried not to think too much of it.  I was still two and half weeks away from our due date.  I started searching the web for symptoms of ‘false labor’ and basically spent two hours experiencing contractions every ten minutes telling myself it was nothing.  I woke Ian up at 4:30.  He joined me in the dance of convincing ourselves this was just practice, but we kept that “But what if this is it…” thought pretty close to the surface.  By 10:30 a.m.  I was experiencing a contraction every 7-8 minutes and by 1:00 p.m. it was getting to be every 5.  At this point I’d contacted our doula and doctors and began prepping for the fact that I was most likely in the process of birth.  All the while I’m experiencing contractions, I was using my hypnobabies techniques to stay relaxed and calm.  It helped me to stay focused and not to feel any fear or worry about the fact that this was happening sooner then we’d planned.  Ian meanwhile was being the champ that he is and prepping the house and packing the car for us to go to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital about 2:00 p.m. and waited in the entry for our team to gather and for a room in triage to be ready for us.  I was grateful for the patience of the nurse in the front office who dealt with me zoning out every 4-5 five minutes with my headphones of my hypnobabies tracks.  We were admitted into our room after we found out that I was dilated at 4 centimeters.  We were so grateful for our doula (who was also our hynobabies teacher!) and the doula she brought with her who was hoping to gain more live birth practice.  Both of them were so pertinent to our birthing experience!  They talked me through each contraction and provided massages and counter pressure to my lower back.  They gave good suggestions for position changes and literally fed me and held drinks up to my mouth. I quickly escalated to contractions that were spaced 2-3 minutes apart and we stayed there for a while.  Hypnobabies helped me to remain calm at the denouement of each contraction and relaxed in between but I admit that at the onset of each contraction it was extremely hard to focus and concentrate on anything but the power of my birthing waves.  My natural reaction to this was to yell.  Loud.  Like a viking warrior.  And strangely it helped me to focus my energy where I needed it to pull through.  It was extremely helpful in fact, albeit frightening to me and especially to my poor Ian who got the bulk of that noise right in his face since he was right there gripping my hand through every contraction—and I gripping right back.  Then I reached a point where I knew I couldn’t stay at just 2-3 minutes apart any longer.  I needed it to be go time.  I had opted for minimal checks of my cervix—but at this point I needed to know where I was to figure out how to move forward (did I need extra help at this point?  i.e. an epidural?)  Come to find out I was fully dilated at a 10 aaand… my water hadn’t fully broken yet (something I know now does not break easily on its own for me and have made a significant mental note for next time!)  We snagged it and I was determined to get to the pushing stage.  I decided I wanted the help of gravity so my rock Ian sat on the edge of the bed and held me up under my arms while I squatted into each push.  At this point our doctors were gathered and ready and I used every tiny ounce of energy and strength I had left to push.  I was very ready to meet our son.  So much so that by the time our baby began to crown I could not slow the process down.  They asked me to try and wait—but I informed them without hesitation that I couldn’t.  He was coming.  Once his head came down, the rest of him slipped right out.  The last of it happened so fast in fact that Ian missed it when he was handing the second doula our camera after having turned it on for her to take a few photos.  The only downside to our boy coming quickly at the end was that I did end up tearing internally and externally on the last quick stretch—but honestly, I am grateful for it.  I was determined for him to come, and come he did!

The first moment I saw Peter is indescribable.  It was surreal the first few moments.  I was so concentrated and in tune with my body during pushing that I actually had to shake myself into remembering that “Oh yeah!  I was doing that for a baby!”  Once oriented however, I was in awe and amazement at the little thing in my arms.  He was perfect, and real, and ours.  I remember there being a strange important feeling in that room during that final go.  There was something in the air that seemed to surround everything—making everything very clear and strangely special and hazy at the same time.   It lasted a while and added to the significance of our first encounter with our son. 

^^ this was right after they'd placed Peter in my arms

And now I have to gush.  I have felt so strongly this entire pregnancy that this was not just my pregnancy, this was our pregnancy.  Ian has been with me on this path through everything.  The man literally sat behind me and rubbed my back the first trimester while I was bent over the toilet emptying my stomach.  We went to our hypnobabies classes together and both took part in the home practice and prep for Peter to come.  Ian could not have been more amazing during birth.  He encouraged me every step of the way.  He cried with me.  He held my hand, rubbed my back, and stroked my hair through each contraction.  Not to mention the fact that he held me up while I pushed.  I know it was not easy for him to watch me in this incredible experience.  But he kept it all to himself, put on a brave face and continually reassured me of the amazing job I was doing.  It wasn't until after it all that he opened up about how hard it was to hear those sounds come out of me and to watch me go through it all.  I may have borne the physical side of this experience but this was his birthing experience too.  It was the both of us transforming to become actual parents.  It's funny how every time I think I couldn't possibly love Ian more than I already do, something else will push me further into love for him.  I'm beginning to sense that this will continually be the case.  I'm so grateful for the partner he is.  

So there you have it.  Contractions began at 2:00 in the morning and by 9:00 in the evening we were holding our son in our arms.  

Introducing:

Our Son Peter

Seven pounds, Six ounces

19 3/4 inches

And perfect.

ian's latest

I always like to share some of what Ian's working on from time to time.  These two videos are probably some of my favorites that he's done.  And bonus: you get a glimpse of how beautiful Lexington is from these videos.  Enjoy.







All the shooting and editing of these videos were done by Ian.

It is so easy to brag about this guy.

utah snippets

 

 

I was blessed to be able to fly to Utah for Jacob and Mabel's wedding.  And while I was there, I was spoiled (two baby showers! and the sweetest, most thoughtful gifts!), pampered and completely filled up with good conversation, reminders of strong friends and the best of people.  I have an incredible family, and magnificent people to associate with.  Thanks to all who hosted me, fed me, and filled me up with their good company.

Note to self:  Rent a book on photo-journalism for dummies.  How do I always come away feeling as though I took millions of pictures, only to find that only half of them describe what I actually spent my time doing?  Where are my group shots of the events I went to?  Where are all my little nieces and nephews photos?  What about all the fun things I went and did and the people I did them with?  I think I'm afraid I'll come off as an annoying person who is always taking photos.  Or I feel like I need to "live in the moment" rather than record the moment.  But you can live in the majority of the moments and take photos of a couple of the moments to remember it by, right?  I'd like to think so.  Anyway.