But now I have something to blog about!
Percy came 4 days late on June 8! She is SO precious and adorable. We managed to buy a house on May 25, move in and unpack and even paint a little before she got here. We were hoping she would wait till we got a washer and dryer on the 2nd, and she did.
I'd never describe labor as easy, but of the three I would say hers was the best birth. It was a little stressful because it took so long, but overall it was great. My water broke around 4:30 p.m. on the 7th, and since the boys each came within about 6 hours of my water breaking, I assumed I'd have her that night. Tara (one of the midwives) came over and checked that it was in fact my water breaking. It was a slow trickle and not like the boys, so I wasn't 100% sure. Luckily it was, since Jason had already posted it to facebook. haha. But labor was slooooooow. I had decent contractions but it just wasn't getting intense. We had the tub set up, and I tried getting in at some point in the night and it was so comfy my contractions stopped for 6 min so I got out.
Around 12:30 am I was starting to get nervous because it was taking so long and felt like it was not going anywhere. I called Tara who reassured me that this was really normal for a third baby and told me to nap - because my body would not want to shift to more active labor if I was too tired. I was a little skeptical but laid down and about an hour and a half later popped awake and quietly went in the birth room (Percy's bedroom) and got in the tub.
Jason, my mom, his mom, and our awesome friend Lisa who photographed it were all semi-asleep and I didn't really want to wake them in case nothing happened. I was still having contractions and just hung out in the tub by myself (mostly, Jason came in a few times to check on me and I think my mom and Lisa did too) and timed the contractions with my handy iphone app. I actually liked having everyone asleep because it took some of the "why isn't this going faster" pressure off :) Around 4:30 Jason came back in and I told him maybe we should call the midwives. They came over around 5ish (I think) and got set up. I finally started having more intense contractions and the tub was really great. There was a big difference in the tub and out of the tub, and I was definitely feeling much better in the water.
Jason was awesome and kept bailing out the water and adding more hot so it stayed warm, and he and Kori (our lead midwife) stayed quietly with me, put pressure on my back during the contractions and helped me focus. I started pushing around 8:22 and she was out at 8:29 am! 7 minutes of pushing... awesome!
I pushed so long with Liam that the entire thing was really a blur and I don't remember being really "with it" during the contractions at all. But this time in between contractions I was talking and felt really lucid (but who knows, I could have been saying crazy stuff!). Even while I was pushing her out I was thinking to myself okay that's her head, now her shoulders, the rest is easy... Although when I felt one of the midwives twisting her shoulders out I did get a little nervous that she was stuck or something.
Our midwives are awesome. Kori was great and just sat quietly right in front of me giving me calm instructions and encouragement, and I really only noticed her and Jason even though there were actually a lot of people in the room. We both love how the midwives quietly and calmly do everything and don't really interfere. Jason watched Mirra pull the baby's shoulders out and slip the cord off of her neck, but everything they do is so calm and purposeful that the birth was just peaceful and amazing.
Jason caught her and Lisa got the most amazing picture of him pulling her out of the water and up to me. Then he cut the cord, and the boys and our moms came in to see her. Jason took her for some skin to skin time and the midwives helped me out and to our bed. She wanted to nurse right away, and then they weighed her and checked her out. She was 8 lbs even, 19 3/4" and has a 14" head. She's totally perfect and adorable, and has been such a sweet and easy baby.
Right now she's having a daddy nap and I just had a shower and a brownie. Liam is napping, Ben is playing legos, and everything is awesome.
4 comments:
Caryn--Congrats!! She is beautiful. A wonderful birth story too. Can't wait to see more photos, especially with all those adorable outfits you made.
What a read!
You were totally lucid in between contractions, it was incredible to witness the transformation. To read that you knew what progress each push brought... Astounding. I've never seen anyone so alive, so full of life, as you were in during Percy's labor.
Your daughter, much like your sons, is incredibly perfect. I just met her and already love her to bits.
xo
Ps. Best summation ever: "Right now she's having a daddy nap and I just had a shower and a brownie. Liam is napping, Ben is playing legos, and everything is awesome."
I was wondering when you little girl was going to make her entrance into the world! Congrats Caryn, and she is beautiful and I love her name, soooooo cute and original! Thanks for sharing your birth story, I've never seen a water birth and it looks incredible and relaxing, enjoyed the pics too. I'm tempted to have my next one like that, must be nice to have the full attention and genuine care from the midwives.
Percy is lucky to have such an amazing Mamma like you! :) Enjoy her!
Congrats! Loved the story - but I'm not surprised it went so great since
you're super woman :). Now you can start dressing her in all those cute outfits I keep seeing you pin on Pinterest. Yay for baby girls! :) And P.S. Cute name! We still don't have one picked out. eeek! It's making me nervous!
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