New Addition to the Menagerie

What an amazing experience we have had over the last 3 days. Little Rose is about 60 hrs old and she is an amazing gift. Many thanks to Joe and Shari, from The Birth Boutique for helping to prepare us for the day. Having the knowledge of what to expect and some confidence going in allowed us to relax and truly enjoy the moment.

The Prologue
This past weekend Amy had become quite frustrated and tired after being 1 week over due. On Tuesday morning we were at our regular scheduled weekly doctors appointment when her water broke at 1130am. The doctor sent us directly to Saint Clare's, Amy was 1 cm at that point. Amy was very fearful of having a C-section and did not want to be put in that situation, and therefore chose to start the pitocin. The staff were great and our doctor kept things simple. He said, "Look this should be an enjoyable experience. So don't think you have to be a hero." This was good for Amy to hear, as she is very stubborn and often feels she has the bear burdens she does not deserve. The Nurse asked Amy, "On a scale of 1 to 10, what amount of pain are you willing to bear?" Amy responded, "seven". Now, I know Amy and she has an amazingly high pain threshold. I watched her suffer through 3 months in a back brace following a broken back, with little more than Tylenol and rarely a complaint. So her "seven" would be my "eleven".

The Early Stages
The contractions came fast and furious for 2 straight hours with little break in between. By this time she was a little over 2 cm, but the pain was getting worse. I kept asking her what was the pain level. She started at four, then five, then six. After 2 hours she was at seven. I reminded her about the earlier conversation and she recognized the need for some pain medication. Once the epidural was administered, she was able to relax and went from a little over 2 cm to 4cm in about an hour. At this point, I thought it would be a good idea to head home to let the dogs out and get the bags we had packed. We had not brought them with us to the doctors, as we had not planned to be sent directly to the hospital. I left the hospital at 4pm, got the dogs situated, the house in order and grabbed the bags. At 5:30 I called Amy before leaving the house to make sure there wasn't anything else she needed. At that point, she indicated she was 9 cm. I thought "Oh man I have got to get back to the hospital or I am going to miss this thing".

The Sprint
I arrived back to her room just before 6pm. Amy had just begun pushing with the aid of the Nurse. I missed the first push, but quickly got to her side and actively got involved holding her leg and head and encouraging her along. She was amazing and powerful as she pushed for about 45 mins. Rose came quickly at 6:33pm, a beautiful little girl, a wonderful gift, an amazing day.

The Recovery
Now as Amy shifts from birthing to nourishing, she is doing a fantastic job. Rose latched on in the hospital for her first feeding like a champion and Amy has been so generous and loving with these early feedings. Last night was our first night home and things went pretty well. As instructed and trained, I have become the designated burper and swaddler.

The Road Ahead
Every new moment of this experience I gain greater and greater appreciation for Amy's toughness, perseverance, generosity, and love. We know this journey is not an easy one and it has just begun, but we are in it together...100%.