Penelope Jane!
Penelope Jane was born Friday August 20, 2010 at 1:01pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 15oz (same as Big Sister Olive!) and 20.2 inches long. Full head of dark hair just like her sister, although not as thick.
Our labor and delivery experience was incredibly fast and intense. Contractions started at 2am Friday morning (thanks Mother Nature for the amazing storm!), they were intense and purposeful from the start. 5 minutes apart, lasting 60-75 seconds long. All in my back. Not what I hoping for! By 4 am I couldn't relax through them while lying in bed so I got up and sat on my exercise ball, rocking and swaying through the contractions. The lighting and thunder show outside was incredible! It seemed as the storm grew in intensity so did my contractions. Chris got up around 5 and got ready for work completely oblivious to the fact that I was not in bed with him (he is a DEEP sleeper). When he came downstairs and saw me sitting on the ball in front of my computer (I was timing the contractions online) he was a bit confused. I was in the middle of a contraction and couldn't talk to him so he glanced at the screen and saw an ad for an iPhone on the page-he thought I couldn't sleep so I came downstairs and was looking at new phones, lol.
He had to go into work for awhile, but was home by 7am. Olive woke shortly after that and started pacing around the house with me. The only way that I was finding any relief through contractions was by swaying back and forth or leaning against something and rocking my hips while singing "I am a Hollow Bamboo" (blessingway song from yoga) in my head. So she was following me around doing the same thing. But instead of singing in her head, she was chatting away about going to grandma's house because Mama's baby was coming out today and she was going to be a big sister TODAY. She was so excited and oblivious to my discomfort, it was perfect. By the time my mom came to get her it was 8:30 and contractions were starting to get closer and closer together (3-4 minutes) and were making me nauseous. But given my labor experience with Olive (~60 hours of labor with 2.5 hours of pushing), I didn't want to go to the hospital and sit around or be told to come back later. Around 10:30am, I started to think I couldn't do this anymore and was really starting to doubt myself and my body. I knew that things were getting serious, so we headed to the hospital.
Checked in around 11:15 am and I was at 6cm! I was starting to think I wanted an epidural (HATED it with Olive, but the back labor was starting to get the best of me) and told myself to wait until they checked me again and then I would decide. Well they checked about 45 minutes later and I was 9cm! Even if I had wanted it, there was no time for an epidural at that point. By 12:30 I was ready to push. I started out pushing on my side with Chris holding my leg up for me. The pain in my back was fierce, but I kept telling myself it was pain with a purpose. I tried to focus on staying relaxed and in control of my breath. With every contraction I visualized being in nice, cold Lake Superior floating through the pain and pressure. I also pictured the baby coming out and being placed on my chest and how amazing that moment would be. 29 minutes later, there SHE was! (Chris and I were both shocked that it was a girl!) They placed her on my chest and I was immediately in love. And shocked at how clean she was!
Our labor and delivery experience was incredibly fast and intense. Contractions started at 2am Friday morning (thanks Mother Nature for the amazing storm!), they were intense and purposeful from the start. 5 minutes apart, lasting 60-75 seconds long. All in my back. Not what I hoping for! By 4 am I couldn't relax through them while lying in bed so I got up and sat on my exercise ball, rocking and swaying through the contractions. The lighting and thunder show outside was incredible! It seemed as the storm grew in intensity so did my contractions. Chris got up around 5 and got ready for work completely oblivious to the fact that I was not in bed with him (he is a DEEP sleeper). When he came downstairs and saw me sitting on the ball in front of my computer (I was timing the contractions online) he was a bit confused. I was in the middle of a contraction and couldn't talk to him so he glanced at the screen and saw an ad for an iPhone on the page-he thought I couldn't sleep so I came downstairs and was looking at new phones, lol.
He had to go into work for awhile, but was home by 7am. Olive woke shortly after that and started pacing around the house with me. The only way that I was finding any relief through contractions was by swaying back and forth or leaning against something and rocking my hips while singing "I am a Hollow Bamboo" (blessingway song from yoga) in my head. So she was following me around doing the same thing. But instead of singing in her head, she was chatting away about going to grandma's house because Mama's baby was coming out today and she was going to be a big sister TODAY. She was so excited and oblivious to my discomfort, it was perfect. By the time my mom came to get her it was 8:30 and contractions were starting to get closer and closer together (3-4 minutes) and were making me nauseous. But given my labor experience with Olive (~60 hours of labor with 2.5 hours of pushing), I didn't want to go to the hospital and sit around or be told to come back later. Around 10:30am, I started to think I couldn't do this anymore and was really starting to doubt myself and my body. I knew that things were getting serious, so we headed to the hospital.
Checked in around 11:15 am and I was at 6cm! I was starting to think I wanted an epidural (HATED it with Olive, but the back labor was starting to get the best of me) and told myself to wait until they checked me again and then I would decide. Well they checked about 45 minutes later and I was 9cm! Even if I had wanted it, there was no time for an epidural at that point. By 12:30 I was ready to push. I started out pushing on my side with Chris holding my leg up for me. The pain in my back was fierce, but I kept telling myself it was pain with a purpose. I tried to focus on staying relaxed and in control of my breath. With every contraction I visualized being in nice, cold Lake Superior floating through the pain and pressure. I also pictured the baby coming out and being placed on my chest and how amazing that moment would be. 29 minutes later, there SHE was! (Chris and I were both shocked that it was a girl!) They placed her on my chest and I was immediately in love. And shocked at how clean she was!
We cuddled and loved on each other and after a little while (I had no sense of time by this point) they asked "Dad, do you want to cut the cord?" Which Chris responded to "No, Dad does NOT want to cut the cord!" He does not do well with blood or medical situations and was feeling a bit overwhelmed by this point. So I cut the cord! Very cool. Then they took Penelope over to the warmer for few minutes to clean her up and do vitals, etc. They were so great about being quick and getting her back to me to breastfeed. She latched on immediately and happily sucked away for a good hour or so. She was very alert, taking everything in. While she was nursing, I delivered the placenta with a few good breastfeeding uterine contractions. It was in great shape and all in one piece. With Olive it would not come out, needed MORE pitocin and lost a lot of blood, so I was happy that that part of delivery was different too.
I was up walking around, peeing and showered about 2 hours after Penelope was born. I felt great and was actually worried that something was wrong because I was feeling so well! We had a little more downtime before both of our families showed up to shower us with love. It was long, exhausting day but a truly amazing experience that I am so grateful to have had.
I was up walking around, peeing and showered about 2 hours after Penelope was born. I felt great and was actually worried that something was wrong because I was feeling so well! We had a little more downtime before both of our families showed up to shower us with love. It was long, exhausting day but a truly amazing experience that I am so grateful to have had.
It is hard to believe she is already a week old. We are adjusting well to life as a family of four and life is good. Who knew I could love another little being as much as I love my first little being. I am so blessed!
Such a beautiful story! I'm so glad it all went so perfectly. Cool with the storm/contractions and the visualization during labor. You rock, Mama! I didn't know you had a blog, by the way! Anyway, hopefully my experience will be breezy too. Repeat-c, but hopefully nothing ugly this time. Keep writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Maya! It was a wonderful experience!
ReplyDeleteYou're an inspiration Linds! So happy for you that it was such a wonderful experience! And, how cool that you got to cut the cord!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing!! You are awesome!! Good Job mama!! Can't wait to see you and meet her!
ReplyDeletewhat an amazing birth story!
ReplyDeleteLindsay!! How did I miss this news??? Your story is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love your confidence in your body, the visualizing, EVERYTHING! Awesome!!! Having two girls is a LOOOT of fun! :)
ReplyDelete