Raising Blessings » pregnancy

Our New Year’s Day Baby!

Melissa — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:40:30 +0000

I’m sure there were many, many babies born in Utah before our’s in 2012 but our baby could very well have been the first home birth baby of the year.

Joshua James Lee was born on January 1st, 2012 at 1:18 pm weighing 6 lbs 14 oz and measured 19 inches long. Isn’t he such a handsome little guy?

On New Years eve around 10 pm, I knew that I was finally (it felt that way) in real labour. The contractions were becoming stronger and closer together. We continued through our new years celebration playing Monopoly deal, watching the kids and my twin sister, Sara-Jayne who was visiting dance all night and bang pots and pans out side as the clock struck midnight. I could not stomach any food so I made sure some was saved for after the baby was born.

Around 12:45 am I called my midwife and since my other labours were 8 hours, 6 hours and 7 hours I figured that I would be holding my baby boy around 5 am. Well by that time I was still in the birth tub in labour. The contractions were very mild in the tub. Miriam woke up early in the morning wanting me. Sara-Jayne tried comforting her and then JJ tried getting her to lay down with him but then I decided to get out of the tub and take her. I laid down for an hour and a half with her as the contractions became more intense and I felt like progress was actually being made. I turned to JJ and told him that we are going to be having a lazy little boy, I could not believe how slowly this labour was progressing. He just laughed and said that it would be over soon enough.

At about 9:30 am, I was just wanting labour over with so I asked my midwife to break my water, I was also feeling awful that she had to be at my house all night long. Around 11:30 I began pushing in the tub. Meanwhile Sara-Jayne got Sariah, Rebekah and Miriam ready for church and even though church did not start until 1pm she took them an hour early which was such a huge help I felt so much more relaxed now that I couldn’t hear them running around or Miriam knocking on the bedroom door for me.

Close to 1 pm I wanted out of the tub so I decided to go on the birthing stool. I was just so exhausted and when I felt like giving up I prayed for enough strength to give just one more push to get the baby out. I just went for it hard. JJ used all his strength to keep his hands held up high which I used all of mine to pull them down, the midwife’s assistant applied pressure to my knees and hips. While pushing the contraction ended but I kept on pushing anyways and FINALLY little Joshua James was born and we were over come with love for this precious little guy.

Once the placenta was delivered I handed the baby (and placenta, which was wrapped up in a chux pad) over to JJ while the midwives helped me get ready to lay down in my bed. I could not feel my legs and I ached all over so it was such a relief to lay down in my own bed.

JJ not only cut the cord but also assisted with the newborn exam.

He is adored by all of us. Miriam is so gentle with him and learning to kiss his head instead of his face. She calls his Josh or Joshwa.

34 Weeks Pregnant

Melissa — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:18:43 +0000

I am feeling great and baby is doing great. My iron levels, blood pressure and everything else is excellent. I feel so blessed.

I’m not feeling tired of pregnancy yet, although I’m sure I will get to that point.

I look and feel really high, which could explain the very frequent heart burn.

The baby is no longer breech, however he is still posterior. I am doing Bradley type exercises to try and encourage him to move into an anterior position but if that doesn’t work I’ll keep reminding my self that I have given birth to a posterior baby once (Miriam) and I can do it again.

I ordered my home birth supply kit today so that should be coming soon.

Miriam’s Birth Story Part 1

Melissa — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:35:59 +0000

On Tuesday morning (my due date) my midwife came over for a prenatal visit. My midwife said that the baby was in a perfect position for delivery which was reassuring.

At 6:30 that evening I noticed that I had 3 contractions 15 minutes apart and wondered if it may be the real thing. Sariah wanted pancakes and eggs for dinner so I started on that and I tried calling JJ to see when he would be home but no one at the lab answered. The contractions were then coming every 10 minutes so I called my midwife to just let her know that it might be the real thing.

At 7:30 Sariah asked to watch “Pocahontas Princess movie” so I sat down at the computer to find it on youtube. I got off the chair and right then my water broke! I was so surprised because with Sariah and Bekah my water never did brake on its own. I changed my clothes then my water broke again. So I changed again and then I noticed that every time the baby moved more water gushed out. Its not like one big gush when the doctor or midwife breaks it when you’re ready to push. I realized that I didn’t need to be acting like I needed to go all out like I was looking for equestrian apparel for a race. I just settled for a shirt and towel.

I called JJ’s lab again and he picked up. I told him that my water broke so he said he would leave and come home. I called the midwife and she said to call her when my contractions became closer than 10 minutes.

I laid down in bed to try and get some rest. Sariah and Rebekah went a little crazy jumping all over me and wanting attention. I was happy when JJ got home and I told him to put Sariah and Bekah to bed.

My midwife called me back around 9pm to ask if my contractions have gotten closer. They hadn’t but they were getting really intense. So she said she was picking up another midwife and heading over to my house.

I’ll try to finish the story tonight …. Sariah and Bekah are needing attention

40 Weeks Pregnant

Melissa — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:38:57 +0000

I have made it to 40 weeks! My other two were 40 week babies and I am hoping the same for baby #3 (hoping it’s not 41 weeks). I’ll just keep telling myself over and over again that I just need to be patient and I will be holding my baby in my arms soon. It is just so hard for me to be patient when I’m in pain!

Last night I got strong contractions every 10 minutes while lying down but once I’m up walking around they go away. The same thing happened to me two nights before Bekah was born so this might mean I’ll go into true labour soon?

Sariah and Rebekah are always wanting to look at pictures of when they were born. Sariah thinks that she was in the hospital because she had an owie tummy from looking at the umbilical cord connected to her belly. I tried explaining that many healthy babies are born in the hospital but she keeps insisting that no, she was in the hospital because she had owies.

I love looking at my babies first pictures as well. My favourite pictures of JJ are the ones of him holding our newborn daughters. Isn’t this picture precious:

We don’t need a testosterone booster in our family by adding sons. JJ looks good with little girls. I say we go for 8 girls

My midwife is coming over today for a prenatal check so even though I might not get to hold my new baby girl today I’ll get to hear her heartbeat. With how much she’s moving around it seems that she’s still happy in my belly.

Are you 40 weeks pregnant? Visit PregnancyCorner.com to learn about your developing baby and changes happening to your body.

39 Weeks Pregnant

Melissa — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:45:56 +0000

On Monday Sariah and JJ became sick so I sanitized all the door handles, phone, and computer. I also cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, however Rebekah and I became sick last night. I will spare you the details and just say it was awful! It seems like it was a 24 hour bug for them so hopefully the same for me as well.

I still don’t feel like eating but I’m able to keep liquids down now. Rebekah, however was so upset that we never gave her dinner last night, just apple juice. It seems that most illnesses are appetite suppressants, not for Bekah, I guess.

I sure do hope to get my energy up before I go into labour. I am so glad that the baby is active right now. I was worried that me being sick would stress her out. The midwife also left a Doppler with us yesterday morning while setting up for the birth. So we can use it if we have any concerns about the baby’s heart rate.

Sariah and Rebekah are so excited knowing that “baby sister” will be here soon. Sariah has been asking a lot of questions like “will the baby get owies being born?”

JJ seems convinced that the baby will be born on Friday. I am hoping that whatever virus went around our house this week is gone before she is born. I know she will be getting lots of antibodies for the colostrum but I still worry about a newborn getting sick.

Are you 39 weeks pregnant? Visit PregnancyCorner.com to learn about your developing baby and changes happening to your body.