Our baby has arrived!!!

LHK

Cathlete
I'm the one who has been bugging everyone with questions about third trimester comfort, whether dilation means anything, and all that. I just wanted to let you all know that:

Alyssa Madeline was born on Tuesday July 15th at 6:43 AM!
She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz, 19.5 inches long. (She was due 7/17)
She is truly beautiful!

My labor (my first) was hard at the time, but a breeze in hindsight! We got to the hospital at 12:30AM and she was born 6 hours later. I was 3 cm when we arrived, and contractions were coming every 3-5 minutes for a minute at a time. They had us walk the halls until 2:45AM, at which point I was 7cm! I declined the epidural for another hour or so and by the time I accepted it and got it, I was 9+ cm. I was so proud to have made it that far, but I knew that without some pain relief, the next phase would be brutal, so I took it. Let me just say, it was heaven. It didn't even hurt (well I suppose what would hurt at that point? :) and the relief it gave was truly priceless. I pushed for 40 minutes and didn't even have to have an episiotomy cut! :)

I think that going into this in good health and fitness really helped keep things going, so thanks Cathe, and thanks to all of you who helped me through this pregnancy! Alyssa is such a dream!!

Love,
Lisa
 
Congratulations!!!

What wonderful news! And what a great labor story. Nearly perfect if you ask me. I'm so happy for you that all went well and you have that little bundle of love in your arms. Welcome to the world Alyssa!

Keep us posted and TRY to get some rest!
 
Congratulations and thanks for sharing your wonderful story!! I LOVE birth stories!!! You did INCREDIBLY well for your first baby. I remember being REALLY "natural" minded back during my first pregnancy and taking all the bradley classes, BUT by the time I got to the hospital I told them to "get the baby out - NOW". I had a pretty difficult pregnancy and was sick all the time. When the Dr. arrived (I had midwives, but with all the complications in pregnancy, I was assigned a doctor) he looked at my chart and calmly said "lets see, you would like to do this naturally" at which point I screamed at him "DO A C SECTION - JUST GET IT OUT - NOW" and our delightful relationship began from there. Being the great guy he was.....he wouldn't give me "anything" as my sons heartrate was really dropping, I dilated from 1-10 in 50 minutes and had a natural birth, but not because of ME!!

Keep in mind for your next birth (like your thinking of that already!!!)....if you made it to 9 centimeter's, believe me you made it through the hard part...it actually gets easier after that point and when pushing arrives, quite a bit easier.

Many congratulations and hugs,

Briee
 
Lisa, what wonderful news! Congratulations to your whole new family, and welcome to your beautiful baby girl -- and what a pretty name! I've always loved the name Madeline -- kind of old-fashioned and very feminine, and not a name you see used very often these days. How nice to see that you chose it for your special little lady!

http://www.clicksmilie.de/sammlung/sport/sport003.gif Kathy S.
 
Thank you all for your good wishes! It is very nice to know I made it through the hardest part. I feel like if I could do it, anyone could! My main help was the book "Birthing from Within" that I read on my midwife's recommendation. (She didn't make it to my birth, but my labor nurse was great). When the major contractions came, instead of balling up inside myself and retreating, I welcomed them and reminded myself (and dh reminded me) that we were ooooopennning for the baby...I had to just ooooppppen...it really helped. Because I can see tightening up and resisting the pain, and how that could be counterproductive.
I did sort of go into it hoping to go natural, but I kept my mind open to accepting pain relief if I needed it (which I did). I think if I had been unable to get the epidural when I needed it, I might have lost my mind. But it's good to know that the pushing isn't any harder than transition :)
The pushing was actually really pleasant for me because I was medicated and pain free by then and because there was real progress from the very beginning. Once I reached 10 cm, the nurse had us wait a full hour before pushing just to let the baby move down on her own. It really worked, because I was practically crowning (amniotic sac bulging) by the time we began pushing. It was great!
 
Congratulations Lisa,
That's great news. I also had my daughter three weeks early on July 8th. She wasn't due until July 29th. Enjoy her, I know Iam.



Shanda
 
Congratulations Lisa and...

Alyssa and daddy! Kudos to you for 6 hours of "exercise" in a row! I too had hoped to go the natural route and deliver at home but wound up with a c-section. Your labor and birth story give me hope for the next time around. Enjoy this special time!!

jeni
 
Lisa,
Congratulations! I hope you are enjoying your new little one and getting plenty of rest. Enjoy this time. It goes quickly. They grow and change so much, especially in the first year.

Maggie
due 9-8-03
 
Congratulations on the birth of Alyssa!

I certainly know how elated you feel. I have gone through two births and if it wasn't for financial reasons, would'nt mind having another baby. Sigh....what can you do....

Enjoy her and take lots of photos...time will pass so quickly it will surprise you.

Blessings from our home to yours...Runathon ;-)
 
Congratulations on your wonderful news! I loved reading your labor story. I want to post mine as well, but I'm still waiting for my husband to help me post pictures of Lynsey too, since I'm computer illiterate! Enjoy your new little girl...Lynsey is already 6 weeks old....it DOES go really fast!

Amy
 
Hi Lisa -

I talked to you about the third trimester ails before - particulary the swelling. I am due Monday and feel like she's never going to come. Ugh.

I thought I posted congratulations to you awhile ago but it apparently it didn't post. Congrats! How wonderful it must be having her in your arms every day! I am sure she's changed so much since she was born.

Did you post pictures? If so, I didn't get the link. Let me know.

Susan
 
>Congratulations Lisa,
>That's great news. I also had my daughter three weeks early on
>July 8th. She wasn't due until July 29th. Enjoy her, I know
>Iam.
>
>
>
>Shanda


Hi Shanda,

CONGRATULATIONS!

I missed your birth announcement!

:)
 

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