Tuesday, September 1, 2009

September....WHAT?!?! (and the baby)

I know, I know. It has been FAR too long since you all have heard from me. Well, I took a bit of a hiatus - about two months of a hiatus. As you will read over the next couple of weeks (hopefully) it was a much needed break. Here is why:

  • Birthing a baby is hard
  • Malea had a birthday
  • Hannah had a birthday
  • planning a school year is time consuming
  • Birthing a baby is hard
  • not sleeping through the night for 8 weeks is hard
  • I love summer
  • We've been BBQ-ing instead of blogging
  • and, you guessed, birthing a baby is hard
So, tonight, I will tell you about the birth of Jubilee Amira Lash. We'll get to the rest of it later.



This is Jubilee about a month or so before the due date. I wish I had a just-before-birth photo, but I don't.





It all started (well not ALL - we won't go into the ALL of it) on July 5th at about 7am. Stuff started happening. I won't go into details about this part as I have mixed company reading my blog. Tyson was already at church, so I called and told him that "stuff" was happening. Of course, at this point, he has no plans to get someone else to preach as these baby things take time.

I started having contractions as I am getting the kids and myself ready for church. I'm thinking that I'll just labor through service, no problem. Better than being at home, bored - right? We arrived at church, I had one good contraction, then everything stopped. It was like Jubilee knew that Dad needed to get through the service before her arrival.

Church finished and we went home. I had a couple more good contractions. Actually at this point they were coming about every 10 minutes. Then Dad had to leave for a softball game (seriously). So all signs of baby coming stopped. Again. I called my mom anyway so she could be on her way up from Oregon. Plus, she had Malea's new ITouch that Malea wanted bad.

Tyson got home and for some reason this part is kind of fuzzy two months later. Contractions started up again, but they were pretty inconsistent. Labor with Luke was rather inconsistent as well, so I knew this wasn't too abnormal...for me.

Mom got here. I am mostly just walking around the house, trying to stay busy. We get the kids all in bed except for Malea and Hannah who want to stay up for the party. And I say "party" quite loosely, you will understand why in a moment.

Contractions really start up nicely and I called my amazing midwife at about 10:15. She wants to know if I want her to come at this point. I REALLY don't know! She is the professional. I tell her yes. Midwife arrives and checks me. I'm only dilated to a 5. Dang. I thought I was much further along. I labor and walk and stop and have a painful contraction. Repeat. Repeat....for about another hour or so. Mom, midwife, and hubby are all sleeping on and off at this point. Malea and Hannah go to bed, they are tired and this is taking too long.

Shortly after midnight (July 6th!) midwife checks me again and I'm at 7 centimeters dilated. We choose to have her break my water. I mean, really, let's get the show on the road.

Wow. Now everything is intensely painful and contractions are one on top of another and I can't always see straight and I'm wondering what's taking so dang long and I don't want anyone to touch me and it really really hurts and I'm wondering why I didn't do this in a hospital with an epidural and I'm wondering why I'm doing this in the first place and I want to cry I'm in so much pain. You get the picture, right? I try pushing at some point, but it doesn't do any good. I labored on the chair and then on the toilet. For some reason the toilet was a bit better. When I say "better" I mean it VERY loosely.

My midwife was so great during this - and my mom and Tyson, too. They all pretty much left me alone and tried not to even look at me. I appreciate that. There was nothing they could do to make it better. Midwife checked Jubilee's heart rate periodically. All is well. Except this intense pain, of course.

It's finally time to push. My right leg will not do what I tell it to do. It is mostly stiff. It needs to not be stiff. It needs to move to the side. I literally had to will my right leg to move to the side. I need to get this baby out of my body. So, I push and push and her head comes out. Midwife gets a bit concerned because her shoulders are a bit stuck. I push her out anyway.



Don't get grossed out by the blood. It's really very minimal. And, yes, I birthed this beauty at home. In my bed. The IV is for fluids. I didn't have an IV with Zac. I'm glad I did this time.

Jubilee Amira was born at 3:22am on July 6th weighing in at 9lbs 14oz. and was 22inches tall.




That wet spot under my mouth is not drool. It's sweat. That was the most sweaty experience of my life. My shins were sweating. I know, gross.

On another note, isn't that a beautiful miracle of a baby? I've done this 7 times now and it is still completely amazing to me.




We woke only Malea to see Jubilee right after she was born. I thought my oldest should get first dibs on her new baby sister.

Incidentally, that towel was very warm. My mom kept blankets and towels going in the dryer and we rotated them on Jubilee and me. That was heaven!



Okay, last shot for now. Here's me and a couple other kids about 7am. They were all amazed to wake up to a new baby! They didn't hear any of it and never even saw the midwife! At this point, I'm working off of about 20 minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period. Not bad.

The only person I called to tell the news was my sweet dad. He and his wife came up the next day from Oregon to see us.


So, that's it! I still remember the event in fairly vivid detail. She is an amazing human. I love her. I am thrilled to see what incredible things she does with her life.

Thank you, Father, for a textbook labor and delivery, and for a healthy baby girl.

Breathe your life,
amy

7 comments:

Chelsea said...

Wow! What a beautiful baby! Did you know that Devon was born at 3:15 on July 6th?

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've not had the opportunity to go thru it or be an observer, so this is the next best thing.

You are truly one amazing woman, and I am so blessed to know you and your dear family!!

Patty

Anonymous said...

Punkin you are an amazing woman! As I watched seven in total (so far) babies being born, there is a life time of laughter and tears that went on in those rooms from the nurse and the washcloth to hearing your dad in the hallway when Luke was born. Thank you for letting me share in such a wonderful time in your life.

Roger said...

Amy,
You never cease to amaze me. You are my hero, for the way you conduct your life, raise your family and support your husband. I am so proud to have you as my daughter. We look forward to your visit to Oregon…whenever you can make that happen. Remember, we still have birthday shopping to do :).

Love you all,

Dad

p.s. Hopefully I haven't entered this twice.

Anonymous said...

What an amazing journey you have presented in such detail here (even though, I too, have experienced a similar adventure three times :))I read this with tears in my eyes and love in my heart knowing what an amzing mom and family unit that you all are! Your dad is right, you are a hero -- not just to us but to seven wonderful children and one amazing husband! Thanks for letting me come up with your dad to celebrate that beautiful little angel and the family that surrounds her.

Much love to you. You amaze me--and that is truly genuine.
Love,
Sheila (dad's wife :))

Unknown said...

Amy, you are amazing! You are an incredible example to follow and look up to. Sure love and miss you much.

Renee

Hannah said...

Nice Mom. (Even though I know this!)
Hey Mom It makes me sick when you show your Tummy! Espciely when your pragnet!