First pictures of Cordelia

here are some early pictures of Cordelia:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51019&id=1028853323&l=bb3562e542

Cordelia's Birth Story

true to the way things have gone with this pregnancy, the birth of Cordelia was unpredictable in many ways. but at the end of the day, we had a beautiful, healthy girl and for that we are extremely grateful.

as in my previous post, we had been preparing a water birth at home. we had had complications with the tub when Claire was born at home, but this time, the tub was no trouble and worked great. i just couldn't last in the tub.

labour began last friday morning at 5am. i thought, uh-oh, is this another false start? but this time, the contractions were definitely stronger and felt much closer to the kinds that started my previous labours. after waiting for about 45 mins, we called the midwife and when she arrived, she said we would have the baby that day. soon, i got in the birthing tub and the girls woke up and hung around. it wasn't long before the contractions got really strong. i could even feel what i thought was the top of the baby's head and the amniotic sac pushing through. when i had felt that much of the head with Claire, the end was very close. boy, was i wrong with this one! the urge to push was really really strong, but i felt i wasn't making any progress. the midwife kept encouraging my that i WAS making progress, but i think physically, i was starting to get very tired. eventually, i got out of the tub. all i could think about was how i wanted to lay down somewhere and go to sleep, but the contractions were only getting stronger.

my labour in total was still only 4 and a half hrs long, but the intensity of it was so much greater than the other two (and the other 2 were pretty intense as well). and this labour started in the morning, when i wasn't feeling as strong. Cordelia's head came out at an angle; thus the long hours of pushing. but perhaps because this was my third birth, i managed to give birth to her even with her in an unfavourable position. in the midst of all the pain, i was aware of my amniotic sac bursting during one of my pushes. had i been more sane of mind, i would have found this rather funny, but i'm afraid i only registered it dimly. and i was SO grateful for my midwives - yes, i ended up having both the midwives who birthed Claire. Phil said how there was almost no need to communicate - we all had been there before and knew what to do. i trusted them completely, even during one dark moment when i thought, i'm going to end up at the hospital and they are going to have to cut me open to get this baby out! but thankfully, my midwives helped by applying pressure in the right places, pushing back on a persistent lip of cervix and eventually moving Cordelia's head as she pushed through.

so, no water birth this time and no en caul birth, but we have another beautiful daughter. it is a joy to watch Cordelia's daily changing face. and her sisters love her to pieces.

i will post some photos once i get a little better.

35 Weeks and counting...

today was my home visit with the midwives. Azani, who also delivered Claire in our house over 3 years ago, came today and didn't require much introduction since she's done this before! she scoped out the den again where we will set up the birthing tub and we went over the supplies i need to keep on hand. the home visit always reminds me that the baby is almost here. i don't know about you, but i tend to think the due date is always far away, always trying to squeeze in as much as i can get done before baby leaves the belly. that's probably why my babies always come so early. they never want to stay in full term for me! so with this third baby, i've been thinking perhaps this one will be my unpredictable one and come late. well, last night, i woke up in the middle of the night, suddenly concerned that my baby's head wasn't in a down position. i always feel this way close to the due date, always concerned about breach position. so there i was, in bed, prodding away at the baby, trying to figure out where the head was. all i felt were lumps and squirms. i felt the butt, but it felt too hard to be a butt and i was worried it was actually the head sticking up under my ribs. so i was glad i had a checkup today. i asked Azani what position the baby was in and she's usually really fast with figuring it out, but today, she kept probing. she thought the head was down, but she'd have to do a internal exam to make sure the head was down. when she checked, she said the head was really low (station 2, i think is what she said) and i was 92% effaced. *sigh* so much for me thinking this baby will be late. but who knows? maybe the baby will just hang out really low for a whole month! Azani cautioned me against working too much, but how can i go on bed rest with 2 kids to take care of? my mum sort of had a panic attack and is now thinking of getting here 2 weeks before the due date, worried she wouldn't get here in time.

well, we are preparing for anything. i tell you, every single birth is so unpredictable. and as i said, the baby could still hang out really low in my pelvis for another month. right?