7 lbs 15 oz, 20 inches
4:54 am Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
I'm a little surprised. I can't find where I might have typed up his birth story! So now I wonder if I really did it at all. That time was quite a blur, but between e-mails and facebook posts I want to go back and reconstruct.
Well it turns out that I can't find any e-mails about Josiah's birth. :( I think they were on my work e-mail that got disabled within a week of me finishing at the school. I didn't have a chance to save any contact information from students or anything. I was super sad, especially because one mom was supposed to send me a picture of me with the cake that she brought in for 6th hour to have a little party for me before I left! But good old facebook sure had a lot to say, so I've put together a good amount of what was going on the week I had Josiah. :)
Saturday, May 7th I was nesting to the extreme! I had a list of things a mile long that I wanted to get done with most of it being school related. Here was my Saturday according to Facebook:
Grades tests, Grade other tests, Grade in class activities, Grade Projects, Grade other projects, sweep, mop, vacuum, put away clothes, clean bathroom top to bottom, dust, pay bills, re-arrange bedroom, set up baby things, pack birth center bag, DO NOT GO INTO LABOR. Let's see how many I can check off today!write thank you cards, get Bekah a swim suit and hair ties, get car fixed up, eat, shower... just wanted to add a few I might actually get done!
The problem is that we get caught up on all of that house stuff, and then I focus on school work and we get behind again. About a month ago I was caught up on EVERYTHING, and then I was in Phoenix 2 weekends in a row, so now I'm behind on the house and school work, and I only have 4 days of work left! I'm a little nervous because we are short on subs at work, so if I go into labor this weekend my friends at work will have even more work on their plates, and I would feel so bad for them!
Soooo - My AWESOME friend Carrie came and helped. Between the 3 of us, we cleaned drawers, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the bathroom, reorganized the kids' (crazy to put that ' AFTER the s!) room, unpacked my trunk (it's been sitting full for a week), shoveled up the backyard, sorted through boxes and piles from the bedroom, put all the clothes away, and I did not go into labor!
And then my Sunday, May 8th 2011 was Mother's Day. Carrie had helped Rebekah make me a beautiful "pot" of paper flowers and a couple of cookies in the bouquet. It was super cute!
My posts from that day said:
Today Daryn and I will sit and grade grade grade to counter the super physically active Saturday. He's going to make me waffles for breakfast - not because they're my favorite, but because we bought a special bottle of BLUEBERRY syrup the last time we were at the store, and we want to use it!
· Graded all the tests and some of the projects. Updating gradebook and then going to bed! Sooooo close, guys. Sooooooo close!
Notice the timestamp on that second one - I'd been staying up 'til midnight pretty much every day that last week, trying to get work done. One of my comments from earlier that week was that I'd been working 12-13 hour days, trying to get things ready for my kids at school while I was gone. I had it all set up in time, though! Not all the grading was done, but it was super close. I really did enjoy teaching those kids, and I wanted them to be super prepared for their final - for some of them it would determine if they passed or failed my class! So for the 2 weeks I was out, they had a packet of every concept we'd covered the entire year with easy to difficult examples of everything. I left an answer key with the sub, so they could check their work the next day, too. I was so proud of that packet!
And then there was Monday, May 9th:
· Hmmm... even if these contractions continue (which if they follow Rebekah's pattern, they'll be gone in the hour) I really do have a few things to straighten out at work, so I will be going, regardless. If I'm still having them later today, you will know because I'll be back here able to connect to FB again, which I can not do at school. Josiah, I'm excited to meet you, but I need a few more days!
W/ Bekah, I had contractions pretty strongly for an hour every day the week before she was born. But, at the same time, my department has a shortage of teachers right now and they are begging me not to leave early (last day is Thursday) so doesn't that make the odds of me going into actual labor now more likely?
So, clearly, no Josiah yet. Still having contractions, though. If I still feel like this in the morning, I won't be going to work no matter what. I can't focus through the pain anymore, but they've still been inconsistent I'm gonna try and relax and start keeping track of timing again. I haven't for the last few hours b/c I was at the school leaving sticky notes all over my piles of papers....
· Going to the birthing center! ♥
Also, how the heck did I do this the first time? Ouch.
And this is where the details get foggy! Basically, I went to work that day just like every other day. My contractions were still pretty far apart but they were rather distracting! I'm pretty sure that's the day I let them do their re-take test from any one chapter from the semester to try and help bring their grade up. It was a department idea that all the math teachers used, since we were trying to show our administration that we were focused on UNDERSTANDING, and not grades. If they can pass it now, who cares that it's 3 months later? Right...? I have super mixed feelings, but that's not the point of this blog entry! :) So - back to labor.
My kids could tell I was distracted, but I didn't tell them I was having contractions. I said a couple of things that might have tipped off some of the more observant students, though. At lunch, I had to go to another building to give a SpEd teacher some papers, and oh boy was that difficult! Sitting, I was fine. Walking - a whole different ball game! I encountered one of our Vice Principals on my way to the SpEd office and she asked if she needed to call an ambulance, because she was NOT going to let me have my baby on campus! I laughed and reassured her I would be long gone before that happened. I'm not sure she believed me, but she moved on.
After school, Daryn and I met at Carrie's to pick up Rebekah and get a few things done. I don't remember why we met there, but it worked out. We left his truck at their house, picked up Rebekah and went shopping. I bought my bikini top that I could wear while laboring in the Birth Center tub, and we went to dinner at Claim Jumpers - our last 3 person family meal! Daryn agreed to go back to the school with me so I could get more work done. We went to pick up the truck, and happened upon Carrie and her family taking an evening walk. We stayed at their house a little longer and asked if they could help us out. So it ended up that Daryn stayed with Grant at the house with the girls, and Carrie came with me to my classroom to help sort/clean while I finished leaving sticky notes with instructions everywhere. Poor Carrie filed Soooooo many papers for me! I'm just terrible at getting them into the file! They were all piled and collated, waiting to be stuck in a drawer. We spent several hours there, and when we got back to Carrie's we headed home almost immediately. I didn't feel that my contractions were steady enough to warrant going to the birth center just then, or I would have, because Carrie's is much closer than our house! The drive back to my house was probably the most difficult because I had to drive a car, since we had both vehicles there. Ugh. Seriously it was awful!
Back at home by ten, according to the post up there. At 11 I called the midwife and told her about my contractions. They were about 6 minutes apart, maybe? But I figured that since this was my second, it would go faster. She wanted me to try lying down and relaxing, so I did. I guess I slept for a while. Daryn stayed up playing video games and wrote down when I woke and whined about having a contraction. Eventually I couldn't sleep any more, so I decided it was time to go. Apparently that happened just before 2am. :) I sent a quick e-mail to the school, letting them know I was officially taking my maternity leave early 3 days early and we called our moms. My mom wasn't coming until the next Monday, and his mom had guests arriving in town that night, so she didn't make it down until the next day. We dropped Rebekah off at Carrie's house and went to the Birth Center. That car ride was also horrible. It felt like Daryn hit every red light! I know he didn't, but I did NOT want to be sitting. I needed to stand or lie down or something.
At the center, I picked the room with the biggest tub - it was shaped like a triangle, instead of a rectangle. :) Seriously, being able to be in a tub to labor was fantastic! I kind of wish I'd gone sooner, because that would have felt sooooo nice! But I know they encourage us to be in our own home as much as possible. I'm pretty sure I was at least a 6 if not an 8 when we got there. I'm actually leaning more towards the 8 because I remember thinking "I really should have just come in the first time I called, instead of trying to sleep! I could barely stand being in the car, and if I'd waited any longer Daryn would have either had to force me in the car or let me have the baby at home!" Pretty sure he would have forced me in the car. Poor guy.
So - tub. Awesome. I actually managed to sleep most of the time I was in the tub. When I had a contraction, I would wake a little and grip Daryn's hand crazy hard (he was seated in a chair next to the tub) until the contraction passed and then I'd go back to sleep.
Annnnnnd - this is where it gets a little yuck, so skip ahead (if you haven't already) if you don't want nasty details about bodily functions!
I loved the tub, but I felt like I had to poop. So I was on the toilet for a little while, and being all wet I got cold really fast. The water in the tub had cooled, and it had to be 98+ degrees when the baby comes, so they started warming it back up and it felt so hot when I tried to get back in! Since I'd gotten so cold from being out of the tub, it was really hard to get back in. Plus, I couldn't relieve myself properly and I was really concerned about it happening in the tub while I was giving birth. On top of that, I had this small pain at the very end of my spine and I didn't want to sit at an angle anymore. I wanted to lie down flat, but I couldn't really do that in the tub (even though I could recline very nicely). So, even though I'd had this dream of doing a water birth since before I had Rebekah, I ended up on the bed in the room, and didn't have Josiah in a water birth. But oh man, just having that tub for laboring was incredible!
Maybe next time I'll manage to stay in the tub for the birth.
Safe now! :)
So I was on the bed when I had Josiah. Daryn was with me the whole time, and the midwife and her nurse were great. There was another mother in the room next to me, so the midwife and nurse took turns checking in on me. In fact, I think there was a mother at TMC, too, which made for a busy night! I feel a little sad that I don't remember exactly which midwife and nurse helped me through things. I'm terrible with names, and even worse when I'm distracted! :( I know Olga was there at some point, but I'm pretty sure it was someone else most of the time.
Which brings us back to where we started:
Josiah James Wright
7 lbs 15 oz, 20 inches
4:54 am Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
That morning, Daryn left the center for a little bit to get some food and take Josiah's hat home for Pebbles to smell before we actually brought the baby home. While he was there, he checked his e-mail and found that he started work the next day! Jeanette picked Rebekah up from Carrie's and brought her and Nana to the birth center to see Josiah. She also brought down the bassinet that we used with Rebekah (it was made for Jeanette's oldest - Heather) and boxes of baby things we'd been storing at her house. We checked out of the birthing center less than 12 hours after Josiah was born, and I spent the rest of the day lying in bed while Daryn went out with his mom, Nana and Rebekah. Jeanette bought Bekah a new swim suit (one of the things I hadn't gotten checked off the list) and after they brought Daryn and Bekah home, they headed home themselves. My friend Joyce brought us dinner that night.
· Ooooook - Josiah James Wright was born at 4:54am, 7lbs 15oz, 20 inches. He has lots of BLACK hair all over - including long sideburns, and hairy shoulders! I will post pictures and a birth story later.
Feeling a little overwhelmed - Daryn found out today that he finally starts working tomorrow. We're going to ask our sitter to keep watching Bekah this week while Daryn is at work. I am exhausted! My mommy can't get here until Monday night.
We had to contact Carrie and ask that she babysit the rest of the week, since Daryn had to start work, and I was left in the house with my new baby. The next day my sister stopped by and washed my dishes for me and gave me a meal that could sit in the freezer until I needed it. She's so smart! She figured that my ward would bring me meals, and this way I would have an extra for "whenever." :) I was actually feeling pretty crummy that day and had 2 heating pads to help me feel better. I was basically on the couch all day (felt confined in the bedroom) and hardly moved at all. Fortunately, Daryn's laptop fit on the edge of my lap, even though Josiah took up the majority of the lap. :)
· Thank you for all the well wishes! :) And thanks Joyce Wasson for dinner last night, and Kati Pike Carbonneau for lunch and washing my dishes today. I feel so loved!
Elizabeth Wright Haha, me too, kinda. Rebekah was a bit jaundice, so we were there for 2 days - Josiah wasn't even 12 hours old when I got home! But, since Josiah and I are healthy, there's no reason we can't recuperate in our own home instead of lying around the birth center. They did give some very good instructions that I need to REST, and not jump back in to everything. So far, I'm doing just that! :)
:) I wouldn't have minded staying longer just relaxing at the birthing center, but they don't keep anyone for more than 12-18 hours max. Keep in mind, though, they also don't do epidurals etc. Anyone with a high enough risk factor, or who wants an epidural or the like, goes to the hospital down the road and stays there. You can get one of the midwives at the center to attend hospital births, too, so they make accommodations for pretty much every woman's preference.
I will say, though, given the choice between having the water birth available to me, or having a day or two after the birth to stay in the hospital? I'll take the water birth! I LOVED the time I spent in the tub. I was so relaxed that I slept in between all my contractions, and as soon as the contraction stopped I was out within seconds. I didn't actually end up giving birth in the tub, but it's because I wanted to lay down more than the tub could allow for, and that was only for basically the last 20-40 minutes of labor.
I will say, though, given the choice between having the water birth available to me, or having a day or two after the birth to stay in the hospital? I'll take the water birth! I LOVED the time I spent in the tub. I was so relaxed that I slept in between all my contractions, and as soon as the contraction stopped I was out within seconds. I didn't actually end up giving birth in the tub, but it's because I wanted to lay down more than the tub could allow for, and that was only for basically the last 20-40 minutes of labor.
Renee Ramsey do they come do the newborn screens at the house? or do you do them late at the doctor's? or not at all?
Elizabeth Wright The midwife does a home visit 2 days later, including a hearing test. It's not as accurate as the one they do at the hospital, but it just means there's a higher chance of needing a second test. If they can pass the midwife's test, they're definitely good on hearing. I do need to schedule a visit with my pediatrician, though. Speaking of which, I forgot to call them today... Hm.
Seriously, I hurt so much! I don't think it hurt as much as contractions had - or maybe it did, isn't it amazing how women are programmed to forget how much labor hurts? But I think this hurt was worse because it was more constant than contractions, which come and go. Then I found out why I hurt so much when a midwife came to do my postpartum check up that Thursday: (they also did Josiah's newborn screening that day, including the heel prick)
· Found out I was actually allowed to take 2x as much ibuprofen as I was taking... and now I can actually move around the house! :) Probably did too much today, but I am a lot happier than I was yesterday.
Also Thursday, I had several friends come and see me, since I was feeling a lot better (yay drugs!) and told Facebook that I was ready for company. Here's a picture of Rebekah and her friends admiring Josiah:
Look at how much Bekah loves him! :) So adorable.
Friday May 13th I took Josiah to the Pediatrician. That was not fun. Here is what I thought of it at the time.
· Josiah is jaundice... :/ more dr appts for a few days.
Yeah, I think that my pediatrician could improve her bedside manner a bit. She kind of stressed me out, b/c she basically said, "If he hasn't improved by Monday he'll have to go to the hospital." So I don't think the @ home lights are an option. Well, I was stressed by that and realizing all the paperwork I need to do to get Josiah on insurance that will only last 2 months, and that Daryn needs to get paperwork so we can get on his insurance, or look at if we'll qualify - or at least if the kids will qualify - for state insurance.
those first two months can be the most expensive and stressful. It is just one of those things to do :)You wont really know if the lights were and option unless you ask/beg/plead :) the nice thing is that they have lights from beneath now. I am not kidding about the fluids nurse nurse nurse. Pump it into him! The fluids help get that BR processed! A lot of babies get a bit J before mom's milk comes in. If that is the case nursing him more will help stimulate it. I wish you well. Being in the hospital has its advantages. I napped a lot, read a lot, nursed him a lot, took off to eat a meal once :) and had to stand my ground for what I wanted for my little guy. If your going to be informed or they will do it by procedure (not bad but it may not be ideal for you i.e. sugar water). Procedures can bend and morph if things go in the right way. Add prayer to the mix at the beginning middle and end then you will know what to do and have the strength to do it. Really, it wont turn out bad.
I love Amy! She's so fantastic and always gives me great advice! Seriously, though, my Ped wanted me to come in first thing Monday morning to get another bilirubin test, then come to her office (in the same area, several miles away from my house) that afternoon to read the test results. THEN that Wednesday she wanted me back for his 1 week check up, which couldn't be done any sooner than one week. I was still not feeling great at this point, and I'd have to do the Monday appointments without any help, and Rebekah in tow. I was SO STRESSED and felt like I was on the verge of tears for much of that first week.
The next day was my niece's baptism up in Phoenix. I debated on going, but I was seriously so sick of my house, so we went. I had a long conversation with my SIL Aprilynne and she insisted that I stay in Phoenix with her until my mom flew in Monday night. It mean missing those appointments with the Ped, but April promised she knew how to check for jaundice, and we'd make sure Josiah sunbathed all weekend. If we ever felt something was going wrong, we could take him in ASAP.
So I listened to yet another wise woman in my life and my stress levels went WAY DOWN. ^_^ I am so happy to have so many wonderful women in my life who take care of me! (You know, in addition to my fantastic husband who got a job and supported my desire to stay home with our babies.) Also, just so you know, Josiah's jaundice totally cleared up. I also found out that some people believe that a side effect of allowing the umbilical cord to pump all the blood into the baby (and turn white) before cutting it is increased jaundice. But there are also supposed to be really great benefits to giving the baby SO much more cord blood into their body, so I think we're good. I will be interesting to observe with the next child, I think.
From there, I came home with my mom and that week of having her was awesome. I LOVE when my mom comes to visit. She took such good care of me. :) And she got us hooked on Netflix for Rebekah. :P
I made one more trip back up to Phoenix at the end of that week, and stayed right up until the evening before my last day of work/first day back from having a baby (May 25).
So May 26th started my official journey into being a real SAHM. And I love it!
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