Baby Fox Is Here!!!

Julia Christine Fox
8lbs 10oz, 19 in long
Sunday September 7th, 6:37 in the evening

So today Julia has been with us for 2 weeks so I figured it was about time I announced it on the blog!!!
WARNING!! Birth Story Ahead! Don't read further if you don't want details!!!

I woke up early the 7th with cramping but was afraid to think it was labor cause I wanted it to be so badly. The weather had been so pleasant in the mornings, cool and breezy, and I had been thinking it was perfect baby having weather, but you know how we second guess ourselves...

So by 6:30 I was pretty sure it was the real deal so I called my parents since they have the farthest to drive and then called the midwife so she'd have a heads up and told her I'd keep her posted. Then I tried to just wake up Kevin and tell him "We are having a baby today!", but Annelise apparently has super hearing even in her sleep cause she was up in an instant! We all tumbled out of bed and put on our clothes and I started walking the street outside our house to try and get those contractions really working! Annelise swung and watched me, calling me every time I went too far. Soon Olivia was awake and my walk turned into a mini parade: Me waddling along, Annelise and Olivia skipping along side, and Kevin with watch in hand, timing contractions. I'm sure the neighbors were curious!

I went in for a shower and Kevin started making calls, or really I think he did more texting! The contractions became awfully close together during my shower so I told Kevin he'd better tell Laurie (our midwife) to go ahead and come.

Meanwhile I kept walking around. When Laurie arrived I was already 6 cm dilated! YAY! So I felt very accomplished! But then I started getting very sleepy so I decided I needed a nap. Now with Olivia I took a nap and woke up ready to push, so I had the mistaken idea that it would be the same for this birth. It wasn't.

I was at 8 cm for a long time. Turns out little Julia was posterior which means she was heading out face up instead of face down. This is not comfortable, nor is it the easy route. Julia knew this, as she is so smart, and was trying to turn before she descended into the birth canal. So now she is kinda sideways and I'm having serious discomfort! Not only am I having serious discomfort, I am unbelievably emotional during this labor. Crying, crying, crying. Feeling so unsure of becoming a mommy of three...Kevin was so reassuring and Deb was too. We had a pow wow in the bathroom while I was laboring and they prayed for me! Anyway, eventually Laurie decided to turn the baby during my contractions. I have never wanted to quit during labor: you know women say that, but I never had that feeling, until then. Then I wanted to quit!!

I begged Laurie to stop. So she gave me a break and watched my progress during labor and decided that I could push this baby out posterior. She told me I could do it. So I believed her and steeled myself for a long road ahead because I had read and heard that posterior labors last a long time. So I pushed to get rid of the cervix and went from and 8 to 10 in three contractions. So then the work of getting the baby out began, but I kinda didn't realize that till I felt the tell tale burning sensation! It was so quick! I was so glad.

Laurie helped me push her out so gently, that is what I'm most proud of when I watch the video: my control at pushing her out. Of course having Laurie in my face encouraging me totally made it possible! So Julia decided she would turn as I pushed her out, so she came out the right way after all, only with her fist on her head. Which would explain why in the video I look like I am trying to stand up and leave during the crowning!! LOL

Then she was out and in my lap and just looked so big and chunky to me. She has dark hair just like my other two but she didn't have the long swatch of hair on top like my other two did so since I couldn't get to the cord to move it (they were messing with the IV in my hand) I just knew that meant it was a boy! Funny how our mind works! But Kevin took a look and announced that we were blessed with another girl. YAY!! Three girls!!

Then they were caring for me while I tried to get her to latch on. I've had an issue with each previous birth of bleeding a little too excessively so because I went into this pregnancy already anemic they were wanting to be sure that was not an issue. So thanks to answered prayer and fabulous midwives I had no issue with bleeding this birth!!

Soon we were all settled in and Papa brought the girls back from McDonald's to see their new sister. It was wonderful. I was so glad to have my mom and Sandy and Deb there. There is something really amazing about being supported in labor by women that you know love you. And of course Kevin was the best birthing partner ever. I use the word partner rather than coach because he is much more of a partner. We are really good together, and he knows just what to do and say. So yes this was the most difficult labor I have experienced, but I would never trade it, 'cause there is just something about having my baby at home with my family and my midwife who I now call a friend... and being able to say I DID THAT!!! There is nothing like it!

So now what you really want: pictures!

Our new little family of Five!!

Laurie getting ready to weigh my little chunky monkey!

The girls each getting a turn to hold the baby and kiss her goodnight!

Baby on the Way!!

I just washed all the diapers!

I am so proud because many of these will be on their third rotation and when I unpacked them, I discovered the elastic was shot in most of them. I thought "Oh no, we will need new diapers and we can't afford them really..."

But then, and this is why I am proud, I figured out a way to revamp them a different way so I could replace the elastic!! Yay!!! --Hopefully they will all be just as leak proof as they were for previous babies!

So here is a fun picture of them all hanging on the line. Today was the perfect day, sunny (and of course hot) but windy too, so they won't be too stiff for my sweet new baby to be!