March Monkeys 2016: 21 boys and 15 girls born

[keepinitreal1]

Congratulations Silas and NDH!!! Sooo many babies coming now!

Fezzle, I really hope you get your bed sood. This sounds like a pain in the butt, to be honest. And good luck!

Allforthegirl I was thinking of you today when I was contracting again and couldn't sleep. I'm glad the baby is fine and really hope you get to meet him soon!

I had a friend who does astrology cards do a EDD according to my birth chart, just for fun, and he said 23rd for me. I hope he comes sooner, though.

 

[NDH]

Here's my birth story

Spoiler

Jeremy David Holden was born at 3:45pm tMarxh 15, 45 minute active labour , though I was having mild irregular contractions all day (and really mild ones throughout the night). Had my show at 7:30ish and waters broke at 9am. Was still very much early labour all morning as I cleaned the house and played with the girls, but I had a feeling it would progress quickly when I stopped being "busy".
Oh, yesterday at the grocery store Sara (4) insisted we needed to buy a cake. There was one heavily marked down due to the icing being stuck to the lid, so caved and bought it, expecting we would have it for dessert last night. But Sara said no we couldnt eat it "its the babys birthday cake for the baby,s birthday tomorrow". She wouldnt agree to let me freeze it, or to eat it yesterday and then get a different cake for the baby's birthday. And then in the morning after my water broke when I went to talk to the girls about mommy having pains in her tummy and needing the to be a little patient with me Sara said "i know cause today the baby is going to be born".
At 11:30 I texted dh to come home at lunch time (1) so he could take the girls out to run an errand and see if I could get into active labour without them around, but I really didn't think anything was going to happen until they were in bed. And I kept worrying i had called him home way too early and would waste his time he could have been working. Dh got home at 1:30 and kept delaying in going with the girls. I kept feeling like maybe I should be calling my Doula and photographer and setting up the pool in case things happened in a hurry, but really thought that it was silly to call so early as I wasn't in "real" labour yet - contractions still mild and irregular and I was totally functioning as normally. Dh took a photo of me at 2pm vacuuming the floor haha.
Anyway at 2 he was going to go out, but I decided maybe it would be a good idea to have my Doula come over first even though I still didn't feel like I needed her there yet. But I didn't want to be completely alone either. She lives 20 minutes away so she was here by 2:25. I was in the middle of making beef stew when she arrived and we chatted in the kitchen while I chopped veggies. I apologized for having called her so soon and then had a couple long, strong contractions where I felt a little bit of pressure and I went to the bathroom to see if i had to poo and had another strong contraction while I was there and could hear dh heading out the door with the girls. As soon as I could speak I hollered at him not to go as I knew that at that point I was in active labour, which was about 3pm. I told him to start setting up the pool and texted the photographer and holed up in my bedroom on the birthing ball. Doula brought me tea and frozen grapes, and Chloe (2 3/4) came in and asked for some grapes too. I had a couple contractions where I could stay sitting and moving my hips on the ball, but then I had to get up and sway through them after that. Oh and at that point when I abandoned the ball I took my underwear off as my pads were becoming useless and laid down a waterproof sheet and some towels on the floor. Still had my dress on though, which i pulled down to be a skirt when she started massaging oils into my back. My Doula was applying counter pressure on my lower back and swaying with me and helping me control my breathing, and then used some birthing oil on my back, as well as giving me lavender oil to smell. Which helped so so much. Then I had a contraction where I could definitely feel some pressure and I yelled that the pool wasnt going to be ready in time. My doula ran upstairs to check, and it was about halfway so I could have gotten in probably, but there wasnt enough time between contractions to get me there anyway.
The next one came on quickly and I started vocalising and said the baby is coming and the photographer ran up to bring dh downstairs when my Doula lifted my skirt and could see the head was crowning. About three pushes later I roared him out into DHs hands, and then I lifted my skirt and peeked between my legs (I was standinghalf leaning against the bed) and saw a scrotum and kept saying "its a boy its a boy" over and over even though clearly everyone else could see that it was haha. I reached down to bring him to my chest, but his cord was super short and he just barely reached my breast so it was super awkward to turn around. Sat on the floor under towels for a bit. The girls then came in the room bearing cake which someone kept moving out of the way and the girls would bring back. Dh offered them a piece and they said no it was for the baby so we sang happy birthday to Jeremy and they went outside with dh to eat a piece, and then went for a swim in the now-ready pool. Haha.
Dad called at 4 and I told him he had a grandson and he was shocked haha. He had been calling to say he wouldn't be able to come for a visit today cause he had to play tennis. Have him permission to tell mom, who normally doesn't come on Tuesdays but she showed up at the door unannounced about an hour later (she was there to offer assistance, prepared to leave if she wasn't wanted. So she entertained the girls and seasoned my stew I never got around to finishing making, but it was tasty anyway. It took about an hour and a half for the placenta to be birthed - I'd moved from the floor to the bed and then wanted to stand up and walk a bit to help it along which worked as it was out pretty soon after that. It was so tiny! We then weighed him (3.6kg) and cut the cord (he cried so much when the cord was cut - Chloe came running to ask what's wrong with my baby.) And I took him upstairs to show him to mom. Mom stayed until the girls' bedtime and read them their stories and was going to lay with them to sleep, but Sara came into my room with her blanket and laid down beside me and said she just wanted to sleep with her brother, so I agreed but warned her that she would be waking up in her own bed because it wasn't safe for her to sleep all night with the baby. And then Chloe came in too. They were both asleep faster than they would be normally and dh took them to their bed. He's going to sleep with them tonight and I'll be in our bed with Jeremy as we don't have anywhere else for him to sleep tonight and dh doesn't want jeremy sleeping between us both. Plus then he can get up with the girls and keep them from bothering me in the morning. Dh's boss was already planning to fly up tonight amazingly, so dh is officially on paternity leave and mom and dad are both off work tomorrow so they can take the girls for as much of the day as we need them to so dh and I can have family bonding time.

 

[allforthegirl]

Congratulations Silas and NDH!!! Sooo many babies coming now!

Fezzle, I really hope you get your bed sood. This sounds like a pain in the butt, to be honest. And good luck!

Allforthegirl I was thinking of you today when I was contracting again and couldn't sleep. I'm glad the baby is fine and really hope you get to meet him soon!

I had a friend who does astrology cards do a EDD according to my birth chart, just for fun, and he said 23rd for me. I hope he comes sooner, though.

Looks like things have continued, still contracting regularly. So hopefully I don't sit in this early stage too much longer.

I also hope you don't have to wait that long either. GL

 

[NDH]

Good luck afg!

 

[Fezzle]

I've got my bed now- I've actually got a room to myself with my own bathroom and shower! I hope I get to stay here until I go into labour- but I hope I'm not waiting too long to go into labour either! They inserted the Propess pessary a few hours ago but nothing going on so far.

 

[NDH]

Good luck fezzle!

 

[Left wonderin]

Wow excitement welcome all the new arrivals and a special,emotion to those fezzel and allfor right in the middle of things ... Sorry I have been MIA but I've had a baby turns out those niggles were indeed something and I arrived at the hospital fully dilated and pushing in the waiting room!!! 19 mins later it was all over ! No time for anything expect baby . ANNA arrived a tiny princess weighing 6lb 7 oz of pure perfection . She had done a poo so I had to stay in to be monitored for 24 hours . We are home now , a wee bit tender and feel like I've had a gym workout but so happy here is my LO

 

[allforthegirl]

Left she is so sweet. Congrats girl.

So many having their babies. I hope I don't have to wait much longer.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Congrats mamas! All these BA are pouring in
left she is precious

 

[NDH]

Oh wow congrats left! You were a planned cesarean weren't you?howdo you feel about the unexpected vbac?

 

[Left wonderin]

Oh wow congrats left! You were a planned cesarean weren't you?howdo you feel about the unexpected vbac?

I am overjoyed its what I really wanted but was afraid to hope for the c section was not my idea . And so thrilled i experienced the whole thing . I would never have been brave enough to choose no pain relief but now I've done it .. Without anything I can totally understand how labour works and how nature really does give you all the tools you need to get there in the end .

Anna is our last so ill never know what choice I'd make next time but so thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience birth as Mother Nature had intended

 

[keepinitreal1]

Fezzle and Allforthegirl, I'm sure that in 24 hours we'll have your announcements up here. Yay!

Congratulations Left, she is gorgeous and I love the name.

NDH, your birth story sounds like those you hear from old ladies saying we "young" people worry too much - "I had my baby and then I washed him in the sink and went on to preparing potroast for the men coming home from the fields" - if you know what I'm trying to say. Super jelaous of your special moments, you are remarkable!

Everyone keep safe and good luck!!!

 

[KalonKiki]

Wow congrats Mama Hen and Left!

Good luck Allforthegirl and Fezzle!

 

[NDH]

Oh wow congrats left! You were a planned cesarean weren't you?howdo you feel about the unexpected vbac?

I am overjoyed its what I really wanted but was afraid to hope for the c section was not my idea . And so thrilled i experienced the whole thing . I would never have been brave enough to choose no pain relief but now I've done it .. Without anything I can totally understand how labour works and how nature really does give you all the tools you need to get there in the end .

Anna is our last so ill never know what choice I'd make next time but so thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience birth as Mother Nature had intended

I'm so happy for you There really is nothing like it imo, but I know some can find it quite traumatic giving birth without pain medication when they hadn't planned to so I'm glad you found it an empowering experience.

 

[CurlyRose]

I love reading these birth stories, I can't wait to be doing it again myself, I honestly found giving birth to be the most wonderful thing. Congratulations NDH and left and anyone else and good luck to those who can't have long left (fezzle, allforthegirl).

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Oh wow congrats left! You were a planned cesarean weren't you?howdo you feel about the unexpected vbac?

I am overjoyed its what I really wanted but was afraid to hope for the c section was not my idea . And so thrilled i experienced the whole thing . I would never have been brave enough to choose no pain relief but now I've done it .. Without anything I can totally understand how labour works and how nature really does give you all the tools you need to get there in the end .

Anna is our last so ill never know what choice I'd make next time but so thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience birth as Mother Nature had intended

There really is nothing like it, I don't think I would choose any other way if I decide to have any more. It is quite the experience to just let your body take its course and bring life into this world! Cheers to you and baby

 

[SarahLou372]

Hi ladies

Not been on for a while but called in see how everyone is getting on. Congrats to all the ladies who have already has their babies, but for me I'm still waiting for our Charlie bear... Feeling quite impatient now through I'm so uncomfortable

 

[Fezzle]

Freya Dorothy arrived quickly today! Will post more details later once home!

 

[allforthegirl]

Freya Dorothy arrived quickly today! Will post more details later once home!

Congrats my dear!!

 

[NDH]

Congrats Fezzle!