And then there were four . . .

Junebug was born at 6:20 pm this afternoon by cesarean section. Mother and baby are doing fine.

MamaP was nothing short of heroic in her attempt to VBAC. Ultimately, complications related to thick meconium in the bag of waters and worsening fever caused us to make the decision for a C-section delivery. We are extremely pleased with the result - from the beginning, success for us was defined by our family walking out of the hospital together.

Junebug successfully latched onto the breast as soon as Mama was able, and has since nursed again. Currently mama is glowing, and baby is sleeping.

Thanks for all the support we received on the blog and in email - it really helped keep MamaP's spirits up.

We named her Holly Evangeline.

For real not fake out labor no really really real this time

MamaP labored at home until about 4:00 AM - we came into the hospital and were checked, and learned she was 85% effaced and dilated to a 3. An hour later she was a 4 and 100% effaced.

We were admitted into the hospital room where she is now laboring. Everything is going fine for both mama and baby.

!!!!!!!!!

- Chad

Storms

We are fine here. Many concerned friends and relatives wanted to know this morning how we fared the storms. Parkersburg, where the mile wide tornado killed 7 people, is about an hour NE of where we live. We know homeschooler families up that way and are awaiting word from them that they are ok.

We had violent wind, lots of lightning and thunder, and rain, but that's it for here. Our house shook. That only happens in a handful of storms every year.

Lil'Bug slept right on through it. I had contractions every 4 minutes for a while (so I did not sleep) but then they eased off and I slept in bits, only waking every 30 minutes or so. I dreamed of contractions, so I thought I was awake ALL night. I also dreamed of the skies over my aunts home in Colorado when storms would roll through there, the wall clouds on the horizon, the greenish tinge, the way the air crackled.

This morning the sun is shining and I'm only writhing and screaming every 7.5 minutes. I'm getting the hang of it. I feel more rested today, but still moving slowly. Eating small meals, puttering around again. We have a Dr. appointment on Tuesday with an ultrasound, so either I'll make it until then or I won't. Right now we are all about reaching those small milestones.

My poor Dearest. I am getting more sleep than he is and he is outside right now doing yard work. He's been re-reading all our labour books, cooking all the meals, chasing Lil'Bug and a million other things that I normally help with or do.

Sunday

Still having contractions, very painful. I slept/rested most of the day while Dearest and Lil'Bug did the grocery shopping and went to the zoo.

Sometimes I was grateful for the alone time and sometimes I really wished that they would come home soon and hug me. Those urges were about 5 minutes apart. :)

There have been moments of reflection today where I was just about ready to throw in the towel and just schedule surgery. The pain is worse that my last recovery and at least I could take pain meds then. Then I focus, breathe, scream a little, and remember that at least I am dealing with this now and not while trying to nurse a newborn. I remember how much is sucks to not drive, but better now than a whole additional six weeks. I remember that I am not alone; though prodromal labour is rare, many women have come through it.

I was strong enough to go home from the hospital. I am glad my water did not break, even though it was a bit embarrassing to be told by the nurse it was likely that I wet myself (or it was the mucus plug dissolving plus fluid). Water breaking so early would not be a good thing for a VBAC attempt.

Messages of comfort and prayer keep flowing in just when I need them. Thank you, thank you.