We have a daughter! Rebecca Lynn Williamson was born on Monday, February 11 at 9:20pm. Now we have a beautiful girl to go with our beautiful boy!
Here's a picture of her in her going-home outfit. Since we chose not to find out the gender ahead of time we had a neutral outfit, but on the chance we had a daughter I had bought a maroon headband so she'd have something "girly" to wear home.
So far she looks a lot like Daniel did as a baby. Her hair is a little darker than his was but a similar reddish-brown shade. Her eyes are the dark blue of most newborns. It'll be fun to see as she gets older who she favors more. Daniel is my little mini-me; will she be blonde and blue-eyed too or take after Kevin's coloring? Whose nose, chin, fingers, etc. will she get? When I look at baby pictures of Daniel I think he looks "more like himself" the older he gets as his features become more distinct. I'm sure in a year or two as I look back at Rebecca's baby pictures I'll think the same thing as, with the benefit of hindsight, I can see the little girl she's going to become in her newborn pictures.
Birth story
Birth story
I delivered Rebecca at the same hospital where Daniel was born, Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, with the same midwife, Cecily, and doula, Maria. And as with Daniel, I delivered naturally with no epidural or any other medical interventions. Other than those common elements though, the births were quite different. If Daniel's was a marathon, Rebecca's was a 5k!
The weekend before
Since we still had no baby, we made the most of our weekend, attending not one but two birthday parties for Daniel's friends and visiting the Sea Life Aquarium. I also took advantage of the chance to see the Les Miserables movie with my mom for a last girls' night out. Throughout the weekend I was feeling Braxton Hicks contractions but otherwise nothing to indicate labor was imminent. But by Sunday evening it definitely felt like the baby was starting to move lower. I knew that for second babies dropping generally happened once labor was imminent. As I had every night for a week, I went to bed wondering if I'd wake up in labor at some point in the night but Monday morning came with no new developments.
Early Monday
I got up when my alarm went off and prepared to go to work but decided not to go in. Between the dropping feeling that seemed even stronger than the night before, the fact that I had a checkup scheduled that afternoon anyway, and the dread of facing another round of "you still haven't had that baby yet?" questions, I decided to stay home from work and see how the day progressed.
Early Monday
I got up when my alarm went off and prepared to go to work but decided not to go in. Between the dropping feeling that seemed even stronger than the night before, the fact that I had a checkup scheduled that afternoon anyway, and the dread of facing another round of "you still haven't had that baby yet?" questions, I decided to stay home from work and see how the day progressed.
I stayed productive by taking a walk, cleaning out the file cabinet, closing on a refi loan for our house (and wondering as I signed and dated a huge stack of papers whether that date would turn out to be a memorable one for us!), and helping Kevin jumpstart his car. When he tried to leave for work that morning he discovered that his battery was dead. Knowing that a drive to the hospital was in our near future he got it replaced right away. As it turned out this was very fortunate timing!
Our last prenatal checkup
My 3:10 checkup time came and Kevin and I headed to the hospital. I had researched induction and even downloaded an app to my phone to calculate my Bishop score so that I'd be prepared for a conversation about that. Our intention was still to wait as long as possible to allow labor to start on its own. In the car on the way there I remember telling Kevin I felt a contraction but wasn't sure if it was Braxton Hicks or something real.
At the appointment I learned that I was 2cm dilated, 80% effaced, and in early labor. Not only was the induction conversation now a moot point, Cecily said we'd be back that night to have our baby! We had planned for a sonogram that day to check the amniotic fluid level so we stuck around for that to make sure there was no reason I needed to be admitted right away.
We had to wait about 45 minutes for the sonogram and I started timing my contractions around 4:00 as they were becoming more regular. They were lasting roughly a minute and the interval between them steadily decreased from 15 minutes to 8 over the next hour. The sonogram showed a healthy baby (I reminded the sonographer that we didn't know the gender-I wasn't about to wait that long only to have the surprise ruined at the last minute!) and adequate fluid levels, but baby was sleepy. I guess she knew what was coming and was getting her rest while she could!
We had to wait about 45 minutes for the sonogram and I started timing my contractions around 4:00 as they were becoming more regular. They were lasting roughly a minute and the interval between them steadily decreased from 15 minutes to 8 over the next hour. The sonogram showed a healthy baby (I reminded the sonographer that we didn't know the gender-I wasn't about to wait that long only to have the surprise ruined at the last minute!) and adequate fluid levels, but baby was sleepy. I guess she knew what was coming and was getting her rest while she could!
Laboring at home
We left the hospital about 5:15 planning to spend our evening at home with Daniel then leave for the hospital after he was in bed. By the time we got home contractions were coming about every 5 minutes but they weren't really uncomfortable. I stood and swayed side to side and was able to talk through them so I thought we were still in the early stages. After all, Daniel's labor had taken 37 hours and it had only been about 2 so far. I didn't want to be the girl who cried labor too early and get sent home again!
I started to make birthday cupcakes for the baby (like I did for Daniel) but then outsourced that task to my mom so I could address Daniel's valentines for his class party. I decided to eat while I still could in case I had a long labor ahead of me so I made some tortellini with red sauce and opened up a Powerade (carb loading!). After dinner Kevin bathed Daniel while I packed last-minute items into our hospital bags.
By the time I went in during story time to hug and kiss Daniel goodnight the contractions were intense enough that I had to stand up and couldn't easily talk through them. I definitely thought we were in active labor but wasn't sure how far along we were. The contractions were strong but didn't seem to last more than about 30 seconds before I'd get several minutes' reprieve. They didn't seem to fit the 5/1/1 rule about when to go to the hospital: contractions at least every 5 minutes lasting at least 1 minute for at least 1 hour.
By the time I went in during story time to hug and kiss Daniel goodnight the contractions were intense enough that I had to stand up and couldn't easily talk through them. I definitely thought we were in active labor but wasn't sure how far along we were. The contractions were strong but didn't seem to last more than about 30 seconds before I'd get several minutes' reprieve. They didn't seem to fit the 5/1/1 rule about when to go to the hospital: contractions at least every 5 minutes lasting at least 1 minute for at least 1 hour.
Nevertheless I thought it was time to call Cecily and check in. I picked up my phone and was about to call when another contraction started. During this one I felt a little "pop" sensation and then wetness. I ran to the bathroom to check and discovered that my water had broken and we had bloody show. With Daniel things happened fairly quickly after my water broke so I told Kevin it was time to go so we hopped in the car and sped off a little after 8:00. Thank goodness my mom was with us and already knew Daniel's routine so all we had to say was "we're off!" And thank goodness we'd replaced his car's battery just that morning. That would not have been a good time to discover a dead battery!
I called Cecily and Maria and they set off for the hospital too. I also called our birth photographer and she asked us to call back once we were there and I had been checked. Kevin drove like a man possessed and we made it to the hospital at around 8:30. He later said he was afraid I'd be having the baby on the side of the road. I knew we weren't that close-having been there done that I knew we had not reached the transition stage yet. That said, the contractions were coming frequently and felt pretty intense, but probably worse because I was stuck siting down rather than being able to stand and move through them.
We got admitted to L&D room #1, just catty-corner from the room where Daniel had been born. The nurses hooked me up to a series of monitors to check baby's heartbeat and the contractions. I opted to stand by the bed rather than lie down and I continued to sway through the contractions. Cecily arrived right behind us and checked my dilation. I was 6cm along and definitely in active labor now. Maria arrived shortly thereafter and our dream team was in place.
I wasn't able to talk during contractions anymore so I told Kevin to call our photographer to let her know to come ASAP. He called and said "this baby will be here tonight, probably within a few hours." What I wanted to say was, "that doesn't impress upon her the appropriate sense of urgency, you need to be more specific" but all I could get out was "no, she needs to come NOW!"
By now every time a contraction hit the pain was intense enough that I needed Kevin to rub my lower back to provide counter pressure. In the little time he'd have between my contractions he was busy grabbing a wet washcloth to wipe my forehead, bringing me Powerade, and filling the bathtub with water, just in case the birth tub didn't arrive in time.
I knew from our Bradley classes and past experience that we were now in transition-the intense stage of labor where the cervix dilates from about 7 to 10cm. It's the most intense and unpleasant stage of labor but also the shortest. But just like pushing through a tough stretch in a race, it's really more about mental strength than physical. I reminded myself that the very fact that I was in pain and wondering if I had it in me to do this again was proof that I was near the end and would be holding my baby soon. And having done this before with Daniel I knew I could do it again.
One hallmark of the transition stage is grouchiness. It's good I wasn't vocal at this point because I was certainly having grouchy thoughts about the nurses and techs with their questions and blood draws and having to stay on the monitors. Fortunately I skipped one of the other hallmarks of transition-throwing up! So apparently a hearty pasta dinner is a good choice just before active labor...no ice chips for me!
By now I was feeling the pressure that I knew meant it was about time to push. All I wanted was to get in the water so I asked to get off the monitors. As we headed for the bathroom, the nurse presented me with a stack of forms I needed to sign. I didn't even pretend to read them and just scribbled signatures, so after the first few pages she said, "just go!" and we went to the tub.
I knelt in the tub with my hands on the side walls and Kevin took off his shoes and socks, rolled up his jeans, and stood in the tub behind me. Cecily and Maria stood by. I felt the urge to push and started to but apparently a tad soon, earning myself a tear. Cecily told me to slow down, take a few breaths, put my hands under me to catch, and then push again when I was ready.
I don't recall how many pushes it took but it can't have been more than 2 or 3 before our baby's head emerged. Cecily told me to push one more time to get the shoulders out and then I caught our baby in my arms. I heard Cecily ask the nurse in the main room for the time-9:20. I looked down and saw our baby's head, then, with Kevin looking over my shoulder, I slowly pulled the baby up and out from under me.
After 41 weeks of wondering it was time to find out if we had a son or daughter. Finally we could see and Kevin called out "we got a girl!" Having now done it both ways I have to say, it was great to find out in that moment by looking at her instead of just having a sonographer point to a screen to show us. I'll always remember that moment and the excitement in Kevin's voice as he called it out.
"To finish will leave you feeling like a champion and positively change your life. "- Runners World inspirational quote for 2/11/13
From this point on our experience was brand new compared to last time. When Daniel was born the NICU team tended to him immediately and after I got to hold him for only 2 minutes, he was taken to the NICU wing. This time though, we actually got to experience the post-birth rooming-in experience that Baylor tells expectant parents about on their tour.
With umbilical cord still attached we made our way back into the room and I got into bed for some cuddle time with my baby girl. Cecily gently pulled the placenta out (just like with Daniel I didn't need any pitocin to deliver it) and stitched up the tear. Meanwhile Kevin was calling family and friends to spread the news that we had a healthy baby girl. Our photographer arrived too late to catch the birth itself but got some wonderful pictures of Rebecca and us over the next few hours. Maria took some too with my camera. We didn't get those early hours with Daniel so getting to experience them and get pictures this time was great. Here are a few of them:
Rebecca briefly went over to the warmer for measurements and to warm up then she was swaddled and brought back to me. I got dressed and sat in a wheelchair with her in my arms to go up to recovery (I was able to walk but for baby's safety moms are wheeled).
The recovery room was much like the one we had before but with an important difference. Where a hospital-grade pump had stood last time was a bassinet for Rebecca. I didn't need a pump. My baby wasn't down the hall in the NICU available only at certain hours. She was right here in the room and I could hold her and feed her anytime.
It hadn't really hit me how much I missed out on with Daniel until I visited friends in the hospital after their babies were born and saw bassinets instead of pumps in their rooms and thought, that's because they aren't separated from their baby like I was. When we toured Baylor's L&D area last month the tour guide told the roomful of expectant parents about Baylor's rooming-in option and said that those early hours and days are so important for bonding and you can't get them back. I looked around that room and thought, none of these women is imagining right now that she'll be the one who misses that because her baby is in the NICU; when we took that tour the first time I certainly never thought it would be me. But I also knew now from experience that those first hours and days, special though they might be, don't determine everything. An hour is an hour and a day is a day and if the first ones didn't go as planned, there were plenty more to follow. I didn't want to do that again but knew we'd be fine if we had to.
That said, it was wonderful to have Rebecca in the room with us and to be able to hold her whenever we wanted. At one point that first night she couldn't sleep after a feeding so I fell asleep sitting up in bed holding her close, something I couldn't have done with Daniel. For the most part she was a quiet baby, content to sleep a lot (still true now that we're home!).
The next day brought visits from family and friends. Here's a picture of Daniel meeting his little sister for the first time. He was very sweet with her wanting to give hugs and kisses. Then Aunt Katherine and Uncle Scott gave him a toy truck and he discovered that toy trucks are more interesting than baby sisters!
Wednesday morning Rebecca and I were both discharged as patients and it was time to go home. Since then we've all been adjusting and settling into life as a family of 4. So far it's actually been easier than I expected, knock on wood. I suspect that will change as she sleeps less and is alert more, but I'll enjoy easy while we have it!
We're so blessed to have two wonderful, healthy children!
I knelt in the tub with my hands on the side walls and Kevin took off his shoes and socks, rolled up his jeans, and stood in the tub behind me. Cecily and Maria stood by. I felt the urge to push and started to but apparently a tad soon, earning myself a tear. Cecily told me to slow down, take a few breaths, put my hands under me to catch, and then push again when I was ready.
I don't recall how many pushes it took but it can't have been more than 2 or 3 before our baby's head emerged. Cecily told me to push one more time to get the shoulders out and then I caught our baby in my arms. I heard Cecily ask the nurse in the main room for the time-9:20. I looked down and saw our baby's head, then, with Kevin looking over my shoulder, I slowly pulled the baby up and out from under me.
After 41 weeks of wondering it was time to find out if we had a son or daughter. Finally we could see and Kevin called out "we got a girl!" Having now done it both ways I have to say, it was great to find out in that moment by looking at her instead of just having a sonographer point to a screen to show us. I'll always remember that moment and the excitement in Kevin's voice as he called it out.
"To finish will leave you feeling like a champion and positively change your life. "- Runners World inspirational quote for 2/11/13
From this point on our experience was brand new compared to last time. When Daniel was born the NICU team tended to him immediately and after I got to hold him for only 2 minutes, he was taken to the NICU wing. This time though, we actually got to experience the post-birth rooming-in experience that Baylor tells expectant parents about on their tour.
With umbilical cord still attached we made our way back into the room and I got into bed for some cuddle time with my baby girl. Cecily gently pulled the placenta out (just like with Daniel I didn't need any pitocin to deliver it) and stitched up the tear. Meanwhile Kevin was calling family and friends to spread the news that we had a healthy baby girl. Our photographer arrived too late to catch the birth itself but got some wonderful pictures of Rebecca and us over the next few hours. Maria took some too with my camera. We didn't get those early hours with Daniel so getting to experience them and get pictures this time was great. Here are a few of them:
Rebecca briefly went over to the warmer for measurements and to warm up then she was swaddled and brought back to me. I got dressed and sat in a wheelchair with her in my arms to go up to recovery (I was able to walk but for baby's safety moms are wheeled).
The recovery room was much like the one we had before but with an important difference. Where a hospital-grade pump had stood last time was a bassinet for Rebecca. I didn't need a pump. My baby wasn't down the hall in the NICU available only at certain hours. She was right here in the room and I could hold her and feed her anytime.
It hadn't really hit me how much I missed out on with Daniel until I visited friends in the hospital after their babies were born and saw bassinets instead of pumps in their rooms and thought, that's because they aren't separated from their baby like I was. When we toured Baylor's L&D area last month the tour guide told the roomful of expectant parents about Baylor's rooming-in option and said that those early hours and days are so important for bonding and you can't get them back. I looked around that room and thought, none of these women is imagining right now that she'll be the one who misses that because her baby is in the NICU; when we took that tour the first time I certainly never thought it would be me. But I also knew now from experience that those first hours and days, special though they might be, don't determine everything. An hour is an hour and a day is a day and if the first ones didn't go as planned, there were plenty more to follow. I didn't want to do that again but knew we'd be fine if we had to.
That said, it was wonderful to have Rebecca in the room with us and to be able to hold her whenever we wanted. At one point that first night she couldn't sleep after a feeding so I fell asleep sitting up in bed holding her close, something I couldn't have done with Daniel. For the most part she was a quiet baby, content to sleep a lot (still true now that we're home!).
The next day brought visits from family and friends. Here's a picture of Daniel meeting his little sister for the first time. He was very sweet with her wanting to give hugs and kisses. Then Aunt Katherine and Uncle Scott gave him a toy truck and he discovered that toy trucks are more interesting than baby sisters!
Wednesday morning Rebecca and I were both discharged as patients and it was time to go home. Since then we've all been adjusting and settling into life as a family of 4. So far it's actually been easier than I expected, knock on wood. I suspect that will change as she sleeps less and is alert more, but I'll enjoy easy while we have it!
We're so blessed to have two wonderful, healthy children!
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