The Birth of Summer Jean
Well, as everyone knows by now, our newest addition, Summer Jean Rogowski, was born on November 8 and as expected, life has been pretty upside down ever since! Everyone told me that when you go from no kids to one, it's the hardest. When you go from one to two, it's much easier - supposedly. I do understand where that thought comes from. After all, you know what it's like to have a baby, now it's just a matter of logistics, right? Well, for the emotionally charged, not so much. As one of my dear friends put it, "trying to fit your two kid life into your one kid life doesn't work." Just as we learned when we tried to fit Gracie into our no kid life. This parenting thing really does take quite a bit of soul searching and mental stamina. But I want to go back a bit and document Summer's birth in writing. For those who have heard the tale a thousand times, forgive me! But I know Summer will love to read this one day.
November 8 started out pretty normal. Bart took Gracie to school, I enjoyed a quiet morning, and then went to a much needed appointment with my therapist! I was chatting so much that my appointment ran late and I was 20 minutes late picking up Gracie from school. I was THAT Mom that had to come get her from the office. Her teacher said, "we thought maybe you went into labor!" "Oh no." I said. "I still have a week or so to go!" I grabbed G and we were on our way home. I put her down for a nap around 1pm and had plans to work out and get some cleaning done around the house but instead, I found myself curled up on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy and feeling guilty for wanting to just be lazy. And then I reminded myself that I don't have many more chances to just be lazy, so I took it! About an hour later, around 2pm, I felt a mild contraction. I didn't think much of it as I know that mild contractions can happen in the weeks leading up to birth. But over the next 2 hours I had a couple more. I still didn't think much of it but I did begin to realize that birth was probably going to happen within the next couple of days. I called my midwife and told her what was going on and she said to take a bath, drink some water, and see if they went away or increased. I thought to myself, "what a midwifey thing to say. Who has time to sit in a bath!? I still need to get to the grocery store!" Around 5:30 Erica came over to drop some stuff off. I filled her in on what I was feeling but assured her it still had to be a ways off. We decided to go to the grocery store together. She was going to drive separately but the look on my face during one of these "mild" contractions must have changed her mind because she decided to ride with me "just in case." I was driving to Publix at a stop light as my first "not so mild" contraction happened. I still talked through it, but I remember thinking that I was probably gonna have a baby sooner than I thought! As we walked around Publix, the contractions began to intensify and happen more frequently. There was a moment in the coffee aisle where Erica was asking me a question and I couldn't reply until the contraction finished. As a second time mom, I knew that once the contractions become too intense to talk through, things are getting real. STILL though, I thought I had at least 12-24 hours to go. Why? I have no idea.
After dodging a friend in produce, having an awkward exchange with the check out lady, and letting Erica convince me that she should drive us home and probably stay the night, we were on our way. I texted Bart and asked him to pick up some Thai food because I wasn't sure I could cook. When we came home I decided to take my midwife's advice and I got in the tub and had some water. To my amazement, the contractions stopped! I actually felt pretty bummed as I had just begun to accept that a baby was coming. I then proceeded to the shower and once I was on my feet, they started back up again. Bart got home during that time, around 7pm, and he came into the shower with me. I'll always remember this moment as he hugged me under the water, looked me in the eyes and excitedly asked, "are we going to have a baby tonight?" I said, "you know, I think we are!"
I proceeded to have some Thai soup on the couch and I was feeling pretty good. I realized that every time I sat down the contractions stopped, but as soon as I would walk around they would start again. At that point I was determined to make them continue if they were in fact going to continue! So I walked around, did some laundry, and tidied up the house a bit while periodically stopping to have a contraction. Looking back, I realized that I was brought to my knees for most of them. I would lay on the floor, lean over the couch, etc. But still, I told Erica, Bart, my midwife, and our birth photographer that I was likely hours away from anything happening. I don't know what it was that kept me from realizing that I was in active labor at that point. I think the distractions of having another child to handle and having the setting be so different than it was the first time around just somehow made my brain incapable of accepting the reality of the situation. Well, after kissing Gracie goodnight around 8:30, I went to the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and whether or not I was in labor was no longer a question. I proceeded to have what seemed like a never ending contraction that instantly took me back to what transitional labor felt like with Gracie. I had been timing my contractions for the last hour or so, but they had been very irregular. Suddenly they were right on top of each other. The next half hour or so was pretty comical. Well, not at the time! But as I labored on the toilet, I began barking orders at Bart to get his "birth prep" tasks done. As he and Erica took their time getting things set up like getting the video camera and laying down the tarp for the birthing tub, I grew increasingly aware that time was running out. I saw Bart casually sip his beer as he began to reminisce about Gracie's birth as he taped over old tape residue from where the tarp had been the last time. I told him, probably not so nicely, to hurry up and come be with me! At that point I was pretty sure that there would be no time for the birthing tub and I just wanted him to hold my head. Bless his heart. He did what I asked. I think that was when we all realized that a baby was happening NOW.
Bart filled up our bath tub and around 9pm and I climbed in after texting my midwife that she should "probably head over." Our student midwife, Estee, showed up around 9:15 and I asked her to check me as I was pretty sure I was in transition. When I asked her how dilated I was she said, "oh you're at 10. The baby's head is right there, she just needs to move past your pubic bone and you'll meet her." I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! None of us could. I STILL thought I had a couple hours to go and at least an hour of pushing. After lying there a bit longer she told me to open my legs to "make room" for the baby. I remember feeling so confused by that request, but I got myself up onto my knees in the tub and felt my water break. Once my water broke, an inexplicable amount of pain and pressure ensued and I said, "I think she's coming out!" And with that, her head exploded out of me and with one more push, her body followed. Estee managed to catch her from underneath my leg and place her into my arms in one effortless motion as I fell back down into the tub. The next 10 minutes I was in total shock. I couldn't wrap my head around what had just happened. It really wasn't until Bart cut the cord, they cleaned me up, and I moved into bed that I fully understood that I had done it. She was here. And we were all safe and healthy.
The next 3 hours were pretty tough for me. Unlike with Gracie where after she was born, I just felt relief, this time I was in excruciating pain as my uterus began to contract. Not uncommon with your second baby, particularly after precipitous labor (labor under 3 hours). Rhonda and Estee were taking turns massaging my uterus to shift it back into place and release some clots. This was as painful as labor itself! Absolutely terrible. So during that time, I didn't get to bond as much as I would have liked to with Summer. I nursed her a few times which made the contracting that much worse. But it gave Bart a chance to hold her and let her sleep on his chest. In between the agonizing uterine massages I would look over and see him dozing with her, her tiny little head on his chest. As uncomfortable as I was, I was so happy. Of course, then we got a phone call at midnight that the alarm went off at our office 20 minutes away. Thank you Erica for driving all the way out there and back to make sure all was well. When the second call came in around 2am, we just ignored it. :)
Once the midwives had done their measurements and paperwork and cleaned everything up, they said goodbye and we were left to sleep. As expected, Erica and Bart passed right out and I stayed up all night just staring at Summer. I loved every minute of that night even though I got no sleep. My cramps were beginning to lessen a bit and it was just my daughter and me in the quiet taking each other in. In the morning, we were so excited to bring Gracie in and introduce her to her sister. Afterall, she went to bed that night and I was pregnant. She woke up in the morning and my belly was gone and there was a baby in our bed! I was so curious what she would make of that. When we brought her in, she climbed up onto the bed, looked at the baby for a second and smiled sweetly, and then grabbed the remote and asked for Wheels on the Bus. HA! Our sweet Gracie.
The next week was like heaven. Bart stayed home and we enjoyed a full 7 days as a family of 4 just lounging around and getting to know our new babe. Mom and Dad arrived shortly after that which was perfect timing! Sleep deprivation was beginning to take hold and we were ready for the help. As always, it was so much fun having them here and they were such a huge help to us. They stayed for nearly 3 weeks and celebrated Thanksgiving with us. Erica and Mom cooked up a proper Thanksgiving feast for our small but mighty group. Bart and I got to have a proper night out together along with Erica at a coworker's wedding. Dad and Gracie had many outings together and Mom coached me through the first of many meltdowns. :) My emotional health began to decline shortly thereafter, but that's for another day. As hard as it has been, the joy of a new baby seems to always push through even if only for moments at a time. She was only 7lb 9oz and 19.75in long at birth. Now at 15 weeks old she is nearly 15lbs! She is sleeping well most nights, smiling so much, and beginning to develop her little personality. Although Gracie has her jealous moments and feels the need to fight for attention at times, she never takes it out on "wah wah," as she calls her. She is so sweet with her, always making sure she has her "juice" (pacifier), and excitedly exclaims "HI WAH WAH!" whenever we pick her up from school. It's been the sweetest thing to witness.
Well, if you've made it this far, here are some pictures! Because I was late in notifying our birth photographer of my labor progress, Erica stepped in and somehow managed to snap some pics on her phone while she held the video camera in the other hand. Thanks so much Erica! Erin, our photographer, showed up shortly thereafter and got some beautiful pictures for us as well as some more 9 days after Summer's birth.
November 8 started out pretty normal. Bart took Gracie to school, I enjoyed a quiet morning, and then went to a much needed appointment with my therapist! I was chatting so much that my appointment ran late and I was 20 minutes late picking up Gracie from school. I was THAT Mom that had to come get her from the office. Her teacher said, "we thought maybe you went into labor!" "Oh no." I said. "I still have a week or so to go!" I grabbed G and we were on our way home. I put her down for a nap around 1pm and had plans to work out and get some cleaning done around the house but instead, I found myself curled up on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy and feeling guilty for wanting to just be lazy. And then I reminded myself that I don't have many more chances to just be lazy, so I took it! About an hour later, around 2pm, I felt a mild contraction. I didn't think much of it as I know that mild contractions can happen in the weeks leading up to birth. But over the next 2 hours I had a couple more. I still didn't think much of it but I did begin to realize that birth was probably going to happen within the next couple of days. I called my midwife and told her what was going on and she said to take a bath, drink some water, and see if they went away or increased. I thought to myself, "what a midwifey thing to say. Who has time to sit in a bath!? I still need to get to the grocery store!" Around 5:30 Erica came over to drop some stuff off. I filled her in on what I was feeling but assured her it still had to be a ways off. We decided to go to the grocery store together. She was going to drive separately but the look on my face during one of these "mild" contractions must have changed her mind because she decided to ride with me "just in case." I was driving to Publix at a stop light as my first "not so mild" contraction happened. I still talked through it, but I remember thinking that I was probably gonna have a baby sooner than I thought! As we walked around Publix, the contractions began to intensify and happen more frequently. There was a moment in the coffee aisle where Erica was asking me a question and I couldn't reply until the contraction finished. As a second time mom, I knew that once the contractions become too intense to talk through, things are getting real. STILL though, I thought I had at least 12-24 hours to go. Why? I have no idea.
After dodging a friend in produce, having an awkward exchange with the check out lady, and letting Erica convince me that she should drive us home and probably stay the night, we were on our way. I texted Bart and asked him to pick up some Thai food because I wasn't sure I could cook. When we came home I decided to take my midwife's advice and I got in the tub and had some water. To my amazement, the contractions stopped! I actually felt pretty bummed as I had just begun to accept that a baby was coming. I then proceeded to the shower and once I was on my feet, they started back up again. Bart got home during that time, around 7pm, and he came into the shower with me. I'll always remember this moment as he hugged me under the water, looked me in the eyes and excitedly asked, "are we going to have a baby tonight?" I said, "you know, I think we are!"
I proceeded to have some Thai soup on the couch and I was feeling pretty good. I realized that every time I sat down the contractions stopped, but as soon as I would walk around they would start again. At that point I was determined to make them continue if they were in fact going to continue! So I walked around, did some laundry, and tidied up the house a bit while periodically stopping to have a contraction. Looking back, I realized that I was brought to my knees for most of them. I would lay on the floor, lean over the couch, etc. But still, I told Erica, Bart, my midwife, and our birth photographer that I was likely hours away from anything happening. I don't know what it was that kept me from realizing that I was in active labor at that point. I think the distractions of having another child to handle and having the setting be so different than it was the first time around just somehow made my brain incapable of accepting the reality of the situation. Well, after kissing Gracie goodnight around 8:30, I went to the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and whether or not I was in labor was no longer a question. I proceeded to have what seemed like a never ending contraction that instantly took me back to what transitional labor felt like with Gracie. I had been timing my contractions for the last hour or so, but they had been very irregular. Suddenly they were right on top of each other. The next half hour or so was pretty comical. Well, not at the time! But as I labored on the toilet, I began barking orders at Bart to get his "birth prep" tasks done. As he and Erica took their time getting things set up like getting the video camera and laying down the tarp for the birthing tub, I grew increasingly aware that time was running out. I saw Bart casually sip his beer as he began to reminisce about Gracie's birth as he taped over old tape residue from where the tarp had been the last time. I told him, probably not so nicely, to hurry up and come be with me! At that point I was pretty sure that there would be no time for the birthing tub and I just wanted him to hold my head. Bless his heart. He did what I asked. I think that was when we all realized that a baby was happening NOW.
Bart filled up our bath tub and around 9pm and I climbed in after texting my midwife that she should "probably head over." Our student midwife, Estee, showed up around 9:15 and I asked her to check me as I was pretty sure I was in transition. When I asked her how dilated I was she said, "oh you're at 10. The baby's head is right there, she just needs to move past your pubic bone and you'll meet her." I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! None of us could. I STILL thought I had a couple hours to go and at least an hour of pushing. After lying there a bit longer she told me to open my legs to "make room" for the baby. I remember feeling so confused by that request, but I got myself up onto my knees in the tub and felt my water break. Once my water broke, an inexplicable amount of pain and pressure ensued and I said, "I think she's coming out!" And with that, her head exploded out of me and with one more push, her body followed. Estee managed to catch her from underneath my leg and place her into my arms in one effortless motion as I fell back down into the tub. The next 10 minutes I was in total shock. I couldn't wrap my head around what had just happened. It really wasn't until Bart cut the cord, they cleaned me up, and I moved into bed that I fully understood that I had done it. She was here. And we were all safe and healthy.
The next 3 hours were pretty tough for me. Unlike with Gracie where after she was born, I just felt relief, this time I was in excruciating pain as my uterus began to contract. Not uncommon with your second baby, particularly after precipitous labor (labor under 3 hours). Rhonda and Estee were taking turns massaging my uterus to shift it back into place and release some clots. This was as painful as labor itself! Absolutely terrible. So during that time, I didn't get to bond as much as I would have liked to with Summer. I nursed her a few times which made the contracting that much worse. But it gave Bart a chance to hold her and let her sleep on his chest. In between the agonizing uterine massages I would look over and see him dozing with her, her tiny little head on his chest. As uncomfortable as I was, I was so happy. Of course, then we got a phone call at midnight that the alarm went off at our office 20 minutes away. Thank you Erica for driving all the way out there and back to make sure all was well. When the second call came in around 2am, we just ignored it. :)
Once the midwives had done their measurements and paperwork and cleaned everything up, they said goodbye and we were left to sleep. As expected, Erica and Bart passed right out and I stayed up all night just staring at Summer. I loved every minute of that night even though I got no sleep. My cramps were beginning to lessen a bit and it was just my daughter and me in the quiet taking each other in. In the morning, we were so excited to bring Gracie in and introduce her to her sister. Afterall, she went to bed that night and I was pregnant. She woke up in the morning and my belly was gone and there was a baby in our bed! I was so curious what she would make of that. When we brought her in, she climbed up onto the bed, looked at the baby for a second and smiled sweetly, and then grabbed the remote and asked for Wheels on the Bus. HA! Our sweet Gracie.
The next week was like heaven. Bart stayed home and we enjoyed a full 7 days as a family of 4 just lounging around and getting to know our new babe. Mom and Dad arrived shortly after that which was perfect timing! Sleep deprivation was beginning to take hold and we were ready for the help. As always, it was so much fun having them here and they were such a huge help to us. They stayed for nearly 3 weeks and celebrated Thanksgiving with us. Erica and Mom cooked up a proper Thanksgiving feast for our small but mighty group. Bart and I got to have a proper night out together along with Erica at a coworker's wedding. Dad and Gracie had many outings together and Mom coached me through the first of many meltdowns. :) My emotional health began to decline shortly thereafter, but that's for another day. As hard as it has been, the joy of a new baby seems to always push through even if only for moments at a time. She was only 7lb 9oz and 19.75in long at birth. Now at 15 weeks old she is nearly 15lbs! She is sleeping well most nights, smiling so much, and beginning to develop her little personality. Although Gracie has her jealous moments and feels the need to fight for attention at times, she never takes it out on "wah wah," as she calls her. She is so sweet with her, always making sure she has her "juice" (pacifier), and excitedly exclaims "HI WAH WAH!" whenever we pick her up from school. It's been the sweetest thing to witness.
Well, if you've made it this far, here are some pictures! Because I was late in notifying our birth photographer of my labor progress, Erica stepped in and somehow managed to snap some pics on her phone while she held the video camera in the other hand. Thanks so much Erica! Erin, our photographer, showed up shortly thereafter and got some beautiful pictures for us as well as some more 9 days after Summer's birth.
This picture was taken an hour before Summer arrived!
Manzanos. THE best post birth meal EVER!
Gracie "pumping."
Introducing Summer to the TST team.
First bath!
Gracie's first school show!
The boys from TST.
Comments
Post a Comment