A Beautiful Birth

While our birth experience was much different than the natural childbirth we had hoped and prepared for, we can't imagine how our special day could have been more beautiful. The one thing we cared the most about in our birth plan was that the room was filled with positive energy and joy, and there sure was plenty of this on April 6--Wesley James' birthday! There was a little party in the OR, with several doctors, a handful of nurses, and two of our midwives. What excitement!


Phil and I waiting in anticipation!

A baby boy is born at 8:35 AM--quickly followed by screams from Wesley and tears from his parents.

Wesley weighed in at 8 pounds and 1 ounce. It took a few days to measure him because he had been folded in the breech presentation for so long, but he was estimated to be about 20.5 inches long.

While I was being sewn back up, Phil was able to go and be with him while the nurses did their thing--he recognized Phil's voice right away!

Our midwife, Mary, stayed with me to keep me company while Phil was visiting Wes, but we thought it was only fair that she get to hold him too, especially as she was so kind to come in very early on her day off to be with us!

A family is born.

And, FINALLY, as they were wheeling me out of the OR, I was able to hold the little guy. While it felt like forever, it was really less than 45 minutes, and we were able to have some skin-to-skin contact and breastfeed before he was an hour old. And boy, was he HUNGRY!