Look What We Made!

We are FINALLY able to announce the beautiful arrival of our brand new baby girl....

Quinn Elyse Fowler

Born at 12:14 AM on April 10, 2009

8 Lbs. 15 Oz.

21 inches long

Total Labor Time: 3 hours!

Well, I seemed to have been able to go into labor on my own! (Thanks Angela...you definitely gave me hope). Thursday night I was putting Gavin to bed and realized that my contractions weren't like they were over the past couple weeks. With Gavin snoozing, I decided to lay down for a minute to see if it would make them go away (like usual). They didn't go away! I still wasn't sure if it was real, but I wanted to be prepared so I called my sister who was just getting off of work since Tim wasn't getting off until midnight. While she was on her way, I took a shower (you gotsta shave your legs for such an occasion) and noticed that they hurt...alot....and were 3 minutes apart. When Jess got to my house I called my midwife. She laughed and said I sounded too happy to be in labor, but to definitely come in and she was already at the hospital. Tim came home early from work at about 10:30pm and made fun of me for doing my hair and blogging before I went to the hospital. Honestly, I was just trying to stay home as long as I could. Jess stayed home with Gavin while Tim and I left for the hospital.

When we got to the hospital at 11:00PM, I could barely walk. I was perfectly fine in between contractions, but when one would hit, I couldn't seem to move. I told Tim that if I wasn't dialated very much then I was not going to make it without some pain meds. Luckily, when my midwife checked me I was almost a 7! Thank heavens I had a fantastic midwife and nurse. They were completely supportive and talked me through everything.

Before I went into labor I planned on using hypnobirthing and having a water birth. Things happened so fast that I never got the chance to completely relax into hypno and I could barely move, let alone get into a tub, so that never happened. I just labored while hugging my midwife.

Pushing was the best part for sure. I thought it would have been the hardest and the most painful, but no....it was the best! I almost bit my midwife when I told her I needed to push...I was finally able to lay down on the bed and in 3 pushes, my baby girl was out.

It's amazing how the pain just goes away afterwards. The relief is invigorating!

I did tear a bit, but I didn't care. I was just so happy to finally have her out. I can't even begin to believe that all this started at 9:15 PM and she was out by 12:14AM...a 3 hour labor....not too bad! I must say too that recovery is a million times easier afterward than with having an epidural. I loved it and would do it again....but not for a few years! Me the day before