Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Baby Pictures!

Well, a little over 24 hours later an we're home!!! Elyana Ruth came into the world after 35 hours of labor, but naturally!!! She weighed (get this) 7lb 13oz, 20 and 3/4 inches long!!! Yes, after all the fuss on Friday about her being small and all that! Jonathan was amazing - I would not have continued on natural childbirth without his encouragement and clear-headedness at all the times I needed it! There were some awesome times where God really intervened. I cannot even begin to convey how much I believe the prayers that started after our appointment last week and that went on while we labored really were heard and answered. I am in the process of writing the birth story, which I will share on here.

I will give a sneak preview. My labor contractions started by waking me 5:30am on Sunday morning. I labored at home until about 8:30pm, when we headed to the hospital. There was never a "this is it" moment, or a surety we weren't going too early. But went we did. I was 4-5cm dialated, but with contractions 60-70 seconds long and ~3 minutes apart, so we did what we thought best. In retrospect it made the night very long and uncomfortable for Jonathan (at least at home he could have really slept in his own bed for a few hours!). I did not need heavy coaching during all that time, although he was coaching and helping me from the very beginning.

I was a classic "putterer" case, in Bradley-speak (realizing that myself, by Monday morning when I was only a 6-7cm dialated). My midwife had taken the weekend off entirely, and turned her cell phone off. I knew this was the case, and it did not matter because Jonathan was entirely what I needed. We had awesome nurses that were so so wonderful (another God-send), but they pretty much left us to labor ourselves as Jonathan had it well in control. By 12 I had the urge to push, and 12:50 started after the doctor came by and checked the baby and me. Let's just say after an hour and a half, the baby had moved further back! And the doctor started giving us a lecture on trying pitocin, possibly an epidural, and the moving to a c-section if those failed. He was ready to go and called me "failure to progress" (seroiously, after only 1 1/2 hours). He even told me "some babies are too big to come out this way, and have to be born c-section!" And after everything on Friday we'd just heard! Jonathan and I knew we should continue, as the baby had been doing awesome on the fetal monitor with every contraction.

Let's just say, an hour and a half later, Elyana Ruth came into the world! Another doctor delieverd (yay) and it was amazing! I'll give lots more details later, but I am undoubtably aware that God heard so many prayers and brought our daughter in the world safe and according to our desires!! We are so so overwhelmed with this little girl. She is precious and hardly cries at all and is just beautiful. Here are a few shots...








15 comments:

meghann said...

oh she is beautiful!!!!!!!!
I remember a loooong time ago when we were talking at the freas house about you not getting pregnant after a number of months of trying.....and all the months that followed that I prayed for you and jonathan to have a little precious yourself!!!! Look at what GOD HAS BLESSED YOU WITH!!!! Oh I love your story and love even more how it GLORIFIES OUR FATHER! You have been so much like Hannah!! what a special little girl...please post all the time of her..or better yet,after you have recuped-come pay us in charlotte a visit, we all would love to hug the little girl we prayed for for so long! love you!

Claudia said...

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Guess we were all just tugging on God's ear :-)

Lindsay said...

Awwwhhhhh!!!! Congratulations!!!! What a celebration!!
Praise the Lord that it was all you dreamed of and you have a healthy baby girl!!
Can't wait to hear more.

And seriously Denise...Do you have to go ahead and put jeans on? Come on, making the rest of us look bad;)
I always wear my own clothes in the hospital too though. Can't stand those gowns:)

She is adorable!

Dee Dee said...

Denise,
You and Jonathan managed to have what we never were able to in 9 deliveries -- a Monday baby! (It's the only day we missed : )
Elyana is beautiful, and God is so faithful! Love you all!

Anonymous said...

Girl she's beautiful! Guess she gets that from her Mama! I love the pic of J and her... Absolutely precious! I am so very very happy for ya'll! Our God is soo good!

Emily said...

Way to stick to your guns!
What nerve that doctor had...probably had a pressing tee time or something similar.

Can't wait to meet your beautiful little girl!

Haley said...

Denise!

Stuart and I are so very, very happy for you! We've been praying for a safe delivery and have been calling home asking, "Do we have a niece yet?" I cannot wait to see Elyana! We are just sad it will have to be in April! So, keep us posted with lots of pictures!

Mary said...

Yay, your whole story makes me cry - tears of happiness.

Anne said...

Congratulations Jonathan and Denise! How amazing to be gazing on God's goodness and faithfulness. Elyana is truly lovely!!!

lislynn said...

I am sooo freakin' excited and proud of you two!!!!!!!!! It's ridiculous :) I will be grinning all day, I am sure. Can't wait to hear all the details! And yay for three-day-labors, right???

Congrats from another "classic putterer"

Jeanie said...

She's beautiful!! What a precious gift from God!! And you are a trooper to last that long...I'm so glad you had your hubby their to support you. My DR told me Alathea would be 6lbs max and she was 7lbs 12oz...It shows they are truly just guessing! PRAISE GOD for a beautiful, healthy little girl! I hope I get to meet her :)

Anonymous said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!

We are just overwhelmed with joy and so happy you trusted your heart and instincts as a Mother. Enjoy your time just basking in the miracle of sweet Elyana Ruth! Many blessings to you both!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just have to say she is absolutely beautiful!!!

Karen

Rebecca said...

Congratulations!!!!! She is beautiful....what a blessing from the Lord and a miracle. And wonderful that she came on her own just like you hoped she would! I am praising God with you tonight. :)

Polly said...

Hooray! I can only say what everybody else is saying--she's beautiful! She looks like a Graydon! :) I'm so glad you got to go natural and everything the way you wanted.
Blessings!

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