Morgan James - 2 days old
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Sunday, April 10, 2005
The Newest Schuster is born
Morgan James Schuster was born today at 6:16 p.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 6 oz and he was 19 3/4 inches long.
The day started out pretty mellow. Wolf, Mason and I met up with my friend Tobin, his wife Dawn and their son Emrys for breakfast. I was feeling a little under the weather but didn't think much of it. We headed home around lunchtime to put Mason down for his nap. I'm not sure exactly what time I started feeling badly, but I think it was around 2:30 or 3. I started getting serious pains in my stomach. My first thought was that I was having bad gas pains from the ham and cheese I had eaten earlier. It crossed my mind briefly that these might be labor pains, but I wasn't sure. I've had terrible stomach pains in the past so it wasn't unusual. But just to be safe, I gave my midwife a call. Round about this time, Wolf's dad called out of the blue to see if he and Mara could take Mason to Costco, then they'd come back and we'd have a barbeque. Timing couldn't have been better.
Diane, my midwife, asked me a bunch of questions, none of which I was able to answer clearly. "Well, you may be in labor," she said. "Go take a hot bath and see if it goes away." So I did. I had had the presence of mind to bring a watch with me, just in case. To make sure this wasn't labor, I began timing my gas pains. Finally, after 45 minutes it began to sink into my pain dazed brain that gas pains don't usually happen every 3 minutes and last for a minute in a half. However, I STILL wasn't convinced. Not wanting to take any chances, though, I had Wolf call Diane back and they decided that it was probably best if she come check things out. By now it was 4:30. Diane arrived just around 5. "Do you want me to check you?" she asked. "Oh sure, why not, since you're here" was the reply I wanted to utter. Instead I think I just grunted. Turns out I was 4 cm dialated. "So this truly is labor then and not just gas?" I had to ask. Yes, I truly did need to hear her say yes in order for me to believe it. Funny what pain can do to you. Makes you crazy. Some where in this span of time, Pop and Mara came to pick up Mason, which was great. One of my biggest worries had been what would happen to Mason when this all went down.
Okay, now things are getting crazy. Not wanting to lay down, I positioned myself off of the end of the bed, on the corner, and squatted. Wolf was up on the bed, holding my hands in a criss-crossed position and using the dresser for stability. Man, the pain was amazing. I remember blurting out at some point that it is a damn good thing your mind blocks this kind of pain or children would never be born. Finally, the urge to push became almost unbearable, but they wouldn't let me. Seems things weren't quite ready yet. Um, excuse me? Don't push? Are you smoking crack? But I did as I was told and BREATHED through my urge to push. That is by far the most horrible, terrible, painful thing I have ever done......or so I thought. Then I was told I could push and as the baby came out, I remembered that THIS was the most horrible, terrible, painful thing I have ever done. But so worth it as I watched my newest beautiful baby boy drop down into Diane's waiting arms.
Everything after that is pretty much a blur. Mason came home and got to hang out with his new baby brother, which he actually thought was pretty cool. I was completely wiped out and spent the rest of the evening taking care of some unpleasantries that go along with birth and making phone calls. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be able to lie down in my own bed, with my family, and not have to go anywhere or do anything or have to worry about people coming into my room at all hours of the night. I will admit I was very nervous about having this baby at home but it really turned out beautifully.
My life and my family are now complete. Here's to the future!
The day started out pretty mellow. Wolf, Mason and I met up with my friend Tobin, his wife Dawn and their son Emrys for breakfast. I was feeling a little under the weather but didn't think much of it. We headed home around lunchtime to put Mason down for his nap. I'm not sure exactly what time I started feeling badly, but I think it was around 2:30 or 3. I started getting serious pains in my stomach. My first thought was that I was having bad gas pains from the ham and cheese I had eaten earlier. It crossed my mind briefly that these might be labor pains, but I wasn't sure. I've had terrible stomach pains in the past so it wasn't unusual. But just to be safe, I gave my midwife a call. Round about this time, Wolf's dad called out of the blue to see if he and Mara could take Mason to Costco, then they'd come back and we'd have a barbeque. Timing couldn't have been better.
Diane, my midwife, asked me a bunch of questions, none of which I was able to answer clearly. "Well, you may be in labor," she said. "Go take a hot bath and see if it goes away." So I did. I had had the presence of mind to bring a watch with me, just in case. To make sure this wasn't labor, I began timing my gas pains. Finally, after 45 minutes it began to sink into my pain dazed brain that gas pains don't usually happen every 3 minutes and last for a minute in a half. However, I STILL wasn't convinced. Not wanting to take any chances, though, I had Wolf call Diane back and they decided that it was probably best if she come check things out. By now it was 4:30. Diane arrived just around 5. "Do you want me to check you?" she asked. "Oh sure, why not, since you're here" was the reply I wanted to utter. Instead I think I just grunted. Turns out I was 4 cm dialated. "So this truly is labor then and not just gas?" I had to ask. Yes, I truly did need to hear her say yes in order for me to believe it. Funny what pain can do to you. Makes you crazy. Some where in this span of time, Pop and Mara came to pick up Mason, which was great. One of my biggest worries had been what would happen to Mason when this all went down.
Okay, now things are getting crazy. Not wanting to lay down, I positioned myself off of the end of the bed, on the corner, and squatted. Wolf was up on the bed, holding my hands in a criss-crossed position and using the dresser for stability. Man, the pain was amazing. I remember blurting out at some point that it is a damn good thing your mind blocks this kind of pain or children would never be born. Finally, the urge to push became almost unbearable, but they wouldn't let me. Seems things weren't quite ready yet. Um, excuse me? Don't push? Are you smoking crack? But I did as I was told and BREATHED through my urge to push. That is by far the most horrible, terrible, painful thing I have ever done......or so I thought. Then I was told I could push and as the baby came out, I remembered that THIS was the most horrible, terrible, painful thing I have ever done. But so worth it as I watched my newest beautiful baby boy drop down into Diane's waiting arms.
Everything after that is pretty much a blur. Mason came home and got to hang out with his new baby brother, which he actually thought was pretty cool. I was completely wiped out and spent the rest of the evening taking care of some unpleasantries that go along with birth and making phone calls. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be able to lie down in my own bed, with my family, and not have to go anywhere or do anything or have to worry about people coming into my room at all hours of the night. I will admit I was very nervous about having this baby at home but it really turned out beautifully.
My life and my family are now complete. Here's to the future!
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