A New Beginning

It has now been two months and sixteen days since I first held my baby in my arms. To finally hold Genesis Grace in my arms...I could hardly believe it. She was so tiny but so big at the same time. My little daughter, a little person. It was incredible to think she had been inside of me, the little one who had kicked and rolled around and moved her tiny arms and legs in my tummy, who kicked when Ryan played the Bee Gees.

I was very glad to have my amazing friend, Jana, take pictures during labor and delivery. Check out her website to view her other shoots!
http://www.janakayphotography.com/

Here are some of the shots that beautifully tell the story of her delivery.

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Labor started at 4AM, but since I wanted to make sure it was for real, I waited until 6AM to wake up Ryan. We downloaded the contraction app, called the moms, and watched Seinfeld all morning while timing contractions. We called Ryan's sister, Jenna, to get advice on when to go to the hospital, and when they were about four to three minutes apart, she said it might be time to head to the hospital.

When we got there, it was 1PM, and I was already at 7 centimeters. Of course, my doctor was not on call that day, so I had another doctor who I had met at my appoitment the day before. Dr. Cavendar was great, and I had some wonderful nurses in Labor & Delivery.

Most of my labor was spent on this peanut with Ryan supporting my lower back. I was so grateful to have such a fantastic support team. Jana did have to tell Ryan that he didn't have to smile or pose for pictures though...

Laboring in the bed was the worst. I asked if there was a bar I could hold on to, and the nurses and doctor looked surprised. "Yes, we have a bar, but no one has ever asked for it," they said as they pulled it out of the closet.

The labor pains were getting harder and more intense for the last two centimeters. I was glad to have given the nurses a birth plan - they were so great about everything we wanted, and they didn't offer me an epidural, which turned out to be good since I probably would have changed my mind! They asked if I wanted them to break my water to make labor go faster, and I said "YES".

Finally at 10 centimeters, the doctor said I wasn't fully effaced yet, and Genesis was face up. They told me it would be harder to push if she was in this position, but it would hurt a lot more since my water had been broken already. Choosing the lesser of two evils, I turned onto my side and endured the next few contractions. It was the most painful of the whole experience, and Ryan ended up with a few bite marks and fingernail scratches...

"I think I need to push, I think I need to push!" I said, praying to God that this hell would be over soon. Yes, I was praying outloud. And yes I did say, "Please tell me this hell will be over soon."

To push, I used the birthing bar, and I asked Ryan to get in the bed behind me. He held me in between contractions so I could rest since my legs were getting tired. I didn't realize it at the time, but Ryan was also in pain at this time, straddling the bed with his legs and supporting the weight of, essentially, his whole family. He was amazing though, and I honestly could not have done it without him.

It didn't feel like an hour, but I think it was about that long. At first they said just her head was showing, then all at once there she was. All of her all at once. I was shocked that I had done that and that I was finaly looking at my beautiful baby for the first time. They put her in my arms, and Ryan and I held her together.

Genesis Grace, born November 18th at 8:24 PM, weighing 8lbs and 7oz and measuring 20.4 inches long. She cried and cried while they took her measurements until Ryan started talking to her. My mom was there the whole time to meet her first grandbaby. In the waiting room were my dad, Ryan's parents and sister, my brother, my aunt and uncle and three of my cousins, and three of my best friends.

And that is how Genny came into the world! She continues to amaze us with how beautiful and smart and sweet she is. We are so thankful for our miracle baby who surprised the doctors with being born healthy.