The Birth Story :)

First of all - Octavio and Antonette (the Doula) were a GODsend through the entire process (progress)!!! I could not have done this without them - no way, could NOT have done it at all ....

b/c we were "high risk" and running "late" (41 weeks) ob/gyn convinced me to induce with prostaglanden (?) gel on Monday - happened @ 2p.m.

My body took over and labored on its own after about 4 hours. I stayed at about 3.5 cm from hour 4-14 (all went well here - used the Earth Mama Angel Baby CD for meditation and I HIGHLY recommend it!), when ob/gyn offered options.

Since I hadn't slept already for almost 48 hours (anxious about induction), I opted for some help to rest up for the event, and the ob/gyn suggestion of pitocin to "help" with dilation... uhhhh... I'll make a different choice next time...

I slept hour 14-16.5 and then awoke from a deep deep sleep into intense labor (still measuring 3.5 cm) and my water breaking. The intense labor lasted about 1 hour - where I found myself fully 10 cm and began pushing for about 40 minutes - and then met sweet baby Benjamin face to face! (insert giant THANKS here to nurse Tracy - a strong natural birth advocate and excellent coach)

My comment on seeing Benjamin in ob/gyn's arms at birth, "How'd you guys do that?" Everyone in the room cracked up - and I was completely confused at first since I didn't really know that I'd said that out loud ... After 8 years of ttc, this moment was truly a miracle and I could not believe that I had actually had a baby!!!!

Now he is here - and wide awake - and hungry ... and as sweet as a sweet baby puffin can be :)

Puffiliciously Puffinish - looking all like my brother with Octavio's nose and facial expressions :)

*SherryQ*