Welcoming Janaia, Part One

My daughter is two weeks old today, but of course, with a new baby in the house I have not been able to post here!

I should, in fact, be sleeping right now, and I am going to toddle off shortly, but I thought I'd at least take 20 mins and see how far I got in updating you.

Janaia Lee Smith was born on April 5th at 11:18pm.  She weighed 8 pounds and 4oz.  She was 21 inches and 3/4 long.  (you pronounce her name "Jan-A-ah" or "Ja-Nay-ah," either way, tomato, tomato.)  Her name means "God is gracious," for those who like to know.

For those of you remotely interested, here is a brief recap of her birth.  I sprung a small leak in my waters on the morning of the 5th and felt sure that by evening I'd be in labour.  Sure enough, at 7:40 regular contractions started every 5 minutes.  After only 4 of them I phoned the midwife and we drove to the birth centre.  (Since Joel was born in only 3 hours, I wasn't waiting any longer)

We arrived at the birth centre a little after 8.  After the prelims, I got into the huge bathtub full of very warm water.  There I managed the pain of the contractions fairly well for about two hours.  It was great, actually.  I mean, painful, but great.  :)

Then things started to get really intense.  I was only at 7 cm and was very disappointed because the contractions/pain had really intensified.  They offered me nitrous oxide and I took it!  This was at 11:10.  I had a contraction and my water broke.  Then I had two super massively painful, intense contractions and at the end of the second one, Janaia's head was crowning!  Between 11:10 and 11:18 I went from 7cm to full delivery of my beautiful little girl!

She floated out into the water and they handed her to me.  She cried briefly and quieted as I held her and cried myself.  I was so blessed, I had gotten the birth (excepting the pain, of course) that I had really wanted, in the birth centre, just Steve and I and the mid-wives and doula.  It was quiet and peaceful and so private.

The midwives checked us out for the next three hours, her blood sugar was great, she passed all her tests and I did OK too.  They released us, and we headed home for our new life together.

Now I better sign off and try to sleep.  I have had minimal sleep for the past two weeks, but that is for another day.  For now, here are some pictures.  :)