Welcoming my children
The Lamb Family
Our last name means Lamb, so we call ourselves the Lamb family!
Ezekiel
Our first child was not planned, but a blessing from God just the same. Ezekiel was born on his due date in October 2007. As much as i thought i was prepared, i found out i knew virtually nothing going into labor! Contractions began like menstrual cramps, so i didn't even know if thats what it was at first. I called my midwife at 4 pm because i felt weird. I couldn't put my finger on it, but i felt like something had definitely changed, and wondered if something was wrong. I was so emotional that she suggested i go into triage to get checked, as much as anything to reassure me that i was ok I think! By the time i got to the hospital my abdomen was really starting to hurt. I was so uncomfortable, and then i felt like screaming every time i got a contraction. I was 2.5 cm when i got there, and 2 hours later had not progressed, so they gave me a sleeping med and sent me home. No sooner had i climbed the 3 flights of stairs (UGGGHHHH! i will never forget that!) to our apartment, than i vomited all that pretty green med right back up! It was about 7 pm i think when we got home. I didn't sleep much, although i felt like i did between very painful contractions. I couldn't relax no matter how hard i tried, and i screamed with each one. Fortunately My Mom was with us, which was a huge blessing though we had originally not planned to have her present. She convinced my exhausted and anxious husband to lie down for some much-needed sleep, and she sat with me and tried her best to help me relax, timing my contractions. I was sure they were 15-20 minutes apart, because i felt like i was sleeping in between, but by 12:45 am she called my midwife to tell her that they were 4 min apart and she was bringing me back in. We got to the hospital about 2 am after an excruciating hike back down all those stairs, stopping every few for another contraction. When i got to triage they said i was 7.5 cm! Yay! They sent me right up to L&D, where i decided i couldn't take it anymore and asked - no begged! - for an epidural. Soon i was blissfully pain-free! I later learned that they over-dosed me, but it was so nice not to feel anything below my chest! I am so thankful, though , that i was able to rest before pushing so that i could really enjoy the birth! When it came time, they told me to push with the contractions..... What contractions???? I literally could not feel them at all! The midwife broke my water, and the funny thing is that she told my husband to stand back but he was so curious he wanted to see everything and he got a good splash! so they told me when to push, and after about 45 min i think out came my beautiful baby boy, born at 7:48 am on his due date! He was perfect!
Abigail
Well we couldn't wait to do that again.... so 23 months later we were back, expecting our Abigail! Only this time i was much more prepared, having been through it i knew what to expect! HAHAHA! Early labor started around 4 am the day before i was due, with painless contractions. Since they were regular i went in to get checked, but i had a nagging feeling that they weren't "the real thing" and unfortunately i was right! I went home to wait it out... and gradually they became less frequent and weaker until they stopped altogether after about 15 hours! I was bummed! I kept trying to will my body into labor to no avail! So my Mom went home and life returned to normal. But i just could not sleep that night! I was feeling rather bloated and constipated, so i finally gave in and took castor oil at 3 am on my due date. By 3:30 i was having contractions that meant business about 5-6 min apart! About 5:45 we called my midwife, and my parents came to help. My Dad and brother stayed with Ezekiel while my Mom took us to the hospital. We got there a little after 7 am, and i was 6.5 cm. I got the epidural again, but fortunately this time they didn't over-dose... it was just right so i could feel the pressure but no pain. I had the button but i only used it once.... I told them when i felt like i had to push, so the midwife broke my water and in 2 pushes i had my baby girl! She was born at 9:48 am on her due date!
Due May 4, 2011
I am now just into my second trimester with Baby #3.... and i am so impatient to meet my new little one! wish i could fast-forward 6 months! LOL