Delivery

I'll keep the gruesome details to a minimum ;) When it was time to start pushing, I am so glad Tim paid attention in our parenting classes to the pushing part, it took a few times for me to get it down...Breath in, hold breath in and push...I kept exhaling as I pushed until my FAB husband and coach corrected me and then I got the hang of it!  Thanks Tim!

My doctors shift was ending so after the initial round of pushing she introduced me to the doctor on rounds for the night who would be delivering, but told me since it's my first baby, it could take 2-3 hours...I was hoping for the sooner.  So for the next hour and a half it was Tim, my L&D nurse and me, pushing away.  As explained to me, every time I felt like I had to "go #2" meant it was time to push, so about every 10 minutes or so I'd say OK and Tim would hold my left leg and my nurse my right leg and we'd do 4 sets of pushes.  My nurse got called out of our room for a little to help the nurse across the hallway and left Tim and I to go it alone at the pushing...WHAT??!!  She assured us that the baby wasn't far enough down to push out.  So for about 20 minutes it was just Tim and I alone and pushing.

I did have them bring the mirror out so I could see the progress and what was going on, quite honestly when pushing I would look out of one eye scared of what I was going to see...but thankfully nothing embarrassing happened!!  At about an hour and a half in my nurse said "oh, it's time to get the doctor in here, don't push just hold it", wow...she is ready to come now...really??this is happening for real?? WOW!!  I have watched many tv programs with Tim and we both know that the doctor doesn't come in until "go time!".

G-rated shot of the pushing position and delivery room.

The doctor came in and got in her scrubs, another two nurses followed behind, they got their trays of tools ready and then it was time to start the official pushing.  Tim got the camera ready (G rated only) and the doctor said "ok and PUSH", it was honestly such a blur but within about 3 seconds out slides Raya on the first push with the doctor!!!  WOAH that was fast and at 8:03 PM she was HERE and joined the world!  My placenta came following right after her and Tim cut the cord.  I had a level one tear so I needed a few stitches, all the while they had little Raya resting on my chest and starting to take her first breaths of air.  I didn't know weather to laugh or cry, it was certainly a surreal, amazing, once in a lifetime feeling!

Daddy with his little princess, she's one lucky girl!