Many of you have already shared in our celebration as we welcome Samuel Mattocks-Allen Cromwell to our family. Official stats: Born at 11:11 a.m. on Sabbath, 4/4/09. Weight: 7 lbs. 15 oz. 19 3/4 inches long.
So many of you have sent your love and prayers, and your adoration adds to our joy! I have wanted to return your calls and messages, but as you can understand, having a baby changes everything! I want to send out a quick account of our birth story and look forward to sharing more of the details with you individually as time allows. I've got Mommy brain and only a few moments while Sam is sleeping, so bear with any typos and unfinished thoughts... When we passed our due date on the 28th and the siblings and grandmothers were gathered and waiting for the birth, I went into this frustrated "depression" (nothing serious)... Just lost the heart to answer everyone's excited and curious calls of inquiry on baby's status. It was hard to keep saying, "No, he's not here yet." Then, last Friday, at a week late, the midwife started talking induction. I was really afraid that if we started down that road it would open the door to other interventions like epidural, and most feared of all- C-section... All the opposite of the natural birth I envisioned. We decided to give baby the weekend and see if he'd come on his own. My midwife stripped my membranes on Friday a.m. and by afternoon I was starting to experience some contractions. Nothing that made me think I'd be in hard labor by 10:30 p.m., as it turned out I was... Sam took me by surprise! :) By 2:30 a.m. Chad could see I was needing to be at the hospital. Contractions were getting really intense. By the time we arrived I was dilated to 8 cm. Probably would have progressed and delivered really quickly but we found out later that his little head was crooked in the canal and he didn't crown in the normal position. Made for some horrific back labor and 7 more hours of sitting at 8 cm. It was so hard to keep my strength and courage when the midwife would check and I wouldn't have progressed any more. I'd already been up over 24 hours and was so tired. They ended up giving me saline papules (spelling?) over the pressure points in my lower back. Something I'd never heard of but that was a miracle worker and gave me wonderful relief for a few hours. Also, about seven a.m. we decided to start an I.V. and get some pain medicine (don't remember name). The drug doesn't numb the pain of contractions, just takes the edge off and let me relax and sleep a little. It was actually funny because it made me quite loopy apparently. It only lasted until 9 a.m. and I started begging for another dose. Little did I know (or believe) that an hour later I'd finally be ready to push! Midwife and Chad somehow kept the epidural at bay since they knew that it was time to start pushing, though I got pretty adamant that the only way I was going to be able to take any more is if I was numb! Took us 51 minutes of pushing to deliver... Must say the labor experience was the most intense pain and mental challenge I've ever been through, but so incredible to experience natural birth. The rush and physical emotional high you experience after is unbelievable! They set up a mirror so I could watch the pushing progress. Wow!!! I don't think there was a dry eye in the room when he finally was born at 11:11 a.m.!!! I've always loved the idea of this little boy, but nothing could compare to the reality of him when they laid him on my chest for the first time. I couldn't stop crying!!! Lots more details to share hopefully soon.
Every day is a new challenge and adventure. We've been home since Sunday mid-day. Our first night was rough... very little sleep for the three of us. We're still learning the art of breastfeeding, but getting better everyday. We've taken a thousand pictures, so as I have time I'll try to share more.
Love, love, love,
Gretal and Chad
