Our Angel is Here!

Chloe Reese Powers
Born February 16th, 2009 4:05 am
7 lbs 4 oz 19.5 inches long

We've been waiting and preparing so long it seems, and now it feels so surreal that she's actually here! I just can't stop staring at her... I can't believe she's really here.

She's perfect and healthy and we were able to come home today. Labor and delivery went fantastic. I had her ala natural... and I aint gonna lie... it was tough! But I feel so blessed. I could not have done it without my amazing husband and dear friend Becky. I can't even believe how amazing they were.

I had stronger but not terrible contractions all day Sunday, and Becky spent the day with me and kept me entertained in-between contractions and timed me when I was having contractions. She took me for a walk, made me snacks and kept me hydrated and kept telling me how great my focus and breathing were though the contractions. Shane kept me entertained with "Chuck" reruns, listening to Jason Mraz and just goofing off and telling funny stories. Sometimes they were so funny I even half laughed through some of my contractions! He rubbed my back during contractions which felt soooooo good and was so comforting. They both really made the whole thing so amazingly enjoyable!

I was originally thinking about hiring a doula... but I'm really glad that I didn't. I think it probably would have been more serious... more down to business dealing with labor contractions with some person I didn't know. It was so nice just hanging out at home and laughing and doing normal things in between contractions. Beck and Shane were both so fun to be with. The distraction was really nice.

My contractions got stronger, and more uncomfortable, and about 2 minutes apart when we started heading for the hospital. It was about 1 am. The whole protocol of getting into the hospital, even when you are preregistered really is crazy when you are in labor. You have to sign papers, answer a whole bunch of annoying questions.... get hooked up to all sorts of crazy contraptions... it really is crazy trying to do all that while having contractions every 2 minutes!

I was about a 7 when I checked in... and they broke my water. Shorty after the contractions got intense and quickly put me into transition. At that point I pretty much just zoned out in order to deal with the pain... but Shane and Beck were so amazing at helping me get through it. The whole labor process was actually very tolerable and even enjoyable up until this point.... and I felt very blessed it had gone so well. And even though transition was by far the worst, I knew it would just be for a very short time, and be a very short part of the whole process, and then the baby would soon be here.

Shane and Becky were so incredible when I got to that point. Becky just kept telling how great I was doing and would watch the monitor and tell me when a contraction was going back down which helped immensely!! It felt good to move my hips and legs to help ease out the tension, so Shane kinda slow danced with me and let me hold onto him and he just rubbed my back while I worked through the transition contractions. It was so comforting to have him there for me and support me like that. There was a midwife there that also stepped in and applied counter pressure to my back which was really helpful.

I've decided that the reason why you have such strong contractions at the end is because it really makes you want to get that baby out in order to alleviate the pain, which gives you the strong instinct to push! I pushed for maybe 10 minutes, and what a sweet wave of joy and relief when she was finally here!!

I feel really great, I would do it naturally again for sure. It really wasn't bad until the very end... and I feel so much better than I did after having Jada. I feel a world of difference in my energy and ability to heal and recover. I made a gift basket to take with me to the hospital full of goodies for Shane and Beck and the nurses... to say THANKS!!! I knew I wouldn't be able to do this alone. Shane, you are an amazing husband and friend, I don't know what I would ever do without you. I love you more and more with each new experience we go through together... which is crazy because I had no idea that I could love you even more. I love our little family!

Beck, you are such an incredibly amazing friend.. I am constantly humbled how much you've been there for me and helped me and I am so glad you could be there for one of the most important events in my life. I love you dearly!