So Colten is two months old now, and I'm realizing how quickly this is all going to go. I'm going to make this attempt at blogging, but I have my doubts about how diligent I'm going to be about it. Anyways, the point is to share stuff about Colten for those of you who don't see him everyday - but I may share other things as well...depending on my mood.I really want to share Colten's birth story...again. I've told it many, many times, but I hear that's a good thing to do. So here goes:
He was born June 25th at 9:35am, after many, many hours of labor. At some point during my pregnancy, it had become really important to both Tim and me to have a normal, natural birth. More than twenty weeks pregnant I decided to have the baby at the Goleta Valley birthing center rather than Cottage in Santa Barbara, and switched from a doctor in the Sansum medical group to Dr. Green, who is known for his midwife-like mentality and support of natural birth. Tim and I took a natural birthing class as well. It's difficult now for me to imagine doing it any other way. I wish I could explain why, but I can't seem to put it into words.
Anyways, I went into labor in the afternoon of Saturday, June 21st. Contractions were mild, about ten minutes apart, and basically stayed that way all of Saturday night, Sunday, and all day Monday. No sleep for me. Finally, Monday night we decided to head over to the birthing center with our doula. Contractions came and went for the next 36 hours. It was hard, but not unbearable. I think the support from Tim and the three doulas who took turns staying with us is what made it possible. And it also helped that I just kept thinking that the baby would come "any time now." I finally hit a wall early Wednesday morning when I could no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I started to say "hey guys...I don't think I can do this much longer," they stayed positive and basically just reassured me that I'd be done when the baby came. Profound, I know. But it worked. They tell me I pushed for three and a half hours, but it didn't seem like it...the time just passed, and eventually Colten was born. 7 pounds 2 ounces, and as healthy as they come!
More soon...
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