Baby Saskia is here!

Kiefer was 12 days over estimated due date, so I was expecting to go late this time as well. On Tuesday, June 29--4 days over my due date--I had no indication (other than Mr. Oliver, our cat, acting strange around me) that I was going to go into labor. Earlier in the day, I went to the grocery store, made 4-berry jam and a no-bake cheese pie. It started very suddenly in the late afternoon. At first, the contractions felt stronger than usual Braxton Hicks, which I'd been having for months so I didn't think much. Within a couple of hours I knew I was in labor because the contractions became more frequent and regular.When they were about 6 minutes apart, I told Roel that this might be it and I was going to go take a shower. I did, so did he and we gathered everything and called our neighbor, who volunteered to stay with Kiefer if I went into labor at night. I was having contractions in waves of 3 about 5 minutes apart. We got in the car after I had just had the last of a wave and we made it without any contractions until we pulled into the hospital parking spot.

Because labor with Kiefer lasted 42 hours and involved terrible back labor, the first thing I said when I got to the hospital and saw the nurse was, "I'd really like an epidural. I want you to know that now so you can get the anesthesiologist." I was starting to have back labor so I didn't want to go through that again. Unfortunately, she told me I needed to have a bag of fluids before that could happen. Then, when she checked me and told me I was dilated 7 cm and was in transition, she went to get the midwife who had just finished delivering another baby. I knew when the midwife rushed in with everything for delivery that I had missed the boat and I wasn't getting drugs. I was a little freaked out, but mostly happy that things were going so quickly and that I would be able to experience a natural child birth. The back labor is attributed to the fact that the baby was sunny side... just like Kiefer. I had a few minutes between contractions, which helped. When I felt one coming, I would say, "Oh no!" I think I even once said in the middle of the bad back labor, "This just isn't right! Make it stop!" Everything did go very quickly. We arrived at the hospital at 9:30 pm and our beautiful daughter was born at 11:50 pm after only about 10 minutes of pushing.

Roel and I are enjoying being the parents of a little girl. Kiefer is in love with her, too. He just wonders why she sleeps so much! Kiefer had been acting up in past few weeks, but as soon as the baby arrived, he was fine. We think the anticipation of the big event really got to him.

Things seem to be going rather smoothly. Saskia is a pretty mellow baby and a good eater. Roel and I are seasoned parents this time around and that definitely helps, too! We are adjusting to getting less sleep and changing diapers again!